In The Springtime

Recently we had our cat, Max, declawed and neutered.  We drive 40 minutes to a country vet due to prices being almost triple in the city near us.  It's a nice and relaxing drive and this vet is legit.  He walks in and I've been around animals most of my life and I recognize it... he's an animal whisperer.  This first picture is a picture of his office.  If there are at least two cats on the counter at your vets office then you know you are at the right place.  The kids were off of school that day so we all went.  I thought they would have a hard time dropping him off for his surgery, but it really was me in the car trying to control my emotions.  Gee whiz.  Having kids has changed me, growing older has changed me.  What can I say?  I used to be so sure I never wanted a pet.  Now I look at my former younger days and sympathize that I didn't need one more thing to care for and yet, I tell my former self to loosen up a little. 

We had a play date that day and I regret that somehow Gwen didn't get in the picture.  She was there... I think getting a breakfast sandwich from our church's cafe.  Yes, cafe.  Remember back when the most amazing thing at church was the railing you'd swing on?

Social butterfly here...

Ben built a kneeler with some Catholic guys. Romy's trying it out.

Zeke's been sleeping in our room due to me painting his room.  It's only taking 5,000 weeks to accomplish so by the end of it all, we will have some fabulous habits built in! (notice Max)

I'm studying Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers at the moment.  This tree reminded me of Aaron's budding staff.

Romy insisted on wearing this fancy dress on Sunday.  Here are some pictures I took of her.

Spring Break 2

Spring break was a lot of fun, but we are all ready to head back to school today and get into more of a routine.  The kids used their own money to get some bubble gum machines and bubble gum balls.  

We went to the zoo and this time saw the baby chimpanzee.  It was interesting to see how the whole troup takes care of the little ones.

These eggs were so yellow that I had to take a photo.  These were the farm eggs I got at church from a friend.

Max playing with a cup in the sink.  He got neutered and declawed yesterday.  The kids were ok with dropping him off but I was the one having to control my emotions.

We went swimming at an indoor pool and we played on the playground afterwards to dry our hair.

Spring Break

I've been doing more reading lately, largely due to my stopping Facebook and TV.  It's amazing how much time I have to do Bible reading and read enriching books.  I met a guy the other day at the paint counter at Home Depot that spoke 5 languages including sign language.  It inspired me to start learning languages again.  I have wanted to speak Spanish for a long time and now I'm going to work on this goal.  We can all have goals. Here are some of the books I've read recently.

Hillbilly Elegy was a recommendation from a friend and I finished it in two days.  I thought it was very interesting, but it did have some language in it.  

This one was one I picked up very quickly at a library visit.  I loved it.  It was a very light read and you really get a sense that you have spent some time with Betty White when you read her words.  She is such an interesting and inspiring person.  I find her spark for life amazing.  It's probably what has kept her young all the years.

I just finished this book.  It is not light reading and I had to set it down sometimes and think things out, I thought it was great.  It really inspired me to want the Holy Spirit to be evident in my life on a daily basis and to seek out His work and join in.  I really like Francis Chan.  I feel like I could be his friend and have great conversations.

Gwen asked me if she could have my fuzzy pink robe.  It's about 20 times too big for her but she loves it.  I thought it was so cute how she woke up and wore it yesterday.  It suits her.  She's into fuzzy, pink, luxurious things.  

Romy helped me make muffins last night.  She loves cooking.  The other two kids have no interest really, but Romy loves it.

How could I say no to this face asking if she can help me???

This morning Gwen made some toast for me as a thank you for the hard work I'm putting into painting her room.  I thought it was so sweet and reminded me that everyone likes to be thanked.

Romy got a paint roller and put a ball on top and made it into a microphone.  Kids are surprising and fun and wonderful if you stop to notice them.  No wonder Jesus wanted them around.  She came out into the hallway and said "mom" and I turned around and she sang into her "microphone"- "Hallelujah".

We went to the library for their celebration of St. Patrick's Day.

A Blast From the Past

I went to the library today and I saw a name on a CD that caught my attention.  It said the name "Nicholas Gunn".  I rented the CD, but then I looked online and was pleasantly surprised that someone put the whole cassette tape I owned in the early 90's on youtube.  I loved this cassette.  It made me happy and you know what?  Still does.  It's beautiful!  Enjoy!

Thoughts

I'm going through the Purpose Driven Life devotional for Lent and I came across this verse I really liked.  I shared it with my mom's group co-coordinator and we think we may use it as a theme for next year.  I liked the coupling of strong and gentle.  

Zeke drew an elephant.  I'm not sure being an artist is his calling.

It's Spring Break here, and while others are traveling and doing wonderful projects with their children, it took us half the day for cleaning up of rooms and getting dressed.  The older two did very well.  It is Romy that I will tell her to clean up the toys in her room and she sits down and plays.  She then gets a consequence (time out) which... you guessed it... takes time.  Then I sit in her room and make her clean it up and finish getting ready.  I had this wonderful idea that while we are having spring break that every morning we would sing a worship song together.  By the end of the worship song today all three of mine were in their rooms, which again, takes time.  I'm feeling like I'm not really accomplishing much, but that's motherhood.  One step forward, then 20 minutes standing still correcting and teaching, and then one step forward and sometimes backward.  It's nuts.

Actually, during this week we are painting the kids rooms and sprucing them up.  Maybe we will get to the zoo one day and maybe Legoland the next.

Lent

This year Ben and I are doing Lent.  Meaning, we have decided to take a break from some things.  We made a commitment to take a break from TV and from Facebook during the 40 days of Lent.  I also have been going through the Purpose Driven Life book which is a 40 day devotional.  It has felt good.
Although on Sundays we can "feast day" it and watch a little TV, I have found that after a week of doing this that I don't really want to watch it.  By then I'm into some book or doing some other task.
I'm finding that I get tired sooner in the night and going to bed around 9pm.  That's not usually my norm, so this Lenten exercise has given me time back to go to bed early, sit and talk with Ben undistracted, focus my attention on the kids when they come home.  I do still get distracted in prayer and Bible reading, so maybe I could come up with some strategies for combating that.  This life is short and I don't want to waste it on wondering what everyone else is doing.  The thing that always shocks me about taking a break from social media is how rarely I am contacted by others.  I mean, besides my family and my neighbor, it is rare.

These beautiful eggs were gifted to me by someone at church who has chickens.  They are almost too beautiful to eat... almost.

I caught them getting along and digging together.  It's so nice when a parent can see the love between siblings.  I want that so much.

 

Marching In

I can barely believe it is March.  So much life has flown by in everyday moments, preparing meals, sleeping, showering, planning, working, homework, encouragement, discipline, tears, laughs, you name it.  One thing that recently happened is that I told Gwen about the "birds and bees".  I wasn't really planning on having that conversation that night, but we were just casually talking about the boy that Gwen "loves" and then she mentioned that some girls in her class had kissed a boy.  I asked her if she was planning on kissing a boy and she said "yes" with a smile.  The thing about that conversation that struck me is the look on her face.  When she really "got it" and asked about several couples including daddy and I.  The innocence she had before and the knowledge she now has and the look of shock on her face was something I'll always remember.  I found out about sex in third grade too- from a fellow classmate.  I am very grateful that I was the one to begin to tell her about that subject and tell her that God invented it to be a pure and loving act. 

At the preschool I teach at they have these plastic meatballs.  They make me laugh. 

I'm very ready for spring and growing things.  I made this wreath recently.  I added some daffodils to it the other day.

I saw this on Gwen's homework... very telling don't you think?

I took the kids to the zoo on a day off of school.  I love looking at the orangutans.

This is a golden pheasant.  It is absolutely beautiful!

My mom's group did a service project where we put bags of food together to give to a local ministry partner that helps the needy.

Romy had her first visit to the dentist yesterday.  She was feeling very important and loved the balloon and prize she got.

Zeke.  He is such a funny little guy.  He has recently been dressing up just for laughs.  He jumps on the trampoline like this, and takes out the recycling like this.  I just let him because soon it won't be like that.