The Aftermath

Here is Gabe's lip the morning after.

Lawrence Aquatic Center

We drove out to Lawrence to go to the indoor aquatic center. They have a slide, a warm water pool with basketball hoops, a lily pad crossing and a bunch of kids toys in a zero depth entry pool. Considering it only cost us $4 for the whole family to go...it is quite the deal. Our plan was to swim, meet some friends, play some more, then grab a bit of dinner. I had dreams of going to Local Burger where we could get an awesome locally made burger and french fries that actually start with potatoes.


However...

Gabe had other plans.

We did get to play in the pool. Then the boys wanted snack. No problem...I brought some :-). As Gabe is climbing up on the chair when he slips and busts his lip. Blood everywhere. As I work to staunch the bleeding and comfort him, I notice that it is really deep. So after much debating, I decide to go to the hospital in Lawrence to have it looked at.

Anthony rode home with our friends. My poor friend's kid got sick in the car on the way home so she is stuck with mine as well as her 3, one of whom was sick.

After 2 hours, it was determined that Gabe did not need stitches. In fact, his lip is nearly healed and it is only 4 days later. The only way I could convince Gabe to calm down after being 'forced' to leave the pool under protest, then watching his brother get to go in a friends car was to offer ice cream as a treat. Truth be told, mommy needed one too.

Final Swim Lesson

At least for a while. I may try again in May when Rob is done with his K-State Classes. It is just too hard right now for me to get the kids out of the pool and dressed...and I doubt a newborn will help make it any easier. Instead we are now doing gymnastics which only requires me to get shoes and a coat on them after class. Acceptable levels of insanity.

I am really proud of both kids after 4 months of lessons. We will probably do this again in the fall. Anthony is much more confident in the water. He likes to swim and jump...a big change from last summer. He will even swim with a kick board or noodle unassisted. Best of all, he is so proud and confident. Goal accomplished!


Gabe is actually the opposite...he has a lot more respect for the water. He isn't fearful, just respectful of the idea that he could drown and that swimming is hard. He fell in one day. I think he was tired and got mesmerized by the water. In diving, we refer to it as the call of the deep where a diver will just keep going a little deeper and deeper even though you know it is beyond where you should be. Anyways, he fell in. His teacher pulled him right up, but it scared him. After he calmed down, he said, "Mommy I kept trying to swim up but it was really hard. I think I still need help to swim without my blue life jacket." That was all I wanted him to get from swim lessons this year. Another goal accomplished!

Yep, Snow

The kids went out to play in the snow. Yep, again. The best part was watching them eat the snow and call it snow ice cream. We actually make real snow ice cream with sugar, 1/2 and 1/2, vanilla, and of course snow. But I guess in a pinch just a big hunk of snow will do.

Alaska

I have been thinking a lot lately about Alaska. Partly because I am having my first baby since living there. Partly because assignments are being announced and I know a number of people heading there. Some are excited about the adventure, others are very apprehensive. But everyone always asks us why it was such a great assignment...after all, wasn't it really cold there. Truth be told, I had trouble explaining it. Alaska, especially Fairbanks, was COLD. When I got there, there was no Walmart...much less a Barnes and Noble or Old Navy. But that isn't what I remember about it.

Then we had a Superbowl Party. I now can easily see why Alaska was our best assignment. As I looked around the room, almost all of the people there were friends from Alaska. Don't get me wrong, we invited others, they all just had other stuff to do.

However, in Alaska, there is never a reason to turn down doing something with friends. And it always ends up being fun. Friendship is what makes being cold in the middle of nowhere bearable. Even now, the people I knew in Alaska are my most enduring friendships. I am willing plan vacations around them. They are the first people I think of when I have news (good or bad). They keep me grounded and believe in me even when I am unsure. As a group, I keep in contact with more people from our Alaska assignment than I do from all other assignments combined.

Alaska is still the only assignment where I cried when I arrived and when I left, but for completely different reasons. For all the friends from there, thanks. I am so glad we get to keep in touch and occasionally run into each other as we criss-cross the nation.

All About Gabe

So while Anthony went Colorado with Dad, Gabe and Mom got to have a great weekend together. I must admit that Gabe was not at all excited about the prospect of his brother leaving him. In fact, he cried so hard that he cried himself to sleep in the papasan. I felt really bad for the little dude, this is the first time he hasn't gotten to tag along with big brother.

To celebrate, we watched the Olympics and had hot chocolate. He also wanted to watch Toy Story, and I thought 'no problem.' I was in and out during the movie and forgot about the mean kid who takes Woody and Buzz. I came down to find Gabe crying...I felt so bad.

The next day we went shopping and had lunch.

On Sunday, we went to a car show so he could see "The Fabulous Hudson Hornet." Gabe really liked it, but we were both pretty tired when we got home. Later, Ms. Christi came over and made Gabe her Valentine. She gave him a new little stuffed puppy and he had paper flowers for her. He just worships her. Every time she left the room, he would ask if she was coming back.





By Monday, I was too tired to do anything else, so Gabe and I watched the Olympics and just chilled out. Here's Gabe getting ready for his ski jump.

Anthony's Ski Weekend

Anthony and Rob met my dad in Colorado to ski for President's Day Weekend. He was so excited to go. He packed his backpack and little suitcase (it holds like 3 dinosaurs) to take on the plane. He put on his shoes and coat and then sat on the steps next to the door waiting on Rob...for over an hour.

Even better, he had a great time. He told his teacher at school all about it. When we watched the Olympics, he said he could ski like that because he was fast and brave. Here are some pics and a little movie Rob shot. Thanks Grandpa Keith for joining them.

Rob was super impressed with his progress in just 3 days. They have a cool magic carpet that takes the kids up instead of a tow rope. Anthony liked it because he could ride by himself. I think we are going to try and go again on Wed to our local hill which has almost 100" of base in some places. Rob said Keystone (in CO) only had 20-25 in most places due to crummy snowfall this year.

Maternity Photos

We did photos with a local photographer. Here is her blog preview of the pictures.

http://centerstagephotography.blogspot.com/2010/02/heathers-maternity-session-kansas-city.html

Burnt Biscuits

A friend sent this to me and I just love the story.

When I was a kid, my mom liked to make breakfast food for dinner every now and then. And I remember one night in particular when she had made breakfast after a long, hard day at work. On that evening so long ago, my mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage and extremely burned biscuits in front of my dad. I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed! Yet all my dad did was reach for his biscuit, smile at my mom and ask me how my day was at school. I don't remember what I told him that night, but I do remember watching him smear butter and jelly on that biscuit and eat every bite!

When I got up from the table that evening, I remember hearing my mom apologize to my dad for burning the biscuits. And I'll never forget what he said: "Honey, I love burned biscuits."

Later that night, I went to kiss Daddy good night and I asked him if he really liked his biscuits burned. He wrapped me in his arms and said, "Your Momma put in a hard day at work today and she's real tired. And besides - a little burnt biscuit never hurt anyone!"

You know, life is full of imperfect things.....and imperfect people. I'm not the best at hardly anything, and I forget birthdays and anniversaries just like everyone else.

What I've learned over the years is that learning to accept each others faults - and choosing to celebrate each others differences - is one of the most important keys to creating a healthy, growing, and lasting relationship.

And that's my prayer for you today. That you will learn to take the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of your life and lay them at the feet of God.. Because in the end, He's the only One who will be able to give you a relationship where a burnt biscuit isn't a deal-breaker!

We could extend this to any relationship. In fact, understanding is the base of any relationship, be it a husband-wife or parent-child or friendship!

"Don't put the key to your happiness in someone else's pocket - keep it in your own."

I am thankful my husband doesn't come home and turn his nose up when the only thing I can manage for the night is spaghetti and meatballs (frozen from another meal). He also rarely complains that the house isn't straight...even though most of the time it is a disaster. That most days when he comes home and sees me at the end of my rope, he just takes the kids to play downstairs and gives me some space.