My Daddy

Matthew 14:27 Says:

 

 But Jesus immediately said to them:

"Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."
 

This is the peanut meeting grandpa.  What I describe below is just about the same- Just 5 years older, different kid, and unable to pull up easily on the computer. ;)

That's how I feel when a storm is raging inside of me and I see my earthly father, my daddy. Whatever fear I'm having is gone, because I know I'm safe with my dad. I'm 26 years old and I still feel the same sense of safe with my dad that I felt when I was a little girl (with the exception of the time I got caught smoking- I didn't feel too safe then, pretty scared actually.  I was wayyy too young, and did whatever my friend was doing, so I would fit in.  Pretty lame.  Thank you to my biggest brother for ratting me out.  I'm sure you saved me loads of money and the chance of lung cancer).

Focus....Get back on track... Okay...GO!

The time I felt the most scared was after I delivered my son. I had spent 28.5 hours in labor, and 2 hours pushing that big-headed child out of me. I was hooked up to all kinds of machines, had so many drugs pumping into my body and I was sure that I was going to die. I delivered my son, and didn't feel anything other than terror. No baby high, no relief.  My mom and husband were with me. Looking back, I really appreciate that. I wish that I had appreciated it at the time, but I was still too scared.

Very quickly after my son was born, my dad showed up to meet his first (and as of this typing, his only) grandson. We were still in the delivery room. I had a lot of weird emotions going on that kept me from feeling an instant bond with my son (it actually took a good week or better, but that's long story.. we'll get into that another time). 

 Something changed as soon as I saw my dad holding that still brand new, all bundled up, precious baby boy. Something inside me shifted from scared senseless, to safe. I knew that everything was okay.  I didn't know how it would be okay, but I trusted that he was there, so it would be okay. 

It's so easy to have that feeling because I trust my dad. I trust him more than I trust anyone else on this Earth. He has earned this trust. He is a reliable, strong, and courageous man. It doesn't mean I don't trust others a whole bunch, and I don't have any sort of trust issues, it's just that I am safe with him. Safe, safe, safe.

My dad has always believed in me and been my advocate no matter what. 
Over the last few years and various situations I've learned to have that same sort of deep trust with Jesus. I've learned that my dad can't always physically be with me. I know he would if I asked him, but there have been times I'm just too far away.  And as much as I hate to think about it (so I'm just not going to), there will be a day that he really can't be with me any more.  :(   

He couldn't be there when my mother-in-law passed away. He was watching the kids for us as we made our last trip to visit her in the hospital.  I was in that hospital room as the woman who birthed, nurtured and raised my husband, went from Earth to Heaven.  I felt her go.  Yes, I felt her go, and I knew that she was safe with Jesus.  I can't fully describe it, but I know what I felt. 

It was emotionally the hardest day of my life, seeing my husband lose his mother.  Knowing in that moment that we would have to return home and tell our daughter that her grandma, who was mom to her for the first 2 years of her life was gone. I didn't know where I'd get the strength.  It was a day I would love to forget, but just can't. Spiritually, it was a time of major growth for me, because I had to rely fully on God and trust that whatever happened was in His hands. I had never experienced needing Jesus more than I did on that day, and the months following than I had in my whole life.  Jesus was there for me, just like my daddy.  He is always there, even if you don't call for Him, He's there.  And when you do call for Him, know that you are safe.   

I want to encourage you to think of the person that you trust the very most. Think about why you trust them. Think about putting that much trust, and just a bit more into a loving relationship with Jesus. 
 
If you have trouble with remembering Matthew 14:27, just think of this simple phrase we teach the kids: Never Fear! Jesus is Here!

For my momma friends

So much truth in this statement.  This is for all my momma friends who are dealing with sick kiddos tonight. Lord, I ask that they would all be healed. 
Sometimes as a mom we feel defeated, like everyone/everything is out to get us.  When you're in that moment of defeat I'd ask that you instead find joy.
Yes, please find the joy in each moment.  Rest well & enjoy even these times, because our "babies" will be grown before we know it. 

School Days: Learning Words

Words are so very important.  They can heal, they can hurt, they can make, they can break.  I love getting sweet notes from my 10 year old princess.  And on occasion we have exchanged notes letting each other know where we are lacking, or how our feelings have been hurt.  This has been effective for us when verbal reminders/corrections aren't working.
I want my little boy to be able to express himself through notes too, not just pictures.  Although those are sweet too. :)  But how on earth can he write me a secret note if I'm spelling all the words for him? haha.
Well, little boys tend to have a tough time sitting still and working with pencil and paper.  This doesn't mean they are lacking the smarts to do it, it just means we have to find a way to teach them that they will enjoy.  By the way, even if your littles don't seem to enjoy it and you think you aren't getting anywhere... you probably actually are making progress!  They are smart little cookies soak up way more than you think!  Take a deep breath, you can do this momma! 
So, do you want to know my secret?  Little boys love MAGNETS!
He was showing an interest in reading about a year ago.  So I worked with him then.  Then it tapered off for awhile, and now it's back again.  We will keep working at his pace, with an occasional nudge to try more. 
What we're using is a $1 cookie sheet from the Dollar Tree & a couple packs of their magnetic letters, also $1.  So we've got less than $5 into it.  We used picture cards from our Hooked on Phonics set, but that was *insert whiny voice *..."too hard!".

Product review: Graco Nasal Clear Nasal Aspirator.

If there is one product that I'd recommend to new parents above all the others, it'd be the Graco Nasal Clear Nasal Aspirator.
I can't remember where I first saw it, maybe the big box store. 

The Pros:
*Quickly and effectively gets the snot out
*No holding the baby down fighting with the bulb syringe.
*No bulb to wash out and hope you got it all the water out so you're not flushing mold into your babies nose the next time you use it.
*It comes with a handy bag to keep all the parts in (there are two different tips).
*It easily fits in the diaper bag and can go anywhere you go.

The Cons:
Um, maybe the cost, I mean $20, for another baby item.  But trust me, this one is worth it!

You really should clean it after each use, which takes a little time, but much less than the bulb syringe... I leave it at the changing station and clean it after each day we use it.  To clean it I just turn on the water and press the button to get a tiny bit of water in it, then I take it apart and wash it.  Less than 2 minutes.  Easy peasy!

Our son had a milk allergy that caused a constant runny nose (yuck!).  This thing was a life saver!

Happy 3 months Baby Blackie!

Happy 3 months baby Blackie! And I mean it, it has been a happy, joyful, journey! There have been tough times, but many more happy moments than sad.  & knowing that babyhood passes all too quickly, I choose to celebrate the happy.

At one of the first MOPS meetings I attended 5 yrs ago I first heard the saying,

"It takes a village to raise a child".

Today, I want to thank our village.  Our village is made up of family, friends, neighbors, a lactation consultant, our pastors, church family, & even strangers offering help with doors (as I carry a hundred pound carseat/baby/diaper bag & hopefully have two other kids trailing close behind), & offering random encouraging words.

Thank you all!

This past 3 months have drawn us closer to God, & closer to each other.  With an immense amount of help from these village people (smile), I've proven to myself that God did equip my body to not only care for, but also feed my child.  I didn't feel I was able to care for or nurse my last baby & gave up on all things motherhood too easily & for too long.  It's good to be back into the season of nurturing a baby.

Thank you Jesus! & Thank you Jacques Morali!

Homeschooling the boy

While homeschooling my brilliant, sweet, boy...

Me: So, what would thirty-eight look like using numbers?

Him, totally serious: I think I need to take a dump, but keep talking.

Say What, Kid??!?!  Just yesterday he was still saying poo-poo...  The joys of boys!  & the joys of homeschool. ;) That turned into a teachable moment, real quick like!
I doubt I'll be hearing that out of his mouth again anytime soon!

Bath Toys

When my daughter... well my OLDEST daughter (that'll take some getting used to), was a toddler she had all sorts of bath toys.  She had rubber ducks, spoons, bath paints, my husbands old toys and bath flutes. 
Yes, Bath Flutes...

Seriously these things floated in butt water, then you put them on your mouth to make music- who came up with that idea, and why did I ever buy into it?  Oh yeah, it was because I made a trip to Wal-Mart.  I always discover all sorts of garbage I didn't need when I go there.


The best toys she had I didn't think were visually appealing or fun, so I believe I threw most of them out when I was a dumb teenage mom.  They were these "Fisher Price Floating Family" toys that belonged to my husband as a child. 

Those were really the best toys... Darn it, what was I thinking?

 

 

 

Well over the years I found that the little plastic ducks that I favored got full of mold. YUCK!  Don't believe me?  Chances are if your little ducky can squirt water, it's squirting moldy water!  Cut into one and check it out for yourself.  They're only a buck or two, it's worth the experiment to know if you're letting your child bath in mold or not.  & those old toys stood the test of time.  No mold, and were actually still fun!

 

The big kids mostly shower and rarely take baths anymore, with the exception of special occasions.  Like New Years Eve.  We had the kids open a gift each hour as a part of our countdown.  The 11pm was bubble bath.  Something we don't normally buy anymore so it was a treat.  Yeah, well, that "treat" is full of toxic chemicals and smells like barf bubble gum.  Within minutes of being in the tub the 5 year old was in tears because it made him feel sick. :(  I'm sure it wasn't just the bubble bath.  We also let them have pop and candy thinking it was a treat.  When will I learn that rewarding my kids with toxic chemicals and GMO's is not  a treat?!  Soon, I hope!

 

So with a baby in the house I am going to pledge NOT to buy into bath toys.  They are totally unnecessary and just one more thing around the house to care for. 

 

What are you pledging to give up and move on from?  Think of something that will benefit you, your family, or someone else, even if just slightly.

Counter Clutter

What do you do with all of your counter top clutter? 


I'm great about putting away the mail as soon as it comes in.  I put the dishes away as soon as we're done with them (most all of the time).  But the one thing that still keeps the counter looking cluttered is all of the appliances.

I've got a stand mixer, a toaster, a blender & a popcorn popper that always stay out.  I have a breadmaker that comes out when I use it, and stays out until company is coming over, then it gets put on the floor of the pantry until it's used again- and the cycle continues week after week. 

I'm in the market for a new tea kettle which will stay on the stove just as my last beloved tea kettle did before I absent mindedly ruined it. *UPDATE- I did get a tea kettle, the exact same one I already had, and I love it-  check it out on Amazon.*  I'd also like to maybe get a coffee pot again and a juicer.  But where in the world do I keep all of these things? 

I use my appliances often, so I hate to put them away and lug them out again each day.  Any solutions to the crazy counter clutter battle?

Welcome 2013!

If you remember back to my posts in Dec. of 2010 I said I'm not much for New Years resolutions.  I feel like we should always be trying to be better.  I mean, why wait until a new year starts to make a change? 

Well back in Dec. 2010 we did take that time to implement changes.  My husband and I made some big changes that have been great for our family.  Mostly our food choices. 
Since being pregnant and having a baby in the house I've gotten a little more relaxed and have had to rely on some moderately-convenience type foods more often than I'd like to admit.  We went from being a no pasta family to having pasta every couple of weeks- and guess what- nothing major happened, other than of course we were more tired than usual when we consumed it.  But it did pull us through another day, even if it wasn't nutritionally the best choice, and I just have to be okay with that.  Over all I feel like we're doing good when it comes to our food.

So for 2013 I want to focus on spaces.  I fully believe that the spaces you are in have a huge impact on your overall well-being.
Our home was built in 2005.  At the time Mr. Awesome & I were dating/got engaged, we only had the princess, no pets, and I was working.  Now a little over 7 years later we're married,  I'm a SAHM to our 3 kiddos & we have a cat.  Our space has had to change to accommodate our growing family.  Not only that, we also have changed some of our hobbies, and what we do in our spaces. 

In fact the room I'm typing in right now has been:
My bedroom (before we were married).
My home office while I sold Mary Kay & did eBay.
The Princess's bedroom.
The Princess & Prince's bedroom for a short time.
The Home school room.
& currently is Blackie's (closet- since she doesn't sleep in here, but does store her clothes here!) room/computer room. 

Home improvement takes time & money.  It seems like getting the two together is a challenge.  I wish we could do it all at once and be done.  & to be honest, if we took out a loan we could.  But I do NOT want to still be paying on it when I change my mind and want to redo whatever we've just done.
 So things will be slow going, that's alright.

For 2013 I'd like to see:

• The Laundry room turned into a mudroom (But where on earth will you stick the laundry room you ask?  Well, uh, actually.....I don't know yet!).
• If it works, maybe pull out the big tub and put the laundry in the master bathroom.
• Build a swing set for the 1,000 kids that flock here in the summer. 
• Put blinds on the windows (Please God, I'd love to finally have blinds, let me pick a color and just order it already!).
• Make a backyard patio/seating area.
• Fix the kitchen faucet that has leaked for y.e.a.r.s!
• Install shelving in the basement bedroom closets.
• Paint the stairs leading to the basement.  Any color- I just want it all one color.
• Move the TV downstairs.  This means rearranging the living room.  I'm terrified of picking new furniture for that space. Furniture is expensive, and what if:  It doesn't look good, I don't like it, or it isn't as comfortable as our broken-in sectional? 
• Install new flooring in the dining room/living room.  It looks just awful, awful awful!  Next time we will pick a better quality floor and something that can stand up to 3 kids & a husband.  Oops- did I say that? It's mostly the kids.
• Sometime this year I'd also like it if Blackie has a room with her stuff, that looks like she actually sleeps in it, even if she doesn't.  She's our baby & right now I love her sleeping with us.  Judge me all you want, tell me that she'll never sleep in her own bed.  I know that eventually she will move to her own bed.  At some point she will also no longer want to be held and cuddled on a regular basis.  I am in no hurry for these days to pass.
• Move the big kids into their own fully decorated rooms.

There are probably more things I will think of here and there.  And maybe none of these things will happen, maybe some of them will.  If they do, I'll try to blog about it. 
My favorite DIY project of 2012 was when we painted our shutters & then did my FIL's shutters.  What a transformation!  I wish I would've blogged it!  Maybe I will some day, I did take pictures fully intending to post it here.

So what will your 2013 look like? 

New Year, New Post!

I started off 2013 having to dump a bottle of breast milk I accidentally left out all night.  A bottle that took me four 20 minute pumping sessions to make, in the midst of new years celebrating with the family.  But rather than complaining & feeling sorry for myself- I'm grateful for this new day.  It's  another day to try my best at all that I do & be thankful for what I have. 
This is not a day to crab about what isn't going my way & how unfair the world is.  Actually there isn't a day for that in 2013.  Be thankful in this year that God has allowed you to be a part of.  You always have the choice to be happy.  Even when things are sad, look on the bright side.  It's good for ya!
I have read over a dozen, maybe close to two dozen facebook posts about how crappy this year has started off.  It's day 1 and you're already complaining?  Yikes! 
People, I'm sorry if your parents didn't teach you this & you are having to learn this for the first time as an adult, but LIFE IS NOT FAIR.  It's not a huge deal really.
In fact there will be times this year when your on top of the world & times you've hit rock bottom.  When you are in each place remember the other, act accordingly & you'll be okay. 

When you're feeling down, and maybe even wanting to give up, remember to chose a happy thought, as it won't always be this bad... Something great may be just around the corner.  And when you do get around the corner to that happy place, remember that you are not top dog, things could get worse.  So do not boast, but rather be humble.   Above all- enjoy where you currently are. 

If God gets ya to it, He'll pull you through it.  That's all folks!