The doctor's office called today. Finally! Anna's renaly ultrasound came back fine. PTL! Now if I can just get her to pee in a cup for her follow up urine screen. :-)

Copyright Natalie Rose York

but my sidewalk and driveway were a thick sheet of ice this morning. It was seriously like skating to the car. I would have stayed inside if I could have. I had to take Jonathan to speech therapy and I had to go to the store for my new eating plan. The roads were okay though. I took the day kind of easy after that. Skating to and from my front door was enough stress.

Wes took the day off work and is going with me. Jonathan is still going to school and we are having someone else pick him up.

I feel like I need to blog about more important things. That my blogs are so superficial and totally self involved. I guess I'm a little self involved. *sigh* I'll worry about that later.

Copyright Natalie Rose York

I spy with my little eye...two children playing "I SPY."

The kids were playing outside. At one point I couldn't see them, but I could hear them. This is what I heard...

Wes and I quietly tiptoe over to the door and continue to listen.

Jonathan: Okay, my turn. I spy with my widdle eye something round *see him drawing a circle in the air* and red. Anna: A sign!

I tiptoe back to my desk and get the camera. I take a picture and continue to listen.

Anna: My turn. I spy wit' my widdle eye someting bwue and shiny. Jonathan: A truck! My turn...

Mommy: I spy with my little eye a small slice of parental heaven—two children playing nicely together.

Copyright Natalie Rose York

Well, I said I wouldn't come back till I was Natalie York again. I don't know if I am. I'm still very cranky. I'm not sure why. I'll examine that later, but I will do something I've been wanting to do.

Some friends gently reminded me it is important to be thankful. Angie and Leann had posts last week about thankfulness and joy. Then there was a "Mother's Hour" email about a thankful heart. So here goes...

1. It is warmer. In fact it has been in the 30s the past two days. :-) Positively balmy compared to before.
2. Even if it is nine degrees below zero, I have a roof over my head.
3. The roof doesn't leak.
4. I should never be cold because I'm well padded. ;-)
5. My husband thinks I'm sexy despite the extra padding.
6. My husband thinks volumpsious Catherine Zeta-Jones is better looking than twiggy Rene Zelleweger.
7. My husband likes Emme's body better than Jennifer Aniston's.
8. I almost believe him.
9. God's mercies are new every morning.
10. My children forgive me if I lose my temper when they don't pick up their toys the first time I tell them to.
11. I live within walking distance of my church.
12. God is faithful even when I'm not.
13. I have too many books to read (or maybe not enough hours in the day).
14. I have some of the best friends in the whole world.
15. If you ask my daughter how she got so cute she'll say, "Cuz of my mommy." And I didn't pay her to say that. :-)
16. My son can't go to sleep until I tuck him in, read him a book, and then pray for God to bless his dreams.
17. As much as I'm confused about becoming a member of my church, I'm glad that I have the religious freedom to have the option to join.
18. My hubby and I are going to see "The Passion of Christ" together. It is a church activity.
19. I don't have to go to a laundromat to do my laundry.
20. I have a dishwasher.
21. The new "American Idol" season started last month.
22. I got new facial mousterizer today.
23. We have health insurance that helps with doctors visits and medications.
24. I have a semi-sound mind (no comments from the peanut gallery).
25. Music--particularly Mercy Me and Amy Grant.
26. Librarians who know me by name.
27. Librarians who know my children's names.
28. A soccer coach who took the time to talk to me about why he didn't play Jonathan much in last Saturday's game even though I wasn't really worried about it.
29. An almost 30-year-old New Testament given to me by Spring Street Wesleyan Church in Fort Wayne, Indiana, when I was in nursery school that my daughter has now inherited.
30. God's Grace.

Copyright Natalie Rose York

(Daddy's Note: Hubby changed his mind about "The Passion of the Christ," so I got to go, instead.)

My friend, Dana, needs some hurricane sized prayers. Hurricane Francis is heading right towards them and she has just recovered from Hurricane Charley.

• The disciples went and woke him saying, "Master, Master, we're going to drown!" He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. "Where is your faith?" he asked his disciples. In fear and amazement they asked one another, "Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him."—Luke 8:24-25
• He stilled the storms to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed.—Psalm 107:29
• So we say with confidence, The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? ...Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.—
  Hebrews 13:6 and 8
• The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
  He makes me lie down in green pastures,
  He leads me beside quiet waters,
  He restores my soul.
  He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake.
  Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
  I will fear no evil,
  for You are with me;
  Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
  You prepare a table before me
  in the presence of mine enemies.
  You anoint my head with oil;
  my cup overflows.
  Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,
  and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.—Psalm 23
• When you pass through the waters,
  I will be with you;
  and when you pass through the rivers,
  they will not sweep over you.
  When you walk through the fire,
  you will not be burned;
  the flames will not set you ablaze.
  For I am the Lord, your God,
  the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.—Isaiah 43:2-3a

Copyright Natalie Rose York

..."Cranky Crankerson." Yup, I've changed my name. Why am I cranky?

1. I had to get up early on a Saturday morning.
2. It was 9 degrees below zero on said Saturday morning.
3. It felt like 20 below zero on said Saturday morning because of the wind chill.
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4. I warmed up the car for over 15 minutes and it still didn't thaw out.
5. I think I got frostbite on my butt from sitting on a cold car seat.
6. It took half an hour to get myself and the Squirmy Twins bundled up.
7. The oldest Squirmy Twin stuck his gloved hand in a snow bank and then complained loud and long about how cold his hand was.
8. The oldest Squirmy Twin who, by the way, said he wanted to play soccer, sat on the sidelines the majority of the game because that was more fun. When he was in the game he spun around in circles oblivious to the goals of the game.
9. After tackling and rebundling the oldest Squirmy Twin when the game was over, he then whined because he wanted to play soccer.
10. The youngest Squirmy Twin fell on the ice outside the gym because her brother wanted her to hold his doggy that he had to bring with him and I told him no. It was his doggy. He needed to take care of it.
11. So the youngest is crying because her butt is cold and sore now.
12. The oldest is crying because I'm making him tow the line and he now only has one hand to form the snowball that I told him not to make.
13. When we get home I tell them to go straight to the house. No detours in the snow. Not when it is this cold.
14. Guess who doesn't listen but goes tramping through a snow bank?
15. Guess who cries because mommy is upset that he didn't follow the rules?
16. I'm congested.
17. My husband is at work and I have to deal with this alone.
18. The clincher and what makes all of the above a big deal when it normally wouldn't be - I have a headache! Not just a little headache, but a I'm-going-to-be-a-migraine headache if you don't slow down and lay down soon.
19. I have a ton of things to do and I don't have time for a headache.

• dishes (I had to wash dishes to fix breakfast—so that was another reason I was cranky)
• laundry (it mated again in the night. I had it all folded yesterday now there is at least three more loads to do.)
• vacuum (I haven't vacuumed in over a week because my vacuum is out of commission. I sucked up a crayon and can't get it unstuck. BTW, hubby was home all last week and I asked him every day to look at said vacuum. He said he would look at it later. It is later. He hasn't looked at it!)
• clean the bathrooms (they are cruddy—again)

• take some headache medicine
• sip my Diet Coke
• lie down on the couch
• and pray that I can keep my temper in control

Copyright Natalie Rose York

• One thing I know..five degrees below zero (F) with a 20-below wind chill is too friggin' cold.
• Other than that it has been a busy Friday. I woke up and fixed breakfast for the kids, took Jonathan to preschool, finished a library book, folded six days worth of laundry, picked Jonathan up from preschool, took the kids to the library, fixed lunch, took the kids with me to the store, took Anna to the doctor, visited with the great-grands, got gas, fixed dinner and am now sitting mindlessly surfing the net. I have dishes to do, but I'm zonked. I'm still coughing and wheezing, but I think it is getting better.
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• Jonathan's teacher sent a note home in his school folder saying, "Jonathan has been doing great in class! We love having him!"
• I also need to work on helping him learn our phone number and I taught him how to spell his name wrong. Well, when I taught him his letters I was starting with the upper case. I hadn't gotten to lowercase yet. So he spells his name "JONATHAN" instead of "Jonathan." One more thing to work on.
• Anna picked out a suprising book at the library. I think I have a little bookworm on my hands. This is not a three-year-old's book, but she wanted it and when I said I would read it to her if she wanted she said, "No, I read it myself."
• We have one full-serve (for no extra cost) gas station in town. I felt so sorry for the attendant. It is bitterly cold and he was doing a booming business. I wished I had something I could give him. I considered digging out a pop tart from my groceries as a tip. :-)
• I took Anna to the doctor today to recheck her heart murmur. She still has it. He said that it was louder. *sigh* So he wants her to have an echocardiogram. I found some good links for info on heart murmurs here and here. I know worrying is futile, but it comes naturally. So we are waiting to hear when the echo is scheduled. Wes is taking the day off work because we'll have to drive to the big city to have it done at the children's hospital.
• I have to get up too early tomorrow. It is too cold to be out at 8:30 in the morning. But Jonathan has soccer. I need to remember snacks and drinks this time.
• Everytime I ask the kids to pick up their toys they become lethargic and act as if their limbs don't work. Do you think this could be a virus? Pickuptoyitis? It sounds deadly. One just started writhing in pain and the other is crying. ;-)

it must have been the cold medicine that made me share such *intimate* details yesterday. I'm still blushing. And for the record, it wasn't hubbies fault. I was really tired. It was one of those times when I should have just said I had a headache. ;-)

Copyright Natalie Rose York

My cold has turned to that wet phlegmy cough that won't break up. Yesterday I had the sexy Kathleen Turner sultry voice. Today I've got the ex-smoker-on-oxygen voice.

I've been blogrolling and found lots of great blog ideas that I want to do. Too many to put in one entry and I can't decide which one to do, so instead I'm going to pull an old idea out of the hat. Stacey and Heather both did this one a while back -

Copyright Natalie Rose York

I'm getting a lot done computer-wise today. The kids have "locked" themselves in the closet all morning with a flashlight. They are having an adventure. They are occupied and I can relax. I need to do housework, but I'm not there 100% yet and don't want to start wheezing like I did yesterday when I over did it a bit.

Well, the natives are demanding lunch...in the closet. If they are still enjoying the closet after lunch my book blog is my next computer goal. I'll let you know if I do. :-)

Copyright Natalie Rose York

One BOGO sale at Payless
plus One "buy one clearance item, get the second item for .01" sale at Fashion Bug
plus two books bought at Waldenbooks equals One mad hubby.

So who is right?
Probably the hubby. I think he is still a little stressed about the cost of the camera (even though THAT was his idea. I swear I did not twist his arm).
And we just had to buy a new vacuum because our old one broke.
And I have bought quite a few used books on amazon, ebay and half.com.
But I don't gold every weekend, either.

I guess this is a "Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus moment." LOL So...I solemly swear to not go near BOGO sales, Amazon or Ebay...*gasp*. Oh, I can't do it. I solemnly swear to try to tame my shopping demons. How about that? I might need a bargain shopper exorcism. Where does one go to buy that? :-)

Copyright Natalie Rose York

~ I'm feeling a little bit better. I can't say my brain is working well. Oy! Do I blame it on the cold? Mommy-brain? or the blonde roots?

~ School is closed today. Which is good. I kept Jonathan out of speech therapy yesterday because of a cough. He still has it today and it is soooo cold out. The big snow drifts don't help either.

Last week I got a letter from my pastor inviting me to take a member class to learn more about the church and possibly become a member. On one hand I feel it is time to put down some church roots. I have been attending this church for seven years now. I'm not the most faithful attendee, but I like this church. On the other hand I am skeptical of church membership. I'll explain why. Maybe if you get an idea of my church background you'll understand.

• From birth to age five I attended a Wesleyan church with my family. I have vague memories of children's church and still have the small Bible they gave me for graduating from the nursery to the children's program. I remember our minister playing the trumpet. Trumpet playing and Wesleyan churches will forever be tied together in my memory.
• My formative years were spent in a Nazarene church. We attended there from the time I was five to about 13. Why did we change? Well, we moved across country and this was the church my mom liked. We got heavily involved. I attended VBS, Pioneer Girls, etc. Meanwhile, I was attending a Baptist school. This is when I started to get a bad taste in my mouth about splitting denominational hairs.
  
  My best friend and I had a disagreement over some doctrinal issue between the two denominations. I don't remember what it was now, but it was a big deal to us at nine years of age.
  
  We went to our principal and she said (words I will always remember), "Do you believe you will both go to heaven?"
  
  Bingo! Those other little things didn't matter. We both believed that Jesus died to save us from our sins and we'd asked him into our hearts. That was all that mattered.
• In Junior High I was sent to a non-denominational school but the church that backed it was Reformed Church of America. A lot of my friends went to the RCA church. It is a big-named church in California, and I'm not going to badmouth it here. So I asked my mom if we could go there. She still attends this church.
  
  I left that church when a group of us in the high school youth group wanted to hold an independent Bible study and we were discouraged from doing it. We met off the church campus and did it anyway. But that really upset me. I can understand that they might not want us misunderstanding the Bible. But they didn't offer to help us. They just wanted us to go to their church functions which weren't feeding us what we needed. Everything was feel good. No sin was discussed. It just didn't sit right with me.
• So in high school I found The Vineyard. A friend who had gone to the RCA church changed to the Vineyard. I really learned a lot there. The Vineyard was started in the '60s and '70s by a group of people from the "Jesus Movement" which was huge in California among the hippies. This church was very charismatic which was a huge change for me. I really discovered what worshiping God could and should be there. But they also believed that everyone should speak in tongues. That didn't line up with the Bible for me. Some will speak in tongues. Some will interpret, and so on. Each person has their own spiritual gifts. Not everyone is the same.
• * My senior year of high school I attended another Wesleyan church with my dad. He was raised Wesleyan and was comfortable there. I still attended the Vineyard occasionally for deep indepth Bible studies and awesome worship services.
• Then I found what I will call the perfect church in my mind—Calvary Chapel. They were less charismatic in their worship, yet they still worshiped God whole-heartedly. They were very sound in their Biblical teaching. I loved it.
• Then I strayed from my faith. I had prayed the Sinner's Prayer when I was six and I believe that I tried to be a Christian all that time, but something hadn't clicked for me. I was trying too hard to be a Christian instead of letting God become the Lord of my life.
• When I moved to Indiana I wanted to try again. I was going to find a home church and I was going to make Christianity work for me (shakes head). I attended a Wesleyan church where the pastor was the same one from my childhood. It was nice, but just not there for me.
• Then I found the Nazarene church I attend now. It felt like home. I was pretty comfortable with their doctrine. I missed the worship and deep study of Calvary Chapel, but this was a pretty good second. The people were nice which is what has kept me there. It was at this church that I rededicated my life to Christ and where I say my joureny really began.
• While I go to church, I don't expect them to give me all of my Bible learning. Sometimes I study on my own. Sometimes the studies are guided ones like Elizabeth George or Beth Moore, but I independently study the word.
• What bothers me about becoming a member is the old philosophy of so many churches that you aren't a Christian unless you are a member. I'm not saying my church is that way, but I totally don't buy that theory. Parking in a garage doesn't make you a car. Neither does going to church or being a member make you a Christian. I'm an independent Christian. I do think fellowship with other Christians is important, but part of my problem growing up is that I was trying to be a Christian like my friends. I was trying to fit the cookie-cutter mold. I also believe accountability is important.
• So I am wavering. I want to become a member of this church for the right reasons, not the wrong. I don't want it to be thought that I'm a better person because I'm a member of a church. I want it to be known that I am becoming a member because I support this church and its mission which is the Great Comission. *sigh* I think I'm making it too difficult.
  
  I'll attend the class. I'll talk to my pastor about any doctrine that I think is bunk. Like why do different denominations have to have their own name for things? Why does one have to call it "sanctification" while another calls it "being indwelled by the Holy Spirit"? That stuff ticks me off.
  
  I will never believe one denomination is better than the other. To me the defining thing is "Will we all get to heaven?" Do they believe in the death and resurrection of Christ?

Anyway...I've spewed and if you are still reading this. Good for you. So over the next six weeks you might hear me rant about those little word that denominations split hairs over. Grrr. I will say one time and one time only—growing your hair long will not get you into heaven, wearing suits on Sunday will not get you to heaven, being a perfect cookie-cutter Christian won't get you to heaven. Okay, I think I got that out of my system...for now. :-)

Copyright Natalie Rose York

when I can't breathe through my nose? Well, there is a direct correlation between my IQ and breathing with my mouth open. I don't know why, but I can't think if I can't breathe through my nose and walk around with my mouth open all the time. I'm thankful that it is winter and there aren't any flies. Otherwise I'd be eating a high-fiber diet. ;-) Yes, I'm still sick. Still can't breathe properly. Still wishing I could pop this congestion the way you can pop a balloon. Still wishing it was socially acceptable to walk around with a Kleenex stuffed up your nose to catch the drainage...

Copyright Natalie Rose York

"I sick!" My husband gave me his sick germs. I'm congested. My throat is on fire. I keep coughing. Yuck! I don't like the sickies. Won't be online much until I can breathe through my nose.

Copyright Natalie Rose York

~ The funeral was sad yesterday. I didn't know what to say. What can you say to a mother who lost her 14-year-old son? A son that she became pregnant with at 17 and raised for all of her adult life. So hard to know. I just hugged them and told them I was praying for them. I am.

~ The kids seem to be better. Wes returned to work today (Finally!). They are all still a little congested, but no more fever.

~ Anna's friend - Dylan. He is about her age and he wanted to play with her so badly. His brother was playing on Jonathan's team. At one point I got a picture of Dylan with his arm around Anna. She wasn't too sure about it. Good girl. It is okay to say no. ;o) She wanted to play soccer so badly. I told her we would get her a pink soccer ball and she could practice so she'd be ready to play next year. The girls were the best players. The boys just wanted to chase each other.

~ So Jonathan, Anna and I are going to work on some skills this week. Like stopping the ball and directing it without using your hands! I know very little about soccer so this could be interesting.

~ We are expecting five inches of snow tonight. The kids will be happy. Anna got new snow boots for Christmas and hasn't been able to wear them. Now I need to find her mittens and stocking cap. I don't know where they are?!

~ Snow is pretty, but I hate driving in it.

~ I read a good article today on How To Have A Literate Home. Most of it is common sense, but I enjoyed reading some of their ideas.

~ I did one of those silly surveys :
Fill in your ABCs

1. Age:
   30
2. Boyfriend/Girlfriend:
   Married for six years in April. We'll have been "together" for seven years in April.
3. Chores you hate:
   All of them, especially cleaning the bathroom, dishes and laundry.
4. Dad's Name:
   Geoff
5. Essential everyday item:
   Diet Coke
6. Favorite actor/actress:
   Umm...Audrey Hepburn and Orlando Bloom
7. Gold or Silver:
   Silver
8. Hometown:
   Born in Fort Wayne, Indiana
9. Instruments you play:
   Piano, although I haven't played regularly since 8th grade.
10. Job:
    Peace keeper, janitor, mommy, helpmeet, or CEO of my home
11. Kids:
    Three—Two rambunctious fun loving kids and my hubby. ;-)
12. Living arrangement:
    two-bedroom apartment with two adults and two children.
13. Mom's name:
    Mary
14. Number of siblings you have:
    one stepsister
15. Overnight hospital stays:
    Six—Tonsils when I was four or five, a C-section for each kid, and three stays at a "stress" center.
16. Phobia:
    Abibliophobia—The morbid fear of running out of reading material. HouseWorkaphobia—The fear that all you'll ever do for the rest of your life is clean.
17. Quote you like:
    I collect quotes so I have many, but one of my recent faves is - "Just the knowledge that a good book is waiting one at the end of a long day makes that day happier."—Kathleen Norris
18. Ride:
    A Plymouth Acclaim and a Chevy S-10
19. Shows you like:
    American Idol, Friends, King of Queens, Everybody Loves Raymond, I Love Lucy, The District, Matlock, Law & Order
20. Time you wake up:
    I get out of bed around 7ish, but my mind doesn't wake up till around 10.
21. Unique habit:
    I can pick things up with my toes, especially legos or other small toys in my way when my hands are full.
22. Vegetable you refuse to eat:
    Brussels Sprouts
23. Worst habit:
    Bad attitude
24. Xrays you've had:
    Too many to count—multiple ankle injuries, chest xrays for work physicals, dental xrays...
25. Yummy foods you make:
    Sausage, Green Bean and Potato stuff
26. Zodiac Sign: Sagittarius I guess.

~ Have a great day. If church is snowed out I might be online tomorrow. I'm thinking about blogging on my thoughts on "organized" religion. Hopefully I'll have it up in the next few days.

Copyright Natalie Rose York