Ugh...so much to do, so little desire. :-P
After quite the loud dinner (as my Mom can attest to), Elijah grabbed the can of peas off the kitchen counter. It was open. I've never seen so many peas on a kitchen floor. Elijah tried to eat as many as he could as fast as he could while I desperately tried to get them all up. Then he crawled into the juicy area...THAT was funny to see. His hands and knees kept slipping like crazy. Totally a cartoon moment.
I think Judah can count now. I'm still trying to figure out if it's really counting or just memorization. But even if it is memorized, he definitely grasps the concept of counting.
As I fed Elijah his bottle in the glider, Judah had oodles of fun pretending to get me various drinks from his kitchen. This is the first time he has ever really pretended with cooking for me. I had coffee, tea, water, orange juice, lemonade, coffee with sugar, etc. It was delicious fun! I really think all that pretending and running to and fro was due to his inhaler. I could tell he was a little shaky with the nervous energy it can give a body -- boy do I know that feeling!
The boys are starting to really interact and play with each other. Judah loves to get Elijah to copy him with clapping or noise making. He also likes to get Elijah his blankie or milk. They have great fun together -- and I can only imagine the best buds they'll be later on!
Matt is going to be astounded at the changes in the boys. I think the biggest difference will be Judah's mental capacity. I've been with him 24/7 the past month and even I am AMAZED at his intellectual growth!
Alright, alright. I should get to bed. Gotta have energy to do the things that need to be done tomorrow. Now if only I could get some mental motivation... ;-P
*************Edit**************
So yeah. I've now posted a whole new photo album on Facebook, checked e-mail several times, semi-done the dishes, and am now going to mop the kitchen floor. It's too sticky from the pea juice. And I can't sleep. Wonder why. Too much anticipation of a hubby homecoming? ::enter way spastic smile::
I also wiped down a syrupy toy car and retrieved the waffle piece that was driving it. Such interesting surgeries we moms get to perform.
And I forgot to mention that today I wrote the final check that rids us of the dentist we had in Cali. GAH! And the check was final payment for one of Matt's appts that was over a year ago. We loved the office staff and ammenties, but the billing? Yikes. Now we get to start all over with finding a dentist here. We're past due for cleanings. I just hope we find someone who knows how to bill insurance companies correctly.
Ok, ok. I'm going to go mop now. And then lay in bed...awake. Until I fall asleep.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Anticipate w/ Me
I need to unload some thoughts! It's been a while!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Want a healthy semi-indulgent quick treat? Combine a little whipped topping with yogurt. It makes it fluffier, creamier, and more dessert like without adding too much!
This is what Matt said in today's e-mail: "You are going to LOVE the jewelry I found!! Let's just say I got two things in Athens and one is VERY goddessy and the other is cool. I can hardly keep from smiling as I think about how you'll react." He also was enthusiastic about the Florence piece of jewelry. I can't wait to see what he's chosen just for me! This has been such a fun thing to anticipate. I kind of feel like Rachel when Abraham's servant decked her out in jewelry -- only, I'm sure there'll be no nose ring for me. ;-)
I think I'm more allergic to Maryland than I am to Arkansas.
Ever feel like you're on the verge of drowning in your home? I've got several syndromes working against me: post-vacation, two sick kids, pre-hubby returning home from month-long vacation. I figure that I'll do my best tomorrow to get things back in order, but what I don't get done...Laura can help with Thursday evening. She's spending the night Thursday because Matt's train comes in at midnight. It's gonna be so fun! (By the way, you're helping with bath night...I'm gonna hold the boys over with wipie baths to avoid solitary bathtimes.) ;-)
I need to take pics of the backyard. I've never seen weeds that big. It makes me laugh! And our tomato plant has got to be about 3 times as big as it was when we left for AR. Perhaps Justin & Emily have amazing green thumbs? My bell pepper and sage are quite a big bigger too. When can I pronounce time of death for my yellow dahlias? The pink ones are still putting out blooms...but those yellow ones. Yeesh. My rose bush still has some black spot trouble. But it also has a gorgeous vibrant coral blossom on it!
I toyed with the idea of posting pics of my hand's healing progress, but I'm opting out unless I get comment requests. :-P If you recall, I cut the base of my thumb near the knuckle with a saran wrap box two weeks ago. It has healed QUITE nicely! I'm actually surprised at how quickly and beautifully it has healed considering the cut's depth, shape, and location. There is a part that is completely numb (which is not surprising), but it will regain feeling when the nerves grow back. I still have some joint pain and stiffness at times, but there is a nice patch of fresh pink skin ready to keep protecting my innards. :-P (Wish I could see Rachel's face right now...) God is amazing in how He created our bodies to heal themselves! I will, however, post a pic of my little jewelry display I had at the jewelry party I hosted two weeks ago. I labeled the pieces with the name of their country of origin. Can't wait to show you more this weekend!
So after trying out driving straight through or stopping overnight, I vote for driving straight through. It might be a little more tough on the body, but at least you get there faster. We stopped in Knoxville on our way back. Yesterday, our second day of driving, was SOOOO LONG. We ended up stuck in mostly stop/a little go traffic on the outskirts of DC in the pouring rain. Finally, we got off on the road to home. I realized that I hadn't contacted the couple that had my house keys -- and they had the only copy of the top lock key. Neither of their cell phones were on. They weren't home both times we checked. Eep! So we ended up at the Zeenders hanging out in the non-small group part of the house. They fed us delicious food, fed my kids, put on Cars, and gave good company. Justin & Emily were at small group, so we were able to get the keys after it was over. But, we forgot the groceries we had put in the Zeenders fridge. Thanks to John & Courtney for bringing them by at 11:00 pm! We seriously have good friends!
Pray for Patrick. I'm not sure what's happened, but there is a fungus or mold growing all over his soil. And this piece of Patrick is the only one i currently have. If he dies...well, it will have been a wonderful 8 years and 7 splits. Anyone have tips on how to save him???
Note to self: When charging up a portable DVD player, make sure it is in the off position. Otherwise, it will not charge properly; or it will play for a few hours before you realize it is on...and then die right when you want to start a movie. This I know from experience. I had one disappointed toddler in my backseat!
Vibrant double rainbows are absolutely majestic...but do not have pots of gold at the ends!
I had to take Judah to the doctor today. He and Elijah both came down with ear infections while in Arkansas (I'm sensing a pattern here). Judah was not improving and had developed quite a cough...which my mom helped me realize was really an asthma attack again. So, now I can stop waiting for that inevitable diagnosis. It's official as of today. Judah asked over and over this morning to go see "Dockter Yasser" -- perhaps he has learned already when he needs to? Dr. L changed his antibiotic for his ears because the one he was on wasn't working. He also prescribed another inhaler that will help control asthma in addition to the one Judah has that stops attacks. So he'll be on both of those until his cough goes away. We are also being sent to an allergist to determine what triggers his asthma. I'll be seeing the allergist, too, in order to get moving on finding the best treatment for me in this area of the country. Thank goodness for two things: we'll be here for a while Lord willing, and this allergist group sees both adults and children -- so we can have the same doctor for once! Pray for Judah that these new meds will work, and pray for Elijah to continue getting better. And pray for the rest of my family in AR -- several of them have become sick as well!
IN APPROX 50 HOURS, I WILL AGAIN BE IN THE PRESENCE OF MY LOVE!!!!!!!!!!
::dreamily:: Goodnight!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Want a healthy semi-indulgent quick treat? Combine a little whipped topping with yogurt. It makes it fluffier, creamier, and more dessert like without adding too much!
This is what Matt said in today's e-mail: "You are going to LOVE the jewelry I found!! Let's just say I got two things in Athens and one is VERY goddessy and the other is cool. I can hardly keep from smiling as I think about how you'll react." He also was enthusiastic about the Florence piece of jewelry. I can't wait to see what he's chosen just for me! This has been such a fun thing to anticipate. I kind of feel like Rachel when Abraham's servant decked her out in jewelry -- only, I'm sure there'll be no nose ring for me. ;-)
I think I'm more allergic to Maryland than I am to Arkansas.
Ever feel like you're on the verge of drowning in your home? I've got several syndromes working against me: post-vacation, two sick kids, pre-hubby returning home from month-long vacation. I figure that I'll do my best tomorrow to get things back in order, but what I don't get done...Laura can help with Thursday evening. She's spending the night Thursday because Matt's train comes in at midnight. It's gonna be so fun! (By the way, you're helping with bath night...I'm gonna hold the boys over with wipie baths to avoid solitary bathtimes.) ;-)
I need to take pics of the backyard. I've never seen weeds that big. It makes me laugh! And our tomato plant has got to be about 3 times as big as it was when we left for AR. Perhaps Justin & Emily have amazing green thumbs? My bell pepper and sage are quite a big bigger too. When can I pronounce time of death for my yellow dahlias? The pink ones are still putting out blooms...but those yellow ones. Yeesh. My rose bush still has some black spot trouble. But it also has a gorgeous vibrant coral blossom on it!
I toyed with the idea of posting pics of my hand's healing progress, but I'm opting out unless I get comment requests. :-P If you recall, I cut the base of my thumb near the knuckle with a saran wrap box two weeks ago. It has healed QUITE nicely! I'm actually surprised at how quickly and beautifully it has healed considering the cut's depth, shape, and location. There is a part that is completely numb (which is not surprising), but it will regain feeling when the nerves grow back. I still have some joint pain and stiffness at times, but there is a nice patch of fresh pink skin ready to keep protecting my innards. :-P (Wish I could see Rachel's face right now...) God is amazing in how He created our bodies to heal themselves! I will, however, post a pic of my little jewelry display I had at the jewelry party I hosted two weeks ago. I labeled the pieces with the name of their country of origin. Can't wait to show you more this weekend!
So after trying out driving straight through or stopping overnight, I vote for driving straight through. It might be a little more tough on the body, but at least you get there faster. We stopped in Knoxville on our way back. Yesterday, our second day of driving, was SOOOO LONG. We ended up stuck in mostly stop/a little go traffic on the outskirts of DC in the pouring rain. Finally, we got off on the road to home. I realized that I hadn't contacted the couple that had my house keys -- and they had the only copy of the top lock key. Neither of their cell phones were on. They weren't home both times we checked. Eep! So we ended up at the Zeenders hanging out in the non-small group part of the house. They fed us delicious food, fed my kids, put on Cars, and gave good company. Justin & Emily were at small group, so we were able to get the keys after it was over. But, we forgot the groceries we had put in the Zeenders fridge. Thanks to John & Courtney for bringing them by at 11:00 pm! We seriously have good friends!
Pray for Patrick. I'm not sure what's happened, but there is a fungus or mold growing all over his soil. And this piece of Patrick is the only one i currently have. If he dies...well, it will have been a wonderful 8 years and 7 splits. Anyone have tips on how to save him???
Note to self: When charging up a portable DVD player, make sure it is in the off position. Otherwise, it will not charge properly; or it will play for a few hours before you realize it is on...and then die right when you want to start a movie. This I know from experience. I had one disappointed toddler in my backseat!
Vibrant double rainbows are absolutely majestic...but do not have pots of gold at the ends!
I had to take Judah to the doctor today. He and Elijah both came down with ear infections while in Arkansas (I'm sensing a pattern here). Judah was not improving and had developed quite a cough...which my mom helped me realize was really an asthma attack again. So, now I can stop waiting for that inevitable diagnosis. It's official as of today. Judah asked over and over this morning to go see "Dockter Yasser" -- perhaps he has learned already when he needs to? Dr. L changed his antibiotic for his ears because the one he was on wasn't working. He also prescribed another inhaler that will help control asthma in addition to the one Judah has that stops attacks. So he'll be on both of those until his cough goes away. We are also being sent to an allergist to determine what triggers his asthma. I'll be seeing the allergist, too, in order to get moving on finding the best treatment for me in this area of the country. Thank goodness for two things: we'll be here for a while Lord willing, and this allergist group sees both adults and children -- so we can have the same doctor for once! Pray for Judah that these new meds will work, and pray for Elijah to continue getting better. And pray for the rest of my family in AR -- several of them have become sick as well!
IN APPROX 50 HOURS, I WILL AGAIN BE IN THE PRESENCE OF MY LOVE!!!!!!!!!!
::dreamily:: Goodnight!
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
SwiM CiTy
What fun! Today, we visited the coolest and most practical baby pool I've ever seen. It was Elijah's very first time to be at a pool and Judah's first time to be old enough to really enjoy it. We rarely swam in Cali because it stayed too cool most of the time. Not so in AR! Both the boys loved it...as did I! Cousins, second cousins, aunts, and a Nini were all there. I never realized how much of an ordeal it is to take your kids swimming. Sunscreen, swim diapers, snacks, drinks, towels, toys, etc. Whew! And tomorrow, we'll do it all again!
Two things to nevermind: 1) The layout of the photos. My parents' computer screen is large and in charge, so it's hard to know what it will show up like on other screens. 2) The WHITEness of myself and my babies compared to my sister and her bronzies! Yeesh!
Two things to nevermind: 1) The layout of the photos. My parents' computer screen is large and in charge, so it's hard to know what it will show up like on other screens. 2) The WHITEness of myself and my babies compared to my sister and her bronzies! Yeesh!
Monday, June 16, 2008
BuBbLeRiFfiC
It is so lovely to be with people 24/7, and not just people -- family. I enjoyed being with my boys for three weeks, but the sense of relaxation and relief I've had the past several days is simply wonderful.
Yesterday was the first day in a while I changed a diaper due to my hand. (That's been nice, too!) It's healing up, but would probably do better if it's owner would continue treating it as a healing hand rather than a useful one. :-P The big bandage has come off, but steri-strips won't come off until Wednesday at the next "assessment." I'll probably be wearing the ace bandage off and on as well since that seems to be what reminds me not to overdo anything. Praise God I've still only had TWO days the whole time Matt's been gone that were close-to-unbearable emotionally. God's strength and provision of distractions is amazing! :-D
Judah has returned to his normal self for the most part rather than the overly hyper very disobedient boy he had become since Matt left. His convesation ability fascinates me! Elijah seems to be a little older every day -- and his temper a little more developed. Makes me sad because he is just SO cute at this stage! Matt has no idea the changes that await him!
Matt is doing great though tired. As we all woke up this morning, he was galavanting around Rome. ROME! I told him yesterday that all the places he's been have been cool to me, but I think his Italy week is the one part of the trip I "envy" most. Real Itlaian food. Places where Paul walked. The center of the world at one point in history. A lot of people's "if I could go just one place..." Beyond cool! Anyway, today marks the beginning of the last full week until he is home. So unbelievable! Looking back, it seems like such a short time apart; and yet I know for two hearts knit as one, it has been a very long time. I still can't imagine what it must be like for soldier families.
A little Oreo fest with my mom's grandkids. What a sight -- all five at the same table! I can't wait to add more to the group (and no, I'm not implying anything). :-D
Here are some pictures from a fun after dinner activity yesterday. My mom and Hope are great photographers -- and Hope snapped some awesome shots with her new skills from photography class! And I still can't get over how beautiful, green, and lush my parents yard is!!!
Yesterday was the first day in a while I changed a diaper due to my hand. (That's been nice, too!) It's healing up, but would probably do better if it's owner would continue treating it as a healing hand rather than a useful one. :-P The big bandage has come off, but steri-strips won't come off until Wednesday at the next "assessment." I'll probably be wearing the ace bandage off and on as well since that seems to be what reminds me not to overdo anything. Praise God I've still only had TWO days the whole time Matt's been gone that were close-to-unbearable emotionally. God's strength and provision of distractions is amazing! :-D
Judah has returned to his normal self for the most part rather than the overly hyper very disobedient boy he had become since Matt left. His convesation ability fascinates me! Elijah seems to be a little older every day -- and his temper a little more developed. Makes me sad because he is just SO cute at this stage! Matt has no idea the changes that await him!
Matt is doing great though tired. As we all woke up this morning, he was galavanting around Rome. ROME! I told him yesterday that all the places he's been have been cool to me, but I think his Italy week is the one part of the trip I "envy" most. Real Itlaian food. Places where Paul walked. The center of the world at one point in history. A lot of people's "if I could go just one place..." Beyond cool! Anyway, today marks the beginning of the last full week until he is home. So unbelievable! Looking back, it seems like such a short time apart; and yet I know for two hearts knit as one, it has been a very long time. I still can't imagine what it must be like for soldier families.
A little Oreo fest with my mom's grandkids. What a sight -- all five at the same table! I can't wait to add more to the group (and no, I'm not implying anything). :-D
Here are some pictures from a fun after dinner activity yesterday. My mom and Hope are great photographers -- and Hope snapped some awesome shots with her new skills from photography class! And I still can't get over how beautiful, green, and lush my parents yard is!!!
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Safe & Sound
Well, 7:00pm Wednesday evening to 1:00pm Thursday afternoon...my sisters, my boys, and myself are safe & sound. Autumn and I are pretty wasted, but we did drive straight through. :-P
It will be good to relax with family after being a "single mom" for three weeks. :-) And it's also God's perfect timing and provision medically...I cut my thumb with a saran wrap box (dumb!) on Tuesday. A friend who is a nurse did some first aid and wrapping to get me to Little Rock so my dad could assess it fully. She did a great job -- thanks, Emily! My dad said I couldn't have "picked a worse spot" to cut the way I did. It's a triangular cut on the base joint of my thumb which allows your thumb to move in two different ways. He checked to make sure I had all my nerve sensations, redressed the cut, padded and bandaged it, then had to wrap my whole hand to immobilize my thumb...for at least one week. Good thing I can where my wedding ring on my right hand, too! My dad said it would be most convenient to have a couple stitches put in place; but because it has already been two days, we can just go from here since it has already started the healing process. He also said I'll have a scar from it. All because of saran wrap. Only buy the Reynold's Wrap ez-slide from now on! :-P
Heather graciously took some sistere pics for us at the jewelry party on Tuesday night. THANK YOU! I've always wanted pics like these with them! Here are my favorite two...and goodnight!
It will be good to relax with family after being a "single mom" for three weeks. :-) And it's also God's perfect timing and provision medically...I cut my thumb with a saran wrap box (dumb!) on Tuesday. A friend who is a nurse did some first aid and wrapping to get me to Little Rock so my dad could assess it fully. She did a great job -- thanks, Emily! My dad said I couldn't have "picked a worse spot" to cut the way I did. It's a triangular cut on the base joint of my thumb which allows your thumb to move in two different ways. He checked to make sure I had all my nerve sensations, redressed the cut, padded and bandaged it, then had to wrap my whole hand to immobilize my thumb...for at least one week. Good thing I can where my wedding ring on my right hand, too! My dad said it would be most convenient to have a couple stitches put in place; but because it has already been two days, we can just go from here since it has already started the healing process. He also said I'll have a scar from it. All because of saran wrap. Only buy the Reynold's Wrap ez-slide from now on! :-P
Heather graciously took some sistere pics for us at the jewelry party on Tuesday night. THANK YOU! I've always wanted pics like these with them! Here are my favorite two...and goodnight!
Saturday, June 07, 2008
For My Love
The rest of you get to see what I'm posting for Matt especially....if he gets a chance to pop onto my blog sometime soon! :-) But, some facts he already knows that I want you, my readers, to know:
~My friend Angie got engaged last night! :-D
~ELIJAH, my 10 month old, climbed the stairs twice today! The first time, I put him in the living room and went to water one house plant...then I found him 3 steps from the top. The second time, I put him in the living room with his milk and went to make lunch. I heard noise upstairs, and he was already in his room playing with toys. Yipe! I will now be consistantly putting up a gate at the bottom of the stairs!!!
~Elijah also stood up for several seconds today. I'm tellin' ya. This kid is on a major growth spurt in personality, mental capacity, and physical ability!
And now, for you, Dear:
Here are the beautiful flowers you sent -- I miss you terribly, too!
Here are the adorable summer pajamas I found for the boys. Judah's are dinosaurs, and Elijah's are bugs.
And here is the "sunset" I saw tonight. I wish I had gotten a pic of what was to the left (that made me call Momma to check the radar so I'd know whether to head away or keep going home!). It was a GOOD thing I left Tara and Nathan's when I did. LOTS of cloud to ground lightning, a wall of rain approaching the 100, strong winds...craziness. And in the end, it barely clipped our neighborhood. Tara and Nathan lost power, though. Wonder if they have it back yet. You don't wanna be home in this weather, Love. A walk from the car to the front door makes you sweat! Yuck!
~My friend Angie got engaged last night! :-D
~ELIJAH, my 10 month old, climbed the stairs twice today! The first time, I put him in the living room and went to water one house plant...then I found him 3 steps from the top. The second time, I put him in the living room with his milk and went to make lunch. I heard noise upstairs, and he was already in his room playing with toys. Yipe! I will now be consistantly putting up a gate at the bottom of the stairs!!!
~Elijah also stood up for several seconds today. I'm tellin' ya. This kid is on a major growth spurt in personality, mental capacity, and physical ability!
And now, for you, Dear:
Here are the beautiful flowers you sent -- I miss you terribly, too!
Here are the adorable summer pajamas I found for the boys. Judah's are dinosaurs, and Elijah's are bugs.
And here is the "sunset" I saw tonight. I wish I had gotten a pic of what was to the left (that made me call Momma to check the radar so I'd know whether to head away or keep going home!). It was a GOOD thing I left Tara and Nathan's when I did. LOTS of cloud to ground lightning, a wall of rain approaching the 100, strong winds...craziness. And in the end, it barely clipped our neighborhood. Tara and Nathan lost power, though. Wonder if they have it back yet. You don't wanna be home in this weather, Love. A walk from the car to the front door makes you sweat! Yuck!
Thursday, June 05, 2008
Yesterday = Eventful & OVER
Do you ever just have one of those days that makes you laugh because the trouble doesn't seem to end? As soon as one thing is over, the next quickly pops up. That was my day yesterday!
It started out with a happy, sunshiny breakfast with my boys. A little laundry and straightening. And an expected phone call from Matt so he could talk to the boys. When he called, they were so cranky!
Then, Tracey and her kids (Matthew 2, Rachel newborn) came over for a playdate and lunch. Lunch was great, though a little tough because of four kids and two adults (how do large families do it??). We had some visitors during lunch who I won't divulge because it's a surprise for Matt's return. ;-) That went well too. So then we headed out on our walk to a nearby park.
Enter "Eventful." Hot, sticky, humid. Two 2 year old boys who don't always listen to their mommies' commands. A newborn who wasn't happy unless she was sleeping. A car seat stroller and an umbrella stroller being pushed over bumps and mud puddles. And praise the Lord for happy-go-lucky Elijah who not once had any issues. I love that boy! The walk was going ok (though Judah did fall and get a knee strawberry) up until this one particular spot. There was a mass of mud on one side of the path, so I strolled Elijah to the other side and looked over just as Judah started walking into the mud. He stopped, and just about the time I started to tell him to walk "this way," he slipped. PLOP! He went down flat on his rear. Now, if you know Judah, you know being dirty/messy is NOT cool with him. And now he had a wet and dirty rear as well as mud all over his shoes. One foot had mud squishing through the slats in his sandals onto his toes. That's what bothered him most. I helped him up and tried to get him to keep walking. With each step, he cried more and more and eventually just stopped. He could feel the wetness seeping and the mud squishing. From a previous walk last Saturday, I knew that just up the way was a clear, shallow part of the stream that was easy to get to. So I left Elijah with Tracey and baby-carried Judah to the stream. Matthew wanted to follow of course; but thankfully, through Tracey's persistance, he stayed on the path. As I neared the water, I saw the ground changing over to the same kind of mud Judah has slipped on. I was in flip flops. I had visions of myself slipping and falling in the mud and water which would mean Judah would get a double dose. I did slip. But I didn't fall over! ::whew!:: I squatted down with Judah on my knee, took his shoe off, and rinsed both foot and shoe in the cold, clear water. Judah had issues with this, but I managed to calm him by explaining it was getting the dirt off. Up we went back to the path to put his shoe back on. The only problem was that his shoe was still wet. He still didn't want to walk in it. So I took both our pairs of shoes off, and we walked barefoot to the playground. I'm glad the path is paved! However, the path started getting quite hot once we left the woods. Judah didn't seem to be affected; but I didn't want his feet to burn, so we walked on the grass as much as we could. We were at the park...finally!
Things went well for a while. Judah and Elijah enjoyed swinging -- especially Elijah. It was his first time! He giggled alot and was just adorable (as usual). The swinging allowed Judah's feet to dry off so I could easily brush all the dirt off. The sun dried his shoe. We were all good! Until we realized what time it was. Past nap time. And we still had to walk all the way back. Tracey had to change Rachel on the park bench, and she continued to be quite unhappy. So Tracey had to carry her newborn while pushing her carseat stroller and directing Matthew who was not listening. I wanted to help her, but I had my own stroller to push and toddler to direct who was not listening. I think both Matthew and Judah were getting tired and therefore not obeying as much. I don't even know how long it took us to get back home. I got two mosquito bites -- the first ones in years! I don't think I'm as allergic as I used to be 1) because I haven't been bitten in so long 2) only one of them is still bothering me a little this morning. Thank you, Lord! Tracey didn't even come in. She just put her kids in the car and got her bag. I would have done the same! I changed diapers, wipied down little bodies, gave some water, and put the boys down for their nap. Then SHOWERED. Gah, it felt so good after all that sweating and wiping mud off of Judah.
Things went well again. I sat down with a snack to chat with Jaclyn for a little while.
After some time, I realized that "5 mintues ago" it was sunshiny and now it was incredibly dark outside. I knew we were expecting afternoon storms, but getting that dark that fast is not good. So I checked the weather online. We were in a severe thunderstorm warning and tornado watch. I still haven't quite figured out what to do when I'm home alone with two children who have never experienced bad weather and I myself have gotten un-used to it. Jaclyn said not to get the boys unless the tornado watch became a warning. I tunred on the TV to check for any reports. Yep. A tornado warning for a city next to ours. So I called my mom to ask her what I should do; and after she checked the radar online, she advised to go get the boys -- which I knew was going to be the answer. Adrenaline pumping, I woke up two heavily sleeping boys, grabbed the laptop/cell phoen, and crowded into the little half-bath. Adding to all the fears of being a mother alone with two young sons in bad weather was the fact that I only have that little half-bath as the best room in the house. It seems so close to the front wall of the house. The door seems like it would just fly open at the slightest push. I'm so used to having a big basement to go to! :-P I kept the door cracked so I could keep listening to the loud TV and watch out the living room window. After a few minutes, I decided to shut the door. It looked terrible outside! Fierce winds and torrential downpour, more thunder than silence. Of course, we eventually came out when things died down. The lightning strike radar showed a huge mass of white -- and I believe it from all the thunder!
Things settled down and started returning to normal. We were expecting Laura to come over for dinner/bathtime, which we seriously have been trying to do for a while. Something has always come up that is totally out of anyone's control but God's. We've even joked that God must not want us to spend time together! So we were excited it was going to work this time! Then I get a call from Laura. I say "hello" in a not-so-excited tone, expecting her to say something came up. She said, "Just let me explain..." Woah. The sirens went off in DC and a voice-over explained to stay inside due to the severe weather. So what does Laura do? Grabs her stuff and heads for the train station because "it's close by." :-P She said that as she was running, she felt a big whoosh of air and immediately hit a wall of rain. As soon as she stepped under the train station awning, it started hailing. My response? "Don't ever do that again, Laura!" :-) She got on her train only to learn it was cancelled because a tree had fallen on the tracks. So she got off, took the metro, took the bus, got picked up by her parents, and eventually made it back to her car. And she still came over -- arriving half an hour earlier than she originally planned! Thank you, Lord!
So we went to Target, had a fun bathtime, and were about to lay the kids down when it started getting quite weathery again. Yep. Another severe thunderstorm warning. We kept the boys up for a little while, then bit the bullet and laid them down. We finally sat down to dinner. Then Matt's mom called to ask if we were safe because she had just heard we were in a tornado warning. After a few phone calls to family and some TV checking, we concluded that we were only in a thunderstorm warning and tornado nothing. Whew! I debated for a while whether to accept the offer to go stay at Laura's for the night, but declined because I knew in my mind that nothing would get serious enough throughout the night to warrant waking the boys and transferring them across town to finish the night in pack 'n plays. Good choice! I'm not sure we got ANY weather last night. :-)
So now I'm just wondering whose responsibility it is to pick up all the tree debris in our neighborhood. Leaves, sticks, twigs, small branches...thankfully that's all it is. I won't have to water the yard for a while because both storms caused about 1 inch of flooding in the backyard, but it all soaked in. And all the plants appear to still be ok.
On top of all of it, my allergies are going nuts even though I'm on claratin and sudafed. I've never had such problems with my eyes before. Please, Lord? Relief?
And don't even get me started on the Sears saga. The latest from that was a phone call at 9:30 last night. What business calls someone that late to set up an appointment?? Just...don't even get me started.
Praise God for sleep.
So, how was YOUR day? Matt got to see the Mona Lisa....
It started out with a happy, sunshiny breakfast with my boys. A little laundry and straightening. And an expected phone call from Matt so he could talk to the boys. When he called, they were so cranky!
Then, Tracey and her kids (Matthew 2, Rachel newborn) came over for a playdate and lunch. Lunch was great, though a little tough because of four kids and two adults (how do large families do it??). We had some visitors during lunch who I won't divulge because it's a surprise for Matt's return. ;-) That went well too. So then we headed out on our walk to a nearby park.
Enter "Eventful." Hot, sticky, humid. Two 2 year old boys who don't always listen to their mommies' commands. A newborn who wasn't happy unless she was sleeping. A car seat stroller and an umbrella stroller being pushed over bumps and mud puddles. And praise the Lord for happy-go-lucky Elijah who not once had any issues. I love that boy! The walk was going ok (though Judah did fall and get a knee strawberry) up until this one particular spot. There was a mass of mud on one side of the path, so I strolled Elijah to the other side and looked over just as Judah started walking into the mud. He stopped, and just about the time I started to tell him to walk "this way," he slipped. PLOP! He went down flat on his rear. Now, if you know Judah, you know being dirty/messy is NOT cool with him. And now he had a wet and dirty rear as well as mud all over his shoes. One foot had mud squishing through the slats in his sandals onto his toes. That's what bothered him most. I helped him up and tried to get him to keep walking. With each step, he cried more and more and eventually just stopped. He could feel the wetness seeping and the mud squishing. From a previous walk last Saturday, I knew that just up the way was a clear, shallow part of the stream that was easy to get to. So I left Elijah with Tracey and baby-carried Judah to the stream. Matthew wanted to follow of course; but thankfully, through Tracey's persistance, he stayed on the path. As I neared the water, I saw the ground changing over to the same kind of mud Judah has slipped on. I was in flip flops. I had visions of myself slipping and falling in the mud and water which would mean Judah would get a double dose. I did slip. But I didn't fall over! ::whew!:: I squatted down with Judah on my knee, took his shoe off, and rinsed both foot and shoe in the cold, clear water. Judah had issues with this, but I managed to calm him by explaining it was getting the dirt off. Up we went back to the path to put his shoe back on. The only problem was that his shoe was still wet. He still didn't want to walk in it. So I took both our pairs of shoes off, and we walked barefoot to the playground. I'm glad the path is paved! However, the path started getting quite hot once we left the woods. Judah didn't seem to be affected; but I didn't want his feet to burn, so we walked on the grass as much as we could. We were at the park...finally!
Things went well for a while. Judah and Elijah enjoyed swinging -- especially Elijah. It was his first time! He giggled alot and was just adorable (as usual). The swinging allowed Judah's feet to dry off so I could easily brush all the dirt off. The sun dried his shoe. We were all good! Until we realized what time it was. Past nap time. And we still had to walk all the way back. Tracey had to change Rachel on the park bench, and she continued to be quite unhappy. So Tracey had to carry her newborn while pushing her carseat stroller and directing Matthew who was not listening. I wanted to help her, but I had my own stroller to push and toddler to direct who was not listening. I think both Matthew and Judah were getting tired and therefore not obeying as much. I don't even know how long it took us to get back home. I got two mosquito bites -- the first ones in years! I don't think I'm as allergic as I used to be 1) because I haven't been bitten in so long 2) only one of them is still bothering me a little this morning. Thank you, Lord! Tracey didn't even come in. She just put her kids in the car and got her bag. I would have done the same! I changed diapers, wipied down little bodies, gave some water, and put the boys down for their nap. Then SHOWERED. Gah, it felt so good after all that sweating and wiping mud off of Judah.
Things went well again. I sat down with a snack to chat with Jaclyn for a little while.
After some time, I realized that "5 mintues ago" it was sunshiny and now it was incredibly dark outside. I knew we were expecting afternoon storms, but getting that dark that fast is not good. So I checked the weather online. We were in a severe thunderstorm warning and tornado watch. I still haven't quite figured out what to do when I'm home alone with two children who have never experienced bad weather and I myself have gotten un-used to it. Jaclyn said not to get the boys unless the tornado watch became a warning. I tunred on the TV to check for any reports. Yep. A tornado warning for a city next to ours. So I called my mom to ask her what I should do; and after she checked the radar online, she advised to go get the boys -- which I knew was going to be the answer. Adrenaline pumping, I woke up two heavily sleeping boys, grabbed the laptop/cell phoen, and crowded into the little half-bath. Adding to all the fears of being a mother alone with two young sons in bad weather was the fact that I only have that little half-bath as the best room in the house. It seems so close to the front wall of the house. The door seems like it would just fly open at the slightest push. I'm so used to having a big basement to go to! :-P I kept the door cracked so I could keep listening to the loud TV and watch out the living room window. After a few minutes, I decided to shut the door. It looked terrible outside! Fierce winds and torrential downpour, more thunder than silence. Of course, we eventually came out when things died down. The lightning strike radar showed a huge mass of white -- and I believe it from all the thunder!
Things settled down and started returning to normal. We were expecting Laura to come over for dinner/bathtime, which we seriously have been trying to do for a while. Something has always come up that is totally out of anyone's control but God's. We've even joked that God must not want us to spend time together! So we were excited it was going to work this time! Then I get a call from Laura. I say "hello" in a not-so-excited tone, expecting her to say something came up. She said, "Just let me explain..." Woah. The sirens went off in DC and a voice-over explained to stay inside due to the severe weather. So what does Laura do? Grabs her stuff and heads for the train station because "it's close by." :-P She said that as she was running, she felt a big whoosh of air and immediately hit a wall of rain. As soon as she stepped under the train station awning, it started hailing. My response? "Don't ever do that again, Laura!" :-) She got on her train only to learn it was cancelled because a tree had fallen on the tracks. So she got off, took the metro, took the bus, got picked up by her parents, and eventually made it back to her car. And she still came over -- arriving half an hour earlier than she originally planned! Thank you, Lord!
So we went to Target, had a fun bathtime, and were about to lay the kids down when it started getting quite weathery again. Yep. Another severe thunderstorm warning. We kept the boys up for a little while, then bit the bullet and laid them down. We finally sat down to dinner. Then Matt's mom called to ask if we were safe because she had just heard we were in a tornado warning. After a few phone calls to family and some TV checking, we concluded that we were only in a thunderstorm warning and tornado nothing. Whew! I debated for a while whether to accept the offer to go stay at Laura's for the night, but declined because I knew in my mind that nothing would get serious enough throughout the night to warrant waking the boys and transferring them across town to finish the night in pack 'n plays. Good choice! I'm not sure we got ANY weather last night. :-)
So now I'm just wondering whose responsibility it is to pick up all the tree debris in our neighborhood. Leaves, sticks, twigs, small branches...thankfully that's all it is. I won't have to water the yard for a while because both storms caused about 1 inch of flooding in the backyard, but it all soaked in. And all the plants appear to still be ok.
On top of all of it, my allergies are going nuts even though I'm on claratin and sudafed. I've never had such problems with my eyes before. Please, Lord? Relief?
And don't even get me started on the Sears saga. The latest from that was a phone call at 9:30 last night. What business calls someone that late to set up an appointment?? Just...don't even get me started.
Praise God for sleep.
So, how was YOUR day? Matt got to see the Mona Lisa....
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
