out of the mouth of babes

Every Monday night, our family has Family Night... or Family Home Evening.  Sometimes Family Fight even works.  We reserve the night for our family to spend time together, pray, have a spiritual thought or lesson, have an activity (like 'duck duck goose' or Simon says, etc), and a special treat (thankfully a special treat for our kids can even be a handful of mini marshmallows or chocolate chips).

This last Monday we had a discussion on safety.  We were talking about what our family plan is in case there is a fire in our home.  Naturally, the kids started in on the "what if..." game.  Some were legitimate, some were silly.  We came to the conclusion that there could be a million 'what if's and that we'll just do the best we can if it ever happens.

And then my 7 year-old says in a giggly serious kind of way, "What if Mom is grumpy when we wake her up to tell her there's a fire?"...... (looking at me cautiously and still giggling)...."Because sometimes you are really grumpy when we wake you up."  We were all laughing..... because it's TRUE.  Okay, not always true... I can be really patient and kind and compassionate to my kids, but... apparently... that must be the exception.

It was funny, yes, and I still think it's funny, but it definitely made me realize that I need to do better.  I actually have been doing better, but I've still got a long way to go.  I don't want them to remember me forever as Ms. Grumpy Pants in the morning.  I want to help their morning be bright and cheerful.  When I'm up before them, I have time to fully wake up and feel ready to go... and I'm happy... most of the time.  ;)

My mom always tells me how grouchy I was when I was a little 3 year old.  Here is my 3 year old now.  I can see the resemblance.

little gum adventure

This girl came home from Kindergarten today so happy she'd received a piece of gum from a friend.  Food = Happiness for her.  I'm the same.  Gum's not food, I know, but anything yummy in the mouth brings joy.

A few minutes after walking in the door, she comes to me with a little bit of an 'oh no' look on her face, and of course, I see the gum in her hair!  How in the world?  She told me she thought it would be fun to roll it on her forehead.  I had to take a picture before trying to get it out, because it was just funny and so typical of her... She is my mini me.

 Coconut oil took it right out, thank goodness!    

 Good as new.  Just a little greasy and tropical-smelling.  Love this girl!

10 wonderful years!

I just love this boy so much.  (And this baby girl... wearing her party-favor sunglasses for a moment.) 

10 years ago I tricked him into marrying me, and I will be forever glad I did.  

He is just my favorite person ever.  He has taught me so much about love, patience, kindness, service, selflessness, and parenthood in our 10 years of marriage, all through his example.  Not only is he sensitive and thoughtful and respectful toward me and our children, but he is a peacemaker and makes us laugh all of the time, even and especially when there's contention in our home.  He is rarely too busy to voluntarily help with diapers or dishes, fixing something, or whatever... even though he really is so busy. 

He is the greatest father to our children, blessing their lives with his example of wisdom and strong character... and his time.  He'll come home from work, stressed and feeling weighed down with work issues and pressured with many many things to do, but he'll put a smile on his face, take the kids outside to play with him or just hold them and talk with them or let them climb all over him.  He doesn't have much extra time, but he makes good use of the time he does have, because he wants to have good relationships with them and create happy memories for them.  It's no wonder 'Daddy' is the favorite in our home, and I love him for it.  

He is my inspiration behind the changes I am trying to make.  Just the person he is has always given me a desire to be a better person, and he still does.  He never ever makes me feel bad about my weaknesses or struggles; he always tells me I'm doing a good job... even when I'm not.  I just love him more and more all the time. 

I know I'm making him sound too good to be true, but he really is this good and so much more.  He amazes me and makes me so happy.  Like I said, I tricked him into marrying me. I know he knows it and I tease him about it all the time, but we sealed the deal, and there's no turning back now.  :)

Love you, my Clint.  Happy 10 years!!!  

i love the sounds of morning

Last week, while Clint and I were up early one morning, I opened the windows in our kitchen to let some fresh air in.  Birds were chirping and peacocks were yelling out their really loud mating calls.  Clint reminisced about how his mother would always open up their windows, letting fresh air in, as well as the sounds of morning.  My mom always did the same, and I loved it.  Something about those sounds and the fresh air seemed to breathe new life into a new day.

Having grown up on a ranch far away from any busy streets or stores or anything, the main sounds I can remember in the mornings, besides my alarm clock, were our neighbor's rooster crowing at 5am, my mom in the kitchen, my dad or sibling(s) getting around the ranch on the 4-wheeler to feed our horses, and our horses whinnying in anticipation of their arrival.  I didn't think much about those sounds.  They were just the norm.  I didn't appreciate them nearly as much as I do now when I go home to visit.  I LOVE the sounds of country living.

After our first year of marriage, Clint and I moved into a teeny tiny little house in Clint's uncle's backyard where we lived for 3 years.  Uncle Jim and Clint's dad had built it, and it shared a wall with Uncle Jim's workshop.  It wasn't unusual to wake up to the sound of a chainsaw at 5am, and because it was just on the other side of the wall, it sounded like it was in our same room.  Best alarm clock ever.  For the whole family.  As much as it was an unpleasant sound to hear that early in the morning, I did appreciate it a little, because I loved Uncle Jim and how hard-working he was and how it motivated me to get 'up and at 'em.'

The neighborhood we live in now has at least 15-20 (maybe more) peacocks (peafowls, peahens, and peachicks).  I love them.  They are so much fun to see every day, but many people find them to be pests as they are known to peck cars, be really loud, and leave big droppings (large bird = large dropping).  Maybe I won't like them so much if they peck our cars, but they haven't yet.  Anyway, they really are so loud, especially during mating season, and especially at about 3 in the morning... and then continue off and on for several hours.  It used to wake me up; they sound like a woman yelling for help, which was a little disturbing at first, but now I mostly sleep through it.  When I wake up early, though, I love hearing them call.

And, of course, for several years now, the main sounds I hear in the morning are my kids/babies.  Sometimes they're my very favorite sounds... "Momma, can I turn on a movie for everyone while you stay in bed?"  "Mom, you stay in bed... I'll make oatmeal for everyone."  On Saturdays... "Daddy, can you come downstairs with us?"  "Mommy, can I snuggle with you?"  And sometimes they're my not-so-favorite sounds.  "Mommy, I wet my bed."  "Mom, can I get in your bed?"  "Mommy, I'm scared.  I had a bad dream."  "Mom, I just threw up."  "Mommy, so-and-so woke me up!"  "Mom, I don't know why, but I'm all wet."

When I get up and going a couple of hours before my kids wake up, all of their sounds are so much more pleasant to me. And if their sounds are not very pleasant, at least I am more pleasant in my response.  I am one of the morning sounds they hear that set the tone for their day, and I want them to enjoy the sounds of morning just like I do.