the things dreams are made of

It's not very nice out today; it's very windy, so we're staying inside. I made chicken and wild rice soup for lunch. Since we're not quite there yet, I'm dreaming about the things I'm excited to do with Tim & Adam this summer (and Sophie too, of course). Adam is cruising along furniture, and he holds toys in his mouth as he crawls. His daycare buddy is walking and I know it won't be long before Adam joins her. I'm not in a hurry for Adam to walk; I don't have enough band-aids on hand.

It will happen soon enough, and I'm focused on enjoying every stage knowing he'll grow out of these things all too quickly. I try to capture his silliness on video and still shots, afraid I'll forget the noises, the looks, the innocence... I know these days are a blur now, and it'll only be a blurrier blur a few years from now. As my oldest nephew's 6th birthday approaches, I'm holding on for dear life to the enduring little things that define Adam, just as we did with Evan and my other nephews and niece. Gosh, I can't believe he's nearly SIX!

Time flies, and it's a roller coaster of thrills, scares, and everything in between. There's always a song in my head, for every occasion, all the time. Right now its Cheryl Crow's lyrics. These are the days when anything goes. Ahhh..... life! God is so good, and we are so blessed! Anticipation makes the little things so big, and my mind is reeling with stuff I'm excited for this summer.

spending time with Ilisa and the boys
camping w/ the Rohloff family
swimming in pools and lakes
playing at parks
visiting the zoo
play dates
going for walks with Adam in the wagon
visiting family near and far
day trips to see new things
geocaching
vacation out west??
catching fireflies
making nightlights with my niece and nephews
bonfires
church events
gardening
all things Lake Superior
garage sales
farmers markets
drive-in movies
anything to do with friends and family!

what am I missing? ;-)

planning a plan

I like to plan. In fact, I enjoy planning enough to make a plan of my plans. I say aloud, "Okay, here we go." Then I get a pen and TWO pieces of paper. I list what is to be done, then I circle a number out front of each item. I proceed to make a final draft on the second piece of paper. Do I ever look at that list again? Maybe a few times in the next 12 hours. Maybe. Or not.

I just read about keeping it simple (gotta love that!) and actually wrapping my head around my days. Author Glynnis Whitwer hit it on the head for me when she mentioned weeks that aren't planned that bring you to a Friday of wondering What happened to all my time??

Enjoy a 2 minute inspirational read about chores. I can't believe I just typed that.

Wash on Mondays, Iron on Tuesdays

i baby my baby

Adam is 11 months old today. His first haircut is in a week and a half, he's got his 2 front top teeth cutting through, and he's "asking" for us to read to him and play with him now. Adam is growing so fast, and his "uh-uh" (uh-oh) is evidence that his personality is shining more than ever with his speech.

Today as Adam was playing, he periodically stopped to sob. Ugh, those teeth. I didn't get much done today since I chose to snuggle him when he was bummin'. Poor buddy.

His hair has been curly the last few days with the humidity. I will have to get pics of that, and spike it for pics before it gets cut. I'm gonna tie ribbons around his baby locks and save a few curls when it gets cut. I wonder if I'll cry.



Yeah, I'll probably cry...

i'm one of those jesus freak types

I pray on a consistently irregular basis, when the thought strikes, where ever I am. I think the most important thing in any relationship ever is communication, and relationships are simply between two people. Yes, I think God is a person, and that I am just as responsible in keeping my end of the communication up as He is.

A couple of weeks ago I read something that went right to my heart: when we sin, no matter the sin, it is the result of not having God centered in our thoughts, words, and actions. I try to keep God on my side, but since then I've been asking Him to let His Holy Spirit into the gut of my soul, to take over, and to be the driving force in me.

I have anger issues. I feel like anything that is upsetting leads me to anger/frustration/annoyance/whathaveyou... and it's because I need more God and less me. As the song goes (So Long Self by Mercy Me):

...So long, self
Well, it's been fun, but I have found somebody else
So long, self
There's just no room for two
So you are gonna have to move
So long, self
Don't take this wrong but you are wrong for me, farewell
Oh well, goodbye, don't cry
So long, self...

I think it's human nature (sinful nature) to be self-centered. Then I look back to see how many times the words "I, me, my..." appear in these blogs and shake my head. Well, it is my journal. Ha! I just hope that as Adam grows he wants God to be the center in his life, and the center of his soul. It's a selfish desire, but I find myself feeling good about wanting that for my kid. =)

Every night and periodically throughout the day I pray with Adam. I started in the hospital when I had him; I had an overwhelming urge to surround my baby with God's holy presence. Who wouldn't want that for their baby?? I asked God in a desperate begging way to take care of my baby boy who didn't even have a name yet. I was tearful and felt a powerful urgency in wanting to protect my baby physically and spiritually. I suppose this is the very reason people have their infants baptized. I prayed with him while I buckled him into his car seat one time, asking God to keep him from screaming the whole car ride (he hated the car seat from months 2-5) and God gave me and Adam a quiet ride. Yahoo! It didn't happen every time, but I sure appreciated when God gave us a break from the sadness!

My point is simple: I want Adam to be used to the ongoing conversation between us and God. I want my family to see it as normal to openly converse with Him, as we do with our dearest friends. It's comforting for me to see people bow their heads silently before a meal and to hear people open up about and to God to their friends and family. I like our church for that very reason: we are accepted no matter how we approach God and no matter how we maintain a relationship with Him.

Tonight I reminisced (after I prayed with Adam and he just fell asleep so peacefully) about when my sister, Ilisa, and I went to Grandma and Grandpa Ajer's house and stayed overnight. It was special that we said our bedtime prayer and blessings before bed, and I want Adam to remember that with me and Tim. Our bedtime prayer:

Now I lay me down to rest, angels guard my little nest. Like a wee bird in a tree, Loving Father, care for me. Glad and well, may I awake. This I ask for Jesus' sake. Amen.

"God bless Adam Isaiah, Mommy and Daddy, and God bless Sophie, too. God bless Grammas and Grampas, Aunties and Uncles, and all those cousins, too. God please bless our dear friends and our neighbors, near and far. Bless us all simply because you made us who we are. Thank you for the air, good water, the sun, and the food you give. And thank you most of all, Dear God, for your Son, that we might live. Amen."

When we were little, we did blessings and started with family, then friends, and eventually said "everyone in the world". I remember crying one night after Ilisa fell asleep because I couldn't name enough people and I wanted God to bless everyone. We are all blessed, and I still wish to this day that everyone recognizes who gives them those blessings.

I'll stop now. I could ramble on and on... I've got that joyJOYjoyJOY down in my heart. ;o)  God bless you! =)

days worth remembering

I look at the kids (Adam and his daycare buddy) and I think I wonder if I'll remember these cute antics when they're older. I can't even remember what I did last weekend and it's only Thursday. This is why I created this blog! Sesame Street is on and they dance, they clap, they laugh. Then they take toys from each other and scream at each other. A minute later, they're back to smiles and silliness. Then they're off to the kitchen to play in a drawer and the only thing I hear is toys clanking around and knees and hands shuffling across the linoleum. These are the days I'll miss here and there in the years to come: spring is here and temps are pleasant, seasonal birds have returned and their songs lighten moods, and the anticipation of a garden gives me butterflies. We slept with the window open last night and I woke up with Adam (before the sun and the birds) imagining waking up in a tent this summer. Yay!

Adam holds his car up and says "buh! buh!" These are the sounds that earned my brother David the nickname Bubby. I call Adam Bugger, Bubby, A-Bear (anything-Bear, depending on his mood or activity), and Sugar. It sounds completely lame, but Sugar comes from when he just born and I called him My Sweet Honey Bear. Other names have come from that, but I find myself calling Adam Sugar Bear when he's nursing and Bugger most of the other time. He definitely knows his name though. Evan sang "Adam Isaiah" when he stayed over a couple weeks ago, and (funny enough) Tim picked up on it and sings it now.

All of a sudden Adam is "bah bah dah dah"-ing and it's no surprise to see him cruising around chairs in the dining room and playing peek-a-boo with me, bearing his 2-tooth grin. These are the days worth remembering. These are the days that make the lousy days worth bearing. These are the days and the moments I hold on to, when I return to my Mommy Cloud and tease the world quietly as I know I have it made. I'm not rich in things, but my heart is to the bursting point with blessings and love for my baby, my Gracie (daycare), my Tim, and God. He is so good!

let the blog begin

Adam is screaming in the bathtub while Tim is singing and washing him.

*sigh*

My turn next (bedtime, time to nurse in t minus 5 minutes). I'm wolfing my supper down, wondering Now, why did I just create a blog?? I just got a part time job, I do full-time daycare (for a 13-month-old girl named Gracie), I have an eleven-month-old boy, it's spring, and I'm eating. Really, Kathryn? Oh, right. Because it's hardly ever like this and I want to remember these days and share my thoughts with readers willing to put up with me. ;o)

Hmmm... the crying stopped. Oh, never mind, there it is.

Oh, the joys of life: a tired baby, a husband who works full time and rushes home to see the tired bugger, and my own brain. I won't go there. Not now, anyway. For now I remind myself that these are 10 minutes of the entire day, and I usually have this managed before the point of Adam shedding tears.

Off I go!