I'm Just Sayin'

(not a political statement, I just think they look alike!)

Conversations with Josiah

At bedtime tonight:

Me: Good night, little man. I love you.

Josiah: okay



Huh???

Wii part II

Do I mention enough how much I love my husband? I do, beyond words, although I do try. (I'll be he's getting nervous if he's reading that. He doesn't read too often, be sure to hassle him for that if you see him. His email is..... Just kidding!!)

Anyway, so we got a Wii. It's a lot of fun. I work out on it almost every day. The kids play on it. Kevin likes playing with the kids. It's been good so far.

Right now, Kevin and Josiah are playing tennis. I like to watch tennis; Kevin likes to play. So he's go Josiah playing. They are tied in the second game at this point.

Saturday, after the kids were all up in bed, I did my wii fit and then Kevin got on to play tennis. He played several games, talking about opponents as if they were real people. Then he started bowling.

Wanna know why?

Because the five year old beats him every game. So he needs to practice, so he can beat his son next time. Huh? I don't get this one.

Oh, Josiah's doing really well at tennis, so I guess I know what Kevin will be doing tonight after we watch 'Chuck.'

Depleted

Don't you just feel wiped out sometimes? That's where I am today. Hardly any energy to move. I don't want to do laundry, vacuum, make hair bows, exercise, dust, pick up after children, fight with children, organize one thing, make one bed. I just want to rest. Maybe even sleep. All day.

And I fight guilt for feeling this way. I'm SuperMom after all! I've got 5 kids to dress, feed, get out the door (okay only two of them leave,) entertain, pray for, etc.

And then I remember that God prescribed rest. You know, the whole Ten Commandments thing:

For six days, work is to be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day must be put to death.Exodus 31:14-16

I'm not so good at resting on the Sabbath. One of the perils of being the pastoral family. Actually I am not so good at resting, period.

But, I'm not God.....and HE rested.

By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work.Genesis 2:1-3

And Jesus, remember him?? Well, he offers us rest!

28"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:25-27

You know what? I think I may just take him up on his offer today.

A Thought

Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

Welp, we've entered the world of video games. Wasn't gonna do it. But there are many things I wasn't going to do once I had kids that I do! Like television. My kids weren't going to watch tv. Can you believe that I can recite the entire PBS schedule? In case you don't believe me:

6:30AM In Between the Lions
7:00 Arthur
7:30 Martha Speaks
8:00 Curious George
8:30 Sid the Science Kid
9:00 Super Why
9:30 Clifford
10:00 Sesame Street
11:00 Dragon Tales
11:30 World World
Noon Super Why
12:30 Sid the Science Kid
1:00 "Big Kid Programming"
2:00 Caillou
2:30 Barney
3:00 Curious George
3:30 Martha Speaks
4:00 Arthur
4:30 Word Girl
5:00 Ruff Ruffman (except on Fridays when it is The Electric Company)

I imagine by this point you are either duly impressed or saddened by my lack of a real life!

So, back to the Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii! The kids have had the opportunity to play Wii at friends' homes. Of course they love it. I asked Josiah what he wanted for his birthday and he wanted a Wii. Nothing else. So we talked it over and talked to the kids about asking for birthday money to pay for it. They agreed to it. One huge benefit is not having a bunch of new things lying around the house. (I've just gotten it back under control from Christmas!) Then, we were blessed to find one of the guys from church who wanted to sell his used one.

So, we have a Wii and a few games. And now we are trying to figure out how to regulate it. Josiah would be on it non-stop if we let him. So, all of you Wii owners out there, I am curious to how you handle it in your home. Is it a free for all? Do you limit the time? If you have more than 2 kids, how do you handle the sharing? Any games you LOVE? Any you won't allow in your house? Why for both of these??

Conversation with my sister

Trish: Did you get your new washer yet?

Me: Nope, he'll run out of clean underwear then do something. (note: I was just kidding it's been a crazy busy week!)

Trish: If I was you, I think I would hide what's left of his underwear!

(Have I ever told you how much I love my sister?)

Did I Ever Tell You About the Time....

If you know my husband at all, you know how the rest of that sentence goes....

"Did I ever tell you about the time Jamie Lee Curtis chased me through the LA airport to get my address?"

And I must admit, she did. I was there and I saw it. I laugh when he tries to leave the story at just that line.

It was 6 years ago, and we were on our way home from China with Miss Livi. We got into LA the night before and had decided not to take the red eye back home. So our flight the next morning left at some ridiculous time in the morning. And we were tired. Livi decided to stay on China time and was up most of the night.

We were standing in the line to board the plane. Off to the side the security people were doing the 'extra' search on a random passenger. As she was taking off her shoes, I turned to Kevin and said, "She looks like Jamie Lee Curtis." (I probably shouldn't mention that she was one of Kevin's objects of lust as a middle school/high school kid, so I won't mention it.) He says he said, "That IS Jamie Lee Curtis." I have no recollection of that at all.

As they were making this woman empty all of her pockets, she noticed Olivia. And started talking to her and us. "Oh, look at the baby! What a cute baby! At the same time, she was brushing off apologies from the security guards. They were just doing their jobs and shouldn't feel badly about it. And then she'd turn back and talk more to Olivia.

I turned to Kevin at one point and said, "You know, she even sounds like Jamie Lee Curtis."

Now, he swears said, "When you are someone, you usually sound like them." Sure, like I'd miss 2 comments like this?? Remember, we were exhausted!!

So we were walking down the hallway and this crazy lady runs up to Kevin going on and on about Olivia and how beautiful she was and how wonderful adoption is..... I was so tired by this point that I just walked on ahead of them and got on the plane and found my seat.

A few minutes later, Kevin came back to our (coach) seats and said, "Jamie Lee Curtis wants us to give her our address. She wants to send something to Olivia."

I am sure I looked completely shocked. I just remember saying, "That really was her!!"

A little while later, a flight attendant came back with a piece of paper to write our address on. She gushed on and on about Miss Curtis and how great she is to have on board. Now I really glad that only Kevin heard my ignorant remarks.

A few weeks later, a package arrived for Olivia with two of Jamie's books in it. Both autographed. They are adoption related as Jamie has adopted children, too.

Let's just say that I am now a fan, too. A bit ignorant maybe, but a fan nonetheless.


*****I forgot to mention that Olivia and Jamie Lee Curtis share the same birthday. So far, our dreams of JLC paying for Olivia's college hasn't come to fruition. Jamie, if you're reading this (yes, I am that delusional) thank you for the books! We didn't know how to get in touch with you!*******

Disappointment

Today is the big Valentine's party for Josiah and Charis's preschool class. Talk about excited! They've been counting it down all week! 2 more days till the party. 1 more day till the party. They woke up today reminding me that the party is today. Ella and I were up early and dressed so we could be at school the last hour to participate in the party. We've sent in cookies. We've sent in candy. We've filled out the Valentines. They are all ready, dressed, hair and teeth brushed. There's only one problem. We had a really windy night, and the school's power was knocked out. So there is no party. And, boy, are they disappointed. So am I.

I had plans this morning, too. I was going to pick up a few things at the grocery. I was going to finish a hair bow order. I was going to try to clean up the dining room which is covered with scraps of paper. Okay, maybe not an earth shattering disappointment, but that is the situation.

My husband has been working on a visa for a friend of ours to visit the U. S. since last February. Last night he was given reason to believe that that visit might not happen, or if it does happen it will be much later this year. He was supposed to be here for Christmas. And I don't think words can be given to the disappointment both of these men are feeling.

Disappointments, large and small, are such a part of life. We set our expectations and then something happens that we are not in control of, or prepared for ,and plans fall apart.

But, in the midst of all of this, there is always hope.

31 but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

Isaiah 40:31

In our Lord there is always hope. For the big disappointments and the little ones. You see, he is always there for us. No matter what happens, we still have a Savior who loves us, who sees us for who we will someday be. Who died for us. There is always hope for those in Jesus Christ.

5And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

Romans 5:5

The Shoe is On The Other Foot!

I don't know if I have mentioned often enough how much I appreciate my mom. I must admit that she gets smarter and smarter as I get older. And I KNOW I haven't mentioned enough how much I appreciate my mom (are you reading today, Mom?)

Yesterday, I went into my girls' room and just dumped all the stuff they had lying around into a big pile in the middle of the room. Mom would do that when we were kids. I'd walk into my room to find everything that had been lying around the house and my room all dumped into one big pile. And it drove me crazy!! You know, why couldn't she have just asked?

Now I know the truth. She did ask. She begged. She told, and she demanded. And I ignored. I made excuses. I told her I had cleaned my room when she could plainly see socks, sweaters, little bits of paper, tissues, toys all over the place. Sorry, Mom!

The only thing worse than finding the pile of junk was when I would come home to a perfectly clean room A MOM-clean room. Everything put away. Which meant she had been in there with......the garbage bag.....

And yes, I admit, I do this too. And my kids hate it. But they don't hate it enough to pick up after themselves. Sorry, Mom!

I wonder if my sister and I fought enough while cleaning our room, that we ended up grounded for 3 days??

Wow!

I've never straightened my hair before. I got it cut today and my awesome hairdresser offered to straighten it!

Birthdays at the Jobe Abode

Normally when people say "poor Josiah" having all those sisters, I roll my eyes. "Poor Josiah" has his own room (the girls all share one.) His own clothes. Boy toys. In many ways, that Little Man has it pretty good. But yesterday was his birthday. And the girls wanted to put on a a show for him. Actually, they like any reason to put on a show. Now, I don't pretend to understand them, or their costuming choices, but here is the best I can do to show you how his sisters celebrated Josiah's birthday. You'll just have to pretend you can hear the soundtrack from HSM3, turned up loudly!!

(This is the dress Olivia wore in a wedding a few weeks ago. I think she has had it on at least once a day since then!)

(We really don't know why she is dressed like Jane Fonda in the 80s. If only we had leg warmers!)

Josiah Is 5!

And it is the most exciting day in the history of the world! He's been talking about it for weeks!!

Just an observation from this morning....

When you are picking your teeth in your car's rear view mirror, the person in the mini-van behind you can see what you are doing!!