I'm here to tell you that all the rumors about 3-year-olds are true.
It's common knowledge these days that "three is the new two," but until you experience it personally, you don't know what you are in for. Three started out with a bang around here. The birthday candles had barely cooled off when night terrors threw our whole household into crisis.
From there, it snowballed.
At the kick-off of the new semester of a mom's Bible study that I attend, the icebreaker question was "What's your favorite thing about being a mom?"
Everything inside me withered. Please don't ask me that question right now.
The other moms proceeded with their flowery and inspiring answers:
"Snuggling."
"My son sitting in my lap while I read to him."
"How can I choose just one favorite? I love it all!"
Give me a break. I couldn't even take the sarcastic route and say "Bedtime," because that wouldn't be true. I despise bedtime. The only thing worse than waketime is nighttime. I nearly become an atheist every night at 7:00pm.
Instead I replied slowly, "The truth is, there's not a whole lot about being a mom that is enjoyable right now."
After a moment of awkward silence, they shrugged it off and moved on. They went home to snuggles and story time while I went home thinking that maybe i'm just not cut out for this.
Until one day, glory be, we had a breakthrough.
Our church has been studying the book of Acts. Recently we read about Saul's conversion. As a result of Saul no longer travelling around killing Christians, life got easier for the followers of Jesus. Here's how it's described:
Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.
On the BabyGirl's half birthday, something clicked. It was as if her mind had been abducted by aliens and held captive on the mothership for the past six months, and was finally returned back to its rightful owner. Someone drew back the curtains and let in some light. She became human again.
A few winters ago I was listening to the radio while riding to work at the ungodly hour of 5am. Five o'clock in the morning in the dead of winter is miserably cold. Heck, the middle of the day is miserably cold in the dead of winter. But 5am is a dark, lonely, windy, ungodly cold. The radio hosts were celebrating because that particular day was the shortest day of the year.
Now, the shortest day of the year might not immediately sound like a cause for celebration. Pause for a second to consider the implications: after the shortest day, each subsequent day gets progressively longer. Tomorrow will have more sunlight than today. And the day after tomorrow will have more still. And there will be more the day after that, and the day after that, until—a full day's worth of sunlight! Warmth! Light! Life! Leaves and chirping birds and cookouts at the beach!
Crossing the shortest day of the year off the calendar is the best feeling in the world. It can only get brighter from there. It can only bring you farther from darkness and closer to light. Yes, tomorrow will still be short. It will still be cold. But it won't be as short as today.
That is what I am fervently hoping in regards to the BabyGirl's half birthday. Three is halfway done. Each day will get a few more moments of sunlight from here on out. Here comes the sun, and I say it's alright.
Already the sunny-ness of her personality is returning. She's back to her old affectionate self. She runs up to me and gives me a hug for no reason. She tells me how glad she is that we are spending time together. She pats Bright Eyes' back and says she's glad they are sisters. She is eager to help. She proactively meets the needs of others without being asked/cajoled/threatened.
We are enjoying a time of peace and being strengthened. The threat to our lives has been removed, and now we can breathe again. We are free to move about the country. I feel like the woman who found her lost coin. "Rejoice with me, friends! I have found my lost coin!" I have found my lost BabyGirl, and she is a treasure.
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Thursday, September 5, 2013
Playing Talitha
21 When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake. 22 Then one of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet. 23 He pleaded earnestly with him, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.” 24 So Jesus went with him. . . . 35 While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher anymore?” 36 Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” 37 He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. 38 When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. 39 He went in and said to them, “Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.” 40 But they laughed at him. After he put them all out, he took the child’s father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. 41 He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum!” (which means “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). 42 Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. 43 He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat.
-Mark 5
Today while i was cooking dinner, The Professor played with the girls in the living room. From the kitchen, i overheard the BabyGirl tell The Professor, "I'm going to lay down over here and sleep, and i'll be Talitha. Then you will be Jesus, and you will say to me, 'Talitha, come!' and i'll get up! Then i'll eat. Okay, Daddy—I mean Jesus?"
I was pretty amazed, because i didn't think she'd ever heard that Bible story in such a degree of detail. I know that she really likes it in the Jesus Storybook Bible. I haven't read that section to her in a while, but i didn't remember it mentioning Talitha koum.
Well as she continued to play this game, it became apparent that she thought Talitha was the little girl's name. All through dinner, we had to refer to her as Talitha. If we slipped up and called her the BabyGirl, she immediately corrected us: "No! I'm not the BabyGirl! I'm Talitha!"
I was then christened "Talitha Mama," and Bright Eyes was "Talitha Bright Eyes." The Professor split his time between being Jesus and "Talitha Daddy." For whatever reason, he felt uncomfortable playing the role of Jesus. He kept trying to get out of it, and she kept insisting that he was Jesus. I volunteered to be Jesus for a little while, but she didn't go for it. A red-haired person cannot play the Lily Maid, and a mama cannot play Jesus.
This was how she insisted on eating her dinner:
She laid her head on the table and closed her eyes. Jesus told her, "Talitha come!" She raised her head triumphantly with a huge smile. We all exclaimed with joy, "She's alive!" Then she took one bite of her food, laid her head back down, and started over from the top.
After all 20 bites of this, she and i went outside to pick some of our neighbor's cherry tomatoes. At the beginning of the summer, those tomatoes were DELICIOUS. We looooved them. They were awesome to just pop in your mouth like grapes.
Now, however, they are oppressive. If i never see a cherry tomato again it will be too soon. The Nice Lady scolds us if there are too many red tomatoes on her plants. She comes over and gives us a stern talking-to about how we need to pick them right before they turn red so the critters don't get them. She really doesn't like to see red tomatoes hanging on the vines.
Today there were approximately 125 red cherry tomatoes, and i knew we were going to get in trouble if we didn't grab those suckers.
Well, at the beginning of the summer, the BabyGirl/Talitha really enjoyed picking tomatoes. Now she's totally over it. She gleefully consents whenever i ask her to accompany me, but she just uses it as a ruse to get outside. As soon as we are out there, she abandons me for her favorite project: digging in the dirt where our internet cable was buried, where we are desperately trying to grow new grass to cover up the dirt. Turns out, grass seed has a hard time sprouting when it is regularly tampered with. The weeds, however, are more than happy to propagate the grassless dirt.
It's somewhat of a pain in the butt to be forced into management of a grove of tomato vines that i didn't plant myself. They are all intertwined with 100 other things. One of which is this enormous 8-foot-tall allergy-inducing ragweed-looking thing. You need a beekeeper's outfit to interact with those tomato plants. Between the 8-foot ragweed and the millions of bugs, i come out of there itching, sneezing, and puffy-eyed.
While i was fighting with the Nice Lady's tomato vines, the BabyGirl was constantly running off. I yelled her name sternly in my I Mean Business voice. Then i would see an auburn tuft of hair pop up from behind a bush or around the corner of the garage, and a little voice replied, "I'm Talitha!!!" So then i would have to yell, "Talitha, get back over here or you're going inside!"
Finally i extracted a sufficient number of red tomatoes to hopefully abate the Nice Lady's wrath. We went inside and Jesus put Talitha to bed.
Thursday, August 8, 2013
The Shedd Then and the Shedd Now
There are some beloved memories that we have of certain things we did with the BabyGirl when she was a baby. Also we have some favorite photos of those events that are in our family lexicon. We have a twinge of sadness, every now and then, that we live in a different state now and can't recreate those memories with our second daughter.
This past weekend though, we visited the BabyGirl's birthplace and were able to go to some of our favorite places! It was so wonderful to take the BabyGirl back to the Shedd, where we had so many wonderful times together. Thank you Mr. Dudich for making our Shedd visit possible! Here are some "then and now" photos for reminiscing and comparison:
This past weekend though, we visited the BabyGirl's birthplace and were able to go to some of our favorite places! It was so wonderful to take the BabyGirl back to the Shedd, where we had so many wonderful times together. Thank you Mr. Dudich for making our Shedd visit possible! Here are some "then and now" photos for reminiscing and comparison:
Our little penguin at 14 months old
Our little penguin is now three!
The BabyGirl about to climb the stairs
Bright Eyes climbing the stairs
8-month-old BabyGirl smiling in front of the mural
3-year-old BabyGirl smiling in front of the mural
The BabyGirl flying in the air at the Lake
Bright Eyes flying in the air at the Lake
The BabyGirl enjoyed both the Shedd and the Lake just as much (and probably more so) now as she did then! And Bright Eyes enjoyed the Shedd and the Lake as much as the BabyGirl did when she was Bright Eyes' age. And the Professor and i enjoyed seeing our girls enjoying themselves! It was a win-win for everyone!
Friday, July 5, 2013
Cashier Curiosity
There are approximately 300 reasons why i love my local Aldi. We have a very special relationship. It's such a happy and fulfilling place; sometimes you just expect everyone to burst into song.
Today i was there picking up ingredients to make a chicken stock for my poor puking BabyGirl. The cashier was a girl i've never seen before, which immediately aroused my curiosity. I know (or at least recognize) all the employees there. Who is the new girl? Recently they were accepting applications for a new hire, is she the one? But she was all on her own, without a preceptor hovering behind, telling her what to do. So if she's new, how is she off of orientation already? She was very confident and skilled in what she was doing; clearly she knew the ropes. She was also extremely outgoing and friendly to all the customers, so she also loved her job.
But who was she?
Another characteristic about her that was immediately obvious was her strong Great Lakes accent. People around here don't have much of an accent. She sounded like she was straight from Pure Michigan or the Green Bay area.
As i stood in line waiting my turn, i tried to decide if and how many questions i could\should ask her. I have a strict policy on not asking strangers the questions they probably get asked 1500 times a day. Being pregnant teaches you that. When i was working while pregnant with the BabyGirl, i had the type of job where my customers were completely new every day. I had an average of 20 customers during the course of the day. Multiply 20 people by 3 days per week by 9 months, that is a heck of a lot of times being asked how far along i was, what i was having, what's the name, are you having twins, my your belly is small!, Good Lord your belly is huge!, etc. As a result, i resolved not to put others through that torture.
If she is in fact the new Aldi employee, then i'd kind of like to introduce myself and welcome her to the team. My mother told me that at 3 years old, i loved talking to new people, and not much has changed.
As i was contemplating this, the [presumably] district manager walked/rushed past. He enthusiastically greeted her by name and said something about, "You getting along okay here?" or maybe "Things are pretty similar to what you're used to, you finding everything okay?" Whatever it was, it let me to believe that she was a substitute cashier filling in from a different store. It explained a lot! It explained why she was so good as what she was doing, but i'd never seen her at this location. Well this was fascinating to me, and raised several more questions.
In the end, i didn't say anything.
My next stop on the way home was Starbucks. Granny gave me a gift card on her visit, and then her friend gave me one too, so i've been enjoying Starbucks recently! I walked into Starbucks and the barista was wearing a hard C-collar.
Whoa, so interesting!
Of course i needed to know the full story on that. Was it a diving accident? A bad case of torticollis? Could he feel his toes?
But man, the poor guy must get asked about it 1500 times a day. A C-collar is infinitely more attention-grabbing than a Michigan accent. The former ER nurse had to know the full story, yet the formerly pregnant nurse would not permit herself to ask.
In the end, i couldn't bear it another minute. At least i waited until after he rang up my order. Turns out, it was a bicycle accident. He was riding his bike and got hit by a Trailblazer running a red light. It was a good story, i gotta say. I was glad i asked =]. The trouble was, i wanted to know more. What was the extent of his injuries? How long was he in the hospital? What is his specific cervical neck trouble?
He said that he was lucky to be doing as well as he was, which was the bona fide truth. He also said he was only about halfway through his recovery, which wasn't surprising.
The residents of the Kingdom of the Cornstalk are the type that mind their business. They don't ask questions. They are very reserved. So by their standards, you aren't supposed to ask cashiers what their deal is. I, however, love knowing people's story. I'm so interested in people!
Maybe i'm nosy, maybe i'm considerate; i can't decide.
I'll tell ya though, it allowed me to understand a little bit of why young kids ask so many questions! In the span of two errands, i was overwhelmed by questions, and felt like my 3-year-old. Who is that girl, Mama? Is she new here? Oh, she's not? Where is she from? What is she doing here? Why does she have that accent? Will she be here again? Why is that guy wearing that funny thing on his neck? What did the MRI show? Is his spinal cord bruised? Did he get Mannitol? Did he have to have surgery?
I guess i'll have to be patient with the incessant questioning, since i'm the exact same way myself!
Today i was there picking up ingredients to make a chicken stock for my poor puking BabyGirl. The cashier was a girl i've never seen before, which immediately aroused my curiosity. I know (or at least recognize) all the employees there. Who is the new girl? Recently they were accepting applications for a new hire, is she the one? But she was all on her own, without a preceptor hovering behind, telling her what to do. So if she's new, how is she off of orientation already? She was very confident and skilled in what she was doing; clearly she knew the ropes. She was also extremely outgoing and friendly to all the customers, so she also loved her job.
But who was she?
Another characteristic about her that was immediately obvious was her strong Great Lakes accent. People around here don't have much of an accent. She sounded like she was straight from Pure Michigan or the Green Bay area.
As i stood in line waiting my turn, i tried to decide if and how many questions i could\should ask her. I have a strict policy on not asking strangers the questions they probably get asked 1500 times a day. Being pregnant teaches you that. When i was working while pregnant with the BabyGirl, i had the type of job where my customers were completely new every day. I had an average of 20 customers during the course of the day. Multiply 20 people by 3 days per week by 9 months, that is a heck of a lot of times being asked how far along i was, what i was having, what's the name, are you having twins, my your belly is small!, Good Lord your belly is huge!, etc. As a result, i resolved not to put others through that torture.
If she is in fact the new Aldi employee, then i'd kind of like to introduce myself and welcome her to the team. My mother told me that at 3 years old, i loved talking to new people, and not much has changed.
As i was contemplating this, the [presumably] district manager walked/rushed past. He enthusiastically greeted her by name and said something about, "You getting along okay here?" or maybe "Things are pretty similar to what you're used to, you finding everything okay?" Whatever it was, it let me to believe that she was a substitute cashier filling in from a different store. It explained a lot! It explained why she was so good as what she was doing, but i'd never seen her at this location. Well this was fascinating to me, and raised several more questions.
In the end, i didn't say anything.
My next stop on the way home was Starbucks. Granny gave me a gift card on her visit, and then her friend gave me one too, so i've been enjoying Starbucks recently! I walked into Starbucks and the barista was wearing a hard C-collar.
Whoa, so interesting!
Of course i needed to know the full story on that. Was it a diving accident? A bad case of torticollis? Could he feel his toes?
But man, the poor guy must get asked about it 1500 times a day. A C-collar is infinitely more attention-grabbing than a Michigan accent. The former ER nurse had to know the full story, yet the formerly pregnant nurse would not permit herself to ask.
In the end, i couldn't bear it another minute. At least i waited until after he rang up my order. Turns out, it was a bicycle accident. He was riding his bike and got hit by a Trailblazer running a red light. It was a good story, i gotta say. I was glad i asked =]. The trouble was, i wanted to know more. What was the extent of his injuries? How long was he in the hospital? What is his specific cervical neck trouble?
He said that he was lucky to be doing as well as he was, which was the bona fide truth. He also said he was only about halfway through his recovery, which wasn't surprising.
The residents of the Kingdom of the Cornstalk are the type that mind their business. They don't ask questions. They are very reserved. So by their standards, you aren't supposed to ask cashiers what their deal is. I, however, love knowing people's story. I'm so interested in people!
Maybe i'm nosy, maybe i'm considerate; i can't decide.
I'll tell ya though, it allowed me to understand a little bit of why young kids ask so many questions! In the span of two errands, i was overwhelmed by questions, and felt like my 3-year-old. Who is that girl, Mama? Is she new here? Oh, she's not? Where is she from? What is she doing here? Why does she have that accent? Will she be here again? Why is that guy wearing that funny thing on his neck? What did the MRI show? Is his spinal cord bruised? Did he get Mannitol? Did he have to have surgery?
I guess i'll have to be patient with the incessant questioning, since i'm the exact same way myself!
Monday, May 13, 2013
Daddy's Girls
The BabyGirl is a major Daddy's girl.
And understandably so, he is a world-class Daddy. I happen to love him quite a bit myself, so I'm not surprised that she thinks he is great too.
Sometimes, however, i want to tell her, "Back off; he's mine! I had him first!" She seems to think that his sole purpose in life is to spend every waking moment with her. This doesn't always work for him. Or for me.
So with Bright Eyes i hoped that she would not be a Daddy's girl, cause it's getting to be stiff competition around here! Sometimes there isn't enough of him to go around.
Well guess what, Bright Eyes ADORES Daddy. Thinks he's the greatest thing ever. Whenever he enters the room, she drops whatever she is doing and insists that he hold her right that very minute. If i happen to be holding her when she lays eyes on Daddy, she leaps out of my arms like a flying squirrel. They are very sweet together. They have this cute thing where The Professor rubs his face on her cheek (kind of like a kitty does), and then she rubs her face on his cheek. Of course Daddy gives the best tickles and the best raspberries on her tummy.
It is an unbearable hardship for the BabyGirl to be parted from Daddy during the course of the workday. It then becomes an unbearable hardship for me to deal with the BabyGirl and her anguish. To cope, we have instituted two "Daddy Songs." The first one we composed a year ago, and it goes like this:
(to the tune of Frere Jacques)
Where is Daddy, Where is Daddy?
He's at work
He's at work
Daaaaaddy loves you
Daaaaaddy loves you
Yes he does, Yes he does
This past week, we came up with another one. It was about 4:30pm and Daddy was due home at 5:30. The BabyGirl had asked if Daddy was coming home. I told her that yes! he was coming soon. Well she needed to know the specifics of how soon is soon. Is he driving in his car right now? No. In that case, it's not soon at all and the devastation shall continue. We got into a debate of semantics. I could easily tell her that he would be home in an hour, but that had no significance to her. For some reason she kept saying, "Is he coming home soon, or sooner?" And thus our next Daddy song was born:
Soon and very soon, we are going to see our Daddy!
Soon and very soon, we are going to see our Daddy!
Soon and very soon, we are going to see our Daddy!
Hallelujah, hallelujah, we are going to see our Daddy!
He'll come home at 5 o'clock, we are going to see our Daddy!
He'll come home at 5 o'clock, we are going to see our Daddy!
He'll come home at 5 o'clock, we are going to see our Daddy!
Hallelujah, hallelujah, we are going to see our Daddy!
I think i sang that song for a solid hour until Daddy got home.
Recently the BabyGirl and Daddy have begun a tradition of eating popsicles together outside on the doorstep after dinner. When The Professor was little, Grandma Jackie always made homemade Koolaid popsicles. To this day, every time he visits Grandma Jackie's house (which regrettably is not very often), she always has homemade popsicles for him. Years and years ago she gave us a set of popsicle molds so we could make them too! The BabyGirl loves them and loves eating them together with Daddy even more. They made a game out of sneaking bites from the other's popsicle. It's a very special time that they share together.
Even though at times i'm kind of unwilling to share The Professor with these little usurpers, I'm unendingly greatful for what a great father he is. Both our girls love him with their whole hearts. Thank you Professor for your devotion to our family!
And understandably so, he is a world-class Daddy. I happen to love him quite a bit myself, so I'm not surprised that she thinks he is great too.
Sometimes, however, i want to tell her, "Back off; he's mine! I had him first!" She seems to think that his sole purpose in life is to spend every waking moment with her. This doesn't always work for him. Or for me.
So with Bright Eyes i hoped that she would not be a Daddy's girl, cause it's getting to be stiff competition around here! Sometimes there isn't enough of him to go around.
Well guess what, Bright Eyes ADORES Daddy. Thinks he's the greatest thing ever. Whenever he enters the room, she drops whatever she is doing and insists that he hold her right that very minute. If i happen to be holding her when she lays eyes on Daddy, she leaps out of my arms like a flying squirrel. They are very sweet together. They have this cute thing where The Professor rubs his face on her cheek (kind of like a kitty does), and then she rubs her face on his cheek. Of course Daddy gives the best tickles and the best raspberries on her tummy.
It is an unbearable hardship for the BabyGirl to be parted from Daddy during the course of the workday. It then becomes an unbearable hardship for me to deal with the BabyGirl and her anguish. To cope, we have instituted two "Daddy Songs." The first one we composed a year ago, and it goes like this:
(to the tune of Frere Jacques)
Where is Daddy, Where is Daddy?
He's at work
He's at work
Daaaaaddy loves you
Daaaaaddy loves you
Yes he does, Yes he does
This past week, we came up with another one. It was about 4:30pm and Daddy was due home at 5:30. The BabyGirl had asked if Daddy was coming home. I told her that yes! he was coming soon. Well she needed to know the specifics of how soon is soon. Is he driving in his car right now? No. In that case, it's not soon at all and the devastation shall continue. We got into a debate of semantics. I could easily tell her that he would be home in an hour, but that had no significance to her. For some reason she kept saying, "Is he coming home soon, or sooner?" And thus our next Daddy song was born:
Soon and very soon, we are going to see our Daddy!
Soon and very soon, we are going to see our Daddy!
Soon and very soon, we are going to see our Daddy!
Hallelujah, hallelujah, we are going to see our Daddy!
He'll come home at 5 o'clock, we are going to see our Daddy!
He'll come home at 5 o'clock, we are going to see our Daddy!
He'll come home at 5 o'clock, we are going to see our Daddy!
Hallelujah, hallelujah, we are going to see our Daddy!
I think i sang that song for a solid hour until Daddy got home.
Recently the BabyGirl and Daddy have begun a tradition of eating popsicles together outside on the doorstep after dinner. When The Professor was little, Grandma Jackie always made homemade Koolaid popsicles. To this day, every time he visits Grandma Jackie's house (which regrettably is not very often), she always has homemade popsicles for him. Years and years ago she gave us a set of popsicle molds so we could make them too! The BabyGirl loves them and loves eating them together with Daddy even more. They made a game out of sneaking bites from the other's popsicle. It's a very special time that they share together.
Even though at times i'm kind of unwilling to share The Professor with these little usurpers, I'm unendingly greatful for what a great father he is. Both our girls love him with their whole hearts. Thank you Professor for your devotion to our family!
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Regarding Mother's Day
Attention Everyone:
Due to the Three-Year-Old Sleeping Crisis of 2013, Your Mother's Day cards have not been made\purchased yet. As such, they will not arrive by Mother's Day. They may or may not become purchased prior to Mother's Day 2014.
Perhaps we'll just declare this The Year of the Fathers. Last year i handmade Mother's Day cards for all the notable women in the family, and then didn't really do squat for the grandfathers on Father's Day. So this year we'll reverse that; we will make great Father's Day cards but not do much for Mother's Day.
I wish i had mad graphic design skills like the talented Laura G! Then i would just take that picture of the girls in the stroller wearing their sunglasses and add "Happy Mother's Day" in a totally awesome font in whatever color is popular in graphic design this year. (I'm thinking coral? I don't know, i have to get Molly Z to keep me informed about these types of things).
With or without Mother's Day, i am extremely greatful for Grandmother, Granny, Mother, Kay, Grandma Jackie, and Mimi! We love you guys so much. Thank you for all your love and encouragement across the distance. You are all a very important part of our life, even though we don't get much together time.
Happy Mother's Day!
Due to the Three-Year-Old Sleeping Crisis of 2013, Your Mother's Day cards have not been made\purchased yet. As such, they will not arrive by Mother's Day. They may or may not become purchased prior to Mother's Day 2014.
Perhaps we'll just declare this The Year of the Fathers. Last year i handmade Mother's Day cards for all the notable women in the family, and then didn't really do squat for the grandfathers on Father's Day. So this year we'll reverse that; we will make great Father's Day cards but not do much for Mother's Day.
I wish i had mad graphic design skills like the talented Laura G! Then i would just take that picture of the girls in the stroller wearing their sunglasses and add "Happy Mother's Day" in a totally awesome font in whatever color is popular in graphic design this year. (I'm thinking coral? I don't know, i have to get Molly Z to keep me informed about these types of things).
With or without Mother's Day, i am extremely greatful for Grandmother, Granny, Mother, Kay, Grandma Jackie, and Mimi! We love you guys so much. Thank you for all your love and encouragement across the distance. You are all a very important part of our life, even though we don't get much together time.
Happy Mother's Day!
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
They Are Both Napping!
Oh my gosh people! Today both girls are napping! Simultaneously! It's a miracle!
Naptime has become the worse part of my day. The BabyGirl is in the midst of some horrible sleeping problems, and it has been a good long while since she took a nap. The last time she actually slept during naptime, Bright Eyes was teething, and did not take a nap.
It feels like millenia since the last time i had a moment to myself to think my own personal thoughts.
But today we have silence and stillness. Had i known this was going to happen, i would have taken a much-needed nap myself. I can't decide what to do with this free time!!! Should i run a marathon? Or discover the cure for cancer? Or balance the nation's budget?
I have 78 stories i want to blog about, and 79 articles to edit. There are oodles of dishes to wash, and mountains of laundry. It's been forever since i called my sister Kay, and i need to write back to Emily.
Truthfully, i just want to sit still.
Naptime has become the worse part of my day. The BabyGirl is in the midst of some horrible sleeping problems, and it has been a good long while since she took a nap. The last time she actually slept during naptime, Bright Eyes was teething, and did not take a nap.
It feels like millenia since the last time i had a moment to myself to think my own personal thoughts.
But today we have silence and stillness. Had i known this was going to happen, i would have taken a much-needed nap myself. I can't decide what to do with this free time!!! Should i run a marathon? Or discover the cure for cancer? Or balance the nation's budget?
I have 78 stories i want to blog about, and 79 articles to edit. There are oodles of dishes to wash, and mountains of laundry. It's been forever since i called my sister Kay, and i need to write back to Emily.
Truthfully, i just want to sit still.
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Just Because It's Sunny, Doesn't Mean It's Warm
Easter this year was very hard. The week leading up to Easter was difficult, exhausting, draining, and painful. It was reminiscent of the suffering that Jesus Himself endured that week. Easter Sunday is supposed to be a joyful time of celebration, but we didn't feel like celebrating. Honestly, had it not been Easter Sunday, we would have stayed home from church because we just didn't have it in us. We were tired, worn, and broken.
But the truth of the matter is that tired, worn, and broken people are exactly why Jesus came to earth in the first place. So we took ourselves to church with gratitude for His sacrifice and with hope in His victory.
It was quite a task to get everyone dressed, primped, and beautified in time arrive at church 30 minutes early. Not our usual 10 minutes late, but EARLY. The minute we walked in the door, the BabyGirl spotted her best friend and kindred spirit, Addy. Addy was also wearing a purple dress and they made an adorable pair. Anytime the BabyGirl and Addy are together, a massive hugfest ensues. They embraced each other tightly and everyone around ooo-ed and ahh-ed. It was very sweet.
Since we went through the ordeal of getting all dressed up, gosh darn it i wanted some pictures to commemorate. And not just ordinary sitting-on-the-same-old-couch pictures. I wanted great pictures! Clearly, the place to take great Easter pictures is outside. Growing up, we always took pictures in our elaborate handmade Easter dresses standing in front of blooming azaleas, tulip trees, or daffodils.
Well, we don't have blooming azaleas here in the frozen tundra. But on that particular day we had abundant sunshine! With glorious sunlight, how can you go wrong? I herded all the younglings outside for some wonderful family photos. Once we got outside, the reality became obvious: it was freezing cold.
Bright Eyes was the first one to voice her opinion. She's never had an Easter before, so she wasn't aware of my childhood photo-taking traditions.
What bothered the BabyGirl was the frigid wind. She complained, "I need a hat!!! My hair is blowing everywhere!!! I don't want my hair blowing!!!"
We all tromped back inside for warmer clothes, and then went out to try again.
It was short-lived, however. Eventually we had to face the facts and take pictures in the same place we always take pictures. The only spot in our entire house that has decent light is the living room couch.
But the truth of the matter is that tired, worn, and broken people are exactly why Jesus came to earth in the first place. So we took ourselves to church with gratitude for His sacrifice and with hope in His victory.
It was quite a task to get everyone dressed, primped, and beautified in time arrive at church 30 minutes early. Not our usual 10 minutes late, but EARLY. The minute we walked in the door, the BabyGirl spotted her best friend and kindred spirit, Addy. Addy was also wearing a purple dress and they made an adorable pair. Anytime the BabyGirl and Addy are together, a massive hugfest ensues. They embraced each other tightly and everyone around ooo-ed and ahh-ed. It was very sweet.
Since we went through the ordeal of getting all dressed up, gosh darn it i wanted some pictures to commemorate. And not just ordinary sitting-on-the-same-old-couch pictures. I wanted great pictures! Clearly, the place to take great Easter pictures is outside. Growing up, we always took pictures in our elaborate handmade Easter dresses standing in front of blooming azaleas, tulip trees, or daffodils.
Well, we don't have blooming azaleas here in the frozen tundra. But on that particular day we had abundant sunshine! With glorious sunlight, how can you go wrong? I herded all the younglings outside for some wonderful family photos. Once we got outside, the reality became obvious: it was freezing cold.
Bright Eyes was the first one to voice her opinion. She's never had an Easter before, so she wasn't aware of my childhood photo-taking traditions.
What's wrong with you people??? It's freezing out here!!!
What bothered the BabyGirl was the frigid wind. She complained, "I need a hat!!! My hair is blowing everywhere!!! I don't want my hair blowing!!!"
We all tromped back inside for warmer clothes, and then went out to try again.
It was short-lived, however. Eventually we had to face the facts and take pictures in the same place we always take pictures. The only spot in our entire house that has decent light is the living room couch.
Much better.
For Easter dinner, we were invited out into the country to visit the Griffiths. We had such a wonderful time! They have a beautiful home on 40 acres with a picturesque view in every direction. Their middle-school aged daughter Selena was so sweet and patient with the BabyGirl, helping her to feel comfortable in a new environment. Because we had such stimulating conversation, we stayed well past the girls' bedtime, a costly sacrifice that we don't make for just anyone. Our time together with them was so rejuvenating after our draining week.
My main disappointment was that i didn't get to do as much teaching with the BabyGirl during Holy Week as i wanted to. We weren't able to properly focus on Jesus' death and resurrection because of other issues going on. Yet somehow, she managed to absorb a lot and i'm so thankful! During the church service, in that quiet moment when the singing has finished and everyone just sat down, she exclaimed excitedly, "We're here because Jesus' boo-boos are all better!" And later at home she said to The Professor, "Silly Jesus! He needs to put His cross away when He is done with it!"
The next day we had some Christian music playing on Pandora. I don't even remember which song it was, but there was a line that said, "He is risen." The BabyGirl was so energetic, "They said 'He is risen' just like Jesus is risen!"
He is risen indeed!
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Anticipatory Helping
(This is a story from February that i never found the time to finish. Now that spring might actually happen, I am trying to wrap up all my winter posts!)
The adjustment to life with a new baby sister was a difficult one for the BabyGirl. She loved her sister, you better believe it, but all of a sudden life was different. It was uncertain and unpredictable. These bleary-eyed zombies who had replaced Mama and Daddy didn't act right. They hardly ever smiled, they didn't play as much, and they constantly demanded silence.
The BabyGirl's confusion intensified when The Professor first went back to work and left me to keep the two girls alive all on my own. In those early months, it took FOREVER to put Bright Eyes down for a nap. During the seemingly interminable process, the BabyGirl would stand in the corner and bawl her eyes out. Because of her loud crying, it then took double-forever to get Bright Eyes to sleep. I employed my most creative age-appropriate logic to inform her that as soon as Bright Eyes went to sleep, she would have me all to herself! We could snuggle and laugh and read books and play dolls just the two of us. But the louder that she was during the put-down process, the longer it would take, and the longer until i could devote myself to her.
She could not grasp the concept.
Eventually though, life settled down and the uncertainty abated. Or at least it settled down a little. She understood our new rhythm and no longer cried during Bright Eyes' sleeping procedures.
And then, one magical day, she was a step ahead of me.
I was changing Bright Eyes' diaper in preparation for a nap. The BabyGirl was perched in her spot, standing on the arm of a chair next to the changing table so she could interact with Bright Eyes. In my head i thought about asking the BabyGirl to grab the Woombie from Bright Eyes' crib. I decided against it because it sounded so lazy of me; for crying out loud it was four steps to the left.
Well that BabyGirl hopped down from the arm of the chair, got the woombie, and proudly presented it to me at the changing table! IT WAS LIKE SHE READ MY MIND. Since i never verbalized my request to her, it was kinda creepy that she did it immediately.
I gushed with thanks to her because i truly was impressed. Then she abruptly ran out of the rooom. I thought it was odd, but whatever. I continued woombying up Bright Eyes. A moment later the BabyGirl returned, lugging one of her little chairs. Ugh, i thought. We're having such a happy time, i don't want to get onto her for that right now.
She had recently realized that if you want something that is out of your reach, simply use a chair! Need something from the very back of the kitchen counter? Bring a chair over! Want something from on top of the dresser? Get a chair!
There were chairs in every room of the house. She was constantly taking those things into the kitchen to reach all kinds of dangerous things. Her favorite was to take a chair into the bathroom to turn on the bathroom sink and play in the water for 30 minutes while i was occupied with Bright Eyes. I was SO OVER IT with her chairs. All of a sudden the only safe place to hide things i didn't want her to have was on top of the fridge. You can only fit so many things on top of the fridge, and i had exceeded capacity.
It was our daily struggle; her bringing the chairs out of the living room and me taking them back.
So when i saw her schlepping a chair into Bright Eyes' room at the exact minute i needed stillness and silence for the naptime protocol, i was annoyed. But i held back for a minute to see what would develop before i laid down the law on the chair.
She placed the chair in front of the light switch. Then she stood on it with her hand hovering over the switch. She was at the ready for my command. She said to me, "I'll turn the light out for you, Mama!"
Once again, i was amazed. She knew the naptime sequence by heart, and was helping me before i could even ask! She anticipated my next move and started working to meet my needs without me having to request it.
It was so beautiful. My sweet girl had come such a long way from the days when she had stood in the corner and cried her eyes out. She studied my every move for months until she figured things out, and now here she is confidently participating. It reminded me of Jesus saying, "I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business." The BabyGirl knew my business, and was actively involved.
Anticipatory helping is a very valuable gift. It requires insight into a person's needs, and a well-timed intervention. It involves an understanding of the situation.
During the past few weeks, we have been blessed by a wonderful act of anticipatory helping by The Professor's dad, aka The Judge.
You see, our tiny little rental house comes with two driveways and 17 miles of sidewalks. Seriously, i think that we have more square footage of concrete outside our house than we have flooring inside it. When we first looked at this house, it was summer. It did not occur to us at the time what all that concrete signified: HOURS OF SHOVELLING IN THE WINTER.
We did not own a snow blower when we moved here from the Big City. We did at least own a shovel, but through some mix-up it got left behind (and subsequently stolen). During that first winter here, we could barely afford toilet paper, let alone a snow blower. We bought the cheapest, humblest snow blower that money could buy. In its defense, it is better than shovelling by hand. But it is no match for the 17 miles of sidewalks. On an average snowfall, it takes four hours to clear one driveway and all the sidewalks (we gave up on driveway #2). It is a huge time commitment for the poor Professor, with many late nights and early mornings out in the snow.
In a huge act of love and generosity, The Judge gave us a wonderful gift! He arranged for a snow removal company to come clear our snow. He did all the research, got estimates, selected a company, and paid for it all behind our backs. We were not involved at all. A big winter storm was headed our way with a forecasted 12 inches of snow. The Judge called and said that he had handled everything! All we had to do was sit back and wait for the snow man to come!
Because of The Judge's generosity, we were able to have the best snow day of our lives. We made some beautiful family memories that i will carry with me always. Relieved of the burden of snow removal, we were able to have a completely carefree day playing in the snow and enjoying ourselves. The BabyGirl in particular had the time of her life! We tromped and sledded and made snowmen to our hearts' content! The BabyGirl thinks that the best thing to do with snow is to eat it, so she chowed down. It was so much fun.
Without The Judge's gift, our day would have been much different. The BabyGirl would have been elated to find that Daddy was not going to work! And then she would have been crushed to discover that he had to spend the equivalent of a work day outside clearing snow. When he finally finished, she would have said, "Now can we go play in the snow???" But he would be sick and tired of snow, having just spent six hours fighting to subdue it.
Another benefit of all that free time was that The Professor was able to help our elderly backyard neighbor with her sidewalks. It was the gift that kept on giving!
We are SO THANKFUL to The Judge for giving us a wonderful day together as a family! Well, Bright Eyes might not be quite so thankful. She did not enjoy being stuffed into her bunny suit and dragged out into the cold:
However, the rest of us enjoyed it enough to make up for her!
The adjustment to life with a new baby sister was a difficult one for the BabyGirl. She loved her sister, you better believe it, but all of a sudden life was different. It was uncertain and unpredictable. These bleary-eyed zombies who had replaced Mama and Daddy didn't act right. They hardly ever smiled, they didn't play as much, and they constantly demanded silence.
The BabyGirl's confusion intensified when The Professor first went back to work and left me to keep the two girls alive all on my own. In those early months, it took FOREVER to put Bright Eyes down for a nap. During the seemingly interminable process, the BabyGirl would stand in the corner and bawl her eyes out. Because of her loud crying, it then took double-forever to get Bright Eyes to sleep. I employed my most creative age-appropriate logic to inform her that as soon as Bright Eyes went to sleep, she would have me all to herself! We could snuggle and laugh and read books and play dolls just the two of us. But the louder that she was during the put-down process, the longer it would take, and the longer until i could devote myself to her.
She could not grasp the concept.
Eventually though, life settled down and the uncertainty abated. Or at least it settled down a little. She understood our new rhythm and no longer cried during Bright Eyes' sleeping procedures.
And then, one magical day, she was a step ahead of me.
I was changing Bright Eyes' diaper in preparation for a nap. The BabyGirl was perched in her spot, standing on the arm of a chair next to the changing table so she could interact with Bright Eyes. In my head i thought about asking the BabyGirl to grab the Woombie from Bright Eyes' crib. I decided against it because it sounded so lazy of me; for crying out loud it was four steps to the left.
Well that BabyGirl hopped down from the arm of the chair, got the woombie, and proudly presented it to me at the changing table! IT WAS LIKE SHE READ MY MIND. Since i never verbalized my request to her, it was kinda creepy that she did it immediately.
I gushed with thanks to her because i truly was impressed. Then she abruptly ran out of the rooom. I thought it was odd, but whatever. I continued woombying up Bright Eyes. A moment later the BabyGirl returned, lugging one of her little chairs. Ugh, i thought. We're having such a happy time, i don't want to get onto her for that right now.
She had recently realized that if you want something that is out of your reach, simply use a chair! Need something from the very back of the kitchen counter? Bring a chair over! Want something from on top of the dresser? Get a chair!
There were chairs in every room of the house. She was constantly taking those things into the kitchen to reach all kinds of dangerous things. Her favorite was to take a chair into the bathroom to turn on the bathroom sink and play in the water for 30 minutes while i was occupied with Bright Eyes. I was SO OVER IT with her chairs. All of a sudden the only safe place to hide things i didn't want her to have was on top of the fridge. You can only fit so many things on top of the fridge, and i had exceeded capacity.
It was our daily struggle; her bringing the chairs out of the living room and me taking them back.
So when i saw her schlepping a chair into Bright Eyes' room at the exact minute i needed stillness and silence for the naptime protocol, i was annoyed. But i held back for a minute to see what would develop before i laid down the law on the chair.
She placed the chair in front of the light switch. Then she stood on it with her hand hovering over the switch. She was at the ready for my command. She said to me, "I'll turn the light out for you, Mama!"
Once again, i was amazed. She knew the naptime sequence by heart, and was helping me before i could even ask! She anticipated my next move and started working to meet my needs without me having to request it.
It was so beautiful. My sweet girl had come such a long way from the days when she had stood in the corner and cried her eyes out. She studied my every move for months until she figured things out, and now here she is confidently participating. It reminded me of Jesus saying, "I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business." The BabyGirl knew my business, and was actively involved.
Anticipatory helping is a very valuable gift. It requires insight into a person's needs, and a well-timed intervention. It involves an understanding of the situation.
During the past few weeks, we have been blessed by a wonderful act of anticipatory helping by The Professor's dad, aka The Judge.
You see, our tiny little rental house comes with two driveways and 17 miles of sidewalks. Seriously, i think that we have more square footage of concrete outside our house than we have flooring inside it. When we first looked at this house, it was summer. It did not occur to us at the time what all that concrete signified: HOURS OF SHOVELLING IN THE WINTER.
We did not own a snow blower when we moved here from the Big City. We did at least own a shovel, but through some mix-up it got left behind (and subsequently stolen). During that first winter here, we could barely afford toilet paper, let alone a snow blower. We bought the cheapest, humblest snow blower that money could buy. In its defense, it is better than shovelling by hand. But it is no match for the 17 miles of sidewalks. On an average snowfall, it takes four hours to clear one driveway and all the sidewalks (we gave up on driveway #2). It is a huge time commitment for the poor Professor, with many late nights and early mornings out in the snow.
In a huge act of love and generosity, The Judge gave us a wonderful gift! He arranged for a snow removal company to come clear our snow. He did all the research, got estimates, selected a company, and paid for it all behind our backs. We were not involved at all. A big winter storm was headed our way with a forecasted 12 inches of snow. The Judge called and said that he had handled everything! All we had to do was sit back and wait for the snow man to come!
Because of The Judge's generosity, we were able to have the best snow day of our lives. We made some beautiful family memories that i will carry with me always. Relieved of the burden of snow removal, we were able to have a completely carefree day playing in the snow and enjoying ourselves. The BabyGirl in particular had the time of her life! We tromped and sledded and made snowmen to our hearts' content! The BabyGirl thinks that the best thing to do with snow is to eat it, so she chowed down. It was so much fun.
Without The Judge's gift, our day would have been much different. The BabyGirl would have been elated to find that Daddy was not going to work! And then she would have been crushed to discover that he had to spend the equivalent of a work day outside clearing snow. When he finally finished, she would have said, "Now can we go play in the snow???" But he would be sick and tired of snow, having just spent six hours fighting to subdue it.
Another benefit of all that free time was that The Professor was able to help our elderly backyard neighbor with her sidewalks. It was the gift that kept on giving!
We are SO THANKFUL to The Judge for giving us a wonderful day together as a family! Well, Bright Eyes might not be quite so thankful. She did not enjoy being stuffed into her bunny suit and dragged out into the cold:
However, the rest of us enjoyed it enough to make up for her!
Saturday, March 9, 2013
Bible Sisters Inspire Confidence
Last night we had dinner at "Chick-a-way" as a special treat. We're technically not supposed to eat Chick-a-way, but every now and then we cave in. The BabyGirl of course LOVES the play place. And with 8 inches of snow of the ground, what kid wouldn't???
The trouble is that as much as she loves it, she is too timid and cautious to climb up through the tunnels. Honestly i don't blame her, it is very high up and you cannot see most of it from the ground, so you wouldn't know until you were up there what it is like or where it goes. She is definitely a girl who likes to study a thing and think about it before proceeding. To a little girl, those stairs going up to a hidden tunnel that becomes a slide look a whole lot like the treacherous stairs that Gollum leads Frodo and Sam up in The Return of the King. She has no proof that there is not an enormous, deadly spider lurking inside. So she stays on the ground, running around and enjoying the general excitement and hullabaloo typical of an indoor play place. Nonetheless, she is missing out on a major part of the experience.
Currently she also LOVES other girls. She gets soooo excited to see girls when we are out and about at the grocery, Walmart, restaurants, or wherever. Other girls are her favorite.
While we were eating our dinner at Chick-a-way, before going to the play place, i saw a family with three beautiful brown-haired stairstep girls come in. They sat several booths away, out of view of the BabyGirl. I knew she was going to go nuts over those girls. You know how sometimes you can just tell by the look of a family that they are quality people? This family had that look. I am not sure exactly how old the girls were, from my estimate maybe 8, 6, and 4.
Once we finished eating, The Professor and the BabyGirl took off for the playplace. Not long after, the brown-haired stairstep sisters went in also. Bright Eyes and i stayed at our table. I did not have a full view of the playplace; i could only see a small portion. They played in there for what seemed like forever to a person holding a wiggly, squiggly, bouncy, squeeling baby.
When The Professor and the BabyGirl emerged triumphantly, The Professor announced, "The BabyGirl climbed up to the top! And went down the slide! She did it and it was so much fun!" Her proud, beaming face confirmed his assertions.
I wondered what in the world had motivated her to take the plunge and go for it??? The Professor told me the story:
She did in fact notice the Stairstep Sisters and began playing with them. She told them, "I'm chasing you!" and they had fun pretending to be chased. Then they bounded up the stairs and she stopped dead in her tracks like they had just run into a pit of molten lava. The oldest sister noticed that the BabyGirl was not following. She said sweetly, "Don't you want to chase us?"
Then the three sisters took the BabyGirl under their wing. They led her up the steep stairs and guided her through the tunnels. They played with her up there in the highest heights and looked after her. Then they helped her onto the slide, where she zoomed down and was scooped up into The Professor's safe arms.
The Professor overheard the sister's names during the course of all the playing: Esther, Abigail, and Naomi. I knew there was a reason that i liked those girls! The BabyGirl fit right in. If her hair was a little less auburn and a little more brown, she could have passed as their fourth sister. They certainly treated her as such! I'm so greatful to them for their compassion. They took the time to notice a shy 2-year-old in a crowd of running kids, and it blessed her tremendously. They embodied all kinds of Bible verses that they may or may not have even learned yet. And they definitely exhibited the same strength of character as their namesakes.
May God bless the Bible Sisters, and continue the good work that He has done in their hearts!
The trouble is that as much as she loves it, she is too timid and cautious to climb up through the tunnels. Honestly i don't blame her, it is very high up and you cannot see most of it from the ground, so you wouldn't know until you were up there what it is like or where it goes. She is definitely a girl who likes to study a thing and think about it before proceeding. To a little girl, those stairs going up to a hidden tunnel that becomes a slide look a whole lot like the treacherous stairs that Gollum leads Frodo and Sam up in The Return of the King. She has no proof that there is not an enormous, deadly spider lurking inside. So she stays on the ground, running around and enjoying the general excitement and hullabaloo typical of an indoor play place. Nonetheless, she is missing out on a major part of the experience.
Currently she also LOVES other girls. She gets soooo excited to see girls when we are out and about at the grocery, Walmart, restaurants, or wherever. Other girls are her favorite.
While we were eating our dinner at Chick-a-way, before going to the play place, i saw a family with three beautiful brown-haired stairstep girls come in. They sat several booths away, out of view of the BabyGirl. I knew she was going to go nuts over those girls. You know how sometimes you can just tell by the look of a family that they are quality people? This family had that look. I am not sure exactly how old the girls were, from my estimate maybe 8, 6, and 4.
Once we finished eating, The Professor and the BabyGirl took off for the playplace. Not long after, the brown-haired stairstep sisters went in also. Bright Eyes and i stayed at our table. I did not have a full view of the playplace; i could only see a small portion. They played in there for what seemed like forever to a person holding a wiggly, squiggly, bouncy, squeeling baby.
When The Professor and the BabyGirl emerged triumphantly, The Professor announced, "The BabyGirl climbed up to the top! And went down the slide! She did it and it was so much fun!" Her proud, beaming face confirmed his assertions.
I wondered what in the world had motivated her to take the plunge and go for it??? The Professor told me the story:
She did in fact notice the Stairstep Sisters and began playing with them. She told them, "I'm chasing you!" and they had fun pretending to be chased. Then they bounded up the stairs and she stopped dead in her tracks like they had just run into a pit of molten lava. The oldest sister noticed that the BabyGirl was not following. She said sweetly, "Don't you want to chase us?"
Then the three sisters took the BabyGirl under their wing. They led her up the steep stairs and guided her through the tunnels. They played with her up there in the highest heights and looked after her. Then they helped her onto the slide, where she zoomed down and was scooped up into The Professor's safe arms.
The Professor overheard the sister's names during the course of all the playing: Esther, Abigail, and Naomi. I knew there was a reason that i liked those girls! The BabyGirl fit right in. If her hair was a little less auburn and a little more brown, she could have passed as their fourth sister. They certainly treated her as such! I'm so greatful to them for their compassion. They took the time to notice a shy 2-year-old in a crowd of running kids, and it blessed her tremendously. They embodied all kinds of Bible verses that they may or may not have even learned yet. And they definitely exhibited the same strength of character as their namesakes.
May God bless the Bible Sisters, and continue the good work that He has done in their hearts!
Saturday, February 23, 2013
Five Good Reasons Why I Simply Cannot Look at the Camera Right Now
Mama, i know that you are trying to take a good picture of me in my cute outfit from Gammer and socks from Aunt Kay, but i simply cannot look at the camera right now because:
You see Mama, babies are very busy people are we are not always available to be photographed just because the time is convenient for you.
Look! The kitties are walking by!
I'm chewing on my zebra.
Wow, there is a pattern on this blanket!
Woops, dropped my zebra.
I'm contemplating something i see out the window.
You see Mama, babies are very busy people are we are not always available to be photographed just because the time is convenient for you.
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Playtime Whodunit Solved!
We have a mystery on our hands. One minute Bright Eyes was lying on her playmat, minding her own business:
And the next minute she wasn't!
Who can guess what happened?
Laura is right, big sister was the perpetrator! Big surprise, i know. The thing i find funny about it was that she did it right under my nose! I was sitting at the kitchen table drinking tea and reading something while the girls were playing nicely on the floor. I remember overhearing the BabyGirl saying, "Excuse me! Excuse me, Bright Eyes!"
I am clearly not a multitasker, because the information did not penetrate deep enough into my consciousness to cause me to look up from what i was doing. By the time i did look up, the BabyGirl had moved on to play somewhere else, and poor Bright Eyes was left all alone on the hard kitchen floor with no sister in sight.
However, the BabyGirl's motives were true. At church they cover the nursery floor with interlocking foam mats like these, only bigger and multi-colored. When church is over, everyone pitches in to take the squares apart and stack them up. The little kids love to help. That is why the BabyGirl has been pre-programmed to take the squares apart. Hopefully next time she will learn to wait until Bright Eyes is finished using them!
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