Mommy-Guilt meets R&R

I'm leaving...on a jet plane.  And in this case, I know when I'll be back, again.


Tomorrow morning, I leave for Florida to meet up with 6 girlfriends for a weekend getaway!  I have not gotten away by myself and gone so far and for this long except for an annual Women's weekend retreat every Spring for the last several years.  I'll meet a friend at the airport and then all 7 of us will meet in Florida.  WOOT!
Naturally, as I've been looking forward to this weekend for months, last night, our little girl kept waking up, crying her eyes out.  Early this morning, she has a fever and I was scheduled to take her to her yearly well-visit.  Yeah, not so well.  Poor thing was floppy, extra cranky and bleary-eyed.  They cancelled her vaccinations because of a slight fever.  I asked Dr. B if, with this flu, if she would vomit or 'the other thing' (C'mon people, this is a family-friendly blog).  She says, "No, she will have a fever, some aches and chills.  Just make sure to give her plenty of fluids and we'll give you a prescription."  So, as we were waiting for her to come back, I hear the dreaded, "Hwah, hwah."  Yup, she sure did vomit all over the examining table.  Sweet little girl was so taken aback and upset.  
I also got a prescrip for the littlest-little, as a precaution.  I asked, just to be certain that it was O.K. for me to still travel.  She said of course and that I just need to wash my hands well and often.  (Not that anyone has EVER called me a germ-phobe, or anything!)  
For a split-second, I was thinking of the irony of Noodle to get sick before I left.  Then, that was overcome with the reality that this is life, not irony.  It's January, peeps get sick, whether I'm going on a trip or not.  Of course I'm praying that the rest of my family stays well and that I don't start tossing cookies while I'm gone.  Hubs told me there was not a chance that I would cancel this the trip!  Thank God for a good, loving and understanding man.  He will hold down the fort and take care of the kiddos.  
I felt a little bit of that 'Mom-guilt' about leaving before the girlie got sick but now it's settling in, quite nicely.  But I know that I need this trip, as much for my family, as for me.  I want to be better for them.  I'd like to get some R&R to come back refreshed for this crazy-amazing family that I have.  
The girlfriends I'll be chatting into the wee-small hours with, sipping wine with, enjoying delicious meals with, are full of joy and Spirit.  I'm so thankful that I have friends in my life that encourage, support and would rally if need be.  I need this - you need this - in your life.  I love that space and time have not taken away from us being able to speak life into each other.  I love that I can look forward to this time to laugh, cry because we're laughing so hard and to enjoy each other's company.  And let's face it.  I get to have adult conversation for a whopping 60+ hours, give or take a few for catching some Zzzzzz's.
So Florida, here we come!  Put out some sunshine and warm breezes for us.  And loves of my life, my heart is never so far away.  We girls will be driving around the Sunshine state in a rented minivan, just to remind me where my heart will always be.

On Becoming a Gentleman

"Mom, can we go on a date?  When are we going on our date?"  This is what I hear for months-on-end after we come back from our Annual Family Beach Trip.  So today, on a day off from school, Special K and I went out to have breakfast.
I came down the stairs and found him brushing his hair with one of those baby hairbrushes.  I have no idea where he found it.  I laughed so hard because it was like he was getting ready for me.  He was already dressed and really excited to get out of the house.  
We got to our destination and he opened and held the door for me.  I asked him if he wanted a muffin and chocolate milk because I know those are some of his favorites.  K found a table for us and asked if it was O.K.  We held hands and prayed.  We talked about school and what he was learning.  He looked out at the cars in the parking lot and asked what license plates were.  On and on until we were done.  We laughed and smiled at each other.  These times seem few and far between these days and I know we need to make more time for this.
As we were leaving, I asked him to clear away the plate and trash and gave him specific instruction on where to put the silverware, trash and plate.  He did exactly what I told him.  He came back and I held up his coat and then asked him to hold mine up for me.  As we were walking out, he held the door open again and at the car I stopped and gave him a hug and my cheek to him to give me a kiss.  We got in the car and he says, "Mom, when can we go out again?  Can we go to McDonald's, next time?"  I chuckled because McDonald's breakfast seemed good to me when I was Six but not Thirty Six!  I told him that Daddy and I sometimes take turns planning dates and that maybe he could do that.  He asks, "McDonald's or Chick-Fil-A?"  He mentioned the playgrounds and the food.  Laughing, I told him that it's nice when you plan a date around things that the other person likes.  Special K says, "I don't know what you like!"  I started listing off things that I liked and told him to ask Daddy what might be a good idea for next time.
I felt such a joy in going on a Date-morning with Special K.  We got some time together and I see what it means to teach my boy on becoming a gentleman.  He definitely learns it from his Daddy but these moments are special between the two of us.  He is learning what it means to put the other person first, to be kind, to listen, to share, to be gentle and to know what quality time is.  
In these times, I want my boy to know what it means to care and to be a friend.  So many days are filled with directives, commands and training.  When we can go out, one-on-one and put those life lessons in motion, I am thankful that my son is getting it.  And I get to see what an amazing boy the LORD is growing him up to be.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control."  Galatians 5:22-23

These characteristics are not relative.  I know that they don't come naturally and I need to pray for this and learn them in my own life.  I want the Spirit to be growing this in me, my Hubs and our three littles.  Even if, the next time, it has to be at McDonald's.  ;)

A Pumpkin Muffin for my little man.

A coffee for Mama.
(Photographer: Special K)

Some precious time together.

What character have you been learning from someone, recently?

Three Little Birds

                      

I have been pecked alive by three little birds for the past five days.  Hubs was out-of-town for a conference and I think someone may have laced my littles' cereal with Red Dye #42.  The running monologue in my home, by yours truly was, "Holy Toledo", "Are you kidding me?", "Do you understand?" and my all-time fave, "No begging, whining or unkindness."

I hope you'll understand that this post is part-venting, part-comic relief and part- joy that Hubs is home.  Though, this week was like we were in the Twilight Zone.  I realize that we have our bad days but this was re-donk-u-lous.  Yes, I just used that term because there is no other way to describe it.  

Special K found no other way but to ask me question after question of when the next meal was, if anyone was coming over and if he could play the Wii.  Mind you, this is a daily occurrence in our house.  But these last several days were tainted with a whine that I had never witnessed in such succession.  As of last night I wanted to shoot our Wii in the middle of the console and watch it explode into a million little pieces.  

Noodle-girl fell limp on the floor in a dead-weight tantrum right before my parents left this afternoon.  They came to celebrate her birthday, which is tomorrow.  And she decided she would test me in front of them to show what a special Mommy I was.  

Littlest-little has taken signing "Please" to a whole new level.  He paces the house, banging his chest saying, "Peas (please), mo (more), mo, peas, peas, peas, peas."  His belly is a bottomless pit as he ravages anything in site.  Our plastic play food has nothing on him.

I am thrilled that Hubs is asleep, next to me in bed while I sit and write.  A complete antithesis of last night.  Twenty four hours ago, exactly, I was standing hostage in our downstairs bathroom, paralyzed in fear.  I was getting ready for bed with Hubs on the line.  All of the sudden, there were three loud bangs on our front door.  I could feel all the blood in my body rush down to my toes as I stood still.  Who the heck knocks on your door at 11:40 at night, let alone bang on it?  No Hubs, three little kiddos, me - stuck in the bathroom.  No fear, we prayed and then I made Hubs call the Non-Emergency Police line.  He told them the situation and they said they would patrol the area and call me back.  Thirty minutes later, mind you, a very nice policeman told me he was sorry to have called so late but had something else come up.  You mean to tell me that a crazed Mama feeling threatened by vicious banging on the door late at night is not warrant for arrest??  I did finally exit the bathroom after I came to my senses before I got his call.

That nice cop did tell me that he saw a couple kids riding their bikes in the neighborhood and asked them if they saw anyone.  Um, hey brilliant parents of those kids:  did you know they were riding their bikes outside in the freezing cold a little before midnight?!

What is my point to this story, you ask?  I. Don't. Know.  I just thought I might share that I am loonier than I began, at this thing called motherhood.  I am more tired tonight than I was last night, at 1AM, praying that God would protect my precious littles and hoping that the Maglite on the floor would be sufficient to fend off any crazies that wanted to break in.  And Mama is a little stronger today for being given the opportunity to be pecked-to-death by some really darn cute younglings.

Eight Days

Three days before Christmas, my family was gifted time at the beach in a phenomenal house...again.  Twice in one year from a family that blesses us beyond reason.  After our 4-city tour through VA/DC in 8 days, receiving this email was like God saying, "I know, you need some rest."
Every year, November and December are a whirlwind.  It's like a mad sprint toward the finish line of the year.  With every year-end, I say that I'm going to slow down.  But things get busier.  Maybe it's having three kiddos or maybe it has something to do with wanting to enjoy life a bit more.
During my 100 Joys Journey I ventured through, inspired by the sweet Sarah Markley, I was amazed by all the sweet joys I noticed and experienced during the month of December.  After a year filled with the transition of life from two children to three; feeling like I was sucking at being a wife and Mom; wondering how we would stretch our growing family of five in our 3-Bedroom townhome; finding all these joys tucked into a year filled with laughter and pain has admittedly been a relief.
There were times, this past year, that I felt like an utter and complete failure.  I didn't make sense to myself, let alone to all the people around me.  My heart took a flight into the pit of hell when I found my faith was flailing around like a fish-out-of-water.
I am so grateful and thankful for peeps that held me up in prayers and love.  These people prayed and encouraged me through this.  These family and friends made me laugh while I bawled my eyes out.  Some of you might not even be aware of the healing words you spoke to me throughout this past year.
Twenty-ten ended with some sheer moments of joy that showed me how God has been healing my heart.  In times when there was nothing I could do but call out His name to help me, He did.  He never let go.  He. is. not. done. with. me.  I'm still here, aren't I?
I have been wasting time wondering where certain relationships have gone and why some relationships do not exist.  What I have found is the Lord beckoning me while He has been by my side.  What I have seen is my Hubs, never giving up on me.  What I have learned is that these three sweet babies I have held since the seconds they were born make my life rich but ultimately are not for me.
I end this past year not looking back but moving forward.  I am crazy about the God who has loved and saved me from my despair.  I am crazy about my wonderful Husband who I get to do life with.  I am crazy about these three littles that make my heart grow exponentially with each day.  
Those were 8 busy days of traveling everywhere for Christmas.  We left on Christmas day for the beach and stayed 8 nights instead of seven because they told us we could stay longer at their beautiful haven of a beach house.    We got to stretch out in a house with 8 bedrooms.  Umm, I'm starting to get freaked out by the number 8.
We rested, relaxed, ate, played and enjoyed each other.  We watched a snowstorm, played in the snow and on the last day there, watched our kiddos run around, shoeless in the sand.
We felt apprehensive about leaving but we are looking forward to this New Year.  I am leaning on these verses, "Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."  Lamentations 3:22-23

Beautiful snow-covered sand dunes

Me & my girl

Sweet things!

Hubs & Pretty Princess checking out the starfish
during our Aquarium visit.

Special K:  Mom is that shark going to eat us??

Littlest-little digging the fishies.

NYE celebration with the kiddos and sparklers.

Dancin Girl.

Gorgeous walkway to the beach.

Getting some lovin from my littles.

Handsome Hubs and the Littlest.