Getting checked out

I had a doctor appointment today. 
It's been awhile.  I pretty much don't go to the doctor for myself.  Besides pregnancies, I think, I've been to the doctor maybe a few times over the past 10+ years.  I don't have anything against doctors.  I actually like them.  I just don't go to them.
Nothing like a big of a catalyst to get me to the doctor, though.
I experienced a vasovagal response early Friday morning, which scared Chad more then me, but scared me enough to make an appointment.
I haven't been feeling great the past few months.  Extra fatigue, super cold all the time.  I've mentally been clickin' a little slower then usual too. (Go ahead.  I left that one wide open ;) )
Just random things I could totally pass off. 
I'm waiting to hear back results from my blood work.  I don't think it's anything crazy.  Anemia, maybe.  Hypothyroid runs in my family so that's a possibility too.  Or it could be nothing.  I have plenty of other reasons to be tired and cold.  Such as my 4 children and it's winter.
Anyway, I would just like to be energized and warm again.  Hoping for a simple fix!

Caleb-isms

I don't know if I've said this before, but this kid can talk...ALOT! 
This gives us ample opportunity to hear all kinds of funny phrases!
A few I've noticed lately...
1. "Watch yo mouth."  It's the tone that matters on this one.  Sometimes he says it all sweet and other times he says it with full on thug attitude.
2."I don't care about that."  Often said after I ask him to do something.  I might have just stood there with my mouth open the first time he said it.
3. "What your name is?"  He always wants to know people's names.  Even the ones he already knows. 
4.  We play this little game called "Guess what?"  Basically, he says "Guess what?" I say, "What?" and he says whatever he wants.  Then I say, "Caleb, guess what?", he says, "What?" and I say, "I love you."  Well this one time, I started saying words that rhyme with what instead.   So instead of I love you, I said, "Chicken butt."  I don't know...it just came out and it rhymed.  We laughed.
Fast forward to the next day.  Walking through the frozed section of the grocery store and Caleb says, "Mom, guess what?" Me: "What."  Caleb: "CHICKEN BUTT, HAHAHA, CHICKEN BUTT!!"

I stand in awe.

This past year and especially these past few months have made my heart ache...in a good way.  My heart is full.
That is how I feel. 
Filled up.

From the gift of our home that so, so many people spent hours and hours on, to this very moment when I heard my friend's baby they are adopting is HERE, there have been so many times I have seen  incredible acts of kindness, generosity, and love.

It's overwhelming.  I told Chad today that THIS is the place I want to be if tragedy hits or tough times come or your life is given an unexpected joy that you want to share! 

I know there are communities like this all over the country and beyond.  I just feel so fortunate to be here now.

I have been blessed with amazing friendships all my life.  I can look back on each stage of my life and it seems God hand-picked a friend for me.  This place, for some reason, has given me an abundance of friendships.  Girls that will not only be there for me, but reach out and help others without a second thought.

It's all evidenced so strongly in the past few weeks.  We cooked, we cleaned, we gave, we prayed, we hugged, we cried and we prayed some more.
Sometimes, I think I can go it alone.  All I have to do is lift my head, reach out a hand and there will be multiple hands reaching back. 
This is a beautiful place with beautiful people.
I stand in awe of my blessings.

A list

Too much going on to focus on one topic so this is what has been rattling around in my brain the past week...I'm sorry in advance.
1.  I started major defunking in my house the other day.  Clothes were the first hit.  Feels good to get rid of STUFF!
2.  We worked on the basement yesterday.  Why is it that my dear Corky treasures TRASH?!  Actual trash, people.  Torn up boxes and cup carries are apparently VERY valuable.
3. I thought Caleb was potty trained a few weeks back.  I was wrong. 
4.  I thought for about a week that Chad and I were going to get to go to Norway this summer to see our best friend get married.  Not gonna happen and I'm sad. 
5.  The renovations to our house have yet to start despite the March 25 deadline. 
6.  A friend of mine tried to commit suicide last Friday.  It was a stressful few days after she was found and still just heartbreaking as their family struggles through it all.  I've prayed more in the past week about all kinds of things then I have in a long, long time. 
7.  My mom and dad are coming today and I'm so happy, even if it's just for 2 days.
8.  The weather has been gorgeous the past few days and I love it.  I'm amazed at how sunshine can improve your outlook on nearly everything.
9.  I love St. Patrick's Day.  I'm 1/8th Irish and I'm proud to be!!
10.  Enough rambling already!!

Decorating Idea!

I have a big empty wall in my living room that I was having a hard time figuring out how to decorate it.
I'm not a big fan of random decorations.  Because I don't have a lot of "things", I prefer to only have items that I truly love or that mean something to me.
So, with a big blank wall, I was in a bit of a quandry.
My friend Shannon, who is the craftiest crafter I know, had mentioned months ago a Family heritage wall she had seen on this blog.
blog.http://fortheloveofit2.blogspot.com/2009/11/family-tree.html
Cool, huh?

I really enjoy family histories and stories from past generations.  My 90 year old grandma is one of my favorite people to talk to about, well anything, but alot about her life.

The problem is our families are HUGE! 
So I've worked out a way to go back to our great grandparents without an obscene amount of pictures.  Now I just have to hunt down some decent quality pictures!! 
It will be a bit of a project, but I'm excited about it!

A still small voice...

It never ceases to amaze me the range of emotions that humans can both experience themselves and evoke in others.
It seems we are all to often negatively motivated to appreciate what we have, embrace those we love, and live the life we dream.  This regularly comes in the form of an illness or death.  Tragedy makes us think, evaluate, try harder.
I have seen, heard and experienced truly tragic events.  Those experiences have changed me.  Even the ones that I was not directly affected by.  Those made me pause.  Hug my children one extra time and tell my husband I love him with a little more emotion.
This past week has again shown me what tragedy can do.  It weaken us with sadness and sorrow, and for some, eventually opens our eyes to a loving God who carries us through those tragedies.
A staff member at the Y passed away unexpectedly early this week.  She was just 43 with 2 young children.
And, then we found out just yesterday that Chad's brother-in-law's brother lost their 1 year old son in a bathtub accident.
There are cancers raging through nearly every family I know in some shape or form.
They are all truly tragic and heartbreaking.  I don't know that we have words to express those kinds of emotions for the families.

And still, in all of this and in one beautiful, miraculous event, I am reminded that joy and love and seeing God's hand in the impossible can be just as motivating!

My dear friend, Jamie, in a matter of 3 days went from being a busy mom of 2, wife to a great husband, friend to many, and so much more to finding out she would now be all those things AND a mother to another sweet baby!  They are adopting a baby.  A baby she didn't know about on Wednesday, but will, God-willing, be bringing home in a matter of days or weeks.  The joy in her and her husband is palpable.  It's contagious.  The way it all transpired was nothing short of a miracle.  This baby will be loved beyond it's wildest dreams!
A baby getting a beautiful chance at a wonderful life makes me think and pray and do all those things just as much and as fully as those tragedies do, but in such a better way.
It's made me listen to that small voice that is always trying to show me the beautiful, the lovely in this world, in spite of the tragedies. 
There are so many inspiring events, both huge like an adoption and small, like the way my little guy says, "I lub you". 
I only hope my eyes are more opened to them daily!
 

Parenting dilemma 101

I'm in between a rock and a hard place, people. 
Help me!
Elijah is entirely, 100% adamant that learning to play the piano is "pointless."  His words.  The days he has lessons, he is moody, crabby and mad at me.  None of which I particularly enjoy dealing with.

His argument: Why do I have to learn something that I don't like and don't see a point in doing?
My argument: There are lots of things in life that we don't appreciate til later.  I think piano is one of those things.

His argument: It's suppose to be a hobby, which is something someone enjoys doing.  I do not enjoy piano.
My argument: It's not so much a hobby (unless, he wanted it to be), it's more like a school subject.  Like history or language.

His argument: But, I like school.  I don't like piano.
My argument: You may not now, but you'll be glad to know, at least the basics at some point in your life.

His argument: I'd rather be doing something I really enjoy doing.
My argument:  You may really enjoy playing piano if you gave it a chance.

His argument: Whatever.
My argument: (Said to myself) I'm going to lose this argument.

So what do I do? 
The mature adult me says make him do it.  He'll thank me later.  The annoyed part of me says let him quit.  If he doesn't enjoy it or want to do it and it makes him miserable, is it really teaching him anything? 
I'm all for teaching our kids that life isn't easy and sometimes we have to do things we don't like.  I'm not sure if I want to use piano to reinforce that life lesson.  I want it to be something that is enjoyed and appreciated, not scorned and rejected.
I love music.  All kinds.  I wish I had stuck with piano longer, but at the time, I was so glad to quit.  I had better things to do, in my mind.  I was about 10, too.  I remember thinking the EXACT same things he has said. 
He and I are quite similar in our temperments, interests, attitudes.  I understand how he feels.  What to do?  What to do?
I'm torn.

Recipes

I have a cooking problem.
It's not so much the cooking, as the cleaning up part.  I hate cleaning up.  That's not a problem I can fix though so I'm going to move on to my other problem.
Recipes.
I have recipes I love and use often.  Too often, in fact.
Over the years, I've collected recipe books, recipes from websites, recipes from friends, trying to add some variety to our usual fare.,
I have ALOT of recipes and they are EVERYWHERE!!
So, in an attempt to organize my cooking life, I bought a photo album, some notecards and little tabs. 
I am in the process of organizing my recipes.  If I have a favorite recipe from a cookbook, I'm going to write down what book it's in and what page.  Then I don't have to hunt through multiple books looking for it.  Website favorites are getting written down, as well.  At some point, hopefully in the near future, I will have a single album of recipes to use...
During this time of transition, we may be eating a lot of fast food.