12.5.12 - Mommying this week...

Monday - I attended "Mommy Club" where we discussed Spiritual Training of children.

Tuesday - I've been more intentional about reading and playing times with the twins.  They love Dr. Seuss books and reading sessions last 10-15 minutes before Eden is off doing something else and Sebastian wants to follow.

Wednesday - The babies and I met a friend to walk around the neighborhood near Adriaan's school.  The twins were bundled up like eskimos and enjoyed the outing.  Then, we all attended chapel at school where the Pre-K class recited Psalm 23!

After we got home and ate lunch the babies went to nap and I played games with Adriaan before Quiet Rest Time.  I am realizing that it's the only time I can do it.  The babies are asleep and I'm on my way to bed, eyelids barely open, but taking 10 minutes to play a game with him really fills up his tank and helps him to play independently while I rest.

Thursday - The babies and I went to the Sustainable Food Center, always a fun outing.  There is a fountain and an elevator as well as a wall of seed packets that look so beautiful and each one makes a wonderful sound when shaken.  I was trying to find organic squash seeds to get started after the holidays, but sadly they only had conventionally grown seed available.  Perhaps in a few more weeks.

Friday - MOPS day!  Then I was worn out and took a nap.  I spent most of the MOPS time on the phone arguing with the surgery scheduler about Seb's upcoming surgery.  I was trying to convince her that a mid-day appointment was rediculous for a two year old who would be expected to fast from everything including water until the surgery time!  After four separate calls there was magically an opening on December 29th at 8am.  Why we weren't given that time in the beginning, I have no idea!

That evening Mimi came into town for The City School Christmas Program called Lessons and Carols.  The K and Pre-K classes sang "Away in a manger" and it was adorable.

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Adriaan's first semester at City School is over.  He'll be skipping next week while Will and I travel to Orlando for the company Christmas party.  I've noticed wonderful improvements in many academic areas like writing and drawing.  I've seen significant increases in confidence in front of people, at the recitation and the christmas program.  He was up in front of a couple hundred people and didn't cry!  It's been a year and a half since the attempted piano recital where he crumpled and wasn't able to play, which was fine because we wanted to give him a chance.  He wasn't ready then, but he's matured and was brave.  He did very well along side his classmates!

If you ask him, he'll tell you that his favorite part of school is recess.  Our little extrovert.

Surgery for Seb

Sebastian was born with a little growth on the bottom of his right foot, specifically on the heel.  We monitored it with our pediatrician and around 15-18 months it seemed to start bothering Seb.  We were referred to a pediatric surgeon and scheduled a date to remove the growth.  Just in time!  Seb was so bothered by the bump that he reverted to crawling, he refused to walk on his foot.  Crawling didn't allow him to keep up with Eden and he was quite unhappy about missing out on fun.

Blowing kisses before first surgery in June 2011

By August, the growth was back and by October it was bigger than before the surgery.  So, we went back to the pediatric surgeon.  His suggestion was to see a pediatric dermatologist in case there was a non-surgical option.  There isn't.  So, we went to a pediatric plastic surgeon who ordered an MRI.

Seb biked into the MRI room and did well with anesthesia.

Waking up wasn't as fun.  He has a really hard time.

So, surgery with the pediatric plastic surgeon is scheduled for 29 Dec at 8am at Dell Children's Hospital.  This surgery is much more invasive.  It'll involve a skin graft and Seb will be fully sedated for over two hours.

Many prayers have been answered so far, we're trusting God to continue to take care of our Sebbie.

Nutcracker

Adriaan and I attended the Nutcracker Ballet this afternoon, here is what I can remember from our conversation on the way home:

Me:  Ado, what did you think?
Ado:  Well, ya know mama, it wasn't as fun as playing basketball.  Did you know it wouldn't be as fun as playing basketball?  It was just a little bit boring.
Me:  Did you enjoy it even though it was a little bit boring?
Ado:  Hmm, no.  Not really.
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Me:  What was your favorite part of going to the Ballet?
Ado:  Oh, it was getting to go to the water fountain!  And also, getting to see the little toy Nutcracker things that were too expensive for us to buy but nice to look at...you know the ones with the moving mouths to crack nuts!

Sinterklaas

I would eventually like to post pictures here from our Sinterklaas 2011 celebration. 

One, Two...Skip a Month - I want to be a tree?

November was eaten by worry and stress.  I'm not sure that I did much note worthy mothering a part from the big stuff like feeding, cleaning, clothing and hugging.

In the garden we started a strawberry patch as well as an asparagus bed.  Will has informed me that I'm not allowed to bring home anything else that will require his involvement in the garden.  Seems fair.  He's been very lenient with me and the garden as my place of refuge and soul care.  I'm content with where things are at and will continue to do my best to maintain it and keep things growing out there that will end up on our dinner plates.

We visited a new church on a Sunday where our own took the week off for a Thanksgiving Potluck.  To my core, I enjoyed the service.  I started crying during the second set, the first song was How Great Thou Art, because it was the first time I had connected to God through worship since our loss.  I thought about how those I love who are now in heaven are singing these kinds of songs in worship and enveloped by his presence continually.  I kept crying throughout the set and even after church was over.  People walked past us, leaving the meeting space, and I was still quietly sobbing.  When we went to fetch our kids, the workers were walking them out to us because it had been so long. Oops.

The teaching that morning covered Psalm 95 as part of their "Look Up" series in going through the Psalms:

The following week, Will was out of town so I went back to the church we had visited.  The main pastor offered a summary of the series "Looking up" and I felt lost and disappointed.  He kept saying things that I wished he'd explain further but in a summary teaching it was appropriate to just reference a previous sermon.  So, I decided to go back and listen to the series online starting at the beginning, his talk on the first Psalm.

Psalm 1:  Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.  But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.  He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither.  Whatever he does prospers.  Not so the wicked!  They are like chaff that the wind blows away.  Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgement, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.  For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.

We're told what not to do.
We're told what to do.
We're told that we'll be like a tree planted by a stream, healthy and bearing fruit without withered leaves.
We'll be a "Psalm 1 Tree"

This phrase, Psalm 1 Tree, is one that fit the need I've had to describe my desire to grow in godliness.  "Woman of God" didn't quite describe it, too cliche.  A Psalm 1 Tree has deep roots.  It won't be easily toppled over by the strong winds of life that will ultimately come and ruffle it's branches.  To me a Psalm 1 Tree is a solid tree, like a live oak.  Slow growing but long lasting, stable and unbending.  It provides shade for the saplings growing nearby (my children) and an example to follow with arms outstretched upward in worship at all times.

5+2+2=9

We celebrated all the kids' birthdays today with a small group of family and good home cooking!  I made beef stew seasoned with thyme from the garden, served over mashed potatoes with rosemary from the garden.  We had green beans (from the store) and broccoli greens from the garden.

I made the little shirts they're wearing and may make it a tradition for as long as they are willing to wear a shirt with their new age.  It's a pretty exciting thing, so I'm hoping to get a few years out of it.  I didn't buy anything special, it's all re-claimed.  I printed out the numbers to use as a pattern and then cut up old t-shirts in two colors, one slightly larger than the other.  Then, I pinned it to the shirt and did my best to neatly sew around the number.  I also made the tutu Eden is wearing, not visible in this picture.

After the party, Adriaan and friends along with their dads went on a camping trip.  They had a wonderful time!

Back in October, on the actual day of the twins' b-days we went to Mueller lake park as a family to celebrate.  We played, ate a picnic and Adriaan who had just learned to ride his bike sans training wheels had space to bike around.  The twins and I followed, trying to keep up but getting distracted by ducks, geese and other kids doing fun things.

Why even bother...

I cleaned the tubs, as well as the rest of the house in preparation for family coming into town for the big birthday party.  But, then the kids took a bath and I wonder why I even bother...