I pray your sister steals your socks!

I belong to a Facebook group, it is a group of women who have a similar interests in common, no men.  These women post about anything from breaking a horse, cleaning a house, how to raise children, husbands, fixing fence or what to make to eat at branding, you name it they talk about it. Yesterday I read a post that took my breath away. It was a woman who was asking for prayers. She was headed to court and was scheduled to testify along with her children against her husband who came into her home and tried to kill her with a hatchet. She ended up with 39 staples a titanium plate, and brain surgery. After attacking her, he went into the children's bedrooms woke them up and told them he had killed their mother like they wanted. She started the post with "I don't normally share my dirty laundry" as if she was posting about a quarrel with a coworker or a gripe with landlord. She was asking for prayers that justice to be served. I have been praying for her, and her children and can't get them out of my head! 
Before I read this post I was busy with my morning routine. I got up from my warm bed where I sleep with my husband (who I am sure would never come after me with a hatchet). I woke up my 5 children from their warm beds, made them breakfast, packed their lunches while settling squabbles between #2 and #4. I combed their hair and gave an ultimatum to #4 about brushing her hair or she was going to have it all cut off! I put them on the school bus with kisses and I love yous, and I wished them all a good day! After the bus pulled away my neighbor and I chatted for a minute about the frustrations of being a mom. I wished her a good day and we both drove home. 
I did my chores, made myself some breakfast, and a cup of coffee. I opened up Facebook as I always do while I ate my breakfast and drink my coffee. That's when I read the story! So many things started running through my head and I just couldn't get her out of my mind! 
For starters I was grumbling around about my dirty house, squabbling kids and about other piddly things. My attitude has changed, I want to thank God!  The worst part of mine or my children's day was a squabble over combing hair! Even though I can't walk in her shoes, and know what her or her children have been through.  I do know that the healing process from an abusive situation is not something that happens over night. I pray that God puts a healing hand on her but most of all those children.
I went to bed last night and prayed for her and her children and can't get them out of my thoughts. As I drove my girls to the bus this morning I attempted to settle another dispute over a pair of socks that somebody wasn't supposed to be wearing. I stopped in the middle of my usual lecture as this woman and her children crossed my mind again. I thought how blessed are my kids to never have to know the pain those children are going through. I stopped my lecture and said "You are very lucky little girls! I pray that the worst thing that happens to you today is your little sister stole your socks.  Your bad day pales in comparison to some people's problems." I pointed out all the things they have to be thankful for... A full belly, a healthy lunch to take to school, a warm house, their health, and a loving family!
I pray for the worst thing to happen to any of us be for your sister to steal your socks! But I'm a grown up and I know there will be worse. I've seen worse, as a kid I wished my worst day was a simple as socks! 
Thanksgiving is in one week, and we have so much to be thankful for! I plan on doing a better job this year during the coming Christmas season of expressing how thankful I am for my family and friends and the life God has blessed us with! 

Best Piece of Advice

One night, 26 years old, scared and pregnant with my third child a dear friend and neighbor gave me the best piece of advice I have ever been given.
My neighbor, and friend, who has children of her own about my age gave me a call one evening.  I can't tell you why she called, but I do remember that I was troubled with the normal day to day stresses of being a mother, daughter and wife. During our conversation I know I unloaded all my troubles on her.
I had a four year old, and an 18 month old baby who was not an easy baby and pregnant with my third. I can't remember the pretext to the advice, but I remember exactly where I stood and how  overwhelmed I was feeling when she said, "Give it over to God, trust in him!"
I know she gave me those words without thinking about what an effect they would have on me even to this day, or maybe she knew. I got off the phone went to bed that night, and thought about her words.
The next morning and often for many days to follow when I would feel a wave of anxiety over take me,  I would close my eyes tell myself to give it over to God, Trust in Him.  It helped, when I actually stopped and trusted in God and gave him my burdens I felt a huge relief.
My third child arrived along with  post partum depression. I continued to try to heed her advice, most days that was difficult. I cried,  I ate, got fat, cried more, I was a mess. I had two toddlers one that didn't sleep well and a newborn. When knee deep in the trenches it's hard to stop and take a breath and give it all over.
We muddled through, and when I came out the other side I looked back. When I finally let go and gave my worry and troubles over the sun began to shine.
Fast forward several years...
I just found out I'm pregnant with not my fourth child but my fifth. Number 4 was four years old, slated to start kindergarten the next fall. I was about to enter a new stage in my life, and felt as if the door that was opening had slammed right back in my face. Back to diapers, diaper bags, up all night, breast feeding, oh and four other kids who needed my attention. I didn't want any part of it!  I cried and cried, I pulled myself back socially, it was not a happy time expecting a baby. For crying out loud this wasn't my first rodeo. I knew what was coming down the road, I knew a new baby wasn't all roses in sunshine. Sometimes it's messy and ugly! At night I prayed and prayed and cried and cried for God to help me find a way to handle all of this and be a good mother.
My own sister feared for me, she was pretty sure I was headed for another round of post partum depression. I probably would have had I not been able to look at that beautiful wonderful child on the day of her birth and recognize all she held for this family. She had already even before she was born made me a stronger more confident mother.
On the way into the hospital to deliver my third daughter I remember sitting in the car, balling my eyes out, trying to get control of my emotions. My husband looked at me and asked what was wrong, I cried and said, "When I walk out of that building I will have another baby" I was scared to death to get another difficult baby along with the two toddlers I had. 6 years later...and I had survived that one plus one more.
In the car on the way to the hospital to deliver #5 I was way more at piece, I had learned to give my worries over to God and trust in Him. He has yet to fail me!
I had to pull out this piece of advice this morning as I have on many occasions, (I'm not pregnant again, lol) I took a deep breath, took all of things I am stressing about and put them in His hands.  He's got this!  I know, he'll help me handle it all.
I forget sometimes in the moment that I need to trust, I forget sometimes to be patient, sometimes I forget to listen. All I have to do is sit back and look at my many blessings, all 5 of them, my wonderful family and friends to be reminded that I am truly blessed, God is Great!

One Reason My Hair Is Turning Grey

Today while reading Facebook, a friend posted a story about getting a call from her child’s school.  One of her older kids had gotten sick at school, so while hurrying to get to the school one of the younger ones took it upon herself to use an ink pad for makeup.

This reminded me of a very similar story of my own.

About 5 years ago on one snowy Christmas vacation, my kids spent the entire vacation sledding!  We have a very good sledding hill located right behind grandma and grandpa’s house in the Milk Cow Pasture.  It catches all the snow on the back side when we get a Northwest wind, and if you are from around here you know that we get those quite often.  If you point your sled head straight east or southeast, you’re usually pretty safe.  The hill has a nice slope and you usually come to a stop before you get to the bottom.  If you go off the hill to the North, it’s usually a bumpy ride.  Snow doesn’t stick much and the sage brush is hard on your rear end.  The South Side is no good!!! It’s steep and would be good fast sledding if there wasn’t a row of continuous fence right at the bottom.  Those who don’t know what continuous fencing is it is  ¾ inch solid steel fencing used for corals and arenas.  It’s very unforgiving.  Just ask TB!

TB was 5, a kindergartener; she loved to sled with her sisters!  After lunch one afternoon we all headed out to do a little sledding.  I made a couple trips down the hill with the kids, while at the bottom I turned to look up to the top.  There I saw TB, setting up her sled to go down the south side of the hill.  She lined it out jumped on head first on her tummy and there was nothing I could do, but watch!  She was gaining speed as the words “NOOOO” where coming out of my mouth.  I watched as the sled and the little blonde baby it was carrying crashed in to the steel continuous fencing.  I ran through the snow as she lay unmoving on the sled. As I got to her and rolled her over, her eyes rolled into the back of her head!  I yelled for help, KJ ran to get Grandma, we took her into the house as quickly as we could.  She didn’t know where she was at or who we were, so we started to make calls to our local clinic, the closest medical facility.  We were advised to take her to the nearest hospital. 

The nearest hospital is 60 miles away, and it was already turning dark.  Me, a slight bit panicky, distracted and stressed out I started to get the other kids ready to go to Grandma’s house, knowing we wouldn’t be returning that night or it would be late if we did. 

That was all 2 year old BR needed!  A family member had just given all of the girls paint by number posters for Christmas.  So while I was distracted with the 5 year old with a concussion the 2 year old broke into the paint by number and painted every piece of accessible skin on her extremities.  She even pulled up her sleeves and pant legs to broaden her canvas.  She was covered in mostly green that I remember, but all I could see was RED!!!  Her father narrowly saved her life, scooping her up and running her to the bath and cleaning her up! Possibly that was a typical 2 year old behavior, but now looking back, that was just the one of many chapters in the book I will one day write titled…”Why My Hair Turned Gray!”

TB made it to the Hospital, thanks to dad’s quick thinking we didn’t have to take her baby sister too.  The cop who pulled us over for speeding didn’t think much of his quick driving, but when he saw me with a 5 year old in my lap both of us covered in puke, he was kind enough to not give him a ticket and let us be on our way.  After a CAT scan and a night in the hospital, TB was put on sledding probation.   In her opinion this ruined the rest of her Christmas Vacation.   After returning from the hospital, Great Grandpa, and her Great Aunt shared stories about wrecks they had sledding off the South side of that hill too.  Well I can tell you everybody in this generation has learned their lesson! 1. NO SLEDDING ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE HILL IN MILK COW PASTURE!  2. BODY PAINT BY NUMBER OR ANY OTHER PAINT BY NUMBER PROJECTS ARE PROHIBITED, ESPECIALLY DURING A CRISIS.