my sad tulips in the snow. I feel like there is a metaphor here that relates to this week. but my brains is so fried I can't think of it.
What a busy week we had.
Easter came and went and the week that followed seemed busier than ever.
I'm not even sure what we did.
Soccer games, photo clients, regular work, callings. We didn't have a free day. or minute.
We ate out twice because I just didn't have five minutes to think about dinner.
Life has a way of making you slow down.
This morning we woke up to snow. SNOW? SNOW!
And sick kids too.
And as long as it is just sore throats and mild fevers I can cope.
And I'm almost grateful.
The snow made me have to cancel my photo clients for the day.
It also eases the plans we had to try and get the last bit of the yard done this week, since- you know, it is snowing out there.
The sick kids mean we won't be at soccer tomorrow, school a bit this week, and I went ahead an canceled our family pictures I've been looking forward to for weeks.
And we have big plans to sit the house cuddling on the couch and watch cartoons and do some puzzles.
And if it is just for a day or two, I'll embrace it.
If you don't make time to sit, see, life will force you to do it.
Currently three kids are sitting at the counter together drinking some tea.
To prove to you how busy we have been, I don't have one single picture of the kids since Easter.
That is an entire week without taking a picture of my own kids.
Record. Not a good one.
I do have some great memories that I've been wanting to write down.
Bethany is not walking yet. But will stand up from the ground without using any furniture. She also says this and that to everything too. Yesterday she got a book, brought it over to her Dad, and said with clarity "this book". Wait a minute. Isn't she barley 12 months old? And putting together two works already. I think we have a talker on her hands. Or she figures she has got to speak up if she wants her needs and wants heard over the rest of the crew.
Sam has always been our spiritual giant. He is partially named for Samuel the boy prophet of Hannah's anyways. So sometimes I call him my little boy prophet. He is always asking questions about Jesus and other important questions.The other day at dinner he gave a very thoughtful and long prayer. I mean 2 or 3 minutes for a 5 year old, with original thoughts. When he was done we told him what a good prayer he had said and he said to us "sometimes Jesus speaks to my heart. He spoke to my heart and told me what I should say" Cue Jake and I swelling with pride.
Marianne is going through a crazy spell. Like throwing herself on the ground at Home Depot and crying for ten minutes and wailing about because I wouldn't let her sit next to Bethany in the baby seat. In fact most of it seems to come from wanting to be the baby. Which is strange- none of our other kids did that, but maybe she didn't get to be the baby long enough for her. And it is not just that one time. She is finally acting two- at almost three years old. I didn't expect to her to be an Angel forever. And she still takes two to three hour naps most days- so she is still an Angel in my book either way.
Kate is also having a bit of a crazy spell. or attitude spell. She has been 14 all of a sudden. Jake and I aren't really sure what to do with it except give her more chores. Sadly I think a lot of it comes from not feeling well. Though today she is actually sick- with a fever and sore throat and is kind. Maybe some of the attitude is learned at school. I am in Kate's class on Tuesdays and it seems first graders have a lot more attitude and problems then I ever remember. Kate has never been a sleeper, but lately has been waking up at 4am and sneaking downstairs to watch tv. I think she wakes up to use the bathroom and then just doesn't go back to bed. We usually find her around 6am when we wake up. Needless to say I'm more than pleased that right now she is asleep on the couch. She is such a helper and a trooper though. I don't know what I would do without her help.
Yesterday Kate and Marianne got out the piano books and sang them together side by side on the couch. Like reading but singing. Kate and Marianne seem to play the most these days together. Or Sam and Mari sometimes. Kate will tell Mari what to do or what they are going to do and she is more than happy to cooperate if it means she gets to play with Kate's big girl crafts or rainbow looms.
This morning when Sam saw the snow he asked if he and Dad could go and shovel the driveway. I told him Dad was already at work, but he was welcome to. My worker boy. So he got his coats and boots, and helped Mari do the same because she wanted to go only to open the garage door and find that it had already melted off. It was a thoughtful gesture anyways. Then he and Mari played in the snow/mud for a few minutes.
Marianne is suddenly obsessed with clothing. It is funny- she has been obsessed with certain babies or dolls for so long. But now it is shirts. A unicorn shirt she loves, or if it can't be found she will settle for a butterfly "futterfly" one, or minnie mouse, or a bunny. It can't just be plain though. If she can't find it she asks "its washing mom?" And she always remembers when we got it "you brought this for me mom?". Todays pick is a striped shirt from old navy with a small blue butterfly on it. I believe it has been work three times this past week- washed and returned to her drawer just to wear it again. I bought her an extra unicorn shirt this week to help with the wash turn around. :)
Our house is basically a 24 hour dance party. The kids know how to make pandora work on my phone and they have a kids bop station on there they sneak it away and put it on, Bethy usually starts popping the minutes it starts- she loves it we can't even have a jingle on a commercial on the tv come on without a little bounce and clap from her, Kate usually tries to choreograph everyone into synchronized movements. She has even taught the kids how to line up in the hallway like they are waiting for their number like she did with the Drill Team and Sam and Marianne are young enough that they still dance with tons of passion and excitement every time. Everyone is pretty good too. I mean, do you know other 5 year olds who do "the robot" to a techie beat? I am pretty sure that when we look back on our home videos we will find about 70 hours of dancing just from this year alone.
