Actually, it is that there is not too much time to write. I have lots I would like to write! I am gearing up for the weekend…and I am so excited about it.
My friend Karen has a monthly scrapbooking / crop night at her house. It starts at 5pm and last until after midnight! I have not had the chance to go yet but tonight that will change! I plan to get the dinner made, clean up and get all the boys in bed. Then I am sneaking out of here around 8p so that I can scrapbook! Maybe the boys books will get done afterall!
Tomorrow night our friends Alan and Carrie are coming over for dinner! We love them as they are some of the most precious people in our lives. We met Carrie when she was single and teaching Isaiah’s class at church. They are a perfect match. They love our kids (and we will love theirs when they arrive!). I think the best part is that they challenge us in our walk with Christ, hold us accountable (even if they don’t realize it) and make us laugh so hard!
Of course, church is Sunday. I can’t tell you how much I love church. We are starting a new series called Drift and I can’t wait to hear it!
Isaiah frequently comes home with fill in the blank pages. He is learning to write and so he tells his teacher the word, she spells it for him and he writes the word in the blank. Most of the time they are pretty serious but this week we got this:
Kids Are Like Snowflakes – No Two Are The Same
Each of us is different, start with our names ISAIAH
My hair is BROWN, as you can see
My eyes are as BLUE as they can be BUILDING and ALABAMA I like a lot RUDOLPH and MONSTERS are not so hot.
Because really, what 5 year old likes Rudolph anyway? After asking about it, he explained that Rudolph the Reindeer is just fine, it is Rudolph and the Island of Misfit Toys movie he doesn’t like. I guess Abominable Snowman was too long to write!
I don’t know what your closets look like but at our house we have one closet in the hallway that is dedicated to holding all our sheets and extra blankets…not to mention a few sleeping bags! Actually, it holds all the boy’s sheets and blankets! The problem for me is that I have trouble keeping all the bed items that match together. It seems I always need the sheet set towards the bottom and when I pull it out…well, you can imagine all the other sheet sets that come out with it. Recently, someone gave me a great tip. It you fold all the sheets and pillow case just so, you can simply slide them into one of the pillow cases. This way all the sheets stay together and it is pretty easy to get one set towards the bottom.
DO you have a tip? Be sure to head over to Rocks In My Dryer to let everyone know…and check out all the other tips too!
That is a question that was posed to us by our campus pastor this last week. Thankfully it was done via email because I really needed time to think about. Here is a portion of the email I wrote.
Chad –
I have been thinking about your question and I am not sure how to answer it. At first I thought of the ‘helps me get connected, gives me the ability to meet new people, etc. And those answers are true. But for me, serving is way more than that. Serving gives me the opportunity to see the strengths in other people. I have a view of people using their gifts that I might miss otherwise. I don’t teach but there is something very humbling to know I have the opportunity to help a teacher feel comfortable by setting up their room in the morning. I think of how many times I would drop off my children in the morning and hurry into church without giving one thought to the time someone invested in my children long before I arrived. Setting up the children’s rooms creates a softening of my heart every week. I am constantly reminded that we have an opportunity to make a parent feel like this is ‘home’ not a school for their children. I get to work alongside some ‘rock star volunteers’ each morning.
I think the other thing I have learned from serving is to have more of a child’s heart. I had the opportunity to greet the first week. I saw men, women, families walking through the doors for the first time with curiosity and excitement. It was like watching a child get candy for the first time. I soon realized I was involved in something that could change someone’s life, someone’s marriage, someone’s family. How many times did I just go into church and miss that? I guess at the core, serving has given me the following prayer every day ‘God, just don’t let me miss it. Don’t let me miss what you want me to do. Don’t let me miss that moment to smile at someone, to walk out of my comfort zone and talk to someone. Don’t let me miss getting to your heart. Don’t let me miss that it isn’t about me at all, it is about you.’
I don’t share that email to make you think that I am fantastic…I surely am just an average person wanting to honor God. But I do wonder, how many times did I miss the opportunities to serve. I am talking about not just inside our church but outside too. Really, is is that difficult? I am presented with ways daily whether in my home, at the grocery store or in a doctor’s office. And the truth is that sometimes I miss the moments and sometimes I try to ignore them. I am trying to change and it is definitely God working through me.
I love the idea of group writing projects. It isn’t because more people can find out about my blog, I just enjoy having the forum to discuss things and gain perspective from other bloggers. I generally read posts and think ‘why didn’t I think of that?’ or ‘wow, that is a great idea’. I was really excited when I learned Does Mommy Love It is having a one of these projects. Even if you are not a mom, chances are you know children and you need items for their birthdays or baby showers. This site is great about telling you what does and does not work! I have really enjoyed their information already so you can imagine the excitement that rose up in me when I read ‘group writing project’.
That is until I read the topic! The topic is about one family product I can not live without. This should be easy right? I mean just the other day I was told I was an ‘experienced’ mom. Surely I should know the *best, perfect, right* answer. And yet, all week long I have thought on this. I just can’t narrow it down. I tossed out some ideas (like diapers and extra crib sheets) but past that it is getting tough.
The challenge for me was more about the longevity of an item rather than the use in the moment. There are some things that I thought were wonderful when I had my first but by the time I had my third, I didn’t need them. So taking this approach, I came up with the one thing I have used with all three boys…and still do.
My pick is the book ‘Caring For Your Baby and Young Child. I am not kidding that this book has been a huge resource for me numerous times. It is for children Birth to age 5 and covers things like skills for each age, sample menus and even games you can play with a baby to develop skills. The back of the book offers advice on all sorts of illnesses from fever to chest or heart issues. It has helped me understand the details of an illness and some ways to identify or treat them. The menus were a life saver when my sons would not eat and I was trying to figure out how to give them more nutritious items.
I am sure there are tons of other things that are my favorite family products but this ranks right up there for me! Check out the other posts at Does Mommy Love It!
Have you heard of this site? It is called Personal DNA and it is a marvel to me. My sister sent me a link for it. I was surprised at her results. They were pretty true to her character. So I decided to try it out. I was a Dynamic Director. My first thought was ‘wow, thanks, I must be pretty fab!’. Then I read on and found out a little about my ‘DNA’. Just a few highlights:
Director:
*You are practical and pay attention to details other might miss
*You much prefer to have time to plan for things, feeling better with a schedule than with keeping plans up in the air until the last minute. Your decisions are well thought out, and you’re not the least bit impulsive.
*You’re not afraid to let your emotions guide you, and you’re generally considerate of other’s feelings as well
Dynamic:
*There are those who find being around people exhausting—but not you! Interacting with others, whether at a party or in conversation, gives you energy.
*You have enormous respect for those who have earned their success, and have little patience for those who try to bend the rules or ride on the coattails of others’ hard work.
*Part of what makes engaging with people so interesting for you is that you occasionally learn something new about yourself or about a problem you’re having when discussing things with others.
I have to tell you that there were other things that weren’t so accurate but for the most part it summed me up pretty well. I do pay attention to details and like to make sure that things are planned well ahead of time. I don’t mind running around like a crazy woman during an event as long as the larger details are planned. I don’t let my emotions guide me too much these days but there are times when I feel (and hope) compassion spurs something in me.
Have you taken this quiz yet? I would love to know about your personal DNA!
Filed under: Me, children — by fullofboys @ 8:07 am
Sometimes I wonder who reads this blog. The reason I wonder is simple…because I wonder if they know I am not perfect. I am so far from perfect. I normally choose to highlight my more great moments rather than my errors. I read this a few days back at Rocks in My Dryer. It has stuck with me for some time now. I think about how often I compare myself to people around me. It might be that they are a better speaker, better house keepers, better (well you can fill in the blank). The article reminded me that every blog I read is a glimpse into the life of someone…not the actual perfect life of someone.
With that said, I thought I would tell you some of the not so perfect things that happened in my house this week.
I burned the macaroni…oh yes I did. Did you know you could burn noodles? Well, let me tell you not only is it possible but it will take several Febreeze Candles to git rid of the smell! I had put the noodles on the stove and walked away. I got distracted with laundry, dirty diapers and screaming boys. And when I say distracted I mean totally forgot I even put them in pan and turned the stove on! Thankfully, burnt noodles come out relatively easy once they cool!
I opened the car door….and proceeded to open it directly into my eye. Well, my eyebrow to be exact! I cried like I have never cried before, probably since labor! The heat rushed to it so quickly that I thought I would have a black eye right then. How in the world was I going to walk Joel into school with a black eye? Try to imagine the looks I would get!
Adding to the craziness was that schools were closed for snow, illness and holiday for 4 days! I thought my sanity might just take a vacation by the end of Monday! However, trying to find the joy in everything I came up with the following:
1. I learned I need to ALWAYS set the timer…or just not leave the kitchen. Period. I also learned that burned macaroni can wash out of my pot very well.
2. I am thankful that I don’t have a black eye…and I am totally surprised by this. I bruise easier than a tomato. But for some reason I just have a sore brow that hurts when I laugh, smile, blink do anything. But there is no black eye!
3. I learned that summer does not intimidate me as much as it did a few months back. Having the children here 6 days with no school taught me how to engage in new ways with them. I also learned that my sanity really will stick around when things get loud and stressful!
I heard this song on the radio today and I fell in love with it immediately. I naturally relate to songs and this one is no exception. It is In Better Hands Now by Natalie Grant. One of my favorite lines is ‘I stand in awe of every mountain that you move’. There are days in my life where I walk along as though nothing in my past matters…sometimes forgetting all that God has done for me and my family. Today is the day where those mountains, while in the past, stand tall enough to be remembered.
A little over 14 years ago, my mom was diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer. I was 13 at the time. It was May when she went in for a hysterectomy. She wasn’t even 40 at the time. The doctor cut the skin, took one look at her abdomen and closed the incision. He then informed my dad and mom that he believed she had cancer. At 13 I surely did not know the odds that were against my mother. I often say I grew up more that summer than any other time in my life. I wanted desperately to protect my sister (11 at the time) and my brother (6 at the time). I can remember ushering them downstairs as I heard my mother get sick from chemo and keep them outside as much as possible so things could be quiet for her. I don’t recall ever being asked to do that, I just felt I should. I won’t forget brushing my mom’s hair and looking at it all in the brush. We sat there for some time brushing her hair out until there was little left that day. I wanted to fix everything but I couldn’t. I was angry at God. I was resentful towards Him and the thought that He could stand for love or healing. With odds stacked against her, she rallied into remission.
Until 4 years ago. February 2004 was a mixed month of emotions for me. Joel made his arrival but my mom was in the hospital. She had a tumor that was growing rapidly. The words cancer came back all too sudden and hard. She had a recurrence. The odds were worse than before. Most people didn’t make it with the first round of ovarian cancer, and a relapse almost meant the end. I can’t tell you how much of that anger and resentment flooded my heart. I remember yelling, literally, at my father on the phone one day. It wasn’t directed at him, it was all the pent up frustration.
I was pregnant, on bed rest with a 19 month old and an hour away. I felt helpless every moment of this. Any time I could get away, I was at the hospital with her. The next few months she was in the hospital more than at home. I had friends who rallied around me during this time…offering anything from childcare to prayers. It was nice but it didn’t take away the vat of anger I had. I was there when the doctor told my dad and me that things were not getting better. I sat numb in that room and listened as the doctor explained the chemo was not doing its job as quick as he expected. I heard him say that while everything looked dim, we had HOPE. Thank the Lord he placed a Christian doctor in our lives…in my life. It was that moment that I realized my child’s heart was leading me…not my new heart. Somewhere in those weeks, I learned to let God move my mountain of anger and bitterness and replace it with joy and peace.
Things were not always happy but there were moments when I saw God’s hand. The day Joel was born my mom was in a hospital a few minutes across town. We soon realized she might get to see him at all. The day we were released, she was released. We knew a hospital was the most sterile place for her so we waited in our hospital room. We explained to our nurse about my mom and she made sure there was a wheelchair waiting for my mom. My mom got to hold Joel when he was 2 days old. She would not see him for weeks after that. To this day, the picture in the hospital is one of my treasured pictures.
My mom is here, healthy again. While I know it is an answer to prayer that she is here, healed, it is my heart that I am most grateful for. While I might have grown up during that summer I was 13, my heart finally grew up when I was in my 20s. I learned to trust God that His hands are better than any doctor. I learned that asking for help was acceptable. I learned that peace and joy abounded when I focused on Him, regardless of the conversation with a doctor. I learned God could move any mountain when I placed my heart and life in Hid hands.
Filed under: Family, mom — by fullofboys @ 1:43 pm
Four years ago today I was finally a mother of two. Joel arrived at 831pm on February 17th. Yesterday as we were eating a birthday breakfast, Heath and I started to recount the day he was born. I woke up that Tuesday morning pretty sleep deprived. I had slept on the couch that night and just felt sick. Around 9am I called my doctor. I told her I just didn’t feel good…maybe I had the flu. She said I should come on in for a visit just to make sure all was OK with Joel.I should stop right here and tell you that the last couple months of pregnancy with Joel were terrifying for me. Soon after learning we were pregnant with Joel, I quit my job. We moved about 45 minutes away and I knew no one. At first it was ok but as the pregnancy progressed, I felt more alone. Around month 6, I was having contractions. I was put on modified bed rest. I can still remember going out of state for Christmas and thinking he could come before we returned home.I spent many days on my couch in my new home alone and scared. I wondered how I would do this thing called motherhood with another child. I learned to lean on God in new ways those last few weeks of pregnancy. I found days when I was renewed with hope and strength. I learned how to pray more intimately than I knew possible. I honestly felt God’s arms wrap around me and give me peace when I felt alone in a new house and new area.February 17 felt like any other day to me. I called my mother in law and asked if I could bring Isaiah to her house while I went in for an appointment. The wise woman that she is would not let me drive to the office that day. She appointed my father in law my driver and informed me that I was not going by myself. Keep in mind the ONLY time I had someone with me was for an ultrasound or to hear the first heartbeat. However, I learned early on, don’t argue with the person providing free childcare!So off my father in law and I went to the doctor’s office. My nurse came in, put her hand on my stomach and asked me if I was feeling the cramp still. I nodded and simply said they are coming and going, blowing off her question. She proceeded to check me and informed me I was at 2cm. Again, thinking nothing of it, I figured I would head home. Then she told me that I was in labor.I am not kidding I thought she was joking. I mean, I had already had one child and surely I would know what labor was! She hooked me up to the machine that monitors contractions. Within the next hour I went from 2 to 4 while still in the doctor’s office. I walked over to the hospital (father in law still in tow) and checked in. All the while trying to get hold of Heath.After two doses of pitocin and several screams, Joel made his entrance. It was eerily quiet when he came out and then we heard his cries. Do you know how as a mom you know something is wrong? I felt it in my heart. They quickly whisked Joel away and took him behind a curtain. Heath followed to see them taking fluid out of his airway. Joel came so quickly that he did not expel all the fluid needed. I often think of how Heath must have felt torn in that moment, wondering whether to stay with his son or be with his wife. In the next few moments I would show a side of me that is less than polite as I pushed a nurse off me…twice. My uterus was not clamping down…basically, I was losing tons of blood. Now, what tons means I have no idea but that is the word the doctor used. The nurse I pushed off was trying to manually cause my uterus to shrink by pressing on my abdomen…and it hurt worse than labor! In the blur of the next few minutes I remember the doctor calling for a shot and feeling the need to pass out. At some point I became aware that I no longer knew what was going on with me or Joel. And yet, that peace I felt on the couch enveloped me. Today, as I watched him play with his brothers, I laughed. He is a tough little guy with no fear. He really believes he can do anything he puts his mind to. I have a friend who thinks he can be a lawyer because he is adamant when he believes something. I love how his smile lights up the room and how he says hello to anyone who will listen. I often say he gives me the most grief but it is he who makes me laugh until I think sweet tea will come out my nose! To be honest, I think we were not really prepared for his arrival. We had the crib and clothes and such but really, I had no clue how to be a mom of two! I had no clue how I would love another little guy. And today, I can’t imagine not having him to love. Happy Birthday Joel! You are a light in my life and I thank God that He created you, that he formed you in my womb and that that he brought you to us, safe. You are a gift that we might not always openly express gratitude for but a gift that helps complete our family!
Eight years ago, I had one of the best flower arrangements delivered to my office. It was one dozen sterling silver roses. The card simply said ‘8 more months’.
Heath and I were engaged on October 31st (yes, Halloween) of 1999. We did not marry until October 14, 2000. Beginning November 14th (and continuing through every month), Heath would send me a single rose. The color varied but the message on the inside was counting down the months until our wedding day. It became so common place that all the women in my office knew when the florist walked in the door that the rose he held was for me.
However, that Valentines day I received a dozen roses. Sterling Silver are my favorite rose and to get 12 was a treat. My father always sent me a rose for Valentine’s Day (and spoiled as I am, he still sends one every year). However, I had never received a dozen before…I had never even received one sterling silver before. I am not sure I truly realized that this thing called marriage would transform me so much. I surely didn’t know that the guy I met on a plane would still love me years later. I could not imagine that those roses were counting down to the single most memorable day in my life.
Those roses represented far more than I could comprehend at that time…probably more that Heath could as well. The next months were filled with excitement, nervousness and a rose thrown in ever few weeks. Now the months are still filled with excitement and nervousness…but it is one of the best feelings in the world. The roses are gone but the memory of my husband counting down the days until we said our vows will remain with me forever.
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ABOUT ME:
I am a twenty something stay at home mom (SAHM) who works part time out of the house. I am the proud mom of three boys - 6, 4 and 2 years old. I am married to my best friend, Heath. We strive to model Jesus Christ's love and character on a daily basis. At the end of the day we want our children to value integrity and honesty above anything else. While I try to raise them the best I can, there are just days when I feel like they are raising me! However, at the end of the day I love the adventure of living in a house Full of Boys!
