wedding/masquerade????

Okay, now I'm really wondering what on earth Lukey thinks weddings are... As I think about it, I guess he really hasn't been to many...maybe just one...so I guess he's not really familiar with what happens. But today he came to me and said "I changed my mind. I want to be Curious George for Nan's weddin'."

the wedding reindeer

Our family has a wedding coming up, and we will all be involved. In fact, the wedding is my mom's. She will be getting re-married on May 2. While I personally have run the gamut of emotions in processing all of this, I can always count on my kids to keep it simple and humorous.

It was just decided last night that all my mom's grandkids (all 11 of them - ages 1 to 13!!) would be in the actual wedding party. At first we had tried to poo-poo the idea, (we reminded her that it was to be a wedding, not a circus!) but it was just very important to her to have them included, and we wanted to honor her wishes (it is her wedding after all!) so we figured out a fairly sane order to get them all down the aisle in the most non-circus-like fashion. (Thinking about it now, I'm thinking it will actually be pretty stinkin' adorable!) So, today began the hunt for matching shirts and dresses of some sort for the whole gaggle of cousins.

As we drove along in the van, Lukey piped up from the backseat... "Hey Mom, you know how I'm gonna be the reindeer in Nan's wedding..." I interrupted him, "The what, honey??" "The reindeer - to walk with Elley, the flower girl..." I corrected him, "You mean the ring bearer." He responded unfazed, "Oh yeah, the ring beer..."

I have to admit, all evening I've been chuckling to myself over the various images I am getting of just what this child must be picturing in his mind is going to be taking place...

Kenya

Today our network of churches is having a day of prayer and fasting for the millions threatened with famine in Kenya. Our overseers have asked us to consider forgoing eating for one day, and put the money we would use for that day's food (they calculated about $9/adult) and donate it to a relief fund.

We have many churches in our network in Kenya, and have had the privilege of getting to know some of the people from them when we gather at our yearly international convention. It certainly makes it much more real, as I think of my own hunger after what really is merely hours since I last ate, to put actual faces of my brothers and sisters in Christ with such hardship. To think of having nothing, or very little, to feed their children, while mine pick from many choices of what they 'prefer' to eat for lunch.

I'm glad to have this day reminding me of my own blessings, and to lift up my spiritual family around the world, asking God to meet them in their time of need.

appreciation

When I first saw these heart-shaped pizzas advertised by Papa Johns, my initial reaction was "You've got to be kidding me; he'd better do better than Papa Johns!" (and I have no doubt that by now Todd would not actually try to pass this off as my valentine). But in the next second I realized what a bad attitude that was! After 16 years of marriage, I guess I expect more from my hubby, but in the early years of our marriage, I probably would have been thrilled if he would have brought home heart-shaped pizzas. That would have been back in the days when ordering pizza for dinner was a treat...versus now when it's just more of a necessity because we're running in ten different directions, and no one has time to cook, so we grab whatever's quick and easy. But it was a good reminder that it's the thought, and what comes from the heart, that counts...not the size or cost of the gift. So if you are someone, like me, who tends to set unattainably high expectations for holidays such as Valentine's (or Mother's Day, or Christmas, or birthdays...) I have learned that a little less expectations and a lot more appreciation goes a LONG way. Try to enjoy those you love...whether over flowers and chocolates or a heart shaped pizza. Having loved ones around you IS a gift in itself!

murphy's law of stomach bugs

Why, WHY is it when Betsy & I have BIG flower jobs our kiddos, and/or we ourselves, get sick? Murphy's Law? It's never the small ones...the ones that either of us could really handle on our own, or together we could whip through in a few hours while they napped... No, it has to be the big ones...

Ok...praying for grace, and extra antibodies...and I'll be thankful for any prayers you could chime in with!

glimpses

It was interesting to get a glimpse into the hearts and minds of my kids last night as we prayed together at bedtime. There was something unique that each prayed...

Luke prayed that he'd be able to grow up and get his driver's license.
Seth prayed for the poor and sick people in the world to be able to get better.
Bryce gave thanks for his cousins and prayed his Nanny's wedding would go well.
And Kate...well, she prayed for a few different things, but the most heartfelt expression was
"And please just give us a good day tomorrow..."

Yeah, kinda my sentiments as well.

But I gotta admit, it was awful hard not to let a little giggle escape when Luke prayed about his drivers license...

prongs

Maggie had to be introduce to the 'training collar' yesterday - which is basically a big chain collar with prongs that press into her neck if she pulls. It looks like a horrible torture device, but after the week she had, I just finally resolved myself that she needs some serious training for her to be the nice, family dog we want her to be. And honestly, she's been very responsive to any other training we've actually taken the time to do, so, I guess it really comes down to me being disciplined myself.

One morning last week I asked Seth to do the honors, and take her out. He'd been gone a few minutes, which is not unusual...but suddenly hearing another adult voice down in the basement WAS. I panicked wondering what happened and by the time I got out to the living room, a sobbing Seth was coming up the steps, Maggie bounding behind. I asked him what happened, and through his heartbreaking sobs he told me that Maggie took off and went running through the neighbors yard, and up to her porch - the whole while dragging him behind, yelling "Help!". I felt horrible for both sending him out and not hearing him (definitely could have won "Worst Mom of the Year" award that day!); thankfully, our neighbor did hear him, and returned both him and Maggie. And that put an end to Seth being able to take the dog out.

Then yesterday, I sent Bryce to simply hook her to her tie out in the back yard. Not even walk her around the yard....just tie her out. About a minute later we see Maggie tearing down the sidewalk out front (which runs along a busy road) with Bryce charging full-speed after her (though nowhere near catching her!), in his pajamas, no less. (She seems to prefer to do all these antics when we are in PJ's to not only make it aggravating, but embarrassing as well). We lured her back with the offer of ice (her favorite treat) and then she spent quite a bit of time in her cage. Since Todd was the one that retrieved her from outside, I'm not sure what other punishment she may have received - and I'd rather not know! (He doesn't have quite the affinity for animals I do, which translates into no compassion either.)

All that craziness was enough to make me realize I need to seriously work with this girl to bring out her potential, or pay for it by having an enormous, hairy, strong brat on my hands! So - Maggie - meet the prongs.

before

Before I was a Mom,
I never tripped over toys
or forgot words to a lullaby.
I didn't worry whether or not
my plants were poisonous.
I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom,
I had never been puked on.
Pooped on.
Chewed on.
Peed on.
I had complete control of my mind
and my thoughts.
I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom,
I never held down a screaming child
so doctors could do tests.
O r give shots.
I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
I never sat up late hours at night
watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom,
I never held a sleeping baby just because
I didn't want to put her down.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces
when I couldn't stop the hurt.
I never knew that something so small
could affect my life so much.
I never knew that I could love someone so much.
I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom,
I didn't know the feeling of
having my heart outside my body.I didn't know how special it could feel
to feed a hungry baby.
I didn't know that bond
between a mother and her child.
I didn't know that something so small
could make me feel so important and happy.

Before I was a Mom,
I had never gotten up in the middle of the night
every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.
I had never known the warmth,
the joy,
the love,
the heartache,
the wonderment
or the satisfaction of being a Mom.
I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much,
before I was a Mom.

sinfully delicious

Over the holidays I found an amazing recipe for white chocolate raspberry cheesecake bars. I've made it a couple of times now, and always got a rave reviews. In addition to being amazingly tasty, it's very pretty and would make a lovely Valentine treat. Below is the recipe, which I copied from the Kraft website (I got the recipe from the Kraft 'Food & Family' magazine, which is free, by the way). I'll let you in on a little secret though...instead of actually baking the cheesecake myself, I found that you can actually buy Philadelphia Cheesecake filling in a tub! I just get that, melt the white chocolate and mix it all together right in the container, then fill the crust. Sinfully delicious, and incredibly easy...what could be better!?!

White Chocolate-Raspberry Cheesecake Bars

Prep Time:
20 min
Total Time:
4 hr 48 min
Makes:
9 servings

What you need:
12 OREO Cookies, finely crushed
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
3 squares BAKER'S White Chocolate, divided
2 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1/4 cup red raspberry preserves

Make It:
HEAT oven to 350ºF. Mix cookie crumbs and butter; press onto bottom of 8- or 9-inch square pan. Melt 2 chocolate squares as directed on package.

BEAT cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with mixer until blended. Add melted chocolate; mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Pour over crust.

BAKE 25 to 28 min. or until center is almost set. Cool 5 min.; spread with preserves. Melt remaining chocolate square; drizzle over cheesecake. Cool cheesecake completely. Refrigerate 4 hours.

Sunday-best breath

This morning, as he does every morning, Luke came and crawled in bed with me to snuggle. As he curled up next to me today he said "Mom, your breath is bad. I like when you smell good. You always smell good when we go to church."

Left me wondering..."and the rest of the time...????"

pro life doesn't make the cut

It's a shame that the Doritos commercial showing a woman getting her clothes blown off was able to be show during the Superbowl, but this couldn't...