Thankful for CHallenging Days!

It has been a busy week. I would like to always present that life is just wonderful, peachy, and no stressful days, but what good would it be to lie:) The last few days have needless to say been... hum... well... lets define challenging. I don't know if it is sleep deprivation from all of us, or what, but finally today I found an excuse i hope I can bank on as to why this past few days has been so challenging. yea I like labeling it that! I saw today that Emma is trying to cut both of her eye teeth on the bottom. I don't know why it makes me feel better to lable the chaos, tears, screaming, hair pulling, and fussy bucketness of my little Emma. But fact of the matter is that it does make me "feel" like I am still a good mom and I can blame the teeth as to why our days have been less then my favorite. So I pray those two teeth come in really soon and she gets to feeling more like herself really soon. What is so strange is that it comes and goes sooo rapidly. She will have a great half hour of cute as a button adn getting along with brother, then the next moment, nothing will satisfy her. I just don't like not knowing how to make her feel better. I have forgotten how helpful it is when they have words to say " my mouth hurts" or 'i am tired" but she is limited to "snack, mama, and bky *binky). BLess her little heart.

NOw that I have expressed the "challenges of the past few days" we have also had some great moments this week. Here are just a few:

1. Today Brock was wanting Emma and I to all take naps with him in his twin bed. HE said "mommy lets all have a sleep in." I asked "Babe, what is that" and he said "mom, you knwo a sleep in... where we all stay all night together. I realized he was trying to say a sleep over. That was pretty funny.
2. With the election this week, I took the kids with me to vote. YOu know I am an "embrace the moment" kinda gal. We went to the doughnut shop before the voting place so the kids could have something that would occupy their time in line. Brock wanted to check out the sample ballots and was really into why we were there. Once I got my ballot, i tried to sit at a big table so we could all be together, but he insisted that I go in teh "cool" voting booths. While Emma and I were standing there and I was hurriedly filling out my ballot, little explorer went over (while I was not looking) to check out the things that sucks the ballots up adn counts the votes. He was pushing buttons all over the machine. By the time I realized where in the world he had wondered off so quickly, I saw him. Oh my goodness. I gave the quickest mommy snap and look there could be given. I just was fearing he had either cleared the counter, or turned off teh machine. That would have been a great way to have him remember the 1st vote of his life (Headline of paper: Enid is still hand counting the ballots of the presidental election because 3yr old breaks voting machine). Thank goodness no machines were broke or turned off!
3. Another voting topic: Brock keeps hearing people talk about Pres. elect Barak??spel OBama. He came in to the kitchen today and said.... mommy, I am Brock Obama. Now he things that is soo funny, so that is what he likes to call himself now and thinks all the news channels are talking about him. WE all were MCPalin voters- so Daddy really likes when brock calls himself that:)
4. Emma has started this week to dance with her hands in the air. IF I did not know any better, I would say she has been going to a Pentacostil (spell??) church. That girl can move. So great to see such a free spirit. Her favorite music to dance to is our Christian radio station that has a lot of music with a bass best.
5. THe pics in the beginning are of Brock and Emmas favorite thing to play with this past few weeks. That is the play pen that our cousing had (Reese and Ryan) and after they grew up, it got passed to us. Not both of my kids are out growing sleeping in it, but they love to pretend it is either a hunting ground blind, or their tent. They spend hours playing in it together. This pic I happen to get, Emma and Brock were having a pretend nap and Emma was patting brothers back. So sweet. Brock also loves to help me clean. This pic was from last week when he was vacuming the breakfast crumps up in his undies:) Last pic, was Brock as a bday party. It was a costume party and he of course wore his spider man costume. He loved driving the Barbie 4 wheeler.
6. Last of the week, we had a family art project from the school for Brock to do. Each family from teh school was given a turkey feather to decorate. I asked Brock what he wanted on it and he thought about it. He said "Mommy, I think we should all decorate a family deer head on the feather." Hum??? I know that it is him project... but a family deer head on the feather. I know we will be labled the "redneck family" but I went to Hobby Lobby and found little tiny camo cotton balls and doll house furntiure deer. HE had the best time glueing the things on it. I have to say it is 100% original and Dennom is proud as punch. So glad he is. But we were definately involved as a family and that was the point. IT was fun!

Final thought of the week... even thought it was a challenging week of 5am waking up (thank you time change) and teething, I am trying to remember to be thankful for these times as well. I know it will definately make me appreciate even more the good days that everyone is happy and well rested. So- thank you Lord for air, thank you Lord for family, and Good health!