Baby Steps

I love to sleep. If you know anything about me, you know not to call me early in the morning when I don't have to be up. Brian and I have inner counters that remember whose turn it is to get up and deal with the kids' needs on the weekends. (I know, you're thinking, but he gets up early all week...Denise, YOU should get up! Again, I LOVE sleep.) I am proud to say that I love sleep so much my kids have been trained from toddlerhood to not have many needs early in the morning that they can't handle themselves.

I love seeing the trails of inherited traits in our children and Lucas definitely got Dad's cooking bug. Lucas has been attempting to cook since he was less than two years old...with varying degrees of success. I couldn't help but laugh when I followed the sound of clinking metal to find him cooking corn on the heated stove in the dog's dish...he was two. So inventive, dangerous, but brilliant! Gracie loves to cook also. The bug skipped Em. At 13 she still expects three square a day fixed for her. I say all this to explain that my kids usually get their own food before I step out of bed. I know, you hate me.

Today, was a little different. Lucas woke me asking if Dad was preparing to mow. I looked at Dad, because he was still asleep beside me. I responded that no, Dad was not preparing to mow. Lucas then said that he needed to know so he could clean up the backyard. OHHHHHH, now I understand. My little man, a rising first-grader, had gotten up, gone to the kitchen, in all honesty probably following big sis, Gracie's lead, read his chore chart (he READ his chore chart!) and saw he was supposed to clean up the back yard with his sisters so Dad could mow. Score one for responsibility! He did his other Saturday chore, empty all the trashcans in the house too. I am a proud Mama:)

Our family's mission statement regarding raising kids goes a little like this...
We hope to raise our kids in such a way that they become God-loving, responsible, self-sufficient, respectful adults.

Now, if I could just figure out how to get Lucas to quit saying b*tch.

I am pumped! My first post! No one will probably read it, but it was the result of a revelation. Brian always says I should write a book...but, I have a short attention span. So, voila!, a blog. I can write a little every day, about things other people may care about or get a giggle from, and eventually, a book.
I commit to being completely honest, but trying not to embarass the innocent (or not so innocent), folks in my life. So, I will talk about myself alot more than I usually like to.
I will definitely find humor in things that may offend others. I laugh at life because I believe God gave us a funny bone for a reason, and because I really don't like to cry. Crying makes me feel all weak and vulnerable, not to mention ugly, and yes, I do know it has a healthy place in all of our lives. I love to laugh and have no problem laughing with you at myself.
I have thought about writing a book on parenting before, but found myself lacking in authority. I've pondered writing on multiple sclerosis, as I am, unfortunately, something of an expert after my diagnosis three years ago this month. It can get kinda boring writing about sickness ALL the time. I love to think and talk about Christ, but I don't want those of you uninterested to tune out. So, this will be my random blog. Hope its as fun for you as it already is for me, but if its not, it is still fun for me;)