I received a mug for my graduation, back in 1997, from a friend of the family. Its complete with my name on the handle and a lovely poem I have seen before. I just happened to read it and thought it was appropriate for today or any day.
God hath not promised
Skies always blue,
Flower-strewn pathways
All our lives through;
God that not promised
Sun without rain,
Joy without sorrow,
Peace without pain.
But God hath promised
Strength for the day,
Rest for the labor,
Light for the way,
Grace for the trials,
Help from above,
Unfailing sympathy
Undying love....
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Back Home Again
We have returned from our long, interesting vacation to South Dakota. We left when Gianna was a month old and returned just shy of a month later. It has been an adventure to remember with good times and memories we'd rather forget (like sick kids). I will slowly post on our trip so that you are not stuck reading for an hour. :)
Let "South Dakota Adventure, May 2011" begin....
Let "South Dakota Adventure, May 2011" begin....
Sunday, May 1, 2011
May Prayers Updated
I have chosen May's theme to center around the Blessed Virgin Mary as our mother. I am reminded again and again that I, as a mother, must turn to the Mother of mothers for help. She knows the pains of motherhood and also the joys. What better mother has ever walked this earth??
The saints have many great things to say about Mary as our mother. She is there to instruct us, to comfort us, to intercede for us, to love us. She sees our pain and weeps with us. She sees our triumphs and rejoices with us. She sees our sins and intercedes to her Son on our behalf. She never abandons us. What comfort we should find in her loving arms.
I am not a good mother. I am probably a piss poor mother by most standards. I yell at my kids, lose my patience over and over again, ignore the small pleas for my undivided time and I know I hurt their feelings. These are my weaknesses. Mary has no weaknesses. She will not fail as I have failed over and over again. That is why I pray that she will take my children into her arms and comfort them when I am selfish. Nourish them when I am too blind to see their need. Build them up when I have cut them down. And I pray that she will guide me to becoming a better mother.
May you feel Our Lady's loving embrace this month. Turn to her, love her!!
The saints have many great things to say about Mary as our mother. She is there to instruct us, to comfort us, to intercede for us, to love us. She sees our pain and weeps with us. She sees our triumphs and rejoices with us. She sees our sins and intercedes to her Son on our behalf. She never abandons us. What comfort we should find in her loving arms.
I am not a good mother. I am probably a piss poor mother by most standards. I yell at my kids, lose my patience over and over again, ignore the small pleas for my undivided time and I know I hurt their feelings. These are my weaknesses. Mary has no weaknesses. She will not fail as I have failed over and over again. That is why I pray that she will take my children into her arms and comfort them when I am selfish. Nourish them when I am too blind to see their need. Build them up when I have cut them down. And I pray that she will guide me to becoming a better mother.
May you feel Our Lady's loving embrace this month. Turn to her, love her!!
'Cause Grandpa Asked
We had to show off our new Easter dress that we didn't get to wear on Easter so we decided to take a picture for Grandpa. See how big we are now. Mommy had a hard time taking a picture because sweetie pie kept wanting to sit up and ended up falling over. We're big stuff now and plan to take over running the household this month. Miss you Grandpa. XOXOXOXO
May Day visitors
So a turkey and a black squirrel walk into a bar together...and the turkey says...
.....ummm......
ah shoot what's the point I'm not a joke writer by any means!
Sitting and More Sitting
I know I should have had time to update this blog last week if all I did was sit right?? I wish it were that simple, but it never is.
Tuesday and Wednesday Darren was gone, out of state, to a work related convention. It was my first night without help since Gianna was born. We did great and had no troubles. We always have a great time when Dad is gone. We eat cereal for lunch and watch movies while we eat our supper. Good times!!
Then Thursday afternoon I took Gianna to the doctor for her two (plus some) week appointment. She had gained a pound since being released from the hospital, but did not grow any taller. She had a great visit and is in perfect health. When we returned home later that afternoon I started to get sick. At first I felt cold so I put on three blankets. I had the chills to the point that I was shaking uncontrollably. It was not fun. Then I started to get a fever. Darren was working late and by the time he came home around 8 PM my temperature was 105.5. YES I typed it correctly - 105.5! Darren gave me some medicine and I tried to stay warm because even with the temp. that high I was still freezing. An hour later my temp. was down to 103, then finally 101 when I fell asleep.
To add to the misery, Brech started to get very sick the next day. Friday daytime I was ok and it was as though I hadn't been all that sick. I did nap some and kept taking Tylenol and Belladonna. I even went to town with Stephen and Gianna to buy her an Easter dress and Stephen some cupcakes for his birthday. Later that night I started the chills again and had another 105 temp. that lasted for a bit. In the night, Brech got worse and my temp. would rise and fall. Poor Darren didn't get much sleep that night. Gianna on the other hand slept from 10 PM until 6 AM for her mommy. What a treasure she is!
Saturday morning I napped until lunchtime. Darren was on his way to Green Bay so he woke me up to watch Gianna. I started to feel some intense pains in my lower belly and back. We decided I should go to the Urgent Care, but ended up in the ER. I left with belly/back pain and came back with an UTI, kidney infection and a nasty infection in my uterus. I am currently finishing up two medications and on the mend. I did feel bad the rest of Saturday, Easter Sunday and some Monday morning. Brech was also better by Monday, but he had us scared a few times over the weekend. Little boys should not have to cough like that!
I am under orders from my loving husband to continue sitting. I am determined to do something this week besides sit. I did threaten to reshingle every house in this county. After three weeks of sitting - anything and everything sounds wonderful right now.
Tuesday and Wednesday Darren was gone, out of state, to a work related convention. It was my first night without help since Gianna was born. We did great and had no troubles. We always have a great time when Dad is gone. We eat cereal for lunch and watch movies while we eat our supper. Good times!!
Then Thursday afternoon I took Gianna to the doctor for her two (plus some) week appointment. She had gained a pound since being released from the hospital, but did not grow any taller. She had a great visit and is in perfect health. When we returned home later that afternoon I started to get sick. At first I felt cold so I put on three blankets. I had the chills to the point that I was shaking uncontrollably. It was not fun. Then I started to get a fever. Darren was working late and by the time he came home around 8 PM my temperature was 105.5. YES I typed it correctly - 105.5! Darren gave me some medicine and I tried to stay warm because even with the temp. that high I was still freezing. An hour later my temp. was down to 103, then finally 101 when I fell asleep.
To add to the misery, Brech started to get very sick the next day. Friday daytime I was ok and it was as though I hadn't been all that sick. I did nap some and kept taking Tylenol and Belladonna. I even went to town with Stephen and Gianna to buy her an Easter dress and Stephen some cupcakes for his birthday. Later that night I started the chills again and had another 105 temp. that lasted for a bit. In the night, Brech got worse and my temp. would rise and fall. Poor Darren didn't get much sleep that night. Gianna on the other hand slept from 10 PM until 6 AM for her mommy. What a treasure she is!
Saturday morning I napped until lunchtime. Darren was on his way to Green Bay so he woke me up to watch Gianna. I started to feel some intense pains in my lower belly and back. We decided I should go to the Urgent Care, but ended up in the ER. I left with belly/back pain and came back with an UTI, kidney infection and a nasty infection in my uterus. I am currently finishing up two medications and on the mend. I did feel bad the rest of Saturday, Easter Sunday and some Monday morning. Brech was also better by Monday, but he had us scared a few times over the weekend. Little boys should not have to cough like that!
I am under orders from my loving husband to continue sitting. I am determined to do something this week besides sit. I did threaten to reshingle every house in this county. After three weeks of sitting - anything and everything sounds wonderful right now.
Cleaning up
The fallen tree branch from the ground. See here for the original post.
The boys helped their dad clean up the tree branch that had fallen in the storm. It was quite a chore, but everyone pitched in.Where oh Where is My Egg?
I found a pink one - but its not Mommy's because I broke that one when I was helping Dad hide them.
Orange eggs are the best right??
What there are more eggs?? On your mark, get set, GO!!
Eggs, eggs everywhere!!!
MOMMY - I found Gianna's egg!!!
The two cutest photographers of the day!
On the hunt for three missing eggs. Here little egg...here little egg!
YIPPEE we found them all!!!
I found all my eggs!!
All in a day's work...Easter Sunday Morning
Easter Morning!! We should have been on our way to church if Mommy and Brech weren't so sick. Instead we spent a quiet, peaceful morning at home getting better. We found that lining 5 brothers and 1 sister up for a picture was a chore. They were way too excited about their Easter baskets. And...did you know that the mean ol' Easter bunny decided NOT to hide the colored Easter eggs - so that was just not as fun as previous years.
Blase and his Easter basket. Each boy received some religious gifts as well as kites, Whoopee cushions, crazy straws, a small greenhouse with seeds to plant and of course candy. The Easter bunny was smart and did not give much Easter candy this year.
Stephen's favorite gift was of course the Whoopee cushion!
Cormac has decided he is allergic to chocolate, but he still ate his candy. We all have our priorities and we can't allow something as small as being "ellergic" to chocolate prevent us from enjoying our day.
Rex was very pleased with all of his gifts. He enjoyed everything but the jelly beans. Too bad that Mom and Dad had to help him out with that problem.
Brech is our in-house candy hound. He is a modern day Robin Hood as he steals from the rich (his brothers) to give to the poor (himself). I think next year the Easter bunny should bring carrots and celery instead of M&M's and Runts. Just sayin'...
And them Whoopee cushions...hours and hours of fun for the whole family. Or at least a family of mostly boys. Darren said that he has a whole new appreciation for the Easter bunny. Mom thinks she's lost her marbles. I am now collecting any acceptable replacements for said lost marbles.
And little sister slept through it all. We would just like to end with an overly used statement - Some Bunny Loves You!
Wasn't that a gas?? Heehee, haha, hoho, blah!!
And little sister slept through it all. We would just like to end with an overly used statement - Some Bunny Loves You!Little sister's wardrobe provided by the Lang Family.
Holy Saturday - Easter Egg Decorating
Holy Saturday found us decorating Easter eggs. Traditionally my family most always decorated Easter eggs on Holy Saturday. We had a great time waiting for our "perfect color" and spilling the leftover dye. Its always amazes me how Darren and I can keep our sanity when decorating Easter eggs. Great family memories!
Here we are just starting to decorate.
We were almost done here. Of course we had to add the little girl in this picture for her first Easter egg decorating experience. She had a pink egg and so did Mom, though PINK still STINKS. We did our last egg in our typical fashion. That would be mixing all the dye together and letting the egg sit and sit and sit. It came out a funky purplish black color. No picture this year.
Here we are just starting to decorate. 
We were almost done here. Of course we had to add the little girl in this picture for her first Easter egg decorating experience. She had a pink egg and so did Mom, though PINK still STINKS. We did our last egg in our typical fashion. That would be mixing all the dye together and letting the egg sit and sit and sit. It came out a funky purplish black color. No picture this year.Stephen's 8th Birthday
What is the worst thing for a boy? Is it having your birthday on Good Friday? Or maybe having to wait until 9 PM to open your presents and have your birthday cake? That is how Stephen's 8th birthday went. He was a trooper and never complained about it. He was spoiled as usual and enjoyed all his presents.
Here is his birthday cupcakes, fresh from the grocery store. No baking for Mom that day.
He received snacks from his brothers and a harmonica from his little sister. It was great when he opened the present from Grandma and Grandpa Bestgen and found the same box of treats that his brother gave him. Great minds think alike?! And for the record - Darren did the treat shopping.
Stephen opened one of his presents only to find fish food. It took him a bit to figure out that meant he was also getting a fish. He opened the container and spilled most of the fish food on the table. Talk about excitement at the Gebes household. We know how to party huh?
Here is Georgie, scratch that, I mean PETE the fish making his birthday debut. Pete was named after Stephen's favorite barber in the whole world...Pete.
Here is the traditional, pose with all the presents, birthday picture. The safe is his newest, most favoritest thing in the world. He guards that key fairly close, though two brothers have claimed to have "found" it just sitting there. Hummm...
Here is his birthday cupcakes, fresh from the grocery store. No baking for Mom that day.
He received snacks from his brothers and a harmonica from his little sister. It was great when he opened the present from Grandma and Grandpa Bestgen and found the same box of treats that his brother gave him. Great minds think alike?! And for the record - Darren did the treat shopping.
Stephen opened one of his presents only to find fish food. It took him a bit to figure out that meant he was also getting a fish. He opened the container and spilled most of the fish food on the table. Talk about excitement at the Gebes household. We know how to party huh?
Here is Georgie, scratch that, I mean PETE the fish making his birthday debut. Pete was named after Stephen's favorite barber in the whole world...Pete.
Here is the traditional, pose with all the presents, birthday picture. The safe is his newest, most favoritest thing in the world. He guards that key fairly close, though two brothers have claimed to have "found" it just sitting there. Hummm...Overall Stephen had a great April with his First Holy Communion and birthday, plus add in a new little sister. Wow, amazing how one boy's life can change so much.
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