Although I can't seem to remember my address somedays, I seem to have a photographic memory on other things. I feel like I'm looking at life through a camera lens sometimes, and taking snapshots in my mind. And the older I get, the more I slow down and savor those little snapshots. The last few weeks I've had a few stand out that I've enjoyed closing my eyes and replaying over and over again. Like a few weeks ago when we went to dinner with my dad and Jean up in Tulsa one evening. Dad has always been great with kids and has really embraced and loves our kids. I got a little misty when I looked up and saw Dad and Clara holding hands and skipping down the sidewalk together. I'm not sure whose smile was bigger.
Then a couple of weeks ago the big kid went on a mission trip. He has done this before. But this time he went all the way to Nashville and was gone for a week. Standing in our driveway at the crack of dawn (literally) before I took Harrison to the church, I snapped another picture in my memory. Joe, Harrison (my big old hairy-legged boy) and myself, huddled together praying with the sun rising behind us. Made my heart skip a beat. So blessed to have a husband who prays. Humbled to get to parent this boy that I love more than I can express. And amazed that my baby is six feet tall and going off to serve the homeless and others in the inner city for a week.
Harrison got home from the mission trip at 2:30 in the morning. So Clara was anxiously waiting for him to wake up late the next morning. When he did, she was ready to be the first one to give him some love. I looked over and my very tired boy was holding his little sister, snuggled close, and she was purring....literally. Snap! Makes my heart happy!
And earlier this week, I sat in the stands watching a track meet. Still a bit amazed at the runner this boy of ours has become. But even more amazed at the things he is learning through this whole running thing. He has a teammate that is a very talented runner too. In cross country there was a little bit of tension at the beginning of the year. Everyone trying to find their place, making their way as freshmen. My boy is as competetive as they come, he loves to win. But he also loves to be a part of a team. This little rivalry could have gone a couple of ways. But I just had to smile and snap a picture in my mind at the track meet. These two guys, running the 2-mile race together. Running at the front of the pack, setting the pace, working together as a team. Smiling and enjoying the race and the friendship they have formed. Finishing first and second. And when it was over, my boy telling me "that was the most fun race ever!" He and his friend work together, they encourage each other, they challenge each other and sometimes, they even trade off who wins the race. I forgot my camera that day, but I've got that snapshot saved!
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Time for some Claraisms
My girl is funny! Okay...hysterical! And she still just says the cutest things. So, it's time for some of the latest Claraisms. Enjoy!
"Daddy, we went to Sonic and I had teeter totters." (tater tots)
"Wanna play a game of wool?" (war)
"Beniz naughty ducks..." (Feliz Navidad)
Clara calls her big brother "Buddy"......
"Buddy loves syrup. Not Buddy our son."
She is learning to read, so I bought a classic collection of "Dick and Jane" books....but she calls them
"Chick and Jane" or occasionally "Nook and Jane".
She told Buddy one day "you are giving me a hiccup."
"If you spell dog backwards it spells Jesus."
Clara loves to eat "Chicken Slow Made" (chicken lo mein)
"Jingle Bells, Batman smells, Kai Lan laid an egg." (She carries on the Pierce gift for song lyrics.)
"Do you know what an upside down "i" is? An exciting mark. Like "Mommy is so happy...exciting mark."
(exclamation point)
"Are we going to do anything? I'm so boring!"
"Buddy, you are making me so annoying!"
And one of our personal favorites....one night Clara had Judy (her bitty baby....very important part of the family) sitting in her chair at the table. Judy has a very specific high pitched baby voice. And "Judy" just kept talking sassy to Daddy. So Daddy warned Judy that if she didn't stop being sassy, she was going to get her mommy (Clara) in trouble. Well, Judy just couldn't restrain herself and she was sassy again. So, Daddy sent Clara to the stairs for timeout. Oh the wailing and gnashing of teeth! Clara was so offended and wounded. When she finally came back to the table, she was pretty inconsolable. She cried to her daddy "why you call me Judy instead of this little baby, I'm Clara!!! It was Judy that was being sassy!" She was totally serious, big crocodile tears. Her brother was really helpful, as he was laying on the table laughing until he cried. Okay....I might have had a couple of laughter tears myself. Joe stayed the course. But eventually had to leave the room before he burst!
Oh how this child makes me smile!!!
"Daddy, we went to Sonic and I had teeter totters." (tater tots)
"Wanna play a game of wool?" (war)
"Beniz naughty ducks..." (Feliz Navidad)
Clara calls her big brother "Buddy"......
"Buddy loves syrup. Not Buddy our son."
She is learning to read, so I bought a classic collection of "Dick and Jane" books....but she calls them
"Chick and Jane" or occasionally "Nook and Jane".
She told Buddy one day "you are giving me a hiccup."
"If you spell dog backwards it spells Jesus."
Clara loves to eat "Chicken Slow Made" (chicken lo mein)
"Jingle Bells, Batman smells, Kai Lan laid an egg." (She carries on the Pierce gift for song lyrics.)
"Do you know what an upside down "i" is? An exciting mark. Like "Mommy is so happy...exciting mark."
(exclamation point)
"Are we going to do anything? I'm so boring!"
"Buddy, you are making me so annoying!"
And one of our personal favorites....one night Clara had Judy (her bitty baby....very important part of the family) sitting in her chair at the table. Judy has a very specific high pitched baby voice. And "Judy" just kept talking sassy to Daddy. So Daddy warned Judy that if she didn't stop being sassy, she was going to get her mommy (Clara) in trouble. Well, Judy just couldn't restrain herself and she was sassy again. So, Daddy sent Clara to the stairs for timeout. Oh the wailing and gnashing of teeth! Clara was so offended and wounded. When she finally came back to the table, she was pretty inconsolable. She cried to her daddy "why you call me Judy instead of this little baby, I'm Clara!!! It was Judy that was being sassy!" She was totally serious, big crocodile tears. Her brother was really helpful, as he was laying on the table laughing until he cried. Okay....I might have had a couple of laughter tears myself. Joe stayed the course. But eventually had to leave the room before he burst!
Oh how this child makes me smile!!!
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Celebrating the small victories
Funny how our perspective changes as we get older. When I was in my twenties I thought I might change the world. In my thirties I very much enjoyed my little world. In my forties I was busy in my little world. And now, in the fifties, I'm just happy to celebrate small victories. Funny what can make a girl happy at this point. Here are a few of my favorites lately.
- I weighed less at my annual exam than I did this time last year. Whoop! Whoop! Can I get an amen sister?!
- My children eat fish. I know, sounds silly. But honestly, each time I fix some salmon or tilapia for dinner and my children get excited and all happy and scarf it down, I get happy. You see, for me at their age, if a meal didn't include Funyuns or Chicken in a Biskit crackers, it just wasn't a meal. The only fish we ate came in stick form. Fruit and vegetables came from cans. Except when my dad grew it in the garden....but I didn't really like those vegetables...because he didn't grow corn. So the real victory here? I have evolved! Well, at least a little. Honestly, the big kid got so excited when he saw the fish in the oven last night that I think I strained a muscle patting myself on the back.
- I let the big kid drive right after he got his permit. I realize this isn't a huge thing for most people. But I am one of those people who just gets really nervous about other people's driving. YES....I KNOW IT IS A CONTROL THING! I've been this way since I was a little girl. My mom used to scare the poo out of me. I very possibly rode on the floor of my mom's yellow Vega the whole time she was driving through some curving roads in Arkansas on a "girls trip" when I was like 11. Now you get it, right?! It's a big deal that I let the teenager behind the wheel...of MY car...on a rainy morning...only moments after he got his permit. Just sayin!
- Did I mention that I weighed less at my annual exam this year than I did last year?
- I started a book club with some friends. I've missed being in a book club the last few years. But schedules and little ones and big ones just made it impossible. So, I found some friends who were flexible with times and seem to like similar books. So I started a book club. Yippee Skippee!!! In case you didn't know, I love books. And I love to talk books with my friends. Unfortunately, I should not be in charge of anything. Because I couldn't even remember what day we were meeting this month. BUT...I surround myself with younger friends with better memories. So, it all works out!
- I got my reading glasses back that I left at the Wine Bar last month at book club. I got them back when we went to same said Wine Bar for book club this month. I count that a victory because I actually remembered to get them while Iwas there. Obviously I never managed to do that in the 30 days in between book club.
It's all about celebrating the small victories people!
- I weighed less at my annual exam than I did this time last year. Whoop! Whoop! Can I get an amen sister?!
- My children eat fish. I know, sounds silly. But honestly, each time I fix some salmon or tilapia for dinner and my children get excited and all happy and scarf it down, I get happy. You see, for me at their age, if a meal didn't include Funyuns or Chicken in a Biskit crackers, it just wasn't a meal. The only fish we ate came in stick form. Fruit and vegetables came from cans. Except when my dad grew it in the garden....but I didn't really like those vegetables...because he didn't grow corn. So the real victory here? I have evolved! Well, at least a little. Honestly, the big kid got so excited when he saw the fish in the oven last night that I think I strained a muscle patting myself on the back.
- I let the big kid drive right after he got his permit. I realize this isn't a huge thing for most people. But I am one of those people who just gets really nervous about other people's driving. YES....I KNOW IT IS A CONTROL THING! I've been this way since I was a little girl. My mom used to scare the poo out of me. I very possibly rode on the floor of my mom's yellow Vega the whole time she was driving through some curving roads in Arkansas on a "girls trip" when I was like 11. Now you get it, right?! It's a big deal that I let the teenager behind the wheel...of MY car...on a rainy morning...only moments after he got his permit. Just sayin!
- Did I mention that I weighed less at my annual exam this year than I did last year?
- I started a book club with some friends. I've missed being in a book club the last few years. But schedules and little ones and big ones just made it impossible. So, I found some friends who were flexible with times and seem to like similar books. So I started a book club. Yippee Skippee!!! In case you didn't know, I love books. And I love to talk books with my friends. Unfortunately, I should not be in charge of anything. Because I couldn't even remember what day we were meeting this month. BUT...I surround myself with younger friends with better memories. So, it all works out!
- I got my reading glasses back that I left at the Wine Bar last month at book club. I got them back when we went to same said Wine Bar for book club this month. I count that a victory because I actually remembered to get them while Iwas there. Obviously I never managed to do that in the 30 days in between book club.
It's all about celebrating the small victories people!
Sunday, March 4, 2012
The best gifts...
In my lifetime, God has blessed me with some wonderful friends. Mostly, God has surpised me with friendships that were totally ordained by him. I'm not one of those people who has friendships from my childhood that have lasted my whole life. We moved several times when I was growing up. And I had good friends at each location, but it's hard to keep really close friendships long distance when you are growing up. I'll admit, there are times when I'm a little jealous of people who have been best friends since they were kids. That is a gift! BUT...God has more than made up for that with the friends he has given me over the past twenty years.
Harrison has several friends that he has known since he was little. I love looking at pictures of Harrison and Braden when they were toddlers and then seeing them both now that they are six feet tall. Or Harrison and his buddy Bradley, who even though Brad moved away several years ago, they have truly maintained a good friendship long distance. I've found the friends Harrison has to be such a blessing. There is nothing like knowing your children have wonderful friendships.
And Clara, bless her heart, has been drug around to all her big brother's activities since the minute she came home. And I'll admit I haven't been as good at fostering close friendships for her. But God is faithful, even when I'm not. Harrison and I are people who need that one very best friend. We have lots of friends, but we need to know that we have that one BFF who has our back no matter what. Clara...well, she likes to have everyone be best friends. She includes everybody. She is the girl I wanted to be best friends with growing up. She's easy going, everybody loves her, she's forgiving, she doesn't mind sharing. She's much like my best friend Jenny from junior high and high school.
It's funny how things work out. We finally found a flock (small group) at church that was the right fit for us. It's a family flock. We meet in someone's home and bring the kids and we eat dinner, worship, study the Word, and pray together. In the midst of finding this flock, God brought me a friend...another Jenny...who totally gets me. Now I've been blessed with my "C" friends, Christine and Christi, who not only get me, but love me in spite of me. And I figured that was pretty generous. But...God went ahead and gave me another friend as a bonus.
Well, about 16 months ago, Jenny and her family welcomed their new daughter Lauren into their family. Lauren was almost five when she came home from China. She had a "special need"...except someone forgot to tell her that. Lauren's hands and feet are shaped different from most peoples. But, that child can do just about anything you can imagine, she is one independent little fire cracker. She is loud and hilarious and absolutely contagious! Well, Lauren and Clara have become buddies. Lauren often calls her buddy "MyClara" when she speaks to or about her. These two make me laugh. They had their first sleepover the other night. And Lauren promptly came down with tap shoes on (did I mention we have brick floors?). We learned pretty quickly to hide the microphone with the amplifier when Lauren is coming...did I mention she is loud?
But what I love the most about these two little cuties is how sweet their friendship is. Clara never tries to mother Lauren. But she watches and then if Lauren is having trouble doing something with her hands, Clara will sweetly ask "would you like any help?" One time in the car when they were getting buckled I heard Clara say "it must be kinda hard to do that with just one finger." Lauren said "yeah, sometimes." It's not because she sees Lauren as having a "special need", it's just Clara's heart to want to help. And Lauren, she truly loves and appreciates Clara. She is the picture of happiness when she spies her friend Clara. The other day Lauren was here and it was beautiful outside. So the girls were drawing with sidewalk chalk. I snapped a picture of the girls tracing each others hands. It is a beautiful picture of their friendship. You see neither one of them sees the other as different, they just see their friend. Isn't that how God wants us to see each other? Just the way He sees us.
Best Friends
You just never know what they are up to.
Thank you God, for sweet friends!
Harrison has several friends that he has known since he was little. I love looking at pictures of Harrison and Braden when they were toddlers and then seeing them both now that they are six feet tall. Or Harrison and his buddy Bradley, who even though Brad moved away several years ago, they have truly maintained a good friendship long distance. I've found the friends Harrison has to be such a blessing. There is nothing like knowing your children have wonderful friendships.
And Clara, bless her heart, has been drug around to all her big brother's activities since the minute she came home. And I'll admit I haven't been as good at fostering close friendships for her. But God is faithful, even when I'm not. Harrison and I are people who need that one very best friend. We have lots of friends, but we need to know that we have that one BFF who has our back no matter what. Clara...well, she likes to have everyone be best friends. She includes everybody. She is the girl I wanted to be best friends with growing up. She's easy going, everybody loves her, she's forgiving, she doesn't mind sharing. She's much like my best friend Jenny from junior high and high school.
It's funny how things work out. We finally found a flock (small group) at church that was the right fit for us. It's a family flock. We meet in someone's home and bring the kids and we eat dinner, worship, study the Word, and pray together. In the midst of finding this flock, God brought me a friend...another Jenny...who totally gets me. Now I've been blessed with my "C" friends, Christine and Christi, who not only get me, but love me in spite of me. And I figured that was pretty generous. But...God went ahead and gave me another friend as a bonus.
Well, about 16 months ago, Jenny and her family welcomed their new daughter Lauren into their family. Lauren was almost five when she came home from China. She had a "special need"...except someone forgot to tell her that. Lauren's hands and feet are shaped different from most peoples. But, that child can do just about anything you can imagine, she is one independent little fire cracker. She is loud and hilarious and absolutely contagious! Well, Lauren and Clara have become buddies. Lauren often calls her buddy "MyClara" when she speaks to or about her. These two make me laugh. They had their first sleepover the other night. And Lauren promptly came down with tap shoes on (did I mention we have brick floors?). We learned pretty quickly to hide the microphone with the amplifier when Lauren is coming...did I mention she is loud?
But what I love the most about these two little cuties is how sweet their friendship is. Clara never tries to mother Lauren. But she watches and then if Lauren is having trouble doing something with her hands, Clara will sweetly ask "would you like any help?" One time in the car when they were getting buckled I heard Clara say "it must be kinda hard to do that with just one finger." Lauren said "yeah, sometimes." It's not because she sees Lauren as having a "special need", it's just Clara's heart to want to help. And Lauren, she truly loves and appreciates Clara. She is the picture of happiness when she spies her friend Clara. The other day Lauren was here and it was beautiful outside. So the girls were drawing with sidewalk chalk. I snapped a picture of the girls tracing each others hands. It is a beautiful picture of their friendship. You see neither one of them sees the other as different, they just see their friend. Isn't that how God wants us to see each other? Just the way He sees us.
Thank you God, for sweet friends!
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