I've spent most of the last two days getting Matthew ready for his trip to Florida.
At 5:45am, he hugged me and boarded the bus. After about two minutes, I followed the lead of about half of the parents and got in my car and drove away. No sense of watching the buses pull out, that was just gonna increase the chance that I was going to have dramatically impaired vision for the drive home.
Tomorrow morning's first stop is Magic Kingdom.
I should have stowed away under the bus.
31 March 2010
25 March 2010
get up
Being at retreat was definitely a "mountain top" experience.
Being home this week has been a rather harsh dose of reality.
Caleb's struggling. We're struggling to help him. His teacher is an eternal optimist, bless her. But the school psychologist couldn't be dragging her feet any more, and that's frustrating.
I had more than one huge moment this week where I felt like everything we're doing for Caleb is wrong and that I just wasn't cut out to parent any child, let alone one who is experiencing all this difficulty with school and having issues at home as well.
But it was pointed out to me that no parent is perfect, just as no child is perfect; and that the most important thing we can do for Caleb is to love him. And to let him know that we love him.
And to remember that God loves Caleb even more than we do and He wants what's best for him infinitely more than we do.
We'll plod along and figure it out, knowing that Caleb is in God's hands and there is no better place for him.
Being home this week has been a rather harsh dose of reality.
Caleb's struggling. We're struggling to help him. His teacher is an eternal optimist, bless her. But the school psychologist couldn't be dragging her feet any more, and that's frustrating.
I had more than one huge moment this week where I felt like everything we're doing for Caleb is wrong and that I just wasn't cut out to parent any child, let alone one who is experiencing all this difficulty with school and having issues at home as well.
But it was pointed out to me that no parent is perfect, just as no child is perfect; and that the most important thing we can do for Caleb is to love him. And to let him know that we love him.
And to remember that God loves Caleb even more than we do and He wants what's best for him infinitely more than we do.
We'll plod along and figure it out, knowing that Caleb is in God's hands and there is no better place for him.
22 March 2010
process
I'm still sorting through all that was placed on my heart at retreat. While I promise to tell you all about it in the next few days, I have to tell you this.
Satan did a number on me last week. He had me completely convinced that I could not do the job that was placed in my hands for retreat. And I was in the thick of believing it too; so much so that when the transmission on my van went out just hours before I was to leave, I seriously considered calling the director, who just happens to be my Pastor's wife, and telling her that I decided that I couldn't lead music after all and I needed to stay home.
I'm more glad than EVER that I went to retreat.
And while I'm working on telling you all those details, I have to share with you yesterday afternoon.
One good thing about our retreat location is that it was in the town where our church's music director and her husband live. And the one other time that ladies retreat was held there, we were invited to lunch at Shawn Del's as a group after conclusion of retreat on Sunday. And she is an amazing cook, so we don't say "no".
We're not idiots.
After an amazing lunch at Shawn Del's, I headed back to my brother-in-law's to return his vehicle, which he had graciously loaned me for the weekend. And Jas, if you read this, you still have my garage door opener....haha.
Anyway, I took what my husband calls "the long route" from the house back to the interstate and this song started to play from the CD changer in the car. I'd heard it before, but it had been awhile. It really spoke to me, and the entire ride home I just kept hitting the 'back' button to make it replay.
I just wanted to share it with you, since in a nutshell, it's a great way of kinda encapsulating my retreat experience.
Satan did a number on me last week. He had me completely convinced that I could not do the job that was placed in my hands for retreat. And I was in the thick of believing it too; so much so that when the transmission on my van went out just hours before I was to leave, I seriously considered calling the director, who just happens to be my Pastor's wife, and telling her that I decided that I couldn't lead music after all and I needed to stay home.
I'm more glad than EVER that I went to retreat.
And while I'm working on telling you all those details, I have to share with you yesterday afternoon.
One good thing about our retreat location is that it was in the town where our church's music director and her husband live. And the one other time that ladies retreat was held there, we were invited to lunch at Shawn Del's as a group after conclusion of retreat on Sunday. And she is an amazing cook, so we don't say "no".
We're not idiots.
After an amazing lunch at Shawn Del's, I headed back to my brother-in-law's to return his vehicle, which he had graciously loaned me for the weekend. And Jas, if you read this, you still have my garage door opener....haha.
Anyway, I took what my husband calls "the long route" from the house back to the interstate and this song started to play from the CD changer in the car. I'd heard it before, but it had been awhile. It really spoke to me, and the entire ride home I just kept hitting the 'back' button to make it replay.
I just wanted to share it with you, since in a nutshell, it's a great way of kinda encapsulating my retreat experience.
17 March 2010
nerves
Retreat doesn't start for two more days. And I'm already in a shallow breathing kind of state of nerves.
Contrary to popular belief, you know because I tend to be bossy and I talk a LOT; I don't want the focus on me. And whether I like it or not, some of it will be.
This is definitely out of my comfort zone.
Can I ask you to just pray that my "gentleness be evident to all"?
I tend to get super anxious when the little plan in my head starts to fall apart, whether I have control or not. And let's face it; whether the praise and worship part of retreat goes well isn't all in my control. There's a pianist and a powerpoint person. And then there's me.
No, I won't go there.
Things happen. I need to deal, no matter what.
I hope all will go well. And retreat will be amazing no matter what. It will be full of fellowship and fun and most of all, GOD always meets us there.
That's my story and for the sake of my nerves, I'm sticking to it.
Contrary to popular belief, you know because I tend to be bossy and I talk a LOT; I don't want the focus on me. And whether I like it or not, some of it will be.
This is definitely out of my comfort zone.
Can I ask you to just pray that my "gentleness be evident to all"?
I tend to get super anxious when the little plan in my head starts to fall apart, whether I have control or not. And let's face it; whether the praise and worship part of retreat goes well isn't all in my control. There's a pianist and a powerpoint person. And then there's me.
No, I won't go there.
Things happen. I need to deal, no matter what.
I hope all will go well. And retreat will be amazing no matter what. It will be full of fellowship and fun and most of all, GOD always meets us there.
That's my story and for the sake of my nerves, I'm sticking to it.
16 March 2010
I am...
....the mother of a child whose hands are now bigger than mine. Yikes.
.....not ready for said child to be taller than me; he's gonna gloat something fierce.
.....not ready for said child to be taller than me; he's gonna gloat something fierce.
12 March 2010
joys
Only as a mother can you find yourself having a conversation that in few sentences goes from "what's for supper?" and "A bird pooped near me today, it just fell out of the sky!" to "So-and-so got a chip caught in his throat at lunch and puked."
All in one van ride home from school.
All in one van ride home from school.
11 March 2010
white
After more than twelve years of living in apartment after apartment, I couldn't wait to get into our house where I could decide what color I wanted to look at day after day.
To be fair, one apartment was off-white, which is a variation, I guess.
I wanted to start painting right away, but it was nearly Christmas, and Jon said that we needed to wait until spring. Some blah, blah, blah about being able to have the windows open.
Spring came and went.
Not that I could decide what colors I wanted what rooms anyway, but that's beside the point.
I wanted color and I didn't really care where it was; just that it was.
But after more than fourteen months of looking at a yellow dining area and a peach living room, white didn't seem like that objectionable of a color.
I've spent the better portion of the last two days coating the dining room walls with primer. Up on a ladder. Down off a ladder. With a roller and then a brush. And it's white. And it's almost done. And I wouldn't really mind just leaving it that way for a bit.
Strange, I know.
But don't worry, I'm picking out COLOR!
To be fair, one apartment was off-white, which is a variation, I guess.
I wanted to start painting right away, but it was nearly Christmas, and Jon said that we needed to wait until spring. Some blah, blah, blah about being able to have the windows open.
Spring came and went.
Not that I could decide what colors I wanted what rooms anyway, but that's beside the point.
I wanted color and I didn't really care where it was; just that it was.
But after more than fourteen months of looking at a yellow dining area and a peach living room, white didn't seem like that objectionable of a color.
I've spent the better portion of the last two days coating the dining room walls with primer. Up on a ladder. Down off a ladder. With a roller and then a brush. And it's white. And it's almost done. And I wouldn't really mind just leaving it that way for a bit.
Strange, I know.
But don't worry, I'm picking out COLOR!
10 March 2010
09 March 2010
celery
Caleb was able to participate in the fourth- sixth grade Sunday school class this week; his teacher was away celebrating a family wedding.
Having spoken with the teacher of the older class prior to class beginning that morning and learning what she was planning for the students, I asked Caleb that evening what he did in Sunday school that day.
"We acted out Noah's Ark" he mumbled, unable to take his eyes off a tv rerun of Home Improvement.
I was instantly curious. "What part did you play?"
"I was the raven", he stated matter-of-factly.
After he endured me asking what it is in fact that the raven does in the story, he pryed his eyes from an instantly captivating commercial to tell me that the raven came back to the ark because it couldn't find dry land.
"But the dove leaves the ark and comes back with celery, I think."
"WHAT?!" I couldn't help myself, honest.
"Yeah mom. The dove leaves the ark and finds dry land and comes back with celery."
No amount of persuasion from me convinced that child that it was an olive branch rather than celery. He was insistent.
His regular teacher will be so proud.
Having spoken with the teacher of the older class prior to class beginning that morning and learning what she was planning for the students, I asked Caleb that evening what he did in Sunday school that day.
"We acted out Noah's Ark" he mumbled, unable to take his eyes off a tv rerun of Home Improvement.
I was instantly curious. "What part did you play?"
"I was the raven", he stated matter-of-factly.
After he endured me asking what it is in fact that the raven does in the story, he pryed his eyes from an instantly captivating commercial to tell me that the raven came back to the ark because it couldn't find dry land.
"But the dove leaves the ark and comes back with celery, I think."
"WHAT?!" I couldn't help myself, honest.
"Yeah mom. The dove leaves the ark and finds dry land and comes back with celery."
No amount of persuasion from me convinced that child that it was an olive branch rather than celery. He was insistent.
His regular teacher will be so proud.
08 March 2010
on the menu Monday
Chicken and Dumplings
2 cups cooked chicken, diced
2 cans cream of chicken soup
2 2/3 cups milk, divided
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables
2 1/4 cups biscuit mix
Combine chicken, soups and 2 cups milk; heat slowly to boil. Add veggies and cook till just tender.
Combine biscuit mix and milk until soft dough forms and drop onto boiling soup. Lower the heat and cook 10 minutes uncovered. Cover pot and cook an additional ten minutes, then serve.
04 March 2010
ch,ch,ch,changes
One thing that makes my husband crazy about me is that once I get in my head that a project needs to be done, it needs to be DONE. From start to finish, same day if at ALL possible.
It makes me seriously anxious to start something and leave it unfinished. I don't care if to finish something is going to take me into the wee hours of the night; if I can finish before I have to succumb to sleep, so be it. All the better.
And he thought that all of my "less desireable" qualities were from my dad. Haha. This one has "mom" written all over it....you should have seen Jon's face when he heard the cold, hard truth straight from my mom. Priceless!
Anyway, when we bought this house, there were lace "curtains" all though. We went and put mini blinds up in all the bedrooms for privacy's sake as well as looks, but we left the lace curtain on the bay window in the living room. Mostly because I just couldn't decide what to do there anyway. I hated how it looked, but not really enough to change it.
It makes me seriously anxious to start something and leave it unfinished. I don't care if to finish something is going to take me into the wee hours of the night; if I can finish before I have to succumb to sleep, so be it. All the better.
And he thought that all of my "less desireable" qualities were from my dad. Haha. This one has "mom" written all over it....you should have seen Jon's face when he heard the cold, hard truth straight from my mom. Priceless!
Anyway, when we bought this house, there were lace "curtains" all though. We went and put mini blinds up in all the bedrooms for privacy's sake as well as looks, but we left the lace curtain on the bay window in the living room. Mostly because I just couldn't decide what to do there anyway. I hated how it looked, but not really enough to change it.
Well, adding to my growing desire for change is this darn kitten. She saw the long lace as an invitation to climb to the top of the window; and climb she did. Several times. Leaving little tiny holes all up and down the curtain.
Yesterday, I decide that NOW IS THE TIME for change. Something MUST be done. Thinking that it'll be quite a bit harder for Miss Dina to climb a valance, that's what I was thinking needed to go there. I was almost giddy with excitement when I discovered that the Wal-Mart closest to me did indeed carry a navy blue valance! Like dance- in- the- aisle kind of giddy. I obviously need to get out more.
It took me about an hour and a half to complete on my own, as I took the old rod and hardware down and added all new. Go big or go home, I guess I was thinking. If I'd have had an extra hand, that've been good. But I managed. And here it is.
I apologize for the picture quality, I didn't remember to take one until this morning. But trust me, it's better.
Jon noticed right away, which is a record for him, and his response was "I like it." That's approval right there, I tell ya. High praise indeed. Now if I could just decide what color to paint the room.
03 March 2010
01 March 2010
on the menu Monday- poke cake
aka Caleb's birthday cake!
What You Need!
What You Need!
2 baked (9-inch) round white cake layers, cooled
2 cups boiling water
2 cups boiling water
2 pkg. (.3 oz. each) JELL-O Strawberry Flavor Gelatin
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed
Make It!
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed
Make It!
PLACE cakes, top-sides up, in clean 9-inch round baking pans; pierce tops with large fork at 1/2-inch intervals.
ADD boiling water to gelatin mixes; stir at least 2 min. until completely dissolved. Pour over cakes. Refrigerate 3 hours.
DIP bottom of 1 pan in warm water 10 sec.; unmold cake onto serving plate. Spread with 1 cup COOL WHIP. Unmold second cake; place on first cake. Frost with remaining COOL WHIP. Refrigerate 1 hour. Keep refrigerated
ADD boiling water to gelatin mixes; stir at least 2 min. until completely dissolved. Pour over cakes. Refrigerate 3 hours.
DIP bottom of 1 pan in warm water 10 sec.; unmold cake onto serving plate. Spread with 1 cup COOL WHIP. Unmold second cake; place on first cake. Frost with remaining COOL WHIP. Refrigerate 1 hour. Keep refrigerated
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