Energizer Bunny (Headed for Disaster)

When my youngest child spends time around other people who make comments to me about how busy and non-stop she is I rejoice inside.

“IT’S NOT JUST ME!!!!” I think to myself. Or maybe not to myself. I might exclaim out loud in a sigh of relief to whatever innocent person happens to be standing near me at the time.  I might be at least a little understood in this.  She really is a busy girl. She really doesn’t stop. It’s not cause I’m older this time with a toddler. It’s not cause I forgot what it was like with the other two. It’s just cause she’s a different little person and she happens to be a bit busier than other toddlers. I think she’ll accomplish a lot in her life. Cause she already accomplishes great things each day…

Take for example, one 30 minute period at my parents house this summer.

I was trying to take care of some things and was a bit distracted. I didn’t have my eyes on her 100% of the time. Rookie mistake. Mama fail.

First I discovered her in the kitchen. She had carried two (not one, but two) step stools from one end of the house to the other. She placed them next to the kitchen island and was teetering on top of a stool while feeling around on top of the island for something. I caught her at the right moment because her little fingers were just discovering the handle (thank goodness ) my mother’s very large and extremely sharp Cutco chef’s knife. I grabbed her down and tried with all my might not to think about what I might have found if I was a mere 30 seconds later…

After that, we moved to the living room. I was sitting on the couch.  The recliner was open and she crawled under. “No biggie” I thought. If she’s scared under there she’ll come out. And she never cried and came back out so I thought all was well.  Until I discovered a wet and empty packet of silica gel beads. Yup. She ate the whole packet of them. Lord have mercy. A few minutes and a little internet searching later I was happy to report that her health was not in danger. Oh. My. Word.

Then we were back to the kitchen for snack time. I put her in her booster, gave her a snack and then left to start running her a bath. I came back out about 30 seconds later to discover she had climbed out of her booster and was teetering half on the booster tray, half on the kitchen table… trying to crawl between the two. Ack!

Some of these pics are old and some new. The last one is the best. I took it two days ago. Caught ya baby!

A Victory

We currently live in a full and busy apartment complex. There are young and old people here. Families, singles, teachers, students. All types of people. We love it!

Many many people work hard to keep this place running. I try try try to say thank you so often to people who keep this property running and looking nice. Lots of hours are spent keeping this place maintained (we’ve put in our own hours too, don’t get me wrong!). But I’m so deeply appreciative for everyone’s hard work. Sooooo I try to say “Thank you”. And I almost always have a child with me so then we talk how hard people are working and what a blessing they are. We pray that God would bless them and we talk a lot of about different ways we can worship God.

Worship isn’t just singing or praying. Work is worship. Holy fellowship is worship. Pure playtime is worship! Many more things are worship too.

My kids have heard this a lot  because I want them to know that whatever they do, they can do it as worship to God if their hearts are right. It’s a lifestyle.

“Worship God with my life” is a phrase that often runs through my head.

Aaaaaanyway the kids and I ran an errand the other day and on the way out of the building to the car we saw a young lady vacuuming our hallway. “Thank you for vacuuming” I said. “I really appreciate it!”

Then pulling out of the parking lot a young man was spraying weeds in the grass. I slowed down and rolled down the window…. “Thanks so much for doing that!!”

And in the backseat I hear…

“Wow! Yots (lots) of people are worshipping God today, huh Mom!!” said my Sweet N.

I think she’s getting it.

Victory!

Felt Like Home

(During the conference in Africa a few weeks ago)

I got tired of chasing Lil’ A around towards the end of the meeting and so I snatched her up and we walked out of the building heading for the canteen to get some Nescafe. We walked down the dusty road dodging all the debris on the ground from the construction that was happening overhead. We passed several doors that smelled of sewage to get to the corner entry door of the small store.

I stepped in and immediately starting swatting flies.

At the counter I asked for what I wanted, using Arabic. I happily waited for him to grab a couple packets of instant coffee for me. Except then he handed me a cup of steaming Nescafe already prepared. Oops! That’s not what I wanted. Miscommunication. Ack! We worked it out and I paid.

Before I turned around to exit he help up his phone and say “I want to take a picture wiz you.”

Um, no thanks.

We exited the canteen back to the street and I nearly stepped on a dead rat outside the door.

Then I proceeded to chuckle to myself until I could find someone to tell the chain of events that had just happened.

Dusty road, construction debris, stinky sewage smelling streets, flies everywhere, Arabic miscommunication, having someone ask to take my picture, aaaaaaand a dead rat almost under my foot.

Felt just like home.

Bed-Head Love

I thought I posted these photos awhile ago but my search only turned up a post about H’s bed head a couple years ago in Africa. He’s pretty cute.

So here is a glimpse of the enjoyment we have each morning when we get Lil’ A out of bed. Wholesome family fun, that’s what seeing her in the morning is…

Three Babes in a Room

We had a family milestone today.

In my room, where we used to wake and find this little lady grinning at us in all her bead-head glory…

We now have this…

A mess. That’s all. No crib. No crazy hair. No grinning girlie.

This is bittersweet. I remember when we moved Sweet N out of our bedroom in Africa and into H’s room. It was a big deal. Well, I thought it was going to be a big deal, but it really didn’t end up being a big deal at all.

It’s a bigger deal for my Mama’s heart than anything else.

So here she is. Her crib in the big kids’ room!

She was pretty happy about it.

Three babes, all in one room. They’re growing up. *sniff sniff*

If you look closely, you can see that Sweet N and her doll baby have matching nightgowns. Yeah… those were mine when I was a kid…

I tucked the big kids in bed, nursed Lil’ A and then laid her in bed. She didn’t make a peep. Mikey went in a few minutes later and A was laying quietly in bed.

So far, I’d say it’s going swell.

How I love my three babes. My heart overflows tonight.

Lil’ A Year and a Half Portraits

Here you have ‘em. The portraits I did of my year and a half tot. The real ones this time. No more silly bloopers.

She’s one of the best things that ever happened to me.

No Place Like Home

We made it. Lil’ A and I made it to Africa in one piece, barely. You’ll likely hear more about my crazy tot on the airplane at some point. But when our three flights were over Mikey met us at the gate (tears!) and then we had wonderful meetings and visits over the next week. The three of us made our way back to Ohio, were re-united with our big kids, had a twelve hour turn-around and then drove 21 hours back to Colorado.

Whew.

I feel tried just thinking about it.

Wait. I am tired. I literally can barely keep my eyes open. But it’s too early to go to bed. Gotta be smarter than the jet lag!

So now Mike is gone for the weekend. Which leaves me alone and jet lagging with three kiddos. It’s not real pretty. But it’s what it is.

“Home is the best place in the world!” is what my boy told me a little while after we arrived home on Thursday.

I have to agree… I am so thankful for our home and the community around us. There is nothing like it!