The world has changed

If you are OCD or ridiculously type A, you should NOT read this post.  Seriously.  You also should not go to bookstores.  I'll give you a moment to turn back and pretend you never saw this.  You aren't missing anything, just a boring post about the nutritional content of water.  I promise.
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 OK, are all the OCD people gone now?  No?  Well the, have you looked at your sock drawer today?  I think you should go reorganize it.  Again.  Some elves may or may not have snuck in while you were sleeping and mixed the white socks with the argyle.  Elves are jerks like that.
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Ok, now that they are gone, let's get on with the blog. 

Catina and I were lucky enough to go shopping yesterday without any kids.  We were able to look at things we didn't need and discuss purchases.  We were able to finish a sentence without interruption.  It was awesome.
Then we stopped by the bookstore to buy some journals, and I decided to grab a cheap book on Honduras.  After we realized this store did not have any books on Honduras, we snapped a few pics, and hightailed it outta there before we could be tempted to organize the whole section.  Apparently geography has changed a LOT since I was in school.  Or perhaps the employees at this particular store failed geography miserably. 

Next time you go to Mexico, be sure to stop by Beijing and also see the "Top 10 Hong Kong."  Not sure if it is the top 10 museums, bathrooms, or bookstores, but you can find out when you get there.

While in Asia, there are lots fun things to do in Chicago, San Francisco, and the Cayman Islands.  Not sure if the "New England" book is in the Asia section, but it was definitely not in the United States section.  Maybe there is another England? So we should call England "Olde England", New England "The Old New England" and this new one "The Newest England" so we don't get confused.  Also, we should stop naming places England.

Kids love Virginia.  Which is now in South America.  Does this mean my zip code is going to change?

Notice the orange and yellow books about Alaska in the Arizona section.  Alaska, Arizona- who doesn't mix those 2 up?  It is a common mistake really.

I give up.  Seriously, if this is what we consider the Middle East, I will never be able to help my kids with their geography homework.  I am buying them each their own GPS so they will never feel as lost as I do at this moment.  Help?

Honduras in Autumn

I have a lot of fears.  Some of them are irrational.  I'm afraid of squirrels (google "squirrel attacks", it happens), I'm afraid of losing a kid (I constantly count them when we are out in public to make sure they are all there), and I'm afraid of traveling.  I want to take my kids to Disney one day, but I'm afraid of being in such a busy place and possibly losing a kid.  The very thought of traveling to Florida for a week with my family makes me feel sweaty, my eyes tear up, and the weight I feel on my chest makes it hard to breath.  Also, I am extremely uncomfortable with public restrooms- I have to wash my hands several times after using the restroom to feel clean, and I carry hand sanitizer everywhere I go.  Oh, I also don't like feet- don't touch mine, don't put yours near me, and let's not even look at them, 'kay?

So when I heard a commercial on the radio the other day about a missions trip with Shoes for Orphans Souls, I was pretty shocked when my heart leapt and I felt this strong desire to go.  Then they announced there was a contest to win a free trip.  I decided to enter, and will be sending in my submission this week.  The winner is announced Friday and I would appreciate your prayers that God's will be done.

I planned to sit back and wait to hear the winner.  After all, if God wants me to go, He will give me the trip.  I figured by entering, I was doing my part and that I was done.  Silly me!  I couldn't get this mission trip off of my mind.  I kept looking up information about it.  I kept thinking of how much I wanted to snuggle these kids, wash their dirty feet, and pray over them.  I want them to know how much God loves them, and I want to love on them. 

Then the doubts began creeping in.  The odds of winning are probably pretty slim.  I cannot afford this trip on my own.  In the last few weeks, our washer and dryer had to be replaced, the back window of one vehicle had to be replaced, and the alternator on another vehicle blew.  I'm still trying to figure out how to pay for all that.  Why am I even thinking about trying to pay for a missions trip?  I started thinking about how I don't attend church every week.  I'm embarrassed to admit that I miss church more than I attend.  Surely, there are more qualified, better Christians that should go on a trip like this.  Oh, and did I mention that I don't even have a passport??  This is silly.  This is crazy.  I can't do this.

I had told my husband, sister, and 2 other amazing Christian women about entering the contest and asked them for prayer.  I didn't mention that the gears in my head were turning, trying to figure out how in the world I could pay for the trip when I don't win the contest.  I didn't dare post on Facebook or tell anyone this desire, this call I felt to go on this trip.  See, if I tell people, then I've got to do something.  If I put it out there for others to see, this crazy idea, this impossible notion, and then I fail to go- I would feel ridiculous.  Yeah, these doubts were getting pretty strong. 

Today, I decided to google "The Great Commission" and then I googled "Francis Chan and The Great Commission."  Wouldn't you know he preached a sermon on that very passage?  (You can hear it at http://www.cornerstonesimi.com/special/media_player.html, the sermon 6/3/12 titled "The Thrill of Obedience.")  Wow.  It was exactly what I needed to hear to dispel my doubts.  God can use anyone and wants to use everyone.  If I wait until I'm a "good enough" Christian to share his word or to do what he is calling me to do, I'll never be ready.  There is so much more in this sermon that touched my heart, and it was one of those messages that you hear and feel was written just for you.  (Don't you love when God does that?)

I called Catina on my way home, and told her how God was working on me, and how I felt that He was calling me to take this trip.  While on the phone with her, I checked the mail and found a check for $134.  It won't pay for the trip.  It barely covers half of the first deposit that is due in 2 weeks.  But, it reassured me that God is going to provide a way.  I just need to trust in Him.

So that is what I am doing.  I am trusting that God wouldn't put this desire in my heart, He wouldn't call me to take this trip if He wasn't going to provide a way for me to do it.  I'm praying that while God works out the finances, He will also work on my heart and ready me for this trip.  And I am putting it out there, that I am going to Honduras in September, God willing. 

Friends, I ask that you join me in praying.  Specifically, pray that I will have the money to put down the first deposit, then the second, then the third.  That I will have the money for my passport.  Pray that God will prepare me to show His love, and to be a witness for Him.  Pray that my husband and kids will make it through a week without me.  Pray that my fear of traveling and issues with germs will stay be manageable.  Pray for my safety during this trip. 

This will be the scariest thing I have ever done, but I also trust that it will be the most amazing blessing. 

New Girl

Last weekend, we picked up the newest member of our family. Meet Rory!

We visited the vet yesterday, where the fear of Puppy Parvo was initiated--hello new form of germaphobia. I also thought we'd have to return her to the animal shelter to shield my kids from parasites.

The vet calmed me down, played with our Heinz 57, and answered our many questions. My biggest was about house training. We've no sooner gotten G potty trained, and now we're cleaning accidents again. Apparently this takes longer than a day. She sent us home with a paper. Check out number four.

Thus far, that is all Rory had done.

Our Spring Break just became crazy busy. In the interest of quick housebreaking, we must teach young Aurora to:
• cook.
• wash and fold laundry.
• vacuum.
• take out trash.
• wash dishes.

Silly me! I had thought puppies were a lot of work! We should have gotten one much sooner.

Letting go

Once a week, I like to walk my middle kids (C and N) into school. Of course, C is too old to have his mom actually walk him to class, but N enjoys when I escort him to class and help him settle in.  K loves when I let her come along, even though she hides shyly behind me the whole time.  Sometimes I think she is practicing to be my shadow. 
K's favorite part of these mornings is when we leave, because there are about 8 steps to go down to get to the parking lot.  She and I hold hands while we hop down each step.  About 2 months ago, she told me she was big enough to hop without my hand.  Being the overprotective mama that I am, I asked her if she could hold my hand because I was scared of falling.  My sweet (and clever) little girl reached over, grabbed my hand, and planted a big kiss on it.  "There Mama, now you don't have to be scared."  I paused for a split second, weighing my options.  Do I let her jump  by herself?  What if she falls, I won't be able to catch her?  I'm the Mama, I can always tell her she has to hold my hand.  Then I thought of my dear cousin Eva, and the pictures I've seen of her little girls doing the splits on a fence, sitting on tree limbs, and climbing doorways.  And I thought of my New Year's resolution, to be more like Eva. 
And so I "let go" and let my daughter jump while I jumped down the steps beside her.  In this small gesture, I taught my daughter that not only is she big enough to try things on her own, but I trust her to know when she is ready.  I know I can't always keep her safe, but I hope to always give her the confidence to take the next jump as she grows.  (And if I'm lucky, she will let her Mama be by her side when she decides to take the next jump.)

Still Here

On the very first day of 2013, we lost our cousin, Eva.  Eva was a close friend and sister growing up.  She lived around the corner from us until we moved when I was ten.  Her mother babysat us.  Her parents and my parents took turns keeping the three Nemeth kids and two Jalajas kids at the camper in our favorite campground in the summers.  Teenagers babysat all five of us during the rest of the summer when my aunt returned to work.  After we moved, Eva spent a couple summers at our house.  When I was in college, I spent an entire year's worth of weekends at Eva's house which was only forty-five minutes away.  We'd sautee mushrooms and onions, eat Cappucino Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream, and shop at Target.  Later, our firstborn children were born about a year apart.  B and Eva's daughter played well together.  I have a lot of pictures of the two of them. 

Eva had such a big personality, such a creative way of looking at things.  I miss her.  Still, I still hear her voice.  Just today I saw this on Facebook, and it brought up a memory of her. 

When C was a baby, he loved a toy phone that was shaped like a car.  It made them most annoying noises, and would beep and bleep at whim.  On a visit to NC to see Eva--years before she and I had children of our own--Cassie, Mom, and I complained about the lack of an On/Off switch on the toy.   Eva walked to the junk drawer, returned with a screwdriver, removed the batteries, and handed C his favorite toy back.  He happily chattered on the new and improved car phone. 

I know she'll always be with us.  I am so grateful that her personality was big enough to fill up the empty space in my heart every once and a while.  I am so grateful that her husband and her kids remind me of her.  I'm so grateful for the time I had with her and for my memories of her. I love how she changed--and still changes--me into a better person. 

I love you, Eva. 

B's School Report

When I was in seventh grade, we wrote reports.  I wrote mine on Labrador Retrievers.  Mr. Hunter taught us how to take short notes on index cards from several sources, arrange them, then write our report. 

Last week and this week, I did the same with my second grader.  His assignment was to write a biography on Susan B. Anthony.  His mother is a former English teacher who was going to help him complete the project the "right way."

We began by reading a short digital book I ordered from Books A Million.  After each section, we recalled facts and he wrote each on an index card.  I could tell when he was wearing down because one of his cards said, "second child blah blah blah blah blah."  After a giggle, he erased it and rewrote the fact correctly. 

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 After reading three books on Susan B. Anthony, B organized his facts "like a timeline".  G got in on the act with his own "notes". 

 Before writing, I had B reread the assignment sheet.  "Wait, I can TYPE it?" he asked.  B's handwriting, as you can see from above, is atrocious, and he knew he'd have to rewrite.  He typed a paragraph or two each night.  While I was brushing G's teeth, B learned the wonder of autocorrect.  "Mama!  I spelled she with a little s and it was the first word and when I hit the period and space, the computer changed it to a BIG S!"

 B was supposed to include headings on his report.  We decided he'd only type a section or two each night.  As you can see from the beginning of his sentence under "The Mill" section, he was in need of a break again. 

 

By the end of the report, he was worn down and silly.  I had consumed a half gallon of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream.  Still, we'd spent quite some time together and had a lot of laughs.  We belly laughed over the word duty.  "Doodie!"  we giggled over and over for way too long.  We'd tackled a big project a bit at a time, and he felt good about getting to type and print.  

Tonight he illustrated the final copy, as the assignment asked.  Thank goodness we'd printed two copies.  As soon as we turned around, G added a purple streak to B's masterpiece.  

Holdin' On

I carry a small purse. I do this on purpose. The smaller the purse, the less I can fit in it, so the lighter it stays. A piece of good advice I received when B was a baby was to carry a small diaper bag and keep stock in a large diaper bag in the trunk to replenish if necessary. B is really good about carrying very little and keeping it in a small backpack or bag.

G is very different. Just this past Monday morning, I was juggling with my laptop bag, lunch box, tote bag, purse, and coffee mug when he asked me to hold him. When I asked him how that would even be possible, he answered, "Hold me in one arm, and yours stuff in the other!" 

Here's G while I'm blowdrying my hair, asking me to hold his book.

This morning, I had a dentist appointment.  G went with me, carrying only what would fit in the red backpack pictured above.  He sat quietly, coloring and watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse while I got my teeth cleaned.  "Hold me, Mama," I thought I heard him say above my mp3 music.  I listen to tunes so I don't have to hear scraping.  I held his hand, then patted him on the head.  Then I felt something on my stomach.  It was his book and drawings...he wanted me to hold them.