Pondering Pizza

When it comes to posting I have trouble remembering and commenting on the lighter fare in my life, a true testimony to the brooding kind of person that I am. Today, I feel like I need a break from my brain. Yesterday was a tough day to be at home alone with myself! It exhausted me so, and when the kids came home from school, they saw me sprawled on the floor in the TV room with blankets & pillows watching Oprah. TV is one of my vices when I just can't take it anymore, I'll admit. It has become more difficult, though, since (1) we've been down to one TV for this family of five, (2) it was moved from the living room with the comfy couch to the newly constructed family room with only less-comfortable chairs to sit in (3) children are getting older and gradually crowding those of us who are actually in charge around here out of TV time. Anyway, my youngest sits down next to me and tells me a bit about his day at school - it was a good one. His favorite part was the school bus fire safety drill at the end of the day and upon re-entering the bus, he heard a "1 & a half songs from the AM/FM stereo playing", which seemed to thrill him to no end (he even thanked God for it in his bedtime prayers)! He then proceeded to tell me that he thought it would be a good day to go out for supper. He's a bit intuitive, that one, as he often will suggest this when I'm looking a little worse for wear and like any supper I might manage to make that day will likely be equally unappealing. So I respond with a very non-commital "you think so, eh?". Shortly thereafter, the phone rings, and I'm quite sure it is hubby calling, so I get youngest to answer the phone. He loves to chat with his dad on the phone, and I love to hear him chat with his dad on the phone, and daddy loves it that at least one person in this household besides him loves to chat on the phone, so it's good all around. Anyway, he chit chats a bit and then says, "Can we go out for supper today, dad - mom thinks we should go out for supper!" By the look on his face, he was quite sure I had, until I laughed and pointed out loud enough for daddy to hear that I had said no such thing, and he realized his subtle manipulation tactics had failed. This guy scares me a little, once in a while!
I was not in the mood for going out for supper, but I did have a hankering for pizza, and since I was even less in the mood for making it, decided to order for pick-up(...hmmm...I suppose you could still chalk one up for the little guy, huh?). Pizza is never really a simple solution around here, since we all prefer different ones (Pizza Hut, Dominos, Pizza Hotline, etc.) and it seems to be less cost effective with our boys getting older and eating more. Plus middle child likes pizza but finds himself with headaches or stomach aches as a result of some of them. So I asked him which pizza he would like me to order. He said that Niakwa is the only one he knows he can eat (they order it at school on pizza Fridays) without feeling sick after. Ironically, I used to get violently ill when I ate Niakwa pizza, so we haven't ordered it ever. I always thought Niakwa was the best, too, until I finally made the connection. As a result, I have not eaten it for probably 20 years or so. A couple of years ago, I so badly wanted to try some again, so at a pizza party I ate mostly another kind but topped it off with one piece of Niakwa and low and behold it was just as delicious as I remembered it to be and glory be, I did not get sick! Yesterday, I took the big step and ordered just Niakwa pizza for me and my family. It was the cheapest pizza bill I've had in a long time (they were having a special of 2 larges for $29.99) and we all loved the pizza for a change. I could faintly hear the angel's choir "aahh-ing" in the background! I enjoyed it so much, I nearly ate myself sick for eating too much! But I didn't get sick--nobody got sick--and we even had leftovers! I had cold pizza for breakfast --Niakwa's the best for that, too. I feel like a long lost love has been returned to me! Whatever it was about Niakwa that made me sick years ago, it seems I have outgrown it...I wonder if there are other joys I am missing for fear of what once was...uugghh!...leave it to me to get all analytical again - over pizza.

Peace On Earth

It's been a while again since my last post, but I have been very busy in the last few months. We are nearly done with our basement reno, and the kids are happy to have a space of their own again (parents, too!). We have some issues with our new carpet, but hope that'll be ironed out before too long and then we can officially move in.
I felt the need to post because it is Christmas, and being a Christian, this season is especially meaningful. We are celebrating the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ--a gracious gift from God to all mankind. And it's fun to tie that in with giving gifts to our loved ones, and just generally celebrating & having fun. Doesn't that sound lovely? So why am I so bummed? So exhausted? So ready to pack up and leave and go far, far away?
It's just too much! Everybody wants a Christmas party or banquet. Everybody wants to exchange gifts. Everybody wants you to bring food & goodies. Everybody has a pageant or a concert you have to see. Well, how about a Christmas season of nothing but 'peace on earth'--where we actually have the time to sit down and reflect on what this season really means to us?
By now, you must be feeling the temptation to dismiss me as a Scrooge. But wait: it's not that I don't like Christmas...it's that I don't like what Christmas has been made into.
We have friends who are missionaries in a remote mountain jungle, and every Christmas that they spend out there is so very different than the ones they spend out here when on furlough. Most of the people they live around are poor, first of all, so the extravagance is non-existent. It is a very 'low-key' kind of celebration season. I told them (they are here this Christmas) that if I can ever afford to take the trip to visit them, I will plan it for the month of December. I long to experience what Christmas is supposed to be.
Thankfully, I feel like 'the worst' is behind me, as Christmas Eve is just 2 days away. I look forward to spending a few days of down time with our families, and not racing through the shopping malls searching desperately for the perfect gift for someone who already has everything. I've done no 'Christmas baking', which is highly unusual for me, but intend to make a few simple family favorites in the next day or two. Because Christmas Eve falls on Sunday this year, we have our Sunday School program in the morning, and the rest of the day is ours! We have learned to celebrate our own (family) Christmas whenever it works best around here-- 23rd, 24th, 25th--whenever we are not required to be at the extended family gatherings. I hope that my children will learn that it is not important which day you celebrate on, but that you do make time to celebrate together.
So, there you have it, my Christmas rantings. Just needed to let off a little steam, and spare some innocent by-standers my tantrums. While I long for my own little 'peace on earth', I do hope and pray that you will find some too this Christmas season!

Grateful

Thanksgiving Day was October 9 for us Canadians. I'm glad that this year, this special occasion has been prolonged for us. We gathered with our families the weekend prior to Thanksgiving, because that's when most of us were around. The weekend of Thanksgiving, we shared lunch with our good friends at their home. The 9th was a holiday & day off from work, of course, but with no gatherings to attend, we were able to get a lot of work done on finishing out our basement. This past weekend, we celebrated with Thanksgiving Dinner at our church. And I'm not tired of being thankful, yet! Just some of the things I've learned over the years and in recent weeks...

I Am Thankful...

that God is real, and He loves me--so much that He sacrificed His Son, Jesus Christ to pay the penalty of my sin on a cruel cross, just to be with me. And when I am distracted by all the things this world has to offer me, He waits for me...and when my eyes are opened and I see what I'm really missing (again), He smiles at me and says "Come...". It is good to feel that loved...

that I have a loving husband who keeps coming home to me & the kids, even when I'm not that much fun to come home to...

for my 3 sons. I wouldn't want it any other way. I think God knew there were enough female hormones creating havoc in this household...

for family, in-laws and cousins that are fun to spend time with and easy to love...

for friends who are always glad to see us and spend time with us, even when we've been too busy for too long...

that we had such an awesome summer!

for God's provision of a job for hubby that he loves, and that provides enough income to meet our needs and even some wants. I complain sometimes about the crazy long hours he sometimes puts in, but then again, him working this job means I don't have to be out in the workforce and can stay at home to be there for our kids...

that we have a nice house to live in and that we are able to now finish building it and expand our living space x 2!

that my hubby can do and fix almost anything...

that even though I said we would learn to manage without, hubby decided to buy a new TV. I'm extra thankful that he was satisfied with a 27"...

that my teenage son--after spending Saturday afternoon with our church's youth group, and after church's Thanksgiving Dinner & Program the next day, said "That was fun!"

that someone brought a friend to Thanksgiving Dinner, and after we took turns saying what we were thankful for--the usual food, shelter, family & friends, free country, church--he asked to share his testimony with us. He came from Africa, where he suffered starvation, abuse, tip-toed around rotting bodies laying in the streets and saw his father shot dead, and where he learned that God was looking after him. We are blessed beyond recognition...

Bugs & Blessings

I must say, it has been a lovely summer! I was sitting outside (again) yesterday afternoon, picking tiny hitchhiker burrs out of my son's socks before throwing them in the laundry, and couldn't help but thank the Lord (stay with me...). You see, we live in "the bush" (that means surrounded by forest, wild trees & shrubs, etc. - apparently "the bush" is a term that is common around here but not everywhere), and for the 4 summers that we have lived here, this is the first where I can sit outside any old time without first dousing myself in mosquito spray. Not only that, but I don't have to put on a sweater or a raincoat first, either! It has been an unusually hot, dry summer, which I have to say, is perfect for me. It's too bad that it poses a problem for the farmers & firefighters out there, 'cause I would like it this way every year. I don't mind watering my lawn & gardens a little more often. And a summer without mosquitos--that is just heaven!
The hot & dry weather has also caused an invasion of wasps & the like. I haven't really found it to be a problem here at home, but we went camping last week, and they were bad enough that we had to plan around them (sort of). I'm glad we had a screen tent to retreat to for our meals. But our first breakfast of pancakes & bacon (which we started eating outside the screen tent, because it wasn't up yet, on account of us arriving too late & too tired the day before) was less than enjoyable with those little creatures buzzing around. So, while I cooked and waved off wasps, hubby put up the tent. The boys ate breakfast in the tent, scarfing it down before the flying fiends could get at it. I wanted to get a picture, but we were all pretty preoccupied to stop and get the camera. The syrup-y plates that stacked up when we were done invited a whole swarm. Four or five of them found their way through the tiny hole of the bottle and were swimming in our syrup! Anyway, after that morning, we learned to do things differently to minimize our vulnerability to the nasty insects. I did comment to hubby, that I would be surprised to make it through our stay without anyone getting stung. And sure enough, our youngest got it. A wasp had gotten under his shirt and I guess felt trapped and stung him. He tried to be brave about it and didn't cry, but was white as a ghost & felt sick for about a half hour! None of our boys had ever been stung at all before, so I hoped that being stung would at least alleviate that fear of the unknown. So while the youngest became running scared of everything that buzzed around him, our middle son just stayed still and let them crawl all over him if necessary. He even let one land on his face, cleaning up the remains of his last meal off of his lips!! We told him that was unnecessary and maybe even asking for trouble. We learned that the wasps are almost non-existent in the evenings, and by supper-time we could eat outside and sit around the fire safely. We had an enjoyable 4 night stay at our favorite campground, and it was the kind of relaxation we have not had for quite some time. Hubby had to be readily available by cell-phone and emails the first 2 days, but the weekend was work-free. Of course, Friday brought in all the weekend partiers, and we (hubby & I) hardly slept a wink on account of the rowdies in the 3 sites across from us. They christened their weekend shortly after arrival with smoking and passing around something and smoking it, and I'm not sure what they ate but they had plenty to drink. The conversation & behavior was such that I was very busy trying to occupy my children's minds, eyes & ears with whatever I could to distract them. We decided to file a complaint at the campground office, and while the officers won't tell you how they will take care of the problem, we did notice a few less people the next night, and it was much quieter, too. They were even shush-ing each other quite a bit! I don't like being a party-pooper, but my kids don't need to see & hear that stuff. And I need my sleep! Everything else about the camping trip was really enjoyable. This was the closest thing to a holiday we'll have this year, so I'm glad it went well. We had great weather--no rain, and even some real beach weather. I enjoy the beach a whole lot more now that my kids are older and are more confident in the water. I can actually relax a bit, and playing in the water with them is more fun, too. I was also reminded how fortunate I am to have such good kids. Almost everywhere you look, you see some kid throwing a tantrum or disregarding their parents. While I am aware that my time may be coming, I am thankful for the real blessing that they have been/are to me (& others). I really enjoy being with them and watching them. It saddens me that summer's almost over...enjoy the blessings while you can!

I'm just busy...

It is definitely summer. My kids are home from school, and life has taken on a whole new meaning. Suddenly the house that is for most of the year quiet is a-buzz with activity. Rarely are all 5 of us home at one time, and once in a while a few extra faces appear, too. Then this morning the grandparents picked up the kids to spend a few days at a lake resort with them. It didn't take long for the silence to be uncomfortable! Funny how in just a few weeks we adapt to a new normal.
So, the reason I haven't posted lately is that I don't seem to own a computer anymore. With 3 boys taking turns on it throughout the day, it gets its share of attention. And even though one of my previous postings revealed how I occasionally become obsessed with the blog-ing world, I'm not drawn to it much with the kids around. I still find some of it intriguing, but some of it is downright offensive to me and I certainly wouldn't want their eyes to stumble upon it. And honestly, I don't think I want to spend my precious summer in front of the computer. I wait too long and hard for this season, so forgive me if you don't hear from me much until September!