The Best Medicine

Today, I'm thanking God for the gift of laughter.

I can't complain about the first 12 weeks of this pregnancy - overall, the baby's taken it easy on me! But the past 6 days, fatigue has hit me like a frieght train. So basically, it's been a very long week and I've been very short on patience.

Today, however, has been a total gift from God. All day long, the kiddos have just been a joy - and a total riot! I started laughing at breakfast and I guess that set the tone for the rest of the day. It was all because of things like . . .



. . . Zekers sitting at the breakfast table saying "What's up, Dog?" between bites of oatmeal

. . . Karis, noting that Zekers was getting laughs, repeating "Up, Dog" and looking very pleased with herself

. . . Going downstairs to investigate some banging sounds and finding Zekers and Karis happily playing in the dryer

. . . Rachel donning her princess nightgown and some clashing leggings at around 2 in the afternoon, and thinking she's the queen of fashion

. . . Zekers donning a fireman's hat and cowboy vest and trotting off to save "Princess Sweet Charms" (Where does he come up with this stuff?)

. . . Karis, so proud of herself because she discovered Rachel's play makeup and smeared it all over her face

. . . Trying to practice guitar and Zekers begging me to play his favorite song, There She Goes Again

. . . Rachel & Zekers pretending they just got married, and Rachel telling me that the only problem with her new husband was "He's just too bossy." (Ironic, considering the source)

. . . Zekers figuring out he can sneak in "bad words" by saying he doesn't want to say them. ("Mommy, I don't wanna say 'Shut up'"; "Mommy, it's bad to say 'Crap'"; "I don't like it when I say 'butt'".)

. . . All three munchkins sitting in laundry baskets watching Cinderella (I stopped asking "Why" a long time ago)

. . . Rachel making me go into the bathroom to count her poops (8) so she could brag about how many she produced

. . . Zekers making up words and phrases all day long, and, when questioned as to their meaning, replying (every time), "It means that you click something."

. . . Karis yelling "Bye-bye, Dada!" out the front door as Danny left for his class tonight. She has a special smile just for her daddy, and it melts my heart to see it.


Several months ago, after listening to a John Piper sermon from a Together for the Gospel conference that Danny attended, I decided to change my response when the kids (or anyone) thank me for doing something for them - which they're pretty good at remembering to do. I realized today that they really are listening, as I began to change the fourth poopy diaper for the day and muttered under my breath, "Why am I even bothering with this? It'll just be dirty again in 20 minutes." Zekers immediately replied, "Because it's your pleasure, Mommy."

So, in spite of some occasional fighting, whining and scattering piles of clean laundry throughout the house, it's been a good day. Laughter certainly can be therapeudic.

How to be a Lazy Cheat

The other day, I was playing a game with the kids. I asked them what they saw on the ceiling and then when they looked up, I tickled their necks. Well, when I got to Rachel and asked, "Hey, what do you see up there?", she looked up and immediately replied, "the ceiling fan and spiderwebs."

I looked up (which I obviously rarely do) and saw that, sadly, it was true - there were a few stray cobwebs caught between the lights on the fan. So for the next 15 minutes I went around the entire house getting rid of cobwebs and praying fervently that the friends & family that have come and gone through our house the past several months haven't noticed my lack of passion for cleaning.

I've got to be honest: the past couple of months (OK, years), I haven't had much extra energy for staying on top of housecleaning like I want to. I just keep thinking that it's much more important for me to expend energy on playing outside with the kids and making time for friends than dusting the living room.

But that's where I have a problem. I do need to keep things somewhat presentable, because quite a few people seem to come into our house during the week, both expected guests and pop-ins.

Since I thouroughly enjoy having company, but hate it when they see my messy house, I've had to come up with a solution I can live with. So I've come up with these simple guidelines, which, when adhered to, give the illusion of cleanliness, and for the time being, that's good enough for me!

1. Make the beds. This one little thing immediately makes everything seem more orderly.

2. Clean the floors. This does not mean mopping/scrubbing!! I spot clean the linoleum and hardwood, and pick up all noticeable lint from the living room floor when I'm expecting guests. (I don't always vacuum!) When the floors are clean, the whole house seems clean.

3. Become good friends with disinfectant wipes. A quick swipe of the sink and toilet leave the bathroom looking good and smelling fresh. I've used both Lysol and Clorox wipes and really like both. They are also good for spot cleaning just about any surface: floor, cabinets, countertops, a child's face, you name it.

4. Consolidate toys. By this, I mean that when I see someone approaching, or have just a few minutes before someone comes over, I gather all the toys from the living room, kitchen and dining room, etc., and throw them into one of the kids' rooms! It's much easier for me to deal with ONE messy room, than six, even if that one room is impossible to walk through. And guests have no idea of the disaster that lurks behind closed doors.

So you see, it's all about creating a satisfying illusion. (Please do not make any spiritual analogies out of this one - it only applies to cleaning!)

Of course, every once in a while, there's nothing for it but to buckle down and really give the house a good cleaning, but most of the time you can "cheat" your way through quite effectively.

And after a conversation with some friends tonight, I concluded that no one really notices those darn cobwebs anyway.

Some Interesting Observations Regarding Gender

Last night we did part of a "date swap" with some friends - something we have been doing for a couple of years now. One month, they watch our kiddos for 4-5 hours on a Friday night and the next we watch theirs. Erin and I both got to thinking, though, that it might be nice to have a whole night and part of the next morning free . . . so we just started doing overnight swaps! Last night it was our turn to chaperone the pajama party.

Doing an overnight thing with five kids under five can be a little scary at first, but it's worked out even better than we'd hoped. The boys sleep in the bunk beds, and the girls get to "camp out" in the basement. Kari Bou is a little left out, but she doesn't seem to mind too much.

Just watching the munchkins really got me chuckling. I couldn't help noticing how differently the girls and boys acted in certain situations. I took pictures of them while they were watching Monsters, Inc., because the way they sat together just seemed so typical . . . the girls all snuggly, practically sitting on top of each other, and the boys sitting a good 2 feet apart.












Then there was snack time this morning. They all decided to get goofy with crackers and wanted me to take a few snapshots. The girls, of course, wanted their picture together and were all smiles. The boys, on the other hand, each wanted their own picture and and wanted it to look ultra serious (which only made it look goofier). It's just so interesting to see these differences at such a young age. Not that the girls never play with trucks, and not that the boys don't occasionally enjoy walking around the house in pink princess shoes, but there are some definite differences in the way they're wired!


And where was Kari Bou all this time? Poor Kari Bou . . . she can't seem to avoid catastrophe for five minutes in a row. She managed to not only bruise an entire side of her face while at Burger King the other day, but last night she fell over the back of a rocker onto her face, got 2 fat lips and a bloody nose. So much for trying to fit in with the big kids. But her injuries did make her super snuggly, and I'll take that any day!

Time to Party

I can't believe my baby boy will be turning 3 in less than one week! We are actually celebrating the occasion with TWO parties - one at Grandma & Grandpa Wright's, which was this past weekend, and one next weekend with cousin Esther at Grandma & Grandpa Miller's. Does it get any better than that??

It worked out perfectly. I was all set to do an Elmo theme for Zekers and Esther, since they both love the little red fuzzy guy. Well, about 2 weeks ago, Zekers decided that he just HAD to have a Thomas party. Nothing else would do - he's absolutely crazy about Thomas & friends. So, now he gets to have both! Normally I would have made him choose one, but I figured with 2 parties, why not do 2 different themes?





The trick was coming up with a Thomas cake that someone as non-artistic as I am could make, without spending a small fortune on a special pan. My goal was simply that Zekers would recognize that it was Thomas! I ended up Googling an image of Thomas, printing it off, getting an enlargement made at a local print shop, and using it as a template. I baked 2 9x13" cakes, laid the "pattern" on top and cut out around it, then just kind of tried to copy the image using frosting and a couple of girl scout cookies. Danny was nice enough to take the kids for the morning to I could work uninterrupted - and I needed every minute of that time - it took me just about 3 hours, not including baking time! But it was worth it. Zekers' face lit up the moment he laid eyes on the cake, and that was enough reward for me.
























Highlights of the day included: a dog towel, complete with long ears and a tail; a new stuffed rhino whom he promptly named "Chunky"; a Spiderman sleeping bag (How he can be such a big fan without ever having seen any Spiderman shows is beyond me!); a Thomas train that goes, stops and turns at the toot of a whistle; and a teeter-totter from cousins Quinn and Ian. Oh yes, and the cake and ice cream.



I couldn't resist taking a picture of Zekers' backside at one point, because he always looks like this from the rear. The poor little guy has no hips, and his pants are constantly pulling his diaper down and showing a very large portion of backside. It cracks me up.

On the way home, I believe our little birthday boy was completely partied out. This is pretty much how he spent the ride home - rhino firmly positioned under one arm and fully outfitted in all his cowboy gear. Oh, yeah - he decided to go with the dual theme of "Thomas the train" and "Cowboy", donning a vest, boots and hat over his train shirt. What can I say? He's an aclectic little guy!

From Deliriously Excited to Extremely Bummed in Less Than 60 Seconds

For months - well, maybe more like years! - Rachel has been chomping at the bit to attend kindergarten, that magical land of RECESS and INDEPENDENCE and BIG KIDS. Not to mention the thrill of riding in the legendary BIG YELLOW SCHOOL BUS. I believe she's been drooling over the whole thing since she turned 3. She'll turn 5 at the end of August, a month before the cutoff. Normally, I wouldn't even think twice about holding back a child with a late August birthday, but Rachel couldn't be more ready, and I firmly believe that with these things you have to operate on a case-by-case basis.

So this morning, I took her to our local elementary school to register for next fall. I gave the secretary the required papers - proof both of her updated immunizations and of her existence. I filled out some forms while Rachel practiced writing her name on a scrap piece of paper - she doesn't always cooperate when it comes to taking instruction from me, and I figured this was a great opportunity to reiterate that "if you can't write your name, they probably won't let you in." (I'm so mean) Actually, she's got that down and can write a lot of the alphabet, but the practice is good for her.

What I've been having a hard time with since our return home was the part where I asked about screening. She was given a screening date and time, and being the overacheiving, hyper-paranoid parent whose first child is about to enter school, I asked what, specifically, Rach needs to know/be able to do to enter. I couldn't believe the answer: NOTHING. Say what?? Yep - as long as I want Rachel to attend kindergarten, attend kindergarten she will, regardless of how unprepared or immature a professional educator judges her to be. The "screening" is simply for classroom placement - they want to evenly distribute kids of all abilities. They can "recommend" holding a child back, but it's ultimately up to the parents.

At this point I'm thinking, I should feel relieved right now. Why, then, does this bother me so much? I guess I've just talked to too many people from different school systems about these screenings - kids normally, it seems, are expected to have mastered certain physical and cognitive milestones before even being considered for kindergarten. I mean, come on, even the twin boys on Everybody Loves Raymond went through it - and one was held back!

On the one hand, I'm a little outraged, because I've been working with Rachel all winter on things I thought she needed to know for this "screening" process. On the other hand, I'm more than a little worried. I was unprepared for such low standards.

My mind immediately skips ahead several steps. If they'll accept Rach no matter what, will they advance her to the next grade level that easily - regardless of her mastery of the previous grade level's material? Are the expectations that low? How can we expect our children to take their school work - and the development of their minds - seriously, when kids are being pushed through who obviously don't give a rip? But now I'm just borrowing trouble . . .

I know, it's only kindergarten. And I hope our kids will enjoy learning for learning's sake - knowlege can be its own reward, after all. I pray they will do everything as to the Lord and not for man, whether it be school-related or not. It is infinitely more important that we teach her biblical values, and invest in her academically here at home, than that she receive good instruction at school.

I hope I'm not being ridiculous and anal, but I am beginning to understand why people opt to send their children to Christian school or to homeshcool them!

Welcome, Lucas!

A little over a month ago, my sister & bro-in-law, Hannah and Kenneth, had a little boy and the kiddos met their newest cousin - Lucas Eugene Ross! He is irresistably cute and such a little bundle - he has the pudgiest little cheeks that you just can't help kissing. This post is WAY overdue, but I keep forgetting to take my camera and had to wait until I got some pix through email. In the first picture he is being held by big sister Esther, who turns 2 next month.

All 3 munchkins reacted very differently to their small cousin. Rachel spent at least 30 minutes holding him at the hospital; the only time I've seen her sit so quietly! She is a born nurturer and would rather hold a baby than do just about anything else (besides eat dessert and watch TV).

Zekers saw him for the first time several days later, back at the house. I had no idea what to make of his reaction: he actually started crying and grabbed on to my legs, refusing to go anywhere near the baby. I'm not kidding - he was totally freaked out. I have never seen him so scared! By the end of the evening, he had worked up the courage to LOOK at Lucas, but definitely wasn't ready to touch him yet! It wasn't until last week that he finally agreed to hold his cousin for a few minutes.

True to form, Kari Bou had probably the goofiest reaction. She sat on the couch and held Lucas, with an expression on her face that said, "OK, I'll hold him, but I am NOT going to like it." And after about 30 seconds, she practically pushed him off her lap, deciding she'd had quite enough.

At this point we have about 30 weeks to figure out how to keep her from destroying her new baby brother or sister when he/she arrives in the fall. She loves being the baby way too much to give it up gracefully.

Expressions of Poo Bou

One of our little Bou's favorites is reading from her book Baby Faces. A couple of weeks ago, when I happened to mention something to a friend about being surprised, she looked at me, gasped and opened wide her mouth and her eyes. I started dying laughing when I realized she was trying to look surprised! It hit me that I had been inadvertently making the faces listed in her book as we looked through them each time. She now has a litany of facial expressions she can pull out when she feels like it; however, she doesn't always demonstrate these on command, so the other night at dinner, when she was in a particularly silly mood, I took the rare opportunity to get some snapshots to pass on.

In order, the faces are: 1.surprised 2.skeptical 3.sad 4.crying 5.happy 6. laughing

(OK, #2 was supposed to be "concerned" but there's just no getting away from the obvious display of skepticism.)


surprised
skeptical
sad
crying
happy
laughing

NOT funny

. . . so I'm giving the kids a bath tonight and Rachel says, "Mom, I'm so strong, I bet I could lift you."

"Well, you're welcome to try," I reply. "But as the baby inside me grows, I'm going to keep getting heavier and heavier until he or she is born."

She looks me straight in the eye and says, "Well, if you get much heavier, only God will be able to lift you."

Percy

One more thing to be thankful for . . .

I was sitting on the couch one rare afternoon last week, while all three kiddos were napping, pouring out all my worries to God. I try to do this as often as possible because a)it prevents me from freaking out as much as I would otherwise and b)He says to do it (Phil. 4:6, I Pet. 5:7). On this particular day I had transportation worries.

Pretty much since the day I found out I was pregnant with Zekers, I have been praying for God to send us a minivan. After spending time looking at some, we concluded that the only way we would ever own one was for God to just bring a miraculous deal our way. So I prayed and waited in expectation. I was just SURE God would answer this prayer with a resounding "Yes!" After all, doesn't having a 2nd child necessitate owning a fully loaded, brand new minivan?

God answered my prayer, alright - by showing us that our current car had ample room for 2 munchkins. Then we discovered Karis was on the way.

Once again, I prayed for a minivan, thinking "How can God refuse us NOW?" His answer? A great little Ford Explorer with over 150,000 miles on it. Wouldn't you know, the backseat had exactly enough room for 3 carseats - no more, no less. With my tendency to worry, the mileage issue was a faith-stretching experience for me, but "Dora" has never let us down in the 2 years since we've made her acquaintance.

Now, with our fourth coming in the fall, I was tempted to pray once again that God would provide that doggone minivan (although Rachel tried to convince me we could just put the new baby's carseat in the trunk and surround it with groceries to keep it balanced.)

But that afternoon, sitting on the couch, I had to make a critical decision. Would I finally stop asking God for what I thought we needed and just trust Him to provide what He knew was best? For days, I had felt Him asking me "Are you willing to trust me in this, too?" And I finally decided to leave it with Him. I told Him I was through asking for a specific mode of transportation, and would be grateful for whatever He decided to provide. I fully expected He would bring a 30-yr-old beat-up station wagon with no air conditioning and a weird smell, that just happened to fit 4 carseats, sometime around October 10th. But I told Him I would be grateful for whatever He provided, whenever He provided it, because He's already given us WAY more than we deserve. It was a long-overdue moment of surrender.

This is no exaggeration: my prayer was interrupted by my phone ringing. It was Danny, calling to tell me that one of his dad's friends was getting ready to trade in his 2002 GMC Safari and would sell it to us for the trade-in value, which turned out to be about half of the actual value of the van, and within our price range. What's more, the van had just over 55,000 miles on it. And for a little extra fun, it actually has a DVD player!

Several days later, we bought the van. We wanted to pray about it first, rather than just rush into buying it, but every time I tried, it was like God was saying, "Duh! What are you waiting for?!"

I gotta tell ya, "Percy", named by Zekers after a green train, is the most beautiful thing I've ever laid eyes on. I'm not kidding. It's a breeze to get the kids in and out, and I feel like I'm driving around sitting in a living room. Every time I get behind the steering wheel, lines from Field of Dreams dance through my head: "Is this heaven?" "No, it's Percy."

God is good. He's good no matter what, even if He would have given us a six-person bicycle (do those even exist??). But I think that when I forget to trust Him, I will be reminded of His incredible provision every time I open the garage door and see Percy.

Frozen Corn and Servanthood

It's funny how "little" things can be such a big deal . . .

A friend and I are doing a babysitting swap - one week she has my kids for a morning, and the next week I have her 2 youngest, who are both 18 months like Kari Bou. This morning it was my turn to watch her kids.

The morning went great, but lunchtime, no matter what, can get a little chaotic, and was especially so today since I had promised Rach & Zekers we would have cheese & chicken quesadillas, which require some cooking and chopping.

While I was getting everything ready the kiddos had decided to make a "path" through the kitchen and around the perimeter of the dining room, using pretty much every towel and dish cloth we own, as well as most of the placemats. (If you ever eat dinner at our house, consider this fair warning; I tired long ago of washing every cloth item that hits the floor. I figure Kari Bou spends enough time licking the floor to keep it somewhat clean anyway.)

I turned around to see that Zekers had managed to open the freezer door (our fridge and freezer are side-by-side), and Kari Bou, who misses no opportunity to wreak havoc, had made a beeline for the shelf where I keep the frozen veggies. Last week I had opened a package of corn so I could use a little in some soup, and (will I never learn?) had just folded the edge of the bag under instead of fastening it securely.

You can guess what happened. Before I could do anything, she had dumped the entire bag of corn all over the kitchen floor, and stood there with an impish "now what are you gonna do about it" look on her face. There was nothing for it but to get down on my hands and knees and begin scooping up handfuls of corn into a bowl, since it was too much to sweep up at first.

Next thing I know, Rach is beside me, scooping up corn with both hands. We're talking about the child who stalls and tries every tactic in the book to avoid cleaning up her own messes, let alone here sister's! "Sweetie!" I excaimed, not sure where this new attitude was coming from. "Thank you for helping to clean up all this corn. That's really great!"

"Well, I'm just being a servant," came the reply. I stopped and looked at her, almost beyond words. "Where did you learn about being a servant?"

"When we went to Mr. & Mrs. Reifsnider's church the Sunday School teacher told us we need to be servants." I asked her if she could think of anyone in the Bible who was a servant. "Jesus," she answered. Enough said. (By the way, we went to the Reifsniders' church about 2 months ago!)

It is fascinating to me how random Bible stories and Bible verses Rach has learned suddenly find application at completely unexplainable moments. And her attitude was just so sweet and sincere. It actually made me glad Kari Bou had dumped all the corn, allowing me to catch this glimplse of my oldest daughter trying to be a little more like Christ (although I'm not sure she fully understands the concept.)

Rachel also informed me that for the rest of the day, whenever I tell her she can't do something, she's just going to respond with "OK." I guess if one miracle can happen, why not 2?