I don't know how I missed this news, but Steven Curtis Chapman's 5-year-old daughter, adopted from China, was killed in a tragic accident on May 23rd. The oldest son accidentally backed over her in their driveway. Ironically, he wrote this song about her, Maria Sue Chapman, a couple of years ago. The words say, "All too soon the clock will strike midnight and she'll be gone." This family has a special place in my heart, not only because I love his music but because of their commitment to children and adoption. It is a great reminder to appreciate every moment with our families.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Thursday, May 29, 2008
I'm a Good Talker
My children always provide me with rich fodder for blogging. That sounds very agricultural, doesn't it? Anyway...Little Sissy has just taken off with talking lately. It seems like overnight she went from combining signs with grunting and facial expressions to convey her point to whole conversations like "Baby chick scare me. Hold in hand. Pet baby chick. Baby chick flap wings. Baby chick scare me." Somebody apparently pushed her "on" button this week. She never stops. I keep telling her, "You are doing such a good job talking, honey!" When Hubby got home from his business trip, apparently I was talking a lot to try to catch him up on the last few days of our lives. All of a sudden, Big Sissy said, "You're doing a really good job talking, Mommy!" Thanks, baby doll. It's a gift. :)
Best Friends
Big Sissy has a new best friend. We'll call her V. I met her mom at the library last summer. They are the same age, and now they have baby brothers the same age. We've been doing some playdates throughout the year, and they've been in the same class at M.O.P.S. (Mothers of Preschoolers) This week we went to the mall to play, and the girls held hands nearly the whole time we were walking. When they weren't holding each others hands, they were both holding the hand of April May, Jr.--Big Sissy's little purple lamb she takes everywhere. At lunch they drank from the same water cup with 2 straws. Such sweet innocence!
PawPaw's Ears...among other issues
I don't particularly care for my ears, but that is not what this post is about. Hubby's dad (the kids call him PawPaw) has some difficulty hearing after working for many years in a steel mill. Sometimes this results in some really humorous and confusing conversations. The older grandkids have coined the term "PawPaw's ears" to mean an auditory disfunction. I sometimes have PawPaw's ears myself. Add that to sarcasm and some edginess from having the kids all week by myself and here's how tonight's conversation with Hubby went. (He's been in Chicago for business all week.)
Setting: The girls are in the bathtub, it's already past their bedtime, and I still have to give Little Buddy a bath, go to the grocery store because it's "no coupon Thursday," and I'm exhausted. I'm trying to get the stains out of the kids' clothes that I have been soaking in the sink so that I can use the sink for the baby's bath. I'm working feverishly on a little yellow skirt when Hubby comes sauntering in.
Hubby (pointing to the skirt): Is that lemon?
Me (in my head): OMG. Do skirts come in flavors now? Why does it have to be lemon just because it's yellow? Why can't it be banana? Does it look like a lemon? Furthermore, why are you standing there watching me wash this "lemon" skirt when there are a million things to be done so the kids can get in bed before I fall asleep standing here? If I ignore this question completely, I'm going to look totally rude. On the other hand, if I answer this question, I have no choice but to be sarcastic because WHAT A DUMB QUESTION!!!!
Me (out loud--opting for sarcasm even though I know I'm going to sound like I'm in junior high): I don't know. Why don't you taste it?
Hubby (with a blank look on his face): Huh? What is linen supposed to taste like?
Oops. Thankfully he has a wonderful way of laughing instead of getting mad...usually. Here's the moral of the story. Those with PawPaw's ears should not think snide thoughts about others, and should definitely not talk without clarifying. Note taken.
In case the suspense is killing you, it's 60% linen/40% cotton. *sheepish grin*
Setting: The girls are in the bathtub, it's already past their bedtime, and I still have to give Little Buddy a bath, go to the grocery store because it's "no coupon Thursday," and I'm exhausted. I'm trying to get the stains out of the kids' clothes that I have been soaking in the sink so that I can use the sink for the baby's bath. I'm working feverishly on a little yellow skirt when Hubby comes sauntering in.
Hubby (pointing to the skirt): Is that lemon?
Me (in my head): OMG. Do skirts come in flavors now? Why does it have to be lemon just because it's yellow? Why can't it be banana? Does it look like a lemon? Furthermore, why are you standing there watching me wash this "lemon" skirt when there are a million things to be done so the kids can get in bed before I fall asleep standing here? If I ignore this question completely, I'm going to look totally rude. On the other hand, if I answer this question, I have no choice but to be sarcastic because WHAT A DUMB QUESTION!!!!
Me (out loud--opting for sarcasm even though I know I'm going to sound like I'm in junior high): I don't know. Why don't you taste it?
Hubby (with a blank look on his face): Huh? What is linen supposed to taste like?
Oops. Thankfully he has a wonderful way of laughing instead of getting mad...usually. Here's the moral of the story. Those with PawPaw's ears should not think snide thoughts about others, and should definitely not talk without clarifying. Note taken.
In case the suspense is killing you, it's 60% linen/40% cotton. *sheepish grin*
Friday, May 23, 2008
Family Vacation
After graduation, we drove until 2:00 a.m. on the first leg of our vacation. We drove the rest of the way to Arkansas the next day to be at a friend's wedding by 2:00. It was a crazy couple of days, but then we got to relax with friends in AR and then enjoy a couple of days in Branson. The girls loved Silver Dollar City!
It's Official!
I finished my classes in December, so graduation was a bit anti-climactic in some ways, but it was a great sense of closure on a LONG journey toward getting my master's degree. It feels very bittersweet to be done. I already miss that place. I grew so much there, and the things I learned extend far beyond the academic.
My proud moment
My proud moment
Tired but very supportive family
Yeah, Mommy!
Me and my 2 beautiful sisters
I couldn't have done it without the support of Hubby!
Proud Parents
Superstar!
Thursday, May 15, 2008
The Timeline of Life
I've always been a planner. I remember lots of nights in high school where I would stay up late with my college catalogs spread all over my bed, trying to figure out which one I should go to. I would make lists of qualities of guys I knew and try to figure out which one I should marry.
And God would sit in heaven and smile because He knew the plan He had for my life.
When Hubby and I got married, we would get out our calendars and try to plan when we would have kids and when we would graduate. Our conversations would go something like this:
Me (pointing to the calendar): Let's get pregnant this week so we can have a baby over spring break.
Hubby: We might not want a 2-month old when we move to wherever our first ministry position is.
Me: That's true. Maybe we should have a baby over Christmas break instead.
Hubby: OK. That would give us just one semester with a baby. We could probably manage that.
And God would sit in heaven and smile because He knew that His plans were better than our plans.
And here we are. I'm turning a nice round number of a birthday tomorrow AND graduating, and we have 3 beautiful children, and we are not in full-time ministry. This was not at all the timeline we planned during those many conversations. And God is smiling because His plans are perfect and beautiful, and He is teaching us to trust Him more with the details of our lives. He does such a better job at it than I do!
And God would sit in heaven and smile because He knew the plan He had for my life.
When Hubby and I got married, we would get out our calendars and try to plan when we would have kids and when we would graduate. Our conversations would go something like this:
Me (pointing to the calendar): Let's get pregnant this week so we can have a baby over spring break.
Hubby: We might not want a 2-month old when we move to wherever our first ministry position is.
Me: That's true. Maybe we should have a baby over Christmas break instead.
Hubby: OK. That would give us just one semester with a baby. We could probably manage that.
And God would sit in heaven and smile because He knew that His plans were better than our plans.
And here we are. I'm turning a nice round number of a birthday tomorrow AND graduating, and we have 3 beautiful children, and we are not in full-time ministry. This was not at all the timeline we planned during those many conversations. And God is smiling because His plans are perfect and beautiful, and He is teaching us to trust Him more with the details of our lives. He does such a better job at it than I do!
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