Slumber Party

Okay, Here's My Deal...

Last night about 2:45 my 3 month old woke up to nurse. While we were on the couch almost finished, my 3 year old came stumbling out of his room and cuddled up on the couch with us and fell soundly asleep, as did my youngest when he was done eating. So, not wanting to disrupt either of their slumber, I reclined back and slept, too.

Now I Understand

Okay, Here's My Deal...

I never really understood how people could not believe in God or how those that do could lose their faith. Well, I do believe in God and I have faith, but it is really being tested right now.

Not only the things in my life are testing it, but I look around at other people's lives and I get discouraged. Not out of envy, well, maybe a little in some cases, but more of disbelief.

I am not one of those "Why does God allow bad things to happen?" people...I have come to learn--NOT completely understand, but learn...that God doesn't allow those things to happen but He doesn't necessarily get involved in things because there is usually a greater good that eventually comes out of a bad situation, even it if it takes a long time to come to fruition.

I look at some good friends--strong Christian friends with 3 kids, one saved, two I am not sure about-- who recently have had their lives completely upheaved due to a number of circumstances that have all seemingly happened on top of each other--job problems that ended up separating the family for a time, leading to their house needing to be sold but not being sold so they are stuck with two payments and in the midst of this, the father of the husband dies suddenly and unexpectedly. To use their own words, he was the rock and glue that held the family together. The husband now is in a crisis of faith, the daughter has gotten closer to God in her walk through her grief, the one twin son is drowing his grief in alcohol and the other twin is sufferening as much...all the while the mother is trying to hold her family together and getting weary. As I said, these peple are srong believers and have a much more solid foundation in their faith than I and look where they are...no wonder I get so discouraged at times.

Then there are the folks who are nowhere close to knowing who God is or fathom the idea that Christ died for their sins and they seeminlgy get all the breaks in the world and whatever they want in abundance. I know that somewhere along the line they will "get theirs" so to speak, but I get tired of wating to see it actually happen...not that I honestly want it to, know what I mean? I mean no one really deserves unhappiness.

I know that doing good and living good don't necessarily mean squat when it comes to my salvation and my standing with God. It counts, but the fact that I have Jesus in my heart is the important thing. But, in my head I keep thinking to myself that my husband and I do okay with "being good" as we don't do drugs and if either one of us has a beer or a drink once in a month it is rare...we don't screw around on each other...we love our parents and our siblings and our kids...and for the most part we are content with our jobs. We hardly ever actually have opportunity to go out and "do evil" as we are strapped for money most of the time and we really do not have friends--we do, but the close friends we usedto do things with have moved to OH and FL or are in NC. We have acquaintences here in our town, but no one or no couples we are close enough with to do things, well, there is one couple, but they are so busy we can't seem to get schedules to jive.

Why am I going on and on enough to make oyu want to slit your wrists? I don't know. It is just that as I said, I am having a crisis of faith right now, I guess. I know God is there and I know that He loves me and that he cares for me, really, deep down in my heart I do, but my head is getting in the way of things right now. I know that my time and God's time are not the same and that sometimes God answers prayers in ways that we are not expecting. But I guess lately I am feeling as though I have been shortchanged by God and that bothers me.

I committed to pray over my family...details are in a few posts back, I think...and I had an epiphany about allowing God to work more fully in my life through prayer...I even had another talk with the other pastor from my church and he encouraged me to continue.

Well, I have basically given up now. Don't know why except that I feel like "what is the point?" I mean I feel like I am not getting anywhere and that I am making things worse and I feel that I get no support or encouragement in my efforts from anyone...besides, those that would normally support me are dealing with their own stuff--so why should I think they'd spend time on my stuff? I used to think my faith was very strong, but not so much anymore.

It is just that, honestly, I don't want to wake up one morning when I am say 83 and suddenly God reveals to me why I wnet through all the crap that I and my family did or didn't get the answers or interventions I so desperately wanted only to die the next day. This must be similar to the feelings my husband has felt lately too. Great...two crabby abbies in the same family. What great examples we will be to our children.

What is Their Deal?!?!

Okay, Here's My Deal...

I am sorry, but I have to bust on my mommies board again. It just amazes me the things that people do on these boards. I kid you not, some of them just can not be that educated or they are so book smart that they are not common sense smart.

One lady wrote in for advice because her infant daughter had thick green gunk coming from her eyes...what do you think that could be? do you think it is serious?...not one mention of having already called the doctor or planning on calling the doctor...WHAT?!?!...are you going to wait until her nose falls off, lady?!?!

Another has a girl who is showing very serious signs of rage and violence with no remorse and mom doesn't know what to do...of course most of the moms suggested that there needs to be some sort of counseling to dela with the feelings as well as medical tests to rule out stuff...then the mom replies that she seriously did not think her daughter needed counseling because she is rasing her in a loving home and besides, she was the one whowas seriously depressed, not her duaghter...WHAT?!?!...don't think that has anything to do with it, lady?!?!

One lady had a kid who had not had a bowel movement in two weeks and had tried every remedy she could think of and wanted to know what otehrs had tried...she was going to give it another week and then "might think" about calling the doctor...WHAT?!?!...I can't even think of a sarcastic response to that, lady!!

Now, I am not a run-to-the-doctor-every-time-my-kids-cry kind of mom, but I do know that there are just some times and some symptoms that you call the doctor--not necessarily take them to the office, but at least call to get advice. If you want to screw with your own health, fine, but treat your kids a little better, huh?

Potty Training Funny

Okay, Here's My Deal...

We are in process, just starting actually, to potty train our oldest. Tonight, when my husband was with in the bathroom, in the course of their conversation he told his daddy, "I got no water, Daddy!" I thought it was cute.

Da Plane!! Da Plane!!

Okay, Here's My Deal...

Trivia question: Who said that famous line (read the title again) on TV each week?

Trivia answer: Tattoo from Fantsy Island

Why the title? I am thinking about getting a tattoo. My Buckeye friend, close your jaw that probably dropped when you read that!! Seriously, I want ot get one. I think. Maybe.

Anyway, since I am a Jesus fish freak...I love that symbol and what it represents...see the link to my other blog, All About the Fish, to find out why...it would incorporate that. There is a company, Living Epistles, that makes Christian t-shirts and stuff that put out a shirt called East/West that had a Jesus fish and a cross combined. At first glance, it looks like a Chinese character (that is the Eastern influence) but it is made of Western symbols (the cross and fish) Here is a link to a tattoo that some lady got with the exact image from the shirt:

http://www.curtisonline.net/gallery/v/Tattoo/Sherri_Jesus_Fish02.jpg.html

Mine would be a lot smaller...a quarter or a half dollar at the largest. It would have the fish in a deep green and the cross in a deep purple. I would not ahve the background color. I am not sure if I want to clutter it up with the scripture reference of Ps 103:12 or not. That reference by the way is "as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions"

See, the east and the west never meet...so they are infinitely apart from each other. Jesus dies on the cross so wash away the sins of the world and we are forgiven. That is how we are able to enter into heaven and live in eternity with Him. We will still fall from time to time, but we are always forgiven. How comforting to know. This tattoo would remind me of that and would be a witnessing tool...well, it would be if I decided to get it where people could see, but I doubt that I would. I am thinking ankle or hip.

Anyway, don't look for it anytime soon...I am jsut thinking out loud and there is a lot of stuff that needs to settle down in my life before I committ to this.

What Exactly Does TEN Mean?

Okay, Here's My Deal...

Tomorrow is my tenth wedding anniversary. Here are some numbers to give you, and me, some perspective on what exactly that means in a quantitative way. I am a math teacher, so bear with my geekiness for a little bit, okay. Ten years can be measured in a plethora of ways, such as:

315 569 260 seconds
5 259 487.66 minutes
87 658.1277 hours
3 652.42199 days
521.77457 weeks
120 months
1 decade
0.1 centuries
0.01 millenia

Wow...pretty factual and not really meaningful as far as emotions go. Here are some other ways that 10 years can be measured:

2 births of sons
deaths of family members
too many medical procedures to count
a move
6 or 7 vehicles
3 pets…5 counting those in NC
too much laughter to measure…not nearly as many tears
hours and hours of prayer
abundance of money…shortfalls of money
4 or 5 jobs

I love, you Brian, more than any words or smiles or hugs or anything imaginable could convey!!

I'm Going Ninja Mom On You!

Okay, Here's My Deal...

Mess with me, okay, but mess with my kids...not happening, I'll go Ninja Mom on you. Took my youngest to the ped today. He's got thrush and an ear infection. So we drove to the pharm to get drugs. The lady comes back to tell us that he had been terminated from our coverage on July 5th. So, we had to call the insurance folks to get the meds or pay full price and get reimbersed.

Call #1: BC/BS Wellmark.

We show him as terminated, but don't know why...

you need to call your employer to find out.

Call #2: My School's Central Office Business Department.

We show you are paying and we did not make changes...

you need to call the secondary insurance to find out.

Call #3: EBS.

You need to talk to Joi...straight to voicemail.

The last voicemail I left her went unreturned and I had to call

her back to get my information. Not taking chances this time.

Call #4: EBS.

Yes, I left a voicemail for Joi and my son needs these meds

today, please make sure she calls me as soon as possible.

Let me try another person for you to see if she can help in case Joi is gone for the day...straight to voiucemail and I got disconnected halfway through. Grrrrrrr.

Call #5: EBS.

Yes, I got disconnected. Okay, if you don't hear back by

3:30 call again, here is that mailbox. I leave a message.

Call #6: EBS.

3:45. Yes, I am calling back. Joi is on the phone,

wait, she's off...back on. Please hold a moment.

She is still on the phone, would you like her voicemail?

I have been there, done that. My son needs medicine and I AM talking to a person TODAY. Just a moment.

Call #7: From EBS on call waiting while I am on hold with EBS.

Joi here. I have talked to Wellmark and the problem was on their end when they did the switch for the new fiscal year. It is fixed now in the system...but it won't show up for the pharmacist until 8 tomorrow morning. Call them and see if they will give you the meds tonight and pay tomorrow. If not, call us back.

Call #8: Pharmacy.

I explain the deal and since they know us and it is a

small town, they agree and we get the meds for him.

There, now that wasn't so hard now was it?!?!?!?!

Quote Unquote

Okay, Here's My Deal...

I admit, my new addiction is watching reruns of Scrubs on Comedy Central. And WGN. And Fox. And NBC. We used to watchi t all of the time when it first came on--like we did a lot of TV, but after we had our first son and he began to watch DVDs of his shows, we have not been seeing much. So, for the first few weeks of my new son's life when my oldest son was at the sitter and I had some TV time to myself, I found Scrubs again. Multiple times a day.

Anyway, in the one where Carla and Turk are having their wedding rehersal dinner, he has yet to write his vows and can't think of anything. So her brother, who hates Turk, says he will write them for him. As Turk is reading them, it becomes obvious it is a quote from the movie "When Harry Met Sally" and Carla gets mad, but then later as Turk is talking to JD about Carla he comes up with his vows and all is forgiven.

So, I got to thinking about quotes that I love from movies:

• Bring it on. --The Emperor's New Groove
  
• If we win we praise Him. If we lose we praise Him. --Facing the Giants
  
• Who's your puff daddy?! --Shark Tale


• A + B + C + D + E equals the Big F for me on prom night. --Stealing Home


• I don't know beans! --Veggietales: The Lord of the Beans


• Good gracious me, was I raving?!?! --Exorcist III


• Uh, copy that Doug but I believe we've lost in interest in peas, repeat, lost interest in peas. Canned goods out. --Guarding Tess


• I am serious...and don't call me Shirley. --Airplane


• And stay out of the Woolworth's! --Oh, Brother, Where Art Thou?


• He's bona fide. --OBWAT? (see the quote above)


• I've spoken my piece and counted to three. --OBWAT


• Well, ain't this place a geographical oddity. Two weeks from everywhere! --OBWAT
• Damn! We're in a tight spot! --OBWAT
• You two are just dumber than a bag of hammers. --OBWAT
• We thought you was a toad! --OBWAT
• Do NOT seek the treasure. --OBWAT
• I'm the paterfamilias! --OBWAT
• Is you is or is you ain't my constituents? --OBWAT
• Does Barry Manilow know that you raid his wardrobe? --Breakfast Club
• You want to play a card, let's play the "let's not die" card. --Finding Nemo
• It's because I like you I don't want to be with you. --FN
• ... yes, I'm a natural blue... --FN
• You guys made me ink. --FN
• With fronds like these, who needs anemones? --FN
• Look, Scum angel. --FN
• Esc-a-pay! --FN
• Oh, really? Do you in fact have a associates degree from VermTech? --Over the Hedge

Battle of the 1/3 Chicken Tender

Okay, Here's My Deal...

There was a battle of wills today. Me versus the 3 year old. I know, scary. I stood on my hill and fought hard...and won!!

We went out to eat for lunch...he had been a good helper and sport as I ran several errands and he was in and out of the van. There were 4 chicken tenders in his meal. I wanted him to eat at least 2. Well, he ate 2 and 2/3 pretty well. We sat in Burger King for over an hour while I was trying to get him to eat the otehr 1/3.

There was no yelling on my part. No getting angry, either. I simply told him that we were not leaving until he ate the rest of that tender. Too often we waste food and he doesn't eat and then later wants to eat. Today, I just didn't want to see that happen.

I took away his fries and said he'd get them back if he ate the rest of his chicken.

I took away the empty milk container he wanted to play with instead of eating.

I took away the Transformer guy he got in his meal and said he'd get it back if he ate.

I ate every peice of ice from my BK Mocha Joe waiting.

I read the entire Des Moines Register newspaper waiting.

I cleared out all of my recent calls from my cell phone one by one waiting.

I checked my phone messages at home waiting.

I told him he'd eat no other food until supper unless he ate the chicken.

I waited patiently...then decided he may just fall asleep in the booth if we stayed much longer, so I packed up the 1/3 chicken tender in a napkin, explained to him that I was bringing it home so he could eat it there when he was ready but reminded him of no other food until supper if he didn't eat it.

When we got home, after one more errand, he sat on the couch and said he wanted some olives. I said he could have olives if he ate his chicken. "Okay," and he did. And he got his olives.

Battle won.

#$%^ing Human...

Okay, Here's My Deal...

Occassionaly, you may have read my rants about the #$%^ing dog. Well, last night I am sure he was thinking that about me and I feel SOOOO bad.

My husband was changing our oldest son and I was in the other room with our other son. I heard my husband say, "NO! Bud!!" and I look out to see the dog squatting on the floor and poop coming out. I was hot and began to yell and kick at him to get him to get up and try to take him outside.

My husband said, "What are you doing?!?!" and I look down and that is when I realized it...and immediately it was clear: I am an awful owner.

What I had seen was not poop...but his testicles in a shadow under his tail. He is a golden lab and they are brown...I felt so bad.