Mother's Day

Began the morning with a head in a fog for lack of sleep
Awake too early
And of course I'll read to you my darlings

A soaked sheet, more laundry again
But night time accidents do happen
Poor kid

Sticky fingers, gooey syrupy smiling faces
And a batch of kisses to match
Thanks dad for helping prepare our morning meal

Gifts, all hand made by little fingers that used to
stroke my cheeks as you nursed, my babes
Now are so adept at crafting these treasures

You are thoughtful and caring
You pay special attention to the day marked on the calendar
You decidedly go out of your way to pour out your little hearts
Showing me your love

Thank you my little ones, for making this day my day...
Mother's Day.

6 Takes...

1. Swimming was a blast today. We've just recently started a new session of lessons for the kids and stayed for public swimming afterward today. FUN! Though strangely enough I did get a little nervous in the deep end, 11ft. deep doesn't sound like much, but when you can't see or feel the bottom, it gets a little iffy. Being afraid in the deep water was a little foreign to me, I used to love diving and playing in the deeps. Must be getting old I guess. Hmm.

2. Found a couple of cute pieces to wear to next weekends bridal show I'm putting on for my sister in law. I did realize though, that I'm not so great at picking out things that go together or my sizes. Especially not with the newest trends. Glad there was a clerk there to snap me out of that dear in the headlights look. And she had a great sense of color. And she said I was "just oh so teeny and could wear just about anything!" Ya right lady, just find me the next size bigger...

3. Any bridal shower ideas floating around out there? Games, poems, funny stories you want to share??

4. I CAN'T WAIT FOR THINGS OUTSIDE TO REALIZE IT'S SPRING! I'm waiting on a variety of bulbs we planted last fall to start poking their heads thru the soil. Today's rain should help.

5. Geez, M's been sick a long time. Cold, flu, fever, cough, sore throat, and now swollen glands on the sides of his neck. He's been to see the dr. but was told it was viral. Which stands to reason, we've all been fighting the same stuff minus the neck lumps, for a couple of weeks now. Yuck.

6. Easter break was relaxing. We got around to quite a few things we'd been putting off and are in the beginning phases of PROJECT HOUSE RETROFIT. (We're putting in new windows and doing some painting of the exterior. Lot's of work but God is good. He gets us thru despite ourselves.

Come on and take a FREE RIDE

I love Audio Adrenaline songs. Especially this one. I tried to use it along side a series of video taped snap shots of a weekend youth retreat at the Bible college I attended years ago. The video footage was super cool, full of crazy young people having fun and doing silly stuff. We organizers had planned to show it during the last gathering, just before the kids left. You know, after they'd spent a weekend of not sleeping, goofing around, and maybe making a connection with Jesus. (Emotional vulnerability + lack of sleep = life long memories.) This song would have been perfect. Who wouldn't want a free ride, a ticket into heaven. If you listen to the words, or look em up yourself (or unless you can read the Spanish subtitles...sorry) I'm sure you'll agree that it's a very fitting song. Besides, musically it ROCKS!
BUT, the president of the college at that time said "No." No matter how much I pleaded, "No." You have to understand, it was vetoed last minute, and I really didn't have any other song choices picked - my head was set on FREE RIDE. I even made him listen to it a few times shortly before the thing was to be played. Still "NO." He knew which side his bread was buttered on. (The argument was that the board of the school would likely not approve, as this song choice was not written originally by Christian influences, rather by weed smokers in the 1960's.) So obligingly, though begrudgingly, I scrambled to find another song. I can't recall just now what it was we used instead but I'm sure it didn't have the same effect as FREE RIDE would have. Oh well. Now I listen to it cranked up loud and my kids look at me kinda like I've two heads as I dance around with my air guitar singing at the top of my lungs.

They need our prayers right NOW!

So I know all of our lives are busy and there's always someone out there who needs our fervent prayers, but today I'm asking you to help out with something, someone specific. I don't know the family, I just read a bit of the mothers blog that I found a link to on another blog. However, I am asking you, who ever you are (I know most of you who stop by here, but this is also for those I don't know) to help out. We need to pray for a little guy who might not make it. You can read about it here and in more detail here. Prayer changes things and we are all connected as the body of Christ not matter how far apart we are. Pass it along if you feel lead to do so. And thanks.

Leprechauns, Fairies and the Easter Bunny

Conversation after watching Disney's new "Tinkerbell" movie:

"Are fairies real, Becca?"

Pause

"Nope. Only in books, and that movie mommy."

"Are you sure?"

"uh, YA!"

It never ceases to amaze me how well adults execute pretend play. Almost every month and depending on the ages of your kids, perhaps on a weekly basis. As today's title indicates, I'm talking about those adults who play up all the imaginary characters of the seasons. Christmas, of course, Santa. February, cupid. March, the leprechauns of Ireland. April, the Easter bunny. There's a five month break over the summer season, then right back into the pretending at Halloween. If you've got school aged kids, somewhere in there they'll loose a tooth or two, collecting $$ from the Tooth Fairy.

We've never "done" the whole believe in imaginary gift givers thing, until our eldest lost his first tooth. I must admit, I played tooth fairy for the first couple of pearly whites. Not sure why, maybe guilt, because we tell them there's no Santa or Easter bunny. Anyway, I was gripped by the conviction that I was willfully deceiving my kid. For the sake of watching his eyes light up in awe and wonder...at the possibility of there being something out there that knows him and his teeth and cares enough to leave a gift. I love the imaginations kids have, I love that they see things a little differently than we adults do. And I love to pretend play with them. However, there's something different I want their eyes to light up with awe at. Rather there's someone who I deeply desire them to know - the One who knows all about their teeth, the hairs on their heads, all their thoughts and desires. I need to help them unwrap those gifts they've been given, and help them really see just how valuable what they have is. So much more than a few coins under the pillow in the morning.

So, we no longer do the tooth fairy thing, they still get a few $$ in exchange for their teeth. What I'll do with those yucky little things I've no idea (kid-tooth necklace anyone?). We do make good use of all the discounted chocolate and stuff after all the hoopla of the major holidays. We do dress up, hide stuff to find as treasure hunters. We take the time to learn about the origins of celebrated holidays marked on the calender, mostly cuz I'm a geek that way and find it fascinating.

My hope and prayer is that while we're teaching and enjoying our kids that God's best for them will permeate their foundations. Not just because mom and dad said so, but because they know their Heavenly Father. I don't claim to be perfect, nor do I have the answers, so if you do, PLEASE tell me what you think. And have a happy March 17th!

WEEEeeeeeeeeee and then uggghhhhhhh

The title about sums it up people. Surgery went fine. I'm back at home just 9 hours later, up and walking about. Still a little woozie. Belly button hurts a little and my motor skills are kind of sluggish. The only complaint about the whole thing would be the multiple puncture wounds I sustained in my left hand/forearm where they tried to find a vein. Apparently veins collapse when your dehydrated from having to fast and abstain from water. Go figure. And like numerous surgery veterans attested to, you really do just drift off to sleep, or in my case fall off abruptly. I'm sure I was mid sentence. Then you wake up two hours later feeling like you've just had a great.nap. What ever drug was in my IV bag may have helped that feeling of happiness along. A friend once said that's the "shiny" feeling. And I agree. So, I'm going to go sip some soup and veg out for a bit. Thanks for the prayers.

Open Hernial Umbilical Repair *(OHUR)

1. I'm going in for surgery today to fix my herniated belly button. Think there's any chance they'll do a little lypo while they're there?

2. I hate not sleeping because of nervousness. (See #1)

3. I love breakfast. I really do. I've become dependant upon it. Therefore I hate having to fast when told to do so. (Again, see #1)

4. Thought it might be kind of funny to try a foggy minded post later today. I've never been put under before. Heck, I've never even had stitches or broken bones. So this will be a new adventure. One that I'm not really sure of. I know it needs to be done so I'll no longer be endangered by a section of my intestines protruding from my once inney belly button, but really the whole thing just seems kind of weird to me. But God knows and that's good. He knows when I lay down and get up. All the hairs on my head. The number of day's I get to walk this earth and who I'll love and be loved by.

Anywho, until later, have a fantastic Thursday!