Twins: Music history

Jesse: Well, did you know my guitar teacher told me today that Johnny Cash was really in prison? And then he wrote that song about the prison blues.

[pause]

Sara: Well of course he was in prison - he stole that car!

(Reference: "One Piece at a Time", Johnny Cash)

Wit like the Sahara

Overheard at the lunch table:

Levi: So who's going outside to the trampoline with me? Jesse and Leah?

Leah: It's too cold. I'm going to exercise in here and just take this vitamin (by her plate).

Levi: C'mon, you need fresh air and Vitamin D.

Leah: No, I'm staying in. I said I was going to take this vitamin.

Delaney (barely looking up from her food, an askew glance at the vitamin): You think that holds any sunshine, puddin' pop?

And the prize for comedic timing goes to...

I was on the phone, late to the semi-regular evening Bible time (we're going through Acts together this summer). The kids and Eric were finishing up reading through the section when I slid into my living room chair, and I heard the verse from near the end of Acts 4: "...those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales, and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need."

"Sorry I'm late!" I said. "I hate missing that...are you still reading or are you discussing? Read that one again, it's one of my favorite verses!"

*Long pause as everyone adjusts to Mom's interruption of their train of thought.*

"At that moment she fell down at his feet and died," read Delaney (from Acts 5, which we were not even reading yet).

Right in the middle

The end-of-the-school-year special one-on-one restaurant dates kicked off tonight: Jesse took me and chose The Olive Garden (recently opened in Richmond). He was the best dinner date. It kind of dawned on him about 20 minutes into our time together that he really did have my full attention and no one to interrupt him, and he grabbed hold of the conversation and ran with it. I asked him a few questions when we got there about his favorite part of the year so far, and what he was looking forward to this summer. When there was a lull when we were starting to eat, he got this totally serious look on his face and said, "So, mom, what would you say is the best year of your life?"

Love that boy.

Just a very small sampling of the topics we touched on: Italy, salad dressing varieties, Eric and my life before kids, grapes and wine making, cousin Evan the-absolute-cutest-smartest-1-year-old-in-the-world-today, Christianity, siblings and their quirks, that fettuccine does not necessarily mean alfredo, the proper relationship of the napkin to the meal....and on and on.

He kills me.

He's right in the middle of the pack - a position which has taught him patience, perspective, and more patience.

He's right in the middle of boyhood - halfway between new baby and that age they call "adult". He promised tonight that he'll always be my boy.

Best line: The waitress asked if we were ready to order and he so politely explained exactly what he wanted to her, so politely answered her questions, and so politely asked if the salad had tomatoes and if she could please leave them off.

Me (when she left): You did such a nice job ordering and speaking clearly and kindly to the waitress, Jess. Good job!

Jesse: I know. The whole time in my head I was like "Wow, I really sound like an adult right now."

In which the kids discuss politics

Eric took the kids out for cheap breakfast sandwiches yesterday morning, with the guideline that if they didn't want a sandwich they had to keep their order under $2.

He took them inside to order - to avoid the never-ends-well drive-thru panic ordering - and found that Levi had brought some extra money of his own to buy a second sandwich, which Eric let him do.

On the way home, the kids remembered that they hadn't ordered anything for me (I had told E ahead of time that I didn't want anything). Before Eric could explain, Delaney said to Levi: "Well, you can just give Mom your extra sandwich since you have two."

Levi's reply: "You're just like Obama - you want to take from the rich and give to the poor!"

Scenes from the Season

Jesse, holding up his can of pop to my brother at the Christmas party: "Now, this right here really means it's Christmas"

Leah, watching It's a Mad, Mad, Mad World for the first time: "They would've gotten there first if they'd just drove normally!"

Jesse - clearly his father's son - after walking in the house after the final travel of the final Christmas party: "VACATION!"

Delaney, filling her plate with the cut-up veggies I'd set out when we got home today: "I'm not eating another piece of candy or anything with sugar for a week. Maybe 3 months. Maybe till my birthday."

Because an engineer is really just a glorified mechanic

Eric (driving us all home from an event): ...and he was telling me what he does, and I was struck later by how many in our group are professionals in their careers.

Me: Yeah, you're right. I never noticed.

Levi: Yeah, except for our family.

Another reason why I wish I drank coffee

Scene: our living room, 7:09 a.m., everyone curled up in a chair or couch as we start our day

Me: So, in John this morning...."He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.”

Leah: Mom. I have an interesting question.

Me: (smiling) Lay it on me.

Leah: So, how do you know if you actually love Jesus?

(Maybe we should move Bible lessons to a different part of the day...!!)

I Could Get Used to This

So far today...

...tons of hugs and kisses...

...they made my bed...

..."Interviews About Mom" videos with each kid answering questions and sending messages to me. Best. Gift. Ever....

...Originial songs written and sung for me...

Here's one of the interviews. You can see in the clothing question that I have passed down the sarcasm gene completely intact.
http://www1.snapfish.com/snapfish/slideshow/AlbumID=4191389015/PictureID=196880957015/a=4932649_4932649/

Welcome to Our World

Leah's not the youngest cousin anymore...

The kids want to oovoo (video chat) with him asap...

"I wonder what his first word will be?" they ask. "I wonder what he'll look like when he's seven."....

"Has he worn any of the shirts we made him yet?"...

I think they love him already...I know we do! Welcome to the family, Evan Riley!!!

April 26, 2011

The Importance of Growing Up

There's been much discussion this week around here about gray hair; specifically, mine. While we were talking to some friends at the nursing home, we mentioned Leah's upcoming birthday and how "old" I felt that my baby was going to be 7. Delaney piped right up, "Yeah, mom has gray hair! She colors her hair!" - loud enough that the entire hall could hear. Children are the Lord's way of uncovering your last lingering shreds of vanity, I do believe.

Later in the week, the topic came up again. Delaney said I looked young (I think it was when I was dressed to go to the Y with them?) and that I should keep coloring my hair. I said that I would stop sometime -- I hadn't really decided when -- and that all the gray would be there in its full glory. D is now on a mission to decide what the exact right year is that I should begin to look like an "old woman".

I don't really know when I'll let it go; honestly, I don't care much. As my good friend Dellie once taught me: "it's just hair." What I do want is the maturity, the wisdom, the patience, the deeper love that the Lord gives those who continue to walk in His way for years and years, those whom are easy to spot: gray hair, big smiles, and open arms.

"Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained in the way of righteousness." (Prov. 16:31)

Given Time to Think...

When my parents had their own home built and we moved in, I was 6 years old. Nearly all of the 30+ years since, they have a had a couch in front of their big picture window in the living room. My favorite spot soon became a corner of whatever couch was there, staring out the big window. I would take breaks from reading whatever book I was in and daydream endlessly while looking at the weather...the landscape...the crops...my brother outside working while I was in a nice warm house.

I see a little Heather developing in Sara. Of course they all have been fascinated by the winter storm over the past few days, keeping me updated on every development and venturing outside at regular intervals yesterday to play hockey with duct tape and hiking sticks. But today it's too windy. It was starting to snow heavily, too, as Sara took advantage of a lull in schoolwork to sit on our couch and stare endlessly out the window at the "blizzard", the many downed limbs from last night, and the regular snow plows. I sat beside her quietly and we made occasional comments.

"That's really a lot of limbs down," she noted.

"Look at that wind whipping around the barn," I pointed out.

"I'm glad Jesse and I fed the cats before the snow came," she said.

"I"m so glad we're in here and not out there," I added.

We sat and just watched for a while more.

"God must have a big, big, big, big memory to figure out what each next snowflake is going to look like," Sara said quietly.

Amen, girl.

In the Mind of a Cold 8-year-old

Our homeschooling lesson of the day, discussing which birds migrate south for winter, was perfect timing: the snow was coming down thick and we were cold.

"Geese. Ducks. Cardinals?" said Sara, with some uncertainty. Then, before Jesse could jump in with correction on what she knew was probably a wrong bird in that list somewhere, she continued proudly. "And they all fly in a 'V' shape as they go south, which stands for 'vacation.'"

Merry Christmas!!

(Thanks to grandpa and grandma, we are so festive-looking!)

"In the first quiet moments of this new day my mind is drawn to Hebrews 2. Oh, how His voice speaks into my silence! The incarnation. Jesus becoming like us and sharing our human nature (Heb. 2:14). What a wonderful truth this is! Veiled in flesh the Godhead see. Hail the incarnate Deity! God has lavished His love upon us, with all of our sin and rebellion and pride. That is how God acted toward us, and now we are called upon to demonstrate the fact that we are His children by having the same attitude toward others, including our enemies.

The identification of all of life with regard for the welfare of others -- this is the message of Christmas." -- Dave Black, Dec. 2010

New Kid in Town

D: I'm going to grow out my hair really long and then donate it for wigs.

Me: Great!

Waiting...waiting....waiting

D: How long is it now? Is it long enough to cut the ponytail?

Me: Nope

More waiting...

Me: I think it's long enough now! Do you want to wait until soccer is done and then cut it?

D: Yep.

Waiting...waiting......WAITING...for the team to lose : )

Me: Hair appointment next week!

D: What?!? I don't know. Should I? Yes, I'm ready. No, wait, maybe I won't. I don't have to, right?

Me: Right - your decision.

D (this morning): I'm ready, let's go!

And she did it! Proud of her and her attitude about the whole thing. Interestingly, she knew exactly what kind of hairstyle she wanted and she was right...it looks great on her.

They make our days

Leah, telling Eric about her attempts to ride the bike without training wheels...

L: ...And I kept trying to pedal like mommy said but I fell down.

E: So we need to practice and work on it together this weekend?

L: Yep (with a big smile)

E: OK. You remind me, and we'll do it Saturday.

L: (thinking) Well, sometimes I go to sleep and when I wake up I forget everything. Like, sometimes, I'll just be sleeping, and then I wake up. And then I remember, Oh! Yeah! I hate baked beans!

Listmakers

The kids spent a night with the grandparents this week. Four of them were enjoying filling me in on their adventures of helping grandpa feed the animals. Then Delaney decided to make a list...

Delaney: I think my order of favorite animals would have to be...cats, chickens, cows, dead cow.

Leah: Mine is...cats, chickens, cows, dead cow.

Jesse: My favorite is cows, then cats, then chickens, then dead cow.

Sara: Ummm....cows, cats.....dead cow, chickens.

(Now that's a girl after my own heart!)

A Birthday Ritual

No, not the pick-your-menu thing! Although we still certainly do that. We like to spend some time sharing with the birthday person (or persons, in this case) what we enjoy about them...what we're thankful for in regards to them. Thought I would share some of the comments:

About Jesse:

"I love being his twin"

"He's nice"

"He puts others before himself"

"He taught me a lesson...I was being mean to him and he was nice right back at me"

"He's very brave"

About Sara:

"I'm glad she was there with me when I was born"

"She's my best sister and I love her"

"She gets us going in the morning and has a lot of 'pow!' energy"

"She's a very hard worker in her school work and house work"

"She's loving and really cares about other people"

"I love to play with her"

Happy 7th Birthday twins!!

2009 Memories

Favorite kid quote: "Yibish" -- What Leah says when something's not going right, or she's surprised by something, or the weather is extreme, or...

Favorite movie: Avatar 3D

Favorite homeschool moment: I should probably write a whole post -- we've had some great times this year. Selfishly, I would say learning with the kids how the Strait/Rock of Gibraltar got its name was an unusually "wow" moment for me on many levels. I think it captured an essence of what we're doing here...how we get the freedom to learn the big picture and connect so many things together: faith, historic events, choice we make, living in this world. I know that probably sounds strange, but it was one of those "aha" things for me. On a more kid-focused level, I would say it has been pure delight watching Jesse impress me daily with his reading and writing improvement. And Leah got the hang of basic reading in 2009, so all five can read now! I'm just along for the ride...

Favorite trip: Didn't go very much this year....Kentucky reunion trip wins!

Favorite field trip: Lots of good choices, but the warm fall day that the kids and I took off to the local arboretum to collect leaves and watch birds was simple and special.

Favorite (new to me) book read: A Thread of Grace, Mary Doria Russell

Favorite Bible verse/passage: Isaiah 40 ("Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been told to you from the beginning? The LORD is the everlasting God...")

Favorite family time: meeting new friends and hanging out together at the soccer/football fields every night during fall sports

Favorite new song: Sara Groves, "Different Kinds of Happy"

I might think of more...what are your favorites?

In which Levi demolishes a tried and true idiom

Me, eyeing the small-stomach-gets-full-fast-child get her second helping of spaghetti and meatballs: "Are you sure about that? I think your eyes are bigger than your stomach."

D: "What does that mean?"

Levi: "Oh, that means you see something and you think you should get a lot of it, but it's probably too much to eat. My eyes do that all the time...

[pause]

But, they're usually right."