Birthday Buddies

My sweet Will and I share a birthday. When people first find out about this, they usually say something like "How sweet" or "Isn't that fun" ... but I get the biggest kick out of "Did you plan it that way?" YEAH RIGHT!!!
Will's due date was June 26th. My sweet mama flew out to California to stay with us on my due date. Because most babies are born near their due date, if not before, right!?! Well, the next week and 6 days were the longest re-arranging the nursery, re-washing the baby clothes, and re-packing the hospital bags days of my life! Finally, 12 days past my due date, the Dr said those wonderful words ... we're going to induce you. So early on July 9th Johnny and I headed to the hospital with our bags, the diaper bag, our carseat, and hearts full of anticipation. The induction didn't work, and around 5 pm, Johnny and I headed back home with our bags, the diaper bag, our carseat, and hearts full of frustration!!! I was convinced I would be pregnant FOREVER. Well to spare you all of the details ... I went into labor on my own around midnight on July 9th and after 20 hours and 20 minutes of labor, it was finally apparent that Will really was going to make an entrance into the world. The kind labor nurse leaned over and asked "Is it okay with you that your son is going to share your birthday?" I didn't know whether to laugh, cry, or scream. I surely had no idea what day it was at this point ... it's probably good I was wearing an oxygen mask! So at 8:25 pm on July 10th, 2004 William Thomas Schloss made his grand entrance and an everlasting imprint on his mama's heart!
Will, I love sharing my birthday with you. You ARE the best birthday gift I've ever gotten!
Oh, and if you are wondering ... I did get to eat cake on my 25th birthday. Remember, I told you my mama came to take care of us. There's never been a better Mom/Mimi!

My Accidental "Green" Experiment

I love paper products ... paper plates to be more specific. Can you guess where this is going? Yep, I ran out of paper plates and at the MOST inopportune time. It's been at least 175 degrees here lately and I have not wanted to schlepp the kiddos in and out of the H-O-T car not to even mention how much fun it is to shop at Wally World with my precious babies when the temperature is normal. SO, I thought I could probably get by for a few days without my beloved paper plates until I could do what every mom of young children dreams about ... grocery shop by myself!!! Well, there was a small change of plans. Some friends needed to leave town quickly for a funeral and John and I were more than happy to host their three kids for the weekend. I was more than happy until I opened the pantry to serve my first meal to five kids.

Dun. Dun. Dun. NO PAPER PLATES!!!

Well, I survived. I now know the full potential of my dishwasher. (That's the Pollyanna in me :o) And I now love paper plates even more. I somehow managed to wait a few more days after our house guests left ... still determined to get some alone time! After 1 whole week, the pantry was re-stocked and more importantly, I now have 462 dixie paper plates just waiting to be used!

Grand Re-Opening

A fresh start, a new beginning, take two ... whatever you want to call it, I've decided to give blogging another try. Over the last few months (okay, many months) one or two people have mentioned that I haven't posted anything. I had no idea ANYONE was reading this! Since then, I've really enjoyed following a few blogs but my real inspiration to give it another go came a few weeks ago when I was reading my sister-in-law's blog and noticed on the sidebar that she had a link to mine!!! I regularly click on people's "blogs I follow" list (although I have no idea how to put one on my blog ... Matt). That is the moment that I knew I couldn't have someone clicking on that link only to find a pitiful, dried up blog. So, thanks, Abigail ... really, I mean it!

Ain't no other like MY brother

Brothers are best ... well mine is! I've loved that boy from the second he was born (sidenote: I wanted a sister until the second he was born, but I quickly changed my mind!). He was my baby as far as I was concerned. Since I was the mature age of 5 1/2 when he arrived, I already knew everything I needed to know about taking care of a baby. He winked at me and I was sure he must be the smartest baby that ever lived. I remember it like it was yesterday. He was only a few weeks old and he was laying on his back in his play pen. I would hang on the side of that play pen just watching his every move and then it happened ... he winked at me and I knew we'd be best buds for all time. When he was the ripe old age of 2, we (he and I) began his education. Our classroom (my bedroom) was the perfect environment for me to teach him everything I knew and I did. I corrected his work with my mom's very best red pen (she was a teacher so she had plenty to spare!) and then I sent him back to his room with homework. He loved it and I take all the credit for his SAT scores and full scholarship to college. :o) As he grew older, he taught me how to shoot a basketball, fight with a sword (foam swords, of course), and how to set the perfect pirate traps (we lived in a very dangerous neighborhood!). He came to all of my choir concerts and school programs and he loved it, or at least pretended to. When I left for college, I wondered how things would change. We talked on the phone pretty regularly and he even wrote me several letters! I would drive home for his football games, and I'm sure I was his biggest fan. Years have past now but I love how some things stay the same. He called yesterday - yep, he called me, usually does, I should work on that! I love seeing his number on caller ID. It means that we're gonna catch up. We usually talk for 45 minutes to an hour. Not only does he love to talk, but he's a great listener. He's very smart but he also REALLY cares. I love that boy! (Oh, and for the record, he picked an awesome wife ... or maybe she picked him ... either way, my sister-in-law, you know that sister I was hoping for, she rocks!)

New Year's Resolutions

Sometimes I've wondered if New Year's resolutions are really worth it. I can't really think of one I've ever kept for a whole year. Even so, I decided to give it another try this year - I have 3. I am hopeful that I will be able to give a positive report this time next year. One of them is to read the Bible through this year. I got a Chronological Bible this Christmas and so far I'm really liking it. Yesterday, I was reading about Noah and I wanted a little more info, so I got out my study Bible and what I found in the notes has really made an impression on me, so I thought I'd share:
"For Noah, obedience meant a long-term commitment to a project (120 years to build the ark!). Many of us have trouble sticking to any project, whether or not it is directed by God. It is interesting that the length of Noah's obedience was greater than the lifespan of people today. The only comparable long-term project is our very lives. But perhaps this is one great challenge Noah's life gives us - to live in acceptance of God's grace, an entire lifetime of obedience and gratitude." Study notes from The Life Application NIV Study Bible

I think I need to take my commitments more seriously - starting with my New Year's resolutions!

Are your eyes fixed on Jesus?

I'm not sure why I didn't notice before. Well, I noticed, but I didn't think about it. Every time I would walk past the table at our front door, I would see that the nativity pieces had been moved. I'd quickly fix them back and go on about my day (I was most likely doing laundry - I'm ALWAYS doing laundry!) The next time I'd walk by, there they were again all moved around. Then I saw that the same thing was happening with 2 other nativity sets I had out. Baby Jesus would be in the middle of the stable and EVERYONE else was crowded around Him pushed up as close as they could get to Him. As I stood there "fixing" the nativity scene, Will came around the corner and said, "Mom, they came to see Jesus!" Lord, thank you for blessing me with this precious, smelly, dirt covered, LOUD, knock-knock joke telling, won't eat a thing his mama cooks for him 5 year old boy. He gets it ... we're here to see Jesus.

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith..." Hebrews 12:2

Unexpected Christmas

This Christmas was not what I expected it to be. Our sweet Kate got a stomach bug the day we left to FLY to Virginia. Unfortunately, all four of us got "the bug" and passed it on to our family in Virginia and Georgia - no fun. There were no big Christmas dinners, the time for opening presents was frequently interrupted, and extended family decided that they would wait to see us another time (who could blame them?). As I was wrapped up under piles of blankets trying desperately to stay warm, I wondered, why did all of this have to happen. Then I was gently reminded that a change of attitude would serve me well. Will came over to sit with me and said, "Mom, this is my best Christmas EVER!!!" I couldn't help but think of Mary and all of the unexpected things that happened in her life leading up to that first Christmas. Many of them most likely came with negative consequences, frustrating circumstances, and many a chance to complain but Mary's response was simply, "I am the Lord's servant, may it be to me as you have said." Luke 1:38 I bet it was her best Christmas EVER!!