Francesca Battistelli, "This Is the Stuff"

I was watching UP and this video came on and the song perfectly describes my next few posts and sometimes my life in general.



I lost my keys in the great unknown
And call me please 'cause I can't find my phone

This is the stuff that drives me crazy
This is the stuff that's getting to me lately
In the middle of my little mess
I forget how big I'm blessed
This is the stuff that gets under my skin
But I've gotta trust You know exactly what You're doing
Might not be what I would choose
But this the stuff You use

45 in a 35 sirens and fines
While I'm running behind
Whoa ho ho

This is the stuff that drives me crazy
This is the stuff that's getting to me lately
In the middle of my little mess,
I forget how big I'm blessed
This is the stuff that gets under my skin
But I've gotta trust You know exactly what You're doing
Might not be what I would choose
But this the stuff You use

So break me of impatience
Conquer my frustrations
I've got a new appreciation
It's not the end of the world
Whoa ho ho ho

Oooooh This is the stuff that drives me crazy
This is the stuff
Someone save me
In the middle of my little mess
I forget how big I'm blessed
This is the stuff that gets under my skin
But I've gotta trust You know exactly what You're doing
Might not be what I would choose
But this the stuff You use

Whoa whoa ho ho
This is the stuff You use.

I think Sarah would get this story, but I don't have her email and we all know I'm hopeless with FB so someone please...

pass this story on.


We're driving in the car, Layla sees a billboard and says, "That's the cowboy."

"What cowboy?" Rowan asks.

"The one from the show.  The one who sings 'Drunk on a Plane.'"

My heart sinks.  Crap!  I'm glad we listen to country, but I don't want my six-old year saying phrases like "Drunk on a plane."  But on the other hand, yeah, she recognizes Blake Shelton on The Voice billboard.  Sadly, he doesn't sing "Drunk on a Plane." which by the way is a great song.

Damien Storona

I love my mom, I may disagree with her, she may be insane... but I love her.

  - It's like he's inside my head.

The next night....

he was up for 15 minutes.  It's working!!!  Then he woke back up thirty minutes later and it took twenty minutes to put him back down.  The next night, he'll do better.  But of course, the next night he had the sniffles and then all bets were off.  And the following week when he was better, it just clicked for him and with no effort on my part he slept through the night.  #GreatestBabyEverBornon12/2

21 minutes

that's how long it took to cradle, comfort, soothe, cajole Teddy into believing he doesn't need a bottle at 4::14AM, he can wait until 6 or 7.  He's back down now sucking his pacifier.  Let's pray he stays asleep.

It's 2AM

and I awake.  I see this precious little baby and I have to hold him.  I pick Teddy up , cradle him in my arms, and it hits me.  Before He spoke the world into existence, He knew this moment would happen.  And that no one He had created before me or after me could do what I was dong in this very moment which is being a mother to Teddy.  I am humbled and amazed by that.  And very, very grateful.

From newborn to baby

Teddy used to wake up and immediately start crying because he was ready to eat.  Let me clarify, Teddy's waking up is a process, first the wiggling starts, then the stretching of arms, then his glove/sock covered hands try to run his fingers through his hair (except he has no hair and his tiny non-existent nails than scratch his bald hair, thus the gloves), he opens his eyes and then starts crying.

But now he does his wake up ritual and lies quietly, trying to take his socks off his hands.  He's got that one down pat.  And after his hands are free, he eats those little fingers and just chills.  Up to five minutes, he can lie quietly in bed until he realizes he woke up because he was hungry.

I used to take him into the kitchen with me to fix his bottle, but no longer because now he recognizes his bottle and starts squirming to get to it.  He wants his food and he wants it NOW!

He can scoot across the bed, when he's in the mood.  Ugh!  He even talks.  UGH!!  He coos, makes sounds, and that leads to making words, words leads to phrases and phrases to sentences and then the next thing you have is a talking, walking, thinking thought person who says things like, "Hey, give me all your jewelry and gold and we can make a golden calf."  Yep, he turns into one of those Israelites.

I tried to build a wall of silence around him, but people kept talking to him.  The world would be an okay place if people didn't start talking until they were 10.  How great would that be.  Jory is away at the greatest college in the world, Concordia College (Go Cobbers!) and I'm skypeing with the frosh and Teddy jumps into the picture talking to Jory.  Jory would be blown away hearing his little brother talk for the first time.  He'd be happy, I'd be happy because I would only have eight years of someone talking to me before he left for college.  Win, win all around.  But no, people insist on talking to Teddy and now this.  Can you believe I once was dying for Jory to talk?  Poor simple, naive first time mother, what did she know.  I posted on a parenting site cause Jory wouldn't say "mommy", and now sometimes that name is called and I ignored it.  First timers are crazy and cute.

My cone of silence around Teddy was a genius idea, if only others had supported me, particularly BTDT parents

We had an unusual Saturday

It crossed my mind to take the kids to see Captain America, so I can stay in the loop for Avengers 2.  If I had another boy his name would be Joss.  So with Aunt Brenda and Vandy in town visiting, we pull into the theater.  AB hops out the car to see when the next showing is and tells me.  I hop out the car and buy the tickets and discover she got the time for the 3D showing.  I love my kids but I'm not buying $16 to see a movie.  8:40, hmm, I'm going to lose the baby and maybe Rowan with that showtime but I went for it.  And while we were on an unusual Saturday kick, they even got McD's for dinner.

Quick meal at home, change into pants for the Irish twins, and we were out the door to pick up my Wing Stop wings.  Heavens knows how long I would have had to wait had I not phoned in my order earlier.  Oh wait, I waited longer than the girl who was ordering as I paid for the order I had called in.  Wings Stop on a weekend night is not a place to go, unless you have nothing but time on your hands.  Finally got my order and jumped in the car. 

Vandy and Jory went ahead to get popcorn, while I grabbed Teddy's quilt and the girls and went in search for seats.  The only spot available for us all to seat together was first row or second.  The girls were all for the front row, AB wanted the second and so that's where we sat.  At times that was a dizzying feat, but we made it through and got a nice shout out to Pulp Fiction.  If I had another son named Joss, his middle name would have to be Quentin.  Surprisingly enough Layla was the only one to fall asleep and since she couldn't find a comfortable position on me, she sat in her own chair and slept.

I only had to shush Rowan and JOry once.  Rowan seemingly wanted to have a conversation with Aunt Brenda.  I'm sure she was asking questions about the movie.  She loves asking questions about a movie or show, she knows you're both watching for the first time together.  And who knows what Jory was saying to Vandy, but I told him to pipe down, it's a movie.

Good movie, I like Chris Evans as Captain.  I think Black Widow needs her own movie.  Scarlett's coldness works well for an action hero.

By 11:30 we were home and Jory and Vandy were outside trying to see stars with Jory's new telescope he bought with his allowance money.  Not sure how much you can see or how far you can see with a $9 portable telescope, but maybe I'll be surprised one night.

Look who is

holding a pacifier in his mouth by himself.  Look who is holding his own bottle for ten seconds.  I don't think my tiny terrorist has any intention of keeping the paci in his mouth long term, but the holding the bottle thing, well we might be on our way to somewhere new.  If only hands could come out of his gloves more.  One day, when we grow hair, we'll be glove free.

I'm waking up

I feel it in my bones

Enough to make my systems blow

Welcome to the new age

To the new age

Welcome to the new age

To the new age

4:30AM, 4AM, 5AM, 6:30AM, 7:30AM.....welcome to the new age of almost four months where my Teddy bear sleeps straight through the night with an 8:30PMish bedtime.

It's not just a new age of sleeping, it's one where he's learned how to pull off the gloves on his hands, socks of his hands.  Oma rewarded him for this and laughed.  I explained babies who are basically bald and have vampire type nails that grow at a vampire rate cannot be rewarded for their newly learned trick cause it leads to more scabs in the top of his head and now that we have some more muscle control on his face too.  From me, he got his first reprimand.  Jory got his first reprimand when I took some paper out of his hand and reared back, not wanting me to take it from him.  He had to be about five or six months old at the time.  Layla got her first reprimand cause she decided to talk during either the singing portion or judges' critique on Ameican Idol, poor girl had only been home less than two weeks.  I can't remember Rowan's.

Teddy now can play with the toys that hang over his head while he's in his bouncer and while he's in his swing.  And by play, I mean hit.

These little hands that used to be closed are now opened more than they are closed, it's amazing to watch.  I think we've let the newborness behind and moving to the baby stage.  My little terrorist, who let me sit through a whole church service (he has down that since the first Sunday he was home) yesterday is getting older.  He fails those legs and arms, he knows he has them.  He's trying to scoot, which is interesting cause he hasn't rolled over yet.

The stretching has begun which means it's wake up time and some will want to be fed, a little boy who slept almost to 7AM.  He's making eye contac, I better go before the crying starts and he wakes up my baby.

I'm waking up

I feel it in my bones

Enough to make my systems blow

Welcome to the new age

To the new age

Welcome to the new age

To the new age

Best Teacher Moment Ever...

When you give your kids a painting to write about for art history and you totally miss the fact that Raphael's toddler cousins John and Jesus are showing their penises and the day care worker has to tell you.  ROCK STAR moment!

Song of Week

This song from my childhood was stuck in my head, so I thought it should be the next song the kids learn during devotionals.  So funny after looking up the words, I realized that while I knew the first verse perfectly the second verse was super shaky.  I love teaching them songs that I once was taught at Redeemer.  The love of Christ passed down from generation to generation.



Don't build your house on the sandy-land,
Don't build it too near the shore,
Well, it may look kind of nice
But you'll have to build it twice,
Oh, you'll have to build your house once more.

You better build your house upon the rock,
Make a good foundation on a solid spot.
And though the storms may come and go,
But the peace of God you will know. 

I like this Irish man's version of the song. 


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5sP9Fw3SAI

A sick baby

She seemed fine at AWANA and afterwards when they got to stay up as late as they wanted for winning the quiet game on the way home in the car.  But in the wee hours of the morning, I realized the little heat source that I was quite enjoying snuggling up next to me had a fever.  Poor little baby, her mommy is like umm, warmth, let me snuggle up to this and she's like yikes I'm sick.

So every two hours, she woke up crying, cuddling, rocking, walks around the room got her to settle down and back to sleep.  A little medicine, some water, and then an ice pack for the lip that was bruised days before, and I was rewarded with a sleeping baby.

She was resting on the sofa when Rowan and I went to ballet, but when we came back I had a crying baby who wanted to be picked up and held.  My mom thought it was a con, saying she had been sitting on the sofa chillin' before I walked in.  Could be a con, could not be?  I'll err on the side of caution and say it isn't, is that she doesn't feel good again or that as awesome as Omas are they aren't your mommy.

We stayed home yesterday and she was up playing, even ate a little, guzzled down her medicine juice, as she calls it, aka pedia lite, and some medicine.  We were on the road to recovery.  She didn't wake up once on Saturday night.  A little 24 hour bug thing, or so I thought until I noticed her left eye was a little bloodshot and yep, she felt warm, the fever was back.  It goes away, it comes back. 

So here it is 3AM, I should be sleep especially since we're back to waking up crying, like she is starting to do now.  I'm so thankfully that I have healthy children and this illness thing happens about once a year.  And I try to isolate the others cause I don't need a houseful of sick ones.

Though two years ago, God was so gracious and made us all sick at once.  What a blessing to come home from work with no energy, bathe people, and put them to bed cause everyone was too tired and too sick to eat.  I don't think I could have warmed food and cleaned a kitchen to save my life those days.  Oh, the things, we are grateful for.  Pre-mommyhood, I don't ever think I would have thought three kids being sick at once while I was sick as a good thing.

She's stopped whimpering, so I should rest in case at 4AM, she gets up again.  Let's pray I don't get sick and neither do the other two or Oma.  Let's pray, she's better tomorrow she can celebrate her birthday in style.  I'm thinking she might miss the MLK parade today, we'll see.

My Heart for Homeschooling Families From Sea to Shining Sea from Charlene Notgrass

I was blessed to meet hundreds of homeschooling parents last year between the shores of the Atlantic and the Pacific. I am so impressed with you and your children.

I worry about you sometimes, though. I’ve been a part of the homeschooling movement for more than twenty years–long enough to see trends come and go, long enough to meet many people I respect, and long enough to be disappointed. I don’t want disappointing realities to discourage you.

No matter what anyone tells you, there is no formula for producing the perfect homeschool, for raising perfect children, or for building the perfect Christian family.

No matter how reputable a homeschool spokesman is or how popular a homeschool speaker is, not one of these leaders is perfect. You cannot swallow anyone’s words hook, line, and sinker (I have only held a fishing pole in the water twice in my life; how did that idiom get into my vocabulary?).

I am reminded of a hymn that our congregation sang as I was growing up. We could have sung it anytime, but we didn’t. We sang it after someone was baptized. Kentuckian Thomas Obediah Chisholm (1866-1960) wrote the words. It was published in 1905. This is the last verse:

Only in Thee, dear Savior, slain,
Losing Thy life my own to gain,
Trusting, I’m cleansed from ev’ry stain;
Thou art my only plea.
Only in Thee my heart will delight,
Till in that land where cometh no night
Faith will be lost in heavenly sight,
Only, dear Lord, in Thee!

I like to eat healthy and I even grind my own wheat, but my hope is in “the living bread that came down out of heaven” (John 6:51, NASB).

Modesty is important to me, but I don’t like arbitrary rules about it. When we are “clothed . . . with Christ” (Galatians 3:27), we don’t need people’s rules.

I believe that children need godly training, but it must be based on Scripture which is “inspired by God and profitable . . .  for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).

Don’t let the successes or failures of leaders distract you from the most important things. Don’t let them stand as your judges and make you feel inferior or like a failure. Fall at the foot of the Cross and entrust your children to the One you trust. Lead them to Him.

Do not trust in princes,
In mortal man, in whom there is no salvation.
Psalm 146:3, NASB

Rowan's memories

We were sitting on the bed after AWANA, preparing to go to bed, when suddenly Rowan said, " Mommy,
I miss Mr. Will."

"I know.  I miss him, too."

"He used to say to us, 'Good job!   High five?'  If water got in my nose or my mouth, he said, 'Raise your hands and say, Hallelujah!'  He would say, 'Good job.  See you next week!'  He said, your kids are good swimmers.  They are good kids."

"Yes, he did say those things."

Memories...

I love helpful, compassionate children

We were doing school and I decided it was time for a break.  So I went and took a quick shower where I tweaked something in my upper back (man, I'm getting old).  I was in pain.  I slowly made it back to my bed and collapsed.  I thought we can finish school, I can read while laying down I tried to lift my head and knew that wasn't going to work.

Jory asked what was wrong and I told him my back hurt and he jumped into action.  Bony elbows, karate hand chops, deep nine-year-old massaging.  I was able after a bit to turn my head to the side and we practiced Bible verses.  I thought about doing more but the pain was too much, so instead I told the kids they could watch a movie.

Rowan raced to her room to get Strawberry Shortcake, which I knew Jory wouldn't be down with.  He came back with Cars.  I convinced my big girl that since Jory had chosen a movie for a while, we'd let him choose the movie this time.  She agreed.  I instructed them, to stay on the bed, not to get in front of the pillow which was their barrier to being too close to the laptop monitor, not to bother a sleeping Oma, and to not leave the room.  I painfully moved myself to the other side of the bed and went to sleep.  Older kids who know how to turn on DVDs on laptops rock my world!

I woke up to an argument about which movie to put in next.  I looked down at my glow in the dark Swatch (greatest watches EVER) and saw it was 11:30.

"You can't watch another movie it's 11:30.  Go to bed," my voice startled them.

"Mom- -" my big girl began- -

"I love you, night night," I said lovingly, then little bodies got off the bed and tucked their own selves in.  Though I did wake up with a head on my chest, so I'm not sure if Layla ever left or she left and came back.  A queen size bed is just not big enough for her and another human being.

I love kids who follow directions and let their in pain mommies sleep.

Russell Kelfer

I needed to hear this on Sunday.

You are who you are for a reason

You are who you are for a reason.
You're part of an intricate plan.
You're a precious and perfect unique design,
Called God's special woman or man.

You look like you look for a reason.
Our God made no mistake.
He knit you together within the womb,
You're just what He wanted to make.

The parents you had were the ones He chose,
And no matter how you may feel,
They were custom designed with God's plan in mind,
And they bear the Master's seal.

No, that trauma you faced was not easy.
And God wept that it hurt you so;
But it was allowed to shape your heart
So that into his likeness you'd grow.

You are who you are for a reason,
You've been formed by the Master's rod.
You are who you are, beloved,
Because there is a God.


Nice to hear, to be reminded of, after reading this:


http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-man-charged-jefferson-park-stabbing-death-20131231,0,6585479.story#axzz2pemt6QZD


A 44-year-old Los Angeles resident has been charged in the fatal stabbing of a man in Jefferson Park on Dec. 20, officials said.

Michael Allen McGilvery was arrested Friday after he walked into the 77th Street Community Police Station to turn himself in, said LAPD Det. Supervisor Sal LaBarbera.

McGilvery is suspected of stabbing William Jennings, 35, with a knife multiple times in Jefferson Park. Jennings was on his way to the store about 10:15 p.m. when he got into an altercation with McGilvery, LaBarbera said.

After the stabbing, McGilvery grabbed Jennings’ wallet and fled from the scene, police allege.

“We don’t know what the motive was. It was some sort of dispute,” LaBarbera said.

Jennings leaves behind a wife and 11-year-old daughter, according to a news release from the LAPD.

After police released surveillance video of the stabbing, people who know McGilvery tried to persuade him to turn himself in.

McGilvery has been charged with one count of murder and one count of second-degree robbery, according to a felony complaint filed by Los Angeles County prosecutors. He is scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday and is being in lieu of $1-million bail.

The police are asking anyone with additional information about the case to call Det. Paul Funicello or Det. Matt Courtney at (213) 485-4341. Those who wish to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.