The Puddles

I thought that Ben’s surgery would be the tough part of our journey this year.  And although that was more stressful, the last few weeks have had lots of little stresses that have added up.  Everyone has been sick.  School has been really stressful for the kids.  Chris has been out of town.  My car has died (yes. it was the battery again.). I have made several unexpected visits to schools.  There are tons of projects that are coming up (one of the good ones . . . we are taking a huge group of kids to church camp this summer.  I started this thinking that Madie and maybe one other would go.  Now we have over 15 interested.  If even half go, that is awesome! Now on to the fundraising!).  I haven’t even found the time to really stop to post pictures or even to see family.  We moved closer to see family and we haven’t seen much of the family since Christmas.  I was trying to convince Ben to take Karate and at the same time hoping that he would say no.  (He did.) Lent hasn’t even started.  Add that to our schedule and . . . now it is time to take a deep breath.  This too shall pass.  I can really get myself worked into a tizzy if I keep thinking about all of this.  Sometimes I miss the early years.  When the kids were babies and we had no obligations and no where to go.  It was lonely and often miserable. But the peace that often came with that was nice (of course, I am conveniently forgetting about the hours of being a human milking machine, the loads of diapers, the cranky babies, the isolation, and on and on. But for the moment I will just think about that peace.).

The girls have finished getting ready for bed and are in need of some books, cuddles, and evening prayer rituals (we would make Martin Luther proud with all of our recitation. the kids actually like it better when Dad-the pastor does bedtime.  He doesn’t make them do any recitations.).  A good night of sleep will make the whole world better . . . even for mom.

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Madie trading SWAPS with another Girl Scout

Madie learning about chemical reactions in "Science in Action"

Madie earned four Try-its (Brownie badges) on Saturday.  We went to a near by high school along with 450 other Brownies and Juniors to earn try-its and exchange swaps.  Madie had a really good time.  She was invited to go with a friend from another troop.  I got sick towards the end of the day.  I had to go home, but luckily the troop leader took Madie home so she didn’t have to miss any of it.

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Ben and Daddy have gone to the church to work on some networking lines.  Ben needed some time with Dad.  Daddy is gone a lot in the last few years.  It hasn’t always able to take the kids with him while he does ministry.  He trying to do more.

So Daddy took Ben with him to lay some networking lines.  Please take note of the matching tool belts!  Ben was so excited that he was running up and down the driveway while Dad got his tools together.  Ben told me to get my camera because this “needed to have a picture taken” of him and Daddy with their tool belts.

I should mention that Ben did get Daddy time most of the day yesterday while he and I had a stomach bug.  I took care of myself and Daddy took care of Ben.  Daddy time having fun vs. Daddy time while vomiting is not the same.

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People told us that we would never use our snow stuff again.  They were so WRONG!!!!

Of course, we only got to use them because the school brought in an ice truck and made snow out of shaved ice.  When I dropped Ainsley off at school I had left my camera at home or I would have taken a picture of the ice truck.  It would have made for a good chuckle!

The kids had so much fun.  Sledding down the hill was fairly foreign to most of them (including the mothers).  So it was great to see the joy on all of their faces.  We were the only one to bring our own sled with us!  So we dug out our snow boots (she still fit in hers from the last time we were in Nebraska), our snow pants (they were Madie’s.  That made her mad, but we gave all of the other ones away.), and all of our other snow stuff.  Ainsley was a little warm by the end because of all of the layers. But she was the only one who was able to take off her outer layer and still have dry clothes on underneath.  We threw everything into the sled because it was all covered in mud.  It was gross.  It was about 50 degrees outside and we were the last group of the day, so it was a lot of mud.  But it was still fun.  Ainsley wasn’t always fond of snow when she was little, but she really enjoyed it today.  And I had a really good time with her!

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Daddy went to a conference this week and there was much sadness.  Ainsley just needed her Daddy.  A few minutes of Daddy time and she was happy again!

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We even convinced Ben to get in on the Barbie play.  Of course, Barbie suddenly gained some super powers and did you know that the Barbie car transforms into an airplane?  Is does when Ben plays!

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Scooters are favorites around here.  The kids and the neighbors all love to ride.  Up the street. Down the street.  “Watch this trick!” “Watch, Ms. Katherine!” “Watch me.”  I am so glad that they love to be outside and just be kids.

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Get a load of all of the kids at the children’s sermon on Sunday.  Our three love to show off (but not to share) their Daddy each Sunday.

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This has been a long week.  You would think coming off a four day weekend that we would be rejuvenated and ready for the week ahead.  By Friday, we were all exhausted.  I could barely stay awake today, so Chris “forced” me (saying it that way makes me feel less guilty) to go take a nap.  Sick kids. Sick mom. Kids who don’t want to go school.  Kids who want to go to school but can’t.  A mom and dad who are really busy. And on and on.

We weaned Ben off of one of blood pressure medicines last weekend.  By Thursday the school nurse calls me to say that she took Ben’s blood pressure twice, an hour apart, and it was way up again.  So I drove up to school and gave him his second blood pressure medicine again.  That is frustrating.  We really want Ben to be off all of his heart meds, and so does his doctor.  We just can’t seem to figure out how to do it, and why Ben’s heart is not cooperating.  It just adds to the stress of the week.

All of the children seem unhappy at school this week.  Emails had to be sent to teachers.  “Is everything ok at school?”  They all said the same thing.  The classes in general are being naughty.  It has been a rough week on everyone.  My poor children are just part of a larger problem.  Ben had a hard day in school with some work.  Ainsley talked at lunch one day.  Madie’s class had library privileges taken away.  Bad week.  Must be the weather.

Chris is going out of town this week to a theological conference.  I will be glad when he gets back.  Doing everything on your own isn’t terrible, but I am usually tired by the end of the week.  It is just hard not to have anyone to vent too.  You can’t have those conversations like . . .

“Ainsley is driving me crazy.”

“Bathing suit issues?”

“Yes.”

“Will you please . . . ”

“I’ll talk to her.”   (Ainsley desperately wants to go swimming in the backyard.  Everyday she asks me to blow up the pool, so she can swim. In anticipation of the event, she is putting her bathing suit on and wearing it every where.  It’s January!)  I’ll just have to wait until he gets back.

This week will be different.  I am ready.  I have taken a nap. And I have made a promise to go to bed before midnight every night this week.  We’ll see if that helps.

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