Tuesday, February 26, 2008

besotted!

I'm so excited to go see the new movie "The Other Boleyn Girl" this weekend! Once I saw the preview, I ran out to get the book and read all 661 pages as fast as I could, which ended up being 4 days! This is amazing for me because 1. I NEVER read novels, much less books in general. I don't have the attention span (I prefer shorter things like mags or poetry), or time and am constantly distracted by the boys and 2. I generally would just as well see the movie coming out, than take the trouble to read a book that's going to be different anyways. Both awful reasons, I know, but I think I turned over a new leaf with this book b/c I had just finished "Mirror, Mirror" before it and while I was buying "The Other Boleyn Girl" I bought a few others I was interested in as well, including "Atonement", which I also haven't seen yet. Ugh, I'm changing. :)

It's just so strange to me because I have never been in a book club, or really desired to be, other than the fun of being included, and really never understood what everyone was getting so excited about. Turns out, I just hadn't found a book that got me excited. :) Plus, (as awful as this is going to sound) I don't like using my imagination to create what the people in the books looked like or how they acted because I think my perception is going to be less than what the author had in mind or what a brilliant Hollywood team could create on film. (perfectionism, I know).

Anyway, now I see how fun it can be to see if your perception of the book is going to be anything like the movie, although I'm promising not to be disappointed like so many people get if it's very different b/c all perceptions are valid right? I'll let you know when I've seen the movie. :) Plus, I guess it's also fun to be pulled into another world going on at the same time as the present world you live in. It's fun to escape to that world and get involved in the lives of the characters. I guess I just need to look harder for books I'm really interested in.

All this time, I thought I didn't like to read books, I guess it turns out I was just picky. :)

Monday, February 25, 2008

tired and thankful

what a loooong day .... I think it started over the weekend as one long day led to another and I never seemed to catch up on sleep. Then Sunday night after the exhaustion had built up and cumulated in one last hurrah at a friend's birthday party, we all came home and crashed. The boys were in bed by 7 and the adults were soon to follow by 8.

However, the promise of a long, good night's sleep soon faded when Ben started coughing again. It was waking him up in tears and he was crying for us. It was breaking my heart so I decided that he should sleep with me all night so I could prop him up in my arms. Of course, Charley was lonely by himself so he got permission to climb in bed on daddy's side. So we all finished the movie "No Reservations" at around 8:30 and went to bed. (cute movie by the way) I woke up at 10 and decided that since Ben hadn't been coughing, maybe he would do alright in his bed. So I took both boys back to their own beds. I'm not sure how much later it was, maybe 11, Ben woke up coughing and crying for us again. Ok, good night's sleep out the window. :) Sometime later, Charley woke up and realized he was all alone again (I'm not sure how, since it's really dark in their room, maybe he just remembered that he started out in our bed and wanted to come back, who knows) so he came back in around midnight. ugh, however, this is part of the reason we sprung for a King size bed and it was kind of fun.

The rest of the night was filled with Ben squirming, tossing and turning towards me and almost pushing me off the edge of the pillow and the bed. I didn't want to move him around too much when he did this b/c at least he wasn't coughing and at least he was getting some much needed sleep. But, I finally had to move him a few times just so I could get comfortable. My arms were so stiff and I was in and out of sleep the whole night. I remember my dream however, so I know I slept some.

This morning was difficult though and since I'm not a morning person anyway .... well, it wasn't pretty. I decided it was time that we go back to the Dr. Ben was tugging at his ears again (even though we had just finished our Amoxicillian for an ear infection (his first ever) a few days earlier) and his cough sounded awful. Charley had been coughing also and upon hearing all sorts of stories of illness and nebulizers etc at church the previous morning, I had heard enough and decided to act sooner than later. It's odd though, b/c they don't seem sick, just recovering, who knows.

Anyway, I'm posting this whole thing, just to say how grateful and thankful I am that God, in His providence, allowed me to get two back to back appointments with the same doctor for the boys, early this morning. Not only that, but it was during a time that Will just happened to have off between his own doctors appointments for general check-ups, so he was able to come over and help me with the boys (in one tiny room) while they were being seen.

The final verdict, Charley is fine and was prescribed Sudafed and Robitussin DM for congestion and coughing which I already had been, and will continue to administer on as "as needed" basis. Ben still has a yucky ear infection and was prescribed a stronger antibiotic to fight it. This might concern me if he had taken many antibiotics before, but since this is his first time to ever take one, I don't think there's a big chance of him developing an immunity to it, I just think that's how bad the infection is (even though we caught it pretty early). Plus, it's not like I have a choice, if you let things like ear infections go, it could affect their hearing permanently. Also,

Ben was prescribed Robitussin which I wouldn't have given him before b/c there are no cough syrups with dosages for kids under 2 anymore, but I got the correct dosage from the doc (1/2 t every 8 hours) and it doesn't have the ingredient, Dextramethorphin, which helps but is too strong for a child under 2. All of this, I wouldn't have known if I hadn't gone ahead and taken him in. And since the humidifier and juice w/ lemon weren't working as home remedies, I really needed something for the poor kid. I was about to try herbal stuff like echinacea and licorice and there's no herbal place around here (I don't think) and try to figure out how to get that into him to stop the cough, who knows if it would have worked or not, or how I was supposed to give it to him. (grind it up and put it in his juice I guess?).

Anyway, he's still coughing a little, but it doesn't sound as constant or as bad as last night, so I hope I'm in store for a good night's sleep, if I can finally get into bed. :) At least his lungs are clear so no nebulizers for us yet thankfully, and he's still laughing and playing and acting like his usual cheerful self. so cute!

Sunday, February 24, 2008

poetry, finally

Ok, I finally posted a new poem. I was on the way to a baby shower yesterday and while I drove through our newly come icy-land formerly known as RI, fun phrases and lines kept coming into my head. So I cautiously wrote them down and tried a little rhyming, a little alliteration, whatever I seemed to feel and called it a poem. It's not a masterpiece, but some just-for-fun phrases that I hope will get me started and working at developing things. As always, ideas and thoughts are always welcome. :) Thanks for reading.

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Total eclipse of the moon


Hey, it's not too late, go watch the lunar eclipse. It's about 2/3 done out here on the far East coast, but central time should be beginning ... soon, it almost has a hint of pink! So cool! The next time will be 2010. So pretty.

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

so cool

Yesterday, I got the chance to play volleyball with some officers at the Navy gym who get together every T/R. Random people show up each time ... this time, I ended up on a court with officers from Tunisia, Jordan, Uruguay, Ukraine, and France. THAT is amazing to me! To know that they come from such different countries and yet we can all be on one court, playing together. I mean, in some countries, they would never be playing sports with a woman, but we all had a great time cheering each other on and consoling each other when we failed. At one point in the game, the officer from Ukraine hugged the officer from Jordan. I never thought I'd see that random mix.

This base (Naval Station Newport) in general, and the Naval War College specifically, is such a neat place to be a part of. At Will's graduation last year, it was so cool to see all the different clothing and dresses from all over the world. The African headdresses were amazing and colorful, the middle eastern and far eastern dress was exotic and made with delicate fabrics that rippled as they walked, they all looked so unique and amazing. It almost made me laugh that I wear jeans and t-shirts on most days and even when I dress up, it's all cotton. :)

Monday, February 11, 2008

cool feelings

I know this is going to sound like Jack Handy's "Deep Thoughts" on SNL ("the face of a child can say a lot ... especially the mouth part of the face" LOL) but if there are any H-town 104 KRBE listeners out there, hopefully they'll remember when Psycho Robbie did his morning "cool feelings" back in the 90's. They were a little more goofy and a little less serious than mine, but non the less these are some cool feelings from my day ...

... when ... I'm reading to my children while they're in my lap, and I can smell my husband's aftershave scent on the back their heads from when he was holding them and reading to them ... it reminds me that I have a husband who loves my children and spends time with them, that's a cool feeling.

... when ... I'm doing chores and I hear my son singing "Awesome God" to himself in the next room, that's a cool feeling.

more to come ...

Wednesday, February 06, 2008

some thoughts

Many prayers go out tonight for one of my friends, and especially for her father who is fighting cancer. I wish I could be near her in person to just hug her. Please pray for them with me.

Along the same lines ... I randomly visited Beth Moore's blog and read responses to some tough questions she was asking as research for a project she's working on ... so many hurting people ... so many things happening ... to all of us, at different times. I could identify with some of them at different times in my life via struggles I have met and overcome and other issues I am still wading through. Typical of my personality, I wanted to make a list of all of them and sort them by 1. issues I deal with rarely 2. issues I deal with every so often 3. issues I deal with daily. I wanted to make myself aware of them, that they exist or have existed, and then begin trying to purposefully work on some of them beginning with releasing any fear or self doubt and finding strength in Christ to help me deal with these things. just a thought.

And on what seems like the other side of the world ... here's a story in my children's very young life that I want to remember later on ... sometimes when Charley is thinking about doing or has done something mischievous, but funny, like finding a creative way to disobey that doesn't really break the rules, but that he knows is still wrong ... I'll be smiling at him while putting him in time out or telling him to stop, and he'll look at me with a smile and say, "Mommy do you love me?" and I always say, "Yes, Charley, I love you so much." It's like a script every time. Then he runs over and gives me a big hug and a kiss. aaaahhh and he only asks this when he's doing something wrong. Sometimes his questions is also followed by, "even though I'm being a bad boy?" I love that he is establishing the understanding now for the kind of unconditional love I have for him, and am trying to explain that God has for him. My answer to him when discussing why God still loves him is along the lines of "because He made you and you're special to Him." Other times it gets into Jesus dying for his sins. I wish I could get inside of his head to know what he thinks or understands about this concept, but I can't and have no idea since I know he can't understand yet. However, he loves the Easter story and I know that it will click someday.

Oh that we would always accept that we are loved by God unconditionally, even when we aren't able to love each other that way at all times ... even when we feel ugly, stupid, sinful, failing and so many other things that would keep us far from God. But in truth, we're white as snow as children of God. God's children are innocent in His eyes because of Jesus' sacrifice for us. Praise be to a God that would lovingly pay our way and long for us to be near Him.

Tuesday, February 05, 2008

go to the polls ...

Today is Super Tuesday!! ooh so exciting. Why don't they call it Terrific Tuesday? I'm not quite sure why, b/c I'm not particularly interested in one candidate over another. I think I'm more excited about the process and what it's leading up to ... election day.

That's the day I pull out my map of the U.S. and color in the states red and blue as the results come in. (which I'd be happy to post a copy of in a PDF version for your kids to use on election night and learn something). It's my own version of the Super Bowl, but a little slower. Seriously, I make a white cake with a fruit flag on top (red strawberries with white icing are the stripes and blueberries are the well blue part) and have chips and dip, the whole nine yards.

Even though I know that our election process (and governmental rule) isn't perfect (i.e. the DNC deciding not to hold primaries in Michigan simply b/c the state moved up their primary date and ticked off the DNC ; therefore, citizens of that state don't get a say in the Democratic nominee) ... despite that, I still am excited to live in a Representative Republic where we can pretty much say and do whatever we want (unless we're on government owned property in which case we dare not mention the Christian God). Honestly though, it seems like almost anything is up for grabs for those who choose to get involved and change it. I guess that's why I sometimes get tired of Christians complaining about the unfairness of this or that when they haven't written a single letter to their representative, or run for school counsel. I know I know, there are too many sides to discuss and too little space and time, and I'm done now. But if you can, GO VOTE! :) (then tell me who you voted for and why so I can decide for myself amongst our dismal choices this year.)

So I've narrowed it down a little to three possibilities:

McCain: who temperament scares me, but who I hope can be balanced out and kept in check by a sturdy Congress, VP or cabinet.

Obama: who liberalism and lack of moral backbone scares me, but who I believe might be able to change things (even if they're for the worse) to get this country thinking outside the box a little more, and here's hoping he'd only serve one term. I'm glad he doesn't have a lot of experience, I think that will help and it might get him to investigate things a lot more than someone who thinks they already know it all. I don't know if this might come up if he were president, but it really bothers me that he is in favor of late term abortion. (abortion at all, but late term? (meaning up until the baby comes out) especially when so many are born perfectly fine so much earlier. it's disgusting to me that a perfectly viable, healthy baby doesn't have rights in his book simply because it's temporarily living in a uterus. mother's rights? it's a privilege to carry a child, not a matter of rights. sorry, sidebar, I'm done)

Huckabee: I really like his ideas, but he just doesn't seem very "presidential". He was governor of Arkansas though so he's got credentials. I also don't like the label he has of being the "Southern Baptist Preacher" candidate. I don't know if he gave himself that label or if it was given to him, but that, to me, is not a platform. He won't be running a church or shepherding a flock, he'll be presiding over a country and dealing with other countries. I'm sure many comparisons can be made between being a pastor and a president, but he just doesn't strike me as tough Washington material. However, he's still on the ballot for me. He strikes me as the Republican version of Obama in the sense that he has some pretty radical ideas for change and little experience. That could be completely off. I've missed the last couple of debates. I need to hear more. We'll see.

Please feel free to post your opinions and thoughts. I'm not looking for a political debate, just ideas, concerns, etc. Thanks!

That reminds me, I need to let TX know where to send my ballot in November since I probably won't be in my district on election day.

Monday, February 04, 2008

"See, God?"

Sorry to all our faithful Patriot neighbors today :( What a crazy game!

I'm sick again, (as of last night) this time it's a head cold instead of chest. hmmm time to go to the doctor? not sure, since it's not a bacterial infection, just a virus he can't treat anyway. we'll see. Bad news is that Charley finally got a little cold too. He's on occasional Tylonol and Sudafed so he can breath and so it doesn't get worse and turn into a nasal infection. He's been getting gradually stuffier for the last week. It's weird how his symptoms are never as bad as mine and he doesn't act like he's miserable at all. Maybe his body fights things differently or something. Ben had a little runny nose but is still in the clear as far as a cold.

Charley was praying for dinner last night ... "God would you help the blister on my leg feel better? because I have a a blister, see?" and he proceeded to pull up his pants leg to show God. Too cute. I love how close he imagines God is to him. I really don't know what or who he thinks God is, but he at least thinks that God can see and hear him. We talk regularly about the idea that if Charley ever has a problem or is afraid, the first thing he should do is pray to God to ask for help so it's fun to see him actually trying to do this.