Category Archives: Uncategorized

by

Resting, Corin-style

I would like to share an example of how Corin’s nap time – and I use that term extremely loosely – goes these days.

*Loud and long tuneless singing of made-up songs mixed with a few selections he’s learned at church or Mother’s Day Out. Today’s lyrics are along a salvation theme.*

*Loud clapping and cheering*

*Whispered: “That was a good song, wasn’t it? Yes, it was a very good song.*

*Repeat*

This is currently being followed by what sounds like a full re-enactment of the David and Goliath confrontation.

I’m not entirely sure how restful “nap time” is any more.

by

Friends in (latitudinally) low places

And now for a post that’s truly overdue…

At the end of January, I took a trip with the kids to Florida to see a very dear friend and her family. We discovered that two adults to five children is not really any easier than one adult to two or three, but we tackled outings with gusto and balanced it out with some quiet time at home. I was a tad apprehensive about flying alone with two kids for the first time, but thankfully, both my kids travel well. We did not make enemies of our fellow passengers. The kids and I got sick half-way through our visit, which added an extra level of challenge. Baby Girl did not appreciate being in an unfamiliar environment while feeling markedly subpar. I know this, because she would not let me set her down for a moment without subjecting the neighborhood to ear-splitting wails. Thus, my pictures of the trip are a little sparse. (If you’ve ever tried shooting photos while holding an unhappy baby, you know what I mean.)

Whatever the challenges, it is always worth it to reconnect with friends. Our kids are growing up fast, and Corin and Eleanor – just a few weeks apart in age – played together beautifully. Corin happily would have stayed behind at Aunt Lila’s house. These times make me wish I could collect in one place all my friends and family spread out across the globe, so we could be a part of each other’s lives in ways so hard to accomplish long-distance. Here’s to loved ones in far-away places; we miss you all.

_MG_6514

Why, yes, that is a backyard zip line. Thanks to Frank and Susan for an awesome afternoon!

_MG_6503

_MG_6518

_MG_6527

_MG_6531

_MG_6539

_MG_6540

_MG_6543

A lollipop, a tire horse swing, some sidewalk chalk on the pant legs: more elements of a very good day.

_MG_6552

“I’m King Herod’s solider!” (That Christmas story really stuck this year.)

_MG_6565

I call this series, “A Study in Contrasts: Happy Baby, Sad Baby.”

_MG_6566

_MG_6572

_MG_6573

_MG_6585

_MG_6597

_MG_6609

_MG_6615

_MG_6621

_MG_6624

Lina was sleeping. Also, I am clearly not a professional photographer. Getting four kids to all look at the camera and smile at the same time is an accomplishment well beyond my skills. Actually, it’s just my kid who won’t look at the camera and smile. 

_MG_6626

_MG_6641

_MG_6645

18 years of friendship and counting

by

Ch-ch-ch-changing

My children do not always do so well with change. The truth is, neither do I. But life, I am learning, is change. That’s what keeps things interesting.

Over the past year or so, Jon and I have researched, talked about and prayed over the topic of our kids’ education. I won’t drag you through the details of our process, but we have arrived at the decision to relocate our family to Williamson County, on the south side of Nashville. The schools there are exceptional, particularly in their approach to special education, and the area provides access to tremendous resources for Lina, starting now and carrying all the way through to adulthood.

IMG_0080

Our house is currently on the market. That’s an adventure in itself. We have no idea how long it will take us to sell, and once we have a contract, there’s the challenge of finding the right new house in time to avoid homelessness. (Relatives have offered to take us in for a week or two, if necessary, and worst case scenario is renting for a few months while we shop.) Prices are steep where we’re looking, and inventory is low. It’s a seller’s market, and we’re buyers. But God has answered a lot of prayers thus far, and we’ll just keep following where He opens doors.

In the meantime, Corin is struggling with the idea of leaving the only home he’s known. We’ve tried to keep it all as low-key as possible amidst realtor meetings, packing up extra belongings and preparing for showings, but that kid is perceptive. He knows what’s up, and he senses our stress. We’ve garnered a few new ideas to try to ease the transition.  The tantrums and helplessness have eased – a little. (“But I can’t possibly put on these shoes that I’ve been putting on by myself for the past 6 months!”) He’ll be fine. He’ll survive and eventually settle into life in a new home, as we all will.

Just don’t ask me how I feel about leaving the hand-painted Narnia mural in his room. Or the bedroom where my daughter was born. Or the therapists and TEIS teacher we’ve come to love. Or… I better stop now.

by

Yes, we’re still alive over here

I have been an absolutely abysmal blogger of late. I apologize. It’s not for lack of happenings around here. I solemnly promise more to come soon.

For now, I leave you with a few photos from the last week or two, taken with my birthday present – a new Canon Rebel T3i with the 18-55 kit lens. My old camera was around 10 years old and had Issues. (Anyone want a Rebel XTi? Cause I got one you can have cheap.) Anyway, I am greatly appreciating my humble upgrade. I’m also fervently hoping this was the last snow and ice storm of the season.

IMG_0010

IMG_0014

IMG_0024

IMG_0030

IMG_0044

IMG_0045

IMG_0046

IMG_0053

What? You don’t mow your lawn in the snow?

IMG_0062

IMG_0069

IMG_0073

IMG_0078

At least more snow means more use for my fun Christmas boots.

by

The no-sleep, snotty days of winter

My son woke me from a sound sleep at 2 a.m. last night, calling that he needed to go potty. It’s rare for him to need to go in the night, but when he does, he is of the firm conviction that he requires company. This is perhaps our fault, because we made an iron rule when he moved from a crib to a toddler bed that he was never to get out of bed without permission, unless it was to use the bathroom. The first part sunk in nicely; the latter part did not.

In any case, I got up with him for a couple minutes, then headed straight back to bed. I then lay awake for the next 2 1/2 hours.

I don’t know what it was about having children that forever destroyed my ability to sleep like a normal person. I now require ear plugs and a sleep mask, and even then, I go through regular bouts of insomnia: not falling asleep despite being exhausted, not being able to get back to sleep if I wake in the night, waking too early in the morning… I knew going into kids that I wasn’t going to sleep much with little ones who were not sleeping through the night. I did not realize that even once my kids were sleeping all night, I might not be able to. It’s possibly a genetic issue kicking in now that I’m in my 30s, as there’s a family history of insomnia starting around this time. Whatever the case, it sure makes for a tired mama.

Also, my preschooler is running a 100.5 fever. I expected this. After all, we’ve all been healthy for a good two weeks. I was talking to a friend about our constant illness and the fact that I just have to hope all these relatively minor bugs are building my kids’ immune systems so that when they get older, they’ll be able to avoid major illness. It’s what keeps me going through all the snotty noses, fevers and crabbiness.

As always, we just keep plugging along. Life is busy around here, and we’re looking forward to a trip to Florida to visit dear friends next week. Let’s hope we can get this latest round of sickness out of the way before then.

by

Also on the subject of oxygen…

That last blog post title has an ironic ring to it, given that I spent the night with Lina in the ER, getting her breathing treatments for croup that spiraled out of control. Poor baby had terrible stridor and was having to use her whole body to suck in enough air.

So, this was our night:

1527121_10152479313239745_1113637277_n

We finally got home and back to bed at 4 a.m. Baby girl is sounding much better, and with the steroid they prescribed, hopefully we can avoid future ER visits.

Good thing we were all so well rested. (Oh, wait…) But truly, just thankful this morning that she’s okay and for a day with family, who are braving our germs to celebrate the holiday. Stay healthy, everyone.

by

Whatever may come

I sat in her darkened nursery this afternoon, rocking my sleeping baby, awash in a love so deep it hurt.

I prayed a new prayer. I told God that I was opening myself up to whatever her future holds.

I have always chosen optimism, but today, maybe for the first time, I could throw my arms wide to the unknown. I realized, in the rhythm of the rocking chair and her steady breathing, that being this child’s mother is worth it. Whatever it is, whatever may come, it is worth it. I am hers and she is mine, and that joy is bigger than any fear for the future. I suppose I’ve known that for a long time, but I felt it in a new way today.

In this season of gratitude, I know for certain that I am incredibly blessed.

1461759_10152408353679745_682233691_n-1

by

Meet the newest members of our family

_MG_6086

That’s Esther hiding on the left and Xerxes on the right. The tank decorations were Corin’s choice. He is thrilled with our new pets. Yesterday morning, he came out to discover that daddy had brought home the centerpiece from a Chamber of Commerce awards dinner: a vase containing two frightened-looking goldfish. His ecstatic response was, “This is a real surprise. I never expected to have fish as pets.” A trip to PetSmart and $100 later, we were equipped for the newest lives depending on us for survival. We’ll see how we do. Goldfish are not exactly known for their hardiness.

by

Pizza with style and other matters

We ordered Pizza Hut this week, something we do more often than we should but not nearly as often as I’m tempted. Credit where credit’s due, folks.

When the delivery guy arrived, Corin answered the door and promptly started a one-sided conversation about who-knows-what. I came behind with a hungry Lina on my hip, blocking Tennyson from running out the door with well-practiced footwork while signing credit card receipts one-handed over Corin’s head. It must have looked like something, because the friendly delivery guy seemed awestruck. If he only knew the orchestrations required for using a public restroom…

—

I’m spoiled by having Jon work from home. Yes, he works crazy-long hours, and there’s definitely less separation between work and home life. But most Thursdays, I can put Lina down for a nap, drive alone to pick Corin up from Mother’s Day Out, and then the two of us take a pretty relaxed trip to the grocery store. The kid LOVES grocery shopping. He rides in the car cart or pushes his own mini cart when we can find one, and it’s usually a surprisingly smooth experience. The only hiccup this week was the holiday Matchbox cars display right down the aisle from the greeting cards I needed to peruse. ‘Tis the season for the “Christmas is coming” solution for every impending toy tantrum.

We were loading groceries in the parking lot when a woman I recognized approached me and asked for a ride to the Mapco up the road. I realized I had given her that same ride some time ago. She had four heavy bags of groceries, so I helped her put them in the back seat and asked if I could take her all the way home. She mentioned that she’d been waiting on her Food Stamps check, which comes a week later now than it used to, and had been without food for a couple days. She said it would be steak and potatoes that night for dinner.

Corin thought it was all very interesting. He kept commenting on the traffic. “See all those cars backed up? See them? No, mommy, I’m talking to the other girl.” The “other girl” was at least in her late 60s and had what appeared to be an older model hearing aid that whistled and whined in familiar fashion. So then the backseat commentary switched to the subject of hearing aids. “Your hearing aid is squealing at you. Lina has a hearing aid. Her hearing aid squeals sometimes. I don’t have a hearing aid. Mommy doesn’t have a hearing aid. Daddy doesn’t have a hearing aid. Tennyson doesn’t have a hearing aid. Lina has a hearing aid.”

Our passenger mentioned that her mother had passed away a year ago, and I said we had lost my husband’s grandma recently and missed her badly. Again, the backseat commentary: “Mommy, what are you talking about? Oh, Grandma Ginnie? Grandma Ginnie died. I hope we don’t die.” I suddenly felt grateful our passenger’s hearing aid was malfunctioning.

We dropped her off at a pull-in behind a lovely old home she said belonged to her brother. I offered to help her carry the groceries into the trailer she lived in on the property, but I got the impression she didn’t want me to come any farther. I said good-bye and drove home in relative quiet, wondering if there was something more I should have done for someone who was clearly struggling.

—

And to end on a very serious note: I’d like to share a link to the adoption blog of friends who have been on a difficult journey in their quest to adopt from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Please take a moment to read the latest update. It has weighed heavy on me since it was posted. Both the families in this story need your prayers, and I believe this issue needs greater exposure. So many well-intentioned families here in the U.S. feel called to provide for orphans who long for a family, and it breaks my heart that this desire is being used by the lowest of the low to profit by removing children from their own loving homes. Again, please pray for these two families and the precious kids who need to go home to their parents and siblings.