Time for a change....I guess......

Still waiting on google....but I think I can wait no more! (I'm not that patient, but you already knew that) - - Unfortunately that means I will need to start over with the family blog, but I am having trouble coming up with a new name that is "me", "us" or available - - ideas guys???? Send them on - - remember, because I have no admin capabilities I can not publish comments, but I do still get them!!

Big girl happenings....

Yesterday Soph surprised me, again. We have started the routine of a short nap in the afternoons or at least quiet time. Yesterday, she insisted that she wasn't tired, so I agreed that she could read in bed for awhile and told her that I would be up shortly to check on her. She chose 5 different books, turned her bedside lamp on and readied herself to read in bed. I went about my way cleaning and picking up, all the while, listening for her. After about 15 minutes I headed back upstairs fully expecting to find her wide eyed and bushy tailed, but when I peeped around the corner, she was out. I walked to her bedside for further examination and she was tucked under her covers, her lamp was out and her books stacked in a neat pile on the floor. Obviously, she realized she was tired afterall and was perfectly comfortable putting herself to sleep. It was an awakening to Soph's maturity; I still see the little girl with tiny fingers and toes and the sweetest little voice in the world and yet, she's become a big girl capable of surprising feats. It only takes an instant to remind me how quickly she's growing. Bittersweet!

I must say - I am going to take full advantage of the snow day today!! Both girls home = loads of fun! Now if only Mart had a snow day too, it'd be bliss!

Bare with me...

I managed to delete my original blogger account....soooooo what that means is that I can no longer do anything that requires permissions on my own blog. I have waited a couple of weeks to hear back from google regarding this. Truly, it's got to be as simple as a click and "you're in", but I'm guessing at this point that it's unlikely I'll get anywhere with them.

My new plan is to develop a new blog and slowly copy everything over so as to have it all in one place....afterall, this whole thing resulted in my attempt to "get organized" online!! Classic!

In the meantime, I can still post stories, but short of that I'm up the creek. As a result, I've decided it's a good opportunity to for an overhaul, so just bare with me as I inch my way forward!!!

Fragile.....

The other night we were all playing in Soph's room....Bella and Mart were teasing each other when Bella ran out of words and decided to start bopping Marty....Soph stood up and yelled at Bella - "Don't hit my father, Jesus made him and he's fragile!" - - - got a lot of laughs and smiles out of that one!! Thank goodness she didn't reference his age!! Kids are classic!!

Personal mission....

one of many, I guess, but this pertains to my "role" in the home. I have said for years, since I quit "working" - although we all know I'm working harder now than I ever did before - ;) - that I was going to figure out how to save more money for our family. My wonderful husband works very hard to provide for us, so I absolutely feel it's my responsibility to not only avoid frivolity of spending, but to pinch as well.....sooooooo, I have just started my research to determine what the best avenues for saving is, i.e. coupons, clubs, etc..... and I am finding so much information that my head is spinning and we all know that after having two babies my head barely has enough marbles to begin with. I am so excited to begin this attempt and it's my thought that when I find something new and spectacular, I'll share. So far, I can tell you that Walgreens is a tremendous help on this front!! Right now, I am hoping to cut our grocery bill by $125.00 a month (secretly I pushing for $200.00 - but we'll keep that between you and me ;)) Will keep you posted! And if you have any suggestions, let me know - - I would love the help!!!!

Conversations with a preschooler!

How quickly they move on....a conversation with Soph!

Soph - "Mommy, I want to walk on the moon"

Me - "You do?"

Soph - "Yes. I want to walk all around it, like this" - (walking motion)

Me - "That would be terrific, why do you want to walk on the moon?"

Soph - "I love the moon. But if I walked to the bottom I'd fall" (eyes and head in the quizzical thought position)

Me - "What do you mean?"

Soph - "I would be upside down, I'd fall down and get hurt. I'd bleed" (excitable yet scared tone)

Me - "Well, actually you wouldn't fall, you'd float"

Soph - "No Mom - I WOULD fall, I would"

Me - "Truly Soph, you'd float, wanna know why?"

Soph - "No mom, no, I don't want to talk about the moon anymore. I'm hungry."

This week is off to a great start......

YAY! Last week was the first week in a long time that I just couldn't wait to come to a close. It was just one of those odd weeks where nothing goes as expected and you end up at the mercy of others, to some degree. I had big plans to get the house entirely in order, to begin the process of elimination on unnecessary clothes and toys, and to play with Soph and Bella as much as possible. In the midst of my plans, though, my neighbor, Shon, was dealing with a dead car and she needed help getting her son, Qui, to his physician appointments, so we immediately planned to help. She is a single mom who is doing the absolute best she can and has very little in the form of family or finances to help her. Her son endured a double lung transplant at the age of two last spring and needs constant care and attention. Over a period of three days I drove as she would manage one appointment after the next, all the while saying that she was excited about getting back to work once her son was cleared to go to daycare. At the end of each day I came home with the vast awareness, again, of the many blessings I have been bestowed and each time was quick to give a nod to the heavens with great appreciation. By the end of the week, Shon was overwhelmed, the day of her last appointment I drove her to Children's hospital and noticed, on the way, that she was much quieter than normal. I told her that I hoped 2009 was going to be a better year for her and that God has great plans for her and told her one of my favorite scriptures Jeremiah 29:11 - "For I know the plans I have for you," ... "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." - She smiled and thanked me and half-heartedly agreed as she stepped out of the car with her son. I told her to call when they were done and wondered on my way home, what, beyond the obvious, could be troubling her so badly, while saying constant prayers for the two en route.

Shortly after arriving home Shon's troubles were revealed to me. There was a knock on my door and another neighbor explained that he knew I knew Shon and thought I should know what was happening. I stepped out of my home to see two sheriff's and a truckload of men carrying Shon's things off. I had no way of getting in touch with her because her cell phone had, earlier in the week, been turned off so I inquired and the officers explained that they were doing an eviction. My heart sank and I didn't know what to say. I spoke with the man in charge of her items and he told me they would go into a storage facility that she would have to pay for to get them out. He knew Shon and felt badly about what he had to do...it was not his property, he just handled the landscape, and was just doing what he was told. There was definite sadness in his eyes. I worked it out between he and the sheriffs that they would bring over the baby's medicine, oxygen tanks, machines, clothes, food, etc...Before I knew it our foyer and dining room was riddled with 18 oxygen tanks, loads of medicine and enough clothes and shoes to make my head spin. I spoke with Shon once, when she called, during the process and hated to tell her what was happening. She was heartbroken, of course, but also told me that they were admitting her son because of concern of pneumonia. At that time, I just didn't have the right words.

Later I told our girls what was happening, as they saw the situation unfold. They were so sad at the thought that Shon and Qui were out of a home and that this is happening to people in many ways around us and all over the country. It really brought home to Bella the depth of losing a home and not being able to pay bills. She spoke of Shon and Qui throughout the day.

Over the next two days I spoke with Shon alot, her son, Qui endured minor surgery and treatments, our furnace died, twice, and, to boot, I deleted by mistake, several Internet accounts, including the admin account for this blog. It was an exhausting week. Knowing full well, mine was nothing like Shon's!

Today as I brought Shon to our home from the hospital to get some of her things...I was thankful. Thankful for hope, among many things. What a gift it is. As Shon and I spoke, we talked about God's plans and I reminded her that it's easy to feel that when it's raining the hardest, God has forgotten us, but that the truth is sometimes he allows things to happen in our life so that He can turn it into something beautiful. Just like the process of the butterfly, it's not an easy task to change oneself from a small, peculiar looking creature to something so magnificent, but it happens and we boast about the miracle in the transformation. Well, what rings true for the little Caterpillar rings true for us too. God plans to make us something beautiful...to take all of our pain and sin and transform them for His glory. He has given us a guarantee, the rain always stops, always.

When I returned her to the hospital, she grabbed her things and headed in. As I maneuvered to pull out I noticed she was running to my side of the car, I put down my window and she asked me to step out. No sooner then I did were her arms wrapped around my neck. Shon is a woman who hates to cry, doesn't often ask for help and hates to appear weak, but in that moment with tears dripping down her cheeks I saw someone else and it was such a blessing to see. As she stepped back she told me that she felt great, that she was certain God had a better place for her and that she couldn't wait to find out more, that she knew she was going to be alright!!! I agreed emphatically! She shook my arms and repeated several times that she knows God placed our family next to hers for a purpose and with one more hug and a waive, rushed off!

I smiled the entire drive home. And as I listened to Soph change her mind multiple times about lunch, I thanked God again, for giving me the opportunity to be there, for putting my family and I in this place, and I even thanked Him for the rainy seasons - God bless the rainy seasons!

Thought this was absolutely worth sharing!