I've Moved

I've moved, but not far! 

If you directly link to this blog, you've been redirected to my new home on the web dakotapam.com for awhile now. 

However, the Rev. pointed out that people (like him) who follow Dakotapam on a reader, just think that I dropped off of the face of the earth!

So, update your blogroll, and your reader, and pardon the dust at my new space. It is shaping up nicely, but there is a learning curve to having my own domain and using WordPress!

Seven Quick Takes Friday: October 1, 2010

1. Fall has absolutely exploded here in North Dakota. We have had gorgeous weather in the 70's and some crisp air at night. Tuesday was downright HOT at about 80 degrees. Our foliage is gorgeous, I almost imagine we are in Vermont, and then I remember that, in fact, we live on the prairie! William and Andrew are going backpacking this weekend on the west side of the state, and I think that this will be the first year that rain is not in the forecast!
2. I am still working on settling into a routine. I figure that I am doing just as well as anyone else with six kids...right?
3. I've been working on not yelling in the mornings as we get ready, and today I broke my streak. Ethan and Owen were arguing at the breakfast table, instead of eating...and we were going to be late. I'm not sure that yelling helped, but it did release some steam. Getting ready for school is when I wish I have a nanny.
4. Our congregation has been given a great opportunity to purchase building and land, in the perfect location in our growing city! We are so excited, and are in the middle of our very first fundraising campaign. If you would like to help a Confessional Lutheran Church get off the ground, visit our website here.  No donation is too small. We are working towards raising $100, 000 by the end of this month. 
5. I now know how the person who gets kicked off of Survivor first feels. I participated in FoodBuzz's Project Food Blog and I did not make it past the first round. Though I am disappointed, it was good for me to give my cooking blog a bit of a facelift, and I have gotten some new ideas for it as well. Keep an eye out there, as I have some things simmering in the back of my brain that will fit better there than here!
6. I have totally and completely fallen off of the exercise wagon. I mean, the wagon has even driven away! I need to stop making excuses and start taking time to get fit again. Maybe I just need to take up dancing with the babies on my hips. They do love music!
7. I'm looking forward to a relatively calm weekend, and I am tempted to sneak off to the pumpkin patch again! How many times is too many times to go in a season? 

What have you been up to this week? Make sure to stop by Conversion Diary for more Seven Quick Takes

It's the little things

I realize that it is already Thursday, and that the last time I spoke with you, I was speaking of saying no more to others and yes more to my family.

I got some interesting comments on that post, and I feel better about my decisions to scale back on some things. 

However, I won't be scaling back here. I love this space too much. I love that I can look back and see how things were just a year, or two ago. I love to watch myself (and my children) grow. I love the relationships that have been nurtured because of this space. 

For instance, did you know that my real-life friend (I hate that term...we are ALL real!) Nancy and I became friends through this blog? Yep, she found my blog from another friend's blog, and then ran into me in person, and then we had coffee, and then, bam...new friend.

So, no matter how crazy my life gets, I'm pretty sure I'll still be spending time here. I'll stop watching the Real Housewives before I give up this space! 

I tend to describe a lot of things as cheaper than therapy. Coffee is cheaper than therapy. Wine is cheaper than therapy. A good sermon, hugs from babies, compliments from teens, a day in the sun, all cheaper than therapy. But ultimately, this space IS my therapy. 

I sort out my thoughts here. I hash out ideas with all of you. I give and receive feedback.

So, while I was away from her this week a lot has happened. 

Sure, it would seem mundane to some...but to me...all of these things are big things.

A determined runner.

The photo for his first book jacket?

Tutu and hair bow by mom!

 
• William ran in his third of four Cross Country meets. It was about 80 degrees out, and the course began and ended uphill. It was his toughest course yet. He finished 12th. I could not be prouder. He ran the mile in 9 minutes, 36 seconds, and shaved over 30 seconds off of his first mile a few weeks ago, which was run on a level, paved course!
• Ethan, age 6, told me that he wants to be an author when he grows up. I melted.
• I tried my hand at making tutus and ribbon covered hair clips. I met with some success...I think I'll be handcrafting Christmas gifts this year!
• Emily claps her hand and Elizabeth dances. Both are obsessed with the DVD player and the DVR. Anyone who doubts the concept of original sin needs to come spend a half hour with these sweet little girls!
• We are in the midst of our biggest fundraiser ever for our little mission congregation. God has done some BIG things for our "little church that could". Check it out!
• God doing some good things in my life. I am working on being a more patient mother. I'm happy to say that I got the kids out the door for two days in a row without yelling. I did have to speak sternly, but speaking was the operative word.

So, what have you all been up to? What are the "little things" in your life that you hang on to, no matter what?

MOMday:Saying No

Since I've become a mother, I've said the word no more times than my kids can count. Often they know when I'm going to say it before I do. Sometimes I say it after not even listening to what the kids ask for (can you believe I came THIS close to turning down a hug AND a kiss from the eight year old the other night?)

Kids I can say no to.

Adults are harder.

I end up saying yes to so many things, that before I know it, I am piled on with so many other things, I hardly have time to be a mother anymore!

Then I was given the gift of twins.

While people might ask a pregnant woman to serve on a committee, or bake an extra pan of brownies, or organize a library corner at school, somehow, women pregnant with multiples tend to get a "get out of committee work free" card. 

The bedrest part helps.

And once those babies are born, a mother of multiples is off limits for a good six months. It is kind of nice, until the guilt sets in.

It is hard to sit back and say no to every offer. So then there is a point where a mom begins to feel human again and takes on more and more. And then a baby (or two) gets sick, and older kids' homework is not getting done. And there are scout and sport events every night...and the Mother of Multiples starts to look like a crazed deer in the headlights.

 

This was me last week. It was not pretty.

 On my calendar for this past weekend was a Pastor's Wives' Retreat. I was going to take the girls along. I was looking forward to it.

However, as the week wore on, it became apparent that there was going to be more work than retreat in the weekend. Going away for the weekend was going to require that I have the housework all caught up (translation: laundry). I'd need to make sure meals were planned in my absence and church clothes set out for the boys. I'd also need to make sure that camping gear was ready to go for the two big boys as they had a Boy Scout camping trip planned for the weekend. It was starting to look not very relaxing.

I was DREADING the weekend.

So, I said no...to the retreat. And I said yes, to my family.

I skipped the retreat and when my two younger boys begged to go to the Pumpkin Patch, I dropped my housework (yay!) and toted the four youngest kids out for a day in the country. We all had so much fun and enjoyed a rare warm fall day. And then I came home and threw together a salad and joined the Rev. and the older two boys at their Boy Scout picnic and Court of Honor. I was able to enjoy some great Boy Scout family company, and I would have missed it all had I not said no.

I've started to rethink my "no" answers as "yes" answers. I said "no" to the retreat, but I said "yes" to my kids.

Are there any "no" answers that you can turn into "yes" answers this week? I'd love to hear about them!

What a Difference a Year Makes

I always feel like I am in control of things. 

That is, until God shakes me like I am a tantrumming toddler and reminds me that I can control nothing.

A year ago today, at about this very time, I was on my way to the doctor's office. I was scheduled for my 20 week ultrasound. I was 22 weeks along, but since I put off even GOING to the doctor for so long, I had to take what I could get in terms of ultrasound appointments. 

It was no matter. I was fairly certain that I knew what I would see. After all, I had given birth to four sons. I had a pretty good track record of gestating boys. I had prayed for a girl, but I did not see that God would have any compelling reason to answer that prayer. After all, isn't that a selfish thing to pray for? Or silly? Or, even, insensitive?

So, I laid back on the table, with the REv. and my favorite cousin by my side and I giggled. I giggled that the tech was going to see a BIG baby, because this baby was busy. 

Busy like a boy.

And then she asked me if I had had any other ultrasounds. And I quipped something about having one in 1999 with William. And then I looked at the screen.

Something was not right.

I could see the baby's heart beating, and then it looked like his HEAD had a heartbeat. The tech asked me if I knew what I was looking at.

I told her, "yeah, sure, a baby."

And then she told me what I was looking at. She pointed out what became obvious once I wrapped my brain around it. The baby's head did not have a heartbeat, the baby had a sibling in there with him!

I was carrying twins.

I was stunned.

The Rev. lost all color in his face.

Kristen began to laugh.

And then I asked if we could check the gender. That was what I came for in the first place, after all. The Rev. expressed that perhaps ONE was a girl. We learned that both were girls, and appeared to be very healthy. 

Wow, God. 

In the year that has followed, our rough and tumble household has enjoyed the addition of pink, and softness and sweetness. 

I am learning how to mother daughters.

I am learning how to mother multiples.

My heart overflows with joy. Most days.

So often I say that God's plans are always better than my plans. I never even thought to ask for TWO girls. Who would?

So now, excuse me, because I have a few babies who want some horsey rides!