Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Simplification

About a year and a half ago I was meeting a friend at her house so we could take a trip to the shore for a photo shoot.  As we were about to leave she flipped on her Roomba (robot vacuum cleaner) and let it do the work while we soaked up the sun on the beach.  She raved at how wonderful it was and how it simplified her life.  I've always kept this thought tucked away in my brain...

This friend of mine is a busy lady. An busy lady who is amazing.  A wonderful wife and mom, nursing student, fabulous photographer, shopkeeper, and a caring friend. (Just to name a few).  I think there are weeks that we are neck in neck in equal hecti-ness but I  truly believe she has a busier life than me.  If this vacuum simplifies her life...then it is a must have for me.

Fast forward to last night.  I had a 30% off coupon for Kohls and was in dire need of a new vacuum.  So all three kids and I headed to the store for an adventure. 'Cause Kohls with three kids can only be described as that.   We checked out the vacuum's and I didn't like what I saw. For starters, you had to push all of them around the room tripping over a cord.  Then I noticed that the Roomba was marked down to a reasonable price, and combined with my 30% off, plus getting Kohls cash...well, I thought it was a no-brainer.

On the way home I kept saying how much I was going to love coming home to a clean house and how Betsy just loves her Roomba. My darling  Rhianna then proceeds to remind me of a sermon we had a few weeks ago about being careful about using the words love and hate.  We should reserve love for God and family and hate for the devil and not use them so carelessly with other things.  This is so true and I told her that was so...but I also told her that some Mommies are so busy that they would say that they really, Really, REALLY, like their robot vacuum. 

Tonight the kids dashed around the house getting everything picked up so that we could turn on the vacuum.  So much for my turning it on while I was at work. I guess if it gets them to clean up then....

We flipped it on and sat on the couch and watched it go after the dirt.  How's that for lazy?  I should've made us popcorn and it could have been our nightly entertainment.  Forget lazy, how's that for pathetic?

After seeing it do my work for me I have to admit.  I almost love it.  But realizing I shouldn't love my robot I decided to just really, Really, REALLY like it.  There may be a budding romance approaching. 

Now for a robot window washer and dishwasher unloader.  Who's with me?

Friday, September 16, 2011

While You're Still Six

I have this weird thing of always taking pictures of my kids on the day before their birthday.

I know its kinda backwards, but I have my reasons.

Rhianna turned 7 today.  I have a whole year of taking pictures of her when she is 7.  But yesterday I had my last chance to get pictures of her when she was still 6.  So that is what I did. 



I love this one...I know her face is fuzzy but its because she was giggling so hard.  And I love that sound.   


After the pictures we went inside and got ready for bed.  I tucked her in and told her I was going to finish her cookies for her school treat.  She wanted 'princess gowns for the girls and castles for the boys'.

By the time I finished up all my cookie orders along with her cookies it was well past 2 am.  I was insanely exhausted. For this wasn't the first night this week I saw 2 am.  

As I lay in bed I couldn't help thinking about my girlie.  I can't wait to see her future.  To see how she grows into a Godly, beautiful young woman.  But I can't help but mourn the passing time. It is going by so fast. She was born at 6:15 am so I knew that technically I had 4 more hours of her being 6.

I snuck out of bed and woke her up.  I told her to go to my bed.  When she groggily crawled in my bed I told her that I wanted to snuggle her while she was 6 and while she turned 7.  She smiled softly and as she snuggled me she said "Mommy. I love you so much."

This morning I drug myself out of bed.  Feeling every joint, every muscle and feeling sightly nauseous from exhaustion.  Knowing that I had another rigorous day ahead of me.  I wasn't sure if it had been worth it staying up that late the night before.

Rhianna went downstairs and peered into the box of cookies I had set aside for her.  She slightly gasped and said "Oh. Mommy.  They are so much more beautiful than I had hoped for."  Then I knew.  The exhaustion was completely worth hearing those words and seeing the joy on her face.

I have the sweetest daughter.Ever.  She has her moments, but she is always concerned for other people's feelings and their happiness.  She always wants to spread joy and love to those around her.  I'm so blessed to call her mine. 

I just hope she knows how special she is to me.  I just hope that for every time I fail her as a mother she remembers the times I tried to do what was right. 

I'm excited to experience '7' with her.  I had nothing but joy experiencing '6'.

Hectic-ness

Hectic-ness. 

I know its not technically a word but I cannot think of another word to describe my week. 

Last week I started a part-time/full-time job at an Orchard.  And I love it. 

I give school tours.  I pack fruit.  I box produce. I stock shelves.  I run.all.day.  And I love it.

The work is insanely hard.busy.intense.fun.exhausting.  And I love it.

I come home absolutely whipped.

This week I am working 6 days. 

Along with:

An order of 45 dozen cookies.

An order of bread.

Cleaning a house. (not mine. sob)

Rhianna's birthday.

Which means:

A cake. (I'm making a crown shaped cake out of an angel food cake.  :o)

A party.

Something extra special. (I'm getting her balloons and flowers on my lunch to give her after school when she walks to the orchard...she will be so excited!)

Oh. Yeah.

And school.

Essays. Power points. Discussions. You get it.

I think there is something else that I had to do. Or maybe I already did it.  Or maybe I forgot what it was.  Humm?  Oh well. 

Needless to say I am so tired that I am nauseous and I even feel the joints in my toes. 

Tonight I didn't think I could go any further.  I just wanted to crawl in bed and sleep for at least 16 years. 

After dinner I told the kids that I was laying down on the couch and sleeping for awhile.  They each had two jobs. 

Riley had homework and needed to wash a load of towels for me.(Yes, I'm that mean.  My 8 year old can do my laundry :o) 

Rhianna needed to do her homework and unload the dishwasher.

Reagan had to clean his room and Rhianna's room (he trashed it last night). 

Me?  I was going.to.sleep.

I woke up about an hour later to hear my kids playing together in the basement.

I looked around and saw that the dishwasher was in fact empty and the dishes put away. 

I ran downstairs and took clean towels out of the dryer (the sweetie put them in the dryer for me too!!)

I headed upstairs and both bedrooms were spotless. 

Then it hit me. 

My kids are amazing.

Fantabulously amazing.  No. That's not a word either, but I think it should be.  And it should be reserved to describe how amazing my kids are.

I gave them a bedtime snack and they willingly went up to bed. 

They even stayed in bed and didn't come downstairs. Even once.

I realized how blessed I am to have these children.   While they can be such hard work and so difficult at times I have to realize how amazing they are.  There aren't too many 8 year olds that can and will wash a load of towels for his mom.  There isn't too many 6 year olds that can and will empty a dishwasher.  And there aren't too many 5 year olds that can clean two bedrooms (Okay...so Riley admitted to helping him.  Reagan is such a spoiled little guy...typical youngest :o) 

This children haven't really had the easiest life.  I just hope they grow up and not resent me for my bad choices and how they affected them but that they grow up and see that I did my best.  That I love 'em with all my heart.  That they truly are my most prized possessions and they are unbelievably special to me.

I couldn't do this without them.   

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Rip Tide

I remember sitting in 7th grade Science class studying geography and the like. 

I remember studying rip tides and the thought terrified me.  I imagined playing in the surf, close to shore and then all of a sudden, without warning, being swept out to sea.  I imagined the terror of being lost at sea forever.  Most likely my wild imagination made things worse for me but I will never forget my fear of rip tides. 

My fear came true.  I've experienced being drug back out to sea by a rip tide. 

I was paddling to shore.  I was so close to my destination.  It was within sight.  Almost within reach and all of a sudden I hit the current and was pushed back out to sea.



I still know my destination.  I still have faith that I am paddling in the right direction.  Things are just not going smoothly.  I'm experiencing some rough waters.  Some might call it a storm.

Through this storm I was feeling very alone.  God seemed to be so very far away.  I know in my head He is so close.  He is carrying me through this.  I know in my head He has a plan.  He will be glorified through me fighting this tide. 

But my heart?

My heart feels so alone.  But I'm trusting.  I'm patiently paddling my little boat.  I'm fighting for all I'm worth, knowing that someday I will come ashore and it will be wonderful.

Today, I was listening to a sermon.  The subject was 'storms of life'.  One of my favorite stories in the Bible is the story of the disciples in the boat, on the Sea of Galilee.  The one where Jesus was tired and went to sleep and the storms came. 


The minister spoke on this story.  He said that Jesus told them before they got in the boat that they were going to the other side of the sea.  Jesus knew the storm was coming.  If He thought that the boat would sink and they would all die wouldn't He have said that they would make it to the other side?  No.  He said we are going to the other side.

The minister added "If God leads you somewhere, know that you will get there.  Even when a storm comes.  You will arrive."

Once they were in the boat, Jesus went to sleep.  It wasn't an accidental sleep.  It was planned rest.  God knew that Jesus would need to be asleep to test the disciples faith and strengthen it to make it stronger. 

Just like me.  Just like right now.  Jesus isn't 'asleep'.  But He is silent.  For the time.  I need to have faith that this quiet isn't accidental.  It is to strengthen me.  It is to make me stronger.  I need to stop fighting the storm myself and just rest in Him and wait it out.  I do not have the physical, emotional or mental strength to fight this storm.  I might as well rest next to Jesus while it roars around me. 


Can my readers pray for me?  Pray that I will keep peace, keep the strength, keep resting and waiting?