Puddles

Sometimes I find that Maisy struggles between the emotions of feeling like a big girl, like a six-year-old, and the physical limitations that make her more like a toddler. One of these areas is diapers, she hasn't grasped the concept of the potty, but she no longer wants to wear diapers. So, she takes them off every chance she gets.

This morning, as I was finishing preparing a lesson for church and everyone else was asleep, Maisy came in sans diaper. Her nightgown concealed this fact until I saw her frozen in one spot with an "uh oh" look on her face. I cleaned her up and then set to cleaning up the floor. Now, I don't know if it is because there was a momma deer staring at me from the window (and you know how I want to be a Disney princess) or because I had just been studying beautiful talks and scriptures, but I realized a few things from that puddle.

First, sometimes we have to do things we don't want to. Even though we may think we are at our certain place in our lives, there are many ways we can be shown where we really stand, whether it is still in diapers or still cleaning up after little ones in diapers. Realizing that there is a greater plan than we can see or understand helps.

Second, a puddle, whether it is water, juice, paint, or potty, needs to be cleaned up right away or it will be tracked everywhere. This is kind of like the crazy extras we put in our lives. The words we listen to and the things we see, not just of the media variety but also of the gossip variety.

And third, small mundane tasks may build up and often become a little annoying, but if we take them one puddle at a time and follow them with a little tickle time they aren't so bad. “… And by very small means the Lord … bringeth about the salvation of many souls”

Mr. Hoo

I found this little guy at Walmart in the garden section next to the gnomes. I thought he was pretty cute and for $10 I decided he should come home to live with my owl obsessed girls. However, the terra cotta wasn't doing much for them.

So I sprayed it with a little primer and almost left him at this point, but decided he would fit better in their room if he was purple.

This picture doesn't do him justice, so you'll have to check back to see how he looks when their room is all done. I do love spray paint.

Little orphaned lammies came to our house to stay.

Evan came home from work yesterday with this story about these three lambs that had been orphaned. They have been living on a farm in the next town over, but because of the drought they have no pasture to graze and they haven't been thriving.

We went to see them after school and I'm afraid they melted our hearts. They came to live with us today and the kids are loving them.
They are still bottle fed three times a day.
But I ask you, does this look like the yard of a city girl?

Does this look like...

a little girl who ever needed a ventilator?

My Guide to Creepy Crawlies

There are many creepy crawlies in Texas. So, I thought I would share with you some of the knowledge I have gained so that you may avoid similar incidents.

First off, lizards eat moths. If there are moths around a doorway and you walk through it you may end up with a lizard in your hair, twice. If you do get a lizard/wasp/yellow jacket in your hair tip your head forward and shake it, trust me it does not feel good if it falls down your back and gets trapped in your shirt.

Even the bravest of little boys may be scared if they find a "squirm" on their bedroom floor in the middle of the night. And if a child tells you there is something on their floor and the word sounds remotely close to worm, do not walk in their room in the dark with bare feet to tuck them back into bed.Unless you are okay with a headstone in your vegetable garden, do not tell your daughter about the dead lizard you found there.No matter how much trash you have do not overfill your trash can to the point that you can't shut the lid.
If something soft has been left on the ground for any period of time, like say insulation from the attic that's been sitting on the porch, be very cautious when you pick it up. And if you are wearing flip flops and something fuzzy falls on your foot, shake it off as fast as you can.
Most importantly, no matter how good of an idea it seemed at the time, if there are not screens on the window, DO NOT leave your windows open overnight. And when there is a scorpion/tarantula/lizard/ cockroach crawling in your living room, don't say I didn't warn you.

Girl's Trip

I have the prettiest Easter dresses for the girls. I cut them out and put them in ziploc bags waiting to be sewn. Since four days turned into three weeks, they are still in the bags, waiting.

So instead, while Evan and Jack went on a guys trip, I took the girls to San Antonio and got a hotel.
We swam, shopped, painted fingernails, and shopped some more. I PURCHASED Easter dresses, can you believe that? I'm still in shock. But we had so much fun and created some wonderful memories.

Getting Cozy

We bought a house. The backyard is like a park, the inside is like stepping back in time.

We are now getting ready to move into a cottage on the property for four days while the popcorn ceilings are removed. Six people, one room, one bathroom, 300-square feet, wish us luck.

You Turkey

There are little things on a daily basis that remind me that I'm loved. They are silly things, things that may not matter to anyone else, but to me they are little gifts to make me smile.

One of those things is the turkeys. I love finding them in our yard. They are proud and boastful, they help with the bug problem (sort of), and they gobble; they just make me laugh.
The scene goes something like this: "Jack, the turkeys are in the yard again."

Jack goes running out to see the turkeys. I follow.

Jack: "Gobble, gobble, GOBBLE, GOBBLE."

Turkeys: "Gobble, gobble, gobble."

I laugh.

Turkeys: "Gobble, gobble, gobble."
By the time I got out the camera, the turkeys were a little done with our game. I tried to restrain my laughter, although I did get in a few gobbles of my own.

Ups and downs

It's been a tough couple of weeks, physically and emotionally. My parents came out to visit, just in time to watch Sadie, Ella, and Jack while we hustled up to San Antonio, but Maisy was wonderful and had a speedy recovery. We enjoyed them being here so much, but then they went home and reality set in; and I miss my home. However, there have been some highlights.

This was Maisy the day she got home from the hospital. I couldn't keep her inside, so I thought I had better get her dressed.

We had some quiet moments too, but she wanted to be outside.
Its been so warm that sprinklers and popsicles are a must.
And as tall as she has gotten, Sadie is never too big to join in.
Jack learned to ride a two-wheel bike. He is so fast and rides so well he has outgrown his little bike.
So, things change and life is good. Sometimes the small moments are better than the whole day.

Not a fun helicopter ride

I'm writing this from the PICU, unfortunately. Monday Maisy's cold started to look more serious than just a cold. That night I slept on the couch outside her room, and hardly slept. She coughed and cried all night. I kept going in to check on her and finally at about 4 AM I climbed in bed with her. She folded her arms and I asked her if she wanted to say a prayer. So we said a little prayer and then she signed more. We continued this way for about thirty minutes until Evan walked in the room. She signed more and this time when I started to say a prayer she got upset and pointed to Evan. He said a little prayer and we decided we needed to take her to the ER.

From there Maisy took a helicopter ride to San Antonio. She is doing a lot better now, with the help of oxygen and IV antibiotics and fluid. She is a strong girl and I adore her. Hopefully we can be home again soon and sleeping, playing, and watching cartoons outside of a hospital bed.

Spread the Word

Many times since our move there is a little word that has popped up in conversations. It's a word that makes me cringe at its utterance. I wonder, how one little word can bring so much emotion?

The most heart braking utterance of the word came about in a meeting at Maisy's school. The head of the Special Education department was trying her best to softly deliver the blow; the classification in Texas is a bit different. Where Maisy's classification used to be "Multiple Disabilities", her speech delay currently outweighs her physical delays, and in the state of Texas the classification she currently falls into is "MR".

This is where I grab my chair and bite my lip hoping the tears don't come. You see "MR" stands for Mentally Retarded. The term was so difficult for this educator that she couldn't even say the word. Now, as far as I know, Utah does not use that term; in fact that particular word in our home is called the "R" word. We don't use the "R" word. Its not that I have a problem with development delays; I love how my sweet girl views the world. I wish more people emphasized skills of kindness over math facts. I do take offense to the word because of the other ways I hear this word used. Which leads me to the times I have heard it used of late.

We were talking to a friend when they referred to a rule with the "R" word. I watched my Evan's visible cringe, his face mimicked my heart. I hear kids at the store referring to things they don't like with the "R" word, people around me using it to imply bad, slow, dislikable, off-center, askew, or just plain different.

So Maisy is a little different, I thought we had learned to celebrate different. I thought this was a time, a generation, where different could be seen for its beauty. I love her differences. I have learned so much from my daughter about appreciation for the little things. I have learned the wonders of the world and trust me when I say the aren't times tables. My daughter may never have the kind of job that most view as successful, but she is already successful in my eyes. My little miracle has overcome more than many will ever have to and I know that her challenges may have just begun. Especially when I hear this hurtful word thrown around so freely.

So, I'm asking anyone who reads this to please remove the "R" word from your vocabulary. As one mom puts it, "Its not a matter of political correctness, its a matter of respect." Chances are you know someone who would be hurt to hear you use this word, chances are you know someone who has been referred to in a mean way by this word. Consider that person, how would they feel.

Another try

In my quest for the cowl, I gave it another try. This one is using a variegated yarn and a zig zag pattern to get kind of a chevron look.

I'm not sure how I'll wear it, but I do like it.
You have to see it to really appreciate the colors, its really beautiful yarn.

Dinner under the oaks

Since we are in a new area, a rather rural area, a traditional Valentine's Day was not going to happen. So we celebrated as the whole family instead, after all we both love the whole bit.

Sadie was my partner in crime, helping me create a fun sunset dinner.
She set the table so nicely.The menu was honey butter pork tenderloin, rice pilaf, and green beans.
We put a little treat at everyone's place.
Jack declared it the best dinner ever. And you really can't beat this ambiance. Even the birds cooperated.

Six years in the making

I got the best Valentine's Day gift ever yesterday. As I was walking to get Maisy from her classroom after school, she was sitting with her teacher outside the classroom. (She's the only one who doesn't ride the bus, so the other kids had already lined up and were headed to the buses.) I waved to her and hollered, "Hi, honey." She waved and said, "Mom," clear as day. I started to cry and said , "Yeah, Mom. I missed you." I picked her up and she gave me a big hug, then turned my face and gave me a kiss.

She has signed dad for a long time now, and has on occasion said mom, but not deliberately and not in way that associated the word with me. So it as really exciting to hear. Waiting for six years to hear only makes the word sweeter.

Maisy has been saying good appropriately as well. We ask her a question and she answers good. Since I caught this one on video, I had to share. I hope you like it as much as I do, I watch it over and over.

Giants and Slippery Slides

We stopped in at McDonald's for a little breakfast after we dropped the girls off at school, mostly because its Valentine's day and you should obey every whim on Valentine's day. The good thing about being at McDonald's at 8:00 AM is that you are the only ones in the play place (ranchers and construction workers don't play on slides.)

Jack went down a slide and declared it as a lot of fun. He started up again when he suddenly stopped and came back to the table. He sat quietly for a second so I asked what was wrong.

"Mom there are weally big shoes over there. The person is probowly pwaying up dere and he's weally big."

"Did you see anyone playing up there?" (I asked, pretending to be nervous.)

He watched for a second, then said no. So I asked him if he thought they might be pretend shoes, he said yes. He jumped up and started to play, but he was still a bit cautious of the giant with the big red shoes.

I think he my have to talk to Ella about Ronald. Ella loves Ronald McDonald and still remembers how kind he was at the Ronald McDonald House. I guess poor Jack hasn't had much exposure to McDonalds.

*Update: On the way home from school I was telling Sadie and Ella about Jack and the giant shoes. Ella said, "Jack those shoes belong to Ronald McDonald."

"How do you know his name?" Jack responds.

"Because he was my best friend." she answered, kind of longingly.

I have to admit, Ronald McDonald is kind of amazing, to parents and kids alike. If you ever have a chance to volunteer at Ronald McDonald House take it.

The start of something

I'm trying to master the cowl. I want to make either this or this, but I don't knit, I crochet. While I want to learn to knit, learning to do it involves sitting in front of the computer for long periods of time with knitting needles and yarn and without kids. All things I can't seem to do right now. So, I decided to try to make my own crochet version. It isn't totally there yet.

I think this one is too wide and too long, but still a good start. I do like the texture and it is quite warm. Maybe when I have it down I'll make a pattern, we'll see. (See, I wasn't kidding about the wallpaper or the outdated fixtures.)

Snowflake Garland

Needing a project for three restless kids one chilly afternoon, I suggested snowflakes. They wanted something a little more. So I promised we would spice them up afterward. So we started off making a lot of snowflakes in different sizes. We folded, cut, and pressed.
My four-year-old can do this too, as long as I do the folding first. (And yes, he is wearing a headband, it has Yoda ears attached to it. Notice his Jedi master hoodie.)
Then, using my sewing machine and regular thread, I sewed them together one after another to make a garland. We hung multiple garlands vertically down the windows like a curtain for a winter wonderland.