Whooped!

How is it that one tiny little person can wield so much power?? This angry midget had me under her volatile spell all day!
The piglet (or should I say wild boar) had a Doc appointment this morning, it was a follow up to her hospital stay back in late September. My ever so calm & not remotely violent Princess Bear had to see doc as well so off we went. I should of known that when the sun was afraid to come out to keep my head under the covers but nope, I'm a daring kind of girl.
Anyway, Piggie has been sick. She had a cold that settled in both ears & although the cold was quite pleased with it's new surroundings piggie was steady calling for an eviction.
Ya know, it was kinda like a siren wailing until your one eyeball felt like it was gonna pop??
Yeah...that.
Well, doc gave her an antibiotic & her pain cleared up but the cold didn't she was still clingy & crabby.
Then Saturday she starts getting a rash & I figure she must of got a little too much soy at some point today. She's allergic & it's in EVERYTHING.
I give her some benedryl then off to bed. Sunday morning I experienced something I've never experienced before.
I consider myself a seasoned mom. No, I don't know everything but I'm not wet behind the ears either. I know what to do when there's poop everywhere & wipes are no where to be found. I know what to do when my baby is twisting up like a pretzal while her toosh is covered in poop. I know how to keep calm when I realize there's poop on my hands, shirt, & pants.
Now you may be thinking, wow she talks about poop a lot. But this is the subject of my ever so interesting Sunday morning. In the early serene hours, quiet & peacefully piggie & I cuddle up on each other. When I get a whiff of that familiar scent I don't even want to let her go that is until I realize my shirt & pants are a little wet.
Great! Diarrhea...cha cha cha...yay.
So I get all prepared, here's how it looks...smelly stinky & still cute baby on the floor, wipes open with 4 or 5 out & ready, A&D ointment, ample supply of bags for disposal. I knew what I was walking into because she has had this issue the past few days. But maybe I got to cocky?? Pride comes before the fall, even poopy falls. Well, when I opened her diaper her bootie had become a faucet & her diaper no longer wanted to be a sink. Soooo....there was errrr...an abundant overflow. I actually howled in shock. Wipes was not gonna cover this so thankfully my helpful Bear was right there & we survived it together.
She's allergic to the antibiotic given her to for the ear infections.
Nice.

Okay so that's some background to set you up for today, giving you perspective as to the level of how tightly I'm wound when we all go to this appointment.
As I said how can a person who doesn't even reach my waist have the ability to cut me off at the knees? I wonder if she's really a crime family enforcer!!
"The Mini Mangler"
"Tiny Torturer"
You get the point.

This little love of mine screamed at the top of her lungs for 2 hours!!! The dr & nurse had to talk over her because I couldn't hear at all. Nothing calmed her. Nothing. There was nothing physically wrong, she was just ticked. Really really ticked. I found it very difficult to keep trucking a long & to continue being nice when strangers kept giving me that "you poor thing smile"
In my mind I'm thinking I want to beat the daylights outta someone & you just may be that person so stop smiling at me.
So now I'm home & she is screaming & has been all day.Oh, and I'm hiding.
I am a Supermom today because I said so.
There...

The Blessed Supermom

Bath + Earplugs + Poop = Failure

OK, did I mention in the last post we have one bathroom? 6 people, 1 bathroom...let me leave you with that to chew on for a second.
Well, here I was in my nice relaxing bath only to discover I'm about two feet too big for this thing, now mind you I'm not tall, in fact I'm the opposite...horizontally challenged. Anyway, there I am all crunched up & I figure no biggie, I've got my lavender oil goin & I'll download a book from kindle.
I've never done that so I checked out "free classics" & chose The Scarlett Letter. But then I got to thinking "are there naughty parts in here?"
I mean it is a book where the main character is an adulteress (sp) right? Somebody help me out here.
OK, scratch that...
Supermom is scrunched up in the tub with no book, what to do..what to do??
Ahhhh!! Pandora!
I'll listen to some music :) However, for some wickedly sarcastic reason Pandora isn't working :(
Ok, I'll give tune in radio a shot. Nope, sorry Mommy who is trying to relax tune in radio will not buffer (insert sinister laugh from android phone here)
Out of desperation I go to you tube to play some music & alas, it works!!
But Murphys Law will not give up so easily..OH NO!
This is when the Monkey has to pee, & ohhhh what a giggle it is for her to potty with Mama hiding behind the shower curtain. Finally after she is emptied, wiped, & washed she decides she wants to give me a hug. Isn't that sweet?
I declined -_-
Ahhh...time for me.
But now the water has turned cold & I'm shivering in my scrunched up tub. I still have an hour before The Hubby & I need to leave to meet some friends, but guess what??
The dryer stopped & the clothes are still damp & we're all out of quarters...I suppose they won't mind if I where jammies, grrrrr.....
OK, I'm gettin ticked off.
EVERYTHING IS GOING WRONG!
goosfraba...goosfraba...goosfraba
Better now. Well the bath was a bust but at least I can doll myself up a bit :)
Got the hair dryer & I'll pop in my contacts, but again...no no no. Monkey has to pooh now, I have one contact in my hand, I can't see, my towel is fighting gravity, & she wants a poopy wipe...GRRRRR.
goosfra...oh whatever >{
So now the ONE BATHROOM does not smell like lavender & I'm grumpy. I think I'm gonna go pout & feel sorry for myself and have some cheesecake....that'll help.

The Blessed Supermom

Not Today

If you're looking for an encouraging word it's not coming from me, not today. I'm gonna whine, complain, & throw all sorts of fits. I have bad words stuck in my mind but don't worry, I won't let them come out.
See, I'm feeling very much trapped & down in the dumps lately. Oh! Whoops! I'm not spose to say that out loud am I??? I'm supposed to be all chipper & jolly here all the time right?? How else can I be a testimony to others if I come here & vent full steam??
Well, screw that...sorry if that was too close to bad words. Really not wanting to offend, but that is honestly how I feel. I'm really fried & on edge BIG TIME & need to let it out before I go nutty....again. See, I went waaaaayyyy off the deep end yesterday..screaming & literally stomping my feet.

WHY??

Well, I'm tired for one. The wee munchkin (piggie??) still isn't sleeping through the night. Truth is she most definitely should be & normally by this point all my kids are sleeping like sweet little angels for a good 8-10 hours...buuuuttttt not the munchkin. She wakes up every night once or twice & then is up by 5 AM. Normally, I'd let her "cry it out" I know, I know, I'm evil....whatever.
But, we live in an apartment building now & the neighbors shouldn't have to hear her crying nights on end.
So, no sleep...or at least very little sleep for 13 months straight...
I'm tired.
That alone is a lot of reason behind my perpetual crabbiness as of late but hey why don't we throw in the being locked up in my little grey apartment. Now, I know when I first moved in here I was all "woohoo!! I'm all happy & dancin' weeeeee!!!"
Now, I look more like a kid who's just been told they're candy is all gone & will never return.
Ya know the super droopy sad face look. Well, I know the weather is a HUGE factor & I can not wait for the first blooms to appear & the sun to come out of hiding. I'm in such anticipation of taking my babies & running in the grass, well...they'll run & I'll sit a lot & look at them. But hey!!! I'll be outside which is what I'm dying for. Before, when we rented the house getting out was a lot easier because we had a large backyard so the kids could run like lunatics for a half hour & give me some breathing space.
Now, they run like lunatics right over me!! I'm sure there's all sorts of "teachable moments" here & that I need to get things in order but right now I just don't care. The monkey is squealing & spinning in circles, the munchkin is under the table & yanked the basket of laundry with her...guess where all the clean clothes are now??? And my sweet Bear wants to know what's for dessert.....ugh...I dunno =(
So, thank you for letting me be "me" & purging my soul's grossness to you. I need to tell you my dear readers although I have not "met" all of you that I thank God for each & every one of you. You are all wonderful friends & it does encourage me to know that you have had days such as mine & that you keep pressing on towards the prize & I will as well.
And now this exhausted & spent Supermom must go...The Hubby is on his way home from work & I need to quickly pull myself together & throw on a smile for him.
I know he'll need it.

The Blessed Supermom

Princesses

OK, so many times I've referred to my girls as animals. My zoo. That's because ever since my oldest was a baby she's been Cow. So naturally the rest had animal names. But I also call them my Princesses. I want them to know they are blessed & highly favored (Luke 1:28).
And they are daughters of the King of Kings. I want them to understand that they are royalty.
Well, the other day for some reason I got to thinking about their personalities & what type of Princesses they are. Let me start with Cow,
I see her as the Medieval Princess....

She reminds me of this image above. The first thing you may notice is the dark colors, the turned & hidden face. And my Cow does have some of those qualities. She likes to wear black & isn't your average damsel in distress. However, what I see is so much more, I see the flowers reaching to her because she brings so much joy & life into this world. I see the sun reflecting God's glory on her. And just as the girl above is doing my Princess knows when to turn away (1st Timothy 6:11) & that makes me very proud.

Then I have my Bear, ya know it's funny I call her that because when you hear "Bear" I'm sure strong images come to mind. However, I also call her my gentle flower, she can be so soft & sweet. She is my girly girl, all sparkles & shimmers.
She is your average Fairy Tale Princess.....

When I look at her I see Cinderella. This sweet innocent girl has had it a bit too rough for her tender age. She's lived through more trials then I would of wanted but my princess doesn't have a"Fairy Godmother" instead she has someone better, her Abba Father. He is her King & he is enthralled by her beauty (Psalm 45:11) I know through Him she will live "happily ever after"

Now logically, I would come to my Monkey but I'm gonna save her for last. You'll see why in a minute =)
So here's my wee munchkin......

My newest Princess. I chose a simple silhouette to describe her because we have yet to see how God will use us to mold & shape her for His kingdom. We don't have a clear picture as to who she is yet but I am so excited to get to know her. To learn who she is, what will energize her, what will challenge her, & honestly...just to enjoy her. She is a blessing we've waited so long for.

And now we come to my Little Monkey....ah she is more than a handful. She keeps me on my toes & challenges me daily. Not with disrespect, she just has a way about her that makes your face twitch a lot!! So who best describes her??? Please click on the link below & you can have a small window into our world =)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNu_kqxqbew

Now why did I pick this video?? Because this is a new breed of Princess!! She is a little stick of dynamite!! Just as the video begins she is like most girls, dancing, singing, & a picture of tranquility. Then all of a sudden she is on "the attack" & can certainly knock you for a loop!! However, with my Monkey it's never intentional. She never hurts anyone because she can, she is a force & is still learning to contain it, her strength is not physical, it's deep within her. When I was pregnant with her a stranger came up to me & The Hubby & said "I just wanted to tell you, your child is going to be strong in the Lord" (Ephesians 6:10) Then he walked away, I believe these were prophetic words & I claim them for her. She says all sorts of "interesting" things that make me wonder. I believe God is going to use her mightily & right now I need to help her with all of those little bursts that go on inside of her. When she turns all that strength & energy towards God & His work for her....whew!! Watch out!!

So, these are my Princess, they're all very different & I love them for that. They don't fit any one type of mold, we don't serve a "cookie cutter" God. He is the master creator & makes no mistakes. My daughters are beautiful & amazing, I'm blessed & proud to call them mine. They are unique & special, fearfully & wonderfully made.

The Blessed Supermom~

Munchkin's a Piggie??

OK, maybe the wee munchkin is revealing her inner beast. I think it's possible she could be the little piggie in our zoo. What do you think?

Make sure the sound is turned up!!
By the way if you wanna turn the song I have playing down, just scroll all the way to the bottom of the page & pause it!! =)

Going Paperless???

OK, I think I'm gonna do it. I think I'm really gonna do it. I'm gonna give up paper.
I didn't realize I was headed this way, it all kinda started with the idea of helping The Hubby financially. It began with diapers. I started researching cloth diapers to find that they would cost an arm & a leg! Eventually there would be quite a saving but right off the bat we'd be spending over 400 bux. It was very hard to convince The Hubby behind the logic of spending lotsa cash to save some cash considering we really didn't have any cash.
So he did what he does, he got all stinkin logical on me & pointed out how it wasn't beneficial right now, the bad doesn't outweigh the good, & all that stuff...blah blah blah. UGH, why is he always right?
Anyway, 2 years ago when I was pregnant with my Hannah girl, she's my butterfly in Heaven, I was talking to a Supermom in the waiting room. This Mama was telling me all about cloth diapers & how she used a basic pre-fold cloth with diaper covers. Now, I thought she was impressive but a lunatic. I mean when we're talkin cloth diapers aren't we talkin about all the snazzy newer types with velcro, buttons, & cute little designs?? Not, your mothers diapers...with pins & in order to wash 'em they had to be fed through a ringer & all that other scary stuff! Right???
Well, I quickly chucked that idea right out the window. But now that we have the wee munchkin I've been rethinkin it, but still very leary to the pre-fold diapers. I just really didn't think I was capable of goin that route, keepin up with cleanin the dipes & I couldn't afford 'em anyway.
However, here I am...with no diapers, I forgot to check my supply.
I lost some Supermom points today =(
Well, every Supermom has a Grand Master Suuuuper Duper Mom & thankfully mine quickly threw on her cape & flew over to save the day.
She's able to leap buildings in a single bound---more powerful than a locomotive---faster than a speeding bullet, & shows up at your doorstep with Huggies when your baby's butt is nakey =)
Well, bein that this isn't the first time she had to save the day I thought maybe I oughta look more into this cloth diaper thing, I was ecstatic to come across a much cheaper option.
They're KaWaii Baby Cloth Diapers, they have an on-line store called Luv Your Baby Products & they most definitely fit my budget. I figured I'd have a little confidence in myself & go ahead & do it the "old-fashioned" way & use pre-fold diapers & add a diaper cover. The diaper covers or only $4.50 & I already own tons of the pre-folds! So I can buy a dozen covers for a little over 50 bux!! Considering that we spend that almost monthly I figure it's worth a shot!
And why stop at diapers? Why not wipes, paper towels, napkins? So as of today we are out of paper towels & I'm not buying another roll. Instead I'm gonna go ahead & invest in some good strong cloth towels for my kitchen, I'm also gonna start workin on reusable wipes made out of receiving blankets, & stitch some napkins recruiting my zoo animals to pick out fabric patterns. So this is the beginning of a semi-paperless household.
I mean really there is no way to avoid the toilet paper issue!

The Blessed Zookeeper

Free Dipeys & A Hilarious Phone Message

So scrolling through my blogger dashboard I came across an awesome giveaway from a new Supermom Blogger. She's awesome because she has perfected making her own cloth diapers & is even more awesome because she's giving away a 50 gift certificate!!

Check out her cute dipeys here http://niftynappy.com/

She also has an awesome blog about her life as a Supermom to 6 kiddos! How cool is that?! Take a peek at her blog & follow to show we Supermoms stick together http://6andstillsane.blogspot.com/

Last but not least I hafta share this video/audio from her Blog. It's honestly hysterical & soooo true! Enjoy!

The Blessed Zookeeper

Kryptonite

I can say absotively posalutely that people think I'm pretty tough. And I guess on the surface I really kinda am. But the truth is, I'm a big fat sissy. Why do I say this you ask, cuz I'm terrified of a creature no bigger than the palm of my hand....a mouse.
No, not a rat, a little ole' mouse.
The other day Bear came running into my room trying desperately to catch her breath & tell me she saw a mouse. I quickly concluded that she was a loon because there was just no way that a Supermom like me could allow such a thing in her home. With more than a hint of doubt in my voice I asked her to describe this "supposed mouse"
She then went on to describe a furry, gray, pink tailed invader.
And it was in my kitchen no less!! My haven, my sanctuary, the place where I play Susie Homemaker!!
I decided right there & then that we needed to move immediately, packing only the barest of essentials. The Hubby however frowned upon my splendid idea of gettin outta dodge.
He calmly set up a mousetrap while I researched "THEE BEST BAIT FOR....."
As he peacefully applied a bit of peanut butter I questioned whether it should be creamy or chunky? Should we add jelly? And maybe some bread too???
Now...get off the floor & stop laughing at me, I really thought with my awesome Supermom logic that if the P.B. was chunky the mouse would linger longer & SNAP!! Or if we added jelly then maybe the mouse would get stuck a little aaannnnd SNAP-O!!!
And, well....the bread, I got nothin.
So today, the animals thought it would be great dinner conversation to discuss the best way to eliminate Mickey. This is when The Hubby made a grave error. He concluded the most sure fire way to relieve our guest of his breathing ability was to to set a glue trap.

EEEEEEWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OK, again....EeeWEeeweweeeweEEEEEWwwwEWWeEEAAAHHAHHAHAHhhahhhahah!!!!!!

I had all these terrible visions of walking in the kitchen to find Monkey poking at a dying mouse with one of her My Little Ponies. Trust me, it's a strong possibility. So, I quickly told The Hubby it wasn't the least bit possible because I would sooner set the house on fire then have to pick up a wriggling dying & probably ticked off mouse regardless of whether it's "glued" to a piece of plastic or not.

You see this is where all my Supermom abilities go right out the window. This mouse is my Kryptonite.
Can't....fight....getting...dark.....feeling....weak...

I thought maybe it's time for a sidekick, SuperKitty perhaps?? For now though, The Hubby is dragging me, cape & all to the nearest Super Hero store...a.k.a. WalMart to buy...you guessed it...a glue trap. UGH...

A Good Breakfast

I gotta tell ya, I'm done. It's just after 7 & I'm ready for bed. I have been worked over something fierce today. We're still workin on recovering from Hubby's 7 month long vay cay. The animals are restless to say the least. Last week I started them back on a routine & The Bear was so confused, she kept saying "why do you keep telling us what to do??"
Now, mind you she wasn't being disrespectful, she really was at a loss. She's pretty used to runnin wild right now & to have me tellin her every 45 minutes to do this or that was strange.
And it's been an up hill battle but all in all my girls are like most kids, they aim to please. And they're curious to boot.
That's a pretty good combo.

But then we have days like today.

Days when I have cried many tears of frustration & wondered if I have even the faintest idea what I'm doing.
Days when the kids seem to be possessed. And No, not demon possessed more like "I'm insane crazy & my goal for the day is to drive you outta your mind" possessed.
I could ramble on & on and list the many things they did & did not do. But that's really not necessary.
In a nutshell, they were having a rough day themselves. Why was it rough you ask? What could possibly be so hard for a 7 year old & a 4 year old?
I mean nice threads, 4 walls, 3 squares. They've got it easy right???
Well, I guess not, you see when they got up this morning, they had to clean up their room before breakfast. They tore it up last night & I was so itchin for some peace & quiet I said "go to bed but you hafta clean it BEFORE breakfast"
So me, in my great Mommy wisdom had them clean & gave them a late breakfast, which as you other Mommies know, breakfast can make or break your day.
Our breakfast routine is to sit together & while the girls eat I read Bible Devotions with them. Today I didn't do that because we were thrown off with their bedroom.
Isn't it funny how not inviting God to breakfast with you can make the entire day nuts.
He is so important & forgetting Him because the room needs to get cleaned or school has to get started is more than foolish. I can see the fruit of my choices this morning & I can tell you, it's some pretty bitter fruit.
And in all honesty I'd LOOOOOVVVVEEEEE to blame them. I'd love to point the finger & say "ach!! You little heathens, fallin little creatures, MUAHHAHAHAHA!"
But, alas...God points me back to the mirror & reminds me that although my children are not angels they are dependent upon me to teach them what's important. And while a clean room is important, it teaches organization, responsibility, & diligence.
There is absolutely nothing more important than a good breakfast...wait let's make that a
God Breakfast....

The Blessed Zookeeper

RRRRRRRrrrrrrr....

Another older post, but as schooling season is swiftly approaching I thought it was a good read.
Enjoy!

Fall-08

OK so I'm crazy. K? I just wanna get that out there, a disclaimer. First of all I LOVE homeschooling my kids. Really, I do. I love seein all the cool stuff happening. It's like when your baby starts walking & they keep tryin & tryin, toddling, tripping, falling & getting back up. Then when they finally get it & they're walking it's like "WOW!!! AWESOME"
Thats how it is for me to homeschool. When The Bear catches on, sounds out a word & with big ole amazed eyes starin at her book she says MMMAAATTT, MAT! It's like "WOW!! YEAH!!! YOU SAID MAT!"
Ok but heres the down side, I'm a freakin lunatic.
I just have to say teaching a kid to read...not that easy. I mean you would think it's easy because I mean come on, do you remember NOT reading? Probably not, it's second nature, & obviously you can read cuz you're reading this.
But here's my problem...OK ready?
Here it is
"rrrrrrrr"
Yup, thats it.
It's trying to get a 5 year old to make that sound, now lets be specific here OK. It's nor "arrrrr" or "errrr" it's "rrrrr" & that my friends makes a 5 year old angry. Which in turn makes a mommy ANGRRRRRYYY.....ya know like the Hulk(yeah I'm a Superhero, It's on my Facebook profile)
I mean it's not an easy sound to mimic, go ahead say it...sound it out...I'll wait...
SEE!!!
If you did it right, the way the "PERFECT GONNA MAKE YOU GO INSANE" book tells you how, the sound comes from the back of your throat.
Tell Bear that & she looks at you like you're insane. Why would she want a sound to come from the back of her throat???? There's no mouth there...makes no sense! Thats her neck!!!

Well, here we are...stuck on RRRRRRRRR & apparenly learning to read is something I can't blow off. So I'm venting to you in hopes of not going completely bonkers.
I really do appreciate the time to ramble on because running ouside, screaming, pullin' my hair out, climbing up a tree & barking at a bird is generally frowned upon.
"RRRRRR not ARRRRRE" OK? Lana?
Ok, Mommy..."ERRRRR"

AAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

The Blessed Zookeeper

Burnt Chicken & a Pooped Mama

Wow.

I am one overdone Supermom. I am so pooped, frazzled...spent. The hubby went back to work a week ago (PRAISE THE LORD)

We are both happy for him to be back out there workin' & sweatin...gettin' all manly dirty & stuff ya know. Honestly, it really has been waaaaaay too long, almost 7 months!! I mean it's like ice cream, it's soooooo good but after a while your tummy is like "eh hello?? this is too much & I'm done, you're gonna be sick now"
That's kinda what it's like when your workin' man is laid off. At first it's all peaches & cream. I'd get up early & make him a nice breakfast, the girls are all squeals as Daddy becomes the "Tickle Monster"
He's all puffy eyed & cute =)

Well, the honeymoon is long since over & I've had my fill of "Ice Cream ala Hubbee"

So, one thing I need to be honest about is that in the 7 months he's been home I got ever so spoiled! I had him here all...the...time. I could pass off the wee-est munchkin while I got dinner ready. I could enlist his help in getting some laundry done. I could take a few minutes to hide from my animals while he kept the Zoo under control. But nnnnoooooooooowwwwwwwwwww...he's not home (insert pouty sad face here)
And yes, I know what you're thinking, I did complain it wasn't good for us to be in each others faces all day. And yes, I did pray God would give him work. And yes, the kids need Mama to be taking care of them & be consistent...

Hey! Come on...cut me some slack! Enough already!
Wow, you're tough.

Anyhoo, I hafta say, I'm exhausted. The Bear & The Monkey well, they're bein extra stinky, I suppose they need to adjust & they're keeping me on my toes. Today I was outside for not 10 minutes & when I walked in I found crayons all over the floor, the kitchen table was "colored" & Monkey was punchin Bear. As I write they should be "resting" however I can hear The Monkey barking.
Didn't know a monkey could bark did ya? How's that for a visual??
And my wee one has decided sleep is unnecessary & she would very much like it if no one else slept either. Oh! And did I mention it's 90 degrees today & my air isn't working, we have no cooking gas or hot water, & the flies are still invading.

Soooooo, I think I'm really entitled to bein way pooped. However, I found myself gettin pretty self righteous today & feeling entitled to a bad attitude too. Thankfully my Mama was willing to shed some light on my denseness (is that a word?)
Something she keeps remindin me of is the JOY of the LORD is my strength(Nehemiah 8:10). That I can't depend on circumstances to make me feel happy because in this fallen world, it'll just never happen. I need to continually remember that God stays the same & to be dependent on Him for my joy. This is a season of life & although it's a little difficult (I've been through worse) it is only a season & it'll pass.

My Cow, Bear, Monkey, & Munchkin' will get back into a routine & mellow out, the air conditioner will get fixed, the flies will go away, & so on. And as long as I keep my eyes on Him & find ways to thank Him for all that I'm learning through these circumstances..well, then I suppose it's all worth it. Don't ya think?
So, yes..I'm exhausted, & it's likely my munchkin won't sleep tonight & it's a strong possibility that at bedtime there will be "much wailing & nashing of teeth" & I definitely burnt the chicken =( Don't ask. However, I will find my rest in the everlasting God who does not grow weary. I will keep my eyes on Him who does not change. And I will be strong because His joy enables me.

The Blessed Zookeeper

My Wild Kingdom

Hello there!

Let me introduce myself, I am "The Zookeeper", better known as "Mommy"
I also respond to "Ma, Mama, MOTHER, & my least favorite...wwwhhhyyyyy????
I wanted to have a place where I could share mommy hood with other mama's who like me, are home. Trying my best to raise my little ones to love God with all their heart, soul, & mind.
However, on most days my home looks more like a zoo then anything even remotely close to God's design for family. At least that's my perception, probably not His so I suppose I shouldn't say that right?

Anyhoo, the names. Lemme explain the names.

My oldest is 15 & she's my Cow. And she'd be proud to say so (uh...maybe) Just for the record I asked her permission to blast her nickname over the Internet. She agreed =)
Her Daddy is most responsible for her nickname. When she was only about a year old he'd burst in the room callin "PoohGee Cow"....now let's get this right OK?
It's not Pooh Gee.
It's Pooh-"G", like "golly GEE willickers" OK?? Now that we've got that covered...
Anyway, she'd run right into his arms & a Cow became the sweetest animal ever to live in my home.
And like most Cows, she's reliable. I always know exactly where she is & can trust her. She's also very layed back. Real relaxed, the kinda person that takes things in stride unless of course she's having a bad cow day. We won't talk about that. Oh, & she sleeps standing up.

Then there's my 7 year old, she's the Bear....GRRRR...ARGH.
My Bear. Where do I begin? You would think the name says it all right? But not really. Sometimes she's like Pooh Bear. So sweet & cuddly. Cute as can be. Wants to just squish all up into your lap & be petted. Other times she's more like a wild angry brown bear... ready to tear you from limb to limb. What's intimidating is this girl is only 42 lbs & sometimes I'm not sure if I can take her!

Then, we have......The Monkey.
This is my 4 year old & she is somethin' else! Wow! She is goin miles a minute & barely stops to catch her breath, And yes! She climbs everything! I remember lookin out into the backyard to have a near heart attack to see my then 2 year old, & oh so dainty girl I might add, dangling on the tippy top of the fence.

And last but not least is my littlest & wee-est animal. We have yet to explore her inner beastly qualities. As of yet she's just a sweet little 5 month old tryin' to find her place in this family.

Well, I thought I'd kinda point out what I do & what I don't do. There seems to be a lot of confusion about stay at home moms. For example, we have many names. Such as housewife, homemaker, domestic goddess. Then there's the not so nice ones such as freeloader, uneducated, without goals.
But, I'm gonna stick with SUPERMOM. It fits...don't ya think??

So lets start with what I don't do.
I don't sit around all day eating bon-bons waiting for my husband to bring home the check so I can spend it. I don't hover over my kids & live solely & completely for them alone. I don't read the latest & greatest romance novels or watch daytime TV.
By the way, I heartily disagree with most everything that comes out of Oprah's mouth.

Now, to the good stuff. What I do.
I do adore my children, they're sweet little faces. Even teenager grins are good! I do run around like a maniac to "make myself purdy" before my hubby walks in the door from work. I do bake, grow a garden, & even make homemade yogurt. It all sounds super. But naaahhh....
Really, the most important thing I do is admit daily that I'm powerless. That I can't do this Mommy/Helpmate thing at all on my own.
You see I don't just have some "higher power"
I have the ultimate & most awesome power. I have the Blood of Jesus daily covering me in this adventure called motherhood.
Honestly, there are days when I forget & get caught up in the drudgery.
Yeah! I said it....drudgery, of life. Washing laundry Monday thru Friday only to come back to the same pile of dirty clothes the following Monday can get downright bland.

It's very easy to get caught up in myself.

However, I need to remember that when the dishes have been there 2 days, the laundry has grown horns & growls at me, my Monkey had an accident in the bathroom....again, my wee-est munchkin is howling to be fed & everything else is calling for my attention that I'm not doing any of this for me.

I'm doing it for Him.

To honor Him.
To praise Him.
To trust in Him.

He in His goodness has blessed me with this family. He has handed me these children & asked of me to love them, cherish them, & protect them. He has given me a husband who I can call my best friend & be thankful for.

So yes, I am "The Zookeeper"
My house is not the cleanest, my children aren't the best behaved, & my marriage isn't perfect.
But I thank God for all He's given me. It's far above what I could have ever dreamed possible.

I hope to grow in Him & I invite you to come along on all my adventures.
Some days will be good, some days may be bad, & some days will definitely be ugly!
But I'll always be honest & I hope that I can encourage you in your call to mommyhood.

I'd like to end with a scripture I think we can all relate to.
Ya know...at night when your zonked, just completely done. You've wiped noses & butts, dinner burned, phone was ringin all day & little people were just not co-operating. And here you are in bed....ahhh...sleep...."Ma??? Mom? MOMMMMEEEE!!!!!"

29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. 30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 31 but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:29-31

In Him,
The Blessed Zookeeper