Cousin Mania

Dear Children: You are enjoying the company of your dear sweet cousins. Aunt Jennifer and her eight children are visiting us from Indiana. It has been quite the adventure having everyone here. Everyone is getting along very well; and I am so pleased with how this has turned out.

Dear Sons

Oh my boys - my precious boys - you are all so cute together. Yes, I am even including James in this statement. I love how William and Thomas can sit on the floor and let James sit with you two, playing blocks or working with Lincoln Logs. You two older boys are SO good with James and including him in a lot of your play time. You have only complained so far about him ripping pages in a book - which is a valid complaint if you ask me. I must say that this morning I was rather surprised that you gave your baby brother a blueberry pop tart. I must say also that sweet baby James enjoyed that pop tart rather well. He was a big sloppy mess. Of course this happened as I was trying to get you all ready to get out the door and off to pre-school. Lots of wipeys and a wet rag took care of that problem.

And William - you had a good idea tonight. You found a neat white wire basket and told me you thought it would be a good place to organize and keep all of the baby toys in it - since they are especially for James. Things like his rattles and such fit in there nicely. It was a great idea my sweet son. I love how you're looking out for him.

And Thomas - you were so cute tonight as you were enjoying your new color wonder book; being extra careful that James did not get the markers or tops anywhere near his mouth. You are really good about looking out for choking hazards. I love that.

Good night my sweet sons. It is time to turn in. I almost hate to tell you it's bed time. You are playing so nicely together. Ah, but alas, if I do not get you to bed on time; I surely will regret it.

Dear Daughter

I am so sorry that you are sick today. You have strep throat. No Fun at all. We were looking forward to going to the YMCA today and taking a Yoga class together at 4:30; but we could not go. I had to go and get you from school around 1pm. No Yoga for You my sweet girl. Just rest, drugs and TLC.

I have been enjoying exercising with you and going to the YMCA together. I like taking different classes with you. I never would have tried that crazy AB LAB class on Saturday, but you encouraged me to do it and so I did. I was sore and felt like a silly old goat, but I hung in there. I liked having you in there with me.

The next thing we'll try together is the Latin Dance at the YMCA. I can't wait to do that one. I'm sure I'll still look like a silly old goat; but if you don't mind, neither will I.

Get better soon my sweet.

An Apology

Dear Kids ... I'm so sorry I have not been keeping up with this blog the way I intended to do. I think I have been in a funk lately. Largely due to health problems; but a "funk" nonetheless.

So many cool things have happened. For starters, we celebrated Thomas turning FOUR years old. Woo Hoo. How cool is that?

We have watched baby James do amazing things like learn to crawl and grow two teeth. We even moved his pack-n-play crib into the boys' room. Major milestone. It is kind of nice to have such sweet brothers sharing a room.

Carrie moved out of our house. No more Dutch girl for us. She is still living in the neighborhood though; so we will still see her I am sure.

We are still enjoying having Pedro here from Brazil. He took over Carrie's room when she moved out; which made room for baby James in the boys' room. Lots of moving around going on. We even re-arranged the living room furniture because baby James is crawling around so much.

We bought a piano - mainly for Victoria - but I am interested in it as well. I was so pleased tonight as I was listening to Victoria play the keys and try to teach herself the piano via the book I bought from Amazon. Victoria - my dear - you are SO talented, you amaze me.

William, my precious William, you have become quite a good helper to mama. I love the way you are trying to help clean up every day; and help with the Kitchen. You take such pride in doing a good job - and I just love that. You had a horrible tooth ache this week and you had to endure a kiddy root canal. Yuck. You were such a brave trooper though. The Dentist said she had never seen such a brave kid. Now you are taking liquid medicine every day to help fight the infection; and you take it like a champ. You even remind me when it's time to do it. I love how responsible you are becoming. Now, if you could just work on that little temper of yours :)

So anyway - my precious children - sorry I have not been blogging here quite the way that I thought I was going to. I will try to do better. That's all I can promise. I think I am starting to become more like my old self now. I went back to the YMCA today for the 1st time in many weeks. We had a wonderful family walk around the neighborhood with daddy. The weather was perfect for such.

Good night my angels. It is nearly 10:30 in the night; and this mama is tired. The house is so quiet. All kids are asleep. I plan to be next.

Thinking about my mom

Dear Precious Children: I have been thinking about my own mother lately. Maybe it is because so many of my high school friends have found me on "Facebook" and that is a unqiue group of souls who actually knew and remember my mom. I lost my mom to heart disease towards the end of my senior year in high school. It is interesting to me the things people remember about my mom, as well as what I recall. Many folks remember that my house was the "place to be". It was the fun house. My parents were always cool. I was not one of those teenagers that was embarassed to be around my parents. My mom was funny and creative and always interested in what I was doing. She could be blunt in telling the truth. I loved that about her. I am often the same way. She was so innovative. She could make something out of nothing. She liked to work in the yard. When I see a purple iris or an orange tiger lilly, I think fo her. She even had a rock garden, and would paint rocks with little faces. She was an artist. She could draw amazing pictures. I wish I had that talent, but I do not. She could sew like nobody's business. She made many of my clothes for most of my childhood. She could cut hair. She could make fudge, and it was so delicious. She did not drive a car. She also had a strong fear of music concerts. She never wanted me to go to one. She also wouldn't let me out of the house on New Year's Eve for fear of the crazy drunk people. She smoked cigarettes until she was 40 years old. She had false teeth since she was in her twenties I think. She was a middle child - an older brother and sister, and a younger brother and sister. Her birthday was January 4, 1942. She use to comment that her birthday seemed "not so special" because it was so close after Christmas.

Anyway, I could go on and on about my mom. I miss her so much. I realize I have been alive longer without her than I was alive with her, and I hate that I am raising my kids and enjoying marriage while she is in Heaven. I know people say she is "looking down on us", but it is not quite the same as being able to call her up and ask for a recipe, etc. I do thank the Good Lord for awesome moms-in-laws. God gave me two, and they are both precious to the bone. But I miss my mom. Still. Always. Sometimes now, more than when I was younger.

Of course, maybe I'm thinking about my mom a lot lately because I'm sick. I swear it doesn't matter how old you are, you still wish your had your mom to cuddle with when you don't feel good. Dad is good too, but he isn't exactly nearby.

So, I wonder what you kids will remember about me. What silly stories will you tell? What strange things will come to your mind when you think about me and your childhoods? What kind of legacy will I leave behind. Don't worry, I'm not planning on going anywhere any time soon.

25 Random Things

1. I became a Christian on 8/29/82.
2. I love lima beans.
3. My mother died when I was 17 years old.
4. I love to write poetry and short stories. I've even had a few things published.
5. I once worked for the FBI.
6. I love bridges.
7. I love silly, cute or decorative socks.
8. I hate flip flops.
9. I don't like pizza.
10. I have lived in many cities and four different states.
11. I've never tried an illegal drug of any kind.......or smoked a cig.
12. I hate random shopping carts in parking lots, I will go out of my way to push them to where they belong.
13. I don't like litter and get annoyed by people throwing trash or cigs out of their car windows.
14. My favorite color is purple.
15. One of my favorite quotes: "Character is who you are when nobody but GOD is watching!"
16. I love to travel and have been places like Japan, Canada, Mexico, London, Hawaii, etc.
17. My favorite perfume is Obsession by Calvin Klein.
18. I love and enjoy all of my inlaws - and I have a lot.
19. I love any and all music by Amy Grant.
20. The only bone I have ever broken was my right arm, when I was seven years old.
21. When I was five years old, I spent Valentine's Day in the hospital in an oxygen tent because I had double Pneumonia.
22. I pray for each of my children by name - daily.
23. I love any and all music by Billy Joel.
24. I love my job because I am passionate about foreign exchange students. We have hosted many students from countries including Germany, Russia, Brazil, Holland, France, etc.
25. I love my husband and enjoy our marriage - and cherish our family that we've created together.

Sorry you're sick

Dear Victoria - so sorry you are sick today. Yesterday, I got the lovely call from the school nurse that asked me to come and retrieve you. It is no surprise really that you have ended up ill, after all - Kayla was ill all weekend, and she was with us on our road trip.

You say to me that the computer is your best friend when you're sick. That's funny, I always thought that MOM should be your best friend when you're sick. I guess that is probably still true, given the fact you and your 12 year old body crawled up into my lap this morning and sat there for a nice long while.

Get better soon my love. I pray for you every day.