Fun before school!

Well, we ran ourselves crazy last week. School started on Wed. and we tried to play ourselves silly before then! We went to the movies, ate at our favorite pizza place and played games in the arcade for a loooonnnngggg time! Then one day we went to the park at the river and played in the fountain! The kids had a blast! We got smoothies and ate junk!

Between you and me, I think I hate school more than the kids! I could never tell them that. But I hate the early mornings, having to get them in bed by 8 or 8:30. I hate packing lunches when it is not for a picnic. I hate homework. I don't think there are many things I do like. But it is necessary. They must learn and I really feel God has called them to public school. So we do what we have to.

Wednesday morning came all too soon and I cried all the way home after dropping them off. That is supposed to only happen in K isn't it? Seems silly when they are in the third and first grade. But I love being with my kids, even the crazy cranky days are better than them being gone. I love all the little hugs and kisses I get during the day. The funny things they say are missed. The sweet things they do for each other on occasion are not happening while in class.

So you might ask why I think they are "called" to public school. Sounds strange I know. People are supposed to be called to ministry. Well I think we all are called to ministry somewhere. I have prayed for hours about their schooling. We were about ready to pull them out and either put them in private school or home school them. I was agonizing over a difficult year for S last year. But God used my trip to Voice of the Martyrs last year to confirm in my heart what we had originally thought. We had chosen public school because I spent one of my worst years in a private school. That is not to say that all private schools are bad, but it left a terrible taste in my mouth for private schools. (I could type for hours about it!) But one of the main things was the limited number of students and how much control these students seem to have over the school because momma and daddy had money! Then we kept seeing a lot of people homeschooling and wondered if everyone that believed in Christ pulled their kids out to protect them from the world, who is left in the world to be a light? No wonder we are losing ground in the public school arena. We are making a mass exodus as Christians. While at VOM, I read about Christians whose children were in real danger because of their faith. How could they do what they do knowing that their children are at such risk? They have a great faith in God. They chose to serve and trust that what happens is in God's hands. Bottom line: They trust God with their children. So if they can find the faith to trust God with their precious little one's can't I find the faith to trust God with mine being in public school? It is hard let me tell you. That's why I cried all the way home. But God does not call us to an easy life. He calls us to be a light. So I pray that they shine brightly every single day. We pray with them about this and they know why they go to public school. They are little warriors putting on their armor every morning in the car on the way! Please pray for all our little warriors on the front lines!

18 years!

Today marked our anniversary. We have been married 18 years! I just can't believe it. We have had many ups and downs during those years. But through it all we are definately happier now than 18 years ago! I recently read where a friend said that if she knew then what she knew now she would have somersaulted down the isle. Well, I ditto that! I was so nervous as a bride. I was a baby you know! I wanted everything to be perfect and beautiful. If I had known how beautifully Steve would treat me then I would have skipped the whole thing and rushed to the first JP I could find when he proposed!

How did we celebrate? Steve and Angie style. We went to church, late of course. Then I talked too long while everyone waited in the van. Then we went to lunch with some friends and the kids. Once we got home, Steve and little J took a nap while the kids and I made a mad dash for school supplies (6 stores and counting!). Then we all had smoothies for supper and watched a Veggie Tales cartoon and played with flashlights. Now everyone is asleep and I will go wake Steve up to watch a silly TV show and eat a Twix and drink a coke!

Birthday details.

Okay, so J is our third. By the time our first was 6 months old I was taking her to the party supply isle to pick out decorations for her first birthday. Boy have I changed gears. Last year for J's first birthday I threw something together the week before. This year I was out of town the week of his birthday. As soon as I got in town though I started thinking!! LOL!

But I was able to score some free Wiggles tickets for a little work. So I have my mother-in-law, hubby and three kids working to get in to the Wiggles for little J. Well as it turns out J really couldn't have cared less. He does not watch TV or movies and I guess nor does he watch live shows! So we wrestle through the whole thing and go home exhausted!

Next we keep 4 kiddos for some friends that are moving. Each of my kids has a friend their age over for 3 days and 2 nights. Now that is what I call a 2 year old bunking party right? Can't I count that as a party?

So finally the big day comes and I throw together a little family dinner. I plan the menu as posted in the previous post. Sounds good and sweet right? Well this is the inside story of what really happened.

I am marinating the ribs while at least a thousand other things are going on. I turn around to find our outdoor puppy with paws on the counter licking the ribs. I yell at the dog and try to rescue the ribs somehow. Then Steve takes them out to and burns them - excuse me, prepares them very well done! S is standing in the corner for yelling at H and I tell her there is never, yes I used the word never, a good reason to yell like that. So what happens 2 seconds later? The puppy now steals a cupcake from the counter! (Why is the dog in anyway?) So I spin around and yell that "I am going to shoot the dog! No, I am going to shoot all three dogs and be done with the whole thing!" I look at Steve and he has this look of total disbelief on his face as I hear the wailing begin from S! She is our animal lover and standing, remember, in the corner not 5 feet from me. I try to quickly back peddle that one but I really uh oh'd big time with this one. Steve just says "great timing" and walks out of the kitchen for me to fix the tears. I think there was a smile tugging at his mouth! I am sure he was headed out to burn those ribs!!!!

Well the green beans weren't good the night before and they aren't any better warmed over. The German potato salad caused the kids to hold their noses because they smell like vinegar! So the kids basically eat chocolate cake and root beer for dinner!

Now all good parties have presents right? I suddenly remember that I can't remember where I put the presents! So I drag out Grandma Marcia's big box of gifts and take pictures! (Don't worry Grandma Marcia, we gave you credit but I had to have pictures for the future!!!) Finally, H says he knows where I put the presents!! (Think I need a different hiding place for his things now, but my odds of losing them in a new hiding place goes way up!) So I rescue them from their very safe hiddy hole and wrap them in strewn tissue paper!!!

As we are falling into bed that night I sigh and tell Steve what an awful day. Now the saddest thing of all happens! He honestly looks at me and says "Why do you say that?" I then remind him of all the things that went wrong and he simply says in reply, "Well that is just kinda normal don't you think?" :-0

So there you have it. Want me to plan your next party?

It's your birthday little J!!!!

This year we had a small family party for J. We had ribs, green beans, and german potato salad, green tea and chocolate cake. But we also had 4 other kids over for 3 days so I am exhausted and going to bed. I will have to fill you in on all the details later. But isn't he cute?

A new cast

Thursday we went to the ortho doc again and little S's arm is still healing fine. They removed the old plaster and fiberglass cast and replaced it with a new waterproof cast! It is purple and much more lightweight and she can get it wet!!!! That is a big deal! We have taken as few baths as summer demands until now. She also went swimming tonight and will be able to go to the water park with the church in a couple of weeks. She may not be able to zip down the slides, but she can go! Sometimes it is the little things in life that make the difference.

Doing Better

Little S is doing better. Her arm is not hurting near as much. She has had some itching already and that was interesting. She was writhing in the bed begging me to scratch it. I did everything the paperwork said to do and nothing was working. After your daughter cries and begs for you to help her it just get to ya. So I did what any self respecting mom would do. I got something long and skinny and pushed it in the cast and wiggled it around. She immediately stopped kicking and crying. I was so scared I was going to hurt her. But everything was fine. So know that little plastic stick is sacred in our house. I thought I lost it tonight and panicked. I think I need to get several sicks to keep around!

H and J are of course jealous of all the attention that S is getting. There have been lots of arguments and tears. The rainy weather has not helped at all. H finally went to a friends house tonight and we had some peace. Well almost peace. S is a little more whinny than usual and J is always a commotion. But no screaming and fighting. And of course it is not all H's fault. It is just that he is now absent from the picture. I think we would have had the same calm if S had gone to a friends house. They just needed some space.

I will try to post a picture soon. She gets a new cast this week. The plaster cast is so heavy and then they put a layer of fiberglass on it. She has to carry her arm around with the other hand if she does not have the sling on. The new fiberglass only cast is supposed to be lighter.