Things that go bump in the night!

The picture you see above is the over-sized chair and ottoman, right next to our front door, that my 10 yr. old has made his bed since I came home after breaking my arm. Of course right now its covered with all of the pillows and blankets I need to pile somewhere when I'm awake but normally it would have a precious little boy sleeping, or trying to sleep, so he can be near his momma.

This is a picture of what my friend Krista called my "set-up" The fan (because that leather is miserably hot), the chair side table that holds my laptop, exterior keyboard and mouse that can be moved to my lap easier than the heavy laptop, the Google TV controller, the ever important back scratcher and a bucket of pens and such for whatever I may be working on. These are all of the things I keep at my side while I wastw the days away in this recliner.

This last picture is one of myself and my sweet Gracie, snuggled up in my temporary bed/office/dining room. Ok, she's snuggled up, I'm spread out across every inch of this silly chair!

You might wonder why I'm showing you these things, well I want you to have a visual image in your mind as I tell you this story.

Several nights ago I am awakened by the sound of my little man getting up off of the chair and walking to the front door. As he begins to turn the lock I question exactly what he thinks he's doing. After several minutes of mumbled answers and my finally getting him to RE-lock the door and lie back down I realize he was sleep walking! He has NEVER done this before and I can only explain it with how exhausted he has been trying to tend to my every need, waking up every time I do and getting me readjusted and back in my chair with every trip to the bathroom overnight. Thinking this was a one time, one person incident we didn't worry too much about it, we just made sure we locked the storm door every night that he can't unlock by himself.

Well a couple of nights ago, after a long day of physical therapy I took two Tylenol PM. I usually take two but I'm guessing I was OVERLY tired this particular night, so it's effects were a little out of character for me.

About 3am I wake up and realize that little black bucket full of pens and markers and SCISSORS, is lying on my chest. A few hours earlier when helping get me settled, Randy had moved the bucket to the end table up against the wall. So in my partially awake state I thought I had been helping him and just fallen asleep with it in my hands. So, I place it back on the table and go back to sleep. Around 5am I wake up to find a highlighter in it's place. Then later that morning when I finally woke up for the day I get up from my chair to find it full of markers!!

What exactly was I doing cuddled up with my office supplies? Who knows! Randy thinks I was trying to get a drink and grabbed the wrong "cup" then fell back to sleep before putting it back on the table.

My theory? I'm not really sure WHAT I was doing but I DO KNOW that whatever it was it would have been amazing! LOL

Needless to say, THE PEOPLE are the things going bump in the night at our house!!

A Silver Lining

Recently someone reminded me to find a silver lining to all of the time I've had to spend in my recliner. Eating, sleeping, reading, working, family time... all from this silly chair!
Well, finding a silver lining is just what I've done!
I have had time to organize this year's subjects and plan a few weeks worth of lessons, go through piles of paperwork and magazines that I have been putting off for months, make all new labels for our work boxes and the supply boxes in my craft room, as well as dig out all of the important papers I wanted to file in my Mom's Household Binder. Aside from the closets that are in serious need of some attention I feel like a new woman, or at least a better organized woman! I have always said that my predilection to organization was more of a sickness than a gift but in recent months (or years) I have let MY life take a backseat to everyone else.I may have mentioned that I have a problem with saying "No", but what I don't think I've mentioned is that I tend to not just take on too much, but I also allow it to take OVER! If I agree to do something I takes control until I feel like I've accomplished it.
I can't say I'm grateful to have a broken arm right now, but I can say that I'm grateful that it's causing me to put the needs of my own life back where they belong, in the drivers seat!

I swear I AM NOT praying for patience!!

So, how many times have we all been warned not to pray for patience? I know I've heard it a lot over the years. Well, the funny thing about God is that he tends to dole out lessons in areas where HE thinks we need to grow, not necessarily where we WANT to grow! So whether I'm asking for more patience or not, when He decides I need it, I get it!

The latest thing I'm learning about myself is that I am not a patient person! I'm pretty sure I've always known this, Lord knows my family definitely has, but recently it's been brought to my attention almost on a daily basis!

Being almost completely dependent on those around you doesn't just mean you have to let them help you. It means you have to let them do it their way, on their time, all the while remaining grateful for it. One of our family's favorite movies is The Pacifier. The line I quote most from this movie is this:

"It's my way, no highway option."

This statement rolls all that is Candie up in a neat little package. My way is always the best, most thought out, and easiest to accomplish... so I think. Lately though, I'm learning that just because my way is right for me, doesn't mean it's right for everyone! Funny that I haven't already learned this lesson. After all, isn't that part of the homeschool mother's creed? Our children need teaching to their strengths and interests, they need to be treated as individuals, they need to learn how THEY learn!

Well, doesn't the same apply to everything in life? Could I be harboring a double standard? Well if so, surely I'm right about it, surely I couldn't be mistaken!

NEWS FLASH: God made us all different! Not just red and yellow, black and white, but in everything, in our hearts and our habits!

The people in your life may not put the dishes away where YOU think they should, they may not move as quickly as you would like and they may not do the things you ask in JUST the way you had expected, but the bottom line is that they are doing it!

My family has had to help me get comfortable in the recliner again with all 15 pillows every time I get up to go to the restroom. They have had to bring me that exact item from the exact spot I sent them to, even if my memory was wrong. They have had to fix me glasses of water with a full cup of ice because that's how I like it. And they have done all these things with a smile, something I cannot say for myself. I have been short with them, I have gotten frustrated and I have spat out my orders more times than I care to admit.

Yet they're still here, still helping, still taking it. That's not to say they will ALWAYS be here. It's important for me to learn NOW that I should appreciate their help regardless what form it comes in. This is the lesson I think my God is teaching me right now. He wants me to understand that humans are not as forgiving as He is, that there IS a limit to their willingness to help, "under fire" if you will. Not only does He want me to see that He will always be here and will come back blow after blow, but that others may not and it's my job to emulate Him.

That's part of being created in His image. Luckily for me, my immediate caregivers know God's love but will they always remember it? That is something I cannot control but showing my Lord's love and mercy is the beginning to ensuring they won't turn away from Him.

Have you shown His love this week? Let me challenge you to do JUST THAT! And not just to those you think NEED it, but to everyone in your life, especially those who don't always get your best!