A new week

It is a new week but the message remains the same...

I need thee every hour in joy or pain
Come quickly and abide or life is vain

All Boy

Although my little Streed is sweet and sensitive, he is all boy. He can be found at many hours of the day swinging a sword, kicking a ball, racing cars,tackling his baby brother etc (all in the house). Just now, Ella's baby was laying on the floor. He said, "Watch Ella's baby do a flip." He then proceeded to kick her across the kitchen. It is so funny how it means nothing to a male but it makes a female cringe to hurt even inanimate objects.

I Need Thee Every Hour

For two weeks before I got sick I was getting up every weekday morning at 5:30am to have some quiet time by myself and with the Lord. It looked different everyday. Some days I would read Valley of Vision, some days work on my 2 Timothy bible study for church, some days read Feminine Appeal and journal, sometimes memorize and mediate on scripture. It varied based on the need of the hour and when my kids decided to grace me with their presence. The first few days it was as if they heard me tiptoe down the carpeted hallway. I think the first day Nate literally woke up right after I sat in my little red chair and said, "Dear Lord". I then proceeded to ask God to make him go back to sleep. He did it!

So, after being sick for a week and then being lazy for another half a week I was really needing to re-enlist in my early morning routine. I was supposed to start yesterday but did not. Today was my opportunity to try again. It was a NEED. Just last night I was journaling about something that I do not feel at liberty to share about yet. All day yesterday I kept thinking I want to talk to (vent to) somebody besides Chip about this but I can't. It got worse as the day went on. I know this is vague but bear with me. As the situation further developed I really knew I could not talk to anyone but Chip AND the Lord. I had to stop and pray and journal my thoughts last night and look at scripture.

So this morning I got up read a Valley of Vision prayer and looked at my 2 Timothy study. I flipped through the previous week's lesson and came across where I wanted to work on self-control and having a gentle and quiet spirit this week. I was encouraged that the Lord was doing that in my life yesterday by causing me to be quiet and exhibit self-control by only talking to Him and Chip.

One of the questions in my study today had me turn to I Peter 1:6-9. It encouraged me greatly as it restated some of the very things I journaled last night. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith--more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire--may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen Him you love Him. Though you do not now see Him, you believe in Him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. (I Pet 1:6-9 ESV)

All I could do was praise Him and feel His peace after He met with me this morning. And all I could think was the hymn, I need Thee, O I need Thee; Every hour I need Thee! O Bless me now, my Saviour, I come to Thee.

game day

We love living in a city with big time football. Even if you don't have a ticket you can still partake of the festivities and the energy. Chip and the guys set up their tent yesterday (Friday) at 1pm because they have a really good tailgaiting spot. And ESPN's GameDay was going to be set up right near them. The staff was going to spend the night out there last night but it was supposed to rain so they opted to just head out there this morning at 7am!!! I have talked to Chip several times and have the television on here at the house watching it. I am doing laundry and watching the depressing weather. I almost want to throw on a hat and head out to the campus just to be out there. We will see. Who knows how far I would have to park and walk...in the rain. With three kids. Maybe I should refer to my previous post about dumb ideas.

makes me laugh

I got Ella a new $5 phone from Wal-Mart the other night. Streed was spending birthday money and she found it quite unfair that she could not get something too. Frankly I was tired and tired of the whining. I had all the kids at the store with me at about 6:30pm. I think it was obvious I had been cooped up in the house for way too long that I even attempted this outting. A trip with all three kids, to buy only one kid toys. IDIOT! So, Ella and Nate left with one thing a piece too.

Anyway, back to the story. Today I was folding clothes and Ella found her phone on the couch. She said "my phone is a push up phone". I said, "its a slider". She said, "yea, its a slider". "Actually, i call it an iPhone." I just laughed and said oh really.

Disclaimer. She knew this because the nursery worker at church has one, as do a lot of our friends. Still, it is too funny. Last night we took them all up to campus to see the tailgaiting. She was walking across what they call "the parade grounds" pushing buttons on her phone. I asked who she was calling. She said, "I'm not. I'm just texting." This here would be my fault.

follow up appointment

I am healed. Chest x-ray revealed no more pneumonia. All of my rest and relaxation paid off.

diagnosis

I went to the doctor since Chip was leaving town and I was supposedly going on a field trip.

Thanks to an excellent doctor and a killer flu test (q-tip up the nose...and i mean UP):

I do not have the flu--YAY!

I have pneumonia--BOO!

i think i have the flu

I have been in denial for a few days now. I started aching and had a headache saturday afternoon. I never get headaches. Sunday I felt fine. Yesterday I felt bad in the afternoon and went to bed before 9. Yesterday evening the kids wanted to go for a walk. So, I went. It was a chore. I was really not feeling well. Ella insisted on walking which made the trip 5x longer and more nerve-racking. This morning I woke up with sore calf muscles. Remember we walked slowly. I should not be sore anywhere. So, I knew something was not right. Laid low most of the day. Thankfully the kids stayed after school 2 hours for "lunch bunch" which basically means they ate lunch and played on the playground. Translation: Ella did not get a nap. Got everyone in bed at a decent time. Chip was on campus. Took my temp and it was 100.2. So, I am officially sick.

I have always gotten weepy when sick. Don't know why. Don't feel sad. It just happens. So, since I had spent so much time resting in my room since Saturday, I decided I was not ready to go to bed at 7:30. I know, I have Steel Magnolias saved on our new DVR (which i love btw). Note to self, do not watch Steel Magnolias when you are prone to the emotion of sadness. I was crying as soon as Shelby got married. All I could think of was Ella the entire movie.

Don't know what to do about this. I have never had the flu. Delima #1: Do I go to the doctor, pay $30 and then $10 or so for medicine or just treat it with Tylenol, fluids and rest? Delima #2: Chip is leaving for 2 days on Thurs! Delima #3: And Streed has a field trip that I am supposed to chaperone.

My head is throbbing. Thanks Steel Magnolias.

a balanced equation

husband working late + baby that insists on feeding himself (i.e throwing the food on the floor) = bedtime for baby

mommy does not care that it is 6pm

no nap

Streed no longer naps. I am fine with this. Some days it bothers me but not too much, only when I really have stuff to get done during that time. Today Ella did not nap. The only reason this was OK was because I was not here! I actually got to go to lunch for an hour & a half. Chip was home because he was going to campus from 3 until about 9. The last few nights we have fought her big time at bed time. Not really a new problem, it just seemed to be going later and later. Tonight they were all asleep by probably 7:45--hence the fact that I actually blogged.

I need down time at night. My kids get up early. Today they were all up at 6am. Maybe that is why they were so tired now that I think about it. Whatever it is, I like it. Getting up early and then wrestling them to bed at night does a number on my nerves, my mood, my self-control etc. Basically my flesh is weak and fails often. My "rights" get violated and then I get irritated. On little sleep this can be a bad combination. So, I started this post to talk about how no nap led to a good bedtime...oh well. What can I say, confession is good for the soul!