If I've told you once, I've told you a million times

Be careful
Don't stand on the counters
Ask for help

These are just several statements I've made to Mali throughout her life. Yesterday all my warnings were not heeded. Mali climbed on top of her bathroom counter and fell off. I grabbed her off of the tile floor as she was screaming and crying. I held her for a while then gave her motrin and an ice pack. She kept screaming and then started to say "I can't see, mommy I can't see". I was worried that she was just dramatizing or being 4 so I called our nurse and she said to take her to the ER. We picked Eric up and went to the ER. Mali was not acting like herself at all. They ordered a CT scan which was another ordeal. Mali was scared of it and cried and cried. Finally, after a bribe (a new Webkinz or Polly Pocket) and Eric's help, she complied. Eric sang Jesus Loves Me at her request. (Eleri and I had to stay outside). We went back to the room and Mali threw up and then took a nap while we waited for the results. The CT came back clear with a normal brain and normal head-praise God. After we got home, Mali started acting like herself again. She was acting very sweet and just talking away. She complained of pain after her motrin wore off but that was it. She ate really great too and thankfully kept it all down.
While we were waiting I felt so much peace from God. I was concerned, but still felt that peace. Isaiah 26:3 says "You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, becase he trusts in you.". It was certainly a hard time and it has made me so appreciative of sweet Mali. I hope to hold on to this and continue to treasure her. I just wish I had more opportunities to hold and cuddle with her.
When she was discharged and I was checking out, the receptionist informed me that we had no ER co-pay with our new insurance but that it went towards our deductible. I really almost lost it right then! I don't need to get on that soap box now, but had to vent about insurance. I wonder if Mr. Obama will make that worse or better?
Also, last night when I was bathing her, I noticed a large red mark on her back. This made us reevaluate what exactly had happened. From her report and injuries, it seems that she was standing on the counter, slipped, hit her back on the counter and then fell to the floor and hit her head. Uh it just makes me cringe. I'm so thankful for God's protection over her and her injuries. I think it shows the big picture of how God works, He doesn't always keep us from accidents or injuries (although there is no telling how much he has protected her from) but he keeps us in perfect peace and minimizes those injuries. Often times, we need to the difficult circumstance to learn a lesson, hopefully Mali has learned a lesson, although Eric and I agree that she probably will climb again.

8 months old

My plan had been to post about Eleri's 8 month milestones yesterday, however our day took quite a different turn yesterday. So here is her update today.
Eleri weighs about 19lbs right now and has the super, chunky thighs to prove it. I love her squishy legs! On that note, she still does not eat much baby food. In fact, she won't even take a bite of commercial baby food. She will eat the homemade baby food, but still not much. Part of it is my fault. I often forget to offer her baby food or frankly I just choose not to give it to her because it is more of a hassle. Poor poor second borns. But, she is nursing great. I'm so blessed to be able to give her the best nutrition she can have.
Eleri's sleep has not been great. Up multiple times at night and then sometimes up for hours not wanting to go back to sleep. However, last night she slept through the night for the first time in months (literally). God knew that I needed that! She is down to three naps now; a morning, after lunch and then one around 4. Poor Eleri rarely gets that nap though because the girls are going to work with me.
Developmentally, Eleri is doing great. She is all over the place! Eleri is getting even better at pulling up and not falling. She wants to be on her feet and won't bend her knees when I try and put her down. Eleri can also clap now. She also makes a little grunt sound to try and get attention from everyone, including the dogs. Eleri loves the dogs and will crawl all the way to the door if it is open and pull up to watch them outside. Eleri still loves playing with Mali. She is starting to get into Mali's toys and it doesn't make Mali happy. Mali told her "one toy at a time Eleri!!!"
Everyone comments on Eleri's red tinted hair. She is getting more and more of it.
She is still sweet as can be and wonderful!!!

Trying....

These are several new things that I'm trying. God has graciously placed people and ideas in my life to help me, hopefully, be a better manager of our home. Before children, my house was spotless, in fact my co-workers at Buckner used to give me a hard time about this and I remember little "talks" with roommates about dishes being left in the sink. Really? Now dishes are never not left in the sick. I even slid on through keeping a clean house during Mali's first few years of life, but now that has all changed. I cannot do it and cannot even manage it, so I'm having to not rely on my own disciplined self and time, but to be strategic because life is not what it used to be. So, these are things I'm learning and trying:
After I put the girls to bed, I'm cleaning the kitchen up, sweeping, mopping, loading and unloading the dishwasher every night.
Shining my sink (i.e. cleaning the kitchen sink) each night
Writing on a menu board what is for dinner
One load of laundry a day
Setting the timer for 15 minutes often throughout the day, for reading my bible/praying, picking up, getting ready, etc.
Wiping down our bathroom every morning after I get ready.
Reminding myself in my head what I've accomplished not what I haven't accomplished.
Listening to God's truth of who I am and not Satan's lies about my failures
Cleaning out my car every Friday

We'll see how it goes, but at least these things are helping me feel successful and having my home under control. I love rules, structure and boundaries. It's really the only way I'm effective.

Pumpkin Patch 2009

This morning we ventured to the small Pumpkin Patch in town to take our annual Pumpkin Patch Pictures!!! It was fun and perfect weather. The only bad thing was that Mali wouldn't take a picture with Eleri! And, for some reason Eleri had crazy hair and her tongue sticking out in each picture. So, not the best pictures of my children...but memories! Aren't children wonderful? I LOVE getting to do this with my girls and enjoy the simplicity of nature and life. Yes, I did make a small purchase to decorate and for Mali to paint a pumpkin, but hopefully we're making memories!

Clap, Clap, Clap your hands

Eleri can clap! She has been practicing but today she actually did it in response to me saying "yeah". One of the many pluses to being a coach's daughter is learning how to clap. Mali learned how to clap because of football season and I believe that Eleri is the same!

She is so smart!!!

I am soooo proud of Mali! She is learning so much at preschool this year! Here are her latest writings, I'm soo proud of her! She was watching tv with Eric the other night and I heard her say "that's a hexagon!" So smart!

Great sites

Here are some sites that I love and frequently visit for help in this journey of
motherhood:
http://livingproofministries.blogspot.com/
http://babywisemom.blogspot.com
I get a ton of recipes from this blog
http://ourbestbites2.blogspot.com/2008/12/complete-recipe-index.html


I'm so excited about this new one I learned about during a
mentoring type bible study:
http://www.flylady.net/pages/get_started_1.asp
I just had to share this. I'm excited to start and had begun the process but a sick baby takes precedence.

1st sickness

Am I really blogging about Eleri's first sickness? I guess I am. Since I'm wonderfully stuck with a sleeping, sick baby in my arms I have time to blog from my phone. Sweet Eleri has decided the best place for her to be the last 18 hours or so is
right in mommy's arms, and with good reason. She started out with a fever of 101 at 9:30 last night and the after the
motrin wore off at 4:30am, a 103.4 fever! After more motrin, a bath and a $15 after hours call to the nurse, her fever went down to 101
and is still there. Out pediatrician graciously worked us in after two phone calls from this worried mother, and Eleri has a virus. It is j. Her
throat. And as all moms know, viruses have to work themselves out- no medication!!! Poor girl. The good news is that God has taken care of this sweet girl!!! Oh the lessons in trusting God that parenting brings.
Oh, and she weighs 18.9lbs!!!

It is IMPOSSIBLE

...to get two girls to both look cute in a picture, but I had to share these anyway!!!

update on me

I just wanted to hide this in here for those of you that care...and those of you that don't care hence the hiding. Praise God the hernia is gone!!!! Yippee no surgery for me. Bad news is that I've not lost the remaining baby weight, but consumption of Dr. Pepper, eating out, and new jeans already led me to this belief it was just confirmed today!

Update in pictures

• Shank is a mess...but Eric still loves him
• Eleri watched her first Texas Tech game and sported her cheerleading uniform
• Mali is witty and picks up on things quickly...this is her $5 foot long pose (latest saying, "Mom we must be on dial up because we can't watch the pictures", and Mali spanked another little girl, I asked her why and she replied "The Holy Spirit told me to" just a few of her funny comments.)
• Mali enjoys feeding Eleri her baby food, of which Eleri will ONLY eat the homemade baby food.
• Eleri is on the move...everywhere and into everything! We've had many head bumps and cries
• Mali loves to go play with Eleri when Eleri gets up but does not like when Daddy puts her in Eleri's crib
• The girls and I visited Grandma Laverne last time we were in Dalhart. Mali picked her strawberries and pet Miss Kitty.
• Eleri is eating puffs now!

Friday Night Lights

Better late than never right? Well Friday night was an AWESOME night for the Sandie football players and coaches. They beat Odessa Permian (the Mojo and from Friday Night Lights fame. In fact, Gary Gaines the head coach now was the head coach when the book was written about the Mojo).
We were all so proud of our coaches and players. It was a great night!
http://www.amarillo.com/stories/091909/hss_hs1.shtml

Look whose talking

Eleri's babbling has become more pronounced. She moved from yayayaya to a short stay at dada and is now saying mama. This is the sweetest sound! She will crawl up me all the while saying mamamama! Most of the time she is actually using mama to identify me or to alert me to her distress of sleepiness or some other 7 month old peril (often involving big sister-go figure!:)) Eleri also gets so excited about her bath. She will crawl like crazy, pull up on the side of the tub and squell (it's 5am and I'm not sure that's the way to spell it) and bounces up and down. Eleri has the fast crawl down. She is pulling up every where. Her favorites include all the most hazardous spots in the house like the entertainment center and the windowsill. Eleri has discovered the kitchen floor too in spite of my attempts to keep her from it. So I guess I need to spend more time sweeping in there. Constant crumbs and messes from a 4 year ond debris from the backyard...wait that's a whole 'nother post! Anyway, besides our recent nights of more waking than sleepig (hence the 5am blogging) Eleri is doing really great. Those sweet sounds of Mamamaa melt away the sleepiness-along with Dr. Pepper and God's ever sustaining power!

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

OKAY, the videos are right side up on my computer, not sure WHAT happens when they are uploaded!:(

Look who can swing?

Mali can finally swing. After working with her and encouraging her to swing on her own for at least the last two years Mali can swing. Was it my words of "point them then pull them back" or Eric's stern instruction that she was old enough to swing on her own? Nope it was Mrs. Kristy who "taught" Mali to swing today by saying "just move your legs back and forth!" Mali exclaimed "this is so much fun" and couldn't wait to show her daddy. If only we didn't have the big brute in the back to scare Mali from swinging on her own.

Song of Solomon...I mean Eric

After Sunday's sermon on Song of Solomon 4, Eric came up with his own rendition:
I’m no solomon but I will attempt my poetic-ness to the whole faceboock community to proclaim my love.
Your eyes are like Mississippi kites dive bombing golfers to protect their young, your hair flows like the tall fescue that lines the fairways of the old course in St. Andrews. Your teeth are as white as the laces of a new football before a 12-play drive lasting 6 minutes. Your neck reminds me of a narrow fairway protecting a short par 4 or even that of the great playmaking safety of the 49ers Merton Hanks. Your breasts are like the two grassy mounds that protect an easy Sunday pin placement. Your figure is that of a perfectly manicured baseball field with straight lines and perfectly placed bases. Your skin is that of the Augusta fairways with no signs of crabgrass. Your breath smells as sweet as the freshly cut grass. You are much more refreshing than a Fat Tire after 36 holes. Your fragrance is not that of the old musty water of a ball washer or the odor of week 12 in the locker room…it’s better. Your lips taste better than any flavor of wings. The vision of you is better than a 4-foot putt for eagle. You are Augusta un-played by any non member!!
-Eric

Photo Shoot

Today the girls "modeled" pettiskirts for a local photographer. She was an excellent photographer and I highly recommend her for those of you that need one in the Amarillo area.
http://www.photosbycarolmckinney.com
We got these shots for free for her using the girls. It was fun and Mali really enjoyed it! I enjoyed how cute our girls were too! If anyone wants prints, let me know. I will have the CD of all pictures on Monday and can get prints made after that!
Here are my top favorites of each girl, but there are so many good ones!

She's growing up!

Mali is really growing up. Yesterday we went and had our hair cut together. We both got the same "cut"! I'm soooo grateful that my sweet big girl actually wants to look like me and be like me, at times!:) Of course, Mali had her hair styled and "bumped" and I learned how simple it was in the hopes of Mali allowing me to actually fix her hair. However, this morning she still threw a fit! Will it EVER end???

Tooth

Eleri is getting her first tooth, actually it broke through the skin yesterday! She hasn't been too horribly fussy, but I can tell something has been bothering her. Eleri also has not been a fan of sleeping. During the day maybe napping 30 minutes at a time and up almost every hour at night. Other than that, she hasn't had any more symptoms of getting a tooth, no fever or anything, just some drool!:)

Quick as quick can be

Saturday at 4pm we decided to head to the cabin for a quick trip (20 hours to be exact) and returned Sunday at 9:30pm...oh our lives during football. Here are all the things we enjoyed though:
A bear running out in front of us on the road
Eric chasing after the bear in the truck so that we could see it
Eric throwing out a piece of gum to entice the bear
A beautiful full moon over North Lake
Cool air and a breeze
Pizza at The Dog Bar
A full night sleep...Eleri must enjoy the mountain air too
Listening to the stream trickle past on our adventure walk
Some serious uphill exercise after our adventure walk
Mali asking us if we could not go back home

Second week of preschool

Mali's second week of preschool has gone well. I'm still not sure what she is learning but I do know that they have music on Wednesdays. She is also learning to write her name in lower case in preparation for kindergarten. I also think they are learning about emotions or feelings because she has been working on drawing smiley faces and mad faces. Each day when they come in, they work on something in their journals. On the social development side, Mali has found a new boyfriend named Parker. Her obsession with it is really bothering me. Yesterday she wanted to come home and make him a drawing and then this morning worked all day on making a picture for him. He is not in her class, but is in the 4 year old afternoon class and their classes play together in the afternoon. To make matters worse, he is the younger brother of one of Eric's soccer boys! Here is her latest artwork! The first picture is a drawing of Adam and Eve and the bad apple, which she actually drew for some one that may not have a relationship with Jesus.

Bump It

I've known for a long time that Mali is very easily influenced by advertisement. One of her favorite "As Seen on TV" items is the Bump It. She has asked me for these on several occasions. I love the part that says "not edible and not for children under 12".

Last night we had a freshman football cookout and a sister of one of the players was there. Mali referenced her by saying "that girl with the bumpit". We laughed and Eric convinced Mali to go ask her if she had one. She told Mali that she just used bobby pins and hairspray and that bumpits didn't work. So this morning, Mali asked me to "bump" her hair. We watched a YouTube tutorial together, I gathered our supplies of bobby pins and hairspray and made the attempt. It ended with tears and Mali saying "I look like a freakin' idiot". First, she did get reprimanded for saying that, and second I couldn't help but laugh. She didn't look bad, it just didn't turn out the way she wanted. I'm willing to try anything to get this girl to fix her hair. I'm obviously inept at these type of things, but am more than willing to try. I need Auntie Kisha to help me out on this one!!! I'm the one that grew up in Colorado (NO big hair there) and just purchased my first hair styling tool besides a brush last year (a flat iron). So here is a some what after picture, she made me take down the half ponytail part.

Why I choose to stay home….

I’ve had several friends in the past and present ask me my advice on staying at home, so I thought I would just share it with everyone. I do choose to stay at home with my girls. This is what God has shown me and why I made the choice.

#1-God told me to. It was impressed upon my heart by him and confirmed with scripture that He put into my life when I was pregnant with Mali. I was not planning on staying at home and had been very career minded. I stepped out on faith and trusted God. Without a doubt He has proved faithful and trustworthy in this decision. This is part of a letter I wrote at the time to my co-workers:
Throughout the months that I was pregnant and praying about what to do, God showed me many things and many verses that I want to share with you so that you will understand my decision. Before I share those things, I do want to say that I do not think that it is wrong to work or that God thinks that it is wrong to work. In fact, Proverbs 31 talks about a woman of excellence. In these verses it talks about how she works and is pretty much in charge of the family. But for me, God has individually said that I need to stay home, not because working is wrong but because this is part of His plan for me and my family. God has said in Proverbs 27:23-24 “Know well the condition of your flocks, and pay attention to your herds; For riches are not forever nor does a crown endure to all generations”. My time with Mali and Eric will endure to all generations, and God has said that is where my time needs to be invested. The main thing that God showed me was that my family needs to be a priority. I think that is mainly why God is asking me to step away from work. In the past, this has not been the case. Work and my achievements (“crowns”) have been my priority but God says that “crowns” do not endure. Also, my leaving work is opening up the door for Eric to be the leader of our home in many ways but especially financially. There are also other reasons based on finances and my responsibilities at Buckner that God has shown me that support the decision to stay home. I want to be able to be involved in Eric’s work as well and be a “coach’s wife” and I believe that is a role that God also wants me to play. I’m scared of leaving work. I love counseling and do believe that God has chosen me to be a counselor. I can’t say that I understand or am glad for what He has asked me to do, but I trust Him and know that if I “…seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” Matthew 6:33. God has also told me that he “…will supply all [my] needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus” Philippians 4:19. And last of all God has said “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight” Proverbs 3:5,6. I don’t understand, at least not yet, but I want my paths to be straight.

#2-In order to be a good wife I feel like I need to stay at home. Eric’s schedule is crazy during football and part of what I feel my job is, is to make life as easy on him as possible during that time and to be really involved in his job. I just don’t think I could do that and work. I know without a doubt that our involvement in his job would not be a priority. Also, my job at the time required me to be on-call. I knew that with Eric’s schedule there was no way I could do this. If he was gone (sometimes he doesn’t get home until 3am after scouting or football games), I would have to find a way to wake Mali and take her some where if I did get paged. So I just couldn’t do this. I also want to be able to prepare meals for our family that are healthy and good. If I worked, I know that I would be picking up food to go which wouldn’t always be healthy and we would eat on the run. Again, not bad, but just a few things that God showed me. I try to keep the house picked up, etc. (Okay, not so great at this one, and I’ve been told by working moms that your house stays clean because no one is home, I think I’d miss the mess!:)) I also never asked Eric to get up with the girls in the middle of the night, because he needed to be well rested for his job. I looked at it as my job to do these things. I try to do whatever I can for it to be easy on him.

#3-Finances. When I first made the decision to stay at home with Mali, it didn’t add up for me to go back to work. I wouldn’t have been bringing in that much money after paying for the quality of care we wanted for Mali, formula and gas to go to and from everywhere. However, now that I have my license I can work a few hours a week and make better money than having a full time in job in some cases. But I still gage that by the same things God showed me from the beginning: am I still able to provide the best environment for my girls when I work, am I able to breastfeed still, can I trust who I leave them with (if it is family then I’m very okay with that, especially their daddy because it has allowed for good Daddy/daughter time). Can I still make dinner and not contribute to craziness and running around? Right now, I do work to pay for medical co-pays, diapers…etc. Along side of finances, I try to make my job invaluable and to “make us money” by staying home. I try not to spend excessively or even shop beyond necessity. I breastfeed so we don’t have to buy formula (and it is wonderful too). I make my own baby food and baby wipes. I plan outings in the most gas efficient way. Yes some times it is very hard financially, but “things” aren’t nearly as important as my children. God has ALWAYS been faithful to provide for us and the biggest blessing was that we were never living off two incomes. We had only had my full time income and two months of Eric’s when I left to stay at home with Mali. We easily live on one income-a teacher/coach’s income at that! Thank you God!!!

#4-It is a short season! This was huge at the time. I remember listening to a Focus on the Family broadcast while I was in the shower and just bawling, because I knew what God was calling me to do. It was a panel of stay at home moms and they all kept saying it was a short season, and just for a season. Now I see the wisdom in that! The years were so precious that I had with Mali, but they flew by! She started preschool last year and I would never have thought that my time with her was so short, but it was. Really, at the most, you have 4 years at home with each child, depending on how you spread it out, so if Eleri is our last child (not sure), then I have four more years of staying at home which is really only 8 years compared to the rest of my life to work….soooo short.

So my advice to others, if God showed you to do this do it, if there is no reason to work financially then do this, you will be so thankful and see the fruit one day, if your husband supports it, do this! I obviously am working now, about seven hours a week. Sometimes it still breaks my heart to leave my girls, but I also know that part of my work now is a ministry that God has equally called me to and part of it is a beautiful time for Eric to spend playing with his girls. Working a few hours a week is a great way that I can now contribute to helping our family. I absolutely love staying at home with my girls and wouldn’t have it any other way.

If God showed you to work, then do it with all your heart. You are no where near a bad mother. Obedience to what God has called us to do is the best lesson for our children, especially when it isn’t easy. I know many Godly, well adjusted, smart amazing people that grew up going to childcare. It may make a difference in the short term, but doesn’t seem to in the long run. And for that matter, I have so many Godly, amazing, super loving mom friends that work. I know that they love their children just as much and I really believe that they may be better at balancing it all. I'm sure that with my personality I could not do it all well.