Last week I was done in by a 2 year old, and 18 inch box and a rocking chair.  My husband and 16 year old son found the humor in this immediately, of course.

Two days prior to the rocking chair incident, I dropped a knife. Don't worry, no one was around me, but I had forgotten to move my foot. It didn't stick in my foot very long, but for the short time it was there, it left quite the bruise and spotted my sock red. Great. More difficult laundry. Just what I need.

The knife happened to land right on the inner edge of my big toe, so I walked a smidge funny. Just a smidge, mind you.

While moving to the television to turn on cartoons, my 2 year old was quite literally hanging on my left leg screaming to be held. He wanted to be held while watching cartoons so of course I had to push all the buttons first. After setting that up, I turned around and my Velcro Buddy didn't even budge off my leg! This kid is a natural for rock climbing. Or perhaps it's his inner Monkey that allows him to cling that well? He reminds me of those stuffed toys that have velcro hands that hook together and are hard to break apart!

As I was walking away from the television, my right foot tripped over a box that was leaning against the railing but had been knocked down earlier by aforementioned Velcro Buddy. I tried to catch myself with my left foot only to be reminded that my leg doesn't move quite as fast with an extra 32 pounds clinging to it. You're surprised by that, aren't you? Yeah, I was too.

As I was falling, I was aware that squashing my Velcro Buddy wasn't an option so I reached out to catch myself on the nearest object, my wooden rocking chair. This would have been an awesome reaction had my wooden rocking chair not been a lightweight. My chair decided to help do me in and fell over sideways with me. How rude, right?

As my hand pushed down on the arm of the rocking chair, my body was still falling forward and my head was inching toward the chair seat. This of course lined my head up right under the other arm of the rocker. Ornery rocking chair decided it was a good day for a challenge and raced me to the floor. Normally I'm game for a good race, but this was a bit unfair. Unfair mainly because I lost. The chair won fair and square but not before the other arm of the chair smacked me in the head first. Hard. This was quite unexpected. You're surprised again, aren't you? Yeah, I was too!

I was only out for a second or two, honest! I remember being hit and thinking just how much my head hurt. Then I remember opening my eyes and seeing the floor and the rocker arm under me. Of course my Velcro buddy had become unstuck and was screaming over me demanding to know if I was alright. I slowly sat up and hugged my little guy and reassured him I was defintely ok. He clearly  had doubts as he kept asking that same loud question over and over again.

This is where I tell you that I'm not sure I was ok. My head was really fuzzy, I couldn't hold a thought in my head and I was horribly sleepy. I collected my teens to help see to the needs of my littles as I slowly came out of my stupor. I was thinking clearly in about 3 hours, but I had a massive headache for 2 days and I am not referring to my dishonorable rocking chair or my Velcro buddy!

My loving husband wanted to know why I didn't call him and let us work on a way to get me to the hospital. Really? You would not believe the teasing I've had from "stabbing myself" and then "knocking myself out with a rocking chair".  Do you really think I'd go to the hospital and have my head examined? No, of course not. I'd never live that down!


The Lord sustains all who fall and raises up all who are bowed down.
Psalm 145:14

It's on, Buddy!

My two year old.... no, one of my two year olds has quite a reputation and he gains himself quite a few nicknames. On several occassions I have referred to him as Houdini. There are ways that I try to contain him, but he manages to overcome them. We're working on self control and discipline and obeying, but he's two. All of my two year olds before him were much more well-behaved than he is. I do have to admit none of them were as much fun as he is. Am I supposed to be this amused by his mischief?

We have a wooden gate that has metal hardware attaching it to the top of our stairway. He's not only clumsy and can't be trusted to stay upright on the stairs, but he's a mischief-maker and can't be trusted in an area that is overloaded with big kid stuff and gadgets. So we have this gate that is truly worth it's weight in gold and has upheld all of our expectations and then some. Of course, no gate-maker could anticipate a Mini-Moose hanging on it, shaking it, and all around abusing it, particularly when Daddy would come through the front door and he'd scream in delight and shake the gate so hard you could hear it downstairs. This led to the hardware falling out and being replaced twice. Finally, the wall gave and the hardware came out again, taking our wall with it. I'm serious here, people. What's a Dad to do?

My brilliant husband applied two very unasthetic-pleasing boards to the wall and anchored them in each corner where there are studs holding said boards in place. Mini-Moose or not, those suckers aren't budging. We're a few months into the use of the boards on the wall holding the gate and it's true, it has not budged. Of course the other day we saw one of the spindles in the gate bent out as if some kind of someone was trying to push their way through. *sigh*  It's currently working but that gate has seen better days.

On the same hand, my Taz has figured out how to open doors. It really took him quite a while to figure out door handles but he persistently kept working at it and mastered it quite well. We now have loop locks high on all our doors to keep him out of where he shouldn't go, like the closet. Here's where I mention that he has a blue vacuum that is very lightweight and we used to let him vacuum away to his heart's delight. He likes to climb into the closet, hug his blue buddy and close the door. Then he knocks on the inside of the closet door waiting for you to open it so he can smile and say, "Hi!". It is unecessary for me to explain why this game can only take place while highly supervised.

My smart little guy has figured that if he jiggles and shakes the door just the right way, he can pop the hook lock and get in. I'm sure you can imagine just how pleased he is when he reaches any forbidden destination. Added to our list of doors that need to be watched is the bathroom door. He's found he really likes to play in the sink, repeatedly flush the toilet, lick every toothbrush, and unravel the toilet paper. Once he unraveled the toilet paper into the bowl, and having been a Mom for a bit, I knew his new found fascination with the bowl would not end with just paper but other items as well, such as the action figure we had to CUT out of our toilet water line about 6 years ago. Oh yeah. Fun stuff.

So my husband tells my son last night that he's not sure what's worse; the fact that there is a mini screwdriver taped to the bathroom door, or the fact that he doesn't even need to ask why. This is where I tell you that we use the mini screwdriver to unlock the bathroom door that we lock behind us as we leave the bathroom. No jiggling that handle, buddy. Ha!!

And those heavy, professional building doors that have long silver handles? Houdini was at the doctor's office yesterday, told me "bye bye!", pushed on the door and started running down the hallway. He was clearly done, and I don't blame him.

Seems I should use his Monkey leash on him more often.

I have seen that nothing is better than that man should be happy in his activities, for that is his lot. For who will bring him to see what will occur after him? Ecclesiastes 3:22

Miracle-versary!

Today is one year. Three hundred, sixty-five days since we witnessed the move of the Lord in the life of someone our family loves dearly, which means He answered our prayers and has moved in our lives. It was an emotional journey that has taught us much about the Lord and His faithfulness.

Our church worship team sings a song that has two verses, "He will bring joy to all your sorrows" and "He will make a way where there is no way." This song was sang in praise to the Lord one year ago, yesterday, as we were interceding for the very life of our loved one. It was His will that we would be faithful and pray without ceasing and fast faithfully, and it was ultimately His will to answer our prayer as He saw fit in a way we could never have imagined. The tough part of the journey was ultimately submitting graciously to the Lord's will, whatever that would be, and accepting what He wants and brings to us as well as those we love. It's hard when you think you know what the right thing is but you are uncertain what the story is that the Lord is writing in your life as well as someone else's. It's hard when you look at the circumstances around you and they look very bleak or flat out impossible. It's hard when you hear the words of those that are in a worldly authority speak a dark view. This was a time for us when we were sitting in a boat and we asked for the impossible - we asked for the Lord to allow us to walk on water. To do that, you can't look at the waves around you, the sharks under you. You can't listen to the wind screaming in your ears, pushing you to sit back down. You have to keep your eyes on the Lord at all times, without giving up hope or faith. What a hard lesson to learn and walk through.

Isaiah 55:8-9
"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts."

A year ago yesterday, I made preparations to lose someone I loved very dearly. I did so because if that was the Lord's will for all of us, though it would hurt and our hearts would bleed, I knew the Lord is the only one who could still bring us through and heal those wounds in us. I knew no experience in our lives would be wasted "and we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28) So whatever His thoughts, His ways, they are always for our good. This is a truth we held to and we were prepared with vulnerable hearts to receive what the Lord knew was right for all the people involved. Your will, Lord, not ours. Yet we hope and pray and watch.

Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders which You have done, and Your thoughts toward us; There is none to compare with You If I would declare and speak of them, they would be too numerous to count. Psalm 40:5

What is especially glorious is when you pray for the Lord's intervention and not only does He bring what you are asking for, but He brings it in a way that you could never have imagined. And to first hand witness a heavenly sent, how-did-that-happen miracle with our very own eyes! To say God is just so good is a grand understatement!


We will not conceal them from their children,But tell to the generation to come the praises of the LORD,And His strength and His wondrous works that He has done. Psalm 78:4


For You, O LORD, have made me glad by what You have done,I will sing for joy at the works of Your hands. Psalm 92:4


And let them know that this is Your hand; You, LORD, have done it. Psalm 109:27


That they may see and recognize, and consider and gain insight as well, that the hand of the LORD has done this, and the Holy One of Israel has created it. Isaiah 41:20

Laundry and Laughter

We got backed up in laundry. I just can’t imagine why. See me rolling my eyes right here. I tell you what though, I’m sure it’s not my fault. I’ve tried explaining to the children that we need to conserve and perhaps wear our clothes for two or three days before washing, but only one out of the six will comply. I really need to work on their expectations. They want clean clothes every day, and they want to eat 3 or 4 times a day. Can you believe their greediness? It’s seriously ridiculous, but they just won’t budge on their excessive demandingness. *sigh* What’s a Mom to do?

So we have stacking bins that the laundry goes in (stolen organization idea from a friend years ago) but the bins were full. Being backed up, the excess laundry found it’s way to the floor. I’m sure that’s never happened to anyone else. Why do these children insist on all this clothing and burying me in it? I’m thinking fig leaves would be so much easier to clean. Wipe ‘em down and move on. You know? Maybe laminate them so they last longer.

So while I was working diligently to reduce our dirty laundry, I find the bottom of the clothes are soaked. SOAKED. Fantastic. So we spent a large portion of time completely emptying the room of all items to find a lower portion of a movable wall is moldy. Fun. Luckily, the movable wall is well, movable. So out it went. But there is this blue/black stuff all over the floor and all goopy since it’s wet.

After some sleuth work, I find that when I turn the washing machine on, the water leaks out the bottom of the washer, onto the floor where the clothes were absorbing the water. And, some of the laundry was a bit sour from being wet. Great.

After moving the dryer, I found the air vent for it had crumbled. The dryer lint (blue/black in color) had been blowing all over the floor, behind and under, the washer and dryer and then it got wet from the leaking washer. Joy, joy, joy.

So here I have a lot of clothes/blankets/whatevers that are soaked and can’t stay that way so a late hour run to the laundromat provided clean fabrics before they were ruined. Although that chore really isn’t any fun, it was satisfying to have all... yes I said ALL.... the laundry in the house clean and done. I’m giddy with that. Seriously. To keep my happy disposition over the laundry I think I’m going to ration the clothing to the clothing gremlins and insist they wear one outfit a week. Oh wait. That will not work with my poop flinger aka Taz. Hmmm. Guess I’ll invest in more detergent and decorate the laundry room since I’m in there so often. 

So, while at the laundromat with Krista-rella, this Mom comes in with her three adorable little ones. They come in laughing and giggling and chasing each other and having a straight out, grand old time. I look at Krista and we both smile and I commented that I didn’t know laundry was that much fun. On that note, perhaps if while doing laundry here at home, if I chase and run and giggle with some of the kids it won’t seem like so much work.  I’ll give that a shot.

Anyway, back to the side story, we are there with these cherubs that are having a great time and Mom started yelling at them. Little boy 1 and Little boy 2 sat down while Little girl took a smidge longer to sit as she felt she should help load the washer.  Did I mention these kids were adorable? Mom tells Little girl to go sit down and the three little imps all sit for a record of 3 seconds. I love it.

They are then up again and giggling and pushing the clothing cart around. Little boy 2 runs into me with the cart, so I smiled at him, patted him on the head, brushed his cheek with my hand and gained myself a huge, eye twinkling grin for it. The little heartbreaker. Stressed Mom grabs him by the arm and yells for him to go sit down. I smiled at the frazzled Mama and told her it was ok, he meant no harm and that I have little ones at home running around so this just makes me feel at home!

At this time Little girl and Little boy 1 were racing with one cart, spinning in circles. I’m thinking how much fun that looked if I could only fit in one of those things. Mom screams for them to sit down, grabs Little girl by the arm and says we’re going to “talk”. Little girl is pleading, “Please Mama, no!” They move aside, discuss what will happen if she doesn’t guard her backside by staying in the chair and off Little girl goes to her designated resting place.

So why do I share this story? Mamas out there! Hear me! Let your children laugh. It does NOT offend people, and if it does, they have the issue. We were not in a courthouse, but a laundromat! Those children were lovely and joyful and I loved every minute of it. I know responsibilities can be heavy and little ones running in and out of your feet can be tiring. Please, please, please don’t squash the very treasure you have before you. That laundry will crumble and fade away. Invest your energy in those precious babies. Let them laugh. Learn a lesson and laugh with them. Learn to have fun again. You’ll regret it when they are grown if you do not.

Ok, back to my original story.  After emptying, mopping, bleaching, and cleaning the room it’s looking good and our new dryer vent was installed last night. Our new washing machine is due to be delivered tomorrow.

Things are looking cleaned up!