Boys will be Boys

We arrived in San Antonio yesterday evening to spend the week with my family. Just before leaving, I called my mom and she said she was taking my brother to the hospital. Alarmed for my brother's sake and worried she was going to tell me he had something contagious and that we wouldn't be able to come, she said... "Well, its not contagious, but Charlie already has it... its called a Y chromosome."

You see, my 15 year old brother, on his first day of Thanksgiving vacation, decided to show his "parkouring" skills to my mom and grandma at the park. For those of you (like me) wondering what parkouring is, it is also known as "freestyle running." For those of you (like me) still wondering what this is, click this link for a little video of some guys parkouring.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qhgIdP3l3I

Charlie and I had a long talk on the way here about never doing anything that dangerous or *coughstupidcough*. Parkouring is only for you if your name is James Bond, Jason Bourne, or even Paul Hamm. Otherwise, just do regular running.

No, he doesn't have marshmallows in his mouth. It's just that swollen.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thankful Thursdays

A handful of the things I am thankful for tonight...

• all of your sweet encouraging comments on my last post- THANK YOU!! It helps to know there are others out there that have gone through the same thing when you're waking up for the third or fourth time at about 4 am and this is night seventeen of no sleep (or something like that!)


• my dear mother in law that came over to spend the day with me so I could take a nap and get a few things done around the house... and for doing the dishes- thank you!!!


• my amazing mom who knew just what I needed and even though she wasn't able to do it herself (because of living too far away and that darn job she needs to retire from!!!), is sending over the Maid Brigade tomorrow to do it for her.


• my wonderful husband that took care of [still sick] Charlie for me this evening so I could play Pokeeno for a little girls' night out! Always does the trick for a tired momma.


• the fantastic nurse at our pediatrician's office who I also know from church who gave me her cell phone # that I called three times today to ask specific questions about which vick's vapo rub, where to put it, and side effects of this antibiotic.


• the hope that I will sleep through the night again...one day.

Good night...

Un-Grateful Wednesday

With Thankful Thursday just around the corner, I thought I needed to come clean with you about my attitude this week. It started with a few sleepless nights and wondering what was going on. After finishing round one of antibiotics for an ear infection Saturday, he was feverish when we picked him up from the nursery on Sunday. Sunday night = no sleep. Monday morning = Dr.'s appointment and he still has that dang ear infection. So we're on stronger antibiotics, motrin every six hours, and trying out Claritin just to see if all this congestion is from allergies. Its been night after night of sleepless night- trying to swaddle, trying to rock, giving a bottle, bringing him to our bed, sleeping in the carseat, me sleeping on the couch, elevating the crib mattress. So far its been a combination of our endless rocking/cuddling/patting plus a few dreaded saline drops and motrin for maybe two hours of sleep at a time.

And I am tired. In the middle of the night, I feel so discouraged and defeated. Charlie didn't even start sleeping through the night until about six months... then shortly after (I mean days after) came teething, and now two ear infections in a row. So I am very tired. And, yesterday, I broke my toe, stubbing it on a chair that has been there for months. My contacts are all old and I forgot to call in for more until it was too late... so my eyes are twitching and red from wearing old ones so long and now I'm wearing my glasses until the new ones come in. I shrunk a new shirt I bought this weekend in the dryer. The dishes are stacking up, the Kleenex attack is back, and it feels like we will never get this deck finished.

And then a good friend brought my attention to this.

And while talking with an old friend yesterday, I found out her dad has liver cancer.

So I woke up this morning and got on my knees before God. And when I got up and looked at my precious boy with snot running down his face, I realized how small my issues are. So today I'm praying for and focusing on someone other than myself. And I'm hoping I will someday learn to count my blessings and truly be thankful... in every circumstance.

Chewing... with One Tooth

We're at it again...

... listening to the Christmas music channel! After all your comments on the other post, I had the courage to go for it! I mean, come on, its the most wonderful time of the year! Why not start it a little early? And Robin, I am jealous of your Christmas decorating... I told Paul about Matt telling you to decorate and he literally said "I don't care." What a scrooge... :)

Thankful Thursdays

Just a small number of the things I am thankful for right now...

The beautiful healthy safe happy boy bouncing in his jump-a-roo right next to me

The warm, safe, and dry home I live in

The husband I love that will soon walk in the door to have lunch with his little family

The parents that raised me to know Christ and to know love that we will be with in two weeks

The teenager that was once the annoying little bro that has turned into the funny, fun, cool, talented brother and friend.

The parents that raised Paul in a Christian home and taught him how to be a husband and father

The grandparents and aunt and uncles that Charlie has that I love so much and I know love him so much

The church we have grown to love and that feels like family

The friends that I know we will have forever

The King of Kings that became a man, the lowest of men, that we might know Him, follow Him, and be with Him forever- that He would draw me, shameful sinner that I am, into relationship with Him.

What are you thankful for today?

Confession...

Charlie and I are listening to Christmas music today... I just can't help myself!

Its stormy outside, so I don't really want to go out. He's playing, I'm doing some cleaning. It just seemed right! :) I've got the "Sounds of the Seasons" tv station on... I just went to it thinking, hmm I wonder if they have any Thanksgiving music... and then got hooked on the Christmas music! But, man, they must save the good stuff for the true holiday season, because so far I've heard Bette Midler's Christmas version of 'From a Distance', Mary Chapin Carpenter's 'Christmas in the City', and now its Kidz Bop's version of 'All I Want for Christmas is You'... Looks like I'll have to wait a few more weeks for Bing and Rosemary or Manheim Steamroller! Oooh here we go, Barbara Mandrell's 'I'll be Home for Christmas.' Come on, admit it, you can't wait either!!!

Renaissance Festival

Saturday we went to the Renaissance Festival with some friends. We had a great time walking around, people watching (and WOW are there some interesting characters...), riding a giant swing, and eating!

One for the Baby Book...

We have... A TOOTH!!!

I just noticed it today- a sharp little point sticking out of the bottom of his mouth! There's not even anything to see yet, just to feel. Its weird because he's been fussy and having trouble sleeping but I've been attributing that to his seemingly never ending congestion and this darn ear infection. And last night, he slept great!! So who knows, maybe the tooth came through yesterday and we just didn't even notice.

More to come later on our Renaissance Festival trip this weekend...

Thankful Thursdays

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, I thought I would prepare for this season of thankfulness by remembering what I'm thankful for.

In light of the last few days we've had around here, I thought I would dedicate this first installment to my thankfulness for my husband, Paul (who actually just started a blog!). You see after he had it on Monday, I got a nasty stomach bug on Wednesday... and it started right when I was supposed to take Charlie to the doctor. So I called Paul who then immediately left work, picked up Charlie, took him to the doctor (where you always have to wait for about an hour with a tired, fussy baby) and then picked me up some Gatorade and SevenUp. He stayed home the rest of the day, bringing me cup after cup of ice water, a straw, a cool washcloth, etc, all the while taking care of our poor sick boy who has an ear infection.

I layed in bed, trying to sleep, but mostly writhing with nausea, while I heard Paul playing with, feeding, comforting, and loving on Charlie. He came every time I called him - whether it was to help me to the bathroom, start a hot bath for me, or put more ice in my water, sometimes with Charlie in hand. When it was Charlie's bedtime and I knew he wasn't feeling good, Paul dealt with all the crying on his own and finally got him to sleep, and then even slept on the couch so that I could sleep all night in peace without the baby monitor!!!

So tonight, I am thankful for this man that I married- thankful for the servant's heart he has, and the way he has cared for Charlie and I this week. I am thankful that God brought us together and gave us this little family. I am thankful for how hard he works and for the job that he has so that I am able to stay home. I am thankful for how he loves me. I'm thankful for his family who I love as my own (here's a special shout out to my MIL who came and took care of Charlie and I today as I was still recovering!!! So thankful for Nana!) I am thankful for the sweet and gentle father he is- for the example he will be for Charlie as he grows up. I am thankful for the way he helps out around the house- and gets up in the middle of the night with Charlie!!! I am thankful for the patience he has at 4 in the morning to "shh shh shh" Charlie back to sleep when I have none.

"Come let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our Salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all Gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his for he made it and his hands formed the dry land."

Psalm 95: 1-5

Two Words:

See. It.