Spring soccer's eve

As of 3:30EST, it is officially Spring Break here in our fair city. Thank goodness. Even though we have more than our fair share of snow days, well snow and rain days, it has been a rough second semester for our family. I know lots of friends are feeling the same. While I would selfishly like to have a leisurely morning of sipping coffee, watching some reruns and hanging out in a worn out A&W root beer tshirt, I will be taking the dewey grassy walk to the soccer fields to watch the first games of the season. The boy's game has already been turned into a practice match. The strep virus knocked out the majority of the opposing team. At least they'll have the break to heal. The girls are pumped up and ready to go to soccer battle. G got some new blue and green polka dotted socks today, the new official socks for the newly named "Thunderbolts". S's team tends to stay with the traditional black socks. I don't know if they will give themselves a name or not...you know middle school girls. We have loaded up on sunscreen and bottled water, checked the soccer chairs and the sizes of cleats and shin guards. I am trying to plan my wardrobe in a responsible way so as to not suffer whatever the temperature or have to use one of my poor children as a child sized hot water bottle. As long as we can have an injury free season, I don't care about anything else. Winning is nice, but not when your child is sitting on the sidelines injured and watching it happen.

For now, I will watch my weekly dose of Hannibal and hope that I can sleep without messed up dreams. No guarantees there. Oh well. I have Spring Break to catch up on lost z's...and dream about severed ears and Hannibal the cannibal. Yuck.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Frozen healthy school activity

It was Walkathon day at G and F's school this afternoon. I was not really in the mood to go...busy day, substandard night's sleep, etc, but I went because I could not bear the thought of upsetting this face:



To be honest, G told me she didn't care if I attended or not. The boy tried to act like he didn't care, but I knew he probably did. Even though he barely talked to me as is the elementary school boy way, he held my hand the whole time. I ate that up of course.

After the Walkathon was over, I took the kids home early. Not much else was going on and most people have mentally checked out for Spring Break anyway. We picked up some salad makings, picked big sister up and went home. And then it happened. The dog made a prison break again. This time she jumped two fences in order to get in the neighbor's house. I was impressed and horrified all at once. She retired to her crate fairly early this evening. I think her adventure wore her out. Either that or she knew she'd better get in there for her own safety. She is insane. Really.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

The bugs are here!

Each year the children's ministry program at church orders caterpillars and goo to put in little cups and grow butterflies for release on Easter morning. Last year, my boss was gone on a family trip and I had to do the applesauce-oatmeal smelling goo in the cups and transfer the tiny squirming bugs into their cups...with no directions as to how to do it. This year she was in town and had a Sunday School class of kids to help her. Since Sunday, they have grown by leaps and bounds, some even have already settled to the top of the cups and have begun the chrysalis building process. My children have already decided to name them, all 30 of them. But then, um, so have 20 other kids have well. Butterflies with an identity crisis, twitching after being called 17 different names.

I always look forward to the excitement of Easter morning, for multiple reasons, but the butterflies put the icing on the cake. Little squirmy black things the size of a poppy seed that grow into beautiful, fragile butterflies. Just one of the many miracles God gives us at Easter. So neat to see.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Long and lean and I don't like it

My son, the boy, is a mess. A mess in the best way possible. He got in the car today, excited to discuss the fact he learned today that there were exactly 31 bathrooms in the White House. Instead of commenting on that being a large number or wondering if how much square footage they had in the actual structure, he took a different tack. "Well, Mom. If President Obama has a taco night go bad over there, they'll have plenty of bathrooms for people to use." Who says that kind of thing? Uh, my son...and I loved every bit of it. While G was at her singing group practice, several moms and kids went on the church playground to enjoy this glorious day and breathe in some of the lovely fresh air. I noticed how he moved when he played. He has become long and lanky, a lean and mean first grade machine. Not an ounce of baby fat on that body as evidenced by the fact that he had to constantly pull his pants up. Like every 45 seconds. I don't think a belt would really help him, because it would be cinched so tight he would have a major crisis if he had taco night with the Obamas. I know I can't keep him small forever, but I want to in so many ways. It melts my heart into my very soul when he still grabs my hand as we walk down the street...or runs up to me with the heavenly odor of sweaty little boy(that has not yet changed to the hellish odor of stenchy older boy)and gives me a kiss and a quick hug before he runs back to climb into the playhouse. I live for these moments...draw energy from them. What a gift all my children are and what a gift that spectacled little sweaty ball of fun is every day of my life. Even though it breaks my heart to see him grow up so fast, I can't wait to see what he is going to do in this world. I sure hope it involves taco night at the White House.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Time change rage

I don't know which time change messes me up more, falling back or springing forward. Right now, springing forward is about to mess us all up. My son, who really only cries if he get hurt, broke down this morning when a sister told him he was sitting in the chair she called shotgun on first. I got homw from taking the kids to school and realized even the dog had not weathered the early morning wake up call well. She curled up in a ball on the forbidden bench...I was so tired, I just left her alone. It seemed cruel to make her get up. She kind of sighed and gave me a "Thanks for leaving me alone" look. People in the grocery store and at work looked a bit foggy, just trying to get through the morning. Maybe it was just me, but the line to Starbucks looked extra long. I fell asleep in the pickup line again, what's new. My friend A made sure to wake me up in time. As we drove out of the school parking lot, we saw several moms and dads sawing some major logs in their cars. It was great.

For all my yawning and yapping about the time change, what a glorious sight it was today: children playing outside, running and wearing themselves out. The dog wore herself out. Their lungs got filled with fresh air...their hearts got pumping and their legs got running. Enjoying God's beautiful creation...the wonderful gift of springing forward. Sleep is overrated. Watching your kids enjoy nature? Priceless.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

It's all Greek and magic to me

My oldest went to services at the Greek Orthodox Church today. It was another church visit to learn about different religions and how hers is similar or different. I wish I could have gone with her, but church days are my work days so not this time. Please let me say that I am in no way insulting this particular religion, just sharing about her visit. I think she really did not like the fact that she had to stand so much, that she felt like an observer rather than a guest and a less than. Every church has their different practices and rules and she understands that. Her ultimate comment was, "I'd rather go back to synangogue if I couldn't go to our church. They felt I was good enough to eat with and talk with and worship with. That means a lot." Enough said.

Because my husband with doing his soccer job, I had the pleasure of taking G to her magic lesson with Mr. Ed. I'm telling you what, friends. That man is the best. She practiced her rope trick and learned a card trick and how to shuffle the deck in different ways. I, of course, cannot give you any information about what she learned other than to see she is one lucky girl. Talk about getting to learn from a master. He has patented tricks, makes tricks for and is friends with major hardcore magicians. Just when we think we know every cool thing he does, we find yet another. But of all the cool things he does, the most magical is that he makes my daughter feel special and successful and cool....and that is the most wonderful gift anyone could give her right now. We are so grateful for our magical afternoons with Mr. Ed. He has no idea what powerful work he does each Sunday on the fragile self esteem of such a cool kid.

I must go now and watch the episode of Hannibal I missed and creep myself out for the evening. Always a good move. Night all.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

My brain hurts from so much learning

We had day two of our LEAD Kids conference today. Again our speaker, Dr. Leanne Hadley, blew us away with her words. She spoke to us as equals and validated the importance of children's ministry and those who are passionate about being involved with it. She taught us how to provide sacred spaces for children to learn, to grow, to heal and to meet with God. I feel so blessed and honored to be charged with such a weighty responsibility. I also feel so honored to have spent some time with Dr. Hadley today. As my brain recovers, I will share with you more about our time with her.

After the conference convened and we had sufficiently cleaned up the aftermath of a two day conference, I returned home to a puppy full of kisses and a husband in the throes of soccer season work. The children had gone to do a Project Serve activity with their aunt and uncle and then to dinner. I miss them and can't wait for them to get home. I haven't really seen much of them since Friday morning. That is too long. They will arrival shortly in a whirlwind of activity I am sure. But for now, I am going to lay down and think about what I learned today. My brain needs to work it out so I can sleep. Springing forward is going to hurt tomorrow.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad