All posts by Janna

A Sinner’s Prayer

Faith

As I sat at church one particular Sunday with the communion elements in my hand, I found myself unsure of what to pray.  It’s not like a keep a journal of my sins so I can ask forgiveness for each one on communion day.  Do I ask forgiveness for my habitual sins?  Pride, selfishness, doubt, faithlessness, (and on and on and on)?

Then my mind shifted from the vague sins, to those I commit and know what I’m doing.  The sins that make me pause, have a conversation with myself (or the Holy Spirit?), then decide to go ahead with … Read the rest

Wednesday Wit: May 1, 2013

Wednesday Wit

Eli was doing his nightly duty of sweeping the dining room
Eli: Mom, I feel like I’m almost ready to have kids.
Me: What does it mean to be ready to have kids?
Eli: Well, I mean I want to be responsible and learn how to do a lot of jobs.
Me: Awesome, buddy.  I’m glad you want to be responsible.
Eli: Can you teach me how to make scrambled eggs?
Me: Yes.
Eli: Tomorrow morning?
Me: Yes.
Who knew sweeping the floor and making scrambled eggs were two essential components of being prepared for parenthood.

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My Failed Attempt at Running

More About Me

There’s that saying that the only failure is in not trying, or something like that.  I personally disagree.  If I KNOW I’m going to fail, I don’t want to try.  It’s too big of a blow to my pride to fail.  I would really much rather not try than fail.  Those are definitely two separate experiences for me.

“I don’t run,” I’ve always said, and blamed it on my asthma.  I actually grew out of asthma when I was 18, but it does somehow make a comeback when I run – even one length of a gym.  But I need … Read the rest

Wednesday Wit: April 24, 2013

Wednesday Wit

I love how my children seem to have so much knowledge on so many subjects, especially their own personal history.  I try not to correct them, but just listen and nod and stifle my laughs.  Last night at dinner Grace informed me that when she was 4 her hair was VERY long, like all the way down her back.

No, dear.  When you were 4 you did this…

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Don’t Eat Your Children

Parenting

Last night was one of THOSE nights.  One of those nights where Chad needed to take over bedtime because I was thinking ugly thoughts about my children.  The sad thing is, it was a good evening until about the last thirty minutes…

The kids did their homework right away so they could play outside without interruption until supper.  Supper was going well, then Grace said she wasn’t feeling well – which I later decided was just a desire to not eat her vegetables because she recovered as soon as supper was over.  After supper we went for a family walk.  … Read the rest

My Children Ran Away Today. Sort Of.

Kids

After school today, I informed the children that because they had lost our new Apple TV remote they would not be allowed to watch TV until it was found.  I also informed them that they were still on bedroom duty because their rooms did not get clean yesterday.  Ada went to get a snack, Grace and Eli proceeded to grunt and groan and stomp their feet about how unfair it was.  I explained to them that we did not lose the remote, and we did not make their rooms a mess, so in fact it was fair and that would … Read the rest

Wednesday Wit: April 11, 2013

Wednesday Wit

Ada: When I honk my bicycle horn in my ear it doesn’t hurt because it makes my ear numb.

Ada: Is this a bicycle horn, or an ah horn?
Me: What?
Ada: An ah horn?
Me: What’s that?
Ada: You know.  That’s the sound it makes.  It goes, “AAAHHHH” when you squeeze it.

Ada: We went to two grocery stores.  Or…. dos markets.
Me: Is that the spanish word for grocery store?
Ada: I do not know.

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Wednesday Wit: Greatest Hits Vol. 1

Wednesday Wit

I spent a Saturday reading through all of my old Wednesday Wit posts, and it was such a great time!  I thought I would share my favorite oldies.  There are a lot though, so there will have to be a few posts 🙂

From Summer 2010
Me: Ada, your clothes don’t match.
Ada: They don’t care.

Ada: These are my Monday clothes, and tomorrow I’ll wear my Tuesday clothes.
Me: But today is Tuesday.
Ada: Well the calendar got ahead of me, but that’s ok.

Me: Ada, can I have a bite of your … Read the rest

Puzzle Personalities

Kids

I bought a Disney Puzzle Pack this weekend that has 8 different puzzles in it, and just in time with a snow day today!  Each of the kids took a turn selecting a puzzle to do with me. They’re fairly small puzzles, so having two people work on them is about right.  We’ve done four puzzles so far, and here is an observation I made.

Ada was first, and she likes to sort the edge pieces from the inside pieces.  She also makes sure NONE of them are connected already.  That would be cheating.  She then delegates which two sides … Read the rest

Working Hard on This “Momma” Deal

Parenting

I went to the Hearts at Home conference last weekend with a few friends, and I’ve been hard at work trying to implement some of the things I heard while I was there.  I heart a LOT, I’m choosing a COUPLE things that are realistic for me to work on right now.

1. I need to choose relationship above all else. This might be a paraphrase of a few lessons combined, but basically I need to pay attention to my words and tone, and make sure that I’m not sacrificing the relationship for the lesson.  I’m not saying I need … Read the rest