So the answer is . . . yep! Luke was Greek. However, Dane is coughing badly and his asthma has really kicked in and Daelyn woke up at 2 a.m. with croup. I'm just not sure if Cornelius or Luke are well enough to attend the fun tonight.
My parents usually come along to help me with the children and props. But they're in Italy and Don is working, so it's just me and 2 out of 3 sick children.
Perhaps I should take the dog to refocus my attention . . . just kidding!
Friday, October 31, 2008
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Costumes
We celebrate All Saint's Eve instead of Halloween. Our neighborhood has a huge block party and all the children dress as a Saint or Biblical character. They each get a chance to go up on a stage and announce in the microphone who they are. Many years, there are tons of the same Saints. We always try to do something a little bit different.
One year, Dane was Noah. We dressed him like Noah, then built an ark out of cardboard which hung off his shoulders with rope. Daelyn was dressed in a lion costume and was one of the animals from the ark (he was still a toddler) and Deanna was the rainbow, which was also made out of cardboard and hung off her with ropes and handles on the back. We decorated her face with cotton balls to look like a fluffy cloud above the rainbow. The whole costume looked great.
Another year, we went as the Pevensey children from the Chronicles of Narnia. Don was Peter the Great, Dane was Edmund, Deanna was Lucy, I was Susan and Daelyn was Aslan (there's that lion costume we bought from Land's End again). We had our gifts that Father Christmas gave us and lots of royal robes and jewels. I thought we did a wonderful job of looking the part.
I really like these family-themed ideas. One year, Daelyn went as Moses, Deanna was Miriam, and I think Dane was the burning bush. We dressed Dane in orange, red, and yellow and stuck twigs of green leaves in him. He really did look like a bush on fire. My mother made Ten Commandment tablets for Daelyn and they looked amazing. She used styrofoam and spray-painted them gray, then wrote what looks like Hebrew on them. The only problem was that it was a little much for Daelyn to carry - two tablets and his all-important staff.
So I've been trying to come up with an idea for this year. Back in September, my mother and I were at the dollar store looking for paper products for my father's 80th birthday party and they were just putting out soldier costumes. I pick out matching pieces for Daelyn, thinking to myself that he could go as Cornelius, the Roman soldier who converted to Christ. We were all satisfied with that idea, but didn't know what to do about Deanna or Dane. Then I had another idea. What if all the children went as non-Jews that believed. I just had to come up with a female and another male who would be interesting. I thought of Rahab, the Jericho woman who hid Joshua's spies. Deanna thought that would work quite well. What about Dane?
I asked Don a couple of nights ago what he thought.
"What about Paul," he asked. Paul? Paul, the Saduccee? There were few Jews in Israel who were more committed to the faith that Paul - he just had the wrong faith.
"Honey, Paul WAS a Jew," I responded.
"Oh, right. Well, how about Luke?"
Wow! What a great idea. Luke, the physician, the healer. He was devoted to Christ and a follower, and I don't think he was a Jew. I'll have to look it up to be sure, but we may have hit paydirt.
Here's hoping.
One year, Dane was Noah. We dressed him like Noah, then built an ark out of cardboard which hung off his shoulders with rope. Daelyn was dressed in a lion costume and was one of the animals from the ark (he was still a toddler) and Deanna was the rainbow, which was also made out of cardboard and hung off her with ropes and handles on the back. We decorated her face with cotton balls to look like a fluffy cloud above the rainbow. The whole costume looked great.
Another year, we went as the Pevensey children from the Chronicles of Narnia. Don was Peter the Great, Dane was Edmund, Deanna was Lucy, I was Susan and Daelyn was Aslan (there's that lion costume we bought from Land's End again). We had our gifts that Father Christmas gave us and lots of royal robes and jewels. I thought we did a wonderful job of looking the part.
I really like these family-themed ideas. One year, Daelyn went as Moses, Deanna was Miriam, and I think Dane was the burning bush. We dressed Dane in orange, red, and yellow and stuck twigs of green leaves in him. He really did look like a bush on fire. My mother made Ten Commandment tablets for Daelyn and they looked amazing. She used styrofoam and spray-painted them gray, then wrote what looks like Hebrew on them. The only problem was that it was a little much for Daelyn to carry - two tablets and his all-important staff.
So I've been trying to come up with an idea for this year. Back in September, my mother and I were at the dollar store looking for paper products for my father's 80th birthday party and they were just putting out soldier costumes. I pick out matching pieces for Daelyn, thinking to myself that he could go as Cornelius, the Roman soldier who converted to Christ. We were all satisfied with that idea, but didn't know what to do about Deanna or Dane. Then I had another idea. What if all the children went as non-Jews that believed. I just had to come up with a female and another male who would be interesting. I thought of Rahab, the Jericho woman who hid Joshua's spies. Deanna thought that would work quite well. What about Dane?
I asked Don a couple of nights ago what he thought.
"What about Paul," he asked. Paul? Paul, the Saduccee? There were few Jews in Israel who were more committed to the faith that Paul - he just had the wrong faith.
"Honey, Paul WAS a Jew," I responded.
"Oh, right. Well, how about Luke?"
Wow! What a great idea. Luke, the physician, the healer. He was devoted to Christ and a follower, and I don't think he was a Jew. I'll have to look it up to be sure, but we may have hit paydirt.
Here's hoping.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Deep Sigh
I was feeling a little discouraged this morning. There's so much work that needs to be done in the house. Don left a tent out, the one that leaked the weekend we went camping, for me to seam-seal. Unfortunately, he forgot to tell me that was the reason he left it hanging from the cabinets in the kitchen. So we've been tromping over it for the last two weeks.
And my parents left for Italy yesterday so, instead of spending Tuesday and Wednesday helping them with their errand, I ran them on Monday, my laundry day. And you can tell. There're still piles of laundry in the hallway and a mess in the laundry room.
Those are just a few of the issues. Anyway, while I was picking up and sorting hangers this morning, I spent some time talking with the Lord. As always, he encouraged me, not at the level of knowledge, but in my spirit. One of the things that He assured me of was His love for me and the fact that He will always bless the work of my hands when I lay it before Him.
I'm layin', Lord, as best I can. Oh, and by the way, thanks for the encouragement!
And my parents left for Italy yesterday so, instead of spending Tuesday and Wednesday helping them with their errand, I ran them on Monday, my laundry day. And you can tell. There're still piles of laundry in the hallway and a mess in the laundry room.
Those are just a few of the issues. Anyway, while I was picking up and sorting hangers this morning, I spent some time talking with the Lord. As always, he encouraged me, not at the level of knowledge, but in my spirit. One of the things that He assured me of was His love for me and the fact that He will always bless the work of my hands when I lay it before Him.
I'm layin', Lord, as best I can. Oh, and by the way, thanks for the encouragement!
Monday, October 27, 2008
Laughter - Hurts and Helps
Sunday morning, during church, I leaned over to Deanna who was sitting next to me and whispered in her ear,
"Itty-bitty man!"
She began to laugh. Then she responded with, "Buzz Lightyear!" That tickled me and I started to giggle.
Before long, the hilarity of the whole situation had completely taken over and we were laughing so hard, we were crying. In an effort to keep it under wraps, I glanced away from her, but just then, I heard Dane ask, "What are you two laughing about?"
Deanna responded with peals of barely-controlled laughter and gasped, "The guy in the cockpit!"
Dane started to smile and, soon after, began to laugh, as well. Within seconds, the two older children and I realized we wouldn't be able to stop if we didn't quickly get this under control. Again, I turned my head away from Deanna, only to realize after-the-fact that I had turned towards the woman in our congregation who wears a band-aid type thing on top of her hair. Deanna, thinking I was looking at something specific, turned that direction also, saw the woman, and burst out again. She leaned closer and whispered, "The 'solar panel'!"
I thought I was going to die of lack of oxygen. I couldn't get my breath. I was trying desperately to think of something sobering when I glanced towards the choir. The young girl who helps me with the Cherub Choir and whose younger sister is a close friend of Deanna's was watching our shenanigans and mouthed to me, "What?" For some reason, this also seemed funny. I thought I might have to leave the Service.
By this point, we were laughing so much, in a vague attempt at doing it silently, that I felt we were in danger of disrupting the Sermon. I whispered loudly to the children, "Pinch yourselves. Pinch yourselves," a technique I used when I was on the Debate Team in High School at those times when things just seemed funny out of proportion and I couldn't stop giggling. Somehow, the pain inflicted on oneself with a pinch has a way of refocusing your attention.
We made it through and all seemed to be able to get ourselves pulled together, but I realized this was one of those moments that define us as a family. We have fun together. We have so many inside jokes that no one else would understand that people think we're a little crazy. And they'd be right. But, gosh, do we have fun together.
I hope I always have the kind of relationship with my children that can result in humor so outlandish you have to fight for control and aren't quite sure at the moment if you'll succeed. I think moments like those will be remembered far longer than the cross words we had yesterday morning or the anger in my tone while giving correction. Fun is so much more memorable.
"Itty-bitty man!"
She began to laugh. Then she responded with, "Buzz Lightyear!" That tickled me and I started to giggle.
Before long, the hilarity of the whole situation had completely taken over and we were laughing so hard, we were crying. In an effort to keep it under wraps, I glanced away from her, but just then, I heard Dane ask, "What are you two laughing about?"
Deanna responded with peals of barely-controlled laughter and gasped, "The guy in the cockpit!"
Dane started to smile and, soon after, began to laugh, as well. Within seconds, the two older children and I realized we wouldn't be able to stop if we didn't quickly get this under control. Again, I turned my head away from Deanna, only to realize after-the-fact that I had turned towards the woman in our congregation who wears a band-aid type thing on top of her hair. Deanna, thinking I was looking at something specific, turned that direction also, saw the woman, and burst out again. She leaned closer and whispered, "The 'solar panel'!"
I thought I was going to die of lack of oxygen. I couldn't get my breath. I was trying desperately to think of something sobering when I glanced towards the choir. The young girl who helps me with the Cherub Choir and whose younger sister is a close friend of Deanna's was watching our shenanigans and mouthed to me, "What?" For some reason, this also seemed funny. I thought I might have to leave the Service.
By this point, we were laughing so much, in a vague attempt at doing it silently, that I felt we were in danger of disrupting the Sermon. I whispered loudly to the children, "Pinch yourselves. Pinch yourselves," a technique I used when I was on the Debate Team in High School at those times when things just seemed funny out of proportion and I couldn't stop giggling. Somehow, the pain inflicted on oneself with a pinch has a way of refocusing your attention.
We made it through and all seemed to be able to get ourselves pulled together, but I realized this was one of those moments that define us as a family. We have fun together. We have so many inside jokes that no one else would understand that people think we're a little crazy. And they'd be right. But, gosh, do we have fun together.
I hope I always have the kind of relationship with my children that can result in humor so outlandish you have to fight for control and aren't quite sure at the moment if you'll succeed. I think moments like those will be remembered far longer than the cross words we had yesterday morning or the anger in my tone while giving correction. Fun is so much more memorable.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
That "I'm So Satisfied" Feeling
Don and I went to a Bed and Breakfast in McCormick, SC last night. We had dinner in a Pub in the basement of the B&B. It was wonderful. I really feel like we were able to reconnect.
Ah-h-h-h! Fall and a wonderful husband, to boot! Can life get better?
Ah-h-h-h! Fall and a wonderful husband, to boot! Can life get better?
Friday, October 24, 2008
The Camping Trip
I haven't said too much yet about the camping last weekend. The Boy and Cub Scouts (starting at the 4th grade level, I think, which is Webelos) from the whole CSRA (Central Savannah River Area) are invited to camp at the private airport in town for the weekend. One runway is barricaded off and there's a small grassy area running along an access road (and another grassy area between the access road and the runway) parallel to the runway where tents can be set up two deep, if the tents are small. Most troops try to arrive together and set up camp together in one area, including a cook area. It's incredible to walk down the access road and see all the different tents - round ones, oblong ones, square ones, every shape and color, every size and brand. We even saw a Swiss brand one that I had looked at online and considered buying that has three separate rooms. The middle section is huge and can be used for a living room while there are two smaller rooms off each side with a divider separating them for sleeping areas. Stick the kid on one side, Mom and Dad on the other end, and have a card table and chairs in the middle - a great way to camp in rain.
I mention rain because RAIN, IT DID! Don and I had planned on arriving early Friday afternoon to set up our camp. We were taking two large tents, one for most of our family and the other for Dane and a friend's son that was going with us. We figured the second tent, which sleeps 4-5 men, was large enough for some of Dane's classmates to join him, also, making it a lot more fun for him. We made arrangements with another Dad, whose wife is a close friend of mine and whose daughter babysits for us, to share their camp stove in exchange for me making dinner for him and his crowd Saturday night. I cooked two pork roasts in the crockpot and made a huge batch of barbecue, which seemed pretty elementary school boy-friendly. We were also taking our 10' X 10' stand-alone awning and lots of camp chairs and were encouraged by a former Boy Scout Leader (of 20 years) to get there early because of the size of our tents. Don and I had planned on leaving around 1:00, but it was after 2 before we finally got underway.
Almost no one was there when we arrived. We chose a nice spot near where our Boy Scout Troup had set up last year, and unloaded. I helped Don raise the canopy and we got started on the first tent, then I had to take off to get the kids from school. They had laid out their clothes for Friday in advance and packed their bags, so all they had to do was change, and we could head back. Deanna had a slumber party Friday night and I had made arrangements for her to go to a friend's house after school and to have dinner with them, then to go to the party with that friend. I was picking her up at 10 the next morning.
When we got back to the camp, Don had both tents up and the camp pretty-well set up, other than some minor rearranging to make things a little more convenient for me. When we had arrived, it was beginning to sprinkle. By the time I returned with the boys, it was downright pouring. Don had gotten the tents erected and the rainfly's over them just in time.
It poured ALL NIGHT. Our family tent held pretty well, but there were a few drops of water that accumulated in the ceiling and fell inside just because of the volume. The other tent, however, didn't fair as well. When we first bought our family tent, our friend, Ken (camper extraordinaire), helped me seal the seams, which I had never done before, and helped me provide a little water-proofing. He was concerned that it was a cheap tent and "you get what you pay for". It was an Ozark Trail, which I find to be a pretty good camping brand, though newer than Coleman or Titan. That night, after sealing our seams, it rained pretty hard, and our tent held fast. Ken was suitably impressed and changed his opinion about the brand. Once again, this last weekend, our tent stood up to the rain challenge. But our older tent, the one we bought when we only had 2 children and was never seam-sealed, leaked through every floor seam. There were puddles of water around the entire periphery of the interior. Don went home for something and I had him bring back extra towels, which we laid around to sop up the water.
Suffice it to say, by the end of the weekend, everything in that tent was pretty well soaked. The children played in the rain, pretty oblivious, until they started getting cold. Dane had taken his three bug jars (spaghetti sauce jars that I saved for him) and he and his brother and all their friends spent the evening catching crickets. They also found a toad, which they practically mutilated by taking turns holding him. Saturday morning, I was walking by the awning. Dane and several friends were sitting in the camp chairs. I heard Dane say, "Watch this. He can play dead!" and when I glanced his direction, he was holding the toad upside down in his palm, the white of his belly showing and his legs flopped out to the sides.
I snorted. That poor toad is praying, "Please, God, let them think I'm dead and bury me. Put me out of my misery." He was force-fed crickets, he was dumped into a water puddle and, when he jumped out time and again, put back in the middle, he was held, squeezed, talked to, then dumped back into a jar for the night. I talked them into letting him go Saturday night. The poor guy barely had the energy to hop away. They weren't mean to him, they just wanted to "hold" him, as boys are inclined to do.
Saturday night was clear and cold. I had packed numerous layers for my children to wear to bed, including knit caps and gloves. We had also used air mattresses for everyone to get them up off the cold floor. On Saturday night, we had the only shelter. The Boy Scout's awning had collapsed from the wind the previous night and another friend's screen house had blown away. Ours was the only one remaining, so almost all the Dads and Grandpas gathered at our camp. Another friend had a long table and we played cards. I made coffee on the cook stove. It was way fun. Then we all made our way to the Cracker Barrel. Lest you think we broke camp for a restaurant and store, the Cracker Barrel in scouting is a gathering, like a Jamboree, or at least that's what they call it at this campout. Each Troop put on a skit, providing entertainment for the night. Scout Leaders had filled out tickets with the names of their scouts on them and the tickets were put into a drawing. Tons of names were drawn between skits. The adults also had tickets for a different drawing and several of the leaders won prizes. Probably 1/4 to 1/3 of the boys won door prizes. Dane was one of them. He won an awesome tent. Truth is, we're not sure it was him. They announced the Troop Number, then stumbled over the last name. Before he had a chance to announce the first name (which, truth be told, was probably Daelyn, since his name is much more difficult to figure out), Dane jumped up and claimed the prize. Dane, Daelyn and Deanna's names were all put in the drawing, so it could have been any one of them. We decided it didn't really matter much. Deanna wouldn't want a tent of her own (I don't think) and Dane and Daelyn will share this one, so it all worked out. Sunday afternoon, the boys put it up in the backyard by themselves. Dane is really learning to be a Scout. On Monday after school, he and I worked on sealing the seams and spraying Camp Dry on the rain fly and sides to waterproof it. It had to dry for 24 hours, but it's all packed away now.
Since this is turning into a VERY long post, I'll close by saying that we had a wonderful time. Deanna was a little unsure about camping out there with all the boys, but our family usually goes camping one weekend in October and this was the only chance we would have this year, so we decided to use this opportunity for our family campout. When she and I got back after her slumber party and showers at home on Saturday, she was sitting in a camp chair under the awning. Various boys would stop by to visit, the dads were all sitting around drinking coffee and visiting. Deanna observed for about 45 minutes, then said, "Mama, this is TOO COOL. Can we do this again next year?"
I'd love to do it again, but I hope more Moms bite the bullet and join us. It really was a fun family activity.
I mention rain because RAIN, IT DID! Don and I had planned on arriving early Friday afternoon to set up our camp. We were taking two large tents, one for most of our family and the other for Dane and a friend's son that was going with us. We figured the second tent, which sleeps 4-5 men, was large enough for some of Dane's classmates to join him, also, making it a lot more fun for him. We made arrangements with another Dad, whose wife is a close friend of mine and whose daughter babysits for us, to share their camp stove in exchange for me making dinner for him and his crowd Saturday night. I cooked two pork roasts in the crockpot and made a huge batch of barbecue, which seemed pretty elementary school boy-friendly. We were also taking our 10' X 10' stand-alone awning and lots of camp chairs and were encouraged by a former Boy Scout Leader (of 20 years) to get there early because of the size of our tents. Don and I had planned on leaving around 1:00, but it was after 2 before we finally got underway.
Almost no one was there when we arrived. We chose a nice spot near where our Boy Scout Troup had set up last year, and unloaded. I helped Don raise the canopy and we got started on the first tent, then I had to take off to get the kids from school. They had laid out their clothes for Friday in advance and packed their bags, so all they had to do was change, and we could head back. Deanna had a slumber party Friday night and I had made arrangements for her to go to a friend's house after school and to have dinner with them, then to go to the party with that friend. I was picking her up at 10 the next morning.
When we got back to the camp, Don had both tents up and the camp pretty-well set up, other than some minor rearranging to make things a little more convenient for me. When we had arrived, it was beginning to sprinkle. By the time I returned with the boys, it was downright pouring. Don had gotten the tents erected and the rainfly's over them just in time.
It poured ALL NIGHT. Our family tent held pretty well, but there were a few drops of water that accumulated in the ceiling and fell inside just because of the volume. The other tent, however, didn't fair as well. When we first bought our family tent, our friend, Ken (camper extraordinaire), helped me seal the seams, which I had never done before, and helped me provide a little water-proofing. He was concerned that it was a cheap tent and "you get what you pay for". It was an Ozark Trail, which I find to be a pretty good camping brand, though newer than Coleman or Titan. That night, after sealing our seams, it rained pretty hard, and our tent held fast. Ken was suitably impressed and changed his opinion about the brand. Once again, this last weekend, our tent stood up to the rain challenge. But our older tent, the one we bought when we only had 2 children and was never seam-sealed, leaked through every floor seam. There were puddles of water around the entire periphery of the interior. Don went home for something and I had him bring back extra towels, which we laid around to sop up the water.
Suffice it to say, by the end of the weekend, everything in that tent was pretty well soaked. The children played in the rain, pretty oblivious, until they started getting cold. Dane had taken his three bug jars (spaghetti sauce jars that I saved for him) and he and his brother and all their friends spent the evening catching crickets. They also found a toad, which they practically mutilated by taking turns holding him. Saturday morning, I was walking by the awning. Dane and several friends were sitting in the camp chairs. I heard Dane say, "Watch this. He can play dead!" and when I glanced his direction, he was holding the toad upside down in his palm, the white of his belly showing and his legs flopped out to the sides.
I snorted. That poor toad is praying, "Please, God, let them think I'm dead and bury me. Put me out of my misery." He was force-fed crickets, he was dumped into a water puddle and, when he jumped out time and again, put back in the middle, he was held, squeezed, talked to, then dumped back into a jar for the night. I talked them into letting him go Saturday night. The poor guy barely had the energy to hop away. They weren't mean to him, they just wanted to "hold" him, as boys are inclined to do.
Saturday night was clear and cold. I had packed numerous layers for my children to wear to bed, including knit caps and gloves. We had also used air mattresses for everyone to get them up off the cold floor. On Saturday night, we had the only shelter. The Boy Scout's awning had collapsed from the wind the previous night and another friend's screen house had blown away. Ours was the only one remaining, so almost all the Dads and Grandpas gathered at our camp. Another friend had a long table and we played cards. I made coffee on the cook stove. It was way fun. Then we all made our way to the Cracker Barrel. Lest you think we broke camp for a restaurant and store, the Cracker Barrel in scouting is a gathering, like a Jamboree, or at least that's what they call it at this campout. Each Troop put on a skit, providing entertainment for the night. Scout Leaders had filled out tickets with the names of their scouts on them and the tickets were put into a drawing. Tons of names were drawn between skits. The adults also had tickets for a different drawing and several of the leaders won prizes. Probably 1/4 to 1/3 of the boys won door prizes. Dane was one of them. He won an awesome tent. Truth is, we're not sure it was him. They announced the Troop Number, then stumbled over the last name. Before he had a chance to announce the first name (which, truth be told, was probably Daelyn, since his name is much more difficult to figure out), Dane jumped up and claimed the prize. Dane, Daelyn and Deanna's names were all put in the drawing, so it could have been any one of them. We decided it didn't really matter much. Deanna wouldn't want a tent of her own (I don't think) and Dane and Daelyn will share this one, so it all worked out. Sunday afternoon, the boys put it up in the backyard by themselves. Dane is really learning to be a Scout. On Monday after school, he and I worked on sealing the seams and spraying Camp Dry on the rain fly and sides to waterproof it. It had to dry for 24 hours, but it's all packed away now.
Since this is turning into a VERY long post, I'll close by saying that we had a wonderful time. Deanna was a little unsure about camping out there with all the boys, but our family usually goes camping one weekend in October and this was the only chance we would have this year, so we decided to use this opportunity for our family campout. When she and I got back after her slumber party and showers at home on Saturday, she was sitting in a camp chair under the awning. Various boys would stop by to visit, the dads were all sitting around drinking coffee and visiting. Deanna observed for about 45 minutes, then said, "Mama, this is TOO COOL. Can we do this again next year?"
I'd love to do it again, but I hope more Moms bite the bullet and join us. It really was a fun family activity.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Product Recommendation
Try as I might, I can't find a Post I wrote sometime after returning from England about coffee pots. Specifically, cordless electric coffee pots.
That's all you seem to be able to get in England. My first week in our house in Culcheth, I decided to throw some coffee grinds right in the kettle and cook some REAL coffee (I had taken flavored coffee grinds with me from home). The grinds boiled over out of the kettle and you've never seen such a horrible mess. I tried repeatedly to find a drip coffee pot, but they just didn't seem to sell them in England, at least not in the stores where I looked.
So I finally bit the bullet and bought . . . instant coffee. I haven't drunk instant coffee since I was in high school. Turns out, the instant coffee in England is wonderful - rich, thick, dark, and luscious. I finally understood why they don't mess with ground coffee.
Anyway, I got real attached to my cordless, electric tea kettle (or coffee pot). The amazing thing about it was that if you turned it on and forgot about it, you wouldn't boil all the water out and burn up your pot (like I've done numerous times at home when boiling water for tea or coffee). It shuts off automatically once it boils. But the kettle is insulated and keeps the water warm for a long time after shutting off. And, if you reflip the switch, it only takes seconds to reheat. Frankly, I was amazed at how quickly it could heat up. There's an element in the bottom of the kettle that brings that water to a boil REALLY fast.
And the cordless electric thing. I didn't quite get that when we first outfitted our house (our stuff was bought for us by a secretary in Don's office), but the kettle sits on a base which has the electrical connections and cord. If you lift the kettle, it comes up off the base and can easily be moved around, carried to the table for a warm-up, etc. without worrying about dragging a cord behind you or unplugging.
We hadn't been home very long when I decided I HAD to have one of those. I asked for a gift card to Amazon for my birthday and my sister-in-law sent me one that was perfect for a very nice cordless, electric. Once it arrived, the issue became trying to find an instant coffee in the U.S. that was decent, yet decaf.
I tried several (a total waste of money - bitter or had an aftertaste) before I found Taster's Choice. It was a good bit more expensive, but tasted like the great instant in England. I've been drinking it ever since.
And it's not a big deal to make a cup. You don't have to clean old grinds out, put in filters, measure . . . , and there's no waste. You know that last little bit left in the drip coffee decanter that usually gets tossed out - that doesn't happen when you make coffee a cup at a time.
I've been using it now for a year and a half and it's nottin' but good. I love making a cup of tea in the evenings before bed and my one cup in the morning to help me wake up. No waste, no want. Just a great cup of perfect coffee, without the hassle.
So, I highly recommend cordless, electric tea kettles. Amazon carries quite a few or you can pop over to England and pick one up.
Take me along, please?!?
That's all you seem to be able to get in England. My first week in our house in Culcheth, I decided to throw some coffee grinds right in the kettle and cook some REAL coffee (I had taken flavored coffee grinds with me from home). The grinds boiled over out of the kettle and you've never seen such a horrible mess. I tried repeatedly to find a drip coffee pot, but they just didn't seem to sell them in England, at least not in the stores where I looked.
So I finally bit the bullet and bought . . . instant coffee. I haven't drunk instant coffee since I was in high school. Turns out, the instant coffee in England is wonderful - rich, thick, dark, and luscious. I finally understood why they don't mess with ground coffee.
Anyway, I got real attached to my cordless, electric tea kettle (or coffee pot). The amazing thing about it was that if you turned it on and forgot about it, you wouldn't boil all the water out and burn up your pot (like I've done numerous times at home when boiling water for tea or coffee). It shuts off automatically once it boils. But the kettle is insulated and keeps the water warm for a long time after shutting off. And, if you reflip the switch, it only takes seconds to reheat. Frankly, I was amazed at how quickly it could heat up. There's an element in the bottom of the kettle that brings that water to a boil REALLY fast.
And the cordless electric thing. I didn't quite get that when we first outfitted our house (our stuff was bought for us by a secretary in Don's office), but the kettle sits on a base which has the electrical connections and cord. If you lift the kettle, it comes up off the base and can easily be moved around, carried to the table for a warm-up, etc. without worrying about dragging a cord behind you or unplugging.
We hadn't been home very long when I decided I HAD to have one of those. I asked for a gift card to Amazon for my birthday and my sister-in-law sent me one that was perfect for a very nice cordless, electric. Once it arrived, the issue became trying to find an instant coffee in the U.S. that was decent, yet decaf.
I tried several (a total waste of money - bitter or had an aftertaste) before I found Taster's Choice. It was a good bit more expensive, but tasted like the great instant in England. I've been drinking it ever since.
And it's not a big deal to make a cup. You don't have to clean old grinds out, put in filters, measure . . . , and there's no waste. You know that last little bit left in the drip coffee decanter that usually gets tossed out - that doesn't happen when you make coffee a cup at a time.
I've been using it now for a year and a half and it's nottin' but good. I love making a cup of tea in the evenings before bed and my one cup in the morning to help me wake up. No waste, no want. Just a great cup of perfect coffee, without the hassle.
So, I highly recommend cordless, electric tea kettles. Amazon carries quite a few or you can pop over to England and pick one up.
Take me along, please?!?
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Drugged
Deanna had a surgical procedure this morning - gastroendoscopy, so she's groggy and I don't expect to have a lot of free time. She's kind of needy right now.
They saw some redness in her esophagus (typical with GERD) and some red splotches on the wall of her stomach, which could be a bacteria that causes ulcers. They took biopsies and should have the results Monday or Tuesday.
But, mostly, everything looked fine. It was just a routine test. They need to do these every couple of years when people take the stomach meds Deanna's on, just to be safe.
Here she comes now, walking down the hall, hanging onto the walls. I better go and take care of my little girl.
They saw some redness in her esophagus (typical with GERD) and some red splotches on the wall of her stomach, which could be a bacteria that causes ulcers. They took biopsies and should have the results Monday or Tuesday.
But, mostly, everything looked fine. It was just a routine test. They need to do these every couple of years when people take the stomach meds Deanna's on, just to be safe.
Here she comes now, walking down the hall, hanging onto the walls. I better go and take care of my little girl.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Chalk Up Another to Humor
Dane is studying the Far East in History and Geography. Yesterday, after school, he was looking over his work in preparation for a test later this week. I heard him rattling off facts about China and the Philipines.
"Thailand . . ." I heard him say. Then, ". . . was part of China . . . Mom, did the Chinese want us to give them back King Kong?"
"King Kong belongs to the Japanese. I believe you mean Hong Kong, son."
"Oh, yeah. That's what I meant."
I looked across the table at Deanna. She had a smile on her face and was trying to keep from laughing. However, truth be told, she's just as bad.
Like this weekend. We were at the Air Show and had been watching different types of aircraft pass in front of us for a couple of hours. Then the M.C. announced the next act. It was an 11-yr. old boy who had built his own Radio Controlled plane and holds the world title in R.C. Aerobatics (aerobatics was a new term for me, but was used very widely at the Air Show; apparently, they have their own vernacular which was unfamiliar to me). He was demonstrating all kinds of flips and turns and flying his plane in front of the fans, the same as the real aircraft. I suppose this was supposed to be impressive but, truthfully, the real planes were so amazingly impressive that a radio-controlled one didn't quite compare in my eyes.
I was a little bored and began looking around the crowd. I turned to my right and saw Deanna, camera poised in mid-air, waiting for the perfect shot.
"What ya doin', honey?" I asked.
"I'm all ready, Mom. As soon as the plane flies closer, I'm going to get a picture of the guy in the cockpit!"
As funny as that was, I kind of understood. Lots of the other planes looked the same size as this one as they flew in the distance. There wasn't REALLY any noticeable difference in size. And, if you didn't quite understand the concept of radio controlled (or remote controlled), I can see how you could get confused.
Of course, I got a lot of mileage with that. I kidded Deanna about the little, bitty man who flew in the cockpit. Later, as we were walking back to Camp, an SUV passed us carrying the R.C. plane. It's nose was sandwiched between the two front seats.
"There goes your plane, honey," I told Deanna. "And the little man was sitting on the dashboard."
"MOM!" she yelled at me.
While studying after school with the children yesterday (during the King Kong Hour), I quoted a line from "Toy Story" to Dane. The boy in the movie who owns all the toys gets a Buzz Lightyear of Star Command toy for his birthday to add to his collection in his room. His favorite toy, Woody (a cowboy) is trying to convince the newest addition, Buzz, that's he's a toy. Buzz believes he's a real spaceman and he's landed on an alien planet. Woody explains over and over again and finally, in exasperation, yells,
"You're not REAL. You're a child's play thing." (Or something to that effect - the kids would know the exact line, of course.)
Buzz responds with, "You're a sad, silly little man."
So, after explaining King Kong to my son, I added, " 'You're a sad, silly little man.' " Then, my mind immediately moved to Deanna's predicament with the plane.
"Hey, Deanna," I kidded, "maybe Buzz Lightyear could fly your Radio Controlled plane for you!"
"Mom," she looked at me over the top of her glasses - her most serious look, "Buzz Lightyear is a real human."
As she watched my face contort, gleefully imagining all the mileage I could get from this newest faux pas, she hung her head.
"I did it again, didn't I?" she asked.
Yes, Virginia, there really is a Santa Claus.
Interestingly, later she told me that she had told a friend at school about the incident with the plane. She explained that she knew there was someone on the ground controlling the plane but she also thought there was a pilot who could override the R.C. controls in an emergency. Her friend admitted that she had thought the same exact thing last year when she attended the Air Show.
My question is this - what are they teaching our kids in school?
"Thailand . . ." I heard him say. Then, ". . . was part of China . . . Mom, did the Chinese want us to give them back King Kong?"
"King Kong belongs to the Japanese. I believe you mean Hong Kong, son."
"Oh, yeah. That's what I meant."
I looked across the table at Deanna. She had a smile on her face and was trying to keep from laughing. However, truth be told, she's just as bad.
Like this weekend. We were at the Air Show and had been watching different types of aircraft pass in front of us for a couple of hours. Then the M.C. announced the next act. It was an 11-yr. old boy who had built his own Radio Controlled plane and holds the world title in R.C. Aerobatics (aerobatics was a new term for me, but was used very widely at the Air Show; apparently, they have their own vernacular which was unfamiliar to me). He was demonstrating all kinds of flips and turns and flying his plane in front of the fans, the same as the real aircraft. I suppose this was supposed to be impressive but, truthfully, the real planes were so amazingly impressive that a radio-controlled one didn't quite compare in my eyes.
I was a little bored and began looking around the crowd. I turned to my right and saw Deanna, camera poised in mid-air, waiting for the perfect shot.
"What ya doin', honey?" I asked.
"I'm all ready, Mom. As soon as the plane flies closer, I'm going to get a picture of the guy in the cockpit!"
As funny as that was, I kind of understood. Lots of the other planes looked the same size as this one as they flew in the distance. There wasn't REALLY any noticeable difference in size. And, if you didn't quite understand the concept of radio controlled (or remote controlled), I can see how you could get confused.
Of course, I got a lot of mileage with that. I kidded Deanna about the little, bitty man who flew in the cockpit. Later, as we were walking back to Camp, an SUV passed us carrying the R.C. plane. It's nose was sandwiched between the two front seats.
"There goes your plane, honey," I told Deanna. "And the little man was sitting on the dashboard."
"MOM!" she yelled at me.
While studying after school with the children yesterday (during the King Kong Hour), I quoted a line from "Toy Story" to Dane. The boy in the movie who owns all the toys gets a Buzz Lightyear of Star Command toy for his birthday to add to his collection in his room. His favorite toy, Woody (a cowboy) is trying to convince the newest addition, Buzz, that's he's a toy. Buzz believes he's a real spaceman and he's landed on an alien planet. Woody explains over and over again and finally, in exasperation, yells,
"You're not REAL. You're a child's play thing." (Or something to that effect - the kids would know the exact line, of course.)
Buzz responds with, "You're a sad, silly little man."
So, after explaining King Kong to my son, I added, " 'You're a sad, silly little man.' " Then, my mind immediately moved to Deanna's predicament with the plane.
"Hey, Deanna," I kidded, "maybe Buzz Lightyear could fly your Radio Controlled plane for you!"
"Mom," she looked at me over the top of her glasses - her most serious look, "Buzz Lightyear is a real human."
As she watched my face contort, gleefully imagining all the mileage I could get from this newest faux pas, she hung her head.
"I did it again, didn't I?" she asked.
Yes, Virginia, there really is a Santa Claus.
Interestingly, later she told me that she had told a friend at school about the incident with the plane. She explained that she knew there was someone on the ground controlling the plane but she also thought there was a pilot who could override the R.C. controls in an emergency. Her friend admitted that she had thought the same exact thing last year when she attended the Air Show.
My question is this - what are they teaching our kids in school?
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Ah-h-h-h
Oh, me! What a wonderful but totally exhausting (and wet) weekend.
We went camping with the Boy/Cub Scouts to an air show in town. This was a first for me - no running water, no power, no fires, and I was the only woman camping.
But we had such a wonderful time. And Dane won a 2- to 3-man tent as a door prize. He set it up by himself when we got home this afternoon. It was cool to see my 9-yr. old setting up his own tent, by himself. The next generation of campers.
I'll write more tomorrow but, for tonight, I'm absolutely worn out and have much unpacking and lunch-making still to do.
We went camping with the Boy/Cub Scouts to an air show in town. This was a first for me - no running water, no power, no fires, and I was the only woman camping.
But we had such a wonderful time. And Dane won a 2- to 3-man tent as a door prize. He set it up by himself when we got home this afternoon. It was cool to see my 9-yr. old setting up his own tent, by himself. The next generation of campers.
I'll write more tomorrow but, for tonight, I'm absolutely worn out and have much unpacking and lunch-making still to do.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Pageantry
I met with our Choir Director this morning to talk about the Children's Christmas Pageant. Oh, my goodness. So many things to consider.
He wanted to meet to bounce ideas off someone else and, since I'm directing the Cherub Choir this year, he thought it should be me.
We looked over several canned Programs. While they all have strengths and weaknesses, none seemed right for our Choir. We are running consistently about 30 children at choir practice, 10 of them being 4, 5, and 6 year olds.
Parents want a Pageant to last longer than 5 minutes. But the little kids can't handle much more than 5 minutes. And we only have 4 middle-schoolers. Everything is either too hard or too simple.
Then we have the scenery issue. If we set the Play in Bethlehem, we have scenery already. Any other setting, and new scenery must be made, including a backdrop. And when will we have time to do that?
Speaking of time, we're working now on All Saint's Day music and really won't be able to get into the throws of Christmas until after All Saint's, which leaves only 5 weeks of practice. Anything too difficult won't allow for enough practice time, unless . . .
We can use a accompaniment CD. Then we can give copies of the CD out to all the children so they can practice the music at home, tripling the impact of our practice times. However, if you use the CD, then you HAVE to use a canned program, and we're right back where we started.
I had no idea this would be so difficult. David, our Choir Director, played an amazingly catchy piece for me that he wrote last night (he's VERY talented and we're lucky to have him at our church). If we could somehow build our own Musical around his pieces, we may be in luck. But then we don't have the practice CD's - unless he tapes him playing the pieces.
Ultimately, it all falls solidly on HIS shoulders. I felt a little sad for him. He has a lot of work if we go that direction. Truthfully, he has a lot of work if we go ANY direction.
I think we have a start of something big, though. And I can't wait to see the finished product.
He wanted to meet to bounce ideas off someone else and, since I'm directing the Cherub Choir this year, he thought it should be me.
We looked over several canned Programs. While they all have strengths and weaknesses, none seemed right for our Choir. We are running consistently about 30 children at choir practice, 10 of them being 4, 5, and 6 year olds.
Parents want a Pageant to last longer than 5 minutes. But the little kids can't handle much more than 5 minutes. And we only have 4 middle-schoolers. Everything is either too hard or too simple.
Then we have the scenery issue. If we set the Play in Bethlehem, we have scenery already. Any other setting, and new scenery must be made, including a backdrop. And when will we have time to do that?
Speaking of time, we're working now on All Saint's Day music and really won't be able to get into the throws of Christmas until after All Saint's, which leaves only 5 weeks of practice. Anything too difficult won't allow for enough practice time, unless . . .
We can use a accompaniment CD. Then we can give copies of the CD out to all the children so they can practice the music at home, tripling the impact of our practice times. However, if you use the CD, then you HAVE to use a canned program, and we're right back where we started.
I had no idea this would be so difficult. David, our Choir Director, played an amazingly catchy piece for me that he wrote last night (he's VERY talented and we're lucky to have him at our church). If we could somehow build our own Musical around his pieces, we may be in luck. But then we don't have the practice CD's - unless he tapes him playing the pieces.
Ultimately, it all falls solidly on HIS shoulders. I felt a little sad for him. He has a lot of work if we go that direction. Truthfully, he has a lot of work if we go ANY direction.
I think we have a start of something big, though. And I can't wait to see the finished product.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Package This
Don and I have been asked to Chair the Silent Auction for our children's school's annual fundraiser again this year. The first thing I did was put together a Plan of Action and a Timetable. One of the things I wanted to add this year was a High-End Solicitation Team, a small group of dynamic, excited, energetic people that are willing to dream big and ASK.
For example, wouldn't it be awesome if we could get roundtrip tickets to New York from Augusta, a hotel room for 4 nights at Niagara Falls, a rental car, free attraction tickets for the Maiden of the Mist, etc., and a gift card for gas to put together in one big package? Or what about 2 tickets to the local Ballet, two night's stay in one of the nicer hotels in town, a gift certificate for dinner at one of the more expensive restaurants and a limo for the evening - worth bidding on?
Anyway, that's my dream. We have until the beginning of December to pull this together. We're starting so late this year, though, that I was beginning to think some of these wonderful packages I'd love to put together may only be a pipe dream.
Then . . . one of the Moms told me that she's pushing Sherwin-Williams to donate a whole room re-do. They donated 3 gallons of their best paint - two gallons for walls, one for trim. She (who is a decorator-extraordinaire) is including one hour of her time as a Consultant. It occurred to me that if we could get some other donations along these lines and put them together, we might be able to offer a rather pricey room redecoration with everything included. I spoke with one of my Team Members about my thoughts and she made a suggestion. I jumped in my car and returned with a $50 gift certificate to a wallpaper store to go with the paint and Consult. Now I'm beginning to feel like I'm on a roll. If we can get Home Depot to donate rollers, roller pans, spackling, tape, drop cloths, sandpaper, etc. and someone else to donate flooring and/or window treatments, we may be able to pull off a very nice package deal.
I'm willing to ask. And so are several other people who make up my Team.
And God loves this fundraiser. We find HE always supports it, even when others may not.
We're still bouncing around those ideas and looking for high-end donations that will bring in the big bucks and the people who can afford the big bucks. The sky's the limit. And that's where I'm currently writing from.
For example, wouldn't it be awesome if we could get roundtrip tickets to New York from Augusta, a hotel room for 4 nights at Niagara Falls, a rental car, free attraction tickets for the Maiden of the Mist, etc., and a gift card for gas to put together in one big package? Or what about 2 tickets to the local Ballet, two night's stay in one of the nicer hotels in town, a gift certificate for dinner at one of the more expensive restaurants and a limo for the evening - worth bidding on?
Anyway, that's my dream. We have until the beginning of December to pull this together. We're starting so late this year, though, that I was beginning to think some of these wonderful packages I'd love to put together may only be a pipe dream.
Then . . . one of the Moms told me that she's pushing Sherwin-Williams to donate a whole room re-do. They donated 3 gallons of their best paint - two gallons for walls, one for trim. She (who is a decorator-extraordinaire) is including one hour of her time as a Consultant. It occurred to me that if we could get some other donations along these lines and put them together, we might be able to offer a rather pricey room redecoration with everything included. I spoke with one of my Team Members about my thoughts and she made a suggestion. I jumped in my car and returned with a $50 gift certificate to a wallpaper store to go with the paint and Consult. Now I'm beginning to feel like I'm on a roll. If we can get Home Depot to donate rollers, roller pans, spackling, tape, drop cloths, sandpaper, etc. and someone else to donate flooring and/or window treatments, we may be able to pull off a very nice package deal.
I'm willing to ask. And so are several other people who make up my Team.
And God loves this fundraiser. We find HE always supports it, even when others may not.
We're still bouncing around those ideas and looking for high-end donations that will bring in the big bucks and the people who can afford the big bucks. The sky's the limit. And that's where I'm currently writing from.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Pretty Quiet Back There
Deanna was moved in one of her classrooms to the back. Most teachers move the students around at the beginning of each report card period. Unfortunately, since Deanna's quiet, she got sent to the back of the room. There was only one other child put in the back - a boy who was out sick for one week, then at the wedding of his uncle in another state for one week. She was all alone.
I asked her how things were going about a week into the new seating assignment.
"Quiet," she responded. I'll just bet. No one around her, no talking between friends over top of her head. Just her, by herself, in the back of the room.
The boy who was assigned next to her returned to school last week. About the middle of the week, I asked Deanna how things were going. He, also, is a quiet student which is probably why the teacher assigned him to the rear of the classroom as well as Deanna.
"Well," she began, "he always does everything so-and-so (the name has been withheld to protect the innocent) says. Today, she told him to do something and he immediately did it. So I called him a 'so-and-so (insert girl's name) droid'!"
My eyes bugged out of my head.
"YOU DID WHAT?" I shouted. "What did he say?"
"He hung his head for a few minutes and then said, 'Am I really a 'so-and-so droid'? I said, 'Yes, you are. You do everything she says.'"
"What happened," I asked, a little breathless.
"He didn't talk for the rest of the day."
Poor child. He's quiet, anyway, and that obviously shook him up.
Several days later, I asked Deanna again about the boy.
"He hasn't spoken since then," she said.
Talk about shooting yourself in the foot. The only hope of Deanna having someone with which she could chat, and she alienated him - rather swiftly.
I don't know who I should feel sorrier for - Deanna or the boy.
I asked her how things were going about a week into the new seating assignment.
"Quiet," she responded. I'll just bet. No one around her, no talking between friends over top of her head. Just her, by herself, in the back of the room.
The boy who was assigned next to her returned to school last week. About the middle of the week, I asked Deanna how things were going. He, also, is a quiet student which is probably why the teacher assigned him to the rear of the classroom as well as Deanna.
"Well," she began, "he always does everything so-and-so (the name has been withheld to protect the innocent) says. Today, she told him to do something and he immediately did it. So I called him a 'so-and-so (insert girl's name) droid'!"
My eyes bugged out of my head.
"YOU DID WHAT?" I shouted. "What did he say?"
"He hung his head for a few minutes and then said, 'Am I really a 'so-and-so droid'? I said, 'Yes, you are. You do everything she says.'"
"What happened," I asked, a little breathless.
"He didn't talk for the rest of the day."
Poor child. He's quiet, anyway, and that obviously shook him up.
Several days later, I asked Deanna again about the boy.
"He hasn't spoken since then," she said.
Talk about shooting yourself in the foot. The only hope of Deanna having someone with which she could chat, and she alienated him - rather swiftly.
I don't know who I should feel sorrier for - Deanna or the boy.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Aging
My father turns 80 tomorrow. We're having a celebration for him, of course, and he's invited almost everyone he knows. It'll be loads of fun, I'm sure. He said what he really wanted for his birthday was for his friends to drop by and visit with him. That was his only wish.
It's hard to believe my father is 80 years old. But then, again, it's even harder to believe that all my siblings are over 50!
I guess we've aged right along with him - like a fine wine or a great cheese, but not the stinky kind.
It's hard to believe my father is 80 years old. But then, again, it's even harder to believe that all my siblings are over 50!
I guess we've aged right along with him - like a fine wine or a great cheese, but not the stinky kind.
Worshipping the Porcelain
My sweet girl was sick on her birthday. Around 10:30 Tuesday night, she appeared in the kitchen.
"Mama, I can't sleep. My stomach hurts too bad. I feel like I'm going to throw up."
Sure enough, she did, several times throughout the night. Around 11:30, she was sitting at the kitchen table, a bucket held to her mouth, and she began to cry.
"It's my birthday and it's going to be terrible. I'm sick on my birthday. I won't be able to go to Olive Garden for dinner. I won't be able to play Volleyball. And I'll miss my spelling test." She absolutely wailed.
"I'm not sure missing your spelling test is anything to cry about!" I pointed out.
She sniffed a little and then a smile began to tug at the corners of her mouth. She got the point. It was bad, but lots of kids would be WILLING to be sick to stay home on their birthdays. Then she began to reminisce about some of MY birthdays with a houseful of sickies and began to laugh.
"Okay, Mom, I guess it's not as bad as some of your birthdays have been," she admitted.
I stayed up with her until about 12:30 a.m., but finally collapsed in my bed, taking her with me. Around 2 a.m., she yelled for me to move. I handed her a bucket and quickly pulled the covers back, turned, and sat up. She ran for the bathroom.
I remember sometime later, I have no idea how much later, but it seemed like a long time, calling out to her.
"Deanna, are you okay, honey? Seems like you've been in there a long time."
She responded, then I heard her moving around.
"I'm going to my bed, Mommy," she called to me. The bathroom lights went out and I heard her footsteps disappear down the hall.
Around 6:30, I awoke, feeling nauseated. I drug myself out of bed around 7:15 to get the boys moving and cautioned them not to wake Deanna. I finished up lunches, made breakfast, went over spelling words, scriptures, signed Field Trip Permission Slips, and kept the boys on task. Then I quickly changed into a shirt over my pj bottoms and dropped them at school before heading back to bed.
Around 10, I called Don at work and left this message on his answering machine.
"Honey, I just wanted you to know that Deanna's home sick. She was throwing up all night. And now I've got it. I feel terrible and won't be going out today. I just wanted to hear your voice. It always cheers me up."
Then I dozed again until the phone woke me at 10:30. When I had gotten up earlier to check on Deanna and station her in the Den with episodes of Dr. Who (like her brother before her), I had taken it back to bed with me. I glanced at the Caller I.D. "Don at work". YAY!
"Hi, hon!" I tried to sound perky, although there was very little perky in me.
"Well, I've got it, too," I heard a dreary voice say. "I'm trying to leave work now to come home."
And that's how we spent Deanna's birthday - her in the Den, laying down and watching Dr. Who, me in the bed dozing on and off but, mostly, on, and Don in the recliner in the living room alternating between chills and hot flashes.
The day put me significantly behind on all the things that had to be done by today, so I was up until 1:30 this morning finishing cheeseballs and paperwork. But I think I'm caught up - for now.
Deanna went back to school yesterday. She played in her final volleyball game of the season yesterday afternoon. Her friends all were sad that she had been sick on her birthday and seemed happy she had rebounded in one day. Her friend is still coming to spend the night tonight.
During one of my "check on Deanna" sessions Wednesday, she told me that she had fallen asleep in the bathroom after that 2 a.m. call.
"I hugged the toilet, put my head down on the seat, and fell fast asleep, Mama." Now that's sad. But, thank goodness, I had just cleaned the toilet.
Hang onto the little things!
"Mama, I can't sleep. My stomach hurts too bad. I feel like I'm going to throw up."
Sure enough, she did, several times throughout the night. Around 11:30, she was sitting at the kitchen table, a bucket held to her mouth, and she began to cry.
"It's my birthday and it's going to be terrible. I'm sick on my birthday. I won't be able to go to Olive Garden for dinner. I won't be able to play Volleyball. And I'll miss my spelling test." She absolutely wailed.
"I'm not sure missing your spelling test is anything to cry about!" I pointed out.
She sniffed a little and then a smile began to tug at the corners of her mouth. She got the point. It was bad, but lots of kids would be WILLING to be sick to stay home on their birthdays. Then she began to reminisce about some of MY birthdays with a houseful of sickies and began to laugh.
"Okay, Mom, I guess it's not as bad as some of your birthdays have been," she admitted.
I stayed up with her until about 12:30 a.m., but finally collapsed in my bed, taking her with me. Around 2 a.m., she yelled for me to move. I handed her a bucket and quickly pulled the covers back, turned, and sat up. She ran for the bathroom.
I remember sometime later, I have no idea how much later, but it seemed like a long time, calling out to her.
"Deanna, are you okay, honey? Seems like you've been in there a long time."
She responded, then I heard her moving around.
"I'm going to my bed, Mommy," she called to me. The bathroom lights went out and I heard her footsteps disappear down the hall.
Around 6:30, I awoke, feeling nauseated. I drug myself out of bed around 7:15 to get the boys moving and cautioned them not to wake Deanna. I finished up lunches, made breakfast, went over spelling words, scriptures, signed Field Trip Permission Slips, and kept the boys on task. Then I quickly changed into a shirt over my pj bottoms and dropped them at school before heading back to bed.
Around 10, I called Don at work and left this message on his answering machine.
"Honey, I just wanted you to know that Deanna's home sick. She was throwing up all night. And now I've got it. I feel terrible and won't be going out today. I just wanted to hear your voice. It always cheers me up."
Then I dozed again until the phone woke me at 10:30. When I had gotten up earlier to check on Deanna and station her in the Den with episodes of Dr. Who (like her brother before her), I had taken it back to bed with me. I glanced at the Caller I.D. "Don at work". YAY!
"Hi, hon!" I tried to sound perky, although there was very little perky in me.
"Well, I've got it, too," I heard a dreary voice say. "I'm trying to leave work now to come home."
And that's how we spent Deanna's birthday - her in the Den, laying down and watching Dr. Who, me in the bed dozing on and off but, mostly, on, and Don in the recliner in the living room alternating between chills and hot flashes.
The day put me significantly behind on all the things that had to be done by today, so I was up until 1:30 this morning finishing cheeseballs and paperwork. But I think I'm caught up - for now.
Deanna went back to school yesterday. She played in her final volleyball game of the season yesterday afternoon. Her friends all were sad that she had been sick on her birthday and seemed happy she had rebounded in one day. Her friend is still coming to spend the night tonight.
During one of my "check on Deanna" sessions Wednesday, she told me that she had fallen asleep in the bathroom after that 2 a.m. call.
"I hugged the toilet, put my head down on the seat, and fell fast asleep, Mama." Now that's sad. But, thank goodness, I had just cleaned the toilet.
Hang onto the little things!
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
Deanna
Tomorrow's Deanna's 12th birthday. It's so hard to believe she's that old. In so many ways, she's still my little baby girl.
I love that she still likes to snuggle with me - not all the time, just occasionally. But she DOES snuggle. And she has a great sense of humor. Last Friday, when she was home sick with a stomach bug, she felt terrible, so I had her go lie down in my bed and I went and laid down with her. I got to telling her funny stories and got her laughing. Don walked by and decided she couldn't be very sick as perky as she seemed.
Deanna's always been fun. She's a joy to have around. From the moment she was born, she's kept me entertained. If I'm going shopping or out to run errands, I always try and talk her into going with me because she's such great company. She's a quiet, sensitive, loving child. She really sees things, things past the surface. She's intuitive and pays attention to the little things. She's a very gifted person. She's creative and enjoys crafts and loves making jewelry.
I don't believe I've ever known a kinder heart except, perhaps, her father's. Even when she's deeply hurt, she looks past her own pain and is worried about others.
She's still a little girl in many ways. She likes simple things. She still sleeps with her doll that her Aunt Sue gave her for her 4th birthday (Rose Petal). She loves that doll. And she also sleeps with a pillow-buddy, Puddle Juice, that I gave her on her Pediatricians recommendation to help her when I weaned her. He recommended getting something that she could snuggle when she wanted to nurse. Puddle Juice was her choice and she dearly loves him. He's gotten pretty torn up over the years (she drags him to every slumber party, out in the woods when we go camping, etc.) but we've patched him and Grandma's sewn him up, and he just keep hanging on.
When we re-did our house five years ago, Deanna wanted her room done in a horse motif. I chose some fabric, blue and grey fleece, with horses for her comforter and a blue daisy print for a dust ruffle. I chose a coordinating fabric for the back side of her comforter and her window treatments. I painted a border around her room of horses rearing back, just above the chairrail, and we decorated with plastic and wooden horses and horseshoes. Over the last two years or so, I've asked her several times if she wouldn't like a more adult-looking room, if she'd like me to re-do it. She always says no. She says she loves it just the way it is. I always find that a little surprising and expect her to want something a little "older", but no. She likes it just the way it is.
She's simple and sweet and I can't even imagine life without her. She's smart and funny and I can't imagine life without her. She's kind and deeply intelligent and I can't imagine life without her. She brings joy into our home and keeps her brothers occupied and I can't imagine life without her.
Deanna always wanted a baby sister, but we got Daelyn, instead. Deanna has always been sad that God didn't give her a sister. I've tried to explain to her that our relationship wouldn't be as special if I had another daughter, but that doesn't really matter to her. She wanted a little girl to love and nurture and share girly things with. I try to make up for that by being attentive to her and making sure she gets lots of girl-time with me.
But she's one of the great joys of my life. I pray I will always be close to her, my only daughter.
Happy Birthday, my baby girl. I love you.
Mama
I love that she still likes to snuggle with me - not all the time, just occasionally. But she DOES snuggle. And she has a great sense of humor. Last Friday, when she was home sick with a stomach bug, she felt terrible, so I had her go lie down in my bed and I went and laid down with her. I got to telling her funny stories and got her laughing. Don walked by and decided she couldn't be very sick as perky as she seemed.
Deanna's always been fun. She's a joy to have around. From the moment she was born, she's kept me entertained. If I'm going shopping or out to run errands, I always try and talk her into going with me because she's such great company. She's a quiet, sensitive, loving child. She really sees things, things past the surface. She's intuitive and pays attention to the little things. She's a very gifted person. She's creative and enjoys crafts and loves making jewelry.
I don't believe I've ever known a kinder heart except, perhaps, her father's. Even when she's deeply hurt, she looks past her own pain and is worried about others.
She's still a little girl in many ways. She likes simple things. She still sleeps with her doll that her Aunt Sue gave her for her 4th birthday (Rose Petal). She loves that doll. And she also sleeps with a pillow-buddy, Puddle Juice, that I gave her on her Pediatricians recommendation to help her when I weaned her. He recommended getting something that she could snuggle when she wanted to nurse. Puddle Juice was her choice and she dearly loves him. He's gotten pretty torn up over the years (she drags him to every slumber party, out in the woods when we go camping, etc.) but we've patched him and Grandma's sewn him up, and he just keep hanging on.
When we re-did our house five years ago, Deanna wanted her room done in a horse motif. I chose some fabric, blue and grey fleece, with horses for her comforter and a blue daisy print for a dust ruffle. I chose a coordinating fabric for the back side of her comforter and her window treatments. I painted a border around her room of horses rearing back, just above the chairrail, and we decorated with plastic and wooden horses and horseshoes. Over the last two years or so, I've asked her several times if she wouldn't like a more adult-looking room, if she'd like me to re-do it. She always says no. She says she loves it just the way it is. I always find that a little surprising and expect her to want something a little "older", but no. She likes it just the way it is.
She's simple and sweet and I can't even imagine life without her. She's smart and funny and I can't imagine life without her. She's kind and deeply intelligent and I can't imagine life without her. She brings joy into our home and keeps her brothers occupied and I can't imagine life without her.
Deanna always wanted a baby sister, but we got Daelyn, instead. Deanna has always been sad that God didn't give her a sister. I've tried to explain to her that our relationship wouldn't be as special if I had another daughter, but that doesn't really matter to her. She wanted a little girl to love and nurture and share girly things with. I try to make up for that by being attentive to her and making sure she gets lots of girl-time with me.
But she's one of the great joys of my life. I pray I will always be close to her, my only daughter.
Happy Birthday, my baby girl. I love you.
Mama
Monday, October 06, 2008
Patti . . . who?
Many years ago, some dear friends of mine introduced me to a British Sci-Fi show called "Dr. Who". They used to watch it every Friday night and invited me to join them. Back then, it was a low-budget, cheesy, c-show with a cult following. I fell in love with The Doctor, too, but life moves through seasons and that season became a thing of the past.
When we were in England for those 3 months, I rediscovered Dr Who, along with Don and my children. Many things have changed since the old days. The actors are now pretty good, the scenery is authentic, you can no longer see strings on the monsters, and The Doctor has been through several re-generations. The show's popularity has gone global.
Once we returned home, the whole family hooked, we were able to watch several episodes on my parent's cable. Don has asked for complete seasons as gifts and his parents sent him the entire DVD set of the Second Series for his birthday in September. Apparently, the second series is the second year that David Tennant starred as The Doctor. While in England, we saw the episode where Chris Ecleston regenerated into David Tennant, so this series picks up right where we left off.
The children have been watching episodes. It's so much fun. There's footage from London and the kids recognize tons of stuff.
In several of the episodes, there is a woman who is the Prime Minister. She's quite humble and introduces herself to EVERYONE. She holds up her I.D. badge and says, "Harriet Jones, Prime Minister." In the episode Daelyn is watching right now, she shows her badge to several different members of her staff. In every instance, they respond, "I know who you are."
Something about that little exchange strikes me. How many of us are so puffed up by our own self-importance that we assume everyone knows our names? Here is the Prime Minister, a woman everyone really DOES know, and she introduces herself.
I know it's a silly thing and something that wouldn't cause pause in most people, but definitely worth thinking about. Would I was humble enough to feel the need to always identify myself.
"Hello. Nice to meet you. My name is Patti Doughty, daughter of the King."
When we were in England for those 3 months, I rediscovered Dr Who, along with Don and my children. Many things have changed since the old days. The actors are now pretty good, the scenery is authentic, you can no longer see strings on the monsters, and The Doctor has been through several re-generations. The show's popularity has gone global.
Once we returned home, the whole family hooked, we were able to watch several episodes on my parent's cable. Don has asked for complete seasons as gifts and his parents sent him the entire DVD set of the Second Series for his birthday in September. Apparently, the second series is the second year that David Tennant starred as The Doctor. While in England, we saw the episode where Chris Ecleston regenerated into David Tennant, so this series picks up right where we left off.
The children have been watching episodes. It's so much fun. There's footage from London and the kids recognize tons of stuff.
In several of the episodes, there is a woman who is the Prime Minister. She's quite humble and introduces herself to EVERYONE. She holds up her I.D. badge and says, "Harriet Jones, Prime Minister." In the episode Daelyn is watching right now, she shows her badge to several different members of her staff. In every instance, they respond, "I know who you are."
Something about that little exchange strikes me. How many of us are so puffed up by our own self-importance that we assume everyone knows our names? Here is the Prime Minister, a woman everyone really DOES know, and she introduces herself.
I know it's a silly thing and something that wouldn't cause pause in most people, but definitely worth thinking about. Would I was humble enough to feel the need to always identify myself.
"Hello. Nice to meet you. My name is Patti Doughty, daughter of the King."
Saturday, October 04, 2008
Wedding Blessings
We went to a wedding tonight. My niece, Amanda, was the Maid of Honor. Her boyfriend, Alex, was a groomsman. The bride is a close friend of Amanda's, the groom a close friend of Alex's. Amanda and Alex introduced them and, after Amanda's accident, they began dating.
The bride also was our Pediatrician's nurse for many years, so we got invited to the wedding. We were very happy that these two "found" each other and that we could be there to witness the beginning of a new, happier life together for them.
At the reception, which was lovely but very small, Deanna looked around at the meager crowd of about 55.
"When I get married," she whispered to me, "I want a BIG wedding!"
I snickered. No choice there. As a matter of fact, I'm so used to weddings with 10 attendants on each side and hundreds of guests that this small, unassuming crowd was a little odd for me, as well.
On the way home (the wedding was in a neighboring town about an hour's drive away), my mother was commenting on the small crowd.
"I'm used to weddings where you invite ALL your friends and family," she said.
"Mom," I explained, "I think that WAS all their friends and family."
She looked shocked. We've lived in the same place for so many years and have so many dear friends that it's hard to imagine life with only a few friends. Just my family alone would probably be more people than attended this entire wedding.
Thinking back about those conversations and the small group that gathered to dance, toast, and celebrate, I found myself wondering how we always manage to pull off huge wedding receptions. Don and I expected 300 people at our wedding (the capacity at the church where we held it) and there were many people standing in the aisles and back of the church. We fed all our guests a full meal and didn't hire a caterer. We had friends that helped cook and other friends that helped serve, decorate, etc. All I did was ask for help and provide the menu and money to purchase the groceries.
I'm quite sure Deanna's wedding will be an Event, as was ours and as are most of the weddings we attended. It's not that the measure of a marriage OR the assessment of a nice wedding is how many people attend. But, somehow, it just seems more joyous with large crowds. As I was walking down the aisle, I was struck by the fact that ALL those people had shown up just to see Don and I commit ourselves to each other and to celebrate a love long-sought and finally achieved. I was overcome and zig-zagged down the aisle, greeting people on both sides. I realized, after the fact, how strange that was, but I was overcome with the faces I saw, standing there, watching me process up the aisle, and realizing that all those people had come just for me and Don. What a blessing!
Tonight, I'll pray for Kellie and Bobo ( a nickname - his real name's Jerry) that their marriage will reflect all the joy that would have been represented by a group of 500 gathered in that little church. They both have struggled to find the "right" one and it seems they finally succeeded. And that's no small task.
The really important thing, I think, is not how many people were there, but that THEY were there, and God was there. After all, that's all it really takes for a good marriage.
The bride also was our Pediatrician's nurse for many years, so we got invited to the wedding. We were very happy that these two "found" each other and that we could be there to witness the beginning of a new, happier life together for them.
At the reception, which was lovely but very small, Deanna looked around at the meager crowd of about 55.
"When I get married," she whispered to me, "I want a BIG wedding!"
I snickered. No choice there. As a matter of fact, I'm so used to weddings with 10 attendants on each side and hundreds of guests that this small, unassuming crowd was a little odd for me, as well.
On the way home (the wedding was in a neighboring town about an hour's drive away), my mother was commenting on the small crowd.
"I'm used to weddings where you invite ALL your friends and family," she said.
"Mom," I explained, "I think that WAS all their friends and family."
She looked shocked. We've lived in the same place for so many years and have so many dear friends that it's hard to imagine life with only a few friends. Just my family alone would probably be more people than attended this entire wedding.
Thinking back about those conversations and the small group that gathered to dance, toast, and celebrate, I found myself wondering how we always manage to pull off huge wedding receptions. Don and I expected 300 people at our wedding (the capacity at the church where we held it) and there were many people standing in the aisles and back of the church. We fed all our guests a full meal and didn't hire a caterer. We had friends that helped cook and other friends that helped serve, decorate, etc. All I did was ask for help and provide the menu and money to purchase the groceries.
I'm quite sure Deanna's wedding will be an Event, as was ours and as are most of the weddings we attended. It's not that the measure of a marriage OR the assessment of a nice wedding is how many people attend. But, somehow, it just seems more joyous with large crowds. As I was walking down the aisle, I was struck by the fact that ALL those people had shown up just to see Don and I commit ourselves to each other and to celebrate a love long-sought and finally achieved. I was overcome and zig-zagged down the aisle, greeting people on both sides. I realized, after the fact, how strange that was, but I was overcome with the faces I saw, standing there, watching me process up the aisle, and realizing that all those people had come just for me and Don. What a blessing!
Tonight, I'll pray for Kellie and Bobo ( a nickname - his real name's Jerry) that their marriage will reflect all the joy that would have been represented by a group of 500 gathered in that little church. They both have struggled to find the "right" one and it seems they finally succeeded. And that's no small task.
The really important thing, I think, is not how many people were there, but that THEY were there, and God was there. After all, that's all it really takes for a good marriage.
Friday, October 03, 2008
Fly That Flag!
I was driving last week with Deanna when we passed the Checkers across a side street from her school.
"There's the flag that we pledge," she said.
"What? What are you talking about?" I asked.
Turns out, there is no flag in her homeroom so the girls (all the middle school girls have the same homeroom) stand and pledge to the flag across the street above the Checkers' restaurant.
I was shocked and determined to do something about it.
After a couple of phone calls today, I was able to call Deanna who was spending the night with a friend and give her the following news.
Saxby Chambliss, a Senator from Georgia, will be purchasing a 3' X 5' flag for her classroom and will fly it over the Capitol, in honor of Mrs. Finnegan's 6th Grade Homeroom. Then the flag will be mailed to the school along with a certificate from the Senator's office explaining the honor.
In these uncertain times, I think those teenage girls need to know that someone in Washington, DC is concerned about their well-being.
And, hopefully, they'll feel a sense of pride every morning when they stand, turn towards their special flag, and pledge to it and our country.
I love it when Government does SOMETHING good!
"There's the flag that we pledge," she said.
"What? What are you talking about?" I asked.
Turns out, there is no flag in her homeroom so the girls (all the middle school girls have the same homeroom) stand and pledge to the flag across the street above the Checkers' restaurant.
I was shocked and determined to do something about it.
After a couple of phone calls today, I was able to call Deanna who was spending the night with a friend and give her the following news.
Saxby Chambliss, a Senator from Georgia, will be purchasing a 3' X 5' flag for her classroom and will fly it over the Capitol, in honor of Mrs. Finnegan's 6th Grade Homeroom. Then the flag will be mailed to the school along with a certificate from the Senator's office explaining the honor.
In these uncertain times, I think those teenage girls need to know that someone in Washington, DC is concerned about their well-being.
And, hopefully, they'll feel a sense of pride every morning when they stand, turn towards their special flag, and pledge to it and our country.
I love it when Government does SOMETHING good!
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