mystery of life
We are celebrating Buddy's birthday this week. He's officially a toddler. And a climber.
I can't believe how quickly this year has gone.
In the midst of my joy, I have two friends who are celebrating the mystery of life in a far different way. One whose little girl has been diagnosed with a very serious brain abnormality. Another as far across the country as you can get, well, almost... who just saw her new baby on the ultrasound screen, her 11th pregnancy, Lord willing the 3rd child she will get to raise.
I'm reminded that only the author of life has full knowledge and power. We don't understand His purpose, and we certainly don't get to choose the outcome. But I pray for the best...
God did miracles, I believe He still does.
Is it too much to ask for Him to display his power by healing baby Kara Faith, to defy what science says and restore her parents' hope?
Could my other friend's pregnancy please result in her holding a healthy, perfect, breathing little one this time?
Please, God?
Friday, August 28, 2009
Monday, August 24, 2009
all's well that ends well
We received some of our first non-forwarded cards mailed to us at the new address. :) One was a "we'll miss you" card, that really made my day.
The flowers hubby ordered were delivered to the office just as he came home, so HE delivered them to me in person. Nevermind that the bouquet was similar only in shape to the one he had chosen off of 1-800-flowers.... the florist must be colorblind or not carry blues in stock or something. They are still very pretty, and the kids are thrilled that I'm sharing my happy birthday balloon with them.
We went out to supper as a family, stuffed ourselves, came home to hang out, and now the kids are fighting bedtime. Hubby has taken bedtime duty tonight.
We received some of our first non-forwarded cards mailed to us at the new address. :) One was a "we'll miss you" card, that really made my day.
The flowers hubby ordered were delivered to the office just as he came home, so HE delivered them to me in person. Nevermind that the bouquet was similar only in shape to the one he had chosen off of 1-800-flowers.... the florist must be colorblind or not carry blues in stock or something. They are still very pretty, and the kids are thrilled that I'm sharing my happy birthday balloon with them.
We went out to supper as a family, stuffed ourselves, came home to hang out, and now the kids are fighting bedtime. Hubby has taken bedtime duty tonight.
what does my day look like?
clinging and contrary almost 4 year old
baby climbing everything he can... chairs, couch, table, vacuum, but refusing to walk more than 1 step at a time
pmdd... if the meds are helping, i don't want to know how i would feel without them
laundry piles that multiply in my sleep
missing my friends from home
missing our home church
both kids resisting naps when all mommy wants to do is sleep
on the bright side....
cuddly girl "needs" her mama
a/c is working
kids' smiles and giggles at the playground
hubby tried to send me flowers for my birthday, the thought does count for something
clinging and contrary almost 4 year old
baby climbing everything he can... chairs, couch, table, vacuum, but refusing to walk more than 1 step at a time
pmdd... if the meds are helping, i don't want to know how i would feel without them
laundry piles that multiply in my sleep
missing my friends from home
missing our home church
both kids resisting naps when all mommy wants to do is sleep
on the bright side....
cuddly girl "needs" her mama
a/c is working
kids' smiles and giggles at the playground
hubby tried to send me flowers for my birthday, the thought does count for something
Sunday, August 16, 2009
blessed
We were tremendously blessed in our move this weekend. We arrived safely to our new home. On the front end of the trip, my parents provided space for us to live for a month, in spite of our complaints about the inadequate a/c in our dwelling area and my tendency to get distracted from cleaning up after my kiddos in the dining area. We had some good quality time together, plus Dad provided his truck and some manpower. And Mom made a yummy roast-beef dinner with all the sides as a send off last night.
We could not have moved without the help we received. Our former neighbor/overworked friendly police officer friend took the time from his valuable days off to help us. A couple of guys from church joined Officer R et. al. for phase I and II. They also came down to help us move in... a 4+ hour drive. (Officer R offered, but we wanted him to be able to rest a little before hitting the streets again tomorrow morning. I mean this morning.) Hubby's parents drove WAY out of their way for phase I and II and will help us unpack tomorrow before their 6 hour drive home. And Camera Guy left his wife and 4 week old beautiful baby for the day to come help. Like I said, we were blessed. And there's more...
... last week, I got together with some friends I had not seen in a while. One of them asked what area we were moving to. It turns out that she has a good friend in the same town, so she connected is on Facebook. And that friend and her family came by to met us, and her husband and another man from their church helped us unload the truck!!!! Talk about the body of Christ in action. I had hesitated to accept their offer, but when I saw how utterly exhausted hubby and Dad were last night, I decided to accept. Oh, and their kids are VERY close in age to ours! So in addition to my W@H friends who live in this area, we have another family to get to know!
I should be sleeping, but insomnia struck so here I am. :)
We were tremendously blessed in our move this weekend. We arrived safely to our new home. On the front end of the trip, my parents provided space for us to live for a month, in spite of our complaints about the inadequate a/c in our dwelling area and my tendency to get distracted from cleaning up after my kiddos in the dining area. We had some good quality time together, plus Dad provided his truck and some manpower. And Mom made a yummy roast-beef dinner with all the sides as a send off last night.
We could not have moved without the help we received. Our former neighbor/overworked friendly police officer friend took the time from his valuable days off to help us. A couple of guys from church joined Officer R et. al. for phase I and II. They also came down to help us move in... a 4+ hour drive. (Officer R offered, but we wanted him to be able to rest a little before hitting the streets again tomorrow morning. I mean this morning.) Hubby's parents drove WAY out of their way for phase I and II and will help us unpack tomorrow before their 6 hour drive home. And Camera Guy left his wife and 4 week old beautiful baby for the day to come help. Like I said, we were blessed. And there's more...
... last week, I got together with some friends I had not seen in a while. One of them asked what area we were moving to. It turns out that she has a good friend in the same town, so she connected is on Facebook. And that friend and her family came by to met us, and her husband and another man from their church helped us unload the truck!!!! Talk about the body of Christ in action. I had hesitated to accept their offer, but when I saw how utterly exhausted hubby and Dad were last night, I decided to accept. Oh, and their kids are VERY close in age to ours! So in addition to my W@H friends who live in this area, we have another family to get to know!
I should be sleeping, but insomnia struck so here I am. :)
Friday, August 14, 2009
yes, i know I have it easy...
I am home with the kids while hubby, tech mom and dad, my dad, r, and maybe someone else load the 26' moving truck.
Packing with an almost one year old and a 4 year old is not easy. Baby wants to play. He just put an empty wipes container on my card table/deesk... and proceeded to try to grab my pepsi. That's not a fair trade, bud.
Bear complains about me packing certain belongings of hers, but has otherwised occupied herself.
At least it's cooler in here than outside, though the window units in our space upstairs are not really keeping up with the TN summer heat.
I am home with the kids while hubby, tech mom and dad, my dad, r, and maybe someone else load the 26' moving truck.
Packing with an almost one year old and a 4 year old is not easy. Baby wants to play. He just put an empty wipes container on my card table/deesk... and proceeded to try to grab my pepsi. That's not a fair trade, bud.
Bear complains about me packing certain belongings of hers, but has otherwised occupied herself.
At least it's cooler in here than outside, though the window units in our space upstairs are not really keeping up with the TN summer heat.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
almost move day!
I tend to use facebook instead of my blog to share things these days. But for the moment, I've grown weary of using my status update as a blog post, so I'm back.
It's almost time.
We're having lunch with hubby's colleagues today, I'm hoping it's good-bye and not good-riddance. Although the work itself has not been a perfect fit for him, we have met some wonderful people. I know I'll keep on with two families on the blogosphere. :)
It's time to pack up the belongings we've used the past month and prepare to go to our new apartment in Georgia. I took some photos of our living arrangements, but I haven't decided if I will post them or not because they aren't really in house-showing condition at the moment.
We've visited with quite a few people the last few weeks. So far, I've only burst into tears at good-bye once. The hardest part is feeling like I was just really getting to know some people, and wondering if we'll keep in touch like we say we will.
I am most looking forward to having our own rooms again. We've been sharing a room with Bear, and Buddy inevitably joins us in our bed around 2 a.m. In spite of extra padding in the pack n play, he's probably only slept through the night in his room twice a week during our stay here. That might be a generous estimate.
I really need to get packing so we can load up easily tomorrow....
I tend to use facebook instead of my blog to share things these days. But for the moment, I've grown weary of using my status update as a blog post, so I'm back.
It's almost time.
We're having lunch with hubby's colleagues today, I'm hoping it's good-bye and not good-riddance. Although the work itself has not been a perfect fit for him, we have met some wonderful people. I know I'll keep on with two families on the blogosphere. :)
It's time to pack up the belongings we've used the past month and prepare to go to our new apartment in Georgia. I took some photos of our living arrangements, but I haven't decided if I will post them or not because they aren't really in house-showing condition at the moment.
We've visited with quite a few people the last few weeks. So far, I've only burst into tears at good-bye once. The hardest part is feeling like I was just really getting to know some people, and wondering if we'll keep in touch like we say we will.
I am most looking forward to having our own rooms again. We've been sharing a room with Bear, and Buddy inevitably joins us in our bed around 2 a.m. In spite of extra padding in the pack n play, he's probably only slept through the night in his room twice a week during our stay here. That might be a generous estimate.
I really need to get packing so we can load up easily tomorrow....
Monday, August 03, 2009
refocus
I'm learning to cherish certain aspects of this transitional time. My kids are getting quality time with my parents, something that I don't remember having much of with my own grandparents. Usually we get snippets of time with them, since they live close enough that overnight visits are not mandatory. On the other hand, since we have to drive 3+ hours to visit Tech Mom and Dad, overnight visits=more quality time.
Mom and Dad's place is for sale. 2.5 acres nestled in a field across from an antebellum in middle TN. Minutes from I -65, yet peaceful. Tree-lined driveway and yard, grape arbor with a swing under it, goldfish ponds, and even a volleyball net in the backyard. There are birds, bunnies and bullfrogs galore, along with an occasional woodchuck or deer sighting. Lucy the long-haired calico is typically shy, but if you are on her good side she will leave a mouse, mole, or other delicacy on the stoop for you. Coneflowers are in season, a few cleomi, and most of all, fresh apples. (Pears are on the way.) There are granny smith, and another variety that's sweeter.
I did not grow up here; not really. We moved to TN the middle of my Junior year of High School, and at that point the only thing growing in this yard was the bermuda grass planted by the builder and a left-over wheat stalk or two that made it's way into our yard from the adjoining farm fields. My parents planted and gardened through the years, creating a taste of Eden in Tennessee. Unfortunately, the work it takes to maintain is taking a toll on them, and they want to sell. Some parts of the yard are a bit overgrown, as is the fire pit where my friends and I burned our notes from Chemistry and Algebra II when summer vacation came around.
Anyway, Bear loves running across the yard, feeding the goldfish, chasing bunnies, gathering apples in the skirt of her dress. She asks me what Grandma is doing when my Mom bursts out in random songs that pop into her head based on a conversation or happening. And covers her ears. (She's her Daddy's girl, I guess.)
Buddy has mastered climbing up the stairs and tasted clover from the yard. Grandaddy thinks our little "bam-bam" is going to break the new sliding glass door. Seriously. He crawls to the laundry closet whenever he hears the washing machine running because it reminds him of bathtime.
We do miss our old house a bit, but at least while we are in limbo we have some times to treasure. Memories will be made, it's somewhat up to us whether they will be good or bad.
I'm learning to cherish certain aspects of this transitional time. My kids are getting quality time with my parents, something that I don't remember having much of with my own grandparents. Usually we get snippets of time with them, since they live close enough that overnight visits are not mandatory. On the other hand, since we have to drive 3+ hours to visit Tech Mom and Dad, overnight visits=more quality time.
Mom and Dad's place is for sale. 2.5 acres nestled in a field across from an antebellum in middle TN. Minutes from I -65, yet peaceful. Tree-lined driveway and yard, grape arbor with a swing under it, goldfish ponds, and even a volleyball net in the backyard. There are birds, bunnies and bullfrogs galore, along with an occasional woodchuck or deer sighting. Lucy the long-haired calico is typically shy, but if you are on her good side she will leave a mouse, mole, or other delicacy on the stoop for you. Coneflowers are in season, a few cleomi, and most of all, fresh apples. (Pears are on the way.) There are granny smith, and another variety that's sweeter.
I did not grow up here; not really. We moved to TN the middle of my Junior year of High School, and at that point the only thing growing in this yard was the bermuda grass planted by the builder and a left-over wheat stalk or two that made it's way into our yard from the adjoining farm fields. My parents planted and gardened through the years, creating a taste of Eden in Tennessee. Unfortunately, the work it takes to maintain is taking a toll on them, and they want to sell. Some parts of the yard are a bit overgrown, as is the fire pit where my friends and I burned our notes from Chemistry and Algebra II when summer vacation came around.
Anyway, Bear loves running across the yard, feeding the goldfish, chasing bunnies, gathering apples in the skirt of her dress. She asks me what Grandma is doing when my Mom bursts out in random songs that pop into her head based on a conversation or happening. And covers her ears. (She's her Daddy's girl, I guess.)
Buddy has mastered climbing up the stairs and tasted clover from the yard. Grandaddy thinks our little "bam-bam" is going to break the new sliding glass door. Seriously. He crawls to the laundry closet whenever he hears the washing machine running because it reminds him of bathtime.
We do miss our old house a bit, but at least while we are in limbo we have some times to treasure. Memories will be made, it's somewhat up to us whether they will be good or bad.
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