News You Can't Use

Yesterday after church I started coming down with some kind of bug. Actually, for 2 days prior I'd been feeling a bit "off", but figured it was because I hadn't been sleeping well again. So, I'm just starting to feel better...sigh.

Here is the "Neighborhood News" from the past week:

**Nattie had her first club basketball game last Thursday night. They played 2 really tough teams. They're 8th graders, and boy, a year makes a difference. Not only that, but these girls have been playing a lot longer. The girls didn't seem too discouraged until the last game, when they were exhausted and way behind in points. It was a good experience for them, but they played harder than they've ever had to and it was tough out there. Nattie scored in the first game, which gave her lots of confidence!

**Patty came up from Vicksburg on Saturday to attend a crop with me. I was glad, because no one else I invited showed up, as usual!! There were a few other people there, none of which I knew, but they were a fun group and they encouraged me to come back. We actually went in early so we could scrap longer, and it worked out well. We made a mid-day run to JoAnn's for supplies. So, I have resolved the fact that no one wants to scrapbook (except for Jenn, who had plans that day), so I will just do it with this group as long as they plan them. I guess that's the best way to find people to scrap with, right? I guess you can tell I'm tired of begging.

**On more important fronts, my dad got his 5 year cancer free bill of health today!! Praise the Lord for his healing! Today is my parents' anniversary (42 years!) as well. It sure is a better anniversary gift than the bad news they received on this day back in '05. It was the first Thanksgiving that we weren't together. Mom and I spent Thanksgiving in the hospital with my dad. Since we knew all of the tumor had been removed and no other cancer was found, it was the best cafeteria meal we'd ever shared!! A party is being planned in his honor!

**Sophie's health has improved!! She is back to her sneaky self, but still needing a bit of assistance. She has some challenges, for sure, but she seems happy and pain free. As long as that remains, so will she. I have a heart for all animals, and the biggest reason is that they are such a source of unconditional love. There is nothing I can do to change her affection for me!

**I worked Children's Church on Sunday, and although I was feeling a bit "off", I thoroughly enjoyed it. I keep wondering if God wants me to do something with kids, as being with kids makes me happier than anything else! Before my health started to bug me back in May, I had planned on doing some babysitting here at home. I have a heart for kids too for the same reason as animals. They love you no matter what!! Since having babies isn't going to happen, I suppose I'll have to love everyone else's babies! Not a problem.

**About 7-10 deer are visiting us every day. Mostly does and young ones. They were sparring a bit the other day. I wish we could feed them again. I used to love watching them come in to eat every night. We've had about 27 turkey hens coming as well. One day I looked out and they had invaded the swing set. Three on top, 2 on the sides, and 3 in the sand box. Then one hen dropped from the top of the swing set into the trampoline and couldn't get out. Steve was on his way to Detroit, so I called to ask him how to get a turkey out of the trampoline. After he stopped laughing.....actually, I just walked out on the deck and she flew back out. They really are comical to watch. It's really fun to watch the squirrels crawling in and out of the pumpkins on the deck. You really can't beat this kind of entertainment, ya know? I love living the wild life!

**This week we have PT conferences, Physical therapy (Natalie's OTHER knee is acting up now!), practice, 2 games, 3 birthdays....the list goes on.

**I witnessed a beautiful thing tonight. As I was not feeling well and my medicine hadn't started working yet, I was just sitting in the living room quietly. Natalie started playing "I wanna Hold Your Hand" on guitar, and Serena started singing the lyrics. I'm not sure what blessed me more, the fact that they have a natural knack for music (something I've always hoped for), or if it was the way they were making such beautiful music together as sisters. They are so close and good to each other most of the time. (something else I'd always hoped for). When people say God will give you the things you lacked, they're not kidding. I may not have gotten them when I asked, or even when I thought it was time, but God has given me these things through others, and I see it in my girls all the time.

And THAT is news you can USE!!

Don't Call Me!

Everyone who knows me knows my disdain of all things political. So, you probably would guess my annoyance level at election time! This time was no different, of course, with more smear ads, excessive phone calls all day, and signs blocking my vision at corners. If I hated politics then, none of those things won me over this time either. I'd rather have my teeth drilled without novacaine. Yes, really!!

I respect reality and truth, and find that politics is the direct opposite. Before you tell me who your favorite is and why they are so not like that, know that I will be rolling my eyes inside. Sorry. It's just that annoying for me. As I get older, I tolerate it less and less. Everyone has an agenda, and some stop at nothing to get it. Some are more concerned about winning than working. Some blow so much money on campaigns, it just makes me wonder just how many sick children or starving people that money could have served. Self-serving yes men and women. Ugh!! And they wonder why voter apathy exists.

Okay, enough of my own smear campaign. At least where that topic is concerned anyway. For several weeks, we were subjected to harassing phone calls by people with thick accents. They called at least 4 times a day, asking for a person who we don't even know. When I would tell them they had the wrong number, they'd hang up abruptly. However, if I let the machine pick up, they left names, numbers, and a message about a "package" or a "check" to pick up. I googled all the numbers and found that a few of them were reported by other people who were getting harassed as well. One of them was asked for money! I was extremely frustrated to say the least. I was so angry by their intrusion that I decided I was going to blow a whistle into the phone. I never got the chance. They stopped calling. We were so relieved, and I hope they don't call back again. This was going on at the same time as all the political phone calls. Talk about your acid tests. Yikes. I'm keeping my whistle by the phone, by the way.

I'm A "Working Mom" Too!

Oh, I heard that famous comment the other day....someone was telling me something (so vague, but it must be this way), and I heard those words, "Yeah, but I'M a WORKING mom." Well, I wonder what that makes me??

This mom runs her kids to school and home, to practices, friend's houses, events, church functions, doctor's appointments, and the like. I don't have a babysitter, launderess, cook, gardener, personal shopper, or driver. Because I don't have an outside job, people assume I have all kinds of time to do whatever I want! I stare at the same walls pretty much all the time. I have very little interaction with friends,as they have made the choice to go to work. So, it makes for a pretty uneventful life at times. I can only do so much cooking, baking, and cleaning before I totally forget what else I enjoy doing. Right now my life is about being a wife and a mom.

We live on one income. That's a job in itself! Trying to manage raising 2 kids and give them the best of two parents means certain things are not in my vocabulary. Most of those things are anything personal, such as nice new jeans, pretty highlights in my hair, or perfume. I have tremendous guilt about buying something for myself when I know my kids need something too. My mom was the best teacher of this concept. I dressed as cute as a bug, while my mom did not most of the time. She didn't begrudge that at all. I feel bad about it, of course, but I know exactly what she means. It's not that they have to have everything, I just don't want to get it first.

Now, before the term "martyr mom" comes into your mind, that's not me. This is my choice, to work at home, raising my family and taking care of my home. When Steve travels, I am here. We make a point to put personal activities aside in order to make memories with our kids. It's not always easy to do that. But what I've learned about this choice of mine is that none of it is about me. It's all about them and what I want for them one day.

My mom regrets being a working mom. She regrets not having quality time with me. Not only was she a working mom, but she had 3 other kids,sometimes 4, and trust me, it wasn't easy for her. While money was her reason for working, I think now she has a different perspective altogether, and she is my biggest encourager to stay home and keep it up. She knows that self-worth can sometimes get lost in parenting, that some women find it at work. Some women feed off their careers and feel nothing without them. Some work to get away from the kids! Some want to drive ridiculously expensive cars, and so quitting isn't an option. Unless you put it in perspective.

So, I'm not a working mom?? Oh, yes, dearie, I AM. Just like you.