I had to work this weekend. Let me start off by saying that I was not one bit happy about this. Well, I guess that isn't completely true. At first I thought I was going to get overtime pay for Sunday since I assumed it was a holiday. Well we all know what they say about people who assume things(hardy har)! I found out at 6a.m. Saturday that Easter wasn't in fact a holiday where I work. That is when my bad attitude hit and it hit hard! I was bummed that I would be missing out on church and Easter basket finding and dressing little girls in their best dresses!
I literally think there was an audible "Grr" when my alarm went off again this morning at 4:30. But as soon as I got there it become more and more clear that this is exactly where God wanted me to be. Several of the residents leave their doors open so be who pass by can say hello. I have established several of my closest relationships with these "open door" residents. Believe or not many of their doors are open by 7a.m. so I was heartily greeted by many, "Happy Easters" I even got to say my favorite Easter greeting, "He is Risen!" to which of course these sharp,Christian oldies responded with a "He is Risen indeed!"
As the day wore on I realized that while many residents were being taken out by their families a number of them were not. One lady in particular had a very sad and public interaction with a family member in my dining room. Another who recently lost a spouse was sitting sadly in the public sitting area despairing that this was the first time in his life that he wasn't at church on Easter. Yet another lady when asked by me how she was doing responded by saying, "I guess ok, I am just so lonely!" Because I wasn't terribly busy, seeing that many of my regulars were gone, I was able to sit and chat with her for awhile and maybe,for a few moments, get her mind off her loneliness.
By the end of the day, I swear I could hear God whispering to me, "See. This is where I need you to be." And of course, He was right!(duh) My kids found their Easter baskets, got dressed(of course Ellie's outfit was on backwards but hey..who really cares?) I even managed to make it to church during a break for the Easter Egg Hunt! I was home mid afternoon and we had a nice family evening together complete with Honeybaked Ham and a screening of our newest movie courtesy of the Easter bunny, "Tangled".
I am ending this Easter feeling good. Happy that God is in control of even the tiniest details, like who works in an assistant living dining room. Wow. How Great Thou Art!
I hope you had a blessed Easter...
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Crazy Matty
Its funny to me that the domain name of this blog is crazy Matty. When I began this blog, Matthew was only six months old. He was a little crazy but I had no idea that he would become much more crazier before mellowing out. Now, six years later much has changed in all our lives. Matthew is the oldest of three children. In many ways he has the personality of a first born. He is very concerned with "rules" and if people are following them..namely his sisters!! When I am driving he is the first to tell me if I am breaking any laws or if my hand comes off the steering wheel. When Caroline went through a phase where she would unbuckle herself, it nearly killed him, he became very panicky. At school he is quick to listen to his teachers and doesn't like to "have his card switched from green to any other color"! :)
As I have mentioned in other blog updates, Matthew has mellowed this past year. He is sweet, loving and caring. He is all boy! He loves all things Star Wars, Indiana Jones and WII!! He is obsessed with the WII. So much so that we're taking a break from it this summer. He still loves to be outside but has become pickier about not wanting to play with all girls. This can be hard since there aren't many boys in our neighborhood his age. His best friend is Gavin, a boy from school. He adores him and loves having playdates with him.
Matthew is a Daddy's boy. He worships Jeff. When Jeff went out of town for a weekend in March, Matthew could hardly stand it. He really looks up to him and has informed us that he is going to do whatever Jeff does when he grows up so he can go to work with him! Matthew is a homebody. He gets very homesick when he is away from us. Something I can relate to because I struggled with this when I was his age.
Matthew had his first friend birthday party this year. We had it a Pirates Island, a local waterpark. He had about seven friends and loved it! The theme was STAR WARS. Nearly everything Matthew does lately revolves around Star Wars..the kid is obsessed!
Matthew has kept his big blue eyes, but his hair has darkened quite a bit this Winter. I am wondering if it will blond up again this Summer?
Matty loves his sisters and has special relationships with both Caroline and Ellie. He is always looking out for Ellie and is a pretty good playmate for Caroline. Favorite activities are wrestling and building forts.
He continues to be my deep thinker and is very thoughtful when he prays or is seeking God. He loves to learn about Bible stories and Jesus. He continues to ask to go back to a Christian school.
I think that about wraps up my oldest and only boy! I love how much he has changed and grown this year. I love knowing that there is indeed a light at the end of a tunnel when you think your not going to be able to parent a child for one more day! More and more I find Matthew to be delightful to be around. I am blessed to have been given such a treasure!
As I have mentioned in other blog updates, Matthew has mellowed this past year. He is sweet, loving and caring. He is all boy! He loves all things Star Wars, Indiana Jones and WII!! He is obsessed with the WII. So much so that we're taking a break from it this summer. He still loves to be outside but has become pickier about not wanting to play with all girls. This can be hard since there aren't many boys in our neighborhood his age. His best friend is Gavin, a boy from school. He adores him and loves having playdates with him.
Matthew is a Daddy's boy. He worships Jeff. When Jeff went out of town for a weekend in March, Matthew could hardly stand it. He really looks up to him and has informed us that he is going to do whatever Jeff does when he grows up so he can go to work with him! Matthew is a homebody. He gets very homesick when he is away from us. Something I can relate to because I struggled with this when I was his age.
Matthew had his first friend birthday party this year. We had it a Pirates Island, a local waterpark. He had about seven friends and loved it! The theme was STAR WARS. Nearly everything Matthew does lately revolves around Star Wars..the kid is obsessed!
Matthew has kept his big blue eyes, but his hair has darkened quite a bit this Winter. I am wondering if it will blond up again this Summer?
Matty loves his sisters and has special relationships with both Caroline and Ellie. He is always looking out for Ellie and is a pretty good playmate for Caroline. Favorite activities are wrestling and building forts.
He continues to be my deep thinker and is very thoughtful when he prays or is seeking God. He loves to learn about Bible stories and Jesus. He continues to ask to go back to a Christian school.
I think that about wraps up my oldest and only boy! I love how much he has changed and grown this year. I love knowing that there is indeed a light at the end of a tunnel when you think your not going to be able to parent a child for one more day! More and more I find Matthew to be delightful to be around. I am blessed to have been given such a treasure!
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Sweet Caroline...
Let it be known that girl loves that song..she can sing along with Neil with the best of them! One of her preschool teacher's whom Caroline dearly loves calls her sweet Caroline all the time. So much so that when you ask her what her name is she answers with boldness, "Sweet Caroline!" like..Duh!! Believe it!
Caroline is four and a half. She is by far the most STRONG willed child you.will.ever.meet. No, the periods aren't a typo! Iron will, unbendable,unshakeable,full of conviction that one. Sometimes this plain stinks. Like for example when said child is at her kindergarten screening and REFUSES to cooperate at several of the testing stations. Other times this serves Caroline very well. She has been dressing herself, getting her breakfast, brushing her teeth, riding a bike, writing all sorts of shapes, letters and can blow a fourth grade out of the water with her AMAZING coloring skills(all of which the kindergarten screeners failed to see). If Caroline likes you, she loves you. If she doesn't..well lets just say..sorry about your luck. She is a girl who knows her mind. So, we just keep continuing to fill that little mind with lots of good things. Like about her faith, her God, her friends, books, coloring,drawing, favorite shows(right now its Peppa Pig). In the moments when she is difficult we try and remember that we are trying to mold that will for good and not trying to break it. I feel like God has great things planned for our middle gal. I am sure all moms feel that way but I know all this will is not for naught. I just want to help her always know that she always needs to go to God for her every step in life. Caroline has enjoyed her preschool experience very much. Like I mentioned earlier, she adores her teachers. Next year she will attend the public school,going to the Young fives program five mornings a week. I think she will enjoy going everyday. I just pray she likes her teacher:) For everyone's sake!
Caroline continues to struggle with her asthma. This Winter was tough for our little gal. She had to be treated daily for her symptoms. We're hoping Summer gives her a reprieve from some of this. She is due for an eye exam in May and we will see about her need for surgery, as her eye muscle hasn't improved at all. In fact, even with correction we're seeing some crossing. Caroline still suffers from some severe peanut and egg allergies. Thankfully she seems to have reached an age where she is aware of this. She almost always asks,"Does this have peanut or egg?" before eating anything unknown.
At the end of June, Caroline will be spending a week with her cousins(my sister and her family) in Wisconsin while we go to Vermont for a friend's wedding. I purposely picked my sister for Caroline b/c I think she can handle her without incident and that Caroline will have an amazing time there. I really hope it goes well. No matter how much she fights me..she misses me the moment I am out of sight.
All in all, Caroline is a pretty terrific little girl. Sure she can put up stink. But this story pretty much sums her up. Last weekend we had some pretty amazing weather on Sunday. We were taking a family walk to the park. Caroline,who only recently mastered the art of bike riding, fell off. HARD! Did she cry? Never. She popped up and said in her most exasperated voice, "Uggh!! I getting back on and going to da park!" No tears, no whining. She got her little bootie back on the saddle and did indeed make it the park( before her brother I might add!!) We love her very much and can't wait to see what God has in store for our green kanagaroo in the middle! (Which by the way is the title of a favorite book of mine by Judy Blume, anyone who has three kids should get "Green Kangaroo in the middle!"
Caroline is four and a half. She is by far the most STRONG willed child you.will.ever.meet. No, the periods aren't a typo! Iron will, unbendable,unshakeable,full of conviction that one. Sometimes this plain stinks. Like for example when said child is at her kindergarten screening and REFUSES to cooperate at several of the testing stations. Other times this serves Caroline very well. She has been dressing herself, getting her breakfast, brushing her teeth, riding a bike, writing all sorts of shapes, letters and can blow a fourth grade out of the water with her AMAZING coloring skills(all of which the kindergarten screeners failed to see). If Caroline likes you, she loves you. If she doesn't..well lets just say..sorry about your luck. She is a girl who knows her mind. So, we just keep continuing to fill that little mind with lots of good things. Like about her faith, her God, her friends, books, coloring,drawing, favorite shows(right now its Peppa Pig). In the moments when she is difficult we try and remember that we are trying to mold that will for good and not trying to break it. I feel like God has great things planned for our middle gal. I am sure all moms feel that way but I know all this will is not for naught. I just want to help her always know that she always needs to go to God for her every step in life. Caroline has enjoyed her preschool experience very much. Like I mentioned earlier, she adores her teachers. Next year she will attend the public school,going to the Young fives program five mornings a week. I think she will enjoy going everyday. I just pray she likes her teacher:) For everyone's sake!
Caroline continues to struggle with her asthma. This Winter was tough for our little gal. She had to be treated daily for her symptoms. We're hoping Summer gives her a reprieve from some of this. She is due for an eye exam in May and we will see about her need for surgery, as her eye muscle hasn't improved at all. In fact, even with correction we're seeing some crossing. Caroline still suffers from some severe peanut and egg allergies. Thankfully she seems to have reached an age where she is aware of this. She almost always asks,"Does this have peanut or egg?" before eating anything unknown.
At the end of June, Caroline will be spending a week with her cousins(my sister and her family) in Wisconsin while we go to Vermont for a friend's wedding. I purposely picked my sister for Caroline b/c I think she can handle her without incident and that Caroline will have an amazing time there. I really hope it goes well. No matter how much she fights me..she misses me the moment I am out of sight.
All in all, Caroline is a pretty terrific little girl. Sure she can put up stink. But this story pretty much sums her up. Last weekend we had some pretty amazing weather on Sunday. We were taking a family walk to the park. Caroline,who only recently mastered the art of bike riding, fell off. HARD! Did she cry? Never. She popped up and said in her most exasperated voice, "Uggh!! I getting back on and going to da park!" No tears, no whining. She got her little bootie back on the saddle and did indeed make it the park( before her brother I might add!!) We love her very much and can't wait to see what God has in store for our green kanagaroo in the middle! (Which by the way is the title of a favorite book of mine by Judy Blume, anyone who has three kids should get "Green Kangaroo in the middle!"
Monday, April 11, 2011
Ellie
I feel like I haven't really updated about the kids lately. So, its that time again. Posts dedicated to my precious three. I am starting with Ellie. Our 19.5 month old who has gone from delightfully laid back to a bit of a spit fire this Winter. The girl definitely knows what she wants. I wonder where she gets that from?(her sister), certainly not her mommy!:) She loves to follow Matthew and Caroline around and do whatever they do which usually includes some type of shananigans! Like, but not limited to couch climbing, furniture jumping, table standing,screeching, food throwing..etc! She loves music and dancind and books. Ellie's new favorite activity is playing outside. This past weekend we enjoyed some pretty fantastic weather around here and Ellie loved being able to roam around the yard and go to the park and especially to swing. That girl would swing forever! One way in which she is different from Matthew and Caroline is that she is easily occupied for more than one second with an activity. Like with the swinging or if she is playing with a toy. She stays with something,which is a nice change from the hurricane like behavior of the older Simpson kids!
Physically Ellie is changing too. She is in the 75% for height and 65% for weight. Her hair actually lightened this Winter and is now a sandy blond( I prefer that label to dishwater blond!) Ellie can get pretty much anything when she flashes her soulful baby blues your way!
This Summer I fear will be filled with Ellie doing alot of running while mommy frantically tries to keep up with her all while keeping my sanity in check. We're joining a local pool and I am hoping that she loves the water as much as Matthew and Caroline do.
Ellie has been testing us a bit in the sleeping department as of late. Last night, for example, she cried for nearly 2 hours before finally giving up and going to sleep. Still, she naps for nearly 2 hours each day, giving mommy a chance to catch her breath. The other day I caught her trying to CLIMB out of her crib! Thankfully, she hasn't completly gotten it as I am not ready to make that transition anytime soon.
She does show some interest in potty training and I may try and train her this Summer if only to finally have a DIAPER FREE house for the first time in six years!
Overall I would say Ellie is transitioning from a baby to a toddler. While some things about this are challenging, other things are fun to see. How she is developing her own personality and ways of doing things. How much she loves her brother and sister. Her love of music and books growing everyday. While she is determined she continues to be mostly laid back and easy to please. We love her dearly and can't imagine a life without our Boolah! Oh yeah, her newest nickname by the way..courtesy of big Sister Caroline.
Speaking of Caroline..more about that little flippity witch tomorrow!:)
Physically Ellie is changing too. She is in the 75% for height and 65% for weight. Her hair actually lightened this Winter and is now a sandy blond( I prefer that label to dishwater blond!) Ellie can get pretty much anything when she flashes her soulful baby blues your way!
This Summer I fear will be filled with Ellie doing alot of running while mommy frantically tries to keep up with her all while keeping my sanity in check. We're joining a local pool and I am hoping that she loves the water as much as Matthew and Caroline do.
Ellie has been testing us a bit in the sleeping department as of late. Last night, for example, she cried for nearly 2 hours before finally giving up and going to sleep. Still, she naps for nearly 2 hours each day, giving mommy a chance to catch her breath. The other day I caught her trying to CLIMB out of her crib! Thankfully, she hasn't completly gotten it as I am not ready to make that transition anytime soon.
She does show some interest in potty training and I may try and train her this Summer if only to finally have a DIAPER FREE house for the first time in six years!
Overall I would say Ellie is transitioning from a baby to a toddler. While some things about this are challenging, other things are fun to see. How she is developing her own personality and ways of doing things. How much she loves her brother and sister. Her love of music and books growing everyday. While she is determined she continues to be mostly laid back and easy to please. We love her dearly and can't imagine a life without our Boolah! Oh yeah, her newest nickname by the way..courtesy of big Sister Caroline.
Speaking of Caroline..more about that little flippity witch tomorrow!:)
Wednesday, April 06, 2011
From this one place..
One of my favorite albums is Sara Groves "Fireflies and Songs". Every song is amazing and speaks to me in some way. The lyrics for the song, "From this one place" are as follows:
I was about to give up and that's no lie
cardinal landed outside my window
threw his head back and sang a song
so beautiful it made me cry
took me back to a childhood tree
full of birds and dreams
from this one place I can't see very far
in this one moment I'm square in the dark
these are the things I will trust in my heart
you can see something else
something else
I don't know what's making me so afraid
tiny cloud over my head
heavy and grey with a hint of dread
I don't like to feel this way
take me back to a window seat
with clouds beneath my feet
from this one place I can't see very far
in this one moment I'm square in the dark
these are the things I will trust in my heart
you can see something else
something else
Lately I feel like I am living within the words of this song. With Sam's upcoming heart surgery upon him I am afraid I am letting the devil get the most of my thoughts. I wake up a lot at night lately almost paralyzed by my thoughts and struggle to get a grip through prayer and through Christ. Its like my mind is saying over and over, "But what if, but what if, but,but,but...." AAAGH! Insanity I tell you! The title is so fitting.."From this one place" and the lyrics, " I can't see very far, from this one moment I'm square in the dark. These are the things I will trust in my heart. You can see something else" Trust..in my heart..letting God take care of the something else. Oh yeah..how could I forgot I suck at that? :)
The reference to the window seat and the clouds beneath my feet sound delicious to me right about now. Imagining a world without worry. To truly NOT be anxious about anything but instead giving it all over to God. I have no problem doing that with others but when it comes to Sammy boy..I get really scared.
Thankfully, I am able to get my wits about me, even in the midst of the night and whisper verses and prayers up to my God who knows all of this about me and Sam and all of my other worries both big and small. The God I DO trust with ALL of my heart because I know HE can see something else..
Now...go and listen and download Sara and her amazing cd..I promise, you won't be disappointed..
Happy Listening..
I was about to give up and that's no lie
cardinal landed outside my window
threw his head back and sang a song
so beautiful it made me cry
took me back to a childhood tree
full of birds and dreams
from this one place I can't see very far
in this one moment I'm square in the dark
these are the things I will trust in my heart
you can see something else
something else
I don't know what's making me so afraid
tiny cloud over my head
heavy and grey with a hint of dread
I don't like to feel this way
take me back to a window seat
with clouds beneath my feet
from this one place I can't see very far
in this one moment I'm square in the dark
these are the things I will trust in my heart
you can see something else
something else
Lately I feel like I am living within the words of this song. With Sam's upcoming heart surgery upon him I am afraid I am letting the devil get the most of my thoughts. I wake up a lot at night lately almost paralyzed by my thoughts and struggle to get a grip through prayer and through Christ. Its like my mind is saying over and over, "But what if, but what if, but,but,but...." AAAGH! Insanity I tell you! The title is so fitting.."From this one place" and the lyrics, " I can't see very far, from this one moment I'm square in the dark. These are the things I will trust in my heart. You can see something else" Trust..in my heart..letting God take care of the something else. Oh yeah..how could I forgot I suck at that? :)
The reference to the window seat and the clouds beneath my feet sound delicious to me right about now. Imagining a world without worry. To truly NOT be anxious about anything but instead giving it all over to God. I have no problem doing that with others but when it comes to Sammy boy..I get really scared.
Thankfully, I am able to get my wits about me, even in the midst of the night and whisper verses and prayers up to my God who knows all of this about me and Sam and all of my other worries both big and small. The God I DO trust with ALL of my heart because I know HE can see something else..
Now...go and listen and download Sara and her amazing cd..I promise, you won't be disappointed..
Happy Listening..
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