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.

Random Summer Thoughts

These days have been long and hot. I have worked hard not to complain about this in type since our summer heat wave started early in June, but it has been really miserable here. The temperature dropped into the 90s this week, though, so I feel that an end may be in sight. There have been some wonderful things about summer though. One thing has been our farmer's C.S.A. share. This was our first summer to purchase a share and I love it. Every week the kids and I go to pick up our bag of vegetables for the week. The produce has been amazingly good and I love having someone give me a bag full of veggies that I need to figure out how to eat! Much better than standing in a large grocery store overwhelmed by the options. This week there is plenty of basil so my freezer is now full of pesto. Only a few more weeks of the CSA left. I will miss being told each week to eat healthy.

There has also been lots of indoor play due to the heat. This week I laughed when I overheard the kids playing "mermaids" (Disney) while dressed in SuperHero costumes (Marvel Comics) and talking about using their lightsabers (Star Wars) to fight the SeaWitch (Disney again). Here is the fort they made to add to this great imaginary landscape.

There has been a lot of boy influence in the house lately. Another birthday with soldiers and pirates and the like. As a girl from a house of girls, it all seems very loud and fast. Caroline and Hannah do a wonderful job of keeping up though, and they actually make it look like a lot of fun. Perhaps I was missing out and didn't know it? This is Henry with his slingshot and duct tape "rock".

Hannah has been quite busy this summer. She is our youngest child to join in on the big kid play so quickly. Here is her other favorite pasttime: taking things out of anything. A cabinet, a bucket, a purse! I have so far lost 4 - $10 pairs of sunglasses to Hannah in 2010. I have quit buying them for this summer and resigned to squinting.

And finally, this is what my children have decided that fine dining means: a smoothie at Panera's. Don't tell them it is not a real restaurant or real food. For right now, we are just pleased that a real meal out is still within reach based on these menu selections. I have a feeling this may change with the colder weather.

Santa Claus

We visit the library about once a week. We fill a large bag with picture books and head out until we are tired of them a week later. Lately we've been going to the library on Fridays and for several Fridays in a row we have seen the same man sitting on the bench under a sheltered area just outside the building. Every week he is wearing the same set of blue hospital scrubs from our local hospital as well as a knitted cap despite the heat wave. He is also always eating some purchased food, Burger King or Wa-wa most recently. He always speaks to us and says hello to the children as we slowly place our books one by one in the book return. Many of the local library folks seem to be familiar with him. Williamsburg has no real homeless population, no soup kitchens, no shelters, so my children have no real concept of "homelessness" yet. This week my observant child, Henry, said to me, "Mommy, I think I know about that man." We were just inside the library doors and after Henry had watched the man very carefully today I was fully prepared for a long discussion on the topic of homelessness. Yes, Henry, I explained, we have seen him several weeks in a row on that same bench. "Yes, but Mommy, I know who he is." What do you mean, Henry? "He is Santa Claus." Did I forget to mention this homeless gentleman has white bushy hair and a white bushy beard? Santa Claus, a man with no clear home or family, just a workshop at the Southpole, is about as close to homelessness as my children can understand. I think we'll have to save the bigger discussion for another day.

He did it!

Today Henry finally realized he could swim! It was so fun to share in his excitement. Over and over again we heard, "Look, (Mommy / Daddy / Caroline) I can do it!" as he dove in the water again and again. The pieces he had worked on all summer came together and once he started he didn't want to stop. As we left tonight he said, "Mommy you said I could swim and I didn't know it, but now I do!". He is most excited to show our lifeguard/swim teacher Miss Amanda. I hope she is prepared for a big afternoon at the pool tomorrow.