Parenting Palooza

I have recently entered a very fun stage of parenting. Sam's about to turn 9 (freaking me out that he will be double digits next year!) and Jo is 5 and they are full of a combination of both mine and my husband's personalities. As the "baby phase" goes away (which is very sad) the adolescent, pre-teen phase if right at our door and unless we take a nose-dive, it's my favorite so far.

Like today....

Sam came running into the room anticipating going outside and getting a hair cut followed by the sprinkler.

He dashed to my side and yelled in his best European accent, "I'm ready to go into my yard. All I have is a knife (some plastic broken piece off of a toy) a water bottle and a piece of flint! I may even have to drink my own pee!"

Let me explain...

He has this obsession with the television show on the Discovery channel called "Man Vs. Wild". He records it on the dvr and then runs to find the location on his globe. It's hilarious. I don't get it! The more disgusting that guy gets by eating maggots or drinking his own bodily fluids-the cooler he seems to the boys in my house!

Males are such a mystery?

Another pre-teen obstacle...The whole "Birds and Bees" conversation.

Sam has shown absolutely no interest or curiosity on the matter. For this...I'm very thankful. In my opinion, there's been no rush and I don't want to talk much regarding it until he can be trusted not to talk with his friends about what he learns.

Today he caught me tabulating the calories in my lunch and he commented on how girls always care how much they eat. My husband said that was because it is important to girls to look pretty and skinny. Sam couldn't understand why? Who sees you naked anyway?

So, I began to reveal to him that when you get married you do sometimes (while often avoided after you hit mid 30's and have a few babies!) see each other naked.

He look alarmed....

"But", I continued, "YOU will NEVER be naked with any girl until you're married!"

He seemed very agreeable to that. How long will that last?

I then went on to tell him that he is to never talk to his friends about our conversation on nakedness because it isn't appropriate.

Matt yells, "YEAH and if anyone tries to tell you that "I see London, I see France" poem"...Stop them! "That one really messed me up for a while!"

I cracked up and heard him mumble as he left the room..."I always wanted to go to France..."

Brother.

SO, I suppose this is just the beginning of years of trying to parent children that are processing.

Scary!

I'll leave you with another funny kid realization...

Want to know the best thing about visiting the grandma that lives in the woods?




You don't have to bother wearing pants to play outside!

Pit Stop

Okay...I can only post for a sec because I need to hop into the shower.

I have been on a travelling whirwind since last Thursday and it doesn't look to let up for several more weeks.

At present, I am in San Antonio with my sister. We are getting ready to head off to a resort together and I'm looking forward to some "sister time" together. We haven't done that for years so I know it will be great.

My sister had a private room and bath all ready for me when I got to her house. Equipped with towels and smelly stuff wrapped in ribbons. I'm not sure what to do with myself...being able to sleep in and leaisurely head into the bathroom in the morning. It's weird.

The cabin in the mountains was good and I'll write about that when I can post some pics.

This week is Texas and then home to the midwest for some much needed friend time. I can't wait.

The Pre-Travel "Stuck"

Eh...I can't believe that I'm actually taking the time to blog today. I have to leave early for three weeks tomorrow and while I should be scurrying around to get everything done...I feel stuck.

I would much rather curl up on the couch and watch the rest of the first season of 24 and take a nap. I feel all icky today. Going home (and abroad) is great because I miss everyone so much but it's alot of work and packing and preparing and concerning...along with the emotional investment...sigh. I'm exhausted already.

So, I've baked a bit and talked to Steph a bit...okay maybe a bit more than a bit, but I NEEDED that laugh! (A little observation "girl talk" was in order! Hee-Hee! I'M FINE, STEPH- I promise!)

I also promised that I would post some pictures of Milo for her to update her on his look. So here are some pictures of him and some other developments at the house.

This is his homemade "doggie door". They are so expensive but thanks to My husband, Mr. Handyman...He just built one for us in the garage wall.

The outside has a nice ramp for him on hinges that we can close up at night or when we go on vacation. It also helps with our scaredy dog! Pretty ingenious, huh?


This is the before of our house before we enclosed (I use that word "loosely"!) the garage into a play room.


This is after! Matt did a great job on his own installing doors for the first time without any instruction! The doors were donated to us by a family member of a friend..I think?? Oh well-thanks, Matt and Lori, anyway!


My "get well" present from my dad after my surgery. He practically remodeled my kitchen! A new double oven, range top and yes...DISHWASHER! Yippee! I had a dishwasher for like a second in Lafayette and I have missed it very much. I agreed to go back to work full-time as long as this bad boy made it into my cabinets! Thanks to Seth and Anne who gifted us all the appliances!

Home Bound-Two Ways

Well...

I'm still-YES STILL, very sick from my surgery.

The tonsils are better and that is a blessing. I know I will appreciate the welcomed "roomy" hollowness that I will experience in my throat when the nose lets all the swelling and reaction go away.

Apparently, (and I have found others who have had this surgery to verify) my nose is all fresh with new tissue and that makes it very sticky (gross!) for allergens in the air. So far, I can't go to church or the store or just sit outside without a decent amount of reaction and discomfort and nose bleeds.

Matt's new boss said it took her a YEAR to feel normal! Wha-huh?!

I've never known myself to have allergies but I now have a great compassion for those who suffer. It's terrible.

Yesterday I went to Bath and Body Works...ran in and started sniffing my favorite "Cotton Blossom" and suddenly my nose felt on fire and my throat started closing up. The migraine headache soon followed.

*Stuffy Sigh*

The doctor wants to re-scrape the nose and while that will bring some relief...it sets me up to start all over again with the healing.

So, I've decided to stay in the house as much as possible. I'm now a "shut-in" :)

Problem is....on Thursday of this week, I leave for a whirlwind three week vacation!

I'll spend four days in the mountains with my family and siblings, rush up to Indiana to drop the kids off where I will fly out of St. Louis with my sister and her family to spend a WHOLE WEEK in San Antonio, Texas with my other sis, Julie! YEAH! I'm not sure what to think about a week completely by myself without my family? What will I do with all that free time? Blessedness to my sister who is taking me and Jean to a 4-star spa resort!

Then, I'll fly back and spend another week in Indiana visiting family and friends from where I used to live.

Whew....

So, I have the potential of having a miserable nose month or this home bound business could kick in and really make me feel better in the next couple of days??

Yeah-fat chance, right?!

Oh well! I've stacked up on allergy medicine and I'm trying not to stress. The next couple of days are going to be hectic and then gone for several weeks so I'll write again when I can!

(BTW...Steph, we have a date, right? We need it!)

What a difference a website makes!

I'm sure many of you have experienced this (good and bad) but today I came across an e-mail address on the web of an old friend that I had while working in Mexico after I graduated from high-school.

In spite of a very boring, ordinary day...I was elated! It caused me to think back to a time long ago that I have the most amazing memories. I don't talk about my work in Mexico much but it was life-changing for me. I met some missionaries that were exactly what you would think of when you think of the "epitome" of mission work and I really changed that summer. I have a million pictures and hope to put a few in the next post.

Connie...my friend, was about ten or fifteen years older than me at the time so she was about my age now. When I think about how kind and patient she was to be close with me and listen to my petty thoughts and concerns....I'm impressed! I have to work really hard to do that with younger people. We had some great laughs and just looking over the website, I was transported back to that time of self-abandonment and total service to a community of impoverished people who needed truth and hope. I know it sounds romantic....and it was.

I cried every time I had to come back across the border to the states. I could have camped in deep Mexico forever...and "camped" was the right word.

I don't know-maybe I'll go back one day. I want my boys to see what I saw and experience another culture.

You gotta love the Internet, don't ya'? Instant connection...Love it!