My Sweet Drew

He's been sick the past couple days.  I am praying that the fever doesn't return~so far, so good.  Hopefully we can return the world of CES tomorrow.  Hopefully.  I love him, and I love having quality time with each of the kids.  I was thinking today, though, that poor little Noah has NEVER had to stay home because of a sickness.  


Never.  


Isn't that sad?


He's missed because of a vacation, and when he was in kindergarten, on the days that Jonah was sick, I let him stay home with us.  Because they're twins.  And because at that point in their school career, they were mere babes and could not bear the thought of one not being just right down the hall.


***Sigh.***


So back to Drew.  I've enjoyed the time with him.  Yesterday we went to the doctor, then to the library and to Walgreens.  We came home, I fixed lunch, and we settled in to watch Kicking and Screaming.  After that {and my short little 15 minute power nap}, we played Phase 10.  At which point, he kicked my tail.  


I love him.  


Today was more of the same, but this time I took him to McDonald's for lunch~his choice, not mine.  Every time one of the boys gets sick, I let them pick where to eat lunch {if they're up to it}, and if it's Mc'D's {and it usually is}, we always sit at the exact same table.  It's in the back and in a corner and we always sit side by side.  They love this because since I work at their school, I don't get to eat lunch with them.  It's a fun time just to talk if they want to, or eat in companionable silence.  Drew and me did the latter today.  Well, that and we people watched.  And commented on how yummy our burgers and fries tasted.


After lunch we came back home, took some books to a friend's sick daughter, and came home and played Phase 10 again.  At which point, I kicked HIS tail. 


Muahaha.  


Revenge sucks.  

He wasn't very happy with me, but it was all in fun.  And maybe a pout or two.  But who's counting??

We went ahead and went to church tonight, and I let the sick one hang out with his Dad and his Papa in the video room.  And yes, even though we went, it's been since early morning that he had fever.  All day and tonight it was around the 98 degree mark.  Even after running around the church tonight, though he was clammy, his temp was 98.6.  There is something to be said for that perfect number when you're SO afraid that it has spiked again. 

We had choir practice, and once again, Music Man delivered.

 The man has a gift for putting together some music, and tonight we got started on Easter.  Well, not really, but we got a taste of a song or two.  Which is funny, since one of the songs is Taste and See.  {As in, "taste and see that the Lord is good!"  Psalm 34:8}  Wow.  It is going to be AHHHHHHMAAAAAZING.  

We also practiced this awesome song I posted on FaceBook last week called, "I Am".  And yeah, you can just imagine how great it is with that title.  If you're my friend on FaceBook, go to profile and try to find it.  It's worth the time it takes to listen to it.

So now, the hubs and I are hanging out in the living room {that's almost there, by the way!!!} watching some logging show on the History channel.  Sounds fascinating, doesn't it???

I thought about posting an entirely different post tonight about wives and husbands, and maybe I will, eventually.  But for tonight I wanted to keep it light hearted.  The reason for THAT post is that the Lord really convicted me of the way I used to treat my husband.  {And yes, this was without intention on my part.}  A friend gave me an audio book that pretty much changed my life.  It's called The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands, and it's written by Laura Schlessinger.  If you think this might interest you, click HERE.


It was seriously life changing, in spite of the ridiculous title.  Anyone who reads it and doesn't change the way she acts toward her husband needs to go back and re~read it.  And maybe again and again until you just plain GET IT. You can't NOT change after reading that.  Todd and I are not at all the perfect couple.  We never have been, and we never will be.  But there is a reason that we work, and once I share, it will all make sense.  Perfect sense. 

But anyway.  I was thinking about that book, and my hubby and I were talking, and I was inspired to write about marriage.  

But not tonight.  

Maybe soon, though.  

Did I mention that I'm excited about going back to work tomorrow {hopefully!!!!}???  I am.  I miss my sweet kids!  And all the hugs I get every single day.  Ahhhh.  I am beside myself with excitement.  And I've missed loving on my own sweet kiddos while they eat.  I'm thrilled to be able to work for a very understanding lady.  She is a mom and she understands that when kids get sick~your world just stops.  I wouldn't  have it any other way.

So my little tradition with my boys when they're sick has peaked my curiosity about what YOU do with YOUR kids while THEY'RE sick.   

Anything special you're dying to share?

Well, even if you're not DYING to share it, please do so anyway.  I'm always looking for new, fresh ideas on how to parent.  

Until then, I hope you all hug all your loved ones tonight.  Love to all of you, in the sweet name of Jesus.  
 

Regrets

I feel the need to apologize over my last post.  I'm coming off very whiny and not thankful.  I'm so sorry it seems that way.  {And no, no one said that, I just read it again.}  I love my kids and all their 13,437 questions they ask me each day.  I was just SLIGHTLY frustrated last night when I wrote that.  Kind of like I was on Tuesday night when I wrote "Dear Children".  


We did survive our night sans Todd last night.  Our power went out sometime close to 9pm, and finally at 10:45 because of boredom and me being tired of all the complaining, we decided to call it a night.  Have I mentioned my kids don't have bedtime on the weekends?  I let them stay up until they conk out.  Because of the power being off, and because I didn't feel right about letting them all sleep on the floor in our bedroom {the cats litter boxes are in there}, we made the executive decision to "camp out" downstairs in the living room.  


Good idea, right?  Except for the fact that Graham and I couldn't fall asleep.  We read by flashlight until close to 1am.  Hideous, right?  Oh, and by the way...speaking of reading?  Have you all seen the preview for the new movie coming out next weekend called Dear John?  I read that book.  It's by Nicholas Sparks.  AND OHMYGOODNESS it is awesome.  I've read most of his books and this one is no exception.  So, if you're a reader, I strongly recommend the book first, then the movie.  I can't wait to see it!!  Anyway, Todd finally got home sometime close to 2am and we all went upstairs to sleep.  Because it was freeeeeeeeezing down here.  I don't actually know the temp, but it was a chilly 60 degrees upstairs.  


We bundled all the kids up in 2 beds {Jonah's and Noah's} with tons of extra blankets, then went to bed ourselves.  Sounds fine and dandy, right?


Until we went to make the bed down, when we realized that one of the cats {Sambo} peed on the bed.  And the comforter, flat and fitted sheet and the mattress pad.  ARE YOU SERIOUS?  I feel like I'm on some bad sitcom at this point.  I was so tired that I couldn't see and my eyes were barely able to stay open.


SO.  We changed the sheets and scrambled around the house for some MORE blankets.  When we finally fell into bed, we were both so cold that we slept touching all night.  {Because we have a king sized bed, folks.}  Well.  All night?  Until 3am when all the lights came back on.


My first words when the blaring light beside me woke me up?  "Thank You, Jesus!!!"  Seriously, my face was like a popsicle.  It was so cold that the heater kept me awake forEVER because it kept going to warm up our house.  


We slept peacefully for 4 hours.  Then Jonah decided to test how loud he could scream from the playroom.  I so did not want to hear that.  But praise the LORD when I woke up, I was able to come downstairs and push "ON" on my coffee pot. 


We're among the fortunate ones, because some people in Collierville STILL don't have power.  It's awesome to have a warm house with lights that work.  


So, we're just hanging out around here all day.  We're not going anywhere.  My hubby and the greatest neighbor ever, Travis, are taking off all the crown molding and are about to putting up the wires for the surround sound.  We just may get this all done today!  And we'll have our furniture rearranged, hopefully, and the tv will be in its new home.  Maybe.  


I made some yummy potato soup for dinner last night.  I think we may have the leftovers tonight.  I am in the mood to cook.  Lucky for me, my awesome hubby went to Kroger for me on Thursday.  Him and all the other crazies, that is.  So we have plenty of yummy things I can whip up for dinner.  


Well.  I'm going to get off this thing.  I hope all you that are near me enjoy your day being iced in.  I know we will. 

U.G.H.

"Mom, I feel like I'm gonna throw up."

"Mom, when I walk, my foot {ankle, leg, toe, throat, finger, arm, toenail} hurts."

"Mom, what's for dinner?"

"Mom, {after dinner has been consumed} can I have a snack?"

"Mom, can I go outside and see if my bowl of water has frozen yet?"

"Mom, what's that noise?!?!?!"

"Mom!!!!  I can't find my ______________!!!"

"Mom!!!  The phone's ringing!"

"Mom, can I get a cookie?  They're not hot, I just touched them."

"Mom, the satellite's not working again!!"

"Mom, what movie can we watch?"

"Mom, since Dad's not here, can we all sleep with you?"

"Mom, what's going to happen if our lights go out?"

"Mom, where's my flashlight?"

"Mom, when's Dad gonna be home?"

"Mom, tell HIM to stop copying me." 

My turn:  "Todd!!!  Where are you???  Get home NOW PLEASE."  {He's riding with the Sheriff's dept. tonight b/c of all this icy stuff on the ground.}

The cabin fever thing is becoming annoying.  Our satellite apparently loves all the ice and has gone out.  It's a good thing we're movie buffs.  {LOL, I swear I just wrote 'bugs' instead of 'buffs'!!}

We just watched Field of Dreams, now we're onto Eight Below.  Which I'm pretty sure belongs to one of my friends, if only I could remember which one. 

Don't know what we're gonna do when this one's over. 

It's gonna be a lonnnnnnnng night.

I hear my book calling my name.  I'm reading Dear John.  Ohmygoodness.  It's seriously good.  I can't wait for the movie next weekend!!!

G'night and love to all.

Stay warm and dry.

House Update

So last night at the hideously late {to be starting such a HUGE project} hour of 7:00, Todd and I began the deconstruction of the room formerly known as Jonah's and Noah's.  {Did you like that?  It sounds so Prince~ish!}


The beds they have are so big that they don't fit through door frames.  SO.  Todd the manly man had to take them both apart in order to move them.  So he did.  And we did.  Then we had to start on the room formerly known as "the office".  We had to do a little in one room, then go do a little more in the other room.  And the vacuum and I walked down the hall at least 10 times.  


So, we finally finished and Jonah and Noah actually got to sleep in their new room last night.  The problem?  The walls are all yucky.  And tan.  And if you've been in my house, you know I don't do "tan".  I think it's a lousy excuse of a color.  So I'm thinking of painting the room.  Actually, I've already thought about it, and I will definitely be painting the room.  The good news is that it's a small room with no crown molding and just the 2 windows.  And can be done probably in 4 hours.  


We did that one time~me and my FANTABULOUS sister Trish painted Graham's and Drew's room in one day and completely rearranged it and everything.  It was like that old TLC show, While You Were Out.  They didn't even know we were doing anything that day.  I'd love to do that with the little guys.  


The other thing I have to do in their new room is move all their clothes from their old closet into their new one.  And we need to have a toy sale.  DO WE EVER NEED TO HAVE A TOY SALE.  Because it looks like the Toy Fairy threw up in the playroom.  


So.  That's all.  I will like it better when it's all painted and decorated and cute again.  It's my goal to make every room in this house look "just so", and this one has a ways to go before it reaches that status.  


Oh, just a cute little story~we were putting Noah's bed against the window in their room last night {where faux wood blinds hang} and we told Noah that he'd better not mess with the blinds while he was in bed at night.  Because if he did, he would break them {like Graham did in his room when he was 4 years old}.  So when we told him that he said, "Well, I was thinking I want to try my bed on that other wall."  As if he just knew that he wouldn't be able to restrain himself from playing with the blinds!  We shared a good laugh.  


Okay, well, I hope you all have a great day.  Happy Wednesday!!!!

Dear Children,

I know you might not be perfect.  And I'm sorry for the times I expect you to be that way.  I'm also sorry for the times when I completely FREAK out over your rooms and closets and how I can get neither in nor out.  
  

*SIGH.*


I sometimes forget that you are boys.  And while I do not understand, I'll try and remember that you're going to be messy.  And loud.  And smelly.  And put up a fight over getting into the shower.


I forgive you for immediately consuming all the "good stuff" the second {or so it seems} I get home from the grocery store.  




And then complain of a tummy ache because "I ate too much".  



I'll try not to laugh when you trip over something and fall.  But please forgive me when I slip and do just that.  Because I have always been that way.




And please, will you stop growing?  My arms miss holding you, Graham and Drew.  And Jonah and Noah, I'm not ready for you two to stop being my "babies", just because you were. 





I don't remember the last time any of you asked me to marry you.  




I'm not ready to be the mom of an almost teenager {and yes I do realize I have 2 more years, but do you realize how fast the time flies?}.  




I'm not ready to handle some of these issues that come with you all growing up.




Please be kind and stay little forever.  I won't sing to you anymore {unless you ask me to} if you don't want me to.  And I will try not to meddle into your everyday lives~even though that might be the cause of all these grays I keep finding.  




But can you please stay this age forever?  Please?




I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always.  As long as I'm living, my baby{ies} you'll be.  




Love,
Your tired, sometimes frustrated, always well~meaning, loving, never perfect, reminiscing Mom


 

Heart Issues

I posted on my facebook status this morning a Bible verse that I looked up on Biblegateway.com, and it's one that I love.

"Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life."  Proverbs 4:23 NIV


"Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you.  Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path.  Don't get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil."  Proverbs 4:25~27 NLT


Is your heart being guarded?


Really?  At all times, even when no one is looking?

What about your mind?  Your thoughts?  Your actions?

I'm praying about this in my own life.  I pray that I can be the same ALONE as I am around lots of people.  I pray that in Christ Jesus He will guard all of my heart, my mind, my thoughts, and my actions.  

When no one is looking.

What about you?

I know this might be a touchy subject.  But it's one I'm willing to talk about.

This also goes along with us being the nicest to those immediately surrounding us, NOT just strangers, whom we may never see again.


I'm just sayin'.


 I loved this, and it spoke volumes to me today.  


I challenge you to practice this with me, starting right now.  Pray and ask God for wisdom, because He will freely give it.  


Love to all.