Getting Out the Door Thankfully

Playpen. Check.
Diaper Bag. Check.
Extra Diapers (sizes two and five) and a few thousand baby wipes. Check.
Cameras, both the video and photo varieties. Check.
Bedding for one baby, one toddler, two preschoolers, and two adults. Check.
Laptop computer because you just never know. Check.
Large lime green suitcase containing clothing for four children/two adults for three days plus extra clothing for accidents that will happen inevitably. (Accidents include but are not limited to the following: spills, squished food, dirt, mangled dust bunnies and miscellaneous foul-smelling substances that may attach to my children and/or their clothing at Grandma's house usually producing sticky and/or smelly children.) In all available airspace in large lime green suitcase pack pants, T-shirts, underwear, socks, onesies, sleepers, burp rags, bibs, pajamas, jackets and long sleeve shirts multiplied by six (family members) and again by three (days). Check.
Toiletries and anything useful in restoring sticky and/or smelly children to a normal state of semi-cleanliness. Check.
Coats and shoes ready by the front door to quickly usher children to the truck before one or more needs to use the bathroom (again) or wets (or worse) a diaper. Check.
Child safety seats buckled to ensure a safe and extremely super snug hour and a half ride to Grandmas. Check.
Plastic bowls to serve greasy, fried foods to children in the backseat while traveling to Grandmas. Check.
Drinks to ration over the span of the short road trip to avoid if at all possible a "potty stop". Check.
Cell phone because we have one. Check.
One husband, one toddler, one preschool girl and one preschool boy. Check.
One final walk through to make sure I didn't forget anything. Check.
One baby boy. Check.
Thankful for all the crap I have to pack to celebrate Thanksgiving at Grandma's house. Check.
Getting out the door only two hours beyond Brian's schedule (Woohoo! A new record). Check.

Aaaaand, refusing to use that "priceless" tag line to end this post. Check.

Brennan Manning

"Once you come to know the love of Jesus Christ, nothing else in the world will seem as beautiful or desirable." An older Franciscan told Brennan Manning the day he joined the Order.

For more, read Manning's biography at www.brennanmanning.com.

I stumbled upon Manning first in a conversation with Jessica Goodwin earlier this week and again when I rediscovered a book buried in a box in our basement written by Manning. Just a scan over a few pages has warmed my heart...a much needed warming I must say. Good stuff.

Noah in the Hospital

Banana Lip

How could I forget!?!?!?!

Okay, minor detail from the last week...

While in the hospital acting as Noah's personal milk cow, my upper lip for some unknown reason swelled up. Picture a moderate size banana, flesh color and attached to my face - no kidding!!! I should have taken pictures but it didn't seem like a Kodak moment at the time.

I thought I was going to be bored out of my mind in the hospital, but as it turns out I became the freak show in Room 3405. All the student nurses came by to "check the monitors" when in fact they wanted to get a glimpse of my fat face...er, lip. The nurses debated the cause of my ever-growing upper lip - fever blister, cold sore, allergic reaction - but it was our pediatrician that concluded it must be an allergic reaction. Crazy, because I'm allergic to nothing...until now.

And, I really mean until now. After getting home from the hospital Saturday and my lip finally gave up its fruity ways, I had a day of rest and then broke out in full body hives last night. Come ON! Yes, hives...and I'm allergic to NOTHING. Not a thing, people! Until now.

The Hospital Again

Around 2:00 am on Thursday Brian took Noah to the Emergency Room. He had a fever that spiked to 102.8 and it was SCARY! By the time Mom arrived from Columbia and my brother, Michael, drove me to the hospital to find Brian, Noah had already been given a room and had an IV attached to his head. The ER staff had just completed their systematic tests with all the poking and prodding. All the needed blood was drawn and we were told to wait. Wait until Saturday morning...in the hospital.

NOTE TO SELF: When rushing to any area hospital always bring a change of socks and underwear...and a toothbrush, extra shirt, some snacks, something to read, a journal, and a 12 pack of Dr. Pepper. If time allows, grab Brian's toothbrush, too.

After learning how to avoid the wires and monitor cords attached to my newborn, I settled in for the two day "mini-vacation" with Noah. I spent hours sitting in a broken, reclining rocker that was propped up against the wall facing the all-important TV. While in the hospital I reaffirmed my personal hatred of cable television, needles, plastic pillows and monitors with annoying alarms, but fell more in love with my newest baby. Noah, even while battling sickness in his little body, smiled and cooed as if to reassure me that he was feeling better. He is an amazing baby with an even more amazing temperament.

This morning after too many hours of cautiously positioning the IV line away from Noah's tiny hands, all attachments were finally removed and we were allowed to return home. We're tired and couldn't be happier to be out of the hospital! Noah no longer has a fever but does have a lingering cough and a few bruises from IV "misses" on his hands and head. Oh, and he has a bald spot as one of the nurses had to cut the mass of tape holding the IV in place from his little head. AH! His first haircut and I didn't take pictures! - isn't that a sin of some kind???

So, no more sicknesses or hospital visits for this family, please!!! Bring on the turkey and the Christmas tree! We need a real vacation!

God's Will from Our Hearts

Let's say God has His will for your life written on a simple sheet of paper in heaven. And, let's say God gave you that simple sheet of paper to read over. At the very bottom of the surprisingly blank page is an endorsement giving you permission by Almighty God to write how you'd like your life to be lived out. What would you write?

I'm not trying to start a debate about God's will or how much or how little we determine the course of our lives...but I am trying to draw out your dreams. What do you dream about accomplishing in your life? What big picture do you see?

I believe God has placed giftedness and talents beyond measure in each one of us. His intention is that once our hearts are won over by the love of Christ, Jesus will shine through our lives with the use of those specific gifts and talents unique to only us.

What do you love to do?
What makes you come alive or invigorates you?
When do you feel like you are accomplishing something worthwhile?
What things do you consider easy and enjoyable that others view as challenging or uninteresting?
What are your passions?
What do you dream about?
What have others noticed you do well or have great success in?

Jesus has purposefully placed those abilities, dreams and passions in your heart...but not just for yourself.

The bible says we should offer ourselves as living sacrifices to God as our spiritual act of worship. Yes, it is actually spiritual to do what you love, to be who you are. Being real is worship to God when we hold nothing back and give Him our all.

Here are my talents and what I feel I'm good at doing. Here are my passions that make my heart come alive. Here are my dreams - too big for me to accomplish on my own.

God made us intentionally. No matter how your life began He knew you would be here, living and breathing as another wonderful work of His creation. So, if we are made on purpose, shouldn't we live in the same manner? On purpose? With purpose.

To live with purpose, begin with who you are and what comes naturally or with ease. God's will doesn't have to be abstract or unknown. Simply bring glory and praises to God by how you live in this life. Let other see Him through you. Use all He has equipped you with to accomplish His will for your life.

Now take out a simple, blank sheet of paper and write down the things you are passionate about and your dreams of fulfilling those passions. Submit them to God in writing, offering Him your all. All your gifts, talents, dreams - everything that your heart contains - give to Jesus for Him to work through you, bringing glory to God. Keep the sheet of paper. In a few years you may find God's endorsement was at the bottom after all. And, you'll be able to look back and see God's will was for you to be YOU living fully from your heart for Jesus.

My First Day

Today was my very first day on my own as a mother of four children under the age of five. It was interesting to say the very least. Well, "interesting" may not be the best word to describe today. Hmmm. Imagine a small daycare environment complete with scattered toys and cheerios peeking out from under the furniture and one four-and-a-half-year-old boy with a mild fever and a frog in his throat communicating in his just-created-today version of sign language. He won't speak, but insists on pointing in various directions at objects seemingly non-related to get his dull mother just one day beyond total bedrest and pain meds to understand his request for a drink or that he wants his sister to move from her usual stance in front of the television. Wild waving of the arms like a drunk mime was added to my son's personal sign language in the late morning just as his fever spiked again. Also, visualize an eversoslightly chubby three-year-old girl dancing with Barney and his annoying friends on a throw rug that slides from side to side along the living room floor with each "cool dance move" that she copies from the purple dinosaur on the television. Add a small toddler to the dance floor, or rug, and you have a hilarious scene of clapping, marching, high kicks, singing and giggles...along with a drunk mime and cheerios now exposed as the rug draws them out from under the couches with each tumble and high kick dance move. Oh, and not to forget the newborn that tried his hardest to sleep in the midst of all the signing and dancing. He enjoyed nursing as if I were an all-you-can-eat-24/7-buffet and followed his meals with big burps and filled diapers - but no napping.

Then, there was the introduction of musical instruments. Barney revealed how a little imagination can change any toy or piece of garbage into a musical instrument. So, the dance floor was covered with toys, I mean, musical instruments. And, the playing continued until our late lunch.

Most of my day consisted of Isaac signing and gesturing until he finally consented to relaxing on the couch. Sophia played her newfound musical instruments and perfected her creative dance moves in the middle of the living room floor. Jack, not understanding Isaac's silence and erratic hand/arm movements, turned to his sister and tried his hardest to swipe one of her instruments only to run like heck to the other end of the house hoping she didn't tackle him in the process. Noah wasn't very successful at napping for most of today but he flew through half a pack of newborn diapers while he was awake. I found myself just thankful I wasn't bent over with a horrible headache. I could sit and enjoy the show and my four characters - and secretly vow to block Barney from my tv tomorrow. All in all, it was a hilarious and, yes, even an interesting day.

Back to Normal

Okay, okay...so I'm not what most would consider "normal" but I am back on my feet - my glorious FEET! - no longer needing to remain horizontal on my bed or the living room couch being tended to by Mom (I love my mother!) and my wonderful, devoted husband (love him, too!). My spinal headache subsided gradually over Saturday and I woke up Sunday morning with zero pain in my head and this morning I had zero pain in my back. What a drastic change! Thank GOD!!!

And, thank you to all of you who prayed and encouraged us throughout the looooong two week process while I was on bedrest. Again, I can't thank Mom, Michael (my taller/younger brother) and Brian enough for being such great nurses. They took care of me, a horizontal blob, our newborn, nonstop pooper/eater, and our three older children, energy-filled-limit-testing-while-Grandma-visits kids, for two long weeks and they were nice the WHOLE time!!! Not to forget all the family and friends that called and emailed to make sure I was still alive. Oh, and to Jenny for taking Isaac for that Monday afternoon (man, it was quiet that afternoon...maybe there's a connection???) and to Fletch and Sherry for the great flea market toys for the kids and to Suzette, Terry and Bob who came over to pray. And, (last "and" I promise!) to my sister for the beautiful flowers she sent to the house - ah, something pretty to look at while I laid on my bed. The kids were thrilled with their very own balloons.

I think that is everyone - if you did something wonderfully nice for my family in the past two weeks and I have failed to mention you by name I will just blame it on the drugs. Pain pills. Lots of pain pills.

So, I am 100% today after a pain-filled couple of weeks. Whew! Thank you GOD for your healing touch and for hearing the prayers of your people. You still work wonders among us in Jesus name.

Final words, as Noah is crying to eat AGAIN - for all of you that offered a meal while we learn to juggle four kids we would really appreciate the help.

sagging of the brain.

Ouch is what I thought when I read the likely cause of Lori's severe head ache, it's a common side effect when you have an epidural. Anytime one inserts a 1/8 inch diameter needle into the spinal column there is the possibility of fluid leakage which causes a pressure drop in the spinal column fluid which is also the fluid that cushions the brain. So the brain actually "sags" a little, and the pressure of the brain resting against the bottom of the skull results in a terrible headache that worsens when the person stands up. Because Lori was stuck 3 times with the big needle, one of which a blood vessel was ruptured, her chances of fluid leakage were tripled. Also anytime bleeding is involved the pressure from the blood forces spinal fluid out of the column. So my poor wife has been laid up in bed, and feels like she is missing out on this special time with the new baby and the rest of the kids. So... those are the circumstances surrounding her current condition. With that said please say a prayer for Lori to recover, she is in a lot of pain. Noah is doing great and I'm hanging in there thanks to all the help from Lori's mom. Talk to you all soon. Brian.

Bringing baby home.

Well we finally made it home. Everybody is doing good, Lori is a little beat up but is recovering. Noah is in great shape, a blessing from God, and the sibilings are so excited about their new baby brother. So we welcome Noah Alexander Biggers, and thank God for his life, and pray He will be a great preacher of the Gospel, and fullfill his destiny on earth.
We will keep you updated.

The Baby Has Arrived

born. 10/01/07 9:48pm 8 lbs. 4 oz.

Here we go again.

What's up everybody!?
Thought I'd give everybody an update. Here goes our fourth time around. After a long start to our weekend (extremely long for me) you know the 20 hours of work, sorting pricing, setting up ect. that go in to a yard sale my wife somehow managed to squeeze 56 dollars out of the suburban bargain hunters who love to pilfer through other peoples stuff and find that one baby gap sweater marked fifty cents that they think is only worth a quarter. Anyway as long as my pregnant wife is happy. Back to the baby though, Lori's contractions started some time yesterday around 11:00am with mild and sporatic contractions pretty much throughout the day and evening. I think I better hurry up as I look behind my shoulder either that breakfast sandwich I just ran and got her is really hot, or she's breathing through a intense contraction, now about 5 minutes apart, closes to time to go to the hospital. Grand Ma is on the way to hold down the fort, and I imagine we will be leaving here within the hour.So while the kid didn't get me out of the dreadful yard sale this weekend, he has got me out of work this week with plenty of time for my morning routine on this monday morning, now if we can get him out of there in a timley fashion this week just happens to coincide with the fall's prime fishing season. Alright so I'll try to keep you updated gotta run.
Brian.

Isaac's Bedtime Prayer

"God, whoever you are, you sure are good." Isaac prayed with Brian last night before bed.

Well Said

"Darn it!" - whispered by Isaac upon entering our bedroom early Friday morning and once again discovering that Dada had gone to work.

"Jesus was homeschooled and He knows everything." - on a T-shirt I've never seen, but have only heard about.

"When I think of home, I picture my family, together eating dinner, snuggling on the sofa, hanging out in the kitchen...Home should be a place that invites warmth, and togetherness, with its spaces used well and well used." - Gretchen Roberts from www.smartsimplewoman.com.

"Did she sugges...susset, sugress..." - Brian attempting to utter the sentence, "Did she suggest that?" after working in record Midwest heat for yet another week. His brain was slightly fried. To solve this frying problem he now wears a "farmer's hat", as he calls it, to block the sun. Pictures will soon follow. Anyway, we ended up driving through our city following my last prenatal visit saying "suggest" repeatedly until it lost all meaning to our ears. Suggest, suggest, suggest, suggest, suggest, suggest, suggest...

NOTE: Other words Brian cannot pronounce include "fluorescent", "breakfast", and "water". They come out "for-es-ant", "bref-es", and "wooder". Water, of course, is debatable depending on the region of the United States you grew up in.

"Can I go outside and plant a cherry tree?" - Isaac asked Brian's permission yesterday afternoon after eating his cherries. I think the plan is for Isaac and Brian to somehow grow a cherry tree in our basement this fall/winter. How? I have no idea. All I know is I have a bowl of semi-chewed cherry pits sitting on my kitchen counter that I am not allowed to throw away.

Quiet Time - Shh, Mama's Sleeping

I want my kids to have memories of me seeking God and reading the Word like I have of my mother. I remember Mom at the kitchen table reading and reading...then, filing her nails and polishing them...then, reading some more. As a teenager I picked up that late night habit of opening the Bible and disappearing into the passages. How did I know to do that as a younger (and much thinner) woman? I saw my mother doing it and I followed her.

Fast forward to me as a young mother. I decided to attempt an early rise to read from the Word and pray so I got up with Brian the other morning - which seemed to throw off his morning routine, but I refused to return to my comfy, cozy, warm bed. I sat up on the couch and using my baby-filled belly I thought I'd start with a chapter from a revival book I've been reading. Next thing I know Isaac is waking me up asking for Fruit Loops.

So, I am not a morning person. This isn't shocking to anyone who has known me for more than twenty minutes. I function better at night. Brian used to say I got my start at 9:00 pm. I could fly through the house cleaning and/or doing projects with robust energy from 9:00 pm on. Nnnnnnnow, I'm not a night person either. In fact, I could take a nap at any given time of the day. It is beyond me why my children hate naps. I tell them everyday, "Mama would LOOOOOVE to take a nap. You take one for me." I envy their afternoon naps!

Anyway, back to me setting a great example for Isaac of how to sleep on the couch...

I'm not giving up on establishing the ol' "time and place" for meeting with the Lord, but I'm realizing how flexible I have to be with the babies and the minimal amounts of sleep they afford me. I don't know if I will ever be a full on night person again, or if I will ever bounce out of bed before sunrise bursting with energy (unlikely). But, I do know my children will have memories of me seeking God. I will pray and read and pray and read...and nap a little and nap some more...then, pray and read more. And, one day they will follow my example.

Toys Toys Everywhere

I've got toys upstairs in each of the kids' rooms. I've got toys in the basement. I've got toys in the front room and the family room and throughout the backyard. There are toys in the garage and toys on the front porch. There are toys in the bathroom as well. I really, R E A L L Y, need a good storage system for all these toys!

In our furnished rental in Jersey there were bookshelves with doors on them that contained nearly every toy the kids owned at the time. It was the only system I have ever had work well for any length of time - mainly b/c the kids couldn't get to every toy at once. Well, we've moved from the rental and I can't find shelving with doors on them without it costing an arm and a leg in our new area. Oh, I miss Ikea!!!

Now, our toy ownership has expanded drastically and we have all kinds of toys for all kinds of reasons. Bath toys, sand toys, bikes and wagons, boy toys and girl toys, swim toys, winter toys, board games and stuffed animals that, I swear, are multiplying completely on their own when no one is looking. One system won't work in one room of our house anymore. Sad, but true.

We have purged and downsized in an attempt to see how much storage stuff we need so these are all toys the kids play with over and over. No kidding! So, where, the heck, do I put them?!? The boxes and open plastic bins are not working as a long term solution and now that the majority of our painting is done we can finally get each room set up to use. I can't wait!

Anyway, what works for you all? What do you suggest? Think fully functional, slightly pretty, and very affordable. And, what toys do you put in the kids' rooms and what toys stay in the family areas? Is a separate playroom worth setting up? And, is there a container a bit more pleasing to the eye than a plastic tub but not as breakable as a basket?

With a little thought and some helpful suggestions I hope to get a handle on this organizational disaster in our house. Ah, one more thing to cross off our list as we get established in our home! Yippee!

Don't Sweat the Small Italian

The "small stuff" - the insignificant life crap that happens from time to time. The stuff we should easily overlook. The stuff not worth getting upset or frustrated over. The stuff like loosing the car keys, running out of diapers late in the evening, or like my small - er, short, Italian mother-in-law.

Brian got a letter today from the UNO Chicago Grill thanking him for "advising us of our failure to make your experience with us a great one." WHAT THE...!?!?! Then, I remembered the one restaurant we ate out at with Brian's parents while they were visiting a few weeks ago was the UNO Chicago Grill. Sigh. B's mother must have complained to the management via email or letter or something on our behalf...signing her son's name and giving our address for a return response. How nice of her.

I called Brian...
"Did you read the letter from the Chicago Grill?"
"No..."
"Your mother must have complained and signed your name..."
"Babe, don't sweat the small stuff. Who cares?!?!"
"I do! Who knows what she said!....blah, blah, blah, BLAAAAAH!"
I continued to quickly rattle off my valid reasons for being annoyed, knowing full well that Brian was only hearing "Blah, blah, BLAH!"
"Look, if you want to contact the Chicago Grill to clear our family name go ahead. I gotta go. I'm in the middle of somethin'..."
"Okay. Loveyoubye."

As I removed myself from my soapbox (I keep one handy in the kitchen for emergencies) I realized that Brian's ability to overlook the "small stuff" is admirable and slightly irritating to me.

Thankfully, the things we have to deal with in our relationship with B's parents have been downscaled to "small stuff" in recent months - mainly by our own perspective change and change in geographical locations. But, still the "small stuff" is something we have to deal with if even to just brush it aside and say, "Who cares!"

Unfortunately for me, when the insignificant life crap comes in multiple doses too close together for my liking I find the growing pile of pooh difficult to ignore. You know, the whole "straw that broke the camel's back" theory? That's me. A big, stupid camel cowering under a load of straw. Itchy, annoying, Italian straw.

And, for all you now wondering about the UNO Chicago Grill...it was totally fine. We even ate the leftover pizza. The fact that the meal was fine was in my running list of "valid reasons to be annoyed" given over the phone to Brian...but, who cares, right? Don't sweat the small stuff.

Family Meals and Variety

How do you guys - er, girls - plan meals from week to week? I am not the most accomplished cook by any means and I find myself getting pretty tired of what we eat over and over....and over again. How do you keep the variety in your meal planning?

Do you have any favorite recipes that break away from the normal meat and potatoes (or pasta and sauce in our case)???

And, does anyone know of a good website with semi-normal recipes? I am wanting a little variety, but I'm not looking for the meals requiring goat cheese and weird plants that I can't pronounce.

Thanks all!

One last thing - what gives about the disciplines of a good homemaker?!?! - I KNOW there are some fellow homemakers frequenting this blog every now and again, so out with it, woman! How do you keep it all together - faith, family, home? What are the disciplines or skills I should be working on???

Comic Relief, Please!

It is a somber gathering. Straight faces. Seriousness. Deep discussion. Debate. It could be any number of circumstances - from a funeral, a loved one with an illness is in the hospital, a family disagreement, or a seemingly innocent blog...people are intense, focused, deep in thought...and, yes, I am the idiot in the corner cracking jokes. I'll admit it! I just fall to the pressure, people! I find myself wanting to force a smile or at the very least a smirk upon those serious, stone cold faces. Wit, humor, even a knock-knock joke delivered at the right moment can for a short time put at ease those that are up in arms. So, how about some comic relief?!?!

I heard this joke the other day - er, I read it on a blog linked through a friend's blog...HA...my friend's husband's brother's daughter's birthday blog. Try to follow that one, I dare ya!

Anyhoo...here's the joke:

"A man took his pregnant wife to the hospital to give birth. The doctor told them that they'd developed a new machine and asked if the couple would like to try it out. The machine could take some of the pain of childbirth from the mother and give it to the father to ease the mother's burden.

Well, they thought that was a good idea, and decided to give it a try. The doctor initially set the machine on 10 percent, telling the man that even 10 percent was probably more pain than he'd ever experienced. But the husband was surprised at how little pain he was feeling, and asked the doctor to raise the level.

The doctor increased it to 20 percent, and when the man still felt fine, he raised it to 50 and finally 100 percent.

After it was all over, the man stood up, and stretched a little. Both he and his wife felt fine, and they shortly left the hospital to take the baby home.

It was then that they found the mailman dead on their doorstep."

I love it!!! Anyone else?

Sophie's Baby

This morning as I was getting Sophia dressed for the day she was very matter of fact with me..."I going to have a baby in MY belly when I grow up." "What kind of baby are you going to have?" I asked. "Baby Ruben...with pretty clothes," she replied, and then added, "and, a pretty face."

Usually the pretty clothes and face indicates a girl for Sophie. She was disappointed that our new baby is another boy, but after much thought she said it was okay if he had pretty clothes. I'm almost sure she thinks the clothes make the girl...literally - as in, if we put that new baby boy in some pretty pink pjs BAM!, POOF!, a girl! I'll let her figure things out for herself when her new brother finally arrives.

I know Sophia will love this Baby Four just as she would have loved a new sister, but chances are he will grow up with embarrassing stories to share about his big sister dressing him in "pretty clothes".