Today was one of those even-keel days where nothing really stands out as a happy moment.
Some good things happened. B decided NOT to go to Atlanta this summer. At first I was disappointed, as I had been excited for her grand adventure, but after talking to her I think she made the right choice. It came down to friends, that she is a sophomore, most of her friends are juniors, so next year will be her last year of school with them. She just didn't want to miss it. So she decided to take the job T got her with Ceva here in the area, which will allow her to live in her college town for the summer and attend school for the fall semester.
D finally gussied up his resume and got it to T so he could get his name out there for a summer internship in his field, finance and accounting. That was good, although still nerve-wracking because the kid is a little behind in the process.
My mother-in-law came over after her art class and we spent some time printing off landscapes from the computer for her to paint. That was fun just because they were beautiful.
R got the day off school after 1st hour because the school lost power. Why is that fun for me? I don't know, but I always love it when he gets any day off, but especially an unexpected one. =)
But for the happy moment of the day, I think I have to go with my Bible study. We were a small group this morning, only three of us besides the leader. And one of the other women who was there is my favorite of all the women who attend. She's a great thinker. I love to hear her thoughts, I love to share my thoughts with her and hear her response. There are not many good thinkers in the world today, there just aren't, and I really appreciate the ones I encounter.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Tuesday, February 28
Today's happy moment was an outfall of my own laziness. We had a late dinner, and by the time we were done, 1) I was tired, and 2) L wanted me to go upstairs with her to watch the end of American Idol and (our favorite) Dance Moms. So I put the meat in the fridge and went upstairs with her.
When it was over, my kitchen was still trashed, and I had to help T get packed for his trip to Colorado tomorrow. And I was TIRED. I didn't want to do anything.
T brought me several hangers of shirts he wanted me to fold for him, and my HAPPY moment came when he told the kids to clean the kitchen for me. Here it had been really only my own laziness that it wasn't already clean -- c'mon, I'd been lying on my back watching TV for the past hour and a half! But he said, "C'mon guys, Mom's tired. L, you empty the dishwasher. R, get up. You can clear the table."
Aww, thank you, T! That made me happy!
When it was over, my kitchen was still trashed, and I had to help T get packed for his trip to Colorado tomorrow. And I was TIRED. I didn't want to do anything.
T brought me several hangers of shirts he wanted me to fold for him, and my HAPPY moment came when he told the kids to clean the kitchen for me. Here it had been really only my own laziness that it wasn't already clean -- c'mon, I'd been lying on my back watching TV for the past hour and a half! But he said, "C'mon guys, Mom's tired. L, you empty the dishwasher. R, get up. You can clear the table."
Aww, thank you, T! That made me happy!
Monday, February 27, 2012
Monday, February 27
Lots of good moments to choose from today. My daughter, B, called and said she got an internship she had been applying for. It's in Atlanta -- yikes -- a long way away, but with Hub Group, who apparently makes a habit of hiring their past interns full time once they graduate. Good news for an English major!
And a friend texted that she was wondering if R would be willing to go with her son to the Christian camp they went to throughout their younger years. And R said yes, he'd go if his friend went! T may put up some resistance because it conflicts a little with the baseball season and overlaps a day or two with our family vacation -- but I'm going to push for this. This camp was a wonderful influence on our sweet R, and I'd like him to experience it at least one more time before his childhood is over.
And D called just to check in and chat. He's not a natural chatter box, so conversations with him can involve me plying him with a lot of questions, sometimes asking things that are none of my business, but hey, a mom's gotta know! But it was so nice to talk to him.
And I found hope a cure for my itchy ears! I had some prescription medicine from years ago which works for a time, but the itchies always come back. And by now the bottle is long expired, so I've been a little nervous about using it. But I learned online that tea tree oil should do the trick! So I bought some today along with some jojoba oil to mix it in, and after only one treatment, it does seem to help. I'm optimistic that once and for all it will kill that fungus growing amungus. =)
But these were not HAPPY moments, were they? They were good moments. The HAPPY moment happened when T and I were in bed, watching an episode of Everybody Loves Raymond before going to sleep, and Oliver puts his little paws up on the edge of the bed asking if he could jump up to visit. Or maybe he was just announcing his intention, because he jumped up without waiting for permission. T and I were close together on the bed and he crawled right up to us in the middle, with his face just inches from ours, his bright little eyes just looking from one of us to the other, as if to say, "I'm here!" Then he reaches forward and licks T. T is not big on puppy kisses, so while he's recoiling, Oliver turns and licks me right on my lips. Ew! But he is SO DOGGONE CUTE! How can anyone resist him? That was actually the happiest moment of the day. =)
And a friend texted that she was wondering if R would be willing to go with her son to the Christian camp they went to throughout their younger years. And R said yes, he'd go if his friend went! T may put up some resistance because it conflicts a little with the baseball season and overlaps a day or two with our family vacation -- but I'm going to push for this. This camp was a wonderful influence on our sweet R, and I'd like him to experience it at least one more time before his childhood is over.
And D called just to check in and chat. He's not a natural chatter box, so conversations with him can involve me plying him with a lot of questions, sometimes asking things that are none of my business, but hey, a mom's gotta know! But it was so nice to talk to him.
And I found hope a cure for my itchy ears! I had some prescription medicine from years ago which works for a time, but the itchies always come back. And by now the bottle is long expired, so I've been a little nervous about using it. But I learned online that tea tree oil should do the trick! So I bought some today along with some jojoba oil to mix it in, and after only one treatment, it does seem to help. I'm optimistic that once and for all it will kill that fungus growing amungus. =)
But these were not HAPPY moments, were they? They were good moments. The HAPPY moment happened when T and I were in bed, watching an episode of Everybody Loves Raymond before going to sleep, and Oliver puts his little paws up on the edge of the bed asking if he could jump up to visit. Or maybe he was just announcing his intention, because he jumped up without waiting for permission. T and I were close together on the bed and he crawled right up to us in the middle, with his face just inches from ours, his bright little eyes just looking from one of us to the other, as if to say, "I'm here!" Then he reaches forward and licks T. T is not big on puppy kisses, so while he's recoiling, Oliver turns and licks me right on my lips. Ew! But he is SO DOGGONE CUTE! How can anyone resist him? That was actually the happiest moment of the day. =)
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Sunday, February 26
Today I went to lunch with my mother-in-law. Actually our plan was to go to an art store, Hobby Lobby, to buy her some new paint brushes, but it turned out to be a store owned by Christians so they were closed on Sundays! So we ended up going to lunch instead and talked for hours; then to a bookstore, getting coffee and talking some more.
I love my mother-in-law. She is really a special woman and I loved every minute of our time together today.
I love my mother-in-law. She is really a special woman and I loved every minute of our time together today.
Saturday, February 25
Today was a fun day all the way around, but it also had a special moment I'll tell you about in a minute. To begin with, today was L's mock exam for her Grade IV Cecchetti exam next week. She has such a wonderful teacher, willing to take the time to run the kids through a mock exam just to be sure they're completely prepared for the real thing.
Then my sister, P, treated me to a birthday lunch. My birthday is three months past, and we're only just now getting around to it. I had my all-time favorite, lasagna with a gooey, sinful dessert, and I don't think I'll be hungry again for three days!
When I got home from that, L was already searching out chick-flicks to make the most of our last night home alone without the boys. We found two to watch, The Proposal, with Sandra Bullock, and Life as We Know It, with Kathrine Heigl, and drove to the Blockbuster in the neighboring city to get them. (Our Blockbuster is going out of business!) They were both pretty good, but I don't know that I'd recommend either of them to our most conscientious Christian friends.
L's interest in romantic movies is blossoming concurrently with her interest in boys, not surprisingly, and both are becoming more frequent topics of discussion among her friends. My daughter, B, took a different, more unique, path through her adolescence, always marched to the beat of a different drum, and this was just never an issue; L is more typical. She's silly, and giggly, and from all outward appearances, completely shallow. She's all about how she looks, her hair, her make-up, her clothes, her style. She's also all about celebrity crushes, and more recently, who of her friends likes whom, and most recently, which guy in their small circle is madly in love with her, but too bad, he's ugly. She's a caricature of the American teenage girl! At least she appears to be.
So, as much as I was enjoying my time with her watching these movies, I was also concerned that the attitudes portrayed in these movies about sex and relationships were actually molding her world view, overwriting the values that T and I had taught and exemplified for her.
So when we got up to make popcorn between the movies I took that opportunity to talk about this with her. I knew it would not be easy and I would have to tread lightly. She is committed to her shallow facade and doesn't like her cover blown! (Although truthfully, at that point, I was not completely sure how much of the shallow giddiness was facade and how much was real.) But I did broach the topic. I told her that she had a good ten years of guys falling "madly in love" with her just because she was pretty and dressed the part, and that we as women are responders. It's hard not to respond to attention like that, and that she needs to be careful (prayerful) before she gives her heart away. I repeated in as few words as possible, because L doesn't respond well to too many words ever, but especially when it comes to matters of the heart, that God created that type of relationship between a guy and a girl for marriage, and if marriage is not even in the foreseeable future, then she needs to be careful, it is only wise to not become entangled in an affair of the heart with a desirable guy. In other words, that entire American dating scene is sick. Amazingly, she was able to reassure me that, yes, she did believe that God had a man chosen for her, and until she felt sure the guy she was interested in was the guy God had for her to marry, she fully intends to keep her heart under raps. In other words, she's not as shallow as she'd have us believe! =)
Thankfully, she revealed that at least a couple of her best girlfriends also have the same perspective, and they have discussed it among themselves. At the same time, she has one friend who is headed for trouble, T and I both see it. Poor thing, a real sweetie and a preacher's kid. I love her, but I just don't want her dragging my L down the path she's headed. Her parents seem slightly clueless about some important things.
So, that conversation with L was my happy moment of the day!
Then my sister, P, treated me to a birthday lunch. My birthday is three months past, and we're only just now getting around to it. I had my all-time favorite, lasagna with a gooey, sinful dessert, and I don't think I'll be hungry again for three days!
When I got home from that, L was already searching out chick-flicks to make the most of our last night home alone without the boys. We found two to watch, The Proposal, with Sandra Bullock, and Life as We Know It, with Kathrine Heigl, and drove to the Blockbuster in the neighboring city to get them. (Our Blockbuster is going out of business!) They were both pretty good, but I don't know that I'd recommend either of them to our most conscientious Christian friends.
L's interest in romantic movies is blossoming concurrently with her interest in boys, not surprisingly, and both are becoming more frequent topics of discussion among her friends. My daughter, B, took a different, more unique, path through her adolescence, always marched to the beat of a different drum, and this was just never an issue; L is more typical. She's silly, and giggly, and from all outward appearances, completely shallow. She's all about how she looks, her hair, her make-up, her clothes, her style. She's also all about celebrity crushes, and more recently, who of her friends likes whom, and most recently, which guy in their small circle is madly in love with her, but too bad, he's ugly. She's a caricature of the American teenage girl! At least she appears to be.
So, as much as I was enjoying my time with her watching these movies, I was also concerned that the attitudes portrayed in these movies about sex and relationships were actually molding her world view, overwriting the values that T and I had taught and exemplified for her.
So when we got up to make popcorn between the movies I took that opportunity to talk about this with her. I knew it would not be easy and I would have to tread lightly. She is committed to her shallow facade and doesn't like her cover blown! (Although truthfully, at that point, I was not completely sure how much of the shallow giddiness was facade and how much was real.) But I did broach the topic. I told her that she had a good ten years of guys falling "madly in love" with her just because she was pretty and dressed the part, and that we as women are responders. It's hard not to respond to attention like that, and that she needs to be careful (prayerful) before she gives her heart away. I repeated in as few words as possible, because L doesn't respond well to too many words ever, but especially when it comes to matters of the heart, that God created that type of relationship between a guy and a girl for marriage, and if marriage is not even in the foreseeable future, then she needs to be careful, it is only wise to not become entangled in an affair of the heart with a desirable guy. In other words, that entire American dating scene is sick. Amazingly, she was able to reassure me that, yes, she did believe that God had a man chosen for her, and until she felt sure the guy she was interested in was the guy God had for her to marry, she fully intends to keep her heart under raps. In other words, she's not as shallow as she'd have us believe! =)
Thankfully, she revealed that at least a couple of her best girlfriends also have the same perspective, and they have discussed it among themselves. At the same time, she has one friend who is headed for trouble, T and I both see it. Poor thing, a real sweetie and a preacher's kid. I love her, but I just don't want her dragging my L down the path she's headed. Her parents seem slightly clueless about some important things.
So, that conversation with L was my happy moment of the day!
Friday, February 24, 2012
Friday, February 24
Well, today was a bit of a dull day. It was good in that we got to have a lazy morning with no homeschool classes, and L got more schoolwork done at home than she normally would on a Friday because of that. And I got a few chores done that made me happy, made easier because T and R were gone.
But maybe the moment I would have to call the day's happiest was after dance, being free to turn the car around on a whim and go to Olga's for dinner with L and her friend, R. No one at home to feel compelled to get home to to care for. That was fun!
But maybe the moment I would have to call the day's happiest was after dance, being free to turn the car around on a whim and go to Olga's for dinner with L and her friend, R. No one at home to feel compelled to get home to to care for. That was fun!
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Thursday, February 23
Two happy moments today, one extra special and one just fun!
First the extra special one. My daughter, B, needed me to drop a suitcase and some other miscellany off to her at school because she is going on her church's winter retreat on Saturday. I was going to go on Friday morning while daughter L was in homeschool classes, but we are expecting a snowstorm to come through in the wee hours of the morning, so I decided it would be prudent to get that to her tonight.
Didn't really want to go. I was all ready to curl up in our nice warm house and watch scintillating episodes of America's Funniest Videos and Everybody Loves Raymond. But I also did not want to creep my way down there in the slush and snow in the morning, anticipating at any moment to careen into a ditch with no one to rescue since T is up north with R! So I bit the bullet and went.
What a blessing! She and I went out for coffee at the local Barnes and Noble and talked. We talked the way only B and I can talk. Somehow we were born on the same wavelength, the same brain frequency, and our conversation goes exactly where we both live. It was wonderful and intimate and uplifting for me, but my heart was touched when I got home and L told me B's new facebook status: "I highly recommend my mom to be your best friend." Made me cry!
The fun moment came late at night. L and I were both hoping her homeschool classes would be cancelled because of the coming winter storm, and as I was saying good-night to her she said, "I just wish they could tell us tonight!" (Rather than us having to get up early just to check.) The words were no sooner out of her mouth when my iPhone went "ding!" indicating I'd just received a new e-mail. I looked, and it was from the homeschool people saying they had cancelled classes! Yahoo! We got up and watched an episode of Everybody Love Raymond just to celebrate! =)
First the extra special one. My daughter, B, needed me to drop a suitcase and some other miscellany off to her at school because she is going on her church's winter retreat on Saturday. I was going to go on Friday morning while daughter L was in homeschool classes, but we are expecting a snowstorm to come through in the wee hours of the morning, so I decided it would be prudent to get that to her tonight.
Didn't really want to go. I was all ready to curl up in our nice warm house and watch scintillating episodes of America's Funniest Videos and Everybody Loves Raymond. But I also did not want to creep my way down there in the slush and snow in the morning, anticipating at any moment to careen into a ditch with no one to rescue since T is up north with R! So I bit the bullet and went.
What a blessing! She and I went out for coffee at the local Barnes and Noble and talked. We talked the way only B and I can talk. Somehow we were born on the same wavelength, the same brain frequency, and our conversation goes exactly where we both live. It was wonderful and intimate and uplifting for me, but my heart was touched when I got home and L told me B's new facebook status: "I highly recommend my mom to be your best friend." Made me cry!
The fun moment came late at night. L and I were both hoping her homeschool classes would be cancelled because of the coming winter storm, and as I was saying good-night to her she said, "I just wish they could tell us tonight!" (Rather than us having to get up early just to check.) The words were no sooner out of her mouth when my iPhone went "ding!" indicating I'd just received a new e-mail. I looked, and it was from the homeschool people saying they had cancelled classes! Yahoo! We got up and watched an episode of Everybody Love Raymond just to celebrate! =)
Wednesday, February 22
Today's happy moment came during my Bible study when the light came on. Sadly, it was the light of a firefly, but at least I felt like a glimpsed a truth that has eluded me for a long time. We've been studying Galatians and Hebrews this year. In both books Paul is urging the new believers not to fall back into a reliance on ritual or law for their salvation. In Hebrews, he's talking to Jewish believers who are inclined to slip back into their traditional Judaic practices; in Galatians, he's talking to Gentile believers who are being influenced by Jewish believers coming into their midst, trying to convince them that in addition to faith in Christ, they also need to follow various traditional Jewish practices to obtain righteousness.
So the whole year we have been hammering away at the idea of our freedom in Christ, of not being bound by Old Testament law or religious rules and regulations that we as believers tend to impose on ourselves and others. At a certain level, I get it, of course. I get it. But when I try to work it out practically, I get completely lost.
I know my salvation comes from no place except Jesus Himself. No questions there. But in trying to live righteously, rather than living out that freedom in Christ and being motivated to do right by His love for me that fills my heart and my love for Him that swells in response to Him, I tend to fall back into rules and regulations. I impose them on myself, and then I fail. I try to work out my salvation in my flesh, and I fail.
I understand the concept -- I just don't quite know how to maintain that level of love-saturation continually that my thoughts and actions are consistently brought into line. (I know -- loads of people would say, "REGULAR QUIET TIMES!!!" Yeah. More rules and regulations. I've been down that road.)
But I am putting this down as my happy moment, because I have hope. I believe God will help me understand more fully as I pray and ask Him to shed more light.
So the whole year we have been hammering away at the idea of our freedom in Christ, of not being bound by Old Testament law or religious rules and regulations that we as believers tend to impose on ourselves and others. At a certain level, I get it, of course. I get it. But when I try to work it out practically, I get completely lost.
I know my salvation comes from no place except Jesus Himself. No questions there. But in trying to live righteously, rather than living out that freedom in Christ and being motivated to do right by His love for me that fills my heart and my love for Him that swells in response to Him, I tend to fall back into rules and regulations. I impose them on myself, and then I fail. I try to work out my salvation in my flesh, and I fail.
I understand the concept -- I just don't quite know how to maintain that level of love-saturation continually that my thoughts and actions are consistently brought into line. (I know -- loads of people would say, "REGULAR QUIET TIMES!!!" Yeah. More rules and regulations. I've been down that road.)
But I am putting this down as my happy moment, because I have hope. I believe God will help me understand more fully as I pray and ask Him to shed more light.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Tuesday, February 21
Today's happy moment happened at dance. I often head into the waiting area to watch the girls finish up the ballet class and to chat with the other moms for the last 15 or 20 minutes. Today when I got there the girls were taking turns showing their teacher the dances they'd choreographed themselves for their Grade IV exam coming up. One of the girls has two little brothers, 4 and 6 years old, who were there waiting too. The door between the studio and the waiting area has a window on the upper half where we can see, and it so happens that while L was doing her dance the two little brothers were peeking through the window watching. We overheard them whispering to each other, "Isn't she beautiful?"
Awwwwww!
Awwwwww!
Monday, February 20, 2012
Monday, February 20
President's Day, so no school for R and no dance for L. Instead, L had a birthday party to go to. T had physical therapy on his elbow this morning, and I drove R up to meet him for breakfast afterward. I sat with them, but had already eaten. T got free tickets to see Van Halen with a customer, lucky duck (eye roll), so he was out for the evening. The kids and I had a quiet evening here.
Anyone who reads this blog or my Small Dog, Tall Weeds blog will not be surprised that the birthday party, while lovely, did not elicit my happy moment, and certainly Van Halen would not have if I'd gone. My happy moment was watching R show us his "magic tricks," which were really little science experiments. For the first one, R set a candle in a shallow dish with a bit of water in it. He lit the candle, placed a tall drinking glass over the top, and the water was sucked up into the glass. For the other one, R emptied a tea bag and opened the tea liner into a sort of a tube. He stood the tube on an end on the sidewalk outside and lit it on fire. It burned down very neatly, and at the end the ash floated up into the air. Cool.
The other happy moment was eating dinner with the kids. L is neck deep into the Hunger Games Trilogy and I'm reading The Autobiography of Henry VIII, a novel by Margaret George, so I tossed The Illustrated Man, by Ray Bradbury, to R since it happened to be sitting on the counter, and for a blessed 20 or 30 minutes sweet silence reigned. That was a happy half hour!
Okay, one more happy moment that I forgot about. L and I were checking out of Target today and the cashier looked at L and said, "You look familiar. What high school did you go to?" L replied that she was homeschooled, and the cashier said, "Oh, you look like someone I went to high school with."
Did that make L's day! She, being only in 8th grade, is always thrilled when someone thinks she's in high school, but that has happened often in the past year or so. Now this gal thought she had actually graduated from high school! It was funny to see how ridiculously happy that made L. =)
Anyone who reads this blog or my Small Dog, Tall Weeds blog will not be surprised that the birthday party, while lovely, did not elicit my happy moment, and certainly Van Halen would not have if I'd gone. My happy moment was watching R show us his "magic tricks," which were really little science experiments. For the first one, R set a candle in a shallow dish with a bit of water in it. He lit the candle, placed a tall drinking glass over the top, and the water was sucked up into the glass. For the other one, R emptied a tea bag and opened the tea liner into a sort of a tube. He stood the tube on an end on the sidewalk outside and lit it on fire. It burned down very neatly, and at the end the ash floated up into the air. Cool.
The other happy moment was eating dinner with the kids. L is neck deep into the Hunger Games Trilogy and I'm reading The Autobiography of Henry VIII, a novel by Margaret George, so I tossed The Illustrated Man, by Ray Bradbury, to R since it happened to be sitting on the counter, and for a blessed 20 or 30 minutes sweet silence reigned. That was a happy half hour!
Okay, one more happy moment that I forgot about. L and I were checking out of Target today and the cashier looked at L and said, "You look familiar. What high school did you go to?" L replied that she was homeschooled, and the cashier said, "Oh, you look like someone I went to high school with."
Did that make L's day! She, being only in 8th grade, is always thrilled when someone thinks she's in high school, but that has happened often in the past year or so. Now this gal thought she had actually graduated from high school! It was funny to see how ridiculously happy that made L. =)
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Sunday, February 19
Again, many good things happened today, so it will be hard to chose my favorite. Church was great, shopping with L was successful both in what we purchased and how little we paid, we again had a family hot tub soak under the stars, and we watched the movie Fireproof, which we all enjoyed. All good, happy moments. Oh, and T and I finally made it to the gym to exercise! So which to choose?
Well, I'll pick a funny moment. I have always had trouble on the spot coming up with the right name for a loved one. I have on occasion gone through all four names before I hit on the right one for the kid I was addressing. So tonight I was asking L to do something and I accidentally called her "Pup," one of my terms of endearment for Oliver. =) The shock and annoyance that registered on her face tickled me, especially given that Oliver does not rank high in L's book of favorite creatures. But he ranks high in mine! So she should be honored to be called by the dog's name, don't you think?
And an endearing moment. We were sitting in the hot tub and L was speaking a little unfavorably about someone we know who has taken up something ~good~ and decided he's pretty hot stuff for doing it. And beyond that, he's decided he'd better give us full advantage of his good example by telling us all about it fairly often. It's both amusing and irritating, depending on your state of mind. So L was irritated, that being her state of mind at the moment. And R, unwittingly, and thereby more effectively, gave us full advantage of his good example by being neither amused nor irritated, but compassionate toward this person. He said, "He's just proud [of himself and excited about his new venture]." (I just used 11 words to quote R when he really only used 3, reticent guy that he is. But I wanted you to understand the sense in which R meant the word "proud.") Didn't I tell you he was a special kid?
Well, I'll pick a funny moment. I have always had trouble on the spot coming up with the right name for a loved one. I have on occasion gone through all four names before I hit on the right one for the kid I was addressing. So tonight I was asking L to do something and I accidentally called her "Pup," one of my terms of endearment for Oliver. =) The shock and annoyance that registered on her face tickled me, especially given that Oliver does not rank high in L's book of favorite creatures. But he ranks high in mine! So she should be honored to be called by the dog's name, don't you think?
And an endearing moment. We were sitting in the hot tub and L was speaking a little unfavorably about someone we know who has taken up something ~good~ and decided he's pretty hot stuff for doing it. And beyond that, he's decided he'd better give us full advantage of his good example by telling us all about it fairly often. It's both amusing and irritating, depending on your state of mind. So L was irritated, that being her state of mind at the moment. And R, unwittingly, and thereby more effectively, gave us full advantage of his good example by being neither amused nor irritated, but compassionate toward this person. He said, "He's just proud [of himself and excited about his new venture]." (I just used 11 words to quote R when he really only used 3, reticent guy that he is. But I wanted you to understand the sense in which R meant the word "proud.") Didn't I tell you he was a special kid?
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Saturday, February 18
Two happy moments today. I can't decide which was happiest, so I'll report both.
The first was the general idea of T taking L to a Daddy-Daughter Dance. The dressing up was fun (for L, not so much for T), and dinner out beforehand with L's friends and their dads was reportedly a big hit. The dance, not so much, as there was very little "freestyle" dancing, but rather a ponderously slow caller who took eons on a muffled microphone to teach each simple little dance, all square-dance style. T and L are both good dancers, given good dance music, and I had been looking forward to watching them bogie-wogie together! (I was helping in the kitchen with refreshments.) So the dance was disappointing.
But the experience rates happy-moment status because it was wonderful to have T spend so much time with L's friends and their dads, just to participate in our world a little, to get a feel for their personalities and interactions, especially as the girls enter their true teenage years. Generally T and I run in parallel social universes. He's dragged me along enough that I have a feel for his people. So it was good for him to interact with my people. It made me happy to talk with him afterward about his impressions.
The other happy moment was spending time with R, only an hour and a half, after T and L left for dinner but before I had to go help with the dance. I just really like that kid. I really, really like him. I boiled up some lobster ravioli I had bought at Sam's Club, and whipped up a quick white sauce to go over it. Somehow I managed to make the ravioli explode in the boiling water, but it all tasted the same in the end, and the white sauce was yummy with it. But mostly I just like spending time with R.
He is quiet. A really understated personality. You have to be quiet and listen carefully to get a feel for him. You have to give him an opportunity to emerge, as bolder personalities easily relegate him to the background. But when I have an opportunity to be alone with him, his sense of humor surfaces, and what he does have to say reveals an insightful and discerning and, especially, a kind spirit.
We wish his grades were better. We can't seem to incite him to passion for anything right now, not for schoolwork or sports or cleaning his room! And we're afraid for him as we watch the mediocre grades roll in every week, so our interaction with him can tend to be negative. But boy, I don't want to roll over this guy. He has a lot of awesome stuff going on on the inside. I think we just have to be patient while he grows into himself and try to mitigate the damage by pushing him to stay on top of his schoolwork as much as we can without ruining our relationship with him.
Anyway, my hour and a half with R was another happy moment today.
The first was the general idea of T taking L to a Daddy-Daughter Dance. The dressing up was fun (for L, not so much for T), and dinner out beforehand with L's friends and their dads was reportedly a big hit. The dance, not so much, as there was very little "freestyle" dancing, but rather a ponderously slow caller who took eons on a muffled microphone to teach each simple little dance, all square-dance style. T and L are both good dancers, given good dance music, and I had been looking forward to watching them bogie-wogie together! (I was helping in the kitchen with refreshments.) So the dance was disappointing.
But the experience rates happy-moment status because it was wonderful to have T spend so much time with L's friends and their dads, just to participate in our world a little, to get a feel for their personalities and interactions, especially as the girls enter their true teenage years. Generally T and I run in parallel social universes. He's dragged me along enough that I have a feel for his people. So it was good for him to interact with my people. It made me happy to talk with him afterward about his impressions.
The other happy moment was spending time with R, only an hour and a half, after T and L left for dinner but before I had to go help with the dance. I just really like that kid. I really, really like him. I boiled up some lobster ravioli I had bought at Sam's Club, and whipped up a quick white sauce to go over it. Somehow I managed to make the ravioli explode in the boiling water, but it all tasted the same in the end, and the white sauce was yummy with it. But mostly I just like spending time with R.
He is quiet. A really understated personality. You have to be quiet and listen carefully to get a feel for him. You have to give him an opportunity to emerge, as bolder personalities easily relegate him to the background. But when I have an opportunity to be alone with him, his sense of humor surfaces, and what he does have to say reveals an insightful and discerning and, especially, a kind spirit.
We wish his grades were better. We can't seem to incite him to passion for anything right now, not for schoolwork or sports or cleaning his room! And we're afraid for him as we watch the mediocre grades roll in every week, so our interaction with him can tend to be negative. But boy, I don't want to roll over this guy. He has a lot of awesome stuff going on on the inside. I think we just have to be patient while he grows into himself and try to mitigate the damage by pushing him to stay on top of his schoolwork as much as we can without ruining our relationship with him.
Anyway, my hour and a half with R was another happy moment today.
Friday, February 17, 2012
Friday, February 17
Today was a challenging day. T and I had a misunderstanding in the morning, so emotionally I spent the rest of the day in a dither and was just not prepared to view anything as "happy."
If I had to choose a happy moment for the day though, it might be Oliver being so overjoyed to see me when I got home from a long day out. If I were him, I would have been in full pout after being left alone all day, but not this humble little creature! He was all a-quiver with excitement, jumping and mouthing my hand, which, we've come to conclude, is his version of hugs and kisses, being part Golden Retriever.
Either that or the fact that I finally got our myriad of user names and passwords in order with an app I bought for my phone, e-wallet. We're a little nervous about the safety of using something like that. It means that ALL of our personal information is only protected by one wimpy little password. Eeeks! But having all our information entrusted to one dog-eared scrap of paper has been a little nerve-wracking too! So that felt good, and we'll have to ask around if other people know anything about e-wallet's security.
And, unusual for us, but T and I did manage to resolve our misunderstanding by the end of the night. Usually we just carry on like good soldiers and pretend it never happened. But last night we actually managed to exchanged a few words that cleared things up, for me anyway. I feel like I "got" something that T had been trying to communicate for years. (Before you are too hard on me though, understand that T doesn't communicate with words -- only through mind waves.)
If I had to choose a happy moment for the day though, it might be Oliver being so overjoyed to see me when I got home from a long day out. If I were him, I would have been in full pout after being left alone all day, but not this humble little creature! He was all a-quiver with excitement, jumping and mouthing my hand, which, we've come to conclude, is his version of hugs and kisses, being part Golden Retriever.
Either that or the fact that I finally got our myriad of user names and passwords in order with an app I bought for my phone, e-wallet. We're a little nervous about the safety of using something like that. It means that ALL of our personal information is only protected by one wimpy little password. Eeeks! But having all our information entrusted to one dog-eared scrap of paper has been a little nerve-wracking too! So that felt good, and we'll have to ask around if other people know anything about e-wallet's security.
And, unusual for us, but T and I did manage to resolve our misunderstanding by the end of the night. Usually we just carry on like good soldiers and pretend it never happened. But last night we actually managed to exchanged a few words that cleared things up, for me anyway. I feel like I "got" something that T had been trying to communicate for years. (Before you are too hard on me though, understand that T doesn't communicate with words -- only through mind waves.)
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Thursday, February 16
Today I have one funny and one happy moment to report. First the funny one. Poor Oliver has been so patient the past few days *not* getting his regular walks. So today when L and I got home from dance we still had an hour to wait before the turkey breast was done, so I decided to get him out for a walk. L wanted to come too, but I really would have preferred to walk with R. After all, L is home schooled, so I spend all day with her. R leaves at 7:00 a.m. every day, and then is anything but communicative when he comes home. So I called up the stairs and asked R if he'd come with me to walk Ollie. As expected, he said, Nah, I'm tired. I begged and wheedled a little bit, not so much because I expected him to change his mind as much as I just wanted him to know I loved him and would cherish his company. I said, half-kidding, "If you want to come, I'll totally ditch L! I'll make her stay home!"
The look on L's face! She was astonished, appalled that I would say such a thing! Of course R wouldn't budge, so I went with L. She said, "I can't believe you would say such a thing, Mom! I shouldn't even go with you now. You were serious! You weren't even kidding!"
Cracked me up! Just tickled my funny bone to see this kid who has my full attention all day every day, actually take umbrage that I would move her aside for her brother this once. She did understand, I think. She's just not used to me talking like that. =)
And I just hung up from my happy moment. =) B called just to tell me that she decided not to come home this weekend after all, but she needed a suitcase for her spring break trip. And then she texted. And then she called me again. An hour and 45 minutes later, I got back off the phone. I am so pleased to be her go-to person. She had a lot to tell me, a lot of personal stuff, and the gist of the issue was that she doesn't have anyone to talk to! (Umm. So I guess I'm chopped liver!) What she does mean is that there is no one with similar spiritual gifts for her to connect with there on campus. I do not have her spiritual gift, but I am honored that she trusts me to be someone who will not misunderstand or mistrust her experiences, to be someone she can confide in and use as a sounding board.
So here it is, 11:45 p.m., way past my bedtime and I still have to take a shower. But I am happy!
The look on L's face! She was astonished, appalled that I would say such a thing! Of course R wouldn't budge, so I went with L. She said, "I can't believe you would say such a thing, Mom! I shouldn't even go with you now. You were serious! You weren't even kidding!"
Cracked me up! Just tickled my funny bone to see this kid who has my full attention all day every day, actually take umbrage that I would move her aside for her brother this once. She did understand, I think. She's just not used to me talking like that. =)
And I just hung up from my happy moment. =) B called just to tell me that she decided not to come home this weekend after all, but she needed a suitcase for her spring break trip. And then she texted. And then she called me again. An hour and 45 minutes later, I got back off the phone. I am so pleased to be her go-to person. She had a lot to tell me, a lot of personal stuff, and the gist of the issue was that she doesn't have anyone to talk to! (Umm. So I guess I'm chopped liver!) What she does mean is that there is no one with similar spiritual gifts for her to connect with there on campus. I do not have her spiritual gift, but I am honored that she trusts me to be someone who will not misunderstand or mistrust her experiences, to be someone she can confide in and use as a sounding board.
So here it is, 11:45 p.m., way past my bedtime and I still have to take a shower. But I am happy!
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Wednesday, February 15
No disputing today's happy moment. Our son, D, called again this evening and said he had decided to go on Cru's (Campus Crusade for Christ) winter trip to Panama City Beach (PCB) in Florida. It's an annual trip. The kids go down there to share the Gospel on the beach, but also just to have a lot of fun hanging with each other.
Little did T and I know, very few upper class men go on this trip, mostly just sophomores and freshmen. D did go last year, and I remember him saying he was one of the only juniors. This year there are a couple juniors going, no seniors, and he wasn't planning to go either.
Apparently, in general Cru has a "retention" problem, that kids are fading away as they reach their later years in school. Whoa. If their passion for Christ is waning when they're juniors in college, what does that say about their passion for Him when they enter the real world with all its demands and pressures?
So my Happy Moment came when D called to say that he decided to go to PCB for the purpose of turning that ship around, of setting the example for the freshmen and sophomores on the trip that Jesus' place in their hearts doesn't change just because they enter their junior and senior years. That his desire to share the Gospel and build up the fellowship of believers hasn't changed just because he's a senior, and neither should theirs.
In addition, another warm fuzzy moment, he thanked us for being so supportive. He realizes not many kids have parents that would push their college students to do what was right in this situation in spite of the cost, and he feels very blessed to have us.
Yeah, we are pretty hot stuff, aren't we, T and I? Oh yeah.
Little did T and I know, very few upper class men go on this trip, mostly just sophomores and freshmen. D did go last year, and I remember him saying he was one of the only juniors. This year there are a couple juniors going, no seniors, and he wasn't planning to go either.
Apparently, in general Cru has a "retention" problem, that kids are fading away as they reach their later years in school. Whoa. If their passion for Christ is waning when they're juniors in college, what does that say about their passion for Him when they enter the real world with all its demands and pressures?
So my Happy Moment came when D called to say that he decided to go to PCB for the purpose of turning that ship around, of setting the example for the freshmen and sophomores on the trip that Jesus' place in their hearts doesn't change just because they enter their junior and senior years. That his desire to share the Gospel and build up the fellowship of believers hasn't changed just because he's a senior, and neither should theirs.
In addition, another warm fuzzy moment, he thanked us for being so supportive. He realizes not many kids have parents that would push their college students to do what was right in this situation in spite of the cost, and he feels very blessed to have us.
Yeah, we are pretty hot stuff, aren't we, T and I? Oh yeah.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Tuesday, February 14
Many things happened today that could have been, maybe should have been, my happiest moment, but weren't. Being Valentine's Day, T sent me two dozen long-stemmed roses. They are lovely! And I appreciate them, but I'm not sure they brought me the happiest moment today. We went out to dinner with dear friends, then to the Red Wings game and watched them win their 21st consecutive home game. Fun, enjoyable, definitely notable, but, again, still not the happiest moment.
I began this post intending to say that watching L dance for five minutes or so at the end of her class was today's happy moment. I was able to see her practice the dance she is choreographing for her Grade IV ballet exam coming up in March. She chose Hungarian Dance No. 5, by Brahms, for her music, and her choreography is just beautiful. Especially this one part where she slowly forms and then holds an arabesque; then the music goes "Da!" (note my musical prowess!) and she somehow flicks that raised leg back and cocks her arm and head to the music. It's fun! It's cute! And it makes me happy to watch her.
But I changed my mind, even as I have been typing here. Definitely the happiest moment today was talking to my oldest son, D, with T (on speaker phone) on the way home from the hockey game. He was chatty and forthcoming with his thoughts. He told us the situation with a girl he's liked for awhile, and I was so relieved that he (again) was able to see her for who she is -- which is, I'm sorry, but not good enough for him -- and he put a halt to their time together, at least as it resembles a dating relationship. He also revealed that he decided not to go on Cru's winter break trip to Panama City due to finances more than anything, to which we were able to tell him, "GO!," and that it would be our joy to cover the financial end of it. And it was a joy to hear him discuss his desire to be in God's will, with the girl, with marriage, with his winter break and with his career after he graduates. None of his friends are planning to go to Panama city so it wouldn't be as fun for him as it's been in previous years, but if the finances were there, he would go just to provide leadership, set a good example, share the Gospel. To hear your kid talk like that, not even Brahms' Hungarian Dance No. 5 can beat that beautiful music!
So there you have it!
I began this post intending to say that watching L dance for five minutes or so at the end of her class was today's happy moment. I was able to see her practice the dance she is choreographing for her Grade IV ballet exam coming up in March. She chose Hungarian Dance No. 5, by Brahms, for her music, and her choreography is just beautiful. Especially this one part where she slowly forms and then holds an arabesque; then the music goes "Da!" (note my musical prowess!) and she somehow flicks that raised leg back and cocks her arm and head to the music. It's fun! It's cute! And it makes me happy to watch her.
But I changed my mind, even as I have been typing here. Definitely the happiest moment today was talking to my oldest son, D, with T (on speaker phone) on the way home from the hockey game. He was chatty and forthcoming with his thoughts. He told us the situation with a girl he's liked for awhile, and I was so relieved that he (again) was able to see her for who she is -- which is, I'm sorry, but not good enough for him -- and he put a halt to their time together, at least as it resembles a dating relationship. He also revealed that he decided not to go on Cru's winter break trip to Panama City due to finances more than anything, to which we were able to tell him, "GO!," and that it would be our joy to cover the financial end of it. And it was a joy to hear him discuss his desire to be in God's will, with the girl, with marriage, with his winter break and with his career after he graduates. None of his friends are planning to go to Panama city so it wouldn't be as fun for him as it's been in previous years, but if the finances were there, he would go just to provide leadership, set a good example, share the Gospel. To hear your kid talk like that, not even Brahms' Hungarian Dance No. 5 can beat that beautiful music!
So there you have it!
Monday, February 13, 2012
Monday, February 13
There were some definite ups and downs today, but because I set myself
the task of noting a happy moments, the day has a more positive glow
about it than it would otherwise.
All in all, I'd have to say my favorite "happy" of this day was a brief few minutes I had with R this afternoon. There was nothing unusual about it. Four days a week I leave to take L to dance just before R gets home from school. So I usually call him on my way back home just to touch base. We have a script we follow, and every day it sounds exactly like this:
"Hey bud, how you doin'?"
"Fine."
"How was school?"
"Good."
"What happened today?"
"Nothin'."
The beauty of mother-son bonding. Sometimes I have errands to run, but usually I head back home for more bonding of the same variety. About once a week the script is lengthened by a few seconds:
"Did you get something to eat?"
"No. What can I eat?"
"Well, you can make a turkey sandwich or nachos. There are pizza rolls and corn dogs in the freezer."
"Will you bring me McDonald's?"
For the record, he has never made himself a turkey sandwich after school. But being a mom I persist in suggesting it; it is such a reasonable choice. By McDonald's he means a McDouble and a strawberry shake.
So today was a McDouble day. I walked in with his sandwich and shake, and we had about 15 minutes of completely meaningless banter. I think I pointed out the amazing difference in price per ounce if one buys a larger bottle of perfume versus a small bottle. He was duly impressed and countered with advice on the best knife to use when sizing down a shake cup so the dog can get his muzzle all the way to the bottom of the cup. We discussed the best gym membership option for me and T, especially given that neither of us has made it to the gym yet this year. And we ended our time together playing a silly game of "What'd you say?", asking each other to repeat him/herself for no good reason at all except to win a smile for silliness. Completely inane but gently amusing, and somehow it worked with the rhythm of the moment, causing my heart to swell with happy.
There were other happy moments today. I found a beautiful party dress for L to wear to the Daddy-Daughter dance this Saturday for $12 at a consignment shop. She is only 80% pleased with it, but for $12, who could beat it? That was a happy! I went to the dentist, had a cleaning and a repair job done and nothing hurt. That was a happy! I had a fun conversation with my sister on the car ride home from the dentist. And the sun was out and the sky was blue. Happy, happy! I created a yummy jambalaya-type concoction for dinner because I had nothing else prepared, and everyone liked it. Happy.
But those few moments with my R stand out as the best of the day. He is a quiet kid, a still-waters-run-deep kind of kid. When T is home, the TV is on, L is chattering away, the pressures of dinner, homework, and various chores consume our attention, he can easily fade into the background. Even when I'm alone with him, he's not quick to volunteer his thoughts.
So I cherish those moments of connection, of genial eye contact and light-hearted smiles. Today, he was my happy.
All in all, I'd have to say my favorite "happy" of this day was a brief few minutes I had with R this afternoon. There was nothing unusual about it. Four days a week I leave to take L to dance just before R gets home from school. So I usually call him on my way back home just to touch base. We have a script we follow, and every day it sounds exactly like this:
"Hey bud, how you doin'?"
"Fine."
"How was school?"
"Good."
"What happened today?"
"Nothin'."
The beauty of mother-son bonding. Sometimes I have errands to run, but usually I head back home for more bonding of the same variety. About once a week the script is lengthened by a few seconds:
"Did you get something to eat?"
"No. What can I eat?"
"Well, you can make a turkey sandwich or nachos. There are pizza rolls and corn dogs in the freezer."
"Will you bring me McDonald's?"
For the record, he has never made himself a turkey sandwich after school. But being a mom I persist in suggesting it; it is such a reasonable choice. By McDonald's he means a McDouble and a strawberry shake.
So today was a McDouble day. I walked in with his sandwich and shake, and we had about 15 minutes of completely meaningless banter. I think I pointed out the amazing difference in price per ounce if one buys a larger bottle of perfume versus a small bottle. He was duly impressed and countered with advice on the best knife to use when sizing down a shake cup so the dog can get his muzzle all the way to the bottom of the cup. We discussed the best gym membership option for me and T, especially given that neither of us has made it to the gym yet this year. And we ended our time together playing a silly game of "What'd you say?", asking each other to repeat him/herself for no good reason at all except to win a smile for silliness. Completely inane but gently amusing, and somehow it worked with the rhythm of the moment, causing my heart to swell with happy.
There were other happy moments today. I found a beautiful party dress for L to wear to the Daddy-Daughter dance this Saturday for $12 at a consignment shop. She is only 80% pleased with it, but for $12, who could beat it? That was a happy! I went to the dentist, had a cleaning and a repair job done and nothing hurt. That was a happy! I had a fun conversation with my sister on the car ride home from the dentist. And the sun was out and the sky was blue. Happy, happy! I created a yummy jambalaya-type concoction for dinner because I had nothing else prepared, and everyone liked it. Happy.
But those few moments with my R stand out as the best of the day. He is a quiet kid, a still-waters-run-deep kind of kid. When T is home, the TV is on, L is chattering away, the pressures of dinner, homework, and various chores consume our attention, he can easily fade into the background. Even when I'm alone with him, he's not quick to volunteer his thoughts.
So I cherish those moments of connection, of genial eye contact and light-hearted smiles. Today, he was my happy.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Sunday, February 12
So, in spite of my quasi-bashing of the Happiness Project book a post of
two ago, I'm becoming a disciple. My sister has an idea she's
implementing from her journey through the Happiness Project that I think
is just a stroke of genius! Every night before she hops into bed she is
taking the time to think through what the happiest moment of the day
was, and writing it down. Just a line or two. But what a fantastic
discipline! First of all, it forces us to remember that, no matter how
heavy our burdens seemed that day, there was a happy moment. It forces
us to dwell on it, even if just for a minute or two, and be thankful.
Additionally, it will allow us to see a pattern in what makes us happy,
and that pattern, I'm guessing, may surprise us in the end!
So what was my happy moment for today? It had to be the 30 minutes in the hot tub with the family (T and the younger two kids, R and L). It was cold enough that the boards of the deck creaked as we walked on them, the sky was clear and full of stars, and we were all relaxed, talking about nothing, just being together. Oliver was alternately playing in the snow or under the deck, and then coming up to nuzzle someone's neck or lick an arm. We discussed which hot tub light color we liked best and why, deciding ultimately that red and blue were the favorites. R ran out into the snow for a bit just for the thrill of coming back into the warm tub. We discussed that although the challenge of making a snow angel in a wet bathing suit might sound fun, it would not be advisable with all the poop accumulating in the yard right now! And we saw who could lift their straight legs furthest out of the water while seated. That was probably the most important issue at hand. It was a happy moment!
So what was my happy moment for today? It had to be the 30 minutes in the hot tub with the family (T and the younger two kids, R and L). It was cold enough that the boards of the deck creaked as we walked on them, the sky was clear and full of stars, and we were all relaxed, talking about nothing, just being together. Oliver was alternately playing in the snow or under the deck, and then coming up to nuzzle someone's neck or lick an arm. We discussed which hot tub light color we liked best and why, deciding ultimately that red and blue were the favorites. R ran out into the snow for a bit just for the thrill of coming back into the warm tub. We discussed that although the challenge of making a snow angel in a wet bathing suit might sound fun, it would not be advisable with all the poop accumulating in the yard right now! And we saw who could lift their straight legs furthest out of the water while seated. That was probably the most important issue at hand. It was a happy moment!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)