Day Three, Gift Three

OK, so I know you are all dying to find out if I beat Tim at hoola hooping, no, I didn't but we did tie! Since I've been so ill I really considered that a victory. We actually "exercised" and laughed for a good hour or so...I can't remember the last time I exercised. It was wonderful. Then a good friend of mine called who is following the blog, she had gotten a call from the home schooling mom whom I left the diapers. She was trying to figure out where these diapers had come from. My friend said, "I bet it's Desiree, have you read about her challenge on her blog?"

Come to find out, this friend really, really, really needed the diapers and really needed them right now and they fit somebody! So I love the laws of probability right now! I woke up around 430am with some pretty intense pain and can't sleep. I probably pushed it too hard on the light exercise...I'm reading so many books right now, I can't even tell you, I grab which ever one I am inspired to grab at the moment and this morning it was Dave Ramsey's "More Than Enough"...

I love Dave Ramsey, we are on his strict financial plan, we have the future in mind and a goal to retire comfortably. We try not to live in the moment and focus on long term goals. Like everyone, we make mistakes, we make impulse purchases, etc. But I can happily say we haven't used a credit card in a few years now and we are almost out of debt.

As I was reading, one paragraph really stood out and touched my heart and I felt led to share it with you. As you may or may not know, Dave Ramsey is a Christian and his financial program is taught in churches all over the country. I will make sure to share more about what I have learned from him, but for today, this is what God is asking me to share.

"Confucius says if a man will find work he loves he will never have to work another day in his life. Vision means understanding that a job will never satisfy and that taking a position just for money will never lead to "More Than Enough". People who work for money only are usually miserable, because there is no fulfillment and no meaning to what they do. I have some friends...who hold master's degrees and could easily earn more than $100,000 per year, but instead live on less than $10,000 per year as missionaries traveling the world to spread the gospel. They are some of the most fulfilled and happy people I have ever met, always upbeat and with another exciting story to tell. Their marriage is great, they have raised great kids, and they are living a life of "More Than Enough". You should find your gift and passion and work in a vocation that utilizes those things. People who live out their vision, their dreams in their career, usually don't make much now, but become the Bill Gateses, Steven Speilbergs, and Michael Jordans of the world."


This touched me as it talks a lot about what this blog means to me...it's a passion, my unique gift. I've had people tell me that I'm wasting my two masters degrees in education on being a stay at home mother, but I disagree. I use every ounce of education and strength to get through each and every day. I have the confidence to homeschool because of my college experiences. If you are reading this today, maybe there is a reason? Really consider if you are doing a job you are passionate about and I don't necessarily means a "paying" job...as you know, I am not getting paid for my job of being a mother, adoptive mother, homeschooling mother, supportive wife, and thrilled blogger! But I'm passionate and if you don't have that, I don't believe you can find happiness. I'm surrounded by the homeschooling community who typically has four and more children with a stay at home mom surviving on one income. That is a rarity in today's world but it gives an important statement about our believes in what is really important to us.

Unfortunately, I have had a very rough "health day"...It's 2pm and I'm just barely sitting up in bed. I haven't been able to even answer my phone...sigh. But, luckily, I was able to do my gift today anyway! I was contacted by a friend about a local family who is living in really bad circumstances. The family includes seven children and the home is not heated/air conditioned or even has windows, just boards. The circumstances are pretty dire, but out of respect for the family, I won't publish all the details. But in the end, they make all of us realize we have "More Than Enough". I started a couple of days ago cleaning out my pantry and drawers as part of my "Mission Organization"...I realized that we had two full sets of just about EVERYTHING! I had my own set and so did my husband when we married. I was able to pretty much give her everything she could need for her kitchen, including silverware. I also have so much "extra" food in the pantry due to shopping the sales I was able to fill a large basket of food. I'm going to keep working on projects for this family, but my husband was able to drop of the items I had collected for her today while I slept. This was my gift and I thank him for making it a possibility. I'm discouraged out how incredibly ill I am today, but also know that I have four pretty great days in a row and that was HUGE! Maybe next time it'll be five, six, etc...

Best of all, my eight year old (almost nine) Dakota helped me...he kept saying, "This feels so good, Mom!" I know it's not near enough but I will keep working on helping this family, make sure to post your suggestions!!!

Day Two, Gift Two

I woke up with excitement about today's challenge. I actually had a bounce in my step coming down the stairs...seriously! I have been spending some time on another gift that you will soon find out about, but since it wasn't quite ready, I decided to focus on a different gift for today. I was thinking about all that we have as I clean out our closets...have you ever bought something you already had just because you didn't even know you've had it?

I'm reading a great book by HGTV called "Mission Organization"...it was this book that inspired me to make three piles in each room...the keep, throw, and give away piles. Now the general rule is if you haven't used it in a year, then get rid of it!

I took this philosophy as I looked into my diaper closet. Yes, I have five children, most who are still in diapers...sigh...two who will never be out of diapers. Because of their disabilities our insurance sends us diapers once a month. It is a hilarious sight as the fed ex man drops off diaper and pull up boxes that stack to the ceiling. The kids dread diaper day as we unload all the diapers into the large diaper closet.

Last night, it occurred to me that yes, while we use the diapers each and every day, we have approximately a half of pack of diapers left each month. Over the past year, this has resulted in have a stack of "extra" diapers. I calculated that we could probably get away with giving away ten packages - 180 diapers! It wouldn't cost me any money (I'm trying not to go broke with this challenge) yet it would really bless someone else who does have to pay for diapers! They are expensive!

I thought about who I should give these diapers to and I thought of a fellow homeschooling mom who has six children under the age of nine...much like us, except hers are all natural! Oy! Anyway, I thought there has to be at least ONE of her children that would fit in these diapers as she has so many, right? I think probability suggests this...I hope?

So on my way to the grocery store this morning (yes I have energy to go grocery shopping!) I plan on leaving them outside her front door. I don't know if she reads this blog or not...I don't know really who is reading it, but I love you and I'm so excited to give you my second gift.

I'm feeling so healthy today that I asked my husband to go on a date. He was pleasantly surprised and of course said "yes"! I'll check in with my reflection tonight.

My Reflection: OK, so it's about 8:30pm...mind you, I'm always asleep by now, but I'm not...I'm awake. Actually, I haven't napped once since starting this blog which is making me realize the healing potential of giving to others. I was so excited about my gift today, I felt like Santa! I sneaked up to the house and put the diapers in front of her door where she could see them, but you couldn't see them from the road. I did a little math and I think those diapers will cover her for a month for one child! I'm so excited! So I laid them quietly next to her statue of Mary outside her door and drove away with a high I can't explain. Then I did all my grocery shopping and as I came home the exhaustion started to hit but I had already asked Tim to go on a date so he was getting ready at home. I pulled in and said, "I'm loosing steam, Tim"...he said, "It's OK, you can just go and rest." Well, I started telling him about how fun it was to leave the diapers and I took my medication and started to come around again. Since my energy was low, we decided to do lunch and a movie. Due to losing my income, we are finding ways to have great dates without the high price tag. We have found if we go out for lunch, rather than dinner, have the free appetizer with water and share a dinner, we not only spend less but eat less calories. We spent $20 with the tip and felt great and really enjoyed our lunch. Then we caught a matinee movie, which is also cheaper than going at night and came home. The kids were so happy to see us and I had enough energy to help put them to bed. They are there...and I'm still trucking. Tim is upstairs waiting to try and beat me on hula hooping on the Wii. Wish me luck, I'm gonna need it! Good night!

Day One, Gift One

Sigh...OK, so I didn't want to get up this morning...really didn't want to. My arms and legs felt like lead. I had decided late last night that for my gift today, I wanted to allow my husband to sleep. Sounds like a necessity, right? But for him it's a gift! Since my latest flare up on Thanksgiving, my husband has not slept more than a few hours a day. He is working overtime at his job, taking care of all the kids when he's home, and waiting on me in bed rest.

As I lay there in bed this morning as sore and exhausted as I was with eleven hours of sleep under my belt, I seriously considered nudging him awake. He had had almost three hours and that was "normal" for him. He would have gotten up without a complaint and stumbled to the kids rooms...he would have never known that I had planned to give him this gift of sleeping in. I began to think of other gifts I could give. I was convincing myself I was just too tired, I couldn't get them all up and ready for the day, I couldn't even get myself up! Then I thought, I could call my respite provider and we could BOTH sleep in...but then, that really isn't a gift to him, right? That wouldn't count!

So, I lay there, determined absolutely to get myself up and get the kids up. Just then I heard our 8 year old, Dakota, and six year old, Kaylee, arguing. "Well at least your roommate doesn't throw up everywhere!"...Oh no! I thought, seriously? My husband, Tim, always deals with the throw up. This was more of a gift than I had bargained for. Then I heard Dakota exclaim, "Well, my roommate stinks!"...so then I realized both of my special needs children had had huge accidents in their beds. Grrrr...stripping down the beds was Tims job. But I couldn't leave the beds like that? My oh my, it took every ounce of my being to strip down Jamie's bed, she had thrown up everywhere. Then I had to load it in the washer and get her cleaned up. Next, was Justin who is four and quadriplegic and much like an infant. Even though I had double diapered him (this is my discovery of putting a regular diaper on then a pull up over the top) he had leaked through all over the bedding up to his shoulders with pee and poop. Seriously????

So, this meant I had to carry him down the stairs, which is difficult enough, then trudge my way back up the stairs to strip his bedding. Some days I don't even go up the stairs once...and this was exhausting. I looked in on my husband peacefully sleeping and wanted to throw something at him! Then I said to myself "the gifts are suppose to feel good!" I wasn't feelin it...Grrrr again.

Anyway, everyone is clean, the bedding is in the wash. Putting it back on will present more challenges but I'm going to wait until I feel a bit stronger hopefully later today. My husband is sleeping. I'm sure the great feeling is going to overcome me at any moment...waiting...waiting...well, I guess I'll have to get back to you on that. So, I'm going to let him sleep as long as he needs, even if it's into the night. He does this for me on a daily basis and never complains or tries to wake me up to help. OK, now the good feeling is coming. I am so blessed!

OK, so my reflection from today...it is 7pm...we had a tough morning but go through it. My husband came down a little after noon and commented on how rested he felt...imagine feeling good on six hours?!? I was so happy. He did have to head right off to work, but I was so happy to give him my gift today. As I thought about my gift, I realized that any other morning like this, I would have stayed in bed all day. I wouldn't have even made it down stairs. And while I didn't feel "great" I did push through it and spent sometime working on the computer and the phone. I had a much better day after giving this gift than I would of if I hadn't given it. I also spent quite a bit of time preparing for my gift tomorrow...you'll have to check in and see what it is!