Sep. 14, 2009 - Being normal makes me nervous
I think boys are non-boring by nature. They are always up to something-- and it's usually not a "good idea."
But sometimes they surprise you by just being normal (and I use that term very loosely).
Noah was being normal the other day... just sitting on the back deck doing nothing in particular.
And it made me nervous.
(This is his new rabbit face that he thinks is amusing.)
Noah often finds joy in the little things-- eating dinosaur egg oatmeal, watching Scooby Doo, and the real source of all his super powers...
...Superman socks!
Anyhow, he was just sitting there.
Do you think he was up to something?
Or are you swayed by his heart-melting expression?
Oops. I mean this one.
It really is hard to be mad at him for anything. And it's not just because he has puppy dog eyes either. He is one of those precious kids that truly is repentant for the wrong that he does. He is a peacemaker with a sweet spirit.
I could learn a few things from him.
It is all too easy for me to be critical of my boys (and nervous for no reason-- at least this time). I find myself jumping to (the wrong) conclusions when sometimes I just need to pay a little closer attention.
When I need to remember to be still and just observe them... how they talk, interact with one another or just play. That is when I learn the most.
Is there something in particular that you can learn from your child? What about them can you find praise?
Now would be the perfect time to tell your child how much you appreciate that particular quality about him. Go on now. Start your Monday off with a hug and a smile! And maybe donuts too. :)
Sep. 9, 2009 - Don't call me Twinkle Toes
I have never ever had a pedicure. Something about people touching my feet totally grosses me out. Ack! Blech! Yuck!
I just don't get it... if pictures of feet are ugly, then real feet are really ugly!
Actually, feet reality is more like this picture:
This observation does not apply if you are a baby. Cuteness in regards to feet is directly proportional to the size of the feet-- the tinier they are, the cuter they are. Proof of said theory:
Okay, now back to my own appendages.
I did have a manicure once when I was in college. While I was driving back to my dorm, it smudged. That was the last time I ever paid someone else to do something I am fully capable of doing myself.
Let me rephrase that... That was the last time I ever paid anyone to slap some polish on my nails.
Today, I had a plethora of choices when painting my tootsies.
Since I was in a hurry, Pronto Purple won out!
I'll let you know if it makes me any faster in the course of my day.)
Am I in the minority for never having had a pedicure? Are you a mani-pedi kind of girl? Or do you paint your own nails? Do you have/do fancy artwork on them too (y'know, like flowers and mutli-colors and rhinestones)? What color are you wearing right now?
These are the deep, probing questions I ponder when breathing in the toxic fumes of artificial nail colorants. That and sometimes I wonder if the bottom line is that I am very
Sep. 8, 2009 - My new old friend
I labored not on this Labor Day. I partied with friends instead.
One very special friend is Sister Doris from my church. (And no, she's not a nun nor my sister, although she is my sister in Christ!)
She is one very sweet, thoughtful and interesting 90-something year old woman. I always enjoy her company whenever I have the opportunity to pop in for a visit.
This past Friday, I stopped by to say hello. And guess what she likes to watch on TV on Friday nights?
WRESTLING!!!
I kid you not. Isn't that a hoot? I wonder if she was also a fan of the Von Erich's back in the old days. Back when wrestling was REAL, y'all. :snort:
Awww... I just love her. She is just fun to talk to and full of surprises!
Sep. 5, 2009 - Changing focus
You see, planting things in honor of someone you love and cherish is rather risky because everything dies sometime. Especially when you're not exactly living in the garden of Eden. Come on, summer in Texas is brutal! Downpours and drought turned this...
...into this...
It would be easy to focus on what was lost-- over a dozen plump little nectarines. The wet and then intense heat was too much for the tree. Now it's a goner, with no life left in the branches.
So I can focus on what I don't have or I can focus on what I do have.
We will never forget Christian. We could never replace Christian. He is alive and well in our hearts, our memories and best of all-- with Jesus! I can't wait to see all that he's explored and hear about all of the adventures he has experienced so far.
Are you dwelling on what you do not have? Or what you do have? What is your focus?
Sep. 2, 2009 - I wonder
Sep. 1, 2009 - About nothing in particular
Even though I added caffeine back to my diet. (I ran out of decaff and the idea of going coffee free is quite distasteful and completely ludicrous to me.)
Wanna hear about my day? Wanna pretend that you want to hear about my day?
You are such a good friend. Thanks!
- I went to the oral surgeon today for a consultation about my wisdom teeth. They need to be removed because I am too smart and it intimidates people.
- At said oral surgeon's office, I was tortured by having to wait (and wait and wait) with the waiting room TV being set to some sappy, stupid soap opera. I despise soap operas. But it was kinda like an old family reunion to see some of the same characters from my childhood.
My G-ma's favorite show was Days of Our Lives. When we stayed at her house, we knew that after lunch we had to be quiet so she could watch "her story". Then she would take a nap. If we were good (and quiet), we would often be rewarded with ice cream sundaes when she woke up.
- Hi G-ma! I know she's reading this because she has a computer and webcam. Pretty high tech, huh? She's come a long way since I first showed her how to use a mouse and play solitaire 13 years ago. :)
- I am despondent about language arts. Although I have always told myself that grammar is not that important until at least 4th grade, it really bothers me that proper nouns, adjectives and adverbs are relegated to short term memory. My boys remember it really well one day and then are completely clueless the next.
It makes me feel like a failure.
LA has always come naturally to me, but my boys really don't like it-- no matter how Charlotte Mason-y I make it. I'm considering doing Switched-On Schoolhouse just for language arts. I had been hesitant to use it before because I thought it would end up being... well, relegated to short term memory! But if it's going into that category anyway, it might as well be easiest for me in the process (and fun for my computer loving boys). I will still continue to use Sequential Spelling and IEW and a selection of historical readers.
Any suggestions? Thoughts? Chocolate to share?
- My friend Ali is raising money for her family's adoption. Wait, that sounded weird. She is raising money so her family can adopt! You can bless and be blessed by sponsoring a puzzle piece for only $5. She will write your name on the back of each puzzle piece and the completed puzzle picture will hang on the baby's wall. It's not often that you can have a direct hand in bringing a child into a loving home. Would you mind hopping over there and spreading the word on your blog, Twitter and FB? And if you can't help financially, you can still leave a comment and pray for her family. Because prayers are priceless. Trust me, I know.
- And lastly but not leastly, is this not a smug expression or what?!
Too bad I don't have an after pic. Poor kid has been on a losing streak of late.
And it's not me that's beating him either.
It's his little brother.
(Oh the horror of it all!)
Aug. 29, 2009 - Spicy Crawly Saturday
AAAAGGGGHHHH!!!
Did it scare you?
Well, it does look creepy when you see it out of the corner of your eye (on the counter, by the microwave, in the hallway...).
If you don't believe me, scroll back up to the top picture and then scroll down really quickly to the end. Did it look real for a minute there? Okay, at least for a second?
My boys are quite the comedians.
Want to leave a comment?
Aug. 26, 2009 - It is well with my soul
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.
My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.
But, Lord, ’tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord!
Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul!
And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.
Please leave any comments HERE.
Aug. 25, 2009 - Giving thanks
Thank you, dear God, for the life of my littlest man Christian.
Thank you for letting me be his mommy. I wouldn't trade the 1,384 days with him for a hundred times the amount of days with any other child in the whole wide world.
Thank you for sacrificing your Son Jesus Christ so that I have assurance of being with my son for all eternity.
Thank you for peace and comfort when my heart is torn and flooded with sorrow.
Thank you for those precious pictures and videos to look upon whenever I am feeling down. It is a treasured and priceless gift to be able to hear his voice and giggles and words, to see his mad guitar skillz (or egg slicer skillz), and to laugh at his short temper.
Even knowing how this chapter ends here on earth, I would go through it all again in a heartbeat.
Because the joy of Christian has been worth every single ounce of pain. But I could not bear it if it wasn't for you, dear Lord. I thank YOU.
I'll see you in a little while, sweet Christian.
Love,
Mommy
PS If you'd like to leave a comment, you may do so HERE.
Aug. 22, 2009 - Just call him Chicken.
Many of you know that Christian had quite the fondness for fwogs.
Did you know that he was also fond of visiting Great Grandma?
Not only did she always have ice cream and soft peppermints, but she had these guys...
When I was little, I was scared of chickens (pretty much all things pecky and feathery) mainly due to a mean goose that frequented the nearby marina.
But not my Christian!
He had zero fear of feeding great grandma's chickens or going into the henhouse to gather eggs. Even I had never gone into the *gasp* henhouse. The boys would often fight about who would get to gather the eggs on our visit-- and you could always be sure that Christian would not let himself be overlooked!
I find it a little funny that whenever Christian tried to say his name, it sounded more like "Chichen" or "Chicken". In fact, his church buddy Dustin couldn't say "Christian" either. He'd walk around asking "Where's Chicken? Is Chicken here?" (But you have to imagine it coming from the mouth of a 3.5 year old boy with cowboy boots on.)
Anyhow, I just had to share that memory.
Sometimes I am fearful that I will forget the little details and special moments like that. When I remember them out loud or relive them in my mind, it makes me sad but happy at the same time. I think it's important to be thankful for those precious memories that we did have, rather than focus on not having those moments anymore (not always the easiest thing to do).
Thank y'all for listening/reading/youknowwhatImean. Your encouraging comments and e-mail's on my last post were a real blessing.
I also want to thank you friends for all of the cards, notes, and special gifts that you have sent to me and my family this past year. I am a personal, handwritten thank-you note kind of a girl but have simply been too overwhelmed to individually acknowledge every thoughtful expression and blessing. I hope you will forgive my rudeness. But please know that I have taken special notice of your acts of kindness and do appreciate each of y'all from the depths of my heart!
