Run Run Rudolphs

So apparently it has been almost a year since I last updated the blog.  Did I blink or something?  Ugh!  As I read back through some of the older posts, I am sad that I let it go for so long.  My whole point in wanting to do this was to document this crazy, busy life we live.  I know my failing memory will forget these days.  These often very long days with young children.  It’s fun to look back to almost exactly one year ago today and know that the kids were driving me crazy.  Not at all unlike today.

To update:  Nadie will be starting second grade in a few weeks.  She is now seven years old.  I am hoping it will be easier than first grade.  Or, better yet, that I will be more diligent in not trying to homeschool in my own strength.  God has called us to it and it is only through Him that we will be successful.  It would serve me well to remember this! Oliver is going into the three year old class at Parent’s Day Out as he turned three in April.  He loves school!  And now that he is completely potty trained, I can quit searching for colleges that are willing to change diapers.  We are right on the verge of beginning yet another school year and life is about to seriously get cranked up again.

I am going to attempt and go back over the past year and update some other events that transpired throughout the past twelve months.  We’ll see how that goes.  Sadly, I have learned how much easier it is to throw a status update up on FaceBook than to take the time to actually blog.  But I am working on it.  I have realized the error of my ways.  So off I go!  Run, run Rudolph…

Sometimes we call Nadie “Octo-Mom.” The reason being is that she plays with her babies all the time, and usually she will tell you that she has anywhere from four to ten kids. Normally there are a few in the stroller, one is often at school, and inevitably there is one in her shirt as she is always expecting. She will bring them all to me and ask me to babysit as it is time for her to go have an ultrasound to find out what the new baby will be. Boy or girl? One or two? There’s always an air of excitement as we wait to find out just what she has in there.

Sometimes she will cajole Oliver into being her baby. There is one of her strollers that he fits into quite nicely. Nadie will go and get him some cheese or cookies or other bribe in an attempt to get him to do her bidding. This is my least favorite scenario as it will usually end in a fight. Oliver will only take her commands for so long before there is a mutiny.

The other day she came to me and was telling me about her four kids. There was a sixteen year old, a ten year old, and twin three year olds. “Wow, Nadie,” I told her. “You must have your hands full with all of those kids.” She replied, “Yes, I am really busy. But, luckily, the ten year old plays really well by herself. She just plays with her Barbies and stays out of my business. But don’t worry, Mama. It’s not any of the tacky Barbies. Just the ones that come with a church set.” That was all new to me! I didn’t even know there was a Church Barbie.

But there are a lot of things that I don’t know about Nadie’s world. How does she manage to stay in character so well? She will fume all day about forgetting to charge her cell (plastic, purple) phone. And when she does remember to charge it, and I hear her talking on it, I would swear that there was someone on the other end of the line as it truly sounds like she’s having a conversation. Why does she start talking with a British accent when she puts on a princess dress? Why is it she says her “husband” always seems to call her when she is in the middle of something very important? I will hear her answer her cell and say, “Are you really calling me right now??” What makes her think to ask, as she takes her grocery cart and goes to Target, if I’d like for her to call and let me know if she finds a good deal? So much imagination, it just boggles my brain.

But that is just Nadie. Always a mommy to someone. Always trying to get someone to participate in her world of pretend. Constantly reminding us that she isn’t really bossy, she just has good ideas. She is full of life and never meets a stranger. If possible, she would live on a stage. Forever performing some sort of dance or show, an audience is always appreciated with applause encouraged.

And underneath the drama, fanciness, and mothering of the masses beats the heart of a little servant. She is always willing and eager to help in any way she can. Nadie loves nothing more than to surprise Stephen or me by laying out our pajamas and toothbrushes, fully loaded with toothpaste. She waits in her room patiently listening to hear our response as we walk in to find our surprise. She has been known to fix drinks, fetch shoes, brush hair, or rub feet. Even an absent-minded utterance of, “I’m cold” will have her bringing a blanket before you can blink. She can also say a prayer that will touch the very depths of your soul. There is nothing sweeter than a little one that loves the Lord.

This is my Nadie as she is today. Aged six years and four months. With life being what it is, I fear that I will forget these precious times. I want to remember these things she does and says. Not only because I cherish her and her sweet spirit, but also for posterity. One day, I pray, Nadie will give us a handful of grandchildren. It will be great to refer their frazzled mama to the answer to the eternal question, “I don’t know why they act the way they do?”

Nadie is officially a first grader. She went for her first day of class last week and Oliver will start this week. He will be going two days a week at our church’s PDO. I am super excited about all of this. It means, for once in over six years, I will have a chunk of a day where my children will be in the care of someone other than myself. It means that I won’t have to sneak to the bathroom, referee any fights, try to perfectly execute putting the top on a sippie cup, or ask anyone to use an inside voice one day a week for a few hours. Fun stuff! And while I’m not exactly sure how I will be spending this new free time, I am sure it will not be disappointing.

It will be fun, but I also know that I will miss them while they are gone. Funny how that works. Stephen and I notice it too on those rare date nights. Inevitably we end up talking about the kids and missing them. I suppose it is because they are our constant responsibility. We clothe and feed them, bathe them, instruct and teach them. Basically, we sustain them in almost every way. They are also a part of us as they are our own flesh and blood. So while some days I can think of nothing better than a few minutes without them, ultimately I desire to be with them because I love them so much.

I am learning that my heavenly Father feels the same way about me. He provides for me and sustains me for I am His. He desires to spend time with me. He misses me when I get all tangled up in my day to day activities and neglect that time with Him. It is something that I am so guilty of these days! Part of being in a relationship is spending time together. I cannot know my Lord in the intimate way He desires if I am not in prayer and in his Word.

I always tell Nadie and Oliver how much better life would be if they would choose to obey. If they would make good choices it would allow their Mama and Daddy to do fun things with them that there is no time for when we have to constantly discipline and repeat requests. If they would obey it would revolutionize their life for the greater good of everyone. Wow! Really, Anna?? Isn’t that the same thing that God is telling me? He rewards those who seek Him! He pours His blessings on the obedient! What am I missing out on by not having that time with God?

Quiet time is something I am really working on these days. It’s kind of funny because “quiet” is not an adjective that comes to mind when I think of our lives. But, as I am learning, it has to be intentional. Something that I plan for and put as a top priority. So, as we get back into school, Wednesday Night Alive, FPU, soccer, and everything else, I will be adding Mama/God time to our already packed schedule. It is a matter of obedience. And I am excited that the Lord has called me out on this. I am anxious to see what He is going to do. One thing is for certain, it will NOT be disappointing!

Ok, so I know it’s only the end of August, but I am starting to get excited about Christmas. I love Christmas!! In the past week or so, I have been uber tempted to get out the Christmas music. I love, love, love Christmas music! As soon as the last trick-or-treater has left, Third Day Christmas Offerings begins its two month stay in my car’s CD player. It drives Stephen crazy. Whether it’s the early onslaught of the season or the fact that he gets to hear Mac Powell sing the same ten songs 500 times each, I don’t know. Either way, Stephen is usually far less enthusiastic about it than the kids and I.

I hope that Oliver will enjoy our little tradition as much as Nadie does. On that first November day, there is always a big introduction and I tell her to listen carefully. She listens for a minute and then she’ll say, “Is that Mac Powers, Mama? Is it almost time for Christmas?” Yes it is! And then we sing and sing. SO MUCH FUN! When Nadie was two, she could sing “O, Holy Night” all the way through. We have video footage of her singing it one night while she was in the bathtub. It is so sweet, and I like to go back and watch it from time to time.

Nadie had imaginary friends when she was little. Emily and Ashley. They were around most of the time and we always knew what Emily and Ashley were doing. But, that very same Christmas when Nadie was two, a new friend came into the mix. It started around New Years. She began talking about Sader (pronounced with a long A.) She would ask me all the time, “Mama, where’s Sader? When is Sader going to come?” I had NO clue what she talking about. I would constantly hear her talking to Sader on her princess flip phone. Then she would come tell me, “Well, that was Sader. He’s coming soon.” I would ask her questions about him, trying to figure out who this Sader was. She always answered the same, “You know, Mama. Sader!” No, I didn’t know and it was making me nuts.

I asked my mom if she knew anything about it. Maybe Nadie had seen something at her house. She didn’t know. Neither did Stephen nor my sister. We were all stumped. All we knew was that Sader was coming and Nadie was very excited about it. And that, apparently, she thought we were a little dim witted for not knowing just who Sader was. Even Emily and Ashley knew Sader, so what was our problem?

After about four or five weeks, I was fully expecting Sader (whoever he was) to walk through the door one day. She was that insistent about it! So I asked her, yet again, “Who is Sader?” She looked at me, rolled her eyes and said, “You KNOW, Mama! Like in the song. ‘It is the night of our dear Sader’s birth’.” No wonder she thought I was slow! We had only sung that song a 100 times. But leave it to a child to understand the excitement of the coming Savior!

Nadie doesn’t remember any of that now, but I will never forget. It was one of those moments of realization for me. Not only the joy for the birth of our King, but the exciting anticipation that He is coming back. Our Sader/Savior will return! And that just makes the Christmas itch even worse for me. Maybe I will sneak in some Christmas music today. More importantly, I should probably take my cue from a two year old that not only eagerly awaited her Sader, but stayed in communication with him until that time came.

So, the kids are driving me NUTS lately. Both of them. Nuts! It has been a difficult couple of weeks. I think it is time for school to get started. We need to get back on a schedule. Hopefully that will help. I say hopefully because I have hope that a schedule will change the issues and behaviors that have been rampant at home. If it doesn’t and the behavior is here to stay, well, then I don’t know what will happen.

It seems the crux of the problem is my voice. There seems to be a discrepency between the children and me when it comes to the utterances of my mouth. On the one hand, they love the sound of my voice. So much so that they require that I repeat every sentence, instruction and command at least four to five times. Sometimes even more. It seems that they enjoy it to the point that they urge me to use some of the loudest tones to which I am capable of producing. I, on the other hand, am sick to death at the sound of my own voice. I do not care to hear myself say the same things over and over and over. And herein lies the problem.

At one point, I considered the fact that perhaps they were both hearing impaired. Maybe, just maybe, those sweet little ears weren’t hearing me say, “NO” or “Please pick up your toys.” That would certainly explain the total lack of comprehension that was displayed when they were given a simple command. But I had to dismiss that theory as I realized they would come running to the sound of the refrigerator opening, the crinkling of a cookie package being opened, the creak of the bathroom door as I was sneaking into a moment of privacy, or the fact that Nadie knows the details to a phone conversation I was quietly having in another room. My theory was busted! Those little ears can definitely hear.

So what is the problem? What is causing this phenomenon? I know they both can hear. I’m pretty sure that my voice actually does produce audible sounds. Other humans hear me just fine. They both seem to be mentally capable of understanding instruction. For instance, they both can go and choose something to eat (rather quickly, actually) when I ask if anyone would like a snack. What is at the heart of this selctive hearing that both of my children seem to posess? And better yet, how can I alter this behavior?

Ultimately, they are children. And this is how children behave. How interesting it is that God calls us His children. Yes, He is our Creator, which puts him in a parental position. But I think part of why He calls us that is because of our incredible knack for not listening to His voice. We go about our daily business forgetting to stop and listen to what the Lord may have for us. And, by “us” and “we,” I really mean ME.

Much like Nadie and Oliver, there are various reasons I don’t listen. Often I am just busy with day to day life. Sometimes I may not like what I am being told. Or maybe I’m tired. And then there are the times when the things He calls me to do just seem too stinkin’ difficult. So here I am, a grown adult acting very similar to my six and two year olds. How exasperated my heavenly Father must be with me at times!

Thankfully He is patient with his children. Which is often a lot more than I can say for myself. And even though I may not always listen to him, He always listens to me. He always hears the voice of his children. And that is an important thing to a mama who has gone unheard all day. A mama that is at the end of her rope with repeating her requests time and time again. A mama that loves her kids more than anything but briefly entertains the idea of luring them into the backyard only to close and lock the door behind them. So as I ask one more time, “Please stop fighting and pick up your messes,” I will also ask the Lord for an extra dose of His divine patience to help me through the moment. At least I know one of those requests will be heard.

One of the things I enjoy most about being a mama is watching my kids play. Not only does it bring back memories of play from my own childhood, but I am amazed at their creativity. It is always interesting to see what they may come out with. Nadie’s favorite play usually involves dress-up and a baby doll. She has always been a huge fan of the costume, no matter what she may be doing. Other favorites for her include spa, doctor, and preparing stuff in her kitchen for the restaurant she is running. Oliver is a car and truck man. He loves his vehicles. Well before he turned two, he would take his cars and lay down in the floor and roll them around for long periods of time. He likes to line them up in rows too. Other favorites for Oliver are trains, balls, and being outside. He also likes to use the toy laptops.

Another aspect of play is the fact that it is reflective of real life. Watching them can be a good indicator as to what is going on in the family. For instance, when Nadie was younger she would pretend to drive Big Big’s truck. She would go to the drive-thru at Starbucks to get everyone a coffee. After Oliver came along, instead of Starbucks, she began going to Walgreens to pick up prescriptions. Very appropriate! Now, as she rides her Barbie jeep around the backyard, she will say, “Hey, it’s Happy Hour! Anyone want to get out of the house and get some Sonic?” (In case it isn’t clear, going to Sonic during Happy Hour is what we will do when I need a BREAK.)

For me, I get the added bonus of Nadie being very reflective of me. She says and does things that make me stop dead in my tracks as I know I have heard them before. Talk about a wake-up call! Today I heard her talking to Big Baby. Apparently Nadie was about to leave the house without her hair done, no jewelry, and no shoes. Luckily her daughter, Big Baby, was kind enough to remind her to put herself together before they left the house. She came and told me how grateful she was to Big Baby, “I am just so crazy these days. I can’t remember anything.” Hmmm. Where have I heard that before?

It is a daily reminder to me that I have four eyes that watch every thing that I do and say. Very closely. Wow! No pressure there, right? It is frightening to say the least. What will they say of me when they are all grown up? “My mother loved the Lord and tried to follow Him daily.” OR “My mother couldn’t remember to put her shoes on when we would leave the house.” And yes, I may have gotten in the car to go somewhere with my slippers on ONE time.

How can I model Christ to my kids all day every day? It’s certainly not easy and is something with which I struggle. Especially when I see some of my “not so proud moments” come back to me during playtime. I guess I will just keep doing my best. I will remind them that Mama makes mistakes too, and ask their forgiveness when I do. We will pray together on those super hard days and ask the Lord to help us through them. And I will love on them as much as I can. Then, if it gets where we just can’t stand it anymore, we may have to step out to Sonic for an iced tea and two rootbeers. Hopefully I will remember to put my shoes on before we go.

Today we went to one of our favorite places, The Grapevine Tea Room. I guess when I say “our”, I really mean Nadie and I. Stephen really likes the food there, but since it is only open from 11:00-2:00, he doesn’t get to go very often. As for Oliver, he too likes the food. And that’s where it ends. Even though he still isn’t talking too much, it is usually quite clear what his feelings are on something. Today, he made them crystal clear.

We got there early and the place was already full. This meant that we had to park across the street and walk. Oliver was fine with this as he loves being outside. He was perfectly content until we opened the door to the Tea Room and stepped inside. Immediately he let out a moan and tried to pull away from me. It was almost as if he could smell the girlishness of the place and he wanted no part of it. Thus he began his struggle to escape.

It is not a very big place. A small house that has been made into a restaurant and gift shop. It basically has two small dining areas/rooms. This made it especially uncomfortable for me when he started screaming to get away. As did the fact that the gift shop is combined in the dining areas. A gift shop full of glass, porcelain, and other various breakables. It was all I could do to keep a hold on him, much less keep him below decibal ten. I could feel all the eyes focused on us as I did my best to settle him down. Luckily we were seated quickly.

Things didn’t improve much once we were at the table. Oliver just wanted out. I don’t understand it at all. At the age of two years and four months, how is it he knows that he is not in a boy friendly environment? He would look at me repeatedly with his little hands up as if to ask “why?” Why did you have to bring me here? He didn’t want his cars as they wouldn’t roll properly on the lacey tablecloths. He would point to the fancy glasses and go “awwww, nooo.” It was like he was completely miserable for no other reason than he just didn’t belong. Nothing I said or did seemed to bring him any comfort nor tone down his wails of protest to this den of feminintity. And then he saw it . . .

I don’t know how, as I never would’ve noticed it sitting in and amongst the other trinkets for sale. But Oliver saw it. And when he did, his entire attitude and demeanor changed. Across the room there were shelves housing lots of knick-knacks and other various odds and ends. There amongst them was a car. A small bank in the shape of an old-fashioned, red antique car. He was so excited! And after that, he was a different child. We didn’t hear another word out of him to the negative. He dined quietly on his grilled cheese and fruit without another fuss.

I know there is an ongoing nature/nurture debate in this world. But I can tell you that Oliver Harrison Rudolph has a very natural aversion to the girlier things in life. It is all such a new experience for me. A boy. This wonderful creature in my life that completely mystifies me. I am learning daily just how different he is from Nadie. Sometimes it is just from observation and interaction. But sometimes, like today, I get a stern reminder from him. A reminder that I still have some things to learn about little boys. Maybe next week we can go eat somewhere a little more suited to Oliver’s masculine tastes. Perhaps a picnic in a car lot or a nice construction site? Wherever we go, I am sure he will have an opinion on it that he will be more than happy to share.