after jillian's first day of preschool, she had three pieces of art in her hand. i asked her, "are these for me?" and she said, "yes!...NO! they are for becky!" (she must be saving the good ones for me, right?)
earlier this week, avery asked me if i was wearing a bra. (um...i was...)
miles is in third grade, but in fourth grade math. he IS the absent-minded professor. he lost his homework somewhere between the dining room table and his math class ev.er.y day last week. (oh.my.gawsh! this is SO frustrating...to us! not him. he's not fazed.)
if you ask phoebe, "who made the sun?" she answers, "me!!!" (this is a little digression from when the boys were toddlers and knew their catechism and could recite the books of the Bible...)
Showing posts with label family life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label family life. Show all posts
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Friday, July 22, 2011
what to do, what to do...
Last summer, I learned the hard way that it is imperative that Avery has a plan for each day. It doesn't have to encompass the whole day, but there has to be something to accomplish or look forward to. Despite my not-so-structured nature, I've been able to accommodate that need better this summer, but...
With the last minute nature of Miles' surgery, I really didn't have much of a plan for how to deal with the rest of the kids. Within a few hours, Avery was driving me NUTS because he didn't have any structure. He had read all of his library books. He didn't have Miles to play with. We don't have video games.He I couldn't host a friend. What could he do???
Ever since our trip to Dick's sporting goods the other day, Avery has been perseverating on the idea of getting catcher's equipment. So, I made the mistake of letting him look for a set on Amazon and he became quickly obsessed with saving up for it. I'm all for safety in baseball, hard work and saving up, but did I really have capacity to deal with this??? It takes a lot of work to put your kids to work.
Out of sheer necessity to preserve my sanity, I put Avery to work this morning to clean up our construction site/family room. He worked his tail off and organized, moved tools, swept and vacuumed it up. Ch-ching. He made bank.
But, he wanted more work... (ugh...)
I got out a ladder and had him work on pulling off a rotten board from our garage. He worked on it for awhile, but then determined he needed a saws-all to finish the job. Okay...but I couldn't devote time and attention to overseeing that project. Ch-ching. He made a little bit for good effort.
But, he still needed more to do... (oh.my.word.)
So...after thinking for a few moments, I figured now would be a good time for him to learn how to cut-in and roll-on paint. He's 10, right?! But, first he had to sand and prep the walls (just a little bit). And then he had to remove the switch plate and railing (yay for getting to use tools!). He's really focused and loving his job. Ch-CHING! He's definitely gonna earn a good wage for this one!
Here he is working on the stairway down to our basement. We've needed to paint it for five years. I think I like having an eager 10-year-old!!!
You might wonder why I didn't have him unload the dishwasher or do laundry. Well, he has to do those things on an almost daily basis. Pro bono. That comes with the territory of being in our family.
With the last minute nature of Miles' surgery, I really didn't have much of a plan for how to deal with the rest of the kids. Within a few hours, Avery was driving me NUTS because he didn't have any structure. He had read all of his library books. He didn't have Miles to play with. We don't have video games.
Ever since our trip to Dick's sporting goods the other day, Avery has been perseverating on the idea of getting catcher's equipment. So, I made the mistake of letting him look for a set on Amazon and he became quickly obsessed with saving up for it. I'm all for safety in baseball, hard work and saving up, but did I really have capacity to deal with this??? It takes a lot of work to put your kids to work.
Out of sheer necessity to preserve my sanity, I put Avery to work this morning to clean up our construction site/family room. He worked his tail off and organized, moved tools, swept and vacuumed it up. Ch-ching. He made bank.
But, he wanted more work... (ugh...)
I got out a ladder and had him work on pulling off a rotten board from our garage. He worked on it for awhile, but then determined he needed a saws-all to finish the job. Okay...but I couldn't devote time and attention to overseeing that project. Ch-ching. He made a little bit for good effort.
But, he still needed more to do... (oh.my.word.)
So...after thinking for a few moments, I figured now would be a good time for him to learn how to cut-in and roll-on paint. He's 10, right?! But, first he had to sand and prep the walls (just a little bit). And then he had to remove the switch plate and railing (yay for getting to use tools!). He's really focused and loving his job. Ch-CHING! He's definitely gonna earn a good wage for this one!
Here he is working on the stairway down to our basement. We've needed to paint it for five years. I think I like having an eager 10-year-old!!!
You might wonder why I didn't have him unload the dishwasher or do laundry. Well, he has to do those things on an almost daily basis. Pro bono. That comes with the territory of being in our family.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
all in a day's work
People ask what life is like with four kids. First of all, I LOVE being a mother and I LOVE my kids. But, to answer their question, I tell them that it's manageable, but that us + anything else is hard. Here's a debrief of the last 24 hours:
1. Drywall went up in the family room. Thanks, Dan! (He doesn't read this blog. Just thought I'd give a subtle clue that we didn't do it. very subtle.)
2. The house still stunk yesterday. Thanks, Dead Animal! You smell bigger than you probably are!
3. Took the kids to Dick's sporting goods and was tempted to buy catcher's equipment to protect my kids from further injury...read on...
4. Called Miles' pediatrician because he took a baseball to the face three weeks ago (freak accident) and now that the swelling and discoloration are gone, it appears his nose is crooked. Was referred to ENT. (BTW, I had taken him to the ER when he was injured and they thought everything was absolutely fine. bastards.)
5. ENT wanted to see Miles yesterday, so we went.
6. Within 20 minutes of the appointment, we were scheduling Miles for surgery for tomorrow to correct broken nose. (No, they are not going to re-break it.) None of us have ever been put under anesthesia. Pray for Miles.
7. Avery's team played in ridiculously uncomfortable heat. And there were biting bugs. They lost in extra innings.
8. After the game, I hung out with good buddies Kari and Megan and had much needed laughs and heart-to-hearts.
9. Got a text while there from Brent that read verbatim: "Does Phoebe have any diapers? She's wearing a a hybrid cloth duct tape concoction right now!" I thought he was serious. Laughed so hard I couldn't breathe. He had actually put her in a rarely used cloth diaper.
10. Came home and talked until midnight-ish.
11. Woke up at 5am with killer low back pain. Fell back asleep at 6am.
12. Woke up again at 8, needing to get a shower, get everyone fed, dressed and out the door by 8:45. (I seriously hadn't brushed my hair since Saturday. I had taken a shower, but we've been going at such a frenetic pace that I'm pretty sure there was no time for a luxury such as brushing ones hair.)
13. Upon waking up, Jillian said she needed to throw up. She didn't. She was just tired, I think.
14. Phoebe pooped in that cloth diaper. I was going to try to clean it, but I tossed that Bum Genius away after gagging at the smell.
15. My low back was throbbing with pain. I got a deep tissue massage. psych.
16. Avery took antibiotics, because, of course he was diagnosed with Strep a few days ago.
17. Somehow we all got on the road by 9:03am. Only 18 minutes behind schedule...
18. Jillian went to camp.
19. Miles went to his pre-op appointment. Cleared.
20. Cold press coffee at Caribou. finally.
21. Costco trip. Bought a month's supply of diapers, bread and frozen pizza.
22. DQ drive-thru for the boys' lunch.
23. Picked up Jillian from camp while ominous clouds formed overhead.
24. McD's drive-thru for Jillian's and Phoebe's lunch. Torrential downpour ensued during this time.
25. Got to garage, but stayed there to watch golf-ball sized hail crashing down. Very cool.
26. Our house still stinks.
27. Gotta figure out dinner, clean up, do laundry, put stuff away and get Avery back to the fields by 4:30.
1. Drywall went up in the family room. Thanks, Dan! (He doesn't read this blog. Just thought I'd give a subtle clue that we didn't do it. very subtle.)
2. The house still stunk yesterday. Thanks, Dead Animal! You smell bigger than you probably are!
3. Took the kids to Dick's sporting goods and was tempted to buy catcher's equipment to protect my kids from further injury...read on...
4. Called Miles' pediatrician because he took a baseball to the face three weeks ago (freak accident) and now that the swelling and discoloration are gone, it appears his nose is crooked. Was referred to ENT. (BTW, I had taken him to the ER when he was injured and they thought everything was absolutely fine. bastards.)
5. ENT wanted to see Miles yesterday, so we went.
6. Within 20 minutes of the appointment, we were scheduling Miles for surgery for tomorrow to correct broken nose. (No, they are not going to re-break it.) None of us have ever been put under anesthesia. Pray for Miles.
7. Avery's team played in ridiculously uncomfortable heat. And there were biting bugs. They lost in extra innings.
8. After the game, I hung out with good buddies Kari and Megan and had much needed laughs and heart-to-hearts.
9. Got a text while there from Brent that read verbatim: "Does Phoebe have any diapers? She's wearing a a hybrid cloth duct tape concoction right now!" I thought he was serious. Laughed so hard I couldn't breathe. He had actually put her in a rarely used cloth diaper.
10. Came home and talked until midnight-ish.
11. Woke up at 5am with killer low back pain. Fell back asleep at 6am.
12. Woke up again at 8, needing to get a shower, get everyone fed, dressed and out the door by 8:45. (I seriously hadn't brushed my hair since Saturday. I had taken a shower, but we've been going at such a frenetic pace that I'm pretty sure there was no time for a luxury such as brushing ones hair.)
13. Upon waking up, Jillian said she needed to throw up. She didn't. She was just tired, I think.
14. Phoebe pooped in that cloth diaper. I was going to try to clean it, but I tossed that Bum Genius away after gagging at the smell.
15. My low back was throbbing with pain. I got a deep tissue massage. psych.
16. Avery took antibiotics, because, of course he was diagnosed with Strep a few days ago.
17. Somehow we all got on the road by 9:03am. Only 18 minutes behind schedule...
18. Jillian went to camp.
19. Miles went to his pre-op appointment. Cleared.
20. Cold press coffee at Caribou. finally.
21. Costco trip. Bought a month's supply of diapers, bread and frozen pizza.
22. DQ drive-thru for the boys' lunch.
23. Picked up Jillian from camp while ominous clouds formed overhead.
24. McD's drive-thru for Jillian's and Phoebe's lunch. Torrential downpour ensued during this time.
25. Got to garage, but stayed there to watch golf-ball sized hail crashing down. Very cool.
26. Our house still stinks.
27. Gotta figure out dinner, clean up, do laundry, put stuff away and get Avery back to the fields by 4:30.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
9 thoughts on my parents (who read this blog and live in romania)
1. I haven't been able to erase their old American cell phone numbers from my contacts. The thought of it bums me out.
2. Speaking of cell phones, I wish I could text them pictures and random updates.
3. I'm really excited to see them in a few short days!
4. My kids are even more excited. I never really experienced grandparent love as a child. It melts me.
5. I love who I'm connected to through my parents. My aunts and uncles and cousins, Eastern Europeans, my best friend in Pennsylvania...
6. I wish my house was in better order for their visit.
7. I think about holding my mom's hand a lot. I miss holding her hand so much.
8. My Dad is better than yours. He might not be able beat yours up, but he could beat him at everything else.
9. As a parent, I want my children to know how much I love them just because they are my children. As a child, I want my parents to know how much I love them just because they are my parents.
2. Speaking of cell phones, I wish I could text them pictures and random updates.
3. I'm really excited to see them in a few short days!
4. My kids are even more excited. I never really experienced grandparent love as a child. It melts me.
5. I love who I'm connected to through my parents. My aunts and uncles and cousins, Eastern Europeans, my best friend in Pennsylvania...
6. I wish my house was in better order for their visit.
7. I think about holding my mom's hand a lot. I miss holding her hand so much.
8. My Dad is better than yours. He might not be able beat yours up, but he could beat him at everything else.
9. As a parent, I want my children to know how much I love them just because they are my children. As a child, I want my parents to know how much I love them just because they are my parents.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
to mom from #3
Mom,
With each year that I get to enjoy the blessing of being a mother, my respect for you grows and my heart is humbled. Here are some things for which I am so grateful.
You are a mom I could share anything with. You told me the truth and I told you the truth. We weren't afraid of being real with each other. I felt like the only girl with a mom like you.
You didn't have all the Bible studies under your belt in the 80s that you do now, but you had rock solid faith. You taught us with confidence that God has a good plan even when we go through hard circumstances. I remember vividly these lessons.
I was mesmerized by you as a child. You were so funny. Your spontaneous dancing and general silliness shaped me. (I think Avery looks at me the same way I looked at you.) All my friends loved your laugh. The burst of a howl followed by the unselfconscious hoo hoo hee hee ha ha made us giggle.
You are so comfortable to be with. We don't need a plan. We just plop down on the couch and share our hearts over hazelnut coffee. I love that.
You always give all you have. You give yourself. Growing up, I watched you give time, rides, money, groceries, hugs, smiles, encouragement, gifts...all.the.time.
You have the patience of Job. I didn't really know how self-centered I was as a child until I was an adult. One day you and Dad said, "Oh, Jenna, we are so relieved to see how sensitive you are to other people. You were the MOST self-centered child of the bunch." You didn't immortalize my weaknesses by pointing them out and trying to root them out of my life at a young age. You lived by example and waited patiently for the Lord to work in my heart. I find this extremely encouraging as a parent.
You were adventurous. You even tried to home school me. We lasted a good semester. Honestly, though, it was the best semester of my life. I loved being with you!
You valued arts and cultural experiences and thus made sure we had season tickets to the St. Louis Repertory Theater. I still remember Conversations With My Father, Fences, The Merry Wives of Windsor, A Christmas Carol, A Little Night Music, etc.... Maybe, this was a tiny influence on me ;)
You concocted and carried out some of the most hair-brained ideas, which turned out to make hilarious memories. My favorite was the time we got tired of the ducks. We'd acquired them on a whim at some rural county fair. For whatever reason, they became a nuisance and you decided that they belonged at someone else's farm. This didn't mean that you'd pick up the phone and find a new home for them. No, you spotted a good pond on someone else's property and didn't need to consult them. The plan we carried out was that when it got dark, we'd each hold onto a duck and lay low in the back of the pick-up while Dad drove. Then, when he stopped by the pond, we threw them over the fence as their feathers flew and they were quackin' at the moon. You're the only person I've ever thrown a duck with. I love you for that memory.
You are the best mother in the world for me. Happy Mother's Day!
With each year that I get to enjoy the blessing of being a mother, my respect for you grows and my heart is humbled. Here are some things for which I am so grateful.
You are a mom I could share anything with. You told me the truth and I told you the truth. We weren't afraid of being real with each other. I felt like the only girl with a mom like you.
You didn't have all the Bible studies under your belt in the 80s that you do now, but you had rock solid faith. You taught us with confidence that God has a good plan even when we go through hard circumstances. I remember vividly these lessons.
I was mesmerized by you as a child. You were so funny. Your spontaneous dancing and general silliness shaped me. (I think Avery looks at me the same way I looked at you.) All my friends loved your laugh. The burst of a howl followed by the unselfconscious hoo hoo hee hee ha ha made us giggle.
You are so comfortable to be with. We don't need a plan. We just plop down on the couch and share our hearts over hazelnut coffee. I love that.
You always give all you have. You give yourself. Growing up, I watched you give time, rides, money, groceries, hugs, smiles, encouragement, gifts...all.the.time.
You have the patience of Job. I didn't really know how self-centered I was as a child until I was an adult. One day you and Dad said, "Oh, Jenna, we are so relieved to see how sensitive you are to other people. You were the MOST self-centered child of the bunch." You didn't immortalize my weaknesses by pointing them out and trying to root them out of my life at a young age. You lived by example and waited patiently for the Lord to work in my heart. I find this extremely encouraging as a parent.
You were adventurous. You even tried to home school me. We lasted a good semester. Honestly, though, it was the best semester of my life. I loved being with you!
You valued arts and cultural experiences and thus made sure we had season tickets to the St. Louis Repertory Theater. I still remember Conversations With My Father, Fences, The Merry Wives of Windsor, A Christmas Carol, A Little Night Music, etc.... Maybe, this was a tiny influence on me ;)
You concocted and carried out some of the most hair-brained ideas, which turned out to make hilarious memories. My favorite was the time we got tired of the ducks. We'd acquired them on a whim at some rural county fair. For whatever reason, they became a nuisance and you decided that they belonged at someone else's farm. This didn't mean that you'd pick up the phone and find a new home for them. No, you spotted a good pond on someone else's property and didn't need to consult them. The plan we carried out was that when it got dark, we'd each hold onto a duck and lay low in the back of the pick-up while Dad drove. Then, when he stopped by the pond, we threw them over the fence as their feathers flew and they were quackin' at the moon. You're the only person I've ever thrown a duck with. I love you for that memory.
You are the best mother in the world for me. Happy Mother's Day!
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
loving my kids
My friend, Jenny, is doing a book giveaway on her blog. All you have to do to enter the contest is leave a comment about what you love about your children.
I love Jenny for making me do this exercise. Here's what I wrote:
i love avery (10 yrs) for being my little man who helps me get his baby sister in her car seat when we are running late. i love the way he hums a tune when he's eating a favorite meal. i love how he beat-boxes like a champ. i love watching him play baseball.
i love miles (8 yrs) for engaging his imagination 150% of the time. and i love listening to him use big words. i love that he's the most natural snuggler in all the universe.
i love jillian (3 yrs) for her laugh, her expressive eyes, her tenderness that doesn't let me off the hook when i use a harsh word. i love that she knows the lyrics to more songs than i do.
i love phoebe (1 yr) for melting my heart every time i look at her. i love, love, love to feel her two chubby hands with slightly sharp fingernails (because it's really hard to keep everyone's nails trimmed all the time!) grab my chin to turn my head to look at her. i love her stinky morning breath and the way she laughs and says "mama!" when it's just been too long since we've seen each other.
Now, if you've got some kiddos (or grandkids? or nieces or nephews?), go check out her blog and leave a comment for your chance to win a copy of Loving The Little Years: Motherhood in the Trenches! I know if I don't win a copy, I'll be borrowing hers!!!
I love Jenny for making me do this exercise. Here's what I wrote:
i love avery (10 yrs) for being my little man who helps me get his baby sister in her car seat when we are running late. i love the way he hums a tune when he's eating a favorite meal. i love how he beat-boxes like a champ. i love watching him play baseball.
i love miles (8 yrs) for engaging his imagination 150% of the time. and i love listening to him use big words. i love that he's the most natural snuggler in all the universe.
i love jillian (3 yrs) for her laugh, her expressive eyes, her tenderness that doesn't let me off the hook when i use a harsh word. i love that she knows the lyrics to more songs than i do.
i love phoebe (1 yr) for melting my heart every time i look at her. i love, love, love to feel her two chubby hands with slightly sharp fingernails (because it's really hard to keep everyone's nails trimmed all the time!) grab my chin to turn my head to look at her. i love her stinky morning breath and the way she laughs and says "mama!" when it's just been too long since we've seen each other.
Now, if you've got some kiddos (or grandkids? or nieces or nephews?), go check out her blog and leave a comment for your chance to win a copy of Loving The Little Years: Motherhood in the Trenches! I know if I don't win a copy, I'll be borrowing hers!!!
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
why i don't take, post or print pictures of my children at this stage in my life
Jillian: "Mah-um...Mah-um...can I take the picture?"
Me: "No, no honey. Let me get one of you and Phoebe in your cute dresses."
Me: "Honey, can you two scoot back??"
Phoebe: "Wah!!!!!!! Wah!!!!!!!" (translated: I want to look at the picture you're looking at in the camera!!!)
Me: "Hold on. I gotta turn off the flash. k. Phoebe! PEEK-a-boo! Be still one moment...."
Me: "PEEK-a-boo!!! Look at mommy :D!!!"
Me: "Fine...here you go, Jillian."
Jillian: "say cheese!!!!!!!!!!"
Me: "cheese."
Phoebe: "uh. uh. WAH!"
Jillian: "Phoebe, say 'cheese'!!!"
Phoebe: "WAHHHHHH!!!" (translated: I'm about to go ninja on you if you don't give me that frip-frappin camera!!!!!!!!!!!!")
update: my friend, babysitter and the first commenter on this post, becky, had the same idea earlier in the day...with a tad more success.
I imagine Becky was all, "Okay, Phoebe, try to look emo....good girl!"
"Okay, Phoebe, now look totally spaced out while I pull off looking cuter than a baby! sweet. Good job!"
Me: "No, no honey. Let me get one of you and Phoebe in your cute dresses."
Me: "Honey, can you two scoot back??"
Phoebe: "Wah!!!!!!! Wah!!!!!!!" (translated: I want to look at the picture you're looking at in the camera!!!)
Me: "Hold on. I gotta turn off the flash. k. Phoebe! PEEK-a-boo! Be still one moment...."
Me: "PEEK-a-boo!!! Look at mommy :D!!!"
Me: "Fine...here you go, Jillian."
Jillian: "say cheese!!!!!!!!!!"
Me: "cheese."
Phoebe: "uh. uh. WAH!"
Jillian: "Phoebe, say 'cheese'!!!"
Phoebe: "WAHHHHHH!!!" (translated: I'm about to go ninja on you if you don't give me that frip-frappin camera!!!!!!!!!!!!")
update: my friend, babysitter and the first commenter on this post, becky, had the same idea earlier in the day...with a tad more success.
I imagine Becky was all, "Okay, Phoebe, try to look emo....good girl!"
"Okay, Phoebe, now look totally spaced out while I pull off looking cuter than a baby! sweet. Good job!"
Sunday, November 14, 2010
last of the (super long overdue) chicago pictures
Over a month ago, I wrote, "More on the trip soon." Fail. If I've learned anything about myself, it's that if I commit to doing anything on my blog, I don't do it. So, with that in mind, I will never post all our stops we made on our summer vacation.
A few thoughts on Chicago. I'm SO glad we had to travel through it twice (on the way out and on the way back to Minneapolis). I love this hub of the midwest for the people, the memories we've made there over the years and for all that it offers in terms of food and entertainment. At this stage in life, it's more about the people and the food.
We stayed with the Vander Griends. I met Kim in college and have already written a bit about her here and there. She's hilarious and intense. Her husband is also hilarious and intense, but in complimentary ways. They are so comfortable to be around. Even before they had children, they were really cool with ours. Kim has a very enchanting way with kiddos.
Our girls are very close in age. Lucy and Jillian are a few days apart. Lila and Phoebe are three months apart. I was a little obsessed with matching them. But getting a picture was tricky! It's hard enough to get ONE kid to look at a camera, let alone FOUR!!!
Kim reading to the girls.
The Dads took out the kids to Millennium Park (as I wrote SO long ago).
And we took out the babies. I have one request when I visit Chicago: cupcakes. If you're ever in Lincoln Park (am I right, Kim?), Go to Sweet Mandy B's. Get yourself a vanilla cupcake. (And then get another for the road.) It's AH-mazing. I have become a bit of a cupcake connoisseur over the years. I have not found a cupcake that competes with Sweet Mandy B's. (Okay, now I'm salivating. Cannot write about this anymore!!!)
next stop, OHIO. (but i will NOT post about it...reverse psychology works, right??!!)
A few thoughts on Chicago. I'm SO glad we had to travel through it twice (on the way out and on the way back to Minneapolis). I love this hub of the midwest for the people, the memories we've made there over the years and for all that it offers in terms of food and entertainment. At this stage in life, it's more about the people and the food.
We stayed with the Vander Griends. I met Kim in college and have already written a bit about her here and there. She's hilarious and intense. Her husband is also hilarious and intense, but in complimentary ways. They are so comfortable to be around. Even before they had children, they were really cool with ours. Kim has a very enchanting way with kiddos.
Our girls are very close in age. Lucy and Jillian are a few days apart. Lila and Phoebe are three months apart. I was a little obsessed with matching them. But getting a picture was tricky! It's hard enough to get ONE kid to look at a camera, let alone FOUR!!!
Kim reading to the girls.
The Dads took out the kids to Millennium Park (as I wrote SO long ago).
And we took out the babies. I have one request when I visit Chicago: cupcakes. If you're ever in Lincoln Park (am I right, Kim?), Go to Sweet Mandy B's. Get yourself a vanilla cupcake. (And then get another for the road.) It's AH-mazing. I have become a bit of a cupcake connoisseur over the years. I have not found a cupcake that competes with Sweet Mandy B's. (Okay, now I'm salivating. Cannot write about this anymore!!!)
next stop, OHIO. (but i will NOT post about it...reverse psychology works, right??!!)
Thursday, November 11, 2010
one of my favorite parenting tips
The further into this journey of parenting I go, the more grace I need. I need it from the Lord obviously. And I need it from my friends. Here's a quote from a friend that I've been noodling on for awhile.
"Someone recently asked me for parenting advice and I told them, 'Surround yourself with friends who don't judge you or your parenting.'" (That was Sarah T, for the locals.)
Sure, I was as guilty as any other person pre-children. Even when the boys were still kinda little, I said things like "My kid will never ____."
One way God humbled me was to bless me with four children. I don't know an honest Christian mother who doesn't think that God is using motherhood to sanctify her. Holy Moly. I am constantly being humbled by saying things I never thought I'd say. I've turned a blind eye to behavior I never thought I'd permit. I struggle with anger more than I ever could have imagined. And, strangely, my children are not the perfect robot angels that I once knew they'd be. (But, they are pretty great!!!)
With all my failures in mind, it makes a WORLD of difference when I know I'm in the company of those who have grace for me. They have love and grace for me despite my flawed parenting. They have love and grace for my sinful children. Quite honestly, a friend's judgment on top of the failure does nothing if it doesn't make me a worse parent. It's burdensome.
What I need is understanding. I need encouragement. I need patience.
(And friends who are being judgmental need understanding and patience too! Bear with them and love them! And trust that God will humble them in His time! :D)
No need to affirm my stupid parenting moments. I don't need someone to tell me that my anger or my inconsistent parenting is inspiring. I need to know they love me anyway and that they'll be praying for me. I need to know they'll pray for my kids.
And, by God's grace, that's what I have. I am so blessed to be surrounded by friends who aren't judging me. I feel safe to confess my shortcomings and walk in the light and come away refreshed and ready to be a better mom.
"Someone recently asked me for parenting advice and I told them, 'Surround yourself with friends who don't judge you or your parenting.'" (That was Sarah T, for the locals.)
Sure, I was as guilty as any other person pre-children. Even when the boys were still kinda little, I said things like "My kid will never ____."
One way God humbled me was to bless me with four children. I don't know an honest Christian mother who doesn't think that God is using motherhood to sanctify her. Holy Moly. I am constantly being humbled by saying things I never thought I'd say. I've turned a blind eye to behavior I never thought I'd permit. I struggle with anger more than I ever could have imagined. And, strangely, my children are not the perfect robot angels that I once knew they'd be. (But, they are pretty great!!!)
With all my failures in mind, it makes a WORLD of difference when I know I'm in the company of those who have grace for me. They have love and grace for me despite my flawed parenting. They have love and grace for my sinful children. Quite honestly, a friend's judgment on top of the failure does nothing if it doesn't make me a worse parent. It's burdensome.
What I need is understanding. I need encouragement. I need patience.
(And friends who are being judgmental need understanding and patience too! Bear with them and love them! And trust that God will humble them in His time! :D)
No need to affirm my stupid parenting moments. I don't need someone to tell me that my anger or my inconsistent parenting is inspiring. I need to know they love me anyway and that they'll be praying for me. I need to know they'll pray for my kids.
And, by God's grace, that's what I have. I am so blessed to be surrounded by friends who aren't judging me. I feel safe to confess my shortcomings and walk in the light and come away refreshed and ready to be a better mom.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
thoughts on my earlier post, blogging in general and the pitfall of narcissism
Last night when I wrote about my kids, I was pretty aware that I was gushing over them. Maybe a little too much. And I realize that I gush over Brent whenever I write about him (because he's awesome...).
This morning I reflected on a brief conversation that Brent and I had about narcissism. I had read an interview with Angelina Jolie and immediately thought, narcissist. I need to admit that's not a good habit, diagnosing people you're reading about in the paper or on a blog. But it got me thinking about how our look-at-me, read-about-me, watch-my-youtube culture seems like a petri dish for narcissism.
On one hand, I don't want to be guilty of showcasing only the positive side. On the other hand, I want to be cautious as I write about my family. I should say only positive things about my kids or my husband on a blog. If they want to be vulnerable about their weaknesses, I'll let them do that.
So, if you're reading along and find yourself thinking, "Wow! Jenna's kids are the most amazing kids ever," or "Dang, Jenna, you are a deluded child-worshipper," just keep in mind that I'm trying to be respectful of them by leaving out the bad stuff.
This morning I reflected on a brief conversation that Brent and I had about narcissism. I had read an interview with Angelina Jolie and immediately thought, narcissist. I need to admit that's not a good habit, diagnosing people you're reading about in the paper or on a blog. But it got me thinking about how our look-at-me, read-about-me, watch-my-youtube culture seems like a petri dish for narcissism.
On one hand, I don't want to be guilty of showcasing only the positive side. On the other hand, I want to be cautious as I write about my family. I should say only positive things about my kids or my husband on a blog. If they want to be vulnerable about their weaknesses, I'll let them do that.
So, if you're reading along and find yourself thinking, "Wow! Jenna's kids are the most amazing kids ever," or "Dang, Jenna, you are a deluded child-worshipper," just keep in mind that I'm trying to be respectful of them by leaving out the bad stuff.
Monday, July 12, 2010
it's really hard to write anymore
If I could write a brain dump, I'd tell you about...
1. How time-consuming and thought-consuming it is to have four kids home all the time. I do NOT know how homeschoolers do this. Or daycare providers. Or...anyone. It's been hard.
2. I'd tell you about how Phoebe changed in her seventh month of life. She was a quiet, immobile, toothless baby with dark, dark hair. Between seven and eight months old, she started crawling and sitting and grew two teeth. Her hair lightened up significantly. (We all knew that was going to happen, right? The blonde eyebrows at birth...) She says "da-da" and makes cute noises. And not so cute noises. Downright scary shrilling noises that make you freeze and drop your fork at dinner sometimes.
3. I'd tell you how Avery's playing little league for the first time this year. He's amazing. So coachable. So focused. When I watch my son play baseball, I'm watching a young man. And when I watch him play, I forget about mortgages and meal planning and failures. That's not why I love his games. It's just something I noticed. I don't want to miss him make a double play or a diving catch. I love watching him do things I can't. And I love watching him pat his fellow players on the back and cheer for them. I love seeing that he does indeed have a passion.
4. I'd tell you how Miles is hands-down the best soccer player I've ever seen. (I didn't watch the World Cup!) No. Really, it's amazing to watch him channel his seemingly endless supply of energy and use his usually annoying skill of weaving in and out of people to totally dominate the field. He isn't timid. He's focused and he charges the ball (and hogs it). He scores lots of goals (and he misses a lot). We encourage him to be a team player and pass, but since he doesn't read this blog, I can say he could pretty much take on the other team by himself.
5. I'd tell you a thousand things about Jillian, too, because her personality just tickles me so. I'm especially fascinated with her different relationships in the family. When she puts on a pretty dress, she announces, "I'm cute," and then immediately runs to Brent for approval. She and Miles play all the time. Avery reads her books and she loves to climb up to his bunk...and steal his gum, which really annoys him! She has about 25 nicknames for Phoebe. I love to hear her say, "Oh Phoeb!" or "Phoby" or "Phlubz".
6. I'd tell you about how I stopped using Twitter and deactivated my Facebook account so that I could think more clearly again. Too. much. information.
7. I'd tell you so many more things. But, in the meantime, I think I'll share pictures that I've just found on my camera. Until tonight, I hadn't uploaded pictures for months. It was interesting. "What I found on my camera" posts to follow...
1. How time-consuming and thought-consuming it is to have four kids home all the time. I do NOT know how homeschoolers do this. Or daycare providers. Or...anyone. It's been hard.
2. I'd tell you about how Phoebe changed in her seventh month of life. She was a quiet, immobile, toothless baby with dark, dark hair. Between seven and eight months old, she started crawling and sitting and grew two teeth. Her hair lightened up significantly. (We all knew that was going to happen, right? The blonde eyebrows at birth...) She says "da-da" and makes cute noises. And not so cute noises. Downright scary shrilling noises that make you freeze and drop your fork at dinner sometimes.
3. I'd tell you how Avery's playing little league for the first time this year. He's amazing. So coachable. So focused. When I watch my son play baseball, I'm watching a young man. And when I watch him play, I forget about mortgages and meal planning and failures. That's not why I love his games. It's just something I noticed. I don't want to miss him make a double play or a diving catch. I love watching him do things I can't. And I love watching him pat his fellow players on the back and cheer for them. I love seeing that he does indeed have a passion.
4. I'd tell you how Miles is hands-down the best soccer player I've ever seen. (I didn't watch the World Cup!) No. Really, it's amazing to watch him channel his seemingly endless supply of energy and use his usually annoying skill of weaving in and out of people to totally dominate the field. He isn't timid. He's focused and he charges the ball (and hogs it). He scores lots of goals (and he misses a lot). We encourage him to be a team player and pass, but since he doesn't read this blog, I can say he could pretty much take on the other team by himself.
5. I'd tell you a thousand things about Jillian, too, because her personality just tickles me so. I'm especially fascinated with her different relationships in the family. When she puts on a pretty dress, she announces, "I'm cute," and then immediately runs to Brent for approval. She and Miles play all the time. Avery reads her books and she loves to climb up to his bunk...and steal his gum, which really annoys him! She has about 25 nicknames for Phoebe. I love to hear her say, "Oh Phoeb!" or "Phoby" or "Phlubz".
6. I'd tell you about how I stopped using Twitter and deactivated my Facebook account so that I could think more clearly again. Too. much. information.
7. I'd tell you so many more things. But, in the meantime, I think I'll share pictures that I've just found on my camera. Until tonight, I hadn't uploaded pictures for months. It was interesting. "What I found on my camera" posts to follow...
Friday, April 23, 2010
tea for two (nostrils)
This morning, I used the neti pot for the first time in awhile. Jillian was fascinated and said in her typical sing-songy fashion, "You have a tea party in your nose, Mama?"
Jillian donning her swimsuit (aka "swimsoup") and froggy galoshes.
Jillian donning her swimsuit (aka "swimsoup") and froggy galoshes.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
why PBS has been on for three hours this morning, plus bonus footage of jillian
So...
We've had a stomach bug going through our family. Phoebe and I have formed an alliance and have avoided getting any of the major sicknesses that have threatened our well-being since mid-October.
Last week my Facebook status described a phenomenal five minutes, in which a glass jar of marinara exploded in our kitchen. It didn't fail to splatter our white walls or land in shoes and briefcases. It was amazing. Ninety seconds into cleaning that up, I heard a cough behind me. Mind you, it was 10:30 p.m. Our oldest had thrown up IN HIS SLEEP. He was covered in the puke version of tomato bisque. (The bisque has been taken off the rotation until next winter, I can assure you.) This meant that there was a twin-sized mattress amount of vomit waiting for us in his room. Thanks to my sacrificial husband, I was able to stay focused on the marinara and kid care while he dealt with the real mess.
About a week later, it was Jillian's turn. Because of my volunteer commitments at school, I missed most of her puking spells. (Thank you, Jesus.)
Yesterday, I called Brent at work and it went straight to voicemail. Hm. "...I am ill and will be out indefinitely..." Oh. He stumbled through the door and headed for bed only to eek out in a whisper, "pajamas."
A few hours later, the boys came home from school. Avery announced that Miles was sick. Miles insisted, "I'm not sick. I don't have a temperature." To which I asked, "Do you feel achy?" "yes." "Does your stomach hurt?" "yes." hm. "You're sick, Miles." He didn't say much, but I won that argument when I found him hurling on the carpet an hour later. Good thing we STILL haven't replaced the orange, commercial-grade carpet from 1962 in the family room. I just had to ask, "Did you eat your carrots at lunch." Clueless of the irony, he answered, "yes."
"I know," I said as I cleaned up the puke version of carrots.
One of the perks of puking in our family, is the refreshment of Gatorade. We had one 32 ounce bottle. Liquid gold, you could call it. Jillian found it and poured half onto the floor. (You can pick her up at the pound.)
i'm kidding.
Avery thought this was a good time to ask, "Can I have some Gatorade?" "No." "But, I didn't get any when I was sick." "That's because we didn't have any."
rummage, rummage, rummage.
His search paid off. He found a who-knows-how-old package of MIXADE (that's right. the generic of Kool-aid...because real Kool-aid is so expensive, right?) "Can you make this?" "Fine." So Mixade became the backpay for lack of Gatorade. Jillian found that this morning and poured half of the Mixade on the floor.
It was PBS or the pound for Jillian. I chose PBS. I guess Jesus DOES love her...
We've had a stomach bug going through our family. Phoebe and I have formed an alliance and have avoided getting any of the major sicknesses that have threatened our well-being since mid-October.
Last week my Facebook status described a phenomenal five minutes, in which a glass jar of marinara exploded in our kitchen. It didn't fail to splatter our white walls or land in shoes and briefcases. It was amazing. Ninety seconds into cleaning that up, I heard a cough behind me. Mind you, it was 10:30 p.m. Our oldest had thrown up IN HIS SLEEP. He was covered in the puke version of tomato bisque. (The bisque has been taken off the rotation until next winter, I can assure you.) This meant that there was a twin-sized mattress amount of vomit waiting for us in his room. Thanks to my sacrificial husband, I was able to stay focused on the marinara and kid care while he dealt with the real mess.
About a week later, it was Jillian's turn. Because of my volunteer commitments at school, I missed most of her puking spells. (Thank you, Jesus.)
Yesterday, I called Brent at work and it went straight to voicemail. Hm. "...I am ill and will be out indefinitely..." Oh. He stumbled through the door and headed for bed only to eek out in a whisper, "pajamas."
A few hours later, the boys came home from school. Avery announced that Miles was sick. Miles insisted, "I'm not sick. I don't have a temperature." To which I asked, "Do you feel achy?" "yes." "Does your stomach hurt?" "yes." hm. "You're sick, Miles." He didn't say much, but I won that argument when I found him hurling on the carpet an hour later. Good thing we STILL haven't replaced the orange, commercial-grade carpet from 1962 in the family room. I just had to ask, "Did you eat your carrots at lunch." Clueless of the irony, he answered, "yes."
"I know," I said as I cleaned up the puke version of carrots.
One of the perks of puking in our family, is the refreshment of Gatorade. We had one 32 ounce bottle. Liquid gold, you could call it. Jillian found it and poured half onto the floor. (You can pick her up at the pound.)
i'm kidding.
Avery thought this was a good time to ask, "Can I have some Gatorade?" "No." "But, I didn't get any when I was sick." "That's because we didn't have any."
rummage, rummage, rummage.
His search paid off. He found a who-knows-how-old package of MIXADE (that's right. the generic of Kool-aid...because real Kool-aid is so expensive, right?) "Can you make this?" "Fine." So Mixade became the backpay for lack of Gatorade. Jillian found that this morning and poured half of the Mixade on the floor.
It was PBS or the pound for Jillian. I chose PBS. I guess Jesus DOES love her...
Sunday, October 18, 2009
my little stumbling block
Okay, so, confession: I haven't been paying attention as much during dinner prayer times. I peek through my fingers and watch Jillian. But, how can I not???
Hope you're as entertained as I am as we wait...and wait...and wait! I think I'm feeling a few contractions...hope this means something!
Hope you're as entertained as I am as we wait...and wait...and wait! I think I'm feeling a few contractions...hope this means something!
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
When people tell me, "Oh! Jillian's gonna be a great big sister!" I think of this:
I'm convinced passive-aggressive behavior was invented by jealous toddlers.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
confession: things i said to my kids today
While playing cards with Miles...
Miles: I need a three of hearts.
Me: What? Oh. It sounded like you said "three of farts"
Miles: hee-hee
Me: What if you said you needed a King of Farts?
While trying to start reading The House on Pooh Corner...
Avery: I don't want to read that. All I think of is poop when I hear it.
Me: What if all the dogs in the neighborhood always pooped on our corner. Then WE would live in The House on Poo Corner.
So, there. I never said I was a perfect Mom, did I? By the way, I did say other things, too. Good things.
(And I read the book anyway. And we liked it so far.)
Miles: I need a three of hearts.
Me: What? Oh. It sounded like you said "three of farts"
Miles: hee-hee
Me: What if you said you needed a King of Farts?
While trying to start reading The House on Pooh Corner...
Avery: I don't want to read that. All I think of is poop when I hear it.
Me: What if all the dogs in the neighborhood always pooped on our corner. Then WE would live in The House on Poo Corner.
So, there. I never said I was a perfect Mom, did I? By the way, I did say other things, too. Good things.
(And I read the book anyway. And we liked it so far.)
Saturday, August 15, 2009
When we were young...reeeeallly young
So, now that I'm 31 weeks, I think I'm letting myself wonder who this baby is going to look like. Here's the family from oldest to youngest.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Grandma was in town. We finally visited this famous landmark.
We've only been here almost FOUR years and we finally went to the famous Sculpture Garden. It was fun having Brent's mom in town from Ohio. She visited back in JUNE and I'm finally post this. (Can y'all tell I'm the biggest procrastinator ever?) She inspired some gardening by getting me a bunch of perennials. Best part is, I'll think of her every time I look at my flowers!
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
summer brain guessing game
I'm not reading or writing much in the way of blogs these days. How 'bout playing Guess Who Ate That Bratwurst! with me. In our home, no two people share the exact same taste when it comes to dressing a dog...or brat in this case. (I can't decide if this post is funny or lame. Probably both. But, play along.) If you can match the right family member to the (highly NOT recommended) Cheddar Brat (from Aldi), you win. And what will you win?? Braggin' Rights. enjoy.
A.
B. (ummm...duh!)
C.
D.
E.
A.
B. (ummm...duh!)
C.
D.
E.
Friday, July 3, 2009
Happy Birthday, Dad!!!
Some things you might not know about my super awesome Dad...
1. He adopted me when I was 8 years old. (And, as the youngest, I'm still his baby!) Despite the fact that he became a father overnight when he married my mother, he has always been an amazing father. He's very wise and thoughtful. I remember thinking this even as a little kid. It didn't take perspective to realize this. I've always known that I was incredibly blessed to have him for my father!
2. He's my technological hero! Some people think that I have some savvy just because I have a blog. (Please. Those of you who blog know that it's just as easy as typing an email!) I will admit here that I can never even remember how to back up my computer. Honestly, I don't know how to do much more than check my email and write this blog. Every time something goes wrong, my Dad is my go-to guy. How many people my age can say that about their parents??
3. He is the BEST encourager. He encourages in the Word and in truth. He doesn't tell me exactly what to do in a certain situation. He reminds me how to have faith in EVERY situation. He reminds me how to apply seeking the Kingdom of God first in all situations. If I love him for nothing else, I love him for his faithful encouragement.
4. He's brilliant. I love that my childhood memories include him painting the house, building beautiful cabinets, teaching me how to use a belt sander and a drill press, growing a vegetable garden, making pickles and freezer jam, knowing the answer to every one of my questions (especially anything to do with science!), identifying every kind of fighter jet, and don't forget...he's a computer genius.
5. He's somewhat predictable in what he's going to say (unlike me!). He has a exorbitant amount of Dad-isms. When I was a little kid, I only got my allowance if my room was clean by Saturday afternoonish. I always procrastinated until the very last moment. I could count on my Dad to say every week, "Well, Jen, you just made it under the wire." There are so many, but I'm not going to "make it under the wire" if I don't wrap this up. (Neely, hook me up with some classic Dad-isms in the comments?)
It's late. My Dad has already celebrated his 60th birthday today. But, I couldn't let the day pass without posting some thoughts.
Dad, I love you! You are such a special blessing to me! Happy Birthday!
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