Speaking of birthdays...What is your favorite gift-getting style? Do you like to be completely surprised with a gift? Or would you prefer to get something that you've asked for? I've gotten both kinds of gifts, and I love them all.
Before we had kids, we asked God for a baby, a healthy baby. I even secretly prayed for a girl. And for her to be beautiful to shut up all the people who said our "mix" would not be attractive. Man, did God answer those prayers, even the ones I told Him He didn't have to.
He did it again for our second one, a boy.
Our third baby was like someone giving me the exact present that I wanted - except early! We were going to wait until the first two were older before we dared again, but we thought, at least we don't have to flip-flop over that decision anymore.
Then the fourth one came. He was the birthday gift that I'd never even considered... and it wasn't even my birthday! I now understand why people hate surprises. I also understand why people think surprises are the greatest.
That's how good God is. Not only has He gifted me with much, but He's given it to me in a variety of ways.
My little girl is turning 4 on Wednesday (sniff sniff). People have been asking what she would like for her birthday. That's a tough one. She has hand-me-down clothing and shoes from her older sister, Barbies and other girl toys from her sister, and loads of boy toys from her two brothers. She doesn't really need anymore of these, but what else is there? We also have a ton of books, both our own and from the library.
The things I would love her to have are dance lessons and martial arts lessons (for defense against her older brother), but no one wants to get her something that costly and intangible. Would it be terrible just to set up a fund for her and have people contribute to it? I can see how some people would consider that tacky, but what else do you get a girl who already has everything?
She's obsessed with dog and cat stuff but has been for awhile, so she's got quite a bit of those things. The only things I can think of are these:
lunch box (with cat or dog theme)
backpack (with cat or dog theme)
dog or cat coloring books
Crayola paints that only show up on special paper
swim toys
twin mattress
Okay I hope that helps.
Last week was our last week of school for this year. Instead of ending it on a high and fun note with yearbook signings and popsicles, I ended it by losing my temper and yelling at my girl when she couldn't get what I thought was a very basic and easy concept. My daughter excels in a lot of her academics, so I have a high expectation of her to learn everything quickly. When she doesn't, I just can't believe it. I think, she's just not concentrating. Or she's just being lazy. I forget that my little 7 year old has her weaknesses too. She's only almost perfect.
I've learned my lesson, at least until the next time I mess up. Thankfully, my daughter is very forgiving. Also, thankfully we had ice cream, cookies, and chocolate in the house which beats a plain old popsicle any day.
So summer vacation is officially here. Yay! This week we plan to decompress and do nothing. Yay! Then after all that rest I can make the kids do our spring cleaning which is otherwise known as the Big Clothing, Toys, and Garage Stuff Throw-out. After that, we have a busy week of Vacation Bible School at church, followed by more needed decompressing. Yay! Beyond that I have no clue. It's on our agenda for the next family meeting.
I typed this awhile back, then forgot to post it online. Them darn brain cells again.
Overall the cruise was great. Kevin had fun, the kids had fun, the in-laws had fun, and even this homebody had fun. But onto the important details.
I weighed myself today, and miraculously I haven't gained any weight on the cruise. Even more amazing, I've lost weight, about 4 pounds! So I guess the fever and sore throat diet does work, even under extreme circumstances. It's a wonder that someone hasn't packaged and distributed viruses commercially for this very purpose.
Compared to some of those crazy diet methods out there like stapling a stomach and alli diet pills (actual warning: You may feel an urgent need to go to the bathroom. Until you have a sense of any treatment effects, it's probably a smart idea to wear dark pants, and bring a change of clothes with you to work), it's not so far-fetched. Presenting:
The Microbiotic Diet
Lose weight effortlessly
No exercise
No food restrictions
Side effects may include fever, nausea, vomiting, sore throat, coughing, runny nose, stuffy nose, body aches, fatigue, and death.
And don't be getting any crazy ideas, because everything on this blog is copyrighted. I may only have a few brain cells left but the few that's there are brilliant.
Every week I am amazed at church. I go expecting a pretty good service. After all, that is why we chose to go to this church. But every week, it is beyond good. I sing my guts out (you just can't help it), cry for forgiveness, laugh with the pastor, and listen with rapt attention as another message hits bulls-eye. I come out humbled, forgiven, awed with God, aware like I just woke up from a coma, determined to do better, peaceful, and so very rejuvenated.
I try to hold onto these feelings, thoughts, and goals but life inevitably gets in the way. On Monday stress starts to press in (on my eardrums that is, from the kids screaming and crying). On Tuesday, I'm thinking of God less. By Wednesday I've already let myself and Him down many times. By Friday this crazy world has once again sucked me in. By the end of the week, I'm so far off my set path (and yet only vaguely conscious of it), that I need something, Someone huge to recenter me.
I'm like the scale you have to zero every so often, otherwise my numbers start to be be skewed. Sometimes my numbers are just a little off, sometimes off the scale. I'm thankful that God finds this worn-out machine worthy of being recalibrated.
That's why I look forward to church. Don't ask me to skip church because I can't. I need to go, for myself and for the sake of everyone around me. There have been times when Kevin and I were mad at each other going into church. Then we listened to songs, prayers, and lessons about love and redemption, God and forgiveness. Before the service ended, we embraced and made up without saying a word. God is powerful, loving, merciful, trustworthy, wise, and strong. His Church reminds me of that every week.
Another birthday has come and gone. It was a good one, pretty calm and low-key, like me. Over the weekend my sisters drove down here to celebrate, which is a big deal in LA traffic and today's hectic lifestyle. Then Kevin cooked one of my favorite meals complete with homemade dessert. That man is heaven-sent.
As I get older, I'm more partial to birthdays. It's the only day that's about me, no one else but me. Christmas is about Jesus and the kids, our anniversary is about both me and Kevin, Mother's Day is about my mother and mother-in-law, only my birthday is Pam's Day and no one else's. As a mother who's trained to think of everyone else (still working on that), I'm holding onto my birthday for myself, even if it means getting wrinkles and losing brain cells.
Besides, I'm thankful for the time that has allowed me to have 4 great kids and 15 years with a heaven-sent man. So I'm another year older, another year happier, hopefully another year wiser. Thank you to everyone who made my birthday - and my life - special.
The other night we had our first family meeting. To begin with, we designated a wooden flute as our talking stick. Right away, our 5-year old raised his hand.
Here's the stick, what would you like to say?
"I love you Daddy."
Great. Next up...yes, Baby Girl?
"Ummm...hmmm....ahhh...ehhhh...never mind"
Thus went the whole meeting. We covered maybe 5 minutes of what we wanted to talk about. Then we gave up and played Go Fish.
Our third baby was like someone giving me the exact present that I wanted - except early! We were going to wait until the first two were older before we dared again, but we thought, at least we don't have to flip-flop over that decision anymore.
