Coming Soon to a Theatre Near You..., Maybe

Ray C. is on "vacation" this week! That doesn't usually mean much for a stay-at-home mom, but Ray C. tries to let me have a little time off too! However, its usualy just busines as usual. Clothes still need to be laundered, we still eat and get the dishes dirty, we still have to buy more groceries, the kids still get out all their toys, and they still have to be monitored minute-by-minute! So, vacation for a stay-at-home mom is away from everyone else! I'm going to New York soon. That will be vacation!

Anyhow, we started "vacation" today by going to a church that is currently meeting in the theatre we may be able to meet in when we start. We wanted to check out the accomodations and see what church-in-a-theatre looks like. It ws very exciting. I didn't actually go in the service because Chase was upset. I stayed in the children's church which was a better place for me to observe anyway. The kids had a lot of fun and were upset when we had to leave "too soon!"

For note-taking purposes, here are the things I noticed:

* LOTS OF COLOR!!!
* all nursery workers were wearing logo t-shirts to be easily identified!
* one worker was wearing an apron with the logo which allowed her to wear whatever she wanted and then put the apron on when she arrived!
* there were lots of lamps since the theatre is dark. The nursery had several floor lamps to light the area. (By the way, the classes were meeting at the front of the theatres on the floor.) The 2 year olds class had gates up.
*The nursery and 2 year olds classes had brightly colored floor mats on the floors for the crawlers!
*The children's church area had a theme set up front, but I don't think they had lamps!
*There were tables at each theatre directing children to their rooms, and they each had brightly colored table cloths and signs!
*The children were given laminated name tags to go around their necks that their names had been written on in permanent marker!
*The guest info was in a popcorn box! We loved that!
*When entering the building, cafe tables were set up. Coffee and pastries were set out for people to enjoy! It was a really nice feeling to walk into.
*There were some signs outside, but there should be more and BIGGER!

The ladies were very nice in talking to us. Ray C. made some good contacts if we do wind up being able to meet there!

X Marks the Spot...

You may need to click on this picture to see it more clearly!
You should see Black permanent marker X's on EVERY one of my new kitchen cabinets within the reach of a nearly 5 year old, my stainless steel dishwasher and refrigerator !!! Actually, you SHOULDN'T see them, but unfortunately, you will! I did when I came home yesterday from being gone 15 minutes!! This is what happens when you turn away for a few minutes of peace when there are 3 preschoolers in the house! Fortunately, permanent marker doesn't stand up to the MAGNIFICENT MAGIC ERASER! If you have kids, BUY ONE NOW!!!

By the way, this is Chase "cheese-ing" fro the camera because it's fun! He had no idea what I was taking a picture of, although he did watch his big brother make all the X's! The explanation: Thomas was marking all the things that were in the wrong place and needed to move upstairs!?!

Trying New Things

My sister is coming, next week, to stay with us for three months! I am so excited about her coming, and for all those wondering, so is my husband! She quit her job and is leaving her friends and our parents behind for a new adventure. Of course, she will keep in touch with them, but it is starting to hit home!! I was just reading her blog realizing that we are both going through a time of mourning about moving on and relying on each other to help us through.

I blogged last night about the kids going to preschool and about how nervous I am about it being quiet, but I know Jessica will be here. So, I am counting on her to help me through the first few days! At the same time, she is looking forward to being with us and having a new adventure while nervous about leaving what she has known for so long!

Thank you Lord for sisters! Life is not meant to be lived alone! Here's to the adventure, Jes!

Preschool

Preschool starts next week! I have been waiting for this particular day for 6 months! I have been anxious to have some time to myself. However, the closer the day gets, the more anxious I become. We have been preparing for school this week. We've bought lunch boxes and backpacks big enough to hold them. I'm in the process of labeling everything they will take each day - no small feat! We had a "fruit tasting" yesterday with a HUGE spread of fruit to determine which fruits they each like. We practiced packing their lunches and eating at the lunch table the way they will have to with a class. All these things are good since they have never done them before, but I'm beginning to realize these are all things to make me feel better.

I am nervous about my little chicks leaving the nest. They have been attached to me since birth. They will only be gone 3 days a week. In all honesty, I'm not worried about them at all! It's me I'm worried about! Why does that make me so sad?

My identity has been wrapped up in the children for 5 years. I have tried so hard to remember who I am, but now I'm going to be stuck with myself. All I can think about is eating lunch at home by myself in complete peace and quiet and being completely miserable!

I know this must seem so silly, but it is really hitting me hard. Maybe I won't feel this way at all, but I am really nervous. I am so excited for the children. They will have such a good time making friends, doing artwork, singing, etc. I just really don't know what I'm going to do!

I know I will be very busy with my weddings, and I am the BEST project person around. I always have a project. In fact, I plan to start painting their rooms as soon as school starts. BUT, it will be so quiet in the house. I don't know if I will be able to stand it!

You may all laugh at me later when I post how much I'm loving it, but I thought it worthwhile to share my emotions ahead of time. I want to be sure to remember the emotions of these special days!

God, thank you for loaning me theses precious children! Protect them. Keep them from evil. Comfort them as they are away from me each day, and comfort me as I miss them!


And, friends, please remember me as you pray!

Big Brother Thomas

We have met so many children since we have been here. We've even had play times with many of them one-on-one or three-on-three, I should say!! :) But, Mary Frances has been bothered, for a month, about one little boy that wouldn't play with her. His mother and I are friends, and the kids have seen each other several times, but the little boy is mature for a 5 year old and he is not really into playing with girls right now. He has a 3 year old brother that really likes Mary Frances and likes playing with her, but Mary Frances is stuck on A. I don't know why it hurt her feelings, but she has been really upset about him not playing with her. So every once in a while she tells me about him and asks why he didn't play with her. I tried to explain that he probably wanted to play with the bigger kids or maybe just the boys but that he really is nice and maybe next time he would play with her. Apparently Thomas has been a silent listener!

We see them once or twice a week, but today Thomas decided to speak up. We were leaving the nursery, and Thomas turned around and called out his name, "A...!"
He turned around and said "what?"
Thomas then cleverly asked him, "Do you like to play with 4 year olds?"
"Yes," he replied.
"Do you like to play with girls?" Thomas asked.
"Well, of course." A snickered.
Then Thomas said, "Well, why won't you play with Mary Frances?"
A was bothered at this point and said, "I don't know!"
So Thomas suggested, "Well, maybe next time you see Mary Frances you can play with her." Then A's mom told him to apologize, and he did.

Oh my gosh, I wanted to cry. I felt so sorry for A and his mom, and I had no idea what to say to his mother. I don't think he ever did anything to Mary Frances or said anything that wasn't nice. She just got her feelings hurt because she wanted to play and he didn't. Anyway, Thomas was being very kind. He was not being a bully or being mean. He was just taking care of a situation that his sister was upset about. I absolutely cannot believe I was able to witness such a conversation between a 4 year old and a 5 year old, but I am so amazed that Thomas felt compelled to do what he did. He was so selfless and kind. There was nothing wrong with what he said or how he said it. Again, I felt horrible for A, but I was very proud of Thomas for so gently caring for his sister!

Mary Frances was not with us during this encounter. So, when I went to tell her what Thomas had done, I said, "Mary Frances, Thomas did something very special for you today. He asked A why he wouldn't play with you."
She said, "I know that. Thomas already telled me."
I said, "Well, what did he say?"
She said, "He said the next time I see A he will play with me!" Then she smiled and looked at Thomas as if saying "thank you."

Germs

I guess I've done a good job of teaching my kids about germs because they sure don't want them! However, I can't convince them that germs are everywhere, not just on the potty flusher handle! Mary Frances just doesn't flush the potty to solve her problem and Thomas doesn't flush a lot either. I am so sick of finding poopy in the potty! Every time I go to the potty, there is poopy sitting in there. I have to do a potty check before guests come over to make sure they don't find any nasty surprises! By the way, please forgive me if the potty check was neglected prior to one of your visits to my house. I am trying to get better in that area. I'm trying to get the kids to flush, but until then, potty checks are a necessity!

I have come to really love blogging because when funny things happen, I think, "Oh, that will definitely be on the blog." I just can't wait to share it with all my virtual friends! I can kind of hear you all dying laughing! Anyhow, I had one such moment on Sunday. We went to a restaurant with the young adults ministry. I won't begin to explain the whole experience, but I can sum it up with milk in the chips, milk in my lunch, and milk in my water!

ANYWAY...I took Thomas to the restroom. After doing his business, he pulled up his pants and was about to walk out when I reminded him AGAIN that he needed to flush the toilet. He reached for the handle then pulled his hand back and said, "Oh, I forgot I was going to use my head to flush." Then he ducked his head and leaned toward the handle seriously attempting to flush the toilet. I said,"NO!! Thomas, why would you flush the toilet with your head?" And his answer was, "Oh, well, I just didn't want to have to wash my hands!" Yes, I am serious! I could not make these things up people!!

I try to explain, "You just sat on the potty and touched it while you were sitting there. Then, you wiped your rear end. That is enough reason to wash the germs off your hands! They are not only on the flusher!!!" I admit, I flush public toilets with my foot, and they have seen me do so, but I ALWAYS wash my hands! I just don't want any more germs than necessary. I did listen to my mom!

The Hughes Zoo

We had a couple from church over for dinner last night, and our house was a ZOO!!!! They are newlyweds without children. So, they just witnessed the zoo, in shock, I am sure! I was really embarrassed, but the kids were just having fun. They love company, but I have got to teach them not to attack people when they walk in the door. They grabbed their hands and took them to show off their rooms. Then, they had to show them all their tricks and special toys. Thomas even played the theme from McDonald's on the piano - (bum, bum, bum, bum, bum....I'm lovin' it!) That's for those of you who couldn't have finished the blog without figuring out the song! Anyway, they just couldn't stop talking! Now where do you think that came from?

Dinner was another story. Of course, I didn't get to sit down much. They spilled milk and wanted more. Didn't like one thing..... You moms know what I'm talking about. Finally, they finished and went to play upstairs and I got to enjoy my meal and a little bit of the conversation.

The kicker for me was while we were playing Scrabble - a very quiet game. Mary Frances was watching and then needed to potty. So, she ran to the little bathroom by the den and went without closing the door. Excuse me for saying this, but she tooted really loudly while she was pottying - one of those that echoes in the toilet. So, we all started laughing hysterically, as I am now, but tried to cover up our laughter as she ran back in the room. When she came back in, she was hugging all over our guest, and I was laughing so much I couldn't talk. I finally calmed myself down enough to say, "Mary Frances, you need to go back and wash your hands." I was really embarrassed at this point after she had already touched all over Katherine! And I'm sure Katherine was a little grossed out too, but I tried to calm her by saying, "Don't worry, she didn't wipe, either!" The room exploded in laughter. It was a really good laugh.

Thank you God for children! The zoo just wouldn't be the same without them!

Be Careful What You Pray For

God made me the way I am, but sometimes I just don't like it. My gift of gab really bothers me. Recently I have been asking God to help me be quieter. I even started a post (still a draft) last week about wanting to go to Bible Study without everyone knowing what I am thinking or just being able to be quiet around other people. I have prayed for years that God would give me a quieter spirit, but I have reluctantly come to realize that He made me this way for a reason. And while it may bother some people, He likes me this way.

I think He gets a big kick out of my everyday musings and behavior! I often think of Him saying, "Oh, Jacqueline! You are so dramatic..."Anyhow, His most recent kick is that He finally gave in to my desire to be quiet. For the past week, I have only been able to whisper. Ray C. has enjoyed it far too much. For the first 2 days, he laughed every time I spoke, and all I could do was GLARE at him. When I get mad, I just have to give up and walk away because raising my voice just isn't an option!

God, your sense of humor never ceases to amaze me. I am here for your pleasure! I love you, and I am glad you enjoy me however I am. Thank you for the kids quieter voices this week. It seems that whispering is contagious. Other than the terrible twos, the house has been much quieter! I am trying to learn from this lesson. I hope my voice will return soon, but I want to remember:

1. When I am quiet, so are the kids.
2. You can solve a problem better with a whisper than with a yell.
3. People are much more attentive when you speak less and softer!

So, for those of you who may be bothered with the theology that God made me sick to learn a lesson: I do believe He answers in such ways, but I also realize that I've been around a lot of germs, and getting sick is the result. So, I choose to believe that God uses the things of this world to teach us greater lessons. I like to find a lesson in everything I do. Honestly, whether or not God meant it to be a lesson, I can still learn from it! I actually don't think He MAKES us sick. As my friend Brandi says, "He just doesn't bend the rules!" (He could if He wanted to, but He chose not to in my case.) If you are around germs, you get sick. He created our immune system, and it is working exactly how He created it. He could keep me from being sick, but then I wouldn't have learned this quiet lesson! Any thoughts? (Pastors not allowed to respond to theology questions!! Sorry, honey!) :)

Terrible Twos...

I am SICK of the terrible twos!! I've been dealing with them for 3 years straight now, and I am tired. I tried so hard not to call them the "terrible" twos. For a while, they were the "so-called 'terrible twos'", but when Mary Frances hit the funk, they were TERRIBLE!! OH MY GOSH!!

I really didn't notice Thomas went through it until it was over. I remember thinking one day that he was not acting like his sweet self, but it wasn't until he came back to it that I realized, "Oh, that was the terrible twos! That wasn't so terrible!" Then, a week later, no lie, my parents brought Mary Frances back from a week at their house, and I swear they took every sweet bone out of her body while she was gone! She was a nightmare - especially at bedtime! That lasted for a year and a half. It was horrible. I cried so much during that time thinking I was a horrible mother and I had no business doing this mothering thing!

Finally she emerged about 2 months ago, and she is a really sweet child but still with a strong will! I got a week or two of peace, and THEN the monster emerged in Chase! He is running through the house roaring as I type. He is really a great kid too, but he wants everything his way. My writing today was inspired by Chase's tantrum over juice, He wanted juice, and I gave him orange juice! How dare I make such a horrible mistake! Confused? Yeah, welcome to the terrible twos. Luckily, Chase is not as strong-willed as Mary Frances. So, I think I can make it through without the emotional trauma this time!

Thankfully God is good and his grace is sufficient for me! But darn Eve for eating that apple and making this so difficult!

My four year old...

I had to make up for the picture posted below! He really is a handsome guy! I love that smile and the heart that goes with it!

Say Cheese...

This is Chase with Tara. He was so excited to have her at his party!
He looks forward to seeing her and Adele on Sundays when we go to "chuch"!
Friends from birth: Thomas and Adele!!!
I rarely get a real smile for a picture! Oh well!
This is how a princess plays the piano when she is too short to reach the pedals!
Why did mommy put a lock on the pantry? I like looking for "keakies" all day long! That is
Chase talk for cookies which could mean pretzels, cookies, or cereal! As long as its good, it's a cookie!

Disclaimer/Apology

My husband read my blog last night and was concerned about something I wrote regarding the "taco truck" (which a Texan friend has informed me are referred to, here, as roach coaches)! Anyhow, I wrote something about roaches coming out of the woodwork and mentioned that was what the workers do when the truck comes by. I did not in any way intend to offend someone or make someone seem like less of a person. So, if you had a little twitch when you read that, I am sorry! I was so carried away with my writing that I did not realize how it sounded! Please forgive me!

We are loving Texas!!!



The taco truck!!! This is Tacos Hilda! Several "taco trucks" come around throughout the day to sell to the construction workers in our neighborhood. I kind of feel the same way about them as I do buying food from the vendors in Guatemala - don't do it!!! Anyway, the thing we find most amusing about these trucks is that their horn plays a little tune to announce they are close by. It's a catchy little tune. You might know it - "La Cucaracha"! Now isn't that appetizing? I know you can't wait to come and visit us so you can eat off of the truck that announces it's arrival by singing "the roach"!!! YUMMM!!!

I'm Back...

Friends, it has been a busy two weeks, but my house is starting to feel like a home! For the first time in 2 years, I have color!!!! I've always said thank you when people complimented my house, but I realized last night that they are actually complimenting my taste! I picked this stuff out - well Ray C, did pick out the amazing floors on his own - but I look around and think, I did a pretty good job! I love my house!! I am so happy to be here! I feel like pinching myself. I feel like a princess in a castle. My God has been so good to me. I ask Him daily to not let me forget what an incredible gift this house is to us. We certainly did not do anything to deserve it. I am teaching the children that it is a gift from God and that we must take good care of what He has given us! "To whom much is given, much is expected!" I don't know why God chose us for this job - to minister to the people in this area and to live in such a beautiful place, but I intend to honor Him in all I do! God, thank you! Show us how we can bless others!