If You Give a Mouse a Cookie...

...he'll crawl under your refrigerator and DIE!

I knew I smelled something funky in the kitchen! I got the flashlight and searched under the fridge (where the odor was the worst) and there he was. All I could really see was his skinny tail. Big, strong Hubby moved the fridge and now that nasty mouse and his even nastier stench are gone!

Kinda makes me miss the days when we had a cat!

The Other Day on Oprah...

OK, I don't usually watch Oprah, but every once in a while I will see what's on. She's been showing parts of her cross-country road trip with Gayle - and it's really funny. So, the other day I caught the end of their journey. As they drove through Ohio, they took the opportunity to spend some time with an Amish family. IT WAS FASCINATING! The couple was young, maybe 30, with 3 kids. They sat outside at a picnic table, chatting with Oprah and Gayle. They discussed the Amish lifestyle, modern conveniences, traditions, marriage, courtship, pre-marital sex...really interesting stuff. As you can imagine, Oprah and Gayle couldn't fathom no dating until 18, no sex before marriage, marriage and sex with one person for a lifetime, etc. But what blew them away was that the couple said they were 100% content with their lives. They wouldn't change ANYTHING about the way they live.

Do you know anyone completely content? Are you? Are there things you would change about the way you live in order to find more contentment? Why are we so unwilling to live a simple life in our modern society? Does simplicity provide more contentment?

This couple fascinated me. They subscribe to Time magazine, so they do know what's going on in the world. They have an electric washing machine (not anything like what any of us have, but still...). They use modern equipment to milk the cows. All these things surprised me. What also surprised me was how beautiful their home was. Why did I think otherwise? Just because they are known for being plain doesn't mean they don't enjoy beauty. The inside of the house was decorated simply and tastefully. The walls were painted blue. There were fresh flowers in vases in several rooms.

The interview really made me think. No, I'm not about to become Amish. But there are aspects of their lifestyle that really are worth contemplating. What would I be willing to give up for a simpler life? Not the internet, for sure! What's funny is that I found myself wanting to see more into the lives of the Amish - and my first thought was, "I wonder if there are any Amish blogs?" I immediately realized the absurdity of that thought! But how disappointing! Wouldn't it be great if there were an Amish blogroll out there?

Dumb Dumb Dumb

This is by far the DUMBEST movie I have ever seen. EVER! Yes, it has taken me this long to see it. It was funny - very funny at times. But, it was so incredibly DUMB! I just kept praying that my boys wouldn't turn out like anyone in the movie! I also kept imagining my brother, sister, cousin, and nephews laughing their heads off during this movie - quoting every line! What kind of sick family are we? GOSH!

Sick Day

My older son woke up this morning not feeling so well, but he really wanted to go to school (not because he wanted to be at school. He was excited to wear his new pants! How girlie!). He had just a little bit of fever, but within the limit. So, dad took him to school. Well, just as I thought, the school secretary called - asking me to pick up D. When we got in the car I asked if the nurse had taken his temp. She had. Here's our conversation:

"What was your temp?"
"Umm, 91"
"Well, I think it was probably a little higher"
"Uh, 160"
"I know for sure it wasn't 160"
"Why?"
"Because you'd be dead!"

As soon as he walked through the door he put in "The Incredibles", plopped down on the couch and informed me he was hungry. I guess after everyone saw his new pants, it was time to go home!

Thoughts on Motherhood

I've been reading an article in Radiant magazine called The Stay-at-Home Question: What is the New Ideal for New Mothers? Although I don't consider myself a "new" mother, the discussion is interesting. Here is a quote I keep coming back to:

Leslie Leyland Fields, mother of six and author of Surprise Child ...notes the tendency some have - even within the Church - to criticize and even look down upon those who do not adhere to the functions of the at-home mom. "There are those in our churches who believe that unless you're homeschooling, taking your children to every church event and service, devoting your every minute to your children - unless you are all these things, you're not a good Christian mother," she says. "I disagree. I think we're sometimes in danger of deifying our children and our family, setting them up as idols in place of God."

Here are some of my thoughts and questions:

• Knowing that it is ideal for children to be at home with mother let's say at least until preschool/Kindergarten, will there ever be situations when it IS within God's will for mom to work outside the home?
• Are my friends who work full-time out of God's will?
• What about those mothers in ministry or fields of public service (ex: doctor), is it ever God's will for them to return to their careers when their children are small?
• I think it's easy to assume that God's will is for all mothers to stay home with their children, but do we ever set up our role as sahm as an idol?
• Is it possible to take mothering TOO seriously, therefore ignoring what God might be leading you to do that's different?
• Is devoting yourself so completely to mothering stripping you from who you are?
• Can we get lost in the role of mother?

I so enjoy reading blogs. Most of the blogs I read are written by moms - from all walks of life. I enjoy everything from the homeschooling/homesteading/ultra-conservative mom to the leave-your-kids-with-daddy-for-a-girlfriend-weekend mom to the career-minded mom who lives in the city. All these moms love their kids - and the Lord! Sometimes though I can walk away from the computer feeling discouraged. "Am I supposed to be living like that mom?" "Should I be doing what she does?" "Should I be churning my own butter and making my kids clothes?" (Just kidding - ain't gonna happen!)

I know that just like educating our children, each family must seek God's will for their family regarding whether mom works. I admire homeschooling moms tremendously. God isn't telling me to do that. I so love being at home with G. But will there be a time when it's His will that I work - especially if my work is ministry?

There may only be 4 people out there who read this, but I would really like some feedback. What are your thoughts?

White Rabbit