Dorks

Last night I was talking to my sister Elisa. She said she was so excited because the new Lego Indiana Jones game was coming out soon. She and her husband were really looking forward to it. I told her, funny coincidence that I had pre-ordered it in February.

You may not know this about me, but I have this funny little personality quirk. I can't sit and watch tv. I can't sit and do any single thing. I have to multi task even when I relax. I sit most nights with either the Nintendo DS or my laptop on my lap even when I eat or watch tv- sometimes all three a once. It drives Tod crazy.

I have a collection of games that impresses the boys' friends, but I feel a little silly admitting it. Don't worry, sometimes I read while I watch tv too!

I am such a dork. I wondered last night what other women I know do to relax. Do they have any silly, embarrassing pastimes? Let me know!

Adventures in motherhood

When I got married I never thought that my career would choose me. I had ambitions in medicine, but it was almost as if I was hijacked by my own life. Sometimes I am jealous of friends or family when I hear about the places they've been or things they've done. I catch myself being ungrateful for this fantastic adventure that is mine.
Aaron is just getting to the point where he has an attitude. It is hard to give him the space he craves more and more. He sees himself as he will be and I see him as he was- a tiny, perfect, soft, sweet smelling armful. In reality his feet are as big as mine, he has a smart mouth and I actually had to buy him his first stick of deodorant the other day. This is not the motherhood I have become good at! As a control freak, I feel overwhelmed by all these things I have no control over.
Josh is on round three with his glasses. His third pair in 6 weeks! You gotta admit, the kid is happy though- his feet never touch the ground. To have the kind of optimism and faith that this kid has. Everything is good and possible in his eyes.
Oh, to have the sweetness of Emma. Emma loves to such a degree that I think it may actually cause her physical pain sometimes. It is so sad that she's the middle child, she is so tender and good natured, if you didn't seek her out she might just disappear!
Anna is a lesson in irony. We wanted her so badly, prayed for her, and she takes it out on us every day. She is the extreme of everything- clever, angry, smart, calculating, hilarious, heart-breaking. Jekyll and Hyde, joy or pain- we just wait to see which one wakes up in the morning.
Leah is just fun. She's still at that fantastic age where she will lay down next to me for a nap, but old enough to know that it's funny to sneak up on her brothers and sisters with the garden hose. It is still cute when she's stubborn.
So these are the adventures that fill my days- baseball games, cartoons, school programs, laundry, cooking, refereeing, organizing, cleaning, doctoring, and the list goes on. Everyday trying to decode all my kids behavior, even as it changes from one minute to the next. I might have stumbled into this career by chance, but what could be more challenging or fulfilling? No other career could ever have taken me through such a spectrum of experiences. So- here's to looking forward, never back!

Growing up Huffman

I have been encouraged by a few people to do some writing. I have all these funny little stories in my head, things from growing up that I am starting to write down for my kids. I thought it would be fun, especially for the Huffmans to hear them (and not to mention the fact checking). So here it is, the first installment of Growing up Huffman:)


The Badger

My dad thought that as long as we were educated in the risks of the area that we were safe enough in our 180 acre paradise. In our little patch of heaven we had many types of snakes, coyotes, rabbits, badgers, deer, antelope, and you never knew what you might encounter on one of your adventures.
There were holes of every size in the ground. Our days took us around too many to count. Some we called ankle breakers- those were the rabbit holes. The smaller ones were snake holes, and the ones you never under any circumstances messed with were the larger ones- the badger holes. When we played in the field or wandered the property, we never encountered a badger.
One day when we were playing in the yard my mom quickly gathered us up and shut us in the house. We watched with great anticipation out of the sliding glass doors as my dad climbed onto the roof of the house next door with the garden hose. She explained that he had seen a badger go into a hole just behind that house, and he was going to flush him out. We had never seen a badger before and the idea of this mysterious, vicious animal was exciting! The water poured from the hose, and the anticipation and danger grew. Finally, a very perturbed animal, roughly the size of a big cat emerged from the hole. His head shot back and forth as he searched for the perpetrator, never imagining that he was cowering on the roof of the house just behind him. His little claws flashed in the morning light, and then he was gone. It was a bit anti-climactic considering everything we had heard about them, but a new experience just the same.

The streak is over

Tonight the NCLL Rangers suffered a heartbreaking loss in the city tournament. It was a great season for all the boys. They banded together, and made lasting friendships. The parents had a blast and really grew to enjoy each other's company too. Hopefully it will be the start of many great things for the boys and maybe, with any luck we'll see them again for Fall ball. Sometimes I watch them play and I am actually in awe of their skills. Here's to you, boys!

Champs!

NCLL Texas League Champion Rangers

Well, the regular season is over and the winning team is official. The Rangers are the Texas League champions! They have already started the city tournament and are still undefeated. We are so proud of all the boys, but especially our Aaron. He is turning out to be a great little ball player! We hope they continue this great winning streak- they are a great team and play together really well. Good luck Rangers!

On my nerves

For the last four years I have struggled with a shooting pain in my face. None of my doctors have been able to provide me with relief or even a real diagnosis. I finally broke down and saw a neurologist this past Monday. It was a shocking and yet relieving experience- Like putting a face to the enemy's name. So in my case, the enemy is called Trigeminal Neuralgia. It is uncommon for people under the age of 50, but then again, I'm an uncommon sort of girl- right? I have the exciting opportunity to support the pharmaceutical industry by taking maintenance meds for the rest of my life. It's either that or cranial surgery! I think I know what my first choice is.
Well the point of this particular entry isn't to throw myself a pity party, I was doing some reflecting driving back from this doctor's visit. The thing about chronic pain is, it can make you feel little hopeless. I don't really remember what "normal" is anymore. Without hope, what purpose does my life have? But the great thing about my life is that I'm blessed to have the whole picture. I know that this life is beautiful and painful, but it is also short. My pain is only a blink of an eye. I can look forward to the resurrection and a fully healed body- and I'm hoping for a great figure to go with it- a girl can hope right? But I hope that I can not just endure to the end, but live life in a way that I can be proud of- to leave the world better than I entered it. And then, I will really feel good!

A long week

I know, I know. It's been a while. With baseball and pink-eye and doctors appointments, we have been a busy crew. Then Friday after baseball, Anna threw up. Then Leah threw up. Then Emma threw up. You would think that at least Emma and maybe Anna would be able to make it to their bowl (right next to them) or a toilet, but strangely enough, Leah is the only on that could keep it out of the bed. All I can say is thank goodness we bought a carpet cleaner a couple weeks ago. One thing I have learned as a parent is that drop cloths are good for more than just painting!
I was just finishing complaining to Tod about how mentally/emotionally exhausted I was and then BANG! Vomit. Nothing drives you out of your self pity and into robot mommy mode faster than vomit. It has run its course, and I do mean RUN! Thankfully the boys and parents were spared the brunt of it.
Josh-2, glasses-0. Yes, even with the cool memory metal glasses he has managed to do them in. Slamming them in the door of his dads truck wasn't test enough. We had new lenses put in them and not three days after he got them back, he made a clean break- I caught him trying to tuck the earpiece into his hat to disguise the break. He just looked at me and said "What? I just felt like wearing a hat!" Duh. I guess he likes to be nearsighted.
Three more weeks of school, and then the house will be total chaos all day. I love summer! I mean it- some mothers think I'm crazy, but I love it when all my kids are home. We are just such home-bodies, and it is lovely to sleep in and have pancakes for lunch if we feel like it. It will be a dark day for me when Leah goes to school and I have to find some other purpose during the day.
Until then, I get to break up fights and clean up more vomit. Joy!