A rainbow during my storm...

Over the last 6 months my 4 year old, Cameron, has had a desire to share his testimony during fast and testimony meeting in church. Sheldon began taking him up for the first few months and he would help Cameron say a few simple things. Last month we sent him up alone. He stood at the microphone looking out at the congregation and, after a long pause, looked at me and said, "I need help". Sheldon scurried up and helped him.

Today I asked him if he wanted to say his testimony and his eyes lit up and he said yes. I told him he had to go up and do it alone this time and just say what was in his mind and heart. He said okay. He reverently walked up and sat down behind the podium and waited his turn. Here is my son's sweet testimony:

"I love my brother......(long pause), we talk about the scriptures.......(longer pause), we talk about the scriptures.......(uh oh, a repeat and long pause), Jesus died for us........In the the name of Jesus Christ, Amen."

I am so pleased that he can share his simple testimony. He reverently walked back to the pew and rejoined me and Tyler. I felt both humble and proud to be Cameron's mother.

Then the brick wall of reality hit me full on and Cameron and Tyler went nuts for the next twenty minutes until the meeting was over. I would have hauled them out but I couldn't manage dragging my 40 and 50 pound boys screaming and laughing down the aisle on my own. I was ready to ring their necks by the end of the meeting.

I love my boys.

Midnight is the Magic Hour

I get giddy when I receive all of the wonderful Christmas cards from our dear friends each year. This is the picture we included on our Christmas card this year (the best one of 12, which isn't saying much). My Christmas card order this year was a fiasco. Without going into all of the details, suffice it to say that we didn't order enough cards, they showed up a week late and arrived on Christmas Eve to my home, the picture was dark, and I thought it was going to be printed on photo paper but was printed on cardstock. Boo hoo. All my cards were late this year as a result. Some will not receive one at all. Boo hoo.

The true Spirit of Christmas was a beautiful thing in my heart this year. The secular aspect of Christmas bombed. I think when Mrs. Claus was doing her shopping this year that she shopped for the wrong kids. She shopped for the toys and games that she WANTS them to like and not for the things they actually DO like. They are as bored today as they were last week before Christmas.

Cameron wrapped up every little thing he could find this year and used a small fortune worth of tape to make sure every last edge was sealed. I think wrapping was his favorite part of Christmas. He even wrapped up some of Tyler's toys in a bath towel and taped it up. He was really cute. He can't comprehend that Christmas is over and I expect a major meltdown when I take down the lights and tree.

We decorated for the boys outside the house with Christmas lights, candy canes, and the infamous reindeer that I have always disliked. It is amazing what I will do for my kids. I never thought I would allow reindeer and candy canes on my lawn.

Yesterday I took the boys to SeaWorld. You could not pay me money to go back again. Instead of the wonderful memories that I should have come home with, I came home ready to give my kids up for adoption. I hate taking them out. I hate being a parent. That is where I am at right now. Enough said.

I can't wait until midnight when it will be a new day and I can say I haven't yelled at my kids all day! I know we are doing something horribly wrong because parenting just shouldn't be this hard.

Pets = More Poop (for Mom to clean up)

Miss Anti-Pet has been worn down by her family.

I never grew up with pets. My husband had pets surrounding him his whole life. As comical as this seems, our worst fights with each other have been about pets and whether or not we are going to eventually have them. Living in apartments for the first 4 years of our marriage made it a no-brainer--we didn't have pets. Now that we own a home the pressure is on.

We acquired a bird...it is a parakeet that our 10 year old neighbor gave us. We were puzzled (and still are) about why he would want to give us his pet bird that he has had for 2 1/2 years. I think he is just tired of her or something. I agreed to take the bird for the sake of my family, but not without my fair share of reluctance. Sheldon convinced me that if we didn't like her we could just as easily give her away to someone else.

I am doing all of the bird maintenance as I suspected. I know if we get pets that I will be taking care of them. (In the top 5 major grievences against having pets.) Case in point: Sheldon wanted a fish tank. I relented on condition that he would be cleaning the tank and feeding them. Well, he does feed them. I clean the tank. (With Tiny Might (Tyler) in the house, I'm cleaning it often due to his bizarre ability to find the fish food, no matter where we hide it, and dump it into the tank by the truck loads.)

They've worn me down....a bird and fish I can handle--heaven help me if we get a dog! I KNOW I will end up on POOP PATROL!