Living Life, Valentine's and Snow

I am two weeks out from chemotherapy, and feel better every day.

I haven't posted because well...I've been busy living life!

Here are some random things that we've been doing:

Our old microwave died and we had to buy a new one.  Who knew that the packing would be such fun for two little boys?  

They enjoyed utterly destroying it with hammers, screw drivers and their own feet.

I can go to the park again with my family!  Here we are at a local park (Udall) - the boys rode their bikes while Bryan and I walked/jogged along behind.  (I mostly walked...I am much weaker than I want to be!)  And I greatly enjoyed the scenery of the Catalinas in the background.

Ben took our picture for Valentine's Day.  He forgot to aim the camera at Dad.

(I still have a double chin.  Thank you steroids.)

Then Sam took our picture for Valentine's Day. 

(I think we have budding photographers, no?)

Finally, Mom took our picture for Valentine's Day.  Thank you Mom.  

(We were at Macaroni Grill.)

Mom and the boys, also at Macaroni Grill on Valentine's Day.

At another park (Agua Caliente) on another Saturday.  It was a beautiful (though windy) day.  

I so love and appreciate being able to do things with my family again!! 

SNOW?  Did I mention that I live in TUCSON?  As in, Arizona?  I love the contradiction of a cactus being snowed on.

So my crazy Arizona-born boys wanted to play in the snow -- Arizona-style.  They had a blast!!

My desert bush - Texas Ranger (yes it needs trimming) - and our palm bush (tree?) all covered in snow.  There are supposed to be mountains in the background, but they disappeared for a while.

It snowed for about an hour!  But it was very wet, and didn't stick.  It's all gone now.  So sad.

That's all the excitement I can take for now.  

We're still cleaning up mud and sand from clothes, the floors, the bath tub after the boys' adventures in the snow.

Tale of My Kidney Beans

I know that I haven’t posted in a while…okay, it’s been nearly four months!  I've had good reason, though (this time).  Well, the first month I was just “busy with life” – all the fall activities started up, our schedule changed, and of course writing fell off the priority list quickly. 

But then, very randomly, I became sick.  Not “cold” sick, but very ill.  It’s kind of a long story, but what I thought was starting out as some sort of infection, then maybe pregnancy (which it was NOT), turned out to be, of all things, kidney failure.  By October, I knew something was very wrong (I had extreme fatigue and nausea, among other things), and it took until nearly the end of October (and a hospital stay, including a biopsy of one of my kidneys) to get a diagnosis. 

So I've been recovering from an auto-immune kidney illness that is called ANCA Vasculitis, with a secondary diagnosis of IgA Nephropathy (another auto-immune illness).  I am not a medical person, and I have never had any kidney problems in my life, nor has anyone in my family, so I am still trying to make heads and tails of this thing.  So don’t ask me to try to explain it very well, because I can’t!  All I know is that for no particular reason, my body decided to attack my kidneys and shut them down.  By the time I made it into the hospital, my kidneys were only functioning at 12%.  It was crazy!  Here I am, a healthy 35-year-old, with failing kidneys.

Me and my Ben, just before I became ill.

But praise God!  I am going to get better, and I am getting better.  The treatment for this illness is daily oral doses of steroids (Prednisone) and chemotherapy (Cytoxan).  And of course I’m taking all kinds of other medications to help off-set the side effects of the steroids and chemo.  The medications are working, though – blood work last week showed that my kidney function is up to approximately 40%.  Also, the doctor believes I will make a full recovery, without any long-term damage to my kidneys.  He is calling this an “acute kidney injury”, versus a “chronic kidney disease.”  So that is comforting. 

Life has certainly changed in our house.  I didn't realize how much I did each day, until I couldn't do anything.  My sweet mother-in-law, Judy, came down from Montana on November 1^st to stay with us, and she is still here.  She said she’ll be with us until I am well.  Judy is my new hero.   She takes care of my boys and my house with as much care as if they are her own.  I know that she is enjoying this extended time with her grandsons, who she wouldn't normally have been able to spend so much time with.  (I know God has many “hidden” blessings in this!)  But she has already been over a month away from her own home, her husband and her life in Montana, and I know that must be difficult at times.  She never complains.  She smiles and says she wants to be here. 

Judy and the boys, on Mt. Lemmon

My church family has been amazing, too.  A dear girlfriend of mine arranged for meals for us, and for the past 5-6 weeks, we've had meals coming in four times a week.  It has been such a blessing to not have to worry about dinner.  Plus all the prayers, cards of encouragement, and support have been humbling and overwhelming. 

I've seen God’s hand of provision and blessing in all of this.  Oh don’t get me wrong, it kind of sucks to be sick like this – but to see everything being taken care of without me is a blessing I can’t describe well enough.  It helps me to be able to relax and get the rest I need, which is helping me to recover. 

No, I’m not getting much done these days.  There are some days where getting a shower and changing clothes is my big accomplishment.  Other days, it’s a trip to the store, or maybe even a dinner out.  Tonight, I made dinner for the first time in several weeks, and it felt so good!  (And I got so tired.)

 

I had to drop out of ministries at church and BSF for the time being, which was very difficult for me (though, being so ill, I couldn't do them anyway).  And for these things, it mostly had to do with the chemotherapy – they don’t want me working around children, and at church that is all that I do.  What a great time to under chemotherapy – right in the middle of cold and flu season!  Yay for suppressed immune systems!

In all of these unexpected changes and challenges, I am so grateful for the hope of a full recovery.  I am grateful that I do not have cancer, or a chronic kidney disease, or that I didn't need dialysis or a transplant – I am grateful that I will LIVE!!  That was one thing that was scary to me in the beginning – not knowing what was happening to me, and wondering how bad it really was.  I can handle this temporary “sabbatical” (as my husband jokingly called it), and I have learned to humbly accept the help that we greatly need. 

As my health improves, I hope to post more – I do have thoughts, events, and even stitching to share.  I am unable to do any stitching these days, but I did finish up a few things over the summer before I got sick.  Of course my boys provide endless hours of entertainment and challenges – they are such a joy.  I think ages three and five are (so far) the most fun. 

Their new favorite thing - riding bikes.

I have so much to be thankful for, and so much to get well for!!  And so much to praise God for.  

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

(Isaiah 41:10)

The Man in Our House

He's kind of a big deal in our world.

Dad.

Da-da.

Daddy.

Bryan.

For one thing, he is the strongest person in the house.  Lifting little boys over his head with no problem, even as said boy is pulling around...wire?  What is that?  I don't know.  (We practice safety in our home, as you can see.)  And by the way, Ben WAS happy here - I caught him in a weird moment with my camera.  He wanted Daddy to lift him again, and again, and again.

Oh, and he's doing this with another little boy breathing and slobbering into his face.  Pretty awesome.

Also he is the official Tickler of the house.  Able to tickle two little boys, upside down, at the same time.  Amazing!

Skills.  Girls like guys with skills.  And my guy has LOTS of skills.

(Napoleon, anyone?  Are you with me?  I know Bryan is.)

Also, he is Cuddler Extraordinaire.  Little Sam was pretty sick in this photo, and he just wanted to be with his Daddy.  So Daddy just let him be.  And all was well with little Sam.  Sometimes there is no greater comfort to our boys than just sitting/laying with their Daddy.  Or, if it's Ben, it's asking him endless questions about God, or the world, or space, or anything else that Ben can think of in order to stall bedtime.

Bryan's patience is practically endless.

For Father's Day, they expressed their love and appreciation by choosing a gift that represented their special and meaningful relationship with their father...

What else, but a Cookie Monster t-shirt?  Nothing else would do.  Bryan wore it proudly...to church!  And all day.  And maybe even to bed that night.  I can't remember that far back...I was sleeping.

Which reminds me...he still gets up with the boys at night if they have a "daddy emergency"....like a bad dream, or a need to go pee and tell him all about it, or that they are too hot/cold/awake...this is amazing because Mama sleeps through this.  I don't know how he hears them.  It's as if once my babies get past the infant/middle-of-the-night-feeding stages, I am deaf to them in the night.  I think that they just know that Daddy can fix just about ANYTHING, and Mama is not much use to them until the morning, when they are hungry and waiting for their breakfast and chocolate milk.

He was born on Father's Day, actually, so he gets quite spoiled during this week!  (Kind of like my birthday and Christmas!)  And we had fun spoiling him.  All the usual father-ly-type gifts like electric trimmer, car radio, clothes...nothing terribly huge but all useful and much-needed!  (His 2002 Corolla had a cassette player...and Bry's got a 25-mile round-trip to his job every day.  Yeah.  It was time for an upgrade.)

And now that I've totally embarrassed him for the year, I'll stop bragging on him now.  He would rather fade into background and not be noticed.  Ever.  But, he married me, and I talk a lot.  And when I can't talk, I write.  Therefore I blog.  And since he's got SO MANY SKILLS...he's going to be talked about.

So, thank you

Strong Man

Tickler

Cuddler

Fixer and Comforter of all problems

I hope we, your family, can bless you as much as you bless us every day.

I love you.

Stinkin' Hot Friday

It was a balmy 106 degrees here in Tucson today.  At least, when we were outside, and these pictures were taken, it was 106.  Yes, you read that correctly, east coast/northwest people.  ONE HUNDRED SIX.

So, since it was such a nice day and all, we took a trip to Lowe's and then thought we'd do some yard work.  

Yeah.  I know.  We are SO SMART.

First we set up the pool for the kiddos.  Behold pure joy.

Then, since another plant died last year that I'd had in this big black pot, we bought another plant.  I think it's called "Pincushion Flower" or something like that.  I dunno...but it's PURPLE and it SMELLS PRETTY.  So that's all I cared about.  Oh, and it's supposed to be "hardy" for the desert heat.  Also a huge plus.

Part of my planter and also my vincas, which I confess I tried to kill last year, but they just. wouldn't. die.  So now I'm embracing them.  Yay, pink vincas!

The whole reason we even ended up at Lowe's in the first place, was to buy a little cilantro plant.  Because, well, remember the HUGE cilantro plant I had earlier this year?  I attempted to trim it down a bit a few months ago, and...well, I pretty much killed it.  All that's left of it is that tiny vine-y thing you see in the middle.

The lush plant on the far end is my mint, which is providing us with much-needed minty iced tea right now.  Then there's the poor little cilantro vine.  (Would you believe that both Home Depot AND Lowe's were out of cilantro plants?  I guess Arizonans love their cilantro.  I don't blame them.  'Cause it's yummy and we love it too.)

The plant nearest to the camera is our new tomato plant!  Bryan decided we should try to grow our own tomatoes.  We bought the Roma type, since that's what we like to use in our guacamole and salsa.  And pasta salads, and regular salads.  Pretty much everything.  Let's see if I can keep this one alive.

Bryan is building a new planter for my new bougainvillea bushes...he wanted to buy them for me; I'd been wanting them for some years now, and I thought it was the sweetest thing that he remembered.

This is true love, people.  Remember the 106-degree heat.  I told him he could wait to do it when it cooled off this evening, but no...he wanted to do it right then.  I love that man.  

And below are my new bougainvillea bushes!  Bryan bought three of them for me.  "Royal Purple", of course.  Everyone has pink around here - we had to be different!  

After planting my new Pincushion flowers and Roma tomato plants, Mama had to take a break:

This is one HOT Mama.  And I mean that lit-ra-lee.  HOT.  Note my red face.  Dirty fingers from potting plants.  Purple water bottle.  The wooden rocking dinosaur in the back agrees.  It was STINKIN' HOT.

We are enjoying our patio so much.  Bryan built it last year.  Yeah, he's pretty much amazing.  He laid the tiles, built the planters, built the shade...no, he will not build one for you.  He does have a day job.  ;)   But he'll be very kind and gracious about turning you down.  

Thanks for sticking with such a long post!  I put up my latest stitching project on the Cottage Stitch-a-Long blog too, if you're interested.  

Happy Weekend!  Happy June!  

Finally...I'm back!!

Okay, so I've taken a MUCH longer blogging break than I'd intended.  But life has been so hectic these past three weeks - something had to be cut out of my time, and that something was the blog!  However...I am back now, and quite recovered from the busy-ness of the holidays, the start-up of the New Year (finally back in the swing of things)...and finally, more importantly, it appears I've recovered from strep throat completely.  Woot!

I've always wanted to say that.  Now I feel better.

So what's happened in the past month?  Ummm...I had my 35th birthday, just three days before Christmas...and no, I don't feel any different.  I don't even feel much older, though my body is disagreeing with me.  Are weird eye twitches normal for the 35th year?   Achy knees?  Pounds that refuse to go away?  Temperamental hips?  I blame my sweet babies for the pounds and hips...too much stitching  and reading for the twitchy eyes...and maybe my new boots for the knees.

Oh but they are SWEET boots!  I must get a photo up for you to see.

I don't know what Christmas gift I am enjoying most...my brown knee-high high-heeled boots, or the DVDs of Downton Abbey.  Hmmm...it's a toss-up.  The boots make me feel tall and skinny, so they might win.  But Downton Abbey....ahhhh...am I the only geek in Arizona who loves this show?  I can find no other girlfriends who even know about it.  Am I also the only one who does NOT have cable TV and therefore watches lots of PBS?

Anyway, I had a great birthday -- my in-laws were in town, and they spoiled me.  Well, Mom did -- she took me shopping!!  Clothes shopping.  I needed some new threads so badly - and not the needlework kind.  ;)

And my husband REALLY spoiled me!

This is me holding up my gift card to the Gadabout Spa!!  There's enough for me to get a manicure, pedicure and massage if I want.  But I am not into massages, so I think I'll get TWO manicures and pedicures.  Sweet!  The gift card even came with a pair of flip flops and a tote bag.  

We went to Chili's for my birthday dinner - my favorite, hands-down.  Chips and salsa, baby!  Even with strep throat.  I took Tylenol and drank lots of iced water.

See the gorgeous purple scarf?  My mother-in-law gave that to me.  And see the gorgeous man?  He's the one who gave me the sweet boots and Downton Abbey DVDs.  Yes he really loves me.  He bought me a chick flick.  A six-hour chick flick.  And he even puts the boys to bed on Sunday nights so I can watch the new season of DA. 

And I got some finishes in before the end of 2011!

Cross-stitching finishes:

The Angels Sang by Little House Needleworks

I finished it like a flat ornament, though it's too big for an ornament - it will hang on the wall.

This is My Joy, also by Little House Needleworks - I haven't "finished" it yet, but the stitching is done!

I've already had some 2012 cross-stitch finishes...but I'll post those another time.  This post is getting rather long!

And I finally finished reading David Copperfield.  Sigh.  I love that book.  (Remember that I'm a nerd!)  I won't give the ending away, just in case there is another person out there who has NOT seen any of the movie adaptations and really doesn't know how it ends (just like I was until New Year's Eve).  But suffice it to say, I was satisfied.  I love how Dickens weaves several threads of a story line together, keeps them all running separately for half the book, shows the reader how they're all interwoven throughout the last half, and at the end, wraps it all up neatly.  Magnificent!  Just like Little Dorrit and Bleak House.  

I am deciding whether or not I will start A Tale of Two Cities.  I freely admit that I've started it twice, and stopped twice.  I cannot get through the first chapter.  Which is weird - I would think that a book that is about both England and the French Revolution would be interesting to me.  And yet...there I am.  Putting it back on the shelf.

It feels great to be back in the blogging world!  (Thanks Eileen for the encouragement!)

Now I need to locate my children.  Well, I know where they are (bedroom)...I just am not sure what they're doing.  It's the quietness that I find alarming!!  

Papa and Gabby come to visit

My parents came to town on Thanksgiving weekend.  Thankfully, no one was sick, and everyone had a great time.  Ben and Sam really enjoyed their grandparents!  And their grandparents really enjoyed them, too.

It's too bad that we live so far apart -- 1100 miles is a long distance to travel more than a few times a year.

My dad, me and the boys.  (Love Ben's face!)

Sam wouldn't give up the monster trucks.  And he's still wearing his Spidey pajama top.

Love you, Mom and Dad!  Thanks for coming out to see us!

10 years...11 Thanksgivings

I'm a week late with Thanksgiving photos...we also don't have our Christmas tree up yet!  What can I say - we are such a happenin' family.  Lots of things are happenin' in our house.  Colds, family visits, hot water heater going ka-put...oh yeah...we are totally with it.

But one thing keeps me smiling.

Bryan and I are in our tenth year of marriage.  In other words, we celebrated nine years in August.  But this was our 11th Thanksgiving together.  Not only that,  but we were blessed to spend it with our Aunt Claire again -- we aren't able to do that every year, but it worked out this year.  Incidentally, we also spent Thanksgiving with Aunt Claire ten years ago.  So we had our photo taken on the exact same couch...though it was moved to a different spot in the living room.

2001 version of Bryan and Kimberly:

2011 version of Bryan and Kimberly:

You can see how we've been "updated."  Less hair (for both of us)...more to love.  ;)  I remember warning him before we were married that I knew his love for me would grow over the years, because I would grow!!  Ha!  (It's the second baby, I tell ya.)

We look a little more comfortable together in 2011 than we did in 2001.  Ten years ago, we had barely gotten back together after an awkward break-up (my fault...and another story).  We were just a few short weeks away from being engaged!   Ah, memories.

Here's another reason the 2011 Thanksgiving was so different from the 2001 version:

These guys.  They weren't there ten years ago.  Well, of course Aunt Claire was there!  But Ben and Sam were not there...they were still only the sparkles in our eyes!  They are a rather fun addition to the festivities. We think we'll keep them.

My parents were just here for five days - arrived the day after Thanksgiving and just left on Wednesday.  I'll post some pics of that soon -- we had a great time.  The boys love their "Papa" and "Gabby."

Happy weekend!  I hope you have more success in putting your Christmas trees up than we've had...since we are apparently unable to accomplish this feat in our house.  For now.

Writer's Block

I think that I am unwittingly joining Wendy on her November blog sabbatical.  I did not intend to do this, but people -- I am tired!  and busy!!  (just like you are!!)

Not that I don't have things on my mind that I start writing out in my head (when are they going to invent the device that lets you just THINK something and ta-da! it's typed out for you?? I write my best blog entries in the shower!) (and just who are "they", anyway?  the people at Apple, probably...).

I am digressing.

See, this is how my brain has been going lately.

This is what happened in my brain yesterday afternoon:

"Let's see...okay, need to work on my Bible study..." (do that for a while...oh it's awesome!  we're in Hebrews right now.)

(little one comes up, needs something...off I go...then I remember the laundry in the dryer...)

"Okay, got the towels folded...I should do the dishes!"  (start doing those....boys decide they "need" chocolate milk..."

"Hey I'm thirsty too!  I'll have some iced water....oh I love the crushed iced in our freezer door!  I still feel like a rich lady to have this!!"  (guess what?  the ice is all blocked up and I spend 30 minutes trying to UNblock it...)

"oh - I accomplished something!  Now what was I doing?  Oh yes!  I wanted iced water....oh and there are those dishes over there....oh and there is my Bible study....and now Sam wants some crackers..."


So now my brain is going into overload, because Bryan and I stayed up too late (again) the night before and I am totally "draggin' tail" (as Bryan puts it) and I skipped lunch (again) so now I'm both tired AND hungry.

And I've still not re-scheduled my Christmas card class that I've postponed twice already.  It's a good thing these ladies are my friends, not just my customers, or I'd be in trouble.

So, dear friend, if you are still reading this....

you now know why I cannot seem to get a post published.

Except that I did one just now.

God is so good -- let me share with you one thing that is sticking in my head, among all the craziness that is NOT sticking:

"Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess."  (Hebrews 3:1)


I love this idea of "fixing your thoughts" -- like in Hebrews 12:2: "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."


So though I'm random and all over the place...Jesus is anchoring me down.  Praise Him!!!  Who knows where I'd float off to??

Okay, now to get out of my jammies and ready for lunch with a dear friend -- and then off to that Christmas card class that my friends have been so patiently waiting for.

And for the first time, I am participating in the International Hermit and Stitch Weekend -- though with all my activities today I'm not very "hermit-y".  But I'll hermit down tonight after the kiddos are in bed!  I need to post some photos of what I'm working on.  I've got about four different "small" holiday projects that I want to do.

More on that later.  I've got to get out of my jammies!!

Happy Weekend!!

It Snot a Good Week

So this week is not going as I'd planned.  But then, does any week ever go as planned?  Especially where children are involved?  I think not.  But this one is really off-base.  I'm having to really rearrange my whole mind-set and perspective.  It hurts.  My brain hurts.

Poor Benner...he is miserable with terrible congestion.  No, not a cold.  Allergies.  The silly boy refused to blow his nose for about five days.  So now we are all suffering for his stubbornness.  Holed up at home with humidifiers running 24/7...occasional wrestling matches to get the sinus drops up his blocked nose...constant attempts to get him to blow his nose...his refusal to wipe his own nose...

Oh yeah.  We're partying down over here.

One thing really brightened my day today:

I went to make up next week's meal schedule, since I'll be doing the weekly grocery shopping tomorrow.

Oh, man.  What to eat?  I have no idea.  I skipped lunch today, then later had a bowl of cereal.  I can't even figure out what to eat now, much less what to feed my family next week.  Plus I'm constantly interrupted by a snotty Ben coming to have me help him blow his nose.  So I can't think of much beyond the next Kleenex.


I added the usual "staples" to the grocery list:

*milk - whole - 3 gallons (yes, my boys love milk)
*coffee creamer (a must-have for me)
*wheat bread
*eggs

Then I drew a blank.  Meals?  Nothing sounds good.

Suddenly I thought to turn the list over and brainstorm a list of potential meals on the back.

Guess what I found on the back of the list?

Last week, while making up my grocery list, I had a burst of ideas and, knowing that I'd be using the next page in the notepad for the following week's (this week's) groceries, I'd written out 4 of the 6 meals.


Whew!

Thank you, Last-Week-Self!!!


I actually did something kind of cool.  For myself.  Self, sometimes you are not too bad.  Especially the Past Self, when Past Self thinks ahead, and helps out Future (or now, the Present) Self.

Okay, I'm getting confused.

And I have a nose to wipe.  Not my own.  Ben's.

And a grocery list to finish.  Two more meals to think up.

Oh, I think one meal will be pizza.

So only one more to think up.

Do you need dinner ideas?  Here's our menu for next week:

1.  Oven-Fried Chicken (so, so, so easy and yummy)
2.  Tacos (with guacamole and salsa -- the boys love it all)
3.  Stir-Fry -- with chicken and veggies (bell peppers, mushrooms, carrots, canned water chestnuts) and rice  (need to use up some rice in the pantry that is taking up too much space for my liking)
4.  Fettuccine Alfredo -- also to use up both fettuccine and alfredo sauce that is in the pantry (I vaguely remember doing a pantry-check last week...wow I was on it!  Thanks again, Past Self!)
5.  Little Caesar's Pizza
6.  TBD (I'm going to wing it -- see what's on sale at the store...'cause I still can't think)

Now if I can just figure out tonight's dinner!!  I left it "TBD" and never "determined" it.  Ha!

Stylin' Saturday Link Up -- Green Family

We are such a stylin' family; we can't help it.  Our style just happens without effort.

For example, last Saturday morning we all tromped out on a doughnut hunt and found ourselves at the new Dunkin' Donuts on the corner...

and then we realized, as we consumed our ever-so-healthy breakfast, that the boys and I were all wearing...

green T-shirts.

They could not be bothered to pose - well, who would, with yummy frosted donuts in front of them?

Our shirts were not the same shade of green -- oh, no, we could never be coordinated as that -- but all in green, nonetheless.

(I love the word nonetheless, don't you?  I find different ways to use it whenever possible.)

Bryan was the odd man out -- he did not get the subtle green-shirt-memo-vibe that went out from me and the boys.  He didn't mind sitting there in his navy blue T-shirt, though.  

He doesn't need to match everyone else in order to feel as if he's a part of things.  He knows he's a part of things.

He's secure that way.

Also, he was the only one with a healthy breakfast -- a multi-grain bagel and a coffee with Splenda.

He likes to be different.

This was my breakfast:

Cinnamon coffee with cream and sugar...Boston "scream" doughnut and a maple bar.  I just decided that I didn't care that day.  And it was good.  (Why are these last 10 pounds not coming off?  Hmmm...)

Ben, as usual, did not want to pose for a picture, and especially with his mama.

This is as "green" as our family gets.

Linking up with Wendy...check it out!

Five Things Friday -- October 28, 2011

1.  We have recently discovered the deliciousness of the butterburgers at the new Culver's in town.  Yes, it's been here since July or August...yes, we waited until October to try it out.  But only because of the incredibly long lines in the restaurant and the long line of cars wrapped around the building for the drive-thru.  

It was well worth the wait.  We now see what all the fuss was about -- and we are now fussing along, too.  Yummy butterburger, I love you.  Yummy frozen custard, I cannot wait to consume you.  (Again, I ask, why can I not drop these last ten pounds?)

Ben loves their home-made root beer!

2.  The weather finally dropped into the 70's.  Wearing blue jeans never felt so good.  Having the windows and doors open to the fresh air is wonderful.


3.  Sam is obsessed with Spider-Man, if you haven't noticed from other posts.  We have to just accept the fact that he will wear the same shirt for two days, including to bed, dirty or not...this is more difficult for Mommy to accept than Daddy.  But the lack of struggle involved in dressing him is worth it.

All decked out in his Spidey shirt and tennis shoes.

4.  I had another cross-stitch finish this week...there was much rejoicing, both on my part and on Bryan's.  I drove him nuts with the finishing of this one -- it had to be just right.  I kept changing frames, then tried painting one (yeah that was a trip).  It's a (rather belated) birthday gift that I have yet to give to my dear friend, so here is just a part of the finished product.  This is a design from Country Garden Stitchery.

This was my first project that included seed beads and a button - I really enjoyed making it!  

5.  I just started reading Corrie ten Boom's bestseller, The Hiding Place.  I can hardly put it down.  (Yes, David Copperfield is now on hold...along with The Help.)  I wish I'd read it years ago.  Her deep faith in God is absolutely inspiring, convicting, and humbling to me.  I haven't gotten very far...the Nazi's haven't gotten her yet...but she's leading up to it and the anticipation is making me upset and nervous, knowing what she will endure.  However at least I do know how it ends, and how her faith in God grows only deeper.  I am nervous to join her on this journey through her time in the Nazi concentration camp and the loss of her father and sister.  I know there are tears coming, and possibly even some anxiety attacks...I really get too involved in stories, especially REAL ones.  But also I know God is still speaking through Corrie ten Boom, through her book, and I am eager to see what He is saying.  If you haven't already -- check it out!  If you're one of my girlfriends in town -- I will loan it to you when I'm done.  ;)


Happy Weekend everyone!!


Love,
Kimberly

...what? why?

I have not been keeping up with this blog for the past few weeks, and for my two or so fans out there -- I apologize!  My brain is...fried.  I don't even have an infant to care for, like my dear friends Eileen...Kendra...Noelle...(who am I missing?)...I "just" have a two-year-old and a four-year-old.  So why am I still so very tired?  Oh, it's a different kind of tired than the I-was-up-every-two-hours-through-the-night kind of tired where you start to pour coffee into the baby's bottle and formula into your coffee cup.

But fatigue nonetheless.

More of the mental kind, because I'm constantly trying to figure out what in the world my adorable two-year-old is trying to tell me ("What is it you want?  Your Spiderman shoes?  No?  the sandals?")...

...and am constantly being bombarded by my four-year-old's ever-changing and persistent demands ("I want chocolate milk...can I have some crackers?...I don't want to go outside..." and my replies: "How do you ask?  Ben, you just now asked for milk, you have to wait a minute for the crackers...and how do you ask?  Ben, I didn't say you had to go outside, that was your idea...")

When the boys were tiny, two years ago when I had a two-month-old and a two-year-old, I looked forward to the time that would come, in two years' time, when I'd have a two-year-old and a four-year-old and things would be "easier." And those ever-wise fellow mommies who had children of those ages would smile a tired smile and say, "Well, you'll still be tired, it's just a different kind of tired."

Now I know what they meant.

That two years have come and gone, and I'm still just as frustrated and just as tired as I was then.  Just about different things.

Instead of nursing troubles with my younger child, I have communication troubles.

Instead of communication troubles with my older child, I have discipline troubles.

The troubles remain, they just changed.

And this troubled, tired mommy has not had time nor energy to blog.

But I've wanted to.  I've had tons of ideas as I lay in my bed at 11:00 p.m. wondering why in the world I stayed up so late again, working on yet another self-induced non-child-related project that I "had" to finish.

Why am I tired again?

Is the coffee ready yet?

Where is my Pumpkin Spice creamer?

Are there any Oreos left in the pantry?

Why can I not lose these last ten pounds?

Last I checked, I was 29 years old, 130 pounds, size 8.

Why am I now almost 35 years old, 140(-ish) pounds, and a size 12?

Whose children are these?


Why are they calling me "Mommy"?

When is their mother coming to get them?

Where did the last ten years go?

What did Bryan and I do before we had these beautiful boys?

I'll tell you what we did.

We slept.

"He tends his flock like a shepherd;
He gathers the lambs in his arms

and carries them close to his heart;

he gently leads those that have

young."

(Isaiah 40:11, NIV)

Knowing that  my Heavenly Father cares about parents of young children somehow makes everything better.  He knows our struggles.  He knows that we're tired.  He knows that we're frustrated.  He knows that we fiercely love our children even though we are so flawed and sinful that at times it doesn't show like it should.  And He's gently leading us.  He loves us, and He loves our children...He's carrying them close to His heart.

Sigh.  Oh, I could sleep so peacefully right now in this comforting knowledge.  

But I have a diaper to change.

So I go forth to do that menial task (which is greatly unappreciated by Sam, who would rather keep his poo, thank you very much) -- somehow buoyed up by this encouragement from my Lord -- though still a bit frustrated to deal with a struggling, stubborn Sam, but hopefully with more love and grace in my words and actions -- knowing that this is the ministry to which I've been called, for this season in my life.  

Why did we wait until our 30's to have children?  I think we'd have been much more energetic about it ten years ago, in our 20's.  I've heard you have more energy then, but I don't remember.    

"My soul finds rest in God alone;

my salvation comes from him.

He alone is my rock and my salvation;

he is my fortress, I will never be

shaken."

(Psalm 62:1-2, NIV)

Taken just last week -- oh, we do love our handsome little guys!!

Five Things Friday

Another crazy week.  I couldn't keep up...once again, God showed me that I do make the world go 'round.  How did He show this to me?  My five things this week:

1.  I caught strep throat.  Again.  Worse this time, too -- I was down for about five days.  I couldn't accomplish anything on my daily or weekly "to-do" lists -- and they were long this week, too.  Bible study responsibilities, house-cleaning goals, grandparents coming into town, my older baby's fourth birthday...yeah, almost nothing got ticked off those lists.

2.  Ben turned four on Tuesday!  My sweet little 9-pound newborn has grown into a sweet, tall, nearly-50-pound 4-year-old.  Where do the years go?

One thing I did accomplish...the birthday cake.  He requested a "circle chocolate cake with yellow on top."  He was thrilled with the results.  I'm so glad...I thought it was so ugly!  Wish I could do better!

3.  I gave Ben a terrible gift for his birthday -- strep throat.  Poor buddy came down with it on the night before his birthday.  But thankfully we caught it early and he didn't seem much fazed by it.  He was too interested in his new Hot Wheels toy to care about a sore throat.

He has been asking for this toy for months!!

4.  Grandpa and Grandma came to visit this week.  They came for Ben's birthday, and though Ben and I were sick for most of their short 4-day visit, we still had a great time.  I know my husband especially was thankful for their help!  And Ben absolutely loves his grandparents.  Play-time with Grandpa, story-time with Grandma, lots of love and spoiling...he had a wonderful time.  I suspect that they enjoyed the boys as much as the boys enjoyed them.  What a blessing grandparents are!!

5.  Date night tonight!!  Oh yeah, we are so there.  We've been waiting to see this show.  I'm so thankful that I'm healthy again and can go!!  Gaslight, here we come!  Yummy pizza and vanilla Pepsi, I cannot wait to introduce you to my tummy.

Happy weekend!!  Let's all try to stay healthy this time.