Monday, October 27, 2008

Small World

No kidding, the hostess of the Halloween party in middle school that traumatized me just invited me to be her friend on facebook. I ignored the request. Is that immature or what???

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Friends

That is such a lame title, but maybe I'll be inspired as I write. Piggybacking on that last blog, I've been thinking about friends. How in the world did I fall for the costume fiasco that Halloween in middle school? Did I not have one loyal friend to give me a heads-up? That's what is really bugging me today. So I'm thinking back on the history of friends. Perhaps working backwards will help me think this through. Right now I am blessed with an abundance of friends in Murray. We have lots of things in common, like having kids, Settlers of Catan, scrapbooking, frisbee golf, and a love for the God that brought us together. That's a lot of common ground! Lately, we've even been blessed with new friends, which is very cool.

When I moved to Murray in 1998, I was a new Christian, and one of my prayers was that I would make some good friends. I wanted some solid friends in my life. Wow, did God answer that prayer! I guess he knows what a blessing friends are. So along came Brandon, Suzie, Jeff, Eric, Kristin, Cara, Kelly, Mike, Kent, Pup, Short, Sarah, the list goes on. And for the most part, I am still close to most of these friends. God created bonds that last.

That moves us back to high school. I don't think I had many good friends my freshman and sophomore years. Maybe a couple, but that's it. Things picked up my junior year though, and that was better. I met Aaron and we ended up dating for a long time. I had friends in chorus that remain to be friends today. The other friends I had were kind of fair-weather.
One exception is my neighbor Amber. We grew up together and had very different interests, but there was always that growing-up-together factor that kept us friends. She was strong and tough and could defend me (where in the world was she at the middle school Halloween party????).

This whole thing kind of depresses me a little. But it shouldn't. It took all this for me to pray the prayer that God continues to answer today for friends. Friends that I have the most important thing in common with. Friends like Kristin that are everyday friends that I can take a walk with, problem solve with, play games with, raise babies with, talk about real stuff with, cry with, and laugh with. Friends like Kim to go to the grocery with, scrapbook with, do house projects with, shop with, and eat hot dogs by the fire with. Friends like Aaron who've known me longer than most other people. Friends like Holly who are new, but feel old. Friends like my teacher friends who know my heart for kids but understand my heart for my kids. Friends like my sis who I've known my whole life and am just now truly appreciating as a best friend. Friends like Pup who've seen it all with me and still loves me. He's stuck around through sad times where all I could do was cry, tight times where it seemed like all we could do was fight, and amazing times where it was all worth it.

I guess all this makes us who we are. And for that I'm glad. One thing I know is that praying for good friends for my kids is not a waste of breath or a trivial matter. Good friends make life better.

Not Cracked up about Costumes

I don't hate Halloween because of religious reasons or anything. I just don't like dressing up. I've always kind of wanted to be enthusiastic about it, but it's just a lot of hassle to me. Thinking of something creative, trying to put it all together for cheap. Last year as I was contemplating why I hated the whole costume thing, I remembered something that happened in middle school. I called Mom to make sure I hadn't just dreamt it or made it up, and she assured me that I hadn't.

I was invited to a costume Halloween party in the neighborhood. Mom, being the handy soul that she is, made me a Snow White costume, and it was really cute. When I got to the party, I was the only one who had dressed up. I think I went home and changed. I don't really remember. I'm sure I cried being the sensitive one that I am. I can't remember if I went back. Either way, I was humiliated and still feel that way when I remember it! What a cruel thing to do.

That pretty much explains why I haven't been cracked up about costumes. When I taught 3rd grade and the teachers would want to dress up, I would take my costume to school and get dressed once I saw everyone else had dressed up. I wondered why I was so psycho about it. Now I know. So, now I'm 30 and I will not wear a costume unless I feel inclined. I won't be pressured or persuaded. And man do I love Kristin even more for hosting a non-costume Halloween party this year.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

A Trip to the Tompkins Patch



Yes, you read that right. On Saturday while my parents were visiting, we took the kids to Wurth Farm in Paducah to the pumpkin patch. I mean, the Tompkins patch. There are a couple things here I need to explain.




When the kids and I were visiting Mom and Dad last month, Mom had some decorative pumpkins out. Luke picked one up and called it a tompkin instead of a pumpkin. We all thought that was funny. To those of you who know about my constant frustration with the service of Murray's Pizza Hut, the story is even funnier. Our Pizza Hut doesn't have the best reputation for service, but we love their pizza, so we haven't given up on them yet. We have learned to order it carry out though. One time Kim picked up the pizza on her way over and they couldn't find our order under Tompkins. They finally asked if it could be Pumpkins. So a lot of laughs have been had over us being the Pumpkins family now.




Anyway, Luke's having trouble keeping our last name and the word "pumpkins" straight and we think it's very cute:)

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Processing

So I've just learned something for sure about my 30-year-old self. When awful things happen, it takes me some time to process them. I'm not an immediate cryer. I don't burst out in tears of joy or sadness. I'm a stewer. I let things stew around until I overflow. That was today.

My Monday morning was rocked with news of a suicide on campus that directly affected MCF, my workplace. I knew this week was not going to remotely resemble anything normal. The news hung around me like a dark cloud and I couldn't even imagine how the brother who found him felt, the girlfriend, friends and family, but most of all that dear momma. I was racing Luke in the yard with trucks, and it occurred to me that that momma probably did something similar and her baby is gone. No time to say goodbye, no time to say I love this or that about you. Just gone. I knew others' dark cloud loomed much worse than mine. So, I bought the kids who were hanging around the house pizza. I knew they'd need to eat and not want to leave (or have any money).

Today I went to the dentist for the broken tooth I had and got my tooth pulled. I'm mortally afraid of the dentist. In college, I went to The Butcher and he pulled an infected tooth, which left me in so much pain that I accidentally took too much Tylenol 3 and felt like I was dying. Not a good experience. So even though I really like my dentist, I was scared. My knuckles were clenched, my toes curled, my body so stiff even though I couldn't feel any pain. It's the sounds and the pressure and knowing what's going on in there.

So as I left the dentist, I couldn't wait to get to my car to cry. I needed to get it all out, about MCF, about the hurting, about being so nervous at the dentist. I don't get a lot of genuine solitude, so when I do, I feel things for real. I drove a street over to Kim's office and got a hug. I nearly stopped on Sycamore to get another hug from Kristin.

I finally figured out this is how I deal with things. Good to know:)

Friday, October 3, 2008

Dreaming

Last night we were over at Taylors playing Settlers and Kristin was telling us about this house they went out to look at for Greg's realty business. I could tell they'd been talking about buying it themselves and that she was pretty smitten with the idea of it. After she brought it up at supper, she said, "Oh, I'll stop dreaming about it by tomorrow." The whole time, I'd been listening, and I was excited for her. But I realized that I don't let myself dream like that anymore. I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing. I don't let myself dream about that house on Olive with 5 bdr and 3 bath that I used to. I don't let myself dream about a car with less than 100,000 miles on it. That kind of depressed me this morning, but then I thought that maybe I don't dream b/c the dreams that I've wanted most have come true.

I always wanted to go to college. I've done that, and am 2 classes from finishing my master's.
I always wanted to be married. I have a wonderful husband.
I always wanted to teach school. I taught for 5 years and have lots of sweet relationships with kids and colleagues. And I will hopefully get to go back in five years or so.
I always wanted to be a mom and be able to stay at home with my kids. I've been able to do that, although not always comfortably financially, but that was to be expected. I have two sweet, healthy kids that I'm having a blast with.

Truly, it has crossed my mind that I'm in the middle of the best part of my life right now. (Although last night we did discuss how the last couple years of college are pretty great.) I know it will be fun when I go back to teaching and have a 5-yr-old and 7-yr-old. But what could be sweeter than watching them learn everything they know so far? than being the one who takes care of them? Not much, I figure.

Time to go do the daily stuff that makes me forget how much I love being at home:)

Trained

Piggybacking that last blog, I posed Norah's leg up there for the picture after I'd seen her do it before. It was so cute to me! On that note, the last several weeks, I've wanted to get certain shots of something Luke and Norah have been doing and missed it by a second. But I usually ask Luke to go back and do it again and he does! I think he gets that I love pictures and he figures he might as well do it. I really appreciate this about him!

Holding Out


Although Norah has needed to be in her high chair to eat the last few weeks, I've been putting it off. I really didn't want to bring that big chair up and have it taking space in my already toy-ridden house. I'm holding out for a space saver high chair that I saw at Toys r us that will fit on one of my dining room chairs but still give her the comfort of a high chair. In my quest to wait for Christmas, I started using the bouncy seat. That worked well til she started reaching forward like she wanted to sit up more. Then I tried Luke's booster seat but that was too upright and not very comfortable for her. After a few weeks of this, I hauled the high chair up last night and fed her in it this morning. The picture tells the story. She really liked it!

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Control Freaks


This is my sister, Nic. She's a taller, skinnier, blonder version of me. We have the same voice and share enough mannerisms that a complete stranger once asked her if she knew me because she was acting like me.

We're not control freaks in the worst sense. But in life's big situations where we're completely out of control (i.e. unemployment of my husband or trouble with having a baby), we take comfort in controlling other things. Like I clean and nest like a maniac. She goes for retail therapy and a new haircut.

We had a good relationship growing up, but it's definitely gotten stronger the last few years. Mostly because we're on the same page. Or, she's just a page behind me and we have a lot in common. God has used my experiences to grow us closer as we share and vent and cry together.

I guess I take having a sister for granted. She's been around for 26 years. But if we lived closer, she'd so be a constant in my life.

The Way They Are


I've got a scrapbook page simmering in my mind, but I may not get to it for a while, so I'm going to get my thoughts out here. I love watching Luke and Norah together. At first, Luke was sweet with her with his kisses and wanting to hold her. Now that she's getting more mobile everyday, I thought there might be a war over toys. So far so good. Luke seems really amused that Norah is moving. When she's upset, he gives her a car to play with. When she's scooting and approaching a toy he's been playing with, we joke about it and he laughs. Norah spends her days rocking on all fours and scooting around. She enjoys watching Luke and all his antics. She's quite patient with him. My favorite thing they do is "Norah take a ride." That's where Norah is playing in her walker and Luke decides to drive her around. She's even good with the crashing until he gets too rough. Then she's done (who could blame her?). I hope this is just the beginning of a very sweet friendship.

If it ain't broke...

I have to confess. I am the world's worst mother. I tried to break my son of his pacifier, worked really hard at it, then gave in and gave it back to him. Here's why (like any of you readers need me to justify it, but obviously I need to for myself): Luke only uses it for naps and bedtime. He has to have a pacifier and his Bunny and he's good to go to bed. And I don't just mean that he goes without a fight. When he was smaller, he would go get them from his crib when he was tired. So while I was trying to break him of it, he was upset and wouldn't go down easily at all. It took about 45 min. for him to calm down and fall asleep AND I had to go in there and lay down with him. He wouldn't sleep as long either.

Why would I want to mess with it? Mostly because I care what other people think. I want him broken of it for that reason. Because some people think babies should never use pacifiers. Because I care WAY too much what other people think. And perhaps I'm selfish in that I like that he goes down for a nap like a champ and goes to bed like a champ. It makes my life easier (besides the fact it's good for him to get good sleep!).

Anyway, confession over.

Gentry dress


I've been meaning to get this posted, especially for Jenn, who gave Norah this pretty dress. Apparently she likes it!