Friday, October 31, 2008
Sounds of Silence
Lydia has lost her voice. It has been strangely quiet in this house for the last couple of days. They say that men speak about 25,000 words per day, women speak about 50,000. By my estimation, Lydia speaks about 75,000 words per day. Loquacious--that's our Lydia. I know she can't wait to be able to talk at full speed again. We have the humidifier going in her room to help in her recovery. In the meantime, the rest of us are rather enjoying the "sounds of silence."
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Chim Chim Cher-ee
This winter we'll have a functional fireplace. Matt and our friend Brian took out the old fireplace, which didn't work and put in another one today. We got the new unit for free from someone who was remodeling. It's self-contained and as the fire burns, the fans at the bottom of the unit will blow warm air into the living room. The job required part manly muscle, part engineering (at one point Brian and Matt were discussing thermodynamics) and the better part of the day.
Paul was in the thick of the action, as usual. He got the important job of using the shop vac to vacuum up the black soot from our white carpet. Joel, who loves to emulate big brother, was in the middle of things as well. He put on daddy's gloves and began "helping" in his own little way. We're all looking forward to some cold winter nights when we can cuddle up next to the fire.
Here's my little chimney sweep:
Chim chim-in-ey, chim chim-in-ey
Chim chim cher-ee!
When you're with a sweep you're in glad company
Nowhere is there a more 'appier crew
Than them wot sings, "Chim chim cher-ee, chim cher-oo!"
On the
Chim chim-in-ey, chim chim cher-ee, chim cher-oo!
Paul was in the thick of the action, as usual. He got the important job of using the shop vac to vacuum up the black soot from our white carpet. Joel, who loves to emulate big brother, was in the middle of things as well. He put on daddy's gloves and began "helping" in his own little way. We're all looking forward to some cold winter nights when we can cuddle up next to the fire.
Here's my little chimney sweep:
Chim chim-in-ey, chim chim-in-ey
Chim chim cher-ee!
When you're with a sweep you're in glad company
Nowhere is there a more 'appier crew
Than them wot sings, "Chim chim cher-ee, chim cher-oo!"
On the
Chim chim-in-ey, chim chim cher-ee, chim cher-oo!
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Learning to Fly
Lydia's friend, Carly, came to play last night. She came wearing angel wings, which Lydia insisted on borrowing for the evening. Since Carly is only two, she happily obliged. When Carly left, however, she wanted to take her angel wings with her. Lydia then told me she wanted her own pair of wings.
This morning, Lydia still remembered she wanted wings and she reminded me of that fact. I said, "O.K., Lydia, I'll get you some wings if you get your chores done." "O.K., Mommy, I will!" she said with conviction.
I then ran to WalMart to get some groceries. I saw a pair of wings there. They were pink and purple and sparkly all over. Why they didn't have Lydia's name written on them I don't know. I bought them. When I got home, Lydia dragged me into the family room to show me how well she had picked up. She had put dirty socks under one chair, granola bar wrappers under another chair and Paul's cars under the couch. After I helped her redo her job properly I gave her the wings.
"Oh," she sighed, "Thank you, Mommy!" I put the wings on her and she walked off to her bedroom, proud as a peacock.
She then told Grace, "I could fly all day!"
Grace said, "You can't fly with those, Lydia."
"You mean they're not real?" Lydia asked.
This morning, Lydia still remembered she wanted wings and she reminded me of that fact. I said, "O.K., Lydia, I'll get you some wings if you get your chores done." "O.K., Mommy, I will!" she said with conviction.
I then ran to WalMart to get some groceries. I saw a pair of wings there. They were pink and purple and sparkly all over. Why they didn't have Lydia's name written on them I don't know. I bought them. When I got home, Lydia dragged me into the family room to show me how well she had picked up. She had put dirty socks under one chair, granola bar wrappers under another chair and Paul's cars under the couch. After I helped her redo her job properly I gave her the wings.
"Oh," she sighed, "Thank you, Mommy!" I put the wings on her and she walked off to her bedroom, proud as a peacock.
She then told Grace, "I could fly all day!"
Grace said, "You can't fly with those, Lydia."
"You mean they're not real?" Lydia asked.
This is My Father's World
I had to get out of bed this morning earlier than I would have liked. I thought about hopping in the shower right away to clear my brain, but decided a walk would be better. I quickly got dressed, grabbed my cell phone, put Elizabeth in charge of Jude and headed out.
As I walked, I filled my lungs with the crisp autumn air. I love that feeling. It's like your lungs are getting a good cleaning. I walked past a field full of steers contentedly eating their breakfasts. They looked at me curiously, but were not deterred from continuing to chew their cud. One big guy did stop eating long enough to give me the courtesy of a bellering "moo."
That same pasture had about fifteen mallard ducks and their mates waddling about. They were finding fresh bugs amongst the grass. As I walked past them, the mommas quacked and fussed to get everybody moving away from me. The daddies ignored their naggings and just kept eating.
It looked like God took a big paint brush and stroked white clouds across the canvas of bright blue sky. The morning sun was shining against the clouds and a pair of geese flew overhead and honked as if to say, "Good morning down there, isn't it a beautiful day?"
I soaked it all in as I walked home. The auburn colored leaves on the trees, the grasses turning their autumn gold and the birds busily flying to and fro, chirping happily as they went about their business. I felt the vigor return to my bones and this hymn began playing in my mind:
This is my Father's world, and to my listening ears
All nature sings, and round me rings the music of the spheres.
This is my Father's world: I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas;
His hand the wonders wrought.
This is my Father's world, the birds their carols raise,
The morning light, the lily white, declare their Maker's praise.
This is my Father's world: He shines in all that's fair;
In the rustling grass, I hear Him pass;
He speaks to me every where.
(Curiously enough, I just learned that the man who wrote this hymn, Malthie D. Babcock, was a pastor. When he would start off on one of his beloved hikes through the woods in New York, he would say, "I'm going out to see my Father's world.")
As I walked, I filled my lungs with the crisp autumn air. I love that feeling. It's like your lungs are getting a good cleaning. I walked past a field full of steers contentedly eating their breakfasts. They looked at me curiously, but were not deterred from continuing to chew their cud. One big guy did stop eating long enough to give me the courtesy of a bellering "moo."
That same pasture had about fifteen mallard ducks and their mates waddling about. They were finding fresh bugs amongst the grass. As I walked past them, the mommas quacked and fussed to get everybody moving away from me. The daddies ignored their naggings and just kept eating.
It looked like God took a big paint brush and stroked white clouds across the canvas of bright blue sky. The morning sun was shining against the clouds and a pair of geese flew overhead and honked as if to say, "Good morning down there, isn't it a beautiful day?"
I soaked it all in as I walked home. The auburn colored leaves on the trees, the grasses turning their autumn gold and the birds busily flying to and fro, chirping happily as they went about their business. I felt the vigor return to my bones and this hymn began playing in my mind:
This is my Father's world, and to my listening ears
All nature sings, and round me rings the music of the spheres.
This is my Father's world: I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas;
His hand the wonders wrought.
This is my Father's world, the birds their carols raise,
The morning light, the lily white, declare their Maker's praise.
This is my Father's world: He shines in all that's fair;
In the rustling grass, I hear Him pass;
He speaks to me every where.
(Curiously enough, I just learned that the man who wrote this hymn, Malthie D. Babcock, was a pastor. When he would start off on one of his beloved hikes through the woods in New York, he would say, "I'm going out to see my Father's world.")
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Renaissance Man
Paul reinvents himself every day. One day he's Pauly Crocket wearing his coon skin cap, carrying his musket and climbing the tree in the back yard so as to get a better view of the enemy.
The next he's an "underwater spaceman," whose get up includes the ever-evolving jet pack (which now has 6+ yogurt containers for rocket boosters). Dad's gas mask, leftover tubing and duct tape complete the look. Paul rides his razor when he's wearing this ensemble to give the boosters a little extra power.
Then there is my personal favorite--the newspaper boy. Paul buckles on his helmet, fills a grocery sack with rolled up newspapers and gets on his bike. He then practices pulling the newspapers from the sack and throwing them on the driveway, all while operating his bicycle with one hand. It's so cute.
Remember when you were a kid and an adult would ask, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" And you'd say something like, "I want to be a veterinarian and an astronaut and a cake decorator." And then you got older and life took over and you had to think of practical things like paying the bills. My little boy, thankfully, has not gotten that old yet.
The next he's an "underwater spaceman," whose get up includes the ever-evolving jet pack (which now has 6+ yogurt containers for rocket boosters). Dad's gas mask, leftover tubing and duct tape complete the look. Paul rides his razor when he's wearing this ensemble to give the boosters a little extra power.
Then there is my personal favorite--the newspaper boy. Paul buckles on his helmet, fills a grocery sack with rolled up newspapers and gets on his bike. He then practices pulling the newspapers from the sack and throwing them on the driveway, all while operating his bicycle with one hand. It's so cute.
Remember when you were a kid and an adult would ask, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" And you'd say something like, "I want to be a veterinarian and an astronaut and a cake decorator." And then you got older and life took over and you had to think of practical things like paying the bills. My little boy, thankfully, has not gotten that old yet.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Double Trouble
We made it through the weekend without having to visit an urgent care facility, although we opted out of the activities we had planned. Matt and Grace went to church on Sunday while I stayed home with the rest of the kids. We had hoped to take a forty five minute drive Sunday evening to attend a family integrated worship service with some other home school families, but had to pass on that as well. We didn't feel like we could show up to a place with a whole bunch of people we'd never met and say, "Hi, we're the Macduffs and here are our six sick kids." (Elizabeth finally started sniffling a bit on Sunday.)
The two little boys were still pretty out of sorts yesterday, so I decided to take them into the pediatrician. Sure enough, they both have ear infections. Not a great way to start out the winter, especially when it's not even winter yet. We're praying for quick healing--poor little guys--they've been pretty miserable. Matt and I thought we were functioning on the smallest amount of sleep possible. Guess what? We can function on even less, if you can call it "functioning." By the grace of God, this too, will pass. Learning to release my little ones to God is not easy. I need to learn to trust that He can take much better care of them than I can, after all He created them and they are His.
The two little boys were still pretty out of sorts yesterday, so I decided to take them into the pediatrician. Sure enough, they both have ear infections. Not a great way to start out the winter, especially when it's not even winter yet. We're praying for quick healing--poor little guys--they've been pretty miserable. Matt and I thought we were functioning on the smallest amount of sleep possible. Guess what? We can function on even less, if you can call it "functioning." By the grace of God, this too, will pass. Learning to release my little ones to God is not easy. I need to learn to trust that He can take much better care of them than I can, after all He created them and they are His.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Bugs
Our family is still struggling with the cold bug we acquired last weekend. The only one of us that doesn't have it is Elizabeth. She has the constitution of an ox. The cold started out so mildly that I thought we'd all sail through it. Not the case. I tried to get the littles in to see the pediatrician yesterday. I wanted to get their ears checked before the weekend. The doctor wasn't in the office, so I hope we can make it through the weekend without heading to one of those overcrowded, long wait guaranteed urgent care places. The last couple of nights have been especially rough with Joel. He's been coughing so hard that he wakes himself up. He starts crying and saying, "Mommma, Mommmma." He sounds so pitiful that we go get him and bring him into bed with us. We'll have some bad habits to undo when he gets better.
We've also been dealing with bugs of a different nature. We've had problems all summer with earwigs and spiders in the house. Our other house was old and had lots of spiders, so I didn't think too much of it when I saw them here. However, Grace spotted a suspicious looking black spider at the top of the stairs leading down to the basement the other day. We couldn't get a good look at it. I called a bug spraying company right away. The guy came to the house yesterday and sprayed something that's o.k. to use around children and pets. He sprayed inside and outside the house. Low and behold, the spray didn't agree with the suspicious black spider. It came out of it's hiding spot and I slapped it with the fly swatter and took it outside. When I flipped it over, I saw the red hour glass. It was only a baby black widow and the guy who sprayed insisted that they're not aggressive spiders. Just the same, I'm glad to have gotten that done. We'll be on a regular maintenance schedule to keep any other univited guests out of the house. We're never lacking for excitement around here.
We've also been dealing with bugs of a different nature. We've had problems all summer with earwigs and spiders in the house. Our other house was old and had lots of spiders, so I didn't think too much of it when I saw them here. However, Grace spotted a suspicious looking black spider at the top of the stairs leading down to the basement the other day. We couldn't get a good look at it. I called a bug spraying company right away. The guy came to the house yesterday and sprayed something that's o.k. to use around children and pets. He sprayed inside and outside the house. Low and behold, the spray didn't agree with the suspicious black spider. It came out of it's hiding spot and I slapped it with the fly swatter and took it outside. When I flipped it over, I saw the red hour glass. It was only a baby black widow and the guy who sprayed insisted that they're not aggressive spiders. Just the same, I'm glad to have gotten that done. We'll be on a regular maintenance schedule to keep any other univited guests out of the house. We're never lacking for excitement around here.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
The Times They Are A Changin'
Last night Matt and I went on a date. I've been craving a McDonald's milkshake for months now. Since I'm no longer on a restricted diet, I told Matt I really wanted to indulge that craving. We pulled up to the speaker at the drive through. Matt saw that there were pumpkin shakes on the menu. "Ooo, I want that," I said. Matt ordered it.
The woman on the other end of the speaker said, "We don't have pumpkin."
Matt said, "but it says on your sign that you do."
She responded, "I don't have that on my screen, you can try ordering it at the window."
"Well, what do you have on your screen?" Matt asked.
"Vanilla, chocolate, strawberry and mango-raspberry."
The mango-raspberry flavor was not on the menu we were reading. We pulled up to the window and the guy said, "That'll be $11.63." Matt said, "I just wanted to order a small pumpkin shake."
"Oh, the lady taking orders is in another state. She doesn't know about the pumpkin shakes."
At this point I know I heard the "Twilight Zone" theme playing. Matt paid the amount owed and we pulled up to the next window to pick up the shake. Matt told me that several months ago he had read that McDonald's was starting a pilot program to see if the ordering process we had just experienced would work. "I guess it worked," he said, "'cause they have it here."
By the way, the pumpkin wasn't very good, I should have gone with my gut and ordered the chocolate. Now I'll hold out for my yearly holiday favorite--eggnog.
The woman on the other end of the speaker said, "We don't have pumpkin."
Matt said, "but it says on your sign that you do."
She responded, "I don't have that on my screen, you can try ordering it at the window."
"Well, what do you have on your screen?" Matt asked.
"Vanilla, chocolate, strawberry and mango-raspberry."
The mango-raspberry flavor was not on the menu we were reading. We pulled up to the window and the guy said, "That'll be $11.63." Matt said, "I just wanted to order a small pumpkin shake."
"Oh, the lady taking orders is in another state. She doesn't know about the pumpkin shakes."
At this point I know I heard the "Twilight Zone" theme playing. Matt paid the amount owed and we pulled up to the next window to pick up the shake. Matt told me that several months ago he had read that McDonald's was starting a pilot program to see if the ordering process we had just experienced would work. "I guess it worked," he said, "'cause they have it here."
By the way, the pumpkin wasn't very good, I should have gone with my gut and ordered the chocolate. Now I'll hold out for my yearly holiday favorite--eggnog.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Pioneers
The girls have been pretending to be members of a wagon train. They've thoroughly enjoyed dressing as pioneer girls, prairie hats and all, when they get together with their friends, Elsie and Lilly. The fall leaves have been ground up and made into "bread" complete with berries (which I emphatically told Lydia and Joel NOT to eat).
Monday, October 13, 2008
Sniffles
Well, I knew it would happen, I was just hoping to hold if off for a while longer--the first cold. Lydia came down with it on Friday and then kindly passed it on to the rest of us through the course of the weekend. Baby Jude spent an uncomfortable night last night. His little nose is stuffy and he's just generally not feeling well--poor little guy. Our kids have always been good at getting ear infections, so we're praying that Jude won't end up with one. We have multiple boxes of kleenex out and humidifiers running throughout the house, so hopefully we'll all be recovering soon.
Jude was baptized yesterday. We didn't have our usual big party because we weren't sure Pastor would be here to do the honors as his father just passed away. Thankfully, Pastor was here and even though things were less planned (on our part) than usual, it was a very special day. The opening hymn was "Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee" which was the first hymn sung at our wedding. As our family of eight (taking up the entire front row) sang with the congregation, I reflected on all the Lord has done in fifteen years. As we continue to trust in Him, I know He will keep walking along side us each and every day as they unfold as He has ordained.
Jude was baptized yesterday. We didn't have our usual big party because we weren't sure Pastor would be here to do the honors as his father just passed away. Thankfully, Pastor was here and even though things were less planned (on our part) than usual, it was a very special day. The opening hymn was "Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee" which was the first hymn sung at our wedding. As our family of eight (taking up the entire front row) sang with the congregation, I reflected on all the Lord has done in fifteen years. As we continue to trust in Him, I know He will keep walking along side us each and every day as they unfold as He has ordained.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Catching Up
We spent the weekend catching up with family and friends we haven't seen in a long time. Friday evening, we had the pleasure of hosting our friends, Jason and Anna and their little ones, for our first Shabbot meal in this house. They are leaving on a medical mission half way around the world soon. We won't see them again for two years. It was neat to hear of their plans and know that even though there are still so many unknowns, the Lord is in control.
Saturday was Matt's Nana's memorial service. It was a nice remembrance of a woman who planted the seeds of faith in her children and then those seeds grew and were passed on to her grandchildren and great grandchildren. We spent the rest of the weekend gathering for meals, chatting and playing games with all the relatives we haven't seen for several years.
We spent yesterday recovering from all the excitement of the weekend. We'll spend the week on schoolwork, finishing the summer to winter clothes exchange project and making applesauce. My list is always longer than time and energy will allow, but by God's grace some things get done and I have to learn to be thankful for that.
Saturday was Matt's Nana's memorial service. It was a nice remembrance of a woman who planted the seeds of faith in her children and then those seeds grew and were passed on to her grandchildren and great grandchildren. We spent the rest of the weekend gathering for meals, chatting and playing games with all the relatives we haven't seen for several years.
We spent yesterday recovering from all the excitement of the weekend. We'll spend the week on schoolwork, finishing the summer to winter clothes exchange project and making applesauce. My list is always longer than time and energy will allow, but by God's grace some things get done and I have to learn to be thankful for that.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Boo Boo
This afternoon, right before quiet time, Joel "bumped his bean" according to the volunteer assistant who helped us to our room in the ER. Actually, he ended up on the wrong end of Lydia's scissors. Who knew preschool scissors could be so dangerous? Apparently Joel and Lydia were squabbling over her art project.
The doctor who glued the cut together sympathized with us. He raised four daughters and four sons. The upside was that Matt and I got to wish each other a "Happy Anniversary" earlier in the day than we had planned.
The doctor who glued the cut together sympathized with us. He raised four daughters and four sons. The upside was that Matt and I got to wish each other a "Happy Anniversary" earlier in the day than we had planned.
Anniversary
Fifteen years ago today I married the man I love. I love him even more today. He is my provider, protector and biggest cheerleader. He is an awesome Daddy. He keeps me laughing. He helps me keep things in perspective. He doesn't let me take life or myself too seriously. He loves me as Christ loves the church. I know I'll love him even more fifty years from now.
"My beloved is mine, and I am his." Song of Solomon 2:16
"My beloved is mine, and I am his." Song of Solomon 2:16
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Chickens!
Less than a week ago we had no chickens. The rooster crossed the road, went into the neighbor's pasture and never came back (so we couldn't ask him WHY he crossed the road.) The last hen disappeared one night, leaving only a pile of red feathers as evidence of her untimely demise. Even our two geese disappeared. We suspect they were run off by a coyote or dog in the middle of the night (much to the relief of our neighbors, I'm sure).
The last couple of months I've been checking Craigslist almost daily for someone who might be getting rid of some hens. I've seen lots of roosters, but not many hens. When I did see that someone was selling their hens, I'd call. They were always gone. Last week I saw that a woman was advertising Rhode Island Red and White hens. She lives in the same town as my parents. I called my dad at his office to ask if he might possibly (pretty please?) be able to get them and bring them down when he and mom came for Grace's party. Well, he wasn't exactly enthusiastic, but he was willing. That's all I needed. I called the woman. She told me I was the first caller, even though she had posted the ad the day before.
"How many do you have?" I asked. "A lot."
"Why are you getting rid of them?" I asked.
"Because they're too much work," she replied.
"O.K., could I have twenty then?"
"No problem," she said.
We then talked over the logistics of how she would fit twenty chickens in my dad's car (his very clean, nice car). She assured me she would have them boxed up and ready to go for him when he came to pick them up. She was true to her word.
My mom and dad said the drive down here was interesting. They had the moon roof and the back window open because the chickens were pretty stinky. The chickens were quite loud at first and my mom said, "Maybe they'll settle down once we get going." They did settle down a little.
Matt had the chicken house all cleaned out and full of nice new pine shavings in preparation for the chickens' arrival. They are doing very well in their new home. They're pecking order must not be working very well, though, as they're all wanting to roost within the same square foot, thus some chickens end up under others. You just want to say to them, "Spread out, there's plenty of room here," but then you realize they're only chickens with ganglias for brains.
A few weeks ago, I had resigned myself to the fact that I would have no fresh eggs until a year from now when we would have mature chickens again. Chickens slow down their laying in the winter, but at least now we'll have some fresh eggs. I can't wait to taste the first fresh egg omelet I've had in over a year, which wouldn't be possible if my dad didn't love me so much. (Bahk! Bahk!)
The last couple of months I've been checking Craigslist almost daily for someone who might be getting rid of some hens. I've seen lots of roosters, but not many hens. When I did see that someone was selling their hens, I'd call. They were always gone. Last week I saw that a woman was advertising Rhode Island Red and White hens. She lives in the same town as my parents. I called my dad at his office to ask if he might possibly (pretty please?) be able to get them and bring them down when he and mom came for Grace's party. Well, he wasn't exactly enthusiastic, but he was willing. That's all I needed. I called the woman. She told me I was the first caller, even though she had posted the ad the day before.
"How many do you have?" I asked. "A lot."
"Why are you getting rid of them?" I asked.
"Because they're too much work," she replied.
"O.K., could I have twenty then?"
"No problem," she said.
We then talked over the logistics of how she would fit twenty chickens in my dad's car (his very clean, nice car). She assured me she would have them boxed up and ready to go for him when he came to pick them up. She was true to her word.
My mom and dad said the drive down here was interesting. They had the moon roof and the back window open because the chickens were pretty stinky. The chickens were quite loud at first and my mom said, "Maybe they'll settle down once we get going." They did settle down a little.
Matt had the chicken house all cleaned out and full of nice new pine shavings in preparation for the chickens' arrival. They are doing very well in their new home. They're pecking order must not be working very well, though, as they're all wanting to roost within the same square foot, thus some chickens end up under others. You just want to say to them, "Spread out, there's plenty of room here," but then you realize they're only chickens with ganglias for brains.
A few weeks ago, I had resigned myself to the fact that I would have no fresh eggs until a year from now when we would have mature chickens again. Chickens slow down their laying in the winter, but at least now we'll have some fresh eggs. I can't wait to taste the first fresh egg omelet I've had in over a year, which wouldn't be possible if my dad didn't love me so much. (Bahk! Bahk!)
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