B and H do not have college funds of the usual variety. Instead, they own cattle. They have their own little partnership where they feed some cattle in the west. They picked out the checks, but of course Daddy does all the management and the girls really don't know much else about it.
Yesterday, Nana, delivers two big boxes from the company the girls feed cattle with. The girls are beyond excited. This close to Christmas and a big box with just their names on it has arrived. "Can we open it?" They are pushing to see who will carry it in. H takes it to her room. We have to call repeatedly to get it brought back downstairs. Finally, Daddy gets it open. Hello 6 pound smoked beef brisket. Not the first choice of my almost vegetarian children. Welcome to the beef industry baby girls!
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Monday, December 15, 2008
Legacy
In the spring of 1996, I was fresh out of college and more concerned with planning my upcoming wedding than the new job I had just begun as the Monroe County 4-H agent. Don't get me wrong, I had lots of ideas and excitement, but most of them were colored by the limited world of Extension I had seen in my home county. But, there I was thrust into the middle of a lively program with plenty of opinionated people. Even "my office" was filled with the history that was Monroe County 4-H. Front and center was Kela Lyons. Not her personally, but her many accomplishments. Lots of Kentucky 4-Hers hosted Japanese exchange students, but Kela went to Japan. Pick any project or event and Kela had some how done it bigger and better. Not only had she done all these things, but somehow managed to include everyone with her. She brought back gifts and art work, she shared her stories, and seemed to have made every one she knew feel as if they had a personal part in her achievements. Everything we did was compared to Kela. I heard about her wedding, her job, her life. Some days I wondered if her essence walked around the building at night. As a new face trying to make a name for myself and my kids, I sometimes felt discouraged that the bar was so high.
When Kela opened her practice in Bowling Green, it was almost a mad dash to beat down her office door. Subjects that are never discussed in polite company seemed to be overheard at every extension function as people bragged on the wonders of Kela Fee. Shortly there after, I moved on from Extension to deal full time with the infertility battle we were fighting and eventually on to adoption. My gyn at that the time was not as ready to give up the infertility fight and felt the need to discuss additional options with me at every appointment. My raw nerves could not handle this and so in desperation, I made an appointment with the famed Dr. Fee.
Past experiences made me a little leery. Most great people eventually read and believe enough of their own press that they make me crazy. Not Kela. She was everything everyone had said and then more. She talked with patients while they were still dressed. She remembered names and details and would ask to see pictures of my now growing family. She welcomed newborn babies into the world with a kiss and made even the most yucky exams more bearable with discussions of cute shoes and "mom" jewelry. She kept up with it all. As some of you all will remember, I began a bought with serious illness about the same time she was diagnosed with much worse than I had going on. Despite that, she apologized when she saw me in the mall. She was worried that my case had to be transferred and that something would fall through the cracks. She had so much to deal with and yet still worried about my little details. I have never been happy with a doctor since her. Plain and simply, no one will ever be able to live up to that amazing standard she set.
What a legacy. What an impact she has had on everyone around her from childhood until her last breath. No one is perfect. No one can do it all, but to leave the world better than we found it is truly the legacy we should all strive for. Without a doubt, Kela left everyone in her world, better for knowing her.
When Kela opened her practice in Bowling Green, it was almost a mad dash to beat down her office door. Subjects that are never discussed in polite company seemed to be overheard at every extension function as people bragged on the wonders of Kela Fee. Shortly there after, I moved on from Extension to deal full time with the infertility battle we were fighting and eventually on to adoption. My gyn at that the time was not as ready to give up the infertility fight and felt the need to discuss additional options with me at every appointment. My raw nerves could not handle this and so in desperation, I made an appointment with the famed Dr. Fee.
Past experiences made me a little leery. Most great people eventually read and believe enough of their own press that they make me crazy. Not Kela. She was everything everyone had said and then more. She talked with patients while they were still dressed. She remembered names and details and would ask to see pictures of my now growing family. She welcomed newborn babies into the world with a kiss and made even the most yucky exams more bearable with discussions of cute shoes and "mom" jewelry. She kept up with it all. As some of you all will remember, I began a bought with serious illness about the same time she was diagnosed with much worse than I had going on. Despite that, she apologized when she saw me in the mall. She was worried that my case had to be transferred and that something would fall through the cracks. She had so much to deal with and yet still worried about my little details. I have never been happy with a doctor since her. Plain and simply, no one will ever be able to live up to that amazing standard she set.
What a legacy. What an impact she has had on everyone around her from childhood until her last breath. No one is perfect. No one can do it all, but to leave the world better than we found it is truly the legacy we should all strive for. Without a doubt, Kela left everyone in her world, better for knowing her.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Recently Heard Around Our House
Brian: (laughing while L made funny faces) " What did we do before we had L to adore"
B: "When are we going to adopt another baby?"
Me: "Do you want another baby?"
B: "Yes, J would make a good big brother."
On a worksheet about communities by H
Question: What fun things can you do in your community?
Answer: In my community, I can climb on my cow's hay.
Question: Name two things that make your community a good place to live.
Answer: From my house you can see a good sunset and you can see cows.
While studying for B's upcoming social studies test
Question: What are two responsibilities of every American citizen?
B: " To pay taxes and ..... I can't remember the other one.
Me: " Yes , you can. We got to East Allen to do this."
B: "CAKEWALK"
Okay, perhaps one of our basic responsibilities is not to cakewalk for the fire department,and few people would probably list their community strengths as being able to see cows, but it sure makes me love the world I live in.
B: "When are we going to adopt another baby?"
Me: "Do you want another baby?"
B: "Yes, J would make a good big brother."
On a worksheet about communities by H
Question: What fun things can you do in your community?
Answer: In my community, I can climb on my cow's hay.
Question: Name two things that make your community a good place to live.
Answer: From my house you can see a good sunset and you can see cows.
While studying for B's upcoming social studies test
Question: What are two responsibilities of every American citizen?
B: " To pay taxes and ..... I can't remember the other one.
Me: " Yes , you can. We got to East Allen to do this."
B: "CAKEWALK"
Okay, perhaps one of our basic responsibilities is not to cakewalk for the fire department,and few people would probably list their community strengths as being able to see cows, but it sure makes me love the world I live in.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Saturday, December 6, 2008
CPC Dinners
- 2 nights
- 325 people
- 100 children's gift bags
- 12 pounds of cream cheese
- 10 pounds of sugar
- 3 trips to the grocery
- 5 dozen eggs
- 1 cake thrown down the basement stairs
- ??? the number of times Kassie went out of her way to help me
- 1 child sick
- 1 1/2 days that Dawn could come to help. Of course this was also that day poinsettias came in!
- 5 daily Cokes to provide the sugar caffeine rush needed to get it all done
Huge thanks to all those who did all the table set up, potatoes, bread and salad, and endless other jobs I can never name. Especially my fabulous brother in law who spent two nights standing in the cold, grilling steaks to perfection. Whew, I am exhausted.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Opryland
Monday, November 17, 2008
Ten Reasons to Give Thanks for Your Child With Special Needs
I saw this in a newsletter, and it is just too good to not post. It is written by Terri Mauro
As if you need a reason! Parents of children with special needs know more than most that every child is a gift worthy of thanks. Every one, the ones who thrive, and the ones who strive, whether they become our legacy or we become theirs. But on those days when there doesn't seem much to be thankful for, or others are suggesting that your child must be a burden, or well meaning charities suggest giving thanks for healthy kids, check this list for a smile and a little inspiration.
1. You never have to worry about worrying over nothing.
Let other parents obsess over the frivolous and shallow. Your child will make sure you always have something to worry about.
2. Developmental Delays= more years of hugs, kisses, and little kid sweetness.
My 13 yo still wants to sit in my lap, give me hugs, and tell me he loves me. What mom of a sullen teen doesn't secretly wish for the same?
3. Maybe someday, Ty Pennington will come build you a house.
Hey, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition loves families of children with special needs. Your little one may be your ticket to a lavish living space.
4. Any little milestone is a cause to throw a party.
Your child works hard for every step, sit up, and syllable, giving you lots to be excited about.
5. Every day is a learning experience.
Some days it's a pop quiz, some days it's a crash course, but life with your child is always an education, for sure.
6. You have the privilege of putting several doctor's children through college.
After paying for all those appointments, you may feel like a one family scholarship foundation. Put your child's name on some letterhead and take pride.
7. You meet a better class of parents in waiting rooms and support groups.
Your child frees you from having to hang out with all those snotty parents on the playground, and gives you entry into an exclusive club of people who are sensitive, sarcastic, and sure of their priorities. (This is the point at which Brian began to laugh. Obviously, I was designed in utero to be the parent of a special needs child if sarcasm is one of the requirements! We would also agree this is a big way to force your priorities to the places they should have always been. We have prayed for this for years and God, as always, answers most creatively.)
8. You have an iron clad escape excuse for any occasion.
You'd love to stay at that boring party, crowded event, endless church service, but, you know your child just can't tolerate it. ( And if it's sometimes you who can't tolerate it--who's to know?)
9. Coming up with new strategies every day keeps your brain sharp.
They say doing crossword puzzles helps ward off Alzheimer's. Figuring out your child's schedules and treatments and lessons and rights and restrictions must easily provide twice the protection.
10. Your blessings will always be fully counted.
Other parents may take the gifts that their children bring for granted. Not you. Not ever.
As we approach Thanksgiving next week, we are overwhelmed with how blessed we are. Thank you God, for the big things and the showers of daily blessings that make our lives so amazing. May we remember that we are just the canvas and He is the painter.
As if you need a reason! Parents of children with special needs know more than most that every child is a gift worthy of thanks. Every one, the ones who thrive, and the ones who strive, whether they become our legacy or we become theirs. But on those days when there doesn't seem much to be thankful for, or others are suggesting that your child must be a burden, or well meaning charities suggest giving thanks for healthy kids, check this list for a smile and a little inspiration.
1. You never have to worry about worrying over nothing.
Let other parents obsess over the frivolous and shallow. Your child will make sure you always have something to worry about.
2. Developmental Delays= more years of hugs, kisses, and little kid sweetness.
My 13 yo still wants to sit in my lap, give me hugs, and tell me he loves me. What mom of a sullen teen doesn't secretly wish for the same?
3. Maybe someday, Ty Pennington will come build you a house.
Hey, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition loves families of children with special needs. Your little one may be your ticket to a lavish living space.
4. Any little milestone is a cause to throw a party.
Your child works hard for every step, sit up, and syllable, giving you lots to be excited about.
5. Every day is a learning experience.
Some days it's a pop quiz, some days it's a crash course, but life with your child is always an education, for sure.
6. You have the privilege of putting several doctor's children through college.
After paying for all those appointments, you may feel like a one family scholarship foundation. Put your child's name on some letterhead and take pride.
7. You meet a better class of parents in waiting rooms and support groups.
Your child frees you from having to hang out with all those snotty parents on the playground, and gives you entry into an exclusive club of people who are sensitive, sarcastic, and sure of their priorities. (This is the point at which Brian began to laugh. Obviously, I was designed in utero to be the parent of a special needs child if sarcasm is one of the requirements! We would also agree this is a big way to force your priorities to the places they should have always been. We have prayed for this for years and God, as always, answers most creatively.)
8. You have an iron clad escape excuse for any occasion.
You'd love to stay at that boring party, crowded event, endless church service, but, you know your child just can't tolerate it. ( And if it's sometimes you who can't tolerate it--who's to know?)
9. Coming up with new strategies every day keeps your brain sharp.
They say doing crossword puzzles helps ward off Alzheimer's. Figuring out your child's schedules and treatments and lessons and rights and restrictions must easily provide twice the protection.
10. Your blessings will always be fully counted.
Other parents may take the gifts that their children bring for granted. Not you. Not ever.
As we approach Thanksgiving next week, we are overwhelmed with how blessed we are. Thank you God, for the big things and the showers of daily blessings that make our lives so amazing. May we remember that we are just the canvas and He is the painter.
Leaping Mice
Thursday night, I saw a mouse in the office. This was not a meek little mouse hiding in a corner. It was running across the middle of the room in full light. I HATE MICE. I always said I could handle anything in the classroom and did, until the day a mouse ran in front of me and before I knew what was happening, I was standing in the hall. So much for control. Brian never saw it, and we didn't have any traps. I added that to my list and went on.
Saturday morning, the whole crew is up by 6:15 as usual. B spent the night with a friend, and H was getting ready for cheer practice. Jack begins frantically trying to tell me something , which is the point I realize the mouse is running and jumping through the playroom. It is climbing in and out of the Little People Mayflower. H is sure she can catch it, and I am now standing on the couch holding L and calling Brian. Bless his heart, he stops what he is doing and comes home with two traps. We don't have time for traps, this mouse has now been in and out of my closet and is back in the playroom. Finally, Brian gets one of the small nets that came with the sand buckets. Hadley lifts the teeter totter and Brian drops the net down. He can't pick the net up, because it would be too small to keep the mouse down in it. So, he crawls across the living room, with the net pressed to the floor, scooting the mouse along. H is yelling the whole time, "Don't kill it, it is one of God's creatures." I open the porch door and he flings it out. Crisis averted. All before 7am
Saturday morning, the whole crew is up by 6:15 as usual. B spent the night with a friend, and H was getting ready for cheer practice. Jack begins frantically trying to tell me something , which is the point I realize the mouse is running and jumping through the playroom. It is climbing in and out of the Little People Mayflower. H is sure she can catch it, and I am now standing on the couch holding L and calling Brian. Bless his heart, he stops what he is doing and comes home with two traps. We don't have time for traps, this mouse has now been in and out of my closet and is back in the playroom. Finally, Brian gets one of the small nets that came with the sand buckets. Hadley lifts the teeter totter and Brian drops the net down. He can't pick the net up, because it would be too small to keep the mouse down in it. So, he crawls across the living room, with the net pressed to the floor, scooting the mouse along. H is yelling the whole time, "Don't kill it, it is one of God's creatures." I open the porch door and he flings it out. Crisis averted. All before 7am
Thursday, November 13, 2008
One small boy plus one small rock equals.........
What can I say, J is at it again. Absolutely nothing prepared me for life with a boy. He is my only child to ever disappear and require the help of the police and local fire department to find him. (twice) He is the reason we have so many additional locks and gates. He eats more than all the girls put together. He points out every truck, tractor, car and bus and is beginning to know the different kinds. His frustration with his Mama grows daily as I do not realize it is a tow truck vs a front loader etc. He has peeled wall paper, parked all his trucks in the fireplace. ( he needed a gravel pit and things to push around), and clogged toilets. He has even managed to make the hot water heater overflow (don't ask). He is the reason L has a helmet to wear while on ride on toys in the house. He has pushed out screens, unbuckled his seat belt in the car, and can single handed drive all 3 of his sisters to insanity. He can also smile the most amazing "best little boy in the world" smile.
Trick or Treat
Monday, November 10, 2008
Perfect Days
When asked about perfect days, many people seem to think of the days of great events- weddings, births, holidays etc. They may even tell you of a season of life such as high school or childhood. None of these come even close to being on my list of perfect days. Although I rejoice, almost everyday, in the outcome of my wedding, the day itself was stressful, not really what I would have planned if truly left to my own choices, and exhausting. I adore my children, and would not take anything for the memories of picking them up for the first time, but each of his or her arrivals was also stressful, tiring, and full of extra emotions over finding the right kind of food or safe water in a foreign country. To this day we still compare all statements on tired to "Russia tired." No other tired has ever compared. As for seasons of life, if the best times are in the past, why go forward?
My perfect days are really about moments in time that take my breath away. Or those moments when I look around me and feel the swell of contentment deep in my soul. The true delight of the moment almost envelopes me. I am brought to tears at how blessed I am. They don't usually include many people, time is no object, and I feel no pressure to please any one in particular, or any one at all.
Perfect days are.......
My perfect days are really about moments in time that take my breath away. Or those moments when I look around me and feel the swell of contentment deep in my soul. The true delight of the moment almost envelopes me. I am brought to tears at how blessed I am. They don't usually include many people, time is no object, and I feel no pressure to please any one in particular, or any one at all.
Perfect days are.......
- Any day that includes me, B and H, a good book, warm sun and the pool.
- Castaway Cay day on a Disney Cruise. Breakfast at Parrot Cay, followed by all day on the beach with no sand to clean up afterwards.
- Camping anywhere with beautiful trees, a warm fire and no cell service.
- A quiet afternoon, baking cookies or bread in my kitchen, as rain or snow falls softly outside. ( I love the feel of bread dough in my hands.)
- Any day but a holiday weekend spent lounging in the boat. L loves the wind in her hair. B and H hatching some kind of plan for exploring. J in his daddy's arms driving the boat.
- Waking up on Thanksgiving morning with no place to go or activity we have to do until 5pm.
- Walking through a yellow woods with my husband at 1pm on a week day.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Treats
- We had beautiful family photos done last night. Brian came in early. Every one's hair worked. L's dress covered the bumbo seat so she could "sit" on the floor. The big girl's consented to allowing their mama one Norman Rockwell picture with matching, big bowed, full skirt dresses.
- We tried and succeeded in eating at Rafferty's. This is a huge first.
- L woke up hungry in the middle of the night, as is usual. I gave her a sippy cup of Pedia sure and put her back down. She didn't go back to sleep, but proceeded to call repeatedly for "Mama". This was a major accomplishment, so I of course gave in and went back upstairs. Even 4:30 wake up calls seem sweeter when your 2 yo finally articulates exactly what she wants.
- For Bible dress up day, I finally got one child to do something creative (please, no more animals or Mary) and B rolled out the door as The Tree of Life from the garden of Eden.
- L almost got her sock off in the car. The first time this was asked about in an evaluation, I stared at them in disbelief. This child could not even get her toes near her hands, let alone have the dexterity to get off the socks. They are not off, but stretched to oblivion. I am so proud!
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Becky's Wedding
Finally I have pictures of Rebecca and Mark's August 9th wedding to post. It was a beautiful event.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Spirit Spooktacular
B was my photographer for the day and I think she did an awesome job. The week leading up to the first competition of the season was crazy. They practiced every night and I really had little hope of things not falling completely apart. As usual I under estimated what sheer will power can achieve. It was a solid routine with only a minor end stunt problem. We got second and we can definitely live with that. Not a bad way to start the cheerleading year.
Eating an Elephant
I have debated on when to post or if ever to post this kind of information. I am well aware that most people are quite overwhelmed by their own lives and certainly do not need to feel weighed down by the challenges of someone else's. If you are like us, by the time you leave church on any given Sunday, you are so inundated with prayer requests that the bulletin, or list often gets little more attention than the momentary pray said over the trash compactor while cleaning out the church bag. That being said, I promised myself before beginning this little venture that the primary purpose of the blog was to record our family details for us to look back on and this certainly meets that promise.
We knew L had long term health issues before she came home. We received a firm diagnosis of cerebral palsey in April. This was of course expected, but we were then, and continue now to sort out what are the effects of CP and what are the results of being placed in a room for disabled children in an orphanage and barely talked to or worked with the first 2 years of her life. We know without a doubt that God placed her in our family. When asked if we could deal with what lay ahead, we have truthfully answered "we can just take one day at a time." If I spent much time looking at how tall the mountain is we still need to climb, or how hard the trail will be, I would certainly melt into a puddle of tears. We plain and simply do not have time for that. And thus our approach, so far, has been much as it would be when confronted with the challege of eating an elephant, or running a marathon, or reaching the world for Christ. We take one bite at a time. We put one foot in front of the other. We focus on the opportunity or challenge directly in front of us.
She has made great strides. From the first evaluations that placed her as a 1-3 month old despite being 24 months, she has moved to a solid 9-12 month old in most areas of development. Initially, there were concerns that she would be nonverbal. She is now babbling and has a 2 or 3 words. She is more likely to use her speech when she is angry, but we will take what we can get. She is still unable to sit up unassisted or transition from one position to another, but she can now sit up in a grocery cart, or in your lap. She can tall kneel when placed in the position and is moving towards W sitting. (yes, we know W sitting is a bad thing). She can seem to "fall" out a W position with less trauma than some of her transitions. She is very mobile in a baby walker, but she is outgrowing it and every therapist in the world is unhappy about her using it. It does not promote the kind of walking that will eventually be helpful to her, but we can't bring ourselves to take away the only form of mobility she currently has. When L is in the walker, she gets to be a 2 year old. She empties cabinets and clears book shelves. She dumps trash cans and runs over her sisters. She has moved from choking on a liquid diet to being able to finger feed anything. Intentional grasp and release is a huge struggle so you can only give her a few pieces at a time, but it is all table food. She has even learned to eat french fries in the car. ( L absolutley loves grease and salt!) We are currently working on holding a sippy cup.
Everything L does is a challenge as well as an opportunity for a huge reward. She shows delight in a way that makes your whole day, and a simple smile lights up her face. Chaos, loud noises and change are hard for her, but that has just made us pull closer as a family and spend more time in our own house and yard. I rarely hear B complain how unfair it is that she has to work so hard in school. What can you really complain about when your sister is struggling to walk and talk. Is your spelling struggle really that bad? I think we have a much better perspective on what really matters. I still struggle with priorities. We spend roughly 5 hours a week in formal therapy, drive to Vandy every other week, and spend 2 mornings a week at WKU for speech. In addition, we do daily physical therapy as well as ongoing speech and OT work. I have considered hanging a sign on the front door- "We have decided that L will walk and talk. We will work on the house when that task is complete." Do you think anyone would really understand?
This last week we spent two hours at Vandy trying on and fitting braces that will help her seperate her legs and build trunk strength. She also had casts made of her feet in order to have additional braces designed that will go on her feet and force them to be flat. She currently walks (in the walker) and stands on her toes. L is very small so everything is being custom made. We have also experimented with walkers. Our initial excitement has been slightly dampened as the therapists have decided L needs to practice in several different items before determining what will be best for her. We simply want to see her moving. She handled all of this like a champ. What a trooper. I described it as the hardest two hours of work I have done in a long time, and J, who has no choice but to attend therapy along side me and L, was a raving mad man.
My time table is always faster than anyone else working with L. I see all the therapies and constantly want to interject. " If you will just articulate more, we can get a little speech in with this PT. If you will help her sit this way, she can stretch her hip muscles while you sort those beads. If you will just let her scream while you are doing therapy, we can get another hour of eye patch time in." I want everyone to be everything. I may have set my standards a little high. Every night I pray "Lord, just give me grace for the day." In other words, remind me I only have to eat the elephant one bite at a time. The good news is, that every once in awhile, it tastes like creme brulee.
We knew L had long term health issues before she came home. We received a firm diagnosis of cerebral palsey in April. This was of course expected, but we were then, and continue now to sort out what are the effects of CP and what are the results of being placed in a room for disabled children in an orphanage and barely talked to or worked with the first 2 years of her life. We know without a doubt that God placed her in our family. When asked if we could deal with what lay ahead, we have truthfully answered "we can just take one day at a time." If I spent much time looking at how tall the mountain is we still need to climb, or how hard the trail will be, I would certainly melt into a puddle of tears. We plain and simply do not have time for that. And thus our approach, so far, has been much as it would be when confronted with the challege of eating an elephant, or running a marathon, or reaching the world for Christ. We take one bite at a time. We put one foot in front of the other. We focus on the opportunity or challenge directly in front of us.
She has made great strides. From the first evaluations that placed her as a 1-3 month old despite being 24 months, she has moved to a solid 9-12 month old in most areas of development. Initially, there were concerns that she would be nonverbal. She is now babbling and has a 2 or 3 words. She is more likely to use her speech when she is angry, but we will take what we can get. She is still unable to sit up unassisted or transition from one position to another, but she can now sit up in a grocery cart, or in your lap. She can tall kneel when placed in the position and is moving towards W sitting. (yes, we know W sitting is a bad thing). She can seem to "fall" out a W position with less trauma than some of her transitions. She is very mobile in a baby walker, but she is outgrowing it and every therapist in the world is unhappy about her using it. It does not promote the kind of walking that will eventually be helpful to her, but we can't bring ourselves to take away the only form of mobility she currently has. When L is in the walker, she gets to be a 2 year old. She empties cabinets and clears book shelves. She dumps trash cans and runs over her sisters. She has moved from choking on a liquid diet to being able to finger feed anything. Intentional grasp and release is a huge struggle so you can only give her a few pieces at a time, but it is all table food. She has even learned to eat french fries in the car. ( L absolutley loves grease and salt!) We are currently working on holding a sippy cup.
Everything L does is a challenge as well as an opportunity for a huge reward. She shows delight in a way that makes your whole day, and a simple smile lights up her face. Chaos, loud noises and change are hard for her, but that has just made us pull closer as a family and spend more time in our own house and yard. I rarely hear B complain how unfair it is that she has to work so hard in school. What can you really complain about when your sister is struggling to walk and talk. Is your spelling struggle really that bad? I think we have a much better perspective on what really matters. I still struggle with priorities. We spend roughly 5 hours a week in formal therapy, drive to Vandy every other week, and spend 2 mornings a week at WKU for speech. In addition, we do daily physical therapy as well as ongoing speech and OT work. I have considered hanging a sign on the front door- "We have decided that L will walk and talk. We will work on the house when that task is complete." Do you think anyone would really understand?
This last week we spent two hours at Vandy trying on and fitting braces that will help her seperate her legs and build trunk strength. She also had casts made of her feet in order to have additional braces designed that will go on her feet and force them to be flat. She currently walks (in the walker) and stands on her toes. L is very small so everything is being custom made. We have also experimented with walkers. Our initial excitement has been slightly dampened as the therapists have decided L needs to practice in several different items before determining what will be best for her. We simply want to see her moving. She handled all of this like a champ. What a trooper. I described it as the hardest two hours of work I have done in a long time, and J, who has no choice but to attend therapy along side me and L, was a raving mad man.
My time table is always faster than anyone else working with L. I see all the therapies and constantly want to interject. " If you will just articulate more, we can get a little speech in with this PT. If you will help her sit this way, she can stretch her hip muscles while you sort those beads. If you will just let her scream while you are doing therapy, we can get another hour of eye patch time in." I want everyone to be everything. I may have set my standards a little high. Every night I pray "Lord, just give me grace for the day." In other words, remind me I only have to eat the elephant one bite at a time. The good news is, that every once in awhile, it tastes like creme brulee.
Stirred but not Shaken
I know that my foundation is Jesus Christ the Lord and for that reason can not be shaken or broken or destroyed. My very human emotions can be stirred around and that is exactly what this week has been. I am not sure why the struggles of life seem to fall at once, but I am not sorry to mark this last week off the calendar and move forward.
Despite the best care we could give the dog, the tissue around her knee joint did not heal correctly and we had to make the decision to amputate her leg. Any other option would leave her with a lifetime struggle with some kind of pain and this seemed the best option to allow her to get on with living the good dog's life. I know, some of you are saying these people are animal lunatics, but compared to some of my family we are really pretty sane.
More upsetting than the dog, a long time employee of B's family business committed suicide after a long battle with cancer. I can not imagine the things this poor man has endured during this battle, but this seemed the ultimate cruel ending.
On Wednesday, my little world got stirred even more. I was headed to school shortly before one o'clock to pick up the girls and then take all four kids to get their flu shots. Afterwards, I planned to drop B and H back off at school and then take J and L to speech therapy at WKU. I turned onto Nashville Rd to see it blocked with police cars that surrounded south campus and saw the SWAT team in bullet proof vests and sharp shooters draped across cars. My heart turned over. My children's school sits between south and central campus of WKU. The entire campus as well as our school had been put under lock down. I could hear the outdoor warning sirens going off on campus. The radio was reporting potential gunshots and telling students on campus to take cover immediately. I am not a WKU alumnus, but the longer I have lived in the area, the more attached I have become. The proximity of the university to my children's school has provided them with many opportunities and resources. Most recently, J and L have been able to receive 2 hours each of speech therapy each week through the Clinical Education Complex. This is a huge help to us. Most importantly, our beloved babysitter is a student at WKU. Before I could help myself, I began to cry. This simply was not supposed to happen in my town. I did not feel better till Brian had received word from our babysitter that she was locked in at the student center and was fine.
I am trying to take comfort in God's message... " in this world you will have troubles, but I have overcome the world." Aren't you glad that as Christians we can always look to a brighter tomorrow?
Despite the best care we could give the dog, the tissue around her knee joint did not heal correctly and we had to make the decision to amputate her leg. Any other option would leave her with a lifetime struggle with some kind of pain and this seemed the best option to allow her to get on with living the good dog's life. I know, some of you are saying these people are animal lunatics, but compared to some of my family we are really pretty sane.
More upsetting than the dog, a long time employee of B's family business committed suicide after a long battle with cancer. I can not imagine the things this poor man has endured during this battle, but this seemed the ultimate cruel ending.
On Wednesday, my little world got stirred even more. I was headed to school shortly before one o'clock to pick up the girls and then take all four kids to get their flu shots. Afterwards, I planned to drop B and H back off at school and then take J and L to speech therapy at WKU. I turned onto Nashville Rd to see it blocked with police cars that surrounded south campus and saw the SWAT team in bullet proof vests and sharp shooters draped across cars. My heart turned over. My children's school sits between south and central campus of WKU. The entire campus as well as our school had been put under lock down. I could hear the outdoor warning sirens going off on campus. The radio was reporting potential gunshots and telling students on campus to take cover immediately. I am not a WKU alumnus, but the longer I have lived in the area, the more attached I have become. The proximity of the university to my children's school has provided them with many opportunities and resources. Most recently, J and L have been able to receive 2 hours each of speech therapy each week through the Clinical Education Complex. This is a huge help to us. Most importantly, our beloved babysitter is a student at WKU. Before I could help myself, I began to cry. This simply was not supposed to happen in my town. I did not feel better till Brian had received word from our babysitter that she was locked in at the student center and was fine.
I am trying to take comfort in God's message... " in this world you will have troubles, but I have overcome the world." Aren't you glad that as Christians we can always look to a brighter tomorrow?
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Sick Bay on Noah's Ark
By now many of you have probably read of my animal woes in an earlier post. As luck would have it, the kittens finally were deemed old enough and liked by the dogs enough to move outside. Personally, I think J continues to be far more dangerous to the lives of kittens than the dogs ever were. I celebrated by spending two hours cleaning and disinfecting the basement. The girls had of course promised they would do their part to keep the mess to a minimum, but at some point they began cleaning up cat poop by laying down a towel over it. Not the best for smell and germs but I will give them points for efficiency. Brian suggested shoveling the whole thing out and then bleaching it down. This is what I did (and cleaned cat food out of the sink etc etc). Meanwhile, I kept B and 2 of her cousins occupied in the kitchen decorating Halloween cookie castles. Let it be noted that unattended children with icing may be quiet, but they are certainly not clean or tidy.
Feeling good about my accomplishments, I went to bed to watch a little post debate review and listen for Brian's return. About 10:30 I heard a yelp as he pulled down the driveway. One of the dogs had darted in front of him. He knew he had hit her but was unsure of the damage as she ran off. I found her the next morning waiting on the front porch. It appeared the tire had caught skin and she was basically a skinned animal on that quarter of her body. I loaded her up in the van and headed for the vets. The good news is they were able to save her leg she had enough skin to stitch around the gaping wounds. The bad news is I have a new animal living in my basement. She will not be allowed outside for sometime as she has drains stitched into the wounds and is wearing a satellite dish collar. We have been cautioned that she must remain in a sterile environment so we fired the girls and Brian is doing a daily bleach job on the basement.
It is our hope to some day use our basement for human activities, but I am not holding my breath. Hold the bathroom expansion or new washer and dryer. I am asking Santa for a dog run and full time vet tech.
Feeling good about my accomplishments, I went to bed to watch a little post debate review and listen for Brian's return. About 10:30 I heard a yelp as he pulled down the driveway. One of the dogs had darted in front of him. He knew he had hit her but was unsure of the damage as she ran off. I found her the next morning waiting on the front porch. It appeared the tire had caught skin and she was basically a skinned animal on that quarter of her body. I loaded her up in the van and headed for the vets. The good news is they were able to save her leg she had enough skin to stitch around the gaping wounds. The bad news is I have a new animal living in my basement. She will not be allowed outside for sometime as she has drains stitched into the wounds and is wearing a satellite dish collar. We have been cautioned that she must remain in a sterile environment so we fired the girls and Brian is doing a daily bleach job on the basement.
It is our hope to some day use our basement for human activities, but I am not holding my breath. Hold the bathroom expansion or new washer and dryer. I am asking Santa for a dog run and full time vet tech.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Great Wolf 2
Jackson's Orchard
We made a very wise decision to visit Jackson's on beautiful Friday afternoon. Almost no crowds and we still got to do all the fun things. L, especially hates commotion so she was just fine. J showed his all boy side by pulling the loaded wagon everywhere we went!
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Leftovers
I have decided that families fall into two basic camps: those who eat leftovers and those who don't. I don't think I completely realized this until a friend who is a professional organizer did a kitchen organization job. My friend is a definite leftover person. She is very frugal and is quick to save even the extras from the Wednesday night church suppers. I have never dropped by her house at lunch time and been unable to find something to munch. Her client it turns out had no need for Tupperware because she said they never saved food.
Brian and I both grew up in leftover eating families. My sister's friend once commented that we were the only family she knew who could eat leftovers more than regular food. I am not sure this is a distiction most families are striving for. Some of our leftover eating came from necessity. It just wasn't feasible to throw out perfectly good food. Some of our habits were for logistical reasons. Both of us grew up in farm families where at least in the summer there was a bigger meal at lunch and then the leftovers from that were served at supper. There were also no fast food or other eating establishments and leftovers were an easy way to get supper on the table quickly. Remember this is the same small town where the grocer explained to me (when I asked for a boneless chicken breast after eating one at college) that " all chickens have a bone in their breasts!" and then walked off shaking his head at my ludicrous request.
We now seem to have a family that does not do leftovers- at least not for supper. We both claim the other is at fault for this perceived character flaw. I personally think the kids are to blame. Why not, they are not reading this and can't defend themselves. The reality is, that I can not seem to find a way to present leftovers in a way that brings the whole clan to the table. We seldom seem to have enough of one item to all sit down to meatloaf, mashed potatoes and green beans a second time. Leftover night is more likely: enough meat for 2 tacos (but no tortillas), one serving of peas, 1 chicken breast, a half a steak and 4 potato patties. When I try to add a fruit salad or bread, it seems we all enjoy a light meal of fruit and bread and the rest still sits where I placed it. Brian is more likely on leftover night to comment on the size of his lunch and opt for midnight yogurt. Now that B can boil water, she offers to fix Ramen noodles.
What does all this mean? A recent study shows that brown bagging is at the highest it has been in decades. Brian, in an attempt to eat a little healthier is trying to join those ranks. As for the rest of the food, we don't have that many leftovers. The few we do can be well enjoyed by the dogs. I think the time we spend lingering over the table when it is a meal we all enjoy is worth far more than the cost of a few leftovers.
Brian and I both grew up in leftover eating families. My sister's friend once commented that we were the only family she knew who could eat leftovers more than regular food. I am not sure this is a distiction most families are striving for. Some of our leftover eating came from necessity. It just wasn't feasible to throw out perfectly good food. Some of our habits were for logistical reasons. Both of us grew up in farm families where at least in the summer there was a bigger meal at lunch and then the leftovers from that were served at supper. There were also no fast food or other eating establishments and leftovers were an easy way to get supper on the table quickly. Remember this is the same small town where the grocer explained to me (when I asked for a boneless chicken breast after eating one at college) that " all chickens have a bone in their breasts!" and then walked off shaking his head at my ludicrous request.
We now seem to have a family that does not do leftovers- at least not for supper. We both claim the other is at fault for this perceived character flaw. I personally think the kids are to blame. Why not, they are not reading this and can't defend themselves. The reality is, that I can not seem to find a way to present leftovers in a way that brings the whole clan to the table. We seldom seem to have enough of one item to all sit down to meatloaf, mashed potatoes and green beans a second time. Leftover night is more likely: enough meat for 2 tacos (but no tortillas), one serving of peas, 1 chicken breast, a half a steak and 4 potato patties. When I try to add a fruit salad or bread, it seems we all enjoy a light meal of fruit and bread and the rest still sits where I placed it. Brian is more likely on leftover night to comment on the size of his lunch and opt for midnight yogurt. Now that B can boil water, she offers to fix Ramen noodles.
What does all this mean? A recent study shows that brown bagging is at the highest it has been in decades. Brian, in an attempt to eat a little healthier is trying to join those ranks. As for the rest of the food, we don't have that many leftovers. The few we do can be well enjoyed by the dogs. I think the time we spend lingering over the table when it is a meal we all enjoy is worth far more than the cost of a few leftovers.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Bedtime Reading
Like most parents, we have been reading to our children before bed from the time they became ours. I even took books to Russia to read on the plane. I am an avid reader and have desperately wanted to plant that same love in my children. B enjoyed many books, but quickly settled on My Great Aunt Arizona as her personal favorite. We read it in soft back until it fell apart and then replaced it with a hardback copy. B is a struggling reader on her own, but she still loves to be read to and as you can tell from my personal reading list, we continue our nightly reading adventures. Her new favorite is Ruby Holler.
Perhaps because I was occupied with B, who was unwilling to share me, Brian became H's reading partner. We tried reading as a family, but H is very active and her insistence on turning flips during the story made B crazy. Brian does not love to read and their time together quickly became about action books and finally Eye Spies. They spend hours pouring over the pages trying to find all the hidden items. Both of them still claim their favorite family Christmas card as the Eye Spy from several years ago.
J is all about the animals. We jumped around a little but it now seems we will not be able to end our evening without a reading of Margaret Wise Brown's classic, The Big Red Barn. I guess I should not complain as it is classic children's literature at it's best.
L is another story. She continues to struggle with eye focus and for that reason seems to have been captured by music instead of the written word. She is a huge fan of the Beach Boys and The Mamas and the Papas. Her second would be 40's big band swing. She drifts off each evening to her mama's very bad renditions of Favorite Things, Edelweiss, and Amazing Grace.
How thankful I am for those precious moments each evening. I know they should probably be in bed earlier and B needs to do more personal reading, but for now, while they are still so sweet and snuggly, I think we'll keep on reading, searching and singing.
Perhaps because I was occupied with B, who was unwilling to share me, Brian became H's reading partner. We tried reading as a family, but H is very active and her insistence on turning flips during the story made B crazy. Brian does not love to read and their time together quickly became about action books and finally Eye Spies. They spend hours pouring over the pages trying to find all the hidden items. Both of them still claim their favorite family Christmas card as the Eye Spy from several years ago.
J is all about the animals. We jumped around a little but it now seems we will not be able to end our evening without a reading of Margaret Wise Brown's classic, The Big Red Barn. I guess I should not complain as it is classic children's literature at it's best.
L is another story. She continues to struggle with eye focus and for that reason seems to have been captured by music instead of the written word. She is a huge fan of the Beach Boys and The Mamas and the Papas. Her second would be 40's big band swing. She drifts off each evening to her mama's very bad renditions of Favorite Things, Edelweiss, and Amazing Grace.
How thankful I am for those precious moments each evening. I know they should probably be in bed earlier and B needs to do more personal reading, but for now, while they are still so sweet and snuggly, I think we'll keep on reading, searching and singing.
Friday, September 19, 2008
Hospitality Pie
One of my favorite authors is Fannie Flagg. I love the depth of characters she creates, plus I also seem to know personally some of the more colorful personalities in her stories. My favorite way to experience a Fannie Flagg novel is audio book. She reads the stories herself and her delightful Southern twang just brings her people to life and pulls me right into the events. I have a particular fondness for Neighbor Dorothy. Neighbor Dorothy was a home economist during the golden age of radio and aired a daily show, sponsored by Golden Flake Flour, right from her living room. Her voice was friendly and helpful and filled the lonely kitchens of rural farm wives. She always had an uplifting word to share as well as lots of useful advice and household hints.
In true Neighbor Dorothy fashion I would love to share a scrumptious recipe I recently enjoyed. The creator called it Hospitality Pie and says she often makes several at a time and freezes them until she needs them for a funeral, or new mother etc.
2 graham cracker crusts
8oz cream cheese
1can sweetened condensed milk
1 small box instant butterscotch pudding
1 12oz container whipped topping
1 jar caramel topping
1 cup chopped pecans (toasted)
Combine the cream cheese, milk and pudding until well blended.
Fold in the whipped topping.
Spoon evenly into 2 crusts.
Sprinkle with toasted pecans and drizzle caramel over top.
Chill until ready to serve.
These can be frozen up to 3 months.
Co
In true Neighbor Dorothy fashion I would love to share a scrumptious recipe I recently enjoyed. The creator called it Hospitality Pie and says she often makes several at a time and freezes them until she needs them for a funeral, or new mother etc.
2 graham cracker crusts
8oz cream cheese
1can sweetened condensed milk
1 small box instant butterscotch pudding
1 12oz container whipped topping
1 jar caramel topping
1 cup chopped pecans (toasted)
Combine the cream cheese, milk and pudding until well blended.
Fold in the whipped topping.
Spoon evenly into 2 crusts.
Sprinkle with toasted pecans and drizzle caramel over top.
Chill until ready to serve.
These can be frozen up to 3 months.
Co
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Noah's Ark
Don't get me wrong. I like animals as much as the average person should. I don't see them as human wanna bes, but I am a firm believer that every family needs its share of animal companions. I should add that I have mild allergies to both dogs and cats. Sounds like we are a good, one dog family right? No such luck.
Before the arrival of our first child, I filled my need to mother with a dog, a cat and an assortment of abandoned calves that had to be bottle fed. My husband once pointed out that I treated calves like pets and they were not cost effective to raise that way. My hormones were on overload due to infertility drugs. Needless to say, I heard no further comments about my expensive calves. The dog was in an accident, the cat was very self sufficient and after B arrived, we felt no need for more animal responsibilities.
Then my sister called. It seemed the drama department at the college where she worked had purchased a puppy for a play and not really considered what would happen when it was over. Some one said "hey, take it to Karen's office. She loves dogs." Karen is as unable to say no as I am and agrees to find the dog a home. This is how our blue healer, Janie, came to join our family. She is completely B's dog and woe to the person that tries to come between them. This seemed enough for a while. We had a few fish drift in and out thanks to Sunday school teacher prizes gone out of control and a late night misunderstanding by Grandpa, but all was well.
Then as we prepared to go to Russia on the second of 3 trips to bring the twins home, the neighbor's dog had puppies. While we were gone, Grandma came to stay. B and H's first words to us on the phone while we were still on the plane were "Grandma says we can have 2 puppies if it is okay with you. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE." What do you say at this point? SO with only weeks to go before we brought home two almost 2 year olds, we added 2 Australian shepherd/ border collie mixes to our already crazy house. They chewed screens, chairs, shoes and anything else they could find, but we hoped they were teaching B and H responsibility before the babies arrived. I personally think they were to teach me how to handle all the added messes!
Enough I am thinking, not one more living creature in this house! Not even a needy calf unless it can fix its own bottles! But alas, the best laid plans of mice and men...... I am taking a shower, which always seems to cause trauma in our house. It is just not possible for Mama to disappear for 15 minutes without all you know what breaking loose. B comes into the bathroom holding a very small kitten. B and H have spent the afternoon with Daddy and have come home with two, yes I said two, very small kittens. I am completely shocked (and sneezing). Brian pulls me to the side and explains he overheard them praying God would convict us to let them keep them and he just couldn't say no after that. So, you guessed it. We now have 3 dogs outside and 2 kittens living in our basement. It is of course being heated to a comfort zone appropriate to Hawaii and Mama is feeding the kittens with a syringe. Did I mention the girls want Hamsters for Christmas?
Before the arrival of our first child, I filled my need to mother with a dog, a cat and an assortment of abandoned calves that had to be bottle fed. My husband once pointed out that I treated calves like pets and they were not cost effective to raise that way. My hormones were on overload due to infertility drugs. Needless to say, I heard no further comments about my expensive calves. The dog was in an accident, the cat was very self sufficient and after B arrived, we felt no need for more animal responsibilities.
Then my sister called. It seemed the drama department at the college where she worked had purchased a puppy for a play and not really considered what would happen when it was over. Some one said "hey, take it to Karen's office. She loves dogs." Karen is as unable to say no as I am and agrees to find the dog a home. This is how our blue healer, Janie, came to join our family. She is completely B's dog and woe to the person that tries to come between them. This seemed enough for a while. We had a few fish drift in and out thanks to Sunday school teacher prizes gone out of control and a late night misunderstanding by Grandpa, but all was well.
Then as we prepared to go to Russia on the second of 3 trips to bring the twins home, the neighbor's dog had puppies. While we were gone, Grandma came to stay. B and H's first words to us on the phone while we were still on the plane were "Grandma says we can have 2 puppies if it is okay with you. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE." What do you say at this point? SO with only weeks to go before we brought home two almost 2 year olds, we added 2 Australian shepherd/ border collie mixes to our already crazy house. They chewed screens, chairs, shoes and anything else they could find, but we hoped they were teaching B and H responsibility before the babies arrived. I personally think they were to teach me how to handle all the added messes!
Enough I am thinking, not one more living creature in this house! Not even a needy calf unless it can fix its own bottles! But alas, the best laid plans of mice and men...... I am taking a shower, which always seems to cause trauma in our house. It is just not possible for Mama to disappear for 15 minutes without all you know what breaking loose. B comes into the bathroom holding a very small kitten. B and H have spent the afternoon with Daddy and have come home with two, yes I said two, very small kittens. I am completely shocked (and sneezing). Brian pulls me to the side and explains he overheard them praying God would convict us to let them keep them and he just couldn't say no after that. So, you guessed it. We now have 3 dogs outside and 2 kittens living in our basement. It is of course being heated to a comfort zone appropriate to Hawaii and Mama is feeding the kittens with a syringe. Did I mention the girls want Hamsters for Christmas?
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Hamsters on a Wheel
Last week's Sunday school lesson was on the cumulative value of the small details of our lives. For example only ten minutes a day spent in family prayer or Bible study means over 50 hours of family worship by the end of the year. In contrast to that, we were asked to consider how many hours we spend in what seems urgent at the time, but in the long run will have no real value. The lesson was great, we had wonderful discussion. Walked out the door and on to church where my husband passes me a note, mid sermon, reminding me of yet another event we needed to attend that day.
We are unable to say no. We know that time spent with our immediate family unit or strengthening our own marriage is the best use of our time, but when someone is in our face asking we can't seem to put our tongue to our teeth and blow air. We have even had some rather heated discussions about when choosing "us" becomes selfish and when it is okay. Everyone seems to say cutting back is good, but when push comes to shove they assume you are cutting an activity that doesn't include them. What is the balance? How do we decide? I would love to know the criteria others use. How do we make sure we are going somewhere and not just spinning our wheels?
We are unable to say no. We know that time spent with our immediate family unit or strengthening our own marriage is the best use of our time, but when someone is in our face asking we can't seem to put our tongue to our teeth and blow air. We have even had some rather heated discussions about when choosing "us" becomes selfish and when it is okay. Everyone seems to say cutting back is good, but when push comes to shove they assume you are cutting an activity that doesn't include them. What is the balance? How do we decide? I would love to know the criteria others use. How do we make sure we are going somewhere and not just spinning our wheels?
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
PollyAnna and the Presidential Election
I consider myself pretty intelligent. I am reasonably well read, and I try to seek news, advice and opinions from a variety of sources. I am also surrounded by staunch political advocates from both sides. During a governor's election several years ago, my parents were leading the charge in one part of the state for the Republican candidate, while my in laws hosted a fundraiser for the Democratic candidate. My children hear more and know more about all the candidates than most adults. My parents are attending the RNC as I write.
That being said, my husband and I feel we spend most of our time in the middle. We are pro-life voters which means we are against abortion, but we also think we should see that all children have health care, a good education, and enough to eat. Which side does this place us on? We are strong supporters of national defense but think it would best be achieved through making the USA more self sufficient. We favor alternative fuels but feel switch grasses, not corn, are the best answer. Which side does this put us on? We value education and think teachers should be better compensated, but our children attend a private school. Which side does this put us on?
This is where my Pollyanna view of the world comes in. I don't think it is too much to ask for a president that can reach across the aisle and abandon party politics. We are excited to have a campaign that includes such a diverse group of people. It gives me goosebumps to see what is possible in America. Anyone can become president! I want to shut out the raving lunatics (and both sides have a few) and help my children wrap their sweet, innocent minds around the history that will happen with this election. The winner here is America. Healthy competition only makes each individual stronger. The president is a powerful man no doubt, but our founders were smart enough to build in a system of checks and balances. I want to help my children delight in the fact that they live in a country where a free exchange of ideas is encouraged, diversity is valued and the worth of a man or woman is determined not by race, age, gender or parental heritage, but his or her own efforts.
Call me Pollyanna if you choose. I'll proudly take the label as I wave my RED and BLUE flag.
That being said, my husband and I feel we spend most of our time in the middle. We are pro-life voters which means we are against abortion, but we also think we should see that all children have health care, a good education, and enough to eat. Which side does this place us on? We are strong supporters of national defense but think it would best be achieved through making the USA more self sufficient. We favor alternative fuels but feel switch grasses, not corn, are the best answer. Which side does this put us on? We value education and think teachers should be better compensated, but our children attend a private school. Which side does this put us on?
This is where my Pollyanna view of the world comes in. I don't think it is too much to ask for a president that can reach across the aisle and abandon party politics. We are excited to have a campaign that includes such a diverse group of people. It gives me goosebumps to see what is possible in America. Anyone can become president! I want to shut out the raving lunatics (and both sides have a few) and help my children wrap their sweet, innocent minds around the history that will happen with this election. The winner here is America. Healthy competition only makes each individual stronger. The president is a powerful man no doubt, but our founders were smart enough to build in a system of checks and balances. I want to help my children delight in the fact that they live in a country where a free exchange of ideas is encouraged, diversity is valued and the worth of a man or woman is determined not by race, age, gender or parental heritage, but his or her own efforts.
Call me Pollyanna if you choose. I'll proudly take the label as I wave my RED and BLUE flag.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
I get by with a little help from my friends
This week has seemed particularly crazy. We are still getting the back to school schedule kinks worked out. One therapist is on maternity leave and another is moving. My childcare help has been sketchy and my sil, who usually takes the girls to school, is out of town. Did I mention one of the twins got sick? Anyways, I thought we were managing decently until yesterday morning. I parked instead of going through car line since I am living on caffeine and a bathroom trip was essential. Public restrooms, with a walking (read touching all the germy surfaces) toddler and a child on your hip, are almost impossible. I tossed a kid on each hip (since we had of course gotten out the door with out shoes) and ran inside to do a hand off to a fellow mom while I ran to the restroom. This worked exactly as planned, until one of my friends asked if I realized B's birthday party invitations had been sent out with no details written in them. Only a fellow mom can understand how it is possible to pick up the wrong stack of invites and send lovely labeled cards to a class full of kids who have no idea why they got them. I need my friends a lot. Thankfully they are there to catch all my shortfalls and help me glue my messes back together. I keep promising myself that one day I will truly find a way to repay all the things they have done for me, but that is the gift of friendship. They don't see it as a debt.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Why Blog?
Plain and simply, I don't have enough hands for the camera anymore. In January we added 2 yo twins to our family, bringing our total to 4 precious and energetic children. Although there have been many wonderful changes to our family life, the most frustrating to me has been the lack of camera time. I always have some one in my arms and therefore, don't have all those delightful snapshots that I took to chronicle my oldest daughters' lives. My few moments are when everyone is asleep. Faced with the never ending guilt we mothers place on ourselves, I have decided that putting the everyday moments of our family's life in print is the next best way for us to be able to look back and laugh or cry or just smile at the events that make family such a treasure.
No insults meant but my blog is for me first and if some others can get a laugh or a chuckle along the way even better. I am an introvert by nature, but here is your chance. Pull open the gate and run the range with my crazy little herd. My sister has said more than once "you know this would only happen to you!" Perhaps so, but come laugh with us anyways. We are nothing if not real!
No insults meant but my blog is for me first and if some others can get a laugh or a chuckle along the way even better. I am an introvert by nature, but here is your chance. Pull open the gate and run the range with my crazy little herd. My sister has said more than once "you know this would only happen to you!" Perhaps so, but come laugh with us anyways. We are nothing if not real!
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