She's a bully?

We had quite the busy day over here today. Here's what I (with the kids help) have gotten done:

• I've kept the laundry going and think I *might* have one more load TOTAL if you count Tatum's dirty diapers, with some random pieces of dirty laundry here and there;
• The dishes are done in the dishwasher and need to be put away;
• Kellen has gotten his room picked up - including sheets changed and laundered;
• I picked up Tatum's room before her nap - including sheets changed and laundered as well;
• The kitchen floors have just been swept and mopped;
• In the midst of this, Kellen was supposed to have his Little Dragon class at 10 AM, we went there and there was no one there, save for one other parent and kid no instructor, doors locked, nada.
• So we went straight to the grocery store because I decided that today would be a good day for a partial once-a-month cooking spree. (Can we say avoidance?)
• So I made a batch of pizza pasta casserole, cooled three pans of it and they are now sitting, all nice, wrapped up and labeled, in the freezer. I also have 3 more lbs of meat awaiting me to decide which recipe I'm going to tackle next. Yes, after I get Kellen to bed I'm going to try and finish out the cooking - crazy me. Perhaps I can finish watching the episode and a half of LOST that I need to catch up on at the same time...
• Kellen played outside for a while during Tatums nap (he "rested" for a bit but never did actually go to sleep, so after an hour or so, I let him get up and go outside to play (with modified supervision and locks on the gates, mind you). Boy did he have fun!
• We also hung out with some friends at McDonalds - sorry Ronald McDonald's, as Kellen refers to it - playing for a while. This is where I discovered what I've referenced as the title of this post.

Apparently Tatum has a bully streak...maybe it's a tendency...maybe it's just because she's used to playing with her brother, although I really haven't seen her do this with him. She was aggressive to poor Sophie at McDonalds. And Sophie just took it! Vicky and I are both of the mind to let the two of them work it out, thank goodness, but the biggest thing we had to worry about were their overprotective big brothers trying to solve their problems for them! Now THAT was funny (and sweet, really...if you think about it), although we were telling the boys to just leave them alone. But they were both really just trying to help...

At any rate, Tatum would steal Sophie's "baby", Sophie would scream, we would tell Tatum to stop doing that (at least I think I told her to stop) and then tell her to give it back, she would walk over to Sophie and give it back to her (most of the time - there was a time or two that Tatum did a straight up "psyc" to Sophie - oh my!). Vicky would tell Sophie to say thank you and then Tatum would do the sign for "Thank you" and then Sophie would throw the baby on the ground and get mad that Tatum would pick it up and repeat the cycle. I did NOT do a very good job of keeping a poker face on this one...really and truly I did not. But I have just never seen her act this way.

Come to think of it, I'm not sure how many times I've actually seen her interact with kids her own age! I drop her off at daycare, see some interaction there...same at pick up, same type of thing at church nursery, but I haven't taken her many places where there are kids her own age and actually been WITH her while she's interacted with them. Wow...Hadn't thought about that until just now.

Is this the behavior that daycare has only alluded to as the reason that Tatum has been bitten? As in...Tatum took a friends toy and the friend got mad and bit Tatum on the "insert bitten body part here" Hmmm...Again, I had not observed this behavior until today...but my my my...

Is she a bully? Was she just playing rough? Being overly friendly? Goodness...

Dr. Gerren

The title of the post should say it all, shouldn't it?

SHE PASSED HER DEFENSE!!!!

Now the final hurdle will be the changes/edits and finishing touches on her dissertation, with a June 20th submission deadline if she wants to make the August 2008 graduation. Officially; however, she has a year after her defense to submit her dissertation to the thesis clerk - but I don't think she wants to go there at all with that long of a time frame!

Way to go, Mom...I'm so proud of you and your hard work, dedication and determination. You've always said that I have the stick-to-it-ness...but if so, I certainly got it from someone, now didn't I?

Wish her luck...and say a prayer!

Mom is officially defending her dissertation tomorrow afternoon at 1:30. And even this process, what should be the downhill slide, has been riddled with bumps. But, she's here!

Please say a prayer that she have the words that she needs when she needs them to express what she has worked so long and hard to accomplish that she is able to convey her research effectively and appropriately to her committee members during this defense.

God, I have a question

During our prayers tonight, Kellen decided to ask God a question...and the conversation went something along these lines...

God, I need to ask you a question. Do you ever get tired?

(Slight pause)

You don't?

Why don't you get tired?

(Pause)

Is it because that's just how you were made?

(Pause)

Oh it is. Oh, ok.

Memorial Day

Maw Maw got Kellen a 2008 flag shirt and we wanted him to wear it in celebration of Memorial Day. The problem was that he was already dressed yesterday morning when we got the shirt out. For those of you that don't know, once Kellen gets dressed, it's rather difficult to get him to change his clothes unless you have a REALLY GOOD REASON.

So, I sat down and talked with him about Memorial Day...What it means, why we celebrate it, and why we wanted him to wear his special flag shirt.

For the rest of the day, he went up to people, pointed out his flag shirt, and proclaimed something to the effect of,

"I'm wearing this flag shirt to remember all of the people who have fought and died so that we can live and be free."

Thank you to all who have given the ultimate sacrifice so that we can do just that...and thank you to the families of those individuals. God Bless you.

Version 2.0

I've learned that if Tatum doesn't think that her dinner and bedtime routine is happening at the appropriate time (approximately 6:00 PM for a start time), she will morph into someone elses child. Whose child she becomes I'm not quite sure...perhaps the child of revenge...you know, the "Just wait 'till you have children of your own child" that I've heard told to me a time or two...When I relay stories to my mom, sometimes during this "witching hour" as I'm trying to get her ready for bed amidst the screaming that ensues when you take her out of the bath too soon, although she's virtually falling asleep IN the bathtub - mom just laughs and says to me, "I know dear, I raised that child, too...the one who had to have HER ROUTINE and have it HER WAY. I know just what you're talking about honey."

But I sometimes forget those stories...the stories that my mom tells, although not too often, actually, about not being able to attend church on Sunday morning for years when I was little...initially because of nursing me and my nap schedule, and then because when I napped I HAD to nap in MY OWN crib or bed...at MY OWN designated nap time. I simply remember the stories about my stubborn streak and being the strong willed child - you know, the stories that get told at family gatherings OVER and OVER again...The ones that start out,

"Do you remember when Rebecca was little and she.....(insert story here)"

and end up with the entire family laughing and telling me how much of a handful I was as a child.

I have a feeling that I'm raising version 2.0 of that type of a child. She loves her routine - thrives on it, actually...is ready to start her entire bedtime ritual at 6 or 6:15, which starts with dinner and ends with me holding her next to her crib and then just laying her down with her paci and strategically placing her lovies, blanket and glow worm in her crib with her, telling her goodnight and walking out. That's it. But that's her routine.

And as much as I would, on some nights, LOVE to rock and snuggle and love on her, that just really makes her mad and messes her up big time for the night!

Did I create this creature of habit or was she simply born this way?

...and green...

Mommy (singing to Kellen while he's taking a bath): Jesus loves the little children. All God's children of the world. Red and yellow, black and white, they..

Kellen: And green.

Mommy: What?

Kellen: And green.

Mommy: What do you mean, green?

Kellen: Well, what about Shrek? God loves Shrek, too, right?

Mommy (still singing, only now smiling even bigger and laughing): They are precious in His sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world.

Kellen: Mommy, why are you smiling so much?

Mommy: Kellen, you just make Mommy smile.

Random tidbits

I'm going through magazines, so you'll get random tidbits here in a few bullets...Enjoy!

"Do good in minutes" Change a lightbulb: If every household replace its five most frequently used lights with Energy Star bulbs, it would have the same effect on reducing greenhouse gases as if we took 8 million cars off the road. Bonus: You'd save about $60 a year. (From the March 2007 Parenting magazine)

Raise a money-smart kid: 5 simple things you can start teaching your child today (From the April 2007 Parenting magazine)
1. Don't say "We can't affort it" (talk to them about budgeting and making choices about where to spend money)
2. Show them the money (let them see you balance your checkbook, record debit/credit card purchases, etc)
3. Talk about how much things cost (make lists of actual expenses and income and, at age appropriate stages, discuss household expenses)
4. Buy something that isn't on your list (make lists and shop from those, but explain why sometimes you might purchase something NOT on your list - discuss that accordingly)
5. Be open with your spouse (team effort in the finance area)

4 Things you just can't teach a kid -Deborah Skolnik (From the June 2007 Parenting Magazine)
1. Flowers don't taste as good as they smell.
2. You can't save an ice pop under your bed.
3. Pushing the elevator button seven times doesn't make it come any faster.
4. The bathroom has a door for a reason

Greener Cleaning (From the June 2007 Parenting Magazine)
1. Air it out. Leave windows open during and after cleaning so that the chemicals don't linger in the air.
2. Buy "green" alternatives
3. Make your own: Try:

• A mix of baking soda and distilled white vinegar to scrub the toilet
• Distilled white vinegar mixed with warm water to clean hardwood floors
• Begetable-based soap with a few drops of lavendar essential oil to make an antiseptic cleaning spray

4. Do what you can. Using green cleaners even some of the time is better than never. To learn more, visit householdproducts.nim.nih.gov.

Quick-fix ways to save the planet - Annie Schoening (From June 2007 Parenting Magazine)

To conserve:

Electricity: Plug electronics into a power strip and turn it off when you go out and at night. You'll save $20 - 50 a year. (Plugged in items use electricity even when they're off).

Hot water: Save entergy by doing laundry in cold water (using a special detergent like Tide Coldwater). Your clothes will be just as clean, and you'll pocket $60 annually.

Heating/Air conditioning: Install a programmable thermostat. Set it to use less heat and A/C when you're out or asleep, and save $150 each year.

The green house: Moms tips for an eco-friendly home (From October 2007 Parenting Magazine)

Conquer kid clutter! (From November 2007 Parenting Magazine)

Kid rooms

• Divide and conquer
• Rotate the goods
• Create activity zones
• Hold off on bookshelves

Craft supplies

• Keep a vinyl tablecloth with the art supplies
• Toss the flimsy crayon boxes
• Make a marker-saver.
• Separate supplies for easier access.

Dress-up stuff

• Load up a big bin or two
• Use hooks for the things that are easily crushed or lost

Toys and games

• Label them
• Tape 'em
• Store puzzles smarter

How to be a great mom: 7 qualities you need for your preschooler (From the December/January 2008 Parenting Magazine)

1. Resolve
2. A Sense of fantasy
3. Forethought
4. Stoicism
5. Nonchalance
6. Dexterity
7. Empathy

Easy Ways to be an eco-family (from November 2007 Working Mother magazine)

Home Sweet eco-Home: Our room-by-room shopping guide to environment friendly shopping products (from November 2007 Working Mother magazine)

Seven Secrets of Stress Management

Seven Secrets of Stress Management

by Rick Warren

Then Jesus said, “Let’s get away from the crowds for a while and rest.” There were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat. Mark 6:31 (NLT)
*** *** *** ***
Jesus experienced enormous stress and pressure, yet it didn’t seem to disturb his peace of mind. In spite of opposition, constant demands, and little privacy, his life reflected a calm sense of balance.

What was his secret?

Identification – Know who you are (John 8:12)

Eighteen times Jesus publicly defined himself. There was no doubt in his mind as to who he was. If you are unsure of your identity, you’ll allow others to pressure you into their molds. Trying to be someone you’re not causes stress!

Dedication – Know who you want (John 5:30)

You can’t please everyone. Even God can’t! Just about the time you get “Crowd A” happy, then “Crowd B” willbe upset with you. Jesus never let the fear of rejection manipulate him. No one can pressure you without your permission.

Organization – Set clear goals (John 8:14)

Jesus said, “I know where I came from and where I am going.” (NIV) Preparation prevents pressure, but procrastination produces it. You work by either priorities or pressures.

Concentration – Focus on one thing at a time (Luke 4:42-44)

You can’t chase two rabbits at the same time! Jesus knew how to handle interruptions without being distracted from his primary goal.

Delegation – Don’t try to do everything yourself (Mark 3:14)

We get tense when we feel it all depends on us. Jesus enlisted twelve disciples. Don’t allow perfectionism, or the fear that others may do a better job, to keep you from involving others in the task.

Meditation – Make a habit of prayer (Mark 1:35)

No matter how busy Jesus got, he found time to get alone to pray everyday. A daily quiet time is a great stress decompression chamber. Use this time to talk to God about your pressures and problems, evaluate your priorities, and discover the rules for successful living by reading the Bible.

Relaxation – Take time to enjoy life (Mark 6:30-31)

Balance is the key to stress management. Work must be balanced with fun and worship.

Update on Tatum

Well, she was absolutely FINE this morning - NO FEVER AT ALL...normal temp....Her lines on the knee were still there and the redness hadn't spread, but the lines on her hand had completely gone away - who knows why??? But, the redness on her finger and knuckle had seemed to subside somewhat...

So into the doctors office we went. Got weighed (24.9 lbs - my BIG GIRL!!) and then talked with the nurse, played while we waited on the doctor, then talked with the doctor...He agreed that they were insect bites, but didn't think they were infected, just that she was having a mild reaction to them - and suggested that we put hydrocortisone cream on them a few times a day. Several times on the knee and then twice (if possible) on the hand - before nap and bedtime - times when she would be less likely to put her hands into her mouth and eat the medicine

However, in the routine check that ensued, he DID find that she has a dousey of an ear infection in her left ear. So it's a round of antibiotics for her, which will/should help in case the insect bite could have turned into an infection. WHEW!

At any rate, I'm glad that we caught all of this, because I can't imagine how much she would have hurt getting on a plane with an ear infection! OUCH!!

Mommy time

From my Working Mother magazine...

Focus on You: 3 Guilt-Free Hours

Daydream and rules: time can't be spent with spouse or with children

Quiz:
1. You pull double shifts taking care of everyone else, yet you neglect yourself. What drives you to do this? Guilt that you're not spending enough time with your kids? Concern that you're falling behind in your career? List three reasons why you feel you can't slow down. Now imagine that you have to slow down. What would happen?

2. Write down a guilty-mom moment that still makes you cringe. Now think about whether there were unexpected benefits for your child. For example, your son says, "All my friends' mommies pick them up right after school. Why do I have to go to after-care?" Did he actually enjoy after-care? Make new friends? Try to find something redemptive that came from that moment.

3. What makes you feel guilty on a regular basis? Is it Evan's mom doing museum-worthy art projects with her kids while yours make do with a bucket of broken crayons? Is it leaving your sick child with a babysitter instead of being with her yourself?

4. List the three activities you most dislike doing with your kids. Dread supervising math homework? Resent driving them to karate on Saturday mornings? Choose one activity that you could stop doing today. (Introduce your spouse to the joys of karate carpool.) Choose another activity you could get help with. (Could you recruit a high school student as a tutor?)

5. List three things you realistically could do to make your life easier at home. What stops you from doing each of these things? Now take a hard look at your excuses. No money for help with the housework? Is there something you could cut from your budget to afford help once a month? Choose one of your lamest excuses and find a solution.

6. Imagine that all of your responsibilities are on hold for three hours. What would you do with that free time all to yourself? How would it make you a better mom, partner and employee?

7. Name someone you'd call in a crisis or someone who could help you get back on track if you drift off course.

8. Guess what? You just figured out where you can get three guilt-free hours (see your answers to questions 4 and 5). You've also figured out why you so desperately need this time (see your answer to question 6). Now commit to it. You officially have permission to take three hours off, so get out your calendar and block out the time. To keep you committed, have the person from question 7 sign the bottom of this page. This person is going to hold you to it. Now go. Be guilt-free!

Tatum woes...

About two days ago I noticed something that looked like a bite on Tatum's middle finger on her right hand. I didn't think much of it at the time. I noticed yesterday that the area looked somewhat red, and then today even redder still...and as the day has gone on, it's gotten progressively redder...and is swollen and "tight"...and has begun (in my opinion, Matt doesn't agree) to "streak" down her knuckle and into her hand. She's also started to run a slightly elevated temp...(100.2 rectally).

I called our pediatrician's office, they took my information, put me on hold, talked with the dr on call, then told me they had no other appointment this afternoon and to take her into the ER. At this point, I'll defer to Matt and will agree that I'm probably overreacting somewhat, so I called the office back, was told that I can give her some Benadryl and to bring her in ASAP on Monday. (He made several good points regarding his argument not to take her into the ER based on her current condition...if that changes, we'll revisit).

I'll just keep an eye on her tonight and am glad that her appt is virtually first thing in the morning!

UPDATE:
Her temp was elevated slightly before - and then after (uh oh) her cool bath, so before bedtime she got some Tylenol. After her bath Daddy drew the outlines on her to mark the current redness so that we could tell if it's spreading, both on her hand and on her knee. Oh, and yes, to add to the fun, we noticed another spot on her knee. Again, it looks like an insect bite, but it's starting to get red and not looking all that great.

She was fussing at around 9, so she got some more Benadryl at around 9:30, and she settled back down again pretty quickly with another pacifier (hmmm...wonder why she was fussy, huh? lost pacifier, anyone?) and is back to sleep now. She seemed cool, but I didn't want to completely wake her up to take her temperature (she REALLY hates having her temperature taken - I mean REALLY).

10 hours until her doctors appointment....we'll see how it all goes!

Graduation

So Kellen's pre-school graduation is this afternoon. He's so excited!

(Me, on the other hand, cannot believe that it's time for him to "graduate" from pre-school. Tissues, anyone?)

I'll post pictures and probably video later!

The biter

And no, it isn't my daughter...but there's a biter in her midst. And I don't know if she's getting the bulk of the biting, but she got bitten (again) today by this kiddo. On her back.

I will say, though, that the kid did bite in apparent frustration at having their toy snatched from them by my daughter. But still.

The last time she was bitten it was because she dared get in front of said kid and I guess put her hand on a doorway near the kids mouth. Still not quite sure on the details of that one, but suffice it to say, the teeth marks were there for a few days.

Ouch.

I've been told that the workers are doing all that they can and are utilizing a variety of age appropriate behavior modification techniques on the kid.

I guess nowadays you can't just bite 'em back to show the kid how much it hurts someone else when you do that to them, huh?

Perhaps this is why my darling Tatum has starting to bite a bit when she's upset? Learned behavior, perhaps???

Perspective

I got this forwarded to me, and my friend got this from an article on Parents.com

· When she takes a running leap and lands on top of me, she is questioning whether she will always be able to lean on me. And because I always want her to know the answer is yes, I tolerate it.

· When she yells "No!" and points her finger, returning the glare she undoubtedly learned from me, she is asserting herself. I couldn't be more relieved. I hope she will maintain that perseverance right into her teen years, when she can use it on any boy who dares to try to get fresh with her. And into her adult years, when her stubbornness will be called "determination."

· When she attempts to stick a bobby pin she's found into the light socket, she is exploring her world and trying to discover how things work. Perhaps she'll be an engineer one day.

· When she draws on the walls with a purple crayon, she is expressing her creativity. I try to think of her as an artist in training. And even more important, she is learning the value of leaving her mark on the world.

· When she breaks my favorite lamp and flashes her award-winning smile just as I am coming toward her, she is practicing her people skills. Perhaps she'll be a great politician (though I hope she'd be the rare kind who maintains integrity).

· When she tries to stuff the kitten into her brother's lunchbox, she is experimenting with spatial concepts.

· When she wrestles with her brother over a toy, calling "Mine!" loud enough to be heard down the street, she is being bold and going for what she wants. I just hope that in the future, if she doesn't get her way, her solution won't be to bite in retaliation.

· When she climbs our chain-link fence with bare feet, she is proving that no challenge is too difficult for her to meet. And when I discover her playing in the yard of the neighbors who live behind us, she is reaching beyond her own little world, refusing to be provincial.

· When she lies on top of her 7-month-old sister, crushing the baby with enthusiastic hugs and kisses, she is unabashedly wearing her heart on her sleeve.

· When she insists I read The Little Engine That Could to her again, for the seventh time in a row, she is teaching me patience.

· When she dumps macaroni all over the kitchen floor, stops to acknowledge my "No!" by turning briefly to look at me, and then goes right back to what she was doing, she is showing her ability to follow through with a task.

· When she gets tickled over something I take for granted -- the toast popping up from the toaster when it's browned, for instance -- she is blessing me unaware. How many times have I longed to see the world through the eyes of a child once again? Thanks to her, I can.

· When I catch her trying to eat the cat's food, she is proving that she will not be a picky eater -- and that she has survival skills, which may come in handy later in life (especially if she ends up on some reality TV show).

· When she gleefully rips off her dry diaper, throws it in the sink, and races for the toilet, then refuses to sit on it, she is exercising her prerogative to change her mind.

· When I call her name and she immediately breaks into a sprint in the other direction, she is listening to her own inner voice and refusing to be a conformist.

· When she suddenly decides to throw a tantrum in the middle of a restaurant, she is teaching me humility. And that leftovers reheated later at home usually taste just as good as food served fresh.

· When she steps into my enormous shoes, which swallow her tiny feet, and clumsily tries to walk in them, she makes me reflect upon my great responsibility to provide a good role model for her to follow.

· And when she stands on the kitchen table with no pants on, refusing to even put on a diaper, and dances... well, I can only think the worst about that. So I try not to read too much into it, because I am choosing to remain positive.

When I grow up...

According to Kellen...

"I'm going to take care of baby cows and shoot birds to eat."

I'm not sure that he's ever been around baby cows - other than perhaps at some petting zoo?? or ever been around the shooting of birds. Hmmmm...interesting, huh?

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day!

I was sent this in an email, and although it doesn't all apply (yet), I can understand the sentiment:

Invisible Mom

It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking, 'Can't you see I'm on the phone?' Obviously not; no one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all. I'm invisible. The invisible Mom.

Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this?

Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, 'What time is it?' I'm a satellite guide to answer, 'What number is the Disney Channel?' I'm a car to order, 'Right around 5:30, please.'

I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She's going, she's going, she's gone!

One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England. Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, 'I brought you this.' It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe. I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription:

'To Charlotte, with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees.'

In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work:
1. No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names.
2. These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished.
3. They made great sacrifices and expected no credit.
4. The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.

A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, 'Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it.' And the workman replied, 'Because God sees.'

I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, 'I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become.'

At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride.

I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on. The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.

When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, 'My Mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table.' That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, 'You're gonna love it there.'

As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.

The Will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you.

****************
Edited to add:

So, for everyone out there in the process of building the cathedrals currently known as our offspring, take a deep breath, ask God for patience - understanding what He has to give you to endure in order for you to develop patience, know trust and remember that our treasures are not stored here on this earth - they're waiting for us in a much better place. And while we may not see the fruit of our labors in this earthly lifetime, there will be rewards that will make it worth it on an eternal scope. Stay the course that God has laid out for you, follow His will, and cherish the gifts that He has entrusted for you to raise.

Happy Mother's Day to you all!

She's going to defend!!!

My mom, who has been working on her dissertation and trying to finish her PhD, has hit virtually every stumbling block known to man during her journey. In no certain order - Her major professor retired, which of course required a complete overhaul of her committee - a process which, in essence, took at least a years worth of time; her research focus has shifted quite a bit throughout the course of her program to evolve to its current state; she didn't know and wasn't told (and I wasn't working in advising and didn't realize) that she could petition for a waiver of the residency requirement, so did several full-time semesters in a row to meet the residency requirement, WHILE working full-time AND commuting from her full-time position TO TAMU...yes, I typed that correctly, with SEVERAL different preps in her teaching position; she took a summer off (virtually the only time she really has to work heavily on her research) to take care of my grandmother after her wreck a couple summers ago, delaying her further (NOT that she regrets that, just a fact that it impacted her program); she has a VERY heavy teaching load in and of itself, which takes a great deal of time during the long semesters AND lives 2 1/2 hours away from TAMU.

There's more, but that isn't the point of this particular blog....

At any rate, she has been sending her dissertation chapters to her committee chairs all semester long...and in utter frustration sent another message to one of her chairs last week asking what it was that she was supposed to do...because if she didn't defend her dissertation by the end of this month (May) she would have to re-do her preliminary examinations. YUCK!

His response was, in a nutshell - move forward with the defense!

Whoo hoo!!!...Or should I say, in Aggie-speak - a BIG FAT WHOOP!!!

New Tooth

Well, I had a feeling that some of Tatum's recent "crazy child" behavior was being caused by something other than her just being a toot. Now, I'm not saying that she isn't a toot. And she comes by that honestly. But I just won't say from whom. For those of you that know both Matt and I, I'll let you argue amongst yourselves on that one. *grin*

At any rate, we were eating dinner tonight and I noticed it...I KNEW that she was getting a tooth and it finally had popped on through. Her bottom left incisor.

YAY!!

That make a grand total of 7 teeth. Whoo hoo!

Way to go baby girl! I'm glad that you finally got that through and I hope it isn't hurting you quite so much any more!!

3.0

Congratulations Sweetie!!!

Grades posted today, and Matt got a 3.0. I think that's WONDERFUL, and am so proud of him. He knows that it's good, I think he's proud and happy as well, but quite honestly, there also a part of him that's bummed.

He went in and talked with his English prof, and walked out of that meeting thinking he was going to get an A in that class, largely in part because, if my understanding of that meeting is correct, that's pretty much what he was told. Then another meeting later and final grades are out and that's not quite the case. He just barely missed getting an A in that class.

BUT, considering that he juggled his family, a full-time job which required QUITE A BIT of shift switching over the entire semester just so that he could make it to class (since attendance was a requirement), AND a part-time job, I think that's pretty good and am SO PROUD OF HIM!!

Now, we just need a babysitter so that I can take him out for a steak dinner to celebrate properly!!

Well, well, well

Behaved, that is...

Kellen got sent home from school yesterday with a fairly low grade temp. He was acting fine last night, so I didn't worry much. He got ready for bed and I gave him a hug, noticed that he felt REALLY warm, so took his temp.

103.2...Um....gave him some Children's aspirin (I have NO idea WHY I gave him children's aspirin...not sure why I didn't give him tylenol first...I ALWAYS give tylenol first...dummy mommy moment, apparently...I had quite a few of those last night and I'll include them here to make you all feel better about YOUR dummy mommy moments), and took his temp again 20 minutes later.

Still at 103.2.

Matt was finishing up classes, and was getting not only his grade for his final, but his final grade in the class. I texted Matt after both times, and apparently the temps and lack of decrease in them warranted a return phone call, letting me know that he was on his way home and that if we couldn't get the fever to break that we very well might make a trip to the ER.

SIDENOTES: 1) Why did I give ASPIRIN??? 2) Why did I give ANYTHING aside from the normal Tylenol first??? 3) Why did I try a chewable medicine? For the first time? And not the drops that we normally give? 4) Why don't I go through our medicine cabinet on a more regular basis? I realized, after I gave him the medicine, that it had expired.....wait for it....

















in May of........















2005!!! I guess we bought it when he was born after I read some laundry list of all the medicines needed to bring a baby home from the hospital, then read something else that said don't use it, and didn't/hadn't, but just never threw it away. Apparently all of that escaped my mind last night and I used it anyway. Good gosh who knows??? What a dummy-mommy moment for me!! (See, told you that I would make you feel better about yourselves!)

At any rate....the aspirin took a bit longer than the tylenol normally does to break his fever, but it was started to come down slowly. I took it about 20 minutes after the 2nd time (total time lapse of about 40-45 minutes from initial temp) and it was at 102.7. Normally we notice at least a slight difference in the temp within a half hour after administering tylenol (infant drops). This medication that I gave was completely different than the norm (Again - what was WITH me???)

At any rate, his fever finally REALLY broke around 10:30...as in his sheets were SOAKED. So we moved him into the Sponge Bob couch that has set up permanent residence in our bedroom. He spent the rest of the night in our room with us and had NO problems at all. He woke up fine this morning with no sign of a fever, but with Matt on a 24, and today being Stage 1 of "projection graduation" - AKA the 1st set of grades for graduating seniors being due, I couldn't really miss (not to mention the fact that I had an exec board for which I'm now president, an administrative lunch for a faculty candidate we're interviewing, and an Education Committee meeting in which we reviewed over a half dozen degree plans for our graduate students, most of whom were blocked from registration from OGS - ARG!!). It just wasn't really a great day to miss work. (And yes, everyone in my department knows that my family comes first, just in case you're wondering.)

So, we loaded up quite a bit of stuff - DVD player, movies, colors & activity books, sponge bob couch, pillow & blankets, LeapFrog reading writing system, etc., and he came to the office with me.

Luckily, I had my annual performance review yesterday afternoon before I got the call to pick up Kellen, and it went well, so I kinda' feel "safe" right now. However, he was SO WELL BEHAVED that it didn't really matter!!

WHEW!!

I got lots of comments about him being in the office today, but NONE of them were negative...I'm sure glad that he behaved, though!! It would have the day much more difficult had he not...

Bottom-line, he's feeling MUCH better, and has shown no signs of fever at all today. So, not only was he well behaved, he's all around WELL!!

God said, "No"

Well, God knows the way that I like things...no unclear decisions, bright and shining billboard-like beacons - pathways lit with His signs directing me along His path. Matt and I were recently faced with a decision that we needed to make. We both prayed and came to the same decision...one in which we felt that God was directing.

Well, God said, "No." Despite both Matt and I feeling like He had said yes. It was in regard to our housing situation. At any rate....the house that we thought we were supposed to be getting into got leased between the time that we looked at it and when we were trying to fill out an application for it.

I won't lie and say that I'm not disappointed, but we asked God to not allow us to be confused, to be crystal clear regarding the decisions we had to make, and to close ANY and ALL doors that were supposed to be closed and to ONLY open the doors that we needed opened. The door can't be closed much more than this, huh?

Ok God, whatcha' got in store for us?

Where did THIS come from??

So I was awoken this morning at 5:30 to the screaming symphony of Tatum...she does that when she goes to sleep later than usual, and that was my reward for taking her and Kellen to the park yesterday afternoon as THEIR reward for having a good day.

At any rate, I got up so quickly I didn't have time to put on my glasses, but noticed that my left eye was even fuzzier than usual (and that's really saying something). I figured I had some "sleep" in my eye and tried to rub it out, took care of Tatum, rocked her, settled her down, etc...

I went, got my glasses, walked into the bathroom, flipped on the lightswitch and realized immediately that I looked like something completely SCARY (and not just because it was almost 6 AM at this point....)

My left eye is COMPLETELY bloodshot. Pink eye? UG.

It was itching me yesterday, but I had worked in the yard pulling weeds and thought I just got some dirt in my eye, which I guess is still a possibility...

Luckily, we have some antibiotic eyedrops hanging around, and I started those immediately...Hopefully I won't look like a scary monster trying to go to church this morning! LOL

I'm sure that Kellen will have a comment or two to say about THIS when he wakes up!

New belt

No, we didn't go shopping. I did; however, forget to post that Kellen is now a yellow belt in his Krav Maga. Two weeks ago, he got his yellow belt during his Saturday lesson (Matt took him that morning, so I don't really have a lot more details). What we do have; however, are absolutely priceless pictures!


We're so proud of him!

And by the way, the look of adoration on my husbands face as he's hugging our child makes me fall in love with him all over again. Doesn't that image just show how much he absolutely adores Kellen? Oh my goodness I just LOVE that picture of the two of them! You could NEVER in a million years stage a picture like that!

Ironman

Oh my goodness!!!...this movie was AWESOME!!!

According to Matt, who some of you may not know is a Marvel maniac, this is "hands-down, the best super hero movie they've made based on a Marvel comic." While I'm not the comic critic that he is, I do have to agree that the move IS SO GOOD!!

We went to watch it Friday afternoon during a matinee (I took a half-day off on Friday afternoon and it was SO NICE!!), we came out and Matt said, "I want to go watch it again RIGHT NOW!" My comment was, "We don't have enough time to do that AND pick up the kids by 6:15." I would have EASILY been able to watch it again, too!!

It is violent, (hello - it's a superhero movie, and about someone that is getting back at a bad guy within a weapons manufacturing company, what do you expect?), but not graphically so (at least in my opinion) - as in, they show things being blown up, but there were only a few instances where you saw people's injuries, and even then, it wasn't blatant. Other than one sexually-explicit scene (to set the stage for the main characters initial personality issues/flaw), Matt and I probably wouldn't have a problem letting Kellen watch it. Although we would have to explain things to him during the movie.

For those that haven't seen the trailer yet (where have you been?) check it out here at http://www.apple.com/trailers/paramount/ironman/

God is good...

So I come home Tuesday from work, still needing to write & type my speech for the awards ceremony on Wednesday, to discover that our monitor was on the fritz...as in flickering on and off on its own...and I'm thinking that's not a good thing.

Ug.

Just out of curiousity, how long has it been since anyone has handwritten a speech? Really? On lined notebook paper?

So that's what I did, then edited it, then rewrote the final version. And I have to say, what a lost art. LOL (And just in case you're wondering, I think the speech went really well!)

At any rate, on Wednesday morning as we're getting ready for the breakfast, Matt is in the shower and asks me if I had taken an exceptionally long shower or if I was running the dishwasher, or laundray...Um, regular length shower and no.

Problem!!

Apparently we were losing hot water. Rapidly.

We made it to the breakfast and he investigated the situation later in the day...and this morning I had to go to a co-workers to get ready for work because we still didn't have hot water in the house. At all.

He had the lovely job today of draining the water heater and trying to figure out the issue. I feel like we JUST did this not too long ago...Really. And we were both hoping and praying that it was either a heating coil or a heating element and NOT the water heater itself.

So, as of this morning...our monitor was caput and we had zilch in the way of hot water.

However...as my post titled indicates, God is good.

I was given a monitor by a friend on one of my moms boards (what a generous gift!! and it's a flat screen that actually fits into our computer cabinet, which is something that Matt was really concerned about). I swung by her house at lunch today to pick it up. Matt set it up AS SOON as I walked in the door for lunch (luckily, he had lunch waiting on me, so I didn't mind being tossed aside for a monitor LOL).

I/he/we don't know whether it was the heating element and/or the heater coil, because he replaced them both. In fact, they were both probably bad, because he did one (not sure which was first) tested it, still didn't have hot water, then changed the other but didn't have time to test it before he want to take his final. So, I tested the water when I got home with the kids, and WE HAVE HOT WATER!!!

Again, God is good...two things that could have gone very differently ended up taking time, but not much $$$ to be resolved.

Thank you, God!