"Not Me!" Monday

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

I am not completely stumped about what I didnt do this week. It's not because I can't actually remember anything that happened. I am not getting old and senile so badly that I can only remember what happened the last few days of this week. Nope, I have a mind like a steel trap! Not me!

In anticipation of trying to conceive our fourth child many years ago, I did not so completely desire to have another girl that I went out long before I ever got pregnant (like 3 years) and buy a very PINK outfit, headband and blanket from Gymboree. Wouldnt that be ridiculous to buy a very gender specific set? While searching my nightstand for reading material one night, I did not come across the layette set that I had utterly forgotten about (you know, after having added two BOYS to the family, and having put it there six or seven years previously) Upon seeing the outfit and remembering how deeply I wanted another girl, and knowing that we will not be having anymore babies, I did not totally lose myself in the grief of it and spend not one, but two nights crying myself to sleep while snuggling the cutest pink baby outfit I've ever seen. Who could be such a sap? Not me!

When I got a call late Saturday night from the music director asking me to sing on the praise team in church Sunday morning, it was not totally a dream come true. Among other things I did not begin to worry about what I would wear because it seems like the praise team always coordinates their colors. I did not put 3 different outfits and 2 pair of shoes in my car just in case I didn't match. No way, that is so superficial and prideful. Not me!

I'm so glad I could be brutally honest about the things I have not done this week. Join in the fun and tell us what you didn't do!

Whacky Hair Day.

I love these boys. They have such a spirit of fun and adventure. Anyone who knows us knows that Tim has had a mohawk of some sort for the last 4 years. Even Tadd has toyed with his hair off and on. Me, I let the kids choose their hairstyle.

Again, as with my hair, the question "Why?" comes up a lot. Yes, the grandparents basically hate their hairstyles. My husband has come to understand the why, though he may not fully embrace it. Why? Because hair is hair. Because a funky hairstyle is not illegal, immoral, or life-threatening. Because it's an area in which they know that we will allow them to express themselves freely. Because there are more important issues on which we will NOT compromise; obedience, respect for God, others and self, honesty, no drugs, no alcohol, no tobacco use.

And so, when Whacky Hair Day comes around, we go all out. There's nothing too wild or whacky! There is only these great, fun, giggly, respectful, truthful, crazy, whacky boys and their creative hairstyles!



This, is not whacky hair, it's messy bedhead! Haha!

Wordless Wednesday - I'll Have S'more!

Adventures in Color - PINK!!!

I have a love affair with color. I've always loved my dark brown hair and in the past have been afraid to color it until last year when I decided to go purple. I did purple the last 3 times (and every shade in between purple and blonde as it faded over a couple of months time). Last time we did purple we started with a pink base so that my hair wouldn't fade to a nasty green as the purple slowly washed away. I almost stopped at pink last time, but since I had the purple went ahead with it.

It was time to redo it and I decided this time to try pink. I love pink. I have a pink computer, a pink phone, a pink daughter (well, a daughter who loves pink), and I plan to paint the land yacht pink someday soon. So, pink it is. And by that I mean, PINK it IS!

People ask me all the time why I do it. I do it because it's me. I'm just a little funky, wild girl at heart who wants to let her colors show. That's all there is to it.

Wordless Wednesday - Um, Honey?!?!?

One Month Post-Occluder.

Can you believe it has actually been over a month since Letha had her heart cath for the placement of the Amplatzer occluder?

She had her one month check-up with Dr. Miller today, including an echocardiogram. The echo looked great! The occluder is doing it's job. Letha is feeling great. She is still having minor headaches associated with exertion, but they are getting better.

I have to tell you, she is a different person! She is more energetic, more active. Basically, she is more Letha than she has ever been in her whole childhood up until now! I love seeing her blossom into an even more vibrant young woman. In fact, it's such a big change that it's hard not to feel cheated of all the years she lost to ASD. When I start feeling that way, I remember to thank God that we found it now and not many more years down the road. Now, when she is young enough to heal and recover from the effects of the ASD, and have a normal healthy-sized heart and pulmonary artery in her future. And I try to remember that God knew what was best from the beginning. I believe that, I really do, it's because I can't see how it was best that I struggle with it. But I know that God can see it, and my faith allows me to trust His character and love.

Do We Have a Winner?

A few weeks ago, I announced my first contest. We have now passed the 11,011th visitor on my blog. Did that person remember to take a screen shot of the counter near the bottom of my right sidebar? If so, e-mail it to me at karina11 at juno dot com and we will discuss which $25 gift card you'd like to receive.

The Grand Return of "Not Me!" Monday!!!

Stellan is finally home from the hospital. My friend Mck Mama is getting back into the groove of a "new normal" after being in the hospital away from home for five and a half weeks. Stellan's heart condition is stable, under control, and being closely monitored. And so, WE NOW RETURN TO OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED PROGRAM!


Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

This past week, I did not go on, what I believe to be, a hormonal rampage. I was not mad at my husband for every tiny little thing he didn't do my way. I did not nearly scream myself hoarse, alone in the garage, while changing carseats. I did not refuse his offers of help because I didn't want him to feel better while I was miserable. No sir! I am a gentle, kind and loving wife. That was not me!!

I did not, in said fit of pique, slam the hatch of the van in anger so hard that when it hit my shoulder it nearly knocked me down. I did not sit on the floor of the garage and bawl like a baby because it hurt so bad. I did not spend the next day wondering if I had fractured the bone and if I should have it x-rayed. I did not secretly hope that it was broken so I could get some sympathy and pampering. I would certainly never admit that on my blog. No, not me!

I am not a sinner, saved by and extremely thankful for God's grace. I'm a perfect saint. So that could not have been me!

I did not get my haircut at a children's salon because my friend works there and will no longer cut my hair in her home. (something about not wanting to cut hair on her days off? harumphf!) I didn't feel like a complete weirdo, so much that I ended up getting the hair of the 3 children I had with me cut too, to make me feel better. Not me!

After getting over my rampage and feeling more on an even keel the rest of the week, I did not spend the drive home from the salon griping at my husband. I did not go on and on about how he folded every single piece of the baby's laundry incorrectly wrong when he'd tried to help me the week before. I did not tell him that his help was not helpful. I did not repeat myself six times. I did not cry and become distraught. When I finally hung up the phone as we pulled into the driveway, my daughter did not, after having waited patiently to not interupt, admit that she had folded the baby's laundry. There is no way I could be such an insensitive heel, nope, NOT ME!!!

I hope you can be brutally honest and live to tell about it. What have you NOT done this week?

********Update*******
Yes, my shoulder is feeling better, still bruised and sore to touch, but better. It's got that sickening yellowish hue to it. ICK! Glad it's not my shoulder!