Week 3: Simplicity

Simplicity is beginning to mean back to basics.   Simplicity this week meant homemade chocolate chip cookies on a surprise snow day.

Sweet helpers in the kitchen

Everyone is willing to help EAT the cookies!

When the kids were younger and I stayed home full time, we baked a lot.  Back then we didn't eat a ton of sweets except for what I baked in my own kitchen.  Today, with everyone running hither and yon and kids making choices at school for lunch that include cookies and sugary snacks every day, we just don't have time nor caloric back space to fill with sweets at home.  On Wednesday, though, when I came home from work and most of the kids were out playing in the snow, I decided to grab cookie ingredients from the cabinet and throw together a batch of goodness like I did when the kids were smaller and times just seem to have been simpler.

It may sound small, but this act was a simple one of love, of tugging out memories that are fading so quickly from the brain spaces.  I am so grateful that this week we were able to slow down on a snowy day to enjoy an afternoon at home at a slow enough pace that we could enjoy the sights, smells, and tastes of this childhood treasure: warm chocolate chip cookies dunked in a glass of creamy cold milk.

Yum - oh.

Week 2: Interpret a Song - Breathe

My favorite song right now is Breathe by Jonny Diaz.  Every time it comes on the radio, Meiners says, "Mom!  The right song at the right time!" because really?  I need that song every moment of every day.  After the millionth moment of absolutely losing my marbles this week, I posted this in our kitchen:

"No Drama Momma" became my battle cry.  I have to admit - it helped.  Mostly.  I would guess my moments of complete and utter loss of control of my patience reduced by...maybe 10%?  Nah.  I kid.  Mostly.  

Way more like 12%.

Grandma and Grandpa came for pasta dinner and a sold out Beginning Violin concert!

Grammie enjoyed dinner and the concert, too!

Yikes.  Just breathe?  Baby?

Ouch.  Breathe. 

Xopenex helps her Breathe!

In addition to BREATHING and REMEMBERING that Jesus wins in the midst of the chaos of single-parenting while The Mister worked out of town with a winter concert this week and extra rehearsals, basketball practices, breakfasts and dinners and crazy school lunch spending, three different school starts, work, two hour bean bag snuggle conversations discussing painful childhood moments for one of my people, and additional doctor's visits because someone broke his arm, we also enjoyed an exorbitant amount of coughing that led to a stethoscope to a chest and every-four-hour breathing treatments.  Oh yeah.  Breathe.  And Just Be.  Because chaos calls and all I really need is for Him to blow air into my lungs (and into hers!) and to keep me moving and going and ultimately worshiping because truly, that is the only point.  He reigns.  He gives.  He wins.  It is good.  It is good to rest at God's feet, and to just be.  Take it in.  Fill your lungs with the peace of God that overcomes.  Lay down what's good and find what's best.  

Love this kid!

He is just the best!

Love.

Lyrics to Jonny Diaz's song Breathe:

Alarm clock screaming bare feet hit the floor
It’s off to the races everybody out the door
I’m feeling like I’m falling behind, it’s a crazy life
Ninety miles an hour going fast as I can
Trying to push a little harder trying to get the upper hand
So much to do in so little time, it’s a crazy life
It’s ready, set, go it’s another wild day
When the stress is on the rise in my heart I feel you say just

Breathe, just breathe
Come and rest at my feet
And be, just be
Chaos calls but all you really need
Is to just breathe

Third cup of joe just to get me through the day
Want to make the most of time but I feel it slip away
I wonder if there’s something more to this crazy life
I’m busy, busy, busy, and it’s no surprise to see
That I only have time for me, me, me
There’s gotta be something more to this crazy life
I’m hanging on tight to another wild day
When it starts to fall apart in my heart I hear you say just

Breathe, just breathe
Come and rest at my feet
And be, just be
Chaos calls but all you really need

Is to take it in fill your lungs
The peace of God that overcomes
Just breathe
So let your weary spirit rest
Lay down what’s good and find what’s best
Just breathe

Just breathe, just breathe
Come and rest at my feet
And be, just be
Chaos calls but all you really need
Is to just breathe
Just breathe

And the video:

Week 1: Beginnings

2016 is upon us, and I am challenged by the beginning of a new year and a dear friend.  Let's get started!

I do try to keep the kids' activities to only one apiece, but this year I threw all restraint to the wind.  The kids are doing more than ever, and so are The Mister and I.  First up, ice skating lessons.

The kids' big brothers and big sisters invited them to ice skate in December.  The idea is a great one in theory, but only Sashi has ice skated before.  With the fear of Pookie falling and the awareness of how sore my back was after helping only Sashi skate with Girl Scouts last year, I knew having them go with the med school kids would be disastrous.  Insert ice skating lessons as an experience gift for Christmas.  Great idea!  Only The Mister didn't think so.  He was convinced someone would get hurt.  "But the first thing they'll learn is how to fall safely!  What could go wrong?!" I questioned repeatedly.  

First Ice Skating Lesson Day came on Friday.  All the kids were excited!  A few of them eagerly awaited the start of class so impatiently that they insisted on going out on the ice before lessons began.  Initially, I firmly said, "No!" but my resolve abated and out they went.  Except the oldest.  He said he would stay put.  My absent-minded-because-I-was-intensely-preoccupied-with-worry-about-the-three-already-on-the-ice response of "Do whatever you want T" came across as a taunt, so out he went.  He made it to the middle and back - I was thrilled!  When he shuffled out one more time, however, he took a tumble while I wasn't looking, and the rest, as they say, is history.  Arm broken, skating lessons, snowboarding lessons, and basketball on hold.  (I said I had thrown our cautious schedule to the wind, right?  Maybe this is God's way of saying I really should slow down.  Maybe.)

Another first and new beginning is CYC basketball for Meiners.  He played with Upward for five years but looked for a more competitive league this year.  Unfortunately for my little athlete, he didn't make the Junior High team :( :( :( so he decided to try the catholic league.  It hasn't been without bumps in the road - boys who have played together themselves for years found it difficult to welcome a new boy, but his second game was this weekend.  They didn't win, but last year his team was Division III and they won the league, so they were moved up to Division I.  Then, the team they played yesterday was the team who won the entire championship last year.  Great competition for Meiners to improve upon!  He came off the court red faced and sweaty, having loved every minute of it!  Seems it will work out just fine.

Other beginnings include new books for Sashi.  At Barnes and Noble this week, she chose the newest American Girl book.  She was thrilled to discover Lea is from St. Louis!  I love that the St. Louis heroine is traveling to Brazil and will be studying animals.  Little S thinks for now that she herself will be either a vet or a teacher.  We also bought her a pristine, new Kumon book to practice her multiplication.  That particular book thrills her far less.  I'll take the good with the bad.  ;)

For me, the end of my quiet, leisurely mornings by the tree before dawn, sipping on toasty chocolate-laced coffee and immersing myself in bible study, listening to the newest Amy Grant Christmas CD or simply reading for pleasure has come.  Instead, 5AM workouts have begun again.  6AM kid wake up calls have returned.  Slurping cold coffee between trips to school and hopping in the shower at the last minute before running to work has become my new normal again.  I've contemplated words for the year and resolutions, loosely landing on "Joy" and "Prayer," neither finding itself on a necklace or refrigerator magnet.  Resolutions are more contemplations in my mind than decisions, yet this one - this 52 week challenge - came at the right time.  A good time to begin photos and writing, connecting and catching up.

Here's to Happy Beginnings in 2016!

November 1st: What We Did in October

I spent a lot of time yesterday morning re-reading a whole bunch of my blog.  The overwhelming theme I read was the same theme I now write.  I'm a mess, there's no time, and I want to get this season in writing.

There must be a lesson there.

So, I thought I would recap October - a truly incredible month of living here at our house, and worth repeating.

Early:
Early in the month, J spent a lot of time preparing our yard for new landscaping.  We decided the overwhelming amounts of ivy needed to go.  He dug it all out himself, pulled out all the old bushes and trees (except those two awesome burning bushes), and ended up needing to grind a stump or two.

Right after I snapped this picture of my man hard at work, our neighbor came out and said this stump belonged to him.  This led to a couple of land surveys - his and ours - that ultimately determined he was correct.  It was a bummer, because our little spot on the planet grew a little smaller, but we aren't persnickety about it.  It was disappointing, but that was all.  Well, that and we now have to move the landscaping that went in before the surveys.

Didn't it turn out beautifully, though?  We love it!  I can't wait to see the new bushes bloom in the spring!

It made me laugh that the kids were *this* into watching the men planting:

This month we also trekked to a food truck fundraiser for some friends of ours who started a foundation when one of their twin daughters was born with a congenital heart defect.  It was pretty chilly, but the food was tasty, it was for a fabulous cause, we saw one of my four chambered heart Bazouki, and Family Time is always fun, regardless!

isn't that sunset beautiful?!

We tried out our new Six Flags Season Passes by attending Fright Fest.  I was not looking forward to this - I *hate* roller coasters, but, like I said, "Family Time is Fun" and the Mister was WAY into it, so I tagged along;).  I road the Mine Train, came off it shaking like a leaf and nearly sobbing, and J let me off the hook the rest of the day.  (Thank you Jesus.)  Meiners did a pretty good job trying a few coasters, too, and Sashi?  Holy Cow she tried a few I don't think she should have, but she only cried after Screamin' Eagle.  She was VERY brave.  The twins, of course, were Dare Devils.  They rode EVERYTHING.  Oh - it was also chilly and a lil rainy, but no one's spirits were dampened by it.

riding the ferris wheel - just about my speed ... and I forgot, that morning we all spoke in front of church about our family's summer mission trip (see shirt)

Moon Cars were *always* my favorite as a child!

me -n- my sweet girl

me -n- my other sweet girl! 

smart alec

to J's surprise - I road this one.  Several times.  I admit, I was freaked out, but not *that* much.  Love this pic!

<3 td="">

I needed some pictures for work and for a new phone case, so we grabbed a few spare moments (and a lot of yelling as two kids duked it out) to achieve these:

In the middle of the month, during the coldest weekend, J prepared for his survival weekend re-do with his two buddies.  They nearly froze to death, but I think they enjoyed it in spite of the cold.  Plus, that temp of 37 degrees in a grass hut adds to the storytelling possibilities!

The twins went to their first overnight church camp:

And these two thought they might sleep out under the stars in this:

I said no.

I ran-ish the St. Louis Rock-n-Roll half marathon in J's place on a cold Sunday morning.

Oh man was it excruciating.  I haven't really run since the same weekend last year in San Francisco.  And that's a long time not to run but to decide to run 13.  lol.

The following weekend, and nearing the end of October, it was time to go Cub Scout camping.  J and Meiners built an award-winning catapult.

Pookie got new glasses:

Our annual bike trip along the Mississippi turned into a hike when Meiners' bike broke 200 yards into the excursion...but we made the absolute best of it, on the prettiest weekend of the month!

After the hike and a drive through the adorable village of Elsa, we ended up in Grafton - with treats for the kids and treats for the adults - who knew there was a party cove on the Mississippi?  It was just a little bit perfect.

We came home to a busy week of crazy hair days, doctors'  and orthodontist appointments, as well as last minute Halloween costume shopping.

And that brings us to Halloween.  This was our first Halloween at our new house.  The kids were excited to go trick-or treating with the neighbors; of course, the twins went to friends' houses.  It was a successful and fun, albeit cold, night for all.

Here is to the wonderful blessing of a grateful November.

31 Days of Writing and Why It Won't Work for Me

I'm too busy!

I wake up at 4:30 in the morning to work out.  Even when I decide it is just not a morning I am going to get out of bed hours before sunrise, I still wake up.  Every day.  {That kinda stinks for someone who spent 39 years of her life as a night owl.}

I worked almost every day in October.  Judge me as you will, but I still have not adjusted to this whole "working mom" gig.  Clothes go unfolded.  For weeks.  Floors aren't vacuumed.  Despite my yelling.  Dinner is pizza.  Again.  And again.  And again.

And again.

I think I used to blog during nap time.  Oh how I loved nap time.  Or I blogged late at night, whereas now, I am headed for bed at the same time as the kids cuz 4:30 comes VERY early if my eyes aren't dark by 9:30.

It's a good life.  It's a good busy.  It's passing too fast and I want it to slow down, I will it to do so.  The reality is, though, that every time I brainstorm ways to cut the extracurriculars or see myself serving pizza.  Again.  I see value in the things that we are doing that are making us busy.

So there was one day of blogging in 31 days of October (two if you count today).  I guess that's a good place to start.

31 Days: Day 8 and I'm already 7 days behind

I created a loose goal as "31 Days October" neared.  My goal became writing.  Period.

I don't remember why I decided recently to look at the blog again, but I did.  I rediscovered what I once knew more readily - that countless meaningful memories are documented here.  Yet literally for years, the blog lay dormant.  I decided to "try" to write for 31 days in October.  I'm not writing for critics - good gracious they are plentiful, probably well-intentioned(?), and, while free to their opinions, best kept out of mind.   I am writing for myself mostly and maybe for my children a little, as well.

When I opened the blog recently, I recounted a story to Mr. T who happened to be close.  I asked him about his skyscraper gingerbread house, whether he remembered it.  The next time I opened the computer he uses, I found the blog opened on his home page.

<3 br=""> I remembered that it matters.  It matters to me and to my children to journal, to document, to ponder in a space.  I don't believe it needs to be a public space - perhaps it would be best, in fact, if it weren't. But this blog does allow my children easy access into their mother's thoughts today and years from now, plus the venue is open and available and fun, actually.  Plus, I always felt connected to others from the blog.

 I loosely created a goal to write for 31 days to see how it went.  I am already 7 days behind.  I guess Yoda was right.  "There is no try.  There is only do or do not."

And so I do.

October 7th

She is light and fun, sassy but so sweet, a dear and genuine friend.  When Pookie had her seventh open heart surgery last spring, it was she who texted at midnight to say, "I am headed to bed.  You were the last thought in my mind before sleep" and another day at 6AM to say, "Thinking of you, and praying for you right now."  Quiet love.  Constant but not overbearing.  I told her I wanted to be her when I grew up.  To be that kind of friend.

Today is her birthday.  I sent her a text while shopping.  I said, "Did you know there are no birthday cards that read:  Today sucks.  Happy Birthday anyway?"

She is 41 today.  She has cancer and starts 10 days of round-the-clock chemo tomorrow.  I love her and do not know how life would look without the fourth chamber of my Bazouki heart.

Please pray for her, for her three sweet babies.  For their strength.  And for their hearts.  Complete earthly healing Lord, God of Miracles.  That is all that is acceptable.