- Chicken with chantrelle mushrooms
- Basmati rice
- Grilled tomatoes and asparagus with a balsamic reduction
- A fresh bone for Millie from the butcher
- A Starbucks card for Trey
- Chocolate truffles and a bottle of wine for me
- Gift certificates to the batting cages for the boys
- A beautiful bouquet of fresh cut flowers in a vase
Archive for September 2009
Maybe moving isn't so bad
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Happy 11th Birthday to Ian!
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
After I delivered Ian and was recovering in my room, I heard some voices out in the hallway saying, "bye, Tricia. Tell Mommy 'bye-bye'. " I swung my post-epidural, wobbly legs out of the bed, opened the door and spotted Tricia's two-year-old son, her husband and his parents standing outside a nearby room. I asked them when she had the baby and they said "at 12:30 this afternoon." No way!! I just laughed and laughed. Ian and Will WERE birthday twins after all.
Last year I recounted the 10 qualities I most loved about Ian. Looking back on that list, I found that I wouldn't add or take away any of them this year. Instead, with Ian's input and approval, I've listed below 11 items or activities that bring him the utmost joy.
- His mom's grilled flank steak
- Cuddling with his dog, Millie
- Playing football
- Chocolate chip cookies
- Sleeping in
- Mountain biking
- Working with his hands
- Being warm
- Playing soccer
- Building a campfire
- Hanging out with his friends and family
A few snapshots of Ian through the years........................
Happy Birthday to you, Ian. You're sweet, charming and dear to my heart. I love you!! Happy 11th to Will, too!!
Oh Happy Day
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Ben is a big second grader. Ian starts his fifth and final year of elementary school. Millie would have gladly joined them if there was a way to sneak her in the building.
Quinn is ready for seventh grade. No longer the "babies" of the middle school.
COMMENTS: »
A Perfect Summer Ending
Monday, September 7, 2009
Other than waking up for the third morning in a row to a quiet house, I also woke with a heart full of joy and thankfulness. Last night I was given the best, most needed gift and a perfect end to the summer. I spent the evening with my two BFF's, Laurie & Lacey--something we haven't been able to make happen since school was out in June. We've seen one another separately a few times but having 5 hours uninterrupted together was divine. We cozied in to a warm table at our favorite little Italian restaurant and enjoyed delicious pasta and conversation--while it was POURING outside. We got the idea it was closing time when they began turning off the lights. We took the hint and came back to my house and turned on the fireplace. We spent the next hour sharing our hearts and concerns, lifting them up to the One who cares so deeply for us. Thanks so much, dear friends. I hope this is a recurring yearly event--it's tradition after all, right? Smile.
A thought for today
Sunday, September 6, 2009
No Girls Allowed
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Ahhhhhh....quiet. That's what I just wrote on my Facebook status. All four of my boys left yesterday on their annual "no girls allowed" Labor Day weekend pilgrimage. I can't recall having this much silence since June 17th. It is absolutely heavenly.
The past 12 weeks have been a long, hot, trying summer. In the past I had planned to have at least one week where everyone was at camp or farmed out somewhere. A shortage of cash prevented this from happening and there were no breaks to be had. Now that the kids are older I envisioned them riding their bikes to friends' houses or the lake so I could enjoy a couple hours with an empty house. Instead, they would bring their friends back here because ours is "that house". Sometimes I really don't want to be "that house". Know what I mean?
I am not proud of the mom I have been to my kids or the wife I have been to my husband. I have often referred to this season as the "summer of breaking". I could swear to you that once a week I heard a crash followed by: "Um, Mom??" Collisions seemed to be happening all over the place. Windows and basketballs. Children and screen doors. Ceiling fans and shoes. Next-door-neighbor's glass deck paneling and a bb pellet. (Don't ask!) Add to this the garbage disposal backing up, the oven refusing to heat and a garage door that only half of which wants to close. And all of this was happening while the house was under contract!! Just to make you laugh--and embarrass myself--here is a picture of my response the last time I was told something broke. Quinn was actually joking just to snap this photo of me. Lovely, huh?
Yet in all of these mishaps I have realized (over the last 24 hours, when in the absence of children and a husband, I've become the perfect wife and mom) that God has been breaking me. Breaking me of selfishness. Control. Lack of trust. Negativity. And He has shown me that all this time my prayers have actually been answered. I was beginning to be concerned that my middle schooler's social life was overtaking him and some not-so-positive influences were rearing their ugly heads. I feared he would start making some of the unsavory choices I did when I was his age. I was worried that I'd made a mistake by letting everyone have their own bedrooms. Would this encourage even more selfishness ? Maybe it has really been a blessing that they haven't spent much time outside of our home. Perhaps, in spite of the turbulent teeenage years closing in, they really do like being together. And by not having the ability to buy them everything they want or send them to camps and sporting events, they have been creative in their playtime--even if it has ended up in some costly repair bills.
No offense to my friends with daughters, but this is one weekend I am glad to be the only girl.
1 Comment »