Friday, September 21, 2007

Thank you Lord

You know, it doesn't really do any good to get angry or upset about things one can't control. I was looking forward to one of my few moments of solitude and peace (in the shower) this morning, when the whole day blasted me with the realization that I am not in control. Thank you God for relieving me of that responsibility! Say it with me: I am not in control here!!! Glory and praise to Him. And that's all I can do.

Right about 2 minutes into the shower, Xavier announces that he has to use the toilet. Our other bathroom toilet is out of commission as of late since Leo flushed swimming goggles down the toilet; Steve hasn't gotten around to fixing that just yet. So my peace is broken as he spends about 5 minutes sitting on the toilet. As he finishes up, Leo walks in announcing that he has to go too. Not feeling entirely patient as I should have been, I ask if he can wait. He says yes. Dominic comes crawling in about this time and begins pulling the shower curtain open. I try to be calm as I say: "Okay, everyone out of the bathroom, Xavier get the baby out." Then, Xavier shouts, "Ewww, Leo peed his pants!" So I swallow my scream and tell Leo to take his pants off and get out of the bathroom; I'd take care of him later. Finally the boys finish up and I resume my conditioner application pretending nothing bad has happened and ignoring the toxic "aroma" wafting my way.

I get out of the shower and ask Xav where Leo is... "he's going poop on your toilet in your room". "WHAT?!" I shout. Not that toilet... but sure enough, I charge in there towel wrapped around me and he's done his business on the broken toilet that can't flush and smeared himself while getting off too. I clean him up, open the bathroom window, and shut the door... dreading telling Steve about this when he gets home today. So I think it's all finished and I'm about to put my clothes on but Dominic is suddenly silent. Knowing what's happening but in denial all the same, I race back to the other bathroom where he's playing in brother's pee on the floor. So I clean him up... still haphazardly trying to stay decent with a towel around me. I put him in the living room and SHUT the bathroom door this time and go back to my room to dress.

Well, I thought that was the end of it, but when I finally went back to clean up Leo's pee on the floor, I picked up his undies and a giant "patty" falls out. Sweet merciful Father... thank you for the chance to practice love and humility. How else can I react? I live in a home full of wild, rambunctious, body-function obsessed boys and how could I possibly be annoyed and angry and frustrated. This is my vocation. May I honor it with patience and love.

I just ask to be fully dressed for future infractions.

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

more updates

Steve got his lim-du extended. He has to go thru more testing. The current, tentative plan is to give the doctor the go-ahead to begin processing his medical board and negotiate with his command when he'll leave the Navy. So if all goes according to plan, and God's will be done, he hopes to have a new job lined up by next April. But this is all subject to change of course. In the meantime, allow me to entertain you with my lovelies:




Xavier turns five!

Here's the boy.


















Here's the super-snakey cake Mom made. I thought about bringing out a statue of Mary to smash its head but thought that might freak the kids out. (See Genesis 3:15)

















Here are the children playing in the bubble machine that was given to Xavier. The cool thing about our particular friends here, is that between 3 families we have quite a party: 10 kids!







Xavier was thrilled with the gifts that came in the mail... and with the new bike/helmet he recieved; he's already put a few miles on that thing. Hmm... I forgot to take a picture of that. Soon maybe. I'm still navigating this new computer system of ours.

Monday, September 3, 2007

This is what our summer looked like

After the big springtime trip through Montana and Utah, our summer has been relatively tame from the world's point of view. But it's been nice... not once unbearable heat-wise. And very low key, which is just what we needed this year! Some of our summertime activities have included cavorting with Capt. Jack Sparrow, spending the night on the prairie, walking trails along ocean bluffs, learning how to make rope, spending time with visiting family, building a backyard fence, going to a baroque concert, picking wild blackberries, losing shoes in the ocean, playing in the sand and water at Cranberry Lake, watching local parades, screaming into the wind at the top of the ferry deck, cutting out new flannel board characters (see header), garage saling galore, going through an Open House on lots of acreage "just because", reading our first two chapter books as a family (Stuart Little and Charlotte's Web), baking yummy cookies, going to a classic car show, strolling around the Island County Fair, letting Luna pull us in the wagon, playing in countless parks and backyards with friends, getting into trouble with the hose, putting on puppet shows, and otherwise "thriving" here on the island, as a good friend pointed out to me. Just a few images for your viewing pleasure: