Mt. Everest II

Last night after dinner we headed to the local ice cream shop to climb Mt. Everest for the second time (unbeknownst to the kids). We had intended to go last Friday to celebrate the kids' successful homeschool testing, but it just didn't happen until last night.

As we drove into the parking lot, the kids began to say, "Maybe we'll get the Mt. Everest again." Then I said, "No, I don't think we can afford that tonight." (The kids didn't realize we had a gift certificate we had received from friends at Christmas. We had been saving it to use on the ice cream monstrosity).

The woman behind the counter said that she'd take our individual orders as soon as we were ready. Matt said, "I think we'll be getting the Mt. Everest tonight." The kids went nuts. Joel started bouncing and he hadn't even eaten any ice cream yet. Daddy started taking requests for ice cream flavors. Chocolate versions were the most popular, but a couple of requests for blue and rainbow (from the littles) were also included. Everyone ate more than their share of ice cream and a good time was had by all.

There But For the Grace of God Go I

The last few days we've had rain here--lots of rain, which is unusual for these parts. Yesterday we experienced several downpours. I was out running errands and had to figure out how to use the windshield wipers on the Subaru at their fastest pace--something I've never had to do before.

Last night around five, another torrential downpour started. The kids had the back door open so they could see the rain. Then Grace came running into my bedroom to tell me that a car had crashed into the hay field next to our house.

I called 911 (something I've never done) and gave a description of the scene. Passersby were trying to open the car doors to get the people out, but they weren't having any success. Grace and I began praying. Soon a police car showed up, then five more. Then three ambulances and a firetruck. They were finally able to get the car doors open and immediately started CPR on the passenger. The EMT did CPR approximately thirty minutes. Finally the person was loaded onto the ambulance. We knew it was not good. (Our house and the accident scene were about an acre apart, so we really couldn't see much. Our kids, with the exception of Grace, really didn't understand what was going on.)

This morning the accident was reported in the newspaper. The passenger, a fifty year old woman, had died. The driver, a forty year old woman, was in "extreme critical condition." Apparently the driver of the vehicle had tried to turn from our road onto the main road. She must not have seen the big white pickup. It t-boned her car and sent it into the hay field.

Needless to say, the event was very sobering. Matt and I spent the evening reflecting on the fragility of life. I repented of worrying about "little things" that in the overall scheme of things are insignificant. Both Matt and I thanked the Lord that He saw fit to grant us one more day on this earth.

We read in the newspaper on Sunday that the driver of the vehicle also passed away.

Overheard

Matt and I went on a date last night. Elizabeth really liked the top I was wearing. As I climbed into the car, I heard this snippet of a conversation between Elizabeth and her little sister:

Lydia: "Well she would look even more beautifuller in her wedding dress."
Elizabeth: "I don't think her wedding dress fits her anymore."
Lydia: "Yep. She's growin'!"

Lately

The kids and I have been vegging pretty hard the last couple of days. We've had a busy week. Last Friday we had our annual homeschool testing. Despite having our schoolwork review on Thursday interrupted by a trip to the ER (Paul cut his lip), the kids did well on Friday. They've all made significant progress in their studies over the past year. Grace did an exceptional job of getting caught up in her math, thanks to Grandma Dianne's help, so she is now ready for the dreaded algebra.

Matt washed down the outside of the house and the back porch with his new pressure washer on Saturday. He's thankful to all who contributed for this much wanted (and needed) birthday present. Chicken poopy is no match for Matt's handy dandy pressure washer.

We had friends here for dinner on Saturday night and then my parents came down on Sunday. My mom took Elizabeth clothes shopping at Walmart and my dad took out Paul's stitches. Dad is now our official "Suture Removal Man." He's had to do it twice in the last month. We'll just add that to his list of grandpa duties.

We've all kind of been in a funk (or fog) the last few days, so last night I pulled out some old friends, the Laura Ingalls Wilder books. I started reading the series to the kids again after a three year hiatus. I got some good advice from a homeschool mom recently concerning literature. She said that it's not quantity that matters, but quality. She said she has read the "Little House" series of books to her children several times over the years. Even Joel was listening to Pa's account of "Grandpa and the Panther," last night as I read "The Little House in the Big Woods."

Well, I'd better get back to my mommy duties. Paul needs help with his piano (yes, it's coming back to me) and the others need to be directed to do schoolwork and chores. Ahh--this is the life!

Animal Boy

Joel loves animals, "nanimals," as he calls them. He was so disappointed last month when we couldn't go to the zoo because of the lack of available parking. An hour into the drive home after our failed zoo attempt, Joel started pointing and saying, "Der's a parkin' space. We can go to da zoo! Der's another parkin' space, Daddy." Poor kid.

Lately, I've been buying plastic animals at yard sales and the dollar store for Joel. I hit the jackpot when I was able to buy a whole set of safari animals for a dollar at a yard sale. I've been doling the animals out to Joel every few days.Joel's questions about his animals are endless. "Do yions yike to wim in water? Where do tigers yive? Are hippos mean? Do rhinos yike dis kinda meat (as he points to his forearm)?" His comments run the gamut from, "Yook, dis hippo has big toenails" to "Da yion is da King of the Ungle!"

Yesterday Joel asked me, "Mama, could we go to da zoo? I found a parkin' space." It just melted my mommy heart. Looks like we'll have to figure out a way to get to the zoo this summer, even if we have to park a mile away from the place.

Lydia's Culinary Adventure

We generally have a big family meal at "Macduff Headquarters" every month. Usually three tables are needed to seat everyone in attendance, but this month Matt's brother and his family were on vacation, so we only needed two tables. All that to say that Lydia and I did not sit at the same table at this month's dinner, so I didn't get the report of what she ate until we drove home. Apparently she consumed over a dozen full-sized shrimp. She ate them without any cocktail sauce, enjoying them in their natural state. She ate little else--except dessert.

I was sure that Lydia would get sick in the middle of the night, so I told Grace to come and get me when she did. She didn't. However, a few days later she came running up to me with a magazine in her hands. She showed me this picture:
"Mama, do shrimp have eyes?" she asked with desperation in her voice. I put two and two together pretty quickly and said, "No, they don't have eyes."

Then Lydia turned to Joel and said, "Shrimp don't have eyes, Joel. And they don't have legs, either. I know because I ate them at Grandma Dianne's." Well, at least she got that settled in her little brain (and Joel's, too).

Lydiaism

As Lydia was getting ready for bed tonight she said to Daddy, "I've discovered one thing about boogers. They grow back in the morning." I burst out laughing and Daddy said, "She's learning I guess."

Swingin'

One of the things the kids miss most about our old house is the tire swing. Matt and my Dad remedied the situation a couple of weekends ago when they made a wooden swing for the kids. They tied it to a branch on one of our trees and now that swing is the most sought after place in the whole yard. When the weather is nice, the kids have been swinging nonstop. We've even had a couple of afternoon reading sessions under the tree. It's such a simple thing, but it's brought so much joy. No batteries or brain numbing activity necessary.

Boys Will Be Boys

Lately, Joel has been desirous of a superhero cape. He brings dish towels to us and asks us to put them on him. Then he dons his green garden gloves. What would a superhero be without gloves?
Paul recently fashioned a tank out of cardboard boxes and leftover irrigation pipe. He then placed the tank on the garden cart and gave rides to the littles. They were able to peep out the lookout slit that Paul had sliced into the cardboard as they rode around the backyard.
It never ceases to amaze me how different little boys are from little girls. These differences are God's design. What a wonderful Creator we have.

Happenings

We got ten new chicks last week. These will eventually replace the low producers or non-layers in our chicken flock.
Matt and I had a nice weekend. We dropped the kids at Grandpa Bob's and Grandma Dianne's early Saturday morning. They went to the circus. Matt and I went to yard sales. Matt found a brand new $150 GE motor for $5, so he was happy. I got the set of encyclopedias for which I've been looking for $5, so I was happy. Let the writing exercises begin. I'm sure the kids will be thrilled.
Saturday night we went to our favorite Italian restaurant and then came home and watched a documentary. We're getting so exciting in our old age. Sunday morning we attended church sans kids. Weird--that's all I have to say.

Sunday afternoon the kids were returned to us. We missed them something fierce, so it was a happy reunion.

Our garden still isn't planted, but since it froze last night, I feel a lot better about that. Maybe this weekend we'll get some seeds in the ground.