Oh to be young again...

I woke up today in a funk. Nothing major. Just blah. Lincoln didn't sleep well the past two nights so maybe it was lack of sleep. Or maybe it was me. I don't know. But, I woke up wanting to just be. And not be home.
As a mom the responsibilities are out of control. I don't care if you have 1 child---or 10. Children are work. Plain and simple. Housework is never-ending. And someone is always making a mess. Today, I just wanted me time. To do whatever. Read blogs. Drink hot tea (without having to re-heat it 3 times) or read a book without having to put it down.
So, as I was walking in the kitchen, I prayed and said, "Jesus, help my attitude because it's not pretty right now." And, then, I heard this phrase, "Let us rejoice...!" Followed by "Sing unto the Lord a new song!" And at that moment...I laughed. HARD. Aloud. And when I caught my breathe...I laughed even harder.
Now, there is nothing very funny about that phrase. In fact, it's very Holy...and Biblical. It was the memory that goes with it....

I was in JR. High. Our tiny school finally had enough boys to have a basketball team. And all of us girls decided to be cheerleaders. That sentence alone makes me laugh---and hard. But keep reading. So, as cheerleaders we decided to copy steal the public school cheers. So we spent most of our Friday nights at basketball games learning the cheers as the 'professional' cheerleaders cheered their hearts out.

And then, it happened. Halftime came. And not only did the cheerleaders take the court...but so did the dance team. Dancing to some hit song of the 90's. Songs that were forbidden at our Christian School.

It was then and there that our 'cheerleading' (I use that term loosely) team decided it was time to add dance to our games. (I might add we had yet to really CHEER at a game--more watching and fighting what cheers we would do and when) Keep reading...it gets better.

So, my friends went to work. They started watching TV and got us some GOOD dance moves. And I mean good. They had the whole routine down and our "team" was ready to dance.

And so, our practices began. We met at Co's Consignment Corner. The only little shop in town. Right on Main St. And we planned to dance in Co's parking lot. (it totally was ok, because Co's daughter and I were in the same grade--and she was one of the one's to make up the dance) And, so it began. 1st we learned the moves. And let me tell you...we thought we were SO cool. Those moves were awesome. After all, I'm sure they got them from M-TV or Mickey Mouse Club or somewhere cool. We worked so hard. Most of the days at school were spend seeing who could go where---- and spend the night with whom so we could practice after school. Outside. In the parking lot---- say...4pm until supper or when parents called Co's to send us home. I think we even planned some Saturday practices just in case people couldn't come during the weekday.

My mind gets a little fuzzy here. Was it: Angie? Sara? Or Christina, I can't remember, but someone came up with the BEST song ever for us to dance to...at halftime. At our boys' basketball game. You ready?

SANDI PATTI.

THE ONE AND ONLY! She was our favorite so it was a must! And THIS song was our halftime song.

The end of the story is sad. We never performed that halftime show. (Well, maybe not sad NOW, but at the time it was sad) and today I was thinking...at that moment in 9th grade (or whatever grade I was in) the most important thing in my life and in my friends' lives was that dance. I'm sure it was only a short time we wanted to make up that dance...maybe two weeks max---but it was important. And all we thought about. Our hearts were broken when ONE of our friends couldn't be there to practice. At school we were always worried about if our mom's would let us practice after school or not. Would she need me to babysit? Or clean the house?

Now, maybe I'm remembering wrong. But, I do remember it being a big deal.
So after I had a good laugh this morning, and laughed at our young ways, I thought, what do I worry about today? I'm not talking big, major things....I'm talking about small things that in 20 years you will laugh at for worrying. The "I don't know if my mom will let me go practice our dance after school because the kitchen is a mess" kind of thing. At 13, those kind of worries are the END.OF.THE.WORLD. Yet, I look back and see even last year's worries were just as childish.

So friends. Take heart. God already knows...AND...

Let us rejoice...Sing unto the Lord a new song.

(LET US REJOICE: Turn sideways. Arms up. Bring one arm down on beat 4 times.
SING UNTO THE LORD A NEW SONG: Turn. One hand on hip. Other hand moving like spirit fingers.)
Yep. Years later...I can still dance the moves. Only in my kitchen, by myself.

Where I have been......

Hello Girls!
This IS SUCH a busy time of year. Just a few things that have been going on...

I started my own business! I sell Usborne Books. Love reading. And children's books are some of my favorite. So it's PERFECT for me.

Also, this month, I decided it was time to start working out. Ugh. Dreaded sigh. After I had Easton, I tried to work out...and then the summer came and I DIDN'T get to do a THING I wanted...and working out was thrown to the wind. So, I researched almost EVERY workout you could do...and found Turbo Jam. (I'm only about 10 years behind the rest of you!) The volleyball girls did this workout years ago and I had tried it a few weeks one time...but this is serious. Like...don't get to get dressed, check facebook, go outside of your house, til your workout is done serious. SO. Every morning, it's me and Chalene. We've become quite good friends....if I say so myself. Do I love it? Not at the beginning. But by the end, I'm THANKFUL I did it. Have I lost weight? Naa...Inches? Maybe. I can tell for myself but others can't. Or so they don't say...wow...you look like you are losing weight. Sigh. I'll give it a few more weeks.

Then, the biggest news of all is we bought a house. Yep. Mentioned that before on here. Friday we close on it. And we become homeowners. A home. That's big enough for us. Double Sigh. So yes. We are excited. I DO plan on posting pictures and showing you the process....there are just NOT picture taking moments of W.A.I.T.I.N.G.
I spend the day DREAMING about what I want the house to look like...only to move to another idea and then another. My whole life I've always been insecure about my color choices and if this matches and that matches...so this whole...let's pick out paint thing....kind of is overwhelming. Do you have ANY good tips for picking paint? Websites? Ideas? Because I need them. How do you pick out ideas? Are you friends with Martha? Is she in your area? Send her my way.

So...those are the biggest things in my life.
On a sweet side note, my sister in law had a little boy last night. 10 lbs. 23 inches long. 12 days overdue. It was her 9th baby. 2nd boy. Last night his name was Tyler...and this morning they changed it to Logan. ;) Too many good boy names to pick! HA! The 7 sisters are smitten with him and he is beautiful. The older brother thinks he's pretty special too!

Need your thoughts on something!

What are you thoughts on YOUR BABY CAN READ? Before Easton was born I thought about getting the videos for him to watch. Now, he's 4 months old and I feel if I'm going to start showing it to him NOW is the time.

He LOVES to watch TV and I do freak out about this. BIG TIME. When Wil is watching the news I will take Easton in the other room because he just stares at the TV. Both Wil and I were raised without one (We got one when I entered JR. HIGH.) Wil...never. But, I do think the videos are very educational. I have watched one video at a friend's house and I will say it seemed boring---BUT that's what I'm looking for to show Easton! Something that's not flashy and violent, and REAL life.

What are your thoughts? Have you used them? Do you know someone who did?

I'm also a teacher and did my fair share of writing papers on WHOLE LANGUAGE vs. PHONICS. I DO recall saying children should be introduced to both. The school Easton will be attending when he goes into school in 5 years (yep...I'm a total teacher!) focuses on Phonics so I thought that I'd introduce him to whole language at home. Getting that best of both worlds. :)

Please, share your feelings. After doing research online I found this program to be somewhat controversial. Whole language/phonics. Boring. My kid hated it. My kid loved it. My kid didn't read. My kid read the dictionary starting at 2. But, I need REAL moms who I can trust (meaning YOU) to share their thoughts.

So ladies...let's get the chatter started!

S-L-O-W-L-Y getting back to normal!

HELLO FRIENDS!

I'm BACK. It's been ALMOST a month...but I'm back. My summer plans had a LITTLE glitch in them...Let's start at the beginning!

The Thursday BEFORE Father's Day Wil and I dropped off our sweet baby boy at my parent's house and went to see Robin Hood. WE WERE SOOOOOOO excited! 1st date since E was born. We got the works...POPCORN, CANDY, and POP. 30 mins. into the movie...I have TERRIBLE pain in my side and back. I head to the bathroom and realize I'm about to PASS OUT!

I text my husband (yep! From the bathroom) and tell him I'm sick and need to LEAVE NOW! So...POOR Robin Hood---we STILL don't know what happened! We LEAVE. And head to get our baby boy.

In the car I got REALLLLLLLY sick and the PAIN is WAAAAAAY worse. We pull into my parent's house and I head RIGHT to the bathroom. I'm thrashing on the floor in pain and FINALLY mom tells us she THINKS it's my gallbladder and we need to HEAD to the ER. SO. We head 30 mins to the ER...with the pain getting WORSE. By the time they got me to the ER my pain was COMING down slowly. Sure enough. Gallbladder---with LOTS of STONES. Yuck.

They inform ME to eat a LOW FAT diet. Surgery was set for the following week. Go home and take it easy.

Friday and Saturday I did NOTHING. Still in SOME pain.

Sunday Morning I woke up and realized Father's Day was that day! I went downstairs and told my husband HAPPY 1st Father's Day! THEN. THE. PAIN. HIT.

I called my mom and told her to come. By the time she got to my house, I was OUT the DOOR headed to the ER AGAIN. The PAIN was WAAAAY WORSE. AND I COULD NOT be still. EVERYTHING HURT. My mom was going to meet us over there after she got Easton ready for the day.

At the ER they wasted NO TIME and got me a wheelchair and took me back to where the REALLLLLY SICK people are. They hooked me up to an IV. I BEGGED my husband to just knock me out due to the pain. I begged for SOMETHING to help me. ANYTHING at that point. FINALLY, they started giving me morphine. TWO BIG shots of it....and it ONLY helped the pain SOMEWHAT. They came and took blood. The results were in. I NOT ONLY had gallstones...BUT Pancreatitis. YOUR numbers are to be around 150...MINE were around 7000. So, they informed me that I was REALLLLLLY SICK. AND would be moving into the hospital for QUITE SOMETIME.

I won't bore you with details but ended up staying 9 days at the hospital. Most of it at the beginning the PAIN was terrible.
LOWLIGHTS:
Missed my husband and baby boy so much!

Had to give up breastfeeding due to the drugs I was on...:(

Watched everyday my parents take my baby boy home to their house...CRIED everytime.

HIGHLIGHTS: (Trying to find SOME postive thing)
The BEST whirl pool ever!

Meeting my nurse Sarah and getting to know her!

SO. A week ago around THIS TIME Monday evening I was free to go home. We moved in with my parents for about 4 days so they could help take care of me. NOW, we are home and I'm STILL taking it easy.

Surgery will be at the END of the month. (my "insides" are too sick to operate right now!)

So...that's been my month. Pray for me and my little family as we spend our summer GETTING BETTER!
MISSED you all sooo much!

Dreams do come true...

This weekend I get to live out a dream on mine. Our church is having a small retreat for the youth leaders of our church. They have asked me to be the speaker and break the word to them. This is such an honor. I LOVE doing this kind of thing. Today I've been preparing for it and am so glad that God has given me this gift from Him.

Preparing for the weekend!