Archive for the 'holidays' Category

25
Nov
09

Thanks-giving

I feel like writing in ALL CAPS this morning.  I’m resisting, mostly.

I can’t help but notice we’ve turned a day of gratitude and contentment with what we have into part of the prelude to the biggest MORE-fest ever.  Kinda skipped over the Thanks part and went straight for the Giving.  Or Gimme.

Right now the kids are watching a cute PBS Christmas show with Curious George.  The focus so far?  Making a Christmas list out of a catalog and finding gifts for other people.  Maybe I should be happy they’re emphasizing giving.  But really, do we need to give more stuff at Christmas, in this culture of Way More Than Enough?

Part of it could be the idea of giving thanks.  To whom are we giving the thanks?  Our natural inclination is to ignore God whenever possible.  And who else do you say thank-you to for things that, according to the American dream, you worked so hard to get in the first place?

I hope to teach my kids to be happy with Just Enough.  And to figure out what that means.  I know I tend toward the Just A Little Bit More Will Be Enough, myself.  So that one is a challenge!

Be Thankful.

05
Jul
09

And the Bride Wore Red

(Not really, but the title was catchy.)

Here are some pictures of our Independence Day celebration.  It went off mostly without a hitch.  Of course, there was the approximately 30 minutes of rising panic that I felt when I could not find Gannon in the small crowd.  He’d gone with his dad to the bank and did not tell me.  I was glad to see him when they showed up.  And that is all I will say about that.

The other hitch was that I sat on a concrete wall that turned out to be the home of a nasty colony of ants.  They got a bit bristly when my hinder parts disturbed their entryway.  I can’t blame them, really.  I do wish though that they had not defended their territory with so much biting vigor.

I didn’t get pictures of that, though.  Sorry.

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We were treated to a fly-by of two planes.  I can’t tell you what kind they were.  Loud and fast ones.

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Brian sprouted antennae at some point during the day.

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Note Acadia’s socks.  She sees no need to match them.  Neither do I.

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Random interesting guy, above.

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We ran into a few similarly-dressed friends along the way.  We made them feed us dinner.

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That thing on her cheek was a mermaid.

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13
Jan
09

A Very Merry Christmas

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Wherein Disney princesses, Littlest Pets, and Star Wars guys all live and play harmoniously together.  It’s a beautiful world.

13
Dec
08

Christmas v. Xmas

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As a student at a Christian school, I was taught that people used the term “xmas” because they were trying to take Christ out of Christmas.  It was years later that I learned that the Greek letter chi (X) was used as an abbreviation for Christ, as the word Christ begins with X.  Hence, the term “Xmas”. (As an aside, as I teach my kids at home, I often lament my own narrow educational experience.)

If you care about “keeping Christ in Christmas”, when you see Xmas, don’t get all up-in-arms and grouchy with people.  First of all, getting that way is just plain wrong anyway.  Secondly, you show your ignorance of Christian history.

So anyway, that’s my rant for the day.

05
Dec
08

Home From The Holidays

We came home from visiting Brian’s folks. The house was still standing, which I noted with nostalgia (we always said that when my parents and my brother and I came home from a long trip).  Upon entering it, however, we kind of wished it weren’t.

The cat, may she rest in peace, for whatever reasons had neglected to use the litterbox for much of the week. Instead, she used the floors.  In order to put our kids to bed, we had to navigate a hallway and bathroom filled with randomly-placed landmines of poop and vomit. While holdig our dozes and talkig like dis. We skipped the tooth-brushing that night. The less time spent in the bathroom, the better.

Brian and I got rid of the biggest (*GAG*) piles before we went to bed.  Praise God that He had nudged me to close all the bedroom doors before we left.

So then, with the moral support of two friends-in-deed, I began the major cleanup the next day.  UGH. In addition to the cat’s mess, I also got to experience the remnants of one of Gannon’s sleepwalking episodes. One where he thought he’d gone into the bathroom and peed in the potty, when in reality he was still in his room and was standing in front of a toybox.

Oh yeah, I also took the cat to the vet and had it euthanised*. Then I took it home and the kids and I buried it deep under the flowerbed.  After we had a time of sitting on the couch with it, petting it and remembering what sort of a cat she was.  We also took the opportunity to examine the general anatomy of cats without being gouged.  That part was Gannon’s idea.  As we sat on the couch, leaning over the dead cat between us, I felt like perhaps a huge blinking sign was over our livingroom, reading “PSYCHO HOMESCHOOLERS”.  It was a unique experience.  I can only hope.

The next day, as I was grumbling about the mess I was still cleaning out of the upstairs carpets, Acadia brightly and optimistically offered, “At least the cat’s dead now, Mom!”  Ah, a girl after her Dad’s own heart.

So yeah, our Thanksgiving was nice.  Then December started.  I am expecting the stomach bug and/or plague of frogs to be arriving soon.  As psycho homeschooler, we will dissect the frogs.  Maybe find a recipe or two for a healthy meal of them.  And do a lapbook on the Exodus of the Hebrews from Egypt.

*I did not do this without much thought and agonizing emotion. And a check for $88 to the vet.

11
Jul
08

Deep Birthday Ponderings

Me at a holiday dinner at my grandparents' house

Five years ago today was the day that Levi was “supposed to be” born. I was pretty sad about it at the time.

It was also the day I turned 30, which I wasn’t sad about.

Five years ago today, I was pregnant with Acadia but didn’t know it yet.

Hidden blessings.

Sometimes things are like that, where you don’t particularly feel the goodness of God, or wonder if He is in control of things or not. You have to believe and trust despite what you feel at the moment, even when “the moment” is more like everyday reality.

If we have been justified by Christ, we can take comfort in knowing that these experiences are truly temporary, yet God is using them to make eternal changes toward Him in our hearts.

Even when we never see tangible blessings here in our pre-eternity lives.

15
Jun
08

A Few Dads I Love

My Dad

This is my Dad, posing with my kids (2/5 of his grandchildren).

Brian

This is Brian, dad to our kids. Ignore the awful haircut I had recently given Gannon. Focus on the great fathering going on.

My Grampie

This is my Grandfather. When he was alive he’d tell me I was his favorite granddaughter. I know he meant it, because I am cool like that.

Pop-Pop

Here’s Brian’s Dad, the kids’ Pop-Pop. He used to put up a good front, but he’s always been a softie. Now he doesn’t bother with the front. :)

Josh

This is my brother Josh. He’s a great dad to three great kids. He’s not as stern as he looks in this picture.

Go love your dad.

29
May
08

Feathers Come, and Feathers Go

I think we’re far enough now from the real reverence of Memorial Day for me to post this story.

While much of the rest of the country was observing the day with parades and, well, memorials, for us much of this past weekend was spent with my nieces and nephew over at my Mom’s house. While there, the kids found a dead bird. As a result, the three adults present were witness to a ceremony of delightful solemnity. I have to apologize that I didn’t have my camera during this documentary-worthy event, but in hindsight, maybe it was better that way. Out of respect.

First the five kids (ages 8, 6, 6, 4, 3) examined the poor bird at close range, gently poking it with sticks. Then the oldest carried it around the yard (with sticks) to find a suitable hole in which to inter the remains. They found one, plopped it in, and set about to decorate the gravesite.

The kids arranged flowers, grass, leaves, a brick, an old bird nest, a notebook, and a keychain reading “NC STATE RECYCLES” on top of and in front of the hole. This they did quite reverently, except for the screeching of one child at the appearance of a few largeish beetles from under the bird carcass. That was pretty much the end of that particular child’s involvement in the project.

Then it was time for the actual service to begin. By this point two of the kids had wandered off, and the other three stood in a line, gazing down at the grave. I knew we were in for something good. I waited for what would come next. This is what I heard:

“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic….”

When they had finished, the oldest sort of looked around, wondering what was to come next. Inspiration hit, and he went down on one knee and gestured dramatically to the grave. The other two eagerly followed suit. They said a few words.

“I’ll always remember this bird.”

“I’m sorry you won’t be around to make eggs next spring.”

And a few more oddly appropriate sentiments. Then, the clincher came. The moment that it all became perfect.

It was during the eulogy that the sound of Taps could be heard wafting over the trees.

I joke not. Taps was being played. Somewhere downtown a Memorial Day ceremony was being held at just the right moment. Close your eyes for a moment and picture it. Three solemn children, kneeling, extolling the virtues of a bird they hardly knew, while a lonely trumpet plays Taps. It was almost more than we grownups could bear. I wanted to howl with laughter, but somehow remained quiet enough so as not to disturb the service.

As the small group began to depart, the oldest stood facing my son, a concerned yet resigned expression on his face. He put his hand on Gannon’s shoulder, looked him in the eye, and nodded comfortingly, a gesture that was lost on my son.

At the conclusion of the affair, the gang of cousins went back to playing knights and ladies in distress. (I must say, however, that it was the girls’ dresses that were really in distress. Tulle does not hold up well to hemlock branches and lilac bushes.)

18
Mar
08

Happy Birthday to Acadia

Yesterday my baby turned four!

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15
Feb
08

The Question On Everyone’s Lips….

“How are you guys doing?”

The answer is…we’re still alive. In fact, yesterday we emerged from our self-imposed quarantine from society, blinking, into the open air and sunshine. Brian went to work. I took the kids to McDonald’s to climb in the PlayPlace and to Wal-Mart to spend some Valentine money from their grandparents. The kids were still coughing, hacking, and sniffling, and Gannon didn’t go down the slide more than twice, but at least we were out of the house.

This morning Gannon is pooped out again, but Acadia is raring to go. Her cough is occasional, but it still sounds yucky. I’ve heard that’s the way it is with RSV, and not to worry. So I won’t. <— lie




RUNNING HOME


My blog. Herein read entries related to who and what is important to me. Feel free to leave comments. I feel free to delete them if I don't like them. So there. By reading about my life, readers should expect to begin to see their own lives as increasingly more organized and sophisticated, their homes cleaner and neater.

Why This Blog?

Well, mostly this is for my family to see pictures and read anecdotes about the kids. It's also a venue for telling the story of my struggles and victories in my life as a Christian, a wife, a mother, and a teacher. Occasionally I toss in some weird or touching item that I've found.

What’s Christianity All About?

The Gospel is the news that Jesus Christ, the Righteous One, died for our sins and rose again, eternally triumphant over all his enemies, so that there is now no condemnation for those who believe, but only everlasting joy. [as said by John Piper]

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