{seeds and weeds}

It's about that time again...time to order seeds, pull out the little pots, fill them with soil, and plant the seeds. What a great science lesson for kids! Last weekend, Chad spied a little "greenhouse" dome with 6 small pots, 6 pellets, and some cactus seeds. He begged me to buy it and help him plant the seeds. About an hour after completing the process, he crawled up to the counter and cried, "nothing is up yet!" I explained that it will take a while for them to sprout. Every morning, he has made note that the seeds are not working. What a surprise he will have when he finally sees a cactus "pop up." He got really excited 2 weeks ago when he found a dead fly in his venus fly trap- LOL.

This weekend, we are ordering seeds from my favorite company:  http://www.seedsofchange.com/ 

--the company my cousin John Steiner works for in their research and preservation of heirloom seeds. He recommends the yacon, so I'm going to try it this year.

Chad's request is for the Chadwick Cherry tomato. He was delighted when he found his name in the catalog. He also asked for his favorite vegetable: asparagus, but was deflated when I told him it takes a few years for that to be ready. Katelyn's only request is peas. Last year, she ate the whole crop. Whenever we couldn't locate her in the house, we would find her in the pea patch harvesting the green M&M's. My absolute favorite is the yellow pear cherry tomato. Each year, I let the last crop of green beans dry out, and save them for seed the next year. This will be my 4th summer to do this. Another highlight of our garden is the magic pumpkins. Last year, we grew four 100-pound pumpkins. But the magic was in the skin...Jonathan and I used a pocket knife to etch "Chad" and "Kate" in the skin of the pumpkins. The skin scabbed over to form white letters. Chad informed me, "God knows my name, b/c he wrote it on my pumpkin!"

Needless to say, we have a good garden times.

{family pics}

I must admit, I am REALLY BAD about getting family pictures taken. It's one of those things that gets forgotten in the rush to get the kids to school, get to work, have fun with the family, try to get into school, remodel the house, etc... It may also have something to do with hating studios and posed pictures. I like candid shots better. So I have avoided family pictures like the plague. Then one day, I was coming down the stairs in our house and laid eyes on our last family picture hanging there. Chad was 3 months old. Wow! Could it really have been that long ago? Chad is 5 now. 

About that time, a friend of mine got family pictures taken. Jonathan and I liked them so much, we promptly made an appointment. But where to go in Denver outdoors in January? Downtown of course...to Union Station. 

{national western stock show}

It was a day both our husbands were busy, so Alyssa (my cousin) and I decided to bundle up the kids and take them to the National Western Stock Show...not knowing what to expect. The expedition involved tons of people in crowded buildings, lots of walking, cotton candy, and 4 trips to the bathroom. Nonetheless, we had quite the fun. We watched sheep dogs rounding sheep a pen, enjoyed a bit of a rodeo, pet some animals, rode ponies, and came face to face with many farm/ranch animals- including HUGE stock horses. All in all, the adventure was a success, and I know we'll have to do it again next year...but maybe on a weekday instead.

{change in game plan}

What is the difference between those who desire something noble and can't attain it through no fault of their own, and those who desire something noble and can?

So last August, I applied to Texas Wesleyan Nurse Anesthesia School. This has always been in my career path, but had not taken shape as a concrete goal. Until recently, nurse anesthesia school was not even remotely possible. I prayed about it consistently, but no window of opportunity opened. Take having kids, for example. And then, the fact that there is no nurse anesthesia school in the state we love most! And also my husband having a job that he very much enjoys. Then I found out that there is one school with primary clinical sites in Colorado. Actually, I found out minutes before Jonathan's surgery in August, from the nurse anesthesia who was on his case. So I applied, meeting the deadline by the skin of my nose, or however it goes... I was granted 2 interviews in December. Then the wait was on. As the time to hear back drew closer, this life change became the subject of most of Jon and I's conversations. I found myself putting off quite a few things until I heard back from TW- down to little things like taxes, a vacation, and ordering seeds for the garden... Each day, I grew more excited about the possibility of getting accepted and starting school, but reminded myself that they choose 125 out of 400 interviewed. Still, I anticipated success, planned out most of the details, and made preparations to make preparations.

All of which were put on hold indefinitely last night when I received a letter regretfully informing me that I had not been accepted. But they do wish me luck in the future! My first thought was that I have alot to do to get ready this year and apply to more places. My second reaction (when Jonathan gave me a big hug) was to cry. I didn't even realize how high I had thrown my hopes. And now, I must go on and try again. I've never really failed at anything this big. Until now. But was it failure? Maybe the timing was wrong. Or perhaps there is a better school?- there is one in Wichita, which I now plan to apply too. Alot to think about, to ponder, and re-assess. For now, my plan is to make every day count; to spend as much time as possible with Jonathan, Chad, and Katelyn; to go back to the ICU; take a stats course and CCRN; and to re-apply to at least 3 schools. And to keep praying.

Signing off...

{sun and moon}

Jonathan and I wonder at times what our dear children learn at school. Oh, they come home with crafts, some homework on letters, activities, etc... But this morning, the question on whether they retain the information was clearly answered.

We're on the way to school this morning. As Mr. Sun (Kate calls him this) shines bright in their eyes, a conversation strikes up in the back seat. Or rather, a debate between 2 young minds on whether or not the sun and moon have faces. Then they ask me to clear up the situation.

I answer: "Sometimes the moon looks like it has a face. But the moon really reflects light from the sun."
Chad: "Is there more than one sun?
Me: "Not in our solar system."
Katelyn: "Does the sun and moon have a family?"
Chad answers matter-of-factly: "Yes, 9 brothers and sisters: the planets, like Mars. And God is the dad." (No mom, I guess)
Katelyn: "What is the sun made of?"
Me: "It's actually a big ball of fire."
Chad asks: "Does it melt down into the sky?"
I'm about to answer, when Katelyn figures it all out with "IF THE SUN IS ON FIRE, THEN THE SUN NEEDS TO STOP, DROP, AND ROLL!!!"

{fire and ice}

It's 10 degrees outside. Do you think we would stay in?

NO

That would be simpler, but not as much fun!

We bundled up the kids until they resembled Ralphie's little brother Randy on A Christmas Story, and headed out to Park Meadows for a chilly night of ice carving, fire juggling, hot chocolate, sleigh rides, Santa, and fireworks. The kids had so much fun, they never even mentioned they were cold. We were surrounded by the warm spirit of Christmas, dazzling lights, talented magicians, and enchanting fire and ice. Afterwards, we went home, watched a movie, and ate popcorn. It seems we are gradually transitioning from the dependent, whiny, stay-home phase to the independent, adventurous, making-great-memories stage.

YEA!!!

I don't know about you, but it is an interesting concept explaining to children the difference between the Christmas season and the actual Christmas day. Most mornings they ask us, "Is it the most special day, or still just the season?" The answer finally came from school, when they sent home a Santa Claus with a beard full of circles. Every day, we glue on a cotton ball. Christmas day comes after the last one is glued on. The last cotton ball also corresponds with the day we leave for Grandma's house- over the corn fields and through the ice...

{creative conversations}

Lately, we've had quite the creative conversations between curious minds. They go something like this:

Chad: "When I grow up, I'm going to have 5 kids. How many will you have Kate?"
Kate: "2, like mommy."
Chad: "Well, mommy is going to have more. I wish I could have 50 kids, but that would break my house!"

Katelyn mixing the tunes of "Frosty the Snowman" with the second line of "Joy to the World" was singing all day yesterday: "Frosting the Snowman, the Lord has come..."

Chad: "We give presents for Christmas, cause that's what the wise men gave Jesus. That's how I know I'm getting GOLD for Christmas."

Katelyn taking a shower for the first time, has her back to the water and keeps looking down. With water cascading over her head and into her face, she is crying. I encourage her to step forward and look up.
She sobs "But Mom, it's coming from the up!!!"

Chad's breakfast prayer: "Help bless me to be nice to my sister, help bless me to obey mommy and daddy, thank you for the food, and help mommy to make me a brother. Amen."

Katelyn's breakfast prayer right after that: "Help bless me to be nice to my brother, help bless me to obey mommy and daddy, help bless me to not have any more brothers. Amen."

Chad: "Do butterflies eat butter?"

Katelyn: "Mom, what are you doing?" (Chad and I are arranging wooden shapes into pictures)
Me: "I'm using my imagination."
Katelyn: "What is imadinatin?"
Chad: "It's like when I make a girl-eater with tinkertoys and eat you."
Later I walk in to find Katelyn in my makeup bag applying this and putting on that.
I gasp "What are you doing?"
Katelyn: "Using my imadinatin."

And the best of all, while Jon was reading and Chad lying on the top of the couch, Chad broke the silence with:
Chad to Jonathan: "Is it true that people go to hell when they die if they don't have God in their hearts?"
Jonathan: "Yes it is."
Chad to Jonathan: "I want to ask God in my heart."