Speed up, no wait, slow down

The other day I attended my first PTA meeting. As I was sitting there listening to all the goings on in my children's school I couldn't help but think, "how in the world did I get here?" How am I sitting at a PTA meeting, for my kids? Some days it feels like I just graduated from college, got married and moved to the big city. But that was 7 years ago. Now I'm the proud mother of three crazy boys, sitting at a PTA meeting and I've been a stay-at-home mom for 5 years. Please someone, slow this all down.

Except today, I want it to speed up. Mostly because Trevor will be gone until 10pm tonight and I'm here alone, ALL DAY, with these three boys. That task can sometimes be very daunting some days, even for the most sane people. So speed up, no wait, slow down. Wasn't I just complaining that time was going to fast? So which is it? Speed up or slow down?

The transition into Kindergarten has gone fairly smoothly but it's not to say we've haven't had any bumps on this road. As a person who likes to plan and schedule this new school schedule has me in a tizzy. Nap times are different, lunch time is different, bed time is different (but earlier, MUCH earlier, so that's nice) but I'm slowly adjusting. Carson is too. Poor kid could use a nap or two during the week but there just isn't time. We're learning how to handle our after school time so that there is less fighting, less whining and more relaxing and unwinding. It's an adjustment. And some days I just want that after school time to be over, for Trevor to be home, for it to bedtime already. But then I think, I'm going to miss this. Someday I'm going to really miss these days of total chaos, of three little boys running wild in my house, of lazy afternoons discussing all the things we did in school. I'm going to be sitting at their high school graduation wondering where the time went. And so I want it to slow down. I need to learn to let it slow down, to savor these moments with my boys and to really enjoy this time as a mother of 3, five and under.

7.5 hours till bed time, 9.5 hours till Trevor's home. I can do this!

A Time to Remember

Today is a a sad day. Its a day of remembrance and in our house we are remembering one special person today.

Today would have been my sister's 38th Birthday.
Happy Birthday Cari!
We miss you and love you.

I don't think anyone will ever forget where they were 7 years ago today. I can remember the whole day as if it was yesterday. I remember calling my parents who were on vacation in Montana but decided to cut the trip short and just go home. I remember going to class but all of us trying to figure out what it was we saw on TV this morning. I remember going to work and writing God Bless America on the white board and talking to customers who just didn't know what to say or think. I remember watching hours and hours of tv not only that day but for the many days that followed.

Carson had school today. His biggest excitement from the day was bringing an apple to class so they could make applesauce. I'll note that he didn't actually eat any of it but he was pretty excited about the apple itself. Oh and I hear there was cupcakes too and some playing on the playground. All innocent activities that made his day.

Someday he'll go to school, both boys will, and they will begin to learn the history of this great country. And they will eventually learn the history of this world changing day. They will learn just how cruel some people can be. But that won't happen today or tomorrow and hopefully not for a few more years. I'd liked to think I can protect them from such cruel truths forever but I can't. So today I will hug them a little tighter, kiss them a little extra and tell them that I will always keep them safe.

May God Bless this great country, my sister, all those who lost family and friends 7 years ago and all the men and women who are so proudly serving this country. Because it IS a great country!

Financial Peace

In January Trevor and I began a 13 week course called Financial Peace University. Financial Peace University is a Biblically based, life-changing program that teaches you how to make the right decisions with your money. It was created by Dave Ramsey who has made it his vocation to help people with their money situation. I've been meaning to write about our experience in this class but I'm not sure I could do it justice. Plus, alot of this is personal and some of its hard to admit.

First off, its changed our lives. Completely!

Before we took this class things were tight, very tight. We lived paycheck to paycheck and seemed to be growing out credit card debt instead of our savings. I think both of us were in denial about our situation. We knew we had debt and I think we just assumed that some day it would get paid off. I was completely stressed out about money and nothing Trevor said or did made me feel any better. But then we enrolled in Financial Peace.

One of the most comforting things about this class was being in a room with people, both young and old, who were in the same place as us. In a crazy way it was comforting to know that our situation was far better then alot of people there. But it was nice to share stories, sorrows, hardships and excitement for the future. In our 13 weeks we learned about saving, paying off debt, insurance, investing and giving.

We are now on a budget which we do together every other week. We have cut up ALL of our credit cards and have not swiped a credit card (or debit card) in 5 months. We pay cash for EVERYTHING. We have a small savings set aside for emergencies, we have new and better insurance and most of all we have confidence. It is so invigorating. It is so refreshing. It is the best thing we have done for our family, marriage and life. We have a long road ahead of us but its a road that we are looking forward too.

I want everyone I know to take this class. Trevor and I regret that we did not take it sooner. So regardless of your age or your financial situation I highly recommend this class. It will change your life.

My Angel

Tonight as I was getting supper ready Carson came over with his blanket on his head. With out being questioned he said,

"Mama I an angel."

It seems they talked about angels at school today. So I quickly pulled out the camera and recorded these two videos.

He will give his angels charge of you

to guard you in all your ways.

On their hands they will bear you up,

lest you dash your foot against a stone

Psalms 91: 11-12

Dear God, thank you for my wonderful son. Thank you for sending me these sweet moments with him that make me appreciate him even more. These moments remind me how tender and innocent he is and how much I look forward to teaching him about you and your son, our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Amen

The true meaning of Christmas

Trevor and I have been talking alot about Christmas lately. Mostly, how to teach the boys about the true meaning of Christmas and not let it become so materialistic. We've talked about adopting a needy family, ringing the bell for the Salvation Army or volunteering our time in some other way to help them learn about Christmas. It's something that has weighed heavy on my heart and as I sat at the computer today I read JMom's post and I couldn't have said it any better. Here is her post......

Wednesday, November 07, 2007

Want is a 4 Letter Word

If there is a word that is quickly becoming unwelcome in my home it is the word "want." It is our 4 letter word.

I want that.
I don't want this.
But I want you to...
I don't want him to...
I said I wanted...

Their words represent the selfish attitude of my own heart and serve as a painful reminder of the human propensity to desire, crave, demand and covet. Unfortunately, I unknowingly fed this beast by giving the children toy catalogs as they came in a few months ago. I thought it was harmless fun. They have been occupied for hours over the last month or so peering at the pages. If only it had stopped there! Now they beg me for the mail so they can show me all of the things "Santa is gonna bwing."

Today I made a radical decision. There are no more toy catalogs in the house. My children were perfectly happy with the toys they have currently until they became consumers and started to obsess over all there is out there that they do not yet possess. I want to protect their innocence a little more from this rampant consumerism that has held me captive for too long.

I want them to enjoy Christmas. I hope they are excited to hope for things and thrilled to receive as well as give. I do not want them, however, to be so blinded by their "want" that they miss the countless things they have to be thankful for. This is tough. I am as apt as they are to get "sucked in" to the temptation of overdoing the material, consumer side of Christmas.

Lord, show me how to make Christmas magical in deep lasting ways. The gifts are fun, but the greatest gift is the One you gave. Ground us in perspective, Lord. Forgive us for ever allowing stuff to upstage your Son. Amen.

posted at 9:27 PM
7 comments

Childhood Innocence

Trevor and I often comment about the innocence of childhood. How wonderful it must be to not have a care in the world, no bills to pay, no job to go to, etc. Oh to go back to childhood where the most stressful part of the day is picking up your toys. It seems we are always delayed in getting the boys to bed on time because it is so much fun to watch them play and enjoy everything around them. Tonight Carson was entertained for a least 30 minutes with a scratcher pad we have for our cats. He delighted in all the things it could be come. Like a little mini tent.

Or a little tiny boat just big enough for him.

Declan can chase a golf ball around the kitchen floor for what seems like an eternity. Or the other day when he was happy as a clam playing with my makeup bag. A lady in the grocery store commented to me the other day about how the boys where silent in the cart and just absorbing everything around them. They weren't worried about the price of bananas or what was for dinner but they were more interested in the produce worker or the deli man who gives out cheese. What I wouldn't do to go back and have such childhood innocence again.

Carson has become our "sandwich stacker." He eats as much of the sandwich as he can without getting too close to the crust then stacks the remnants on top or each other. It's pretty comical but it makes me wonder, why do kids refuse to eat the crust? How does it start? I know I did as a child and I am sure most of you did as well. And at what point do we give in and eat it? Trevor still has times where he doesn't eat all the crust and my grandma refused to eat the crust of a pie. Well whoever invented those uncrustable sandwiches was a genius! Why didn't I think of that?

We have been struggling lately to get Declan to fall asleep on his own. He wants to be rocked and you can forget about doing it in a chair, he wants to be rocked standing up. If I go in there he has to be rocked but if Trevor goes in there he can keep him in his crib and usually get him back to sleep. So, Trevor has been a busy dad trying to teach Declan to fall asleep on his own. Something we never had to work on with Carson. Anyways, the last 2 nights Trevor has laid Declan down and he scoots up to Eeyore and lays his head down and is out.

Most people after they comment on his hair color make a comment about his eyes. They are amazing.

And last but not least a pretty thunder cloud tonight.

Lord, please let this be a sign that we are getting some much needed rain. And I also thank you for my 2 beautiful children and my wonderful husband. Thank you for bringing them into my life and allowing them to teach me so many wonderful lessons about life.
Amen!