"That is the way of it. Children are meant to grow up. Maybe you have yet to come face-to-face with what that means. I hope you will take courage and allow your children to walk away with grace"
Cindy Rollins (Mere Motherhood)
I am more "face to face" with growing children, it seems every day. And always grateful and always trying to pause and capture the moments. Here are a few for our own little record, and maybe for your amusement.
Hunting in Bis/Mommy Fun Weekend in Minne-applesauce
Yes, the kids love to call this place "Minne-applesauce". Trev went to Bis-a-marck for a few days to hunt and gather, the rest of us had some fun times here. Per usual I try to be like "no big deal, see you later", and then my body says, "hi, you actually care, do you want to admit that?". My shoulders were so tense all weekend, and even though all went well and was fun . . .well, it's still not my fave to say see-ya to the man-o-the-house. Sweet memories: Punch pizza with Drew's fam, Galleria wanderings with Aunt Kate, watching Boss Baby, ice cream & play at McD's. A fave was seeing how refreshed Trevor was when he got home.
Baptism Birthday
Because, we all need reminders. Oh this precious child of God! Burgers per usual, candle, reading, remembering.
Zumba like it's a job
Eliza invited Karis to join her for a kids' zumba class, oh it was fun and Karis owned it. She was right up front and mastering the moves. While the moms joined in occasionally and mostly sat on the sidelines, where we are meant to be (ha).
Gymnastics
Found a place where they can both take a class in their age range at the same time. Boom. I get to watch through the glass and read. This is the good stuff.
Basement un-do
Trev rocked this project. And the pieces I could tackle with him went well too (after 13 years, we're learning how to embrace our unique gifts about home projects).
B-day Bonanza
Judah was invited to precious Poppy's birthday party. Epic one. Friday night, church gymnasium with bouncy house, pizza & cupcakes, glow-sticks in the dark, scooters. Our fam was welcome to join - Karis and I had planned a Potbelly's/Michael's date, so we did that and then came back for presents and treats. So dear. High bar for b-day parties, this boy has.
Children's Service
Always a highlight, the children leading us through the service with song and verse and prayers and blessing. Grateful (pic below, they picked out their outfits, which is a small miracle since usually they're trying to wear sweat pants to church).
Water Concert
One of the other Andreas in my life is in an orchestra, and as she's our children's pastor . . .several of Karis's friends and moms met in Wayzata for a Sunday concert. The focus was water, beautiful. My favorite was the bass solo of "Old Man River".
Arboretum/Kindred Spirits
Freezing fun, why not? When we got out of our cars, of course the kindred spirits were completely matching. Crazy. Kids built forts and moms froze and we went to the main building to see the huge tree constructed of poinsettias and the memories are already warm.
Pirate Play
The kids made boxes into pirate ships and hours of fun followed (Karis is in the middle of a book series about a girl pirate, love the imagination).
- "And we're not pirates, we're people"
- "Karis do pirates talk in English or Spanish?"
Thanksgiving
Watching our kids make memories in our homeland, so grateful. This year the weather allowed hikes behind the homes of both grandparents. Their wanderings and imaginings continue to unfold as memories go in the bank.
Pay Attention
3 times in one day: blindness (read a story about a blind man, met a blind man, Bible reading at night about a blind man)
2 times in one day in two different references - on two different days (about 2 months apart): Psalm 131
2 books at the same time (A Christmas Carol, 11/22/63): time travel/what if we could change the past & future
1 morning I wrote "pay attention" in my journal and hours later that was the title of the daily devotion of a book in Judah's room. Pay Attention!
Karis-isms
- "The only thing I don't like about being a pirate, I don't like biscuits!"
- "Well, it's not symmetrical, and it's not a-symmetrical" (while giving me a hint about something in her pocket)
- "Oh come on, mom! It's his automatic workout!" (horsey-ride before bedtime) and . . . "Did you see mom's face?" (while watching horsey-ride. It's impressive)
- "Well, that's peculiar" (looking at a hole in my jeans)
- "I set a timer for having 5 minutes a day with my fish. I call it fish & owner time"
- "Okay Judah, make a duke face!"
- "Well to tell you truth, I'm not surprised she stopped by. She's here a lot"
- "Well, I guess he's losing trust" (when discussing how Judah's been hiding her favorite things)
Judah Jabbers
- "Karis, mom and dad are teaching me to be a gentleman!"
- "So mom, let me tell you about my girlfriends"
- "So does the Lord put joy and love in our hearts all the time?"
- "Mom, why are you good at that?" (I reply "because I'm a mommy, I'm good at everything" clearly a lie) and he retorts, "Well you're not good at making costumes. Daddy's good at making costumes"
- "Hey mom, are there volcanos live in our land?"
- "Do volcanos have lava monsters in them?"
- "Mom, where do dinosaurs live?"
- "Mom, do people migrate?"
- "These are the fattest chubby snowpants I've ever seen in my life"
- "I just have one job for you to do, mommy. Brush my teeth"
- "Isn't it peaceful in here?" (holding a noisy fire truck in the car, and then "now it's not peaceful!" (making it noisy)
- "So mom, what does your hair look like when you take off your armor?" (what????)
- "I wish I knew how to do everything"
- "Mom, do monster trucks in our land have eyes?"
- "Mom, do I ask a lot of big questions? Bigger ones than Karis?"
- "I wanna be a monster truck when I grow up!"
- "I don't really know" (when he doesn't feel like answering your question)
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