Kind-Hearted

This summer, my husband will celebrate twenty years of ministry at our church.  It's been an amazing twenty years, and we are grateful to God's people here for caring for us all that time.  This Christmas, as I opened cards from family and friends, I was reminded of one such person who showed his love for us each year.

This man first gave us a gift card to a local restaurant one of our first Christmases here.  He included a note saying something to the effect of "Enjoy a night out together". It was a sweet gift, and we were touched. 

And each year, he sent the same gift.  As we started a family, his gift changed slightly.  He included the gift card as usual, and also a $20 bill -- for babysitting.  This man had the idea to cover all our expenses for the evening, even down to a babysitter.  As a mom myself, I don't think I ever would have had that idea! 

As the years passed, the gift continued to arrive each December.  A few years ago, the card simply read "Repeat the past", and his signed name.  And we did repeat the past each year -- we went out to dinner and paid the babysitter, all thanks to this quiet, gentle man.

A little over a year ago, he went home to heaven.  My heart was stirred when I realized his was the first funeral in our new sanctuary.  He was an unassuming man, never looking for glory or recognition.  In his quiet way, he touched those around him, certainly our family.

This Christmas, I thought of him as I got the mail and read Christmas greetings from friends and family.  His card was not among them this year, but his kindness to us was not forgotten.  I want to be the same kind of person he was -- not looking for accolades, but simply looking for opportunities to bless those around me.  

Great Grandma

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.  1 Thess. 5:16-18

The verse above was my grandma's favorite verse.  She quoted it often, pondered it, and obeyed it.  She was a woman of unwavering faith, and truly did give thanks to God in all circumstances.  She prayed continually and rejoiced always.  She was christian woman who touched many lives by her example.

On January 1, 2000, when I was 7 months pregnant with my first child, I got the call that she had passed away.  Oh how my heart ached!  This woman was so dear to me.  She was fun, full of love and laughter.  She loved to shop (me too!), read (me too!) and eat various junky items like coke, cheese and chips (me too!).  She was a dynamic lady, and everyone who knew her was a little better for it.  There was so much more I wanted to share with her! The thought of her being gone from earth was hard to imagine.  

Over the last nearly 18 years, I have thought of her so very often.  I've wondered what advice she would give me in a particular circumstance, I've wished I could share a good book with her, I've wanted to share my growing family with her.  I've simply missed her presence.  

But as so often we do with loved ones we have lost, I have little moments when I am reminded of her out of the blue.  This month has been especially full of those reminders, particularly in the form of the verse above.  Our school has a virtue we are focusing on each month, and this month's word is gratitude.  And, you guessed it - the verse accompanying the word is this one.  I've seen the verse in various places throughout our school building and via school communication. All three of my children have come to me with their memory work over the last couple of weeks -- thrusting their folders into my busy hands and immediately stilling me with their recitation.  This verse, which reminds me so much of my beloved grandma, causing me to reflect on its meaning.  And after hearing how meaningful it is to me, my confirmand this year is considering using it for his confirmation verse!

The last of my children handed me her folder tonight and began reciting it.  I smiled and teared up a little.  Today is my grandma's birthday -- she would have been 90 this year.  While we're sorry we haven't been able to celebrate all those birthdays with her on earth, we are thankful for the ones we were blessed with.  And we are even more grateful for the promise that we will see her again.  

I'm not sure she knew the impact she had on those around her -- in fact I'm sure she had no idea how much everyone was touched by her kind heart and example.  But she was quietly leading those around her to Christ. She would be so thankful to know that, for she wanted nothing more than for her friends and family to know their Savior.

Thanks for being who you were to so many, Grandma! Happy 90th birthday!  

I'm Dreaming of a . . .SNOW DAY!

Yes, we've had a lot of blowing snow all day today, and the kids are hoping for a snow day tomorrow.  Personally I would prefer a delay, but I don't know if the snow gods are asking for my input.  

My two youngest kids are pulling out all the stops to make it happen.  Their eldest sister recalls lots of tricks to make a snow day a guarantee, including wearing your jammies inside out, putting a spoon under your pillow and placing a crayon on the windowsill.  They have carefully executed every step in their three-point plan.

It seems pretty foolproof to me.  To those of you who live nearby and would enjoy a snow day, you're welcome!

Things That Make Me Happy

Things that make me happy:

A friend recently told me nonchalantly that she was making a charcuterie spread for a party, and I had to stop the conversation and make her repeat herself.  Charcuterie was a word I had read many times before, but never had I ever heard it spoken.  Being the word-lover I am, I was smitten.  I immediately looked into its meaning further and a day or two later, created my own little take on a charcuterie spread. My family didn't care what it was called -- they just enjoyed eating it!

I have run across this quote many times over the years, and each time it gives me pause.  Each time I read it, I am reminded that my absolute most important job in this world is mothering my children.  Many other things vie for my attention (many, many other things!), but truly, my children are my most important work. 

When we left for our three-hour drive to our Thanksgiving celebration last week, our dear doggie was in the way back of the Expedition.  About mid-way through the trip, at my teenage son's urging, he made the leap over the seat and into the middle row.  He didn't have much space there, as there were already three people occupying that row.  He made do on the floor or on someone's lap and looked generally uncomfortable.  I was imaging he was regretting his choice to leave his seat in the way back.  But perhaps not.  Perhaps he was just biding his time to reach his true goal:  the front seat.  When my husband and a child got out to to use the restroom (it was a dire emergency and couldn't wait 45 more minutes!), Shadow made his move.  He wriggled into the driver's seat.  I thought it was pretty funny and left him there until my husband arrived.  We all laughed when he saw him, but a moment later, my husband had given the pooch a little shove into my seat and off we went.  So for the remaining 45 minutes of our trip, I had a 40-pound canine sitting next to me/on my lap.  It was Not Especially Enjoyable.

Our living room mantel, decked out for Christmas.  The silver and green sparkles make me happy.  I love having the lamps off in there and just enjoying the Christmas lights from the mantel and the little tree. 

AND - things that do not make me particularly happy:

When we arrived home after our Thanksgiving break, we found our fridge's water dispenser had been dripping (despite the fact that we had turned off the water in our house, like we always do!!), and there was a big puddle on the hard woods.  We have been drying them out and using a dehumidifier.  The jury is still out on their future. 

(You can see Shadow looking on. . .he is probably concerned about the availability of his treats, stored under the sink.)

Bits and Pieces #21

• My older teenagers** have been enamored with Snapchat for some time now.  I am Not A Fan, no matter how much they have tried to convert me.  I think it isn't at all intuitive, it is annoying and ridiculous.  But no matter how I boo hoo, the kids continue to find it appealing, and I think the Snapchat craze has gotten out of hand.  Whilst on vacation this summer without internet access, one of my children actually had their friends babysit their Snapchat streaks.  A Snapchat streak?  What is that, perhaps you are saying?  A streak is an unbroken stretch of back-and-forth snap chatting.  And if you are without internet on vacation, one can't let those streaks die, so one must ask one's friend to babysit the streak, which means in some cases, the friend is actually snap chatting him or herself on behalf of my child.  THIS MAKES NO SENSE TO ME.
• Overheard, this song:  Tarantulas, tarantulas, if there's fuzz where your hamster was, it's probably because of tarantulas!
• Also overheard:  Child: "Hello favorite doggie!"   Me: How about 'Hello favorite mommy'?" Child: "You're not my favorite mommy!"  Me:  "Who else could be your favorite mommy?" Child: "Mary!"
• I recently opened my Kohl's online shopping cart to find $1093.84 worth of goods.  Most of the items in my cart were $169.99 air fryers.  This is my life.
• My youngest daughter, about her big sister:  "Poor sissy!  She is off to work after only a few minutes after school at home! Just like a grown up!  The days go too fast!" Sigh.  Indeed.

**Only the two older teenagers have snapchat, having proven themselves in the responsibility department.  My youngest teenager has received a firm no every time he asks to have it.

Peace

Awhile ago, I read the following quote on a canvas in a friend's home:

peace

it does not mean to be in a place

where there is no noise, trouble

or hard work.  it means to be in 

the midst of those things and still

be calm in your heart.

Wow.  Those thoughts really gave me pause.  My knee-jerk reaction would be "Yes!  I agree with that! Peace is more about your mindset and heart than the actual circumstances you are living in."  But in reality, when the rubber hits the road, how often do I really feel that way?

Often, I get bogged down with the minutiae of life.  The to-do list, the never ending the laundry, the taxiing the children to and fro, the work demands, the being pulled in a thousand directions.  I often get pulled under with all noise -- arguing, singing, demanding, random noise-making children.  I get frustrated when things don't go my way or are harder than I think they need to be.  

The word peace conjures up images of beaches and sunrises.  Of solitude and prayer.  Of reflective worship.  Of easy living and relaxation.  Of harmonious family members. Of quiet.

And while those things might indeed, bring peace, they are often few and far between.  So am I only to experience peace when those (sometimes rare) events occur?  Thankfully no!  As the above quote states, true peace is being able to find peace even amidst the cacophony of life.  And even more, being able to find that inner peace enables us to create outer peace in our own lives.  As Christians, we know who provides that inner peace and we are able to embrace it in Christ!  What a gift we have been given. . .to know that Christ gives us peace! Among the loudness and busyness of our lives, Christ enters into our hearts, to give us that peace we long for.  We may not see it in white-sand beaches or beautiful sunsets or idyllic vacations or even in quiet.  But we can see it in our hearts, through faith.

One of my favorite passages as a child is one I now use as I bless my children each night.  I make the sign of the cross on their foreheads as I tuck them in and often quote this verse:

The peace of God, which passes all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.  Phil 4:7

May He indeed.  Amidst the noise and chaos of life, may we have true peace in Him.

What can you do to promote world peace?

Go home and love your family.

Mother Theresa

Sing a Song

My  blog is a mixed bag, perhaps you've noticed.  One day I post pictures from the week ranging from rocks that look like poop on my counter to sentimental ramblings about my children's rapidly passing childhoods to musings on faith.

 You (and I, honestly!), just never know what I will write about.

Today, I bring you a list of songs that one of my children (who shall remain nameless) has altered for our family's entertainment.  Brace yourself, delicate reader.  Potty humor is über cool in our house and rears its ugly head below.


Original song:  Owner of a Lonely Heart
Child's version:  Owner of a Deadly Fart (variations - Owner of a Juicy Fart)

Original song: I'll Make a Man Out of You (from Mulan)
Child's version:  I'll Make a Man from your Poo!

Original song:  Do You Wanna Build a Snowman, lines altered include "We only have each other, it's just you and me.  What are we gonna do??"
Child's version: altered lines -- "We only have each other, it's just you and me.  What are we gonna pooooooo?"  (did you see that one coming, dear reader?)

Original song: Paradise City, lines altered include "Take me down to Paradise City where the grass is green and the girls are pretty."
Child's version: altered lines -- "Take me down to Paradise City where the grass is brown and the girls are ugly".

Original song: New Romantics, lines altered include "Cause baby I could fill a castle, out of all the bricks they threw at me"
Child's version:  altered lines -- "Cause baby I could fill a castle, with all the turds they threw at me!"

Original song:  Theme song to Sofia the First
Child's version:  "Sofia the turd!  Making my way through the sewers every day!  Finding out what being brown is all about!"

Original song:  Look What You Made Me Do (I will write more about this song later - I am NOT a fan of it or its title!)
Child's version:  Look What You Made Me Poo

Cry Baby

The scene:  Bedtime routine with KK, age 8

KK:  We read a book in school about Mrs. Tizzy.  I can't tell you about it.

Me:  Why?  Is it sad?

KK:  Yes.  It's about an old woman.

Me:  Why is it sad?  Did all of her children leave her?

KK:  Not exactly.

Me:  Don't tell me.  I'll probably cry.  Did your teacher cry when she read it?

KK:  No. . .     And then she proceeded to tell me the entire story. . .about an old woman who entertained the neighborhood kids each week.  She was so much fun and everyone loved her.  Then she got sick.  The doctor came out of the house and shook his head seriously. . .

Me:  (sigh.  tears seeping out of my eyes)

KK:  And the last page is a picture of just her hat.  But all the kids did the special things without her, in her memory.

Me:  (brushing away a few tears) I told you not to tell me!  Mommy can't handle these kinds of stories!

KK:  I know, Mamma.  You shouldn't read this book.

Me: 😳

All In A Day's Work

Things I've done today, not in order of importance:

• Listened to the Preschool - First Grade Choir sing at worship this morning.  We had so many children join us this morning - my heart was full as they all sang their praises! 
• Sang with the worship team at church.  I haven't been singing much lately due to the busyness of our schedules, and I miss it so much!  It was wonderful to be a part of such a fabulous group of musicians!
• Participated in a confirmation rite with my 11-year-old son.  My husband and I were able to trace the sign of the cross over his eyes, ears, mouth, heart, hands and feet as we prayed for him.  This rite always catches me off guard -  I love praying for his heart, that he may always know his Savior -- his hands, that God may be glorified in the work they do -- his mouth that God's praises may always be spoken.  The journey to confirmation and communion is such a joy!
• Went shoe shopping with my boys (and youngest daughter).  The boys have been driving me cuh-razy with their obsession over which basketball shoes they have to have.  My husband and I, of course, have limits on what we will spend on these precious items, and I assure you the amount we will generously provide doesn't exceed the amount of our electric bill!  The boys have acquiesced to our spending limits, but are still scouring the internet for the most dope shoes available to man, at the cheapest price possible.  I'm about to tell them they can wear flip flops and hope for the best.
• Painted a bathroom.  We have decided to renovate our downstairs bathroom, and our goal was to get it painted today.  Success!  In the coming week or two, we hope to put up wainscoting and put in new flooring.  We have very limited time to accomplish these tasks -- I am hoping for the best!
• Enjoyed a family dinner with all seven of us.  With my eldest two in their school play (with major leads!!), they have been gone many evenings lately, so our dinner time is precious!  However, two of my little darlings forget how precious this time is, and I therefore felt inspired to pen a list of things we need to work on during dinner time, including the seemingly obvious, but apparently extremely hard to accomplish, sitting on our chairs. 
• Played a loud, spirited game of Pit with the three youngest kids.  Lots of yelling, laughing, and  bell-ringing. Corner on Wheat!

Five Things I'm Lovin' Right Now - In Pictures

In no particular order, I bring you the following, which bring me great happiness:

My boys' IKEA towels, hanging neatly and vibrantly on the back of their bedroom door.  Each child has his or her own color, and each towel has a handy loop for hanging.  I love knowing just whose towel is whose (especially if I spy one laying on the floor!).

Rave apples.  I just discovered these this year (at a grocery store sample counter - for once I didn't sample and make polite commentary about "maybe buying" "in the future").  They are tart and flavorful and very fall-ish!

I opened the fridge today to find this lovely little piece of hardened toast, left for me by my daughter this morning.  She texted me after she left it there, telling me she left me "a wee fridge present".  Cold and stale toast doesn't usually make me smile, but this time it did.

Aldi.  Well, more specifically, friends that I have converted to Aldi-ism.  I took this pic for a friend who I introduced to Aldi last year.  Making people into Aldi converts brings me some serious joy.

This thirty-one bag.  My sister got it for me several years ago, and under each of the kids' likenesses are their names (not shown).  I smile every time I use it - it makes me so happy! 

Things I Just Don't Understand**

Among the many, many things that baffle me, I offer you these:

• The song Despacito: I don't know what they're saying (though I hear it's rather inappropriate), but it drives me crazy.  That is all.

• HGTV shows:  I saw the following meme, and it resounds with every fiber of my being --

House Hunters be like:

I rock climb for a living and my wife sells

umbrella insurance from home.

We have a budget of 1.3 million.

              Seriously.  Who are these people on these shows and what DO THEY DO FOR A LIVING? 'Cause sign me up!

• Video game controllers:  Until recently, to watch a video in our house, one's only option was to use the PS4, with a ridiculous giant game controller.  I had to push this random button to find the DVD section, then this button to play the video -- oh!  and don't forget before all that I had to remember to turn the controller on (using another unmarked button!). . . It was the absolute worst!  A friend of ours gifted us an extra Blu-Ray player they had last winter and I was overjoyed!  My teenage son said, "We don't need that mom, the PS4 plays DVDs and Blu-Rays!", and I was all like -- yes.  we.  do.  

• Books whose sole purposes seem to be to make mothers verklempt:  In the spirit of their forerunner, Love You Forever, books everywhere are apparently out to kick us sentimental moms right in the gut. With titles like Forever My Little Girl/Boy and If I Could Keep You Little, what's a mom to do?  Is breaking down in the Meijer aisle an acceptable answer?  I'm asking for a friend.

• Football:  The rules have been explained to me more times than I have ever had desire, but I just don't get it.  I also don't care about it, and I don't like it. Well, I do like the marching bands, and the concession stand food. So I suppose the sport itself is a necessary mean to provide those ends.  

**I hope you read the title in the spirit in which it was written - in Will Smith's voice, à la Parents Just Don't Understand, circa 1988. 

Prayer Power

A couple of snippets from my kids' prayer time each night:

My daughter, in her sweet 8-year-old voice:  

Dear Jesus, please guide me to the right man for me when I grow up.  That he is kind and gentle and sweet.

Every night, this is her prayer (among other things).  Her father and I pray for this also (and we add that he loves Jesus as well!), and I am so thankful she is choosing to sincerely pray for her future husband too.

My son:

Every night for well, years now, he has been praying for those people in his life who might not know Jesus.  His prayer goes something like this:  

Dear Jesus, please help anyone who might need their faith strengthened. ..please help great-uncle____, ______'s uncle, and _____ and ______ (our neighbors).  (Names omitted to protect privacy!).   

These friends and have family members have been prayed for faithfully for months upon months upon months!  And God hears our prayers! 

Find my Family!

If you read my blog, you might recall that my eldest child has her driver's license, and my second child has his learner's permit.  All this driving means more travel, more freedom, and more of the unknown.  My kids know to text every time they are about to leave a location, and then text when they arrive as well.  My daughter has been really good about this, understanding I am just concerned about her safety and her relative inexperience in the driver's seat.

A couple weeks ago, my daughter texted me at 3:08, telling me she was on her way from school.  At almost 4:00, she was not home yet.  Her school is 25 minutes away, but even with some extra wiggle room, I was definitely feeling concerned.  I was weighing my options: I could text, but if she was driving, I knew she wouldn't text or pick up her phone if I called (good girl!); I could begin driving the route I knew she took toward school and hope we passed each other quickly; or I could pray fervently.  I choose the last option, and bided my time for a bit.  In just a few more minutes, she arrived home, knowing I would be worried and was full of apologies.  She had stopped at the grocery for a muffin and Starbucks and forgot to text me to let me know.

The situation reminded me of a conversation I had had with a friend whose children are a few years older than mine.  She used the Find My Friends app on their iPhones -- they all joined and could check each other's location when there was a concern.  I brought this up to my daughter that evening, and she quickly agreed that it was a good idea to sync our locations.  Good.  Done.

The next day, when my teenage son arrived home from a friend's house, I mentioned the story to him and told him I wanted him to sync up as well.  I was met with resistance.  "Don't you trust me?", he said. I explained to him that I trusted him very much (which is true, and a gift I don't take for granted!), but it was for his safety.  After a few more minutes of conversation, he understood my point and synced up too.  (Although I had also explained to him that, whether he agreed with me or not didn't especially matter in this case.)

My husband and I don't consider ourselves helicopter parents -- we don't check their daily assignments online, I don't monitor their grades every day.  We try to let them fight their own battles, and approach teachers on their own when there is a concern.  We expect them to do their chores around the house without constant badgering, and we think kids can clean toilets!  In general, we try not to coddle them or hover.  

BUT - I felt the Find My Friends app was a different bird.  This app will give me peace of mind when my kids are driving, and could help us find them if they have trouble (one friend used this app to find her daughter when she had had a car accident!).  I don't plan to use it unless I am concerned about their travel time, and when they are away at college, I will turn it off (sniff, sniff!).  

After I synced my family to my phone, a lovely thing happened:  Each of the four of us has a little circle with our picture in it. And when all of us are home, the circles are all stacked up on one another, right on our street.  I can't tell you what happiness all those circles stacked up together at our house brings me.  

When all of us are home together, all is right with the world. ❤️

FAITH WORKS!

Our Lutheran School's theme for the year is Faith Works.  For the entire year we are focusing on our Faith -- God's gift of grace that works in and through us.  As a facet of this theme, each month we are studying a virtue as a school.

Last Friday, each family received a cardstock gear that we are to write our names on and decorate.  All the gears will be added to a giant bulletin board displaying all of our gears working together.  On the gear, we are also to write which virtue our family is going to focus on for the year.  Each family is to choose a virtue from the list as a family focus and goal -- something we will make an effort to grow in intentionally.

Here are the list of virtues we will be focusing on at school:
Faith/Trust
Courage
Stewardship
Gratitude
Honesty
Reverence
Mercy
Justice
Zeal

So last night at dinner, my husband and I began the discussion -- which virtue should our family focus on for the year?  And thus began a heated debate of which virtue we needed to work on most.
"How about Justice?"  "No, we have too many people demanding justice already!"
"Honesty!", said one child, while pointing at another.  "That one needs to be more honest!"
"Gratitude? We could all work on being more grateful for what we have."
"Stewardship? We could focus on being responsible with our time and talents."
"How about Reverence?"

And Reverence is what stuck.  We are taking a broad look at the word, applying it to both our family members and our faith.  We brainstormed some goals, which I will post in the kitchen and dining room to serve as reminders when we (frequently, inevitably) stray from the focus.  Here are a few of our goals in the area of Reverence:

• Listening to each other better
• Communicating respectfully
• Honoring our father and mother
• Putting another's feelings above your own
• Listening at family devotions and worship
• Participating at family devotions and worship
• No silliness or distractions during family devotions and worship

So over the next year, we are hoping to make some strides in these areas.  I told the kids I was going to write about our goals so we can hold ourselves accountable.  I hope and pray in the spring I can write again about our reverence, both to one another and to God, and say that we have improved.  With prayer and dedication to the task, I hope it will be so!

Family Dinner and Devos

The scene:  Our deck at dinner time with devotions following

The characters:  My family, sans my eldest daughter who was at work

The sitch:  A snapshot of a day-in-the-life at our dinner table

• One boy regaling us with how he cracked up all his friends recently with a well-timed musical rendition of "Why do my nostrils whisper to me".  Don't ask.  I have no idea.  But it was apparently hilarious to the intended audience.
• One boy lets out a massive burp (followed by a quick 'excuse me', which apparently erases the burp from existence and makes it as if it never happened).
• During devotions, one boy bolted from the table with a some sort of oral crisis and the rest of us were left wondering what on earth was going on (we were later told there was a large amount of tooth pain that had to be dealt with immediately).
• My husband was reading our devotion book (a great CPH book called Celebrating the Saints by William Weedon), and the saint we were hearing about was Augustine.  He has a very interesting story and I was listening intently. . .until my husband read that he lived in Hippo.  Several people couldn't control their laughter and we had to stop for a moment while he explained that Augustine did not in fact live in a hippo, but in a town named Hippo.  Carry on.
• At the very beginning of the hymn we were closing with, Shadow puppy made his move.  He noticed our distraction with our hymnals and swept up to the table, grabbed a morsel of meat and whipped back down to the deck.  We had to stop the hymn while we all cracked up (and dad had to discipline the bad boy - who looked largely unaffected).
• When we finally were able to sing the hymn fully, my heart sang along with our voices.  We sang "The Day You Gave Us, Lord Has Ended", an old favorite of mine from childhood.  And indeed, today was a gift from the Lord, complete with its serious and silly moments.  

1 The day you gave us, Lord, is ended,

the darkness falls at your behest;

to you our morning hymns ascended,

your praise shall sanctify our rest.

2 We thank you that your church unsleeping,

while earth rolls onward into light,

through all the world her watch is keeping,

and rests not now by day or night.

3 As to each continent and island

the dawn leads on another day,

the voice of prayer is never silent,

nor dies the strain of praise away.

4 The sun that bids us rest is waking

your church beneath the western sky,

and hour by hour fresh lips are making

your wondrous doings heard on high.

5 So be it, Lord: your throne shall never,

like earth's proud empires, pass away;

your kingdom stands, and grows for ever,

till all your creatures own your sway.

The Sacred Work of Mothering in the Pew

I was recently talking with a friend about the challenges of worshiping with small children.  She was lamenting how hard it is to teach her children how to participate in the liturgy while juggling wiggly siblings and easily distracted littles.  And with every fiber of my being, I got it.

I have blogged here and here and here and probably scores of other places about how hard worshiping is with little ones.  I can't count how many times I came away from worship frustrated, exhausted, sad and even angry.  Not exactly the emotions one would hope for after worship! While we always wanted a large family, I used to joke with my husband that I couldn't even consider talking about having another child until at least Tuesday -- when the Sunday worship struggles were less vivid in my mind!

My children are older now, and while not perfect, worshiping with them is ever so much easier.  And for the most part, I hear everything and am able to actually worship.  But those days of pew struggles are still very fresh in mind.  I recall one Sunday when I was very pregnant with our third child, my husband called me up to the front of the church to use my pregnant belly as a sermon illustration.  I was unaware he was going to do that, and was not dressed for it/mentally prepared for it/psyched up for it.  And directly before he called me up (again, this was unexpected!), I was tending to my normal circus in the pew and my 2-year-old son spilled Fruit Loops all over the floor.  As I was leaning over (around my giant belly) to clean up the mess, my husband called me and the kids to the front. I was mortified as he spoke while I stood with the kids next to him -- in my un-thought-out,  rumpled maternity dress with my unruly children.  I felt like those first moments of going to the front summed up my life perfectly - messy, unprepared and a spectacle.

 Since my husband only sits with us a handful of times per year (mostly when we are on vacation), training the kids in the actual worship setting has been largely my job. It's a job that weighs heavy on me, even now.  I want my children to desire to be in worship every Sunday.  I want them to participate fully and crave God's word and sacrament.  I want them to never see going to worship as just an option -- one to be chosen only if they aren't tired or busy.  I want them, as young adults out of our nest, to first and foremost in a new environment find a church home.

But man!  Wiggly, loud, often complaining little ones don't exactly lend themselves to my lofty model! And it can be so easy to say "It's not worth it!  I'll come back to worship when they get older and can sit still!"  I felt those thoughts too - 'why am I even coming to worship?  No one is getting anything out of it!!'  But in my more lucid moments (and often those distanced a bit from the trauma of Sunday!), I knew that was Satan getting under my skin.

Even when it doesn't feel like it, little ones are getting so much out of worship!! They are watching and learning at every step.  They see you close your eyes (briefly, mammas, I know -- or someone will yank his sister's hair causing a loud wail!) when you pray.  They see you kneel and commune and share the peace.  They watch those around them do the same things.  And even if they appear to be busy torturing their siblings, coloring their children's bulletins or flinging their Fruit Loops, they are watching.  And they are learning and worshiping.  When they see you take them to church, every Sunday, without fail, they see that worship is the number one priority.  And they begin to pick up these habits themselves.  Sure, they will still poke their brothers and refuse to say/sing/pray now and then, but as they get older, your habits become theirs, and the faith that was given to them in their baptism is nurtured and grows.

And as for your own worship (or seemingly lack-there-of), mammas, my mother-in-law used to comfort me with this truth:  Even if you can't fully listen to the readings and homily and liturgy, God's word is being proclaimed, and your ears are hearing it, whether you are absorbing it all or not.   Did you catch that?? What a blessing that sentiment was to me in those early years! I might not have been able to process all that I was hearing during worship, but God's word was still pouring over me.   And even more: in communion, I was receiving Christ into my very body! Even though worshiping with children is not exactly the experience it used to be, it is valuable nonetheless -- and in some ways it can be even more meaningful!

Remember when my husband called me up to the front?  I don't recall exactly what he said, but I remember it addressed the idea of mothers giving up their bodies for their children, and likening it to Christ giving His body up for us in the Eucharist.  My mortification turned to reflection and tears as I listened to his words.  Motherhood is a sacred vocation, and through it, even in the pew -- perhaps especially in the pew, we are being made holy.  Mothering little ones is hard work, without a doubt.  And teaching little ones the faith week after week is not for the feint of heart.  But through these sacrifices each Sunday, our own faith continues to grow, and the faith of our little ones blossoms through our example.

If you're a young mother struggling in the pew, keep at it!  You have a most sacred job -- nurturing and teaching the faith to the next generation.  You are their most important teacher of Christ! No one else will be able to impact their faith like you can.

Stay strong, mammas! Your work is holy!

The Week in Pictures

A few snapshots of our last week:

Last Friday, our two older kids and my husband and I went to The Art Institute in Chicago and to see Hamilton.  It was our birthday/Christmas gift to them, and it was worth the wait.  We saw some amazing pieces of art at the Institute, including this one above, one of my long-time favorites:  A Sunday on La Grande Jatte.  It was an enormous painting, and truly amazing to see!  After a quick dinner with our brother-in-law, we saw the much-heralded (and much, much listened to in our house!) Hamilton.  It was amazing. The talent was out of this world!  We all loved it!  

For the past week, I have been working on my classroom to get ready for my little ones.  I have enjoyed cleaning, planning and painting this week in anticipation of their arrival.  I'm looking forward to getting to know all of them!  I never in a million years thought I would enjoy teaching three-year-olds so much! 

This.  This is Target's back to school wall (plus a few colors to my right you can't see - I was trying not to get the Target employee who was zoning next to me in my picture).  This wall brings me Great Joy.  The color-coded organization seriously gives me peace and happiness.  Target is not especially close to my house, but for each of my kids' back to school Mommy's nights, I have driven to Target for the sheer pleasure of having everything organized thusly.  I took KK to Walmart this week, and after about five seconds realized that it was an impossible mess and we had to go to Target.  Within seconds of arriving at this wall, my world was again set aright.

This is the pile of plates and forks I needed to set the table tonight for dinner.  Know how many are there?  Seven.  The magical, perfect number for our family.  This week I've had kids at camp, and have only needed three or four or five plates, depending on the night. But tonight, everyone is home, and I needed seven.  Pulling them all out of the cabinet and counting to the correct number made me so happy.  I am thankful for my kids' experiences, which most definitely include camp, but I can't help but sigh with happiness when everyone is back home again.  

My Girl

My eldest daughter is a gem.  She makes me think, she makes me proud, and she makes me laugh.  Her siblings love her, and she loves them.  God has really blessed our whole family with this girl.  Here are a few recent things of note regarding this girl:

On vacation, it became very apparent how much power she wields over her youngest siblings.  She and my 10-year-old son were doing time in the "way back" of the suburban (the most undesirable seat in the vehicle), when I hear quiet discussions about eating chocolate Twinkies.  The general rule in our house (which extends to the car on vacation) is that the kids need to ask before eating something, otherwise they would eat junk 24/7.  Well on this particular car ride, I noticed that my son was eating a Twinkie without asking.  When I asked him about it, he said, "But Second Mom said I could have it!' My eldest daughter had given him permission, and he truly felt like her word was law.  I think she could have told him he could take the suburban for a spin and he would have grabbed the keys and ran.

Our Western Adventure was pretty long, and involved lots of togetherness and volume.  Our family is not quiet or diminutive, and things can get crazy fast.  My 17-year-old gal takes so much of it in stride, and often joins into all the insanity.  But other times, she theatrically flops on the floor, or curls up in her seat spewing dramatic statements such as, "I can't believe this is happening to me!" and "What did I do to deserve this?" and "I'm so done!" and "I'm sorry to inform you - all my limbs are broken!".  She cracks me up constantly, and she rarely gets truly frustrated with her family.

During our trip she composed the following list on a napkin, of

Things I No Longer Want To Hear:

Goog and all variations of the word (my eldest son's COMPULSIVE nickname for his youngest brother)

Lego Batman quotes (such as, but not limited to: "The Monkey and Dawg are friends!")

LAX is Life (constant references to Lacrosse)

Shooter gun noises from my 10-year-old's plastic gun

ANYWAY! I'm Bleb (my 15-year-old son's catchphrase for her, said in a ridiculous voice)

Fighting brothers

She got her driver's license right before we left on vacation and this morning did her first long solo drive.  My heart was in my throat as I prayed for her (and her brother) while they were gone.  But she did just fine and gained some new confidence.  It's just yet another step in her growing up.  I see great things on the horizon for this girl.  I can't wait to see her continue to mature, and someday, mother her own children.  I've generously provided with her lots of opportunities to practice parenting!

We're Baaaaack!

We just returned home from our epic Pacific Norhtwestern vacation.  It was an amazing trip in so many ways.  A few highlights:

120+ hours in the car, spent chatting, laughing, sleeping, watching movies and getting along every second (ha!  you know better than to believe that, don't you?) Truly, though, the kids did incredibly well with all the extreme togetherness, and we enjoyed so much wonderful family time.

6632.2 miles logged on the suburban and pop-up.  My dear, dear husband drove ALL of them, save about 4 miles I drove locally one day.  He is a rockstar.  During all that driving he was doing, I was playing butler to the children, holding trash and about another thousand things and breaking up fights (I told you it wasn't all sunshine and roses!)

14 states traveled through

43 states, 1 US territory and 6 Canadian provninces represented in our license plate game (we were SO close to 50 states!  Darn you, Eastern seaboard and deep south!)

During the 120+ hours and 6600 miles, we saw the following sights:  Seattle, Vancouver BC, Victoria BC, North Cascade National Park,  Olympic National Park, Washington beaches, Oregon coastline and beaches, tide pools, whales, seals, beautiful lakes and mountain hikes, Redwood National Park, and Crater Lake National Park (more elaboration below)

Seattle, Vancouver, Victoria and just about every other place we saw in the Pacific Northwest was full of redheads.  Seriously.  I have redhead radar and it was binging constantly!  Redhead!  Redhead! Not sure why the Northwest had such a high ratio of redheads, but I was with my people!

Doing laundry once a week-ish, with six helpers, in 1.25 hours is THE BEST EVER.  We would be totally broke if I used a laundromat all the time, but I would have tons of extra time on my hands.  Maybe it would be worth it. . 

I am not a fan of tall bridges over major expanses of water.  Like, I close my eyes, pray, and go to my happy place.  The kids know this and are generally respectful of my anxiety, but every now and then someone busts out with a quiet refrain of "free-fallin", or the Veggie Tales' song "Drive into the river, Bob,".  They're special like that.

The scenery we took in was breathtaking.  The Northwest is among the most beautiful areas I have ever seen.  The beaches were mind-bogglingly expansive - we could see for miles.  The mountains, the lakes, the landscape in general was gorgeous.  The Redwoods were impressive and stately - everyone marveled at their height and girth.  Truly, this area of the country lives up to its reputation as one of the most beautiful areas in the country.

Each of these major trips we take with the camper usually inspires a theme song or two (here are some from other years).  This year was no different, but we all had differing ideas about what song should win.  Many people thought the Lego Batman soundtrack (dialogue as well as songs) should win, since the kids watched it several thousand times quoted it ad nauseum (after renting it twice, I bought it at a Walmart), others thought it should be Shenandoah, a favorite song of my husband's to play when we are in serene countryside. But ultimately, the Moana soundtrack won out as the theme.  The song "How Far I'll Go" seemed to work well with its line "It calls me", and the way the beauty called all of us in.

Number of Thrivent shirts spotted (not including the ones worn by us!): two

During the long drive home (spanning three days), one of my children got stuck in the seatbelt.  The child had twisted around so that the seatbelt was literally locked into place around the child's tummy.  Even with the seatbelt unlatched, the child could not get out.  After some general wailing and anxiety, we pulled over.  One child checked the situation, then I went back, and ultimately, my husband, with his killer problem-solving skillz was able to remove the child from his seatbelt prison.  Thankfully we did not have to "cut the seatbelt!!" per the seatbelt victim's wishes.  

On the day we went to Victoria in British Columbia, the girls and I went to a proper British high tea.  We drank tea as we chatted with English accents and pointed our pinkie fingers out.  We nibbled on tiny sandwiches and pastries as we took in the beautiful gardens and scenery surrounding us.  All three of us loved the experience and I'm so glad my older daughter suggested it.

We've all worked hard today, cleaning out the camper, putting things away, washing dishes, clothes and people, and generally getting things back to normal.  I'm glad to be home, for sure, but I am sorry to be done with both the vacation and all the family time.  Now that we're back, regular life starts again and we're all pulled in different directions. There was something wonderful about all the time away with just our seven.

I am so thankful my husband pushes us to take these adventurous trips.  If it were up to me, we'd probably go to the beach every year and sit on our tushies.  But he wants to instill a sense of adventure in our kids, and he wants them to see the country.  And see it they have.  To make it affordable, we've camped across the US, and in so doing, we've all seen a lot of beauty.  My husband tirelessly plans our elaborate trips and knows all the places we should stop along the way.  I am grateful for his effort and desire to foster our kids' sense of wonder and adventure, as well as show them God's glorious creation.  

Bits and Pieces #20

• Sanuks.  Sanuks are sandals that are like heavenly pillows on your feet.  The sole is called a yoga mat (having never touched a yoga mat, I'm gonna take their word for it), and the top of the shoe is just fabric that lovingly cradles your foot whilst you walk miles with nary a care.  Seriously.  These shoes are the. best.  I bought a pair on Amazon and a pair at DSW.  Check them out and tell me if you buy some so I can do the happy dance for you (with my feet encased in heavenly pillows, of course!).    Neither Amazon nor Sanuk are paying me for this ringing endorsement, though compensation would be welcomed. 😊
• Sigh.  Bath and Body Works is indeed not going to be paying me for enjoying their products.  In fact, the direct opposite seems to be more likely.  When I like a scent at BBW, it is the kiss of death.  Without fail (that may be a slight overstatement), all the scents I like get discontinued.  Mango Mandarin?  GONE.  Spiced Cider (hands down the best fall scent known to man)? GONE.  And the latest casualty -  Limoncello.  Luckily I happened to see it clearanced out and bought several tubes of body cream at a fabulous price.  But seriously!  Can I be the only one who liked these scents?  I'm not sure what's happening in their marketing department, but they have not consulted me for some reason.  #firstworldproblems
• The following is a picture of Shadow babies (our latest nickname for him).  It is hard to see, but  I am giving him a hug (can you see my messy bun at the top right?).  Shadow is displaying what we call "crazy eyes".  It can't be that he is not enjoying my overture of love, or that I am disturbing his personal space, right?  He must be thinking of a life without tennis balls or something, and is a bit spooked at the thought. 

• This, my friends, is the deuce.  It's our Astro van, which we bought in December of 2008, when I was newly pregnant with our fifth child.  This van has taken us on cross country trips, back and forth to school and sports and theater and scores of shopping trips and doctors visits.  This van has been with us for a long time, and now it is no longer ours.  Yes, the deuce has been sold.  A friend of ours sold it for us, and he reports that the guy who bought it is going to trick it out and make it into a hippie van.  Yep, the family truckster is now going to be touring the country like her Volkswagen predecessors did before her.  The ol' Astro is about to see a a whole lotta changes! 😳

Three Teenagers in the Hooooouse!

Today marks my third child's entrance into the teen years.  We now have more children in their teens than not - we have a teen majority.  This basically feels crazy to me.  How on earth so much time has passed literally boggles my mind (not a hard task, btw).

We have had thirteen years to love this child, and each day feels like a gift.  He is funny, generous, passionate, loving, kind and sincere.  I am unable to imagine our life without him.  As I generally do on my children's birthdays, I've spent the day pondering his birth and his years with us.  And after I tucked him in tonight, I laid down with him (which he still allows, even welcomes) and stroked his cheek after he fell asleep.  I looked at his face -- his nose, his eyelashes, his cheeks, and thought of all the times I had done that very thing - gazed into his precious face.  And as I always do, I recalled the story of his birth:

Thirteen years and three days ago, I was admitted to the hospital at 31 weeks into my pregnancy.  I was huge and looked ready to deliver. An ultrasound had shown there were complications, and no one knew exactly what was going on, but it certainly wasn't good or routine.  The plan was to admit me, monitor the baby, drain some excess amniotic fluid and send me home to try to get baby to wait until closer to his/her due date.  Since all of this hospital staying/major test administering/very sick baby was very stressful and worrisome, we decide to find out the baby's gender so we could name him/her and be able to pray for the baby by name.

We were delighted to be told our sweet baby was a boy, but a bit stymied on a name for him.  Since there was a very real chance that he would be coming early, we knew we needed to decide soon.  We had been going back and forth with a few options, but nothing was seeming quite right.  I vividly recall laying in my hospital bed discussing names with my husband, who was sitting across the room. Slightly hesitantly, he told me he had thought of a possibility.  Looking vulnerable, he made his suggestion:  Isaac.  As I thought about the name, he went on to explain why it had come to him.  He recounted the story of Abraham and Sarah in the bible, who had longed for a child for years, and were given their son Isaac.  But when Isaac was a boy, God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son, and Abraham was obedient.  But just before Abraham went through with the sacrifice, God told him not to hurt the boy, for He knew now that he feared God, seeing that he had not withheld his son from Him.

Through tears, we decided to name our precious son Isaac, and prayed that if God saw fit to take our son home to Him, that we might have faith like Abraham and Sarah's.  And that was our prayer -- as he was born before I ever left the hospital to wait it out.  As he was born not breathing and was immediately put on a ventilator.  We prayed that prayer while he was being sent that day by ambulance to the nearest children's hospital, three hours away, my husband driving behind the ambulance in the night.  We prayed that prayer as he stayed 7 weeks in the NICU at that hospital, and when we brought him home with all manner of medical paraphernalia we never thought we'd be able to handle.

And as we prayed for God's will, God's will for our baby began to take shape.  It seemed God's will was that our sweet boy grow and get healthier as the years passed.  And as he grew, we discovered another facet to his name -- laughter.  The name Isaac means laughter we later realized, and nothing could fit this child more perfectly.  He exudes happiness and joy and brings that to those around him. Laughter indeed -- so very fitting.

So thirteen years ago today was a pretty scary time.  We were holding on by faith, not by sight, and we didn't know what the future would hold. Thankfully, God knew all the time the plans He had for this child.  We have seen thirteen years of His plans and I'm in awe.

 I can't wait to see what else God has in store for Him.

Seize the Moment

Within the last 2 months, my husband and I have gone to six funerals.  We've witnessed (and felt) lots of sorrow, pain, laughter through tears, memories shared, and ultimately -- hope.  Each of the services we've attended focused on the victory Christ gave us through his death and resurrection.  Each pastor pointed us to the cross and the reunion we will have with our loved ones in heaven.  What comfort and hope we derive from those promises!

These passings have been hard.  But I've watched a beautiful thing happen, and I've seen it happen many other times over the years.  This:  a massive outpouring of love.  On Facebook and social media, and then in person at the visitation and funeral services, those whom we've lost have been showered with an overwhelming amount of love.  These friends were beloved, respected and cherished.  Their families were flooded with hugs, prayers, memories and love.  I was so thankful to witness such a testament to who each of these people were, and what they meant to so many around them.

But what I kept thinking, was. . . I bet he had no idea just how much he was cherished.  I bet she had no idea what she meant to those around her.  I bet he had no idea how many lives he changed.  I bet she had no idea how much she will be missed. And while I was thankful the family was able to see all of these things, I felt this pang that, in life, the friend who had passed was not aware the difference he had made to those around him.  And it made me so sad, but also resolute.

I have pondered this subject before - the concept of building one another up.  Of taking a moment (or two or 500) to tell a friend what she means to me.  Of pausing my life's busyness and getting together with a friend.  When I value something in a person (a good friend or a virtual stranger) I need to voice it. Life is fragile, and I am renewing my vow I made in the link above to tell people how much I value them.  I don't know why, but sometimes this is hard!  Fear of rejection; of sounding silly or over-emotional?  Fear of embarrassing yourself or the other person?  I don't know, but I need to get over it.  Because when someone goes out of their way to encourage me, compliment me, or build me up, I am buoyed by it. I'm guessing others feel the same.

So let's not wait, my friends.  Let's cherish our friends and family members.  Let's let them know how much they have impacted our lives.  Let's take a moment to tell someone what they mean to us.

Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving

 one another, as God in Christ forgave you. 

Ephesians 4:32

The (last couple) Week(s) in Pictures

Here are a few visuals from our house the last couple of weeks:

I recently switched over my (very small) closet from winter clothes to summer clothes.  These, dear reader, are my winter clothes.  Do you notice a theme? Black, gray and brown are great colors - with a small splash of denim and burnt orange!  Don't be a hater! Neutrals are my friends!

Look at that large even number!  This is the odometer of our suburban, which we are hoping has lots and lots of more miles left in her.  We have a few more adventures planned and we hope the old girl can hang on to take us on them!

Tuesday night, my middle son got the game ball at his game.  He had possibly the best game of his life - a triple (to the fence!!), great pitching, and several infield plays.  I was not able to see it (I was watching my older son's game at a different park), but my husband gave me some play by plays as the game progressed.  My son's coach is great - he encourages my son and gives him opportunities to learn and grow.  We couldn't be happier with all his coaches and his team this year.  But his coach told my husband that I couldn't come to his games anymore - apparently mom is bad luck (this seems to be a common theme for me and my kids' achievements)

Our Blessing Chapel is a tradition at our Lutheran School.  In the top picture, I am blessing one of my students, and in the bottom, my youngest daughter is being blessed by her teacher.  These blessings are amazing.  As a teacher, I am incredibly moved as I bless each child at this last service of the year. What a joy to give my little ones God's promises as I tell them good-bye.  And as a parent, what a privilege to witness the same between my children and their teachers.  Our Lutheran school is a partnership between parent and child, and I am ever so grateful for it!

Hello Summer!

School is out, though things haven't quite slowed down yet.  I just finished up a heaping dining-room-table-full laundry marathon, which featured two items of note:  FIVE sweatshirts that my middle school son unearthed from his locker on the last day of school, and the last of the school-year uniforms.  This means fewer hanging shirts and more folded T-shirts, fewer socks and fewer khaki pants.  Woo to the hoo!  But the school uniforms have been replaced by baseball uniforms. . .pants, shirts, socks, special baseball boy undies. . . I don't mind - it's a nice change!

Speaking of baseball, have I ever mentioned that I love watching my kids play?  On average, we have  about 10 games a week between the four kids who play.  Add in practices and actual other life things, and it makes for a nutso schedule.  But that aside, I really, really love watching them play baseball.  Until they started playing four years ago, I hated baseball.  I thought it was so ridiculously boring and slow.   But from the first moment my boys stepped on the plate, I was hooked.  It isn't slow at all (well, the younger kids' games can sometimes be a bit laborious--), and watching my boys grow as players and young men has been a gift.  They've learned from their coaches, both good and bad, and they've learned valuable team skills.  I'm thankful for all the time we've spent on ball diamonds in the last four years -- and I'm also super glad they aren't into soccer!  Play ball!

Since school has been out, we've also had a few conversations with our kids about screen usage.  We are really trying to encourage them to self-regulate -- to watch their own activities and make healthy choices. We are also trying to make some changes ourselves:  be less reliant on our phones and more present.  We have seen a lot of good already -- brothers playing blitz ball, lots of books read and art created.  I am hoping for some long-lasting shifts in all of us.

So hello summer!  Here's to sleeping in, late(r) nights with the kids, reading a book (or two or twenty), vacations, camping, family reunions, and togetherness. Cheers!

Bits and Pieces #19

School is out for me on Friday, and next week for my kids, and May has been a race to the finish.  May is chock full of baseball, awards banquets, musicals, concerts, graduations, work commitments, track meets. . . the list is endless.  All good stuff, but why must it all happen in the same month?  Anyway, due to the severe amount of activities over here, we've been limping along, hoping to make it to the last day of school.  Our house, laundry, and meal planning is suffering.  But I'm optimistic, as May is always hairy, and we always make it.  But I'm a bit weary, I'm not gonna lie.    So here are a few snippets of what has been going on over here amidst the crazy.

• In the preschool pod where I spend lots of my days each week, we have had so. many. babies. born in the last couple of months.  It has been awesome to see all these moms with their tiny little ones.  There are lots of preschool moms still pregnant too, and it truly makes me weepy with delight.  What a blessing a new life is!  How glorious to be carrying new life, and then caring for that precious infant.  Love, love pregnant mammas and new babies! Keep having babies, mammas!
• Speaking of preschool and work, as I said above, this is my last week of teaching (I'll still be working in my room for a bit after that, though).  And man, as it approaches, I am truly sorry to see these little ones move on from me!  This has been a great class, and I'm going to miss their little faces and personalities.  Thankfully, most of them are simply moving across the hall from me next year so I'll still get lots of hugs and updates.  
• My teens have received several awards in the last week:  my son won four academic awards for being at the top of several of his classes, and my daughter won a theater award for her dedication to the department.  I was so proud of both of them, and it's possible a few tears escaped (ugh!  you know I can't help myself!!)
• A few weeks ago, my husband and I took my 17-year-old on a college visit to our alma mater.  It was so surreal to be there again. . .so different, yet so much the same.  At one point, as I shared yet another memory (about when my husband and I first met for goodness sake!), my daughter dramatically rolled her eyes at me and made me laugh.  I put my hand over my mouth and cried, "If you only knew!  I am only sharing about an eighth of what I am remembering!" Seeing the school through her eyes and hearing her take on it was fascinating.  I look forward to more college visits with her and walking with her on this journey.
• Changing gears completely. . .my eldest daughter told me about a new adaptation of my beloved Anne of Green Gables on Netflix.  I was skeptical, since I am a purist and love only the Megan Follows and Jonathan Crombie version from the 80s.  But, since she is also a fan, I thought I would give it a try.  We watched episode one last night and I actually thought it was pretty good - good acting, beautiful scenery, mostly sticking to the book's story line.  My youngest daughter and younger two sons also got pulled in and were enjoying Anne's escapades. . . until episode three, when all came to a screeching halt.  I was incredibly disappointed in Anne's dialogue - delving into euphemisms that were completely inappropriate for younger audiences. Thankfully my younger two didn't catch what she was talking about, and I quickly pulled the plug on the show and looked up some reviews.  Turns out, many people like it, but many are also calling it dark and a turn away from the book's true storyline.  Shame on you, Netflix, for tarnishing a classic!  I told my kids that I would check out from the library the "real" Anne from the 80s and we would enjoy it without worries.

Cousins!

This month, my eldest nephew will graduate from high school.  It's hard to believe he could possibly be that old!  But he is ready for the next chapter, and it's exciting to see what is in store for him.

And behind him, in rapid succession, two of his sisters and two of his cousins will follow suit.

Rewind 19 years ago:  my husband and I and his brother and wife were still relative newlyweds, both couples beginning to think about starting families.  And my in-laws** were excited at the prospect of both of their sons soon giving them grandchildren.  But I don't think they knew quite what was on the horizon.

Snap - in a period of 2 years and 9 months, my in-laws had 5 grandchildren!  My brother- and sister-in-law were gracious enough to have twins, making that number possible.  Suddenly, we were getting together for births, baptisms and birthday parties.  Holidays were fun, crazy and often exhausting.  My in-laws were thrilled with the almost-instant big family.

And the grandchildren kept coming. . .in 13 years, the grand total was 10 grandkids.  Family get togethers are awesome.  There are kids everywhere, playing games, putting on shows and laughing.  It's the best.

The kids seem to have naturally fallen into two groups.  The older five (currently known as the teens, though this summer two more will join that category) and the younger five.  And for this year only, all five of the teens are in high school.  It's been great to watch them become friends over the years, and as teenagers, stay in touch on their own now.

When the first five kids were 2 and under, it was hard to imagine the day when they'd all be in high school.  Impossible, really, to imagine what our lives would look like.  We had no way of knowing how fun teenagers would be, and what a blessing these cousins would be to each other.  And now, my nephew will be the first to bring on a new change:  college.  I pray that all these cousins (including the cousins on the other sides of their families as well) will stay close -- that they will share their new adventures with their closest family members.  It has been and will continue to be a joy to watch them grow together.  There is only more beauty to come!




** When I hear the phrase "in-laws", I often think of the 1991 version of Father of The Bride, when Steve Martin is on his way to Bel-Air to meet his daughter's future in-laws.  He isn't thrilled and doesn't like the phrase "in-laws".  He says:  "What does it mean anyway?  That we're legally bound to these people?  I don't wanna be in-lawed, especially to people who live in Bel-Air!" This scene is just before he almost gets attacked by the Dobermans and falls into the pool  If you haven't seen this movie, watch it immediately.  You can thank me later.

And let me also take a moment to say that my in-laws are THE BEST.  My husband's parents and his brother and his family are not "in-laws", they are simply family.  I am ever so thankful for the blessing of more family!