These Are The Days Of My Life

We've been busy.  Crazy busy.  Working on the house, trying to maintain the garden and its harvest, organizing our "schoolroom", wrangling kids, hugging kids...you get the point.  And in the midst of it, I've been busy being pregnant and planning the start of our new school year. 


So you'll probably be seeing quite a bit of talk from me about pregnancy, being mommy, and homeschooling over the next month or so.   'Cause really, these are the things that make up the days of my life.  And I'd be willing to guess the drama of each could give any old soap opera a run for its money any given day. *smile*

Name Game

Or more aptly named More Than You Wanted To Know About Names In My Life.

As we anticipate the arrival of our next little one, names (imagine that) are on my mind.  Or at least I'm thinking about names in our family.  Waiting for God to reveal His chosen name for this child.  And for some reason I'm a little impatient right now.

Perhaps because it would reveal the gender of this child.  Maybe because we see the direct connection between the meaning of names and the personalities of our children.  

As we wait, here are some of things that have crossed my mind as I've thought about names.  

• The names of my children have gained one letter in length in succession.  5, 6, and 7...will child number four's name be eight letters long?
• There were 6 children in my family growing up.  All of our names start with the letter "J".
• My first name is Jo and my middle name is Ann.  I was named after my father, Joseph Anthony.
• I love the name Jo, but have gone by Jo Ann for so long it almost seems foreign to try to go by it now.  Not to mention the fact that when I was in fifth grade I asked to go by "Jo" one day and the teacher made fun of it all day long.
• All of our children's names -first and middle- can be found in the Old Testament up to this point.  Not really on purpose, it's just the way it's happened. 
• My Puerto Rican grandmother's name is Jenny and my Anglo-Saxon grandmother's name is Juanita.  That has always cracked me up.

Now that I've completely bored you, do you have anything interesting about names in your family?

 

Of Pearly Whites and Parenting

We forgot to have the kids brush their teeth tonight.  Nobody remembered as we were quickly ushering them into bed at 9:00 pm after baths from the long (but fun) day. 

Well, no one remembered until 10:00 pm when the boys were still awake and realized their teeth had been neglected.  I'm not sure I've seen them so enthusiatic about brushing their teeth since we made the rule that whomever comes back with a no cavity report from the dentist gets to pick something at the dollar store. 

I could feel guilty, but I've decided I'm not going there.  I'm thinking that if that is the biggest parenting "mistake" I made today, then we're not doing too bad.  

It's part of a new stand I'm taking against common maladies of the human mother, this one being mommy guilt.  Its nasty hooks and traps willing to ensnare any compliant mother.  After careful thought and consideration, I've come to the conclusion that I'm really not that into it and it needs to go.  I realize that mommy guilt will likely try to bare its nasty teeth -he nevers brushes- for as long as I'm a mother (read: forever), but whatever.

Two words...buh-bye. 

Morning Glory

I'm what you might call a conditional morning person.  I like to wake up slowly, lie in bed quietly and talk to the Lord.  Prepare myself for whatever I might face this new day.  Get up and soak in the stillness of the house.  Look out the window or even sit outside and watch the world awaken.    

The odds are typically not in favor for me to enjoy this type of morning.  So on the rare chance I do get to have one like this, I feel like I have received a special gift.  A love note straight from God. 

   
A quiet morning soothes me. Refreshes me.  Reminds me once again that His mercies are new for me this day. 

I look around and the day sparkles.  The newness of the day shines forth. 

As the sun reveals its face, God's promises seem so close to me.  Everywhere I look promise and hope are being freely offered.  Reaching out to me.  Inviting me.

And I know that He loves me.  No matter what the day might bring, His goodness is always all around me.

Bless the LORD, O my soul;  And all that is within me, bless His holy name!  Psalm 103:1

Birth Order Laughs

One of my sisters sent this in an e-mail to me a year and a half ago and it still makes my mommy self chuckle.  I have no idea where it originated.  It's fun with a touch of truth.

BIRTH ORDER OF CHILDREN

1st baby: You begin wearing maternity clothes as soon as your OB/GYN confirms your pregnancy.
2nd baby: You wear your regular clothes for as long as possible.
3rd baby: Your maternity clothes ARE your regular clothes.
___________________________________________________
The Layette:
1st baby: You pre-wash newborn's clothes, color-coordinate them, and fold them neatly in the baby's little bureau.
2nd baby: You check to make sure that the clothes are clean and discard only the ones with the darkest stains.
3rd baby: Boys can wear pink, can't they?
______________________________________________________
Worries:
1st baby: At the first sign of distress--a whimper, a frown--you pick up the baby
2nd baby: You pick the baby up when her wails threaten to wake your firstborn.
3rd baby: You teach your three-year-old how to rewind the mechanical swing.
_____________________________________________________
Pacifier:
1st baby: If the pacifier falls on the floor, you put it away until you can go home and wash and boil it.
2nd baby: When the pacifier falls on the floor, you squirt it off with some juice from the baby's bottle.
3rd baby: You wipe it off on your shirt and pop it back in.
______________________________________________________
Diapering:
1st baby: You change your baby's diapers every hour, whether they need it or not.
2nd baby: You change their diaper every two to three hours, if needed.
3rd baby: You try to change their diaper before others start to complain about the smell or you see it sagging to their knees.
______________________________________________________
Activities
1st baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics, Baby Swing, Baby Zoo, Baby Movies and Baby Story Hour.
2nd baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics.
3rd baby: You take your infant to the supermarket and the dry cleaners.
_____________________________ _________________________
Going Out:
1st baby: The first time you leave your baby with a sitter, you call home five times.
2nd baby: Just before you walk out the door, you remember to leave a number where you can be reached.
3rd baby: You leave instructions for the sitter to call only if she sees blood.
______________________________________________________
At Home:
1st baby: You spend a good bit of every day just gazing at the baby.
2nd baby: You spend a bit of everyday watching to be sure your older child isn't squeezing, poking, or hitting the baby.
3rd baby: You spend a little bit of every day hiding from the children
______________________________________________________
Swallowing Coins (a favorite):
1st child: When first child swallows a coin, you rush the child to the hospital and demand x-rays
2nd child: When second child swallows a coin, you carefully watch for the coin to pass.
3rd child: When third child swallows a coin you deduct it from his allowance!

You Might Be A Mommy If...

your home is frequented by visits from two invisible children.  I have not had the chance to personally meet them, but my children are apparently on a first name basis with them. 

They go by the names of Not me and I don't know. 

If you happen to see them, please let them know that there are a few things I'd really like to discuss with them. 

I'll Protect You

My mom forwarded the following devotional to me a couple of days ago and it touched something deep in my heart.  I desire to be this type of parent.  I want my children to know that I am their champion.  I am on their side.

Just like our Daddy God is always with us and for us.  He is our banner. 

I'll Protect You - taken from Moments With You by Dennis and Barbara Rainey 

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go. JOSHUA 1:9

One day during Rebecca's first year of junior high, she came home from school with an unusually unhappy look on her face. Some boy had been making ugly remarks about her figure (or more precisely, her lack of one).

"What's this guy's name?" I inquired. She told me what it was. "What's his phone number?" I asked. "Sounds like we need to have a little man-to-man chat."

When the boy's father answered the phone, I told him I needed to talk to his son. I said I wasn't going to be mean, but he had been making derogatory comments about my daughter and I wanted to tell him that such comments are inappropriate.

"Okay, here he is." (I could just imagine the look on this young man's face as the phone receiver came his direction.) "Hullo?" he said in that teenage monotone. "Hello, I'm Mr. Rainey. Rebecca's dad. From school. She came home today telling me about some things you said about her body, and I just wanted you to know I don't appreciate it. This is not the way to treat a young lady, and I'd like you to respect her dignity enough to stop teasing her about the way she looks. You understand?"

That was it. Didn't take long. I remember it took some courage to make the call, but I just remember Rebecca standing there beaming. And though I'd like to think it made a statement to the young man on the other end of the line, I know for a fact it made a statement to my daughter.

She saw the way a man is supposed to protect a woman, the way a dad is supposed to protect his little girl. How will they know if they don't see us doing it?

And while this portrays a father and daughter, God still used it to speak to my heart about my relationship as a mother to my sons and daughter. Ways as a mother that I can protect them and bring life and light when life has bruised them.

Lord, thank You for the children You have brought into my life.  Continue to change me to be the parent you desire for me to be.  Help me be aware of the situations in their lives where they need encouragement and someone to speak Truth over them.  I ask for an increase in wisdom to meet each of their unique needs.  Thank You for being our Jehovah Nissi.

Online...I Think

I thought about channeling a little Willie Nelson and singing you a little tune I like to call Online Again, but then I'd have to braid my hair and that would require a little more effort than I'm willing to give right now.

Come on, I am incubating a person here.

Now that you know you've been saved from my budding career as a parodist (at least temporarily), you might be disturbed to know that I now have a working computer back in my hands. *insert creepy organ music here*

Through a family friend, God has blessed me with a cute, little laptop and now I can get back at the ol' blog.  I love hand-me-downs. *smile* I mention that it is small, because it tends to strain my eyes rather quickly and that will limit the amount of time I spend online.  It might also explain why you might think I'm looking at you funny the next time I see you, please don't be offended just blame burnt retinas. 

Unfortunately, pictures will still be extremely limited.  The CD drive is broken and I'm concerned that loading my camera software will send the laptop into a coma.  I look forward to the day I can post pictures of my babies and whatever weird stuff I can torment share with you.

So, anyway...just thought I'd warn you that the erratic, sporadic, phlegmatic musings that pour out of this cranial mass will be resuming.

Stay tuned.   I dare you.