Here's a good Debbie Downer clip. I bring these up on the computer when we get really negative at work and we laugh it off!
http://media.putfile.com/SNL-Debbie-Downer-WDW
Friday, January 30, 2009
Laugh it off
Here's a good Debbie Downer clip. I bring these up on the computer when we get really negative at work and we laugh it off!
http://media.putfile.com/SNL-Debbie-Downer-WDW
Thursday, January 29, 2009
MARK these words
Mark was our assigned Bible reading for these past two weeks at church. So I read it. Here are my questions. I will await your answers. This is now an interactive blog site. :)
1. Mark 11: 12-14. Jesus is hungry. He walks up to a fig tree but it doesn't have any fruit yet because its too early in the season. So he curses it and it dies! What? I don't get this.
2. Mark 9: 14-29. Demons. Jesus casts them out of people all the time. Do we still have those around here? Is this supposed to be representing people that have seizures or mental illness or something?
3. Mark 6: 45-56. Jesus walks on water. My translation says that he walks on water towards them but intends to go past them. Why?
4. Mark 16: 1. It says that Saturday evening, when the Sabbath had ended...Why is our sabbath on Sunday? When did that change happen?
1. Mark 11: 12-14. Jesus is hungry. He walks up to a fig tree but it doesn't have any fruit yet because its too early in the season. So he curses it and it dies! What? I don't get this.
2. Mark 9: 14-29. Demons. Jesus casts them out of people all the time. Do we still have those around here? Is this supposed to be representing people that have seizures or mental illness or something?
3. Mark 6: 45-56. Jesus walks on water. My translation says that he walks on water towards them but intends to go past them. Why?
4. Mark 16: 1. It says that Saturday evening, when the Sabbath had ended...Why is our sabbath on Sunday? When did that change happen?
Finding joy
January. Boo. Depressing moods and anxiety about the future has creeped up on me this month. What will I do? Where will I go? How can I pay for this or for that? This is a month that I've found has been difficult for a lot of people around me, and I wasn't safe either. After a few really awful weeks, I decided that I had to do something about this. So,
This week, I decided that I was going to create my own joy...right here at home. And joy, we have had! I have done the things I've wanted to do for months. Like, clean out the laundry room. And...wash my shower curtain. And....scrub the tub. And....walk the dog. Do the dishes every night. Fold the laundry right when it comes out of the dryer. Cook good meals and have the table set when my family comes in the door. Try and fail at new recipes. Make people laugh at work by showing them Debbie Downer from Saturday night live and examining our likeness to her. Saying "waaa waaaaahhh" after every negative comment makes everyone laugh. Making snowmen. Swinging outside. Playing monopoly with my husband a few times a week and beating him to a bloody pulp every time! Mwah ha ha ha. Nursing my suffering house plants back to life. Watching tiny green sprouts rising up again. Playing cards with Sophie. Doing puzzles on the table. Making homework time every evening. I get to see how smart Livy is, and I have the opportunity to encourage her (my favorite thing). There is a girl at work who loves the lotion I got for Christmas from my secret santa. It was only a tiny bottle. I left it by her desk and she uses it every day. (I love that.) I always smile and say, "I smell some really good lotion!", as I walk by her desk. And she smiles apologetically..."I can't help it! It's so good!" So I found it on sale, and bought her the big bottle. I can't wait to give it to her. I listened to a CD of our sisterly hits from the past that my sister made for me. There's something awesomely funny about this CD that only makes sense to two people. My sister and I. So I sing these songs as loud as possible the whole way to work every night. And I sing them at work. I get comments like: "I haven't heard that song in YEARS! Where did that song come from? Make it STOP!" Whatever. It brings me joy. I packed up a huge box of little girl clothes that my big girls have outgrown. Shoes and skirts and shirts and jeans..many of them practically new and am sending them on their way to our dear friends far away. This is a way for my heart to connect with theirs. Iowa to Ohio. I organized the girls' bedrooms with tiny totes. For some reason, this brought me joy too. I have read my new Bible whenever I get the chance, exploring things I've read over and over and somehow, something new always jumps out at me. Olivia and I shopped for the big food drive our church is coordinating. It feels great to be a part of something bigger than just us.
These things bring me joy in a month where happiness seems absent for a lot of us. And even though the things that brought me joy may sound ridiculous and weird to you...that's ok! Don't let January swallow you up. Spring is coming, but why not celebrate the now? What brings YOU joy? Share the love!
This week, I decided that I was going to create my own joy...right here at home. And joy, we have had! I have done the things I've wanted to do for months. Like, clean out the laundry room. And...wash my shower curtain. And....scrub the tub. And....walk the dog. Do the dishes every night. Fold the laundry right when it comes out of the dryer. Cook good meals and have the table set when my family comes in the door. Try and fail at new recipes. Make people laugh at work by showing them Debbie Downer from Saturday night live and examining our likeness to her. Saying "waaa waaaaahhh" after every negative comment makes everyone laugh. Making snowmen. Swinging outside. Playing monopoly with my husband a few times a week and beating him to a bloody pulp every time! Mwah ha ha ha. Nursing my suffering house plants back to life. Watching tiny green sprouts rising up again. Playing cards with Sophie. Doing puzzles on the table. Making homework time every evening. I get to see how smart Livy is, and I have the opportunity to encourage her (my favorite thing). There is a girl at work who loves the lotion I got for Christmas from my secret santa. It was only a tiny bottle. I left it by her desk and she uses it every day. (I love that.) I always smile and say, "I smell some really good lotion!", as I walk by her desk. And she smiles apologetically..."I can't help it! It's so good!" So I found it on sale, and bought her the big bottle. I can't wait to give it to her. I listened to a CD of our sisterly hits from the past that my sister made for me. There's something awesomely funny about this CD that only makes sense to two people. My sister and I. So I sing these songs as loud as possible the whole way to work every night. And I sing them at work. I get comments like: "I haven't heard that song in YEARS! Where did that song come from? Make it STOP!" Whatever. It brings me joy. I packed up a huge box of little girl clothes that my big girls have outgrown. Shoes and skirts and shirts and jeans..many of them practically new and am sending them on their way to our dear friends far away. This is a way for my heart to connect with theirs. Iowa to Ohio. I organized the girls' bedrooms with tiny totes. For some reason, this brought me joy too. I have read my new Bible whenever I get the chance, exploring things I've read over and over and somehow, something new always jumps out at me. Olivia and I shopped for the big food drive our church is coordinating. It feels great to be a part of something bigger than just us.
These things bring me joy in a month where happiness seems absent for a lot of us. And even though the things that brought me joy may sound ridiculous and weird to you...that's ok! Don't let January swallow you up. Spring is coming, but why not celebrate the now? What brings YOU joy? Share the love!
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Soccer and souperbowl
Soon, Olivia will become soccer elite. Steve and I decided that she could sign up for soccer for the North Polk United Soccer team's spring season. After a failed attempt to sign her up for gymnastics, (her first choice), we decided that she'll also enjoy soccer. Plus, she has an unreal amount of energy built up at all times. She calls it "endergy." Endergy or energy, she's got it, so why not channel it? This makes me have cute thoughts. Cute little shin guards, and tiny cleats. Long socks, and grass stained jerseys. After my cute thoughts came realistic ones...like...I'm going to be a soccer mom?! This hurts my image. I'm not sure how, but it does. I'll have to think on this. This thought makes me feel uneasy, but I can't pinpoint the source. Huh.
Today my wish came true and I finally got to go to church. This was much to my delight. I dressed the girls in their Sunday best and did their hair accordingly. After a full princess make over, I dressed and we were off to the big house. We arrived early (gasp!) and so Steve and I conversed and decided it was ok for us to step out of our box and sit down close to the stage. We normally sit in the same section of the upper rows of the rises. I'm glad we chose to sit close because it was a whole new experience! I could see, for one. Second, I could see the people's faces and could hear a couple of thousand of worshipers sing at once. I saw our pastor's facial expressions and got to watch the band perform. We even have a new guitarist who does the real rock stance while rocking out. He has bleach blonde hair but it should be gray. It's awesome! I brought my new turquoise and latte colored Bible and even followed along. Steve will tell you that he did not appreciate our closeness to the stage as he felt that he might be picked out of the crowd by the pastor and asked a question or something. (Something they never do). Anyway, what would life be if Steve and I didn't disagree on EVERYTHING!? :)
The girls did a good job not screaming when I dropped them off at sunday school. Olivia ALWAYS wants to be in adult church instead of her classroom. I told her once she knows all the Bible stories, then she can join in the big class. Was that too harsh?
Next week, our church is doing an awesome thing for the second year in a row. Souperbowl. This is a MASSIVE food drive in which we attempt to fill all the food banks in Des Moines and in central Iowa. While I sat there in my comfy seat thinking of the can of beets I'd like to get rid of, the pastor told us not to be cheap and get rid of the weird cans of stuff we don't want to eat. But to give generously. Like what would we want to eat if we had to eat a non-perishable food item tonight? Oops. I'm scum.
So, during nap time, Olivia and I set out on an excursion to buy food for the poor and for ourselves as our shelves were barren also. We bought name brand stuff. This was painful for me because I don't even buy name brand stuff for our family. But, I thought long and hard about this and decided that if you have to visit a food bank this winter, you might as well get some relief (like NOT my can of beets that expire in a month). Olivia was very good at this task. She picked out brownies that had sprinkles because she thought the families would have fun decorating them. And her favorite cereal with the marshmallows. Boxed dinners and canned corn. Flavored rice and spaghetti. Etc. Etc. When our cart was overflowing with food for the poor and for the slightly less poor (us), I told Olivia that we couldn't get any more because we're poor too. She put her hands on her hips and said adamantly, "WE are NOT poor Mom!" I thought about this and said, "You are right pumpkin. You are totally right."
I've never visited a food bank.
Last year the church overflowed with piles and piles of food items that had to be trucked out to the various shelters and food banks. Praise God for that. And I'm super excited to see it next Sunday too. It's amazing what God's people can do when they are called to an honorable task. The pictures don't even do it justice.
Kids are smart. They see the big picture. Or they just see the picture clearer than we do. Today was a wonderful day because I got the opportunity to learn a lesson from my daughter. I have way more than I need or that I could have ever dreamt of....because of Him. Pray for our church next week that we are successful in our mission that no one go hungry this winter. And pray for me, that my heart may grow less selfish each day (even by means of a six year old's reprimand). I'll get there. :)
Today my wish came true and I finally got to go to church. This was much to my delight. I dressed the girls in their Sunday best and did their hair accordingly. After a full princess make over, I dressed and we were off to the big house. We arrived early (gasp!) and so Steve and I conversed and decided it was ok for us to step out of our box and sit down close to the stage. We normally sit in the same section of the upper rows of the rises. I'm glad we chose to sit close because it was a whole new experience! I could see, for one. Second, I could see the people's faces and could hear a couple of thousand of worshipers sing at once. I saw our pastor's facial expressions and got to watch the band perform. We even have a new guitarist who does the real rock stance while rocking out. He has bleach blonde hair but it should be gray. It's awesome! I brought my new turquoise and latte colored Bible and even followed along. Steve will tell you that he did not appreciate our closeness to the stage as he felt that he might be picked out of the crowd by the pastor and asked a question or something. (Something they never do). Anyway, what would life be if Steve and I didn't disagree on EVERYTHING!? :)
The girls did a good job not screaming when I dropped them off at sunday school. Olivia ALWAYS wants to be in adult church instead of her classroom. I told her once she knows all the Bible stories, then she can join in the big class. Was that too harsh?
Next week, our church is doing an awesome thing for the second year in a row. Souperbowl. This is a MASSIVE food drive in which we attempt to fill all the food banks in Des Moines and in central Iowa. While I sat there in my comfy seat thinking of the can of beets I'd like to get rid of, the pastor told us not to be cheap and get rid of the weird cans of stuff we don't want to eat. But to give generously. Like what would we want to eat if we had to eat a non-perishable food item tonight? Oops. I'm scum.
So, during nap time, Olivia and I set out on an excursion to buy food for the poor and for ourselves as our shelves were barren also. We bought name brand stuff. This was painful for me because I don't even buy name brand stuff for our family. But, I thought long and hard about this and decided that if you have to visit a food bank this winter, you might as well get some relief (like NOT my can of beets that expire in a month). Olivia was very good at this task. She picked out brownies that had sprinkles because she thought the families would have fun decorating them. And her favorite cereal with the marshmallows. Boxed dinners and canned corn. Flavored rice and spaghetti. Etc. Etc. When our cart was overflowing with food for the poor and for the slightly less poor (us), I told Olivia that we couldn't get any more because we're poor too. She put her hands on her hips and said adamantly, "WE are NOT poor Mom!" I thought about this and said, "You are right pumpkin. You are totally right."
I've never visited a food bank.
Last year the church overflowed with piles and piles of food items that had to be trucked out to the various shelters and food banks. Praise God for that. And I'm super excited to see it next Sunday too. It's amazing what God's people can do when they are called to an honorable task. The pictures don't even do it justice.
Kids are smart. They see the big picture. Or they just see the picture clearer than we do. Today was a wonderful day because I got the opportunity to learn a lesson from my daughter. I have way more than I need or that I could have ever dreamt of....because of Him. Pray for our church next week that we are successful in our mission that no one go hungry this winter. And pray for me, that my heart may grow less selfish each day (even by means of a six year old's reprimand). I'll get there. :)
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Frosty
A winter swing
Here are some photos of our hot 41 degree day activities! We made a laying down snow man that Sophie named Frosty. We seem to keep missing the thick, wet snow, so we have to be creative and modify. The girls also had a good time having a winter swing. Rosie attacked Sophie in mid air and knocked her off her swing, but unfortunately, I don't have any pictures of that.
Sophie felt the need to retreat inside after her mauling. That's why you don't see her alongside Frosty anywhere. She watched from inside through our plasticed over picture window. She didn't seem to mind!
Today, we attended our friend Chloe's 3rd birthday party. Steve went to Ames tonight to hang out with his brother Jason, and the girls and I made a "breakfast supper". I didn't have any pancake batter so I wondered if people actually made their own. To my disbelief, my cookbook had it listed! I felt crazy so I whipped it up! And it was good!
Tomorrow we are going to church because I sorely miss it. Between the holidays and work and travel, we haven't been there in weeks. I need a pick me up. And I miss dressing up my girls like little dolls. Tomorrow is our day.
Our heatwave is long gone now. Today's high was 9. I think it's ridiculous to even add up the temperature when the high is in the single digits. The weather man should just say, "Way colder than you want it to be or even know". That would be sufficient.
Well, I'm off to enjoy the girls night festivities! Indoors of course!
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Improvements
Today was 30 degrees! Whoooohoooooo! Who ever thought that 30 would be hot? But it is! Sophie and I went out and took our psycho dog Rosie Posie Clark for a walk. She yanked my arm out of the socket the entire way and I didn't care!!! Sophie pedaled and didn't complain. The sun beat down on our weary Vitamin D deficient skin and we were overjoyed! Ah. Spring. Wait. Is it still January?
Anyway, I'm trying to be a better mom. So I looked on the internet for new recipes so I could stop making the same stuff on the same rotation all the time. Nobody complains about my rotation, I just am trying to improve my mothering skills. So, I found the campbell's soup website and went recipe crazy. Tonight I am making cheesy chicken enchiladas! Ey ey ey! Oley! Everyone better love them or else.
Here's the recipe but you probably already make it if you are better than me which is very easy to be. If not, you should try it too!
Anyway, I'm trying to be a better mom. So I looked on the internet for new recipes so I could stop making the same stuff on the same rotation all the time. Nobody complains about my rotation, I just am trying to improve my mothering skills. So, I found the campbell's soup website and went recipe crazy. Tonight I am making cheesy chicken enchiladas! Ey ey ey! Oley! Everyone better love them or else.
Here's the recipe but you probably already make it if you are better than me which is very easy to be. If not, you should try it too!
Creamy Chicken Enchiladas
From: Campbell's Kitchen
Prep: 20 minutes
Bake: 40 minutes
Bake: 40 minutes
Serves: 6
Ingredients:
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup (Regular, 98% Fat Free or 25% Less Sodium)
1 container (8 ounces) sour cream
1 cup Pace® Picante Sauce
2 tsp. chili powder
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (about 4 ounces)
10 flour tortillas (6-inch), warmed
1 medium tomato, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 green onion, sliced (about 2 tablespoons)
Directions:
Stir the soup, sour cream, picante sauce and chili powder in a medium bowl. Stir 1 cup picante sauce mixture, chicken and cheese in a large bowl. Spread about 1/4 cup chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla. Roll up and place seam-side down in a 3-quart shallow baking dish. Pour the remaining picante sauce mixture over the filled tortillas. Cover the baking dish. Bake at 350°F. for 40 minutes or until the enchiladas are hot and bubbling. Top with the tomato and onion. I am so going to be awesome. Tomorrow, I'm taking on the laundry!!!! This house shall be free. And I've been taking my kids on playdates. This makes me feel like a real mom because I talk with other real moms. We talk about school and about work (which apparently I'm the only person that works in Polk City), but who cares? I appear to have it all balanced out to them. (They have no idea what my house looks like before I scramble when they are coming over)!!!! Ahhhh haaaaa haaaa! That's my little secret. I'm also signing Olivia up for dance. This is her dream come true as she trots around our house fully decked out in tutu, tights, ballet slippers, wings, a crown, and a wand. And chapstick. Don't forget that. But this little kid looks built for greatness with her tiny abs and muscular thighs. She's going to ROCK! I can't wait! And even if she doesn't rock, its going to be hillarious to attend recitals. No doubt about that. Well, I'm off to pick up Olivia now. Then we shall eat my gourmet enchiladas. Then I'll go to work and feel great about myself. Because we all need a little boost sometimes. Especially in the middle of winter. Here's to me and to you! Everyone is SOOO amazing!!!! Happy day! (I'm not on crack).
Monday, January 19, 2009
Ol' man winter must die
Reality has arrived.
Well.....hasn't winter made its point lately? In Iowa it has. Snow and then snow and then snow and then snow and then wind and then blizzard conditions and then subzero temps (as in 27 below WITHOUT windchill) and then snow and then ice and then wind and then snow.
I went to a comedy show this weekend at the Funny Bone in WDM for our work "Christmas Party" where a total of three of us showed up. Nevertheless, very fun and funny. I had never been to a comedy show so I wasn't sure what to expect. I was wowed by the to-your-table with drinks service and even more so, the sit-with-a-table-full-of-strangers atmosphere. But most of all, these guys were FUNNY! After a horrific week of work, I admitted to both Steve and myself that I might need to laugh for once and laugh I did, until I cried, until my cheekbones hurt, and my face was sore. The best part was when the headliner came on stage and pleaded with us to let us know, kindly of course, that we didn't have to stay here in Iowa! There were roads and we have an airport and everything. Cars would get us out of here and we could even car pool. No one has to live this way! No one. HA! At times, an Iowan does step back to consider the worth of all of this. However, with our little girls in tow, we are reminded of the joy that such weather can bring. Steve takes all his girls (minus me) out to sled amidst the elements and they love it very much. Rosie Posie chases them down the hill to tear their hats off their little heads, but other than that, they, for the most part, get along. Steve spends countless hours perusing snowmobiling forums on the internet. He points every snowmobiling trailer out to me as we pass them on the road. The boy needs a snowmobile. Someday.
With winter comes illness. For the majority of this winter, we have escaped harm. But as I sat stroking Sophie's hair yesterday morning on the couch, I pulled her bangs back to discover a 3 inch wide perfect circle of baldness!!!!! Even as a nurse, this made me panic. I packed up the kids, and we were at once on our way to the urgent care clinic.....even though un-urgent, very creepy thus warranting the trip. So as we learned, little miss Sophie has ring worm!!! RING WORM. On her head! UGH!!!!! Her beautiful blonde head harbors fungus. Worst of all, she is now required to take a nasty medicine once a day for 4 weeks called Griseofulvin. Now if that isn't the grossest word to top off the grossest disease, I don't know what would be. Poor thing. And poor self. I'm super sicked out under this all knowing and understanding Mom exterior. I'd never let her know that I'm creeped out by her head. Still, my stomach just secretly flips as I sterilize and wash all blankets and pillows in the hottest water possible. Winter...I'm starting to hate you.
To top all things off, we were in a car accident on Saturday night. A big new truck turned left head into us as we went straight through an intersection. I saw the whole thing coming as I sat in the passenger seat and put my hand out as I might ever be able to stop the whole thing as our Impala cruched and crushed into the F-150 towering much higher above us than I ever expected. This was a frightening event. And my knees hurt from hitting the dash. But we are alive and well and a fender bender is not the end of the world. On the way home from this accident, we were once again stopped by a cop to let us know that our headlight was out. IS IT???? I asked as we handed him our card showing the accident we had just drove away from an hour before. Our exhausted selves were in no mood for such encounters with this town cop to which I gritted my teeth and thanked him for caring.......Winter. GO AWAY. So this is what its like here in Iowa right now.
Now this is what I dream of:
I've always been a person to anticipate the next thing MONTHS in advance. Here I go again! :)
I raise my coffee cup to toast a yard with deep plush green grass, sprinklers making mud holes in my back yard, clothes on the line swaying in the warm breeze, feeling a rush of cold as you step into your house from the heat of the outdoors, sitting on a burning hot seat in your car, the feel of the lake on a hot summers day, grilling steaks, sitting on the deck, riding bikes, and camping out. Summer is here, if only in my worn out by winter Iowan's dreams.
Well.....hasn't winter made its point lately? In Iowa it has. Snow and then snow and then snow and then snow and then wind and then blizzard conditions and then subzero temps (as in 27 below WITHOUT windchill) and then snow and then ice and then wind and then snow.
I went to a comedy show this weekend at the Funny Bone in WDM for our work "Christmas Party" where a total of three of us showed up. Nevertheless, very fun and funny. I had never been to a comedy show so I wasn't sure what to expect. I was wowed by the to-your-table with drinks service and even more so, the sit-with-a-table-full-of-strangers atmosphere. But most of all, these guys were FUNNY! After a horrific week of work, I admitted to both Steve and myself that I might need to laugh for once and laugh I did, until I cried, until my cheekbones hurt, and my face was sore. The best part was when the headliner came on stage and pleaded with us to let us know, kindly of course, that we didn't have to stay here in Iowa! There were roads and we have an airport and everything. Cars would get us out of here and we could even car pool. No one has to live this way! No one. HA! At times, an Iowan does step back to consider the worth of all of this. However, with our little girls in tow, we are reminded of the joy that such weather can bring. Steve takes all his girls (minus me) out to sled amidst the elements and they love it very much. Rosie Posie chases them down the hill to tear their hats off their little heads, but other than that, they, for the most part, get along. Steve spends countless hours perusing snowmobiling forums on the internet. He points every snowmobiling trailer out to me as we pass them on the road. The boy needs a snowmobile. Someday.
With winter comes illness. For the majority of this winter, we have escaped harm. But as I sat stroking Sophie's hair yesterday morning on the couch, I pulled her bangs back to discover a 3 inch wide perfect circle of baldness!!!!! Even as a nurse, this made me panic. I packed up the kids, and we were at once on our way to the urgent care clinic.....even though un-urgent, very creepy thus warranting the trip. So as we learned, little miss Sophie has ring worm!!! RING WORM. On her head! UGH!!!!! Her beautiful blonde head harbors fungus. Worst of all, she is now required to take a nasty medicine once a day for 4 weeks called Griseofulvin. Now if that isn't the grossest word to top off the grossest disease, I don't know what would be. Poor thing. And poor self. I'm super sicked out under this all knowing and understanding Mom exterior. I'd never let her know that I'm creeped out by her head. Still, my stomach just secretly flips as I sterilize and wash all blankets and pillows in the hottest water possible. Winter...I'm starting to hate you.
To top all things off, we were in a car accident on Saturday night. A big new truck turned left head into us as we went straight through an intersection. I saw the whole thing coming as I sat in the passenger seat and put my hand out as I might ever be able to stop the whole thing as our Impala cruched and crushed into the F-150 towering much higher above us than I ever expected. This was a frightening event. And my knees hurt from hitting the dash. But we are alive and well and a fender bender is not the end of the world. On the way home from this accident, we were once again stopped by a cop to let us know that our headlight was out. IS IT???? I asked as we handed him our card showing the accident we had just drove away from an hour before. Our exhausted selves were in no mood for such encounters with this town cop to which I gritted my teeth and thanked him for caring.......Winter. GO AWAY. So this is what its like here in Iowa right now.
Now this is what I dream of:
I've always been a person to anticipate the next thing MONTHS in advance. Here I go again! :)
I raise my coffee cup to toast a yard with deep plush green grass, sprinklers making mud holes in my back yard, clothes on the line swaying in the warm breeze, feeling a rush of cold as you step into your house from the heat of the outdoors, sitting on a burning hot seat in your car, the feel of the lake on a hot summers day, grilling steaks, sitting on the deck, riding bikes, and camping out. Summer is here, if only in my worn out by winter Iowan's dreams.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Huh?
Have you ever noticed that sometimes what you think you need is not what you need at all? That's me. I think I know stuff about myself and I think I know a thing or two about my situation. Buzzer. Ennnnnnhhh.
Around Christmas and New Year, our floor at work did not have a whole lot of patients. This is funny because people still have chest pain, they just wait until after the holidays to come in. Anyway, I lost hours like mad and on top of it, we had our planned vacation the week after Christmas and there I was with no accrued paid time off for that week. Things were looking bleak. I thought about it and I worried about it. Steve and I discussed it and I thought about getting an additional job to get up to 40 hours a week. After some thought, this sounded like a scheduling nightmare I didn't want to dream up and so I decided to stick with what I knew and try my best to get hours.
This is the first week in a while that I've found myself working every day. I picked up hours that I lost and I worked all of my shifts (tomorrow being the last one). And while extra money that awaits me two weeks from now sounds pleasant and nice, the price is too high. Nursing is a stressful job. It stresses my mind and my body. It's hard work. This week I've done my best to balance family and work but work is winning. I'm too tired to read my girls a book at night and I can't clean up my house at all. The laundry isn't touched and the dishes are only done by Steve. I can't move. This might be complicated by the fact that I rejoined the kickboxing class at the Y on Monday. (Stupid stupid move). Now I'm sore AND tired. YESSS! My plan tonight was to hang out with my little Livy bomb for her b-day. Play games with the family, make a nice dinner, tuck my kids into bed after a long book that I was patient enough to let Olivia read. What happened? I made a nice dinner and cookies for Olivia, ate, crashed on the couch and fell asleep only to wake in time to tuck the girls into bed and say goodnight. Sigh. This got me thinking. It may just be that some weeks, I'm intended to lose hours. Some weeks, I'm not. I think I'll just start going with the flow. I think I'll let go of the reins now. I apparently, do not belong in charge of this life.
Remember a while back when I was super positive and peppy in every blog and I told you to wait until January or February for some more level, somber me? :) Maybe just this once. Sometimes, this blog is my only therapy!
Here's to my next paycheck. I'm going to bed!
ZZZZZZzzzzzzzzz
Around Christmas and New Year, our floor at work did not have a whole lot of patients. This is funny because people still have chest pain, they just wait until after the holidays to come in. Anyway, I lost hours like mad and on top of it, we had our planned vacation the week after Christmas and there I was with no accrued paid time off for that week. Things were looking bleak. I thought about it and I worried about it. Steve and I discussed it and I thought about getting an additional job to get up to 40 hours a week. After some thought, this sounded like a scheduling nightmare I didn't want to dream up and so I decided to stick with what I knew and try my best to get hours.
This is the first week in a while that I've found myself working every day. I picked up hours that I lost and I worked all of my shifts (tomorrow being the last one). And while extra money that awaits me two weeks from now sounds pleasant and nice, the price is too high. Nursing is a stressful job. It stresses my mind and my body. It's hard work. This week I've done my best to balance family and work but work is winning. I'm too tired to read my girls a book at night and I can't clean up my house at all. The laundry isn't touched and the dishes are only done by Steve. I can't move. This might be complicated by the fact that I rejoined the kickboxing class at the Y on Monday. (Stupid stupid move). Now I'm sore AND tired. YESSS! My plan tonight was to hang out with my little Livy bomb for her b-day. Play games with the family, make a nice dinner, tuck my kids into bed after a long book that I was patient enough to let Olivia read. What happened? I made a nice dinner and cookies for Olivia, ate, crashed on the couch and fell asleep only to wake in time to tuck the girls into bed and say goodnight. Sigh. This got me thinking. It may just be that some weeks, I'm intended to lose hours. Some weeks, I'm not. I think I'll just start going with the flow. I think I'll let go of the reins now. I apparently, do not belong in charge of this life.
Remember a while back when I was super positive and peppy in every blog and I told you to wait until January or February for some more level, somber me? :) Maybe just this once. Sometimes, this blog is my only therapy!
Here's to my next paycheck. I'm going to bed!
ZZZZZZzzzzzzzzz
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Revelations about the beginning
In light of this new year and my apparent lack of knowledge of the Bible AND my new beautiful latte and turquoise decorated retro Bible that I got for Christmas from my mom, it is time to embark on a quest to read and understand the Bible once and for all! I'm always surprised when I call a good friend for advice and they quote me a scripture that TOTALLY calms my spirit, and I respond, "Really? It says that?" And it's verified, what I already know is true, but for some reason, people like me need reassurance in writing. Call me Thomas. Anyway, so I thought I'd start at the beginning, as it is a very fine place to start.
Genesis. What is the DEAL? Did you know the whole thing is pretty much about sex and babies and more sex and 700 concubines and 400 wives and living 989 years??? Did you know that kids were begged NOT to marry local people their age, but to instead marry one of their cousins to "keep it in the family" per se? Did you know that two daughters got their DAD drunk to have sex with him to carry on the family line? Well, after these tidbits, I'm shocked and nervous and appalled, but.....intrigued. When did all these freaky practices go away? Don't get me wrong, I'm glad they did....it's just that, I find it interesting that things were so different then than now. What's more, I have gotten little glimpses into what God is really like along the way. These stories are told in Genesis, but the coolest part is when God steps in to say something about it all. He doesn't always. Not even when horrific things are happening! But then sometimes, and most of the time, he steps in to say "Do not be afraid. I am with you." That's his main theme. From my research anyway.
This has brought me to reflect on current times when we do not sleep with our cousins OR our fathers, we marry one person at a time and so on. But God remains the same. He steps in, every once in a while to say, "Do not be afraid. I am with you." Sometimes these moments have been clear in my life, and others have to be pointed out to me by faithful people because I've lost sight of the truth...the truth being that even though I'm self centered and think that my hard work produces EVERYTHING, I'm wrong. God has the big guns. God is a hero and he continues to save me to this day.
Most recently, I've been really trying to be better with money. I want to pay off debt and free myself from all these crappy bills that haunt me. I don't want to be consumed by it anymore. I've asked for help along the way, from a good friend's advice, to prayer, to just teaching myself to be vigilant....$20+$20+$20+$20= more than $20. Did you know that? News to me. Anyway, little things add up, so I've started to pay attention. And in light of all my changes, I found myself nearing Christmas with no cash and no credit and no way to buy gifts that I wanted to and fearing the worst as our mortgage grew closer and screwing things up, paying too much and ending up with nothing, etc. But I forgot, what happens when we've tried our best and are still failing??? And our goal is an honorable one, set for the right purposes and intentions???
My mom taught me how to sew and I had a revelation. I can make things!!!! Instead of buy, MAKE!!! What a concept! I realized that I also could make gifts for Christmas and I was excited. So I made these letter pillows for my brother with my mom's help and sewing machine and I wrote stories for my family. I desperately wanted a sewing machine so I found a cheap one (for $99) that looked uncomplicated enough that a moron like me could run it, so I tried to buy it. But it wasn't in stock. So they called other stores for me and I drove out to West Des Moines the next Sunday, since I was going there anyway (to save gas money I waited a whole week) and tried to buy the stinkin thing and low and behold, not there either. There was only the 179 dollar one I couldn't afford, although quite nice and I wouldn't mind having it. Sigh. So I asked the lady to check in the back for me. After all, I had driven out there and couldn't she see how excited I was?? 10-15 minutes later and a multiplying angry line of people behind me, she returned with the $179 sewing machine. My face fell. I said, "Thanks for looking, but I can't afford that one." She said, "Let me check the price on this one first." "No, I said. I already know its too much". But she scanned it as I was whining and it rang up...to my total shock....$89!!! My face lit up and I thanked her profusely...too much probably and shouted, "We should be friends!" as I ran towards the check out with my sewing machine box slowing down my running pace a little, ecstatic to start my new domestic life. I was hoping this wasn't a mistake. Or even if it was, THANKS! Now this story may sound dumb to you and you may not think this is a God thing, but it was. And so was showing up to daycare today, ready to pay an enormous bill I left sitting there while we were Christmasing. But today there was a new bill in my folder....HALF of what my bill was before I left. I checked the date, I asked the director, I verified that this was true. And then I smiled and accepted this gift (because we don't always get good news), and payed it with joy. What happened? Who knows?
A refund from an overpayment to my insurance company arrived in the mail. $80. I was panicking the day before about paying $80 up front to get my aching tooth fixed the next day. Tell me, what are the odds of that? Before I sound like an infomercial to a pyramid money scheme, let me clarify, God is not giving me money. Nor do I think he does so ever, BUT I have been taken care of lately, and so have you. Look around you. Not everything is coincidence. A lot of bodies, hands, thoughts, minds have touched your life in some way, not always by their own will (although they might think it is), but by God's gentle leading, a whisper in their ear, a thought placed here or there, a sign to remind them.
I remember a story a lady at camp told me years and years ago about wanting to make a birthday cake for her child. They had four children and were broke beyond broke. There was no credit cards and no money in the bank or under the mattress. She looked and looked in her fridge for anything she could make the cake out of but there was nothing. Tears welled up in her eyes and she sat down and cried. But then the doorbell rang, and there was a lady from her church, holding a bowl full of butter and eggs and bread and a few other things, and she said, "I just had a feeling you needed these." And before this sounds like a bad email forward, IT'S TRUE.
Things don't always go right in my life, and sometimes I cry in utter despair. Sometimes I feel like there's no one there to help me and God doesn't give a rats patoot about me or my bills. I feel guilty because I know that there are much bigger problems in the world and who cares about my medical bills anyway? God doesn't have time for that. Does he?
I think he does. I'm reminded he does. And things aren't always random and unplanned...just because they weren't forseen by you or me doesn't mean they weren't intended to happen.
When I embarked on this financial adventure, I decided that I wanted to be able to give others extraordinary gifts. Not like an IPOD for their bday or something, but something life changing, like a bowl of butter and eggs. Or like $10,000 to help someone pay off their debt so they could adopt a baby (that's another true story). Or this year, before Christmas break, hearing that one of Sophie's teachers offered to watch kids over break because she couldn't afford her car payment. This is a high school kid who works every morning before school and every day after school with these kids, earning money, and doing a fantastic job with the kiddos. I respect her for being so cool at age 16. I wish I could've given her $100 bucks anonymously. I wish I could've payed her whole stinkin car payment. I will someday. I want to someday, and I'm so incredibly thankful that God is helping me on my way.
Eat it credit cards and student loans! You won't keep me down. Thank you God.
What's Exodus about? :) Next time.
Genesis. What is the DEAL? Did you know the whole thing is pretty much about sex and babies and more sex and 700 concubines and 400 wives and living 989 years??? Did you know that kids were begged NOT to marry local people their age, but to instead marry one of their cousins to "keep it in the family" per se? Did you know that two daughters got their DAD drunk to have sex with him to carry on the family line? Well, after these tidbits, I'm shocked and nervous and appalled, but.....intrigued. When did all these freaky practices go away? Don't get me wrong, I'm glad they did....it's just that, I find it interesting that things were so different then than now. What's more, I have gotten little glimpses into what God is really like along the way. These stories are told in Genesis, but the coolest part is when God steps in to say something about it all. He doesn't always. Not even when horrific things are happening! But then sometimes, and most of the time, he steps in to say "Do not be afraid. I am with you." That's his main theme. From my research anyway.
This has brought me to reflect on current times when we do not sleep with our cousins OR our fathers, we marry one person at a time and so on. But God remains the same. He steps in, every once in a while to say, "Do not be afraid. I am with you." Sometimes these moments have been clear in my life, and others have to be pointed out to me by faithful people because I've lost sight of the truth...the truth being that even though I'm self centered and think that my hard work produces EVERYTHING, I'm wrong. God has the big guns. God is a hero and he continues to save me to this day.
Most recently, I've been really trying to be better with money. I want to pay off debt and free myself from all these crappy bills that haunt me. I don't want to be consumed by it anymore. I've asked for help along the way, from a good friend's advice, to prayer, to just teaching myself to be vigilant....$20+$20+$20+$20= more than $20. Did you know that? News to me. Anyway, little things add up, so I've started to pay attention. And in light of all my changes, I found myself nearing Christmas with no cash and no credit and no way to buy gifts that I wanted to and fearing the worst as our mortgage grew closer and screwing things up, paying too much and ending up with nothing, etc. But I forgot, what happens when we've tried our best and are still failing??? And our goal is an honorable one, set for the right purposes and intentions???
My mom taught me how to sew and I had a revelation. I can make things!!!! Instead of buy, MAKE!!! What a concept! I realized that I also could make gifts for Christmas and I was excited. So I made these letter pillows for my brother with my mom's help and sewing machine and I wrote stories for my family. I desperately wanted a sewing machine so I found a cheap one (for $99) that looked uncomplicated enough that a moron like me could run it, so I tried to buy it. But it wasn't in stock. So they called other stores for me and I drove out to West Des Moines the next Sunday, since I was going there anyway (to save gas money I waited a whole week) and tried to buy the stinkin thing and low and behold, not there either. There was only the 179 dollar one I couldn't afford, although quite nice and I wouldn't mind having it. Sigh. So I asked the lady to check in the back for me. After all, I had driven out there and couldn't she see how excited I was?? 10-15 minutes later and a multiplying angry line of people behind me, she returned with the $179 sewing machine. My face fell. I said, "Thanks for looking, but I can't afford that one." She said, "Let me check the price on this one first." "No, I said. I already know its too much". But she scanned it as I was whining and it rang up...to my total shock....$89!!! My face lit up and I thanked her profusely...too much probably and shouted, "We should be friends!" as I ran towards the check out with my sewing machine box slowing down my running pace a little, ecstatic to start my new domestic life. I was hoping this wasn't a mistake. Or even if it was, THANKS! Now this story may sound dumb to you and you may not think this is a God thing, but it was. And so was showing up to daycare today, ready to pay an enormous bill I left sitting there while we were Christmasing. But today there was a new bill in my folder....HALF of what my bill was before I left. I checked the date, I asked the director, I verified that this was true. And then I smiled and accepted this gift (because we don't always get good news), and payed it with joy. What happened? Who knows?
A refund from an overpayment to my insurance company arrived in the mail. $80. I was panicking the day before about paying $80 up front to get my aching tooth fixed the next day. Tell me, what are the odds of that? Before I sound like an infomercial to a pyramid money scheme, let me clarify, God is not giving me money. Nor do I think he does so ever, BUT I have been taken care of lately, and so have you. Look around you. Not everything is coincidence. A lot of bodies, hands, thoughts, minds have touched your life in some way, not always by their own will (although they might think it is), but by God's gentle leading, a whisper in their ear, a thought placed here or there, a sign to remind them.
I remember a story a lady at camp told me years and years ago about wanting to make a birthday cake for her child. They had four children and were broke beyond broke. There was no credit cards and no money in the bank or under the mattress. She looked and looked in her fridge for anything she could make the cake out of but there was nothing. Tears welled up in her eyes and she sat down and cried. But then the doorbell rang, and there was a lady from her church, holding a bowl full of butter and eggs and bread and a few other things, and she said, "I just had a feeling you needed these." And before this sounds like a bad email forward, IT'S TRUE.
Things don't always go right in my life, and sometimes I cry in utter despair. Sometimes I feel like there's no one there to help me and God doesn't give a rats patoot about me or my bills. I feel guilty because I know that there are much bigger problems in the world and who cares about my medical bills anyway? God doesn't have time for that. Does he?
I think he does. I'm reminded he does. And things aren't always random and unplanned...just because they weren't forseen by you or me doesn't mean they weren't intended to happen.
When I embarked on this financial adventure, I decided that I wanted to be able to give others extraordinary gifts. Not like an IPOD for their bday or something, but something life changing, like a bowl of butter and eggs. Or like $10,000 to help someone pay off their debt so they could adopt a baby (that's another true story). Or this year, before Christmas break, hearing that one of Sophie's teachers offered to watch kids over break because she couldn't afford her car payment. This is a high school kid who works every morning before school and every day after school with these kids, earning money, and doing a fantastic job with the kiddos. I respect her for being so cool at age 16. I wish I could've given her $100 bucks anonymously. I wish I could've payed her whole stinkin car payment. I will someday. I want to someday, and I'm so incredibly thankful that God is helping me on my way.
Eat it credit cards and student loans! You won't keep me down. Thank you God.
What's Exodus about? :) Next time.
Friday, January 2, 2009
Out of sequence
I got a new video camera for Christmas! Steve ordered it for me and I have some lovely videos to share on my blog. The problem? My computer. It's a piece of junk and it won't let me upload any new program right now. probably ever. So until a new one drops out of the sky, or from craigslist or something, we will be missing some Christmas footage and such. That will make things a tad out of sequence here in Clark blogging world since I did take some still pics on our snowmobiling vacation this year! We go once a year to the Black Hills in SD with Steve's family full of snowmobilers. Full is the key word as there are plenty of us and always more each year with new babies and new inlaws, etc. We cram into a few large vehicles and cram even more luggage in and pull two trailers FULL of snowmobiles all to arrive 9 hours later give or take to a very beautiful cabin in the hills to spend the week after Christmas.
This year, setting aside my desire to not set foot outside once, I bundled up my turkey kids and then myself and was out there ready to ride.? To my complete surprise, I didn't freeze my *** of this year! Lots of snow and warmish weather = a tolerable event for Mel. And I enjoyed it. I faced my own death on every corner we turned, but other than that, my thumb warmer was hot and my bod nice and toasty and my previous aversion to winter weather melted away. This pleases Steve very much as he is an AVID snowmobile fan and talks to me about it all year round. He reads magazines about it and shows me dumb videos on youtube. One video was a guy snowmobiling really fast to the song "Just Breathe". What the??? Anyway, when Steve and I agree on anything or find common ground on anything, this is a big deal. So, in light of this new discovery we had fun!
The girls were born into this, you know. So they were out there like champs every day. No problem. 8+ hrs of snowmobiling? Sure. Not a flinch. I'll just take my nap on the snowmobile. You can tell they've fallen asleep when they are suddenly limp and sliding off the unlucky driver's leg. We check that there's still fog from their breath on their masks and continue on our way. That being said, I am NOT their driver. Like I said, this isn't my thing, although I do get pretty cocky at times say at an open field or something when I break 40 mph. I think I'm a big deal and sing action adventure songs in my helmet and lean down a little to look more aerodynamic. But not good enough to put a little 40-50 lb. body in front of me, obstructing my view and interfering with my near death turns. But those little punks eat it up.
So, we're back from vacation and back to near normalcy around here. With a house that NEEDS to be organized and me ready to buy totes, and a new found love/hobby in sewing (thank you Mom), I'm set to face the three most boringest months of the year...the rest of winter. I'll let you know when the videos will work. I think it might add another dimension to the blogging world. People already do it, just not me. :) Until then.....
Mel
Strike a pose Livy
Sewing danger
Sophie and cousin Gabe, taking a break
Sleds of all sorts
Olivia as a model for snowmobiling
The ONLY time the kids got a long all week.
All dressed up and ready to go
Bright and beautiful day outside the cabin
This year, setting aside my desire to not set foot outside once, I bundled up my turkey kids and then myself and was out there ready to ride.? To my complete surprise, I didn't freeze my *** of this year! Lots of snow and warmish weather = a tolerable event for Mel. And I enjoyed it. I faced my own death on every corner we turned, but other than that, my thumb warmer was hot and my bod nice and toasty and my previous aversion to winter weather melted away. This pleases Steve very much as he is an AVID snowmobile fan and talks to me about it all year round. He reads magazines about it and shows me dumb videos on youtube. One video was a guy snowmobiling really fast to the song "Just Breathe". What the??? Anyway, when Steve and I agree on anything or find common ground on anything, this is a big deal. So, in light of this new discovery we had fun!
The girls were born into this, you know. So they were out there like champs every day. No problem. 8+ hrs of snowmobiling? Sure. Not a flinch. I'll just take my nap on the snowmobile. You can tell they've fallen asleep when they are suddenly limp and sliding off the unlucky driver's leg. We check that there's still fog from their breath on their masks and continue on our way. That being said, I am NOT their driver. Like I said, this isn't my thing, although I do get pretty cocky at times say at an open field or something when I break 40 mph. I think I'm a big deal and sing action adventure songs in my helmet and lean down a little to look more aerodynamic. But not good enough to put a little 40-50 lb. body in front of me, obstructing my view and interfering with my near death turns. But those little punks eat it up.
So, we're back from vacation and back to near normalcy around here. With a house that NEEDS to be organized and me ready to buy totes, and a new found love/hobby in sewing (thank you Mom), I'm set to face the three most boringest months of the year...the rest of winter. I'll let you know when the videos will work. I think it might add another dimension to the blogging world. People already do it, just not me. :) Until then.....
Mel
Strike a pose Livy
Sewing danger
Sophie and cousin Gabe, taking a break
Sleds of all sorts
Olivia as a model for snowmobiling
The ONLY time the kids got a long all week.
All dressed up and ready to go
Bright and beautiful day outside the cabin
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)