Knights Becoming and a Lady in Waiting

Just a quick check in

I know I've been not-here.  It has been good, overall, for me to be not-here, as it meant I was more here-here (meaning with my family).  But I've missed my friends and occasionally I've felt the odd twinge saying "write, write!" so I know I'll be back.  Just not yet.

I'm not sure why I'm having so many breaks in my writing here.  Maybe so I don't get all egotistical about the writing.  Maybe so that I learn that this is not a commitment; it's an outlet.  Maybe for some reason I won't know until Christ returns-- and then it won't matter.

Either way, I know there are some who will give up on reading me, and that's totally okay.  There are some who will stop checking, but will think about me occasionally.  Then there are those who will keep checking back and will probably nudge me just to make sure I'm "not dead yet."    Isn't it cool how God puts all those sorts in your life?  Those who can take you or leave you, those who like you, but don't seek you out even when they think about you, and those who will keep checking on you until you get back into the groove of things.

Would you look at that?  I almost had a deep post, when all I hopped on to write was that I wouldn't be here for a while longer.  Not until God says so.  Guess He granted me a tiny reprieve. :D

Have a blessed Lord's Day, all.

Walmart Goes Rainbow

Okay, I was already semi-boycotting Walmart, but after reading Academy252's post about this article here, I am doing it officially AND encouraging it in other Christians.

Don't get me wrong and start spamming my blog.  I love people who are homosexuals and I believe that it is possible that they are born with homosexual desires.

Guess what?  I'm born with heterosexual desires.  If I act on them outside of marriage, it's sin.

Or, to hit a little closer to home for me, I was born with a very short fuse on my anger.  Having the short fuse doesn't make me a bad person.   Having an angry THOUGHT doesn't make me a bad person.  Dwelling on or acting on those thoughts, however, is sin.

In the same way, having homosexual tendencies does not make a person bad.  Having a homosexual thought cross your mind does not make a person bad.  Dwelling on or acting on those thoughts, however, is sin.

Since Walmart chooses to support sin, I choose to not support Walmart.

Clean Sweep

Kendra is actually asking for some ideas... usually I look to HER for ideas!  She asked what to do when the kids aren't picking up after themselves.  I can't help with the spousal unit... right this second I see my DH's socks sitting patiently by the sofa waiting for ME to take them to the dirty clothes hamper.  But I do have a few tricks I use for the kids.

These are a few things we do when I remember to not nag, cajole, and yell.  Some are mine.  Some I've read various places and can't give proper credit to (sorry to the originator!), but have used so long that they're practically mine now, too. ;)

1.  Live with a certain amount of mess, but try to limit it to one or two rooms.

2.  Make it fun, especially with preschoolers and toddlers.  Use the "Clean Up" song (from Barney), or "This is the Way We Clean the House" or some other fun song.
3.  Have an "everyone cleans up" time twice a day.  We actually do three times, some days, but mostly we do before first nap and before second nap.  There's not much time to make a huge mess before bed around here, but if your family does, have a third clean-up time at bedtime.
4.  OreoSouza does this: use a timer.  If your family likes a challenge, it can be a challenge.  If they just need motivation, they have a deadline.

5.  Ignore the items and see if they end up missing them.  Sometimes natural consequences (what Dr. Kevin Lehman calls "Reality Discipline") works very well.
6.  Drastic step #1: Pick up after them and make them pay you (in time or money) for everything you have to pick up.  After all, your time is valuable. 
7.  Drastic step #2: If there is a huge mess and no one wants to clean up (or if the same toy/ item of clothing/ book ends up on the floor over and over), the item becomes yours for a specified amount of time.  My kids always clean up better after this.
8.  Drastic step #3: If things are STILL getting left out, consider that there just might be too much stuff.  If the kids are not in a rebellious mood, work together to pick out things that can be given away.  If they ARE rebellious, see Drastic Step #4.
9.  Drastic step #4: Kids won't clean up and they're getting a pretty good attitude about it?  Take any item they're not cleaning up and give it away or throw it away.  Warning: This one is not for the faint of heart!  If you use this one, you have to calmly stick to it.  You might want to make sure it doesn't involve the only fall jacket that currently fits or the book for the next unit you're studying.
10.  Drastic step #5:  I've never used this one, but I've toyed with it.  Get out the backpacks (or some other large bag your children are capable of carrying around with them) and put every item they don't pick up into that backpack.  Now they get to carry the backpack around for a predetermined amount of time.  (Probably won't work well with the littles, but I just might try it on the nearly-seven-year-old soon).

Some of these are, well, drastic, but sometimes it takes a drastic measure to get things started.  A routine (see #3) will help keep them on track between the drastic measures. 

One last thing-- and this is not directed at Kendra, because she seems very organized and tidy-- take a look at your own habits.  Do you pick up after yourself as you go, or let it all pile up and then clean up in a big swoop?  Do you have problems finding things because you don't put them away?  Example trumps instruction every time. ;)

A Mother's Purpose

Princess Moo (4DD11mo)  wouldn't sleep tonight, so I was sitting in her room, near her bed.  That calmed her enough that she would doze off before her tummy (I think she had gas) woke her up again.  Then she would see me, stir a bit, and go back to sleep.

I'm not very good at sleeping on her bedroom floor and her crib doesn't fit by my bed, so I was just sitting there, waiting.  Then (duh), it occurred to me that this was the perfect time to get in some prayer time.  While I was praying for each of my children's salvation, it hit me like a lightning bolt: this was my purpose as a mother.  Not to feed, clothe, and bathe my children (although they tend to appreciate that motherly aspect the most).  Not to teach my children, both esoteric facts and Godly ones (the aspect they often appreciate the LEAST).  No, my purpose was to pray daily for my children's salvation and to-- prayerfully, hopefully-- lead them to salvation someday.

In the book The Power of Prayer, R.A. Torrey says this:

Oh, mothers and fathers, it is your privilege to lead every one of your children to the Savior.  But it costs something to have them saved.  It takes much time alone with God, to be much in prayer.  It costs also your making those sacrifices, and straightening out those things in your life that are wrong; it costs fulfilling the conditions of prevailing prayer.  And if any of you have unsaved children, get alone with God and ask Him to show you what it is in your own life that is responsible for the present condition of your children, and straighten it out at once and then get down alone before God and hold on to Him in earnest prayer for the definite conversion of each one of your children.  Do not rest until, by prayer and by your putting forth every effort, you know beyond question that every one of your children is definitely and positively converted and born again.

What a blessing-- and what a responsibility!  To know that my sins (NOT my failures) could be keeping my children from salvation is a sobering and humbling thought. 

18 'The LORD is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation.'

Numbers 14:18

Yes, we are now under grace, but there are still physical and spiritual consequences to our sins that play out, not only in our own lives, but in the lives of our children and our children's children.  It is part of our legacy to them.

Oh, how I ache at this thought!  My temper issues, like those of my father before me, will be paid for in my children.  The sooner that I give over all my anger and rebellion to God, the less the impact.  The sooner my heart is cleansed of any sin I am holding onto, the more effective my prayers for my children's salvation.

Dear Lord, take this burden from me and give me your patience, peace, gentleness, and love in its place.  I've kept my children home... now help me bring them home.

Returning August 2nd

I'll be returning to the world of blogging on August 2nd (or 3rd if the 2nd is a rough day).  Although I'm still struggling with how to keep this under control (ie, blogging instead of sleeping), I do feel this is a forum God has given me to both express my inner self and the occasional "ah ha!" moments He grants me and to learn from others in a long-distance kind of mentoring.

For those who patiently waited and/ or encouraged me to return, thanks for your friendship and kindness.  As requested, I will post something on medicine for Shurleen and have a vague Lost spinoff playing in my head every now and then for Trish. :)

Finally, for those who wondered where I went and why... I just went through a high-stress period (that will, thankfully, be over August 1st) where I was trying to plan my school year, help with some household repairs, have company visit for a week, AND help birth a new support group, co-op, and sign language class all at once.  (Oooh... the urge to hyperventilate just got really strong!)  Anyway, company is gone, the repairs are sufficiently done, school starts on Monday, and the co-op and group take off running on August 1st, so I'm on my way back.

Thank you all for your loving support.

Camping Out

Just a reminder that today is the day for the Great American Backyard Campout.

For those of you (and I know you're out there!) who believe that the backyard is best appreciated from the kitchen window and camping is where you send your husband when you want to go to a day spa, try this:

Get out sleeping bags, or blankets, or even just pull mattresses out to the middle of the floor in your biggest room.

Make microwave s'mores

Sing campfire songs

Tell stories

Sleep together, right there on the floor, appreciating one of the best parts of God's creation-- your children!

Mind you, I'll be outside with the dirt and the bugs, on the hard ground, smelling of the fire we used to make messy s'mores and the bug spray we put on to keep from becoming one huge itch.  I'll probably be a bit dirty, since I'm not fond of cold showers.  I'll ache tomorrow.  But I'll appreciate God's creation-- including my children-- AND appreciate my nice, comfy bed a little more.

I'll see you after I've had a shower. :)

Headin' for a Dry Spell

I'm finding myself coming up dry lately.  Mentally, spiritually, physically... I just need a good long rain to recover.   Meanwhile, I keep dealing with the stresses of helping birth a local homeschool group and co-op, planning next year's lesson ideas, trying to spend more time in the Word and in prayer, and trying to get my post-partum body back into pre-partum shape.

That leaves so little energy for writing.  Plus, honestly, I'd rather be outside most days than in here sitting on the computer.  Either I have to go on late at night, which leaves me tired, or I have to waste beautiful, sun-filled days on artificial light and air conditioning!  I've been doing more of the former, which is probably why I fell asleep three times last night before the kids were in bed.

I'll still blog when inspiration strikes, but only when the urge is there, rather than feeling an obligation to do so regularly.  Hopefully I'll still get on regularly to check all my friends' blogs.  Until then, I'll miss you.  Y'all have easily become an extended family to me-- but I need to deal with my immediate family first.

God bless. :)

Dis-Honor?

Okay, this is terrible.  I still haven't gotten my cats' names straight because, frankly, either name could suit either cat.

CLOUD did all the wonderful mouse catching.

Ashes was the jealous one.

My kitties are gonna disown me and I'll have to catch my own mice again.

At least I don't have to worry when I forget the rats' names.  They're not likely to go catching a cat.

The Mouser

We got two kittens not long ago, Ashes and Cloud.  They have proved to be both affectionate and onery, but they have earned their place in my home.

Ashes caught a mouse last night.

This mouse has escaped every humane trap we put out and we don't use poison.  It travels from kitchen to garage with no trouble and only my mother ever saw it (although DH and I often saw its trails).  It seemed to be Mighty Mouse, living in our humble little home.

Ashes is hereby designated Mighty Cat.

When I entered our playroom/ schoolroom, there was Ashes, playing with something (batting it back and forth, sitting on it, and protecting it from his jealous sister).  I tried to get a closer look, just in case it was a kid toy... and there it was.  The mouse.

Ashes got THREE kitty treats so we could get the mouse away to dispose of properly.

We have a mouser in my house.  We no longer have a mouse.

Farmer Girl

I've been re-reading Shurleen's post about "You're Not the Boss of Me" and trying to remember what DH and I have disagreed with over the years.  Hmm.  This may take some thought.

It's not that we don't have our disagreements.  For example, he doesn't believe in tomatoes.  Tomato sauce, tomato paste, or catsup, sure, but chunky, juicy, delicious bits of tomato... no.  My pasta sauce and salsa have never been the same since marriage came along.

DH is an inside-the-house, laze on the couch, city boy.  Okay, to be fair, he'd take me out dancing if I didn't have two left feet, a dislike for techno music, and a passion for NOT being in a crowd.  But he's just about in bliss when he can slump on the couch, flip on the TV, and shut down for an hour or two.

You've probably already guessed, but I'm an outdoorsy, get moving before someone thinks I'm not working, country girl.  My dear spousal unit once remarked that he has never seen me just sit and do nothing (hey, I can do that-- it's called SLEEPING).  When I watch TV, I'm usually making next week's menu, reading a book, perusing curriculum, or doing my exercise-- or all four at once.  I could spend all day out working in the yard by my lonesome.  I dream of a house in the country, some livestock, and a real garden.

We've compromised a bit.  We don't live in the middle of a big city (for which I am consummately grateful-- we've already done Los Angeles, thanks).  We don't live out in the country with our nearest neighbor a half-mile away.  We live in the suburbs on a decent plot of land with a slightly ungroomed yard and a haphazard garden.  He gets up and takes care of the chores I try to remind him of without nagging (a very fine line, I assure you).  I try to sit down and only do two things at once-- and even occasionally manage to just cuddle with him and do nothing.  (Give me a second here to recover.  I broke out in a cold sweat just typing that sentence.)  I've even danced at a wedding or two, although any video of the event would probably not be described as dancing.

Yesterday I had been uncharacteristically lazy and hadn't gotten much done all day.  I looked over at my husband as I prepared to get moving and said, "Well, guess I'll get the dishes done, then get Prince Berryboy to clean the cat box, Prince Derryboy to sweep up the litter, and Prince Dannyboy to feed the cats.  Then I'll go change out the rat cages and give them a little exercise, feed them, and put them back in their cages.  I think I'd better get the recycled goods out to the garage and get that laundry folded before it wrinkles.  Oh, and don't let me forget to water the garden and feed our woodland creatures (squirrels and birds)."  I finally paused for breath and waited to see what he would say.

In his usual, deadpan style, he looked me straight in the eye, shrugged, and said, "Well, you've always said you wanted to live on a farm."

*thud!*  I wanted the romantic farm, with the rooster crowing at dawn (just don't wake me up!), the cows coming home at sunset to be milked, and the kids playing outside all day until they're as brown as little nuts.

Still, I guess I owe him a trip to "the city" for letting me have my menagerie, my garden, and four kids.  Or maybe we'll just cuddle on the couch.  Farm girls can cuddle.

Reminder: Contest Ends on Memorial Day

Just a quick reminder to enter the "Adventuresome Spirit" contest (see my earlier post).  Yeah, yeah, it should have been Adventurous.  Anyway, you only have four more days and there have only been a few entries (all of which have inspired me to take out higher health insurance on my family *grin*).

Sorry for the lack of posts lately; it has been chaos here between local HS group doings and just the family.  Prince Derryboy (2DS4) had a spouting bloody nose this morning, so I've had my adventure for the day and it's not even 10 a.m.

Happy long weekend to you all. :)

I .... Won?

I just won a contest.  I never win contests.  (Well, not since the poetry contest in kindergarten.  I still have that poem in shaky 5-year-old print, too.)

Anyway... HSB Front Porch is having a birthday party (Happy Birthday!) and sponsored a contest for your personal favorite blog (of your own, not someone else's).  So I entered a post of mine that more or less wrote itself, called "Clinging to God."  I won in the inspirational category!  (I'm a little bummed that I edged out my friend NsreMom-- but I'm willing to share!!).

If you want to read all the great entries, go here.  I KNOW there are more out there, though; in fact there were very few entries submitted, all things told.  So start thinking about your FRIENDS' entries you like best, because The Front Porch will be having that contest soon.

Thanks, HSB!

Hiatus

Nothing's wrong, but I'm taking a brief hiatus from the computer entirely.  (AAAAAAHHHH!  Can I survive it??)  That right there is exactly why I have to take a break.  I get up in the morning and have to log in.  I can't go to bed at night before I've checked one last time.  I spend more time worrying about whether I've checked all my friends' blogs than whether I've done my Bible study.

So, a brief ciao.  I shall return in exactly one week as I find out what is wrong with my ankle and update.  I'll probably have to blog for at least an hour straight. ;)

I'll still be praying for those of you on my prayer list.

Adieu.

Rat Update

I know many of you were waiting with baited breath (or maybe baited traps) for my next rat baby update.

All nine babies are doing well.  They are now three weeks old (I think), have lots of fur, eyes opened, and have started fighting with Mrs. Heidi to get the carrot treats.  I thought this meant it was time to practice a little discrete rat birth control, so Prince Derryboy and Prince Dannyboy accompanied me to the pet store today, with a full rat cage in hand.

The good news: they'll be happy to take most of the babies and Mrs. Heidi (the squirmy, nipping little creature).  They also said you can keep male rats together-- rats are social and like company.

The bad news: the babies need at least one more week, probably two, before they can be separated from mom.  But they still have about four weeks before they can do a cage refill (ie, reproduce), so I'm not stressing.  Yet.  Hee.

We're hoping to keep the original Miss Sally, plus the little striped male I love (he likes to be held and is very curious), plus one of the dark ones and one of the white and black ones.  We'd be able to tell them all apart and everyone would have a friend in their cage.  Plus, as I brightly informed my husband, when the rats are two years old, we can have them reproduce so we have "replacements".  (Rats in captivity usually last about two years).  Clever me.

Who'd know that when the boys brought the rat home I'd become a rodent advocate??

The Great Adventure

I am not an adventurous person.  I like to try new things, mostly, but bungee jumping, mountain climbing, new experiences and new people just generally are not my thing.

Lately, though, I've had many people tell me that "it's always an adventure with you and your crew, isn't it?"  Huh?

I never really thought of my life as an adventure.  I mean, if I could, I'd be on the "Mountaintop" with Amy Grant.  I'd be hiding in some distant garden in Tibet or Colorado or something.

Steven Curtis Chapman refers to Christian life as "The Great Adventure," though.  I guess it really is an adventure.  I mean, only on an adventure would I go where I hadn't already planned things out.  But the Bible says:

9However, as it is written:
   "No eye has seen,
      no ear has heard,
   no mind has conceived
   what God has prepared for those who love him"^[a]—

1 Corinthians 2:9

Okay, if I haven't seen it, heard it, or even dreamed of it (and I've dreamed up a lot of stuff), then it truly MUST be an adventure.

So I hope you'll excuse me for the "short" post, but I have an adventure to embark on.  I'll be back later to let you know how it went.

Click!

I have to tell you the single most awful sound in the entire world.  I heard it today.  I hope I don't hear it again in the near future.

Click!

Princess Moo (6mo) had just gone down for her first nap of the day.  It was about 11:30.  The little Princes and I figured we'd get in some outside time before we needed to do lunch, awake the sleeping princess, and run off for music lessons.  That's when it happened.

Click!

As the door from the house to the garage closed behind us, it didn't just close... it locked.  My little princess was locked in and we were locked out.

Okay.  Take a deep breath.  No inhaler out here, so hyperventilating or giving myself an asthma attack would not be a very positive experience.  It also might send the boys into panic.  Three boys in a panic is not a pretty sight.

I can do this.  We hid a key in the garage so we could get back in if this ever happened again (the last time was at 4:30 p.m. and the Princess was in my arms, though).  The key is right... um, okay, not there.  Maybe... no, not there either.

I tore the garage apart, but never found the key.  I looked in places twice, even three times.  I checked the back porch, in case I'd misunderstood my DH and he'd left it there.  No key.

Repeat the deep breathing.  Suggest to the boys that they go play a little longer.  Ignore the clock, which says it's now past lunchtime, nearly Princess-waking time, and very close to music class time.  We are calm.  We are cool.  We are not going to lose it.

I go to my wonderful next-door neighbors, who are older and retired.  I ring the doorbell and wait.  And wait.  And wait.  No one answers.  (I later found out that they were in their basement and got to the door long after I'd left).

I look up the street.  No neighbors seem to be home.  I look down the street.  Ditto.  I do see, however, a truck parked a few houses over across the street and some guys mowing a lawn.  I've never seen them before.  They've never seen me.  My princess is locked in the house. 

I muster up every outgoing tendency I've never possessed and paste on the friendliest smile my face can currently produce, then saunter across the street.  I'm not worried.

"Hi.  I'm a really bad mother and unprepared for even the smallest emergency.  I've locked my infant in the house, along with my keys and my cell phone.  Could I trouble you two total strangers to let me use your cell phone to call my husband so that a) a big strong man can come and rescue me and b) you'll have his number to stalk him later?"

Alright, that's not what I said.  It was more, "Hi, my baby is locked in the house and I can't find our spare key.  Could I borrow a phone to call my husband?"

They kindly assented (the stalking part wasn't out of the bag yet, after all) and I froze.  My husband carries a cell phone.  Technology just dealt me a whammy.

When I want to call my husband, I push the #1 key and hold it.  Ta da.  No buttons to push, no fumbling in the dark, no memorization.  No memorization.

I don't know his cell phone number.

I know his desk number at work, because I have had to fill out a lot of forms with it.  I never give out his cell number, though.  That's the number he's more likely to answer.

Well, you gotta work with what you have, so I put in the work number.  Ring.  Ring.  Ring.  Surprise, surprise, voicemail.

I leave a polite message informing him to come home and save his damsel in distress, then give the phone back to the two men with a grateful smile.  "I'm sure he'll be here shortly.  Thank you so much."

The two grubby, mildly malodorous angels assure me it was no problem and I trot back across the street to watch the boys play.

15 minutes go by.  I glance down the street just a few times, just in case.  Not worried.

30 minutes go by.  I glance down the street every time a car approaches, plus a few times in between, just for the fun of it.  Not really worried.

One hour goes by.  I am pacing up and down the sidewalk, peering in neighbor's windows (from afar), and hopping from foot to foot (did I mention we don't have outdoor plumbing?).  I'm not worried.  I'm mildly frantic.

At this moment, it is the misfortune of our neighborhood postal worker to come by my house.  I immediately take him captive until he can jimmy a door open.

Er, sorry.  That was the fantasy version.  I do ask him if I can borrow a phone (everyone has a cell now, it seems) and try a random number that might be my husband's.  Nope.  Some stranger tells me he is not my husband and cannot come let me in the house.  Well, I tried.  I thank the postal worker and we wait another 30 minutes.

The kindly postal worker goes above and beyond "snow and sleet" and offers to help me break into the house.  I thank him, but assure him that my husband will be home any minute.  I must remember to give him homemade fudge for Christmas, just for the thought.

30 more minutes.  Princess Moo gives a few peeps, but settles back to sleep.  She never sleeps two hours in the morning.  She will not be asleep soon.  Music lessons are nearly over.  My knight in shining armor is looking a bit tarnished.  I'm going to have to do something myself.

Since we are in the garage, I have plenty of tools.  I get a hammer.  With a tentative little tap, I try to bust out the windowed door to the playroom.  I don't really want to bust it, of course.  I'm hoping that the sheer desperation of the action will be transmitted to my husband by the alpha waves in the air and he will come flying home to save me so he doesn't have to later fix a busted window.  I wait.  He doesn't come.

Sighing (and cringing), I swing the hammer again, hard.  A tiny spiderweb appears in the glass... then travels all over the window until the whole thing is a mess of tempered glass.  But only on one side.  This is double-paned glass??  ARGH!

I swing the hammer much harder this time, smashing right through the window and sending gummy bits of glass all over the playroom and garage.  I use the hammer to clear away just enough glass that I don't have to worry about being cut, then open the door from the inside.

It's over.  Okay, I still have to clean up the glass, tape newspapers over both sides of the window, feed the kids, and try to stop shaking.  But I'm in the house and no one has died (or screamed bloody murder because Mommy wasn't there to get her).  In fact, by the grace of God, Princess Moo slept for another 40 minutes while I did all the clean-up.  She woke up just as I put the box of glass out in the garage.

I eventually called to tell my DH that he didn't need to trouble himself getting home and rescuing me.  If he can't rescue me in less than three hours, I'll just do it myself.

I am woman.  Hear me shatter glass. 

I knew hammers were good for something.

Oh, Baby, Baby....

... and baby, and baby, and baby... all in all, I believe NINE babies.

Okay, many of you now believe I've lost it.  (Honey, I never had it to begin with! *laughter*)  Really, it will all make sense in a paragraph or two (or ten), depending on how well my babble-meter is working at this time of the night/ morning.

We had a pretty average morning.  Get up.  Eventually get dressed, eat, tidy the house a tad.  I nudge my reluctant ones to get moving so we can make it to the library before naptimes.  You know-- all those regular things in the life of those schooling with littles.

We drove to the library with no real problems, got our books, got checked out.  3DS2 did think he was going to make a break for it at one point, but I caught him before he got too terribly far, so it was considered a successful outing.

On the way home, Princess Moo (4DD6mo) fell asleep.  Since her morning nap is usually only 45 minutes or so, this was fine.  She could finish the nap at home in her carrier if needed.  The boys ate a snack and looked at library books.  I listened to one of the speaker tapes from the HSing convention I attended.  We were all in pretty good spirits.

We walk in the door and I hear squeaking.  Okay, Sally and Heidi are usually pretty quiet, but they do speak up on occasion.  Just in case, though, I thought I'd check up on them.  I peeked in the cage, ascertained that both were there, started to walk away, turned back, and looked again.

I no longer had two rats.

I had SIX rats... and from the looks of things, more were on the way.

Miss Heidi (who may now be called Mrs. Heidi at whim) was PREGNANT.

After I hyperventilated, turned blue, passed out on the floor, and saw my life flash before my eyes, I called the pet store to see what we should do.

The kind pet store lady offered to take Miss Heidi back.  I balked at that.  The boys are rather attached to the little rascal.  Then she offered to take the babies in three or four weeks, when they matured. Good call.  Just one thing... "Do I need to put the other rat somewhere else?"

Of course I do.  Rats get territorial, apparently, and leaving a rat in with babies that are not its own is a prescription for frequent trips to the backyard with a little garden trowel.  Now, I like my kids to learn life lessons naturally, but this case of survival of the fittest is a bit extreme for littles. 

So we hop back in the car, go to the pet store, and pick out a second cage.  Whee.  We run back home, set up the cage, and transfer Sally out before she has time to do more than sit on one of the babies (really, I caught her doing that).  She seems content enough to be alone, making me wonder if having Miss Heidi was a good idea in the first place.

But the babies, naked, hairless, eyeless little teaspoons of rodent, are kinda cute in a "don't make me touch them" way.  When they squeak, it somehow reminds me a bit of a baby mewling to nurse.  I sorta like them. 

I am NOT tempted to keep them, however.

I counted the last time Miss Heidi moved away from the squirming ball of pink pygmies.  Nine.  I counted nine.

Would anyone like a rat for your children?

101 Things in 101 Days

I've changed this.  1001 days is nearly three years.  My life will be totally different in three years, even if Christ doesn't return by then.  I need something a little more immediate, but a little less pressing than a daily checklist.  I'm going to try 101 days.  I have a great little piece by Mary Steinke of Hearts at Home about setting short-term mothering goals.  A mother's life changes roughly every three months, especially with littles in the house.  So 101 days, just over three months, is just about perfect.

KEY

! Mark off when done

@ Mark off when consistent for one full week

# Mark off when consistent for two full weeks

$ Mark off when consistent for one full month

HEART

1)      Prayer first thing in the morning @

2)      Daily Bible study @

3)      Daily Bible reading for meditation @

4)      Weekly Scripture memorization $

5)      LBY study !

6)      Keep track of temper outbreaks for two weeks !

7)      Lessen temper outbreaks by 50% !

8)      Prayer last thing at night @

9)      Take a rest period every seventh hour @

10)  Take a rest day every seventh day $

11)  Do one 24-hour fast, water only !

12)  Pray for what God wants for our HS next year !

13)  Attend church service regularly on Sunday mornings $

14)  Pray for my husband daily $

15)  Pray for DS6 daily $

16)  Pray for DS4 daily $

17)  Pray for DS2 daily $

18)  Pray for DD0 daily $

19)  Pray for DS6 future spouse daily $

20)  Pray for DS4 future spouse daily $

21)  Pray for DS2 future spouse daily $

22)  Pray for DD0 future spouse daily $

BODY

23)   Drink eight 8oz glasses of water every day @

24)   Be active 60 minutes a day @

25)   Raise pulse to 70% for 30 minutes, three times a week #

26)   Do strength training once a week for 30 minutes #

27)   Eat at least one fruit every day #

28)   Eat at least two vegetables every day #

29)   Get four servings of dairy (and not more) each day #

30)   Cut out any caffeinated drinks !

31)   Lose 27 pounds

MIND

32)  Read at least three books for pleasure !

33)  Read at least three books for learning !

34)  Remove time drain games from my user ID !

35)  Reduce television time to 7 hours or less per week #

36)  Reduce computer time to 14 hours or less per week #

37)  Play a game with children once a week $

38)  Work at least one puzzle (of any style) per week $

HUSBAND

39)  Have one date with no children !

40)  Have one date in April with DH !

41)  Have one date in May with DH !

42)  Have one date in June with DH !

43)  Spend one night a week choosing to bless my husband $

44)  Make a list of all the things I appreciate about DH and give to him !

45)  Make his favorite meal, dress up, and serve it to him so he can relax !

CHILDREN

46)  Make a list of all the things I appreciate about DS6 and give to him !

47)  Make a list of all the things I appreciate about DS4 and read to him !

48)  Make a list of all the things I appreciate about DS2 and read to him !

49)  Give DS6 thirty minutes of me that are just his every week $

50)  Give DS4 thirty minutes of me that are just his every week $

51)  Give DS2 thirty minutes of me that are just his every week $

52)  Be more proactive about Family Nights !

53)  List how many times I correct in two days !

54)  List how many times I praise in two days !

55)  Praise more than I correct #

SCHOOL

56)  Graduate DS6 from 1^st grade !

57)  Start every school day with Bible time #

58)  Finish memorizing the Old Testament Books !

59)  Plan Illinois History for the summer !

60)  Keep up with SaSGMR with younger three #

61)  Figure out what curriculum, supplies, books are still needed !

62)  Finish the year’s notebooks !

63)  Write a progress report/ journal for DS6, detailing his year and how proud I am of him !

64)  Help DS6 learn addition tables to 10s !

65)  Meet with other area HSers regarding possible co-op next year !

HOME

66)  Finish the CHCHC strong !

67)  Plan menu ahead of time every week $

68)  Lower grocery bill by $10 $

69)  Reorganize storage area !

70)  Clean out freezers !

71)  Put up shelves in playroom !

72)  Remove wallpaper in playroom !

73)  Paint playroom !

74)  Clean carpets (all house) !

75)  Get garden put in !

76)  Remove bug zapper from back yard !

77)  Put on new roof for older half of house !

78)  Redo budget !

79)  Track spending $

80)  Replace window treatment in upstairs boys’ room !

81)  Line kitchen cabinets !

82)  Start new chore system for kids !

83)  Be consistent with allowances $

84)  Work on compost bins/ piles #

85)  Put pictures on the walls !

OTHER

86)  Make/ send birthday cards before the big day $

87)  Pray for extended family at least once a week $

88)  Talk to CL weekly $

89)  Talk to CP weekly $

90)  Talk to CB weekly $

91)  Write DB two times !

92)  Write TB two times !

93)  Write AP two times !

94)  Write SP two times !

95)  Write JP two times !

96)  Write AL two times !

97)  Write CL two times !

98)  Write JL two times !

99)  Buy a new baby book !

100)  Record a CD for Papa!

101) Do a new set of goals for the next 101 days !

I'm just a little scared, seeing it all in print like this, but whatever I don't complete, I can carry over to the next time.  Next time I think I might do it a little more like how Mary lays it out, but for this time, this will do.

The A List

Okay, this 101 Things in 1001 Days is going to be harder than I thought.

See, this is how it's starting:

1. Organize school/playroom
2. Clean up backyard
3. Clean up frontyard
4. Clean out refrigerators
5. Clean out freezers

Too vague.  Too general.  Too...

I'm never going to finish.

Off to scribble more,

Chelo

101 Things in 1001 Days

Kendra at Preschoolers and Peace posted about this.  I love goals.  I love motivation. 

I will have my goals posted by Sunday.  I will start April 17th.  I will finish on Monday, January 12, 2009.  (You can find a goal date by going here.)

I will post more on this when I get my goals set up. :)

For even more information, you can go here.

Enjoy.

C