Dry Knees

I've had a bad case of dry skin lately, and a bigger case of reality check. Parenting children has both of those effects on me. As Dr Dobson's book says, "Parenting Isn't for Cowards".



I think parents are the most amazing people in the world. You take this little bundle of joy and nurture it to the best of your ability for 20 years, only to turn it lose on the world. Along the way there certainly are wonderful times....learning to walk, family vacations, singing around the piano, tag in the back yard, science projects and art projects, Christmas morning.



However, being a parent also means doing the tough things....discipline, correcting, guiding. We aren't raising a blob of jello, you know! This child has thoughts, emotions, feelings, ideas and is full of sin, just like the rest of us. Shocking, I know!



The Lord entrusts us to this blessed part of His creations. We are to raise them in the training and admonition of the Lord. If that isn't a humbling thought, I don't know what is. This is why I have dry knees. I know I am in need of His help and care raising these children. It is He who sustains me, guides my steps, and want me to look to Him for care. That is why I have dry skin on my knees. I often find myself on my knees asking for His direction in raising these children.

God is good. I am glad I can bring my parenting issues to Him.

living and learning,
Beth

You May Know I am Early for My Period, But I Know When You Have to Pee

Mary and I are good friends. She is just a fun gal to hang with. We both have children approximately the same age who all play well together. We have similar interests and both love the Lord. Our husbands get along well, and both families pursue similar passions.



Because of this closeness, Mary knows alot about me, and I know alot about her. A couple of weeks ago, I wasn't feeling too well. I couldn't figure out what was going on until my period started the next day. I told Mary, and her response was, "Hey, you are early!" Didn't I say we know each other well?



This week, we had an occasion to celebrate. We met up in the middle of the day with all of our kids and went to the dollar theatre. Pirates of the Caribbean 3 was showing, and our scallywags were anxious to see the movie, popcorn and all.

The movie complex was empty save one, maybe two other patrons. Nonetheless, we stood in front of the popcorn counter to get popcorn and drinks for the shipmates. I made eye-contact with the gentleman and inquired about prices. Our conversation went something like this.

Beth: So it is $10.50 for two drinks and a large bag of popcorn?

Gentleman Behind the Counter (GBC): Yes, but I think we have coupons for free coke from Papa John's pizza to go with that. Let me look in this drawer.... (groans)

Beth: Are you OK?

GBC: Yes, well no. I don't feel so well. (rubbing tummy)

Beth: I'm sorry. What's wrong?

GBC: Well, I had a stomach virus yesterday, but I don't think I'm over it. What can I get you?

Beth: (noticing his greenish skin tone and not much liking the fact he would have his hands near my popcorn and on my soda lid....I turn to Mary and say...) I'm sorry Mary, I think I have to pee. Don't you have to go to?

Mary: (staring, still in shock over man with virus working the food at the movies, nods and says..) Yeah, me, too.

Mary and I rounded up the kids, who were wondering about their popcorn, and had them wait outside the restroom while we ducked inside. We both busted out laughing as the restroom door closed. We laughed and laughed until we nearly cried. Finally, we gathered ourselves together and marched out to our waiting children.

Once seated in the theatre, my youngest asked for a booster seat. She doesn't really need one, but she asked so nicely and does enjoy sitting in one. I went to retrieve the booster seat. I could see the popcorn counter from the place they keep the boosters. I glanced over, chuckling at what had happened minutes earlier at the counter. Just as I looked over, I saw GBC sneeze standing beside the open popcorn popper without covering his mouth. YUCK! I think we made the right call about the popcorn!

So while Mary may know when I am due for my period, I know when she needs to pee!

Living and Learning,

Beth

How to Turn on a TV

We like TV at my house. Charlie likes to catch ball scores on ESPN as he has breakfast before work. Andy and I watch the news as we work in the kitchen fixing breakfast for the rest of the family. Joshua likes to catch Ninja Warrior. John and Grace like to watch their shows in the afternoon. We don't watch loads of TV, but like phones, we like our TVs to be convenient.

There is the "kids" TV in the basement. It is 19 years old and "color - challenged". It isn't a black and white TV, just an old TV that has run out of color. It is only on in the evenings and some weekend afternoons. There just isn't time for much more than that.

The very, very small TV in our bedroom is officially the "sick" TV. Because we have several children, we use this to help quarantine an ill child. I fix up a cot in the master bedroom, and ill child has a private bedroom and bathroom for all the sick things sick children do. The benefit to this arrangement is that Charlie can fall asleep to the Astros losing to someone. (Its a bad, sad year for our team, the Astros)

TV #3 is in the living area upstairs. It is a good size, 35 or 36 inches. We love to watch movies together. Sunday evenings we pop in an episode of The Waltons or Gilligan's Island and enjoy pizza with the kids.

TV #4 is my favorite TV. It is in the kitchen. I listen to FOX news as I cook. Sometimes I flip over to Home and Garden channel, and that's good too. It is just nice to have "someone" in the kitchen with me who isn't saying, "Mom....Mom....."

TV #4, also a very small TV, has had a sad, sad life. The remote control was left on a burner and someone melted it into a weird shape before it was removed from the hot range. More recently, someone broke off or poked in the on/off switch. Now I had issues!!

I don't know about your house, but remote controls are ALWAYS walking out of the room at my house. It drives me crazy! This means that I must use one of my precious fingers to touch the on/off switch. Now that the on/off switch is missing, I have to have the remote to turn on and off the TV.

Last week I decided to put away the kitchen TV until further notice. That lasted 3 days. It was hard to start my mornings with out Steve, Brian, and Allison. I made room for the TV on the kitchen desk, the place of honor, plugged it in and looked for the remote. You guessed it...missing. I looked at that little hole, and remembered John had stuck his skinny little finger in that tiny hole and turned on the TV. (I, of course, corrected him and told him about electricity and the dangers of poking around with bare fingers in plugged in appliances.) Knowing (1) that it would be dangerous to stick my finger in that hole and (2) my finger would not fit in the hole, I reached for a skewer......You know, a metal kabob skewer..What was I thinking?? I carefully poked the skewer in the hole....there was a flash of light, some smoke, and I might have briefly heard angels singing. POW! I fixed that TV for good. I guess I am lucky, I could have fried myself.

Within an hour I had the old TV ready to go out to the curb and was back from Walmart with the new TV...I wonder if Charlie will notice the new TV in the kitchen? Maybe he'll just think I bought a new remote?!?

living and learning
Beth

The Phone Call from Across the World

I was telling my friend about a recent phone call from my parents. She thought it was worthy of a post to the blog, and so here it is.

Recently, my parents took off on a 5 week trip to New Zealand. They were both excited and apprehensive about the trip. They worked long and hard when they were in the work force and were raising 4 children in the 1960s - 1980s. The late 70's were especially hard. (Sounds like another blog there!) Anyhow, my parents took off on this trip.....

I first heard from them the day they landed in New Zealand. Mom was excited about the phone card she was able to buy to call us. She was taken aback by the extreme friendliness of the people in New Zealand. The shop owner offered his phone for Mom to call the USA. Even when Charlie and I were there nearly 15 years ago, they were a friendly lot. Hands down, the Kiwis are still the friendliest people on earth.

The second phone call came almost a week ago and the conversation went something like this:

Mom: We are between Auckland and Hamilton and thought we would call to tell you we are ok.
Beth: That's great, Mom. What are you OK from?
Mom: Well, we thought you might have seen something on the news about a really bad hail storm in Auckland. It really wasn't too bad, and we are OK.
Beth: I'm glad. Are you having a good time?
Mom: .....And then there was the earthquake. I'm sure you heard about that on the news.
Beth: No, I missed that one. Are you OK?
Mom: Yes, we are fine. It wasn't near us.
Beth: That's wonderful. How's Dad?
Mom:....Neither was the volcano.
Beth: What?
Mom: You see, there is a volcano erupting down here.
Beth: Are you OK?
Mom: It isn't a very big volcano, so don't worry.
Beth: I'll try not to worry. Are you both OK?
Mom: We're fine. I just didn't want you to worry. Gotta go. Love you.
Beth: Love you too, Mom. Take care of each other.
Mom: See you soon.

Living and Learning,
Beth