A tree planted by the waters...

Compare

It's usually not good to compare.  You don't want to compare your kids to others (ie. my kid walked at 9 months...and your's at 15 months...so mine is clearly going to be an olympic runner).  You dont's want to compare yourself to others either.  I've been thinking a lot about my unhealthy self-talk.  On a daily basis, my thought go something like this:

• I'm a failure at homeschooling because we didn't do any cute crafts today and I didn't do any great read-a-louds.  All we accomplished was math and 2 puppy baths (that was Wednesday last week.  The first bath was planned.  The second was because she stepped in her own poop.)  I wish I was a better teacher like...
• I'm a bad friend.  I hardly have time to brush my hair and put on some makeu-up, so finding time to email or call friends is difficult.  I wish I was a better friend like....
• I'm not as fit as I should be.  If I was more consistent with my fitness, I'd be thinner and have less back pain.  I should look like...
• I used to be a good blogger, but then I let my blog lapse and it was hard to pick back up.  In trying to make a go of it again, I worked on the same post 3 different days last week and it's still not published.  I'm not a good blogger like...

I could go on...but I won't.  I shouldn't compare myself like that.  No one should.  It's not healthy.  Yet somehow I know that it's a trap women fall into so easy (men might make this mistake too, but I'm not one and I can't speak for them).  So, when you're feeling inadequate how do you refocus?  I've got some thoughts, but I'll save those for another post.  I know I'm not alone in the comparison trap, so what do you do?  And I'll try to come back soon with a Refocus post.  

***** 

This is one time when it's ok to compare though...

On the left:  December 3o, 2011  ::  On the right:  January 29, 2012

Look how much my baby has grown in a month!  I scaled the images in photoshop so that the balls are the same size.  Yes, one is pink and one is purple, but they're from the same set.  Like this, it is good to compare yourself, not against others, but over time to observe growth.  Just something to think about.  

She's getting so big

I finally downloaded photos (the ones on my camera went back to Thanksgiving).  I wish the photos just imported themselves to iphoto.  As I looked at the last few weeks in pictures, I can not believe how fast my puppy is growing!  She's at least double the size she was when we adopted her.  Some mornings I look at her and I'm just sure that she grew while sleeping overnight.  

Holly's first bath (just after we got her) was in the kitchen sink.  I took advantage of the 80 degree day and gave Holly a bath today, this time in the tub.  I think by summer she'll be having baths in the back yard.  After her bath, I took Holly out in the backyard so she could dry off in the warm sun.  So, question for the dog owners...How often do you bathe your fur kids?  

 

 

After running around in the yard with the kids she was all tired out.  She fell asleep on the doggie bed I bought her this weekend at Target.  I thought this photo of her on the bed would be a good one for size comparison as she grows.  

 

 

Holly has the cutest little paws.  Well, they're not so little anymore.  L was the first to notice that on her right side her nails alternate black/white/black/white.  She has the webbed toes of a Lab.  Her coat is coming in more and looks a lot like a Lab too.

 

Her ears are just so cute.  I'm not sure where she gets them.  And I LOVE that little white tuxedo patch on her chest.   

 

Isn't she a doll?!  I hope to get some videos up next.  

Has this blog gone to the dogs?

We've been talking about getting a dog for so long.  The kids overheard M & I talking just after school started, so they knew we were hoping to pull this off for Christmas.  Turns out, adopting a dog isn't as easy as it should be. 

I started filling out applications for dog/puppy adoption.  It sure felt like it couldn't be much harder to adopt a child.  Then, there were the rescues that had lists of requirements.  It seems that being a married couple (12 years) that owns a home isn't as much of a benefit as we would have thought.  We waited until our kids were a good age to be helpful with a dog (10,8, & 6) but some rescues thought they weren't old enough.  One rescue finally approved us based on our application, and would have approved our home/yard, but they home-check person felt my kids couldn't be trusted with the front door and would let a puppy out into the street.  

After a month of this run around, I was having lunch with a friend and she mentioned the rescue that she got her dog from.  I filled out an application with them.  In 2 HOURS I recieved and email that we were approved.  Then a second email with the foster mom's cell phone number.  She wanted me to call her.  We set up a meeting for 9:30 am the next morning.  By 10 am we were driving away with Holly!  

 

We adopted Holly Berry on December 28th.  She was 6# the day we took her home.  I took this photo the first week.  Because of New Year's Day it was almost a week before I got her to our vet and she put on 1.1#.  Then I took her back for shots a week and a half later.  10# 5.4oz!  It's been another week and a half...and I'm thinking she's probably 12#  She's bigger than Rex (our cat) now.  

I've got so many questions...so it might seem like this blog has gone to the dogs in the coming months.  I'm trying to learn as much as I can.  Holly is perfect for our family...and we want to be the perfect family for her.  

I'm here!

I'll work on being more commited, but I've decided that I'm here.  The reason I was thinking of giving up my blogger account is because of the photos.  I never used flickr or something like that.  I had uploaded the photos directly to the blog from my computer.  I was running out of storage.  So then I won a Typepad book and a year of this blog.  And I loved it.  I like that the albums here exist somewhere else besides my hard drive (just in case).  I've got kids cooking posts coming.  Some finished knits.  And...the big news...we adopted a puppy for Christmas.  We're totally in love with her...but I'm realizing that we've got a lot to learn.

Do I blog here or there?

I'm not sure.  What I do know is that I need to be blogging.  I need the outlet of words from my head.  I need a place to post knit things.  And I feel like some of my computer conversations are a little one sided as I'm reading and sometimes commenting on blogs, but haven't written my own posts.  I miss what this place used to be for me.  I'm not sure if it's because I left my comfortable place (blogger) for a snazzier blog (this one) that ended up being more work.  Or if it's because when Mike finally got a new job I sighed with relief and then just felt paralyzed.  It seems strange, I should have been paralyzed DURING the unemployment.  But, God sustained us.  And then after...well...maybe I wasn't processing some of these things because I wasn't writing out my thoughts.  Either way.  I'm hoping this means I'm back.  I'll just have to figure out where I'm going to land.  I'm writing this just to see who still has this blog in their blog reader.  Anyone out there?

I need buttons`

I need buttons.  One for the school blog, one for the knit blog, and one for the kid's cooking blog.  I love photoshop.  So why does this seem so hard for me to find time to do?  

It's Knit and Crochet Blog Week.  I'm actually posting over at Knits-n-Bits this week.  

I have so much to write about.  I think that keeping it in my head hasn't helped me to wade through it any better.  I'm hoping that as the school year winds down I'll find more time to blog.  I miss this place.

It's not what you gather....

A life lesson from a forwarded email. Read the following and have a GREAT day!  I was at the corner grocery store buying some early potatoes. I noticed a small boy, delicate of bone and feature, ragged but clean, hungrily apprising a basket of freshly picked green peas. I paid for my potatoes but was also drawn to the display of fresh green peas. I am a pushover for creamed peas and new potatoes. Pondering the peas, I couldn't help overhearing the conversation between Mr. Miller (the store owner) and the ragged boy next to me. 'Hello Barry, how are you today?' 'H'lo, Mr. Miller. Fine, thank ya. Jus' admirin' them peas. They sure look good.'  'They are good, Barry. How's your Ma?' 'Fine.. Gittin' stronger alla' time.' 'Good. Anything I can help you with?' 'No, Sir. Jus' admirin' th em peas.' 'Would you like to take some home?'  asked Mr. Miller.  'No, Sir. Got nuthin' to pay for 'em with.' 'Well, what have you to trade me for some of those peas?' 'All I got's my prize marble here.'     'Is that right? Let me see it' said Miller. 'Here 'tis.. She's a dandy.'  'I can see that. Hmm mmm, only thing is this one is blue and I sort of go for red. Do you have a red one like this at home?' the store owner asked. 'Not zackley but almost.' 'Tell you what. Take this sack of peas home with you and next trip this way let me look at that red marble'. Mr. Miller told the boy. 'Sure will. Thanks Mr. Miller.' Mrs. Miller, who had been standing nearby, came over to help me.  With a smile she said, 'There are two other boys like him in our community, all three are in very poor circumstances. Jim just loves to bargain with them for peas, apples, tomatoes, or whatever. When they come back with their red marbles, and they always do, he decides he doesn't like red after all and he sends them home with a bag of produce for a green marble or an orange one, when they come on their next trip to the store.'  I left the store smiling to myself, impressed with this man. A short time later I moved to Colorado , but I never forgot the story of this man, the boys, and their bartering for marbles.  Several years went by, each more rapid than the previous one. Just recently I had occasion to visit some old friends in that Idaho community and while I was there learned that Mr. Miller had died. They were having his visitation that evening and knowing my friends wanted to go, I agreed to accompany them. Upon arrival at the mortuary we fell into line to meet the relatives of the deceased and to offer whatever words of comfort we could. Ahead of us in line were three young men. One was in an army uniform and the other two wore nice haircuts, dark suits and white shirts...all very professional looking. They approached Mrs. Miller, standing composed and smiling by her husband's casket.  Each of the young men hugged her, kissed her on the cheek, spoke briefly with her and   moved on to the casket. Her misty light blue eyes followed them as, one by one; each young man stopped briefly and placed his own warm hand over the cold pale hand in the casket. Each left the mortuary awkwardly, wiping his eyes.  Our turn came to meet Mrs. Miller. I told her who I was and reminded her of the story from those many years ago and what she had told me about her husband's bartering for marbles. With her eyes glistening, she took my hand and led me to the casket.  'Those three young men who just left were the boys I told you about. They just told me how they appreciated the things Jim 'traded' them. Now, at last, when Jim could not change his mind about color or size....they came to pay their debt.'  'We've never had a great deal of the wealth of this world,' she confided, 'but right now, Jim would consider himself the richest man in Idaho ..'  With loving gentleness she lifted the lifeless fingers of her deceased husband. Resting underneath were three exquisitely shined red marbles.  The Moral :  We will not be remembered by our words, but by our kind deeds. Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath.  Today I wish you a day of ordinary miracles    ~ A fresh pot of coffee you didn't make yourself...  An unexpected phone call from an old friend ....  Green stoplights on your way to work... The fastest line at the grocery store...  A good sing-along song on the radio...  Your keys found right where you left them.  IT'S NOT WHAT YOU GATHER, BUT WHAT YOU SCATTER THAT TELLS WHAT KIND OF LIFE YOU HAVE LIVED!

Bringing it all together...

The main page.  You are HERE.

School @ Home

Kids in the Kitchen

Knits-n-Bits

I need to make some fancy little buttons for the sidebar, but here are the links.  Apparently, if you want to read about all the pieces of my day you have to subscribe to each page.  But, this is good because some of my friends might not get the CO, BO, WIP, Frog, FO part of my life.  

A well orchestrated day...

Is that the definition of a good day?  So often, for me it is.  That's not my heart's desire.  I long to be a loving, patient wife/mom/friend.  Most days, I'm an anxious orchestrator.  Like today...

Get up.  Pray.  Have coffee.  Check email/facebook.  Serve the kids breakfast (pancakes and applesauce).  Get the kids started on reading.  Shower.  Start the kids on math.  Empty the crockpot of the chicken bones that were cooking all night.  Strain the broth.  Prepare it for the freezer.  Make the meatloaf for tonight's dinner and put the loaf pans in the fridge.  Wash lots of dishes.  Have the kids play a memory game with phonics cards.  Feed the kids a snack.  Spelling tests and sight words.  Lunch.  Fencing.  Library.  Home.  Social Studies.  Science.  Put the meatloaf in the oven.  Make the mashed potatoes and veggies.  Make a salad.  Serve dinner.  Clean up.  Grandma arrives (she's here to watch the kids).  M comes home and rushes to eat dinner before we head out to a couple's Bible Study.  

Throughout the day, I want to be a good mom.  I don't want to say "Later!" so often.  When M comes home I want to be a good wife...instead I'm asking for help orchestrating the household chores/events so things run smoothly tomorrow.  I want to be a good friend...but many days I don't have time to answer the phone or call a friend to see how she's doing and just say that I care.  How do you become the person you want to be in the midst of this crazy life?    

Devine Appointment

I had 2 pretty amazing Fridays.  Two weeks ago, I met a new friend at the Arboretum.  We though it would be a good idea to meet before we decided to take a trip to San Diego together.  Can I just say how great is is that we met because of a mutual friend that lives in Michigan?!  Karen realized that she knew 2 ladies from Orange County and asked if she could exchange our email addresses.  I think it was really a Divine appointment.  I'm certain that God has great things in store for each of us...through each other.  

At the Arboretum, our kids had a blast playing.  This is the giant anthill in the children's garden.

My kids played photographer so we could have some pictures of the 2 of us.

I stopped by my kids favorite tree on the way back to our cars.  

Oh, and the tree the kids are climbing in...the photo of their cute faces don't show off how high up they are or the grandeur of the tree.  I can't remember the name...

Last week I drove to Central O.C. and met Stephanie at her house.  She drove us from there to San Diego.  We made a short stop at Knitting In La Jolla.  I picked up some clearance Rowan Cotton and a skein of Madelinetosh Pashemina in Terrarium.  This is going to be the Honey Cowl.  

Then we were off to dinner at Panera to meet Karen and Ronel.  Such a sweet time.

Karen spoke at Ronel's church for a Mom's Night Out event.  

Stephanie and I had a crazy ride home....we saw a bit of everything.  From a firetruck looking for a jumper on a bridge and drunk drivers on the interstate to getting sprayed by sprinklers.  But the great part of driving with a friend was getting to discuss what God had spoken to our hearts through Karen.  I'm looking forward to many more GREAT Fridays in 2011!