Random Giving of Thanks
Just in case you thought I am only capable of writing sarcastic snippets about the oddities of my children, today I shall stir your hearts (or something like that) with a few things for which I am so very thankful.
First, it is so very sweet how my children love each other. You know, when they are not trying to yell each other into submission. (By the way, I started putting them both in the bathroom together when they get like this. It first gets very loud and terrible, and I immediately regret my decision but hang in there because I'll be darned if I'm going to show weakness (haha). But then they settle down and usually I hear giggling before them come out to face me, somehow unified against their mean mama. I love their sober little faces as they stand side by side and tell me they are "all done with the scweeching.") Really, they each talk about how cute the others are, sympathizing when someone gets hurt ("ooooo, I get ice pack!" Pitterpatterpitterpatter.), and offering kind comments about each other's coloring ("You know Wyatt, you really did scribble some, but it still looks pretty good!). And the big kids love love the baby. Wyatt will jump up and down like an ape in front of Charlotte's bouncer to make her laugh, and Ava will come over and say "I just can't focus because the baby is looking so cute!" And Charlotte, of course, loves the attention.
I have been seeing a chiropractor three times a week for three weeks so far (more to come) for this pain in my neck. Strained muscles in my neck had actually emphasized the vertebrae at the base of my neck so much that it looked like I was starting to get the old lady hump. That's more or less what the nurse practitioner told me when I asked her about it. She also said it might go away if I lost weight (ouch! come on, I just had a baby!). Also, I did something you should never do when you have a weird symptom: I googled it. Generally I'm fairly level-headed about medical issues, but this "hump" was stressing me out because I thought I either had an undiagnosed chronic disease or my body was prematurely and irreversibly descending into unpleasant old age. But my neck did hurt, and finally I said to my husband that maybe I should get a second opinion and he pretty much forced me to call the chiropractor right that second. Short story long, I really like this doctor, and found that I have some alignment issues that are currently being fixed, and my neck mostly no longer looks like I'm about to turn 80. Thankful for a husband who occasionally does boss me around, and finding a doctor who can help me.
Along with that, since I have to go so often, I try not to wear out all my friends asking for help with my kids during my appointments. This past Tuesday (um, yesterday I guess), I had to take all three with me. There was considerable discussion beforehand about appropriate office behavior, and I further fortified myself with gum and an audio-book. So we get there and my children go to the little area that has a few toys and sit happily and play together with the puzzles like they weren't having a screeching tug-of-war over Ava's blanket half a day earlier. Then they proceed to look at books. All very pleasant and quiet. Turns out the office has a TV, so I showed them that they could watch a bit while I had my neck shot through with electricity (which feels better than it sounds). Anyway, they were so good the entire time, thanking the receptionist for letting them watch TV, and just generally being sweet and cute. This man actually said to me, "Good kids come from good parenting and I think there's some good parenting there." HAHAHAHAHAHA. No, actually I was very touched by this comment, and rolled it around in my head for the rest of the day. Dear children, you have made me very proud. No, you may not have candy as a reward. Love, mama.
And lastly, my husband, who always makes me laugh. Here's a story to illustrate.
I wake up on Sunday (the holiest of days) to find my husband has sneaked out and gone to work (on this, the holiest of days in which God said, "thou shalt rest") and left me to get the kids up and going by myself. I see that he has emailed me telling me where he is and that he won't be long. Uh huh, sure. So I email back, "I am very mad. I don't know anything that could possibly help me not be mad, except maybe a pumpkin pie latte." He replies, "Yes, going to work was just a cover to get you a latte." And I find that it's true: a pumpkin pie latte really does make me not mad anymore.
Happy Thanksgiving!
First, it is so very sweet how my children love each other. You know, when they are not trying to yell each other into submission. (By the way, I started putting them both in the bathroom together when they get like this. It first gets very loud and terrible, and I immediately regret my decision but hang in there because I'll be darned if I'm going to show weakness (haha). But then they settle down and usually I hear giggling before them come out to face me, somehow unified against their mean mama. I love their sober little faces as they stand side by side and tell me they are "all done with the scweeching.") Really, they each talk about how cute the others are, sympathizing when someone gets hurt ("ooooo, I get ice pack!" Pitterpatterpitterpatter.), and offering kind comments about each other's coloring ("You know Wyatt, you really did scribble some, but it still looks pretty good!). And the big kids love love the baby. Wyatt will jump up and down like an ape in front of Charlotte's bouncer to make her laugh, and Ava will come over and say "I just can't focus because the baby is looking so cute!" And Charlotte, of course, loves the attention.
 |
| can you even stand the cuteness? |
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| those foam pieces from this project came in handy. |
I have been seeing a chiropractor three times a week for three weeks so far (more to come) for this pain in my neck. Strained muscles in my neck had actually emphasized the vertebrae at the base of my neck so much that it looked like I was starting to get the old lady hump. That's more or less what the nurse practitioner told me when I asked her about it. She also said it might go away if I lost weight (ouch! come on, I just had a baby!). Also, I did something you should never do when you have a weird symptom: I googled it. Generally I'm fairly level-headed about medical issues, but this "hump" was stressing me out because I thought I either had an undiagnosed chronic disease or my body was prematurely and irreversibly descending into unpleasant old age. But my neck did hurt, and finally I said to my husband that maybe I should get a second opinion and he pretty much forced me to call the chiropractor right that second. Short story long, I really like this doctor, and found that I have some alignment issues that are currently being fixed, and my neck mostly no longer looks like I'm about to turn 80. Thankful for a husband who occasionally does boss me around, and finding a doctor who can help me.
Along with that, since I have to go so often, I try not to wear out all my friends asking for help with my kids during my appointments. This past Tuesday (um, yesterday I guess), I had to take all three with me. There was considerable discussion beforehand about appropriate office behavior, and I further fortified myself with gum and an audio-book. So we get there and my children go to the little area that has a few toys and sit happily and play together with the puzzles like they weren't having a screeching tug-of-war over Ava's blanket half a day earlier. Then they proceed to look at books. All very pleasant and quiet. Turns out the office has a TV, so I showed them that they could watch a bit while I had my neck shot through with electricity (which feels better than it sounds). Anyway, they were so good the entire time, thanking the receptionist for letting them watch TV, and just generally being sweet and cute. This man actually said to me, "Good kids come from good parenting and I think there's some good parenting there." HAHAHAHAHAHA. No, actually I was very touched by this comment, and rolled it around in my head for the rest of the day. Dear children, you have made me very proud. No, you may not have candy as a reward. Love, mama.
And lastly, my husband, who always makes me laugh. Here's a story to illustrate.
I wake up on Sunday (the holiest of days) to find my husband has sneaked out and gone to work (on this, the holiest of days in which God said, "thou shalt rest") and left me to get the kids up and going by myself. I see that he has emailed me telling me where he is and that he won't be long. Uh huh, sure. So I email back, "I am very mad. I don't know anything that could possibly help me not be mad, except maybe a pumpkin pie latte." He replies, "Yes, going to work was just a cover to get you a latte." And I find that it's true: a pumpkin pie latte really does make me not mad anymore.
Happy Thanksgiving!
To bring the sacrifice of thanksgiving means to sacrifice your understanding of what is beneficial and thank God for everything because He is benevolent.A sacrifice of thanks lays down our perspective and raises hands in praise anyways – always.
Ann Voskamp
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