10 minute scramble

No, really.
That's the amount of time I have to post. I'm trying out this new 'be discplined and manage time' stuff and that's what I have remaining of my (first) free time.
We got through Thanksgiving. Survived. Managed to keep it together most of the day. I seemed to miss JD every minute of it though... Today has been even harder for me, I think just realizing that we DID get through it... that life is continuing on, while I'd give anything to rewind and pause for a bit. So it goes, I guess.
I've begun Christmas decorating and have had Christmas songs playing all day! I love the holidays!
My little boy... he's really growing up. We had our first out-and-about adventure in undies, were gone 4 hours, and remained accident free! Woo! He's so tenderhearted at moments... I really am enjoying the little boy he is becoming. My Cate...she is walking! Says 'Wow!' as she points to everything all day long. Scrunches her nose and gives me a big toothless grin that melts my heart. I absolutely love being Mama. I truly do.
I planned my schedule for the week, planned two weeks worth of menus and shopped accordingly. It's incredible how good it felt to do. A definite sense of accomplishment- which is a tremendous improvement on the pure defeat I've felt the last month.
My big brother is almost 30! His birthday was Saturday and we had fun celebrating at my parents house with lots of family and friends. We kept our usual tradition of Black Friday shopping and I look forward to next year already! We ran a 5K road race on Thanksgiving morning, where my plan of action was to start in the back and run slow. For once- my goal was accomplished! And to boot, I had a blast AND won a Dutch Apple Pie.
The weekend was really good. I'd love to say more, but... my timer is dinging. Time to stop! Off to work!
PS- I'll be back with pictures after some cleaning. :)

It's been busy 'round these parts.
Doing what, I don't know... but my days have been full and it's been good. This screen I'm staring at, I've realized, has become a time-sucker and I'm trying to remedy that, so that's why you've been hearing from me less often. As mentioned in my 'feedback friday' post, things have gotten incredibly unorganized around here, my priorities all skewed, any semblance of calm and orderly gone... and my family was feeling its effects. I felt guilty every time I sat down at the computer because I knew there were 987 other things at least that needed to get done. So for now, this is on the backburner. I love to write, I love to blog, I love to read blogs... but more than that, much more so, I love and need to be pouring into my kids. I need to be planning my days. I need to be making my home. I need to be in the Word. I need to be making dinner and grocery lists. I need to clean my stinking master bedroom.
So if you don't hear from me for a bit, that's why. I'm doing the things that I need to be doing. I don't expect a long absence, just a little time to reorganize and reschedule.
And... Corban's door just broke, (which means he can escape and won't stay in his room..) he woke up Cate...naptime isn't happening, which is terrible after a houseful of 5 moms + 9 kids, and a big project that I'm trying to complete before tomorrow night. Oh brother!! Next time I post, I'll get to the 'feedback' questions. If I don't post before... Happy Thanksgiving!

wordless wednesday

Baby Cate, 10 months old.

For more wordless wednesdays, visit five minutes for mom

8 thankfuls

Thanksgiving is just 8 days away, and because of that, I'm giving you a list of 8 things I'm thankful for today.
1. The fact that I am merely hours away from having a working shower in my house again. Oh yes, for that I am thankful. Because, you know, we haven't had one since Friday. No tub, no shower, nada. Fun, huh? But on the same note, I'm really thankful that my husband is so handy and has demo'd and redone our main bathroom... without having to pay a plumber or anything!
2. I'm thankful for naptime. 2 quiet hours to refresh and recharge, re-clean and remove mess. And then I'm thankful when it's over, too, and my babies greet me with their smiles.
3. Diet Coke and coffee. Not together, of course, but wonderful they are.
4. My new camera!
5. Corban and his agreeable attitude today. We've had no spankings, no timeouts, lots of hugs, very few fits, and a really fun morning at the gym. We then perused the mall quickly, and came home and played air hockey (minus air) on our ceramic tile in the kitchen, and he laughed the whole time. It's been really great to enjoy eachother today, especially with the weeks we've had.
6. It's Wednesday, and I love Wednesday's. Jordan comes home half days, which is great. I'm going at 3:30 to have coffee with a former jr. higher (who is now a freshman), who I enjoy tremendously and have been so blessed watching Jesus get a hold of her heart and drastically change her life. And then youth group tonight. :)
7. The mini photo-shoot I had with Cate yesterday. She was SO good and laughing at everything... I got some really beautiful pictures, ones that just melt your heart. :) But I can't show you them, because they're going on our Christmas cards. For documentation sake I'll add that Cate took her first steps one day shy of being 10 months. She's probably taken about 10 steps total now. Can you believe it?!
8. And... my mom. I get to see her tomorrow, and for that I'm thankful. =)
So.. what are you thankful for?

Feedback Friday!!

Here's what happened last time you gave your feedback:

My living room turned blue/green!
And I need your opinions again.
This time, however, it doesn't involve a paint color. I'm grounding myself from paint rollers until my 'problem' gets under control.
What 'problem' you ask?
My lack-of-organization/piles-everywhere/clutter/mess/ahhhhhh!!! taking over my house.
That problem.
Really, a lot of my upstairs mess has to do with two kids who sleep in the rooms I need to clean. But also really, anyone who knows me knows that organization is far from on the top of my character qualities chart. It is not something that comes natural to me. But also opposing my natural inclinations is the ability to live in a constant pig sty. That's why I need your help!

I want to know your best and most helpful cleaning/organizing tips.
Give 'em to me! Let me try them out! Save my sanity! Be a friend!
Okay, I'll stop. But seriously... I've got to start somewhere. That's the issue. I'm overwhelmed and have SO much that needs done. But I want to do things right, declutter, reorganize, get practical. I don't want it to just look good for a minute. That only lasts a minute around here, you know? So, let me have it.

***And also- part 2!
It's been pretty serious round these parts lately. Let's liven things up a bit!! Got anything you've been wanting to know about me? What my favorite food is? What color my bedspread is? Where I keep my silverware? Anything you want to see a picture of?? Lord knows, I'll take a picture! I'll do a post this week answering any questions asked and posting requested pictures. Have fun with it! Make my day! Come on!!
=)
Back to laundry I go....

peace

You keep track of all my sorrows.
You have collected all my tears in your bottle.
You have recorded each one in your book.
psalm 56:8

It's hard to find the words to describe the ache I feel, this cloud I have hanging over me. My little brother is gone... it hurts so terribly. I've cried more tears the last few days than probably the last 20 years combined. I had a dream about him two nights ago, and it shook me. Nothing profound, he was just in it. Somehow, I knew he was going to be passing away soon in my dream. He was just sitting on the floor, perfectly healthy, looking just like he did before steroids took over. Just sitting there, making faces at me, being his goofball self. I so clearly remember thinking in my dream though, that I would one day miss that. And then in the next scene, I was preparing for his funeral.
I've barely stopped crying since.
I do miss that. I miss that more than words could ever say.
I miss him so much.
I've prayed more 'give me comfort' prayers the last few days than ever in my life. The ache is overwhelming sometimes, and I just don't know what else to pray. God answered that today, in a nearly tangible way. I've been listening to this song for a few days, but today... I really heard it. I could nearly hear JD singing it to me, and I couldn't help but smile through my tears....

"I hear Your voice and I catch my breath,
'Well done, My child, enter in and rest.'
Tears of joy roll down my cheek...
It's beautiful beyond my wildest dreams."

It's perfect. And I bet, just maybe, close to how things went. Those last few days of his life, and especially last hours, his breathing was so labored, every breath agonizing. To think that the second JD took his last breath on this earth, he took his first one in heaven, and to consider the difference between the two... it takes my breath away. He's breathing easy now. He has caught his breath, indeed.
And can't you just hear the Lord saying to him, "Well done, My child"? Oh, how he deserved that 'well done'. I wish I could've seen the reception he got, and his reaction to it. I can picture him fist-pumping and cheering in my mind. Can't you? He's dancing again, my friends.
And the Lord telling him that it's now time to enter in and rest. I can hear it... and it's beautiful. No more fighting. No more pain. It's time to rest.. and rest in the presence of God, where there is the fullness of joy, and pleasures forever more. That's where JD is at.
And I can nearly hear him saying to me, in his voice, that it's beautiful beyond his wildest dreams. Of course, there'd be hand gestures if he were saying, and probably a joke or two, but I can hear it, and I know it's the song he's singing... that it is more beautiful than we could ever imagine.

I probably listened to the song twenty times on repeat, tears streaming down my face every time. But each time that I heard 'It's beatiful beyond my wildest dreams,' I couldn't help but smile and say, "I know, buddy... I know."
And then I would sing the last lines back, up to my God, up to the heavens, up to JD, if he's allowed to listen in on things like that...

My soul is getting restless for the place that I belong...
I can't wait to join the angels and sing my heaven song.

-Vacation was really, really wonderful. 85 and sunny every single day. Glorious. Relaxing. Fantastic. Any other adjective that means 'amazing!'
-Came home to discover that our shower now officially leaks through our kitchen ceiling. Cut a giant hole in the ceiling and bought the stuff to begin our bathroom renovation! Yes!
-Got some 24 hour flu bug. Threw up all day, slept when I wasn't puking, had 101 degree fever, aches, chills, the works. Was absolutely miserable. But I feel great today. Glad that's over with.
-Corban has stopped sleeping. No, really. I don't know what to do about it either. Is this some weird payback for him being a great sleeping newborn?! Ha. Just joking. But seriously... I'd like my 2.5 year old back, please. Naps included. Is twelve hours at night and 2 hours during the day a little demanding?! I don't think so either. :)
-I've got a million gazillion great pictures to sift through from vacation and a few days prior. Have I mentioned that I love my camera?
- God is doing some pretty neat things. Giving me specific direction in an area I've been really praying about. A starting point, at least. I'm really thankful for that.
-It's NOVEMBER. Like, the month before December. Like, summer has passed, August and September really happened, and now, holiday season is approaching. Whaaaaaaaat?! Not only has time flown, but this weather is playing tricks on me as well--- not that I'm complaining! Just sayin'... November?!?!
-Phil Whickam Saturday night at our church!!!! Can't wait!

That's all for now... back to cleaning. Real posts to come soon. :)

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