A truth on many levels

"How dangerous it is for our salvation, how unworthy of God and of ourselves, how pernicious even for the peace of our hearts, to want always to stay where we are!"
-- Francois Fenelon

Ya' gotta be quick

Me: washing dishes. Levi: just in from a basketball game with Eric.

Levi: ...really wasn't much of a game. He led the whole way and was ahead by about 20 at one point and we couldn't catch up. He kept making these shots and...

Me: (now sweeping the kitchen floor) Mmmm....uh-huh. Really...

Levi: Mom, did you ever like anyone before Dad?

Me: Uhhh....ummm...there was someone I thought was interesting, but I never liked anyone like I do Daddy.

Levi: Mom?

Me: (anticipating another momentous question) yes?

Levi: Did you know that in the final, like, 2 minutes I made 4 three-point shots? No, seriously, I did. So we got to within about 12, but then it was over.

Me: That's great.

Happy (birth)Days

The kids said, "Sleep in, mom! Sleep in!" So I took a few extra minutes to lay in bed this morning while they bustled about. Delaney came in a few minutes later, and whispered: "Mom. Mom. If you close your eyes and don't peek, can you help me wrap your present?"

I love 'em.

.

Random

I have posts in my head, really I do. I am ambivalent about writing them down, I think. So again tonight, I will post a random family picture. : )

Being silly with their Arkansas cousins:

New joy

I'm a great-aunt -- again! Our oldest niece and her husband had their second child, Jaylyn Rose, on March 18. We were thrilled to meet her this weekend. Eric and I have finally hit that we-miss-babies mode, so these grand-nieces are quite the perk.

Sara, holding Jaylyn:

Jaylyn's older sister, Kyleigh, with Leah and Sara:

Their point of view

This idea is going around...thought it would be enlightening. Their ages are next to their answers. Enjoy!

1. What is something mom always says to you?
9: Levi, come here!
7: Good morning!
6boy: I love you
6girl: Go upstairs
5: I love you

2. What makes mom happy?
9: When we fold all the clothes on the bed without fighting
7: Hugs
6boy: When she sees her family
6girl: When we do something right
5: Hugs

3. What makes mom sad?
9: When we do something bad that upsets you
7: When we have to leave
6boy: We really need to go, but we can't
6girl: When we do something wrong
5: When I do something bad

4. What makes your mom laugh?
9: When I don't know what I'm saying but I say something funny
7: When I tickle her
6boy: funny things
6girl: Dad
5: Daddy!

5. What was your mom like as a child?
9: She read, read, read, read, read and read
7: Nice
6boy: I never seen you like a girl!
6girl: I don't know!
5: I don't know

6. How old is your mom?
9: Hmmmm...33?
7: 34
6boy: 33
6girl: 30?
5: I don't know

7. How tall is your mom?
9: 5'3"?
7: I don't know!
6boy: I don't know
6girl: tall!
5: I can't know


8. What is her favorite thing to do?
9: Clean the house.
7: Cuddle
6boy: go to the store
6girl: Go on the computer
5: Me!

9. What does your mom do when you’re not around?
9: I don't know
7: Well, if I'm not around, I don't know.
6boy: play with others
6girl: I don't know, cook?
5: Talk


10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
9: Playing the piano
7: Because you want to?
6boy: I don't know
6girl: cooking
5: Her

11. What is your mom really good at?
9: Playing the piano
7: The piano
6boy: playing the flute
6girl: cooking
5: Talking


12. What is your mom not very good at?
9: Catching a football
7: I can't think of anything
6boy: when you're playing the recorder
6girl: watching tv
5: Spelling

13. What does your mom do for her job?
9: Take care of us
7: I don't know
6boy: I don't know
6girl: helping
5: Do my pile

14. What’s your mom’s favorite food?
9: Corn on the cob
7: Corn on the cob
6boy: Macaroni and cheese?
6girl: Pizza, maybe?
5: Great-grandma's rice

15. What makes you proud of your mom?
9: I don't know!
7: There's a lot of things
6boy: Graduating
6girl: Because she's nice
5: Like you love me and I love you

16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?
9: Blossom the Cat
7: Sara Groves?
6boy: No one
6girl: Word Girl
5: Dora

17. What do you and your mom do together?
9: School
7: Cook
6boy: play together
6girl: Clean
5: Play

18. How are you and your mom the same?
9: We have alike hair
7: We both have blue eyes
6boy: I don't know
6girl: We love each other
5: Because we have the same skin

19. How are you and your mom different?
9: She's taller than me
7: Our hair
6boy: Because you're a girl and I'm a boy and you brush your teeth downstairs and I brush my teeth upstairs
6girl: We look different
5: We have different clothes

20. How do you know your mom loves you?
9: Because she's always wanting to kiss me.
7: Because she hugs me a lot
6boy: Because....I don't know
6girl: Because she always loves me
5: Cause you love me when you hug me and kiss

21. Where is your mom’s favorite place to go to?
9: A restaurant called Shoney's
7: I don't know
6boy: to the store!
6girl: Wal-mart
5: Wal-mart

(What I learned: they don't really even know what "famous" means, and they're so logically-minded they rarely take guesses!)

...and that's what little girls are made of

"Is it time to make my cake now? Right now!? I'll wash my hands...can I get my thing on, you know, my Leah thing? Oh yeah, my apron! Do I pour like this? How many eggs?!! Four? But I'm going to be five, mommy! We should do five eggs! The mixer is loud...yes, I'll hold it very carefully."

"That's a LOT of chocolate, isn't it, and chocolate chips. It's hard to stir!"

"I scraped all I could, mom. Is it ready now? Oh, right, we have to cook it!"

"Guys, come on, come on! It's finally time to ice my cake!"

"I'll be verrry careful licking the knife, mom."

"Happy Birthday to Leah, happy birthday to you."