Merry Baking

Today I did some merry baking with my little elves.

Michael and Kathryn both love to help in the kitchen but Michel is my baker.  Kathryn would rather help cook a proper meal.

This is Michael's finished creation

Kathryn added toothpicks, the natural choice for most bakers.

These are sickeningly sweet creations!

Merry Christmas everyone.

Merry Christmas

Feeling good because I've got our Christmas cards done early this year.   Well earlier than usual anyway.  What do you think?  Love my pretty babies.

Merry Christmas!

With Love Chartreuse Christmas 5x7 folded card

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Who'd have thought it would have been the socks!

Last week was a very bad, terrible, horrible, no good, very bad week. It started on Monday when I silently let a certain burden come over me that caused me to check-out emotionally from my life. It didn't help that I was riding a hormonal roller coaster that week also.

I let everything go. The house was a wreck and I hadn't been to the grocery store so we were living on crumbs.

Then, by Wednesday my daughter came down sick. I spent several sleep deprived days watching over her, checking on her in the middle of the night, medicating her so that she would not have a seizure.

Thursday my husband brought it to my attention that my son had missed his soccer game. Now the truth of the matter is I just plain forgot he had a game. For weeks I had been thinking it was on Friday. I felt horrible that I let him down. I was off the hook because Kathryn was sick and there was no way I could get him there but I knew the truth. I JUST FORGOT.

Then the completely RIDICULOUS happened.

Friday, about 6:30 in the morning I was getting ready so I could take my daughter to the doctor when my husband came in.

He said very innocently to his sleep deprived, hormonal, emotionally checked-out wife: "Do I have any socks in the dryer?"

I'm thinking to myself, How would I know I checked-out on Monday. But I said "I don't know why?"

He said "I've been out of socks for four days and I've been wearing yours."

***(disclaimer: my husband never complains, and always helps when I need him to)***

My first response was to burst into wailing sobs. My second response was to say through wailing, grinding and gnashing of teeth. "I da da da don't know wh wh what to tell you. If you're out of socks wa wa wash some!"

There he stood like a deer in headlights, having no idea what is happening. I could see that he was thinking if he stood still enough he might actually become invisible.

Who knew that socks would send me careening over the edge of reason. But I mean really, can't a girl get a shout out on day one! All I can say is it's a good thing he didn't run out of underwear!

Can you imagine?

No rest for the weary

This has been a long hard week. My head aches, my bones are tired, my patience is thin. My heart aches for things longed for and groans for heartaches of others. It is my fervent prayer that this will end soon. My household will be thankful for its end. There are lessons to be learned if I have the ears to hear, the eyes to see and the heart to accept His will. But for now there is no rest for the weary, I must endure and rely on God's grace to get me through.

Party in Pictures

Recently we celebrated Kathryn's 2nd birthday. We had a great time with family and some friends. Here are some pictures from her special day celebration.



The ladybug cake I made for her 1st birthday.

This year we had an Olivia the pig party. I did my best to create an Olivia cake for her. It was a lot of fun and I was proud of my finished product. Next year we are going to try to break out of our red/black color scheme.






The guest of honor looking super cute in her pig tails. Thank you grandma for the cute outfit!

Not at all sure why everyone is singing to her.

Make a wish!

Gift from Nina. Thank you for the fun kitchen toys!

She loves her new "pack" as she calls it.

I'm two!

Two years ago today my sweet angel baby made her stubborn entrance into this world. I found my self being whisked off to an emergency c-section under general anesthesia. I can remember the exact moment my doctor burst through the door came to my bedside put his hand on my leg and said " We need to get her out, it's going to be okay." I was looking at him so intently I can tell you every speckle of color in his eyes. I woke up an hour after she had made her appearance to hear her healthy screams. My voice instantly calmed her and although I was able to feel her I could not see her. Through the dense fog of anesthesia I could not muster the strength to open my eyes. Almost at the very same time I could feel my husband holding my hand and saying " she's here and she's perfect and beautiful." When I was able to open my eyes and see you for the first time it felt like seeing a vision of heaven on earth. Because of the circumstances surrounding her delivery daddy did not get to experience her birth either. He had just donned his scrubs for surgery when the nurse entered the room and told him that she had already been delivered. They had to get her out. He was just relieved that she was okay and I was doing well and also probably a little relieved that he didn't have to witness me being filleted open.



We brought her home and instantly our whole world became more beautiful. She was such an easy going baby. I always said when asked if having a second child was harder to adjust to than life with one...NO! Having the first child rocked my world for a while and when she came home she just fit into place and made life sweeter. The Lord knew I needed her and I'm so glad he created such a sweet soul. Today at two she is spunky, fearless, determined and spirited and she keeps me on my toes. She can hold her own against her brother who is two years older and even win a few battles. She certainly requires more correction than Michael ever needed at this age but that is her temperament. I pray the Lord continues to teach me in mothering you. That He will mature you into a woman of character who loves the Lord and lives for Him. That you will fulfill your purpose and vocation with glory and honor and by the grace of God be blessed with abundant happiness. I love that I get to be your mother and look forward to watching you grow.

Kathryn at 1 year

Kathryn at 2 years

Happenings

The last several days has been very trying for the Bennett household. Our sweet baby girl had three seizures last Thursday, one that lasted eleven minutes. Now, nothing not even medical training can prepare a mother for something like this. I was devestated watching her go through this, pleading with God to make it stop and to keep her breathing. On and on it went as I watched to color fade from her body. I had done everything one can do for someone who is seizing and the rest is sit and wait for it to be over. We took her to our wonderful pediatrician and she was diagnosed with a viral illness. Her seizures are related to fever and she has had two episodes before this latest one but this time it was far more severe.

She was started on Phenobarbital to quiet the seizure activity. This medicine has changed our little girl in many ways. We watched her fade into a medicated stupor for three days. Barely able to stay awake, not able to walk without falling or bumping into something and only opening her eyes half way. As the days have gone by and her medication adjusted she is doing better but her personality is not her usual. She is very irritable. We will have an EEG done in two weeks and then we will be sent to see a pediatric neurologist in Dallas at Cook's Hospital. We will see what the future holds for this one. Pray that this is something she will grow out of and that we will not have to keep her medicated for long.

On top of all this Michael is sick and running fever also. He is on the mend with antibiotics and has been very good with his sister during this time.

On a lighter note I have to tell you something funny our little guy said to his dad on a trip to H-E-B. He was being a bit of a smart mouth that particular evening and had been reprimanded by my husband a few times. In the car on the way home my husband says to him. "Michael you really have a smart mouth don't you." Michael replies "Yes I do, I know my letters, numbers and sounds." He did of course have consequences for his attitude but Doug and I had a good laugh when he wasn't in the room.