DOD

Last night I was nursing the baby and listening to my husband bathe John Michael and David. It was late, they were very dirty and we wanted to get them in bed so we could have some time together. I heard Fr. Joel pull David, who obviously was not cooperating, out of the tub and attempt to get him dry. Fr. Joel finally said with quite a bit of exasperation in his voice, "David, lift up your hands!" Blissfully unaware of his father's sense of urgency, David gleefully proclaimed, "We lift them up to the Lord!"

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DOD

I was laying in bed nursing the baby this morning when David showed up at my bedside. He loudly asked me, "Mom, can I have breakfast?" "Well, David," I replied, "didn't Daddy already give you breakfast?" At this his whole demeanor changed. He looked down at the floor and shyly shifted his toe across the floor then he said slowly, "Yes...Daddy got me breakfast...but still..." Then he sighed and looked deeply into my eyes with a look that said, "My poor deluded father actually thought what he gave me for breakfast would suffice."

Happy Mother's Day!

For all intents and purposes my Mother's Day began on Saturday. Since we now have *two* moms in our house, I wanted to be sure Nehemiah had a little something for his mom too. Of course, I waited until the last minute to get it together which really complicated things. Fr. Joel was occupied with the days' activities at church (congratulations, by the way to Father Jeff!) so I was left with all the running around. I farmed out Ben to a neighbor who took him to his buddy's baseball game before taking him to his Sibshop in the morning and Alpine Climbing class in the afternoon. That same friend also picked up Philip from basketball after Fr. Joel dumped him there on his way to church. Meanwhile, I dropped Adora off at school for her final final and drove everyone else to the t-ball game. We got everyone out of the van, across the highway and to the baseball field for practice and then used the half hour before the game to do some errands. This involved dragging 5 kids (including the two babies, the 2 year old and the 3 year old - Thank you Jesus for JT!!) into two different stores, in and out of the van, back to the parking lot, back across the highway and back the 1/4 mile hike to the baseball field. I got everyone settled down and Nathan began to scream. He screamed for 3 days straight as his two canines worked themselves into place so I was prepared. He'd been drugged and numbed but still was feeling owey and howly.

Somehow with a screaming Nathan on one hip I managed to knead the blue clay for Nehemiah's handprint project, work it into its picture frame and get Nehemiah's hand firmly embedded in it. Just as I was trying to wipe the blue clay from my hand with a half-dry wipee, still balancing a screaming Nathan on my hip and trying to coral Nehemiah who was also covered in blue clay, one of the moms sheepishly turned to me and said, "I'm sorry but is this one yours?" and pointed to John Michael. I gave her a wary look and hesitantly responded with a "...yes..." to which she replied, "I'm very sorry to say this but he's pooped on the bleachers." Sure enough my little Ornery Pants had pooped in his underpants, pulled it out with his hands and wiped it on the bleachers. I realized my little half-dry wipee was going to get a bigger workout than I had imagined...

I didn't see much of the game but I did see the that the girls were enjoying themselves even if Ruth had suddenly decided to do everything with her left hand and Miriam was confounded by the idea of a foul ball (she hit the ball, she ran, now why was everyone screaming at her to go back *home*?!). They finished up and we carted everyone the 1/4 mile back to the road, across the highway, into the van and home...ahhh...another Saturday morning accomplished (oops, forgot to pick up Adora so had to turn back and go back to the college...) and Nehemiah was sufficiently prepared to present his mother with a special surprise for Mother's Day.

The actual day was wonderful - the most wonderful day I can remember really. I awoke to my dear sweet husband telling me to go back to sleep and take my time...he would get the kids roused and ready for church. This is no small task for two people and I was perfectly content to let him fly solo on my special day. After a leisurely snooze, I nursed Nathan and carried him downstairs for the day's first interface with the objects of my motherhood. My ears were greeted with a strong chorus of Happy Mother's Days coming from around the breakfast table. Philip ran over to Nathan, baby talked "Happy Mother's Day, Nathan!" and then looked deeply into my eyes and said, "Mom, can I have a banana?"

I noticed Betsy had assumed my usual Sunday morning role of Neatness Officer. She had the spray bottle, a hairbrush and wipe rag and was busily going about the task of brushing hair and wiping breakfast off of faces. She did a much better job than I thought...she might even earn herself a new title!

After church I had the privilege of serving as altar guild...which meant blessed silence alone in the sanctuary - a job I cherish deeply since it affords me some of the few quiet moments I get in a month. We also had plenty of food leftover from Saturday's ordination reception and so Fr. Joel took on the task of Food Police to the screaming masses while I enjoyed my contemplative tasks on the altar.

We went home and I was treated to the ultimate expression of my own personal love language - my family DID something for me - they cleaned house. now you can buy me flowers or even chocolate, you can hug me, sing to me or cheer me on but if you really want to tell me you love me, clean something! And clean they did....while I rested...and read...and fiddled around and then Adora and I escaped to plan out our own evening's entertainment. We came home with three new card games and 7 new movies and the rest of the evening was spent playing There's a Moose in the House and watching American Hero after we were treated to a show by Ben and Philip and a brief exchange of gifts. The show featured Ben and Philip singing My Mommy's A Pirate while acting it out in costume with props. I enjoyed it so much I demanded two encores. Ben's shows have finally arrived at the point of as much enjoyment for the audience as for the actors. The gift exchange included a new George Foreman grill for me and Nehemiah's presentation of handprints to Adora. It was perfect...really!

I have the best family in the world. I know, I'm a bit biased, but I really think it's so. My children may be a bit loud and dysfunctional at times but they're mine and I love them like crazy. I love their crazy Dad and I love Adora and our beautiful godson. Our household may be messy and loud and crazy but it's what God planned out just for us and this is what motherhood is all about.

New Car!

Adora purchased her first ever vehicle - a 1997 Mercury Villager. Now she has her first Mom Mobile - if only she had her license she could drive it! (ok, we're working on it...)