Volleyball

I have to admit I haven't played volleyball in years...since high school. Not on a team, mind you, so don't think that I'm just slipping back into something that I've known how to do. I simply played for fun with friends and family occasionally. I've had the opportunity this week to play with some people from my church and it is a BLAST! I'm no good (of course) but it's fun to be with people that don't care. I serve underhand (hopefully one of these days I'll have enough practice doing overhand serves that I'll attempt it, but I just don't want to make a fool of myself), I hit some of the "spikes" into the net (let's me honest, it's more of a tap than a spike anyway) and I don't know all the jargon, but it is fun. Thanks to everyone who is bearing with me as I get back into the swing of things, and hopefully even improve on that.

Mommy!

I have to admit that some days, being a mother is the MOST DIGUSTING JOB OUT THERE!!!!! I'm going to vent about my latest potty-training mishap. I had let me three little ones outside for a few minutes so that I could relax and take a breather for a few minutes before I dived into cleaning the house for Thanksgiving. I had just picked up a book, gotten less than a page read when, "MOMMY!!!! My sister took off her diaper again". Here we go again, I thought. But this time, things got worse. The pants and diaper were in fact off, the grossness all down her legs. But what was that on her hands? My goodness, yes! She had somehow managed to get it on her hands as well. Super! Well, I needed to get the diaper and pants quickly and I told her not to move. (Stupid me, I know). So I ran to get the missing clothing and when I turned around, wait a minute? What's that on her face? Honestly, had she just wiped it on her mouth and nose? I sprinted to get her in the shower before it could make it anywhere else. But on the way up there stairs, there went the hands to the face and nose again trying to get the icky smell away. I whisked her into the shower where she put her hands all over the walls. Could this experience be any more gross? Oh yes, I got her all cleaned up, only to find we'd left some presents for ourselves on the way up the stairs. Truly I hope and pray that this nightmare of potty-training will end soon. When will the light click on for my girls and they will do everything they need to do IN THE POTTY instead of EVERYWHERE ELSE?!?!?!

Gratitude

I have to admit with Thanksgiving coming up, I am finding myself grateful for so many things. I've tried to encourage my four year-old to include things he doesn't regularly offer thanks for in his prayers. He thanked God for the ceiling and the floors one night and when he was done praying, I asked him why he was grateful and he said, "I'm grateful for the ceilings because they keep the rain off us. And I'm grateful for the floors because they keep us from falling downstairs into the rooms below." Obvious reasons that they are good, but I was so happy to realize that he wasn't just naming things off that he saw, but that he really thought about why he was grateful for these things. I hope that I may be more child-like in my approach to gratitude and see the gift in everything around me, especially those things that I may tend to take for granted.

Anniversaries

I have to admit I am so proud of my parents. They just celebrated 37 years of marriage a couple of days ago. They have 11 children, 7 children in-law and (almost) 25 grandchildren to show for it. Though Dad has always had a good job, they have never been "wealthy", mostly due to the number of children they chose to bring into the world. My adoring Mom stayed home with all 11 of us--no small feat I'm finding with my own 3. Daily I wonder "how did she do this X 3 1/2?" I know that alot of love and effort went into their parenting, but I'm also realizing as the years go by in my own marriage (I can't believe it will be 10 years in a couple of months since we got married!) that putting all that effort into your children is not enough. To truly have a successful family, you have to put just that much effort or more into your spouse, DAILY! This is so difficult, especially in today's world. Even when you can keep yourself from buying into the worldly ideas of success, it's so difficult to put as much blood, sweat and tears into family as my parents have and always will put into ours. What a tremendous blessing to have such parents. So to Mom and Dad (if you even read this blog) here's my anniversary wish for you: may each year you continue to nurture our family and each other bring as much happiness into each of your lives as you have brought into mine. I love you both so much!

Voting

I have to admit, I went and voted at 6:30 this morning. I didn't know when my husband was going to be home from work this evening, so it seemed only smart to get that done quickly and check it off my "to do" list. I'm so grateful to live in a country where I can have a say. I was trying to explain to my 4 year-old this morning how important it is for us to be able to be a part of choosing what our laws are and who our leaders are. What a responsibility and what a privilege. Sometimes I know I totally take it for granted that I can wear what I want to wear, marry who I want to marry, worship Who I want to worship, and really be who I want to be. Too many people in the world can't say that. And what's more, I look around at how well off I am, just because I live in America, and I'm grateful. I hope that I never lose sight of all the blessings I have because of where I was born.