My Mom

Mother's Day. The day that we celebrate motherhood. It's the day we recognize our own mothers and our children, if we have them, honor us. 

Today, as part of this week's May is for Moms link-up, I will turn this post over to my mom.
How did you feel the moment you found out you were pregnant with me? I was thrilled!! Then nauseous. I threw up, then called dad with the great news!  We came home that weekend to let everyone know we were expecting.
Was I a wonderful surprise or carefully planned? You were most definitely planned.  The wonderful surprise was that I got pregnant so quickly.
What was the most challenging time in my childhood? Why? I would have to say when you were in 3rd grade. You were so scared about being at school.  I knew I had to make you go, but many days I cried all the way to work and worried about you all day.  Not sure if you remember, but I put notes in your lunch for a couple of months.  Thank God for your Cabbage Patch doll.
Did you worry more about me as a child or now that I am an adult? That's a hard one, until recently I would say more when you were a child. You were so shy and so many people and situations frightened you. I wasn't sure how to handle the "shyness".  I worry about you now, that you worry so much about O.  I know that your life is not so easy, but I am so proud of you and the path that God has you on!  You're a great mom.  Many days when I read your blog, I cry because of the fears that I know you have!
What is one thing that you thought was deeply important when I was a baby that you now realize did not matter at all? The whole schedule thing. the pediatrician was adamant about it....not only how often you ate but even when to start on solids etc. He (Dr.) made me nervous because of the fact that we lived in the dessert. He told me I had to run humidifier and use saline drops at night. If I forgot I was sure you would not be breathing in the morning.  [My mom] was a life saver...do what works best for you was her motto.  It wasn't until [your sister] was born that I paid more attention to [my mom] than the Dr.

Thanks mom! I love you! Happy Mother's Day!!

LINKING UP WITH

A Typical Day

In a previous post, I introduced a new option for you, my readers, to ask me questions, give me suggestions for post ideas and submit prayer requests. 
My blogger friend, Carolynn, asked me to write a post in which I chronicled my typical day. Last summer, I wrote a similar post. But, since my summer days are not anything like my school days, and since I have so many new readers, I decided it would be fun to share a whole day with you.
So, on Wednesday, I took photos, throughout my day, in an effort to capture for you...my typical day.

4:45 am  - Wake up. Change into workout clothes. 30-minute exercise routine on the Wii. 5:45 am - Look at my style boards, which Shanna created for me, so that I can decide what to wear.6:15 am - Post shower, pre-make-up photo. (Looking at this photo, now, I am thinking, this robe is old. I bought it before A was born, more than ten years ago. I had never worn a robe before, but it was on the list of "things to pack in your hospital bag" so I bought one.)6:30 am - Pack lunches. Four of them. Also, this particular day I was actually organized and put dinner in the crock pot before leaving for work. Pork ribs with BBQ sauce. Yum.7:15 am - My daily bathroom selfie. I take one nearly every day, when I don't have time to have one of my girls take a photo of me outside.7:28 am - Leave the neighborhood. Headed to work.7:45 am - Breakfast in the car. Found these BelVita biscuits in chocolate. Who doesn't like chocolate for breakfast?8:00 am - My rolling cart (aka office) comes out of my car. Time to get the work day started.

8:30 am - Prep for social skills groups, which I conduct all morning. 12:15 pm - My lunch. Chicken salad with avocado sandwich, white peaches and peach/mango green tea.3:00 pm - The afternoon is winding down. From this photo, it is obvious that I get very thirsty at work and that I am a multi-tasker.4:30 pm - Get ready to head home, after filling my car up with gas.5:00 pm - Pick up the kiddos from my mom's house. 5:45 pm - Ate dinner. Sorry, no photo. I was more than half-way finished eating when I realized I hadn't taken a photo of my plate. Oops!6:20 pm - Heading to church to see my E get recognized for her achievements in the Awana program this year.7:45 pm - Celebrating on the way home from church by stopping for frozen yogurt.9:00 pm - Watching Dancing with the Stars on my DVR while my hubby was on the phone with AT&T trying to block the number of the crazy person who kept texting me inappropriate photos all day.9:30 pm - Fall asleep on the couch. Okay, I wasn't asleep...yet. But, it wasn't long after I snapped this fake sleeping photo of myself, that I was actually asleep.
***If you are interested in seeing me write on a particular topic, have a prayer need or a question you want me to answer, fill out the form, here. 
Looking forward to hearing from you!

What Kind of Bird are You?

My house is full of windows. It's one of the reasons we decided to buy it. There are many large windows, which make the house feel very open.

Most of the windows have some kind of covering, whether blinds or curtains. However, there are a few of the smaller, higher windows that aren't covered.    Several months ago, I was taking a bath in the master bathroom and heard a knocking noise. It wasn't like a person knocking with a fist, but more of a tapping, like the sound a fingernail would make on plastic or glass. It stopped after several seconds.     I forgot about it until a few days later, when I was in the same bathroom, getting ready for work. This time, however, I could see the window, the one high above the bathtub. At the window was a bird, trying to tap it's way in.    We've had birds fly directly into our windows before. In the family room, there are six large windows. On various occasions, I have been sitting on the couch and have been surprised by the sound of a bird flying head-on into our windows. Let's just say, they don't usually fly away unharmed.    Have you ever walked into a window? One of those windows that is so clean that you miss it because there is no hand-print or water-spot evidence that it's there. This wouldn't happen with a door, right? They are not transparent.   The phrase, "you make a better door than a window" is coming to mind. Windows are designed to see through. Doors are designed as barriers. 
So, which type of bird are you?   The bathroom window bird moves cautiously instead of head on. After all, there may be something there he doesn't see. It looks like a clear path, but something is keeping him from flying straight through. Maybe it's a small voice inside his head that's begging him to be cautious.
  In contrast, the family room window bird is reckless, moving without caution. It looks clear, so he trusts his view. Maybe he has the voice too, but he doesn't listen to it. This bird assumes he knows best.  
Instead of a window, wouldn't it make more sense to find a door? Even though you can't see inside, at least you know you can get in through it. Does it take more faith to go through a door? After all, you don't know what is behind it.
Most of the time, I prefer to get a look in the window before I try to get in through a door. I may be the tapping bird for awhile, trying my own ideas, my own way to get in. I may even come back to the window numerous times before I realize that this is not an effective way to get what I want. Fortunately, I have rarely flown recklessly into the window, without listening to my internal voice. But, it has happened.
Jesus said,

“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened."

- Matthew 7:7, 8 (NLT)

There have been many times when I have been leery of entering an uncertain time or season in my life. So, instead of knocking boldly, I have tapped at the window. I need to go through the door, but I am afraid because I don't know what will be behind it when it is opened for me.

Are we afraid to knock? Would we rather remain at the window, where we have a small glimpse of what is on the other side, instead of knocking loudly at the door, so that God can open it for us?