Wow

Its been a while........so much has changed...........I miss posting.......I need to be writing.......my heart needs and misses this..........why did I stop.......OH YEAH......that life thing!!!

That's My Couch

And My Family Fits!!
Sometimes real well and sometimes, not so well!
I love it!
But I look at my couch and it is a reminder of what it is meant to be for!
I'm not going to lie, my last four months have been rough and they aren't over!
But my couch reminds me, there is room for everyone!
It's not a couch I would've picked, but I am thankful for the reminder it has!
My couch was perfect when I purchased it!
It fit in it's spot well and it fit everyone in my family well and it even leaves room for visitors!
After time it became broken!
But still together!
We can squeeze it together at any moment and it looks perfect!
It still fits it's space!
It still allows everyone a space!
unfortunately, it now allows people to fall through the cracks!
but room enough to be brought back up!
My family can keep it together
and even close friends and family know to "grab an end and push in"!
Sometimes its just enough for everyone to sit on
and sometimes there's  just enough room to let it fall apart!
No one pushes in, no one cares!  Everyone just falls in!  Even in the cracks!
And it just doesn't matter that some are on the couch and some are off and in between!
Because we love them all!  in between or on top!
My life is like my couch!
For a time it is perfect and right on!
And for a time it is perfectly, imperfect and so off course!
Sometimes there's only enough room for those that know what's going on!
And sometimes there's room for everyone!
And sometimes there's enough room to explain!

Letter To My Sis

Dear Sis,

I miss you every day!  Not a day goes by that I don't miss you, laugh about something you said or did, cry a little inside because I miss you so much!
I was robbed of my time with you and that doesn't go away.  Sometimes I want to jump up and down and throw a temper tantrum and tell the world how unfair this is!  But, I know better, I know life isn't fair and, like Mom used to tell us, "no one ever said life was fair"!  What a tough lesson to live sometimes.
Today is the date of your death and today it hurts pretty bad that your not here.  Today everything is coming to the surface again, how we left out for school that morning, how the day transpired and how your life ended and how my day ended.  I'll never forget the pain I felt that day.
There's guilt, a lot less these days, but there's still guilt, because I wasn't there.  Of course, what would I have done?  I'm not sure I could have done anything or what would have happened!
The what-ifs drive me crazy!!  Sometimes I feel like I'm going out of my mind!  But most days I have adjusted well and I'm only crazy because of "normal" busy stuff!
You know, they have this thing called Facebook now!  You would enjoy it!  It gives us a chance to connect with people in word and in picture, that we wouldn't be in contact with otherwise!  It makes it so easy!  Anyway, on your birthday and on today, my FB (that's short for facebook) page BLOWS UP!  Friends and family talk about how much they miss you and how much they love you and how much you changed their lives for the positive!  You see, you have left an awesome legacy!  You have left a positive mark on this, sometimes, cold cruel world!  In your short time, you taught people how a word, a smile or even a giggle could change their day and in turn, their life!  You have left behind changed people, because of who you are and what you stood for!  It's amazing!
Anyway, on days like today the pain is more than usual, I'm reminded of how close we were and how you were always my best friend (something I have had to come to terms with lately) and how I hung onto your coat tails, just to get a glimpse of the positive life you led and to have the fun you were having!  You danced when everyone was watching and no one else was dancing and it just didn't phase you, you never looked around to see if someone was joining you, it just didn't matter!  You weren't afraid to say what was on your mind, but you did it in a way that was positive (you were so before your time)!   All those great memories and who you were make me miss you more, but on today, I'm not sure if I hurt more for me or more for your other friends and family---they hurt too!  They miss you too!  There's such an outpouring of love for you and the legacy you left.  You were such a positive influence on your family and friends that you will never be forgotten and I think your friends and family, love deeper, give more and live life better because you were apart of their lives!  I know I do!
I wish every day that your niece and nephews could've met you!  I wish they KNEW the Aunt I talk about!  But your legacy has given me lots of positive stories to tell them!

Anyways (as you would've said), I'm writing to tell you that I miss you desperately, that your love changed my life and that I'm so lucky to have you as my Sister!  I just wish you were here and we could run to the store together or meet for coffee or even share a margarita! doggonit!  I'm angry at times, I'm sad at times and sometimes I'm just bitter!  But most days, I'm happy!

I'm so proud to call you my Sister!  The legacy you have left behind, leaves me alot to strive for!  But I promise to always strive for that, to strive for the positive and to leave this earth, when the time is right, as a positive to those I know and love, just the way you did!

Sometimes, I just want you to know how much I miss you and love you!!

Love Your Baby Sister,
Chrissy

PS- I like that word sister!  I don't get to use it very often any more, so when I do, it makes my heart leap!!

It's Been Awhile!!

Yep, it's been awhile!
It's not that I don't think about you, my blog!
It's not that I don't want to stop and check in!
It's not that I don't have time!
It is that, what is heavy on my heart is not to be shared!
My kiddos are older now and are concerned about what I share.
So, I stopped for a moment and got my act together!
Got my kiddos act together!
Assured my kiddos I wouldn't share what they don't want too!
So..............Here I am!  And it's good to be back!

GET To IT!!!

I read this post on FB quite often:

Cousins are the first friends of your life. Cousins are there as childhood friends. No one will ever understand your crazy family like your cousins, even if you don't talk much lately. Re-post this if you have some of the best cousins in the world. I do!

It has always been real and alive for me...I always enjoy my cousins and feel that exact way!  But the reality of my children and their cousins blow me away!!  Nothing ever touches my heart quite like, the moments when I see my children enjoying the beauty of their relationships! 

This weekend I watched each one of my kiddos, as their cousins arrived, each age group held something special for each one of my children!

I watched as each one of them paired up or grouped up, one by one!  They poured into each other's lives laughing and giggling and getting serious from time to time!

I thanked God over and over for putting these kiddos together......

During that time, each time I thanked Him, I realized......I was thankful for the family He had brought me!

And then I looked at myself and my hubby and realized we were doing the exact same thing!

Pairing up...grouping up...cutting up....gaming up....or just plain getting serious!

I'm so thankful for the family reunion every year....but each year I become more aware of how necessary it is........

         For my Kiddos

                                     For my Family

                                                                   For my Hubby

                                                                                                 For Me!

 

I Miss YOU!

I miss blogging!
I miss thinking about what to blog about!
I miss journaling my day and my time!
I miss the comments!
I miss you...but I haven't left!
I'm just to doggone tired to think!
When I'm less tired, I'll blog, journal!
I really will!
I think that the stuff my kiddos and myself and hubby are going through, are typical of most US families!
So I know you understand!

I MISS YOU!!!!!

I WISH

I haven't blogged lately, on account of, the stuff, on my mind, I can't share!
I mean I could share, but my kiddos are getting older and that means there's less I can share!
But the victories are so much sweeter and they let me share those!
When I started blogging, my kiddos had no clue and didn't even know what a blog was!  Since 2007 they have learned and been through quite a bit!
Not all of it is pretty and fairy tale like!
There isn't always a rainbow involved!
Rest assured, there is always a lesson involved!!!  A BEAUTIFUL, HEARTFELT, lesson!!  I love sharing lessons!
And I will, as soon as my kiddos can read it and approve it, or make changes to it and then approve it, I will share it!
Their hearts are still beautiful, their love is still amazing!

But they still need guidance and I'm finding, as they get older, they need more guidance and they are less than willing to accept it right away!
Oh how I miss the two year old that kept me a 'not so pretty, hot-sweaty mess' all the time!
My 'not so pretty, hot-sweaty mess' is now kept on the inside and sometimes, I wish someone could see it and other times I'm thankful that no one can!
I know we will make it through this stuff and I know we will ALL be better for it!
But right now, I wish I was that 'not so pretty, hot-sweaty mess' Mom, of a two year old again!  It wasn't so bad!!

But you know, I love how God is working in them and inside their hearts!  I love the who they are turning out to be!  I love their hearts!
You know, the cool thing is, their hearts', are ALWAYS, in the right place!
Unfortunately, it doesn't always match the action!
I WISH it were easy, but I'm thankful for the path we are on!

It's not always easy, BUT it's RIGHT!

Label Me a Positive Outcome of Surving or Just Plain a Success

the word "SURVIVOR" pisses me off!!
Surviving is good..don't get me wrong!!  Surviving anything is quite amazing!
But there comes a point when you no-longer want to be known as a "survivor" you want to be known as a positive outcome of surviving!!
Does that make sense?
I want to be a success of surviving!
I have survived many of things...but I have succeeded in being a positive outcome of surviving sexual abuse, molestation!!  Incest,,  call it what you want, it's all gross and all nasty!
It just angers me to hear the words "survivor" and then it just stops!!  SURVIVOR, really??  that's it, that's where it ends???  Ummm, I don't think sooooooo!!!!
To me, survival means, making it through!  Surviving!
NOT ENOUGH!
That's not the PROMISE I received!
My PROMISE, THE one I received, says "success"!
God doesn't tell me when the ultimate success comes, but let me tell you, just SURVIVING isn't enough!!
YES, at the beginning, SURVIVING IS ENOUGH!  
At the beginning of being abused, realizing the abuse or facing the abuse, SURVIVING is enough!
SURVIVING IS MORE THAN ENOUGH
But there comes a point, when you no longer see yourself as a "survivor" and don't want to be labeled a 'survivor" any longer!
There comes a point when you want to labeled as a 'success' at surviving!
If you're one of the few that have never been abused, this may confuse you.  But if you are a survivor of any kind of abuse, I believe, you 'get' where I'm coming from!
I no longer want to be known as a survivor
HavE YOU WATCHED THE SHOW SURVIVOR???  Those people survive through there time on the show! Much as a survivor of sexual abuse!!  During the abuse and the facing the abuse, we merelly survive!
I'm no longer OK with the label as 'survivor'!
so when you introduce me to someone or you bring me to a meeting to speak or you think of me,
PLEASE, allow me to be labeled 'a positive outcome to surviving sexual abuse"!
 I need that, I need to be success of surviving!  NOT JUST A SURVIVOR!!

ONE CONTRACTOR.....PLEASE!

Some advice for having work done in your house!!
  Hopefully a way to get it back sooner, from a woman that has been without for 4+ months!!

GO WITH AS LITTLE CONTRACTORS AS POSSIBLE!!
If you can use one, USE ONE!!

I can tell you, our contractor has already requested to go with one contractor on his own home (fire issue)!!  Uh-hummm, he learned from me, THANK GOD!!!

If I could have learned this from someone before me, I would've been thankful!!

It's different when your contracting to "build" your own home, from when you are repairing your own home!!
For some reason, everyone thinks you'll be ok, NO MATTER how long it's been, that you have been without!  Because, your not out of a home, they honestly figure your ok!!

Lettme tell you.......being without a kitchen for over 4 MONTHS is INSANE!!!!!!!!!  TOTALLY INSANE!!

We have remodelled a kitchen and we were without it for just under 3 months and that was CRAZY INSANE, BUT THIS IS WORSE!!
Having a family, having one person, in a home without a kitchen is CRAZY!  Then you add in the time.....then you add in the missed bed times, the missed dinners, the half-assed washed dishes, the NO KITCHEN thing and it's totally INSANE!!
Think about purchasing a home without a kitchen....you wouldn't even do it!!!  Because it's STUPID!!

I was so close to having my house back, including my kitchen!!  But STUPID me decided we needed a dishwasher to match!! 
God has blessed my family every step of the way, from the moment I heard "MOM, FIRE"!
  My entire family walked out fine and was able to grab clothes and able to grab different shoes and NONE of my photos were ruined beyond recognition!  Now some of them were burned and my heart is heavy and will never be the same, none the less, GOD has blessed us every step of the way!

Nason's, however has messed us up!!  Maybe they've saved me money!!  But they messed us up!!  I paid cash for my appliances.......and I didn't make Nason's wait for my insurance....I'll wait for my insurance!! WRONG, WRONG, WRONG......wait for your insurance!!  Let them pay what they would've and make the appliance company wait for your insurance!!!  Order early and make them wait!!  I ordered early and paid......should've made them wait for the insurance to pay......then we would have received all 4 appliances at the same time and they would have been installed by the SAME , only ONE Contractor, I hired in the beginning!!
]Needless to say, I am going to get my money back for my dishwasher tomorrow and at that time I will also fight the "installation" charge........I guess installation and delivery are the same thing these days!!  Because this Nason's just dropped and I paid for installation and guess who did the installation???
OH YEA, your right............ME the HOMEOWNER!!  
GO WITH ONE CONTRACTOR, WALLS, FLOOR, APPLIANCES, PAINT, INSTALLATION, CARRY AWAY....ALL OF IT, GO WITH ONE CONTRACTOR, INSIST ON IT!!!!!!

You Can't Stay Here

And you can't go home!!
4 different check-ins
3 different hotels
5 days
all within 1/2 mile of each other!
What a Spring Break for the kiddos!! 
By the time the last day of the hotel came, the kiddos were begging to go home!!

On a + side, all the hotels had pools and they enjoyed their time in them!
On the - side, we just weren't HOME!!
Floors are done 
Cabinets are in and just need a few tweaks on the cabinets!! 
Painting will be starting soon!!
Appliances are ordered!!

Watching

Watching my children, doesn't mean I'm waiting for them to do something wrong......
It means I'm watching, I'm there, I'm available and I care!
Sometimes I get to watch as one of them, takes a situation and handles it. 
Sometimes I get to watch one of them care for another human being.....
sometimes, that person is even a sibling.
But I do watch and I do enjoy those beautiful moments!
I do watch and give correction and discipline when necessary!
But I'm here watching, available and caring.
I'm watching for the good, beautiful, ugly.
Sometimes, I'm just there to watch and not give any feedback.
Sometimes, I jump in right away.
Its whatever is needed in that kiddos life, at that moment!

I watched the other day as Adam took time for a child, he didn't even know and devoted time and energy to him........
I just watched and smiled!

I'm very thankful to be there to "watch"! 

I am there to watch when correction needs to take place.  I'm here and watching!

Burnt!

Stopped at the grocery store on the way home!!
Remember it's only to replace what is necessary in a house that doesn't cook, EVEN in a microwave!
Chatted with my mom on the way home and she reminded me of what was  NEEDED in our home!
Opened the garage door to bring in the groceries, that we needed!!
The moment I walked in through the garage door, I thought "whew, what's smokin'"
Oh right, the kitchen cabinets, I SET ON FIRE, are in the garage!!
When I looked up and found where the smell was coming from. all I could think was, whew, thank GOD those are out of the house!!
And then I wondered, what am I gonna smell when I open the boxes I stored stuff in!
OK!!  Let me tell you:
I have had a decent week at work!
I have been TRAINING!!!  Developing people, I LOVE LOVE LOVE, developing people!! And this people is another FEMALE (OH YEAH, we are taking over the RR too!!)
I've also heard from my niece that blesses me, I think without even knowing it!!
And I have had an interview I have BLOWN!!!!!  
 (Yep, I really think I'm staying where I am, FOR NOW)

OK, BACK ON TRACK......
I wondered what I would smell when we finally opened the boxes I have stored our stuff in!
And THEN, I walked into my UNFINISHED kitchen! 
I saw the cabinets we purchased, the cabinets to replace our cabinets!!
No COUNTER TOP IN PLACE YET! 
NO APPLIANCES IN PLACE YET!
And I stood back and admired the cabinets and how beautiful they are!
And ALL I COULD DO WAS ASK GOD......
'Why is it YOU bless me so much??' 
No answer
I thought about my night!  
A note from my Niece
A success at work 
A person who  embraces new things and doesn't complain
The call from my Hubby, telling me "my mom's going to love this" (which prepared me only slightly for what I was going to see)
A refusal to give in to stress, Thanks to another GREAT Niece!!  (oh yeah, my salad was amazing and I didn't have room for the bread)
And all I could do, was stand back and thank God for the PEOPLE in my life!!
Yes, the cabinets are BEAUTIFUL! But, the man that put them in is more beautiful!
I don't know why, God blesses a woman who has burnt her OWN kitchen, I only know that He does!
And the people he has blessed me to be around, is far more than the burnt smell I have left myself with! 

Cutting Mustard

As I came to the computer to blog, I was prepared to write on something positive, on the differences of each one of my kiddos.  But when I sat down, this came flooding out of my fingers and I didn't stop it!
So how does everyone do it?  How do you keep a clean house?
How is it that you are a full time Mom and keep your house to perfection, including totally dusted??
(when I was a stay at home Mom, people expected so much of me and I had to tell the kiddos all the time "I'm a Mom, not a maid)
How is it that you manage a job and a household?
I really don't know how people manage both well!  If I'm doing one right, I'm doing the other one wrong!!
How is that I can walk into your house and its clean, totally clean, right down to the dusting and everything in it's place???
I CAN'T do it, it's impossible!!  Even as I sit here and blog, I barely have enough energy to blog, let alone cleaning something!!
How do you all do it??
I have been to so many, of my friends houses, that are so immaculate!!  How do you do it??
Enquiring minds want to know, or at least I do!!
And how do you do it, without the help of the kiddos??
Or do you do it with the help of kiddos??
Do your kids have chores?
EVERYDAY???!!
My kiddos have chores and please don't tell my kiddos if your kiddos do not have chores!! (That's just something they don't need to know and neither do I)!
I can't keep up, I can't keep it immaculate, even if everyone is doing their part!
It's lived in, ALWAYS, lived in!!
Even if we are planning a major party our house shows signs of LIVING IN IT!
Then you add the fact that I set my kitchen on fire, at the end of November, and we are living out of boxes and through construction!!  YEA, WE HAVE A LIVED IN HOUSE!!
There is always laundry to be done and even if I stay up to conquer all of it, someone does NOT walk out of the house in their PJ's and POOF there is a load of laundry!!
There's dog hair on the floor!  I think, dream, of not having dogs and then I'm sad!!!  My family is SAD!!  So the dog hair stays!
There is always dishes to be washed and they are on the counter, in the sink, in the dishwasher (if I'm lucky), on the table and in a room somewhere!!
There is always a sink or toilet or a shower that could use a scrubbing!!
So tell me, PLEASE, how do you do it?? 
Do you have Super Woman energy? 
Do you have Wonder Woman powers? 
Do you have Samantha's Nose??  What is it? 
Do you have an Alice?? 
Or do you deprive yourself of sleep and eating??
TELL ME!!  'CAUSE I DON'T GET IT!!!! AND I NEED TO!!

I Agreed!

I know everyone has days like this, but this the first one I have had exactly like this!
I was preparing my burnt to a crisp kitchen for the removal of the counter tops, granite counter tops that I adore, when I grabbed the broom out of the stairwell leading to the basement!  I vaguely remember my hubby telling me about a leak!
I grabbed the broom off of the wall and saw the water, downstairs!
I was still in my PJ's at 10:30 am!
I was cleaning from the moment I awoke!  I mean after I awoke and had my 2nd cup of coffee!
When I grabbed for the broom in the stairwell I peered down the stairs and realized there was water  at the end of the stairs!  In the 3  years we have been here I have never seen water at the end of the stairs!  I knew I needed to find out where the water was coming from.  I told myself that there had been alot of precipitation in the area, so I left it off to being so much water in the area.  It must have been too much precipitation in the area at the time.
I discovered a sprinkler, from the main water pipe to our home, in our basement!  Jammie's and hair soaked, but I discovered our problem!  
I walked back up our stairs, wet, in my Jammie's (mind you I am almost 40 and as much as I work out and as many push - ups as I do, I cannot fight gravity), dialed the phone to tell my husband that it was an issue of our pipes and hubby hung up to call a  plumber!
At that very moment, someone knocked on the door.  I have people replacing a pipeline on my property right now and the people at the front door had on alot of reflective gear, including hard hats!   so I answer every knock on the door, especially those with personal protective gear on (uh-hum PPE)!
Did I tell you, I'm still in my Jammie's, uh-hum, after cleaning like a fiend and finding a sprinkling pipe in the basement!  OH YEAH, I was frickin' hot, almost wet T-shirt contest hot!! Amazing even!  One boob pointing north and one south!!
I'm not quite sure who was more embarrassed, me, as I crossed my arms several times, in several different ways,  or the Contractor, that could barely look at me and apologized for catching me on a "lazy day in my Jammie's" (if he only knew) or the foreman, the gentleman he was introducing me too that couldn't even look at me (probably for fear he would ask "could you please put a sweatshirt on and we can start over")!
We finished our conversation, hubby called a plumber and I showered and put a bra on, oh yeah, and some other clothes  too!
All I can think at this time is: "when it rains it pours"  and then I told myself "God has a promise and I believe it!  and then I told myself that I needed to look forward to the "bright sunshine at the end of the rain"!  I found promise and love, in my moments of OMG!  I also told myself "as long as there are people working on the property, even in my Jammie's, I will be wearing a bra, even if that means I have to sleep in it"!
Afterward, I reflected and I prayed! God reminded me that I don't suffer without love, that my weakness is made perfect in His strength!  And then He reminded me that it was up to me, to make sure, I was wearing  proper clothing when answering a door, because it was better for everyone!  I agreed!

Lil Moments

Sometimes I have to stand back and take it all in. 
I have to watch in order to find a new perspective. 
I found myself becoming negative and edgy and forgetting the bigger picture. 
I was getting lost in the moments!
I have to remind myself that success/failure isn't, necessarily, the end, it comes during the journey.
Of course, there is always the final result, but I could have failed in the final and succeeded on the journey.  After all, isn't the journey just as important as the final?  Just thinking.
I have stood back, watched, listened and mostly just didn't talk, just looked around and searched. 
LOW and BEHOLD, there it was, MY NEW, BETTER PERSPECTIVE!
BUT now, I'm working on it!
Working on the journey and not getting lost in the moments. 
Enjoying the journey and not getting frustrated at it. 
Changing my view point and looking at it all from a different perspective.
NOT getting lost in the moments,but seeing the bigger picture.
Sometimes, it just takes a moment to get the perspective right and sometimes it takes longer!
I'm working on the journey and not just the lil moments along the way, of course I am enjoying the journey and the lil moments along the way, but I'm not getting lost in the moments!
Finding both success and failure along the way. 
Enjoying the successes
and Learning from the failures.
The journey starts again with the right perspective.

Valentine's Day

is fun!!
maybe amazing!
We never "plan" to celebrate!
But we always do, in some way, shape or form!!
I'm blessed enough (or lucky enough) to be married to my best-friend......THE FIRST TIME!
We never plan to celebrate "sweetest day" in October and we ALWAYS do, in some way shape or form!!
(((I'd post a pic of him and I right here, but he's sleeping sound, OHHHH so sound and that makes me happy, so no pics, but picture, a happy couple, SMILING and in love and talking, cause we always talk, he's really good at talking)))))))
Any who, we do buy cards for each other, usually, on Valentine's Day and WE both make sure, usually him, more than me, make sure the kiddos are ON for Valentine's Day!!  There is nothing  better for a wife with children, than to have her husband on board with the whole "kiddos come first" thing!!!  But this year, none, uh-hhuuuummm, NONE of that happened!  No prebought cards (is that a word? if it isn't it should be)!  No chocolates. No flowers!  This year!  We were both busy and LOST in the busy!!  Even too busy for the kiddos (I'll buy them 1/2 price chocolate and cards tomorrow, hhmmmm, We're on to something here)!!  That too busy for kiddos started out hurting and ended up being REAL matter of fact!  Mommy and Daddy have been crazy busy and you all are doing well, so get it together and stop looking for the chocolate and GET YOUR CHORES DONE!!  Love Mom!
BUT
I have a hubby that likes too talk and will!  So on my way home from work, we decide that the kiddos aren't damaged and that I would leave 1/2 price chocolates and cards at home tomorrow!!  Although, I t ell him, I like it better when you do it, but OK for this year!!
But in our talking, I realize, I'm not getting a card either!  So I don't stop to purchase a V-Day card and I find, the sweetest, most kind, handwritten, note, Valentine card!! I'm blessed, very very blessed!  I'm teary because of his note, then on FB, I read several friends posts, out loud to him~ and WHOA, I'm overwhelmed!  He's with me, completely with me!  He says "awwweee" right where I would've, if he didn't take my breath away, with his "awwwee"!!
Now that's a fantastic Valentine's Day!! 

Finished With Singles!!!

Out of the single digits and into the doubles!!  

My Mitchy, the baby, turns 10 today!!

He's excited and his smile hasn't stopped!

And he LOVES chocolate!!!  (Is it possible to get "that" from the neighbor)

 

HAPPY 10TH BIRTHDAY TO MY MITCHY!!

WELCOME TO THE DOUBLE DIGITS  

Always REASONS to be Thankful!!

 making my way out of being stuck in a SNUNDERSTORM!!  I found my way home, really home, with a rest day, for the first time in 12 days!  With 3 of those days, totally stuck at work!  And as much as I would like to be getting stuff done, I just can't find my way out of this warm chair, from the side of a warm fire!  I love being home and can't wait until the kiddos get home from school and even more can't wait until my hubby get's home from work (he's NOT working ot tonight, because I'm home), I love the man that gives up OT for family time and even more wife and hubby time!  But for now, I'll enjoy my 2 biggest babies ever!  My 2 biggest babies, yeah right, I mean OUR 2 biggest babies, every family member in this house has something to do with the spoildness of these two babies!! 
So tonight I get to FINALLY see my Mitchy enjoy Karate, it will be his 4th lesson and I have yet to see it!!  I have had video and pics sent to me, but I get to enjoy it in person tonight, hoping the timing lands right!  I get to take my big boy Adam to the Dr. for a check and find out how we are doing with the changes set in place!  As Adam and I speak I notice a difference, but Adam has a way of being candid with his Dr. unlike how he is with me!  So I am anxious to see where we stand and what the next step is!!  My baby girl just changed her earrings for the first time this morning and she NEEDED my help, ok so not really, but she pretended and I'm OK with that!  I'm in anticipation of having my entire family together this evening and still can't find my way out of this chair, by the warm fire, to get stuff in order and have it done so we can just sit and enjoy one another!  But did I tell you I've been tromping through this snow for 11 days in boots that weigh 50lbs each (not really, but they are heavy and the snow doesn't make them lighter) and that I have endured a few blows at work that really took me down!  DON'T worry I am rising to meet the occasion and I keep reminding myself, that what was depicted is not necessarily true....it is only someone's version of the truth!  I've taken a few blows personally lately too, but I know, know know, love always shows through!  The truth is always behind the love!
And I leave you with the text that got me through the past few days:  I've been thinking about you alot!  I know you can get through this!  Only 2 more days....you can do it!!  I LOVE YOU!!
And that is why it is so important to marry your BEST FRIEND!!  OF course it helps if your hubby is good at using his words and mine is!  I'm thankful!

When the Coffee isn't Enough

After knowing the kiddos were well taken care of and happy at their situation!  I was able to turn and face this at work:

Along with the rest of the Midwest!

I packed my bag and headed out!  Hoping it wasn't going to be as bad as the predictions and really hoping that I would pick my kiddos up from their snowstorm hideaway, with their grandparents, on Wednesday morning!

But much to my dislike, I had to use my packed back and even had to purchase more clothing! 

Knowing my kiddos were well taken care of and that they were actually happy about their situation, made it very easy for me to focus on what was right in front of me:  Keeping all of us, that were snowed in at work safe, keeping all of us warm and trying to keep positive attitudes and a good outlook for all of us!  In spite of the problems we had, between losing all power, to losing most power, to equipment failures, to tromping through 20 some odd inches of snow and 6 foot snow drifts in heavy boots and the lack of sleep from all!
On Friday morning, when I finally made it home, knowing I had to turn around and go right back, I was barely able to sleep!  But I did FINALLY get to see my kiddos and my hubby and their smiling faces made me feel like we had done right!  Well taken care of and happy!!
So as I begin to recover from this crazy snunderstorm 2011, I'm finding that even my coffee isn't enough for the long days and little sleep and the tromping through the snow (in boots that I promise you weigh about 50lbs each) that has taken place!
But the smiling faces of my kiddos, the fact that they were well taken care of, has given the peace I needed in order to go back to bed on this Monday morning and sleep til 10:30!!
NOW, I will enjoy my coffee!  And pray my body has recovered from the abuse I have put it through this week!!

Holding ON!

Has to keep reminding myself:
I wanted them to stay "kids" as long as possible!  But there's times, I can hear myself, saying to myself, "At that age I was......"!  There are times, I think "how immature"!!
Sometimes it's frustrating and it gets difficult!  Sometimes it's just plain annoying!  But most times, it's fun!  They are young at heart and have the understanding they need, for the age they are!
I remind myself, that I wanted them to enjoy childhood! 
There still kids and they are staying "kids" longer than what I did!
That's what I want!  It's what I have been striving to create for my children!
It's moments like these that remind me......my children are still kids and they are NOT mini adults!

 

And that's just FINE with me!!