Help - teetering on the rope here

I am sitting here watching paint dry. Seriously. That's the excitement of my life, folks!

It's after midnight, and as usual, I am working feverishly on my art while the kiddies (and hubby!) sleeps. I would rather be in bed right now curled up next to my man instead of painting.

And, now, in between coats of magenta and teal and sunny yellow, I have time to sit. And think. It is so rare to have this time to myself anymore.

After a morning of erranding with the kids (yep, i just invented a new word - go me!) and spending "quality time" with them at the McDonalds' playplace, I finally got a chance to get in the shower. As all moms (especially moms of small children) know, getting in an uninterrupted shower is a rare blessing indeed. And today was no rare blessing - while trying to lather up and relax, I was fielding a thousand questions from the aptly-named Gabi.

So here I am, taking a breath, "relaxing" while trying to keep my mind from racing ahead to all the things that have to be done tomorrow and my heart from worrying that I am not spending enough time with my children now that The Framed Frog is growing. Why do we mothers do that? It's as if I just can't turn it off - it just keeps going and going and going.

I am struggling with balance in my life right now. My little business is growing and at this stage it demands so much time from me. Of course, three little ones also demand a huge chunk of time. Throw in a husband and a sadly neglected house and iI start to wobble on this tightrope of life. More importantly, I've got my relationship with God to keep current and growing. Oh, and don't forget friendships and family too...

I need some help! Any advice for a momma who's trying to fit it all in and worrying that some of it may be falling through the cracks? When I first started The Framed Frog, I prayed a lot and asked God to show me that He was in it by blessing me with orders. And the orders keep on coming...

Okay, the paint is dry. Time to put another coat on these canvasses...

Wordless Wednesday - memorial day

(been practicing blurring out the background of my photos as I learned from MckMama's blog)

find other wordless fun here! 

A "Quick" Trip to the Post Office

A quick glance over my list of things to do today revealed that I needed to make a quick trip to the post office to mail out some packages. I sighed, dreading the packing up of the children to drive a short distance to a place not really suited for small children. I looked at the clock - 10:00 am. "Okay, I'll go now since the baby just had his bottle and should be happy enough for the trip," I thought. "This will probably take 20 minutes or so and then I can get all these other things crossed off my list."

Ha ha! Let me now teach you the anatomy of a "quick" trip to the post office:

10:05 am - Tell the children we are getting ready to leave. Instruct them to put on their shoes. Ask oldest child to stop whining about not being able to find one of their shoes. Look for shoe. Oldest child suddenly remembers that she left it at Grandma's. Patiently find another pair of shoes for her to wear. Look over at child #2 and note that he has taken OFF his shoes. He doesn't remember where he put them. Spend 3 more minutes searching for shoes. Find them stuffed in the garbage can. (?) Clean off shoes and put them on his feet again.

10:15 am - Send two oldest children out to the van, telling them that if they hurry and get in their seats, they will get a special treat. Buckle smallest child into his infant carrier. Realize that smallest child is emitting a foul odor. Unbuckle child and change his diaper. Rebuckle him in his seat and take him out to the van. No special treats there! Oldest child is playing in the driver's seat and second child is eating old french fries. (Pause to think - when did we last have fast food in the van? I can't remember - yikes! those fries must be old!) Hastily instruct second child to spit out fries and get in his seat.

10:22 am - Oldest child buckles herself in, thank goodness and then cries because she wants a book she left in the house. Unsympathetically telling her to get over it, buckle second child in his seat. What is that smell? And what is this goop on my hand?!? Ah, second child also needs a diaper change. (and a clothing change!) Unbuckle everyone, herd everyone back inside, and change second child. Wash everyone's hands and repeat the buckling process.

10:30 am - Lock up the house and start up the van. Pull out of driveway and begin heading towards the post office. Realize that the packages are still in the house. Turn around and pull back into the driveway. Unlock the door, get packages, and relock the house. Get back into the van to hear oldest child say, "I have to go potty now!" Unbuckle oldest child, unlock the house again, and send her in to do her thing. Try to be calm when she comes back out of the house wearing NOTHING on her bottom. Correct the problem and wave sheepishly to the neighbor pulling out of his driveway. Restart the van and make a second attempt to go to the post office.

10:38 am - Arrive at post office. Pull two lollipops out of purse and show to two oldest children. Remind them that they will receive those lollipops if they behave in the post office. With infant carrier and packages on one arm and two toddler clinging grimly to the other arm (make note: second child needs his fingernails trimmed!), attempt to enter post office through the skinniest door in the world. Watch helplessly as several people walk by without helping, and finally thank the ancient man who tries to hold the door open wide enough. Take a moment to pray and thank God that there is no long line today. March children up to the counter and wait while the packages are weighed. Ask postman to wait a second and retrieve second child before he rips into a package of special-edition stamps. Firmly hold his hand while deciding on what kind of shipping to use, paying for the shipping, and signing a few forms. Parade the crew out of the post office.

10:48 am - Buckle youngest and oldest child in van. Realize that second child has made a break for it. Unbuckle youngest and oldest child and re-enter post office to retrieve second child. Buckle all children in the van and distribute lollipops. Drive home in complete silence (except the occasional slurp on the lollipop).

11:00 am - Arrive home. Hooray! The "quick" trip to the post office only took one hour! Can't wait to see what else gets done so quickly today...

(and people wonder why I don't get out of the house more...)

Please Pray for Duncan's Family

A friend of mine (both in the blogging world and in our college days) suffered a profound loss on Tuesday. Sweet Duncan Thomas was born Tuesday morning having already gone to be in God's presence. It is hard to understand why God chose to bring Duncan Home so early, but His ways are not our ways.

My daughter saw my tears as I read the sober news on Monica's blog yesterday and asked me why I was crying. "Did you hurt yourself, Momma?" she asked tenderly. "No, sweetheart," I reassured her. "Momma's heart is hurt, because her friend's little baby Duncan went home to be with Jesus. It just makes me sad, that's all." Gabi considered this and then said, "well, Jesus is lucky then to be with Duncan instead of his mommy." I smiled at this and thought how much more wonderful Heaven is now that Duncan arrived.

I just visited Monica's blog again and saw the outpouring of love and support in the comments. Please join in by praying for Monica, Jim, and their son Seth as they journey through this difficult time in their lives.

Wordless Wednesday - coastal fun

****just a few of my favorite photos from our trip to the coast this weekend****
more wordless fun at Five Minutes for Mom>>>

The Writing on the Table

"Dear Jesus, 

      Thank you for this day and thank you for this food.  Thank you for Mommy and Daddy and Michael and David I guess.  Thank you for the sun and thank you for crayons.  But we should never draw on the table with our crayons, Lord!  Help me to be good and not draw with crayons anymore.  (Amen! - inserted by David)  And please help Mommy be nice to me.  In Jesus' name, Amen" 

      -Gabi  

(can anyone guess what prompted this lunchtime prayer? )  :)

Not Me Monday #7 - of beaches and cameras

It's that time again - when bloggers everywhere stop feeling bad about giving their child a soda to drink or neglecting the laundry for three whole days or other such taboos.  We simply relax and tell all about our week, without "admitting" to anything.  You can find more such "non-confessions" here.

On Monday, I did not take my kids and my new camera to the park and proceed to take dozens (nay, hundreds!) of pictures of the adorable little monsters.  I certainly did not lie on my stomach in the sandbox to get some better shots, and I of course would never have told another child to move out of the way so that I could get a better picture.  And absolutely, I was not tickled at my new-found photography skills when I uploaded the above picture.  

On Saturday, when getting ready to drive out to the coast for some beach and family time, I did not make the whole family wait in the car while I snapped several pictures of my azaleas.  I didn't spend ten extra minutes trying to get the angle and lighting just right, and I was not immensely thrilled with the above picture. :)

At the coast, my 2-year-old did not run headlong into the waves, fearless and clumsy.  He did not get the most ridiculously cute grin on his face as he played in the surf and fell down with each wave that came in.  

And at that same beach, my daughter did not run screaming from the waves, shouting "The shark's going to get me!  The shark's going to get me!"  (I swear, people, that that child has never seen Jaws.  Or anything even remotely akin to it!)  She of course did not only deign to be near the water on top of Daddy's shoulders, because naturally she is not completely and totally a Daddy's girl.  And her mother did not spend inordinate amounts of time making a sand castle while everyone else waited to get out of the windy weather and get back to the house.  Nope, not me!   (Remember - I never make anyone wait!)

And during our Christian school's graduation last night, I absolutely did not cry.  I did NOT miss being a teacher, and I certainly did not have visions of my daughter in one of those caps and gowns.  This would have caused undue emotion, and I would never have allowed that.  :(

What did you not do this week?  Give yourself some therapy by letting us all know!

To Cast My Cares

Dear Lord,

       Look at this little guy!  He is blissful and content, completely unaware of such things as war, financial struggles, weight gain, and heartbreak.  He has no cares at all.

        I wish I could be like that - calm, collected, and able to relax and take a moment from my busy day.  Above all, I would really like to have no cares, Lord.

       Now I know I have a pretty good life and that You have blessed me in so many ways.  You gave me a beautiful daughter, Gabrielle, with a sunny smile and matching hair.  But does she have to keep pressing the button on that annoying cheerleader doll, Lord?  And will I always be able to protect her from this world?  

        Thank you for my Davester.  He is so hilarious and charming, the family clown.  But will he always be so stubborn, Lord?  How many "room painting" episodes will it take for him to learn his lesson?  

        And of course, the epitome of "om" himself - Mikey the yoga master.  Still, he keeps getting ear infections, and although I love him so much, I would love to sleep through the night.  Just every once in a while, that's all I'm asking.

        Lord, you gave me a wonderful husband that provides for his family and loves me so much.  I'll try not to complain too much about him because he might read this. . . :)

        And me?  Wow, Lord, some days I see so many imperfections that I wonder if it's ever possible to get past them.  Was I a good and patient mom today to my children?  Did I do everything I was supposed to?  Why do I care so much about my frizzy hair?  Will we be able to stick to the budget this month?  Will I get these orders done in time without neglecting my family?  And what about my relationship with you?  

     "Casting all your cares upon Him, for He careth for You."  Okay, Lord, I just cast them.  I cast them at Your feet.  I will go through the remainder of my day remembering that You have my cares now, not me.  (I might have to come to You a few more times today, just to be sure You really are bearing my burdens for me.  Oh, and I'm pretty sure I'll be back tomorrow. . .)

    In Christ's name, your daughter, Jeanette

PS  Thanks, Mikey, for the reminder!

Not Me Monday #6 - Happy Mother's Day

After a few weeks' departure from Not Me! Monday posting, I am in need of the therapy that Not Me! posting provides once again. And so I present to you all the events that most certainly did not happen to me this past week

It was not me that drove cheerfully to music practice last Monday while singing silly children's songs at the top of my lungs to the current favorite CD. Oh no, not me! Especially not when I had NO KIDS in the car with me. . .

On Tuesday, my kiddies did not run giddily around the post office, giggling and testing out people's post office boxes to see if they opened. Ha! I train my children better than that, you see, and so of course it wasn't me staring balefully at the man who suggested that they "laugh a little more quietly."

On Wednesday, I did not count off the number of children that had come to PeeWee Club, realize that we had TWENTY-TWO preschoolers that night, and then briefly consider making a run for it. Oh no, not me! And for the PeeWee's delicious and nutritious snack, I did not serve up large marshmallows with pretzel sticks and instruct the little terrors to make marshmallow sheep with them. "All we like sheep have gone astray..."

I did not spend two very sleepless nights watching over my little Mikester while he suffered through a bout of croup. I did not anxiously run him to the doctor in the first opening they had that day. I was not in the slightest tempted to leave the other two happy monsters in the van while I took him in to see the doctor (ok, don't get all up in arms - just joking! but have you ever taken a 3 year old, a 2 year old, and an 8 month old to a tiny doctor's office and tried to focus on ust one child?)

I did not squeal giddily when I received a beautiful and absolutely unique necklace from my kiddies for Mother's Day. I did not watch my kiddies all day and think that even in their most obnoxious moments that I was the happiest and luckiest mom in the world.

I didn't even get a chance to take my daughter to Starbucks, order a hot chocolate and coffee respectively, and share a sinfully delicious slice of Godiva chocolate cheesecake with her. (Nope, not me, you all know how I hate to share!)

Ahh, the not me! therapy is so rejuvenating! I am so content and happy as a momma right now. Hope you all had a fantastic Mother's Day and a Happy Mother's Day to my mom! Mom, you are the best - I realize it more and more each year as I struggle to navigate the torrid waters of parenting. How on earth did you do it? Thank you for introducing me to God, books, and crafts. :) Gabi, David, and Michael say "Happy Mother's Day" to their grammy. Gabi wants you to know that she still likes green and that she hopes she can play Cooties again with you soon. David says "Love you Grammy! Grammy is in the picture!" and Michael is mostly just smiling. :)

Happy Mother's Day!

Poor Mikearoni

My little Mikearoni has croup and a severe ear infection, poor baby. I am sitting here late at night listening to his raspy breathing and waiting for him to awake coughing again. The froggy humidifier is on full blast, trying to get some moisture into that sweet child's lungs. Normally a voracious eater, Mikey has refused all manner of tasty treats today, including his normal favorite, popsicles.

I sit here waiting to be a source of comfort the next moment he needs me. I hate this feeling of helplessness as I watch my baby suffer. I would much rather be experiencing the croup myself and allow Mikester to sleep peacefully in his bed upstairs. The watching and praying is a lot harder!

The doctor assures me that croup sounds a whole lot worse than it actually is, and I believe her. At least I think I do. Sigh. . . this whole sick baby thing is hard on this mommy. I'm going to go make myself another cup of tea. . .

Wordless Wednesday - little dude

Michael has been getting the lion's share of Wordless Wednesdays lately, but I can't help it.  He just too cute!

More wordless fun here...

Of Faith and Coffee Beans

Coffee. Lots of it. With chocolates and whipped cream and a variety of "good-with-coffee" treats. Where might I have encountered such heavenly bliss? No, not Starbucks, silly! If you were a good Baptist, you would have guessed "church." :)

This past weekend we held our annual Ladies' Conference at church with a coffee theme. We were served all sorts of coffee treats as some church ladies ran a specialty coffee bar throughout the conference. I am quite sure that my brain is still trying to recover from the intense surge of caffeine it received at the conference. :)

The featured speakers brought lessons and messages that were exactly what I needed ( of course, God always knows). The testimonies stood out to me most. Growing up in a wonderful Christian family and being saved at an early age, I always felt I had somewhat of a "boring" testimony. Of course, I didn't want to have to go through all the things some people have gone through just to have an "exciting" testimony! God has richly blessed my life in so many ways, and so far my path has had only a few "bumps". I have not gone through many hardships to get to where I am today, and I praise my Heavenly Father for that. But - I know that they are coming! As our pastor preached last night, fruit can only ripen by being bruised or broken, and God's ways of "bruising" us to use us later on can vary.

This is why every time I hear a riveting testimony of someone who has suffered much in her life, I pay special attention and store it away in my heart. I am saving all these witnesses for that time in my life when I will really need them. I hope I will be able to look back at these testimonies during a rough spot in my life and say to myself, "They did it through God's help. So can I!"

One pastor's wife in particular had many such stories to share. She is just about my mom's age and has been through so much in her life. It is amazing and life-changing how God worked in her life despite all the troubles and sorrows. One of her most recent trials was losing her husband to pancreatic cancer a few years ago at the relatively young age of 51. She cried a lot as she related how she had gathered hoards of this man of God's friends, colleagues, and church congregations across the nation to pray for the healing of her husband. She knew God COULD heal him and prayed earnestly and with much faith that God WOULD heal him. Still, God took him home according to His perfect plan, and she struggled to understand why as she tried to live life without the man she loved. I tried to imagine my life without Chris, tried to think of how even one hour of my day would pass without the man that God has given me, and my imagination fails me. This would truly be a test of faith for me if God ever chose to take him or any other of my family members today.
And so I pray for faith today, not knowing what God's plan is for my future. I pray for strength and courage and learn from the faith and strength of others. And I hold to His Word:
"Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me. The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O Lord, endureth forever; forsake no the works of thine own hands." Psalm 138:7-8