Babies, Brownies and Blessings

As I was walking to pick BigBoy #1 up from school the other day I found myself about 10 feet behind another woman. In a matter of moments I caught this delightful whiff of...something... She smelled great and I'm not sure if it was perfume or her shampoo or what. All I know is I was impressed that at 3:40 in the afternoon she left behind a delightful waft that made me feel I was walking through a field of flowers... After enjoying the scent for a few yards I got to thinking, what must I smell like? Would someone behind me be considering what perfume I was wearing or want to find out where I buy my hair products? Pretty sure not. In fact, I'm guessing they would look something like this:  Because halfway through my day all I know for sure is I've been inundated with the most unsavory sights, sounds and most certainly, smells. I'm guessing you'd describe my "perfume" as earthy with a touch of boy-sweat, baby milk spit and a hint of grease with und...

For the better part of the last 7 years, over half our marriage and all of our parenting years, Brian has worked the evening shift. This particular shift is some 8 hour variation of 3pm to 11pm (3:30pm-midnight, etc.). As a nurse, I'm not stranger to shift work, and to be quite honest, this schedule didn't bother me too much. ...Until lately. Slowly over the last couple years I have tired of doing the bedtime routine alone with 3 little ones. I miss being a family when something fun comes up on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday evening. Now before I make it sound like this is all hardship for me and peachy-keen for Bri I will explain what he has been missing out on all these years. Family meals, impromptu picnics, grabbing a beer with the guys, Bible studies or small groups, and the list goes one. And he's had to listen to me complain. Something I'm not proud of.... Enter the school year of 2011. BigBoy #1 is a kindergartene...

As evidenced by my slightly melodramatic post earlier in the week, it's been a challenging path for me lately. The last few months BigBoy #1 has been gradually regressing into a separation anxiety state. It started in December with a sudden decision that he didn't like sleep-overs, even at Papa and Nannie's. New Years he didn't want to stay at G'pa Lee and G'ma Kerri's or his cousins' house. January began a trend of not walking into school alone. February reached a climax with a kicking, screaming, crying, hanging-on-for-dear-life 60 lb 6 year old this week at school drop off. Uffda. We have spent the week probing events and thoughts and feelings, desperate to find an answer to this newfound anxiety (both his and ours). Maybe it was that time I left him in the van too long while I did a return... Could it be from the fire drills and 911 practice calls...? I wonder if someone is bullying him at school... Is it getting too hard having Bri w...

I admit defeat. Today is a day that has me beat. Sleepless night begets teary waking hours. And me crying out to His Holy Powers. One child wakes crabby and febrile Another does not want to go to school, even for a little while. The hand of my man provides strength and support. The day has passed and it took much effort. I wave the flag of white tonight And pray tomorrow's morning will be bright. *Even in the midst of the blessing that is parenthood the trials can overcome, if even for a few hours. I know you all have many sorrows, some so huge that things like a child with separation issues and another with pneumonia would be just a blip on the radar. It is with a tired, heavy heart that I am thankful for problems so small. God brings us through it all, may His hand be ever comforting and strengthening as He has promised.*

2012 is going full-steam ahead! It's amazing how quickly the days are zipping by and here we are in the middle of the month already. The beginning of the year was riddled with sickness but we are grateful to report health...finally! BigBoy #1 just finished his 14 days of antibiotics for pneumonia and that is one fight I'm thrilled to be relieved of. BabyGirl figured out how to take her pajamas off and I discovered her buck-naked in bed the other morning. I'm still thanking God that she hadn't pooped because that would've been nasty! The new year has brought with it the realization that there is a limit to the amount of orange chicken a 6 year old should eat in one sitting. I'll spare you the details but it wasn't fun to clean that up at 2am! BigBoy #2 has discovered that it's fun to say that some words are not words in an effort to argue his case with me. BigBoy #1 is reading! He's catching onto sight words and loves to read his little...

My sweet and ever-challenging BigBoy #2 has added a few more witty conversations to his collection... Caleb, stop arguing with me or I'll have the cop come and talk to you. "And give me a ticket?" Yep. "I'll just tell him to give you a ticket because you were going too fast." No, buddy, this is about you. "Well I'm going to tell him it's about you." C:Mom, can we go swimming today? T:Maybe. C:Stop saying maybe! T:Why? C:Because I don't like maybe and it's not a word! At bedtime I gave Caleb a kiss and he promptly wiped it off. In explanation he said "I like to wipe off your kisses, do you know why, Mom? Nope. "So I can make room for more!"

Whew, 2012 came crashing in with the sickies for our family! Christmas was spent mostly at home with a feverish, coughing BigBoy #2 and a resulting diagnosis of pneumonia. A full course of antibiotics later (and steroids) his pneumonia was worse. 2 injections and a different oral antibiotic later we have our loud, smiley boy back! On the heels of that comes BigBoy #1 who seldom gets sick and even more seldom does he get horribly sick. Pneumonia settled in his lungs as well and we spent New Years Day in Urgent Care getting Xrays and antibiotics. Disgusting antibiotics, too, unfortunately. And so we fight twice a day to get the meds down and keep them down. Finally we have a little system that sort of works and only takes 15 minutes. Chocolate syrup before and after the medicine helps coat the taste buds so the meds don't taste quite as nasty. Anyways... 2011 was a good year for us. Bri got an extra week of vacation (for a total of 3 weeks FINALLY!!!! ) BabyGirl...