This Week...

Well, I didn't intend to, but I stirred up some folks with my post yesterday. I honestly intended it as encouragement to moms-to-be and to exhort us to all support each other as moms. Unfortunately, some felt I came across as anti-natural mom. I apologize. Sure, I'm admittedly not a natural mom, and I'm not on board with all things natural all the time, but I assure you: crunchy mamas are fun and wonderful and I had no intention of putting them down.
So.
I do not have it together and am definitely not writing this blog to appear to have it together. In fact, this week:
-I fed my girls corn dogs for dinner three times. One such time I added carrot and celery sticks to the table. They may or may not still be there in their baggie, mocking me.

-My husband cleaned the kitchen. I can't decide if I am grateful or offended. Or embarrassed that he did a more thorough job than I've done in weeks.

-I helped out at my daughter's school this week for apple pie making day. I brought Fo and Boo with me and was happily chopping apples in the kitchen when one of the other mom helpers smelled gas and realized Boo had turned the knob on the gas stove. I blushed more than a little when the mom said, "We probably shouldn't let them play with the stove." Er, yeah. Good call.

-Later, after we'd taken the chopped apples back to class and helped make the pies, the kids headed to recess (Fo was invited to join) and the mom helpers headed to the kitchen to clean up. I don't want to admit how long it took me to realize I had left Boo in the classroom. But if you're familiar with spoonerism, "Men Tinutes" might say something to you.

-I have an-over-the-phone radio interview planned next week and all I can think about this week as I prepare is that the only real signal "hot spot" in our house is in the bathroom. That should make for a lovely picture for anyone listening in next Friday. (I may or may not want to flush at the end of the interview just to make it memorable)(calm down, NCC Publishing, I won't!)

-This week I made whipped honey butter and got a little too excited about it.

You know you're too excited about something you eat when you take staged, grainy pictures of it. Here's the butter on pancakes...I'll spare you the other poses.
-My choir teacher from high school called to tell me she read my book and I about peed my pants. Then I giggled like I used to in choir when she said she liked it. This time I didn't get in trouble, though.

-This week, I discovered Boo writing all over herself with a pink pen. And instead of taking it away and washing it off, I encouraged the behavior by snapping photos of her in action

 

-This week I went into the library and asked if I could request them to order a book. When the clerk handed me the slip to fill out, I paused and asked, "Is it unethical to request this if I'm the author of said book?" (p.s. apparently in my small town, the answer is no, it's not unethical)

-This week, I gave into a persistent pull on my heart to pause in my work on Book 2 in the series and work on a Christmas story that the Lord laid on my heart. I'm a tad excited because now I can go against my very strict "no Christmas movies or music until after Thanksgiving" rules and go all Christmas crazy three months too early in the name of research. I wonder if Mr. would mind if we put up the tree?

-This week (^^^^^in light of that earlier revelation^^^^^) I realize God might have laid the Christmas story on my heart to remind me that Christmas is about something so much bigger than "Elf" no matter how stinkin' funny and adorable that movie is.

This week I made all kinds of mistakes. But, I also saw a lot of areas of growth. Where years (and two babies) ago I would have been humiliated when Fo tried to pick up Boo in the library and Boo let out a very long, very high pitched, very intrusive SCREEEEEAAAM...this week, I gently reprimanded and moved on. No blushing, no avoiding eye contact.

This week, I charged ahead and helped in Little Miss' class with the two littles in tow instead of feeling like I could never accomplish such a thing. I realized that it would be tiring and busy and good for the girls to be able to practice their manners. They did great!

This week, I enjoyed listening to LM teach her sisters what she is learning in school:

This week we got an updated picture of the girl we support with Destiny Rescue. I cried when I saw her picture. Little Miss immediately noticed what I did: "Mommy, she's smiling now!"
Yes, baby. Indeed she is.

 

 

 

In light of that smile, I don't care how much I've failed this week. I only see the work of a powerful, loving God.
How has this week been for you?