Shanda strikes again!

Got a message this morning from Chet.  Chet is Garrison's baseball coach.  He wanted to make sure we had received the message about the practice times because Garrison was missing on both Monday and Saturday.  Monday was MY FAULT.  Mine.  I forgot and Garrison forgave me in the morning.  Saturday Gary and Garrison went to practice.  They went.  They practiced.  Now either I sent them at the wrong time (entirely possible!) or the coach missed seeing Garrison (not likely).  Once again--Shanda doesn't have it together.

This morning we prayed at 8:07 as is our custom and then I walked with my ducks to the bus stop.  We were the first ones there and they kids were thrilled.  I had an uneasy feeling.  Did I miss the memo about no busing today?  I didn't think that was the case as last night I sat down with Gary and we went over the schedule for the week.  I wanted to be a bit more together.  Just as I was considering going back home our neighbor John came outside and told us there was a two hour delay.  Yup--didn't see that one coming.

I'm cut out for motherhood in many ways.  I believe that God is using me for good--He is so wonderful in that way.  There are things that I just mess up!  Consistently!  As my kids get older and we have more things to keep straight I'm just going to have to work a little bit harder. . . and my kids will have to learn early that they keep their stuff together because mama ain't always gonna have it straight.  Every mom has strengths and weaknesses.  I'm going to ask God to send wonderful examples into their lives to encourage and teach them in the areas where I am weak.

For now His strength is made perfect in my weakness.  (Thank you Lord!)  I love my kids.  I love being a mom.

Matching dresses!  I bought the wrong size for Penny--shocker!  She can pull off a really short dress though right?!?  :)

At the St. Louis zoo.

Playing at Grandma Karen's house.  Watch out--Penny is gonna shoot you!

Gynastics

The title of this entry is spelled correctly.  This is how Noel says "gymnastics".  To her it is gynastics.  She also saying "linening room" and "Anglish".  I don't correct her because I like it.  I'm the mom so I can do that.

Noel is in gymnastics one night a week for 50 minutes.  She likes it and so do we.  She received a letter about a month ago from the gym inviting her to try-out for the competitive team.  Try-outs are tonight from 4:30-7:30.  That is a long time for my little 5 1/2 year old.

I have no idea if they send this to every child or if my child is indeed worthy of being on the competitive team.  Gary and I decided to let her try-out and then make a decision after that.  She can continue with gymnastics in the rec program.  We'll just wait to hear what the coaches say.

I must say I'm a bit proud.  BUT I'm more proud of what her teacher said to me this week.  "Noel has been doing so much better.  There hasn't been as much drama."  Yup.  My girl isn't throwing a fit every day in school about insignificant issues!  Isn't that great!?!  Gary and I are always stressing character stuff over skill stuff.

I made Noel eat a peanut butter/nutella sandwich.  I tried to get her to take a nap (uh...nope).  I packed a little snack bag with cheese, orange slices, crackers and a nutra-grain bar inside.  Water and a drink box round it out.  We are ready.  And I'm not forgetting.  :)

By the way--baseball practice tomorrow morning for Garrison at 10:00.  T-ball practice for Noel at 11:00.  I'm remembering those as well.

God's Book

Penny crawled on my lap this morning at 6:50.  This is sleeping in for her and I'm thankful.  I had my Bible open and was pondering about Ruth and Naomi.  I think I may talk about them for my next speech.  It is only a week and a half away and I need to get trucking!  Don't you think they gave value to each other?  They enabled the other one to hold their head higher?  Correct me if you won't see it.  I wouldn't want to teach un-truth.

Penny asked about that book and I told her it was God's Word.  She responded with "Jesus is Alive!" in her shouting voice.  (We've celebrated Jesus is Alive! around our table when we read or talk about the Easter story.  She'll do it for you.)  I smiled and hugged her closer.  On a side note--one of the reasons why I hug her closer is that her breath smells good in the morning.  I love it.  Strange?  Yes I am.  Noel--stay away little girl!  As my friend Dave would say--her breath could kill a small woodland creature.

I told her that yes indeed Jesus is alive.  I continued by saying that this book is God's Word to us and tells us about how much He loves us and how we can live for Him.  It tells us stories about Noah and Adam and Eve. . .and then I was interrupted.  "And Cinderella!" she joyously exclaimed!  "And we are going to go to Cinderella's castle!"  She about came off of my lap she was so excited.

Nope.  Cinderella is not in the Bible.  We recently told the kids that we were going to Disney world this year after Thanksgiving.  Gary's mom is taking us and we are so excited to spend a week with her--and Cinderella.  We'll keep working on the Bible stories.  :)

I'm a regular mom

Last night while sitting watching Antiques Road Show (was that out loud) I suddenly slammed my hand on my leg.  I checked my calendar and sure enough--Garrison had his first baseball practice of the season and I had forgotten.  While talking with Gary on the phone I paused for a few seconds and yelled outside to Penny (who had peed in her pants) to "stop drinking that water out of the yard.  It is yucky!".  Gary's voice went up a few notches as he reminded me that I (me!) had put fertilizer on the lawn the night before and it needed to be rained in.  We had all played outside.  In the grass.  My girls had for almost an hour.  Um. . . wash their hands.  Have Penny drink other liquids.  I put Penny in the shower.  She always drinks water when she is in there right?!?

I'm a normal parent.  I forget things.  I make mistakes.  I apologized to Garrison this morning as he curled up on my lap--not so easy these days--the curling up, not the apologizing.  I'm getting good at that.

However, there are other things that I'm doing right!  I curbed my anger this week-end when I wanted to just yell at one of the ducks.  I made lunches for those who needed them today.  I didn't gain weight this week-end for the first time in months!  (This is a huge victory for me!!!!)  Five loads of laundry done and PUT AWAY yesterday.  I tried to help kids rollerblade.

My guess is that you are regular too. . . whether you are a mom, dad, sister, brother, grandparent, son or daughter.  Regular people.  Not superhuman.  Not perfect.  Not horrible.  We aren't locking our kids in a closet or giving them only two slices of bread a day.

I'm a regular mom and I'm proud of it.  Sure I keep trying to get better, but I will not beat myself up.  Don't beat yourself up either.  Learn and move on.  Guess what--I might just remember to keep my kids inside the next time I fertilize.  Guess what?  It is raining.  Woo-Hoo!  We can play outside again tomorrow.

Perspective

I burst into tears this morning as I read a message from our friend Kyla to Gary.  Quite the juxtaposition to my crying last night.  Yesterday had been a long day of potty training and Gary working and no freedom to leave the house and a few whining children.  Crying released the stress of it all.

This morning was different.  My morning tears showed my broken heart.  Kyla is our friend in China who ran the program/orphanage where Simon was raised.  She sent us a message describing three little boys who have been "left behind".  I read those words to Gary and I lost it.  Three children among the millions who have been "left behind".  She is nervous for one little boy to go to school this fall because of the teasing he'll receive because of his looks.  One cutie can't bend his elbows. Ahhhh!  I want them all to have homes!  Right then I prayed for these little guys and wished I had the money to pay for each of their adoptions.

It makes potty training seem trivial.

Not my favorite

"Cinderella is not happy that you just pooped on her."

I just said that.  Twice.  We started potty training this afternoon.  3 wet pants and 2 dirty pants.  In 5 hours.  She was also dry in her diaper from 10:00 until 2:30.  Ya know, just to potty train laugh at me.  :)

I'm patient and smiling and hopeful and doing laundry.

We'll get it.  I've walked through potty training with two other children, although if I had my drothers I'd do like we did with Simon.  He came potty trained.  Awesome.  This isn't my favorite thing to do as a parent.

Give us a six days.  Penny has her Mandarin class in six days.  Hopefully we'll be good by then.  :)

Service

I have pretty high standards when it comes to the service industry.  I'm not sure where that came from, but I'm discovering that I place a high value on it.  I've even blogged about it.  I love the Drury Inn. . . mostly because of the amazing service.  I love it and I love it that when I pay for a room. . . it comes with a wonderful staff.  Ruth was my server Friday night at 84 East and was so wonderful.  Smile, polite, refills. . . .good stuff.

Lately my expectation has been getting in my way.  See, I'm having a hard time letting injustices in the service industry go.  I keep thinking about it.  I keep wanted to make it right.  I keep getting frustrated because folks (me and friends of mine) aren't being treated right.  I find myself trying to think of ways to get justice!

So do I have too high of standards or am I in the right?  Do I speak up and call businesses out?  It might mean dissolved friendships or a severed business relationship.  I'm struggling with this.  I know I sound cryptic.  Perhaps I need to be--for fear.  This isn't the way things should be.  Maybe I should speak up more.  Then I also appear crabby.

Though I'm thankful that our adoption agency brought Simon and the Spricks together, their service was terrible!  We quietly tell folks who ask us that we don't recommend them.  Lately, I've discovered another family at our school that is going through a horrible experience with the agency we used!  Perhaps I should have been super vocal.  Perhaps I should have plastered it every week all over Facebook.  That may not be the answer either.  For the record--please if you feel called to adopt  AMEN!  YEAH!  Being called to parenthood whether biological or through adoption is Kingdom work.  Just please don't use All God's Children International.

I'm frustrated with a local campground for putting us on a waiting list where there were spots available.  I saw them on-line.  I called about them.  Four weeks later we received a call saying that a spot had opened up for us.  Hmm.  You obviously don't want my business.  We are going elsewhere.

Last winter I left a dentist office because the woman who checked me out didn't smile at me, and after I filled out the survey I received via e-mail I received a phone call from her.  From her!  Talk about awkward. My current dentist is in limbo with me because when I called to tell them that a crown had cracked, they told me they could help me in about three weeks.  Three weeks!  Shouldn't a service industry designed to help with tooth problems help with emergencies?  I told her I was in pain.  "Well, we can find something in three weeks."  No thanks.

An error for the second time registering Noel for rec sports.

"I'll text you tomorrow" says a banker to Gary.  He doesn't hear for six days.

Am I nuts?  Are my expectations too high?  I'm not sure.

Silver Dollar City

Spring Break came and went.  Boom!  It was great to spend time with the kids.  It was great to kiss them good-bye at the bus stop this morning.  Spring Break is good like that.  We had a split break in that we were home the first few days and then traveled to Branson to visit Mom (Gary's mom) during the last part.  We also enjoyed a hotel stay and a visit with the Pollacks in St. Louis.

Though our visit consisted of swimming, a zoo visit, the Dixie Stampede, and an Easter egg hunt, the highlight by far is Silver Dollar City.  SDC is an amazing place really.  It is an amusement park with rides, yet it differs from places like Great America in that there is an education component.  It focuses on the life of the pioneers and employees are dressed in costume.  You can watch a silver smith or glass blower.  It is set up like an old town.  There is a politeness there that I haven't found anywhere else.  It is clean.  It is family focused.  Our conductor on the train even remarked as we left "And may God bless you as you continue your journey today in SDC."  Not the typical place.

I was able to see new things in my kids.  Penny for example rode the little roller coaster.  There was no fear, just joy.  She loved it and I enjoyed watching her smile.  Garrison rode a REAL roller coaster for the first time.  He sat in between Gary and I.  I was a little nervous, but he did it. . . and asked to go again.  He was especially proud that he was tall enough.  Simon struggled a bit because on many of the rides he had to ride with a grown-up.  That is hard when your older (and much taller) brother can go by himself.  Lessons.  Good stuff.  I was able to spend significant one-on-one time with every one of them.  The best part by far was spending time with Mom.  I love her and love being with her.  She was able to spend time with the kids too.  Awesome.

I also ran into the Duggers.  The Duggers are a family with 19 children and they are on a television show.  I was looking for mom and Penny when I saw Jim Bob.  I tried to act very nonchalant and then I spotted Michelle.  I returned to Gary just giggling.  He thought I was off my rocker.  This is pretty typical.  I saw them several more times and seriously wanted to go up to them and thank them for sharing their faith.  There are many things that I would do differently than them as a parent.  I don't watch the show much anymore because I feel like it is less about family and more about cool things they get to do because they are famous and have a ton of money because of it.  I believe though that they love Jesus and are doing what they can to share that love with their family and with the world.  I give them lots of respect for that.  I didn't go up to them though.  I saw many people doing that, and though in a way they have "asked for it" by being on television. . . they were there with their kids.  They wanted to do the same thing that I wanted to do.  They would walk a few feet and have someone else ask for a picture or chat with them.  I never saw them stop smiling or roll their eyes or try to hide.  Wow.  I'm not sure that I could do that.  It was certainly fun to spot them!

On our second day back it was Young Believers week-end.  Thousands and I mean thousands of Christian high school students descended on SDC.  They had lots of t-shirts with cute Christianese sayings and many Bible Verses.  It was entertaining to read the shirts.  I loved hearing the Crowder band.  I enjoyed hearing bands that were unknown to me.  It got a little too busy for us, so we headed home early on Saturday.

Overall, it was a great vacation.  Wonderful talks with mom.  Great traveling (our kids are getting older and it shows!).  Pride at watching my kids learn new things, get excited, and behave more consistently!  Holding hands with my sweetheart as we drove talking and dreaming together as the kids watching another video.  God certainly blessed and kept us safe.

Dove is different

I'm sitting down.  Sitting.  The computer is on my lap and Food Network is on.  I even have a Diet Mountain Dew by my side.  I just heard that Dove is different and thought you should know.

Whew.  It feels good to sit and breathe.  It has been a day--it has been a wonderful and stressful and busy and laughing and good day.  This morning my adorable brother dropped off my sweet niece at 6:30.  Dakota is twelve days older than Penny.  They are beginning to play together--and argue--and laugh--and hit--and whine--and giggle.  The kids are home and discovering that mom isn't a fan of hearing "Can I play ipad?" over and over again.  Nor does she like to hear "Can I play on dad's old phone?  Can we watch a video?  Can I play on the wii?  Can I play on the ipad after lunch?  I just really wish that I could play on the ipad."  I found a great way to handle this today and will have to remember it for summertime.  (Summertime is coming.  Truly.)   "You get thirty minutes and you can choose what you want to play.  Then you are done asking for the day.  You might play more. . . that will be my choice."  It has worked out great.  Plus, they thought I was so very cool when at 11:00 I said they could play wii for awhile.  (Patting myself on the back.)

In the midst of having five children at home today I'm preparing for our trip.  We leave tomorrow morning for Branson to visit Gary's mom and things need to get accomplished!  I'd like to give a quick shout out to my oldest kids.  I think that although I loved having babies and cuddling them and squishing kisses on their cheeks. . . I think I'm going to be a better "older kid" mom.  I love the conversations and playing games that are actually fun.  (I was not sad when Hi Ho Cherry O got messed up and we lost tons of pieces.)  This morning I asked my boys for help.  I needed them to supervise the little girls in the basement so that I could get work done for our trip.  I didn't want to catch the little girls cleaning the toilet again.  The boys did it!  Noel jumped in too.  They played and entertained and broke up arguments.  Noel even grabbed all of the empty eggs from a hunt on Saturday and hid them upstairs so the girls could go and collect them.  AWESOME!  Simon gave everyone a piece of his candy. (heart melting!)  They stepped up and helped and I had almost an hour without big intervention.  I think I like this older kid thing.  They did ask afterwards if they were going to get a reward.  Hmm we'll get there.

So now the youngest girls are sleeping (Woo-Hoo!)  My mom is babysitting my sister's kids and planned on taking them to the pool this afternoon.  I didn't decline when she asked if my oldest three wanted to go along.  (Woo-Hoo again!)  This is why I'm sitting.  And watching a cooking show for 30 minutes.  And drinking a pop.  I'm taking a little recharge break.  Moms and Dads needs these.  We are better for it.

For the record I love Branson.  I love being there.  I love driving down the strip.  I love the travel.  I love seeing Karen mid-trip in St. Louis.  I love having my family all to myself with little "work" like cooking and planning and laundry and trying to ignore dusty floors.  I love being with my mother-in-law.  I love living at her house and seeing the amazing view.  I'm thankful that God made different views.  Penny and I are beginning a Mandarin class together when we get back.  I know--so cool right?!?  Feel free to join us.

Enjoy your week.  Enjoy the warmer temps when they come.  Enjoy the celebration of the Risen Christ.  Enjoy.

Luvs.  Remind me to tell you about Zumba sometime.  :)