Posted by Hannah Rae on Mar 20, 2011 in
Life in the Stubborn house
Stretching. Growing. Growing pains. Growing JOYS!
I was given an incredible book titled “Loving Our Kids on Purpose” by Danny Silk. It’s totally wrecking me, in a completely great and painfully stretching way.
I have the opportunity to go to this therapeutic parenting conference in two weeks. If God opens the doors, which He totally is already doing, I am totally expecting to be challenged in crazy ways there too. Plus, I will get to meet my amazing friend, Christine, face to face for the first time. I can admit, I’m more than a little giddy. Yeah, I am totally having middle-school “I want to be the cool kid,” or at least “WITH the cool kid,” anxiety.
Finally, Jeremiah has expressed interest in joining the Boy Scouts. I grew up in Girl Scouts (before they started taking sex-ed liberties), and then later, Calvinettes, so I am excited that he is expressing interest in this respected, character-developing program. I contacted two local troops, and I’m hoping that even though he has no experience, we will find a troop where he can fit and excel.He will be challenged, and that is good!
How are you being stretched?
Blessings!
Hannah
Leave a comment | | Tags: Being set apart, blogging, Education Everywhere, Good Books, The SAHM Adventure
Posted by Hannah Rae on Jul 17, 2010 in
Life in the Stubborn house
- It’s been rough. I’m frustrated because I feel like all I’ve been able to write about lately is how rough it’s been. I’m having trouble remembering the amazing good things that really do go on because the trauma of the….traumatic things seem to wash them out of my brain. I apologize for that. You see, not wanting to come off as a whiner has made me fearful of writing anything…so I don’t. I don’t like that.
- In response to the above, as well as my husband’s prodding to develop and utilize my creative writing gifts, I am setting a personal goal for myself to write at least 2 short stories a week. I will try to share as many as those as I can. I recently came upon some old stories and poems that I penned in high school. I think it would be fun to share those as well.
- As a birthday present, my amazingly gifted geek (aka Hubby) is helping me fix some of these blog bugs that I am frustrated with. The biggest issues that I want to fix are:
- Being able to link series’ of posts together is currently very cumbersome. I want it to be easy to follow story lines and find answers to questions that fall under specific topics.
- I need a better way to display and organize my short stories in safe ways.
- I want the blog to look a lot more friendly and Hannah-ish.
- Suggestions?
- The boys and I still have a week left in Minnesota. It’s been an adventure….hence the “Without Daddy Adventures.” We had a bonfire tonight since it was the first night sense we’ve been here without massive westward winds. After some sausage mishaps, I finally had the light bulb moment to use the cast iron skillet my papa got at an estate auction last year. YAY! It worked wonderfully.
- I’ve really been enjoying Lauraine Snelling’s Red River series lately. I love historical fiction, especially that era. Plus that series, as well as many of her other books, are about people with Norwegian ancestry, of which I am. Something about the late 1800′s on the prairie fascinates me. I think I would have made a good pioneer woman. I’ve definitely got the hips for it.
Although it would definitely be harder to be an infertile woman in that era, but I often wonder if that would have been an issue for me without all these environmental contributors that we have today. Wow! That could totally turn into another post.
- It’s Hubby’s and my marriage anniversary today. No, not that one. Nope, not that one either. Yes! That one! The first one! The real one! We were so young, and “stupid” as my hubby said earlier today, but we’ve made it! And we are so glad that we’ve come this far. We’re stronger now than I ever imagined. He’s my love.
- Goodness sakes I miss his smell right now.
- Oh! Like I said, we had a bonfire tonight, but I totally didn’t take any pictures. I’ve been finding out lately I’m very bad at that part of mommy-ing because I am usually way to caught up in the moment to think of grabbing the camera until it’s over and I realize I would have really liked pictures. Oh well.
- Did I mention I love my husband? Like LOTS! And I miss him so crazy much it literrally aches, especially today. I am in desperate need of some lovin’. I’m used to like a bazillion hugs and kisses a day, and the most affection I’ve been getting lately is from my bird.
- God has really been pulling me into Him lately for all the reasons above. So many things wrecking me day and night. I just wish I could discipline myself to hide in Him more. Learning.
- Oh! Last but not least…I need comments! Like seriously! I know that more people than my dad and friends Amanda and Christine read my blog, so PLEASE let me know you are there. If you read a post and don’t have anything to say, that’s fine. At least say “Hey! I read your blog!” K? K.
TTFN
Tah tah for now!
Blessings!
Hannah
Leave a comment | | Tags: behavior challenges, blogging, family fun, marriage, parenting, The SAHM Adventure
Posted by Hannah Rae on May 28, 2010 in
Life in the Stubborn house
There’s me.
I’m not sure why I haven’t been writing. Lots of things combined, I suppose.
I’ve been feeling a bit embarrassed to write everything that’s been going on. My fellow RAD moms understand, but I fear that to the rest of you, the rest of the world, it simply seems like whining, or something I write for shock value. Neither of which I want to be true.
So I don’t write about it.
Things have been so chaotic that it seems my brain cannot seem to put coherent sentences together. I’ve been forgetting a lot of details of life…appointments, errands, to get up in the morning etc…
So I don’t remember details to write about.
I’ve been tired.
I’m trying to organize my thoughts, cuz I believe there are things worth writing about along our journey, I just can’t seem to get them to translate from heart language to head language to typing language.
So there it is.
Oh. A PRAISE! Jeremiah’s subsidy paperwork came through…so…that means we are only waiting on court dates now.
Blessings!
Hannah
Leave a comment | | Tags: Adoption, blogging, The SAHM Adventure
Posted by Hannah Rae on Apr 19, 2010 in
Life in the Stubborn house
- I am currently Listening to this song by Emerson Hart cuz a dear friend wanted to pass the message on to an old flame. I’ve only broken up with someone twice, and one of the men is now my husband, so the sentiment is not the same, but I can see why the lyrics rung so deeply with him.
- I was delightfully surprised today when a box arrived containing a W!!. Hubby knew I’ve been wanting one for a long time, especially the W!! Fit, which he got for me. YAY! I only played for a total of 47 minutes today and already burned about 400 calories, and it was so much fun. I also found out that Jeremiah has been playing it quite a bit at school, and that he CHEATS! HORRIBLY!!!
- I had even MORE fun playing catch with my sons in the back yard today. After two very chilly, windy days it was finally warm enough to play outside. Jeremiah is starting in Little League for the first time, so we needed to get some catch practice in. He is so naturally gifted in everything athletic. I played fast and slow-pitch softball for 11 years growing up, and I was fairly good, so I really enjoyed showing him the ropes. I was excited when I found out that even after about 6 years of not playing at all, it came back pretty naturally. Gabe did a fabulous job of not making himself the center of attention, which is something we’ve been struggling with lately. He encouraged Miah, but let me take the lead. Not one instance of know-it-all syndrome. YAY!!!! Gabe even played catcher for us while I taught Miah to pitch. He really could be a pitcher if he wanted to be. I think he could be any position, but he has really good accuracy in his throwing, so short stop or pitcher might be a good fit. We’ll see. He’s never played in a league before, but because he is already so good at hitting, catching, and throwing, the head coach put him in the Majors.
- The pups are 4 weeks old now, and their personalities are bigger than they are. I am so blessed that we have found homes for all of them already. 2-3 more weeks before they will go to their new homes.
- The only thing I DON’T like about the W!! Fit is that it tracks BMI. I HATE BMI!!!! Even my amazing nutrition professor in college told me that BMI is a bunch of HOOEY and that it has absolutely no accuracy in indicating someone’s health. The stupid thing placed me at 36, which is at the top of their obese scale. Now, I admit I am overweight, and my goal weight is to lose about 50 lbs, but I am NOWHERE NEAR MORBIDLY OBESE! I am 6’1″ and have a large frame, and the stupid thing says that my goal weight is 166 lbs. Yeah. I weighed that when I was 16 and ANOREXIC! You could see my ribs and collar bone for goodness sake. My sister Rachel, who is 5’10 and…well…a little more than 166 lbs would be considered overweight by this thing. MY GORGEOUS, THIN, ACTIVE SISTER. So, that’s my rant about BMI, and the only thing I don’t like about the W!! Fit.
- I read this awesome post by Goggy about the uniqueness of the journey of the infertile couple, especially when they adopt. It really touched my heart and rang true with me. I will probably reflect more on that another time.
- The pups have been getting so much attention lately, I didn’t want my beautiful Juji bird to feel left out. So here is my beautiful Juji eating her favorite food, corn. She actually loves to pose, and as I am writing this she is cuddling with my cheek. She’s such a joy, and a BIG trouble maker. Yesterday she hopped down on the floor and raced across the living room (with her famous crow hop) simply to attack Hubby’s feet. What a lovable stinker.
- Both my boys love video games, but especially Jeremiah. He has been willing to do just about anything, including breaking and entering, to get just a few minutes of screen time. At bed time tonight he asked me I enjoyed playing my new game today. I told him that I had a lot of fun, but I had even more fun playing baseball with him. His eyes lit up and asked “Really? Why?” I told him that no video game could ever replace how much fun I have playing with my sons. He thought that was pretty cool, and because I know how much he loves video games, I know it meant a ton to him. In his prayers after that, he even called me his favorite Mommy. Awww.
- Be praying for both boys, as I know many of you do. Jeremiah is struggling every day with some major flashbacks, and his tantrums have been very violent and self destructive lately. Pray for his safety and that God’s peace and healing would reign over his mind, body, and spirit. He also had some blood work today to test his plalette levels as he’s been bruising really easily lately. A simple tickle fight leaves bruises on his ribs. It may just be his fair skin, but we wanted to be sure. They also checked his De*acote levels, as he’s been growing a ton and his doctor is concerned that it might be having an effect on these mood swings we’ve been seeing.
- Gabe is in some legal trouble right now that he needs lots of prayer cover for. Can’t go into details, but please pray for his heart and that God uses this as a character building time, and a time for us to speak life into him.
- Oh, YAY! Hubby is home for the next COUPLE OF MONTHS! SERIOUSLY! NO TRAVELING! It’s already making a huge differerence with the boys AND with Hubby. He’s so much happier now. YAY! That’s a huge answer to prayer. Not to mention I happen to kind of like the guy, and the extra hugs and kisses have been a huge mood booster for me.
Okay, enough bullets. I hope you enjoyed the update. I’m hoping that the beautiful weather will put me in writing mood this week. I have a lot on my heart, it just needs to make it’s way to my fingers.
Blessings!
Hannah
Leave a comment | | Tags: Adoption, behavior challenges, Being set apart, blogging, faith, family fun, infertility, marriage, parenting, prayer, RAD, the critters, the hard stuff, The SAHM Adventure
Posted by Hannah Rae on Jan 29, 2010 in
Life in the Stubborn house
Remember this post? Well, the author contacted me and wants to use some of my comments in the upcoming issue of Stepping Stones.
Cool, huh?
My question is, how did he find me?
Blessings!
Hannah
Oh, and I didn’t get any compensation for the review, or the links. Just FYI.
Leave a comment | | Tags: blogging, infertility
This post is part of “Hi/Lo Thursday” on the Riggs Family Blog. Check our their blog to read everyone else’s “Hi/Lo” posts.
So my husband was asking my why I am “plagurizing” blog ideas from other bloggers. My reason? I think it’s a great way to create community! Ok, and it’s easier to think of something to write when there are other people giving you ideas.
The High
Grace was in a much better mood when I spoke to her on Monday. We actually had a real conversation and she got an “A” on a science test, which is a huge thing!!!
Kaleb comes home tonight and I will get to cuddle and kiss my wonderful hubby.
The Low
I am feeling very strong maternal instincts this week and have no idea how or with whom God wants me to use them.
It was a really good week, what can I say?
Leave a comment | | Tags: Adoption, blogging, infertility, marriage
Posted by Hannah Rae on Jan 16, 2009 in
Life in the Stubborn house
When you are married to a technology guru, you get very interesting love gifts. Some love gifts received in the past include house-designing software, Siberia and Siberia 2 (both excellent games that I was addicted to and finished in less than a week a piece). The Sims 2, and my all time favorite thus far, the M*A*S*H DVD Box set. I am a HUGE M*A*S*H fan, and when my husband asked me whether I liked my 23rd birthday/6th anniversary present, I simply pointed to my tearing eyes and said “Hello! Tears!”
So that’s what we wives of technology gurus get as presents. Software, and the occasional amazing DVD box set. This time, I was having a very hard week and feeling rather useless and not very good at anything, so my beloved decides to get me……a dot com. That’s right, my own domain…with blogging software to boot.
We’ve been talking about getting this website going for a long time. A place for me to use my creative juices and displaying my writings…maybe even possibly drawing in some revenue. But yesterday, in an attempt to distract his mind from the current vehicular drama, my beloved put HIS creative juices to work and got my domain registered as well as comparing and contrasting web blogging software to make sure I got the most versatile, fun to play with, software to meet my needs.
1000 Hannah points to anyone who can figure out where my name comes from. I can’t remember whether Kaleb or I originally came up with it, but I do remember feeling especially clever.
So now the problem is that I have a new distraction. Just what I need.
So here’s what I expect you can be expecting with this new outlet for my creative and emotional juices….
- Daily or semi daily entries describing what God is doing in my heart and mind, or possibly just really random stuff that entered into my line of consciousness that I feel is necessary to share, attempting to be transparent, yet tactful…for my husband’s sake.
- Weekly additions to a story line that I have been conjuring up for such an occasion. I am hoping this will become something that parents who read my blog will be able to share with their children, and that their children will look forward to.
- A sample of my child focused writing that I am hoping will be miraculously discovered by someone capable and passionate about publishing quality children’s literature.
- Random and yet not random connection of people, who can support, build up, and share, enriching each other’s lives.
So, is that a good start? I think so. And now I am hoping to learn the ins and outs of this editor so that I can really make this thing schnazzy.
Blessings to all.
Hannah
Leave a comment | | Tags: blogging, marriage, MASH, technology
