Losing a Son

There is a saying that goes something like this. "A son is a son till he takes a wife." "A daughter is a daughter for all of her life." I suppose there is some truth to this. It seems to me that the wife sets the tone in the home and the home tends to be more like the one she grew up in and therefore the sons home will be less like mine than a daughter's would. Make sense? Anyway, Mommy2 and I are rapidly approaching a wedding. In September 2010 Lost In Space and Lost In A Dream will become Mr. and Mrs. They are courting, instead of dating. They want their first kiss to be at the wedding altar. They have big dreams and they are working hard to make them become reality. I am very proud of both of them. I am excited about gaining L.I.A.D. as another daughter and look forward to watching them carve out a life for themselves.

But what about this losing a SON business! Actually, that is one of the things I look forward to also. Time to get those big old size 12 boots out from underfoot and lower the food bill! Not really, L.I.S. is a much beloved son and brother and the grieving has already begun that we have to give him over to his "big life". It is not really about losing his presence in our home. That happens when a daughter marries as well. In my opinion this is really a sad thing. As exciting as it is to see our fledgling young adults poised to take to the sky, we Mama birds tend to look down to the empty spot in the nest. I will do this as well...for a moment. There is more to this losing a son thing though.

Ever since L.I.S. was born, his dad and I have been preparing him to be someone's husband. We understood that a very large percentage of Christian men are called to marry and we chose to prepare our precious son to take on this mantle. We taught him from toddlerhood to be a gentleman, to be gallant and to be courageous. From the time he was 5 or 6 he was subjected to wilderness living and was allowed to go into dangerous situations. He was given information and situations in which to test his learning. He was taught to Love God above all else and to enjoy and respect God's creation, especially other people. He was expected to fail sometimes and then to get up and try again. He was taught that marriage is a one man and one woman proposition. He was taught to keep his mind and body pure and to save himself physically and emotionally for the young woman the Lord would put in his life some day.

How did it work? He has made us proud at every turn. We couldn't have asked for a better son. And now...it is time for him to go and do what he was created to do. One large part of that is to be a godly husband, and if God blesses, a godly father. This is where we lose the son. By nature a son is a student, and understudy and a protege.  When he marries, he is officially his own man. He stands before God now. He has entered life without the training wheels. In addition to that, he becomes one flesh with his beloved. The child we raised will no longer even exist. A mysterious, yet real transformation will occur that will render both husband and wife different people than who they were before. It will be awesome to behold.

Will we still be around for advice or backup? Yes, but the only way we will know that all our investment of love, time, training and prayer is bearing dividends is by being hands off. By being content with the way THEY do things. By accepting the traditions they will start and the legacy they will begin to weave. By observing with awe the new chapter they are writing on the family parchment. Our son couldn't have chosen a more wonderful bride to be. She is a treasure and she will be loved and honored by our family as well as by her husband. We have been honored to witness the courtship, the betrothal and soon the marriage. We will in the process lose our son, but what an exciting lifetime will unfold because of our loss.

I wouldn't have it any other way.

Mommy 1

What's for Dinner?

Mommy 2 and I are opposites when it comes to cooking. She wants a delicious result that she can count on. She makes a number of dishes that my family rave over. I think if Mommy2 could just wave a wand and have healthy delicious food on the table, she would. I on the other hand enjoy the process as much as the result. I don't have many tried and true recipes as most of the things I cook are more akin to science experiments. Seriously, I like to cook by the dump and throw method. I see what my limitations are and then decide to make something out of it. I almost never find a recipe and then shop for the ingredients.

Unlike Mommy2, I rarely use coupons either. If I do use them it is because Mommy2 (a) found them for me
(b) took me to the store and (c) helped me check out! I love doing things with Mommy 2, but left to myself, I will just dig around and try to figure out a way to make a meal out of venison, 3 potatoes, 1 tomato, one clove of garlic and stale bread! I seriously do my meal planning that way.

While I have been recovering from surgery, people have fed my family. WOW  have we been well fed. In 9 days, we have had pizza, soup, chicken casserole, tacos and all the fixings, curried chevon, noodles and stir fry with homemade egg rolls as well as several desserts, including cinnamon rolls, cookies  and pie. Yesterday, I cooked venison burgers for lunch and nobody died, so I decided to do dinner tonight. In the gourmet tradition of my friends, I made lamb chops, pan broiled. Rice, green beans, gravy and 2 pies, one store bought apple and a homemade blubarb using ready made pie crusts.

I think it turned out well judging by the way Sir Dashing is snoozing in the recliner!

It was strange tonight, we only had 5 people at the table. Lost in Space hadn't yet gotten home after his week of work in the City. Mr. Peabody was out at men's prayer with our friend Rick and Mr. Inquisitive was not yet home from his air pistol competition in yet another city. (He got 2nd place, by the way.) We always eat dinner at the table together and there are usually 8 plus people there. Tonight with only 5 was really different. I liked it...but I missed my 3 traveling sons.

Mommy 1

Note from Mommy2:

Lost in Space will be living on Pizza and Pizza type dishes...
since that is what Lost in a Dream fixes best.
Mommy1 does fix Yummy food!

Idling

I have been idling lately. A week ago I had a surgical repair for a couple of abdominal hernias and have needed to take it easy. It is crazy how things make you crazy when you can't do anything about them. I am NOT a spotless house keeper. Whole populations of dust bunnies originated in my home. White socks have about a 30 minute shelf life and we have been tempted to film National Geographic documentaries in our basement. However, when I have to lie around, with lifting restrictions and pain, I get a little bit crazy.

The stains on the carpet have become audible hecklers, screaming at me even while I try to sleep. The cobwebs have grown to gargantuan size, dwarfing the furniture in the room. The books in the bookshelves are jostling and threatening to leap from the shelves. There is an absolute cacophony of blaring disorderlinesses. What do I do about it? I snuggle up under my wool blankie and try not to notice!

Seriously, It is during times like this that I thank God for my friends and family. I have had friends come over to visit, friends have brought meals. I have received cards, e-mails and phone calls. My children have cooked, cleaned and encouraged. I've been able to idle...and heal.

Thank you Lord for loving me through the hands and hearts of the people around me.

Mommy 1

In My Blue Kitchen on a Sunny Day.....

I   HAVE...

Canning Jars...

for decoration only.

Plates  hanging  on  the walls...

mostly  for decoration.

This is what I see when I look out  the window

while cooking at my stove.

Signed:

Mommy2

What Men do When they are not Working...

OK......

Sooooo....

My husband does this in the summer...

In places like this.

In the winter, he does this...

When there is snow.

Well....while he is hanging around the house...

he gets ideas from reading...

but mainly

he  reads & reads & reads...

Right now he is recording as he reads

the Bible.

So the following pictures are of  his "recording studio"

 

 

The only thing is...

our house is not very soundproof.

So...

we are spending alot of time...

reading and "trying" to be quiet.

Signed:

Mommy2

Welcome to All of the People Who are following our Blog!

WELCOME,WELCOME ONE AND ALL

Thank You for joining us along our journey together.

Please feel to leave any comments (thanks to those that have).

I hope I won't bore you too much with my pictures & ramblings.

Mommy1 does a better job of expressing herself with words.

I  have enjoyed reading what she has written so far

and I know you have too!

TODAY IS:

Here is something that helps me know what the date is.

(Thanks, Barbara for "passing" this on to me!)

Ok...

My Oldest daughter, Business Women

has promised to give us something

to give away

when we have 20 Followers...

So...

More on this a little later... 

HAVE A TERRIFIC TUESDAY !!! 

Signed:

Mommy2 

Home Made Bread

Ok...So, my family loves bread...
they eat  TONS of  it.

I personally, can take it or leave it...
they must have it with every meal.

If I lived by myself...
I would rarely bake or buy it.

To keep my family happy,

I do buy bread(when I remember to),
OR

to make them really happy,

I make bread...

with a little help from
my 3 Oster Breadmakers.

Yes... You did read that correctly.

With my large family

I cannot just make one loaf of  bread

at a time.

With all that said:

I have a small problem...
THIS:

These sad looking loaves...

They are good tasting, but are not pretty.

I have tried using less yeast.

I have tried not moving (much)

around the house during the last raising.

So...

For now...

I will bake bread...

just not pretty bread.

Signed:

Mommy2

Jesus is the Bread of Life

John 6:35

The Sun is Shining Today !!!

There is Sonshine in my Soul today...

because Jesus is the Son of God

and He lives in me!

I am sooo glad when the sun is shining.

In the winter where I live,

we have more cloudy days than sunny.

That is why I am sooo happy!

Here is a picture of a bridge near my house...

I may have to go for a walk...

I did go bargin shopping today...

at Michaels, Staples & Target.

I spent $5.22 total .

This is what I got:

Plate Hanger: regular price: $3.49, paid $1.74

File box: regular price: $4.99, paid $3.48

Twin pack of HP black Ink Cartridges regular $26.99, my price: FREE

2 packages of paper clips: regular price: $1.49 each, my price:FREE

 I love to bargin shop...

perhaps I will share some more

of my shopping experiences...

Later...

If  you  leave a comment.

I will tell you how I got them for free.

Signed:

Mommy2

Wii Fun on a Gloomy Day

Hey...Just so you know, I'm not a Winter Person...

meaning that I like/need a "little" sunshine each day...

today is a gloomy day...so I played a little Wii.

Wishing for the sun to sunshine...but it didn't,
so I played Wii Bowling with my husband.

Ok...before you think I am obsessed with Wii...

It is great exercise and can be quite entertaining
to watch others play it .

You will know what I am talking about
if you have ever played it before,

but if you haven't, let me tell you a little bit about it.

You can buy it at almost any department store.
It hooks up to your TV...

comes in a box like this:

My advise is to have someone who knows

how to connect everything to your TV

to do it...it is so much faster.

Anyway once it is connected & set up,

then you can play.

Children learn so much faster, so if you can find one...

have them help you...no problem at my house. Ha,Ha.

Signed:  Mommy2

P.S. Mommy1  was over at my house a few weeks ago...

we even played a little Wii...

I think our children and husbands

were quite entertained by us playing...

I never laughed sooooo hard!

Thinking of my mom

My Parents

I was a difficult child born to overly patient parents. I was 7 years younger than my youngest brother and either the long awaited only daughter or the surprise of all surprises! I think I probably displayed a bent for mischief from the very beginning. Much of it I can remember, some of it I think they are making up just to malign me. I REALLY DID NOT set the curtains and the air conditioner in the boys room on fire!

Anyway, I did more than enough. My mother would have been well within her rights to drop me on the doorsteps of some stranger. Instead, they decided to keep me and try to raise me. They lived right before me. My mom never asked me to do anything that she didn't do herself, except to go to school. She had done it in her day and I never was really reliable to go there or stay there all day, but with enough encouragement, I did make it through highschool and even college.

I have the rare distinction of never being lied to by my parents. Well,  they did fib about Santa and the Easter Bunny, but as far as real lies, there were none. It never crossed my mind that a parent could have a selfish motivation or let her child suffer due to her selfishness. My mom and dad always practiced what they preached and guided me by word and deed and much prayer. They weren't afraid to get in my way when I was intent upon being stupid. My mom especially could wield a mean "hickory", our local word for a small branch of just about any brushy shrub or small tree. Typically ours were privet hedge limbs with the thousand little leaves stripped off. It was usually my job to pick my own.  Ask me how I knew better than to bring in a rotten one or one that was too small!

Mother could also make do if the hickory wasn't convenient, with a shoe, a hairbrush, a comb, various fly swatters, yard sticks and other implements that were handy and sturdy enough. Believe me, flyswatters and yardsticks are NOT as sturdy as they used to be when I was a child. When I had transgressed and I knew the spanking was irrevocable, the tears began to pour. My mom always grabbed my hand so I stayed within striking range. I would NEVER have run from her, but my orbit might have gotten a little wider. She then proceeded to spank in the "strike zone". She swung in a range  that would have included my bottom in a slight crouch IF I would have  been still. Since I was not still, however, I got swatted anywhere from the shoulders to the ankles. Oh! How I wanted to be still! I could have sooner held a snake to my nose and let it bite me!

The other thing I remember about my spankings (in addition to how good my mother was at administering them) was that I never got one from her that I didn't have coming. As a matter of fact I probably should have had about twice as many as I got. My mom never beat me or abused me and though she was often at the end of her rope, she never took her anger out on me. My mother was able to chastise me without me ever feeling unloved. I am not the mom that she was.

We all know that parenting is hard. Parenting well with a clear conscience before an observant God, is a mission. The absolute hardest task I have ever had is to try to do as well as my mom in raising me. I try never to let a deed go unrewarded, either bad or good. I pray to the Lord on a daily basis to reveal the sins of my children so that they can be nipped in the bud rather than go on to become habits, addictions or attitudes that will alienate their affections from me, their dad and their Lord. I try hard to be kind and cheerful, yet firm and strong when I need to be. I also try to walk in forgivenes without setting myself up to be misled. (Mommy2 and I have had many conversations about walking this tightrope.)

I love my job of being a Christian wife and mother, but the more children I parent  and the longer I parent them, the more I admire my mother. I am blessed that she is here and that I can talk to her and be encouraged by her. (I know though that she longs to say "I told you so!" and to smile when she sees me paying for my raising. ) Or is that just what I would do in her shoes?

Mommy1

P.S. I have met Mommy2's mom and I know that Mommy2 also is very blessed in the parent catagory!

Winter Pictures...Brrrrrrrrrrrr

This is the view from my backyard

The River Behind my house

Its snowing!

A very icy river.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

I hope you are keeping warm...

I am by my woodstove.

Signed,

Mommy2 

Grandbabies Are Fun !

Mr. Grumpy and Miss Busy Girl "playing" a duet.

Mr. Grumpy's favorite thing to do.

Miss Sunshine telling Chubbers

what a great time she is having at Grandpa & Grandmas.

  Howdy Partner...

 

Chubbers having fun with Cowboy's Hat & Shirt

These are a few pictures from the past year.

Happy New Year!

Signed Mommy2