This, That and Another Thing

The last ten days have been busy, very busy.  My grandmother was here for a visit.  We took the time to see the sites of Alaska.  She celebrated her 70th birthday by watching the Iditarod.  We also took a trip to Seward.  We made it there through the snow storm. There was heavy blowing snow in the mountain passes. You couldn’t tell the difference between the sky, road and snow bank. With 10-15 foot high snow walls on both sides of the road through Turnagain Pass things were a little nerve wracking. We just barely missed the avalanches along the Seward highway.  We spent time at the Sea Life Center and had a relaxing time.  The road  reopened in time for us to leave however we did have a small delay while waiting for the crews to finish the avalanche cleanup.   We made it home in plenty of time to get her to the airport yesterday morning.

Iditarod fever is still running strong.  I am following the race and as of this morning the top contenders have reached the Yukon River just a little past the halfway point.  There has been some excitement along the trail this year already. Going to the ceremonial start in Anchorage was fun but being out on Willow Lake at the official re-start was the best. I am so totally hooked on the Iditarod! Last year at the Iditarod hubby left the camera battery (which had been charging) in the car. No problem, there was always next year – right? This year he left the camera at home. No problem, we had just bought my Gma a camera for her birthday and decided we would use her’s! Except the batteries died as soon as we got there. Hey, I guess there is always next year!?! I may just have to swipe some photos from friends who where there.

I am still dealing with having this cast on my hand and am sooooo ready to get it off!  Ten more days until I go back to the orthopedic doctor for another evaluation.

The bathroom remodel has been resumed and we are still waiting to get my son’s room repaired from the water damage.  This is a priority in the coming days.

Sadly, we are down to about 2 1/2 weeks until my hubby leaves.  It has been great these last couple of weeks with the distractions but now we are beginning to really prepare for his departure and the long separation.  I think the younger children are beginning to pick up on it too.  The younger ones, especially the baby, have been extra clingy when it comes to their daddy.  We  may have a very unpleasant struggle adjusting to daddy being gone but will continue to pray that the Lord will allow a smoother transition.

I am hoping to be back to more regular blogging soon but it may still be sporadic for the next few weeks.

So, if you stuck with my ramblings thus far, let me ask you, what has been happening in your life the last couple of weeks?

The Measure of a Thumb

What is the measure of a thumb?  I never realized how important a thumb really is, even the one on my left hand.  Let me tell you it is mighty important.  It is much more than an appendage a few inches long.  If your thumb doesn’ t work the rest of the hand is basically useless too.  I am finding as the days move forward that I am having a harder time with this than I first anticipated.  Maybe as healing occurs  things will improve. I hope so! I am really one handed still.  I am still fighting the swelling.  Swelling in a cast is painful!  I spend much more time than I would like with my hand elevated.

I cannot carry anything in that hand.  I can barely hold anything.  Even though my four fingers are free, they are basically useless too.  What little they can do the cast often gets in the way.  They do help with typing a little when the cast doesn’t nail the space bar over and over again.  Aside from t hat, when putting much pressure on those fingers, the rest of my hand pulls and as we all know, the thumb is connected to the hand.  Pain shoots through straight to my thumb.  I cannot open jars, cans, baby bottles, sippy cup lids, or medicine bottles unless it can be popped off. I am finding it nearly impossible to multi-task in the kitchen.  I can only hold the little one in my good hand because letting her sit on my casted hand HURTS!

And sadly, for vanity’s sake…..  I am learning to wash my hair one handed but have yet to find someone who can place it decently into a pony tail for me.  Getting dressed is even an ordeal.  I do not wear many short sleeved shirts during the Alaskan winter.  My small wardrobe has become even smaller.  What can I fit over this cast?

Ok, I really am not whining here.  I am so very thankful it is not any worse than it is.  The Lord spared me from having to endure surgery.  I am simply trying to point out some of the struggles that have taken me a bit by surprise.  I feel as if I am not fulfilling my duties around here.  I am just not physically capable of doing some of these things and to be completely honest, it is driving me crazy!

SO what is the measure of a thumb?  To me the value of that little seemingly insignificant thumb really has become immeasurable.  Once again I am amazed at how something so small can make such a large impact.

Sledding Fun

I am now sporting a new hot pink cast for the foreseeable future while the ligament damage in my hand heals.  I am really bummed.  I would love to go back to sledding!  It was loads of fun and the scenery around our house just cannot be beat.  Since I shared the ugly photos of my damaged hand I thought I would share some photos of a few of us having some fun too!

In a Splint…

Sledding was great fun!  Smiles and laughter all around….until Mom wiped out.  Rest over night.  ER the next morning.  Left arm in a splint.  Thank you, Lord, it isn’t the right hand!  No broken bones but I am now waiting to see the orthopedic doctor.  It might be damaged ligaments.  I basically have one hand now until who knows when.  So needless to say….my online life will drastically slow down for a while.  The sledding run was a blast until the crash!  ho hum……. that is the update for now.

Life Goes On

This morning I came to the realization that I had not been to my blog in several days.  In fact, I have barely even been on my computer.  Here is the shocker….. Life does go on without the internet, believe it or not.  That is where I have been, just living life.  My hubby came home late last Friday evening.  It is good to have him home.  We have about seven weeks left until he is gone for more training and on to his deployment. We spent a little time working on getting supplies for a project we are going to use to get the family through this deployment and have a  bit of daddy at home. It is something the Lord brought to my mind in the middle of the night.  I will share more later on that.

The weekend was spent shopping for supplies for the basement bathroom.  If you remember, a while back we had three leaks in our basement that caused some damage.  There are a few walls still torn out.  One of those walls is a bathroom wall.  We had talked about putting a shower in that half bath but decided it was a project we were not going to tackle.  Well, with the wall already torn out and the plumbing exposed we decided we might as well take advantage of it.  So, the basement bathroom remodel is now underway.  Hubby is hoping to have everything finished before he deploys.

I have also begun a new exercise plan.  Typically, I just speed walk at the ice arena when the children are at figure skating but I have added to that.  I bought myself a Jillian Michael’s DVD.  You know who that is right?  She is the mean trainer on the Biggest Loser.  I must say that she is much nicer and encouraging on her DVD but the workout, well, I am SORE!!  I am attempting to do the DVD 5 times a week and am still speed walking twice a week.  Throw in shoveling a foot of snow yesterday……I am aching.  I just keep wondering when loosing inches translates into a loss of poundage!

Hubby and I did go out on a date this weekend too.  We went to the Bear’s Tooth.  It is a movie theater with tables and they bring your dinner to you.  They have great food….they are associated with the Moose’s Tooth restaurant in Anchorage. Yum!  So I enjoyed a yummy halibut burrito and topped it off by sharing some ice cream with the hubs.  We watched the movie Invictus.  It was a great movie!  It is about Nelson Mandela and how he used the South African rugby team to help unite his country.  I recommend it!

Other than that, well, school is still ongoing.  The children are waiting on me to get our school day underway….Life is calling….Here I come!

My Overactive Super Mommy Syndrome

I am one of those moms who suffers from the Super Mommy Syndrome.  I like things to be perfect, they are far from it!  I like all my ducks in a row, they tend to waddle here and there.  I also feel guilty if I let someone help me rather than doing it myself.  These children were entrusted to me after all!

I do believe that children are given to their parents from the Lord and that it is the parents responsibility to raise them rather than pawning them off for someone else to care for.  Honestly, we are pretty capable around here.  We do not whine and ask for help when things get tough.  We tough it out!  This sometimes leads to neglect from family members because they think we have it all together and because the kind of help they offer is not what we really need.  I am learning to live with that.

Even though I have this great desire to be the mom of all mothers I realize how far short I fall.  Maybe that is a God’s way of making sure I remain humble in this area.  When you realize that the Lord entrusted these children to your care to raise them to bring glory and honor to him, well, that often seems an insurmountable task for one such as I!  I must rely on the Lord and not myself, it is only with his guidance, strength, and wisdom that I can be effective at all.  I definitely cannot do it on my own!

This Super Mommy Syndrome is some respects can be healthy.  It keeps one from shirking their responsibilities!  If we are focused on the Lord and seeking to do our best for his glory and not our own then it can also be a good propellant!  Sometimes though our own selfish and prideful nature rears its ugly head and then we have problems.  Sometimes it is hard for us Super Mommy types to ask for help or to even accept it when it is offered.  I have a prime example from today!

My hubby is out of town right now.  One of my children has standardized testing today on the other side of Anchorage (about a 40 minute drive).  My neighbor is taking two of her children so she offered to take him as well.  I said ok.  I woke from a dream this morning in which he didn’t make it on time and I was rushing around to get him there.  I called her when I got up and of course they were there and all was well.  I simply felt guilty because I was not taking care of getting him there myself!  I was letting another person take care of it.  I know this might sound crazy to most of you but I am being brutally honest here.

Let me ask you…..are you a super mommy?  Now let me ask you this, if you do not think you are a super mommy…..Do others classify you that way?  If so, then I would say you fall into that category anyway!

How do you balance your super mommy tendencies and high standards with accepting help from others and dealing with unnecessary feelings of guilt?