….this is a predicion of the future (yes, I know she isn’t centered in the photo but when I cropped it for some reason I just couldn’t bring myself to crop Kodiak out..somehow, it’s part of the story):

And let’s hope this is not a prediction of the future (even though he’s still so darn cute I can hardly stand it):

(I am not ignoring my oldest child by omitting a photo of him.  He was not home this weekend.  He was in Missouri camping for 4 days and I missed the snot out of him but since his pneumonia had cleared I had no good reason to tell him he couldn’t go.)

….not so much:

Here’s a bit of advice.  When you’re sitting down for a coveted few moments of quiet, you’re settled in comfortably under a soft blanket, the lighting is just right and you’re getting ready to start some hand sewing and your daughter comes in and asks for a project, DON’T BELIEVE THE PACKAGE.

It’s a marketing ploy people, I tell you, a marketing ploy thought up by power business people who don’t spend any time with 6 year olds.  The manufacturers concoct these little kits and we buy them thinking our children will have so much fun.  We look at the age recommendation and notice our child is a good 3 years older than the package indicates and decide it’s a good purchase.  Then the moment arrives.  The moment when it’s opened and you’re dying for it to be as simple as it’s proported to be.  Nope.  You then spend the coveted time reading directions, threading yarn and explaining each step in detail (of course this is after you’ve already completed step one because it’s entirely too difficult for any 9 year old let alone a 6 year old).   So there it is.  My two cents for the day.  Don’t believe the packaging.

In all fairness though, now that the project is complete and hanging from her bedpost it does look quite cute and she is quite proud and it was something we did together….that is the upside of deceptive marketing.

…of mothers everywhere.

Last Monday was Crazy Hair Day at A and K’s school.  I didn’t think much of it.  Just tried to do something silly with her hair (Alden’s hair is buzzed so there isn’t much to do there), get it to stay and then get to school on time.  But when I dropped them off I was amazed.  There were simple ‘dos, complicated ‘dos and ‘dos that made you take a second look.  I instantly thought of all the mothers who woke up extra early, made it a priority to do their child’s hair and did the best they could.  I was proud to be a mother in that moment.  Proud that we work so hard to engage our children in silly things like Crazy Hair Day.  Really, it’s not about the crazy hair.  It’s about giving them a piece of ourselves, giving them our attention and letting them know that if it’s important to them, it’s important to us.  Maybe it sounds silly but looking around that parking lot, I was really touched.  

…pneumonia.  I wish I could say it was nice to see you again but alas, it is not.  I hate the way you make people feel.  I hate that you cause persistent fevers and dry hacks and drain every ounce of energy a body has.  When you visited me for an extended stay oh so many years ago I could deal with you, I was a young adult and I knew how to swallow pills.  But this time you haven’t played fair.  You’ve taken up residence in the chest of my boy…my boy who hasn’t swallowed a pill thus far in his life.  I really do hate you.

Hello friends… I had a lovely post forming in my head of scrapping this weekend (first time in 4 months), homemade chicken noodle soup, rock climbing, boiled peanuts and such.  I had pictures.  But now I sit here feeling not at all creative and have only one thing on my heart to say: please pray for my boy.  My sweet, 13-year old Powell who has been in bed for 6 days with a fever.  A trip to the doctor, two shots and a Z-pack later we are home and nursing what has been confirmed as pneumonia.  I know he’ll be fine but he is feeling awfully pueney and hates swallowing the pills.

Hello self…don’t forget to breathe.  Don’t let this set you back as you’ve made strides in organization and relaxation recently.  Remember to be creative, slow down and enjoy.  All work and no play make one frustrated girl.  Your boy will feel better, the holidays are on their way and the very cold air outside means warm drinks in the morning and cozy blankets at night; something to look forward to for sure.

Yours sincerly,

Jill

….still here.  I think about blogging, I do it in my head, I just don’t sit and actually do it.  I think it’s something about typing for a living that makes me want to bolt from the chair and keyboard as soon as I can. 

But alas, here I am.  I had to document this.  I had to say somehow, we were there, we were at yet another Light the Night walk and yet again I was moved, I was grateful and I was in awe.  I think it’s the biggest one we’ve ever attended.  It went through the streets of downtown Nashville.  It started at LP field, went over the bridge, along the river, past Hard Rock Cafe, past BB King’s and back into LP Field.  At several points I turned around and looked and as far as the eye could see was a sea of lit balloons.  With my poor photography skills I couldn’t quite capture it but I tried….

It was a literal sea of balloons and people.  I heard 2000-2500 attended.  WOW.  That’s a lot of money raised for a great cause.  As we walked, I was so grateful that I was carrying a red balloon as a supporter and not a gold balloon in memory of.  I was grateful each time I saw a gold balloon and I squeezed Tim’s hand a little tighter.  Here is our family, represented Light the Night style:

And here is my Superman.  I can’t believe all he has endured.  But I think the look on his face says it all: he’s happy to be here.

During the walk you can’t help but think back on everything, the details that your mind doesn’t go to very often because you move on, you heal in more ways than one and life shifts into other things that take up your mental energy.  But at one point, Powell came up and slipped his hand in mine.  He’s 13 now and I think he is starting to piece it all together.  He said, “Mom, we did it.  We helped Dad.  It was just the 3 of us when we found out he was sick.”  And so it was.  It was me, my sweet husband and my 9 month old baby.  I think that 9 month old baby is what made Tim and I fight so hard to keep it all together.

On a lighter note, K had a good time too.  The Titans Cheerleaders were there.  (Really, her brothers wanted to be IN the picture, not taking the picture, but they had to play it cool.)

And finally a little something when I looked up at the night sky.  I just thought it was cool.  X marks the spot.

…heart hurt. 

They look at me and I realize they haven’t changed a bit since the day he was born.  Their long lashes framing his entire eye, their droopy little sides that make them slightly puppy-ish, the way they sparkle.  They just make my heart hurt with love for this boy.

…lots of photos.  Just sharing what life has looked like lately….

We’ll start with a girl with a gun.  I always say she’ll make a great tomboy when she stops loving pink so much.  Seriously, I love that she has brothers and I love that she shoots (after a phone call and a comment I realize, I should explain it is just a BB gun…we don’t let her shoot rifles in the backyard). 

And on the complete opposite side of shooting at things?  Praying.  I love that my boy is the one who reminded everyone it was time to pray before they ran.  They didn’t pray to win, they prayed no one would injure themselves.  He is still completely delicious to me.

Speaking of delicious, check this out.  We went to some friends’ for dinner last weekend.  I think he cooked for 3 days.  It was crazy delicious.  This is what we got for dessert.  That’s right, chocolate souffle.  A super special treat as I have been watching what I eat (I’ve lost 13 pounds!!).

And then there is this man…have I mentioned he makes my heart happy?

Then there are the chicks of course.  We think we’ve sexed them correctly and yesterday we sold 13 of them.  We’re left with 6.  It made us all a little sad but WOW what an experience for all of us.  Especially these guys….

It may sound silly to you, but it was so fun and peaceful watching them discover the grass, walk as a group and try out their wings.

They really are some beautiful breeds…

I think this weekend Kaitlynn and I may work on a mini album of our chicken experience…we’ll see how long I can get her away from that gun.

…with my boys.

(Scene: I had just come home, was slightly grumpy from a to-do list that was a bit too ambitious for the day and definitely over-hungry and absolutely feeling tired.)

Me: Hey guys, I need help bringing in the groceries; especially the 2 watermelons.

Them:  OK

(Time passes and through open windows giggling and horsing around are heard)

Me:  Why can’t they just pick up the watermelons and walk in the house?  Is it complicated?  Seriously.

Tim:  Because they’re boys.

Me:  Because they’re your boys.

(The door opens, at this point I’ve moved into the laundry room to see if I can catch of glimpse of what they’re doing outside.)

Them:  Mom, come here, look! 

They’re good for me.  They’re very, very good for me.

….I am now a mother hen.  It was a very busy weekend with all the hatching.  While they pretty much care for themselves it definitely takes sticking close to home to be available to transfer from incubator to nursery.  Dorene put it best when she said it’s like popcorn.  It’s crazy!  They just keep coming…

Our first little baby came early Saturday morning and our most recent just an hour ago.  We are at 17 lives chicks, 3 dead chicks, 2 still working on it and 8 we’re not sure will ever hatch.  But a greenie is on it’s way!  Can’t wait to see what that one looks like.

Shortly into the hatching on Saturday morning Floyd gave me the scare of the year.  Seizures.  Scared me to death but I calmly wrapped him in a wet towel and dashed off to the vet.  (That is when the calm left, that is when I knew we were somewhere that could care for him and I started crying)  Anyway, x-rays, blood tests and $$$ later he has a bacterial infection in his abdomen.   He was not a happy dog.

But I’m happy to say he’s much, much better today.  Starting to follow me around again and actually wanted to go outside this morning. 

OK, back to the chicks. 

I know I keep saying it but I think if we had to go through what they do, we would never be born.  Goodness gracious they’re exhausted when it’s all over!  The little guy on the bottom actually just flopped over the top of the egg next to it and slept for 20 minutes.  They flop around, they can’t roll over, they can’t walk, they’re quite pathetic.  But they’re so sweet and I find myself having a hard time not worrying about each and every one of them when they first hatch.  Here are 2 new hatchlings keeping each other warm.

I mean, seriously, is that not one of the cutest things you’ve seen in a long time?  They peep like crazy during this time.  I think they’re trying to get their lungs going the same way as human babies cry.  Once they’re out for about 3 hours they fluff up.  We call this one Duck (even though it isn’t a Bible Chick name) because the kids think he looks much more like a duck than a chicken.

And then there is this one.  The cross on top of her head proves they are actually Bible chicks.  (hee…)

Here we are, 15 of the 17 up and running (2 are hiding behind the feeders, hey, you try and get 17 chicks all in one frame!)….

….and 2 still in the nursery bucket (the one on the bottom ate it.  I lifted the incubator lid to get hime out and he flopped right over the edge smack onto the tile floor.  Scared me but he’s doing just fine)….

Can’t wait to see that lone greenie….

…so far 16 have hatched.  13 have survived.  More still trying.  What an arduous process for them!  Lots of pictures to share and lots of things learned.  Looks like the green eggs may be duds.  Darn weak roosters…

More later. For now, I have to continue being mother hen.