Mulligan Stew--it's a party!

I just want to take a moment and encourage anyone still coming by my blog to please go to Julia's blog to read about the latest "Mulligan Stew" she is hosting to benefit special-needs orphans.  You can read all about it here.

Let me tell you why this giveaway is so close to my heart:

--Special needs people are often looked down upon in any culture for being culturally "on the fringe" of acceptability.  You know what I mean.  All people are uncomfortable with the unknown, and most of us don't get to interact with people with disabilities all that much, so when we are with them we aren't sure how to act, what to think. 

--Special needs people in some cultures are viewed so negatively and ignorantly that they are locked away in institutions as infants because of their differences--and unless they are adopted, will spend the rest of their lives there. 

--Another way to say that:  they will die there.  How soon before they die there is really the only variable.

--We cannot fully comprehend what life is like for those kids.  But if you have twelve minutes, please watch the video linked to this post and you will have a pretty good feel.  You will also hear the pain in the voices of a family who loved a boy from one of those institutions, who were on their way to officially being his parents, but who did not make it in time.  Due to lack of love and care, their son died only months before he would have been rescued.

--So you have orphans.  That's rough enough; they are pretty low in the hierarchy of who the world deems is valuable.  Under them come special-needs orphans.  And under them, at the very bottom of the whole heap, crushed and suffocated by the burden of unlove the world places on them, are the "Lost" children, those who are condemned for life death in conditions we would expect to see in a prison story set in the dark ages. 

--Julia's heart is for these "Lost" children--the most very "least of these" we could imagine.  Those are the children who will benefit from your participation in the giveaway.  Some of them have families coming to get them; some of them languish in unlove, moving ever closer to the age at which they will be unadoptable and will be sentenced to miserable lives deaths in those institutions.

So!  I know some of you who come by and read this blog also have big hearts, and care about helping those in need.  I know some of you take your Christian faith seriously, and would see this as another chance to obey God in "caring for orphans and widows in their distress."  And I know pretty much all of you would enjoy a chance to win a fabulous prize!  And let me tell you, there are some REALLY great prizes to be given away!  I even donated one. : )

(Last Fall I made a donation and entered the giveaway to help the Salem family bring home Hasya and Kael.  And I was so surprised that I won a $100 Target giftcard!  Whoo-hoo!  I was a little worried about money last fall, so it seemed like such a gift from God, which I could use for Christmas gifts.  Well, all circumstances working together, I did not end up doing so.  Then a month or so ago I decided to make a special trip to Target just because I needed some things I could get there, and I thought I should use the card before I lost it.  After getting to the cash register, I could not find the card!  But upon getting home, immediately remembered where I had stuck it in my purse--for safekeeping.   I started to wonder if the card was meant for me, or if it was meant to be passed on, to increase its giving--and when I saw this post of Julia's, I knew what the answer was.  So, in honor of Darren, I gladly offered it to Julia.  It's a special card, even *signed* by the fabulous Adeye, who I know would be so glad to know how the blessing just keeps going on. : )

So please go see!  Please look at the faces of the children who would be blessed by you.  Please donate and spread the love however you feel led.  Even $5 is something.  Don't forget, what matters is whatever we do. 

Whatever we do.

If you have a blog, please consider sharing!  You can copy the Mulligan Stew button and put on your blog, or link the post it takes you to facebook, email to friends--however you want to get the word out. 

All those fabulous prizes mean a LOT of people have given generously, so that the giving might be multiplied.  I hope you will help make sure the Mulligan Stew leaves all the families and children at the table filled to overflowing with love!

Much love to you all this week.



 

Snippet: Sick little Spice

So, I am finding that old blogger adage to be so true--the longer you don't blog, the harder it is to start up again.  I have had to many things to share over the past weeks--funny, serious, moving, trivial--but when I don't get a chance, or find the  brain power, to write, then as time keeps slipping by it seems like the window of relevancy passes and then no matter how much I had wanted to share whatever it was, it seems like the opportunity has passed.  Or like I can't put myself back into that same psychological space to adequately relate whatever it was.

So, even though I know where I left off in the updating (in-laws visiting), I have been having a hard time putting myself back into that weekend to write about it.  This actually happens a lot, which is why you may have noticed I'll often say, "more about that later" or "I can't wait to tell you about. . . " and then never do!  Pathetic, I know.

And then the longer I go without writing, the harder it is to feel like I have anything to share.  I have to just stop and remind myself--I am not the worlds most amazing writer. You people are only here because you are kind and loving and therefore interested in my life to be kind and loving to me, not because I wowed you with my finely honed blogcraft. ; )

So, to take whatever psychological pressure off me, and just because I really want to start writing more regularly and want to get over this pathetic perfectionist block (you know, where things have to be written in a certain order, or can't be written if they can't be written well) because it's not like my writing is ever perfect to begin with. So for a while I'm just going to give snippets--always a quick and painless way to ease back in, and maybe they will help me get the creative juices flowing again!

.   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   . 

Here I had just written about Spice and Sweetness--and now poor little Spice needs more prayer:

Somewhere in India she has come down with what they think are the measles. : (  Poor little thing.

As Uncle S shared on facebook: Proud of my wife. Traveling across north India with a 5 month old and another child sick with measles.

So, as you can imagine, prayers would be greatly appreciated!

sugar and spice and everything nice

 
Some of you remember me writing before about DH's sister Auntie N and the ongoing saga of their premature baby girl, whom I nicknamed "Sweetness" for this blog.  Some of you prayed for her family, as they grieved the loss of her twin.  And some of you continued to pray for the healing of her lungs, and for other health concerns.  It was a long time before her parents were comfortable enough with her health to allow her to either travel or visit family.  Looking back now while making this post, I just realized I never posted any photos from last May when they finally decided she was healthy enough for a roadtrip, and brought her out here to CA!  So here are two of my favorites:

At Henry Cowell State Park, in the Santa Cruz Mountains.  I love this photo!  Even with the porta-potty photobomb.

First time being held by cousins.

It was so fun to meet her in person, and to spend quality time with all of them.  We even took them to the beach, her first time!

Fast forward now to 2013, and I am so glad to share this recent pic:

She's now 2 1/2 and a strong, spirited little girl.  I dubbed her "Sweetness" when she was a precious little thing in the NICU,  but as she grew and her personality showed through, her mother and I laughed at that moniker.  Does not suit her at all!  She's sassy and spunky and needs a blog nickname that fits her better--so from now on I'll call her Spice.  ; )

Instead, let's move her old blog name over to her new sister!

Let me introduce you to the new Sweetness!  We have not met her yet in person, but she is such a doll in all the photos her mom shares on facebook, and her mother says this name suits her personality.  : )  She was born in Oct, so that makes her. . . just over 5 months. 

Here's one of my other favorite pics of her, when she was one month old:

See--pure Sweetness!

And such joy to a family who still feels the loss of another little girl.

If anyone feels led to pray, this dear family is over in India right now.  Uncle S's family over there had never met Spice, because of her inability to travel, so this has been a very special visit.  But as you know, there are also health concerns with taking infants and previously medically fragile small children on any international trip.  They would love to move back to India, and this visit is also a test run to see how the girls do health-wise.  I think I heard rumors that if all goes well they might try to move this year!  In other words, I'm thinking we need to make another road trip out to CO when they get back in country!  I don't want to miss out on getting to know them even a little--I'm their Auntie after all!

and then. . .

(for my Mother, my sisters, my sister-friends--I'm sharing the whole Story of the Last Weeks in case you are interested.  If you are not, no worries!  I hope to be back to blogging more regularly, so there might be something more of interest coming up than the minutia of my days.)

To pick up where I left off. . .

The crud we had picked up was one of those that lingered. So when we woke up back in our own home Tues. morning we called it another sick day, and even DH worked from home just so he could take it easy.  Weds. I had to cancel our regularly scheduled classes--the three girls had gotten really growly in both their coughs and in their temperments, so were clearly not recovering as quickly as I thought.  So we spent that day and Thurs. also at home, schooling and recovering.   And that crud lingered.  And then it morphed, so that just when I thought we should be almost better (well, I was still not feeling great, sore throat and cough lasting, but I was mending slowly and the kids seemed to be almost over it and DH hadn't gotten it, so things were looking rosy), Smiley spent Fri. throwing up.  The first time in his life he's been sick like that, poor little guy.  And then Happy spent all of Sat. throwing up.  Seems whatever Sunny had Sunday had been incubating all week, and had finally decided to

[oh my goodness, I can't finish this sentence without running into the most terrible inadvertent word pictures!  "had decided to run its course. . . " ewww. Um, "had come to a blow. . . " ewwwww, no!  Better just move on. . . ]

ANYWAY, we spent another quiet weekend resting and caring for sick kids.  Once again I was so aware of my blessings:  that we are homeschooling, so a week at home is so stress-free; that we have wood floors which are easy to clean; that DH remained healthy and is so generous with picking up food for us when I don't feel up to cooking; that while I was still struggling to breathe well, every night the Good Lord blessed me with one good nostril, and thus I slept, feeling wrapped in His love. 

from Positivity Toolbox on facebook

Then once again it was Monday, and another week up and running!  I was so glad that we were all on the mend, because it was a huge jump from being quiet and physically inactive all the previous week to having to make three important events on Monday.  First, it was our scheduled day for the monthly "Old School Mondays" homeschool gathering at church, and it was good I felt as well as I did, because a) I was in charge, and b) I had people coming to hear me give info about some upcoming homeschool art and writing projects we will all be doing.   (In fact, I spent two weeks doing LOTS of planning and writing and emailing and wrangling of details--anyone who wants to know what we are up to is welcome to visit The World is Our Classroom, linked on the right. Exciting stuff!  And also helps explain why I've been so quiet over here.) 

Then after OSM I had to rush home for a phone meeting--I'm on the parent board of our public homeschool charter, and I was scheduled to be interviewed by the People from the State who are in the process of deciding whether or not to renew the charter.  And then after that I made dinner and then rushed back over to church for this:

Yes, it was the last week of our Spring Conversations (which I had missed the previous week for being sick)--and I was well enough to be the kitchen lady like I did the last two series.  The ladies speaking did a great job and God whispered some really important things into my heart, which maybe I'll get a chance to write about one of these days. 

THEN a few days later I did something wrong and threw out my neck again (old recurring injury).  So that meant I spent the good part of a week gingerly just trying to get through mommying and homeschooling--which by the way had been going full steam this whole time.  If there is one thing I can look back on with satisfaction over the past month, it was the schooling we completed.  We had big important deadlines, like finishing our portfolio of samples for the State, and writing the school-required annual essays, and preparing for the first rounds of STAR testing (patooey!).  We have more deadlines coming up, but I'm feeling good about where we are--this school year is ending like a long-distance marathon, that's for sure, so I need to watch our pace and just keep moving.

Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, hmm hm hm hmm. . .

ANYWAY, my neck and shoulders hurt so badly--and remember the state of my house in my last posts?  Cobwebs everywhere (in my own defense they spring up overnight. Literally!), piles of stuff everywhere (we still had Christmas presents I had not found homes for that were just sitting out and about!), and nothing could be put away properly until I finished going through all the closets and cupboards and shelves.

And I did.  I just went slowly and carefully, and tried not to lift too heavy things or turn my head, and finished almost all of the deep-cleaning projects on the Big List. 

BECAUSE my in-laws were coming for a 4-day stay!

And now I'll stop--make this post a cliffhanger ; ).  But the last thing I want to say is that my three girls were so helpful that week while I was in pain and trying to get so much done.  I entrusted more cleaning chores to them than I normally would--perfectionism has to be set aside, even with a MIL coming, when it comes down to either letting the children do it or not have it done at all!  It was good for them and good for me.  And besides--I figured what a perfect excuse if my MIL happened to say something about the housekeeping not being done ideally.  I would be able to praise the children for their efforts, and defuse the criticism! 

I think I'll go ahead and see if I can wrap up the backstory tomorrow, for anyone interested.  Until then, hope you all are having a good weekend, wherever you are!

something had to give

I can't believe how long it's been since I last wrote!  You would think I had given up blogging for Lent.  But no, I have not been blogging for one simple reason--I have had absolutely no brain with which to write.  It has been one CRAZY Spring, and it feels like we have been going from one unusual thing to the next, and I'm feeling like I've been using all my personal resources just to keep the family rollercoaster from falling off its track.  Blogging usually takes the extra I have--and for the past so many weeks, I had no extra to give!

So let me just glance back at the calendar and see where I left off. . .

--Oh, right.  Valentine's weekend we spent at the home of good friends; my dear "Rosa" had travelled to go be with her father earlier that week as he recovered from surgery, and a few days later her husband mentioned to my Dear Husband at the weekly men's group at church that he wished he could go be with her. So DH came home that night and told me we should help make it happen. Of course!  (And isn't he sweet?) So we stayed up at their positively palatial home (you know, compared with ours) from Sat to Monday after dinner, taking care of their little boy "Hecho" (6 months younger than Smiley, so they are best buds and even look like brothers) and their girl "Mini-Rosa" (same age as Happy, so they are buds too).

A couple of my kids had been  mildly coughing all week, but nothing to be concerned about.  And we learned that Hecho was also mildly sick with a cough, which ironically made me relieved--some bug was going around, and it sure looked like both our families were already exposed, so I would not have to feel guilty about us passing sick germs to our friends.  : )

Sat. as the day wore on I felt myself coming down with whatever it was hard, and by evening was so sick--the whole cough, runny nose/congested, fever, body ache thing.  I slept for about 2 hours that night, alternating between waking whenever I heard children stirring, and not being able to breathe so I would wake up feeling like I was choking. Sunday morning of course I stayed home from church, and I kept the boys home too (they were buds in their running yellow snot too--ew), and let Sunny stay home too, since she said she did not feel great.  I felt horrible,  but the boys played so nicely and so I just hung out in Rosa's sunny old living room, reading House Beautiful magazines and sipping lots of tea.   A nice quiet morning. . .

Until Sunny started throwing up.  And once the need came upon her so quickly she did not make it to the bathroom. . . but by the end of the day I just had to laugh.  In that one day I had cleaned up vomit, poop and blood, (thank you, various children) all while so sick I could barely drag myself around.  I'm pretty sure there's a medal for that, for valour under seige or something. ; )

But overall the whole weekend, I was seriously SO aware of all my blessings.  In the midst of so much going wrong, there was so much to be thankful for!

--Only one kid really sick, and she was old enough to pretty much take care of herself.  And she was also old enough to be low-maintenance, not fussing or needing extra attention, so she and I just hung out on opposite ends of the sofa all weekend, reading and exchanging caring looks.

--Their enclosed porch-feeling living room has outdoor carpet over linoleum.  SO much easier to clean than regular carpet.  Enough said.

--Rosa had been a little concerned that Hecho would have difficulty sleeping, as I guess he often does.  And he slept like a champion both nights we were there.

--While at their house we had a bedroom.  With a door. 

Which leads to the most fabulous blessing that would not have happened without either: on Monday morning, after two nights of terrible, awful, no good, very bad sleep, all the kids woke up at a normal sevenish hour, and were so happy quietly playing with one another that DH and I slept until 10:45.  I had heard them off and on, but was so exhausted I was miraculously able to sleep, and so when I finally roused enough to look at the time, I could not believe it.  I never, ever sleep in that late--and have never gotten to sleep that late when I have been with kids!  That was a HUGE blessing.  Probably made the difference in my being able to turn the corner on the illness, because while I was still very sick on Monday, I felt like I was on the mend.

--DH did not get sick.  DH is not the kind of father who swoops in and takes care of making food and cleaning up in the kitchen, so I was still doing that, but I can't stress enough how thankful I was for the psychological factor of knowing he was up and available when I needed him.  I just don't even want to think about how different it would have all felt if he had been sick in bed and I had felt like I was on my own.

--And he was so sweet to bring home Mexican food after church!  In fact, in trying to make sure we had enough, he ended up bringing enough food to last us for at least two meals, which was then two meals I did not have to think about.  Whoo-hoo!

--All the kids played so nicely, with almost no bickering all weekend.  Such a blessing!  All of the children were overall so well mannered and easy to care for, even Rosa's with their parents gone and everything different.  I mean, that can be hard on kids, esp. if they are not feeling good, but all the kids adapted to all the changes beautifully. 

--I really did have a kind of vacation while there.  I was still making meals and cleaning up the kitchen, making sure things were picked up and also trying to keep fixtures sanitized so we might possibly not spread the germs around quite as much (ok, pretty funny when you think of how the kids were touching all the same toys. . . but the toilet and sink and doorhandles were obviously danger zones, so I tried to keep them clean).  But other than that. . . Rosa's husband had left the house very tidy, and it was such a pleasant space to be in, and since it was not mine I did not feel that little guilt sense a housewife feels when she is sick that she should be up and doing things.  There was no laundry waiting, no cluttered kitchen counter staring accusingly at me whenever I walked by, no piles of papers taunting me. . . and no computer, so I even had a cyber break!  Let's face it--I tend to sit in front of the computer too much, so having several days without really made everything so much more restful. 

All in all, a weekend filled so much more with blessings than otherwise!  Oh, and the best part--Rosa calling during a break from helping care for her dad (who was recovering well, I believe) to tell me how happy she had been to see her husband arrive.  Did I mention her dad lives in Hawaii?!!  And so she said that unexpected getaway was like a second honeymoon! 

So, really, what a GREAT weekend!  I mean it!

The rest of the catch-up to be continued later. . .