Another holiday past, another “How To Combat” moment. I’ll just dive right in, ’cause it’s a good one!

Lilli: I had some trouble with [relative].

Me: Really? What happened?

Lilli: I told [relative] that she was beautiful, but you were more beautiful than she was

Me (closing my eyes only imagining how this was going to turn out): Oh, well thank you for thinking I’m beautiful, but that probably hurt [relative's] feelings…don’t you think?

Lilli: I don’t know.

Me: Well think of it like this. What if I told you that you were beautiful, but Corinne was more beautiful…how would that make you feel?

Lilli (eyes big): That would make my feelings sad.

Me: Yea…sometimes it’s hard to remember, but we always should think about other people’s feelings. What did [relative] say when you told her that?

Lilli: She said, “Well, I think your mom is fat.”

Me (really, really…really trying to control a laugh…I thought I might have slipped back to elementary school…lol): Well, Lil, not everyone shares our beliefs about treating others nicely.

God has a way of making me laugh…really. He just has a way of *saying* the right thing at the right time.

I am two chapters away from finishing The Glorious Appearing& as I was reading this evening, I busted out laughing (really…it was a “LOL” moment!) Here is what I read:

Some men never know when they’re beaten, never know when to fold and walk away. Nicolae Carpathia, proving-as if that were necessary-that he was indeed the Antichrist, was the epitome of that kind of man. In a classic case of cosmic denial, his pride still persuaded him he could not lose in the end.

Ever know someone having those characteristics? I almost said qualities…but those aren’t quite *qualities* are they?

Since I had experienced a “what in the world is *person* thinking?” moment earlier in the day, tonight was the PERFECT time for me to read that (God’s timing is always spot on ).

Thank you God for the comparison…I am still giggling

This email was sent to me from my step-mother at what could not be a more perfect time.

We’ve been having issues with Lilli sneaking. I’ve been discouraged by this because I take my responsibility as a parent seriously…I try and set a good example, teach her right from wrong, she even knows that the Bible says, “Children obey your parents in all things for this pleases the Lord.” ~Colossians 3:20 However, I know that she is her own person, with her own free will, and she is ultimately responsible for her own actions - not me.

So here’s the email (Thanks, Kim!)

To those of us who have children in our lives, whether they are our own, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or students…here is something to make you chuckle.

Whenever your children are out of control, you can take comfort from the thought that even God’s omnipotence did not extend to His own children.

After creating heaven and earth, God created Adam and Eve.

And the first thing he said was
‘ DON’T !’

‘Don ‘t what ?’
Adam replied.

‘Don’t eat the forbidden fruit’
God said

‘Forbidden fruit?
We have forbidden fruit?
Hey Eve..we have forbidden fruit! ‘

‘ No Way! ‘
‘Yes way !’

‘Do NOT eat the fruit !’
said God.

‘Why ? ‘

‘Because I am your Father and I said so!’
God replied, wondering why He hadn’t stopped creation after making the elephants.

A few minutes later, God saw His children having an apple break and He was ticked!
‘Didn’t I tell you not to eat the fruit? ‘
God asked.

‘Uh huh,’
Adam replied.

‘Then why did you?’
said the Father.

‘I don’t know,’ said Eve.
‘She started it!’ Adam said.

‘Did not !’
‘Did too !’
‘DID NOT !’

Having had it with the two of them,
God’s punishment was that Adam and Eve
should have children of their own.
Thus the pattern was set and it has never changed.

If you have persistently and lovingly tried to give children wisdom and they haven’t taken it, don’t be hard on yourself.

If God had trouble raising children, what makes you think it would be a piece of cake for you ?

This definitely made me chuckle

Thursday night, tired, still pregnant but pretty much ready to go into labor at any moment (I’m already at 2cm as of Tuesday, not to mention other things going on), not wanting to cook, and just plain old not wanting to do anything…what do I do? Order Chinese take out. I love Chinese food, so I wasn’t disappointed, but as far as my fortune…

…boy were they WAY off!

Why Your Daughters Love You

You give big hugs

You snuggle us

You rough house with us

You let us scream

You let us cook with you

You take the time to explain new things to us

You don’t get frustrated with us

You give us boundaries

You share your “toys” with us

You tell us we’re pretty

You allow us to be ladies

You allow us to act wild

You encourage us to pick ourselves up when we fall

You pick us up when we fall too hard

You “take good care of us” (~Lilli)

You’re a comforter

You’re a horse, or a bear, or a tiger, or…

You are proud of us

You are…there.

Why Your Wife Loves You

You’re an amazing dad! (See Above)

You make sacrifices

You’re honest, even when I don’t want you to be

You watch LHOP (Little House on the Prairie) with me

You scratch, rub, & tickle me…over and over and over and over again

You love me even when I’m unlovable

You’re never unlovable

You write me love notes

You lead our family

You pray sincerely

You encourage me

You‘re an adrenaline junkie

You can fix anything and don’t mind getting dirty to get the job done
(including changing diapers)

You’re a human heater

You’re not hairy

You’re in AMAZING shape

You are sexy

You’re always ready to play

You’re a jeans guy

You protect us

You don’t yell

You are my opposite

You make me laugh, especially when I don’t know if you’re joking or not…

For example:
Me: “Why are you such a good husband and father?”
You: “Because I want something.”

Me: “Oh the new Sonic opened up!”
You: “We should go…oh yea, I treat my girls right!”

You: “I found these in my jacket sleeve”
(handing me undies) …
“They got stuck together in the dryer.”
Me: “Ew thank goodness they’re clean.”
You: (Laughing) “Thank goodness they’re yours!”

And last, but not least, You are my everything.

Jess over at Making Home posted this after hearing about it from a friend of hers, Leanne, who found it in an Austrailian homeschooling journal, –”In the Kolbe Little Home Journal (Fall 2005), “Homeschooling Family Finds Ways to Adapt to a Public School ‘Socialization’ Program.” I just had to share it:…tee hee:

“When my wife and I mention we are strongly considering home schooling our children, we are without fail asked, ‘But what about socialization?–’ Fortunately, we found a way our kids can receive the same socialization that government schools provide.

On Mondays and Wednesdays, I will personally corner my son in the bathroom, give him a wedgie and take his lunch money.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays, my wife will make sure to tease our children for not being in the ‘in’ crowd, taking special care to poke fun at any physical abnormalities.

Fridays will be ‘Fad and Peer Pressure Day.’ We will all compete to see who has the coolest toys, the most expensive clothes, and the loudest, fastest, and most dangerous car.

Every day, my wife and I will adhere to a routine of cursing and swearing in the hall and mentioning our weekend exploits with alcohol and immorality..–.. And we have asked them to report us to the authorities in the event we mention faith, religion, or try to bring up morals and values.”

Thanks, Jess, for a great way to start my day….laughing

…Corinne and I have been Sukwe-sober for one week. Let’s all give Corinne a warm welcome to the “Big Girl Club!” That’s right, Corinne (a little under 22 months now) is no longer addicted to her Sukwe.

For those of you who don’t understand the word, Sukwe, let me explain. I’m sure you those of you with kids understand that not every word young children speak actually sound like they’re supposed to.  “Sukwe” was Lilli’s pronounciation of the word, something. She just couldn’t say it. “Strawr-burry” was strawberry, “Wohr-ange” was orange, and to this day she still says “Your-gurt” for yogurt. Pretty soon “Sukwe” became our family’s name for pretty much anything: “You’re my little sukwe,” or  “What a sukwe!” But, it really stuck when someone (don’t remember who exactly) referred to Corinne’s pacifier as a “Sukwe.” And then - it just became habit.

I’ve been wanting to break her of her pacifier habit for quite some time now, but have never followed through. What mother wants to hear her child crying for something so comforting and so loved? I would always cave. I started to only allow her to have it while going to sleep, but she is a smart girl and would climb into her bed, get her Sukwe fix, and climb back out to play. Smart girl indeed…but it prooves that Corinne is also a big girl now…she understands us completely, is on the verge of potty training, can feed herself, and no - she does not NEED her Sukwe. “Tough love,” I thought…and so I trashed the FOUR Sukwe’s that were my second born’s best friend. Now there was no turning back…

It took me about an hour last Thursday to get her to take a nap. She was SCREAMING at the top of her lungs, throwing things, and obviously not a happy camper. (You’d think my pep talk about how she is a big girl now would have worked with her…) She finally conked out and woke up still mad at me. Thursday night was a little better, but that’s because the Poppa was home to back me up. Why do the father’s only have to give them “that look” and the kids know they better behave themselves? I must know this secret! Granted, why do mother’s have the ability to sleep through an earthquake, but awaken as soon as they hear their child crying from ten rooms away? That was my case Thursday night when I (literally…picture it) jumped out of bed in the middle of the night to Corinne running up and down the hall upstairs screaming (while Michael didn’t even flinch). I calmly walked up the stairs (understanding why she was acting the way she was) and held out my hands to her: “Corinny come to Mommy and I’ll rock you.” “Otay” was her answer (made my heart just melt) and I explained to her that it was still night night time and time for us to sleep. A soft “Otay” was her answer again and I put her in her bed. She was out before I even left her room. That was the last time we had any issues with her not having her beloved Sukwe.

“Train a child in the way he should go,
and when he is old he will not turn from it.”
~Proverbs 22:6 (NIV)

What do you think? Is this true for you?

Thankfully, 99% of the things I HAVE to do, I enjoy. However, that other 1% is still sitting in the sink
“Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord”
~Colossians 3:23 (NLT)

You can take the girl out of the city, but you can’t take the city out of the girl.

After the girls and I went grocery shopping early one morning (by early, I mean 7:30 in the morning early), I decided that it would be easier on my preggo-self to pull the car around to the laundry/mud room to unload the groceries, rather than park in the driveway and climb the stairs to the front door. “No problem,” I thought to myself (I’ll admit that I even added a “pure genius” in there) All I’d have to do was to drive through the backyard, up a small hill, and I’d be in business! Sure…”pure genius.” After we had so much rain?! And so early in the morning that the sun didn’t even have time to evaporate the water?! As I spun my wheels over and over again (since I thought, “maybe if I just give it a little more gas….”) I buried my front tires deeper and deeper and mud was flug all over my car. Thankfully, our neighbor came to my rescue (yet again…) and towed my car out of the mud-pit I had created.

I learned a few things that day:
1) Don’t even attempt to drive anywhere that is not paved after a rainstorm
2) I am a comedian: Lilli thought it was funny that “mommy went mudding.”
3) Our neighbor, Wade, still rocks! If everyone had neighbors like ours, the world would be such a better place

All of the Clarke ladies were sick this weekend: Corinne since Thursday, Lilli since Saturday, and myself only on Sunday. Not only does Michael have the metabolism of a hummingbird, but his immune system is top notch! Must be nice, huh? Let’s face it, getting sick is just no fun…the fever, aches, pains, I could go on and on (but don’t worry, I won’t). I hate getting sick, not only because it feels terrible, but because I’m such a busybody that I have to be doing something at all times: cleaning, organizing, ironing, well - you get the idea. I can’t stand it when I’m stuck in bed because (as my hubby says) I’ve “come down with the sickness” & can’t get things done. But when your kids are sick…that feeling is a billion times worse! How I wish I could take on their sickness, their aches & pains! Unfortunately I can’t. But thankfully, I can provide a comfy lap to rest a head on, arms to cuddle with, lips to kiss a forehead, and the ever so important abillity to handle a remote control so we can watch movies over and over and over again. (Our living room was a sight this weekend. Michael had pulled out the sofa sleeper, made it up, and the girls and I pretty much camped out.) Prayerfully, this bug will fly away…the sooner the better!!

“He forgives all my sins
      and heals all my diseases.”
              ~Psalm 103:3 (NLT)