Entries RSS Comments RSS

I’d Rather

February 6th, 2008

Last week my 19 year old daughter gave me a present.  Well, she gave me a clue that led to a scavenger hunt, collecting more children as we went along!  I had quite an entourage by the time I got to the end!  

 

 

The story is a bit funny, so I’ll back up a few days.  I have been wanting the book , "Passionate Housewives, Desperate for God", and even had it in my Amazon.com shopping cart.  I was waiting to see if another daughter was going to order and we could combine orders for free shipping.   That daughter decided not to order, and I had thought about just going ahead and getting it.   But I didn’t think I did.  Then I get an e-mail from Amazon saying my order had been shipped!  Boy, I thought I was a major scatterbrain for sure to not remember going ahead with the order, but nothing would surprise me around here!

 

 

Therefore I was quite relieved to find out it was my daughter that had ordered it and not me!  Whew!  I’m not as scatterbrained as I thought!

 

 

As much as I wanted the book and am thoroughly enjoying reading it, the greater gift that was in that box is priceless.  Absolutely priceless.  And I’m going to share it with you.  Remember, especially you younger mommies, it will be worth every ounce of investment (prayers, sweat and tears) that you put into those little ones.  They will rise and call you blessed, and even though you know you weren’t the perfect mommy, things like this will warm your heart.  More than all the awards I won in high school (including being valedictorian of my class) that are now in a box somewhere, more than any praise by any one else outside our family, more than anything the world can offer, these sweet, priceless gifts my children give me from time to time mean the most.

 

 

So, here is Leah’s rendition of  "I’d Rather" by Meredith Gray (She tweaked the first stanza, dropped a stanza, used one other original one–the fifth in this poem–and she wrote the rest).

 

I’d Rather

 

I’d rather be a mommy

than anyone on earth,

Raising up a child or more

of unpretentious birth.

 

I’d rather be in the kitchen

with my children all around–

than sit at a desk the day long

without one childish sound.

 

I’d rather have a home

with dirty walls, broken china and piles galore–

than I would a show house

and an empty heart which reveals that indeed I’m  very poor.

 

I’d rather teach my children

of all God’s wonderful works–

than teach a class of strangers

of man’s many strange quirks.

 

I’d rather wash a smudgy face

with round, bright baby eyes–

than paint the pageantry of fame

or walk among the wise.

 

I’d rather raise up warriors

and maidens for God’s Kingdom–

than build up fame, and much claim

in the world’s wide regions.

 

I’d rather wait awhile

and receive the Lord’s "Well done",

I’d rather give my life for Him

and be His and His alone.

 

 

If that weren’t enough, there was this note with it:

 

To Mommy

 

Thank you for being my mommy, my teacher and my friend, and for raising me to be a maiden of virtue.  "I’d Rather" be a wife, mommy and homekeeper  because of your ongoing training, prayers, and example!  I love you….love your favorite Leah"

 

Humbled and Grateful to God,

 

 

Trisch

Posted in Being a MommyDear | 6 Comments »

Link for Rock Climber

January 20th, 2008

Here’s the link for the rock climber I mentioned in the Extreme Sports entry:

 

 http://epic.weather.com/videoPlayer.html?clip=9319

 

Wonder if he ever climbed the Mountain of Laundry, or braved the terror of "Getting Through the House Without Falling and Breaking a Leg on the Stuff on the Floor"?!

 

Enjoy!

 

Trisch

Posted in Smiles | No Comments »

Extreme Sports

January 20th, 2008

My husband was looking at the weather this morning on the internet and clicked on something which brought up a video on some extreme sports (I guess that’s what they called them!)  There was this guy who was trying to climb an arch in the middle of some sea, and one handhold he had to jump to reach it.  He fell into the sea below several times, then he got it–I mean, how can you catch a handhold and hang on while swinging from the momentum?!

 

Then it was mountain bikers.   Talking about breaking wrists, losing teeth, separated shoulders (OUCH!) from their crashes.  You know these guys (well, and girls)–they go down a mountain at the speed of light and flip their bike upside down then land on a tire and keep going.  Sometimes they land and smash!   That’s when they do the teeth/wrists/shoulders thing.   I wonder how they’ll feel in 40 years?! 

 

I decided that I, too, am a part of an extreme sport.  Sorry guys, this one is only for the ladies.  I birthed 10 children.  I actually went through 22 pregnancies. 12 of which miscarried and 1 was a stillborn.   9 regular births and 1 c-section.  Yep.  Done it all! 

 

Not only that, I breastfed them, too.  Some longer than others.  Now, that’s usually a pretty easy, natural thing.   But we’ve made it so complicated.  Do we schedule?  If so, how far apart?  If we demand feed, how do we go to the bathroom?   Do I get them sleeping through the night?  Or do I co-sleep?  My word, you can make a new mommy’s heart faint with terror with all that!   It took me about 7 children to start relaxing and enjoying them and learning the rhythms of life (I like calling it "responsive feeding").   And then I had to field the "Are they sleeping through the night yet?" questions.   I don’t remember anyone asking me that much until around baby #4.   What changed?   I don’t know, but  I went the other way.  I decided to be a part of the Extreme Team.

 

You never heard of it?  Well, that’s the mommy team that does what is best for their children and husband and family!   Not only that, but she dares go against the PC flow and pour herself out for her children.  Now, daddies can get it on the sport here.  It’s just the birthing and breastfeeding that they have to forego!    

 

So here I am, involved it the extreme sport of a lifetime–being a mother.  Not just a mother, but Mommy.  I figure it takes a lot of guts and sweat and tears to get your 21, 19, 16 and 14 year old daughters to call you Mommy.   And they do!   It takes a lot of grit to raise them to be feminine.  And they are!

 

More than that, it takes a lot of love poured out like Jesus poured out for me for them to see Him in my imperfect imitation of Him, and to love Him and live for Him.  And they do!

 

I highly doubt anyone will be featuring me on a short video about mothering, but something the arch-over-the-sea-climber said resounds with me:  "Sometimes you just keep trying and trying, and when you least expect it, you get it."  (Not a verbatim quote!)    Well, it’s that way with parenting, too!  And although these people do their sport for the adrenaline rush and will probably have some achey bones in the future, I do it for the long-term reward of my children, sons- and daughters-in-law, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and more arising up and calling me blessed!  And to have them all with me someday in Heaven.   Yeah, I might get some achey bones, too, but my rewards won’t be some dusty trophies sitting in a closet (or a barn)!

 

So, if you’re a mommy loving your children, doing what you feel is best for them, especially if you’re going against the popular flow–welcome to:

 

The Extreme Mommy Team!

Now go give yourself a pat on the back and have some chocolate!

 

Trisch

Posted in Being a MommyDear | 4 Comments »

Of Archaeological Digs, Spinning Yarns, and Cheap Therapy!

January 19th, 2008

Well, I’ve already broken one of the rules for blogging–regular entries!!!  I never did promise that, but I did think I’d be back before a month was up!!!

 

We are "undecorating" the house today.  BLEH!   It’s never as much fun as decorating!  I told the girls we should have decorations for every season, then it wouldn’t be so bad!   Well, my sweet husband might disagree–finding a place for MORE Rubbermaid tubs wouldn’t exactly be a picnic!

 

I need to unearth the bar again (not quite an archaeological dig this time, but it’s getting close…) before we start giving music lessons Monday.   I think it would be easier to keep the bar clean if my computer desk were more organized.  But to organize that, I have to clear out the filing cabinet in the sewing room, and to do that, I have to find the sewing room (major archaeological dig).   And I can’t really work heavily on that in good conscience until my part of painting the new master bathroom is done so I don’t hold up progress in there for my husband!  

 

In the meantime, the bar will be an ongoing struggle!

 

Winter months are supposed to be slower, more time at home because of the weather, time for "piecin’ quilts" as a neighbor of long ago used to tell me!   Somehow, we’re not as cabin-bound as in the "olden days", life doesn’t seem to slow down much, and I’m not piecin’ any quilts.   Sounds good about now! 

 

I think the modern woman has gotten ripped off.  I like many love my appliances and modern conveniences, don’t get me wrong.  But it seems to me that the creative part of our homemaking has been taken out of our hands–it’s just easier/cheaper to buy such and such vs. making it.   Then in its place we get the laundry, the sweeping, the dishes, the bath to clean (and more of them!), the this and the that…..all of it a bit easier now-a-days, but we lost something.  We lost the part of our work that doesn’t come undone in a few hours!

 

I have a spinning wheel that I haven’t used much since my children were born.  Right now it has a piece missing because of those dear children!   I need to get it going again, though.  Not because I think there are any merits to spinning my own yarn over buying it, or even that it’s cheaper, but it’s more relaxing.  I haven’t spun for probably close to 18 years, but I remember that about it.  The rhythm, the sound of the whirring wheel….you don’t have to concentrate on anything or you can think great thoughts if you want while spinning.  (That is, once you’ve learned it and practiced it a bit!)   And your hands get nice and soft just from the natural lanolin in the wool!

 

Different forms of needlework can be viewed as tedious or therapy.  When my husband was in the ICU after his serious accident, I was knitting a triangular shawl that is super easy–no counting and straight knitting.  I could sit and visit with others while waiting to see him, and yet my hands were productive.  There is something comforting, something soothing about working with your hands, especially during a crisis.  I went on to make my four oldest daughters shawls over the next year!  Cheap therapy, I say!  And believe me, I’m not "Super Knitter"!   One daughter’s shawl has a nice small hole in the center where I slipped a stitch and didn’t find it until I was done!   Keeps me humble!

 

Quilting used to be a way to make something useful, to be a good steward by using the good parts of worn out clothes (and making a "memory quilt" in the process!), to keep hands busy in a potentially stir-crazy time (cabin fever, anyone?) and in better weather an excuse for fellowship with others.   We traded all that for a Wal-Mart comforter in a bag at $29.99.  I think we got ripped off.

 

When I finish something, even if it’s a bit lopsided or has a hole in the center of it  , it is such a sense of accomplishment.  A satisfaction that just picking up a scarf at Wally-World doesn’t bring.

 

I just wonder if all the stressed out women found one outlet for themselves, whether they ever mastered it or not, if it wouldn’t help us all be in a better frame of mind.  I take my knitting everywhere.  I don’t knit extremely fast, and usually have about 6 projects going at a time (to the chagrin of my very organized mother-in-law–love ya, Mother!), but that’s okay.  I’m not needing to clothe my family for the winter.  It’s just my therapy.  And we get something out of it, too!   See what I mean?  What do you get out of paying somebody $100 an hour to listen to you?! 

 

If you really need to talk, come on over and I’ll only charge you $25!    Or maybe I’ll just pour you a cup of tea in a nice teacup and set you up with some needles, yarn, and teach you this easy triangular shawl pattern!  If you remember that the goal isn’t a polished product to sell, but just a sweet labor of love (and therapy for you!) for someone you love–or maybe even something special just for you– it makes it all the more fun!

 

I might just have to get a quilt top going…..

 

Trisch

Posted in Smiles | 5 Comments »

Random Studies

December 20th, 2007

You can’t do fractions while someone is singing a drone accompaniment to a song!   At least, that’s what my 16 year old daughter found out while trying to do some math.   Her younger siblings were singing "One, Two, Three, Jesus Loves Me" and one sister was singing an accompaniment that was more like a drone.  A  high pitched drone!!! 

 

We also found out, in another study the same day, that it’s hard to have your quiet time when two daughters are singing "We Three Kings" in various harmonies.  Oh, they all sounded nice, but they must have done it for 10 minutes, and only the first verse each time…..

 

One other study–the best way to make yourself insane is to leave your Christmas sewing until 5 days before Christmas, not including the blouse and jumper you want to make for yourself for a tea tomorrow (blouse is almost done…), and still have to shop for your oldest daughter’s birthday the day before Christmas!   And I can’t talk her into waiting to celebrate her birthday after Christmas!    

 

Thankfully my dear, dear husband is willing to pick up a few things for me so I can stay home today and sew….but it’s already 1:15 and I’ve not made it to "the temporary sewing room" yet…..

 

I think getting up at 4:30 when my youngest woke me to nurse might have been my best option!  Then I could have gotten a lot done before the interruptions started…..but a mother’s life is made up of interruptions!   As Annie Keary stated, it is the planned work for that moment, that day!   The Master’s plan, that is!   The only question is, will I humbly submit my agenda and lovingly take care of the multitude of things that make up a mommy’s day, or will I resent those "intrusions" and insist on my agenda?   OUCH! 

 

Oh, by the way, the "temporary sewing room" is our soon to be master bath and bedroom….I’ve got one daughter sewing in the walk in closet, another in the master bath–just the shower is in there right now–and yet another in the old closet, which is very small.  Maybe she should get the award for "sewing in the smallest space" or "most dedicated to sewing"?!  And the cutting table, my sewing machine, ironing board and sawhorses with the trim my husband is painting are all in the main room.   It’s a big room–good thing!   I just don’t know how we’ll manage when we actually make it a bedroom!  And my husband says he is not adding on again…..

 

My present to you (if you haven’t already gotten it through my e-mails or from someone else!!) is a funny video entitled "A Homeschool Family" (to the tune of "The Addams Family"–turn up your speakers!)

 

http://www.doublesharpevideo.com/HomeSchool2/Homeschool2.html

 

And here is one that will probably bring tears to your eyes–a young man that believed in his dream, and an admonishment (to me, at least) to not prejudge!    Also, I think it helps me to not give up on my dreams–even if it’s just to have everything run smoothly for ONE day! 

 

Again–make sure your speakers are on!

 

http://www.maniacworld.com/Phone-Salesman-Amazes-Crowd.html

 

Merry Christmas!

 

Trisch

 

 

 

 

 

Posted in Reality at Tinklingbells Farm | 3 Comments »

Bittersweet Memories

December 14th, 2007

"It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…in our house today…."

 

Okay, so that’s not how the original song goes!  It’s our version!

 

We stayed up until midnight last night–decided to get it done!   I should say we as in my oldest five daughters and me!    It was a lot of fun!   Last year I didn’t do as much–hardly anything since I was recuperating from a c-section (who said 6 weeks is enough time?!).   So it was good to be able to be a part of it this year.   I usually do the piano–my oldest says she remembers when I wouldn’t let anyone else do it–that way if anthing got broken it was my own fault!

 

The only thing left is for me to put out the nativity that was my grandma’s.  That’s the current "no one else can touch it" decorating!   I remember as a child being allowed to play with it carefully as long as I didn’t take it off the desk it was set upon.   You wind up a little music box and it plays Silent Night.  I still remember winding it up and just looking reverently at all the figures.  My grandma was a big influence in my life that helped to lead me to Christ as my Savior.  I’m sure she prayed many a prayer for me!

 

As I was decorating last night, I dusted the pie safe.  It hadn’t been dusted in a l-o-n-g time!  Dusting is not high on our priority list!  But as I was rearranging things there and they would definitely show where they’d been sitting for months, I dusted.   My dad’s glasses are there, and I cleaned them off….and remembered Mom cleaning them just a few days before Dad died (he passed away in October).   He was pretty unresponsive to us by that time, but she picked them up and said, "I better clean these for him–he might need them tomorrow." I think we both knew, but it was such a sweet gesture.  Of course, the memory of it made me cry.   "Firsts" without a dear loved one are always hard–this is my first Christmas without a parent.   Dad’s birthday is Sunday, too.   As I sat in a chair in the living room, I remembered the family Christmases we had there, or when Dad and Mom came over and brought the oldest two girls’ presents on that Christmas day 15 years ago–a Little Tykes Dollhouse (that we still have!).  Dad loved to watch the kids open their presents.    He would also come the morning of December 24 and have biscuits and gravy and fried apples with us to celebrate my oldest daughter’s birthday (almost 21 years old!).    As I sat in the chair I saw the ornament that had brought tears to my eyes when we put up the tree a few weeks ago–a gold ornament with a hand painted Florida White rabbit on it.  Dad and Mom quit having a tree a long time ago, so when Dad got this ornament for winning at one of the rabbit shows, he gave it to us.   I don’t think I appreciated it at the time, but it’s precious now.  It even has his name on it:  BOB!   (Okay, so I know that BOB stands for Best Of Breed, but still, it’s his name, too!)

 

It’s hard closing this chapter of my life where my parents have been the driving force of family traditions and dinners.   But we open a new one–looking ahead to when all the "kids come home" to celebrate.   The older girls like to decorate and rearrange their rooms, letting no one else in until the big "showing".  They light candles, turn on Christmas lights and we all file in and go "oooh!"  and "aaaahhhh!" looking at each nook and cranny where they’ve tucked neat things and admiring their creativity.   One of the girls last night said, "You know how we like to decorate our rooms and then show them off?  Well, when we’re married, we can decorate our houses, then have everyone come over to show them off!  And we can have tea and cookies afterwards!"    I like that idea!

 

Traditions.   Family.   Memories.   And yes, sometimes, even tears.   It’s all a part of life.   Even in our bittersweet remembrances, though, is the hope of all being together again.   This time forever!   And it’s all because of the Baby Whose birth we celebrate.

 

Trisch

 

P.S.   Here’s a quote by Crystal Paine that has really spoken to me, especially with all that’s happened recently:

"Don’t let another priceless moment slip through your fingers because
you are ‘too busy’. While you have the time, take the time."

Posted in Family | 6 Comments »

Christmas in the Air

December 13th, 2007

I don’t know why, but I seem to not be able to really get with it for Christmas until about now.   I’m always about two weeks behind!   Maybe it has something to do with three birthdays in the first 12 days of November and the recovery time from all that…I don’t know! 

 

I met with a friend for coffee (well, latte’!) and we spent a wonderful hour just visiting and agreeing that we needed two more weeks!!!  Before I met with her, I thought I could be home by 5:00 and get this and that and the other thing done…but there is too much of that!  I think we all need to just take a little time for a chat with a friend.  I felt like I finally woke up–with only 12 days until Christmas!  (Well, 11 1/2 now!)

 

I have all this sewing I want to get done, but we still want to finish decorating the house.  We got the tree done the week after Thanksgiving, but everyone’s been so busy that we haven’t taken the time to get the rest of the stuff out.     Sew–I mean so–we’re taking a break from the machines and seeing what we can get done tonight, and finish the rest in the morning.    We’ll put on some Christmas music (probably Elegant Christmas by Elegant Music–their arrangement of Troika is one of our favorites!) and maybe even have some hot chocolate!  Oh, I forgot.  We’re out.  Um…think they’d mind spiced chai?! 

 

The past few days have been quite stressful.  Oh, not fighting crowds and traffic, as I’ve done most of my shopping at the click of a mouse, but coordinating 7 Christmas lists is always quite daunting!  (The boys are at the mercy of what my husband and I deem appropriate for them.  Next year the now 3 year old will probably understand and have his own "Christmas list"!)   Especially when you find out the tripled star items are either unavailable at this time or backordered until April of ’08!      I also had to call Paperwishes’ 24 hour customer service number to see if I had actually submitted the order, only to find out that "24 hour customer service" has been outsourced, like so many things are, and the best they could do is take a message and have someone call me in the morning!  (Of course they’re on Pacific time, so that meant about noon today!)   Oh, by the way, I did place the order.  How could I not know?  For one, there was no e-mail confirmation.  For two, I was trying to get this done without anyone seeing it–which is quite a feat since the computer is in the family/dining area, and although everyone was happily on the other side of the house, their "radar" kicked in and all of a sudden they needed my advice on projects or needed my assistance on something (like refereeing), or….you name it!  So, in the rush of trying to accomplish the most before being seen, I must have closed it out before printing my receipt/confirmation! 

 

Well, at least I didn’t have to pay express shipping (yet)!  I had to do that one year for most of my orders, because everyone moved up their dates from the year before, or I didn’t read the small print under "Delivery guaranteed by Dec. 24".  Small print reads: extra shipping costs may apply.  I read small print now! 

 

So I can say most of my shopping is done.  Still have some stocking stuffers to get–although I don’t know why I bother.  By the time I get to put my stuffers in, the stockings are stuffed from the other stuffors stuffing in their stuff!

 

And there’s still my husband….at least his list isn’t so hard.   Just a few items.  Nothing triple starred.  Simple.   About the only thing that is! 

 

Time to find out if everyone’s done with their chores so we can get at least a little decorating done.  Then maybe it will feel a bit more like Christmas.   And somehow I’ve got to break the news to dear, dear laid back husband that his sweet, sweet 3 year old son pulled the towel bar sort of off the wall in the upstairs bathroom.   And sort of pulled some of the wall with it.  I guess it lasted almost a year before something had to happen in the new addition!  Maybe we can decorate around it….a garland maybe?

 

Think I’ll go bake some cookies for the troops! 

 

Trisch

Posted in Smiles | 4 Comments »

Newer Entries »