I guess this blog should start out with an apology for not being very good at posting regularly. I apologize. I haven't posted because when I sit down to the computer I have nothing to say. Oh, I have plenty to say during the day, and some of it is quite funny. I think to myself, "I need to blog about that." Then I promptly forget it.
You see, women experience what is called "pregnancy brain." This is a term used to describe the complete loss of short-term memory during pregnancy that results in many frustrating moments. This condition is also suspected of being the cause for my incessant urge to put the chips in the fridge and the milk in the pantry while pregnant. Luckily this debilitating condition left me with my major motor skills most of the time.
After each child, in theory your mind is supposed to return to normal. But it has been my experience that just as the body is forever changed by bearing a child, so is the mind. I never got that darned short-term memory back completely, and it looks like it's going to be MIA permanently.
This explains why earlier today I decided to make my children popcorn. I placed the bag in the microwave, set the timer, and immediately went to wash dishes. Why? I don't know. It seems to be a side effect of the condition, that at random moments I lose the ability to reason. After all, it rarely takes more than one and a half minutes to cook a snack-size bag of microwave popcorn.
About two minutes into the cooking of the popcorn I begin to smell something. Remembering my horrible error, I go and rescue the popcorn, but it was a lost cause. The poor thing was so burnt it was smoking.
Smoking? Arrrrgggghhhh!!! Now my kitchen smells like burnt popcorn, a smell which I hate. And I smell like it because I was the one who handled the smoking bag. Got a good lungful of it, too. Had to repop a new bag, and this time I made myself stand next to it and not be such a darned multitasker. Because multitasking sometimes is NOT a good thing.
So I reach for some Glade and can't get into the cabinet. Why? Because we've had to make our house tighter than Fort Knox because of our daughter. The incessant curiousity that always gets her into trouble. Recently our baby boy has shown her how to open the cabinets with the locks. So we had to change the locks. These require a key of sorts. It's now my job to try to not let them see me open the doors. Because my little Houdinis will know how to get in if they can watch me once. That is also the reason we had to install new doorknobs at 6' level on my office and the pantry, and change both front and back door locks to double-key locks and hang the keys to where we almost have to stand on our toes to get them. Because I've watched my daughter pull up her chair, balance her drum on the chair, and climb up after the key.
I know you're so jealous 'cause my kid is so smart. Right?
Well, sometimes it's not all it's cracked up to be. Imagine a very smart kid with no impulse control that's faster than a speeding bullet and hasn't yet grasped the concept of "dangerous." (And not for lack of trying to explain it.) Yup, welcome to my life.
BUT... this weekend I'm going to see my in-laws, who in the great tradition of my family are very close and I love them to death. I can hear a night out for our anniversary and Williams Sonoma calling my name, and every minute gets me closer to the break. Because going out of town for me is a break because there are other people to help. Not just me. It makes the 4-6 hours in the car to get to our family worth the drive every time. And, of course, it's nice to see them, too. :)
KID-ISMS: via my daughter
This morning...
Mommy: "Baby, if you can't keep the popcorn in the bowl, I won't let you have popcorn anymore. Look at this mess!"
Baby girl: "He did it!" (Points to Baby boy)
Mommy: "It doesn't matter who did it, there is still a mess and you both need to help clean up."
Baby girl: "Okay, Mommy. Brother, let's be chickens." (Kneels down with hands on waist and starts pecking at the mess)
Last night, at bedtime...
Baby girl: "Daddy, let's sing the duck song."
Daddy: "I don't know the duck song."
Baby girl: "It goes like this... Nonny nonny nonny nonny!! The duck sooooonnnggg... and you see the duck, the duck is cryiiiiing... in the waaaaterrrrr... nonny nonny nonny nonny nonny!!!"
(In reference to a painting of a duck splashing in the water that is hanging on her wall)
27 June 2006
Fort Knox and Popcorn
23 June 2006
A Message
It's been on my heart for a few days now to post the following lyrics by Casting Crowns, apparently there is someone that reads this blog that needs to know them. A lot of people that read this blog already know this song, because it's one that is sung at our church often, and it's also one that plays on the local Christian radio station. The message is for me, too, I've discovered, but even after I took it to heart, it was still on my heart to share it. So for those of you who don't know the song...
Blessed be your name
In the land that is plentiful
Where the streams of abundance flow
Blessed be your name
Blessed be your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed be your name
(CHORUS)
Every blessing you pour out I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord, still I will say
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be your glorious name
Blessed be your name
When the sun's shining down on me
When the world's all as it should be
Blessed be your name
Blessed be your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be your name
(CHORUS)
You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be your name!
19 June 2006
MoneyMoneyMoney
So much in life is centered around money. People devote most of their lives to making it, commit crimes to obtain it, get divorced over it... you name it, people have probably done it in the name of more money.
Does this make money a god?
Yes, that was a hypothetical question.
Money is the most common idol that we as Christians take. And unfortunately, I have fallen into this trap. Because I'm a worrier, I worry about our finances constantly. What can we do to make more money? We need more money to pay off our debt, we need more money to give our kids the things we want them to be able to have.
I don't remember the exact verse (someone please point it out to me), but there is a verse that says that you cannot serve two masters, you will love one and hate the other. You cannot serve God and money.
And, since this is the year of revelations for me, I am constantly coming to the conviction that I need to just stop worrying and hand it to God. I work myself into quite a tizzy when I worry over money, because the numbers don't add up. It's scary.
You know, Judas sold out Jesus for money.
There are also about 2,350 verses in the Bible that talk about money and the way we should handle it. Wasn't God awesome to forsee what a huge impact those little green pieces of paper would have on our lives?
So, I've asked God for peace in our financial crises, as they are, and He's been very faithful in delivering that peace. I know if I remain faithful to my duties as a steward, everything will fall into place. But I'm not a patient person, and I don't like waiting.
Which is something else to work on.
13 June 2006
10 Simple Pleasures
An open tag via Bridget.
1. That pesky little lightbulb coming on, making you realize you're not as addlepated as you thought.
2. The whipped-cream-and-caramel-laden first sip of a Starbucks Caramel Apple Cider.
3. Finding a connection with a new acquaintance.
4. Finishing a good book with a happy ending.
5. Spending an extra minute in the shower just enjoying the hot water.
6. Mail that isn't bills or junk.
7. The smell of fresh-cut grass.
8. Spending a beautiful, sunny spring day with a slight breeze outside.
9. My hands smelling like orange hours after I've peeled one.
10. An unexpected visit from a friend.
07 June 2006
Human Emotion
The range of human emotions that can be experienced at one time amaze me. As I sit here tonight, I realize I am happy, worried, tired, annoyed, content, excited, and all at once.
We just finished dinner with some friends, and as they were leaving, I was thinking, what nice people they are. I really like them, their whole family is totally awesome. I'm definitely going to have to make a point to spend some more time around them.
I'm in the midst of resubmitting for qualification, getting ready to work my tush off again, starting reading lessons with my daughter who isn't cooperating, trying to put the house back together after my last qualification period before this one starts, and getting things organized for my son's upcoming birthday, I'm beginning to feel the familiar gnawing of being overwhelmed. This happens every so often. At least I'm not doing anything else as a commitment. My playgroup is breaking for the summer, so is MOPS, so is Crown. Please be praying my goals are met well before the fall so maybe I won't have to give anything up permanently. I'd also like to start my daughter on ballet lessons in the fall, so I'll need the time and energy for that.
This post seems like I'm rambling about what's been going on in my life. I'm not putting much about what I'm feeling, and I think it's because I'm too tired to think. I think I'll go lose myself in my new book for a few minutes before I pass out on my pillow.
Good night! :)
02 June 2006
Haha!
I'm a sucker for funny games. At least I know this, and knowing is half the battle.
Note: Due to the sensitive nature of the information, I have left out how you determine your alter ego names. If you wish to participate in the game, please let me know by sending me an e-mail at pumpkinprincess at gmail dot com, and I will e-mail you back with the list. And then I will have your e-mail address. Mwoohahaha.
1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME:
KJ Ridge
2. YOUR MOVIE STAR NAME:
Joy Reese
3. YOUR "FLY GIRL/GUY" NAME:
J-Lo (OMG ROFLMAO)
4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: ( favorite color, favorite animal)-
Blue Pegasus
5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME:
Louise Benton
6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME:
Silary
7. JEDI NAME:
Esiuol Smada
8. SUPERHERO NAME:
Blue Cherokee
And a few Blog Things:
| Your Linguistic Profile:: |
| 50% General American English |
| 30% Dixie |
| 15% Yankee |
| 0% Midwestern |
| 0% Upper Midwestern |
| You Are a Mai Tai |
 You aren't a big drinker, but you'll drink if the atmosphere is festive. And when you're drunk, watch out! You're easily carried away. |
01 June 2006
Weathering the Storm
For all those who have been patiently waiting... no, I'm not a Director yet.
Tuesday dawned with chaos. I had two days to get 17 people to place orders. Ha. The kids were monsters, tearing up everything in sight, screaming at each other, breaking things, hitting, biting, you name it. My Director came over so we could hash out the situation. It was raining like cats and dogs.
We sat and pondered, wrote a plan of action, rewrote it ten times, looked at it from 40 different angles, and tried starting from scratch and doing it all over again. I used almost half of my notebook trying to figure it out. While I was working it all out with my Director, my heart was crying to God... What should I do?!
After four hours of crunching numbers, I made an executive decision to resubmit for qualification in June. The numbers simply didn't come together. It was a classic case of choosing to build my house on rock instead of sand.
As soon as the decision was made, instant peace came over me. My blood pressure returned to normal. My panic, anxiety, stress, and headache all calmed into simple exhaustion. Baby girl finally settled down to watch a movie, and Little Wookie laid down for a three-hour nap. I knew it was the right answer, and that I had listened to what God wanted me to do. Even the rain let up to a light drizzle. I basked in the calm after the storm.
I'm beginning again with a stronger unit. I'm starting with 16 instead of 8. I've got 9 people ready to come on this month. All I've got to worry about it is the production.
My Director, the sweetheart that she is, cleaned my kitchen for me. I laid down for a short nap, and noticed that in the chaos the kids had thrown my precious Bible, a gift from my hubby a few Christmases ago, onto the bed. I gingerly picked it up, being careful not to tear the thin pages. I needed a word from God right then. I remembered that the last time I did a Bible study, we were engrossed in the book of Phillipians. I remember general ideas, but thought it would be a great read again. I flipped it open and my eyes immediately landed on Phillipians 1:4-6. (emphasis mine)
In all my prayers for you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident in this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Getting goosebumps, I knew God had spoken directly to me through His word. I tried to read more, but couldn't retain it.
I had already received my message.
