Thursday, August 28, 2008
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Adventures in Mothering
The new MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) year is about to begin. This year's theme is Adventures in Mothering. The topics are centered around carnival events. The lady who is in charge of decorating picked my family as the "models" for pictures of adventures in mothering. The photos depicted sort of crazy scenes like getting 3 kids buckled into their carseats, nursing a baby while working on a meal and having a toddler pulling on my leg. We didn't have to work very hard at staging these scenes, because this is my life. We have our own carnival every day for free. The pictures are pretty funny. I wish I had the copies.
Here was today's adventure in mothering. I worked at our church's Mother's Day Out program today. I've done it a few times. I work in the baby room so I can be with Little Buddy, and the girls go to their classes. I make a little money, get out of the house, and I'm still with or near my kids. Usually I have one other baby besides my own. Today there was an extra for a few hours. It doesn't seem like it would make that much difference, but it did. I know moms with triplets must be exhausted, but at least when you're the mama you know how to comfort them and what their schedules are, etc. I had a crazy couple of hours before everyone finally fell asleep. After we left there I went to Party City to order some balloons for Little Sissy's birthday party next week. Of course it took forever because there are so many fun trinkets to touch, play with, sneak into the cart, etc. I was finally to the counter to order the balloons. Little Buddy was buckled into the front of the cart, and I was holding onto it with one hand while I grabbed latex balloons and put them onto the counter. The next thing I know the whole cart was turning over and 3 kids were screaming. I was able to keep it sideways before someone came running to help. I think both girls decided to climb onto one side while I was talking, and their weight pulled the whole thing over. Thankfully Little Buddy's head landed in a vat of soft toys and Little Sissy was small enough to not get hurt. Big Sissy, though, has a pretty nasty fat lip. She was bleeding, and the more blood she saw the more she screamed. The poor guy at the counter gave them each a nice pink princess balloon (even Little Buddy), and I'm sure everyone breathed a HUGE sigh of relief when we finally got out the door. Unfortunately, you can't put a Band-Aid on the inside of your lip (see previous post).
Tonight we're all laughing about it (after explaining the serious dangers of doing that, yadda yadda). I just stick my top lip out and say, "Who am I?" and Big Sissy laughs. Our special angels were busy today, and I'm thankful. It has been an adventure, but please stop the ride. I'm ready to get off and go to bed. I think our passes are still good tomorrow.
Tonight we're all laughing about it (after explaining the serious dangers of doing that, yadda yadda). I just stick my top lip out and say, "Who am I?" and Big Sissy laughs. Our special angels were busy today, and I'm thankful. It has been an adventure, but please stop the ride. I'm ready to get off and go to bed. I think our passes are still good tomorrow.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Home Remedies
I have a problem. Canker sores. I've had 3 this month, and they're driving me crazy. I've tried the Ora-whatever cream, but it just globs up and falls off. Nothing sticks to the inside of your mouth, or I would put a Band-Aid there. I've been looking up home remedies--you know, stuff you can do to avoid using prescription medication. Some home remedies you are probably familiar with are aloe vera on a sunburn, chewing mint for bad breath, drinking orange juice for a cold. I found one I had never heard of--using ear wax to seal up a canker sore. If you ask my husband, he would say I have enough free medication to heal myself of a lifetime of canker sores. I just can't bring myself to do it. I'm pretty sure no one else is going to let me try it out on them first either...
Celebration of Discipline
I read a book in college--recommended by my InterVarsity staff worker--called Celebration of Discipline. It's a classic. I don't remember a lot about it even though I own it. The book is meant to spur us on to spiritual disciplines, but I felt defeated by even the title. Discipline to me is not a celebration; it is hard work and I'm just not good at it. Thankfully I've never had a weight problem. What I have now is, I think, the result of 3 babies in 4 years. Ask me next year if it's a problem...Anyway, If I got heavy enough I could usually fix it fairly effortlessly. I would get in moods of exercising. These moods could last months, but I still wouldn't call it a discipline. I've never been addicted to drugs or alcohol, so staying away from those things doesn't require much discipline. Here's what's hard for me: not spending money. I have many friends who don't seem to have a problem at all in this area. I admire them and I try to get tips from them, and if those friends are reading this, you will probably be appalled at my lack of discipline in this area just as I don't understand how people get hooked on drugs, etc. OK. There it is.
We got to a place this month where we had $10 to last a little over a week. This was not unusual when I was single. In fact, it happened every week. It was built into the budget. I could either rent 2 blockbuster movies or get one movie at shop-n-save and go out with the college group for a soda, etc. It SUCKED, but I got used to it. I ate a lot of cereal for dinner because I chose to buy a new shirt instead of eating. Now that I am married with children, this isn't a choice. Children need nutritious food, and husbands need meat. Luckily, we saw this coming and I actually planned meals to last us until the end so we could spend the $10 on milk and bananas--which constantly need restocked in our house. Now, don't go thinking we're poor. I don't want groceries to show up at my door because of this blog. We're not poor. We just chose (mostly I chose) to spend money on extra things this month. I bought things for a birthday party, had a fun girls' night out, bought some very discounted clothes to save for the kids, went to the Muny...
But can I tell you how hard it was to get through this past week and a half? We skipped our Tuesday night at Cecil Whittakers. I went to the mall and didn't buy a thing--no smoothie, no coffee, no gumballs for the girls. We went on a picnic and didn't get Subway sandwiches. Nope. I just made them the old-fashioned way. I declined a Longaberger basket party. I bought groceries at Aldi's. Basically we didn't leave the house much because I didn't trust myself. I was kind of feeling sorry for myself until I was standing in line at Aldi's behind a man who looked down on his luck. He had a moderate amount of groceries in his cart, and his card was denied. He looked so sad and defeated. I don't know his story and maybe he has addictions, but maybe he feels like I felt this week all the time. My heart was so sad for him, and I felt even more embarrassed about how spoiled I am--hating that I even had to shop there. I really think if I wasn't so committed to staying home with my kids, I would get whatever kind of job I could to support my spending habits. But here's the good news. We did it. Payday is tomorrow. I've learned a lesson about discipline, and I truly have cause to celebrate. The credit cards stayed tucked away, and we have cents left in our account. I'm embarrassed that this is such an issue for me, but I'm thankful that God always sees fit to help me grow in every area! Celebrate!
We got to a place this month where we had $10 to last a little over a week. This was not unusual when I was single. In fact, it happened every week. It was built into the budget. I could either rent 2 blockbuster movies or get one movie at shop-n-save and go out with the college group for a soda, etc. It SUCKED, but I got used to it. I ate a lot of cereal for dinner because I chose to buy a new shirt instead of eating. Now that I am married with children, this isn't a choice. Children need nutritious food, and husbands need meat. Luckily, we saw this coming and I actually planned meals to last us until the end so we could spend the $10 on milk and bananas--which constantly need restocked in our house. Now, don't go thinking we're poor. I don't want groceries to show up at my door because of this blog. We're not poor. We just chose (mostly I chose) to spend money on extra things this month. I bought things for a birthday party, had a fun girls' night out, bought some very discounted clothes to save for the kids, went to the Muny...
But can I tell you how hard it was to get through this past week and a half? We skipped our Tuesday night at Cecil Whittakers. I went to the mall and didn't buy a thing--no smoothie, no coffee, no gumballs for the girls. We went on a picnic and didn't get Subway sandwiches. Nope. I just made them the old-fashioned way. I declined a Longaberger basket party. I bought groceries at Aldi's. Basically we didn't leave the house much because I didn't trust myself. I was kind of feeling sorry for myself until I was standing in line at Aldi's behind a man who looked down on his luck. He had a moderate amount of groceries in his cart, and his card was denied. He looked so sad and defeated. I don't know his story and maybe he has addictions, but maybe he feels like I felt this week all the time. My heart was so sad for him, and I felt even more embarrassed about how spoiled I am--hating that I even had to shop there. I really think if I wasn't so committed to staying home with my kids, I would get whatever kind of job I could to support my spending habits. But here's the good news. We did it. Payday is tomorrow. I've learned a lesson about discipline, and I truly have cause to celebrate. The credit cards stayed tucked away, and we have cents left in our account. I'm embarrassed that this is such an issue for me, but I'm thankful that God always sees fit to help me grow in every area! Celebrate!
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Baby Love...My Baby Love
I never thought of myself as much of a "baby person" before I had kids. Of course I always wanted kids, but I was hoping to skip ahead as quickly as possible to the part where they could talk to me and I could teach them colors and numbers and Bible stories and such. I tried working in the church nursery because my sister was the coordinator. We were in a Pentecostal church at the time, and sometimes that hour turned into two if "the Spirit was moving." I was nearly bored to tears by the time the prayed-through mamas finally arrived to pick up their little angels. Miracle of all miracles, I had my first baby and I was in love--maybe not from day 1--but at least from the first ultrasound. My love has grown more intense as I relax into my role as mama to 3 babies. Here are some ways I know I'm in love with my babies.
* Even though I'm sleep deprived, I look forward to greeting them and seeing the big smile when I go to pick them up in the morning.
*I think babies smell like pancakes and maple syrup in the mornings.
* When I didn't see legs in my first ultrasound, I was already mentally redesigning my house and thinking about what kind of little wheelchair I could use for my child. (This was all a figment of my overprotective imagination. She was born with 2 legs and all other appropriate appendages.)
* I would rather buy my baby a new outfit than one for myself.
* I would give up the last 2 cookies to my 2 girls (maybe after trying to talk them into sharing one).
* I am willing to give up some luxuries of life (vacations, new home, a shower) to stay at home with my kids.
* I am perfectly okay with holding my baby through an entire 3-hour nap. (Sadly, I could only do this with the first one.)
* The thought of someone hurting my child makes me cry.
* The thought of sending my child to school all day makes me cry.
* The mention of their names makes me swell with pride.
* I am already praying for their future, their spouses, their career, their walk with God; and they're all age 3 and under.
* All my reasons for having only 2 children went out the window when I met my 2.
* Even though I'm sleep deprived, I look forward to greeting them and seeing the big smile when I go to pick them up in the morning.
*I think babies smell like pancakes and maple syrup in the mornings.
* When I didn't see legs in my first ultrasound, I was already mentally redesigning my house and thinking about what kind of little wheelchair I could use for my child. (This was all a figment of my overprotective imagination. She was born with 2 legs and all other appropriate appendages.)
* I would rather buy my baby a new outfit than one for myself.
* I would give up the last 2 cookies to my 2 girls (maybe after trying to talk them into sharing one).
* I am willing to give up some luxuries of life (vacations, new home, a shower) to stay at home with my kids.
* I am perfectly okay with holding my baby through an entire 3-hour nap. (Sadly, I could only do this with the first one.)
* The thought of someone hurting my child makes me cry.
* The thought of sending my child to school all day makes me cry.
* The mention of their names makes me swell with pride.
* I am already praying for their future, their spouses, their career, their walk with God; and they're all age 3 and under.
* All my reasons for having only 2 children went out the window when I met my 2.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Love Your Neighbor
We've been trying to go for walks in the evenings since the weather has been so nice. Having kids is such an ice-breaker for getting to know people in the neighborhood. Twice a guy named John has brought out popsicles for our kids as we passed. We ended up chatting with him for a long time about his daughter, her wedding, her 2nd kid on the way. I know how much he paid for the wedding, how much he gives them toward their rent so they will stay in town with his only grandson...
Tonight a Pakistani lady started talking to us and the kids. Turns out her husband is a hemophiliac and they can't have children because of his health. They loved on our kids in their broken English and served us cookies in their home. She kept bringing out more stuff to give to us even though they are having to sell their business and can't work because of his health needs.
I'm feeling teary now because I'm realizing that (1) everyone needs to be connected to someone, whether it's family or neighbors and (2) our kids are such a blessing. They give us a connection but also help form a connection with others, and (3) I'm so thankful for our health and the relationships in our lives. I think God sent this time of good weather so we would get out with our kids and bring a little sunshine into the lives of others. I've always prayed that we would minister together as a family. Maybe this is just a start...
Tonight a Pakistani lady started talking to us and the kids. Turns out her husband is a hemophiliac and they can't have children because of his health. They loved on our kids in their broken English and served us cookies in their home. She kept bringing out more stuff to give to us even though they are having to sell their business and can't work because of his health needs.
I'm feeling teary now because I'm realizing that (1) everyone needs to be connected to someone, whether it's family or neighbors and (2) our kids are such a blessing. They give us a connection but also help form a connection with others, and (3) I'm so thankful for our health and the relationships in our lives. I think God sent this time of good weather so we would get out with our kids and bring a little sunshine into the lives of others. I've always prayed that we would minister together as a family. Maybe this is just a start...
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