How They Wake

THE RUMORS ARE TRUE.  CHILDREN GROW AT AN IMPOSSIBLY RAPID RATE.  BLINK AND THEY ARE ONTO SOMETHING NEW, FORMING NEW WORDS, CORRECTING MISPRONUNCIATIONS (you almost wish they wouldn't), FAVORING NEW TOYS, LEAVING BEHIND OLD FAVORITES, EXPRESSING THEMSELVES IN NEW WAYS, WALKING AND TALKING THEIR WAY RIGHT INTO ADOLESCENCE.

I WISH I COULD BOTTLE UP EVERY MOMENT OF THEIR CHILDHOODS, STORE THEM ON A SHELF, AND REOPEN THEM EACH TIME I FEEL LIKE TAKING A QUIET STROLL DOWN MEMORY LANE.  I WANT TO PRESERVE THE SWEET SMELLS OF INNOCENCE, THE HEART WARMING SOUNDS OF LAUGHTER, THE SALTY TEARS THAT FLOW, EACH AFFECTIONATE EMBRACE, TENDER KISS, TICKLE, AND TOUCH. 

I BELIEVE AEROSMITH PUT IT BEST, "...AND, I DON'T WANT TO MISS A THING..."

ALAS, I DO NOT HAVE A LIMITLESS SUPPLY OF BOTTLES. 

I HAVE A BLOG.

AND, TODAY I WANT TO BOTTLE UP THEIR EARLY MORNING MOMENTS.

The little lady...

  begins each morning brushing against the gate that is at her door (it has been there since moving her into a toddler bed and might remain their until she is old enough to date...say age 16...we are still debating.)  I hear her gentle signs and huffs, gently urging me to arrive at her door.  Occasionally, little knocks can be heard, as her tiny knuckles strike the frame of her door.  There are no words, with the exception of those mornings when she wakes with a song on her heart, and sweet melodies fill our hallway signaling the start of a new day. When I turn the corner, I find her gentle frame propped up against the gate, tousled hair hanging in her face.  She waits for my smile and then releases her own beautiful and bashful morning grin.  Her face (in my opinion) is perfect at this hour (which can fall anywhere between 6am and 7am).  She reaches up for my arms, and then suddenly rushes back into her room remembering to collect her beloved pink blankie and water sippy cup.  Upon returning, she is ready to be embraced; however, only for the length of the hallway.  For each and every day (for her) begins with a time of "milk, blankie and TV" on the couch.  Uninterrupted.  Once her milk is finished, she is ready to make plans for the day.

The little man...

is typically the last one to rise each day.  Upon waking, he tosses his beloved papi with precision, so that it makes an unmistakable sound as it hits the carpeted floor.  He then releases a series of cheerful shouts, alerting the household of his wakefulness.  As I enter our bedroom, the one he has shared with Jeff and I since 6 months of age (this arrangement keeps us all sleeping soundly),  I find him standing in the corner of his crib.  He immediately falls over in a fit of giggles, pulling his blankies over his head.  After an amusing minute of play, he rises, points at his papi, and is ready to be retrieved. He focuses his attention on my face, and blesses me the sweetest of early morning stares.  With full blown bedhead and saggy diaper, he makes his way down the hallway to reunite with his sissy.  He pulls himself onto the couch, sitting as close to his sister as possible and coyly pulls at her blanket.  This inevitably leads to an early morning game of tug-o-war. 

And, with little shrieks of delight (his) and angst (hers), our day has begun.



A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words - Good morning, world.



A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words - Daddy's Turn



Noodle Ideology

I HAVE JUST COMPLETED THE BOOK WHAT A HUSBAND NEEDS FROM HIS WIFE by Melanie Chitwood.  IT IS A BOOK THAT I WILL REFERENCE OFTEN AS I NAVIGATE MY WAY THROUGH LIFE AS WIFE TO A CERTAIN JEFF LARSON, MD. 
(I would highly recommend this encouraging and uplifting read.  It has prompted me to reflect on many areas of my marriage, providing an opportunity to reevaluate my motives, refocus my attention, and remember the vows I made to my husband, and why I want to UPHOLD them, CHERISH them, and HONOR them for the rest of my live long day.)

WHILE READING LAST NIGHT, I CAME ACROSS THE FOLLOWING EXPLANATION FOR WHY MEN AND WOMEN COMMUNICATE DIFFERENTLY.  MY INITIAL RESPONSE WAS TO DISMISS THE QUIRKY COMPARISON; HOWEVER, AFTER THINKING ABOUT IT (AND ART SMITH'S RECIPE FOR SOUR CREAM WAFFLES - SEE "WHAT'S IN THE KITCHEN" FOR RECIPE) I FOUND IT TO BE QUITE ENLIGHTENING.


image from 101cookbooks.com

"A man's thinking is...
divided up into boxes that have room for one issue and one issue only.  The first issue of life goes in the first box, the second issue goes in the second box, and so on.  The typical man lives in one box at a time and one box only.  When a man is at work, he is at work.  When he is in the garage tinkering around, he is in the garage tinkering...As a result, men are problem solvers by nature.  They enter a box, size up the "problem," and formulate a solution."

image taken from Smitten Kitchen

"Women on the other hand...
process life like a plate of pasta.  If you look at a plate of spaghetti, you notice that there are lots of individual noodles that all touch one another.  If you attempted to follow one noodle around the plate, you would intersect a lot of other noodles, and you might even switch to another noodle seamlessly.  That is how women face life.  Every thought and issue is connected to every other thought and issue in some way.  Life is much more of a process for women that it is for men." 

-from Men Are Like Waffles - Women Are Like Spaghetti

by Bill and Pam Farrel


IF YOU WOULD ALLOW ME TO TAKE THIS ANALOGY ONE STEP FURTHER...

WHILE A WAFFLE IN AND OF ITSELF IT DELICIOUS, WHAT WAFFLE IS NOT MADE BETTER BY THE ADDITION OF BUTTER OR SYRUP?  SIMILARLY, IS A NOODLE NOT ENHANCED BY THE SAUCE THAT IS LADLED UPON IT?  MAY WE, AS WIVES, BE THE SWEET SYRUP THAT COMPLEMENT AND ELEVATE OUR HUSBAND'S LIVES. 

Two are better than one,
    because they have a good return for their work:
If one falls down,
his friend can pick him up.
But, pity the man who falls
and has no one to help him up!
Also, if two lie down together,
they will be warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?
Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Wise Words

It has been said that Jesus will either calm the sea or He will calm me.

- from What a Husband Needs From His Wife

"The Lord gives strength to his people;

the Lord blesses his people with peace."

Psalm 29:11

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words - Conductor



Raspberry Limeade Slushies

Serves 4, GENEROUSLY

1 cup freshly squeezed lime juice

1 cup raspberries

1 cup water

4 cups ice

2/3 cup sugar

1 cup soda water

lime wedges, for serving

4 chilled glasses, if you're feeling fancy (sippy cups will do)

*a splash of vodka if you're looking for a good time (we enjoyed ours without)

**pour remaining slush into ice cube trays to keep the good times rolling all week long

In a blender, blend the lime juice, raspberries, water, ice and sugar until slushy.  Pour into glasses.  Top off with 1/4 cup soda water and garnish with a lime wedge.  Drink quickly enough to get a brain freeze.

(recipe from Smitten Kitchen)

 An icy treat after a hot Sunday dip in the pool. 

Sweet and satisfying!



These Are a Few of My Favorite Things...currently

1. FLAKY CROISSANTS FROM ON THE RISE BAKERY

CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OH

THIS PARTICULAR BAKERY WAS FEATURED IN DOUGLAS TRATTNER'S "CLEVELAND HANDBOOK" WHICH WAS GIFTED TO ME BY MY DEAR FRIEND, ADRIANA. (muchas gracias.)

BEING A CONNOISSEUR OF ALL THINGS BREAD, THE FOLLOWING FRAGMENT CAUGHT MY ATTENTION, "...and the best French baguette in Cleveland, if not Ohio."   OBVIOUSLY, I NEEDED TO GET MY HANDS ON THAT BAGUETTE.  THE KIDS WERE HOPING TO DISCOVER A NEW BAKERY THAT WOULD SATISFY THEIR DESIRES FOR SPRINKLE DONUTS. 

ALAS, WE DID NOT FIND SPRINKLE DONUTS AT THIS ARTISANAL BAKERY.  WHAT WE FOUND WAS MUCH BETTER...THE MOST PERFECT CROISSANTS MY MOUTH HAS EVER HAD THE PLEASURE OF TASTING.  MY ONLY MISTAKE WAS ORDERING JUST TWO, A CHOCOLATE FILLED (FOR THE LITTLE LADY) AND RASPBERRY FILLED (FOR THE LITTLE MAN).  AS WE ENJOYED OUR NEW FOUND TREASURES ON THE SIDEWALK, I KNEW I HAD JUST DISCOVERED MY NEWEST TEMPTATION. 

APPARENTLY, I AM NOT ALONE IN MY OPINION OF THIS BAKERY.  WHEN THE LITTLE LADY AND I ARRIVED EARLY SATURDAY MORNING TO PURCHASE FOUR CROISSANTS FOR OUR FAMILY, WE WERE MET BY A GROUP OF BREAD-SEEKING PATRONS.  WHEN THE DOORS PROMPTLY OPENED AT 8:00am, AN INSTANT LINE FORMED OUT THE DOOR.  MANY A HAPPY FOLK LEFT THAT MORNING WITH CARBOHYDRATE-FILLED BROWN BAGS.

(I wish that I had audio of our family enjoying this Saturday morning treat. They are THAT good.)

2. HYDRANGEAS

I'M NOT SURE WHY I'M JUST TAKING NOTICE OF THIS DELICATE AND LOVELY FLOWER.  IT COULD BE BECAUSE THEY BLOOMING EVERYWHERE IN THIS NEW CITY WE CALL HOME.  I AM COMFORTED BY THEIR PALE AND CALMING COLORS, SWEET FRAGRANCE, AND THEY WAY THEY CASCADE UPON EACH PERFECTLY LANDSCAPED LAWN IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

3. OLIVIA BOOKS

THIS WAS A RECENT LIBRARY PICK, AND I'M NOT SURE WHO ENJOYED IT MORE, THE LITTLE LADY, LITTLE MAN OR ME.  THIS WAS THE ONE NON-TRANSPORTATION BOOK THE LITTLE MAN TOLERATED THIS WEEK AND I WAS HAPPY TO OBLIGE HIS SWEET CRIES FOR "LIVIA."  IF I WERE TO EVER PEN A CHILDREN' BOOK, THIS MIGHT BE THE STYLE OF STORY ONE COULD EXPECT FROM ME. 

Thank you Mr. Falconer for your perfectly timed and charming reads, and for the creation of Olivia, a piglet who reminds me so very much of my own little lady.





4. the Imperfectionists


MY LATEST KINDLE PURCHASE.  A WELCOME RETURN TO THE LAND OF FICTION, AFTER FILLING MY HEART AND MIND WITH COUNTLESS WORDS OF INSPIRATION FROM BOOKS ON THE TOPICS OF MARRIAGE, A WIFE'S CALLING, AND RAISING CHILDREN.





5. SMITTEN KITCHEN


AN INSPIRATIONAL SITE FOR ALL FOOD LOVERS. 





6. CLEVELAND'S FARMERS MARKETS


THIS WEEK I MIGHT HAVE EATEN THE BEST CUCUMBER OF MY LIFE. 

NOT ONLY DOES OUR FAMILY LOVE THE SIGHTS, SMELLS AND SOUNDS OF THE MARKET, IT IS A DELIGHT TO HAVE ACCESS TO SUCH FINE PRODUCE AND PLAN OUR WEEKEND MEALS AROUND OUR PURCHASES.

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words - Reading Nook



A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words - Good to the Last Drop



Wise Words

"Homemaking is about embracing the most important people in life - family - with love."

~ Melanie Chitwood



Pondering Over Painted Toes

KNOWING IT WOULD BE A LATE NIGHT FOR JEFF, I DECIDED TO SURPRISE THE LITTLE LADY WITH A PEDICURE AFTER THE LITTLE MAN WAS DOWN. LITTLE DID I KNOW THAT IT WAS SHE WHO WOULD REVEAL THE SWEETEST OF SURPRISES TO ME.  OUR CONVERSATION WENT A LITTLE SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

Me:  "Char, would you like me to paint your toes tonight?"

LL: "Ah...sure!  Tonight?"

Me: "Yes, tonight." (while laying out the necessary tools for pampering)

LL: "Um...you painted my toes pink yesterday night.  I wanted my toes blue."

Me: "Oh sorry."  (while rising to fetch dark blue polish)

A few moments pass, as I remove her pink polish and clip her tiny toe nails.

LL: "Mommy, maybe I can be a mommy like you when I am older."

Me: "Yes!  You will be a wonderful mother."  (With heart swelling)

LL: "I will?" (beaming)

Me: "Yes, you will." (in full confidence)

LL: "Then I won't be a Charlotte anymore; I will be a mommy."

Me: "You can be Charlotte AND a mommy just like I am a mommy and Becky."  (in amusement)

LL: "Oh.  I think you should have blue toes, too, like me.  We will be the same."

Yes, sweet girl...

 the more I get to know you, I am realizing just how similar we are.  

 

Crafty

"YET, O LORD, YOU ARE OUR FATHER.

 WE ARE THE CLAY,

YOU ARE THE POTTER;

WE ARE ALL THE WORK OF YOUR HAND."

ISAIAH 64:8

Thoughtful Reflections on Patience

http://www.aholyexperience.com/2011/07/when-youre-finding-it-hard-to-be-patient/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+HolyExperience+%28Holy+Experience%29

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words - Distracted Runner



"Anyone Out There?"

IF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE MOVIE "CAST AWAY,"  YOU MIGHT REMEMBER A KEY CAST MEMBER BY THE NAME OF WILSON.



DURING AN AFTERNOON OUTING TO OUR LOCAL POOL, MY MIND WAS FLOODED WITH SCENES FROM THE MOVIE "CAST AWAY" AS I WATCHED OUR LITTLE LADY FIND COMPANIONSHIP IN AN ABANDONED SQUISHY BALL. 

OUR GIRL, BLESS HER HEART, WAS BORN WITH A FONDNESS FOR SOCIALIZATION.  AN EARLY EXTROVERT, SHE HAS ALWAYS ENJOYED THE COMPANY OF OTHERS AND THRIVES IN SOCIAL SETTINGS, OFTEN BECOMING THE CENTER OF ATTENTION.  EACH DAY ENDS WITH THE QUESTION, "WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO TOMORROW?"  AND EACH MORNING BEGINS WITH "WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO TODAY?"  I HAVE COME TO LOVE AND APPRECIATE THIS PART OF HER PERSONALITY, ESPECIALLY AS I BECOME INCREASINGLY MORE INTROVERTED.  SHE LONGS TO DISCOVER THE WORLD OUTSIDE OUR DOOR, WHILE I AM CONTENT TO STAY WITHIN. 

TODAY AT THE POOL, AS I WATCHED OUR LITTLE LADY TOSS THE SQUISHY BALL BACK AND FORTH, GIGGLING WITH EXCITEMENT AS SHE AND IT SPLASHED ABOUT, MY HEART SIMULTANEOUSLY SWELLED AND ACHED FOR HER.  SINCE OUR ARRIVAL IN CLEVELAND SHE HAS, IN HER OWN SMALL WAY, ALLUDED TO THE FACT THAT SHE HAS NO FRIENDS HERE.  (NO REAL FRIENDS THAT IS.  WE ARE, IN FACT, UP ONE IMAGINARY FRIEND.  "CLARA" HAS ARRIVED ON THE SCENE.)  EACH CHILD SHE SEES IS MET WITH A QUIET BUT FRIENDLY, "HELLO.  MY NAME IS CHARLOTTE.  I AM THREE."  AS IF TO SAY, "HERE ARE MY CREDENTIALS.  WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE MY FRIEND?"   

IT HAS BEEN THREE WEEKS SINCE HER LAST PLAY DATE.  AND, WHILE THREE WEEKS IS NOT A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME TO AN ADULT, TODAY I REALIZED JUST HOW LONG THAT MUST FEEL FOR A THREE-YEAR-OLD.  IN THOSE MOMENTS AT THE POOL, AS I OBSERVED OUR DAUGHTER, I FELT A WAVE OF EMOTIONS FOR HER - LOVE, ADMIRATION, PRIDE, AND A SINCERE DESIRE TO PROTECT HER.  THANK HEAVENS, JUST AS I FOUND MYSELF MISTY-EYED, A LITTLE BOY APPROACHED HER ASKING IF HE COULD PLAY WITH HER AND THE SQUISHY BALL.  AS I WATCHED HER LEAD THE LITTLE BOY TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE POOL WITH THE BRIGHTEST OF SMILES, I FELT MY OWN SMILE WIDEN.   SHE IS A TROOPER, OUR LITTLE GAL.   SHE IS FULL OF LIFE.  HER HEART IS BIG.  AND, SHE HAS A LOT TO GIVE THIS WORLD.
(WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE FALL, AND THE MANY FRIENDS SHE WILL MAKE.)

YOU MIGHT BE ASKING YOURSELF, "WHERE WAS THE LITTLE MAN DURING ALL OF THIS?"  WHY, HE WAS JUST TO THE RIGHT OF HIS MAMA, PLAYING CONTENTEDLY ALONE WITH A BUCKET AND WATERING CAN.  JUST GIVE THAT LITTLE MAN A GOOD MEAL, HIS "PAPI" AND HIS MAMA AND ALL IS WELL IN HIS WORLD.

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words - "I'm JUST washing my hair!"



So She Says

- RECENTLY, WHILE ENJOYING THE THRILL THAT ACCOMPANIES LEAPING OFF THE SIDE OF THE POOL INTO THE SAFE AND STRONG ARMS OF HER FATHER,  THE LITTLE LADY BECAME DISMAYED WHEN THE DISTANCE HER DADDY CREATED BETWEEN THE TWO OF THEM WAS FURTHER THAT SHE DEEMED APPROPRIATE.  INSTEAD OF HER USUAL AND ENTHUSIASTIC, "ONE, TWO, THREE...GO!" SHE LET OUT A FRANTIC, "ONE, TWO, THREE...COME TO ME!"

- WHILE MAKING THE DRIVE TO A LOCAL ICE CREAM PARLOR FOR A POST-DINNER TREAT, THE LITTLE LADY VERBALIZED HER DILEMMA OF HAVING "NO REAL FRIENDS, ONLY PRETEND."  (TALK ABOUT A MAKE-YOUR-MAMA'S-HEART-BREAK-MOMENT) SHE THEN PROCEEDED TO INFORM US THAT WE HAD FORGOTTEN SEVERAL OF SAID (IMAGINARY) FRIENDS, AND THAT ONLY TWO WERE PRESENT IN THE BACK OF THE VAN.  A CRISIS THAT ONLY BLUE COTTON CANDY ICE CREAM COULD REMEDY.

- DURING AN EVENING VIEWING OF SID THE SCIENCE KID (HER NEW FAVORITE PROGRAM; FITTING FOR HER EVER INQUISITIVE MIND), SHE BECAME PERPLEXED AS ONE OF THE MAIN CHARACTERS SUFFERED FROM A HOLE IN THEIR TOOTH THAT REQUIRED IMMEDIATE ATTENTION FROM THE DENTIST.  WITH FURROWED BROW, SHE ATTEMPTED TO ARTICULATE (OVER THE NEXT FIVE MINUTES) THAT SHE DID NOT, IN FACT, HAVE A HOLE IN HER TOOTH, BUT PERHAPS HER NANY AND PAPA DID. 

- EARLIER THIS WEEK, JUST BEFORE GOING TO BED THE LITTLE LADY CONFESSED, "MY NEW FRIEND, ALISA, DOES NOT HAVE A BEAUTIFUL VOICE."  SHE THEN PROCEEDED TO ASK, "WHY?"  APPARENTLY, HER NEW BABYSITTER HAS NOT BEEN BLESSED WITH THE GIFT OF SONG.  AND WHILE, SHE DID NOT APPRECIATE THE TONE AND QUALITY OF HER VOICE, SHE DID APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT SHE SANG FIVE SONGS TO HER WHILE SOOTHING (?) HER TO SLEEP.  YOU CAN IMAGINE THE HUMOR IN TRYING TO (SERIOUSLY) ADDRESS THAT QUESTION IN A MANNER THAT WOULD NOT BE REPEATED TO THE BABYSITTER AT A FUTURE DATE.



A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words - Avoiding Correction



Significant Others

 significant oth·er

Function: n
definition: a person who is important to one's well-being


THIS MORNING I FOUND MYSELF IN A ROOM FULL OF DOCTOR'S WIVES, ATTENDING A WELCOME COFFEE AND BAGEL BREAKFAST FOR CLEVELAND CLINIC'S NEWEST BATCH OF SIGNIFICANT OTHERS.  WE HAD ARRIVED FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.  RECENT TRANSPLANTS FROM CITIES WHOSE HOSPITALS TRAINED OUR SPOUSES.  WOMEN IN SEARCH OF COMPANIONSHIP AS WE RAISE OUR CHILDREN, SET UP OUR HOMES, AND NAVIGATE LIFE IN A NEW CITY. 

WOMEN SEEKING ANSWERS TO LIFE'S IMPORTANT QUESTIONS:

"WHERE IS THE BEST PLACE TO GET A GOOD CUT AND COLOR?"

"WHICH BAKERY SERVES UP THE SWEETEST DONUTS?"

"HOW FAR DO I HAVE TO DRIVE TO FIND A STARBUCKS WITH A DRIVE-THRU WINDOW?"

"ARE THERE ANY US BANKS IN THE AREA WITH TELLER WINDOWS?"

"WHICH PARKS ARE THE CLEANEST, SAFEST, AND HAVE EQUIPMENT APPROPRIATE FOR A 20 MONTH OLD?"

"WHO DO YOU CALL TO FIND A QUALIFIED AND NURTURING BABYSITTER?"

AND WHILE YOU'RE AT IT...

"WHAT IS THE BEST RESTAURANT IN TOWN FOR THE EVER IMPORTANT DATE NIGHT?"

AS I LISTENED TO EACH WOMAN ANSWER THE FOLLOWING BARRAGE OF QUESTIONS: NAME? CHILDREN? HUSBAND'S SPECIALTY? PREVIOUS CITY? LENGTH OF TIME IN CLEVELAND?  FAVORITE THING ABOUT CLEVELAND?  I BECAME CAPTIVATED BY EACH WOMAN'S RESPONSE, RECOGNIZING THE UNIQUE SITUATION WE WERE ALL IN. 

WE AS WIVES DID NOT CHOOSE CLEVELAND, REFERRED TO BY LOCALS AS "THE MISTAKE BY THE LAKE"  (I kid you not.  Google "mistake by the lake" and see what pops up.  Better yet, click on this link - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mistake_by_the_Lake) ABOVE ALL OTHER U.S. CITIES TO CALL HOME.  BUT, WE DID CHOOSE TO FOLLOW OUR HUSBANDS HERE CREATING A SMALL SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR HIM TO RELY ON, A HOME FOR HIM TO FIND REFUGE IN, AND A LOVING ENVIRONMENT TO RETURN HOME TO EACH NIGHT. 

***

WHEN I SAID, "I DO" TO JEFF SEVEN YEARS AGO, PROMISING HIM MY FOREVER, I KNEW HE WOULD ONE DAY BECOME A DOCTOR.  WHAT I FAILED TO RECOGNIZE THEN, WAS WHAT IT WOULD MEAN TO BECOME A DOCTOR'S WIFE.  LEST, YOU THINK I DEEM MY POSITION AS MRS. MD MORE IMPORTANT THAN BEING THE WIFE OF A BANKER, EDUCATOR, PASTOR OR ANY OTHER PROFESSION, I MOST CERTAINLY DO NOT.  TO BE A WIFE IS ONE OF LIFE'S HIGHEST CALLINGS.  PERIOD.  WHAT I HAVE IDENTIFIED IN THE LAST SEVEN YEARS IS THAT I MUST TAILOR MY ATTITUDE AS JEFF'S WIFE TO ACCOMMODATE THE DEMANDS OF HIS PROFESSION, THE FEARS HE MIGHT FACE, THE PRESSURES HE MUST ENDURE, THE DOUBTS THAT CLOUD HIS THINKING, THE TRIUMPHS THAT ENCOURAGE HIM, THE PACE OF HIS DAY, THE ENDLESS STUDYING, HIS PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE, IN ADDITION TO HIS DESIRE TO BE A GODLY HUSBAND AND FATHER.  IT IS NOT ENOUGH FOR ME TO BE A GOOD WIFE.  I MUST ALIGN MYSELF COMPLETELY WITH ALL JEFF NEEDS TO FEEL SECURELY LOVED, ESTEEMED, RESPECTED, APPRECIATED, AND THOUGHT OF ON A DAILY BASIS. 

WHAT MAKES THIS JOB SIGNIFICANT IS THAT WE HAVE EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO HELP OUR SPOUSES SUCCEED.  A SIGNIFICANTLY OVERWHELMING TASK, INDEED.  BUT, HOW SWEETLY SATISFYING. 

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words - Rite of Passage



Clipping Away at Anger

RECENTLY I BECAME SO ANGRY OVER A SIMPLE MOTHERLY TASK.  A TASK I HAVE DONE COUNTLESS TIMES SINCE BRINGING OUR CHILDREN INTO THIS WORLD.  A TASK THAT IN AND OF ITSELF IS NOT DIFFICULT.  HOWEVER, IT IS A TASK THAT REQUIRES COMPLIANCE ON THE PART OF MY WEE ONES.  AND, IF YOU HAVE THE PLEASURE OF INTERACTING WITH TODDLERS ON A REGULAR BASIS, COMPLIANT WOULD MOST LIKELY NOT BE THE FIRST WORD THAT POPS INTO YOUR HEAD WHEN DESCRIBING CHILDREN OF THIS FASCINATINGLY FRUSTRATING AND FANTASTICAL AGE.

JUST LOOK AT THOSE FACES. 

HOW ON EARTH IS IT POSSIBLE TO BECOME ANGRY WHEN STARING RIGHT INTO THE FACES OF LITTLE ANGELS?

BELIEVE IT OR NOT, IT IS POSSIBLE. 

I HAVE DONE IT.

ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION.

GUILTY.

AS.

CHARGED.

 YET, I HAVE NEVER FULLY UNDERSTOOD MY ANGER AGAINST THEM.   AND, WHILE I'M ABLE TO REPORT THAT I AM NOT OFTEN ANGRY, I AM ACTUALLY QUITE THE OPPOSITE, WHEN FEELINGS OF ANGER DO ARISE I AM TAKEN ABACK BY MY REACTION (OR SHALL I SAY OVERREACTION) TO A SITUATION. 

YESTERDAY, IT WAS OVER THEIR INABILITY TO SIT STILL AND CALMLY OFFER UP THEIR HANDS TO ME SO THAT I COULD ADDRESS THE LENGTH OF THEIR ITTY BITTY NAILS.  TYPICALLY, IT IS THE LITTLE MAN WHO AVOIDS THIS NECESSARY GROOMING, AS IF MY OBJECTIVE IS THE FULL REMOVAL OF HIS NAILS AND NOT JUST THE TIPS.  BUT, ON THIS PARTICULAR DAY IT WAS BOTH SWEET ONES PUTTING UP A FIGHT IN FULL OPPOSITION TO THE TASK AT HAND.  AN EPISODE OF PURE AND RAW DRAMA, AS EACH SLENDER FINGER WAS WITHDRAWN IN FIERCE PROTEST, AS BODIES SQUIRMED IN OBSTINACY AND FACES GRIMACED WITH ANNOYANCE.  YELPS, CRIES, AND OUTBURSTS FLEW FROM THEIR MOUTHS WITH EACH ATTEMPT TO REMEDY THEIR LITTLE CLAWS.  WITH SWEAT ON MY BROW, I DUG DEEP REFUSING TO LET THEIR CHILDISH DISPLAYS SUCCEED IN THWARTING MY BEST EFFORTS TO PROVIDE A SIMPLE MANICURE.  TRUST ME.  THEY NEEDED TO BE CLIPPED.  I HAD THE UNINTENTIONAL SCRATCHES FROM THIS WEEKEND'S TRIP TO THE POOL TO PROVE IT. HOWEVER, WITH EACH CLIP THEIR DISMAY GREW, THEIR SHOUTS INTENSIFIED. 

AND, THAT. IS. WHEN. I. LOST. IT.

OH, THE PARENTAL AGONY WHEN YOU REALIZE THAT YOUR BEHAVIOR HAS BECOME MORE CHILDISH THAN YOUR OFFSPRING'S.  IN ALL HONESTY, IF A BLUE RIBBON HAD BEEN AWARDED FOR BEST IN SHOW, THE THREE OF US WOULD HAVE TIED FOR FIRST.  WE EACH LEFT THE SCENE WOUNDED, WEARY, AND IN NEED OF REFRESHMENT.  (GATORADE, ANYONE?)

THAT EVENING, AS I TUCKED OUR LITTLE ONES IN FOR THE NIGHT AFTER A LONG AFTERNOON, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE RIGHT THE WRONG THAT OCCURRED EARLIER IN THE DAY.  I PRAYED OVER OUR SON, COMMITTING HIS STRONG SPIRIT INTO THE CARE OF HIS HEAVENLY FATHER, AND SUBMITTING MY OWN WILLFUL SPIRIT BEFORE THE THRONE.  IN A PRECIOUS MOMENT OF QUIET, I SPOKE TENDERLY TO OUR DAUGHTER, ASKING FOR HER FORGIVENESS AND APOLOGIZING FOR MY ATTITUDE AND EARLIER OUTBURST.  WITH A TWINKLE IN HER EYE AND A CROOKED SMILE PEAKING OUT FROM BENEATH HER SIPPY CUP, SHE GRACIOUSLY ACCEPTED MY APOLOGY WITH THE SWEET SINCERITY AND INNOCENCE ONLY A CHILD CAN OFFER.   AND, ALL WAS AS IT SHOULD BE. 

***

THIS MORNING AS I POURED OVER THE PAGES OF MY LATEST READ, IN A CHAPTER TITLED "THE REWARDS OF KINDNESS," I WAS ENCOURAGED TO GAIN INSIGHT AND CLARITY ON THE ISSUE OF ANGER.  (HOW GRACIOUS OF THE LORD TO PROVIDE ME WITH THIS PERFECTLY TIMED READ ONLY HOURS AFTER THE CLIPPING INCIDENT.)

[Expressions of anger reveal sinful desires in our hearts, cravings that are not being satisfied. Dr. David Powlison offers this description of sinful anger: 'I want my way and not God's way and because I can't have my way, I rage.'  As it says in James 4:1-2, 'What is it that causes quarrels and what causes fights among you?  Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?  You desire and do not have.'

So, what do I want that I'm not getting?  Am I craving peace and quiet, convenience and ease, a clean and orderly house, appreciation and recognition?  Or do I long to get even, inflict hurt, be right, win the argument?  Whatever it is, we need to recognize that 'wanting my way' is really the driving force that propels our anger.] 

from Feminine Appeal by Carolyn Mahaney

"CRAVINGS THAT ARE NOT BEING SATISFIED."  NOW, I AM A WOMAN OF MANY CRAVINGS,  JUST ASK MY HUSBAND.  BUT, I HAD NEVER CONNECTED THE IDEA OF MY HEART'S CRAVINGS TO MY OUTBURSTS OF ANGER.  THE QUARRELS THAT EXIST WITHIN THE WALLS MY HOME, ARE A DIRECT RESULT OF THE PASSIONS THAT WAGE WAR WITHIN THE CHAMBERS OF MY HEART.  THE BATTLE THAT WAS FOUGHT OVER A SIMPLE MOTHERLY TASK WAS NOT REALLY A BATTLE OVER NAIL CLIPPERS AT ALL.  RATHER IT WAS BATTLE OVER MY INNER DESIRES OF CONVENIENCE ("JUST LET ME QUICKLY CUT YOUR NAILS."), QUIET ("PLEASE SIT BACK, AND STOP YELLING."), AND AN ORDERLY HOUSE (PLEASE ALLOW ME TO MAINTAIN WHAT I PERCEIVE TO BE THE PROPER NAIL CLIPPING SCHEDULE.)

WHEN YOU FIRST BECOME A MOTHER AND THAT BEAUTIFUL BABE IS LAID UPON YOUR CHEST, YOU NEVER IMAGINE YOURSELF LOOSING YOUR TEMPER WITH THAT CHILD, BECOMING AGITATED BY THEIR ACTIONS, OR DOING ANYTHING BUT LOVING THEM EACH AND EVERY DAY OF THEIR LITTLE LIFE. 

I AM LEARNING TO LIVE BEYOND THE FAIRY TALES OF MOTHERHOOD AND EMBRACE THE BEAUTIFUL REALITIES OF IT.  NO MOTHER, CHILD RELATIONSHIP IS WITHOUT FLAWS, BECAUSE WE ARE FLAWED AND SINFUL BEINGS.   THIS IS A HARD TRUTH TO SWALLOW, BUT ONCE DIGESTED IT FREES US TO DISCOVER THE GRACE THAT IS EXTENDED DAILY TO US FROM ABOVE AS WE SEEK TO BE THE BEST POSSIBLE MOTHER TO OUR CHILDREN, LOVING THEM FIERCELY THROUGH EACH DAY.  RECOGNIZING THAT I AM A WOMAN AND MOTHER WITH MANY CRAVINGS, IT IS MY JOB TO PRIORITIZE  MY PASSIONS, FEEDING THOSE THAT HONOR MY LORD, MY HUSBAND, AND CHILDREN AND PUTTING STRICT RESTRICTIONS ON THOSE THAT DO NOT. 

MY PRAYER IS THAT EACH DAY MY PASSION FOR PARTICIPATING IN OUR CHILDREN'S DELICATE AND IMPRESSIONABLE  LIVES SUPERSEDES ANY OTHER MOTHERLY DUTY OR HOUSEHOLD PASSION I MAY HAVE.  AND, I WILL ADMIT TO BEING A VERY PASSIONATE HOUSEWIFE. (INSERT ROSY-CHEEKED CHUCKLE)

WHAT ARE YOU PASSIONATE ABOUT TODAY?

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words - Mommy's Helper



Because I Love You...

it will be my joy to serve you in love each and every day that i am blessed to live

i will move willingly to each new destination, so that you are able to put into practice the gifts you have been given

i will rise early, so that you are able to find comfort in a familiar and friendly face before spending the day in a sea of unfamiliar

i will make every effort to shelve my pride for the sake of compromise, productivity and peace within our home

i will learn from you

i will find sweet novelties to fill our freezer, knowing you prefer an icy treat above all others at the end of your day

i will launder and fold your scrubs with love and care, knowing that each day you slip into them you are doing so out of love and care for us

i will pray for you each night, as i reach out to run my fingers through your hair one last time before falling asleep

i will find fulfillment in my daily activities as homemaker, seeking to orient my life with yours

you will come home to a warm meal each night, with the exception of those meals that i ask you to pick up (because as much as i love cooking, i love me some good take out every now and then)

i will read countless pages on the topic of marriage and a wife's calling, so as to grow in my capacity to serve, honor and love

i will stock our fridge with an assortment of beverages, because some days require a coke zero, others a gatorade and others a cold brew

i will recognize that there are two kinds of people in this world: those that snooze and those that don't

(both are fine)

i will find humor and charm in your imperfections for you have spent a lifetime perfecting them

you will have an fresh can of shaving cream waiting for you the morning your current one runs out

i will listen to the new music you find, expanding my tastes, finding new songs to love

i will challenge you

i will look for new ways to say "thank you"

i will always find you to be the funniest of men

i will cherish you



Wise Words (for mothers)

"Live the gospel in the things that no one sees. Sacrifice for your children in places that only they will know about. Put their value ahead of yours. Grow them up in the clean air of gospel living. Your testimony to the gospel in the little details of your life is more valuable to them than you can imagine. If you tell them the gospel, but live to yourself, they will never believe it. Give your life for theirs every day, joyfully. Lay down pettiness. Lay down fussiness. Lay down resentment about the dishes, about the laundry, about how no one knows how hard you work."

~ from the article Motherhood Is a Calling (And Where Your Children Rank)

Rachel Jankovic



Because I Love You...

i allow you to participate in the daily selection of outfits much more that i thought i would at this stage, because having an opinion and seeing it realized is very important to you

i do not let you wear everything your heart desires

i fill our home with books, so that you can enter into a world all your own (just as i love to do)

i ask you questions about your (imaginary) friends, because i am fascinated by your creative little mind

i am learning to let you create organized piles all around the house, and leave them for a day or two (in spite of my strong desire to pick them up) because you have arranged them for a purpose

i plan purposeful activities each day, because i know you appreciate a schedule and knowing what is coming next

our fridge is never without milk, because starting and ending your day with milk brings you great comfort

i allow you to rest (without interruption) on the couch with a program of choice upon waking, because you need a few extra minutes to relax before starting your very busy day (if i could, i would do the same)

i will not allow you to get away with dramatic performances in and outside of our home, instead holding you to a higher standard of obedience

you are able to apply layers of lippies to your plump lips, because it makes you feel special and the colorful shades enhance your already colorful spirit

i read to you, sing you songs, and rub your smooth and delicate cheek each night before bed, even when my energy is low and i would appreciate my own cheek rubbed on the couch

i have taught you to present your requests before the lord, and encourage you to pray each day as you feel led

i will on occasion make you hot dogs for breakfast (when the very thought of it makes me gag), because you are a little lady who knows what you want and you love a good hot dog

i hold you close and smooth your long hair, when your spirit is crushed by life's "tragedies"

i always know where your pink blankie is, for it is one of your most prized possessions in life and to lose it would break your heart

i encourage your love of music and dance, because you were born with a song in your heart and the ability to move

i tell you how much jesus loves you



A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words - Bible Study



Because I Love You...

for every cotton ball that i use, i leave one for you to discover

i allow you to continue to use your "papis" when i know full well that the longer i allow you to use them, the harder it will be to take them away

i no longer ask you to keep your shoes on when we travel in the van, allowing you the freedom to maneuver them off your feet in the clever way that you do, only to have me replace them once we've arrived at our destination

i tolerate your high-pitched screams as gracefully as i can without pulling out my hair (i wouldn't want you to have a mama with patchy hair)

i sit with you each night on my bed and pray for you before placing you in your crib

i watch scenes of toy story every other day because you are delighted by the animated toys

i read and reread the same construction books to you each day, because they are your favorite

i am firm with you when you are naughty, even when your big blue eyes plead with me to be lenient

i pick up the food you toss from your booster chair each day without throwing it back at you, because if i'm honest after months of collecting it that is what i'm tempted to do some days

i kiss you as often as i can and stroke your darling face

i open our windows wide, so that you are able to see and hear the sights and sounds of the busy street, because you have grown to love all forms of vehicles

i play your favorite tunes so that you can sing and dance to your heart's content

i launder your favorite blankets and loveys, so that they are a clean and sweet smelling place for you to rest your head

i find it fascinating to observe you all day long as you process and interact with the world around you

i feed your curiosity, granting you more freedom than perhaps i should because you love to tinker and explore

i cherish your little spirit

i tell you how much jesus loves you

Wise Words

"May we never assume our moments don’t matter.

The decisions we make every second of every day matter."

~ Lysa TerKeurst

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words - Captive



In Cleveland...

- FIRE HYDRANTS ARE A SHINY SILVER, AS IF THEY WERE LITTLE ROCKET SHIPS READY TO JET OFF INTO SPACE.  (POSITIVE)

- THE STREETS ARE NOT ORGANIZED IN A GRID SYSTEM, RATHER A GIGANTIC SPIDER WEB, AS IF THEIR INTENDED DESIGN WAS TO CAUSE CONFUSION AND SECOND-GUESSING.  (NEGATIVE)

- HYDRANGEAS BLOOM IN AN ARRAY OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL SHADES OF BLUES, PINKS, AND PURPLES. (POSITIVE)

- MOST NEIGHBORHOOD SIDEWALKS APPEAR AS THOUGH THEY'VE BARELY SURVIVED MINOR EARTHQUAKES, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO NAVIGATE A STROLLER DURING LEISURELY WALKS. (NEGATIVE)



A Room with a (New) View

THIS MORNING I WOKE TO THE SAD SOUND OF EARLY MORNING WHIMPERS.  AFTER ESCORTING THE LITTLE LADY BACK TO HER BED AND COVERING HER GENTLE FRAME, I FELL BACK INTO BED EXACTLY ONE MINUTE BEFORE JEFF'S ALARM WOULD SIGNAL THE START OF HIS DAY.  (MIND YOU, HIS DAY DOES NOT START UNTIL THREE SNOOZES LATER...)  KNOWING I WOULD NOT HAVE THE LUXURY OF RETURNING TO SLEEP, I LAYED WITH EYES CLOSED WAITING.   I LISTENED TO THE RESTLESS STIRRINGS OF MY MEN AS THE WEE ONE ATTEMPTED TO SETTLE HIMSELF FOR WHAT I HOPED WOULD BE TWO MORE HOURS OF SLEEP, AND AS MY HUSBAND WRESTLED WITH THE IDEA OF WAKING, LONGING FOR MORE TIME TO LINGER UNDER THE WARMTH AND PROTECTION OF THE COVERS

.  SO MANY SOUNDS TO HEAR AT 5 AM. 

AND, NOW AS I SIT AT MY WARRNESVILLE CENTER ROAD KITCHEN TABLE, THE NEW LOCATION FOR MY MORNING QUIET TIME, IT HAS OCCURRED TO ME JUST HOW DIFFERENT THE SIGHTS AND SOUNDS ARE COMPARED TO THOSE OF OUR HOME ON STARR GRASS DRIVE.  THE FIELD OF SUMMER CORN REMINDING ME DAILY OF HIS PEACE THAT PASSES ALL UNDERSTANDING IS GONE.  A SILENT STREET PROMPTING MY STILLNESS BEFORE THE LORD AS BEEN REPLACED BY ONE THAT IS FILLED WITH A CONSTANT STREAM OF EARLY MORNING TRAFFIC AS MEN AND WOMEN RACE TO WORK. THE QUIET CALM OF HOMES WITH SHADES STILL DRAWN REMINDING ME THAT I ALONE BEFORE MY GOD, HAVE BEEN REPLACED WITH THE GENTLE GLOW OF LIGHTS AS LOCAL SHOPS COME TO LIFE. 
SO MANY CHANGES TO NOTE AT 5:30 AM

AND YET, THE LORD'S PEACE CONTINUES TO REIGN.
WHILE THE STREET OUTSIDE MY WINDOW IS RACING, MY HEART IS STILL.
THE PRESENCE OF LIGHT STIRS MY MIND, ALERTING ME TO HIS OMNIPRESENCE.

THE CITY IS NEW.  THE VIEW HAS CHANGED.  BUT, HE REMAINS THE SAME.

Psalm 139: 1-10, 17-18
O Lord, you have searched me
and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my
lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue
you know it completely, O Lord.
You hem me in - behind and before;
you have laid your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.
Where can I go from your spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths,
you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.

How precious to me are your
thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand.
When I awake,
I am still with you.

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words - "Thanks, Nany!"



The Tune I Cannot Escape

a fitting little ditty for the soundtrack of his life...

You've got a friend in me

You've got a friend in me

When the road looks rough ahead

And you're miles and miles

From your nice warm bed

Just remember what your old pal said

Boy, you've got a friend in me

 

 You've got a friend in me

You've got a friend in me

You've got troubles, well I've got 'em too

There isn't anything I wouldn't do for you

We stick together and we see it through

You've got a friend in me

You've got a friend in me

Some other folks might be

A little bit smarter than I am

Bigger and stronger too

Maybe

But none of them will ever love you the way I do

It's me and you

And as the years go by

Boys, our friendship will never die

You're gonna see

It's our destiny

You've got a friend in me



A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words - His Fault or Mine?



A Meeting of the Mines

I HAVE TO THANK THE OL' HUSBAND FOR THE CLEVER TITLE OF THIS POST; I ALWAYS WELCOME HIS CONTRIBUTIONS.  PERHAPS, ONE DAY HE WILL TAKE OVER THE KEYBOARD AS A GUEST WRITER.

ANYWHO...THE OTHER DAY I WAS MINDING MY OWN BUSINESS (THAT IS, THE BUSINESS OF OUR HOUSEHOLD) WHEN OUT OF THE BLUE I HEARD THE FOLLOWING EXCHANGE.

"MINE." (CLEARLY ENUNCIATED)

"MINNNE." (SLIGHTLY LESS ENUNCIATED)

"NO. MINE!" (WITH GROWING INTENSITY)

"NO. MIIIINE!!!"  (WITH RECIPROCATED INTENSITY)

"MIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINE!" (GROWING WEARY)

"MIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINE!" (CLEARLY EXASPERATED)

FOLLOWED BY A SERIES OF SQUEALS, SCREAMS, AND GRUNTS.

IT SEEMS WE HAVE HAD THE FIRST OF WHAT I ASSUME WILL BE MANY SIBLING EXCHANGES.

CENTERED AROUND CONFLICT.  

DEBATING OVER A TOY.

THAT IS DESIRED EQUALLY BY EACH PARTY. 

WHAT IS THE WORD FOR THAT?

AH, YES. 

AN ARGUMENT. 

A FIGHT.

A BATTLE ROYALE.

THESE TWO?  REALLY?

MOST DAYS, THEY ARE EACH OTHER'S SIDEKICK.

PARTNERS IN CRIME.

BEST BUDS.

LEADER AND WILLING FOLLOWER.

OUR VERY OWN DORA AND BOOTS

MAX AND RUBY

PART OF ME SIGHS IN MY OWN EXASPERATION; WHILE THE OTHER PART OF ME CHUCKLES AS THE LITTLE MAN PULLS UP HIS BOOT STRAPS, GIVING THE LITTLE LADY A DOSE OF HER OWN SISTERLY MEDICINE.  IT IS ONE MORE REMINDER THAT OUR SWEET ONES ARE GROWING UP AT A PACE THAT FRANKLY SEEMS ALL TOO QUICK.   IT FEELS AS THOUGH IT WAS JUST YESTERDAY, WHEN ALL WE HEARD FROM THE LITTLE MAN WERE SWEET SIGHS AND COOS AS HE FIXED HIS GAZE AFFECTIONATELY UPON HIS SISTER.

WHILE HIS SWEET SIGHS HAVE DEVELOPED INTO BOYISH YELPS, GRUNTS, AND SHOUTS, HIS AFFECTION FOR HIS SISSY IS UNWAVERING.