Feeling overwhelmed by the challenge of parenting tonight.......
Disappointed by the actions of one child. Nothing horrible but disappointing nonetheless. It seems to feel worse when they do something that you know they know not to do. As a parent, I pray everyday that both of them will stand strong in the face of peer pressure, that they will always stand up for what is right.
And then I remember....
They are no different than me. How many times have I disappointed my Father by doing things I know are wrong and I do them anyway? How many times does He wish that I would stand strong in the face of pressure and that I would always stand up for what is right?
But He extends forgiveness and grace, undeserved but freely given. How can I do any less?
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Friday, March 25, 2011
5 QUESTION FRIDAY
1. What is your favorite month and why?
2. What is your least favorite month and why?
3. What is one thing you have started that you wish you would have finished?
4. If you could have picked your own name what would you have chosen?
5. If you have been, what is your favorite exhibit at the Henry Doorly Zoo?
Have a good weekend friends!
2. What is your least favorite month and why?
3. What is one thing you have started that you wish you would have finished?
4. If you could have picked your own name what would you have chosen?
5. If you have been, what is your favorite exhibit at the Henry Doorly Zoo?
Have a good weekend friends!
COMES IN LIKE A LION
A pictorial commentary of the weather here in NE this week.
On Tuesday I was wearing my sandals. It was 80 and we had a tornado warning and hail Today it is back to my snow boots. 4 inches of snow last night and 3-5 more in the forecast for tomorrow.
March has just moved into being my fourth least favorite month.
IF WE HAD A THIRD....
Our third child is our perfect child.
With CM we didn't do a good job training her to sleep or to eat. With Cam we learned our lesson about the sleeping (he is the BEST sleeper!) but still didn't do too well with the eating part. So we often joke that our third child would the best sleeper and the best eater EVER!!
I'm sitting here writing this as I wait for the older C to go to sleep. It is 12:41am. I have to be up by 6:30am. Unlike some around here I love to sleep (even have pajamas that say so) and I don't do so well when I have less than 6 hours. Tonight there are no sharks (yes, even in Nebraska), intruders, ghosts, Indians, or tornadoes.....she just can't sleep and she doesn't want to be the last person in the house awake (There is one way to solve that problem....GO TO SLEEP!).
I'm sure my mom is getting a huge laugh out of this post. She tells the story about me when I was a child not wanting to be the last one to sleep. I guess I could see her from my bed, in the reflection of our fish tank, as she sat at the table working. If she moved and I wasn't asleep yet I would raise quite the ruckus. You know what they say about payback.
That brings me back to my original point (sorry I'm rambling....Did I mention I need SLEEP?) It's probably best that our third child stay imaginary.....we don't want our dreams ruined!
With CM we didn't do a good job training her to sleep or to eat. With Cam we learned our lesson about the sleeping (he is the BEST sleeper!) but still didn't do too well with the eating part. So we often joke that our third child would the best sleeper and the best eater EVER!!
I'm sitting here writing this as I wait for the older C to go to sleep. It is 12:41am. I have to be up by 6:30am. Unlike some around here I love to sleep (even have pajamas that say so) and I don't do so well when I have less than 6 hours. Tonight there are no sharks (yes, even in Nebraska), intruders, ghosts, Indians, or tornadoes.....she just can't sleep and she doesn't want to be the last person in the house awake (There is one way to solve that problem....GO TO SLEEP!).
I'm sure my mom is getting a huge laugh out of this post. She tells the story about me when I was a child not wanting to be the last one to sleep. I guess I could see her from my bed, in the reflection of our fish tank, as she sat at the table working. If she moved and I wasn't asleep yet I would raise quite the ruckus. You know what they say about payback.
That brings me back to my original point (sorry I'm rambling....Did I mention I need SLEEP?) It's probably best that our third child stay imaginary.....we don't want our dreams ruined!
 |
| This is what I'm hoping to see soon!! |
Monday, March 21, 2011
THESE THINGS....
...are making me happy on this dreary Monday!
Isn't that a cute little spring/Easter idea? We made this at the mom's group I am a part of.
I know credit should be given but I don't know where the idea came from.
So if you are the inventor of this cute idea, good job!
Isn't my little solar-powered kitty cute? I picked him up last year when I visited China.
Every morning he faithfully waves at me and continues to do so all day long! Such a fun little
reminder of my trip and something that brings a smile to my face (and my cousin to my mind) every day!
Have a great week!
Friday, March 18, 2011
5 QUESTION FRIDAY
1. Is it too early to wear sandals?? (We have an event tomorrow night and I would like to wear sandals.)
2. Do you think it is lying to not answer the phone when a telemarketer calls? (Not judging, just had a conversation about this recently and would be interested in your answer.)
3. What's your favorite cooking/food show on TV?
4. To pinch or not to pinch (on St. Patty's Day)....that is the question?
5. Favorite color in the spring clothes? (Sorry to the male readers....couldn't think of anything else.)
2. Do you think it is lying to not answer the phone when a telemarketer calls? (Not judging, just had a conversation about this recently and would be interested in your answer.)
3. What's your favorite cooking/food show on TV?
4. To pinch or not to pinch (on St. Patty's Day)....that is the question?
5. Favorite color in the spring clothes? (Sorry to the male readers....couldn't think of anything else.)
Saturday, March 12, 2011
MY DOPPELGANGER
Quite frequently people say to me,
"You look like that actress. Oh what's her name? Kathy Bates...You look just like her!"
I never quite know if that's a compliment or not. When I think of her I usually think of her as Annie Wilkes in Misery. She was neither attractive nor nice in that movie (although I thought she acted the part superbly)!
My pride just wishes I could have a doppelganger who is more-widely thought to be attractive and/or skinny. I can never quite tell if people actually think I look like her or if they think I look like I'm the same size as her. (For the record I realize that she is probably a lot smaller than I am!).
Here are a couple more pictures of her when she's all cleaned up.
I guess it could be worse....people could be telling me I look like Rosie O'Donut or Roseanne Barr!! (Don't get any ideas!!)
Friday, March 11, 2011
FIVE QUESTION FRIDAY
Here's the scoop....if you read this post you are required to answer!! ;-) Happy Friday!
1. Do you do laundry once a week or a couple of loads every day?
2. What is the most unusual thing your child has ever woken you up for in the middle of the night? (If you have no children feel free to substitute pets/neighbors/etc.)
3. Favorite birthday decoration (we are getting ready to celebrate Sam's birthday this week)?
4. What is the last movie you have seen AND do you recommend it?
5. What is the last book you have read AND do you recommend it?
1. Do you do laundry once a week or a couple of loads every day?
2. What is the most unusual thing your child has ever woken you up for in the middle of the night? (If you have no children feel free to substitute pets/neighbors/etc.)
3. Favorite birthday decoration (we are getting ready to celebrate Sam's birthday this week)?
4. What is the last movie you have seen AND do you recommend it?
5. What is the last book you have read AND do you recommend it?
FRIDAY NEWS
There are a lot of ups and downs in the land of parenthood. This has been a week of ups!!
We are enjoying it and celebrating our kiddos!!
SPARKYS WIN!!
Of course I didn't get a picture of the team. They had disbanded by the time I got down to the floor. This was Camden's first time playing in the Awana games and he was SO excited!!
TRUTH AND TRAINING GIRLS WIN!!
It was so close but they pulled it out!! So exciting!
I did manage to get a picture of these champions!!
In other news...CM got selected to represent Trinity at the district speech contest in poetry! She did such a good job! We are very proud of her!!
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
DEAR AUNT VERA
My Aunt Vera died this last weekend. She was kind of more like a grandmother than an aunt in a way. Her house was one that whenever my sister, brother and I were there, we were adored and doted on. Hugs were plentiful and rules were few. This was not a place where children were seen and not heard.
There was a porch swing there...yellow if I remember right. (And it is for this reason and this reason alone, that my dream home will have a porch with a swing on it). There was an entire drawer full of colors, a plentiful supply of coloring books and the encouragement to date and sign every picture completed, as though it were a work by Picasso himself. There was a playhouse there with pots and pans and dishes and utensils. And one of the very best things that was there were the barbie doll clothes...little handmade clothes that my cousins had sewn. Fancy dresses, coats with fur, matching pajama tops and bottoms....everything you could imagine.
But most of all there was love. This was a place where a little girl could say something as seemingly rude as,
"This sure is a gooder dinner than you usually fix Aunt Vera" and not be in trouble, but instead be the star of the story that was told over and over again. (Much to my chagrin during the awkward teenage years but now appreciated so much!) This was a place where we were cherished.
However, I think Aunt Vera's most important legacy is her children. She was left alone to raise them after her husband died. 5 young girls, my cousins....Jerryl, Janny, Joye, Jane and Julie. I'm sure there were plenty of very, very difficult times for them, there had to be, but she did something right with them. I don't think I have ever met, in one family, 5 more wonderful women. Loving, loyal, each creative and talented in their own way, friendly, interesting and funny....all of them making the world a better place just by being here! They have honored their mother by lovingly caring for her, especially through these last few difficult years.
So Aunt Vera, good-bye for now. Your smile, laughter and hugs will be missed. You were loved. You will not be forgotten.
 |
| May 2006 |
There was a porch swing there...yellow if I remember right. (And it is for this reason and this reason alone, that my dream home will have a porch with a swing on it). There was an entire drawer full of colors, a plentiful supply of coloring books and the encouragement to date and sign every picture completed, as though it were a work by Picasso himself. There was a playhouse there with pots and pans and dishes and utensils. And one of the very best things that was there were the barbie doll clothes...little handmade clothes that my cousins had sewn. Fancy dresses, coats with fur, matching pajama tops and bottoms....everything you could imagine.
But most of all there was love. This was a place where a little girl could say something as seemingly rude as,
"This sure is a gooder dinner than you usually fix Aunt Vera" and not be in trouble, but instead be the star of the story that was told over and over again. (Much to my chagrin during the awkward teenage years but now appreciated so much!) This was a place where we were cherished.
However, I think Aunt Vera's most important legacy is her children. She was left alone to raise them after her husband died. 5 young girls, my cousins....Jerryl, Janny, Joye, Jane and Julie. I'm sure there were plenty of very, very difficult times for them, there had to be, but she did something right with them. I don't think I have ever met, in one family, 5 more wonderful women. Loving, loyal, each creative and talented in their own way, friendly, interesting and funny....all of them making the world a better place just by being here! They have honored their mother by lovingly caring for her, especially through these last few difficult years.
So Aunt Vera, good-bye for now. Your smile, laughter and hugs will be missed. You were loved. You will not be forgotten.
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