resting

Why is it that when I finally get off my tookus (biscuits, cheeks, etc) and clean the bathroom, the other bathroom, do the dishes and fold some laundry, I just want to sit! :) Somehow, I think I need to just vedge. I've been vedging for the past hour! That is so not very good. I have more to do! There is more in the house that is dirty! Yet, here I sit. :) I'll let you know how the kitchen cleans itself.

Confessions

I turned on my electric blanket last night. I must confess that I've done it several nights this summer. It doesn't stay on all night, I just want to be warm when I fall asleep and I have a hard time warming up.

Sometimes I make a little extra lunch for my kids knowing they won't eat it all and I then I can have just a taste.

I always eat one grape from the bag at the grocery store before I buy it. I've gotten burned by bad grapes too many times.

I don't know how to upload photos from my camera to the computer.

I still don't know Gary's social security number by heart. He knows mine.

When my sister and I picked blueberries as our summer job (it lasted two days), we would leave the place where we were supposed to pick and would go to the bushes with the bigger berries.

I like watching "The Nanny".

Good news for post 100

Yes, it is post number 100 and you get to read it! I know, you are excited.

Great news: We had two doctor's appointments this morning and Simon and his tumor are looking fine. Simon of course charmed every nurse. Yup, I think he is very cute too. The tumor doesn't appear to be growing and right now, there is no reason to operate. We'll be having fewer appointments now and will be monitoring the situation. There is also a chance that the tumor might not be as large as what it appears to be: part of it is made up of fat. That would be wonderful and welcome news. His plastic surgeon suggested liposuction. Never thought I'd hear that uttered in regards to my child. We'll see what the years bring.


For now, we just watch and alert the docs if we see changes. There is a chance (although a small one) that he may never need surgery. Wouldn't that just be so very cool?



Thanks for walking this path with us. We really appreciate your prayers and concerns. The day is fast approaching when he will be aware that he looks different. There were stares and some comments at swimming lessons last week. I can't protect him from them, I can only give him the confidence to be proud of his scars.


Now, if only the insurance company would pay for one of the appointments! sigh

So much!

Hi friends

So much to update you on! I'll list what I can. CRAZY!

1. Noel is potty trained. Yup, you read that correctly. She still has accidents every now and then, but she is doing great! I wasn't ready, but she was so off we went. Hard to believe that I don't need to buy diapers. I've been doing that for four years.

2. We had such a great time camping. I'll update with photos later (after Gary downloads them!). I must admit, I was apprehensive about the whole thing. I love camping. I love my friends. I just wasn't sure I could be a mom to three ducks and camp at the same time. We loved it. My kids loved being in the woods and the river. We did o.k. at night. I didn't sleep the best, but it was so wonderful. I left feeling exhausted, but so very excited about the future of us and camping. I'm hoping to go again in the fall.

3. I was on the radio this morning! I'm very excited about my new job. I have so much to learn, but I think that I'm going to love it. I went to the studio this morning and after and hour, Troy put me on air. We had a blast. . . at least I had a blast. I'm going to do it again tomorrow morning.

4. Swimming lessons are done. I'm thankful that we took them and thankful that they are over. Every one of the kids improved, and Simon didn't have any other meltdowns. Garrison still cried over the diving board. Noel swam on her own. It was lovely.

5. My grandma isn't doing well. She fell in the bathroom and broke her femur. Pray for her: she is pretty discouraged. She is in a nursing home, but my mom is a big caregiver for her. Pray for mom too. It can be so challenging to care for an aging parent. Grandma is ready to go home to heaven, so we are praying that God will take her home soon. I love Grandma and share an anniversary with her.

Good things huh!! Summer is great and we are busy and happy. Family picture (the Koemans!) tonight. Noel and Garrison are watching Boz before nap time and Simon is trying to see if he can get two pencils in his nose at the same time. Gary is working late--we are thankful he has a job. I am happy.

Then sings my soul.

VBS began last night. Wonderful wonderful chaos. Kids, adults, songs, skits, stories, games, dinner. . . it is great.

My two favorite moments of the evening.

1. Noel was fussing in the nursery. It was late, it was past her bedtime, and she had been there for two hours. I'd be fussing too. I was called and I went in to get her. I took her to the sanctuary where they were jammin'! She was mesmerized. She watched, she clapped, she motioned, she sang, and she didn't want it to end. She wanted to "let my little light shine". I got teary eyed seeing the Holy Spirit work in the heart of my daughter. Oh if only she could know how this is the greatest thing I could ever want for her!

2. We arrive home and the kids are wired! I am too. :) Garrison goes into the living room and announces to Simon that he needed to light the fire and be Moses and he was going to be God and talk. They proceeded to act out the story. They got a few details wrong: Moses didn't light the fire. Moses was not a bad guy. I know, it can get confusing. Then, they asked to see it in the Bible Story Book that we read at dinnertime. I pulled out the book and they couldn't get enough! They have heard these stories, but they were getting it! We talked about Moses, the bush, the plagues (that are coming tonight) and more. Ah, God! I bless you that you have touched the hearts of my boys. The Holy Spirit is a work and is truly using VBS to stir hearts.

Bless God!

Swimming Lessons: the results

Hi again

Swimming lessons went much better today! Thank you Lord! Thank you for saying "Yes!"

Simon's teachers respected my request to not have him jump off the diving board. He had a great time and just ended early. Garrison cried about jumping off: but he can take it! :) He did jump off (o.k., he was guided by his teacher to the end where he was gently lowered into the water amist his crying) and there were mini-peppermint candies waiting in the cooler in the car. Gotta love it when Garrison goes off the board and immediately turns and shouts across the pool: "Can I have the candy now mom?" Love that boy.

Noel is opposed to going under as well. What is up with my kids?

Thanks to those who prayed. We aren't done yet. Three more days. Let's pray that they go like today.

Swimming Lessons

Hi friends

We are beginning week 2 of swimming lessons today. It is my big prayer request today.

Last Friday was not a good day for our Simon. He began to cry and went to "his place". We used to see it often, but rarely see it these days. It showed up on Friday. He begins to cry and then seems to leave himself. He won't look us in the eyes, he cries and screams, he can't move, listen, or even function. He did this before he had to go off the diving board. I couldn't get to him.

This morning I'm going to talk with the instructors about the diving board and ask that Simon not be required to jump off. For the record, he is gently lowered into the waiting arms of a lifeguard. He is wearing a life belt and has a noodle under his arms. He is in NO physical danger at all, though on Friday he was in great emotional danger.

I pray that he is calmed, that he doesn't go to this "emotional place" with the rest of the swimming lessons, and that Garrison isn't bothered that his brother doesn't have to off the diving board.

Lord, let it be.

I have a new job!

It has been a long time since I've been on a payroll from which the U.S. government deducts its taxes. My hours right now are long, but I love what I do. The pay is great: peanut butter kisses, squishy hugs, and running in the sprinklers. I love it.



But, God put in my lap an opportunity which I have wanted for a long time. I'm going to be a D.J. That's right, a disc jockey! It is something that I have dreamed about, wondering if this is something that I could do someday. While living in Chicago, I even looked at taking classes from Moody. I received an e-mail two weeks ago from my friend Troy who is the co-host of the local Christian radio station: WJQ 99. His partner is going on maternity leave in February and he wondered if I would be at all interested in joining him in the morning. Interested!?! Sign me up before you change your mind.

So friends, yours truly is going to be live, on-air. WJQ doesn't know what they've gotten themselves into. :)

Rich

I just found out that a former student died last night. He died in his sleep. He was perhaps 21? 22? That isn't supposed to happen to twenty year olds. Ninety: yes. Twenty: no.

Please allow me to share one of my great memories of my teaching career, one which involves Rich Small.

I was directing 12 Angry Jurors. My assistant director Cristin and I had encouraged Rich to audition, he never had before. He ended up impressing us so much that he was cast as the lead. His first time out! Pretty impressive. He is the juror who holds out on a guilty verdict and eventually changes every other jurors mind. In the midst of reviewing the testimony, Rich pulls out a knife, just like the one that was used in the murder, and he angrily hits it on the table so that it stays, the knife point stuck in the wood. On opening night, my kids are doing great. I'm sitting in the back of the house watching, Rich does his slam and blah blah blah. Then I notice that something isn't right. The dialogue is continuing, but my kids aren't all in their correct places. I hurry backstage and learn that Rich has cut himself on the knife. Everyone it still going. There is blood on the table, on others' clothes, on the set window, someone has knocked on the door of the set to summon the bailiff--they did exactly what they needed to do. It is determined by me that we need to get Rich off-stage. We kill the lights and I run with him to the bathroom while Cristin makes an announcement. There are two doctors in the house.

Rich has to go to the emergency room and I end up playing his part for the rest of the night.

I have showed that footage to every drama class since about what it means to stay in character, to keep on going, to make-do. Rich was a class act. He was in several more plays in high school and went on to act in college. He still had the scar on his finger and it would tingle now and then, a reminder of his time on stage.

See you in heaven Rich!

Get out of my house!

There is a problem in my house.

Snacks and leftovers.

Do you have this problem?

We had Noel's birthday party here last night and now, in my house, there are delicious snacks and great leftovers! I'm not good with either. I like them. I like leftovers even more than eating things the first time. Ugh! I work hard to keep unhealthy leftovers out of the house. I know my weaknesses. I won't ever work in a bakery. I love cake.

So now, sitting by me on the couch is a bag of tortilla chips. Not the baked ones. Not the cheap tasteless ones. The good ones. The perfectly salty, so crispy, so delicious ones. Meatballs, cheese, hummus, cakes, cupcakes, crackers, pig-in-the-blankets. . . they are all here.

Ugh. :)

God's Great Blessing

Noel turns two today! Happy Birthday! Thought I'd post some pictures celebrating her two years with us. Enjoy!

Happy Birthday Noel!

Sleeping in the hospital.

Chilling out.

Our happy three month old!

Guess what? I'm one!

Loving the pool. . . and life in general.

Eating her first birthday cake.

She is almost two, and loves to give her best smile.

What a cute bird!

Smile Noel!

Just let me get dirty!

Dear Heavenly Father

Wow!

You promise us that you are going to bless us, to give us your best for us. I never could have asked for a greater package than the one you gave to me two years ago.

I met Noel two years ago today.

You knew that I needed someone to make me smile every day.

You knew I needed someone who is as stubborn as I am.

You knew that I needed a little girl who could hang with her brothers without missing a beat.

You knew my heart and gave me my Noel.

You knew all these things, and yet you decided to give me more. A child who loves to smile, a child who loves water and mud, a child who eats almost anything, a child who tells me she loves me every night, a child who gets injured every week and doesn't seem to mind, a child who has decided to go on the potty even though her mother isn't ready yet, a child who came to us on the same day that our dog died, a child who prefers to jump across a room rather than walk, a child who is yours, yet you entrusted her to us.

We bless you Father for this, such a precious gift.

Thank you.

Amen.