Core Problems

What do the Wal-Mart cashier, the bus driver, the Schwan's Man, and the admissions secretary all have in common?

I'll give you one guess....

****

They've all thought I was pregnant.

I was on the treadmill a few nights ago. I was in a groove. I was running eight minute miles. I was feeling great.

The admissions secretary touches my stomach and says, "What's this?"

"Leftovers," I admit.

"Oh, that isn't leftover. You're daughter is almost two, isn't she? Isn't it about time for another baby?"

I'm training for this 13 mile race. I'm feeling great. My training is going well. And they still have to ask if I'm pregnant?

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

Tyson and Leslie

I know a lot of my friends are aware, but for those family members that read Troy's blog last week about his roommate, Tyson, please check out their blog for an update on Leslie's surgery... and then pray, pray, pray.

Pudding

It was her first pudding treat--

and it was so good!

Today

A brief conversation this morning:

Jonah: Mom, can I play the computer or watch TV?

Me: No.

Jonah: But Mom, I need computer skills and TV-watching skills.

*****

Oh, gee.

In Praise of Yo Gabba Gabba

It'll probably only happen once. I thanked God today for "Yo Gabba Gabba," a ridiculously wild show on Nick Jr.

We went to the mall this morning. I fell on the ice while carrying Lydia and landed on top of her. I was crying, she was crying, and Jonah was choosing to disobey my commands to get back in the car while I tried to regroup. It was a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad morning.

We returned home. I turned on the television, looking for a moment to breathe. Lydia retrieved our plastic tablecloth from a bottom drawer, desiring a "picnic" in the living room. I set up the tablecloth, started making lunch, and heard the song on the TV.

I literally said, "Thank you, Jesus." (What can I say, it was a rough morning.)

My kids were happy. They devoured their lunches-- green beans, carrots, etc.

We'll be singing it for the next four days.

Beware: You will too.

The Blogger Trap

I don't intend to just post pictures. I really do like writing on my blog, but I don't know what to write anymore.

Here's my problem: As an English teacher, I would talk to students about writing to their audiences. I don't know how to write to my parents, old friends, great uncle, cousins, childhood friend's mom, strangers, grandmother, and best friends, and find something interesting to say to everyone-- or something that I'm willing to share with everyone.

So I'm stuck.

Scavenger Hunt

We were bored one night last week and decided to be creative. We planned a scavenger hunt around campus for the kids.


Jonah had to take a picture of the new prayer chapel. I thought some of you would like to see it:

Grammy

We enjoyed fun times with Grammy last week. I think we were all sad when she left!

The Poopin' Cowboy

Proof

We had a good family day yesterday-- sleeping late, cleaning the garage, riding bikes, relaxing in front of the television, etc. So we attempted to go to a basketball game on campus yesterday afternoon.

Jonah can articulate how he's feeling now so after standing on the sidelines for about five minutes, he sloppily ran out the door and said he didn't want to go back to the game because his "ears hurt." We waited until the game was over and ventured back in the gym so he could play with the kids. We weren't there long. We left immediately when we saw him wrestling unsuspecting kids to the floor.

He never recovered last night. Our calm whispers, positive attitudes, and peaceful house didn't help at all. We were AMAZED at how 30 minutes in a gym environment could send him into such a downward spiral. He was asleep by 7 p.m.-- much earlier than usual.

There's been a little talk in the news recently about Sensory Processing Disorder. An article in Time Magazine in December sums it up:

"My doctor doesn't believe in SPD; teachers can't handle it; insurance won't pay for therapy. There's good reason for that. SPD is not listed in medical texts or in the Diagnostic Statistical Manual (DSM), the bible of psychiatric disorders. Doctors acknowledge sensory issues as a common feature of autism and a frequent feature of ADHD but not as a stand-alone disorder. Lucy Jane Miller, a former protégé of Ayres and head of the STAR Center, is spearheading a campaign to change that. She has organized a national effort to have SPD added to the next edition of the DSM, the fifth, due out in 2012. Earning a spot in the DSM V would make it easier for researchers to win grants, kids to get accommodations at school and families to be reimbursed for a course of treatment, which, at the STAR Center, often costs $4,000.

To receive recognition, advocates must provide persuasive evidence that 'this is not just part of autism or ADHD, that it's a better definition of what these kids are experiencing,' says Dr. Darrel Regier, director of research for the American Psychiatric Association and vice chair of the DSM V task force."

Our house yesterday evening would have given them some "persuasive evidence."

And to see my boy this afternoon at home-- calm, in control, sweetly singing to himself-- the difference is unbelievable.

Bubble Beards

She's Not a Baby Anymore

Jacob Alexander

Tricia delivered our nephew last night at 5:59 p.m.
We're so thankful for his safe arrival.

Something to Read

Every once in a while you find a blog that grips you. A friend told me about this one. I smiled, I prayed, I cried.

I wanted to tell you about it too.

5:40 a.m.

It used to be my favorite part of the day. I was single, living alone, and had nothing better to do so I was in the workout room in the early morning hours with a good friend, a few old men, and the rest of the day ahead of me.

I recently committed myself to running the mini-marathon. I want to do well. It's been six years since I've trained seriously for a race so I'm trying the ol' early morning workout again. It feels good. It feels good to have accomplished something by 6:30 a.m. It feels good to use weights again. It feels good to know that I'm doing something for myself.

I dream of running another marathon next year. We'll see how this goes...

Lydia Ray

Lydia turned 18 months on Saturday. She is definitely not a baby anymore. Here's the latest:

- She loves to climb. She likes to climb on the toilet with the seat down and dance around in a circle. She likes to climb on the coffee table and dance around in a circle. She likes to climb on the kid table in our playroom and dance around in a circle. She's attempted to climb on the top of the dining room table (to dance around in a circle, no doubt) before I intervened.

- She speaks in vowels. Besides "mama" and "dada," every person, place, and thing is a vowel sound.

- She giggles when Mike walks through the door. She adores her daddy.

- She loves to play dress-up. She'll point to a coat in the closet that she wants to wear. If I ignore her, she'll stand at the closet door and SCREAM. She can often be seen wearing Jonah's fireman raincoat or Mike's fleece vests. She also loves to try on every shoe in the house. We have shoes scattered everywhere!

- She's currently obsessed with toilet paper.

- She loves to play hide and seek. She even covers her eyes. She hasn't quite mastered the concept of HIDING.

- I used to think that she was going to be a quiet, sweet, gentle-natured girl. I don't really think that anymore! She definitely has some spunk.

Obsession

The truth must be told. I've slacked on housework. I've slacked on blogging. I've slacked on emailing. I've slacked on organizing.

I've become obsessed with scrapbooking again. A friend introduced me to Heritage Makers, an online sight that allows me to make "storybooks." It's really just like walking into a scrapbook store and having every piece of paper, sticker, ribbon, brad, corner rounder, tag, marker, stencil, etc. available to me. I've had so much fun creating a book for Jonah. You pay per month to have full access to the site so I have a deadline-- the end of this month.

Pardon me, I must get back to work!

Disgusting

I recently drove past the house where I was raised. It made me sick to my stomach. My parents moved out of the house in 2000. A young family from an unpleasant part of Columbus bought it, and I remember my parents being excited for them to have a nice home in a nice neighborhood.

It's arguably the nastiest house in the neighborhood now.

Can you believe it?


The best part? They removed the landscaping around the front door and windows and replaced it with a doghouse... dirt and a doghouse. Lovely.

Wedding

After an event filled Christmas vacation, we just returned to our home, refreshed and thankful for such wonderful family and friends.

Mike and I travelled to Virginia for my friend's wedding. Jana was a beautiful bride. She was relaxed, organized, and SO HAPPY! It was a wonderful celebration. We laughed, we danced, and we ate...then we laughed some more and ate some more. Here are a few of my favorite pictures from the weekend:

Song of the Day