Rainy Monday

It's rainy and Monday and I'm sleepy.  Not sure why since I got a good night's sleep last night.  Josiah is on a school trip to the capital (capitol?) today...I guess he'll be soaked when he gets home...hopefully he has fun anyway.

This morning Miss Sh. (IU13-PT) came and worked with Mark.  After naps Miss H. (IU13-OT) is coming to work with him.  Wednesday we'll go see Miss S. (IU13-ST).  Otherwise my week is fairly open which is lovely.

Today I'm doing lots of laundry in between the therapists visits.  Supper will be leftovers (I think I have enough).  I am starting to look for recipes for larger quantities or else doubling recipes as the children continue to grow.  :-)

Here's a few photos from one of Randy's runs the other week.

Random Thoughts

I've noticed something....sometimes when people go through extremely trying times (such as a divorce), they then get motivated to take care of themselves...exercising, getting in shape, etc.  So my random thought today was...if we take care of ourselves without the motivation of a crisis...could we avoid some of these extreme times???  Do we truly need to love ourselves (in a healthy as opposed to selfish way) in order to love our families and friends?

It's chilly...but lovely and sunshiny.  Perhaps once it warms up I'll be motivated to start walking with the boys again.

I've suddenly started drinking my coffee black.  I've lost the taste for those artificial sweetners...strange.

If anyone has a good recipe for cooking in a camp dutch oven...I'd love to have it!

I'm loving the colors right now....yellow forsythia, pink weeping cherry trees, red and yellow tulips, all shades of green emerging from the wood...

April

This month Randy & I once again celebrated another year of marriage.  He sent me these lovely flowers.  We went out to eat (Plaza Azteca - delicious!).  And we bought a 3-legged cast iron dutch oven for cooking over the fire this summer.  :-)

Books

It's no secret.  I love to read.  Really.  Over the weekend away with the ladies we stopped at an Ollie's.  What a wonderful selection of cheap books....quite hard to keep myself reined in!

I got:

• "You Matter More Than You Think" by Leslie Parrott
• "Making Children Mind without Losing Yours" by Dr. Kevin Leman
• "Boundaries for Kids" by Townsend & Cloud (an all time favorite of mine that I constantly loan so decided to get a second copy)
• "Integrity" by Dr. Henry Cloud (a favorite author, so even though it was more about integrity in the business world, I was still interested.)
• "I am hutterite" by Mary Ann (can't remember last name).
• Corduroy's Christmas (I'm keeping this one for next Christmas)
• Some seek-and-find type kids books
• a few new kids DVDs

Today it dawned on me that I had never checked the "free" selection of Kindle books for books by L.M. Montgomery.  I found quite a few...makes my day!  :-)

So I'm not going to be spending time on here tonight...I'm off to read!  :-)

Monday

The weekend - I had a lovely weekend at a cabin a few hours away with a group of ladies from our church.  Our speaker talked about our Stories and how women need each other.  Saturday afternoon we did some shopping.  Lots of laughter, conversation, fun.  I and a friend came home early.  Yesterday we enjoyed hanging out around our firepit and having some of Randy's family over for icecream.

Today I'm doing lots of laundry.  Mark's IU13 OT will be here sometime this afternoon.

After a warmer week last week, it's cool again.  But the colors are changing from brown to green and pink and white and yellow outside...Lovely!

Current Reading....

I checked this book out of the church library on Sunday and have been slowly reading it.  I recommend it...

Tuesday

and I'm enjoying another gorgeous, sunny, breezy spring day!

This morning Mark & I went to therapy (OT and PT with a trip to K-Mart in between).  He was not so cooperative during PT.  I took my laptop along and worked on scrapbooking during OT.

Naptimes continue to be challenging (although not as bad as a year or 2 ago).  So this week we are trying "quiet time in the living room".  I put in a DVD (or 2...depending on length) for the quiet time period and they can watch them, play quietly (Mark isn't very interested in DVDs) or go lay in their beds.  I pick the DVD so they're not arguing about it.  I've always been a movies are treats not every day person....but why keep fighting the same battles year after year.  And if they stop staying in the living room, then it will be back to fighting to keep them in their bedrooms...because I refuse to give in and totally ditch the quiet time (even if it's a battle).  I need that time to keep my sanity.  :-)

I need to fold laundry and figure out what's for supper.

What I'm reading right now...

I did a post a few months ago about finishing up reading through the Bible in chronological order, and how I think for the rest of this year I will focus on a book a month.  I focused on Philippians in February, and John in March.  So, for April...I'm reading Psalms.  Not in order, but randomly.  Some days it's verses I have highlighted, some days a chapter (or more).  I love the Psalms.  I love the emotion.  I don't always understand...but I love how most times, even when the Psalm starts out bitter and vindictive, the Psalmist comes around to God being good, that He loves us, even when our world is falling apart.

 

Psalm 32 (NIV)

 

Blessed is he

whose transgressions are forgiven,

whose sins are covered.

Blessed is the man (or woman of course)

whose sin the LORD does not count

against him

and in whose spirit is no deceit.

When I kept silent,

my bones wasted away

through my growning all day long.

For day and night

your hand was heavy upon me;

my strength was sapped

as in the heat of summer.

Then I acknowledged my sin to you

and did not cover up my iniquity.

I said, "I will confess

my transgressions to the LORD"--

and you forgave

the guilt of my sin.

 

Therefore, let everyone who is godly

pray to you

while you may be found;

surely when the mighty waters rise,

they will not reach him.

You are my hiding place;

you will protect me from trouble

and surround me with songs of

deliverence.

 

I will instruct you and teach you in

the way you should go;

I will counsel you and watch over

you.

Do not be like the horse or the mule,

which have no understanding

but must be controlled by bit and

bridle

or they will not come to you.

Many are the woes of the wicked,

but the LORD's unfailing love

surrounds the man who trusts in

him.

Rejoice in the LORD and be glad,

you righteous;

sing, all you who are upright in heart!

Joy Dare

I did not keep up with the official joy dare this past week...but on this beautiful spring day, how can I keep from overflowing with Joy!

So...gifts from God from the past week (and today!) include:

1. Warmer weather!
2. Sunshine
3. Time outside with family
4. kids playing outside
5. neighbor kids in our backyard
6. attending church worship service
7. green grass
8. more daffodils
9. sitting around the campfire
10. cooking over the campfire
11. hair that smells like a campfire.  :-)
12. coffee
13. chocolate
14. time to think about summer plans
15. laundry outside on the line, blowing gently in the breeze
16. hanging out with friends this morning.
17. cleaning up the flower beds
18. pulling weeds
19. pruning rose bushes
20. perusing gardening magazines
21. kids swinging
22. boys digging
23. grilling
24. sweet tea

Okay.  I'll stop now!  :-)

Thursday

and I realized that I haven't blogged for awhile.  Not much to say!

I've been enjoying being home more and keeping more on top of the housekeeping chores!  It's warming up (a very little bit) and the kids are enjoying being outside.  Had MOPS this morning, but otherwise pretty much a "stay at home" sort of week.  Lovely!

Grilling tonight for supper.  :-)  Loving the sunshine, daffodils, crocuses, and budding trees.  Those in the family who mind allergies...aren't as impressed with spring.  We're going through a lot of allergy meds.

Randy had a follow-up appointment with the lung doctor.  His lungs look the same...no better, no worse.  Follow-up again in 6 months.  If still stable, then follow-ups a year apart.

No therapies this week for anyone.  Rather nice (even though I know they are necessary).