Last week I got a phone call earlier than usual. I had just got the two oldest on the bus. I had barely started nursing Zech and was half naked. Elizabeth was “putting poop in the potty” like a big girl. I really didn’t want to know who had the audacity to interrupt my morning routine but something made me answer it anyway.
I picked up the phone and didn’t even get a chance to greet the person on the other end. All I heard was a familiar yet frantic voice saying, “Michelle, Christopher is missing. He chased after the dog. I think he went toward your house. He is gone. I don’t know where he is. He’s missing. Help!”
What was I to do? I dropped everything, of course. I laid the still hungry baby on the floor as he let out wails for more of his food that was now squirting across the room like a hydrant. I grabbed the closest pair of pants for Elizabeth and put them on her over her not-yet-wiped bottom while finding a shirt for myself so that neither one of us would get arrested for indecent exposure.
We headed out the door and started our search. I checked in my neighbors‘ swing sets. I looked in dog houses. I snooped through people’s open garages. I even called the police to make a missing child report. I could hear the cries of his mother coming from down the street. My heart was in my stomach as I am sure hers was too. After what seemed like an hour but what was actually more like 10 minutes, we found him. He had made his way to the other side of our subdivision. Crossing at least three roads, walking past the pond and was heading for the interstate off ramp.
I had the privilege of being with my friend when she was told her son was found. She literally fell to the ground in relief and gratitude. She was praising Jesus all the way to her toes. I also got to be there when he made it back home. She was so relieved to see him she wasn’t sure what to do. Should she punish him for taking off? Should she scold him so he will think about it before he did it again? How should she discipline her child that scared her to death? She did exactly what I would have done, what most of us would have done. She took him into her arms, held him so tightly that he couldn’t breathe and covered his face with her tears.
Isn’t that what God does. We were all lost at one point or another. Then we found Him, the One who loves us more than anyone. He didn’t punish us or yell at us. He didn’t scold us or ridicule us. He just took us into His loving arms and said, “This one is mine and I am glad he is home.”
If you haven't found The One that has been searching for you, ask someone to help you find Him. He just wants you to come home. He won't ground you, spank you or even take away your wii. He just wants to hold you tightly and cover you with His tears.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Friday, August 27, 2010
My son
My son, Caleb, never seizes to amaze me. There are times when he makes me so proud. He learned his numbers, colors and shapes well before the age of three. At the age of four, he corrected his Sunday School teacher about the names of the three men in the fiery furnace. He just knew them by their Hebrew names instead of their more popular Aramaic names. By age five he was doing two digit addition and subtraction in his head. At the end of kindergarden, at the ripe old age of six, he performed in the school talent show. He recited all 66 books of the Bible in order--a task most adults cannot do. Yes, there are times he really makes his mother proud.
There are also times I want to become an ostrich and stick my head in the ground. If you have never met him, Caleb is very defiant. He wants things done his way or no way. There really is no highway option. There are days when he is so disobedient and rude I wonder what we are doing wrong in raising him. He is the kid in class that the tale-tales talk about. He still can't keep his hands to himself, sit down when told or stand in a line to save his life. Within his first year of school he was sent to the principal's office more times than his mother and father were sent there--combined for their entire school life.
The bus is the worst. Everyday, literally, every one of them, when he gets off the bus I hear reports from the other kids on something he did to hurt them and get confirmation from the very worn out bus driver. Yesterday, the bus department actually installed a 5-point harness car seat in the school bus for my son. He is to get in the front seat and strap himself down so that he isn't such a hazard to others. When I saw him doing this, my heart sank. Yes, that's my kid. The almost seven year old that is in the baby seat and still a problem. I cried the entire day.
I am not one of those parents that swears they "wouldn't want it any other way". I do. I want it another way. I want it better. But this is what God gave me and He promises me to never give me more than I can handle and show me a way to escape it. (1 Cor 10:13) So for now, all I can do is pray. Pray that God will somehow use these experiences to His glory someday. None of us know when that day will be but I know I want it to happen soon.
There are also times I want to become an ostrich and stick my head in the ground. If you have never met him, Caleb is very defiant. He wants things done his way or no way. There really is no highway option. There are days when he is so disobedient and rude I wonder what we are doing wrong in raising him. He is the kid in class that the tale-tales talk about. He still can't keep his hands to himself, sit down when told or stand in a line to save his life. Within his first year of school he was sent to the principal's office more times than his mother and father were sent there--combined for their entire school life.
The bus is the worst. Everyday, literally, every one of them, when he gets off the bus I hear reports from the other kids on something he did to hurt them and get confirmation from the very worn out bus driver. Yesterday, the bus department actually installed a 5-point harness car seat in the school bus for my son. He is to get in the front seat and strap himself down so that he isn't such a hazard to others. When I saw him doing this, my heart sank. Yes, that's my kid. The almost seven year old that is in the baby seat and still a problem. I cried the entire day.
I am not one of those parents that swears they "wouldn't want it any other way". I do. I want it another way. I want it better. But this is what God gave me and He promises me to never give me more than I can handle and show me a way to escape it. (1 Cor 10:13) So for now, all I can do is pray. Pray that God will somehow use these experiences to His glory someday. None of us know when that day will be but I know I want it to happen soon.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
A Writing Contest
I entered a writing contest in one of my parenting magazines. They were looking for interesting internet blogs about family life and parenting stories. I found my favorite one and sent it in. They read over 200 entries and chose the top ten journals. The winners were featured in this month’s publication.
I flipped open the magazine excited to read the entries of my fellow moms and see what kind of blogs the columnists considered worthy. Some of the articles were good but for the most part I felt as if the contest was about who could have the most traumatic story. Some wrote about the difficulties of trying to conceive. Others wrote about delivering premature infants and the struggles that come with delayed children. A couple of the entries were about the joys and problems that come with an adopted child. One man wrote about being the “mom” while his partner took on the “dad” role. Another couple discussed the woes of being a black couple in DC (because there are no other black people in DC?). Most sadly, one woman wrote about losing her son unexpectedly way too early.
After reading the competition's letters, I assume my life, children and stories are just too boring. Let’s face reality. I am a white, Christian, heterosexual woman married to a heterosexual man. I am the mother of four children who were conceived the good old fashion way, delivered from my own womb on their due dates. None of them have any major health issues, diseases or disabilities. And, thankfully, they are all still alive and with us. I guess we are just the average run-of-the-mill family.
No, I didn’t win. But if it takes a struggle, tragedy or abnormality to write an award-winning blog then I am fine with losing.
I flipped open the magazine excited to read the entries of my fellow moms and see what kind of blogs the columnists considered worthy. Some of the articles were good but for the most part I felt as if the contest was about who could have the most traumatic story. Some wrote about the difficulties of trying to conceive. Others wrote about delivering premature infants and the struggles that come with delayed children. A couple of the entries were about the joys and problems that come with an adopted child. One man wrote about being the “mom” while his partner took on the “dad” role. Another couple discussed the woes of being a black couple in DC (because there are no other black people in DC?). Most sadly, one woman wrote about losing her son unexpectedly way too early.
After reading the competition's letters, I assume my life, children and stories are just too boring. Let’s face reality. I am a white, Christian, heterosexual woman married to a heterosexual man. I am the mother of four children who were conceived the good old fashion way, delivered from my own womb on their due dates. None of them have any major health issues, diseases or disabilities. And, thankfully, they are all still alive and with us. I guess we are just the average run-of-the-mill family.
No, I didn’t win. But if it takes a struggle, tragedy or abnormality to write an award-winning blog then I am fine with losing.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Silly Bands
You have seen them. Everyone is wearing them. Those colorful rubber bands that all the kids have around their wrists. It’s the newest craze. Personally, I think they are appropriately named--”silly” bands, that is. I mean, seriously, why would anyone every pay that kind of money for rubber bands? Bands that make shapes of a variety of things? For your kids to wear and share?
Well, I know who would buy them. I would! Now don’t get me wrong. We are not the kind of people that give into peer pressure very often. But, I gave in and bought some. Not only do I allow Caleb to wear them. I encourage it. And best yet, I even wear them.
Want to know why? It is a wonderful way for me to reward and punish Caleb with very little effort on my part. Here is how it works. I wear the bands on my wrist. When I catch Caleb doing something good, even the smallest thing, I give him one. He gets so excited about it that he then starts looking for things to do to get another one. It is wonderful. Then, when he does something he is not supposed to---well, I just ask for one back. It is a great exchange with very little effort on my part. I can wear them on my arm so they are readily available. There is no need to stop what I am doing and retrieve some other kind of reward. No need to spank or put him the corner (because neither really work on him). All I have to do is slip it off of my arm and hand it over. Contrarily, if he is in need of discipline, I just put my hand out. He knows he has to give me one back and on with life we go. That simple.
No, I am not naïve enough to think this will always work. I also know that these bands will not work in every situation. But, for now, they are a miracle for our issues with discipline and I am grateful. So, even though I still think they are silly, I also think they are ingenious . So next time you see our oldest just ask him how many bands he has and what he can do to get another.
Well, I know who would buy them. I would! Now don’t get me wrong. We are not the kind of people that give into peer pressure very often. But, I gave in and bought some. Not only do I allow Caleb to wear them. I encourage it. And best yet, I even wear them.
Want to know why? It is a wonderful way for me to reward and punish Caleb with very little effort on my part. Here is how it works. I wear the bands on my wrist. When I catch Caleb doing something good, even the smallest thing, I give him one. He gets so excited about it that he then starts looking for things to do to get another one. It is wonderful. Then, when he does something he is not supposed to---well, I just ask for one back. It is a great exchange with very little effort on my part. I can wear them on my arm so they are readily available. There is no need to stop what I am doing and retrieve some other kind of reward. No need to spank or put him the corner (because neither really work on him). All I have to do is slip it off of my arm and hand it over. Contrarily, if he is in need of discipline, I just put my hand out. He knows he has to give me one back and on with life we go. That simple.
No, I am not naïve enough to think this will always work. I also know that these bands will not work in every situation. But, for now, they are a miracle for our issues with discipline and I am grateful. So, even though I still think they are silly, I also think they are ingenious . So next time you see our oldest just ask him how many bands he has and what he can do to get another.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
BBQ Taste-Off
Last weekend we attended Lebanon’s “Third Annual BBQ Taste-Off“. We were handed a tray to fill and off we went. We walked around to various booths that had Dixie cups full of their own recipe of BBQ pork. The object was to gather as many cups of pork as you wanted, taste test them all and then report back to which one you thought was the best.
Some looked scrumptious. Others not so much. Some was labeled “sweet” or “spicy”. There were some booths too far away to travel to with four kids to make the effort but for the most part it was easily laid out. Matt, Caleb and I all tried our trayful of samplers. Bite after bite we put our choices in good and bad piles. In the end we all reported to each other our top three and we agreed on a winner.
But then I thought that is what it is like when we meet new people. We walk around with our tray and judge others by their appearances and decide only by outer looks if we will even consider them. We want people to come with a warning label that says sweet or spicy (I know I would get the latter.) and choose to not accept them even if it might be a spice we like. We prefer to not even go through the trouble if someone is too far away. Then as we try them we make our piles. A pile of people we want to hang out with and our pile of “no thank you’s”. In the end we have our favorites and if we are lucky we get to marry the one we liked the most. (which is hopefully the one your parents liked the most too.)
But I wonder sometimes…if I would have just tried the BBQ at booth 16 (that didn’t look that good or had the wrong label, or…) Maybe, just maybe, if I would have just given her a try, she could have become a good friend too.
Some looked scrumptious. Others not so much. Some was labeled “sweet” or “spicy”. There were some booths too far away to travel to with four kids to make the effort but for the most part it was easily laid out. Matt, Caleb and I all tried our trayful of samplers. Bite after bite we put our choices in good and bad piles. In the end we all reported to each other our top three and we agreed on a winner.
But then I thought that is what it is like when we meet new people. We walk around with our tray and judge others by their appearances and decide only by outer looks if we will even consider them. We want people to come with a warning label that says sweet or spicy (I know I would get the latter.) and choose to not accept them even if it might be a spice we like. We prefer to not even go through the trouble if someone is too far away. Then as we try them we make our piles. A pile of people we want to hang out with and our pile of “no thank you’s”. In the end we have our favorites and if we are lucky we get to marry the one we liked the most. (which is hopefully the one your parents liked the most too.)
But I wonder sometimes…if I would have just tried the BBQ at booth 16 (that didn’t look that good or had the wrong label, or…) Maybe, just maybe, if I would have just given her a try, she could have become a good friend too.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Football
Caleb started flag football last night. He is very excited. So am I. He is learning listening skills, routine and control while running and exercising. It is great. Practice was at the youth football field at the park where we used to live when we first moved to Lebanon. It was packed. There was no where to park. Cars and minivans lined the streets and filled neighbors' yards. All levels of players where at this particular location. All the leagues players from rookie flag football to 200 lbs high school linemen with pads and cleats, cheerleaders and, of course, parents were there. It was a site to see.
Like most nights, Matt and I had several things planned. We had to figure out how to juggle the schedule to get everyone where they needed to be on time. The plan was for Matt to take Caleb to practice while I had the other 3 at a different meeting. Then we were to meet half way through practice and switch. I would finish out practice with Caleb and Matt was taking the younger ones to his meeting. The plan worked in theory. I problem was that practice was at the park.
Within the 60 seconds that it took us to switch kids and locations, Rebekah unbuckled her seat belt, got out of the van and headed somewhere. Matt didn't look for her until he got out to the road due to the fact he was trying to navigate through all the people and cars. By the time he called me to tell me to start looking for her, she had been out of the van wondering around for 3-5 minutes. I was scared!
Remember, the place was packed. There was no way we could have started yelling for her. She would have never heard us. We don't know if she headed for the playground or the cheerleaders which were in completely opposite directions. We couldn't just look for a little girl as many siblings of the players were roaming around. I didn't even know where to start. It was a very overwhelming and hallow feeling.
Only by the grace of God did I spot her. God showed me right where she was in the midst of hundreds of people before Matt even got the van back through the mess of vehicles. I am so glad HE did. Not only could she have been kidnapped, abused, or simply lost. When I found her she was literally oblivious to her surroundings as she walked straight in the middle of a line of scrimmage of high school boys with pads. She almost got pummeled.
So, Caleb had a good practice and Rebekah is home safely. Her bottom is quite red still but she is sleeping in her own bed and that is a good thing. Thank you God.
Like most nights, Matt and I had several things planned. We had to figure out how to juggle the schedule to get everyone where they needed to be on time. The plan was for Matt to take Caleb to practice while I had the other 3 at a different meeting. Then we were to meet half way through practice and switch. I would finish out practice with Caleb and Matt was taking the younger ones to his meeting. The plan worked in theory. I problem was that practice was at the park.
Within the 60 seconds that it took us to switch kids and locations, Rebekah unbuckled her seat belt, got out of the van and headed somewhere. Matt didn't look for her until he got out to the road due to the fact he was trying to navigate through all the people and cars. By the time he called me to tell me to start looking for her, she had been out of the van wondering around for 3-5 minutes. I was scared!
Remember, the place was packed. There was no way we could have started yelling for her. She would have never heard us. We don't know if she headed for the playground or the cheerleaders which were in completely opposite directions. We couldn't just look for a little girl as many siblings of the players were roaming around. I didn't even know where to start. It was a very overwhelming and hallow feeling.
Only by the grace of God did I spot her. God showed me right where she was in the midst of hundreds of people before Matt even got the van back through the mess of vehicles. I am so glad HE did. Not only could she have been kidnapped, abused, or simply lost. When I found her she was literally oblivious to her surroundings as she walked straight in the middle of a line of scrimmage of high school boys with pads. She almost got pummeled.
So, Caleb had a good practice and Rebekah is home safely. Her bottom is quite red still but she is sleeping in her own bed and that is a good thing. Thank you God.
Monday, August 16, 2010
One week down!
The first week of school came and went. It actually went very fast. It was only five “work” days ago that I sent Caleb off to first grade and Rebekah to kindergarten. Within those five days they have made new friends, learned the lunch routine and have taken many pre-tests to determine how much they already know and how much need to learn.
Rebekah has been reviewing shapes, letters and numbers. She might actually be bored if she didn’t love to color and socialize so much. Caleb has a writing/reading assessment that he thoroughly hates because he has to use fine motor skills to write. But alternatively, he has math assessments that actually say (I kid you not) “algebra computation” that he really loves. He told me that “it‘s not really algebra, Mommy. It‘s just patt-er-erns.” And he loves patt-er-erns!
Sending them away for a large part of my day has been an adjustment. As much as I get bogged down with disciplining and breaking up fights, I really do love my children. I miss curling up on the couch and running out of lap space. I miss getting kisses from all directions even if I do know that it is them just sucking up to get something.
However, while they have been gone I have really gotten to spend some much needed quality time with Elizabeth and Zech. We have settled into a great routine that allows me to get my work done and still spend the day with them. As soon as the big kids are on the bus we get our “loud” chores done like vacuuming, putting away dishes, and running the washing machine, etc. Then when Zech takes his morning nap, Elizabeth and I read books, play with flash cards to learn numbers and colors and listen to music. She is really thriving on the one-on-one attention that she has never had before now. After Zech’s nap, we all have lunch together, run errands and occupy ourselves with a myriad of toys. But, my most favorite part of the day is afternoon naps. For two hours during my day, I have two kids at school and two kids in bed and I get so much done.
This week alone I have…
Potty-trained Elizabeth,
watched Zech learn to crawl, sit up on his own and felt his first tooth,
got wardrobes organized for family pictures taken,
unpacked the rest of our moving boxes,
organized closets and drawers,
completed five scrap booking layouts,
started a king-size quilt for our new bed,
“put up” roughly 820 jars of various veggies (give or take 100),
gone to the IMA, Sam’s Club, a natural foods store and the zoo,
visited with out-of-town friends for a day,
and read about 120 books (granted they were the same 12 books that I read repeatedly and had lots of pictures but I still spent a lot of time reading.)
So what is on the agenda for this week? God only knows. I can’t wait to see what I will be able to get done. But who knows maybe I will just sit here and color or complete some patt-er-erns. That sounds like fun.
Rebekah has been reviewing shapes, letters and numbers. She might actually be bored if she didn’t love to color and socialize so much. Caleb has a writing/reading assessment that he thoroughly hates because he has to use fine motor skills to write. But alternatively, he has math assessments that actually say (I kid you not) “algebra computation” that he really loves. He told me that “it‘s not really algebra, Mommy. It‘s just patt-er-erns.” And he loves patt-er-erns!
Sending them away for a large part of my day has been an adjustment. As much as I get bogged down with disciplining and breaking up fights, I really do love my children. I miss curling up on the couch and running out of lap space. I miss getting kisses from all directions even if I do know that it is them just sucking up to get something.
However, while they have been gone I have really gotten to spend some much needed quality time with Elizabeth and Zech. We have settled into a great routine that allows me to get my work done and still spend the day with them. As soon as the big kids are on the bus we get our “loud” chores done like vacuuming, putting away dishes, and running the washing machine, etc. Then when Zech takes his morning nap, Elizabeth and I read books, play with flash cards to learn numbers and colors and listen to music. She is really thriving on the one-on-one attention that she has never had before now. After Zech’s nap, we all have lunch together, run errands and occupy ourselves with a myriad of toys. But, my most favorite part of the day is afternoon naps. For two hours during my day, I have two kids at school and two kids in bed and I get so much done.
This week alone I have…
Potty-trained Elizabeth,
watched Zech learn to crawl, sit up on his own and felt his first tooth,
got wardrobes organized for family pictures taken,
unpacked the rest of our moving boxes,
organized closets and drawers,
completed five scrap booking layouts,
started a king-size quilt for our new bed,
“put up” roughly 820 jars of various veggies (give or take 100),
gone to the IMA, Sam’s Club, a natural foods store and the zoo,
visited with out-of-town friends for a day,
and read about 120 books (granted they were the same 12 books that I read repeatedly and had lots of pictures but I still spent a lot of time reading.)
So what is on the agenda for this week? God only knows. I can’t wait to see what I will be able to get done. But who knows maybe I will just sit here and color or complete some patt-er-erns. That sounds like fun.
Friday, August 13, 2010
Having Friends Come Over
We had the pleasure of having some dear friends of ours come visit yesterday. It was great to get to catch up with everything going on in their lives and their children. I just loved sitting around sharing different recipes we have tried, various scenarios that we found ourselves in, or the numerous times we have to discipline our children. We could have spent the entire time just talking about our collection of seven children . I think we actually did.
The only problem with friends (or better yet--family!) coming to visit is the cleaning you feel like you have to do before they come. We make sure the toilets are clean, the counters are clutter free and the knick-knacks are dusted. We sweep and mop the floors. We take out all the trash and clear off the coffee table. We vacuum, sanitize and polish. We even make our beds.
Birthday parties are the worst. Those events bring both friends and family. So while you are trying to entertain both groups who may or may not know each other and may or may not like each other you are worried that someone might actually notice the soap dispenser is half empty instead of paying attention to the guest of honor blowing out the candles
Do we really think that our friends are going to come into our house with white gloves and microscopes? What if they do wear the gloves and find that it’s not perfect? Do we think they are going to even mind? Do we think they will make fun of us, or they might even leave? Of course not, our friends love us for who we are, not the way we keep our house. (Or if we have gained 40 lbs in four years.) But if they are bothered by the mess then maybe they aren’t really our friends after all. And that would just mean less people coming over to visit. Therefore, the less you have to tidy-up. Sounds like a win-win to me.
So…who wants to come to my house? I promise to not clean.
The only problem with friends (or better yet--family!) coming to visit is the cleaning you feel like you have to do before they come. We make sure the toilets are clean, the counters are clutter free and the knick-knacks are dusted. We sweep and mop the floors. We take out all the trash and clear off the coffee table. We vacuum, sanitize and polish. We even make our beds.
Birthday parties are the worst. Those events bring both friends and family. So while you are trying to entertain both groups who may or may not know each other and may or may not like each other you are worried that someone might actually notice the soap dispenser is half empty instead of paying attention to the guest of honor blowing out the candles
Do we really think that our friends are going to come into our house with white gloves and microscopes? What if they do wear the gloves and find that it’s not perfect? Do we think they are going to even mind? Do we think they will make fun of us, or they might even leave? Of course not, our friends love us for who we are, not the way we keep our house. (Or if we have gained 40 lbs in four years.) But if they are bothered by the mess then maybe they aren’t really our friends after all. And that would just mean less people coming over to visit. Therefore, the less you have to tidy-up. Sounds like a win-win to me.
So…who wants to come to my house? I promise to not clean.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Grocery Shopping
Now I have seen it all. Last night we went grocery shopping in a new store . We realized it was time to go shopping when we realized that Zech is allergic to everything in our pantry. In order to stock up we had to go to the Whole Food Store in Indy.
Upon arrival it looks like your everyday run-of-the-mill grocery store. There is s produce section with watermelon, tomatoes and corn--all organic, of course. There is a meat department with hormone-free chicken, grass fed beef, free-range brown eggs, shark, octopus and even kangaroo. They had rows for gluten-free flour, cookies and pasta. One for lactose-free milk, pudding and cheeses. And another for peanut-free cooking oils.
But then I saw it! What to my wondering eyes did appear? "Organic, all natural, gluten-free dog food"! No kidding. No joke. I wish I had my camera so that I could have taken a picture because we sure didn't buy any. Now don't get me wrong. We love our dog. We really do. I am just not sure we love her that much. And how exactly does one know that a dog needs gluten free food?
And as you can imagine none of these "free" foods had a price tag anywhere close to "free". The producers and sellers know that they have you in their clutches if you are in this kind of store--either by choice or by necessity. For example, we usually pay roughly $1.00 for 4 lbs of flour. Last night we spent $4.00 for a little more than one pound of the gluten-free stuff. (My mathematician husband tells me that is 16 times as much!) It trust that he is right. I also trust that we are going to have to reconfigure our food budget.
Needless to say, until Zech outgrows these allergies...because I just have to believe he will...for birthdays and Christmas, Zech wants gift certificates to the Whole Foods Store. But don't worry, we won't spend them on dog food.
Upon arrival it looks like your everyday run-of-the-mill grocery store. There is s produce section with watermelon, tomatoes and corn--all organic, of course. There is a meat department with hormone-free chicken, grass fed beef, free-range brown eggs, shark, octopus and even kangaroo. They had rows for gluten-free flour, cookies and pasta. One for lactose-free milk, pudding and cheeses. And another for peanut-free cooking oils.
But then I saw it! What to my wondering eyes did appear? "Organic, all natural, gluten-free dog food"! No kidding. No joke. I wish I had my camera so that I could have taken a picture because we sure didn't buy any. Now don't get me wrong. We love our dog. We really do. I am just not sure we love her that much. And how exactly does one know that a dog needs gluten free food?
And as you can imagine none of these "free" foods had a price tag anywhere close to "free". The producers and sellers know that they have you in their clutches if you are in this kind of store--either by choice or by necessity. For example, we usually pay roughly $1.00 for 4 lbs of flour. Last night we spent $4.00 for a little more than one pound of the gluten-free stuff. (My mathematician husband tells me that is 16 times as much!) It trust that he is right. I also trust that we are going to have to reconfigure our food budget.
Needless to say, until Zech outgrows these allergies...because I just have to believe he will...for birthdays and Christmas, Zech wants gift certificates to the Whole Foods Store. But don't worry, we won't spend them on dog food.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Church Directory
Last night we got a family picture taken for our new church directory. Actually we had several pictures taken. I mean, several...probably close to 50. I am sure they had to take that many poses with our large and unruly group. Maybe it is so difficult to take family pictures because not everyone involved understands that all six of us have to be looking at the camera with our eyes open at the same time. Caleb was being stupid. Rebekah just wouldn't keep her head where she was told to keep it. Elizabeth had her hands in her mouth. Zechariah, well, he just sat there, but never smiled at the camera. Everyone was more worried about everyone else to make sure they were doing what they were supposed to. At one point the photographer actually put Zech in the chair and walked away. He fell straight forward and did a face plant on the carpet which, of course, resulted in him crying for the next 5-10 minutes while we got some pictures of just the girls. It really was a nightmare.
We even coordinated our outfits around my brand new (beautiful and sentimental) Lia Sophia necklace that I won at my last race. The necklace has mother of pearl so we all wore white. Probably not the best choice in color being that particular hue usually adds more weight to you on top of the camera's ten extra pounds. But we went ahead with it because of the necklace. Then Zech’s head was covering it in every shot. Bummer.
At the end of the very long, exhausting, horrible, experience, they took us to another room and tried to get us to buy some of these not-so-wonderful pictures that would only assist in helping me remember such a unpleasant time with my kids. Let's just put it this way...we got our free 8X10 which will promptly go to my mother-in-law who has requested it. None of the rest of you will even get to see what I am talking about. That is unless you look us up in your church directory.
We even coordinated our outfits around my brand new (beautiful and sentimental) Lia Sophia necklace that I won at my last race. The necklace has mother of pearl so we all wore white. Probably not the best choice in color being that particular hue usually adds more weight to you on top of the camera's ten extra pounds. But we went ahead with it because of the necklace. Then Zech’s head was covering it in every shot. Bummer.
At the end of the very long, exhausting, horrible, experience, they took us to another room and tried to get us to buy some of these not-so-wonderful pictures that would only assist in helping me remember such a unpleasant time with my kids. Let's just put it this way...we got our free 8X10 which will promptly go to my mother-in-law who has requested it. None of the rest of you will even get to see what I am talking about. That is unless you look us up in your church directory.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
First Day Pictures
Have you ever wondered why we take pictures of our children on the first day of school? I am really not sure. Is it to keep track of how much they have grown? So we can compare this year to that year? But don't we already do that several times throughout the year? We take pictures at birthdays, Christmas, and Easter. We take pictures at swimming lessons, first hair cuts and talent shows. We take pictures in our back yards, at Grandma's house and the zoo. And, of course, we take pictures while we are on vacation.
There is so much work involved in taking pictures. You have to get the kids dressed in something you don't mind the world seeing. You have to then try and get them to stand still long enough to actually get a good shot. You have to get them to smile and act like they enjoy each other. Then the more pictures you take the more you have to print, store and if you are lucky--scrapbook. It's just too much work.to also take pictures on the first day of school.
Well, at least that is what I am claiming today. Because my camera decided to not cooperate yesterday and I have no pictures of my kids leaving for school on their first day. Maybe next year. But then what would I compare it to?
There is so much work involved in taking pictures. You have to get the kids dressed in something you don't mind the world seeing. You have to then try and get them to stand still long enough to actually get a good shot. You have to get them to smile and act like they enjoy each other. Then the more pictures you take the more you have to print, store and if you are lucky--scrapbook. It's just too much work.to also take pictures on the first day of school.
Well, at least that is what I am claiming today. Because my camera decided to not cooperate yesterday and I have no pictures of my kids leaving for school on their first day. Maybe next year. But then what would I compare it to?
Sunday, August 8, 2010
First Day of School
Yeah, that’s right! It is August 9th and it is the first day of school here in Lebanon. The summer really did go by fast but, quite honestly, there were times when I wasn’t sure this day would ever come. But alas, it is here. Caleb and Rebekah leave for school today. I am not sure who is more excited. The kids or me.
Yeah, that’s right! I officially have a first grader and a kindergartner. That’s pretty exciting. My babies are growing up. I want them to. I knew I would be sending them off sometime soon and I am prepared. As prepared as any mom can get or will ever be. Let’s remember that Jochebed and Hannah only had their sons for 4-5 years before they had to send them away. And they sent them away, far away, forever. Not just down the road into trustworthy hands for only six hours. Those courageous and obedient women had to instill self-worth, knowledge and a love for the LORD in half the time I have been given. And they did it. They sent them away and in return we got Moses and Samuel. Two men who led the Israelites and obeyed God until their deaths.
Yeah, that’s right! I am glad the kids are leaving today. No, I am not sad at all. I know that I have done the best job that I could do in raising my kids the best way that I know how. But best of all, they are leaving this house knowing the One that loves them more than I ever could. And that is the best way to get through days like today.
Yeah, that’s right! I officially have a first grader and a kindergartner. That’s pretty exciting. My babies are growing up. I want them to. I knew I would be sending them off sometime soon and I am prepared. As prepared as any mom can get or will ever be. Let’s remember that Jochebed and Hannah only had their sons for 4-5 years before they had to send them away. And they sent them away, far away, forever. Not just down the road into trustworthy hands for only six hours. Those courageous and obedient women had to instill self-worth, knowledge and a love for the LORD in half the time I have been given. And they did it. They sent them away and in return we got Moses and Samuel. Two men who led the Israelites and obeyed God until their deaths.
Yeah, that’s right! I am glad the kids are leaving today. No, I am not sad at all. I know that I have done the best job that I could do in raising my kids the best way that I know how. But best of all, they are leaving this house knowing the One that loves them more than I ever could. And that is the best way to get through days like today.
Friday, August 6, 2010
Allergies
Our youngest son, Zechariah, has had a rash covering up to 90% (and no less than 50%) of his body for his entire life. We have suspected allergies for some time now. So, we changed laundry detergents. We experimented with several different soaps and shampoos. We eliminated various foods from my diet every week. We have done all of this for about five months now but not finding answers.
Finally, our doctor agreed to having an allergy test done. Finally we got answers. Finally we had some idea of what was causing the rash and what to do. Zech has food allergies to dairy, wheat, eggs, and peanuts. That is an extensive list. So, we have had to drastically change what we have to eat. It has been difficult to create meals that everyone will enjoy but think about it. What exactly does one eat for breakfast with this list of avoidances? We have already had to make special recipes for Elizabeth due to the fact that she is also lactose intolerant like her daddy. (Does anyone else see the irony in the fact that the dairy farmers have the allergy issues with milk?)
Zech also has one more allergy. Dog dander. Great! We have a dog. We have an inside dog. We had an inside dog up until about a week ago. So we removed the dog from the house. We had the carpets, rugs and furniture professionally cleaned. We have done everything we know to possibly do to get rid of the dander. I think it has worked. The rash has seemed to clear up some. It is definitely better than it has ever been. I am so thankful we had the test ran because Miriam (the dog) is one of the last elements we would have removed from the environment. Who knows how long it would have taken to get that far down the list. Maybe a couple of years or so.
Well, that leads me to yesterday. You see, yesterday, we went to an allergist. He looked over the test results and concluded that Zech is indeed allergic to those five things. So why exactly did we drive all the way there to see him? Well, surely he has some advice on how to deal with these allergies. His professional advice...drum roll please...we should try to avoid eating the foods that he is allergic to and remove the dog from the house. No kidding. That was his advice. Seems like common sense to me but hey, I'm no doctor.
I am not sure what I was expecting him to say or do. Maybe I was hoping for some magical "Star Trek" wand that you just wave over the patient and he is fixed. But I guess our modern technology isn't there yet. I was just hoping that we wouldn't be back to square one with experimenting with his diet to see what is exactly causing the rash. But I guess, if food experimentation and avoidance worked for Adam and Eve then I guess it is good enough for me.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Homeschooling!
This year we decided to homeschool Caleb. Well, actually he decided last school year he wanted to be homeschooled. So we started the summer of with some lessons to "get our feet wet". Each week I would pray, "God if this is what You want me to do then please make it clear that it is the right choice".
The first week of "summer school" was--well, let's just say--horrible! We both ended up crying and mad at each other. It was very frustrating to say the least. So I figured I would just try some different strategies. I mean I do have a teaching degree. Right? I would just use different methods of teaching.
Weeks went by. Eight to be exact. We tried schooling with Rebekah and without her. We tried workbooks. We tried hands-on experiments. We took field trips to the zoo and Conner's Prairie. We tried music and we tried quiet. We tried different times of the day. Some methods worked better than others but none really felt right. We were still not finding a way to get our lessons done without constantly arguing and not liking each other at times. Still I would pray that God would make it clear on how I was to homeschool my high-spirited, strong-willed son. By the end of our trial (and trying) summer I was still unsure on how we were going to achieve this goal of homeschooling. Needless to say, I still hadn't received a clear answer on what exactly to do.
Then we got our answer. This week, the week before school starts, Caleb went to his grandmother's for four days. These have been the most refreshing, relaxing and rejuvenating days of my entire summer. I have not been stressed. I have had time to get my chores done in a reasonable amount of time. I have not yelled, raised my voice or even got upset. I even potty-trained Elizabeth in 3 days! I have a sense of accomplishment. Even Matt has commented on how my disposition is much better. And to top it all off, Caleb called and said he was interested in "going to public school to have fun with his friends" if it wasn't too late to sign up. No, Caleb I don't think it is too late. I will drive to the school now.
I am so thankful that I live in a country where I have and can make choices. I am thankful for the many choices I am given. I am thankful that Matt stands behind this choice and backs me up 100%. Public school may not be right for your family. But for us, God answered our prayers and made it clear to me where Caleb can learn the best.
Now, when does that bus get here?
The first week of "summer school" was--well, let's just say--horrible! We both ended up crying and mad at each other. It was very frustrating to say the least. So I figured I would just try some different strategies. I mean I do have a teaching degree. Right? I would just use different methods of teaching.
Weeks went by. Eight to be exact. We tried schooling with Rebekah and without her. We tried workbooks. We tried hands-on experiments. We took field trips to the zoo and Conner's Prairie. We tried music and we tried quiet. We tried different times of the day. Some methods worked better than others but none really felt right. We were still not finding a way to get our lessons done without constantly arguing and not liking each other at times. Still I would pray that God would make it clear on how I was to homeschool my high-spirited, strong-willed son. By the end of our trial (and trying) summer I was still unsure on how we were going to achieve this goal of homeschooling. Needless to say, I still hadn't received a clear answer on what exactly to do.
Then we got our answer. This week, the week before school starts, Caleb went to his grandmother's for four days. These have been the most refreshing, relaxing and rejuvenating days of my entire summer. I have not been stressed. I have had time to get my chores done in a reasonable amount of time. I have not yelled, raised my voice or even got upset. I even potty-trained Elizabeth in 3 days! I have a sense of accomplishment. Even Matt has commented on how my disposition is much better. And to top it all off, Caleb called and said he was interested in "going to public school to have fun with his friends" if it wasn't too late to sign up. No, Caleb I don't think it is too late. I will drive to the school now.
I am so thankful that I live in a country where I have and can make choices. I am thankful for the many choices I am given. I am thankful that Matt stands behind this choice and backs me up 100%. Public school may not be right for your family. But for us, God answered our prayers and made it clear to me where Caleb can learn the best.
Now, when does that bus get here?
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Day One--Aug 4,2010
Today I decided to start a blog about all of the crazy things that go on in this house, with my family and raising these children that God gave me. I am so excited to be able to finally start sharing things with everyone without having to call 10 people and hope that it gets translated correctly down the chain of commands. There are so many tools out there for us to use to communicate now and I really want to take advantage of this one. I hope everyone enjoys reading my ramblings about this wonderful life that I have been given.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
June 2010
Four little monkies all lined up in a row!