now, a six days later, Will’s flowers are even more so and there are still two more buds waiting to open. I don’t even know how to describe the fragrance. It wisps throughout the whole downstairs and catches your nose at the most unexpected moments. It makes me smile each time and I must confess my mouth is starting to hurt. 
I know let’s start out with a bike ride and follow that with a visit to the aquarium. When we get home Brother can spend some wind down time playing on the computer with Sister while Will works on tilling up the hard-packed soil in the chicken coop. Then Will can saddle a horse, grab some fishing poles, snacks and worms and take Sister back to the pond.
Later we’ll visit the saddle shop, help Grandma take care of Baby E., play on the Jumparoo and then on some ramps Will made while he was building saddle stands. When it’s finally time to come in for bed, we can have an especially long storytime; reading “Tales from the Waterhole” and “That’s Not Right!” That second one will be especially fun because we like learning about point of view and the parts of a story and reading about the authors and such. Brother will probably skip the second half of storytime and play trains until bedtime because he’s not so into writing…yet.
Goodnight.
A man and his grill in the softly fading spring light.
A goofy man and his grill.
My father has been the designated griller in the family for many years but this summer is supposed to be different. He and my mother recently purchased a brand new fancy, shmancy grill as a “gift” for Will and my brother-in-law. “Just in case” they thought they “might” want to do “some” (pronounced “all”) of the summer grilling for our family gatherings. Keeping in mind that any family event of ours includes a minimum of 14 warm bodies, Will figured he should get in a little practice on the new grill before such an occasion arose. Two outstanding T-bones and a few sausage links later I think he was satisfied… I know I was.
Did you play?
For purposes of debt reduction, our dates have become less frequent than they used to be but are somehow more precious because of that. The value of uninterrupted discussion in a family with little ones cannot be measured.
“The time has come,” the Walrus said,
“To talk of many things:
Of shoes–and ships–and sealing-wax–
Of cabbages–and kings–
And why the sea is boiling hot–
And whether pigs have wings.”from “Through The Looking Glass”
Whether you believe you can or you can’t, you’re right.
Henry Ford
I doubt Henry Ford knew a lot about birth but he seems to have inately understood the pursuit and capture of any goal. Extenuating circumstances aside, YOU are the deciding factor for success. Your attitude directly affects the outcome of any situation. This is important to understand during pregnancy, labor and birth, and later as a parent.
Remember the Little Engine That Could? The toys on the broken train asked three other engines to take them over the mountain before they finally approached the little blue one. Any of the other three could have easily done it. They were all quite strong but their poor attitudes kept them from even trying. I imagine most of us about to give birth for the first time are very much like the little blue engine. We are unsure of our own strength. The mountain looks so very tall and having never seen over the summit before we are afraid of what we might find. Have courage. You must get over the mountain for the children are waiting. Your child is waiting. Gather up some steam and repeat this mantra to yourself, “I think I can. I think I can. I think I can.”
Read more Birth-Day posts here.
Look what I awoke to this afternoon after a nap. In case you can’t tell from the picture Sister has filled five bottles with varying amounts of water. She runs in excitedly as I pull myself from slumberland. “Look, look! They make different sounds!” I guess technically that should have been “Listen, listen.” but even so I know what you are thinking.
“That Sister is so incredibly clever and resourceful!”
It’s not what you were thinking?
Well, why not?! She IS incredibly clever and resourceful!
You were wondering how I got a nap?
Oh. Well, here’s the thing. After reading this post over at GNM Parents about allowing your kids to fail I decided I was too much of a hover-er (I made that word up … I think. If it’s a real word, then I so knew that.) so anyway I figured I better start letting them fail and get hurt and stuff so they could grow up and be contributing members of society and all that. Problem is I can’t stand to see them fail or get hurt or disappointed. I have found a solution though. Now when it seems they are about to do something dangerous, like uhm, tie a firecracker to the tail of the cat or jump off the roof with a bedsheet, I call out, “Be Careful!”, give a big wave & smile and head in to take a nap. That way they get their lesson and I don’t have to endure the consequences. It’s working really well and I’m getting so much sleep I am almost caught up on lost time from the infant years.
I AM KIDDING! But it was a really good article. You should go read it.
Did you play?
…. uhm, did you play on time or were you a slacker like me I? (Just because I’m tardy doesn’t mean I have to use poor grammar.)
Tonight, Will got the drop on me. He called ahead to say he was on his way home from a certain location More than a little disheveled from the day’s activities
, I decided to pop our dinner in the oven and hop into the shower before he arrived. (Hmm, Hop n Pop – isn’t that a Dr. Suess title? It bothers me only a bit not at all that I know this useless extremely valuable mommy trivia.) Anyway, knowing our city as I do I calculated how long it would take hubby to get from point A to point B and deduced there was just enough time for the aforementioned hop n pop. That is to say there would have been enough time if indeed he had been at point A when he called. In fact, he came waltzing in from some other mysterious point. Let’s call it point F as in florist or flowers or … completely forgiven for his little white lie regarding location.
Will and I have been friends almost 13 years. As of tomorrow we will have been married for 9 of them. It is a great gift to marry your best friend. Oh, look. “F” as in friend.
I had thought to post about how fabulous Mother’s Day was around here but decided against it because I didn’t want to be the cause of envy among the masses. I mean, I’m sure your Mother’s Day was nice but how could it possibly beat waking up to find most of your “To Do” list done? What could be better than having hubby hang out with you all day continually repeating, “Whatever you want, babe”? And if your day didn’t end with the best foot rub/conversation combo ever then how could I, in good conscience brag about how mine did? So, I just decided to keep quiet.
Happy Day After Mother’s Day!
If you have a chance to see this… DO IT! Sister and I arrive half an hour early and we were in the nosebleed section. Still, it was well worth our time.
The Covenant is an original dramatic presentation recounting the miraculous story of the People of Israel, spanning from the calling of Abraham until the estabilshment of the modern State.
Jew or Christian, it’s a powerful presentation that will remind you of God’s enduring faithfulness.
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Yesterday, Brother stumbled down the stairs mid-afternoon whimpering all the way. Not crying, mind you, just a dull whimper.
I was sitting at my computer knee-deep in the glamourous world of Access database queries as he approached.
“Mama?”
“Yes, Brother.”
(pause)
“Mama?”
“Yes, Brother.”
(pause)
“Mama?”
“Brother, would you like to sit with me?”
No answer except his small body struggling up then wrapping itself into the cutest little ball ever.
“Is that better?”
A little sigh followed by even breathing and the occasional snore told me it was.
(In case you’re wondering this is an actual picture of the moment. With my camera only inches away how could I not try to capture the moment?)
