Author: Mommakisses

Happy Birthday

| Mommakisses

Today my sweet baby S turns 4! It was just a quick four years ago she came into our lives, our little bundle of active joy.  Have I ever told you about the miracle she is? Yep, I mean she’s only here because God chose to move on her behalf…

It was October 2004, we were half way through our third pregnancy. J was 4 and G was 16 months. We took the boys with us to the ultra sound because we wanted them to “see” their new sibling, and be able to share the excitement of the coming baby. Things were going along smoothly, or so I thought… The technician said something to the effect of “It’s a girl, but we have an issue…” in a few quick seconds we went from excitement to shock.

Long story short, she had too much fluid on her brain. We had three doctors in a week who looked her over and all said the same thing… the ventricles in her brain were too big and would NOT get smaller. The best we could hope for was a shunt would be placed in her head to drain the fluid into her stomach. The worst… well, she wouldn’t make it. I had all three dr.s offer me an abortion. The first dr . was so indignant when I told him no, he asked me why I was even there… uh… to find out what’s wrong with my baby… does that mean I need to kill my child???

We prayed. We asked our friends and family to pray. And I can come up with no other answer than God heard our prayers… and I mean our as in every one who prayed on her behalf. God was gracious to us. Within a week, those ventricles that would NOT reduce… did just that. And within the month, they were completely normal. Our sweet baby girl was born completely healthy… no shunt needed.

All I need to see is that sweet smile to know I have been blessed to hold a miracle.

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PS vs BS

| Mommakisses

The kids were watching a video tonight, during which one of the characters prayed a simple prayer. After the “amen” her friend wanted to add something else. She said “P.S.” and added her part.

This sets J’s mind to work. What does “P.S” mean? I do my best to explain it to a child of the computer age. Then he throws me a curb ball – What does “P.S” mean when Daddy used it and he didn’t believe what that guy was saying?

My mind scrambles… and lands on a Christmas shopping trip. We ran into a guy T works with. They start messing with each other as only men can do… At one point T says to his buddy, right in front of J, “B. S.!!”

Common or Uncommon?

| Mommakisses

I was asked to bring a devotional to the Women’s Ministry Council I’m on recently. I thought I would share it with you, and challenge you to become uncommon.

A couple of weeks ago, I heard Rush Limbaugh interview former pro football coach Tony Dungey. They talked about a quote from one of Dungey’s coaches when he was playing football in college. The quote struck a cord in me:

“Success is uncommon.  Therefore, not to be enjoyed by the common man. I’m looking for uncommon people.” – University of Minnesota Coach Cal Stoll

Rush went on to say “Now, I find it fascinating because we in this country, we want success to be common, and unfortunately the coach here is right. Success is an uncommon thing.”

How do you become uncommon? How do you succeed?  What is success? What does it take to be excellent?

As a music junkie, God often speaks to me through songs. Usually they come in two or three songs at a time, songs that I will play over and over and over again until they penetrate my soul. Two songs from a CD my friend KW made for me have jumped out and drilled me. Here’s the lines I find running though my head:

Count it pure joy when the world comes crashin’
Hold your head up and keep on dancin’
–    All Right, by MercyMe

Live like there’s no tomorrow
Love extravagantly
Lead a life to be followed
Goodbye Ordinary
Goodbye Ordinary
–    Goodbye Ordinary, MercyMe

In Joshua 1:7 the Lord told Joshua “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.”

How do you become uncommon? You do things others will not do. You view things in a manner most do not. You go out of your way for others. You choose to be different. You let the passion God has put in your heart direct your actions.

I believe our call as women is for each of us to be an uncommon woman. Above and beyond what others expect. To be extravagant with the love of Christ. To let His mercy flow. And to count it pure joy when we are called to go beyond our ability or to walk beyond what we see. To be excellent in our task.

We serve an Uncommon God… can we be any less?

I’m NOT Ready

| Mommakisses

Let me tell you about my afternoon… or rather the picking up of my children from their various classes…

It started with my sweet S… One of her teachers is always by the door to call the children from their play when the parents arrive to pick them up. Today it was Mrs. W. She looked at me with this look… I’m not even sure there are words… somewhere between frustration and laughter… “S was very restless at nap time today.” This does not surprise me, as she is trying VERY hard to never nap again – I mean she is almost 4, which in her mind means something like 40! Mrs. W went on, “So I told her I was very disappointed in her.” Oh no. “Then the school director, Mrs. S, walked in, and S looks at her and says, ‘Mrs. W is very important with me today.”

So off we go to get the boys. Once they are safely tucked into the back of the van, we head home. The conversation that started… oh, I’m not really even sure how it happened. Here’s what I can put together… G announces he found a “seed” and he wants to plant it. Grandma M and I ask what kind… he doesn’t know. Suggestions for the type of seed it may be start flying about the van. S’s suggestion is it could the kind that “grows a person.” Funny. But wait, there’s more:

J, my sweet 3rd grader, begins to tell my 3 year old just why that’s not possible: “You know how we get people, S? When a woman loves a man…” (I am beginning to sweat here) “and they are going to get married…” (I am trying VERY hard not to laugh) “the first time they kiss, his DNA goes into her and finds her DNA. And that’s where we get babies.”

G says, “That’s not right”

J: “I’m in 3rd grade, I know.”

G: “Can we plant the seed?” – Uh… the POPCORN kernel????

img_0735 J, G, and S with the Grinch at Christmas.

Movie Goers

| Mommakisses

We got to go to a movie – together – for the first time in what feels like years (I know it’s only been a couple of months since we’ve had a true date night, but with four kids, time is multiplied!). After dinner with some new friends, and some running around, just the two of us, we took in a late movie (I’m only good for those about once every 6-12 months), and another one of our friends, TM, (who’s wife is out of town) joined us.

We got in, found some seats and settled back. I asked T where TM was… don’t know was the answer. Previews start… where’s TM? I don’t know… Finally T picks up his phone, and starts to call TM, when he walks in. He starts to tell us what happened, and the movie started…

Two hours and a good movie later, I turned to TM… so you were in the wrong theater? Yes, seems he read the price of the movie, and headed into theater 9 (we were in number 5). He looked around and spotted a couple he thought was us. He slid into the seat next to said female and leans in to give her a hug. She turns to him, eyes bugging out of her head in shock and horror – she does not know this man trying to HUG her!!!! TM suddenly realizes it’s not me and scoots over to the next seat. He turns to the screen… only to find he is in a chick flick instead of the sci fi we were seeing!

Next time someone tries to hug you in a movie… tell him he’s in the wrong theater!

Name Game

| Mommakisses

My brother, DM, and his wife, LM, are expecting their second child. This leads to those lovely discussions of what to name the new baby. Their son, SM, will be six around the time the new baby makes the first appearance. This sweet boy LOVES to have his cousins around, or any kids for that matter, so he is VERY excited about the new baby. He loves to read to the new baby right now.

While looking at names, DM picked a Russian name as a possibility if the new baby is a little girl, Svetlana. He likes the way it sounds… until, that is, they asked SM to say the new name. A six year old’s rendition? Spitslotta.

img_0670 G, SM, J together for Thanksgiving.

Wall Art

| Mommakisses

Just before K was born, we had the upstairs finished. This means we took what was our attic, and created a big play/family room, a bedroom for the boys, a bathroom, a hobby/guest room and storage area. We moved the boys into their new room the weekend before I headed into the hospital.

While I was pregnant, I created a mural on the then boys wall, knowing S would be moved into this room. I had no idea what I was doing, but I bought a projector and a LOT of house paint and was determined to make it happen. As an active three year old, she LOVES Dora the Explorer. Each day, as I would get a little more done, all three kids would run to the room to see what was painted now, and the boys would eagerly discuss what I would put on their wall, once that room was done. S would even “hug” Boots, once he was painted. Notice it’s like a coloring book in that there are no blended colors…

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The boys had a hard time agreeing on what they wanted… Transformers, Star Wars, Tom and Jerry, Batman… the list could go on, as did the boys! However, we finally got them to agree on Ben 10. I was able to get the outline on the wall, but did not get anything painted before K came.

Now, you need to know I had a c-section. I had told myself I would be able to do the painting after she was born… WHO was I kidding??? Not T who said… call April… Why didn’t I think about that before??? I had a great resource at my finger tips, and I didn’t think about it. Sigh.

April James came to my rescue and pulled off a FABULOUS job. Notice there are even blended colors… it’s amazing what you can pull off if you use the right paint! If you want something fun on your child’s wall… check out her web site. She comes highly recommended!

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Tooty Fruity Funny

| Mommakisses

Last night at dinner we had the normal chaos that comes with four kids under 10… these kids crack me up.

T fixed dinner, and one of the things we had was broccoli. He likes to eat his with lemon juice. Monkey see, monkey do… G poured it over everything on his plate, J on his broccoli, and S on hers. The boys like it… S not so much.

“Ewww, this makes the broccoli stinky.”

Ever the five year old BOY, G says, “Stinky like your toots???” and breaks into hysterical laughter.

Ever the sassy one, S looked at him VERY seriously… “MY toots don’t stink… MY toots are FUNNY!”

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Hair cut

| Mommakisses

Sometimes I think I have nothing to post, and so I work hard at coming up with one… anything… just to keep writing. I finally had one this morning, and posted… and now I’ve been handed another… I got very tired of K waking up with hair in her face today… it’s really bad when she has a cold, and the hair sticks to the nose…

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So I got out the sissors and did a quick trim just to keep it out of her eyes a bit.

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Then I made my mistake… when will I learn??? I went to the bathroom… and left the sissors sitting right there on the ottoman, where a big sister could find them… You can see where this is going, can’t you??? Here’s what I came back to, with S saying “I just wanted it out of her eyes!”:

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Oh… I am so sorry, K!!! Next time we’ll just go to Snipits!