Refresh. Regrow. Renew.

This is the annual Thanksgiving dance by our one and only superhero - WeatherGirl.

Yesterday was the Sweetest Day; at least it was supposed to be. It is a day to share happiness with those you love or anyone who is in need of some cheer and occurs the third Saturday of October (click for more information). All three of my children celebrate their birthday at the end of October and beginning of November. Don't ask me how I did it - God hasn't told me yet. When I first learned of The Sweetest Day I just knew it was the perfect day for their party. I love to see them so happy at their party and I love to see all of their friends happy also. It warms my heart. Last year, their party was wonderful with beautiful weather and everyone so happy. This year, I planned again for the Sweetest Day for their party. It was a sweet day, just not the one I planned for. My oldest woke during the night with a stomach bug and we had to postpone the party. I spent the morning tending my daughter, contacting party guests and running to the store for crackers, soup and sprite. I was so sad for them having to wait another week for their party but they ended up amazing me. My daughter told me that she felt so bad because I had worked so hard planning everything. I was dumbstruck! She noticed something I do for her and I was so proud of her for that. I do work hard but I love it and do it for them so I don't care and I am so happy she knows. It makes it all worth it! My son also surprised me. When I told him that we had to move the party, he just shrugged his shoulders, smiled at me and said, "okay, Mommy." I kept waiting for him to get upset and throw a fit but he just looked at the calender and counted the days to the new party. I wanted to give my children the sweetest day, instead they gave it to me. I am so very grateful to have such wonderful children. By the way, many of our friends that were unable to come to our party are now able to make it. Our party may not be on the official Sweetest Day but I have a feeling that it still will be the sweetest day for us.

Today's video lesson will demonstrate the proper way to enter and operate a motor vehicle.

There is something about the first cold front of the season that fills me with indescribable joy and peace. I just want to skip through the daisies, run through the meadows and take a nap with a tree.

I had one of those sweet moments the other night that I will always remember. The children were already off to dreamland and I was working on bills when I heard this huge thump that sent me leaping out of my chair and over the dog. As I look to the source of the noise, my heart jumps for joy at the most beautiful moth that has ever visited me at my home. Her wingspan was almost as large as my hand with the prettiest color of yellow wings. So I did what any responsible parent would do and ran quickly to wake my oldest daughter who was a butterfly lover also. We watched the sweet moth as she flew frantically trying to find a dry spot to rest and we giggled every time she came near to us. After a few minutes, she found a place to land so we said good night and went back inside when there was another loud thump. We look expecting to see our yellow-winged friend only to see another moth the same size only with red wings. So again we venture out and giggle some more. They were both so pretty and fun to watch. My daughter named the yellow one, Butter Flutter and the red one, Apple Tapper. She went to bed that night with sweet dreams of moths fluttering through the night sky and I went back to my bills with a happy heart.

Butter Flutter

Apple Tapper

Its been a lousy month but it has also been wonderful. Lousy really isn't the best word to describe it though, crappy and shitty describe it better. It started with a very sweet woman who apparently forgot how navigate roads. She stopped in our own lane, for no reason I can ascertain, causing me to run into her. I take full responsibility for it but I do wonder what caused her to stop. A prancing pony perhaps. Or maybe she was making shapes out of the clouds. Thankfully, it was only a minor accident but my daughter was injured in the accident as well as my radiator. Both have healed but not the guilt that plagues me. It is hard to see her wound and know that it is my fault but I try to see beyond that because I know that it could happen to anyone.

So for the last month I have been without a car leaving me stuck at home with three very restless children. My sanity has wavered more than once but I am still holding strong. There have been other but more mild reasons for the crappy month that I have experienced. Since the accident, we have had five colds, 3 fevers, 2 broken doors, 3 leaks, an injured dog, one pair of broken glasses, a stomach virus that we all caught, an ear infection and other events that for obvious reasons I have blocked out. Not to mention that finances are still low, uncomfortably so.

All of these things taught me something very wonderful though. Life does not need my help to move faster and it is time to slow down. We have been playing games, finishing up with our school, making crafts, baking sweet treats and just having fun at home. I am actually getting caught up with many tasks I have been putting off. Writing is also coming back into my life, slowly but at least I can do it now. For all the struggles that we have been through this month, life is really good and we are happy.

Deepak Chopra said, "All great changes are preceded by chaos." I saw this on face book while writing this post and thought in fitting considering the chaos that has been my life. Great changes on the way.

Letters are amazing little things. They make such interesting sounds all alone or with a little company. Who knew that one day I would wish for some q, r, s and maybe some th, nb and a little tch. Without them books would have no meaning and pencils everywhere would cease to exist. Wonderful little letters . . . how I love you!

A true account of my journey into the wild of suburbia.

In between play dates today, I took the kids to a new park (new to us that is) and we spread out the blanket, had a picnic and read stories. It was a beautiful little park with a small meadow, a playground and a tiny pond. The kids asked if they could walk to the pond by themselves so I said sure. They waved sweetly from the other side of the pond as I watched my baby sleeping and the gentle clouds drifting by, taking on the shapes of various animals. On their way back, they were looking at the forested area when Benny decides to throw his favorite stuffed toy, Lizzie the Lizard, into the forest. I knew something was wrong by their urgent running, so after they explained what happened and where they thought it might be, I began the rescue mission. For an hour, I searched through branches, trees, spiderwebs and even came across two dead animals but no Lizzie. Lizzie quickly became the frightened lizard that I just had to find to that stupid toy I wanted to throw into the pond. I had hair sticking out everywhere, leaves and twigs were stuck in my ponytail and bugs were crawling down my back. In the end we had to say our goodbyes to Lizzie the lizard and I prayed that God would take good care of her by giving her to a small animal to rip apart and use for a warm nest. See you later, Lizzie!

You will find them masquerading as harmless little children. They wear their pretty dresses and pigtails then snicker with all the other little girls so we won't know. They put on their Spider man pajamas and give you kisses hiding their messy little secret. But as soon as it starts to sprinkle, their disguises melt away to reveal the filth of the MUD MONSTERS! If you are quiet (and have all your shots) you can sometimes get some pictures of them but be careful or they may just throw a mud ball at you. So be wary of those innocent children smiling a little too much, they could be a little muddy.

So many things to say but no time to play here on my happy blog. Maybe soon.

Its amazing how I have forgotten the time and energy a baby can take. I have 'known' that once my angel was born and I had recovered that I would jump back to the blogging world which I love and grants me some sanity. That has sadly not been the case. She is absolutely the most wonderful baby anyone could ask for but she takes so much of me and I am left exhausted but still so happy. I'm sure the blogging world can do without me for a time but I still want to visit and eventually move back here. Until then I am posting my partially finished posts that I have started over the last couple of months and hope that it will sustain me while I adjust to my new schedule.

These are incomplete as far as writing is concerned but the general ideas are present.

Mixed Emotions

We all love our children unconditionally . . . I just wished that I could always like them as well.


Surprise!

There were many things about having my third child that took us all by surprise. So naturally, I feel compelled to write them all down so they do not get sucked into oblivion like so many other memories.

Get Back, Kat!

The last year I have been lost in the discomforts of pregnancy but now I finally feel like I am getting back to where I once belonged. Instead of nausea, I am happily eating. Instead of shortness of breathe, I am taking in comfortable and glorious air. Instead of fatigue, I am . . . feeling exhausted but I still feel better now than before.

Now I get to experience the other side of pregnancy, which is life with a newborn and two rowdy, fighting kids. I am happy, excited, frustrated, irritated and sleepy all within a few minutes, then I repeat not always in that order but all symptoms are all present. I love my sweet baby, my rowdy boy and my head strong girl but I am already looking forward to time spent without all of them needing me simultaneously. How do you nurse a baby, break up a fight, find a missing sock while cooking a healthy meal? The answer is that you don't and you have to be okay with that.



Hard to Be Me

There are many days that it is so hard to be me. I want to jump out and say, ' This is Me and I am really okay!' but I am too worried of what others may think. I never want to return to my old habits but my friends in the drug and alcohol world were almost easier to be with. I knew that no matter how weird I was that they would thrive on it instead of looking at me like I was insane. But I am insane at times. I try to keep this side of me hidden as much as possible so that no one will see the real me. Is that what God wants for me? To stay hidden and worry about what others may think. I don't think so. He wants me to be who he created - someone who loves to help others, loves to listen to rock music too loud and enjoys reading about serial killers.


Most of my life lessons have been taught by those who are less than reliable. I need to be someone who lets others help and teach me about all the things that were not taught to me when I was younger. Someone who is willing to learn from those much younger but who have so much more experience in what it means to be a Christian and a follower of Jesus.