This is going to be more challenging than I thought...

Robin walked up to me in the kitchen and asked me, "Mom, can an 'I' make an 'E' sound?"

I said, "Not really Robin.....I guess there's some words that don't always follow the rules, but usually an 'I' will make a sound that's appropriate for a long 'I' or a short 'I' sound..."  And then I proceeded to think of words that followed the rule and that didn't follow the rule....to make it short, I spent about 5 minutes on a simple explanation of the basic rules of the English language....Robin listening fairly intently the whole time.

Then he walked away and showed me the word he was trying to figure out.

The word he was referring to was a Japanese word....so my whole explanation went out the window.....

This is going to be more challenging that I thought....

H :)

And this pic is taken first thing in the morning....no makeup and hoods up to disguise crazy hair...on both accounts.....love that boy.

I'll take a compliment when I get one...

So a friend stopped by the other day and was looking at pics on the fridge.

I was doing stuff in the kitchen and wasn't really paying attention to which picture she was referring to when she said, "Wow, you've changed a lot since this picture...I mean, you've really lost a lot of weight, you look great now."

Still not paying attention to which picture she's talking about I think to myself, "wow, I wasn't even trying to lose weight, but I tend not to put terribly unattractive pics of myself out displayed for all to see....(most pics are just head shots with the rest of me covered up behind a child, a guitar, or some other large object, like a couch or something) so maybe I don't look as bad as I thought I did....maybe I have lost some weight without even trying!  Wow, that would be nice...."  (and yes, all of these things actually run through my head...)

So I turn away from the kitchen counter, and use my most modest voice..."well, I haven't really been trying, but maybe I've lost a little weight....my clothes were fitting a little looser the past couple of days...." and then I stop mid-sentence. 

I finally notice which picture she's looking at.

Then I exhale a sigh and say to her, "Well, I hope I've lost some weight since then....I gave birth to Katie two weeks after that picture was taken...."  Dang it!!

H :)

Post Christmas Poem...

     My Pop keeps a journal, he has for about twenty years now.  My sister, her husband, and 7 month old baby girl head home to Boise today, and the 2010 family Christmas is finally over (it takes us a while to celebrate these things) and now it's time to get back to life.  So, in memoriam of this past Christmas season Pop wrote this down in his journal and said I could share it with y'all....consider yourselves lucky....I've never had a peek in those books...EVER! :)

‘Tis Monday post Christmas and all through the house,

My daughters are camping with respective spouse.

Stringed instruments litter the top of the table

Finding space for used dishes, we’re no longer able.

The DVD player has seen too much use

And furniture suffers from grandchild abuse.

With chocolate and alcohol the main stay of diet

I watch as the chaos replaces the quiet.

The tree Christmas Day was wisely dismantled

For fear of a fire had it been candled.

And what are my thoughts at the sunrise this day?

To celebrate Christmas… there’s no better way.

 H :)

Homeschool 101: The Rules

Katie is 4, Robin is 6.  Just putting that right out there now.

Robin wanted a glass of milk.  Then he wanted to know how to spell milk.

I said, "Sound it out, buddy."

"M...e....i.....l.....l."

"No, Robin,"  so I said it slower..."mmmiiiilllllkkkkk"

He tries again, "M....i.....l....l."

I look at him and sound it out again, putting an extra emphasis on the "K" sound at the end of the word.

Again, he says, "M....i.....l.....l"

One more time, I think...."mmmmiiiiiillllllkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk."

Robin looks at me and starts again, "M....i....l......"

Then, very frustrated Katie pipes up with "K!  Robin, there's a K at the end!!"

So, Homeschool 101: Rule #1: Keep the yappy little sister's trap shut while older brother is figuring stuff out.

H :)

There are days when I'm reminded why we stopped at two kids...

I love my kids....that's been established, right?

I adore them, they make me laugh, they challenge me in ways I never thought possible.  I used to think I was a patient person before I had kids....I almost prided myself on my ability to be patient and keep my cool under any circumstance....yeah, I can almost hear God chuckling right now....knowing His master plan in giving me my darling little bundles.

I'm not really sure at what point we made the decision to halt the production of Yount offspring....but today is one of those days I'm glad there are only two little buggers galloping, jumping, sliding, scooting, racing, climbing and shouting under my feet.

- God sent the animals two by two on the ark....I think that was the idea for my little animals too. 

- Drumsets come with two drumsticks....so do chickens....

- They can only gang up on each other.

- Two little faces fit perfectly in the mirror when it's time to brush teeth.

- We have two toilets on the main floor....no one ever wants to be the one to run upstairs and they ALWAYS have to go at the same time....it's like a synchronized urination station...

- The middle seat in the van fits two booster seats...

- Two parents...two hands, two feet, two sets of eyes, two sets of ears (the better to hear the shouting with)

- He burps....she farts....both ends are covered....

- And my greatest reason for sticking with two kids I remembered tonight....the mixer only comes with two beaters....

H :)

Um, yeah...homeschooling.

I took Robin to school on a Monday for the last time today (at least for the next few months). 

This is going to be a challenge.

We've decided to start homeschooling in January, the 3rd to be exact.  Robin is a great kid.  He has too much energy and too much imagination and he lacks listening skills and grumbles when I ask him to brush his teeth....but he's an amazing kid. 

His enthusiasm is inspiring, his ideas are creative and keep me laughing, he is always absorbing what I do (not necessarily what I say) and he grumbles about brushing his teeth....but will rush up the stairs to protect his sister from the imaginary creature she is terrified is waiting behind her bedroom door. 

He has a heart of gold, that is being molded, shaped, wounded and pruned.  Jesus asks us to come to him like a little child, and I know He gave me Robin especially for me to see and know what that looks like...(wipe eyes....keep writing)

Robin is too smart for his own good.  Two days ago he was literally bouncing off the walls, furniture, doors, stairs....and the living room was taking a particularly bad beating.  I asked him twice to settle down and at least stop hopping around on the furniture.  Then he flopped on the arm of the couch and fell and rolled and bounced off the cushion.  So, that was it.  He lost furniture privileges.  These are the days when he gets to be a ground dweller.  Anytime he wants to sit or lie down he does not get to use furniture at all....I even make him sleep on the ground.  I have only used this punishment one other time about a year ago....it's worked pretty well so far.

I walk into the kitchen and find him laying (quite comfortably) across the kitchen counter, head resting on the bar, watching TV...technically he's not on the furniture, so I guess he's safe....for now.

This is how his mind works.  He will be with me all day.  I think I may be in for some trouble.

So many factors have gone into our choice to homeschool.  I'm not really up for defending them at the moment, I'm noticing it's a pretty hot topic of conversation.  But I do want people to know how genuinely excited both Robin and I are for this new adventure.  He's counting down the days.  He will miss school and a few friends, and we've enjoyed his teacher-we just know that this move is right for him.

I think I'm more worried about my abilities to teach him....I once argued with Sean that New England was a state, not New Jersey.  I can't have anyone talking to me if I have to add more than 4 numbers in my head, and I usually have to sing the ABC song whenever I'm trying to alphabetize anything.

This week I get the wonderful privilege to pick the brains of many of my girlfriends who homeschool...I get to read from piles of books they have loaned me...and I get to decide what program will work best for our situation.  And I get to think about what on earth I will actually do on that Monday morning when my sweet little energetic, crazy, imaginative, goofy six year old boy is sitting across the kitchen table from me.

Eeek!  I'm so excited!  I get to be a nerd with my kid....maybe he'll even learn to play the ukulele 8-)

H :)

So, I gotta get this down...because I have a life too you know...

Sean and I are busy early tomorrow morning helping to facilitate a marriage seminar at one of our church branches in Spokane.

We decided to have the kids crash at Grandma's tonight mostly because we have to leave the house at 6:45 in the morning...

So, tonight is one of our date nights and since I spend most of my time documenting stuff the kids do and I rarely write down stuff Sean and I do together, I thought I'd take a note.

We dropped off the kids at grandma's after the itty bitty's were stuffed with happy meals and content for at least a few seconds with the new cruddy McDonald's toy.  Sean and I each had a quick burger and then headed off to church, where Jesus, courtesty of the Holy Spirit proceeded to kick my ever-lovin' tookus on trusting Him.  Yeah....talked about it this morning in small group and then tonight at church....I'm a little dense but usually that means he would like me to learn a lesson in all that.  I think I'll sit up and listen now.

So, thoroughly raked over from church we had planned to meet up with my sister for some birthday dessert, but apparently when she turned 23 she can't stay up past 7:30, and bailed on us....(it's okay, still love ya bunches Sara-lama-ding-dong, but couldn't help but get a smidge of a jab in there). 

Sean and I headed over to our favorite date night retreat....Walmart.  We thought we'd walk up and down the aisles and see what sounded good to eat, plus check out the Redbox selection and you just might spot something entertaining at the Walmart. 

Tonight I'm thinking we might have been entertainment for others though.  I was walking around with Ben and Jerry's in one hand trying to find snow pants for the kids when I lost my husband.  So, I decided to hang out in the "unmentionables" area because generally I'll find my hubby somewhere around there eventually...
No snow pants were found but I did find my husband, with a carton of Chunky Monkey something or other under one arm and a can of Spaghetti O's (ugh, I think I just gagged a little just thinking about it) under the other.  We decided to keep wandering and Sean thought Walmart would be a good place to work on perfecting his Justin Bieber hair toss impersonation....so I'm laughing hysterically with melting ice cream, at my pop icon wannabe husband, in the underwear aisle at Walmart on a Friday night.....yep, that sounds about right for most of our date nights.

The mechanical bull wasn't taking quarters tonight....so in the end we just headed home to bury ourselves in blankets and drown in some java chip mochachino (I don't even know what I bought anymore) ice cream where no cartoons are allowed and we can just lay low like vegetables.

Yeah, typical date night...and it's good stuff.

H :)

Robin and Katie make a decision...

 

Here's the situation last night:

The kids would like to watch a movie.

They are allowed to watch a movie, provided they can agree on the movie.  They decide to play Rock, Paper, Scissors in order to determine what they should watch, since Robin wants Scooby Doo and Katie would like some Dora Explores something movie. 

Katie now has to go potty in the middle of all of this.

She decides to go into the bathroom and shuts the door (which is notable because she NEVER shuts the door).

So, Katie's on the pot and Robin's on the other side of the door.  Robin still demands they should play Rock, Paper, Scissors, because he's impatient and wants this whole thing worked out and obviously can't wait 30 seconds for her to be done (hmmmm....wonder where he gets that trait from?)

Robin is shouting through the door, "Okay, Katie!  Ready?!"

Katie answers, "Yeah!"

Robin starts pounding his fist, "Rock, Paper, Scissors! Okay, Katie I got rock, what did you get?"
Katie yells back through the door, "Um....I got scissors..."

"Okay, Katie best two out of three...rock, paper, scissors!  I got paper, Katie, what did you get?"

"Um...Robin I got rock..."

"Sorry Katie, you lost fair and square, so we're watching Scooby Doo."

Katie mumbles through the door,"I always lose rock, paper, scissors."

Now I'm not even sure she knows the rules...poor kiddo.

So, it's been a long day...

It's been a long day.  Up early, not good sleep last night because of hacking and coughing children and I think someone had a nightmare interruption somewhere....I don't know, I tried to sleep through most of it.....

Sick hubby today, whiney squirts running around and I'm trying to update databases and e-mail addresses in order to get accurate communication out for our church community.

End of the night my eyes feel about crossed (I don't know how people look at a computer screen all day), kids are finally in bed.  Husband is medicated and headed off to hopefully a restful la-la land, when I hear "mom" come from one of the offspring upstairs. 

I was just picking up my guitar too, to work thru some stuff and finally get some time to untie my brain in a quiet living room, so I probably didn't answer with the kindest and most gracious "yes, sweet son of mine" back up the stairs...but somehow he knew I was responding to his call.

He said, "What's on the schedule tomorrow?"

In the back of my brain I'm thinking...."wow, that was a great way to ask that question, and he even used the word 'schedule'...dang!" 

And since I know the next couple of days are going to be crazy with Sean and I at a marriage conference and the kids will be shuffled between grandparents over the next couple of days; I spend a good minute or two explaining to Robin exactly where he goes right after school tomorrow, the activities and plans for tomorrow night, Saturday morning, mid-day, the switchoff to the other grandparents, their activities at Nana's house and then I tell him we'll pick them up Sunday afternoon.  I'm feeling pretty proud of myself for putting this all together in my head and communicating to him precisely what will happen with the "schedule".

He's quiet upstairs for a second and finally goes, "No, mom, what's on the schedule for lunch tomorrow at school?"

"Oh, chili dogs....'night buddy."

"Night mom"

Like I said, it's been a long day....

H :)

Robin Spencer...

Tonight in the car we're all driving along and giving my husband the worst time about his driving. 

In all fairness he did earn it.  He's texting while driving on a dark, windy, rainy night with a car full of loud kids....he was asking for it.

Katie and I (a little heavier on the "I" part) are teasing Sean about his inability to get some of the most basic places in town.  Places we have driven to hundreds of times, but because he's distracted he's making wrong turns and driving right past roads he should turn on.

Robin's in the back seat fully defending his daddy.  He's asking Katie and I to stop laughing and teasing daddy.  Robin starts to get frustrated with us, saying things like, "I can't believe you're saying these things, dad's a good driver!"  Sadly, all of this is completely out of character for my young one.  Normally he's the quickest to jump on the "make fun of daddy" bandwagon.

Finally, I turn around and tease Robin and say, "Oh, buddy, it's so sweet of you to defend your dad....you want good presents for Christmas don't you?"

He looks at me sideways and says, "Um, Yeah!"

Dang, that boy of mine is smarter than I give him credit for.

This picture is Robin as his classic favorite superhero....Nacho Libre.....

Words of Wisdom from Rob-O...

Katie and Robin were having a discussion.

It was movie night and they can only pick a movie we all agree to....that's the rule.  Katie wanted to watch a girlie movie and Robin of course wanted to watch something more masculine....blow stuff up....karate-chop....monster....bad-guy....super-hero.....you get the picture.

So Robin's sitting at the table talking Katie into a specific Scooby Doo movie.  He's telling her all about all the girl parts in some Scooby Doo vs. the Goblin King thing he wanted to watch.  You can see Katie's skeptical....so Robin's pouring it on thick.  He talks all about the scenes with Daphne in the movie and how much Katie likes Daphne. 

Sean looks at Robin and says, "Robin, are you trying to manipulate your sister?"

Robin looks right back at his daddy and says, "But, dad, it's the only way!"..... (he wisely left out the phrase "to get what I want" at the end)

He's figuring this stuff out....

H :)

A moment with Robin...

So, Robin's on the couch in his normal Saturday morning wardrobe (underwear and a giant blanket), doing his normal Saturday morning thing (spacing out in front of a cartoon) and I am making a quick breakfast.

I ask Robin, "What do you want on your toast?"  I hold out both hands and indicate with one hand at a time as I say, "Do you want honey? (hold up one hand) Cinamon and sugar? (hold up other hand).

He gives me the blank "I've been staring at the tv too long look" and says, "I'll have honey, cinamon and sugar"

I look at him again and say, "No, (and I hold out my hands again, one hand for each choice) honey .... cinamon and sugar..."

He says, "honey, cinamon and sugar."

I realize he's too spacey to keep doing what I've been doing so I say, "No, Robin, you can't have both, it's one or the other..."

He says, "I'll have the other."

Gonna be a long day again.

H :)

Happiness is simple....

My kids are happy, and I think it's partially because they are excited about the smallest things.  For example:

• Speed bumps.  As long as I hit them at a pretty good speed, speed bumps are a guaranteed giggle.
• Pants.  Pants are good for wiping dirty hands, snotty fingers, spit...and anything else that belongs in the "generally gross" category.  Pants are handy, and if for some reason the kids aren't wearing pants, they are just beside themselves....and usually cold.
• Popsicles. 
• Farts.  My dad always says, "there's nothing funnier than a fart," and I have yet to have that proven untrue.
• Snow.  Even the idea of snow is exciting to them.
• Horses.  Mostly for Katie....but seriously, the fascination is amazing!
• Change.  And I'm referring to the kind of change that involves nickels and dimes.  A couple of quarters and they are rich.
• Arcade machines. They would like to use above mentioned change for this one, but since change is lost as soon as it's found....they are pretty happy just pushing buttons.
• Backpacks.  It doesn't matter what's inside...a backpack will please them.
• Bubbles.  Not to be confused with bubble-wrap.
• Bubble-wrap.  It just makes a cool sound....I even have an app on my phone, keeps them busy in the grocery store.
• New crayons. 
• Scooby Doo. 
• Candy.  Any kind....it could've been something I picked up in a doctor's office and sat in the bottom of my purse for a year....it's still candy.
• Happy Meals.  "Hey kids, guess what Santa's bringin' this year?  McNuggets and a completely useless toy from a movie we'll never see that will fall apart the second we open it but you will refuse to part with!!"
• Imagination.  We pretend everything....soemtimes to the point I start to forget who I actually am. 
• Fireworks.
• Cabela's.....between the fish tank and the "taxidermy tuft" they think we've been to the zoo.

I just asked Katie what her favorite thing in the world is....she said, "chocolate and horsey's."  Enough said.

H :)

Sooo, following directions? Yeah, not so much...

I am realizing how terrible I am at following directions.  I direct a lot of people throughout the day.  My children, at times my husband, leaders I coach, counseling people....and I am terrible at following the most basic of instructions.  I have a smidge more sympathy for Eve in the garden now...

I tell my kids no candy in the morning, but those little Hershey bars are really awesome if you let them melt in your morning cup of coffee...

I ask the kids to keep their room picked up, meanwhile my own bedroom is the eclectic trash pile and apparently the place where old small group curriculum goes to die...

I love how I move the hairdryer cord out of the way so I can turn on the water and brush my teeth in the sink....while I'm drying my hair and dancing to my latest download....and staring at the sticker of the picture of the dude getting shocked for running the dryer near water and the instructions in spanish that loosely translated say, "don't do this, dummy."

I harp on the kids to get their seatbelt on before I even back the car out, meanwhile, I'm still trying to buckle mine as I'm already leaving the community, adjusting my coffee cup and checking my texts...

The kids need a good night sleep so they aren't cranky and whiny and a pain to wake up the next morning....while I've stayed up crazy late watching 3 weeks of 30 Rock and the Office in the DVR or reading Jane Austen....and I justify it by saying I'll have coffee and catch a 20 minute cat nap the next day...

And sadly, can you tell I've done all of these things in the last 24 hours?  Urgh!

Yeah, feeling a little convicted in the following directions, don't be a big-ol' hypocrite department.  I'll work on it....meanwhile, it's 10am and Katie's already talked me into a lollipop.....so fire me!  :)

H :)

Guess who's back?....It's Grandma Jane! :)

Grandma came to visit us for a couple of days.  It's so stinking good to see her, I can't believe how much I've missed her.  She looks wonderful, she's back to her perky self and talked so fondly of grandpa being with her despite her being along now.  Her smile is wonderful and her laughter and songs are back. 

I walked in the door at my mom and dad's and gave her a big hug and we decided to run some errands and get lunch.  I walked past the guest bath she's using and noticed a large jar of green olives sitting on the bathroom counter.  I asked her why the olives were in the bathroom and she just said...."Oh Sara brought those to me....they are really good olives!"  I told her they must be for her to keep them in the bathroom.  I just hate it when I'm hanging out in the bathroom wondering why I can't find any good olives. 

On the drive to the grocery store she told me how she flies back home on Thursday evening.  She said her flight arrives at 6:55, but Bunco starts at 7:00.  So, they are going to use a dummy for the first part of the game until she gets there and the "second dummy arrives..."

Grandma actually likes all of our political signs around here.  She thinks Labrador is a funny name for a senator and she loves to say Senator Crapo.....of course she says it like "crap-oh" and exaggerates it and just laughs!

At the grocery store I told her I needed toothpaste....she thought I said toothpicks.....then she proceeded to look for the lumber section of Fred Meyer, because that's obviously where us Idahoans would keep toothpicks....

And then when it came time to buy the groceries, she had picked up batteries for her hearing aides along the way and since she had to buy the batteries, she insisted she had to buy all of the groceries.  I threatened to throw it down with her in the store but when she didn't back down I decided to be the bigger person and back off.  Plus I figured I'd get in trouble for elderly abuse or something....and that wouldn't be good for my image.

I'm so happy to have her here...I think she's jumped into another song about ducks....my quacking part is coming up.  Tootles for now.

H :)

I don't think June Cleaver had to put up with this stuff...

Yeah, so kids have a way about them.  An obnoxious way, that's disguised in adorableness...

When I think of the perfect "at home" mom I think of June Cleaver.  Her kids were a bit troubling at times, bringing home frogs in their pockets, or strange friends, or crazy ideas....but there are times with my small metabolizing beings that I think, "Dude, June Cleaver never had to put up with this..."

• This morning I had to move the entire dining room table over so Robin could eat his breakfast in his underwear directly in front of the fire in the fireplace.  Now I know you're thinking....why not ask the kid to just get dressed?  Trust me...it was easier to just move the whole table.

• We've been working on Robin's table manners....they've gotten terrible since he started school.  Belching (and the subsequent pride that follows the belch) at the table is one of my least favorite habits he's recently picked up.  He has to put his nose on the wall every time he burps.  As he was putting on his shoes I heard a noise come from his general direction....and then "don't worry Mom, I didn't burp....that was a fart..."  Yep, new punishment coming for that one soon too.  Ugh!

• I don't think the Cleaver kids ever used the powder bath as their own personal Clark Kent/Superman phone booth...

• I never saw June and Ward disagree over things they could put in the fireplace....I have a very "glass is half full" outlook on life....and a very, "Yeah, we could totally burn that" outlook on everything else. :)

• I don't remember an episode where she had to discuss proper booger-flicking with "the Beav".

• And finally, I doubt Mrs. Cleaver ever struggled to get things done because she was distracted by Facebook!

H :)

Homework with Robin...

Robin is six....he is a professional (at being six).

He is in the first grade and while I miss him terribly during the day.....I do enjoy the break from time to time.  He is a crazy wild ball of energy and I love him to pieces....but seriously, homework time is honestly a mixture of the best and worst part of my day.

I feel looney with mood swings, between laughing hysterically at him and trying to wrangle him back into a seat to just finish up his work!

Here's a few of our moments:

"Robin, get off the table and just write your words."

"Robin, Captain Fart Head is not a superhero....he doesn't wear Fart glasses or a Gassy cape....write out your spelling words!"

"Mom, how do you spell school?" 
"Robin, why are you writing the word school? It's not on your spelling list?" 
"We have to draw a picture and I'm telling how you holler at me to get out the door to 'school'"
"Fantastic Robin..."

Katie spends half the time watching and whispering in my ear, the weird part is most of the time she whispers the right answer to me....not sure what to do about that one...

Lots of words rhyme with butt....

Gobstoppers are very motivating...

He reads better when he's drumming two pencils on the table at the same time...

And this is only the first grade.....I'm in so much trouble....

A moment with Katie Lou....

Katie is four.  She is adorable. 

Last night she laid in bed with me for a bit while I read.  She looked over at me and said, "Mom do you like crabs?"

"Crabs?  Yeah, I like crabs....they taste good..."

She said, "I don't like crabs...."

"Why Katie?"

"Because they crap..."

"Crap?"

"Yes," she said, "I don't like how they crap."

.......(I pause to think)......."Do you mean you don't like how they grab?  You mean with those pincher things they have?"

"Yeah, their crappers.....I don't like how they crap."

"I love you Katie...."

And right before she nodded off she looked at me and said, "You are my best mommy."  To which I replied, "You are my best Katie..." 

H :)

Things I accomplished today....

1.  Woke up.

2.  Made lunch.

3.  Drove Robin to school.

4.  Coffee.

5.  Spaced off in front of the fireplace...I think I lost myself in some sort of space/time continuum at that point...

6.  Took time to weigh out where I should spend extra money....groceries or iTunes?

7.  Downloaded music.

8.  Deoderized myself.

9.  Taught Katie how to play "laundry soccer"....where we kick dirty clothes across the hardwood floor so we don't have to actually touch any of it.

10.  Learned a little Chinese, "Ni Hao"....that's how cute little girls get whatever they want from their daddies.

11.  Folded clean laundry....notice I said "folded," not "put away,"  don't want to overdue myself.

12.  Added more wood to the fire in the fireplace....shooting for indoor temps somewhere between Tahitian Tan and Smoldering Sauna...

13.  Contemplated what to make for dinner...

14.  Still contemplating...

15.  Decided I don't care...

16.  Stopped a fight (between my tax-write-off's)....see another one coming.

17.  Scrounged in the cupboards for chocolate....in between fights.

18.  Changed my ringtones.

19.  Changed them back to what they were before because the new one freaks me out...

20.  Declared tonight: "Leftovers Night!"

I don't know about you, but I'm beat, I have obviously had quite the eventful Monday....hope the rest of the week doesn't go this way!

H :)

Yep, fall is about football... :)

You know that scene from that baseball movie ,"The Natural," with Robert Redford; the one where he's up to bat and it's just a terrrible time in his career.  He's recovering from his surgery after being shot, his critics are saying he's done for, his last few games have been awful, and he hasn't had a hit in a while.  He gets up to the plate, a couple of strikes are thrown, he's discouraged....and then the girl stands up in the sunlight, his best friend from childhood, his greatest supporter, he hasn't seen her in years and the sun comes thru the crowd and shines right on her.  He senses something's different....spots her standing in the light, and hits a homerun!  The crowd goes wild, everyone's wondering who the mystery woman was, but she's disappeared, everyone's attributing his success to this one moment, and her contribution.....it's powerful, and the music is intense and it's a complete turn of events in the story.....yeah, that scene ran thru my head at one point this morning...

It's Saturday, so that means flag football.  Robin's been playing better lately, as in, actually playing...keeping his head in the game.  He's the center, so he snaps the ball and then he's supposed to block.  So there's a point in the game when he's been struggling to pay attention (go figure...) he's gets settled over the ball, the rest of the team is being physically put in place by the coaches, because they still aren't quite sure where to stand.  Robin's got his hands on the ball, looking thru his legs at one of his best friends (Tommy) who's playing QB.  The sun's shining, I decide to stand up and get close to the sidelines, thinking "this play is going to be great, and I don't want to miss it."  Tommy calls for the ball to be snapped....Robin tosses the ball perfectly to Tommy, I'm watching everything Robin's doing, hoping for him....he stands up.....and stands completely still.  Chaos is all around him, the play is run, kids are everywhere....flags are flying, the sun is shining on Robin's strawberry blonde hair, sticking out everywhere from his very active night of sleep.  I'm still standing, waiting for his moment....and Robin is frozen in the middle of the mess of kids....spacing off, fiddling with his mouthguard....the play ends, moment's over....and no "Natural" moment for me....oh, well....maybe next play...but that thought leaves again, when I realize he spends the next couple of plays dancing on the sidelines and waving at me....okay, maybe next season I'll get my moment, I won't loose hope....

Later in the game he's standing on the sidelines, and the coach (also known as "Dad") calls him back into the game, but he has to yell Robin's name about five times before Robin hears him and I know it's because he can't hear anyone over the superhero theme song running through his head.  My dad looks over at one of the kids on the sidelines....the kid is wearing a pair of black shorts over the top of a pair of crazy colored surf shorts, white socks pulled up to his knees, and his flags dangling all crooked....dad just goes, "you know, somewhere there's a rodeo clown missing his outfit..."

The game continues, Robin clues in every few minutes....chases down a few kids....and I know he's humming his theme song in the back of his head.  We win the game, mostly because Tommy is unstoppable, our secret weapon...but I think the kid playing center is pretty cute and he's got a good attitude....even if he doesn't totally understand what he's doing or even where he is...

Snacks after the game, which Robin shares with his little sister.  Settle into the minivan....but we have to wait for Katie to buckle her snacks in with the seatbelt next to her (safetly first you know, heaven forbid something should happen to the Cheezits), and we head home. 

Today, Katie's off for a girl day with my sister Sara.  I buckle Katie in Sara's car and ask, "She's got that bag of snacks, she might spill some in the car..."  Sara looks at me and just says, "Well, she's already peed in my purse....so....I think I'm okay...." (see prior blogs for that story!)  I send Katie off with an "anaconda squeeze" hug and head back into the house, for a day with my boys.  My husband and my son and of course football, on tv and we'll play our own pretend Superbowl in the yard.  Robin will be the star, most likely somehow Batman will be a part of the Indianapolis Colts and he'll have to battle the Green Goblin as part of the Ohio Buckeyes ('cause who else would Green Goblin play for?)....because fall is all about football.

H :)

Just for giggles...

I was laying in bed last night....trying to get to sleep, but I couldn't because my mind was running a gajillion miles an hour....that little hamster on his wheel must be tired...and I thought about how my life is sometimes completely different than I ever imagined it would be.  All the things I do as a mom and a wife, trying to keep everything straight, feels overwhelming and it's messy and I spend a lot of time playing catch up....but then I thought it's all about perspective...it's all in how you look at it, and if I tweak things just a smidge....really my life is pretty glamorous, and actually I think no different from the rich and famous people I read about standing in line while preventing my kids from escaping the shopping cart at the grocery store.  Here's what I mean:

• I am in demand everywhere I go, small people clamoring all over me
• I have my own personal babysitter that I can call on anytime, day or night....it's the big talking, cartooning box thing in the corner of my living room...
• I drive around in a limo (okay, the kids just call it that whenever I put their seats in the far back of my mama mini machine)
• I have my own personal bill payer....if I forget to pay something, they totally call me and set up a payment right then and there over the phone...it's super convenient!
• The greasy hair, wrinkled clothes look is in, right?  Oh wait, I live in North Idaho, so basically anything that provides warmth is "in"
• My kids are famous performers, they sing and dance in front of everyone!
• I am known to perform regularly in front of a very exclusive crowd (on my ukulele in my living room)
• I cook for very picky critics
• I eat only name brand Mac and Cheese
• I am too busy to return phone calls, so my 4 year old does it for me...
• Duh, I have a blog!
• You can find me doing ridiculous things on YouTube
• I am working hard in the area of preservation....I eat foods high in preservatives....that counts, right?  I'm sure it's good for the world, keeping those terrible things out of the hands of future generations...
• Children aspire to be like me....okay, so they're my children....but who cares
• I have a great time staying up until the wee hours of the morning.....mostly because that's the only time I finally get to myself....and I have a pretty good time with me...
• I am a giant hypocrite
• I am waiting for my sponsorship from Toyota to come thru....my sad little mini has survived my children, so everyone should drive one! (wink, wink)

See.....life ain't so bad or all that hard....just gotta squint, cock your head to the right, and kind of tilt your body sideways to look at it the right way!

H :)

Yep, kids are precious....

This one is for MP.....you know who you are! :)  Love you girl!

This past week has been busy, getting back into the swing of things after a two week absence.  Life doesn't tend to stop just because you're not around to live in it.  In fact, life kind of keeps on going....it's like you stepped off the bus but your scarf got caught in the door and the bus takes off and now you're running alongside the bus....trying not to get strangled.....  Okay, well I don't live some crazy dangerous life where I might get strangled....but there is a lot going on and sometimes it's hard to get off the bus.

My kiddos keep me grounded.  They are precious little balls of joy and energy and small disasters waiting to happen.  They also help me keep my priorities straight....I am running four different ministry groups at the moment and trying to jump back in and getting caught back up has been a challenge this past week.  I will be in the middle of a phone call, listening to a friend pour their heart out, consoling and counseling and my 6 year old slides across the kitchen in his socks, like he's Tom Cruise, singing C & C Music Factory's "Everybody Dance Now" at the top of his lungs and smacking his bottom like he's a galloping horse.....yeah, hard to stay on track in a conversation with that visual....

Yesterday was a great day with some dear friends of ours in the ministry.  Kids everywhere, toys everywhere, costumes galore (I get to clean up closet vomit today), good laughs, and some good planning for ministry despite the chaos!  Katie ended up doing the dreaded, "fall asleep too soon before bedtime so she's wide awake at 9pm" thing.....while I enjoyed her nice quiet nap, I wasn't too fond of her still bouncing all over the living room at midnight, convinced she was going to get sick so she could stay on the couch....yeah, she's precious.  Just when I think I've figured out a way to balance all of this....this life I love full of people and crisis and demands and family.....someone decides they need the "throw up bowl" just to keep things interesting. 

My kids are precious, have I said that yet?  They dance and sing and whine and make messes everywhere they go.....they are my first ministry.  So, while I'm trying not to get strangled by the runaway bus, my daughter is asking me, "who's taking care of Grandma Jane when we aren't there?"  I find comfort in her question, because I know I'm not there for my Grandma, and life goes on, and Grandma is being cared for....I am not the answer to everything- even if I want to be.  My desire is to be wonder woman, no problem I can't handle, no issue I can't solve, with awesome hair and groovy boots and an invisible plane in the shape of green minivan.....but it doesn't always work out that way.....so my kids are precious, they help me remember deep down I'm just a mom who's totally self-concious and really has doesn't have a clue, but whatever I do, I'll do it with flare (and a lot of help from Jesus!) and maybe no one will notice I don't know what I'm doing! :)

H :)

Yep, today, I was just tryin' to get home....

Woke up this morning early, knowing I would head back home to Idaho.  It's been a tough couple of weeks and I knew it would be hard to leave my grandma....turns out it was tough just getting home....

I will bullet point our day....just to get right down to it:

• very emotional leaving grandma this morning, and since she left for another appointment before we left for the airport, I left her love notes.  One long one under her placemat at the dining room table, and numerous other notes all over the house...in the form of post-its.  One where she keeps her crossword, in the drawer with her nail file, on the bathroom mirror, in her favorite chair, on her stamps, on her computer, in the kitchen cupboards, calendar and mailbox....and one more note on grandpa's favorite chair that said, "we love grandpa too..."  I left crying....but that's practically normal by now
• the flight with the small people that live with me was interesting,
• Robin asked the flight attendant for coffee
• He also checked the plane for the fire and water they have on the emergency pamphlet....I think he was disappointed he didn't find any
• Katie wanted to know when the yellow things pop out of the ceiling...she wants one
• She also wants to know when the plane shoots rockets
• Robin thought it would be cool to crash land the plane, and spent time looking for good mountain ranges for it to land in- and that way he could use the "Ironman" skills he's been working on...you know, like picking up the plane and stuff....good thing he spent so much time reading the emergency evacuation plan.
• Robin enjoys turbulence and was bummed when the "bumps" went away
• Robin and I tried to play "wet willy....pass it on...."  but Sean didn't feel like participating.....
• He couldn't understand why the planes don't have airbags
• As the flight attendant was coming down the aisle, Robin is chanting, "Nuts, nuts, bring me some nuts....nuts, nuts, bring me some nuts!"
• My brother in law told Katie that the sign on the tray table said, "no laughing while sitting down"...she believed him, so it was a quiet flight for her
• Robin thought the tray table was a transformer....thank goodness for imaginations!
• The best part of the whole flight was when Katie had a potty accident on the descent....when we weren't allowed to get out of our seats.  She was terribly upset and embarrassed for her "accident" and it didn't seem too bad....until we got off the plane and realized my sister had left her purse conveniently under Katie's seat....and it caught most of Katie's "accident".  The good news is that the iPod will make a full recovery, bad news is that her cell phone will be in ICU for a bit....
• Changed Katie at the airport, grabbed some dinner and we were just 1/2 mile from home when we heard a funny noise and realized we had a flat tire....one u-turn and Les Schwab later (still open after closing time for some strange reason) and one "your still under warranty" tire slapped on the minivan we were finally heading home-thank you Lord! :)
• The house looked great, the yard was beautiful and the dog was so excited to see us he threw up all over the living room carpet.....

But hey, I'm home, all the tires work, clean sheets on my bed, grandma's fine, kids are playing, husband is full, dog is.....well, I don't know how the dog is.....but otherwise I'm just glad to be home! :)

H :)

Today's lessons

Today's lessons:
-don't call Katie's bluff when she says she has to go potty in the car
-usually when Grandma says, "turn left" she means turn right
-Grandma can't hear Katie's flatulence moments
-Katie likes post-it's (they're everywhere!)
-I hate shrimp aspect....and grandma offers it for lunch and dinner every day
-my uncle's suburban smells like microwaved papertowels
-my husband is the bomb....with a capital B!
-I am a terrible California driver

I was just thinkin'....

Couple of things I've been stewing over:

When we headed out of the podiatrist office on Tuesday, the elevator doors opened up down the hall and a young woman and her parents blew past me, knocking my purse off my shoulder and plowing over my grandmother.  I was immediately offended, here I am walking down the hall, grandmother in one hand, 4 year old in the other....and we're run over without a thought....We get into the elevator only to have the woman and company panic when they realize the office they are heading to is on another floor.  She hurries back to the elevator (which we are now stepping into), I'm trying to get situated and open the door for her.  By the time she gets in she's very flustered, her mom is trying to calm her down....and Katie and Grandma and I are kinda dumbfounded.  The woman starts rubbing her face frantically, pacing in the elevator and some poorly chosen and inappropriate words fly out of her mouth.  Her mother warns there's a child present and she apologizes just as the doors open....she says, "I'm sorry, I just don't want to miscarry this child," and she steps out of our lives.

Grandma and I went to social security today.  The lobby was interesting to say the least.  All three of us were "wanded" by the security guard....even the Raggedy Ann doll my daughter was carrying.  We sat in the lobby after asking a few of the "regulars" what the routine was....eventually, a man called us back.  He was very polite, he was sorry for our loss and then proceeded to ask questions about grandpa to verify his identity, his time in the military, his place of birth and death and marriage.  Lots of numbers were passed back and forth.   Poor grandma sat in a daze, sometimes blanking on obvious dates, so I'd fill in the blanks when possible, or just verify with a nod or a squeeze of her hand.  Grandpa served stateside in WWII, he was a plane instructor and that's also were he discovered his love of teaching.  He said that he felt it was his duty to educate the men on their planes as best he could so they could do their missions, and get back home.  He was a farmer, an educator, a counselor, a father, a grandfather, a great grandfather...uncle, cousin, friend, brother.....and at the end of our interview, they said thank you very much and closed his file.  That was it.....his entire life boiled down to two simple pieces of paper, but mostly just a number.....Grandma and I walked out of the hectic office, kind of in a fog.  We were both emotional....it was so strange to have a man who meant so much to us and to his community seem so insignificant.

And then I have one more thing I've been thinking on.  Two of grandma's bridesmaid's in 1943 were Dorothy and Hazel.  They continue to be very close friends to this day.  This year, is the 20th anniversary of Dorothy's husband's death.....it is the 10th anniversary of Hazel's husband's death.  When Hazel's husband passed, Dorothy sent her a card and a very touching note....a few days ago, grandma received that same card.  The very same card Dorothy had sent Hazel 10 years ago, with Dorothy's note and an added note from Hazel.....Hazel said, "I've saved this card for you, just in case."  Ten years....ten years she saved that card, in case her best friend needed comfort.  The intentionality and care and thoughtfulness tears me up.

I am still struggling to understand why these instances keep plaguing me.  Maybe it's the value of relationship.  I wonder about the woman in the elevator....the "regulars" at social security....and I cherish good friends, and I pray for all of them.  And while I don't know what will happen with the people I run into on a day to day basis, I'm softened by this experience...and thankful for it.  You just never know what is happening in another person's life, and why their rush, might be a little more important than your own.

I am homesick for my friends and family at home.  It's been wonderful to be here with grandma this week....I want to remember everything about her.  The way she walks, her little phrases she says under her breath....I want to capture her very essence and I know it's because right now I feel terrible because I can't remember every little tiny thing about my grandfather.  I remember plenty, but I wish there was more.

I feel very thankful for my family at home.  My girlfriends and sisters who have stepped up to take over life for me when I had to serve somewhere else.  I am so grateful for my bond and while I'm anxious to get home, I'm a little more anxious to leave grandma.... We have plans for Thanksgiving, but that feels forever away.  I want to ease her pain, ease her grief, but I know I can't protect her forever- she will have to face it and it's always sooner than you think.  Thank God she has friends that thought of her 10 years ago and still think of her today....sisters to be with her too.

This feels like a bummer of a post....but it's a big ol' nasty, stinky bug in the lettuce and I had to dig it out...I'll laugh more next time.  I'm sure grandma will have a good campfire girl song for me today or something else to shove down the garbage disposal...and I'll write it down, so I don't forget. :)

Thanks for putting up with me....H :)

grandma Jane....day three

Well, I thought today was quieter with grandma, not much new to report.....that was until I caught her hurrying around the dining room table swatting at a fly, while people were eating....she's been pretty upset with that dumb fly all day.  She thought she had it at one point, but held back before she destroyed her grandson's dinner.

She kissed Katie goodnight and whispered as she hugged her: "I love you little, I love you big, I love you like a fat little pig!"

She was wondering about texting...since everyone in the family does it.....but then she thought again and said, "well, none of my friends do it....so why start now?"

Today she showed me the old oak tree where grandpa first asked her out, it was to a dance.  Grandma said, "well, you're the first one to ask me, so I'll go with you...and then grandpa said, 'well that's just great!' and then he ran off!"

We spent the evening with my great Aunt Sue (she's 85ish)...I tried to talk them into a road trip to Reno....they said they weren't up for it....tonight.....I'll ask tomorrow :)

At one point tonight I told grandma, "You gotta go big or you gotta go home."  She looked at me and said, "Yeah, I'll just go home."

She makes me laugh....nothing too fun down the disposal today....but we did hit Taco Bell again, after she got her "hair did".

Tomorrow is dry cleaners and the social security office.....I think we hit the end of new things to do in the routine, so I guess we just start over again.....

H :)

Yep, time with grandma...part deux

So, today I woke up with my Katie girl sprawled sideways across the bed....face up, her feet dangling over the edge of the bed and her head resting comfortably on my rear end (I was snoozin' on my stomach)...and the alarm woke us up because we had a busy day ahead of us.  We were officially out of bed at 8am this morning!!!!  Grandma was so surprised!

Things I'm learning about my grandma....she's smarter than I am.  She can't work the computer very well, or her cell phone, or the cable box, or her car.....but dang if that girl can't work a garbage disposal!  I have learned that just about everything goes down the garbage disposal.....food-some of it we were still eating, garbage (like egg shells, and chicken fat goobers), and pretty much everything else....she said the only thing she doesn't put down the disposal is corn husks and rhubarb, otherwise everything else is fair game!!  I watched her shove giant chunks of watermelon rind down it last night, she said, "it dances around a bit in the sink but I eventually get it down there!" as I giggled uncontrollably watching watermelon bits spewed all over the kitchen.

So, here's today in a nutshell:
-early start - up at 8 am is an early start for grandma
-farmer's market (to get unprocessed fresh foods for my uncle)
-holding hands with Katie and grandma to get thru parking lots is precious...and I'm sure we're a picture!
-visit to the foot doctor for grandma...where she told me the crazy story of my mom's birth in the waiting room and then I read her and Katie "SkippyJon Jones" (and used my best Mexican Chihuaha accent) to entertain grandma while the podiatrist tortured her (who would ever want to do that job?!)
-another trip to the grocery store to get actual processed foods (like hot dogs for Katie....shhh....don't tell Uncle Scott!)
-somewhere in our running around in a town I am unfamiliar with, getting directions from a woman who can't hear and often forgets which direction we should go Katie found grandma's umbrella in the backseat and decided to open it as we drove 70 miles an hour down Hwy 99.....yeah, that didn't go over well...but we survived, and Katie won't be opening umbrellas anytime soon :)  I don't care how hard it's raining!
-grandma and I snuck Cheetos for lunch before my health conscious Uncle showed up....(again, shhhh!)
-grandpa was cremated today, and he is currently resting in his old bedroom he had as a kid on the family ranch....that was bittersweet
-My pop and I figured out what song we're playing at the funeral service (me on the uke, Pop on his concertina and my sister's singing)....also bittersweet...

Oh, and the best part of the whole day was when my Uncle and I spent 20 minutes trying to print something off the computer at a font we could read, because the original copy we'd printed was tiny.  We finally succeeded after multiple cut, copy, paste attempts and walked into the living room to find grandma sitting with the original (too small font) document and a gigantic magnifying glass....she was just finishing up reading the article.....again, she's just too smart for me and I love her to pieces!

H :)

Yep, time with grandma...

Grandpa passed away last week....my mom, sisters and brother-in-law flew back home yesterday, and Katie and I are spending this next week with my 89 year old grandmother, so I thought I'd document some of my time with her.

Grandma is precious.  She can't hear very well at all, so I am amazed at the things I ask her, "Which way do I turn to get out to get out to Bruceville Rd?"  Her answer today, "Oh, no, those things just don't seem to happen anymore....I don't know why."  I eventually found Bruceville out of sheer luck....

She wanders around the house humming songs about chickens and fish....she tells stories about every place we drive past, and all the things in the town named after someone in the family....she likes her fiber and the crossword puzzle.  She loves gardenias, and to quack at the ducks in the park.

This was my day with Grandma Jane:
- up at 10:30
- shredded wheat breakfast and lots of giant vitamins at 11:00
- we called Social Security
- we "put our faces on"
- colored with Katie
- went to the dry cleaners
- took Katie to the park to feed the ducks, and so grandma could talk to them.....she doesn't like geese, so Katie spent time "shooing" them away yelling, "we don't like you, we didn't bring any food for you!" and grandma just laughed
- she leaned on the hood of the car watching Katie play on the slides and her pants stuck to the hood, she "left her mark" she said
- I thanked her for handing me a nectarine and she replied, "you are welcome as flowers in May....at least I think that's what they say..."
- we took two trips thru the Taco Bell drive thru....for extra lava sauce....grandma likes tacos....
- she attempted to discreetly toss her gum out the car window, she managed to fling it right into the side view mirror....that one should be fun to clean up later
- she took more pills and is now busy on her crossword, tonight is soup and we're planning dinner tomorrow night....I'm sure something with more fiber.....
- tonight I'm predicting a little Larry King Live and tylenol PM
- we'll mess with the thermostat because "grandpa used to run that"
- Katie and I will tuck her into bed tonight, just like we've done every night since we've been here....

Goodness I love her....she makes me laugh, and I'm sure the tears will be coming more and more....I am so happy to be here with her.  And I am sure more Grandma Jane-isms will be on the way.

H :)

So, I've got a story for you...

I flew to California today, finally getting time with my family, finally able to hug my grandma after losing my grandpa.  It's so surreal to be here, everything reminds of him, it's wonderful to be in their house but I keep expecting him to walk down the hall.  

My grandpa's name was David.  He was a very kind, well-educated man, who loved people and could start a conversation with anyone.  In fact, if we ever were held up waiting for him, it's because he'd found someone with a similar interest (in just about anything) and he was busy just enjoying this new friend's company.

I flew out with Katie today on her 4th birthday.  She wore new sparkly, light up shoes and a crown that said, "Birthday Princess."  She was a pretty popular attraction strolling through three different airports with her princess backpack.  As we were about to board the flight from Portland to Sacramento, I walked over to the family boarding area and waited in line.  There was a kind older gentleman, dressed in a suit and tie, reading the newspaper.  He noticed us waiting, set down his paper, leaned over to Katie and said, "My goodness you are a pretty little girl in your pink crown and sparkly shoes."  He started up a lovely conversation with my little girl.  He asked if she liked to play soccer, asked all about her favorite princesses, and asked about her big brother.  Katie volunteered that we were traveling to see grandma, because grandpa had passed away.  The gentleman said, "you know, I'm sorry he's gone, but I bet he's in heaven and looking down on you and I bet he's very proud of you in your little crown today."  He wanted to know all about her birthday and what kind of cake she wanted.  Throughout the conversation he would look up at me and smile, just to make sure it was okay to keep talking to her.  It was obvious he was enjoying her company.  

Soon, they called for us to board the plane.  The gentleman said, "I hope you have a nice visit with your family and a wonderful birthday."  As we started to walk away he looked at her one more time and said, "You know what?  We never introduced ourselves....what's your name?"  My daughter looked at him and said, "My name's Katie."  He reached out to shake her hand and said, "Katie, it was nice talking to you, I'm David."  

Must be something in that name....  miss you grandpa.....

H :)

Yeah, I'm gonna change my name to "The Master of Disaster"

So, this has been the last week. 

-Infected blister followed by antibiotics they only give large farm animals
-Mole removal....still questionable
-My world is rocked when my grandpa passes away
-Husband out of town
-Dog keeps trying to run away
-The car is making weird noises and two of the four door handles are broken off
-Every closet in my house has chosen to vomit it's belongings
-My daughter is a booger magnet
-My son decided to see what it feels like to be a light bulb
-The new underwear I got, I hate, and I can't take it back
-Walmart sucks

However, all of this has been written in the time it took me to boil mac and cheese for my little lightening rod and mucus maker....yeah, that's right, I'm the master of disaster....any contenders?!

Oh, and I speak sarcasm fluently.

H :)

Yeah, I am not a vending machine....

So, I'm helping my son with his homework. it's been a long day and I try to escape to use the restroom.  I just click the lock when his homework comes sliding under the door. 

"Mom, is this right?"

"Hang on buddy, I'll look in just a second."

Now he's on his stomach, yelling at me through the crack...."but, is it right?!"

"Can I have a minute to go to the bathroom and then I'll look at it?"

"But I just want to know if it's right?  I can't read!"

"I know you can't read....but I am not a vending machine....you can't just shove things in the slot and expect to get something in return!"

I push the homework back out from my side of the door and turn around only to find a small set of 4 year old fingers poking under the door...."Mom, how many fingers do I have?" 

My response, "you have all of them now....unless you want to lose one of them, I'd back away from the door...."

As the fingers retreated I just kept thinking....I am not a vending machine......

So, it's hard to put on mascara while you're crying...

My grandpa passed away suddenly last night.  Actually, it was early this morning, sometime after 1am.  My mom called at 2:33 to let me know his heart had essentially given out.  I think I understand why....he gave a lot of it away. He was a very loving man....my brain keeps taking me back to being about 10 years old, staying at their house and scared of the dark, and him singing me to sleep.....

So, today stinks.  I am tired and numb, but have been greatly comforted.  I spent time with my Abba last night, He came and got me, when I couldn't sleep and couldn't talk and was nothing, He sought me out,  He comforted me, and gave me His peace......He is good.

This morning I realized this next week will be crazy and everything's up in the air.  I checked my phone and by the time I was done contacting my closest friends, my community, my girls, I had contacted about 30 people.....I am overwhelmed.  None of them knew my grandpa....but they love me, so they love him too.  I know have at least 30 sets of ears to hear and shoulders ready to sop up my blubbering, when this all finally hits.  I am overwhelmed and grateful.  I am in pain, but I know I am not alone, and that's my hope. 

I didn't start this blog for this purpose.  But if I'm going to be about "bugs in salads" type conversation I'd better be willing to go for the hard stuff. 

My mascara looks terrible.....

I miss my grandpa.....

So, here’s a life motto for you…

I have been sick for the past couple of days and of course I am the only one sick around here, so between my cold and all of my “wound care” (yeah, see previous blog)…..our house has been looking more like a scene out of “Lord of the Flies” as my good friend Cassi would say.  Seriously, if I’m not planning, making, coordinating….the small people might start to eat each other as soon as they run out of poptarts. 

Last night, one child woke me up because he was scared, so he went and crashed on the couch, the other child came down a few hours later because she wet the bed, and my husband got up around 4:30 to head off to  a men’s ministry event, so then one of the small people headed in to my room as soon as dad bailed and it was over from there.  I took Nyquil to get a good night’s sleep, but that obviously didn’t happen….so as 8am rolled around today I was still too out of it, it was what I call a “just throw a hat on it” kinda day. 

“Throw a hat on it” days are decently common for me, it’s the “yeah, I stayed up too late watching 30 Rock reruns in the DVR” look, or “um, I’m not fully prepared for today’s meeting, so I choose to read over hygiene, “ or my personal favorite, “I just make this hat look good!” 

So today was a “throw a hat on it” day, because I don’t think I would have trusted myself with a curling iron seeing as how I was still in some state of my Nyquil induced coma.  Believe it or not, I got kid numero uno to school right as the bell rang, I led two ministry groups, got one kidlet to football practice, and coasted thru back to school night.  Not too bad for a “throw a hat on it” day.  

Maybe tomorrow I'll go with the fedora...... :)

So, I go to the doctor....

I'm new at this blogging thing....I mean I actually had to go to Wikipedia and figure out what "blogging" actually was, and then I had friends send me links to blogs they follow and I thought....I could do that!  So, here I am, posting and stuff. 

Anyway, I go to the doctor today just to get a prescription refilled and I show her a mole on my shoulder that's irritating because it's itching, and it's driving me crazy!  So, she takes a look at it and immediately has the "yeah, that's not good" expression going on all over her face.  So, she says, "let's just biopsy that bad boy today, right now" (okay, that's not verbatum, but it's close enough).  Then I tell her I have a blister I'd gotten after a 3 mile walk the other day that's really irritated and hurts like crazy.....she takes a look at that and says, "yeah, that's not good, you need antibiotics and we need to 'slough' off the top layer to get the infection out of it."

Um, I was moderately okay with the mole thing....not so bad, but the blister thing, I was ready to crawl into a corner and say, "you never saw me, or my nasty ol' blister....," of course, by then it's too late, I need to man up and take care of these things.  The trouble was I had brought my 4 year old daughter, Katie, with me, thinking I was only doing the prescription thing.... not thinking the poor kid was going to be subjected to her mother's whining and body fluids and major surgery, for crying out loud!!! 

They moved me to another room and Katie held my hand, and counted on her fingers and told me a story....she was great.  The blister was the worst part of the whole experience of course, but thankfully Katie prevented me from biting off a chunk of the table or anything- I was really glad she was there.  Didn't think a 4 year-old could provide moral support, did ya? 

Tonight I'm trying not to stress over my creepy mole dilemma.  It's out of my hands and my control and I just get to wait patiently.  I can choose to be a stressball of ulcers, or choose to continue to allow myself to trust in the Lord, the one who knit me together in my mother's womb.....it's just a mole......

I can also check out my cool blister scar and pop a few antibiotics and call it good for a night.  So, goodnight, and have a pleasant tomorrow. :)  (Oh, I'm kind of a freak about Saturday Night Live.....guilty pleasure, what can I say.....)

So, there's a bug in my salad, and other awkward conversations...

There's a bug in my salad, and other awkward conversations.... So, this is my favorite question to ask people.  You're at a friends house, having a nice dinner they have prepared for you and you notice there is a bug in your salad.....what do you do?  Dun, dun, duuuuunnn!!! People have had lots of answers for me, some want to dispose of the evidence and never talk about the problem.  Others whip it out, lay it on the table and want to hash it out right then and there.  I have heard some qualify there answer with, "Well, it depends on how close of a friend they are..." or, "I would probably talk to my friend, but never a family member about it."  I think the qualification makes them feel better. I myself would scoop out the bug, make sure it's dead, pull my host aside, tell her the story of how I found the bug, show it to her, and laugh hysterically.....that's just how I roll.  I'm completely useless in most important situations (especially the ones where someone has fallen down), mostly because I'm laughing too hard.  I'm laughing hysterically, probably snorting and bent over, making some kind of attempt to stop, but only making it worse.  Yeah, I'm that sad.  And I know there are people out there who are just like me.  Let's get the yucky stuff in our relationship out of the salad and onto the table and let's have a good laugh and later a good story we can exaggerate about and expand upon....the infamous night of the stalker tomato bug! I thought I'd start a blog to talk about stuff that happens to me.  I am a wife (for 9 plus years), and mom of two great kiddos.  I will refer to Robin and Katie (my kidlets) often, so get used to it.  I have the wonderful priveledge of staying home with my children and volunteering in ministry....also something I will refer to frequently.  Life isn't always easy, or fun, or clean, or pretty, or booger-free, or sanitized, or dusted....it just is, and it should be filled with joy.   "Rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn." Rom 12:15.  Most days it's either laugh or cry, and some days its both.  But, to end the day on a good laugh and to find joy in the mundane is something I can offer, so here we go.....starting up a blog, and watch out for bugs in the salad....

draft

1:26:00 PM

by Heidi

Delete

1 – 1 of 1