What's Happening Here

It's been an interesting week. So much to do to get ready for our big Christmas program Sunday night...baking cookies, putting together the kids' goody bags, making sure the Christmas gifts are all here, run into the dentist to get the bite on my new fillings readjusted, small group Bible Study, tiny tots practice Tuesday night and Saturday morning, big kids practice Saturday morning, Watkins party Saturday late afternoon, and then all the every day stuff on top of that.

Ahhh, the best laid plans of mice and men (or in my case, women).

Dentist appointment went okay (hey, he used the drill again...I do NOT like that!). Did a few small errands, went home to clean and spend time with the kids. That was Monday.

Tuesday was baking cookies and getting stuff ready and organized for the program. Figure out stage directions, etc. Tony took the kids to tiny tot practice and came home to tell me they did NOT do a good job...didn't know the parts we'd been working on so long! So we had a stern talking to them and by bedtime, they'd stand at attention, reciting their lines nice and loud. Then Luke went on a crying jag made worse because he didn't know WHY he was crying. Hm... maybe it was because he wasn't feeling well which we found out when....

Wednesday Luke threw up all over me. After showering and graciously allowing my husband to clean up the mess, I escaped the house to "do some errands" which took two hours time. In my defense, I had quite a few places to stop AND he called to add another errand to the list. Plus, I had some great prayer time after an emotional breakdown at church. Tony and the kids stayed home from AWANA that night. Luke had another crying jag that night and finally got to sleep after 11:00 only when Tony reassured him we would not have to tear the house down and rebuild it to get the junk out of the bathtub drain...it all went into a big tank away from our house. Yes, because of the junk, we would have to tear down the house...and how would Daddy know how to build it the same way again?

Thursday started with a bunch of telephone calls, including one from our pastor. We might need to rethink the Christmas program Sunday night. There is a HUGE winter storm coming in, starting Saturday night -- lots of snow (no forecast of amounts), blowing wind, 0 visability. This is predicted from Saturday late afternoon to Sunday afternoon with bitter cold temps Sunday night. NOT good weather for anyone to be in, let alone families with small children. BUT...we're not making a decision yet, just waiting to see what happens. After all, this IS Minnesota. Made calls, prayed about it, we decided that if the show doesn't go on Sunday night, rather than moving it up to Sunday morning during second service, we'd move it back a week. Sure, one of the main characters will be out of town, but I called on an older girl who is great and quick at memorizing and loves being in plays...she graciously said she would step in, if needed. Thank you, Jenna! Then...I started feeling yucky shortly after noon. By 3:30 I was on the phone to Tony begging him to come home as I was already in the bathroom for about an hour. I think it was because I had very little to eat the past 24 hours (just didn't feel hungry), but thankfully things weren't too bad. Tony took the kids with him to small group Bible study while I stayed home and took a short nap then a bath then went to bed at 9:00 and slept almost 12 hours. Didn't bake the last of the cookies I was hoping to...and won't, because I don't want to risk the Sunday School kids getting sick from me baking while I'm not 100%! Oh yeah, and my friend who was going to come over and ice/decorate almost 50 sugar cookies couldn't come....she's battling an ear infection. Oh yeah, and I cancelled my Saturday afternoon Watkins party.

Today I woke up feeling better but not 100%. Lots of phone calls again. Forgot our piano player for the program has another obligation next Sunday afternoon, so I had to scramble to figure out what would happen if our program would be postponed -- she wouldn't be able to make the final practice! No problems...we're gonna tape her during tomorrow morning's practice. Got lots of phone calls and emails for Watkins orders (hey, I'm having a GREAT sale and clearance sale right now...email if you'd like the list!). Took the kids upstairs to run around like crazy, burn off some of their energy. It must've worked, they're both konked out right now, thank God! Stuffed the kids' goodie bags for after the program, and I called a friend to see if she could decorate those cookies while her kids practice tomorrow morning. Thank you, Patti!

So now, we still don't know what is going to happen with the Christmas program. As it stands, the kids will all take home a letter tomorrow asking their parents to stay tuned to the weather, listen to the radio, and check our church's weather information hotline (how many churches can say THEY have a weather information hotline to let attendees know if church or an activity is cancelled? Although it is rare that we cancel church...but do cancel activities if weather doesn't permit). We're taping Jane tomorrow to use next Sunday for practice if we have to postpone. Jenna is studying Paige's lines (or will after I drop the book off in the morning!). Patti is decorating cookies. I am taking it as easy as possible and praying almost non-stop that Tony and Susanna don't get what Luke and I had. It's over quick but it's not fun while it lasts!

So what else is going on? My kids are being pretty sweet and adorable to me while I'm not feeling well (although there are occasional squabbles...and Luke will occasionally make gagging noises that freak me out...think he knows how much it bothers me???). Susanna "made" me a long, pink paper last night with scribbles on it. Oh, and decorated one of our white kitchen stuccoed walls at some point with dark blue and red dry erase markers because she was "tired of a white house." When I get to the store to pick up some more magic erasers, she'll be scrubbing that wall. Again. You'd think she'd learned her lesson last time. The kids keep playing the Christmas story and making up the most adorable songs about it -- and do they have their doctrine right on target! Tony is helping at home when I call him frantically but has also been working on all our cars and trucks and those belonging to the farm. Oil changes, broken doors, different things like that. And I think...I think...everything is about ready for the program IF it goes on Sunday night!

But the coolest thing of all is how I keep going back to Annette's blog and reminding myself to take the time just to sit in Jesus' lap and snuggle...and take the time to give my kids snuggles, too. Even if they throw up on me while doing so.