Grilled Cheese and Technicalities

Tonight we had hockey yet again.
A late practice to be sure.
Dear husband is still in Georgia. Its quiet there. He says he is homesick. I wonder what it is like to be homesick. His kiddos are homesick. They miss their Big-O Daddy-O.

So Big Brother suits up and hits the ice. The younger 3 run and play with friends. N quiets down and joins the adults where mom is chatting and learning details of upcoming practice sessions. N really hits it off with Coach George. He is off duty tonight and watching the practice. Every once in a while I peek at N talking with Coach George. Coach is so very tender and patient and just listening and responding to all the chatter. My heart melts and thanks God for this tender man who is being so kind to my son. My son misses his daddy so, and the last two days have been really rough.
As big brother gets off the ice, I am filled in on the plans for the evening. N has invited Coach over for dinner after practice. Never mind we already ate and it is almost bed time. On the menu : Grilled Cheese, Cow's Milk (cause N doesn't drink Rice Milk anymore! He has outgrown his milk allergy), Chips. And for Dessert --- Lollipops! N has also taken care of the travel arrangements. He was careful to tell Coach we would wait for him and he could follow us home.

Done ! Decided !

N and Coach go down stairs to the locker rooms. N to get Big Brother, Coach to get his player to take home. Finally, I have all 5 heads counted and together. I begin to herd them to the truck. At which point N stops me. We can't leave. "Wait for the man."
"What man?"
"The one who's coming for dinner."
"Not tonight."
"Yes, he is going to follow us home."
You can't argue with N. He is hard headed, maybe more so than his Dad. :)
"Let's go find him." and I send the rest of the crew to get loaded up.
"He was with that girl!" he says. Fortunately, "that girl" overheard and pointed N in the right direction. Voila, there is Coach!
Coach asks us if everything is okay.
With Mom eyes that say, humor us and help ME! "We are waiting for you, so you can follow us home."
AHHHHHHH, the light and gleam in his eye as he realizes what is going on.
"Ah buddy, I need to take a rain check." (Nathan has no clue what rain check means....he is staring this guy down with tenderness, suprisingly.) I gotta get this guy into bed, he has school tomorrow. I gotta go to bed. Maybe another time." N is not buying it a bit. His eyes tell the story. He is convinced we will be followed home.
I quickly suggest we make a grilled cheese to bring the next practice. AHA! That's the trick. N quickly says, "we'll split it!"
Yes! You can split it! ! ! !
Hurrah ! We are in the car and on our way.
Getting dressed for bed. "Can't go to bed, he is coming for sandwiches." No, not tonight. Remember we are taking a sandwich to practice next time.

Finally, in bed. Big - O Daddy - O please come home soon. Scrambled Eggs and Grilled Cheese Sandwiches desperately need you.

Sometimes I Dread Praying

Caught your attention with that title, didn't I?

Mealtimes here are such an adventure. 5 kids and you never know what will happen at the dinner table. However, I can guarantee there will be an attempt to pray before meals. Sometimes, though I cringe inwardly and think "lets just skip it this time". I am not the only one though. I think dear husband sometimes conveniently forgets as well. Before you begin to think less of us, let me feel you in on our dinner table routine.

Hey kids, set the table. Lets get things on the table.
"I wanted to do the silverware!" "No, I am suppose to do it!" "I want that napkin!" " I want to sit there!" Some where in all the bickering someone will remember to say, "You get what you get and don't through a fit." Then a chorus of you get what you get and don't throw a fit begins, as well as "Fine, if you are going to give me that, then you get this and don't throw a fit."
Before you think we need pointers on how to manage our brood, we do have assigned chores. However, there are ones who envy other chores and will quickly step in and take over if possible. There have been assigned seating positions as well. Yes, there are character training issues here. However, this post happens to be about praying.

Finally we are all the table. There will often be a quieting, as children start to shovel the food in. At which point, the Mom hesitantly says today, "alright lets pray."
"Heavenly Father..."
"Hey, I want to pray!"
"No, I want to pray!"
"Shhh, Mommy is praying." Right over their heads cause the next thing we hear is:
"I am going to pray for Jacob."
"No, I am going to pray for Jacob."
"NO, me!"
"No, he's my Jacob!"
Both of you can pray. Both of you can pray for Jacob. Jacob can use all the prayers you can say. Nothing derogatory meant by that of course.
"Mine!"
At which point, I try to shush and 2 prayers begin. "God, my Jacob, my Brett, my Jacob, my Brett, my daddy, my food, my Jacob, my Brett. AMMMMEEEENNNNN!"
The other one is praying "God, thank you for food, for Jacob, Brett, my Jacob, my Brett, Amen!"
Forks moving.
Mom begins to pray.......
AMEN

Somewhere in there my heart melts as my 2 year old and 4 year old desire to both pray. However, then I begin to cringe as praying has also become a competition. Neither one seems to understand they both can pray and God loves to hear them both pray. Sometimes I wonder if God is just laughing. He created these two and made them brothers. There could be worse things to fight over. And so, again tomorrow I will say "let's pray", knowing the prayer warriors will begin, a deep breath..... Amen

Some day they will understand the prayer warrior is something quite different.

Another N Moment - the Value of DAD

It is no news around here that Dad is out of town. But N has come up with quite a few doozies this week. As this one keeps slipping my mind, I have to add it as well before I go to bed. This morning, a good 14 hours ago, N starts walking through the house hollering for his dad. This strikes me as odd and I really wonder about what planet he is existing on, cause he KNOWS his dad is gone. I find him and ask him why he is hollering for Dad cause he knows Dad is not here.
"I want some eggs."

"?? You want eggs?"

He nods his head. You see, Dad makes the meals around here while he is on second shift so Mom can get the homeschooling done. Dad gets little guy duty. Eggs are something the two of them like to do together and eggs are something D can't have cause he is allergic. (I think that is more behind the gotta have eggs than anything.) I just look at him all incredulous. Then I say with all the suprise and dismay of the mother who gave him birth, cause I can't fathom why he wouldn't just ask me,

"I can make you eggs."

"?? You can?" --- Total shock on his part, never in his lifetime would he have ever considered his mom could make eggs. I make everthing else, but eggs? that is like making a souffle or something. Well he got into it and was busy making sure I knew what to put in it, cause Dad makes them special. Rewind 10 years, and I remember a certain little A when she was 2 and dad was working 3rd shift, and eggs were their thing as well. Maybe eggs are Dad's thing? Dad was out of town and she wanted me to make eggs. I made them, served and they were summarily rejected. Why?? "They are not like Dad's eggs." "He doesn't make them that way." At least N received and ate my eggs. Maybe that is why he made his move on me during the movie.

Not to be left out, D had to check with me and ask me if I knew how to make "Saus, Saus"?
Sausage for those who need translation. Amazingly enough I knew how to do that as well. Though I quickly turned it over to my 12 yr. old who is becoming very skilled in the kitchen....cause yet another moment was occurring that needed mom. Ah, now my brain can rest. Good night all.

A SMOOTH OPERATOR

I have to blog this before I go off to bed. I will forget otherwise.

Tonight, my dear N cried and cried. "I'm tired. I don't want to go." (Awanas) "I want you to rock me in rocking chair." So a quick couple of calls, I found a vehicle with 3 empty seats and sent off my older 3. N, D and I set to having a quiet evening at home. Perfect after 4 hours at the park. (Mom was feeling better and the kids needed out of the house.)

We finally agreed on Gideon the Tuba Warrior, a Veggie's Tale. We snuggled up on the couch. Then D got up to dance to the music, cause that is what you do when you are 2 almost 3, tired and don't want to get too comfortable, lest you fall asleep. So N and I are sitting there. He scooches, and scooches some more right up next to me. Be sure to note he is four years old and is a short 4 yr. old. Our sides are touching and the next thing I feel is his arm around my neck. Awww. But that was not enough, he pulled me ever so gently by the neck till my head rested on his head. If I tried to raise my head he'd tug a little till it rested back on his head. I got love taps on the neck. And then finally he turned his head and kissed me on the cheek.

Where he is learning these moves I have no idea. His daddy needs to get home quick though, cause he is throwing too many WOWZZIES these days.

A 2 Year Old and the Power of Suggestion

It is 8:35 in the evening.

It has been a beautiful day.

Four hours spent at the park.

A shortened nap by brother N,

and then again shortened by sister M.

Snuggles on the couch instead of Awanas.

Brother N has fallen asleep.

Pitter Patter go the feet of a sweet 2 yr. old not quite asleep.

He looks up at Mom with those charming and adorable blue eyes.

Pause

"Good Morning,"

Then the question in the eyes..."did it work?"

"Good Night and to Bed!" says the chuckling Mom.

Sinus Infections Can be Costly but kids like the Perks!

Never have had a sinus infection this bad before. This one has sent me to the ER, then to the dr. for follow-up. Resulting in a CT Scan and then a trip to the ENT. The ENT then with tremendous gentleness scoped me in the office. Conclusion: One nasty virus resulting in one nasty sinus infection which will lead to some really horrible coughing eventually, so says the ENT. Drink lots of fluids, rest, take antibiotics, decongestants. Day 4 on antibiotics and not feeling a whole lot better. I dream about my ear drums bursting, releasing all the pressure in my head. I am soo glad they are dreams.

My kids can't wait for mom to be better, they miss doing school....well maybe not. However they do like:

**BONUS ! ! ** Mom has almost no voice. She feels so yucky she allows Rice Krispy Treats for breakfast & popcorn for dinner! Lots of time for creativity. Daughter cooks like crazy in the kitchen. The three older ones are reading every book they can. I think they have earned 5 maybe 6 personal pizzas between all of them, 1 free ticket to a hockey game and 3 or 4 ice cream treats from Braums.

Precious isn't He?

N is a sweet heart. He strokes my hair. He tells me I am beautiful. He is always quick to say "Have a good day." When one of us leaves, even if it is to just run a quick errand or go to the doctor. He asks his Dad on the phone, "Did you have a good day?" He strokes my cheeks and tells me he loves me.

He worries about looking like his 2 yr. old brother and spends quite a bit of time combing his hair to look different than D.

He/We are celebrating still. Last week we learned he has outgrown his food allergies. Still no red dye, but no other food limitations. He adores chocolate, cheese sticks and yogurt.

Then there is the other side....He is celebrating he doesn't have food allergies, but D does. Just a WEEEE bit of glee can be heard under that very serious factual statement.

Then there was today. He hasn't been feeling well. I wanted him to nap with me. He kept waking me and asking if he could get up. "NO! lay down!" After how many times of asking, he popped off this question: "When are you going to stop being a pain in my butt?" It took no time for me to pop up from my pillow and send his little tushy to his room.

When I relay this to Dad who is much quicker at the draw than Mom. Dad laughs and says "When you move out!"

After I calm down, I invite him back to my room. I need to be sure he understood me earlier, and if not impress it upon his brain further, "You NEVER NEVER state anything about Mom being a pain in your butt, Understand?"

"Yes, but, but, but (he is stuttering now)..."

"No buts, never again."

"HRUMPH, (a growly sort of sigh), You are ruining my life." and he stops out of my room.

Now a precious friend of mine, who later brought me Cider from Starbucksto soothe my throat, thinks this is a riot. Because of her encouragement I have posted this. She thinks one day, I will laugh about it. For now it strikes terror in my heart, right now he is only 4 years old. I don't even want to imagine what the coming years could bring.

I don't think I could ever say to my children, especially this one, "I hope you have a child just like you." For the most part they are truly charming.... However, I think praying/wishing another child like N onto my dear N would not be fair to his future wife. This same dear friend suggested twins then. I couldn't do that to my daughter-in-law. This same precious friend who's children have nicknamed N as the N-ator, laughed and said maybe God is already preparing his future wife for them.

For now I will pray for grace and wisdom for me and for God's hand to be on him.