Isaac's 5th Birthday!!!

What an amazing and hectic day! I got up real early to start Saturday morning right! I had two cakes to make, frosting to layer and bugs to place. Isaac had his 5th birthday party this weekend. He had many of his close buddies come over and celebrate with Linny the Clown. We had hotdogs and chips too. We usually don't have big birthday parties. We celebrate each yr with family and cake and maybe one friend will come over too. So, as you can see, this day was extra special! Today is really Isaac's birthday. The 31st at 1036 am. For everyone's birthday we do presents in the morning (this came from Craig's side of the family). Isaac got a sling shot from Rebekah and he got one playstation game (sonic) and a Fisher Price basketball hoop. It goes up to 6 ft. He was really happy with those wonderful gifts! Last night, we all sat around watching my labor with Isaac and I kept thinking Wow! Even after birth, Isaac's facial expressions are still there today. What amazed me is that how perfectly formed Isaac was and his imprint of his personality was right at the very very beginning! God knit into place every single detail of Isaac. From his personality to his outer appearance to his inside appearance. I love that verse

Psalm 139: 13 For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother's womb.

God knew all of my children before they were even thought of. He knew what I could handle which is probably why all of them are spaced out 10,5 and almost 6 months. I love those moments of holding the baby and meeting their demanding needs to the very hectic times of always getting into things (toddler stage) and then the awesome stage Isaac is at with preschool/kindergarten. Finally, I truly enjoy Rebekah's age b/c she learns so much and her brain is like a sponge. I'm sorta and sorta not looking forward to Rebekah growing into teenage years.

So, today I reflect on Isaac's birthday. What he was like in the very beginning. Since he has been able to walk, Isaac has always been on the go. I would try to get him to play with toys but nope, he would always go for things that are able to turn on/off, the computer or anything that he can make something happen. He loves pretending with swords and guns. He enjoys playstation (which at a young three he started to play) I truly thought I would never let any of my children do this but because Rebekah is older he wants to do what his big sister does. Craig had gotten the playstation for Christmas and ever since Isaac has mastered all the controls without really any help. I do limit playstation b/c I believe it's a waste of a childs mind!

I was told a couple of days ago that Isaac is a natural at sports. He was playing volleyball with his friends and a mother and he was able to volley and hit the volleyball just right. I've never shown him that. It's amazing what little ones pick up.

Well, off to do some school. Rebekah is working on her water cycle presentation and I think I'll let Isaac enjoy a day of just fun!

Remember, God knit all of us together for a purpose! We are his creation and He doesn't make junk!!

God Bless!

Alicia

Isaac

Amazing!

Elsah reached out for me for the first time on Easter! I had a rough day at work and boy! did that make my day! I was all smiles from that point on.
Today Rebekah swam 200 laps! It took her 1 and a half hours. Her swim team was raising money and they had to swim either 200 laps or 2 hours, whichever came first! I wish I could swim like that!

Oatmeal all over and braids!

Isaac usually tries to make his own breakfast (hot oatmeal the instant kind). Well, today he was getting it out of the microwave and it spilled. I was in the middle of giving Rebekah her spelling test and was wondering if Isaac was able to accomplish his task at hand. I turned around and saw him quietly trying to clean it up. I went over to him and looked at him and saw oatmeal on his hair, face and clothes. I was a little bit frustrated but realized that this was an opportunity to make some laughter. It was pretty funny when thinking about it. He eyes looked so angelic. So, we just got another instant oatmeal and this time I helped him get it out of the microwave. Task accomplished!

I couldn't believe it but Rebekah wanted me to put her hair in braids. Wow! I haven't practiced this in such a long time. I tried a french braid three times but decided two braids in the back would look much better. I have to say her hair looks nice.

Longer sleep but yet Im still exhausted....

Wow! Saturday Elsah slept 10hours! From 10pm-8am and last night she slept from 10pm-530am. Finally, some sleep. For some reason though I still feel exhausted. I worked only 8 hours yesterday but it really felt like a 12 hour shift. My mind was just mentally drained. I don't have anything planned for today! Yeah! Another day that I can just stay home....well, I do need to get some groceries.

The value of full time moms

For my wonderful friend Heather and all mothers! Go down the archive, you'll see the topics. This one broadcast has two parts! Enjoy! Click on the title above this writing( The value of full time moms)

"Every evening I'll turn my cares over to God, he's going to be up all night anyway" Mary C. Crowley

What a day! Isaac woke up yesterday and looked pitiful. His face was pale and I knew he wasnt' feeling well. After eating some oatmeal he told me his stomach hurt. I was thinking...Oh great! I hope he's not going to get sick again..however, no fever. He laid down in bed (which is totally not Isaac) and threw up at 12noon. Only once. Im thinking that it was something that he ate within the past 24 hrs. We did a lot of juggling yesterday with time schedules and not eating lunch but going to fast food on the way to Rebekahs' climate/lego class and myself to work (at 3pm) Mom came over and watched Isaac and Elsah while I left running with Rebekah. Whew! But we made it. Now with Isaac better Craig came home a little bit early around 3pm and later took Isaac and Elsah to play indoor roller hockey. Isaac is just new to skating on his roller blades but people kept going up to Craig asking him how long Isaac had been skating. Craig would say He just started roller blading. People were amazed. I do think though that having a couple of ice skating lessons helped. So, today, they are off to get all of Isaac's gear so he can play roller hockey. Im really hoping that he won't end up getting hurt. Isn't that the fear of all parents though? Mainly moms, I think. But that would be considered worry and from what I learned in my Power of a Positive Mom class that worry does nothing. It just gives us something to do and a time waster. I think I'll put that in my God box and that way I'll just cast my cares to Him.

Today has been somewhat productive. Isaac did his Happy Phonics today. I love this program. It is fun for Isaac. Today we had cards that made a full sentence. Like this: The man is in the van. He would then draw a card that has a picture on it: a "cat" on top of a "hat". He would find the correct word which would be "hat, cat and on " and exchange the words with the sentence on the ground. He makes a new sentence by doing this. It was so awesome to see him do this. 4 months ago I tried this with him and he really didn't "understand" it. .

Yesterday, Rebekah had her last day of Creative Writing. The teacher has "An Author's Tea" and all parents and grandparents come to listen to their children's literature. Here are two poems that Rebekah wrote:

The Boy In Blue: A picture painting by Gainsborough

The boy in blue

lost a button or two

As a cavalier

Of the last century

His outfit of satin

And lace

Boy!

He has a confident face

Hands on hips say, "I'm the boss."

He is standing on some moss

But kindness and grace

Show on his face

A welcoming invitation

To travelers

The Sea

The sea is a gigantic bathtub

Full of rubber sea animals

But alive and way different

Things we still don't know

Because it's so deep

Like a deep, deep well

Someday we might find out

With knowledge coming every day

Who knows?

It could be you who finds out

The unknown things

Under there

Way under the deep, deep sea

Where we can't go....

Yet

Well, off to do some never ending laundry and make dinner....

God was in the Rye Grass

This has truly touched my heart and with permission I asked if I could post it on my blog.
It was sent by Linda, (a co-worker who was diagnosed last year with breast cancer) whose husband Glenn has been going through some very difficult times over the last seven months. Glenn wrote this!

Recently Glenn sent out and I thought you would enjoy reading Glenn’s perspective. This may be a repeat as some of you have already received this:

“God is working not only in my physical life, but also in my life with Him. I want to share with you here one of the things God has reminded me of during these almost 7 months of continuing uncertainty. GOD WAS IN THE RYE GRASS As a child, one of the tasks that I had on the farm was making sure that during the early springtime, as the rye grass was coming up, that my cow had a regular visit to the rye field. There were just 4 cows in my family, which just happened to be the same number of people in our family. I was responsible for one, my brother for one, my mom for one, and my dad for one….(although Dad was "really" the responsible one.) I milked my own cow; I would make sure my cow had feed and hay; I would "haul her manure away"; and I was her total care taker. But the reason I had to take her out to the rye field in the spring, was so she could fill up one of her several stomachs with that fresh, dark green rye grass, which would then make her milk as rich as kings milk. That would make good cream for our butter that we sold every Friday to the store we "traded at". Friday's were known as "TOWNING DAY!" I suspect that really sounds weird to some of you, but living in the country, (and it WAS THE COUNTRY then,) when we went TO TOWN, that was a treat! Not that we ever GOT anything, but we left the farm and went into the city full of people….all 15,000 of those Lexington Barbecue people along with paved streets and sidewalks.
Now, I never did trust cows. I was a rather LITTLE boy even when I was little. I thought I was going to be a midget, but I ALMOST grew out of it!!!! I wasn't fearful of cows mind you….just the cows HEAD. I could take the back end of the cow…...that's the general area where the milk came from. The cow's tail was back there too, but it was just a nuisance….swatting around all over me while I was milking in the summer without a shirt on. (If you never felt a cow's tail swat your bare back….you don't know how that feels, but I tell you, it can sting.) But the head, now that was different. The head of a cow was as big as I was, and on top of that…no pun intended….there were sharp, mean-looking HORNS up there. Those cow heads were hung on mighty powerful necks too. I've seen a milk cow bust a stall plank by just swinging that big head and breaking it with her horns. Those cow HEADS can do some real damage. But it was my responsibility to get the cow out in the rye field, and I had to do that by putting a chain around either her neck or her horns. Usually I preferred the neck! Then I'd lead that cow out through the woods to our rye field, back into what we called the "new ground" about a half mile from the barn. As a little boy, every step I took with that cow….(mind you that head and horns were RIGHT BEHIND ME)…..every step I took I was afraid she was going to run over me. So, to keep her from doing that…I would just sort of speed up. Then I'd look back, and wouldn't you know it, as I speeded up, she speeded up. So I'd speed up a little more to get a little more out in front. But every time I did that, and then looked back…guess what……the cow was right there. Poor ole cow was almost running sometimes by the time we reached the rye field.
When we got there, I'd walk her out into the field where she hadn't grazed before, to a brand new patch of that rich rye grass, and I'd drop that chain. As soon as I did, she would drop that big head to the ground and begin tearing up that rye grass. I can still hear that sound today, the sound of a cow's teeth cutting that tough rye grass. Rip, rip, rip…..then the chain would go ching, clang, ching, as she would swing that big head around moving the chain out of her way every few feet.
So there the cow was, loving every bite of that rye, and little 'ole me standing there in the field. What do you do on a cold windy March day in the middle of the rye field? Well here is what I did. I just zipped up my coat real tight, pulled up my corduroy hood and tied the string tight, and laid down right in the middle of the rye. When I was lying down, the rye grass was totally covering me……keeping off the bitter wind, and I was a snug as a bug in a rug. Warm, cozy, and quiet. As I lay there on the bed of rye grass looking up at the sky. I'd do the "what is that cloud" thing, you know, that cloud looks like a rabbit, that one looks like a cat! And I'd also hear a couple of planes going over, (remember this was just about 7 years after WW II and they still used the B-29.) Every once in a while I'd see a formation of B 29's, sometime 6 or so in one formation…..with some flights made up 5 or 6 formations long. What a sight for a kid who wanted to fly when he grew up! Just laying there in the rye, watching the clouds and the planes, and hearing the wind howling through the trees at the edge of the field, but protected from it's fury, and the cow's rip, rip, rip, as she tore off the rye grass, and the clang, clang clang of the chain around her neck. This was an absolute heavenly experience…..one of the very few things about the farm that I really loved.
Now as I look back on things like that today as I am presently going through treatment for esophageal cancer……I realize a lot about what was going on back then. You see now, during this time, I have the peace of God, the comfort of God, the assurance of God's total authority in my life, and realize that whatever comes, I only want God's will, because there is nothing better than God's personal will for me, even when I have cancer. I know that God is faithful. I know that I can TRUST Him, not just with my soul, but with my body as well. If God is faithful enough that I can entrust him with my very eternal soul….how could I not entrust him with this mortal body of mine? I do, and I explicitly, totally trust God through this process of treatment, that whatever the outcome of this, whether he gives me a miracle or a crown at the end of this…..I want HIS will to be done. Oh I would love a miracle, but what if that is not God's best for me? And so I pray just as His own Son prayed, "Lord if it be possible let this cup pass from me….but nevertheless not MY WILL, but THY WILL be done." And in full assurance of God's proven faithfulness, and with total peace and trust, that's where I stand.
What in the world does this have to do with GOD in the Rye field?? Well folks, I've come to understand that it has EVERYTHING to do with God in the Rye field. You see, as a young lad, out in the middle of the field with the cold wind blowing, I was literally on cloud nine, ten and eleven….snug and warm, cut off from the howling wind above me, looking at my 2 favorite things in life, airplanes and sky, and hearing the unbelievably comforting sounds of a cow eating rye grass and a chain being tossed about. I didn't have a worry in the world. I knew the cow was right there with me….I didn't have to STICK MY HEAD above the rye grass to see where she was. I could hear her. I wasn't being blown away by the March wind…because I was underneath the tall rye. I wasn't cold, because my corduroy coat and hood had me warm and cozy. I just lay there on a bed of soft crushed rye grass soaking in the sky, the clouds and the airplanes flying overhead.. You see, God comes to us in the content of what we can understand at the time. As a young boy, I wasn't familiar with the deep truths of the scriptures; I wasn't familiar with the knowledge of how God comforts his people during periods of their lives that could be cold, or boring, or scaring. But you know what, GOD WAS IN THAT RYE FIELD with me as a child, just the same as he is with me here today through the uncertainties of esophageal cancer. As a lad, God came down and just POURED out his peace on me. I didn't even realize it at the time. I wasn't even sure what it was. I just experienced it. I didn't even have to ask for it….God just did it.
Today, I understand just a little bit more about God and his sovereignty than I did 55 years ago. I understand now a little bit more of how God loves, and comforts, and offers peace, contentment and assurance. Today, I just say, "Lord I TRUST YOU…may your will be done…and the jacket get's zipped up, the hood string tied snugly, and rye grass gets packed down on the hard ground, the clouds fly by accompanied here and there by a flight of my favorite planes, and I just lie here soaking it all in, and saying, isn't God wonderful! ISN'T MY GOD WONDERFUL!!
I don't think I can explain God's peace any better than that. GOD'S HERE IN THE RYE , SO LET THE TRIALS JUST FLY ON BY!! I have his peace, his warmth, His comfort, His presence, and His assurance that I AM WORTH more to him than all the fields of rye; than all the herds of cattle; than all the planes in the sky……and HE LOVES ME!! Let me say that again…HE REALLY LOVES ME!! And if you are HIS through Christ….He loves YOU too!
What peace and assurance! God can give you that same peace and assurance that He gave me before I even needed it. I want to praise Him and thank him that for me….He did that. He gave me those things in my fellowship with Him, some years before the cancer came; years before I knew the REALITY of the possibility of death being right around the corner. You see, He and I spent a lot of time in the Rye field together before the real tests came. And in that, he lovingly prepared me for whatever His will may be. I KNOW I CAN TRUST MY FAITHFUL, LOVING GOD!
Are you spending time with God in the Rye fields? Are you now spending time with him in sweet fellowship that he longs to have with you. He wants to, so that when the winds and cold come your way, you'll just simply praise him for YOUR ASSURANCE OF His sovereignty, and roll over into his soft rye covered hands and rest in total comfort, secure and ASSURED in HIM.”
Have a great day!Glenn

this was sent to me from my sister in law Susan....

Why buy expensive toys??? Looks like he is very content and enjoying himself!

An uneventful Monday

Well, today was uneventful, which is nice to have every once in a while. No going here to there or there to here. I was almost starting to really think that Elsah was going to sleep through the night, then I woke up from my dream. :(

Our new word is Climate. Climate is the long term weather pattern that characterizes a region.
This week we are learning about charts and their importance in Climate measurement. We've looked at different youtube videos in re: to weather instruments and are learning to ask important questions when looking at charts. For example: What is the chart measuring, what is the source of the data and how accurate/reliable is the source.

Whew! It's a lot to look at but interesting.

Isaac's feeling better!

This must've been a short sickness (which Im very thankful for). He was better by the time I went to work last night. I worked 7p-3a and it wasn't as bad as the other shifts had been. I have not done a night shift like that in a long long time. I was surprised how much energy I actually had at 4am when I got home. Craig took the kids to a sportsplex near our house last night and they got to play basketball and soccer. One of the workers there lowered the basketball hoop for Isaac. He loved shooting hoops. Rebekah played soccer but mostly enjoyed playing basketball. Elsah slept 5 hours two nights ago and last night she did really well too. Maybe we are on our way to sleeping through the night! Well, off to do our routine chores.

Our walk to the lake

After taking all those pictures on Wednesday we walked Rebekah up to her swimming at the Y. Our city has just finished paving a wonderful pathway so we don't have to cross the busy busy street in the evening time. Then, after dropping her off, Isaac, Elsah and I continue to stroll down the pathway. This is the first time I've really walked this long since being pregnant with Elsah. It was so beautiful. There was just enough breeze in the air that you could sniff the pear trees starting it's bloom. These trees bloom with white flowers. (the picture on the blog) but they give off the most pungent smell. I think these trees are so amazing. They send off an awful smell but the flowers appear so delicate and then in the fall the trees turn into such vibrant amazing colors. So, we walk all the way to the park near us that has a lake. The geese and ducks were at the waters edge. Isaac got right into the big muddy piles and threw sticks and rocks into the water. He found this amazing rock that was at least 5-8 lbs. He walked it all the way home which is at least a good mile. He would stop and rest then continue on. He persevered in bringing it home.
Well, today in our house might be the beginning of sickness. Isaac isn't feeling well. If he's not up and running I know somethings wrong. He didn't want Daddy to leave this morning. That was another clue that he wasn't feeling well either. So, off to take care of my little wee ones and my big helper Rebekah.

Today Isaac started to read his Starfall books. They came from www.starfall.com He's already reading four letter words like "ball, into, give" He's doing so well. He likes to read to Elsah. He said today " Elsah see, you have to read like this" and he starts to sound out the words to her like he use to do when he started to read. At lunch he was describing his pictures to us. One was adam and eve at the gate and the other was "the world full of colors"

New word for today

I have found that Memory is a great game to play when trying to learn new definitions. I don't have a great memory anymore but I use to. Rebekah has made notecards to learn the climate definitions. Our word for today is Anthropogenic. This means having to deal with man or caused by humans. We have all other different types of words dealing with climate and if you were to ask me what they were before we started to study climate I would've been like ....uh...I don't know. Now, we get to find out what the Meteorologist is talking about when he talks about a Front coming through or why the humidity is so high in Raleigh in the summertime.
Rebekah is much better at memory than I. It's only been a week since she started learning the definitions and already knows most of them or can look at the definition and know the word that goes with it.
Isaac is outside finding worms or any type of bug he can find to put in his bugcatcher. I have to say that today is cloudy but warm. What a perfect day that God has made for us so we can enjoy the many things we like to do..
Come on back tomorrow and find out what the new word for the day is!

Whew! What a weekend...Im thankful to be home!

Well, this weekend was full events in the ED. My Saturday was great! I took care of really sick patients but I felt like I was able to help someone. On Sunday, well that's another story. I was at the front desk ( the person who takes your name and puts you in the system if you have to be seen, controls inflow/outflow of the ED) Put it this way, no one was nice at all to me and yelled and screamed at me due to events I can't control. I try to be nice and use good customer service but it's hard when they are throwing things at me. I left work disgruntled, but yet I still believe it takes a lot to get me upset at work. I just look at them and smile, nod my head and apologize over and over again.

Mondays are days for me to get the house back in order. It's cleaning time. If you haven't heard this from me before I use to do "Fly Lady" www.flylady.com and I was good at it. I kept up with it. Well, since child number three I've learned.. and am still learing,.....
it's okay to have a messy house, the laundry not done, even not knowing what's for dinner. I know that I'm instilling things in my children that are more important than the house. They are only young once and they grow up so fast.
I have to remind myself this on a daily basis because I am a perfectionist when it comes to my house. I have a hard time doing anything until the house is in the order the way I like it.

Isaac finished his first Bob Books and Im looking for a great bargain for Bob Two books. These are great books to help with learning to read. Rebekah continues to do her studies today and she'll be off to swimming tonight.

What's for dinner tonight? Vegetable Lasagna from Trader Joes....I've also learned that it's okay if you don't have a home cooked meal on the table every night.

On my way to work!

Today Isaac is going to a birthday party at Hoppers house. He's really excited to celebrate his friend Kyles' birthday. Im sure it'll be a blast. Craig will take him and I'll stay home with the other two. Rebekah is having her friends over around 1pm so the kids will have a good time today. Then Im off to work from 3p-11p. For those of you who do not know I work at the hospital in the Emergency room. The flu is going around and a lot of sick people come in to see us. I keep pretty busy there so time flys by which is what I like. I always hope and pray that God will be able to use me while Im there as well. Being a patient in the ER can be very long and lonely. Sometimes people come in b/c they have no other hope. I hope that I can point them to the awesome God who gives hope in such a down time in there lives. Well, Im off to get the house squared away before going into work!