UNBELIEVABLE!!!

There were many titles that I considered for this post like, "Hallelujah! " "Too Good To Be True," "Potty in the U.S.A.," and even "It Is Not Supposed To Be This Easy."

I have hesitated to write this post because I was afraid I would jinx myself. Do you remember the post about the Poop Fest that Isaiah and Laila had exactly 11 days ago. As horrible as that day was, it actually was the beginning of something beautiful.

Laila has been very resistant to the idea of potty training. I gave her some Princess Tiana panties for her 2nd Bday. When she realized what they were, she threw them across the room in anger. She didn't want to have anything to do with them. Any time going potty had been mentioned to her over the last few months, she would grumpily shout, "No!" I just have not had the energy to engage it so I kind of put January in my mind as the time to really go for it.

When I have potty trained the other 5 children, it is quite the ordeal. I use the "Toilet Training In Less Than A Day" method. It is quick and intense. When they were actually ready, all of my kids have potty trained within a week of introducing it. My girls actually did it in 2 days. It requires that I basically devote a week of my time to focus solely on potty training with that particular child. I have supplies that I have to get together like treats, a baby doll, potty seat, underwear, etc.

I feel like I can officially say that Laila is potty trained!!!!!!(I can't put enough exclamation points to fully express my delight). But, I really can't take credit. I have not had to work very hard at all on this one, and it was quite surprising.

Let's go back to that horrid day of the Poop Fest. When the big kids came home from school, I told them all about the ordeal. Lauren immediately went to Laila and said, "Laila, are you ready to be a big girl and use the potty and wear your Princess Tiana panties?" Laila responded with a fervent, "YES!" Lauren took her to the potty and Laila proceeded to poop and pee!! It was AMAZING!!

11 days later, she has continued potty training herself. We have had 5 days without accidents even including adventures outside the house. She has made it through shopping trips, at someone else's house, and even at church. I can't even believe this. I am so glad to have this done. It was so easy and my girls were such a big help.

Laila's first time on the potty.

Lauren entertained her by letting her comb her hair.

She is now so proud of her Princess Tiana Panties

We have lots of fun potty songs we sing. She ASKS to go potty. It really is a beautiful thing. I also get to save money in my grocery budget now.

She is still wearing diapers at night and during nap. She wasn't thrilled about that, but once again, Lauren to the rescue. She came up with the idea that we could put her diaper on and then put her panties over the diaper. That has worked perfectly, and Laila still thinks she is wearing her panties.

This is a huge milestone!! It feels so good to have it done. I never imagined it would be so easy this time!!

Hallowing, A.K.A. Halloween

When my older kids were younger, they called "Halloween," "Hallowing" so that is what we affectionately call Oct. 31 each year. They LOVE getting dressed up and going trick 0r treating. It is so much fun to get together with friends for this big event.

Presenting our crazy crew of "Hallowingers"

Sam as Yoda

Cody as a football player

Abby as a monkey zookeeper

Isaiah as Woody the Cowboy

Laila as a puppy dog complete with barking sound effects

Lauren as a soccer player

Our crazy crew

We actually did more than just dress up. We went to the Fowlers' house, had some yummy gumbo, salad and cookies, then went out to explore the neighborhood.

Isaiah and Laila had a blast. Isaiah felt the need to have a discussion with each person at their door. After every house, Laila would run to her daddy and say, "I got treats, Daddy."

All the big boys went out together on their own!! That was big stuff for them. I think the favorite treat handed out at one of the houses was sodas.

The girls went out with the little ones and once the little ones were tired, we took them out again. We couldn't find the house with the sodas which was a huge disappointment to them.

The kids love to come back to the house together, pour out all of their candies, organize them and begin the trading. They get rid of the stuff they don't want or can't have(Cody can't have gluten) and get some they like instead. Along the way, they even slip mom and dad a few of their favorite pieces.

When the evening was all said and done, we had 6 pumpkins full of candy!!! We are pacing ourselves. After a week, I usually have them pick out their 10 favorite pieces of what is left and we get rid of the rest in some way.

Happy 7th Birthday, House!!

On Sat. night, we celebrated our house. We moved into this house 7 years ago. I kind of thought that we would not be celebrating this house again since we had it on the market this year, but God had other plans for us. We see His Hand now in our house not selling. This house continues to be a blessing in our lives, and God has used it in so many ways to provide for us. So, for now, we continue to celebrate the Big Blue House on Oct. 30th!

Our celebration started with dinner out at Cracker Barrel

Isaiah told Rick recently, "Daddy, I want to be just like you!"

That was a huge milestone in their relationship.

Cody is determined to win the "Peg Game."

Checkers for Abby and Sam.

Laila and "Yoyipop"(Lollipop)

Rockin'

After we eat out, our tradition is to come home, watch "It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown," carve pumpkins, and eat roasted pumpkin seeds.

Carving pumpkins is serious business around here.

Everyone gets a turn in scooping out the seeds and gunk!

When the TV is on, Isaiah is mesmerized.

There was total chaos going on around him, but he was focused on Charlie Brown!

"Cheese!"

Each year, we work together on a design.

Then, Rick does the carving.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds: Half Salted, Half Cinnamon Sugar

Isaiah had a pumpkin from church that Lauren carved. She carved her name and Isaiah's name.

Abby had a pumpkin from school. She carved the shape of Africa in it.

The big one was the family pumpkin.

Spooooky!

It was a great night. We are so thankful for the blessing of a home. We have made a lot of memories in this place!!

Sick Babies

I have 4 children that are "under the weather" today.

Lauren is on her third round of strep in the last 6 weeks

Sam is recovering from strep and having tummy problems

Isaiah and Laila have been running low-grade fevers

for the last 2 days

There is a lot of cuddling, movie watching, jammie wearing, and hot tea/hot chocolate drinking going on around here. Hopefully we can pull out of this sickness slump soon.

Embracing New Beginnings

Rick had his first day at his new job yesterday. We began our new life. It was exciting and a bit scary all at the same time.

Something felt different when he came home last night. I cooked dinner. We were all here. We talked with excitement about his first day and what is to come.

When he came home, he didn't bring his work with him in any shape or form. We just talked about it and moved on. That is a totally new concept around here. (Now, I realize it is just the first day, but if the first day had not gone well, that would be a huge concern!)

God fulfilled a promise that He gave me 2 years ago yesterday as well. He is so faithful. It required a huge step of faith and obedience from me. There were so many times when I doubted and questioned if I had heard Him right. It took Him longer to fulfill than I expected. I can see His timing so clearly now. He had purpose in that 2 years of waiting. I am so thankful when He allows me to see Him and His work in this way.

When I asked myself the question this morning, "What do I HAVE to do today?" The answer was "love my children well." I will probably get some things done around the house, but that is a bonus at this point.

I am home with sick children today instead of going to MOPs. In the past, that would have totally derailed me. Today, instead of being frustrated or angry about it, I am embracing the chance to care for my kids. It is a privilege that I get to be at home with them. I am CHOOSING to love and care for them well today.

It is so freeing to be in this place emotionally. Today is a good day of processing for me. Tomorrow will bring new challenges, but for today, I will rest in the peace that I feel as a mom and wife.

October Challenge - How did it go?

October is over, but my challenge of simplifying is far from over.

I accomplished a lot, but there is so much more still to do. So, I am continuing it into November.

My house is still cluttered, but not as cluttered as it was before.

This challenge took on a whole different meaning than I ever imagined it would. It was more about decluttering my attention, my heart, and my involvements than it was about my house.

You see, I will probably always have decluttering to do at my house. I could be consumed by it. It could monopolize my time. By the time I get through the whole house, I need to start back over and begin again. This does not mean that I will stop decluttering my house. If anything, I feel an even stronger need to do it after the events of this month.

What it does mean is that I cannot let decluttering my house become the ultimate goal. It also means that it is not a project that I can isolate to one month. I just can't do it that fast. So, I continue. Lauren and Abby's room, Isaiah and Laila's room, and my room are almost done. I hope to do the finishing touches on them this week. Next, I tackle Cody and Sam's room, my kitchen, and the basement.

The bigger work of simplifying that has happened in my life this month has been a work in my heart by God. With all of the changes in our life right now, new job for Rick and all that means for us, God has called me to step back. This has been so painful for me. I don't want to give up the opportunities for ministry that I do. I don't want to lose that lifeline. I am fulfilled by it.

What I have realized is that really, I am burnt out. Ministry has gotten the best of me and my family has been given the leftovers. I started realizing this back in the spring and took action over the summer. With fall settling in, I have slipped back into my old habits of putting ministry before everything.

I have fought it. I have cried. I have wrestled with God over this one. In the end, I know that He knows what is best for me and my family. Right now, that is focusing on them. I am pulling out of everything that takes away from them for a season. I need it. They need it.

The past week alone has been the perfect example. Over the last week, I have had 3 children with strep throat, 2 more with unexplained fevers, and 1 with severe headaches. That is all 6 of my kids. In addition, I had some kind of cold thing for a couple of days, and now it has hit Rick as well. I had to pull back from commitments. I had to be at home with them.

In the past, these kinds of things were a real irritation to me. They mess up my plans. They keep me from doing what I had on my schedule. Then, I end up feeling more frustrated. That is not fair to my family.

My new mantra: "What HAS to be done today?" Not, "What would I like to accomplish?" The other questions I am asking myself over and over are, "How important is this?" and "Does this really matter?"

This pulling back will be at least a 3-month thing for me. I am not committing to anything new. I am not filling my days with meetings and events. I am finishing some things I have started on a very limited basis. I am going to spend more time at home. I am going to focus more on my kids and husband and ME!!

I need to heal. I need to be healthy. My lack of balance in ministry has damaged me and my family. I am in a downward spiral that only I can stop.

What started out as a very fearful thing to me few weeks ago, now feels like a relief. I am relieved to be able to say, "no." I am feeling some hope about the future. I need to experience those things in my life right now. There are so many things at home that weigh me down because I am too busy to do them. I don't cook enough. My house is always a mess. There are so many projects I never get to. I feel the burden of these things whenever I am at home.

I am determined to make our home a refuge. It should be that way.

So, the October Challenge and all that God chose to do in our lives over the last month has so much purpose for me. It will be hard for me to stay committed to pulling back. I have already had several opportunities present themselves that I had to turn down. It was so hard. Having this avenue of sharing will help hold me accountable.

Jeremiah 15:19 says, "If you return then I will restore you-before Me you will stand; and if you extract the precious from the worthless, you will become My spokesman."

That is what I am going to be about this next 3 months, "returning to my calling and extracting the precious from the worthless!"

Glen Eyrie

Lauren had a field trip to Glen Eyrie on Friday. I am not a huge fan of field trips, but this one was really good. I am so glad I was able to go. Glen Eyrie Castle was the home of General Palmer, the founder of Colorado Springs. It is over 100 years old. It is now owned by the Navigators and is used for conferences and training. I had been to Glen Eyrie for tea and to show visitors periodically, but I had never been on a tour and had no idea of the history of it.

The weather was beautiful. Here is the a picture of the castle:

Lauren

CO Scenery

We toured the castle and learned all about the history of it and the Palmer family. It reminds me of some of the homes like "My Old Kentucky Home" that I have toured back east. I enjoy seeing the "modern" advances that they had in these older homes. General Palmer was wealthy and seemed to have the best of everything. He brought a lot of things to Colorado like milk pasteurization.

Lauren in front of the knight

Lauren's class

It really was interesting to learn about General Palmer and his life. It is sad to me that I have lived here for 10 years and had no idea about the history of this beautiful place. I am thankful that I had the opportunity to share this time with Lauren.