Sad Stones

We are all some sad Stones.  Our Chad, ET Pumpjacks baseball player, was injured early in the Friday night game.  Because of his injury, we knew it was possible that he would be leaving us.  And he is.  Tomorrow.  Fortunately his injury will heal in time to play in the fall.  But we are sad to lose our Chad.  It was a great leap of faith for me to have a player in our home since I’m a SAHM.  But he has been our prayer.  What I was afraid of getting was a baseball jock.  What we got was a nice young man.  God answered our prayer. 

So I’m off to bed to hopefully find some good rest and my happy face for in the morning.  My little boys are going to need a Momma with a good game tomorrow to work through their sadness.  They have considered him their Big Brother.  He has been so kind to them.

I’ve been sad for Chad regarding his injury and shared Jeremiah 29:11 with him this evening.  On the way home I was reminded of my fav scripture (mind has lost the address)…. that ALL things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose.  May God be glorified in the midst of our trials and sadness.

Let the wild rumpus begin!

My kids dearly enjoy the book Where the Wild Things Are.   Some time ago when Saw Wayne was younger, I heard Sammy tell him “I’ll eat you up I love you so, Saw Wayne!”  So when the kids and I joined our ML group for the Lunch Bunch on Thursday at our local DQ, that is EXACTLY what that play room was like!  The Wild Rumpus had begun!  We had a great time and it was good to have intermittent conversations with my ML friends.

That afternoon, some sort of wild rumpus begin with my sinuses and Friday night I was in a full-blown sinus infection.  Sleeping (or not..) Friday night, I felt like a vice was on my head.  I am rarely, rarely, ever, ever sick.  Rarely. Ever.  But I have NEVER had a sinus headache like this one.  I could not find my “fun drops” that have a variety of homeopathic remedies the boys and I both use that are mixed by my dear Judy – who has no title, but essentially serves as our homeopathic/natural health practitioner.  But I couldn’t find my fun drops, which had helped one might with a minor sinus headache.  So until I found them, Father instructed me to put lavendar oil along my sinus cavities and then Arnica Cream on top of that.  This was SO HELPFUL.  SO HELPFUL.  Did I say it was SO HELPFUL?  I would wake up every 2 hours or less and do it again.  On one of those times, I was about to go to the car to check for my fun drops….and then decided to check the couch – and viola!  FUN DROPS!  So going to bed, I put one drop in my mouth every 5 minutes for 25 total minutes.  The next day after talking to Judy, I purchased some Nux Vomica and put that with Stramonium, which began to lessen the tension in my head – basically, my head began to relax.  Today I’ve added Ipecac, because yesterday evening I began coughing and weezing, with a tightness in my chest that is scarry when I try to lay down.  I’ve also tried a combo of 1 T. molasses, 1 T. Honey, squirt from 1/4 fresh lemon, pinch of chunk sea salt, and this helped as well until I could get to the Ipecac.  However, now I cannot find my Lavendar since Saturday morning.  Nowhere.  Looked everywhere.  Should have been sitting with my arnica cream – not there.   Bizarre.  He has a purpose, but I’d REALLY like my Lavendar back!

So to survive  thrive this evening with Tony gone to baseball security, I’m on the back patio these last 30 minutes before bedtime watching the boys play on the water slide.  My water bill should be quite interesting this month, but some things are necessary and worth paying for!

A good reason to visit Nacogdoches

I finally was given a great reason to head down to Nacogdoches, Texas – The Texas Blueberry Festival!  Me and the kids, along with my Mom, loaded up this morning and headed South.  My first stop (after 2 potty breaks for Sammy!) was the Sunshine Mart (hoping for a potty break myself).  This was where my college friend, Tracie and I, would purchase our fountain drinks and toodle-do around town.  No potty break there as their toilet was stopped up…I think I’ll pass.  So I was glad to see this after we finally parked…

A welcomed sight...

We made our way to the festival and found the LONG, yet quick moving line, for the fresh blueberries.  (I’ll post pick of blueberries later -they are lovely!). 

A kind man took our photo – Sammy already looks worn out from standing in line for the blueberries – he won’t be sad tomorrow when he has some with his cereal for breakfast!

We were glad to have our MeMe along with us!

I was blessed to run into a Mother’s League member I’ve missed seeing lately – Elizabeth.  What a joy to see her!  And I’m jealous, she is FROM Nacogodoches! 

We drove through the college campus – it has changed so much.  What a fun time that was for me attending college at SFA.  I hope to go back when we can walk through campus. 

The boys and I finished out our day in the back yard with the water slide.  The boys were excited I chose to join them in the pool part to cool off.  Tony had a successful day fishing with a buddy and is off to baseball security.  The kids are now asleep and I’m headed to bed to take in the last hour of  Lonesome Dove. 

Cooling off at the end of the day

On with the letter “A” and a dead mouse

Why is it that we seem to continue to find dead things?  This morning I got us ready to wash our car in the front yard (a first for me and the boys) and what does Sammy find?  A dead little field mouse.  I’m guessing one of our neighborhood cats left it behind.  I have never seen two boys squat and study so seriously.  While I continue to tell them “Don’t touch!”  So Sammy goes and puts his winter glove on “Mom, don’t worry!  I won’t get hurt!”  “No, really!  That’s nasty!  Please don’t touch!”  So I went and got the shovel and we gently dumped him across the street into the field….

We are studying the letter “A” for however long.  So during our reading yesterday, I found a character trait study on “Attentiveness.”   Brilliant.  I read all 4 and Sammy even asked for me to read them again that afternoon.  He’s in great need of developing that…and I love the definition it gave – Listening with your eyes, ears and heart.  He has had several opportunities to repeat that back to me today. 

Our pastor is teaching on Psalm 23 these next however many weeks, so I’ve started Sammy and I on memorizing it.  We are on verse one this week.  “The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall lack nothing.”  So since I seem to be having some sleep issues as of late, I’m going to thank Him that I shall not lack the proper rest I need. 

Sammy is off at his MeMe’s overnight.  Chad came in early from a rained-0ut game in Coppell.  Tony got home just as it began to storm.  Saw Wayne refused to sleep in his room without Sam so he went to bed with Dad.  Chad went to finish reading Angels and Demons.    I’ve been up watching He’s Just Not That In To You and hope to blog about what Father is saying to me about how He feels about me (and  His creation).  I’ve done my research on an item I need to shop for tomorrow.  So I think now I’ll brush my teeth and know I will fall to sleep immediately.  May I joyfully wake up in the morning without counting the hours of sleep I HAVEN”T had.

Cruisin’

Well, we are 1/2 set to cruise sometime this year.  Today I purchased a 7 day cruise for all 4 of us and in return, we’ll get a 5 day cruise for Tony and I later.  We were planning to take a cruise this year to celebrate our 15 year anniversary.  But leaving the kids was throwing me off a bit.  So now we will be able to take them and perhaps a year later go by ourselves.  I’m trusting that Camp Carnival for the kids is as good as they say it is! 

Next:  Passports!

The new security officer for baseball

Sammy, the new security officer

Like father, like son.  Sammy got ahold of dad’s black socks and shoes late last night – cutest thing I’ve seen!  So he put his “gear” next to his bed this morning so he could get ready to go to “work.”  He’s got his cuffs, phone, and of course, baseball hat.  He’s ready to go do some security.

Studying the alphabet with roadkill – on to the letter A

On one of our recent morning walks to the pond, I spotted an Armadillo carcass over the fence.  So the boys and I went to study it from afar.  Sammy wanted to check them out on the computer, so we found some great info and photos. 

So it’s time for us to move to the next letter in his name; after about 4 weeks on the letter S.  Am I really going to be able to pull off homeschooling???

Apples – we eat a lot of apples around here.  Our favorite are the small organic apples we get in our produce pick-up from Lindale.  My other favorite are braeburn and fuji.  This morning I had one of my fav quick breakfasts – 2 scoops of cottage cheese with a bit of Stevia mixed in, 1/2 apple cut up, sprinkled with cinnamon.  It was made perfect with a piece of buttered Spelt bread my friend Judy shared with me.

Alamo – I recently picked up a Texas Monthly Magazine and read about a romantic weekend getaway in San Antonio.  I’ve always enjoyed this town and am praying to find a way to get at least Tony and I there for a few days alone.  Oh, another A – word.

Alone – where I found myself most of Thursday.  I had coffee and computer time at my fav Books and Coffee in Kilgore,

 

Back patio of Books and Coffee

then to the movie to see Angels (another A word!) and Demons, then to McAlister’s for some soup and tea.  Delightful.

My view from McAlister's Patio

Anne of Green Gables – this is truely one of my most favorite movies.  Last night I was surfing for a recipe and ran across the Anne of Green Gables Cookbook.  Just thinking about Anne give me a mental visual of the fields of green that surrounded her and helps me breathe. 

After – After the baseball game last night, we were treated to Friday night fireworks – my favorite! 

Fireworks at Driller Baseball Park after 2009 opening game

 

Attack – that’s what me and the kids are about to do to our vehicle.  It is atrocious inside and out!  So we’ll make it a fun clean-up project this morning by throwing some water and bubbles onto the scene.

Always – My prayer for my boys is that they will always love each other and be the best of friends.

Two great kids that happen to be brothers

Join us as we travel through the letter A!  Hopefully more to follow.

Viola – from office, aka dumping ground to guest bedroom

Well, here it is – the mid-way flinging/purging/goodwilling/freecycling effort in our 15 year old office/dumping ground

Before - office and "dumping ground" for 15 years

To the guest bedroom for the next 2 months for our East Texas PumpJacks baseball player – Chad Keefer, #34.  Which speaking of, they won their first game tonight!  Way to go! 

Viola - spare bedroom

This took a good two weeks of constant effort. Constant.  Every day.   Funny thing is, cleaning out this room helped me shed a few other “hot spots” (as the FlyLady would say) around the house.  For several years I’ve been bummed about this room – we’d clean it up/out and it would go back right to where it was.  In fact, when my friend, Michelle, saw it, there was a place to walk from the door to the computer.  I’ve had many a conversation with my Heavenly Father about when were we (meaning He and I) going to get rid of this crap.  And the day couldn’t come soon enough – it just didn’t come as I thought it would/should/could.   It was my beloved husband’s idea to host a player – so trusting my God-given “umbrella” I helped make it happen (for there was no other place to put the boy).  So essentially, Father blessed me with an opportunity to get rid of the crap, and in turn, for it to bless someone else (the crap that left, and the room it made).  So like Him.

Many thanks to my “ruthless” Mother’s League friends, Sarah and Faydra, for helping me accomplish a great deal in 2 1/2 hours – their help organizing non-crap things was inspiring and motivating!

Saw Wayne’s new friend

Well, today we finished last minute preparations for our baseball player’s room.  I am pooped, but have taken some before (actually, mid-way) and after photos that I hope to post tomorrow.  Amazing.  And the view!  I have rarely looked out the window of our 3rd bedroom; it looks over the middle of our backyard.  But what a beautiful scene it was today.  And the room has the least amount of furniture in it.  There’s still a few things that don’t have a place, but I’ll continue to work on that throughout the week.  And my Auntie called to offer to keep the kids Thursday – so perhaps I can now go see Angels and Demons!  Whooo-hoooo!

Tony went to the host family meeting without us since the boys have both been snotting the past 4 days.  This also allowed me to have a good dinner ready, since our player did not get fed at his 5pm meeting (gasp!).  So me and the boys were waiting on the front porch for their arrival.  Sammy took a turn and hid out for a while.  Saw Wayne, my child that warms up to few folks, has found his new best friend.  I could barely pull him away tonight from our player – who now has a name.  Chad.  He is from Oklahoma and attends college in Louisianna.  Pleasant and polite young man – and he likes kids.  This is so helpful!  And he likes to fish and eat fish.  I think he was made for our family!  I have trusted Father to place us with the right person.  And today I realized (duh?) that he had a momma, who just might be praying as well, that her son is well-taken care of.  We intend to do just that.

So, he is finally here!  I believe the hard work and prep was all worth it.  We are looking forward to his first game on Friday night and the fireworks – and we’ll be enjoying our box seats!

The mass exodus

I thought the “mass exodus” sounded like a great way to describe the continued flinging and purging of stuff going out of my home to get ready for our baseball player. 

The corner computer desk and lateral filing credenza – gone.  Cute bookshelf that sits atop 3 drawers – moved to corner of living room – cute!  My writing desk (from my Mom, made for her by her grandfather – pics to follow) – moved to the living room next to the TV armoir.  Looks great.  Especially with my fav blue/white lamp and my NEW laptop on it!  And all the junk off of it!  6 foot bookshelf – moved to living room (it will return to the room after bbp departs) – works.  This has all-thing-kids on it, books, playdoo, chalk, games, more books. 

The queen size bed is now in.  I dumped Saw’s clothes out of my grandmother’s dresser and he’ll have 1/2 the drawers under Sam’s captain’s bed.  This might be a good way to teach him to pick out his shorts/shirts.  Today all books in kids room went into a box for me to sort through (again!) and leave some out and store some under the captain’s bed, hopefully in an orderly fashion.  I saw a short shelf item at Hope’s Closet I kept looking at – now I know that I needed it! 

This afternoon Tony is having his Lt. badge pinned on him by ME!  The kids and I are swinging by Walmart to pick up a congratulations cake.  This evening we’ll attend his retiring boss’s party at Bodacious (sweet!). 

Whew!  I’m pooped!  I’ve had a 30 minute nap while putting the kids down and now it’s off to the showers. 

I’ve been concerned as the pressure is on and I keep working towards this mass exodus, that I’ve been mean/grumpy/fussy/unfair.  Sammy wasn’t kind to me and Saw yesterday on several occassions, so I took away our playtime at the spraypark this AM with his friend.  I’ve made him work alongside me this morning and when his attitude has not be right or he has not cooperated, he’s had to run laps.  So later I hugged him and told him I was sorry if mom was mean/grumpy/fussy (I didn’t offer him “unfair” as no use to give him further amunition!) – and he said “Mom, when have you been grumpy/mean/fussy?”  Really?  Whew!  I realized I was being to hard on myself.  He gave me a great big  hug and said I was the best mom ever.  Now that will keep me going!