Rainy Days Are For Staying In Bed

Seriously, I found myself accidentally making plans to do just that when I was awakened this morning at 3:30 am to the sound of my window dripping. The joys of living in an old house for sure...

I went to grab a towel and secured it on the windowsill, held on with the blinds, and crawled back under my warm covers. Thoughts of staying there as long as possible, curled up with a good book, dreams of hot coffee brought to me on a tray...okay I'm going too far there.

I'm obviously not there because schools don't close for rainy days around here. Little ones need their breakfasts, too many emails are calling for my attention, laundry needs to be done (with new motivation I'll add).

But I'm thinking nap time will be my opportunity and I'm kind of hoping it will still be raining.

I'm reading a book by one of my all time favorite authors, Madeleine L'Engle. "Two-Part Invention" is the true story of her marriage and she's writing while her husband is sick and slowly dying from cancer. It's a beautiful story of love and pain.

Let me just write a couple of these thoughtful quotes which directly answer questions that have been on my mind and in my heart:

"If we don't pray according to the needs of the heart, we repress our deepest longings. Our prayers may not be rational, and we may be quite aware of that, but if we repress our needs, then those unsaid prayers will fester." (page 94)

"I do not want ever to be indifferent to the joys and beauties of this life. For through these, as through pain, we are enabled to see purpose in randomness, pattern in chaos. We do not have to understand in order to believe that behind the mystery and the fascination there is love." (page 123)

In response to a card she received which read "He settesth in pain the jewels of his love" she writes "God can provide the setting in which the pearl of pain is places."

And bear with me...this ones kinda deep;)

"If we human beings were truly aware that all creation is a unity, as two lovers are aware of unity, wouldn't we treat each other better?...We are one planet, a single organism. What happens on this floor makes a difference everywhere. For the entire universe with its countless galaxies is the settling for this pearl of pain."

Just what I've needed. Thank you Lord for turning my focus away from myself this week and today.

Won't You Please, Please Help Me?

In the words of the Beattles "Help me if you can, I'm feeling down. And I do appreciate you being 'round. Help me get my feet back on the ground. Won't you please, please help me?"

Okay, so I'm not so sure about my timing for this post. If you are reading this today you are probably feeling like relaxing for the weekend. And I realize these pictures that I'm about to show you are not relaxing to look at!

But here we go into another weekend, a whole workweek has gone by, and I'd love to have everything done, the house clean, things organized, so that our family can go off and enjoy this beautiful Northwest weather and not have to worry about finding a clean matching outfit for church on Sunday morning!

I am having a laundry crisis! It was just a laundry problem, but my ideas for making this work, in a house with seven people, as an organizationally challenged individual, have turned into more of a path toward insanity!

Yes, I had to pry the door open, although I was tempted just to leave it shut and stay outside. Scary huh? And don't mind the gross old 70's flooring. Soon, that will change:)

I'm an oldest child and according to Kevin Leman, and my self-diagnosis, I am a "discouraged perfectionist" with emphasis on the discouraged part at the moment! I like to work with systems when it comes to house cleaning. My usual one is that I start at one end and work my way to the other. My husband thinks it's funny to watch as I move my piles from coffee table to dining table to kitchen counters before I eventually put things where they go. But it works.

My laundry system is NOT working! My plan was to wash my husbands, mine, Ruby's and Brayden's clothes on Monday. They'd be washed, folded and put away. Tuesday I am only home in the afternoon, so I'd wash Emma's clothes and any bedding that's needing it and after school Azzie and Shariah would each wash their own clothes. Again they'd all be folded and put away the same day. Wednesday was for getting caught up on anything I missed. The other days theoretically I would be only doing laundry on a need to wear basis and most likely washing a load each day. Sound a little crazy? Are you confused?

So, it's been about six weeks and that system has failed over and over. Now it's Friday and my laundry room looks like these pictures (they were taken last week so there is your proof that this cycle is repeating itself!)

Yeah, what is the definition of insanity? Trying the same thing and expecting different results right? Where did that definition of insanity come from anyway?? Just wondering...

This is my "folding table". I've since taken out the table, unloaded most of the stuff on it at the Goodwill, and my husband is going to be installing lower cabinets, so how can I make sure they don't ever look like this??

I would love my bedroom to be my place of rest and relaxation. But how, when there's always clothes to fold and socks to match...

This is a chair that would be so relaxing to sit in a curl up with a good book...if it wasn't piled with clean clothes...always...

So, I need help. Advice. Seriously I give up! Or I need cheap laundry service to come and do this for me.

I need encouragement too. I mentioned that I was discouraged and it's so true. I seriously want to close the door of the laundry room and announce that we're becoming nudists. I think Ruby and Brayden and maybe even Emma would absolutely love that idea, but no one else is going to go for that. They might ship me off somewhere...hmmm...sounds nice...

Just Plain Cranky!

I was planning a rather humiliating post for today, but I think it's going to have to wait until tomorrow....

I'll give you a hint...

I include some very embarrassing pictures that might make anyone left reading my blog stop clicking on me...

Except for you Megan. I know you love me no matter what:)

I was planning on posting about my "home crisis" (there's another hint), but last night and this morning I was in such a horrible stinkin' mood that I chickened out...

I was seriously grumpy and you know how a little grumpiness quickly turns into a slippery steep slide downhill? That's where I was. Little things turned into more little things and then it all seemed pretty big and I ended up putting myself to bed after I got the kids all tucked in.

I opened my bible with the question "What is the point of any of this????" I felt like I should read Isaiah 55 (always good) so I turned there.

Here's what spoke to me:


8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,"
declares the LORD.

9 "As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.

10 As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,

11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

12 You will go out in joy
and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills
will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field
will clap their hands.

13 Instead of the thornbush will grow the pine tree,
and instead of briers the myrtle will grow.
This will be for the LORD's renown,
for an everlasting sign,
which will not be destroyed."

I went to bed vowing to make changes that can start with myself. I'm working on that today so I'll let you know how I do tomorrow:)

A Nice Walk With A Handsome Little Man

On Saturday Brayden and I had some time to spend together, so we decided to go for a walk. I pushed him in the stroller and since we were having nice weather at the moment we decided to go further up the hill, where there are beautiful views of the water and the snow capped Olympic Mountains.

We were walking along and kind of singing together. Yep, my son sings with me:) I was asking him to point out things like grass, sky, trees, etc. and then started asking him about colors. I said "the grass is green" and he said "nu-uh, Mom, it's blue!"

I said "The sky is blue Brayden," to which he again said "Nu-uh, Mom, it's green." If my son decides not to be a singer, maybe he'll have a great career in law! Just kidding.

Then we were walking along looking at the water and a couple of birds flew high above us. I stopped and said "Look Brayden, birds," but he had already seen them. He had his two little fingers pointed (machine gun style) and said "Bogshhh" (the best way I can spell out his gunshot sound effect).

My son was shooting the birds! After he felt like he made the shot, he lowered his weapon and stuck one of his fingers back in his mouth like nothing!

Oh my, boys are so different!

Just a Check-up

We had a traumatic morning in the doctor's office yesterday and I'm still recovering!

I know there's been so much out there about immunizations and my non-confrontive self is a little nervous about posting anything about any of it, but yesterday's experience is one I just have to talk about. I'll just say that what I'm discribing is what we do and if you do something different, good for you:)

Personally I think most of the vaccines are very important in keeping my children and others safe from dangerous diseases.

We decided to delay our vaccines. I've never allowed the Hep B shot in the hospital, but with Brayden, going a more natural route overall, we delayed his first vaccines until he was 9 months.

There's two popular ways you can delay vaccines. One route you can go is separating all the vaccines out so you're not putting so many different toxins in their bodies at once. But when you do this you end up going back practically every single month to get poked...not in my mind a good idea...

Note~There is a good resourse by Dr.Sears, from his website AskDrSears.com. Here is what he says about immunizations.

The other way is to start late and spread them out a little farther than what's on the regular schedule. The point is to help your baby build their immune system between shots. This is what we have done, but it means that when the kids get shots they each will get up to five (usually combined into 3 or 4 pokes).

So yesterday was the day. And to make things "easy" for me I made back to back appointments for Brayden, Ruby and Emma.

Everyone's doing well, growing fine, developing great.

In fact we can't call Ruby "little Ruby" anymore because she's in the 80% range for her weight! Wow, since for awhile there we had so much trouble keeping weight on her and getting her actually on the charts!

Then it came time for the shots...the nurse came in and said "So, how should we do this mom?" I told her Emma was going first (since she only had one little catch up shot) and she was going to show Ruby and Brayden how brave she'd be. Her voice started shaking a little when she hopped up on the seat. Then she saw the needle...

It was all down hill from there! Emma started crying, thrashing and kicking. I tried not to be embarrassed when the nurse called for back up...

After Emma was done I looked at Brayden and Ruby and Brayden said "Ruby go!" So it was Ruby's turn and Emma, who was supposed to be being helpful, was trying to fight her way across the small exam room to save Ruby from the mean needle people. She was crying hysterically at this point saying "Don't poke her with that thing! Don't hurt my sister!"

It went on like this and at one point every kid of mine was crying hysterically. It was traumatic for everyone including myself.

Maybe there is something to going every single month because they get used to needles. Or maybe it would just be everyone crying month after month.

I think that's why I spent pretty much all of yesterday being pretty lazy:)

Oh and after the kids picked out stickers and suckers we were leaving. Emma, who had had her shot on her arm, rolled up her sleeve so everyone in the room could see her tough snoopy band aid...LOL.

What I Learned At Bible Study

This is a sidenote from what I was planning on talking about but I just want to throw in that it's really nice that even though I live in a small town, there seems to be a women's event for wherever you are in life. There's MOPS, homeschool co-ops, reading groups, play groups, precepts bible studies, Beth Moore bible studies, basically anything you feel like.

I like that because I've been in places where it's difficult to start, let alone finish a book, and then again I've been in places where I just can't get enough of the bible and studying each and every word is important to me.

Right now I'm going to a weekly women's bible study at The City Church, which is a big church with several different campuses. They have different speakers every week and they definitely lean toward the more joyful, charasmatic side of things. Not what I'm used to or always comfortable with but they are amazing women, it's a good church and it's perfect for where I'm at right now.

But here's what I want to tell you about... This week they invited a speaker named Deborah Enos, who is a certified nutritionist. She gave a 90 minute presentation on good health and good eating. She's written a book called "Weight a Minute" which has chapters that you can literally read in one to two minutes! After a morning of her giving practical tips on healthy eating, I purchased her book and devoured its contents over a cup of afternoon coffee.



What she said resonnated so much with my own feelings about food and health, what I've learned from watching Food Inc. and other good information that I've picked up along the way.

Her book is NOT talking about a diet. It's a long term plan that supports simple principles that you can live by.

For instance she says to eat breakfast within 30 - 45 minutes of waking up. This jumpstarts your metabolism and can improve your whole day! She gives good examples of breakfasts filled with protein and fiber which will keep you full for three hours and curb sugar cravings that magically appear, at my house, around naptime;)

She also talked about being positive about ourselves and our bodies and instead of focusing on what we think needs to change, focusing on what's good. Being healthy starts in our minds.

You may be rolling your eyes at this point, sometimes I do when it comes to the whole "positive confessions". But Deborah Enos did have a lot of good things to say that I already agreed with so I guess I could give some of that positive thinking a chance;)

One more thing. After watching Food Inc. which I mentioned awhile back, I felt very overwhelmed on my next trip to the grocery store. I felt so convicted about the way big meat companies treated their animals and was sold on the health benefits of grass fed cows, free range eggs and organic fruits and veggies, but didn't know a simple way to go about changing our habits. I found myself vigorously scrutinizing every package and label and driving my kids crazy in the process.

Deborah's simple practical tips made my next grocery store visit much more exciting and reasonable. Instead of walking out with next to nothing I had a weeks worth of meals planned out...breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks!

Eleven Years Ago...

Eleven years ago today my daughter, Shariah Dawn, was born after a traumatic labor, to a naive young mother, who didn't know what she didn't know...

Thankfully, truly by God's grace and nothing else, we both survived. Shariah inherited my grandmother's beautiful strawberry blond locks along with my blue eyes and stubborn will. The nurse looked her over and pointed out how with her lovely long fingers she would be able to do anything in life. So true.

I've been reading this book called "Blue Like Jazz" by Donald Miller. In it, when he talks about living with people, he says that when he was alone he really believed his life was a movie and he was the star, after all, he was in every single scene. (I'll tell you more about the book later...)

But I think that's why I consider the experience of bringing my firstborn daughter into this world the beginning of my story. At least it's the part where my story gets good. (If you're wondering I had my daughter before meeting my husband).

Not to say anything about teenage girls in general, but me? I was pretty shallow and self-centered! I was all about living for the moment and the day, having fun, regardless of consequences. I knew barely anything of love, friendship, sacrifice, loyalty or self-control.

My story begins with my daughter because I realized very quickly that my life is about those around me. They are the characters of the deeper story.

* * *

Today for Shariah's birthday I decided to style her hair. I cut her bangs shorter and gave her the flower clip, which I won from Amber at Coupon Connections NW, put on some sheer lip gloss (cuz she's 11). Everyone at school loved the clip, but a couple of boys made fun of her bangs and told her she looked weird...

I'm sorry girl, welcome to full blown adolescence...I'd consider skipping those years personally!

The funny/not so funny thing is, when I turned 11 I wore my pink flowery pants, baby pink shirt, with a matching flowery collar. I swept my hair mostly over to one side and completed the look with a baby pink barrette and shimmery pink lip gloss.

And a girl told me I looked weird!

Now I feel bad. I should have remembered that experience, which I'm sure I carried on my sensitive shoulders throughout middle school.

Hopefully my daughter will surpass me greatly in strength, beauty, wisdom and grace. Happy Birthday Shariah!

Sigh...