I'm glad it is only every 4 years!

Ugh! My morning has not gone well, and my attitude has not been what it should be. I let sleep deprivation, pms, and frustration over typical childish behaviors push me into a tailspin of temper tantrum.

I am remorseful for my behavior... slamming a closet door, tossing a cup in the sink (with more force than necessary), and berating the girls instead of teaching them. I am also irritated with things that don't even have anything to do with them, and so that adds fuel to the fire that is my self righteous hissy fit. I am ashamed, and yet I chose to continue snapping at them. I was justified in my disappointment, but what am I teaching them, if when frustrated I behave like they do? I need to be better... it is my job, the job that matters most to me- training them up in the way they should go, not the way the world (and sometimes Mommy!) goes.

I am going to pray and repent, and ask God to please let me do better the rest of they day. I was so excited that today was leap year, and wanted to mark the occassion. Now I'm just glad I won't have to relive this date for another 4 years.

Maybe by then I will have matured.

Like Little Kittens - edited

The girls have been sharing a room for 3 weeks, now, and despite Rusty's concerns about bickering, it has been the greatest thing we have done for our family. (Just like I told him it would be!).

This evening when we went in for tuck ins, the two of them were sitting side by side on their cozy love seat, listening to an Adventure In Odyssey c.d., and playing their Nintendo DS games. Each was doing her own thing, but they were together.

Earlier today, when they were supposed to be folding their laundry, I found them nestled under the down comforter as Cailin read Cassidy a story.

Finally, just now, as we checked on our sleeping girls before we turned in for the night, we found the two of them (and the dog!) asleep in Cassidy's bed, snuggled together like two little kittens.

What a gift we have given them in each other. Thank You God for those precious little lives.
EDITED: I had to laugh when I was awakened to Cassidy wailing, "Mooom! Cailin is being mean and took my covers and won't let me get back to sleep!". Still sweet... but normal sisters!

Happy Valentine's day!

I don't like chocolate, I love flowers but would prefer a fresh hydrangea bush to a dozen roses, and eating out is a staple of our on the go life, not necessarily a treat. So what is a guy to do for Valentine's Day?

Sweet tea waiting for me on my nightstand every morning would be nice...

Oh, and a wake up call from my big guy, while he's at the gym, so I don't have to wake up to an alarm clock's annoying buzz. (I may ask for a snooze or two, requiring return phone calls.)...

Heated towels when I finish my shower would work for me...

I really don't like making big breakfasts, so having those on the weekends would be great...

A foot massage with peppermint lotion after a long day at work would be a wonderful gift...

I frequently decide to paint (or re-paint) but I'm just not crazy about paint fumes, and all that reaching... a cheerful painter would be SUPER....

A husband who adores his family, and puts us before anything else in his life would be something every woman would love to have...

Hmmm, since Rusty gives me all this and more, I think all I want for Valentine's Day is to see my sweet husband and tell him how thankful I am that he is mine.

It's the Simple Things

Things that are making me happy tonight...

• Freshly laundered sheets and my down comforter turned down invitingly.
• The giggles of sisters chasing each other through the house. The silence of a house full of sickness was deafening.
• Knowing that tomorrow we all go back to our normal schedules.
• The warmth of a fireplace on a cold and icy night.
• Being able to actually find things in my recently straightened pantry, and not having canned goods fall on me when I open the door.
• The sweet scent of my girls' hair after a restorative, hot soak in the bubbles.
• Tussin with codeine cough syrup guaranteeing me a sound night's sleep.
• Stink Doggy- Dog has an appointment with the groomer tomorrow.
• A good book on my nightstand with only a few chapters left to enjoy. (Debbie Macomber's "Back on Blossom Street")

After having our routine and household turned upside down by sickness, I am truly thanking God for the blessing of a life full of normalcy.

Life is good.

I'm Baa-ck... Sorta

I have been on a break. Not planned. Just the result of life happening.


Loads of work stress. The kind that made me seriously consider quitting, despite the fact that it would mean giving up luxuries like food and electricity. Stress that consumed me night and day. The lack of sleep led to sickness. After one whole week of coughing and sleepless nights I devoted two hours to urgent care, where I was given the blessed Z-pack of antibiotics.


On Thursday Cassidy came home from school feeling rough, and by bedtime had a fever. The next day her fever was 103.5 and she tested positive for the flu- woohoo! Tamiflu for her, and lysoling of every surface.


Cailin has vacillated between feeling fine, playing outside with her friends, and feeling awful, hanging out with mommy on the sofa. Today she received her own prescrition of tamiflu, and will be spending another day home from school with Mommy.

Rusty even agreed to a visit to urgent care, and admits he's glad I insisted he go! Considering how horrendous he felt with the precious tamiflu (yes, that is 3 prescriptions in one weekend for the mighty flu fighting medicine), he can't even imagine how much worse without.

I finally conceded defeat and spent all of Sunday catching up with my new best friends, Jon and Kate Plus 8. I have wanted to see that show for awhile, and yesterdays marathon provided the perfect entertainment for me from 2-8. Pathetic, hm? I rarely give in to sickness, but this time I have embraced it and allowed myself to wallow in sleep and reality t.v. Boredom is getting the best of me, and if I don't get back on track I will get behind in my work again, and start the vicious cylce all over- ugh!

So tomorrow, while Cailin rests in her room, I will be back to work, and when I am caught up, back to blogging.

I can't wait!