Why is it that things happen in multiples? Like 3 for example.
This weekend is seems things have happened in sixes.....
1. I found ants on our kitchen floor. Discovered they were coming out of our baseboards.
2. Our bathroom faucet is continually leaking. This isn't new, but Joel has replaced the washers twice and it continues. So we need a new faucet.
3. Our toilet broke in our ensuite, and the one in our hallway continues to "run" (so you know, I have to take the lid off and adjust it).
4. My vacuum cleaner broke. I fixed it (for now), but its on its last leg.
5. Our washing machine broke.... after a week where I put off doing laundry until the last possible day....
6. The brand new umbrella that I just bought for our patio broke, so its permanently tilted. And I can't find the receipt (here's hoping the store takes it back without one!).
So tomorrow I have to phone a repairman about our washing machine. And hope it can be fixed! Otherwise we're in the market for a new one. Sigh....
Oh well, its just stuff, and the Lord always provides!
Sunday, 12 June 2011
Monday, 6 June 2011
Born This Way
Funny story.
Saturday was the first summery day we've had this year. Sunshine, warmth, playing in the backyard. The first time I got the kiddie pool set up this year! I thought it would be a nice treat for the kids. They were enjoying playing in it, and running back and forth to their climbing wall/slide toy, taking buckets of water to cool down the plastic so it wouldn't be so hot on their bare feet and skin. I was hanging up my laundry to dry outside. After that was done, I decided it would be nice to sit in a chair, facing the sun, with my feet in the kiddie pool to relax in the five minutes I had before the Canucks hockey game started. Ahhh.... I closed my eyes and soaked in the rays.
Josiah WAS over on the slide, but I heard his little footsteps on the grass coming towards me, as he usually likes to be no further than 3 feet from me. I figured since I had ventured away from the clothesline, that was closer to his slide, he wanted to be in the kiddie pool near me. Not more than 10 seconds later, with my eyes still peacefully closed, "AAAHHHH!!!" I felt cold water being poured down my back!! "Josiah!" I squealed. I opened my eyes to see him standing next to me with a now empty bucket grinning from ear to ear. Grace rushed over to see what the matter was, and asked "Mommy, are you crying?" I was laughing so hard it looked like I was crying. But in fact, I was laughing hysterically, and saying "Josiah, I can't believe you just did that!" Now I am soaking wet, and he leans over and plunks four quick kisses right on my lips, laughing HIS head off.
Joel was in the front yard, but heard my squealing, and when he finally came to check what the kaffufle was all about, I told him that his son had just poured a bucket of water down my back when I was unarmed and peacefully unaware of what he was about to do.
We have known since Josiah was a tiny baby, that he likes to get a good laugh out of people. Its amazing to see that he was born this way, and God gave him a little teasing gene.
Friday, 27 May 2011
One of those days
I couldn't wait to come to work tonight.
You know the feeling. You're about to snap, and then suddenly you get a change of scenery, or the chance to converse with an adult who thinks rationally, and its just wonderful to be out of the house.
I am thankful for the reprieve of my job. My PAID job I should say. Because apparently being a full-time stay at home mother is a job, worth $110,000 last I heard, although I don't see a penny of that in my bank account.
I love my work as a pediatric nurse. I feel fulfilled. I'm helping families, babies, children... people in a crisis. There's an immediate fix, and most of the time I get to watch them all get better and go home. Plus, I can see how I'm making a difference in the right here right now.
Now I know that being a mom is the most rewarding job in the world. And the most fulfilling. And that I'm changing the world by raising my children. But its also the hardest job in the world. Right now, all I see is that its going to take me at least 18 years to find out if I did a half decent job. Sure, people can tell me that I'm doing a great job, that I'm loving, that my kids are great, etc, but how do I know they're not just saying that through gritted teeth while in the back of their mind they see all the mistakes I'm making? And how do I know that my kids aren't going to grow up to be something totally opposite of what I intend? All I see right now is that my (almost) 4 year old won't sleep in her room without throwing a fit. That today she threw a rock at her brother's head (and hit it), and it took over an hour for her to apologize. My 22 month old won't eat anything besides carbohydrates and milk. And let's not forget that he's not saying a SINGLE word when he SHOULD be starting to talk in sentences. I know as a nurse that I tell parents not to worry about picky eaters- kids won't starve themselves and their bodies know what they need. And I know that my daughter didn't talk until she was over 2, and now I can't get her to STOP talking. But still... its hard not to worry and be frustrated about the day to day. When my son is whiny and clingy, is it because I haven't been giving him enough attention? Does he feel neglected? Or is it simply because he's tired and hungry? Is he not talking because I'm too busy to show him how to talk? Or because he has a speech delay for which I should get him early intervention? So many questions....
And then I get to leave. Be away from it all for 12 hours. Try to get perspective. And here, I get to see a little baby improve overnight.... her respirations are decreasing from the high 60's, her lungs are opening up and the crackles and wheezes diminishing. The medication I'm giving her seems to be helping, as she hasn't thrown up a feed once on my shift. I can turn her oxygen down, as she blissfully sleeps. And I see that I'm making a difference.
You know the feeling. You're about to snap, and then suddenly you get a change of scenery, or the chance to converse with an adult who thinks rationally, and its just wonderful to be out of the house.
I am thankful for the reprieve of my job. My PAID job I should say. Because apparently being a full-time stay at home mother is a job, worth $110,000 last I heard, although I don't see a penny of that in my bank account.
I love my work as a pediatric nurse. I feel fulfilled. I'm helping families, babies, children... people in a crisis. There's an immediate fix, and most of the time I get to watch them all get better and go home. Plus, I can see how I'm making a difference in the right here right now.
Now I know that being a mom is the most rewarding job in the world. And the most fulfilling. And that I'm changing the world by raising my children. But its also the hardest job in the world. Right now, all I see is that its going to take me at least 18 years to find out if I did a half decent job. Sure, people can tell me that I'm doing a great job, that I'm loving, that my kids are great, etc, but how do I know they're not just saying that through gritted teeth while in the back of their mind they see all the mistakes I'm making? And how do I know that my kids aren't going to grow up to be something totally opposite of what I intend? All I see right now is that my (almost) 4 year old won't sleep in her room without throwing a fit. That today she threw a rock at her brother's head (and hit it), and it took over an hour for her to apologize. My 22 month old won't eat anything besides carbohydrates and milk. And let's not forget that he's not saying a SINGLE word when he SHOULD be starting to talk in sentences. I know as a nurse that I tell parents not to worry about picky eaters- kids won't starve themselves and their bodies know what they need. And I know that my daughter didn't talk until she was over 2, and now I can't get her to STOP talking. But still... its hard not to worry and be frustrated about the day to day. When my son is whiny and clingy, is it because I haven't been giving him enough attention? Does he feel neglected? Or is it simply because he's tired and hungry? Is he not talking because I'm too busy to show him how to talk? Or because he has a speech delay for which I should get him early intervention? So many questions....
And then I get to leave. Be away from it all for 12 hours. Try to get perspective. And here, I get to see a little baby improve overnight.... her respirations are decreasing from the high 60's, her lungs are opening up and the crackles and wheezes diminishing. The medication I'm giving her seems to be helping, as she hasn't thrown up a feed once on my shift. I can turn her oxygen down, as she blissfully sleeps. And I see that I'm making a difference.
Saturday, 7 May 2011
My motto
So. I've decided to start a blog. With two kids. Ha! We'll see how often it gets updated.
A little background on my title. While I was trying to decide what to name this blog, the picture that kept coming to mind was "washed clean". This seems like a theme in my life recently. Being a Christian, I believe that all of my sins (wrong doings, screw ups, whatever name you call them) have been washed clean by the blood of Jesus. By the grace of God. By no doing of my own. This was the initial start of my Christianity, and continues to be a reminder, often daily, in a world where I expect perfectionism, and often fail. The older I get, the more I seem to rely on the grace of God. Several verses from the Bible come to mind, the first being what I would probably call my mission statement for my walk with God: "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith. It is the gift of God, not by works, so that no man can boast." (My paraphrase of Ephesians 2:8-9.) In other words, nothing I do... NOTHING.... can save me. Nothing can make me perfect, except for the grace of God, the saving grace of his Son Jesus, who died for my sins. And this is the one thing that separates Christianity from all other religions in the world. This concept of Grace. The reality that nothing we do, not even our greatest works, can atone for the wrongdoings in our lives.
And so, back to my theme, "Washed Clean Mothering". Why is it that all the moms I talk to lately are struggling with being the "perfect mother"? Balancing life, and family, and their role as a woman in this world? I can tell you that early on in my experience as a mother, I learned how insufficient I am in my role and how much I need a higher power to help me on my quest to raise another human being. In trying to raise another human, I am reminded of my humanity. How many times I have screwed up and said something to my kids that I later regretted! Or acted a certain way to my husband! Thank God for His grace, that washes me clean, just like all the laundry I do on an often daily basis! Again I go on a rabbit trail.... Laundry. My own soul needs to be washed clean, and so do my clothes. And my kids' clothes. I was joking to my friend the other day about how as soon as I have finished washing all of my laundry (often the clothes aren't even put away yet!), one of my kids wets the bed, or smears food all over them, or falls in a mud puddle, and I can't just throw the clothes back in the laundry pile or the mess will get everywhere. And the washing machine starts all over again! I said to myself just this morning "I'm not going to do laundry today, I'm taking a Sabbath." And then Grace woke up with a bloody nose that had smeared all over her sheets, pillow, and pajamas. And you can't let blood sit or it will stain. So 4 loads later (if I'm doing one load, I figure I might as well wash ALL the clothes), I've just done laundry on my Sabbath. Figures.
Life as a mother. Continually doing laundry. And continually being washed clean by the blood of the Lamb.
I hope I'll get to update this blog once a week or so, if only to be an outlet for my stories. And to connect me with the wider world. I have been reading other moms' blog's lately, and what an encouragement it has been to see that I am not alone and we are all experiencing the challenges (and blessings) of raising young children. So hopefully this can be an encouragement to others. Something that will make you laugh, or cry, or both. And please let me know you are reading by leaving a comment or two! Then I won't feel so alone.
A little background on my title. While I was trying to decide what to name this blog, the picture that kept coming to mind was "washed clean". This seems like a theme in my life recently. Being a Christian, I believe that all of my sins (wrong doings, screw ups, whatever name you call them) have been washed clean by the blood of Jesus. By the grace of God. By no doing of my own. This was the initial start of my Christianity, and continues to be a reminder, often daily, in a world where I expect perfectionism, and often fail. The older I get, the more I seem to rely on the grace of God. Several verses from the Bible come to mind, the first being what I would probably call my mission statement for my walk with God: "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith. It is the gift of God, not by works, so that no man can boast." (My paraphrase of Ephesians 2:8-9.) In other words, nothing I do... NOTHING.... can save me. Nothing can make me perfect, except for the grace of God, the saving grace of his Son Jesus, who died for my sins. And this is the one thing that separates Christianity from all other religions in the world. This concept of Grace. The reality that nothing we do, not even our greatest works, can atone for the wrongdoings in our lives.
And so, back to my theme, "Washed Clean Mothering". Why is it that all the moms I talk to lately are struggling with being the "perfect mother"? Balancing life, and family, and their role as a woman in this world? I can tell you that early on in my experience as a mother, I learned how insufficient I am in my role and how much I need a higher power to help me on my quest to raise another human being. In trying to raise another human, I am reminded of my humanity. How many times I have screwed up and said something to my kids that I later regretted! Or acted a certain way to my husband! Thank God for His grace, that washes me clean, just like all the laundry I do on an often daily basis! Again I go on a rabbit trail.... Laundry. My own soul needs to be washed clean, and so do my clothes. And my kids' clothes. I was joking to my friend the other day about how as soon as I have finished washing all of my laundry (often the clothes aren't even put away yet!), one of my kids wets the bed, or smears food all over them, or falls in a mud puddle, and I can't just throw the clothes back in the laundry pile or the mess will get everywhere. And the washing machine starts all over again! I said to myself just this morning "I'm not going to do laundry today, I'm taking a Sabbath." And then Grace woke up with a bloody nose that had smeared all over her sheets, pillow, and pajamas. And you can't let blood sit or it will stain. So 4 loads later (if I'm doing one load, I figure I might as well wash ALL the clothes), I've just done laundry on my Sabbath. Figures.
Life as a mother. Continually doing laundry. And continually being washed clean by the blood of the Lamb.
I hope I'll get to update this blog once a week or so, if only to be an outlet for my stories. And to connect me with the wider world. I have been reading other moms' blog's lately, and what an encouragement it has been to see that I am not alone and we are all experiencing the challenges (and blessings) of raising young children. So hopefully this can be an encouragement to others. Something that will make you laugh, or cry, or both. And please let me know you are reading by leaving a comment or two! Then I won't feel so alone.
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