Chestnut

We have a new member of the family. Of couse, we don’t stray from the familiar, so he’s a boy….hamster. Yes, we finally caved on giving the boys a pet. Now I know that all you animal lovers out there will hate me for it, but I’m not all that fond of animals (especially in my house). But, an opportunity presented itself for a free pet to join our family and it happens to live in a contained space, so it’s not a bad compromise.

Until Friday I had no idea what a Chinese Dwarf hamster was – it’s this little Stuart Little-looking rodent. So, basically – small, cute, lives in cage. I’m there. He came with a name, so no creativity like our last attempt at being pet owners – a cat named Captain Jack Kitty, Pirate of the Catribbean! So, we gave it a familial middle name – Matthew – and now it’s part of the family.

My only stipulation was that Mommy NEVER cleans the cage. I don’t mind seeing the little Forrest Gump of rodents sit in it’s ball and finally decide to take a nap rather than figure out how to roll the thing. I don’t mind listening to the little wheel in it’s cage squeak. I was just not about to contribute to the care end of the deal. I figure that I’ve dealt with enough poop as a mother, so that now that the diapers and potty training are in the rearview, that’s where other’s poop will remain.

So, instead of listening to children whine about GETTING a pet, now we listen to them fight each other and whine over HOLDING the pet. No worries. I figure the thing’s got a shelf life of another week or so before Chestnut is old news.

 

it is well

It’s nice to come across a day that leaves you with nothing to complain about. I know I probably should complain less anyway, but it’s refreshing just to have a genuinely good day.

The boys let me sleep in this morning. It was rare. Usually I have little feet stomping into my bedroom no later than 7am on any given day. This morning, they got up and kept themselves busy until 8:30. With dad gone early for drill duty at the reserve center, it was even more delightful to turn and see the alarm clock leading off with an 8.

It was an especially warm day. I’m not sure what made me think that a trip to the park with weather in the sunny near-90s was a good idea, but that’s exactly what we did. I recruited a friend and her three little ones, too. The motive was to find a way to run out their energy and visit with a friend at the same time. It worked out fabulously. We left sweaty and tired, but tired in a good way. The boys played themselves exhausted and I felt refreshed. Some girl talk will do that for you.

After coming home and cleaning up, I threw in some laundry (feeling especially thankful for that brand new washer/dryer with the high capacity). I even made a really tasty homemade lasagna that finished up just in time to welcome my sailor home from a long day of p.t.

So, as I sit here in the kitchen listening to the sounds of Wii Star Wars in the living room, I’m feeling pretty blessed. Sure there’s less money in the bank account than I’d like, dirty dishes in the sink and more on the to-do list than on the ta-done list, but I’m okay with that.

Maybe all those prayers to be thankful instead of want-full are helping. Come what may, today it is well.

 

kindergarten

Life is really great when you’re a kindergartener. I’m reminded of this fact of life as I watch our little one make that milestone leap from pre-schooler to big kid.

Jonah’s been on the warm-up for elementary school since last April’s Kindergarten Round-up. Our school invites all of the pre-schoolers in for a tour during the school day. This was especially helpful our first time around with our oldest, Simon. But this time, we’re veterans. Simon’s in third grade. I’ve been an officer on the PTO. We know the ins and outs of this school.

So, Jonah was really excited to head off to his first day this morning. He woke up early – like 5am early – to start his day. Daddy turned him back to bed when Jonah announced it was 5049 o’clock. At a more respectable hour (7am) we started the big day. His only concerns were wearing his Star Wars backpack all morning around the house and when he could get on the bus. This has been a goal since Simon’s first day three years ago. It’s like all of his hopes and dreams were coming to pass.

He was a trooper. He got right up that first big step, gave Miss Kim his name and followed his brother to the back of the bus. (Having an older brother was his ticket out of little kid land behind the driver.) He waved from the window and rode off.

I didn’t tear up at this moment like I did with Simon. It was a perfect send-off. I wasn’t scared for him. His school is an amazing place. I love the faculty and staff. The kids are great. And he wasn’t nervous (like Simon was heading off into the unknown for all of us).

I got to talk to him this afternoon after school. He was jazzed that his classroom had Legos. They played and talked about learning, but didn’t dive right into the tough stuff. He liked not having a seat belt or a car seat on the bus. His teacher is nice and there’s a little “living room” in his class.

The best stuff happens in kindergarten.

 

summer…and close

I think the fun part of summer faded for me when I no longer got to take a couple of months off to enjoy it. I’m not whining. I’m just realizing that an entire summer came and went without as much as a trip to a beach or a day at a pool. Maybe summer is for kids.

Is it a metaphor for life? Maybe.

I like Fall. I’ve always been a fan. The cooler breezes and the changing leaves of the midwest are all more my speed. I’ll always choose jeans and a sweater over shorts and tanks any day. And the fact that the kids…yes kidS – both are in school this year…are back on schedule is surely an added bonus.

I thrive on schedules. I like knowing what’s expected of me and when it’s expected. I like having a pattern. Not only because I’ve got a slight tendency towards the a/r, but because it’s that much more exciting to deviate from it.

Now that school’s in session, the pressure to provide fun is off. Duty is expected. We go to school. We go to work. Weekends are the only glimmer of fun, and I can do that. I don’t mind seeing the sweat inducing days of July and August fading to memory. Brisk bike rides and walks full of leaf stomping are upon us. Sure we have a couple of weeks of heat and sun left, but the end is in sight. Quiet evenings where kids are fast asleep for school will soon replace sprinklers and kids screaming outside until 10pm – the worst kind of screaming, not your kids’ screaming (because you’re smart enough to have your kids inside at that hour), but that of random neighborhood kids.

So, thanks summer. It’s been great. The kids are tan and happy. And I’m ready for the pumpkin patch.

 

my obsession

I have a confession. I haven’t been this enamored by a book series in a while (this is book 1 on the left). Now it’s not literature by any stretch of the imagination, but it’s good. Oh, Vince Flynn, why do you distract me so from the things I SHOULD be doing with my time?

It’s no secret that I’m a bit of a conspiracy theorist. I like the IDEA that something is amiss, not quite what they say it is. I love the JKF mythology and the idea that we never landed on the moon (but staged it in a TV studio) intrigues me. I won’t even pretend like I don’t secretly wish to break into the compound at Roswell…just to see. And let’s not get started on my freaky X-Files issues (oh, Mulder…don’t waste your time with Scully. I DO believe).

This obsession started innocently enough (as most do). My dear husband (dh)went to the dentist and no doubt got into the two no-no’s of polite conversation – religion and politics. Hmm, politics. So, the dentist offers to loan him a book he thinks dh would like. How was this poor man to know that dh collects books. He doesn’t necessarily read them – the list is too long.

So, said book sits on the table in the living room for a couple of days. I get a little curious and read the back summary. I swear the book called to me. Cutting to the chase, I read the thing in less than a week – which is a miracle for me. It’s not that I’m a slow read, but I have a lot of distractions

Four books later, I’m still going strong. Lucky for me, Flynn’s got quite a series going with Mitch, Anna, Dr. Kennedy, and team. I’ll be picking up the fifth book tonight and I’m sure I’ll tear into it.  [Warning: I've been converting friends and family alike into Flynn Fans]

If you’re a fan of political intrigue, conspiracy, secrets, scandal and a love story, Flynn’s your man. Check him out. He’s a contributing writer for Fox’s series 24 with Kiefer Sutherland. It’s like Clancy, but less wordy and more character development.

If you pick one up, let me know what you think.

 

hey, Phineas

Our younger son has a HUGE imagination. Not to say that his brother doesn’t, but little one’s imagination is one of the keenest I’ve witnessed. He’s always up to something. He’s always pretending to be someone (usually a super hero) or he’s re-inacting a scene from either Star Wars, Indiana Jones or any number of the other movies or books or tv shows he likes.

See, we had it easy with our oldest. Cars. Cars that race. Trucks that crush. If it has an engine, it’s interesting. Go-karts fit this mold, too.

Little one likes to conquer, climb, shoot, destroy and basically have fun all the time. This morning we watched one of his current faves, Phineas and Ferb (Disney). These two brothers don’t let a day of summer vacation go by without a grand scheme to seize the day. This morning’s episode found them building the best roller coaster ever…in their backyard. Even their pet platypus, Perry, is in on the action with a secret life as a Bond-like spy. Of course, sister Candace is always trying to foil their big plans and get them in trouble. Somehow they always escape. Little one LOVES this!

He’s at his best when he’s decked out in Batman, Iron Man, Superman or Jedi gear running around our front yard with his little buddy next door. (Our neighbors’ middle child is cut from the same cloth). The rest of the neighborhood gets a real kick out of watching them fight the good fight in the pre-dinner hour each evening.

It’s a comfort to know that Gotham, Metropolis or even the universe is safe…if only for a while.

 

dreams

I can’t think of a single thing that makes me happier than giving gifts to the people I love. Now, everyone who knows me understands that I like surprises; presents are indeed welcome. But, nothing tops seeing the look on someone’s face when you nail it, when you give the best present that he/she never expected.

That’s what happened this weekend with our oldest son. He’s eight years old and he lives and breathes racing, NASCAR especially. He’s really got into the whole sport, the strategy, the mechanics of it this year. He records every race on our TiVo. He analyzes them. He sets up his little Hot Wheels NACARs and recreates the best moves and wrecks. It’s his thing.

So, when the opportunity to send him to his first race just landed in our laps, we didn’t even think about the budget. We had to do it. We got an e-mail from Boy Scouts of America (he’s a cub) that tickets were available for the Boy Scout Campout at the Brickyard. It was a special event that included camping on the infield and some special surprises, like an all access. My husband and I just took a chance that tickets would be available…and we got them.

It was SO hard not telling him that we were about to make his dream come true. For months he’d watch his races and talk about how he was going to save all of his allowance next year to get a ticket. It was agony watching him wish he could go, but being the sweet boy that he is, not wanting to tap out the budget. He’s an amazing kid.

His grandparents took him and his brother to qualifying and that was really enough for him. He got to see the action and he really seemed content to have gotten that close. He got his Jimmie Johnson hat and t-shirt. He was good.

So, now that I’ve rambled enough, the end of the story has a very surprised little boy having lived out his dream – to the extreme. He not only attended the Brickyard, but he got to ask Jimmie a question at the Q & A (do you get dizzy when you drive on oval tracks?) and then watch him win. Guess he’ll have to dream a bigger dream. Why do I have a feeling it involves Talladega?

 

oh, scrap

I dig scrapbooking. It’s pretty trendy in the circles I run in, but that’s not why I do it. I love capturing memories for my family. I LOVE paper. I adore all of the stuff – the rub-ons, the die cuts, the stickers (Heidi Swapp is my fave). And I’m a pretty creative sort. But, it’s one of those things that I don’t have much time to do.

With all of the living I do each day – the parenting, the working, the wife-ing – I don’t have a whole lot of extra time. And, I haven’t quite figured out how to work a system. Maybe that doesn’t make sense if you don’t scrapbook. But there’s a lot of gear involved in turning out these pages. If you’re not blessed enough to have a designated space to work, and I don’t, it’s time-consuming to pull it all out and get situated. I’m trying to figure out how to do this.

But I’ve got a new desire. There’s always a first step, right? My mom got my sister and me a day of scrapbooking at Archiver’s for our birthdays (we were born 2 weeks less than 2 years apart). Talk about a gift! It’s like she gave me extra time to breathe. It’s cathartic! I love just sitting there and appreciating my life. I think about all the good times. I’m not balancing activities or thinking about the budget or the schedule. I’m smiling and remembering and suddenly I’m breathing a little slower and I’m happier.

If a hobby can do all that, it’s worth finding time to do it. I’m feeling pretty inspired to go pull out my stash and get to it.

 

scouting

My husband and I went to the scouting planning meeting last night – our son is starting his third year as a scout. He loves it. It’s his thing. After scout day camp last year, upon exiting the harness for the zip line, our then seven year old proclaimed that he was “born to be a cub scout”. So, safe to say that we’re invested in this program.

Maybe that’s the problem. We care because it’s important to him. Sounds like a good thing, but it’s hard not to get too wound up about the details. These things start out nice and calm, but everyone has a busy calendar and (mostly) helpful, good ideas to give the boys another fun year of learning. But when everyone is passionate about the program and has good ideas, the meeting turns into a summit.

It wasn’t until we were moving into the second hour of planning when I started to get tired of the whole affair. I could actually relate to our boys’ whining…I wanted to go on a hike or work on a bird house. I think my mind wandered for a bit at one point because last I knew it was January and then we were talking about the spring camp. Hmm.

My friend got up and left. Don’t know if she was bored or just needed to get home.

Don’t get me wrong – planning is crucial to making this thing work. I just don’t have much of an attention span once the crowd giving input exceeds five. I think there were at least a dozen parents there.

We have new leadership this year. I’m pretty sure that any organization needs to shake it up every now and then. Scouts are great. Parents can be. Are we done with the calendar? I just want to make a bird house.

 

phases

I enjoyed a conversation today. That’s a profound sentence. I don’t have many full-out conversations with people…or at least the in-depth, soul sharing kind of moments (outside of my relationship with my dear husband). This wasn’t a chat. It wasn’t a shoot-the-breeze kind of talk. This was a conversation.

Over chicken salad sandwiches (one of the best kinds), we conversed about friendship, true and deep friendship. Sure, it started out light and easy. But, as conversations with this one usually do, it got real and deep. She’s amazing, this one. I adore her unashamed love for Jesus. She inspires me at the marrow to be better than I am, truer than I am. I love that about her. She adores her husband and speaks kindly to and about him. It’s hard to find a woman who does that these days. I am deeply grateful for who she is and what she means to me.

And that brings me to our conversation – about phases in life. I’m sneaking up on this crossroads in my life. Maybe it’s my age (33) or maybe it’s because I’ve experienced some pretty emotional stuff lately. But I need to mature in my faith and I’m not seeing that in my friends. If they’re thinking it, they sure aren’t sharing it. My friends all along aren’t so much there any more. I feel like I’m growing out of me, like I’m not so content with the person I’ve been. Pretty sure that’s a God thing.

It’s time to grow up. TIme to dig in and stop being so scattered, so flighty, so casual in life. TIme to stop being complacent. Time to start living like there’s something at stake. My heart’s cry is that I figure out how to do that. I guess I’m going through a phase.