Apparently I'm not dramatic enough for Tai Chi...

after reading this lengthy post, you make the call...)

I've named the past week, "Out of my comfort zone week." It seemed all week I was being asked to do something that was outside of my comfort level or where I felt out of control.

And I really, really, really don't like feeling out of control. Apparently God forgot that last week.

For the past couple of months I knew that my first "out of my comfort zone" moment was coming. And as I do with most things that make me nervous, overwhelmed or scared I put it on the back burner and decided that I would deal with it as it came. Never a good idea.

I was asked to come and speak to the program directors and deans of Love's residency program. It wasn't just his program director, it was all the residency PD's. The topic that they asked me to speak on was the stress in residency from the prospective of a spouse. Something I know ALL about. They also wanted ideas of things that they could do to help Resident Spouses cope with this stress.

Um, how 'bout give them resident's a 40 hour work week?

Realistic ideas, I should clarify.

They wanted me to give a Power Point presentation and then take some questions afterwards. Um, I don't know how to give briefings to anyone OR how to even use Power Point much less make slides! Um, hello, ask me to give a talk on how to get melted crayon out of clothes and I may be there. But, definitely not with PP slides.

This is also the point where I would like to tell you that I did take Speech in high school. And did not do well. Something about chewing gum and twirling hair while speaking. Oh, and this may have had something to do with it as well. I actually gave this as a speech. There were more lyrics, but you get the point. And no, I am not lying.

So now that you have the background, you can see why I was having some bad flashbacks right up to giving my briefing. Oh, and I was sick and up the night before with a sick child. When it rains, it pours.

Yep, that was an out of my comfort zone moment.

My other one occurred this weekend. It, too, I have known about for months. But seriously, people, I have so much going on that if it isn't happening today I am really good at shelving it at the back of my mind to make room for the craziness of this moment.

Anyway, I went to a Body Flow training weekend. I think I told y'all about it. I didn't know if I would like it or not. It isn't traditional yoga and is run by a fitness group that gets on my nerves, but the gym was paying for me to go (knowing full well in advance that I may or may not teach it in the end) so I decided to give it a try. Body Flow is a combination of Tai Chi, Yoga and Pilates. I could seriously write a book on the events of this weekend, but for your sake (and mine - I really don't want to relive it!) I will keep this short. (Or as short as I know how to keep anything...)

I suck at Tai Chi. Bad. Really, really, really bad. And because I have the worst luck in the whole wide world (or because God wants me to learn something - hmmm, go figure) I was chosen to teach a choreographed tai chi opening to the group. And it was bad. Really, really, really, really, really, really bad. And the trainer told me so. In not so kind words. In front of the whole group. And I cried. In front of the whole group.

Yeah, definitely not a comfort zone moment.

In my defense (because apparently I still need to defend myself!) I only had 10 hours to learn the choreography and needed to sleep somewhere in those 10 hours and I had never even seen tai chi until that day. SOOOO out of my zone.

Um, yeah, so I had to have a come to Jesus moment and remind myself of who/what defines my self worth. And then I got to teach yoga standing poses in front of the group and apparently redeemed myself to the group and trainer. Her wording choice was...interesting and went something like this:

"Can I be brutally honest? (Because you held back during my tai chi feedback?!) That person yesterday, I hope I never see her again. I don't know what that was yesterday. It was frightening. This was much, much, much better. A thousand times better than yesterday. It was fantastic. Yesterday was awful. After yesterday I was praying to God that I was right and you could teach. I'm so glad I was right."

Seriously, do you like how it's all about her? There were more words in there, but you get the gist.

Needless to say, I told our group exercise coordinator that I just don't think that Body Flow is for me. I love traditional yoga (shocking that I did much better when teaching something I KNOW!!!) Breathe and let go...

(Exhale) Okay, I'm centered. So, yeah, those were a few of my out of my comfort zone moments. Anytime you are reading my blog thinking, "Oh, she has it all together and does everything, blah, blah, blah..." Just remember, I suck at tai chi (and for the sake of honesty I'm really suck at math too). And I don't know that I have every used the word "suck" ever on my blog and if I have it has definitely not been this many times!

OH, and you will be relieved to know that after much digging, I have found all the words to that terrible speech I gave back in high school. This ought to give you a glimpse of the kind of student I was:

Do your boobs hang low?

Do they wobble to and fro?

Can you tie them in a knot?

Can you tie them in a bow?

Can you throw them o'er your shoulder

Like a bag that has a boulder?

Do your boobs hang low?

Do your boobs sit high?

Do they point up to the sky?

Do they wrinkle when they're cold?

Do they turn on every guy?

Do you wave them at your lover?

Do they run and look for cover?

Do your boobs sit high?

Do your boobs flop wide?

Do they flap from side to side?

Do they wave in the breeze

From the slightest little tease?

Do they pop from your brassiere?

When you drive, do they like to steer?

Do your boobs flop wide?

Do your boobs expand?

When you spend a couple grand?

Do they falsely fill your blouse?

Make you master of the house?

Do you flash them every way?

Just like Pammy A.?

Do your boobs expand?

Imagine all that while I'm chewing gum and twirling my hair. THAT is frightening.

BTW - I really am an introvert stuck in an extrovert's body. And as an introvert, I don't like to speak in front of groups of people. And while I'm thinking of it, I'm also a homebody, stuck in the body of a busybody. I really need to let these inner selves out more often...

Rub-a-dub-dub...

Three Mads in a tub!
Bath time is wet'n'wild time around here. And when three little Mads want to take a bubble bath together, that only means one thing: a VERY, very wet bathroom floor!

They look all sweet and serene don't they? HA! Don't let them fool you.

I love this picture...look at Lukie in the background. Naughty.

Gracie Grace

That's one of our nickname's for Ella, Gracie Grace. This little girlie is something else. While we have never told her that she is the baby of the family, she somehow knows it and certainly acts like it! Ella loves me to hold her. There are times she holds me so tight, I think she is going to choke me! Oh, this little Diva loves her mama. Loves me.

We cut Ella's hair last month and at first I wasn't sure I loved it. But, now I am sure I do! It so matches her personality.


Doesn't it fit her cute little face? Gosh I love this little girl. She is cut from the same mold as Luke. (Joseph and I both think it's amazing how each sister is so much like a brother.) Ella is easy going, loves to watch TV, easily distracted, absentminded, loves animals and bubbles, and is always the last one up from the table. Always.

Ella loves Dora and the Land Before Time dinosaurs. She shares this love with her big brother, Lukie. My heart melts looking at the above picture - Ella just got up from nap with bed head, her pink/purple tutu on and is sitting on Luke's lap watching TV with him.

Ella Grace, you make us laugh and are such a joy!

Lily Kate

This girl makes me laugh. She is such the little mama to everyone in the house. Her Daddy and I included!

If there is anyone sad or crying, Lily Kate is the first one on the scene ready to console. She'll kiss you (even when you don't want a kiss!) bring you your favorite Lovey, or run and get a snack. She apparently has caught onto the fact that I use food to distract! LK has the most adorable nurturing personality. With that said, she also is under the impression that she is second in command right behind me. She loves to boss her siblings around and can often be heard getting after anyone who is breaking the rules. Her favorite subject to boss, her twin of course. But her brothers are a very close second! That girl has even be known to tell her Daddy to get out of the street "right now".

Lily also loves to clean and help out around the house. And we totally take advantage of her. Shamelessly. I pray that this little attribute sticks around - at least until she moves out of my house. It is especially lovely since my boys have z-e-r-o desire to clean house.

Lily Kate and Caleb are my kids that love dressing up. Lily loves all things princess:

Isn't she delicious?!

But, don't forget that this sweet girl also has brothers! She can hang if she needs to.


And this girl loves to have her picture taken:



Lily is like her big brother Caleb is so many ways it's uncanny. They both love to talk to me. Constantly. They are both stubborn, smart and love to figure out how things work. Both are very dramatic and not easily distracted. Definintely cut from the same mold!

Lily Kate, we love you and can't believe you will be 3 next month!

My favorite kinda blog post

My life in bullet points:

• I was supposed to run a half marathon this weekend. Supposed to. In other words, didn't. I was so not ready to run 7 miles, much less 13.1. I really wanted to do one last run with my fav runner but between the fact that I didn't train, hubby's schedule sucked and I will be gone the next two weekends - I decided at the last minute I couldn't do it. Bummer.
• I have officially joined the 21st century. I now text. And have a phone with a touch screen. Gosh, I'm fancy. Next thing you know, I will have a twitter account. (snicker) Not likely.
• This weekend I did make a few more dresses for the girls. 6 to be exact. I'm getting faster and almost have it down to a science. I have gotten a lot of compliments on my dresses and a few people have said they would pay me to make dresses for them. Um, I politely said no. Ghetto seamstress I am, real seamstress I am not.
• Speaking of me working, I got a job! The YMCA hired me!! I will be taking over a yoga class at the end of May and next weekend I am getting certified to teach Body Flow. It will be a 2 and a half day certification that sounds exhausting. I'm blessed that my mama will be flying in to take care of my kiddo's while I go.
• I also filled out an application and sent in a resume for a job instructing group exercise classes at a corporate fitness gym. My friend works for the company and they really want to hire me to teach! The money is amazing! More than my hubby makes an hour! Exciting stuff.
• Of course, my first job is mama and wife! And in case I have never told you, I am married to a man that never wants me to work. He is supportive of my endeavor, however. He makes me laugh though...he's a little worried about my "career" getting more attention than him. That silly man makes me laugh! I would hardly call this a "career". Seriously, we are talking like 2 hours a week. Boy, could you imagine if I told him that I was going back to school to become a rocket scientist? Luck for him that's not likely to happen...
• Have I told you what I am obsessed with lately? This. I am really in need of an intervention. My boys, however, think I am very cool. Especially since I have made it to world 8! (Just pretend you're impressed.)
• So, next weekend I will be doing this Flow cert. and then the following weekend I am going to the Mind, Body, Fitness Conference in Dallas to get Level 3 and Anatomy & Alignment certifications. It's a 4 day conference, that is going to be exhausting, but where I will get two more certifications. My SIL is coming from Alaska to take care of the kids so that I can go. I have good kin folk, don't I?
• Well, I need to get to bed. Hey, I have a very important meeting on Thursday - if you think about it, will you pray for me? Thanks! I'll fill you in soon.
  
  

A glimpse of what is to come...

My boys are growing up. WAY too fast. Way, way, too fast. As evidence by the following conversation:

Caleb: I like Jayden at school.
Me: Oh yeah, what do you like about her?
Caleb: She's hot!

WHHHHAAATTT??!!??!! You're seven! What do you know about "hot" girls??

That conversation was only days after this conversation:

Me: Luke, you are so cute. Did you know that?
Luke: Yeah. The girls at school think I'm cute.
Me: How do you know?
Luke: I just looked at their faces and I could tell.

(This is a picture of the boys giving me the "force." If I didn't have boys, I probably would never know what that means...)

A mad adventure with food coloring, vinegar, eggs and 4 kids!

Our annual easter egg dyeing was extra interesting special this year because it is the first year that the girls got to participate! They loved it and true to form Lily Kate was extra careful not to get messy and was quite particular about the color of her eggs. Ella, on the other hand, made a mess and wanted to eat the gross vinegar water.

Dyeing eggs with 2 two year olds is an adventure.

The boys were very creative this year with their color choice and decorating. Here are some pictures of our evening:

He is Risen!

Happy Easter!
Love, The Mad Kids