The story of the little lost brown hamster

Sometime Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning, our little brown hamster(who has yet to be named) went missing. It was discovered Wednesday morning -- so the kids began the hunt for the hamster with no luck.

Throughout the day, periodically one or more of the kids would look under things or in the closet or do a hunt for any clues that the hamster had been there. Still no signs of her.

By bedtime on Wednesday evening, the hamster was still not found. Knowing that it was the hamsters active time, we stayed up and tried to listen for it. Still nothing. It was a bit disconcerting to think of the hamster running around while we were sleeping. Not to mention the 4 stalking cats that live in this house.

So as we went to bed, I prayed outloud that we find the hamster. Andrew reminded that being specific was important. Stories of a friend praying for a deer and finding a dead one and the "mini" van that God provided us came to mind. So I literally prayed that God would help us to find the little brown hamster that we purchased alive. And within minutes there was a ruckus in the boys room. So I went to investigate and my cat Murky had found it. It was in a toy firemans helmet and making some serious screeching as Murky was trying to figure out how to get it out from under the straps.

Talk about answered prayer! God doesnt always answer immediately but the times he does its a powerful reminder that he cares for us even in the little things of our lives! Im reminded once again to let him handle the details and leave the worrying up to him!

God is good alll the time!

MJ

portion control, prayer and ponderings

I often think about blogging but somehow the desire doesnt actually turn into reality. Sometimes the baby needs to eat or Gideon is getting into something or Zemirah needs a drink of water -- other times it just is difficult to form the words into a post.

I have finally gotten to the point where Im ready to work on losing some weight. I havent liked my size for quite some time but the mental willpower just wasnt there. Andrews 20 yr class renunion is coming up this fall, and I would like to be looking thinner by then! That was the catalyst i think, but I mostly want to do it for me, so I feel better bout myself.

So I'm primarily starting with portion control. Not measuring things out exactly most of the time but being aware of how many calories are in things, having one smaller portion, watching how much "extra" I'm taking in. I do plan to get more active as well but moreso in trips to the park or hiking with the family rather than a daily workout. Im not cutting out one food or another, just trying to make more reasonable choices with what and how much Im eating.

Im coupling this with prayer and honestly I think that is how Ive managed to make such a good start this week. Ive been asking God to help me recognize when Im full and help me to make reasonable healthy choices.

As for the ponderings, Im considering going back to college. I'm pretty sure I want to go back to school at some point. The question is more in the timing. I already have an associates degree, which is basically a transfer degree. The college nearby that Im considering has a returning adult program one night a week. So that part is already in place. Im just trying to determine when the best timing is -- should I wait for all the little kids to be in school or do i want my degree by then? Im probably not looking for full time work in either case, since I feel its just as important to be here for the big kids as it is for the little kids. Im considering getting my elementary teaching degree and then subbing. That would give me the freedom to pick and choose timing of working to some degree.

Ezekiel starts kidnergarten this fall, Zemirah the next fall and Gideon 3 yrs from now(unless we enroll him in preschool for his special needs, not sure on that). Thinking it will likely take me 3 yrs to finish anyway, would now be a good time to start. Im trying to weigh all the considerations, the extra stress on the family, missing out on events such as concerts and sporting events, the opportunity to talk with other adults :), keeping my brain from turing to mush, etc.

Well thats all for now folks, God is good ... all the time!

MJ

Gideons disablity

At home, Gideon gets around well, manages to climb on most things and generally has found ways to communicate either with sign or pointing. I dont notice his disability most days. He is charming, fun and well frankly hes 2. With that age, comes the tantrums, fighting, hair pulling and hitting. It maybe intensified with his inability to communicate with words. But overall hes is well loved by his many siblings and they seek him out to play with him.

Its not until we are out in public, at a doctors office or at the park that I really notice the difference. He is harder to manage in public if he is throwing a fit. This is the first time that I really have had a throw yourself to the ground fit thrower in public. Challenging for sure! At home, I can just let him throw his fit, or pick him up screaming and hitting and take him to his bed or just hold him. That doesnt work so well when you are trying to get him to walk down the hall to the doctors office or sit still for an ear check.

Yesterday we went to the park. I was a bit nervous as its always challenging having a 2 yr old and a nursing baby. Add in Gideons special needs and well its not even a challenge that Im willing to take on often, not without a helper anyway! It did go well, mainly cause Elaura was content to sit in the stroller and did not need to nurse. So i could primarily focus on Gideon. Our kids have always been climbers and on the go. So even at age 2 they would be able to get to the big kid slide and up the jungle gym with little or no assistence. It was hard watching Gideon. He could get to the baby slide and one other tube slide but the bigger ones were far out of his ablity to get to. He couldnt climb up the panel of steps, not without handles or anything to grasp. He didnt even go near the chain bridge or the climbing steps.

I suddenly viewed this playground I have been to several times before with a new vision. Im looking as a parent of a special needs child. And my special needs child can do far more than some but still it was a different experience. Thinking how simple things like handles for help climbing or steps to a slide make a difference. Or even having a swing for a handicapped child.

Its days like yesterday that I remember that Gideon has sotos and has many challenges ahead of him. Maybe its to his benefit that I sometimes forget his disablities and treat him as if he can do everything.

God is good ... all the time

MJ

The mere mention of the word suicide evokes a strong response in me. I try really hard not to overreact when the kids make a "suicide" at the soda fountain or when they jokingly mention killing oneself(they dont do this so much anymore, i react too strongly). Its hard for me to fathom losing anyone else to this horrible tragedy.

Its the club that no one wants to join and those of us in the club wouldnt wish the pain on anyone. When i hear though of someone losing their mother, I react and I feel their pain in a way. Losing my own mother etched that compassion response in me. When I hear of another child losing their mother to suicide as I did 23 yrs ago-- its almost too much to bear. I know that pain so intimately.

Tonite that pain resurfaced as I learned that one of my sons friends is struggling with this very thing. It makes my heart ache for the little boy, that he must struggle thru this. Im storming the gates of heaven for this kid ...

God is still good even amidst trials and tribulations
MJ

Gideon

Gideon is nearly 2 yrs old now(23 months :). Developmentally, some of the behaviors I am seeing (always wanting whatever toy his siblings have, pretending to be the baby by getting in the cradle, etc) are more around the 18 month mark. Thats okay though, so far hes staying roughly around 6 months behind in some areas, caught up in others and still way behind in speech. Thats to be expected though with sotos.

I am seeing some neat things. Its fun to watch him really play with little people or superheroes. He loves putting them into a bus or van and driving them around. One of his most favorite things to do is watch his brothers and dad play an online video game called Guild wars. He really enjoys watching them battle the monsters. His brothers showed him how to shoot bears and lions, so now he comes up to you and says boom. Its rather cute though! Another thing he enjoys is sitting and looking at books. They are a great distractor for when Im getting his braces and stocking on or diaper changes.

Gideon regularly signs please when he wants somthing. It can be a challenge to figure out exactly what he wants. He finds ways to get his point across though even without words. For example, he will bring me a cup and then sign please, meaning he wants a drink please. He also does finished with great regularity. Thats extremely helpful when hes done eating, to know that hes finished and wants to get down. He occasionally has done the signs for more, and hurt. And on the word front, he started saying the actual word,momma this week! He has said very infrequently before, but now is using it on a regular basis. Especially when he wants me to do somthing like open a box of toys or get him a drink. Gideon also will wave bye bye and usually will do that as well for goodnight.

One thing Ive noticed is that if he gets too tired, his behavior is out of whack. He really starts hitting and fighting you. If he gets overtired, we basically have to put him to bed, cause there usually is no getting him to eat or do anything cooperative.

Hes less sensitive to pain it seems. Last week, he bumped his head and didnt even cry. I didnt discover that he had a cut on his head until 20 minutes later! He does tend to hit more frequently and get frustrated easier than the other kids but we are learning to manage that behavior as well.

When he runs, he tilts his head down and leans forward and takes off. Its really cute to watch. I love watching when Josiah gets down on his leval and opens his arms, Gideon will go running right in for a hug.

Hes beginning to learn some detective skills too. He knows when Ezekiel and Zemirah are downstairs or in a room with a door shut. He searches until he finds them and bangs on the door.

All in all hes doing fabulous!

God is good ... all the time
MJ

Goals

Ive made my first goal of cleaning the kitchen every day, pretty much for 3 weeks. Missed a day or two but for the most part, Im calling it a success. I also managed to meet half of my 2nd goal. -- doing 4 or more loads of laundry a day. And on some days, maybe bout 65 percent of the time, Ive met the 2nd half -- actually folding it and getting it put away.

My 3rd goal -- now that Ive started making my 1st goal into more of a habit is to tidy up the whole upstairs(minus my room - the pit of despair -- thats another goal in itself). So now for two days ( a virtual record) Ive managed to have it picked up by lunchtime. This involves the kitchen, living room, upstairs bathroom and the two kids bedrooms. I have the little kids help me pick up and put away the toys and then vacuum the hallway/living room. Then i head to the bathroom. At this point, its only getting a quick wipedown but eventually I want to deep clean that better too.

Then the afternoons are slated for folding the laundry that Ive washed in the morning. By the time the kids get home from school, its usually sitting on the table waiting for them to put it away. Even Gideon is helping put away laundry now. He loves taking his pile of clothes to his room and I help him find the right drawers.

My next set of goals involves cleaning up the downstairs in the afternoons as well. And trying to allot a time to do paperwork/phone calls/planning and the like. Hmm always working on something.

Praising God today!
MJ

Lots of stuff

I often think of blog posts thruout the day as I go about being a wife and a mother. Most of them never seem to make it to the blogosphere -- time, brainpower, energy -- all play a factor in that.

Lately I have been really reflecting on ways to reduce the amount of mess and clutter in the house. As I have said before, cleaning is definitely not my strong suit. In fact, 9 times out of 10, left to my own devices, Ill put cleaning up off to another time. I find once i get going, a momentum propels me forward and I want to do more. Its that initial jump start that is the hardest for me and of course the interuptions that having kids brings(especially a nursing baby)

So with lots of prayer(I mean lots!), I have been embarking on trying to make some better habits that thwart my laid back, proscrastinating nature. Since this has been a lifelong struggle for me, Im starting simple. Simply committing to wiping up after breakfast, sweeping the floor and loading the dishwasher every morning. For those of you cleaners out there, I realize this sounds unbearably simple and easy. For me, though, Im forcing myself to think what would a person born with a "clean gene" do here.

Right now the season of life(having a nursing baby, special needs toddler and two preschoolers home daytime) means Im not putting time limits on my quests right now. I am trying to get the kitchen clean every morning. That gives me 4 hrs between when everyone is gone to school/work and when Andrew comes home for lunch. Im happy to report that I have been sucessful about 90 percent of the time over the last three weeks. It definitely has helped start my momentum.

The next goal that loosely have been working on is washing/sorting/putting away 4 loads of laundry a day. In the past I generally would do several loads of laundry a day but not always getting to the folding or putting away. Side note here, all the kids (even Gideon helps now) put away their own clothes. I just wash it and sort it into baskets or piles. That quite often would lead to a giant pile of clean laundry 6 , 8 or even 10 loads to fold at a time. Ive taken to folding upstairs at the kitchen table. This has done two things to help. The first being that Im on the same leval as the main bathroom, the kitchen and my bedroom -- then as Im folding -- I hang up work clothes or put away towels right away. The 2nd being is Im folding standing up which takes away the option of getting too comfortable and falling asleep. I tend to fold during quiet time/naptime, thus the tendency to be sleepy!

I plan to add in more goals and spruce up current ones(doing them better or faster) as I go along and master the current ones i have.

God is good ... all the time
MJ