Tidbits

I am so proud of Elijah. First of all he is doing well with Kindergarten. He doesn't love it. He can't tell me why, but he goes every day without complaining and he is doing his work faithfully. So, speaking of work I realized that on all of his papers he was writing the h in his name backwards. I mentioned this to him one day thinking he would probably forget and I would have to remind him. Well, I didn't because he didn't! I check his paper the next time and praised him for remembering to turn his h around. He told me that he checks the letters up on the wall to make sure he is writing them correctly. WHAT?! I am so proud of him for being pro-active about this. His perfectionism is paying off ;)

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Madelyn. My dear sweet Madelyn. She cracked us and herself up in the car last night. The kids were singing "Down by the Bay" and you know the part where they have to say something that rhymes ... well, Madelyn says, "Have you ever seen a bird .... (long pause) ... with a coo coo turd?" ha ha ha ha ha ha hahahahahah ha! She then says, "What is a turd anyway?" We told her and she laughed and laughed and laughed with that great laugh she has. Oh I love it. If only I could bottle it up, or upload it to my ipod. Hey, maybe I will record it an upload it. Oh, it was so funny.

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We finally found a vehicle to buy. It is a huge trailblazer with a third row. It is hard to say good-bye to my van. It was snatched away from me so violently. I don't like that one bit. Now mind you, my van had issues of its own, but it was mine and I knew how to work it. We liked it. But, now we will have to become acquainted with a new monster of a vehicle. It's okay though. I like that it is big for safety reasons and ego reasons ( ha ha! i thought that would be funny so I wrote it as if my ego will be boosted with having the biggest vehicle on the block. with that comes the biggest gas bill so whose laughing now? waaaahhhhh.) We are supposed to go pick it up tonight and pass off all our money to the car guy.

Speaking of the car guy. He is a wonderful wonderful Christian man. He gives us such great deals on the 2 cars that we have now bought from him. He even prayed with Dan on the phone when Dan called and explained to him what happened. So sweet. And, he has such a great business. There is a cafe with free popcorn, ice cream, and soda. A playroom. A wii. A tv. I mean really. Dan and I are going for date night there next time we get a sitter. So, go to Pottsville and buy a car from Bob Weaver. You won't regret it because even when your car has an issue they give you a car to drive or you can hang out in their fabulous shop there gaining weight by eating all the yummies.

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My boy is so in love with me. He wants to marry me. I love it. Dan says it won't last forever and that one day it will be other girls he is noticing. Whatever. Stupid girls. Stealing my thunder.

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Now that my kids are older I have been able to help out at the school more. That's fun. I helped in 3rd grade today for 20 minutes until it was time to get Elijah. It was fun being with a couple 3rd grade girls and helping them on the computer. They were making a crossword puzzle and I couldn't type worth a darn. I kept messing up and then I would say, "Why can't I type today?" and they would say, "We don't know!" So fun :)

Yesterday I helped after school with the King's Club, the after school program. When I walked in and told them I was in charge that day a few girls cheered. How's that for confidence boosting? They are cute 5th grade girls. I am going to help every monday now so that will be fun to get to know them better.

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Right now I am procrastinating on finishing the projects I have started and haven't finished yet so I should probably go do that. Oh, and running and me have not been getting along. I am mad that he kept kicking my patootie so I have been ignoring him even though he keeps calling me. I am going to try again tomorrow, but I am not happy about it. I just don't like feeling like a loser. Ugh. Stupid running and your stupid challenges you bring my way. Grrrr ...

Not the Best Day Ever ...

We were heading to see Grandma Elva. All of us, including Vern & Lois.

Being the award winning mom that I am I had completely forgotten to feed my son before we left. I have an excuse though. He and Dan went for haircuts at 8:30 a.m. Since they had to leave early I quick gave Elijah a cup of milk and some Honey Combs in a baggie to snack on.

Once they were back I was too busy fussing over cute haircuts and getting Madelyn ready to go that I completely forgot to give Elijah a real breakfast.

All that to say that it wasn't until we were on the road, stopped for gas, Dan got a breakfast sandwich and Elijah says, "Hey, I never ate breakfast!" Madelyn of course wanted a snack then too so I quick ran into Sheetz to grab some breakfast. What do I pick? Powdered mini donuts of course! The breakfast of champions right?

My justification: Elijah LOVES them. Madelyn wanted a snack too, and it was something we could all snack on since we had a long day ahead. We were going to visit Grandma Elva and then go swimming with Dan's aunt and her grandsons.

Oh, that is until a car decided to pull out in front of us!!!

I had just turned around to give Elijah "just one more" donut, and while I was leaning over the side of my seat to close the box I heard a loud bang. It's amazing the number of thoughts that go through your mind in just a few seconds.

So this is what I saw and thought after I heard the bang ...

Whoa!! What the ... Oh, a tire must have blown, wait those are air bags, ugh the smoke, my throat is burning ... wait, we hit someone!? Dan asked his dad if he was okay, Vern said, "Yeah, I'm okay." (He was in a lot of pain) Then I heard the kids crying so I started saying, "We're all okay! We're all okay!" Madelyn then said, "That was really scary!! I hit my mouth!!" There was no blood and I just kept saying, "I know, but we are all okay!!" Elijah had a mouth full of powdered donuts and his mouth was wide open as he was crying. Dan later told me he thought he was foaming at the mouth. He did say to me, "Look at Elijah! Look at his mouth!!" I said, "He's fine! I know! He is eating powdered donuts!!"

It was so nuts. Finally the smoke and powder from the air bags was just too much so I started to get out of the car. I told the kids to get unbuckled and got Elijah. Vern got Madelyn. We were on the side of the road and there were trees. We were being poked by dead branches as we tried to work our way past the back of our car. Thankfully there was a driveway nearby so we all kind of stood there and talked to cops, and other people who had come to help.

Poor Vern, his chest was killing him. Lois had a nasty contusion on her leg. Dan's leg got bruised. At first just Vern & Lois were going to go to the hospital, but then the firefighter encouraged us to get the kids checked out just to be safe.

We all road in the ambulance to get to the hospital in Reading. I was glad because then we were a bit closer to home rather than stuck in Pottstown on the side of the road, or at the diner as the cop told me they could get us there. Craziness.

Everyone got a good report from the doctor. Although Elijah kept pointing to a scab that was about 2 weeks old saying it hurt. So funny. I do think he hit his foot on the side though during the accident. He had a bit of a bruise, but it was so funny that he kept pointing to this healing scab area.

Now that it is going on a few weeks later Vern and Lois are still healing. Actually, Dan is too. His leg got busted up by the air bag that was by his feet. Lois may have to have her leg drained. A lot of blood collected under the skin and it hasn't gone away completely.

Life can change in an instant. It freaks you out. We still need a new car. I hate car shopping. But, thank the Lord we are all okay.

Happy Day

Days like these are the best. A perfect mix of just enough to do with fun things in between.

I reconnected with a good friend by phone. Of course I had one other call to make for a reconnection, but ran out of time since I stayed on the phone for an hour and a half with the first friend.

Then two of the Hegarty kids came over so my kids were thrilled to have playmates.

Went to pick Dan up so he could pick up his car and some lunch.

The weather today is absolutely perfect.

Got home and my hour and a half friend called back with some fun info about a conference we may attend together with the hubbies about raising children.

So, not super exciting stuff, but fun enough to make folding laundry seem okay.

And, the kids have swimming lessons with a pizza party to look forward to tonight. The only sad thing is that I noticed it was much darker than usual the other night when we were leaving swimming lessons which mean shorter days and coldness are looming.

BUT, we are only thinking happy thoughts today!

Oh, and another fun thing that happened is I left a voicemail for a friend and when she called back she was cracking up. Making someone laugh is a HUGE success in my book.

And, a little tidbit ... I found out today that chocolate milk is a great post run drink. WHAT!? Had I known this I totally would have gotten into running a long time ago!! Okay, not really, but what a motivator to do my next run! ha ha!

I am loving my workouts. I feel sooooo good these days. Today I even want to go do my running, but I am making myself wait. I don't want to over do it. Oh, and when I say running I mean my walk/run intervals just to be clear.

So, happy day because not only do have I had these things going on, but I have Project Runway to look forward to tonight as well. Why do I love that show so much? I think it's because I am not creative and it amazes me to see what they are able to create in such a short amount of time that someone can actually wear. I love clothes.

Depressing

I hate it when I get the urge to post melodramatic stuff online whether it's here or on Facebook, but I feel better about posting it here since I believe no one really reads my blog anyway. I have other issues with Facebook right now, but I'll save that for a different post.

So, heregoes my melodrama! ...

I am so worked up over the kids starting school this year. I know that mostly it revolves around Elijah starting Kindergarten and on top of the usual waaaaaahhhhhhh my kid is starting kindergarten I also know he didn't have a great year in school last year for a number of reasons and I am afraid we are going to be facing all of that again as well.

Ugh!

So, naturally, I want to just take each of my children and tuck them ever so gently back under my wings and pretend there is no world out there worth taking every advantage of in all the good and bad it offers to us.

Nope.

Not out there.

Okay, but first, every time I try to hint to the kids that I want to keep them home protected by me forever they instantly resist. And, second, I don't really have wings that I can do that with!

But, the other thing I am stressing over already is them getting sick. It always starts up in the Fall and lasts through the Spring. Both kids. It is very frustrating. On so many levels.

So, what have I been doing? Fretting. Getting annoyed. Feeling anxious.

Is that helping? No.

The other day I even asked myself "Self? Have you prayed about ANY of these things you are fretting over?" And, because I asked myself and because my brain and I share the same, well, brain it just doesn't make sense to lie about it so I had to honestly answer no. And then I quick prayed about it.

Have I really prayed since then? No.

I am pathetic. I think this burden would be a little easier to bare if I asked for some help with it.

This one, and all the others I am holding so close to my heart while not being so nice to my family.

Again, this is one of those reminder posts. Maybe if I write about it I will remember later when I start fretting over the next set of issues that come my way.

Now if you'll excuse me please, I have some praying to do ...

Pilgrim's Progress

I am reading Pilgrim's Progress.

I ordered it from the library and am LOVING it so far.

I remember reading it in school at one point. I think the teacher read it out loud to us. But, reading it now as an adult, more mature in my faith (with still so much farther to go) it is so so good.

Dan suggested he and I read it together which means I read it out loud while he falls asleep. I can't stay focused enough to listen to him read it out loud and he apparently can't stay awake while I read it to him. Then I usually can't stop reading it even though he falls asleep so I read way ahead of where he last remembers. But, Dan's brain is like a sponge so he already has a good knowledge of a book as a whole from the last time he read it which was probably umpteen years ago. Whereas my memory of it from umpteen years ago is a guy had a burden on his back while he walked a path. Yup. Oh, and his name is Christian.

And that my friends is why I am reading the book again now and also why I need constant reminders about everything during every day of my life.

Back to Christian. Oh my goodness. I cannot wait to see how his journey plays out. Already he has been through so much and it is just as though he is at the part in his faith where the Holy Spirit is opening his eyes to God's wisdom and understanding. I remember those days in my faith where all of a sudden things just are not right, but I don't really understand why.

I love getting to know characters through books. Already I love Christian so much and ache for him as he goes through his trials. It is so thought provoking and takes me back to so many different point in my walk of faith.

A couple of things made me want to read this book. One, Mark Dever referenced it in a sermon. He broke down while reading a passage from the book. And two, I am reading a book about OCD. OCD thoughts specifically and Bunyan is one of the people the author cites as one who struggled in this way. So, already I feel like he and I are kindred spirits.

It is amazing to me how God allowed Bunyan's mind to work in such a way that he was able to write this story. Creative minds like that always amaze me.

So, as I finish this post I am at the point where Christian burden has fallen off his back and he is on the narrow path. This book is so timely for me right now. God seems to do that a lot. He brings books my way just when I need them. It was the same with the book Tortured for Christ by Richard Wurmbrand, but that's a whole other post.

Anyway, such a good read and reading it out loud helps me to deal with the old english language that is used in it. And, reading it out loud still helps Dan to fall asleep, pretty quickly I might add. Although Dan says he loves hearing me read it because he can tell I am totally into it and feeling the emotions. How can you not?? Christian is so heartfelt and confused at times and just trying to figure it all out!!

Do you think the kids would think it was strange if I just plopped myself on the couch and continued reading the book out loud with the old english language? Probably, but it's not as though I have the luxury of doing that today anyway. Lots of laundry calls my name along with other little chores that need to be done, not to mention the added children I have in my house today.