House Hunting, Potty Training, and Attitude Shifts

Birthday week was really great, for several reasons. TJ and I celebrated early, but then he ended up getting the whole weekend off! It was so great to have him for 2 whole days (and I'm not being facetious!). We got to watch the Super Bowl with friends and some awesome local pizza, and Joe even rented Dance Central for me so I could play it this weekend. :-) I love it. On top of all that, we were approved for a mortgage and then looked at 3 houses on Thursday. None of them were winners, but it was great to finally get to look at actual houses instead of just looking online. By the way, pictures can be extremely deceiving. Holy cow. We got to look at another house yesterday that we both really like. There is some fixing up to be done, but nothing that seems urgent or immediate. It's a 3 bedroom with hardwood floors, kind of an older bungalow feel (which I LOVE) and a full, unfinished basement that we can work on to make into good living space. We'll see though. I guess for the loan we're looking at we need to make sure it would even pass inspection before we try to move forward too fast (there are potential moisture problems in the basement). But more than anything, it was just really nice to see a house that we liked after the first three striking out. I do have to remind myself that it's ok if this is a longer process than I'd like. I'm the girl who bought a car in one day right after TJ and I got married. And that did not turn out well.

Just for the record: Azteks suck. No thank you, Pontiac.

In mothering news, I found out this week that 2 of Josiah's friends can already recognize numbers they see or count to like, 20. Siah likes to count, he just likes to mix the numbers all up. And he couldn't read the numbers to you, he just knows they're numbers. Except 8. He really likes 8. SO, yesterday I started sitting down and making him count with me for a while and showing him this little flashcard book we have with numbers on it. I know I shouldn't worry about it, and by the time we have 3 kids I'll probably just depend on books and Sesame Street to help me out with the counting. Maybe when you're just working with the first one, you're more worried about what other kids their age are doing and making sure you're keeping up. But I'd like to see those other kids be able to point out all the components of a motorcycle. Which my son can do.

We're also continuing to work on potty training. It's going well, as long as I remember to make him go to the bathroom every 15-20 minutes. Sometimes he does great and lets me know when he needs to go, but we've gotten to the point where some of the fascination with the potty has worn off, and now he'd rather keep playing than stop to go. I think this whole experience is going to teach me more discipline as much as it teaches him to use the bathroom.

This Sunday Papa preached a great sermon about attitudes, and he said something like, "Everyone wants to feel important and special, and that's ok, but we need to work to have an attitude that puts others first, trying to make them feel important and special." Something like that. At least, that's what I got out of it. On New Year's Day I wrote in my journal that humility was a character trait I'd really like to grow in this year. Not the kind of humility that puts itself down, but the kind of humility that makes people walk away from you feeling special and cared about. A humility that doesn't wait for its turn to talk, but looks for ways to get to know the other person better and hear what they have to say. And I've noticed that I am in a much better mood (and therefore, everyone in my house is in a better mood) when I'm not focusing on my needs and getting mad at the person who isn't meeting them the way I want.

Well that's all I've got for today.

I love my husband. And he loves me.

Can I just start by saying that there are probably few things creepier in life than sitting downstairs by yourself late at night and hearing the training potty in the bathroom start singing for no reason? It's only supposed to sing when Siah uses it. And there have been several instances late at night when it just starts up for no reason. It's perfectly clean and dry - I have no idea what's triggering it. It's makes me feel like it's going to come to life and attacks us soon. Like Chucky. Which I've never seen, but he looks really scary.

It's Birthday Week!

TJ found out last week that he will most likely be working every single day for the month of February, so we celebrated my birthday last Sunday night. Somehow Richmond has managed to get a new, swanky restaurant called Hangers that is definitely for special occasions, and it is SO fun. I loved it so much. We got to sit by the fireplace and the atmosphere is super romantic with low lighting and candles. It was a great date. I couldn't decide what I wanted as a present for my birthday, and I've desperately been needing glasses, so we just decided that that could be my present. I'm usually not one for practical presents, but I really couldn't think of anything for TJ to get me. So I went to get my exam and pick out frames, and the whole thing ended up being way cheaper than we expected. You can say what you want about TJ's crappy work schedule, but they sure have blessed us with great health insurance. I feel like, "Sure Josiah, climb that tree. If you break your arm, we'll be ok." :-) Not really, but close. So anyway, we went out to eat and then stopped by Walmart to pick up some floor mats for my car when we wandered past the electronics section. As we walked past the Xbox stuff, and I mentioned that someday we should get a kinect, because I really would love that dance game that's on the commercials, and it would be a good workout. And my wonderful husband looked at me and said, "I'll get it for you right now for your birthday." And I almost cried. Unfortunately Walmart was out of all the versions of the kinect dance game, so I'll get it later, but we have been having so much fun with the new game. And it really is a total workout. I haven't really worked out since the beginning of my pregnancy, so just jumping and leaning and punching is a lot. :-) I can't wait to get the dance game though.

In other birthday news, my awesome mom brought me a cupcake from GiGi's to kick off brithday week yesterday. I am eating it a little at a time so it lasts. I love their giant cupakes. It made my night at lot better, as Josiah decided to regress in his potty training last night. I've been putting him in underwear at home in the hopes that he'll be more likely to want to use the potty if he doesn't have a diaper on. Last night he couldn't have cared less. I changed 4 pairs of underwear before I finally gave up and put him in a diaper. I was totally feeling like a failure. So the cupcake helped. But this morning, as of 10:30, I am happy to report that we have been awake for 2 1/2 hours with no accidents yet. Probably because I'm more focused on making him try more often, but whatever works. I'm going to be so glad when potty training is over.

Cherished - January

I've just started my first cup of coffee, so if this post lacks any pizazz, that's why. :-) But I wanted to get this post up while everything was fresh in my mind.

My lovely friend Diana and I went to the club last night for our January outreach. The gifts were really cute bags of manicure kits for the ladies and butterscotch haystacks for the guys who were working. There was a different color of nail polish in each bag, so the girls had fun looking through them and finding the color they liked best. The atmosphere in the club was a little weird. I didn't see "D" (the dj who has mentioned a desire to come to church) but the bartender was really chatty and nice. There were 2 new girls there: one who used to work there and is back now due to a recent divorce, and another who is working to save up money to move to another state. She seems to move around a lot, and used to work as a special-needs caretaker, but needed a break, as it was very draining. Both of the new girls were very sweet and talkative, and very grateful for the gifts. When I told the first girl that we just wanted them to know we loved them, she started to tear up and got up from her chair to give us a hug. One lady we saw was one we met for the first time last month, and just judging from the air about her, I'm starting to wonder if she isn't more of a house mom than a dancer. I saw her directing one of the dancers around, and for the past two months there has been no hanging out in the dressing room. All the girls are on the floor, waiting for customers or working. A house mom is usually an older woman who "takes care" of the dancers. I'm sure the responsiblities vary from club to club, but my understanding is that in most cases this lady makes sure there is a meal for the girls each night, provides help with hair/makeup/wardrobe as needed, and generally tries to keep moral up and make sure the girls put on a happy face and do their job well. The girls are (in my understanding, in almost all cases) required to pay her a portion of their tips each night. Anyway, this lady is polite, and will give us a hug, but remains a little stand-offish. Overall it was a good visit, just different. We were able to hang out for a while and talk to the new girls a little about themselves, and that was nice. There were more customers in the club than I've seen in a long time, if ever, so the girls kind of came and went as they approached a customer and came back to talk if he wasn't ready for anything yet. But whether a visit is super-encouraging or feels kind of so-so, we continue in the faith and knowledge that God has blessed us with the opportunity to do this ministry. We'll keep praying that the seeds we are able to plant grow into relationships and friendships outside of the club, and freedom for the women and men. Thank you all for your prayers!

I need a new profile picture.

Today I accidentally brushed my teeth with Buzz Lightyear toothpaste. Bubblegum toothpaste is not the worst way to start your day, my friends. But it does make me concerned about exactly how clean my teeth got.

So it's been big news here in town that this past Tuesday the three "massage parlors" got raided and at least 6 people were arrested for prostitution. The news report on one station reported a few men and women arrested for promoting prostitution, and the news last night on tv showed pictures of 6 women who were arrested for prostitution. It feels so strange to see their faces. I knew (everyone in town knew) what was going on in those places, and I tried to visit one of the parlors a couple of times with gifts, but they said no. A few friends and I resorted to simply praying. Do the words simply and praying even belong together? I think maybe I put them together out of ignorance and maybe doubt about how effective my prayers are. I need to have more faith that my prayers make a difference. Apparently the police had been conducting a 3 month undercover investigation, and then raided the places this week. I thought there were only 2 parlors, but there were definitely 3. So I've started praying for those women who worked in those places. Now they have to (first, get out of jail) find another job. I wonder if they have a community of friends and family, or if it is limited to the people they worked for/with. I'm praying God brings people into their lives to show them there's another way. Someone to tell them God loves them, and they have more worth than they think.

Tonight is our trip to the Manhattan Club, and I'm really looking forward to it. Every time I get butterflies in my stomach, but I can't wait to go. Please pray that we only say what God wants the girls to hear, that they would see Him and His love when we come to visit them for a little while. Please pray for wisdom and boldness when it comes to our conversations. I never want to hold back because of fear, but to have the wisdom to know when to be frank, and when to be more gentle. I'm really grateful to have the chance to be a part of a ministry like this. I don't know how long I'll get to do it, or be a part of it, but for however long we get to do it, I'm really really glad I did.

Please keep us in your prayers tonight.

"Lord, you are my light in the darkness. I carry you as a torch through the doors. I hold you out in front of me as I open my mouth. Your arms are my arms as I wrap them around bare bodies. These women are your brides-to-be. They are clothed in darkness, but I yearn to cover them in robes of rose-hued light. When I look into their eyes, glazed and distant, I search them for a glint of you. I want to imprint your image of woman onto their hearts so they understand mercy and grace. Lord, give me eyes that see and ears that hear your voice. Let my words be milk and honey to the wounds they bare nightly. Give me a picture of their innocence to wipe away the stains. Go to them Lord, woo them in the way they deserve. Reclaim these women, Father."

I wish I could take credit for writing this beautiful prayer, but it was shared with me by ladies from another ministry nearby. One of the volunteers with their ministry wrote this prayer and shared it with them. I think it's so perfect and expresses exactly how I feel about Cherished. This Thursday is our visit this month, and I'd love for anyone who reads this to keep the women and men we'll meet in your prayers.

Welcome to Crazytown

I know it's a little early to be saying this, but I'm ready for the excess estrogen to be out of my body. Not before Baby Ballet is ready, but for some reason, this week has felt like I have boarded the crazy hormone train and there's no stopping. I could imagine a bad Stephen King made-for-tv movie coming from this. Poor saps board a train thinking they're going to Cape Cod, and then experience mood swings to rival Sybil and her 13 personalities. People try to get off the train to no avail, and then attempt to stop the train, only to find everything malfunctioning and no stop in sight. The passengers begin killing each other off in angry rages until the train pulls into Cape Cod, empty. It's the Evil Train of Emotion. Kind of like a really bad version of Ron Burgandy's glass case of emotion.

My poor husband.

Tonight is going to be a good night and tomorrow will be a good day. I have a lot to happy about, and when my toddler makes me crazy, I will call someone and have a nice chat with another adult. It's all good.

2011

Today has felt so strange. All morning I was so down, and I couldn't figure out why. Cabin fever, sickness, a toddler who picked today to test all the limits several times, who knows? But after Siah's nap and finally talking to someone closer to my age I felt a lot better. So here goes.

2011 is going to be a potentially huge and great year for the Hood family. We'll be having little baby girl Hood, we're hoping to buy a house this spring, and also hoping TJ will be able to get onto the first shift at work now that he's been at Tokico for a year. I'm really excited, and a little nervous about everything. Buying a house is such a big move, and we want to make sure we make the right decisions and don't do anything we'll regret later on down the road. Fortunately we have a lot of friends and family who are smarter than we are in this area, so we have a lot of people to go to for counsel. It's been a lot of fun looking at houses online right now, though. :-) It doesn't even really seem like a possibility to have our own house and be able to paint walls any color or style I want. It's going to be so fun. I hate white walls. And landlords aren't superfun either. The apartment we've been in this year has been ok, and is very nice, but not so much sealed against the weather. I'm so glad I'm pregnant and running a little hotter than usual, otherwise I would probably feel like an eskimo! Of course TJ, Joe and Josiah are all pretty warm-blooded, so they like it. Some days I have to fight with Si to keep his socks on. He really likes to see his toes. :-)

I'm still a little nervous about having a girl. TJ and I were both shocked when the ultrasound tech said it was a girl. I actually asked if she was sure, and had her show me. :-) We have several friends who thought they were having girls and ended up with boys, but more than that, I had completely convinced myself that this was another boy (even though this pregnancy has been totally different from Josiah, and all signs pointed toward a high likelihood of a girl). I think because there were so many people hoping I'd have a girl that I was afraid I'd be disappointed if it was a boy, so I told myself that it was definitely a boy, and got really excited about it. We've had so much fun with Josiah, and as far as I'm concerned, boys are way easier than girls. Especially as I'm looking further on down the road to middle school and high school. But now I'm getting really excited, and starting to look at all the cute stuff girls come with. We were pretty nervous about being parents the first time, and that went ok, so I think this will be good too. There's no denying she'll be spoiled rotten!

And in all this happiness and excitement about the future, I'm so very much aware of the people around me who are hurting. I'm so very blessed, and even when I look at the news, I wonder why I got to be blessed with such a wonderful life and family and friends. It's made me thankful, and I'm trying to hold it all loosely even as I recognize how precious the life I have and the people in it are. I just want to make sure I don't waste this life, and that I make God glad he entrusted me with it.