Andrew recently learned that he could use the computer pretty much all by himself. He slides that little mouse around and clicks on anything that lights up or makes a noise when you cross it. I'll admit that it's been a refreshing break from always wanting to watch T.V. and it has been educational too. I look forward it being a good resource for teaching. But...
We finally had to set some rules. Andrew has delighted himself in coming up here without asking or slyly getting up from a supposed nap and plopping his little cheeks down on the office chair. Then he gets into stuff on the computer desk or surfd his little 3 year old way through the web. The other day I found that he had ended up on the part of the Disney website where you can purchase merchandise. I hope we don't get a package full of "Cars" when we return from our trip. Another time, Eric came up to find his wallet had been emptied of everthing. Credit cards were strewn about the desk. I know what you're saying, "He probably used them to buy stuff of the Disney website." He's smart, but hopfully not that smart!
The final rule is no sitting at the desk or playing on the computer without asking mom or dad. We'll see how obedient he will be.
Sunday, August 06, 2006
My In-laws
We leave Wednesday for our trip to West Virginia to visit Eric's family. We'll be gone for both our 5th anniversary and Andrew's 3rd birthday. This will be the first or our kids' birthdays that Grandma and Grandpa Melby will get to be with us for. Uncle Paul and Aunt Beth will be there too. We are so excited about our trip. All my life I've loved trips. Especially road trips (even though I have horrible motion sickness). I hope that I'm passing that on to my kids. But more than the trip itself, I look forward to visiting my husband's family.
It's funny that all the silly (and mean) in-law jokes just don't apply to me. I can honestly say from the bottom of my heart that I love my in-laws. And I'm not just saying that cause I think they'll read my blog. I really do. Eric jokes with me that I talk to his mom more than he does. He jokes, but he's right! I know that my in-laws love me in return. My mother-in-law had only boys so I sometimes feel like I make up for her void of never having a daughter (well, me and my brother-in-law's wife...who's also really great). I look forward to visiting them at their house so much. They are the best hosts. Every time we are there it literally feels like vacation. Isn't that what everyone wants? I can never understand why some in-laws are just so rotten. I just know that I'm so thankful that mine aren't.
Not only do I feel this way about Eric's parent's, but also his brother. If I remember right, I met Paul before I met their parents. Eric and I drove from Indiana to Illinois to meet Paul for the annual Fantasy Baseball Draft. Well, the fact that I wanted to participate in this was an automatic in for me. Was I trying to make a good impression? Of course! Was I really that into it? At the time, yes! Have I stayed that interested? ummmmmmm no! Seriously though, when I met Paul, I remember thinking that I would have liked to have been friends with him if I had met him elsewhere. The one thing that I will say about Paul is that this guy has more useless (and useful) knowledge than anyone I have ever known. I guess that comes with being...well brilliant!
Maybe the number one thing I love most about our visits is breakfast. Doesn't that sound funny? I mean every day we eat breakfast right? Well, not only is the food always good (and I don't have to make it), there's something really special about being leisurly in the morning and sitting around the breakfast table for a few hours just talking and laughing. It's especially fun when Eric's brother is there cause inevitably we get the pleasure of hearing them reminisce about their childhoods. It's even funnier when they happen to tell a story that neither parent has ever heard. I have often wondered how one family can have so many funny stories to tell. It doesn't really matter how many times the stories are told, they will be funny every time!
So, to my in-laws: I love you all so much and I love being a part of your family!
It's funny that all the silly (and mean) in-law jokes just don't apply to me. I can honestly say from the bottom of my heart that I love my in-laws. And I'm not just saying that cause I think they'll read my blog. I really do. Eric jokes with me that I talk to his mom more than he does. He jokes, but he's right! I know that my in-laws love me in return. My mother-in-law had only boys so I sometimes feel like I make up for her void of never having a daughter (well, me and my brother-in-law's wife...who's also really great). I look forward to visiting them at their house so much. They are the best hosts. Every time we are there it literally feels like vacation. Isn't that what everyone wants? I can never understand why some in-laws are just so rotten. I just know that I'm so thankful that mine aren't.
Not only do I feel this way about Eric's parent's, but also his brother. If I remember right, I met Paul before I met their parents. Eric and I drove from Indiana to Illinois to meet Paul for the annual Fantasy Baseball Draft. Well, the fact that I wanted to participate in this was an automatic in for me. Was I trying to make a good impression? Of course! Was I really that into it? At the time, yes! Have I stayed that interested? ummmmmmm no! Seriously though, when I met Paul, I remember thinking that I would have liked to have been friends with him if I had met him elsewhere. The one thing that I will say about Paul is that this guy has more useless (and useful) knowledge than anyone I have ever known. I guess that comes with being...well brilliant!
Maybe the number one thing I love most about our visits is breakfast. Doesn't that sound funny? I mean every day we eat breakfast right? Well, not only is the food always good (and I don't have to make it), there's something really special about being leisurly in the morning and sitting around the breakfast table for a few hours just talking and laughing. It's especially fun when Eric's brother is there cause inevitably we get the pleasure of hearing them reminisce about their childhoods. It's even funnier when they happen to tell a story that neither parent has ever heard. I have often wondered how one family can have so many funny stories to tell. It doesn't really matter how many times the stories are told, they will be funny every time!
So, to my in-laws: I love you all so much and I love being a part of your family!
Thoughts from the weekend
Thoguht #1
Okay, here I am at the end of the weekend. A long weekend it's been. It always feels that way when I sing at church. Singing on the worship team is one of the things in my life that brings me the most joy. It absolutely energizes me to be up there worshiping God. Ooh! I just love it and this weekend was particularly high energy so that was even better. But like a lot of the things that we love in life, at the end, I'm so tired. I'll take the tiredness to be able to do it again and again!
Thought #2
I was also scheduled to work all night tonight. Ugh! Of all the times that I wish that I could work and NOT get called off, this is the least of them. Not only am I tired from the weekend of singing, I am not used to working all night on a Sunday night into Monday morning when Eric won't be here to let me sleep the next day. And to top it off, we are planning to leave Wednesday evening for our visit ot West Virginia with Eric's family. So of the things listed here, work is the one I am least excited about. I said a prayer today on my way home from service that God would protect "people" from anything that would require hospital admission and that he would bring those that were already there to a point in their recovery so that they could be discharged. This prayer was said in hopes that I would get called off. And I did! I am on call, but still, Glory to God for answering that prayer.
Thought #3
So, in saying that prayer does that mean that on other days I pray that people would be sick enough to go to or stay in the hospital. I don't think so, but it is job security for me. There will always be sick people. No matter how advanced our technology becomes and good our medicine is, there will always be a need for nurses.
Thought #4
The message this weekend was on Courage. The challenge was "what thing in your life do you need to step out in courage to face?" It's interesting because the response that came to my head is also the response that I had for the "Mountain Moving Prayers" message. Weight Loss!
Praise God that I am on that journey, hopefully once and for all. But it does require courage. The biggest leap for me was sharing openly with my girfriends about my weight issue and an even bigger leap was going yet another step with just one friend. So, even though I've taken the initial leap with courage, I continue to ask God to help and give me courage and strength for the entire journey. God says, "Be strong and couragous..."
My final thought:
Whenever I sing or work on a weekend, Eric is left with the bulk of kid responsiblity. I know it's tough. He works hard all week and I know in his heart of hearts he wishes he could come home and not have to be responsible for three little lives, but he embraces it and does a great job. He has told me before that having these times reminds him of how hard I work during the week when I'm home with them day after day. So, in some way, it's really good for both of us. Whether it's singing or working, I always feel refreshed (despite the tiredness) having been with adults and doing things I love. Again, good for both of us.
As a little refresher for Eric tonight, he went with the guys to see "Taledega Nights, The Legend of Ricky Bobby." I have to admit, I'm a little jealous.
Okay, here I am at the end of the weekend. A long weekend it's been. It always feels that way when I sing at church. Singing on the worship team is one of the things in my life that brings me the most joy. It absolutely energizes me to be up there worshiping God. Ooh! I just love it and this weekend was particularly high energy so that was even better. But like a lot of the things that we love in life, at the end, I'm so tired. I'll take the tiredness to be able to do it again and again!
Thought #2
I was also scheduled to work all night tonight. Ugh! Of all the times that I wish that I could work and NOT get called off, this is the least of them. Not only am I tired from the weekend of singing, I am not used to working all night on a Sunday night into Monday morning when Eric won't be here to let me sleep the next day. And to top it off, we are planning to leave Wednesday evening for our visit ot West Virginia with Eric's family. So of the things listed here, work is the one I am least excited about. I said a prayer today on my way home from service that God would protect "people" from anything that would require hospital admission and that he would bring those that were already there to a point in their recovery so that they could be discharged. This prayer was said in hopes that I would get called off. And I did! I am on call, but still, Glory to God for answering that prayer.
Thought #3
So, in saying that prayer does that mean that on other days I pray that people would be sick enough to go to or stay in the hospital. I don't think so, but it is job security for me. There will always be sick people. No matter how advanced our technology becomes and good our medicine is, there will always be a need for nurses.
Thought #4
The message this weekend was on Courage. The challenge was "what thing in your life do you need to step out in courage to face?" It's interesting because the response that came to my head is also the response that I had for the "Mountain Moving Prayers" message. Weight Loss!
Praise God that I am on that journey, hopefully once and for all. But it does require courage. The biggest leap for me was sharing openly with my girfriends about my weight issue and an even bigger leap was going yet another step with just one friend. So, even though I've taken the initial leap with courage, I continue to ask God to help and give me courage and strength for the entire journey. God says, "Be strong and couragous..."
My final thought:
Whenever I sing or work on a weekend, Eric is left with the bulk of kid responsiblity. I know it's tough. He works hard all week and I know in his heart of hearts he wishes he could come home and not have to be responsible for three little lives, but he embraces it and does a great job. He has told me before that having these times reminds him of how hard I work during the week when I'm home with them day after day. So, in some way, it's really good for both of us. Whether it's singing or working, I always feel refreshed (despite the tiredness) having been with adults and doing things I love. Again, good for both of us.
As a little refresher for Eric tonight, he went with the guys to see "Taledega Nights, The Legend of Ricky Bobby." I have to admit, I'm a little jealous.
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