My spirit is low. Son's AD/HD-related anger scares me in my own home. God, hear my prayer! Heal at least the anger, if nothing else!
When a problem has no solution......gratitude must prevail all the more. I am thankful for....
- snow, beautiful snow, clothing lifeless, dormant trees.....reminding me of God's provision
- grace to move forward, doing the next thing, when all I really want to do is cry
- chocolate chips
- washer, dryer, dishwasher....it could be so much harder without those blessings
- a Veggie Tale movie from the library, enabling me to take this short anti-insanity break
- books, which keep my affected son calm and quiet for two to three hours a day (he devours them!)
- soft baby skin to kiss
- more to add later....toddler is now awake
Thursday, January 20, 2011
some gratitude to fight fear
Tough days here with the special needs. So hard not to worry that my son will end up on disability, unable to work because of OCD rituals, or that his AD/HD-related anger will someday send him to prison. AD/HD is very common among prison inmates.
I suppose because of natural maturing, Peter tells me he sometimes doubts that Jesus exists, and wonders if there really is eternal life. I know him to have a strong relationship with God--one that doesn't merely ride on the coattails of my God-relationship. I tell him this doubting is normal, and that he should pray, "God, I believe. Help me with my unbelief!"
Although I think it's normal, especially in a boy of nine, to question spiritual things, it's hard not to add it to my worries. Will he always love God? Will he choose to spend time with Him, seeking a deeper relationship?
Time to count blessings to help relieve my fears:
- Shepherd's pie
- homemade cranberry sauce
- homemade applesauce
- laundry caught up
- cuddling in the rocker/recliner for lap stories with my girls during the day
- couch picture-book stories with all four at night, before the girls go down
- chapter books at night with my boys, after girls are asleep (Enjoying Stuart Little, by E. B. White)
- my Peter's insatiable desire for reading (There aren't enough books published for his age group! I hate weird sorcery/magic-themed books. There are a lot of those to choose from)
- enduring love for husband
- toddler nursing, for so many reasons. The hormones released sure calm my spirit, and hers.
- my two-year-old's independent, helpful nature (aren't they all helpful at two? So cute :)
- Beth stripping her clothes off and putting herself on the potty. She wants so much to be like big sister. Since there are no babies around to be jealous of (this time around), I just might get lucky in the potty department.
I suppose because of natural maturing, Peter tells me he sometimes doubts that Jesus exists, and wonders if there really is eternal life. I know him to have a strong relationship with God--one that doesn't merely ride on the coattails of my God-relationship. I tell him this doubting is normal, and that he should pray, "God, I believe. Help me with my unbelief!"
Although I think it's normal, especially in a boy of nine, to question spiritual things, it's hard not to add it to my worries. Will he always love God? Will he choose to spend time with Him, seeking a deeper relationship?
Time to count blessings to help relieve my fears:
- Shepherd's pie
- homemade cranberry sauce
- homemade applesauce
- laundry caught up
- cuddling in the rocker/recliner for lap stories with my girls during the day
- couch picture-book stories with all four at night, before the girls go down
- chapter books at night with my boys, after girls are asleep (Enjoying Stuart Little, by E. B. White)
- my Peter's insatiable desire for reading (There aren't enough books published for his age group! I hate weird sorcery/magic-themed books. There are a lot of those to choose from)
- enduring love for husband
- toddler nursing, for so many reasons. The hormones released sure calm my spirit, and hers.
- my two-year-old's independent, helpful nature (aren't they all helpful at two? So cute :)
- Beth stripping her clothes off and putting herself on the potty. She wants so much to be like big sister. Since there are no babies around to be jealous of (this time around), I just might get lucky in the potty department.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
post referrals
The Simple Homeschool Blog has been doing a series of "day in the life" posts. I haven't had time to read most of them, but tonight I caught this one, written by a mom of six--ages 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 13. She did a great job on the article, so I visited her personal blog and found this great post about that end-of-my-rope feeling we get when the kids are constantly underfoot. She shares her feelings with her husband, and he gently reminds her of what's most important right now. Very good post most moms can identify with!
How these busy moms find time to maintain a well-trafficked blog--she also maintains a food blog and writes for profit--is beyond me! I'm far from putting any real thought into my posts, which are mostly knee-jerk reactions to my days. Anyhow, she seems to have plenty of honest, down-to-earth wisdom to share. Enjoy!
How these busy moms find time to maintain a well-trafficked blog--she also maintains a food blog and writes for profit--is beyond me! I'm far from putting any real thought into my posts, which are mostly knee-jerk reactions to my days. Anyhow, she seems to have plenty of honest, down-to-earth wisdom to share. Enjoy!
Monday, January 17, 2011
the best chili and marriages
My cousin made chili for us last night. It was the best I'd ever tasted! He doesn't use recipes. He just enjoys designing anything, including food.
I spoke about him briefly on this blog one other time. He owned a custom landscaping business in California, not far from where we used to live. The housing market crashed and never recovered there. He lost his home and business--he is 48, making this a bigger tragedy--and had to move back here last year to live with his parents and his wife of two years. They bought a fixer-upper home--not inhabitable yet--that he's busy renovating. It had to be gutted so the process is a long one. It will be a nice 2200 square-foot home when the work is complete, not including the large walk-in basement.
His parents are now wintering in Florida--probably a blessing.
His wife is a Christian; he is not. Her husband passed away about five years before she met Rick. I am hoping we can be friends, and that my husband can mentor him and counsel him in his marriage, which isn't going well. Counseling and one-on-one discipleship are my husband's greatest strengths.
Please pray for them? Like many Americans, they are having to make difficult adjustments--challenging their ability to meet the ingrained needs men and woman have in their marriages. Men, above all, want to be respected and appreciated. Women need to feel loved and cherished. When a crumbled economy challenges a man's ability to provide, he finds it harder to do the cherishing. And when the man isn't providing, for whatever reason, the woman finds it harder to respect and appreciate. Put a sense of hopelessness in the mix and you have quite the recipe for disaster, unless God is supreme in the marriage.
Now, on to that recipe.
I don't usually have time to chop anything--all my cooking is done while chasing a toddler--so unfortunately we use powered spices most of the time. This chili, however, is worth the effort! Perhaps I'll have to make a batch after the kids are in bed.
Rick's Chili
1 lb. leanest hamburger
5 links hot and sweet sausage (casings removed, most of fat drained after cooking)
1 15 oz. can chili beans
1 15 oz. can white beans
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 white onion, chopped
1/2 stalk celery with leaves, chopped
1 can tomato paste ( I forgot to ask, but I presume the 8 oz. size)
1 can tomato sauce (15 oz., approx.)
1 can water (depending on consistency you desire)
spices to taste (garlic powder, Mrs. Dash, parsley, chili powder)
I didn't write down many directions, but I think he said he saved enough liquid from the meat to soften the vegetables, then he added the meats back in, followed by the rest of the ingredients. He cooked it for three hours.
Enjoy!
I spoke about him briefly on this blog one other time. He owned a custom landscaping business in California, not far from where we used to live. The housing market crashed and never recovered there. He lost his home and business--he is 48, making this a bigger tragedy--and had to move back here last year to live with his parents and his wife of two years. They bought a fixer-upper home--not inhabitable yet--that he's busy renovating. It had to be gutted so the process is a long one. It will be a nice 2200 square-foot home when the work is complete, not including the large walk-in basement.
His parents are now wintering in Florida--probably a blessing.
His wife is a Christian; he is not. Her husband passed away about five years before she met Rick. I am hoping we can be friends, and that my husband can mentor him and counsel him in his marriage, which isn't going well. Counseling and one-on-one discipleship are my husband's greatest strengths.
Please pray for them? Like many Americans, they are having to make difficult adjustments--challenging their ability to meet the ingrained needs men and woman have in their marriages. Men, above all, want to be respected and appreciated. Women need to feel loved and cherished. When a crumbled economy challenges a man's ability to provide, he finds it harder to do the cherishing. And when the man isn't providing, for whatever reason, the woman finds it harder to respect and appreciate. Put a sense of hopelessness in the mix and you have quite the recipe for disaster, unless God is supreme in the marriage.
Now, on to that recipe.
I don't usually have time to chop anything--all my cooking is done while chasing a toddler--so unfortunately we use powered spices most of the time. This chili, however, is worth the effort! Perhaps I'll have to make a batch after the kids are in bed.
Rick's Chili
1 lb. leanest hamburger
5 links hot and sweet sausage (casings removed, most of fat drained after cooking)
1 15 oz. can chili beans
1 15 oz. can white beans
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 white onion, chopped
1/2 stalk celery with leaves, chopped
1 can tomato paste ( I forgot to ask, but I presume the 8 oz. size)
1 can tomato sauce (15 oz., approx.)
1 can water (depending on consistency you desire)
spices to taste (garlic powder, Mrs. Dash, parsley, chili powder)
I didn't write down many directions, but I think he said he saved enough liquid from the meat to soften the vegetables, then he added the meats back in, followed by the rest of the ingredients. He cooked it for three hours.
Enjoy!
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Paul's writings (grade 1)
One day there was a boy who liked football. His fovart taem was Arkansas. He liked to cheer and he watched it and learned more and more.
The End
________________________
A Poem
Our hamster is so funny
He's better than a bunny
For good sakes his name is Jack the Black!
He is so gentel
Better than a mule
He's not such an eater
he doesn't drink that much
But he's still the perfit pet
________________________
One day there was a butterfly and a ladybug. The butterfly was blue and red. The ladybug was black and yellow. They liked kickball and soccer. They got some friends to play with. There names were Fastfly and Big-bug and Go-bug and Go-fly. The butter-flys team won.
The End
________________________
A Poem
Our hamster is so funny
He's better than a bunny
For good sakes his name is Jack the Black!
He is so gentel
Better than a mule
He's not such an eater
he doesn't drink that much
But he's still the perfit pet
________________________
One day there was a butterfly and a ladybug. The butterfly was blue and red. The ladybug was black and yellow. They liked kickball and soccer. They got some friends to play with. There names were Fastfly and Big-bug and Go-bug and Go-fly. The butter-flys team won.
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