Extreme Adventures in Motherhood (and life and knitting and photography and trying to keep a house with 3 boys from smelling like a locker room!)

to see more “wordless wednesday” pic- click: here

Hmmm….Maybe- but with better tone quality. Click over to my post today at “Laced With Grace” to find out if I’ve lost my mind…or maybe, just maybe, it’s an analogy.

• One painful, large to supersize zit, of varying styles and colors, delivered straight to your face each month, while you sleep, and guaranteed to be just in time for your special ocassion and or “period of discomfort and malaise.” AKA: your monthly.
• Special bonus with purchase! A parade of zitless faces to compare yours too.
• A strong obsession with trying every concotion, natural and otherwise, to remove said zit.
• A simple way to identify other group members. (just check the nose and forehead- for the special members only “mark” )

I’m a lifetime -charter member. This is not something I signed up for. It must have been part of my genetic inheritance. It’s also not something I expected. I remember thinking as a teen… “someday my zit will go”.. (usually sung to the tune of Disney’s “Someday my Prince will Come”) They didn’t.

I heard rumors that adulthood meant perfect skin. A lie.

I heard rumors that chilbearing (hate that word) led to perfect skin. Another lie.

I heard rumors that:

Retin- A, Proactiv, Clearasil, removing make-up, sleeping on a clean pillow case, taking antibiotics, etc… would lead to perfect skin.

All lies.

The truth is— I am a lifetime member in the zit of the month club. Every month- a single (though sometimes there are small “bonus zits” included as an extra incentive) large, painful, strategically placed,( usually mid forehead, nose or chin) prominent zit arrives.

Colors may vary from fuschia (usually a favorite of mine) to deep bruise colored, glowing violet. The zits can be expected to last about 2 weeks with proper care. (or, none at all) After which, the scar will slowly fade, just in time for next months fresh shipment to arrive!

As I close in on “40″ ( at least I have another year to ready myself for that one;) I am coming to realize that, I will:

Go straight from years of puberty to 20+ years of PMS

Straight from PMS to Peri and finally, full on menopause. All of which will and have included my membership.

After menopause? I don’t know- I’m hoping my membership will expire… although- let’s face it… it’s not looking good!

The cost of this Zit of the Month Club?

Hmmmm Prices may vary with your membership package-(pubescent, PMS and Menopausal pkgs are yours to choose) but generally are linked to fertility. (although certainly not necessary- as - many are members , sadly, (or not) without the benefit of fertility. My tubes are tied and fertility is no longer a possible price)

(actually, when I use it regularly, the Retin A does help….but, it isn’t covered by insurance for women of my age..(yeah thats DUMB) AND, it also leaves my skin feeling the crispy/peely parts of a fried egg for a couple of weeks- which is a 50/50 toss up in my opinion;)

This post brought to you by our sponsors: Puberty, PMS and PMDD and Menopause. (AKA the unholy alliance of hormones)

Dear Lord- there are so much more important things to be concerned about…
and truly- I am thankful to be a woman… with all that entails… but the zit
thing? could you cancel my membership? Please?

Either way- loving and serving
you… amen.

*pictures removed for my vanity…and your emotional protection. **

All year long they grow….. plain- somewhat ugly, wild looking bushes alongside of my porch.

Then- suddenly, for a few short weeks in May, they bloom. Their scent greets you at my front door. Their color can be seen form the street.

For the first few years, I let them on the bush. They withered. Wilted. Died.

Now- every day, I cut bunches and fill vases. It only takes a few minutes, but if feels like such absolute luxury. A full senses reminder of God’s love care and creation. Beautiful full bouquets of fresh flowers, in the kitchen, the livingroom and even our bedroom. They still wilt, they still die. But now- I enjoy them fully, before they do. I don’t worry about them-I just enjoy them while they are here. ;)

” Praise be to his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and Amen.” Psalm 72:19

My post for today is up at Laced With Grace- “Drinking it in” find out if Ihave a drinking problem…. and what “unsafe drinking water” is. See you there!

“The LORD has forsaken me, the Lord has forgotten
me.” “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no
compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will
not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me. ” Isaiah 49:
15-16

So far two of the eggs have been pushed from the nest. They didn’t make it. There are still 2 eggs in the nest but the mom hasn’t been as attentive. Maybe she lost patience- maybe she sensed they were dead. My husband assures me that animal “self talk” sounds like “white noise” and that it was purely instinctual. “Don’t personalize the birds” wasn’t exactly spoken… but implied. Maybe, these last two eggs will hatch.

I won’t be available to post the further progression over the weekend. But I’ll be affected by it- or it’s lack. It made me think of a very sad fact. Sometimes, mothers- (fathers, family, friends) reject the weak, the immature. Sometimes they reject for no reason other than choice, instinct.

This is where the parallel between the birds tender care, and God’s care for us ends. She may reject. But He- will never. We are engraved upon his hands. Here is my prayer for each who comes by today:

“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power
through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts
through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may
have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high
and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses
knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of
God.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we
ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be
glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and
ever! Amen.” Ephesians 3:16-20

The eggs in summary- from when we found the till today;)

Egg cam- 11:00 update wonder whats going on in there?

These are our little house guests as of 8:00 a.m this morning. Tough to know exactly what’s going on, as the momma bird constantly moves and rolls them around the nest. I have a bad feeling about the one that began hatching yesterday. (scroll down for pics) I doubt it has made it. There has been no further progress.

Sadness dripped from my eyes, but hopefulness still wells up in my heart.

Life is like that some days. Today is one of those days. This week- I’ve had a number of small disappointments. Plans cancelled. Things I had looked forward, to changed, delayed or lost altogether. A sick kid, broken things, messy things. In-convenient things.

They aren’t earth shattering things. Just small things, really. But still. Disappointing. Sad. Some are worrisome.

Yet- I still have so much hope. If not today, maybe tomorrow. If not now, maybe soon. The eggs- the plans… life, all of it. I am not in control. But, I trust the one who is.

Keep checking back… we’ll wait and watch for the babies together, with an expectant hope, as God does what only He can.

Ecclesiastes 3:11

” He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”

“Dear Lord- I am not very patient. Yet, you have me here- waiting- on so many levels. I hear your voice saying- “wait, while I work” and my hearts impulsive first answer is “hurry up! I can’t wait any longer!” Yet, day by day- as I wait, I’m learning I can. Because I am. Thank you Lord- for working and for making me wait- I love you- amen.”

eggs @ 12:35

I’m certainly no “ornithologist” but, shouldn’t we be seeing more progress than this?

Maybe, I’m driving the momma bird nuts. (I wait until she takes off to the back of the yard for food, to take pics….)

She carefully turns the eggs, and keeps them wam, all day and all night. She only leaves when the dog goes out. (She flies to the swingset and glares at the dog) and when I walk too close to the door wall.

Maybe it’s too cold.

Maybe- it’s just not time yet…. we’ll. just. keep. watching.

Noah suggested we pray for the baby birdies…..;)

And so we did.

Matthew 10:29-31
“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”

Even the tiny birdies are held tenderly in his care….we’ll wait- in His time- they’ll hatch.

UPDATE: Our eggs @ 9:00 a.m.

Hmmm should I be worried? It’s rather chilly here—-

Keeping a wary eye on my through the doorwall… (or maybe she’s watching the 2 cats and bad dog Sami…)

Keep checking back- I’ll be posting pics all day- as the hatching progresses!

The title above links to a website with information about Robin’s and their egg-laying-tending practices…

More soon.

Send your friends, especially homeschoolers- or children!