Beuler...Beuler...

08.07.13  It's been a while.  So here we go...

I told a friend the other day, who was asking me to please blog again, that I just don't have anything to say.  That is partly true.  What I figured out about an hour ago is that I don't have anything to say because I don't have (take) time to think!  I was in a mood earlier (that is a nice way to put it).  I already had my running clothes on, as dinner was finishing up in the oven, when a child asked me why I had MY Kindle on MY dresser.  They told me that was a bad place to put it because they may touch it.  I explained that it was MY Kindle and that was why I put it on MY dresser and that they could keep THIER hands to themselves.  They responded with, "Why are you being so mad at me?".  So, I took off for a run while the sun was still blazing, as was my mood.  At about mile 1 1/2 it dawned on me that the said child was begging me, in their own little way, to remove the temptation from them.  They knew they had a weakness and they needed their mother to help them to be strong.  I was just too selfish to see it.  I immediately realized that as I was working my physical muscles, God was working my spiritual muscles.  I prayed and asked God that I would always hear my children's cries for help.  Usually I am so frustrated at their behavior (and how it affects me) that I fail to really listen.  Oh Lord Jesus, forgive me where I fail you and in turn fail them!  Thank you for the restoration of the cross and the sensitivity of the Spirit to speak to us.  Thank you that I listened.

8/3/12

I cannot get pictures on here yet.  Not important why.  Today is one week since Mama died.  I have been reading Gone With The Wind for the past few weeks.  The day Mama died, I was sitting beside her bed reading this...
      She was less frightened also because life had taken on the quality of a dream, a dream too     terrible to be real. It wasn't possible that she, Scarlett O'Hara, should be in such a predicament, with the danger of death about her every minute.  It wasn't possible that the quiet tenor of life could have changed so comletely in so short a time.

La La Land

I watched a segment on Nightline tonight about human trafficking and the sex trade in America. It was alarming to say the least. I walked away sad, sick and scared for my daughters. What I also walked away with was something I am now very proud of.  It just came so easily in about 10 minutes.  I know it was from the Lord.
La La Land
Life is grand in La La Land
I like it here
I have no fear

In La La Land we're safe and free
And children are allowed to be

Life is grand in La La Land
I like it here
I have no fear

I wish to stay in La La Land
So I must watch what I hear
'Cause what I hear leads me to fear

This life is hard and far from grand
It truly is just sinking sand

Sin is real
And wrong is wrong
And La La ain't a happy song

What can I do?
What can I say?
What difference is there if I pray?

He says to ask; You will receive
I must have faith
I must believe

'Cause in this world I will have trouble
I do not live inside a bubble

This life is hard and far from grand
But if I walk, I will stand
And run the race and perservere
You drive out doubt, You cast out fear

This life is hard and far from grand
So we will long for La La Land
For it is real and we will see
One day when we are free to be

Our world

When clicking on the internet just now, these were the top headlines on the FoxNews page.  Does it get anymore disheartening?  Does it lead me to pray?  No, but it should.  Not necessarily for things to change, because I do believe things will continue to decline, but for believers to live as Christ and to share Him with this lost and dying world.

3 More Gone in Secret Service Scandal

• 
• Latest firings bring number of people forced out to six in the wake of the prostitution scandal in Colombia, where at least one agent reportedly hired a prostitute and brought her back to his hotel.
• Palin Has Message for Secret Service Agent Who Ogled Her

• Afghans Found Dealing Drugs to US Soldiers

  
  US soldiers caught buying drugs from the Afghan recruits they are training to take over, Army documents show
  • VIDEO: Are Afghans Recruits Dealing Drugs to US Soldiers?

 

• Christian Club Told to Allow Leaders Who Don't Believe

  
  Vanderbilt says university Christian club cannot require leaders to have 'personal commitment to Jesus Christ'
  • Campus Police Allow Students to Desecrate Crosses

for now

I have a million (maybe not) posts in my head but for now here are two pictures from today--Resurrection Day!

Consequences Jar

I saw a friend posted an "Uh Oh" jar she found on Pinterest. I needed something! The punishments I have been doling out have not been working. Therefore, I got on Pinterest too and found a few ideas. I don't have a picture of the container but it is just an old oatmeal cylindar that I wrapped with plain red wrapping paper. Inside you will find folded pieces of paper with specific consequences (either restrictions or chores). I needed to have concrete reasons for why and when they were to use the jar. I came up with 4. Here they are.

Why you would have to use the consequences jar:

Disobedience to a known rule
Anyone then who knows the good he ought to do and does not do it sins. James 4:17

Not obeying right away
Children obey your parents in the Lord for this is right.
Colossians 3:20

Speaking in an unkind tone of voice
Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies. Turn away from evil and do good: seek peace and pursue it.
Psalm 34:13-14

Talking back / complaining
Honor your father and mother that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. Exodus 20:12

Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world Philippians 2:14-15

I like to know "why" things are the way they are so I figured my kids needed to as well. Plus, I wanted them to see what God had to say about their behavior. So far so good. My house is a lot cleaner for one, and two, I am yelling about 100% less. All I have to say is, "You need to come pull from the jar". And then we read the reason for the punishment along with the verse. AHHH! This is when Pinterest and social media are excellent!

Boo!

2 things

This picture is almost 2 years old. It was April of 2009 in Baton Rouge. Ella took it, of course. I just thougth it summed up this post. Contemplative yet tired. I am not that tired. It is just that my brain is.

The past few days I have been trying to figure out what I am doing as far as feeding this baby. People keep asking if I am nursing. My response is, "I don't know what I am doing. I am 99% pumping but trying to work nursing back into the equation." However, as of two minutes ago I now know. I am only pumping. I just nursed her for an hour and then had to feed her 4 oz of pumped milk to get her full. I have milk. She just does not get it out. Chip says nursing her is like giving her a tranquilizer. She knocks out and therefore does not get a full feed. I know pro-nursers with 1 kid would say to make her uncomfortable, put ice on her feet, strip her down etc. I don't have time. I nursed her all during school today. It ain't gonna work. My brain finally clued in that this is Nate all over again. He was a very lazy nurser and therefore he killed my supply. I want to keep up my supply therefore I will be pumping exclusively. Sometimes just having a plan is liberating.

This brings me to my second thing. I have been trying to figure out what to do about Nate and preschool next year. I thought about taking him out completely to save money and time and just to have him here with us. With homeschooling it would be way more convenient not to have to take and pick him up but rather just have him at home. I also thought about just putting him in MDO two days a week. It is time to register for next year so it has been on my brain (what little space is left) the past few days. Today I was also thinking about how and where I can squeeze money out for a maid. I know it sounds frivolous but again, I just can't do it. Maybe its because Lucy is just 6 weeks. But maybe its because I have 4 kids now and I homeschool. Maybe its because 6 people make a lot of laundry. Maybe its because at night Chip and I are tired and need to relax, not clean. So, as I looked at the MDO paperwork and the preschool paperwork and saw $115-$175 a month it hit me...there is my housekeeper money! I breathed a little easier once I had my epiphany. Chip will be thrilled when I pass this info on to him.

N is for Nate

(I took this picture upon his request)

Last week Nate's preschool teacher had to resign due to some family obligations. I was so sad. It is his first teacher and she loved him. She would allow him to be a boy which I think is just great. For instance, she thought it was awesome when he showed up at school dressed in a Power Ranger costume for his show-n-tell. It was pretty great. I wanted to get her a small present and I found something at Hallmark that was just perfect.

On the "N" page I added his name and a picture of him.

*Feel free to copy this idea all you preschool mommies out there.

We Love Lucy

Streed was helping me watch Lucy while I was doing something else, probably pumping. I love that Ella and Streed really can help. I can ask them to hold Lucy while I get something done quickly and I know I don't have to worry about her safety. I think when I took this picture I had asked Streed to sit by her for a minute. I came back in to find him laying beside her. He had even covered her with his blanket. So sweet.

5 1/2 weeks of life and this is her first picture with her Daddy. Chip has loved her from the get-go but is getting more entranced by the day as she gets more alert and vocal. Apparently she smiled at him today, again, while I was pumping. (I am glad I can pump. It seems at times that all I do is pump. I know this phase of life will be over too soon. Even though she is only a month old it seems to be going by really fast.)