Melody's Harmony

Hoping for Health

2010-02-23T00:19:00.006-05:00

I have been so out of the loop that I have rarely put my hands to the keyboard other than to download the music for Fridays - even the weeks I was too sick to go and play.

I must face the task of what I hope is the last specialist on the road to recovery from crazy headaches that have held me captive for years and the more I reach out to become part of something wonderful at Real Life the harder those headaches - and side effects of testing and medicine - fight against my strength. I hate missing even ONE week because it is true joy to sing and play - particularly with my group - we don't have to be perfect but we give our all, and considering we only get about an hour and a half to practice together before service we manage to do okay. A huge refreshing change from my previous leading/singing...It's also nice I'm not the leader. Did NOT ever think I would say that, but it's free and fun to receive your mission and just do it! I have missed 4 times since January and it's excruciating! I miss it and I miss "the guys" at their instruments and the fun we have running parts...we are all there for sheer fun of getting to "serve" at church doing something we all love to do...one of us brings it up regularly how cool it is to spread our faith and love through the medium of music and worship...and I have been unreliable. Although not one person on the worship team will look down on me I have such remorse. I could not have played if they strapped me to the stool and my hands to the keys, but the "preacher's kid" in me doesn't let go easily. Service at all costs in the churches my father was assigned. This is MY church, not my father's...
Dare I trust God to give me some peace and make it okay?

So, as I ponder many thoughts, symptoms, side effects, and the weight of my weakness on my family, I am faced with the reality that I have tried to be a good soldier, compliant patient- but I'm going to have to sacrifice our family's health spending money to see yet another specialist -a headache specialist in the neurological field- that's a long title - What if the good Doctor isn't all that "special" ?

I'm just growing weary. I know I have to fight to get well and I have to "be my own advocate" but Grr! I am exhausted. My family is too. Where is "Jesus with skin on" for this? I would like to be the lamb he leaves the group for to come and find me in this rocky place to carry me back to safety!

I realize this is heavy reading. I suppose I want to see in print that I want HEALTH! I've sacrificed my personal freedoms to go for debilitating tests and try debilitating medicine. Some good has come; I do have some information that should shed light or at least provide a lead on how to treat me long term.

Sanity...over-rated or just Reality knocking?

2009-11-03T14:45:00.009-05:00

Last night, I listened to a short lesson on Sanity - the Biblical standard - it included the practical adage of "doing the same thing the same way expecting a different result" - and I am so incredibly guilty of that! It's not surprising that I find myself pondering lots of the things said today...
I have allowed myself to become hidden away and be a hermit, when I am in fact, all-it be an independent one, a social person who really does need person-to-person interaction on a regular basis. This does not include homework with my children. I love them, however, it is my job to raise them, not discuss the meaning of life.

I have expected to have things come to me on a silver platter because growing up moving from place to place, we were introduced to a new church, the members dropped in a few at a time to say hello, bring a casserole, and scope out the new family. So, literally the "new" environment came to me. We usually lived right beside the church, so I suppose you can see where I'm headed... I didn't exactly have to put much effort into my new surroundings aside from where to hang the two bookshelves that I moved from house to house and determining how to best tolerate the school system.
After getting married, it wasn't terribly difficult when it was time to move with my husband to his home town, because everyone knew my husband. I was accepted by default. Then Florida - WOW. People were from everywhere, cultures mixed - or didn't - and it was really confusing for the first time - I also began the role reversal with my parents - without my big brother nearby who understood all the quirks of the family and was only an hour away. It was time to grow up and I didn't.
Now I have to decide to keep doing things the same way expecting miracles to spring up or step outside my selfish nature and accept the challenge of growing up. *sigh* I suppose we all come to these point many times at different points in our lives. I know I have before, it just seems harder this time...I wonder if I thought that last time? Bet ya I did! Well, raise your glass to giving it a shot!

Headaches, Hang-ups, and Hope...

2009-09-17T01:20:00.006-04:00

At the end of a day of a very *blah* headache day for my middle child and for me, I got a phone call from a new friend.

I skipped answering the cell phone, since I don't get names to go along with the number...besides, who called that I actually was interested in talking to without already being saved in my phone? Well, when the land line rang, I realized it wasn't a wrong number - only a select few are privileged enough for that number :-) I absolutely HATE sales calls, and I've been fairly successful this past year; but I digress.

My phone call was to invite me to tag along getting together with a couple other women from church - something I want to do, but don't initiate - I would say it's my cluttered living area that makes me that way, but it isn't. I usually just don't have the energy to follow through with preparation and clean-up, so I avoid it. I'm not sure how many things I ignored today because of my headache and trying to help my son feel better - bless his heart. No child should hurt.

So my challenge is to force myself to get the kids off, then get my act and a Bible together before noon.

At the end of my call, I was questioned about the loss of my keyboard - I'm getting something to practice on! I don't know any special specs except that I need a stand and a/c adapter.

I asked for God to drop a keyboard in my lap so I could practice and get more comfortable so I don't drive myself and fellow band members nuts - just writing this makes me want to tell myself to get a grip already! One of the other players said "You say that every week" - the flipping out part - and it really hit hard! I knew I was always anxious about doing a good job, but I had no idea how much it showed - I felt awful! I don't want that at all - I want to HELP and be a relief, not a burden...so hopefully having some kind of tool on hand will allow my fingers do the walking - to the right notes and chords to make music for my God. My friend will never know what she's doing for me and for everyone I play with and for - just for being willing to share what she doesn't use - serendipitous is the word that comes to mind...so Thank You - you know who you are!

Household Harmony

2009-09-14T00:02:00.004-04:00

I'm a worship gal - I can sing with people, provide some cool harmonies, lead from time to time, and *tickle the ivories* with reasonable accuracy...I can eat, sleep, and breathe music and worship - almost to a literal point! I am thankful I know where my little spot is in the whole workings of the "churched" lifestyle, but how is that helping anyone else? Is it reaching the right people?

If I'm jamming to my set for the week on the MP3 player I swiped from my son, I can zoom around the house like a nut, making stops as I pass my music to make notes on what sounds or measure counts are important. With all that enjoyment, it makes me wonder about my family - is that same rush what my husband gets out of defeating someone at chess or my kids get from being "guitar hero" champs? What's their "fix"?

Is it healthy?

Am I caring for them the same way I care about my music?

I guess that's why I finally joined a bible study to force a wake up call- to figure out how to be more than ordinary - I want memorable. I want my family to recall lots of times that doing ordinary things were better because Leif and I were there with them. I want them to leave home confident in who they are, and comfortable to come back to visit without dread...
I want them to recall the regular routine as something more special than ordinary because they know they were and are loved. I want them to have something of their own that fills the space in them that music does for me and for God to make it happen - not just random chance.

Since I want more, I have to set an example of making more out of every day...and that's not an area of strength for me, thus the year commitment to change that.
Here goes bite #1 on my proverbial elephant!

Steps of Faith

2009-09-12T00:00:00.012-04:00

After blogging about my Dad's birthday, I got my weekly email for the Friday night group I attend and play keyboard in the band. There's always a short message from the Worship Leader, and as usual, his timing is perfect. In a few words, it was a request that anyone with a need for prayer to respond to the email so that we could pray ahead of service time. This is not out of the ordinary; we pray every week between practice and service, but once in a while we know there needs to be some extra effort due to the ups and down of everyday life.
At this point I began to debate sending a reply. I needed support for going to see Daddy, and I knew my husband wouldn't be available. The grief is so very heavy...did I dare let the group in on this? Could I trust them to support me and not brush the request under the rug - which in this case would be to say "everything will be fine, just trust God" - but I chose to reply. I explained Daddy's lack of memory of my Mother in the three short years since her death; despite a marriage of over 30 years. I also confessed that I tried with great effort to stick my head in the sand, but I knew that visiting was something that needed to happen for my Dad's happiness, not mine.

I followed up with a phone call requesting an email "blast" to all those in the music/tech team. Not only did my note go to the team, but also the leadership - I wasn't expecting this - the leaders have plenty to do without babysitting the keyboard player - or so I thought. I wrote back the next afternoon to the whole group with a short email saying things went well and the kids went with me.
It was blissfully low-key. I received a few replies-a couple saying they were glad things went smoothly and a couple thanking me for sharing - that threw me off - they were glad I asked for something on short notice? New territory for sure!

Tonight, as we all arrived, several people asked how things went.
It seems surreal, but it happened. Could it be that real people with real concerns receive real support?

Past experience has only said "No" so I'm a bit sceptical.
This week went a step in the right direction. It's okay to ask for help when you are in a situation that's over your head. It's our weakness, God's strength is made known. Then, the next time something similar comes around, find your balance between the wisdom you gained and get some help with the rest. God loves to help us -sometimes working through another one of his "peeps".

Daddy's Birthday

2009-09-09T20:14:00.006-04:00

Well, my Dad will be EIGHTY-TWO in a few short hours.

Thursday is my Daddy's 82nd birthday - going to celebrate with him will be bittersweet as he is having increasing difficulty remembering my mother- even though they were married over 30 years - he asked me her name on Father's Day...so visits more than a few minutes are increasingly difficult for me to withstand.

He is a retired minister, his salvation is secure, and he's trapped from two strokes in a slowly dying body. He can talk and move from bed to electric wheelchair...not a fulfilling life for him. I sometimes wish God would allow him to come home as much as it would hurt to see him go - he wouldn't be sad anymore. I am fighting within myself between loving the man who used to be my Daddy and managing the affairs for the body named Robert Garrett. I am ill-equipped for this kind of grief - it is actually greater than that of losing my mother.

He took care of me, he provided for me, he loved me, and he quit drinking ANY alcohol after my sister moved home with a drinking problem - he was in his 70s - and because his adult daughter needed an alcohol-free place - he quit, he sacrificed his comfort for my sister. He taught me worry is a sin, not to worry and "on the morrow" things would look differently than in the present moment. He has said in lucid times that he's ready anytime the Lord wants to take him and not to be sad because I know his destination. For these reasons, it feels extremely unfair that he doesn't have the ability to enjoy his "golden years". My kids miss him being able to get around and play with them.

In addition, two of my children are sick - one w/ a low-grade fever and I may not be able to go see him at all - we received a letter from his facility that if we are sick or family member is sick, please postpone your visit...but it's his birthday!
Hope for the best, prepare for the worst, right?

Take a Moment...

2009-09-09T00:32:00.002-04:00

We've all heard it, we've all said it - Stop and smell the roses...just don't stay there all day! I started a great group at church tonight - and at the risk of sounding "too religious" I'm going to blog about it anyway!

I enjoy going to church. It's a choice I make now, instead of being forced every time the doors are open because the preacher is your dad! Some people are turned off for life, and I was for a few years. Thankfully my darling hubby likes it when we're in his "style" and we enjoy it.

Yep, we're dragging the kids! Funny enough, we don't have to drag them. The programs are interesting enough that they look forward to it as well. I'm happy about this. Every mom wants a family thing, and this is mine.

We're all in Scouting of some kind, but now that the boys are "of age" for Troop level, Grace can't tag along anymore, so thankfully she moved up into a more adventurous level this year as well, so her activities will be more in depth - it's still separate. Her dad has offered to take part with her and I help a little here and there with the boys, but it's not ALL of us-same place same time. At church, the kids have classes for their ages, but sometimes they opt to join us in the adult service because the preacher's funny and tells great stories.

Say what you please, I count this as a biggie for my family. We certainly haven't "arrived" to any special level - but we at least are showing some potential to treat one another a bit better than now. I do not like the sarcasm level in my house. They get enough of that at school. We all need a shove in the love direction...and most of the time it's easier to learn from someone to whom you are not related - ironic, but very true.

So, I'm taking a moment to be glad that for this moment, my family is in one building all heading in the same direction for a minimum of an hour a week. I can live with that for now. I spend some extra time enjoying a bible study, but you grow a family like you eat an elephant - one bite at a time =D

Music in the Air

2009-08-31T12:29:00.000-04:00

Here I thought my life playing music was LONG gone - and if I did play it certainly wouldn't be fun - WOW was I ever wrong...

I'm now playing keyboard for two church bands - one is only temporary until the ministry gets off the ground and gets their own members involved and ready to take on the fun - I am still amazed that I'm not in charge of my own life and that even after all this time I can actually be useful and enjoy myself at the same time!

I am working through what I have referred to as "survival". I've been a "good Christian" for a long time and I've known that forgiveness is for you and not the other person - but I never applied that knowledge to the person(s) who broke into my home back in Alabama the winter before we moved to Florida...stealing my computer, heirlooms, game systems - I could handle - we would replace it, but stealing my keyboard - the very back-burner item in the purchasing hierarchy - I couldn't let it go. Then it dawned on me that it had not been replaced for that very reason...I had to let it go and forgive whomever took it without consideration of how it would impact my life. I stayed a prisoner for 5 1/2 years - and my feelings have not yet caught up to my mind and my will, but I have made a choice that the responsible party is forgiven. Truth be told, I wanted weighted keys anyway! This will seem a silly post to most people, but maybe I'll print this and maybe one of my kids will need to see this someday.
That's the point, right? Having yourself in a position to make sure you do a little better than your parents, and your kids do a little (or a lot) better than you do? I like to think so.

Root Canal

2009-08-18T20:07:00.000-04:00

The children left today for a two day trip w/ "papa and Nonna". One would think that this would be a great thing; sending a shout out on FB that we were kid free, things were looking up!
Then I went to the dentist.
The x-ray was painless, as always. The piece of paper showing the "worst case" bill was NOT! Forget even the THOUGHT of a keyboard for myself (a stretch at most, again, those kids keep needing things like clothes and shoes)

Many injections later we begin a 2 1/2 hour procedure, which involved me having to be reclined at about a 40 degree angle...upside down. My dentist is very nice and has a fantastic assistant; but recovering is the same with all - painful and slow - it runs in the family. My brother and I always require crazy levels of pain meds and a steriod to calm the surrounding nerves down. Not the greatest family trait.

I am now typing this for my lone reader to glance at, hoping for a little sympathy. I miss my family at times like these; I was the youngest by several years, so I'm pretty pampered. Significant pain reverts me to what my friends describe as the equivalent to having a sick husband.

Roles are reversed in our household. My husband is a saint and very easy to care for should he actually ever get sick, as are my children. I'm the wimp :-) At least I'm willing to say so...

Kid pics and Misc. thoughts

2009-08-18T13:10:00.000-04:00

Well, the in-laws arrived on Friday evening and left today to go stay in a hotel w/ travel points just for fun... No complaints here! 3 kids lighter will make life easier for 48 hours....such a short time to enjoy - and I have to visit the dentist *sigh* Not looking forward to that.
I suppose the truth of the matter is that the "quiet" will allow enough time to restore order to the piles of laundry and masses of welcomed but must be used fresh veggies from the gardens in Alabama - where there's real dirt :-)
Hopefully the dentist will be kind and not leave me miserable so I can "fry up some squash" for my husband to have for dinner.

I have braved the stores and the prices to complete shopping for school next week and I'm tired! Forget all the little extras...let them send home a note to tattle on Mrs. Helms for not sending in the hand sanitizer! Tsk Tsk! They will have to wait until I go to Sam's and I'll buy ONE giant container for each elementary student.

Life's Road...

2009-08-08T06:54:00.000-04:00

It's been MONTHS since my last post and I wanted my "blog" to be like Julie and Kelly - all family oriented with pictures as a scrap-book substitute...
I finally came to the realization that it's just not me.
My blog might not be very popular, nor even interesting to most BUT at least I will know that I "say what I need to say" :-)

My life exists in a better plane when I'm involved in music...particularly Christian Praise/Worship. I was in a group in a great church and I was really sad and somewhat shocked when I felt it was time to step back. I knew between my physical illness and my experience that it wasn't good for my family because I didn't have energy for them but managed to get myself to practice - fair? I think not! Then my husband told me I was on a break...heartbreak would have been more appropriate.
How could I walk through those doors and watch my friends and team-mates enjoy my greatest love outside my home?

I sum it up to the fact that there are seasons for everything, and although I enjoy it, it may not be available to me all the time. My husband's only request is that I get better. A tall order when migraines attack frequently.

So, on a family weekend, we found a new church to visit just to have a break. I wouldn't feel any obligation - it turned out they have a program for all sorts of "ailments". We met the pastor and he said "Recovery is good for anybody; you don't have to be a meth-head to go" - needless to say, that cracked me up - but it stuck with me.
I realized I had become a shrew. I hated feeling bad, my family hated me feeling bad and it was time to do something about it. So off I went... Wouldn't you know it's on Friday evenings and even better - they have a band.
I auditioned to be a back-up singer my second week. Then they actually asked me to play keyboard - umm I haven't played in 10 years.... my attempts with the younger kids at church were rough, so I didn't think I could - but the band members were patient and somehow it worked out - I was so excited, but still had a choice about Sundays...

Now I have to find a way to express my gratitude to the members of my old church and hope that they take me at my word; grateful.
Right now, I need to just be a congregation member for services. Once I can manage my home, I'll see about more. My dear husband is big on not burning bridges, and he's right - I hope they'll understand. All I can do is tell them all I love them very much, I am grateful to have had time with them and that I have to defeat these headaches. If I give up now, I'm no better than those I criticize for not doing anything about his/her circumstances.

As I said; my blog might not be catchy and fun; but it's a leap for me - I'm not the mother my mom was. She would have had the scrap book :-)

Stay-At-Home Mom Paradox

2008-10-28T13:41:00.000-04:00

As my children advance through the ranks of growing older, I find that the term "stay-at-home-mom" is as silly as "working mom"!

This past week my "heart baby" son has had a CT scan to rule out infection in the brain, an "echo" on his heart to rule out clotting around his heart repair from surgery last year, and suffered his first diagnosed migraine. At the same time my daughter's asthma was out of control due to pollen near the PE area, and trying to resolve Social Security issues for my elderly father. Few of these things involved staying home. Thank God for my healthy middle-school-ee.

My mom was actually a SAHM. She had no call waiting, no microwave until I was 12, no cell phone until I had children, and there was NEVER a question of "what are we eating after church?" because it had been put in the crock pot at 5 am! Those were the days.

I sit back and MARVEL at those who have their homes tidy, laundry caught up, and children to various activities with calm faces.

I do not pretend to be one of these brave souls, as I believe anytime you can sit instead of stand is fantastic, any activity that involves sitting and waiting for them to finish while you read a magazine should be a national law, and school buses are the work of a genius!

This has been a briefing from a present-day, not so stay-at-home mom.

My boys are in Print!

2008-10-22T10:56:00.001-04:00

As the proud parent of my Scouts, I am pleased to say that my boys were recognized for their religious emblem awards at the last Pack meeting and I took the opportunity to start the PR campaign for Pack 220! The local paper is happy to print the news, and even in color!

My older son, Joshua has since decided Scouting isn't what he wants right now. I'm in that parental state of trying to allow them to make decisions, even if they aren't ideal, to show I trust him. I am depending on my heavenly Father to help him find the words I should and should not say to him right now, as well as to help my precious son find out who he is.

My middle son, is a happy Scout, I'm glad to say, because we've really put in a lot of work! I even went to "Scout College"! One thing that the boys will remember is that their Mom and Granddad, aka Poppy, taught the religious class to them. I'm proud to have that in the family line. My dad glowed every week the young boys came to class and he had the chance to interject his wisdom with the boys.
Here they are! Caleb is up first, happy as usual. Joshua is far right on the group photo.

Harmony in the Chaos

2008-10-09T11:13:00.000-04:00

In the balancing act that is life, I need solid ground. I want a foundation for my family that certain things just are and do not change. There's enough to venture into in the world. Every day brings a little adventre if you have children!
I have to say, as boring as it might seem to some, it is amazing the strength I gain from singing at church. It is work, it is exhausting because I give it everything inside me, but it by far one of the most rewarding things I do.
Music is a universal language. Every country follows ONE language to read it, has agreed that sharps, flats, and timing signatures all mean the same thing no matter where you are.
I need that in the midst of unpacking, scouting, parenting, being married, the affairs of my father, the ache of my mother being here no more - something I can see and hear needs to stay the same. Music does. As much as genres come and go the way it's created and written and sung truly does not differ much. There's still a melody line, and "A" is always an "A" and C7 means the same thing whether it's Country or Contemporary Christian.
Yes, yes, to those super Christians out there, God is always with me. As a good friend put it several years ago, sometimes you need Jesus with skin on. I'm never more grateful for my heavenly Father than in music or song. It's one of the most powerful mediums on earth for lots of directions, really. I believe I love it so much because it has a similarity to God that there are certain things about music that never change, but you're finding out new tunes and harmonies all the time.
I find freedom in those boundaries, that as long as I pay attention, this Melody can find Harmony in the craziness I call life!

Singing and Scouting

2008-10-03T23:51:00.000-04:00

Well, the Kids' Praise is really "girl's praise" - I can't say I'm surprised about that, but it's pretty cool to have a group of girls who really enjoy the same thing I do. I've learned a good bit over the years from some REAL pros, so I explained to the girls I had learned from cool people and wanted to pass it on to them so they could be their very own group. I also tried to impress that becoming dependent on each other for one clear sound would be the key to making them a group worth hearing.
We prayed first, and two girls even made requests for things going on at school, so this could really be a safe place for them to know people care about what happens day in and day out when they have to face people who hurt them. I'm certainly no super-hero, but I know when you don't have to deal with junk alone it really improves the quality of your life!
Truth be told, they will probably teach me more than I will ever teach them, but isn't that usually the way things go?

Funny I've been available for the Cubs as a song leader and my husband chooses a wood badge buddy to do the job - that's a guy for you~! I've decided I'll just stay out of the way do some PR, and keep Julie company as another girl on the guy team. I gathered my first photos from this Pack Meeting and wrote an article for the newspaper. I'm having my "fellow Cub female" review it for grammar, and then hopefully we'll begin our press career for Pack 220!
I want an article a month from our Pack in the paper and to recruit a parent who actually thinks scrapbooks are enjoyable (instead of torture like I feel) to help keep a record for the boys and parents to look at from time to time. Who knows? Maybe we'll even have an actual "year book" for the boys who cross over into Boy Scouts.

Singing a Song

2008-10-01T07:54:00.000-04:00

Well, it's official. Our worship leader at church is gone. Sunday was her last day. I sadly learned the filing system to "secretary" my praise team. Two girls from the other team joinged me as we all held back tears. She is joining another congregation's music group, and since they sought after her, she felt it was time to go. As a pastor's daughter, I can tell you that the two things consistent at church are funerals and position vacancies.

Not knowing this was afoot, I agreed to head up the Kids' Praise Team. I helped them last time they sang, and enjoyed them, but as a rule I'm not a "kid person", :-) Ironic, huh? Three kids deep and I have little tolerance, unless they interest me... I'm interested in this group because they sing, not badly either!
I must say I'm a little on edge without the worship leader, but we'll muddle through - I guess that makes three things true about church - when a vacancy comes about there's the shift and shuffle of making things work. We practice tonight.

I hope the things I say are welcome and they are truly interested in becoming good team workers; singing in a group is a delicate balance of learning to listen and rely on the other singers. You make subtle adjustments in your own voice so that your sound together is pure and strong - not because you're the loudest, but because you allow each person to do his/her job and you do yours. Then, when you hear the beauty that comes of that effort you are SO excited you can't wait to do it again. I get to experience that feeling and the feeling of failing to have that happen on the adult team, so I hope I can inspire them in some small way. I hope to help on the singing less and less so that they can achieve this on their own without an adult actually taking part vocally, but giving cues from the front row. Wish me success!

Scouting they did go...

2008-09-27T08:36:00.000-04:00

In addition to college football, War Eagle SEC fans; Scouting season is upon us! Besides our dog, I am the only person to escape a "Scouting Outing" today:
My Boy Scout is camping, my WeBeLos is with his Dad aka Cub Master at the same camp (for Web's to visit and explore for the day), and my daughter is on her first Brownie camp-out with Girl Scouts. Water Bottles became highly coveted items!
My Boy Scout said "see ya" yesterday afternoon and my daughter hopped in the vehicle with her leader and didn't even look back. I'm happy she was comfortable enough to do this...right? We truly try to raise them to be okay without us, but it still stings a little! My WeBeLos did come back to give dear ol' Mom a hug. Of course this is my child who offers to wake up early to make me coffee =)

I am by no means exempt from Scout duty, as I have to force myself to be brave and complete my certificates for the boys who completed God & Me and God & Family. I am seriously procrastinating. My issue is this:

I have to complete each certificate and much to the surprise of my beloved Scouting Committee, I am actually a bit OCD myself =) Each one should be precise and spaced correctly, written on the provided lines without being too close or too far apart, etc. I was so honored to have spent these weeks with the boys and hearing what they had to say in response to short passages of scripture and my attempt to have them apply it to real life. They were amazing! How can this certificate possibly signify all the effort put forth?
Our pack meetings are SO busy we often rush through the various acheivements, even though I know some of us feel the tug of wanting to give more recognition. Hopefully the boys will continue with the other classes in the series. They now have an official Children's Pastor as part of the merger with the new sponsoring school.

Now that I no longer have the teaching position, I'm going to offer to be PR Chair. Goodness knows I can talk/type!

Home Sweet Husband

2008-09-18T15:17:00.000-04:00

Today it dawned on me how hard my husband works. He has managed to be a "Do it all Dad" while managing my various health junk!

We bought our first beautiful house this year and he deserves it. Yes, there are sacrifices with the new responsibility, but this is something that's important to him and I'm glad I didn't stand in his way.

Our children have been moved to a school that seems to be less crowded and interested in helping my elementary age ones, while our eldest is loving middle school and seems to be really happy with the change.

I hope this little page will help me stop and think about the little "plus" moments more than the "minus" ones!

For today - here's to hubby :-) Have a great weekend at Wood Badge, Scout Master Leif!

Parenting the Parent

2008-09-11T09:29:00.000-04:00

My dad turned 81 yesterday. We are in role reversal now, and I find myself managing the affairs of the person I thought would be strong forever - it's bittersweet.

Can you imagine all the things he's seen and experienced since 1927? He grew up in Spartanburg, SC and his grandfather was responsible for bringing fresh water to the city- it's humbling to think about really. From no such thing as a phone in the home to cell phones you can take anywhere; computers filled an entire room but now don't fill a briefcase!

He lights up when he sees my kids - Joshua, 11; Caleb, 10; Grace, 9 - he intuatively knows how to interact with each one as an individual. He's been there since birth for all of them.
They miss him because he can't get up and play anymore, although my oldeest will still arm wrestle him and lose! The fun now is in the electric wheelchair :-) and the ever-present candy in his room.

Lighter-hearted posts to come, sometimes one just needs to talk :-)