Just Say No

Owen has starting begging for a dog. Apparently, EVERY person he knows has a dog except for him. Apparently, we are very unfair parents for depriving him of a pet. I think it shows that we are sane and using good judgment, as I have never, ever had good luck with pets. From childhood, every single pet I have ever owned has been difficult, crazy, or aggressive.

First, I had the pet hamster in fifth grade. My smart parents didn't want an indoor dog, and our rental house had no fence for an outdoor dog. I started off with a hamster because I had seen one on television, and they looked small and harmless. I had visions of carrying it around in my pocket or backpack, with its cute little face looking up at me. Taffy, as I named this fur ball, was a tan and white hamster with lots of fluffy hair. He was so cute. Since I hate all things about rats and mice, I do not know what possessed me to think that I would like a hamster. I guess I was just desperate since everything but a fish had been ruled out. Taffy looked cute in his little pet store cage where he harmlessly nibbled some pellets. The cedar chips in the cage smelled good, and I was overtaken. Once I got Taffy home, I soon became fearful of handling him. He was aggressive and often bit my hands which would cause me to drop him rapidly to the floor, possibly causing some brain damage. Then, there was the fact that this was a nocturnal animal. Why don't they tell you that the hamster will stay awake all night long running on that wheel? Eventually, Taffy died of a tumor which the pet store said was a common disease among that breed. They offered me a free replacement. Umm, no thanks.

Next, there was Tabby the cat. She was a mean cat who loved to play the game of "chase Michelle around the house and scratch her feet." She seemed to know that she could intimidate me, which added to her fun. She appeared to be much more loving with my younger siblings who have these cute photographs of them holding her while she cuddles up to their chin. All I remember is leaping onto my bed and never wanting my bare ankles to touch the ground for fear that sharp claws would grab them.

Once we moved to Colorado, my parents surprised us with a Lhasa Apso puppy which we named Tiffy (see how we like the "T" theme for names?). She was actually the only pet that I have some loving and fond memories of. She was very sweet and affectionate. She would cuddle on the couch with us while we watched television, and she looked so cute after she went to the groomers and had little bows on her ears. However, she had a major bladder issue. Too bad they didn't have Depends for dogs! Every time she would get excited (happy or scared), she would piddle on the floor. I don't remember a single day when we weren't cleaning up after her! Now, I see myself as the homeowner, and I definitely don't want to buy a dog for my kids if it will piddle on the carpet all day long! All I have to do is go into my laundry room and remember how much work I put into cleaning and repairing the damage done by a dog, and I come out reaffirmed in my commitment not to have an indoor dog.

After I got married, I switched to cats for the pet of choice. We lived in apartments and had no yard, so dogs were not practical. Since I am not a "cat person," I don't know what I was thinking! Our first cat Darby was actually very loving, but that was the problem. He didn't want us to shut him out of any room in the apartment! Even if we had company sleeping in our guestroom, he wanted free access to their room. Many times, Darby would be headbutting their door, or the bathroom door, to gain access to our guests. All. night. long. If that wasn't sucessful, he would begin to tear up the carpet under the door. When we moved out, we thought we would lose our deposit in the apartment because of the large, bare holes under every door. Luckily, they were going to update and recarpet the whole apartment anyway, so we weren't charged! Darby died suddenly of poisoning after we moved into a new apartment where he must have found some bait left by the previous tenants. I was actually sad when we lost him, as he was very sweet. However, I wouldn't want a pet that I couldn't shut in a room to keep it contained. I also never want bare carpet holes around my house again.

Stuart was so sad that we lost Darby, that I finally consented to getting yet another cat. Bad, bad decision. Daisy was our last pet, and she was mean and crazy. I think she got traumatized at the vet during her first few months when she had so many flea issues and dips. She eventually began to hate all people (except Stuart), and she became very aggressive. For nine long years, we endured her. She would stalk our guests, hiss at everyone who got near her, and have to be sedated to go to the vet. We even discussed using Valium on a regular basis for her behavior! She would bite or lunge at you if you invaded her space . . . which meant even entering a room she was in. Whenever we shut her in a closed room to keep our guests safe, she would howl and bang the door with her head for hours. We eventually stopped entertaining much. By the time we had Owen, it was getting ridiculous to try to keep Daisy happy and keep Owen safe. When he was two, she attacked his face viciously with her claws and drew blood, and that was the end of that. We finally took the vet's suggestion to put her to sleep, as she was not adoptable due to her extreme aggression. It just wasn't safe to keep her in our home with a two year old and another baby on the way. After she was gone, I felt I had been released from prison and felt free in my own home for the first time in years. A cat no longer controlled our lives.

So, now when Owen asks for a pet, I envision it being like the movie "Marley and Me" where the dog pretty much destroys everything in its path and rules their family routine. I just don't think I can go there again, not yet.

So, for now, I'm just saying no.

All Ears

Arden still has a double ear infection! Unfortunately, shortly after we finished the first round of antibiotics which were prescribed from the ER visit, she began to act sick again this week. The same symptoms of sleeplessness, fever, irritability, and crying started on Tuesday, so I finally took her to the pediatrican today.

This is the first time that I have gone to a new doctor's office in seven years! I went to Little Rock Children's Clinic ever since Owen was a newborn, and I loved it there. I drove in from Cabot, even after we moved, and all my children used that clinic. I could always get an appointment within a few hours, I never had to wait a long time, the doctors were all board certified pediatricians, and they offered extended hours at nights and on Saturdays for sick kids.

When we moved to Northwest Arkansas, I asked around a lot to decide which office to visit. Several people recommended Northwest Arkansas Pediatric Clinic in Fayetteville. I was reluctant to have to drive to another town again, but I finally felt it was the best option. They have 13 pediatricians and offer the same after-hours clinic for sick kids that I had in Little Rock. This morning I called at 8:00, and I was given a 10:00 a.m. appointment. That was the first good sign, since I was a new patient. I drove to the clinic, and it only took me 23 minutes which wasn't a bad drive down the interstate. I was in a waiting room and talking to a doctor by 10:14 a.m.! I was checking out and in my car by 10:35! Everything was so similar to the Little Rock clinic that I loved, and the facility was amazing. I liked the first doctor we saw, and I am glad I went there. We left with another prescription for a stronger antibiotic, and I realized how blessed I am to have the option to go to a clinic like this for my children!

When I hear stories about how doctors' offices can't get a sick child in that day, or a parent and sick child are in the waiting room for hours, it really upsets me. Don't even get me started on those clinics that only have one waiting room where all the sick kids are mixed in with the well children! If that is your situation, you need to voice your dissatisfaction to your doctor or change doctors if all else fails. I would rather drive a bit further to get the service and treatment that I think ALL kids should be given in a pediatric setting. Don't settle, parents! We need to expect great service, convenient hours, and same day appointments for sick kids! There are clinics like that out there, if you look around. If insurance is the problem, then complain to them and try to get them to give you a waiver to an alternate facility based on your problematic experience; it doesn't hurt to try!

I'll get off my soap box now . . .

Craftiness

Here is a current craft project that I just completed. I got the idea from several other blogs. Find a used, cheap silver platter. It doesn't matter if it's tarnished because you can clean up the edges. Mine is scratched up a bit, but I still like the "shabby chic" look. Then, paint the center with chalkboard paint. Voila . . . an inexpensive and neat looking display board to write messages or verses! It can be hung on the wall, if your platter is lightweight or put on an easel like mine.

I spray painted an old wooden easel I already had black. Then, I found the platter at an antique flea market in town for $7.00. It is pretty large and made from pewter. I was looking for a silver platter, but in a way this is better because it won't tarnish on the edges. However, it's very heavy and probably can't go on the wall very easily. I used Krylon chalkboard paint in a spray can from Wal-Mart which was only around $4 for the can. Other platters I've seen used the "paint on" chalkboard paint which they applied with a brush. I felt the spray can would be easier and provide a smoother finish with no brush strokes. It was also cheaper than a quart can, but if you already own the can of chalkboard paint, use what you have! I taped off the center of the platter to get a clean edge, and I covered the other edges with paper before spray painting. It took two coats of paint with dry time in between.

Vintage stores and thrift stores often sell various silver platters from $2-10, so you can make this little item for a bargain.

I plan to use mine to announce special events and write "Happy Birthday" or "Happy Father's Day" etc. and have it out on those days. And, I'm sure I will be looking for some more platters to whip up some cute gifts for friends!

Laundry Room Makeover

After we bought this house in Bentonville, I realized the laundry room was terrible! I knew the size was smaller than my previous one, but I must not have paid any attention to the cosmetic issues in our whirlwind house tours. However, on the day we arrived to move in, I was unpleasantly surprised. It was dirty, and it smelled like a wet dog. It appeared a dog had occupied the space from time to time based on the extensive scratch marks, chew marks, dirty walls, stained tile, etc. I just wanted to cry when we moved in, and I could see how dingy and dirty it looked. The insulation strip was ripped to shreds on the inside of the garage door, and both door frames were covered in huge scrapes in the paint from moving out large pieces of furniture (in a not-so-careful way).

My handy-dandy handyman (no, it wasn't Stuart! But I love him anyway!) was hired to fix my problems and make everything better. He repainted all the walls, filled and sanded all the damaged trim, and then repainted all the trim. Then, we had the tile and grout professionally cleaned (it really makes a huge difference!).

Then, I got inspired by Shannon's blog by looking at her laundry room pictures. She had real furniture in her laundry room . . . and cute apocathary jars filled with powdered detergent!

So, what's a girl to do? . . . I copied her (with her blessing!).

Since I had a limited budget, I had to use my same old washer/dryer. (I won't show you a picture of the washer because it is soooo old and doesn't even have a knob anymore; I have to turn it on each time with a wrench!).

I also tried to "repurpose" items I already had for the rest of the decor. I moved my Pottery Barn wool rug in there which really warmed up the space. Then, I was able to get my old foyer table to fit in the gap by the dryer (table is turned sideways). It was a free solution to give me more "counter" space and a display area. I was actually going to sell the table once I got my new foyer unit, and I was glad to find a way to continue to use it. Then, I got an apocathary jar (filled with OxyClean powder which I use all the time), a topiary, and a bird's nest. Owen helped me find a matching vintage sign to go above the bulletin board, and I hung some photos and old oil paintings that I already had. I splurged and bought a blue/tan tassel from Nester to finish it off.

Now, I am really happy. It's still not any bigger, but it's more functional and cute. It feels more like a real, homey room now, and it's a place I enjoy being. And most importantly, it no longer smells like dog!

Praying for Stellan Today

Today, we are all wearing ORANGE. I found a shirt for each child and myself that had some orange in it because that is the color people are wearing to show we are praying for baby Stellan as he is in surgery in Boston at Children's Hospital this morning. He has SVT which is the same diagnosis that Owen had at birth; unfortunately, Stellan's case has not been controlled with medication as Owen's was, so he is having a risky procedure called an ablation done on his heart today. I follow this blog daily, and it is so inspiring. You can click on my button to the right that says, "Praying for Stellan" to read his mother's blog and check on his condition. We're praying, Stellan!

Foyer Organization

Here is my new front foyer! I am really happy with it. Due to the fact that my laundry room in my new house is so small, we decided to use the large wall in our front foyer for a mudroom. The laundry room and garage entrance are actually on the back side of the wall where the cubbies are, so it is still very convenient for grabbing our stuff before we head out in our vehicles.

The modular unit, cushion, and baskets came from Pottery Barn. The jute rug came from Target and was a recent birthday gift from my brother.

We've been enjoying the organization of the cubby units, and each child has a cubby with hooks for backpack/diaper bag and jackets. Now, my laundry room is only for dirty clothes and not a catch-all area.

What do you think?

Life with a Girl

Happy, happy, happy . . . not!

Here are some recent pictures of Arden! She's now almost 16 months old. I had to include that last one with the crying face because that one is so funny! She does that face several times per day! She's running, jumping, climbing, and starting to use quite a few words now. Unfortunately, she still calls Stuart "mama" most of the time, much to his dismay! ha ha

Happy Birthday to Me

On Saturday, I turn 39. Just one more year until the big "4-0." Actually, it doesn't really stress me out . . . yet. We'll see how I feel in 364 more days!

Stuart ran out and picked up a chocolate cake at Walmart tonight. Some friends from Cabot are in town visiting us this weekend, so we will eat cake with them on my birthday tommorrow night! What a fun present to visit with dear friends!

After 39 years, I must say that I really like feeling comfortable with who I am.

But I don't like the fact that I really need to exercise.

I like the fact that I don't stress about a bad hair day or a pimple anymore.

But I don't like the fact that I need eye cream.

I like the fact that the name I'm called the most is "mama."

But I don't like the fact that I can't sleep in . . . ever.

I like the fact that I've learned to embrace change and be open to moving where God leads us.

But I still don't like the packing and unpacking.

I like the fact that I am still in contact with friends that date back 30 years.

But I don't like the fact that my feet are now a half size bigger than they were in high school.

I like the fact that I have more patience than in my 20's.

But I don't like the fact that I still lose my cool with my kids from time to time.

I like the fact that I have taught for 16 years now and feel comfortable in my profession.

But I still dread grading that stack of essays when they come in!

I like the fact I'm comfortable with my body image and don't feel the need to change it for anyone.

But I don't like needing mammograms every year from now on out.

I like the fact that I think I'm improving in my faith in God and His sovereignty.

But, I still fail in my faith in so many small things each day.

I thank God for having 39 years; some people don't get this many. In 365 more days, I pray that I can say I loved better, lived more fully, had more faith, and died more to self than I had the year before.

Hudson is Cracking Me Up

This child is so hilarious! Besides taking self-portaits on my camera, he is really into learning to read and write these days. I really feel that he is ready for kindergarten (he is begging us to go, and it helped Owen get moved up on the waiting list by having another enrolled sibling at the school). So, even though he has a late summer birthday, my last little boy will be heading off to "real school" in August.

He now carries around a Spiderman notebook where he has been writing his little stories and lists. At first, the "writing" was the scribbly line that was supposed to be a word, and he would translate it for me. Now, he has actually progressed to trying to use actual alphabet letters to write words phonetically! That is very exciting for me to see, and I remember Owen learning to do this once he was already in kindergarten. Yesterday, Hudson wrote, "pupe," which was "puppy." He was close; he got the two "p" sounds and added an "e" at the end since that is how it sounds.

Today, he brought me his journal and wanted me to write some more words in it for him to read. He is doing really well with memorizing sight words. He has also been able to read rhyming word groups such as, "frog, bog, dog, etc." However, today he asked me to write, "avocado" and "mango."

Hmm. . . okay.

I don't know how many other kindergarteners are going to be discussing avocados and trying to spell that one! He was so serious about it, too. Too funny! A few months ago when we asked him his favorite color, he said, "chartreuse." Yep, I wasn't even sure exactly what color that was, so he explained in Spanish, it was like, "verde."

By second grade, he'll be way past my level!

Our Easter

It was a different sort of Easter celebration this year. Arden got sick on Good Friday, and I had a feeling that her smocked Easter dress would not get worn. By Saturday night, she was really bad and had croup (you know, the "seal cough") and fever. She had stopped eating and drinking for the most part and refused to sleep. Everytime we put her down, she was up screaming in 30 minutes. Stuart knew it was an ear infection. I was hoping we could survive it until Monday when we could take her to the pediatrician's office, but we couldn't. She ended up spitting up some blood in the middle of the night on Saturday, and then we immediately took her to the ER.

Luckily, Arden's croup was not so severe to need hospitalization, and the blood was from a broken blood vessel from such forceful coughing. However, Dr. Stuart was correct because Arden had not one, but two, badly infected ears . . . hence the fever, screaming, and refusing to lay flat. So, we left the ER at 2 a.m. with our antibiotic prescription.

Sunday was a horribly cold and rainy day here. After getting to bed after 2 a.m., I decided to volunteer to be the one to stay home with Arden. Stuart took the boys to a later church service than we normally attend, but at least they made it. I threw together the ingredients to make Stuart's favorite sweet potato casserole, and luckily I had already purchased a pre-cooked ham from my favorite Honey Baked Ham Company. I didn't have to really cook anything except the sweet potato casserole, and we added some frozen veggies, cranberry sauce, and some rolls. Overall, it was a delicious meal for very little work and the perfect solution after a very sleepless night. All the kids enjoyed their Easter baskets which they opened after church, and it was fun to see their excitement over the small things we had picked out. Hudson had to have a chocolate bunny (he LOVES anything chocolate), and Owen wanted jelly beans. They both got a Bakugan toy which they play together, and I had picked up some cute activity books with decoders at Target.

Arden is recovering now and finally sleeping normally, but Owen is staying home sick from school today with the stomach flu. He seems like he has recovered quickly and will probably be able to return tomorrow. He ate a normal lunch and hasn't had any more problems.

At least Arden's smocked dress didn't have bunnies or Easter baskets on it, so she can easily wear it again on any other Sunday. I'll take a picture of her in it next week and "pretend" it was Easter.

We did spend time remembering the real reason for Easter that doesn't involve baskets, dyed eggs (oops . . forgot to do those!), or bunnies. Christ has risen from the grave for our sins and has given us the gift of eternal life. He is the reason why we celebrate. We opened the empty egg from our Resurrection Egg set and talked with the boys about the empty tomb.

Even though we had illness, we had plenty to be thankful for: a warm house, good ham, a family, and a God who loved us enough to die for us.

Happy Easter!

"In Christ Alone" by Natalie Grant
(song will play automatically on the blog as first selection)

In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song;
this Cornerstone, this solid Ground,
firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
when fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my All in All,
here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone! who took on flesh
Fulness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones he came to save:
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied -
For every sin on Him was laid;
Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain:
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave he rose again!
And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me,
For I am His and He is mine -
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is the power of Christ in me;
From life's first cry to final breath.
Jesus commands my destiny.
No power of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home,
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand.

Owen is a Gator!

I got the long-awaited phone call yesterday -- Owen has gotten into Central Park Elementary School here in Bentonville for third grade! He will begin in August, and Hudson will be starting kindergarten at the same campus. This semester, as I've previously posted, Owen has been at an overflow school in the district because there were no second grade spots when we moved at semester.

I'm excited to have the boys be able to attend together and to be in a school that is top-rated. It should also be a lot faster to drive them to school since I won't have to get on any major highways during morning rush hour like I have this semester.

We are so thankful that this has fallen into place, and I am looking forward to volunteering at the school next year and joining the PTO. I haven't done much with the school this semester because it always seemed temporary. Both boys are very excited to attend Central Park, and Owen is glad too. Even though he will have to leave his new friends and start at a new campus, he seems to understand how the school will be better overall. Plus, he will rejoin his current friends from the overflow school in fifth grade when both schools feed into the same middle school.

We're thrilled; thanks for all your prayers regarding the school situation!

Discouraged

The sun is shining, and we have a beautiful day here in Northwest Arkansas. It went from 42 degrees on Tuesday to mid-70's today. Despite the return of warmth, I feel a bit discouraged today.

We have a good family friend who has been diagnosed with colon cancer, and Stuart drove down to Little Rock to be with him during his surgery today. The doctors will be able to tell more about the staging and prognosis after the surgery. We are praying that they caught it early. He is Stuart's age, and it hits so close to home when a friend of your own age is diagnosed with a serious illness. It was also exactly this time last year when we battled fear about Stuart's health, as he was having a lot of symptoms. We feared that he might have colon or stomach cancer, and he did a colonoscopy and an endoscopy. Finally, he was diagnosed with severe GERD and put on medication which greatly eliminated his pain. Thankfully in our case, it wasn't anything life threatening.

We also heard this week that another very dear friend of ours lost his job. He had gone through a job loss just a year ago, and I'm sure it is devastating to have it happen again so soon. He and his wife have three children, and he is the main income, so it must be a very scary time for them. I have seen this couple go through many financial storms over the past five years, and I wonder why things can't be easier for them. It just doesn't seem fair, and it makes me so sad.

I'm doing the Beth Moore Bible study over Esther right now, and it is amazing. Just when I have had a hard day or a hard week, her video always seems to touch on something that strikes a cord with me. In last night's session she said, "I'm a huge proponent of praying against what we fear and for the desires of our hearts. I also believe we're free and safe to voice our worst nightmares to God. In times of crisis and demonic attack, however, our vulnerable souls need something more. The most critical breakthough of faith you and I could ever experience is to let God bring us to place where we trust Him -- period. We don't just trust Him to let us avoid what we fear most. We determine to trust Him no matter what, even if our worst nightmare befalls us. We have no greater victory and can render Satan no harsher blow." (p. 107-108).

In this midst of so many fears that are befalling my friends and myself, I pray that God will give us strength to TRUST in HIM -- regardless of our circumstances.