I forgot to add that our service structure is different from what we both grew up with, and from the standard evangelical format. We have about a half an hour of readings, prayer, and music. Then there's the sermon, the Nicene Creed, confession, and prayers. Then the last twenty minutes or so is Communion. The service is at least an hour and a half long, often longer. I'm not aiming to have the kids sit through the entire service just yet. We'll ease into that.
I'm beyond feeling guilty that I send the kids out during the sermon portion. But I do want them to know that they're a part of the prayers and singing. That's what I've been working on this week.
On the upside, I realized that Daphne at age two can make it through two half-hour portions (with the break in the middle). That's not a bad milestone. I'm much better at noticing that I don't live up to my own fabricated standards -- which I then assume others hold me to -- than I am at noticing what I actually have accomplished.
Tomorrow is Sunday. It'll probably be a headache. But I don't feel the usual sick dread today. That's something.
-- SJ
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Thursday, January 29, 2009
According to the Polls...
Most of y'all don't think like me. You need to go to your rooms and not come out until you're ready to explain yourselves.
-- SJ
Poll Results:
The names Hazel, Cora, and Pearl are:
Funky Cool: 22 votes (59%)
Musty Old: 15 votes (40%)
Raphael for a middle name is:
Cool: 15 votes (39%)
Weird: 23 votes (60%)
-- SJ
Poll Results:
The names Hazel, Cora, and Pearl are:
Funky Cool: 22 votes (59%)
Musty Old: 15 votes (40%)
Raphael for a middle name is:
Cool: 15 votes (39%)
Weird: 23 votes (60%)
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Liking Church
It happens every single week. By this time, I always know what's coming so I start dreading it by Friday. It was particularly depressing that my birthday coincided with it this year.
I'm talking about Sunday, of course.
Most parents of young children find Sundays stressful, but for the past two or three years I've actively disliked the day. My role at church can be described in brief as "kid-keeper." And when the kids are unruly, not to mention disliking church themselves, church simply becomes a reminder of the fultility and failure that my parenting is.
"There are techniques for training your children to sit in church with you," I was told once. It was an unhelpful remark, because by that time I myself didn't want to sit in church, much less with three children. It wasn't that I didn't try to keep them still and quiet, anyway. But Sunday after Sunday I left church discouraged and frustrated. The occasional Sundays when someone "spoke" to me or Darren about the children were especially dark.
I sit in the pew thinking, "What's the point of all this?" and at the same time grieving that Stuart, especially, knows how to sit quiet and bored throughout the service. How can it be worth making your children participate in service when they end up hating it by age six? Age six to thirty-two, for that matter.
A combination of incidents recently helped jar my thoughts to a new track. Said incidents, which I won't detail, have been pretty painful. We met to resolve the conflict with the other party; it went well at the time, but the aftermath was a horrible all-night and next-day processing that left me sleep-deprived and angry.
Then, as I expected, my mind suddenly sifted through everything and settled down. I realized the next evening that I wasn't chewing over the problem anymore. At the same time, I started reading a book called "Parenting in the Pew." The book was full of the same advice I'd heard over and over at church. But it wasn't in direct relation to my own children, and I was finally able to hear what was actually being said.
Of course I hated Sundays. Who in the world enjoys taking three kids to a weekly meeting where all you do is "sit quietly"? Not only was I trying to get them to sit quietly, that's what I was doing, too. And church doesn't exist just for being quiet. We go to church to worship. The problem wasn't how my children behaved, or how good a parent I wasn't, but that I've forgotten how to worship.
(There are lots of other issues wrapped up in this one, which I probably won't put on the blog. I'm actually surprised this one made it past my reflexive privacy-and-must-look-put-together instinct.)
This week, I sat Addie and Stuart down at the table and told them that I wanted to do Sundays differently. "Daddy loves Sundays. But we three don't. So I want us to learn how to be excited about Sundays." I've been going through the service with them, explaining why we do each part. I made up cards with each of this Sunday's Scripture references on them -- in code! -- so we can look them up and be familiar with the readings ahead of time.
And Addie and Stuart have responded excitedly! Happily! They want to love church! Ha! I'm making that up completely! They slouch in their chairs, sigh, groan, and tune me out. But I've caught a glimmer of interest now and then; they do like parts of church, and I think they're captivated by the thought that Mama needs to learn as much as they do.
I expect Sundays to be as tiring as they ever were. I expect Stuart to get surly now and then and Addie to have meltdowns. What I hope to expect, however, is that my focus will be different, which means my spirit will be lighter, which means that maybe some Sunday I really will like church.
-- SJ
I'm talking about Sunday, of course.
Most parents of young children find Sundays stressful, but for the past two or three years I've actively disliked the day. My role at church can be described in brief as "kid-keeper." And when the kids are unruly, not to mention disliking church themselves, church simply becomes a reminder of the fultility and failure that my parenting is.
"There are techniques for training your children to sit in church with you," I was told once. It was an unhelpful remark, because by that time I myself didn't want to sit in church, much less with three children. It wasn't that I didn't try to keep them still and quiet, anyway. But Sunday after Sunday I left church discouraged and frustrated. The occasional Sundays when someone "spoke" to me or Darren about the children were especially dark.
I sit in the pew thinking, "What's the point of all this?" and at the same time grieving that Stuart, especially, knows how to sit quiet and bored throughout the service. How can it be worth making your children participate in service when they end up hating it by age six? Age six to thirty-two, for that matter.
A combination of incidents recently helped jar my thoughts to a new track. Said incidents, which I won't detail, have been pretty painful. We met to resolve the conflict with the other party; it went well at the time, but the aftermath was a horrible all-night and next-day processing that left me sleep-deprived and angry.
Then, as I expected, my mind suddenly sifted through everything and settled down. I realized the next evening that I wasn't chewing over the problem anymore. At the same time, I started reading a book called "Parenting in the Pew." The book was full of the same advice I'd heard over and over at church. But it wasn't in direct relation to my own children, and I was finally able to hear what was actually being said.
Of course I hated Sundays. Who in the world enjoys taking three kids to a weekly meeting where all you do is "sit quietly"? Not only was I trying to get them to sit quietly, that's what I was doing, too. And church doesn't exist just for being quiet. We go to church to worship. The problem wasn't how my children behaved, or how good a parent I wasn't, but that I've forgotten how to worship.
(There are lots of other issues wrapped up in this one, which I probably won't put on the blog. I'm actually surprised this one made it past my reflexive privacy-and-must-look-put-together instinct.)
This week, I sat Addie and Stuart down at the table and told them that I wanted to do Sundays differently. "Daddy loves Sundays. But we three don't. So I want us to learn how to be excited about Sundays." I've been going through the service with them, explaining why we do each part. I made up cards with each of this Sunday's Scripture references on them -- in code! -- so we can look them up and be familiar with the readings ahead of time.
And Addie and Stuart have responded excitedly! Happily! They want to love church! Ha! I'm making that up completely! They slouch in their chairs, sigh, groan, and tune me out. But I've caught a glimmer of interest now and then; they do like parts of church, and I think they're captivated by the thought that Mama needs to learn as much as they do.
I expect Sundays to be as tiring as they ever were. I expect Stuart to get surly now and then and Addie to have meltdowns. What I hope to expect, however, is that my focus will be different, which means my spirit will be lighter, which means that maybe some Sunday I really will like church.
-- SJ
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Happy Birthday to You!
Today is Sara's birthday. She's back taking a nap (besides working on Jones Product #4, she was up with Jones Product #3 several times during the night). We get a special treat this birthday - we're going out for dinner tonight (Thanks, Deige!) and then again on Tuesday night (Yay, Erin!)
Sara gets more special to me every year we're together. The high point of every day for me is coming home to her, and I am so grateful to God that I work at a job where I can count on doing just that in a reasonable time each night (some of my friends aren't so lucky). I love her sense of humor, and I'm thrilled that she got published in Child Guide this year. I look forward to seeing her byline in more places!
So, in answer to King Lemuel's question, "I can. And you're right; she's way above rubies! I do have full confidence in her, and she's the most awesome wife in the world."
I love you, my wonderful Sara!
--DJ (obviously)
Sara gets more special to me every year we're together. The high point of every day for me is coming home to her, and I am so grateful to God that I work at a job where I can count on doing just that in a reasonable time each night (some of my friends aren't so lucky). I love her sense of humor, and I'm thrilled that she got published in Child Guide this year. I look forward to seeing her byline in more places!
So, in answer to King Lemuel's question, "I can. And you're right; she's way above rubies! I do have full confidence in her, and she's the most awesome wife in the world."
I love you, my wonderful Sara!
--DJ (obviously)
Friday, January 23, 2009
The Ghost at the Door
The other night, after the kids were in bed and the house was quiet, Darren and I relaxed in our bedroom catching up on the day.
Unexpectedly, we both heard the doorbell. At 10:30 at night. "Who on earth?" I exclaimed.
We hurried out into the living room. While Darren disarmed the alarm, I picked up the phone. I was scared. What if it was an intruder, who rang doorbells and then forced his way into the house when unsuspecting homeowners opened the door? I had 911 at my fingertips.
Darren opened the door. No one was on the porch. No one was in sight.
He closed the door and set the alarm again. We glanced around the house, but there were no signs of disturbance. So we went back to bed.
Except that ten minutes later we were back up doing a thorough check of the house because there was no way I could sleep with the possibility of someone hiding until we turned off the lights. Everything was undisturbed(which sort of argues in favor of messy kids' rooms, because then you can tell if someone came in through the window or not). I stopped short of asking Darren to go around with Holy Water, but only barely. Seriously, this scenerio is one of my waking nightmares when he's gone, and the fact that we actually heard the doorbell -- without any obvious explanation -- unsettled me.
But all was secure. We went back to bed, and eventually I calmed down and went to sleep.
The next morning my cell phone alarm woke me up, as usual. I turned it off, then saw that I had a text message from my neice Courtney. It had come in last night. I often don't hear texts come in because the little chirping alert is so wimpy, but I wondered why I hadn't heard it this time since the phone was right beside my bed.
Then I remembered that earlier in the week I'd changed the alert sound, hoping to find something I'd hear more easily. I remembered choosing the sound. I remembered the sound.
It was a doorbell.
-- SJ
Unexpectedly, we both heard the doorbell. At 10:30 at night. "Who on earth?" I exclaimed.
We hurried out into the living room. While Darren disarmed the alarm, I picked up the phone. I was scared. What if it was an intruder, who rang doorbells and then forced his way into the house when unsuspecting homeowners opened the door? I had 911 at my fingertips.
Darren opened the door. No one was on the porch. No one was in sight.
He closed the door and set the alarm again. We glanced around the house, but there were no signs of disturbance. So we went back to bed.
Except that ten minutes later we were back up doing a thorough check of the house because there was no way I could sleep with the possibility of someone hiding until we turned off the lights. Everything was undisturbed(which sort of argues in favor of messy kids' rooms, because then you can tell if someone came in through the window or not). I stopped short of asking Darren to go around with Holy Water, but only barely. Seriously, this scenerio is one of my waking nightmares when he's gone, and the fact that we actually heard the doorbell -- without any obvious explanation -- unsettled me.
But all was secure. We went back to bed, and eventually I calmed down and went to sleep.
The next morning my cell phone alarm woke me up, as usual. I turned it off, then saw that I had a text message from my neice Courtney. It had come in last night. I often don't hear texts come in because the little chirping alert is so wimpy, but I wondered why I hadn't heard it this time since the phone was right beside my bed.
Then I remembered that earlier in the week I'd changed the alert sound, hoping to find something I'd hear more easily. I remembered choosing the sound. I remembered the sound.
It was a doorbell.
-- SJ
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Polls Say...
I'm curious. Also, I need to make out a grocery list and I don't want to. Also, I want to put some polls on the blog.
Here are the questions: Oh, look! They're about names! Not even names we're considering. I figure, you might be bored or procrastinating, too, so you want to talk about names too, right?
So here are the questions:
1. As a middle name, is Raphael (traditionally the third archangel, although not named in the Bible) a cool name or a weird name?
2. Hazel, Cora, and Pearl are funky cool, or musty old?
Vote on the polls to the left, and leave a comment further discussing your vote if you like.
-- SJ
Here are the questions: Oh, look! They're about names! Not even names we're considering. I figure, you might be bored or procrastinating, too, so you want to talk about names too, right?
So here are the questions:
1. As a middle name, is Raphael (traditionally the third archangel, although not named in the Bible) a cool name or a weird name?
2. Hazel, Cora, and Pearl are funky cool, or musty old?
Vote on the polls to the left, and leave a comment further discussing your vote if you like.
-- SJ
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Good Kid Things To Do
When my children were very young, I'd see a title like the one above and think, "Yay! Finally! Ideas for what to do with little kids all day so we won't either go crazy or watch yet another video!" And then I'd read it and realize that they're designed for children about age six.
That's because children under six either don't like activities; or don't stick with them longer than ten minutes; or make enormous messes. And yet, despite my recurring disappointment in those years, here I am touting "great activities" that are for kids who are at least, um, six.
But I remember the toddler days. I'll try to throw in a tidbit for y'all, too.
Klutz Simple Sewing kit and book: I'm delighted that Addie's old enough for Klutz books now. I've been looking wishfully at them for years. She found this one at a used-book store, surprisingly with all the contents still intact. Since she's been nagging me to teach her to sew, it was a perfect find. The little mouse she made came out absolutely adorable, and that opinion is in no way influenced by the fact that I watched my little girl do all the sewing and cutting herself.
"Rose-Ears" the Mouse, by Addie
>> Toddler Tidbit! If your child isn't old enough for Klutz, try Chicken Socks books instead. In our house, Short Stuffs was a big hit.
The Finder. The kids' Christmas gift from our neighbors was "a finder." Nina got the idea from somebody else, but I can't remember who so I'll give Nina the credit. She filled a clear tupperware container with uncooked macaroni. In among the noodles, she put in random items like a Q-tip, a plastic dinosaur, a Barbie shoe, and foam letters. Along with the Finder, she gave us a list of the items she'd hidden inside. She glued the top on, and I reinforced the no-entry policy with packaging tape. So now we can sit and shake the thing around, seeing if we can find all the items. We love the Finder so much that we made one for Ben and Kyri.
>> Toddler Tidbit! Daphne loves the Finder. Well, okay, she loves the one solitary noodle that Nina coated with glitter. I've found the "sparkly noodle" for her about three hundred and forty-six times since Christmas. But it's still a hit.
Kid-Style Apple Pie. I'd torn this recipe out of a Better Homes and Gardens magazine (October 2006) and used it once with Addie. Then I lost it. Then my mom came to visit and cleaned up the enormous hulking crammed-packed hutch in our dining room... and looky here! It's the apple pie recipe again! So all three kids and I made it recently, with very good results. You have to peel and cut up the apples yourself, but the rest of it is wide open for child participation, depending on child's age and how vast your reservoir of patience is that day.
>> Toddler Tidbit! They can eat the apples and dough, which is the whole point of baking anyway, right?
Trashtown Little People. The latest issue of Family Fun featured an entire fire station, with firefighters, made from cereal boxes and egg cartons. We didn't do the whole station, but Addie and Stuart fell in love with the little egg-carton people. I can't find it on the Family Fun website, so here's how you do it, in brief:
Take a cardboard egg carton and cut off one of the egg cups so that it's intact. Paint it. This is your person's body. Take a plastic water-bottle or soda cap and glue it on the small end of the egg cup: this is your person's head. When the paint and glue are dry, draw a face on the side of the bottle cap. For hair, cut a strip of construction paper and glue it to the center of the bottle cap, folding down the edges on either side and snipping a fringe. They're terribly cute and, assuming your children are old enough, a project you don't have to do much of yourself. Like, set the kid up with paint and glue and go blog or something. Just a random example.
>> Toddler Tidbit... Um. Paint, glue, scissors, all to create a toy that your child will decapitate (ha, ha!) within ten minutes of play. Nope, sorry, give this one a miss.
So there you are. Things to do to fill up your cold winter days. You're all set! Not sure what you'll do next week, though.
-- SJ
That's because children under six either don't like activities; or don't stick with them longer than ten minutes; or make enormous messes. And yet, despite my recurring disappointment in those years, here I am touting "great activities" that are for kids who are at least, um, six.
But I remember the toddler days. I'll try to throw in a tidbit for y'all, too.
Klutz Simple Sewing kit and book: I'm delighted that Addie's old enough for Klutz books now. I've been looking wishfully at them for years. She found this one at a used-book store, surprisingly with all the contents still intact. Since she's been nagging me to teach her to sew, it was a perfect find. The little mouse she made came out absolutely adorable, and that opinion is in no way influenced by the fact that I watched my little girl do all the sewing and cutting herself.
"Rose-Ears" the Mouse, by Addie
>> Toddler Tidbit! If your child isn't old enough for Klutz, try Chicken Socks books instead. In our house, Short Stuffs was a big hit.
The Finder. The kids' Christmas gift from our neighbors was "a finder." Nina got the idea from somebody else, but I can't remember who so I'll give Nina the credit. She filled a clear tupperware container with uncooked macaroni. In among the noodles, she put in random items like a Q-tip, a plastic dinosaur, a Barbie shoe, and foam letters. Along with the Finder, she gave us a list of the items she'd hidden inside. She glued the top on, and I reinforced the no-entry policy with packaging tape. So now we can sit and shake the thing around, seeing if we can find all the items. We love the Finder so much that we made one for Ben and Kyri.
>> Toddler Tidbit! Daphne loves the Finder. Well, okay, she loves the one solitary noodle that Nina coated with glitter. I've found the "sparkly noodle" for her about three hundred and forty-six times since Christmas. But it's still a hit.
Kid-Style Apple Pie. I'd torn this recipe out of a Better Homes and Gardens magazine (October 2006) and used it once with Addie. Then I lost it. Then my mom came to visit and cleaned up the enormous hulking crammed-packed hutch in our dining room... and looky here! It's the apple pie recipe again! So all three kids and I made it recently, with very good results. You have to peel and cut up the apples yourself, but the rest of it is wide open for child participation, depending on child's age and how vast your reservoir of patience is that day.
>> Toddler Tidbit! They can eat the apples and dough, which is the whole point of baking anyway, right?
Trashtown Little People. The latest issue of Family Fun featured an entire fire station, with firefighters, made from cereal boxes and egg cartons. We didn't do the whole station, but Addie and Stuart fell in love with the little egg-carton people. I can't find it on the Family Fun website, so here's how you do it, in brief:
Take a cardboard egg carton and cut off one of the egg cups so that it's intact. Paint it. This is your person's body. Take a plastic water-bottle or soda cap and glue it on the small end of the egg cup: this is your person's head. When the paint and glue are dry, draw a face on the side of the bottle cap. For hair, cut a strip of construction paper and glue it to the center of the bottle cap, folding down the edges on either side and snipping a fringe. They're terribly cute and, assuming your children are old enough, a project you don't have to do much of yourself. Like, set the kid up with paint and glue and go blog or something. Just a random example.
>> Toddler Tidbit... Um. Paint, glue, scissors, all to create a toy that your child will decapitate (ha, ha!) within ten minutes of play. Nope, sorry, give this one a miss.
So there you are. Things to do to fill up your cold winter days. You're all set! Not sure what you'll do next week, though.
-- SJ
Monday, January 19, 2009
SuperDarren
Our computer is ill, so it's off getting well.
It's time for SUPERDARREN!
His office was selling off old laptops just before Christmas. The email came in. Darren levitated from his chair, leaped copy machines, and dashed past co-workers so fast that he left them a spinning blur behind him. He got an 8-year-old laptop for $60.
When we bid our computer farewell, get-well-soon (Stuart with real tears), Darren brought out the laptop. A catastrophe was diverted.
But no internet. No email. No blogging.
It's time for SUPERDARREN!
The high-speed modem wouldn't cooperate, but he dragged out our old dial-up cable and hooked it up for me. Without even being asked! The damsel, rescued from her dire distress, swooned and kissed him.
So now I'm living with dial-up, which is like eating freezer pizza instead of homemade. It works, but I'm holding out for the real thing.
But at least there's still SUPERDARREN! to fill up my idle hours.
-- SJ
It's time for SUPERDARREN!
His office was selling off old laptops just before Christmas. The email came in. Darren levitated from his chair, leaped copy machines, and dashed past co-workers so fast that he left them a spinning blur behind him. He got an 8-year-old laptop for $60.
When we bid our computer farewell, get-well-soon (Stuart with real tears), Darren brought out the laptop. A catastrophe was diverted.
But no internet. No email. No blogging.
It's time for SUPERDARREN!
The high-speed modem wouldn't cooperate, but he dragged out our old dial-up cable and hooked it up for me. Without even being asked! The damsel, rescued from her dire distress, swooned and kissed him.
So now I'm living with dial-up, which is like eating freezer pizza instead of homemade. It works, but I'm holding out for the real thing.
But at least there's still SUPERDARREN! to fill up my idle hours.
-- SJ
Friday, January 16, 2009
What's In a Name?
Darren's been home sick with a cold, and although it wasn't quite a mancold it did mean I didn't stick to my routine so we've all ended the day tired. So as a bit of a refreshment, I'm going to talk about names. Aah. I feel better already.
Some for the "It Sounds Nice... Whatever It Is" category:
* Taiden
* Timory
To add to the "Why Children Don't Name Their Siblings" category:
* My niece, Camie, said that while her sister might want to name their new baby Jonah, and her mama might want to use Joseph, Camie herself wants to name the baby "John the First Baptist." (Perhaps not coincidentally, the family has just joined the First Baptist Church.)
In our household, names no longer up for serious consideration, assuming that the little grey blob on the ultrasound really *is* what the technician said it is:
* Charity
* Phoebe
* Cordelia
An M-middle name that is half tribute to my heritage, half a joke. I'm glad I don't actually have to decide between the benefits and snickers:
* Eve Magnolia
-- SJ
Some for the "It Sounds Nice... Whatever It Is" category:
* Taiden
* Timory
To add to the "Why Children Don't Name Their Siblings" category:
* My niece, Camie, said that while her sister might want to name their new baby Jonah, and her mama might want to use Joseph, Camie herself wants to name the baby "John the First Baptist." (Perhaps not coincidentally, the family has just joined the First Baptist Church.)
In our household, names no longer up for serious consideration, assuming that the little grey blob on the ultrasound really *is* what the technician said it is:
* Charity
* Phoebe
* Cordelia
An M-middle name that is half tribute to my heritage, half a joke. I'm glad I don't actually have to decide between the benefits and snickers:
* Eve Magnolia
-- SJ
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
I'm Now Online
Of course, I'm almost always online. It's practically an IV, our modem. What I mean is, I'm published online. The new issue of Child Guide Magazine is out, both online and in print, so you can see my contributions to the world of parenting.
My articles are:
The Name Game, pg 13
(Moms) Making Friends, pg 35
Sensible Spending, pg 40
Would it be easier just to post the articles on my blog? Yes. Would it be half as cool as seeing them in print, with graphics, and my by-line? Nope.
-- SJ
My articles are:
The Name Game, pg 13
(Moms) Making Friends, pg 35
Sensible Spending, pg 40
Would it be easier just to post the articles on my blog? Yes. Would it be half as cool as seeing them in print, with graphics, and my by-line? Nope.
-- SJ
Hannah's Plans
Quick, click here. Our friend Debra posted her daughter's plans for this coming year. It's not something you want to miss.
-- SJ
-- SJ
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Spell What You Say, Please
Stuart asked a question.
I heard, "Does by mean to or for?"
Darren heard, "Does buy mean two or four?"
We said, "WHAT?!"
Stuart pointed to the sentence he was reading, which included the word "bi-colored." He repeated, "Does 'bi' mean two or four?"
-- SJ
I heard, "Does by mean to or for?"
Darren heard, "Does buy mean two or four?"
We said, "WHAT?!"
Stuart pointed to the sentence he was reading, which included the word "bi-colored." He repeated, "Does 'bi' mean two or four?"
-- SJ
Friday, January 09, 2009
7 Quick Takes
1. Stuart asked me the other day, "What does it mean to 'moon' somebody?" I asked where he'd heard about it. "Calvin and Get Fuzzy." Part of me thinks I shouldn't let the kids read comic collections like that, but the other part of me views it as a controlled elementary playground education.
2. My big plan for today is to get the house in shape. Understand, I never have a very clean house, except when my mother or mother-in-law is visiting so the House Fairies actually get their sorry selves up to do some work. But I do keep it fairly neat-ish. Trouble is, I'm feeling so desperate that this morning's cleanup plan tends to go like this:
* Vacuum living areas
* Maybe also the hallway and my bedroom
* Pick up clutter
* Clean kids' rooms
* Reorganize Addie's closet!
* Get rid of that old dresser of Stuart's and find a better place for his clothes!
* Organize the toys in the playroom!
* CLEAN OUT THE GARAGE!
I'll let you know how it goes, once I finish repainting the living room.
3. My brother and sister-in-law rescue cats. They currently house about forty of them, and have decided that they can't co-habitate with a herd of felines. (Ya think?) They're building a smaller shed off the house for the cats to live in. It's very hard for the family not to refer to it as "the cathouse." I don't think the family is trying very sincerely.
4. A few Creekbank booklets still available, for further authentic Southern adventures. (Not involving cathouses.)
5. I have officially given up the attempt to find an M middle name for this baby, even though I hate not to match this one with the other kids. Unless, of course, I happen upon an M middle name that we love, wouldn't that be nice, God?
6. Darren grew a beard for Christmas vacation, and so far nobody at work has cornered him with a razor, so he's still wearing it. I love the beard, although obviously not enough to take any pictures of it yet.
7. The weather has been cold and unpleasant this week, so the cat doesn't want to go outside. Since she's bored being stuck inside, she follows me around wanting attention all day. It's like having another two-year-old, except the cat isn't as loud.
More at Conversion Diary.
-- SJ
2. My big plan for today is to get the house in shape. Understand, I never have a very clean house, except when my mother or mother-in-law is visiting so the House Fairies actually get their sorry selves up to do some work. But I do keep it fairly neat-ish. Trouble is, I'm feeling so desperate that this morning's cleanup plan tends to go like this:
* Vacuum living areas
* Maybe also the hallway and my bedroom
* Pick up clutter
* Clean kids' rooms
* Reorganize Addie's closet!
* Get rid of that old dresser of Stuart's and find a better place for his clothes!
* Organize the toys in the playroom!
* CLEAN OUT THE GARAGE!
I'll let you know how it goes, once I finish repainting the living room.
3. My brother and sister-in-law rescue cats. They currently house about forty of them, and have decided that they can't co-habitate with a herd of felines. (Ya think?) They're building a smaller shed off the house for the cats to live in. It's very hard for the family not to refer to it as "the cathouse." I don't think the family is trying very sincerely.
4. A few Creekbank booklets still available, for further authentic Southern adventures. (Not involving cathouses.)
5. I have officially given up the attempt to find an M middle name for this baby, even though I hate not to match this one with the other kids. Unless, of course, I happen upon an M middle name that we love, wouldn't that be nice, God?
6. Darren grew a beard for Christmas vacation, and so far nobody at work has cornered him with a razor, so he's still wearing it. I love the beard, although obviously not enough to take any pictures of it yet.
7. The weather has been cold and unpleasant this week, so the cat doesn't want to go outside. Since she's bored being stuck inside, she follows me around wanting attention all day. It's like having another two-year-old, except the cat isn't as loud.
More at Conversion Diary.
-- SJ
Thursday, January 08, 2009
Interview with Addie: Spanish
My friend Deidre is teaching Spanish for our weekly co-op this semester. The work she's put into preparing the class is astonishing. She, of course, insists it's not so much more than I did for my history class last semester: "A lot of it is the nature of the class," she explained. "A language is so structured and you have to include so much..." "No," I replied. "A lot of it is the nature of the person."
Among the preparations, she asked parents to sit down with the students and complete a few questions. Here are Addie's results:
1. What Spanish name do you choose for the class? Gabriela, because it's closest to an angel's name.
2. What are two reasons for learning a foreign language?
a. If we went to Spain and were abandoned by somebody, we could speak the language instead of making up signs.
b. If a Spanish person was abandoned by somebody, then I could speak their language and bring them home and you could house them on the air mattress instead of sending them to the Bugget Motel*.
(*It's actually "Budget Motel" but the D light has been out for months.)
3. What do you know of the Spanish people and culture? The Mexicans attacked the Alamo! They killed all the men there.
4. What is one thing you want to learn? How to say "yes" so I won't have to make up a sign.
At least, Deige, you've got a good idea of the vast, empty plain that is Addie's knowledge of Spanish. Good luck.
-- SJ
Among the preparations, she asked parents to sit down with the students and complete a few questions. Here are Addie's results:
1. What Spanish name do you choose for the class? Gabriela, because it's closest to an angel's name.
2. What are two reasons for learning a foreign language?
a. If we went to Spain and were abandoned by somebody, we could speak the language instead of making up signs.
b. If a Spanish person was abandoned by somebody, then I could speak their language and bring them home and you could house them on the air mattress instead of sending them to the Bugget Motel*.
(*It's actually "Budget Motel" but the D light has been out for months.)
3. What do you know of the Spanish people and culture? The Mexicans attacked the Alamo! They killed all the men there.
4. What is one thing you want to learn? How to say "yes" so I won't have to make up a sign.
At least, Deige, you've got a good idea of the vast, empty plain that is Addie's knowledge of Spanish. Good luck.
-- SJ
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
Chicken Pox
So here's the situation: a friend's children have the chicken pox. She's invited any of us who want to expose our children to come over and partake of the germs.
The dilemma:
On the one hand, I do want them to get it while they're young, and the vaccine is unnecessary if they do catch it.
On the other hand, doesn't it seem like a cruel thing for a mother to do, arranging a playdate for the single purpose of getting your kids sick?
-- SJ
The dilemma:
On the one hand, I do want them to get it while they're young, and the vaccine is unnecessary if they do catch it.
On the other hand, doesn't it seem like a cruel thing for a mother to do, arranging a playdate for the single purpose of getting your kids sick?
-- SJ
Sunday, January 04, 2009
Mundania 19
- Yesterday we said goodbye to my mom and dropped her off at the airport. Two hours later, we said hello to my mom when we picked her back up from the airport. Delta cancelled the flight because of bad weather in Atlanta. (We'd have had air travel long before it actually came about, if Sherman hadn't burned Atlanta during the Civil War. That held up air travel for decades.) She's back with us -- sans luggage -- until Tuesday. The kids think it's practically a special Heavenly blessing, that cancelled flight.
- I have a cold.
- Addie went to cuddle with Mam in her bed. "I just want to bring a glimmer of joy to your life," she said.
- Tomorrow is our official Undecorating Party, when we take down the tree and get the living room back to normal. I'm looking forward to it. Not that I've been physically restraining myself from tackling the tree and dragging it bodily away, leaving a path of ornaments and traumatized children in my wake.
- Stuart's been sleeping on the bottom bunk in the girls' room for the past two weeks. Addie and Stuart even informed me that it was no longer "the girls' room," but was "the kids' room." Stuart's (former) room had reverted to "the spare room." After one night when A&S slept in the SAME bunk and woke up grumpy, and then last night when they wouldn't settle down so woke up grumpy, we've decided it's time to return to normal. Stuart is unhappy, because in the two weeks out of the six years of his life that he slept in the other room, he "got used" to it and can't sleep in his own room.
- We enjoyed a whirlwind visit from Mike and Rachelle this evening. Mike, Stuart's godfather, wisely used this brief opportunity to nuture Stuart's heart and growth by wrestling violently with him for most of the visit. Stuart's still glowing.
- Daphne insists she can see the baby in my tummy. She says it's in my belly button.
- Darren said something funny at lunch today. I can't remember what it was. I asked Darren. He can't remember, either. It's been a very busy holiday. 'Bout time for real life again.
Friday, January 02, 2009
Maintaining the Balance
Darren and I went in for my ultrasound this morning. Although I still can't tell much about ultrasound pictures (despite their being much clearer than even seven years ago when we had Addie's), we did see Baby wiggling and kicking. Also, I am vindicated: I knew I wasn't as far along as the OB thought I was, and now my due date has been adjusted. It was the ultrasound, not me, who convinced them. But still.
Most importantly, the ultrasound revealed whether the baby is a he or a she. The answer is... A Boy.
We'll have the perfectly balanced family! Harmony will reign! Positive energy will flow through our lives! (Yes, Lindsay, I realize that in our zeal for personal balace, we are neglecting the bigger picture. Evan and Jill's family is boy, girl, boy, boy. We SHOULD be producing girl, boy, girl, girl. Sorry.)
Now to figure out how to answer intrusive questions about our family planning, since strangers will assume that we wouldn't want to disrupt our family's delicate balance, and then will want us to confirm their assumptions even though it's absolutely none of their blasted business, not that I feel strongly on the subject of intrusive questions about family planning.
The official due date is June 16. But since this will be a scheduled c-section, the baby will be born closer to June 8.
-- SJ
Most importantly, the ultrasound revealed whether the baby is a he or a she. The answer is... A Boy.
We'll have the perfectly balanced family! Harmony will reign! Positive energy will flow through our lives! (Yes, Lindsay, I realize that in our zeal for personal balace, we are neglecting the bigger picture. Evan and Jill's family is boy, girl, boy, boy. We SHOULD be producing girl, boy, girl, girl. Sorry.)
Now to figure out how to answer intrusive questions about our family planning, since strangers will assume that we wouldn't want to disrupt our family's delicate balance, and then will want us to confirm their assumptions even though it's absolutely none of their blasted business, not that I feel strongly on the subject of intrusive questions about family planning.
The official due date is June 16. But since this will be a scheduled c-section, the baby will be born closer to June 8.
-- SJ
Thursday, January 01, 2009
Happy New Year!
It's 2009!
Having made that completely unsurprising observation, I have only the following remarks to make:
1. I don't really make resolutions. After all, you have to list them, right? (Kelly's idea is more appealing, but still.)
2. Well, maybe one or two resolutions.
3. This looks like it would be a good year to learn how to spend less, save more, and possibly learn how to make my own clothes starting with the sheep.
4. I will not regard the new presidential administration as:
a. The salvation of the nation that will lift us into equality, harmony, and prosperity until the end of time, amen.
b. The doom of the nation that will drive us into the final stages of decline, Roman-Empire style.
5. I've just started to show a little bit, which is a pleasant change from feeling yucky with no visible excuse. I've also felt the first little flutters of movement. That makes for a happy new year!
-- SJ
What We Think -- "Stravaganza"
I came across the Stravaganza books by Mary Hoffman while browsing the Y/A section of the library. At the time there were two: City of Masks and City of Stars. I liked the writing, I liked the characters, I liked the setting. (Darren didn't find it engaging enough to read, probably because Y/A plots are streamlined and don't produce books big enough to shore up a house foundation.) The third book, City of Flowers, came out shortly after I discovered the series.
The general premise is that English teenagers, usually unhappy, and all attending the same school, come upon "talismans" that allow them to travel to an alternate Italy. Each book deals with a different protagonist and a different city, so each book is distinct from the others, although they are connected. It's nothing very profound -- I actually can't even remember the third book very clearly -- but good light reading.
Darren got me the series for Christmas, including a fourth book I didn't know had come out. City of Secrets was disappointing: it read as if Hoffman was merely revisiting her characters for her fans' benefit. The end of it seemed so rushed that I almost could see the scratch-out marks she left on her notes before transcribing them into the manuscript. It also left open the opportunity for a fifth book, whee. If you look up the series, stick to the first three. They form a complete enough story without the disappointment.
That exception aside, this is one of my favorite series. So you should go find it and read it, too.
-- SJ
The general premise is that English teenagers, usually unhappy, and all attending the same school, come upon "talismans" that allow them to travel to an alternate Italy. Each book deals with a different protagonist and a different city, so each book is distinct from the others, although they are connected. It's nothing very profound -- I actually can't even remember the third book very clearly -- but good light reading.
Darren got me the series for Christmas, including a fourth book I didn't know had come out. City of Secrets was disappointing: it read as if Hoffman was merely revisiting her characters for her fans' benefit. The end of it seemed so rushed that I almost could see the scratch-out marks she left on her notes before transcribing them into the manuscript. It also left open the opportunity for a fifth book, whee. If you look up the series, stick to the first three. They form a complete enough story without the disappointment.
That exception aside, this is one of my favorite series. So you should go find it and read it, too.
-- SJ
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