Sunday, February 04, 2007

SEPARATION UPDATE

Time is passing...some days quickly and some days slowly. I believe we're 80% through the separation. Yesterday was tough. Zander broke down and cried and cried. He hates this house and wants to go live in our other house in AK. Who knew he remembered AK.....however as we talked it became apparent that he wanted to go back to a house where everyone STAYED PUT. Since we've moved here I had a baby, the girls left, the girls came back, grandma and grandpa came and then girls and grandparents left, girls came back, dad left, girls left, girls came back and girls left...... I think the poor boy really misses a "simpler" time. Though I loved AK I do not remember it as a "simple" time. It was a time when our family priorities got way out of line....but children remember things differently. Thank God for grace.

I share the story of Zander because it illustrates what I see most in the family dealing with. We actually are doing very well, but we miss those who aren't here....and we're ready to "be a family" again. Though, of course, we ARE a family. It's exciting to be able to sit and discuss these things with the children. I know this time is really drawing us closer as a family. I believe that it's giving all of us time to evaluate our priorities and how we spend our family time when we are together. It's a good thing. I learned how to fix the sink - that's got to be good. LOL

Sunday

Sunday school started well and ended well. The children were watching "Facing the Giants". Our RE coordinator played Bible Bingo with Zander, which will help him feel more comfortable with the RE room - I'm hoping. I visited with Steve (friend Debbie's dh). He apologized that they missed my birthday. I told him not to worry.

We headed to chapel and Arielle got sick. I'm really perplexed. We went out to eat with Steve and Debbie two weeks ago and she got ill during the meal. She's NOT thrown up at all, isn't running a fever; but sporadically she'll get nauseated...several times a day. I'm tracking it beginning today to see if there is a pattern. I'm thinking if it goes on another week, I'll head to the doctor. I thought it was a flu bug...but it doesn't seem to be acting right. I'm wondering about low blood sugar and maybe she needs a snack before meal times....I know it's been at dinner time the past two nights. It passes and then she gets up and eat. She gets white as a sheet. Mike, today as we got into the van, and she was sad to miss church....she said, "Do you think you could ask Dad what's wrong with me?" I think she's lost faith in ME. LOL

While I'm on illness related things. I would welcome any knowledge anyone wants to share on boils. Two of our nine children seem to be prone to repeated boils. I used to think it was a cleanliness issue but none of the others get them....and the two that get them are our neat freaks!!! I'd love to know any theories on what causes some to get them so often, ways to prevent and ways to treat.

Jamin stayed home with Arielle and I took the others out for our weekly dining out event. I had promised last week that I'd take them to Burger King - because I didn't want Burger King last week. LOL I had to pay up today. We went to one with an outdoor play area. I had the big salad and it was o.k.

Then we went to Walmart. Josiah got a hair cut. Jared has GROWN more. I bought him new pants when Mike LEFT - what 4 1/2 months ago? They were inches too short already. We bought MORE pants....an inch bigger in the waist and 2 inches longer. We also bought goodies to mail to Mike and the girls for Valentine's Day /Anniversary.

Zander had earned play station time and so the afternoon was spent with the little ones playing. The big ones went to the mall on some mysterious mission. I laid down with Stacia.

Today I made 1200 calories for the first time since starting to count....it was the SHAKE that we have once a week. I measured it all carefully....3/4 C ice cream, 1/4 C milk, 1 T hard shell and 1 peanut butter ball - 400 Calories. I won't "have" to eat my chocolate almonds tonight. ::snort::

I tried to go to spark people but the whole add a meal thing was very time consuming...for instance I know my smoothies are 300 calories because I counted all the portions...but to put smoothie on the meal plan it kept saying 250 or whatever.....so I'll probably just keep my little notebook thing going. LOL

Not a real exciting day. Time to watch Hogan's Heroes with the big ones.

Age Appropriate Play?

What happens when the industry makes action figures for movies that your children aren't allowed to view????

Zander (soon to be 5) has never watched Star Wars but has fallen in love with the characters. He begged to be allowed to play Star Wars on the play station and for Christmas we got him the Lego version.

Today he was playing with those little Burger King character toys. I told him that Luke Skywalker and C3Po could help him get his pants on for chapel. He replied, "No Mom! This is Light Saber Man and this is Robot...and YOU are Princess Layer!" ::snort::