I'm very concerned about our Tooth Fairy. I don't know if you've ever experienced this problem before, but I have multiple times now. To be more accurate, our kids have. It's heart-breaking to watch these kids of mine arise in the morning, excited to see what the Tooth Fairy has left in exchange for their itty bitty teeth, and then...wails and sobs break out because they have received absolutely NOTHING! That dirty, rotten, scoundrel Tooth Fairy. How dare she (or he) forget my children.
It's incredible to observe how creative this Loser Tooth Fairy has become over the years. On one occasion money magically appeared underneath the pillow after the child had awakened and left the bedroom. How did the Tooth Fairy manage to do that so sneakily, and how could the child be so naive to think that he missed seeing the money in the first place? Another time, that savvy Tooth Fairy placed that dollar inside the pillow case and forgot to take the tooth. We simply explained to our daughter that the TF probably wanted her to keep her tooth for posterity. She bought it, hook, line and sinker.
And the latest episode of the TF with Alzheimer's occurred a few days ago. A groggy, distraught Maddie plodded into my bathroom in the morning upset because once again the TF forgot to leave money. "I checked everywhere, even in the pillow case!" Picking up my daughter, I stepped into the kitchen speaking loudly to hubby, "Can you believe that the Tooth Fairy forgot to leave money AGAIN?" Wink, wink. He's getting the picture clearly, and as I hand him my wallet, he sneaks out to the rugrat's bedroom. A few minutes later, he appears saying that he thinks the Tooth Fairy did visit during the night, but left the money in a different place this time. The Tooth Fairy loves a good scavenger hunt! Walking into her bedroom, Maddie begins checking under all the pillows, looks behind the bed and doesn't find anything until daddy says, "You didn't check underneath your baby's pillow!" Wow, he's so smart. How'd he think of that? Well, there lay four quarters ready to be handled by her grubby, little hands. "But, she always leaves a dollar!" Maddie cried.
Forget the Tooth Fairy, we need to work on this girl's math! All's well that ends well. Sigh.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Guilt-free Living
Here's my article from the latest edition of our women's newsletter entitled DivineLines:
One of the areas I’ve felt guilty over during the last few months is not accomplishing enough at home. After all, I am a stay-at-home mom, so my house should be spotless, right? Why do I feel the need to explain my productiveness to my husband who has been at work all day? I certainly wouldn’t want him to consider me a slacker, so I must spout off, “I have done 2.5 loads of laundry, put the dishes in the dishwasher, swept the kitchen floor (well, maybe ½ of it, but I feel the need to stretch things a bit), and folded the towels that have been laying on the couch for three days.” Why do I need to make myself feel better by relating all I have accomplished for the day, and why do I feel guilty about telling him that I shared lunch with friends or spent much needed time reading a book? Why do I put so much emphasis on what I am doing (the outward) and spend little time just being (the inward)?
Another guilt-ridden area has to do with raising my children. You know, my parenting just isn’t adequate enough; I should be doing a better job. Why is it that often times when I hear about a great idea that is working in a friend’s family, guilt emerges? Ever been around someone who mentions that they are having family devotions weekly and a meaningful prayer time as well? I’m not knocking those who are doing this; frankly, I’m just jealous. Oh, I’ve started this family devotion thing at various seasons throughout my parenting career and each time it’s been a habit for about a week. The older kids appear disinterested and uncommunicative while baby-of-the-family, life-of-the-party Maddie climbs all over the couch, expelling bodily function noises and causing the older kids to perk up and laugh at her antics. End of devotions. End of meaningful prayer time. My guilt level rises because family devotions aren’t working. In addition, guilt plagues me with thoughts that I should be playing more with my kids; I shouldn’t let them watch so much television; I should be driving them to school, not making them take the bus; I should make crafts with my kids. I seem to easily forget about the things I am doing to raise my children well, such as playing games with them, reading to them, having meaningful conversations in the car as I drive them to various sports activities.
One Trip You Don’t Need to Take!
Many of us take vacations each summer to take a break from our normal routines, enjoy undivided family time and indulge in much-needed relaxation. Unfortunately, those trips don’t seem to last long enough, a week or two at the most. On the contrary, as a woman, I have found myself taking the same trip over and over the past…hmmm…30 plus years. You know the one I’m talking about. The infamous Guilt Trip. Yep, I seem to repeat this trip often, sometimes against my will and better judgment. Why do I do this? Why do I beat myself up for what I do or don’t do, should or shouldn’t do?
Many of us take vacations each summer to take a break from our normal routines, enjoy undivided family time and indulge in much-needed relaxation. Unfortunately, those trips don’t seem to last long enough, a week or two at the most. On the contrary, as a woman, I have found myself taking the same trip over and over the past…hmmm…30 plus years. You know the one I’m talking about. The infamous Guilt Trip. Yep, I seem to repeat this trip often, sometimes against my will and better judgment. Why do I do this? Why do I beat myself up for what I do or don’t do, should or shouldn’t do?
One of the areas I’ve felt guilty over during the last few months is not accomplishing enough at home. After all, I am a stay-at-home mom, so my house should be spotless, right? Why do I feel the need to explain my productiveness to my husband who has been at work all day? I certainly wouldn’t want him to consider me a slacker, so I must spout off, “I have done 2.5 loads of laundry, put the dishes in the dishwasher, swept the kitchen floor (well, maybe ½ of it, but I feel the need to stretch things a bit), and folded the towels that have been laying on the couch for three days.” Why do I need to make myself feel better by relating all I have accomplished for the day, and why do I feel guilty about telling him that I shared lunch with friends or spent much needed time reading a book? Why do I put so much emphasis on what I am doing (the outward) and spend little time just being (the inward)?
Another guilt-ridden area has to do with raising my children. You know, my parenting just isn’t adequate enough; I should be doing a better job. Why is it that often times when I hear about a great idea that is working in a friend’s family, guilt emerges? Ever been around someone who mentions that they are having family devotions weekly and a meaningful prayer time as well? I’m not knocking those who are doing this; frankly, I’m just jealous. Oh, I’ve started this family devotion thing at various seasons throughout my parenting career and each time it’s been a habit for about a week. The older kids appear disinterested and uncommunicative while baby-of-the-family, life-of-the-party Maddie climbs all over the couch, expelling bodily function noises and causing the older kids to perk up and laugh at her antics. End of devotions. End of meaningful prayer time. My guilt level rises because family devotions aren’t working. In addition, guilt plagues me with thoughts that I should be playing more with my kids; I shouldn’t let them watch so much television; I should be driving them to school, not making them take the bus; I should make crafts with my kids. I seem to easily forget about the things I am doing to raise my children well, such as playing games with them, reading to them, having meaningful conversations in the car as I drive them to various sports activities.
The list of guilt is endless, isn’t it? I don’t contact my mother-in-law enough; I shouldn’t eat that piece (or bag) of chocolate; I should volunteer more at my child’s school; I should call my friends more often; I’m not doing enough at church or for my small group; I shouldn’t eat out so much; I should eat more healthy; I should exercise more; I should be a better wife, mother, daughter, employee. My guilt and perhaps even yours transcends into the spiritual realm. I should read my Bible more; I should pray more; I shouldn’t have gossiped about that person; I should forgive her; I’m not loving enough; I’m not patient enough. I could find areas of my life to feel guilt over ad infinitum. How do I assuage this guilt?
I’m still in process, but some things I’m learning are:
Give myself permission to do things for me, such as reading, exercising or spending time with friends. Recently, I talked with a friend who has a goal to read 40 books in the next year in order to challenge her mind to continue to grow. My goal is to read meaningful material an hour a day. I’m learning that it is okay to take time to refresh my soul and body; in fact, to be a better woman, wife and mom, it’s vital.
Give myself permission to say ‘no’ in order to say ‘yes’ to the more important. So many times, I’ve said ‘yes’ to wonderful service opportunities out of guilt only to be very sorry later. About two years ago, I was severely overcommitted, leading several small groups and not doing any of them well. Since that time, I’ve learned that just because someone considers me qualified to do something, doesn’t mean I’m the person to do it. I learned the hard way that it’s all right to say ‘no’ to a greater ‘yes’. I prayed about what I should be involved in, how to best utilize my gifts, and where I was most passionate. When you know the place to which God has called you and where He has not, you can avoid the guilt trip.
Give myself and my family the freedom to be different from other families. While I was growing up, I would constantly spout this phrase to my mom, “Linda’s family lets her do _________” to which she would reply, “Well, we aren’t Linda’s family.” Hmmm, seems as if we could put this into practice. Each of us is uniquely and wonderfully created. Not one of us is the same, so that means that the inner workings of our families will be different. I don’t need to feel guilty because I’m not a Barbie-playing, Play-doh-loving mom. It’s unfair to compare myself to my friend who is, because on the flip side, I may do things in my family that cause her to take the guilt trip.
Just in the last week, I’ve heard the word “guilt” more times than I can count. We feel guilty about everything, don’t we? While I don’t want to downplay the role guilt plays in bringing us to our knees before God when we have sinned and need to make things right, so much of our guilt stems from our comparison to what others are doing in their lives. We do need to feel conviction and confess when we have slandered another’s name, harbored unforgiveness, or said harsh words to family members. When God forgives us, He sets us free from the guilt that may linger over our sin. However, we need to be free of guilt in areas that cause us to compare our lives with others and thereby cause us to believe that we are not measuring up or that we are somehow failing. When we are tempted to take that guilt trip, we need to choose to decline that vacation for even a day. Give yourself permission to be different from others and give yourself a much-needed break from that particular trip!
Just in the last week, I’ve heard the word “guilt” more times than I can count. We feel guilty about everything, don’t we? While I don’t want to downplay the role guilt plays in bringing us to our knees before God when we have sinned and need to make things right, so much of our guilt stems from our comparison to what others are doing in their lives. We do need to feel conviction and confess when we have slandered another’s name, harbored unforgiveness, or said harsh words to family members. When God forgives us, He sets us free from the guilt that may linger over our sin. However, we need to be free of guilt in areas that cause us to compare our lives with others and thereby cause us to believe that we are not measuring up or that we are somehow failing. When we are tempted to take that guilt trip, we need to choose to decline that vacation for even a day. Give yourself permission to be different from others and give yourself a much-needed break from that particular trip!
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
A Little Tennis Anyone?
It was a slightly misty moment for me as I watched my son, Nick, walk off the tennis court last night. I've done fairly well holding it together as a mom of a senior student, but last night was an indicator that I may be losing it soon. After four years of playing tennis in high school, four years of hard work, four years of persistence, four years of sporadic playing, Nick played his first Varsity doubles match. And, it was a good night. A proud parent's dream. A true gift from God to see.
Label me sappy, but it truly was Nick's shining moment after years of being patient, years of being a faithful team member, years of working hard with not a word of complaint. He and his doubles partner started off colder than the ice in my refrigerator and lost the first set. Trust me, I was getting a little nervous. This varsity debut was not starting off well. As the match progressed, however, they began placing shots well, taking their opponents off guard and gaining ground. The second set ended 6-1. Tied at one set each, they began the third set for the tie-breaker. South teammates began to rally at the bleachers because this last set was going to seal the fate of the entire school match. If Nick and his teammate didn't win, the school would lose to our opposing team. No pressure!
In a blaze of glory, like Mavericks, they took out the other doubles pair with a 6-0 victory! Their victory gave Bloomington South their first Conference Indiana win. My boy was part of a great moment.
It's as if someone lit a fire underneath those two boys, they exchanged lack of confidence for a "we can do it" attitude, and they tore the court up. These are the beautiful gifts that I thank God for. These are extraordinary moments in my ordinary day in which I see God work. He gave Nick the spotlight, and as a parent who knows the effort and sacrifices he has made to be part of this team, it is something I will always treasure.
Label me sappy, but it truly was Nick's shining moment after years of being patient, years of being a faithful team member, years of working hard with not a word of complaint. He and his doubles partner started off colder than the ice in my refrigerator and lost the first set. Trust me, I was getting a little nervous. This varsity debut was not starting off well. As the match progressed, however, they began placing shots well, taking their opponents off guard and gaining ground. The second set ended 6-1. Tied at one set each, they began the third set for the tie-breaker. South teammates began to rally at the bleachers because this last set was going to seal the fate of the entire school match. If Nick and his teammate didn't win, the school would lose to our opposing team. No pressure!
In a blaze of glory, like Mavericks, they took out the other doubles pair with a 6-0 victory! Their victory gave Bloomington South their first Conference Indiana win. My boy was part of a great moment.
It's as if someone lit a fire underneath those two boys, they exchanged lack of confidence for a "we can do it" attitude, and they tore the court up. These are the beautiful gifts that I thank God for. These are extraordinary moments in my ordinary day in which I see God work. He gave Nick the spotlight, and as a parent who knows the effort and sacrifices he has made to be part of this team, it is something I will always treasure.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Grave Matters
Last weekend on our way up to Lake Tippecanoe to spend the weekend at Tony's brother's lake house, we stopped by Tony's dad's grave. Our youngest, Maddie, hadn't recalled ever being there, so we decided to show her. She's heard a lot about Grandpa Stonger even though he died years before Tony and I met and married.
As we strolled through the tiny cemetery surrounded by cornfields on three sides, we perused the graves looking at names and dates. Maddie was extremely curious why her grandpa was buried in this particular place. After explaining that the location was conveniently close to where the family used to live, she spouted, "You know where I'm going to be buried?" Wondering what that busy little mind was up to now, we asked, "No, where?"
"In the backyard!" she exclaimed. Of course, why didn't we think of that?!
As we strolled through the tiny cemetery surrounded by cornfields on three sides, we perused the graves looking at names and dates. Maddie was extremely curious why her grandpa was buried in this particular place. After explaining that the location was conveniently close to where the family used to live, she spouted, "You know where I'm going to be buried?" Wondering what that busy little mind was up to now, we asked, "No, where?"
"In the backyard!" she exclaimed. Of course, why didn't we think of that?!
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Is Summer Really Over?
It's been so long since I've posted that I can't quite decide what to write about. Perhaps it's just best to keep my re-entry into bloggy world rather short and sweet. I'm fairly certain that most of my readers don't desire to hear about every little tidbit of my summer that is now becoming quite past tense. C'est la vie, as the French would say. I despise the passing of summer only because it means the inevitable is coming...WINTER! Winter and I do not have a good relationship. It's cordial. We agree to disagree, but we do not love each other like summer and I do. So, I refuse to discuss winter until absolutely necessary.
Back to summer and the myriad of topics at hand. The abbreviated version of "what I did on my summer vacation" is as follows:
Back to summer and the myriad of topics at hand. The abbreviated version of "what I did on my summer vacation" is as follows:
- 1 week of Vacation Bible Xperience (back in my day...VBS). Lots of noise, fun and complete exhaustion by the end of the week
- 1 weekend trip to St. Louis, MO for an annual business meeting with hubby's company. Fun experiences traveling to the top of the arch and attempting to find Maddie in the City Museum. Such a surprise that she did not stick by our sides in that massive place and managed to get lost!
- 1 week long trip to Mother and Father's and M-I-L's (Mother-in-law) in Seattle, WA over the 4th of July. Way too much fun with family and friends.
- 1 week back at home with just enough time to realize my house had not been sufficiently taken care of and was in need of serious cleaning, de-cluttering, etc. But, oh well...don't have time because I'm off to another adventure.
- 1 week long trip on an amazing Mediterranean Cruise with the girls. Nick stayed home to hold down the fort and a job in addition to attending tennis camp. One of our stops was Ephesus which was truly an emotional experience. What an opportunity it was to see where Paul, Timothy and John preached...and even where Mary spent her last days! It was so nice of Nick to inquire as we were returning home from the airport if we were planning to stop somewhere on the way and eat. I thought he was truly concerned about our well-being while he simply wanted to know how much time he had to get the house back together!
- 1 1/2 weeks at home to assess how bad the deterioration of the homestead had become. Unfortunately, between gymnastics camp and other activities, housekeeping did not improve. What a pit!
- 4 day trip to the Willow Creek Leadership Conference sans hubby or children...just great girlfriends! What a grand time for absorbing, learning and processing new ideas.
- 3 day whirlwind in preparation for school beginning. Is it me, or does it seem a sin for school to begin on August 13? Again, back in my day, school officially begin after Labor Day. Our family did, however, manage to sneak in a trip to Holiday World and Splashin' Safari after the first few days of school. I'll just slip in a little Maddie aside here. As we were preparing to leave the house, I showed Maddie the pajamas she had left on the floor of her room. "You need to put these away." "Oh, mom, just put those in the hanker over there." "Hanker?" I replied. "You mean "hamper", don't you?" Just another word mishap in the life of Maddie!
That's it in a nutshell. My summer recapped in the short and sweet version. Many are breathing a sigh of relief even now that I didn't relate the interesting details of each port of call we visited on our cruise. They are clapping for joy that I didn't discuss the highlights of each of the speaker's topics at the leadership conference I attended. You can thank me later for sparing you the saga of my summer including the laborious details of juggling the car between my son and me in which most of my brain cells are now permanently fried due to the intense mathematical equations required to determine workable scenarios. It's okay if that last sentence didn't make sense. I'm convinced my hubby could probably commit me to the mental ward because of this car drama!
It's a great thing that I am not in school any longer to write the annual, "What I did on My Summer Vacation" paper. Either the teacher would fall asleep in complete boredom or recommend me for some serious counseling. In all honesty, my summer was exciting and fast-paced, and most definitely too short. I enjoyed time with friends and family as well as much-needed unscheduled time hanging with my children. Thus, I would say that these short few months were rich in relationships, and that's all that matters.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Thought for Thursday
"I have gotten to the point in my life where I am rarely surprised by my sin, just saddened by it. Surprise indicates that I did not think I was capable of such wrongdoing. I now know that is rarely the case. Sadness helps me understand my need for Jesus. Sadness at my thoughts, behaviors, actions--or lack thereof. Sadness helps me understand that without Him, I am lost."
Looking for God by Nancy Ortberg
Looking for God by Nancy Ortberg
Friday, July 11, 2008
Ordinary Days
My blogging days have been sparse to say the least. With school out, well, dang it all...if that doesn't put a cramp in my ability to post. Then there's those blasted trips out of state that'll seriously dampen one's blogginess. Some of my friends are fortunate to own a laptop and therefore, they can simply sit in their house by the beach, mountains or hotel room and type away. Still, I wonder how much relaxation that can be. "Sorry, honey, can't walk on the beach right now, I've got to blog." I wonder how frustrating that might be for familial relationships. I'm just thinkin' that my hubby wouldn't take too kindly to me saying I couldn't hang out with the fam because I must be about my bloggy business. Just a thought. Guess I'm glad I don't have a laptop. I'd hate to allow my blessed computer time trump my real life relationships.
Perhaps that's another reason my posts have been so few and far between. I've been out living life with flesh and blood folks. Oh yeah, and running children to summer activities. As my cell phone message says if you call and leave a message, "I'm out gallivanting around right now..." Not only that, I've been vacationing forever it seems. Well, according to my husband it was forever since he didn't fly with me to visit my family in Washington state. He had to stay home with our son, Nick...not because Nick needed a babysitter, but just because hubby couldn't take the time off from work.
To him, it was an agonizing nine days without me. To me it was a meager eight days...nine if you count the day spent flying home. I choose not to count that. He missed me immensely. I missed him too, but well, hmmmm, how do I say this without sounding cold-hearted? I love my hubby; I always miss my hubby, but in light of spending time with my family, enjoying conversation and catching up with my brother's and sister's families, I'm thinking I didn't miss him, miss him if you catch my drift. So, when he was hugging me after we reunited at the airport, telling me he missed me and loved me, my little, squeaky, "I missed you, too," sounded totally false.
That's not all. Truthfully, I wasn't ready to leave my family. I know that all good things must come to an end, but why? I absolutely love and treasure my family. We all get along, including the out-laws! The cousins love playing together. Amazingly, I don't believe one squabble erupted amongst them. How can anyone fight hanging out at grandma and grandpa's lake house? The 4th of July is spent around a bonfire roasting marshmallows for s'mores, singing patriotic songs and blowing up the lake, aka lighting off fireworks. We talk and talk and talk s'more. In fact, I'm pretty sure I used up my allotment of words each day and then some. My dad specifically told me that he overused his words. He probably had to take a couple of days rest from talking after I left. Sorry, Mom!
We also celebrated birthdays in big fashion. To those on the outside, we probably seem heartless and cruel in the way that we poke fun at our relatives. We royally roast our relatives so that they know they are specially loved. Three momentous birthdays occurred this year, and because we all live far enough away not to be able to join together on those days, we do our dirty work during our annual visit. With Mom turning 65 this past February, and my brother and his wife hitting the big 4-0, there was no escaping this rite of passage. My sister, aka "the creative writer genius", composed three songs in less than 5 hours during her trip over the mountain from Spokane. She always gets any skit-writing/song-writing gigs by default because she knows...a. that anything I would come up with would be lame (and I agree), and b. that anything Toby would come up with would be less lame, but still not creative enough. With two full-time careers and finishing up her M.B.A., Tricia works great under pressure...so we siblings felt absolutely no guilt giving her this task. She's always up for a challenge. Might I say that once again she was absolutely brilliant. With the lake as our backdrop, we dudes and divas crooned Tricia's creative words to the music of the karaoke machine. While no one chanted for an encore, the uproarious laughter and deafening applause caused us to consider perhaps taking our show on the road. Beware Partridge Family: you may be overshadowed by the Weston Family Singers.
Alas, as I said before, all good things must come to an end...and they did. Is there any wonder that I had difficulty re-entering real life? Back to routine, laundry, cooking, carpooling...ugh! I admit it. I was in a bad, bad place when I returned. No, I didn't need to be committed, but I had an Attitude with a capital "A". Topping it off were the things that did not get done while I was gone. I'm not mentioning any names, but apparently when momma leaves, life stops. I was awfully quiet and on the verge of hysterical crying, but I managed to contain myself and for once, keep my flippin' trap shut! This is good. You see, I knew that I was not in a good place in my mind and that I had a stinkin' attitude. My feelings were a jumbled mess and frankly, I needed to sort some things out before I started pointing my finger and naming names and their sins against me. What kinds of unrealistic expectations had I set up? What was so awful about the items on my list not getting crossed off that was causing the world to end? I just needed to get over myself. So, today (for once) I am pleased with myself. Every time Tony asked to 'talk about' what was bothering me, I said, "No." Now this isn't the "nothing's wrong" syndrome I don on occasion. Basically, I needed to figure it all out in my mind and determine if there was truly anything valid to say...otherwise I knew stuff would spew, and it wouldn't be pretty!
So, there you have it, beauty of celebration with family and ugliness of self all in one post. I'm back to ordinary days of life...filled with husbands and kids and dirty laundry and fixing meals. These ordinary days of life include celebrating birthdays with wonderful friends, as I did today, as well as rushing off to carpool girls to gymnastics. Most of these days are not wildly exciting, but that's okay. I know that even in these ordinary days, I have purpose even if it doesn't seem very grand or important. In God's eyes, it is important; my ordinary days do have value. I love what I read this morning from Nancy Ortberg's book, Looking for God that confirms this thought.
Perhaps that's another reason my posts have been so few and far between. I've been out living life with flesh and blood folks. Oh yeah, and running children to summer activities. As my cell phone message says if you call and leave a message, "I'm out gallivanting around right now..." Not only that, I've been vacationing forever it seems. Well, according to my husband it was forever since he didn't fly with me to visit my family in Washington state. He had to stay home with our son, Nick...not because Nick needed a babysitter, but just because hubby couldn't take the time off from work.
To him, it was an agonizing nine days without me. To me it was a meager eight days...nine if you count the day spent flying home. I choose not to count that. He missed me immensely. I missed him too, but well, hmmmm, how do I say this without sounding cold-hearted? I love my hubby; I always miss my hubby, but in light of spending time with my family, enjoying conversation and catching up with my brother's and sister's families, I'm thinking I didn't miss him, miss him if you catch my drift. So, when he was hugging me after we reunited at the airport, telling me he missed me and loved me, my little, squeaky, "I missed you, too," sounded totally false.
That's not all. Truthfully, I wasn't ready to leave my family. I know that all good things must come to an end, but why? I absolutely love and treasure my family. We all get along, including the out-laws! The cousins love playing together. Amazingly, I don't believe one squabble erupted amongst them. How can anyone fight hanging out at grandma and grandpa's lake house? The 4th of July is spent around a bonfire roasting marshmallows for s'mores, singing patriotic songs and blowing up the lake, aka lighting off fireworks. We talk and talk and talk s'more. In fact, I'm pretty sure I used up my allotment of words each day and then some. My dad specifically told me that he overused his words. He probably had to take a couple of days rest from talking after I left. Sorry, Mom!
We also celebrated birthdays in big fashion. To those on the outside, we probably seem heartless and cruel in the way that we poke fun at our relatives. We royally roast our relatives so that they know they are specially loved. Three momentous birthdays occurred this year, and because we all live far enough away not to be able to join together on those days, we do our dirty work during our annual visit. With Mom turning 65 this past February, and my brother and his wife hitting the big 4-0, there was no escaping this rite of passage. My sister, aka "the creative writer genius", composed three songs in less than 5 hours during her trip over the mountain from Spokane. She always gets any skit-writing/song-writing gigs by default because she knows...a. that anything I would come up with would be lame (and I agree), and b. that anything Toby would come up with would be less lame, but still not creative enough. With two full-time careers and finishing up her M.B.A., Tricia works great under pressure...so we siblings felt absolutely no guilt giving her this task. She's always up for a challenge. Might I say that once again she was absolutely brilliant. With the lake as our backdrop, we dudes and divas crooned Tricia's creative words to the music of the karaoke machine. While no one chanted for an encore, the uproarious laughter and deafening applause caused us to consider perhaps taking our show on the road. Beware Partridge Family: you may be overshadowed by the Weston Family Singers.
Alas, as I said before, all good things must come to an end...and they did. Is there any wonder that I had difficulty re-entering real life? Back to routine, laundry, cooking, carpooling...ugh! I admit it. I was in a bad, bad place when I returned. No, I didn't need to be committed, but I had an Attitude with a capital "A". Topping it off were the things that did not get done while I was gone. I'm not mentioning any names, but apparently when momma leaves, life stops. I was awfully quiet and on the verge of hysterical crying, but I managed to contain myself and for once, keep my flippin' trap shut! This is good. You see, I knew that I was not in a good place in my mind and that I had a stinkin' attitude. My feelings were a jumbled mess and frankly, I needed to sort some things out before I started pointing my finger and naming names and their sins against me. What kinds of unrealistic expectations had I set up? What was so awful about the items on my list not getting crossed off that was causing the world to end? I just needed to get over myself. So, today (for once) I am pleased with myself. Every time Tony asked to 'talk about' what was bothering me, I said, "No." Now this isn't the "nothing's wrong" syndrome I don on occasion. Basically, I needed to figure it all out in my mind and determine if there was truly anything valid to say...otherwise I knew stuff would spew, and it wouldn't be pretty!
So, there you have it, beauty of celebration with family and ugliness of self all in one post. I'm back to ordinary days of life...filled with husbands and kids and dirty laundry and fixing meals. These ordinary days of life include celebrating birthdays with wonderful friends, as I did today, as well as rushing off to carpool girls to gymnastics. Most of these days are not wildly exciting, but that's okay. I know that even in these ordinary days, I have purpose even if it doesn't seem very grand or important. In God's eyes, it is important; my ordinary days do have value. I love what I read this morning from Nancy Ortberg's book, Looking for God that confirms this thought.
"Ordinary gives us a sense of purpose even in the mundane, a kind of freedom that releases us from the need to be important--a need that can weigh us down and sink us into our own pitiful selves. Ordinary gives a peace and joy and centeredness that turns us toward God and builds him deep inside of us."
"I wonder if we miss him sometimes because we miss how often the ordinary shows up--and the fact that God is there also."
Ordinary defines most of my days. I pray that I see God in all the ordinariness of doing laundry, feeding my family, spending time with my husband and children, meeting with friends and driving the kids' activities circuit. Whether or not my name is ever in the spotlight, God has given me a purpose to fulfill within my own family. It certainly has its many mundane moments, moments in which I question my value and whether something greater might be "out there" for me. Still, I know in my heart of hearts that this job he has called me to for right now is grander and more important than anything I could achieve for myself. And, this job of being solely a wife and mom in ordinary, sometimes bland days is more challenging and requires more focus on my Savior than anything I have ever done. I will keep looking for God to show up in my ordinary days of my ordinary life!
Friday, June 20, 2008
A Dozen Eggs We Won't Be Eating!
The count is in...12 eggs total in three birds' nests in our yard! Peering through the deck slats, Maddie counted 4 eggs in the barn swallow's nest. Mommy bluebird is sitting on 5 eggs (and they are blue)! We were very sorry to have disturbed her tending to her eggs when we opened the bluebird box. There are 3 eggs (I think) in a nest we just found tucked into the corner of our arbor, hidden by our Wisteria. I don't even know which bird formed the perfectly round twigs, but it's most likely a Robin's nest. So, there you have it! We have a bird sanctuary right in our own backyard.
Not only that, but just a few short weeks ago, my hubby built a waterfall/pond for us to enjoy, complete with water plants and goldfish. After looking at the design of one at our local nursery, he built it in two weekends. It helps that we live in limestone country and can simply pick up rock anywhere. It beats buying flagstone at $4 a piece! Take a look at our lovely new addition to our backyard. It's not a pool, but at least we have a water view!
Friday, June 13, 2008
Maddie Moments
One morning a few days ago, I came into the kitchen after finishing my hour of shower and primping. It was extremely quiet which is very unusual when one has a constantly chattering child like Maddie. I was just wondering where in the world she could be when Maddie nonchalantly appeared in the kitchen. Instantly, I was suspicious. "Where have you been?" I asked. "Putting something away in Nick's room," she answered. "Oh," I said as I turned to make lunch. After a pregnant pause, Maddie confesses, "And, then I accidentally started messing with Nick's stuff." Yep, I'm sure she could hardly help herself and just tripped into checking out the things in his room...quiet as a mouse she was!
Just Chilling Out
School is out, and I haven't posted in a couple of weeks. Why in the world did I think I would suddenly have MORE time to blog with my kids at home? I barely have time to check my email anymore and can hardly check my favorite blogs. I confess that when I look at my bloglines once a week (that's about all I can achieve), and I see that there are 7 new posts, I simply refresh. I don't have the time to read them all. So, I apologize to all of you who've been wondering why I've slighted you with no comments!
I really thought that once school was dismissed, life would move to the slow lane. Unfortunately, it's crazier than ever. My teens flew out to Washington state this week; I have one child left at home, and I'm still running! Adding piano and swimming lessons to our already existing gymnastics practices has most certainly contributed to summer madness. So, why do I believe I'll get more accomplished at home with Maddie following me around? Why do I think that I will be able to get to those books on my shelf and do some in-depth study?
You know what? I suppose the answer is maybe I won't get to all of that, and perhaps that's perfectly fine. The best possible thing I can do this summer is spend time with my children while they are home. I need to lay down that concern that I'm not accomplishing all that I want to "do" and simply enjoy "being" with the ones God entrusted to me. At times, this is challenging because so many things beckon to me. My quiet time may be short; my blogging may be sparse; my reading may be less, but if my time with my children is meaningful and we are building better relationships, I believe God would be pleased.
I'm going to chill out this summer, spend time with my family and fit in the rest as I am able.
I really thought that once school was dismissed, life would move to the slow lane. Unfortunately, it's crazier than ever. My teens flew out to Washington state this week; I have one child left at home, and I'm still running! Adding piano and swimming lessons to our already existing gymnastics practices has most certainly contributed to summer madness. So, why do I believe I'll get more accomplished at home with Maddie following me around? Why do I think that I will be able to get to those books on my shelf and do some in-depth study?
You know what? I suppose the answer is maybe I won't get to all of that, and perhaps that's perfectly fine. The best possible thing I can do this summer is spend time with my children while they are home. I need to lay down that concern that I'm not accomplishing all that I want to "do" and simply enjoy "being" with the ones God entrusted to me. At times, this is challenging because so many things beckon to me. My quiet time may be short; my blogging may be sparse; my reading may be less, but if my time with my children is meaningful and we are building better relationships, I believe God would be pleased.
I'm going to chill out this summer, spend time with my family and fit in the rest as I am able.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Much Ado about Birds...Again!
While I have openly admitted to being a bird freak in a previous post, I confess there is one bird for which I do not have the warm fuzzies. This happens to be the red-headed woodpecker that for some particular reason enjoys drilling his beak into the gutter directly outside my bedroom window at 6 am. I wouldn't mind this wake-up call during the school year; however, he (I'm assuming it's a "he" because "he" is simply annoying) doesn't actually begin his rat-a-tat-tat until May. It's as if he is doing this on purpose just to be bothersome, and then of course, he flies to the suet feeder to feast on yummy treats. Today, however, I beat him up before his loud drilling sounds began. "Ha," I thought, "You're late today. It's 6:15, and I'm already up!"
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Aside from this furry creature from the pit of you know where, fabulous doings of the bird realm are happenin' at my place. And, I simply love it! Two barn swallows are building their mud nest underneath the deck. I've been watching their progress, and so has Bella, the bird-chasing dog. She peers through the slats of the deck, notices their movement and begins barking like the ferocious bird-hater that she is. While the eggs haven't been laid yet, I look forward to watching the progress and eventually seeing sweet, little baby swallows.
Barn Swallow
I've saved the best for last! For several years, we've provided a bluebird house for those beautiful beings to build their nest, however, until this year, no one has taken up residence. I've been spying on them over the past few days with my trusty binoculars. These bluebirds are busy gathering dried twigs to prepare their nest. Yesterday, Maddie and I opened the box to see what they were doing and saw a nice, neat little nest for those new babies.
I'll be watching like a hawk for the birth of all my new birdies! How thrilling it is that God put these little creatures in my backyard just for me to enjoy!
Bluebird
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Three Cheers for the Bulldogs!
You can imagine my utter shock at my results to this quiz. After all, I attended high school eons ago. I was fairly sure I had forgotten just about everything I had learned. Apparently, I've still retained some of that knowledge, and it's been laying latent in my brain just waiting for this quiz. Must be that great teaching I sat under at good old West Albany High. Go Bulldogs!
Have fun!
Have fun!
You paid attention during 91% of high school!
85-100% You must be an autodidact, because American high schools don't get scores that high! Good show, old chap!
Do you deserve your high school diploma?
Create a Quiz
Friday, May 16, 2008
The Crazy Month of May
It's that time of the year. No, not spring, although I'm thrilled that it's finally decided to show up. Nope, not the end of the school year, although I'm ecstatic about not getting that 6:15 wake up call for a few months. What I'm talking about is the "divide and conquer" scenario that husbands and wives do frequently in the month of May. In a world of spring concerts, awards nights, end of the year school carnivals and every other end of the year celebration, there's bound to be some conflicting activities. When one has three children, this can almost be a regular occurrence.
Thus, this past Wednesday evening, my hubby and I enjoyed a leisurely five minute meal before he escorted our youngest to her kids' choir musical. Nick and I skedaddled out of the house several minutes after them to attend his underclassmen awards night. For the life of me, I don't know why the powers that be don't coordinate with my schedule, so that our entire family could celebrate our children's accomplishments.
Proud parent that I am, may I just slip in the four honors Nick was awarded...2 year 4.0 GPA, Outstanding student in Sounds of South, National Honor Society and Outstanding Algebra II student. On a more serious note, I believe next year, I'll have to send the school my calendar so they can schedule these things around my oh-so-busy month.
Another little piece of trivia from the evening is that we be-bopped out of the awards night as soon as Nick was awarded his honors. Before you gasp at me with "I would never do that," please walk a mile in my shoes. With a former last name like "Weston" in which my family waded through the entire alphabet to get to me, you can just imagine the temptation to leave after the name "Carlsberg" was called! So, we gave in and escaped the drudgery so we could use our time more wisely. I believe checking email and eating ice cream cones is a much better use of my time, wouldn't you agree?
Next weekend we get to divide and conquer again when Tony heads to "Gymnastics Awards Night" with the girls, and I enjoy beautiful music courtesy of Sounds of South at their finale in which Nick is singing. One of us will take the camera; one of us will take the video. A few hours later we'll meet back at the homestead for a little recap of our evenings. We'll collapse on the couch and breathe sighs of relief that we have maneuvered through another crazy May.
It's quite possible that you may hear a high-pitched scream for joy Tuesday, May 27 at approximately 2:30 or 3:00 pm belting out, "Yippee, school's out!"
Thus, this past Wednesday evening, my hubby and I enjoyed a leisurely five minute meal before he escorted our youngest to her kids' choir musical. Nick and I skedaddled out of the house several minutes after them to attend his underclassmen awards night. For the life of me, I don't know why the powers that be don't coordinate with my schedule, so that our entire family could celebrate our children's accomplishments.
Proud parent that I am, may I just slip in the four honors Nick was awarded...2 year 4.0 GPA, Outstanding student in Sounds of South, National Honor Society and Outstanding Algebra II student. On a more serious note, I believe next year, I'll have to send the school my calendar so they can schedule these things around my oh-so-busy month.
Another little piece of trivia from the evening is that we be-bopped out of the awards night as soon as Nick was awarded his honors. Before you gasp at me with "I would never do that," please walk a mile in my shoes. With a former last name like "Weston" in which my family waded through the entire alphabet to get to me, you can just imagine the temptation to leave after the name "Carlsberg" was called! So, we gave in and escaped the drudgery so we could use our time more wisely. I believe checking email and eating ice cream cones is a much better use of my time, wouldn't you agree?
Next weekend we get to divide and conquer again when Tony heads to "Gymnastics Awards Night" with the girls, and I enjoy beautiful music courtesy of Sounds of South at their finale in which Nick is singing. One of us will take the camera; one of us will take the video. A few hours later we'll meet back at the homestead for a little recap of our evenings. We'll collapse on the couch and breathe sighs of relief that we have maneuvered through another crazy May.
It's quite possible that you may hear a high-pitched scream for joy Tuesday, May 27 at approximately 2:30 or 3:00 pm belting out, "Yippee, school's out!"
Sunday, May 11, 2008
This One's for the Birds
I absolutely love spring...redbud trees, tulips and daffodils, lilac bushes all budding out and bringing beauty and life to my once drab, brown world. I love to hear the sound of lawn mowers trimming the grass to a beautifully manicured state. I love the smell of newly cut grass and breathing in fresh, cool air before the humidity sets in. I love to peruse and of course purchase new flowers to add to my various gardens. I love to meander through the yard to see what new buds are popping out...that the deer haven't demolished yet. I did gain some wisdom this year and planted some "poisonous" plants that supposedly the deer will not devour. We'll see. I'm still holding my breath.
During spring, I am animated with God about creation. Driving last week, I saw an amazing sunset. Beautiful, bold oranges and reds in a big round ball sinking on the horizon. I flat out told God what a great job he did with that, what an awesome creator he is. Earlier this week I was planting my garden, just a few things for salsa, our main staple in the summer, and my favorite bird to watch perched on the swingset. This majestic big boy, my buddy the pileated woodpecker, looked right and left, right and left, just to make sure the coast was clear and bee-lined it to the suet feeder. I sat as still as a mouse watching. Another God moment. Another time that he chose to show off his perfect creation to me. Grateful for this opportunity, I thanked him again, admiring this beautiful creature before he took off for the trees. I know he lives near because he comes often to eat the food we provide.
Even more than all the wonderful things I've listed above are the birds! I have become a bird fanatic. While I don't admit to being an expert, I love to watch and listen to them. At my birdfeeders, I spy on Black Capped Chickadees, Towhees, House Finches, Yellow Finches, Titmouses and of course, all kinds of woodpeckers. Each one has such distinct, beautiful sounds. One of these days on a nice warm morning, I'm going to grab my camera and simply sit quietly on my deck waiting for one of these birds to feed. I'll fancy myself one of those fabulous photographers lurking in the wild to get that close up shot of a ferocious animal. Ok, not quite the same, but I'm excited about it.
During spring, I am animated with God about creation. Driving last week, I saw an amazing sunset. Beautiful, bold oranges and reds in a big round ball sinking on the horizon. I flat out told God what a great job he did with that, what an awesome creator he is. Earlier this week I was planting my garden, just a few things for salsa, our main staple in the summer, and my favorite bird to watch perched on the swingset. This majestic big boy, my buddy the pileated woodpecker, looked right and left, right and left, just to make sure the coast was clear and bee-lined it to the suet feeder. I sat as still as a mouse watching. Another God moment. Another time that he chose to show off his perfect creation to me. Grateful for this opportunity, I thanked him again, admiring this beautiful creature before he took off for the trees. I know he lives near because he comes often to eat the food we provide.
I hope you take the time this spring to enjoy the beauty of God's creation around you. Sometimes in all of our busyness, we fail to notice what he has placed right in front of our noses.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Musings in Which I Admit I Am Old and Don't Understand the Thrill of Texting
Recently, I turned the ripe old age of 44; I'm not afraid to admit it. The problem is that I find myself saying more frequently these days phrases like, "I just don't understand these little whipper snappers anymore...why back in my day, we never had (fill in the blank here). In fact, we had to walk 6 miles in the snow barefoot in Southern California." (Actually, that last line isn't true. My dad used to tell us little chitlins that a million years ago.)
What I'm talking about here is this texting thing...you know, with the cell phones? Whatever happened to dialing a number and talking personally to someone? I know that texting can be advantageous when a person simply needs to relay a quick message to someone. For example, I've been known to text a child or two, "What r u doing? B home @ 6. C u soon. Luv u!" (I must tell you that typing abbreviations like this go against my former English teacher brain, but I've succumbed.) Something like this usually takes me 15 minutes with several "clears" in the process to get the right number or letter since I frequently zip over it. My teens can text this same message underneath a desk...say...at school (aghast), never even peering at the screen or buttons they are pushing. Before you think I am poo-pooing the whole texting thing, I'm not...I just don't get it yet.
Back in my day (there I go again), we relished hearing another person's voice. I spent hours (before my mom kicked me off the phone) talking to friends via wall phone, held captive by a cord with a radius of about 6 feet. My attention was undivided except for Brady Bunch or Gilligan's Island reruns. I wasn't even glued to a textbook. Texting is just so impersonal inspite of the multi-tasking opportunities it affords cell phone carriers. My kids can watch tv, do homework, check Facebook AND text at the same exact time. Our house abounds with the sounds of vibrating text alerts every two minutes or so.
What astounds me most is that my children can actually carry on an entire 2 hour conversation by text that I could accomplish in a 15 minute phone conversation. Is this screaming "time waster" to you too? I remember in particular one day that my husband texted me from work asking me what I was doing...what the plan was for the evening. I began to text a reply, nixed that idiotic, time-consuming idea and promptly dialed his cell phone number. Much, much faster in my estimation. My personal unasked for, unwanted opinion is that texting is perfect for relaying easy, SHORT messages to people who can't be disturbed by a phone call and to whom you need to get emergency information. Otherwise, pick up the phone and dial my number...or email me because I can return the reply much faster.
When I was a teen, my phone conversations were limited. I realize that this is difficult to believe for many, but I seemed to run off at the mouth a lot of the time, so my parents set boundaries for me. Well, this just isn't a problem in my household, so I've been in a state of confusion about how to set limits on this texting phenomenon. I WISH I could say to my children, "You've been on the phone for an hour; time to hang up now." Well, I guess I could say that about my 7-year-old since she'll talk to anyone on the phone, including a telemarketer. Alix, my 14-year-old doesn't take after "moi", Miss Chatty Cathy of the 80's. In fact, she despises talking on the phone. I've even been forced to teach proper phone etiquette to her. No, I'm not referring to the "who may I say is calling" phrase before handing the phone over; I'm talking about simply being "nice" to her own friends when they call and not appearing particularly perturbed that they've interrupted whatever it is that she was doing. Texting is the ultimate way to have a conversation for a person like Alix who can do a multitude of other things while at the same time keeping up with her friends.
The problem is...how does one set boundaries on texting when the conversation never stops? I haven't quite discovered the answer, but I'm working on it and asking a lot of other parents questions about how they handle it. A couple of rules we set on vacation were:
1. Texting can occur while driving the 10 hours to and from D.C.
2. Once we arrive to our destination, texting can occur in the morning before leaving the hotel and after we return at night.
3. No texting allowed while sightseeing, during meals, etc.
Since then, we've set a few guidelines for home:
1. No texting during mealtimes.
2. No texting while doing homework because it takes twice as long to get homework done and is definitely distracting.
3. No texting once it's bedtime. (This is a new one which requires one of my darling children to recharge his/her phone in the living room as to avoid temptation.)
4. No texting during family outings/events.
I'm sure that once the Drama Queen herself is a teenager, technology will be completely different, and I'll have to relearn everything again. In the meantime, I'm reliving the good old days, reminiscing about the times an old-fashioned phone conversation was all the buzz and relishing the new-fangled technology of cordless telephones. That's really all I need to be happy...besides a friend on the other end!
What I'm talking about here is this texting thing...you know, with the cell phones? Whatever happened to dialing a number and talking personally to someone? I know that texting can be advantageous when a person simply needs to relay a quick message to someone. For example, I've been known to text a child or two, "What r u doing? B home @ 6. C u soon. Luv u!" (I must tell you that typing abbreviations like this go against my former English teacher brain, but I've succumbed.) Something like this usually takes me 15 minutes with several "clears" in the process to get the right number or letter since I frequently zip over it. My teens can text this same message underneath a desk...say...at school (aghast), never even peering at the screen or buttons they are pushing. Before you think I am poo-pooing the whole texting thing, I'm not...I just don't get it yet.
Back in my day (there I go again), we relished hearing another person's voice. I spent hours (before my mom kicked me off the phone) talking to friends via wall phone, held captive by a cord with a radius of about 6 feet. My attention was undivided except for Brady Bunch or Gilligan's Island reruns. I wasn't even glued to a textbook. Texting is just so impersonal inspite of the multi-tasking opportunities it affords cell phone carriers. My kids can watch tv, do homework, check Facebook AND text at the same exact time. Our house abounds with the sounds of vibrating text alerts every two minutes or so.
What astounds me most is that my children can actually carry on an entire 2 hour conversation by text that I could accomplish in a 15 minute phone conversation. Is this screaming "time waster" to you too? I remember in particular one day that my husband texted me from work asking me what I was doing...what the plan was for the evening. I began to text a reply, nixed that idiotic, time-consuming idea and promptly dialed his cell phone number. Much, much faster in my estimation. My personal unasked for, unwanted opinion is that texting is perfect for relaying easy, SHORT messages to people who can't be disturbed by a phone call and to whom you need to get emergency information. Otherwise, pick up the phone and dial my number...or email me because I can return the reply much faster.
When I was a teen, my phone conversations were limited. I realize that this is difficult to believe for many, but I seemed to run off at the mouth a lot of the time, so my parents set boundaries for me. Well, this just isn't a problem in my household, so I've been in a state of confusion about how to set limits on this texting phenomenon. I WISH I could say to my children, "You've been on the phone for an hour; time to hang up now." Well, I guess I could say that about my 7-year-old since she'll talk to anyone on the phone, including a telemarketer. Alix, my 14-year-old doesn't take after "moi", Miss Chatty Cathy of the 80's. In fact, she despises talking on the phone. I've even been forced to teach proper phone etiquette to her. No, I'm not referring to the "who may I say is calling" phrase before handing the phone over; I'm talking about simply being "nice" to her own friends when they call and not appearing particularly perturbed that they've interrupted whatever it is that she was doing. Texting is the ultimate way to have a conversation for a person like Alix who can do a multitude of other things while at the same time keeping up with her friends.
The problem is...how does one set boundaries on texting when the conversation never stops? I haven't quite discovered the answer, but I'm working on it and asking a lot of other parents questions about how they handle it. A couple of rules we set on vacation were:
1. Texting can occur while driving the 10 hours to and from D.C.
2. Once we arrive to our destination, texting can occur in the morning before leaving the hotel and after we return at night.
3. No texting allowed while sightseeing, during meals, etc.
Since then, we've set a few guidelines for home:
1. No texting during mealtimes.
2. No texting while doing homework because it takes twice as long to get homework done and is definitely distracting.
3. No texting once it's bedtime. (This is a new one which requires one of my darling children to recharge his/her phone in the living room as to avoid temptation.)
4. No texting during family outings/events.
I'm sure that once the Drama Queen herself is a teenager, technology will be completely different, and I'll have to relearn everything again. In the meantime, I'm reliving the good old days, reminiscing about the times an old-fashioned phone conversation was all the buzz and relishing the new-fangled technology of cordless telephones. That's really all I need to be happy...besides a friend on the other end!
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Bella's Haircut, a Few Stitches and Some Unfit Parents
Bella, our lively 3 1/2 year old Wheaten Terrier, survived a horrific accident last week. Since we are too cheap to take her to the groomer, we have taken it upon ourselves to trim her ourselves. She has the kind of coat which requires brushing daily so that she does not acquire mats. Because we are horribly irresponsible, we do not brush her even weekly, aghast...even monthly! Her mats were thick and her hair long, so it was time. Typically, I cut out the mats and then my husband uses the razor to even her up. Imagine my horror when I cut into her skin! She yelped and when I saw the damage, I was guilt-ridden. I dabbed it, figured it was probably okay (using my medical expertise with pets) and continued finishing the haircut. After all, I really wanted her to look beautiful for her vet appointment on Monday to get her long overdue shots. Allow me to also mention that Bella has also had an extremely smelly, waxy ear for several months which we have been treating with some sort of over-the-counter medication which has not been helping at all. Monday I walk into the vet with Miss Bella in tow. She's excited just to get out of the house. We don't let her out much except to frolic in the backyard. Bella takes her shots like a man; however, when the vet examines her, she begins to interrogate me. "When and how did this happen?" I felt like a neglectful parent. Apparently, she actually needed sutures to close up this flap I created with the scissors, otherwise, it wouldn't heal properly. Bad mom, bad mom! In addition, the vet was shocked at the very bad ear infection she had. "What have you been treating her with?" I stammered, "Uh, some stuff we bought at the pet store." Not a good answer for the vet to hear. I knew that she wanted to report me to pet services for Bella's obviously abusive home life. I did tell the vet in all honesty that I had asked for Bella's forgiveness for the cutting incident. The assistant felt assured that she had forgiven me.
What was going to be a 10 minute shot appointment turned out to be a leave-your-pet-at-the-vet's-office, she's going to be anesthetized and sutured. Sadly, I left Bella behind to return later to pay the $357 bill. Next time I'll be a bit more careful when using the scissors. Poor Bella!
Friday, April 18, 2008
Breaking Up is Hard To Do!
Yesterday, the DQ came home from school and asked for the phone. She apparently needed to call a boy named Justin who rides her bus.
Me: Is Justin the boy that was in your class last year?
DQ: Yes, only he's still in Kindergarten.
Me: Why do you need to call him? Girls don't call boys. (At least in my house they don't!)
DQ: I need to break up with him.
Me: You are only in 1st grade. You don't need to be going with boys.
DQ: Yeah, well that's why I need to call him...to break up.
Me: You're not calling him. Tell him on the bus tomorrow.
DQ: But, I'll forget!
Me (thinking to myself): Trust me, honey. You don't forget it when you don't like someone anymore and you need to break up with him!
Folks, this is what happens when you have an older daughter who is 14 and who is actually "going with" boys...although NOT "going anywhere". What's a mom to do?
Me: Is Justin the boy that was in your class last year?
DQ: Yes, only he's still in Kindergarten.
Me: Why do you need to call him? Girls don't call boys. (At least in my house they don't!)
DQ: I need to break up with him.
Me: You are only in 1st grade. You don't need to be going with boys.
DQ: Yeah, well that's why I need to call him...to break up.
Me: You're not calling him. Tell him on the bus tomorrow.
DQ: But, I'll forget!
Me (thinking to myself): Trust me, honey. You don't forget it when you don't like someone anymore and you need to break up with him!
Folks, this is what happens when you have an older daughter who is 14 and who is actually "going with" boys...although NOT "going anywhere". What's a mom to do?
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Big Times in the Big Apple
If you read my previous post, you'll remember that I was in a quandary regarding my preparations for the upcoming New York trip this past weekend. It was a difficult decision, and come to think of it, I don't really think I made a decision; the events just sort of happened. Of course, I HAD to watch the special presentation of American Idol "Gives Back", which, frankly, turned out to be a waste of my time. We always DVR the show, so we can watch it later, skipping through all those nasty commercials. Well, we got started very late...after 10 pm. Keep in mind that I had to be at the high school by 3:15 "a.m" in order to be bussed to the airport. I hadn't completely finished packing, and I was sitting on the couch at 10 pm to view American Idol. Very poor decision. At 11:30, I managed to break myself away to throw the rest of my clothes together and the 30 pounds of makeup I carry. I was just praying my luggage didn't register over 50 pounds. At 12:15 I lay down on the couch to sleep until 2:15. Yeah, right. Who can sleep when you know that you have to be up in 2 hours? I slept with full makeup on and my contacts in! I know, I know. Don't tell my eye doctor or the makeup gurus. I NEVER do this! I always cleanse my face at night. At my new age of 44, it's definitely necessary.
At 1:45 am, I was wide awake because I was paranoid that for some reason my phone alarm would not ring, and I would miss the bus. This was sounding vaguely familiar, like when I was in junior high or something. Resigned to the knowledge that I would not be going back to sleep, I chose to get dressed and freshen up my day old makeup. Yep, NO shower! I lotioned up extensively and sprayed perfume everywhere. Fortunately, my contacts weren't sticking to my eyes too badly. I awakened Nick at 2:30, so he could take his 5 minute shower and get himself together. These are the times when I wish I had a 5 minute regimen.
With an hour and a half of sleep under my belt, Nick and I headed to the school. I complimented myself that I was the very first to wish him a happy birthday! My newly 17-year old boy would be spending his special day in New York City. (More about the birthday boy in a later post.)
I had no worries about my lack of sleep because when I arrived at the airport, I planned to get myself hooked up to the Starbuck's IV. It appears that 65 other kids and adults had the same idea. I don't usually sleep too well on an airplane, but this particular day, I was sawing logs before the plane lifted off the runway.
That first day in New York was the longest day of my life. Even with all the excitement of seeing the city for the first time, the hustle and bustle of the masses of people, the video billboards screaming at me, the lure of all the shops, I longed for sleep. Don't you hate those days? I was angry that I wasn't fully engaged, fully enjoying the thrill of the Big Apple because all I could think about was taking a nap. That first evening, the entire choir had tickets for the Phantom of the Opera. Maybe not such a good idea. I REALLY wanted to love it, really wanted to enjoy every part of it; instead, I kept nodding off throughout the entire musical. It was absolutely amazing, the sections I saw anyway.
(Sounds of South singing at St. John's Church)
(Sounds of South singing the National Anthem at Shea Stadium)
At 1:45 am, I was wide awake because I was paranoid that for some reason my phone alarm would not ring, and I would miss the bus. This was sounding vaguely familiar, like when I was in junior high or something. Resigned to the knowledge that I would not be going back to sleep, I chose to get dressed and freshen up my day old makeup. Yep, NO shower! I lotioned up extensively and sprayed perfume everywhere. Fortunately, my contacts weren't sticking to my eyes too badly. I awakened Nick at 2:30, so he could take his 5 minute shower and get himself together. These are the times when I wish I had a 5 minute regimen.
With an hour and a half of sleep under my belt, Nick and I headed to the school. I complimented myself that I was the very first to wish him a happy birthday! My newly 17-year old boy would be spending his special day in New York City. (More about the birthday boy in a later post.)
I had no worries about my lack of sleep because when I arrived at the airport, I planned to get myself hooked up to the Starbuck's IV. It appears that 65 other kids and adults had the same idea. I don't usually sleep too well on an airplane, but this particular day, I was sawing logs before the plane lifted off the runway.
That first day in New York was the longest day of my life. Even with all the excitement of seeing the city for the first time, the hustle and bustle of the masses of people, the video billboards screaming at me, the lure of all the shops, I longed for sleep. Don't you hate those days? I was angry that I wasn't fully engaged, fully enjoying the thrill of the Big Apple because all I could think about was taking a nap. That first evening, the entire choir had tickets for the Phantom of the Opera. Maybe not such a good idea. I REALLY wanted to love it, really wanted to enjoy every part of it; instead, I kept nodding off throughout the entire musical. It was absolutely amazing, the sections I saw anyway.
(Times Square)
After a fairly full night of winks, the next day was better. We were all still dragging but not quite as badly. The choir sang that day at St. John's Church, the first Methodist church in North America. Built in 1766, it was a little place smashed in between large buildings. The acoustics were amazing, and many of us were in tears as the kids sang. I can't quite wrap my mind around how beautiful this choir sounds; I just know that it evokes great emotion in me when I hear them. Of course, thinking about Nick being a Senior next year doesn't help a bit.
(Sounds of South singing at St. John's Church)With a couple of hours before our next event, we walked a few blocks to ground zero. It's mind-blowing that after 6 1/2 years, rubble is still being sifted through. Construction is still occurring. That area is still devastated after all these years. We traveled to Battery Park and viewed Lady Liberty from afar and then we were off to Shea Stadium to sing the National Anthem at the Mets game.
(Sounds of South singing the National Anthem at Shea Stadium)Saturday was our free day, so Nick and I, along with a few others, rode the subway to Battery Park where we planned to ride the ferry to view the Statue of Liberty and visit Ellis Island. Due to fog, we had to kill a little time before the ferries would begin running again, so we took a little side trip to Tiffany's. I just knew that Tony wanted me to find my birthday present there. It's extremely important when asking about jewelry prices in a store like this to avoid having your mouth drop open too much. I felt that we were very composed when we asked about the price of a certain gold charm bracelet and the answer was over $1,000. Wisdom whispered to me that this might not be the place to purchase my birthday gift. Even a silver charm was $125. Not quite on sale enough for me. Hmmm, come to think of it, I doubt Tiffany's has sales.
After waiting in line for an hour and a half, we boarded the ferry for our excursion across the river. Learning the history of Ellis Island was fascinating especially since my grandfather came through there from England. We gleaned all sorts of tidbits from the research we did on the computers they had available for us to use. He was only 8 years old when he arrived in American on his way to Wisconsin, and his family had $55 in their pockets. I can only imagine what his thoughts were when he finally disembarked that ship into this new land.
(Nick and I outside Clinton Castle)
(Statue of Liberty...duh!)
Saturday evening we ate a big group dinner together at Spanky's. Some of us wandered to Rockefeller Center and then shopped at various places, such as the 3-story M&M store, which was my personal favorite. Since I'm an avid M&M lover, imagine my delight in seeing that M&M's come in every color under the sun. Maddie loved the M&M umbrella I brought so much, she even uses it in the house!
(Radio City Music Hall...duh!)
Sunday was another free day until 4 pm when the buses came to transport us to the airport for home. We devoted our time to Macy's, FAO Schwarz and Central Park. The 8-story Macy's in New York makes our 2-story Macy's look like the Goodwill. This is serious shopping, and I didn't have nearly enough time. Guess I'll just have to come back. And, FAO? Buying a toy there for my kids would be like purchasing myself a Dooney and Bourke bag; both of which I will not do! The prices are seriously inflated. But, guess what? That's New York! Central Park was beautiful. In the midst of this city of 8 million people is a beautiful sanctuary for walking, biking and watching animal life. Taking a carriage ride through the length of this park would take 2 hours!
(Macy's in Harold Square)
(Central Park..looking at the Plaza Hotel)
I can't ever picture myself living in New York, but in a heartbeat, I'd jump on a plane and visit! If you don't like crowds, you probably should skip this trip. The people watching is great, and the sites are amazing. With a Starbuck's on just about every corner, Broadway shows abounding and an abundance of stores in which to shop, I can be ready at a moment's notice.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
New York, New York!
In just a few short hours, at approximately 3:15 a.m. (yes, that's a horrible hour) Nick and I will be boarding a bus that will take us to the airport and then off to New York City! Every year the school musical group he is part of (Sounds of South), takes a 4-day trip somewhere. It's not only a reward for their hard work all year, but also an opportunity for them to sing in other cities.
This year they will be displaying their talents at St. John's Church as well as Shea Stadium. Yes, they will sing the National Anthem at the Mets game! Not only that but we will also enjoy seeing the Phantom of the Opera and other fun New York sites such as Central Park, the Empire State Building and Ellis Island.
My poor, blond brain has been muddled all day. Perhaps you can help me...do I: a) stay up until it's time for me to leave at 3 am, b) go to sleep early, wake up at 2 am to take a shower and then leave at 3 am, or c) wake up in enough time to throw some make up and clothes on and leave without showering? It's just so confusing. And, if you know me, I DO NOT leave the house without make up on, so leaving the make up off is not an option! As Solomon once said, "Vanity, vanity, all is vanity." I confess that's me. However, I have no problems with dousing myself with extra amounts of body lotion and perfume in order to smell like I took a shower. But, look like something the cat dragged in? Not gonna do.
I'll be catching up when I return and relate all the wonderful things about New York City! It happens to be Nick's birthday tomorrow and mine on Sunday, so what better way to celebrate? Of course, I'll be writing about my wonderful boy as well...
New York City, here I come!
This year they will be displaying their talents at St. John's Church as well as Shea Stadium. Yes, they will sing the National Anthem at the Mets game! Not only that but we will also enjoy seeing the Phantom of the Opera and other fun New York sites such as Central Park, the Empire State Building and Ellis Island.
My poor, blond brain has been muddled all day. Perhaps you can help me...do I: a) stay up until it's time for me to leave at 3 am, b) go to sleep early, wake up at 2 am to take a shower and then leave at 3 am, or c) wake up in enough time to throw some make up and clothes on and leave without showering? It's just so confusing. And, if you know me, I DO NOT leave the house without make up on, so leaving the make up off is not an option! As Solomon once said, "Vanity, vanity, all is vanity." I confess that's me. However, I have no problems with dousing myself with extra amounts of body lotion and perfume in order to smell like I took a shower. But, look like something the cat dragged in? Not gonna do.
I'll be catching up when I return and relate all the wonderful things about New York City! It happens to be Nick's birthday tomorrow and mine on Sunday, so what better way to celebrate? Of course, I'll be writing about my wonderful boy as well...
New York City, here I come!
Monday, April 7, 2008
She's Asking for a Wacking
This weekend while hubby traveled to San Francisco for a business trip and then jaunted to Seattle to spend a couple of days with his mom, the DQ slept with me for two nights. I believe she's genuinely excited when daddy leaves, so she can have a sleepover with me. Saturday evening, we were hunkering down...me with my book, she with a notepad and pencil. I urged her repeatedly to "put that up and go to sleep" which of course, she did immediately. Right! "Just a minute, Mom, I have to write this note."
I had set the alarm to awake me at 7:30 to get ready for church. Maddie asked me to wake her up when I got up and then also gave me a note to put on the nightstand in case I forgot.
I had set the alarm to awake me at 7:30 to get ready for church. Maddie asked me to wake her up when I got up and then also gave me a note to put on the nightstand in case I forgot.
To: mommy
Remember to wack me up at the same time as you get up. Thank you.
Love, Madisen!
I'm convinced she really doesn't want me to wack her up side the head in the morning, although, there are times I believe wacking would be effective with teens. Notice the exclamation point at the end of her name. This is a frequent use of punctuation in her writing.
In case you were wondering, no wacking was employed in the waking up process. The alarm was quite loud enough.
Saturday, April 5, 2008
A Little Trip to Remember
Almost a month ago, the five of us traveled to Washington DC for this year's spring break trip. Last year was Florida; this year, the Northeast. Frankly, the closer we came to the appointed time to leave, the more I was wishing we had picked Florida. We certainly weren't going to come back looking more tan than we had left! Still, leaving the snow behind, we ventured East and were pleasantly surprised at the beautiful sunny skies and warmer weather that awaited us.
The most exciting part about this adventure most definitely was that my parents were flying from Seattle to vacation with us. My mom and dad joke that they crashed our trip; however, I did sort of mention why don't they meet us in DC? Next thing I know, they've ditched an anniversary cruise for a week with their kids and grandkids. That's a little nuts, but you gotta know them. They kind of like being with their family. For some families, it might truly be agony to vacation with good, old mom and dad (no disrespect intended); however, for us, that was icing on the cake. They've always been hilariously fun to hang out with...except for when I was a teenager! The greatest thing is my kids (17, 14, 7) LOVE to be with their grandparents even at their ages. When I related to them that grandpa and grandma were meeting us in DC, they were ecstatic. One of them even screamed with delight! I really do think our kids would ditch us in favor of hogging g'pa and g'ma to themselves. This is only because grandpas and grandmas say "yes" a lot more than moms and dads do.
Anyway, I know that everyone has been dying to see these pictures and hear about our trip because of the excerpt I wrote so long ago in which I mentioned I would be blogging about this. I can't emphasize enough that everyone should take their children to DC at some point in their lives (preferably around elementary age and older). What a picture my children now have in their minds about all of those sites they've heard about, precious documents they've read about in school and places important to our country's beginnings.
One of the best things we did was to stay in a hotel right downtown, so we could walk everywhere...and walk we did! Our dogs growled and barked at us, but the sights were definitely worth the little yippers nipping. We packed more into our 4 days in DC than we thought possible.
(Grandma and Grandpa with the grandkids) 
The most exciting part about this adventure most definitely was that my parents were flying from Seattle to vacation with us. My mom and dad joke that they crashed our trip; however, I did sort of mention why don't they meet us in DC? Next thing I know, they've ditched an anniversary cruise for a week with their kids and grandkids. That's a little nuts, but you gotta know them. They kind of like being with their family. For some families, it might truly be agony to vacation with good, old mom and dad (no disrespect intended); however, for us, that was icing on the cake. They've always been hilariously fun to hang out with...except for when I was a teenager! The greatest thing is my kids (17, 14, 7) LOVE to be with their grandparents even at their ages. When I related to them that grandpa and grandma were meeting us in DC, they were ecstatic. One of them even screamed with delight! I really do think our kids would ditch us in favor of hogging g'pa and g'ma to themselves. This is only because grandpas and grandmas say "yes" a lot more than moms and dads do.
Anyway, I know that everyone has been dying to see these pictures and hear about our trip because of the excerpt I wrote so long ago in which I mentioned I would be blogging about this. I can't emphasize enough that everyone should take their children to DC at some point in their lives (preferably around elementary age and older). What a picture my children now have in their minds about all of those sites they've heard about, precious documents they've read about in school and places important to our country's beginnings.
One of the best things we did was to stay in a hotel right downtown, so we could walk everywhere...and walk we did! Our dogs growled and barked at us, but the sights were definitely worth the little yippers nipping. We packed more into our 4 days in DC than we thought possible.
(Day 1 - Arlington Cemetery)
Seeing the changing of the guard at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier was emotional. Twenty-four hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, this tomb is never left unattended.
(A few strays on the streets)
(Grandma and Grandpa with the grandkids) 
(Alix taking a picture of the Washington Monument)
(Resting our "dogs" at the Air and Space Museum)
(World War II Memorial - remembering the sacrifices made for freedom)
(Day 2 - watching the sunset at the Lincoln Memorial)
(Looking at the Washington Monument from the Lincoln Memorial)
(Day 3 - Capitol Building Tour)
The Capitol Building tour was unbelievable. The assistant to our Indiana representative was our guide and did an outstanding job. We even experienced being evacuated because of some war protest threats! Our children loved sitting in the gallery in the House of Representatives and getting to be part of an actual vote. Not only that, but we were able to view the old Supreme Court chambers and see where Lincoln's desk was actually placed in the Senate. NOTE: we had taken a tour of the White House the previous day which was actually quite disappointing after waiting almost two hours for a scheduled tour. To top it off, the tour was self-guided which meant we meandered through rooms with no detailed explanations about anything. Thus, having a one on one guided tour of the Capitol Building was one of the highlights of the week.
Other places that we visited during our week were the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, where paper money is made, and of course, the Holocaust Museum. My dad and Tony took Maddie to the National Geographic Museum because of her young age. That was a wise choice given the graphic nature of some of the pictures and videos. I'm quite certain that no one desires to view the kind of evil that happened in our world during World War II; yet, it is most definitely not something any of us should ever forget. It was sobering to walk through this museum and deafeningly quiet. In fact, after reading and viewing so much information, I began to experience overload and walked zombie-like through the last floor. All of us were quiet as we eased out the door back into the "real" world. It's completely unbelievable that someone of such evil persona could murder 6 million people while the world stood silent, unwilling to get involved.
We traveled to Williamsburg, Virginia for our final two days of vacation. While our US government made its final resting place in DC, Jamestown was where it all began in 1607...the site of the first permanent British settlement. We visited a museum built on top of the foundation of one of the original buildings. It's amazing how many thousands of artifacts have been discovered there, and it is still an active archaeological dig site.
(Jamestown, VA well...it was a little windy)
(Yes, this is Pocahontas who married John Rolfe)
Our second day in Williamsburg was spent exploring Yorktown as well as Colonial Williamsburg. Yorktown was the place where George Washington conquered the British army in the last decisive battle of the Revolutionary War. Bunkers are still there showing where the British troops fought the American and French troops. Even more amazing was our tour guide...a Russian student intern. Imagine listening to her talk about American history!
(Listening to the fifes and drums on the streets of Colonial Williamsburg)
(The Governor's Palace, where one of the last Royal Governors resided)
(Standard decor in the entry of a palace in order to threaten the people...guns, swords!)
(The Cheese Shop, a sandwich place that a friend said we must eat at!)
(Last but not least, look at these two criminals we saw in stockades!)
Our family made enough memories to last a lifetime on this trip. While our dogs were fairly dead by the end of the week, the places we beheld where our history began, the monuments we viewed to honor momentous events and people, and the people we shared it with (mom and pop, aka gramps and grams) made the effort and pain all worthwhile! We loved every minute of it, including hotel card games of Zion Check and watching American Idol...you didn't think we would miss THAT show while in DC, did you?
Just had to add my mom's input on all our memory making in DC (she'll probably shoot me now):
Also, I LOVED your blog. After we talked I went online and read it (with stinging eyes, I might add) and loved it, loved it. That trip was a memory maker...who can forget the canolie? or what Maddie really thought of it? or trying to find the right sweatshirt for Alix? or Grandpa trying to kill himself running up the steps with Nick at the Lincoln Memorial? or Nick, Alix and me stealing away from you all in the Museum of Nat History going to the cafe and getting something to eat? (bet you didn't know about that!), or Tony falling asleep on the bed while we wouldn't leave until we played ZC? Or sending out for MickyD's on your anniversary? Now there's a memory for ya! (Annette & MickeyD's? No!) That's what is so great about pictures...they remind us of what we forget. Sorta like going to church...the sermon reminds us of where we want to be and helps get us back in focus. Anyway, I didn't want to say all this on your comment page, but wanted you to know...we'll never forget either. It was a trip "from God with Love." Love you tons and tons and tons...Mom
This is exactly what I was trying to convey...my family is soooo much fun. I can't hardly stand it!
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Three Children...Three Reasons to Be Proud
I've been thinking about this post all week, ever since Monday evening that is. Last weekend was one of those proud parent moments. Fourteen-year-old Alix competed in the Level 8 Gymnastics State Meet and received a high enough all-around score to compete in the regional meet held in Peoria, IL in May. It was a nail biter to the finish. Let me tell you, I'm one of those girls that likes to win by a long shot, not sit on the edge of my seat wondering if my team is gonna eak out a win in the last seconds of the game.
Alix finished the first three events, bars, beam and floor, needing a 9.075 on vault to get the 34.50 required all-around. No pressure. All of us were praying. In fact, Alix' coach texted a couple of other parents whose daughters had competed earlier to pray because of this awesome task set before Alix. It's a good thing that Alix' best event happens to be vault. Still, one doesn't want to have to rely on getting more than a 9. It would've been better to have breezed into this event only having to cinch regionals with...say...a 7.0. Much better on the parental nerves, I'd say.
So, Alix speeds down the track for her first vault (she gets two tries and the judges score the best one). When she lands, she takes about a million steps backwards until she stops. This is definitely not the vault we are looking for. Tony turns to Maddie and says, "You better pray for Alix." Immediately, Maddie drops her head, folds her hands and prays. Vault number two, Alix races towards the vault, catapults over with her souk and sticks it with one itty-bitty step. Hallelujah! Cheering ecstatically, we know this is most emphatically 9-worthy. Impatiently, we wait for the score to flash. Finally...the score pops up with a...9.1. Yep, we got it by the hair of our chinny chin chin, with a .025 to spare. Good thing I'm not given to chewing on my silk nails, or I'd have had some nubs for sure.
Later, I asked Maddie what she had prayed. "I just prayed for her to stand. Jesus was right behind her holding her up." Oh, the faith and prayers of little ones such as these. He most certainly was standing right behind Alix! I truly believe we witnessed a miracle that day, and Maddie certainly played an important role as she called out to Jesus on behalf of Alix.
The next auspicious occasion came the very next evening when we attended our son, Nick's induction into the National Honor Society. A record 130 inductees crossed the stage that night. I'm usually close to tears on proud moments such as these; however, with Maddie waving wildly at everyone she knew walking down the steps, my weeping was kept at bay. Then, the DQ (Drama Queen) blurts out, "When I get up there someday, I'm going to say (in her best British accent) 'thank you so much'." Our friends sitting next to us got a huge kick out of that comment. I guess there's a reason why none of the students are making speeches because of the possibility of someone like Maddie taking the opportunity to perform. Nope, I believe that when Maddie crosses that stage someday, she'll shake the principal's hand, accept her certificate and her pretty carnation, and if she attempts to go near a microphone, she'll kindly be escorted down the stairs!
Tony, Nick and me at the induction
Alix finished the first three events, bars, beam and floor, needing a 9.075 on vault to get the 34.50 required all-around. No pressure. All of us were praying. In fact, Alix' coach texted a couple of other parents whose daughters had competed earlier to pray because of this awesome task set before Alix. It's a good thing that Alix' best event happens to be vault. Still, one doesn't want to have to rely on getting more than a 9. It would've been better to have breezed into this event only having to cinch regionals with...say...a 7.0. Much better on the parental nerves, I'd say.
So, Alix speeds down the track for her first vault (she gets two tries and the judges score the best one). When she lands, she takes about a million steps backwards until she stops. This is definitely not the vault we are looking for. Tony turns to Maddie and says, "You better pray for Alix." Immediately, Maddie drops her head, folds her hands and prays. Vault number two, Alix races towards the vault, catapults over with her souk and sticks it with one itty-bitty step. Hallelujah! Cheering ecstatically, we know this is most emphatically 9-worthy. Impatiently, we wait for the score to flash. Finally...the score pops up with a...9.1. Yep, we got it by the hair of our chinny chin chin, with a .025 to spare. Good thing I'm not given to chewing on my silk nails, or I'd have had some nubs for sure.
Later, I asked Maddie what she had prayed. "I just prayed for her to stand. Jesus was right behind her holding her up." Oh, the faith and prayers of little ones such as these. He most certainly was standing right behind Alix! I truly believe we witnessed a miracle that day, and Maddie certainly played an important role as she called out to Jesus on behalf of Alix.
The next auspicious occasion came the very next evening when we attended our son, Nick's induction into the National Honor Society. A record 130 inductees crossed the stage that night. I'm usually close to tears on proud moments such as these; however, with Maddie waving wildly at everyone she knew walking down the steps, my weeping was kept at bay. Then, the DQ (Drama Queen) blurts out, "When I get up there someday, I'm going to say (in her best British accent) 'thank you so much'." Our friends sitting next to us got a huge kick out of that comment. I guess there's a reason why none of the students are making speeches because of the possibility of someone like Maddie taking the opportunity to perform. Nope, I believe that when Maddie crosses that stage someday, she'll shake the principal's hand, accept her certificate and her pretty carnation, and if she attempts to go near a microphone, she'll kindly be escorted down the stairs!
Tony, Nick and me at the inductionNot to be outdone by her older brother and sister who had amazing accomplishments this past weekend, Maddie received honors as well at the reception following the induction ceremony.
Maddie speaking to one of the assistant principals (mouth full of cookie): "I just ate 6 cookies."
You know, I forgot to ask if she now holds the school record for cookies consumed by a 7-year-old at a school reception. I really do need to check on that...and find out why in the world her parents had no clue what she was up to. This is exactly why we now have a book by our bed entitled, "Have a New Kid by Friday" by Kevin Leman.
The conclusion to this post: ALL of our children are extremely talented in very unusual ways! Perhaps Maddie's claim to fame will be Prayer Warrior Extraordinaire...I would be very proud indeed.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Elizabeth Bennet...My Heroine!
I suppose this is a fairly accurate description of me...(You are intelligent, witty, and tremendously attractive. You have a good head on your shoulders, and oftentimes find yourself the lone beacon of reason in a sea of ridiculousness. You take great pleasure in many things. You are proficient in nearly all of them, though you will never own it. Lest you seem too perfect, you have a tendency toward prejudgement that serves you very ill indeed.)
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Confessions From a Former Shopoholic
I am a former shopoholic. Up until a few years ago, shopping was one of my favorite pastimes. Whether simply browsing or partaking in some serious purchasing, visiting the mall belonged near the top of my top ten list of “Favorite Activities”. I didn’t desire to shop alone either. Friends were a huge asset in this endeavor. They assisted with choosing clothes to take to the dressing room as well as giving honest opinions regarding how the apparel looked. It was difficult to make these judgments by myself and not nearly as fun.
That being said, while shopping is still on my top ten list, it’s dropped in its ratings over the last few years. These days, when a friend suggests a few hours or a day of shopping, I frequently think, “Ugh. That sounds like work...hunting for and trying on clothes, spending money I don’t need to spend when there are so many other things I should be doing.” My husband seems to relish this new attitude of mine. What has happened to the woman who would literally jump at the chance to shop, plan shopping adventures and loved to look for new clothes?
Simply said, it’s my season of life. Between the five of us (six, if you count our dog) who need stuff and a household that needs stuff, I’ve had my fill of shopping. You know what I mean. Every time I turn around, I’m back at the grocery store piling food in the cart. Why do these people eat so much? And, why is it that someone in the family tells me that he is out of toothpaste right after I’ve just done the Target trip to get various other supplies? In addition, I always seem to have to head to that specialty store for some odd item that isn’t in stock at any other store on my regular weekly route.
Recently, Nick left a note requesting me to purchase a yellow polo shirt for a video that the youth choir was creating the next day. This is my role now; I’m a buyer of stuff on demand. I had no intentions of cruising to the mall the next day, but I made plans to hightail it there. In very uncharacteristic fashion for any woman, I marched in to the first store, saw a yellow polo shirt hanging nonchalantly and without further ado, bought it. Astounding! In days gone by, I would’ve never purchased the first yellow polo shirt I beheld. In order to be absolutely certain that it was the perfect yellow polo shirt, I would’ve scoured every store in the mall before acquiring anything. After all, how will I know if it’s the best shirt in all of polo-land if I don’t peruse every single one of them? That day I disclosed to my husband that he should be proud of me for walking in and out of the mall with the desired prize in a matter of minutes. I didn’t even succumb to the saleslady’s pitch for the 1.99 earrings or two shirts for $20.
I suppose I’ve lost the shopping mood with all the required monotonous buying I must do on a weekly and sometimes daily basis. Even this past weekend as I was examining the Macy’s “one day…lowest prices of the season” ads, I was apathetic. Basically, I didn’t feel like running one more place, doing one more thing. The $29.99 capri sale just couldn’t entice me to venture out.
In recent years I’ve discovered that while friends are fun to browse with, I find it challenging to seriously shop. During shopping events with friends, I somehow feel responsible for my friends’ happiness. Are they enjoying themselves? Would they rather be in the shoe department instead of with me in the jewelry section? Are they ready to move on to a different store? Do they even want to shop in this particular store? It’s so stressful that I can’t even think about trying on clothes for which I’m sure they don’t have the patience.
My solution is simple. I’ve begun to engage in two types of shopping. By myself, I power shop; it’s all about purchasing the items on my list quickly. If I don’t have time to don a bunch of clothes, I buy them, try them on at home and return the ones that aren’t going to work. When I make a date to shop with friends, I browse, enjoy coffee or lunch and don’t worry about whether I buy anything because this trip is all about hanging out and enjoying my friendships. In distinguishing between these two different kinds of shopping, I alleviate the stress that I seem to pile on myself. I reserve the hunt for clothes and various other list items for shopping alone, and my leisurely browsing…break for coffee…shop…break for lunch…shop…for those fun-filled hours with friends. During these times, if I don’t buy anything, it’s perfectly alright because the purpose was simply to enjoy browsing the stores and spend time with friends.
Maybe you’ve already figured this one out. It doesn’t surprise me that it takes this blonde, almost 44 year old brain to discover these amazing truths. If you ever see me by myself with list in hand, you’ll know that I’m on a mission.
That being said, while shopping is still on my top ten list, it’s dropped in its ratings over the last few years. These days, when a friend suggests a few hours or a day of shopping, I frequently think, “Ugh. That sounds like work...hunting for and trying on clothes, spending money I don’t need to spend when there are so many other things I should be doing.” My husband seems to relish this new attitude of mine. What has happened to the woman who would literally jump at the chance to shop, plan shopping adventures and loved to look for new clothes?
Simply said, it’s my season of life. Between the five of us (six, if you count our dog) who need stuff and a household that needs stuff, I’ve had my fill of shopping. You know what I mean. Every time I turn around, I’m back at the grocery store piling food in the cart. Why do these people eat so much? And, why is it that someone in the family tells me that he is out of toothpaste right after I’ve just done the Target trip to get various other supplies? In addition, I always seem to have to head to that specialty store for some odd item that isn’t in stock at any other store on my regular weekly route.
Recently, Nick left a note requesting me to purchase a yellow polo shirt for a video that the youth choir was creating the next day. This is my role now; I’m a buyer of stuff on demand. I had no intentions of cruising to the mall the next day, but I made plans to hightail it there. In very uncharacteristic fashion for any woman, I marched in to the first store, saw a yellow polo shirt hanging nonchalantly and without further ado, bought it. Astounding! In days gone by, I would’ve never purchased the first yellow polo shirt I beheld. In order to be absolutely certain that it was the perfect yellow polo shirt, I would’ve scoured every store in the mall before acquiring anything. After all, how will I know if it’s the best shirt in all of polo-land if I don’t peruse every single one of them? That day I disclosed to my husband that he should be proud of me for walking in and out of the mall with the desired prize in a matter of minutes. I didn’t even succumb to the saleslady’s pitch for the 1.99 earrings or two shirts for $20.
I suppose I’ve lost the shopping mood with all the required monotonous buying I must do on a weekly and sometimes daily basis. Even this past weekend as I was examining the Macy’s “one day…lowest prices of the season” ads, I was apathetic. Basically, I didn’t feel like running one more place, doing one more thing. The $29.99 capri sale just couldn’t entice me to venture out.
In recent years I’ve discovered that while friends are fun to browse with, I find it challenging to seriously shop. During shopping events with friends, I somehow feel responsible for my friends’ happiness. Are they enjoying themselves? Would they rather be in the shoe department instead of with me in the jewelry section? Are they ready to move on to a different store? Do they even want to shop in this particular store? It’s so stressful that I can’t even think about trying on clothes for which I’m sure they don’t have the patience.
My solution is simple. I’ve begun to engage in two types of shopping. By myself, I power shop; it’s all about purchasing the items on my list quickly. If I don’t have time to don a bunch of clothes, I buy them, try them on at home and return the ones that aren’t going to work. When I make a date to shop with friends, I browse, enjoy coffee or lunch and don’t worry about whether I buy anything because this trip is all about hanging out and enjoying my friendships. In distinguishing between these two different kinds of shopping, I alleviate the stress that I seem to pile on myself. I reserve the hunt for clothes and various other list items for shopping alone, and my leisurely browsing…break for coffee…shop…break for lunch…shop…for those fun-filled hours with friends. During these times, if I don’t buy anything, it’s perfectly alright because the purpose was simply to enjoy browsing the stores and spend time with friends.
Maybe you’ve already figured this one out. It doesn’t surprise me that it takes this blonde, almost 44 year old brain to discover these amazing truths. If you ever see me by myself with list in hand, you’ll know that I’m on a mission.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
The Girl With the Indoor Blood-Curdling Scream
Fourteen years ago today, Alix graced our lives with her presence. What a beautiful little girl she was with a full head of dark hair that jetted straight up all over. She's still all that today except for trading in that dark stuff for an incredible amount of thick gorgeous blond laying down her back. She has the kind of hair people wish they were born with, even me!
If I thought my first born was a dream baby, Alix was a phenomenon. She slept through the night at 5 weeks old, soothed herself with her thumb at just weeks old and when she was old enough walk, never wandered from my side when shopping. In fact, she didn't even care about walking until about 15 months old. Alix learned at a very young age to content herself with letting Nick talk for her. Even when people she knew fairly well asked her questions, she looked to Nick to supply the answers...and he was completely willing to comply. Her thumb was her most treasured asset and went instantaneously into her mouth whenever Alix was presented with an uncomfortable situation.
Alix is truly one amazing girl. She's a straight A student with a blond brain to boot, highly self-disciplined, self-motivated girl in sports and school and sweet personality that desires to please others. Her social life is busy; her boyfriends last for two weeks; her stubbornness is like a mule! Her laugh is contagious and fun; her loyalty to her friends is admirable; her values and morality stand firm and independent of her peers. As a parent, I've learned much from having a daughter like Alix. While she's not like me in so many ways, I've grown to appreciate her personality.
Many times I've wondered if something was wrong with her because of her inability or lack of desire to express her feelings. After all, doesn't EVERYBODY want to share their every thought, feeling and opinion like me? That's what girls do, right? I've learned differently over these 14 years. My mom and sister have had a lot to do with my education on this matter. My younger sister happens to be much like Alix. Imagine having a talkative, emotional, opinionated, tell-all daughter (me) and when second born sissy comes along, she's LOUD, her voice carries, BUT she reveals no details about her personal life, keeps her opinions to herself and doesn't express her emotions to everyone. So my mom thought something was wrong with her. Over time and with my dad's help, she discovered that nothing was wrong; she was just a different person than I was...and it was ok! I remember asking my sister for advice many years ago when I was trying to process having a daughter not excited to tell me everything going on in her brain, and Tricia said, "You know what I wished mom would've done?" "No, I don't," I replied. "I just wanted her to leave me alone." Oh. Ok. Not exactly what I wanted to hear, but I guess what I've realized is that just because Alix is not telling me all doesn't mean that anything is horribly wrong. She just doesn't NEED to express it all.
And, since Alix is obedient, loves God and doesn't have a rebellious attitude, I suppose it's perfectly fine if she's not a carbon copy of her mom. And, everybody said, "Thank the Good Lord above for that!" Happy birthday to my sweet baby girl!
If I thought my first born was a dream baby, Alix was a phenomenon. She slept through the night at 5 weeks old, soothed herself with her thumb at just weeks old and when she was old enough walk, never wandered from my side when shopping. In fact, she didn't even care about walking until about 15 months old. Alix learned at a very young age to content herself with letting Nick talk for her. Even when people she knew fairly well asked her questions, she looked to Nick to supply the answers...and he was completely willing to comply. Her thumb was her most treasured asset and went instantaneously into her mouth whenever Alix was presented with an uncomfortable situation.
None of my children are quiet children. All of them had one volume early on...LOUD. My brother-in-law, Steve, used to tell Alix, "Indoor blood-curdling scream, Alix" because he thought she was so loud...until he had his own child. He has since recanted and apologized. My children's loudness was accentuated by my brother's children unusually quiet voices. Their normal voices were whispers compared to the blaring sirens blasting out of my children. Alix still has a voice that carries over mountains and prairies. The more excited she gets; the louder the volume. Consequently, she gets shushed often even now.
While Alix swished down the aisle in a beautiful white dress when Tony and I were married, she is far from that princess girl today. Somewhere down the line, she traded in dresses for t-shirts and playing make-up and dolls for competitive gymnastics. At one point, she attempted to convince me that she was a tomboy to which I had to disagree. She has always been more of an "inside" girl than an "outside" girl. She would spend hours cloistered in her room reading to her make believe class or conversing with imaginary friends. She was equally content with or without friends by her side. She disliked playing outside in the snow; it was way too cold. No, she is not a tomboy!
While Alix' volume is loud, she is my most quiet child. That may sound confusing, but what I mean by that is she keeps her emotions and feelings to herself. Alix rarely expresses what she is thinking which is challenging to a person like me, who lays it all out there whether you want it or not. Our conversations occasionally happen like this:
Me: Alix, how was your day?
Alix: Good
Me: What did you do at school?
Alix: Not much
OR
Me: What did you talk about in Sunday School?
Alix: I don't remember
Me: Surely you remember something. It was just an hour ago.
Alix: I think it was something about trust
Me: What about trust?
Alix: I'm not sure
This is frustrating for someone like me who enjoys sharing, talking and giving my opinion whether one asks for it or not. Alix is not one to offer ANY information, so I've resorted to obtaining information from her best friend's mom (who tells her mom EVERYTHING). And, I ask my daughter a lot of questions about her life. At first, she was a little peeved about this, but after a discussion about trust and parents needing to know what's going on in their daughter's life and TRUST and not getting to do anything if we don't know who her friends are and where she's going and what she's doing and TRUST...well, she began to get the picture. 
(Alix and her friend getting baptized.)
While Alix is not openly expressive with her feelings or a crybaby like me, she is extremely compassionate. While she doesn't easily cry during a sad movie, she sheds tears for others who are suffering or in pain. She hates it when others feel bad or are sad. And, although she's not a huggy or affectionate person, she always inquires about each family member if they are not home. She cares deeply about family, yet she's not overly demonstrative. I remember having to teach her early on that she should hug her parents good night rather than just disappear into her bedroom. She begrudgingly did it by backing into a hug. With her, forward hugs must not last more than a second or she is squirming out of them!
Alix (on the right) and her best friend, cheerleading
Alix has been a competitive gymnast since 4th grade and for the last two years gave cheerleading a try. While Alix is a social queen, she is not a drama queen (that would be our 7 year old). Thus, she is retiring from cheerleading, citing petty girl drama as the culprit. She loves all her friends and became nauseated at the backbiting and the general "mean girl" syndrome of some her teammates. Besides, she decided that it is definitely more fun competing in a sport than cheering for someone else's sport. Still, hands down, she was the best tumbler of the group, and I'm not just saying that because I'm her mom. Oh, and let's just say EVERYONE could hear her cheering. Remember? Her volume is loud!
Alix is truly one amazing girl. She's a straight A student with a blond brain to boot, highly self-disciplined, self-motivated girl in sports and school and sweet personality that desires to please others. Her social life is busy; her boyfriends last for two weeks; her stubbornness is like a mule! Her laugh is contagious and fun; her loyalty to her friends is admirable; her values and morality stand firm and independent of her peers. As a parent, I've learned much from having a daughter like Alix. While she's not like me in so many ways, I've grown to appreciate her personality.
Many times I've wondered if something was wrong with her because of her inability or lack of desire to express her feelings. After all, doesn't EVERYBODY want to share their every thought, feeling and opinion like me? That's what girls do, right? I've learned differently over these 14 years. My mom and sister have had a lot to do with my education on this matter. My younger sister happens to be much like Alix. Imagine having a talkative, emotional, opinionated, tell-all daughter (me) and when second born sissy comes along, she's LOUD, her voice carries, BUT she reveals no details about her personal life, keeps her opinions to herself and doesn't express her emotions to everyone. So my mom thought something was wrong with her. Over time and with my dad's help, she discovered that nothing was wrong; she was just a different person than I was...and it was ok! I remember asking my sister for advice many years ago when I was trying to process having a daughter not excited to tell me everything going on in her brain, and Tricia said, "You know what I wished mom would've done?" "No, I don't," I replied. "I just wanted her to leave me alone." Oh. Ok. Not exactly what I wanted to hear, but I guess what I've realized is that just because Alix is not telling me all doesn't mean that anything is horribly wrong. She just doesn't NEED to express it all.
And, since Alix is obedient, loves God and doesn't have a rebellious attitude, I suppose it's perfectly fine if she's not a carbon copy of her mom. And, everybody said, "Thank the Good Lord above for that!" Happy birthday to my sweet baby girl!
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