Counting It A Big Blessing!

by admin on November 12, 2009 in Do I Call It Parenting Advice?, Four Little Eggs In My Nest, Mama Heart Mushings, My Listening Year with 1 Comment

I find at a young age all children posses the heart of a helper and if parents calm down enough about perfection the child learns how to be good at helping. I am learning to be this parent.

Big Girl used to play ‘Cinderella’ when she was little. I would give her a damp cloth and she would, well, smudge everything in her path but with an earnest heart and desire to help Mommy. Big Boy was my little tidy up ‘Prince Charming’ and still is. He loves helping Mommy clean up the clutter in no time at all.

Little Woman is now entering that stage and partly because she like to feel like a minny mom. For the last couple weeks she has insisted on drying the dishes. I was very nervous about it at first and tried to deter her but, as many of you may no, three year olds are amazingly susceptible to ‘reverse psychology’ so this back fired for me.

Turns out she is quick, very careful and dedicated! I thought the fun would wear off right away but she is still drawn to me like a magnet when the sink starts filling up with suds and hot water! I clearly see one reason she really enjoys this is because she has me pinned down and can talk my ear off. I often get a little tired and just start doing the ‘uh hu‘, ‘oh yah‘, ‘yes dear’ but more often I really enjoy listening to her describe her crazy ‘Little Woman world’.

And please don’t offer to help! Oh she gets mad if I suggest she not worry about the last few dishes or try to dry them for her! And Mommy better get out of the way when it is time to wipe down the sinks at the end, this too is HER JOB! Truth is, if you can’t already tell, I appreciate the help GREATLY and adore the company while washing the dishes. It has made this miserable job something to look forward to!

I can count my blessings! I have been hoping for a dish washer and while I haven’t gotten that yet the Lord sent me company, conversation and a loving littler helper to make my burden lighter:)

TTFN

Only Love

by admin on November 11, 2009 in Music Flavor, My Listening Year with 4 Comments
Words and music by Carolyn Arends and Brad Crisler
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” — Martin Luther King Jr.

No one ever overcomes the dark with darkness
It takes a little light to chase the shadows back
So tell me why I try to fight the hate with hatred
When only love can do that

When I’m in this hole I just keep digging deeper
And when I lose my way I circle ’round this track
Trying to mend my heart with all the things that break it
When only love can do that

Only love, only love
Only love, only love
The more I try to fill me up
The more I lack
‘Cause only love can do that

Well I could swear sometimes it seems like I’m in quicksand
Or like I’m sinking fast in water cold and black
I go deeper down the more I try to save me
Guess only love can do that

Only love, only love
Only love, only love
The more I try to fill me up
The more I lack
‘Cause only love can do that

Well I have heard it said that you might be the answer
And it occurs to me — that could be a fact
‘Cause it was you who gave your life up for another
And only love can do that

Only love, only love
Only love, only love
The more I try to fill me up
The more I lack
‘Cause only love can do that

C 2001 Songs of Peer, Ltd / Mr. Marley’s Music (ASCAP)/EMI/April Music
Inc./Waltztime Music, Inc. (ASCAP)

Over and over again I am blessed by Carolyn Arends music. She is amazingly insightful and blessed with the ability to put such wise concepts into beautiful and easy to understand lyrics.
GOD IS LOVE, Jesus is God and his Holy Spirit lives in me… if I want to live by and in and through the Spirit then I must live by LOVE…
HE, God, Jesus, The Holy Spirit, LOVE is the opposite of human nature…

THUS THE BATTLE!

I have a battle in my heart… everyone does… to respond to life and people with LOVE or AGGRESSION (anger, fear, hate all being under the banner of aggression).

The more I think about my God and my people the less I have a selfish pull to respond with aggression. The more I seek to live by the Spirit the less often I find hills to die on. Do I want to win at the cost of others? I am coming to a place where I don’t.

It is not easy to choose love,…there is always a cost…
it is painful to learn selflessness because it requires constant sacrifice, and never stops for it is a continual choice in each and every situation and with each and every person…
it is painful treading water, trying to not sink when those you seek to love repeatedly try to pull you under…

I can’t seem to find the words… I can’t say it as clearly as Carolyn so I include her amazing lyrics… I have been feeling her words in my spirit long before I heard them and so when I listened to this song called ‘Only Love’ I weep in relief and agreement.

There really is no other option!
…for we don’t win if we think only of ourselves
…we don’t win if we live out of an aggressive nature
…we don’t win by force
We win by surrender!
Christ alone can win so let him win in your life!

THE BATTLE IS THE LORDS AND THE VICTORY IS OURS!

p.s. It struck me as I worked on this post how frightening it is to love and live like this because we have to trust that Jesus will have our back… we can’t worry about protecting ourselves! I AM AFRAID but ‘perfect love casts out all fear’ and ‘he has not given us a spirit of fear’!

TTFN

Brandon Heath and Sara Groves Performing

by admin on November 10, 2009 in Uncategorized with 1 Comment

Tea

by admin on November 9, 2009 in Bits Of My Personality, Book Flavor with No comments
There is a great deal of poetry and fine sentiment in a chest of tea. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson, Letters and Social Aims

I am looking for a book of tea. Anyone have recommendations? Something that is table book style and lovely to look at (hard cover) with plenty of information on all the types of teas and cultural information around them. I took a look on amazon and the list of tea books was terrifying so I am hoping someone can steer me in the right direction! Please let me know if you have a much loved tea book in mind!

Strange how a teapot can represent at the same time the comforts of solitude and the pleasures of company. ~Author Unknown

Another novelty is the tea-party, an extraordinary meal in that, being offered to persons that have already dined well, it supposes neither appetite nor thirst, and has no object but distraction, no basis but delicate enjoyment. ~Jean-Anthelme Brillat–Savarin, The Physiology of Taste

TTFN

Unconditionally I Wove My Little Woman!

by admin on November 8, 2009 in Dem Kids Sayed WHAT?, Do I Call It Parenting Advice?, Four Little Eggs In My Nest, Mama Heart Mushings with 1 Comment

Not so long ago, when Baby Boy first arrived I remember having to remind Little Woman that I wanted to give her love’n. When ever she would get upset with life and act out I would say ‘Just let me know when you need some love!’ and she would reply ‘I need some wove Mama.’ and then we would hug… well I think it is paying off. She seems to have a simple yet complex understanding of our love…

L.W.–“You wove me when I cry’n, wight Mama?”
MOM–“Yes, when you are happy I love you and when you are sad I love you!”
L.W–“You wove me when I gumpy, wight Mama?”
MOM–“Yes, when you are silly I love you and when you are mad I love you!”
L.W.–” Yup you wove me when I in the tub too!”
MOM–“Ha ha ha, Yes I love you when you are clean and when you are messy!”
L.W.–“When you wove me Mama?”
MOM–“I love my Little Woman always!”
L.W.–“Yup.”

Our conversation while she was having her bath today.

TTFN

Market Mall

by admin on November 7, 2009 in Bits Of My Personality, Do I Call It Parenting Advice?, Four Little Eggs In My Nest, Mama Heart Mushings with 1 Comment

I love Market Mall. It is one of the first indoor malls in our city and it has friendliness and community galore, unlike the big flashy malls that are way more popular. It was the perfect place for Big Girl and I to have our first real shopping night together.

We went out to find her something she would really enjoy (and something that she go to pick out all her own) because she has always had hand-me-downs and never has experienced picking things herself. We also went to find Mommy a black sweater… can you believe that is the only color sweater I didn’t have??

We hit ‘hangers’ and spent lots of time picking and trying things on. We really got into a groove in the change rooms and between trips down our imaginary cat walk we both found what we where looking for. We also found a new ability we both have, to help one another shop with honesty and understanding of our very different tastes! It brought back memories of times like that with my mom and so I was very very happy about our trip. We stopped for a root beer and a latte and even found the time to look at some books (Big Girl is so into reading all of a sudden!!!).

This trip was really important to me. I needed to have some honest conversation with my eldest daughter. We go out alone so rarely and I have felt the distance between us lately. She wants to be more cool then cute and is so interested in teens that she hasn’t appreciate my preaching about embracing her childhood as long as she can. After some fun we where able to really talk and I told her how I miss her and I don’t want her to pull away from me. She agreed she doesn’t want that either (phew, big mama sigh!!). I get teary thinking about our perfect evening out because I have so much love and pride wrapped up in that girl and I dream that she will appreciate and value me as much as I did and do my own mother.

I feel like such a winner when I am with Big Girl!

TTFN

Fatigue

by admin on November 3, 2009 in Bits Of My Personality, Life Keeps Changing with 3 Comments

Battling fatigue lately… well for ages now… I look back through the summer photos and I just want to jump right into them. We had a great summer, so much relaxing! I really wanted to live out those hot months simply and slowly and I feel like we succeeded even in the midst of moving into our new home. I am hoping for slow days this winter… slow days involving maybe a few dates with my man (it has been waaaaaaaaay to long) and moments with my kids. I see nights, under the park lights, skating on our local rink with my oldest two… lots of walks through the snow and trips up and down the sled hill.

Fatigue is frustrating when it limits the time I can spend doing things with my kids. Like when a man is unemployed and at home getting more and more restless I feel that every day as I look around at all I want to do and will not do because I need to nap some more…

TTFN

Eccentric Jewelry

by admin on November 2, 2009 in Bits Of My Personality with 3 Comments

Went to a necklace making party the other night, in honor of a friends birthday. It was very enjoyable. There was food and conversation but it was most interesting to see how different all our necklaces ended up. I have to say mine was eccentric in comparison. They each had something specific in mind and worked hard at making their necklace just right. They ended up with beautiful pieces of art that they should all be proud of, so lovely:)

I had no ideas but I found a pock-a-dot bead that was one of my favorite colors and everything followed from there. When I found a wooden flower shaped bead I new I was on a roll. I love big and chunky, wood and colorful necklaces. Following my nose I ended up with something without pattern and just my thing… There have been mixed reviews but it is like most pieces I am draw to when purchasing so I am tickled with it.

What a lovely idea for a party! I think this would be great for my daughters and I to get into for girls nights.TTFN

Honesty Is Warm, Masks Are Cold

by admin on October 31, 2009 in My Listening Year, People In My Heart with 1 Comment


I am good at wearing masks and tell myself that they are not just for my pride sake but necessary to function socially in a healthy fashion. I have been waiting for a place to be real, some women to be real with and I knew that was a God given desire and longing. I have had those types of connections in the past and I am thankful and optimistic about getting to know more sisters now and into the future. Transparency is key though and that doesn’t come naturally.

Tonight as I opened up about something I have been struggling with for years I felt initially scared, it has been such a precious secret of mine. I realise, almost as soon as I opened my mouth to share, it hasn’t be necessary to hold it in so tightly.

They prayed over me and I am so thankful. My Little Woman sat behind me on the couch as they laid hands on me and she mumbled in prayer and drove her hot wheel truck up and down my back… a moment of beautiful humor in the middle of a blessed and personal experience.

Secrets are only serious and big as long as they are keep secrets, friends are only so distant until you open up and let them through the door to your heart, life is only so hard when you think you are the ONLY ONE!

I am sitting in my living room still glowing from the spiritual time we had tonight. The comfy warmth in my home is the Spirit and he leaves me with a feeling like those perfect moments in front of a fire, with a cup of your favorite tea, and your cat on your lap, your favorite over sized sweater draped around you and a cold winters day at bay…

and I am thanking Jesus for honesty and unity among sisters tonight!

TTFN

First Hospital Stay

by admin on October 29, 2009 in Four Little Eggs In My Nest, People In My Heart with 5 Comments

It isn’t as serious as it sounds… hospital stay always sounds serious…I am pretty sure this is my first stay at a hospital for one of my kids (other then birthing) and that is pretty good considering I have been doing the mom thing for eight years.

Baby Boy and I have been at the hospital for the majority of two days. Took him in for a doctor check up because his breathing wasn’t sounding great and the doctor sent us to the hospital because it seemed like asthma. The first trip up we where sent home after treatment because he was doing better and they couldn’t say for sure he had asthma. A few hours later we where back up because he was worse. This time he was admitted to the hospital due to labored breathing issues and we spent the day there so he could be observed. They treated him for asthma (puffers and the mask) and that was all he needed, after a few doses of medicine he started to do a lot better. We are now home and he is back to his normal self, eating, sleeping well and playing up a storm.

The whole experience was harder due to no sleep for 48 hours and the effort it took to keep him happy being stuck to a crib all day. He was so bored! Making sure the other three kids where taken care of was a real concern too. Since I am nursing still I had to stay with Baby Boy almost the whole time. I am so thankful for the family and friends who stepped up to help us out with prayers and assistance!

Turns out he probably had an aggressive virus (just a cold) and it ware him down enough that he was struggling to breath and beet the bug off. He has caught bronchial infections (viral) almost monthly since he was born so I figured eventually one might be bad. No asthma diagnosis as he is too little for the breathing test. Between him and his oldest sister I look forward to having them officially tested in the future so we can say for sure one way or the other as far as asthma goes.

We are really thankful to be home. Sleeping in our own beds last night was wonderful!

TTFN

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