Not me! Monday

It just so happens to be Monday, which means...MckMama's denial of truth! Please join in the fun, or at least laugh on my behalf of what I did NOT do this week.

• I did NOT have last week off and have HUGE plans to get tons done and become distracted by multiple play dates, trips to open gym with the boys, naps with the boys, and blogging instead of checking things off my list. 
• I am NOT drowning in things to do now as a result of the above mentioned in preparation for our trip to Iowa City this weekend.
• I did NOT uncharacteristically decide that I am going to TRY not to let this stress me out and worry about it! (we'll see if that happens)
• I am NOT so excited I can hardly stand it to head to Iowa City and spend a weekend with our wonderful and greatly missed friends!
• I did NOT feel a sense of peace last week like I have never experienced from the Lord after lots of heart to hearts and want to lift His name to the sky.
• I did NOT test my new attempt to Praise the Lord more when things go wrong when both our fridge and furnace needed a tune up this week.
• I did NOT wake up to a house that was 54 degrees last week and escape for the day to stay warm until Richard got home to investigate the furnace not working. 
• I did NOT wonder if the mother of triplets at work would want to give one to me because they are adorable and she doesn't really need three girls? Good thing she had a good sense of humor when I asked her this!

This next week should be full of things I didn't do as I prepare for our trip and hopefully make it down to Iowa City. Hope you are all enjoying the start of your week!

Wordless Wednesday

What? I am NOT in control?

This post is a hard one for me to write. If you know me well, you know that I struggle with CONTROL. Or, at least the control I think I have. I have always struggled with letting go of this control and giving it to God. The past few weeks have been filled with God bringing me to my knees constantly, willing me to give up the little perceived control I do have.  I should be cleaning my house, folding clothes, or doing something more productive, but I have been able to have some quiet time and felt compelled to share this with you all. (Whoever you all are ;0)

As you may or may not know, I am the mother of two beautiful boys. They are healthy, wonderful, beautiful, and God has trusted them to me for this short time on Earth. I also am the mother to another child who is up in Heaven, whole, perfect, and safe. Grace. I have been waiting for our third child for almost two years. I know God has a plan for our lives and for mine. I see how He has brought me through so many trials, tribulations, and triumphs to get to where I am today. I can't however see what lies ahead. As much as I think I need to, I can't. I must continue to trust God and wait. I also have realized I have been able to rejoice with the Lord during good times and bad. However, I have less often come to Him in Praise when I am on my knees begging for just a glimpse of what lies ahead. This is what I find unnatural. Praise you when it doesn't go my way Lord? Praise you when I lose control and can't give it to you? Praise you when I don't trust Your will? 

What? I am NOT in control? So, here I am. I encourage you (whoever you are) to join me and Praise the Lord when it is the hardest. Praise Him when you are unable to move forward any longer, when all you want to do is run, when all you want to do is stay in your house all day so you can avoid being reminded of the control you DON'T have. 

Please don't get me wrong, I am so blessed and thankful for what I do have. I know there are so many loving couples who are struggling with infertility or have struggled for years and don't have a little person climbing into bed when they are scared, or someone to read stories to before bed.  I also know the Lord is changing my heart and helping me enjoy each day and not worry so much about what will happen in the future. 

I am so thankful for my wonderful husband, family, and friends who have walked this with me/us. You know who you are and I pray you know we wouldn't have made it this far without you. Thank you. I also pray for the day that I will be able to rejoice with you all because we were faithful and waited patiently. 

I also wanted to say the Lord is good and I find peace in knowing He has a plan and His plan will prevail. I also LOVE when he speaks to me in so many ways when I finally give in and fall to my knees. 

For example, last week I finally was able to Praise the Lord in my sadness and pray for His will instead of the desires of my heart. That same day I randomly picked out a movie at the library for Richard and I to watch. I did not read the back, just picked it from the picture on front, title, and rating. It turned out to be a Christian flick, which I normally am not such a fan, because I find most of them too cheesy to use as a light to those seeking Christ. This one, was a little cheesy, but definitely inspirational and left Richard teary eyed, and me sobbing. "Facing the Giants" is a must see! I won't say more for those who do want to see it. 

This same day I also happened to check out a blog, I followed last spring and hadn't checked since October. I found a prayer on Boothe's blog that spoke directly to my heart and soul. 

If this wasn't enough, Jonah came to me randomly that day and told me, "Mom, Jesus told me to keep praying for a baby sister. Ok?" 

So, here I am NOT in control and ok with it. I am Praising the Lord for a new day each day to Praise Him. I pray the Lord uses this to speak to others who are also struggling. Please let me know how I can pray for you and Praise the Lord together when we don't want to. 

Dear God...

(The following conversations occurred in our van today as we drove past a homeless man)

Jonah: "Mom, do we have any food for that man?"

Me: "Sorry Jonah we don't."

Jonah: "Ok. Dear God, please help that man find some food, warm clothes, a house, and a mirror."

Me: "Jonah, why did you pray for a mirror honey?"

Jonah: "So he can see if he looks handsome...for his job."

Me: "Oh, I see. Good idea."

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Jonah: "Mom, do you think those homeless peoples want to come over to our house for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches?"

Me: "Hmmm. That would be a good idea honey, but I think we should wait until daddy is home for that."

Jonah: "Mom, you know how to make that sandwich! You don't need daddy to help you!"

Me: "Jonah, you are right, but mommy should wait for daddy to be home before we invite a whole bunch of men to our house."

Jonah: "Aren't mommies supposed to be home with a bunch of men if the daddy isn't home?"

Me: "Yes. We don't know those men Jonah so it wouldn't be appropriate for mommy to invite them over without daddy at home."

Jonah: "I will tell daddy you wanted to invite a whole bunch of men over, but wanted to wait for him to be home.  Do you think he will like that?"

Me: "Yes. You do that. Tell me what he says."

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Jonah: "Mommy can't you drive faster?"

Me: "No, Jonah, Mommy has to obey the law. Remember the numbers on the sign that tell mommy how fast I can drive? I have to obey them or the policeman will give me a ticket. Tickets cost money and mommy would be disobedient if I did that."

Jonah: "Are policemans like mommies?"

Me: "Jonah, what do you mean?"

Jonah: "Policemans tell you to slow down, like mommies and policemans can see you all the time, like mommies."

Me: "I guess the are like mommies."

Jonah: "And, you get in trouble with them if you are disobedient."

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Not Me! Monday!

Well friends it is that wonderful day at the beginning of the week that used to make me go ughh, but now, thanks to MckMama, I go Hurray! Please join in this wonderful denial of truth as I start my week off right...

1. I did NOT work almost 50 hours last week, and wonder why it took me all weekend to recover because I do NOT normally work 24 hours a week!
2. Since I did NOT work the above mentioned hours, I did NOT hear my children ask me if I was going to work now anytime I was out of their sight or was leaving the house. This did NOT break my heart!
3. I did NOT neglect my piles (and I mean PILES people) of projects, to-do-lists, etc all week as I worked a ton and decided to spend the rest of the time just hanging out with my boys.
4. I did NOT finally go out and buy the paint to finish the boys' room, only to run out of time to actually do it. Grrrr! I am NOT bitter about this at all.
5. I am NOT super excited to go to Iowa City next weekend for a well deserved visit to some wonderful friends, who all are going to be in town. I am NOT also super excited to go on a double date Valentine's day with two of our favorite people!
6. I did NOT watch a super cheesy, but inspirational Christian movie I picked up at the library with Richard this week that hit home. "Facing the Giants" was actually good!
7. I did NOT get to spend some great time with my family this weekend, making me thankful for being in this arctic city!
8. I did NOT become extremely curious when Richard told me he had a surprise in the basement for me after working out. I was NOT shocked, amazed, impressed, and turned on when he demonstrated his "trick" being a handstand down to the floor where he proceed to do "the worm" perfectly! If I can figure out how to upload a video I will definitely devote a post to it!
9. I did NOT find a book at the library appropriately titled "Uff-da" (this is only special to those of you of Scandinavian decent)
10. I did NOT wonder what happened to the month of January and drag out a few Valentine's Day decorations, but leave my favorite light-up-tree decorations out for just a little longer!

What didn't you do this week? It feels so good. Cheers to a fresh start!

Wordless Wednesday

Not me! Monday

Although MckMama is off on a tropical, well-deserved vacation, it is still Monday and that means starting the week with the wonderful denial of truth! Here are a few things I certainly did NOT do this past week...

• I did NOT hear from my older son that he was praying for me during his nap that I would not be angry when he woke up. He did NOT then whisper in my ear that he recommended I do the same!
• I did NOT get to go on a wonderful date with my husband to watch the Sioux CRUSH Denver 8-3! (Thanks Nikki and Tom)
• I did NOT have a few emotional break downs this week and wonder why exactly my husband puts up with me ;0) 
• I did NOT wait until late in the morning to take the boys to workout, get groceries, stop at subway (for me), where I did NOT leave my credit card, and continue to my sister's apartment to see her wedding pictures, then leave AFTER they had reached the point of no return and stop at Starbucks (again for me) only to realize that I left my credit card at subway. The best part was my 4 year old was the one who knew where it was! "Mommy, I think you left it at the sandwich store!"
• I did NOT get to go on two dates with my boys and my mom this week. One to the mall to play, followed up by cold stone. I did NOT get ice cream after telling myself I would not. The second was two see the movie "Hotel for Dogs" which I did NOT totally love!
• Jonah did NOT have a melt down after the movie and test every ounce of patience I have in my being. I did NOT almost yell at him but laughed instead when Elijah said "Showtime" after getting his pjs zipped up. I was NOT impressed until Jonah pipped in that it was from "Madagascar" and he didn't make it up. 
• I did NOT just get 22/24 on the adjective/adverb quiz my husband just gave me! Booyah! (If you are a religious reader of my blog you will truly appreciate this feat)
• I did NOT become ecstatic when I realized Richard and I were going to possibly go away for a weekend in February (we have never done this) and while surfing the web for our destination getaway decide instead to take the whole family down to Iowa City for the weekend!  
• I did NOT give Richard his Valentine's Day present today. Oh, it's not Valentine's Day yet? Silly me! I am NOT impatient when it comes to giving gifts to people and I do NOT do this often. 
• I did NOT just tell the internet to "Bite me." Nope. It is an inanimate object. Plus I did NOT hear my boys go "Ugghh or Grrrr" when they were frustrated this week. They, of course, did NOT learn this awful coping mechanism from me.  

What didn't you do this week? I would love to hear about it!  Here is to another week with a fresh start. AMEN to that!