Tonight is Monday night

Avi woke up happy and we picked up the boys from school. They both had sweet interactions with friends today, and that makes a mama happy. Zane had even introduced two of his friends from different classes that didn't know one another so they all could play together at recess. Cade had reconciled a difficult situation. To my surprise, Cade was okay about starting the memorization process. Divine wisdom led me to use my computer to record him reading the poem a few times with different backgrounds. A thunderstorm, an alien ship, and a jail cell were the settings for this back to school recitation. Then, of course, the siblings had turns just being plain silly for the camera.

My mood picked up a tad, but not naturally. It took some effort which was frustrating because everyone was happy around me, and I was missing out. I'm playing the game "I would rather eat the food than move it" game, so we had a can of beets with our spaghetti. Zane said, "What those taste like?" (We're still working on inserting 'do' into his speech!) Cade said, "Beets me." Ha! Good one! No one ate the beets but me.

Later, they snuggled into their beds. I'm really going to miss the three of them sharing a room. As I was rocking Avi, Zane said, "Mama, will you tuck me in?....I getting too big." (We are working on inserting 'am', too!) Half of his body was sticking out from "Pretty Blanket". We decided that as soon as we can get my sewing machine out of storage it might be a good idea to sew "Pretty Blanket" and the Thomas the Train blanket together to make it long enough for him. Yes, we could just use a different blanket, but I'm sure it wouldn't be as cozy. Even after all that, I still felt lousy about life and the thought went through my head, "I just want to crawl into the fetal position and drink chocolate through a straw." I couldn't think of any chocolate in the house. Oh, well. God's grace is sufficient, right? The children were settled, so I walked to the livingroom. Van said our friends were coming over to see if their infant had an ear infection (which he does, poor baby). They showed up with a blizzard-type ice cream especially for me. It was a bit too thick to suck through a straw, and I managed to avoid the fetal position, so I think I'm better. I think I'll do a little reading tonight and hit the "reset" button for tomorrow.

Today is Monday.

Zane has been called "little Van" throughout his five years of life, but I really saw it a couple of days ago. I guess Van was working late because I was swinging the bedtime routine. Zane could not possibly enter into pajamas until the plum seed that had just been found under the kitchen table was planted. I told him he could plant it if he could do it in ten seconds or less. He shot out of the back door and found a bare spot on the ground. He dropped the seed. Not satisfied, he ran and grabbed his newly disassembled training wheel. Using the metal edge, he scratched a hole, then dropped in the seed again. He patted the dirt over it with the flat side of the wheel. I could practically hear him thinking, "That should do it." It took him more like 20 seconds, but he had a big grin on his face just imagining the plum tree that would spring forth. If it had been Cade or me, it would have taken a diagram and 12 tools to do it properly.

We expect our "old" house to close on October 12, and our "new" house to be ready at the end of October. Van suggests that we live in a van down by the river in the interim. This would totally work, but I think it might be inconvenient not having laundry facilities and an internet connection during the middle of the school year. So, I believe we'll stay at a friend's house for a weekend and go to a hotel with a kitchen for the rest of the time. I think moving is an adventure in itself without adding a camping component! Someone please convince my husband of this!

My energy and spirits today were low. This wasn't logical because everything is actually going pretty well for us, and I've been in better health. I think it is the meds messing with my head, so I have to continually ask the Lord to speak truth to me so I can quit the pity party and unload the dishwasher.

Avi is asleep on my lap right now. Such a sweetie. It is almost 3:00 in the afternoon, and she is still in her faded Dora pajama pants that now fit like capris. I'm not sure where she found the lime green monkey shirt to go with it, but she has been a happy camper in them. I'll need to wake her (I may have to adjust the word "sweetie" at that point) to go pick up our boys and take the amended house contract to Van.

Mondays are "big homework" days around here. I am truly dreading helping Cade memorize a poem. Yuck. I suppose there is value to it, but Yuck. I'd much rather make a collage or even support him composing a poem. Memorizing? For the birds. Don't tell him I said that.

Tour de Wehmeyer

The "hill" (incline) at Poage Park is getting easier, and so is the one at church. It is barely noticable, but I am getting better. Thank you, Jesus. I had my first go at pulmonary rehabilitation today. The therapists had warned me that it would be very hard, and that they would push me to my limits and not to give up. I realized that I had been pushing myself beyond what they call "limits" with an oxygen monitor, so it's really not so bad. (For example, inclines at Poage Park and church...) Bonus: I get oxygen and a cheerleader twice a week. The idea is not to make me ablaze with bicepts, although that would be okay. We're trying to strengthen muscles, especially around the lungs to make breathing easier. I'm thinking it would be cool to have their tshirts made, "We're here to pump (clap) you up." I was the only one in the room on a machine without gray hair, so maybe not everyone would get the reference. Okay, so I have a couple gray hairs.

Grandmom came to town to have lunch at the elementary school with the boys. They showed off their school and everyone was reported to have big grins. I kidnapped her afterwards and we ate a burger with Van and stole Avi from parent's day out to have ice cream. Tour de Wehmeyer. Everyone had a great time, but the little stinker three-year-old feigned shyness.

We're expecting an offer on our current home in the morning. I celebrated by buying toilet paper and paper towels in bulk. That's a big no-no when selling a home because we are supposed to pretend that we don't actually live here with clutter, and no one wants to box up extra toilet paper. Even if these folks don't come through, though, it was worth the moment of freedom.

Favorite quotes of the day:

While picking up the boys in the rain, Avi said, "Wook! Evewyone is holding ga-willas (umbrellas)!"

In a deep discussion about if presidents could be assassinated, if terrorists go to heaven, the World Trade Center, appropriate punishments for criminals while going through a drive through and pulling over to see a jack hammer at work, Cade concluded, "Well, it will be nice to see Abraham in heaven." I said, "Yes, that will be wonderful." Cade added, "Abraham Lincoln. He was shot, wasn't he?" Yes. It wasn't really a humorous statement, he was just trying to make it all make sense and put it together.

Also, yesterday, Cade and Avi had a very serious discussion with very logical arguments about which would be a better pet, a tortoise or a turtle. I was impressed with the legnth of the volley. Better still, no one was injured and it stayed an intense discussion. Whoa.

Cough a go-go

My breathing seems better, and my energy level is better. I do have a new, wierd cough that isn't exhausting like the last one, just annoying. I skipped bible class tonight to cough and pray on my own while my family was in class. I'm going to see if I can sleep with it tonight or if it is a problem. The Lord has been giving me wisdom about where to put my energy reserves and patterns in when the effects of the steroids will hit. That is helpful to manage time well and not to be as frustrated. (Fold laundry now, take kids to the park later. Rest in-between. Stuff like that.) Mood swings (exaggerated anger, maily) are better. Sometimes I'm in the "Pit of Dispair" (The Princess Bride--love it!) and within minutes I'm coping and quite calm. Dull headaches and fatigue come and go with the wind. I'm trusting that the Lord's strength is made perfect in weakness. It is a good opportunity for my kiddos to pick up responsibilities that I normally wouldn't ask (Please go to the car and get Mama's purse...), and they have thankfully lowered their expectations of me. I think that Avi now understands that I love to hold her, but I can't carry her, and that the boys understand that they have extra chores and I am less likely to give in to their extra requests. That particular project that involves twelve steps can wait until the weekend. While I was rocking her, Avi said. "I love you, Mama. I pray for you. 'Dear God. Help Mama to be healthy and not need eye drops.'" Sweet girl. I try to reward and praise them for the extra effort. I vacillate between feeling that they are a bit American spoiled and them getting the shaft because I split my time between them and taking medicine, coughing, putting on sunscreen--just for my health, but of course my health benefits them, too. On the flip side, they also have a few extra priviliges like retrieving their own snacks, and going on easy outings like the air-conditioned Burger King playground. Oh, and "breaks" like PBS shows, Peppa Pig, and Phineas and Ferb. I picked up dollar glow-in-the-dark glasses at Target just for fun (guilt), and they were a big hit, but do they really NEED "moon glasses" when they go to bed before dark generally? Probably not.

Some quotes of the day: While I was rocking her, Avi was trying to convince me that she needed to sleep on the couch with me. I like my husband enough to rest in the livingroom in this season while I wake at night and am noisy. She said, "I'm going to say it one more time, and you will say 'yes'." Getting a little spunky, aren't we? Cade informed me tonight that I was "dramatic....and fuzzy. What does dramatic mean?" I think that he complimented me. It would be better to be fuzzy than not, right? Zane is really excited about typing on the "puter" at school. He wanted to demonstrate on mine, but without complete supervision, I've learned that "It is a tool, not a toy." One day soon, I'll make "puter" time for Zaner. I still don't know quite what is going on in his classroom. His creativity trumps reality, so evidently one of his friends hit a classmate, and then the teacher, and then her parents, and then the principal. The police came an took her to jail, and then she broke out. All of this with sound effects and large gestures with his arms and big blue eyes. So, Zane, did you color today? Did you play on the playground or practice a new letter? Silence. Glad we at least have the puter to work with.

I went through the "McDonald's" drive-thru to order a smoothie yesterday. During our discourse through the speaker, they informed me that I needed to pull up and talk with the fellow at the first window. No smoothie available, but they could offer me a Frosty. Annoyed, but smiling, I accepted in confusion. I pulled out of there and noticed that McDonalds was two businesses down the road. I laughed so hard that I could barely drive with my Frosty. It was tasty.

The house is coming along quite nicely. Maybe by November? Maybe I will be a bit stronger and my brain be more engaged by then! Pulmonary rehab starts next week.

Lu-lu-lu!

The boys made it through the first 3 days of school without any major trauma for any of us. I am so thankful for their wonderful teachers. I was reminded of how little my guys are when they were getting ready one morning. Zane was supposed to be brushing his teeth, but was skipping in circles around in the dim living room with a light-up toothbrush singing "lu-lu-lu-lu..." Some day I would like a window into his world.

My sister and her family have come to Waco this weekend to celebrate 3 of our birthdays. We made Mom and Dad come, too. Our family is getting a little big to squeeze into our current house--it is do-able, but crazy-- so Tricia's crew is staying at a hotel. Van and I took the first night as a date night. It was great. We Olive-Gardened it and went to go see Van's step-brother at a highschool football game. Madisonville vs. Lorena. It had been a long time since I had been to a football game, and it was neat to see Van's old team. We really enjoyed getting to visit his brother. God has big plans for that boy, and that may include medical school. Van and I went from there to the hotel and watched PBS and caught up on the news. Charlie Rose. Cool cat. We are such the wild partiers! Tricia and crew arrived the next day, and we all enjoyed the hotel pool together. We had the easiest party ever. I decorated pre-made HEB cupcakes like Angry Birds (in honor of my nephew's 13th) with whatever was in the cubbard. They weren't very angry, though because I couldn't find any eyebrows that could be considered edible. The kids opened goodie bags with Angry Birds fruit snacks. The boys got a little Lego package, and the girls got nail polish. Then, the next 30 minutes they used the aforementioned Legos and nail polish. That was easy.


I got the best present ever. Both of my grandmothers were artists. My Nanny, although very talented, didn't take herself very seriously. She had a few paintings, but most of her stuff was here and there, this and that. Afgans and birthday cakes in various shapes and beautifully hand-sewn costumes filled my childhood. She had a drawer of scrap fabric that I was allowed to dig in and "sew" together Barbie clothes, and she let me use her good black trash bags to design dresses... sweaty dresses. Nanny didn't have much, but she was so generous. This talented, kind hearted woman was also a bit dis-organized. After Nanny died, my sister had run across some neat doodles stuck between magazine pages and various papers, Anywho, Tricia took these neat drawings, photocopied them and mounted them on a "useful box to put things in" because I have a container addiction. My favorite picture is two little twitter birds, a boy and a girl, chatting to one another. So sweet. There is so much character in the little drawing. My parents also gave me a thoughtful and beautiful present. It is jewelry made from agate from the "Ol' Bishop Ranch" in west Texas. Cool.

The rest of the Wehmeyers and my sister's crew are at Hawaian Falls, our oh-so-cool new water park with our church. Too fun. I can't wait to hear their reports.

My breathing seems a little better. My energy is much better. Tomorrow I go down another notch on the steriod dose, so I'm a little nervous that it will throw me for another loop. So many blasted side effects on the comings and goings of that drug. I pray that my focus will be Jesus and not fussiness, fatigue, muscle or joint pain, headaches, blah, blah, all the stuff that distracts.

We sang this at church this morning. Beautiful. It is stuck in my head and I like it.

Oh! to be like Thee, blessed Redeemer,
This is my constant longing and prayer;
Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures,
Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.

Refrain:
Oh! to be like Thee, oh! to be like Thee,
Blessed Redeemer, pure as Thou art;
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;
Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.

Oh! to be like Thee, full of compassion,
Loving, forgiving, tender and kind,
Helping the helpless, cheering the fainting,
Seeking the wand’ring sinner to find.

Oh! to be like Thee, Lord, I am coming,
Now to receive th’ anointing divine;
All that I am and have I am bringing,
Lord, from this moment all shall be Thine.