Mama Blog

Photos

Steven set up a photo blogging system for me. I'm going to start regularly adding to it. If you're interested in getting the notifies for it as well as the notifies for the blog, let me know.

Spring Fling Challenge

The WAH started this craziness about spring and everyone's insane desire to clean up. I admit, I get that itch and I usually do a lot of gardening and yard work but skip the house "magic". After reading lots of posts about how things had been going in the ladies' challenges and seeing some great before and after shots, I got sucked in. So, without further ado, I give you......The List.

Large list to be done as is possible for today and tomorrow.....

Studio:
*declutter and straighten desk
*sort and organize photo paper into recognizable divisions (by size, type, or something!)
*wash all backgrounds, dry, rehang and steam clean
*dust all lighting equipment with vac
*Vac floor
*Have hubby replace lightbulb in ceiling fixture

Master Bedroom:
*Wash sheets
*Air out comforter
*Get hubby to flip mattresses
*Clean out bedside table drawers and shelves
*Dejunk my dresser
*Finish folding mountain pile of laundry and put away
*Straighten sewing table
*Organize bookshelves
*Dejunk and organize closet
*Consider purchase of shoe organizer and implement usage
*Move dog kennel and vac underneath (blankets were just washed yesterday due to puppy accident)

Weekly glance

(found here)

Today's Date: 29 March

Weekly weather: Sunny and nice during the day, toesicle cold in the early morning when you take the dog out to go pee

I spent most of my week...goofing off with the girls since they are on spring break and potty training Harley.

Interesting notes on the week...we have some sort of ball practice every night this week. The girls and I are all getting hair cuts too!

My favorite moment...laying in bed last night watching tv with Steven, Harley curled up between us while he buried his head in Steven's armpit. :)

Social Interactions...Michelle and Mara are coming over today. Yolanda and Xavier and Rosie are going with us to ball practice tonight. Going to Tammy's to get our hair cut tomorrow.

My favorite conversation...chatting with Kay yesterday about life, God, general stuff.

I accomplished...teaching Harley not to jump on my legs!!!

Frustrations...teaching Harley not to pee in the house. Getting Lizzy out of cranky toddler mode.

I talked to...lots of people on the phone.

I learned...that cold, wet grass on your feet at 4am sucks.

Things to remember...not to lose my mind this week over sibling stuff.

Past moments I remembered...nothing I can think of.

Favorite meal...Easter Sunday lunch! Crockpot Rotisserie Chicken. YUMMM!

Reading...Matthew, The Protector by Dee Henderson

Listening...Harley snoring at my feet, decrepit computer buzzing like a bumble bee on crack, girls playing down the hall.

Watching...lots of kid movies.

I wish...I knew where we were PCS'ing to.

The New Kid in Town

Overheard

-Walking from the biting gnat capital of softball fields last night, Emily yells at the top of her lungs (whilst swatting biting gnat number 5,432,345) "For the love of cheese, would you stop biting me!!!"

-While unbuckling Lizzy from her carseat, she pokes her finger in my face and says "I pick my nose. You not 'posed to pick you nose." (shaking those blonde curls and pointedly staring at me with determined eyes)

-"Mama, I'm ready to get my ears pierced" said by Katy after receiving a pair of earrings and a necklace at school for being the Kindest Student in Second Grade.

-Not long after, Emily said the same thing.

Steven is taking his Master Sgt. test right now.

Puppy proofing continues today.

Meet Tonia to pick up Harley at 11am tomorrow. Will be home just in time to turn around and go to teeball/softball practice.

Busy next few weeks ahead too. Kids start spring break tomorrow, Harley comes home, teeball and softball practice almost every night for two weeks, etc. Don't expect much more than pictures.

Twisted

I've been sitting here off and on all day trying to figure out where my creativity has gone. What happened to the funny posts about the girls? Where did my joy go? My laugh? The ability to laugh at myself and my life? I'm not sure, but I may have, briefly, misplaced those. Checked under the bed and there's nothing but dustbunnies.

**time lapse a few hours - I just went for a walk and talk with God**

I had wanted to go for a walk today. I'd told myself last night that I was going to do it today. I had to get off my butt and get back in gear. See, what I haven't openly discussed here is the fact that I've gained back 12 pounds of the 30 I'd lost. Why, you ask? For one, I'm an emotional eater. For the last month or so I've noticed myself getting down and then eating. And eating. And eating. So, when I told myself last night that I'd go, I'd forgotten tonight is Wednesday and we have church. Well, I didn't think I'd have time. If I started at 4:30, finished around 5:30, showered, scarfed something down for dinner we'd be pushing it. But when I faced Steven with that feeble excuse he told me (basically) "make it work." So, I did.

On my walk I realized that I can't form a mental picture of myself at my goal weight. Sure, I've seen myself at 135-ish when I was 17 years old, but we've added 14 years and three full term pregnancies to this body. I cannot picture myself that way, in part I think because I until today didn't honestly think I could do it. So, in that realization I cried out to God. "Show me 'me' the way you see me. Not the way I've made myself feel but the way you see me, as a child of the King."

Let me tell ya, it is more amazing than I could've imagined. The words that came to my mind made my heart melt and my soul sing. I was immediately reminded of one of my new favorite Ginny Owens songs, "Call Me Beautiful".

I've been waiting
For a hero who's brave and strong-
Someone to love me,
Someone to tell me I belong,
So I pretend I'm satisfied,
And I stand watching from the sidelines,
Till You pull me into the light
And say, 'It's Your turn now,
Welcome to your life!'

(Chorus)
And You call me beautiful,
And say You've loved me all along,
And You've always held the keys to unlock my soul
Oh You call me beautiful

There's a smile on my face,
And a brand new light in my eyes,
It's a new day,
And I've never felt so alive-
I feel as if I could conquer anything,
Oh thats what Your love has done for me,
And now all I want to be,
Is everything You want me to be-

(Chorus)
And You call me beautiful,
And say You've loved me all along,
And You've always held the keys
To unlock my soul, But I didn't know-
Now I can finally start to live,
Take those chances I have missed,
Things will be much different,
Now that I know
You call me beautiful

(Bridge)
The story is better than I could dream after all,
Now this is reality
To know You and to hear You call me beautiful
Call me beautiful-
Now I can finally start to live,
Take those chances I have missed,
Things will be much different,
Now that I know-
Now that I know
You call me beautiful

Wow

I love reading this devotional. She always pricks my heart. (from here)

Girl Meets God
Week of March 13 - 19, 2005

Sin in My Drain

All Fraying out of character begins with one little thread left loose." J.R. Miller
Fatal sentence: "Oh, it doesn't matter just this once!" Charlotte Mason

Are you up for a gross story this week? I have one. I mean, it's not that gross, but I just wanted you to be prepared.

I was washing my face (yes, mom) for bed on Thursday night, and once again noticed that my bathroom drain was running slowly—very slowly. I'd been ignoring it for sometime, hoping it would go away. But for some odd reason, it hadn't yet. Ugh. "Maybe I'll fix it tomorrow." But I knew the tomorrow that had time for plumbing work would never come. I moaned again. This probably won't take long. They make these drains easy to clear, right?

So at 10:05 pm, I cleared out the cabinet, and went to get the tool that any capable handy woman must have—a straightened-out coat hanger. I took out the pop-up plug and noticed it was covered with black scum. Eww. I made a small hook at the end of my coat hanger and started digging. I wondered what would be at the bottom of this clog. A cotton squab? A penny? It always starts with one little thing that slips down the drain when it shouldn't. My curiosity was giving me the drive I needed to forge through the black slim. I pulled up some slimy hair. Ick. Did that come off my head? I was about to hit pay dirt, I could feel it. One more dip of the hanger, and I snagged the whole mess. It was grosser than I had expected—a big, black mass of hair, a candy wrapper, and the culprit that had started this whole mess, one of those clear thumb tacks. Now how in the world did that get there? (I only have four guesses!)

And the really odd thing about this whole incident was the lesson I saw in that tangled, nasty mess I pulled out of my drain.

I saw my messy house that starts with one pair of shoes I leave by the front door, or the one load of laundry I leave unfolded.

I saw the extra weight I've put on because I thought it wouldn't hurt to eat an extra helping 'just this once.'

I saw the compulsive liar who got that way because his mother pretended not to notice the first time he fibbed about sneaking a cookie.

I saw miserable marriages that started with one disagreement left unresolved, and that disagreement became an obstacle that collected every other little grievance until a big, black mess had formed.

James sums it up well, "But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death." (James 1: 14-15)

The huge problems and overwhelming sins often start small.
"It's no big deal."
"I'll forgive him tomorrow."
"It won't matter just this once."
And then tomorrow turns to next week, and we've got a problem so big that it might take longer to solve than it did to create.

So, grab that thumb tack before it slides down the drain. Stop the sin before it starts a mess.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Copyright Statement:

'Girl Meets God' Copyright 2002-2005 © Melissa Mathews. 'Girl Meets God' articles may be reproduced in whole under the following provisions: 1) A proper credit must be given to the author at the end of each story, along with a link to http://www.studylight.org/col/gmg/ 2) 'Girl Meets God' content may not be arranged or "mirrored" as a competitive online service.

Staying busy

My flesh wants to sit and do nothing. Ruminate on thoughts I don't want to entertain. Eat because I'm emotional and vulnerable. I need to get up from here and get (then stay) busy. I really should do that.

I didn't promise no more lists

No promises were made on that "no lists" thing. So, you're getting one today.

Brief glimpse of my Thursday:

• Decorate Fellowship Hall for Ladies Night In
  
• Remember to bring food, drink, decorations and air pumps
  
• Meet up with Mary Kay lady somewhere
  
• Purchase birthday gift for party this afternoon
  
• Find five minutes to clean house
  
• Go to birthday party and figure out how to get the Dewgarde's there and Y with me to the Ladies Night
  
• Chase three children who don't know how to skate for two hours
  
• Leave to go to Ladies Night
  
• Participate in above, then clean up after
  
• Come home, pass out not to be seen again until sometime Friday morning
  
  Posted by christy at 07:58 AM | Comments (1)

I haven't blogged much lately because, well, eventually my dear devoted readers must get tired of the "took the kids to school, cleaned house, cooked dinner, went to bed" type posts. And, to be honest with you, that's what's been going on around here lately. I've taken some pictures to post but haven't done it yet. I may do that today, just depends on if I get back in here and get it done.

Steven's getting ready to test for Master Sgt, preparing for a triathalon, we're all getting ready for Harley's homecoming. Just the usual generic life "stuff". Nothing exciting or life enriching for me to share.

Good grief

We're coming up on a year since Daddy's accident, not quite a year since all this probate crap started. I'm just ready for it to all be over. What a mess. Money seriously makes people crazy.

Homesick

This year, that word has multiple meanings for me. Yes, I'm homesick for "home" and with around a year and two months at the longest left I'm itching to go. But, the word is meaningful to me for another reason this year.

I heard a song the other day by MercyMe called Homesick. Here, I'll just post the lyrics for you. In 19 days I'll be facing the one year mark since Daddy's accident. Please forgive me if the posting is sparse or rant-filled or angst-filled or just sad.

(trying to find out how to put up the actual song so you can hear it)

Homesick by MercyMe
You're in a better place, I've heard a thousand times
And at least a thousand times I've rejoiced for you
But the reason why I'm broken, the reason why I cry
Is how long must I wait to be with you

I've never been more homesick than now