life lessons

Ever have one of those weeks where you feel overwhelmed to the point where you're pretty sure you can't handle one more thing on your plate? It's safe to say that last week was one of those for me! Last Saturday night, Jason and I sat down to discuss the week's events, who would be where, and who would watch the children during each event. And then Sunday at 4:30 AM, all those plans seemed to disappear! It seems we forgot to add in Gall Bladder surgery on Monday morning. What were we thinking?

Along the way, I learned a thing or two, and I wanted to share a few of them:

1. Keep it simple! We attempt to keep our life simple. This means our kids aren't involved in every possible activity that is offered. We will give up any activity to be together as a family. And we always try to relish the simple moments. None of those things were possible last week, and I missed them more than you know. The routine things can sometimes seem ordinary and boring, but after a crazy week, I was reminded just how special the pictures below are!

(This picture is nothing exciting... just Jack enjoying some down-time- something that we had very little of last week.)

(I don't know why, but little boys in the floor with cars makes me happy!)

(I have to say that bath time for my boys is usually one of the most enjoyable times. They laugh, cry, and flood the floor almost every night! Last week, we hardly let the tub fill up with water before they had to get out. This week has been a different story... we even had time to make mohawks!)

2. Swallow your pride! I am not one to EVER ask for help. In fact, a friend sent me a text last week and it read, "You don't take to help too well!" And she was so right! Last week taught me a few things about my pride though. I'm not too good for help, and everyone needs a hand every now and then. I was also reminded that when people offer to help and I turn them down, I rob them of a blessing! I apologize to all the people who offered to help that I turned down. I try to be a one-man show way too often. For those of you who I came crawling back to asking for help, you are awesome, and I love you all!

3. Home-cooked food is important. Among the help that we received last week, several super sweet people brought us dinner.... home-cooked meals straight from their kitchens to ours! I have to say that sitting down to our table with a meal was just what we needed. I realized that my poor babies are being robbed of meals from their mama at their table. I can hardly recall a time when my own family did not sit down to a home-cooked meal, and I want my crew to know that feeling! Though I wouldn't dare pledge to cook EVERY night, I am going to start attempting to provide at least a few meals during the week. I know that some of you are gasping that we eat out every night... don't judge me! I'm a work in progress! But if you have any good, quick recipes that make your family smile, send them my way!

4. I learned a super lesson from a picture. Check out the picture below.

I know at first glance, you see me (I'm sorry!). But if you look closer, you'll see a little face in the background. You see... Max doesn't even know this picture isn't about him. He's smiling and giving his best regardless of who is in the spotlight! Last week was certainly not about ME. It was about everyone but me. And a few times (more than I'd like to mention), I forgot to smile about it! I read chapter 1 of Job this morning in my quiet time, and even when Satan stripped away everything Job had, he still worshipped God and said:

"Naked I came from my mother's womb,

and naked I will depart.

The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away;

may the name of the LORD be praised."

I pray that when times are calm and when times are hectic, and when things are about me and when they are not, that my face is lit up like Max's!

5. Last but not least, I'm still as smitten with Jason as I was when I was fourteen years old! I know he wasn't in any grave danger from gall stones, but it sure made me realize how much I love him. He still makes me smile when he walks in a room, and it was good to be reminded of that! I'm one lucky girl.

five on friday

1. Just when you think you can't add one more thing to your schedule, the good Lord throws in gall bladder surgery for your husband! It's been a heck of a week, but I still can't complain. Even with lives that seem to be in fast forward, I'm still awfully blessed!

2. Speaking of being being in fast forward- I actually RAN the distance for a 5K this week. Okay- maybe it wasn't like being in fast forward.... I mostly resemble the tortoise, slow and steady. But don't forget who won the race in that old fable! Don't worry: I don't for one minute think I'm going to win my 5K. I'm just proud that I probably won't be in last place!

3. I'm on my way to Dublin, Georgia, this weekend! If you don't know, that's where I grew up and where the greatest parents on the planet reside! I can't wait to see them! They're paying for my gas to get there, allowing me to bring my dirty laundry for free laundry service, and hopefully, they'll feed me while I'm in town. You can't ask for much more than that!

4. Though I love my mama and daddy, I'm actually headed that way to take some engagement pictures for my best friend's little sister. Isn't it funny how the people like that don't ever seem to grow up in your mind? I know she's old enough to be getting married, but in my mind, I still see her as the little girl that had the potential to get on our nerves occasionally and was often not allowed to hang out with us! I'm super excited about taking pictures for her, but I'm not quite sure I"m qualified! We shall see!

5. Max has a cough. In the car today, he got choked from coughing and ended up throwing up. His super intelligent big brother offered him some sound advice: "Max, if you would have just swallowed that stuff back down, we wouldn't have this nasty throw-up in our car!" I LOVE BOYS! :)

the surgery

There are two sides to this story- the light-hearted side and the serious side. This is not the serious side.

I was awakened on Saturday night by a very unhappy man. It was nearly 4:30 AM, and the wake-up call was less than pleasant. Jason grabbed my foot and shook it violently while saying, "Don't you know I'm up and I'm hurting," to which I responded, "No. I didn't know that." After attempting to go back to sleep, I finally gave in and used my medical skills to diagnose what I thought was surely an issue with his gall bladder.

Since our kids were fast asleep, Jason (God bless him!) drove himself to the emergency room. He's a pro at this. He was checked in, doped up, and sent for an ultrasound. Though he questioned the technician about whether he "was having a girl or a boy," all they found was that he definitely had some gall stones and surgery would be necessary!

We requested that this surgery be done ASAP. The procedure was set for Monday morning, and we were all set to go home and return the next day. Unfortunately they wanted Jason to stay through the night!

Since this was unexpected, I ran home to grab a few things and left Jason at the hospital. He assured me he would be fine and that he didn't need anyone to "babysit" him. Boy was he wrong. When I returned, I found this outside the door.

And I found this on his arm.

These items are typically reserved for eighty-year-old women who might have trouble standing, but they aren't limited to them. Apparently if you get out of your bed to change the TV channel and you black out and wake up to find yourself laying on the floor, they will gladly label you a "Fall Risk" and adorn you with a matching bracelet and door sign. Jason was no longer allowed to leave his bed without assistance.

He made it through the rest of the day without any other major incidences, and his surgery was done bright and early on Monday morning. It went well, and he was returned to his room shortly after.

But I must tell you... when he came back my heart skipped a beat. Of course I missed him and I was happy to see him, but something about seeing your man in stockings really makes a girl excited! I couldn't resist a picture!

Jason is doing fairly well. He has been up and about and has been a fabulous patient. I have to say that he has not been a whiner at all and has probably done more than he should around the house to help out!

We are super grateful to all of our friends/ family that called, visited, or brought food! It's so nice to know that we are thought of and loved! Though it wasn't a major surgery, it certainly was unexpected and your kindness made it go smoother than I ever imagined!

(God used this experience to teach me some VERY valuable lessons! I'll share those another day!)

five on friday

1. My sweet husband called yesterday and informed me that someone would be coming to look at our house. They were to arrive in 20 minutes. Yes... I said 20 minutes. I had to ask him again myself to be sure I heard him right. There wasn't time to clean. We had to go to Plan B.... hide as many items as possible. We put things in the garage, washer, dryer, car- you name it, we shoved something in it. Guess what I'll be doing all weekend- play HIDE AND GO SEEK with my stuff!

2. One of my favorite people from church asked me Sunday night to make a hooded towel for a baby. She needed it on Friday. Isn't it funny how far away Friday seems on Sunday night? Before I knew it, Friday was just a few hours away, and that towel still ceased to exist! So at 10:18 PM I sat down to make a towel last night. I somehow managed to stay awake and finish the towel, and I laid my sweet head down a little before 1:00 AM. In all defense, I would have been in bed by 12 if I didn't have to play HIDE AND SEEK with my spools of thread. They were "stored" in the toy cabinet. For some reason, it never crossed my mind to look there!

3. Last night we had our weekly meal at Jason's parents. There's nothing like comfort food. And let's be honest... real comfort food CANNOT be healthy. This may be why we rarely sit down to the table without a fresh stick of butter on the table. And last night, we had fried cornbread. Need I say more? It's safe to say I always leave very comforted!!!

4. Number 4 will be an oxymoron for #3, but I started "running" (we'll call it that to make me feel better) this week. I went Saturday, Sunday, and Monday night. I'm ashamed to say that I have not been since. Jason reminded me that the 5K is just two weeks away. I'm thinking it's going to be very unlikely that I actually run that 5K from beginning to end, but you've got to start somewhere, right? And it was a great excuse to get some new running shoes!

5. Jack starts an art class next week. He is my super insecure child, and he doesn't venture into new activities very well. But when I asked him if he would be interested in this class, he quickly jumped on the opportunity and was so excited about it! I hope he loves it! My artistic tendencies have rubbed off on him! Maybe he'll grow up to be a Picasso!

nothing better

The boys relaxed in the bed last night to watch a little football. When they get together, a snack usually follows. Max hauled the oversized tub of cheese balls in the bed and everyone jumped in for a snack! After a few moments, Jack, in all his wisdom, said, "There's nothing better than the boys eating cheese balls in the bed together."

I am so grateful that he delights in the simple things. I totally agree with him that nothing could be better... unless you find pleasure in eating them naked!

vroom

I follow I Heart Faces, which is blog/website that offers tips and contests for photography. This week's contest theme is "Vroom Vroom." When I saw that, I immediately thought of this shot.

I took these pictures of my neighbor's son, nieces, and nephew. I was pumped when they arranged for two vintage cars to be on site! They were so cool, and the kids loved them as well. I had a hard time choosing which picture to pull out of the bunch, because every picture just displayed complete joy on their faces!

I love this one for a couple of reason. First, I love that these kids actually look like they belong in this car and era! And secondly, this shot makes me smile. It reminds me of my teenage years when we were care free and our favorite past time was riding around in each other's vehicles!

Hope you enjoy! VROOM! VROOM!

the tooth fairy -q&a-

My child seriously has an addiction... pulling teeth. He is missing four front teeth in a matter of three weeks.... three of those within the last week! Because of this, I now consider myself to be somewhat of an expert at the whole "tooth fairy" thing. For those who haven't had much practice, I thought I might do a little q&a to help you steer clear of a few possible mishaps that might arise!

how do you decide who is going to be the "tooth fairy?"

We're all adults here so there's no use pretending! Although it would be great if this fairy actually existed, the truth is somebody has to take on this imaginary role. At our house, the choice was simple... Jason pulls out the teeth, and I get to be the fairy. Jason has the stomach to use pliers or whatever is necessary to remove a tooth, and I'm much better at sneaking in the room and making the magic switch! And if that weren't a good enough reason, there is a little something about pretending to be a magic fairy that makes me feel important, so I wouldn't dare give him that honor! But for you men who are afraid of the stigma that might go along with being called a "fairy," have no fear... just remember The Rock. He made a lovely tooth fairy, and there's nothing prissy about him!

what's the current value of a tooth?

This question has no correct answer. Let me caution you about making this decision. Please know that you will be very excited when they lose that first tooth. You'll be so excited that you'll start seeing $ signs in your head and you'll be tempted to give away large amounts of money. Just know that the first tooth sets the standard for those that follow. If you give a $20 bill, be prepared to give that 19 more times before their tooth losing days are over! That's a lot of money! Our going rate is $5, but even that feels a little steep at times!

do you have any tips on being prepared to carry out your duties?

At the first sign of a semi-loose tooth, please go directly to the bank. If you're like us, you may not keep cash around your house. In my experience, most teeth have been lost late in the evening. To avoid any late night trips to the ATM, you need to prepare in advance.

what if you are not prepared to carry out your duties?

Okay... I gotta be honest! After 6 lost teeth, I'm still unprepared. I NEVER have cash. There are a few options when this happens. First, you can dig around frantically in your house and pray that money magically appears. If you get no results, you either have to go to the ATM or you can be creative. You can always write out an IOU. I had a student tell me the other day that he got candy from the tooth fairy. If you think your child accepts checks, you could always write one of those. I'm ashamed to tell you what we do but here goes: we take money from Jack's wallet. Of course we replace it, but because he actually has no idea how much money he has, it's a simple solution to a possibly catastrophic situation. Don't judge me.

how do you choose the appropriate time to make the switch?

Well this is a no-brainer... when the child is asleep! DUH! But that's easier said than done. When you put the child to bed, be sure to tell the child that if they don't go right to sleep that the tooth fairy will not come. This usually does the trick, but there are exceptions to every rule. Last week, I crept into Jack's room at 10:35 PM and was about to make the switch when his eyes flew open as he simultaneously said, "Whatcha doin'?" I seriously couldn't keep my eyes open another minute, so I went to sleep planning to get up early and carry out my plan. Unfortunately, I was awakened early that morning by Jack who said, "Look Mama... my tooth is still under my pillow. I guess I went to sleep too late and she did not come." The good news is you can always put that tooth back under the pillow the next evening and try again!

do you have any other advice to offer when it comes to losing teeth?

If I could offer any other advice, I'd encourage you to take lots of pictures. There's nothing like that first set of teeth and they'll only be there for a few years so capture as many shots of them as you can. And those little snaggle tooth pictures are priceless, and their existence is even shorter lived. Of course, next comes those awkward shots where the new teeth begin to arrive, but you'll be proud you have those memories as well! Here's look at our journey the last few week:

I'm hoping that my tooth fairy days come to a halt for the next few weeks. If not, I'll be forced to buy baby food and pudding! I hope your adventures are as joyful as mine have been! These little milestones are what make the big picture of being a parent so worth it!

five on friday

1. My kids went to their first wedding on Monday night. Coincidentally, it was also their last! I might consider taking Jack again in the next five years, but Max has been removed from all future wedding invitations! Although the sitting quiet thing wasn't for them, they quite enjoyed the food! After eating a plate full and a slice of cake, Jack said, "Man... I'm gonna feel this one in the morning!" Where does he get this stuff? I guess all the excitement left him with a "wedding hangover!"

2. My 21-year-old assistant, who still possesses the body and abilities of a 20-year-old, is encouraging me to do a 5K run in October. She must not realize I'm 30. I'm not sure if you add up all of my walking activities in the last week that they would add up to 5 kilometers, so if this is going to be possible, I'm certain I better start exercising a little more! There's no doubt I'll be walking a LARGE majority it! But I have to say... if I have to do a 5K, I couldn't find a more worthy cause to support. The event is being put on by the Northeast Mississippi Down Syndrome Society. If you live around Tupelo/ Saltillo you should come join in the fun on October 2! I have two sweet friends to run for... my neighbor Craig and my little friend across the hall Peyton!

3. I have always liked teaching, but I remembered why I really loved it this week. It's good for my self-esteem. One of my five-year-olds was professing her love for me as we walked down the hall yesterday, and at the conclusion of our conversation, she adoringly said, "Mrs. Sarah... You're so cute!" I gave her an A right then and there! Why do we grow out of the innocence of a five-year-old? The world would be better if we all said nice things like that to each other!

4. I'm celebrating Grandparents' Day with my class this morning. I have to tell you something... I LOVE GRANDPARENTS! They're so fabulous! And there's nothing better than a whole room full of them! I'm expecting more than 30! I break out in hives with a room full of parents, but for some reason, I feel right at home with grandparents! We have lots of fun things planned and I cannot wait!

5. First grade has brought about a little extra homework which I appreciate because I get to see Jack's progress. As I work with him I'm reminded that I need to be working with Max to get him ready for school in the near future. Currently we've worked on counting. His version goes something like this... "1...2...4...9." We're so proud! It doesn't take much to impress us!

Sorry... had to add another---

Bonus: My crazy child pulled another tooth on top! I think this has become an addiction. I'll be purchasing baby food this week so that he can eat!

game day

Every special day needs traditions, and the first day of college football is no exception. Our family was careful to stick to our yearly plan.

1. You must get up early. Apparently some show called "Game Day" comes on, and you have to be up and ready to watch it. Our crew was up at 6:17 AM so I'm pretty sure we kept up our end on that deal.

2. You couldn't possibly watch football without the appropriate food. The morning began with a male bonding time at McDonald's. After breakfast, the boys took a trip to the grocery store to load up on today's snacks. I understand the cheese balls, but I'm not sure when grapes and raspberries become a snack food for football.

3. You should dress the part. You don't actually have to go to a ballgame to enjoy it. But you should still dress up. I suppose men think that the players can "FEEL" that they are dressed up in their living rooms. Don't deny it... you know your husbands and boys put on their attire whether they attend the big game or participate from the couch.

4. Party until you can't party anymore. If you intend to really bring in the new football season, someone has to party so hard that they just can't hang with the rest of the crowd. At our house, Max was the lightweight. He held on as long as he could, but the excitement was just too much for him! Luckily he fell asleep in a safe place. I assure you- the person under him was not going anywhere until the games were over!

Happy Game Day! Hope your team won! Ours did! It's great to be a GEORGIA BULLDOG! :)

five on friday

1. Another one bites the dust! Let's just say we won't be enjoying corn on the cob anytime soon! He sure is cute though!

2. I must admit I have no rhythm. I was a cheerleader in high school, but dancing has never come naturally to me. Max, however, loves to dance. Whether or not he's good at it is yet to be determined. The important thing is he LOVES it! He might also be a singer. He certainly knows how to handle a microphone! In the video, you'll see that a few other family members get in on the action! As of late, the Chipmunks really put him in the mood to cut the rug!

Max Dancing from Sarah Marlin on Vimeo.

3. I'm married once again! My super sweet husband bought me a new wedding band! I guess he was afraid I'd forget I belonged to him! I LOVE IT!

4. In response to my reflection of my life, we have decided to put our house up for sale. We LOVE where we live, but at this point in our lives, there are other things that MATTER, and a home is not made by the walls that surround you. If anyone in Tupelo knows of someone that is looking for a house, please send them our way. It's a great 4 bedroom/ 2 .5 bathroom home in a fabulous neighborhood!

5. I'm pumped about my lazy weekend at home with an extra day tacked on at the end! But I'm a little jealous of my assistant who is taking a super fast trip to Chicago. She's taking a train, and I'm fascinated with this idea. I think I might just take a train trip somewhere soon. Who knew you could travel by train? I live a sheltered life!