Well, to put it simply, my attitude sucked. Really, it was getting so negative that I'm sure my friends were trying to avoid me. I was negative about work and complaining a lot that I'd rather be home with my kids. I was complaining about my home, that I couldn't keep clean. I was constantly frustrated about something. And the worse part about it is that I would admit it but wasn't doing anything to change it. But today is a different day. I'm so thankful for Rhett who pointed it out to me indirectly after I bit his head off through an email conversation. I know where my joy comes from and I know what I need to keep my cup full. I wasn't doing it.
Now, things aren't perfect. I would still love to be home with my kids but also realize that I'm in this place for a reason. Ecclesiastes says that there is a time and a season for everything. And in this season, I'm going to choose to quit being so negative. And I might even agree to see the doctor about a possible problem that might be the cause of my constant state of exhaust.
Thanks to my friends, family and God who continue to love me even when I'm not so easy to love!
28 May 2008
Memorial Weekend
A weekend to remember for sure, but not in the sense that I would have guessed or imagined...
Saturday was the 5 year anniversary to my wonderful husband. Ryan continues to bless my life on a daily basis. We are by no means perfect but I'm so thankful to have him as my husband and best friend. He prioritizes his family even when his schedule is hectic. He tries hard to leave his work frustrations at work (or in the vet truck). He's a wonderful provider. He loves me. He has a killer smile. He seeks to glorify God with his life. He is so many things but remember that I promised to try to keep it short, I'll say one more thing: I love the man I marred 5 years ago.
Friday night and Saturday we attended a marriage enrichment seminar. And to be honest, I wasn't looking foward to using my 3 day weekend in such a way. I wanted to do other things like place flags and crosses on soldier's graves, go out to eat with my hubby, etc. I'm so glad that I did the marriage enrichment seminar. It was such a good refresher on life. How easily I can get stuck in a rut. I so needed that weekend. My poor husband so needed me to be at that weekend where I would be reminded of how to love him in ways that he needs loved.
Friday was good. Friday night at home was tiring. I was up until 3am with Bethany which made for some serious dry eye issues on Saturday. I'm an emotional person, which most people wouldn't guess. I cry easy. So, to say the least, Saturday afternoon was a bit emotional for me and lacking sleep didn't help. But it was good to fill my cup so to speak. Plus, we had some good meals made by two of my favorite food people.
After things finished on Saturday night, we made a quick stop at the house to get our shopping list and check the mail before heading to supper with my family. In the mailbox, we had a very special card. It was from Hugo and Gladys. They are an older couple who five years before blessed us tremendously by Hugo giving us advice during our wedding ceremony. Their card is extra special because they don't send them to everyone, but we get one since they were part of our wedding. Hugo and his precious bride are 94 years now and don't get out much anymore. I mentioned to Ryan that we really, really needed to stop in for a visit as we usually do so every six months or so. We haven't been there since Bethany was born. I debated on stopping on my way to supper since we had time but opted not to because my kids desperately needed naps.
We got up to Decorah, which is a cute little town in plenty of time. Did a little shopping, stopped at the trout hatchery for a bit so Scott could check out the fish and I could feed Bethany. (sorry, no pictures, of either kid). Eventually we met up with my parents and my aunt and uncle for supper. My sweet uncle wanted to treat us to a meal for our anniversary. He was and still is, very thoughtful.
Sunday morning was a refreshing. I was looking forward to enjoying the day without having to think about going to work on Monday. Sunday came to be a bittersweet morning as well. My good friend, Hugo, passed away Sunday morning. He was an amazing man. He loved God, loved his family, loved people and loved to sing. He was a precious and sweet guy. I'm thankful that we did not stop by on Saturday night and see him as he was very near death. At the same time, I'm feeling a little guilty that I never made the time to stop by in the past 11 months and introduce my beautiful daughter to him. Oh, how precious is our time!
Sunday night was a interesting night in and of itself. As we watched the sky grow dark, we flipped on the news. And I hardly moved from there until I went to bed. We watched as the news flooded every local station reporting of the tornados in our area. Thankfully we weren't in or near the eye of the storm. One storm went north of us and one went south. However, our dear friends (the first friends I found in my church here) live in the town that sustained the most damage. I watched and prayed and watched and prayed some more as reports and pictures began flowing in about the small town of Parkersburg. Fortunately, our friends were out of town when it happened. However, they've lost everything. I just can't imagine what they're experiencing. They have a 4 year old, a 2 1/2 year old and a 5 month old. And nothing to call home. The only thing they've been able to salvage at this point is most of their clothes with the exception of the baby's. They still can't find the baby's dresser. Praise God who gives and who takes away that He chose to give them life and only take their "things". As they continue to deal with the aftermath of their own home, they also play a role in many others' hurt and loss as Ryan is a pastor of a local church there and will be giving a funeral service later this week. Oh, that God would bless them indeed in the coming days!
As the long weekend comes to a close, I am so thankful for:
Saturday was the 5 year anniversary to my wonderful husband. Ryan continues to bless my life on a daily basis. We are by no means perfect but I'm so thankful to have him as my husband and best friend. He prioritizes his family even when his schedule is hectic. He tries hard to leave his work frustrations at work (or in the vet truck). He's a wonderful provider. He loves me. He has a killer smile. He seeks to glorify God with his life. He is so many things but remember that I promised to try to keep it short, I'll say one more thing: I love the man I marred 5 years ago.
Friday night and Saturday we attended a marriage enrichment seminar. And to be honest, I wasn't looking foward to using my 3 day weekend in such a way. I wanted to do other things like place flags and crosses on soldier's graves, go out to eat with my hubby, etc. I'm so glad that I did the marriage enrichment seminar. It was such a good refresher on life. How easily I can get stuck in a rut. I so needed that weekend. My poor husband so needed me to be at that weekend where I would be reminded of how to love him in ways that he needs loved.
Friday was good. Friday night at home was tiring. I was up until 3am with Bethany which made for some serious dry eye issues on Saturday. I'm an emotional person, which most people wouldn't guess. I cry easy. So, to say the least, Saturday afternoon was a bit emotional for me and lacking sleep didn't help. But it was good to fill my cup so to speak. Plus, we had some good meals made by two of my favorite food people.
After things finished on Saturday night, we made a quick stop at the house to get our shopping list and check the mail before heading to supper with my family. In the mailbox, we had a very special card. It was from Hugo and Gladys. They are an older couple who five years before blessed us tremendously by Hugo giving us advice during our wedding ceremony. Their card is extra special because they don't send them to everyone, but we get one since they were part of our wedding. Hugo and his precious bride are 94 years now and don't get out much anymore. I mentioned to Ryan that we really, really needed to stop in for a visit as we usually do so every six months or so. We haven't been there since Bethany was born. I debated on stopping on my way to supper since we had time but opted not to because my kids desperately needed naps.
We got up to Decorah, which is a cute little town in plenty of time. Did a little shopping, stopped at the trout hatchery for a bit so Scott could check out the fish and I could feed Bethany. (sorry, no pictures, of either kid). Eventually we met up with my parents and my aunt and uncle for supper. My sweet uncle wanted to treat us to a meal for our anniversary. He was and still is, very thoughtful.
Sunday morning was a refreshing. I was looking forward to enjoying the day without having to think about going to work on Monday. Sunday came to be a bittersweet morning as well. My good friend, Hugo, passed away Sunday morning. He was an amazing man. He loved God, loved his family, loved people and loved to sing. He was a precious and sweet guy. I'm thankful that we did not stop by on Saturday night and see him as he was very near death. At the same time, I'm feeling a little guilty that I never made the time to stop by in the past 11 months and introduce my beautiful daughter to him. Oh, how precious is our time!
Sunday night was a interesting night in and of itself. As we watched the sky grow dark, we flipped on the news. And I hardly moved from there until I went to bed. We watched as the news flooded every local station reporting of the tornados in our area. Thankfully we weren't in or near the eye of the storm. One storm went north of us and one went south. However, our dear friends (the first friends I found in my church here) live in the town that sustained the most damage. I watched and prayed and watched and prayed some more as reports and pictures began flowing in about the small town of Parkersburg. Fortunately, our friends were out of town when it happened. However, they've lost everything. I just can't imagine what they're experiencing. They have a 4 year old, a 2 1/2 year old and a 5 month old. And nothing to call home. The only thing they've been able to salvage at this point is most of their clothes with the exception of the baby's. They still can't find the baby's dresser. Praise God who gives and who takes away that He chose to give them life and only take their "things". As they continue to deal with the aftermath of their own home, they also play a role in many others' hurt and loss as Ryan is a pastor of a local church there and will be giving a funeral service later this week. Oh, that God would bless them indeed in the coming days!
As the long weekend comes to a close, I am so thankful for:
- my kiddos even if they wake multiple times during the night
- my home even if I can't manage to keep it perfectly clean
- my clothes even if I think I need new ones
- my health, my family, my friends
- and for the little things like toothpaste and deoderant as there are many people that have nothing right now as the tornado flattened 1/3 of the town of 1800.
yes, I am alive!
Man, I can't believe that two weeks have passed since I posted. Yes, I must have a crazy life. And I want to spend a few minutes informing all 3 of my readers about my recent life events. This could get really long as I've had an amazing amount of things in the recent past but I'll try to keep it as short as possible. I write a little about a few things and in no particular order in seperate posts....
16 May 2008
Small town
This morning I read a post by Meritt about living in a small town. Once upon a time I considered a town the size of hers as "small" but these days I consider her town to be decent sized. Anyway, I have a small town story of my own to share...
Our town is so small (~600 people) that every 5 years they have a homecoming. And to be honest, I'm not really sure why. The last homecoming was in 2004 and I was sad to miss the festivities but was glad to be celebrating the 60th wedding anniversary of Ryan's grandparents with the whole big family. Anyway, the homecoming is a big deal around here so prior to the event was like a spring cleaning for the community. People were re-painting their houses, fixing up sidewalks, etc. I found it entertaining that they were trying to show off for those who would be coming home. But maybe its more than that, maybe its that the community takes pride in their town, in themselves and wanted to put on their "sunday best".
What was really cute was that my parents had recently moved to town. And everyone knew that the new people were from California, were living in the Reir's house, and were Dr. Ryan's in-laws. So, a day or two before the homecoming event we were at my moms house visiting. It was a beautiful summer day and the windows were wide open. As we were chatting in the house, people were enjoying a leisurely walk. Two older couples were walking by and as they past my mom's house, they paused and one couple pointed to the house and told the visiting couple "... and this is where Dr. Ryan's inlaws live". No more did they finish the sentence and they were on their way again. It was too funny.
Four years later, there are probably many community members that still only know my parents as "Dr. Ryan's inlaws".
Our town is so small (~600 people) that every 5 years they have a homecoming. And to be honest, I'm not really sure why. The last homecoming was in 2004 and I was sad to miss the festivities but was glad to be celebrating the 60th wedding anniversary of Ryan's grandparents with the whole big family. Anyway, the homecoming is a big deal around here so prior to the event was like a spring cleaning for the community. People were re-painting their houses, fixing up sidewalks, etc. I found it entertaining that they were trying to show off for those who would be coming home. But maybe its more than that, maybe its that the community takes pride in their town, in themselves and wanted to put on their "sunday best".
What was really cute was that my parents had recently moved to town. And everyone knew that the new people were from California, were living in the Reir's house, and were Dr. Ryan's in-laws. So, a day or two before the homecoming event we were at my moms house visiting. It was a beautiful summer day and the windows were wide open. As we were chatting in the house, people were enjoying a leisurely walk. Two older couples were walking by and as they past my mom's house, they paused and one couple pointed to the house and told the visiting couple "... and this is where Dr. Ryan's inlaws live". No more did they finish the sentence and they were on their way again. It was too funny.
Four years later, there are probably many community members that still only know my parents as "Dr. Ryan's inlaws".
15 May 2008
Kids are Expensive
According to the USDA News (some of the text removed because it was more boring):
The Cost To Raise A Child:In March USDA released its annual report which details how much it costs to raise a child in America today. The report, titled "Expenditures on Children by Families" and released by USDA's Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, noted that for middle-income families with a child born in 2007, the costs of providing food, shelter, clothing, and other goods and services will total $204,060 by the child's 18th birthday.
"Since 1960, child-rearing expenses have changed noticeably," he added. Specifically, the cost of providing food decreased from 24 percent to 17 percent of total child-rearing costs, while child care and education expenses increased from 2 percent to 12 percent of total child-rearing costs. "For a middle-income, two-parent, two-child family," he said, "annual expenses for one child ranged from $10,930 to $12,030 depending on the age of the child, with expenditures on teenagers being the highest."
The Cost To Raise A Child:In March USDA released its annual report which details how much it costs to raise a child in America today. The report, titled "Expenditures on Children by Families" and released by USDA's Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, noted that for middle-income families with a child born in 2007, the costs of providing food, shelter, clothing, and other goods and services will total $204,060 by the child's 18th birthday.
"Since 1960, child-rearing expenses have changed noticeably," he added. Specifically, the cost of providing food decreased from 24 percent to 17 percent of total child-rearing costs, while child care and education expenses increased from 2 percent to 12 percent of total child-rearing costs. "For a middle-income, two-parent, two-child family," he said, "annual expenses for one child ranged from $10,930 to $12,030 depending on the age of the child, with expenditures on teenagers being the highest."
13 May 2008
Happy Mother's Day
Yes, its a few days late but still fresh in my mind. I certainly enjoyed a day with my family on Sunday but at the same time my thoughts were filled with other women. We all know someone who longs to have their own baby but for whatever reason hasn't had the opportunity. I thought of two specific people a bunch on Sunday. I do believe that life begins at conception so then it would be perfectly reasonable for them to celebrate Mother's Day as well. Yet, at the same time, I struggle with the realization that I got to hold my babies and they didn't. It blows my mind that without a spoken word, God knows their hurt. So, today I continue to pray for my friends that are hurting. Will you say a prayer for them too?
This Very Moment
If its not my tailbone, it is the muscle in my back is driving me crazy with pain, my contacts are blurry and my body is tired. I had a hard time falling asleep last night and was awake from 1am to 4am. Bethany was awake and crying twice in that time and nothing would console her so I finally, completely against my own will, gave in and breastfed her. That always works.
Thankfully today I spent a few hours out in the field. It was quite peaceful and although I was focused on my work at hand, I thoroughly enjoyed the beauty of some very rural scenery.
Thankfully today I spent a few hours out in the field. It was quite peaceful and although I was focused on my work at hand, I thoroughly enjoyed the beauty of some very rural scenery.
12 May 2008
My plate is full
A few people have commented or emailed me about my lack of posts lately. I'm totally here but life is a whirl wind right now and my plate is so full. What have I been up to lately...
Food Finally
well we finally bought groceries so my child will have something more to eat than corn dogs. We even have Bethany eating some fruit. She loves real food and spits out the expensive crap you buy in the store. Saturday was spent preparing two weeks worth of meals.
My Saturday
Well, Ryan did the cooking while I slept in for a bit before working on my own projects. I finished up Bethany's quilt top that I started last year. Whoopie! Made a few cards for Mother's Day with Scott which took way longer than it should but that's okay. Did dishes while Ryan cooked and played with the kiddos. I would have liked to get my basement cleaned up so my father in law could have his trailer back but that didn't happen.
High School Reunion
I'm really looking forward to this. There are a few classmates that I keep in contact with but not many. I would love to see friends, hear about their families, etc. A few of us girls have been working hard to contact all our old classmates which has become increasingly difficult. We're hoping for an August reunion and that month is fast approaching. Ahh, lots to do with that.
Service Saturday
Our small group tries to do one service project a month. Nothing to pat our backs, in fact, we usually get more out of serving than they get out of being served. Anyway, one of our big projects didn't have someone to take the lead. I sat on my hands for a long while but I was afraid the project would get dropped and it was such a rewarding event last year so I raised my hand. As if I don't have enough other things going on in my life. The past few days have been busy but fun trying to get some details taken care of. Our group voted for a May 31 date... yeah just over 3 weeks to plan. Good thing my friends had already laid the foundation for the project. Our group has some fun connections so its actually fun to plan.
Aunt Janie
My Aunt Janie is here. Yup, she just got here after lunch today. I'm super excited about that. She'll be here for several weeks and I'd love to take every other day off while she's here. Unfortunately that won't work. Currently I haven't even picked time off to hang out with her but I hope to nail that down soon. I also would like to find someone to keep my kiddos a few days while she's here so that she and my mom can run around and do their thing without lugging kids around. Ick, I always dread asking others to keep my kids.
Work
Oh yes, still doing that too. I enjoyed a few days in the field recently but now I'm back to my desk chair. Hating that at the moment and not so much because of work but rather because of that nagging tail bone. Ryan and I have talked and even prayed some about my work situation. I enjoy what I do but I'd rather be home with my kiddos... at least some of the time. I wish it was simple to figure out but unfortunately there are many strings attached to this one. Just finished a plan today that has taken way too much time. It had 95 waterways on it which is a ton of work but at least its done.
Life
I've been exhausted lately. Serious friends, I'm just plain tired. I know one of my friends suggested having my thyroid checked but I'd rather think its just the simple fact that I'm going a hundred miles a minute. When I crash, I crash! I've had fussy kiddos the last few days and they've really shown me how much patience they require. Scott was whiny, didn't want to eat what he'd been given, wanted a hair cut, didn't want a haircut, that kind of thing. He had to be in my lap much of Sunday. Bethany is a trooper but she too has her issues. She continues to have a hard time being "regular" and even though I've explained to the doctor that we've tried suppositories, apple juice, watered down bottles, fruit, veggies, dark karo syrup and even a laxative, nothing works. Not even combinations of all those things. They don't get it. They go through the list and I tell them I've tried each thing and then they go through it again. HELLO, are you listening nurse? Tried it! So, that's frustrating. Plus she's raw in the diaper area and as soon as the diaper comes off, she starts to scratch. I've recently been sitting on the floor to change her and have to hold her arms down with my legs while I change her so she doesn't irritate her area even more. It's a fun task, especially when you're whipped. We've tried all kinds of things for that too, A&D ointment, plain vaseline, butt paste, etc. Tonight I'm going to try the L&D and bacitracin mixture again and see if that works. Grr.
Okay, I think that's it. I should upload a picture of the kiddos but I'm lazy right now so I won't. Off to the parlor I go...
Food Finally
well we finally bought groceries so my child will have something more to eat than corn dogs. We even have Bethany eating some fruit. She loves real food and spits out the expensive crap you buy in the store. Saturday was spent preparing two weeks worth of meals.
My Saturday
Well, Ryan did the cooking while I slept in for a bit before working on my own projects. I finished up Bethany's quilt top that I started last year. Whoopie! Made a few cards for Mother's Day with Scott which took way longer than it should but that's okay. Did dishes while Ryan cooked and played with the kiddos. I would have liked to get my basement cleaned up so my father in law could have his trailer back but that didn't happen.
High School Reunion
I'm really looking forward to this. There are a few classmates that I keep in contact with but not many. I would love to see friends, hear about their families, etc. A few of us girls have been working hard to contact all our old classmates which has become increasingly difficult. We're hoping for an August reunion and that month is fast approaching. Ahh, lots to do with that.
Service Saturday
Our small group tries to do one service project a month. Nothing to pat our backs, in fact, we usually get more out of serving than they get out of being served. Anyway, one of our big projects didn't have someone to take the lead. I sat on my hands for a long while but I was afraid the project would get dropped and it was such a rewarding event last year so I raised my hand. As if I don't have enough other things going on in my life. The past few days have been busy but fun trying to get some details taken care of. Our group voted for a May 31 date... yeah just over 3 weeks to plan. Good thing my friends had already laid the foundation for the project. Our group has some fun connections so its actually fun to plan.
Aunt Janie
My Aunt Janie is here. Yup, she just got here after lunch today. I'm super excited about that. She'll be here for several weeks and I'd love to take every other day off while she's here. Unfortunately that won't work. Currently I haven't even picked time off to hang out with her but I hope to nail that down soon. I also would like to find someone to keep my kiddos a few days while she's here so that she and my mom can run around and do their thing without lugging kids around. Ick, I always dread asking others to keep my kids.
Work
Oh yes, still doing that too. I enjoyed a few days in the field recently but now I'm back to my desk chair. Hating that at the moment and not so much because of work but rather because of that nagging tail bone. Ryan and I have talked and even prayed some about my work situation. I enjoy what I do but I'd rather be home with my kiddos... at least some of the time. I wish it was simple to figure out but unfortunately there are many strings attached to this one. Just finished a plan today that has taken way too much time. It had 95 waterways on it which is a ton of work but at least its done.
Life
I've been exhausted lately. Serious friends, I'm just plain tired. I know one of my friends suggested having my thyroid checked but I'd rather think its just the simple fact that I'm going a hundred miles a minute. When I crash, I crash! I've had fussy kiddos the last few days and they've really shown me how much patience they require. Scott was whiny, didn't want to eat what he'd been given, wanted a hair cut, didn't want a haircut, that kind of thing. He had to be in my lap much of Sunday. Bethany is a trooper but she too has her issues. She continues to have a hard time being "regular" and even though I've explained to the doctor that we've tried suppositories, apple juice, watered down bottles, fruit, veggies, dark karo syrup and even a laxative, nothing works. Not even combinations of all those things. They don't get it. They go through the list and I tell them I've tried each thing and then they go through it again. HELLO, are you listening nurse? Tried it! So, that's frustrating. Plus she's raw in the diaper area and as soon as the diaper comes off, she starts to scratch. I've recently been sitting on the floor to change her and have to hold her arms down with my legs while I change her so she doesn't irritate her area even more. It's a fun task, especially when you're whipped. We've tried all kinds of things for that too, A&D ointment, plain vaseline, butt paste, etc. Tonight I'm going to try the L&D and bacitracin mixture again and see if that works. Grr.
Okay, I think that's it. I should upload a picture of the kiddos but I'm lazy right now so I won't. Off to the parlor I go...
05 May 2008
Good and Bad Mommy Moments
Good Mommy Moment = I played outside with Scott with his t-ball set that he got for Christmas from our cousin.
Bad Mommy Moment = I busted his lip open slightly while helping him swing.
Good Mommy Moment = I raced Scott and Grammy home from church on Sunday.
Bad Mommy Moment = He fell and scraped his arm on the sidewalk while running.
Good Mommy Moment = We had a lot of fun playing this weekend (flying the kite, playing with dominoes and rummikub, sewing together)
Bad Mommy Moment = I didn't get his hair cut and its getting a little shabby around the ears.
Good Mommy Moment = We had a picnic outside for supper.
Bad Mommy Moment = It was the second consecutive meal that he had a hot dog.
Good Mommy Moment = I played outside with Scott with his t-ball set that he got for Christmas from our cousin.
Bad Mommy Moment = I busted his lip open slightly while helping him swing.
Good Mommy Moment = I raced Scott and Grammy home from church on Sunday.
Bad Mommy Moment = He fell and scraped his arm on the sidewalk while running.
Good Mommy Moment = We had a lot of fun playing this weekend (flying the kite, playing with dominoes and rummikub, sewing together)
Bad Mommy Moment = I didn't get his hair cut and its getting a little shabby around the ears.
Good Mommy Moment = We had a picnic outside for supper.
Bad Mommy Moment = It was the second consecutive meal that he had a hot dog.
02 May 2008
My Grandma is Famous
Yesterday my grandma had open heart surgery to replace a faulty valve. I didn't have a chance to talk to her before the surgery. In fact, I didn't even know where she was living or how to contact her. Yeah, I'm a bad grand daughter.
In years past I was actually really close with my grandma. She is an amazing woman and would give you the meal in front of her even if it meant her going hungry. She's a humble woman. She raised 8 children. She loved and respected my grandpa even after he past away. She opened her home and her kitchen to anyone who walked through the door. I have a deep respect for my grandma. But since I moved to Iowa, I've not had the opportunity to stop by once a week like I use to. I haven't taken the time to pick up the phone either. And we've drifted apart. But she is my grandma. I could have cried on Wednesday when I realized I didn't bring home the email from my aunt with my grandma's phone number.
What if the surgery doesn't go as planned? What if I never have a chance to say "adios". I planned to call her the night before her surgery to pray with her and tell her I love her. But the phone number was at my office, 25 miles down the road. I was home for the day and many times throughout the morning thought about my grandma and prayed for her. Finally I called my dad for an update. She was on bypass but still in surgery. It would be approximately an hour more. Later the phone rang, it was my dad. The valve was replaced, she was off bypass, everything went wonderfully! Thank you God! They still had to close up her checst, etc.
God, I know that if you know about every sparrow, you also know the number of hairs on my head and also know when my grandma will breathe her last breath. It is my prayer that she understand that she is a sinner, she deserves death but you conquered death and offer her eternity with you instead.
Oh, and the famous part... my Aunt Carol called me last night to give me an update. My Aunt Carol is a gem of a woman as well. Anyway, she gave me the update, shared the events of the past few days (which are super cool) and told me that they aired her surgery live to the medical students on one of the Univ. of CA campuses. My grandma was on TV, she's famous!
In years past I was actually really close with my grandma. She is an amazing woman and would give you the meal in front of her even if it meant her going hungry. She's a humble woman. She raised 8 children. She loved and respected my grandpa even after he past away. She opened her home and her kitchen to anyone who walked through the door. I have a deep respect for my grandma. But since I moved to Iowa, I've not had the opportunity to stop by once a week like I use to. I haven't taken the time to pick up the phone either. And we've drifted apart. But she is my grandma. I could have cried on Wednesday when I realized I didn't bring home the email from my aunt with my grandma's phone number.
What if the surgery doesn't go as planned? What if I never have a chance to say "adios". I planned to call her the night before her surgery to pray with her and tell her I love her. But the phone number was at my office, 25 miles down the road. I was home for the day and many times throughout the morning thought about my grandma and prayed for her. Finally I called my dad for an update. She was on bypass but still in surgery. It would be approximately an hour more. Later the phone rang, it was my dad. The valve was replaced, she was off bypass, everything went wonderfully! Thank you God! They still had to close up her checst, etc.
God, I know that if you know about every sparrow, you also know the number of hairs on my head and also know when my grandma will breathe her last breath. It is my prayer that she understand that she is a sinner, she deserves death but you conquered death and offer her eternity with you instead.
Oh, and the famous part... my Aunt Carol called me last night to give me an update. My Aunt Carol is a gem of a woman as well. Anyway, she gave me the update, shared the events of the past few days (which are super cool) and told me that they aired her surgery live to the medical students on one of the Univ. of CA campuses. My grandma was on TV, she's famous!
01 May 2008
May Day
Where I come from, May Day is not celebrated. However, I grew up in a swedish community and they held the Swedish Festival which included dancing around a May Pole. The early May celebration that I recall is Cinco De Mayo but people here aren't cultured in that arena. Regardless, people around here celebrate May Day and take May Baskets to people. It was fun to see kids out scrambling around giving May baskets to neighbors and friends. For us transplants to this area, we had no clue what May Day was all about. So I searched it today on my favorite website. And I found out that it actually has pagan connections and isn't overly popular in the US. It was interesting to read, check it out here. Happy May Day!
p.s. thanks to my dear friends who brought each of us a May basket tonight. I loved that Bethany's "basket" was specifically for her with baby food and crackers. You Schmitt's are too thoughtful!
p.s. thanks to my dear friends who brought each of us a May basket tonight. I loved that Bethany's "basket" was specifically for her with baby food and crackers. You Schmitt's are too thoughtful!
30 April 2008
Kids Questions
In the midst of a million questions this morning while Scott was in the kitchen with Ryan, I overheard this:
S: Daddy, can you play with me?
R: After breakfast I can.
S: Daddy, can DJ (our dalmation) play with me?
R: Yes Scott.
S: No, DJ can't play with me Daddy.
R: Why not?
S: Because he doesn't have hands!
R: Oh, okay
And because curious little boys ask a million questions, the conversation continued while Ryan fixed his breakfast. Scott wanted to know why/how DJ got on his legs and the answer "God made him that way" wasn't enough so he asked more and more questions until he was either satisfied with the answer or distracted with something else.
S: Daddy, can you play with me?
R: After breakfast I can.
S: Daddy, can DJ (our dalmation) play with me?
R: Yes Scott.
S: No, DJ can't play with me Daddy.
R: Why not?
S: Because he doesn't have hands!
R: Oh, okay
And because curious little boys ask a million questions, the conversation continued while Ryan fixed his breakfast. Scott wanted to know why/how DJ got on his legs and the answer "God made him that way" wasn't enough so he asked more and more questions until he was either satisfied with the answer or distracted with something else.
25 April 2008
Murphy
When we took the Dave Ramsey course, one thing we recall being mentioned was Murphy's Law. As soon as you begin to save some cash for an emergency, Murphy's Law will test you. Well, we had just that right away. Car in the shop 2 or 3 times, etc. But recently Murphy has moved into our spare bedroom. With all the water in our basement last week and the need for a sump pump forced us to make some purchases. That meant either moving funds around in our budget as the month is almost over and we've got some wiggle room and then dipping into the emergency account. Yesterday Ryan found water standing in our basement. Oh, the sump pump is working great, we just have 3 other rooms in our basement with low spots. And when water is coming up through the concrete floor, its running to the low spot of each room and ponding. Sounds like Murphy got us again and Ryan will spend the afternoon trying to tile low spots to the sump pump. We're not excited about digging a hole in our floor but how long do we pump water out?
--------------------------
Dearest Murphy, we have an open door policy at our house. But you have joined the ranks of prohibited guests. If you need a friend, we've also prohibited Satan from our home and you may find him somewhere nearby.
Good Riddens,
Brick House Owners
--------------------------
Dearest Murphy, we have an open door policy at our house. But you have joined the ranks of prohibited guests. If you need a friend, we've also prohibited Satan from our home and you may find him somewhere nearby.
Good Riddens,
Brick House Owners
The Sky is Falling
Okay, so maybe the sky isn't really falling but it is flooding around here. The rivers are running wild, claiming the crop fields and some residences. The creeks have become raging rivers and the road ditches are like the canals I grew up with - full and running swiftly. Fields are ponded, bottom land is flooded and mini ditches have formed in all the crop fields where there should be waterways (hmm, I wonder if that will increase my work load any). Life is good though amidst all that. God provides all of our needs and then some!
23 April 2008
What's that Word?
I'm so drawing a blank right now on a specific word that I want to use... I'll type my post anyway and maybe I'll remember while I type.
Several times this week I've seen/read something and then later that day something happened directly related to what I saw/read earlier... dangit, its hard to explain without that word. I thought it would be fun to share those two events.
1. Friday night as I drove home from work, I saw a place where a spring was flowing out of the hill side. It's not uncommon around here to see that but the fact that I'd not seen it in that location before caught my attention. So, I turned around, pulled out my camera and snapped a few photos of it. Water flowing in an uncommon place, hmm. Imagine my surprise when I got home to see water flowing in my basement. Unlike Ryan, I found it amusing and quickly found myself singing songs pushing the broom. God, you're funny like that!
I didn't actually take a picture of the flooded basement but you get the idea. 1.5 to 2" of standing water... do you really need a picture?
2. The second "God, you're funny" moment came Monday ish. I was reading Merritt's blog about snake bites. No doubt, I was intrigued by her post as I know not to feed a snake in a tank but didn't know how to get one to release once it bites. Later that night while I was putting the kids to bed, the phone rang. It was my mom telling me that my cousin, Corey, had been bit by a rattlesnake and was in the hospital. Not a fun experience I'm sure. Here's a picture of his finger post bite:
Spring Cleaning
scroll down to read the update I just posted
3 days of sweeping, pumping, sucking
+
$140+ out of our emergency fund
=
A long & tiring weekend!
Friday morning all was well in our lovely home and we headed off to our work days. Friday night, I arrived home and headed down stairs for something (can't even remember what it was now) to find water in our basement. Thanks to God for giving me children that play well together and entertain themselves because we spent the next 4 hours getting the 1.5" deep water out of our basement. I started with a push broom near the drain in the floor. Ryan joined me in the basement and brought his pump that he uses on cattle stomachs. It was slow going but we were making progress. We eventually got smart and started using the wet/dry vaccuum. Ryan has it plumbed into a 55 gallon trash can (thanks for that idea Eric) to use for sawdust. My did that thing come in handy. We dumped it way too many times before we had the water cleaned up. We went upstairs at 11pm to eat supper before showering and heading to bed.
It was no surprise in the morning when it had filled right back up. This is a basement that doesn't get water in it, at least as far as Ryan was told when he purchased the house. And maybe it never had before but we could have floated through the rooms that day. Ryan went to work and I decided to call for help. My folks were feeling under the weather so I called Ryan's parents (who actually had plans on coming down to bring some stuff anyway). They brought the enclosed trailer so that I, against my husbands desire, could unload all the crap from the basement and get it cleaned up. This caused a little bit of a disagreement with Ryan who's not a neat-freak organizer like me. Saturday we once again sucked up the water as we perfected the the vaccuum system. Ryan cleaned up water, I hauled crap out of the basement (think: Ryan's woodshop, storage, area that his wife doesn't touch or organize for him), Ryan's dad loaded it to the trailer to keep it dry should it rain, and Ryan's mom watched the kiddos.
...more to come, my tummy is hungry...
+
$140+ out of our emergency fund
=
A long & tiring weekend!
Friday morning all was well in our lovely home and we headed off to our work days. Friday night, I arrived home and headed down stairs for something (can't even remember what it was now) to find water in our basement. Thanks to God for giving me children that play well together and entertain themselves because we spent the next 4 hours getting the 1.5" deep water out of our basement. I started with a push broom near the drain in the floor. Ryan joined me in the basement and brought his pump that he uses on cattle stomachs. It was slow going but we were making progress. We eventually got smart and started using the wet/dry vaccuum. Ryan has it plumbed into a 55 gallon trash can (thanks for that idea Eric) to use for sawdust. My did that thing come in handy. We dumped it way too many times before we had the water cleaned up. We went upstairs at 11pm to eat supper before showering and heading to bed.
It was no surprise in the morning when it had filled right back up. This is a basement that doesn't get water in it, at least as far as Ryan was told when he purchased the house. And maybe it never had before but we could have floated through the rooms that day. Ryan went to work and I decided to call for help. My folks were feeling under the weather so I called Ryan's parents (who actually had plans on coming down to bring some stuff anyway). They brought the enclosed trailer so that I, against my husbands desire, could unload all the crap from the basement and get it cleaned up. This caused a little bit of a disagreement with Ryan who's not a neat-freak organizer like me. Saturday we once again sucked up the water as we perfected the the vaccuum system. Ryan cleaned up water, I hauled crap out of the basement (think: Ryan's woodshop, storage, area that his wife doesn't touch or organize for him), Ryan's dad loaded it to the trailer to keep it dry should it rain, and Ryan's mom watched the kiddos.
...more to come, my tummy is hungry...
*updated April 23rd:
We eventually found a spot where the water was pouring in between bricks where the mortar was gone. It was as if someone had turned on a drinking fountain and let it flow. It was also coming up through the concrete floor. Mark (ryan's dad) worked and worked to keep the floor free of water hoping that it would slow down the flow. And it did slow some but never stopped. Tired and sore, we eventually left the basement. We went to bed that night and while we were praying together, I specifically prayed that God would either stop the flow of water for us OR that we would connect with someone that could help us out with a sump pump that they weren't using.
Sunday morning we woke to more water, but not as much is the morning before. Ryan stated that he would be watching baseball that afternoon and not be working in the basement. We do believe in the day of rest but in this situation, we needed to get it cleaned up. Our morning was filled with phone calls before we headed to church. Between my car and the church, I ran into our friend Chris who lives across the street. I told him what we'd been up to over the weekend and he told me that he had a sump pump in his basement that he wasn't using and we were welcome to use it. I was floored! I specifically prayed for that very thing and it was so cool to see how God divinely intervened on our behalf. That is not a coincidence! Anyway, Ryan spent Sunday afternoon working rather than resting. He ended up buying a new pump (they were on sale) when he bought the other items needed. Our friend Rhett had a concrete saw that helped tremendously. Our little buddy entertained the kiddos while I cleaned up water and Mark came down and helped Ryan put in a new sump pump. Oh the joys of spending money on "maintenance" type of stuff rather than fun stuff. As of this morning, the basement is still drying out...
Here's a few pictures for a quick review:
This was day 3, sucking out water, busting concrete and digging a hole all while water continued to poor in. Sounds like fun doesn't it?
My kiddos loved being outside. I couldn't get Scott to stay still long enough to get a decent picture of him.
21 April 2008
More Cleaning
With the spring cleaning comes a new face to my blog. I have work left to do on it, mostly adding links back in. And if I get brave enough, I'll figure out how to put a picture of my family at the top instead of the tiny one on the side.
18 April 2008
Grandma M
I wish I had more time today to write a post about a wonderful woman I call abuela (or grandma). She is such an amazing woman with all kinds of qualities that I wish I had. But, for lack of time, I'll just share the important stuff.
My grandma is having open heart surgery next Friday. She goes in early Thursday morning for tests. She's not ancient but she no spring chicken either. Please pray for my Grandma. Even a perfectly successful surgery will mean a long road to recovery.
My grandma is having open heart surgery next Friday. She goes in early Thursday morning for tests. She's not ancient but she no spring chicken either. Please pray for my Grandma. Even a perfectly successful surgery will mean a long road to recovery.
17 April 2008
Conversation with Scott
I had two young friends with me last night when I picked up Scott. They adore him and he adores them. On the way home, I hear the following
T: Scott, what did you do at Grammy's today?
S: I fell down the stairs, but it didn't hurt.
Yes, my son is two and when asked about his day he talks about the stairs. Maybe it was because mom had just told me about it when I picked him up. She said he got right up. Told her it didn't hurt. Then rubbed his chin and said that hurt a little. Funny kid.
T: Scott, what did you do at Grammy's today?
S: I fell down the stairs, but it didn't hurt.
Yes, my son is two and when asked about his day he talks about the stairs. Maybe it was because mom had just told me about it when I picked him up. She said he got right up. Told her it didn't hurt. Then rubbed his chin and said that hurt a little. Funny kid.
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