The perfect mudroom when you don't have a mudroom...

I have delusional dreams of a white beadboard mudroom with cubbies, baskets and lots and lots of coat hooks. Since the Chief says we're NEVER MOVING AGAIN I'll have to put that dream in a bubble. This house doesn't have a real mudroom but when we built it I had grand plans for a pseudo-mudroom. Long story short that didn't work out. Anyway. There is a wall in my back hallway that was screaming for something like this. I loved the bench and shelf from PB but the price tag is RIDICULOUS! Thankfully my pal Cindy turned me on to this one from JC Penney. I ordered it in December and it FINALLY came last week. WE LOVE IT! I ordered it in red (which is more of a dark red rather than a primary red). Anyway, it is well built, looks great and you can't beat $199 for a bench, wall shelf, bench cushions and six baskets. I'm not crazy about the cushions but those are easily changed. If you are on the hunt for something like this look no further.

Happy Independence Day...

Are you willing?

It is free until June 22. Go now and register.

The Great Coin Caper...

It is 7:45 am. J is out of school for a snow day. We're all still in our pajamas. I'm in the kitchen cleaning up breakfast. From the other room I hear the sound of my baby girl choking. It wasn't your typical "choke on a Cheerio" kind of sound. It was a true "I CAN NOT BREATHE"--somebody do the Heimlich kind of sound. OH-NO-NO-NO-NO-NO-NO!!! I rounded the corner into our bedroom to find her gasping for air but screaming between gasps. The good news: She's breathing. Praise God! The bad news: this is what I see in her hand...
Except the dime and the quarter she has in her hand are covered in vomit. Lovely. I'm trying to calm her down to figure out what happened.

M: MG, did you swallow the money or did you spit it out in your hand?
MG: [still screaming and gasping] YES!
M: Which one? Did you swallow it or spit it out?
MG: [crying & pointing into her mouth] YES! IT HURTS!
M: What hurts?
MG: [pointing to upper neck] IT HURTS!
M: Did you swallow the money or spit it out and it scared you?
MG: [holding neck and screaming] IT HURTS! IT HURTS! IT HURTS!
J: Is MG going to die because she swallowed money?
M: No, MG is not going to die? Did you see her with money in her mouth?
J: Yes
M: Do you know how many coins she had in there?
J: A LOT!

Somebody cue the Mother of the Year music. At this point MG is still screaming but she's no longer gasping for air. She keeps saying "IT HURTS! IT HURTS!" and pointing to her neck over and over. This is the point where the Mommy calls the Pediatrician's office and politely demands asks to speak to a nurse immediately. Lucky for me, Dr. Tim's nurse just walked in the door.

M: Hey! This is Mommy Womble. MG just choked on a few coins. I think she may have swallowed some. I need to know what I'm supposed to do now. [feeling like a complete idiot]
RN: Is she breathing?

[I must admit I found that question hysterical. If she wasn't breathing would I be calling you? Oh wait...I don't have a good track record for calling 911 when I need it, now do I? No comments Anna M]

M: Yes she's breathing. She coughed up a dime and a quarter
RN: Do you know if she swallowed anything?
M: No
RN: Do you know how many coins she had to begin with?
M: No [if I knew my 2 year old was playing with coins would I let her continue?]
RN: Hold on. Let me talk to Dr. Tim [on hold]

RN: Mommy, didn't she have brochitis a few weeks ago?
M: Yes
RN: Why don't you bring her in for an xray--we want to be sure if there's anything in there it went into her stomach
M: OK, when?
RN: Come on in right now
M: OK

CRAP! Why does this stuff always happen before I've had a shower? Off to the MD office... Why we had to go to the office before we went to a different building for the xray is beyond me (but that's not important to the story). The x-ray confirmed she did indeed swallow a coin. Dr Tim said "it looks to be a quarter or a nickel but there's no way to know for sure by the positioning on the x-ray". PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: Apparently dimes and pennies are no big deal but quarters and nickels can cause problems in children under three. "Keep an eye on her and be sure to inspect every diaper until you see the coin again". Lovely. 50 hours later we found the culprit...Thankfully his prediction was wrong. It was a dime. No need to worry. This is not the actual coin that took a two day mini vacation through MG's GI system. That one went straight in the garbage. That was .10 we could live without. Who knew motherhood could be this exciting?

What in the world is...

"Pirates Booty"? All night long, I have listened to my son laugh hysterically after saying the words "Pirates Booty". My reactions...

"J, stop saying that"
"J, that is not funny. Please stop laughing about that"
"J, that is not appropriate"
"J, that is enough"

To which I hear, "Mooooommmmmmmm, it's not ugly. I read it at school. Jackson brought it. It's OK!"

Really? Because throwing yourself in the floor after you mention the back side of a pirate is really not funny. What kind of book did Jackson bring to school? What in the world is "Pirates Booty"? What are they teaching you at this new school of yours?

September's Public Service Announcement is for anyone who might be in the dark (like Mommy). May I present to you...They are a cross between popcorn and cheese puffs. They really aren't that good but my son thought they were great (and hysterical). Now, won't you all rest easier knowing the answer to my question? When your child comes home talking about a "Pirates Booty" you'll know they aren't talking about treasure or the behind of a pirate.

{Special thanks to Rebekah for informing me that booty=treasure. I didn't know that one either}

The Chapman family on Larry King Live

I know there were friends and family who were unable to watch the interview on CNN so I'm posting it for you. It was heartbreaking to watch but their faith in God and strength as a family was evident. Larry King was harsh at times asking very insensitive questions but they held it together as best they could. It was clear to us that LK didn't really "get it" but he obviously recognized that SOMETHING was different about this family. That something different was the presence of God.

Larry King Live:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6

Transcript

Larry King's Commentary on the Interview...

Steven Curtis Chapman on GMA NOW

Here is the interview in case you missed it...

Steven Curtis and Mary Beth Chapman will be on Good Morning America this morning between 7:30 and 8:30 CST. They will be discussing the death of their daughter Maria. Such a tragedy. They will be on Larry King Live tomorrow night and in People Magazine next week for more interviews. Please pray for this family as they live out their grief in such a public way. It is their prayer that somehow this tragedy, and their limited public appearances, will show the world that God is still a God of hope. Despite tragedy and heartbreak, they have found solace in knowing they will dance with their Cinderella again.

Idol Gives Back...again...

I wish I could go on and on about Idol Gives Back 2008 but I can't. I missed it. I'm pretty sure my feelings about it are the same as last year. I applaud American Idol for bringing national attention to such a global problem. Our society seems to sweep it under the rug and I don't think I will ever understand that. This is not someone else's problem. It is mine. It is yours. It is ours. Until we all step up to help those less fortunate these issues will continue. While we all return to our nice homes at the end of the day--While we are all driving fancy cars and picking up take out on a Saturday evening people are dying of starvation and easily treatable/preventable diseases. Before any of us think we are not driving fancy cars, if you are driving, it is fancy in comparison to no car at all. Before anyone says they don't do take out, when is the last time you went to bed hungry. I mean REALLY HUNGRY. The answer to that is probably never. One of my favorite quotes of all time is this...

YOU must be the change you wish to see in the world. -Ghandi

I used it last year in this post but it still rings true. What will you do to be the change you wish to see in the world? Think about it, find an answer and do something about it.

What I really wanted to talk about before I jumped up on my soap box was the performance. Did you see it? Did you hear about it? If you didn't, watch this. I'll wait...

Can you believe that? American Idol singing "Shout to the Lord" on national TV. Apparently, they altered the lyrics the first night but sang the original version on the second night of Idol Gives Back. I am so impressed.

World Autism Awareness Day

Did you know that today is the first annual World Autism Awareness Day? Did you know…

* Autism affects as many as 1 in 150 children and 1 in 94 boys
* Autism is the fastest-growing serious developmental disability in the world
* More children will be diagnosed with autism this year than with diabetes, cancer, & AIDS combined
* Boys are four times more likely than girls to have autism
* There is no medical detection or cure for autism, but early diagnosis and intervention improve outcomes
* Autism does not discriminate by geography, class, or ethnicity

I am a huge advocate of Early Intervention for ANY child who MIGHT meet the criteria for developmental issues. You do not need a diagnosis to seek intervention. Your child may not even need a diagnosis. What you WILL need is the willingness to seek the necessary resources to ensure that your child (or friend, nephew, grandson, patient, aquaintence) can overcome whatever it is that is holding them back. There are professionals out there who can differentiate between what is typical and what is not. Listen to them, take their suggestions, follow your instincts and fight for your child. I believe 150% that Early Intervention is the key. Do not take the "wait and see" approach. Your child's future is not worth the time you waste while you "wait and see" what is going to unfold.

In a society based upon what appears "normal" and "abnormal", I am always compelled to remind people of this simple fact. These children (and adults) are not their diagnosis. Yes, they are little people who carry a medical diagnosis. However, their diagnosis does not DEFINE who they are. Do not focus on the word. Do not focus on the label. Focus on whatever it takes to help that child be successful in their world.

Jumping off my soap box now...
Mommy