How do you pick yourself up when you have taken a little trip to the land of despair? I've hit a few bumps in the road the last couple of weeks, and have been trying to find a way to "reset" my brain. Do you have a favorite saying or scripture? Prayer or song? For example, I'm trying to use "Love is patient, love is kind" to reset myself when I'm losing my patience with the girls over something. It's just a little trigger to remind me to step back and take a deep breath. But I haven't been able to find the same kind of thing to pull me up when I get a little down. I'd love to hear what works for you.
Blessing for a wonderful Monday!
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Why yes, that is 26.2 miles.
It has begun.
The jokes about the race.
You see, my husband only runs because the Air Force makes him. He would rather be playing racquetball or doing martial arts, snowboarding or playing volleyball. Running is not his thing. So tonight, when we were talking about the Marine Corps Marathon, which I registered to run in today, I made a comment about it being a fairly easy course.
He stopped and just looked at me. "Even if it was all downhill, it's still a marathon."
Did I mention that he thinks I'm crazy?
That's okay. He thinks my best friend, the one that decided we should do this, is crazier.
Tom puts up with us and our craziness. All 26.2 miles of it. And that's why we love him!
The jokes about the race.
You see, my husband only runs because the Air Force makes him. He would rather be playing racquetball or doing martial arts, snowboarding or playing volleyball. Running is not his thing. So tonight, when we were talking about the Marine Corps Marathon, which I registered to run in today, I made a comment about it being a fairly easy course.
He stopped and just looked at me. "Even if it was all downhill, it's still a marathon."
Did I mention that he thinks I'm crazy?
That's okay. He thinks my best friend, the one that decided we should do this, is crazier.
Tom puts up with us and our craziness. All 26.2 miles of it. And that's why we love him!
I've Been Busy
Aren't we all?
Life has been a whirlwind around here since Christmas.
Normal family of 6 stuff.
Medical stuff.
Military wife stuff.
Still settling into a new town stuff.
Political stuff. :(
Homeschooling stuff. (More to come on that!)
Starting a new business stuff.
And because I didn't have enough on my plate, as of today this stuff!
But I wanted to stop in and say hello! I miss it here in my little slice of cyber space. And I miss you. I'm hoping to get back here a little more often in the near future, but that may not be a reality until summer. There's more sinking than swimming going on around here, at least that's how I feel, so this blog is some of the excess weight that I need to shed at times. But I have lots to say and hopefully, I will get around to saying it soon.
The baby is screaming. I need to go. We'll talk soon...so much to talk about!
Life has been a whirlwind around here since Christmas.
Normal family of 6 stuff.
Medical stuff.
Military wife stuff.
Still settling into a new town stuff.
Political stuff. :(
Homeschooling stuff. (More to come on that!)
Starting a new business stuff.
And because I didn't have enough on my plate, as of today this stuff!
But I wanted to stop in and say hello! I miss it here in my little slice of cyber space. And I miss you. I'm hoping to get back here a little more often in the near future, but that may not be a reality until summer. There's more sinking than swimming going on around here, at least that's how I feel, so this blog is some of the excess weight that I need to shed at times. But I have lots to say and hopefully, I will get around to saying it soon.
The baby is screaming. I need to go. We'll talk soon...so much to talk about!
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Spilt Orange Juice
We're not supposed to cry over spilt milk. But my daughter didn't spill her milk. It was orange juice. And the tears came. Not from her, but from me.
Not a big deal, orange juice washes out of a table cloth. And most people come to expect a 2 year old to spill their drinks more often than not. But my 2 year old is different. It wasn't her young hands that failed her, it was her brain. She had a seizure. One of many she has every day.
We are one and a half years into a diagnosis process. A diagnosis of epilepsy.
And I'm tired.
I'm tired physically. From dragging a two year old, and at times the whole family, to doctors appointments and new hospitals. From adminstering medicine over and over, day after day, sometimes easily, sometimes with a difficult two year old who likes to make things challenging. I'm tired, mentally, from trying to make decisions about treatment. From racking my brain for answers that will most likely never be there. From trying to understand what doctors go to school for years to understand. I'm tired emotionally. From anger at old doctors who seem to have not done all they could to find an answer. From trying to stay calm when "explaining" that someone might see something unusual with my daughter every so often, but don't worry. She's fine. Tired from knowing she's not fine. Tired from trying not to freak out when grandparents react to what I must pretend not to notice every. single. day. to keep life "normal" for my kids. Tired from seeing other kids who are suffering much more than my child and there is nothing I can do about it.
I'm tired. And it is so hard to be strong when you are tired, but strong I must be. Strong for my children because they don't know that their sister has something "wrong" with her. And they shouldn't. Strong for my husband or else he would have to carry this weight on his shoulders alone. Strong for our extended family who do react. Because they care. They don't know how to not care, which of course makes us blessed.
We are so very blessed. Blessed to have a new doctor who is eager to get answers. Blessed to have an amazing hospital nearby that is full of people who not only want sick kids to get better, but to smile as much as possible while they get better. Blessed to have a beautiful daughter who is so full of life that she makes us laugh more than enough to make us forget her "issues" most of the time.
But most importantly, blessed to have a Father who, though I forget to turn to Him all of the time, never forgets to be there for me. To tell me to "Be Not Afraid." I've had to cling to this scripture over the last year and a half. Because I am afraid, a lot. But there really is no reason to be afraid. Because God's plan is perfect. And as long as I can remember that, there is peace.
And I can always buy more orange juice.
Not a big deal, orange juice washes out of a table cloth. And most people come to expect a 2 year old to spill their drinks more often than not. But my 2 year old is different. It wasn't her young hands that failed her, it was her brain. She had a seizure. One of many she has every day.
We are one and a half years into a diagnosis process. A diagnosis of epilepsy.
And I'm tired.
I'm tired physically. From dragging a two year old, and at times the whole family, to doctors appointments and new hospitals. From adminstering medicine over and over, day after day, sometimes easily, sometimes with a difficult two year old who likes to make things challenging. I'm tired, mentally, from trying to make decisions about treatment. From racking my brain for answers that will most likely never be there. From trying to understand what doctors go to school for years to understand. I'm tired emotionally. From anger at old doctors who seem to have not done all they could to find an answer. From trying to stay calm when "explaining" that someone might see something unusual with my daughter every so often, but don't worry. She's fine. Tired from knowing she's not fine. Tired from trying not to freak out when grandparents react to what I must pretend not to notice every. single. day. to keep life "normal" for my kids. Tired from seeing other kids who are suffering much more than my child and there is nothing I can do about it.
I'm tired. And it is so hard to be strong when you are tired, but strong I must be. Strong for my children because they don't know that their sister has something "wrong" with her. And they shouldn't. Strong for my husband or else he would have to carry this weight on his shoulders alone. Strong for our extended family who do react. Because they care. They don't know how to not care, which of course makes us blessed.
We are so very blessed. Blessed to have a new doctor who is eager to get answers. Blessed to have an amazing hospital nearby that is full of people who not only want sick kids to get better, but to smile as much as possible while they get better. Blessed to have a beautiful daughter who is so full of life that she makes us laugh more than enough to make us forget her "issues" most of the time.
But most importantly, blessed to have a Father who, though I forget to turn to Him all of the time, never forgets to be there for me. To tell me to "Be Not Afraid." I've had to cling to this scripture over the last year and a half. Because I am afraid, a lot. But there really is no reason to be afraid. Because God's plan is perfect. And as long as I can remember that, there is peace.
And I can always buy more orange juice.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Be a Burning Light
"If we remember that God loves us, and that we can love others as He loves us, then America can become a sign of peace for the world. From here, a sign of care for the weakest of the weak - the unborn child - must go out to the world. If you become a burning light of justice and peace in the world, then really you will be true to what the founders of this country stood for. God bless you!"
~ Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta, National Prayer Breakfast 1994
from OrthodoxyToday.org
~ Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta, National Prayer Breakfast 1994
from OrthodoxyToday.org
Saturday, January 21, 2012
2012 Book List
In an attempt to "use what I got," I went through the house and collected all of the books I haven't read yet. There really is no reason for me to step into a bookstore (or in reality, log on to Amazon) for quite some time. So here is my list of books to get through in 2012. To be fair, I've started a lot of them, but in the chaos I like to call my life, things happen and for whatever reason, I never get around to finishing.
In no particular order:
Mitten Strings for God: Reflections for Mothers in a Hurry
Weightless: Making Peace With Your Body
How to Raise Good Catholic Children
Adventures in Orthodoxy
God Is Love: Deus Caritas Est
The Catholic Way: Faith for Living Today
Pardon and Peace: A Sinner's Guide to Confession
The 5 Love Languages of Children
The Life of Mary As Seen by the Mystics
The Temperament God Gave Your Spouse
Clare and Her Sisters: Lovers of the Poor Christ
Large Family Logistics
Beautiful Girlhood: Revised by Karen Andreola
Strengthening Your Family: A Catholic Approach to Holiness at Home
Simplicity Parenting: Using the Extraordinary Power of Less to Raise Calmer, Happier, and More Secure Kids
Organized Simplicity: The Clutter-Free Approach to Intentional Living
The education of Catholic girls
How to Pray Well
Small Steps for Catholic Moms
Choosing Beauty: A 30-Day Spiritual Makeover for Women
Educating the WholeHearted Child -- Third Edition
Playful Learning: Develop Your Child's Sense of Joy and Wonder
A Mom After God's Own Heart: 10 Ways to Love Your Children
And maybe I'll fit in that last Jane Austen novel.
What will you be reading?
In no particular order:
Mitten Strings for God: Reflections for Mothers in a Hurry
Weightless: Making Peace With Your Body
How to Raise Good Catholic Children
Adventures in Orthodoxy
God Is Love: Deus Caritas Est
The Catholic Way: Faith for Living Today
Pardon and Peace: A Sinner's Guide to Confession
The 5 Love Languages of Children
The Life of Mary As Seen by the Mystics
The Temperament God Gave Your Spouse
Clare and Her Sisters: Lovers of the Poor Christ
Large Family Logistics
Beautiful Girlhood: Revised by Karen Andreola
Strengthening Your Family: A Catholic Approach to Holiness at Home
Simplicity Parenting: Using the Extraordinary Power of Less to Raise Calmer, Happier, and More Secure Kids
Organized Simplicity: The Clutter-Free Approach to Intentional Living
The education of Catholic girls
How to Pray Well
Small Steps for Catholic Moms
Choosing Beauty: A 30-Day Spiritual Makeover for Women
Educating the WholeHearted Child -- Third Edition
Playful Learning: Develop Your Child's Sense of Joy and Wonder
A Mom After God's Own Heart: 10 Ways to Love Your Children
And maybe I'll fit in that last Jane Austen novel.
What will you be reading?
Friday, January 20, 2012
Weightless Virtual Study
I got my copy of Weightless: Making Peace With Your Body!
Did you get yours?
Kate Wicker, the book's amazing author, has offered to participate in an online book club session (as life allows, of course).
Are you interested?
Leave a comment or send me an email letting me know you are interested, and I'll make it happen. Right now I am thinking a weekly post, chapter by chapter. This would allow you plenty of time in the week to fit in reading. I hope you'll join me!
Happy Friday!
! Did you get yours?
Kate Wicker, the book's amazing author, has offered to participate in an online book club session (as life allows, of course).
Are you interested?
Leave a comment or send me an email letting me know you are interested, and I'll make it happen. Right now I am thinking a weekly post, chapter by chapter. This would allow you plenty of time in the week to fit in reading. I hope you'll join me!
Happy Friday!
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Brought Tears to My Eyes
UPDATE: I apparently put a bad link in before, but it should be fixed now. Thanks, Noreen for letting me know!
Did you see this during the Bronco/Patriot game?
Love. It.
Did you see this during the Bronco/Patriot game?
Love. It.
Monday, January 16, 2012
To Do List
~ laundry
~ finish Christmas cards
~ laundry
~ hang some items throughout the house
~ laundry
~ reading
~ laundry
~ attacking the calendar for a 6 month outlook
~ and you guessed it...more laundry
Happy Monday!
~ finish Christmas cards
~ laundry
~ hang some items throughout the house
~ laundry
~ reading
~ laundry
~ attacking the calendar for a 6 month outlook
~ and you guessed it...more laundry
Happy Monday!
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