dessert first

...sometimes you just want to...and so, he's eating his dessert first. My son...who clearly inherited his sweet tooth from me, which in turn is inherited from my dad's side of the family...
the Enns clan (you know who you are) LOVE sweets! It's not a get-together without an awesome torte, some sort of chocolate delight, and and /or cookies! I know we're not the only family that is like this, but it brings a smile to my face to think of all the wonderful sweets I've had through the years. Because those treats were brought by my cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents...and I only have the best memories of these people.
I LOVE my family...and that includes my extended family. My parents each have 8 siblings, and each of them married and had on average 3 kids, and each of us cousins have at least 3 kids...so you can imagine the numbers of people I'm talking about. Now don't get me wrong, not all is perfect in such a large family....TRUST ME! But when I think about this crazy, (and I'm pretty sure a couple of them are certifiable) fun, wonderful people, I am filled with a sense of security in who I am. They have shaped the person I am today. There are people in my family who's faith has inspired me. There are people in my family who's mistakes have taught me how to love a person, no matter what "they've done". And there are those who have loved me through my own struggles that have taught me what unconditional love truly looks like.

And so now, I look at my life as one who's eaten her dessert first...my dilemma is this...now that I've had a taste of the 'sweet life' do I think I deserve it all the time? Like George, right now, who is NOT wanting to eat his 'healthy' lunch, and wants more ice cream - do I want to avoid the healthy dose of reality that is all around me? Do I think I deserve the life that has been handed to me?
This is a struggle for me....not becoming prideful. Who am I that I should be born in Canada, to wonderful Christian parents, who only showed me love? I am no better than the woman born in Africa, only to be sold into slavery, and all the horror that brings...

I'm not claiming to have the answers yet, but I am eager to learn, to grow, and to finally share the dessert I've been given.

triples...

are coming! If you're a coupon girl, you'll know what I mean.
If you're not, well, it means that this week, Harris Teeter (our grocer) will be accepting manufacturer's coupons, and TRIPLE their face value, up to $0.99! So a $0.50 coupon would now be worth $1.50!

Problem is...as you already know I'm a procrastinator, and so I'm trying to get my coupons organized asap, so I can be ready to go on Thursday!? HELP! Things that force me to be organized are my least favorite things!

Oh well, we'll see how much money I can save.... I'll let you know!

I'm tired...

...but happy. Our church started a new chapter this week. We went to 3 services! We start at 8:45, then 10:15, then 11:45. As one of the newest members of the Preschool team, I didn't know what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised. We had all our volunteers show up (some where late, but who's complaining). The other surprise was how many kids showed up for the third service! We weren't expecting it, but wow! God is good.

Bottom line....our church is growing and God is taking us on a wild ride!

Happy Easter!

Good Friday...

So, today we remember. He suffered. He died.

What do I do with that? Over 2000 years later, sitting in my comfortable home in a country halfway around the world from where He was?

I paint Easter eggs with my kids, my husband has the day off, I wish my family was here...but what do I do with the knowledge that the Son of God came to be my scapegoat? my atonement?

My ladies biblestudy is just finishing up a study of the Old Testament Tabernacle (A woman's heart God's dwelling place)...and the amount of blood shed over and over again for every sin the Israelites committed is astounding.

Hebrews 9:21+22 - "In the same way, [Moses] sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness."

That's a lot of blood. I'm not trying to be morbid here, but I am just thinking about how much Jesus' sacrifice saved us from....saved me from....

Worthy is the Lamb!!

they make me laugh...

Brits...British humor especially...there is an intelligent silliness in a lot of British humor.
And let's be honest their accent is awesome!

Two of my favorites:
...
the Vicar of Dibley a BBC - a series that has a woman playing the new vicar (pastor) to a small-town church...some things a bit on the edge, but overall good for a laugh. Especially her friend Alice!
Mr. Bean who doesn't love Rowan Atkinson!

I think....

...we're on the mend. Izzy's off at school, George is bopping around the house (I should have sent him to school) and I'm not hurting in so many places. Hallelujah!

So today is catch up day. Mail mostly...seriously, I'm drowning in it! I remember as a kid thinking I could hardly wait til I would get my own mail....oh, what a naive child I was...
I know the "touch it once" rule...the problem is the stuff you can't deal with right then, but need to deal with in the future. A magazine here, a catalogue there...and then there's school papers...the bane of my existence. Every sheet of paper that comes home from school needs to be looked at. A cute story, homework, letter from PTA, note from the teacher, "read it and throw it away", you say?? Ha...I'm the queen of telling my kids how much I love the story they wrote, or the picture they drew, as I'm throwing it away, but you can't do that to everything - can you? Some letters have "dates to remember", upcoming events to know about, what do I do with those? Get organized? Have a calendar nearby to write everything on? Oh, I have a million ideas. The problem is this: I procrastinate. Kind of what I'm doing now...writing about catching up, but not actually doing it now.

Oh well, I'll deal with it all later...
the book I'm reading is calling my name.

it's official...

...I'm going crazy. I took George in to the Dr. and yes, he does, in fact have the flu.
I still feel stinky, and Izzy isn't 100%... of course, that didn't stop me from sending her to school for a half day...poor thing. But really, she's on Tamiflu and Zythromax, so she won't be spreading anything around. And to top everything off, I have not been the nicest mama to my poor son:
He came running to me on the couch (I was napping) and knee'd me in the stomach...I cried, then I whisper yelled...you mom's know what I mean, when you're so past it, you know you will say horrible things...so you whisper. Poor boy, he was just coming to kiss me. In fact, about 20 minutes later, this sick, sweet 4 yearold came up to me and said, "sorry mama, for hurting your tummy, I love you"
....why don't you knife me in the heart already!!!

So now, not only do I feel physically sick, I'm emotionally drained as well. WILL I EVER GET THIS RIGHT??? I am again, in need of grace...healing, forgiving, undeserved grace. I'm reminded of an hymn we used to sing in the church I grew up in...

"Marvelous grace of our loving Lord,

Grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt;

Yonder on Calvary's mount out-poured,

There where the blood of the Lamb was spilt.

chours:

Grace, grace, God's grace,

Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;

Grace, grace, God's grace,

Grace that is greater than all our sin."

Well, I'm off to put my babies to bed, and ask for forgiveness...

by His Grace....

....and...

now George is sick...He is hot, I mean really, really hot. I have zero working thermometers in the house right now...batteries all dead. But when you can feel your hand burning when you touch your son, his fever is pretty high. So far Motrin and Tylenol have worked somewhat, but I think he and I will be making a trek to the urgent care tomorrow...Gerald and Olivia are both avoiding us sickos like the plague...seriously, Gerald won't touch anything any of us have touched unless a Clorox wipe has been used in between.

I've done more laundry today than I care to remember, thankfully Olivia and I have officially made a contract for her to do the dishes and fold laundry on a regular basis (we'll see how that goes).

I need to go and make my bed, hopefully cleaning all the sheets will have killed all the "bugs"!

the flu...

stinks! I feel awful! I mean, I ache in places I haven't felt in years! and my cough hurts!

My hubby slept in a different room last night, and our bedroom has become the "sick" room.
Olivia, is walking around the house with clorox wipes (God bless her) tracing the steps Izzy and I have made.

I've decided (again) that I'd better die quickly...I'm positive I would be a miserable dying person. When I read or hear of people who are gracious as they are dying, I am amazed at the strength they show...it must be the prayers of the people around them. ...
'Cause it can't be anything but Supernatural...

So, I'm not dying, but I am miserable...pray for me...pray for my family...pray that Gerald doesn't decide to follow through with my request to just "put me out of my misery".

waiting for the other shoe...

to drop.

I've kept George home..just in case he gets the flu from Izzy. I'm starting to cough, and worry about my own symptoms...I'm becoming a hypochondriac. I should just get up from this computer and DO stuff...like the laundry that is beeping at me, but procrastination is my middle name.

What is it about putting off the inevitable? I mean so many times you hear that you should:
1. enjoy your kids while they're young,
2. play hard, life is short,
3. on your death bed you won't care how hard you worked, etc...

BUT...if I ignore the daily drudgery ( I mean laundry...) I'll be on the show "How Clean is Your House?"

Here's my struggle...I want to be Mary, but I have to be Martha or my family will expire under the filth!

I've tried this before...

but I want to try again. I think a blog is a great way to keep a journal of one's life...the only dilemna is, do I share EVERYTHING?? Well, we'll see. but my friend Gwenn has inspired me....

So I get a call today from teacher of daughter #2...seems she has a fever of 103.2.

1. She's on her way home with other carpool mom...

2. I know I have to get her to urgent care to check for the flu....

3. now, I'm trying to figure out what to do with son...

4. daughter #1 is not home to babysit...and we have to be at her school for a meeting..

5. hubby is waiting to be picked up at his office b/c our van is in the shop...

Results:

1.neighbor takes son, and offers to feed him dinner

2. another neighbor (works at same company as hubby) offers to drive him home

3. urgent care not busy, and we get right in....but she not only has the flu, she has pnemonia as well....great.

4. we make it to the meeting at school...

Now, I know that I didn't pray once during that whole "drama" but I am grateful and humbled by the generousity of my neighbors....and how God used them to care for me and my family.

That, and the fact that Izzy waited til I left for the meeting with Olivia to vomit.......