Lessons

Kayla has a habit. Every night after I tuck her in bed, she begins asking me what we are going to do tomorrow and the day after that, and the next day, and the day after that. And so it goes until I finally say I just don't know. Last night she began again.
"Mommy, what are we going to do tomorrow?"
"I don't know."
"Well Mommy, if you don't figure out something to do, we'll end up doing nothing."
How true is that? Indecision really is a decision, isn't it?

Moving on to this morning, I saw a few snowflakes and mentioned that "they" are calling for a few flurries today.
Jack said, "Mom, you never know when a few snowflakes will turn into a blizzard."
That's true on many levels, huh?

I'll tell you, one thing I have learned through these snow showers we have around here has come from the kids' responses to them. I don't think we've gotten more than maybe an inch of snow at a time. But everytime, Jack in particular calls out at some point that it's a blizzard! And I love that to him, it is. And it will always be wonderful until the day comes when we get a decent snow, even just a few inches. Then the dustings may not be so great anymore. It will take more and more to impress him.
Children could be satisfied (and happier) with less but we give them more and more under the guise of generosity or other noble ideas. Often all we really do is make it harder and harder for them to appreciate the little things.
Lessons for me to ponder today.

The Week in Review

I know, it's only Tuesday. But it feels like this week has been much, much longer. I don't want to be a whiner but I have to say this rainy weather has been depressing, especially when one is hoping for snow! I have got such a bad case of spring fever. Warm weather, no more coats, being outside. Being outside... I always forget how important it is for everyone's happiness to be able to spend big chunks of time outdoors. We get out some but it's not the same. So, I'm on a quest to find bright spots in the day. And let's be honest, are they really that hard to find? It's just a matter of looking. Here's a few.

How cool is it when your 5 and 6 year old can make the dinner salad? Kayla sliced up the tomatoes (her favorite) while Jack washed and tore the greens. They had a great time. Doesn't it look good?

OK- this is actually a rocking horse. Samuel believes in finding the best way to climb anything and he usually does!

No words needed.

Home

"She should ask Jack what a soul is, since he seemed to feel the presence of a soul. Cankered, perhaps, but that was what gave him his awareness of it." from Marilynne Robinson's Home

I have thought a lot about what to say about this book. It seems like something must be said. It cannot be left alone-one more returned to the shelf.
This is one of those stories that will stick with me for a long time. My heart broke for these characters, over and over again. Such sadness. The author makes them so real. You ache with them.
They have such need for hope, redemption, forgiveness. All of which seemed to slip through their fingers time after time. Just out of reach.
A must read. Truly.

Our Snowy Day

Pretty, isn't it? The duck pond covered in a little snow.

We went sledding with our friends who live just up the road. There are four boys and a baby girl in that family. Good boys, they are. They took turns carrying Kayla's sled up the hill for her. Several times she and the two oldest boys road down together on one sled. They said she should sit in the middle because "that's the safest place."

Jack calls this his "super-duper rocket ride."

I had to put this video on. I love to hear their laughs.

An Icey Walk

Brian took the kids for a walk to check out the duck pond this weekend. It was freezing! Literally. The kids actually got out on the ice, abou 20 inches according to Jack.

We guessed Samuel was pretty warm on the walk in his snowsuit, since he fell asleep in the stroller. Didn't wake up when Brian brought him in and put him on the couch. Slept just like this for over an hour. What a life!

Git it?

"Git it?"
That's what we hear after most of the jokes Jack tells us. He usually gets them from Highlights magazine.

"OK guys, I have a joke. Ready?"

"Go ahead."

"What do you call a snail on a ship?"
Big grin as we ponder. Not guessing is no option. After a couple tries:

"A snailor. Git it? Sailor, snailor?"

And so it goes with most of his jokes.
Here's my personal favorite.

"Why do cows wear bells?"

"Their horns don't work!"

Git it?

Samuel's First Haircut

Samuel was getting a little scruffy around the ears- as well as a few other places. Time for a haircut. His first. He did great. How did we get this little guy to sit still, you ask?

Two words. Chocolate chips.
(photos by Jack)

Some Jack Stories

It is snowing a little this morning. As I walked down the steps in the dark, I noticed the parking lot is sparkling. This looks like the kind that makes little girls think pixie dust!
Not looking forward to being out in this cold. Planning on hibernating as much as possible!
So we went to a local bookstore yesterday- kind of our trip out before the cold weather hits. We had a little Christmas money so one of the books I bought for the kids was "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory." There are a few books I remember with such fondness because my second grade teacher read them to us. She has always been my favorite. And since Jack enjoys reading so much, I want to give him good books to sink his imagination into.

I guess he started it around 5:30 or so. Getting him to come down for dinner was not easy, getting him to put the book down so he could eat was harder. He took a bath and was back at the book. Somewhere around 9:30 he came down with a huge smile and said, "Guess what mom. I finished it." I love it when some part of a story strikes him as funny and he comes down to share, giggling as he relays it to us.

Sometimes I wonder about his attention to detail in his reading. Some friends gave us a book about missionaries in Persia. He had been reading on it but Brian wanted to read it with him, too. So they were sitting in Brian's office one night. Brian was reading some of what Jack has already read and Jack stopped him, saying, "Dad, there was a period after "go."

I think he must be picking up various phrases from books, too. One that comes to mind is "my heart was in my throat." Not because he said that but because while we talking about how generous someone had been with us (thanks Crystal!) he said, "Mom, when you said that, my lungs jumped up to my brain!"

I guess my last little anecdote on him is from the other night. I'm reading "The House at Pooh Corner" to Kayla. I love to watch her smiles and hear her giggles at Pooh's adventures with his friends. Sometimes Jack listens in. As we were getting into one particularly funny chapter, he laughed and said, "Mommy, this chapter is so funny it's going to be worth two chapters!"

Need a Laugh?

I laughed till I cried. Something about Samuel making this face just cracks me up. I hope you get a laugh, too!

Kayla's Post

We all agree that Samuel gives great hugs.
Kayla says "I love Samuel so much that I was giving Sam a hug, too."

He keeps us laughing if not on our toes.
Kayla also says, "Samuel looks so funny I can't believe it."

Back on Track

After missing two Sundays in a row because of sickness, I was looking forward to getting back to church this morning. It really fed my soul. I felt like I was running on empty in some ways. Been impatient, short-tempered, a little grumpy. Now I'm not saying that going to church equals being nice and happy. But, there is power in the preached Word and worship with other believers is like a balm to my soul. I'm feeling hopeful and thankful.

We get back into our school routine tomorrow. That should be good for all of us. We'll see how it goes...

(I believe this is my 100th post!)

In the Family

Some new friends from church invited us and another couple over for dinner New Year's Day. We hoped to also watch the Orange Bowl but it was a little too late for our kiddos. Go Tech!!!
Anyway, through a conversation I won't go into, it came about that I read the obituaries every morning. Now, to me, this does not seem particularly strange. But our friends thought that sounded crazy. An "old person" thing to do, they said. Hmmm.
I have a morning routine. Always have. It changes a little every now and then. At this point in life, it is a little earlier than it used to be. Around 6 a.m. I make myself a cup of coffee with yummy creamer in it, a waffle or bowl of dry cereal for Samuel, some juice for him, and head upstairs to the recliner. He sits on my lap and enjoys his pre-breakfast snack while I read the paper online. The Harrisonburg paper, the Daily News Record. And the first thing I check is the obituaries. I'd like to know if a former neighbor or family member of a friend passed away. I usually read or at least skim each one. Seems to me that the least I can do is respect a person in death by pausing over their name. My mom reads obituaries, too. Maybe that's where I get it.
Could be that she gets it from her mom, who listens to the funeral announcements on their local radio station each morning. I assume she still does. They play organ music, read an obituary, then play more music. (This is where the earlier mentioned conversation began). I never thought about it but I guess it's in the family. :)

This morning routine really is nice time with Samuel. By the time I'm done reading, he's ready to read some books. Usually "Melmo." (Elmo).

Before I go, another Kayla quote. On our way home last night we were talking about parades. She declared, "If I'm watching a parade and there is no mention of the Lord, then I am turning that thing off!"
She's a funny bird.