my dilemma

At the recommendation of my mom, I'm reading this book. She warned me it was pretty out-of-date (it is), but it has some good ideas on rearing children (it does). I'm reading her copy, printed in 1978, if that tells you anything...

I'm not going to tell you the name of the book because it might be controversial. I don't want any mean comments.

I hate mean comments.

Anyway, the first part of the book deals more with the roles of Mommy and Daddy than it does on actual child rearing. I was talking to Kevin about the book and telling him that the overall principles were good, but the examples were totally out-of-date and somewhat ridiculous.

He asked for an example. I proceeded with the following:

"Okay, well the author recommends that women stay attractive for their husbands (good overall principle), but then says that we should fix our hair, makeup, and clothes AND greet him at the door each night. I mean, come on, seriously? After taking care of kids all day, that's really what I am supposed to focus my attention on..."

(I could tell by the look on his face that he actually liked this idea--dang it, I shouldn't have said anything!) Of course, he would NEVER say anything, but I can honestly see why he would enjoy coming home to a put-together woman than a zombie mommy.

So, my dilemma is this...

I really like my sweats. I mean REALLY.

After Caleb was born and I decided to stay at home instead of teaching first grade, I still got myself somewhat decently dressed each day. But since Noah's birth, what is the point? I want to be comfortable and I have a million other things to do besides getting ready. Even when we go somewhere, I don't really care if people see me with glasses, no makeup, and my hair disheveled.

But when I get dressed, I do feel better about myself.

So, here's my solution...

I'm NOT giving up my sweats. I will still continue to wear them. However, come 5:30 I will be dressed in something a little nicer. Like jeans.. :)

new name...

...same web address.

This "new name" for the blog came to me as I was feeding Noah this afternoon. It's much more creative than just the boy's names. The web address will stay the same as it was before Noah www.calebmakes3.blogspot.com. It's way too much work to change a blog over to a new address!

Anyway, this will be the name of our blog. If/when we add to our family (which will be a looong way out if we are so blessed), we will rethink a new name. :)

my little fireFIGHTER

Caleb loves firetrucks, firemen, fire dogs, anything related to firefighters at the moment. To spend some enjoyable one-on-one time together, I arranged a "mommy date" to go to the fire station (last minute, of course...that's how I operate). In my mind, I had dreams of Caleb being so happy and excited as he toured the firetruck. We would laugh together as he pretended to drive the firetruck. He would wear the fireman's helmet with a smile.

That wasn't how it happened...like--at all.

He cried and he clung to me. He was scared.


I was sad.
Click on this picture to enlarge it...you will laugh. I don't know that I've seen anything more pitiful!

I wanted him to love it! I wanted it to be a memory I would remember forever! I wanted it to be special!

But, it wasn't about me. It was about him and trying to do something together that he would enjoy. He is only two--I can definitely see how he might have been scared. But by the time we left, he was happy(er). In fact, every time we even come close to the street where the fire station is located, he says he wants to go back and spray the water again. Maybe next time my ideal fire station tour will become a reality.(This is the only picture that he smiled in the whole time we were there--he really liked the ambulance! He's taking after his Peepaw.)

So my title is fitting--because he fought it. He fought the joy that was supposed to come from our time together. But even still, he is precious and loving and wonderful. And I love him with my whole heart--even though he didn't love the fire station (this time anyway). :)

Oh, and I have to tell you that the firemen were amazing! We came unannounced (because I couldn't find their number ANYWHERE). They couldn't have been more accommodating--they dropped everything to show us around and try to make Caleb happy. They even unrolled the hose and let him spray it!

settling in

Things are finally feeling settled around here. We aren't tripping over boxes and we are able to enjoy our new house! The boys have adjusted wonderfully to their new house. Caleb's "big boy room" is finally complete with his bed frame. We've still got lots to do, but we are trying to enjoy the beautiful weather!

One of our favorite things about our new house is our yard. It is much larger than our old yard and has tons of HUGE trees and a pond in the back. Both of my boys are happiest when they are outside (they take after their Daddy--although I have enjoyed being out just as much as they have recently). We have had fun watching all of the wildlife...we have ducks, geese, a beaver, frogs, and lots of bugs! I have a feeling we will have lots of little critters in and out of our home for the next several years. Caleb's favorite thing to do outside is to pick up all the sticks in the yard. Go figure!

Here are some of our favorite "outdoor" pictures.

Caleb and daddy spending some quality time together outside!

Noah looks slightly terrified...

The cute little table the previous owners left!

A week of firsts!

Noah's first cereal feeding and first tooth...all in a week!

Noah had his first cereal feeding last Saturday and to say that he enjoyed it would be an understatement.

The kid was ravenous.

He acted as though he would starve if I didn't spoon the cereal into his mouth as fast as humanly possible.

Apparently, I didn't do it fast enough so he grabbed the spoon and tried to shove it into his mouth by himself. Hmmm...I wonder what this will mean about his eating habits? :)

His bottom-right tooth popped through today. Thank goodness! The last 2 weeks have been miserable...for all of us. Caleb and Noah got their first teeth at the SAME TIME--like as in the exact day (5 1/2 months). We had no clue, however, when Caleb was teething until we actually saw his tooth.

Noah, on the other hand, has been informing us of his painful rite of passage for a couple weeks now.

Sleeping poorly--VERY poorly during the day AND at night.

Eating poorly.

And just downright grouchy. He's such a content, easy-going baby that it is sad to see him this way!

#2 isn't far behind...then I will be ready for a break from those pesky pearly whites for a while!

legacy

My Great-Grandmother passed away on Sunday. She was a precious woman with a quiet, gentle spirit and a loving nature. She was 95. She had 12 kids, 33 grandkids, 61 great-grandkids, 33 great-great-grandkids & 7 great-great-great-grandkids. She loved God and was apparently famous for her saying, "Life goes on." That is quite the legacy!

The last time I saw her was my wedding day...almost 6 years ago.

Thinking of her and her "legacy" reminded me of this song by Nicole Nordeman. I hope you enjoy it:



"I wanna leave a legacy
How will they remember me?
Did I choose to love?
Did I point to You enough
To make a mark on things?
I wanna leave an offering.
A child of mercy and grace--
Who blessed Your Name unapologetically...
Leave that kind of legacy."

answered prayer

The day before we moved into our new house, we received a contract on ours! God's timing was perfect and he definitely answered our prayer! I think He knew better than us...He knew we needed some extra time to move all of our stuff with two young children. He knew that we needed to have a few days after we closed on the new house before we moved in--to get rid of the two little mice who took up residence in our laundry room and bathroom (yes ewww...completely disgusting...we think they came through the dryer once the previous owners removed their dryer). He knew we could finally enjoy getting moved over without having to worry about our house selling. He just knew!

I think of so many times in my life when I pray and pray for a certain situation and then refuse to acknowledge God's divine hand once those prayers have been answered...or maybe I just forget to properly thank Him. I think of the time when I was pregnant with Noah when we thought there might be something wrong with his heart. I fervently prayed for days. Yet when we found out that he was fine, I didn't properly thank God for answering my prayers.

I'll admit I have been discouraged in the past with what seemed like unanswered prayers. I remember praying endlessly for the healing of two precious baby girls--Harper and Cora--and yet God decided to call them both home to be with Him. I will never understand this--yet I know that God will never allow something so tragic without ultimately bringing some good for His purpose (Romans 8:28). Thousands of lives have been touched through the faith and testimonies of the parents of these two sweet girls.

So right now I am thanking God for answering this small and somewhat trivial prayer...and for this amazing view from my kitchen window: