Back to School

Wow.  Summer break is over!

It was a wonderful summer.  I really enjoyed my kids, for the most part.  I wish I’d realized how cool it was going to be and planned more days at parks, more walks, and more non-pool outdoor time.  But, all-in-all, we rested.  I think I needed it.  Total breaks.

Today I am getting everything re-windexed down (boy, three kids make a lot of fingerprints), getting the kitchen back into shape (it will take several days, I’m realizing), and getting laundry caught up from our trip to Lake Barkley last weekend.  How does the pile grow so fast!?  The laundry room is far from the back-to-school vision I enjoy, but that’s okay.  I’ll get there.  I want to clean out the van before pick-up time to keep from scaring the teachers also.

My mom dropped off green beans I need to get canned…finally got the dishwasher ready for jars.

The kids are settling into classes.  I will have a zillion forms to fill out when they get home.

Getting it all fit in this evening will be a miracle.

Christmas music just came on my iPod…I thought I deleted all that!  I hate it when that happens…just a sec…

It’s so good to be able to hear the music today….as I try to deal with a gnat problem.

Getting rid of those things is crazy when you have garden produce!

My extra fridge has a leak problem, so I’m having trouble keeping it all chilled adding to the “gnat problem”.

Anyway…I’ve got one hour left to reach some house goals!  I’m on a rampage!

It Snowed!

Just a little.

Enough to be pretty. 

The house is dark, midnight black.

There is a blue-glue off fallen snow.

I am slow to wake, curling in bed, willing a warm blanket to keep me warm.

The dog begins to wimper to be let off the porch to “go”.

I dial up the local TV newscast on my radio, fancy contraption that it is, and…

school is running, on time.

ARG. 

Just so you know, that ruins the whole blue-snow moment; Boy Wonder throwing up isn’t helping much either.

Hey!  At least I’ll get one child to stay home and play games with! 

Update:  Ya’ll.  I know, this is very exciting.  I have jury duty today.  It just keeps killing my snow blue.  Thank goodness I called “E” or I would have totally forgotten in my winter wonderland dreaming.  They’ve added every county all the way around us, and yet…we run on time.  Wouldn’t you just know it?

FORE-WARNING BOYS: MOM SAYS WE ARE MAKING ORNAMENTS TODAY!

This post made me entirely nostalgic.  I have to try this!  I don’t know it I’ll do it this year or not.  Thanks to Kittie Kraft!  I’m loving “visual” blogs and craft logs this season!  The fact that women long to worship through creation, just like their Heavenly Daddy just makes me all gushy.  My mom was like that.  And, I didn’t get it at the time AT ALL…yet, I will be dog tired, but HAVE to make me some homemake stuff for the season is just not Christmas for me!  Creativity MUST FLOW!  It’s either worship or an illness…I like to think of it as worship, it just sound smore rational.

A few months ago, I picked up some inexpensive shiney stars with holes in the middle.  Last night, I added some styrofoam balls and straight pins ($5.00 for pearlized straight pins is highway robbery, Wal*Mart, just in case you read).  

Notice:  I plan on there being a Martha Stewart moment in my house very soon!!!  Beware ye testostere-laden men-folk.  Make Mom happy for an hour or so, and she’ll love and cherish you for years to come!

FIND JOY IN TODAY

I “heart” the Second Sunday of DECEMBER–  

Red everywhere,

cards flying,

cheer rolling,

warmth exuding,

rain falling,

carols singing,

pews filling,

lost returning,

family gathering,

cantatas coming!!!

I could get lost in things to do, another child with a low-grade fever and virus to tend to, and a messy house.  But, NO WAY!  Today is special…it is the 9th day of December!  REJOICE!  THE LORD HAS COME!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Rejoice in the everyday! 

Celebrate the moments. 

Smile at life!

Jesus makes the day sweet!

Amazing Grace and Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium Reviews and Weekend Notes

1. The slow and family oriented pace of this week with family and husband has been just what we needed, even with the occasion fit by one of us due to proximity overload.   I’ll take it.
2. I think I’m going to continue my “time of thanks” moving toward Christmas.   Thanksgiving is not a day to be thankful, but to set our heart toward thanks…I have come to realize this year that THAT is the anticdote to the “give me” attitude of Christmas.  Right now, presents are in the background, and I hope they stay there. 
3. Make lists of things that would bless you for those you love…it’s just a whole lot easier and more fulfilling than spending money on “stuff”.
4. I hope to find some home-made things to show thanks as gifts.  (This week!”)  Lists shall begin.
5. Which leads me to why I am not obliging recipe chains, lists of eight, and other tags this season.  If I get one more assignment, I might get cranky.  I do love reading them, and perhaps in the dead of winter, I will go back and do them then on a snowy day when my mind has enough RAM for more list-making.  I know you understand.  I hope to publish some blog tool “helpful things to know” guides very soon.  I like to think of unusual gifts.  This year, to give a gift to the church for Christmas.  I’ll design three wordpress blog headers (only WordPress for now) this month in order to make $35 in contributions per header to go toward the church building fund.  I’ll do it only in the FIRST TWO WEEKS this month.  Limited time offer.  Let me know if you want one,  I will cut off the list at three this month.  Do something that will last a while unless you want to make another donation.  I will not update them for free when the seasons change.   
6. There may be some days where I turn off comments and just reflect in a spirit of holiday meditation.  I hope you understand.
7. The movies, Amazing Grace and Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium (click for “PluggedIn” summary and reviews) were both worthwhile movies to watch this week.  Both hit the season I am.  The first hit my current reflections on Jeremiah…how often God showed concerned for the hurting, needy, poor, and alone.  And…how he wanted that to be our heartbeat as well.  I’ve grown too cynical.  I was challened by those who give their lives to the causes and purposes God has places on their lives, even through their own physical struggles and pains.  The second movie, as well as the first, also dealt with the issues of “passing the torch”, giving our predecessor thought, setting the foundation for work to continue to fulfill divine purposes.   Both lifted my spirits and challenged me at the same time.  I have to note admirably that neither had any negative content–that makes a movie memorable for me.  The minute I have to start “blocking reflexes” watching a movie, I hate it.  I have enough to block in real life, I watch a movie to get a break from that. 

Those are my Saturday ponderings!  Have a great Holiday Weekend! 

“My soul finds rest in God alone, my HOPE is from Him” (Psalms)

 

The Day Before Baking Begins

Today was a brain day.  I wanted to get caught up on reading, and had some projects I couldn’t get off my mind I wanted to explore on my last day home without the kids before Thanksgiving Break.  Tomorrow, I hope they will help me make the Banana Pudding (with both round cookies, and graham crackers…The Hub and I have had to compromise on this difference in preference!)  I also want to try a cranberry-strawberry salad I found…I love the strawberry element to tone down the cranberries.  It calls for pineapple as well.  I think everyone is making some sort of cranberry salad already, but I really want to try it.  I may make it in two dishes, now that I think of it…one to share at Mom’s this weekend.  I don’t exactly know why I thought that fit to share here, but there you go.

Tonight, as to the “slowing down to scrapbook”, I’ve found I wanted to write, not glue, not organize, not select papers.  So, what I think I’m doing is…there is this basket I’ve been putting “Mommy copies” of pictures for  “for Mom” album…someday.   Boy Wonder is now 11, and I still have those pictures waiting.  I’d bought some “slide-in” regular photo albums some times ago (about eight of them, because they all matched, back when I swore I’d never, EVER scrapbook.  I had my reasons.  Now, I have my reasons for being obsessed with it.  What can I say?)  Anyway, I decided to slide all those into the album, out of order, kids all mixed and matched as far as ages, and I’ll journal on separate slips of paper to slide into the middle section if I feel like it.  Those will come in handy later.  It’s great to look at them in a different way…out of choronological order.  I’ve almost filled one book tonight! 

I made some pork chops today in the George Foreman grill.  Over-all, I’m not sure pork is my favorite Foreman recipe.  I drenched them in marinade, and still, not as moist as I prefer.  I liked pork chops really well as my mother in law makes them, baked on top of sliced, scalloped potatoes.  Mmmm. 

Today, Jeremiah has captured my attention.  1.  God told him 3 times:  do not pray for this people.  Isn’t that interesting?  He was mad, and he knew the people needed to be punished, and he said, basically, “Don’t even try to talk me out of it…I’m sick of this.  Think of me.”  In another place, God said, basically, “Why am I mad all the time at YOUR misbehavior…it’s time to turn the tables…take your punishment.  YOU be upset for a while.”  I’ve been there with my kids…I get that!  There are all sorts of interesting literary things to note, too much for this post.  So much to take in.

The Hub is sitting over with the kids, reading the last of  a “Hardy Boys” story.  They are on the grand finale tonight.  Red is asleep on the couch, curled up under a pillow case, because it was “just the right size for the loveseat”, he said. 

Today, I’ve been inspired by these ideas for Christmas, and by this program, just for fun . I just ran into some cool, free, women’s handwriting journaling fonts here you can download).  And,  this was a neat post on Thanks inspired by the movie, Mr Magorium’s Wonder Emporium.   (I’ve heard mixed reviews…what do you think?)

I am thankful today that the yard people decided to tackle our leaves for us so that The Hub doesn’t have to take his time off to flare up allergies. 

Okay, so warning:  I get a little ecclectic, even moreso than usual with posts around the holidays–just so much life to take in!  BTW:  I feel like I’m going to a big restaurant to eat supper, and I don’t want to eat anything heavy so that I can really enjoy it…only it’s still two days away!!!  What is for supper at your house the day before your “big meal”?

Flowers from God: Volume 2, Autumn Video 2007

Well, here it is.  I had to upload it to youtube in a smaller file to fit all the pics in, but it’s still decent.

Nobody expected this after the drought!  Creater God, Lord of all Creation, “woo-ing” us all over again.

This was the song on the radio while I was driving around looking at nature the other day.  Loved snapping photos as it played.

Photos/Video: Maggie

Music:  Phillips, Craig, and Dean “Open the Eyes of My Heart”,  Album:  “Let My Words Be Few”

How Precious to God

There continue to be many painful losses in our community in a very short amount of time.  Most folks around here are in ”coping” mode, ”helping” mode, ”supportive” mode, “grieving” mode, or “recovery” mode.   Everyone smiles and has grace for everyone else.  And we are all amazed at the grace being poured out.  There are smiles, laughing, and deep emotion.  It is exhausting to feel the extremes of emotion, but we are thankful for it all the same.

The many needs are so vast and pressing.  I encourage staying strong and stay rested.  Try not to serve outside the grace God has given you, even when you feel obligated.  God will always provide a fill for you when it’s needed if you are needing rest.  Always.  Let him let grace flow.  It does…trust me.  With a heart condition, I’ve always had to limit myself to keep from trying to do too much.  And the need is always met, and grace is always there for the needs, and God gives me rest and joy for the next thing he has for ME to do.  I’m much better at it if I only move according to the grace he has given me.  Keep serving, keep blessing, but don’t go beyond the grace you are given.  It pulls us all down.  Let God call others out.  Organize.  Teach the young to serve.  Teach the young to rest.

God puts us in this season  — and I don’t know much about it, but I do know this one thing:  even with it all seems to hit at the same time, and it just seems to keep on coming… it is His most merciful path.  We serve a merciful God.

I was thinking of this yesterday, comparing it in my own mind to getting all my kids immunizations when they were babies.  Oh!  I hated it!  Four to six immunizations combined in up to four syringes, maybe more.  Little, tender, chubby, baby legs, two nurses (if I was lucky), one Mommy.  All at the same time.  Yes, you know why we combine it all, those of you have have young.  It is more humane, though painful and terrible and nothing we’d want to wish on any baby or desire to repeat.   

He is nothing if not a merciful God.  

Here are a few scriptures that have calmed my mind lately.  There are hard to find when you need them, so I hope to write the references in the front of my Bible this time, though I keep them close at heart.  I’ve star-ed them in my Bible over time.  I hope they minister to you as much as they do me in seasons of grief.  I’ve stumbled back over most of them in the last couple weeks and they soothe somehow, though they are direct.

Ecclesiastes 7

Wisdom

 1 A good name is better than fine perfume,
       and the day of death better than the day of birth.

 2 It is better to go to a house of mourning
       than to go to a house of feasting,
       for death is the destiny of every man;
       the living should take this to heart.

 3 Sorrow is better than laughter,
       because a sad face is good for the heart.

 4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning,
       but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.

Isn’t it a beautiful thing to read how God values times of mourning even more highly than times of celebration?  He knowsthe depth and love and learning that is there.  He knows we learn more in times of heartache than in times of celebration, though he cherishes both.  He included in his law to Moses seasons of feasting and celebration!  He loves a good party, as it is often said of Jesus (God in the flesh) as well. 

For the believer, death is better than life!   But, some believers have a hard time with mourning, feeling they are disrespecting the happiness God has given their loved one.  No, God encourages us to do our mourning, whatever it takes.  He treasures that time.  He recognizes there is much to be accomplished and learned there.  He only reminds us to remember hope–to not let despair or fear or anger take up permanent residence in us.  He wants us to deal with it well.  He says this gently: ”Do not grieve like the rest of men who have no hope.” (I Thess. 4:13)  We encourages us to grieve well.

This verse is a special one to me, one I quote often, every time I’m at the funeral of a Christian.  I can never seem to remember the reference when I quote it, and people always ask me for it.  Here it is:    Psalm 116:15 —

“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints (or ’loved ones’).”

This also speaks to the verse in Ecclesiastes.  I look it up often, and it’s hard to find, as it’s in the Amplified version only worded this way, but it says God will “harden you to difficulties”.  I think the trick here is to be hardened to difficulties, while keeping a SOFT HEART.  To do this, one thing will will all have to eventually learn, I suspect…how to grieve well.  

Fear not [there is nothing to fear], for I am with you; do not look around you in terror and be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen and harden you to difficulties, yes, I will help you; yes, I will hold you up and {yes, I will} retain you with My [victorious] right hand of rightness and justice.  (Isaiah 41:10, Amp, emph added)

You have to love how God goes ahead and answers every question we could possibly have:  “Yes, I will!”  Yes, He will strengthen you, “harden you” (I think of a hardened oak tree with deep roots, able to handle any weather).  Yes, he will help you.  Yes, He will hold you up!!!  Yes, he will keep us with victory!  Yes, he will work justice. 

Yes…He will!  Mourn.  “It is better that you mourn”.  Mourn well, “as those who have hope”.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

If you think these verses might help someone you know, right click on the title of this post “How Precious to God”, select “copy shortcut” and “paste” the link into an email document.  

Make a list of these scriptures; put them in the front of your Bible for ready reference– I plan to.

 

 

Photo:  Maggie

“Paradise Park”

11.13.07

My Very Favorite Fall Tree

This is my favorite fall tree this year.  I pass it a few times a day, so I’ve watched it’s splendor of color changing every day. 

You’d think I’d say, “Been there, seen that”, but every day, I say, “Wow, that is the most beautiful tree I think I’ve ever seen!” 

When the sunlight streams through it?  Watch out.  I’ll have to try to go on foot and get that.  This is just a little drive-by, rainy-day sample to get you warmed up for what’s to come.  Today it was raining and I was afraid all the leaves would fall off, so I slowed down and took one –no one driving too closely behind me, thank goodness.

How I do love this tree!

Yesterday, an old friend emailed me from days gone by.  A former pastor’s wife from my youth, bless her heart.  She said, “I was just telling Rick yesterday I wish I could see the trees there again this fall.  I so miss them.  Then, I was reading your blog, and there they were!  I got to see!  It’s amazing how God blesses the desires of our hearts, isn’t it?  Thanks so much for posting, and keep writing.”

Well, how about that? 

I enjoyed some worship time this morning just driving around enjoying what someone else misses.  My eyes were opened.   We DO have the most beautiful city in the Fall–the most stunning trees I’ve seen anywhere this Fall.  This tree is on the street I live on, a mile or so toward town.

Friday–Fall Break

Larry Pop is on his way to Iraq, in an overnight lay-over 13 hours into the trip.  Tomrrow, he’ll resume travel.  We continue to pray and support Mom this week as much as we can without smothering her.  But, she’s taking care of herself, as usual.  What an independant woman!   Women like her must have been Moses’s wife, or other such leaders.  She rolls with the punches and keeps on punching. 

We are so thankful for family and friends who have made extra efforts to be near.  It is an emotional roller coaster and adjustment for all of us on many levels.

My family took two days rest on our fall break to rejuvenate a bit, hiking, climbing, and watching a movie together.  We played checkers and board games tonight and watched some basketball together.  I got my hair done this afternoon while the family caught up with Daisy Dog.  She nearly chewed her dog rope to smither-ines while we were gone, worrying and burning off all that energy she keeps an abundance of.   I came home to clean bar and table and house…and now, it’s already trashed back to clutter-ville after a few short hours and only snacking!  Not even a meal yet!

I got caught up on my reading last night, but re-read tonight because I didn’t have a pencil.  I’m glad I did.  I missed a lot without my hand busy.  I think my hand has an imprint button to my brain.  

Lots to get caught up on tonight and tomorrow to get the fam ready for cool fall weather next week.  Jeans to hem, leaves to rake, clothes to fold, back-packs to go through, food to buy. 

Boy!  Did I enjoy time away!  God filled my soul, and showed me where I need to grow next, all at the same time…I love those times with him.   

Play Date Invite–My Place, Moms and Kids

This is for the local gals… I wanted them to see it here!  

What are your plans for Fall Break?   Me?  The Hub is taking off a couple days this week for some little getaway fun, and we are getting things ready for Fall around here, cleaning, getting clothes ready, getting out Fall decor (hopefully today!).

Wednesday

Today I’ve been looking at some break maker recipes to try to see what my options are and know what I need to have on hand to make fresh bread for dinner.  People have been surprised when I tell them that you don’t even need a bowl or a spoon.  You dump all the ingredients into the mixer basket, push a button; it literally mixes, kneads, rises, rests, rises for the second time, then cooks the bread to perfection.  You don’t move it!  It’s quite an amazing little invention.  I’ve enjoyed just the technology that goes into something like that…and much more so for 5 bucks (thrift stores are the best fun going).  My model is only 2-3 years old.  I’m thrilled to have it for fun.  Gee, you’d spend that much on a movie.  And, I can eat the results.  People, that’s luxury.  

I tried a new chocolate chip bread recipe tonight and it was much better.  First, I realized I accidentally picked up the wrong flour.  (I picked up self rising when I reached to get bread flour.)  Let’s just say that you don’t want to use self-rising AND yeast, the bread gets heavy and stiff…as it did last night.  I think the yeast over activates and almost cancels itself out.  “A little yeast works through the whole dough”?  Well, a lot of yeast just knocks itself out!  Perhaps there is a spiritual principle of moderation/balance in there I need to hear!  LOL.

Actually, there were no  “chocolate chips”–they dissolve in the warm dough.  I may try chunks for chocolate remnants.  I’d like that to go with coffee in the winter.  For now, we drizzled with Hershey’s chocolate and had a tall glass of milk with it for after school treat.  (Update:  Also, GREAT with butter substitute.  Daughter asked me if she had to use her “extra” money for chores to pay for it today!  Must be a favorite already!)

I still want a good recipe for supper time.  I’ve heard that oatmeal is a family favorite, but I wonder how heavy it is.  Probably very moist.

Daisy was much stronger tonight.  Limping at first in her retreivals, but then getting stronger as her muscles toned up a bit.  She was running for shorter fetches.  I tried not to throw them too long.  She was getting her appetite back, but she is favouring the doggie bisquits and pizza over dog food.  She is getting to where she just won’t touch dog food at all…the kids left over cereal seems a fav.  She keeps sniffing around the back door where we bring her treats.  The kids like putting it high to make her stand up for it.  She knocked the screen out of the screen door doing that!

I moved the wrought iron swing from the front porch back to my bedroom porch; we sit there in the evening and let her chase a ball around our feet.  It’s fun to use  a side of the yard and house we never enjoyed before.  She’s brought new life to the place.  She likes to dig holes in the yard if we don’t give her mid-day play, I’ve found…but, it’s too darn hot to play right now.  Another heat wave tomorrow, and then a chance of rain.  Several big fires in the area and water rations.

I volunteered to make copies at the school for one of the teachers who I’ve noticed working too late too often.  She trained me today.  I start tomorrow.  I have a new job.  Another one without pay, albeit, but the best kind–lots of joy and no strings.  By grace.  There is nothing more fun than being able to help for the joy of it. 

I thought I’d volunteer for things I like to do before I “got volunteered” for a lot of things I don’t particularly get a lot of joy out of.  I hope that is “serving according to the grace given you” as the Bible verse says…that’s how to live in a state of rest, or one way.   They asked me yesterday to be on an Instructional Committee, but I’m not very sure what that entails as of yet.  Sounds like a fun way to get to know people, and who knows, make a difference or two.

Today was a moody day.  I felt very out of sorts without my kids here.   That comes and goes every day still.  I was so busy last year I hardly knew they were gone.  Now, I can here the sound of my own thoughts so loudly.  It’s disconcerting, a bit.  I did meet several goals yesterday,  maintained today, but didn’t get any extra things done.  I’m trying to get my scrapbooking stuff off my table, or do it daily.  It’s fun to work when hubby is studying in the same room.  Reminds me of college days.  

The season?  Changing…new.  Different.  Roles different.  Time different.  Setting different.  Hobbies changing.  Priorities and schedule different.  A good thing.  An odd feeling.  I look forward to what God has for me. 

Stressful, but at the same time, joyful, relaxed, right.  At the same time?  The schedule has to run on time or nothing seems to work well.  A good, new season.  Forcing me into a level of motherhood I’ve not experienced yet with toddlers where you just keep them alive and it’s a good day.  Now…it’s “making the paths for their feet level” (another psalm I’ve remembered a lot lately for inspiration). 

What is your new season?

~Maggie 

Tomorrow’s the Big Day

Well, tomorrow is the big day.  All three at a new school, a public school.  It’s time.  We’re prepared.

But, I’m weeping.  I can’t even go kiss them goodnight.  I just had to discipline one for kicking before bedtime and I wish they were here so I could keep doing it…so I’d know it’s getting done…all the fussing and yelling and disciplining they need.  It’s not fun, but somebody has to do it.  I hope they will get all they need. 

I wish I could go pray bold prayers for them and tuck them in with a kiss, but I lost it the minute one ran up the stairs, ready for bed, “So we won’t be too tired tomorrow”.

Another came back down, “Forgot to give you a kiss, Mom!”  It was dark, the tears were hidden. 

“Don’t forget to pray for us, Mom!” 

“I won’t!  I already am!”  {sob}

I have to try to decide how to best get my 1st grader into class, whether to let siblings do it, or risk going in myself.  A hard call.

WELL… 

I had goals of organization.  I did organize.  My desk is very workable.

Currently, there are still dishes in the sink…there is just nothing to make that go away, is there?

Laundry:  clean or dirty?  Who would know?

That’s my goal for today.  I usually “reset” the room the day and night before school.  Burns off my adrenaline and anxiety I suppose.  I’ll be up until 2 AM because, let’s be honest, who wants to clean all day the last day of summer break.  As I’ve said before, if you do laundry in the middle of the night, it doesn’t waste a whole day.  It just makes sense.  Yes, I’ll be tired tomorrow, but that’s okay, that will help me with the emotions of sending Red to school for a whole day this year. 

Kids are excited, and stressed.  I told them this AM that I would appreciate it if they could turn their stressed fussing and fighting into sweetness so I’d miss them tomorrow instead of being glad they were gone.  Unbelievably, it seemed to work immediately.  They got it!  They are hugging me now to no end.

Exercise:  Daisy Dog is helping me get faithful to exercise again.  I love her for that.  I even got my hands around her face today when I was cooling her off.  She didn’t bite me or anything.   Because I won’t take the tennis ball out of her mouth yet, she runs it 15 feet from me for punishment.  It’s a pain.  So, I’ve got to learn the mouth thing.   I have to play fetch with her for a while or there is no way I can leash her.  

Joy:  Daisy is  also helping me remember the joy of play.  I’d forgotten.  My brain is too busy all the time with words and puzzles and math and keeping everyone in line.  She’s been a refreshing I needed.

Shopping:  I found a cool scrapbook “superstore” in Franklin, Tennessee called “Cropper’s Coral”  (www.cropperscorral.com).  They were really nice, so if you are in the area, go scope them out, or you can order online.  They had some good sales going on.  They carry a lot of different things, not just scrapbook stuff.

Call Me:  Call or stop by if you are in the same day-before-school insanity and we’ll laugh it off together.  I am going to be on top of my Mommy game before the day is over.  It will probably take all day for me to work myself up to it, but we’ll get there.

Invite:  Tomorrow morning, 8:30.  I’m inviting local moms to my house…we can talk, walk, swap stories, drink something cold, and just be “not alone without the kids” for a few minutes.  It seems to help.  (The dog is chained away from the house.)  I am hoping Red adjusts well.  I’ll leave a phone out on the porch to call here in case I get held up, but otherwise,  wait out back on the porch and stare in the windows at my not quite clean house.  I don’t mind.  Call for my cell number if you’d like it.

Maggie

Learning to Be a Dog Owner

Well, God is good.  The dog didn’t bark all night.  However, hubbie’s work called twice at 12:30 and 2:30, and Red came and flailed all over the bed at 4:30, second night in a row.  Let’s just say that Mommy and Daddy are getting a bit snippy….everyone had BETTER stay in their own beds tonight. 

You know those really cool dog leashes with the handle?  I love those things!  

Here’s a couple doggies tips:

A.  Children’s feet get easily tangled in leashes. 

B.  If helicopters suddenly tend to land in your yard…well, that can startle a young pup…

C.  If the children least the handy dandy leash on the dog for “just a second!”, an eight month old pup will chew straight through that baby. 

Hubby suggested that I might be able to disassemble it and somehow put it back together.  I cut and sewed with a denim needle and thread on the button setting on my sewing maching.  After re-assembling it three times, I finally figured out how to get it to automatically retract again.  Hubby then says, “oh, yeah…just just like a lawn mower assembly”.  Liek that info helps me.  Anyway, where was he 15 minutes and three fits ago?

So…then, I decided to run her in the dark anyway because she was yippy.  I got her leashed, we ran, I was happy. 

So, then I’m out of breath from my whole two laps, panting, praising Daisy, and I CANNOT get her back on the leash in the dark. I even BROKE A NAIL TO THE QUICK!  That’s dedication right there, my friends. 

In other dog related news:  did you know that an eight month old dog can pull a six year old child in a wagon who is holding her leash?  I wouldn’t recommend it, per se…I’m just sayin’.   If he’s in the wagon, and holding the leash…well, it’s all fun and games after that!  Quite a suprise for Red.  He squealed, “Whoa!  Stop, Daisy!  Stop!”–everyone is laughing, whole family in pursuit. 

I bought our first Doggie bone yesterday.  Let’s just say that as much as the dog loves fetch, she loves her doggie bones more.  And she doesn’t like to be bothered while she is chomping…it takes a lot of concentration to do it, right, I suppose.  She loves to be petted and played with, but…not while she’s eating.  I totally get it.

Tomorrow is our last day of school summer break.  The novelty has me inquisitive; I’m not too mournful this year.  But, it doesn’t take much for me to get worried or high strung myself wondering about my kids. 

Perhaps I need to chase a tennis ball… or twenty.  But, that’s what scrapbooking is about for me…let it work it’s magic.

Maggie