Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Late Night Sickness

So why is it that just about every time a child gets sick it is at night? It's usually right before bed, and right when you need sleep the most. That is the time it hits. It has not been a good week in our home for sleeping or being well.

On Thursday last week, Samuel decided to break in his car seat in a way that hasn't been done yet. He threw up all in it. It was horrible. Not only did I feel bad for him, but it took a lot to get his seat cleaned. I got him up to the apartment, cleaned up, and put to bed. While he was okay and sleeping, I went down to clean the seat. As soon as I got it cleaned and upstairs, he was sick again all over his crib. That afternoon into the night he went through 7 outfits or PJs, and I went through 3 shirts and 2 bras. Thank goodness I had just bought a few new sports bras. Lucky for me, he finally calmed down and fell asleep for the last time at 9:30. After that he was back to good 'ol Samuel. Nothing else seemed to be wrong.

Tonight I was gone for about an hour setting up for my MOPS meeting tomorrow. I noticed when I pulled up to our place that the bathroom light was on. That is usually odd because the bathroom that faces the parking lot the kids use. We don't usually use it much. I get upstairs and my husband says, "Ohh just in time." I didn't realize what he was talking about until I walked in. Genevieve had just got sick and it was all over the bathroom floor. Yea me! That has been about 2 1/2 hours now, and although she is resting right now beside me on the sofa, she has been up several times to get sick. Change that, she just got back again from the bathroom.

While I don't mind being up with the kids when they are sick, it does make for a really long night, and an even longer next day. See the other one isn't up all night and will not want to sleep late like us. He will be up bright and early at 7 calling for Momma and his Pop Pop. I just can hope that he won't mind lounging on the sofa with his sister and I to watch cartoons or a movie.

Needless to say this is one part of the Momma job I hate. Until recently I hadn't been getting a lot of sleep. Samuel was up a lot, and I still woken up at least once a night. I hadn't had a full nights sleep since he was born. However, it seems like recently (maybe like for a couple of months) he has been sleeping all night. Nine out of ten nights I am not needed once the kids go to bed at their bedtimes. They go to sleep, I hang out with my husband for a couple of hours, we go to bed, and then we all wake up. It has been a great change. It is one I got use to very quickly. Now when I have to be up with the kids, it makes it ten times harder.

It's late now, and I just am going to go on and on about crazy things now. I will just end while I'm ahead (Genevieve laying next to me on the sofa asleep), and try and get some rest too. Sleep tight blogger world :)

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Right Place, Right Time

If you have been reading my lack of blogging for very long, you know that I feel that I usually end up where I need to be when I need to be there. We have always felt blessed with our duty stations (even if the job wasn't the best) for one reason or another. Even when being there deals us a blow or two, we have always trusted that God knows what he is doing, and we can handle it with his help.

I didn't come across this attitude on my own. My parents always felt this way when I was younger. My Dad decided to go back to school in the early 90s. He felt like he was being called into the ministry. So we moved from our home in Kansas, and moved to Texas. After that, my parents always said they trusted that God would put them in the right place. It really did work out to be that way. We were always in the right place for the time we were there. So by first hand experience, I too believe the same thing.

Needless to say, today was one of those days. It wasn't a move, but it was simply being put into a place to hear a few things I needed to hear. That's right, I went to church :p Church has been a touchy subject for us here. We usually find a church home wherever we are. However, since we have moved here, we have not. We have tried a couple, and they were just not a good fit for us. It's not like we can just go to any church due to the language issues. The churches we have tried so far have not been for us. That's pretty much the long and short of it.

Today we finally made the leap to try out the last church on our list. I am not sure why today was the day. I mean we have been here for almost a year and a half. Why today? Well I will tell you. Because God had a message I needed to hear today. I thought it was funny that when I showed up and looked at the hymns we were singing that my Grams' favorite song was on the list. It makes my heart happy when I hear her song. So I was already in a good mood and ready to listen a little more than before I showed up.

The message was one I'm very familiar with. I'm sure you are too. It was on the story of the Prodigal Son. I have heard this story so many times. I can tell you what the story is, and I can break it down for you too. However, today it was broken down in a way I haven't thought about before. The pastor really wanted us to look at the story from the point of view of the 3 main characters. Then he asked us to think how we could identify with them. I think it is easy to identify with the youngest son. I have been in places in my life where I have done things I'm not real proud of. I have been a person that I don't like. I have sinned and lived a life how I wanted even though it wasn't pleasing to God. I felt what it was like to hit the bottom. I felt what it was like to have to come back to the Father and ask him to forgive me. I felt the joy when I realized that no matter what I had done, God loved me anyway.

The part that really took me by surprise is when he asked us to look at and identify with the oldest son. Now I hadn't really thought about the oldest son much before now. I really didn't give him much thought. The pastor told us to think about if there was a time in our life where we had everything together on the outside. We have done everything we were asked of and done everything that we should. We have stood by our father and helped him no matter what the cost. Then all of a sudden your younger brother comes home, and all you have is resentment and anger inside you. Here you have done everything, and your brother shamed your family. He comes home, and now he gets a party. How do you deal with that?

Well I will tell you that I haven't been dealing with that well. I have carried some resentment in my life for a long time. There has been an ongoing situation in my life that I just could not let go. I would get angry just by the slightest mention of the situation. Now I see the story from a whole new light. I can really relate with this older brother. I know exactly how he felt. I tell you what...It sucks!

Then the pastor went on to say that we can change those feelings with remembering the grace we get. The father in the story told the oldest All that I have is yours. His work and loyalty were not taken away from him. His father was just happy to have his son back the same way God was happy to have me back even after all I had done.

So I have learned today that I need to let go of the resentment in my life. I need to remember that I once was the youngest son (and sometimes I still can be). I need to remember that while being in the shoes of the older brother too, that I am really thankful to have a Father who loves me unconditionally.

Thank you God for such amazing moments in my life!

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Light at the End of the Tunnel

Recently I have been thinking about the possibility of more kids. I won't ever tell you that I don't love little babies. I absolutely do. Little babies are my weakness. I love the cuddly little babies that just cuddle up to you. It's an amazing thing. My husband made the mistake of saying to me, "You know, if we had a little more money I'd love to have another baby. I miss having a little one around." *insert big eyes here* What?! I was always 100% sure he was done.

However, just like at the beginning, we are split on this. Before we decided to have Genevieve we'd switch off on who had baby fever. First he would and I couldn't even think about it. Then I'd wear down and really love the idea, he wouldn't want kids. It took us almost 4 years of marriage to be on the same page. We always knew Samuel would come quickly after, but never really planned on any more. I always liked the idea of more kids, but just like at the start, I have not worn down, and I feel like our family is complete.

A couple of days ago, we were able to eat lunch alone. I told him I was really surprised that he was feeling like he wanted to add to our little family of four. He said he had just thought about it from time to time. I explained to him that right now I see the light at the end of the tunnel. I can almost reach out and feel the warmth. I'm right there. It seems like the last step is to get Samuel potty trained. It would seem like then that the baby days would be over. I then told my husband that I wasn't so happy to jump back to the end of the tunnel and start over with the up all night, solids, sippy cups, etc.

I guess I could be talked into it eventually if he were serious. I do love those little ones so much to over look all that junk that goes with them. However, I'm looking so much to the future. I am ready for the next stage of our lives. I'm ready to move on with having young children at home and not babies. I'm ready for the days when we can travel without pack n plays, diaper bags, strollers, etc. I am ready to go have fun with my kids and do things that are harder to do with babies. I find this very selfish, and I'm not sure if I even care. I'm ready to move on to a new phase of life, and I'm looking forward to it.

So I will resort to holding other people's babies, and see where that gets me. Maybe I need to have a few over for my husband to hold too.