THANK YOU!!

For those who have so totally blessed our family in the past few days while I've been laid up -

I'm a "Stoplight" junkie

Have you ever watched Stoplight? It's a great, short, video commentary on political issues put out by Focus on the Family. The videos are often humorous (at least they frequently crack me up) and always informative on current issues. If you have some time, check out this latest one on giving:
http://www.citizenlink.org/Stoplight/A000009167.cfm

I've had a fair amount of sitting time because yes, I'm still kinda laid up. I have an air cast so I can put some weight on my toes and hobble around without pain (although I have to be careful to hobble just right, or I do have pain). The hobbling thing is frustrating, though because I definitely can't get anywhere fast and by late afternoon my head is killing me (I still have my nasty 3 month old headache) because of all the extra bouncing around. At least I can move, though. The next big step is for my swelling to go down enough that I can fit into a shoe and therefore leave my house (hobbling across snow with a sock covered foot is not an option in my opinion).

What's black and blue & swollen all over?

My ankle. Yep. I sprained it. I'm completely laid up and waaaay beyond frustrated.

It happened Sunday night. I had just finished taking Alyssa to Prompt Care for an ear infection. I was walking out of Kmart carrying Alyssa and her meds when I hit an uneven patch of ice/snow and went down - hard. I sat there in the snow crying with Alyssa looking at me with huge eyes asking,"Mommy? You ok Mommy?" I finally managed to crawl over to the van, get her and myself in and call Andrew. Of course, Andrew answered and feared the worst...I'd been in some big accident or something. After he realized that it was just a sprained ankle the thought was, well you'll be ok in a couple hours, right?? Hah, right. When I sprain, I don't mess around. None of this able to walk on it in a few hours stuff. I swell up huge and can't put any weight on even my pinky toe without horrendous pain.

So, now I'm stuck in a recliner trying to keep my ankle above my heart so I don't swell even bigger, wondering how I'm going to keep control of kids who know I can't come flying out of the chair at them.

Too blessed...

Little Alyssa has had one nasty cold for a week now, so I haven't gotten out much. Yes, I've been going stir crazy - and if you call my house, be forewarned that I will talk the ear off any adult that seems even slightly interested in listening to me.

That said, I have gotten a ton done around this house. We spent a couple days in the basement cleaning. We dumped every toy containing box, got rid of broken things, threw away the garbage (do you think used kleenexes belong in the dress-up bench? Apparently at least one of my kids does - gross), and then put everything back in order. Yes, there was plenty of griping and complaining the first day, but the second day I think they all resigned themselves to the fact that they were stuck in the basement with me until the job got done, so they worked hard.

Now today, with my to-do-list tucked away, I'm enjoying a "holding Alyssa, playing battleship with Lucas, reading Kayla's new masterpice, & watching my best friend and son conquer the world" kind of Saturday. Ahhhhhhhhhh, I just want to freeze time and let today last forever.

Let me wax political....

I and my kids watched the inauguration today and I kept reminding them that we are so fortunate to live in a land where the transition of power is peaceful, and even graceful. I was so moved as I watched the entire event unfold. As silly as it may sound, as former Pres. & Mrs. Bush embraced the Pres. & Mrs. Obama and climbed into the helicopter, emotion swept over me - no, I did not sit here and cry (I'm not that wrapped up in politics) - but I just felt such a thankfulness that as our former President flew away in the helicopter, no guns were fired, no rioting broke out in the street, just a hug and a wave goodbye. We take it so for granted, and yet we are truly blessed.

While I have my concerns about executive orders Pres. Obama will create and laws he will push for (check out http://www.fightfoca.com/ for more info), I am thankful that as he said in his inaugural address, "A man whose father less than 60 years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath." Our nation has come a long way in recognizing that "all people are created equal." For this, I rejoice and am grateful.

I'm thankful that Pastor Rick Warren prayed in Jesus name. I'm thankful he did not bow to pressure, but prayed to and through the very Name that gives us the freedoms we celebrate today.

Finally, I'm thankful that I heard our US Marine Band play "Amazing Grace" before the inauguration began. As the hymn began, I turned to my kids and said, "Guys Listen!" Lucas then piped up, "Mom! This is the song by Newton! I love this song!"

It reminded me of what I am really most thankful for:

"Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found
Was blind, but now I see!"

I've been blowing bubbles...

Yep, last night I stood outside in sub zero temperatures blowing bubbles. And No, this is not proof that I'm certifiably nuts.

I read on my homeschool e-loop that bubbles do cool things in really freezing temperatures. So, while my children (and dear supportive husband) stood safely inside, I braved the cold to blow bubbles and then watch them explode into a million little icicles. Of course, as all science experiments go, we had issues (besides my numb hands and nose). I had a hard time blowing bubbles the right size & in the right direction so the kids could see the results through the window. There were a few that I managed to get big enough and close enough to the window that the kids could really see them explode. They yelled and cheered and clapped & then I ran inside to regain feeling in my extremities. All those people in warm temperatures just don't know all the fun they're missing :P.

Kid Quotes

A couple days ago, I cut all my boys' hair (that includes Andrew). Lucas got to go first. I sat him on the stool, wrapped the cape around his neck and reached for my razor. He then put his little hand in the air and with large, serious eyes said (you need to read this to yourself in little 5 yr old munchkin speak),"Mom, befoe you stawt, I want you to pwetend you awe going to cut the fuzz off an egg, ok?" And for emphasis he added, with his little finger wagging in the air, "Be that cawefuw."

I promise I have never cut him before!! What a goon! :P

GNI - Girls Night In!

Somehow I managed to convince Andrew that the girls and I needed a night just to ourselves. So, he took the boys out and did "guy stuff" and I stayed home drinking hot chocolate, doing crafts with stampers, playing go fish and taking fun pictures with my 2 sweet girls. We had a ball. This definitely needs to happen more often. :)

ahhh, quotes about parenting....

I belong to a homeschool e-loop which I generally enjoy tremendously because a lot of great homeschooling ideas are shared through it. A few days ago, a homeschooler wrote in asking for people to post their favorite parenting quotes. That day someone posted,

"God never intended discipleship of children to be difficult or complicated or burdensome or a matter for the experts. I think He meant it to be as simple as a loving personal relationship, guided and infused with spiritual intent, fleshed out through a living example."

Ok, if you love the above quote, please do not read the rest of this post, just smile and move on.

When I first read it, I didn't know if I wanted to laugh or cry. Thinking I may be off base after a very hard day, I asked Andrew what he thought and he replied,"Does that person have kids?" Ok, I feel better. Had God given me only my girls, I think I could have read that quote and smiled a warm smile. However, He did not. In His wisdom, or great sense of humor, he gave me two boys who came kicking and screaming into the world and who are determined to keep things that way. My thought on real discipleship is that anything in this world that is really worth doing (a good marriage, parenting, submitting our will to God's, etc) is going to be hard.

Weekend in Chicago

Since this is my first post - I decided I wanted to start with pure fun. My fantastic hubby encouraged me to arrange a get-away with my mom and sisters. So we finally did, and last week at this time I was in Chicago with my sisters and Mom having a wonderful time!! We walked up and down Michigan avenue enough that I felt perfectly justified in eating what I wanted at the great restaurants we visited (now that I'm home and have wandered onto a scale, I'm kinda regretting that decision). Here are some pics of our fun 2 days - I've been warned that posting certain pics would amount to slander, so you'll only find photos here that have been approved for public consumption :).