A New Year

A new year is upon us once again, and everywhere I look people are looking back over the old year and looking forward to the new. What are we looking for? Maybe we are seeking to learn from our mistakes. Maybe we just want to relive the best moments. Maybe we are just searching for the things that defined our lives in the past year. I'm not sure. I'm not even certain that I am supposed to know.

Looking back over my own year, I am reminded once again that our lives seem to be defined by births, deaths and, always the love of G_d. In 2006 I lost my youngest son, Samuel Earl. That was an experience that went way beyond hard, way beyond painful. I hope and pray that you never experience a loss like it. Birth is supposed to be a joyous time, not a time for grieving. As long as I live I will never forget the haunting silence of Samuel Earl's birth. The look on my husband's face, his unbearable grief, will haunt me always. The kindness of family, friends and even strangers during that time will always temper the hurt, however, and always remind me of the grace and mercy of G_d in even the most painful and trying of circumstances.

Losing a child would have, and maybe even should have been enough hardship for any family in any year, but G_d wasn't through changing us. Eaglewood lost his main job, our primary source of income. Both of our vehicles broke down beyond repair. Our washing machine, and refrigerator both died. We were still in the midst of fresh grief. We were still struggling to help our children and each other try to make sense of the awful “why” of the whole thing, and life just seemed to grow harder and harder. Where was G_d? Why would He let all of this happen? Were we not following Him?

G_d was with us. We were following Him and He was faithful to carry us through in every moment of every day. We saw G_d reaching out to us in the faces and the actions of family members and friends who offered us everything from rides to buy groceries, to loans of vehicles and help with repairs, to gifts. We saw strangers come to our aid for no real reason other than G_d Himself must have led them to do so. We saw our lives change, our relationships deepen and grow, and our family transformed forever. We still don't know the “why” of the thing, but we no longer really care. Not just at Christmas this year, but all year long we have seen, and LIVED the real reason for celebrating Christmas which is “Emanuel, G_d with us”. While I would never wish upon anyone else the year we have had, I cannot help but wish you all the experience of knowing that G_d is truly with you, too.

So, our year was defined by a birth, a death, and the awesome love of G_d. What was your year defined by? What will define your new year? Most importantly of all, what will define your life?

One behalf of Eaglewood, Ditto, Pookie, Sneefert, Puddleglum and myself, I would like to wish you all the very happiest of new years! May your whole year be truly blessed, filled with unspeakable joy, and overflowing with the love of your Creator.

You Will Keep Your New Year's Resolution

You planning on making a resolution that's smart, attainable, and perfect for where your life is.

Will You Keep Your New Year's Resolution?

It's Been a Strange Week So Far

So far this week, we have had car repairs, sick children and tents set up in our living room! We have had shopping adventures, visits to pick up Eaglewood from work and made plans for visiting my family the first weekend in January. We have gone in search of goofy music (various) and weird videos (Mark Lowry this week) and strange-looking exercise equipment (don't ask!). My youngest two are now singing those weird songs at the top of their lungs in the bathroom just about every time they walk in there! Ditto and I have taken a break from reading good living books, and history and science books in favor of reading anything from comic books to bad science fiction this past week (yes, on purpose!). Charlotte Mason is probably spinning in her grave. We are having a great week, though. I hope and pray that yours is going just as wonderfully (minus the sickness, of course!). ;)

Returning To More Important Things....

Your Hippie Chick Name Is:

Destiny

Hippie Chick Name Generator

Well, It Made ME Laugh...

Stolen From Crazyjo's Blog...

My Peculiar Aristocratic Title is: Her Royal Highness Birdie the Lackadaisical of Melbury Bubblewick Get your Peculiar Aristocratic Title

Everyday Insanity

One of the down sides to having a sensory integration disorder is that sometimes you get overstimulated and have a meltdown. I actually woke up having one of those today! It must have been quite an experience for my family since by the time everyone had finished their breakfast, they were walking sideways around me to minimize air currents. As for me, I was pretty much trying to remove my skin with my teeth! I'm doing much better at the moment.

Our family collectively lost our minds today.... We went shopping together at the mall. Need I say more? We did find Puddleglum a new coat (our objective) and managed to live mostly happily ever after. I think Puddleglum likes his new coat. He tried to convince me to let him sleep in it tonight.

The Beast has a brake problem. Be praying for Eaglewood. I think I nearly drove him crazy today and the Beast is going to finish the job!

We survived!

Even though decorating cookies means setting cookies, candies and frosting out on the table and turning the children loose, we had a surprisingly good time with little bloodshed and no actual sibling murders! I couldn't be more pleased. ;)

Just try not too be too jealous of our "fine china" here... ;)

What were we talking about?

So far today the discussions around our table have covered everything from making house shoes out of leftover omelet to what would happen if we received a real, honest-to-goodness monster for Christmas. I'm tellin' ya, if these people weren't my children, I would still want them as my friends! ;) No one can make me laugh harder.

You Are a Creative Gift Giver

Your gifts are one of a kind, special, and well chosen. Whether you've made it yourself or searched all over town... There's really no one who has more of a personal touch than you.

What Kind of Gift Giver Are You?

Baking Christmas Cookies

They were angelically sweet, completely cooperative... and then they got started on actually making cookies. There was yelling, there was fussing and there was plenty of baking drama. I am pleased to announce that MOST of that was good natured and done int he name of fun. Some of it did come from the fact that we are a pretty opinionated bunch. All in all, the children had a GREAT time! Me? I took pictures! Just don't ask about the rest of my kitchen... Cleaning up will commence after a hot cocoa break. :p

So... What's new?

I'm sorry about the lack of posting this past week. There just really hasn't been much blog worthy stuff going on this week. Among the few noteworthy items:

Ditto has had tonsillitis. He has had a bad enough case that his tonsils were bleeding yesterday. He seems to be doing a great deal better today, however.

Eaglewood is car shopping. This is a favorite pass-time for him, and he doesn't even seem to mind the fact that we can't afford anything more than the most bare basic transportation. At this point I would probably be happy with anything on wheels. Roller skates are starting to look mighty good!

Eaglewood and I attended his company's Christmas party on Saturday at III Forks. We had a wonderful time, and I am now absolutely convinced that the people he works with must be the nicest people on the planet (other than you, of course!). On the other hand, about half the people there seemed to be walking around with cameras and taking pictures of everyone in sight including, for some strange reason, Eaglewood and myself. I don't think I have had an opportunity to be photographed that much by anyone since I was potty-trained! Yikes!

My children are gearing up to start the annual Christmas cookie baking extravaganza today. I will probably be in need of prayer and more cleaning supplies! I expect to have FUN! ;)

Eaglewood just left on a trip to.... well, somewhere besides home! He will be on the road for several hours today and probably won't be home before Thursday. :( I already miss him terribly.

Nutter Butter (yes, the cat) has managed to lose another collar. This is only a concern because he has a tendency to be something of a mooch and is pretty good at convincing people that they need a cat just like HIM. The collar and his often massive girth are usually the only things that convince people that he really does already have owners who love and feed him!

That's about it for us. I hope everything is going wonderfully in your world.

Housework is tough

Wear a hard hat!

Living with a sensory integration disorder

When a baby comes into this world prematurely, he (or she) often arrives with an immature nervous system that perceives touch quite differently from the nervous system of just about anyone else. What seems to you a soft caress can seem to this baby more like a slap or a scratch. I know just how this baby feels because I have lived with this my whole life. My fifteen year old son, Ditto, and I were both born with a sensory integration disorder. In addition to being very very sensitive to touch, we are also sensitive to sounds and smells. Not everyone with a sensory integration disorder has the same sensitivities or reacts in the same way, however. I can only tell you what I live with and how it affects me. The sensory integration issues that Ditto and I deal with are quite similar to what some autistic children deal with but without any of the social indicators. I won't bore you with the name of our particular problem. Labels don't help you cope, and the truth is that I can seldom remember the proper name anyway! The funny thing is that I was never diagnosed with this as a child and didn't even know that I was different until my son was born. I "got" Ditto, though. When he jumped and screamed over normal household noises, I understood. I even knew how to teach him to cope. I knew because I lived with it. When Ditto was small, we listened to the radio, or to tapes constantly (as in ALL the time) set at a very low volume. My husband would call it "subliminal music". :) I slowly increased that volume over time as Ditto became adjusted to the new noise level. It took years to get him to the point where he could handle all of the noises that you probably take for granted, but he DID get there! He will never be able to attend a ball game or even a church concert without ear plugs and special preparation, but he can still live a perfectly normal life. So can I.

Our sensitivity to smell probably gets us the weirdest looks from people. Ditto is currently the only other person I know who really gets it when I say something like "Does Puddleglum smell okay to you? I think he might be coming down with a cold". You see, Ditto and I are so sensitive to smells that we can even smell the changes in the body chemistry of those we know well that tell us when that person is becoming ill. We will often be aware of an illness before the person who is sick experiences his first physical symptom. My husband, Eaglewood is still absolutely amazed by that. It can be hard to live with, though. Imagine being able to walk past your closed refrigerator and knowing if the veggies inside are ready to be tossed out, or if your sandwich meat might be getting past it's prime! I cannot stand a lot of indoor pets because I am too sensitive to the smells from their cages or aquariums. What might smell bad to you can be physically painful to me because of its intensity. Some smells that should be pleasant such as certain perfumes and colognes affect Ditto and I that way, too. Hard to deal with? Well, yeah. You cannot exactly say to even your dearest friend "I really like you, but your perfume is hurting me. Please stand a little further away!". Trust me on this one! ;) If you are thinking of Wolverine or Daredevil from the comic books and movies, that's okay. We get that more often than you might guess, and we think that it's funny, too! ;)

The sensitivity to touch can be difficult to deal with in personal relationships. If I don't see it coming, having my face touched is more than just startling, it can be quite jarring and even painful! My shoulders and arms are also unusually sensitive. Ditto seems to be especially sensitive in his arms, back and shoulders. We feel air currents and temperature changes more than you do. This can be really distracting and quite frustrating for us at times. We are good at using this weird trait to find our way around the house in the dark, though. When you can feel yourself getting close to a wall or door, you don't really need to see it. The downside is that a sudden breeze across our faces can make us jump. Being grabbed unexpected for a kiss by a grandma or great aunt can HURT. If we see it coming and prepare, we are usually fine, but something unexpected can really freak us out.

So why am I telling you this? I'm not really sure. Maybe it is because no one ever told my parents and they never understood. In their defense, I would like to say that they didn't even realize that I had a problem to begin with. As a child, I had no idea that I was experiencing the world differently from anyone else and didn't even know to ask for help. Most children with problems like this don't know that they are different. Also, I want the parents of children with sensory integration issues to understand that when their child jerks away from a kiss it doesn't mean that they aren't loved. It isn't any kind of rejection at all. It means that what would have felt like a caress to the parent felt more like a slap to that child. So, as a parent should you give up kissing your child? Nope. A firm and intentional touch is much better than a soft touch. Let your child see it coming and mentally prepare! Repetition helps a BUNCH! Tolerances can be built up over time, and will make life much easier on your child, anyway. Think I'm weird? Yeah, me too! Isn't it great? ;)

I blame it on CrazyJo!

Dark Purple

To others, you seem a bit dark, mysterious, and moody. In truth, you are just a very unique person who doesn't care what others think. And you really enjoy your offbeat interests and friends. You've decided that life is about living for yourself - simple as that.

What Color Purple Are You?

Not too sure about this one...

Your Dominant Thinking Style: Exploring

You thrive on the unknown and unpredictable. Novelty is your middle name. You are a challenger. You tend to challenge common assumptions and beliefs. An expert inventor and problem solver, you approach everything from new angles. You show people how to question their models of the world.

What's Your Thinking Style?

What do you think?

All four children and I have mild head colds this week so blogging will probably continue to be a little slow for awhile longer. I don't actually have an excuse note from either my doctor or my mother so you will just have to take my word for it! ;)

Eaglewood's Back!

It may have taken Eaglewood awhile to get settled into a new job and being on a daytime schedule again, but he is BACK!

Not that I'm proud of my husband, or anything... ;)

Wanna Play?

Color Meme

I found this one at Mommy Brain and thought it looked like fun!


RED
1. Closest red thing to you: A stray Duplo block.

2. Last thing to make you angry: I'm not sure.... I got a little miffed with the computer about an hour ago. Does that count?
3. Do you have a temper: Yes, but not a terrible one.
4. Are you a fan of romance: Real life romance is good. Romance novels and chick flicks bore me.

ORANGE
1. Closest orange thing to you: Nutter Butter (yes, the cat)
2. Do you like to burn things: Usually no. There is something about the fireplace that tends to turn me into a bit of a pyro, though.
3. Dress up for Halloween: Nope
4. Are you usually a warm-hearted person: I hope so. You would probably have to ask Eaglewood to know for sure.
5. Do you have anything against redheaded people: Not a thing.
6. Are you usually full of energy: Yes, very!

YELLOW
1.Closest yellow thing: Puddleglum's jacket
2. The happiest time[s] of your life: Ummm... Eloping with Eaglewood on our lunch hours.... the births of our children.... Moving back to Texas!
3. Favorite holiday: Thanksgiving
4. Are you a coward: No
5. Do you burn or tan: I burn with a vengeance!

GREEN
1. Closest green thing to you: A stray computer component and an old homeschool directory
2. Do you care about the environment: Yes in a "let's be good stewards of what G_d has blessed us with" kind of way.
3. Are you jealous of anyone right now: No
4. Are you a lucky person: I'm not a believer in luck. I do think I'm very blessed.
5. Do you always want what you can’t have: Very seldom
6. Do you like being outdoors: YES!
7. Are you Irish: Yes, on my mother's side (along with Cajun. Go figure).

BLUE
1. Closest blue thing to you: The clothes I am wearing and a bottle cap on some bottled water I had been drinking.
2. Are you good at calming people down: Oddly enough, yes.
3. Do you like the sea: Sometimes
4. What was the last thing that made you cry: Something I read. I don't remember what. I very seldom cry.
5. Are you a logical thinker: Eaglewood says that I am. I don't think it comes across in what I write, however.
6. Can you sleep easily: Usually

PURPLE
1. Last purple thing you saw: A purple shirt I was remaking.
2. Like being treated to expensive things: Not really. I'm a tightwad.
3. Do you like mysterious things: often
4. Favorite type of chocolate: I wouldn't know. I'm not really into sweets.
5. Ever met anyone in royalty: No.
6. Are you creative: My family says that I am.

PINK
1. Closest pink thing to you: A bottle cap for Eaglewood's raspberry water.
2. Do you like sweet things: Not really
3. Like play-fighting: Often, but not always
4. Are you sensitive: Not overly so
5. Do you like music: YES! Gotta have it!

WHITE
1. Closest white thing to you: Paper
2. Would you say you’re innocent: Um... I'll have to ask Eaglewood about that one. I'm forgiven, anyway.
3. Good at keeping the peace: Yes. I AM a full-time mom!
4. Do you like to play in the snow: Yes. We don't get much of it here in Texas.
5. Are you afraid of going to the doctor or dentist: Yes. I always have been.

BLACK
1. Closest black thing to you: The keyboard I am currently typing away on, and the jeans I am currently wearing.
2. Ever enjoy hurting people: Never. I would rather get hurt than risk it.
3. Are you sophisticated or silly: Neither
4. Would you like to go to space: Not really
6. What is your favorite color: Blue, green and purple. I quit trying to choose long ago.
7. Does the color you wear affect your mood: Sometimes. Sunlight affects me more.

Let me know if you participate!

But the Cat Came Back!

And great was the rejoicing here in Whoville.

Nutter Butter (that would be the cat) is looking thinner, a bit beat up, and far too smug for his own good. He is still just as arrogant and worthless as ever. So, why are we all so thrilled to see him home again? Maybe we just like being bossed around by a little orange throw rug.

What It's All About...

From the Jokes Blog (with ht to Marie for discovering it)...

O proud left foot, that ventures quick within
Then soon upon a backward journey lithe.
Anon, once more the gesture, then begin:
Command sinistral pedestal to writhe.

Commence thou then the fervid Hokey-Poke.
A mad gyration, hips in wanton swirl.
To spin!

A wilde release from heaven's yoke.
Blessed dervish! Surely canst go, girl.
The Hoke, the poke -- banish now thy doubt.

Verily, I say, 'tis what it's all about.


And you probably didn't even know Shakespeare did the Hokey Pokey. ;)

Blog Stuffers

We are still without real transportation of our own, but Eaglewood's family is generous, G_d is good, and life around here is otherwise pretty dandy. (Well, our cat has gone missing and we think he has probably adopted another family AGAIN, but otherwise we are good.)

We just got the new album by the Newsboys: "Go". Peter Furler is once again writing with Steve Taylor and the music is fabulous! I think everyone in the family has a new favorite song off of the album now, too. We also got MercyMe's new Christmas album: "Christmas Sessions", and I can recommend it quite highly!

Eaglewood is really still alive and kicking. He is even planning new blog posts again. Stay tuned!

We are looking forward to quite a busy day. Scrapbook_designer, my extremely generous sis-in-law has loaned us her van for the day and is also taking Pookie and I to a Christmas brunch at her church. Afterward we are looking forward to a bit of Christmas shopping together with the boys. Did I mention that it's Pookie's birthday? Drop on in and join us for a slice of cake and the worst rendition of the birthday song you can imagine. We just aren't singers around here. :(

Just in case you haven't been visiting around the blog world much lately...
Arielle, Erik, and Triton are about the business of educating us all. Pebblechaser is starting a revolution. Astro, Difster, Spunky and the Headmistress are talking about homeschooling, politics and life. Tirzah has crafted some lovely Christmas decorations. The Lazy Organizer,
the Organizing Junkie, Like Merchant Ships and Not Made of Money are trying to keep me organized and on a budget. Digital Brownshirt is complaining about the weather and women talking too much (kidding). There are more (and I love you all), but I will have to get to you and your wonderful blogs tomorrow as it is getting pretty late!