I have had so many things on my heart to blog about lately with no time to do it. I have so much to be grateful for this holiday season! Don't you love Thanksgiving? Even though it can be busy, it is such an opportune time to focus our thoughts on our Lord, our families, and everything that we are grateful for in our lives. I know that sometimes I need reminders to keep a thankful heart.
My husband and I agreed that it is time for me to quit my medical transcription job (we have been slowly weaning ourselves off this income for a few years). The Lord provided someone to replace me, so I should be done in the next couple months. I have also had less work recently. It is wonderful to be able to focus more on my husband, children and home!
Our children have begged us for the past several years to have outside lights for Christmas, but we haven't put them up (mostly out of busyness and not wanting to take the trouble). This year, they begged again, and I asked them if it is really that important to them. They all said yes and gave their reasons, and I thought, "Why not? What's the big deal anyway? It might be a nice new family tradition." So, I talked to Rob, asked him what he thought, and we now have a new tradition. Putting outside lights up earlier in our marriage (when Nathan was a baby) was quite a production, so I wasn't quite sure what to expect this time. Rob kept it simple, though; we bought some of those icicle style lights. And guess who put them up? Nathan and Jordan did it by themselves for the most part! Another huge blessing - they are growing up so fast!
Rob lost his grandmother last week. That was a difficult time, but although we will miss her, it was such an honor to know her and to have such a godly heritage to pass down to our children. She passed into the arms of her Lord last Wednesday.
It rained all night last night, and I think it's still pouring. I think the kids and I will straighten up the house, make something hot to drink, and read some Thanksgiving titles. Maybe we'll do some baking. It's a great day for it! We go to my in-law's home for Thanksgiving, and Rob's dad does almost all of the cooking, so I don't have anything to do for the dinner. I think I'll take the time to have a cozy family day with the kids before things get too crazy with church and other holiday events.
Have a blessed Thanksgiving!
Showing posts with label Ramblings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ramblings. Show all posts
November 21, 2007
August 20, 2007
Beans, My Morning & Rockin' Girl Blogger Award...
... in other words, this post is a babble of mishmash!
I decided to soak a big bag of pinto beans in my crockpot Saturday, so I rinsed them and stuck them in it. Kim from Large Family Logistics says to squeeze some lemon in with them during soaking, so I had Allyson pull out the last lemon - it was bad. Oh, well! I had a couple of limes, so I decided to use one of those instead. So, I check on the beans a few hours later and they are all the way to the top of the crockpot (this is just soaking, not cooking yet)! I *thought* I had soaked 2 pounds of beans in there before - guess not! I stuck half of the beans in a large pot and added more water and lime. I was sick yesterday, so I just decided to let the beans soak the rest of the day. They were cheap ones anyway, and I like to let them soak a long time. Back to the beans in a bit...
I wake up at around 3:00 this morning and can't get back to sleep, so I decide to get up at 3:30. Why not? I make myself some coffee, wash a couple of dishes and decide to rinse and cook my beans from Saturday. I get the beans rinsed and back in the crockpot and turn it on. I decide I will go ahead and rinse the beans in the pan and cook them in there rather than wait for the other beans to get done, so I get them ready and put them on to boil before turning the heat down to low. The coffee is done, so I pour myself a cup and go downstairs to start a load of laundry.
Since I'm downstairs, I decide to print out the children's ministry lesson and memory verse cards for our church's children's ministry tonight. I figure I'd better get going on my medical transcription tape since I am already at the computer, so I begin typing.... The first load of laundry is finished. I switch loads and go upstairs for a second cup of coffee. What do I smell as I'm going up the stairs? It smells like... Oh, no! It's overflowing bean juice! Total bummer! I pull the pan off the burner and look inside - the beans aren't burned and there is still a lot of water in there. Whew! I'll wait until the pan cools so I can wipe the bottom of the pan before putting it back on.
Okay, time for the second cup of java. Then back to the basement, where I decide to finish designing the postcards for our very first Back to School Bash (which my friend, Kristie, is planning) before continuing my transcription. I have Rob check and okay the postcards (he is up by now) and I print them off - all 283 of them! Hopefully, we'll have a good turnout. In the meantime, Rob brings me a third cup of java and I get back to my transcription tape.
I have to open my Internet browser to check on a med for the transcription and I notice that I have a few comments on my blog. The transcription can wait for a few while I check them. Yeah! I got the Rockin' Girl Blogger Award from my very best friend in the whole world, Kristie! I've seen this award floating around the blogosphere and I really wanted it, even though I don't think I blog enough to deserve it. Kristie gave it to me anyway! Did I tell you that you're my very best friend, Kristie? Since I'm already on HSB and I'm totally cranked with caffeine and feeling weird, I decide to blog about my morning so far. I start this blog, but I really need to get back to work. Rob needs more coffee, so I run upstairs to refill his cup. Well, since I'm there, I might as well refill mine too, right? Cup #4.
Okay, back to the transcription. I finish my tape, print it off, fax my bill, change the laundry and take the laundry basket upstairs. I think I'll leave cup #4 up there, unfinished. I'm starting to feel a little funny.
I come back down and am now finishing this blog. It's 8:00 AM. I think I'll go take my shower now so that I can stay awake. I'd better get the kids up - why are they still sleeping, anyway? Check back later for the blog award info - I have to figure out what I'm supposed to do with it and I can't think right now.
~Andrea
I decided to soak a big bag of pinto beans in my crockpot Saturday, so I rinsed them and stuck them in it. Kim from Large Family Logistics says to squeeze some lemon in with them during soaking, so I had Allyson pull out the last lemon - it was bad. Oh, well! I had a couple of limes, so I decided to use one of those instead. So, I check on the beans a few hours later and they are all the way to the top of the crockpot (this is just soaking, not cooking yet)! I *thought* I had soaked 2 pounds of beans in there before - guess not! I stuck half of the beans in a large pot and added more water and lime. I was sick yesterday, so I just decided to let the beans soak the rest of the day. They were cheap ones anyway, and I like to let them soak a long time. Back to the beans in a bit...
I wake up at around 3:00 this morning and can't get back to sleep, so I decide to get up at 3:30. Why not? I make myself some coffee, wash a couple of dishes and decide to rinse and cook my beans from Saturday. I get the beans rinsed and back in the crockpot and turn it on. I decide I will go ahead and rinse the beans in the pan and cook them in there rather than wait for the other beans to get done, so I get them ready and put them on to boil before turning the heat down to low. The coffee is done, so I pour myself a cup and go downstairs to start a load of laundry.
Since I'm downstairs, I decide to print out the children's ministry lesson and memory verse cards for our church's children's ministry tonight. I figure I'd better get going on my medical transcription tape since I am already at the computer, so I begin typing.... The first load of laundry is finished. I switch loads and go upstairs for a second cup of coffee. What do I smell as I'm going up the stairs? It smells like... Oh, no! It's overflowing bean juice! Total bummer! I pull the pan off the burner and look inside - the beans aren't burned and there is still a lot of water in there. Whew! I'll wait until the pan cools so I can wipe the bottom of the pan before putting it back on.
Okay, time for the second cup of java. Then back to the basement, where I decide to finish designing the postcards for our very first Back to School Bash (which my friend, Kristie, is planning) before continuing my transcription. I have Rob check and okay the postcards (he is up by now) and I print them off - all 283 of them! Hopefully, we'll have a good turnout. In the meantime, Rob brings me a third cup of java and I get back to my transcription tape.
I have to open my Internet browser to check on a med for the transcription and I notice that I have a few comments on my blog. The transcription can wait for a few while I check them. Yeah! I got the Rockin' Girl Blogger Award from my very best friend in the whole world, Kristie! I've seen this award floating around the blogosphere and I really wanted it, even though I don't think I blog enough to deserve it. Kristie gave it to me anyway! Did I tell you that you're my very best friend, Kristie? Since I'm already on HSB and I'm totally cranked with caffeine and feeling weird, I decide to blog about my morning so far. I start this blog, but I really need to get back to work. Rob needs more coffee, so I run upstairs to refill his cup. Well, since I'm there, I might as well refill mine too, right? Cup #4.
Okay, back to the transcription. I finish my tape, print it off, fax my bill, change the laundry and take the laundry basket upstairs. I think I'll leave cup #4 up there, unfinished. I'm starting to feel a little funny.
I come back down and am now finishing this blog. It's 8:00 AM. I think I'll go take my shower now so that I can stay awake. I'd better get the kids up - why are they still sleeping, anyway? Check back later for the blog award info - I have to figure out what I'm supposed to do with it and I can't think right now.
~Andrea
March 22, 2007
First Day of Spring
When I was a kid, I thought that the first day of spring was March 21st. When I met my husband, he informed me that the first day of spring is March 20th (his birthday). I checked the calendar, and, sure enough, March 20th said "First Day of Spring." Two days ago I was talking to my good friend, and she told me that she is updating her blog to a spring theme on March 21st, her birthday and also the first day of spring! (By the way, her blog looks beautiful!)
Okay, what is up with the first day of spring??? Being the curious person that I am, I decided to look it up. The first place I checked was my calendar, which said March 20th. I then decided to check out the trusty Internet. This site has the dates of the vernal equinox from 1980 to 2009: Vernal Equinox.
According to that site, spring was March 21st this year, that is if you compute it "in the Mathematica application package Scientific Astronomer, which is accurate to within only an hour or so, and in practice gives times that differ by up to 15 minutes from those computed by the U.S. Naval Observatory." (No, I can't translate - sorry!) It looks like the U.S. Naval Observatory agrees this year: Earth's Seasons, etc. 1992-2020. They give the time as 00:07 UT. Maybe the Mathematica or whatever is closer to the U.S. Naval Observatory than they thought since they give a time of 00:08 UT.
Just to make these extremely interesting figures more complicated, I live in Michigan, which is Eastern time, meaning that the vernal equinox was March 20, 2007, at 8:07 PM. However, I did my spring cleaning on March 21st, so that must have been the first day of spring! Wait! March 20th was warmer than March 21st, so that means the 20th must have been the first day of spring. Of course, how often is the first day of spring warm in Michigan? March 21st must have been the first day of spring!
Truly, I have a dizzying intellect! I think I'll stop since today is the 22nd anyway.
Okay, what is up with the first day of spring??? Being the curious person that I am, I decided to look it up. The first place I checked was my calendar, which said March 20th. I then decided to check out the trusty Internet. This site has the dates of the vernal equinox from 1980 to 2009: Vernal Equinox.
According to that site, spring was March 21st this year, that is if you compute it "in the Mathematica application package Scientific Astronomer, which is accurate to within only an hour or so, and in practice gives times that differ by up to 15 minutes from those computed by the U.S. Naval Observatory." (No, I can't translate - sorry!) It looks like the U.S. Naval Observatory agrees this year: Earth's Seasons, etc. 1992-2020. They give the time as 00:07 UT. Maybe the Mathematica or whatever is closer to the U.S. Naval Observatory than they thought since they give a time of 00:08 UT.
Just to make these extremely interesting figures more complicated, I live in Michigan, which is Eastern time, meaning that the vernal equinox was March 20, 2007, at 8:07 PM. However, I did my spring cleaning on March 21st, so that must have been the first day of spring! Wait! March 20th was warmer than March 21st, so that means the 20th must have been the first day of spring. Of course, how often is the first day of spring warm in Michigan? March 21st must have been the first day of spring!
Truly, I have a dizzying intellect! I think I'll stop since today is the 22nd anyway.
February 28, 2007
Enjoying My Kids Now
We had some friends who have a 16-month-old over on Sunday, and my friend asked if I miss the baby days (out of curiosity, not as if I should miss them). I thought about it, but I really don't miss it much. That isn't because I didn't enjoy my children when they were babies, but because I am enjoying them now. Every year brings new joys, changes and challenges.
As I type this, my youngest three are in the basement playing ninja turtles. They just came up to show me my youngest daughter with a big laundry basket strapped to her back, saying, "Look, Mom! She's a turtle!" I love watching them growing together, playing together, and developing new ideas.
My oldest, who just turned 13, is sitting on the couch with his dad, who is trying to fix a website while he helps Nathan with his math. I won't lie and say that this transition period between childhood and young adult is easy right now - we are definitely facing some challenges - but I love having conversations with my oldest son more than ever. He is maturing physically, mentally, and spiritually, and we are able to talk on a much deeper level now.
I often get comments insinuating that I should miss those baby days. Sometimes I do miss my kids' total dependence on me, but it is so exciting to watch all of the wonderful and even not-so-wonderful changes in my children as they grow. I wouldn't go back - I am enjoying "now" way too much!
As I type this, my youngest three are in the basement playing ninja turtles. They just came up to show me my youngest daughter with a big laundry basket strapped to her back, saying, "Look, Mom! She's a turtle!" I love watching them growing together, playing together, and developing new ideas.
My oldest, who just turned 13, is sitting on the couch with his dad, who is trying to fix a website while he helps Nathan with his math. I won't lie and say that this transition period between childhood and young adult is easy right now - we are definitely facing some challenges - but I love having conversations with my oldest son more than ever. He is maturing physically, mentally, and spiritually, and we are able to talk on a much deeper level now.
I often get comments insinuating that I should miss those baby days. Sometimes I do miss my kids' total dependence on me, but it is so exciting to watch all of the wonderful and even not-so-wonderful changes in my children as they grow. I wouldn't go back - I am enjoying "now" way too much!
February 10, 2007
Well-meaning Advice?
I was at my son's church-sponsored basketball game today and overheard something that really gave me a shock and made me think. I heard a grandmother a few seats down from me tell her two young grandsons not to grow their hair like "that kid - he looks like a girl." The two boys began laughing and making comments about the young man she was speaking of, who happened to be one of the refs.
I'm sure this grandmother didn't mean to sound unloving and judgmental - I am sure she saw something she didn't approve of and wanted to use it as an example to her grandsons. However, she did sound unloving, and her words inadvertently encouraged her grandsons to make fun of someone who was different.
I wonder how often I use comparisons to explain "correct behavior" to our children at the expense of others? I think that sometimes parents, especially Christian parents, can get so wrapped up in raising Godly children that we forget to be compassionate towards others. Surely there are enough examples of sin (BTW, I personally don't think that guys who have long hair are sinning) in the Bible that we can point to without exposing and demeaning other people. I am sure that I have been guilty of this, and I hope that this incident will make me think before I speak in the future.
~Andrea
I'm sure this grandmother didn't mean to sound unloving and judgmental - I am sure she saw something she didn't approve of and wanted to use it as an example to her grandsons. However, she did sound unloving, and her words inadvertently encouraged her grandsons to make fun of someone who was different.
I wonder how often I use comparisons to explain "correct behavior" to our children at the expense of others? I think that sometimes parents, especially Christian parents, can get so wrapped up in raising Godly children that we forget to be compassionate towards others. Surely there are enough examples of sin (BTW, I personally don't think that guys who have long hair are sinning) in the Bible that we can point to without exposing and demeaning other people. I am sure that I have been guilty of this, and I hope that this incident will make me think before I speak in the future.
~Andrea
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