Our New Garden Friend

Well, look what we have here! As I meander to my small veggie garden today, I notice that one of my tomato plants looked-shall we say-thin? I mean, come on, just the other day is was bushy and fruitful. Today, no. It was nothing more than a green stalk. With a big fat Tomato Horn Worm just plumping himself up for a bit of his hibernation. So needless to say, I pulled up all of my tomato plants and began the dreadful tilling being sure to rid my garden of every last little worm I can find. For how long I do this is left to be discovered. My question is "will my cucs be affected?". Oh, and those wonderful wasp stings I suffered on Saturday... GO AND EAT THE WORMS!!! At least now we know where that gigantic moth in the garage came from. Josh thought it was a monarch butterfly...

Do You Remeber When?

Today I sent my oldest child off to high school. Did you hear me, HIGH SCHOOL. I mean, where in the world has the last 14 years gone??!!?? I remember clearly the agonizing 2 hours and 41 minutes it took to push that boy out of my young body. 8lb 9oz 21.5 inches long. Now he is 120 lbs, 5'11" and growing into a very handsome, sweet, smart and talented young man. I think back over the years and realize what a blessing he has been to my life. He came along during very difficult times under not-the-greastest of circumstances and has become nothing short of amazing. I was a very young mother and wondered how in the world I would raise and support a young man and have him become all he can be. Well, I haven't done so bad and if had not been for Josh, who has taken on the role of dad in all sense of the word, we may not be in such a wonderful place. Ian continues to amaze us in how much he has grown and matured. Now as his mom, I want to keep him "little" as long as I can (he does look down on me now) and still want to push far away the milestones that are creeping up on us daily. Like driving. He wants a learners permit at 15 (which is only 3 months away) and I want him to wait until he is 16. Smart idea I tell myself. And Josh agrees. 15 and 16 year olds these days are way too immature to handle a large vehicle. We all see the horrific accidents regardless of any speed or alcohol involvement. But then I ask myself, "is this your way of controlling when he grows up? Or how he grows up?" and to that I answer: YES. I want my little boy to always be my little boy. I know I have to let go at some point, but now? Now is too soon.

I thank God for the ability and blessing to stay home with him as much as I can. I am so very grateful to his dad for supporting Ian in all he does. I am grateful that we can be present at his sporting events, get him to and from school functions, and be in the home when he is done for the day. We are a family. Despite the 11 year age gap, he adores his two little sisters and would move heaven and earth for them. They adore him. "bubba" is the greatest. To watch them all interact after a long day is precious.

So hear is to the past that has gone with the speed of light, and to the years ahead of milestones, memories, and much appreciated time together.

Friday Fill-in's

Here we go:
1. You know you're old when ___you sound like your mother.
2. My heart is divided between ____home______ and ____more kids___.
3. ____Rest!__ is what I need RIGHT NOW!
4. I have felt the ___joy of motherhood_______, I have known the depths of ___despair_and poverty____.
5. Gah, won't these people _____stop being greedy_____.
6. ___Accept Christ___ as soon as you can!
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to _getting home____, tomorrow my plans include __being an outstanding nurse___ and Sunday, I want to __REST___!

Injury #3...

You know, I sometimes wonder what kind of "hangman" game it is that God plays? I've always known (having worked in the critical care field long enought) that EVERYthing happens in 3's. Code Blue...just wait, 2 more on their way and 1 will without a doubt be at shift change. So it is no wonder that we have once again, found ourselves in the midst of another beating.

Monday evening Keara and Abby were running around the couch while I was preparing, moreso preping, for dinner when all of a sudden I hear a loud scream followed immediately by loud crying. I run over to Keara to find her holding her forhead and when she moves her hand....yep, you got it-scalp wounds bleed like a stuck pig. OUCH! A nice laceration to her right eye. Same spot as daddy did 4 years ago but just the other eye. I get it all cleaned up, put some ice on it for about 5 minutes and then re-evaluate it. Uhhh.....crap. Even I am convinced it needs some stiches. So off we go to AcuteKids and she unwillingly gets her eye "glued", meaning no stiches!! :) [A fantastic pediatric urgent care facility I might add]

Tuesday we went to see Dr. Meiser [www.aactmd.com] for an eczema/immunilogical evaluation. LOVE HIM. A doctor who is into the cause of Keara's problems, not just pushing prescriptions. Well, one treatment he really stressed was putting her in wet wraps. So for the last 2 days we have had her in 2 pairs of pajama's the first pair wet (with lots of aquaphor on her skin) and the second pair dry and you would not believe the difference!! I was totally shocked at the results. For the 1st time in I can't remember when, she did NOT itch after her nap! At all!! For the rest of the day!! I was close to tears of joy and relief. To know that there is a way for her to not be so miserable and self destructive just melts a mothers heart. There is nothing more that her dad and I want than a healthy, happy, itch free life for her.

Here we go:
1. If I could travel back in time, I'd go to _little house on the prairie_____.
2. Give me ___sanity___ or give me ___padded walls__.
3. I am listening to ____my computer humm...__.
4. Somewhere, someone is thinking ___but it isn't me!_.
5. I'll always be ___proud of my husband and children__.
6. My idea of a good time includes ___lots of laughter and friends_.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to __being home___, tomorrow my plans include __by brother's barbeque___ and Sunday, I want to __Praise HIM!!!!