Sometimes when I have the most running through my head, I blog the least. I'll put the blog back on my daily to-do list so that I'm being informative whether I want to or not :)
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This afternoon we have Sophia's early headstart and her early childhood teachers coming and then I've got to figure out what we're doing for the trunk-or-treat tomorrow. I really just want to swap fun stories with a good friend later tonight instead of doing anything productive. Doesn't even matter which friend, as long as they can make me laugh for a few minutes!
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Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Friday, October 26, 2012
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Sophia Says
I had to pick up a book from our friend Todd so I took Sophia with me.
As we were leaving, Sophia yelled, "Bye!" Then she turned back to me and said, "I said bye."
I replied, "That was friendly!"
Her quick response was "I don't know Friendly!"
So from now on, instead of Todd, I'm gonna call him Friendly!
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As we were leaving, Sophia yelled, "Bye!" Then she turned back to me and said, "I said bye."
I replied, "That was friendly!"
Her quick response was "I don't know Friendly!"
So from now on, instead of Todd, I'm gonna call him Friendly!
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I'm feeling a bit more content right this minute than I have in quite a while. Work is done, therapy is complete, paperwork is all finished, homework is done, supper is started, three kids are playing Go Fish contentedly in the kitchen, Sophia is playing Barbies downstairs with a little neighbor girl, Riley is headed to watch a football game with a friend, Brittney is setting up gymnastics equipment at the high school and Steve is still at work. The chaos has been kept at bay temporarily ;)
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Porta-Potties
My Personal Best and Worst Moment of the Special Olympics State Softball Tournament:
Zeke needed to use the restroom so I walked him over to the long line of porta-potties. When you go into the porta-potty, you turn the lock and the space on the outside by the handle turns from green to red to let prospective users know that particular bathroom is occupied.
I looked at the one closest to us. The door showed greeen so I pulled on the handle and opened the unlocked door.........to find myself staring right at the bare backside of a young man! The poor guy didn't even turn his head around. It didn't even faze him that he hadn't locked the door and someone had opened it.
No big deal. I just played it cool. I shut the door quickly and proceeded to the next door in line. Again, the door wasn't showing red and I turned the handle of the unlocked door. You guessed it! Same situation, different guy! I kept going down the line of doors. Each door I opened presented me with yet another 'full moon'. NINE DOORS, NINE BUTTS!
It wasn't until we reached the very last door, door number 10, that we were finally rewarded with an empty porta-potty. I think it will be a very long time before I try to open another unlocked bathroom door!
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Zeke needed to use the restroom so I walked him over to the long line of porta-potties. When you go into the porta-potty, you turn the lock and the space on the outside by the handle turns from green to red to let prospective users know that particular bathroom is occupied.
I looked at the one closest to us. The door showed greeen so I pulled on the handle and opened the unlocked door.........to find myself staring right at the bare backside of a young man! The poor guy didn't even turn his head around. It didn't even faze him that he hadn't locked the door and someone had opened it.
No big deal. I just played it cool. I shut the door quickly and proceeded to the next door in line. Again, the door wasn't showing red and I turned the handle of the unlocked door. You guessed it! Same situation, different guy! I kept going down the line of doors. Each door I opened presented me with yet another 'full moon'. NINE DOORS, NINE BUTTS!
It wasn't until we reached the very last door, door number 10, that we were finally rewarded with an empty porta-potty. I think it will be a very long time before I try to open another unlocked bathroom door!
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Last night I was too tired to give anyone any energy. I had enough just to push through homework, supper and kids' stuff. I made it to 7 o'clock. Then Sophia's mom, two aunts and one year old cousin came over. They require so much emotional energy that it feels like they suck it right out of me. They are like perpetual five year olds and twelve year olds wrapped up into one person, times three. I just wanted to crawl into my bed, snuggle under the covers and bury myself in a book until I was so sleepy that I could close my eyes without thinking. But they needed me. And Sophia needs them. So on we go.
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Monday, October 22, 2012
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Tough day. Who am I kidding? It's been a tough week. But some positives are that my washer is now fixed and, after my meeting tonight, I'm meeting my sister-in-law (and mother-in-law, brother-in-law, brother-in-law's girlfriend & my hubby) at Buffalo Wild Wings at 7:30! I really need the relaxation tonight.
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
County of Birth
Yesterday I needed to pick up certified copies of some birth certificates (more on the 'why' of that later). I had to fill out a form for mine and one of the questions I had to answer was "County of Birth". That wouldn't normally be a difficult question but, as I've posted about before, adoptees birth certificates are different and not exactly accurate. Even though I knew where I was born, I wasn't sure if the information they would pull up on their computers would list Pennington County where I was born, or Moody County where I was adopted. Remember, my current legal birth certificate lists my parents (adopted) as the parents of a live birth and so I wasn't sure if it also listed their county.
It made my stomach queezy just trying to figure it out. I ended up writing Moody County because if it listed their names it should list their county too, right? I handed over the paperwork. Then when the gal was searching on the computer and couldn't find it, she looked at me and questioned if I was SURE I was born in Moody County.
Well, as a matter of fact, I wasn't. I have paperwork that lists different counties, different cities, different parents, a different life. I just don't know what you people want me to write so that I can have the paperwork I need to obtain my passport! But all I said was, "Try Pennington County". She did and there it was.
Did I mention I don't care for birth certificates?
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It made my stomach queezy just trying to figure it out. I ended up writing Moody County because if it listed their names it should list their county too, right? I handed over the paperwork. Then when the gal was searching on the computer and couldn't find it, she looked at me and questioned if I was SURE I was born in Moody County.
Well, as a matter of fact, I wasn't. I have paperwork that lists different counties, different cities, different parents, a different life. I just don't know what you people want me to write so that I can have the paperwork I need to obtain my passport! But all I said was, "Try Pennington County". She did and there it was.
Did I mention I don't care for birth certificates?
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Saturday, October 13, 2012
Steve
Steve decided to clean the leaves out of the gutters this afternoon in case it rained. While I was reading inside, he was on the roof. Around 2:30, Riley came running into my bedroom yelling, "Dad fell off the roof and he's not moving!!!"
I ran outside and by then two people who were driving by and had seen Steve fall were running up the driveway. Three different neighbors were headed our direction too. I saw Steve laying on his side on the cement driveway. I hovered over him and tried to talk to him. He was conscious but not moving much so we had him stay still and kept him talking. Meanwhile, one of the neighbors was on the phone with 911 because they were all sure we'd need an ambulance. Gradually, he started moving and eventually sat up.
Amazingly, other than being really sore and having a lot of bruises and scrapes, he doesn't seem to have any thing else wrong!
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I ran outside and by then two people who were driving by and had seen Steve fall were running up the driveway. Three different neighbors were headed our direction too. I saw Steve laying on his side on the cement driveway. I hovered over him and tried to talk to him. He was conscious but not moving much so we had him stay still and kept him talking. Meanwhile, one of the neighbors was on the phone with 911 because they were all sure we'd need an ambulance. Gradually, he started moving and eventually sat up.
Amazingly, other than being really sore and having a lot of bruises and scrapes, he doesn't seem to have any thing else wrong!
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Friday, October 12, 2012
Washer
So I'm a little late with the washer story. Told you it was the long verson.
So here it is:
On Tuesday, the load of laundry in the washer wouldn't drain and it was flashing an F21 code at me. I tried all the normal things, like setting it to just a spin cycle, washing the whole load over again, pushing random buttons, unplugging the washer, etc. Nothing made any difference. So I wrung all the clothes out by hand and put them in the dryer. Then waited until Wednesday and tried again with a different load. Same problem.
So on Wednesday after I dropped the kids off at school, I called Maytag. They have that great repairman on the commercials who's always bored because he never has any appliances to fix.
In the spring of 2010, a mere 2 years ago, we purchased a front loading washer and dryer with our tax return. We loved them! We could fit much more into them and the laundry that used to take forever to finish was suddenly manageable. Then we loved them even more when we got our utility bill! We saved $50-$100 per month! The new washer doesn't require more than a few tablespoons of soap, so we save on that too! The salesmen try to tell you that you'll save but we didn't really believe that it would be that much. It was!
The first year we had them, a button stuck on the dryer. It was still under warranty so someone came and fixed it at no cost to us. That's the only problem we've had so far. When we were offered the extended three year warranty by Maytag, I thought long and hard about it. It was expensive ($300 a piece) but probably worth it because we can't afford to be without a washer or dryer for very long and the cost for repairing them can be really expensive anyway. So we purchase the extended warranty.
Fast-forward to our current problem. I left a note for Steve to call to get it repaired. We had a definite lack of communication. He thought the warranty was through Lowes, so that's who he called. When I figured out what he was doing, I let him know it was actually through Maytag. He wasn't very happy with me.
Thursday morning, I was sitting on my laundry room floor pulling sopping wet clothes out of the washer and squeezing them out by hand so I could throw them in the dryer. I wasn't in a very good mood. I decided since I'd be there a while, I could get my page from James and work some more on memorizing while I was squeezing. So I did. Even while sitting on cement wringing out wet clothes from a broken washer, it's hard to maintain a negative attitude when you're repeating over and over, "Consider it pure joy whenever you face trial of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith produces perserverence."
I can honestly say that I finished with a positive attitude. Then I helped the kids get ready for school, dropped them off and came home to call to get the washer fixed. When I called, the gentleman asked a lot of questions, all of which I had all ready tried myself. I tried to be patient and after 20 minutes of questions and answers, he finally agreed to send a repairman........who would be here sometime between 8am and 5pm on Oct 23 or 24th. Oh, by the way, an adult over 18 has to be there when they come. They'll call you the morning they're coming.
No. I'm not ok with that. I tried to explain that my husband and I are not going to take two full days off of work to wait three weeks for a repairman. I needed more of a definite time frame, maybe a specific morning or afternoon? Nope. He couldn't do that. It didn't offer that option on his computer screen. So I calmly asked to talk to a supervisor.
I spoke to supervisor Kim. First, I had to repeat everything I had already gone over with the first guy, including our phone numbers, address, washer model, etc and wait for her to re-enter them into the computer. Then came the "did you try this?" questions. Another 20 minutes later, she was ready to send a repairman. Again, I asked for a timeframe and was told that wasn't possible. After discussion back and forth for another 10 minutes, I told her we had two options at that point. Either they could refund us the entire warranty and I could find someone local to fix our washer in the next few days or she could call the service company herself and find a morning or afternoon that they could come. She finally agreed to do so. I guess I still need a lot of work in the patience department because God is really allowing me a lot of good opportunities to practice it. She told me she would put me on hold for 2-5 minutes (yes, she really said that) while she called the company and checked on a timeframe. Then she would let me know. So I remained on hold for a few minutes.
After being on hold for a while, their phone system started ringing me through to their regular call line. Uh oh. I waited in the system for another 10 minutes the automated voice told me if I hung up and tried again, I would lose my place in line. I finally got Mister Mumbly Guy. I couldn't even understand his name. I told him I was on hold with supervisor Kim. He insisted he could help me. After trying to let him know he couldn't help me, I'd already talked to two people and could he please just transfer me to Kim, he continued to insist he could help me. Trials and perserverance practice again! So I spent another 20 minutes going through the same questions and answers I'd already been through twice.
He finally paused, said it sounded like we did, in fact, need a repairman (really?) and offered to send one out who would be here sometime between 8am and 5pm on Oct 23 or 24th. Oh, by the way, an adult over 18 has to be there when they come. They'll call you the morning they're coming. Really!?!
"Ok", I said, "now we've come back to the original problem. That timeframe is not acceptable".
"There's nothing I can do", he says. "That's all that's offered on my computer screen." Really!?!
"So do you see now why I was talking with a supervisor and I need to speak with Kim?"
I hear a mumble that I think is an "oh." We go back and forth for another 5 minutes and then, "Hey, now I can get you in on Oct 16th from 1-5pm!?"
I inform him that's probably because by now Supervisor Kim is off the phone with the service company and has entered a specific time on the computer for me. "No," he lies, "I just got it for you".
Whatever. "Thank you." I say politely before I hang up and rush to work after being on the phone for an hour.
So here it is:
On Tuesday, the load of laundry in the washer wouldn't drain and it was flashing an F21 code at me. I tried all the normal things, like setting it to just a spin cycle, washing the whole load over again, pushing random buttons, unplugging the washer, etc. Nothing made any difference. So I wrung all the clothes out by hand and put them in the dryer. Then waited until Wednesday and tried again with a different load. Same problem.
So on Wednesday after I dropped the kids off at school, I called Maytag. They have that great repairman on the commercials who's always bored because he never has any appliances to fix.
In the spring of 2010, a mere 2 years ago, we purchased a front loading washer and dryer with our tax return. We loved them! We could fit much more into them and the laundry that used to take forever to finish was suddenly manageable. Then we loved them even more when we got our utility bill! We saved $50-$100 per month! The new washer doesn't require more than a few tablespoons of soap, so we save on that too! The salesmen try to tell you that you'll save but we didn't really believe that it would be that much. It was!
The first year we had them, a button stuck on the dryer. It was still under warranty so someone came and fixed it at no cost to us. That's the only problem we've had so far. When we were offered the extended three year warranty by Maytag, I thought long and hard about it. It was expensive ($300 a piece) but probably worth it because we can't afford to be without a washer or dryer for very long and the cost for repairing them can be really expensive anyway. So we purchase the extended warranty.
Fast-forward to our current problem. I left a note for Steve to call to get it repaired. We had a definite lack of communication. He thought the warranty was through Lowes, so that's who he called. When I figured out what he was doing, I let him know it was actually through Maytag. He wasn't very happy with me.
Thursday morning, I was sitting on my laundry room floor pulling sopping wet clothes out of the washer and squeezing them out by hand so I could throw them in the dryer. I wasn't in a very good mood. I decided since I'd be there a while, I could get my page from James and work some more on memorizing while I was squeezing. So I did. Even while sitting on cement wringing out wet clothes from a broken washer, it's hard to maintain a negative attitude when you're repeating over and over, "Consider it pure joy whenever you face trial of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith produces perserverence."
I can honestly say that I finished with a positive attitude. Then I helped the kids get ready for school, dropped them off and came home to call to get the washer fixed. When I called, the gentleman asked a lot of questions, all of which I had all ready tried myself. I tried to be patient and after 20 minutes of questions and answers, he finally agreed to send a repairman........who would be here sometime between 8am and 5pm on Oct 23 or 24th. Oh, by the way, an adult over 18 has to be there when they come. They'll call you the morning they're coming.
No. I'm not ok with that. I tried to explain that my husband and I are not going to take two full days off of work to wait three weeks for a repairman. I needed more of a definite time frame, maybe a specific morning or afternoon? Nope. He couldn't do that. It didn't offer that option on his computer screen. So I calmly asked to talk to a supervisor.
I spoke to supervisor Kim. First, I had to repeat everything I had already gone over with the first guy, including our phone numbers, address, washer model, etc and wait for her to re-enter them into the computer. Then came the "did you try this?" questions. Another 20 minutes later, she was ready to send a repairman. Again, I asked for a timeframe and was told that wasn't possible. After discussion back and forth for another 10 minutes, I told her we had two options at that point. Either they could refund us the entire warranty and I could find someone local to fix our washer in the next few days or she could call the service company herself and find a morning or afternoon that they could come. She finally agreed to do so. I guess I still need a lot of work in the patience department because God is really allowing me a lot of good opportunities to practice it. She told me she would put me on hold for 2-5 minutes (yes, she really said that) while she called the company and checked on a timeframe. Then she would let me know. So I remained on hold for a few minutes.
After being on hold for a while, their phone system started ringing me through to their regular call line. Uh oh. I waited in the system for another 10 minutes the automated voice told me if I hung up and tried again, I would lose my place in line. I finally got Mister Mumbly Guy. I couldn't even understand his name. I told him I was on hold with supervisor Kim. He insisted he could help me. After trying to let him know he couldn't help me, I'd already talked to two people and could he please just transfer me to Kim, he continued to insist he could help me. Trials and perserverance practice again! So I spent another 20 minutes going through the same questions and answers I'd already been through twice.
He finally paused, said it sounded like we did, in fact, need a repairman (really?) and offered to send one out who would be here sometime between 8am and 5pm on Oct 23 or 24th. Oh, by the way, an adult over 18 has to be there when they come. They'll call you the morning they're coming. Really!?!
"Ok", I said, "now we've come back to the original problem. That timeframe is not acceptable".
"There's nothing I can do", he says. "That's all that's offered on my computer screen." Really!?!
"So do you see now why I was talking with a supervisor and I need to speak with Kim?"
I hear a mumble that I think is an "oh." We go back and forth for another 5 minutes and then, "Hey, now I can get you in on Oct 16th from 1-5pm!?"
I inform him that's probably because by now Supervisor Kim is off the phone with the service company and has entered a specific time on the computer for me. "No," he lies, "I just got it for you".
Whatever. "Thank you." I say politely before I hang up and rush to work after being on the phone for an hour.
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Short Version
The short version is that we have been without a working washer since Tuesday. The long version is coming up this afternoon. I'll post when I get off work :)
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Wednesday, October 10, 2012
So far today in the world of the Wilkins Mom:
3:23am - Child #6 crawls into my bed
3:45am - After tossing and turning with Husband #1 and Child #6's feet and arms flung all over me, I finally get out of my bed and go downstairs to the couch.
4:00am - I decide I can't go back to sleep and go back upstairs to get my nook. I take it back downstairs and read.
4:47am - I finish my current book and am still awake so I turn on the TV, which starts to make me sleepy so I go upstairs to get my phone so I have an alarm in case I fall asleep downstairs.
4:56am - I realize that my phone battery is almost dead so I take my nook upstairs to use as a flashlight and look for my phone charger in the bedroom, where Husband #1 and Child #6 are sleeping peacefully.
5:00am - With my phone plugged in next to me on the downstairs couch, I settle in to watch TV and hopefully fall asleep.
5:30am - My phone alarm wakes me and I rouse myself from the couch to wake up Child #1, who has early cheer practice, and incidently, has no alarm of her own because her mean mom took away her phone last week.
5:40am - I make myself a cup of coffee while I wait for Child #1 to get ready.
5:50am - My coffee and I drag ourselves into the car and Child #1 prepares to drive us to cheer practice.
5:55am - We pull into the parking lot, Child #1 gets out of the driver's seat and heads into the school. I get into the driver's seat and head back home.
5:59am - As I'm pulling into the driveway, my phone rings. It's Child #1, who's forgotten her cheer shoes on her bed. "Mom, can you just grab them and bring them over here quick?" Why not? I've got nothing better to do at this time of the morning.
6:05am - I hand cheer shoes out the car window at the school and receive a quick "Thanks mom" thrown over her shoulder as Child #1 runs back into the school.
6:10am - Back home to find Child #5 awake and wanting breakfast. Like the good mom I am, always serving a good nutrious, healthy breakfast, I hand over a box of Coco Puffs.
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3:23am - Child #6 crawls into my bed
3:45am - After tossing and turning with Husband #1 and Child #6's feet and arms flung all over me, I finally get out of my bed and go downstairs to the couch.
4:00am - I decide I can't go back to sleep and go back upstairs to get my nook. I take it back downstairs and read.
4:47am - I finish my current book and am still awake so I turn on the TV, which starts to make me sleepy so I go upstairs to get my phone so I have an alarm in case I fall asleep downstairs.
4:56am - I realize that my phone battery is almost dead so I take my nook upstairs to use as a flashlight and look for my phone charger in the bedroom, where Husband #1 and Child #6 are sleeping peacefully.
5:00am - With my phone plugged in next to me on the downstairs couch, I settle in to watch TV and hopefully fall asleep.
5:30am - My phone alarm wakes me and I rouse myself from the couch to wake up Child #1, who has early cheer practice, and incidently, has no alarm of her own because her mean mom took away her phone last week.
5:40am - I make myself a cup of coffee while I wait for Child #1 to get ready.
5:50am - My coffee and I drag ourselves into the car and Child #1 prepares to drive us to cheer practice.
5:55am - We pull into the parking lot, Child #1 gets out of the driver's seat and heads into the school. I get into the driver's seat and head back home.
5:59am - As I'm pulling into the driveway, my phone rings. It's Child #1, who's forgotten her cheer shoes on her bed. "Mom, can you just grab them and bring them over here quick?" Why not? I've got nothing better to do at this time of the morning.
6:05am - I hand cheer shoes out the car window at the school and receive a quick "Thanks mom" thrown over her shoulder as Child #1 runs back into the school.
6:10am - Back home to find Child #5 awake and wanting breakfast. Like the good mom I am, always serving a good nutrious, healthy breakfast, I hand over a box of Coco Puffs.
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Child #6 and Child #1
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Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Sometimes I wish I had a computer program that would just record life, transfer it into words and post it on the blog because I feel like life goes by to fast to post about it.
I should be doing more laundry before I go to work in a few minutes but I sat down at the computer with coffee and toast with homemade strawberry jam instead.
Today's verse in James is..........wait for it................verse 5! That's as far as I've gotten in my memorization. But it's ok because it's a good one.
If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
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I can always use more wisdom. Seems like I've been a bit lacking in that department lately. I'm pretty sure that sometimes wisdom is knowing when God is guiding the course of events somewhere other than where I want to go and realizing that eventually I'll understand why God's way has a much better outcome than my way, even if I don't like it at the time.
I also love that God gives wisdom without finding fault. Who else will not judge our past, as long as we've asked for forgiveness, and then grant us wisdom for the future?
I'm starting the day by asking for wisdom in my interactions with all the people I come in contact with today, including my children.
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I should be doing more laundry before I go to work in a few minutes but I sat down at the computer with coffee and toast with homemade strawberry jam instead.
Today's verse in James is..........wait for it................verse 5! That's as far as I've gotten in my memorization. But it's ok because it's a good one.
If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
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I can always use more wisdom. Seems like I've been a bit lacking in that department lately. I'm pretty sure that sometimes wisdom is knowing when God is guiding the course of events somewhere other than where I want to go and realizing that eventually I'll understand why God's way has a much better outcome than my way, even if I don't like it at the time.
I also love that God gives wisdom without finding fault. Who else will not judge our past, as long as we've asked for forgiveness, and then grant us wisdom for the future?
I'm starting the day by asking for wisdom in my interactions with all the people I come in contact with today, including my children.
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Saturday, October 6, 2012
Riley Says
I wasn't just teasing. I will post about Brittney later. She'll probably be mad that I do but then if she wouldn't have done it in the first place, she wouldn't have to worry about me posting about it. Maybe Monday. Tomorrow is church and then family pictures!
It didn't even feel like I had time to think today. Steve worked at the bank this morning until noon, came home for lunch and to change clothes and then he headed to the Swiftel Center to work at the pool tournament. I expect he'll be home late tonight. Riley had football this morning but because it was so cold, I just dropped him off and came back home with the other kids so they wouldn't freeze for two hours.
I fed the kids lunch and put Sophia down for a nap. Just shortly after that, the doorbell rang repeatedly. When I say repeatedly, I mean like someone was holding their finger on the button and not letting up. Which was exactly what they were doing. I ran to the door to try to stop them before Sophia woke up. When I flung the door open, there stood three of Sophia's half siblings. Their grandma was in her pickup in our driveway. I closed the door behind me and yelled that Sophia was sleeping. She smiled, waved and backed out of the driveway. That was at about 2pm. She showed back up around 6pm. So I ended up with a few extra kids for the afternoon and for supper.
I now have four kids bathed/showered and in bed, one kid bathed and watching Dora in my bed and one kid on her way home from Watertown. I think it's time for me to decide what I'm having for supper and relax for a few minutes.
Anyway, here's the Riley Says:
Earlier this afternoon Riley, Anthony, Davey and Lonnie decided to play nerf war with Riley's nerf guns. They played for a while but, according to Riley, one of the guns needed to be cleaned. In the past, he's used q-tips to get down into the barrel. I told him that we didn't have any more because he'd used them all last time. He didn't believe me so he went to look for some while I continued to talk to Sara. He was gone a while and when he came back, he asked me, "Can I use the Security Tap-Ons?"
I had no idea what he was talking about and said so. He replied, "They look like giant q-tips and have plastic and a string."
When I questioned where he found them and he said the bathroom, I had to try really hard not to laugh in his face. I simply told him they were girl stuff and he could not use them to clean his guns.
He had discovered a box labeled security TAMPONS!
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It didn't even feel like I had time to think today. Steve worked at the bank this morning until noon, came home for lunch and to change clothes and then he headed to the Swiftel Center to work at the pool tournament. I expect he'll be home late tonight. Riley had football this morning but because it was so cold, I just dropped him off and came back home with the other kids so they wouldn't freeze for two hours.
I fed the kids lunch and put Sophia down for a nap. Just shortly after that, the doorbell rang repeatedly. When I say repeatedly, I mean like someone was holding their finger on the button and not letting up. Which was exactly what they were doing. I ran to the door to try to stop them before Sophia woke up. When I flung the door open, there stood three of Sophia's half siblings. Their grandma was in her pickup in our driveway. I closed the door behind me and yelled that Sophia was sleeping. She smiled, waved and backed out of the driveway. That was at about 2pm. She showed back up around 6pm. So I ended up with a few extra kids for the afternoon and for supper.
I now have four kids bathed/showered and in bed, one kid bathed and watching Dora in my bed and one kid on her way home from Watertown. I think it's time for me to decide what I'm having for supper and relax for a few minutes.
Anyway, here's the Riley Says:
Earlier this afternoon Riley, Anthony, Davey and Lonnie decided to play nerf war with Riley's nerf guns. They played for a while but, according to Riley, one of the guns needed to be cleaned. In the past, he's used q-tips to get down into the barrel. I told him that we didn't have any more because he'd used them all last time. He didn't believe me so he went to look for some while I continued to talk to Sara. He was gone a while and when he came back, he asked me, "Can I use the Security Tap-Ons?"
I had no idea what he was talking about and said so. He replied, "They look like giant q-tips and have plastic and a string."
When I questioned where he found them and he said the bathroom, I had to try really hard not to laugh in his face. I simply told him they were girl stuff and he could not use them to clean his guns.
He had discovered a box labeled security TAMPONS!
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Friday, October 5, 2012
I don't know if it's a sign I shouldn't post today or if it's another test of my patience but the blog post I spend a half hour composing this morning disappeared. Gone. Never to be seen again. It was a really good one too. Ok maybe not that good. Kinda depressing but probably entertaining for everyone but me. It was about Brittney's major teen meltdown/acting out yesterday morning. I guess now you only get the short version. She doesn't have her phone for two weeks and she's serving three hours of detention at school. Makes you want to know what happened, doesn't it? You'll have to find the lost blog in cyber world to find out ;)
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All's well that ends well. She's back to her normal self this morning.
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All's well that ends well. She's back to her normal self this morning.
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Taylor Says
I've been emailing back and forth with Taylor's teacher because Taylor hasn't been getting some of her school work turned in at school. In the midst of our emails, I got this one:
"By the way, I've been meaning to ask you what happened to Taylor's eyebrows? She said that her sister shaved them off while she was sleeping."
I emailed back with a long "hahahahahahaha! She did it herself because she decided she didn't like her eyebrows!"
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Did I mention that Taylor lies?
"By the way, I've been meaning to ask you what happened to Taylor's eyebrows? She said that her sister shaved them off while she was sleeping."
I emailed back with a long "hahahahahahaha! She did it herself because she decided she didn't like her eyebrows!"
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Did I mention that Taylor lies?
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Ironic
Ironically, I'm studying the book of James right now. I use the word "ironic" but it's really God's infinite wisdom that has orchastrated the timing to impart some lessons that I needed to hear at this point in my life . I love when God does that inspite of me! I almost didn't join the class because I didn't think I could really concentrate on the material in my current state of mind. But I'm reaping the benefits already. In addition to a Sunday morning video series, there is also daily homework. I work on mine between 5 and 6 in the morning. The kids are still in bed, the house is quiet and my coffee tastes especially good. It puts me in the right frame of mind to start my hectic day.
Beth Moore, the author of the study, has also given us the opportunity to write out the entire book of James and memorize it, if we chose to do so. It sounds more daunting than it really is. I know there are some that are wondering if I really have time for all that right now. The truth is, I am making time for it right now because I need to get back into the habit of studying and hearing what God has to say. It's hard to know I'm on the right path in life if I don't even have time to listen to the ultimate Guide.
In the midst of the trials of life, here are the two verses that I was memorizing this morning. They're a good reminder that whatever we face in life, whether in the past or the future, there is a greater purpose.
James 1:2-4
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith produces perserverance. Perservance must finish it's work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking in anything.
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Beth Moore, the author of the study, has also given us the opportunity to write out the entire book of James and memorize it, if we chose to do so. It sounds more daunting than it really is. I know there are some that are wondering if I really have time for all that right now. The truth is, I am making time for it right now because I need to get back into the habit of studying and hearing what God has to say. It's hard to know I'm on the right path in life if I don't even have time to listen to the ultimate Guide.
In the midst of the trials of life, here are the two verses that I was memorizing this morning. They're a good reminder that whatever we face in life, whether in the past or the future, there is a greater purpose.
James 1:2-4
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith produces perserverance. Perservance must finish it's work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking in anything.
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Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Happy Birthday Zeke!
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Taylor turned 10 in August and Riley won't be 11 until November. So I have triplets for one month ;)
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I got to have coffee at 8pm last night with a dear, dear friend, Kim. One I don't get to connect with very much in person anymore because we both have lots of kids and lead very busy lives. We put most of our kids to bed and left our husbands in charge at our respective houses. Then we met downtown at Cottonwood for a mocha. I had to pry myself away shortly after 10pm! Not only do I love her bubbly personality and the fact that she's a sweet christian friend, but we also have so much in common. We were both adopted and we both currently have very uniquely blended families with lots of children. It was a much needed coffee break for both of us :)
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Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Monday, October 1, 2012
I'm stressed out. Too much going on. We had a ton of people over on Saturday and we were gone all all day yesterday. My house is a disaster. I need to get groceries. I have some paperwork to complete that I've been putting off for way too long. I still need to get Taylor and Sophia's fall clothes. Riley has a school project due tomorrow that I'm pretty sure he hasn't even started yet. Tonight is piano, bowling and football. I think I would be fine if it weren't for the added emotional stuff going on but, as we say at our house, "You get what you get and you don't throw a fit!"
My friend Dawnna recently gave me some body wash and lotion from Bath & Body Works. It's eucalyptus and spearmint. The caption says "Relax and think clearly. Eucalyptus oil clears the mind while spearmint oil uplifts." That sounds perfect for me today.
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