Part of me wants to simply write, "I am thankful that we survived this week." and be done with this post. There are two problems with that idea.
1. The week isn't quite over. There is still a chance we won't actually survive. There are still many activities in the next 2 days. The lack of sleep has already caused me to get sick, and the kids are looking mighty ragged.
2. Ya'll wouldn't get to hear about the things making this such a busy week. And as we all know, there is nothing better than a blog post about how busy someone is. :)
So, the thankfuls...
1. I am thankful that I stocked up on toilet paper a few weeks ago. I blew through every Kleenex we had in the house, in my purse, and in the van, but didn't have time to go to the store to get more until Thursday. The roll of toilet paper I carried around the house with me got the job done.
2. I am thankful that God had the foresight to create us with a Plan B for breathing. As I lay in bed at night, doing some lip-drying, thirst-making mouth breathing, I was acutely aware of God's genius in this matter.
3. I am thankful for all of those toothpaste samples from the dentist I found in the great bathroom cabinet clean-out. I used the last of the toothpaste in the tube on Monday. Each little sample tube could last us a day or so. (See #1 about not having time to go to the store.)
4. I am thankful for our posse who will help us with rides for our kids. Regardless of how much I would like to be, I can't be at four different places at the same time. We had at least one person driving at least one of our kids somewhere every single night this week. Bless them all.
5. I am thankful that Turken is only in kindergarten. Several nights this week, we couldn't get the little kids home to bed before 9:00. Their bedtime is normally 7:30. I let Turken sleep in and miss school completely one day, and he went in late another. As far as I'm concerned, sleep is way more important than kindergarten. Too bad for the big kids, middle school and high school can't be skipped so easily.
6. I am thankful for Phoenix's decision to be Confirmed. (For non-Catholic readers, this is the third and final Sacrament of Initiation into the Catholic Church.) He has gone through many classes and meetings and retreats and talks to make sure this is a step he truly wants to make. Being Confirmed doesn't mean a person has finally arrived and can take it easy. In fact, it means he has committed himself to continual learning and working to spread and live his faith in work and deed. It's no small thing, and I'm proud to see him choosing this.
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| Phoenix with his Confirmation sponsor and the archbishop |
7. I am thankful for our great seats at Phoenix's Confirmation. The Mass was held downtown at the gorgeous cathedral (45 minutes from our house) at 7:00 on Wednesday night. While the seats were OK for their proximity to the altar and all the "goings on", they were most appreciated for their proximity to an exit. At 8:00, after Phoenix had been anointed, Bryan was able to scoot out with the exhausted little boys and get them home to bed.
8. I am thankful for kind, generous folks. Our grocery store of choice has a mechanical horse for the kids to ride, and it only costs a penny. I have always used it as a reward for good behavior while I shop. Oftentimes, when we get to the horse we find this:
Grandmas and grandpas are constantly leaving pennies for kids to use.
9. I am thankful that in the 10 minutes I had for housework this week, I chose to clean the bathrooms instead of scrubbing the kitchen floor. They both desperately needed cleaned, but I had to make a choice. To illustrate the desperateness...At the doctor's office, Cuckoo needed to use the restroom. As we walked in, he said, "This is the bathroom? It's so clean! Why is it so clean? How do they get it so clean?" On and on he went about the cleanliness of the bathroom. Apparently, it has been so long since our bathroom was cleaned, he forgot what it was supposed to look like. Anyway, I had 10 minutes while Cuckoo ate breakfast on Friday, and I chose to rectify the bathroom situation instead of the gross floor situation. As I was finishing up, Cuckoo stood up from the table and spewed all over the kitchen floor. I would have been mighty ticked off if that would have happened on a freshly scrubbed floor.
10. I am thankful for our school's music teacher. She is brilliant when it comes to getting kids to do things outside of their comfort zone. This year, there are 73 kids performing "The Wizard of Oz" for the middle school musical. The kids she chose for the main parts were shocking to most of us, but she was spot on. The first show was Thursday night, and it was marvelous. They have all worked terribly hard for the last couple of months, and it shows. Buttercup and Star are in it, and they have had so much fun.
I suppose I should have included, "I'm thankful for our pigs," seeing as how we got them this week. Maybe I'll say it next week. This week, I just see it as one more thing to take care of several times each day. They are cute, though. We've never before gotten them when they were this small.
Alrighty, it's your turn. What has you feeling grateful this week?
Have a lovely weekend!
Your hosts
A Fly on our (Chicken Coop) Wall, Amycake and the Dude, Considerings, Finding Ninee, Getting Literal, I Want Backsies, Mother of Imperfection, Rewritten, Thankful Me, The Wakefield Doctrine
I've been checking several times a day to find a post from you but nothing until now. No wonder, even by what you've NOT written I can tell you've had a hell of a week. Sorry you've been feeling so rough, I hope by now you're feeling much better and able to cope.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on the bathroom, if my child had done that when I'd just cleaned it he would have been put out in the garden! lol
The piggies look adorable - and you've just reminded me why I don't eat pork :(
Hope things start calming down a bit now and you have a good weekend :)
I'm feeling betterish. Now that I can get to bed before 11:30 each night, I should be back to normal in no time. Thanks.
DeleteHa! I'm thinking most moms would understand. :)
Aw, they won't be so cute come September. Do you eat any meat? I don't remember you being a vegetarian, but then, I don't remember you talking about eating anything besides cakes on your camping trips. :)
Calming down is a relative thing. It's better than last week, which is great. Next week will be even better.
I never actually buy meat, I eat beef or chicken VERY occasionally if I go out for a meal, but having bottle fed lambs and cuddled day-old piglets many years ago there's no way I will ever eat lamb or pork. At least I'd be okay if there was ever a world meat shortage, I'd just eat cake! lol
DeleteThe week is done...now breathe! I work outside the home and have only two to tend to, so bow down to you! My kids they are older and can handle what needs to be done in the morning to get out of the house; my son even handles the dog, walking, & feeding him too...a huge help and I am thankful to them...even with all this help I almost forgot that James needed to be at band class yesterday early...oops he reminded me so everyone was tucking and rolling out the car! Hope your feeling better and on the mends, have a wonderful weekend! The piggies are adorable....
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to your sons Confirmation!!!
Marisa
I'm finally breathing through my nose again, so that's good! :)
DeleteThat is very helpful that your kids handle morning chores. Mine can't really do the morning animal chores, seeing as how they leave by 6:30, when it is still dark. It's pretty hard to feed and water the animals in the dark. But this summer...they are on duty!
Thank you, for all of those kind wishes and congrats.
It sucks being sick. I'm so glad you had extra toilet paper and toothpaste.
ReplyDeleteI laughed out loud with the clean bathroom part. Well, there you go.
Way to go on the confirmation. That's the best part of this post.
Have a terrific day and weekend and get well soon. :)
It certainly does. You and me both.
DeleteThere you go. Nothing to be done, so laughing it is.
It is a huge deal, and I couldn't be happier about it.
Thank you!
You sure do sound miserable. I'm sure you have a lovely red nose as I'm sure the TP didn't help in those regards.
ReplyDeleteIt's marvelous to have a village of support to help in raising the children. I can't quite imagine life without the support of a faith/church community! Definitely a thankful as you so stated!
The nose hasn't been helped by the bit of sunburn I got on Saturday either. It's not looking good, I'll tell you that much!
DeleteOh, we'd be toast without our village. I am grateful every single day for the kind people surrounding us.
Ugh, sorry you're sick. Its never fun but at a bust stressful times it's just overwhelming and NOT fair! You have some powerful intuition picking floors! Your kids would have a lot to chat w my kids about, our bathroom is rarely clean. Hope next week is better!
ReplyDeleteThose piggies are so cute! Like kids they don't stay that little very long :)
Feel better!
The illness was pretty much expected. The only time I ever get sick is when I don't get enough sleep for too many days in a row. It isn't helpful at all.
DeleteThis week will still be busy, of course, but nothing like the last one! Thank the Lord above.
Thankfully, the pigs don't stay cute for long. I'd never be able to eat them if they did. :)
"...Cuckoo stood up from the table and spewed all over the kitchen floor. I would have been mighty ticked off if that would have happened on a freshly scrubbed floor."
ReplyDeleteI am, I trust all realize, laughing with you*
For one, I am glad to hear that real people appreciate the convenience and comfort of a roll of toilet paper as opposed to Kleenex!
* though, for the record, I am not implying or asserting or otherwise suggesting that you were laughing at the time....
No, no I was not laughing then, but soon after. :)
DeleteI don't know about comfort, but convenience of toilet paper is appreciated here. I guess you buy softer toilet paper than I do. :)
Poor cuckoo... spewing... but man you know how to pick your priorities...let me know if you go to Vegas we can work the odds...Hope you are both feeling better.
ReplyDeleteIts so nice to see that Phoenix actually made the choice as opposed to his parents forcing him into his Confirmation as was the style when I was that age. Did he choose a confirmation name ( maybe ostrich or meadowlark? lol) My kiddo was pressured by his father to make his and because of that it was meaningless to him and he sarcastically chose the namesake of Blaze... St. Blaze was a good guy Im sure but still!
Cuckoo was fine. As soon as he spewed, he looked at me, then climbed right back up in his chair and finished his breakfast. No more problems the rest of the day.
DeleteI have no doubt there are still kids who are pressured by parents to be Confirmed. He did choose a name. I remember that story about your son, but I didn't know the backstory. Phoenix chose Thomas Moore, but your ostrich name is funny!
Oops. That was supposed to be "More" not "Moore".
DeleteI do hope you are able to go back to plan A for breathing soon, and that Cuckoo is able to keep food down soon, too. His comment about the bathroom reminded me of one time years ago when the kids saw me mopping the floor and immediately got all excited: "Is Grandma coming?" Um, no. Sometimes I just clean the floor for us! Glad you made the right call on what to clean.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to Phoenix, and thanks for the explanation. I assume baptism is the first step--though I could definitely be wrong. What is the second?
Is is pig season again? Is it wrong of me to be looking forward to the seemingly inevitable funny pig posts? Yes, yes, it probably is. I know--how about you write some incredibly funny pig posts, where no pigs nor humans are harmed? (the yearly "Now They Are Bacon" post notwithstanding) Good luck with the piggies--they are cute!
The nose is working just fine, and Cuckoo never actually got sick. As soon as he watered down my kitchen with his innards, he immediately sat down to finish his breakfast. Bizarre.
DeleteHahahaha!! Sometimes we do just want clean floors for us! My kids have asked more than once when I am having them clean if people are coming over.
It is pig season. I would love funny pig posts in which no one is harmed. We're doing everything we can to make sure this is the year all four pigs make it to the end of the summer. We even got a new waterer. We mean business!
I realized I never answered your question: You are correct, Baptism is the first. Receiving the Eucharist is the second, which usually happens in the 2nd grade.
DeleteWhen you are sick, it really IS the little things. Hope you are feeling 100% soon. Your lists always remind me to pause and be more thankful about all kinds of stuff from people's kindesses to small miracles like having two ways to breathe.
ReplyDeleteThose pennies! How dear!
It most certainly is. I'm at about 90%, so things are going much better around here. At least for me. Posts to come on that. :)
DeleteI'm glad the lists do that for you. Lizzi's idea is working!
It is so sweet. Just another little sign that the world is full of good people.
I am so sorry you're sick and it's so much worse when you don't have down time to recuperate. It's great that you have folks to help out with the running of all the kids. I'm sure that helps you out a lot. So, yes, bless them! Those little pigs are cute. Not so much when they get a little bigger, though.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great thing to hear about Phoenix. I bet you are very proud of him. I can never get over how tall he is!
I sure hope you get to feeling better soon! Hang in there :)
Really, the illness is more of a result of the busy than not having time to recuperate from the illness. I only get sick when I get too many nights in a row without sleep. Oh, we would be up a creek without a paddle if we didn't have such great people in our lives to help us.
DeleteI am proud of him. I am also astounded anew every time he stands next to me. He is gigantic.
Thanks!
Ugh, I hope you feel better soon and that the list of thankfuls cheered you up a bit? Some really nice things in there - especially confirmation and the musical - and those pennies! Fantastic and hope it helps combat the exhaustion. You survived the week!
ReplyDeleteThe list always does my attitude a world of good.
DeleteWe survived!
SO sorry you've been sick. The absolute worst is not being able to breathe. OK, maybe it's the flu. No, it's the lack of breathing. I hope you are feeling better soon! Toilet paper and toothpaste stores - priceless. All other supplies are fairly negotiable. Not those two.
ReplyDeleteConfirmation - huge big deal and how awesome!
I do love #8 - a penny? And a lovely supply of them left by sweet people? That is just awesome.
Have a wonderful week!
I think I hate a stuffy nose more than the flu. Of course, I hate throwing up even more.
DeleteAin't that the truth! Can't go without the blowing of the nose or brushing of the teeth!
Lots of awesome this week, for sure.
Now I'm worried - is it bad to write posts about how busy you are? Do people not like those? If so, I'm going to have to rethink much of my blog content....
ReplyDeleteGlad you made it through your week to date. The pile of penny's by the ride made me smile. So nice! And only a penny! It costs a dollar for any of those up here. Heck - we don't even have the penny anymore in Canada! They abolished it last year!
Hope next week calms down for you a bit. - Louise
Ha! I have no idea. :)
DeleteYour comment about the penny being abolished started quite the conversation at my house! How do you do that? What about tax? Can there not be a bill for $7.23? How does that work??!?!
It is a bit calmer, thank goodness.
Those piggies are sooo cute. Just like the movie Babe. And congrats on your son's confirmation -- that's a big event. And that pic with the pennies and the ride is too wonderful. Have a great week and here's to feeling better.
ReplyDeleteI've never thought our pigs were cute before, as we usually get them when they are a bit bigger. These guys are cute.
DeleteThank you!
You need a replacement Mom to fill in for you when you're sick! But I suspect they couldn't handle all that you do.
ReplyDeleteHope things are back to "normal" soon!
Honestly, surely someone could come up with that. If nothing else, a driver would be a great help!
DeleteHa! "Normal" it is. :)
They are cute. Fortunately, they aren't too much trouble at the moment. They aren't trying to run away or knock me over, and they don't eat all that much yet. I really shouldn't complain.
ReplyDeleteI'm feeling better, breathing through my nose and everything. There's still a bit of illness lingering, but much better than I was. Thank you for the recognition. :)
It really needs it now! Giant got some more done yesterday, but it is still mostly a jungle out there. And today it is raining, making it grow even more.
Yay!
Thank you! The weekend away with only one child helped.
Oh, I remember weeks like that when my kids were little. Does it make you feel any better if I tell you that time dulls the pain and leaves you with only a melancholy memory of the experience?!
ReplyDeleteIt helps. I think. :)
DeleteOh my, hope you feel better. I can't imagine that trip to the grocery store when you're all better.
ReplyDeleteWhat a week you've had! toilet paper is great, right? sometimes it's even better than Kleenex. I pray you are feeling better by now. and God bless your son, for wanting to be confirmed. it was just expected with our 3, we didn't really give them a choice. your way is better. Only 2 of ours are now practicing Catholics. :-( I would love to see a school production of the Wizard of Oz, I can only imagine the fun!
DeleteI felt better within a few days. The grocery store trip was a doozy, but most of them usually are. :)
DeletePart of me wonders how much Phoenix wanted to be confirmed, and how much of it was to make us happy. He's the kind of kid that would do it to make us happy.
DeleteAs for your kids, it's good that 2 are still practicing. There is always hope that the 3rd will, too. Many people go through a period of drifting in their early adulthood.
It was lots of fun. I can't get over how much talent there is in a group of middle schoolers!
Somehow, I knew there would be barf in this post and somehow, I knew it would be Cuckoo.
ReplyDeleteHuh. I don't know if it's you are good at sniffing out puke or if I'm just getting predictable at including it. While I hope it's that you are good at sniffing out barf, that thought makes me cringe.
Delete