Thank You

Thank you for all your kind comments... He is home and my heart is bursting with love and appreciation for him.
He is good and very happy to be home. The first thing he said when he walked in the house was how nice the carpet felt on his feet. Unlike me he is not a whiner, I ask him (too) many questions about everything under the sun as I just can't imagine doing what he does. The last three years he has been away 17 months (in three different places). Hopefully this will be it for a while. I can't believe he's home. He is my Hero.

everything is going to be alright

Tomorrow is the day the love of my life comes home. I am a puddle of giddy, nervous energy.

It has been 196 days since we last saw each other. We will hug lots and the children will hang on him like a jungle gym. When we get home I will make spaghetti with homemade bread and he will laugh at Henry slurping noodles. It will be wonderful.

slightly vulgar

I like records. Eclectic records that perhaps no one has wanted since 1955. I found these recently. I chose them because of their covers...just don't tell the librarian from elementary school.

What is he taking a picture of?

Onto another subject:

We have stick bugs everywhere.

They are often doing kind of gross things with ill abandon. This would be all well and good if they'd camouflage themselves in the pecan tree.

That was the slightly vulgar part.

paper trail

A while ago I gave my six year old a marble sized amount of poster putty. This was the green light for intense redecorating in her tiny little room. I slowly became aware of this as I tucked her in at night and would have to duck from the paper chains and whatnot hanging from the ceiling. Who knew just a tiny bit of putty could hold so much?

Yesterday was the day when my energy level matched the couple hours I had in the afternoon...don't you love those days? It's hard to clean out her things... there are countless little papers decorated with crooked crayon hearts that say "I love Mom and Dad". And even one that said "I am happy".

Her room has potential for something unique. Perhaps floor to ceiling floral wall paper? Maybe something with an Anne of Green Gables feel to it. Or maybe a buttery yellow with lots of white and pinks and greens? Anything is better than these peach colored walls and rose colored carpet!

things that make today happy

If you were to come over the first thing you would notice are the ill children. You would probably want to leave and cherish the gratitude you feel that it isn't your kids that are hacking and/or vomiting. You would look at us and shudder as if our cooties are attaching themselves to your clothing. But you would be such a welcome guest! Look past the pale gaunt faces and take note that kid #3 is making his sound effect repertoire again (a good sign), and kid #4 asked for toast...toast with jam please, Mom. (note the "jam" and "please"-- more good signs).

Then maybe just maybe you would send me to bed (even though I'm not a bit sick) and bring me tea and crumpets. What are crumpets? I am sure I would like them. Perhaps I could sit and watch old seasons of Mad Men while you caught up on my laundry. I may or may not request something made with dark chocolate, but make something just in case I do.

As I hinted in my last post October has worn me out. I can see light at the end of this dark tunnel...something very happy happens at the end of this month.

Until then I will share wee bits of happiness from today. Today deserves it as the sky is blue and the air is crisp and blustery. This is my favorite part of Fall.

Chickens in leaves.

Lace trimmed pillowcases dancing in the wind.

Five pumpkins for five punkins.

PS Look this is a crumpet. It looks like a cross between a pancake and an english muffin.

blues and greens

Am I the only one missing the colors of summer? This usually doesn't affect me too much but since we haven't seen the sun in I don't know how long I feel a little desperate to relish a warm, sunny day.

Many years ago I copied this Mother's Prayer into my journal, I am not sure who wrote it.

Dear Lord,

So far today I've done all right. I haven't gossiped, I haven't lost my temper, I haven't been greedy, grumpy, nasty, selfish, or very indulgent. I'm very grateful for that. But in a few minutes, Lord, I'm going to get out of bed, and from then on, I'm going to need a lot more help. Amen.

October has been a full month...and it's only half over!

My life is extreme right now, with Ken away there are always issues going on. I am trying not to use my blog as a podium for whining. At the same time I miss being creative and finding those short blocks of time to renew my spirit.

For the remainder of October I send happy wishes your way. Days filled with frosty mornings and sunny afternoons...and lots of Autumn colors.

Or you could buy pink slippers. I bought these here for $4.99- though these are from the kids dept.

The little girl with pink cheeks

Remember baby Maggie? She always had pink cheeks. She turned fifteen yesterday.

She is in the midst of being a teenager. And loving it everything about it. She is my 100 miles an hour child... I mean this in a good way. She makes the world better.

When she was born I wondered where she came from. Well I mean, I know where she came from (my uterus) but I remember her being so very alert that first night I met her and we silently stared at each other. We were far from home...no grandparents or aunts and uncles just us in this poorly lit room, me holding her while she held my heart.

She still does.

if only he could read

My darling son,

Will you please use the potty? It's a P-O-T-T-Y. It doesn't hold cars or puzzle pieces. Or even the cat.

*readers before you think I am an unhygienic mother please note this potty has never, let me emphasize NEVER, been used in the way it was intended.

Henry, love, where were we? Oh yes, I remember how excited you were last month in IKEA marching through the store with your new potty on your head. But it's time my son. It's time to cut out the theatrics. Just go on the potty. That's all. Just go.

Is it me? One would think after training four kids before you I would be an ace at this. Am I out of patience? (yes)

Is this the worst parenting job EVER? (yes)

Do you love me?

Because (and I say this through my tears of frustration) I just really really want you to go.

That's all.

Love,

Mom

PS I love you, too.

vanity and an invite

Before


After

The vanity was part of a four piece furniture deal. Do you like it when I tell you how much I pay for stuff? I like it when you tell me how much you pay for stuff. There are many deals to be found. Often people are so overburdened with generational hand-me-downs that they just want to get rid of it. It makes it even better when you can load it on the spot and drive away. Truthfully though I always look naive. I think this is my natural expression. Staying quiet and making a ridiculously low offer puts the ball in their court and more often than not it works out. That is how I paid $20 for all four pieces. All I really wanted was the vanity. I unattached the mirror and though it is pretty I will be using the vanity to sew on and didn't want to be staring at myself all the time.

I usually don't mind grime but won't ever buy something that smells (like cigs or like they had 50 cats). This had lots of what I am guessing is hairspray coated on. I actually used a straight edge razor blade to scrape through it all. Then sanded, stained and varnished and used Brasso on the handles.

Since you're here I might as well invite you in. My sewing corner is in my bedroom. This is what happens when your house is full of children. It is a large room which at first was wonderful having had many tiny rooms over the years. But lately it has slowly been overtaking the bedroom, in a really bad way. With Ken away it is more like a craft room with a bed tucked in. On any given afternoon this room can turn into a wreck with riding toys and kids doing cartwheels while I try and finish something. Makes the old-librarian-lady-who-likes-quiet-and-organization in me go wheely cwazy.

So come on in and do a few cartwheels and Henry will drag in the bean bag chairs so you can jump from one to the other. Apparently this is very fun.

Just don't sit on the bed. That makes Mom wheely mad. Can't I have just one place that stays neat and tidy????

Thanks for coming by.
It's October 1st--that means it's Blogtoberfest. There is a list here of people participating. I'm too busy this month to participate but it will be nice to read through the list.