Raining babies...

I just got home from two nights down at Andy and Val's helping out with their newest addition: RaeLynn Elizabeth born this past Monday. It's the beginning of a storm of babies that will end in May between my sisters and Ryan's sister. Val is supposed to e-mail me some pictures sometime so I can post them - I didn't even think about taking my camera down there :{

Katie is next - due in a week and a half - so I'll be back down their way to pick up Lauren and Brett for a few days. After watching Brett in action yesterday I'm even more motivated then before to get the basement done! He is one short, busy, little guy who gets into EVERYTHING that's at his level!!!

"stickers"

A few minutes ago I came across Ethan stomping on "stickers, mom" that he had put on the floor. His stickers turned out to be about $9 worth of stamps. He asked why I was taking a picture - I told him so that Daddy could see when he gets home what Ethan had done. He told me, "Well, I'll just hide from Daddy so he won't spank me." >:(

For an update on our church's mission down in Haiti click here.

We had a fun weekend relaxing with Ryan's family both Saturday night and Sunday night playing games together. Saturday was also a day to get caught up on all the housework and laundry that had been piling up since middle December since we have been on the run since then! The kids are home today (Martin Luther King Day) so we are headed to the basement in a bit to get started on the mess down there. I warned them last night that today would end up another work day going through toys and getting rid of ones that they don't play with anymore. Kaitlyn and Kenton both told me, "Maybe we should donate some of our toys to the kids down in Haiti since they lost theirs."

Speaking of Haiti Saturday night as I was laying in bed I tried envisioning what it would be like to be completely trapped and pinned by concrete. It took about 30 seconds before I had to throw the blankets off in complete panic and sit up gasping for air. I'm so claustrophobic and I cannot imagine the horror that so many people have been going through. CNN was reporting that there most likely were quite a few people who didn't die from the earthquake itself but from being trapped without water. I can only hope and pray that I could have the attitude and faith of the lady mentioned in the story in the above link!!

"From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the Lord's name is to be praised!"

Trying today to be more thankful and not complain!

I found a blog a few days ago written by a couple who have been doing mission work down in Haiti for the past 4 years.

http://livesayhaiti.blogspot.com

It's worth looking at as they write from a Godly perspective unlike what you will find at different media outlets.

I'm not sure why it's not posting as a link - you may have to copy and paste the address.

Oh, Ethan!

Tonight we went out for supper to a local diner. Ethan ordered the Mickey Mouse pancake...and then refused to eat it because he didn't want to ruin Mickey. Ryan told him that we'd take a picture so he could remember what the pancake looked like and then he had to eat it. After the picture I started cutting up the pancake. This was met by hysterics, "Don't cut him!" "You are breaking him!" Oops - maybe we traumatized the three year old???

********

I mentioned in a previous post about my visit to the orthopedic doctor. What I didn't tell you was about Ethan and the doctor's visit:) The doctor had to tell Ethan to get off the chairs so he didn't become another patient. Ethan was all the way on top of the backs of the chairs getting ready to jump off. The nurse came in next to fit me for a knee brace. Ethan was sitting on the exam table next to me saying, "Hey! Doctor! I need one too!" Then as we were leaving Ethan yelled to the nurses, "See you later, alligator!" Pause..."I SAID... SEE... YOU... LATER... ALLIGATOR!!!"

He did one more thing before we left while we were in the bathroom that I'm not going to share here because it was too embarrassing! I'll just close with what my prayer was...

"Please, Lord! Close his mouth, NOW!"

Poll results

Thanks to all who voted in my poll! It seems that all of us buy some generic and some name brand products when we shop. I'm always interested to see what others have to say!

Do you work?

Today I had a follow up appointment with the orthopedic doctor for my knee. When I checked in at the beginning of the visit the receptionist took down my new insurance information and asked a few questions. One of them was, "Do you work?" I told her that really isn't a fair question. I do not have an outside job where I'm being paid but I do WORK while I'm at home - and it's not a job for the lazy!! Think about the amount that a "house wife" or "home maker" does in the course of a day...wake everyone up, get herself ready, get all the kids ready for the day, set out breakfast, pack school lunches or at least a snack for snack-time, clean up breakfast, throw a load of laundry in the washer, make sure beds are made, make sure the kids are wearing gloves, hats, and boots when they leave the house plus their backpacks and lunch, then drive them to school. I'm only to 8:30 in the morning!

It's a job that doesn't really have a start time or an end time. When there are sick kiddos in the middle of the night or when the three year old is having a bad night and the seven year old is having nightmares and needs consoling there is no time off. It's one of the few jobs where you don't get sick leave unless you are lucky enough for your husband to be home that day or have someone close enough to help out with the kids. It's a job that requires work even while on vacation - someone has to keep the room semi-picked up and make sure that you have enough snacks, sun lotion, water, towels, etc. packed for what ever you have planned for the day.

So, do I work? Yes, I do. Even if the receptionist at the doctor's office discounts my "job" I do work. And while it can be one of the most stressful jobs at times it is also one of the most rewarding jobs in the world!