kids sports: interest vs effort

Jackson has always been interested in soccer. He's realized in the past year that he's very good at it for his age. Hannah started playing because Jackson played. She has never said she did not want to play. However, in recent weeks I wonder WHY she's playing. She refuses to practice with Jackson, although he would love it. She asks to sit out when there's a chance at her games, and during practice she goofs off & "chases butterflies" more than anything. But she's always ready to go to practice, and excited on game days & gives me no grief in getting out if bed at 6am on Saturdays. I just don't get it. She wants to do it, she just doesn't ACTUALLY DO it when its time to play! It doesn't even concern her that her team, as of today, has only won one game in six weeks.

Jackson on the other hand, cherishes his soccer experience. He has put 120% in every practice & every game he has played. There's no doubt both if them want to be here, its just how they act once they arrive at the field. Maybe this is an off season for Hannah. Maybe Spring season will prove better for her.

Basketball is coming up. I've encouraged both to play because it's different & that will help their coordination to play soccer better. Keep them on their toes. Neither are expressing any kind of excitement, and are leaning towards the "I don't wanna" attitude. Maybe they'll both be awesome :o)

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9-11 Remembrance service

Hannah and I attended a 9-11 Remembrance service last night. It was a very nice service, and the key note speaker, NC State House Representative Dale Folwell gave a lovely speech.
This thought keeps running through my mind:

Daily we remember Jesus died for our sins.
Daily we must remember that our Military die for our freedom.
Daily we must remember that First Responders die for our safety.

Never Forget.

First day of fall soccer

Today is the first day of the fall soccer season. For the past two years, the kids have been playing with the YMCA league. Jackson took a huge step forward this year in skills, and Hannah showed marked improvement, as well. Towards the end of Spring soccer Jackson mentioned interest in travel soccer. Happy to see him interested, I checked on it but we were too late for tryouts. On the same note, I must say I was relieved as well, because travel ball would cause a huge conflict in our schedule this fall. The main soccer league in the city was recommended to us as a good bridge for Jackson. It was said this league was more "by the book" and would be more challenging for both kids. that by the end of fall season Jackson would be better prepared for travel ball tryouts.



So far I have been impressed. I tried to get their practices on the same night, but it was not possible with our availability. Jackson's group practices on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Hannah's practices on Wednesdays and Thursdays. We have church on Wednesday nights. So the family schedule is: visitation on Mondays, Jackson's practice on Tuesdays, church on Wednesdays, and Hannah's practice on Thursdays. In the middle of all this I also have three to four events each month that need to occur between Monday and Thursday. God is good and we can work it out!

The kid's first games are today. Hannah has already played. Her team lost 6-0. Jackson is just beside himself. He has begged Hannah all week to practice with him, and she wouldn't. Then in 2nd quarter she was goalie and the ball rolled right by her twice. Her attitude was awesome. She realizes what happened, but didn't let it bother her. Jackson was mortified. We're gong to have to sit down and explain to him that most people don't know she's his sister, and the ones who do don't care that she plays ... like an eight year old girl!


His game starts in 45 minutes. It's going to be interesting to see the difference in his age group. I know they try to make a point to keep the same kids on the teams from season to season. You can really tell, too, because even with Hannah's age group, there's a difference in teamwork (more) and skill level. Those girls are doing things with the ball that Jackson only learned this Spring! It's going to be a great season.

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Happy Birthday Braden!

Three years ago today, I became a greater aunt ("than I already am")- my great nephew Braden was born. Although we don't get to see him as much as we'd like, we still love him so much! We're getting ready to go shopping for his present and his birthday party today. Isn't he a handsome fella?

Happy Birthday little buddy!

These were taken a couple of weeks ago when he was out with his grandma (my sister- trust me, I took great joy when she became "a grandma" ;) and she brought him by for a suprise visit (hence no makeup on me!)

Things that'll make you laugh

The child age structure is very interesting in our family. My sister the eldest, me the youngest by 12 1/2 years. When her first was born, I was 11. When her second was born, I was 12. Her first was 10 when her third was born. Are you still with me?

When her youngest was 2 1/2, Jackson was born, then Hannah 3 years later. When Hannah was four, my sister's first grandchild, Braden, was born via her oldest. Not two years later, here come ^Jordan^, her second. So the grandchildren in our family literally look like steps that would work out the glutes!

We don't get to see #3, Jonathan (12 years old) a lot. It's probably been four months since he's been over here. I've seen him a couple of times in recent weeks but the kid's haven't. Jackson and Hannah are very excited when they get to spend time together. He come over while sis was at work Tuesday. Bless his heart, he had a bike accident earlier in the day and REALLY scuffed up his elbow, knee, and the palm of one hand. I was changing the bandage on his knee, finished, and went to start on his elbow. I told him to stand up so he could turn his arm around under the light ....

He says "Wow you're getting short!"

Building stronger families: part 3

Part One
Part Two

3) A daily practice of serving:
a) Submitting to one another

Ephesians 5:21
Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

b) Love one another:

John 15:12
This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

c) Serve one another:
Galatians 5:13
For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

d) Praying daily in humility, as our examples in scripture:

Acts 10:
1There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band,
2A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.

In Conclusion:
Our three tools to help us have stronger families:
1) Recognizing the guiding presence of the Holy Spirit
2) Having a biblical perspective of our selves
3) Forming a daily practice of serving God, and one another.

"An exhaustive study shows that no woman has ever shot her husband while he was doing the dishes" ;o)

"That in ALL things he might have preeminence"
Sunday School Notes from April 27, 2008 (outline was provided)

Building stronger families: part 2

Part One

Part Three

Building Stronger Families series

2) We must have a biblical perspective of self:
Galatians 5:17
For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

Whatever we feed the most will win: be it flesh or spirit. If we continue to fight the spirit to hold onto our worldly things, then the flesh will win. Likewise, if we concentrate on God and His will for us, and what he wants, and what is holy, good, and true, then the spirit will win and we will grow closer to God as a result of that. But if we continue to allow our flesh to win, then we will continue to grow further away from God and lack that fellowship we so desperately need.

a) Pride is a destroyer of relationships:
If God is in the right place with both people in the relationship, the people will be in their right places within the relationship. If their sights are set on God, then they will not be set on each other's faults and worldly desires.

Proverbs 16:18
Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.

Proverbs 29:23
A man's pride brings him low, but a man of lowly spirit gains honor.

b) Pride is defeated by appropriating scripture:

Romans 6:6-7
6Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
7For he that is dead is freed from sin.

Whenever we give into the power of our flesh, then we resurrect our prideful attitudes. Do we really want that? Or do we want to break our prideful spirits and be contrite before the Lord?

Proverbs 8:13
To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.

Psalm 51:17
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

contrite:
"feeling or showing sorrow and remorse for a sin or shortcoming " *

To Be Continued: Stay Tuned!

"That in ALL things he might have preeminence"
Sunday School Notes from April 27, 2008 (outline was provided)

Prayer request for my family

Hi everyone. Yesterday my uncle passed away. He had been sick for a long time. I do not know what his relationship with the Lord was at the time of his passing. If you could remember his wife and (grown) children during this time I'd really appreciate it.

Also, yesterday, mom went to her appointment with her surgeon. They are doing surgery TODAY- Tuesday! Yes! The next day! (She has a herniated disk). Please pray everything goes well today and she has a short recovery time.

Thanks!

Building stronger families: part 1

Part Two

Part Three

Building Stronger Families series

Proverbs 24:1-4
1Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them.
2For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.
3Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established:
4And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.

There are three tools available to help our families. How can we have strong families? Everything we need is found in the Word of God. He has offered to provide us with the wisdom we need:

James 1:5
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

Here are three powerful tools that God gives to build and strengthen our families:

1) The guiding presence of the Holy Spirit:

a) Because of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, we can have unity. God brings believers together, moving towards their commonality- GOD. If two believers are even opposite natures or personalities, if they are yielded to God, they will still always be going in the same (and right) direction- towards God and living a life that glorifies Him.

b) The purposes of the Holy Spirit:
1) He is our Comforter - John 14:16
"And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;"

2) He is our teacher: John 16:13-14
13Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. 14He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

3) He glorifies Jesus Christ - our lives should life up and exalt Christ; and they will if we will allow the spirit to guide us and we determine to be yielded to the spirit.

To Be Continued: Stay tuned for part two!

"That in ALL things he might have preeminence"
Sunday School Notes from April 27, 2008 (outline was provided)

464 Family Friday: June 19th

It's Family Friday time again! Family Friday is hosted by HomemakerBarbi.com, thank you Danielle!

Last week we covered a foodie update and how things are going cooking for mom and dad, the end of soccer season and some parenting ponderings.
On Monday I reposted a devotional about cultivating the fruit of the spirit- love. As a parent I often ponder the notion of God's love toward me, and how I can show that towards my children. Going a step further, my challenge as a Christian parent is to bring my children to where they each have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Both have professed such a relationship, so not only are they my children, they are my brother and sister in Christ (they think that's cool). Not only am I now their first look at how they see God as an authority figure, I am also to be that example of how Christians are to treat each other. It's a good devotional, I believe. I hope you'll read it and let me know what you think.

Tuesday I was pondering laziness. That is something that truly affects me as a parent, and wife. How has society affected out perception of laziness in recent decades? Have we actually come up with a way to excuse it? It really got me to thinking because how we perceive laziness ... or the complete opposite- will reflect how our kids will look at it. Check it out. I have to say since I wrote that, more things have gotten done in the house this week!

I transferred a ton of pictures this week, and got an awesome one of the kids. It was so great I was going to enter it into the iheartfaces.com contest this week, but my internet went wacky. Therefore, the picture become my Wordless Wednesday. I shared the story behind it yesterday for Tell Me Thursday. I started a Raising Foodies series yesterday, as well. It's on adventurous eaters. I've spent a good amount of time concentrating on Hannah and her pickyness with food, I wanted to highlight Jackson, who is the opposite. He's an adventurous eater. His motto: "If it doesn't eat me first I'll eat it". I also went to court, yesterday, too.

I hope you all had a great week, and I look forward to seeing all of your posts! Be sure to leave your links for me! :)

Tell me Thursday: Unexpected Places

Tell Me Thursday is hosted by tellmethursday.com , be sure to hop over and see other participant's posts!

June 2nd was "Happy Jackson Day", and dad and I decided we would surprise the kids with lunch at The Mellow Mushroom. We love that restaurant! It is SO tastey. Each month we try to do something special for the kids on their birth-date. Jackson's birthday is on the 2nd so each month on the 2nd we try to do something special for him, and on the 20th for Hannah. Coming back to the car the kids went to check out the fountain we parked next to on the street one block down from the restaurant. Needless to say, I started snapping pictures.

They were acting like strong guys standing next to the big columns.


I was really happy to see how well the new camera done with the moving water.


This was my Wordless Wednesday pic. The original pic was done in sepia because I intended on submitting it to this weeks IHeartfaces.com contest. When I tried to get there my internet started acting wonky and I was tired and not feeling good, so I went to bed. (Still not feeling very hot)


They were having such a good time. I've always loved going by that fountain. I used to walk by it waking to said restaurant when I was working a few blocks away. Very peaceful.


It warms my heart to see them actually happy together. They were having a good time being all silly.


Like I said, silly! Then I got to looking around, wondering what company was actually in the building we were having such a good time in front of.



Well no wonder! ;o)

452 Family Friday: June 12th

It's Family Friday time again! Family Friday is hosted by HomemakerBarbi.com, thank you Danielle!

Last week I left you with a quick page, stories of my parents, and my thoughts on the challenge of a picky eating mother and what to prepare for them while she is out of commission. I'm happy to report some good news.

First, I've fixed two batches of meals for them. Batches being enough to last dinner, lunch the next day and maybe another dinner, depending on how hungry they were. The first was a chicken soup from the crockpot. No special recipe, just chopped celery, carrots, a potato, and garlic. I made my own stock by cooking the chicken in the larger crockpot and the veggies separate- then putting them together after deboneing the chicken. That was a great attempt at frugality. I had a ton of broth which hit the freezer in 2 cup portions for future use. The only seasoning was a packet from a pack of ramen noodles, diluted in three cups of water. I added the noodles to the soup, too. It worked very well and mom ate a lot of it sources say.

The next was a deer roast fixed with celery, carrots, bell pepper chunks, onion, and garlic. This was thicker than the soup but had some natural broth to it as well. They didn't know it was deer, only that it was good. Last I heard, that was finished. Today, pork chops and apples are on the menu.

Tuesday after picking dad up from work, (he's retired, but cleans houses) he said mom wanted him to get some KFC (aka Kentucky Fried Chicken) ... "okay". So this was my test because I had recently become aware that KFC has MSG in their chicken, and MSG is known to cause migraines. It's been forever since I'd had KFC, and I had often wondered just how sensitive I was to it, so this was the test. When we got home I fixed what sides I could come up with at their house (I was not planning on all that, we had leftover deer roast in the fridge!). I'm glad to report, no migraine from KFC!

Just an upset stomach- Jackson said "mama the breading on that chicken was where the meat should have been, and it tasted like liquid seasoning". I think my healthier cooking is rubbing off, praise the Lord!

As for how mom is doing, she's "doing". I got her an appointment with her surgeon on June 22nd, so we'll see how it goes from there. She's still in pain, but claims her 5/500mg hydrocodone is the "only thing that works". If someone can help me understand how 7.5/750mg of the same thing, morphine, and percoset "won't do anything", please do. It bewilders me to no end.

Don't miss the devotional / passage study from the book of Job, it's a good one. It blessed me, anyway :o)
Soccer season ended last Saturday. Jackson's team placed second in the tournament, and he played his best game to date as goalie. We're trying to decide whether to do camps or go with a summer league. I'm leaning towards camp, but there's also the expense. I need to do more research on that. I get the impression they are better off to stay with the outdoor leagues than going to an indoor league when they're still first learning the game, does anyone have some input concerning this?

My nephew graduated from vocational high school this week, it was awesome. We are so proud of him.

I've been thinking about writing down some of the conversational highlights Jackson and I have been having over the last week since the shooting of abortionist, Dr. Tiller. Jackson is no stranger to watching the news, and feels very strongly about abortion. He had already seem Dr. Tiller in the news and remembered who he was when he saw the clip about his shooting. When he saw the clip, it immediately led to some serious conversations, a lot of it spiritual ones to boot, considering Dr. Tiller was shot at his church. Talk about a challenge- try to find the right words to answer the questions that can fly out of a ten year old's mouth on a subject like that!!

It goes along the same spiritual lines that Hannah was asking about after watching the movie Kit Kitteredge. Hannah (7): "Mommy, is it ok to steal from the rich if you are giving to the poor, like Robin Hood did?" Jackson (10): "NO! That's SOCIALISM!". Who knew you could get into a political conversation about the state of our country from the mention of a novel in a rated G, children's movie? Have you seen this movie yet? How did you like it? As parents, do you think this movie hits home for dads more than it does for moms?

I've found a new life motto. My dad raised me with the saying "If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is." While I'm telling my kids this as well, I've found another saying coming more and more out of my mouth recently:

"Just because you CAN, doesn't mean you SHOULD."

Do you have a motto you tell your kids a lot?

I look forward to seeing your answers! Please leave your Family Friday links with me, or if you are not participating in Family Friday, a link to your favorite family related post (or update) from this week.

My nephew graduated last night

My 22 year old nephew graduated from vocational (high) school last night. We're so proud of him, he was so happy last night. Stephen has a "deformed gene" as it was explained when he was little, which caused him to be "handicapped"; so his diploma is ike that of a special needs equivalent to a high school diploma. As you can see from the video he's a happy fella.


Congrats Stephen!!

He also received special recognition during the ceremony for progress, attendance, activities, and the such. We got tickled with him receiving his:

443 Family Friday: June 5th

It's Family Friday time again! Family Friday is hosted by HomemakerBarbi.com, thank you Danielle!

Last week I left you with the vision of a thirty something daughter getting a crash course on caring for an aging parent, and what new adventures we've been experiencing in that arena. I shared on Saturday the next part of that story, which, was the other, well parent. I updated you yesterday on how that venture is going. (Hint: surgery)

If you are an aspiring digital scrapbooker to capture memories (and enjoy quick pages), check out this one and grab it if you like it. I hope to be offering more on the future (sans disclaimer). You can see what I have done with my desktop wallpaper here. What do you usually have on your desktop? Pictures of your kids, or something else? I have no pattern, but have noticed the kids really like it when their pictures are there so I think I'll roll with that idea for the summer.

I have taken to writing down the "-isms" of the children, you are going to love some of the stuff they have been blurting out. I started twitter-ing their sayings in a contest a few weeks ago that @plumkeeper was holding, and I've just kept it up. They have highlighted two or three of their quotes on their Facebook page: Kids Say the Darnest Things, too! (Cool!)
One day I might do a scrap page for everything they've said that month. Here is one Jackson said this week. More to come. Stay tuned.

I've been lacking in my bible reading in the past month so Ive been playing catchup with that. The kids just started the "Pastor's summer pals" club this Wednesday at church, and devotionals are part of the points system. I already have it all in place, we just need to do it. My goal this summer is to UNPLUG them. I've been writing out a plan on how to accomplish that. Routines are in order more now than I think they were when the kids were in school. Summer in our house can equal chaos, how about yours? It doesn't take long for these natives to get restless! Today, we're going to go to the Children's Museum in the next city, that's going to be fun.

Lastly, I've decided to double up on some meals and cook for mom and dad, so dad won't worry about what's going to be for dinner each day. He doesn't have his license (has never drove), and doesn't really "cook food" (he can scramble eggs and fry bacon, I remember that from my childhood and mom working at night!). He has a routine he's pretty set to, and I can empathize with the anxiety caused by the unknown and one's routine getting unsettled. He's 68, he doesn't need that unnecessary stress.
The challenge, however, is finding meals that my mother will eat, that is compatible with my family. She says how her stomach is sensitive, except she has no problem eating fried, fat laden- smothered in oil and butter type meals from the local restaurants they tend to frequent. (See my frustration?) The idea of adding a teaspoon of Italian seasoning to something at home sets her into a tailspin! Oy. Pray for me :)

Trying to meal plan

Since mom is down, I've taken her brand new, still in the box from a year ago- 7 quart crock pot with the intentions of cooking for them. Thing is, my mother is a pickier eater than Hannah- so I must approach this venture with much care lest I end up wasting food and my time and energy! So I thought I had a pack of chicken breasts in the fridge, but that pack should have been put in the freezer (my how time flies). So the kids and I will be heading to the store, likely Aldi, shortly to pick up something for tonight.

I'm trying to come up with some ideas for them- what do you think about this? Do you have any ideas for feeding picky eaters?

Rotisserie Style CP Chicken Ranch vegetables

CP Chicken and Dumplings

Sweet potatoes COTB

Ha- this will be good- layered dinner - sides included!

I have some purple sweet potatoes, and a garnet yam I want to cook for the kids and I, I think I'm going to try them in the CP. I'll let you know how that works out.

(think I'll do chicken adobo for us! that looks quite frugal)

Looking through Stephanie's site that never ceases to amaze me I just found a post that will be helpful with my Deceptively Delicious quest, too (yay!)

Whoa nilly! not again!

Tuesday started out pretty normal. Since mom is down with her back (still), and dad doesn't have a drivers license (never has, by choice), dad needed me to take him to work. (He cleans houses ...) Had my carpool kids at school by 8 and headed to mom and dad's house, to have dad at work at 9. I asked mom when her MRI appointment was because I knew last Thursday when we were at the Convenient Care Clinic (aka CCC) the Dr had ordered one. She said she had not made it. I had not thought about it since when I had to have an MRI appointment for when I broke my nose, the appointment was some two weeks out. Knowing it needed to be made if that was the case, when I dropped dad off I drove across town to her Dr office to make the appointment. (It's one large building with multiple departments, including radiology).

They said they could do one in an hour, or two hours, or later in the day. WOW! I chose the two hour one and flew off to my house. I cut apples, oranges, packed notebook paper, markers, got the "Bag of Barbies", a book I've been encouraging Jackson to start .... I got three large bottles of water, my notebook, my magazine, a Fiber One bar (I had not had breakfast!)- I was going to go prepared! It was enough surviving five hours with Hannah, but we had Hannah AND Jackson that day ;)

They could not complete it because when they got started her pain level was so high she could not lay in the machine. The tech said they got one image and it was enough to know she really needed to get it done, that she needed to have it done at the hospital where they could sedate her and get it done. Leaving mom and the kids in the foyer waiting room, I:

Go to the radiology department to find out what we needed to do, to make the hospital (aka FMC) MRI happen. Need to go to CCC and have Dr C change the order for it to reflect FMC / sedation. She's not there, but Dr H changed it. Go back to radiology department to make the appointment. Learn the nearest appointment was June 10th (this was the 2nd). Make the appointment, but what about her pain?

Go back to CCC and tell them the appointment is June 10th, ask about pain (she was at a 8-9 sitting still). They said that was ridiculous, check her in CCC to consult with Dr H, see what he can do. Dr H cannot do any better than what I accomplished, but he did say I needed to be with mom at her appointments from now on, "it's that time ...". He says we can try her neurosurgeon, or go to the ER/ED. As far as meds, they've done all they can, she has the best they can do. (ER can do better).

Go to neuro, he's at hospital in surgery, going out of town the next day. (Mom says he's always out of town.) Nurse says best bet is go to ER, maybe with her being there they'll go ahead and go the MRI. It's a coin toss.

Are you still with me?

It's after 2 by now, we're hungry, so we go eat. I start calling to explore childcare arrangements, cause the kids are off the hook by now. "To the ER they will not go" says Yoda. My aunts pick them up at the restaurant, and agree to get them to soccer practice that night too (WHEW). We head to the ER, and within an hour and a half of being there, the Dr has ordered the MRI, and they have her hooked up on IVs with morphine. (Yay!)

She indeed has a bulging disk, so shes looking at surgery, this will be #6. She's 68. (I'm wondering with Nationalized Health Care if she would be denied this surgery? Lets pray we don't go down that road, that's scary!!). They sent her home with 5 days of Percoset, which is what I had when I broke my nose, after that surgery. It works. (If mom says that doesn't help I'm going to start thinking part of this might be in her head!)

So please pray for her. I'd really, really appreciate it. She tends to be really hard on dad when she's not doing well, that's just unnecessary, ya know?

I sure am glad I'm getting a break today to clean house *g*
Yesterday we weren't home either, you'll have to stay tuned!

Parent Adventures: Part Two

Yesterday I shared the adventures I've had with an ailing mother over the past week. Five hours at the doctors office with mom, gathering the patience needed to endure sitting in a waiting room for an hour. Sitting in the examination room for thirty minutes at a time. Listening to mom with her tendancy to be glass half empty (I'm glass half full). But there was another part of that equation- Hannah (7 years old) was outside in the waiting room with my dad.

My Dad. He can digress his attention away from a child very easily, especialy if get gets drawn into conversation with another adult, or if in a store finds a display that catches his interest. I remember when Jackson was four, and we were at Myrtle Beach. I left Jackson with dad in one isle while I went a few isles over to get something. When I went back, dad was there, but Jackson wasn't. Not being as close to the Lord then as I am now, I had some strong feelings going on inside me at the thought that he paid so little attention to Jackson that Jackson was able to wander away from him. I knew it was honest by the look on his face, that's why I've never really been upset with dad, that's just dad. I learned better that day.

Mom, dad, and I (with 1 yo Hannah in tow) were all over that store looking for him, and about the time my heart sank as I walked towards the door envisioning seeing my boy being stuffed into another vehicle by a stranger, I heard the sweetest words any mother could hear during a time like that- over the loudspeaker: "Will Jackson's mom come to the front desk please? He is looking for you". I turn around as I was literally in the exit doors, to see my little boy so grown, on his tip toes at the customer service desk trying to look at the worker as he was watching her call me over the phone receiver. I immediately realized my failure as a parent at that moment because that was not something I had taught Jackson to do- to go to the front desk and ask a worker for help if he ever got lost. He was such an ACTIVE (=wild) child that I always had a hand on him, and always kept him in sight because I knew how quickly he could get away when he decided to make a run for it. (That's why I could not be mad at dad, after all, he was getting "old" and I knew Jackson's temperament was totally foreign to dad).

The worker asked me if I was his mom, and I said yes. They asked him and he said yes, with a huge smile on his face. They told me he walked up and said he could not find his mommy. They asked him what her name was and they could call her, and he said "mommy" - awww my melting heart! It was that week we started practicing him remembering mine and Jay's actual names.

So from then on I have to remind dad he can't walk as fast because little feet cannot keep up; that short people have a shorter attention span and he has to remind them to stay close by.

Fast forward six years to yesterday:
Hannah and dad are in the waiting room. Hannah's patience was worn thin. She has to go to the bathroom, which is right across the hallway from said waiting room. Dad stands in the doorway of the waiting room, waiting for her to come back from the bathroom. He gets to talking to another man waiting for his wife ... and some 30 minutes later he realizes Hannah had not complained to him in a while. He looks around and she's not there! He actually processes the idea that like him, Hannah meets NO stranger.

Dad freaks. He takes off to the front of the building (this place is like a doctor "complex" with multiple offices for varying things, very large, open building)- she's not there. He goes back where he gave blood earlier (and Hannah was with him), she's not there. He goes back to the waiting room we were in for when mom got her Xays abd utrasound ... she's not there, either.

He's ready to panic, and goes back to the first waiting room to check again, and he doesn't see her. Then another eldery man sitting in a corner points to another corner and asks "does she belong to you?", pointing to Hannah passed out on a couch on the opposite side of the room from where dad had been in previous conversation. Talk about relief! I'm just glad I was not out there and he was able to work that out on his own. Maybe future ventures he'll make a point to try and pay closer attention? Who knows. But hearing the story come from him was priceless.

Our last stop was the pharmacy across the street from the office building. We're all four in the car and I say "Dad you can go in and get the medicine" to which Hannah answers "Yeh and Papa don't get in any conversations with anyone!"

Family Friday: Parent Adventures

It's Family Friday time again! Family Friday is hosted by HomemakerBarbi.com, thank you Danielle!

This post is likely not going to be what you initially thought of. Most blogs of mothers, when referring to parent adventures, is likely talking about their own children. Today- this blogging mother is posting about her own mother.
I have seen my mother HIGH twice this week!

My mother has had five back surgeries in the past ten years, each time on the right side of her spine. Saturday her and dad were outside planting tomato plants in planters. Mom was more supervising than actually doing the work, because it can be hard for her to bend over at times. They babysat so Jay and I could go out for lunch Saturday afternoon. When we dropped the kids off mom mentioned how her left leg had started hurting bad not long before we got there. It wasn't better when we picked them up so I told mom to call me if she felt we needed to go to the hospital. It was odd those words flew out of my mouth because my mom has never went to the emergency room.

Around 6 she called for me to come get her. They said it was her sciatic nerve and she had a bladder infection. Gave her three shots while we were there, tordol, dilaudid, and phenegryn; sent her home with three prescriptions- morphine, a steroid, and an antibiotic. She was flying high by the time we left. I got home about 1am Sunday morning. Monday afternoon Jay and I went to check on her, and she had not even started taking the steroids! So I get on to her, because she was complaining "what they gave" wasn't working. Well? When you're not taking everything as directed, you're NOT going to feel better! So she doubles her doses of the steroids to get "caught up" (sigh).

Tuesday I go over to take dad to work, and she's broke out in hives- allergic to the steroids. By Tuesday evening the hives were settling. Having been instructed at the ER to follow up with her regular provider, I ask if she's made an appointment. No. Wednesday I'm at my non-biological, but nonetheless "aunt's" house all day working on her computer (problems). Dad calls around 11 saying mom wanted to hit the walk in clinic, wanting to know when I can come. I say I'll be over between 1-2 pm. Finish at my aunt's, get over there, and she doesn't want to go, "wait until tomorrow". So today, after dropping my carpool kids off at school Hannah and I go pick her up. We get there around nine.

God sent an ANGEL to care for her today! She was SO thorough with mom, I've NEVER seen a Doctor care for a patient so carefully! (She even helped me with a problem, LOL!!) However, covering all bases, they done seven X rays and an ultrasound of mom's knee to rule out a cyst or blood clot. The decision, four hours later, was cortisone shots in her hip and between her fourth and fifth vertebrae, where her last surgery was. The disks were sitting lopsided on each other and she felt confident there could be nerves getting pinched there. We left with the shots- which again, made mom HIGH again, and even more funny than Saturday (lol) along with a change in her regular pain meds (and an increase in dosage); additional antibiotics because her white blood cells were still higher than she thought they should be- and we found out mom has a mild form of scoliosis! (My sister was just diagnosed last year.)

So I sat either waiting for mom, or with mom for the Doctor, for five hours today. That's a lot of bonding time! I believe I got a glimpse of what my future is going to be like today. Prayerfully, mom is not headed for another back surgery. As of tonight, her pain level is down from a nine to a seven, when she's sitting. She needs to stay off her feet, but she keeps getting up and waking around.
How do you get your mother to obey doctor's orders?

Oh, you think this concludes my parent adventures? I have more- my dad was at the doctors' today, with Hannah- waiting on mom and I- for five hours!
Click here for the daddy tales, and it's a doozy!

412 Family Friday with a Jay update

I just found the cutest site I cannot wait to dive into reading, homemakerbarbi.com . I found her through Twitter @HomemakerBarbi. Her Friday Meme is Family Friday.

From her website:
"Family Friday is a blog carnival at HomemakerBarbi.com where you can link your best family-oriented blog posts or website articles each week. "

So now I've met a meme that matches with what I've noticed is a weakness of mine- I don't really post that much family related topics here! I really need to, I believe. What do you think?

So, family related, I need to update everyone on Jay. He went to the appointment on Monday, to learn it was a "pre op" appointment. No one told him. He had fasted the whole day! According to this specialist, after looking at the test results from the test Friday, he did have the hiatal hernia, but they also believed him to have esophogeal spasms, as well. After scheduling the endoscopy for next Monday, they prescribed him some medication. He took it Monday evening, and woke around 1am having an allergic reaction! He could barely swallow! But what does every man usually do? He never woke me to tell me. So he suffered through the night breathing swallow waiting for the swelling to go down in his throat. (I could have ringed his throat after he told me what happened.) So no more medicine for him. So the test is this coming Monday (5-11) at 3pm. Please pray! (I also have a special unspoken concerning this issue, the Lord knows what it is but if you would pray along with me, I'd appreciate it.)

More family posts:
Awesome soccer picture of Jackson, and the story behind it.
How the kids are doing in their new school.
Remotes. That's all I'm sayin'- check it out ;o)

Cheap, fun family entertainment

(Guess where we went this week ;)