Lately I've been so very tired. Our house is a disaster in part because of this and in part because my children freak out when I stand up and try to do something. They all want me to sit around so they can sit on me. And it's been especially hard to be patient with them because I've been so tired. Also, when I'm tired I don't like to find food to eat. That adds to my grouchiness and throws my blood sugar off for the rest of the day. Not a pretty picture.
In this hazy, tired state I was nonetheless compelled yesterday to drag my bum and my 6 children to the store to get "name presents." Oh, my goodness. Taking all the children to the store by myself is always a circus, especially at meal time (which was really the last available choice I had). I lost it right up front when the boys started fighting over who would push the cart. But then something in me changed as I apologized to my son, and it turns out it had nothing to do with me. Whatever it was it made the trip a whole lot better. It was straight from God and it gave me patience despite my grumpiness.
Hyrum was freaking out for a good part of the trip because he was tired from traipsing back and forth through the store. And Jill kept running everywhere, which made him freak out more. I calmly exlained to him time and time again that he didn't need to drag her. Most of the time he just needed to ask nicely for her to put things down and come. She's a good girly even if she has grabby hands from time to time.
I can't even think how many times I must have looked over my little brood and counted them. Toward the end we went and grabbed some apples and then went to find summer sausage. Somewhere in that time I realized that Jill was nowhere to be seen. But hallelujah that somebody found her and took her to the customer service desk - right where we needed to go to buy the boys' boots with their coupons from Shop with a Cop. The nice ladies at the service desk even gave her a balloon - and then they gave the four older boys balloons too.
And then when everything was all checked out I had kiddos running everywhere, and I was trying to hold Jill in the cart (because she was trying to escape and I couldn't have her running around as we went to the parking lot) and drive both carts that I ended up needing. And suddenly there was my friend Colleen. She stopped and offered help. She drove the cart with my three little ones to the car (which meant that Jill stopped trying to escape and sat in the cart wide-eyed, wondering who in the world was driving the cart and why). And Benji threw a fit because Joshua didn't share his money.
I'm telling you, it was a circus, and I honestly see no way that I could have remained patient through it all on my own. I'm thankful to have seen the hand of God in my life yesterday. When He touches my life it makes everything infinitely better. I needed Him and He was there. Because of Him we made it through losing Jill and counless whining moments. We made it home in once piece (or at least in all the pieces we left home in XD), and it was all ok. I'm so thankful.
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Shop with a Cop
Well, it's all over. I went to the store to pick the boys up at 8:00. I did a bit of shopping and came back to the waiting area, and then Joshua met me there at about 8:40. He gave the play-by-play story of his experience, and it was fun to hear him talk. He's so detailed. (Takes after his mommy, I guess)
When we got to the store this morning they had two lines going into Layaway. One was police men and the like and the other was children. At the head of the line they matched kids up with officers, put name tags on the kids, and handed the officers a gift card. Joshua said after I left they took pictures with Santa and then looked around to see what they might like to buy. Then they got in the cars (he was in a police car, and the other boys were with firefighters) and went down the freeway with sirens and horns blaring. Joshua got to turn the siren on and Benji got to honk the horn in the fire truck. They had breakfast and sang a Christmas song or two at our high school and then went back to the store to buy things. After the officer paid for the things they took them to the middle of the store where the local cheerleaders had lots of tables set up. They wrapped all the presents there and then the officers brought the children to their waiting parents.
They came back all smiles, bursting to tell me what they got. :) And three of them insisted on driving their own shopping carts out to the car. They wouldn't hear of me throwing all the presents in one cart. :) In the letter we were told they'd get an "undisclosed amount" to spend, but it was $100 each! They got some good stuff and I'm glad they got to pick. I know they'll like what they get this way. :) Such a big to-do. Such a happy occasion. I'm very thankful our boys got to be a part of it.
Hyrum
Joshua
Benji
Michael
As we took the presents from the shopping cart to the car and from the car to the house we had a few that got rips in their wrapping paper. We ran out of tape, and Michael was kind enough to make me a shopping list so I'd remember to get more. He thought of it and did it all on his own. As you can see he even drew a picture of tape so I'd be sure to know. Ah! Melts my heart!
Cedar City
I love this place we live in, even if it is snowy and the HOA hasn't cleared the parking spaces. I love this city. I love going out every morning and seeing the mountains right there. (Coincidentally, that's one thing I loved about Globe too.) I don't know what it is about mountains, but I love them.
Just a few minutes ago I dropped the boys off at Walmart to shop with a cop. I really want to know who it was that nominated Michael for that. I'm so thankful to whoever that was and to the company that is doing this for letting the other boys join in too. They have been so excited. They've been making plans in their little heads for weeks. It was fun to watch their faces as they were paired up with their cops (or firemen). I heard Benji's partner say, "We're going to go for a ride in a fire truck. Won't that be cool?" And they get to do it with sirens blaring and lights going - in the dark because the sun isn't up yet. But first they had to go see Santa. They'll be fed breakfast and they'll get to pick their own presents. I just feel so thankful. I couldn't hold back the tears as I walked away from dropping them off. It's such a smiley affair. Everyone was so happy. I wish I could watch them, but we're not allowed. I should have planted a camera in the officer's shirt pocket. ;) I will pick them up in about an hour and fifteen minutes. And all their presents will be bought. :D How's that for skipping Christmas shopping? We are so blessed.
Another thing I like about Cedar City is that they clearly and proudly support our military. The Utah National Guard has a division here in Cedar City (222nd Field Artillery Batallion), and shops all around have signs in their windows with well wishes for them. The soldiers have been serving in Iraq and have been slowly coming home. The last of them will be home for Christmas. I think it's neat how they are sent off and welcomed home as heroes and supported throughout their service. Everywhere around town there are "Welcome Home Triple Deuce" signs. It's awesome.
Oh, my goodness, I can hear them! There are emergency vehicles streaming down the freeway near our house with sirens blaring. I went outside to listen and saw the lunar eclipse almost complete as well. I'm bawling again. It's just so neat. Just imagine what excitement my boys must be feeling! I wish I could see their faces!
Just a few minutes ago I dropped the boys off at Walmart to shop with a cop. I really want to know who it was that nominated Michael for that. I'm so thankful to whoever that was and to the company that is doing this for letting the other boys join in too. They have been so excited. They've been making plans in their little heads for weeks. It was fun to watch their faces as they were paired up with their cops (or firemen). I heard Benji's partner say, "We're going to go for a ride in a fire truck. Won't that be cool?" And they get to do it with sirens blaring and lights going - in the dark because the sun isn't up yet. But first they had to go see Santa. They'll be fed breakfast and they'll get to pick their own presents. I just feel so thankful. I couldn't hold back the tears as I walked away from dropping them off. It's such a smiley affair. Everyone was so happy. I wish I could watch them, but we're not allowed. I should have planted a camera in the officer's shirt pocket. ;) I will pick them up in about an hour and fifteen minutes. And all their presents will be bought. :D How's that for skipping Christmas shopping? We are so blessed.
Another thing I like about Cedar City is that they clearly and proudly support our military. The Utah National Guard has a division here in Cedar City (222nd Field Artillery Batallion), and shops all around have signs in their windows with well wishes for them. The soldiers have been serving in Iraq and have been slowly coming home. The last of them will be home for Christmas. I think it's neat how they are sent off and welcomed home as heroes and supported throughout their service. Everywhere around town there are "Welcome Home Triple Deuce" signs. It's awesome.
Oh, my goodness, I can hear them! There are emergency vehicles streaming down the freeway near our house with sirens blaring. I went outside to listen and saw the lunar eclipse almost complete as well. I'm bawling again. It's just so neat. Just imagine what excitement my boys must be feeling! I wish I could see their faces!
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Working
For the last few days I've been trying to finish book 3 of blog posts and weekly letters to family. I've been up to my eyeballs in words. I've been slowly slogging my way through post after post - copying, pasting, reformating. And now that I've finished that part I get to edit the thing - very nearly 400 8 1/2 X 11 pages. Yawn. It makes me drowsy just thinking about it.
On the other hand, this is a joyful work I'm about. I get to read through a chunk of our family's history, chock-full of minute details about our life together. I have written about the ups and downs, the laughter and crying. It's such a treasure. I'm thankful to have a husband who supports and encourages this ambition and who will sit and read my books. They are long.
It started snowing last night. I heard the weather man say on Tuesday, "Get your errands done tomorrow because you won't want to do them on Thursday." He was right! If we were living in Globe and it snowed this much there is no way they'd even have school. The busses can't get up and down those crazy hills in snow like this. But life here goes on. The snowplow runs. Snow throwers are pulled out of storage and put to work. And, boy, do I wish I'd already invested in a snow shovel. I thought it was funny going outside this morning. The snow made our van look very square on top. The snow had filled a 10 gallon bucket I have sitting out there. I still wonder what people here who mop the old-fashioned way (ahem - me!) do with their wet mops in the winter. Snow was piled up level with the step outside our back gate so that you couldn't tell there was a step. And I think there's enough snow on the tarp covering the bikes that it ought to hold the tarp down on the bikes for a bit. XD (We have problems getting it to stay when it's windy.)
Yesterday at his lunch hour Jeremy brought home a beautiful, bushy, fresh-cut piñon pine tree (which people around here call pinion pine). We decorated it last night. It's about 6 feet tall and our star will not stay straight, but it's beautiful and it makes our house smell heavenly! I'm so happy to have it.
Last night I was working hard trying to get Joshua to get his math done, and Jill was in need of attention. She kept grabbing ornament after ornament off the tree, piling them up and handing them to me. She also kept grabbing the ends of the garlands and yanking. I felt like this may be a long few weeks with this tree! I hope it's a lovely few weeks. I just need to be sure to hold the girly before she demands it just when my hands are full, right?
In other news, one thing I really love about Jeremy is that sometimes when he comes home all sweaty from the gym he'll say, "I did arms today," and then have me feel his bulging biceps. :)
On the other hand, this is a joyful work I'm about. I get to read through a chunk of our family's history, chock-full of minute details about our life together. I have written about the ups and downs, the laughter and crying. It's such a treasure. I'm thankful to have a husband who supports and encourages this ambition and who will sit and read my books. They are long.
It started snowing last night. I heard the weather man say on Tuesday, "Get your errands done tomorrow because you won't want to do them on Thursday." He was right! If we were living in Globe and it snowed this much there is no way they'd even have school. The busses can't get up and down those crazy hills in snow like this. But life here goes on. The snowplow runs. Snow throwers are pulled out of storage and put to work. And, boy, do I wish I'd already invested in a snow shovel. I thought it was funny going outside this morning. The snow made our van look very square on top. The snow had filled a 10 gallon bucket I have sitting out there. I still wonder what people here who mop the old-fashioned way (ahem - me!) do with their wet mops in the winter. Snow was piled up level with the step outside our back gate so that you couldn't tell there was a step. And I think there's enough snow on the tarp covering the bikes that it ought to hold the tarp down on the bikes for a bit. XD (We have problems getting it to stay when it's windy.)
Yesterday at his lunch hour Jeremy brought home a beautiful, bushy, fresh-cut piñon pine tree (which people around here call pinion pine). We decorated it last night. It's about 6 feet tall and our star will not stay straight, but it's beautiful and it makes our house smell heavenly! I'm so happy to have it.
Last night I was working hard trying to get Joshua to get his math done, and Jill was in need of attention. She kept grabbing ornament after ornament off the tree, piling them up and handing them to me. She also kept grabbing the ends of the garlands and yanking. I felt like this may be a long few weeks with this tree! I hope it's a lovely few weeks. I just need to be sure to hold the girly before she demands it just when my hands are full, right?
In other news, one thing I really love about Jeremy is that sometimes when he comes home all sweaty from the gym he'll say, "I did arms today," and then have me feel his bulging biceps. :)
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