Tuesday, February 28, 2006

Random Musings on a Tuesday Afternoon

All my children are in school in the afternoon. Lest you think I have nothing better to do than update my blog, let me assure you that I am posting to avoid doing all of those mundane things that make my job a wee bit boring. Laundry and toilets...what a joy! So, here are those things that are running through my mind right now as I speak...

1. What is he thinking???? I may sound like a democrat here, but why is letting an Arab country take over our ports a good idea? For that matter why do any countries other than our own control our ports? That seems like a no-brainer to me and yet...

2. Finally had "THE TALK" with Trisha. I had put it off for months, bought several books ont he subject and in the end I just old her straight out without the help of any visual aids. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be really. I'm sad that I wasn't able to protect her innocence longer. But, she was asking questions and I am determined that the culture and her friends are not going to be the voices that define this discussion for her. SHe thought the whole thing was gross. And, she said to the brothers, "Believe me. You DON"T want to hear about how babies are made during dinner....you'll puke!"

3. Read an article yesterday that confirmed statistics I had already heard: divorce rate among parents with a child with a disability nears 100%. WOW. It boggles my mind and yet it doesn't. A lot of defense mechanisms have to go up so that your heart isn't completely broken everytime something doesn't go your child's way...which is often. Unfortunately, a person can forget to let those defenses down and it is easy to forget who/what you are fighting and who/what you are not. I am thankful that Rob and I are in a good place.

4. Did you know that the first long distance phone call was made from Cape Girardeau, MO in 1877. I learned that helping my 2nd grader with his school project. You learn something new everyday.

OK...I've put off mundane tasks long enough!

Friday, February 24, 2006

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly...

T: Good: When asked what she would do with $100 for a report that is hanging in the school hallway, she said, "The first thing I would do is give $20 to the poor". (That, actually, would be her parents!) Bad: I've noticed that she named her Rabbits "Nibbles" and "Bloobs". Now, maybe I just have a dirty mind, but if she names her next rabbit Mamory...that's it!!! Ugly: Her whining over and over again about her expander. "Why me? I'm sure this isn't God's plan for me. I don't know anyone who has a worse life than me." Oh brother...

JM: Good: Drew the state of Missouri free hand for his Flat Stanley project and it looks perfect! Bad: His jokes...they are sounding more and more like my dad's everyday....not good! Ugly: Hitting. You have to watch those quiet ones.

JD: Good: Walking super fast with his braces and crtuches...awesome! Bad: Pooping after he eats every meal. (Wish I was so lucky). This, of course, is only bad for school personnel who prefer not to change a poopy diaper. My opinion? They also are jealous of his ability to poop on a regular basis. Ugly: Fighting with his brother every single minute they are in the car together.

R: Good: He is reading so well. I pulled out some of the triplets little readers from the first half of first grade and he is reading them with ease. Bad: Yesterday, he had a play date with a Kindergarten friend. At one point, R passed gas and they both laughed until they cried. I just cried. Ugly: Testing every single boundary erected this week.

Me: (It's only fair, if I'm going to air their dirty laundry, I'll have to air mine too). Good: cleaned the house, caught up on laundry, spent quality time with the kids on their day off, and spent more time reading the Bible this week than usual. Bad: Spending too much time in BlogLand. Ugly: Telling the mom of Jonathan's crush about it and then tat mom told her daughter and the daughter told two friends, and so on and so on. That was bad and a good example of how a Sanguine mom can terrorize a Melancholy son.

Wednesday, February 22, 2006

In pursuit of fairness

Well, the children had some time off of school to reflect on the impact and importance that American presidents have had on their lives. In order to effectively do this, we went and saw the movie Hoodwinked. May I just say that it is a very cute movie. If you have not yet seen it, I would go. The kids had good belly laughs and it appealed to adults without being crass and vulger.

Before and after the movie, we did a little shopping. Although I know that a video game isn't nearly exciting as a shirt, everyone ended up with something. Of course, on the way home I heard that famous refrain mouthed by children everywhere (say it with me folks) "It's not fair! How come so and so gets that and I only get this?" I reminded the children about how much I don't like those words and they did apologize and we did have a great day overall.

I know life isn't fair and that it is important to teach my children to be thankful for what they have instead of complaining about what they don't have. It's very hard to always keep everything fair and balanced. How does the Fox News Channel do it?!?! More importantly, how does God do it??? Amazing!

Sunday, February 19, 2006

Strep throat

Once again, I have strep throat. This hasn't been confirmed by a Dr, but I get it so freakin much that I'm pretty familiar with it.

I was thinking back to the first time I got it as an adult. It was October 2001, which, as you may recall, was right in the middle of the anthrax scare. I started out with a mildly sore throat, aches, chills, etc. I heard one news report that said the difference between anthrax and the flu was that you wouldn't get a runny nose with anthrax. Well, darn it...I sure didn't have a runny nose! I was sure I had anthrax! So, like any mother would, I spent my last moments on earth hugging my children. Later that day, I went to the Dr and told him about how I thought I had anthrax. He started to take me very seriously. "Ok...we better check that out. Are you a postal worker?" "no." "Are you in the media?" "no, I'm a stay-at-home-mom." He no longer took me very seriously. Took one look in my mouth and said, "It's strep throat". I wasn't sure I was convinced. Until all of the kids came down with it a few days later...

SInce then, I've had it probably 25-30 times. At least I lose a few pounds each time...

Wednesday, February 15, 2006

Calgon, take me away!

OK, it was one of THOSE mornings. Y'know the kind that make you want to crawl up in a ball and cry like a little baby... if only you had the time. It was a homework lost, shoes lost, socks lost, I don't like this outfit, these tights hurt my legs, where is my chapstick, what are those strange brown sausages on the living room floor (Poop from the dog we are babysitting) how can we expect to find anything in this crap pit we like to call a home type of morning.

SO, after the children left and I was beginning to clean out the crap pit, I see it. I'm hoping it is not what I think it is, but sadly, it is. It is Jaden's diaper. Not his dirty one from overnight, the totally clean one he was supposed to put on instead. So, I'll have to go up to school and change him. "Hello, School Secretary, this is so very obviously irresponsible mom calling, apparently Jaden did not change his diaper this morning." Long silence. I know what she's thinking, so I think right back: yes, I make him change his own diaper, no, I obviously didn't spend any time with him at all this morning. yes, I am a candidate for worst mother of the year.

As I get up to school, my humiliation mounting, I hear School Secretary calling Jaden. Hello, please send Jaden down to the health office right away. Teacher says something, probably about how it's a busy time. School secretary says, "Ok, well mom is waiting here in the health office, Jaden needs to come down right away." It's not that I don't appreciate her being sensitive to my schedule, it's just that Jaden has a bit of an "anxiety problem" and other than annoucing to the whole class that he had a load of crap in his pants and needed to be changed, that was probably the worst thing she could've done to Jaden.

At any rate, a few minutes later, I hear a crying JAden and his parapro saying, "Oh, I'm sure it's nothing major, Jaden, don't worry about it."

Got him changed and then went to WalMart to get some carpet cleaner to deal with the strange brown sausages on my living room carpet...being a mother, it's so rewarding. I'd take a warm bath like the books suggest to calm nerves, but I'd have to scrub the tub first...there is always that cookie dough in my fridge!!

Tuesday, February 14, 2006

The DH

I just arrived home to find that my dear husband has sent me flowers for Valentines Day...they are beautiful. It makes me think about how great he is. I mean, he really is. And, it's not because he gives me flowers. It's because I know that one of the number one goals in his life is to be a good husband. It's not to rise to the top of his profession, or bring home the big bucks. I know that lots of men of our age are obsessed with those things, but that doesn't really hold any appeal for him. Being a good husband, a good father...those are his life goals. He really spends time thinking about how he can be better to me. He actually spends time trying to figure me out, which as anyone who knows me can attest, is not an easy job. He readily gives up his own wants and rights to appease me...in fact, he even watched some of TiVod Desperate Housewives with me last night...I know that is torture for him. He really tries to build me up, not just so he can get lucky, but because he really sees things in me that I just don't quite see yet. I am a blessed, blessed woman.

Monday, February 13, 2006

Cute...

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day. I decided this year that instead of going broke on some real kickin' valentines for my kids to pass out, I'd just get the little box of conversation hearts with a To: /From: label already on the box. Sweet...$20 and I'm done. Except......Trisha. She isn't happy with this. I'm trying to tell her that they are Ok and the kids will like it. She says, "Mom, it's not about who they are to, it's about who they are from. And, these, well, they don't really say Trisha." How can you argue with logic like that?

Sweet relief

I had my MOPS meeting this morning. MOPS stand for Mothers of Preschoolers. Moms with children from age 0- Kindergarten are eligible to attend MOPS. With my youngest son being in the Big K, this is my last year in MOPS. The sweet relief isn't about the MOPS meetings, I will actually miss those. The sweet relief is that the baby/preschooler phase of my life is coming to an end. And, really, honestly, it's OK. I enjoy the ages that my children are. Focus on the Family (who I often disagree with, frankly) said that the years from 6-11 are the easiest in child-rearing because they aren't as physically demanding as babies/preschoolers and they aren't yet into the turbulent teen years. I think I agree. This is fun! Not, that we aren't without our fair share of fires to put out.

I guess what I like most about it is that I realize I do not have all of the answers. Since most of the challenges are more about their emotional and spiritual lives, there are more than one "good" way to look at things. And, since I don't have all of the answers, I don't expect you, as a parent, to have all of them either. I also like that since I have seen my children be human (read: naughty) on more than one occasion, I no longer feel the need to judge anyone based on their children's behavior. I like that I am more confident in my abilities as a mother. It seems almost silly that as the answers get less and less clear that I would become more confident. It's not so much that I'm confident in the job that I'm doing, I'm confident that God is at work in their lives, I guess.

It does feel like it's some down time. I pray that I use the time wisely to invest in my children...not just waste it because it is easier.

Thursday, February 09, 2006

Obligatory Posting...

I've been in a panic as of late. See, it has been several days since I've posted and I know I *should* post often, so that everyone* who reads this blog does not get bored. I don't know what to post about though. Sure, the Steelers won the Super Bowl and there was a crazy parade. But, who wants to talk about that. I think I know what the problem is: I am too busy to think of a blog topic. My life is running at Mach speed lately, and it begs the question: why do I let things get so out of control? Why am I not a better protector of my schedule? Why do I feel the need to pack my schedule full of everything?

I remember while at Michigan State and in a student ministry, they said that people who packed their schedule with too many things usually are suffering from lonliness. See, they are always running from one thing to the next so that they never have to be alone. Hmmm....wonder if that is my problem? Maybe. But, more likely is that there are so many good things out there to do, and I have a hard problem figuring out which good thing is God's best for me. And, I like to be busy. I always loved the deadline pressure of Journalism school. When I'm under pressure, I perform much better. But, lately, it's too much.

I've decided that I am only getting involved in things that will directly impact the welfare of my children. MEaning: goodbye Republican political involvement, goodbye women's ministry, along with some other things as well. Hopefully, that will help. Well, I've gotta run. I have to take Jaden to therapy, then pick up Trisha from gymnastics, come home and make dinner and then go to the PFO meeting, come home and do homework with the kids and then go to bed.


* by everyone, I mean the two people who actually read and respond to my posts :-)

Saturday, February 04, 2006

Top 5 similarites between myself and Jerome Bettis:

5.) We both grew up in Detroit (note to Pittsburghers, it is not pronounced DEE-troit, it's pronounced, De-TROIT)

4.) We both have strong legs. (I used to be a skiier you know)

3.) We both know that black is slimming.

2.) We both have songs named after us. (Think Prince)

and the #1 similarity between myself and Jerome Bettis...

1.) We both may...or may not be in Pittsburgh for the next football season!

Thursday, February 02, 2006

Parent/Teacher Conferences~ Part Duex

Well, yesterday was once again P/T conferences. There wasn't really much of interest that happened. Everyone is doing great. Although, I was warned by every teacher, including The Youngest's Kindergarten teacher, how hard third grade is. Am I ready for three third graders, I was asked? Probably not. Maybe by August I'll feel better. But, I can't worry about that. Today has enough trouble of it's own. Someone very wise once said that, in fact, I believe it was Jesus.

I feel badly for two friends whose kids are really struggling in school and aren't sure what to do about it. Nothing gets us moms riled up like our kids struggling, that's for sure, especially when you aren't sure how to act and feel helpless.

I recently told a mom friend with a one-year-old that the secret to parenting is to trust your gut. Almost immediately, I was questioning my own advice. Has my gut ever been wrong??? YES! I remember the time Jonathan was 14 months old and was crying in the middle of the night. "I'm ot playing these reindeer games with him!" I said, thinking he was just wanting middle-of-the-night attention. Turns out he had a double ear infection and ruptured his ear drum...nice! And, what about all of those times when my gut has comflicting feelings. Do I hover? DO I let go? Do I fight this issue? Was I too harsh? Was I not harsh enough? It's enough to keep a mom on her toes...or, in reality, on her knees.