Dog vomit

Last night Mike and Noah went to Winter Jam, so I had several hours alone with Sarah.  We wasted our precious time together.  She stared at her computer, and I stared at mine.  We argued.  She spilled a whole can of powdered lemonade mix all over the kitchen, and I told her she could never have lemonade again. We fought.  I criticized her about the condition of her room.  We didn't do our usual bedtime prayers.  I didn't end the day with "I love you" but just a crossly spoken "Go to bed!"

This was only one day after my great Hearts at Home experience.  Didn't I retain anything?  Can't I be good for more than one day?  One of the speakers had quoted Proverbs 26:11 "As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his foolishness."  She said don't be like that dog and go home and forget everything you learned today and start doing the same stupid stuff you've always done.  I realized that I was the stupid dog returning to my vomit, and I went to bed feeling yucky.

This morning, God reminded me that Lamentations 3:22-24 says that the Lord's mercies are new every morning.  When Sarah woke up, I smiled at her and said, "Good morning! I love you."  She said the same to me.  Then she said, "You're probably going to say no, because I know I can't ever have lemonade again, but can we make fresh-squeezed lemonade?  I know a good recipe..."

I told her I didn't have any lemons but I did just buy a whole bag of limes, so maybe we could make limeade.  She was excited about that, so we did it, and it was delicious!  Way better than dog vomit. 

Hearts at Home

Here's my seat in the balcony, listening to the Duggars in the morning session.

I could have waited 2 1/2 hours in this line to meet the Duggars.  I really wanted to meet them, but that's not why I went to Hearts at Home.  I would have had to miss two workshops, and I went there to learn and be encouraged.  

So I didn't get to talk to them, but I got close enough to get this picture, and Jim Bob waved and smiled at me.  They are amazing people, and it was a privilege to get to listen to their wisdom and see Christ's love that just emanates from them.  

This year was a record high attendance.  Even with the men's restrooms converted to women's, the lines were still huge.  I tried all my usual tricks (leaving the main building and going to one of the smaller buildings, going at off times), but with over six thousand women there, the lines for the restrooms were constant.

I waited as long as I could, but it was a time of month when I had to have access to a restroom, so I finally decided to leave the campus and walk down the street looking for somewhere where I could use the facilities.  I'm not sure I've ever been so excited to see an old Methodist church as I was when I saw this sign.

The sign above the door on the left says "sanctuary", but I think they need to switch it with the sign on the other door, because that restroom was the best sanctuary I've ever visited!

Overall, it was a great day, and I'm glad I had the opportunity to go.  More about that in my next post...

Work crew

We started prying the boards off the house today, getting ready to put up vinyl siding.  The neighbor kids started appearing and wanting to help.  Wish we had more hammers and crowbars. Kids are really good at destruction!

Sometimes it takes three kids to pull out a stubborn nail.  

The inspector showed up.

She snuck a drink from the foreman's cup.

The server brought the foreman a new drink. Lemonade this time.

More drink misfortune: a bug drowned in the lemonade. 

Gave up on the drinks...and broke the hammer head.  

Noah and neighbor boy gave up on the whole project and went next door to put a play house together.

Ironing

Someone gave us an iron for our wedding.  Every few years, I need to use it for a craft project or something, and it always takes me awhile to locate it.  I don't think I've ever ironed clothes with it. 

Noah has been receiving little iron-on stars from his basketball games.  I notice most of the other kids on the team have them ironed on their shirts.  I've been keeping Noah's in a pile until I have time to search for the iron.  Tonight I found it, set it on the kitchen table, plugged it in, and then the doorbell rang.  I thought, "Whoever is at the door is going to think I'm ironing!  They're going to believe that I iron on a regular basis!"  It was a proud moment.

trash

I came into the kitchen to find Noah wrestling with the garbage can and finally sitting on top of it.  I asked him what he was doing, and he said he was trying to throw something away but the lid wouldn't stay down.  I said, "Do you ever consider taking the trash out when the can is that full?"  He said, "No, Mom.  That never crosses my mind." 

About an hour later, I'm going to throw something away.  I open the garbage can lid, and garbage spews out all over the floor.  I pull the bag out and hand it Noah, who says, "What should I do with it?"  I gave him a look.  He looked blank.  I said sarcastically, "Put it in your bed." 

Later I'm going by his room, and sure enough, there's a bulging garbage bag tucked into his bed.

This is winter?

The dreaded day has arrived.  I got too hot in my fuzzy pajamas today.  I went from footie pajamas to barefoot in one day.  Usually it's more of a gradual progression.  Next thing you know, I'll have to take the fleece sheets off my bed.  But I refuse to do that while it's still WINTER!  On this winter day, I grilled pork chops and killed full-grown insects, and the kids played in the sprinkler.  If this is winter, I don't want to think about summer...

Pie makers

All suited up and ready to go.

We made 70 pie crusts for the Mennonite relief sale.