"Leprosy, leprosy, where is my leprosy? Once I had it, and had it galore. From me head to me toes, what was left of my nose was infected, but that's all before! Leprosy, Leprosy, ah,ah,ah, he, he, he I've a debt that can not go unpaid. To Elisha and God, and I also applaude the courage of a little handmaid!" (sung to the tune of some Disney song. I don't know which one. But I do know my Bible stories!)
Does anybody remember Sunday Night Live with Richard K. Allison, Jeffery S. Miller and the Refreshment Committee? The above was a parody that they did one night. It was probably 20 years ago, and I still remember it.
I had read the story of Naaman to Deacon recently. He didn't say much about it. Last week his Sunday school story was about Jesus healing the 10 Lepers in the New Testament. Deacon asked me, "Why did Jesus have to heal them? Why didn't they just go dip in the Jordan River?"
So we had a little conversation about it not being the RIVER that healed Naaman, but God.
One of my favorite things about being a mom is seeing how their little minds work.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Week in Review
I was having one of those days. You know the ones where you feel like you never accomplish anything and your "to do" list just grows and grows. I actually have those days a lot. My husband says it is because my expectations are too high. My mom says it is because I have too much going on.
So I decided that instead of getting down about how much I DIDN'T get done this week, I would try to write out the most important things that I DID get done. obviously these are the big or unusual things. I won't increase the boredom of the post by telling you exactly how many meals I cooked and diapers I changed. And how many coats I put on. And how much peanut butter I spread on toast. And how many snotty noses I wiped. Oops...I am getting a little carried away...
This is kind of like the done and undone lists from Heather .
I didn't spend my average 12-20 hours at work this week, so I had a lot more time, a lot more sleep and a lot more energy.
This is to be a positive post, so I REFUSE to dwell on the floor that didn't get washed before the party, the stack of papers that didn't get sorted and the stuffed dog from my childhood that I pulled out of the garage sale stack at the last minute. And that is now sitting in the middle of my family room floor. I think it is barking at me.
Woof, woof.
So, here goes nothing:
*Biked a total of 128 minutes
*ran 64 minutes
*swam 64 minutes
*stayed caught up in my chronological Bible readings the whole week
*Worked with Deacon on his reading and made great progress
*made a meal for a friend
*went through my whole house except master closet and threw stuff out (this wasn't as bad as I thought it would be once I got started)
*took load of stuff to church for garage sale
*got through 2/3 of filing cabinet sorting
*2 visits to the MD
*Awana leading (my girls MAY all finish their books!)
*taught preschool Sunday school this morning (so many activities, we had to SQUEEZE snack in!)
*took kids swimming on Friday (not a lesson day!)
*went out to supper with friends and played Settlers
*went tile shopping
*Quiz mastered
*hosted Grandma Debbie's bday party
*Gym and Swim
*swimming lessons
*bunch of paperwork
*spent time reading "Parenting is Heart Work" and had some good "heart discussions" with the boys
*installed lock on fridge
*library visit
What about your week? Tell me your amazing accomplishments! And make sure you don't mention the load of laundry that is still in the dryer and the vehicle that needs to be vacuumed...oh wait...that is me...
So I decided that instead of getting down about how much I DIDN'T get done this week, I would try to write out the most important things that I DID get done. obviously these are the big or unusual things. I won't increase the boredom of the post by telling you exactly how many meals I cooked and diapers I changed. And how many coats I put on. And how much peanut butter I spread on toast. And how many snotty noses I wiped. Oops...I am getting a little carried away...
This is kind of like the done and undone lists from Heather .
I didn't spend my average 12-20 hours at work this week, so I had a lot more time, a lot more sleep and a lot more energy.
This is to be a positive post, so I REFUSE to dwell on the floor that didn't get washed before the party, the stack of papers that didn't get sorted and the stuffed dog from my childhood that I pulled out of the garage sale stack at the last minute. And that is now sitting in the middle of my family room floor. I think it is barking at me.
Woof, woof.
So, here goes nothing:
*Biked a total of 128 minutes
*ran 64 minutes
*swam 64 minutes
*stayed caught up in my chronological Bible readings the whole week
*Worked with Deacon on his reading and made great progress
*made a meal for a friend
*went through my whole house except master closet and threw stuff out (this wasn't as bad as I thought it would be once I got started)
*took load of stuff to church for garage sale
*got through 2/3 of filing cabinet sorting
*2 visits to the MD
*Awana leading (my girls MAY all finish their books!)
*taught preschool Sunday school this morning (so many activities, we had to SQUEEZE snack in!)
*took kids swimming on Friday (not a lesson day!)
*went out to supper with friends and played Settlers
*went tile shopping
*Quiz mastered
*hosted Grandma Debbie's bday party
*Gym and Swim
*swimming lessons
*bunch of paperwork
*spent time reading "Parenting is Heart Work" and had some good "heart discussions" with the boys
*installed lock on fridge
*library visit
What about your week? Tell me your amazing accomplishments! And make sure you don't mention the load of laundry that is still in the dryer and the vehicle that needs to be vacuumed...oh wait...that is me...
Friday, March 27, 2009
Specimen Collection 101
The child has had some abnormal GU systems recently, so his overly paranoid and protective mother decided to take him into the clinic to rule out some possible causes.
The child's ICU nurse mother questioned the MD on the possibility of Diabetes or a UTI. (By the way, the mother is very paranoid about diabetes).
The MD instead discovered that the child had an ear infection, and threw a bone to the mother by deciding to get a simple urinanalysis to rule out the elusive diabetes and uti.
(now, the mother does agree that diabetes probably does SEEM to come on quickly in peds...but could it be because PEOPLE keep missing the subtle signs of impending doom until it is too late? Did I mention that the mother is paranoid about diabetes?).
So the mother and the child went down to the lab where the child amused the lab lady by carefully spelling out his name (first and last) so that his mother would get it right on the lab sheet. The child does not always trust his mother.
After exploring the lab bathroom, the child sat down to do his business into the "hat".
"My penis is not working!", was then heard.
And heard again after offering water.
And heard again after running laps around the room a few times.
And again after mommy stepped out of the room.
And again after mommy begged, "just try one more time, sweetie"
So the 2 left the clinic armed with the hat, the speciman container, 3 bags and a pair of gloves.
The mother scoffed at the gloves. Who wears gloves for handling sweet baby pee...especially when it is your own baby?
Next morning the mother brightly suggested to the child that he pee in the hat.
"no" said the child and started screaming.
and screaming.
After a few more suggestions and a few more screams the mother gave up.
The mother called the clinic and told them that she was going to skip it and just go ahead and start the child on the meds for the ear infection. The 2 would go to the hospital when the child ended up in a diabetic coma or in septic shock from a raging UTI, since apparently peeing in a cup was not an option.
10 minutes after the phone call was placed, the child ran up the stairs and happily called out, "I am ready to pee in the little thing now!"
And so he did.
The child proudly watched as the mother placed it in the container, then in the biohazard clear bag, then in the white lunch bag.
The child proudly carried the bag into the clinic.
The child proudly tried to hand the bag to the receptionist, but the mother told him to "wait, she doesn't want it. You need to give it to the lab lady."
When the child and his mother arrived at the lab, the child insisted on taking the plastic bag out of the opaque bag so the lab lady could see that not only could he spell his name, but he could also pee in the cup.
It was a proud moment for everyone.
Roman loves his hat.
The child's ICU nurse mother questioned the MD on the possibility of Diabetes or a UTI. (By the way, the mother is very paranoid about diabetes).
The MD instead discovered that the child had an ear infection, and threw a bone to the mother by deciding to get a simple urinanalysis to rule out the elusive diabetes and uti.
(now, the mother does agree that diabetes probably does SEEM to come on quickly in peds...but could it be because PEOPLE keep missing the subtle signs of impending doom until it is too late? Did I mention that the mother is paranoid about diabetes?).
So the mother and the child went down to the lab where the child amused the lab lady by carefully spelling out his name (first and last) so that his mother would get it right on the lab sheet. The child does not always trust his mother.
After exploring the lab bathroom, the child sat down to do his business into the "hat".
"My penis is not working!", was then heard.
And heard again after offering water.
And heard again after running laps around the room a few times.
And again after mommy stepped out of the room.
And again after mommy begged, "just try one more time, sweetie"
So the 2 left the clinic armed with the hat, the speciman container, 3 bags and a pair of gloves.
The mother scoffed at the gloves. Who wears gloves for handling sweet baby pee...especially when it is your own baby?
Next morning the mother brightly suggested to the child that he pee in the hat.
"no" said the child and started screaming.
and screaming.
After a few more suggestions and a few more screams the mother gave up.
The mother called the clinic and told them that she was going to skip it and just go ahead and start the child on the meds for the ear infection. The 2 would go to the hospital when the child ended up in a diabetic coma or in septic shock from a raging UTI, since apparently peeing in a cup was not an option.
10 minutes after the phone call was placed, the child ran up the stairs and happily called out, "I am ready to pee in the little thing now!"
And so he did.
The child proudly watched as the mother placed it in the container, then in the biohazard clear bag, then in the white lunch bag.
The child proudly carried the bag into the clinic.
The child proudly tried to hand the bag to the receptionist, but the mother told him to "wait, she doesn't want it. You need to give it to the lab lady."
When the child and his mother arrived at the lab, the child insisted on taking the plastic bag out of the opaque bag so the lab lady could see that not only could he spell his name, but he could also pee in the cup.
It was a proud moment for everyone.
Roman loves his hat.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Desperate Times
Did I mention that I decided to do the Turtleman Triathlon again this year? It is 20 weeks away, so this is the 1st week of the twenty week training program.
It is always nice when the first week of training lines up with your worst cold of the year.
Anyway, one can not fight the calendar, so I have persevered.
Today I needed to do a 24 minute swim and a 24 minute run. Now, if you do 2 workouts in a day it is recommended that you not do them back to back. However, when you have 3 little children who are slightly on the edge of health AND you have an entire filing cabinet to organize tonight- well, I didn't have any other options but to do them back to back.
The first third of my swim I kept thinking about how much energy swimming takes. And how it is not that fun. And how my ring may fall off at any second and go down the drain.
The second third of my swim I started thinking that swimming really isn't bad. It is actually kind of fun.
The final third of my swim I started getting paranoid about my suit. It is really stretched out and I was nervous that it was seriously gapeing while I was swimming.After assessing the situation I realized that the guy next to me was swimming on his back anyway and my pastor (who works out where I do) wasn't in the general pool vacinity so I decided not to worry about it.
I hobnobbed with the lifeguard for a couple minutes and headed into the locker room to change and ran upstairs to start the run. My ipod was dead, which is never a good omen.
I spent the first mile of my run trying to figure out when I had last eaten. I remembered that I had forgetten to eat lunch when I fed the kids because I had been distracted by an email that I had to take care of. I deduced that around lunch time I had eaten a few bug bite crackers, 1/4 of a jawbreaker and a glass of chocolate milk. Not exactly high power work out food. I couldn't tell if the lightheadedness was from my cold or low blood sugar.
During the second mile my mind wandered to considering how embarassing it would be to pass out on the track. I know where the AED is. I figure the trainers do too. If I passed out from low blood sugar I wouldn't need the AED. Hypoglycemia leads to a PEA rhythm, which is treated by CPR and glucose. But the trainers wouldn't KNOW what the problem was, now would they? So they would probably want to hook me up, just to make sure I wasn't in a "shockable rhythm" or so they would be prepared if I suddenly lost my pulse.
All this led to the third mile in which I made three new resolutions:
1)always make sure I charge my ipod
2) go to a underwireless bra so that they don't have to cut it off when they have to shock me when my heart goes into a fibrillation from an undiagnosed heart condition.
3) if I am going to work out, eat a WHOLE jawbreaker, not just 1/4 of it.
Tomorrow you can look for a post on our first experience with urine sample collection with little boys. That stuff is liquid gold.
It is always nice when the first week of training lines up with your worst cold of the year.
Anyway, one can not fight the calendar, so I have persevered.
Today I needed to do a 24 minute swim and a 24 minute run. Now, if you do 2 workouts in a day it is recommended that you not do them back to back. However, when you have 3 little children who are slightly on the edge of health AND you have an entire filing cabinet to organize tonight- well, I didn't have any other options but to do them back to back.
The first third of my swim I kept thinking about how much energy swimming takes. And how it is not that fun. And how my ring may fall off at any second and go down the drain.
The second third of my swim I started thinking that swimming really isn't bad. It is actually kind of fun.
The final third of my swim I started getting paranoid about my suit. It is really stretched out and I was nervous that it was seriously gapeing while I was swimming.After assessing the situation I realized that the guy next to me was swimming on his back anyway and my pastor (who works out where I do) wasn't in the general pool vacinity so I decided not to worry about it.
I hobnobbed with the lifeguard for a couple minutes and headed into the locker room to change and ran upstairs to start the run. My ipod was dead, which is never a good omen.
I spent the first mile of my run trying to figure out when I had last eaten. I remembered that I had forgetten to eat lunch when I fed the kids because I had been distracted by an email that I had to take care of. I deduced that around lunch time I had eaten a few bug bite crackers, 1/4 of a jawbreaker and a glass of chocolate milk. Not exactly high power work out food. I couldn't tell if the lightheadedness was from my cold or low blood sugar.
During the second mile my mind wandered to considering how embarassing it would be to pass out on the track. I know where the AED is. I figure the trainers do too. If I passed out from low blood sugar I wouldn't need the AED. Hypoglycemia leads to a PEA rhythm, which is treated by CPR and glucose. But the trainers wouldn't KNOW what the problem was, now would they? So they would probably want to hook me up, just to make sure I wasn't in a "shockable rhythm" or so they would be prepared if I suddenly lost my pulse.
All this led to the third mile in which I made three new resolutions:
1)always make sure I charge my ipod
2) go to a underwireless bra so that they don't have to cut it off when they have to shock me when my heart goes into a fibrillation from an undiagnosed heart condition.
3) if I am going to work out, eat a WHOLE jawbreaker, not just 1/4 of it.
Tomorrow you can look for a post on our first experience with urine sample collection with little boys. That stuff is liquid gold.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Ugghh
I have started this post a couple of times now.
I can't formulate any coherent thoughts, apparently.
This cold has invaded my brain.
My face.
My lungs.
Now I know why my kids have been so crabby.
So why, when I ask them, do they say they feel "great"?
I can't formulate any coherent thoughts, apparently.
This cold has invaded my brain.
My face.
My lungs.
Now I know why my kids have been so crabby.
So why, when I ask them, do they say they feel "great"?
Monday, March 23, 2009
Cleaning Week Day 1
Since I am not working this week, I decided that it would be really fun to totally clean a different floor of my house every day this week. Well, 4 days actually, because I have only 4 floors, not 7. I told Noah of this stupendous plan and he said, "go for it, kiddo" which literally translated means, "do what you want, but don't expect me to help."
I decided to start in the basement, basically because I usually start on the top floor and am tired when I get to the basement. And because Noah just finished putting in the cabinets/countertop and I needed to put stuff away anyway.
This is the laundry room with the new cabinets. It is now partially sheetrocked. We weren't going to sheetrock, but since we were going to be attaching the cabinets to the only sheet rocked wall, we figured if the window wall was ever going to be sheetrocked, we should do the part behind the cabinets now.
I lured Noah into helping me go through stuff by excitedly showing him a secret place I found while removing cobwebs. I want to stash stuff there. Like my own color wonder books that Lincoln can't touch.
Spiders can eat their own webs when they are done with them. I wonder why they don't do that in my basement?
This is the new school room. I need to get some curtains for the window.
And some book shelves.
I decided to start in the basement, basically because I usually start on the top floor and am tired when I get to the basement. And because Noah just finished putting in the cabinets/countertop and I needed to put stuff away anyway.
This is the laundry room with the new cabinets. It is now partially sheetrocked. We weren't going to sheetrock, but since we were going to be attaching the cabinets to the only sheet rocked wall, we figured if the window wall was ever going to be sheetrocked, we should do the part behind the cabinets now.
I lured Noah into helping me go through stuff by excitedly showing him a secret place I found while removing cobwebs. I want to stash stuff there. Like my own color wonder books that Lincoln can't touch.
Spiders can eat their own webs when they are done with them. I wonder why they don't do that in my basement?This is the new school room. I need to get some curtains for the window.
And some book shelves.
oh, how did this get in here? This is the new Dora the Explorer. When I told Deacon that this was the "grown up" Dora he said, "I didn't think she was real. If she is not real, than how did she grow?" I thought that was a valid question.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Quote of the Day
"Summer is the best HOLIDAY of all because you get to do EVERYTHING! Except go sledding.
-Deacon, age 5
Thursday, March 19, 2009
A potential casualty of homeschooling
This morning Deacon cried the whole way home from play group.
He finally understood (although we have been talking about it for months) that his friends will all be off to different kindergartens in the fall. He wants them to come to play group. He wants it to be the same.
I worked hard to find friends for him for his preschool years. He has some great ones, and I hope he can keep them even though he will be homeschooled and they will be scattered amongst different elementary schools. I am going to make an effort to make sure he can still play with them. I don't want my kid to have only other homeschoolers for friends.
As I have been thinking about gearing up for K in the fall, I came up with another resolution: not to let my younger kids become casualties of homeschool. I don't want them to never get to play with kids their own ages because we are so busy with "school". I don't want them only to see other kids when we are on a "field trip" or in a co-op.
I want them to be able to play with other preschoolers spontaneously at the park in the morning. And I want them to be able to establish fast preschool friendships in a playdate/play group environment.
I want them to learn to share. I want them to learn to wrestle. I want them to learn to love others. Even non-homeschoolers :) I want them to get to know first borns. And second borns.
And me? I don't want my only friends to be people who have kids my oldest kids age. I want to make friends whose oldest are my youngest's age. I want to meet new moms. I don't want to just hang out with my "group".
I don't want to meet them all in a co-op or at homeschool Gym and Swim either.
How am I going to manage all this?
I don't know.
But I am sure going to try.
He finally understood (although we have been talking about it for months) that his friends will all be off to different kindergartens in the fall. He wants them to come to play group. He wants it to be the same.
I worked hard to find friends for him for his preschool years. He has some great ones, and I hope he can keep them even though he will be homeschooled and they will be scattered amongst different elementary schools. I am going to make an effort to make sure he can still play with them. I don't want my kid to have only other homeschoolers for friends.
As I have been thinking about gearing up for K in the fall, I came up with another resolution: not to let my younger kids become casualties of homeschool. I don't want them to never get to play with kids their own ages because we are so busy with "school". I don't want them only to see other kids when we are on a "field trip" or in a co-op.
I want them to be able to play with other preschoolers spontaneously at the park in the morning. And I want them to be able to establish fast preschool friendships in a playdate/play group environment.
I want them to learn to share. I want them to learn to wrestle. I want them to learn to love others. Even non-homeschoolers :) I want them to get to know first borns. And second borns.
And me? I don't want my only friends to be people who have kids my oldest kids age. I want to make friends whose oldest are my youngest's age. I want to meet new moms. I don't want to just hang out with my "group".
I don't want to meet them all in a co-op or at homeschool Gym and Swim either.
How am I going to manage all this?
I don't know.
But I am sure going to try.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
I forgot about these!
Last day of each session of Gym and Swim the kids get to go down the waterslide...
And "rock" climb.... (looking down is never a good plan!)
He did great, but was a little scared. Next time, he promises, he won't be so scared.I don't doubt it.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Love Languages
Thanks for all your comments on my very important question! I have no conclusions, but I think it is interesting to note :) Now we just need to all compare our ACT scores :)
I hope to see if there are any studies out on this issue. I did a quick google search, but it looked like I was going to have to wade through a lot to find what I am looking for, and I don't have time right now.
And now for today's post:
Noah and I have very different love languages. His big two are probably gift giving and physical touch, and I am pretty much all about acts of service and quality time.
A couple of weeks ago we were having a conversation at the kitchen table. I was explaining to him some ideas I had about home/time management stuff and I was pleasantly surprised by how attentively he was listening. I remember thinking, "wow! He is paying super close attention, and he is even taking notes?!" Because, sure enough, he had picked up a pen and paper and was jotting things down.
I left the conversation wondering about the paper, but feeling good about what I thought had been accomplished.
Later I found the very same paper on my laptop. Apparently, the whole time I thought he was paying attention and "taking notes" (what was I thinking?!?! He NEVER takes notes!), he was actually writing a poem about all his favorite things about me.
Now, that is sweet, but I have to admit my initial reaction was annoyance. He wasn't paying ANY attention to anything I was saying. But I did get over it, quickly I might add, because the poem was very nice.
It just goes to show that
we just aren't always on the same page :)
And that is ok.
Sometimes it is ok to skip ahead.
or go back.
I hope to see if there are any studies out on this issue. I did a quick google search, but it looked like I was going to have to wade through a lot to find what I am looking for, and I don't have time right now.
And now for today's post:
Noah and I have very different love languages. His big two are probably gift giving and physical touch, and I am pretty much all about acts of service and quality time.
A couple of weeks ago we were having a conversation at the kitchen table. I was explaining to him some ideas I had about home/time management stuff and I was pleasantly surprised by how attentively he was listening. I remember thinking, "wow! He is paying super close attention, and he is even taking notes?!" Because, sure enough, he had picked up a pen and paper and was jotting things down.
I left the conversation wondering about the paper, but feeling good about what I thought had been accomplished.
Later I found the very same paper on my laptop. Apparently, the whole time I thought he was paying attention and "taking notes" (what was I thinking?!?! He NEVER takes notes!), he was actually writing a poem about all his favorite things about me.
Now, that is sweet, but I have to admit my initial reaction was annoyance. He wasn't paying ANY attention to anything I was saying. But I did get over it, quickly I might add, because the poem was very nice.
It just goes to show that
we just aren't always on the same page :)
And that is ok.
Sometimes it is ok to skip ahead.
or go back.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
A Very Important Question
Last week Noah and I were talking about dreams.
I dream a lot and I remember a lot of my dreams. I know the circumstances, interactions etc in my dreams, but I don't have a lot of visuals in my dreams to go with my thoughts. I know that may not make any sense, but I am not sure how else to explain it.
Anyway, Noah asked me if when I read if I visualize what I am reading as a movie. I said, "are you kidding me? No! How would I ever get through a book? I could tell you how a book described something, but I wouldn't really see it in my head." By the way, I am a very fast reader.
Noah laughed. "When I read," he said, "it is as if the whole thing is a movie in my head. I can see it all." By the way, Noah reads slowly.
We asked some friends the other night about it. My friend Becki does not "see" everything when she is reading (like me) and she is also a very fast reader. Matt does "see" everything (like Noah) and he is very slow.
So, my question is: do you "see" a movie in your head as you read? Are you a fast reader or a slow reader?
PLEASE COMMENT! I REALLY WANT TO KNOW!
I dream a lot and I remember a lot of my dreams. I know the circumstances, interactions etc in my dreams, but I don't have a lot of visuals in my dreams to go with my thoughts. I know that may not make any sense, but I am not sure how else to explain it.
Anyway, Noah asked me if when I read if I visualize what I am reading as a movie. I said, "are you kidding me? No! How would I ever get through a book? I could tell you how a book described something, but I wouldn't really see it in my head." By the way, I am a very fast reader.
Noah laughed. "When I read," he said, "it is as if the whole thing is a movie in my head. I can see it all." By the way, Noah reads slowly.
We asked some friends the other night about it. My friend Becki does not "see" everything when she is reading (like me) and she is also a very fast reader. Matt does "see" everything (like Noah) and he is very slow.
So, my question is: do you "see" a movie in your head as you read? Are you a fast reader or a slow reader?
PLEASE COMMENT! I REALLY WANT TO KNOW!
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans...
Deacon started a new swimming session last Saturday.
He is in a class with 2 other little boys.
After class I asked him what the other little boys names were. I didn't really expect him to know - he never remembers names. I asked though purposely because I am trying to get him to at least try to make it a point to find out.
He paused for a split second and then said, "Luke and John".
I said, "Deacon, that is SO COOL! Their names are books of the Bible. Right in order!" We sang the NT books together. He seemed to think it was funny that they were books of the Bible.
So today I said, "Oh Deacon, tomorrow is your swimming lesson. You get to go hang out with the books of the Bible, Luke and John!"
He smiled, I finished buckling him in and went to the front seat.
Suddenly from the back I hear, "Their names aren't really Luke and John, Mom. I have no idea what their names are. I just made that up."
I have to admit I couldn't keep myself from laughing- I was astonished.
What kid lies about some other kids names by using consecutive books of the New Testament?
Weird.
We had a talk about lying.
But I am somewhat concerned because that boy is a very good lier.
He is in a class with 2 other little boys.
After class I asked him what the other little boys names were. I didn't really expect him to know - he never remembers names. I asked though purposely because I am trying to get him to at least try to make it a point to find out.
He paused for a split second and then said, "Luke and John".
I said, "Deacon, that is SO COOL! Their names are books of the Bible. Right in order!" We sang the NT books together. He seemed to think it was funny that they were books of the Bible.
So today I said, "Oh Deacon, tomorrow is your swimming lesson. You get to go hang out with the books of the Bible, Luke and John!"
He smiled, I finished buckling him in and went to the front seat.
Suddenly from the back I hear, "Their names aren't really Luke and John, Mom. I have no idea what their names are. I just made that up."
I have to admit I couldn't keep myself from laughing- I was astonished.
What kid lies about some other kids names by using consecutive books of the New Testament?
Weird.
We had a talk about lying.
But I am somewhat concerned because that boy is a very good lier.
Friday, March 13, 2009
The Tooth Fairy and Other Mysteries
Last night at work my coworkers and I were discussing the tooth fairy, Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny. 2 of us were on the side of not lying to our kids regarding those ficticious characters, and the other 2 thought it was appalling to 'burst their bubble'.In our family we talk about Santa, the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy as fun traditions, but we have always made it clear without going overboard that they do not really exist.
I told Deacon the tooth fairy would come and put money under his pillow. He said, "Mom, is the tooth fairy real?" I said, "no. It is a fun imaginary tradition, but mommy is the one who puts the money there." And he was totally ok with that. All he cares about is the money anyway.
So the question today is, What do you tell your kids about those characters? What did your parents tell you?
And the other question of the day is Would you rather meet a mad mother bear or a mad mother White Rhino?
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Superman Loses his Lunch: It was very Dramatic
Last night at Awana, I got a page to come to the nursery. On arrival I was told that Roman had just vomited. Nice.
He didn't appear any the worse for wear, so I got him cleaned up, found him a pair of 24 month pants (man-pris, baby!) and took the little ones home.
I think the problem was him stuffing himself with Chicken Kiev, and apparently not chewing before swallowing, and then running all over like a maniac. Because he has been fine ever since.
Noah and Deacon came home after Cubbies and Youth Group were over.
I heard the door and Deacon coming up the stairs.
The door to my bedroom flew open (very dramatically) and Deacon stood posed (very dramatically). "Mom, was it DER-matic?"
"What?!?"
"When Roman threw up all over the nursery, mom. Was it DER-matic?"
Apparently we are all about the trauma and the drama around here.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Can it wait until 7:30?
The day that I realized I was no longer a "new" nurse, I laughed.
That particular day I came onto the unit, looked around and saw one of the new nurses standing on a chair in a patient's room with her hands over her head. "What is she doing?" I asked. "Trying to change the time on the clock." stated my coworker, dismissively. I give a short laugh. "I wish her the best", I say as I go to clock out.
You see when I was a new nurse I tried to change the clock too.
In fact, I would love to have a quarter for the number of times new nurses have tried to fix that clock. Or have called maintenance to, "look into it".
But now? Now I just add 20 minutes to whatever that clock says and I know the correct time.
It is just adding. It is within my skill set.
When I was a new nurse I didn't realize that report time was sacred. Everything is put aside until the end of The Report.
You see hospital times now days don't really enforce "visiting hours". Most of them just say that visitors must leave the unit during "report times" so that they don't hear confidential information shared about patients. You know, important information like a patients medical history, which family member took home the patients wallet and which of the patient's siblings turn off the alarms themselves if they are in the room.
The residents don't know about report.
They come bounding in, eyes bright, so excited to check on their patients. They come straight from Starbucks and you can feel the nervous energy as they get ready to save the patients from their own worst enemies - their own failing bodies.
But they make a fatal error when they insist that all their "stuff" must be done "stat". Right in the middle of report. "We will get to it at 0730, we say. Our manager hates end of shift overtime." They nod. But they keep lurking. Waiting.
I used to be surprised when a patient didn't do well, and not surprised if they did.
Now I am surprised if they do well, and not surprised if they don't.
How to keep optimism
With experience
How to keep hope
With reality
How to value life
amongst so much death
Those are the things I wonder about, now that I am not a new nurse.
That particular day I came onto the unit, looked around and saw one of the new nurses standing on a chair in a patient's room with her hands over her head. "What is she doing?" I asked. "Trying to change the time on the clock." stated my coworker, dismissively. I give a short laugh. "I wish her the best", I say as I go to clock out.
You see when I was a new nurse I tried to change the clock too.
In fact, I would love to have a quarter for the number of times new nurses have tried to fix that clock. Or have called maintenance to, "look into it".
But now? Now I just add 20 minutes to whatever that clock says and I know the correct time.
It is just adding. It is within my skill set.
When I was a new nurse I didn't realize that report time was sacred. Everything is put aside until the end of The Report.
You see hospital times now days don't really enforce "visiting hours". Most of them just say that visitors must leave the unit during "report times" so that they don't hear confidential information shared about patients. You know, important information like a patients medical history, which family member took home the patients wallet and which of the patient's siblings turn off the alarms themselves if they are in the room.
The residents don't know about report.
They come bounding in, eyes bright, so excited to check on their patients. They come straight from Starbucks and you can feel the nervous energy as they get ready to save the patients from their own worst enemies - their own failing bodies.
But they make a fatal error when they insist that all their "stuff" must be done "stat". Right in the middle of report. "We will get to it at 0730, we say. Our manager hates end of shift overtime." They nod. But they keep lurking. Waiting.
I used to be surprised when a patient didn't do well, and not surprised if they did.
Now I am surprised if they do well, and not surprised if they don't.
How to keep optimism
With experience
How to keep hope
With reality
How to value life
amongst so much death
Those are the things I wonder about, now that I am not a new nurse.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Things that made me smile this weekend
1. I asked the boys if they wanted to go on a walk with me. Deacon said, "No 3 milers, mom". I assured him that we would just go one mile. He suspiciously asked if that was "just once around our block". It was so he got his 5 year old self in the stroller and off we went.
I love that he has always loved to go on walks with me. He used to just look around, and now he looks around and talks, and talks, and talks.
2. On our walk we happened upon an old friend and I was talking to her at the end of our driveway. Deacon had gone in the house but he came out pushing Roman in front of him. He always has to show off his brother.
I love that he thinks his brother is worth showing off.
3. We went to the zoo on Friday. Lincoln stopped in the middle of the path when he heard the Tiger growl. Then he cried. It also took him a really long time to look at the Giraffes. He kept squeezing his eyes shut.
I love that he sees things differently from me.
4. We got to see a baby Orangutan riding around on his mommies back. We also got to see twin tamarin monkey babies on their mommies back.
I LOVE baby animals.
5. Roman asked me to "pray again" last night.
I love that my kids know that prayer is incorporated into all our lives.
6. Noah and I hung out last night. We talked about high school a little. We talked about decks a little. We drank orange juice. I admired his sheetrock job.
I love that man!
7. Noah made a great deal of progress this weekend on some basement projects. Without me bugging him about them.
I love productivity.
8. I came within 1 mile of being on track for the 500 mile challenge.
I love that I can run and bike.
9. Roman went right along with his swimming class this Saturday. He became friends with the little girl in the Dora swimsuit. She pretty much thought he was the best little boy ever.
I love watching my kids make friends and cooperate in a class.
10. Our broccoli started growing this weekend!
I love that plants come from small seeds. Deacon said, "this is like a miracle"! Amen
I love that he has always loved to go on walks with me. He used to just look around, and now he looks around and talks, and talks, and talks.
2. On our walk we happened upon an old friend and I was talking to her at the end of our driveway. Deacon had gone in the house but he came out pushing Roman in front of him. He always has to show off his brother.
I love that he thinks his brother is worth showing off.
3. We went to the zoo on Friday. Lincoln stopped in the middle of the path when he heard the Tiger growl. Then he cried. It also took him a really long time to look at the Giraffes. He kept squeezing his eyes shut.
I love that he sees things differently from me.
4. We got to see a baby Orangutan riding around on his mommies back. We also got to see twin tamarin monkey babies on their mommies back.
I LOVE baby animals.
5. Roman asked me to "pray again" last night.
I love that my kids know that prayer is incorporated into all our lives.
6. Noah and I hung out last night. We talked about high school a little. We talked about decks a little. We drank orange juice. I admired his sheetrock job.
I love that man!
7. Noah made a great deal of progress this weekend on some basement projects. Without me bugging him about them.
I love productivity.
8. I came within 1 mile of being on track for the 500 mile challenge.
I love that I can run and bike.
9. Roman went right along with his swimming class this Saturday. He became friends with the little girl in the Dora swimsuit. She pretty much thought he was the best little boy ever.
I love watching my kids make friends and cooperate in a class.
10. Our broccoli started growing this weekend!
I love that plants come from small seeds. Deacon said, "this is like a miracle"! Amen
Thursday, March 5, 2009
A very bad literary combination
I am not real organized about a lot of things. But I can rise above my laziness when it means saving money.
I don't like to pay library fines and I don't like to spend money buying books, so I return on time. And I am kind and I do rewind.
Actually our VCR is broken, so no more rewinding for me.
Anyway, we go to the library every three weeks and check out somewhere between 39 and 46 items. The older boys each get to pick out 2 DVDs and then we just start loading up the back of the stroller with books.
Is it geeky that I have a system?
We go to a small library, so this is what I do:
1) go to the nonfiction kids section and get books on rubber, geography, polar bears or whatever else strikes my fancy.
2) go to designated fiction row and pick out books. note: I am on aisle 3 now. Basically I pick a aisle and only check out books from that aisle for about 6 months. Then I move to the next one.
3) go to the easy readers/series aisle and load up on a few favorites.
4) When the back of the stroller is full, we are done
5) weed out a few Dora/Diegos as I check out
6) When we get to the van I transfer everything to a crate that stays in the living room. I take the list generated from the library and put it in a designated spot. Then I mark the due date on the calendar.
3 weeks later I call the family together and I read the book roll call and everyone helps me find them all. It is like a big treasure hunt. Only not so big, because they do a pretty good job of keeping them in the living room.
But yesterday I missed one that should have been weeded out at checkout.
Dora the Explorer plus
Boots plus
Talking Clam plus
Garbage plus
Heroic but incompetent Mermaids plus
Mean Octopus who throws garbage plus
Sea Shell bridge plus
Net equals
The worst children's book I have ever read.
From this point on I will not even call it a book.
It will now be referred to as propaganda.
Or maybe garbage.
I don't like to pay library fines and I don't like to spend money buying books, so I return on time. And I am kind and I do rewind.
Actually our VCR is broken, so no more rewinding for me.
Anyway, we go to the library every three weeks and check out somewhere between 39 and 46 items. The older boys each get to pick out 2 DVDs and then we just start loading up the back of the stroller with books.
Is it geeky that I have a system?
We go to a small library, so this is what I do:
1) go to the nonfiction kids section and get books on rubber, geography, polar bears or whatever else strikes my fancy.
2) go to designated fiction row and pick out books. note: I am on aisle 3 now. Basically I pick a aisle and only check out books from that aisle for about 6 months. Then I move to the next one.
3) go to the easy readers/series aisle and load up on a few favorites.
4) When the back of the stroller is full, we are done
5) weed out a few Dora/Diegos as I check out
6) When we get to the van I transfer everything to a crate that stays in the living room. I take the list generated from the library and put it in a designated spot. Then I mark the due date on the calendar.
3 weeks later I call the family together and I read the book roll call and everyone helps me find them all. It is like a big treasure hunt. Only not so big, because they do a pretty good job of keeping them in the living room.
But yesterday I missed one that should have been weeded out at checkout.
Dora the Explorer plus
Boots plus
Talking Clam plus
Garbage plus
Heroic but incompetent Mermaids plus
Mean Octopus who throws garbage plus
Sea Shell bridge plus
Net equals
The worst children's book I have ever read.
From this point on I will not even call it a book.
It will now be referred to as propaganda.
Or maybe garbage.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Paranoia often begins with Mickey Mouse
When I was in late elementary school I had this violin teacher. She was very type A and very emotional. One day I came to violin lesson and she went on and on about how nice I looked in my sweatshirt and how it was so great that I was branching out.
I was confused.
Then I realized that I always had worn the same shirt to my violin lessons. My Mickey Mouse red sweatshirt from Disney World, in fact. I didn't wear it every day. I apparently just wore it every THURSDAY. Never had noticed until she praised me for changing my clothes.
I think she must have gone to one of those seminars where they teach you to watch for the kind of behaviors you want and then praise them, thus making the other person want to change their ways to get more praise. Positive reinforcement, anyone?
Yeah, I've read those parenting (or dog training) books too.
So now I am wary when someone comments on my clothes, or hair, or newly washed floor.
Because it seems it often means that they didn't like the way it was before.
But some call me jaded. And paranoid.
(BTW: there is a facebook questionnaire going around. I don't have time to complete the whole thing, but one of the questions is, "What is the heaviest thing you have lifted recently?" Mine of course was that table in the basement, which I am never moving again. But the second heaviest thing was this morning when I threw the last bags of water softener salt into the reservoir. So I wanted to take this opportunity to tell my dear husband that we need more salt. Maybe Friday?)
I was confused.
Then I realized that I always had worn the same shirt to my violin lessons. My Mickey Mouse red sweatshirt from Disney World, in fact. I didn't wear it every day. I apparently just wore it every THURSDAY. Never had noticed until she praised me for changing my clothes.
I think she must have gone to one of those seminars where they teach you to watch for the kind of behaviors you want and then praise them, thus making the other person want to change their ways to get more praise. Positive reinforcement, anyone?
Yeah, I've read those parenting (or dog training) books too.
So now I am wary when someone comments on my clothes, or hair, or newly washed floor.
Because it seems it often means that they didn't like the way it was before.
But some call me jaded. And paranoid.
(BTW: there is a facebook questionnaire going around. I don't have time to complete the whole thing, but one of the questions is, "What is the heaviest thing you have lifted recently?" Mine of course was that table in the basement, which I am never moving again. But the second heaviest thing was this morning when I threw the last bags of water softener salt into the reservoir. So I wanted to take this opportunity to tell my dear husband that we need more salt. Maybe Friday?)
A first: losing my child in the store
I gave Deacon the job of putting apples in a bag.
I turned away for a moment to pick up something one of the other boys had dropped from the cart. When I looked back, Deacon was gone.
Panic was starting to rise, but I told myself, "stay calm, look around. He couldn't have gotten far."
"Roman, did you see where your brother went?"
blank stare.
I started walking around, scanning the produce department.
Nothing.
I started imagining him panicking somewhere, not being able to find me.
If I didn't find him soon I was going to have to ask the employees to put the store in lock down, or whatever they do.
I looked back toward the apples.
It was eerily quiet.
Just like in those tv shows when the kid is there one minute and gone the next.
I started scanning again.
Then I saw his shoes and the bottom of his cordoroy pants from behind the front fruit display.
They were standing next to another pair of shoes and pants.
I ran over there (dragging the other two along)
"Deacon! I have been so worried"
He stood there with his head cocked to one side and his chin resting on his hand.
He glanced at me.
The employee, who was stocking grapes next to him, said, "Your mom is here now, maybe she can help you decide what kind of grapes you get."
Then she smiled at me.
"He can't remember what kind of grapes you needed. He has been debating it and trying to remember."
Note to self: never tell my independent, mover and shaker, completely competent (or so he thinks) 5 year old what is next on the grocery list.
I turned away for a moment to pick up something one of the other boys had dropped from the cart. When I looked back, Deacon was gone.
Panic was starting to rise, but I told myself, "stay calm, look around. He couldn't have gotten far."
"Roman, did you see where your brother went?"
blank stare.
I started walking around, scanning the produce department.
Nothing.
I started imagining him panicking somewhere, not being able to find me.
If I didn't find him soon I was going to have to ask the employees to put the store in lock down, or whatever they do.
I looked back toward the apples.
It was eerily quiet.
Just like in those tv shows when the kid is there one minute and gone the next.
I started scanning again.
Then I saw his shoes and the bottom of his cordoroy pants from behind the front fruit display.
They were standing next to another pair of shoes and pants.
I ran over there (dragging the other two along)
"Deacon! I have been so worried"
He stood there with his head cocked to one side and his chin resting on his hand.
He glanced at me.
The employee, who was stocking grapes next to him, said, "Your mom is here now, maybe she can help you decide what kind of grapes you get."
Then she smiled at me.
"He can't remember what kind of grapes you needed. He has been debating it and trying to remember."
Note to self: never tell my independent, mover and shaker, completely competent (or so he thinks) 5 year old what is next on the grocery list.
Monday, March 2, 2009
For the 2 of you who are wondering
Noah turned 30 last November.
Amazingly enough, he went into the DMV and renewed his license 5 days BEFORE his birthday. He came home and told me it was taken care of. He tucked the clipped license and the folded yellow paperwork into his wallet and promptly forgot about the whole thing.
Until Friday morning.
On Friday morning on his way to work he got pulled over.
"No big deal," the officer said, "I am not even going to give you a fix it. I just wanted to let you know that you have a tail light out. Most people don't know and it can become so dangerous if you lose the other one. Just let me check your license and insurance and you will be on your way in 2 minutes."
She comes back a minute later.
"Sir. Your license is expired."
"Oh, sorry officer. See the corner is clipped. Here is my paperwork."
CRASH
3 car pile up two lanes away.
"I'll be right back" says the officer.
She comes back after getting the accident people off the road.
"I'd look into that. Your paperwork seems to be in order, but your renewel isn't in the computer. Have a good day."
Thank goodness for the wreck.
So Noah looks into it.
His license is "pending" and is valid only in our state until it gets unpended.
3 phone calls later he finds out that he failed to provide proof of insurance during an accident in Indiana in 2006.
Only he was never in an accident in Indiana in 2006.
The lady at Indiana's BMV said just to fax over proof of insurance during that time period and it would be unflagged in 7-10 days. Then when it is unflagged we can alert the DMV that the flag is gone so they can finish processing the license.
So we are faxing over the proof of insurance.
But we are still curious. We were in Indiana that weekend for a wedding.
There is no record of an accident on our insurance or in our minds.
We KNOW we didn't get a ticket. We would remember paying it.
I have a vague memory of getting pulled over...but what for? And why didn't we get a ticket? Especially if we didn't have insurance paperwork?
We are also wondering why the state doesn't alert people that their license has been flagged. Obviously, he should have remembered and followed up before this, but it would have been handy to have been informed that there was a problem.
I suppose we will never have the answers to these burning questions.
Unless my sister with the amazing memory remembers something about this?
Amazingly enough, he went into the DMV and renewed his license 5 days BEFORE his birthday. He came home and told me it was taken care of. He tucked the clipped license and the folded yellow paperwork into his wallet and promptly forgot about the whole thing.
Until Friday morning.
On Friday morning on his way to work he got pulled over.
"No big deal," the officer said, "I am not even going to give you a fix it. I just wanted to let you know that you have a tail light out. Most people don't know and it can become so dangerous if you lose the other one. Just let me check your license and insurance and you will be on your way in 2 minutes."
She comes back a minute later.
"Sir. Your license is expired."
"Oh, sorry officer. See the corner is clipped. Here is my paperwork."
CRASH
3 car pile up two lanes away.
"I'll be right back" says the officer.
She comes back after getting the accident people off the road.
"I'd look into that. Your paperwork seems to be in order, but your renewel isn't in the computer. Have a good day."
Thank goodness for the wreck.
So Noah looks into it.
His license is "pending" and is valid only in our state until it gets unpended.
3 phone calls later he finds out that he failed to provide proof of insurance during an accident in Indiana in 2006.
Only he was never in an accident in Indiana in 2006.
The lady at Indiana's BMV said just to fax over proof of insurance during that time period and it would be unflagged in 7-10 days. Then when it is unflagged we can alert the DMV that the flag is gone so they can finish processing the license.
So we are faxing over the proof of insurance.
But we are still curious. We were in Indiana that weekend for a wedding.
There is no record of an accident on our insurance or in our minds.
We KNOW we didn't get a ticket. We would remember paying it.
I have a vague memory of getting pulled over...but what for? And why didn't we get a ticket? Especially if we didn't have insurance paperwork?
We are also wondering why the state doesn't alert people that their license has been flagged. Obviously, he should have remembered and followed up before this, but it would have been handy to have been informed that there was a problem.
I suppose we will never have the answers to these burning questions.
Unless my sister with the amazing memory remembers something about this?
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Recap
We spent the weekend visiting Noah's grandparents in Iowa. Noah's grandma and her dog and Noah's other grandpa and grandma live 1 1/2 blocks apart. It is quite convenient for visiting.
We ate a lot of food.
Noah's Grandma Ruth likes to try out recipes on us, and they are always good.
The boys did alright.
There were only 2 major tantrums by one child.
That child will remain nameless.
But I will tell you that it was unpleasant.
Now we are home and are back to real life which means:
1. unfreezing the swimming towels and suits
2. cleaning the house
3. replenishing the food supply
4. Catching up on our exercise
5. Catching up on our daily Bible reading
6. Watching the kids run around the house getting reacclimated to their favorite place: home.
7. Trying to figure out how to get Noah's drivers license off suspension
It is going to be a busy night.
We ate a lot of food.
Noah's Grandma Ruth likes to try out recipes on us, and they are always good.
The boys did alright.
There were only 2 major tantrums by one child.
That child will remain nameless.
But I will tell you that it was unpleasant.
Now we are home and are back to real life which means:
1. unfreezing the swimming towels and suits
2. cleaning the house
3. replenishing the food supply
4. Catching up on our exercise
5. Catching up on our daily Bible reading
6. Watching the kids run around the house getting reacclimated to their favorite place: home.
7. Trying to figure out how to get Noah's drivers license off suspension
It is going to be a busy night.
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