I get together every other Monday with my "MITI Mom" friends. The "MITI" part stands for Moms In Touch International. We meet to pray for our kids. And I mean pray.
My natural tendency would be to talk a lot more than I pray. And apparently I'm not the only one like that, so MITI suggests planning a fairly structured prayer time, including Praise, Confession (which is silent), Thanksgiving and Intercession. Of course, we can always bring our own requests in our own words, but we are learning to pray God's words for our kids.
Elizabeth Elliott says it so much better. This is from "A Lamp For My Feet."
Often I pray for someone whose circumstances or needs are unknown to me. There are many prayers in Paul's letters which may be used for almost anyone. One of my favorites is in Colossians 1:9-12. A part of this prayer asks "May He strengthen you, in His glorious might, with ample power to meet whatever comes with fortitude, patience and joy, and to give thanks to the Father" (NEB).
That seems to cover every possibility. It does not ask for instant solutions or reversals. It does not call on God for miraculous deliverance out of any trouble that might come. It asks for a truly Christian response, by the sufficient power of God: to meet whatever comes as a true Christian should meet it, with the Holy Spirit's gifts of fortitude, patience, and joy. It asks for the power to give thanks. It takes power, doesn't it, to thank the Father when everything in us protests? But we find in Him (not always in what happens to us) plenty of reason to thank Him and plenty of power.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Ha Ha Ha
I know, this is random of me, but I thought you might enjoy this. (Especially my mom...)
Mother of the Bride
The wedding day was fast approaching. Everything was ready, and nothing could dampen Jennifer's excitement.
Her mother Sheila finally found the perfect dress to wear and would be the best-dressed mother of the bride ever!
A week later, Jennifer was horrified to learn her new mother-in-law, Barbie, had purchased the same dress. She asked Barbie to exchange the dress, but Barbie refused, "Absolutely not! I'm going to wear this dress. I'll look like a million bucks in it!"
Jennifer told her mother, who graciously replied, "Never mind, dear. I'll get another dress. After all it's YOUR special day, not ours."
Two weeks later, another dress was finally found. When they stopped for lunch, Jennifer asked her mother, "What are you going to do with the first dress? Maybe you should return it. You don't have any place to wear it."
Sheila grinned and replied, "Of course, I do, dear. I'm wearing it to the rehearsal dinner."
Mother of the Bride
The wedding day was fast approaching. Everything was ready, and nothing could dampen Jennifer's excitement.
Her mother Sheila finally found the perfect dress to wear and would be the best-dressed mother of the bride ever!
A week later, Jennifer was horrified to learn her new mother-in-law, Barbie, had purchased the same dress. She asked Barbie to exchange the dress, but Barbie refused, "Absolutely not! I'm going to wear this dress. I'll look like a million bucks in it!"
Jennifer told her mother, who graciously replied, "Never mind, dear. I'll get another dress. After all it's YOUR special day, not ours."
Two weeks later, another dress was finally found. When they stopped for lunch, Jennifer asked her mother, "What are you going to do with the first dress? Maybe you should return it. You don't have any place to wear it."
Sheila grinned and replied, "Of course, I do, dear. I'm wearing it to the rehearsal dinner."
Wyatt the Bird Whiz
Have I mentioned Wyatt's interest in birds? I think so...
At his birthday last summer he received some great bird books. His favorites are a book of birds of the PNW, from Grandpa Burke and Granny Mary, and a book that not only shows pictures but also plays recorded bird calls, I think from Uncle Dave. He confidently names all kinds of birds. Maybe over-confidently? But then he'll show me a picture and I'll have to admit that he's right.
He had his eye on this pair, visiting Aunt Tami's hummingbird feeder, but we didn't recognize them and they were pretty skittish. She was able to get a picture through the window and emailed it to me.
Wyatt identified them in about 30 seconds.
Northern Orioles.
Aren't they pretty? Wyatt says that the one on the right is a male, and the one on the left is a female. So with any luck maybe Tami will be seeing more of them :0)
At his birthday last summer he received some great bird books. His favorites are a book of birds of the PNW, from Grandpa Burke and Granny Mary, and a book that not only shows pictures but also plays recorded bird calls, I think from Uncle Dave. He confidently names all kinds of birds. Maybe over-confidently? But then he'll show me a picture and I'll have to admit that he's right.
He had his eye on this pair, visiting Aunt Tami's hummingbird feeder, but we didn't recognize them and they were pretty skittish. She was able to get a picture through the window and emailed it to me.
Wyatt identified them in about 30 seconds.
Northern Orioles.
Aren't they pretty? Wyatt says that the one on the right is a male, and the one on the left is a female. So with any luck maybe Tami will be seeing more of them :0)
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Word Play
Well.
Now that you've all had a good laughat me, you'll be glad to know that we're settling back into our groove. We managed to get through our day without forgetting anything major. Of course, we didn't have anything major today...
We've been learning about idioms recently. Apparently figurative language can be tricky for deaf/HoH folks, although Tate seems to be really enjoying this. Probably because he sees himself as the comedian of the family, though anyone with a 10 year old boy will understand our misery. A surprisingly, (or not), high percentage of boy-humor revolves around bodily functions and odors, which - even in this household - have a limited appeal.
Tate is pretty darn good with words, though, and understands that adult humor often has to do with plays on words. (And by adult humor I'm not talking skanky, just differentiating it from the endless stream of knock-knock jokes, and chickens crossing roads.)
Actually, sometimes he's funnier than he knows. He really likes to use big words, and his vocabulary is impressive. But sometimes he's just almost there, but not quite. Like when we announced that we were going to go Out To Dinner. The boys immediately started lobbying for their favorite places, but Kerry wanted Chinese food... not their favorite. Tate said, "Well, that would be all right, but we're not quite immune to it."
Um, Tate, it's not poison. But that's not what he meant. Really. I don't know what word he was reaching for, just that he wasn't thrilled with the idea of Chinese food.
But then he raised his game, and started riffing on our memory verses...
"For to me, a cheese-burger is good, but pizza is better... yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to have pizza and chocolate, which is better by far, but it is more necessary for me to eat fruits and vegetables..."
Oh. My. Word.
Now that you've all had a good laugh
We've been learning about idioms recently. Apparently figurative language can be tricky for deaf/HoH folks, although Tate seems to be really enjoying this. Probably because he sees himself as the comedian of the family, though anyone with a 10 year old boy will understand our misery. A surprisingly, (or not), high percentage of boy-humor revolves around bodily functions and odors, which - even in this household - have a limited appeal.Tate is pretty darn good with words, though, and understands that adult humor often has to do with plays on words. (And by adult humor I'm not talking skanky, just differentiating it from the endless stream of knock-knock jokes, and chickens crossing roads.)
Actually, sometimes he's funnier than he knows. He really likes to use big words, and his vocabulary is impressive. But sometimes he's just almost there, but not quite. Like when we announced that we were going to go Out To Dinner. The boys immediately started lobbying for their favorite places, but Kerry wanted Chinese food... not their favorite. Tate said, "Well, that would be all right, but we're not quite immune to it."
Um, Tate, it's not poison. But that's not what he meant. Really. I don't know what word he was reaching for, just that he wasn't thrilled with the idea of Chinese food.
But then he raised his game, and started riffing on our memory verses...
"For to me, a cheese-burger is good, but pizza is better... yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to have pizza and chocolate, which is better by far, but it is more necessary for me to eat fruits and vegetables..."
Oh. My. Word.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
News Flash
I know, I know. Some of you are operating under the delusion that I have my act together. Let me quickly dispel that notion.
I made a discovery today, are you ready?
Today is TUESDAY. Yes, that's right, it's TUESDAY. The day following Monday, which was a holiday.
So, though it may feel like Monday, trust me, it is indeed TUESDAY.
And, if it makes you feel better, know that I came to that brilliant conclusion exactly 10 minutes before we were expected to meet with the D/HoH teacher, while I was calmly meandering downstairs, considering our plans for lunch. Which ended up involving a drive-through with a Big Yellow M above it, squeezed in between 1pm sign language and 2pm piano lesson, children eating in my van (normally forbidden), and me throwing out encouraging and edifying comments like, "If you'd just chew faster you could finish that second hamburger before we get to the top of the hill," and "Of course hamburgers are nutritious, they've got all the food groups in one tidy package," and "We'll just count ketchup as the vegetable," and "Don't be such a sissy about seat belts, we need Wyatt's music bag from the back of the van," and "No, I'm not speeding, it just feels like we're going faster because... because you're chewing."
Possibly I'm out of the running for "Mother of the Year."
Possibly.
But the good news is that I did remember to mention to Wyatt's piano teacher that the day she's chosen for the end-of-year recital just happens to be Gunnar's and my dad's birthdays. So whatever piece she'd like Wyatt to learn for the recital, we'd also like to add the birthday song, which he's already learned. She's all over it.
But Wyatt, being troublesome, then announced that the way he learned it (weeks ago) is much too babyish for an advanced pianist, such as himself. Because, you know, he's been taking lessons for all of four months. She gently explained to him that the more advanced version would require playing chords with his left hand while picking up his right hand and moving it about the keyboard, which may possibly be difficult to manage at this stage of the game.
He's contemplating that. But not happy.
I told him that I would photocopy the "baby" version from his book, and see if I could dress it up a bit, keeping it within his reach.
We shall see.
I made a discovery today, are you ready?
Today is TUESDAY. Yes, that's right, it's TUESDAY. The day following Monday, which was a holiday.
So, though it may feel like Monday, trust me, it is indeed TUESDAY.
And, if it makes you feel better, know that I came to that brilliant conclusion exactly 10 minutes before we were expected to meet with the D/HoH teacher, while I was calmly meandering downstairs, considering our plans for lunch. Which ended up involving a drive-through with a Big Yellow M above it, squeezed in between 1pm sign language and 2pm piano lesson, children eating in my van (normally forbidden), and me throwing out encouraging and edifying comments like, "If you'd just chew faster you could finish that second hamburger before we get to the top of the hill," and "Of course hamburgers are nutritious, they've got all the food groups in one tidy package," and "We'll just count ketchup as the vegetable," and "Don't be such a sissy about seat belts, we need Wyatt's music bag from the back of the van," and "No, I'm not speeding, it just feels like we're going faster because... because you're chewing."
Possibly I'm out of the running for "Mother of the Year."
Possibly.
But the good news is that I did remember to mention to Wyatt's piano teacher that the day she's chosen for the end-of-year recital just happens to be Gunnar's and my dad's birthdays. So whatever piece she'd like Wyatt to learn for the recital, we'd also like to add the birthday song, which he's already learned. She's all over it.
But Wyatt, being troublesome, then announced that the way he learned it (weeks ago) is much too babyish for an advanced pianist, such as himself. Because, you know, he's been taking lessons for all of four months. She gently explained to him that the more advanced version would require playing chords with his left hand while picking up his right hand and moving it about the keyboard, which may possibly be difficult to manage at this stage of the game.
He's contemplating that. But not happy.
I told him that I would photocopy the "baby" version from his book, and see if I could dress it up a bit, keeping it within his reach.
We shall see.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Simple Woman #20
Simple Woman
FOR TODAY May 25, 2009
Outside My Window... My "dogwood cloud" is still going strong, and tossing in the breeze today, which is chilly. The boys are out in the yard with Jonathan, a friend and neighbor. Laundry flaps on the line, and the flag on the pole in front of the porch.
I am thinking... how strange it seems to be writing this when it's not a school day! Today doesn't feel like a Monday. Also, being Memorial Day, I am thinking of the book we've been reading, " A Fighter Pilot In Buchenwald".
I am thankful for... all the new trim in my office, the bathrooms, and our (master) bedroom. It looks SO much nicer than it used to! Of course, now it needs to be painted... *sigh*
From the learning rooms... everything is ready for tomorrow, but no school work today :0)
From the kitchen... leftovers, warming in the microwave for Kerry. BBQ for dinner tonight (who would've seen that coming?!)
I am wearing... capri pants, a tank-top, and an aloha shirt. Apparently when I dressed this morning I was overly optimistic, now I'm just cold. (Humming to myself, "going where the weather suits my clothes...".)
I am creating... plans for summer "projects", because that doesn't sound at all like "school."
I am going... round in circles? I'm anxious to be planning out our next school year, but need to buckle down and finish this one. I'm worse than the boys.
I am reading... still reading the same with the boys (mentioned above), also just finished a very quick read, "Rosie Dunne" by Cecelia Ahern. (Also read her "If You Could See Me Now", previously.) Guilty pleasures :0)
I am hoping... to be shocked and surprised by my sudden ability to complete all the projects I'm dreaming up, rather than the usual tenth of them. It's pathetic, really.
I am hearing... Wyatt, practicing piano, with intermittent bouts of whining and complaining. Apparently I have not only ruined his day, but his entire life, with my unreasonable expectation that he tear himself away from Dino-opolis for 30 minutes.
Adolescence has descended upon us.
Around the house... I mentioned last week that we had a contractor here working. (You do want to think carefully when you hire a contractor, because you're going to be spending a lot of time together. Good thing we chose well, as Rod has become a family memeber...) We did our Big Remodel in 2005 and 2006, and it is still going on. That, BTW, is no bad reflection on our contractor, but the state of our finances.
He has finished the most recent project and I am now working my way through the house, wiping up sheet-rock dust, which has an amazing ability to get everywhere. (Reminds me of a certain high school prank involving someone's locker and those teeny tiny styrofoam balls that bean-bag chairs are filled with. You'd probably be shocked at how far and how quickly those will spread with nothing but a little static electricity. Not that I'd know anything about that... ahem... but that's what I'm told.)
One of my favorite things... tight vocal harmonies, like Gene Puerling's "A Nightingale Sang in Berkely Square."
A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: nose to the grindstone. Finish math with Wyatt and Tate. Schedule testing. Clean. Sort. Wash. Repeat.
Here is picture thought I am sharing...
The boys' Junior Ski to Sea Team
Saturday, May 23, 2009
5 Wonderful Things About Motherhood
My friend Leah tagged me for this one. And she set the bar pretty high! She writes wonderfully about her two little guys, Nolan and Matthew, at "Say What".
5 Things I Love About Being A Mom
1. Progress
Good gracious. They’re growing like dandelions! But more than their size, I love watching my boys mature and develop. Sometimes faster and sometimes slower, sometimes with ease and sometimes with great frustration, we are making progress. They learn, they grow, they develop skills… from riding bikes, reading, swimming, building, long division, apostrophes, geometry, and spelling, to memorization, courtesy, self-control, and wisdom. We haven’t “conquered” all these things, but we’re making progress.
2. Adventure/Discovery
Who knew every single day could be such an adventure? From scaling the heights of Mt. Laundry, to creating an alternate universe (Dino-opolis), the boys have a way of making the mundane exciting. And me? I get to see ordinary things through fresh eyes. A lizard sheds his skin, and we are amazed. We stay up late to watch the Space Station float across the sky, and we are in awe. We get a pile of snow in December and we are ecstatic. I remember the day Tate (probably 3) came running to me in the kitchen, his eyes as wide as could be, and announced his epiphany breathlessly, “Mom! Veggie Tales are all FOOD! Talkin’ FOOD!”
Who knew?!
3. Fullness of Joy
Not much is “ho hum” with kids. We won’t dwell on the downside of that equation, but the upside is the exuberance with which the boys devour life. They are the very definition of “whole-hearted”. They play soccer with every fiber of their being. They work on their “treehouse” (Kerry calls it a Bubba Shack) like their lives depended on it. You should’ve seen them last winter when the sanding truck came around and ruined their sledding hill. They were out there in minutes, with shovels and sleds, organizing anyone who would help into a brigade to haul snow from the neighbors' yards and spread it on the road, covering up the nasty sand.
4. Humor
Oh. My. Goodness. Of course, they’re the funniest when they don’t mean to be. I try to show that in the blog, but most of it goes by too fast to capture. But there are moments… like when we had Serena living with us and they taught her (barely 2 years old) to burp her ABC’s, or the time I had little Gunnar at the grocery store and we were in line behind a (teen? young man?) with a purple Mohawk and lots of goth/punk accessories. Gunnar looked him over, with wide eyes, and then announced, “Mama! He looks like a PORCUPINE!”
5. Snuggles
Hah! They may be getting bigger, but I still get plenty of lovin’!
I'm reluctant to tag anyone because it seems like a busy time of year. But if you want to play, leave me a message - I'd love to see what you have to say.
5 Things I Love About Being A Mom
1. Progress
Good gracious. They’re growing like dandelions! But more than their size, I love watching my boys mature and develop. Sometimes faster and sometimes slower, sometimes with ease and sometimes with great frustration, we are making progress. They learn, they grow, they develop skills… from riding bikes, reading, swimming, building, long division, apostrophes, geometry, and spelling, to memorization, courtesy, self-control, and wisdom. We haven’t “conquered” all these things, but we’re making progress.
2. Adventure/Discovery
Who knew every single day could be such an adventure? From scaling the heights of Mt. Laundry, to creating an alternate universe (Dino-opolis), the boys have a way of making the mundane exciting. And me? I get to see ordinary things through fresh eyes. A lizard sheds his skin, and we are amazed. We stay up late to watch the Space Station float across the sky, and we are in awe. We get a pile of snow in December and we are ecstatic. I remember the day Tate (probably 3) came running to me in the kitchen, his eyes as wide as could be, and announced his epiphany breathlessly, “Mom! Veggie Tales are all FOOD! Talkin’ FOOD!”
Who knew?!
3. Fullness of Joy
Not much is “ho hum” with kids. We won’t dwell on the downside of that equation, but the upside is the exuberance with which the boys devour life. They are the very definition of “whole-hearted”. They play soccer with every fiber of their being. They work on their “treehouse” (Kerry calls it a Bubba Shack) like their lives depended on it. You should’ve seen them last winter when the sanding truck came around and ruined their sledding hill. They were out there in minutes, with shovels and sleds, organizing anyone who would help into a brigade to haul snow from the neighbors' yards and spread it on the road, covering up the nasty sand.
4. Humor
Oh. My. Goodness. Of course, they’re the funniest when they don’t mean to be. I try to show that in the blog, but most of it goes by too fast to capture. But there are moments… like when we had Serena living with us and they taught her (barely 2 years old) to burp her ABC’s, or the time I had little Gunnar at the grocery store and we were in line behind a (teen? young man?) with a purple Mohawk and lots of goth/punk accessories. Gunnar looked him over, with wide eyes, and then announced, “Mama! He looks like a PORCUPINE!”
5. Snuggles
Hah! They may be getting bigger, but I still get plenty of lovin’!
I'm reluctant to tag anyone because it seems like a busy time of year. But if you want to play, leave me a message - I'd love to see what you have to say.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Death is not dying
Have you seen this - Death is not Dying?
My friend Susan, in Brazil, sent me this link. I don't have the techie cleverness to import the video, but you can click the link above and see it for yourselves.
And you should.
But wait until the kids are in bed, because it's almost an hour long and you won't want to be interrupted. And you'll want tissues.
Rachel is a young mother and wife, and she is dying of breast cancer that has spread to her bones, liver, and brain. She was asked to speak to the women's group at her church in Vancouver, B.C. They expected about 40, but apparently ended up changing the venue to accommodate ~600 women. She clearly and compellingly gives a reason for the hope that she has. You'll want to listen.
(And this isn't some kind of infomercial... they're not selling or soliciting anything.)
My friend Susan, in Brazil, sent me this link. I don't have the techie cleverness to import the video, but you can click the link above and see it for yourselves.
And you should.
But wait until the kids are in bed, because it's almost an hour long and you won't want to be interrupted. And you'll want tissues.
Rachel is a young mother and wife, and she is dying of breast cancer that has spread to her bones, liver, and brain. She was asked to speak to the women's group at her church in Vancouver, B.C. They expected about 40, but apparently ended up changing the venue to accommodate ~600 women. She clearly and compellingly gives a reason for the hope that she has. You'll want to listen.
(And this isn't some kind of infomercial... they're not selling or soliciting anything.)
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Tales of Lost Underwear
Curious?
Well, what makes this funnier is that just yesterday my friend Cutzi told a story about her 3-year-old losing his underwear, and I thought, "Ha ha! Aren't 3-year-olds funny?!"
And then, this...
Gunnar sweet-talked Daddy into letting him sleep in the big bed last night. Sometime in the middle of the night, he (Gunnar) got very restless - talking and fidgeting in his sleep. Well, experience has taught me that restlessness probably means he needs to go potty. But I'm not the only heavy sleeper in the house....
Sometime in the middle of the night:
Me - "Gunnar, get up and go potty."
Gunnar - "Okay mommy." But no progress toward the bathroom.
Me - "Gunnar, you need to get up and go to the bathroom.
Gunnar - "Okay mommy." He pushes the covers back.
Me - "Gunnar, you need to get out of bed and go to the bathroom."
Gunnar - "Okay mommy." He stands on the floor.
Me - Waiting for progress... "Gunnar, go to the bathroom."
Gunnar - No response, but I hear him removing his pajamas. He is standing in front of Kerry's dresser.
Me - "Gunnar! Go into the bathroom and go potty in the toilet!"
Gunnar - Gives me a bewildered look, but shuffles into the bathroom with an, "Okay Mommy."
Me - Hearing little tinkling sounds in the toilet, I realize that I am now fully awake and get up to use the bathroom myself.
Gunnar - exits the bathroom with nothing on but his pajama top.
Me - "Gunnar, put your jammies back on."
Gunnar - "Okay Mommy."
Early this morning:
Me -wake up before 6:30, but stay in bed, not wanting to wake anyone else.
Gunnar - begins to stir at about 6:45, gives me a cuddle, then raises the covers and fumbles around down below. And says,...
"Mommy, where are my underwear?"
Well, what makes this funnier is that just yesterday my friend Cutzi told a story about her 3-year-old losing his underwear, and I thought, "Ha ha! Aren't 3-year-olds funny?!"
And then, this...
Gunnar sweet-talked Daddy into letting him sleep in the big bed last night. Sometime in the middle of the night, he (Gunnar) got very restless - talking and fidgeting in his sleep. Well, experience has taught me that restlessness probably means he needs to go potty. But I'm not the only heavy sleeper in the house....
Sometime in the middle of the night:
Me - "Gunnar, get up and go potty."
Gunnar - "Okay mommy." But no progress toward the bathroom.
Me - "Gunnar, you need to get up and go to the bathroom.
Gunnar - "Okay mommy." He pushes the covers back.
Me - "Gunnar, you need to get out of bed and go to the bathroom."
Gunnar - "Okay mommy." He stands on the floor.
Me - Waiting for progress... "Gunnar, go to the bathroom."
Gunnar - No response, but I hear him removing his pajamas. He is standing in front of Kerry's dresser.
Me - "Gunnar! Go into the bathroom and go potty in the toilet!"
Gunnar - Gives me a bewildered look, but shuffles into the bathroom with an, "Okay Mommy."
Me - Hearing little tinkling sounds in the toilet, I realize that I am now fully awake and get up to use the bathroom myself.
Gunnar - exits the bathroom with nothing on but his pajama top.
Me - "Gunnar, put your jammies back on."
Gunnar - "Okay Mommy."
Early this morning:
Me -wake up before 6:30, but stay in bed, not wanting to wake anyone else.
Gunnar - begins to stir at about 6:45, gives me a cuddle, then raises the covers and fumbles around down below. And says,...
"Mommy, where are my underwear?"
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