A Singing Heart

We've started music classes with John Mac which have been really fun. He naturally has a song in his heart most days, often coming out at unexpected times. It seems we have been hearing a few more lately with the start of regular music class. Yesterday was one of them....As we were driving home from the library he made up a song in the back seat. It went like this:

Love my Mommy, so I do.

Love my Mommy, so I do.

Love my Mommy, so I do.

Love everything except spiders.

I am particularly fond of the song, but even if you aren't Mommy, don't you just love the simplicity of it all? Wish I could say I loved everything except spiders.

First Stories

Henry and Caroline have started "writing" stories. They are so wonderful for me to see as a parent. Each a glimpse into their own interests and curiosities. Henry's stories are largely picture books at this point. He draws soldiers and swords and castles and catapults with flaming canon balls. Lots of good guys and bad guys. Caroline wrote this story yesterday:

My Butterfly Egg

One day I was outside and I found a butterfly egg and I asked my Mom if I could keep it until it became a butterfly and my Mom said yes. So I used some screen and sticks and put the egg inside the house. Then that night I couldn't sleep because I was so excited that I was raising a butterfly.

I wish you could see the inventive spelling she used. "awtsid" for outside. "haws" for house. "raseing" for raising. I know it must seem trivial and cute but it so good to see them both stretching and trying to do new things.

By the way, we have been watching, for 8 days now, three chrysalis' found in a friend's yard. We've been reading books and watching for changes. It really is a more amazing mystery than I knew. Can something like a butterfly really come from this small green firm chrysalis? Just like you give up that the fall will ever come with the suffocating heat of August, change comes in such amazing ways when you least expect it. Hoping we all see butterflies soon!

Super Baby

Today we were talking about what to dress up as for Halloween. Henry found a new Spiderman outfit at the consignment shop. The kids all got excited about Henry being Spiderman, Caroline finding a WonderWoman costume and John Mac being Batman. But what about Hannah, I asked?

Henry replied, "She can be SuperBaby shooting arrows from her belly button."

Not sure I would have thought of that.

The Mass of Humanity

We went to Busch Gardens today. We wanted to enjoy the park with Jack and Cindi during their weekend visit from Nashville. Just the 8 of us and thousands (I do mean thousands) of other people. It was beautiful weather, Labor Day weekend, and everyone was out to take advantage of it. After standing in line several times with lots of hot and tired parents and children, I was overwhelmed with the mass of humanity: the smells, the clothing with words and pictures I wouldn't pick, the bad parenting styles on display. I found myself wishing the park were empty. All of these people were in my way, a hindrance to my good time. I wish I could blame this attitude on my pregnant body and swollen legs, but I think it all just helped to reveal to me my own heart. So later in the evening, I go ahead of Brandon and the bigger kids to get the car. I have Hannah in a backpack and car keys in hand, nothing else. I wander the parking lot looking for our car. Was it Ireland 42? Ireland 41? Where did we park hours ago? I was tired, thirsty, miserable and ready to lie down on the parking lot asphalt and cry. A sheriff patrolling the area passed me a few times and then kindly offered to make rounds in his car looking for my car. Then a strange looking teenage couple, hanging out in the back of their car, whom I had also passed multiple times, offered me a bottle of water and a place to sit and wait. Sometimes kindness comes when you least expect it. For me tonight, it came from members of the mass of humanity. The people with whom I had been so easily frustrated. The ones Jesus looked upon and said he longed to gather them up in his arms; and so later he died for them to know forgiveness. I am so glad He still longs to gather me up in his arms as one of them.