THIS IS MY CHILD

Emma is always asking me why there aren't more posts about her. I told her they were coming...I just didn't realize it would be like this.

She has been diagnosed with a bilateral hearing loss in the mid frequencies. This means that she has lost some hearing in both ears, in the range that people normally speak in.

So far, the loss is mild, but the doctors think is it possible (perhaps even likely) that her hearing will continue to get worse, and that it may be quite some time before the hearing loss stablezies.

I know that it isn't the end of the world. And I know that for all the problems that she could have, this one isn't the worst.

BUT she is MY child.

The hardest part was when the doctor allowed me to hear like she hears, and even with a mild loss, she misses a lot.

Imagine walking around with your fingers in your ears, trying to hearing everything that is said around you. If it is quiet, it probably isn't too bad, but add some noise (like 25 other 3rd graders) and you are going to miss more than you realize.

And now, as we now go through the process of fitting her for hearing aids and making accomodations for her at school, I can't help but feel a little...lost.

We met with the school and I spoke with a school district hearing specialist...and so much of it didn't seem right to me. It felt like they spent more time talking about what they couldn't do for her, than what they could.

Basically, what they said was, until she starts to fail they can't help her.

WHAT?!?

Because she is currently a good student, there isn't much they are REQUIRED to do. They are only required to provide services to kids who are doing poorly.

Now, I understand part of this. There are limited resources, and you can only help so many people. But even if all they said was, "We are going to assign someone to monitor her progress, and if, in the future, she needs help, we will be there," I could have at least felt good about that.

Instead I am left to feel like we are in this alone and the school is relieved that this isn't their problem yet.

Luckily, Emma has a really good teacher who I think will work with us...and we will get a little more educated, and do a little more educating.

Because, by golly, THIS IS MY CHILD.

Uh, NO

Josh's teacher stopped me today and asked (in ALL seriousness), "Is Josh as helpful at home as he is at school?"

"Uh, NO."

(She just laughed, like I was kidding.)

Later, Josh asked me today why Mikayla got to do so many more things than he does.

I told him it is because she listens really well and does what she is supposed to do. Then I asked him, "Josh, why are you so good and obedient at school and so silly and naughty at home?"

He said, "Oh, Mom, that's just what five-year-olds do."

How can one little person be SO wise, and so JOSH at the same time?

Just For Kicks

So before Troy see's this and yells at me...here you go.

This One Is For Amy

I thought you might like to see these. The one of Amy and Katie is the first one that I have done without using a premade template.This digital kit is available for free download from Let's Get Digital.

Explanations and True Devotion

I started this blog so I that I could talk about all the cute things that my kids do...without having to worry about whether or not anyone else wanted to hear it.

But it has become more than that for me.

It is an opportunity for me to write...funny, silly, snarky...just to write about whatever topic I wanted. The writing itself is a joy that I didn't really have a chance to do on a regular basis.

It is also an opportunity for me to really keep a history of our family...a real record for my children, and my children's children, so that they could know what life was really like for us and how we managed.

Now having said that...up to this point, I have chosen not to share anything too personal or anything deeply religious...but I want to change that...at least a little bit.

How can my posterity know what life was really like if I only share the good or the funny? How can I record our family's history without including the hard or the sad?

All of this long-windedness, is just my way of explaining that I need to share with you my feelings about the death my beloved prophet Gordon B. Hinckley.

Most of you who read me are also members of my church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...aka the Mormons), but some of you are not. So I will just say that our church is led by a living Prophet, called of God, to direct its members in the things that our Father in Heaven would have us do. Think Moses.

President Hinckley has been the Prophet since 1995...the entire time that I have been married. My children have never known another Prophet. I came into my own, spiritually, as a member of the church, under President Hinckley's direction.

I love him.

President Hinckley was a humble man, funny and sweet, and he was a wonderful example to me, of discipleship. I could look at him, just living his life, and know that I too could live that way and have that joy. He loved the Savior. And even after his loving wife passed away, he continued in his selfless devotion to the cause of rigtheousness.

So, with just the slightest bit of sadness, but mostly just deep gratitude, I am glad that he has been reunited with his beloved spouse, and I know that there are many waiting on the other side to welcome him home.

I am grateful for my membership in the Church, because I know that I am a better person with the Gospel than I ever was without it. And I hope that I too will be a good example of service in the kingdom...that others will know the Savior, because the knew me.

The photo of President Hinckley was taken by Scot Facer Proctor.

How Cute!

This is Lincoln. He is Katie's current crush.

Just kidding. But aren't they cute?

So What?

I know, I know. I'm obsessed, but I can't help it!

I just have to share, especially, since this is one of those rare times that I actually LIKE the photo I took!

Look Ma, No Hands!

Our sweet Katie has reached another milestone. She is now sitting up by herself.

I can't believe how quickly time flies. Before we know it she will be zipping all over the house, daring us to keep up with her.

She's a doll.

Welcome to the Dark Side

So I have tried resisting the pull of the evil forces...calling me to the dark side, but now that I have had a taste, I'm afriad that I am hooked forever...


Digital Scrapbooking...Oh you dark master!

Okay, seriously.

You know that I love to scrapbook, but I just can't do it anymore. With the kids running around, pen in hand, coloring on everything they can get their hands on, touching, playing, and let's be honest, destroying everything they touch...it just isn't possible to scrapbook anymore.

But I have resisted the digital route because I LOVE the feel of paper, and frankly, the joy I get from creating something with my own two hands. It didn't seem like I could get that same joy from digital scrapbooking. But I have given it a go, and I am really enjoying it.

So I am sharing my joy.

This is my first (that I am not too embarassed to share) digital layout. The original idea came from Simply Sarah. So many thanks for her talents!

Is this a compliment?

So I went to my Weight Watchers meeting today.

The conversation:

I was standing in line, waiting to be weighed in, when the woman behind me says, "Oh, your kids are so cute, can I have one?"

I said, "Well, I have plenty to spare, so I would be happy to lend you one."

"Oh really, how many children do you have?"

"I have six kids."

"Six kids?!?"

And the woman in front of me, who had been listening in, says, "Wow, you look great for having six kids."

So now I have to ask, is this a compliment?

I mean, I know she meant it to be one...but what is a woman with six kids supposed to look like?

And should I be grateful that I don't look like that?

What are the qualifications for looking great when you have six children?

Do I need to have already taken a shower?

Do I have to dress in something other than sweatpants, wear make up, or comb my hair?

Or is it enough that I even had the courage to leave the house?

What do you think?

Pride Cometh Before The Fall

Do you ever have days where you wondered why you even got out of bed?

In the continuing saga of my "I Love Lucy" life (see here for original thought), today I ventured out to the mall.

Let me start by saying that tonight I am going to attend a baby shower for a good friend, with a bunch of other friends I haven't really seen in a while. I am looking forward to this, but at the same time, I have been worried about what I was going to wear.

(For those of you who haven't seen me recently, I have been losing weight. And I have lost just enough weight so that I don't actually have anything that fits me...and while this is a good thing - the state of my wardrobe leaves much to be desired!)

Anyway. The point? Well, the point is that in this group of women I am the biggest one. There's nothing wrong with that. Somebody has to be the biggest, right?

But really, I am happy with myself, and quite proud of the weight that I have managed to lose. I look better than I have in years. But when you hang out with a bunch of size two women, who always look put together, and shop at someplace other than Wal-Mart for their clothes, you can't help but feel a little...you know. (BTW, I also know that these women could care less about how I look, and that it's totally me...but what can I say? I have issues.)

So I went to mall. I actually thought that I would get a little exercise in as well, so I loaded the kids up in the stroller. I walked around the mall and did a little shopping...of course I still don't have anything to wear tonight, but that is a different story.

Before leaving the mall I stopped in the Target to get soda. Well, I had to put everything in the stoller, since I didn't have a shopping cart, and as we left the mall, CRASH, out fell the case of soda.

Since we are talking about me, you know it wasn't just a simple let's pick up the case of cans. Nope. It had to rip apart, send cans flying everywhere, and again, as if that weren't enough, the cans couldn't just fall out and roll around, no, a couple had to puncture and spray all over everything in the vincinty (again, we are talking me, so you know the only one who actually got hit by any spewing soda was me).

Can you say "Embarassing?"

Then as I tried to get the kids in the car, my now empty stroller rolled away. After I finally got in the car, I sat for a while wondering what I was I doing at the mall in the first place.

Vanity. What has it ever gotten me?

The Amazing Paulette

We had a fun visit from our Aunt Paulette this weekend. We had a blast! A quick trip to Mount Vernon, singing in Church, pick up sticks, a movie (Alvin and the Chipmunks for the older kids and The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything for the younger ones), talking, eating, and a whole lot of Wii.

What more could you ask for?


The kids really love their Aunt Paulette. She is so fun. We are sure glad that she came to visit!

Tag, Your Husband Is It

Alright Hilary, you asked for it, you got it. BTW, if you read me, and you have a spouse, I would love to hear your answers. Aimee, Robin, Katie, Andrea, Lara, Melanie, Talease, and anyone else I have forgotten. Just leave me a comment when you post yours.

What’s his name? Troy

How long have you been together? Since 1995.

How long did you date? Well, we went on our first date on March 11, 1995. We got engaged April 11, 1995. Troy left for a study abroad in Russia on April 30, 1995 and returned on August 1, 1995. We were married on August 19, 1995. I know it sounds a little nuts, but when you KNOW, you KNOW.

How old is he? 34

Who eats more? Me, always me. It's a little embarassing.

Who said I love you first? Troy.

And I have to say, I was a little mean about it when I said it back...

He had said "I love you" on the phone one night as we were hanging up. He said it so quickly that I wasn't really sure that he had actually said it. I agonized about it for a while before deciding that my ears weren't playing tricks on me.

So one night I said, "Troy, have I ever told you that I love you?" He was touched and said, "Oh, I love you too." To which I replied, "Oh, I wasn't telling you I loved you. I was just wondering if I ever had."

He isn't one to embarass easily, and I have to say that the look on his face was TOTALLY worth it. Of course, I quickly told him that I really did love him.

Who is taller? Troy, by quite a bit. I'm short.

Who is smarter? Oh the debate Troy and I could have over this one! When you have two lawyers arguing over something like this...I will tell you that I think that I have more common sense than Troy (to which he would TOTALLY disagree!). And I do have a really good memory, much better than him. I am also a much better speller. Troy is much better at math, and he is a little more analytical than I am. We are pretty well matched when it comes to something like Jeopardy, because we have different strenghts.

Who does laundry? Me. Always. I am lucky if he puts his socks in the laundry hamper. Sigh.

Who does the dishes? HELLO, the kids!

Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? If you are looking at the bed, I am on the right.

Who pays the bills? Troy does. He "has a system" and it drives me crazy, so I just let him deal with it. I should be more involved, but it just isn't important to me right now.

Who mows the lawn? Troy. I don't think he would even want me to do it. He is afraid that I might mow over my own foot, or put a hand into the blades. For some reason, he thinks I am a klutz (but I just can't think why).

Who cooks dinner? Me. But sometimes, Troy does pitch in. Especially if it is something involving cheese (grilled cheese, macaroni and cheese, quesadillas).

Who drives when you are together? We take turns. Troy hates how slow I drive, and I hate how crazy he drives, so we share this responsibility.

Who is more stubborn? Okay. So probably I am. (I know some of you are thinking that there is no PROBABLY about this one.) But in my defense, I have to say, if it is something that Troy really cares about, there is no changing his mind. One more thing that drives me crazy!

Who kissed who first? Troy kissed me. It was really sweet.

Who asked out who first? Well, I have to say I did, but only because I beat Troy to the punch. He came home one day, determined that this would be the day he actually asked me for a date (apparently, it is something that he wanted to do for a long time, or so he says). So he dropped off his stuff at home and headed over to my place...but before he could leave the apartment, his roommates stopped him and made him go look in his room...where I had placed a candy bar poster asking him out to Preference (in two weeks). He said yes, and promptly asked me out for the weekened prior to Preference.

Who proposed? Troy. We had already decided to get married and went ring shopping. Only after he got the ring did he actually get down on one knee and pop the question. It was nice (better than nice)...mostly. He was late (because he needed a sandwich), and beat around the bush (because he was waiting for sunset). But these frustrations, for me, are typical of the things that Troy and I see differently. He is trying to be sweet, and I don't see it. Oh well. It just adds a little spice to life.

Who has more siblings? Troy. There are six kids in his family, only two in mine.

Who wears the pants in the family? Oh this question. We have been asked it before, and I guess the answer is that he does...in some things...and I do in others. A lot of people actually think that Troy is SO nice and that I walk all over him...but that just isn't the case. The man knows his mind, and he isn't going to let me make it up for him...no matter how much I want to.

On a personal note, I have to say that I feel really blessed to be married to such a wonderful man. We bicker, we fight, and we disagree, but we love, and we laugh, and we have the same values and purpose and we're moving together in the same direction. You can't ask for more than that.

And to you Troy, I just want you to know that I'M the LUCKY one.

Nothing But The Truth

My Josh is a funny kid. He is a handful, and then some. Don't get me wrong, he is a good kid, but you NEVER know what that boy is going to do. But honestly, it's the things that he says that worry me the most.

This is the boy who sat in Primary class and told one of the parents that had come to substitute teach, "Man, I hate it when you're our teacher." Ugh. And if that wasn't awful enough, when I made him go apologize instead of the sweet "I'm sorry" that I was hoping for, he said instead, "I'm sorry I hate you." (Luckily, this parent has a really good sense of humor, and could just laugh it off.)

He says what he thinks, and he doesn't pull punches, and he doesn't lie.

For example, when his sweet Aunt Paulette gave him a nice, little Valentine's heart filled with candy, Josh said, "Thank you for the heart. But, next time you come and visit me, could you bring me a dinosaur or a super hero instead?"

That boy!

The worst thing about it, as was lovingly pointed out to me, is that in this tendency, he is a lot like me.

I just barely had a conversation with a friend that asked a hard question about herself, and I told her, "I don't think you want to ask me this, because I will tell you the truth." And to her credit she asked me anyway.

Telling the truth isn't always easy. Sometimes it's downright hard. And I will admit that there are times when being brutally honest isn't in anyone's best interest. But sometimes, neither is avoiding the issue, or making polite, noncommittal responses to avoid a disagreement. Sometimes, we are TOO polite. Sometimes, we say nothing, when we should say something. But of course, I have the opposite problem, saying something, when I should say nothing.

But when is it better to be quiet, and when should we speak up?

I don't always know.

So while I struggle with my Josh, and his forthright tendencies, and my own foot-in-mouth problems, I think that together maybe we can both work at learning where the line is, and when to cross it, and most importantly FOR ME, when not to.

Let It Snow

Well, we had our first real snow of this winter season. The kids were really excited. All had high hopes for a snow day, but no...just a delayed opening.

And no matter how much it snows, you can always count on our girls to find just enough to make snowmen.

Josh-ism #2 and a Becky-ism

Okay, just so you know that I still think it's all worth it.

Josh, Becky, Katie, and I were all in the car today.

The conversation:

Josh said, "Mom, I love you."

"I love you too, Josh."

"Mom, I love you to the end of outer space, both ways."

He paused for a moment and then said, "You know outer space NEVER ends."

OMGosh.

Then, just for a little comic relief:

Becky said, "Mom, I need to pee."

I asked her if she could hold it.

She said, "Yes. I'll hold it with my feet."

Stinkin', Rotten Kids

After my sentimental post of yesterday (which, by the way, you should read BEFORE you read this one!), and everyone's nice comments back, it was a sweet reminder that I need to do all that I can to appreciate these days when they are young.

Of course, the joy was short-lived.

When I went downstairs this morning to finish getting ready for my sister-in-law's visit, I found that Becky and Josh had taken markers and ran a nice little circle around the room coloring the walls. They had also colored the computer and all the chairs. Nice.

So today, I will tell you that while I am loving and appreciating them, I am also thinking that they are stinkin', rotten kids (at least while I wash the walls).

The Sweetest Days

When you are young, it seems like the days last forever and tomorrow can't come soon enough.

But as you age, and especially after you have children, the days go by more swiftly, and before you know it, your children are big. And you are old.

Not that I am saying that you (or I) are old. Believe me, with every year that passes, what I once called old -- I now call just getting started.

But what I wondering is if I have savored it enough. Have I enjoyed it enough? Have I loved every moment?

Nope.

There are days when that last thing I want to be called is "Mommy." Those are the days when I wish they would say "Daddy" just a little more. But, then there are days when "Mommy, I love you" are the sweetest words I could ever hope to hear.

I know every age your children go through has something fun and wonderful to offer, but I have to say I am especially partial to the age when everything is AMAZING and the most mundane things are still fascinating.

I love that my five year old thinks he is the king of the world (second only to you Ben), that my three old is so proud of herself EVERY SINGLE TIME she uses the potty, and that the baby has the best little belly laugh that everyone who hears it just has to smile.

But as I write this, I realize, I also love that my 11-year-old still finds joy in being a child. She is right at that age where she feels like she should be grown, but still secretly enjoys being a kid. I love that my 8-year-old daughter is so ticklish that you can't even pretend to tickle her without her falling down laughing. And I love that my 8-year-old son is so tender hearted, when it came time to vote for a leader in scouts, he voted for the other boy (who won by just one vote), rather than himself, because he didn't want the other boy to feel bad.

I guess when it comes right down to it, I feel so lucky. And I am going to try and really enjoy this time when they are young, because I know that it will pass in the blink of an eye.

Josh-ism

Robin, this one is for you.

The conversation went as follows:

"Dad, I'm a genius."

"You are?"

"Yep. I know all my opposites. Day, Night. Black, White. I'm a genius!"

If only we all had the confidence of a five year old!

Out of the Mouth of Babes

Troy needed the ward list tonight to make a phone call so he asked Becky to come and get it from me. She ran back to him with the list and said, "Here Dad. It's the ward nuts."

I am telling you...out of the mouth of babes.

Money Well Spent?

My Emma has been complaining that there are not enough blogs about her.

(Is she her father's daugther, or what?)

So today, after spending the morning at the orthodontist, we have this post.







Let's call it:

Ode to the Expensive Retainer

Thou piece of expensive steel.
Thou bits of pink and blue plastic.
Oh, but you cost, how much I cannot say.
An arm, a leg, a pound of flesh.
What madness is this?
Bad teeth we have. That is all.
And now, retainers too.

What can I say? Spending thousands of dollars on little bits of nothing makes me a nutty.

Well, That's Another 10 Years, GONE

Let me start by saying that everything is fine.

Then let me say that last night took 10 years off my life!

Our sweet Becky had a seizure. And it was a doozy!

Now you know that we are experienced at the seizure thing. Between Mikayla, Emma, and Becky, this was our 13th seizure. That being said, it is never any easier to deal with, and it always seems like each new seizure has something new that we haven't seen before.

The crazy thing is, we were just commenting in December, when Becky turned three, how fortunate we felt that we hadn't had to deal with Becky having a seizure, and how we didn't have to worry about it anymore. Of course, Beatty family karma says, now that you have uttered the words, let me prove you wrong!

And now that it has happened again, I am going to be a wreck whenever Becky or Katie gets sick until they are well past their fifth birthdays!

For those of you who haven't been through this:

What the girls had was a febrile seizure that is brought on by a sudden spike in temperature. It isn't the severity of the fever, but the sudden onset that causes the seizure, e.g. 99 to 103 in 60 seconds. I was once holding one of the girls at the onset of a seizure, and I actually felt the heat flare up around their body.

The seizures happen because the insulation around the nerves in the brain is not yet fully formed, and they can't handle the extra heat - so the body's defense mechanism is to seize. There really is very little risk in the seizure itself unless they stop breathing or it's excessively long (more than 15 minutes). They are then at a slight elevated risk to develop a seizure disorder later in life, and have a 25 % chance of having another febrile seizure.

Becky's seizure was scary because (for us) it was long. Over 10 minutes. She also turned blue, although she was breathing - barely. On top of all that, because she had been in the bath when the seizure started, she got really cold, and when the seizure ended, she shivered violently for another 20 minutes.

It also took her a long time to come back to herself after it was over. She was so still and quiet. It was a good 1 1/2 before she even spoke - which for our little miss, is definitely the longest she has even been silent during waking hours!

BUT, everything is fine. And we will count our blessings. Thank goodness she was with Mikayla when it happened. Mikayla noticed right away that something was wrong. She saw Becky slump over and tried to get her attention. After calling Becky's name a couple of times and getting no response, she dragged Becky out of the tub and into the hall where she could call her dad.

What a girl! I can't even begin to express how blessed I feel that she is so incredibly mature and put together. We already have people asking when she can start babysitting. Just for the record: 9 months, 7 days, 12 hours, 37 minutes, 26 seconds. (Not that we're counting.)

And thank goodness for our friends! Paul and Sarah were over for dinner, so we were able to leave the kids in their capable hands and rush to the hospital. And somehow, our crazy friends managed to take care of our kids, clean the house, and even got flowers! (I know some of you are secretly thinking that this was all just a ploy to get the dishes done...humm...)

And then Ben came right over to the hospital so Becky could have a blessing.

What would we do with our friends? Since we don't have any family close by, it is one of our greatest blessings to have friends like these!

We're grateful for all of you who love us. We love you too.

A Good Husband

Okay, just so you don't think that I only write about the bad things that Troy does.

He got home yesterday from his trip to Switzerland...he'd travelled all day and the kids went bananas when they saw him!

I needed to be social last night, so we had some friends over, and Troy was a good sport and stayed up and played games with us, and then...

this morning, he got up with the baby AND made me breakfast in bed.

What can I say?

He's a keeper.

Princess of Everything

Her majesty, on her royal throne.

The Price of Beauty

According to my 3 year old, being beautiful isn't fun.

But on her, it just seems so natural.

Practice Makes Perfect

So Rebecca comes downstairs and says, "Shhh, Mom. I am sneaking."

Sneaking?

Is this a skill I really want her practicing?

What practical value does this skill have?

And, while we are on the subject, where did she learn to sneak in the first place?

I've Been TAGGED

A. The rules of the game are posted at the beginning.
B. Each player answers the questions about themselves.
C. At the end of the post, the player then tags 5 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

10 years ago: (Jan 1998) I was living in Provo with Troy and Mikayla. I was working while Troy was completing his masters (with Mikayla in tow).

5 things on my to-do list today:
1. Get Ready for Enrichment (I am the Enrichment Leader)
2. Survive the day with Troy out of town
3. Blog
4. Cancel a doctor’s appointment (which I foolishly made for the same day as Enrichment)
5. Survive the day with Troy out of town

Snacks I enjoy:
1. Cheese – in almost any form
2. Hummus with pretzels
3. Chocolate – in almost any form
4. Shortbread Cookies
5. S’mores

Things I would do if I were a billionaire:
1. Pay off our debt
2. Buy new houses for my parents and my in-laws
3. Buy new clothes (not from Target)
4. Pay for the kids to go to college
5. Take a trip to Hawaii (just for starters)

3 of my bad habits:
1. Staying up too late
2.Procrastination
3. Being Late

5 places I have lived:
1. Bangkok, Thailand
2.Huntington Beach, CA
3. Provo, UT
4. Vienna, VA
5. Manassas, VA

5 jobs I have had:
1. Library Page (Shelving books, checking in/out)
2. Intern at the Huntington Beach Police Department
3. Cashier at Sports Chalet
4. Franklin Covey Assistant Product Manager
5. Circulation Manager at BYU Law Librarian

5 things people don't know about me:
1. I am always worried about what other people think – even when I seem hugely confident – I never am. I am working on this, and as I love myself a little more, I worry a little less.
2. I love the movie Grease 2. It is a huge guilty pleasure and one that I am HUGELY embarrassed to like.
3. I have always wanted to be an actor. It is my secret (um, used to be secret) dream.
4. When Troy and I first got married, I wanted 12 children (I know you all thought it was just him). Now my number is somewhere around 8. We’ll see.
5. I am a compulsive rule follower. It drives Troy crazy, especially when the rules don't make sense or seem really arbitrary. I can't help myself.

I tag Aimee, Robin, Kim, Katie, and Talease.

One Last Rant

Okay.

Troy is out of town and I have one last rant in me before I get back to blogging about all the funny things that my kids do. Plus, since this rant is about him, it will be at least a week before he sees it (if he sees it), so I am safe for a little while.

Troy is on a business trip. And as many of you know, Troy doesn't just go anywhere on business. No, no. When my husband goes on business trips, let's see...he goes to Paris, or Madrid, or London, or Budapest, or New Delhi. Where is he now? Oh, just Switzerland.

And what am I doing while Troy is jet setting around the world? You already know. (If you aren't sure, please see the previous rant.)

Anyway. The point?

The point that I am trying to make is not that I begrudge him these trips. I think it's great that he gets to go to all these exciting places. I love that he travels, and enjoys his work. My point is that after he is gone for a week, sleeping in really nice hotels, eating out at amazing places (on a per diem, no less), and not once having to get up in the middle of the night to soothe a cranky kid, he likes to call me and tell me how tired he is.

What?!?

You want to talk tired? (Once, when I was eight months pregnant with baby #5, Troy called me to tell me how tired he was after a week in London, because the show that he went to see on the West End went a little long. )

I know that he works. And if he is reading this, he would tell you that he works hard. Okay. I'll give him that. But do I want to hear about how tired he is? No.

He will tell you that "It isn't a contest". He will ask "Isn't it okay for both of us to be tired?"

No. Just no.

(P.S. I love him. I really do.)

The Magic of Ordinary Days

I love this phrase.

The Magic of Ordinary Days.

Most of the time, this is how I feel about my life. Life is good. There is magic in being with my children, and doing for them, and for my husband, and every now and again, for myself. The beauty of my life is in the journey, and the joy I find in the everyday.

But today, is not one of those days.

Today the dishes are piled so high I can't even do them. The counters are dirty. The floor is disgusting. And the laundry...oh the laundry...with six kids, we do more laundry than you can imagine, and today, I just don't feel like it.

I can admit (though not proudly) that I don't have the tidiest house on the block, but I do usually manage to hold my own (its usually clean, although often cluttered)...especially considering how many people we actually have running around this house.

But today, there is no magic. Just dirt.

Why don't moms have sick leave?

Miracle of Miracles

So, I would just like to say that there was a miracle today in the Beatty family.

We were on time to church, nay, we were early to church. For the FIRST TIME EVER. And may I add that we did it without my husband, who happens to be out of the country.

So I think that this proves, once and for all, that all these years that we have been late to church were Troy's fault.

The Sweet Life

Troy says I only write about the bad things that happen to me, and that I need to write more about the good...specifically - him.

So here it is.

I love my husband. He is good. Very, very good.

Oh. He wanted me to add that he is also very talented. Very talented.

(Is it okay now, Troy?)

Even Relaxing Is Stressful

So after the events of the last few days, I thought that I would unwind by taking a bubble bath.

Well, you know already know that this isn't going to end well.

I tried a new type of bubble bath and put a little in the tub as it was filling. There didn't seem to be enough bubbles, so I poured in a little more. Everything was fine.

I got into the tub and was enjoying to silence...and then I turned the jets on.

Lucky for me, Troy got home at the exact moment when the bubbles were about to cover the top of my head. He grabbed a bucket and started bailing bubbles. By the time we had gotten the mess down to a manageable level, Troy had filled the shower halfway up with bubbles.

Relaxing just isn't in the cards.

And if you didn't already know, my life is one long I Love Lucy episode...and I have to think that there is somebody out there laughing their head off!

One Of Those Days

So you know, in our lives, if it isn't one thing it's another.

Today was a momentous day in my life. It has never happened before. It may never happen again. I chose today, to save money rather than to spend it.

I know - you feel like you need to sit down. Me too.

To continue. I took back something that I had gotten for Christmas from my husband because I thought that it was a little too extravagant. (My sweet husband was okay with this.)

Very proud of myself for making this very difficult choice, I proceeded to get into a fender bender. So instead of a lovely, Tiffany's bracelet for Christmas, I got some woman's side view mirror.

Ho. Ho. Ho.

p.s. everyone is fine.

The Joy of Motherhood

So the conversation went like this:

"Mommy, what are you going to be when you grow up?"

"What do you mean Joshy I am grown up."

"No, when are you going to get a job, like Dad?"

"Oh, a job. Well, you see Josh, I already have a job. I stay at home and take care of you and your brother and sisters, and the house and stuff."

"That's not a job."

"Yes, it is. And you are very lucky, because if I went to work then you would have to go to daycare and we wouldn't be able to spend all this time together, doing fun things."

"That's okay Mom. You can get a job. I WANT to go to daycare."

"You do? Why?"

"Because you boss me around."

Oh the joy.

The rest of the conversation was spent discussing why I boss him around and how it's a good thing.

In the end, I don't think he bought it.

Happy New Year

I just wanted to start this new year with best wishes to all we love. 2007 was a wonderful year and I am looking forward to having an even better 2008.

Only as I have grown older (although not necessarily wiser), I have realized the need to stay connected with those we love. There isn't much in this life that can't be replaced. What is new today will be old tomorrow, and all the things that we just have to have and that seem so important, usually aren't. Except for our family and our friends.

So my goal in 2008 is to stay better connected with those I love.

Keep in touch.