Monday, December 28, 2009

My Entry...

Our church has had several of us write about God's love for a 30 day devotional. I was supposed to write on for December 27th. At least, I think I was supposed to write one. I sort of half forgot. Which means, I sort of remembered but thought I had the wrong day. Again.

It was difficult to sit and think about the love of God. Honestly. I KNOW He loves me...that can not be denied. I. Just. Know. I feel Him...even in the oddest of times. Especially then, I guess I should say...

but Christmas was not exactly fun around here.
But my entry went with the song I posted yesterday.
So I thought I'd share it with you. ...

---------------------

Thinking about the love of God today. AFTER Christmas is over and done with, sounded a lot easier than trying to think about it DURING the holiday. Plumbing issues. Heater issues. Financial issues. Children issues. Not being able to have Christmas as we planned because my parents couldn't get to my house. I prayed hard to keep the family healthy for Christmas just to have sleet??

Bummer.
I definitely wasn't having a "Norman Rockwell" of a weekend.

It's only been today (Sunday) that things have leveled out. I tell you this to let you know - while I have JOY, life is not always peaches. Though, I wish it had been. What a weekend for things to be lousy.

Today, I was pondering -- "NOW - after all that - I have to write about God's love?"
I never doubt that He loves me - though sometimes I think He has a funny way of showing it.

As I'm asking Him about what and how -- but mostly WHAT -- to write, this song comes to mind.

"When I think about the Lord...."
Here's a link, if you want to listen to it.
SONG or you can check out the previous post.

The lyrics say:
When I Think about the Lord,
How He saved me, how He raised me,
how He filled me, with the Holy Ghost.
How He healed me, to the uttermost.

When I Think about the Lord,
how He picked me up and turned me around,
how He placed my feet on solid ground

Chorus*
It makes me wanna shout,
Hallelujah,
Thank you JESUS,
LORD, your worthy, of all the glory, and all the honor,
and all the praise... (Repeat*)

I love this song.
Even in the midst of the WHATEVERS of life - when we stop to think about the Lord..
our hearts turn toward love for Him.
We can't help but want to shout!

And as we stop and think, we start to realize (We look again!) and see just how much He's loved on us, even in the midst of the ... whatever.

For us - one of the God kisses evident was that when the outside fan on the heater blew its motor (Because of the icicles from the sleet), our emergency heat pump was able to pick up the slack - so we didn't freeze. It's still going to cost nearly $400 to fix - but God will supply our need....even if he has to pay off the MasterCard instead of the fix-it guy.

This song was my evident love from Him today...
because I desperately needed Him to sing over me.

May He sing over you a song for your heart.

He loves us so!

Monday, December 21, 2009

Things said ...

The kids seem to be full of quips. Which I guess is better than somethings they could be full of....

G-man, with history book in hand says, "Oooo I get to learn about Robert E. Lee!"
J-man, says with a slight frown and a great big grin, "Robert eats leaves?"

~~~

"Pick up the blocks" Says I - after Bubbles kicks them, sending them scattering.
She points to her mouth, "But my mouth is hot."

I don't know why that matters, either.

~~~

Bubbles touch her elbow and pouting.
Not just any pout - this was a dragging-the-lip-on-the-floor kind of pout.
"My elbow hurts. I need a bath."

Huh. this was almost as good as the time she put her hand to her forehead, with enough oscar worthy drama, and told me "My eye hurts. I need Diet coke."

~~~

"Mom," says mini-me, "Can I ask you a question?"
"Sure." Says the gullible mome.
"Why is Bubbles so annoying?"
-- the obvious answer is 'because she's three' - but my response was "Why are YOU so annoying?"
She grinned and said, "I asked you first."

she had me there.

~~~

Sunday, December 20, 2009

I admit it....

The write up is perfectly me. Really.

Of course, my love language is gifts. Truly. Every time I take the "love languages" test, in any form, gifts is THE TOP result.

So I'm not ashamed to admit this.
Not at all.




Your Holiday Wish is Lots of Presents



Your favorite thing about the holidays is all of the great gifts you score. Hey, at least you're honest!

You try to be as patient as you can during the holidays, but you can't help wondering what sort of presents you'll be getting.



Each year you have your heart set on a few items, and you're over the moon if someone gets them for you.

You may think it's better to receive than give, but you do your best to get everyone on your list a great present. You know how important gifts are!


Friday, December 18, 2009

A little drama with my Christmas...

Generally speaking, we do not have a lot of drama. I'm not a very 'angsty' person. Being a 'what you see is what you get' kind of girl really keeps things very simple in that regard.

Every so often, though, drama is thrust at me.
I didn't even know I was getting involved.
Really it surprised me.

We got a Christmas card from one of The Professor's distant relations. (They're all distant when you live states away from them.) On the back was a personal note from Aunt So-and-so. "How sad it is that Mom in law hasn't seen you for so long..."

Erg.

Seriously.

I hate guilt trips. It's manipulation. I really, really oppose it. Especially when it's aimed at me.

I would like to rant, just a bit. That Aunt so-and-so has made this comment to us - but not counting that Mom in law hasn't traveled to see us since 1998. So. huh. Let's try to guilt trip the family of 6.

This isn't the first time someone has said something to us. The last time was such a blatant hypocrisy on the 'guilt trip travel agent' that it was just hilarious. Though, I did get hilariously angry, too. This time it was just unexpected.

The last time we went to visit, Bubbles was still in her car seat. It was HELL to travel on the plane. Through two airports. Toting two car seats and stuff for four kids and two parents. Not to mention bathroom breaks. Food. A Professor who doesn't even LIKE to travel. I can say it was hell because there was much gnashing of teeth and wailing.

So when travel comes up...it's always us that has to do the traveling. As if we're the bad kids for not traveling two states away ....

Last time we went. I ended up with Strep Throat. My brother in law ended up with a major migraine because we disrupted his sleep patterns. It just irks me.

So I've decided that the next 'distant relation' that mentions to me that we should really travel two states away.... They're going to have to pay for the tickets.

It would cost, non-holiday plane tickets, a total of $4,606.20 to travel nonstop. Because the other options were changing planes. I don't want to change planes with four kids. This does not include hotel and car. Nor does it include meals, potty breaks, potty accidents, having to sit on a plane, having cranky kids who don't want to sit by the windows or who get bored.

To DRIVE, it takes two days travel time....and still it cuts the cost only by half. Doesn't include the cost of hotel and fixing the van up to make sure it lasts for those two days.

Don't get me wrong, I'd love for the distant two states away relations to see the kids more often, but seriously. It's not going to happen at a cost of nearly $5,000 AND the wear and tear on the mom. And it's only recently that we wouldn't be disrupting the lives of two working men by coming to visit.

So I'm rejecting the manipulation and hope that some how, some way - the people behind the "Sad sad tale" of us not visiting - will see the light and get over it.

Until then, I'm fighting the guilt trips.
And now I have a $4,606.20 weapon.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

I Like Christmas...

I liked the write up of this.
It sounds like me.

It still amazes me how much I've changed over the years.
It will be a very, VERY long time before I own another Christmas sweater. LOL




You Like the Holidays



You definitely have a good time during the holidays, but you aren't obsessed with them or anything.

You shop for a few presents and participate in a few traditions... but that's it!



You may be accused of being a grinch, but you're simply not a fanatic about holiday traditions - especially commercial ones.

You get into the spirit of the season by being kind, compassionate, and not clogging up the stores!




Here's not not clogging up the stores!!
Ah...Christmas Peace comes in all forms.

Monday, December 14, 2009

Carol of the Bells - Muppet Style..

I toyed with the idea of doing Christmas posts until Christmas.
I'm not quite certain I'll be able to accomplish that.
I can't even manage to put up a Christmas Tree. (Of course, I'm not trying very hard, with that one, either.)

BUT --

I did manage to find a Christmas funny.

It even made the professor laugh.

It's one of our most favoritest Carols.

Had to share.

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Christmas is coming!

Christmas is coming! Christmas is coming!!!
But I bet you already knew that.

Every day, the question is asked, "How long until Christmas?"
To J-man I tell him "Soon". He still doesn't understand the concept of "days/nights".

The bigger kids will immediately go to the calendar and count the days.
Or, in Mini-Me's case, just do the math.

I'm glad that it's coming. Honest.
But I don't necessarily feel all the chaos that goes with it. So this blog post might actually start to sound like a Christmas confessional.

I don't have any desire to sing Christmas songs - aside from the occasional "rudolph" because the clock sings it.

We were crazy busy right up to Thanksgiving. Part of it was that I was writing for the entire month. We were sick for about a week before. I didn't feel the urge to decorate. I still don't.
Once I get it up it feels like it's got to come right back down.

I have had more fun buying Christmas gifts, though. That has been a surprise. It hasn't been too difficult to buy for the kids. Mini-E, or Bubbles, Tells me she wants a princess, a cat toy and a mumble mumble toy. She wants two of those.

Part of my lack of enthusiasm comes from the crazy way life is swirling around. Stress at the professor's work. LOTS Of it. Eeking it's way home.
We're on a Constant busy here. And we don't go many places! It nearly seems unfair.
The dog. Don't get me started on the dog.
Did I tell you I had to take the hamster to the vet??

THE HAMSTER. Sigh.

I have joy unmeasurable, but not in decorating for Christmas.

The presents are on top of the piano. Waiting for the great unwrapping. There are no lights up anywhere...well, other than the lights that came with the house. And I'm okay with that.

Maybe this year, with only 11 days to go until Christmas, we'll keep things simple.

There's always next year. (insert gales of laughter here) Maybe next year we'll decorate when the stores do. November 1.

Saturday, December 12, 2009

What exactly should I say?

I must confess that I'm not exactly sure what to say lately.

Life is rather boring around the laundry pile.

The two big kids have found that if they work hard at their school work they can be done before lunch time. Which is great, but the constant questions of the morning school rush can be a bit much for me. Especially when the two littler kids want attention, too.

They're enjoying this race to beat the clock - and each other. So I guess we'll make it work for us.

The weather here is down right frigid. I love it.
Don't get me wrong. I'd rather be cold than hot any day.
But we're not used to such cold weather until the end of January. So it's been rather a trip to see frost and frozen tundra before Christmas.

I did manage to get all my shopping done.
The Professor did shop for me. I have "stuff". Which makes me happy.
I love getting gifts! So to know that it's 'stuff' from my hubby and not just a single gift, makes me giddy.


I'm rather looking forward to 2010.
The new adventures that we'll have. New things to begin.
It should be quite fun.

I finally understand why some bloggers have two or more blogs!
I mean, if that's what you wanted to do, as a blogger, more power to you.
But with all the story lines going on in my head, I decided I needed another blog for the other side of my brain. For story ideas or non-mommy things. I went with LiveJournal. I'd toyed with it several years ago. I wanted some place that my characters could say whatever they wanted to say without the mommy-blog getting in the way.

And I think that's one reason I have not much to say. Life is good and continuing on. God still sings over me constantly. But my writing has been focused on the novels and fiction in my head. It makes me laugh because I never thought I'd have so much to write about. Now to figure out how to pay attention to life -- so I have something to BLOG about.

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

What she said...

Huh. I've lost a follower.
I don't know if that makes me sad or amused.
Me + "followers" = surreal.
I mean, I walk into walls. or store mannequins.

But really what I wanted to tell you were two conversations ...about me.

Mini-Me saw me in an aqua colored t-shirt.
"Mom, you look great! Is that a new shirt?"

It is.
And now it's my favorite one.

Then last night, J-man was being funny. He tickles himself to no end, by the way.
He was pushing on me and laughing (it was part of the chase and tickle game).
I walked away for some reason -- He told me "you have a santa claus girl tummy"

He's rolling on the floor with gales of laughter, it was hard not to laugh, too.

Still makes me wonder why we wanted him to talk??

Monday, December 7, 2009

I am a reader

I don't keep up with my blogroll like I should.
People change addresses.
They change blogs.
Sometimes you just get tired of them not posting, or what they're posting...mostly because YOUR life changes. Or what you need to read changes. I could keep my blog roll to like 5 or 6 people that I read all the time. But then there are those that I visit and read and feel like I've never been away.

It's hard to choose how long to make the blog roll.

and then...THEN ...

there are the SILLY things I read that might not fit on the blog roll.
And that's what I'm sharing with you today.
The silly.
Maybe you'll find something that tickles you're funny bone, too.

CakeWrecks.
they rate themselves PG-13... but they're funny. And you'll never look at a cake the same way again.

Darths and Droids
How would StarWars universe look if it were played in an RPG game.
This comic shows you.
Warning: Gamer humor abounds.

My Friend introduced me to this thing called "SteamPunk"
Then she introduced me to Girl Genius.
I spent my spare time over a three day period catching up...it's just that much fun.
I love good characters, as you may well know.
This comic has some good ones.

What happens when a cartoonist gets bored?
He draws Ninjas.
Not just any ninjas. Ninja Jerks.

I haven't been just reading comics, honest.
But my time, between writing fast and furiously through the month of November, hasn't given me a lot of time to sit and read at the computer. So I haven't been. Which may be why I haven't visited your blog. Sorry 'bout that.

I'm still trolling for Flair on Facebook, too. :-)
AND

Blogthings.
I love this site.
And they have a blog now. Which makes me all sorts of happy. Because they're on Facebook.

Oh - On the easily amused front I just found out that I can get Twitter Feeds through my Google Reader. Ha! LOVE IT! Because I don't have to sign up for Twitter. It was confusing me just a bit...

I'm not sure I love the fact that our dog is currently gnawing my bubble wrap to pieces.

Guess my time here at the Laundry Pile computer is over now.

Saturday, November 28, 2009

I am a writer...

It's become more and more evident.
This mom is a writer. I always wanted to be. But never thought it would matter.

Somewhere deep inside there's that voice that tells you if you're not published, you're not a writer.
This is no longer the case for me.

I'm a writer. It's not all I am. I'm a singer. A worshipper. A dancer. A mom. A Wife.

but it's fun to think that if someone asks what I do -- I can tell them, "I write."

It really became clear that I should and could make this distinction when I finished my NaNoWriMo novel. I did. I wrote the final scene (first draft) (First drafts suck) the night before Thanksgiving. I was really quite glad for the hubbub of Thanksgiving. We had so much fun!!!

BUT -- the next day. The Friday after.
There was a funk.

It's much like the "After Christmas blues" I would get when I was a teenager. I loved Christmas. I loved the build up. The decorating. The anticipation. The joy. The music. That's changed as I've gotten older and a bit more disillusioned, I'm afraid to admit.

After Christmas was over and done with came the blues. The feeling of "now what?"

That's how it's been both times I've finished my manuscripts. The sudden -- "Now What?" of my brain. The sudden fact that I had nothing pressing on my thoughts. During the writing process I was always plotting. If not plotting then my characters were somewhere in my brain. Talking to me. Telling me how to handle the next scene.

There will be rewrites, of course, but you can't do that when you're in the "Now What?" stage of the process. Being in this stage of the process is also a very bad time to have someone lamblast your writing. Even though I know it's all part of the process. It's still not good on the "after book funk". Or would it be the "Post-novel blues"?

Either way, it's confirmed to me that I'm a writer.
It's good to have this process ... to be able to look at it and recognize it as such.
Moving on is important for the next phase or the next novel.
One day I'll learn what to do after the novel is finished.
Because I hope there will be many more in my future.
There has to be, because I'm a writer.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Things heard in the Laundry pile..

On Reading:

Mini-me read her first "Mandie" book. The First one, in fact. I remember reading these as a kid, but I can't say that they were my favorite books. I don't know why, exactly. I remember one scene where Mandie's friend prays ... Open Eyes and open face toward the sky. But I can't remember why.

Mini-Me devoured the book.

She turned the page and groaned, "Aaaaaaawwww. It's over."

Music to my ears.

She requested more books for Christmas.
Even more music to my ears.

On Animals:

Last Christmas, we had a great challenge keeping Shaggy from getting into the toys while unbinding them from their Packaging. Oh, the packaging that hell hath brought!! The endless miles of twisty ties. The mindless bits of tape. The pieces of plastic pierced through Barbie's head. (so glad we aren't getting Barbie's this year.)

It was the Christmas packaging that keeps a pair of wire cutters in my kitchen drawer.

What was I saying??

Christmas. Dogs. I promise.

Gizmo tends to be wild. Just as prone as Bubbles to take a toy and run.
Thinking it might be good to have things for him to chew on, new toys make him happy, I purchased a few things.

When I was showing the Professor purchases for the kids, talking about the next steps. Oh, these are for the dog, says I.

He looks at them, "did you get something for the cat?"

Well no. -- I'm rather stunned that he asked. He doesn't like the critters. Tolerates them for our sake...mostly the kids sake.

"She's part of the tribe. You should get her something for Christmas."

"Are you serious??"

He was. Maggie's presents are stashed with the rest. I went last night and bought her a play mat.

Sigh.

We're goofy.

On Phonics - the inspiration of learning:

G-man was walking by Mini-Me. In a rather awed voice he said: "Did you know there is a vowel in every word??"

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Writing and Focus (or lack of it)

Well, I'm way over due for a blogger update. Sorry about that. I know - I'm blogging without obligation - it says so somewhere on my sidebar. I had originally thought that I would blog about the life of NaNo. And those plans fell through as writing, PLUS life, just took all my spare time.

Today I'm not feeling well - so i'm not entirely sure how much of this blog post will make sense.
I may have to edit it after the haze clears. :-)

It started out well. I had a crazy plot, and some good characters.
I'm a sucker for good characters.
I had the beginning of my story already in my head. That was the easy part.
Then the middle part hit.
Good grief. That was not easy.
Nor was it, turns out, fun.

One bit of a blessing that came about in the midst of this, was the word count battle between a lady in New York -- MercOne. The word count happened by accident and we both had more fun with it than I think either of us thought we would.

Chiding each other with faux frustrations but genuine cheers.

Today I reached the official mark of 50,000 words. I'm not done with my story. I've got 15 more days or so to finish it. The fact that it's nearly done, thrills me.Though, I know once I reread it later, say in December, to begin to edit it, I might wonder what the heck I was thinking.

To be honest, I love to write.
I always have.
But having Merc there to constantly get ahead of me in word count, urged me to keep going. Her being 3,000+ words ahead of me during a few days really ... I was glad for her..

but it IRKED me.

She was sick.
She wrote a drinking song for me.
Still got ahead of me in word count.
And she was sick.

And working.

and that motivated me to kill my inner editor -- that voice that says "Edit now" or whispers "plot flaw". MercOne motivated me because her 3,000k and plus word count mocked me.

So I pushed on.
writing little bit by little bit.
I had to eat her lead like you would eat an elephant. Bite by bite..or in this case..word by word.

She helped me get past the "middle of the story" blues.
She kept me going ....

Really - I couldn't have asked for a better writing buddy.

So thank you, MercOne!!
You have my undying gratitude and probably a place in my book, after I rewrite it. :-)

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

I am a fan of this guy...

I think it's because he's quirky and has managed to break the stereotype. I love it.

He has several videos on YouTube...I chose this one because it's the Birthday on the "Street".

Friday, October 23, 2009

The Absent Professor

Our Laundry Pile Professor, the man that I love, the one who keeps me grounded while letting me soar, the Single man who would probably "get me" (other than Jesus) has been gone for a week.

I miss him.

He does handy stuff that I often forget to do.

Like put away the cheese.

Or bread.

He'll even do dishes and laundry.

He won't be home for another week.
He'll miss Mini-Me's 11th birthday. It was just the way it was going to happen. No way around it.
He's away for business ... and he's where he's needed.
So I'm not sad that he's gone.

I just miss him.

While he's gone, he's working nights and sleeping days. When we have the chance to chat, it's during Our evening - when he's getting ready for his day. The kids always, ALWAYS tell me to tel him "Good Night!!!" -- I've tried explaining to them that daddy is up for the day...but they don't get it.

So I just pass along the word. We both chuckle and move on.

Mini-Me was rather bummed that The Professor was going to miss out on her birthday, she wanted to save him a piece of cake. Week old cake is not the Professor's idea of fun.
In tears, she came to me and told me that she wanted to wait for the Professor to come home before celebrating her birthday. I chatted with him, and he encouraged her to go ahead and have her birthday on the 26th.

The 26th is actually the best day for my mom & Brother to come. If we wait - the y might not be able to make it.

After explaining the situation to her, Mini-me has opted to split her birthday in half. She's going to have cake on Monday and celebrate with my family. Then we'll have another birthday when the Professor gets home. :-) I was proud of her for such a grown up decision...and the willingness to wait for her gift. She knows what we're getting her (A Nintendo DS).

So we're counting the days down to our two big events: Her birthday and the return of the Professor. :-)

On a funny note:
J-man started flailing his arms into his big brother. Thud thud thud went the fists on the back - like a windmill.

I sputtered my words out, trying to ask two questions at once - "What are you.... Why are you... HITTING your brother??"

Calmly, the five year old replied, "He was askin' for it."

It was really hard not to laugh.
It didn't explain anything and calm or not, He still got in trouble.

Oh -- my NaNoWriMo post.
You guys made me laugh with your encouragement..
and it's nice to know that I'm not the only one out there that peruses through the flair buttons. For Fun. You guys rock. I'll try to keep you posted about it, I'm actually excited for it to start. The story is aching to get out of my brain!!

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

As if I didn't have enough to do....


As some of you know, I've always loved to write.
Which is one reason this blog has been such a draw for me. I'm not sure I would have stuck with it, if not for the awesome Bloggy friends who faithfully leave comments, though.

One thing I know, A writer likes to have feedback.

When I finished my recent first draft, giving it to my Beta Readers, my writing passion did not stop. I knew I was going to write a sequel...but mostly, I started rummaging through the "Flair" on Facebook.

I love flair.
For me, It's like popping bubble wrap. Which is good - because I don't have any bubble wrap.
My kids love stomping on bubble wrap ... so it doesn't last long enough to be therapeutic.

In my rummaging of the Flair buttons..I searched for things like "writing" and "pen" and "author" -- looking for the most fun ones, I could find. Of course, I also search for "Bones" (the tv show) and random words that just pop up into my brain. Which could be scary. Especially if I was thinking of my brother, at the time. He can be -- well... a donkey meanie head.

There is no flair for that.
I've checked.

In my searching I kept finding some of the funniest flair that also had "nanowrimo" written on them. So I googled it. HEre...I"ll save you the hassle. Link for your convenience. The goal is to write 50,000 words -- in the form of a novel -- over the month of November.

I'm signed up.
I'm ComfyDenim (no surprise there) -- and I'm a First time WriMo.
My Genre is Fantasy.
Nice to meet you. Another link for your convenience.

I was struggling with my book that is in the editing process. It would be pretty cliched.
My awesome friend pointed out that they got to be cliches -- not because they were unpopular.

And one day I was trying to catch a few zzzz's while Bubbles napped, my cliche filled plot line jumped into my head and I was thrilled.

I've jumped into this who experience with both feet and am dragging the kids with me.
I've apologized to the Professor in advance -- and am gearing up to write my cliche filled NaNovel...with the goal being to have fun and create the skeleton of a novel. Flesh can be added later.

I love The Professor and A&E Mom because they listen most kindly to my crazed plot ramblings.
They don't think too much if I tell them, "An assassin walked into my story today and he seems pretty set on staying."

My kids are repeating everything multiple times at me to get my attention - and probably prepare all of us for the even-more-distracted-than-normal Mom in November.

I'm looking at a pile of laundry and ungraded school papers and thinking -- I really didn't need anything else to do -- but now that the plot bunny has bitten me and I've met my characters...It's a loss.

I'm going to have to learn how to multitask like I've never done before.

It should be fun.

They have sporks.
And flair.

Monday, October 19, 2009

I don't want the shirt...

I had a favorite pastor once tell a short story.
It seemed that his wife noticed a car driving by that said "Chaplain" on the back.
She mentioned it to him and asked if he would get something like that for his truck.
He told her (and subsequently us) that the last thing he wanted people to know when he's driving was that he's a pastor.

I feel that way about mommy-ness.

I don't wear a lot of "Christian" tee shirts.
Firstly, I think they're really overrated. I would say cliched - but I don't mind most cliches.

I like the clever ones.
I wish they could all be clever instead of .... well, lame.

Mostly - I don't think I want advertise that I'm-such-a-devout-christian-that-I'll-wear-this-t-shirt-to-prove-it! That's just asking for trouble, in my opinion.

Invariably, one of the kids *WILL* push my button. Or stomp on that already frayed nerve and..

I'll snap.

Talk harshly.
Or swat a bottom.
Or even stomp my foot.
There have been those times when they seemed to gang up on me. ... and decided to ignore everything I said..but the need for the product outweighed the urge to go home and send them to bed.

If I could hand out a flyer to any passerby at my moment of frustration, i think it would say something like "Please forgive this woman. You don't know what they've done. The many loads of laundry caused by the many potty accidents. The many fits thrown in a day. The sibling fist fights. Hissy fits. She's truly trying her best. Please do not think harshly."

There are two types of observers...
The Non-christians who judge me by how they perceive I should act.
And the Religious Pharisees - who thinks I'm not living up to the letter of the law.

It irks me...because if I could tell the non-Christian anything it would be -- "I'm so far from perfect -- but Jesus loves me."

If I could tell the religious person anything they wouldn't hear it.

Sigh.

There is a third observer - the mom, dad or grandmother that's been there and has the scars to prove it. You can never tell if they fit into a category.

One time I got kicked in the nose by one of my own kids, and had to slam the door shut before I really lost my temper. The lady looked at me quickly and looked away quickly. You just know she's a mom.

I don't put things on the back of my van that proclaim my belief in Jesus, cause I know I'll cut someone off in traffic and push them further from the truth.

I won't wear "Jesus Gear" on any normal type of day - because I know I'll mess up.

I'm not perfect. I never claimed to be perfect. I'm a mess.

And that's why even in the midst of the messes - it's not the t-shirt I'm wearing, it's whether or not my light is shining through.

It's whether or not I can take my mess and let God turn it into something amazing for His glory.

That's the hard part of it all.
Knowing that God loves me - even when I mess up - and is willing to take me again back out into the world and give me another shot.

I'm glad he never gives up on me...especially when I do.

That's the hard part.

It would make a good t-shirt.
I'd wear that one.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Random HTML from the Laundry Pile

I woke up with part of this song in my heart -- and now it won't leave. :-)
I share it with you so you can worship with me.

Unless you don't want to. And that's fine, too.




Yesterday I took this Blogthings Quiz and really just liked the answer very much.




You Are Silver



You are down to earth and unpretentious. You don't feel like you need to show off, and you're very secure with your place in the world.

You are understated and elegant. You carry yourself with poise, and you're more known for what you don't do than what you do.



You can fit in anywhere from a country western bar to a black tie gala. You are adaptable and adventurous.

You are blind to social class and background. You see people as who they are ... not as where they came from or how much money they have.


Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Open up the sky...

I heard this song in my heart this morning and decided to post it.
The Lyrics are profound...

not wanting to settle for anything ordinary...


Monday, October 5, 2009

Fire Drill


Someone shared this with me on Face book - by telling me it reminded them of me.
Huh.

Go figure.

I haven't tried this yet -- but I'm tempted.

and ... It made me laugh.

For another genius, home-school comic strip -- you can visit Juggling Paynes.
Who also knew the name of this strip was "Rhymes with Orange". :-) Because she's well-read and so are her kids!!

Saturday, October 3, 2009

Unexpected treasures...

We had to go to our W*l-M*rt on Thursday.
I have come to hate this store. Typically they are poorly stocked, understaffed and often They don't have what I need. They are just five minutes away where as everything else is over 20 minutes away. So proximity wins.

Often, I compromise on a purchase -- or change my plans all together.

Thursday was a bit of surprise. The bathrooms weren't working.

BUT we found pull-on pants for the boys. Denim-y ones. They don't like buttons/snaps. So all elastic was a benefit.

The kids, while I was checking out went to sit at the tables of the restaurant franchise housed near-by. After paying for my store purchases, I went and purchased a large drink to pay for the table space they used. I broke a larger bill and pocketed my change.

On the way out of the store, J-man said "Look mom! A band!"

I looked quickly, because I can't look for very long crossing the crosswalk, Bubbles might make a run for it. There's one worker smoking - and another person sitting with his things. One of the things that J-man saw was a guitar case. I knew in that quick glance that he was traveling - and most likely homeless. But when I turned back to watch where I was going - I saw the vision of the money in my pocket. Specifically a $5 & the 2 -$1.

God tends to talk to me in pictures. So I pondered this for a bit of time while I load up the van. I could have saved myself some time by just turning around on the spot - but I wanted to make sure I was hearing/seeing from God before I moved. So I asked for confirmation while I was loading the groceries and the kids were haggling over their new gloves. (We bought some while we could. They out grew the ones from last season.)

When I couldn't get the picture out of my head, I knew it was God. So I looked and sure, enough - I had the $7. I told Mini-Me what I needed to do - and she took control of the van and I went quickly the few feet to the young man.

I'm not naive enough to doubt that the haze I saw in his eyes was probably drug related - but I'm hopeful enough that it was sleep deprivation. When I approached, he was reading - which tickled me. I was wondering what I was going to say... but should have known it wouldn't have mattered.

I said, "Hi!"

He smiled at me. He had two piercings - it's funny what you notice. He had bright, if hazy, blue eyes, sandy hair and a great smile.

God has said "if you open your mouth - I will fill it."

He did.

I started my sentence and God finished it.
"When I was walking by a minute ago God said to give you ... lunch money."

He perked up and looked at me with a great big smile and his eyes got big - "Seriously?"

I smiled and laughed, "Yeah. Seriously."

He took the $7 and said, "Wow! Thanks! God bless you."

I just smiled at him and told him to "be blessed" (which was lame!) - but I had 4 kids in the van.

But really -- God already blessed me. Just with that moment.

If I hadn't had broken the $20 - I wouldn't have had the $7 for lunch money.
And I wouldn't have been able to bless him in a way that probably impacted that guitar player in a way I'll never know.

The enemy would tell me that I didn't tell him about Jesus...but I did. By simply telling him that God saw his need --- and sent me to give it.

AND I got to talk to Mini-Me about doing what God says - and not wonder why.

Yes, he was homeless - and wisdom would say not to give to every hard-luck harry on the street -- but that's why we need Holy Spirit to instruct.

And when we get that nudge to break a $20 at Subway - we might just should go ahead and do it. You never know what "band" is waiting outside the store in need of lunch money.

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

I want to be.....

The following blog post should be prefaced by telling you that J-man is 5.

FIVE.

This many fingers.

1 -2 -3 -4 - 5

He's five.

This is the kid that told our speech therapist that he wanted to be a Grocery shopper when he grew up - because rescuing animals and saving them would be too much work.

The other day, on the way home from somewhere where we did something, he announced, "I want to be..." he gets excited and starts his sentences over several times. "I want to be a ....

a....

sky diver when I grow up."

Not to squelch his desires, I reply, "Well, that would be fun."

Of course, the joke about jumping out of a perfectly good plane is running through my head.
And I'm thinking of an episode of "The Pretender" where he pretended to be a skydiver to get the bad guy.

The kids finally pick up on his announcement, though.

I was surprised (and greatly amused) by their reactions.

"A SKY DIVER?!?!" Says G-man. "cooooooooooool."

Yep.
J-man -- the five year old is cool. He revels in the attention.

Some discussion is had about the schooling and training needed for skydiving. The professor suggests that he'll have to go into the military to learn it...you know like Rangers. I scoff.

The Pretender didn't have to.

Though - I could totally see J-man going into extreme sports.
So jumping out of a plane to snowboard down the mountain -- just might happen.
I hope he gets good corporate sponsors. :-)

All the excitement of learning that he was destined to be a skydiver might have been for naught.

Last night, J-man told me, as he drifted off to sleep.
"I want to be a news caster."

Between you and me -- Sky diver would be cooler.

I can't wait to see what he comes up with next.
I know one thing - what ever it is - He'll be a world changer and a history maker.....and he'll laugh all the time he's doing it.

Monday, September 28, 2009

Atmospheric Pressures...

I wrote yesterday that I knew that what my problem was. I knew it was atmospheric.
I even went so far as to ask if there was a full moon. :-)
There wasn't -- but I was still right.

I know ... no...that's not right..

I KNOW

That I can handle things, kids, life while The Professor's gone. It's a good thing, too, because he'll be gone again in October.

I know that I miss him because he does so much around the house. He's the one that keeps my grounded when my thoughts and daydreams keep my head in the clouds. He's the one that listens to my deepest thoughts when things are not going my way. He remembers to make drinks for the kids. He remembers to clean out the sink ... he'll clean out the cat box.

And while I miss him -- my life does not end when he's gone. I am capable.

Most of the time. Most of the time I meet his absence with a determination.

Friday, the blues started. I don't know what else to call it - except maybe a low pressure system hovered over my house. The kids felt it, too.

Sunday it all culminated...all to keep me from church. Seriously. It almost worked.
I could have had church here in the house.

God really isn't bound by a building... but I had a divine appointment. And I decided to press on.

I worshipped my heart out. I praised. I shouted. I rejoiced. My kids had fun. (They were still wired at 10:30pm.) In those actions, the atmosphere shifted. Holy Spirit blew some clouds away and this morning, things are different.

The low pressure system that pushed on me has lifted. It had to go. It really did - and I don't know why it was here in the first place -- EXCEPT, to steal my joy, to make me dread the week ahead, to make me opt out of going to church, to ruin my day, to rob me of time with my kids, to put chinks in my relationships... it was one heck of a low pressure system.

I heard someone say today, "....Then Faith starts to rise up - and you realize that you've just come through something..and you start to worship from that new place."

I liked that.
It ministered to me.
I feel like that. I feel like that today -- that all of what has happened since Friday -- the challenges, the oppression, the challenges...it was all part of "something".

I just came out of 'something' -- and my faith is rising up new
and all is well with my world.

I like the following video.
It really does show how clouds keep moving - the wind keeps blowing - the earth keeps spinning. Even the worst of storms pass over.

And the calmest part of the storm is in the center of the eye. -- but that's another topic for another day.



This whole atmosphere thing - it could preach.
I know several others have preached and taught on it..

for me - I'm glad that it's a new week.
I'm glad that things are yellow again. :-)

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Not feeling it...




Your Primary Mood Color is Yellow



You are a enthusiastic and cheerful soul. You have a real zest for life.

You have as many troubles as anyone else, but you believe it's important to have a sunny outlook.



Life is what you make of it, and you strive to make your life as awesome as possible.

You believe in happy endings. You are willing to put your a lot on the line in hopes that things will work out.



I agree with this -- that Generally speaking -- I have a yellow disposition.
Which is odd, because I never owned anything yellow until recently.
Yellow is the color of, among other things, the color of hope and joy.

Today I'm not feeling it.

I'm feeling rather bluish-gray.
I'm not sure what prophetic significance that might have -- just feeling a bit bluish. and grayish.

The professor is gone - yet again -- at the behest of a contractor.
He's up in the frozen Tundra ... or where the frozen tundra will be in a few months. (Not Canada.) There was even a snowflake sighting last week.

He's the morning person of the family.
Him and the kids.
I don't like waking up to a complete list of demands ... like something to drink and food.

I prefer to wake up and just sit. at least for a few minutes. I know that sounds very selfish...
it's my blog....

....

They started it.


Still, that's not all there is to it. It really has nothing to do with kids and early mornings and late nights and --- the endless STUFF to do...

The blues started Friday before The Professor even left.
I'm not sure what's up in the atmosphere...something is afoot up there.....
I just haven't seen what it is...

Today is one of the worst blue-gray days.

Today, we were making cookies to take to church. Oh, these were good cookies, too.

Some how, a large glass measuring cup got knocked to the floor and it shattered.
EVERYWHERE.
there were even shards on the table.
I got a shard in my arm. it bounced so hard. Several pricked my foot and my ankle luckily, none stuck. Even more blessed - no child was hurt.

The cookie batter, for safety concerns was thrown out. I couldn't stomach (pun intended..get it, get it??) cooking them up and then wonder if any glass might have fallen into the bowl.

It's been a few days of early mornings, late nights, and lots and lots of mommy policing in between. Survival instincts are starting to kick in.

I'm tempted to get out the camo face paint and go into lock and lode battle mode ...
barricade the doors and all that...

but then I look around and realize, it can't be THAT bad -- they're all still living.
And other than treading softy around the battle ready mom, they seem well-adjusted.

I still have hope.

I still believe that the atmosphere will shift. That the blue-gray haze will blow away ... it has to because it can't stay. I'm the boss.

I have hope.
And for that I'm glad.

Otherwise, I'd be found blowing spit bubbles in the corner.

Saturday, September 26, 2009

Studies of a big blue variety...

Every so often - in the few weeks that we've been officially "doing school" - I wish I could figure out a way of doing things "Better".

Sigh.

I'm silly.
I believe this was God-ordained for us to use text books this year.
But then I see other people able to do fun stuff in their schools.
Mini-Me wanted to put out food and flour to check for tracks, but I had to point out to her that all we would get would be cats and maybe a skunk. Our neighbor hood is critter poor.

So when she was assigned a Mammal poster/report, she jumped at the chance.
She had to choose a Mammal to report on - and her first choice was the Blue Whale.

AWESOME!!!

We started looking for information -- and found a really good "channel" at National Geographic.
They even have a video of a rare sighting of a BABY Blue Whale - which are RARE. We watched the video -- and I'm nearly embarrassed to admit it....but I cried.

One thing she learned was that a Blue Whale's heart is the size of a Mini-Cooper.

So today, we went on a hunt for a mini-Cooper.
The Salesman I talked to (I wanted to ask permission) was happy to oblige us - even moved the Mini out of it's parking place so the kids could stand next to it.

The kids were thrilled. Especially Mini-Me. -- who stood by a mini-Cooper. :-) and hopefully, that will be a not so mini-Memory.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Happiness...

Ya'll,

I'm happy.

And that really is the extent of this very random blog post.

Monday, September 14, 2009

Television Frustration

I don't know how it is in your neck of the woods, but we're not overly fond of the great Digital Conversion. I understand WHY they say it's necessary --- but I'm seriously beginning to think it was all a big scam from the cable company. (Meaning - some cable lobbyist can probably now retire.)

We like TV around here. It has it's uses, honestly. I've always liked TV. That doesn't mean we watch any old thing on TV. We were pretty selective in what we watched, but we still liked it. Like.
I have to remember -- we still LIKE it.

We got the converter boxes like good tv viewers are wont to do when they don't have cable.

We got them hooked to our two tvs and got them operating.

And it all went down here from there.

Viewing some things became an experience in pixel buffering and lag. It was like watching a pod cast that kept stopping to buffer. It was frustrating.

When I was a kid, to watch UHF channels required an antenna, some aluminum foil and creative positioning. Watching TV from our newly acquired Digital converter box and super antenna has brought back all those memories.

Then came the Great switch over. When all public TV Stations were supposed to make the great switch from analog to digital, and the signals would be boosted...

We actually lost all but the UHF channels. and on a good day - Public Television

How ironic is it that after the government switched to digital -- we in this house are only receiving the channels that were once considered 'rebel'. hmmmm....

Really, though, I'm not surprised....I mean there aren't many times when the government steps into take over something that there aren't issues and problems. or that it goes completely bad and becomes pointless.

I've even toyed with the idea of getting cable -- but then a funny thing happened.

We started watching less TV. We buy DVD disc sets to watch when we really want to watch something - and we have oodles of movies..

but those days when we just sat and watched tv because our brains were tired and we wanted mindless entertainment are far fewer.

I do miss it on occasion. I miss not being able to watch NCIS or CSI:NY during the actual season - instead of waiting for the disc sets to come to the store shelves. I sort of miss being able to turn the tv on during a storm. I kind of miss just being able to turn the tv on and get something - anything...

but ... we have to over come and adapt.

Along with the DVD sets, the kids have been watching old TV shows on the internet.
Mini-me's favorites, so far, are Benson (she has actually splurted her drink on the keyboard because she was laughing) and the Jetsons.
The other kids are fond of Batman: the Bold and the Brave, Scooby-Doo and, well, just about anything Mini-Me happens to watch.

The Laundry Pile is not digital -- and apparently, that's not a bad thing.

Most of the time.

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Time to Dance

There are a few things that I can say, without a shadow of a doubt, that you would encounter if you came to our house...

Loudness - inside voices?? Ha! We scoff at inside voices!! ESPECIALLY at the store. *eye roll*

Joy - even amid the whining

Music - LOTS of music, because I like it. It can vary from classics to blues to pop to oldies to Sandra Boynton to showtunes - it all depends on my mood but My PASSION is worship.

And when we can have all three...Loud, Joy and Music!!

Well -- it's time to dance!!!

Friday, September 11, 2009

One should not ponder spelling words too deeply

I never know where my thoughts will take me.

Spelling words can be one of the most fun mental train rides for me.
One word can bring a song, a pun, a funny - I just never know.

Today's word that started my mental train along the though track was "daytime".

"If everyone was awake at night, when the sun was not out - would they call it 'daytime'?" I wondered.

Puzzled expressions on the faces of the big kids as they pondered it.

They talked about it in mutters as my train continued down its thought track. It pulled into the station when I heard Mini-Me say, "Plus, when would we sleep?"

Hearing her say that made me smile -- some things are just absolute.

There is a daytime and a nighttime and spelling words should probably not be pondered too deeply.

Thursday, September 10, 2009

I want a badge...

Today got off to a slow start.

The lightening flashed so bright against the dark gray of my room - and the thunder sounded so close it shook my bed.

It was that loud.

I rather wonder if lightening struck nearby, but saw no evident signs of it.

Then the day started with a "Mom...she's doing this to me!!!"

"Mom!! He won't leave me alone!!!"

"MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

In the midst of that, there's the "Can I have....(insert anything here)...?" that I've heard a bazillion times already and it's not even lunch time.

I've picked up trash off the floor that has missed the trash, and ignored..

I feel like a police mom.

I want a badge.

I want a ticket book.

I think littering could result in a fine.

Assault and battery of a sibling could result in solitary confinement.

Yelling "MoooooM!!!" when there's no blood, could be considered noise pollution.

Hhmmmmmmmmmmmm

I may be on to something here...

I want a badge.

I missed it --

I missed my blog's very own birthday. It's three now. ;-)

AND -- 8 posts ago, I missed my 400th post.

I'm not sure if reaching the 400th post mark is a good thing...but I think I enjoy that fact.

There were more than a few times that I thought I was going to have to stop blogging.
There have been many times when I thought it would all just fall to the wayside as I...

a) had nothing funny or insightful to share
b) worked on a manuscript
c) I'm supposed to be learning how to play the guitar

So to reach the 400th post is rather fun.

And I missed the occasion.

Maybe it's good that I missed it - because I might have just rambled on ...

kind of like now. Which is just like Normal.

I wouldn't have reached 400 posts full of music, thoughts, kids stuff and total ramblings without readers who have become friends.

So thank you for being there!
And mostly - thanks for putting up with me...and reading.

You've encouraged me and laughed with me ... and slapped me on the back a few times.

For a blog writer, I got it good.
Because I've got the best bloggy friends ever.

Monday, September 7, 2009

Things Heard round the Laundry Pile...

Just this evening I was reading a hidden picture book to Bubbles. It's one of those that you lift the flap to reveal the picture.

The hidden picture was a mosquito eating a watermelon.

Bubbles informed me that "Mosquitoes hurt my feelings."

I had no idea...they usually just make me itch.

Speech Therapy can often be the fodder for much said by J-man.
Sometimes though, he's pretty focused on the task at hand.
This last week was not one of those days.

He was working on words that began with the "r" sound.

He told our Therapist that "I want to be a grocery shopper when I grow up."

Our ST thought maybe he meant something like a manager. So she asked him.

He shook his head, "No. I want to be a grocery shopper." then he got this "well, you should know" look on his face. "You know. because I don't want to be an animal rescuer. Because rescuing animals and saving them would be a lot of work." With this supremely austere look on his face, "So I want to be a grocery shopper when I grow up."

He didn't want to hear about the fact that he was a grocery shopper when he went with me to the store. Mostly because he knows that he's pretending to be a spy when he's running down the vacant aisles and rolling on the floor.

He told her again..."I want to be a grocery shopper."

Alrighty then.

Another word at the same session was "Raise".

So he started immediately talking about "Mini-me's game. She can raise people from the dead." -- just so you know, she's playing Final Fantasy XII. (Actually, The Professor is doing MUCH helping in her quest to beat the game. She really, deep down, just wants to watch the movie cut scenes. Though she insists that's not entirely true.)

J-man continued, "She can bring people back if they die - but it's complicated."

Our ST said, "There's only one person I know of that's done that. Do you know who that is?"

J-man said, "Who?"

"Jesus."

"Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaah." long pause "It's complicated."

He's five. I laughed.
We'll talk about it not being complicated another time when it's not in correlation with a video game.

The things we talk about....would probably make people roll their eyes at us - -but it's certainly never dull.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Ego Tripped...

If my kids do nothing else, they truly know how to keep me humble.
First there was J-man talking about my size...

Then tonight, after finding the curtain rod broken and J-man voluntarily cleaning his room (that's twice that he's done that!) -- Mini-Me says to me..

"Hey, mom? Have you gotten shorter?"

Sigh.

It's a good thing I know who I am in Christ.
Because my kids are truly trying to kill my ego.

Necessity warrants...

Sometimes I wish everything else would stop while we do our school.
There would be no hunger, which leads to the stopping of school work, the cooking of something edible, the whining when the food is not appealing to a child (Which leads to further hunger in said child), the eating of the food and .... lather, rinse, repeat.

The other thing that I wish would handle itself -- would be laundry.
School takes nearly all day. Then comes that time when I have to start the whole fighting hunger thing with dinner... (didn't I just feed them?). You see where I'm going with this??

Yeah.

Homelife is full of cycles. hmmm....much like a washing machine.

I ended one cycle today.
If necessity is the mother of invention - it's also the buyer of another laundry basket.

mini-me has been unable to locate certain garments all week.
It's been a constant hunting through the laundry. Today, I ran yet another load of laundry in order to find her said garments...I told her that if there were ANY clothes in her room that needed to be washed, she'd better make certain they ended up in the dirty clothes.

Sigh.

So that's where the missing garments were....no wonder we couldn't locate them using normal seek and find techniques.

"Everyone get your shoes on!" I called out. The "all call" from my mouth to their ears that we're about to leave the house and they'd better move it.

Sometimes I LOVE having a loud voice.

Mini-Me asked, "Why are we going to the stuff mart?"

I just grinned at her.

"We're going to go get me a laundry basket, aren't we?"

"Why yes, yes we are."
I'd been promising that if she didn't get her dirty clothes to the proper laundry receptacle that she would have to start doing her own laundry. So, after finding a weeks worth of the lost items suddenly in a nearly empty dirty clothes basket, I knew it was time.

She's smart. She figured it out, too. I knew she would. Then she tried another bit of logic. I guess she thought it would stop my forward momentum. "I'll TEACH you." was my reply.

I would have inserted an evil chuckle right then but that might have been too much drama, so I abstained. I have to tell you, it took a great amount of will power.

so we survived the trek to the mart.
Mini-Me has a laundry basket.
Now if she can't find garments -- it certainly won't be my fault.
Just like it wasn't my fault this time.

I like that.

I think I'll throw that evil chuckle in now....

Bahahahahahahahahahaha

I feel better.

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Effortlessly....

Today was one of those days that make me think I am supposed to be learning a lesson ... but just wasn't sure what.

It was a tough day on the emotions.
With the kids.
With staying on task.

I want it to be effortlessly -- and maybe that's the problem.
My brother tells me that if it wasn't hard, it wouldn't be fun.
I'm not necessarily a sadist ... and I find things happier when things happen easier.

maybe that's the lesson in this -- if it were easy, the rewards wouldn't be so sweet.

Until then -- I'm going to listen to this song because it suits my mood.

Tomorrow, is soon enough to find the fun in the difficult.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

A Tale of Two Houses..

No...this is not a Charles Dickens story.

Not even close...

It's the clash of families ....

No, not Romeo and Juliet

It's the battle of the ages...

and it's not wrestling....

It's the Laundry Pile.

The Professor grew up in a house that was Quiet.
I don't meant .... Quiet. I mean quiet.
They rarely talked to each other... conversations were not normal.
The professor spent most of his time as a kids with Legos. ..

I grew up in a house that was Loud.
not LOUD -- but a normal sort of loud.
My brothers were constantly wrestling.

His brothers, 10 years younger, were not physical. They were mental.
Video games, board games, card games, action figures, comics...
not much loud even when they came along.

Since This mom grew up in a loud, wrestling, playing, goofy, talking sort of house..

and I'm the one that's home with the kids the most...

Guess what sort of household the Laundry Pile contains.

Boy you're good.

I don't like bickering, drama and whining -- but loud boisterous play is quite aloud (except during school time) (snicker -- aloud...snicker)

Sometimes the Professor comes home to LOUD ... and I think he feels like the Teapot holding the tempest...he's not sure how much he can hold and the look on his face tells me he's afraid he'll break.

My professor needs a study -- or a tower where he can escape the noise and ruckous ...

and I don't have to worry about making the kids do something I'm not capable of doing --

which is being quiet.





Until I can find a study or a tower -- I guess we'll modify things a bit...

or buy some ear plugs.

Monday, August 24, 2009

Thinking...

Mini-Me, who really isn't a lot like me mentally (she just looks like me) (but so does Bubbles...) says, "What do you think is the easiest word to spell?"

Oh- probably "is" - says I without giving it much thought. I was focused on breakfast.

"I think it's 'a'." she smiles, "because it only takes one letter to spell."

*nods head*

Maybe she's more like me than I think.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

An odd sort of family....

I have an odd sort of family.

There's Mini-Me, the 10.5 year old who merrily proclaims, "I'm the smart one."

There's G-man, who is so much like me and so very different that often I don't know what to do with him. He loves Jesus and that's all that matters.

J-man is the class clown. He also sees no problems in hitting a sibling should they not comply with his wishes. Or if they annoy him. Or cough on him. I guess I could call him "Knuckles"..... but I won't.

We went to the local "StuffMart" on Saturday. Me thinking it would be fun to have a movie night...but forgetting how UN FUN going to the store can be. Especially on a saturday. Especially especially when Knuckles....I mean J-man wants to act out his computer game through the aisles of the store.

Standing in line to check out, J-man says, "That's a big, fat guy, just like you, Mom."
I shushed J-man because we didn't need to talk about people so loud the entire store could hear him -- the Man saw the blabber mouth get in trouble and tried to shhh him. Telling me, "Most kids think I'm Santa Claus"

Whimper.

I may be jiggly but I'm no Santa Claus.

Then There's Bubbles. The very cute, very small tyke who reminds me of Me .... and many other short, power mad future dictators. ..... I mean, World Changers....

Who told me, "I yike you, mom. but I don't yike dad."
Uh huh. Sure. Go to sleep, kid.
She only 'yikes' me more if it can keep her awake.

You've met all those kids...but what I haven't told you is that I have other children, too.
They've been with me for several years now, I don't talk about them much because, we've been getting to know each other. Our relationships have changed and developed...

There's the thief who thinks that's all she'll ever be.
There's the Prince who likes to break with tradition....I think deep down inside he'd rather be a spy, but it's not really an option right now.
There's the Prince's best friend -- who is definitely a glass-half full kind of fellow
and even the Pirate. to round out the group with .... well what kind of family would it be without a pirate??

They've been keeping me awake ....

and mentally occupied ...

and Typing. ....

and not blogging.

But family comes first, right??

Even if it is an odd sort of family.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

An odd song to start the day with...

I grew up listening to an odd collection of music.
Classics and chamber music.
Big Band and swing.
Oldies Rock.
Show tunes.
Some Blues because my dad liked BB King.
Some country - because one of the favored albums in the house was Willie Nelson's "Red-Headed Stranger"

So I have an odd collection of musical memories. I don't really mind. Until "I shot the sheriff" gets stuck in my head.

Yesterday was an odd sort of day. It started in an odd sort of way.

Remember when I said that I had that awesome song Newsboys song came to me in the shower??
It didn't happen twice in a row.

Yesterday, when I rolled over in bed I heard the lyric....

"The night they drove Old Dixie down and all the bells were ringin'..."

Excuse me?? What's that??

I know God talks to me through music. Especially music in the morning.

But I haven't quite figured out if that song was because
God was having fun (because He does that),
sending a message (he does that, too) ,
or the MP3 player in my head shuffled because I rolled over (a thought that amuses me because some MP3 players are motion sensitive nowadays).

I haven't figured it out. I'll have to ponder it for a while... until I figure it out...I guess I'll sing along... I mean, what else can I do until the Mp3 player shuffles again??




Na, na, na, na, na...

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

First Day of School...

It's the first day of school here in the Laundry Pile.
I'm not sure what it's going to look like - but I think it will be fun.

When in the shower, I began to hear this song play in my head.

Had to share....



If this is playing in my head - that means it's going to be a good day.

Head meets teeth

Sunday at church I hear a scream!
It's a scream of screams.

I announce that there had better be blood - because I knew exactly which child was screaming.
He likes to scream when he doesn't get his way.
And often, he just likes to scream.

There's no blood - but there is pain.

Apparently he and a friend, a petite young lady of the age of 5, were playing...and there was jumping.

I'm unclear who was jumping where and how. Just that there was jumping.

His mouth met her head.
She looked a bit stunned as she rubbed her head and looked at me. I kissed her head after making sure she was okay. J-man, however was beside himself (neat trick, huh?) ... He showed me his mouth and I announced there was no blood. He cried and wept, "Check my teeth - are they cracked?"

That was a new one.

I looked again. No broken teeth.

He wept as I took him down the hall way to find ice.
He's still positive that his teeth were broken.
I told him, "Sweetie, you didn't hit hard enough to break your teeth, Sweet Girl isn't even crying."

He wailed louder, "BUUUUT I AM!!!"

I laughed. I did.

He's fine, by the way.
It took a great friend to offer to pull his teeth for him to decide that maybe his teeth were fine, after all.

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Oh --- so much to do -- so little time...

Hi.
Miss me??

I'm here.
There and everywhere...

I have a great thing in mind to show you what I've been doing - because I miss our chats...but Sunday -- I got to playing "Fallout 3" with the Professor ... and Then I got to playing it again on Monday during naptime..and before I knew it, it was dinner time. Oh my.

There's so much I want to say -- so many of you I want to visit -- and today..

TODAY

The clutter must be conquered because ....*gasp* school MUST start soon.

BUT .... BUT ...

I can NOT get this song out of my head to make a clear and concise blog post (as an example - I leave you with the above ramblings) ...

Saturday, July 25, 2009

I keep falling in love

We are a quirky couple, The Professor and I.

I admit it. It's hard not to miss. He dresses like Dilbert and I'm borderline hippie in my jeans and t-shirts. If Flip-flops didn't hurt my feet so, I'd wear them.

But as odd as we are -- we are perfect for each other.

When I can not believe in myself - He does.

When He is stressed about work - I get stressed, too, but I do try to show him where the glass is still half full.

A good visual for us would be balloon weights and helium-filled balloons.
He holds me down - and still lets me soar.

I love him.

We've been married for 12 years.

And I've been thinking it was 11 years....because I didn't bother to do the math. Just went with a number. He never said anything. Math genius that he is, he never rubbed it in. Because he knew I'd figure it out. Eventually.

We traded DVD sets for gifts - because none of our TV channels are coming in.
I gave him Firefly and CSI:NY.
He gave me Burn Notice and Animaniacs Season 2.

Sigh.

I heart him.


Sometimes, I feel like we've achieved the status of "old married couple" because we often go our separate ways around the house. But really - it's because we make such a good team.

I keep falling in love. :-) And I like that.

Thursday, July 23, 2009

That makes sense - sort of.

We went to a sprinkler park yesterday and had a good deal of fun with some very good friends.

We had to leave because I saw the makings of two huge melt-downs coming and I wanted to beat the wave.

I barely made it.

In the van, J-man started whining. "When am I going to get to go on a sleep over with Grammas?"

"Haven't you had one?" I couldn't remember. Mom occasionally takes the kids for a sleep over. Usually taking one kid at a time. She took all three of the older kids the last time J-man got to go and he whined, "Not by myself."

of course, I can adequately describe the length of these words in type as they were spoken in whine. Too many letters....

I told him that I didn't know. It was up to Grammas but I would call her and ask.

He got quiet for a minute and then asked, "Can I watch Poke-a-mon* while I'm there?"

"No," says I a bit distracted by traffic and the fact that he would even ask that. "I don't like that show."

"I'll be the only one there. Please can I watch it? It's just like Sonic."

So I quickly and concisely pointed out that the shows were completely different and that I was the guardian of his eye/ear gates and I didn't want him watching that show. I didn't care who was there.

"oh."

... ( you know something's coming. I knew something was coming. )

"can I watch the news? while I'm there?"

"Why in the world would you want to watch the news? I guess you can watch the news. I don't think you'll like it"

He assured me, "I like the news. I've gotten used to boring stuff."

...

.....

.......

I laughed and laughed....and am still laughing.

So sorry that he's gotten used to "boring stuff" -- we don't watch the news around here because I yell back at the TV because I get tired of being lied to. So - I'm not sure where he got that one...

it's still good stuff.

even if it's boring.

* I spelled it wrong on purpose.

Monday, July 20, 2009

A little bit goes a long way..

Bubbles is adorable.
She's cute with a capital -UTE.

She's also in a very hard season. Some attribute that to her 3.5 years of age.
I attribute it to her World-Changer calling.
After all, Her name means victorious ruler of all.

My job is trying to train her to know that means spirit realm - not family realm.

Saturday night we were worshiping and praising God at church -- and I could. not. stand. His presence was so strong. I'm face down on the carpet when Bubbles came up with a plate full of strawberries and sat down next to me.

"Why you cryin'?"

I think I told her it was the presence of God - It was Jesus.

She patted my shoulder ... "Jesus love you?"

I nodded and said, "Yeah, Jesus loves me."

She patted my shoulder again -- "My Jesus loves you."

~~Insert giggle of glee here. ~~

She said it.

"MY JESUS"

Oh, my gosh!!!

Just seeing a glimpse that God is at work in the hearts of my kids.
A little bit goes a very long way to this mom's heart.

"My children shall be taught of the Lord and great will be their peace and undisturbed composure." Is. 54:13

Sunday, July 12, 2009

Things are looking up....

I am what-you-see-is-what-you-get sort of gal and I gotta tell ya, things have not been easy around the Laundry Pile.

The past two months have been CRAZY........Taking much more emotional and mental energy than I had reserves for...

The emotions, the mind, the sanctified soul in me (and all of us) is where the enemy likes to attack. It's his preferred method of attacking. (Always know your enemy.)

The bickering of the children.
The desire of one to be alone.
The desire of one to be in control.
The, I guess, pre-teen angst of another.
Long hours and stress of the Professor ...

It all became ammunition to be used against me.
I'm failing.
I've broken the children.
Are we EVER going to have more than enough - like God promised?
Will I ever get this done? or that??
The house is crowded!!!
I had four kids??? What was I thinking??
I love them - don't misunderstand -- each and every one is unique and our family would not be complete with out each one. That said, they have required more WORK than necessary lately.

Mix all that in with this DIVINE desire inside of me -- and ... it was a hard month. It was a hard two months.

During church one night, the Lord showed me how I was being buffeted by wave after wave - like standing in the sea. In the midst of the struggles of the past few months, I cried out and I whined and I tried to gain undestanding. I worshipped (not enough) and I poured out my heart to Him. So I thought, when I first saw the vision of being buffeted by waves that, I would be in the natural - and I thought I was standing on the sand.

I questioned my faith. I questioned the call I have. I questioned God's sanity (yes, I did!) and told Him so.

But Holy Spirit shifted my vision and showed me that I was, indeed, standing on The Rock. I may not have seen the rock with my natural eyes because of all the waves - but He showed me how, by running to God with every problem, with every whine, with every thing, that my faith was intact. Standing on the rock.

I was moved with gratefulness to see me as God sees me.

I fight the fight with the weapons I know.
I combat the thoughts and take them captive, but sometimes, when the waves are coming so fast, you get water in the face. Eyes. Ears. Mouth.

Some of the waves crashing around me are about me.
I'm called to be mommy and wife - but inside of me is a Divine calling.
Sometimes, I struggle with that knowledge when I'm struggling with the daily stuff of life.

the waves said, "You'll never make it."
"You'll be 90." "You're gonna miss it"
"Your kids will see it but you won't"

I would fight like I knew how.
Abraham never saw his promise but never lost his faith.
I'm young at heart.
God has Promised and is faithful to complete that which He started in me.
I am more than a conqueror in Christ Jesus.

I realize that part of the issue, the growing part of it, is making sure I have joy in the now
-- but at the same time, it's been a struggle to not become apathetic (or consider myself apathetic) to the nature of the Divine.

It's been a struggle to not feel like I'm becoming stagnant. Feelings are such sanctified liars.
But in the midst of it, I started noticing something.

I started to feel different.
I have a different attitude.
I have a different mindset. (even if it is being changed)
Others may not see it.
I still may have bad days when the waves are high -- but inside, I can feel the difference.

I feel this stirring deep within me.
I'm hoping that the home life will be different.

Since I blog about the daily and the divine here, I'm going to change my blog up --
Because, even as I homeschool. As I mother. As I write. As I wife. As I throw balls for the dog. As I try not to take it personally when the kids bicker. As I learn to play the guitar. As I juggle priorities. ...

There is a desire to seek The Divine in the midst of the daily.

Saturday, July 11, 2009

The Lyrics Grabbed me...

I'm in a seriously romantic mood.
Yearning for the romance of life.
Knowing that I am in a Divine Romance with Jesus ...

I heard this song on the radio on my way home from the store that shall not be named.

It grabbed my attention.
The Divine Romance in the song is .... is ..... lyrical.

No pun intended....although, it's a good one.

God so wants to romance us.

Thursday, July 2, 2009

What's a Blogger to do?

What IS a blogger to do when there's nothing GOOD to report??

~The kids are bickering. Seriously. I'll be glad when this phase is over.
I haven't quite figured out what's going on. I mean, besides sibling power trips. *eye roll*
I wish I had something FUNNY to blog about as a result of the bickering, but, alas. I don't.

~ Finances are not a happy topic around here.
We look at each other and frown. Then one of us has to make the choice.
The Choice to say: It's grim. It's down. But Our God will supply! The riches of the wicked are set apart for the righteous.
That can be a hard choice, I must say.
Especially if there are too many people around you who are so GRIM about it!!
I refuse to get back into a poverty spirit.

Someone said that if you look at that bill and start fretting over it - then the bill is bigger than God. I loved that. There's no piece of paper that is bigger than my God.

~ The professor broke a tooth. He thinks it happened last week. He started having major headaches. MAJOR. He attributed it to the stress at work and clenching his jaw. I went to the movies Tuesday night and came home with pop corn for him. He got up quickly at one point and said, "Great, I've got something stuck in my teeth". Then he came back and said, "Nothing in my teeth but something broke off."

He went to the dentist today. $600 later - he's had a root canal and a crown. The x-ray showed the break, down the center of the tooth exposing the nerve. I shudder to think....

*shudder*

Hopefully this will fix the headaches, too.

~ My original plans for summer were swim lessons, math, and maybe some small study stuff that I won't be able to accomplish over the normal school year. So far, I've only accomplished swim lessons. I've got the kids doing math today. It's taken them FOREVER to accomplish the tasks at hand. Things will have to change greatly when school starts back up. Especially if I'm going to have 4 students to teach.

*wow*

I am SO not sure how I'm going to make that one happen.
I'm starting to pray about it now. LOL
A friend has suggested school -- but I have a check in my Spirit about that.
So we'll proceed - full speed ahead!!

I really need to change my perspective, too. This is all practice for the future, I'm sure.

~ The professor turned 40. He's been getting gifts off and on all month.
He needed a new mouse for his games.
He wanted some new games. So that's what he got...
One of the games he received was "Warcraft". NOT the online version as The Professor is a solo player. But the orc on the box is a bit -- ugly.

The professor wanted to go out to eat on his birthday.
On the way home, J-man asked him, "Are you going to go home and play your creepy looking game?"

We had to laugh.

~ I had a fight with a friend who called me judgmental.
I'm not -- and the fact that she even suggested it really hurt my feelings.
So I was in a funk most of yesterday.
The funk didn't help the fact that I was already feeling behind on life.
It didn't help that I'm still trying to catch up on ignoring the laundry for 2 weeks. LOL

~ Even in the midst of life --
God is GOOD!!
He is still on the throne.
He Still loves me.
There is no shadow of turning with Him.

What's funny - this morning I woke up with a song in my heart.
Not a worship song....but a song just for me.
Zeph. 3:17 says: The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing

So - today - in the midst of feeling behind...amid the noise of siblings ... the pressures of life...
God Sang over me that I'm on Top of the World. :-)

And I love it!!



She has pink Drums!!

Sunday, June 28, 2009

Mom's Log: Swim Lesson Week 2

Mom's Log -- Star Date: Monday
Objective for this mission: Get everyone to class on time

We failed. We were a little late in obtaining our objective, but we still made it to swim lessons, so that really is still a success. Everyone is a little tired from being out late Sunday night. Last week there was a breeze, even a wind, each day of the week. Today, alas, there was none. It was hot.

We survived lessons and actually had nothing else planned that day.

Star Date: Tuesday
Objective: Get everyone to class on time & survive the heat
Minor Objective: See if the phasers can be set to "Taze" for the first person I remember saying they wished summer would arrive.

Today everyone is cranky. Which always makes for more challenging of an adventure.
We have claimed a table...it's a metal picnic table under an umbrella. There's a mom and her boys that come sit with us at this time. She's very talkative and has boys that are exactly 2 years apart. All their birthdays are in July. 6, 4, & 2. The 4 year old loves whales, sharks and dolphins. He was thrilled to find out Mini-Me knew what a whale shark looked like. He asks her every day to draw him a shark or whale. She tried to draw one in a doctor's coat and he refused it. She tried to draw an entertaining seal and he refused that. I finally had to point out to the artist that Boy age 4 was looking for realism.

Luckily we go home.
I'm not melting - but I sure feel like it.

Star Date: Wednesday
We make it to swim lessons with time to spare, even though I didn't manage to get everything that I wanted for the time we are going to spend.

Today, I talk to G-man's teacher. He chose his words very diplomatically. I was impressed for someone that young to take such care with his words. He essentially told me that G-man tried every task given with gusto - but just couldn't quite accomplish the skills needed to move on to the next level.

I had a talk with Mini-me's teacher, and she said that there were still some skills that M needed to work on. The check list could not be checked off for Mini-Me being able to swim across the pool.

Bubbles is HOT before the big kids are even close to done with their lessons. Bubbles and I are a lot a like - She gets cranky when she gets hot. I get a brilliant plan to let her play in the shower to get wet and cool off. She loved the idea - but then she didn't want to leave. I did manage to get her out and to her swim lessons.

We go home even with the kids being a bit dejected. Everyone is hot and tired. We eat lunch and take naps.

Star Date: Thursday!!! LAST DAY!!
Objective; SURVIVE THE HEAT
Ick. Today I am tempted to take my shoes off and get in the shower myself.
The last day of classes. We made a new friend with a dad who took his wife's place for a mommy and me class with his son. He plays with J-man and Bubbles for a bit. His son is 2. (He didn't look big compared to my chunk of a 3 year old - but his dad insisted that he was big for 2.)

Bubbles ends up playing in the shower for a bit again.
The big kids get to have a bit of fun for classes. G-man was the most excited. He got to jump off the diving board many times under the watchful eyes of the life guard and his teacher. The Life Guard even tries to teach them how to make a cannon ball.

J-man and Bubbles have their classes and they turned on the Shower sprinklers for their classes. My big kids are slightly jealous and would love to go play but I had to tell them no. Mini-Me is still dejected that she didn't advance to the next level. I explain to her that it's not that big of a deal. Most kids don't even bother to take level 5 classes and I'd rather her repeat the level than to drown in level 6.

J-man doesn't advance to Level 2 either. So we'll be repeating the same levels next year. Hopefully the classes will be much the same so that I can get in the first session in the first classes.

I can not imagine being in the later sessions that will take place in July.

As the lessons wrapped up, I refelcted on our weeks.
We looked to be a light on the pool deck. We got to talk to a mom and a dad (who liked to talk). They both helped ME pass the time. I hope that we helped them, too.

It made me realize, too, that we can not be so busy trying to be "Light" into the lives of others and not see when someone is shining their light into ours.

I'm glad that swim lessons are over. The kids are chomping at the proverbial bits to go swim. I'm chicken. I have to keep my eyes on two different kids who like to go two different places. Last year when J-man wasn't trying to drown, Bubbles was running away. Toward the exit.

I read the quote from the great philosopher Ferris Bueller this week. "Life moves pretty fast. You don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."

I don't want to miss life -- but trying to juggle "not missing it" and mommy-ness is my next challenge.