Friday, November 28, 2008

Christmas decorating

I changed backgrounds. I am feeling Christmas-y.

It was the easiest decorating I will do all week.

It was a great Thanksgiving


Wednesday, November 26, 2008

To do, or not done?

I am feeling a bit guilty about my Thanksgiving post in which I sound a bit too Martha. So today you get Nanette-for-real.

My crystal clear windows
The corner where...

...these pictures are supposed to be hung.

The thankful tree project we started weeks ago

and the paper beast

I wish you all a day of completed to-do lists.
In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
Thessalonians 5:17

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

The eggs are speaking

I opened my eggs to find this:



I showed Adam and he said, "It's like even the eggs
are judging me."
:)

Monday, November 24, 2008

Thanksgiving is coming (I can already feel the after-dinner yawn coming on)

I am cooking Thanksgiving dinner this year. This will be my second time hosting; last year I hosted my mother and father-in-law, my husband's grandmother and brother. This year will be my parents, sister, and aunt, as well as the four of us.

Besides obviously being in charge of the bird, I will be making gravy, cranberry pineapple sauce, stuffing, green beans, rolls, my mom's yummy salad - a jell-o/tapioca/fruit/cool-whip concoction(anyone who has ever been to anything my mom has hosted knows what I am talking about), apple pie, chocolate chip cookies, and a nibbling tray in case I am late with dinner. (Last year I was only five minutes late, but you never know.)

Mom is making her legendary sweet potato casserole that is the stuff legends are made of. :) And I talked her into making the mashed potatoes too, as one type of potato is just not enough. I love carbs, but detest peeling potatoes, so thanks, Mom. She is also bringing a chocolate lush for my sister's birthday which is Friday, so we will sing to her on Thursday while we are all together. My aunt is bringing a pumpkin pie, because you can't have Thanksgiving without a pumpkin pie.

I finished my food shopping today for the big day. I think. I will probably be back at some store this week. I thought I could stay somewhere close to my usual weekly grocery budget. I didn't. And that is okay. Since I have company over for dinner about 3 times a year, I can splurge on these celebratory occasions. And celebrating the estimated 36, 476 things we have to be thankful for is a pretty good reason to celebrate, don't you think?

A week of thanks is better than just a day, so Happy Thanksgiving Week everybody!
And to get us in the thanking spirit, leave a comment with an "I am thankful for..."
(come on lurkers, you can do it!)
I am thankful for all of you who take the time to read here. I hope you have a great time with family and friends, hearts full of love and gratitude, and bellies full of food.

On Saturday

I did this:


Joey did this:


This was a snack.



Good times.

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Holding tight

I am so happy I have my daughter. I am so happy I have my Joey too, but I have always had a desire for a daughter and am so pleased the Lord gave me this crazy, quirky girl named Katie. I love to hold her, and she loves to be held. Since she was just a little thing, she has given me "monkey hugs", where she hugs not just with her arms, but with her legs as well, all curled around me tight.

At night, when I rock her before I lay her down, is my favorite time. Chest to chest we rock together, her head on my shoulder, my hair between her fingers. She is relaxed, and so am I. There are no distractions or annoyances. I just rock, and hold, and enjoy her. Sometimes, in these moments of enjoying my Katie, I miss my Natalie.

My mind has played through all the moments and milestones - first steps, first words, pretty dresses and pigtails - that I will never enjoy with Natalie. After I got pregnant with Joey, I feared it would be difficult to not constantly compare my child in my arms with my child in Heaven. Surprisingly, that has never been my reality. The Lord has blessed me with the ability to enjoy my children, without comparison. I miss Natalie, and I always will, but it never interferes with the pleasure and joy I experience as I see each day unfold for the two I have with me.

Though from time to time, holding my little girl does make me long to hold my Natalie again. Holding Natalie was all I was able to really do in our time together. But I wish I could have held her longer; letting her go was the hardest thing I ever had to do. Some nights I hold Katie and the prayer escapes my heart, Lord, please don't take this one too. But every time I pray that prayer, I hear a gentle whisper telling me she is not my own.

She is yours, Lord.

So I hold my daughter in my arms. I rock her to sleep and love every second of it. I can never hold Natalie again on this earth; I can savor each embrace with Katie. I hold on tight. And I will trust my Lord if I ever have to let go.

Friday, November 21, 2008

T minus 5 days, 19 hours and counting

The turkey has landed. I repeat, the turkey has landed.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Three Thanks Thursday

Today I am thankful that:
  1. I mowed the lawn for the last time (hopefully) this year.
  2. I had a little time at the mall - just me and a cup of Starbucks.
  3. God answered my prayer for Adam to sell his car this week. Amen!

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

It is 2 p.m.

Katie has bowel issues, and the resulting bad diaper rash.
I have a headache (it's back) and allergies.
I am in my pajamas.
It's all good.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Oh, yeah!

I just spent the last 10 minutes making myself non-hideous. Because...

I am going on a date! Adam called around 4 and told me a baby-sitter would be here at 7 and we are going out to dinner. Together. No children. How wonderful is that!? I do have to slave through making some french toast for the kids, but then off for some alone time and a yummy dinner with my most favorite person in the whole wide world (which is worth every brush stroke that went into the non-hideous endeavor)

I am so happy! (and so thankful the LORD took my headache away - I was fighting off a doozy I thought might ruin tonight, but I prayed for healing and He did, amen!)

Good enough

I am so glad I do not have to work my way to Heaven.

I am eternally grateful for the free gift of salvation. What if salvation was because of my good works? I would have to work hard everyday to prove to the Lord that I love him enough, that I am dedicated enough, that I am worthy; and everyday I would fail, fail, fail.

I can never prove my goodness to the LORD, because I am not good.

What a relief to know that Jesus's goodness is good enough. I enter Heaven claiming Jesus. And then spend the rest of eternity praising Him. It is simple and magnificently wonderful at the same time.

Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Titus 3:5

It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect. Psalm 18:32

That is good enough for me.

Monday, November 17, 2008

Mmmm

Since I purchased a few booklets of McDonald's trick-or-treat coupons, we have stopped to get (free) burgers a little more often than usual. Katie quickly learned what those golden arches mean, and when I drive by a McDonald's restaurant she says, "Buhguh, Buhguh!" (Katie speak for burger).

Then last Sunday Katie pointed to an upper case M on the cover of Joey's notebook and said, "Buhguh"! She has since pointed to an m in the text of one of her books, as well as the M in the word May on our months-of-the-year chart and proclaimed "buhguh."

It would figure that Katie's first stroke of genius would have to do with food.

That's my girl!

Saturday, November 15, 2008

life of endless bliss

It is one of those days. I am feeling less than enchanted. It's hard to find my happy, little working song. I wish my prince was home, instead of off slaying the trolls from the land of Paythebills.

But...

Even though I wasn't sent yellow flowers on this gray-sky day, I do have a love note in hand. I was attacked with the truest of true love's hugs and kisses by my two little people. I really will live happily ever after, forever, someday. And as the queen of this castle, I have the option to put a DVD on in the middle of the day:)

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Three Thanks Thursday

Today I am thankful for:
  1. Sleeping with Katie in my bed for an hour after she woke up too early this morning. I rarely have my kids in bed with me, and she was warm and cozy and perfect.

  2. Coffee.

  3. A long, hot shower. (a lovely morning)

Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart. Psalm 32:11

The girl has issues

Saturday night after dinner Katie was in a fussy mood. She didn't want what she had, but nothing else was really pleasing her either. After the twentieth or so little squeal left her whiney, little lips Adam said, "Katie, you have issues."

Katie looked right at him and immediately left the room. She returned a moment later and gave him a box of tissues.

That girl cracks me up.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

My Knight in Shining Armor





I wish I could write how much I love this boy. I wish I could explain how thankful I am that the LORD blessed me with such a wonderful son. Joey brings me joy, laughter, love, hugs, kisses, and compassion everyday of my life.

And I think if he had to, he'd slay dragons for me.


Monday, November 10, 2008

Hesitancy

One of the reasons I wanted to start a blog was to have a place where I could talk about Natalie if I wanted. There are just a handful of people in my life with whom I can freely discuss her without being nervous that I am making them feel awkward. And even if the conversation wouldn't make them feel awkward, sometimes I feel like stillbirth and the following grief and memories aren't always the most delightful conversation topics.

As I begin to think of posting about her I am hesitant. I love her so much, and it is hard to understand how I will communicate what a beautiful part of my life she is. However, one of the hurts of stillbirth is that your child is gone from the minds of many long before you are ready to be done thinking, remembering, and speaking of her.

By posting about her here, I am allowing complete strangers to read about her, and my fear is that it would seem as though I am trying to garner an emotional response to gain readership. Please know that would never be the case; a post about Natalie or my grief over losing her is just another post about one of my children - me sharing what is going on in my life.

So I will post about her from time to time. It will be a change of pace from my usual, silly stuff. You can choose to read or not read, and I like that. If you are a reader who is also my friend, I consider it an honor to share more of her with you. If you do not know me personally, I hope I will be able to convey the scope of the work God did and continues to do in my life by allowing my daughter to be born in Heaven five years ago.

Saturday, November 8, 2008

What happens when you let your 20-month-old daughter play in the brush-filled lot next door while you are mowing in the rain

Kate's new hairstyle courtesy of a wad of prickers the size of a baseball getting tangled in her hair. I took the photo after I had removed most of them. (Being the good mom that I am, I decided it was better to relieve her discomfort than get the real wowzer photo.)

Friday, November 7, 2008

Boy Genius?

We were driving home from Giant today when Joey shouted from the backseat, his finger pointing out the window, "Look, Mom, look! A monkey!...Uh, no, ...a cat!"

The boy has some serious animal recognition skills.

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Three Thanks Thursday

Today I am thankful that:

  1. The election is over, finally over. It did not turn out how I had hoped, but I don't have to sit around and mope. The kids and I have started to pray for Mr. Obama's salvation and that he will see the truth of God's Word.
  2. I can pray for my friend who is in the middle of a hard trial. I am not stuck with just giving care, concern, and hugs. I have the gift of talking to my Father and Creator about her needs. And I pray knowing He loves and cares for her a billion times more than I do.
  3. I had bacon with my Thursday waffles. If you haven't guessed by now, I am a food lover. And the salty crunch of the bacon was the perfect compliment to Adam's waffles.

Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who trusteth in him! Psalm 34:8

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Meet the enemy

I hardly ever buy chips. The reason being if I buy chips, I eat them. But I made bean soup that was short of extraordinary, and some crushed corn chips were just what it needed.

Do you see how few chips are left in the bag? That is after only two bowls of soup; two bowls of soup and me standing at the counter, eating chip after chip dipped into sour cream while I wait for my soup to reheat. It's terrible, I know.

The fight is on bag of corn chips! I'm on to your salty, crunchy tricks. You can't beat me!

(aren't you glad I posted a photo today, instead of yesterday?
I decided posting photos of dead birds wasn't the best way to lure in new readers)

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Inspect your deck

Joey ran inside. "Mommy, come see the bird we found! You gotta come see it!"

He was outside on the deck, so I guessed maybe a bird was caught in the playhouse. I walked outside and found Katie holding a beautiful, red, very dead cardinal.

I consider today the day I learned to inspect my deck for dead fowl before I let the children play.

vote

I had CNN on for one minute this morning before I put on Little Bear for Joey. They showed the lines of people outside, in the rain, waiting to vote. And I welled up with tears. I cry easily, so those tears are no big deal. But the fact that each one of us has a voice, and has the freedom to use that voice, is a big deal.

I will vote today, and you probably will too. In addition to voting, let's be thankful.

For our country, our freedom, and our vote.

Monday, November 3, 2008

I never thought I'd say...

...these special instructions for the church nursery workers:

"Katie doesn't have her shoes on because she burned her toes on the waffle iron. There is Dermoplast in her diaper bag if she seems uncomfortable."