This blog goes out to my dear husband. Here's what his day looked like today. He got up at 6am, made some new garage sale signs, then drove them around our town to strategically post them. He came back to the house, helped me drag things out of the garage and line them up on the driveway, then headed out to buy donuts for breakfast for everyone. He got back, scooped up the baby and fed her breakfast, then took her with him to his parent's house in Adair to borrow his dad's truck, trailer and riding lawnmower.
He went to the church to peek in on the work in progress (we're in a HUGE remodel project), and brought over some things for us to sell in our garage sale. (We made a little bit of $ for the church because of his actions today!)
He unloaded the lawnmower and started mowing our grass, then got the boys' things together, got them ready and took them to their friend's house to play, returned home and finished our lawn. He then loaded up the lawnmower on the trailer, headed to the church, and did the same thing there.
Back home to help me tear down the remains of the garage sale, then off to Adair again to return the truck, trailer and lawnmower and get everything put back in its place.
He got back home, folded up all the tables which we had borrowed from the church for our garage sale, loaded them in the van, and swept out and organized the garage.
He hung out with Sophie and Nana for a few minutes while he waited for me to finish scraping wallpaper paste at the church, then headed over to the church to unload and set up all the tables again. We left the church, picked up the boys from their friend's house, and got takeout for dinner.
After a VERY quick dinner, he bathed the boys and got them ready for and off into bed, then headed back to the church to finish cleaning up, vacuuming, putting away ladders and tools, and generally making sure that everything is in order for Sunday School tomorrow. He got home at 10:49 pm.
This has been a very long and exhausting day, but I have to say that at the end of it I'm so thankful that I've managed to have the brains to marry a man who works for God and his family cheerfully and with a happy heart.
On days like today, his great attitude and happy demeanor make life pretty great. I love you, honey. You're a great, great man.
All the thoughts and feelings that come with being a stay-at-home Mommy to 3 little darlings...I'm not pulling any punches on my blah-blah-blog, so be forewarned!
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Working on God's house
Well, Den & I went to the church last night @9pm and started spraying walls and peeling/scraping wallpaper off the walls. I was a LOT of work...then today I went @9:30 and stayed 'till 3:15 when I left to go pick up the boys from school; I took a 30 minute break to run home, grab a couple of ladders and tools and eat a sandwich before racing back over and jumping back in! My hands are so sore from the strain of picking and scraping all day. My neck and shoulder muscles are screaming in protest from all the water bottle squirting and pushing and pulling required for the job.
But it does bring up a point; the way we are willing to care for God's house does in part show how we care for Him! Just as I want to care for my body, His temple and dwelling place, I also want our church to show our town how much we care for the place that we come to worship our Maker.
And any time you run into a big project, it's hard to carve time out of our busy schedules to do the things that need to be done to finish that project; but who doesn't want to devote just a few short hours to physically caring for God's house?! David wasn't allowed to build the Temple, but he did his part by laying up stores of treasure so that when Solomon was handed the monumental task of building the first ever permanent House of God that he would have the quality materials that God's house deserved.
I won't have as much time myself to dedicate to this project this week as I would like, but I want to make sure that my thoughts are there somewhat...we want to represent our love for God in caring for His house and showing that we value its upkeep.
But it does bring up a point; the way we are willing to care for God's house does in part show how we care for Him! Just as I want to care for my body, His temple and dwelling place, I also want our church to show our town how much we care for the place that we come to worship our Maker.
And any time you run into a big project, it's hard to carve time out of our busy schedules to do the things that need to be done to finish that project; but who doesn't want to devote just a few short hours to physically caring for God's house?! David wasn't allowed to build the Temple, but he did his part by laying up stores of treasure so that when Solomon was handed the monumental task of building the first ever permanent House of God that he would have the quality materials that God's house deserved.
I won't have as much time myself to dedicate to this project this week as I would like, but I want to make sure that my thoughts are there somewhat...we want to represent our love for God in caring for His house and showing that we value its upkeep.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Random Fact About Me #1
I am the Queen of Returns! I have returned everything you can imagine. Things that can't be returned; I've returned them. I actually sport this title with great pride, and think that I should be issued a crown or a tiara of some sort! I pretty much know every store's return policy. If you need to know how to return just about anything, you should ask me. Seriously. When I'm told "no", I usually just ask for the manager. He/she typically has the power to go above and beyond the store's policy. Never take "no" for an answer until you've spoken to someone who holds the power to say "yes"!
Tonight, I returned fast food to the Arby's in Pryor! I got fed up with them messing up our order and overcharging us, so I went back with my receipt and the extra food that they charged us for and we did not order. We had used coupons and not been given the credit for them, and been charged for and given an extra side. So, I left Arby's with cash in my hand tonight! **happy dance**!
Oh, and **patting self on back**! I think this is the first time I've actually gotten cash back from a fast food joint; they typically just give you free food. I am not, however, interested in free food right now. I wanted cold hard cash and I got it. Wahoo!
This is just the latest example of my reign of returning genius. It may not be mind-blowing to you, but I left the parking lot feeling very self-satisfied.
Tonight, I returned fast food to the Arby's in Pryor! I got fed up with them messing up our order and overcharging us, so I went back with my receipt and the extra food that they charged us for and we did not order. We had used coupons and not been given the credit for them, and been charged for and given an extra side. So, I left Arby's with cash in my hand tonight! **happy dance**!
Oh, and **patting self on back**! I think this is the first time I've actually gotten cash back from a fast food joint; they typically just give you free food. I am not, however, interested in free food right now. I wanted cold hard cash and I got it. Wahoo!
This is just the latest example of my reign of returning genius. It may not be mind-blowing to you, but I left the parking lot feeling very self-satisfied.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Things I don't want to forget
There are moments in every single day of mothering that take my breath away. There are times in every day that I make myself stop, focus, and simply soak in the joy of these little ones. They do such funny things and make such cute faces and say things that melt my heart. I don't want to look back later in life and think "I wish I had enjoyed the moments". I am making sure that these moments don't pass me by!
There are also moments that I don't want to forget that may not belong on a Hallmark greeting card. I love the pictures of my kids that I have captured when they are screaming or crying or red-faced with fury. I want to remember these moments, not just because they are real elements of my life and our days with our little ones, but because I don't want to forget what they feel like...so that I can sympathize with other mothers who are going through the exact same thing. I hope I remember these moments with my little ones, so that when they in turn have little ones who are having these moments I can (silently) laugh and remember how it felt to mother a child in the throes of a meldown!
Just the other day, I was trying to take care of back-to-school things with the boys. We were at the school to meet their teachers and see their classrooms before school began for the year. Sophia, however, was less than thrilled to be pushed through a hot school in her stroller, strapped down and confined, and only moving in the direction that she was being wheeled in my ME. By the time we got to Cooper's classroom, she'd had enough.
She was wriggling and squirming and fussing and squealing and making such a racket that I finally let her out of her stroller. She immediately began running through the classroom, touching things that she shouldn't and putting things in her mouth that were--shall we say--less than edible. I was trying my best to focus on Cooper and his needs; he was checking out his new home-away-from-home, and I was busy answering his questions and taking photos of him. Little Miss Sohie, however, needed some attention as well! She was into EVERYTHING and it became a problem, so I had to try to force her back into her stroller.
Ever tried to force a toddler into their stroller when they don't want to go?! Let's just say it's...difficult. They have a way of straightening out and seemingly lengthening their bodies so that they are completely stiff and inflexible. When you try to gently push them back into a normal shape that will fit into said stroller, the screaming escalates and the kicking/flailing increases.
I'll admit; there have been times when I wanted to give in to each of my little ones and just let them have whatever in the world they were screaming for or trying to do/not do! Many times! But I decided before I got to those situations that when I put my foot down as a parent, it has to stay firmly planted. I am trying to equip my children to succeed in life, and the lesson that Mommy is in charge is one that must be learned early and well. So I don't walk away or give in. I wait it out and try to hang on to the last shreds of my sanity and patience and finagle the unwilling baby into the stroller.
I was walking through the mall with my sisters last month, and Sophie had her first public meltdown. She wanted to A) walk, and B) not where it was safe or in the direction we were supposed to be going. I had to pick her up and carry her, screaming, through the mall and to our car. I actually started laughing about it, because it struck me as so funny. Here I am, carrying this little baby girl that was dressed to the nines in frills and had a huge flower on her head--cute as a button--and she was acting so UGLY!!! She was screaming at the top of her lungs and doing that violent "put me DOWN" squirm that makes it so hard to hang on to her; attracting the stares of everyone in the vicinity. And since she's my third child, I'm no stranger to public humiliation. This wasn't my first time at that rodeo, so it was quite funny. And in that situation the only thing to do is LEAVE. Find the nearest exit and do just that--EXIT!!! And laugh on your way to the door, if you can!
And the car seat is no better! That baby doesn't want to sit?! Good luck trying to make them! You think it's easy? If the thought "well, they're smaller than you; just force them!" just came into your head...uhm...only non-parents think that. Trust me. If a child doesn't want to quit crying, you can't make them be quiet. I can't tell you how many times I simply walked away from a full shopping cart in Wal-Mart when Connor was a baby! It wasn't worth the meltdown dramatics I was having to endure, so I just left the store. There isn't one thing for sale that I need so badly that I'm willing to subject myself to that kind of stress!
There are tons of things about my kids that I don't want to forget; both good and bad. And I'm sure I'll be filling this blog with them. Tonight in church was a particularly difficult time with Sophie--she wanted to run and, basically not be in church--so the meltdown mode is on my mind tonight. She's starting off with the tantrum antics normally associated with the terrible twos...and she started at 16 months! Eeek! That's the earliest of my kids yet! Sheesh. Well, it won't last long. (**chanting over and over to self like a mantra**) Before I know it we'll be past this phase and onto the next. And there will be good things and bad things about that phase as well.
But for now, I don't want to forget what it's like to mother a meltdown baby. It's tough, to be sure. So when I see that mother in the grocery store who is haggardly pushing her screaming toddler through the aisles, trying to make as hasty an exit as her list will allow, I will NOT look her way and give her an angry glare (you won't believe how many people do that!), but if I chance to pass her, I'll give her a sympathetic smile and say "I've done this many times myself! I feel your pain!" It's nice to know that someone understands.
There are also moments that I don't want to forget that may not belong on a Hallmark greeting card. I love the pictures of my kids that I have captured when they are screaming or crying or red-faced with fury. I want to remember these moments, not just because they are real elements of my life and our days with our little ones, but because I don't want to forget what they feel like...so that I can sympathize with other mothers who are going through the exact same thing. I hope I remember these moments with my little ones, so that when they in turn have little ones who are having these moments I can (silently) laugh and remember how it felt to mother a child in the throes of a meldown!
Just the other day, I was trying to take care of back-to-school things with the boys. We were at the school to meet their teachers and see their classrooms before school began for the year. Sophia, however, was less than thrilled to be pushed through a hot school in her stroller, strapped down and confined, and only moving in the direction that she was being wheeled in my ME. By the time we got to Cooper's classroom, she'd had enough.
She was wriggling and squirming and fussing and squealing and making such a racket that I finally let her out of her stroller. She immediately began running through the classroom, touching things that she shouldn't and putting things in her mouth that were--shall we say--less than edible. I was trying my best to focus on Cooper and his needs; he was checking out his new home-away-from-home, and I was busy answering his questions and taking photos of him. Little Miss Sohie, however, needed some attention as well! She was into EVERYTHING and it became a problem, so I had to try to force her back into her stroller.
Ever tried to force a toddler into their stroller when they don't want to go?! Let's just say it's...difficult. They have a way of straightening out and seemingly lengthening their bodies so that they are completely stiff and inflexible. When you try to gently push them back into a normal shape that will fit into said stroller, the screaming escalates and the kicking/flailing increases.
I'll admit; there have been times when I wanted to give in to each of my little ones and just let them have whatever in the world they were screaming for or trying to do/not do! Many times! But I decided before I got to those situations that when I put my foot down as a parent, it has to stay firmly planted. I am trying to equip my children to succeed in life, and the lesson that Mommy is in charge is one that must be learned early and well. So I don't walk away or give in. I wait it out and try to hang on to the last shreds of my sanity and patience and finagle the unwilling baby into the stroller.
I was walking through the mall with my sisters last month, and Sophie had her first public meltdown. She wanted to A) walk, and B) not where it was safe or in the direction we were supposed to be going. I had to pick her up and carry her, screaming, through the mall and to our car. I actually started laughing about it, because it struck me as so funny. Here I am, carrying this little baby girl that was dressed to the nines in frills and had a huge flower on her head--cute as a button--and she was acting so UGLY!!! She was screaming at the top of her lungs and doing that violent "put me DOWN" squirm that makes it so hard to hang on to her; attracting the stares of everyone in the vicinity. And since she's my third child, I'm no stranger to public humiliation. This wasn't my first time at that rodeo, so it was quite funny. And in that situation the only thing to do is LEAVE. Find the nearest exit and do just that--EXIT!!! And laugh on your way to the door, if you can!
And the car seat is no better! That baby doesn't want to sit?! Good luck trying to make them! You think it's easy? If the thought "well, they're smaller than you; just force them!" just came into your head...uhm...only non-parents think that. Trust me. If a child doesn't want to quit crying, you can't make them be quiet. I can't tell you how many times I simply walked away from a full shopping cart in Wal-Mart when Connor was a baby! It wasn't worth the meltdown dramatics I was having to endure, so I just left the store. There isn't one thing for sale that I need so badly that I'm willing to subject myself to that kind of stress!
There are tons of things about my kids that I don't want to forget; both good and bad. And I'm sure I'll be filling this blog with them. Tonight in church was a particularly difficult time with Sophie--she wanted to run and, basically not be in church--so the meltdown mode is on my mind tonight. She's starting off with the tantrum antics normally associated with the terrible twos...and she started at 16 months! Eeek! That's the earliest of my kids yet! Sheesh. Well, it won't last long. (**chanting over and over to self like a mantra**) Before I know it we'll be past this phase and onto the next. And there will be good things and bad things about that phase as well.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Let's get the party started!
It seems fitting to begin my blog on one of the most angst-ridden days of my life; the first day of school! Sigh. The addage "to have a child is to have your heart walking around outside of your body" is certainly never more true than on the first day of school. I dropped off two little pieces of my heart this morning.
I love my children so much, and I truly believe that they are brilliant, beautiful and charming--and I want them to be treated accordingly! Will their teachers see how special they are? Will their classmates like them? Will they have enough self-confidence to approach other children and make friends easily? Again, sigh. I'm not there to be a buffer between them and the world. Which, let me tell you, I take as my full-time job and very seriously.
I mentioned to a teacher as we toured the school yesterday that I'm not ready to send my kids out into the world just yet. She laughed and said "it's a cold, cruel world out here!" She was joking of course, because she doesn't see school the way a parent sees it. Yes ma'am, it IS a cold, cruel world out there! Kids' self-esteem can take a brutal beating in school. A child that is constantly ridiculed or bullied can develop a complex that is difficult to work through. But...not to be too dramatic...it's only 2nd grade for Connor and Pre-K for Cooper, so hopefully we aren't facing the big guns of playground taunts this early. I also don't want to underestimate the power that words have....so I will make sure to season my words with kindness and love.
So, I'm going about my day with my typical deer-in-the-headlights look on my face that is so common for me on this first day of school, wondering what the boys are doing right now...and right NOW....and right NOW! I really can't wait for pick up time! 3:25 feels so far away! My hubby told me as he walked out the door to go to work, that I should sit down and relax for 30 minutes while Sophie takes her nap. Uhm, sorry...no can do! I'm too full of nervous energy for my boys! Yikes! I can't sit still! I've already vacuumed half the house, and I'll be onto the next part as soon as my vacuum recharges!
Connor, poor dear, was so sick to his stomach this morning! By the time we got to the school, he REALLY didn't want to get out of the van! I've got pictures of him on every single first day of school with the exact same look on his face: sheer terror! Poor little fella'. He was so nervous. The construction and heat kept the kids from lining up outside the school like they normally do, so he went straight to his classroom, which was really quiet--so that's pretty intimidating. And for the first time EVER, he said "no" when his teacher asked him if he wanted to hug me! ACK!!! NOOOOO!!! I'm not ready for my little man to reject public displays of affection with me! I'm hoping it was the nerves of his first day and not going to be a habit with him!!! And I'm trying to comfort myself with the fact that when she asked him, he was already seated at his desk and I was all the way across the room at the door. **sniff sniff**!
Cooper's own words perfectly described him this morning. When we were en route to school, he said "Mom? I'm freaked OUT!" Poor little man...he really was! He kept saying he wants me to take him into his classroom and stay with him. Man oh man I hated that I couldn't do that! But he's got the same teacher's helper this year that he did last year, and his new teacher seems to be a super-nice lady, so I'm confident that I've left him in capable hands.
So, they're off! Out of my care and into another's...Lord, bless their teachers today as well as my boys! Keep them safe from harm. Help ME to remember that no weapon formed against them will succeed! Cover my boys with Your love and help me to be still and remember that You're in control, and that this is but a small worry.
I mentioned to a teacher as we toured the school yesterday that I'm not ready to send my kids out into the world just yet. She laughed and said "it's a cold, cruel world out here!" She was joking of course, because she doesn't see school the way a parent sees it. Yes ma'am, it IS a cold, cruel world out there! Kids' self-esteem can take a brutal beating in school. A child that is constantly ridiculed or bullied can develop a complex that is difficult to work through. But...not to be too dramatic...it's only 2nd grade for Connor and Pre-K for Cooper, so hopefully we aren't facing the big guns of playground taunts this early. I also don't want to underestimate the power that words have....so I will make sure to season my words with kindness and love.
So, I'm going about my day with my typical deer-in-the-headlights look on my face that is so common for me on this first day of school, wondering what the boys are doing right now...and right NOW....and right NOW! I really can't wait for pick up time! 3:25 feels so far away! My hubby told me as he walked out the door to go to work, that I should sit down and relax for 30 minutes while Sophie takes her nap. Uhm, sorry...no can do! I'm too full of nervous energy for my boys! Yikes! I can't sit still! I've already vacuumed half the house, and I'll be onto the next part as soon as my vacuum recharges!
So, they're off! Out of my care and into another's...Lord, bless their teachers today as well as my boys! Keep them safe from harm. Help ME to remember that no weapon formed against them will succeed! Cover my boys with Your love and help me to be still and remember that You're in control, and that this is but a small worry.
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