Total Humiliation

Remember these?

Photo from here

I'm thinking about gettin' me one of these.

If I don't, someone may get hurt.

Someone has a habit of running away.

Remember this troublemaker cutie.

At church today, I sat in the Parenting Room because this young man had a hard time letting go of daddy's neck in the nursery. There were tears. There was drama!This Parenting Room is set aside for moms and dads of little ones who may disrupt the service and is located just off the main corridor where our auditorium and cafe are.

Little man, the twins and I were enjoying watching daddy preach on the TV, and he kept saying, "I want see daddy," (said just like that). When someone opened the door to go out, he saw his opportunity, and he shot out of the room like a cat with his tail on fire. He ran straight through the cafe where a smattering of people had chosen to watch the service and all the way through the lobby past those that had lingered after 1st service, laughing and squealing all the way. One of his brothers yelled, "I'm on it," and took off running to go catch him. When I finally caught up to them (in my high heels), I practically had to drag little man back to the room while he screamed in a loud voice, "I want daddy!" And yes, I had to walk back through the lobby and the cafe with all the smiling faces. There were snickers. There were giggles.

I'm so grateful the auditorium doors were closed because he knew exactly where daddy was and was determined to get there. I had visions of him sprinting down the aisle in the middle of the service screaming, "Hi, Daddy," all the way to the stage.

If that wasn't bad enough, he did it again at lunch. We took a guest pastor friend of ours from Romania to lunch after church. We were enjoying our lunch when all of a sudden he took off again. Our dear friend from Romania sprinted out of his chair to chase our little one all the way to the front door. Welcome to America, Mihai!

Anybody have any ideas on how to cure a runaway habit?

'Cause I'm not sure my ideas are legal!

Photo from here.

This post is part of the Moms' 30-Minute Blog Challenge.

A Lion Protects Her Cubs

Yesterday, one of my sons got in the car after school ready to take someone's head off (for once, it wasn't mine)! Apparently, some older boys have been harrassing him since the beginning of the school year. As he told me about it, his anger turned to tears, and my concern turned to anger. I was ready to march in that school and give somebody a piece of my mind. I mean, who's being mean to my baby, and why isn't anybody looking out for him? It's a good thing I had other children who had to be picked up.

He was very vague, but hearing him refer to the kinds of things they were saying to him made me sick to my stomach. I've tried hard to teach my son what is appropriate and what is kind. And I've tried hard to protect him from the vile stuff the world has to offer, and yet, there it is, walking down the halls of his school. Where are these boys' mothers and where are their manners?

Anyway, we were on the way home from youth group tonight, and after we dropped his friend off, I asked him what he learned. He said he learned that God is a refuge. When I got home, I looked "refuge" up in the dictionary.

refuge (ref' yooj) noun 1 shelter or protection from trouble or danger. 2 a safe or protected place to stay

I am so grateful that he is learning at such an early age that God can be his refuge. My prayer for him, and all my boys, is that they will always turn to God as their safe place. Hey, I am a pretty good mother lion and I have a pretty good roar when it comes to my children's safety, but there is no place safer than the shadow of HIS wings.

"Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. Fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing. The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing." (Psalm 34:8-10)

"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust. Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart." (Psalm 91:1-4)

I Have a Confession to Make

This is our cat.

Our friend.

Our little bundle of joy.

Our children's playmate.

Last night I tried to kill her!

It was late.

I was tired.

She needed food.

So I started to feed her.

While I was feeding her, I was telling my husband I was concerned for one of our children who hasn't been able to focus lately. Who's been easily distracted. Who's been making silly mistakes. Who's not been paying attention enough. Who's been forgetting to do his chore before school which is why the cat is hungry in the first place.

As I'm about to put the scoop of food in her bowl, I realize I'm about to feed her dishwashing detergent!

I mean, come on, you've done it, too, right?

Anyone could confuse this...

...with this, right?

They sit right next to each other under my sink.

I mean, sure, she drops huge clumps of cat hair all over my house.

Sure, she meows just as I'm putting the baby in his crib sound asleep.

Sure, she leaves dead things at our bedroom doors so we know she's protecting us at night!

Sure, she lies right on top of my clean black shirts and sweaters.

Sure, she likes to wake you up by sitting on your head.

Nobody deserves what I almost did to her.

I didn't mean to!

It wasn't personal!

I haven't been able to focus lately. I've been a little distracted. I've been making silly mistakes. I haven't been paying attention enough. I've been forgetting everything!

On the brighter side, I've never put catfood in the dishwasher!

In my own defense, let me just say one more time (you've heard it before)...

I CAN ONLY DO ONE THING AT A TIME!

But I'm going to be fine because this weekend, I'm going to a cabin in the snowy woods with my friends.

I will rest. I will renew my strength. I will focus my thoughts.

I will come back a better wife and mommy and cat owner!

(We'll see!)

But just in case, I'm sleeping with my eyes open the next two nights!

I'm Out of My Mind

Yesterday was officially the last day of summer for us. It was the eve of a new school year, so we spent the day getting everyone ready. We started the day with a trip to the eye doctor for Siah which required a new pair of glasses. Next, we shopped for last minute school supplies. Josiah had one last game of football in the yard with neighborhood friends. We made sure everyone had nice new haircuts to start the year (even Bennett)...

...and then we prepared the boys' favorite summer meal for supper (dad's grilled burgers, mom's homemade potato chips from potatoes from our garden, cucumbers from our garden and fresh sweet corn).

After supper we played a rowdy game of Don't Wake Daddy...

...and then we said goodnight to the kids and they said goodnight to us and to the cat! Poor cat!

When Ken and I finally crawled into bed, I was exhausted! It dawned on me, "What would he do if I wasn't around? How would he ever be able to get the kids ready for school." I had searched sales for weeks trying to get everything on the kids lists without going broke. (I'm still not sure why in the world we needed 15 spiral notebooks?) I'd gone through drawers and closets to make sure each child had proper clothes to wear. I'd written names on folders, pencils, markers, gluesticks, scissors, rulers, etc... I'd searched for white shirts for gym and blue shirts for gym and gym shoes for gym and art shirts for - art! I'm out of my mind! It's a full-time job.

I did not sleep well wondering:

• if I got each child's supplies in the correct backpack


• if I told Ellis and Aidan not to wait for Josiah to come get them after school (he's not at their school anymore)


• if I told Josiah where I would pick him up


• if Josiah would be able to get his locker open


• if I had gone over his new Middle School schedule enough for him


• if he would remember his locker number, lock combination, lunch code and homeroom location


• if Aidan would be able to get his gym shoes tied


• if Ellis would find someone to play with at recess since he and Aidan aren't in the same class this year


• if I remembered to tell them their lunch money was in their folders


• if Josiah would do ok with all those 7th and 8th graders around him


• if I've taught them enough to be responsible 2nd and 6th graders

• if Bennett was upstairs freezing because I may have left his window open and it was 45 degrees outside

• if I would oversleep and make everyone late for their first day...

I think next year I'll let Ken do the back to school prep. Maybe then I could be the one sleeping peacefully!!!!