~Poop On Jelly~

Our Family's Bitter/Sweet Life



Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Inside of Me

Mrs. Nurse Boy here.

It was 2 years ago that our family started on what seemed like a scary journey.  God was literally pushing and shoving us out of our comfort zone.  I was the one in the family with both hands and both feet spread across the doorway frame; bracing myself, fighting with God, crying out for my comfort zone. 

God was calling us to leave our church of 10 years.  Not only that, but He was calling us out of our comfort zone.  I knew it was the right thing to do.  I had seen all of the doors close. Some of them even slammed in my face. I had some personal things I needed to change. We had some convictions that we needed to address.   I was ready to grow, but I never could have prepared myself for all of the changes.

I THOUGHT I knew why God was calling for major change in our lives.  Reflecting back, it was only the tip of the iceberg.  I had no idea all He was going to do in our lives.  In many ways, I still don't.  He is still moving.  And, sometimes, I find I am still bracing myself.  Truth be told, with all of my being, I want to let go of the door frame and just trust Him.  Sounds so easy, yet sometimes I struggle.

Over the last 2 years, the Sanctus Real song, "Whatever You're Doing" has been my theme song.  I am certain it was written just for me.  (You are welcome.)  Here is the chorus:

Whatever you're doing inside of me
It feels like chaos, somehow there's peace
It's hard to surrender to what I can't see
but I'm giving in to something heavenly

That song often moves me to tears.  Chaos and peace:  that pretty much sums up the last 2 years.  Yes, it is possible to live with both.  I have and I still am.

Reflecting back on my life over the last 10 years (give or take), I had made some poor choices.  Choices that I, alone, made.  No one made them for me.  I blame no one else but my own reflection in the mirror.  I own my decisions.  From the moment I had Dimples and started to stay home to raise my babies, I found a comfort zone and STAYED THERE. 

I wasn't a light.  My family wasn't a light.  Oh sure, I served in my church.  I think serving in your church is essential.  But, I wasn't serving OUTSIDE of my church.  To Christians or non-Christians.  And, I wasn't being ministered to by other believers OUTSIDE of my church.  Believers that (gasp!) may not even see everything just as I do.

For many years, I chose to live my life in a comfortable, Christian bubble.  I liked to surround myself with people who parented just like me, who restricted the same TV shows in their homes, who banned the same music, who had most of the same values as me, who wouldn't question my morals, etc.  The list goes on and on.  It was comfortable not having to explain my positions; my convictions.  I didn't want anyone to rock my boat.  What if they did and I had to walk on water?! 

Truthfully, no one is going to shake my core foundation, unless I let them.  I believe in protecting my children.  I believe in having friends with similar beliefs.  I believe in living with convictions.  But, the Mama Bear in me was making our cave far too dim.  We are called to shine His light.  In the Bible it tells us that we are aliens in this world.  So, guess what God did to our family? 

He threw us out into the world.

He popped my "perfect" bubble.

He called us out of our church to a larger church with new believers (and even "seekers") every Sunday.  He told us to place our children in public schools, after several years of sacrificing to afford a private, Christian school.  He called us to be leaders.  He called us to be different.  He called us to be OK with explaining our beliefs when someone inquires.  He called us to teach our children to be leaders, not followers.  He called us to comfort our children when someone thinks they are different.  He called us to guide our children now, so later on they can't be shaken.  He called us to be a light.

I pray we are bright, blinding, shining beams.  Each one of us.

This is our journey.  Please know that I don't mean to imply anything other than that.  Yours may look completely different.  I won't judge you.  One of the things that makes God so amazing is His plan for each one of us.  It doesn't have to look the exactly the same in structure or stature, but the foundation is rock solid. 

That rock is Jesus Christ.

Thank you, Jesus. 

I am going to pry my fingers off of the door frame now...

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

The Princess and the Cleats

Mrs. Nurse Boy here.

Soccer session is in full swing.  All three of our kids are playing this year.  Each Saturday, as we run around town with water bottles, shinguards, and stinky cleats, it becomes more and more clear:

We have officially lost our minds.

But, there is no where I'd rather be on a cool, fall day than sitting in my comfy chair cheering for my precious kids from the sidelines. 

Unless it is an 8 AM game.  At 8 AM, my bed and I like to remain close.  Very close.

Dimples and Bruiser started playing soccer when they were just 4 years old.  They are both pretty talented players and really shine on the soccer field.  So, keeping with tradition, Sweet Pea can now be spotted on the soccerfields with the best of them.  We all LOVE watching her play!  If you ever need a laugh, go watch 4 year olds play soccer.  I promise your stomach with hurt from laughing too much.  The boys and I giggle through each quarter.

Nurse Boy is the assistant coach for Sweet Pea's team.

Here she is really to dominate!
(Not really, but let's pretend.  So far, she hasn't displayed the same aggresion the boys had at this age.)

Doesn't she look like a pro here?  I am afraid this was before the game started.  I don't think her foot even got near the ball during the game.



No matter... she looked the part!


This was taken after the 50th goal (or so it seemed, I had lost count) was scored on them.  She cracks me up!

Running...

I'm not so sure we have the next Mia Hamm on our hands, but she is having a blast and so are we!

Monday, September 20, 2010

Monday's Random Musings

Mrs. Nurse Boy here.

It is Monday.  I am tired.  I need to straighten up the house, run some (not so fun) errands, and (of course) do a few loads of laundry.  Sounds exciting, huh?!

Time for some randomness...

* My closet is a MESS.  I really need to do something about it, but the sight of it paralyzes me.  I think I will just close the door and ignore it.

* A few weeks ago we thought we heard a squirrel in the attic.  We immediately called a company to go check out the situation.  $149 and 20 minutes later, the overpaid man in the jumpsuit tells us we have mice in the attic.  Another $16 later, Nurse Boy enters the attic with enough traps to make the mice pack up and move.  He catches nothing... because we don't have mice.  No critters.  Just some cobwebs.  And, a depleted bank account.  Apparently, we were just imagining things.

* It is expensive to use your imagination.

* Yesterday I found my husband watching football in our bedroom while laying on a pile of clean laundry.  I couldn't believe my eyes.  When I inquired as to why in the world wasn't he FOLDING the laundry, he looked surprised.  In his defense, he said he was "resting gently beside our clothes" and he was eventually going to fold them.  (Liar!)

* You will be happy to know that I let him live.

* This year the kids will be spending every Sunday evening at Awana while Nurse Boy and I will have a weekly date night.  We all are loving it!

* I NEED an eyebrow wax ASAP!  It is surprising just how happy that can make me feel.  It is an instant pick me up.

* It is starting to feel like fall and I am loving it!  And, craving all things pumpkin.

* Pumpkin + hot chocolate= 2 of my favorite fall things.  Not necessarily together.

* Bruiser pulled his first all nighter at a sleepover this weekend.  He came home in tears and begging to go straight to bed.  He spent the day redefining the word "crabby."

* Note to self:  NO MORE sleepovers for Bruiser.  My patience can't take it.

Happy Monday! 

Come back next TUESDAY for a fabulous giveaway from CSN stores!!!  Yet another chance to win an opportunity to do some online shopping for FREE!  I love giving stuff away!

Friday, September 17, 2010

Friday Fare!

Mrs. Nurse Boy here.

It is Friday.  Did you just hear me let out a sigh?  It has been one of those weeks.  This week has been bad, yucky, awful, wonderful, amazing, fun, and exhausting.  Most importantly, God has really helped me get through the week.  He has given me wisdom and encouragement when I have needed it the most. 

The beginning of every school year sparks a lot of change in our home.  This is probably the first year I have felt incredibly flexible.  My schedule looks NOTHING like I thought it would, and I am surprisingly OK with that.  The control freak in me would not have faired so well a few years back.  But, I won't take any of the credit. God gets all of the glory.  He has changed me.  He is directing me.  He has plans for me.  He has plans for my entire family.  Who am I to get in the way of that?!  I think I will just move over and let him work.

He makes everything so much easier.

Speaking of easier... Do you know what's for dinner?  I get that question from my kids several times every evening starting around 4 PM.  Truthfully, having 3 playing soccer this year, all of their after school activities, Nurse Boy's school, and my volunteer activities has made meal planning a bit frustrating.  I mean, we can heat up only so many frozen pizzas around here.

Hey, don't judge.  You, too, would resort to frozen pizza if you were living my life!

But, I have been on a mission for some SIMPLE meal ideas.  I am talking so simple, it is hardly considered a recipe.  Think:  Meal Prep.  No time or skill required.  May I introduce to you our new favorite (gotta be three different places in the next 30 minutes) meal?

MONKEY Sandwiches!

You will need:
Sliced bananas
Peanut butter (a staple in our home!)
Cinnamon Raisin Bread

1.  Toast the bread.
2.  Spread peanut butter on one side of each slice of toasted bread.
3.  Put one layer of slice bananas on the inside of the sandwich.

Add some fresh fruit and raw carrots to your plate and you have a hit on your hands!  I am not going to lie:  I enjoy this sandwich more than I care to admit.  Plus, I can have everyone fed in no time flat. 

I wonder just how many times a week they would be willing to eat this gooey goodness?

Have a wonderful weekend!

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Things That Make Me Smile

Mrs. Nurse Boy here.

I pretty much dislike shopping with my kids.  They usually find some cheap toy or sticky candy to obsess over the entire time I wrestle the shopping cart through the isles.  They have a tendency to beg for needless items while I am just trying to make sure my cart has enough ingredients for our weekly meals. 

But, there is one place I love to take the kids shopping... and, I even prefer them to beg and obsess over things while we are there...

The Bookstore! 


I love watching the boys get excited over books.  It is almost impossible for me to utter the word "no" while their eyes light up and their lips pucker up with a long, whiny "Pleasssseeeeee?"

Plus, we also enjoy some profoundly academic moments when we discover some quality literature such as this:

Yep, we are some deep thinkers around here!

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Splish-Splash

It is that time of the year again... 

The pools have officially closed.   (Boo-hoo!) 

On the bright side, my swimsuit is tucked away for another 9 months.  (Yipee!) 


Summer,


we
will


miss

your


warm

sunshine,
the smell of

sunscreen,

chlorine in our hair,

and all of the

good times.

Goodbye, Summer.  See you in 9 months!