Can I have a time out?

It's so easy to get out of the habit.  Of recording memories, of describing days.  It's just a season. : )

My friend, Heidi, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and I've been sad for her.  She's on my mind daily.  Prayers are going up.  She started her third round of chemo today.  My mom was diagnosed with CLL (chronic lymphocytic leukemia), and she was very worried, but she's being brave now.  She needs a bone marrow aspiration, but she's putting it off.  My friend, Hawley, has breast cancer, and is starting her second round of chemo tomorrow.  There's a lot going on, and we're in prayer.  Prayer for healing and prayers for understanding.  God is a big God, and we know He's can see through to the other side.  We're all just walking in faith for now.

My sweet little baby is no longer a baby.  He's almost three.  Hard to believe.  He potty trained, and every now and then makes it through a nap dry.  He still doesn't want a big boy bed.  I already have a bed, bedding, and some new decor for his room (he likes stars right now and asks for the Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star song often), so I got him all stars.  I know he'll change, but it'll remind me of these days. ; )
 

They both entered a building contest at Legoland when we were there on Ethan's birthday.

Ethan is a big eight.  Tonight I got so angry at him.  He ran a huge tub of water (he's overflowed the tub before, often runs the hot water tank out of hot water-tough when there are other kids needing baths), and then let the water out..and sat and watched tv upstairs the entire time.  He never even got undressed, much less got in the tub.  I have to say I was mean.  I made him get a bath, clean up his room, brush his teeth, and go to bed.  I even sat in his desk chair while he read.  I just couldn't read to/with him.  (I sat and prayed the entire time for my anger to go away.  Boohoo.)  I did kiss him goodnight though.

I bet God gets mad at us like that sometimes too.  When I go through the motions and don't really hear people.  ..I really despise night time.  I hate making lunches and lunch notes, checking blood sugars, making basal changes, doing site changes, and staying on everyone to brush their teeth, take medicine, read, no ipads, do homework, it goes on and on.  I am so tired at the end of the day.  And I still have mommy stuff to do.  My job is never-ending, just like everyone else's.

I've had a good month of being super thankful for the normal, everyday routine.  Just thankful for the health to do it all.  In the midst of all the sickness, we've been healthy.  I can NOT take that for granted.  This is just a reminder for me to keep at it.  Keep plugging away.

She did her own bun and wanted a picture so she could see how it actually looked from behind.  Growing up.

Mary Claire has been taking a semi-private cheer class with three of her friends.  She's decided to try out for cheer at school this year.  She's been in and out of gymnastics and dance since she was eighteen months.  When she decided to quit, I let her.  Now she is so upset that I let her. (ha!)  She regrets the time she missed and how behind she got.  I hope even if she doesn't make the team that she'll stick with it.  It's been awesome for her blood sugars!  Her basals are down, and her numbers are still good/low.  Just that extra hour or so a day has allowed her a little more freedom in eating, and reduced level of insulin.  So healthy.

Clay actually won his age division building contest with his rattlesnake head that opened.  They sent him this huge Lego kit from the Lego Movie and four tickets to Legoland as his prize. : )  He was very excited since he said he'd never won anything in his life.

Clay is better.  He had some bad grades, and he's back up to all A's.  I've had to sit with him daily to make sure things are done, and his grades are posted online.  He admitted he just didn't want to do the homework.  He missed a couple days for high blood sugars and didn't get his make up work.  The teachers in junior high do NOT chase you down to give you homework..it's the student's job.  That's been hard for him. 

His face is better.  He was really plagued with pimples, and was picking his skin.  His pediatrician was rather alarmed at what damage he'd done.  He wanted his nails cut to the quick and filed every three days.  He sees a dermatologist and a psychologist, and we've all been on top of it..but it was a new wake-up call.  It was getting infected.  He's on a twice daily antibiotic now..and it's helped tremendously.

My goal has been to give Ches three tagged gifts a day..even little things like socks (You knock my socks off!) or an army man (I can't fight this feeling anymore!)..in our two weeks of Valentine's.  The kids are helping me..especially with the army men. ; )

I think just trying to keep so many things balanced for everyone else can be really difficult.  Of course I get overwhelmed and stressed.  I learned this great technique..when you are feeling sorry for yourself and your hard life, it helps to go find someone to serve.  A friend, child, neighbor, husband, whoever needs help.  It really takes my eyes off myself, and helps me refocus.  It's saved me a few times. : )  Maybe that's why I'm not so diabetes focused..

..and I just found out we missed Ethan's school conference today.  Another tally mark against the Mom-of-the-Year award.  We covered JDRF Mom's Lunch, play date, band sectionals, boy scouts, cheer and open gym..but missed a conference.  I just can't keep up.  I'm totally calling for a time out.  Can I do that?

In the multitude of anxieties within me, your comforts delight my soul. Psalm 94:19

Hugs, y'all!  Thinking of you and lifting up prayers daily.  We are in this together! : )

 

Teacher *Love*

Slower describes today-good thing! : )  Ethan and I hung around the house this morning, cleaned downstairs, mopped, did laundry, and then I got a shower, did my nails, and we went Out.  (love, love, love Out!)
We started at the school-Sissy wanted some medicine (she's fine on the weekend, and nights, but feels sick at school.  Hmm.)  So, I'm handy-I took her medicine! : )
Then we went to Wal-Mart which turned into a three hour thing.  We got our pictures printed, shopped for groceries, then he always gets "hungry" when he walks by Subway (good advertising, Subway!-the veggies on the front counter always makes kids hungry).  We got some apple slices (that were out of date, and brown!), then a pizza sub, and he got some chips.  Then after we'd just sat down, he needed to go to the bathroom.  I told the lady we were leaving our food (and our paid-for groceries!) and we'd be back-I didn't want her to throw our food away! : )
Next, we were off to Colliers to pick up the other five insulin pens we didn't get yesterday!  Ahh, then some art, kids' conferences, dinner, boy scouts, games (Hi-Ho-Cheerio!), books, and bed.

I have to say i *love* the kids' teachers.  They are soooo sweet.  I'm just so thankful for the blessing.  We pray everyday for the teachers at the school, for blessings on them, answered prayers for them-we pray for all of them, but I happen to know that happy teachers are great teachers. : )  Mary Claire has done very well, only needs to improve on math and writing-those we know. : )  She is at a 5.6 reading level (fifth grade, sixth month), and don't I know it!  She loves to read.  Her teacher said she is quiet in class-shock to me!  I guess she didn't get my awful talking gene?  My teachers always wrote about my talking on my report card!  hahaha-if I was still getting a report card, they'd still be writing it! : )

Clay had an amazing conference!  He is doing so well, read three times his reading goal for the 9 weeks already, and scored amazingly well on his Benchmark test from the spring.  I cried.  Yes, I know, Psycho.  I couldn't help it!  I was just happy, proud, thrilled, uh-amazed?  We've just come so far from a couple years ago when he used to stand at his desk, get in trouble for talking, not concentrating on work, etc.  His teacher was so complementary-it was so sweet.  I felt like a weirdo crying, but I think just knowing that we nailed the ADHD felt so good.  Like we did the right thing, the money for testing was worth it, the perseverance has paid off.  He is finally acheiving closer to his IQ.  He had such a discrepancy between his IQ and where he was performing (which is one way they diagnose), and now-MaGiC!  I'm just so thankful (and this is one place that the English language fails-there aren't exciting enough words to describe my happy feelings!)

I came home to tell them all the good things their teachers had to say, show them their great grades and scores from testing-I was so happy for them! : )  They bless my soul.  When you have kids, you try hard to help them be all God wants them to be, but you never know if you are hitting the mark.  And then one day, you get a hint that you might be doing something right.  Precious.

Here is Ethan painting (half-naked-well..he had a new shirt on today, and I didn't want paint on it!):

Here is the finished product.  Kinda green!  It's the only color he wanted, so I gave him a few greens:

This is Clay working on his Titanic some more:

This is his finished painting:

And I worked a little bit on Ethan's canvas for his bathroom.  I painted the dots after school, then added the paper and Mod-Podge this evening.  I'll finish tomorrow-I think bed is calling my name now.  ..maybe I should change my name? : )  heehee

Recall spurns me to create!

I always want to write, "What a day". It's just what comes to mind.

Today, I took Ethan to Mother's Day Out. He was so excited! As soon as we pulled up, he wanted OuT of the van! : ) It makes me feel better that he really likes it. He was an angel when I dropped him off, and he never looked back.
I ran tons of errands: Christian Book Outlet (Valentines and thank you cards and a cross for Clay), Westwood Gardens (pansies for me and Mom), Gymboree (clothes for Sis-long story, maybe I'll tell later..), Wal-Mart (return, party supplies, Tide, post-its, panini grill, meat and cheese), JCPenneys (Mary Claire 2 dresses to try, sweater, me shirt), Yankee Candle (Cottage Breeze), Brighton (took in watch for repair-3rd time it's broken!), then back to get Ethan. Whew.
He was ready to go, and just hugged me! He picked a root beer dum-dum, and off we went! He watched a Strawberry Shortcake video on the way home, and didn't fall asleep, thank goodness. When we got there, he kept saying, "drink". He climbed in my front seat, took my drink, and started drinking. I started unloading the van, and he spilled the drink all over his clothes, my seat, and all over the van. Ick. I cleaned him up and just put him in comfy jammies, and got him ready for nap.

As he slept, I got stuff put away, read a magazine article, then got to work sewing! I made Mary Claire a new pair of capris to match a shirt I got at Gymboree that didn't have pants to match in her size. (I'm choosing not to tell the Long Story about the adorable plaid pants with butterflies sewn on to the bottom sides that have been recalled and couldn't be sold to me after I'd matched a shirt and socks to it and the outfits I got all matched: sweater, socks, leggings, skirt, shorts, shirts, hair ponies, etc.) Anyway, for this one shirt, I made the pants (modified Clay's old jeans...) and made matching bows tonight for her hair (assuming maybe she'll wear braids or pigtails?). It only took me ALL afternoon! Anyway, very cute. I'll try to post pix.

Tonight, more busy. Kids' conferences, paninis for dinner-yum!, Clay's first confession, baths, more jammies, bow making-3 total, little phone time, travel planning-more of the cheap flights to Orlando ($29 each way, but $11 to choose your seat, $30 for a checked bag, etc.) We are deciding...maybe in May? Mary Claire can go to the park free on her birthday!

Well, off to bed. I'm listening to the wind, storming, and bad news about the 600 people laid off from WM home office, and the 3 people already killed and 50-60 injured in Oklahoma from the storms headed this way. I might need to rest up in case we're up with scared kids later.
Good night, sleep tight. Don't let the bed bugs bite. : )