Tyler has been begging me for a blog of his own, or a Facebook page. Since he's only 7, he's not getting his own Facebook page. If he starts to write a lot, I may create a blog for him. But for now, I decided I'd let him write something to post on my blog. This is what he decided to write first.
I like video games. I have a PS3,DS,and a wii.I have the most DS games.I have 18 wii games and 7 PS3 games and 61 DS games.Sometimes my dad helps me through a level.One time I had to fight a snake and a allagator and my dad helped me beat it all!
The Bullocks
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Monday, August 16, 2010
Letting Go
I just put my 7 year old on the bus to school. I came back inside to read my devotion as my 3 year old watches TV. The devotion is about how we pray, particularly for our children.
This is the first year I have "let" my child ride the bus to school. As a kindergartener, I felt he was just too little, and that just carried over into first grade. He has always wanted to ride the bus to school. I just wouldn't ever let him. Honestly, I was worried that his safety was out of my control. It also adds a bit of time to his school day, which doesn't seem to be bothering him so far this year. We are on day 4 now.
My fears and worries about putting him on the bus were not eased on the very first morning of school when the bus never showed up on our street! Apparently our bus driver didn't know she had our road to pick up. Well, I load up Tyler, and Tucker (no shoes) and our neighbor and drive them to school. No, I didn't just drop the kids off. I parked and went in. I talked to the assistant principal who is in charge of the busses. Several other parents and friends were still at the school helping kids find their classrooms, so I talked to them as well. And of course the principal was out and I talked to him. All of this was done as I looked like I had just rolled out of bed. My hair was all twisted up and pulled back. I didn't have any makeup on. I had a tank top and some knit FSU shorts on. I wasn't looking my best for the first day of school. After all, I wasn't planning on going to school yet. But I had to make sure this bus issue wasn't going to be an issue. I also had to be sure Tyler got his "tag" so they knew which bus he should get on to get home after school.
I don't think the bus issue is completely resolved yet. But I've talked to who I need to talk to to get it right. He's being the first on in the mornings and last off in the afternoons. This is not how it's supposed to work. But I've been told it will be resolved. None of this is bothering Tyler yet, and I don't think he even knows I've been talking to anyone about it to fix it. But I'd rather not have him adding an hour to an hour and a half to his school day for no reason, especially in the south Louisiana heat!
Okay, now that my rant is over...on to what this post should be about...letting go! :) You see, this is a very difficult thing for me. I tend to hover over my children to make sure they are happy and cared for and have everything they could possibly need. Putting Tyler on the bus to school is a step for me in letting go. I'm losing a little bit of control. But, this is a good thing. Tyler needs to learn more independence, and I feel confident that he is up to the task.
As I prayed for him this morning, I prayed for his safety and other things. But I seemed to get kind of stuck as I was asking God to help me let go of him and put him into HIS hands. I know I mean this, and I want this, but apparently, it's going to be hard to relinquish control.
Now I know he is just 7 years old, and I still have a good deal of control over what happens in his life, but there are some areas where I need to back off. I am very involved in the school and things that go on there and in his classroom so I can be a part of his life even when he is at school. I remember Jeremy saying to Tyler one day as we were getting ready for a field trip that Tyler couldn't get away without Mama. So far, I don't think this bothers him. In fact, he at least acts like he enjoys it, especially when Tucker gets to come along. They are best friends. It is part of the advantage of my being a stay-at-home mom. I can get involved.
But as I was praying, I really felt like God was telling me that although I was praying this - to put Tyler is HIS hands - I wasn't really doing it. I'm thinking about whether I'm really willing to let go of him and let God have him. Hannah did this with Samuel at a VERY early age. I cannot imagine what all she went through to do this. She seemed willing and happy to do it, as she promised. But I think of all the things she "missed out on" as he was growing up. Yes, she saw him, visited him and talked to him, I believe. But she was not the one in control of his life. This would be hard.
This is another journey for me as a mother. I feel like when I post things about motherhood that I'm dealing with, as in my "Why do I yell?" post, I get advice and support from others who deal with the same things. And it really helps. So, if there are others who read this and have something you'd like to share on this topic, please do! It may help me, you, or others!
This is the first year I have "let" my child ride the bus to school. As a kindergartener, I felt he was just too little, and that just carried over into first grade. He has always wanted to ride the bus to school. I just wouldn't ever let him. Honestly, I was worried that his safety was out of my control. It also adds a bit of time to his school day, which doesn't seem to be bothering him so far this year. We are on day 4 now.
My fears and worries about putting him on the bus were not eased on the very first morning of school when the bus never showed up on our street! Apparently our bus driver didn't know she had our road to pick up. Well, I load up Tyler, and Tucker (no shoes) and our neighbor and drive them to school. No, I didn't just drop the kids off. I parked and went in. I talked to the assistant principal who is in charge of the busses. Several other parents and friends were still at the school helping kids find their classrooms, so I talked to them as well. And of course the principal was out and I talked to him. All of this was done as I looked like I had just rolled out of bed. My hair was all twisted up and pulled back. I didn't have any makeup on. I had a tank top and some knit FSU shorts on. I wasn't looking my best for the first day of school. After all, I wasn't planning on going to school yet. But I had to make sure this bus issue wasn't going to be an issue. I also had to be sure Tyler got his "tag" so they knew which bus he should get on to get home after school.
I don't think the bus issue is completely resolved yet. But I've talked to who I need to talk to to get it right. He's being the first on in the mornings and last off in the afternoons. This is not how it's supposed to work. But I've been told it will be resolved. None of this is bothering Tyler yet, and I don't think he even knows I've been talking to anyone about it to fix it. But I'd rather not have him adding an hour to an hour and a half to his school day for no reason, especially in the south Louisiana heat!
Okay, now that my rant is over...on to what this post should be about...letting go! :) You see, this is a very difficult thing for me. I tend to hover over my children to make sure they are happy and cared for and have everything they could possibly need. Putting Tyler on the bus to school is a step for me in letting go. I'm losing a little bit of control. But, this is a good thing. Tyler needs to learn more independence, and I feel confident that he is up to the task.
As I prayed for him this morning, I prayed for his safety and other things. But I seemed to get kind of stuck as I was asking God to help me let go of him and put him into HIS hands. I know I mean this, and I want this, but apparently, it's going to be hard to relinquish control.
Now I know he is just 7 years old, and I still have a good deal of control over what happens in his life, but there are some areas where I need to back off. I am very involved in the school and things that go on there and in his classroom so I can be a part of his life even when he is at school. I remember Jeremy saying to Tyler one day as we were getting ready for a field trip that Tyler couldn't get away without Mama. So far, I don't think this bothers him. In fact, he at least acts like he enjoys it, especially when Tucker gets to come along. They are best friends. It is part of the advantage of my being a stay-at-home mom. I can get involved.
But as I was praying, I really felt like God was telling me that although I was praying this - to put Tyler is HIS hands - I wasn't really doing it. I'm thinking about whether I'm really willing to let go of him and let God have him. Hannah did this with Samuel at a VERY early age. I cannot imagine what all she went through to do this. She seemed willing and happy to do it, as she promised. But I think of all the things she "missed out on" as he was growing up. Yes, she saw him, visited him and talked to him, I believe. But she was not the one in control of his life. This would be hard.
This is another journey for me as a mother. I feel like when I post things about motherhood that I'm dealing with, as in my "Why do I yell?" post, I get advice and support from others who deal with the same things. And it really helps. So, if there are others who read this and have something you'd like to share on this topic, please do! It may help me, you, or others!
Friday, July 9, 2010
Why Do I Yell?
It's confession time. And I'm writing this down for public knowledge to make myself more accountable. My devotion this morning from Proverbs 31 Ministries was about taming your tongue and the power such a small thing has. In case you haven't noticed yet, these devotions spur a lot of thought and insight in my life. I love reading them, even when they convict me.
I think I'm figuring something out. The only people I ever yell at are my kids. Now, WHY in the world would I choose to only yell at the little ones that I love more than anything in the world and who are so vulnerable to what I say and do to them?
I have always been a "peacemaker" in my family. I am the middle child of 5 kids. I always held my feelings in, and still do a lot, and just didn't really say much. I was very quiet. Now that I am a wife and mother and have my own home, I have opened up a lot. My dear husband has drawn me out of my shell a good bit.
But I find myself yelling at my children. I get so frustrated when they disobey, when they are fighting, or when they are just not listening to me, and I yell at them. Now, everyone knows that yelling at kids really isn't effective. It more or less just scares them for a minute, long enough for you to get a word in. But it is NOT effective parenting or disciplining. In fact, at times they think it's funny and laugh when I get so wound up that I yell. So, why do I do it?
I mean, I don't even ever yell at Jeremy when I get mad. With him, as with everyone else, I shut down, at least at first. If I begin to speak, I get upset and tears tend to fill my eyes. And we all know guys hate it when girls "bring on the waterworks." And I never mean to cry, it's just what happens.
But I've decided that the reason I feel more free to yell at my kids is because I do not have the fear that they will love me any less. I am their Mama. And when we are the only ones at home, there is no one there to judge how I am acting. All the years of pent up emotions that I didn't let out are now coming out very loudly toward my children. I know I must stop this. Even just yelling to tell them something because I don't feel like getting off the couch and walking to the room where they are needs to stop. It's a really bad habit that I do NOT like in myself.
So, beginning today, I am starting the healing process of this habit. When I find myself yelling, or about to yell, for whatever reason, I am going to tighten my lips, and pause. I know this will not be easy. And there will be many times that I fail. But I'm viewing this as a process that will get better over time, if I try.
One other note...I WILL yell if my child is in danger and it is necessary to get their attention. :) But, I'm hoping and praying that all other yelling will cease. I'd appreciate any prayers for me in this.
This is the prayer from the devotion by Luann Prater of the Proverbs 31 Ministries this morning:
Dear Lord, Thank you for reminding us that a tongue can rip a heart apart, or seal it back together. Teach us to pause long enough to give your Spirit time to work in and through us. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Also, a friend just showed me a book called "Scream Free Parenting" that sounds like a perfect book for this situation. Here is a YouTube link for an ad for the book.
I think I'm figuring something out. The only people I ever yell at are my kids. Now, WHY in the world would I choose to only yell at the little ones that I love more than anything in the world and who are so vulnerable to what I say and do to them?
I have always been a "peacemaker" in my family. I am the middle child of 5 kids. I always held my feelings in, and still do a lot, and just didn't really say much. I was very quiet. Now that I am a wife and mother and have my own home, I have opened up a lot. My dear husband has drawn me out of my shell a good bit.
But I find myself yelling at my children. I get so frustrated when they disobey, when they are fighting, or when they are just not listening to me, and I yell at them. Now, everyone knows that yelling at kids really isn't effective. It more or less just scares them for a minute, long enough for you to get a word in. But it is NOT effective parenting or disciplining. In fact, at times they think it's funny and laugh when I get so wound up that I yell. So, why do I do it?
I mean, I don't even ever yell at Jeremy when I get mad. With him, as with everyone else, I shut down, at least at first. If I begin to speak, I get upset and tears tend to fill my eyes. And we all know guys hate it when girls "bring on the waterworks." And I never mean to cry, it's just what happens.
But I've decided that the reason I feel more free to yell at my kids is because I do not have the fear that they will love me any less. I am their Mama. And when we are the only ones at home, there is no one there to judge how I am acting. All the years of pent up emotions that I didn't let out are now coming out very loudly toward my children. I know I must stop this. Even just yelling to tell them something because I don't feel like getting off the couch and walking to the room where they are needs to stop. It's a really bad habit that I do NOT like in myself.
So, beginning today, I am starting the healing process of this habit. When I find myself yelling, or about to yell, for whatever reason, I am going to tighten my lips, and pause. I know this will not be easy. And there will be many times that I fail. But I'm viewing this as a process that will get better over time, if I try.
One other note...I WILL yell if my child is in danger and it is necessary to get their attention. :) But, I'm hoping and praying that all other yelling will cease. I'd appreciate any prayers for me in this.
This is the prayer from the devotion by Luann Prater of the Proverbs 31 Ministries this morning:
Dear Lord, Thank you for reminding us that a tongue can rip a heart apart, or seal it back together. Teach us to pause long enough to give your Spirit time to work in and through us. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Also, a friend just showed me a book called "Scream Free Parenting" that sounds like a perfect book for this situation. Here is a YouTube link for an ad for the book.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Seattle
This past weekend I was able to go to Seattle to visit with my little sister, Laurie. She was graduating from Mars Hill Graduate School with her Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology. This was a very big deal for her, and we are all very proud of her.
So my sisters and mother and I all decided to make the trip up there for her graduation. In addition to being there for her, we all were a little excited about the "Bevell girl" time we were able to have.
So my sisters and mother and I all decided to make the trip up there for her graduation. In addition to being there for her, we all were a little excited about the "Bevell girl" time we were able to have.
On Friday, we went to visit her school at their open house, then on to Pike's Place Market for a little shopping, although it was quite overwhelming with all the people there. There were a lot of beautiful flowers that smelled wonderful, although they didn't really offset the smell of all the fresh fish!
Saturday was graduation day. We celebrated after that with lunch at Chinook's, which is a very yummy seafood restaurant at the Fisherman's Terminal. You know it's fresh! After lunch and naps, we ventured out again for some second hand store shopping. It's amazing in Seattle! We all found lots of things we liked - good quality, name brand stuff. We were all buying "birthday presents" for each other too! It was great fun!
Sunday we slept in a little, and then went to a great little French bakery for breakfast. It was one of those tiny, family-run places that only those who live there could tell you about. It was really yummy!
Then, the 5 Bevell women went off to see the movie "Babies." If you haven't heard of it, it's basically a documentary about 4 babies from different countries during the first year of their life. There is no narration or dialogue, or even any translation of what the parents of the babies from other countries are saying. Basically, we observed pieces of each of their lives during their first year. We really enjoyed it. And for those of you who know the Bevell women, it's quite fitting that we would all see this - together! Our husbands were also appreciative that we went together - and not with them!
A funny thing about going to the movie is that we ended up sitting in "order." Completely by accident, we sat in order of our age. Then we noticed that we also were sitting in order of number of "babies" we currently have, including my mother (5,4,3,2 & 0). It was very amusing (to us anyway)!
From there, we did a little more second hand shopping. There is just so much of it there and we were all really into it! I had to stop looking or I would have run out of room in my carry-on. We did a little "souvenir" shopping for a few things to take back to the family too.
We also went on a hike in Carkeek Park, which was only about a block from Laurie's house. There were some very pretty things to look at, but a very nice place to go just to "get away." Laurie says she goes there at least a couple of times a week, and I can see why. We ate at a picnic table and talked and laughed about "The Office" episodes for a while. :) Then we drove down, although it was within walking distance, to the beach. By this time, the sun was about to set and it had gotten VERY cold, so we ended up not staying too long, but I really wanted to see it! It was beautiful at sunset!
Everywhere we went we were seeing different parts of Seattle and taking it all in. Although we didn't visit the Space Needle, I did see it. We passed the Mariners baseball field and the Seahawks football stadium. We saw downtown, farmer's markets, cruise ships, fishing boats, the Puget Sound (everywhere), some beautiful scenery, and lots more.
Although I really missed Jeremy and the boys, it was really great to get to take this trip and it just be us without our kids for a few days. It was precious time, and we are all glad we did it.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Tuckerism of the Day
As we were heading to Walgreens this afternoon, I went through my usual talk about being good in the store. Tucker says, "Yeah, no disobeying Mama. No running off. And no thinking either. Mama knows when we're thinking!"
I love it! I did not comment on this. I just smiled and laughed (quietly). If he thinks this even for a little while, I will enjoy it while it lasts!
I love it! I did not comment on this. I just smiled and laughed (quietly). If he thinks this even for a little while, I will enjoy it while it lasts!
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Orange Beach 2010
Before it gets too far out of my memory, I decided I should blog a little about our Orange Beach 2010 vacation! We were there from May 22 until June 1.
and the four Goodwins.
It was a small one, but a shark nonetheless! They all had fun doing that. Maybe next year, or the next, all the boys can go. The mommies will just take a nap on the beach until they get back!
THAT is my kind of vacation - little to no cooking, sleeping in, sitting on the beach or by the pool, kids entertaining themselves with friends, and just relaxing for 10 days! I am so thankful that I have a wonderful husband who has a good job/career and is able to take us on a 10 day vacation to the beach. He works hard, and he really enjoyed the time away with us too! I am looking forward to more fun vacations in the future!
As you all know, the BP Oil Spill has now hit many beaches in the gulf region. We were lucky enough to have booked our beach trip for before the oil reached Orange Beach. I know many others were not as lucky as we were, or are traveling further to get to clean and clear beaches.
This is the third year (2 in a row) that we have taken a vacation to Orange Beach. It is a great family vacation spot. We also have gone with other families that we are close friends with who also have kids our kids' ages! This is the way to do it! The first 2 trips we went with Toby and Eron Hamblin, and their kids, Todd and Ellen, and Kurt and Mandy Goodwin, and their kids, Dylan and Hayden. This year, the Hamblins had moved to Virginia and did not make it to Orange Beach with us. We were very disappointed they couldn't be there, but understood it was too far.
So, it was the four of us
and the four Goodwins. We share a condo, with the 4 boys, ages 7,6, 4 & 3, in their own room.
We were able to stay for 10 days this year! That's right, 10 days! We were a little concerned it might be too long for all of us being that close together for that long, but IT WAS WONDERFUL!!! We'd do it again this summer if we could!
The night before we were supposed to be leaving, Tyler got some kind of bug and was throwing up! Ugh! It was a Saturday morning, and luckily our pediatrician's office is open on Saturday mornings. We took him to the doctor, who advised we at least wait until late afternoon to be sure he felt well enough to travel. He slowly began drinking a little and was able to keep it down. After several hours of no puking, we decided we'd get in the truck, with a small garbage can next to him, and head to the beach. Tyler was very worried that he was going to be too sick to play on the beach. An advantage of being there for 10 days was that we could go slowly. But we made it there and Tyler slowly began eating over the next couple of days and got back to his normal self, and, thankfully, no one else got sick.
Our good friends Jeremy and Katie Toombs and their 3 children, Olivia, Wyatt, & Hampton, who live in Memphis, were there at the same time we were so we were able to spend some time with them as well. Although they had some bad luck while they were there. Jeremy (Toombs) twisted his ankle and was on crutches, and the baby, Hampton, got sick too. So they had to make a couple of trips to the nearby urgent care facility.
One of the great things about being there for 10 days was that we didn't feel like we had to get up and rush out to spend every moment we had on the beach. We slept in a little, with the adults taking turns getting up to monitor the boys, who seemed to wake up by 6:30 every morning. Then we went out to the beach for a while, playing in the waves and the sand and just relaxing.
The boys dug lots of holes,
caught lots of crabs and minnows, rode boogie boards,
and jumped waves. Tucker and Hayden were also "killing" or "punching" the waves as they came in. They all had a blast and were a lot of fun to watch.
We'd go in for lunch and to rest for a bit, although there were several naps taken on the beach.
Then we'd head back out either to the beach or the pool.
The guys, Jeremy and Kurt, grilled out for us a few times for dinner. We ordered pizza a couple of times, and of course we had to go eat at Lambert's Cafe one night.
The Toombs' came to eat with us when we went there and we all went to The Track afterwards to ride go-karts, which was lots of fun! This was the only picture we got since we were all riding them at the same time. This was the "rookie track" where the kids got to drive their own!
The only cooking I had to do the whole 10 days was a couple of breakfasts and the baked potatoes, which I put in the microwave, when Jeremy grilled steaks.
One morning, Jeremy and Kurt and the big boys, Tyler and Dylan, went on a charter fishing trip.
They were all excited about this. Tyler even caught a shark!
It was a small one, but a shark nonetheless! They all had fun doing that. Maybe next year, or the next, all the boys can go. The mommies will just take a nap on the beach until they get back!Mandy and I did get an evening of outlet shopping, which we thoroughly enjoyed, while Jeremy and Kurt took care of the boys. They also let us have a couple of hours of tanning time by the pool without the kids one afternoon. They even had them bathed and ready to go to Lambert's when we got back to the condo! Awesome!
THAT is my kind of vacation - little to no cooking, sleeping in, sitting on the beach or by the pool, kids entertaining themselves with friends, and just relaxing for 10 days! I am so thankful that I have a wonderful husband who has a good job/career and is able to take us on a 10 day vacation to the beach. He works hard, and he really enjoyed the time away with us too! I am looking forward to more fun vacations in the future! Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Recent Kid Quotes
We all know kids can say the funniest things. I am not very good at writing things down, but I remembered I had a blog! I can just add them here.
Here are a couple of things Tucker has said recently that I thought were hilarious and would like to remember:
"You're a genius, Tyler!" (Tucker is 3; Tyler is 6) (I think they were playing games on their DS and Tyler got him past a part that was hard for him.)
"Tyler's words are getting a little annoying." (He told me this after I told him to go play with Tyler.)
Tyler is a little more cautious about what he says, and he's not quite as loud as Tucker, so there may be fewer of his quotes on here in the days to come. I'm going to try to remember to put them on here as I hear them, though.
Here are a couple of things Tucker has said recently that I thought were hilarious and would like to remember:
"You're a genius, Tyler!" (Tucker is 3; Tyler is 6) (I think they were playing games on their DS and Tyler got him past a part that was hard for him.)
"Tyler's words are getting a little annoying." (He told me this after I told him to go play with Tyler.)
Tyler is a little more cautious about what he says, and he's not quite as loud as Tucker, so there may be fewer of his quotes on here in the days to come. I'm going to try to remember to put them on here as I hear them, though.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Tyler's Baptism
My 6 year old son, Tyler, was baptized yesterday, Sunday, June 6, 2010. What a wonderful day for us all! My earlier post tells the story of when he asked Jesus into his heart. Since then, he has been excited about being baptized.
As we were leaving our 10 day vacation at Orange Beach, he said, "I know what's next. I'm getting baptized!" I love the pure joy and excitement he has about it.
My mom and one of my sisters, Carrie, and her 3 children were able to come down to be there for his baptism. Our close friends, Kurt and Mandy Goodwin and their boys, Dylan and Hayden, also came to church with us for it.
The pictures below did not capture this moment, but hopefully I'll be able to post a video later of the baptism. As Pastor Kirk was immersing Tyler in the water, Tyler let his feet come up in the air! I thought it was just perfect!
It was a special day. We even got a cake to celebrate! Jeremy picked it out, based on Tyler's tastes, not his own. It was a chocolate fudge cake. (Yummy!)
Here are a few pictures from the day:
Going into the water
Pastor Kirk asking Tyler if he has asked Jesus into his heart
Coming out of the water
A proud Christian (earplugs and all!)
A very happy family photo
A very happy family photo
(Well, that's the best we can get out of Tucker sometimes)
Friday, May 7, 2010
"The Dailyness"
This is a wonderful devotion for moms who deal with the "dailyness" of life as a mom.
http://proverbs31devotions.blogspot.com/2010/05/dailyness.html
http://proverbs31devotions.blogspot.com/2010/05/dailyness.html
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Tyler's Most Important Decision
GREAT NEWS!!! Tyler has asked Jesus into his heart!!! We are claiming April 25, 2010 as the day Tyler became a Christian. As his mother, my heart is still doing flips in excitement over this decision. He really seems to understand - what a 6 year old can understand. He is also excited about it. He's excited about getting baptized (don't have a date for that yet). And he is eager to go through the 4 week book "I'm a Christian Now" for younger kids, recommended by my sister, whose 4 children have all been through it.
He somewhat casually told me one night as I was laying down with them at bedtime, after books, Bible story and prayer, that he had asked Jesus into his heart several days before. I was a bit taken aback by his statement, but I felt my heart jump in excitement at the same time. We have had several conversations before this about sin, Jesus' dying on the cross to save us from our sins, rising from the dead, and our need to ask Him to forgive us of our sins and ask Him into our hearts to save us from our sins. I am thankful for his cousins who have already made this decision and shared it with him. They were very influential in his interest in finding out about salvation! Thank you Harris, Anna Claire, Seth, Callie & Joel!
So, we talked for a little while about this that night. He really seems to understand what he has done. We talked some more about it and looked up some Bible verses the next day after school. As we were reading the verses and talking about what they meant, he said, "This is the same stuff we already talked about!" I laughed a little and told him that was right. I was just showing him where we got all the stuff we talked about. I wanted to be sure he understood that the Bible is where we learn all about sin, Jesus' love for us, and the salvation that we have in Him.
He was eager to do more reading in his Bible, which is a great one for kids that we got him at Christmas. It is The Adventure Bible for Early Readers (NIrV). It's really great because it puts it in words that are easier for him to read and understand. It also has a good number of other tools that can help him understand the Bible as well. If you have young children, it's a great one! We spent some time the next day as well reading more and talking. He also spent some time before bed Saturday night talking to Jeremy about it all.
So, Sunday morning at church, he wanted to come into the worship service with us instead of staying in his class (which he loves going to). At the end of the service when our pastor asked if there was anyone who wanted to accept Jesus as their Savior, he raised his hand. He was a little hesitant at first because he wasn't sure if that was what he was supposed to do at that time, but then he wanted to be sure that Pastor Kirk saw his hand! We all three (Tyler, Jeremy and I) got to walk up to the front of the church after the prayer, hand-in-hand, to let our church family know that Tyler had asked Jesus into his heart. Our church gets excited about this decision, so there were cheers and clapping, and there were tears in my eyes (and I think in Jeremy's a little too, although I'm not sure he'd admit it - he's not a crier).
Since we're not sure what day he actually said his prayer the first time, and our discussions and prayers were spread out over several days after that, we are claiming the Sunday, April 25, 2010, when he went before our church, as the day he asked Jesus into his heart.
I am so proud and so excited about his decision. I also told him that Jesus and the angels were celebrating in heaven. And I believe his Grammy and Papa are also celebrating with them in heaven! I know all of his family here on earth are excited. I called them all that day! :)
He somewhat casually told me one night as I was laying down with them at bedtime, after books, Bible story and prayer, that he had asked Jesus into his heart several days before. I was a bit taken aback by his statement, but I felt my heart jump in excitement at the same time. We have had several conversations before this about sin, Jesus' dying on the cross to save us from our sins, rising from the dead, and our need to ask Him to forgive us of our sins and ask Him into our hearts to save us from our sins. I am thankful for his cousins who have already made this decision and shared it with him. They were very influential in his interest in finding out about salvation! Thank you Harris, Anna Claire, Seth, Callie & Joel!
So, we talked for a little while about this that night. He really seems to understand what he has done. We talked some more about it and looked up some Bible verses the next day after school. As we were reading the verses and talking about what they meant, he said, "This is the same stuff we already talked about!" I laughed a little and told him that was right. I was just showing him where we got all the stuff we talked about. I wanted to be sure he understood that the Bible is where we learn all about sin, Jesus' love for us, and the salvation that we have in Him.
He was eager to do more reading in his Bible, which is a great one for kids that we got him at Christmas. It is The Adventure Bible for Early Readers (NIrV). It's really great because it puts it in words that are easier for him to read and understand. It also has a good number of other tools that can help him understand the Bible as well. If you have young children, it's a great one! We spent some time the next day as well reading more and talking. He also spent some time before bed Saturday night talking to Jeremy about it all.
So, Sunday morning at church, he wanted to come into the worship service with us instead of staying in his class (which he loves going to). At the end of the service when our pastor asked if there was anyone who wanted to accept Jesus as their Savior, he raised his hand. He was a little hesitant at first because he wasn't sure if that was what he was supposed to do at that time, but then he wanted to be sure that Pastor Kirk saw his hand! We all three (Tyler, Jeremy and I) got to walk up to the front of the church after the prayer, hand-in-hand, to let our church family know that Tyler had asked Jesus into his heart. Our church gets excited about this decision, so there were cheers and clapping, and there were tears in my eyes (and I think in Jeremy's a little too, although I'm not sure he'd admit it - he's not a crier).
Since we're not sure what day he actually said his prayer the first time, and our discussions and prayers were spread out over several days after that, we are claiming the Sunday, April 25, 2010, when he went before our church, as the day he asked Jesus into his heart.
I am so proud and so excited about his decision. I also told him that Jesus and the angels were celebrating in heaven. And I believe his Grammy and Papa are also celebrating with them in heaven! I know all of his family here on earth are excited. I called them all that day! :)
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
New Bullock Baby, Easter Weekend, and...Some Other Stuff
It's been a while since I posted anything, and a lot has happened.
A new Bullock baby, Hugh "Jackson" Bullock, arrived on Good Friday, April 2, 2010! He is named after both of his grandfathers and an uncle!
So, we got to go up to visit our newest nephew/cousin Easter weekend. We stayed at June's parents' house, so the boys got to play outside and go fishing & 4-wheeler riding. Here are a few pictures from that.
Easter Sunday
Fishing with Daddy - Can you see the resemblance?
Digging for worms for fishing
"Eating" the worms they dug up!
The fish caught with one of the worms
4-wheeler ridin' with Daddy
(Pete took them on quite a few rides too)
This is just such a typical Tucker look that was caught on film!
The Thursday night before this, we were at Tyler's t-ball practice and Tucker dislocated his elbow - the one not in a cast already! Jeremy and I could only utter a "good grief!" I took him to the same urgent care place we had been twice before for his other arm. Since they had previously described what they call "Nursemaid's Elbow" and how children get it, I knew this is what had happened. They fixed him up (put it back in place) and sent us on our way. No calls from Child Services yet for being in there for all this within a 2 week period.
By the way...all he did was hang onto Jeremy's hand, lifted his legs, and swung himself. Since he was just using the one good arm, it hurt him. Now we have to be more careful with it as it is much more likely to happen again.
He got his cast off the next week. It's been a week now since it's been off and no injuries so far.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
"Sacred"
This is a link to my sister's blog. It is a song that will really speak to all mom's. I think I'm going to print it out and post it all over my house! :)
http://oncarriesmind.blogspot.com/2010/04/sacred.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FShcg+%28On+My+Mind%29
http://oncarriesmind.blogspot.com/2010/04/sacred.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FShcg+%28On+My+Mind%29
Friday, March 26, 2010
What are they thinking?
My children cannot possibly be using their brains sometimes. Tucker came be-bopping into my room at 4:30 AM saying that he and Tyler were hungry and wanted breakfast! Are you kidding me? I was VERY asleep and just said "Absolutely not! It's 4:30 in the morning! Go back to bed and go to sleep - NOW!"
I heard some noise and a light flick on and off in the pantry. I'm not sure if they got anything. Again...I was asleep. About an hour later, Tucker comes back into my room asking me to help him go potty. I get up and realize he is still wide awake. It's pretty apparent that he has not gone back to sleep. So, after he goes potty, I take him back into their bedroom and find Tyler under his blanket on the floor with a bottle of water and playing his DS! I'm not sure what Tucker had been doing. He was probably just watching Tyler since he couldn't find his own DS (it was in my purse).
I was not so patient at this point. I scolded them and made them get back in their beds. That was around 5:30. At 6 am (on the dot), they come out of their bedroom like it's time to get up. I am not fussing anymore. I simply put my head under my pillow and try to go back to sleep (although not very effectively). Tucker came in again just after they got up asking for food again. I said "No. Go away and let me sleep!" (I'm not a morning person, especially EARLY morning.) He walks away saying he'll just get a pop-tart. Fine with me!
As we are getting Tyler ready for school a little later, I ask him how early he really got up, and what he was doing. He said he had been up for 2 hours before I came in their room. I'm not sure how accurate that is, but they were obviously up well before 4:30 this morning.
I just don't get it! What are they thinking?!?!
I heard some noise and a light flick on and off in the pantry. I'm not sure if they got anything. Again...I was asleep. About an hour later, Tucker comes back into my room asking me to help him go potty. I get up and realize he is still wide awake. It's pretty apparent that he has not gone back to sleep. So, after he goes potty, I take him back into their bedroom and find Tyler under his blanket on the floor with a bottle of water and playing his DS! I'm not sure what Tucker had been doing. He was probably just watching Tyler since he couldn't find his own DS (it was in my purse).
I was not so patient at this point. I scolded them and made them get back in their beds. That was around 5:30. At 6 am (on the dot), they come out of their bedroom like it's time to get up. I am not fussing anymore. I simply put my head under my pillow and try to go back to sleep (although not very effectively). Tucker came in again just after they got up asking for food again. I said "No. Go away and let me sleep!" (I'm not a morning person, especially EARLY morning.) He walks away saying he'll just get a pop-tart. Fine with me!
As we are getting Tyler ready for school a little later, I ask him how early he really got up, and what he was doing. He said he had been up for 2 hours before I came in their room. I'm not sure how accurate that is, but they were obviously up well before 4:30 this morning.
I just don't get it! What are they thinking?!?!
Monday, March 22, 2010
Bubble Wrap
I've decided that I should probably wrap Tucker in bubble wrap for a while, or full pads, like hockey equipment. The child apparently thinks he's indestructible. He was a little cautious when he hurt his arm before he got the cast on, but since then, he's been crazy! There is nothing he has not tried to do even though he has a cast on his arm.
The night he got the cast, he was back on our trampoline, totally uninhibited. And I should mention that he was also bitten all over his feet by ants the morning of the accident that he hurt his arm.
The next day, he was riding his bike in the driveway and sidewalk in front of our house. He fell and skinned his knee pretty good.
The next day or so, he and Tyler are trying to play soccer or something in the living room, and he somehow hits his head on the window sill, and he now has a big bruise on his forehead.
That same day, the boys are on the trampoline, and as is typical, Tucker has to use the bathroom. They don't like to have to come in the house while they are outside to do this, so they don't! I look out the window to see Tyler standing behind Tucker "holding" him still while Tucker has his pants pulled down enough to pee off the side of the trampoline. They've been told not to do this, but it obviously didn't stop him. Tucker loses his balance and falls off of the trampoline, going head first to the ground, pants down and all. Thankfully, he was not hurt.
One of Jeremy's favorite sayings is, "If you're going to be stupid, you'd better be tough." Well, although I don't want to call my children stupid, they do a lot of things that really could be considered stupid, at least to grown-ups.
In Tucker's defense, he is a pretty tough little boy. Through all of the things he's been through, he has not once taken any Tylenol or Motrin to ease his pain. Now, this is really due to the fact that he is hard-headed (stubborn) and will not take medicine. But, he's dealt with whatever pain he has been in. He has not complained out the cast once. And when he has been hurt, he either doesn't cry, or doesn't cry for long. This is also how we knew that something was really wrong with his arm. He cried for longer than normal and was not trying to use it and keep going like he normally does.
I think God has sent extra guardian angels, or at least one really good one, to be with Tucker. Even though his arm is in a cast now, it is a small break and is supposed to heal in 3 weeks. He could be hurt so much more with all of the things he tries to do.
I still feel like getting some bubble wrap or hockey pads to put him in!
The night he got the cast, he was back on our trampoline, totally uninhibited. And I should mention that he was also bitten all over his feet by ants the morning of the accident that he hurt his arm.
The next day, he was riding his bike in the driveway and sidewalk in front of our house. He fell and skinned his knee pretty good.
The next day or so, he and Tyler are trying to play soccer or something in the living room, and he somehow hits his head on the window sill, and he now has a big bruise on his forehead.
That same day, the boys are on the trampoline, and as is typical, Tucker has to use the bathroom. They don't like to have to come in the house while they are outside to do this, so they don't! I look out the window to see Tyler standing behind Tucker "holding" him still while Tucker has his pants pulled down enough to pee off the side of the trampoline. They've been told not to do this, but it obviously didn't stop him. Tucker loses his balance and falls off of the trampoline, going head first to the ground, pants down and all. Thankfully, he was not hurt.
One of Jeremy's favorite sayings is, "If you're going to be stupid, you'd better be tough." Well, although I don't want to call my children stupid, they do a lot of things that really could be considered stupid, at least to grown-ups.
In Tucker's defense, he is a pretty tough little boy. Through all of the things he's been through, he has not once taken any Tylenol or Motrin to ease his pain. Now, this is really due to the fact that he is hard-headed (stubborn) and will not take medicine. But, he's dealt with whatever pain he has been in. He has not complained out the cast once. And when he has been hurt, he either doesn't cry, or doesn't cry for long. This is also how we knew that something was really wrong with his arm. He cried for longer than normal and was not trying to use it and keep going like he normally does.
I think God has sent extra guardian angels, or at least one really good one, to be with Tucker. Even though his arm is in a cast now, it is a small break and is supposed to heal in 3 weeks. He could be hurt so much more with all of the things he tries to do.
I still feel like getting some bubble wrap or hockey pads to put him in!
All I Need
At church yesterday morning, we sang a song that had the phrase, "I believe that He is all I need." As I sat there with a sleeping 3 year old in my lap (because he refused to go into his class), I had to really think about what I was singing.
I have sung many times, and know in my mind, that He is all I need. But, when I saw the "I believe" part at the beginning of that phrase, it made me stop and really think about that.
Do I really believe in my heart, not just know in my mind, that Jesus is ALL that I need?
I've been having a really hard time the past 2 weeks as Jeremy was out of town for a couple of days, and then he's had to be at work for long hours and even this weekend, both Saturday and Sunday. I just do not function well without him around to help me with the boys and to just BE here with me to talk to, look at, and do the things he does to keep me sane and happy.
So, this popped into my head as I'm examining my heart. If Christ is really all that I need, why am I so dependent on Jeremy for happiness and well-being? I am still working on figuring this out, but here are some of my thoughts.
At first, I thought that I'm just not near enough to God to let Him be truly all that I need. This is true, but I don't think that is all there is to it. I thought about the marriage relationship and what God intended it to be. "It is not good for man to be alone." God created man and woman to be "helpers." God put Jeremy in my life to help me, and for me to help him. God uses our spouse to bring us what we need in our lives, like love and friendship.
Although I do feel that my emotions and my state of mind may be a bit too dependent on Jeremy at times, I also do not want to discount our relationship and what God intended for us. I DO need Jeremy to help me keep my sanity many days, and I am much happier and function better when he is home more and available to me and the boys. It also helps to know that he would much rather be at home with us than at work, but sometimes he has to be there for longer hours and we just have to adjust to this (even if we don't do it very well). And I do not want to ever make him feel bad for having to work during these times. It is part of his job, and I understand this. He works hard to provide for us and I appreciate what he does, and that it enables me to stay at home with our children. But neither of us likes it when he has to be gone so much.
So, I guess I've come to the conclusion, at least at this point in writing, that I do believe that He (Jesus) is all that I need, but I need to work on the action part of this in relying on Him more to be my strength each day. I also believe that He has sent Jeremy to me and often times uses him to strengthen me and help me through hard times, and keep me happy through good ones. I keep my faith in God, and he sends people to me to provide what I need at that time, whether it be Jeremy or any of my other family or friends. I am thankful to God for giving me such wonderful, and godly, family and friends that I can turn to.
I have sung many times, and know in my mind, that He is all I need. But, when I saw the "I believe" part at the beginning of that phrase, it made me stop and really think about that.
Do I really believe in my heart, not just know in my mind, that Jesus is ALL that I need?
I've been having a really hard time the past 2 weeks as Jeremy was out of town for a couple of days, and then he's had to be at work for long hours and even this weekend, both Saturday and Sunday. I just do not function well without him around to help me with the boys and to just BE here with me to talk to, look at, and do the things he does to keep me sane and happy.
So, this popped into my head as I'm examining my heart. If Christ is really all that I need, why am I so dependent on Jeremy for happiness and well-being? I am still working on figuring this out, but here are some of my thoughts.
At first, I thought that I'm just not near enough to God to let Him be truly all that I need. This is true, but I don't think that is all there is to it. I thought about the marriage relationship and what God intended it to be. "It is not good for man to be alone." God created man and woman to be "helpers." God put Jeremy in my life to help me, and for me to help him. God uses our spouse to bring us what we need in our lives, like love and friendship.
Although I do feel that my emotions and my state of mind may be a bit too dependent on Jeremy at times, I also do not want to discount our relationship and what God intended for us. I DO need Jeremy to help me keep my sanity many days, and I am much happier and function better when he is home more and available to me and the boys. It also helps to know that he would much rather be at home with us than at work, but sometimes he has to be there for longer hours and we just have to adjust to this (even if we don't do it very well). And I do not want to ever make him feel bad for having to work during these times. It is part of his job, and I understand this. He works hard to provide for us and I appreciate what he does, and that it enables me to stay at home with our children. But neither of us likes it when he has to be gone so much.
So, I guess I've come to the conclusion, at least at this point in writing, that I do believe that He (Jesus) is all that I need, but I need to work on the action part of this in relying on Him more to be my strength each day. I also believe that He has sent Jeremy to me and often times uses him to strengthen me and help me through hard times, and keep me happy through good ones. I keep my faith in God, and he sends people to me to provide what I need at that time, whether it be Jeremy or any of my other family or friends. I am thankful to God for giving me such wonderful, and godly, family and friends that I can turn to.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Tucker's Cast
Okay...so here's the story of how Tucker's arm is now in a cast. Typically a story like this would sound something like..."He fell out of a tree and broke him arm, so now he's in a cast." Well, this story is a bit more complicated.
Tyler had a Cub Scout den meeting at someone else's house on Monday night. Tucker (a.k.a. Bug Scout) wanted to go too, even though he was extremely tired. So, Jeremy took them both. Of course, I don't object to being left home alone.
Just as they were about to leave the den meeting to come back home, the boys were on a trampoline. I was told they were not being rough, and no one saw exactly what happened. All we know is that he fell - ON the trampoline (not off of it). He was obviously hurt and crying. He was not really moving his arm and was in obvious pain, so I took him to the urgent care clinic down the street from our house. Let me remind you that he is still extremely tired, and most trips to the doctor for him involve a shot, so he was NOT happy about it until I was able to reassure him that he was not getting a shot. Still, he really just wanted to go to bed.
Well, we get to the urgent care and they ask what happened, poke and prod, ask him "does this hurt?" about 100 times, and do an x-ray. Their diagnosis: "I think it's just bruised. He should be better in the morning. We'll wrap this Ace bandage around him to help support it."
So, we go home with the Ace bandage. I'm relieved he's not hurt that badly. He goes to bed and sleeps fine.
Another note...he doesn't take medicine, so no Tylenol or Motrin has been put into his body at all since this happened. He's gonna be a tough boy. Or he'll have to be since he's stubborn! :)
The next morning, Tuesday, I look at his arm and it is swollen. I remove the bandage, thinking it's swollen just because he had it wrapped and he was sleeping on it all night. I think the swelling goes down some, but by the end of the day, it is still very swollen. He still has not used his arm for anything all day.
The next morning, Wednesday, I check him again and the arm is still swollen. After talking with Jeremy, we decide I should take him back to the doctor. I decide to go back to the urgent care place since they do not charge for "follow ups" and they had already done the x-rays there.
So, we go in and there is a different doctor in there this time, so I explain again what happened, as far as I know, and what's been going on since we were there last. He recommends getting more x-rays to see what it looks like now. After that, he comes back in and says "It's 'Nursemaid's elbow.' " This is basically a dislocation in children 1-3 years old. He says that he could try to feel around and get it back in place himself, but if it didn't work, he would send us to the orthopedist. So, he is feeling around, trying to move things in my baby's elbow to "get it back in place." Tucker's face was turning very red, and he was holding his breath and would let a grunt out every once in a while, trying so hard not to cry or scream.
The doctor stopped and said he didn't feel like it went back in and asked Tucker if it still hurt and if he could move it around and do things with it. Tucker said no, that it still hurt. So, they kindly set up an appointment with an orthopedist for us. When I get home, I look and see that this doctor is NOT covered on our insurance, so I proceed to call our pediatrician, explain to the phone nurse what happened and ask her who we should call that is on our insurance. She gave me a number, but I wasn't getting through, so I called her back and she managed to set up an appointment for us. She told me the appt. time, but said to just get there as soon as we could!
So, we go to The Bone & Joint Clinic of Baton Rouge to see Dr. Walker. After filling out a lot more paperwork, we get back to the room and wait a while. This has already been a long day and Tucker and I were both getting tired and I'm getting frustrated. Tucker is still climbing and jumping on and off of things, really trying to stay awake, but making me nervous about hurting himself more...or again.
We had brought the x-rays already taken with us, courtesy of Ascension Urgent Care, so the doctor is able to look at those before he comes in to see us. After introductions and courtesies, he asks me to explain (again) what happened. Again...I tell what I know. He kind of smiles a little smile and nicely says that he thinks there may actually be a small fracture and NOT the Nursemaid's elbow.
At this point, I am getting mad at the other doctors for not catching this, and am still cringing thinking about the doctor trying to put whatever he thought was dislocated back into place in Tucker's elbow and the unnecessary pain he put him in! But, when I asked this doctor, he defends them saying that it is a small fracture and can be difficult to see on an x-ray. When they zoom in to what they are looking for, the actual fracture would go out of the picture, so they wouldn't see it. He said he was not surprised that they missed it. This really doesn't make me feel a whole lot better about the whole situation. But, I am thankful that we were able to get to a doctor who knew what he was talking about and what to look for.
So, we go do MORE x-rays. But this time, we're getting the right view to look at where he thinks the fracture is. We go do the x-ray, wait a little longer, then are taken back to a place that looks like pre-op. I'm still not really sure what's going to happen or what the end result will be. Soon Dr. Walker comes in and smiles his gentle smile again and says, "Well, it is a fracture. And we're going to need some protection." He laughs as Tucker is jumping off of the stool while we are talking and says, "Tucker, you just don't know what you're doing to your mother." :)
I ask him what he means by "protection" and he tells me he needs to be in a cast for 3 weeks! So, I went from Monday night being relieved it was just a bruise and not dislocated or broken, so the dislocation scenario, to the final answer being broken! What a roller coaster of emotions for a mother, although for whatever reason, I haven't really been terribly emotional about it.
Tucker has been quite a trooper through all of this. He thought the x-rays were cool, which is good since we did them 3 times! He got suckers everywhere we went. He didn't cry or scream other than when he got hurt - not even when the doctor was really hurting him trying to put his "dislocated elbow" back into place! And he sat still as they put the cast on him, even though he didn't really know or understand what was going on. And he got to pick the color he wanted his cast to be, which pleased him. Blue is his current favorite color, so that's what he picked.
Perhaps his calm demeanor, that he apparently gets from his Daddy, has helped keep me calm through all of this. He didn't seem like he was in unbearable pain at any point, so I didn't freak out at any point. But I also think that God has given me what I need to be the mother of little boys. I've managed to remain calm through this ordeal, as well as other things like Tyler's tooth being knocked out (another trampoline accident at someone else's house).
I also find it ironic that they only have these accidents when on trampolines at other people's houses. We have had our trampoline for almost 3 years and they haven't been hurt. They've also spent hours on the trampoline at my sister's house with ALL of their cousins and haven't had any accidents or injuries.
So...that's the long version of how Tucker got his cast for his first broken bone! It is not slowing him down at all! He slept fine last night...didn't wake up once. He was back on the trampoline briefly last night. I wouldn't let him on it before when he was not using him arm, but once he got the cast on, we figured it was okay. :) He's ready to ride his bike, do flips on the couch, and whatever else he can do, which is pretty much everything he could do before.
(And a special thanks to my sweet friend, Amie, who is always willing to help out. She picked Tyler up from school and kept him at her house while Tucker was getting his cast put on.)
Tyler had a Cub Scout den meeting at someone else's house on Monday night. Tucker (a.k.a. Bug Scout) wanted to go too, even though he was extremely tired. So, Jeremy took them both. Of course, I don't object to being left home alone.
Just as they were about to leave the den meeting to come back home, the boys were on a trampoline. I was told they were not being rough, and no one saw exactly what happened. All we know is that he fell - ON the trampoline (not off of it). He was obviously hurt and crying. He was not really moving his arm and was in obvious pain, so I took him to the urgent care clinic down the street from our house. Let me remind you that he is still extremely tired, and most trips to the doctor for him involve a shot, so he was NOT happy about it until I was able to reassure him that he was not getting a shot. Still, he really just wanted to go to bed.
Well, we get to the urgent care and they ask what happened, poke and prod, ask him "does this hurt?" about 100 times, and do an x-ray. Their diagnosis: "I think it's just bruised. He should be better in the morning. We'll wrap this Ace bandage around him to help support it."
So, we go home with the Ace bandage. I'm relieved he's not hurt that badly. He goes to bed and sleeps fine.
Another note...he doesn't take medicine, so no Tylenol or Motrin has been put into his body at all since this happened. He's gonna be a tough boy. Or he'll have to be since he's stubborn! :)
The next morning, Tuesday, I look at his arm and it is swollen. I remove the bandage, thinking it's swollen just because he had it wrapped and he was sleeping on it all night. I think the swelling goes down some, but by the end of the day, it is still very swollen. He still has not used his arm for anything all day.
The next morning, Wednesday, I check him again and the arm is still swollen. After talking with Jeremy, we decide I should take him back to the doctor. I decide to go back to the urgent care place since they do not charge for "follow ups" and they had already done the x-rays there.
So, we go in and there is a different doctor in there this time, so I explain again what happened, as far as I know, and what's been going on since we were there last. He recommends getting more x-rays to see what it looks like now. After that, he comes back in and says "It's 'Nursemaid's elbow.' " This is basically a dislocation in children 1-3 years old. He says that he could try to feel around and get it back in place himself, but if it didn't work, he would send us to the orthopedist. So, he is feeling around, trying to move things in my baby's elbow to "get it back in place." Tucker's face was turning very red, and he was holding his breath and would let a grunt out every once in a while, trying so hard not to cry or scream.
The doctor stopped and said he didn't feel like it went back in and asked Tucker if it still hurt and if he could move it around and do things with it. Tucker said no, that it still hurt. So, they kindly set up an appointment with an orthopedist for us. When I get home, I look and see that this doctor is NOT covered on our insurance, so I proceed to call our pediatrician, explain to the phone nurse what happened and ask her who we should call that is on our insurance. She gave me a number, but I wasn't getting through, so I called her back and she managed to set up an appointment for us. She told me the appt. time, but said to just get there as soon as we could!
So, we go to The Bone & Joint Clinic of Baton Rouge to see Dr. Walker. After filling out a lot more paperwork, we get back to the room and wait a while. This has already been a long day and Tucker and I were both getting tired and I'm getting frustrated. Tucker is still climbing and jumping on and off of things, really trying to stay awake, but making me nervous about hurting himself more...or again.
We had brought the x-rays already taken with us, courtesy of Ascension Urgent Care, so the doctor is able to look at those before he comes in to see us. After introductions and courtesies, he asks me to explain (again) what happened. Again...I tell what I know. He kind of smiles a little smile and nicely says that he thinks there may actually be a small fracture and NOT the Nursemaid's elbow.
At this point, I am getting mad at the other doctors for not catching this, and am still cringing thinking about the doctor trying to put whatever he thought was dislocated back into place in Tucker's elbow and the unnecessary pain he put him in! But, when I asked this doctor, he defends them saying that it is a small fracture and can be difficult to see on an x-ray. When they zoom in to what they are looking for, the actual fracture would go out of the picture, so they wouldn't see it. He said he was not surprised that they missed it. This really doesn't make me feel a whole lot better about the whole situation. But, I am thankful that we were able to get to a doctor who knew what he was talking about and what to look for.
So, we go do MORE x-rays. But this time, we're getting the right view to look at where he thinks the fracture is. We go do the x-ray, wait a little longer, then are taken back to a place that looks like pre-op. I'm still not really sure what's going to happen or what the end result will be. Soon Dr. Walker comes in and smiles his gentle smile again and says, "Well, it is a fracture. And we're going to need some protection." He laughs as Tucker is jumping off of the stool while we are talking and says, "Tucker, you just don't know what you're doing to your mother." :)
I ask him what he means by "protection" and he tells me he needs to be in a cast for 3 weeks! So, I went from Monday night being relieved it was just a bruise and not dislocated or broken, so the dislocation scenario, to the final answer being broken! What a roller coaster of emotions for a mother, although for whatever reason, I haven't really been terribly emotional about it.
Tucker has been quite a trooper through all of this. He thought the x-rays were cool, which is good since we did them 3 times! He got suckers everywhere we went. He didn't cry or scream other than when he got hurt - not even when the doctor was really hurting him trying to put his "dislocated elbow" back into place! And he sat still as they put the cast on him, even though he didn't really know or understand what was going on. And he got to pick the color he wanted his cast to be, which pleased him. Blue is his current favorite color, so that's what he picked.
Perhaps his calm demeanor, that he apparently gets from his Daddy, has helped keep me calm through all of this. He didn't seem like he was in unbearable pain at any point, so I didn't freak out at any point. But I also think that God has given me what I need to be the mother of little boys. I've managed to remain calm through this ordeal, as well as other things like Tyler's tooth being knocked out (another trampoline accident at someone else's house).
I also find it ironic that they only have these accidents when on trampolines at other people's houses. We have had our trampoline for almost 3 years and they haven't been hurt. They've also spent hours on the trampoline at my sister's house with ALL of their cousins and haven't had any accidents or injuries.
So...that's the long version of how Tucker got his cast for his first broken bone! It is not slowing him down at all! He slept fine last night...didn't wake up once. He was back on the trampoline briefly last night. I wouldn't let him on it before when he was not using him arm, but once he got the cast on, we figured it was okay. :) He's ready to ride his bike, do flips on the couch, and whatever else he can do, which is pretty much everything he could do before.
(And a special thanks to my sweet friend, Amie, who is always willing to help out. She picked Tyler up from school and kept him at her house while Tucker was getting his cast put on.)
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
My Calling
I am thankful that God has shown me what He has called me to do with my life - at least for this stage of my life. Being a wife and stay-at-home mother is definitely my calling, even if I feel inadequate and overwhelmed most days. I know without a doubt that this is what God has called me to do.
While my kids are growing up, I am going to be there for them for everything they do and say. I am investing my life in trying to teach them how to be the best that they can be, and to have a heart for God. I am also allowed the time to invest in my marriage. Although the kids can wear me out a lot, I am not also worn out by another full-time job that depletes me of all that I have left to give. I can save some energy and attention for my husband for when he gets home from work.
Now, ideally this would happen like June Cleaver, who is still perfectly groomed, energetic and positive at the end of every day. But in reality, this is not the case. But God has allowed Jeremy and I the means for me to be able to stay at home, which can allow me the time and energy I need to focus on our home - my husband and children - and prepare myself to greet my husband in a loving way and do my best to give him the attention that he needs and wants.
I thank God daily for this gift. It really is a gift, even if there are days I'd like to give it back. :) But I am really not ungrateful for this gift. I treasure it. And I thank God that I know I am doing what He wants me to do with my life.
Honestly, I've wanted to be a wife and mommy since I was a little girl. This was my goal. I do not see this as a lack of ambition, as some may see it. I do have a degree in accounting, which I have used, and may end up using again...we'll see. But, God's calling has been clear to me, and I am thankful for the opportunity to make it possible. God has provided the way for it to happen.
There was a brief time when I thought it was not going to work out just like I wanted it to. After Tyler was born, I actually put him in a daycare and went to work. On paper, we didn't think it would work for my income to be totally wiped out. So, I went back to work, a crying mess. My employers were very gracious and understanding. My boss's boss, the CFO of the company, suggested that I take 1/2 days that first week back. What a blessing that turned out to be, in many ways.
Long story short...one of those afternoons that I got off at lunch time, I went to pick up Tyler and went out to run a few errands. I stopped by my former employers' office to show off my new baby. While I was there, they asked about my work situation, and I told them honestly that I was working again, but didn't want to. I really wanted to be home with my baby, and that if I could find something I could do from home, that desire would be possible.
Well, the following week they called me and asked if I would be interested in doing their accounting work again, just as I had done before. Only this time, they have it set up where I can do it from my home! Can you believe this? Only God could have worked this out!!! I was amazed, but at the same time, I knew how much I had prayed, and how much my family and friends were praying for me. This was God at work.
Of course I told them I'd have to discuss it with Jeremy, just to be sure it would work out, but..."YES! I'll do it!" So, Tyler only had to be in daycare for a month of his life. He was not scarred, although I think I was. :)
I was able to keep that part-time accounting job, working from my home, for about 3 years. That's when Tucker came along. And by this time, Tyler was no longer napping, and I now had 2 children to take care of. Finding time to do this work became increasingly difficult. But once again, God provided. Jeremy had been given raises and promotions at work through the years that made it possible for me to quit my part-time job and focus on my current employment. Although each time we weren't sure just how the finances would work out, God provided for us and we have been just fine.
I know that there will be different stages of my life that this situation will change. There will be more things that God wants me to do, and I pray that I will be open to hearing and doing His will. But for now, I have peace in knowing that I am where He wants me to be - a wife and mother in our home.
While my kids are growing up, I am going to be there for them for everything they do and say. I am investing my life in trying to teach them how to be the best that they can be, and to have a heart for God. I am also allowed the time to invest in my marriage. Although the kids can wear me out a lot, I am not also worn out by another full-time job that depletes me of all that I have left to give. I can save some energy and attention for my husband for when he gets home from work.
Now, ideally this would happen like June Cleaver, who is still perfectly groomed, energetic and positive at the end of every day. But in reality, this is not the case. But God has allowed Jeremy and I the means for me to be able to stay at home, which can allow me the time and energy I need to focus on our home - my husband and children - and prepare myself to greet my husband in a loving way and do my best to give him the attention that he needs and wants.
I thank God daily for this gift. It really is a gift, even if there are days I'd like to give it back. :) But I am really not ungrateful for this gift. I treasure it. And I thank God that I know I am doing what He wants me to do with my life.
Honestly, I've wanted to be a wife and mommy since I was a little girl. This was my goal. I do not see this as a lack of ambition, as some may see it. I do have a degree in accounting, which I have used, and may end up using again...we'll see. But, God's calling has been clear to me, and I am thankful for the opportunity to make it possible. God has provided the way for it to happen.
There was a brief time when I thought it was not going to work out just like I wanted it to. After Tyler was born, I actually put him in a daycare and went to work. On paper, we didn't think it would work for my income to be totally wiped out. So, I went back to work, a crying mess. My employers were very gracious and understanding. My boss's boss, the CFO of the company, suggested that I take 1/2 days that first week back. What a blessing that turned out to be, in many ways.
Long story short...one of those afternoons that I got off at lunch time, I went to pick up Tyler and went out to run a few errands. I stopped by my former employers' office to show off my new baby. While I was there, they asked about my work situation, and I told them honestly that I was working again, but didn't want to. I really wanted to be home with my baby, and that if I could find something I could do from home, that desire would be possible.
Well, the following week they called me and asked if I would be interested in doing their accounting work again, just as I had done before. Only this time, they have it set up where I can do it from my home! Can you believe this? Only God could have worked this out!!! I was amazed, but at the same time, I knew how much I had prayed, and how much my family and friends were praying for me. This was God at work.
Of course I told them I'd have to discuss it with Jeremy, just to be sure it would work out, but..."YES! I'll do it!" So, Tyler only had to be in daycare for a month of his life. He was not scarred, although I think I was. :)
I was able to keep that part-time accounting job, working from my home, for about 3 years. That's when Tucker came along. And by this time, Tyler was no longer napping, and I now had 2 children to take care of. Finding time to do this work became increasingly difficult. But once again, God provided. Jeremy had been given raises and promotions at work through the years that made it possible for me to quit my part-time job and focus on my current employment. Although each time we weren't sure just how the finances would work out, God provided for us and we have been just fine.
I know that there will be different stages of my life that this situation will change. There will be more things that God wants me to do, and I pray that I will be open to hearing and doing His will. But for now, I have peace in knowing that I am where He wants me to be - a wife and mother in our home.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Today
Today is just a day that I want to write. I'm not a writer by nature, but it really helps me get my thoughts and feelings in order. If I am just sitting, thinking, my mind wanders around. So, if I really want to sort out my thoughts and feelings, I write. I also do this with my prayers. If I am going to really spend some time in prayer, I get my journal out and write it out. (Although, typing is much faster and easier on the hands.)
Earlier today, I was typing out some thoughts and feelings that are quite frankly too personal to share with the world. But it really helped me feel better to get it out, even if it wasn't TO anyone. When I feel sad or depressed, I have a hard time getting myself out of it. But, God helped me through it today.
The sun is shining and the temperatures are just about perfect, so I opened the windows and let some fresh air in. As I was sitting on the couch, I noticed (again) all of the dog hair on the couches, so I decided to vacuum those, which takes a while with all the pillows and cushions on them. But, Tucker wanted to help too, so it turned out to be something that we worked on together.
Then, I took the vacuum to the window sills since I noticed how badly they needed cleaning when I opened them. They also got a good cleaning with some handy Clorox wipes. (I love those things!)
I know that this type of cleaning may sound painful to most of you (if anyone is reading this), but it is very therapeutic to me. With spring in the air, and my need to do something productive to raise my mood, cleaning is something that helps me feel better when my mood is down.
My dilemma usually comes when I get too focused on cleaning and my housework to spend the amount of time that I should with Tucker during the day when Tyler is at school. I can get pretty obsessed with my housework. There are so many times that I would LOVE to feel relaxed and free enough to just let it go and do something fun with my boys. But, for some reason, I seem to keep thinking about all of the things I could "just do real quick" before I pay attention to them. (If anyone has any advice for me, I'd love to hear it.)
But today, Tucker wanted to help, so it was a win/win situation. Perhaps he has realized that this is what Mommy does, and it is a good way to do something with me. We play a lot of games - board games, Wii games - and we even practiced writing some letters today. But, he typically plays so well by himself during the day that I have become accustomed to just letting him do that while I go about my business of housework and other things. I would love to change this, but am not sure how to start.
Well, I really feel like I am just rambling. This is kind of what I created this blog for... just to have a place to keep my thoughts and share some things going on in my life, whether anyone reads it or not. Thanks for reading this far. :)
Earlier today, I was typing out some thoughts and feelings that are quite frankly too personal to share with the world. But it really helped me feel better to get it out, even if it wasn't TO anyone. When I feel sad or depressed, I have a hard time getting myself out of it. But, God helped me through it today.
The sun is shining and the temperatures are just about perfect, so I opened the windows and let some fresh air in. As I was sitting on the couch, I noticed (again) all of the dog hair on the couches, so I decided to vacuum those, which takes a while with all the pillows and cushions on them. But, Tucker wanted to help too, so it turned out to be something that we worked on together.
Then, I took the vacuum to the window sills since I noticed how badly they needed cleaning when I opened them. They also got a good cleaning with some handy Clorox wipes. (I love those things!)
I know that this type of cleaning may sound painful to most of you (if anyone is reading this), but it is very therapeutic to me. With spring in the air, and my need to do something productive to raise my mood, cleaning is something that helps me feel better when my mood is down.
My dilemma usually comes when I get too focused on cleaning and my housework to spend the amount of time that I should with Tucker during the day when Tyler is at school. I can get pretty obsessed with my housework. There are so many times that I would LOVE to feel relaxed and free enough to just let it go and do something fun with my boys. But, for some reason, I seem to keep thinking about all of the things I could "just do real quick" before I pay attention to them. (If anyone has any advice for me, I'd love to hear it.)
But today, Tucker wanted to help, so it was a win/win situation. Perhaps he has realized that this is what Mommy does, and it is a good way to do something with me. We play a lot of games - board games, Wii games - and we even practiced writing some letters today. But, he typically plays so well by himself during the day that I have become accustomed to just letting him do that while I go about my business of housework and other things. I would love to change this, but am not sure how to start.
Well, I really feel like I am just rambling. This is kind of what I created this blog for... just to have a place to keep my thoughts and share some things going on in my life, whether anyone reads it or not. Thanks for reading this far. :)
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
"I Want to Leave a Legacy"
This was yesterday's devotion on the Proverbs 31 Ministries website. I want to be able to go back to it to remember these things often!
http://proverbs31devotions.blogspot.com/2010/03/i-want-to-leave-legacy.html
http://proverbs31devotions.blogspot.com/2010/03/i-want-to-leave-legacy.html
Monday, March 8, 2010
Our first camping trip
The Bullock family went on their first camping trip this past weekend - TENT camping, that is. Let me just say that whoever figured out how to make those sleeping bags was smart! It was in the 30's both nights we were there (brrrr), but we were warm, as long as we were in our sleeping bags. The boys were ALL the way in theirs. You couldn't see them, but they were warm.
He was doing pretty well. We just weren't in a good, clear spot for him to practice in the water. So, his practice was in the grass. Then they went to the water, where Jeremy would cast and Tucker would reel it in. Jeremy did catch the only fish anyone caught the whole time, which Tyler proudly showed us all. 
Tyler isn't a very patient fisherman at this stage in his life. He fished a little. I think he got a bite at one point, but it got away. He just went back to tromping through the woods with his cub scout buddies.
I'm very glad that Jeremy made the last minute trip to Cabela's to purchase them. We were going to borrow some, but they only had 3, so we were one short anyway. But, he decided he'd invest in some for us, especially since he only had to pay $20 for the wonderful, large tent we now have, among a few other things including another smaller tent, that he bought from someone from work that was moving out of the country.
Once the sun came up, it warmed up quickly. It was in the mid to upper 60's during the day, and it was beautiful! The boys had a BLAST! We were at Camp Avondale in Clinton, LA, which is a Boy Scouts of America campground, with our cub scouts pack, or at least a few of them. There were a few games and things planned for them to do, but we didn't even do any of it. As soon as they finished breakfast, the boys were off in the wooded areas around us on the trails, climbing up a tree stand, playing indians, ninjas, and I'm not quite sure what else. As the sun went down, the glow sticks came out, which immediately turned into light sabers. Star Wars began. They all loved every minute of it. They played hard from sun up until past sun down!
As for me, I mostly just got to sit in the sun and relax. It was wonderful. The boys played, and I watched from my seat. I could see them most of the time, and they were with their "buddies." A couple of times, we didn't hear or see any of the boys for a little while, so one of the other parents let out an indian cry, like the ones we had been hearing from them. Immediately, we started hearing the same sound coming from different parts of the woods. We knew right where they were. It was hilarious!
Jeremy did some fishing, as did Tyler and Tucker. Jeremy was teaching Tucker how to cast. You can never start that too early.
He was doing pretty well. We just weren't in a good, clear spot for him to practice in the water. So, his practice was in the grass. Then they went to the water, where Jeremy would cast and Tucker would reel it in. Jeremy did catch the only fish anyone caught the whole time, which Tyler proudly showed us all.Tyler isn't a very patient fisherman at this stage in his life. He fished a little. I think he got a bite at one point, but it got away. He just went back to tromping through the woods with his cub scout buddies.I think we got a good first time spoiling since we didn't have to do any of the food preparations. We brought snacks and drinks, but the pack leaders brought and prepared our meals. We had hot chocolate and pancakes and sausage for breakfast. Both boys ate their sausage, which they had turned their noses up to at home. And they both had hot chocolate.
I'm sure I'd like RV camping a little better for the convenience of it, but we really enjoyed sleeping in our tent, sitting around the campfire, basking in the sun, playing in the woods (getting really wet and muddy), and just enjoying nature without any TV,video games, or computers. And I barely even touched my iphone, even though I had service. :) I do wish that I had brought my book though. I didn't realize I'd be able to just sit almost all day without having to chase the boys wherever they were exploring. But we could see them at different points on their trail so we knew where they were.
Although the nights were cold, it wasn't the temperature that kept me awake most of the night both nights. There were cows not too far away from us. I never knew how loud cows were, and apparently they like to make a lot of noise when the sun goes down. We also heard coyotes, which concerned Tyler a little when he heard what it was. And what woke us up in the mornings, besides the sun, were geese flying in low and honking really loud. There were a couple of times that Tucker woke up a little disoriented, calling for both me and Tyler. Once he heard my voice, he went back to sleep, way down in his sleeping bag. So, they weren't restful nights of sleep by any means, but I still really enjoyed the trip.
I feel like I'm rambling on, so I'll bring this post to a close. We loved our first tent camping trip, and can't wait to go again. It's good for all of us to get out of the house, away from our technology, and into nature. And now that we've invested in some good sleeping bags, we need to use them!
Thursday, March 4, 2010
"Help Us Moms, Lord!"
Once again, God's timing in speaking His Word to me is amazing. I was quickly losing my patience with the boys not listening to me or obeying me this morning before school - to the point of tears in less than an hour after I even got out of bed. I should have just gotten up a little earlier to read this devotional...
http://proverbs31devotions.blogspot.com/2010/03/help-us-moms-lord.html
http://proverbs31devotions.blogspot.com/2010/03/help-us-moms-lord.html
Thursday, February 25, 2010
"Weather" we like it or not
As I was thinking about what we would be doing today, I was thinking about the weather. It's too cold to be outside too much right now. That led my thinking to all of the status updates I've read lately of people complaining about the weather where they live (and I've done it too!).
This made me realize that we are never happy with the weather for more than a day or two, if that. It's always either too hot, too cold, too rainy, not enough rain, too much snow, no snow, too windy... There is always something we could find that does not particularly suit us that day.
Then I began thinking that God is in control of the weather. It is part of His handiwork, how He makes the world work with the seasons, life cycles of plants and animals, and all of what we need to survive. Yes, there are "natural disasters" that we do not understand, but we, as Christians, know that God is still in control.
This got me to thinking "how would I like it if I had to listen to people complain all the time about something I was in control of?" I'm pretty sure I would not like it at all. Now I know God is MUCH more patient and forgiving than I am (obviously), but I also know that it can't make Him happy to have to listen to us complain all the time.
These are my thoughts today...I'm going to try to complain less and just be thankful that God has given me another day to live and enjoy my life with my family and friends!
This made me realize that we are never happy with the weather for more than a day or two, if that. It's always either too hot, too cold, too rainy, not enough rain, too much snow, no snow, too windy... There is always something we could find that does not particularly suit us that day.
Then I began thinking that God is in control of the weather. It is part of His handiwork, how He makes the world work with the seasons, life cycles of plants and animals, and all of what we need to survive. Yes, there are "natural disasters" that we do not understand, but we, as Christians, know that God is still in control.
This got me to thinking "how would I like it if I had to listen to people complain all the time about something I was in control of?" I'm pretty sure I would not like it at all. Now I know God is MUCH more patient and forgiving than I am (obviously), but I also know that it can't make Him happy to have to listen to us complain all the time.
These are my thoughts today...I'm going to try to complain less and just be thankful that God has given me another day to live and enjoy my life with my family and friends!
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Boys!
Here is just a glimpse at my boys, although there are no pictures.
Tyler:
Last night...between 4:30 and 5:30, this is what Tyler, my 6 year old ate: 2 girl scout cookies, 2 1/2 cherry poptarts, an entire can of mini raviolis, then 2 more girl scout cookies! I don't see how he does it! Although, he was doing a lot of exercising with the Wii Fit Plus - before school and after.
Tucker:
Also last night, Tucker, the 3 year old, insists on wearing a Spiderman costume up to church for Lifegroup, mask and all! I didn't try to stop him. He was in full Spiderman mode, thinking everyone believed he was the REAL Spiderman, shooting webs at anyone who spoke to him (sound effects and everything). Then again this morning, he decided to be Robin (Batman's sidekick) to take Tyler to school. Luckily we don't get out of the truck when we drop him off.
Our life is interesting - and fun!
Tyler:
Last night...between 4:30 and 5:30, this is what Tyler, my 6 year old ate: 2 girl scout cookies, 2 1/2 cherry poptarts, an entire can of mini raviolis, then 2 more girl scout cookies! I don't see how he does it! Although, he was doing a lot of exercising with the Wii Fit Plus - before school and after.
Tucker:
Also last night, Tucker, the 3 year old, insists on wearing a Spiderman costume up to church for Lifegroup, mask and all! I didn't try to stop him. He was in full Spiderman mode, thinking everyone believed he was the REAL Spiderman, shooting webs at anyone who spoke to him (sound effects and everything). Then again this morning, he decided to be Robin (Batman's sidekick) to take Tyler to school. Luckily we don't get out of the truck when we drop him off.
Our life is interesting - and fun!
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Growing Old with Jeremy
I know the title sounds like we're old already. Although some days, more frequently now, I feel like I am old already, I know we have a long way to go before we are old. We still have our children to keep us young, right? Or is it the children that cause us to feel old?
Whatever the case may be, I am loving and looking forward to growing old with Jeremy, my wonderfully loving husband! My devotion this morning was asking the question, "Is your spouse your best friend?" I already believe he is, obviously in a different capacity than my sisters or a couple of other close friends that I talk to. He is the one I go to for pretty much everything. I talk to him more than anyone else. I'd rather be with him than anyone else. And I rely on his advice and value his opinion more than anyone else, as long as he'll give it to me!
The author of today's devotion, Melanie Chitwood, said, "I want to grow old relishing my friendship with my husband, a friendship forged over years of sharing interests and making each other a priority." I honestly try to do this. Obviously with small children and their many pressing needs, this can be difficult at this stage in our life. But the time that we do have together is very special to me. She also suggests that if you do not have a hobby or interest of some sort that you both share and can do together, that you find one. If you don't, when you are old, you'll be like "the old couple sitting in a restaurant, eating their entire meal in silence." I don't want to have nothing to talk about with him once our children are grown and no longer our central focus.
Although sitting for an entire meal in silence may seem enticing right now, since there is barely a silent moment in the house with 2 little boys, I see her point. Jeremy and I both tend to be on the quiet side, which is why we have a hard time understanding how we have such talkative children (at least at home), and why there are a lot of times that we do sit in silence. The beauty of that is that it is not an awkward silence. There is no pressure to say something all the time. We enjoy the silence, and still enjoy each other's company. Yet there are things that we talk about and that we are both interested in too. But now I feel challenged to find something, an activity, that Jeremy and I could both enjoy that we could do on a consistent basis (besides watching TV!) that will help nourish our friendship.
Only time will tell if we are the old couple sitting in a restaurant without saying a word. I hope not!
Whatever the case may be, I am loving and looking forward to growing old with Jeremy, my wonderfully loving husband! My devotion this morning was asking the question, "Is your spouse your best friend?" I already believe he is, obviously in a different capacity than my sisters or a couple of other close friends that I talk to. He is the one I go to for pretty much everything. I talk to him more than anyone else. I'd rather be with him than anyone else. And I rely on his advice and value his opinion more than anyone else, as long as he'll give it to me!
The author of today's devotion, Melanie Chitwood, said, "I want to grow old relishing my friendship with my husband, a friendship forged over years of sharing interests and making each other a priority." I honestly try to do this. Obviously with small children and their many pressing needs, this can be difficult at this stage in our life. But the time that we do have together is very special to me. She also suggests that if you do not have a hobby or interest of some sort that you both share and can do together, that you find one. If you don't, when you are old, you'll be like "the old couple sitting in a restaurant, eating their entire meal in silence." I don't want to have nothing to talk about with him once our children are grown and no longer our central focus.
Although sitting for an entire meal in silence may seem enticing right now, since there is barely a silent moment in the house with 2 little boys, I see her point. Jeremy and I both tend to be on the quiet side, which is why we have a hard time understanding how we have such talkative children (at least at home), and why there are a lot of times that we do sit in silence. The beauty of that is that it is not an awkward silence. There is no pressure to say something all the time. We enjoy the silence, and still enjoy each other's company. Yet there are things that we talk about and that we are both interested in too. But now I feel challenged to find something, an activity, that Jeremy and I could both enjoy that we could do on a consistent basis (besides watching TV!) that will help nourish our friendship.
Only time will tell if we are the old couple sitting in a restaurant without saying a word. I hope not!
Monday, February 22, 2010
When life seems hard...
There are so many days that I am so thankful that I am a Christian. If I did not have Christ in my life, I'm certain I would be a miserable person. My feelings, emotions, and self-confidence rely so much on the people around me and how they are feeling about me at the time. I'm sure this is not entirely healthy, and I've never sought "help" to work on this, but I do not deny it. Although I know my worth is in Christ, I am an emotional woman who needs the affirmation of her husband, children, family & friends to make me feel like I am important to them.
I love God, and I am so thankful for his mercy and grace that saved me. I truly rely on Him to give me peace and joy. I think I just seek out that joy in my family & friends, or perhaps that's how He provides the joy in my life. Thankfully, I have good people in my life that love me and love God.
But, when times seem difficult... like I'm not feeling loved, appreciated, respected, or heard, I turn to God, and I know He will always see me as His. He loves, appreciates, respects, and listens to me. If I did not know this about Him, I am certain I would have problems. Thankfully, I know Him and that He loves and cares for me, and I can get through the hard times relying on His love for me!
I love God, and I am so thankful for his mercy and grace that saved me. I truly rely on Him to give me peace and joy. I think I just seek out that joy in my family & friends, or perhaps that's how He provides the joy in my life. Thankfully, I have good people in my life that love me and love God.
But, when times seem difficult... like I'm not feeling loved, appreciated, respected, or heard, I turn to God, and I know He will always see me as His. He loves, appreciates, respects, and listens to me. If I did not know this about Him, I am certain I would have problems. Thankfully, I know Him and that He loves and cares for me, and I can get through the hard times relying on His love for me!
Friday, February 19, 2010
I know...
I had to discipline Tucker tonight, as is the case quite often lately. He's 3 years old and pushing the limits as much as he can. Without going into detail about it all, a moment I wanted to share (and remember) came right after the discipline. As I finished talking to him and told him that I loved him and wanted him to learn to be good and obey, he hugged me tightly and said, "I know." And it wasn't one of those "I know, I know...just let me go." It was a sincere "I know" with a tight squeeze. It really helps the hard times of discipline to know that he really knows that I love him even while he is being punished. I pray that one day (maybe soon!) he will understand that it is because I love him so much that I must discipline him. I tell both of my boys this each time, I just hope they'll get it.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
"Whoever's on the Bible Wins"
"Whoever's on the Bible wins!" This is what Tucker proclaims to me as he is racing his batmobiles around me as I was attempting to have my "quiet" time this morning. As soon as he said it, I almost laugh at the way God is teaching me things about Him. Here I am reading a devotional, and God uses Tucker's playtime to teach me something that is sticking with me more so than what I was reading.
I guess, technically, he could have said whoever is IN the Bible wins. But, I got the point. If I am IN God's Word, studying and memorizing verses, along with spending time in prayer, I will be able to defeat the enemy and all of the things he throws at me, like complaining, grumbling, anger... (the list is long, so I'll stop there).
What is funny is that this actually goes along with what I was reading in my devotional. It was about having the right weapon to defeat our opponent. The writer was using a softball analogy about having the right bat to be an effective batter. We need to memorize God's Word so that we will have the right verse(s) in our mind as we are struggling with whatever has been thrown at us.
It is amazing and funny all at the same time how God teaches me what it is that I need to hear from Him each day. I am really enjoying the time I am getting to spend with Him in His Word, even if there are batmobiles racing around me sometimes!
I guess, technically, he could have said whoever is IN the Bible wins. But, I got the point. If I am IN God's Word, studying and memorizing verses, along with spending time in prayer, I will be able to defeat the enemy and all of the things he throws at me, like complaining, grumbling, anger... (the list is long, so I'll stop there).
What is funny is that this actually goes along with what I was reading in my devotional. It was about having the right weapon to defeat our opponent. The writer was using a softball analogy about having the right bat to be an effective batter. We need to memorize God's Word so that we will have the right verse(s) in our mind as we are struggling with whatever has been thrown at us.
It is amazing and funny all at the same time how God teaches me what it is that I need to hear from Him each day. I am really enjoying the time I am getting to spend with Him in His Word, even if there are batmobiles racing around me sometimes!
Monday, February 15, 2010
Our Day Off
After the "snow day" on Friday that left Tyler out of school, staying home all day Saturday, and only getting out of the house to go to church on Sunday, we were in desperate need of an outing today. President's Day, Mardi Gras break, or whatever you want to call it, has Tyler out of school again today and tomorrow!
So, we decided to finally go see "Alvin and the Chipmunks, the Squeakquel" in the theater. Tyler decided to wear his Alvin and the Chipmunks t-shirt, and they both wanted to get a picture with the Chipmunks at the front of the theater. (And we forgot to get Tyler to take his jacket off to see his t-shirt in the picture!)
It was so good to get out of the house, hear them giggling, get a break from the housework (and the annoying dog), and have fun together. Tyler even said, "Thank you for taking us to the movie, Mom!"
Movie tickets: $21
Popcorn, candy & drink: $15 (highway robbery)
A "thank you" and giggles from my boys: PRICELESS!
Friday, February 12, 2010
"He will quiet you with His love"
Today I read a verse I would never have come across on my own, but read in my Proverbs 31 Ministries devotion. It is Zephaniah 3:17: "The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing."
The devotion actually focused on the last phrase of the verse, saying that God delights in us so much that he breaks out in song to serenade us. That is a lovely thought, especially going into Valentine's weekend when many women would love to be so loved that their special someone serenades them.
But, the part of this verse that spoke to me today was "he will quiet you with his love." I have been consumed this week with the amount of stress, yelling and discipline I've been doing, and how "crazy" my children are making me. Today I want to focus on God's love for me - that it will quiet me (as in no yelling!) Ironically (or perhaps divinely?), I have gotten a sore throat, which is making it much harder to yell.
I am also seeing the correlation between how my children are making me feel and how I must make God feel when I am not listening to Him or obeying Him! I still love my boys more than they know. God still loves me. But I'm sure I frustrate Him, just as I get frustrated with my boys for their lack of obedience.
When we are trying to refocus and calm down, I try to hold and hug my boys to get them to calm down and speak softly to them. I think this is also what God wants to do with us. We should climb in His lap (go to a special, quiet place), and let Him hug us and speak to us softly through His Word. We must be quiet to hear Him! And we feel more loved and at peace again once we've done this.
Thank you, God, for speaking to me! I am amazed at what I can hear and learn when I allow you to speak to me! Now, I am going to try to go be quiet today, even if my children are not!
The devotion actually focused on the last phrase of the verse, saying that God delights in us so much that he breaks out in song to serenade us. That is a lovely thought, especially going into Valentine's weekend when many women would love to be so loved that their special someone serenades them.
But, the part of this verse that spoke to me today was "he will quiet you with his love." I have been consumed this week with the amount of stress, yelling and discipline I've been doing, and how "crazy" my children are making me. Today I want to focus on God's love for me - that it will quiet me (as in no yelling!) Ironically (or perhaps divinely?), I have gotten a sore throat, which is making it much harder to yell.
I am also seeing the correlation between how my children are making me feel and how I must make God feel when I am not listening to Him or obeying Him! I still love my boys more than they know. God still loves me. But I'm sure I frustrate Him, just as I get frustrated with my boys for their lack of obedience.
When we are trying to refocus and calm down, I try to hold and hug my boys to get them to calm down and speak softly to them. I think this is also what God wants to do with us. We should climb in His lap (go to a special, quiet place), and let Him hug us and speak to us softly through His Word. We must be quiet to hear Him! And we feel more loved and at peace again once we've done this.
Thank you, God, for speaking to me! I am amazed at what I can hear and learn when I allow you to speak to me! Now, I am going to try to go be quiet today, even if my children are not!
Thursday, February 11, 2010
My Wonderful Husband
I am very blessed to have a wonderful husband, Jeremy. He is my best friend. I don't think that I let him know enough how much I love and respect and appreciate him. He is so good to me. He often tells me how much he loves me, how beautiful I am, and how much he appreciates what I do as wife and mother in our home.
He is an excellent provider for our family. He loves his boys. He is loving and generous, firm in his discipline, fun to be with, full of wisdom and practicality. I look to him for so much. My heart jumps everyday when I hear the door opening, signaling his arrival home from work. I love that it does that. I look forward to seeing his face, his beautiful eyes, his smile, and feeling his arms around me and his gentle kiss. My world seems right when I am with him.
Granted, I breathe a sigh of relief that I have some help with the boys when he gets home. But, he doesn't even have to do anything. Just knowing that he is there, I breathe easier and usually calm down a bit in his presence. His laid-back attitude in life definitely complements my tendency to get stressed about even the smallest things. I am a better person with him.
As Christians, we know that it was God that put us together, and we thank Him often for blessing us with one another. It is also this faith that makes our marriage strong. Yes, we have our difficulties. Anyone who says they don't is just lying. But, because of our faith in God and our love for each other, we work through these times and come out of them stronger in our faith and in our marriage.
I told Jeremy yesterday that I had started a blog. He jokingly asked if I was going to complain about him on it. Of course I told him that was crazy. And as I think more about that, and things that I have read lately, I want to be sure that I absolutely do not do that. My husband wants and needs my respect. My commitment and love for him will remain, even when I am feeling mad, sad, upset, or whatever it may be. It would do nothing positive to complain about him to other people. I want to always show the love and respect for him that he deserves! He is a wonderful, godly man that I look forward to spending the rest of my life with, and I want our children to see and hear the love and respect we have for one another too.
Ephesians 5:33 says "Each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband." BOTH of these things need to be present in a marriage. It is also something that has to be done. Love and respect are action verbs here - something we are to do, not something that we should just feel. That also means that we can choose to do these things. I choose to love and respect Jeremy. And I feel that our marriage will remain strong for the rest of our life together.
He is an excellent provider for our family. He loves his boys. He is loving and generous, firm in his discipline, fun to be with, full of wisdom and practicality. I look to him for so much. My heart jumps everyday when I hear the door opening, signaling his arrival home from work. I love that it does that. I look forward to seeing his face, his beautiful eyes, his smile, and feeling his arms around me and his gentle kiss. My world seems right when I am with him.
Granted, I breathe a sigh of relief that I have some help with the boys when he gets home. But, he doesn't even have to do anything. Just knowing that he is there, I breathe easier and usually calm down a bit in his presence. His laid-back attitude in life definitely complements my tendency to get stressed about even the smallest things. I am a better person with him.
As Christians, we know that it was God that put us together, and we thank Him often for blessing us with one another. It is also this faith that makes our marriage strong. Yes, we have our difficulties. Anyone who says they don't is just lying. But, because of our faith in God and our love for each other, we work through these times and come out of them stronger in our faith and in our marriage.
I told Jeremy yesterday that I had started a blog. He jokingly asked if I was going to complain about him on it. Of course I told him that was crazy. And as I think more about that, and things that I have read lately, I want to be sure that I absolutely do not do that. My husband wants and needs my respect. My commitment and love for him will remain, even when I am feeling mad, sad, upset, or whatever it may be. It would do nothing positive to complain about him to other people. I want to always show the love and respect for him that he deserves! He is a wonderful, godly man that I look forward to spending the rest of my life with, and I want our children to see and hear the love and respect we have for one another too.
Ephesians 5:33 says "Each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband." BOTH of these things need to be present in a marriage. It is also something that has to be done. Love and respect are action verbs here - something we are to do, not something that we should just feel. That also means that we can choose to do these things. I choose to love and respect Jeremy. And I feel that our marriage will remain strong for the rest of our life together.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
I'm Invisible
After reading my post "How I should view each day," a friend of mine sent me this email that she received from someone else. After getting her permission to share, I'm posting it here so that it will hopefully encourage others as it has me.
"I'm invisible.
It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way
one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to
be taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking, "Can't you see I'm on the
phone?" Obviously not. No one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or
sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no
one can see me at all. I'm invisible.
Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this? Can
you tie this? Can you open this? Some days I'm not a
pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I 'm a clock to ask, "What time
is it?" I'm a satellite guide to answer, "What number is the Disney
Channel?" I'm a car to order, "Right around 5:30 , please."
I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes
that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude - but now
they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She's
going, she's going... she's gone!
One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a
friend from England . Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and
she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there,
looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to
compare and feel sorry for myself as I looked down at my out-of-style
dress; it was the only thing I could find that was clean.
My unwashed hair was pulled up in a banana clip and I was afraid I could
actually smell peanut butter in it.
I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully
wrapped package, and said, "I brought you this." It was a book on the great
cathedrals of Europe . I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until
I read her inscription: "To Charlotte , with admiration for the greatness
of what you are building when no one sees."
In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would
discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I
could pattern my work:
1. No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names.
2. These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished.
3. They made great sacrifices and expected no credit.
4. The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.
A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the
cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny
bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, "Why are
you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be
covered by the roof? No one will ever see it."
And the workman replied, "Because God sees."
I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost
as if I heard God whispering to me, "I see you, Charlotte. I see the
sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of
kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is
too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great
cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become."
At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease
that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own
self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride. I keep
the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the
people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on
s omething that their name will never be on.
The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever
be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to
sacrifice to that degree.
When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's
bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, "My mom gets up at 4 in the
morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for
three hours and presses all the linens for the table." That would mean I'd built
a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is
anything more to say to his friend, to add, "You're gonna love it there."
As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're
doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will
marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been
added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.
Live Simply.
Love Generously.
Care Deeply.
Speak Kindly.
Leave the rest to God"
"I'm invisible.
It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way
one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to
be taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking, "Can't you see I'm on the
phone?" Obviously not. No one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or
sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no
one can see me at all. I'm invisible.
Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this? Can
you tie this? Can you open this? Some days I'm not a
pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I 'm a clock to ask, "What time
is it?" I'm a satellite guide to answer, "What number is the Disney
Channel?" I'm a car to order, "Right around 5:30 , please."
I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes
that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude - but now
they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She's
going, she's going... she's gone!
One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a
friend from England . Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and
she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there,
looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to
compare and feel sorry for myself as I looked down at my out-of-style
dress; it was the only thing I could find that was clean.
My unwashed hair was pulled up in a banana clip and I was afraid I could
actually smell peanut butter in it.
I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully
wrapped package, and said, "I brought you this." It was a book on the great
cathedrals of Europe . I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until
I read her inscription: "To Charlotte , with admiration for the greatness
of what you are building when no one sees."
In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would
discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I
could pattern my work:
1. No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names.
2. These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished.
3. They made great sacrifices and expected no credit.
4. The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.
A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the
cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny
bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, "Why are
you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be
covered by the roof? No one will ever see it."
And the workman replied, "Because God sees."
I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost
as if I heard God whispering to me, "I see you, Charlotte. I see the
sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of
kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is
too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great
cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become."
At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease
that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own
self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride. I keep
the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the
people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on
s omething that their name will never be on.
The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever
be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to
sacrifice to that degree.
When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's
bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, "My mom gets up at 4 in the
morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for
three hours and presses all the linens for the table." That would mean I'd built
a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is
anything more to say to his friend, to add, "You're gonna love it there."
As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're
doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will
marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been
added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.
Live Simply.
Love Generously.
Care Deeply.
Speak Kindly.
Leave the rest to God"
"My Pleasure"
After Tucker and I finished up our Wal-mart trip yesterday, I was buckling him in his car seat and thanked him for being such a good boy and a good helper while we did our shopping. He smiled and attempted a wink, stuck his thumb up, and said, "My pleasure!"
How I should view each day...
Being woken up by your 6 year old saying that he just threw up can be a "typical" day for a stay-at-home mother such as myself. But, it's never how you'd like to start your day.
We are going on day 11 of illness of some sort in the Bullock house. It started with my husband having some sort of bug that kept him in bed (or bathroom) all day. He recovered from that, then my 3 year old, Tucker, begins complaining of his ear hurting. So, we head to the doctor to verify that he has an ear infection, followed by an injection, due to the fact that he refuses to take any type of medicine. That was last Wednesday. Thursday morning, my 6 year old, Tyler, wakes up and tells me he doesn't feel well. He has a fever and congestion. We head to the doctor again to check him out, as well as for Tucker's second injection for his ear infection. Tyler's stuff is still hanging on.
After all of this has been wearing me down for the past week and a half, I realized my stress level has risen significantly. In direct relation to this, I also realized I have not been spending ANY time with the Lord! We missed 2 Sundays of church, as well as our Lifegroup. And my daily devotions... Let's just say they're not as "daily" as they should be.
So, this week, I've resolved to do what it takes to spend at least a few minutes each day reconnecting with the only One who can give me the peace and strength that I need to survive each day.
And this morning, as I'm thinking "woe is me" that Tyler is home sick - again - I decide to read my devotion BEFORE posting a status update on my Facebook about how hard I have it. I will just say that GOD IS GOOD! He can use anything to get his message across to us - always when we need it! In my devotion from the Proverbs 31 Ministries, Rachel Olson writes this in the reflections section:
"How does your perspective on today change when you consider the tremendous gifts of grace, mercy, love and eternal life given you through Christ?"
Well, if that doesn't put my focus back where it should be, I don't know what will!
We are going on day 11 of illness of some sort in the Bullock house. It started with my husband having some sort of bug that kept him in bed (or bathroom) all day. He recovered from that, then my 3 year old, Tucker, begins complaining of his ear hurting. So, we head to the doctor to verify that he has an ear infection, followed by an injection, due to the fact that he refuses to take any type of medicine. That was last Wednesday. Thursday morning, my 6 year old, Tyler, wakes up and tells me he doesn't feel well. He has a fever and congestion. We head to the doctor again to check him out, as well as for Tucker's second injection for his ear infection. Tyler's stuff is still hanging on.
After all of this has been wearing me down for the past week and a half, I realized my stress level has risen significantly. In direct relation to this, I also realized I have not been spending ANY time with the Lord! We missed 2 Sundays of church, as well as our Lifegroup. And my daily devotions... Let's just say they're not as "daily" as they should be.
So, this week, I've resolved to do what it takes to spend at least a few minutes each day reconnecting with the only One who can give me the peace and strength that I need to survive each day.
And this morning, as I'm thinking "woe is me" that Tyler is home sick - again - I decide to read my devotion BEFORE posting a status update on my Facebook about how hard I have it. I will just say that GOD IS GOOD! He can use anything to get his message across to us - always when we need it! In my devotion from the Proverbs 31 Ministries, Rachel Olson writes this in the reflections section:
"How does your perspective on today change when you consider the tremendous gifts of grace, mercy, love and eternal life given you through Christ?"
Well, if that doesn't put my focus back where it should be, I don't know what will!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)