And *poof* it was gone.

It happened in a second.
And it was over.
"Stop!"
To my darling boy that I had in my arms as he was wiggling around while I was trying to dress him.
Since he may be used to it *ack!* it didn't stop or faze him.
Me - as soon as it was out, I knew I'd blown it.
But since it was just one liiittle holler it didn't count, right?
No, my ticker is reset.
Ugh.

That ticker of mine!

Almost lost it . . . Aaaalmost. Just now, after coming home from a tiring day of errands and other "stuff", calling back and forth about doctors and picking up my mother with 8 parcels.

I had been gone from home since Sunday with both kids in tow, and getting home I see there is a pile of dishes. Not done since . . .Sunday.

I'll spare the details, but with this and that, and being VERY tired, I just about snapped some answer to my hubbies inquiries. I can't even remember what it was. I think I just wanted to yell. Funny huh?

Anyway - waaaaaaay back in the back of my brain was the warning "uh, ticker!" and I was able to bring it down to a small sass.

So ya see? Accountability has been victor tonight!

Yes, I will go and apologies to the hubs for being sassy. Because I WANT a peaceful home. And I know it starts with me.

And you know a plus? He did laundry. :-)

Watching Two Worlds Collide - King Kong Handicap

Skit about first day at school... Keith Wann is an acclaimed American Sign Language (ASL) performing artist who has been captivating and amusing audiences with his controlled chaos and total pandemonium explosions on stage, often leaving his laughing audiences gasping for breath. As a Child of Deaf Adults (CODA), he has traveled all over the nation performing for ASL students, various Deaf Communities and other warped CODAs like himself. Born hearing to Deaf parents in California, Keith grew up living in both the hearing and Deaf worlds, and has been able to create unique perspectives on the ways of both worlds. This has evolved into a one-man show, "Watching Two Worlds Collide", which takes a humorous, almost shocking, look at both worlds.

I'm an addict, and love it.

Hi, my name is Michelle.
(hello, Michelle)
I've been an addict off and on for most of my adult life. But it started much earlier.

I remember when I was just a child - a child by grabthars hammer! - when in the basement of the Lutheran church ('cause all "good" Lutheran churches have a basement) other addicts would give me some . . . CAUSE THEY THOUGHT IT WAS CUTE!!!!!

I never had a chance!

Here's an excellent article about caffeine.

An excerpt about overcoming jet lag too!

There are as many different jet-lag remedies as there are
seats on a trans-Pacific flight. But one approach, outlined in The Caffeine
Advantage by Bennett Alan Weinberg and Bonnie K. Bealer, involves abstaining
from caffeine for several days before traveling, then dosing yourself with small
amounts of coffee or tea on the day you arrive to stay alert—preferably out in
the sunshine—until your regular bedtime in your destination. (During weeks of
global travel for this article, it worked for me.)

Are you ready for this?

Nablopomo? What is that? Well it is National Blog Posting Month of course!

This is the challenge. To write post something every day during November.

There is more information here if you wish to join, but be warned: there are two "bleep" worthy expressions in this post that would disqualify one from "The Family Friendly Blogroll".

And I did enjoy their other seal that said "Aut blog aut mori" which is most likely incorrect Latin for "blog or die.", but then I'd get probably get quietly escorted off the Family Friendly Blogroll for sure!

The fun starts in November, and November is such a fun month!

Peace, peace . . .

In my "about" I mentioned that I am imperfect and struggling. One area that I struggle with is that my voice becomes a fustration indicator. Meaning - *ahem* - I yell.

I want this to stop.

I would like to have my kids say of me "Mom never raised her voice." And right now I am not heading that way. So consciously, prayerfully, I am giving this area up to change. Here is my ticker and if I goof, I'll reset it.

No yelling, not to the kids, and not to my hubby.

You are my witness.

Shame on me!

I've been reading, not posting. . . my bad!


Also I've been going through the whole process that precedes a surgery procedure for this. Looks like I will have a date for going under the knife by next week.

The MRI scan said that the growth size is 10 centimeters. I said baseball size before, well now think softball, but it looks like it is only one.


Experienced the joys of an extemporaneous pelvic exam. That's all fun. (rolling of eyes)


Anyway - between that and kids, home and ministry is where I've been. And when I do get a minute, I'm usually reading what everyone else is doing.

More to come!

Today

Our phone line was cut. Not in "we didn't pay the bill" but in "the PHONE LINE was CUT" we presume by the electric company when they were fooling around the post out front. We just got the phone line back.

Hello you beautiful WWW world!

If you don't know already, my husband takes deaf men and apprentice them in construction skill while building things for other ministries, people and the like. That's his ministry.

So today after we watched him go, sleepy Little Miss turns to me:

"Daddy go to wok."

"Yes, daddy is going to work."

"He building."

"Yes, that's right."

"He making castles."

(big smile and a hug from mommy)

"That's right, baby girl, your daddy builds castles."

Wordless Wednesday

Attention parents!

Why is poo so funny?

Have you seen this dog?

I blogged about it here. And now it has happened. Dog-dog is MIA. I had postponed this post because I was in part denial and part of me was hoping that it would show up.

Neither has happened. And my daughter is doing OK, she mentions dog-dog, wants to "find it" and will sometimes speculate that he is being washed. But for the most part, she seems to miss him mostly when she is going to bed.

Me on the other hand am having HEART PANGS!

We were watching Toy Story 2, and the song called "When somebody loved me" came on and I almost BROKE DOWN AND CRIED!

What a sap I have become!

But it does just kill me to know that this worn out dog was probably picked up or ignored by people. If somebody did find him I imagine that they would just toss it, because they have NO IDEA how loved he is! By my little girl, and . . .well, by ME!

I guess dog-dog was my lovey too.

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen rules to drive by if you visit me in Ensenada, Mexico.

1. All driving speed limits are really just suggestions (and sometimes a joke!) unless a cop is in sight.

2. Pretty much all traffic laws are "flexible" unless there is a cop in sight.

3. Just because they are a cop doesn't mean there gonna drive according to any traffic laws. Traffic laws only apply to you.

4. The left hand blinker is to signal that it is safe to pass. Most roads are narrow, and curvey. Most truckers can be trusted even if you can't see, but watch that right hand blinker - if it comes on after he has given you a left hand blinker "all clear" sign then it means "never mind" or "oops, get back quick".

5. So if you do want to make a legitimate left hand turn first get into the oncoming traffic lane and then slow down (putting on the break lights) and then put on your blinker if not, and your in your correct lane and put on your left blinker the guy behind you thinks your giving him the "all clear" to pass and so starts to pass while you make a left hand turn and CRASH!

6. But what if there is oncoming traffic? Then start slowing WAAAAY down first, make SURE the guy behind you can see there is oncoming traffic and when your almost stopped then you can turn on your left blinker. Or better yet - stick your hand out and point to your turn.

7. If at a stop sign and there is a cop - stop and sing one round of "twinkle, twinkle little star" before preceding or they'll ticket you for an incomplete stop.

8. Driving in the middle of the road or even on the opposite side of the road (even on a two way traffic street) is OK, and sometimes the best way to avoid all those pot holes.

9. If others are pausing at a stop sign, don't make eye contact, because that gives away your right of way, just pause and go. Otherwise they will just pause and go.

10. Daring feats of driving boldness is not only acceptable, but respected.

11. If in a traffic jam or line, and someone cuts in front of you, no getting upset - kudos to him for being able to do so. Because of said rule above. And bumper tapping is normal and to be expected, so just ignore it, since NO WAY are we going to let any space get between us and the car ahead of us! That would signal an easy cut!

12. If you witnessed the signal light change from yellow to red, and no one is stopping ahead of you, you can still go through. By the same token, a red light can be ignored completely if no one is coming and, or it is a T intersection and you pass everyone on the right hand shoulder, since there is no oncoming traffic from the right. Although this is mostly reserved to monster trucks and city busses.

13. Finally and most importantly - ALL accidents are illegal, all parties are guilty until proven innocent, so if you do have a fender bender just flee the scene, since the other guy is already done so. Everyone is responsible for their own damages. And this rule kind of actually makes everyone really good and not getting into accidents . . .

Something to go "hmmm" about.

Missionary Anna - Kiwi Tales! tells a story, it might be the time of day (coffee break), but I found it pretty thought provoking.

Then Yellow Mama gives a different perspective about the good ol' story of Jonah.

Wordless Wednesday

A parenting day.

This was an e-mail that I wrote when the little guy was still nursing. My friend, now a new mother, saved it and sent it back with greater appreciation.

Here is the truth I've learned today:

Things get done - not "with the kids" but "in spite of the kids".

It is like running in water!

I know, can you believe no one TOLD me!

Your daily tasks to be completed: beds, kids up, dressed, hair and (if they have any) teeth brushed, and feed. Laundry, lunch for Little miss and me, clean up and the dishes.

Of course between these things there is random nursing, diaper changing and kid mess wipe ups that are constantly going on.

Little Guy is having what I think is allergies and not feeling good, so the only place he wants to be is in my arms while I'm walking around.

Note: he is NOT happy if I try to sit down with him. So I have two choices, set him down some where and listen to him wail, or hold him and try to do everything with one arm - which causes me more mess 'cause I spill so much . . .

While sitting down to nurse the little guy, Little Miss wants in on the action and usually gets both me and Little Man yelling at her to leave us alone. This usually leaves Little Miss crying too. Plus, she has taken them off the tennies I put on her and put on her church shoes (on the wrong feet) with NO traction, so she keeps falling, slipping on this tile floor!

Now is the blessed hour (possibly two) when I have just laid both kids down for their afternoon nap. Even though I can smell sour milk (urp) on me somewhere and my shoulder is soaked from drool, I can feel my sanity returning.

Perhaps I'll tackle a big task now, like *sigh* supper?

Thursday Thirteen

To answer several comments about the WW posted yesterday. That is a picture of the Deaf color guard for RSM . Every school in Mexico has one, none pictured are my biological babies, but spiritual ones yes. Now on to:

Thirteen Funnies
Because I love to laugh; ha ha ha ha!

are you ready for this linking ride?

One I mean how cute is that!

Two (because this can not, and should not EVER BE LAID TO REST!)

Three

Four pretty much I find ALL the stories funny, but this is one of the first I read.

Five one of my own that I laugh at to this day

Six She got all serious towards the end, but OH MY WORD did I find the first one funny!

Seven I actually found this also on Cheerio Butts's blog . . . Somewhere . ..

Eight

Nine

Ten

Eleven

Twelve

and Thirteen:

Wordless Wednesday

Update: Due to comments, I'll add this explination. This is the deaf color guard at the school for deaf children you see in my sidebar (RSM) and yes, they do march like that VERY seriously!

Learning English

Pretty smart idea, if you ask me, as long as your able to remember the phrases without having to do the dance.