It is amazing what a commercial can do for conversation with your children! I am thankful that David was not too interested. Alexandra, on the other hand, wanted to know what those "pads with wings" were for. I told her the brief answer. Those are for when a woman has her menstral cycle. What is that? was the reply. I explained that we could talk about it later. So, later, talk we did.
It was pretty easy. I told her about the egg, the uterus, the lining of the uterus, how the egg implants in the lining if it is fertilized, and how, if the egg is not fertilized, the lining sheds. She asked appropriate questions and concluded that the whole thing was "really wweeiirrdd!" She made some jokes about laying eggs and that was about it.
So incredibly glad that we did not have to get in to the whole thing about fertilization and how that actually occurs! Whew. Bullet dodged!
I have also been reading Cure for the Common Life by Max Lucado. My honey listened to the book on tape while traveling and I told him I would read it while he was gone so we could compare notes. Anyway, it talks about how many eggs each woman has 10 ^3000 (10 to the 3000th power) and how many sperm each man makes. Instead of talking about fertilization, we talked about how wonderfully and beautifully made she is. That God needed just that specific egg and sperm to make her and He knew just which one to pick. It was fantastic! The conversation closed with her smiling and us praying. God is so good. He knew I would need that...
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Just when you thought it was safe to go outside....
I was watering my plants in the front of the house this afternoon and came across two lizards in my ficus tree. I saw the female first, then the male appeared on the pot after jumping up from the steps below. I watched and this is what transpired. Mind you, I have about 12 pictures...my husband thinks I am twisted. I had to show my kids too. We had a nice little talk about it! Happy spring!
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Chocolate Milk...
I kept David home today from school because he has his first ear infection. He is 6 years old. So, I took him to see his daddy, got a perscription for Amoxil and proceeded with my day. We had so much fun! We ordered him a castle from Amazon that he had finally saved enough money for. We were thrilled when we realized the price had come down $10 and he actually had enough for some accessories. 6 years old and he saved $138 for the Schleig (or something like that) castle. I am so proud of him.
Anyway, we went on to get the medicine and to Target to check out the accessories...On the way, we decided we would eat at Little Caesar's pizza, David's favorite pizza place. I asked him if he wanted to go to the park to eat. "No, let's just eat it in Target." I explained that would not be allowed and he decided we should just eat in the car. We picked out our drink and, thinking he would be "healthy" David got chocolate milk. Can I just say that we should have eaten at the park? All over the front seat as I said, "Let's be real careful with the M I L K...!" Needless to say, we spent the rest of the afternoon, actually I spent the rest of the afternoon, cleaning out the car. Of course, AFTER we went in to check out castle accessories! : )
I thought he was all right and feeling better than last night. I was telling his daddy about the great day we had, just the two of us hanging out, running errands, eating pizza in the car, spilling chocolate milk and spraying each other with water, etc. Then the ugly fever reared up and the crying, whining, sniffling started all over again. Darn that Advil...makes a mother think her child is fine and then it wears off and they are worse than before. Dosed up with more Advil, Amoxil, Zyrtec and off to bed after his shower. Poor baby! Guess we will have another mommy/son day tomorrow.
Anyway, we went on to get the medicine and to Target to check out the accessories...On the way, we decided we would eat at Little Caesar's pizza, David's favorite pizza place. I asked him if he wanted to go to the park to eat. "No, let's just eat it in Target." I explained that would not be allowed and he decided we should just eat in the car. We picked out our drink and, thinking he would be "healthy" David got chocolate milk. Can I just say that we should have eaten at the park? All over the front seat as I said, "Let's be real careful with the M I L K...!" Needless to say, we spent the rest of the afternoon, actually I spent the rest of the afternoon, cleaning out the car. Of course, AFTER we went in to check out castle accessories! : )
I thought he was all right and feeling better than last night. I was telling his daddy about the great day we had, just the two of us hanging out, running errands, eating pizza in the car, spilling chocolate milk and spraying each other with water, etc. Then the ugly fever reared up and the crying, whining, sniffling started all over again. Darn that Advil...makes a mother think her child is fine and then it wears off and they are worse than before. Dosed up with more Advil, Amoxil, Zyrtec and off to bed after his shower. Poor baby! Guess we will have another mommy/son day tomorrow.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Home...
What a week! I had an amazing time in Columbia, MO with my wonderful family. So nice that I can claim them as family. They are the neatest individuals and, as a whole, some of the neatest people I have ever known. Memories of the week include:
Lukas: "Bob, you are going the wrong way, Bob!" My first day in Columbia I took Lukas, Gedesa and my kids to Wal-mart. When I exclaimed that I had gone the wrong way, he said, "Mom, you're going the wrong way." I quickly commented that "I am not the momma!" My kids and present company thought that was funny and we decided that I would be called by Bob...the rest of the family adopted the name by the end of the week.
McKayley: Smiles and hugs when she realized I was there to help her, laughter and playfulness with my daughter, Alexandra, and wonderful willingness to help and complete her chores. I think I saw the greatest change in McKayley over the week. She and Alexandra had so much fun together. She and Lukas also celebrated their birthdays while we were there and I am so thankful that we got to share in their celebration. Favorite quote: "What was your name again?"
Jace: What a little man! I just want to hug him and give him lots of high fives! He is an amazing young man! He was incredibly encouraging with my son, David. Dave has some issues with food and Jace was wonderfully patient and encouraging. Jace was also willing to try new things without complaint and seemed so happy with each day. Favorite quote: "David, you just have to decide that you are not afraid, just tell yourself that it is going to be all right." It is always wonderful to have another child back you up. Our family has been telling David this for years but to hear it from Jace was huge in his little world. He is still telling himself that when he eats his dinner and has to eat something he doesn't like.
Faith: Little angel. "No, Jace, she is right, your school is right around the corner." and "I know where McKayley's book is, let me show you." She is so observant and helpful. On Tuesday I used my trusty GPS to get us to Jace's school. Not realizing it was just a couple of blocks away from the girl's school, I panicked when I saw the street to their place. I was baffled and thought that I had punched in the wrong address. I asked Jace if he knew where we were and he answered, " No, I have no idea!" As I was apologizing that I was going to make him late, Faith piped up in the back seat. Whoo!
Daizey and Deizel: I cannot express to you the joy I felt when Steff honked the horn to alert us of their arrival. I am so thankful that we were able to see them come home, so thankful that my kids got to meet them and love on them just a bit before we had to leave. I am looking forward to knowing them better and better. I see a great deal of spunk and determination in both of them. I am incredibly hopeful that they will continue to gain weight and be able to eat all of the calories that they have to every day.
Coming home has been a blessing. I saw my children subtly change over the last week. I felt myself change and have seen so many mundane tasks today with pleasure and a desire to fulfill even small needs has become joyful. My husband is the absolute best. I am so in love with him and so thankful for him. He is such a hard worker and loving man. He questioned my sanity when I told him what I thought needed to be done. But, all through the week, I could hear the love, compassion and joy in his heart as the news got better.
Thanks Bosters for allowing us to peek into your lives for a short time. I believe it has helped our family more than we ever thought possible. You guys rock!
Lukas: "Bob, you are going the wrong way, Bob!" My first day in Columbia I took Lukas, Gedesa and my kids to Wal-mart. When I exclaimed that I had gone the wrong way, he said, "Mom, you're going the wrong way." I quickly commented that "I am not the momma!" My kids and present company thought that was funny and we decided that I would be called by Bob...the rest of the family adopted the name by the end of the week.
McKayley: Smiles and hugs when she realized I was there to help her, laughter and playfulness with my daughter, Alexandra, and wonderful willingness to help and complete her chores. I think I saw the greatest change in McKayley over the week. She and Alexandra had so much fun together. She and Lukas also celebrated their birthdays while we were there and I am so thankful that we got to share in their celebration. Favorite quote: "What was your name again?"
Jace: What a little man! I just want to hug him and give him lots of high fives! He is an amazing young man! He was incredibly encouraging with my son, David. Dave has some issues with food and Jace was wonderfully patient and encouraging. Jace was also willing to try new things without complaint and seemed so happy with each day. Favorite quote: "David, you just have to decide that you are not afraid, just tell yourself that it is going to be all right." It is always wonderful to have another child back you up. Our family has been telling David this for years but to hear it from Jace was huge in his little world. He is still telling himself that when he eats his dinner and has to eat something he doesn't like.
Faith: Little angel. "No, Jace, she is right, your school is right around the corner." and "I know where McKayley's book is, let me show you." She is so observant and helpful. On Tuesday I used my trusty GPS to get us to Jace's school. Not realizing it was just a couple of blocks away from the girl's school, I panicked when I saw the street to their place. I was baffled and thought that I had punched in the wrong address. I asked Jace if he knew where we were and he answered, " No, I have no idea!" As I was apologizing that I was going to make him late, Faith piped up in the back seat. Whoo!
Daizey and Deizel: I cannot express to you the joy I felt when Steff honked the horn to alert us of their arrival. I am so thankful that we were able to see them come home, so thankful that my kids got to meet them and love on them just a bit before we had to leave. I am looking forward to knowing them better and better. I see a great deal of spunk and determination in both of them. I am incredibly hopeful that they will continue to gain weight and be able to eat all of the calories that they have to every day.
Coming home has been a blessing. I saw my children subtly change over the last week. I felt myself change and have seen so many mundane tasks today with pleasure and a desire to fulfill even small needs has become joyful. My husband is the absolute best. I am so in love with him and so thankful for him. He is such a hard worker and loving man. He questioned my sanity when I told him what I thought needed to be done. But, all through the week, I could hear the love, compassion and joy in his heart as the news got better.
Thanks Bosters for allowing us to peek into your lives for a short time. I believe it has helped our family more than we ever thought possible. You guys rock!
Friday, April 11, 2008
They'll be home for dinner...
Yippeeeeeeeee!!!! Steff and the little ones will be home in about 2 hours! Praise the Lord, oh my soul. I am so happy. Please, keep them in your prayers. Pray for acclimation, nourishment, weight gain, lack of nausea and vomiting, and for everyone to be able to get in to their new and improved life with JOY and GRACE. What a lovely gift for this day. Stop by toliveloveandlaugh.blogspot.com and Praise the Lord for His wonderful gifts and presence in our lives! Doin' the happy dance!
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Babies and Adventures...
I cannot express how blessed I feel to have been able to take care of such fabulous children and watch relationships flourish! We have had some incredible times this week. I am incredibly bummed that I don't have my camera. I would have loved to depict this week through pictures.
I feel as if my children are getting a glimpse of my childhood adventures with my cousins. We used to have the best times. We played Super Heroes with towels pinned to our backs or wrapped around our necks with ribbons all the time. This week the kids have been playing Indiana Jones. I have the perfect picture in my mind of all of the kids on the hammock in the front yard pretending they were on their way to a new "dig." Jace then used the garage to pretend he was punching in a secret code to get into some cave. Then they ran and around and around, escaping from the bad guys, dodging bullets and diving in and out of the trampoline and tree house. I love watching them be adventurous and creative. Jace has the perfect Indi hat and they all had small pieces of rope to use as their whips. It was fantastic!
I also was able to spend some time at the hospital today with the twins. For those of you who don't know me, I used to be a pediatric nurse before becoming a full time mommy. Another glimpse into my life: I don't like leaving my kids with anyone, let alone strangers. So here we are today, I am dropping my children off at gymnastics to hang with Lukas for 3 1/2 hours for a play group with a total stranger. Then off to the hospital to give Steff and Adam some time alone. Let me just say that pictures in no way give the smallest indication of how adorable Daizey and Diezel are. I walked into the pediatric ward and see this little, I mean little, girl walking out of a room with Steff and Diezel right ahead of them. Talk about melting ones heart. They are too cute for words. They are such fighters. They have such a long way to go but they seem to be gaining strength and their determination in inspiring. Daizey moved around that room like there was no boundaries. She crawled into the area under the bed and down right giggled when asked what she was doing. She says hello to most who enter the room and I heard a bye-bye once or twice. The best part...I got to hold them and put them to sleep for their morning naps. Wonderful! Overwhelming love for children I don't know and just met. I am so incredibly thankful that I was able to be here and have that experience! Thank you Lord Jesus, for safe travel, for time off, for time to be here, for adventures and for living out our faith. Thanks be to God!
So, hopefully the twins will continue to gain weight. They had a rough 36 hours with tummy distention and no food because of more tests. I don't know where they expect them to put all of the food they are given to begin with. Steff said that the tests were long and laborious but, they were able to eat lunch. I have not heard from them since about 3pm so, I don't know how lunch went or how the rest of the day transpired. Please continue to pray for healing, for patience with the process of re-learning how to be nourished, for Steff and Adam to be loving and kind to one another in the midst of all of this tension (they have not had any trouble, just covering my bases). Steff just walked in so, I'm off.
I feel as if my children are getting a glimpse of my childhood adventures with my cousins. We used to have the best times. We played Super Heroes with towels pinned to our backs or wrapped around our necks with ribbons all the time. This week the kids have been playing Indiana Jones. I have the perfect picture in my mind of all of the kids on the hammock in the front yard pretending they were on their way to a new "dig." Jace then used the garage to pretend he was punching in a secret code to get into some cave. Then they ran and around and around, escaping from the bad guys, dodging bullets and diving in and out of the trampoline and tree house. I love watching them be adventurous and creative. Jace has the perfect Indi hat and they all had small pieces of rope to use as their whips. It was fantastic!
I also was able to spend some time at the hospital today with the twins. For those of you who don't know me, I used to be a pediatric nurse before becoming a full time mommy. Another glimpse into my life: I don't like leaving my kids with anyone, let alone strangers. So here we are today, I am dropping my children off at gymnastics to hang with Lukas for 3 1/2 hours for a play group with a total stranger. Then off to the hospital to give Steff and Adam some time alone. Let me just say that pictures in no way give the smallest indication of how adorable Daizey and Diezel are. I walked into the pediatric ward and see this little, I mean little, girl walking out of a room with Steff and Diezel right ahead of them. Talk about melting ones heart. They are too cute for words. They are such fighters. They have such a long way to go but they seem to be gaining strength and their determination in inspiring. Daizey moved around that room like there was no boundaries. She crawled into the area under the bed and down right giggled when asked what she was doing. She says hello to most who enter the room and I heard a bye-bye once or twice. The best part...I got to hold them and put them to sleep for their morning naps. Wonderful! Overwhelming love for children I don't know and just met. I am so incredibly thankful that I was able to be here and have that experience! Thank you Lord Jesus, for safe travel, for time off, for time to be here, for adventures and for living out our faith. Thanks be to God!
So, hopefully the twins will continue to gain weight. They had a rough 36 hours with tummy distention and no food because of more tests. I don't know where they expect them to put all of the food they are given to begin with. Steff said that the tests were long and laborious but, they were able to eat lunch. I have not heard from them since about 3pm so, I don't know how lunch went or how the rest of the day transpired. Please continue to pray for healing, for patience with the process of re-learning how to be nourished, for Steff and Adam to be loving and kind to one another in the midst of all of this tension (they have not had any trouble, just covering my bases). Steff just walked in so, I'm off.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Columbia...
Alexandra, David and I arrived in Columbia Sunday evening. We hit the ground running and have moved right in to Steff's home and life. I am so hopeful that we are a blessing and not a burden to the kids and to Adam and Steff.
So far, so good. I have not lost any children, I have taken them to the right school and I have managed to find a few attractions along the way. Steff has been able to rest at home the last two nights. She is going to check into home health today. The twins are still struggling with food and gaining weight. She wants so desperately to have a regular routine and get her and her family on the way to the NEW normal. The kids are fairing all right. They are such great children. They have taken so many things in stride. Yesterday they played for a good two hours outside with Nerf guns, sheilds and swords. I bet they all ran at least two miles going around and around the house. It was wonderful to see them getting their "play" time in and having a sense of adventure.
McKayley and Lukas also celebrated their birthday yesterday. We were able to have a great pizza party last night with pizza, cake and gifts. Grandparents were even able to come!!! Yeah! I have to admit, I think I was probably here for about 18 hours before I even realized I had not even truly asked about the twins. I cannot imagine what Steff and Adam are going through. I would feel so torn and conflicted. Please, please continue to pray fervently for them. I feel so blessed to be able to be here, that Steff and Adam would trust me with their home and kids is an honor. They are truly actively living their faith. I don't know that I have ever been privy to something like this; life changing magnitude of God's work and His people seeking and following His will. Please also pray for their newest friend that they were able to bring back with them. She is an angel. She is struggling with morning sickness, being away from her husband, strange and new food and 6-8 kids on any given day. She seems so strong and courageous.
And, by the way, I think I have discovered that when I think people are stressed, I BELIEVE they need chocolate. Let's see, chocolate chip cookies, chocolate cake and chocolate chip muffins all in the last 36 hours. Scary, isn't it?!
The Talk...and the answer is...
I have talked with some of my friends and some of the mothers at school. I am hopefully going to do a bible study with some of Alexandra's friends and their mothers. I don't have the book yet but my friend, Roxanne, did this with her daughter last year. The book is called Girl Talk and it discusses God's design, His purpose for girls, etc. It is a six week "study" and at the end, all the kids and their moms go out for a nice dinner. I will not be able to get the book for awhile. Will post when I get my hands on it. I am also going to look into the book recommended by Laura from Stepping out of the Boat. Thanks for the comments and ideas ladies! Any help, especially with this subject, is always welcomed!
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
The talk...
Okay, I have a nine year old daughter and I am wondering when it is the time to have the talk. I got a call from a friend of mine early last week and she stated that they were having the parent meeting for the school about "the talk." Unfortunately, she was shocked to hear of all the details and things that "the talk" now includes. So, we got to talking and wondering why, in the third grade, they need to have "the talk" now. I was putting it off and I received another phone call last night from another friend asking about bras and "the talk." I am not ready for this ladies! I know that she has to hear it from me. I know that we need to be forthright with our children. She is just so young. I have bought organic milk and chicken for as long as I can remember, hoping to postpone this event.
I did not get "the talk" from my mom or dad. I was given a set of books and I heard about my period from the nurse at school--all in the 6th grade. Now, I happened to have started my period in the summer before 6th grade so I already knew about the dreaded time of the month. But the 3rd grade.!@ All of the rest of the details, I got from a book. I don't want that for Alexandra. I don't want that for David, either. We have had frank discussions with our oldest kids but, their mother also talked with them. They were at least in the 6th grade.
I know that there may be some mothers out there that know about this and have had experience with it. I still call sex marital relations as often as possible to get that through my daughter's head. I want her to be aware that God really calls us to be pure until we are married. Am I risking her finding out from someone else? I don't know. She seems so little still. I really want her to have her childhood innocence as long as possible when it comes to this particular subject.
I did not get "the talk" from my mom or dad. I was given a set of books and I heard about my period from the nurse at school--all in the 6th grade. Now, I happened to have started my period in the summer before 6th grade so I already knew about the dreaded time of the month. But the 3rd grade.!@ All of the rest of the details, I got from a book. I don't want that for Alexandra. I don't want that for David, either. We have had frank discussions with our oldest kids but, their mother also talked with them. They were at least in the 6th grade.
I know that there may be some mothers out there that know about this and have had experience with it. I still call sex marital relations as often as possible to get that through my daughter's head. I want her to be aware that God really calls us to be pure until we are married. Am I risking her finding out from someone else? I don't know. She seems so little still. I really want her to have her childhood innocence as long as possible when it comes to this particular subject.
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