Palm Tree Nightmare

Not sure what Bubba was thinking but he took Annie’s only football to his first youth group function ever, the Fletcher Football Tailgate Party!   He blamed his friends that were over but good grief, couldn’t he swap her football with one of his 20??  While the boys were throwing the football around in the Fletcher parking lot, Annie’s ONLY football got stuck in a palm tree.  I was so mad at Bubba and was scared to see what would happen when Annie found out

A couple weeks later, we are leaving Annie’s soccer game and Bubba asked me if he could go use Annie’s soccer ball to get out the football!  I said yes and quickly diverted Annie to the truck so she wouldn’t’ see her poor football lodged in the palm tree.  We got in the truck and she looks out the window and says, “THAT’S MY FOOTBALL!”  She starts to cry and says she is going to kick Bubba’s butt. (Yes I need to work on her inappropriate language but at the moment I agreed with her!)  The soccer ball was too soft to dislodge the football that was wedged down in between two branches.  I told Bubba I would run home and get a football and come back.  I went home and grabbed two of HIS footballs and went back.  He was just standing there and then I saw that ANNIE'S Soccer ball was now caught as well!  I parked, went over and we both started throwing football’s in the palm tree.  As if things couldn’t get worse, the two footballs got stuck too!  A maintenance man must have figured out what was going on or felt sorry for me and walked over.  He very graciously said he would go try to find some long pole to help us.  The wind started to blow hard and for a moment one football almost fell down. Not so lucky!

After about 10 minutes, I had given up on the maintenance man and was trying to figure out who is nice enough to come help me and I immediately thought of Brett, by brother in law.  I called him and of course he was poised and ready to grab a ladder and long pole to come help me.   Just in time, I saw the maintenance man coming with a long pole thing.  He quickly extricated the four balls out of the tree and I quickly released Uncle Brett from coming to the rescue.  All I really knew, is that I was not going home and telling Annie that Bubba lost her soccer ball AND her football.  I was afraid she might kick my butt too! LOL!

Boston Trip 2012

Dan casually mentioned that he had a business trip coming up and he really wanted me to try to go with him.  I pretty much freaked out and was like, “NO!”  I haven’t flown in 11 years, since before 9/11.  Dan and I have only left our kids one night in 13 years. (A U2 Concert!) Dan was understanding and said it was OK but I felt ill.  I was so convicted and I felt like God said to me that He was trying to bless me and I was making it really hard!  LOL!  I love being with Dan more than anyone and loved the idea of three full days of being together.  The thought that threw me over the edge was how to manage, out of town, the schedule of my children while we were away.  We are blessed with a lot of family to help who were more than willing.  I just happen to be a mom that loves being at my kid’s stuff. 

The first thing that I shed quite a good amount of tears about was that fact that I would miss Bonnie’s first YouthQuake Live performance.  I was involved at the beginning with YQL and dreamed of the day one of my children could join!  Bonnie had a lead role too!  I was up in the night, so upset about the situation and trying to figure out whether to go or not.  When I asked my kids they were like, “Go Mom!”  Bonnie said very maturely that I would see her in many YQL’s for years to come! I was missing Bubba’s first home game for football too and of course he caught a pass for a touchdown.  I finally had the idea to go to the YQL dress rehearsal and at least see Bonnie in action!  She was awesome.  I could have never done what she did at 13 years old!  I was super proud!  I was wondering how she knew how to do the psycho mom role so well though! :) My sister Vickki was in charge of getting Bonnie to the show and I knew she would hawk over her and that all would be well!

My mom offered to come stay with the kids and the DOG!  I knew she really loved me because her and KC aren’t the best of friends!  They have stand-offs on a regular basis. Their disdain for each other is mutual.  My boys don’t do sleepovers well and it just made it easier for her to stay at my house.  I felt really bad about that.

Our flight left at 7 AM on Friday morning so mom offered to come o, at the crack of dawn, while the kids slept. The preparation to leave almost killed me.  My brain went on overdrive thinking through every detail of all of the kid’s schedule.  I typed out a list by the hour.  They go to school at different times, get picked up at different times, Annie has swimming, Bubba football, Bonnie YQL.  Maggie and Eddie were the only ones that made it easy!  I bought nice bones for the dog so mom could bribe her.  I had to like REALLY clean the house too!  I kept thinking that if I died in a crash, I didn’t want people to see my hidden junk and judge me after my death for being such a sorry housewife! 

We got to the airport and I had my first TSA experience. Dan said it was a really short line.  It was freaky seeing all these people somewhat undressing with belts, shoes and such and then redressing.  It felt a little too intimate.  We got a Starbucks and right when we got to the gate, they started boarding.  The flight was on time and very smooth. We flew on JetBlue, which has individual TV’s at every seat.  It was a very pleasant trip.  We caught a cab and headed to our hotel.  It was a wild ride.  I sat in the middle and stared out the front so that I wouldn’t barf in the cab!  The hotel was beautiful with a very ornate lobby.  For some reason, they upgraded us to suite and the closet in the hotel was bigger than my kitchen!  It was hotter than I thought so I changed clothes and put on my Dad’s Boston Red Sox hat. 

When Bubba was a little boy, we went to the mountain cabin where we have gone to my whole life.  My Dad loved the Red Sox and dreamed of going to Fenway Park to see a game.  At the cabin, my Dad had left a Red Sox hat there many years ago.  Bubba started wearing it and my mom told him he could have it and take it home! Bubba has been a Red Sox fan for years now!  When I put it on, my eyes filled with tears, wishing once again that my Dad was with us, having this experience visiting Boston, the home of his beloved Sox!

We walked to the mall and ate and then went to the Boston Museum of Fine Arts!  It was a longer walk than we thought.  Poor Dan only brought flip-flops!  After we left the museum, we decided to walk back a different way.  Low and behold, I looked up and was on Fenway road.  I texted the picture to Bubba!  We walked along this beautiful road and I was amazed at the beautiful architecture and all the beautiful window boxes full of flowers!  It was just so peaceful and wonderful!  I glanced through some trees and couldn’t believe my eyes. I saw Fenway Park in the distance!  Once again, tears sprung to my eyes not believing that I was really there! Thank God for Siri!  I am like indebted to her after this trip!  She guided us and found stuff from restaurants to Walgreens to historical sites! We would map ourselves and walk and follow the little dot on my phone to our destination! 

The first night we met with all of Dan’s business associates.  We jumped in another cab and headed to our restaurant.  Dan was cracking up in the back seat at me.  I sat up front and pretty much knew the whole cab drivers life story in our 7-minute ride!  We came swinging around the corner and there was Fenway!  I quickly snapped some pictures and was so excited! Bubba told me to wear one of his jerseys and Dan and I for once, actually matched!  I was in heaven.  We ate dinner and headed into the park when the skies opened with sideways rain and delayed the game.  It was kind of nice. We got to walk around on the concourses and look at memorabilia.  I bought Bubba a 100-year, Fenway baseball and waited until the rainstorm passed.  I met a cute couple on their honeymoon and Dan’s co-workers were laughing at me taking pictures of them!  One co-worker told me I was sweet!

Finally, the rain stopped and the staff went to work getting ready for the game! They rolled back the tarp over the field, brought in sand for the puddles and swept the field!  It was so very exciting!  I took videos and pictures and kept texting Bubba! I felt a little guilty being there instead of him!  Dan promised me he would plan a trip one day with Bubba!  I bought some peanuts and had fun just throwing the shells on the ground!  The Red Sox didn’t play that great but it was just incredible to see a player hit a ball over the green monster!  It was getting late and we were loosing but we stayed until the whole park belted out “Take Me Out to the Ballgame!” and all swayed together! It was perfect (besides the score!) 

The next day I slept until 9:30 in my pitch-black hotel room.  It was awesome! Dan hopped up and quickly ran across the street and got me coffee and breakfast!  I sat in my bed and relaxed and it was pretty close to heaven!  We headed out and Dan suggested we go to the Boston Library across the street.  We were blown away at the beauty!  It was like a palace inside!  We also went into Trinity Church! 

We got on a Duck Tour!  It was the coolest idea! In WW II, they invented amphibious vehicles called DUKW. They were boats that you could drive up on land that were pivotal in the D-Day invasion during the War.  They use those vehicles for tours of the city and of the Harbah (harbor!)  We had a crazy tour guy that made it so fun! It was quite amazing when our tour guide drove right down into the Charles River.  That night Dan’s business associates insisted on taking us out for Lobstah! (Lobster)

The next day, we headed out and got presents for the kids. I somewhat had shut down mentally by then.  I couldn’t even pick out t-shirts. Dan finally made some choices.  It had been so many years where I wasn’t racking my brain to keep up our family schedule that to just be free of responsibility was like an out of body experience!  I could hardly order a meal too!  I think that trip did more for me mentally than I will ever know!  I think it was healthy to only be responsible for myself.  I felt like a real person again and not just a mom. My brain was mush and was having a hard time making decisions.

We took a cab to Faneuil Hall, which is a Historical Market with all kinds of stores and vendors.  We saw the site of the Boston Massacre and walked along the Harbor to the Tea Party site!  We stopped at the Granary Cemetery where many American heroes are buried like Paul Revere and Benjamin Franklin.  We went in the most beautiful park, Boston Common and sat and enjoyed a pretzel and people watched.  It was the first park in America with so much beautiful flowers and people of all ages enjoying the beautiful sunny day!  We ate a great meal and headed to the airport for our flight home! 

I am very thankful for our family who managed the Wog Tribe and made this experience possible! Even KC got a good report (except for her tearing up a diaper and the trash incident) I am so grateful that I went on this trip and didn’t miss this time with Dan and this time to rest my mind!  It was so peaceful, it shocked me!  I didn’t’ hustle, rush, hurry! I just wondered around a great, historic city with my best friend of 20 years!

Pray, Love & Serve

I started working with young people when I was recruited as a Young Life leader when I was 19. I was barely older than the high schoolers but it was pure joy for me.  I was ever amazed at their energy and their creativity.  Once again, I am overjoyed at watching a younger generation rise up and shine.  Pastor Howard shared in church about how it’s time to get back to basics and that our church would be focused on three things for the future, Pray, Love & Serve. Shortly after, I got a text from Cara who had been thinking about the new theme of our church and sent me an incredible logo she created!  My heart leapt for joy and I immediately texted back that I needed a T-shirt!  Everyone who knows me understands that if there is spirit wear to be had, I am all in!  I totally believe in walking billboards!  My drawer is filled with all the causes I love!  Cara said they were already working on getting t-shirts printed and it was a serious happy day when I could purchase mass quantities of shirts for the Wog tribe….if only Dan would participate!  I traumatized Dan after 9/11 with an obsessive amount of Flag shirts and he has revolted against matching spirit wear of any kind!  Pray for him!

I walked up on a discussion on what color and type of shirts to order.  I proclaimed that I would wear anything that was printed because it wasn’t a fashion statement it was a movement!  I truly believe that God is doing something supernatural and people will be drawn to be a part. The T-shirts were sold yesterday in church and they were selling like hot cakes!  It was a beautiful thing to see the young and old unified, wearing our new Pray, Love and Serve T-shirts!  Pastor Howard challenged our church to pray and fast for 30 days as a church, to ask God for direction, to pray for our little ones and to pray for our possessions. Dan and I miraculously both fasted and made it to prayer the first week! I am warning people that try to give an excuse why they can’t participate….really??  Come to my house and see what a true effort and sacrifice it is to go to prayer and still get 5 kids dressed and ready for school!  :) I truly believe that God is requiring all of us to pray like never before.  We are living in desperate times.  We are surrounded by sad, devastating situations that require God’s miracle working power just to survive. I am expectant to see all the answers that will follow from this time of unified, focused prayer!

Loving others proves to be one of the most difficult things to do.  Sounds sweet and sappy, but to truly love past offenses, hurts, rejections is more difficult than anything I have ever tried to do.  It’s easier to be miffed and avoid people than to offer love and forgiveness in order to retain the relationship.  To be wounded and to wear it like a badge of honor is the natural thing to do.  The most noble, Godly thing to do is to QUICKLY extend forgiveness and move on.  I was convicted today at prayer about a grudge I have been holding for years.  It’s time to purge and purify ourselves of our old, comfortable behaviors and to truly be doers of the Word and not hearers only.

We had a Church Covered Dish on Sunday and I have been pondering the wonder of it all for the past couple days.   It was an “All Hands on Deck” moment for me!  Every age church member from children to senior saints, pitched in to make it one of the best church functions I have ever been too.  Excitement, joy and love was the permeating feeling of the day.  Everyone wanted to be a part and to help!  It was quite a beautiful sight to behold not to mention the awesome food that we enjoyed. 

It’s been a long, sad few months for me but I feel like we have turned a corner to brighter days.  I am honored to wear my Pray, Love and Serve t-shirt and I am dedicated to making it a part of my daily life and not just another spirit wear shirt in my drawer!  

Pregos

I am a very sentimental person and I usually have to fight from being so melancholy about my kids growing up and time moving so swiftly.  Staying grateful and trying to enjoy every stage is what I try and focus on.  Today, I was thinking about four girls who I love very much, who I have known since they were young, that are now pregnant.  It was such a relief that I have NO melancholy feelings about pregnancy when I see them.  I put my time in having five kids and I almost shutter at the thought of every having to be pregnant again.  Luckily for me, that is physically impossible, Praise Jesus!!

I never lost the wonder and miracle of pregnancy.  You would think five times later it would be no big deal but it blew my mind every time how truly crazy it is that we can function and still grow a human being at the same time.  I actually looked great pregnant!  My face was nice and full with no wrinkles, and my hair and nails were amazing….I miss that and secretly still use photos of myself pregnant but cut my bottom half off!

The fact that we continue to feed them from ourselves (for a total of over FIVE years for me)…..it’s just mind blowing!  I did not enjoy nursing.  I am so high-strung, it was pretty torturous for me but I knew it was the most convenient, economical and healthy thing for everyone.  I was committed to it and I successfully nursed them all until they went to regular milk. None of them ever had formula.  I can’t believe I accomplished that because it was stressful being the sole source of food.  I felt claustrophobic and trapped so many times.  I know it was only through God’s power that I made it.  I never stopped all the things I was involved with I just nursed on the fly and kept moving.  I have a very hard time when people give me a bunch of excuses that they are too busy with their kids to serve or help….I fight LOLing in a serious way!  It’s kind of hard for me to have sympathy.

I am very excited for Laura, Jesse, Val and Kathleen to have their babies and grow their families.  I think each one of them are incredible women and will take the challenge of juggling a family, and also fulfilling their personal callings.  It thrills me that I am watching a new generation carry on and grow more Christian leaders.  I know I struggle with balancing a family and ministry sometimes but I feel in my heart if God gives you the desire to pursue something, than He will give you the supernatural strength to do both!  I will cheer these precious girls on, encourage them and pray like crazy!!!  You can do it all girls!!!! You really can!!  xoxo

PS- Did I mention how ridiculously hilarious it will be to see James as a DAD!!  Wow!! 

School's In 2012

People ask me constantly what I am going to do with myself now that all five kids are in school.  My first thought is to recover.  I think I had a mini-break down last night.  “Mini” because I was too tired to have a real one.  I didn’t have the energy to cry.  I just layed down and put a pillow on my head and faked sleep so my kids wouldn’t talk to me.  I am not one of those moms who is thrilled when the kids go back to school.  Yes, I will appreciate the break and will enjoy the quiet time but my Fall schedule is such that I kind of want to run away.  I physically don’t know how I am going to manage it.  I am very grateful for grandparents close by but I still have to be the one to keep the kid’s schedule in order.  We will have YouthQuake Live, dance, cheerleading, gymnastics, soccer, swimming and football as their extra-curriculars.  Then you throw in tedious, detailed homework and projects, plus Ed’s therapy appointments for his toe-walking. People frivolously tell me to cut things out that the kids are involved with.  I think to myself is it really fair to cut their activities that they love because I had a large family?  My guilt will not allow me to punish my kids for my choice to have five kids.

 

My first order of business is to find my own daily routine. I have always faithfully maintained a quiet time and it has become my secret for survival.  Almost a year ago, I began listening to God and typing out what I feel like he is saying to me.  I am pretty ticked that I waitied until I was in my 40’s to start doing this.  I always feel like I have to be productive and read the Bible and do Bible studies, which I still do, but to sit quietly and listen is almost painful for my wound up self.  God soverignly tells me what to expect, what’s coming and how to respond in the right way.  He encourages me, lifts me up and gives me hope.  I have been through some rough, sad things the past few months and had God not prepared me and told me they were coming, I know I wouldn’t have had the faith to press on.  I am so grateful and addicted to this communication and wish everyone that is a Christian would start this habit, preferable the day you get saved.  It has been life changing.  My other top priority is weekly prayer.  I have been going for 4 years to a prayer group on Wednesday nights.  I barely roll in every week, typically completely hurried and stressed. When I sit and pray for an hour for other people, it calms my spirit down and allows me to regain some peace.  I am forever grateful for prayer warriors who pave the way for God to move and to do miracles!

I am now in charge of walking the dog and I have to say, she actually saw a squirrel today and didn’t even chase it.  I called Dan and told him and we lamented like psychos that we seem to be domesticating her.  Dan said all we need to do is to take her to the River and let her hunt for a weekend to remind her of her purpose.  Yeah, we are weirdo’s I know!  I am also dedicated to doing daily Yoga not because I am one of those creepy flexible types, but because I believe it saved me.  I had a freakish illness a couple years ago that never got diagnosed where I lost feeling in legs and arms, had trouble breathing and had vertigo type feelings.   I started doing Yoga and I slowly got back to normal and felt better mentally about myself too!  I don’t like clutter but every drawer and closet is overflowing and I intend on changing that.  I clean out constantly but with 5 kids in 2 bedrooms it’s almost impossible.  Every kid needs some stuff but multiplied by 5 and it looks exorbitant.  I pray that God helps me in this area! 

I have come to the conclusion that if God doesn’t multiple my time, bring things to my remembrance and give me supernatural wisdom on how to organize my life, I am sunk.  God has faithfully been there for me.  I have lived a life, always in over my head.  If God doesn’t show up and do miracle, I would have crashed and burned so many times!!  I am choosing this day, to get in faith, to seek God first everyday, to exercise and to believe that with God all things are possible.  He didn’t give me these 5 kids to abandon me.  He promises to never leave or forsake us and I am dependent on God’s help to guide and raise these children to be all that God has called them to be!! Can I get an Amen?? :) 

U2 by UV

I don’t ever go out at night anymore.  I was throwing away a newspaper and a picture caught my eye.  It looked exactly like U2.  I read the info and it said it was a U2 tribute band playing at Freebirds.  I texted my family to see if anyone wanted to check it out.  My sister Shar and Brett jumped on it!  We were all freaked out that the show didn’t start until 9. Dan and I almost bailed we were so very tired from our hectic life with 5 kids!  My mom was like, “You should go, Honey!  You will have a great time!”

We picked up the Godards and headed to Freebirds. When we were walking up to the door, we were stoked by the U2 music blaring out the door.  My sis and I started dancing outside!  We walked in and it was incredible.  This band has mastered every U2 song they did, to perfection.  “Bono” had every nuance and crazy singing down to the last note!  I have heard cover bands before and they bug me when they deviate from the original!  This band had done their homework, and put some serious time in preparation! It was the most authentic performance and completely shocked me!  I know Bono would even be impressed!  We danced and fist pumped until we were sweaty! 

 

I thought Shar may get in a fight when a girl got in front of her and cramped her dancing space.  Shar has weapons of mass destruction in her elbows!  They are dangerous and she was getting ready to use them!  As the night went on, the whole crowd danced and became more engaged.  Honestly, it was impossible to just be an observer!  Brett and Dan were even dancing and grooving!  The band gave it their all and acted like they were having fun as well! 

When I was getting dressed, I asked Dan if we would be old people at the concert and he said no we might be the young ones!  He reminded me when we saw U2 a couple years ago in concert, how old the crowd was!  I am pretty sure it was the same crowd that has followed them for the last twenty something years!  It felt weird being out and about until late in the night, but it was such a total blast and I am so grateful I didn’t miss it! 

For the night, I forgot about the cares of my life, my messy house, and my overwhelming to do list!  I got to be 17 again when I followed U2 from show to show, even stalking them to Dublin, Ireland!   I want to thank U2 by UV for coming to Freebirds and giving me the best night I have had in a long time!  Sometimes all you need is to go out and dance your heart out to some U2!

Lunch with Dad

Some ideas are great and then quickly turn to chaos. That was our day yesterday! It was National Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day in response to the liberal attacks against their Christian values.  I thought it would be a fab idea to pick up Chick and have lunch with Dad!  Dan is somewhat of a Chick addict and loved the idea.  It never occurred to me that eating at a Chick would be harder than eating at the White House.  We first tried the Queen’s Harbor one and I couldn’t even turn.  I assured the kids that the Chick at Regency would be easier to get into because it was in a big shopping center.  Well, I was wrong again.  I couldn’t even turn into the parking lot. 

We decided to just eat somewhere else and eat Chick later!  We were almost at the exit for Downtown and we had no food.  I asked Siri to locate a Subway and I finally found one.  It was in a really sketchy area of town and the kids asked me if we were going to get killed based on the gang-type characters loitering around the parking lot. I falsely assured them we were fine!  I made Bubba go into Subway to pick up our order and poor guy, was car sick and rushed to the bathroom to puke!  This lunch with Dad day was turning into a disaster.  With the complaining and fighting going on in the car, I threatened to turn the car around and to forget the whole ordeal.  They promised to be good so we pressed on to Dan’s office.  

We found a meter and met Dan at the door of his office building.  It was quite the thrill to ride up the elevator and all visit Dad at work.  The receptionist seemed thrilled and said she had always wanted to see us all together.  My inside voice was thinking, “She wanted to see the freak show!”  We broke out lunch around Dan’s big desk and I suddenly realized what a bad idea subs with lettuce and shredded cheese was.  The kid’s were being very good and leaning over but still it looked like a whirlwind of sub droppings everywhere.  Dan’s boss came in and thank God, I think the vast amount of kids may have distracted him from the cheese/lettuce fest going on!  He seemed like he was in a trance, staring at all Dan’s kids.  He has no kids and I think he was shocked what five kids really looks like up close and personal.  Eddie gave him knuckles and was endearing!  

Finally, he left and I started crawling around on the floor scrapping cheese out of the carpet with my fingernails.  I was stressed!  We got out of there before disaster incurred and walked over to the Landing.  It was a beautiful day and I got to show the kids where I worked during college.  (What were my parents thinking letting me work downtown at the Limited??)  We finally made it safely to the truck and I was grateful!  We stopped back at Chick-fil-A at on the way home and thankfully found a parking lot and got milkshakes for all!  I was determined to support this company, who has every right to maintain their Christian values!  I hope their sales were off the charts!  By the time I made it home from our adventure, I had to lie down I was so spent!  The kids had a blast and I think Dan’s co-workers respect him on a whole new level!!  LOL!