It's the Sunday after Thanksgiving, and all through the house...
Mommy is sad and I can't think of a rhyme.
I don't like it when the kids leave.
(sigh)
We've had a great time with all the kids. It just seems like it's all or nothing around here...and right now...not that it's NOTHING. There are still 3 of us. It's just SO QUIET.
Marty is not a fan of the quiet.
Logan and Morgan had to take a different route to get to their home, because one of the highways they needed to take was under water because of all of this rain. And it took Clark 3 1/2 hours to get back to college, when it should take less than 1 1/2 hours.
Today my baby...I mean, HOLLY AND AARON'S baby...is 11 weeks along. Holly can't wait for her next doctor's appointment. She is nervous...because, while she isn't having any problems, that she knows of, she's too early to "show," and too early to feel the baby move. She is anxious to be able to feel it move.
Bless her heart.
Joshua loved being around everyone, but he is looking forward to getting back into his routine.
I got my first Christmas card yesterday. I was impressed! We haven't even taken our pictures yet!
Anyway, that means that our Thanksgiving Tree will come down tomorrow, and the first Christmas card will go up on The Big Board that's in our kitchen. Over the next few days and weeks, we will add Christmas pictures from our family and friends to the board.
I can't wait!
"Give thanks to the LORD for He is good! His faithful love endures forever." Psalm 136:1
...finding joy in the UPside of DOWN...
Sunday, November 29, 2015
Friday, November 27, 2015
The Day After Thanksgiving: The HOGS Won!
So today has been a very lazy day at our house. Aaron-the-son-in-law made it back from Georgia, so Holly went home to meet him. They came back here in time to watch the HOGS play at 1:30.
I have not been feeling well, off and on, and my sister thinks I have "sympathy pregnancy symptoms." Or something along those lines. Honestly, I do feel icky like I did when I was pregnant. What in the world? Is that even a thing?
All I know is that my mashed potatoes are life-sustaining...Holly has eaten them 2 or 3 times today.
And then, when she was hungry for something and nothing sounded good...I rattled off suggestions of everything we had in the frig. The only thing that made her perk up was when I offered mac-and-cheese. She said, "do you have any?" I said, "no," and then jumped up to make some for her.
FROM SCRATCH.
Or, as my niece, Lily, used to say when she was little, "from scrap."
The HOGS beat the pants off the Missouri Tigers, and we were more relieved than excited. But we were excited, don't get me wrong! It was just the first game in a lonnnng time, where I don't remember going from exhilaration to despair...to about to have a heart attack before the game ended.
The real winners, in my opinion, were the fans, who braved the wind and the rain and the cold, and cheered loud...and stayed until the very end.
After everyone went home, Jim and the boys gave me a little time to myself. I got my second wind...and started moving furniture and bringing down the Christmas bins. They did offer to help, but their idea is to bring down everything all at once and dump it in a big pile. Which, that would be really sweet, but that's not how I work. I don't like to have a huge mess for days. I'd rather bring things down a little at a time, and work at my own pace.
They don't understand that because they are hunters. They hunt the boxes in the attic, bring down as many as they can carry in one trip...and then check it off their list.
No thank you. That stresses me out.
The main thing I wanted to do this week was to take our family picture for our Christmas card...and it's just not working out. When the weather was good, not all of our family could be here. And now that they are all agreeable to get together...the weather is awful.
I know, I know...not a huge deal in the big scheme of life.
And now, the main thing I need to do is to somehow make everyone eat ALLTHEFOOD that is in our refrigerator. Who knew I had this much Rubbermaid? Ha!
"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God." Colossians 3:16
I have not been feeling well, off and on, and my sister thinks I have "sympathy pregnancy symptoms." Or something along those lines. Honestly, I do feel icky like I did when I was pregnant. What in the world? Is that even a thing?
All I know is that my mashed potatoes are life-sustaining...Holly has eaten them 2 or 3 times today.
And then, when she was hungry for something and nothing sounded good...I rattled off suggestions of everything we had in the frig. The only thing that made her perk up was when I offered mac-and-cheese. She said, "do you have any?" I said, "no," and then jumped up to make some for her.
FROM SCRATCH.
Or, as my niece, Lily, used to say when she was little, "from scrap."
The HOGS beat the pants off the Missouri Tigers, and we were more relieved than excited. But we were excited, don't get me wrong! It was just the first game in a lonnnng time, where I don't remember going from exhilaration to despair...to about to have a heart attack before the game ended.
The real winners, in my opinion, were the fans, who braved the wind and the rain and the cold, and cheered loud...and stayed until the very end.
After everyone went home, Jim and the boys gave me a little time to myself. I got my second wind...and started moving furniture and bringing down the Christmas bins. They did offer to help, but their idea is to bring down everything all at once and dump it in a big pile. Which, that would be really sweet, but that's not how I work. I don't like to have a huge mess for days. I'd rather bring things down a little at a time, and work at my own pace.
They don't understand that because they are hunters. They hunt the boxes in the attic, bring down as many as they can carry in one trip...and then check it off their list.
No thank you. That stresses me out.
The main thing I wanted to do this week was to take our family picture for our Christmas card...and it's just not working out. When the weather was good, not all of our family could be here. And now that they are all agreeable to get together...the weather is awful.
I know, I know...not a huge deal in the big scheme of life.
And now, the main thing I need to do is to somehow make everyone eat ALLTHEFOOD that is in our refrigerator. Who knew I had this much Rubbermaid? Ha!
"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God." Colossians 3:16
Thursday, November 26, 2015
Thanksgiving 2015
Happy Thanksgiving! :)
We've had a quiet day. I haven't felt well for the past couple of days. Jim got sick when he got back from his hunting trip, and he thinks I may have picked up a bug from him. Which, super fun that it's over a holiday.
I have never been so thankful for pre-planning in my life. I spent the past two days going to the store, and making things ahead of time...so this morning, even tho I was feeling yucky, all I had to do was put the turkey in the oven.
SCORE!
When you have a large family, it's hard to work out a time for everyone to be here. I just decided to cook today for whoever was going to be here. Turns out, it was Joshua and Clark. The oldest and the youngest.
Earlier in the week, Joshua asked me when I was going to put up our Christmas trees. I said, "I am waiting to do that on Thanksgiving, because not everyone will be here and I will be sad...and putting up my trees will make me happy."
He looked at me with the strangest look on his face. He said, "why would you be sad? I'M HERE."
Well, of course! :)
I have missed my mom every day of the 17 years she's been gone...but I really miss her on the holidays. She had a way of making things special, and it all seemed so effortless. And I'm here to tell you: pulling together family and a meal and the little touches that make everyone feel special...is anything BUT effortless.
I am thankful for my family, and for the ones who have chosen to make us a part of their family. I am thankful that, Lord willing, I will have a highchair at my table next year. I am thankful for a Savior who died on a cross for me...so that, one day, Jim and I, and our children, can spend eternity in Heaven together, and with Jesus...where they won't be any more tears or death or sorrow or pain.
So, since there was just 4 of us, I decided to go more casual. We ate in the kitchen, instead of the dining room. And, even tho I have fancier dishes, I used my purple Mason jars from Target (because OBU Tigers), and dishes from my local Wal-Marks (because Pioneer Woman)...and I mixed them with my Mom's Wedgewood Blue China...and I think it turned out just fine.
"I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples..." Psalm 57:9
We've had a quiet day. I haven't felt well for the past couple of days. Jim got sick when he got back from his hunting trip, and he thinks I may have picked up a bug from him. Which, super fun that it's over a holiday.
I have never been so thankful for pre-planning in my life. I spent the past two days going to the store, and making things ahead of time...so this morning, even tho I was feeling yucky, all I had to do was put the turkey in the oven.
SCORE!
When you have a large family, it's hard to work out a time for everyone to be here. I just decided to cook today for whoever was going to be here. Turns out, it was Joshua and Clark. The oldest and the youngest.
Earlier in the week, Joshua asked me when I was going to put up our Christmas trees. I said, "I am waiting to do that on Thanksgiving, because not everyone will be here and I will be sad...and putting up my trees will make me happy."
He looked at me with the strangest look on his face. He said, "why would you be sad? I'M HERE."
Well, of course! :)
I have missed my mom every day of the 17 years she's been gone...but I really miss her on the holidays. She had a way of making things special, and it all seemed so effortless. And I'm here to tell you: pulling together family and a meal and the little touches that make everyone feel special...is anything BUT effortless.
I am thankful for my family, and for the ones who have chosen to make us a part of their family. I am thankful that, Lord willing, I will have a highchair at my table next year. I am thankful for a Savior who died on a cross for me...so that, one day, Jim and I, and our children, can spend eternity in Heaven together, and with Jesus...where they won't be any more tears or death or sorrow or pain.
So, since there was just 4 of us, I decided to go more casual. We ate in the kitchen, instead of the dining room. And, even tho I have fancier dishes, I used my purple Mason jars from Target (because OBU Tigers), and dishes from my local Wal-Marks (because Pioneer Woman)...and I mixed them with my Mom's Wedgewood Blue China...and I think it turned out just fine.
"I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples..." Psalm 57:9
Tuesday, November 24, 2015
Rat Update, Family Update: Coming and Going
We've had some awesome days with our family. I just wish everyone could be here all at the same time.
Holly had a hair appointment today, and she took Joshua with her...so that I could stay here with Logan and Morgan. Jim had gone duck-hunting this morning, and when he got home, he took Logan and Morgan to get a new phone.
A new phone for Logan.
Logan had wanted one for his birthday in October, but he felt bad asking for it. With him in Occupational Therapy school, he is not able to have a job at this time. And our little daughter-in-law is finishing up her last semester of college. She will hopefully find a teaching job soon! Logan's phone has been acting sketchy for a while. He doesn't have to have the fanciest phone...but I do want him to have a reliable phone.
So, Jim took them up to the store to work out an upgrade. The phone store employee said the next upgrade for Logan (after this one) will be in 18 months. Logan said that Jim thought a minute, and then said, "well, that will be good. In 18 months, you'll be out of school, and you can buy your own phone at that time."
Logan said, "ummmm...I'm in a 3 year program, and I have 2 1/2 years left."
Jim said, "ohhhhhh...that's right. Well, then I guess that'll be 32 more months."
I don't know where Jim got "32 months," but Logan said it was so funny. He said that when he gets back to school next week, he's gonna walk into his first class and tell the professor, "listen...I know this is a 3 year program, but we need to put it on the fast-track. If it's not gonna be on the OT Boards, then we don't need to learn it...my Dad is cutting me off in 18 months."
Jim overheard Logan telling us the story, and he hollered from the other room, "I AM NOT CUTTING YOU OFF IN 18 MONTHS."
BAHAHAHAHA!
After they got the phone, they came home...Logan and Morgan packed up, and headed to her parent's house.
And then Holly and Joshua came home.
And then Clark came home.
And then Holly went to her house.
And then there were 4.
We warmed up "re-runs" (what Joshua calls left-overs) for dinner. Jim and Clark had chili, and Joshua and I had some food we brought home from a restaurant the other night. I'm in my cozy clothes, and we are all piled up in the family room. I've got the washing machine going...Holly will be staying in Logan and Morgan's room for the next 2 nights, while her husband is gone, so I'm getting everything ready for her.
Also, she told me that our grand-baby is now the size of a plum. :)
I just love being with my family. I enjoy hearing them talk and watching them with each other. I love watching the relationships between our married children and their spouses. Lots of proud and grateful moments...and also some moments for gentle reminders (only for my married daughter and married son...NEVER for my in-laws).
Clark didn't want me to put up our Christmas decorations until after Thanksgiving, but he's in for a rude awakening...I'm starting tomorrow. At least doing the upstairs and maybe getting him and Jim to do the outside of the house.
And also: RAT NOT DEAD.
"This is the day the LORD has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24
Holly had a hair appointment today, and she took Joshua with her...so that I could stay here with Logan and Morgan. Jim had gone duck-hunting this morning, and when he got home, he took Logan and Morgan to get a new phone.
A new phone for Logan.
Logan had wanted one for his birthday in October, but he felt bad asking for it. With him in Occupational Therapy school, he is not able to have a job at this time. And our little daughter-in-law is finishing up her last semester of college. She will hopefully find a teaching job soon! Logan's phone has been acting sketchy for a while. He doesn't have to have the fanciest phone...but I do want him to have a reliable phone.
So, Jim took them up to the store to work out an upgrade. The phone store employee said the next upgrade for Logan (after this one) will be in 18 months. Logan said that Jim thought a minute, and then said, "well, that will be good. In 18 months, you'll be out of school, and you can buy your own phone at that time."
Logan said, "ummmm...I'm in a 3 year program, and I have 2 1/2 years left."
Jim said, "ohhhhhh...that's right. Well, then I guess that'll be 32 more months."
I don't know where Jim got "32 months," but Logan said it was so funny. He said that when he gets back to school next week, he's gonna walk into his first class and tell the professor, "listen...I know this is a 3 year program, but we need to put it on the fast-track. If it's not gonna be on the OT Boards, then we don't need to learn it...my Dad is cutting me off in 18 months."
Jim overheard Logan telling us the story, and he hollered from the other room, "I AM NOT CUTTING YOU OFF IN 18 MONTHS."
BAHAHAHAHA!
After they got the phone, they came home...Logan and Morgan packed up, and headed to her parent's house.
And then Holly and Joshua came home.
And then Clark came home.
And then Holly went to her house.
And then there were 4.
We warmed up "re-runs" (what Joshua calls left-overs) for dinner. Jim and Clark had chili, and Joshua and I had some food we brought home from a restaurant the other night. I'm in my cozy clothes, and we are all piled up in the family room. I've got the washing machine going...Holly will be staying in Logan and Morgan's room for the next 2 nights, while her husband is gone, so I'm getting everything ready for her.
Also, she told me that our grand-baby is now the size of a plum. :)
I just love being with my family. I enjoy hearing them talk and watching them with each other. I love watching the relationships between our married children and their spouses. Lots of proud and grateful moments...and also some moments for gentle reminders (only for my married daughter and married son...NEVER for my in-laws).
Clark didn't want me to put up our Christmas decorations until after Thanksgiving, but he's in for a rude awakening...I'm starting tomorrow. At least doing the upstairs and maybe getting him and Jim to do the outside of the house.
And also: RAT NOT DEAD.
"This is the day the LORD has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24
Monday, November 23, 2015
Catching Up
We've been busy around here. Jim was out-of-town all week. He went pheasant hunting in Kansas. While he was gone, Joshua decided that he wanted to sleep downstairs in Logan and Morgan's room. I was fine with that...so I put clean sheets on the bed and got it all ready for him.
Then, on Friday afternoon...Clark came home for the weekend. And then Jim came home. And I had barely put clean sheets on their bed before Logan and Morgan walked in the door. We were so excited to see them! It's been days of eating and laughing and eating and laughing. SO FUN! Holly had to work on Saturday and Sunday, but Aaron came over and hung out with us...and Clark had to head back to school on Sunday night.
BOO for college classes on the week of Thanksgiving.
But, he is coming back tomorrow...annnnnnd Logan and Morgan are leaving tomorrow (sigh). They are going to spend a few days now with her parents...which is only fair, I know...but I believe we have already covered the topic of how Marty does not like to share.
And then Aaron is going out-of-town with his family, because Holly has to work on Wednesday and Thursday (Thanksgiving Day). I'm thinking she will want to stay with us, so I will be changing the sheets in Logan and Morgan's room yet again.
With everyone coming and going at different times, I don't know when we will have our family Thanksgiving dinner...or IF we will have it. And that's okay, too.
That's what I'm telling myself.
My main goal for this week is to have a sliver of time when we can ALL be together...and take a family picture for our Christmas card.
We are enjoying this week, and doing our best to embrace this stage of life. Our lives are like a revolving door right now. We love it, but it's kind of hard to plan...but that's okay. When you have a big family, that's just part of it.
But, I feel like I might need some sort of a flow-chart or large calendar...just to keep up with everyone! Ha!
"Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. Psalm 91:1
Then, on Friday afternoon...Clark came home for the weekend. And then Jim came home. And I had barely put clean sheets on their bed before Logan and Morgan walked in the door. We were so excited to see them! It's been days of eating and laughing and eating and laughing. SO FUN! Holly had to work on Saturday and Sunday, but Aaron came over and hung out with us...and Clark had to head back to school on Sunday night.
BOO for college classes on the week of Thanksgiving.
But, he is coming back tomorrow...annnnnnd Logan and Morgan are leaving tomorrow (sigh). They are going to spend a few days now with her parents...which is only fair, I know...but I believe we have already covered the topic of how Marty does not like to share.
And then Aaron is going out-of-town with his family, because Holly has to work on Wednesday and Thursday (Thanksgiving Day). I'm thinking she will want to stay with us, so I will be changing the sheets in Logan and Morgan's room yet again.
With everyone coming and going at different times, I don't know when we will have our family Thanksgiving dinner...or IF we will have it. And that's okay, too.
That's what I'm telling myself.
My main goal for this week is to have a sliver of time when we can ALL be together...and take a family picture for our Christmas card.
We are enjoying this week, and doing our best to embrace this stage of life. Our lives are like a revolving door right now. We love it, but it's kind of hard to plan...but that's okay. When you have a big family, that's just part of it.
But, I feel like I might need some sort of a flow-chart or large calendar...just to keep up with everyone! Ha!
"Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. Psalm 91:1
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