At the Park

Kyle, who said I'm his very best friend, turned five on Wednesday. We met him (along with his mom and brothers) at the park and had a grand time. This is Kyle blowing bubbles while the rest of us were trying to catch them and Emma standing there laughing like everything. She loved it!

Emma having fun climbing steps.

We also took some stale bread crusts and fed them to the geese, walked along the walkway and over the many little bridges, played on the slides, monkey bars and teeter totters. After an hour and a half we were all hot, dirty and tired and headed for home.

What a lovely day and a lovely time with friends!

God's Heart Towards You is Good

"When things are going 'bad' that does not mean God has stopped doing good. It means he is shifting things around to get them in place for more good...He works all things together for good for those who love him."
- Strong Women, Soft Hearts by Paula Rinehart

Shopkeeper

For one brief day I was a shopkeeper! It was a fun challenge, especially since I had no orientation before the owner was out of the state. Only a few brief (very brief) instructions over the phone and I was on my own.

I got up in plenty of time that morning, stopped to pick up the key and headed to the store well before 9 o'clock. I had no trouble getting in but I searched high and low for the cash bag. I finally figured out I was looking in the wrong room and when I found the right one the instructions made a lot more sense. I turned on the cash register and played around with it a bit to make sure I knew how to operate it.

At 9 o'clock I took a deep breath, girded up the loins of my mind and went to unlock the door. Maybe there won't be much going on today, I thought, but it would be fun to have some business. Well, I had two phone calls and two customers in the first 15 minutes! I scarcely had my wits about me and so we hunted together for the items they wanted. I felt quite proud as I rang up the first sale of the day. The lady looking for bobbins decided to wait because she wasn't sure what size she needed.

After that little flurry of business there was an hour and a half lull. It gave me a chance to look around, write in my journal, read "The Carbohydrate Addict's Program for Success" and call my sister.

Just as I was starting to get bored another customer walked in and then another and another. I gave them a friendly greeting and asked if I could help them, fervently hoping they wouldn't ask something I didn't know. The one couple came to look at the heaters that were advertised. I could show them the heaters but I sure couldn't make any good sales pitches. They said they'd be back. Another lady brought a sewing machine to be serviced. In vain I hunted for the repair tags and finally took the information down on a sticky note. After she left I searched in earnest for those tags and at last located them in the workroom.

Later there was a phone call from an upset customer who said she had brought a machine in for repairs two months ago. I tried to calm her down and said I'd find out what's going on. After a call to the owner, a trip to the neighboring store for a phone number and another phone call, it was all taken care of and I sighed with relief as I sat down to eat my lunch.

But eating lunch in peace was not to be! I had just taken a big bite of sandwich when the phone rang again. I debated whether to spit it out or quickly choke it down. I chose the latter and after the third ring was able to answer in a fairly "normal" voice. I no sooner got off the phone then the UPS guy stopped by with a delivery. So much for a quiet lunch!

Dad and Mom stopped by with my camera after lunch and I snapped a few pictures. Before I knew it 2 o'clock rolled around and I was off.

What a fun, unusual day!

Friends

What is Valentine's Day without chocolate? I don't know. I don't think I've ever experienced it before but I will this year for my diet does not allow chocolate.

A friend who knew of my plight brought me a Valentine's card and a carrot tied with a ribbon. I love it! I'm glad for friends who encourage and support me in whatever stage I'm in.

Thanks to all you friends who help make life more worthwhile and bring a smile. I hope you have the best Valentine's Day ever, with or without chocolate!

More to Come

"There is nothing that hurts more than unintentional contact with a sewing machine."

Don't despair, there is more to come, I just can't tell you when.

I wrote that last line several hours ago and it seemed as though God spoke it back to me. Comforting? Sort of. I'm glad there's more to come, but I'd like to know when. The story isn't finished but which chapter are we on? It could be "Thirty-nine and holding" or "In the Depths of Despair" or how about "Stretched to the Limit and Ready to Snap"? "We Are Going Down the Valley One by One". That's what some of my titles would sound like. But what would God's look like? Maybe "Forty and on a Roll", "The Prince is Coming", "Brighter Days Ahead" or "Hope for the Hopeless".

I'm glad God's writing the story and not me. Some days I wish He would give me a sneak preview as to what's ahead. Some days He does, other days He doesn't. I don't understand. Maybe he wants it to be a surprise. God likes surprises. I've had a few already and they were good ones.

This afternoon I went out to gather fresh, clean laundry off the line. It was such a lovely day I could hardly stand to go back inside. I took the wash in, grabbed a carrot and sat on the front steps munching away, soaking up the sunshine. I wandered around the farm looking for new signs of spring - buds pushing out on the trees, a few flowers poking through the earth, warm air, greening field of wheat...

Munching carrots...ahhh, that's what I'm doing these days. The doctor put me on a sugar-free, low-carb diet and it stinks! I can eat all the broccoli I want (too bad I don't "want"). I can eat all the meat I want (and this household consumes very little meat. In fact, we are still working on our Thanksgiving turkey and Christmas ham from last year!). I can eat all the salad I want. I like salad but eating it day after day after day gets very old. I think I may soon be hopping around like a bunny.:) I can have cheese (but grilled cheese sandwiches without the bread just aren't the same, somehow). Corn and peas, my favorite vegetables, are off the list! In fact, some people don't even call them vegetables anymore! What is this world coming to??!!

The good thing about this diet is that I'm losing weight! I've wanted to do that for a long time and so I will stick it out in spite of sharp hunger pains at 4 am.

I cannot figure out how to end this post but I've got to go so...goodbye!

Nanny Tales

At times I think back to my Ohio days and caring for triplets. It was challenging but very rewarding! Most days I was exhausted by (or before) bedtime. Some days I didn't feel like getting up and facing those crying babies but that was usually when I wasn't feeling up to par myself. On good days I loved it!




Take bath nights for instance. Leigh would start the bath water, gather fresh diapers & pajamas and set up the scale. John and I would one by one strip the babies down and hand them to Leigh to be weighed and then plopped in the tub for a scrubbing down. (When they got a bit bigger they would all go in together and what a splashing fun time they had!) It didn't take long and soon she would bring out a freshly scrubbed baby securely wrapped in a towel and only the head peeking out. Sometimes I had to take a second look to make sure which one it was. I would quickly rub in the lotion, put on a clean diaper and yank on pajamas, trying to ignore the hungry wails. Then into the highchair, slap on a bib and silence at last as the food was shoveled in. Well, at least silence from that quarter. Brothers 2 and 3 might still be in the process. When all the little tummies were full it was time for a story, and how they delighted in those! Of course, the shorter the better, at this age, and then at the first sign of a yawn or eye-rubbing they were whisked off to bed. Tuck each one in and kiss them goodnight and breathe a sigh of relief.









This was hat day! How they loved hats, at least they were fun to pull off the brothers' heads.











Here let me take a turn! I want to be like Dad, too! Dad was the one that vacuumed the house and so the boys thought it was big stuff. How they fought over their play sweeper! John and Leigh only hope it lasts till they are able to do some good.



I am still a nanny but one 15-month-old seems like a picnic compared to triplets. I have time to read, do sudoku puzzles, email and take naps. I take Emma shopping, to the park or just for walks around the farm to visit with the horses, ducks, chickens, calves, cats or Dennis the donkey. I would never have attempted these things with three.


Grady, Gerut and Griffin will always have a special place in my heart. Emma is finding a place there, as well. There may be others along the way but I will always fondly remember my first nanny job caring for triplets! (We won't mention the three dogs. That in itself is another story and one that does not fill my heart with warm fuzzies!)