TODAY...

I am much better. I've been fighting off a sore throat (possibly strep) and I have a Beijo purse party tomorrow night. If I'm still not up to par, Shelby is going to host it for me! I have no idea who will be here and who won't.

The past 3 weeks have been tough. I got the stomach virus, but thankfully it only lasted 6 hours. The next Saturday we went hiking & Eric got it. Late Sat. night, Brayden got it. He threw up less than a foot from the bathroom - and I had the carpets cleaned the week before! Oh my, was it gross. He was fine on Monday, his birthday, but that night while he was asleep in my bed, he threw up again. I was oh-so-happy that he did it on my pillow...that's now in the trash. That same evening, Mason got it, so I was up all night with him while Eric was on the couch. I didn't sleep a wink because I was afraid he'd throw up and I wouldn't hear him. He was fine the next day. Eric was down for a couple of days, but got better right before his trip to CA. He called me at one point and said, "Brooke Shields and Jennifer Anniston are at our hotel eating lunch..." He called another day and said he was about 20 feet away from Janet Jackson. After that, I told him not to call me anymore. :) He was home for a day & then off to Portland. I've had more stuff going on while he's been gone...juggling all these kids and their activities - all overlapping with me running around with my head cut off. Oh, I don't have hair anymore - I pulled it all out this week. HAHA!!! j/k

So anyway, Tuesday I woke up with a sore throat & felt icky all day (one of those, run-around-all-day-trying-to-figure-out-how-you're-going-to-get-your-other-kid-where-they-need-to-be, days). Shelby had a dental appt at 4, Brayden had to be at his game at 5, it was over at 7 & Shelby had to be at the clinic for a physical at 6:45....see what I mean?! I was in bed by 7:30! (She had a friend bring her home) The next day I was so achy, it was unreal. I guess I had a slight case of strep....I'm better today, but tired & the sore throat is still lingering.

Oh yeah - my dear friend Christy is having a baby!!! She's been trying for over 6 years to get pregnant & she found out this week. She is soooo happy, but I think I might be just as happy as her! I can't put it in words how ecstatic I am! Heck, she's already looking at bedding & I'm telling her we can paint the nursery. I'm having baby fever again, so I guess that's part of the reason I'm so excited. Three kids is enough for me! AND my friend Amber is about to pop any day. The photographer I used to work for had his baby yesterday & my life-long friend, Lynn is having her baby June 9. Guess I have lots of little ones to spoil (and get my fix from)!

OK, so the latest on Shelby - you know, life with a teenage daughter --- I found on her myspace account where she was talking to guys from CA & GA & posting on others how "hot" they were...telling some where she was from (city and state). The boy from GA said something about his "dick" and how he masterbated in front of his webcam. I went off. She is no longer allowed to use the computer. No internet for sure. The 2 'blogs' she has will be deleted, she can't I.M. (which is really important to her) and she can't check her email (unless I'm over her shoulder). It's been a huge ordeal. I swear these teenagers have NO idea what they're getting themselves (and their families) involved in. They post WAY too much info for anyone to see. Internet predators are out there...and I'm not going to allow them to find my daughter! (You frequenters, you can see I've taken off a lot of not-so-common info from my blog...just in case!) Keep praying for me, for Shelby and for my sanity. I'm not sure I can deal with this much longer. She keeps pushing my buttons & they're about to explode!

I...

I want...to be a better Christian, better mother, better wife, better friend.
I wish...for peace - no war.
I hate...mushrooms.
I am...a wife, mother, friend, sister, daughter, aunt, cousin, niece --- happy, satisfied, content.
I miss...my great grandmother.
I hear...the television in the other room.
I wonder...what Heaven will be like.
I regret...2 things - marrying Shelby's dad (forced to) & not telling my great-grandmother I love her before she died.
I can't imagine...life without my husband, my kids, Jesus.
I am not...going to take crap off anyone!!
I dance...all the time. It's great exercise for me - and to aggrivate my kids, mostly Shelby.
I sing...all the time (alone). I love singing, I just don't have the voice. (I wish I did!)
I cry...at the drop of a hat.
I am not always...on the go - sometimes I relax & stay home. :)
I do have...a lot to be thankful for!!!
I would...love to be a morning person.
I make...my daughter laugh at my silliness.
I write...very seldom. I don't have much time for the computer anymore.
I confuse...myself!
I know...my husband loves me.
I should...keep a cleaner house, but who has time...I have 3 kids to do things with!
I start...writing emails & never finish them or send them.
I finish...dinner...that's about it. lol

For All My Favorite Mothers...

This is for the mothers who have sat up all night with sick toddlers in their arms, wiping up barf laced with Oscar Mayer wieners and cherry Kool-Aid saying, "It's okay honey, Mommy's here."
Who have sat in rocking chairs for hours on end soothing crying babies who can't be comforted.
This is for all the mothers who show up at work with spit-up in their hair and milk stains on their blouses and diapers in their purse.
For all the mothers who run carpools and make cookies and sew Halloween costumes. And all the mothers who DON'T.
This is for the mothers who gave birth to babies they'll never see. And the mothers who took those babies and gave them homes.
This is for the mothers whose priceless art collections are hanging on their refrigerator doors.
And for all the mothers who froze their buns on metal bleachers at football or soccer games instead of watching from the warmth of their cars, so that when their kids asked, "Did you see me, Mom?" they could say, "Of course, I wouldn't have missed it for the world," and mean it.
This is for all the mothers who yell at their kids in the grocery store and swat them in despair when they stomp their feet and scream for ice cream before dinner. And for all the mothers who count to ten instead, but realize how child abuse happens.
This is for all the mothers who sat down with their children and explained all about making babies. And for all the (grand) mothers who wanted to, but just couldn't find the words.
This is for all the mothers who go hungry, so their children can eat.
For all the mothers who read "Goodnight, Moon" twice a night for a year. And then read it again. "Just one more time."
This is for all the mothers who taught their children to tie their shoelaces before they started school. And for all the mothers who opted for Velcro instead.
This is for all the mothers who teach their sons to cook and their daughters to sink a jump shot.
This is for every mother whose head turns automatically when a little voice calls "Mom?" in a crowd, even though they know their own offspring are at home -- or even away at college.
This is for all the mothers who sent their kids to school with stomach aches assuring them they'd be just FINE once they got there, only to get calls from the school nurse an hour later asking them to please pick them up Right away.
This is for mothers whose children have gone astray, who can't find the words to reach them.
This is for all the step-mothers who raised another woman's child or children, and gave their time, attention, and love... sometimes totally unappreciated!
For all the mothers who bite their lips until they bleed when their 14 year olds dye their hair green.
For all the mothers of the victims of recent school shootings, and the mothers of those who did the shooting.
For the mothers of the survivors, and the mothers who sat in front of their TVs in horror, hugging their child who just came home from school, safely.
This is for all the mothers who taught their children to be peaceful, and now pray they come home safely from a war.

What makes a good Mother anyway?
Is it patience?
Compassion?
Broad hips?
The ability to nurse a baby, cook dinner, and sew a button on a shirt, all at the same time?
Or is it in her heart?
Is it the ache you feel when you watch your son or daughter disappear down the street, walking to school alone for the very first time?
The jolt that takes you from sleep to dread, from bed to crib at 2 A.M. to put your hand on the back of a sleeping baby?
The panic, years later, that comes again at 2 A.M. when you just want to hear their key in the door and know they are safe again in your home?
Or the need to flee from wherever you are and hug your child when you hear news of a fire, a car accident, a child dying?
The emotions of motherhood are universal and so our thoughts are for young mothers stumbling through diaper changes and sleep deprivation...
And mature mothers learning to let go.
For working mothers and stay-at-home mothers.
Single mothers and married mothers.
Mothers with money, mothers without.
This is for you all. For all of us. Hang in there. In the end we can only do the best we can. Tell them every day that we love them.
And pray.
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!!

BUSY, BUSY, BUSY

That's me! Busy! I have had so much going on lately that I can't even function. Yesterday I made myself stay home. I only got out to bring the kids to school & pick them up. I cleaned ALL day and still didn't get to my bedroom! I had my carpets cleaned last week & majority of the stuff was still piled up, so I had to sort through it & get it organized - especially in my scrapbook room! The house looks nice, but still not as clean as I want it. My goal today is to START my bedroom & hope to finish it. And away a bunch of crap goes! I'm trashing it all!

From Brady's baseball practice & games, Shelby's end of the year functions, birthday's coming & going, Mother's Day, Eric's softball, etc. I'm swamped. I honestly don't think I've been home all day (during the week) all month, except for yesterday! Heck, I even have TWO dental appts. today! I'm exhausted.

I was sick this weekend & missed church Sunday. Shelby & I went shopping Saturday & my stomach had been hurting, but I figured it was because I'd had a cup of coffee on an empty stomach & possibly because of some pills I took. All of a sudden, I got that horrible taste in my mouth (cottonmouth) & said, "It's time to go!" We made it home, I changed clothes, looked at a car on Ebay with Eric, then went to lay down. Within an hour or so, I was throwing up & it didn't stop until about 1230am! I was never really sick. I never got the chills, fever, anything. Just pains in my stomach. I don't know if it was something I ate or a bug.... Guess I'll never know. I'm much better now, but -- ugh!

Shelby's fundraiser is officially over. I turned everything in today & she made about $295 for cheerleading! WOW! The cost this year is about $500, so that really helps me! The candles and stuff should be here next Friday. :)

On another note: Shelby had her birthday on the 26th & her dad never called to wish her a happy birthday! He did call about a week later & told her he had a card for her, but didn't mail it because he figured I wouldn't give it to her. That is such a crock! And the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. I seriously doubt he even has a card, but needed to tell her something to cover his stupidity & make himself look good. I spoke with him the next day & told him about the cutting & suicidal thoughts. He blamed everything on me & told me that she was crazy because of me & b/c she lived with me. I told him he needed to make an appt. with her counselor to see who was at fault (him) b/c she saw her almost on a daily basis. He shut up quickly after that!!! Anyway, he called wanting Shelby to go with him to his dad's house this weekend but she can't b/c she has a field trip Saturday. He asked her to lunch last weekend, but guess what?! He never called back to come get her! It's his loss...I have her to myself now & have for about 8 months!

Well, gotta get back to cleaning my room. Have a beautiful day!