Ahh, Good Shepherd Sunday. Where my four year old sings, "I am Jesus Little Lamb" with the other kids, then asks me in the pew, "Didn't God make me a little girl, though?" After Sunday School, she informs us that she is both the Shepherd and the Lamb. We assure her that, despite her good-natured smile and enticing charm, she's a lamb of the flock, little l, not big L and definitely not the Shepherd.
Moving on... for a state that averages 13.6 inches of moisture per year in this part of the panhandle, the past week helped to fill that quota with wind, rain and a mere 50 degree weather forecast come true. Although Western Nebraska always needs the rain, it's hard to take when two small children want to go out and play. They would bundle up and run out between storms, but it wasn't quite the same as a nice warm spring day in the sandbox, carefree for hours. I hear we only got about 2.5 inches over the course of the week, but I can't hardly believe that with the way it was coming out of the downspouts.
Speaking of downspouts, Pastor spent a good portion of Friday fixing gutters and replacing broken downspouts, also in-between rain showers. He's not one for being outside during inclement weather, but with the garage flooding, it was fix the gutters or clean out the garage. The lesser of two evils, I guess...
Lars is working on his third straight night of sleeping through the night, which is an improvement over the past few months, where he's been up every night, screaming for reasons which is only known to him and his Maker. Eden, too, has been able to sleep without the disruption and has graduated from a huge nightlight to an itty bitty nightlight. Granted, the shadows cast from it are different and look like monsters (a wooden spindle rocking chair being the culprit, mostly), but she's doing very well with it. Samson, the middle aged mutt, is the same with the exception that when I'm up in the night, he's up with me and gets underfoot while I'm wandering in the dark eating bananas. Which is nice only when my feet are cold.
Speaking of wandering in the dark, it's almost 3:00 a.m. and I've been up for over an hour. I guess the benefit to being awake at this hour is that one can open stacks of mail, file papers and generally clean up the desk without any help from a couple of preschoolers, not to mention, write the blog. However, 3rd trimester insomnia is something I will not miss a month from now. Not that I will be sleeping any more, mind you, but at least I'll have a better excuse to be tired over the next day.
In other news this week, my thoughtful husband found an anniversary gift for me (see photos in slide-show) and though I've yet to wear it, I do find it incredibly unique, which is just my style. I guess after 8 years of marriage, I can still be surprised. It's a one of a kind pendant, made by a pastor's wife in Colorado, of Luther's Seal. I rarely wear jewelry during pregnancy, I think because it draws more attention to my really big front, and that's completely unnecessary, but I look forward to wearing it as time goes on.
I, on the other hand, didn't find anything for him this year, so he was left without. I could have swore I had an anniversary card, but since I couldn't find it, I wonder if that was last year....
Monday, April 26, 2010
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Happy Anniversary To Us
Eden is out on the front porch with her backpack strapped to her, a small cooler in one hand, blanket & bear in the other. She tells me she is waiting for the train and she's going on a trip. Do I want to come, too, she asks? I wondered where she was going and though she wasn't really sure, she knew she'd be going a long long way away and would stay in a hotel once she got there. Unfortunately for my little dreamer, a bumble bee dove at her head and buzzed her ear just now, sending her screaming back into the house forever.
Like his father, Lars fell asleep on the couch during the 1st period of the sad Red Wings game and is just now waking up. He is currently standing next to me, screaming and crying as I continue to try and ignore him. Nothing ever works, but it's easier on the ears than holding him while he screams at me.
I spent some of the afternoon up at the East Park with the ambulance standing by, watching walkers in red shirts go round and round the block in a fund raising effort for Teammates. I should have joined in, but instead sat on the picnic table and chatted to a couple others who were with me. I did get to dole out a couple of band-aids, but that was about it.
The rest of the week was pretty busy. Tuesday's funeral was beautiful. The kids and I sat in the cry room during the service, where Eden asked more questions than I thought possible for a four year old. In the end, as they were rolling the casket out to the hearse, Eden asked what was going to happen next and where he was going to be put. Meanwhile, Lars was applauding loudly, yelling, "Yeah!" If only we all thought that way at the conclusion of a funeral. Sometimes, the littlest one has it right. I helped serve the funeral dinner and clean up. By the time it was over, I was dead on my feet. Eden really wanted to see where they put the casket, so we drove out the cemetery and found the spot. With the dirt already piled on top, she was less than convinced, but eventually, we drove on home.
Al had meetings Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday night and by Thursday, was happy to stay home. We had company stop over and we ended up talking until way past bedtime, but it was nice to have the adult interaction!
Friday after school, Lexi came over to babysit while Al & I drove to SB for some heavy duty no-kid shopping. We made four stops and only had to get ourselves in and out of the vehicle, it was novel. We even had a quiet dinner. Crazy.
Came home with a new TV and DVD player, which he mounted on the wall with Mark's help Saturday night. Mark got roped into it since they were coming over for supper and cards anyway. Wow, what a long way TVs have come from our tube TV that had been with us for most of the past eight years.
Speaking of eight years, tomorrow will mark our 8th wedding anniversary and my parents 41st. Hard to believe, but much enjoyed. How different our lives were such a short time ago.
Until next time...
Like his father, Lars fell asleep on the couch during the 1st period of the sad Red Wings game and is just now waking up. He is currently standing next to me, screaming and crying as I continue to try and ignore him. Nothing ever works, but it's easier on the ears than holding him while he screams at me.
I spent some of the afternoon up at the East Park with the ambulance standing by, watching walkers in red shirts go round and round the block in a fund raising effort for Teammates. I should have joined in, but instead sat on the picnic table and chatted to a couple others who were with me. I did get to dole out a couple of band-aids, but that was about it.
The rest of the week was pretty busy. Tuesday's funeral was beautiful. The kids and I sat in the cry room during the service, where Eden asked more questions than I thought possible for a four year old. In the end, as they were rolling the casket out to the hearse, Eden asked what was going to happen next and where he was going to be put. Meanwhile, Lars was applauding loudly, yelling, "Yeah!" If only we all thought that way at the conclusion of a funeral. Sometimes, the littlest one has it right. I helped serve the funeral dinner and clean up. By the time it was over, I was dead on my feet. Eden really wanted to see where they put the casket, so we drove out the cemetery and found the spot. With the dirt already piled on top, she was less than convinced, but eventually, we drove on home.
Al had meetings Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday night and by Thursday, was happy to stay home. We had company stop over and we ended up talking until way past bedtime, but it was nice to have the adult interaction!
Friday after school, Lexi came over to babysit while Al & I drove to SB for some heavy duty no-kid shopping. We made four stops and only had to get ourselves in and out of the vehicle, it was novel. We even had a quiet dinner. Crazy.
Came home with a new TV and DVD player, which he mounted on the wall with Mark's help Saturday night. Mark got roped into it since they were coming over for supper and cards anyway. Wow, what a long way TVs have come from our tube TV that had been with us for most of the past eight years.
Speaking of eight years, tomorrow will mark our 8th wedding anniversary and my parents 41st. Hard to believe, but much enjoyed. How different our lives were such a short time ago.
Until next time...
Sunday, April 11, 2010
A week fulfilled
"She said she usually cried at least once each day not because she was sad, but because the world was so beautiful and life was so short." brian andreas
I tend to forget that the week after Easter is not always as quiet and relaxed as I hope for. This was one such year.
Pastor will be officiating his first funeral in the new sanctuary tomorrow, beginning under a beautiful, tall, white steeple, with the earthly passing of a dear elderly man last week. I was blessed to be able to help the family on Wednesday in getting him to the hospital, and Pastor was able to be with him much of day Wednesday and Thursday before he died.
Friday morning, my mom called and left a message saying a family friend and neighbor had passed away back in Michigan, after battling cancer for some time. Their youngest daughter is three years older than me, and I can't imagine losing my mom at this age. I still have so much to share with her. So do my children, one of which isn't even born yet.
Whenever somebody dies, it seems like the rest of the time in life is insignificant, and so this must be true. Yes, Lars woke up every night during the week, wailing and screaming and needing some TLC. Yes, he spent at least an hour every day having a temper tantrum and giving me a headache. Yes, Eden had preschool and Lars had therapy, Al had confirmation and meetings, the Wings played, I had piano lessons, calls & a doctor appointment, but in the end, it was a week fulfilled.
Here's a *HUG* for all of you reading this today.
Pass it on.
I tend to forget that the week after Easter is not always as quiet and relaxed as I hope for. This was one such year.
Pastor will be officiating his first funeral in the new sanctuary tomorrow, beginning under a beautiful, tall, white steeple, with the earthly passing of a dear elderly man last week. I was blessed to be able to help the family on Wednesday in getting him to the hospital, and Pastor was able to be with him much of day Wednesday and Thursday before he died.
Friday morning, my mom called and left a message saying a family friend and neighbor had passed away back in Michigan, after battling cancer for some time. Their youngest daughter is three years older than me, and I can't imagine losing my mom at this age. I still have so much to share with her. So do my children, one of which isn't even born yet.
Whenever somebody dies, it seems like the rest of the time in life is insignificant, and so this must be true. Yes, Lars woke up every night during the week, wailing and screaming and needing some TLC. Yes, he spent at least an hour every day having a temper tantrum and giving me a headache. Yes, Eden had preschool and Lars had therapy, Al had confirmation and meetings, the Wings played, I had piano lessons, calls & a doctor appointment, but in the end, it was a week fulfilled.
Here's a *HUG* for all of you reading this today.
Pass it on.
Sunday, April 04, 2010
Happy Easter
He is Risen, Happy Easter!~
It's been a long but glorious week in our home, as Holy Week generally is. It starts with Palm Sunday and Confirmation, followed by parties at various locations, then continues on through the week with daddy preparing for three major services in four days, and Mommy being as much a single parent as I ever want to be. The light at the end of the tunnel is that after Easter, things slow down for a while, or, they're supposed to...
The choir sang on Maundy Thursday, but Lars didn't make it much past the first 10 minutes of service before we all left. He'd been up for 2+ hours the night before and had about a 30 minute nap that day, so I wasn't holding out much hope going into it. Both kids were in bed by 7:30 and asleep by 7:35 that evening. I was too tired to do anything, but didn't want to go to bed, so I sat on the couch with my feet up and that's as exciting as my evening got.
Good Friday service was much better, and they both made it to the end of service without much problem. Eden was distraught that all the furnishings had been taken from the church (we'd missed the stripping of the altar the night before) and Lars was fixated on the big rough hewn cross that was carried in at the end of the service. Eden asked more questions during that service. I started taking notes so she could ask her daddy at bedtime. She had me stumped on a couple of them.
Saturday, we dyed Easter Eggs in the morning with friends, watched the Red Wings in the afternoon, took naps and generally bummed around.
Easter morning finally arrived and I asked Eden, "what do we celebrate today?". Her reply? "Hunting for Easter Eggs!"
They sat through church very well, but from the back pew it's impossible to see anything and they get so squirmy. Choir sang for the last time this season, so we can move back up front now and see what's going on. Though I will miss my one hour a week of adult interaction with no kids for choir practice.
After church, we came home for a bit. The Red Wings played, but not very well. Douthit's came over to get & take some family photos and Kyra helped hide Easter eggs for our kids while Lexi distracted them in the back yard. When daddy came home, the hunt was on, with Lars leaving his toy tractor only once to grab an egg that was just out of his reach when he couldn't maneuver his wheels over the bumpy patch. It was the funniest thing I'd seen all week. Future farmer??
Later in the day, daddy went to the nursing home & the rest of us are eating dinner at an Elder's house with his family. The hostess asks Eden, "Would you like some yummy ham?" Eden, "No, I only like Laura's ham." Oh boy, did I want the carpet to open up.
We stayed there all day, dipping fruit in the chocolate fountain and wandering outside to see all the 'real tractors' up close, along with the cows, the semi-trucks, the big tires, the other tractor, the OTHER tractor, the kitties, the dump trucks and so on and so forth.
We stopped at Douthit's on our way home to share photos and I never left the chair that I first sat in when I got there until it was time to leave.
The week is over and another begun, spring is here, school is nearly out for the year, the birds chirp us awake each morning, and I'm slowly getting things checked off my list in the count down to baby number three.
Until next time....
It's been a long but glorious week in our home, as Holy Week generally is. It starts with Palm Sunday and Confirmation, followed by parties at various locations, then continues on through the week with daddy preparing for three major services in four days, and Mommy being as much a single parent as I ever want to be. The light at the end of the tunnel is that after Easter, things slow down for a while, or, they're supposed to...
The choir sang on Maundy Thursday, but Lars didn't make it much past the first 10 minutes of service before we all left. He'd been up for 2+ hours the night before and had about a 30 minute nap that day, so I wasn't holding out much hope going into it. Both kids were in bed by 7:30 and asleep by 7:35 that evening. I was too tired to do anything, but didn't want to go to bed, so I sat on the couch with my feet up and that's as exciting as my evening got.
Good Friday service was much better, and they both made it to the end of service without much problem. Eden was distraught that all the furnishings had been taken from the church (we'd missed the stripping of the altar the night before) and Lars was fixated on the big rough hewn cross that was carried in at the end of the service. Eden asked more questions during that service. I started taking notes so she could ask her daddy at bedtime. She had me stumped on a couple of them.
Saturday, we dyed Easter Eggs in the morning with friends, watched the Red Wings in the afternoon, took naps and generally bummed around.
Easter morning finally arrived and I asked Eden, "what do we celebrate today?". Her reply? "Hunting for Easter Eggs!"
They sat through church very well, but from the back pew it's impossible to see anything and they get so squirmy. Choir sang for the last time this season, so we can move back up front now and see what's going on. Though I will miss my one hour a week of adult interaction with no kids for choir practice.
After church, we came home for a bit. The Red Wings played, but not very well. Douthit's came over to get & take some family photos and Kyra helped hide Easter eggs for our kids while Lexi distracted them in the back yard. When daddy came home, the hunt was on, with Lars leaving his toy tractor only once to grab an egg that was just out of his reach when he couldn't maneuver his wheels over the bumpy patch. It was the funniest thing I'd seen all week. Future farmer??
Later in the day, daddy went to the nursing home & the rest of us are eating dinner at an Elder's house with his family. The hostess asks Eden, "Would you like some yummy ham?" Eden, "No, I only like Laura's ham." Oh boy, did I want the carpet to open up.
We stayed there all day, dipping fruit in the chocolate fountain and wandering outside to see all the 'real tractors' up close, along with the cows, the semi-trucks, the big tires, the other tractor, the OTHER tractor, the kitties, the dump trucks and so on and so forth.
We stopped at Douthit's on our way home to share photos and I never left the chair that I first sat in when I got there until it was time to leave.
The week is over and another begun, spring is here, school is nearly out for the year, the birds chirp us awake each morning, and I'm slowly getting things checked off my list in the count down to baby number three.
Until next time....
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