Yesterday was a rough day. I've been tired this week, and crankiness goes with tired. A lack of patience goes with crankiness. I didn't say to the person taking my order in the morning, "Yes, I'd like a lack of patience, and some exhaustion. Can you add crankiness to that, please?". And they didn't say, "Would you like 4 girls to go with that?" But that's what it felt like. It was the combo you just wouldn't order for yourself.
The girls had been at each other alot, and they hadn't followed any directions without complaining.
Last night, after we loaded up into the car, I asked one to buckle up her sister. She huffed, got up, stomped to the back and did it. I said, "You know, your attitudes today just stink".
Adalyn breaks the tension immediately by saying, "Eeeeeeewwwwwwww." We all laugh and head home. She probably knew mine stunk too! Isn't it neat how God uses the smallest people (or things) to change our attitudes? He's just great like that!
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Friday, May 25, 2012
Sunday's Sermon
First I'll tell you about coming home. Then later, I'll fill you in on being there.
Louis had to preach this past Sunday, so we got up at 3 a.m. (our time) in Pigeon Forge to load 4 sleeping girls, their blankets, Pillow Pets, our cooler and food basket. The rest of our luggage and stuff was loaded the night before.
I put the cold stuff in the cooler, and do the final run around upstairs in our part of the cabin ( you know, the last check for a sock under the bed, etc.) Meanwhile, I hear him start the van. My confiscated loot included Louis' wallet, my cell phone charger, his tablet charger and our huge trash bag of dirty clothes. Goodness, I'm GLAD I made that "last check".
By the time I haul down the goods and take them out to the van, it's not running. Louis denied turning off the van. We knew we had a problem.
The problem actually began the night before. As we were leaving Dollywood (more on that later), the van started acting funny and the gas gauge was registering empty where it had just been 1/4 of a tank. We thought maybe the gas gauge had messed up and we were on the last drop of gas when we thought we had more. We stopped at Walgreens so I COULD ASK FOR DIRECTIONS to the nearest gas station and then to a Sam's Club so we could fill up with gas. We love our Sam's Card and cheap gas! Louis turned off the van as I walked in. Strike 1. There's ONE person working with a line of about 7 tourists. Not getting help anytime soon there. Strike 2. So I walk over to an Italian restaurant next door with a pit stop by the van to pick up Aliza who by this point needs to use the restroom. Nearest Sam's is in Knoxville. Strike 3. At least I know where the nearest gas station is though. The van s-p-p-p-u-u-u-ttttters and won't start. 3 strikes, we're out. Thank goodness for Redbox on the Walgreens sidewalk. Louis walks up to the couple checking out movies to see if they can jump start the van. Score. We make it to the gas station and fill up. We make it back to the cabin while the van still acts kind of funky.
Back to Sunday morning, it's nearly 4 a.m. and the van has shut off. I have to go wake up my poor sister to get her keys so we can jump off the van. It works, so I run the keys back in, hop in the van and off we go up this huge hill to get out of the cul de sac where the cabin sits.
Halfway up, the van dies. So Louis and I exchange opinions. He's rational, I'm not. I adamantly threw a tantrum saying something like, "We are leaving this van here, taking our girls back to bed and you can steal Julie's car and drive it to Byrdstown. Dad and I can get the van looked at and drive Julie to Cookeville to meet you to get her car back". Those may not have been my exact words, but the tantrum was accurate. It's a wonder they let pregnant women out at all!
Louis reminded me that the van was parked (love those emergency brakes) halfway up a hill in the middle of the road. "They can drive around it" I said. I WASN'T GETTING BACK IN THAT VAN!! Louis pleaded with me to try to jump it off again. I walk down the hill (highly put out that my idea of leaving the van sit where it was didn't win out.) I mean who is going to hit a huge red van, nor care if it's sitting in the middle of the road parked up a hill? I'd just say, "Hey, it died, and we had 4 kids in the van". Easy as that.
I got Julie's car, drove it up the hill and Louis tried jumping off the van again. Nothing. It's still dark. We can hardly see and we are trying NOT to disturb the cabin that we are in front of. So his plan? He coasts it backwards down the hill to our cabin while I drive Julie's car down. I couldn't have ridden with him, nor coasted backwards like he did. He did, and I'm thankful God knew what He was doing when he paired us together. He knew how big of a chicken I was!!! We thanked God that the brakes worked!
So, Louis drove Julie's car to Wal-Mart to buy a new battery. I'm thankful that when Sam Walton's crew sat around that big table to discuss being open for 24 hours, they thought of people like us- preachers needing to get back for church who have car troubles the morning they leave. I'm also thankful for all the people who don't say to us, "Why in the world did you wait to leave Sunday morning?" Thank you and I call you people friends!
While Louis was gone, I sat in the car with my sleeping kiddos researching the van manual on how to remove a battery/install a new one and how to idle your vehicle in different ways so the computers, for lack of a better word, get rebooted. Louis returned within 45 minutes and started the process of putting in the new battery. He started the van, we waited a bit, and off we went. Finally! We were so glad we woke at 3!!!
We drive with NO problems until we get off the bypass in Livingston and turn onto 111 towards Byrdstown. At this point, we have about a 20- minute drive ahead of us to get to church. The gauges start going haywire, the automatic door locks start showing off all by themselves and the speedometer reads "0" mph_ and we are in motion. We press on until the engine finally shuts off as we approach the bridge over the lake at the entrance to Sunset Marina. We coast into the gravel on the side of the road. We are 2 minutes (by vehicle) from church. We basically got from Pigeon Forge to this point 2 minutes from church on the new battery and what power it had been given at the time it was manufactured. We later realized the alternator had gone out and so wasn't charging this new battery up at all. Talk about feeling like the Lord was with you!
A good Samaritan couple stop and jump us off and we got to church....by 8:30!!!! 30 minutes later than we planned to get there, but 30 minutes before Worship started. Louis got so many comments on how nice he looked that day. He did later tell them during the service that he actually got dressed on the side of the road as we waited with our dead van while Louis called a friends from church to come help us.
Louis was able to use the whole experience for his Children's Message. "You must be connected to the power source...and that's Jesus Christ. You can't rely on your own strength." Anyone who says that God doesn't give ministers the words they preach on sure hasn't left Pigeon Forge on a Sunday morning and had car trouble on the way to church! God gives the Word, and LEADS the way, caring for his children the whole time!
Louis had to preach this past Sunday, so we got up at 3 a.m. (our time) in Pigeon Forge to load 4 sleeping girls, their blankets, Pillow Pets, our cooler and food basket. The rest of our luggage and stuff was loaded the night before.
I put the cold stuff in the cooler, and do the final run around upstairs in our part of the cabin ( you know, the last check for a sock under the bed, etc.) Meanwhile, I hear him start the van. My confiscated loot included Louis' wallet, my cell phone charger, his tablet charger and our huge trash bag of dirty clothes. Goodness, I'm GLAD I made that "last check".
By the time I haul down the goods and take them out to the van, it's not running. Louis denied turning off the van. We knew we had a problem.
The problem actually began the night before. As we were leaving Dollywood (more on that later), the van started acting funny and the gas gauge was registering empty where it had just been 1/4 of a tank. We thought maybe the gas gauge had messed up and we were on the last drop of gas when we thought we had more. We stopped at Walgreens so I COULD ASK FOR DIRECTIONS to the nearest gas station and then to a Sam's Club so we could fill up with gas. We love our Sam's Card and cheap gas! Louis turned off the van as I walked in. Strike 1. There's ONE person working with a line of about 7 tourists. Not getting help anytime soon there. Strike 2. So I walk over to an Italian restaurant next door with a pit stop by the van to pick up Aliza who by this point needs to use the restroom. Nearest Sam's is in Knoxville. Strike 3. At least I know where the nearest gas station is though. The van s-p-p-p-u-u-u-ttttters and won't start. 3 strikes, we're out. Thank goodness for Redbox on the Walgreens sidewalk. Louis walks up to the couple checking out movies to see if they can jump start the van. Score. We make it to the gas station and fill up. We make it back to the cabin while the van still acts kind of funky.
Back to Sunday morning, it's nearly 4 a.m. and the van has shut off. I have to go wake up my poor sister to get her keys so we can jump off the van. It works, so I run the keys back in, hop in the van and off we go up this huge hill to get out of the cul de sac where the cabin sits.
Halfway up, the van dies. So Louis and I exchange opinions. He's rational, I'm not. I adamantly threw a tantrum saying something like, "We are leaving this van here, taking our girls back to bed and you can steal Julie's car and drive it to Byrdstown. Dad and I can get the van looked at and drive Julie to Cookeville to meet you to get her car back". Those may not have been my exact words, but the tantrum was accurate. It's a wonder they let pregnant women out at all!
Louis reminded me that the van was parked (love those emergency brakes) halfway up a hill in the middle of the road. "They can drive around it" I said. I WASN'T GETTING BACK IN THAT VAN!! Louis pleaded with me to try to jump it off again. I walk down the hill (highly put out that my idea of leaving the van sit where it was didn't win out.) I mean who is going to hit a huge red van, nor care if it's sitting in the middle of the road parked up a hill? I'd just say, "Hey, it died, and we had 4 kids in the van". Easy as that.
I got Julie's car, drove it up the hill and Louis tried jumping off the van again. Nothing. It's still dark. We can hardly see and we are trying NOT to disturb the cabin that we are in front of. So his plan? He coasts it backwards down the hill to our cabin while I drive Julie's car down. I couldn't have ridden with him, nor coasted backwards like he did. He did, and I'm thankful God knew what He was doing when he paired us together. He knew how big of a chicken I was!!! We thanked God that the brakes worked!
So, Louis drove Julie's car to Wal-Mart to buy a new battery. I'm thankful that when Sam Walton's crew sat around that big table to discuss being open for 24 hours, they thought of people like us- preachers needing to get back for church who have car troubles the morning they leave. I'm also thankful for all the people who don't say to us, "Why in the world did you wait to leave Sunday morning?" Thank you and I call you people friends!
While Louis was gone, I sat in the car with my sleeping kiddos researching the van manual on how to remove a battery/install a new one and how to idle your vehicle in different ways so the computers, for lack of a better word, get rebooted. Louis returned within 45 minutes and started the process of putting in the new battery. He started the van, we waited a bit, and off we went. Finally! We were so glad we woke at 3!!!
We drive with NO problems until we get off the bypass in Livingston and turn onto 111 towards Byrdstown. At this point, we have about a 20- minute drive ahead of us to get to church. The gauges start going haywire, the automatic door locks start showing off all by themselves and the speedometer reads "0" mph_ and we are in motion. We press on until the engine finally shuts off as we approach the bridge over the lake at the entrance to Sunset Marina. We coast into the gravel on the side of the road. We are 2 minutes (by vehicle) from church. We basically got from Pigeon Forge to this point 2 minutes from church on the new battery and what power it had been given at the time it was manufactured. We later realized the alternator had gone out and so wasn't charging this new battery up at all. Talk about feeling like the Lord was with you!
A good Samaritan couple stop and jump us off and we got to church....by 8:30!!!! 30 minutes later than we planned to get there, but 30 minutes before Worship started. Louis got so many comments on how nice he looked that day. He did later tell them during the service that he actually got dressed on the side of the road as we waited with our dead van while Louis called a friends from church to come help us.
Louis was able to use the whole experience for his Children's Message. "You must be connected to the power source...and that's Jesus Christ. You can't rely on your own strength." Anyone who says that God doesn't give ministers the words they preach on sure hasn't left Pigeon Forge on a Sunday morning and had car trouble on the way to church! God gives the Word, and LEADS the way, caring for his children the whole time!
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Monkey see, Monkey Do
I just put on Toy Story 2 for Adalyn. We're sitting here in bed
together as she's watching.
Have you ever noticed the cute little desk lamp that takes the place of the "I" in "PIXAR" introducing the start of the movie?
I've never paid much attention to it, either...
...until Adalyn stands up, starts jumping and giggling as she's watching the TV.
I look over at the TV, and see Cute Little Desk Lamp jumping in place making the cutest little bouncing noises.
When Little Desk Lamp is done jumping, so is Adalyn. She plunges back down into her spot covering up to watch the movie.
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Love notes
Our girls have gotten pretty sweet about writing us little notes and leaving them for either me or Louis. Last night, Louis was gone with a church member and as we were getting into bed, Abigail wrote him a note, "For you Dad", and another one, "I love you" and left it next to a big glass of sweet tea for him. She turned on the porch light for him, left the door unlocked, and I turned out the main kitchen light (we always leave on the low stove light).
She pleaded we leave it on, "So Daddy can find his tea when he gets home".
She pleaded we leave it on, "So Daddy can find his tea when he gets home".
This morning, Anna has this waiting for me:
Oats, butter, cinnamon, and later we added the brown sugar to the countertop mix, which was new and wasn't where we normally keep it so she couldn't find it to set it out. Do you see the little sticky note attached to the oatmeal container? It says, "Please Mommy".
Doesn't her face and folded hands look like a convincing request is being made?
So then she asked that I sit down on the couch, as she got everything started (I could get used to this). I showed her how to figure out which burner to turn on, and it's getting ready as I type!
On Valentine's Day, Louis wrote me a note with dry erase marker
on our bathroom mirror.
on our bathroom mirror.
It was sweeter than chocolate.
I'm loving these love notes.
Friday, April 6, 2012
Dead battery
Well, another thing Louis would do is jump off a car battery. The Lord is teaching me to be more independent, I just KNOW it! The propane guy came to haul away the tank today, and asked me to move the blue van so he could get his truck in there. Sure! I go out to start it, and nothing. DEAD!
So I think, "When's the last time I drove it?"
Oh. it was last Friday...
...when I moved it from the driveway to the water hose so we could wash both vehicles. I parked it back on the driveway just in time for it to get rained on.
So I am the last one who used it...and I probably didn't get the door closed all the way. Just another one of my contributions to making Louis feel like he's needed. See, I did it for him.
In my defense, my brain probably wasn't functioning completely at the time I didn't get the door sealed shut. Afterall, Louis reminds me that while pregnant, my brain shrinks 3-5%. That's love. He's really just reminding me that it's not all my fault.
Now this:
it's what happened while I was caring for our patient the DAY BEFORE we washed the vehicles.
Yes, our little zebra used a big, fat, permanent marker.
So in my mad dash to park the vans back, before the rain came, and to BE SURE no one was getting into mischief while I was doing so...I didn't seal the door completely.
Now see- that changes everything, doesn't it?
Yes, our little zebra used a big, fat, permanent marker.
So in my mad dash to park the vans back, before the rain came, and to BE SURE no one was getting into mischief while I was doing so...I didn't seal the door completely.
Now see- that changes everything, doesn't it?
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
There's this guy...
...who does a lot more around here than I realize, like:
- mowing the lawn.
- taking out the trash.
- hauling off the garbage to the dump.
- making sure all the lights are always turned off in rooms we aren't in.
- going around and checking all the doors to be sure they are locked before bedtime.
- killing a spider crawling on the ceiling.
- catching a toddler from falling off the barstool, and then lifting her back up to sit again.
- getting glue traps disposed of when they have 2 salamanders stuck to them in the basement (I have allowed a mouse to have free reign because I can't even bring myself to set out a glue trap to catch the crazy thing. WHO WOULD THROW THAT LIVE SQUIRMY MOUSE STUCK TO A GLUE TRAP AWAY? "Not I", said the scaredy cat.
- tickling, and letting the girls climb all over him right before bedtime, which always seems to make sleep come sooner!
- making his own bowls of cereal and getting his own drinks. You'll never believe how many times I've checked on this poor guy and offered to fix him something then got distracted by one of the girls needing something, and forgot all about what I was supposed to do for our patient.
- unloading all the groceries from the car.
- filling up the gas tank. I guess I'm just spoiled, but Louis ALWAYS pumps the gas.
- driving out to pick up whatever is needed if I'm in my pjs (which is 75% of the time).
- driving out to get dinner if there's a hankering for something specific (like the cheeseburgers tonight).
- running downstairs to check on crying (sister mediation v. an accident).
- just being an extra set of hands, feet, eyes, muscles, etc.
- To those who don't know, Louis had back surgery Wednesday. He can't drive, do steps, reach too high, twist his back, lift more than a gallon of milk, and can't really get in and out of bed on his own without feeling pain. Most importantly though, he can't bend down to pick up a glue trap to throw it out for me.
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