it's ok

Yesterday I super-glued my fingers together, and was stuck giving the "ok" sign for 4 hours. Today I am leaving my kids for he first time ever for more than 2 nights. When leaving for a four day road trip, it does a mother good to know that any hands she leaves her children in have to be more competent than her own. Thank you super glue and very old sequined hats.

Life Lessons

In eighth grade I would run giddily toward the school door as soon as the bell rang - however if I saw my grandmother’s car I would skid to a halt dreading the moment I slunk into the front seat and heard her pointed question, “What did you learn today?” I knew I had to think of something fast, because she was not a woman that would accept the adolescent shrug of “nothing.” No, I knew all too well the lecture that came after that word.
“Amanda, you learn something every day. If you don’t, your life is not worth living - and I would hate to think you are so lazy that you wouldn’t be willing to at least open an encyclopedia and start reading. There is so much to learn - you are either arrogant, lazy or not paying attention. I suggest you pull out an encyclopedia before dinner.”
So I got creative - anything became a lesson - thank you Grandma. I do learn something every day. And the other day I thought while I’m not doing much interesting in life I should just daily blog about some random thing I learned. For example - last Tuesday, it became quite clear to me that while those cute long sleeve shirts with the thumb holes may be incredibly comfy and stylish - they are completely ridiculous while changing a poopy diaper. Just in case you were wondering.


I learned that you can in fact please “all the people all the time” if the people are under five and the meal is PB & J.
You know that eight grade algebra about exponential growth? It could actually come in handy when figuring how much preparation time is needed when getting 10 kids ready to go to the park. 1 child 5 minutes - but 10 takes more than an hour - somehow. I wish I could remember the equation.



Girls WILL accessorize.



Brothers need each other.

The lessons are small - but ya’ know they could be important.

Most lessons are annoying to learn. Like the melt down Jude had after entering Walmart and perusing the toy isles. He quietly began to whimper as we left saying - “I just can’t DECIDE what I want for my birthday - the Star wars helmet or that transformer car.”

“Well, that is fine Jude, it isn’t up to you. You may not get either.”

“But I want them both SOOOO BAD.” And the tears welled up in my boy's eyes making my usually joyous son so obviously MISERABLE with desire.

“Jude, I am so sorry we came and saw the toys; you were so happy before you saw them.”

“I know mom - because I didn’t even know they EXISTED.”

Well, isn’t that about how it goes? Sorry Jude - you learn something everyday.

A half an hour later he apologized for being so sad. But we know it will happen again. Learning to be fulfilled in all the blessings one has been given instead of wallowing in despair over the things just beyond our grasp is a lesson that you re-learn almost every day.

The stay-at-home mom that wasn't

So with a job and now a car – our life is looking a bit more settled these days. But strange. Over 2 years ago I started this blog with the title of “Chronicles of a Non-Desperate Housewife” - and really we've kept faithfully along that vain. Whether here or Honduras – that is what I do – keep house and care for kids. Until recently.
Do you realize how difficult (or should I say pointless) the life of a housewife is – without the HOUSE part of things? Here is an illustration:

These are my fingernails. They are all the same length. That has never happened in my life. Ever.


My mother-in-law attributes it to her dishwasher. I am thinking it is the direct result of doing nothing for a month and a half. No garden, no “fix-it” projects, no REAL housekeeping (let's face it I was a much better housekeeper before I had kids and then moving to a developing country where the rest of my mom-friends” had dirt floors really lowered the bar.) I try to be helpful, I really do – but with 4 adults and 2 kids, and a very clean and spacious relatively new house I am thinking I might just deserve a lay off.
But then of course we have the children. They still need me right? After several comments made by my progeny this week I am considering getting a more predictable and civil contributing career – say – as a McDonald's fry cook. As a fry cook you just know the worst you do in a day is contribute to obesity – whereas I am beginning to wonder if I am creating young consumerist assassins.

4 year old in stoic voice, “I only like things that shoot, stab, cut, blow things up, or kill. That's all I like.”
4 year old in whiny voice after his first ride in our nice new car, “Why didn't you get a Cadillac? That's what I really wanted.”
1 year old after a spanking - “you's meeaaaann.”
1 year old to every other child who happens to be holding a toy - “mIne”
1 year old to the three cats she lives with - “meeoooww” “kitty” - pull hair – run away – laugh. A million times a day.

Yeah... I'd fire me – just sayin'...

Slightly more than the magic eight-ball

After Jarod was offered a job Tuesday, that would have logically been an opportunity to “jump on” we spent the next 36 hours pouring over Pro/Con lists and discussing, praying, debating, and re-discussing if we really did want to live here (Well I did – and my laid back husband just kept saying, “Either way” - and shaking his i-pod magic 8-ball ap. for an answer when things got a little too serious).
But do we really want to live in a town with such a low cost of living that we can save money - even while I get to enjoy staying home with the kids?
Do we really want to stay in a town where we have more eager babysitters than we have days of the week?
Where we have build in friends for all family members?
Where we have church that is eager to plug us into ministries and opportunities to serve the community?
Where our kids can grow up with 4 generations of family that they visit every week and get to know on a truly deep level?
We think so.
There were reasons to leave. Good reasons to leave. And places to go. Wonderful, amazing, new and exciting adventures to pursue. There always will be. The world isn't going anywhere.
And neither are we. Jarod will start Monday as a customer service tech for Eagle Communications – and ironically be the guy on the other end of the phone that he is so used to yelling at. And I will probably do just what I did here before, just what I am doing today. Spending time with my kids – spending time with my family and friends – filling in the inevitable gaps in people's lives – that only someone as blessed as me has the free time to fill. We haven't missed a beat... and who knows how long the song will continue

Thanks for your prayers