First World Problems

I just finished reading Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys. The story is set in the 1940s, when Stalin deported Lithuanians, Latvians, Estonians, Finns, and whomever else he wished to populate Siberia and work in his corrective labor camps. I marveled at my own lack of knowledge of this brutal part of history. I am much more familiar with Hitler's crimes than Stalin's. It is a very moving story that makes me wish that I had gone to the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia when we were in Riga.

The Book Theif

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

The Diary of Anne Frank

When I read of people who survived true trials, it makes me a little embarrassed about the things my family complains about.

Just when I think it's only my kids who need an attitude adjustment, I experience my own thoughts of irritation. "It's taken me six minutes to load the six minute gluts and thighs workout. The wi-fi stinks in this room!"

Weird Al Yankovich has a youtube video about our culture and its habit of complaining. I think of Weird Al with long permed 80's style hair. Who knew he was still producing videos? I see myself and confess, "Guilty!" and switch to old school fitness magazine workouts instead. I am thankful that I have had so much to eat, that I need to exercise and not stand in line for bread rations. I am thankful that I live in an area of the world that is not being ravaged by bombs and tanks. I am thankful to be living with my family and not torn away from them. I take a breath and remember how truly truly blessed I am.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bwvlbJ0h35A

"Do all things without grumbling and complaining so that you may shine like a star in the universe as you hold forth the Word of life." Philippians 2:14

 

 

Daytona Beach- work hard, play hard

This is the face of responsibility- a picture of my man mowing the lawn before we go on vacation... At least the neighbors can enjoy the clean cut grass! I love that just for a few days, he can communicate by phone instead of going in to the office, from a lounge chair instead of a desk. I used to hate the constant access cell phones afforded. I called Andy's Blackberry of yesterday "the other woman" that kept him from being fully present on our family vacations. Now, I am just thankful to be able to take one together (and love being able to check movie times on my iPhone).

It is our family's tradition to work hard and play hard at the beach. We return to the same beach that Andy vacationed to as a child with his family. We reminiscene about becoming engaged here. Our hearts are filled with gratitude that we survived the swim diapers and drown-patrol days of being parents of toddlers. We stuff our faces with junk foods that we buy only this week of the year. The kids eat pop tarts and toaster strudels for breakfast. I pick up a chocolate croissant at Panera to enjoy with morning coffee. We snarf salty potato chips with sandwiches by the pool or by the sea. No one complains about the broken bits at the bottom of the bag. No one refuses the last sip of a water bottle. The beach makes us less choosy.

We stay up to all hours of the night finishing a good book, knowing that we can sleep in or take an afternoon nap the next day to recover. I may or may not wear make-up. Puzzle pieces are sprawled across the coffee table and laundry piles up.

We cruise the strip, and my mom tells us about days when that's about all the teenagers in her town did for entertainment - Ride around a one mile stretch seeing what everybody else was doing. We used to rent a golf cart; but, as our family size grew, we learned that we could drive our car here for a five dollar beach access pass with air condition, shade and a view! We drive up and down looking for bikes to rent and never find them, but the drive itself becomes a nice memory.

 

The kids watch gluttonous amounts of cable and Disney Channel because we don't pay for cable access at home. Andy channel surfs around and we always agree that we are not missing anything. The first five minutes we caught part of an episode of The Real Housewives of New York. The couple was in marriage counseling. The wife was crying and angry that her husband took work calls while they were on a date. I was with her for about 30 seconds. "It's about communication," she said. "You should say, 'Honey, I love you so much but I need to take this call. And since I know that this upsets you so, I will buy you a very expensive handbag to make it up to you!" I busted out laughing, and we turned it off. I don't foresee a Real Housewives of Columbia anytime in the near future.

I blog and blather about ridiculous stuff like potato chips and t.v. shows in between naps. The girls braid hair and paint nails. The boys blow stuff up in their video games. A checks his phone from time to time.

 

It's a lazy fest.

We also go crazy with working out. In and out of the pool. In and out of the ocean. Up and down the beach. Up and down the stairs. On and off the courts. In and out of the weight room. I am proud of my kids for learning to combine a bit of fitness with Disney Channel.

252 steps - a real stairmaster

I love that my man is able to unzip the Mr. Incredible suit for a few days and enjoy himself - lounging, soaking up the sun. As I sit near him under the umbrella or "Camp Davis" tent slathered in SPF 50, I pray that this week will carry him far into the work days ahead.

 

 

Peace and Quiet

Here is picture of my quiet time "nest". On a little couch by the window, I sit enjoying morning coffee. I have my Bible and a little journal where I record verses that speak to me. I have a gratitude journal where I record one thing I'm thankful for, and a five-year journal that a friend gave me, where I record a few activities of each day (to chronicle how our family is growing and changing). I have a word journal where I like to write down flavorful words...for no reason other than I like them. I have a prayer journal where I occasionally record a prayer over our family members. I have a journal for pouring out thoughts and frustrations as needed, and another journal just for sermon notes and Sunday school lessons.

I wrap up in a soft blanket. I light a scented candle. I wrap myself up in God's presence...and then my blessings come downstairs and start fighting over the cereal.

Today I discovered one more useful piece of quiet time equipment. Noise-cancellation headphones. One son is blasting Lego warriors with an opposing Lego helicopter making all the appropriate battle noises. One daughter is blowing her hair dry. One is clunking about making breakfast in the kitchen. One is looking for his bathing suit in the laundry. One is whistling. All sorts of noisy life around me, and I sit and happily type in my silence bubble. In a few minutes it will be time to drive the campers to camp, and the budding pianist to her music lesson, but for these few minutes, I sit and enjoy the peace and quiet... And my blessings can clamor on as loudly as they like!

 

The Great Outdoors

Tubing down the Saluda River with family friends

This two hour float trip turned out to be a four hour paddle trip...with only arms for paddles. We were pooped out in a good, exhausted way, but we made back it safe and sound. We are setting a personal family record for outdoorsiness this summer. Rafting, tubing, paddle boarding, kayaking, water sports, hiking, picnicking, horseback riding. We still like air conditioning, bug repellent, and hot showers, but I'm thrilled to be able to enjoy some of God's creation with my people. It's one of the ways that I connect with Him most.

I am proud of my mom for joining us on family adventures. Zip-lining is next on her retirement list.

Mimi had two of the girls sleepover last weekend and showed them her wedding dress.

A shoulder rub train is always a good idea.

Working a puzzle together at the lake

Sitting on my soul sister's back porch processing life together listening to the frogs and eating strawberries while the sun goes down.

I am thankful for every lazy, and every busy, day of summer with my family. BLT's and apple salad works for dinner. Kids giddy from squirting extra helpings of whipped cream over their fruit. Games of chess, or Wii battles, or Nerf wars. An hour to read a book for fun without feeling guilty. Days where kids can come over and play instead of meeting at the ballfield for organized team practices. Interacting with neighbors that go to different schools. Time to fall asleep slowly instead of conking out instantly from complete exhaustion. For each and every such day, I thank You, God,

 

Work and Play

This has been an in-between sort of week. Just the regular routine. No camps, no trips, extra time at home. Time to play and time to work on some domestic skills.

The boys are learning to make spaghetti sauce and peach crisps. They argued with me at the beginning. "Why can't we grow up to eat pizza and cereal all the time?" But, once they got their hands dirty, they were all smiles and pleased with how their dishes turned out.

My house is a museum of crunchy laundry this week. The dryer went out, and every available space has some drippy clothes hanging across it. My man and the internet are going to attempt to learn about circuit board repairs. We will remember to add soft, fluffy underwear to our gratitude list as a result of this detour from convenience.

What I am reading:

"We forget that each person is a mystery to be explored and appreciated, someone with whom we can connect and for whom we can pray." - chapter 5 "Being Present for Others" in Jan Johnson's Enjoying the Presence of God book.

I enjoyed my children today. I enjoyed them when we drove to music lessons and training sessions. I enjoyed going to Target together. I enjoyed reading books together and going to the library. I enjoyed singing songs from musicals at the top of our lungs driving back and forth down the highway. I enjoyed playing "restaurant" when the girls wanted to pretend that they were chefs and servers. We even lit candles and played soft music for ambience.

I enjoyed that they are at an age where they can entertain themselves upstairs while I laid out laundry all over our house to dry. I enjoyed them...until I took one look at the wreckage of their rooms and found them all camped in front of the t.v. with shoes and pillows and blankets dumped in every direction. Stuff strewn from here to there. Trash on the floor and not in the trash can. No one in the least bit concerned, but completely absorbed in the tales of King Arthur. One glance and something inside me snapped. Fun mom turned into army sergeant mom. All business. Show's over.

They vacuumed up hamster litter and fingernail glitter. They picked up 1000 rainbow loom bands, Legos, and marbles from the marble chutes. They washed dishes and emptied trash cans. They cleaned the van. They cleaned the silly string that one child sprayed over every surface he could find in the yard and garage. The boys cloroxed the floor where someone had mis-aimed in a hurry (probably to get back to the t.v.) and an enormous blob of gum that never made it into the trash can. We pulled socks and underwear out from under the beds. More than once a child asked if I was ok. "No," I replied, "and you will never see the television again if your rooms look like this." I was not kidding.

We finished well. I calmed down from my cleaning fury. We put the house back in acceptable (though not perfect) order. We read another story and gave goodnight hugs and kisses. I still don't know if they will ever care about cleanliness and order themselves, but at least I will know they have some skills to manage their own chaos.

I pray that we will find the balance between work and play. That I will teach them well, but not spend so much time managing them that I forget to enjoy them and appreciate them...We'll see how I do tomorrow...and how long those rooms stay clean.

 

 

Last Weekend

My boy is all speed and action on the water

Coaching a friend on technique

I'm more of a paddler....stroke....stroke....

What a great way to spend an afternoon....active fun with friends

This past weekend offered more rainy, stay on the couch weather. That was much needed to.

We are trying to get the kids to become more aware of their screen time usage. Days can go by in a blur of digital entertainment. Some of that in summer is fun, but we are trying to instill in them that life is about more than one's personal entertainment devices. I guess we'll see when they are older which lessons stick.

Here is a snapshot of me organizing a binder of choreography notes for my fitness classes. In the background my family is playing a game of "tickle finger", screaming and chasing one another in the dark. A downpour and a screen time budget didn't stop these guys for a moment.

We enjoyed more delicious peaches

And the girls continue to churn out waffles, fried rice, and one minute lower carb egg sandwiches.

Loving our church and faith community

 

We caught an outdoor showing of 101 Dalmatians

We made out like bandits at the friends of the library booksale

Thanks Grandmama and Granddaddy for getting us in to use our coupons. For thirteen years we have participated in the summer reading program at the library, and only twice have we actually made it to the sale to redeem the free book coupon that the kids win. Score!

 

Cultivating an awareness of God

There is a small index card in my closet that reads "Cultivate a life more perceptive of God". My creative friend gave me this number seven (thinking of us, as in "Davis, party of seven"). I have decided to use it as a reminder of the Psalms that read "Seven times a day, I will praise you." (Psalm 119:164) Each time I walk by, I will attempt to stop and redirect my thoughts towards the One I love. Sometimes in the midst of broken musical instruments, fender benders, bickering children, sticky watermelon juice exploding all over the kitchen, and possibly pregnant hamsters, I lose my focus and warm fuzzy feelings of communion. I explode in a huff of mama frustration more like Jesus calling the Pharisees a brood of vipers than Jesus snuggling the little children on His lap. A little physical reminder might do just the trick to stay more connected to God in the distracting and irritating moments too.

Borrowing a "loaner" guitar from church when ours mysteriously turned up like this....did someone step on it? In a house with five kids, it remains a mystery.

Thankful that my husband wasn't injured when someone ran into him yesterday

Saying adieu to a soul sister friend moving to Texas-

marveling at the great strides she has made to follow God whole-heartedly

Thankful to have walked beside her for part of the journey

Thankful for cut flowers that look this pretty after a week of gracing my table, and for the one who gave them to me

Seeing God in ordinary stuff like Disney movies about bitter fairies

My children have no idea why I am teary-eyed during scenes between Maleficent and Aurora. Perhaps one day, when they are parents and experience mama-love they will sense having been watched over too.