Call on God

 I try to teach my kids the importance of relying on our Heavenly Father to help us through life’s turbulence.

I tell them, no matter what trust in God with all your heart to bring you through whatever it is you are struggling with. Ask and you shall receive.

In my own life, I constantly pray to our Father that he guide my steps, my decisions and eases my troubles.

God does work things out, it might not be when you think it should happen, but he always comes through.

As a Mom of two very energetic little boys, it is hard to know if they are listening.

I got my proof Monday night in a public restroom.

Okay, I must lay a little ground work here.

Kipper has a problem when it comes to going to the bathroom, number two. (I know, he will kill me when he’s older for sharing this tid bit of information.)

Anyway, Monday night my family went out to eat to celebrate my nephew’s 13^th birthday.

Kipper and I got to the restaurant early and I suggested he use the bathroom.

He repeatedly denied having to go, until he sees the video games and I told him, “You can’t play any until you go to the bathroom.”

Kipper replied, “You’re right I do have to go.”

So we enter the bathroom, go into the first empty stall and he sits down.

He’s sitting on the potty and proceeds to try and use the bathroom when suddenly he yells and I am not over exaggerating.

He screams, “JESUS!” (it is long and drawn out like, “GEEEEEESUSSSSS!)

Mind you there ARE other people in the restroom.

“Jesus!” he continues, still trying to use the bathroom and still yelling. “Pray Mama, pray God helps me go to the bathroom!”

Silently, I pray that he will be able to use the bathroom, and pray no one can hear us!

Apparently, my silent prayer isn’t good enough.

Kipper yells, “I CAN’T HEAR YOU! PRAY TO JESUS, HE WILL HELP US!”

So, there in that bathroom stall, crouched down next to my little boy I pray.

I prayed God would help Kipper use the bathroom, and thanked him for showing me my kids are listening.

By the way, God did help Kipper go potty, although it wasn’t at the restaurant; it was later that night at home.

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." Mathew 7:7

Hair today, gone in a hurry!

For anyone who knows me, they know, I hate to get a haircut. I am very picky…and I usually leave the salon in tears. It does not matter how it looks, I always hate it.

I have been putting off a haircut for six months. Well, I could not take it any longer (literally) and went to get a trim. 

Noah tagged alone, why I agreed…I have no idea.

Let me start by saying, I love to sleep and on the weekends, especially.

Okay, I am sitting in the salon chair and Noah is sitting in the one next to me. He’s picking up everything, telling the stylist she’s “rich” because he sees all her tip money and making the chair go up and down.

I am about ready to tell the girl to cut my head off along with my hair.

Well, the stylist, being the polite person she is, starts to make small talk.

She’s asking about my weekend, what we had planned, etc…etc.

She proceeds to tell me, she got up and made breakfast for her family.

About that time, Noah pauses from spinning in the chair and chimes in,

“My Mom does not get up early.”

I look over at him and give him “the look”, trying to convey to him to be quiet.

Guess he couldn’t see my eyes with all the hair hanging in them because he says, “Yeah, she’s lazy.”

I try to explain that sleeping till 8 a.m. on the weekend is not lazy… (Who am I kidding; I sleep till 9 or 9:30.)

To save myself any further embarrassment, I suggest, “Noah, go look at a magazine.”

I’m sure you already know, he wasn’t interested, instead he goes back to inspecting the tip money.

“My Mom is going to give me three dollars,” he says.

Of course, I know how he earned the money and I am praying, “please, be quiet…you’ve done enough talking for the three of us!”

I’m sure you already know this, but Noah goes on to explain how he earned the money.

“Yeah, I brushed my Mom’s hair, scratched her back and massaged her shoulders.”

On the bright side, I didn’t leave the salon in tears this time…just in a hurry!

A week of winning and losing.

What a week. Noah has the first week of first grade under his belt and Kipper; well…he made it through the week, almost.

Let’s just say it has been a week of winning and loosing.

Winning, as Charlie Sheen would say, because no one over slept, my mother-n-law took me to see a movie, and Kipper learned to do squats at recess.

If only that winning streak would have stretched out a couple of days.

The downhill decent started Wednesday.

First, I went to pick up Noah from school and my car broke down in the parking lot.

As if that wasn’t embarrassing enough…Noah stands in front of the car and yells to all the other parents…”Our car broke down…our car is broken, it won’t start.”

He’s even pointing to me and the car, to make sure everyone knows which car he was talking about. (loosing)

Apparently, my car overheated without warning and needed a new fan.

The car was fixed, two days later. (winning)

The score would not stay tied, long.

Today, Kipper woke up and told me, “I’m sick. Can you stay home with me?”

Being the working mother that I am, I could not miss work.

Noticing he did not feel warm, and wasn’t complaining of any particular ailment, I quickly dressed him, put him in the car and off to school we went.

I would soon be feeling very ill.

After dropping Noah off in the carpool line, where he even gave me a kiss goodbye (winning)…Kipper and I departed for his school.

As soon as we walk into the school doors Kipper refuses to walk. I had to literally drag him to class. Once we reach the classroom door, he takes off running. (loosing)

After I successfully round him up, I take him to the bathroom and explain this is not the kind of behavior I expect from a four year old.

We walk to his classroom, where he hides his face and once again refused to move.

Outdone, I hand him over to the teacher and head to my grandparent's house for coffee.

One hour later, just as I am finishing my morning cup of Joe, Kipper’s school calls.

“April?” says the caller.

“Yes,” I answer.

“Kipper threw up, and you need to come get him,” relays the caller.

“Okay, I’ll be right there,” I say hanging up the phone.

Less than five minutes later I walk into the office and see Kipper sitting in a chair, next to a trash can, smiling.

“You sick, buddy?” I ask him, feeling his face.

“Yep, I threw up in the trashcan,” he says.

My eyes look to the trashcan at his feet, when he quickly says…”Not that one.”

“Oh, which one?” I question.

“The one in the bathroom,” he answers.

“Well, did anyone see you?” I ask.

“No,” he tells me.

With little choice, I pick him up, and take him to the car.

Once he’s buckled, I’m buckled and we are pulling out he asks from the backseat…”Can we go to Burger King?”

Kipper spends the day with my Dad and brother eating ice cream, cookies and playing outside. (Kipper, winning)

My brother said when he told Kipper to do something, Kipper replied…

“You’re not the boss of me, you’re just my Uncle…looser!”

Well, at least I’m not the only one. (winning)

Where does the time go?

 

The summer is winding down, and tomorrow my oldest child, Noah, starts the 1^st grade. I can hardly believe he is old enough to be a 1^st grader. It feels like yesterday that I walked him into his Kindergarten class, and over stayed my welcome when he finally told me to go.

Kipper D. is three days into 4K and already he’s learning things. Such as, his teacher’s favorite candy bar is a Butterfinger and that Laura Lynn wants to marry him. (Good to know, Kipper.)

I wish he could tell me, where does the time go?

Thank goodness, I have two comical little boys who teach me to enjoy each moment.

Moments such as when Kipper tells me to put his lunch box behind my “big back” so no one will see it. (Of course, I heard “you have a fat back.”)

Moments when Noah asks if the four dollars he’s saved in pennies in a clay pot is enough to buy a bike. (Not even close, son.)

Of course, watching my boys grow up is something all parents go through…and all parents ask themselves where did the time go?

Just today, I asked my own mother if it felt weird to say she has a 34 year old daughter.

A daughter who prays daily she isn’t messing up, too much, at motherhood.

Why think such a thing? Well, here’s one reason…

This summer, Kipper told me and Brent he wanted a new family. Mind you, he’d just gotten into trouble for something.

Well, Brent’s cousin, Justin, came to visit us from Ohio.

Justin brought his friend, Matt, along.

As Justin and Matt are bringing in their bags to spend the night, Kipper asks if we are going somewhere.

Not missing a beat, Brent and I say, “Kipper, you wanted a new family…so here they are!”

Kipper, not missing a beat, looks at the two boys, scrunches up his face and asks, “Which one is the Mama?”

So, as I send my boys off to school, to start new chapters in all of our lives…I will cherish the moments they’ve made me laugh, made me question my parental abilities, made me proud and made me ask, “Where did the time go?”