Thursday, June 16, 2011

“Mom, I am so ready to go to heaven.” Nine year old boy.

“I have those days too, my son.”

“What’s your pick for Jesus’ return?”

“I don’t have one.”

“You don’t have one?”

Nope. It’s kind of like this. You are waiting to go on vacation and you keep asking your Dad, “Is it time to go yet? Is it time to go yet?”

Dad finally looks at you and says, “I will let you know when it is time to go, just trust me. You aren’t going to miss it.” It’s like that.

“Well, I’m just waiting for God to say, “Kids, get in the van.”

“Me, too, son, me, too.”

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

The Five Laugh Challenge


The Five Laugh Challenge

“I challenge you to laugh five times today.” A facebook challenge from an out of state cousin. The post itself made me laugh. Did she forget my family? The six year old twins are good for at least six laughs each….but I will try one laugh for each family member today.

I ran around chasing madly (never quite catching him) this morning, in search of my Bible for Bible study. In desperation, I left a voicemail for the husband, but then the children found it, on the living room floor between the vent and the golf clubs, definitely not in its usual spot. The funny part was when I returned home and the answering machine message intoned, “It’s by the vent and the golf clubs.” This was in my husband’s voice and I was astounded. I didn’t expect an answer, and certainly not an accurate one. That made me laugh since this is usually the man who needs me to find things for him. It was a role reversal today and it made me giggle.

During Bible study, Lucas disobeyed his teacher and Mama had to intervene. When I told him he was going to go and apologize, he said, “I need a moment. I’m just too cryable.” That one made me laugh, albeit not at the moment, but later.

During the Bible study, called “Loving Your Husband,” there were at least five laughs as we encouraged each other and shared experiences regarding those men we married and how best to love them. The three s's were shared and had us all laughing: Sex, Sports, and Sandwiches

Last week was the daughter’s birthday. She is now eight years old and finished her end of level spelling test. She is now in 6th. grade spelling. Her open mouthed expression and wide eyes as she said, “Sixth grade? No Way!” made me laugh too.

The nine year old makes me laugh every day too. His antics while carrying the kiddie pool on his head today with such a silly face made me laugh out loud at the store.

Maybe I’m just an easy laugher. I put the kiddie pool purchase as a facebook status. One friend asked, “Are you going to let the kids use it, too?” That made me laugh.

Marcus read his whole “Jet Bed” book today and told me that the Web men in the book were only real in his imagination. That made me laugh, too.

Yikes, it’s only 2:00 pm and that five laughs a day quota is long filled. I hope tomorrow is as laughable as today.

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

A funny thing


A funny thing happened on the way to our first family vacation. This was to be the first family vacation since we’ve had children. Our children are 9, 8, and 6 year old twins so it has been at least a decade.

We picked a short vacation. A two night stay at a Great Wolf Lodge (Water park Hotel) about 3 hours from our home. We packed up the van, got water for the kiddos, coffee for ourselves and we were off into the wild blue yonder!

Did I mention a funny thing happened? Well, we passed the highway entrance and decided on more of an adventurous route. At the next stoplight, we stopped for the red light. When the light turned green, and we waited to turn left, our brakes did not work. Yep, you read that right. Pedal to the floor and NOTHING. We tapped the truck in front of us, effectively stopping us and thankfully, causing no damage to either vehicle.

Sure enough, brake fluid was leaking out onto the pavement. Apparently, we had blown a brake line. We called the police, put on the flashers and headed for the sidewalk. We were still less than two miles from home and Ryan’s sister and brother-in-law were available to come and rescue us. While we waited, I took the kids on a little walk around to the back of the shops facing the street. As we turned the corner, we saw what looked like a huge multicolored tarp being spread out in the back parking lot.

“In five minutes,” a man informed us, “this will be a bounce house.” Then two kids came out of the store carrying balloons and animal crackers so the kids went in and each received their own balloon and crackers, which mom got to hold while they were able to bounce in the “Noah’s Ark” bounce house.

One woman shared some Bible story books with us, and another gentleman asked for permission to videotape the kiddos for the store’s facebook page. My sister-in-law soon arrived, retrieved booster seats and we were on our way back home.

Thank you Lord, for providing. Thank you that our brakes didn’t fail after we were on the highway and far from home. Thank you that we weren’t involved in a serious accident. Thank you for providing entertainment while waiting. Thank you for providing a way home. Thank you, Lord that we have two vehicles and can take the other one on vacation. Thank you, thank you.

Friday, June 10, 2011

Wonderment

Wonderment


Deep jade tips
poke through fresh dirt
small in their beds, like
sleeping little girls growing every night.
White and green party ribbons uncurl
Stretch and explode like
a young maid's long legged dance.
Hostas unfurl
from green tips to full leaf beauty
before Mother's Day
Leaving us
Breathless with
wonderment.

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Congratulations to my eight year old daughter, Sarah, on taking second place for second grade in the PBS Kids Go! Young Author's contest. Here is her prize winning story.

The Rabbit Who Thought He Was a Dog

Once upon a time in a beautiful green meadow, there lived a group of rabbits. One of these rabbits was named Rex. Rex did not believe he was a rabbit. He thought he was a dog. He walked like a dog, sat like a dog, and even tried to bark like a dog. Worst of all, he chased the other rabbits.

The other rabbits were very worried about Rex. They sent their leader to have a talk with Rex. “Rex, we are very worried about you,” said the leader, “You seem to think you are a dog.”

“but I am a dog,” replied Rex.

“But you are not a dog,” insisted the leader, “you are a RABBIT! And you should do rabbity things.”

“But I am a dog,” said Rex, started to make a low, strange sound.

“What is that noise?” asked the leader.

“I am growling,” answered Rex and he chased the leader away.

The rabbits were still worried. Until one day when everything changed. A large brown furry creature with a large wet nose entered the meadow and began sniffing the ground. The rabbits all ran into their holes. But Rex did not.

Rex approached the large brown furry creature with a large wet nose. Rex began making a noise that almost, but not quite, sounded like barking. Rex tried to look like a dog and perked his ears up.

The large brown creature responded with a large “BARK!” and bounded toward Rex. Rex screamed very loudly and turned to run. As he ran as fast as he could, he realized that yes, he was a rabbit and not a dog. He dashed into a hole and the dog ran away.

The End

Tuesday, June 7, 2011


Do you have a sign on your bedroom door? If you did, what would it say? I bet we are the only couple in the neighborhood with a sign on our bedroom door. It says “Club for Mom and Dad love Mark”.

Of course, every sign has a story. Our four children, then ages 5-8, were making “clubs” out of their bedrooms, complete with paper signs. “Mama, can you PLEASE help me with my sign?” Mark begged.

There were dishes to be done, lists to be made, laundry to be folded, and….I sighed. I sat down at the table, “Sure, what will your sign say?” We had these sticky letters Dad bought that were leftover so we used those. He told me he wanted to make a sign for mom and dad’s door. “You need your own club, Momma, it’s important.” He didn’t want us to feel left out.

This was a very generous thought from a young five year old who knows what it’s like to be left out of older kids’ play. I handed him letters and he stuck them down carefully, very pleased with his work. I handed him the tape and let him attach it to our door. That was over six months ago. The kids’ clubs are long forgotten in a long line of hide-and-seek , dress up, legos, and all kinds of other games. My sign remains taped to my door. Perhaps I am sentimental but I just can’t take it down.

It’s a visual reminder of so many things:

1. Teaching my kids generosity. To always remind them to put others’ needs ahead of their own and avoid selfishness.

2. That Mom and Dad do need time together, and time together without the children. We need our own “club” to have a great marriage and to be great parents.

3. That my kids need my help with things, and that I do need to take time to spend with them. I can set aside laundry and dishes for a few minutes of quality time.

As parents and spouses, we need reminders about what is important, and this sign has become a symbol, a reminder of what’s important. Do you have a sign on your bedroom door?