Kristy Dorminy

Update on Gran:  The surgery went great, and we are so glad that the surgeon was pleased with how it all went.  Please keep praying that she has a very easy recovery and gets to go home soon.  Pray for Irvin as he works and takes care of Deb.  They are a good team.  Josh is taking Molly down to Albany on Thursday and staying a night.  As we talked about him taking her, I was surprised that I felt a little sad.  I realized that I have gotten used to her being my shadow.  She wants to talk to me all of the time.  She always has something for me to do for her, some snack to go get for her and most definitely a book to read to her!  I am afraid I will feel a bit lost without her here, but I also know how good it will be for her to have the one-on-one attention of her wonderful Daddy.  Molly will do a much better job of keeping him off of his cell phone than I ever could!  Persistent, demanding, relentless, pushy, and sweet are all words that could describe Molly on most days.  I am sure Gran seeing Molly will be a big spirit-booster though.  And Molly won’t be at a loss for questions as she sees Gran in the hospital….I hope it won’t wear Gran out!  I am worn out just thinking about it.  

KINDERGARTEN?  REALLY???  Josh and I went to The King’s Academy on Monday night for a parent meeting in regards to Ruby starting school in the Fall.  It is crazy that Ruby is ready for Kindergarten, but we are so excited for her.  The school seems to be amazing.  The story of how it all started and how God has grown it and used the people there was quite inspiring!  We got to go into the two Kindergarten classrooms and see the little chairs and little crafts and all the calendars and weather boards….and it was so sweet.  Ruby will go to school two days a week and do the rest of her schooling at home with me (and Molly and Mack).  I am thrilled to have the opportunity to be with her and teach her so much.  The main reason we wanted to home school was to be the primary influence in our kid’s lives for as long as we can.  The principal that shared at the meeting mentioned that this was her reason for home schooling, too.  People do it for all sorts of reasons and don’t do it for other reasons, but I am so convinced that this is what God wants for our family, and I am thankful that there is a school already in place that will help in such a huge way.  FUNNY STORY…we came home and Ruby was watching a movie with the babysitter and Molly up in their room.  Josh said, “Ruby, we went to see your school.  It was so neat.  You want me to tell you about it?”  Ruby acted excited and then said, “Can it be a surprise?”  Code for—“I don’t want to hear about it right now because I am in the middle of my movie.  Can this wait?”  And while this conversation was going on, I was going downstairs to pay the sitter and chat with her.  Molly tagged along, of course.  She somehow talked me into a tootsie roll (at 9:00pm).  I left the jar of candy on the middle of the island out of her reach.  I walked Ashley to the door, then when I went back into the kitchen, Molly was gone.  There was a slight change in the furniture though.  She had moved the bench over to the island, climbed up there and got several more pieces of candy, then high-tailed it into her room.  Can’t take my eyes off of her!!!  Sneaky girl.

WORD POLICE:  I do not have the time or energy to write in detail about this, but Molly is THE WORD POLICE.  She doesn’t let you say a word wrong or use a wrong word.  She’s done this since she started talking, and I was reminded of this habit of hers today because she corrected me several times.  Some examples are:  “Molly, go get your shoes.”  Molly says, “flip-flops.”  OK….”Molly, sit down on that chair or you are gonna fall off.”  Molly says, “bench.”  OK….”Hand me that pen, please.”  Molly says, “marker.”  “Go check and see if Daddy’s car is here.”  Molly says, “Truck.”  Today I was answering Mack for the ONE HUNDRETH time, “Where’s Daddy?”  and I said, “He is at the bus.”  I meant to say “on the bus,” but got a bit tongue-tied since I was saying it over and over again.  Molly didn’t even give me a second to correct it before she said, “He’s ON the bus.  You said at the bus.”  OH MY GOODNESS!!!!  There are so many more examples, but it would get ridiculous to share on here all of her “Word Police” moments.  

THE STATION WAGON:  Well, if we were ever confused on the fact that our “new, used car” is JUST A CAR, we have it straight now.  Friday when I was leaving the mall, a man bumped us.  I got out and looked to see little to no damage. He was very nice and apologetic.  He said he was driving a rental car and had one foot on the gas and one on the brake…for some odd reason….so that was that.  SUNDAY after church, Josh went to get the car because it was so cold outside.  He drove up to get us and told me someone had ILLEGALLY  parked next to us and dinged the driver’s side door and left white paint on it.   LOVELY.  So this wagon is getting worn in quite quickly.  And we are aware more than ever that this is JUST A CAR.  I didn’t think I thought any different, but what do I know?  

I am ridiculously tired this evening and hope that the girls will not put up a fight when I go in there and tell them it’s time for bed.  I need to do my Pilates video, but oh my….I really am tired!!!!  At least you get to sit down for most of it.  

Is it only Tuesday?  Are you sure?

***reminder to self:  post pictures about what J found in the couch!  It was a great day.

Today we are praying a little more than usual for Gran as she is having surgery today.  We talked to her last night, and she isn’t anxious about the surgery, but is calm and ready to go ahead and get it done and over with.  We are praying for the surgeons, the nurses, and for Irvin as he is there with her and all the other family who want the very best outcome for this surgery!  Today after Bible story time, Ruby prayed for Gran and said, “God, please help her to not have any shots and to be all better soon.”  We all pray that she will feel all better soon.  Say a prayer for Debbie if you read this.  We appreciate it.

Speaking of Bible Story time.  Today we read about how Jesus didn’t have an earthly home, but he actually left Heaven to come to earth because He loves us so much.  Ruby listens so attentively and answers the questions with the right answers, usually.  Molly cracks me up.  She was asked, “Molly, why did Jesus leave Heaven?”  She said, “Because he wanted to see how it was to live in a house.”  (Ummmm, no.)  “Molly, why did Jesus leave Heaven and come to earth?  He didn’t have a house when he was here.  Can you tell me why you think He came here?”  She said, “He came to wash our sins away.  He washes our sins away with His hands…like this…” (she put both of her hands over her heart and washed it.) “Ms. Tammy told us that.  And I see her do this.  Jesus washes our sins away like this…”  (she “washes” her heart again)   She says all of her answers very matter-of-fact, and I tried hard not to laugh at her, but she is just funny.  Mack just sits in his seat hollering out from time to time, then when it is time to pray he holds his chubby hands together and bows his head low.  I say, “Mack, say ‘God’ (GAAA), ‘thank you’ (hang oooo) ‘for’ (fo) …then he starts naming everybody….(Daddy, Roo-Roo, Mohee, Mommeeee, Pawpaw, Wee-wee, GG, Co-Co).  It is all quite cute.  And by the way, no grandparent should get their feelings hurt…he covers you all in his little mind when he says PawPaw and Wee-wee…one day he will figure out the difference, I guess.  And “Co-Co” is a little guy in his Sunday School Class.  His name is Coker, but Mack calls him “Co-Co.”  Funny guy.

The mall went great!  We definitely had fun in “Hollery Yarn” Kids, as I found TWO twin bedskirts on sale.  Yipeeee…..slowly, and I do mean s-l-o-w-l-y, the girl’s bedroom that “no one is going to see” (according to Josh) is coming together.  Did I mention I found two sets of twin sheets at Ross last night for EL CHEAPO!  I am talking each set was about 8.99.  THE Pottery Barn Kids wanted $69.00 for a set of their sheets.  I am sure there is a drastic difference in thread count, but give me a break.  Ruby is 4 years old and Molly is 3 years old.  First of all, I don’t think they care and second of all, how else will they appreciate an 800 thread count sheet if that is what they start out with???  It is all for their own good, I tell you.  

I managed to talk them into a 1.29 cheeseburger rather than a 3.99 piece of cheese pizza and that did my heart good.  They enjoyed the soft play area, a cookie, a slushee, the Disney store, and we even stopped at Publix where they rode the green race car shopping cart of which Molly informed me, “It has been too long since we have driven one of those!!!”  I would have gone into a lesson on how Wal-Mart is much cheaper than Publix…that is, IF she really cared.  She doesn’t care.  

So after a very busy day, we are home and Ruby wants to watch a movie…of course…so she picks out FOX AND THE HOUND.  She was watching the beginning of it and then she leaned over and asked me, very seriously, “Mom, why do the pets only talk when the kids are not around?”  I told her it was all just pretend that animals talk…and I think she was disappointed.  I felt bad, but, hey…she asked.

I am now going to lay down and read a cook book about how to make healthy food for your kids….or maybe I will lay down and hold the cook book, then just close my eyes and dream about being a healthy cook for my kids.   Wonder when Josh will be home?

 

1) I made a boo-boo and forgot to post pictures from a GREAT Valentine’s box that my mom and dad sent to the kids ON VALENTINE’S DAY.  They were thrilled to get a package……thanks Sweetie and PawPaw for being so thoughtful.

2) This morning I was having a mini bagel and sharing with Mack and Molly.  When Ruby saw, she said, “Hey, I want some pumpernickel bread!” I think she learned that word from Barney.  And for the record, she doesn’t really like “pumpernickel bread because of the raisins.”

3)  One of the fun things the kids do is all three get into Mack’s crib and play together.  I recently put new batteries into his fish aquarium, so they really like being in there to play with that.  Here are some funny pictures of them all together playing in the crib.

 

4) And now I am about to load everyone up and go to the Northpoint Mall for the soft play area, Hollery Yarn Kids (pottery barn kids), a walk through the Disney Store, overpriced pizza, then a cookie and slushee….say a prayer for me.  This life I lead is not easy, but somebody has got to go to the mall and spend some money.  I am just trying to do my part to keep the economy MOVING.

There are mornings I wonder how I am going to make it through another day with the kiddos…that sounds awful, but I just mean that at times the days are full of mundane tasks or very, very routine ones….they wake up about 7:15am ready to eat breakfast, Molly wants a snack at 8:30am, but settles for me reading her some books instead, Mack is roaming around looking for something to destroy or a marker to draw all over his body with, Ruby would be content with videos and a few pretzels as long as I don’t make her get dressed….and on and on the day goes.  BUT, I want to be intentional with my kids.  I want to make memories with them.  I want to teach them to read, teach them to use scissors, to play games, to write…but these things take effort, creativity and lots of patience.  

Today was a productive day, and I got some pictures of all the wonderful learning that was going on around here!  

 

 

 

 

It has been a fun and productive day.  Laundry is also getting done, so I am feeling no guilt about leaving as soon as my sweet husband walks through the door to roam TJ Maxx and hang out at Starbucks before going to a ladies Bible Study tonight.  Happy Thursday to all!

Mack is so funny in the morning.  He loves that I finally put batteries back into his fish thingy that hangs on his crib.  He loves turning it on, then turning it off, then turning it on again, then off…you get it.  I walked in this morning and watched him do this, then I said, “Where’s Elmo?”  Elmo was laying face down, so Mack leaned over to him and looked around to see if Elmo was sleeping…then Mack whispered, “Elmo, bed, shhhh.”  It was so cute!  I got him out of his crib and went straight to the changing table to change the enormous, wet diaper.  As soon as Mack’s feet are up in the air and he spots them, he says, “ooos” (shoes).  And he keeps saying shoes until I get them out to put them on his chubby feet.  This morning he was particular and asked, “Where hocks?”  (where are my socks?)  I picked out a pair of socks, but he went into the basket and handed me a different pair.  Picky boy this morning.  He was very happy to have a new diaper and new socks and shoes on this morning.  He must be like his big PawPaw (my dad) who doesn’t come out of his room until he has showered and is dressed from head to toe.  I rarely saw my dad’s feet growing up…and never saw him in pajamas or a robe for goodness sake.  He is not one for lounging around.  He wouldn’t do well with our pajama days that happen far more frequently than I am willing to admit.

Funny how different each child is.  Ruby gets up and immediately wants to put on a dress-up outfit.  Even after a shower, she asks if she can only put on panties because she wants to dress in one of her outfits downstairs rather than real clothes.  Even last night after coming in the door from church, it was’t two seconds before she was in her princess gown.  

Molly is also different than the other two.  She has a shower-radar.  The second the shower turns on, she appears and wants to get in..”Can I take a shower with you?” (as she steadily takes off her clothes and opens the shower door…only with ME, not Josh…she is much too old for that).  Then, she disappears to go and dress herself in “day clothes,” as she calls them.  You never know what she is going to come out in, but I am just glad she wants to be dressed and is willing to do it herself.

This morning started off early and that isn’t even counting the 2am interruption from Ruby….”Mama, can I sleep with you?”  She tries!  I sent her to the potty and back to her bed.  My bet is that Molly tries tonight.

My head has felt like it weighs 100 pounds today.  I could feel the sick feeling coming on Saturday, but I didn’t double up on vitamins or take a nap.  Sunday was busy, as usual, so here I am on Monday feeling pretty poopy.  I prayed this morning that the Lord would help me love Molly enough today so that she wouldn’t have to whine for attention.  Well, that didn’t quite go as I had planned.  I will try again tomorrow.  

We drove out to the car place to pick up our new car mats.  Then, I picked up lunch, came home and fed the kids, then I decided to take a nap while Mack napped.  He decided to nap for a whoppin’ hour.  Lucky me.  Any other day he would have settled in for at least two hours.  I am not bitter.  I am just tired and sick……..

MOVING ON.  So I decided to cook pork chops this evening with green beans and rice.  Sounds good, huh?  Well, I am always afraid of undercooking the meat–especially pork chops.  I knew it was probably a bit dry; that thought was confirmed with Molly’s comment as she chewed and chewed and chewed, “Mama, when is this meat gonna get out of my mouth?????!!!!!!!”  The child couldn’t even swallow the meat.  She loaded up on rice instead.  I’ve never led anyone to believe I am great cook.  Tonight was just proof of that.

Dance class was also today. Ruby and Molly wore their cute back packs from Gran and PawPaw.  Ruby has started taking her bag into her class and changing her shoes all by herself.  Molly has also started doing this.  She is the only one in her class that does.  It is amazing how the second born really catches on to things so quickly.  I am proud of her for being such a big girl.  

The girls each got their recital outfit today, too.  They were so excited about trying them on at home.   I think they are both pretty cute, though I am not sure what to think about the fuzzy stuff on Ruby’s top.  

 

 

 

 

We ended the day with Josh and Molly having a debate over whether to call the way she was sitting “criss-cross applesauce” or “Indian style.”  Josh isn’t one for political-correctness.  Molly ended up saying, “It can be both.”   Very diplomatic.

Mack is intrigued with this star light that Gran and PawPaw gave the kids.  You turn it on at night in the room and stars are all over the ceiling and walls.  He asks (while pointing up at the sky), “Where staaas? (stars)”  Mack seems to have a love/hate relationship with this thing.  He wants it on, but when we leave the room, he wants it off.  It seems as long as we are there with him and talking to him with the stars, all is well.  Leave him alone with them, and he loses it.  Funny kid.  Josh heard his Elmo doll talking in the night…Mack either woke up and played with him or he just rolled on Elmo then Elmo started talking.  Either way, I am glad he has a little friend in his room with him.  I feel bad that the girls have each other, but Mack is by himself.  

Here’s to hoping Tuesday is a great day!!!!

What a fun-filled Valentine’s Weekend!  Josh’s parents were here, and we had a great time. Gran is doing great.  She looked beautiful in her wigs…she has three to choose from now!  She looks beautiful without them, too.  It is amazing.  PawPaw is very good to her and takes care of her in all sorts of ways.  She was still able to tell the kids so many stories and play so many games with them.  I don’t know how she does it.  The kids monopolize their time here.  All Mack would say is “PawPaw.”  He did start calling Gran “Sweetie,” which is my mom’s name.  Then, in the last hour of their time here he let out a “Gran.”  Exciting times.  Ruby always wants someone to play with her or watch a movie with her.  Molly wants candy/crackers/cookies AND a book or a story told to her.  They were all three (and probably Gran and PawPaw included) pooped as the day came to a close. I was pooped by 2:00. Here is what I found as I checked in on them this evening. (Wasn’t I brave to take a picture??? I am usually way too afraid of waking anyone up!  That would NOT be good.)

Molly has recently told Josh, “When I am 4 years old I will stop sucking my fingers at night.”  We’ll see….

We are blessed to have these three little people sleeping under our roof tonight.  (particularly blessed that they are sleeping considering how tired they were!!!)

Night-night.

The kids were all in the backseat today while I drove down 92.  We passed Josh and his parents….a few minutes later Ruby said, “Mama, are you speeding?”  I looked down–52 mph in a 45 mph zone.   Fighting the urge to all-out lie, I said, “Technically, yes, but we really aren’t going that fast.”  She waited a minute and then started talking about police men and wondered aloud, “Where are the police men anyway?!”  I guess she thought I might need a cop to pull me over and slow me down….in my “soooo in my thirties” station wagon….ha!

We started celebrating V-Day yesterday.  The kids and I took Josh to lunch and gave him some of his favorite gum, Turtle’s candy, and a book by G. Campbell Morgan.  We got Mack an Elmo that blows kisses and talks.  Molly and Ruby got princess shoes, a dress, some flip-flops, a book, and a Dvd and some candy.  

Gran and PawPaw came with their own set of loot for the kids.  THE cutest ballerina backpack filled with all sorts of goodies from them and GG and Papa Mac….three dvds!, dress-up stuff, chocolate candies, a wheelbarrow for Mack, a fishing pole for the tub….and more!  I am sure I am leaving something out.  Needless to say, these kids are rotten.

We, and when I say “we”, I mean “I,” had the kids make some Valentines and bake and decorate some cupcakes.  It was a lot of fun.  

Josh and I got up early and went to breakfast together.  It was nice to be together.