Oh Girls, I love you!

Have you ever loved someone so much that it physically gave you joyful pangs in your heart everytime you thought of them and the relationship you share? Loved someone so much you are willing to do ANYTHING for them...even what may seem impossible to others, you make it happen?
Have you ever been loved like that by someone?
I have been so blessed in my lifetime to love people in this way, and be loved like this as well.
And as I was organizing my kitchen today I came across something I have kept for 8 years from three of my former Young Life girls. They, in their thoughtfulness, selflessness, bravery, (and I say with a humble heart)their love for me, did the impossible.
Here is one of the letters I received from them on my 23rd birthday when I came home from a date with Mark.

"Dearest Lindsey,
For your birthday we wanted to do something special for you. When we were thinking of ideas we decided to tackle the impossible. To do what no other man has done before. Clean your car. This was quite an adventure. We encountered many unidentifiable objects and learned a lot about you we didn't know! We decided to put together a list of things that we discovered while fishing through the piles of stuff in your car.

19 water bottles
11 coat hangers
10 school books
18 cd's
2 bags of beef jerky
2 sets of headphones
1 parking pass that you "never got"
1 toothbrush and toothpaste tube
1 razor
21 articles of clothing
2 very used brushes
16 LAX balls
8 pairs of shoes
1 blovkbuster movie-a month over-due
Plenty of spare change to pay for the blockbuster movie
1 banana peel that we guess to be around 2 years old
4 pairs of sunglasses
10 lollipop sticks

As you can see this was an interesting experience. However, for you we would gladly do anything! Happy Birthday!!!!

Love, Claire, Jackie, and Chelsea"


Thankfully, I am not this messy anymore. SERIOUSLY!!!!! But more than that I am so thankful that each of these amazing friends are still in my life. I can't believe after you cleaned my car you still loved me, and you continue to love me still. And I love each of you as well with a heart that explodes with joy and gratitude when I think of you.
To all my Thomas girls, I love you!

Still Semi-messy,
The Joyfulful and Tired Mom

Vomitous!

So I am not even going to pretend that this isn't the grossest story-EVER! I mean, when Zachary was a baby he took his diaper off and smeared his poop all over his crib. A few weeks ago Drew tried changing his own dirty pull-up and inadvertently wiped poop all over his face. I mean...so nasty. But this story, to me, is MUCH MUCH MUCH NASTIER. So here it goes...those with a weak stomach beware.

This morning I woke up extra early to jump on the treadmill before anyone woke up. I came downstairs, went to the bathroom, and then rushed downstairs to maximize my time. 2 hours later everyone is, ofcourse, awake (everyone, but the sun). As I was finishing writing out our Christmas lists for Mark's mom I thought in my head, "Hmmm...where is Nate?" I had a rush of panic go through me and I quickly went and peeked into the laundry room-no Nate. I then turned and saw Nate standing at the open toilet, with my used toilet paper in his mouth, from my unflushed toilet, sucking on the toilet paper. SUCKING ON THE TOILET PAPER!!!!!!! I mean, oh my gosh! I am totally appauled! At myself. At my sweet child. At the entire situation. I'm kindof even appauled that I shared this in a blog, but you know what, as parents...we are all in this imperfect world of parenting together. And we can either laugh about this stuff or cry. And I have to laugh about this or I would certainly by spending the better part of my morning sobbing into my pillow.

The Newly Reformed Diligent Flusher,
The Joyful and Tired Mom

Wrestling

I don’t think I have ever really wrestled with God when it comes to suffering. I trust Him. One of the first verses I memorized when I was in high school was,

“In this world you will have trouble, but take heart, I have overcome the world.” –John 16:30

I guess I just always had an understanding that life was not always going to be perfect. There was going to be suffering in the world. I was going to suffer pain in this lifetime. I was terrified of suffering and pain in my own life, but I knew that suffering was inevitable; and once I experienced immense suffering I realized that God never left me. In fact, He revealed himself to me in ways I never imagined that He would or could. I never questioned God’s goodness even in difficult times.

However, there is an area where I truly wrestle with God…and I have since I had Zachary.

I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY HE WON’T BLESS ME WITH A SLEEPING BABY WHEN IT IS CLEAR THAT I NEED MY CHILD TO SLEEP!!!!!!!!!!

I know God uses circumstances to teach us more about Him and draw us closer to him. The scripture verse that keeps popping into my mind is “be still and know that I Am God.” Megan Stephens shared this verse with me in high school-clearly it has been something God has been trying to teach me for some time now.

Thing is, I don’t understand how He could expect me to be still right now when he knows there isn’t time to be still. I mean, right now I am just blaring MTV Cribs in the background to drown out the sound of Nate’s sleepless cries, and blogging to vent some frustration until he falls asleep.. Otherwise I would be disinfecting the floors in my house and doing more laundry (which for the record, laundry is a battle I will never win).

“Disinfecting? Why does that need to be a priority?” Well, it needs to be a priority because Drew has pooped in his pull-ups or underwear several times today, ripped off his pants, smeared poop on our floors-yes, floors (plural)-and tossed a used, poopy pull-up into a basket of clean laundry. I have to disinfect the floors so Nate doesn’t crawl through the crap, literally, on our floor. I also have to bleach the bathtub since I had to give Drew a bath after he took a handful of his own poo and wiped his face. Yes he did. Yes he did.

I am exhausted. Today I feel like I am becoming the mom I never wanted to be-the kind of mom that has stress and weariness written all over her face instead of joy and delight. Parenting is just hard. There is so much that is good and wonderful and fantastic about parenthood…but parenthood is also really messy at times. And today is a messy day, both figuratively and literally, and I am just tired. Tired of the mess, tired of the poop, tired of the laundry, just tired.

Replacing my nightly apple with a glass of wine tonight, because wine is made of grapes-it totally counts as a fruit,
The Joyful and oh-so-unbelievably Tired Mom

"Chutes and Ladders" from bowensheart.com

This is a blog written by Matt Hammitt from Sanctus Real. His 3rd child, a son, was born with HLHS. He has been extremely candid about all he and his wife are experiencing during this difficult time of uncertainty. I read this blog post today and just needed to share it.
Be blessed and know that you are loved by the King of Kings.

Chutes and Ladders
Posted by Matt Hammitt on Oct 3, 2010

Chutes and Ladders


I walked into Bowen’s room this morning and immediately noticed that something about him looked different. At first I couldn’t put my finger on it, but whatever it was made me smile. It didn’t take me long to realize that the reason I had a smile on my face was because I could see more of Bowen’s face. The nurses had removed his nasal cannula (the tube under his nose) and now he’s breathing completely on his own. They’re waiting for a lung x-ray to show whether he’ll be able to keep his cannula off, so we’re hoping for a good report. They’re also still keeping a close eye on his infection, and discovered that the wound where his drainage tube had been removed is not healing properly. It’s possible that it’s the source of his infection. The doctors are meeting tomorrow to decide whether he’ll have to undergo surgery to take care of the infected area. That would result in reintubation (ventilator) and other things that would feel like major steps backwards. It could also keep us in the hospital for another month.


Sarah said that our time in the hospital feels like the children’s board game Chutes and Ladders. We keep praying that God will give us a ladder, and that He won’t let us land on another slide. Even though our emotions can cause us to feel this way, we know that our life is no game, and that nothing is left to chance or coincidence. What we perceive to be a slide, might really be a ladder; and what we perceive to be a ladder, could really be a slide. The only way to “win”, is the way of trust. The Bible verse that comes to mind is Romans 8:28, a very familiar verse amongst Christians. Paul says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” This verse is a great source of comfort, but when is the last time you read the rest of this passage? As you read, it just keeps getting better and better. All throughout Romans chapter 8, Paul makes it clear that if we are Christians, we are actually chosen to share in the sufferings of Christ. The great news is that we not only chosen to share in His sufferings, but are also chosen to share in His glory. I pasted Romans 8 at the bottom of this post. I encourage you to read it and think about exactly what Paul is saying in it’s full context and how it applies to your life.

Romans 8
Life in the Spirit
8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. [1] 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you [2]free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. 3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, [3] he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. 10 But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

Heirs with Christ
12 So then, brothers, [4] we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons [5]of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

Future Glory
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because [6] the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, [7]for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

God’s Everlasting Love
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be [8] against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. [9] 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Sitting in Time Out

Gosh, my title sounds like it would be a great song-"Sitting in Time Out." If I were a song writer I would totally use it and take over Nick Jr. from Laurie Berkner with my creativity, fun, music, and adorably colorful outfits (or in my case, sweatpants).
What would inspire me to want to write a song about time-out? It isn't because Zachary and Drew deserved about 10 before 7:15 this morning. Nope. It is because I was put in time-out today by my 2 year old. And it was so ridiculously cute that I actually went along with it. (Cue the gasps from childhood discipline specialists.)

I just want to share with you the last 5 minutes I shared with Drew before he went down for his nap.

Standing up from lunch Drew looks at me, "I pooping."
Me: "You're pooping?"
Drew: "Yeah."
"Do you want to go on the potty?"
"Nope."
"Why not?"
"Cuz, I pooping now."
"I see that, but why don't you want to go on the potty."
"Um, cuz, cuz, cuz, I love pooping."
"Okay, well Dweez, lay down so I can change you."

He proceeds to lay down and while laying down I accidentally spilled milk from Nate's bottle on his leg.

Drew: "Mommy! You in time-out."
Me: "What? You want to put me in time-out?"
"You in time-out for doing dat. You 'pilled milk on me!"
"Oh I'm sorry. I didn't realize that you are ok with walking around in your own poop, but milk is where you draw the line."
"You in time-out. Did you hear my words? Did you hear my words? You in time-out. Come on, let's go."

He then grabbed my hand and walked me to his time-out mat. Then he sat down next to me and started singing me "Jesus Loves Me."

I mean, honestly, how cute is that?!!!!!! I'm reprimanded by my 2 year old, only to be reminded of God's great love for me. :-)

Loving my boys-even in time-out,
The Joyful and Tired Mom

Love the Lens

I love the lens through which my children see life. And I love when they try to understand things you tell them or teach them, and their brilliant little minds interpret things in the greatest most wonderful ways.
My stories today are about Zachary. He has been at the peak of his cuteness game lately.

Almost every night before bed we say his memory verses from Sunday school.

One of the verses is, "Even chidren show what they are like by how they act. You can tell they are good if what they do is right." -Psalm 20:11

He has been saying this verse for a few months and we just discovered that when it says, "you can tell they are good if what they do is right." He has thought they meant "write."
So each day as he terrorizes his brothers (well, Drew terrorizes him and he screams a lot) he thought he was still being good because he could write. Bless his little heart.

And then last night, my favorite...

I should preface this story by telling you Zachary is obsessed with Mario Brothers right now. He loves the cartoon from the early 80's. He loves playing Mario Kart. But mostly, he loves watching Mark play when Mark gets home from work because that is Zachary's reward for doing so well at school.

So last night I said to Zachary, "Buddy, one day when you get married I want you to be as nice to your wife as daddy is to me."

You could tell he was trying to understand and said, "Oh, so you mean one day I would let you play Mario and let you have the 1UP's."

All I could say was, "Yes buddy, that is exactly what I mean."

Then I glared at Mark because he seems to ALWAYS grab the 1UP's (extra lives). Hahahaha.

Just 2 quick little stories about Zachary. Nothing spectacularly funny, just unbelievably sweet.

Thankful for how he sees life,
The Joyful and Tired Mom

What is it with boys?

What is it with boys? Why do they all gravitate toward bathroom humor? And why is it that my 2 year old thinks that making potty jokes is absolutely hysterical!? Are they genetically wired to fake burp, toot, and pretend anything that sprays water is an extra "thing" to use to go to the bathroom?!!!!

This picture doesn't do it justice, but...
Zachary and Drew (and yes, I CONFESS, both parents) spent a good amount of time laughing ridiculously hard this morning while Drew pretended to go to the bathroom while using the hose as a prop.



Why? Why? Why?

Going to dress like a princess and have a tea party with myself,
The Joyful and Tired Mom