A lesson in nationalities

Last week was St. Patrick's Day, so one night during dinner, the discussion of nationalities came up. "Are we Irish, Mom?" We happen to have a variety of nationalities--as most Americans do--and the only thing that I can actually give a number to is that they are 1/8 German, 1/8 Swedish and 1/8 Finnish... but there's a splash of just about everything else, too so I often say "We're mutts" to the kids. On this particuar occasion, we had a friend over during dinner who happened to have more Irish in them--which prompted the discussion. Megan, who has had this conversation before and at 11 years old has a grasp on comprehending all of this, proudly piped up and announced to our guest "I have 7 or 8 people in me!" That explains A LOT!

Pew

Yesterday was a splendid day of baby shopping with my mom for my niece who is almost 1 and for an upcoming baby shower. Grandpa was such a trooper as he agreed to take the older 3 kids. I gave him some cash to take them to the movie and set off with my mom & Parker to the Albertville outlet mall. Parker was an excellent little tag-a-long buddy and was such a trooper. At the last store, he asked for some bubble gum--which was the only thing he asked for all day, so I obliged. Grandma, being a grandma, explained to him how important it was not to swallow his gum, but to spit it into a napkin if he didn't want it anymore. He explained how much he LOVED bubble gum. :) During the 2 hour drive home, Parker began to get a bit restless/squirrely & started chattering away. He found great humor in the fact that he farted, so he announced loudly "I farted!" and giggled uncontrollably. Of course, we had to OVER-react by plugging our noses and saying "PEW! You STINK!" This induced more giggles from Mr. Stinky in the backseat along with another announcement "I farted again!" Grandma jokingly said "Pew! What have you been eating, Mister?" to which Parker promptly responded "Bubble gum"

Spicy!

Parker took a bath at Grandma & Grandpa's house last night. He finished his bath & climbed into his clean jammies. I started to comb his hair & he said, "I want SPICY hair, Mommy." Obviously confused, I repeat "You want SPICY hair?" He shakes his head emphatically "Yes, spicy hair." I start to comb his hair & he states "not like THAT... SPICY like this!" as he brushes his hair into a mohawk. Ahhh... SPIKY hair.

Attitude Check

This morning I sit here in a quiet house with 2 sleeping little boys, a cup of coffee, my Bible and enjoying complete peace. I can't say the morning started out that way, though. I hit snooze twice & finally drug myself out of bed... begrudgingly. I started my morning routine & Owen came stumbling downstairs. As I was brushing my teeth he said "I need to go to the bathroom, can you leave... and shut off the light, too?" I confess, my first thought was "Can a girl finish brushing her teeth? Sheesh!" He had a headache when he went to bed last night & I asked if he still had it as I shut off the light. He nodded & whimpered. As it turns out, he had a 102 fever and horrible headache. Oh great--there goes the few hours of sick time & more vacation time! How inconvenient! I got the girls ready for school, fed & shipped out the door as I called in to work. *exasperated sigh*
I started some coffee and suddenly realized... my house is QUIET. How peaceful! I grabbed a cup of coffee & settled into my favorite rocking chair with my Bible. What a perfect morning, I caught myself thinking. Owen was sleeping on the couch & Parker was still in bed, snoozing away. No tv. No radio. Just quiet. I took a leisurely sip of my coffee & started to read. My devotional today referenced Philippians 4:11-13--"I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content in whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all things through him who gives me strength."
As I sit here reading, I am reminded of how far I've come. I have to ask myself--what am I teaching my children? Am I providing an example of contentment in any & every situation?? My initial attitude this morning certainly didn't set that example, but a gentle whisper through His word reset my attitude. It may not be convenient that I have a sick child, but THANK GOD I have a job that allows me to have sick/vacation time & pay. And, I must confess, this morning was splendid. A cup of coffee in my rocking chair with my super fuzzy blanket & my Bible in a quiet house... priceless. I do want to find contentment in any & all circumstances. Overall, I do pretty well, but there are days when I need to have my attitude reset. What kind of example do I want to set for my children? We certainly don't have the fanciest house, the biggest house, the fanciest car or a life of luxury. I'm raising 4 kids on my own without any child support and very few breaks--usually no more than a couple hours. However, we do have plenty to be thankful for! I have 4 awesome kids that bring a smile to my face every day & often make me laugh out loud with their antics. We have a house that is dry & warm. We have a car the is reliable & gets us to where we need to go. We don't have much, but we have ENOUGH. I have a good job that allows us enough to pay the bills and have "Friday night family movie night" with pizza every Friday night. We have 300 acres to wander & explore that grandma & grandpa so generously share. We live in a place that allows us to have our pets, ride our bikes, hear the peepers on a summer night, and learn about nature. The kids are close to their grandparents & get to see them daily. We aren't going hungry, we aren't cold... we have good friends & family. How lucky are we?! I think we have it pretty darn good!
So, the next time my attitude slips into thinking that "if only we had/could..." or "all I need is...", I will recite Philippians 4:11-12 & remember all the wonderful things listed above. I pray that I instill this in my children, as well...

The Great Debate

How does one find the time to blog? Do I blog or do I just update my facebook & let the idea of blogging go?