Spring

I drove to town yesterday to exchange size 1 diapers for size 2's for my 3 week old daughter. Yep... she's a whopper!
So she and I were truckin' along, and as we crested a hill, I saw out into the corn fields and pastures at the top of our road. The golden skim of early sunset played with the green of tiny buds and new leaves. "Spring is really here." With that thought, came the most unexpected sense of relief. I had to question myself.... Did I really think it would be winter forever? Ummmm maybe.
We started the winter off by totaling our minivan in a frightening three-car accident. Then it snowed, and snowed, and snowed. And snowed. We are snow-loving people, but enough is enough for a midwestern state!
While the snow piled up, the inches and pounds piled on my pregnant body. My sweet tooth lost the battle against the holidays. My due date came and then flitted away, smiling and laughing at me. Five days later, my precious giganto-baby was born.
I'm not complaining about any of these events. They just happened. It's how the winter was this time around. No big deal. But I think there was a subtle oppression; depression maybe?; a thin veil; or cloudiness over me. Maybe a crazy, teeny part of me really didn't think Spring would come again.
But God is good like that.... keeping the world turning, and the seasons changing and all. I'm praising Him for that. I'm praising Him for new life in the land, and in our family, and for all the wonderful things this Spring and Summer hold in store for us.

Appearances

I saw a young woman at the store tonight. I can barely call her an acquaintance, but we are always friendly when we see each other around town.... which is not infrequently. There is a pretty stiff language barrier between us, so I don't know much about her other than what I can observe.
Anyway, this woman had several young children with her (3 of her own), and she looked tired. Her husband is a busy local businessman. Amazingly, one of my first thoughts tonight was "Man, I hope her husband isn't running her ragged. She looks more weary each time I see her." (I know, totally presumptuous and judgemental)
Then I thought, probably 98% of the time, I have several young children with me (4 of my own), and I know I look tired. However, I would say that most tiredness in my life is my own doing. Staying up too late, not drinking enough water or eating enough FRESH food, harping at my children/giving them chances -- instead of nipping problems in the bud and saving everyone the heartache/earache, etc, etc.
My prayer is:
Lord, thank you for each day's grace. Thank you for the insight you give to me, when I seek you first in each moment. Father, please help me to create tranquility in my home by making good decisions. Please help me --through my appearance and attitude both in and out of our house to honor You and my husband and to be a testimony of the love and provision of you both, and of the honor that my husband also shows to me . Lord help me always to consider that there is more to other's lives than what I see, and to always be loving and assume the best of people until I know otherwise.

YUM!

My hubby did an awesome job this Valentine's Day. He usually does, but this was really cool! I have commented on the commercials for Edible Arrangements, and that it would be neat to get one of their bouquets. Well, hubby delivered........


This bouquet is adorable, and delicious!! What a treat to have mouthwatering strawberries, grapes, and melon, and thick, juicy cuts of pineapple, dripping with vitamin C here in the dead of winter. Love it! So thoughtful!
Happy Valentine's Day everybody!

Bathroom Renovation???

So, I've been comtemplating the pros and cons of sound-proofing the bathroom.
I admit that if it were sound-proofed, I wouldn't be able to hear what my children were doing outside the door, and there might be an emergency (occuring in all of two minutes time), or I might get carried away with the sheer silence of it all and accidentally stay in there for a few hours.
The incident that got me thinking along these lines went something like this...
(Kids are playing in their room. Mommy enters bathroom and closes the door. Mommy sits)
Clomp, Clomp, Clomp (Speep coming downstairs)
Knock Knock Knock
Speep: Mommy? Are you in there?
Mommy: Yes
Speep: What are you doing?
Mommy: Going to the bathroom.
Speep: I wanna tell you sumsing.
Mommy: I'll be out in just a minute.
Clomp Clomp Clomp (Apple coming downstairs)
Knock Knock Knock
Apple: Mommy?
Mommy: Just a minute please
Apple: Can I ask you something?
Mommy: Yes, When I come out.
Apple: Ok, I want to know if we can have a snack.
Mommy: (to self) grrrrr

To sound-proof or not, you be the judge.

We Are Family

 

Family is the theme at iheartfaces this week.
I heart my Pop-pop and my little Bubba-licious, and couldn't resist entering this picture taken during my birthday celebration last year.

I ♥ Faces : Pets Only

Themba ("tem-buh"); Themble-fritz; Thembles; ...... these are the names of our dog. Though frequently annoying, he's a good friend to us. I think most of his downfalls are from being a horse trapped in a dog's body, trapped in a house in town. Poor guy.
His devotion to my husband nearly matches mine, and my little Speep would be lost without "Buh". In fact he said "Buh" (and actually reached for the dog while saying it) long before he said "Mama".
Themba is a lovely sight, as are most Rhodesian Ridgebacks, and frequently ends up the subject of my photographic endeavors.
The subject this week over at I ♥ Faces (www.iheartfaces.com) is Pets, so I decided to enter this picture of our precious friend.

I meant to

My grandpa ("Pop-pop") died this week. He was 90, and lived quite an adventurous life. He outlived 3 wives, the last one being my "Grandma". She was six years older than him, and passed away last year.
With my grandparents being so old, I've spent about the past 10 years thinking (and being told) "OK, this could be the last visit". We have always lived far apart, so visits were only made once or twice per year. However, I spoke to them on the phone every week as I was growing up, so we actually had a close relationship in spite of the distance.
Knowing the end had to be nearing, there were a few things I really wanted to tell them like:
-- Pop, thanks for teaching me that if I ever got swept away in high creek water, to curl in a ball and wrap my arms over my head so as not to hit my head on the rocks.
thanks for taking me up in your airplane to count all the blue speck swimming pools below.
thanks for always taking my arm in yours to cross the street; always opening the door for ladies; always saying "Thank You"; always being a gentleman.
thanks for loving grandma and for being exactly who she needed.
---Grandma, thanks for welcoming all into the family.
thanks for loving to giggle and have fun.
thanks for being strong, and still wearing your heart on your sleeve.
thanks for your example of empathy, sympathy, and compassion.
thanks for creating a lovely and peaceful home for you and your husband, and a perfect "grandparents' house" for me to come to.

I meant to tell them all of these things, but "I'll do it tonight" turned into "I'll do it tomorrow"; and 'nearing the end' became THE END............ there was never a question about how much we loved each other; I'm not going insane over loose ends left untied, but I do wish all those "I meant to's" were "I did's".