Monday, August 18, 2014

Carpe Diem, Amen

It has been well over 18 months since I have gotten a full night of sleep. I look like a cast member of the Walking Dead. Not exaggerating. (Yikes, I start WAY too many of my blog entries with this statement.)
Good thing he's cute!

Hubby and I were watching a bit of Shark Week yesterday while the boys were down for rest time and we were reminiscing about our life pre-kids.

Sundays were magically lazy days for us. After Church we would each pick a sofa and there we would stay for the majority of the day. We rationalized that it was all okay because we spent our time watching the History Channel or NatGeo...so even though our bodies were wasting away, our brains were somewhat active.

"Oh, we did NOT know how good we had it."

That phrase has been bouncing around in my head since noon yesterday. I have never really noticed, in the moment just how good my life was...except in Kenya. There, I was well aware of my blissful, blessed existence. Why Kenya? Kenya forced me to slow down. It eliminated all of the background noise and senselessness that permeates life here in the US. I didn't spend my day in front of a laptop, with my smartphone near by. I was not plugged in to anything but the wonder of life all around me.

It is no secret that I am desperately tired. All of the time. I fear I am a broken record about it. I cannot even remember the last time I woke up on my own; feeling rested and ready for the day ahead. I have managed to reduce my laptop time drastically and my phone is on the counter most of the day, NOT in my hand...and yet. . .I am missing it.

I thought about taking the boys to the Library today. But I cannot summon the energy. Doing just about anything with all three of my boys seems daunting and I end up wishing I could spend my day on the couch watching TV. What I wouldn't give for just a day or two of my old life.
Yes, cuteness...but at 6 am? Not as cute....

The boys are playing in their play room. I recognize that these precious moments free from screaming and wrestling boys ARE magical. To recognize that is progress but I also know that I want to cherish the chaos of taking my boys to the library. It can be so easy to appreciate the sweet moments but they can also be easily lost in the sea of work. The vast and unending laundry. In the energy that they love to expend in the most inappropriate of places. I want to embrace the sharpie all over the inside of their brand new playset with humor. I want to smile when remembering how it was BREAKING NEWS they just had to tell me every time they needed the bathroom. I want to remember cherishing the fact that my giant 4 year old still wants me to carry him to his bed and heft his form into his bunk bed. I want to be present enough to catalog the love and the joy that these kids bring every day....filling my heart and mind with all the good so that the chaos and exhaustion can be forgotten, pushed right out of my memory.

I often have rose-colored hind sight and I hope that remains true. I am certain that when my hands are curled and aching, when my hair has turned white and I no longer can get off of the sofa I will LONG for the noise and chaos of the angels in my home. That I would happily exchange a night of sleep for the exhausting joy that comes with children. To feel needed and used up. Peeing in privacy won't be the most coveted moment of my day.

My arms will ache to carry my giant children, clutching them close for just a moment longer.

I know that I will sit and stare off into space saying "Oh, I did NOT know how GOOD I had it." I will miss the moments that  drive me crazy today. I will gladly take all of the stress and chaos for a moment with a sweet baby asleep in my arms. I am so very blessed with chaos and noise; with exhaustion and laundry; with 3 little boys that love and need me until I have nothing left. I am SO VERY BLESSED.


God, give me the grace, the patience and the humor to soak in all of my blessings today and everyday. Amen.

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Nap Time

Nap time is normally my down time. Sometimes it involves me reclining on the couch. . .feet up. Bowl of ice cream? Perhaps.

Today? Not today. Today I was on a mission. I am taking matters into my own hands.


   
 

Mission accomplished. That tennis racket. . .it's called The Executioner. I am hopeful that it is the destroyer of fruit flies. The solution to the battle that I am currently losing.

Thank you Amazon! Solving issues during nap time is better than a bowl of ice cream. Kind of.
Happy Tuesday!

Friday, August 8, 2014

Accelerated

It's Friday! My decades in the workforce ingrained in me the desire to cheer when Friday arrives. Now that I am a stay at home mama with littles. . .it kind of pisses me off. I still cheer despite the fact that I know Saturday and Sunday will not be much different from the rest of the week. My duties remain unchanged. There is no end to the work. hahaa. But HOORAY! It's Friday! UGH.

I feel a little like Scrooge McDuck today. That is your warning. You might want to click the pretty little x in the top right corner about now. I am about to start quacking. Possibly to the point of completely quacking up.
Photo credit: Tom Simpson via Visual Hunt / CC BY-NC-ND

The fly infestation has waned. But *cringe* I found a bee in our house. . .which put a massive bee in my bonnet. I know bees are our friends.  .but not the kind of friend I would ever, ever invite into my house. Any bee that dare gain entrance into this house be warned....
So. . .I did what any logical person would do and I cleaned him with disinfectant cleaner until he decided I was the worst host ever and.....
I know I wanted to live in the country. . .but I am not sure I understood that meant all the country critters would move in with me.

It has been about a month now, in this here brand spanking new house. The toilet bubbles when the boys lift the drain in the tub. The dark wood flooring must be swept several times a day as it shows every speck and crumb the boys leave in their wake. The dishwasher followed the bee's example and committed hari kari three nights ago. My mailbox is a good 6 minute walk away. As I type that it doesnt seem far but that is a 12 minute excursion to go and pick up bills and junk mail and to send my money to these bill collectors. The hot water heater has been turned all the way up and the shower is slightly warm. I should be pleased that it is not frigid...I know.00

The front flower beds were filled with wet concrete. I am unsure how the plants are supposed to grow and thrive in concrete but we are watering the bejeebers out of them in hopes that we are wrong. The beautiful lawn is beginning to die in strange patches. Perhaps because it has been planted in concrete? Please, no!
I cannot find a preschool with any availability within a reasonable driving distance. Oh wait. . .I found one that will cost us $500 a month for 3 half days each week. GASP.
BUT the house is pretty! The view is incredible and a gurgling toilet and a plethora of buzzing insects in the house only enhance our daily soundtrack. Right?

I am going to a friend's house for dinner tonight. She asked me to bring a fruit salad.....and that stopped me in my tracks. Embarrassing admission #327.5. I *ahem* have never made a fruit salad. Ever. What would this mama do with out friends and pinterest forcing her to be a better mama?
I am making this for tonight. And by making, I mean. . .tossing all of it in a bowl. Voila. Why have I never "cooked" fruit salad before? Seems like my kind of cooking!


My boys are in their bedroom, supposedly making their beds. But it is awfully quiet in there. Not a good sign...but I am really relishing the break. . .and the quiet.
I have recently been told that 4 year olds should have learned to close the screen door by now. . .a month after moving in here. They should be speaking in full and proper sentences all the time and urine ON the toilet is completely shocking. They should know exactly why they do the things they do.

I think that is utterly amazing and clearly I have missed the accelerated parenting trend. I am clearly hindering my childrens' growth and education. Apparently after four years and a month my kids should be ready for life on their own.. . .incredible? RIGHT?  I have spent a few minutes googling this and have come up with bubkiss which is unacceptable. If anyone knows of this accelerated parenting miracle program. . please clue this mama in!
Quack. Quack.Quackity Quack.
Uh oh....there is far too much laughing in that bedroom now...

One final thought before I investigate what is going on with the boys.

This boy! This dear boy whom I have shouted for, prayed for and dreamt about met his Mama and his brother. Divine Providence. How I wish I could share pictures and more. . .anyone that does not believe in God and His beautiful plan needs to follow an adoption journey. The miracle will blow your mind.
As soon as I can I will share the wonderful pictures of Brett meeting his family.. He is incredible and I could not be more overjoyed to witness this loving miracle.

It's Friday! WOOOOHOOOO! Ugh.

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

Monday, August 4, 2014

Moving to the country...

Well we are here! Moved! An epic undertaking that had a soundtrack all its own. I like to think that the soundtrack was "moving to the country, gonna eat a lot of peaches..." But that would be delusional.

Yes, it looks like he is waiting for a Police pat-down. 

Honestly, it was a lot of yelling and crying. Lost swimsuits (yippeeee) and misplaced toys. Glass breaking and tempers flaring. To be blunt, I miss the old house terribly. It was not pretty.

Somewhere in the midst of that my baby sister got married and my mother in law had surgery on her ankle and spent some time recuperating at my little casa....and she was also treated to our special soundtrack. Soothing, I am sure.

But...we are here and we are all accounted for. My boys are loving the house and the yard. The town and all its charm.

My Opie will take his first steps here in this new house. He gets closer by the minute. I love watching him grow and learn...but I also watch in fear. Once he is walking. . . life will get even busier. 3 uber active boys!! If only they all liked to clean!

But it is bucolic here.

The stars are brighter, the air cleaner. Waking up to the views here. .. it is hard to complain. Kind of.

For some reason, the idea of moving to the country did not include an insane amount of bugs....everywhere. Four year old boys do not grasp that the door must be shut behind them and therefore we are swarmed. I am covered in bug bites despite the citronella bonfire I light outside every night and my husband has resorted to decorating our new house with fly strips.

Yup. Here in the country we need Jesus and flytraps. Hubby did not want to have them just hanging around so he secured them all with blue tape. Currently, there are 4 such strips on our walls. . .and since there are no flies stuck to them, I bet there will be more up before the end of the day.
On the bright side, I no longer feel the need to buy paintings for the walls.

The boys just woke up and Eli tells me "I named the fly in my room Buzzer. He is my friend." New friends in our new town. Awesome.
There is currently a fly on the wall right above the flystip. Not on it. .. nope...

And allergies. YIKES.


My soundtrack has changed in the past week.

"I moved into the country. Gonna need alot of kleenex."

I have missed blogging!