An Apple A Day

Day 97.

Dylan had her 4-year old check-up today. Wow. Four years old...well not officially until April 18th, but the pediatrician's office is relocating next week, so we got in early.

Our doctor is personable, great with kids, and a mom of two young children herself. Dylan loves her and this makes doctor visits SO much easier. (When she was turning two and we went in for her check-up, she told Dr. Glunz that she wanted her to come to her birthday party!)

I am grateful for a healthy daughter.

When you have one child with special medical needs, you are especially grateful for normal health. It just seems almost too easy. The smooth vision test, the deep breaths in and out, the thermometer under the tongue - when did she get old enough for that? It was butter.

Ok, part of the ease came with Jason having Noah at home with him - he's on Spring Break. But, I also just love four-year olds. At least with mine, you no longer need a huge bag of toys to entertain them during a wait. You don't even necessarily need snacks. All you need is a creative mind and an imaginative spirit, and you can recall or make up stories for hours - to their sheer delight.

Dylan is healthy...and in the 75th percentile for height! She's sure to be taller than all the boys in 5th grade...just like her ole' mom.

The most obvious gratitude

Day 96.

Dylan and Noah, you are growing up way too fast. I see this in your facial expressions. I hear this in your well-formed sentences and well-thought out questions. I smell this in your bad breath that doesn't always smell baby sweet anymore (although it's still your breath, so it's not really that bad to your mom). I touch this in your long legs and your big feet that no longer fit into the palm of my hand. I taste this when I smother you in kisses...and you don't always let me.

I am grateful for my children.

I am getting all emotional and nostalgic on myself lately. I've been reading some college friends' blog about adopting their son from Korea - they just returned home with him a few days ago. And I'm seeing the wonder and amazement of having a child in a new light...and seeing their wonderfully raw gratitude. It is contagious.

What an incredible blessing a child is to a family. And I just got to read stories to my two little miracles, their warm growing bodies all snuggled up and entangled with mine. I have wanted my whole life to be a mother, and this is IT. It is amazing. It is wonderful. It is hard. But I am so grateful.

Kids Praise

Day 95.

Today is Palm Sunday and the children in our church (newsflash: I have two of them old enough to do this now!) process up and down the aisles waving palm branches at the beginning of the service while we all sing a hymn. "Jesus is coming!" It's a cute way to have the kids involved in the service and they always get a kick out of it. I remember Dylan doing it last year and having to hold a bigger girl's hand so she could be guided. This year it was her turn to be the guide.

Dylan took Noah's hand and they never let go for a good four minutes, down the hall, into the sanctuary, and around the worship space 1.5 times while we all sang and they waved. Hands still holding.

It's hard not to get choked up when I see you two little beings who came out of my own body holding hands and walking together. Your perfect little faces walking down the aisle. Your perfect little arms waving the green stalks up and down (oops! don't hit that person on the aisle!). Your perfect little palms clasped together.

I am grateful for children in worship.

And of of course I'm focusing on the two little Rhodes in the bunch. But the others were just as exquisite. And having children as a part of worship is really important to my sense of belonging. I enjoyed having children around in worship even before I had kids. Not just for the funny one-liners during children's story, but for the sheer joy and energy they bring to everything they do. But now that I have my own children, the joy is multiplied for me. Today, to see Dylan doing the movements to You Are All We Have (our lenten theme song)...and reaching her arms up to the heavens...was perfect.

Break out the meds...

Day 94.

I've spent the last five days trying to pretend I'm not sick. Trying to fake it and act normal when I really feel like crap. I still am not myself, and have an annoying head cold that I can't beat. BUT, today I picked up some Tylenol Sinus at the store when we went to pick up supplies to dye easter eggs...which was super fun, btw. It's so fun to have two kids who are old enough to really enjoy (and be good at) activities like this. But back to the meds...

I am grateful for feeling a little bit better.

I was able to enjoy the easter egg dying. And, I realized that I've been feeling guilty about not playing with my kids enough all week. It's because I just haven't had any energy to be myself. So, today I really enjoyed our day together at home as a fam. We read lots of books, played together, drew together, and baked together. Hopefully tomorrow I'll feel even less pathetic.

Five, Twenty-five...who's countin'

Day 93.

Jason and I take turns a lot. We do many things as a family, but we also both need our alone time, especially when we're tired and cranky. So, when I came home today after a long day away from home (which started out VERY fun at the Planetarium and ended up very NOT fun with a failed trip to the dentist and impromptu library trip), I just wanted five minutes peace. Okay, so it's turning into more like 20 minutes peace as I blog here, but really...I need it.

I am grateful for five minutes peace.

There is a really cute children's book with this very title, and I wish I would have written it. It's amazing what five minutes (or 25 minutes) peace can do to your spirit, your energy level and your ability to handle children. Ahhhh...deep breath.

Thank you to my husband for taking turns with me when we both need a break. As I hear them both whining and complaining to you in the next room, I am grateful it is you and not me.
But don't worry, it will be my turn again...soon enough.

Burst of sadness

Day 92.

My sister left today. Boo.
I saw her some last week at my parent's house, and then she was up here for about 48 hours. But that was entirely too short.

When we dropped Lara, Anya and Evan off at the airport this afternoon, we drove away and Dylan said sadly, "I feel like I'm going to burst." I asked, "Why?" She replied, "Because they had to go home."

I am grateful to have family I adore.

We have to see them again soon - and so I'm planning my late May solo drive across country with both kids in tow. Really, would it be that bad? Right now, I'm thinking not! I just can't figure out how I'd get two sleeping kids into a hotel at night by myself...

Over with

Day 91.

Noah had some important doctor's appointments today and I took him into Children's Memorial early this morning while my sister watched Dylan. It was a stressful morning of lots of crying and looks of "Why are you letting them do this to me mommy!" He's at a terribly difficult age for this. He's old enough to know what's going on and voice his discomfort and dislike for what's happening. But, he's too old for plain old distraction ("hey kid, look at this Baby Einstein DVD") and too young to really reason with him and explain why we have to do this, thereby making it easier to bear.

I am grateful the procedures (for today) are over.

Every step we take with Noah's health, it feels like we're working with some sort of dry erase board timeline. Like, OK, we've checked this off, but who knows what we'll have to write in next, so keep your eraser and marker handy. Sometimes I hate that uncertainty of what is coming next. Other times, it's a blessing in disguise, and it's easier to just focus on now.