Things I've Learned

I have virtually no control over what I really care about, what REALLY matters to me. All the little attention to detail (what Shawn says is being ocd) is just a time-waster. Seriously. 10 loads of laundry piled. The world didn't end.

I ran out of diapers. (had a spare in van). My baby boy didn't fall apart. He was wet but fine until we got some. I loved this lesson. Planning shmanning.

KIDS REALLY DON'T care what you know til they know how much you care. That has a whole new meaning w' my own. I knew it as a teacher but it is not the same as w' your own. Grace saw me care for her while I was sick. I wanted to take it for her. I really did. She would say "I won't ask you to do anything else mommy." Or, "I don't want you to have to get up any more momma." I told her I would keep doing and keep getting up :).

God healed a lot of people in the Bible. It's good to read some of the healings. Good for the spirit to remember God's power and what He can and has already done.

God's timing is perfect. I wouldn't choose for my kids to stub their toes, but when they do, or when they're down and out w' a virus, I have to trust HIS timing to relent and release it. And believe it. Say it. Believe it WILL BE DONE. Move mountain! (book of Mark, can't remember verses).

I can survive on little sleep. I can survive with a dirty house (this is bigger than little sleep). I can survive on take-out. I used to think if I kept the house sanitized enough, gave the kids healthy food, etc then they would never get sick. I actually think I thought this. To some degree for sure. Well, it only has a bit of truth to it. And the most of it that isn't true sucks up too much time that I could be spending w' my family, loving them, and laughing.

Playing w' the kids is the most fun. I used to dislike it til Feb 18th.

God provides in neat, neat ways like Noah John being so mature and patient and understanding (Mommy sick. Sissy sick. Daddy sick.) And bless his heart, he would sit in a wet dipe for a bit longer than usual and suck his thumb, just good as gold. Sweet spirited child. And when I would say I can't to this or that or please wait...he would say "OTAY mommy." And he would sit back down and suck his little thumb and wait (most of the time).

I don't have a facebook addiction or a food addiction. I have a priorities out of whack issue. They are in order now. GOD please help me keep them there. I don't want to waste time. I want to use it right.

In the end, all I have is God. That's all I have to say.

Pneumonia

Wow! I looked at my drafts on blogger today and had started one titled PNEUMONIA on February 25. Unfortunately, Grace is STILL battling the yucky sickness. She hasn't been to school in over 2 wx. Please pray for her! She is better for sure. She had a setback or she would have returned to school last Friday. The day before she was to go back (dr release) she spiked a fever then the next night it got to 104 :(. So now, I am thinking maybe next Monday. That would make a full 3 wx out. We will see what her ped says tomorrow. Tomorrow will make her 4th time at doc since Feb. 18. Whew! One of the visits was a real memory-maker but unfortunately not good memories...when she had to have her throat swabbed and blood drawn, it was a disaster. It was traumatic actually. Enough said about that. Enough said about all this. Just pray. It's been rough. (And what I'm leaving out is we have all four been sick and mine just relented really well today!!!)

Magic Kingdom was Magical!

Shawn and I attended a Farm Bureau Young Farmer's Conference in Orlando recently.  We took advantage of it and took Miss Grace to Disney World!  I was pleasantly surprised with it!  Neither Grace nor I had been before.  I am not an amusement park fan, so the fact that I thoroughly enjoyed it says a whole lot!  It was super organized, clean, and relaxing. 

We left Noah John behind, with my parents.  We decided it wasn't quite the right fit for him at this age, because he doesn't know many of the characters, etc...plus, in reality, at this stage, I knew he would have much more fun with Nonna and Poppa.  We actually met mom and dad  (and Aunt Jackie and Uncle Henry) in GA at my cousin Chelsea's wedding.  Grace was in the wedding.  Her name was in the program as "Princess Grace Brumfield."  Aunt Becky even bought her a tiara to wear.  Sweet.  She felt special. 

While she did look like a princess, the bride, my cousin who I love like a sister, was beautiful.  That fur wrap was gorgeous!  It was unusually cold in GA so she definitely needed it!

After the wedding reception (which was a luncheon), we left for FL.  When we parted ways, Grace still didn't know we were taking her to Disney.  She knew we were going to FL, but that was all she knew.  Here is her expression when we told her.

I am going to include a few pictures, although they don't do justice to the great time we had.  It was nice to spend time just with Grace.  She was a sweetheart and soaked in a lot of fun and attention from mommy and daddy.  She giggled and grinned and played for days (except for first thing in the morning-like her daddy on that one!)  We enjoyed getting one on one time with each other.  It was a reminder that our kids want and need individual attention.  I am always telling Grace we have enough love for both she and her brother, which we do, but Shawn and I both crave time to focus on one child at a time.  Grace hadn't really had that since we had NJ and it was good for her too.  Although, she did say SEVERAL TIMES that she couldn't wait to see her brother, this trip goes down in happy history as having served its purpose (although it may not happen again for awhile lol).  :)  Don't worry, we hope to do the very same thing for Noah John when he is 4 and are already planning to save for it!  Love being back as a family of 4, but we were certainly reminded to take time with each child.

 

                                  Breakfast with her fave character: Alice!

                                   More characters from "Alice in Wonderland."

Meeting Rapunzel and Flynn from "Tangled" was a highlight of the trip!

& finally, Cinderella's castle, illuminated at night....

            I can't end the post without including this pic of us the last night there!

As we were driving back, our parents called and warned us of snow, snow, and more snow in TN.  They were right!  We had to stop and spend the night south of Nashville.  I had not planned for this extra day apart from Noah John so I was very ready to see him today!  He gave me a big wide grin with his eyes all squinty.  I picked him up and it felt like he had gained 5 lbs!!!  Knowing mom, he did!!!  haha  Glad to be home now and very grateful for a great and safe trip!

January

I typically really like January.  It's my birth month.  I like snow.  I like starting anew each year.  BUT this year January has taken a new meaning:  COLD temps and a 1 and 4 yr old don't mix!  Noah John wants to go outside ("ou-si" as he says) so bad.  He has begged several times and when I say no, he cries.  Grace has asked to play outside several times too.  I can't believe it but I have spring fever-and obviously I got it from my children.  Kids, coats, hats...more to lug around this time of year!

I had a blessed birthday.  I got a pedicure to start the evening off right!  Shawn and I went to DiFabio's and then shopping!  I bought 3 new coats with bday $!  Yes three!  I have been called the queen of coats by my accountability gp at church.  Good thing I'm not having to be accountable to them for impulsivity.

Noah had his 18 mo checkup this month.  He is in the 40-50% group for height and weight.  He showed off a lot for the med student and his ped.  (opened up and said 'ahhhh' when asked to, told them a choo-choo was outside, grinned, flirted, talked a lot).  To quote his ped, "He's definitely on-track developmentally, which is not surprising."  I guess reading to a kid really does help huh!  :)

I read The New Strong-Willed Child by James Dobson in late Dec.  It was okay at first...until Grace came home from a 3day stay in Monticello and I was floored.  It was GREAT!  She has not had a major meltdown since.  I want everyone w' a strong-willed child to know...there is hope!  And the best part is she is a hundred times happier and more cooperative so we can do normal, fun stuff together!  She is such a funny little girl.  We went to see some friends yesterday and she told me she wanted to say something to their little girl (Grace's "best friend") to really make her laugh as soon as we got there.  She loves to make others laugh and to laugh.  She is a happy, intelligent 4 yr old.  I am grateful to God for his patience with ME as I stumbled through the first 3 years of raising a sw child.  It might be a play on words (her name) but I can't think of a better way to say it:  If it weren't for God's grace, I would have been a lost cause as a parent on more than one occasion :(.  For that, I'm regretful.  Not that I expect myself to be perfect, just patient.  It has taken me YEARS but my husband has rubbed off on me, and I really am learning to be more patient.  It is wonderful, because there are many times when patience is a must (or else moods go downhill, complaints fly freely, focusing on the RIGHT things gets lost, etc).

I have been devouring The Word recently and I want to share something from the book of James.  "...everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.  For man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.  Therefore get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you which can save you."  This script really speaks to my heart.  What I hear when I read it is that I should listen more than I talk and that EVIL IS SO PREVALENT.  BUT the WORD OF GOD IS PLANTED IN ME.  I thanked God yesterday and will again now that the WORD IS PLANTED IN ME.  I have said it and thought it many times...each time I am faced with a temptation of various sorts, I have an "out" if I want it.  I knew the way out was provided by the Holy Spirit but now I know it is provided by Him planting HIS WORD IN ME.  That is so very comforting to me.  To know...it's there...I don't have to do anything.  Because I'm a Christian, it is THERE.

Grace tried out for Hansel and Gretel Ballet this past Sunday.  She did an excellent job.  We prayed beforehand that she would do her best and thanked God that her best is good enough for Him.  She made it through first cuts and it looks as if she will be a dewdrop fairy and have a small role.  Being "mommy" to Grace and Noah is second only to my relationship w' God and then Shawn.  When I get any of those out of order, things do not go well for long.  I am so thankful that there is a proper balance and love it when I find it and keep it, because it is easy to get things out of order.

I signed up to run a half-marathon on April 30th.  I trained for a week then quit (long story) but plan to resume as soon as I kick this cold.  I plan to run 6 or 7 miles and power-walk the remainder.  I'm excited and know that ONLY with GOD can I do this (I am NOOOOOT a runner).  I have started a Bible Study called "The Lord's Table" and it is phenomenal.  After only 1 week, I have seen how wonderful it is.  It is written for an addiction ministry and deals w' filling up on SPIRITUAL FOOD.  In my 1 wk I have seen how true it is...I never get full on junk food but I always get full when I read the Bible etc.  I am looking more and more forward to seeing what God has to show me and teach me in the study.

I have jumped topics like a hot potato.  Noah is up and I have had so much hot tea (cough, clear itchy throat) and water that I am going to float out of here.  I hope to update on Christmas very, very soon.  I apologize for going out of order.  I want to put a couple of Christmas pictures on here with the Christmas post.

Christmas!!!

WHITE CHRISTMAS!

Grace's picture is having trouble uploading.

We spent Christmas day in Monticello this year.  It was an extra special Christmas for that fact and also, it snowed!!!  After a good effort at attending the Christmas Eve Service (Noah John was a handful!),   Shawn and I stayed up late wrapping the kids' gifts while big fat snowflakes fell outside.  It was beautiful.  Thank you God.  Your creativity and beauty on this earth astound me.  I can't imagine heaven.  It must be breath-taking. 

The kids were very grateful for their gifts and took their time opening each gift.  I liked that.  No rushing through and wreaking havoc, thus forgetting what they just opened ;).  Grace helped Noah John open his gifts and ooh'd and ahh'd over his gifts which thrilled him lots.  It was sweet.

The whole day was magical, like it should be. 

We celebrated with Robert, Amanda, Callie, Isabelle, and Clark on Christmas Eve.  Callie and I decorated the tables and mom cooked the food.  We put an extra big spoon at one place setting and whoever sat there, unbeknownst to them, had what we called the 'big mouth.'  The 'big mouth' shared a memory from a Christmas past.  Amanda was the lucky one to get the place setting w' the big spoon and she talked about how she and her family used to go out to her great-grandmother's land and cut down a tree each year.  Every family member shared a story.  Some shared 3 or 4 memories.  Some stories spurred questions and then more stories poured.  When it was my turn, I just sat and cried.  It was a meaningful Christmas for me because it was the first one that I had ever celebrated with my dad since he quit drinking.  He quit 2 1/2 years ago but I hadn't been with him the other 2 Christmases.  My tears were sheer joy and relief and thanks to God for pulling us through.  And for being faithful b'c when dad turned away, God shined his light on him and delivered him.  It kind of hit me slowly then gushed out like water from a faucet.  It started when dad prayed over the food.  I'm abbreviating, but he said thank you to the Lord for piercing his heart with 2 little eyes (my oldest niece, his 1st grandchild) that saved his soul.  He went on to say that one day he looked and saw 2 little eyes watching him and now there are 5 sets of little eyes.  In other words, well there are no words more that can really pay tribute, accurately and thoroughly describe, the things that were said or the emotion that was felt, or the honesty that was laid out like a quilt ... a quilt that had patches and patches from years and years of toil, work, tears, but finally it's complete and now we can all just sort of cover ourselves with it and know that God's redemption is what kept it together then so that we can enjoy it now, and only we know where we've been and what we've seen...and only God could erase all of that.  He is a redeemer.  You know, the kids never asked (Callie, Isabelle, or Grace) why I cried so.  They just sort of took it for what it was, as if there were nothing unusual about it.

So, to close, I'll say this was a Christmas that goes down in history for many reasons-the kids, dad, being 'home', the snow....it was a slow, un-rushed time.  I'm so glad we strive for that each year!  I often hear about people getting caught in the hustle and bustle of the season but that just never tempts me...I tend to slow down and pull back at Christmas and enjoy what really matters:  my family and friends.

   

A Social Network Christmas

Big Conversation

Grace and I had a deep conversation yesterday about heaven and hell.  It started with three questions.
First:  "Momma, who makes people?"  (God). 
Second: "Momma, is hell real?"  (Yes).
Third:  "Why do people go to hell?"  (Through unbelief and unacceptance of Christ).

I think God gave me the words to clearly explain the story of creation, b'c when I started talking, it was as if each word made great sense to her.  I began answering the ?s by talking about Adam and Eve being the first humans on the earth to how they sinned when they ate from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, to how we all sin now and how God sent his son (baby Jesus-Christmas!) to die for us on the cross, rise 3 days later, ascend into heaven with God to live in heaven until He comes back for Christians...and how Christians will then live forever in Heaven with God and Jesus.  It ended with how important it is that we love the Lord and share Him with others. 

"I do love God, Momma."

The sweetest words I have ever heard. 

"Faith like a child..."