On How to Respond, I Am Not Sure

So, a few years ago, Hubs was at a gas station and he encounters this frantic lady who has a genuinely sad story about her mom being in a nearby hospital because of a bad car accident.  This lady is on her way to see her mom, but only has $3 and needs some money for gas. (There are more details, but I don't remember them. It sounded fairly believable in my husband's retelling of the story.)  She asked Hubs for some cash.  I think he had less than $5 on him, but he gave her that.

Now, Hubs and I are no fools. We know some people have legitimate financial needs and some people are just playing you.  Hubs and I are Christians and as Christians, God commands us to love others, which can include such things as I just mentioned.  We are responsible to how we respond to these people (whether in word or deed, or both) but are not necessarily responsible for how they are handling their situation (be it a genuine need or a lie).  So, we don't know the lady's situation, but Hubs had a little bit of cash, so he gave it to her.

A few weeks later, we were eating on the patio of a local restaurant.  A lady drives up next to the patio.  I hear some commotion and she is crying and carrying on to the nearest patrons.  Hubs says, "Oh! That is the same lady I encountered a few weeks ago at the gas station!"  We listen closely and realize she is telling them the same exact story she told Hubs a few weeks back.

Again, a few weeks later, we are at the same restaurant and the same scenario plays itself out.  You would think she would be more creative and come up with a new story.  But, she clearly appears to be gifted in the telling of that particular story.

Today, I was at Costco with the kids getting baby wipes.  Because, if you need baby wipes, you are gonna need them in bulk, my friends.

I see this lady and I smile at her.  All of a sudden, she comes up besides me, showing me an index card.  I start to read the index card and don't finish it.  I realize it is the same lady, but with a new approach and a slightly altered story.  I tell her that I am sorry, but I can't help her today.

And I walk away torn. And I feel sad. The kind of help she needs is not monetary. And I don't know the right way to respond to such a situation.

So, today, I have done all I know to do, really.  And that is to pray for her.

I think that really is the best thing I can do for her anyways.

'Fess Up Friday, Exhausted Edition

Well, it has been quite the week over here.  I'm totally exhausted and not lucid.

I have lots to 'fess up to, but not the brain capacity to relay it all.  I'm sure you are disappointed.

(FYI-I couldn't figure out how to spell capacity.  Point taken.)

1. I got tired of going to the trouble of telling my order over the speaker at Sonic. It just seemed pointless to both me and the person on the other end of the speaker.  We both know what I want.

And, blogland, we all know that I am recognizable there.

So, yesterday, I just said, "Hey, it's ME.  I want a di-"

My wonderful sonic carhop, interrupting, "Got it. Do you have a freebie coupon today?"

2. I was out late one night this week and, because of that, missed one of the normal times I nurse Lil Miss. Which means I had to pump.  It is as delightful as it sounds. Maybe even more so.

It's kind of like having to pee. You know, like you are in pain and you gotta do something about it.  But much more miserable. Peeing?  You can take care of that anywhere in a minute's time (but please, only in the restroom at my house).  Pumping?  You have to be attached to a giant sucking machine for at least 15 minutes.

Anywho, like I was saying, I had to pump.  It was late.  I wanted Hubs to stay up with me to keep me company.  He gave his standard, "I won't fall asleep. I will stay awake with you."  Which always results in him falling asleep within 13 seconds.  This night, I threatened to pour breast milk on him if he fell asleep.  You better believe he stayed awake.

Yes, I would have.

But not much. I'm stingy with it, given all the effort required to get it out.

Eat That Frog?

Have you guys heard of following Mark Twain quote:

“Eat a live frog every morning, and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.”

????

I was an English Lit Major in college (shocking, no?) and most definitely do not remember hearing that quote.  Not that I read every single thing Mark Twain wrote, but we SURE DID READ A LOT OF STUFF.  Hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of pages a week.  Seriously. And, oh the dissertations essays!

Advice to the young 'uns out there: Never take 4 literature classes in the same semester!  There is just not enough time to read everything and write all the dissertations essays.  That is, unless you give up sleeping, eating, and showering.  And possibly breathing.

Anyways, the frog quote. I have seen it on some organizational/motivational blogs off and on for a couple of years.  And I just don't agree. Or get it.

Plus, I am a vegetarian. It goes against my values.

For instance, my kids went to my in-laws house today. A perfect opportunity to get things done. This is what my living room looks like right now.

Except kinda not.  I mean, the mess is definitely there.  But all the pictures are reversed/mirrored of how to room really looks for some reason(??).

Honestly, it would just take 5 minutes or less to clean up.  But I am just not up for the task at this moment.  I typically keep a very tidy house and do the bulk of it at night, after the kids are in bed.  I was not home last night to tidy up because I was at that class being reminded of how unwise and undiscerning I am.  

UPDATE: I could not bear to write anymore about the room and I cleaned it up. Less than 5 minutes, plus I started the dishwasher, wiped the kitchen counters, and moved a load of laundry.

Darn that frog.  Am I still considered a vegetarian?

Tuesday Tidbits, Volume II

1. First of all, Amy mentioned to me that she too saw the pink pool humiliation on the interstate the other day, a day or two after she saw my post about it. Because it was a different day than when I saw it, it means it was intentional and not just found on the side of the road that particular day.  Oh the questions running through my mind!

2. There is this class that I am taking at our church.  It focuses on being wise and discerning as a wife.  There is a LOT of homework.  Like so much homework that you actually need to work on it each day.  I always wait to start it until about 3 hours before the class (like it is tonight and I haven't started it yet).  That is neither wise nor discerning of me.  Nor is it exhibiting good time management skills.

Though the class is good, I am a bit weary of the work.  But, I power through.  I think part of my ability to power through is that it is a guaranteed night out on my own.  

Selfish?  Probably.  Honest?  Definitely.

3. Our son is obsessed with Maranimal's children, especially Sassy.  We haven't been able to see them much in the last few weeks, which has created an apparent void in our son's life.  Anytime we go anywhere where we have seen them, he will ask for them. I have to tell him that we aren't seeing them that day. He does not handle the let down well.  At all.

4.  I have been overly fixated on green vegetables lately.  Obsessed, even.  

I have been eating broccoli, green beans, brussels sprouts, collards and kale pretty much non-stop.  This is super strange, is it not?  

I bought a huge bag (64 oz) of frozen broccoli at Costco on Sunday night.  I have already plowed through a quarter of it.

I would really like to buy brussels sprouts in bulk, but it appears I am the only one interested in such.  Those puppies are pricey!

Other than my Sonic soda vice, I typically eat really healthy.  But, even for me, this is going overboard. 

5. Lil Miss is 6 months old today!  I can hardly believe it.  Part of the reason I started this blog was to record some of our daily lives and stuff about our kids.  With our son, I have forgotten a lot already. So, I am going to attempt writing down more about both of them.

Here is what Lil Miss is up to (for my sake so I will remember).

She loves to laugh, coo, squeal and slobber.

She is very "kicky" and wiggles/kicks while you hold her.  

She rolls from her tummy to her back but not yet from her back to her tummy.

She is working on sitting up and does the baby tripod sitting up.

She has trouble paying attention nursing when the tv is on.  But if she wants to eat, she throws herself at me and lunges to eat.  She is feisty, that is for sure.

She eats solids once a day and we are about to add a second time.  So far, she has eaten avocados, mangoes, bananas, black-eyed peas, whole milk yogurt, peas, carrots, sweet potatoes, rice cereal, peaches, butternut squash and green peas. She's a fan of the solids.

She has an intense love for teething biscuits and white knuckles them.  It is virtually impossible to get those away from her.

She sleeps from about 7:45 pm until 6:30 am. Eats and then goes back to bed for another hour or so, typically from about 7:15 am-8:30 am.  And then naps again from about 12:30 pm until 3:30 pm or so. Sometimes she fights the afternoon nap, which is no fun for anyone.

What a precious and wonderful addition she is to our family.  I am so thankful for her!

'Fess Up Friday, Church Edition

It's that time again!

Continuing the list from previous 'Fess up Friday posts.

16. I fell asleep in church a few weeks ago.  I had been battling a sinus migraine for 2-3 days.  Because I am nursing our 5 month old, I am greatly limited in medicines I can take.  Benadryl almost always does the trick to knock the pain down a notch or two.

It also does the trick in falling asleep pretty much anywhere.

Such as church.

17. For several years, I volunteered with the one of the kids' ministries at our church.  At one point, one of the leaders mentioned that kids' attention spans are that of their age.  So, if they are 12, then you can count on them being able to pay attention for 12 minutes.

My attention span is about 19 minutes.  Therefore, I must be 19 years old.

18. Because of this attention span, I am challenged during the church sermon.  I look at the clock when the pastor starts his sermon so I know how to plan and prepare mentally.  Like a road map, if you will.

19. I know how long each of the pastors typically preaches, their tendencies and how to prepare mentally for it.

20.  For instance, one pastor always has a video clip and opens with a joke.  He is a 40 minute minimum kind of guy.  He can push 45 minutes at times, which can be challenging. But I do appreciate the guaranteed video clip.

21. There is a family in our church that I am fascinated with.  I semi-stalk them.

22. They have amazingly well-behaved children who even take notes in church.  Their youngest is about 5 years old (the only boy) and has been sitting through church services for several years now.

23. I think their kids' attention spans are longer than mine.

24. I know which service they go to and their seating preferences (balcony, front row, Dad on the end of the row, Mom next to Dad, 5 year old boy next to Mom, then the 4 girls in varying patterns).

25. Hubs knows the drill - if we walk in and they are already seated, we sit 1-2 rows behind them.  If they are not there yet, I try to predict which part of the balcony they are going to sit in.  There are 5 or 6 sections which would meet their balcony, front row requirements.

26. They have not been in church all summer.  I fear they have moved or changed churches.

27. I still look for them.  It's not the same without them.

28. I want to be friends with them.  

Previous 'Fess Up Friday Posts:
The Original
Weakness Edition

Hot Pink Baby Pools - Not Just For Babies. Or Girls.

You know those standard issue baby pools you see at the baby store, right?

Well, the kids and I were driving down the interstate today on our way to go to a local park (and, of course, Sonic).  On the side of the interstate, I noticed one of those prison buses.  The ones where the prisoners pick up trash and what not on the side of the road.  The all male group was walking down the side of the interstate with the bus following behind them.  I see something hot pink intermingled with all of the orange get-up they had on.  As I drove closer, I realized that one of the prison mates had a HOT PINK baby pool tethered to him. And he was dragging it behind him.  Kind of like a mule. But not. Since he is a human and all!

And in the pool?  The tire debris they were picking up.

This wasn't just some pool they found somewhere.  No, this appeared to be a brand-spanking-new pool. Almost like one of the guards bought it for that very reason. For kicks and grins and what not.  I do hope it was just another thing that they found on the road and not an extra measure of punishment given to them. Regardless, it was an interesting site to behold.

Kinda like this, but SO much brighter!

Source

Let's move onto less humiliating, more normal things. Shall we?

Once we were at our local park (Sonic in hand), we started out by feeding the ducks.  This park in particular is one of my more favorites.  

It is a full package for mom and child(ren).  It has ample trails for mom to walk easily with a stroller, it has ducks, it has a playground and it has areas for kids to run around.  Also, a bathroom.  Always a plus. 

As the kids and I were approaching the ducks, we hear a bunch of excited high school girls coming our way.  They stopped short of where we were and started practicing their cheers in the middle of one of the trail paths (?!??!).  

Anyways, like I was mentioning, this is one of my more preferred parks.  The one downfall to it is that there is a lovely waterfall feature that runs into the pond where kids are often feeding the ducks.  There is no fence or barrier preventing your child from falling into the scum pond. Or slipping down the waterfall.  So, as we were approaching the water feature, I notice a lone (ugly) duck nearby behind a fence.  Perfect, I thought!  No pesky canadian geese around, no close water to fall into, and a fence.

The lone ugly duck.

  

Within 4.23 seconds, there were 40+ ducks there. (Yes, I counted.  It was a pretty intense amount of ducks.)

I know that there is a super secret, super quiet signal that alerts the ducks to a possibly feeding frenzy.  I have yet to decipher what that signal is, especially since we were not at the standard water feature feeding place.  

But, the speed at which they showed up?!  REMARKABLE.

Award winning, really.

He was so excited by the insane amount of ducks!

The ugly duck fought the others for the choice food.

Things the ducks consumed today?  Besides the standard issue bread, there were cheerios scooped up from the floorboard on the side of the car where they boy sits and likes to toss cheerios like confetti, an uneaten peanut butter sandwich, some dried up cheese as well as veggie eggrolls leftover from my intense eggroll craving period that occurred during my last pregnancy.

Little girl happy that she has been promoted to
sitting in stroller without being snapped in the carseat. 

Getting prepared for our walk, post ducks.  The cup of Sonic ice water
did the trick in enticing the boy back into the stroller.  He covets the Sonic
cup.  I have no idea where he gets that from.

We had a nice little walk and finished it out with the cheerleaders continuing in their cheers (in the middle of a path! for over an hour! seriously!), a mom pushing a baby in a stroller with a pool floaty (there is no pool! just the duck scum pond!), and a gentleman carrying 2 golf clubs on his walk (there is no putting green! is it for defense?  or for attacking?).

Anyways, it was a fun morning for me and the kids.  I do love just hanging out with them and taking care of them.  They are such a treat.  And I love seeing the joy on their faces when they are having a good time or are learning something new.

Happy Wednesday, my friends.

Tuesday Tidbits

I fear I may have offended my loyal and devoted readers with a comment yesterday regarding the kids' aunt and uncle.  Please note that I said they were the only FAMILY members that know about this blog. Not the only people.

I love you, my dear readers, and so appreciate you amusing me with this newest endeavor of mine.

The reason that I have yet to tell other family members other than one of hub's brothers and his wife is multi-faceted.  And riveting, I might add.  Not really.

Well, first and foremost, it seems like entirely too much trouble and I would then have to field questions as to how to get to the blog, how to maneuver their way within the blog, etc. I'm exhausted just thinking about it.

Secondly, though I am in fact a product of my mom and dad, we do not share the same appreciation of humor and irony.

At all.

Therefore, my bloggy observations and tales would just befuddle them. And I would have to field even more questions. Plus, they would then have to acknowledge the fact that I might have a reason/need to take a pregnancy test.  I would like them to not think of such things.  Nor would they, I imagine.

(Pregnancy tests are on sale this week at Target!  Not that I would buy any. Or any more storage containers.)

(Yes, I did.)

(Buy both.)

(No, I am not.)

Thricely (how's that, Taylor?), I couldn't make mention of the funnies that is our family if they knew of this blog.

Like the fact that my sweet father-in-law couldn't understand why, "I just couldn't get the precious 2 year old to eat anything but cookies all day today!"  

Or that my mother-in-law, upon hearing about the 2 year olds poopy hands incident, said, "Aww.  Bless his heart!"  Bless HIS heart?!?!  Bless my heart!!! The 2 year old was having a field day!

Or that my dad, upon receiving a custom printed Fathers' Day card with pictures of the kids, was not AT ALL interested in the fact that the kids were on the card, but was thrilled that I had also graced the card with pictures of their cats.  According to my mom, he has been carrying the card to show others his proud possession. Their friends have been interested in seeing the card to see pictures of the kids, but apparently Dad redirects them to the more valuable pictures of the cats. 

Or that my cousin shot the tv when the OJ Simpson trials were on.  You know, to take matters into his own hands.  He really proved a lot with that one.

Not that I would tell you these funnies.  It is just theoretical, you know, in case I do decide to divulge them at a later point in time.