worst. birthday. ever.

This year, my birthday started off with a great deal of promise.  It was a crisp (almost) autumn day, and the sun was shining.  We didn't have to go anywhere - always a bonus for this homebody - although we were planning to go out for dinner in the evening.

But then, I had a child who was coughing.  Actually there were two of them.  One whose job it was to set the table for breakfast, and he apparently felt so badly that I let him lay on the couch and rest.  The other cough-er was my toddler, who is almost always difficult as I'm prepping breakfast anyway.  And so, I found myself doing extra chores with a fussy toddler on my hip.  Then I noticed that my back was hurting.

But things didn't really get bad until just after lunchtime. Suddenly I was coping with horrible muscle spasms in my back.  This was a nearly paralyzing pain, which rendered me pretty much incapable of doing...anything.  I'll spare you the details, but it wasn't pretty.  In fact, it was all fairly ugly.  I'm pretty sure I put up more of a fuss than I do during labor - first stage, anyway. (*wink*)

Still, it was terrible pain.  I could do very little for myself, and it took Jeff and I a good 20 minutes to figure out how to get me off the couch...it just hurt so much.  

And that's how the day went.  Gone were our plans to go out for a celebratory dinner.  My only goal at that point was to avoid or minimize the pain as much as possible.

So obviously, that aspect of my birthday stank.

But there were sweet moments, too.

My oldest son was very concerned.  He stayed very close to me during the afternoon, calling his dad (who was coming home early, but didn't get home for a few hours after my distress began) and helping me as much as he could.  At one point in the afternoon, he asked if he could pray for me.  So precious!

My daughter patted my arm, smiled reassuringly, and said, "It will be okay, Mama.  It will be okay."  I wonder how she might do as a sort of child-doula...?

And then there is my sweet husband.

I cannot even begin to tell all the selfless things he did during my time of back trouble.  He helped me use the bathroom.  He convinced me that moving (off of the couch...onto the bed...) would be a good thing, even if it did hurt to bend myself.  He helped me maneuver in and out of the bathtub, which was torturous.  He served us all meals and took care of the kids.   Time after time, he blew me away.

And that's just Thursday.  There was so much more that he did over the next few days.  He was amazing.  A rock star.

He brought me flowers.  And then moved them to where I was throughout the weekend, so I could enjoy them even while stranded on the couch.

There was a lot of time to read and watch "Call the Midwife" on Netflix.  So there was that....silver linings and all.

But yeah...not the best birthday.  In fact, it may actually be my worst, though the one when I turned 19 was pretty lousy too.

(I haven't even mentioned the fact that I couldn't have a real birthday cake this year, although there are certainly worse things to endure.)

I lived through one of those "worse things," though, and I came out on the other side.  With the grace of God and the love of my family, I survived.

Next year, it will be different.  Lord willing, it will be different!

this is telling

I must really love these kids...

...to set up yet another art project (that makes three in the last three school days), when I am such a craftaphobic mama.  

But you've gotta go with what speaks to them, right?

Viola

My grandparents and I on my 1st birthday

Today is my grandma's birthday.   I woke up thinking about her.  Our birthdays are very close, and sometimes we would celebrate them together.

My grandmother died quite a few years ago, a month before I turned 13.  She has been with Jesus for awhile now, and the sadness of missing her has mellowed into sweet memories.  I still remember her smile, her voice.  Eating toast with strawberry jam.  Roast beef with mashed potatoes, carrots, and creamed corn after church on Sunday.  How she used to pinch my brother's cheek and grin and call him her "boyfriend."  The way my dad's loud sneezes would always startle her and make her jump.

It wasn't until later in the day that I realized something: today marks 100 years since my grandma was born.  One. Hundred. Years.  I wonder what the weather was like, what the birth was like. What life was like for their family. I wonder if her parents chose her name, Viola Pearl, after much discussion,,, or if the decision was simple, as they sometimes are.

I wish I had known her longer, into my adult years.  I wish she could have met my husband, my children.

But she will someday.  Maybe she's been privy to the events of my life from her everlasting home in heaven...or maybe we'll simply have a lot to catch up on once I get there.

Regardless, here's a Happy 100th Birthday to you, Grandma. Enjoy your celebration; I'm sure the parties up there are absolutely breathtaking!

Until we meet again,

my first rodeo

 Yes, it was my very first.  I don't know how I had lived this long without ever attending a rodeo before, but there it is.  Last week we loaded up the family and headed for the Pendleton Round-Up, a well-known annual event held in eastern Oregon.

We hauled my in-laws' travel trailer along for a place to stay, and they joined us the next day.  My husband's grandparents also came along.

And how was it?  It was exciting!  There were cowboys, cowgirls, Indians, horses...

...bulls, steers, and much more.

 I prefer him to any cowboy, thankyouverymuch.

Our gang (or most of it).

It was a long afternoon for some of the younger kids, but our older boys absolutely loved it!  I'm thankful for the chance to have had this adventure.

I'll leave you with this image of an Indian (they called them Indians at the rodeo, not Native Americans...don't blame me!) bearing the beautiful American flag.  I found it a touching sight.

God bless America!

we did it!

This morning, we did it.  We kicked off our first day of the homeschool year.

"To the new school year!"

There were candles and smiles...

There were homemade cinnamon donuts.

There was apple cider.

And, of course, there were children.  What would homeschool be without children, after all?

Gabriel, tot school

Elise, preschool

Owen, kindergarten

Kyle, 3rd grade

Ben, 5th grade

Of course, there were other things.  Not-quite-so happy things...there was poop on the floor and there was interrupting.  There was an assignment that needed to be re-done, and there was (just a little) whining.

And of course, there was a toddler.  'Nough said about that.

But those are not the memories I want to carry away from this day.  So here is my back-to-school post, with the happy photos (you wouldn't want a picture of poop on the floor anyway, wouldya?), along with hopes for a happy, healthy, richly fulfilling school year.

Cheers!

getaway

"This pregnancy is going by fast!"

I know - you're waiting for a "...said no pregnant lady, ever."

But actually, it's true.

This pregnancy is, for me (the pregnant lady in question, it must be noted) flying by as none other has.   Perhaps it's because we've had a fairly busy summer.  Perhaps it's because I still have so much to do to be ready for Christmas, with two birthdays (three including my mother-in-law) and a birth in December as well. (Don't think I'm an overachiever; I suspect that in the years to come I shall need to have Christmas prep pretty well finished by the time Thanksgiving rolls around, just for the sake of my sanity.)

Perhaps it's because of this complicated undertaking I've taken on, to reclaim my health as much as possible before the wee one is born.  And I'm still very much "in process."   And I'd really like to be able to eat a blueberry or two by the time I go into labor.

It could be the fact that we've had quite a difficult time choosing a boy's name this time around (hey, we've already picked four!), so it seems like we've come to the decision reeeeeeeeeally late in the pregnancy - even though I'm only 5 months along.

Or perhaps it's just because I have to make another dad blame Christmas stocking, and I haven't even started yet. (*wink*)  You recall, don't you, that I Am Not Crafty?

Regardless of the reason (or reasons), this pregnancy seems to be sailing along at a frightening pace.  Giving birth a few months into the school year is a little intimidating, although I've done it before.  Oh, it'll be fine - it'll all be fine - but right now it feels like there are a lot of details yet to fall into place.

When I start to feel overwhelmed by all the ground we'll have covered by the time this little one arrives, I'm going to just take a deep breath, and...think of the babymoon.  And that moment when I get to hold my sweet baby for the first time.  The opportunity to mother another precious child, to experience the unspeakable blessing of a new soul - it's amazing. Astounding.  And it does bring peace.

Now to tackle that Christmas shopping.