Holy Week Crunch

Just a few more days before Easter.  Am I really ready?  No, not at all.  I have somethings for baskets, but I am missing a few essentials.  I also need to gather more supplies for the Easter egg hunt at my mothers.  Let's face it, everyone likes to do it , but none wants to be in charge and set it up.

We had a baby shower for Abby's teacher today.  Abby and I made cupcakes.  They were really cute.  They each looked like they had a little baby wrapped in a blanket on it.  Mitch even helped.  It was the first time in a long time that I made cupcakes from scratch.  I just felt it would be quicker than running to the store. 

I did shopping today and managed to come through unscathed.   All four children behaved.  It was a minor Easter miracle.  I got everything except the fruit for Sunday for Granny's house.  Nothing lookded that good.  I also am missing vanilla cook-n-serve pudding for the lemonaide merigue pie.  The store was completely out!  I did well though.  I spent $75.   and saved $52.  I aslo have three coupons for a free gallon of milk!  And we are set for another two weeks.

I am torn about what to do tomorrow.  Abby goes to a Catholic school.  I don't feel that there is any need for her to attend school on Holy Thursday.  There is much to be done at home and naps need to be taken in order for all to attend Mass tomorrow evening.  Abby says she wants to go so she can go to confession with Father Tim.  That is noble, but we can do confessions this evening.  Chrst spent this day in prayer and service.  Should we not do the same? 

Second Chances

As Lent is coming to an end I am starting to really pick apart my lenten efforts.    In case you forgot I gave up raising my voice and added giving more compliments.  I think that I have done all right with the compliments.  I have done horribly with the not raising my voice.  There have been a handful of good days. 

As a family we have all our penances posted on the front door around a cardboard cross.  Each night after prayers we talk about what we did and place stickers on the cross if we were successful.  I have not put very many stickers on at all.  As a matter of fact, Lily is quite good at pointing out that I have lost my sticker for the day.  I feel a little defeated by this penance.  I like to think that if I set my mind to it I can accomplish anything with the Grace of God.  Perhaps forty days is not long enough for this. 

I try not to be too hard on myself.  Afterall, even Jesus raised his voice in his Father's house. Today I am grateful for the second, third and fourth chances that each new day brings.  Thank God for that!

There is No place like Home

 Today and all weekend I have been thankful for HOME.  I can remember a time (B.C.-before children) when Saturday or the evening came that Mitch and I would hunt for things to do.  We would go out for dinner, go to the movies, picnic in the park or get together with friends.  I was a doer and not a home body. 

These days I find my soul yearning to be home.  I have noticed that when we have mornings that we don't have to go anywhere that we are lazy and just hang out together.  I enjoy being home.  It seems less stressed and more comfortable.  Those times at home I value the most. 

When the two year-old climbs in bed with you first thing in the morning and says, "you're my best friend ever Mom."

When the children snitch sausage off each other's plates.

When my husband gets up and leaves the room and I hear, "Let your mother sleep".

One of my favorites is being able to trim everyones nails and then they each get appointment at the "nail" salon to paint them.

Thank God for giving me the heart and mind to recognize the joy my family and home brings.

Phone a Friend

Today was one of those Friday's that sort of sucks you in, chews you up, and spits you out! 

While the children behaved fairly well in Mass the day progressed badly form there.  My students in Art were less than enthusiastic and prepared for class.  I am well aware that not everyone is good at art.  I am also aware that the beauty of the subject of art is that there are so many different aspects to it.  Not everyone will like them all.(actually very few if any ever will)   However, I believe that everyone will like and enjoy some areas if they are "cool" enough to apply themselves. 

Attitude is everything and unfortunately it is contagious.  So one students bad attitude spread to others, spread to me, and spread to the other classes.  It was not good and very little was accomplished.  On the up side I had lots of company during recess!

Now it is not all the students fault.  It is a beautiful day out and they knew it.  to say that Spring fever has set in would be an under statement.  The students were also watching a movie this afternoon.  Price of admission was an item for the Children's Hospital.  Good cause, but disruptive to work getting done.

By the time I left school the little ones were not listening with out serious corner time being served.  There were no special lunch treats, and I was lucky to have any hair left on my head.  So today I am thankful for cell phones and the ability to phone a friend.  I chose my best one, my husband.  I just told him how it was and by the end of the conversation I was calm and feeling better.

Here's to a new day tomorrow that will not necessitate a "phone-a-friend" and supermom, just being Super.

Long time no Post

Well it does feel like it has been a long time since I have posted.   I will say this, there have been a few days where I have not been motivated even to turn on the computer. 

Last Friday we went no where, quite literally.  I was on time loading everyone in the car to pick up my niece and nephew and go teach.  When I went to turn the key, nothing.  Absolutely nothing.  I mean that you could not even turn the key.  I tried everything I could think of.  I then called my husband and he instructed me to do everything I already tried.  My father-in-law came over and tried the things I all ready tried.  And just for good measure so did my brother-in-law.  Nothing like a party in the driveway first thing in the morning.  We decided that there was no way that I was going to get to school or my sisters and made the appropriate phone calls.  I called a locksmith who said his was a common problem with my type of vehicle and he could fix it, not until after nine.

I would just like to point out the Max was happy to play in the puddle in the middle of the parking lot while all the adults tried fruitlessly to fix the car.  He was soaked right down to his underwear (and it wasn't from an accident).      I simply changed his cloths when he was finished and made hot chocolate while we waited for the locksmith. 

I enjoyed my day off.  The children enjoyed staying home as well.  They love having time to play with their own toys.  We had several rousing rounds of Candyland followed by a few of Connect Four. 

I am also happy to report that the village board gave approval for the race.  I am so excited and overwhelmed with all that is left to be done.  October will come fast.

Trials of Potty Training

Why couldn't God create us with an automatic potty training at about 18 months?  One day we would all just wake up and ask for underwear and never have an accident again.  I bet in reality he created this particular struggle to teach parents patients and give us a sort of mortification to shorten our time in purgatory later.  By this  module any one who has more than a few children should spend very little time on their way to the pearly gates.

Max has kind of leveled off at one to two accidents a day.  He simple refuses to use a public toilet, because of the split in the seat.  So he will simple hold it until he has an accident.  He also has to be up for about one hour before he will try the bathroom. 

There is hope though.  Every day he tells me a little more often that he needs to go.  He also is a little bit drier upon waking in the morning.  He is always dry after his nap.  The key to potty training is persistence.  Once you start keep working at it until one day no accidents!  I believe we will get there.  It may take a long time, but we will make it!

Power of Prayer

Let me tell you how the meeting went. I sat down with the police chief, the village engineer and one other public works official. They were all very nice and said that they wanted to work with me to get this race done. They actually said that the board came to them and said, "find a way to make it work". I was so shocked that I nearly fell off my chair.

Now this is a dramatic difference from the list of reasons to deny the permit from the race. I can only attribute the change to the power of prayer. I know that the Knights of Columbus were praying and I certainly was. We talked to a lot of people about the event, focusing on many business owners in the area. Through prayer I believe we were strengthened for our task. I am so excited that I hardly know what to do next.

I still have a board meeting to get through on Monday, but I am optimistic that we are making good progress. Thank God people were praying. Did you know that the greatest power of Supermom was the power of Prayer?

Family

I am not sure what I should be thankful for. So far today has been a struggle. I have the meeting with the Chief at one and I still do not have a sitter for the children. I called my sister and left a message last night, but she hasn't called me back. This is a little disappointing. I would like to think that family will be there for you when you need them. Some of them are and it is always the same ones. Then you feel guilty for always counting on them.

Aside from all that the children are particularly needy today, and I am utterly unmotivated to help them. I feel a little like I am drowning. Can I just go back to bed and try to do the whole morning over?

I will just keep praying and make more .....Hold the press, I just got a text from my sister and she will take the children! Thank you, Thank you , Thank you!

I must say that right now I am very thankful for family to help. Maybe I can drop the whiny children off now? I better not push my luck.

The Little things

This morning it has been all about the little things. My heart has been greatly warmed by many through out the morning and it isn't even lunch yet.

Let me just update you on the race Saturday. I ran with 2000 other runners a five mile course. One of the runners was my brother. I am happy to say that I did all right. I came in 527 overall, 17/138 in age division, 113/923 out of all females, my time 40:44 at a pace of 8:09 per mile. I was hoping to come in under 40 minute, but I was only two minutes behind my brother. I am satisfied. I however am still not feeling well. This is starting to really drag on and it is starting to be concerning. I don't like the way I feel down to the bone achy.

Let's not dwell though. The little things that have lifted me up started with the two littlest sleeping in until 7:50 this morning. Once I was sure they were still breathing I enjoyed being able to prepare for a day without interruption. We still managed to get out the door on time.

I had a phone call from the Police Chief about my race. (All weekend I got signatures and talked to people about it, maybe he heard from one of them.) He wanted to set up a meeting tomorrow to discuss the event and some further details. This is good. It means that I am being taken seriously, and that they are willing to work with me. Tonight I will pray extra hard for a fruitful meeting.

Just a little while ago my two year old brought over the toy stethoscope and asked if he could listen to my belly button. He lifted my shirt and placed the end on my tummy and said softly, "bum, bum, bum-bum". His look was so serious and he was concentrating so hard. It was awfully sweet.

So for today, Here's to the little things. Those moments that often seem trivial and go unnoticed, or we miss because we are reaching for our camera. May all those little things that make up our lives be cherished, noticed and celebrated. Those are the things that really make you feel "super" after all.

My Husband

Today I am thankful for my husband. Last night he had to work late. Thursday nights I have to work double time to get everything done and I was not pleased to be left two hands short. There was a pile of things to get ready for Art class and First Friday, not to mention I needed to pack for my race( I am leaving as soon as I get home tonight to drive two hours for the race tomorrow).

However, when he did get home he wanted to know what he could do to help. I sometimes find it hard to delegate. I feel that things do not get done right or fast enough. I spent some time trying to make a St. Patty's day centerpiece. Anything I did my hubby said looked okay. Men , most men, don't have any sense of style. I found it hard to believe that he was right. We got everything done and hit the bed about 10. Not bad. I actually felt like I was forgetting something since it was so early.

Max woke up and would not settle back down. He wanted to brush his teeth, but would just hold the brush and cry. I would try to take it away so we could go back to sleep, he just cried harder. I was about to lose my mind and the hubby got up and took him in the livingroom. Max even willing handed over the toothbrush for him. If I hadn't been so tired I might have been offended.

And this morning while I was in the shower I had an idea to add the finishing touch to the centerpiece. I threw on clothes and set to trying it. It was just what it needed. I set my hubby and Abigail to finishing it while I dried my hair. He even got Max up and dressed and we were out the door 10 minutes ahead of schedule! Amazing.

The centerpieces were cute little glitter pots with oreo and marshmellow flowers, with tissue paper leaves and bead gravel. They got several compliments, didn't cost much and the children enjoyed eating them. I never would have gotten it all done with out my hubby! For him I am truly blessed.

Behind every Supermom is a Superdad holding her up.

DVD's

I am thankful for DVD's. They are a modern day convience that when abused will warp all willing minds. However, on a day like today they are a Godsend. I am fighting off something and I find that I get tired very easily and I am weak. I am bound and determined not to get sick. I simply do not have the time.

Having said that Dvds can be the answer to what every mother needs, when the world (and germs) beat her down. Today, I spent the morning making phone calls about the race to drum up support. Mostly successful! I made a few chocolate calls. Worked on laundry and Baked pound cake from scratch. I took the children outside. Okay so we were only out side for 15 minutes, but the snow melting made things wet and muddy in spots. We came back in for lunch and the children asked to watch a movie. I am happy to say that I would love to let them do so. However, the movie will provide ample motivation for them to clean up the livingroom they loaded with toys while I was making phone calls.

God willing the room will get picked up, children pottied, and I will get to sit for a bit. Maybe I will even close my eyes, even if just for a moment.

Every Supermom needs a little nap to get her through the day!

Need to be possitive

It has occurred to me that all to often my posts are complaining. I need to be more positive. I am going to add this to my lenten penances. Perhaps I should chose one thing to be thankful for each day.

Today, I am thankful for the gift of my children. I would be lazy and uninspired without them. They keep me going and they certainly make me laugh.

Dreams

B. C. (before children) I had a lot of dreams. Some just scary, some happy, and some were reoccurring. About the time I started having children the dreams came much fewer and far between. Now it is rather rare that I dream and remember them when I wake up.

Last night I had a dream that I wish I hadn't. I dreamed that my four-year-old Lily died. She had been playing in the school ground with some other children and had fallen down a hill. She landed just right that it killed her instantly. In my dream I was devastated. I saw my self trying to plan a funeral and trying to go on living. It seemed impossible to do. I woke up, went to the bathroom and checked on the children only to return to my bed and the horrific vision of my dream.

Lily came in my bed this morning and I held her so tight she actually told me it was too tight. Why are the good dreams so hard to remember and the bad are so easily recalled. This dream is still in the back of my mind waiting for me to close my eyes agian. I think I have to learn to dream as Supermom.

I will not leave it here. I am going to lift you back up. I am trying to embrace the coupons as a way to save more money. Today I shopped for the week and spent $ 78.00 for all five of us. I saved $40.65 using coupons and my key card. That is improved over last weeks $65.00 and $20 saved. Perhaps I am only Supermom in the Supermaket.