Today's blessing ...

The little boy who has been viewed as the class bully by Erin has learned the word of "please!"

Erin came home so excited today, that while in the sandbox, he returned the red shovel she was using when she asked by saying "please" to him. We have been praying for this little munchkin, as have many of you, as well as two of our church communities. Thank you!

Forever

Today was a special day at the Rahija house ... tonight as Erin was having some difficulty at bedtime, she expressed some concern to me about not being able to be with Jesus, and crying because she knew that she had been with Him before she was born, but couldn't remember what He looked like. I asked her if she had ever invited Jesus to live in her heart, as her forever friend, and she said she hadn't. I explained a little about what that was, and asked her if she'd like to invite Him. She immediately responded with a serious concern ... "Does Jesus get mail?" (I think she was concerned about how to get the credit card apps inside of her without it hurting). I assured her that the kind of mail Jesus gets are like prayers, so they don't hurt. She seemed relieved, and after a few more minutes of small-talk, she returned to the subject by simply stating, "Mommy, I'd like to invite Jesus to live in my heart." I asked her if she'd like me to pray with her and help her. Like so many things in her life, she responded, "No, I think I've got it covered, Mommy." I smiled, and held her hands and listened to her pray to God, thanking Him for sending Jesus, and asking Jesus to come live in her, forever and ever, to never leave her, so she would never be alone or afraid again.

Doesn't get better than that, friends!

Latest Erinism

Well, David and I couldn't help but snicker at this one ...

Erin's preschool had a "mixer" event on Tuesday, involving ice cream. Some called it a party, some called it a social, and one called it "show-showl". This is funny, because she wanted to take her bunny, named "Shu Shu" along at one point ... try saying "Can I take Shu Shu to the ice cream Show showl, mommy?"

What a funny bunny!

On a not so funny note .... you might keep Erin in your prayers. There is a little boy in her class who is a bully. He apparently disobeys the teachers, spits at them, has to be held down during story time, touches kids randomly (as in their hair or arm), ... and pushes the other kids around concerning the toys at recess. Erin is trying to reach out to him, and we've had several talks about this little boy. She wants to be Jesus to him, but was brushed off today ... she painted a picture for him, and he said he didn't want it. Her response to me about this was "When he did that it made me feel like I wasn't a very good artist." I think she's talked to the teachers, and their response is that he is just three. Her teachers are excellent, and after Erin covertly pointed out the mystery bully to me today (it was funny, her lips barely moved, and she pointed "through" her body because he was behind us as we were waiting for the doors to open before school today - yes, imagine Erin being discrete, and that is really funny!), I have seen the way they handle him, and it seems to be with love, and out of concern to help him grow while keeping the other kids safe. We have started praying for this little boy, and that God would use Erin and the others in the classroom to show love to him.

Okay, that's it for now. Good night!

Wild Weeks

Well, since the last illness and the birthday, we've had a busy schedule it seems. Erin started preschool (yes, we decided to keep her out of kindergarten ... for a myriad of reasons, but mainly, because she has the rest of her life to be in school, and we don't want to force her to be there yet, and as the youngest in her class, we didn't want to put that stress on her). She attends the Lawrence Arts Center arts-based preschool program. It is wonderful! She has brought home so many paintings and discovered so much already! You'll have to ask David about his new favorite children's song ... clue: it involves all the children singing "Where is TallMan?" and demonstrating together - priceless. Miss Allison and Miss Miriam are wonderful, and the environment of the classroom is so great! This teacher/mommy is very excited! I would be excited to teach there, if I ever wanted to teach preschoolers! She has already had her first sick day -- she caught another round of the stomach bug, and actually came down with the fever about an hour after returning from the first day of school. The need for a bucket arose later in the evening, and continued through early morning. The fever hung around for 3 days, which was unpleasant, and a bit scary, as she started to get very weak. I had to carry her from the potty to her bed once because her legs wouldn't work. However, all is right with her world again, and she had a great time at school on Monday.

Over Labor Day weekend, we were busy, with household purging, new furniture in the upstairs living room (YEAH!), grandma and grandpa Gerstenkorn visiting overnight, and a picnic (well, it really wasn't a picnic, because we stayed inside, but we ate picnicy food, and had a fun time!) with our friends from church (also, we had a leadership team meeting, but the eating was more fun!).

Avery is getting to be a real clown these days. She's trying really hard to take part in family conversation, with more than just grunting. We cannot understand many of her phrases yet, but she is very intent on saying some words instead of just squawking or whining or grunting. This is amusing, but perhaps the funniest is her attempt at humor. During dinner, when someone at the table is telling a story, she bursts out with this fake laugh, dips her head, and shakes her head from side to side, as if enjoying the punchline. It is hysterical, because we all start laughing, and then she really starts to giggle, but continues with the head shaking/dipping. I think she is going to be the funny one in our bunch. What a ham! She has also developed a love for shoes, and has a pair of pink shiny shoes that cause her to dance. This is also entertaining. She seems to like punk music, and flowy female vocals as well. Today she did something very gross, and I am worried about the outcome. We had "Saucy Chicken Casserole" last night for dinner. Before I ate my chicken, I did a quick "fat check" to remove any big pieces of that before eating it - one of my worst feelings: biting into meat that has a bunch of fat, always makes me gag. Anyway, sorry, that was an icky description. Okay, after dinner, I tossed the scraps into the garbage, and it was rather full, but I didn't take out the trash. Today, during a renegade trip to the kitchen garbage can, Avery discovered the remains of the chicken, and put all of it in her mouth. When I picked her up to change her diaper, I smelled something that wasn't diaper-related, and asked her to open her mouth. She obliged, and I found the chicken. I was pretty grossed out, and after digging it out, called Grandma G, the nurse, and asked her if I should be worried. She gave me the number for poison control (I guess that answer was yes), and I called them. They told me not to worry, but just watch for signs of food poisoning, and if she has those symptoms for more than 24 hours, see the doctor so she doesn't get dehydrated. Hopefully, all will be well, and her digestive system will take care of any bacteria she ingested.

Okay, just wanted to give a little update. Hope life is going well for all of you, and know that I enjoy reading your news!

Royal "To Do" at Castle Rahija

- ARP (Associated Royal Press)

Hear Ye! Hear Ye! (I guess it should be "Read Ye! Read Ye!") Princess Erin has celebrated the fifth anniversary of her birth. The Royal To Do, held at Castle Rahija, in the kingdom of Lawrence was a huge success, with all invited guests attending, and even a few surprise guests! Unfortunately, the royal photograph machine was not functioning, due to a lemonade situation a week prior to the celebration. Guests, including Evil Aidan, Lady Chloe: Tamer of the Dragons, Lady Jordan, William the Terrible (fire-breathing dragon), and Sir Avery: Knight of the Square Table arrived in their finery, as was Queen Sarah, who wore her finest queen attire from the wedding celebration of Their Highness John and Michelle of Castle Riggs. Surprise guests were Sir Matt and Lady Dena of Castle Broderick, who "rode in" for a quick moment.

Guests enjoyed exploring our castle grounds, and were brave enough to enter the cave of the dreadful dragon, William the Terrible, who chased them back to the safety of the castle walls. The Evil Aidan attacked at some point during the evening, and the group fended off his evil army with their marshmallow catapults. The guests also had the task of returning the tails to the dragon (dragons, much like some lizards, periodically lose their tails). William the Terrible (of course being a dragon) did very well in placing his tail in the correct place.

Guests enjoyed a strawberry tiara cake (bunt cake, frosted yellow with jolly rancher jewels, and 5 yellow candles for the "pointy parts"), fruit punch/pineapple, apple, orange juice in jeweled tumblers with their names insribed on the side. They also feasted on crackers, pretzels, and a castle of cheese, constructed by none other than King David.

Guests were all different ages and sizes, but a good time was had by all. Sir Avery, who had traveled from Castle Baranet in the Kingdom of Eudora, stayed later to have some special play time with Princess Erin. What a blessing to have good friends, near and far!


(Evil Aidan's mom snapped a few pics, so maybe we can find some pictoral evidance of these goings-on)

"I think I need a thermometer"

After a "weekend of wilderness fun" - or at least controlled camping environment fun! - we are slowly unpacking the bags, moisturizing our sunburns, and trying to figure out what kind of cake we can do to even come close to being as cool as the one Uncle John and Aunt Michelle made for the Rahija Birthday Campout Weekend! Erin had a blast at Clinton Lake this past weekend, after a year of planning, inviting, and painstakingly waiting, her dream was fulfilled. She played so hard in the water, that I think she started developing scales. She is so brown, and her hair is quite a bit lighter as well. She was so tired that she fell asleep on a couch before worship service, slept through the music practice, through the service, and through the furniture re-arrange that happens after service and before the meal.

Today, we had a not-so-fun day, as Erin woke up "feeling really yucky." Thirty minutes later she was hunched over a bucket, watching Toy Story. I, for one, was impressed. She turned her head to the side to heave, and never broke eye contact with the television. I wiped her mouth with a washcloth, dumped her bucket, and returned it to her, where she held it at her side until it was needed again later.

She is such a good little trooper. I think the funniest thing about Erin being sick is that she gets far more panicky about the thought of having a fever than throwing up or having a tummy ache. I felt her hot little head and told her that she had a fever, and she nearly went into a panic attack. Later this afternoon, she ambled upstairs and flopped on a chair and said in a very dramatic voice, "I am so sick that I think I even need a thermometer." I asked why she thought that, and she told me that thermometers help sick people feel better. She knew that on good authority because her grandma is a nurse. Well, we did indeed have a thermometer, and put it to use, healing the sickness right out of that girl. We also prayed and sent her to bed at a good time!

Only time will tell if the thermometer is a healing agent ... I have to say I'm embarrassed to say I did not know of this healing measure - and I lived with the thermometer expert for 20 years!

New Favorite

Well, I have a new favorite song ... "East to West" by Casting Crowns. It really hit me as a song that speaks to a place I hit somtimes ... not that I am afraid, of rejection, just not wanting to fall back into a lifestyle that destroys ... AND the assurance that Jesus did, does, and will always know, understand, and be there in those moments! The song is on their new album that releases in August, and is currently the first song that plays on their myspace page. LOVE IT!

East to West

Here I am Lord and I’m drowning, in Your sea of forgetfulness
The chains of yesterday surround me, I yearn for peace and rest
I don’t want to end up where You found me
And it echoes in my mind
Keeps me awake tonight
I know you’ve cast my sin as far as the East is from the West
And I stand before You now as though I’ve never sinned
But today I feel like I’m just one mistake away
From You leaving me this way

Chorus:
Jesus can you show me just how far the east is from the west
‘Cause I can’t bear to see the man I’ve been
Rising up in me again
In the arms of Your mercy I find rest
‘Cause You know just how far the east is from the west
From one scarred hand to the other

I start the day, the war begins
Endless reminding of my sin
And time and time again
Your truth is drowned out by the storm I’m in
Today I feel like I’m just one mistake away
from You leaving me this way

I know You’ve washed me white
Turn my darkness into life
I need Your peace to get me through
To get me through this night
I can’t live by what I feel
About the truth Your word reveals
I’m not holding on to You
But You’re holding on to me
You’re holding on to me

Did you know...?

Another Erinism has come to my attention ...

Last week Erin and I were taking a walk around our little condo neighborhood, I was pushing Avery and she was pushing Abby in strollers. Erin's stroller is a little short for her now, so the walks are a bit painful to watch, but she still likes to do this. As we were walking, I noticed a dead slug on the sidewalk, and pointed it out to her, merely in hopes of helping her stroller wheels avoid contact with the expired slug. She skirted it, and I dismissed it. Two or three sidewalk squares later, Erin pauses, sniffs the air, and says,
"Yep, that was a slug alright."
I said, "I know, I pointed it out to you, remember?"
"Yeah, but how did you know, Mom?"
"Well, I saw it and just knew, because I have seen them before."
"Well, I know too."
"Oh?"
"Yep, don't you smell it?"
"Smell what?"
"The slug."
"Um, no, I hadn't stopped to sniff it."
"Well, you don't need to stop, Mom, just smell the air. Come on, try it. " (model sniffing ensues) "Don't you smell it?"
"Well, it does kind of smell like something."
"Slug stink mom, that smell you are smelling is the stink of slug, and that's how you can know if it's really a slug or not. Trust me, I know, I touch those things all the time, and that's what my hands smell like, exactly."
"Oh, thanks for sharing that with me, Erin, I learned something from you today."
"Thank you, mommy!" (beaming face emerges, and stroller resumes route).

Oh, what a kid!

Cast-Off!

Well, Erin's arm is stink-free now, as her cast came off last week. She was so itchy (and stinky), and scratched a sore in the crease of her arm. Poor thing, we were trying to wash it to remove the cast residue (and STINK), and she was so afraid of moving it, in case it wasn't better. Thankfully, it is healing nicely, and the bone has made the protective "cocoon" around the break, so she can be without the cast, but still needs to be careful while it is healing. We go back the first week of July to hopefully get the "all clear".

Some things we learned through this process:

1. not all doctor offices expect or display the same level of courtesy in their reception area
2. worm-diggin' four-year-olds can get dirt in the most interesting places
3. water can invade a plastic trash bag in many places
4. plastic trash bags tied onto arms make great baby-scaring splashers
5. a pink cast, no mater how cuddly it appears, is a weapon in disguise
6. it is hard to eat a sandwich when the arm is bent in a 90 degree angle without the contents falling all over the floor
7. a comfortable sleeping position is something highly desired by one wearing a pink cast weapon
8. a pink cast draws much attention and sympathy from adults
9. said cast also gets many great bargains (even free-bies) at garage sales
10. And, perhaps the most memorable, the aroma of a pink, fading to dirt-brown cast is overwhelming near the hand region of a small child (especially when the small child has been handling worms, slugs, mud, dead rabbits, snails, and other fairly disgusting and stinky things). (David and I actually bickered over who had to sit on the "cast side" of the bed during story time at night, it was so bad!)

Thank you so much for your prayers, notes of encouragement and humor, and just loving Erin and our family. We thrive knowing that God has placed us in the middle of such a caring family. Erin sends her thanks, and told me today how special it made her feel to know that people were praying for her and her arm getting better faster. Thank you.

New accessory

Today we returned to our arm doctor for Erin's checkup. Thankfully everything looked great, and things are healing nicely. They even were able to cast her arm today, vs splinting it again, which makes me feel really great.

The past week has been really stressful for me trying to keep her arm still, clean, and from getting "more broken". Two events that stand out are Erin walking across the floor in our living room, a clear floor, surface unmarred by toys, paper, or clothing, and falling, without an explanation. Yep, there's mom coming through! The second event occurred Friday evening, at David's work cookout. Erin made herself right at home in this backyard, instantly making friends with the other child present, and immediately finding a way to be near the water feature. The two of them played and played, but suddenly Erin spied a worm in the bottom of the water. understand that when it comese to worms, Erin is all business - this is her life! She found a long stick and began trying to fish it out of the water. Now, this water feature is fairly deep, and has a fountain shooting out of the middle. Erin discovered this first hand, as she lost her balance, lost the worm, and lost her "dryness" in one fell swoop. We heard a yelp, splash, then crying, and turned to see a dripping, sniffling little girl. Her legs were scratched up, she was soaked, and she had landed on her arm, so it was hurting and soaked as well. Poor thing ... even her mouth was full of water, and when she opened up to squeeze out the words, "I'm wet.", the water poured out. Thankfully, our host offered her some dry clothes and she played the rest of the evening without incident. Those are just two examples of why life at our house has been a bit stressful this week - try explaining to a stubborn, active 4 year old why she can't ride her new bike, climb the tree, jump on a trampoline, race the other kids on the sidewalk ... it is not a fun or very successful experience, I might add.

Anyway, today, the doctor was pleased, and had the nurse put the cast on it (she wanted a rainbow cast, but settled for pink - it's very cute!), and when we go back on June 1st, we may get to keep it off! Exciting news for this girl who wants to be in dirt or water 24 hours a day! Thanks for praying for a quick and low-pain recovery! Have a great week!

Cast Away

The doctor visit yesterday was not an enjoyable trip ... more x-rays (with techs that were not as gentle as the ones we had in the ER), a doctor who could have cared less if we were there, or if his patient was a grown up or a kid (he was disgusted by the dirt under Erin's nails), and we left with no cast, just a fresh splint. However, Zack, the splint/cast applicator, was very cool, and the most helpful of anyone we saw there, including the rude receptionists, the nurse, and the doctor. We look forward to seeing him again, and Erin is still pining away for a rainbow cast. Zack promised her he'd do his best :) So, we go back for more x-rays next Monday, and will still probably be in the splint situation for the week following that, if I understood him correctly.

The doctor told us we needed to keep Erin quiet, and away from the other kids, so she wouldn't get knocked down or trip and fall ... any further injury will probably snap the bone, and be cause for surgery. Right now, it's just a fracture, so we can treat it "conservatively". Now, for those of you who know Erin, and even if you have ever read anything about Erin from this blog, you will probably get an inkling of how "easy and fun" it has been to try to explain to this child that she has to act calmly, not run, not play with the other kids, and not jump around (on beds or any other thing, like furniture, floors, out of trees - which is what she decided to do as we were heading out to pick up Avery today), but watch them out the window as they play right in front of our house. Oh well, this is a good time for learning lots of lessons, I guess, on all ends. You might think of us now and then, as we struggle through this healing period, and pray for Erin, that she would heal quickly, and also that sitting out for a few weeks would not be too torturous for her. She's been in tears several times already, so hopefully this will be easier to grasp as time goes on ... OR, David and I will spend lots of time trying to keep her tied down (after chasing her across the yard like we did last night as she made a break for it during our leadership team meeting). Thanks for loving her, even though she's a pistol!

Returned Monkeys

You may remember a few weeks back, I had a post about monkeys jumping on the bed, a trip to the ER, and a really big bump on Erin's head. The monkeys connection was simply a joke. However, today, we revisited that song (and the ER), on account of two little monkeys (aka Erin and her friend Jordan) that were jumping on my bed.

Thirty minutes prior to leaving for a picnic tonight, I was frosting cupcakes, and preparing to make the burgers for us to grill tonight. We had spent a large portion of the morning/afternoon baking cupcakes for the picnic tonight, and I needed to slap some sugary goodness on them. I heard the sound of Erin hollering for me ... "Momma, I need you, cause I hurt my arm real badly, and I just need you quick!" I didn't hear screaming or crying, but the red flag alarms were signaling loudly in my "mommy head". I ran to the stairs, where Erin and her friend Jordan kind of collapsed at my feet. Erin was crying, but not loudly, and writhing on the floor. Jordan was trying to console her, and keep from getting in trouble all at the same time. I moved Erin to the couch downstairs, loaded up a scooper of Children's Motrin, grabbed an ice pack, and headed down to check the damage. From what I could tell, there was lots of pain associated with any moving or touching of the arm. It was swelling somewhat, and Erin was still thrashing around from discomfort (all the while, dashingly attired in her baby blue Cinderella dress, a stunning display of outdated Mary Kay makeup, chocolate cake batter drippings, and good ol' backyard dirt). The story that came out, was that Erin and Jordan had been jumping on my bed, Erin fell down on the bed, and Jordan landed on her arm with her foot while she was still down.

What to do ... call Rachel, my nurse friend ... no answer ... call David, ask him to come home ... send Jordan back to her house ... drive to the ER.

We arrived at a slow time, so got right into a room, and began the battery of procedures. They took x-rays, and the first round, which had been very painful for the dirty princess, did not show what the doctor wanted, so we had to redo it, which didn't make anyone excited. However, they gave her some Tylenol 3 (you know, the kind with codeine in it), and that helped a bit, as did the tremendous techs who worked so patiently with her. Those films showed what we feared, a break, right above her elbow. The drug kicked in while we were looking at the film with the dr, and Erin slept right through them putting it into a splint - thankfully, because I think she might have lost it at that moment. We now have a prescription for the special pain meds that she can take every 4-6 hours, and we took a bath with that fantastic splint on tonight. We see another doctor on Monday, and will know more then, but I just wanted to let everyone know that Erin has broken her first bone.

Have a great weekend!

Satin Sale

Hi. I never know how many people read my blog, or even just stumble across it, but I wanted to use it as another avenue to share the Satin Hands Sale I am hosting ...

Mary Kay's Satin Hands Pampering Set, recently revised into the Peach Smoothie formula, contains 1 Peach Smoothie Hand Scrub (exfoliant and cleanser), 1 Extra Emolient Night Cream, and 1 Hand Cream in a cute orange bag. It is regularly $30, but I am offering it on sale right now until May 4th for $20. If you buy two sets, the third set is only $15. Mary Kay is offering a great special to consultants currently, and I wanted to offer a special price to customers, especially as Mother's Day, graduations, weddings, new babies, and all sorts of great things are coming up soon!

Brides, there are many ways I can help make your day easier. Contact me for a free color consult and facial, and tips for those gorgeous wedding photos! Graduates, are you still looking for that perfect job? Let me help you with that professional, polished look for your interviews! Class reunion attendees, need a little help with a fresh look, some slimmer thighs, or younger looking skin? Let me help with a make over, a microdermabrasion treatment, and showing you the new Cellushape product!

Check out all of our new products, and your favorite ones on my personal Mary Kay website, www.marykay.com/sarah_rahija! Thanks, and have a great day!

(when you purchase through my website, make sure to enter the word "blog" in the COMMENTS section, so I know to give the discount - when you pay with a card, I always have to add in the tax and reconcile it personally, so the discount will be added then.)

Eternity Focus

I received a link from my lovely friend Valerie today, announcing the newly available CD for the group Eternity Focus, based out of Lebanon, KS. Now why is this exciting and special to me?? Well, when these girls were very small, Valerie and I, along with two of our friends, Dara and Amber, had a singing group called SAVeD, and we traveled all over the area singing at community functions, county fairs, churches, ... We met this family during that time, and they were as cute as could be. We watched them sing and dance to all of our songs, and it was precious! We watched them grow and we performed at some of the same events. I saw them perform at Gaylord, KS, for Watermelon Day in September, and couldn't believe my eyes (and ears!). It was so precious watching them, on the same stage we were about 10 years ago, and listen to Erin sing along with them. As we were listening to their sound clips from their new CD, Avery was singing and patting her leg in time with the music. What a precious connection we have in the joy of worshiping our Savior!

If you have a minute, check out Eternity Focus at their website and listen to them for a bit!

Phew!

Well, I was getting a bit worried that I was not going to be able to continue blogging, as Blogger switched over to the "new" system, and I needed a Google account to login, but I got the issue taken care of, and it only took me a minute! Phew! You're all saved and I'm sure, relieved, to know that I will be able to carry on the blogging of the exciting life and times of the Rahija family, and other related people/issues! Carry on, carry on!

Packing in Reverse

We are here!

Settled? No.

Living without feeling cramped, despite the fact that half of our things are still in boxes around us? YES!

We are loving life in Lawrence, and the fact that we do not have to drive for 15+ minutes to do anything! We are close to friends, our "family", David's job, and everything else we do! We are partially throuth unpacking, and each time we make another empty box, we do a little "woo hoo" dance around here! This morning, Rachel and Lisa came to take our empty boxes, and there were lots of them! The kitchen is done, Erin's art area is done (with two whole kitchen cabinets all to herself!), Erin's room is unpacked and is a beautiful princess castle, thanks to both grandmas, Aunt Krista, the grandpas, and Daddy. The castle walls are precious, and her window seat is a dream come true for her. We still have to put up the canopy and chair rail, hang the clock, and make a picture line (much like a clothes line, where she can clothespin her creations up without pushpins or clips that little sister might like to eat), but she is really enjoying her castle each day, her electric keyboard, and dressing up like a princess! The rest we are unearthing bit by bit, one box at a time. I usually get through 5-8 boxes a day, and although that is slow, I am sorting, throwing away/recycling/freecycling, and organizing as I go, instead of having to do that three years down the road, like we did the last time we moved.

Anyway, I just wanted to share that we are becoming a part of Lawrence now, and feel at home here. We love our home, our neighborhood, and our town. May God use our home for His purpose!

Boxville

It's here! Moving Day! We closed on our first home, and will attempt to move in today ... however because of several events of the week, we are not "exactly" ready, so I'm procrastinating, but I wanted to let everyone know that we may be "disconnected" for a day or so, as we unearth things from "Boxville". We are so thankful to our family and friends who have helped this week, so far, and those who are coming to help us today, with packing, moving, childcare, food, and support. THANK YOU! The next time I post, it will be from our new home in LAWRENCE, KS! Yippee! Have a great Saturday!

Small Details

Well, we thought we were going to close on our first home tomorrow, but something has happened, and we will not be able to do so until Tuesday or Wednesday. This is not a terribly big deal, but makes me uneasy. I know, ... TRUST! It pushes back our plans for painting and the number of days we have to move over the separate rooms and get the girls' rooms ready, but we'll try to get as much done as possible.

Okay, crying baby and yelling big sister in the other room, they're both to be going to sleep ... better intervene! Happy Monday from Boxville :)

Mama called the doctor and the doctor said, ...

While talking to Mom R. on the phone tonight, I heard the distict sound of the "pain scream" coming from our downstairs bathroom. I ran to the door, flung it open, and the sight within confirmed the "pain" descriptor of the scream, as I saw Erin jumping/dancing around the bathroom, screaming, and clawing at her head. I told Mom I'd call her back, and David, who had also joined us in our little bathroom, and I tried to sort out the source of the pain. We discovered a huge - no, that is not an exaggeration -- bump on the back of her head, but no blood. After a few unsuccessful tries, we finally conviced Erin to divulge the events leading up to the screaming/dancing ...

A few minutes before the above mentioned events, Erin had touched the raw hamburger I was thawing for tomorrow's lunch. I noticed and told her to immediately (not after licking or wiping on her pants) go wash her hands with soap. She headed to the bathroom, and I guess got sidetracked, or just had "one" of her headstrong moments, and did not end up washing her hands, but managed to scale the counter and was sitting on it, feet in the sink basin. "By an accident" she lost her balance, and toppled backwards, smashing head-first on the tile floor, thus causing a sharp pain at the back of her skull. To our knowledge, she did not pass out, but we were concerned at the size of the rapidly growing lump on the back of her head. I felt, once again in our life of parenthood, that we had crossed over into the cartoon realm, as a skinny, pointy bump rose higher and higher from her scalp. During the first exploration, David and I were both looking for the point of pain, and I found the bump, but thought it was his finger. I called our nurse friend Rachel, and she suggested taking Erin to the ER, which we did.

Now, we have not had wonderful results at the Lawrence Memorial Hospital ER, and have spent many hours waiting, and being frustrated with the service. However, tonight was a complete redemtion for the LMH ER. Erin was in triage before we had really finished registering, and we were there for less than 30 minutes ... WITH great service from the staff, nurses, and doctor. What a pleasant surprise! They did not do a scan of her head, but decided that only after examining Erin for signs of head trauma. They want us to wake her every two hours through the night, and take her to a regular pediatrician in the morning.

We came out of the ER to find that Grandma and Grandpa R were on their way to wait with us, and be with us. Since we finished before they arrived, we all went to IHOP for some late supper, which was nice. It's nice to be loved, and have grandparents close to us!

We are so thankful that she is okay. We are hopeful that she learned a valuable lesson ... one that was further enforced on our car ride into town, as the song playing when we turned on the music was "5 Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed", who, as we all know, fell off and bumped their heads. It was kind of funny, however, I don't think Erin agreed.


... No more monkeys jumpin' on the bed!!!

Hip ... Hip ...

Lots to celebrate at our house ...

1. David is HOME! He and Wayne arrived last night at 10:31, and we were SOOOO happy to see them! I don't know who was more excited/impatient, Erin, Mommy, or Grandma :) It's amazing how much I missed that man! The girls had fun reactions to his return, so that made Daddy pleased ... I don't know who was smiling or hugging more, Daddy or Erin :)

2. It looks as though our house purchase is going to happen! We have a contract, the inspections are done and passed, and I think we are just waiting on the final business end of things, with the appraisal and loan. I am going to call our landlord this afternoon and let them know we are planning on leaving.

3. Along with #2, comes a closing date of March 26th, (two weeks from today!) which means moving the last few days of the month, which means two weeks to pack! Mom R. came for the weekend and worked really hard to help get us ready. We worked on getting the kitchen back under control and doing a bit of cooking in advance, packing up the framed pictures, putting away the clean laundry, cleaning/organizing/throwing away lots of junk from the floor of the girls' room, clearing out the upstairs hallway, and other general cleaning to be organized to pack -- clean things are nicer to pack than dirty ones! The boxes are starting to accumulate, and soon, we'll be in the land of cardboard around here! Thank you for ALL of your help, Mom!

4. KU won the Big 12 Championship

5. Erin and I have spent the last hour planning on how to decorate her new room at our new house. She is not very open to the idea of moving, so I'm hoping that this project will generate some excitement.

6. Avery is on antibiotics for an ear infection, but the good news is that we found a new pediatric office in Lawrence that we like! She doesn't complain of the pain very often, and is such a good baby!

7. Erin and I didn't kill each other while David was away. In fact, it seems today has been a bit more rough than most of the time he was gone.

8. I slept soundly for the first time in about 2 weeks last night, even though it was a short night.

So, it feels like we are having a little time to breathe, together, as a family. Thank you for all of your prayers and support during the last two weeks. We have been blessed! Have a great week!

Still Standing

Hello. Just wanted to let everyone know that we are holding out, and enjoying our time together, just girls. Erin, Avery, and I went to Athol to visit the farm, where baby calves were poppin' out right and left! The trip was short, but fun. Now, we are home, and Grandma Rahija has come to help us get ready to move! How exciting! We are mainly cleaning right now, but tomorrow we'll get some packing done, and that will feel great! David and Dad arrive home on Sunday, barring any problems in Guatemala with the special guest arriving with added security. We are all missing each other, and now counting down the time until we are together again.

Some things learned this week:

• Calves have stickery tongues (learned by Erin when licked on the hand by Speedie the calf).
• Cow poop stinks.
• Grandmas don't like prairie chicken feathers on their kitchen table, especially the ones that came from a prairie chicken recently ripped to pieces by a wild animal.
• Mommy can sing "I Love You A Bushel and A Peck for 30+ minutes without stopping if needed.
• Babies can cry a lot when they get their toe poked by a sharp thing wielded by their grandma.
• Green beans are not as appetizing as pieces vs. mush to a near-one-year-old.
• Erin looks/acts like a future American Idol starlet (as noticed by a man in Walgreens today).
• There are many wonders to be found in Walgreens, especially if one has an hour to kill walking through the store.
• Other people's children are sometimes as obnoxious as mine :)

That's about it. Thanks for your prayers - they are appreciated and being answered (Erin has only had a few major tantrum-like episodes all week, less than normal!).

Mushroom

It's a fungus, it's a cloud, no, it's ... Erin?

Here is a fun Erin story from our adventure to Sam's on Saturday with Grandma, Aunt Michelle, and Natalie. We had a nice outing, and some great "girl time" together! I can vouch for Michelle's laughter ... I heard it in the next aisle, and zipped around the corner, fearing what I would find my daughter doing. Thankfully, it was simply comical, not comical and destructive :)

Thanks for pushing the girls, Chelle! I know Erin enjoyed our day, as did Avery and I!

http://chellenee.blogspot.com/2007/03/sams-club.html

Faring Just Fine

We heard from David and Dad ... they are in Guatemala and have put in two days' work so far, with some concrete work and begining stages of the roof. It sounds, from his VERY vague note, that they are having a nice time. I guess we'll get the unabridged story later :) He sent me a text message tonight, which made me smile ... yep, I'm a dork!

The girls and I are doing okay, a few of the regular (as of late, anyway) tantrums, but nothing we couldn't handle ... Erin fell asleep under her bed today which was funny, but challenging, as I had to leave for UC leadership meeting, and had to drag her out from under there. What a nut! Avery is missing daddy, and keeps looking for him on his side of the bed in the mornings, and calls out "Da!" when the door opens in the afternoons. It's cute. I know she'll give a good response when he arrives on Sunday. Erin had a sad evening Saturday, as she was really missing daddy. Grandma got out a box of pictures from when David was growing up, and as we looked through them, she gave Erin two of his senior pictures. It's not what he looks like now, but his eyes and smile are the same, so it was enough for her. She was pretty pleased to have them, and cradled them all the way home. We had a fun day playing outside today, and soaking in some sun! It felt so nice and refreshing to sit in the sun with the breeze tickling our faces and arms. Spring is on its way!

We are going out to Athol for a bit this week, leaving tomorrow. Grandpa has three brand new babies in his lot (calves!), and one in the barn that was just born tonight. Erin will LOVE that, and it's supposed to be really nice weather while we're there, so I'm hoping for some good "farm time" for her! I know Avery will enjoy showing off her new skills too, as well as her two teeth! We will celebrate her birthday, Grandma's birthday, AND Great Grandma Boeck's birthdays while we are out there. Fun times!

Well, as before, thank you for praying for all of us this week. We notice, and appreciate it!

Happyish News

Last night, as we were packing David's things for the trip, we had to have a chat about the condo situation. Ron called me around 5pm, and told us the owners had two offers on the table ... similar ... ours was more desireable because of the earlier closing date, and the other offer was a bit more cash. They were leaning toward the cash, but their realtor called Ron and told him they really liked our situation better, as they knew we were stable (isn't that a funny descriptor for our family!!), and as we briefly met the gal, I think she fell in love with our girls. However, the cash was pulling a strong punch, so their realtor told Ron that if we would offer $1000 more, it would be a no-brainer decision in our favor for his clients. I was really excited about this, especially since I heard that interest rates dipped, and we might have an even less payment each month than originally planned. I called my husband to share the news, and was met with a not-so-pleasant response. After a few moments of conversation that neither of us are proud of, we decided to wait to talk until he got home from work, which was about 9:30pm. The topic didn't come up again until very early this morning, probably close to 1:45. We talked and talked and talked, I prayed, and I felt we were no closer to a decision than earlier. I really want this house. It's cute, clean, spacious, has two living areas, a double garage, fenced back yard, and is move-in ready, where we wouldn't have to do anything but put in new shelf liner. I don't want to be the wife that demands the house though, and stresses out the husband, cleans out the paychecks, and makes the family fall apart because of this dream, however. We went to the office to look at David's newest accomplishment at LFN, and after a while, David just pops out with "Let's do it. I'm okay with the extra $1000, and I think it will be fine. If God wants to close the doors, then it will be fine, will do our best to know His plan." I was so happy, because I felt like we were back on the same side again, and we left a message on Ron's phone to go ahead and offer that deal. I had a funny thought, that if this is not "the house" then I'm sure the sellers would have accepted the other offer, and ours would be dropped (again). However, when Ron called me this morning, he said their realtor, Kelfel, was pleased, and said they'd make it happen, or something like that.

Sooo, if all goes well, with inspections, the lending process, and barring any God "no"s, then I think we will close on our first home on March 26th. This is less than a month, and with David being gone for over a week, I'm sure he'll feel stressed about it, BUT, we have had so many offers of help with the girls, and with the flexibility of his new job -- such a blessing! -- I think we can make it happen, and be ready to move by the first week of April. I feel it sounds that I'm getting excited a bit prematurely, but I am just happy that something is off on a right foot. Please continue to pray for us as we discern His plan, and that we would be good stewards of our time, money, and gifts. Thank you for the gift of your prayers to this point - He has heard and has carried us, comforted us, and kept us from becoming too discouraged through the process! What a blessing YOU are to us!

Change of attitude

I know ... it's nearly a miracle at the number of posts recently. I bid my husband good-bye this morning at 3:15, after we crashed to sleep around 2:45. He boarded a plane and called me from Atlanta around 8:20, and should be in Guatemala as I type. I was happy for him to go, and know he is excited to have the chance to be on this trip. As we packed and repacked his things, I felt this sense of loneliness, as if I were saying good-bye for ever, not just the 10 days he'll be away from us. I guess each time we part ways I should treat it as if it could be the last. Each hug and kiss, each "I love you", each wave from the front door should communicate my love for him. Anyway, I did not do a great job of getting up to help him, but he was pretty much ready when we laid down for a quick nap. I hope he had a chance to nap on the plane or on the ride to their destination this afternoon, as I was lucky enough to sleep until 7:30, snooze until 8:15, and cuddle my girls until 9:30.

I have been dreading this trip in some ways, as it means that I am the only adult that will be here for the 10 days he is gone ... no grown up conversations, no intervention in discipline situations, no one to share a movie with ... However, my outlook today is one of pleasing promise. I have 10 days to share just with my girls -- no getting "shown up" by daddy and his cool tents and games. I have 10 days of no dirty underwear/socks gathering on the floor, and can get the laundry caught up again -- just a week ago I was bragging of this to my mother in law ... it is not so at the moment, though gaining! I have 10 days to establish a new routine of picking up, 10 days to teach Erin some new letters, 10 days to help Avery say some new words, 10 days to pack some random stuff into boxes that make sense (or throw away junk we don't need!) ... 10 days. There are 10 days of time to spend in prayer for my husband ... to grow my love affair with my Lord ... to show love, tenderness, mercy, and grace to my girls ... to worship ... to breathe in His presence. 10 days.

I can tell some of you have been praying for me ... this peace is not from within me, it is beyond my understanding. THANK YOU for lifting me before the Father ... for lifting my girls in His presence ... for offering to help ... for being my family. I feel you, and am blessed by your faithfulness and belief in the One who holds each second in His hand, and cherishes each of us in it.

Temporary Loss of Sanity?

Well, I write to you on the day before David departs for Guatemala (aka Gualamala, according to Erin, where her daddy will be picking bananas off the trees to bring back to her each day) for 10 days, helping build a roof on a home, and other various jobs in the San Lucas Toliman area. I have to say I am very excited for him to be able to go, yet lament that the girls and I will be here. Because of recent behavior issues (Erin's most recent dip into disobedience/independence), it almost scares me to be the only adult in our house for those days, so we will be taking trips to both Grandma's houses during that time. Also, with things unsure about the house, I may be using some of that time to pack/do bigger cooking to prepare for a move. Erin's excited to play with Natalie at Grandma R's and see the new calves at Grandpa G's place!

Anyway, I just wanted to let you all know that I may be off the radar for nearly a fortnight (which, I guess isn't really that abnormal, but with the recent burst of posting, I felt the need to say something), but, shall return, hopefully with my sanity and both children fully intact! Well, my eldest in "sneakily" turning on the light in the hallway to get my attention, and my youngest just started crying, so I'd better investigate! Love to you!

You know me ...

I feel I need to apologize for my blog entry on the heat-related instances in our home ... my husband just chastized me for not writing often enough, so that my entries would not be so long ... but I fear that they might be just as long, as I am long of wind ... so with that, I apologize for taking up so much of your time, and thank you for enduring and perservering to the end of my entries!

PoI

Other points of interest ...

if you can't see our pictures on the David or Sarah Rahija blogs, our webhost is acting up ...

we put another offer on the condo today (really a revised offer, that isn't really much different, it just uses less closing costs, and we increased our monthly payment by about $7.) According the the listing agent, they have another offer, which was less than ours, and we were a little confused, but we think he was either epecting another (new) offer this evening also, or a revised offer from the other party. I hope that we are not, once again, being used as a bargaining chip. If so, though, we know that this is not The One, and God would have us wait for our "needle" ...

Avery went to sleep on her own tonight, as I sat by her crib, with few tears, and no rocking! We read a story two times, "Bugs at Play", which she really enjoyed, and had lots of hugs and kisses. She though it was funny that I sat on the floor and she could reach through the bars and touch my face. She learned to identify and say "eye" tonight (poor Abby, those blinky eyes may never feel the same again!). She also has been "cruising" quite a bit, especially enjoying coffee tables as her guide ...

Erin made her own newspaper today, complete with lots of details, a picture, and even a decent layout! All we need is a "spell check" installed into her orange marker, and she'll be ready for the world of journalism. She also wrote most of the numbers on a desk calendar in Ron's makeshift office today. Our favorites were 15 and 16, written 51 and 61 ...

David worked from home today, which was wonderful! It was nice to just have him here, even though he spent most of his day in the office. He stepped in to help with the girls every once in a while, and we all took a walk together after 5, which was very refreshing, if a little chilly ...

Okay, that's it, just wanted to share a few thoughts from today!

Char-cro-waved

Recently, we have had a series of exciting events revolving around heat in our house. Before you get nervous, this is not a recount of our "personal time", but life in general at Rahija Central ...

I guess the first event was Thanksgiving, which, I realize was a long time ago, but as I was cooking potatoes for our feast at the Riggs' home, I turned on the wrong burner, and set fire to an innocent hotpad, that was waiting on the "wrong burner". When I realized the blunder, I quickly removed the smoking hotpad to the sink. On the downward spiral toward the stainless steel sink, the potholder burst into flame, leaving a trail of black smoke and black "flakies". Needless to say, it went out with style.

More recently, Erin had a little run-in with fire, starting with Avery's diaper .... It was a normal evening, and Avery had just been cleaned up from her "daily deposite" which was especially fragrant. Erin was complaining, and as I had a candle burning in my room, she was reminded of on of the purposes of candles, and asked if she could have a candle in her room. I was a bit hesitant, but told her if she would leave the votive on the shelf in her room, then I would allow her to have the candle in her room for a while. She agreed, and we had a brief recount of how fire is dangerous. I lit the votive, placed it on the shelf, and left. A few minutes later (less than 5), she ran to the office, where David and I were looking at some real estate listings on line. Breathless, she communicated to us that there was something burning in her room. With a bit of sarcasm, I asked her if it was the candle. She vigorously shook her head, and commented that it was fire, it was on the floor, and it was scaring her. I ran down the hall toward her room, where I could see, through the slat of the door, flames flickering merrily on the carpet. This hastened my steps even more, and I sailed into action. Now, ordinarily, in any room in any house this would be a bad situation, BUT, in Erin's room, in our house, it is disasterous. For those of you who have seen Erin's abode, you can attest to it's general state (paper bits, toys, clothing, crayons, markers, stickers, bedding, books, .... can all be found on the floor), which also heightened the intensity of this event. I found a small area in flames, grabbed the nearest thing I could find to smother/beat out the flame, which was, to my dismay, my favorite little girl dress, cream with pink flowers. Well, we extinguished the blaze, and tried to pick out the truth of what happened in those >5 minutes. To the best of our understanding, this is Erin's rendition ... "Well, I was wanting to watch the candle, so I climbed up on my bed and got it off the shelf and put it on my drawers by my bed. Then, I was tired of it, and wanted to get it out, and I thought it would be good to pour water on it, so I got some, but then I got scared that the fire would get on me if I poured water on it, so I got a wetwipe, and tried to get it out, but suddenly, it got on fire, and I was scared, but I needed to take it to the sink in the bathroom, so I started going there. Then the fires got too much, and I was going to get burned, so I had to drop it, and that's why it's on the floor." We were thankful for many things, mainly, that she was not hurt, Avery was not hurt, and that our house did not burn to the ground. We were proud that Erin came to get us, and tell us when there was an emergency, not hide in the closet, which would have been very easy. A wetwipe-shaped burn mark on the carpet is better, by far, than one on an arm, leg, or tummy! We are so thankful everyone was safe (except the very cute dress, which did not survive the incident).

Okay, the most recent event did not involve actual flames, but intense scorching via heat. Let me start by saying the smell of burned ... no, CHARRED ... microwave popcorn is a haunting, invasive stench ... better, I'm sure than the smell of charred flesh, but still, very distasteful. Yesterday, Erin was a little hungry, and I guess right after I went upstairs to get dressed for the day, decided to make a snack of microwave popcorn. Erin LOVES popcorn, not merely for the flavor, but the entire process ... unwrapping the bag, placing it on the turntable, closing the door, and watching it puff up as the tiny seeds burst into a fluffy, buttery snack. Having watched and partially participated in this ritual many times, she felt confident enough to try it solo. During this time, I am trying to figure out what to wear, upstairs, trying to locate my glasses, and got distracted with something in my room, and I suddenly smell the buttery scent of popcorn. I remember thinking to myself that the popcorn from last night would not have lingered into the morning, especially with that "hot buttery" smell. I felt the familiar prickle of "something's wrong with this picture", and hurried to the stairs, where I hollered down to Erin, asking her what she was doing. The ALL too familiar "Nothing!" greeted me, followed by a cloud of black smoke. I sprinted down the remaining stairs, and yelled for Erin to get out of the kitched, and I think I was also screaming for her to tell me what she did. I feared she had tried to make popcorn on the stove or in the oven, but rounded the corner into the kitchen to find black smoke pouring from the microwave. I yanked open the door, and slammed it shut again, as the smoke detectors chimed in, adding to the general din of our happy little gathering in the kitchen. After making sure the popcorn was not actually afire, I grabbed a cookie sheet, and started fanning the smoke detector, hoping to squelch one of the noise sources. Logic soon grabbed me by the nose (which was filled with smoke), and I quickly opened the front and back doors. I also realized that the smoke was stinging my eyes and burning my lungs, so I took both girls, who were also making much noise, and took them up to their room, opened their window, and closed their door. When once again trying to pluck the truth of the situation from my four year old, I was met with her logic and independence, which I fear, may one day cost our family dearly. She informed me, that she was simply hungry for a little snack of popcorn, so she got a chair, grabbed a package of popcorn from the top of the fridge, moved her chair to the microwave, tore off the plastic, laid the bag down in the microwave, shut the door, and looked at the numbers on the keypad. She found the number "5", and since she likes that number, she pushed it, and "What do you know, the microwave started turning!". After a while, she noticed a whisp of smoke coming from the microwave, so, she took in as big of a breath as she could, and blew with all her might, so to put out the fire (which, of course, is the source of smoke!). She did this for quite a while, I guess, for I remember hearing her puffing when I came into the kitchen. She was worried, but didn't think it was necessary to call me or let me know what was going on-- "I had everything under control, Mom." Sooo, now we have a stinky house (although it is much better today, thanks to yesterday's vacuuming, and last night Febreeze attacks), and a little girl who keeps complaining about the smell of our house. Anyone wanna come over?!

Thus ends (we pray) the tale of heat-inspired adventures of the 4 Rahijas.

....the Erinism of the day

So, it's been a while since we've had a fun Erinism, and while today's fun phrase was spoken correctly, I am a bit unsure of her intended meaning. While getting ready for church last week, I called Erin into the bathroom to brush her hair and asked her to brush her teeth. She hates doing both, but she reluctantly came in and let me brush her hair. She was "admiring herself" afterwards, and I continued getting ready. She suddenly got on the floor, where I had the next pile of laundry slated to hit the washer waiting. She lays down on it, and squirms around, adjusting, and getting comfortable. I asked what she was doing, and she didn't really respond, except for a cheesy grin, and more adjusting. I let it sit a minute, and then asked her to go brush her teeth. She looked up with the same cheesy grin and said, "No mommy, I'm in here marinating with you." I was confused, and asked what she meant. She said, "You know, marinating! I'm marinating with you!" Still confused I repeated the tooth brushing request, and stood her up out of the dirty laundry, and helped her out the door.

I can only assume she meant she wanted to spend meaningful or quality time with me. I thought it was pretty cute.

Another Go

Just an update on the housing/lack of housing situation ... we put an offer on a condo today, on Jana Drive, in Lawrence. This is our 3rd or 4th attempt. God has protected us and closed the doors on those deals ... and David was able to accept his new job. It's a bit more than we'd hoped, but a very nice place, and we think it will be a great place for us, as we complete the transition into Lawrence life. We think Ron, our realtor, is getting tired of us, as we've been at this since November! We feel he knows us pretty well, and is getting to know Dad and Mom Rahija pretty well too -- he even met Grandma Looney this week! We've been so blessed by his help - we can actually hold a conversation with others about real estate issues now, and not feel completely lost, and can look through a house fairly quickly, knowing what we are looking for/needing. This condo is in the same home owners association as our friends Matt and Dena Broderick (Dena's the president), so we would already know some neighbors, too! Please keep us in prayer as we wait for God's perfect timing and plan, not ours! Thanks!

A Fresh Look

Okay, with all the stress of our life lately, Erin has been acting out a bit, and one of her latest stunts involved scissors. She was at her art center/easel and suddenly became enraged because her hair was getting in her face as she was making "L"s. Rather than bother anyone else, Erin took matters into her own hands, literally, as a pair of purple safety scissors became her venting tool. Yep, she took care of the problem, hacking away, over the trash can. I found her this way, as we were heading out the door to Lawrence. Maybe she tried to reinvent the mullet, but in my opinion, that venture was unsuccessful. We made an emergency appointment at Z's Cosomotology School, and it was a fun trip. Erin was dressed very cute, in her new brown boots (Aunt Michelle), a pink sweater (garage sale find), and her new brown hat (Aunt Krista, from a trip to France). All the girls were making a fuss over how cute Erin looked, until suddenly Erin tore the hat from her head, and the stunning hair do plus static rendered the crowd speechless. They slowly and silently started back to ward their individual stations, and the "lucky" student cutter still stood shocked and silent. The instructor came over to help the student in her selection, and was also stunned. They looked to me for some answers and I shared the story, and they looked to me again and asked what I wanted them to do. I told them I didn't really care about the style, I just wanted them to fix it. They said they'd try their best, but there were a few things that would just have to grow a bit before they could do much to help. I said it was fine, and that we'd just work with what was there. Kayla did a nice job, and Erin did look cute upon leaving. The only problem is, that when we don't "fix" it, she looks a bit boyish, unless she's wearing really girly clothing, so I'm trying to watch that (a man called her "buddy" last week - she didn't know what he was implying, but I did).

Anyway, it was kind of funny, and in the midst of all the other stuff going on here, it was just "one more thing" to add to our daily drama. I took some pics of Erin post-safety scissor cut and post Z's cut, when she and I had a "salon day" at home, including some fantabulous Aloha Pink lipgloss and other bold items. We did each others' hair and makeup - I'm mostly decked out with My Little Pony accessories :) Enjoy our pics!

getting to know you, getting to know all about you

I hate that tune, and now it will be stuck in my head for the evening ... oh well. My friend Kylie P sent this to me, and although I don't usually fill these out, I am feeding Avery, and don't have anything else to do, so ...

Welcome to the new edition of getting to know your friends (and
family). Okay here's what you're supposed to do, and try not to be lame
and spoil the fun! Just copy (do not forward) this entire e-mail and
paste into a new e-mail that you can send. Change all the answers so
that they apply to you. Then send this to a whole bunch of people you
know, INCLUDING the person that sent it to you. Some of you may get
this several times that means you have lots of friends.

1. What is your occupation? mommy, wife, Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant

2. What color are your socks right now? white with gray toes/heels (yes, boring today)

3. What are you listening to right now? You've Stollen My Heart (that's my guess, anyway, from the repeats in the chorus, its on 88.5)

4. What was the last thing that you ate? a little snack of apple coffee cake, mmm

5. Can you drive a stick shift? If I HAD to, I could get down the road in one, like if I was being chased by a herd of stampeding elephants, or a psycho killer or something.

6. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? I always choose green, but I also like deep purple, and also macaroni and cheese (just because it's a fun name!)

7. Last person you spoke to on the phone? David, for our "post-lunch phone call date"

8. Do you like the person who sent this to you? yes! We were in a Bible study together for a while, and she is very fun!

9. How old are you today? 28 ... no comments about the looming new decade, please!

10. Favorite drinks: Dr. Pepper, Mountain Dew, juice, lemon-berry slushes at Sonic

11. What is your favorite sport to watch? college basketball, college football

12. Have you ever dyed your hair? highlights, but not currently

13. Pets? just my kids

14. Favorite food? depends on my mood ... mashed potatoes, chicken and noodles, tollhouse pan cookies, cheese cake, brownies, oatmeal raisin cookies, enchiladas, ... I have lots of favorites

15. What was the last movie you watched? Well, The Great Mouse Detective, this morning, but David and I got through most of A New World last night -- haven't seen the ending yet

16. Favorite holiday? Christmas

17. What do you do to vent anger? I cry, I yell/stomp a bit sometimes, I bottle it all deep down inside, and occassionally use lots of sarcasm

18. What were your favorite toys as a kid? my dolls, roller skates, books, an old tape recorder

19. What is your favorite Fall or Spring? spring ... new life, new start, fresh air, open windows, ... need I go on?!?!

20. Hugs or kisses? hugs: friends, my girls; kisses: my husband :)

21. Cherry or Blueberry? cherry

22. Do you want your friends to send this back? only if they want to

23. Who is most likely to respond? I hate this question

24. Who is least likely to respond? Do I care? Not really :)

25. Living arrangements? renting a townhome/duplex ... desperately hoping to change that to owning a home soon!!!

26. When was the last time you cried? Um, I think about two days ago

27. What is on the floor of your closet? what isn't there?! Actually, there is a clothes basket containing lots of shoes David never wears, and tubs of the girls' clothing that is too small for Erin, and too big for Avery

28. Who is the friend you have had the longest that you are sending
this to? Well, I don't know who will actually read this that has been my friend the longest, so I am going to say Valerie P, who used to be Valerie L, who has been my friend since kindergarten :)

29. What did you do last night? We went to Phat Thursday, had some good chats, but the kids were getting cranky, so we left at 8ish. We put Erin to bed soon after arriving, watched part of a movie with my husband, pu tAvery down during the movie, which was unsuccessful, so she stayed with me until we decided to go to bed, Erin came in at 2am, went back to bed with her ... Avery was up at 3am, Erin was up at 5, Avery 5:30, and David's alarms started going off at 6am, so it wasn't so restful for me ... I guess that was mostly morning :(

30. What's your favorite smell? rain, fresh cut grass, David when he wears cologne, my kids after a bath, "dryer" in the air, coffee, coconut lime verbena candles/soap

31. If you were stranded on a desert island, how would you go about
getting off? pray ... hard

32. What's your favorite kind of game to play? I LOVE games! board games, card games, word games, ... I like Catch Phrase, Cranium, Pictionary, Scrabble, Pinochle, Solitare, Monopoly, Mad Gab, Tabu, Scene It, ...

33. Carmel, Chocolate, or cinnamon? Chocolate most days, but the others are good, and really good all mixed together!

34. Say something about the person who sent this to you: Kylie ... you're so fun to laugh with and visit with ... congrats on your job!

35. Do you wear earrings? Typically, no, I have "virgin lobes", however, today, I had a smashing set of stick-on earrings attached to my lobes. I also had an amazing hair arrangement and lipstick application, thanks to Erin at Queso Pula Apple.

House Hunt

We are still house hunting, for anyone who is curious ... we have switched gears from looking at the mid-century, 3 bedroom with a basement ranch, and have branched into townhomes/condos. We are trying to be patient, and listen for God's guidance. It is hard -- Life's waiting room is never fun, but it is educational, I guess! Our realtor, Ron, has been so great, and helpful during this time. We really appreciate him!

As so much is up in the air right now, I'd like to ask for your prayers, as we wait on His perfect timing ... He knows how things will end up, and that is enough (we just have to remind ourselves of that from time to time!). Thanks, and have a great weekend!

Carpe Diem!

A few of you have emailed me to ask if David is alright ... he is, apparently. We are currently working with a neurologist and David is going through lots of tests to see if we can find out why he had a seizure-esque moment on Christmas Day. He hates it that I call it that, but I don't know what else to call it! We've had an EEG, and some prelim. lab work drawn ... next week are a few more ... So, the long and short of it is that we know nothing new, and that he continues to feel fine, and I think embarrassed that I am making him go through this "battery". We just take each day as it comes!