Note to Readers

I changed the settings so that you don't have to be a member to leave comments now. Hopefully this works so that any of you can now leave comments. If you put a first name down, then I'll know who you are, or initials would be fine too. Thanks, R

Mowing the Lawn

We have a deal in our house, that Greg mows the lawn with the tractor, and I do all the push mowing. Sounds a little unpleasant for me, but I love it. There is nothing that clears your head like the loudness of a lawnmower. It overrides any kid yelling your name, any baby crying, and any other sounds you may desire to drown out for the time you are mowing. Greg dislikes push mowing, and I have not mastered our tractor so this is a perfect match. He also does the weed whacking, which I'm grateful for. I just finished mowing, and Greg asked me, "Was it as fulfilling as you recall from last time?" Yes, it was. A break from the Mommy routine, a bit of exercise and some sunshine exposure all mixed into one.

4 year old in the house

This morning as I was laying in bed hoping to get back to sleep, I started thinking about L's birthday today. He turns 4, and I had a few different thoughts come to mind. The first is all the changes that have happened in our life since he was born that hot Arizona evening. The next is what my life would have been if we didn't have children (what you can do in 4 years). I guess thinking about both, I came the same conclusion in the end. I have learned alot. Sure, I could have completed a 4 year degree in that time in the career of my choice, but I feel I've learned alot more useful information being a mom and wife that will benefit me my whole life through. I'll try to list a few of the things I've learned being a mom:
-patience -Things don't happen when you want them to, and that's okay because there is nothing you can do to make a toddler eat his dinner.
-how little sleep you can actually function on -So much is in the attitude, and how we think we "deserve" a good nights rest. There have been so many special moments with my children in the night that just can't be repeated in the daylight hours. I think of rocking a sick child who is sleeping on your chest under the moonlight. What greater calling could there be than to comfort that little one.
-multitasking -I thought working at Banner in Mesa had taught me multitasking, but it's nothing compared to the 24/7 shifts that mothering has taught me.
-compassion for others -Same here, I thought my past career had taught me compassion, but it was always at arms length.
-there is no normal in life -Normal is always changing, and you can't change the past, so just get used to each day as it comes.
-nurturing your children when they're little helps them be confident/independant when they get bigger -give them all the hugs and kisses you can when they are little, because the day comes too soon when they don't want to be cuddled. (G & I just started getting called Dad and Mom yesterday, as opposed to Daddy and Mommy, I'm hoping he'll revert back)
-breastfeeding a baby is much harder than anyone lets on -it's so worth it, but alot more dedication and selflessness is required, as well as problem solving.
-each child has his/her own personality, genetics, needs, etc. -Learning to meet each child's needs is definitely challenging, but so rewarding when a problem is successfully solved.
-the more time I spend with my kids, the more it makes me prepare to homeschool -I enjoy my kids so much, so why would I send them off to someone else all day? I really look forward to field trips. Lots of them. Every week hopefully.
-the more children you have, the more love there is to go around -I guess I thought I would be spread thinner with more children, but have found that the excess of love far outweighs the workload. And we all need someone to take care of us when we get old. More kids adds more love to that aspect too.

That's all I can think of for now, but likely there is many more things I've failed to list. I guess I wouldn't trade a degree for any of these experiences that have made me more of who I need to be. One mom friend of mine told me once (she has 9 kids) that each child she had taught her something new and different about herself. I hope that is happening to me too.

The Corvette

Back in our dating or early married days, Greg commented one time (much to his followed regret) that someday he'd like to own a Corvette. Being a guy, one could likely understand his desire since they are apparently one of the greater cars around. Lots of horsepower, style, etc. But to me, they have always meant one thing: creepy old men trying to be young again. At that point I made my opinion known, and ever since then we always check and see who is driving one when we're on the road (and then we laugh because most of the time, I'm right). On Saturday we went for a beautiful drive and on the way home were coming down the freeway and, low and behold there is a Corvette ahead of us. As we get nearer I think to myself, "I wonder what kind of person is driving that?" We pull up beside him, and he fits the description perfectly. A older man trying to be Tom Selleck in Magnum PI, with altogether too much hair on his body and a tank top that showed it. Eww. I still said nothing, but all Greg had to say was "I guess that does nothing for my Corvette argument." Yep. I agree. Case closed.

Small Town Charm

Our favorite breakfast restaurant opened back up again recently (a month or so ago), so we went back to have our favorite grub. Since we knew they were having some hard times, after getting flooded (see breakfast post from earlier), and having to be closed while cleaning up the mess, we decided to leave a larger tip when we went there. Well, our favorite waitress who is always very helpful and friendly (and reminds us of Kimmy F in Alberta) decided she couldn't accept the tip, and carried it around in her pocket until we went back last week and gave it back to us. When G explained why he had done what he had done, she still wouldn't accept it. I guess we'll have to show our appreciation in another way. That's what I love about a small town. She knew we'd be back, and not only does she always give good service, she loves kids and doesn't seem to care if the boys are loud, make a mess or anything else kids tend to do when you try to eat out.

Small Pleasures

Today I won't write much, but have a minute so thought I'd post a few thoughts. With a new baby, it seems like big pleasures/fun things are out of the question, so I've tried to be satisfied with little things at home, where I've had to spend most of my time. It's actually the little things in life that make up the big things, which is what life is all about. It just takes some time to notice them, and with endless hours nursing a baby these days, I've had a bit of time to think (when not being interrupted by inquisitive boys asking many questions, of which I try to answer as best I can) In thinking it over, some of my favorite little things are, in no particular order, these:

Dark chocolate, it's richness as well as the lack of sweetness makes it a perfect treat. Trader Joe's Pound Plus 72% cacao is my favorite, because it's cheap, big (lasts a long time since we don't live near a store) and not too sweet. It's also good for you, so I'm told, so will dwell on that fact as long as I can. So, after I successfully get all 3 kids napping, I sneak one square, and savor it before laying down myself.

Next is a nap. With a newborn, I'm up many times a night, and a nap becomes a necessity. I can handle anything (within reason of course) if I can get a nap. I can get up a hundred times a night, as long as I can get some rest in the day.

My favorite tea is Bengel Spice (Celestial Seasonings). Kind of a chai flavor, without the caffiene, and just the right amount of sweetness. It's aroma and flavor just put you in a good mood, and relax you all at the same time.

Best time of day is 4:30pm. It's when my wonderful husband gets home from work after leaving way too early in the morning (or should I say night). He is my encourager, my stability, and I know I can handle anything with him by my side. (he came home with a cherry and pear tree the other day, so we're trying to decide where to plant them. I can't wait to get our own fresh fruit. We planted apple trees last fall, and they look promising for a few this year)

Lastly for today, (as I have some boys that need a Lincoln Log barn built) is a hot bath on a cold evening. Somehow that hot water just warms a person up thoroughly (it has to be hot enough for what my cousin Susan used to call a "Lobster bath") and gives me a few moments to reflect on the day and prepare for the bedtime rituals ahead. Bedtime is relaxing for the most part, but it seems to take all evening and is still hard to get the whole house to bed at a reasonable hour. Off to log building I go.

Better Day, in a way

Well, today the coughing seems better, although both boys were up way before I'd like them to be. You'd think that black curtains over black blinds would keep most of this summer dawn light out, but it apparently isn't enough. So, I found some old dark curtains and added them to the mix, hoping that will keep them in bed a bit longer. We'll see. I thank all of you for the cough remedies recommended. I haven't tried any of them yet (since I have to go to town to get products) except the chicken soup, and that seems to have worked very well. It helped me too, although for the comfort factor more than anything else. I also thank you all for the prayers. I think they are more powerful than anything, but somehow it works better for me to pray for others, and them to pray for me, so I'm not so concerned with immediate results. God doesn't work that way (hardly ever anyways), but somehow I expect Him to. If any of you need praying for, I'd be glad to be a "prayer warrier" for you. Baby girl is sleeping, so I should run along and get some supper in the works while the getting is good. Until next time...

Monday morning

I would like to write a long whining detailed account this morning, but will spare you all the details (but will vent a bit since I'm at a loss otherwise). My little boy J was up before the sun, coughing and coughing and I just don't know what to do. This has gone on for probably close to a couple months now, starting with sinus symptoms and alternating between that and fits of coughing. He also is an independant 2 years old now, and thinks he knows what is best. Hmm. Quite a conundrum. So, I take him to the doctor, who can't conclude anthing is too wrong with him, but gives an antibiotic in case he gets worse. He doesn't get worse, but not better either. As soon as he seems to be getting better, it just switches back to night coughing again from the nose stuff. I hesitate giving the antibiotic, since he has so many digestive issues already and we've worked so hard at improving that area of his life. What's a parent to do anyways? I've tried every home remedy I can think of over the course of this all, and prayer doesn't seem to help much either. The more I pray, the more frustrated I become as things seem to get worse more than better. And I'm not praying for just healing. Praying for my attitude to improve, praying for patience, wisdom and last of all healing. None of the prayers seem to be beneficial, maybe I'm expecting too much. Anyways, that's my morning...hopefully the day will improve. Although now a baby who hasn't napped long enough is crying. Such is the life of a new mother.

What is a Mother

I received this poem from my Mom for Mother's Day, and although the day is gone, I thought it was worth sharing.

What Is a Mother

It takes a Mother's LOVE to make a house a home,
A place to be remembered, no matter where we may roam...
It takes a Mother's PATIENCE to bring a child up right,
And her COURAGE and her CHEERFULNESS to make a dark day bright...
It takes a Mother's THOUGHTFULNESS to mend the heart's deep "hurts,"
And her SKILL and her ENDURANCE to mend little socks and shirts...
It takes a Mother's KINDNESS to forgive us when we err,
To sympathize in trouble and bow her head in prayer...
It takes a Mother's WISDOM to recognize our needs
And to give us reassurance by her loving words and deeds...
It takes a Mother's ENDLESS FAITH, her CONFIDENCE and TRUST
To guide us through the pitfalls of selfishness and lust...
And that is why in all this world there could not be another
Who could fulfill God's purpose as completely as a MOTHER!

Random thoughts

As life is going pretty well overall, I guess I wonder what my expectations for it should be. Sure, having a new baby is a major life change (and I can't say that I'm quite used to the idea quite yet) but I wonder if I should be expecting more or less of myself. I guess I expect "normal" to resume, and it never will the way I've known it in the past. A new normal will take its place, and that will continue to change continually (which means 3 kids waking up early and trying to figure out what to do with them, instead of two today). Sometimes I'd like stuff to just stay the same for a little while, but then I'm bored when it does. Hmm, never satisfied it seems. Maybe it's all because my thoughts are all over the place due to lack of sufficient sleep. Or too much time to think because nursing a newborn takes almost every hour of the day. I think I'll go make some coffee while the getting is good. Then maybe I'll try to sort things out....

Grandpa and Grandma S

I've been thinking lately about my other grandparents, my Dad's parents so I thought I'd write a few lines about them today. My Grandma is still living, but is not the Grandma I remember. Her memory is pretty much gone, and whenever I tell Greg about her, it's the old Grandma I'm telling...wishing he could have known her the way I did. Well, he kind of did, since he lived in Arizona and they used to winter down there and had dinner at his house even. But, he was a busy teenager at the time who didn't really have much time for old people he didn't know. Little did he know that maybe he should have taken more time and found out about a certain granddaughter of theirs. And when I asked my Grandpa why he had never told me about Greg, he said "well, you never asked". True, I suppose, and a typical answer from Grandpa. When Grandpa was dying in the hospital, my sister had told him that Greg, L and I were coming to visit him, he could barely talk but told her "I suppose she's just coming to show off that new baby of hers". L was 6 weeks old at the time. But, back to memories of them. I stayed with them a few summers as a teenager helping Grandma mostly (I don' t know that she really needed my help, but she found chores for me anyhow) and used to like to get on Grandpa's thrifty nerves. He'd get after me for leaving the water running while washing dishes, and I'd tell him that if he had complaints, he could wash them himself. He never did. He was extremely thrifty in most ways, but also spent money in places the rest of us may think foolish. When my sister asked him a business question one time, he answered her, "you have no idea how many vacuum cleaners I've been talked into in my time, you'd better ask someone else." Grandma was (I say was, because she's not that person anymore) a very strong woman. Tough to put up with Grandpa's opinionated ways, and for the many things she did in her life. She always had time for her kids and grandkids, even though her own health sometimes was extremely low. They took grandkids on trips whenever they went anywhere (which was often, whether it be across the country or just a spur of the moment fishing trip) and I feel very fortunate to have had that individual time with them. I guess to sum up, it's sad to see that generation gone, since they have been around so long, but I'm thankful for the time they spent with us, teaching those lessons that only grandparents can teach.

Grandma K and boys

Here's when J was a baby. She loved telling stories to L and just holding baby.

Missing Grandpa and Grandma K

This morning I was making instant coffee (too lazy to make real, and not caring for quality apparently) and the smell of it hit me. It totally brought me back to Grandpa and Grandma K's double wide they lived in years ago. I think Grandma always made real coffee, but somehow the smell was the same as I remember. We used to come and stay every summer, and my memories are of it being scorching hot (for us Canadians) with a box fan blowing constantly billowing up the curtains by the patio door. Grandpa and Grandma always had plently of reading for us kids, as well as it was usually August and the blackberries were ripe and ready. We also spent time down by the creek catching and poking at crawdads and helping Grandpa wash his car that wasn't really dirty (compared to our standards). We slept in those old "springy" beds in the spare room, and Grandma always tended to our every whim (we didn't get treatment like that at home). I miss those memories. Grandpa and Grandma have been gone for a couple years now, and most times I'm at peace with them being gone, but sometimes my heart just hurts because I miss them so much. I think right now it's more than ever, because Grandma loved babies. When J was born she just wanted to hold him and hold him. She had 10 babies of her own, and always knew what a blessing they are. I miss that my kids won't know them, but I couldn't expect them to live forever (they were 92 & 94 when they passed away). I'm just thankful for the time we did have together and what a blessing they were in my life of Godly example and Christian love.

Garage Sales

Since baby was late, I did get a chance to go to the garage sales I had been looking forward to. It was a string along one road, which we happened upon last year, and proved very lucrative (if that word fits- lots of great deals). I absolutely love garage saling, since the selection and prices can't be beat by any store. I keep a chart in my purse (as advised by the Tightwad Gazette lady) of kids clothes I need, and then when I head out, know what I need. We actually hit all 14 sales on that road, and I went out on a limb and bought some girl things too, since the price was right. Thankfully, we did have a girl and so I'll be able to use what I found, as well as what I found for the boys as well. G found some pants for hunting that he's been wanting for some time, so we came home tired but happy. The boys have learned to enjoy the trip too, if I keep them fed with snacks and let them out here and there to look for their own treasures. (a big dump truck is on their list now, so they don't have to share the one they have) So, as summer nears, I hope to get out more and see what kind of deals I can scrape up. With a new baby, I have to stop more, so it can be challenging, but the rewards are soooo worth it, for another year stocked up on pretty much everything.

Elise (1 week old)

A little quiet time

One thing I'm reminded of with each new baby, is how much time they truly take up in a day. They want to eat endlessly, and then when they aren't eating, you just want to hold them and admire what you've waited so long for and count your blessings (while sitting there trying to meet the needs of the 'big' kids too). But yesterday, I finally came to the point of needing some quiet time alone. Thankfully, I was able to take a bath, relax and actually just be me for a few minutes. Sometimes I wonder where "me" went to, when I'm "Mommy" so much of the time. It felt good to just ponder over the various thoughts that have been coming in the past week, all the changes that have happened, and spend some time in prayer with God, thanking Him for His abundant blessings. It seems I often get caught up in "doing" that I neglect just "being". Another friend wrote in her blog about having control, and I have to say, that is one of the hardest parts of life for me to turn over completely to God. But what wonderful things happen when we do this, and God can actually work fully in our lives, rather than with our meager "assistance". He knows us so completely, in yet we doubt His leading, often thinking we know better. It seems like life is a continual lesson, one that we never seem to learn and be done with. But, hopefully this will keep us on our knees in prayer, asking for daily guidance and strength. My most common prayer seems to be "Lord, help me to do whatever you want me to do, and be who you want me to be". Now if I can live that...without my input...what a blessing life would be.

Elise Meredith Somero

born April 27, 8 lb 12 oz, 21 in.

New Baby Girl

As most of you likely know, our new baby finally came along (only 4 days late, but each day over felt like a week) last Monday. She is beautiful and perfect, as far as a Mommy can vote. The labor and delivery went extremely smooth, and just as I had hoped it would be. I had epidurals with both boys, and had really hoped not to have one this time, and things went so well that the thought of getting one never even crossed my mind. As it was, we had a doula student with us, who was awesome in helping things go the way we wanted, as well as helping G coach me in ways he'd have never thought of himself. We tried to get a doula when L was born, but she turned out to be a flake and so we were totally turned off to the idea. But, after much thought, we decided to give this girl a try (she's not certified, so is still free), and she was awesome. Since we've been home, baby girl has been sleeping or eating all the time, so it's been hard to get pictures of her. The boys keep checking in on her, but I have to admit they were a bit disappointed when they saw her the first time. They thought she'd be someone new to play with, and the fact that she just sat there was rather boring. The helicopter on the top of the parking garage proved much more interesting to two young lads. So, here we go into parenthood again. Thankful that God has brought us here thus far, and prayerful that He'll guide us all the days of her life, so that we as parents can bring her up in the "nurture and admonition of the Lord".