Here I am!

Somebody out there has been praying! And whoever you are, thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!! (And please keep the prayers coming!)

Last week seemed to be covered with grace! Despite starting our Daddy-less week with Mommy coming down with an awful cold, everyone was in such peaceful moods! (Which as many of you know, is a huge blessing in itself!) The kids were so patient with me. Rose Marie was nurturing and Sam was content to simply be near me or would wander off to play alone for awhile while I rested. There was laughter, dancing, games, school work and lots of cuddling! We even had a fantastic St. Patrick's Day celebration! We spent the morning finding green things to wear and then baked green cupcakes, which was a blast! That evening my in-laws all came over for an amazing Corned Beef and cabbage dinner made my my Mother-in-law. Friday we cleaned the house and got ready for our weekend with Daddy.

I guess what I am trying to say, is that we had such a wonderful week simply being together and relaxing. I hope this week is just as wonderful! Thank you again for your prayers while we wait to make this transition and finally be together as family again!


1) Getting ready for making cupcakes!
2) Sam not waiting so patiently for Rose to frost a cupcake (or two!)

3) Um...yeah!

4) Heaven at last!

5) My little leprechauns!

Simplify

Do you ever have that feeling that, something is not right? Like something here needs to be changed? That persistent feeling that somehow I need to fix whatever that thing is that is hovering like a negative cloud over my day?

I am fairly certain that I have written this before, perhaps it is because this "feeling" seems to come in waves for me. The thing that needs to be changed, is my outlook. I think I have allowed myself to go back into "Mom Survival Mode," instead of "Living to the Fullest Mode." I am not sure how that happened, but I am embarrassed to admit that it has. I think my youngest, has been going through "phases" recently that have been making daily activities more than a challenge. So, I think I began viewing this time as a time that I need to just get through, instead of relishing in. It is hard to joyfully live in teething, in acute separation anxiety, in sickness and general 1 year old crankiness. I have gotten caught up in still doing all of things that "have to get done," instead of maybe simplifying my life to better deal with the difficult phases that come along.

Therefore, my goal this week is to take deep breaths. I will simplify where I can. Laundry will wait until after I finish having a tea party. If Candy Land gets in the way of dinner preparations this week, then fish sticks may be on the menu instead of Chicken Marsala. And if a certain little 1 year old just wants me to lay on the floor so that he can drive his cars on me, well then, maybe that is what I need to be doing for now. At least for this week, until I regroup and get back to that joy in the little things. I need to find a way out of "Survival Mode," and back into "Loving my life Mode." This time, and these ages, with my kids are so precious and so fun. I can't believe I am letting other meaningless things make me forget that! Hopefully this will be a better week! :)

Some Perspective

I have a weakness for funny t-shirts. There I said it! I am totally the kind of mother, who stands in the store and laughs and giggles over the funny sayings plastered on onesies. One of my biggest regrets is that I did NOT purchase that adorable one last Christmas for Samuel which said, "I don't need mistletoe to get kissed!" I still can't remember why I passed that one up.

The one which Samuel is so graciously modeling says, "Future Knight in Shining Armor." Somehow this onesie not only gives me a good giggle in the morning when I wrestle to put it on him, but it gives me much needed perspective on certain behaviors of his.

For example:

It helps me realize that perhaps his incessant need to chase his sister around the house, stabbing her with anything that could look like a sword, is actually in preparation for the "dragons" he may have to slay for his future love.

Maybe he is not trying to make Mommy fall and break her neck when he empties all of her Tupperware all over the kitchen floor, but merely practicing for the day he will help his beloved in the kitchen.

He understands that women do like men with good hygiene, and this would explain why he is always turning on the faucets in the house and playing in the water. (I only wish the water had the good sense to somehow stay in the bathroom!)

And of course, all women love a man who is good with babies, which is why he demonstrates his love for Rose Marie's baby dolls by using them as roadways for his cars.

Yes, this shirt explains so much. He is not really mischievous, he is merely a young squire, training for knighthood.

Odd Sayings Part 2!

Last year, I made a short list of some of the odd things I caught myself saying to the kids. Recently I have heard myself saying even stranger things. So, here we go with "Part 2!"

1) "Shoes do NOT go in the trash can!"

2) "Pee-pee's stay in the water!" (Just to clear up any confusion, this was said to Samuel who had just discovered that he could stand up in the bathtub.)

3) "No dangling body parts off the balcony!"

4) "No, Mommy doesn't usually play kitchen in the bathtub...only sometimes."

5) "Please stop killing Mommy with your sword, I have to make lunch!"