Mommy Brain

Rejoice – the tomb is empty! May your family have a blessed Easter celebration.

Sorry for the lack of a links post last week – I didn’t have a lot of time for web surfing or posting. Today, though, we finished up our week of school – and we’re heading into Spring Break! I am so ready for it. Our weekend will be busy first, though, but with fun stuff. Tomorrow (I’m posting this on Thursday night), we have a play date at Michelle’s house and then tomorrow evening we will dye Easter eggs. Saturday, Josiah is promoting at Tae Kwon Do for the first time. Sunday is Easter, of course. After playing the piano for the service at church, then we will all head to Mom and Dad’s for Easter dinner and an egg hunt. Then Monday, break starts!

~ Did anyone watch House Tuesday night? Spoiler alert! Were you as shocked as I was over Kudner’s suicide? The actor, Kal Penn, had a good reason for leaving the show – he’s going to be working for President Obama.

~ Here’s a snippet of a poem to get you in the mood for National Poetry Month. You can read the rest here.

How to Read a Poem: Beginner’s Manual
by Pamela Spiro Wagner

First, forget everything you have learned,
that poetry is difficult,
that it cannot be appreciated by the likes of you,
with your high school equivalency diploma,
your steel-tipped boots,
or your white-collar misunderstandings.

Have a wonderful Easter weekend!

Boy, has it been a week. Standardized testing (we homeschool in a state that requires it), orthodontist appointments (for which the reception staff had overbooked and we waited for-ever), driving kids to art class (and photography class, tae kwon do, Awana, the library to pick up books on hold, etc.), and then getting sick. All while trying to re-adjust to normal life after having a completely kid-less weekend last weekend. Re-entry is hard.

It’s been so long since I’ve really written a substantial post – and I don’t have time now, so a bulleted list will have to do:

~ Kevin is still working. He was supposed to be laid off a year ago. Not only is he still working, he works most days from his home office, which saves us oodles on gas. God is good.

~ My freelance writing has slowed way down. Stupid economy.

~ Kids have spring fever. So do I.

~ Someone very close to me is going through a divorce. I’m sad.

~ My mom finally had her surgery, and is recovering, though it’s taking a while – longer than she thinks it should, anyway. I keep telling her that surgery at 60 is very different than surgery at 40 – or even 50.

~ My dad’s thumb is healing well, although he still has no sensation in the tip. He’s heading southwest to Vancouver for my grandmother’s (his mom) 80th birthday this weekend. Happy Birthday, Gramma!

~ Natalie’s voice lessons are going extremely well, and she will be singing at two venues this summer – one is a town festival in the park called Rendezvous, another at the fair.

~ I caught Kevin’s cold and have completely lost my voice. Do you know how hard it is to make kids hear you with no voice? Kevin has encouraged them all to call me “squeaky.” So helpful.

~ We’ve been watching season one of Chuck on DVD – great series. Any other fans out there?

~ I’m hoping to take the kids to see Inkheart Sunday afternoon, if I’m feeling better.

Well, I’m sure I’ve forgotten something, but that’s all my cold-fogged brain can come up with right now. Here are some links to make up for this post’s lack of substance:

~ For all you Twilight fans out there, check out these Twilight cakes. Hat tip to Andrea, who e-mailed me the link because she knows that Natalie and I are both huge Edward and Bella fangirls.

~ The New Yorker had an interesting article on the challenges facing President Obama’s administration when it comes to over-hauling the health care system – “Getting There From Here”. The quote I found appalling (emphasis mine):

Every industrialized nation in the world except the United States has a national system that guarantees affordable health care for all its citizens.

~ The film version of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader was in jeopardy when Disney dropped out as development studio, but Fox has stepped in and it will be made after all.

~ Stephen Colbert reacts to Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book winning the Newbery Medal. LOL

~ I know this is a little late, since Valentine’s Day is tomorrow, but Sheila has a great post on appropriate books and crafts for the day.

~ Jon Stewart has the best idea for a stimulus package I’ve heard yet.

~ One of my random things was chosen as a Best Random Thing.

~ My review of Testimony by Anita Shreve.

~ My personal list of 55 Must-Read Novels.

~ My review of the movie Pride and Glory.
Have a great weekend – and Happy Valentine’s Day!

I just read over last year’s “Happy New Year” post, and now I’m in a funk. Last year, I wrote about all the things I’m grateful for, but some of those things aren’t the case any more. For instance, the tentative peace with our neighbors only lasted until April. We’re in debt again, thanks in part to our vacation – which was totally worth it – and thanks to Kevin’s van going belly-up and gas prices going through the roof. We are more involved in our new church – I was involved in the Christmas program – but I still cried when I came home from singing at the ladies’ Christmas party at our former church. Which makes me wonder if that longing and hurt will ever be gone?

It doesn’t help that for the second year in a row, we were sick over Christmas. First, I did something to my left hip, resulting in back spasms on Wednesday, the 17th. Back spasms that gave me horrible flashbacks of back labor. Not fun. Thank God, I was well enough by Sunday to sing at church, but I am still on muscle relaxants and still sleeping sitting up on the couch, because laying down puts me in immense pain.

Then, after the Christmas program, the stomach flu hit. Kevin first, then Josiah, then Jonathan. I had a bit of an upset tummy for a couple days, and thought I had got off easy, but no such luck. Last night the grand-daddy of all stomach bugs felled me, the details of which I will spare you, but let’s just say it wasn’t pretty. I’m somewhat better today, but so, so tired of not feeling well.

Side note: To give you an idea of how the past few weeks have gone for us, the power supply on my laptop just went out in the middle of writing this post. Sigh. I’m on Nan’s computer, and Kevin’s on the phone with Michelle’s husband who used to work for HP to see if I could borrow one until I can get one shipped to me.

I did have a follow-up appointment with my doctor before I got too sick, and he’s referring me to a chiropractor for my back and a neurologist for the headaches and dizziness that don’t seem to want to quit. I’m hoping that 2009 will bring some answers.

But, I don’t want to spend my New Year’s post complaining about everything that has gone wrong. I need to switch my focus, or this post-holiday funk won’t be lifting anytime soon. So here are the things I’m grateful for:

~ I’m grateful that Kevin is still working, with no end in sight.

~ I’m grateful that my freelance writing has provided extra money when needed, and kept us from going into even more debt.

~ I’m grateful that the kids are all happy and healthy, colds and viruses aside.

~ I’m grateful that I am still able to homeschool the kids.

~ I’m grateful that Natalie and I are close, in spite of a few puberty-related bumps this year.

~ I’m grateful that Noah is growing into a young man with the heart of a helper.

~ I’m grateful that Jonathan has a desire to do right, and that he has a repentant heart when his actions don’t line up.

~ I’m grateful that Josiah has taken on some extra-curricular activities, like Tae Kwon Do and archery, when he used to want nothing more than to stay at home with the family.

~ I’m grateful that my sisters and their husbands and kids are all healthy.

~ I’m grateful that Dad didn’t hurt his hand worse than he did, and that it seems to be healing well.

~ I’m grateful that the doctors were able to figure out what was wrong with Mom, and that she’ll be able to have surgery to fix it.

~ I’m grateful for Michelle, a friend who is a kindred spirit, and for her boys – who are wonderful friends to my boys.

~ I’m grateful for online friends who have expanded my world.

~ I’m grateful that no matter how bleak and discouraging things may seem, God is in control, and I can rest in that.

Happy New Year!

Happy Boxing Day! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas. We did – it was simple and lovely, in spite of the sore back and tummy bug and Dad’s hand.

My back is doing much better, although I still can’t sleep laying down. The first day I had the spasms, they were calming down by bed time, so I slept in bed. When I woke up in the morning, my back seized up again, so I’ve been sleeping sitting up on the couch with a pillow behind my back. Last night, I tried bed again, and ended up moving to the couch at 2 am – just too painful. I have a follow-up appointment on Tuesday to talk about the back, as well as the headaches and dizziness. Hopefully, the doctor will be able to find some answers.

We’re being lazy today. The boys are playing on the PS2 games they got for Christmas; Natalie’s playing Nancy Drew and the Curse of Blackmoor Manor on her computer, with frequent help from me. It’s a lot of fun – I’ve installed it on my laptop! I’ve been browsing Barnes & Noble’s list of bargain books. I will have to do some laundry later, but I’m not planning on anything else productive today.

Here are some links to enable you in wasting a bunch of time today, as well:

~ Moviefone’s 50 Best (and 10 Worst) Movies of 2008

~ 2008 Pop Culture IQ Quiz – How well did you pay attention to the truly unimportant things this year? I scored 10 out of 15.

~ Disney has backed out of financing Walden Media’s The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Wlden is now shopping it around to other studios – I sure hope they find one.

~ One author shares her timeline for getting a novel published.

~ This woman’s pencil drawings are amazing.

May your Christmas be filled with the joy of the season. I hope your home is filled with loved ones and laughter, and that your Christmas celebration is one of grace and peace.

(The above print is available at AllPosters.com.)

Mary’s Song

Blue homespun and the bend of my breast keep warm this small hot star fallen to my arms.
(Rest…You who have had so far to come.)
Now nearness satisfies the body of God sweetly.
Quiet He lies whose vigor hurled a universe.
He sleeps whose eyelids have not closed before.
His breath (so slight it seems no breath at all) once ruffled the dark deeps to sprout a world.
Charmed by dove’s voices, the whisper of straw, He dreams, hearing no music from His other
spheres.
Breath, mouth, ears, eyes… He is curtailed who overflowed all skies, all years.
Older than eternity, now He is new.
Now native to earth as I am, nailed to my poor planet, caught that I might be free,
Blind in my womb to know my darkness ended,
Brought to this birth for me to be new-born,
And for Him to see me mended, I must see Him torn.

~Luci Shaw

Thanks so much for all the kind thoughts and prayers. After a full day of doing nothing but icing my back and taking meds, I am doing better. It’s still sore, and I’m still moving slowly, but I don’t feel like I want to cry every time I stand up, which is a huge improvement. I’m going to lay low again today, and am cautiousy optimistic about rehearsal tomorrow and the Christmas program Sunday night.

My mom also received some tentatively good news – they may be able to fit her surgery in on the 30th, which would just squeak it in on this year’s deductible. Fingers crossed.

She took all my Christmas gifts home with her, and is going to do my wrapping – isn’t she great? I actually got my Christmas letter written yesterday, since I can’t do much but sit. I love my laptop. So, it looks like I’ll be ready for Christmas, in spite of this little setback.

We’ve been enjoying our break from homeschooling -well, the kids and I have, anyway. Poor Kevin spent at least two hours shoveling yesterday – once in the morning, and again in the evening. That and a lovely confrontation with our neighbors from you-know-where made for an unpleasant evening for him.

The snowfall has been in record proportions – I think there’s about two feet out there right now, with more forecasted for this afternoon. The city of Spokane, which is 60 miles south of us, has completely shut down – the snow ploughs just can’t keep up. Some areas have received 30 inches! Looks like we’ll definitely have a white Christmas.

And now for some links:

~ Six to Eight Black Men: a hilarious holiday essay by David Sedaris. I listened to this on audiobook, but I found it online at Esquire – just don’t click on any of their links, or who knows what you’ll get.

~ The Advent Conspiracy – Hat tip: Donna.

~ The Krusty Sage: Quite Buying Crap You Can’t Afford Just Because It’s Christmas.

~ Author Shannon Hale: Write What You Don’t Know

~ Communication skills course – very funny, and pertinent to those of us who do most of our business correspondence through e-mail.

~ Great list of children’s books that teach truths about God and theology. Hat tip: Tim Challies.

At Books and Movies recently:

~ My review of Twilight, the film version.

~ Join me for the 2009 Essay Reading Challenge.

~ My review of The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister.

~ My review of The Passion of Artemisia by Susan Vreeland.

~ My review of Blindspot by Jane Kamensky and Jiill Lepore.

So, are you all ready for Christmas?

So, we’re on the downhill side of our insane week. We’ve subtracted Tae Kwon Do seminars, but added two birthday parties for friends. Why were all these children born in December?

On the medical front, I haven’t heard any results yet. I won’t call and bug my doctor until Wednesday or so. Good thing about being so busy is that I don’t have much time to worry.

~ A Book Bloggers’ Twelve Days of Christmas

~ 5-star books to give for Christmas

~ Mini movie reviews

~ Blogging Cartoons

~ Is technology all it’s cracked up to be?

~ The books Penguin authors are giving and hoping to get for Christmas

~ Trailer of the new Sci-Fi channel show Caprica

Today was my least busy day of this week – it’s all downhill from now. Sigh.

Tuesday – School, daycare for a friend in the afternoon, take the kids to Tae Kwon Do in the evening. Somehow find time to write an article.

Wednesday – Go grocery shopping at 6:30. CAT scan at 10 am. Fit school in there somewhere. Daycare again. Coffee with Michelle while the kids are at Awana – looking forward to that one, at least.

Thursday – School, write an article, daycare again. Kids to Tae Kwon Do if Kevin’s not feeling better from his cold/flu – he usually takes them on Thursdays.

Friday – Clean the house! Finish up school for the week. Pick up take-and-bake pizzas for Natalie’s birthday party – three girls coming over, two sleeping over. I am so glad Dad said he would make her a strawberry cheesecake – at least I don’t have to bake anything.

Saturday – Take Nan’s guests home. Take Nan to her friend’s birthday party in the afternoon.

Sunday – Church, followed by choir practice for the Christmas program. In the evening, sing for the ladies’ Christmas party at my former church, then drive to Kettle Falls to pick up Natalie from a Christmas party at her voice teacher’s house. Please, God, no snow on the roads.

Oh, and notice that there wasn’t a day that I mentioned actually practicing for the thing Sunday night. Have to fit that in there somewhere.

And I haven’t started my Christmas shopping.