the boo-boo lip

Here's the result of trying to clean... so I suggest not attempting it! ;o)


(This pic was actually taken today, not when it happened (I do have some compassion and don't generally take time to photograph my children when they're in pain); he just happened to be crying because I said "no sticks in the house"...mean, mean mom...)

it's all my fault...

Lukey has a fat lip tonight and it's my fault.

No, I didn't lay a finger on him...something much worse.

I cleaned the hardwood floor in the dining room with dusting spray (same effect as waxing).

I should have put up warning tape or orange cones or something, but I didn't. And when I called Luke to come to the table for dinner, he came running (literally) to obey, hit the hardwood... and wiped out. Let's just say, when I saw his face bounce off the floor and knew it was gonna be bad. Sure enough, I scooped him up to find his mouth all bloody. We put an ice cube in a wet paper towel on it for a while, and eventually he stopped crying, but of course, was not interested in supper at the moment. So I threw his nuggets (standard baseball night fare) into a baggie and we took it along as we raced out the door. He eventually decided he was up for eating, and life has returned to normal - except for the swollen, purple bottom lip.

I didn't think to take a picture earlier... We'll see how it looks til morning, and maybe you'll get to see the evidence of my foolishness. That will teach me to attempt to clean...

Thankful Thursday

1. Choc-chip mint ice cream
   
2. Having children of both sexes (I love baseball AND manicures!!)
3. My beautiful flower bed
4. The soothing sound of the fountain IN my beautiful flower bed
5. The prospect of painting my bedroom next month! (It's only taken 2 1/2 years to get to it...)
6. My great business partner
7. Accountant friends willing to help us get all the 'technical' details of our new business in place
   
8. Hand-me downs from my sister
9. Getting together with old friends
10. God's faithfulness
    

broccoli salad

Yesterday I made broccoli salad, and while I absolutely love it myself, I think I enjoyed Betsy's raving about it almost more than actually eating it!! Anyway, she agreed that I should post it on here for others to enjoy. So here it is for all you broccoli-lovers out there. (The pic isn't actually mine - the one in the pic has sunflower seeds I think; not something I've ever used, but would be an interesting addition...mine has cheese in it too; but this picture was the closest I could find).

Broccoli Salad
2 heads broccoli florests
1 small red onion
1/2 lb. bacon, cooked & drained
1 c. mayonnaise
1/2 c. sugar
2 T. vinegar
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
raisins (or sunflowers, apparently) - also optional

Mix mayo, sugar & vinegar. Add onion, broccoli & bacon. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving. Top with cheese if desired.

(Mmm...we were discussing last night how this is really a rather complete meal if you include the cheese and raisins; you have proteins, veggies, fruit... Great summer eating!!)

Memorial Day Weekend

I couldn't possibly sum up the fun of my weekend, so here's a few pics...worth more than a "thousand words" and all that... (I would've posted more but it's taken me well over an hour just to load these few!!) Anyway, here's a glimpse of Bryce's b-day, enjoying the gorgeous weather on Saturday, the family working around the yard, spending some family time at the park on Sunday, 'Kids & Coffee Night' at Koinonia House, and the baby bunnies I accidentally dug up from the flower bed today!!

Bryce

It's been a whirlwind weekend, packed full from Friday through tonight. (Well, actually, yesterday wasn't full, but very, very relaxing spending the beautiful day with the family, and didn't want to interrupt that to blog...) So now I'm catching up...

I did want to mention that Friday was my Brycer's birthday. Amazingly, he is 8 years old already. I remember his delivery as clear as it was yesterday... He was born between 4 and 5 in the afternoon - I remember that because the nurses were watching Oprah in the delivery room! From the time he was born he has had an iron will, and while it was tiring and frustrating to me in his toddler years, I am now having the joy of seeing him set his heart unwaveringly after God. He has always had a heart for worship; even as an infant, we found that he could be calmed within seconds if we turned on the song "Days of Elijah". I'm not exaggerating...we have babysitters that could testify! We tried to always keep a copy of the CD in the diaper bag because it worked so well for soothing him; one time we listened to it for almost 9 hours straight on a drive home from a wedding in North Carolina because any time the song stopped he would begin to cry again! It was really an amazing thing!! And that was the beginning of his passion for music, which has always found an outlet in drums...he started demonstrating some rhythmic ability at age 2 when we got him his first toy drum set. He's now becoming quite a talented drummer (if I do say so myself!!).

I could go on about the amazing young man I see my son becoming, but I really am enjoying just pondering in my heart the things that God is doing in his life. While I have occasional feelings of sadness at the way I daily see him leaving behind his "little boy" years, I also am praying about and looking forward to seeing the destiny God has for my precious son.

(I debated about which pic to post, but I gotta say, Bryce is one cool dude, and this picture always just makes me smile when I think about how well it shows his real passion and personality.)

Memorial Day

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!!

If you are having a holiday bash today, with lots of good food and friends, be thankful that we don't have an epidemic of hunger in our country and you don't need a permit to gather.

If you are mowing grass, but grousing about the cost of the gas, take a moment to be thankful that you at least have a plot of land that's yours to mow.


If you checked the news this morning and were irritated by a liberal or conservative view point that differed from yours, take a second to be thankful that we all have the freedom to express our views.

If you have no idea why we celebrate Memorial Day...well, I guess you can be thankful that you have the freedom to be blissfully unaware; however, you might want take a minute to think about the freedoms you enjoy, and how you got them (and you might want to check into what Memorial Day is... just a thought).

Have fun!!

(EDIT: Someone told me that I should mention here that the pic of Lukey above wasn't posed, I just happened to see him standing like that at the monument...)

thankful thursday

1. Having my kids enrollment in PAVCS well underway! (It was worrying me that if I didn't soon get it taken care of they might fill up for next year and I'd be plumb out of luck!)
2. Breakthrough and growth in personal relationships
   
3. Having opportunity to disciple my daughter
4. School winding down
5. Summer gettin' started!
   
6. A fountain for my patio
7. My new planters outside (I'll post some pics tomorrow)
8. Finally getting my nose ring back it after it came out (a whole story in itself!!)
9. A certain really cool kid turning 8 tomorrow
   
10. A THREE-DAY WEEKEND!!!! (WHOO HOO!!)
    

school daze

Today Bryce finished 2nd grade!! Woo Hoo!! Kate is still plugging away, as she has to have a certain number of days in, but rather than losing steam she seems to have become incredibly focused, is getting done her work in a very timely fashion and just generally doing a super job! I'm really proud of her. This is Bryce's last year that we don't have to keep track of his days, so I pretty much left him work completely at his own pace and he finished his curriculum early. He actually would have had a few days left, but he decided to do extra work today just to get it all done (as in, he did a 35 page math workbook all in one day today!).

School will be new and different next year for the boys; this week we enrolled them in Pennsylvania Virtual Charter School, which is a cyber-public school. It's a public school, so all of the curriculum, materials, supplies, etc. are provided, which includes a computer and printer for each child, but all the teaching is done at home, by me. They are assigned a teacher who they have 'conference calls' with every 2 weeks (I think) where they have some class time in a 'virtual classroom' where some of the teaching is done by the teacher. They actually can do the call online by using a microphone right at the computer - pretty cool, huh? The teacher helps with monitoring the boys progress and offering support to me, as we need it. The charter school also offers monthly outings for all the school's students, which gives them opportunities to connect live with the other students if we so choose (the outings are offered, but not required). They also take care of all the standardized testing, etc. that is required by the state (even for homeschoolers). After visiting a friend who has been using the school for her boys, seeing ALL the stuff they got and how user-friendly the school is (they do all the record-keeping of attendance, and review some of the assignments, so no enormous portfolio to create at the end of a long year trying to show all we've done!!), I was really exciting about trying this out for next year. Plus, it's really great to save money not having to buy curriculum this year. The boys, of course, are just excited about each getting their own computer.

At the moment, however, we're all just excited about the prospect of the lazy summer days ahead!!

choosing/directing/demonstrating

I've been thinking about some parenting issues and feel like I had a real (maybe even God-given) revelation tonight (which I already shared in my comment on your blog, Bri...sorry for the repeat read for you...).

I've often wrestled with choosing my battles when it comes to parenting. I came into this whole parenting deal with high expectations of what was and was not acceptable behavior. And, of course, I expected full compliance on every detail from my children. (Uh, yeah...doesn't that just smack of wet-behind-the-ears-new-parent-pride to all you veteran parents who are years farther down the road than me??) Tonight I was pondering the difference between rebellious behavior and childish behavior. I began to think that if I were able to clearly discern between the two, it would probably help to lower my stress level in the area of discipline.

What I believe God brought to my mind was that, at this point in life (especially in relation to my very young children, much moreso than Kate, who is all-too-quickly approaching her teen years, and thus we are dealing on an even deeper level) I want to be directing their hearts toward God, and a fairly easy way to break down behaviors with that goal in mind is to keep in mind what Jesus said in Matthew 22:

36 "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" 37 Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'

This helped me in thinking that while there are behaviors in my children that can be frustrating or annoying, many of them are just them being children. Things like carrying on at the dinner table, giggling after the lights have been turned out, getting out of bed for a drink...those types of things, are things that I will continue to try to correct, but really at this point are not issues rooted in sin in their hearts. However, issues like blatant disrespect, lying or hurting others are things that are probably flowing out of something going on in their hearts that really needs to be addressed. I am more concerned with heart issues because those are the things that will cause rifts between them and God or them and other people. (Case in point - while it is appalling to me to find my boys making farting noises with their armpits in public, I doubt it is really grieving the heart of God).

Did you ever wonder what Jesus was like as a small boy? Todd & I have talked about this before. We can tend to think that it must have been a breeze for Mary to raise this perfect child, right? But think about it - Jesus had to be potty trained. Yup...fully God, but fully Man meant he didn't come out knowing everything. If he did, he wouldn't have been fully man. He had to learn what was socially acceptable. There's a difference between perfect and innocent, you know. Children can do something at 2 that is socially unacceptable or impolite, but because they are 2 we know it's not that they had ill-intentions, but rather they haven't learned yet. The same child doing the same thing at 12 can be a sinful act of rebellion, because now they have the knowledge needed to make such decisions. Big difference.

And so, all this to remind myself and to encourage others... Aren't we glad the Father is patient with us? Aren't we glad He allows us to journey through this life, learning and growing as we go? My mindset simply must shift from parenting to produce well-behaved children, to parenting to demonstrate the Father's heart.

Mmmm....right. Gotta remember that tomorrow when I am tempted to scream through clenched teeth at my energy-filled boys for the 100th time to please settle down and stop wrestling in the living room!!!

sanity savers (part 2)

As I mentioned in my last post, I'm going to include in this entry the benefits of blogging for me personally; I don't know why, other than this was in my head last night, and I can't not finish the thought!! :)

One big factor is that blogging makes me feel connected with the 'outside world'. Sometimes I just need a laugh, a different perspective, or just simply a reminder that there exist other people who are either going through the same things I am OR who are TOTALLY different than me, and that there are things in life beyond teaching, training, correcting, cleaning up after and cooking for children!! The blogs I read are very diverse in nature. Some are other 'mom-blogs' and some are ministry blogs. Some come from the same mindsets and views that I hold, others are vastly different. I like reading things (be it blogs, articles or books) that approach topics from a different angle than I might naturally lean toward. I think it's healthy to hear differing viewpoints.

As I've often said, blogging helps me process. It gets things out of my head, and helps me to settle my thoughts.

It also sort of serves as a journal/baby book/family newsletter all in one. My kids love hearing the posts about them and seeing me load their pictures for people to see. It helps me record and share the memorable things they've done or said (though I don't know how secure to feel in the fact that it might not disappear into cyber-space, unlike a good, old-fashioned, handwritten diary!)

And my final reason...I love words. I love reading them, saying them, spelling them, putting them together, and using them to express myself. I have come to realize this can be a frustrating trait in me for some people. I didn't know. (That is, apparently people can get frustrated with my ability to express myself succinctly, and my apparent expectation of them to do the same, without stopping to realize that not everyone shares my fondness for language). I'm trying to work on that. However, I have always loved words; sometimes as people are talking I will actually be spelling words in my head that they are saying. Or I imagine typing them - some words are just really fun to type. So blogging is the perfect outlet for me. I get to use words creatively, spell them, type them AND if someone doesn't want to hear what I have to say, they can choose not to listen to me!! It's a win-win for everyone! ;o)

"I think, therefore I blog."
~J. Clemmer

(I think that's an original I just came up with!!)

sanity savers (part 1)

I was thinking today about my blog, and why I love blogging so much. Not only writing my own, but also reading other blogs. Sometimes if I blog in the middle of the day, or take time to browse other blogs, I feel a bit guilty for 'wasting time'. (As a side note, I do tend to feel plagued with guilt about doing anything between the hours of 9 and 5, specifically, that isn't teaching, cleaning or cooking. I think it comes from my many years of working in an accounting office where I had to account for my time all day in 15 minute increments - and strive to make most of it 'billable' time. I guess I feel that only those 3 things count as 'billable' in my world. It's off-base, I know, but I'm just giving you a glimpse into the inner workings of Me.)

But the more I thought about it, the more I felt 'justified' in my blogging. (I'm going to do a Part II to this post talking about the values that blogging holds for me.) Today I needed to reminded myself (from deep within the rational recesses of my brain...) that being a mom, wife and minister are all jobs that never end, and to be able to keep on the 'top of my game' I actually need to build 'sanity times' into my daily schedule. It's not like I have the luxury of 'leaving work' at 5 p.m., and not thinking about it til I arrive the next morning at 8. (Though, in reality, I do realize it's not actually that simple for most people). But I think it's valid to recognize that the life of a mom is a 24/7 on-duty job. I'm not just saying this for my benefit, but I want to encourage other moms, who I know will be reading this.

We do not expect doctors, repair men, or teachers to work all the time. It's healthy to have breaks. Every job has it's downfalls, but there's also usually a few perks. One of the perks of the 'mom-job' is that I might, in the middle of the day, have an opportunity to blog, or maybe hang out on Facebook for a bit. It's not wrong, and it doesn't mean I'm 'slacking-off' on the job; it simply means I can, and do, have interests that have nothing to do with phonics, laundry or discipline. I want to encourage you mommies who feel swamped with whining and diapers and tattling and runny noses and piles of toys, that it is good for you to do little things throughout the day that make you feel like a real person (the kind that has thoughtful opinions, insights and a vocabulary that extends beyond the Super-Readers). Bigger breaks, like dates and girls-nights are special treats, that are sometimes few and far between. But a few minutes, maybe even an hour (if you're feeling really free - maybe during naptime??) to read, watch TV, or surf the net are small revitalizers that can not only refresh you, but often have positive overflow effects on your family.

I've been really excited for the first time about delving into trying new things with cooking; this is in no small part to reading some blogs, having blog friends give me some super suggestions and recipes, and even watching Rachel Ray now and then. My mind has been stimulated and my horizons broadened by reading other political views online, or hearing discussions on TV about the election (my husband appreciates me being able to hold a semi-intelligent conversation about such matters). I've gotten great book recommendations that have provided for me lots to think and talk about in the area of my faith, thanks to some bloggers who, while I have no personal contact with, I've come to admire and respect their honesty in sharing their personal journeys.

All this to say... I've run into quite a few mom's who felt that blogging (or Facebook, or MySpace) is a 'guilty pleasure'. I just want to encourage you to, before you beat yourself up, take a look at why you are drawn to the things you are (be it the computer, the TV, or books...). As long as they aren't damaging in some way (PLEASE don't take me all wrong here and think I'm advocating child-neglect while you run up shopping bills online, watch junk on TV, or do anything inappropriate!!), outlets like these (especially if you are making healthy connections with other people) can be just the thing to help you be better at what you do!!

So, for all of you who think your name is "Hey Hon!" or "Mommeeeeee!!" - take heart and remember that you are in this for the long haul...this ain't no sprint, baby! Pace yourself...and take a little time to enjoy the view. (Yeah, that line's for you, Laur...) ;o)

perspective

Isn't it funny how perspective changes things? I found myself disappointed, when I checked the weather this morning, to find that the forecast showed us not hitting the 70-degree mark for the next few days. (In my mind, 70 degrees is the point that I actually enjoy being outside).

The funny thing that crossed my mind though, is that back in the winter, the 60's seemed like bliss, compared to the 30-degree weather we were having at the time. How quickly I get spoiled by spring, and start to want summer! I guess rather than wishing away the beautiful days of spring by hoping for the hot summer days, I should learn to appreciate where I'm at! (For Todd, by the way, this is perfect weather; he considers anything above about 75 to be too hot; those are the days you'll find me lounging on the patio soaking up the rays.)

It's all about perspective...

for anyone interested

This week's games:

Seth on Monday night.
Bryce on Tuesday and Wednesday nights.

(This would differ slightly from the e-mails I sent, because Tuesday is a make-up game for one that got rained out.)

Lily

My sister has had quite a bit of stress in her life recently (well, for like the past year and half, really...) and desperately needed some alone time with her hubby, so he whisked her away yesterday for a surprise overnight getaway, and we kept 2 of her 4 little girls.

Lily, Betsy's 4 year old, who as you may know, if you know her, or if you've read about her other times on here, is quite a trip. She cracks me up all the time (though I know some of what I think is hilarious, Bets often finds less than amusing...). Anyway, I just had to post this snippet of conversation we had last night as we were getting the basement transformed for the sleepover...

(The boys slept on the pull-out sofa bed, which I had covered with their sports-ball blankets from their beds. The girls were on the futon mattress which was covered with Hannah Montana and floral prints. )

Lily:
"We have all the good stuff on our bed, and the boys have the bad stuff."

Me:
"Theirs isn't bad; it's just that yours is girl stuff and theirs is boy stuff."

Lily:
"Yeah, that's what I said. We have the girl stuff and they have the bad stuff."

HEE-HEE!!

Someone hasn't been paying attention in church to the "Men and Women" series... ;o)

firecracker grilled salmon

I tried another new recipe tonight, and expected to hear protests, but was pleasantly surprised there were none! It was a salmon recipe I got from my friend Laura's blog; she's a nutritionist and has a business where she will go to people's homes and prepare and freeze healthy meals for them. While we can't afford to pay for her services (or believe me, I would!!), but I make an effort to try out her recipes as I know she likes food that tastes great, but is also healthy.

Tonight I made her 'Firecracker Grilled Salmon' recipe, and served it with a broccoli-corn medley (I had a little bit of each in the freezer, but not enough of one or the other, so...'medley' - voile!), and red potatoes. (I just sliced up red potatoes, threw in onions, butter, garlic powder and microwaved it all for 15 minutes, then another minute to melt shredded cheddar over it. Bryce even ate 2 bites!) The kids all liked the salmon (though I scraped off the marinade and served that in a separate dish, which they did opt out of). We thought it was excellent. This is actually the first time I ever made fish (other than tuna from a can), so I was pretty excited, and look forward to making it more often, as I know it's very healthy. I've always been scared off by the scales and bones of fresh fish, but Laura picked up individually frozen, boneless-skinless fillets for me and they were perfect. The only ingredient I had trouble finding was sesame oil; still couldn't tell you where to get it - Laura just dropped a little off for me in a container!

If you're looking for a tasty, super-easy recipe that's also rather impressive-looking, check out the recipe link above. Bon appetite!!

(Note: Laura has several great recipes on her blog. If you go to the main page and click on the 'food' category on the right sidebar they will all come up).

the storm

My mood matches the weather today, but I always find solace in worship. It always helps me get perspective to take my eyes off myself and choose to put them on the Lord, no matter what's happening in and around me. So this morning, after battling my thoughts and my emotions, I finally realized that I needed to head for my keys and sing my heart out...literally. My heartsong for today is this: (also on the Playlist on my right-hand sidebar; if you're feeling down, take a minute to listen).

"Praise You In This Storm"
I was sure by now God You would have reached down
And wiped our tears away
Stepped in and saved the day
But once again, I say "Amen", and it's still raining

As the thunder rolls I barely hear Your whisper through the rain "I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away

And I'll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
And every tear I've cried You hold in Your hand You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

I remember when I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry to you
And you raised me up again
My strength is almost gone
How can I carry on
If I can't find You

But as the thunder rolls I barely hear You whisper through the rain "I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away

I lift my eyes unto the hills
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord
The Maker of Heaven and Earth

(Praise You in this Storm, by Casting Crowns)

growth

Breakthrough this week...

Bryce reads very well, but I have been unable to convince him to read just for enjoyment. Well, let me clarify - read something besides comic books, and sports books (which he was just looking more at the pictures than actually reading anything), and Playstation game manuals. I've been trying to encourage him to read chapter books, but he would insist there was nothing that would be of interest to him.

Well, this week he has been finishing school quite early in the day (as he's almost finished the curriculum for this year) and has been thinking this would give him the remainder of the day for video games. I think not. So the deal I offered was that for every hour he read he could play an hour of Playstation. He wasn't overly thrilled, but took the deal (as it was the only way he could see being able to further his quest to get to the next level of Crash Bandicoot!) He browsed our extensive collection of books and gathered a few he thought might interest him (though he was skeptical...). He made it through more than 4 chapters in the first hour, and did stop to go play PS2. But then he brought the book along in the car later that night, and confessed that he was really enjoying the story. By Wednesday he had finished the book and is now into another one. Apparently mysteries can be fun!! (The book he finished was "The Treehouse Mystery" and now he's started an "Encyclopedia Brown" - for those of you who might be around my age and remember the series).

One of my goals for my kids and their education is to really develop a love for reading, as I feel it will serve them well in every area, not only of school, but of life. Makes me happy to see it happen.

thankful

1. Coming down the final stretch of the school year! (yeah!!)
2. The return of warm weather (didn't enjoy the cold snap last week after I had already packed away most of the winter clothes!!)
3. Connecting with other pastors & wives in our network of churches
   
4. Solid relationships with our team of leaders at Koinonia House, and being able to stick together even when the going is tough
   
5. My husband loving me enough to push me to do the right things, even when they are sooooo hard
6. Progress in my mealtime dilemmas - finding new recipes that are going over well AND Bryce being a bit more open to cooperating and trying new things
7. Seeing my children growing and coming into their own in spiritual things
8. My hubby liking his new position at his old employer
9. A big yard and paved driveway that the kids love to play in/on (we didn't have either at our old house)
10. Wrinkle releaser (I know, that's not particularly 'deep', but hey, it really makes my life a lot easier!!)

a person's a person...

I've been thinking a lot lately about how to act on my strong pro-life beliefs. We have been invited (as a church) to participate in a silent prayer gathering outside a Planned Parenthood office in Reading in June. The people participating will silently gather outside wearing this red "LIFE" tape over their mouths, and pray for entire 2 hour time.

I've really been weighing and praying about what to do. The reason why I question what to do is that I have had a close friend who has been through an abortion, and it was a terribly painful thing for her. She did not know Jesus at the time, but has since become a Christian. I know it's been something she has struggled to deal with and been very hurt by how insensitive people (and especially Christians) can be about the whole issue. It's caused her much turmoil dealing with the realities of abortion, the guilt she battles and the emotional scars she is left with. It's given me an upclose-and-personal perspective of what, for many people, often becomes a nebulous political issue.

For me, this issue has a face and tears. I don't want to be insensitive, yet I know that the extreme injustice it is for this procedure to be legal. My heart is to be pro-active in trying to save the lives of the unborn, but at the same time, I desperately want to be just as concerned for the often hopeless young women trapped in situations that they see no other way out of.

It would not be a hard decision to demonstrate this way outside of the Supreme Court, as happens every day in Washington DC, but that is sending a message to lawmakers. I feel this is an absolutely appropriate way and place to let people know that we are fighting in prayer that God will change the hearts of the people making laws in this country. I know that prayer is the only way to change it, because this is obviously not a matter of intellect, it's a matter that goes much deeper - to the heart and the soul.

This event is at a location where young women, possibly living the absolute worst day in their life will be walking by. I want to be sure that what I, as a Christian, am offering is some sort of hope and not a message that would be perceived as condemnation. Believe me - I'm not saying across the board that this is wrong; it's just hard for me to think of my dear friend on that day...and what would have been helpful to her in that moment. I honestly do not know. But I'm praying, and asking God what he wants me - personally - to do on that particular day. And I'm listening...

(If any reader has any experience or perspectives that they'd like to share, please feel free to comment anonymously...I'd appreciate and value perspectives that might be different than my own...)

life...the leading cause of insanity

I hate when things aren't all 'right' in my world. When there things I can't get caught up on, issues I can't fix, relationships out of whack... Especially when I don't know why the relationship is out of whack... (knowing someone is upset with you, but not knowing why is the absolute worst!)

What I hate most about these things is like they are a constant 'buzz' in the back of my mind... I can be having a perfectly fine and normal day, life running fairly smoothly, but it's like a constant, low-level stress that just won't go away. I've got a couple of these going on right now, and though my days have been going well (for the most part), I'm feeling happy, and yet at some point I realize I have a small knot in my stomach, and I'm almost unconsciously running scenarios in my head of what might happen, what I could have said, what I should have said, maybe if I had done this differently...

I do believe it might slowly drive me insane...

he'll have a venti to go...

I got a lovely, large new Starbucks travel cup for my birthday and have been taking it with me to our games, which still have had been a bit chilly for my taste (the games that is, not the coffee!). It's always a mad rush to get out the door on time, but I still try to make sure I grab my coffee to sip, and last night was no exception.

As we sat watching Seth's game, Luke asked me if he could have a sip of my coffee. Both his brothers had grabbed water bottles, but there wasn't one for him, so I said yes, he could have some. As he was sitting so still and quietly on my lap, I failed to realize he never gave the cup back to me until I reached for it to take a swig and found it totally empty! He grinned and said "I drank it ALL!!" While disappointed that I no longer had a warm beverage to enjoy, I didn't give it much more thought...until about 10:30.

10:30 was the time that Luke came out of his room to say he had to go potty - again!! It was then that it dawned on me why, when both his brothers were out like a light (and snoring so loudly we could hear them in the living room!) he was still WIDE awake, and now having to make yet another potty trip! I realized and confessed to Todd (who had been umpiring the game) what happened with the big coffee...which totally explained our wired 3 year old with the over-active bladder. We chuckled, gave him a little more grace than we normally would for the repeated 'getting out of bed offense' and he did, in fact, soon drift off to sleep.

Lesson learned - ALWAYS watch a 3 year old with an affinity for Starbucks!!

this week's games

For anyone interested, our games this week are:

Seth tonight and Saturday.

Bryce on Thursday.

think of it this way...

Processing this in preparation for picking up our series on 'Men and Women in the Church':

God is the 'head' of Christ.

Christ is the 'head' of the Church.

Husband is the 'head' of the wife.

How does God head Christ? By seating him at his right hand, a position of complete authority, and giving him dominion over all things (Matt. 28:18; Ephesians 1).

How does Christ head the Church? By giving her authority and releasing her to do on earth everything Jesus himself did, and even greater works (John 14:12; Luke 10) and ultimately reigning together in eternity (2 Tim. 2:12).

So...any thoughts on how a husband 'heads' his wife???

humor for real life

Watched this movie last night...soooo funny...at least to Todd & I. (Disclaimer - some may find our sense of humor slightly skewed...) But we really enjoyed it, and it was clean. It's not too often we find a movie that we both really love, but this was one.

boys and dads

Though it was awfully cold to be a spectator at a baseball game today, both the boys had winning days. Seth got the 'game ball' today for great fielding at first base; Bryce played the pitcher position (though they don't actually pitch because it's machine pitch - they still have a kid there for fielding hits) and caught a fly ball for an out, and then did an awesome job fielding a ground ball in right field. He got 2 base hits (and one strike out - but swung well with good follow through! I thought he needed to 'choke up' a bit on the bat, but I didn't think my big 7-year old would appreciate his mom running up to tell him that in the middle of game!! :) )

It's interesting to see the definite switch in the boys from wanting mom to wanting dad. Both the boys games today were at the same time. Seth made quite a big deal about letting us know that he wanted Dad at his game...but quickly assured me that next time games fell this way he would want me to come to his game and Dad to go to Bryce's. I mentioned in passing after we got home today that I was disappointed that I missed seeing Seth's get the game ball, and he began reassuring me again that next time he would want me to come to his game... I could tell he was concerned that my feelings were hurt that he had wanted Dad; I jumped in and quickly told him that I completely understood that he wanted Dad, and that it's OK for him to really want Dad there...that I'm not hurt at all. I got a grin, which basically said "Thanks for 'getting it', Mom".

So many boys don't really connect with their dads; so many dads don't make time for their kids. I'm so thankful for the relationship my kids have with their dad (who I happen to think is pretty awesome too!).

needy??

Lately I've been feeling like a particularly needy person...
This is because I feel like I simply cannot seem to get enough time with my hubby.
We aren't talking about
"work-on-projects-discuss-church-business-and-the-kids-schedules" kind of time,
but rather,
one-on-one
relating-to-your-best-friend
kind of time.
I know many others rarely, if ever, get dates.
This is the source of my guilt, and self-chiding.
I know I am blessed, and have so much more than others have ever had, or could hope to.
But that head-knowledge hasn't kept my heart from
craving 'date-time'.
Though I just had one last weekend, it only seems to have
'fueled the fire'...
reminding me how much I enjoy my man,
and wishing for the days of weekly dates,
time spent sharing our thoughts, our dreams, even
debating issues (in a mostly friendly way)
Am I crazy, selfish, asking for too much?
Or do I have a precious gift that should be nurtured, tended and cultivated
So that it will last and grow for years to come?
(I'm thinking the latter...) but
am open to hearing input of what
a sane person thinks is
reasonable.