Monday, March 29, 2010
4 Days of Getting Up with the Kids!
Made pancakes for them this morning! So very grateful to Shelby and Rachel who have been calling me every morning to check up on me!! I have the most wonderful and supporting friends. Such a small change for me to make but it's impacting us all in a huge way.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Good Morning!
Guess what time I got up this morning? 7:30!!!! I set my alarm last night and got a wake up check up call from Shelby at about 7:35... just to make sure (and she did ask if I was actually out of bed and not just laying there awake). My reward? I was in the kitchen when Megan (my middle one) came out of her room and she looked at me with well, complete and total surprise and confusion to be honest and asked why did you set your alarm before mine? My answer - I wanted to get up with you guys this morning. Her response? She ran across the kitchen and gave me the biggest hug, looked up at me with a huge smile and then hugged me again. Wow. Talk about your heart stuttering.
She just left for school and as always, wanted a mouth smacking lip on lip kiss (definitely her love language) and I told her that God is always with her. Big smiles, big hug and she is off and ready to face the day.
My oldest (Sydney). Yea... kind of like pulling teeth with that girl to get any sort of response but I like to think she is smiling on the inside. We even managed to keep the TV off until after 8:00 and Jeremy actually ate his breakfast at the table instead of on the couch watching TV.
And the blizzard outside? Who cares. I had a great morning and spring is in the air!
She just left for school and as always, wanted a mouth smacking lip on lip kiss (definitely her love language) and I told her that God is always with her. Big smiles, big hug and she is off and ready to face the day.
My oldest (Sydney). Yea... kind of like pulling teeth with that girl to get any sort of response but I like to think she is smiling on the inside. We even managed to keep the TV off until after 8:00 and Jeremy actually ate his breakfast at the table instead of on the couch watching TV.
And the blizzard outside? Who cares. I had a great morning and spring is in the air!
Saturday, March 20, 2010
'Self Esteem' with Brenda on March 23rd
Brenda Summach - married to Larry for 34 years; 3 daughters - Melissa, Michelle & Mandy-Rae, 1 son in law mike, and grandson William. Was a dental assistant, taught piano, and owned a small retail store in Alberta. 23 years ago this spring she started her Mary Kay business to be at home with her girls. In this profession she has become a National Sales Director of which there are only 450 out of 2 million consultants in 37 countries globally. Brenda loves to travel free, courtesy of Mary Kay, for the last 18 years, her favourite place being Bali, Indonesia, and going to Italy this May!!
"My purpose and focus has been to help my daughters & other women to have the courage to become all God designed them to be. Excited to have the privilege to share my journey with you!"
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Peer Pressure with Jodi
What a fantastic morning..Thank you so much Jodi for coming out and speaking to this fabulous group of women!! We can learn so much from each other, can't we?? Listening to Jodi was fantastic and confirmed alot of things for me, as well as made me realize how important being a mom is! A bit of pressure, yes, but with God beside us, we will do an amazing job in raising our little kidlets! Like Jodi said to the 'young/new moms'..Peer pressure is coming...So, are you going to react with 'Faith' or with 'Fear'?? Wow...I would like to say that I parent by Faith, but I think in most part, being a controller by nature, that I mostly parent by fear...I have alot to learn. Lots of good insight today...made me think alot about why I do what I do. I hope that all of you moms that were there today, left feeling encouraged to start fresh in your 'Parenting Journey' with a strong sense of Faith with you!!
If any of you would like to have the info that Jodi was talking about, please email the MOMS Ministry at momsministry@hotmail.com and I will be more then happy to send it your way!!
Have a great week Ladies!!
~Helen Vander Kooi
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Children Learn What They Live
If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.
If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.
If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive.
If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves.
If children live with ridicule, they learn to feel shy.
If children live with jealousy, they learn to feel envy.
If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty.
If children live with encouragement, they learn confidence.
If children live with tolerance, they learn patience.
If children live with praise, they learn appreciation.
If children live with acceptance, they learn to love.
If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves.
If children live with recognition, they learn it is good to have a goal.
If children live with sharing, they learn generosity.
If children live with honesty, they learn truthfulness.
If children live with fairness, they learn justice.
If children live with kindness and consideration, they learn respect.
If children live with security, they learn to have faith in themselves
and in those about them.
If children live with friendliness, they learn the world is a nice place in which to live.
By: Dorothy Law Nolte, Ph.D.
Copyright 1972 by Dorothy Law Nolte
If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.
If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive.
If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves.
If children live with ridicule, they learn to feel shy.
If children live with jealousy, they learn to feel envy.
If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty.
If children live with encouragement, they learn confidence.
If children live with tolerance, they learn patience.
If children live with praise, they learn appreciation.
If children live with acceptance, they learn to love.
If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves.
If children live with recognition, they learn it is good to have a goal.
If children live with sharing, they learn generosity.
If children live with honesty, they learn truthfulness.
If children live with fairness, they learn justice.
If children live with kindness and consideration, they learn respect.
If children live with security, they learn to have faith in themselves
and in those about them.
If children live with friendliness, they learn the world is a nice place in which to live.
By: Dorothy Law Nolte, Ph.D.
Copyright 1972 by Dorothy Law Nolte
Monday, December 14, 2009
Wraping it all up!
Well Ladies,
I just wanted to put up an entry to wrap things up, literally and figuratively!
The Ladies Night Out was a huge success! Thank you to all that braved the cold and came out to join us. We had lot's of fun playing games, handing out prizes, eating wedding cake, and bidding each other up in the silent auction. The photo booth also was a place of great entertainment! When the night was said and done, we raised $106.00 for Hands at Work through our ticket sales, $55.00 for Childhood Cancer Foundation via the photo booth, and a whopping $1691.00 for the MOMS ministry through the silent auction. So on behalf of all these organizations, I would like to say THANK YOU!! Feel free to check out the MOMS facebook page to see all the photos that L4 photography took for us that evening!
The moms ministry team has wrapped up until January. We have a good start on the spring term. Check out our spring dates to the right, and stay tuned for more details in the coming weeks!
Today, I'm wrapping up my Christmas Baking and wrapping the last remaining gifts to place under the tree. These activities always make me think how Blessed I am to have a warm home when it is -45 outside, a wonderful family, and the means to give my children a great Christmas. I pray that you all have a Very Merry Christmas and I wish you all of Gods Blessings for the New Year!
Teri Clearwater
Monday, November 30, 2009
Dust Jackets
I've been off the blog scene for a while and I apologize. To be honest I've been mulling over whether or not I would blog about what you're about to read. Obviously I've decided to do it so here goes...
I do not buy books, am not a buyer of books or a fan of buying books... but I do like receiving books. Why spend money on a book when you can borrow it from the library right? However, my Mom bought me the Twilight boxed set for my birthday this year - well, if you wanto get technical I bought it and she sent me a check but I digress. So even when I borrow a book from the library the first thing I do before I read it is take the dust jacket off (if you can cause most times they have them secured onto those books with superglue). When I am lucky enough to have a book lent to me by a friend I always take off the dust jacket while reading - actually, not to anyone who might possibly lend me a book in the future, I would prefer it if you kept your dust jacket at home and just gave me the book! Dust jackets are the skin of a book - they hide the imperfections, take on the scratches and scrapes and protect what's most important on the inside.
You've heard the saying "Never judge a book by it's cover." right? Well, that's kind of my underlying message here. Every book has a bad chapter or two. Yes ladies, there is even a part in Eclipse that I usually skip over (that's the third book in the Twilight series in case you don't know). Well, my personal book of life is no different - there are definitely a few bad chapers. My dust jacket is pretty scratched up but it does a really good job of hiding my imperfections.
There are very few people in my life I show weakness too. I will readily admit I'm a sympathetic cryer but that's the dust jacket... and it's what's inside the dust jacket that really matters. I know how I come across to people. Outgoing, energetic, smiley, in charge, organized, not shy, confident... you get the idea. In truth I have even been called Super Mom a few times. I am the Chair of School Community Council, I work from home transcribing, I sell Norwex, I delivery flyers three times a week, I do monthly newsletters for a Mary Kay director, I'm on the MOM's Ministry team at Church and I'm a stay at home Mom. Up until about a month ago I was also the secretary of our Community Association. Everyone always says they don't know how I do it and how amazing I am. I'm not trying to brag myself up here (although that does sound pretty good when I re-read it) but I just want to give you an idea of what my dust jacket hides.
Chapter 25. May 23, 2000. Sydney was born. We lived in Winnipeg. I had no family or friends there. After she was born was a huge up... and it was also a huge down. It wasn't until after Chapter 27 that I realized I had Post Partum Depression.
Chapter 27. April 2002. We moved back to Saskatoon. Thank God - literally, because I was slowly dying in Winnipeg. July 25, 2002. Megan was born. 3 months later I was sitting on the couch feeding her her bottle and my eyes scanned her body from head to toe and I realized I didn't know when she got that big - I missed it. It was as if I had blinked and three months had passed when I opened my eyes. I went to my Doctor and broke down in his office. I had Post Partum Depression. I started taking anti-depressants and for the first time in my life I felt like I couldn't talk to my Mom about something. My Mom is a very black and white person. Everything is a choice. If you sad - suck it up and smile. If you're addicted to pain killers it's your choice, all you have to do is stop taking them.
Chapter 28. At some point around the end of Chapter 27 and the start of Chapter 28 I began to realize that there was nothing to be ashamed of. I told my Mom. And she did just what a Mom is supposed to do - she supported me and told me she loved me and was happy I recognised when I needed help.
Chapters 29-31. Lots of ups and downs. I did go off my meds by choice and was doing pretty good. I always have to work really hard at keeping a positive frame of mind.
Chapter 31. February 2, 2007. Jeremy was born. In March I went to my Doctor and asked him for anti-depressants again.
Chapter 34. Summer 2009. I am noticing my anger getting out of control. I am not a weepy, sadly pathetic depressed person. I am mean. I yell at my kids and husband... a lot. November 2009. On our way home from Church one Sunday and I went nuclear. Megan didn't like the way her car seat felt on her bum and wouldn't stop crying/whining. I screamed "Shut Up!" at her three times and if she didn't "Shut up I was going to literally beat her when we got home I am so mad." It was as if I was standing outside the van window watching myself say these things. Ryan sat quietly in the passenger seat. Sydney kept her mouth shut and I looked in the rear-view mirror and saw Jeremy just staring at me.
I know what I have is not just Post Partum Depression. I have Depression. Period. And the reason I decided to blog about this is I'm tired of keeping my dust jacket on all the time. The first thing I do when I read a book is take it off so why should I keep mine on all the time? Let me state a few things though. I do enjoy life - I have never come anywhere close to wanting to hurt myself or my children. I am by nature a very outgoing person and I am also very self conscious of myself. When I'm talking in front of a group my stomach is in knots and I feel like I'm gonna throw up a lot. Part of me thinks that when I take off the dust jacket people's perceptions of me might change but you know what? They should. I am NOT Super Mom and I can't do it all. I cry, I yell at my kids, my house is messy and there are lots of times I just go into my bedroom, shut the door and listen to my iPod - messy house or no messy house. Rule #1 - you gotta take care of yourself in order to take care of your family. I am not good to anyone, not even myself, if I don't take care of the pages in my book.
I know most of you who read this blog know me but what I'm hoping is that maybe you know somebody who SHOULD read this blog that doesn't know me and point them in this direction.
And just to update you on the time between me going nuclear in the van and now... I recently saw my doctor and asked him if we could up the dosage on my anit-depressants. I am very happy to be able to tell you that last week was my PMS week and I actually felt like a normal person. Please keep me in your prayers so that I can continue to stay on top of my depression and keep control of my own life. Thank you.
I do not buy books, am not a buyer of books or a fan of buying books... but I do like receiving books. Why spend money on a book when you can borrow it from the library right? However, my Mom bought me the Twilight boxed set for my birthday this year - well, if you wanto get technical I bought it and she sent me a check but I digress. So even when I borrow a book from the library the first thing I do before I read it is take the dust jacket off (if you can cause most times they have them secured onto those books with superglue). When I am lucky enough to have a book lent to me by a friend I always take off the dust jacket while reading - actually, not to anyone who might possibly lend me a book in the future, I would prefer it if you kept your dust jacket at home and just gave me the book! Dust jackets are the skin of a book - they hide the imperfections, take on the scratches and scrapes and protect what's most important on the inside.
You've heard the saying "Never judge a book by it's cover." right? Well, that's kind of my underlying message here. Every book has a bad chapter or two. Yes ladies, there is even a part in Eclipse that I usually skip over (that's the third book in the Twilight series in case you don't know). Well, my personal book of life is no different - there are definitely a few bad chapers. My dust jacket is pretty scratched up but it does a really good job of hiding my imperfections.
There are very few people in my life I show weakness too. I will readily admit I'm a sympathetic cryer but that's the dust jacket... and it's what's inside the dust jacket that really matters. I know how I come across to people. Outgoing, energetic, smiley, in charge, organized, not shy, confident... you get the idea. In truth I have even been called Super Mom a few times. I am the Chair of School Community Council, I work from home transcribing, I sell Norwex, I delivery flyers three times a week, I do monthly newsletters for a Mary Kay director, I'm on the MOM's Ministry team at Church and I'm a stay at home Mom. Up until about a month ago I was also the secretary of our Community Association. Everyone always says they don't know how I do it and how amazing I am. I'm not trying to brag myself up here (although that does sound pretty good when I re-read it) but I just want to give you an idea of what my dust jacket hides.
Chapter 25. May 23, 2000. Sydney was born. We lived in Winnipeg. I had no family or friends there. After she was born was a huge up... and it was also a huge down. It wasn't until after Chapter 27 that I realized I had Post Partum Depression.
Chapter 27. April 2002. We moved back to Saskatoon. Thank God - literally, because I was slowly dying in Winnipeg. July 25, 2002. Megan was born. 3 months later I was sitting on the couch feeding her her bottle and my eyes scanned her body from head to toe and I realized I didn't know when she got that big - I missed it. It was as if I had blinked and three months had passed when I opened my eyes. I went to my Doctor and broke down in his office. I had Post Partum Depression. I started taking anti-depressants and for the first time in my life I felt like I couldn't talk to my Mom about something. My Mom is a very black and white person. Everything is a choice. If you sad - suck it up and smile. If you're addicted to pain killers it's your choice, all you have to do is stop taking them.
Chapter 28. At some point around the end of Chapter 27 and the start of Chapter 28 I began to realize that there was nothing to be ashamed of. I told my Mom. And she did just what a Mom is supposed to do - she supported me and told me she loved me and was happy I recognised when I needed help.
Chapters 29-31. Lots of ups and downs. I did go off my meds by choice and was doing pretty good. I always have to work really hard at keeping a positive frame of mind.
Chapter 31. February 2, 2007. Jeremy was born. In March I went to my Doctor and asked him for anti-depressants again.
Chapter 34. Summer 2009. I am noticing my anger getting out of control. I am not a weepy, sadly pathetic depressed person. I am mean. I yell at my kids and husband... a lot. November 2009. On our way home from Church one Sunday and I went nuclear. Megan didn't like the way her car seat felt on her bum and wouldn't stop crying/whining. I screamed "Shut Up!" at her three times and if she didn't "Shut up I was going to literally beat her when we got home I am so mad." It was as if I was standing outside the van window watching myself say these things. Ryan sat quietly in the passenger seat. Sydney kept her mouth shut and I looked in the rear-view mirror and saw Jeremy just staring at me.
I know what I have is not just Post Partum Depression. I have Depression. Period. And the reason I decided to blog about this is I'm tired of keeping my dust jacket on all the time. The first thing I do when I read a book is take it off so why should I keep mine on all the time? Let me state a few things though. I do enjoy life - I have never come anywhere close to wanting to hurt myself or my children. I am by nature a very outgoing person and I am also very self conscious of myself. When I'm talking in front of a group my stomach is in knots and I feel like I'm gonna throw up a lot. Part of me thinks that when I take off the dust jacket people's perceptions of me might change but you know what? They should. I am NOT Super Mom and I can't do it all. I cry, I yell at my kids, my house is messy and there are lots of times I just go into my bedroom, shut the door and listen to my iPod - messy house or no messy house. Rule #1 - you gotta take care of yourself in order to take care of your family. I am not good to anyone, not even myself, if I don't take care of the pages in my book.
I know most of you who read this blog know me but what I'm hoping is that maybe you know somebody who SHOULD read this blog that doesn't know me and point them in this direction.
And just to update you on the time between me going nuclear in the van and now... I recently saw my doctor and asked him if we could up the dosage on my anit-depressants. I am very happy to be able to tell you that last week was my PMS week and I actually felt like a normal person. Please keep me in your prayers so that I can continue to stay on top of my depression and keep control of my own life. Thank you.
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