Wednesday, December 16, 2009

One crazy week

Who would have thought that having four children in the house would be hard. Its not really. Just have to manage it well. But the four children in my house make for an interesting time.

The four year old. He is a great boy. He listens well and always plays nicely. He is however getting a tad homesick. Which isn't a good combo when the momma who is thousands of miles away, is also homesick. Not a good combo to let them talk on the phone right before he goes to bed and she has to go out to dinner. Woops.

The two year old is a week into potty training. It wasn't my idea to start her last week, but she started wanting to, so we ran with it. I want to put her in a diaper, I want to give in and fold like a deck of cards and give in to her whining and put her in a diaper. But what is that teaching her? I feel there is no going back now. She still pees her underwear because she simply could care less if she is wet because she doesn't want to stop playing to pee on the toilet. Plus she can be mean, and I really dont know where that is coming from. She pushes, hits and even bites. She'll be a delight in preschool! Hopefully she will outgrow this phase or whatever it is.

The 11 month old, Elliot. My oh my. He is getting his top eye teeth, let me just tell you its not been fun at night. He wakes up just screaming, and for fear of the other three waking up, I hurry to get him, or Randy does, and I nurse him, give him tylenol and calm him down. Its not been just once a night that this happens, but maybe twice (only give tylenol once though)

Then the 5 month old baby. Bless his little heart, he sleeps 12 hours a night, but during the day he doesn't like to be put down for long. I think its cause his momma hasn't had a need to put him down very much. And thats ok, just makes it hard for me, who has to put him down a few times more than normal just to make breakfast/lunch/dinner and feed Elliot.

So, can you tell its been a stresful week at my house? I offered to watch my friends kids so her and her husband could get away for the week. I know my friend misses them like crazy and is homesick for them, but before the kids came along, there was her and her husband, and someday, her boys will be grown and off to college and there will be her and hubby time once again. I just know how important those times are.

Oh and lets not forget my two fur babies. Who seem to think they need to go outside every five minutes but then they bark at every fall snowflake and that gets annoying as well. So they are spending some quality time in their kennels this week. I dont feel bad, they dont get cooped up like that for long times and usually dont see the kennels every day, so they need a little time in there.

So thats my week. Am I crazy for taking on this adventure with children here all the time all week, maybe sure.

Wanna know a secret, lol, tomorrow Riley comes and then friday Riley and Caidan both come, so thats right, 6 children by friday. AND the two houseguests dont leave until Sunday at some point, I'll get them to church and their parents will meet them there. A full entire week with them.

Am I ready for a third baby of my own? Bring it on!

Monday, November 9, 2009

615 is way to early

Having a bad dream, mixed with jumping out of bed at 6:15 not knowing what time it was and hoping you weren' late is NOT how I like to start my mondays. I know my response is my responsibility and thus I need to check my attitude at the door or else this week is going to drag on by.

I was waiting for Riley to come today and what to I hear, sophia is up and beside the couch. Not wanting to go back to bed or even go lay in my bed with Randy (and Elliot) she wanted the cartoons. I knew that once Riley got there she would NOT be going back to bed and I would be up. Well, do you know what you get with a 2 year old who didn't sleep long enough, mixed with a boy who isn't used to the hosue and wanting to play with the toys (that the sleepy two year old thinks are hers....)

Its 930 and I'm exhausted. I have a headache creeping up and its only a matter of time before its a full blown headache.

But instead of keeping this post about all the negative going, I am going to turn it around and just start listing all the positives going for me.

1. woke up in a warm bed with a very sweet little boy next to me (elliot)
2. have a husband who loves me and wants to work hard to provide for our family
3. i have a job! it may be working from home doing daycare, but I have a little income to help out!
4. my daughter, as tired as she may be today, is still my daughter =)

Ok, so the list could go on and on, but I am needing to stop for now. Instead of focusing on the bad thigns that may be in front of you today, stop and push them aside and look at the good. See, God doesn't want us to focus on the bad, he wants us to glorify him in whatever we do, and by focusing on the bad its like we are telling God we are unhappy with what HE has provided! How truly selfish!

I challenge you (whoever may be reading this) to really strive today to find the good in every situation placed in front of you. Instead of complaining to others, pour out your heart to God, cry out to Him.He wants to hear from you today! I need to do better at making him my first conversation of the day... instead of my last resort when things are tough.

Thursday, November 5, 2009

So much on my mind

Lately, I've been bursting to share what I've been learning. God has really been using our pastors messages to teach me and to get my attention. I hate missing sunday mornings! He has been sharing and preaching on love. How to love others and what that looks like. I have to tell you, I do not love like I am supposed to!

But, I've also been reading a book.Its been on my shelf for a few years now. I think it was a wedding present and I never got past page 16. I really truly believe it was because the words on the page I wasn't ready to change and to read with an open mind. I wasn't ready to submit what I wanted to what God has for me. Well, I picked the book up a few days ago.. and WOW!!!

So you are probably wondering what book has got my attention... Loving God with all your mind by Elizabeth George. I've read some of her books in the past, but this book is just so good right now. Its talked about focusing on the truth, not playing the 'what if' game and really getting you to think on truth. If it isn't true, then its sin, and dwelling on it means you are sinning.

I am a dreamer, and there is nothing wrong with that, but I often find myself day dreaming of winning 10,000 dollars or other good things to happen to me, and that carries my mind into this fantasy land of getting a bigger house, new clothes, a new car.... then I find myself un happy with what is around me. Instead of looking at what is true around me, I find myself depressed that what I have isn't good enough. What kind of life is that! Not a fun one thats for sure!

The most recent chapter I finished was on fear. Fear can be a paralyzing thought in my world. I fear so many things that sometimes I am robbed of a blessing simply because I am to afraid of what might happen.

This is an exerpt from the book:

Nothing will ever happen to you that god does not already know about. (Psalm 139:1-4)
Nothing will ever happen to you that is a mistake. (Paslm 139:4,16)
Nothing will ever happen that you cannot handle by God's power and grace. (2 Cor 12:9-10)
Nothing will ever happen to you that will not eventually be used by God for some good purpose in your life. (Romans 8:28)
Nothing will ever happen to you without Gods presence. (Matthew 28:20)
Nothing will ever separate you from God's love. (Romans 8:38-39)

If you are really looking to have change and want to truly love God better and with your whole heart, I encourage you to pick this book up and read it. Get past the first 16 pages, and really prayerfully read this book. It is helping me get through my days and its ultimately drawing me close to God, the one who put me on this earth!



Those 6 simple truths are so reassuring and so comforting.

Monday, October 19, 2009

Love.... is not...

So I've been hearing some great messages lately at church. Lately, its been about Love and the passage in I Corinthians 13, where it defines love and what it is and what it isn't. What a great reminder to hear on sunday!

One of the main points was love isn't jealous. When someone gives you a gift, do you look around the room and say, no I dont want this one, I want that one and point to a gift given to someone else? Of course not! So why do you look around at what others have and say, I want that! God has given you what you have, for a reason. So as if that wasn't enough of a challenge, I really started looking at my life and seeing many signs of this in my own life. Wanting more than I had, wanting what others had/have! It really made me just step back and look at my blessings in my life. I am trul blessed. I may not have the biggest house or a new car, but I have a house, and I have a car. That right here is more than enough reason to be happy and to thank God for those blessings!

One question that Randy asked me, if the only thing God ever did for you, was to die on the cross, and didn't bless you with good things ever again, would you still be happy and content and would you still be able to praise Him? Truthfully, that is so hard to answer! I am human and like to be comfortable. I like my 'things' but wow! Dying on the cross to save me of my sins should be enough, but would it?!

I walked away from church on sunday with a heavy heart. With alot on my mind. Good things none the less, but need for change.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

My vehicle history

I'm an emotional person, I get attached to things and have a hard time parting with them. Everything you ask? No, just my cars.

Growing up, we drove one van for most of my childhood into my teen years, a 1988 WHITE plymouth voyager. Oh that van was ugly but it tough msyelf and my 4 siblings to drive.... it braved many storms, and never died. Broke down, yes, many times, but it kept on kicking. I believe hurricane katrina eventually took that great van down. It was parked at Slippery Rock Baptist Camp and when the storm flooded western PA it sunk that van.

My first car was a 1995 pontiac grand am. I drove that most of my senior year of high school. Talk about spoiled, I saw it at a local auto shop where my dads friend fixed cars, sat in it, and said I would love to drive this car home. Well, lo and behold, a few days later it was in my driveway. It wasn't 'mine' but my dad bought it for me to drive to school and where I needed to go, but ever a time he needed it, he trumped me.

Well, that trusty lil green went many miles with me. From my senior year of high school through the summer after my second year of college. All the way to the norther part of Wisconsin (and back a few times)

After the thought of me traveling to the northern Wisconsin in my grand am, my dad made a switch and bought me a 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee. I loved that jeep. Red. pretty. So nice.

I then moved on from there to a 1999 grand am. black. oh so pretty again! I drove that one for a little over a year, then I got married.

My dad decided to let Randy and I take the Jeep and the black grand am to michigan. woot! Two paid off vehicles, sweet!

Then the madness truly began. In January of 2006, we traded the grand am for a 2003 Buick LeSabre.... talk about a grand ma car, but wow that was a nice car. I loved it. Not at first of course, but it turned out to be a great car. We drove that car for over 2 years.... closer to 3 actually when we had this brilliant idea, sell it, buy a van!

At this point, we have a jeep, I loved, and a buick that was almost paid off. So what do we do, go buy a van, sell our Jeep (sniff sniff) and then we sold our car (sniff sniff) and have a 2003 ford windstar. Thats it.

We made it a summer with only one. Then we started itching to find something else, something to not leave me stranded at home wihout a car. So we were given a 1995 GMC safari van, I call big blue.

Recently, we sold our van *thud head on wall* and bought a 2003 pontiac bonneville ssei... which means its fast and loaded with alot of fun options. I still watned a van though.... just makes sense to hvae a van over a car with kids.

Can you guess what we did with the bonneville, sold it. yup thats right its gone. What are we driving? an old van that I wonder if it will start each time we go to put the key in. Are we looking for a van now, yes, but with no luck. We've gone back and forth on waiting vs. buying one now. Trying to save money but having the desire to have something more dependable.

I am almost immune to it now. I used to be emotional when we sold our car, but now its almost a given, we have a car and it wont be long that we are looking to get rid of it. *sigh* what a nightmare right?

I look forward to the next van we buy, in hopes we actually have it longer than any of the other vehicles we have owned.

We've been married now over 4 years.... we have had (owned) buick regal, jeep grand cheeroke, pontiac grand am, buick lesabre, ford windstar, gmc safari, pontiac bonneville..... so the next one we buy will make 8 for us....

I need a little stability here!!! hehe

Saturday, October 3, 2009

Adventure in movie land

Randy is at a golf marathon all day. He left this morning at 6 AM. What was I going to do with my day? I have a great idea, why dont we go to the movies! A friend called and invited me to see Toy Story and Toy STory II in 3D. I said yes, not really thinking about what I was saying yes to.

My daughter has the attention span of a two year old, funny, she is 2. Elliot doesn't sit still long either, always trying to get down. Not really a place to put him down at the movies.

We bought our tickets, went to get food. I orderd popcorn a drink and a kid drink... well how was I supposed to carry all this? The lady must have heard me wrong because somehow I got a LARGE popcorn and drink, and Sophia got a kids meal. So the lady was like, do you want me to help you carry something. Oh that was a nice offer.

We get to our seats.... I set Elliot down in a chair, then proceed to take everything from the nice lady who helped me. So we made it to our seats. Good.

The movie starts, everything is goig good. Did I mention it was in 3D? Which means not wearing your glasses for a long time made your eyes hurt (remember that fact) Sophia sat still for a few minutes, then lost her glasses, she handed them to me. I started to feed Elliot and bam, he is asleep. Good. Then I smelled something, whats that horrible smell... oh yes, Sophia pooped. I got the wipes and a diaper and went to the bathroom. Changing a diaper of a 2 year old, with a 8 month old baby on the changing table, not easy. We made it back to our seats.

It was all down hill from here. The first movie got over and Sophia was ready to be done. Two movies was way to much for her little attention span. I took Elliot and changed him. he left a nice wet spot on my lap... thank you son.

Movie two started... and Sophia didn't want to sit still. I began nursing Elliot again, this is the third time mind you... its a comfort thing for him, hoping he would fall asleep.... almost to sleep... Sophia kicked my HUGE bucket of popcorn and it went all over the floor. *thud head* oh no. Oh wait, whats that smell, yes, you guess it, Sophia pooped a second time. Well, toy story II, why not poop a second time. So I took them to the bathroom again, but before I could get out of the theatre she starts yelling, change my diaper, I pooped! ahhhhh!!

After that we should have left. She just wouldn't sit still and was yelling at me when I treid to talk to her. REasoning with a two year old shouldn't happen, she should listen to me because I"m her mom right??? YEAH RIGHT!

I was smart and packed a baggie full of suckers, which kept her in her seat the last half of the second movie. We made it... but my eyes hurt because Elliot kept grabbing my glasses off my face and so I watched most of the movie(s) without them.

I kept glanceing at my friend, who invited us, and her 4 year old sat and watched both movies no problem and her baby (almost 3 months) drank his bottle and slept the whole time with nothing more than a tiny peep the whole time. I'm glad for her.

I tell you, for Sophia's first experience EVER in a movie theatre she did great. Now all she can talk about was the movie and all the suckers she had.... *thud head on floor* Im a sucker for thinking she would be fine!

Next time we go to the theatre as a family, she'll be able to pay herself because I dont think that is an experience I want to have for a long time!

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

A turned down offer

So we had a guy come look at our car. ITs a 2003 Pontiac Bonneville SSEI... which means its supercharged and super-fast..... for lack of better word I guess. Well, he called last night and made an offer. I never thought we would turn down and offer. I want a van and thought as soon as we get an offer we would take it and I would have my van... wrong.

He didn't offer us enough and when Randy said how much he wants to get out of it, the guy said his offere was the most he would go. That was the end of that. Oh well. I know we can't afford a change right now.... you always lose out on the deal when making a change on a car, so we better just it on our car, keep paying for it monthly and be happpy. I am happy with it. Just relaly want a van. I guess someday I will.

I feel God will bless us. For not being impatient and just jumping on this first offer. If we dont sell it, then we wait and pay it off and then buy a van... either way. It will work.

Just wanted to share, that I am proud of our choice. The easy thing could have been to jump on that offer and then be out searching for a van and wanting to pay too much for a van that is above our means. So this way, it saved us money.

Now onto my day! Stil in my car and thats ok : )