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August 12, 2010 by

A conglomerate of all that is rolling through my head.  You can hardly contain yourselves – I know it.

– I got to go to a wine bar last night with a group of beautiful, successful working women and discuss writing and reporting and what it means to be a woman in media.  It was relaxing and fun and I met new people, made new contacts and discussed the possibility of a new freelance gig.  All around I had a great time.  And then I went home and watched So You Think You Can Dance and envisioned myself being able to actually dance and not just bootie shake.  Then I went to bed.

– School starts Tuesday.  At the beginning of this summer I was actually really thinking about homeschooling.  I enjoyed having the kids home and I liked not having such a rigorous schedule.

Um, yeah.  That’s not gonna happen.  It’s laughable even, if the thought of it didn’t make me want to cry.  I can’t wait to greet Routine with a gigantic hug and kiss next Tuesday.  I might even make her cookies and invite her to come share my bed.

– Tomorrow I have to leave my house a little before 5:00 am to catch a flight to Dallas.  I don’t know why I always choose the earliest flights possible, but for some reason I do.  The plus side is I get to see dear friends when I arrive and I will spend the weekend catching up with some of the people who hold sweet, sweet pieces of my heart.  I am very excited.

– There is a book that I need to write and I’m scared.  I’ve needed to write it for seven years now, but for seven years I’ve been scared.  It’s a personal book and I have been plagued by self doubt.  I’ve pushed it aside and made myself to believe that I’m not the right person for the job.  And maybe I’m not.  But if I don’t do it, I’m not sure anyone else will. 

I feel like I have the angel and devil characters sitting on my shoulders.  Only in my mind the angel character is a small girl with pigtails and mistmatched clothes.  In fact, she looks a lot like Punky Brewster.  And she keeps telling me things like, “You can do it,” and “Think of how this would honor those around you,” and “Man your hair looks good today.”  Okay, not that last part.  But it would be awesome if someone would whisper that in my ear daily.

The devil character is on the other shoulder and he’s a fat, sweaty man with a long knotted beard and a hairy chest sitting in a recliner eating cookies and chips.  He yells in my ear too.  He screams things like, “You’re not good enough!”  and “There’s no way you could possibly pull that off in any way shape or form!” and “Nobody’s gonna want to read that!”  And everytime he yells at me, flecks of sour cream and onion chips smack me in the chin.

*sigh*

Have I mentioned I have an overactive imagination?

In all seriousness, I really am trying to get past this crippling fear.  I hate being held back by something so lame.  The very fact that I am so scared makes me think that I probably am supposed to do this.  But it’s going to be hard and it’s going to take work and I don’t want to mess it up.  So we’ll see.

– The kids are watching a Star Wars movie (shocker!) and are consequently having a light saber fight.  It’s getting out of hand.  I should step in and stop it, but it’s making me laugh a little bit.

– The St. Louis heat has taken me by surprise.  It’s unbearable.  Which begs the question, why do we not live in Florida?  If we’re going to endure this type of heat, there should be the option of a beach close by.  Just my own personal opinion.

– The kids really want to go swimming today, but I have a lot to do so I’m not sure if it’s the best idea.  On the other hand, it’s 412 degrees out and nothing but sitting in a pool sounds appealing.  So we’ll probably go swimming.  Or maybe we won’t.  I’m feeling a little flighty this morning.  What? You could tell?  Oh…

– I need to work harder at speaking russian with the kids.  I really struggle with this.  We’re pouring time and energy and money into lessons to help them learn so by me not working harder on conversation with them I’m really doing them and myself a disservice.  On the other hand, it’s really, really hard to speak russian to them when they all gang up on me and they’re all different levels and my language just isn’t good enough to accomodate them all.  So I’ll keep doing the best that I can.

– Okay, the light saber fight has gotten out of hand.  I hear wails.  It’s probably time to step in and put a stop to it.  Or is this one of those situations where I’m supposed to let them work it out on their own?  That’s the more appealing option because it lets me sit on my behind a little longer.  But I don’t want to be one of them there lazy parents so I’m going to head out.

– Did I mention that school starts Tuesday?

Filed Under: Blogging, books, Family, funny stuff that happens, Kids, Motherhood, summer fun

A Mom is Born: Let’s Celebrate!

August 5, 2010 by

On August 25, My Mommy Manual and KMOV are hosting A Mom is Born.  This is a virtual baby shower with a cause!  Using the transition into motherhood as a platform, A Mom is Born will raise funds for the Missouri chapter of The March of Dimes while also celebrating new life.  This is only the second virtual baby shower and this year’s celebrant is Virgina Kerr, the anchor of Channel Four’s early morning program, Awake.

Becoming a new mom can be daunting and overwhelming.  I remember well being pregnant with Sloan and walking the aisles of Babies “R” Us, thoroughly terrified.  What would I need? What would I want?  What if he was permanently and irreversibly damaged because I chose the wrong sized bottle nipple?!  Gah!

So I did what any self respecting, hormonal first time mom would do – I sent a mass email to every mom I knew asking for advice.  It saved my life, that email…okay that might be a little dramatic.  It did save my sanity, though.  And those mom friends have continued to pour into me and reassure me along the way.  So now it’s my turn (and yours!) to pay it forward and share your bits of mom wisdom with a new mom to be.

There are several different ways to participate in this exciting event.  The first is to simply attend.  You can watch a live stream of the shower online at www.MomIsBorn.com.  There will be opportunities to interact with Virginia and the shower hosts via a live chat room.  Viewers (guests) will also learn how to personalize a Holding Hands bracelet.  This bracelet is a sweet gift for all expectant mothers to wear during labor and delivery as a reminder of the support that she has from her closest family and friends.

A limited number of Holding Hands bracelets will also be available for purchase online with a portion of the proceeds going to The March of Dimes.  You can also donate directly to The March of Dimes via the Mom Is Born website.

The virtual shower will be filled with fun, laughter and wisdom as other mothers will pass on pieces of wisdom to Virginia.  You can share your own tips or advice on the website prior to the shower and earn an entry into the Raffle for that day.  Raffle prizes have been generously donated by the shower sponsors: Build-a-Bear Workshop, Kolcraft, Goodnite Rooms, Pixie Posie Photography and the venue sponsor, Overlook Farm.

Overlook Farm is also offering an amazing special for all moms.  From now until October 15, which is when Virginia’s baby boy is due, you can spend a relaxing night in one of their luxurious inns for only $125/night.  All you have to do to receive this rate is become a fan of Overlook Farm on Facebook.  If you mention the virtual shower on their fan page, you will be entered to win a Girl’s Weekend getaway for four where you can unwind on their 200 acre farm, relax in their greenhouse hot tub, explore their many gardens, or enjoy a glass of wine as you watch the sun set over the Missouri River Valley.

Not a bad deal, if you ask me.

No matter what, I hope you’ll take the time on August 25 to tune in to this special and unique virtual shower.  To find out more information, or to submit your piece of mommy wisdom and be entered to win the Raffle, visit http://www.momisborn.com  You can also participate by donating to The March of Dimes through the PayPal button provided below.

Maybe we can all convince her to go ahead and buy a minivan.  After all, we know what they are, right?!

Webcam chat at Ustream

 

Webcam chat at Ustream





Filed Under: Blogging, Life, Motherhood Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Where Two Or More Are Gathered

June 24, 2010 by

10I was fifteen years old.  A sophomore coming out of a time of rebellion.  I was dealing with a lot of questions and deep hurts.  Some of the questions are still unanswered, some were the creation of youthful immaturity.  But the fact remains, my soul was ripe for harvest.

I was approached one Sunday afternoon about an upcoming mission trip to the former Soviet union with an organization called Student Venture.  “Would you like to come?” he asked.

I blinked.

“Let me ask my parents,” I replied.

How does one ask her parents if she can go to the former USSR for Spring Break? 

Turns out, I didn’t have to do much convincing.  My parents were not only supportive but were quite excited for me to take this trip.  I am indebted to them for their willingness to push my brother and I to experience life to the full. 

And so it came that in March of 1994, I embarked on a journey that would forever alter the course of my life.  And the man who led me on that journey was Gary Varner.  For two weeks, Gary led our team through the streets of Belarus, and on a side trip to Moscow.  Because we were not that far removed from the dismantling of the Iron Curtain, we were treated like rock stars.  It was baffling and exhilerating to be followed and clung to.  We visited schools and shared the Gospel of Christ, we put on night time events, we made friends, we traveled on public trams and buses, we visited Lenin’s tomb and stood before St. Basil’s cathedral, we played wicked April Fool’s day pranks and we laughed much but slept little.

I came home a changed young woman.  Suddenly life was no longer about me.  And I knew I would be back.  Not just because I felt an odd kinship to that area of the world, but because I couldn’t imagine a better way to serve, learn and grow than under Gary’s leadership.

Two more times, I returned to the former USSR with Gary and his wife Carol.  They became a guiding force in my life, pouring countless hours into my development as a young woman.  They prayed for me and with me.  They held me accountable and challenged me.  And they were a grand example of living out the calling of God with passion and zeal. 

I grew such a passion for that area of the world, in fact, that I decided to minor in Russian in college.  I even lived in Ukraine for a time, studying the language and reveling in a culture that has become like a second home to me.  Today, my children are learning Russian.

All of this because Gary took notice of my yearning heart and poured into me as a fifteen year old.  He didn’t have to.  He could have passed me over, assuming me too spiritually immature for such a trip.  But he didn’t.  He believed in me and he continued to encourage me throughout those very confusing years called adolescence.

Over the years, as life ebbed and flowed, I lost contact with Gary and Carol on a regular basis.  We kept up via the cyber world and through mutual friends and I learned how Gary’s ministry in Russia grew and expanded.  For some reason, the door never really opened for me to go on another trip with Gary.  Part of that was my fault – I let the business of life convince me that taking off on a mission trip for two weeks was simply too difficult.  Part of it was simply circumstances.

This past November, Gary was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer.  And he has been in a fight for his life since that moment.  A few weeks ago, I had the privilege to see my former mentor again – to soak up his wisdom and wit in person once more.  And I realized how much I had missed him.  And in the three hours that I spent sitting in Gary’s living room, he blessed me in a most profound way.

The cancer, and the treatment required to fight this particular brand of disease, has left him in a lot of pain and with little ability to do much other than sit, think and pray.  And, of course, pour into the hearts of those who come to see him.

When my friend Lindsey, who was with me visiting Gary, asked him what his times with the Lord have been like he stopped and thought.  “I can tell you what they haven’t been,” he said with a smile.  “I determined from the moment I heard the diagnosis that I would not ask God ‘Why.‘  It’s not my position to question the Sovereignty of the God of the Universe.  And to be quite honest, God doesn’t owe me any explanation.”

I’ve mulled over Gary’s words quite a bit in the last couple of months.  And I have fought the urge to ask the question myself.  But Gary is right.  God is Sovereign.  I don’t understand Him.  I’ll never understand Him.  For all of eternity, I will be in awe of Him.  So who am I to question His Sovereignty?

This Sunday, June 27  has been deemed an International Day of prayer for Gary Varner.  For over twenty years, Gary served overseas, working with orphans, teenagers, newlyweds, and the elderly.  He has been the hands and feet of Christ and the thousands who have directly benefited from his sacrificial love want to gather now on his behalf.

Would you consider joining with us in prayer for Gary this Sunday? 

Here are a few ways you can pray:

  • Pray for a miraculous healing of Gary’s body.  Medically speaking, the kind of cancer that Gary has doesn’t look good.  But we serve a God who is the Great Physician – the Gentle Healer.  May we pray with boldness, placing our urgent request before Him.
  • Pray for Gary and his wife Carol as they deal with the stresses of chemotherapy.  The regiment Gary is on now is brutal – pray for strength to endure.
  • Pray for Gary’s children.  His son, Lt Clayton Varner is currently stationed in Iraq.  Pray for his safety and return to the US in August.  Gary’s daughter, Jessica, is currently serving in Athens, Greece with Campus Crusade for Christ.  Pray for her safety and protection in that unstable environment.
  • Pray that Gary, who is also an accomplished writer and author, would be able to finish the second installment of his popular novel.  Outside of missions, Gary has a deep love for writing, but the chemo has left him unable to finish his book.  Pray that he would have miraculous moments of clarity throughout his days to be able to release the creative giant inside.  As a writer myself, I know and understand how desperate it feels to have pent up creativity and no way to release it.

I’m sorry this post was so long, but my urgent and desperate hope is that thousands of people would unite and lift this man up on Sunday and that together we would all be partakers in God’s unfailing miracles.

If you would like to join the thousands who will be praying for the Varners, would you do me a favor and leave a comment letting me know?  I’d like Gary and Carol to have tangible evidence of the working and moving of the Spirit through the faithful prayers of many. 

Thanks everyone!

Filed Under: Blogging, Life, Random, Russian Tagged With: , , ,

Girl and Boy Become Man and Wife

June 11, 2010 by

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It is time to tell you the rest of the story.  Grab a steaming cup of hot tea, will you.  Sit back, kick up your heels and prepare to swoon.  Get your lungs ready because you’re going to heave a sigh of utter contentment in a few moments…

Okay, this story isn’t that great.  I might be exaggerating slightly.  My wedding was hardly a fairy tale.  There were no fluffy white bunnies who tied bows in my hair.  Tiny sparrows did not flit about my head whistling in perfect harmony.  Clothes-wearing mice did not sew my glistening white wedding gown and my groom did not break out in song when I walked down the isle (just the thought of that makes me laugh).

All of that would have been cool (except the mice part; clothes or no clothes, I don’t like those furry little creatures), but that is not what the day held for me.  It was, however, in the immortal words of Mary Poppins herself, “Practically perfect in every way.”  I was ready to marry the boy.  For eight months I had been his fiancee.  I wanted to be his wife.  I was ready to be a Mrs.  I wanted to walk down the isle on my dad’s arm and say “I do.”

And I did.

I am blessed cursed with plenty of neuroses.  But one thing I am not is a girly girl or a perfectionist.  This makes planning a wedding very, very easy.  I bought the first dress I tried on, because I loved it.  I tried on a few more, but I knew right away that the first one was it.  It was me.  It was simple, elegant and comfortable.  I also knew from past experience that I wanted to look natural.  I’m not a heavy make up person, because I’m well aware of the fact that too much make up makes me look like a child who played in her mama’s bathroom cabinets.  If I attempt the smokey eye I don’t look elegant so much as I strongly resemble a two cent hooker. 

And I’d had enough up-do’s in my school dance days to know that my hair in a French Twist makes me look like an ’80’s era creature from Alienation.

I like Daisy’s and Lilies, and I like photographs…and lots of them.  So the photographer and the florist were easy decisions to nail down.  I didn’t want anything elaborate.  I just wanted comfort and familiarity because as much as I wanted to marry the boy and as excited as I was to become his wife, I also wanted to be surrounded by the comforts of simplicty.  It made the idea of marriage seem less daunting.

So I stuck with my simple hair, my simple make up and my simple dress.  My simple flowers, my lots of pictures, my simple hors de veurs and wedding cake (none of that nasty raspberry filling stuff – nope, white cake, white icing…the way the angels like it).  But I felt anything but simple and ordinary.  I felt as if I had been adorned by woodland creatures and singing cherubs.  I felt…like a Princess.

To be honest, I remember few details about the day of my wedding.  I know I was up early all jittery and happy.  I know I had my hair done and my bridesmaids (all nine of them) had breakfast with me.  I don’t know what time we headed to the church or where everyone got dressed.  I do remember my grandmother making me laugh out loud at some point.

“Kelli,” she said, “I heard that you and all of your bridesmaids are wearing thongs today.”

“Uh…Mimi!  What?!  I…maybe.  I haven’t asked them…”

She stared back at me completely confused.  And my mom burst out laughing.  “They don’t call them thongs anymore, Mom,” she said.  “And yes, all the girls are wearing flip flops.”

Sweet Mimi.

I was a bit of a traditionalist when it came to my wedding.  I didn’t want to see the boy before the ceremony, I wanted the Wedding March played when I walked in and I wanted hymns sung during the ceremony.  Somehow that just seemed right to me.  And it all went off without a hitch.

Well…except for the tears.  I’ve told you about my penchant toward crying.  I don’t get the cute little single tear drop that streams down the cheek like you see in the movies.  Oh no…I cry like an ugly gopher.  And if I try to hold the tears in I end up bursting like the Hoover Dam.

So mid-way through the minister asking who would give this woman to marry this man, I broke.  And I was mic’ed.  Then I tried to laugh to cover it up, which only made me sound a bit like a machine gun filled with snot balls.  A blushing bride, I was not.

But sobby sobberson’s aside, the ceremony itself was beautiful.  My uncle and my high school youth minister, two of the most unorthodox, craziest men in ministry I’ve ever known, led the service and they injected the right amount of humor and sweetness to balance out my crazy.  The music was sweet, the boy was sweet (and terribly, terribly handsome in his tux with tails. Oy!)  And it ended with me becoming Mrs. Lee Stuart.  A name I was happy to take on and I am even more proud to bear today, nearly ten years later.

wedding1

After what seemed forever in photographs (We had a wedding party of eighteen!  We’re not good at narrowing down…) we hopped in our limo and headed off to the reception where we had one heck of a party and a huge surprise waiting for us.

weddingsurprise

To be continued…

Read the rest of the story here.

Filed Under: blast from the past, Blogging, Family, Lee, Life, Marriage Tagged With: , , ,

In which I write while freezing

March 2, 2010 by

My house is cold.  I would get up and put on a sweater, but Tia is asleep in my bedroom and I’m already wearing a sweater.  I could go sit in front of the fireplace, but then I will probably fall asleep and I prefer to waste my time in front of the computer screen, not snoozing in front of the fire.

Ahem.

So I forgot to pick Sloan up at school today.  And he’s apparently not going to let me forget about it.  I usually pick him up every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday because I can’t wait for his bus and still get to Tia’s school in time to pick her up.  Thursday and Friday, however, he always rides the bus home.

Except today was an early release day, which for half day kindergartners means they actually get out of school later rather than earlier.  Try to keep up…

Most often, early release days fall on a Friday.  But apparently the school district likes to mess with us parents and throw one in the middle of the week now and again.  So…I forgot it was early release day and drove to school at normal time to pick up the boy.  As I pulled in, I noticed there were no other cars/buses waiting then saw the sign announcing Earl Release.  So I left, assuming that Sloan would just ride the bus home like he always does on early release days.  I did not think about the fact that his teacher expects me to pick him up on Tuesdays.

Cut to me, at home, fixing lunch for the younger two monkeys and the phone rings with a report that they have my child sitting in the office waiting to be picked up.  I throw the monkeys in the car sans shoes/coats and dash to the school where Sloan greets me with a “Mom, what the heck?!” and a scowl.  I then endured a rather pointed lecture all the way home about how next time I need to send in a note so the teacher knows he’s supposed to get on the bus.

Got it, dear.

And now I’m home and it’s quiet.  And I’m cold.

I’m also preparing to write my first post for STLFamilyLife.  I met up with the lovely Lisa and Melody last night to discuss partnering with them to build this new site for St. Louis area families.  I’m very excited to be working on this with them as they are both very experienced, great writers and all around fun gals to be with.  It’s a fun new venture.

And so I’m off to make a cup of hot tea, wrap a blanket around my shoulders and hammer out a post.  And give Sloan one more hug and kiss…

Filed Under: Blogging, funny stuff that happens, Random, Sloan Tagged With:

Puttin’ on our big girl pants

February 18, 2010 by

I have a confession to make…sometimes the blogging thing gets to me.  I love blogging, I really do.  I love the record that I’m keeping for my kids.  I love knowing that despite the craziness of life, there’s always something I can write about that makes me smile (and hopefully you all as well).  I love the connection that blogging gives people, particularly mothers.  I love a lot of things about blogging.

There are times, however, where blogging gets a little cumbersome and even annoying.  I have to fight the longing and hope for lots of comments (it sounds so petty to say, because deep down I don’t need comments, but sometimes, when you pour a lot of energy into something, it can feel discouraging when there is little feedback).  I’m working on that nasty little aspect of my blogging personality. 

And then there is the pressure of trying to come up with something interesting to say.  Again, I am working on not trying to please and just writing for the pure love of the written word.  But the fact of the matter is that I do feel the pressure to be engaging and to write in a way that encourages others, makes people smile and honors my family.  And sometimes I just want to walk away – scrap the whole blogging thing and give up the internet altogether.

But the idea of facing the withdrawals is so terrifying that I continue to indulge, if not for myself but for my kids and for family members who enjoying keeping up on our lives. 

And because I’m addicted. 

There – I said it.  I feel better already.

There are other aspects of blogging that I find to be terribly discouraging as well.  One of them is the viciousness that the online world can bring out in others, particularly women.  It’s terribly sad and thankfully the hatred and gossip is not directed at me, but I am always aware that it only takes one person who disagrees with you to suddenly make the blogging experience a negative one.

You see, the beauty of blogging is that it gives anyone and everyone a platform.  The blogsphere is inundated with soap boxes, and that is precisely what it was designed to be.  And I’m all for people expressing their opinions – but sometimes, if one soap box crowds another – well, it can get ugly.  Here’s the deal – if I enjoy reading a particular blogger’s opinions, I will usually do so (even if I don’t necessarily agree with them), but if I don’t enjoy them or the way that they write, then generally I choose to stop reading.  It’s as easy as that.  I don’t leave nasty comments, I don’t start hateful blogs in retribution and I don’t vent my hatred for everyone else to read.

In short, I try not to cyber fight.  Because there’s no point.  Life is too short to get your panties in a bundle over someone who shares a different viewpoint than you.

So recently, when I saw some pretty vicious attacks against a fellow blogger and a fellow mother, I was pretty sickened by it all.  So much so that I wanted to shut my blog down and walk away from this little hobby of mine.  It may seem silly, but part of me doesn’t want to be identified with the pettiness that can ben associated with blogging (particularly mom blogging)  Of course, I’m not going to shut down my blog.  The viciousness isn’t directed at me and I don’t even know the person they are attacking personally, but seeing how terribly hurtful mothers could be toward one another caused me to feel so discouraged.  I just don’t get it.

If you don’t agree with someone? That’s fine!  You’re entitled to your opinion.  I’m sure there are some of you who read my blog who don’t agree with everything I say or do.  I welcome dissent (respectfully, of course) and I hope that people feel the freedom to share disagreement with me.  What I don’t agree with or understand, however, is hateful speculation and false claims without any basis to back up said claims.  You don’t like the way a woman writes about her everyday life?  Again, that’s fine.  But don’t accuse her of being abusive or neglectful of her children or worse, using her child as a cash cow.  Those are serious allegations and they are coming from other mothers!  I thought we women grew out of this type of behavior in junior high, but sadly that’s not necessarily the case…

Here’s my opinion – if you don’t like what someone says or how she acts, then you should privately go to her, make her aware of it, then walk away and leave it at that.  But to start an anonymous blog just so that you and others can make accusations and waste precious time digging up dirt on a fellow mother is just so disheartening and sad, not only for the blogger under attack, but for those who are so desperate to attack her.

There is danger in this online world to somehow separate ourselves from the reality that is life.  We can be whoever we want to be, say whatever we want to say and attack whomever we want to attack without repercussion because we are doing so under the umbrella of “free speech” and “keepin’ it real.”  I say, let’s live honest lives, not take ourselves too seriously, and get over ourselves. 

Life is so short.  And I certainly don’t want to waste the precious few moments I have to make an impact in this world harboring jealousy and hatred toward someone I will probably never meet.  I would encourage everyone else to do the same.  Blogging should be fun.  It has the potential to be a special glimpse into those moments in life that pass too quickly.  I am working on enjoying this thing called life and living in reality, not in the 15.6 inches of computer screen that sit before me right now. 

With that in mind, I will continue to blog, not for the benefit of having my ego stroked in the comments section, but rather for the benefit of knowing that someday, hopefully, I will be able to look back and see a life well lived. 

And now, I shall pack up my soap box and move on.

A few asides – one that pertains directly what what’s written above and two that have nothing to do with it at all…

Though many of you are probably already aware of the website to which I am referring and the nastiness that is being directed toward other bloggers, I would appreciate not discussing any of them by name in the comments.  I’m not writing this to get into a cyber fight – as I said above, life is too short to engage in such nonsense.  I purposely avoided naming names for that very reason. 🙂

For any of you reading this who are interested in learning more information on book publication, I recently led a Lunch and Learn that very topic and wrote up a couple of posts on the St. Louis Bloggers’ Guild site.  Check it out if you’re interested.

Next week, I will be leading a break-out session on blogging at the Ladies Nite Out event at my church.  If you’re interested in hearing me yammer on about blogging for a bit, then check out this website for information on how to sign up.  If you want to come and have no interest in listening to me yammer (and I don’t blame you) but would like to check out some of the other fabulous topics, then go ahead and sign up!  It will be a fun event.

Filed Under: Blogging, Life, Motherhood

Haiti Relief: How You Can Help

January 15, 2010 by

The pictures and projected death toll numbers coming out of Haiti are staggering.  As many as 50,000 feared dead and more than 3 million stranded or injured on an island that was known for poverty before the earthquake hit.  But relief and aid is on the way and for that I am grateful.

 

You’ve no doubt heard or seen of the numerous trustworthy and reliable organizations that you can donate to and know without doubt that your funds will be used well and fair.

 

Organizations like the Red Cross have already sent in teams to help with medical needs and to distribute much needed water and supplies to the survivors.

 

You can also give to Compassion International and World Vision, both of whom already have teams set up in Haiti and are quickly assessing the needs and distributing care and funds where needed.  Both of these organizations are stellar, are prepared and will effectively use the funds they raise for the relief of the island of Haiti.

 

There is one other organization I’d like to make you aware of if you’re still undecided.  I’ve written about IsleGo Missions before as they are an organization founded and run by my aunt and uncle out of Orlando, Florida.  For a detailed description of who they are and what they do, read my previous post or visit their website.  My aunt and I communicated tonight about what IsleGo is doing to respond to the tragedy and rather than try to reexplain what she told me, I’ll just paste her email here:

 

 “As to Haiti, yes IsleGO is taking donations, people are already sending them. Dusty has a huge network base and we also have a partner in Haiti, a hospital that is about 30 miles outside of Port au Prince. This afternoon we sent 40,000 baggies of rice. Each bag has enough to feed one person, in the bag there is rice, spices and nutrients and all they have to do is boil water for have food. We are working on another 100,000 bags to get ready for delivery within the next few days. Dusty is already getting info on putting teams together by February. Anyway, to answer your question, yes we are taking donations. Thanks for asking. Checks can be made payable to IsleGO Missions.”

 

There is a link on the IsleGo site that leads you directly to PayPal if you would like to donate that way.  If you would rather send in a check, leave me a comment and let me know and I will get you the address, or you can contact Dusty and Corinne Cooper personally through the IsleGo site.

 

No matter what organization you choose to donate through, I urge you all to give something.  This is a massive devastation and it is within our power to help those who are suffering desperately.  So I implore you to click on any one of the above links and take a few minutes to give out of the abundance with which you have received!

 

May you all have a blessed weekend.

Filed Under: Blogging, Ministry, Missions Weeks Tagged With: , , , ,

2009 – A “Wordy” Review

January 3, 2010 by

I got this idea from C-Jane’s blog. I’m not quite as spunky a writer as she is, but I liked looking through my 2009 posts and remembering the fun and crazy words that composed and marked the past year.  

January: 

– The Inauguration: Thoughts From a Conservative: This was one of my few ventures into politics on my blog. I don’t do it often, but sometimes the urge to comment on the political temperature of our country gets the best of me.  Political posts always lead to interesting comments.  I also ended up on the news during this particular event. 

– Boredom Leads to Strange Things: An Epic Battle: In which Sloan and I developed an entire story using his Star Wars figurines and a doll house.

Feburary:

Hoops and Tears: This was one of my more poignant and introspective posts of the year. I don’t often venture into the recesses of my heart on my blog, but this was a decisive moment in my year and it’s a prayer that my heart still whispers for my child.

The Master Cleanse: A Reflection: Perhaps one of the funnier moments of our year. This was the description of mine and Lee’s abismal attempt at the Master Cleanse diet. 

March:

Minivans are HOT!: I got my new site up and running with this post.

Memo to My Husband: My kind (and fecicious) way of asking my husband not to screw the lids of the kids’ sippy cups on so tight.

April:

Sick and Twisted or Just Plain Funny?: If my children ever end up needing professional counseling, this post may contain some explanation as to why.

Easter Blunder: My husband made a man blunder on Easter Sunday of all days. It made for a great memory…and gave me a reason to laugh at him – good naturedly of course.

May:

Can I Just Go Back To Bed?: The Infamous haircut heard ’round the world. It was Sloan’s lone foray into hair maintenance – he was fired, effective immediately and lasting for all of eternity.

The Art of Taking Tea: A friend and I threw a kick-butt tea party.

June:

The Lotus in a Field of Mud: I love yoga – I just don’t understand it…

Why I’m in Turks and Caicos: I got to take the trip of a lifetime with my mom as we travelled to her childhood home in South Caicos. It was amazing.

July: This was a big posting month for me…

Six Years: My baby turned six. *sob*

Then and Now: I took these comparitive shots of Landon on our favorite stretch of beach.

Heavy and Light: In which I go all introspective again.

I’m sorry but it’s all I’ve got today…: My pitiful, yet painfully honest, admition that I would gladly allow Zac Efron to make a Cougar out of me (though since I’ve written this post I’ve been informed that a woman in her thirties is actually referred to as a Puma).

August:

On Immunizations: I ventured into another hot topic and posted our decision to alter and withhold some immunizations for our children.

Missions Week: I hosted my first Missions Week in which I featured missions organizations and missionaries that are near and dear to my heart.  You can read all of the posts by clicking on the link at the top of my page.

September:

The President’s Address to Our Children: I got political again and in doing so stepped in a big pile of *&%!  This particular post ended in me getting an email from Fox and Friends to be interviewed on their morning program.  Unfortunately I was out of town when they needed me and was unable to do the interview.

A Party in the Heavenlies: My son asked Jesus to be his Savior. A momentous day for sure.

October:

Don’t let the door hit you in the –: The one where I admit that sometimes my mothering skills are reduced to clapping my hands.

Pumpkins and Funnel Cakes – A Lovely Combo: I worked on taking and posting better photographs with this post.

November:

I Blame it all on Them: This post found me lamenting my dying brain cells – a phenomena I blame entirely on the children.

Mature Woman my BLEEP: My dermatologist had a severe case of verbal diarrhea. 

December:

The Three Wise Men, The Construction Worker and the Lady Down the Street: This one is pretty self-explanatory. 

The One Where My Mom Claws Come Out: I almost had to take a girl out at the mall. Don’t make mama bear angry!

Whew – It’s been a fun ride, this blogging thing.  I’m so glad I have these stories documented and I’m so grateful to have you guys journey with us.  I know I’m not the most talented writer out there and I don’t always spin the most fascinating stories, but this blog has been a fun release for me and I enjoy your company!

I’m hoping to improve my writing skills in this coming year, while also providing a fun and witty journal for my children to look back at one day.  This is the literary road map of their childhoods.  I just pray that I do them justice.

Happy 2010.

Which, can you believe it’s 2010? I really thought we’d have flying cars by now…and Hoverboards. 

Blast those Hollywood movie makers…

Filed Under: blast from the past, Blogging, Family, funny stuff that happens, Kids, Kids do the darndest things, Life, Missions Weeks, Random

Taking Care of Business

November 23, 2009 by

– First of all, I am going to announce the winner of the Testament Focused drawing.  I now know why I don’t like doing giveaways.  I wish every one of you could win and I hate that I only get to pick one winner – or that Random.org only got to pick one winner for me.  If I could afford it, I would buy and ship a book out to every one of you.

But I can’t afford it, so you’ll have to buy your own!  Ha!

Anyway, drumroll please…

The lucky winner of the Testament Focused drawing is…

Number 9 – Nicole from Here’s the Diehl!

Congratulations, Nicole.  I’ll get that book to you as soon as it comes in and I’ve had a chance to look through it myself 🙂

To the rest of you – thanks for playing and I am really sorry you didn’t win.  But you can still get a copy for yourself and don’t forget that 100% of the first 25 copies sold goes to Soaring Wings Ranch. 

– It was another busy weekend for the Stuart family.  Daddy was out of town, which always lends itself to insanity.  We watched the movie Up on Friday night.  I laughed to not cry through the first half hour of the movie, then genuinely laughed the second half.  It’s a very sweet film.

– While Lee was gone, I noticed it was rather frigid in our house and realized the furnace was blowing cold air.  so, with Lee talking me through it over the phone, I managed to relight the pilot light on the furnace thereby restoring warmth and order to my home.

Because I am She-ra.

– Saturday we got to stay home in the morning and I got some laundry done while the kids attempted to drive me insane  played quietly around the house.  Then we headed out the door to visit with a sweet friend who’s in town for a little while before going home to greet her husband who is fighting for our freedoms in Afghanistan!

We love you Jeremy!

– Sunday I woke up to discover that my voodoo face cream apparently works by burning the skin off my face.  I guess I got it too close to my eyes because both eyes were swollen shut and the skin was rather enflamed.  An ice pack and a lot of lotion later, I headed out the door where I spent the next 11 hours at church leading worship, making Christmas crafts with Sloan, singing Christmas carols for the craft workshop and previewing scene one from our upcoming Christmas musical!

Whew – I’m still exhausted.

– When I returned home, I wrote this article for the St. Louis Blogger’s Guild in which I took a rather unpopular opinion on an incident that took place here in St. Louis.  You’ll have to read the article to know what I’m talking about, but I still firmly belive that while Kurt Greenbaum may be known as a bit of a jerk around town, the person posting the comment had no business doing so from school grounds and I therefore think he is suffering a dreadful consequence for his foolishness.

Not many people agree with me.  There is widespread belief that Kurt Greenbaum violated an unspoken code of conduct on the web and he is being slaughtered for it.  Perhaps that is the case, but the fact remains that this school employee still made a foolish choice.

It’s a tough situation.

If you haven’t read the article you have no idea what I’m talking about.

– Now I’m home, still nursing swollen eyes and trying to gear myself up to put away the mountains of laundry I washed this weekend.  I also may pull out a few Christmas decorations, much to my husband’s chagrin.  He has this crazy idea that we shouldn’t start celebrating Christmas until after Thanksgiving!

I know, right?!

Filed Under: Blogging, Christmas, Giveaway, Holidays, Life, Random Tagged With: , , ,

The Truth in Blogging

November 3, 2009 by

My friend, Nicole, has a great post today about keepin’ it real in blogging.  The idea is that many times us blogger mama’s tend to keep things positive and not really show the messy in life. 

It can be very deceptive and even discouraging when it seems that these people you read and grow to love are perfect mothers who always prepare fresh, organic fare for their children, have a hot meal on the table when their husbands get home and smell of roses when they sweat.

In general I think I have a pretty good balance on this here blog.  I’ve let you know the times when my heart has been heavy, I told you I clap my hands at my kids, and who can forget this little escapade?  But, for the most part, I like to keep things light on my blog.  I don’t record every single thing we are doing in our lives here – first because that would be incredibly boring and second – because the world doesn’t need to know everything.

So today, in an effort to keep it real, I share with you some of the bad/funny moments in my home.

– My youngest child woke up in the middle of the night last night and wouldn’t go back to to sleep so I finally put him in his crib where he cried loud and hard for an hour and a half.  And I put the pillow over my head and attempted to go back to sleep.

– When his loud crying woke up Tia, I plopped her back in bed and when she started crying I shushed her sternly, threatening to throw away her Halloween candy if she woke Sloan up. (I did apologize for being so harsh this morning.  In my defense it was 4:30 am and I’d already been awake for an hour and a half.)

– While I know that I should be working with Sloan every day on his English reading and his russian homework, I often times talk myself out of it simply because I’m lazy and don’t feel like it.  I’m working on being more diligent so that I can pass that on to my children.  It’s hard.

– I am over committed this holiday season.  It’s almost feeling out of hand and all I can think is that I just need to get through the next 6 weeks and it will all get better. 

– I suffer from mommy guilt a lot.  I am constantly thinking about how I could have/should have done something better in my parenting (a post about how we are learning to parent intentionally is coming tomorrow).  I have to work hard not to get bogged down in that attitude.

– I spend too much time on the computer.  I’m working really hard at limiting my internet time so that I’m focusing more on my kids and my house.  Is there a 12 – step program for that?

– My third born is a terrible eater.  And I’ve never had a terrible eater before so I don’t know what to do with him.  So many times I just let him drink his meals.  This morning he had a cup of Emergen-C and a cup of diluted antioxidant water and two bites of pancakes.  He just refuses to eat.  It’s insane!

– I’m not very good at grocery shopping.  I always spend a ton of money yet never seem to have anything for dinner.  I know, I know – I should plan out my meals in advance so I get the right ingredients and save money…

– I’m not overly organized – see above.

– Sometimes I don’t start dinner until 5:00, which means we eat a lot of pasta and other quick and easy meals.  Again, see above.

– Sometimes I drop my kids off in child care at the gym, then I go sit in the hot tub instead of working out.

Okay, that’s enough confessing for now.  What about you all?  Do any of you have any confessions you’d like to make?  Do share.

Oh, and I do smell like roses when I sweat so I’ve got that going for me…

Filed Under: Blogging, Family, funny stuff that happens, Life, Motherhood Tagged With:
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