Pop Goes the Weasel!

OK - So, I've managed to be very serious and reverent for the last two posts. Today, I don't have it in me! It was one of THOSE days! One child was and is barking like a dog and screaming that she does not want her nose because it's running, one was cleaning counters with vegetable cleaner (her heart was in the right place), and the other was trying to micromanage the house and be 80 years old! I love them all dearly but there are some days when Calgon just won't cut it!

When I woke up (ok, when I was awakened by a child screaming, "Need milk! Need grits! Need get out!), I had quite a list of things to get accomplished. By 10:00 a.m., I had cut the grass, painted the foyer and most of the kitchen, and sewn one of my new dining room curtains. I was feeling like a champion.

Then, I'm not sure what happened. As I went to hang the curtain up, I realized I needed a Phillips head screw driver. Hmmmm..... Using a Boy Scout knife / screw driver just doesn't work. I left the big kids home with a list of chores and Annie and I ran to WalMart to get a screwdriver so I could begin making progress and move past my seeming road block. However, as I looked at the endless choices of screwdrivers, I diverted my attention from Annie for a few seconds. She quickly unbuckled herself from the buggy and jumped out. Seriously? Although she didn't even make it past my legs, it was enough to rattle me back into my funk. We made it home with the screwdriver to find the big kids trying to kill each other over trivial things.

Despite the big kids waging war in the background, I started to get excited because I thought I was about to see the curtain which I've been working on for a week hanging proudly over the window. WRONG! The screwdriver I'd chosen wouldn't fit through the tiny hole in the bracket and, therefore, wouldn't even reach the screw.

Currently, the curtain (still impaled with the curtain rod) is laying in the dining room floor where it might just stay until next weekend! When I started psychoanalyzing the whole scenario (I only allow me to analyze me for safety's sake - can you imagine what a real analysis would say?), I was again reminded of the multitude of projects that I seem to start but never find time to finish. It just aggravates me! Who knows why! (I think a professional would advise me to blame my parents but I'm not sure that's really the case)! Anyway, the project is still unfinished and laying crumpled up in the floor. Tomorrow, however, I will conquer that darn curtain rod (after buying another screwdriver) and mark that 1/2 of the project off of the list. (I still have the 2nd curtain to make and hang. We may only have one window covered for quite a while)!!!

It's now 1 a.m. and I've yet to put out bunny baskets or even check to see if I have anything proper to wear to church in the morning. However, I can assure you that if you hear a news story about a maniac losing her mind in the hardware section of WalMart over a screw driver, it'll be me!

If my last unfinished project was to write a children's song and I needed to get it done tonight, I'd probably produce something like Rock-a-bye Baby or Pop Goes the Weasel!

The monkey thought twas all in fun and POP goes the weasel!!!

(I'm afraid to hit "post" at this time because this is one of those pieces that I'm going to look back at and wonder what in the world I was thinking posting this kind of nutzy stuff for the world to see)!

Good Friday and other random thoughts...

In my effort to remind the kids about the importance of Good Friday, I tried reading a book about the "Easter Story" to Annie. She continued to bounce around and insist that the picture of Jesus in the book was actually "Ho-Ho" (her version of Santa). After several attempts to get through at least looking at the pictures, I gave up. Then, life kept happening and I never got around to going through the relevance of the day with Grant and Dasha. I've felt defeated about it ever since they dropped into their beds hours ago. However, for some strange reason, my mind drew a parallel between how frustrated God must have felt with His children when they wouldn't listen and acknowledge Him. Despite His frustration, He still provided the ultimate gift to those children. What would life be like today if He'd just given up as I did with Annie? I can imagine that civilization sure wouldn't be like we know it today. It's so easy to think about the Easter Story as it's portrayed in children's story books and in cartoons. But this was real stuff that still impacts us today. I can not begin to imagine giving my only son, Grant, in order for a bunch of ungrateful people to have life ever-lasting. I just can't fathom that sort of emotion. However, when that sacrifice was made, it was made directly for me. Those thousands of years ago, God knew exactly where I'd be today and the struggles I'd be engaged in. He knew how many hairs would be on my head (and how many were now missing or gray). He paid that kind of price for me.

So, while the stores are filled with cute little rabbits, eggs, and baskets this season, I want to remember what this weekend really means. And, doggone it, I want my children to remember, as well!

So, the book is laying on the table. I will read the book to every child in this house tomorrow and we will engage in a conversation about it that does not include the words Ho-Ho or Santa. If you call and I don't answer, assume I'm reading the book and have taken captives!

On an entirely different note, after yesterday's post about Thankful Thursday, I've found that Friday has also brought so many reasons to be thankful for! In the last 24 hours, I've had four friends (two which I haven't seen in years) meet needs in my life before I even knew they existed! These are the kinds of friends you'd call from jail who would gladly bail you out without even asking what you'd done. (In my case, they could probably make some pretty good assumptions, though). My heart has been overwhelmed all day long with gratitude and thankfulness. There have been so many other petitions met today, as well, that I hope I'll have the opportunity to share one day. It's been a good day full of thankfulness for the faithfulness of friends, the ability to recognize the sacrificial gift that was given on my behalf thousands of years ago, and the ability to be completely at peace with prayers that have been answered with a "wait patiently." (If you know me, patience is not my strong suit and waiting isn't very far up my list of accomplishments, either)!

In closing, I hope everyone can take time this weekend to walk with their children through history and look at the resurrection story and help them see how relevant those events are to our lives today. For those with older kids, introduce them to the historical ideas of death by hanging and the physical impact on the body. Teach them about how they performed burials in rocky hillsides. Show them the reality of the "story." We get so used to the squeaky clean version of the story complete with singing vegetables or characters that burst into song that we forget to teach the reality and show how the "stories" from the Bible align with ancient civilizations. Give a child this kind of foundation and it makes it much easier for them to believe. (We love the Story of the World series by Susan Wise Bauer).

OK, I'll get off of my soapbox for the night. I hope everyone has a great weekend and finds time to put the eggs aside and put the bunny back in it's cage to remember what we're really celebrating.

Thankful Thursday

Many of the blogs that I follow host Thankful Thursdays. Each Thursday, the author writes about the little things they are thankful for from the previous week. I'd been meaning to do this for months but never got around to it. However, today, it's such a coincidence that it's Thursday and I've found a bunch of little things that I was thankful but never even realized it. So, here's my own version of Thankful Thursday...

1) Hearing Annie yell, "No brudder. Don't do that!" The girl doesn't back down from a good fight! I'm not always sure how to parent this and where to draw the boundaries but it makes for some pretty darn good entertainment!

2) Listening to Annie and Dasha play "kitchen" over the baby monitor. They sound like two little old ladies bearing their souls while whipping up some delectable home-cooked meal.

3) Watching Grant turn into a young man right before my eyes! He never ceases to amaze me with his abilities to accurately sense someone's feelings and intervene on their behalf. Tonight, he decided on dinner, cooked it, and served his sisters while I dealt with a half dozen other crazy things. Grant has such a tender heart but is so willing to let God use him even if it means risking getting his feelings hurt.

4) Having a stockpile of toilet paper, canned goods, light bulbs, paper products, and trash bags without ever thinking about it. I didn't realize what a blessing this was until today when there weren't any more green beans in the cabinet.

5) Knowing the front door is locked. Seriously? I've never had to put much thought into this because I've never been responsible for it. Last night, the wind from the storm blew the front door open and scare the crud out of me. Hmmm.... I guess I forgot to lock it! You can bet it's locked tonight, though!

6) Working with a team of ladies who always have my back. I don't think I've ever really thanked them for that. But, without any questions, all of them come to the rescue and do whatever is needed (tying children up, making copies, covering bathroom / sanity breaks, etc.). I can't imagine having to go to work with folks you didn't like.

7) Having a Mr. Fixit on hand. Nothing ever implodes or explodes until there's no one around to fix it. (Just FYI, if you move the washing machine, make sure the hoses go with the machine or you'll end up with a mess)! I didn't realize what a big deal this was, either, and really never said, "Thanks."

8) Having a baby sitter that Annie runs to every morning. I'd never used child care beyond my parents until last November. Today, when I showed up to get Annie, I could see through the door window. Fatima and Annie were dancing around like little pixies. I'd venture to say that there aren't too many sitters who'd play like that with a toddler.

9) Feelings. Although I'm on a roller coaster right now, my feelings are a great indicator of what's going on in my heart. I guess, to be more specific, I'm thankful for the Holy Spirit's convictions in my heart. Those convictions aren't always easy to deal with and many times my brain wants to doubt but those feelings are undeniable.

10) This one, I'm leaving blank for now for an unanswered prayer. But, I now have a record right here in this blog that I'll be able to look back at and, hopefully, be thankful about however that prayer is answered. (I keep hearing the lyrics for a Garth song - Unanswered Prayers). :)

OK. That wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be. However, it's funny how the smallest things make us suddenly realize how thankful we are. My big "A-ha" moment about being thankful came tonight when I realized that the back of the toilet was devoid of the extra roll that is normally stashed there. Eric was a TP fanatic so he always kept a few rolls "on deck." I'd never said, "Thanks," or even realized how grateful I was for that toilet paper!

So, if this is Thankful Thursday, I sure hope tomorrow isn't Freaky Friday! There's one more day of CRCT testing to struggle through and I just hope we make it. I can promise that I don't need any freakiness during testing! At one point this morning, I looked up and about swore that I was in some sort of mental facility! One kid had his hoodie up over his head pulling the zipper up and down repeatedly. Another kid was drumming on his desk with pencils. One child used a Kleenex to contruct a very elaborate jelly fish using his pencil (I admit that I was impressed). And, I never realized that there are about 500 yoga poses that you can do while "seated" in a small plastic student chair! I did giggle out loud when the combination of the boredom driven activities overwhelmed me! But, once again, I could add this as number 11 to my list - my students. I have an awesome bunch of kids this year who all work together as a team (most times) and are accepting of everyone. I love it that they are familiar enough with me to tell me hilarious stories and jokes and keep me entertained but understand when it's time to settle in and work hard! Man!

See, I have so much to be thankful for! (This is a much different outlook than I had last night). Thanks to an old friend that I literally ran into today in WalMart who opened my eyes and my heart to receive the many blessing that I do have in my life!

This song makes me keep it all in perspective and see just how blessed I really am - even when the roller coaster seems to be doing the same loop for the 6th time and I feel like I'm about the lose my lunch!

Arms that Hold the Universe / 33 Miles and Fee
I know it seems like this could be
The darkest day you've known
But believe you me
The God of strength will never let you go
He will overcome, I know

And the arms that hold the universe
Are holding you tonight
You can rest inside
It's gonna be alright

And the voice that calmed the raging sea
Is calling you His child
So be still and know He's in control
He will never let you go

Through many dangers, toils and snares
You have already come
His grace has brought you safe this far
His grace will lead you home

And the arms that hold the universe
Are holding you tonight
You can rest inside
It's gonna be alright

And the voice that calmed the raging sea
Is calling you His child
So be still and know He's in control
He will never let you go

You can hope, you can rise, you can stand
He's still got the whole world in His hands
You can hope, you can rise, you can stand
He's still got the whole world
The whole world in His hands

And the arms that hold the universe
Are holding you tonight
You can rest inside
It's gonna be alright

And the voice that calmed the raging sea
Is calling you His child
So be still and know He's in control
He will never let you go
He will never let you go

He's still got the whole world in His hands
Still got the whole world in His hands

The End of this Season of My Life

There are so many why's but more than that, there are three beautiful kids and enough love and grace for us all. Good-bye old life.