Winter Wonderland (and some breaks from it)

This winter has flown (or, as they say: "the days are long but the weeks are short"), and for the sake of record-keeping, here's a recounting in chronological order:

- New Year's: What a gift to welcome Gpa Kirk & Gma Nancy to celebrate. Highlights included "pizza in", celebrating Uncle Drew's completion of his master's program, and just spending quality time together (also re-celebrating Christmas with D & M, and watching the kids enjoy the boxes, and Karis commanding everyone while she "played ship")

- Late January, Sanibel Island: We were so thankful for an escape to warmth and sunshine. We fell into an easy rhythm with Grandpa Kirk, Grandma Nancy, Uncle Drew, and Aunt Melanie . . . morning walks on the beach, seashell-scouting/picking (all of Karis's "for Everett and Marissa"), lunch, outings, dinner, kids-in-bed, games. I don't take for granted what a gift it is to spend time with family and just so wholly enjoy each other. Memorable moments were watching Karis splash in the water wearing her "surfer girl shirt", watching Tangled as a family, reading Olivia books, chasing Judah up the stairs, me and the kids very successfully all sleeping in one room together, stumbling on yummy coffee and ice cream and burger joints. So refreshing and beautiful.

- A late January weekend visit from Gpa Bob & Gma Lorie: swimming at the hotel, delish dinner at Good Day Cafe, fun chats. Memorable to some of these times is the way Gpa Bob carries Judah around restaurants and Karis chases them

- Karis got to ice skate for the first time, guided by master skaters Uncle Stevie & Aunt Debbie

- Trev got away in February to the men's retreat. Me and the kids filled the days with lots of play dates and treats (donut date within 20 minutes of waking up Saturday morning, lunch with friends, dinner at EPC with D & M) and early bedtimes

- Me and Judah got away to Amery, WI for a children's-leaders-team church retreat. So beautiful, and precious time with dear women. Reflecting, thanking, dining, supplicating

- Valentine's Day:  the wonderful traditional "pizza in" with Gma & Gpa and Drew & Melanie. Followed by a weekend of birthday and job celebrations (OPH, Eat Shop, and Stellas - yummy fun!) and a sleepover for Karis at the hotel (which translates - some fabulous quiet time for mommy)

- March get-away in Alexandria: Gpa Bob & Gma Lorie invited us to join them for a weekend in Alexandria. The place was gorgeous and I felt very spoiled with a birthday celebration, time to rest and get lost in a page-turner Bobby brought to share (the Invisible Thread, excellent). Memorable Judah moments are the way he plays peek-a-boo and teases, and the way he and Karis interact so hilariously (and mostly safely). Memorable Karis hilarious braved the big waterslides and got her face very wet - I even joined them on Sunday morning and was grateful to tap into my "wild side" (ha)

And now, it's already the middle of March. Which means, we're celebrating Gpa Kirk's birthday, and mine too. All month long, of course!

Oh, and we're celebrating Trevor starting a new job this week! To heighten the celebration, we got water in our basement on his first day at the new gig. He handled the mess with so much grace and composure - he's an excellent home owner and I'm always grateful to see his character shine through in those unexpected situations.

I had a revelation about him starting work, a humbling one: I was a ball of nerves his first week of work . . . . and I realized I can relate to Trev's exhaustion, etc. when I give birth. He's the one doing all the work, and I'm the anxious and spent one. Hmmm, put that into perspective for me.

I recently read this verse that made me think of this season of life. Psalm 13:5-6
"But I have trusted in Your mercy
my heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.
I will sing to the Lord,
because He has dealt bountifully with me"

Frozen

Here's another post that has been literally months-in-the-writing . . . ironically, I'm writing as I watch water drip from the window. Our eternal winter seems to be ending! Just in time for the movie Frozen to be "in our TV" (in Karis's words - she doesn't know yet that it is indeed "in our TV" thanks to Amazon Prime).

Yes, Frozen. Frozen deserves its own blog post. Frozen was a huge part of our winter: viewing the movie 3 times (Aunt Cassie, Daddy, Mommy). Frozen dance parties almost every afternoon. Frozen paraphernalia scattered around the house. Talking about Frozen at the dinner table. Pretending to be Elsa on top of the snow mountains in our front yard. Karis enters the world of Frozen with her whole heart, I watch her emulate the characters, replay scenes, sing, dance.

One of my favorite winter memories was during Epiphany, we gave Karis Epiphany gifts, one each day for a few days. On Epiphany Sunday, we came home from church and had a rushed lunch and then gave an Elsa barbie doll to Karis as her final gift. Her exclamations included, "I'm so glad it wasn't a book! This is the best day of my life! Can we have more Epiphany?!". Memorable to the max. Then ten minutes later Trev whisked Karis away to see the movie (we often don't tell Karis about "treats" until they happen, it can be a long day of "when are we going to . . . " when she knows too early).

An apt quote I read lately in Russell Baker's memoir Growing Up, said about when he was young and for Christmas received a toy steam shovel from his grandmother : "Left to her own devices, my mother, I suspect, would not have thought of such a beautiful, ingenious machine but would have given me a book".

Indeed! I mostly give Karis books. This taught me that mommy's can be fun and indulgent too, and Frozen has indeed taught me to "Let it Go" (if you're not familiar, that's a hit song from the movie). Because here's the thing - when Karis latched on to Frozen and wouldn't let go, I was a bit anxious and fearful and hesitant. We "opened the Disney door" and it seemed there was no going back (why this made me anxious, well - I guess that's another post). As the days went by, seeing her imagination thriving, and watching some of the online clips with her, I started to "get it". I started to meet her where she IS. And wow, meeting in the middle on something Karis chose to love made such a difference in our relationship. We bonded over the enjoyment of the music. We decided to try Frozen clips as an "incentive" for trying to "sleep like a big girl" and for a while Trev was back in our bed.

This is a lesson I hope to remember - "Let it Go". Let Karis choose. Meet her where she IS, love and embrace and enjoy (when the object of interest is benevolent, that is).

Taking Karis to the movie is one of my favorite memories ever . . . we woke up one cold Saturday in February and I said, "Guess where we're going this morning?". We whisked away to a morning show and I took in the whole experience: the way Karis brought a purse to match mine, wore her purple-dollar-bin crown. The way several of the children in the audience were saying, "Mom, you're gonna LOVE it" (I was in the company of other moms whose daughters had seen it before and without them). As the scenes unraveled and we immersed ourselves intensely in the story, I saw why Karis has been so captivated - because now I am, too. The story reminded me to "open the doors" in staying open in relationships, to "avoid ice-olation", to "let it go".  It reminded me that inner conflict can be difficult but that there is freedom in embracing that that there is strength in weakness.

Karis and I came back from the movie exhausted - she went and laid on the floor in the toy room (and really kind of shut down and was quite out of sorts). I felt like I couldn't possibly articulate the experience. I guess we kind of came down from the high of the ice castles and back to reality. But really, what a wonderful memory of time together. And really, those Frozen dance parties saved the winter.

And really, I have so much more I could say about Disney and Frozen: the theme of mother/daughter/parent relationships, grieving lost time while moving forward, the villainization of mothers (!). I'm going to leave some of those jumbled thoughts in my head for now.

The barista even wrote "Princess Anna" on the cup

Some outside thoughts on Frozen:

This blog post  - I think both Karis and I have some "extra", and it's good to be on this journey of learning to not be ruled by emotion (yet to feel at the same time).

This article - her way of articulating a day with children made me laugh and almost cry. And the part about not being able to really communicate with Trev in the way I'd like at the end of the day . . . well, she just put words to the momma-feelings that are part of daily life.


Some other Karis-isms: 

- "Oh I wish I could just stay in bed until winter is done"
- (after I said to Karis, "Can you just stay little forever?"): "No mommy! The thing about kids is, they grow up!"
- "Hey mom, let's send a text message to Teavana and tell them the honey stick is good in hot chocolate!"
- After I asked Karis if she'd take me to see Frozen, she said, "But mommy, I can't drive!". Then she grabbed my face and said, "Mommy, I have to tell you. There are some little shows before Frozen comes on!"
- "Mommy, can you please be a good mommy and not throw my toys and art away?" (she sees scraps in the garbage sometimes. oops)
- "Best day ever!" (a line from Tangled, which really has become a fun catch phrase around our house)
- "Mom, I have a great idea! Judah should have an 'Olaf' Birthday when he turns two!"
- "I'm going back to Arandelle" (said while on top of a snow bank and I went out to check on her)
- "The internet is a bunch of computers connected to a network"
- "Mommy, I'll pray a quick blessing over you: Father, I pray that you would give mommy peace, and joy and confidence"
- "Da-da, what are the games behind my eyes?" (we think she means dreams)
- "So, do you have any husbands?" (said to a babysitter before she left for the evening)
- "Dear Lord, I pray that daddy would put up ALL his crafts at work. And I pray that we'd live in this house forever"
- "We'll have to just see how the day goes" (think she's heard that before?)
- "Well mommy, sometimes I can't do things right away" (think she's heard that before also?)
- "Oh wow, my room is a MESS!" (um, I try not to say that!)
- "I don't like your pajamas. I don't want to spend time with you" (I've for sure never said that)
- "I have two daddies: Trevor, and my daddy in heaven" (wow, I was blown away. I later learned this was an in-depth topic at Sunday school one day, when a precious little girl was talking about how she doesn't have a daddy. Heartbreaking and beautiful at the same time . . . )

Other tidbits from here and there:

This song: Come Down, O Love Divine

In reading:

From At Large and At Small by Anne Fadiman: "One reason we have children, I think, is to experience through them the miracle of (creation): to learn that parts of ourselves we had given up for dear are merely dormant, and that the old joys can re-emerge, fresh and new and in a completely different form."

From A Step From Death by Larry Woiwode (don't even get me started on how much I loved loved loved this book):
"Up to the age of four, the loveliest age in children, when they're still wholly themselves, before the world of learning and its version of what is 'real' has had a chance to impinge--to that age you were mostly mine."

From What I Think I Did by Larry Woiwode (the paragraph that closes the book)
"It has all been gravy . . . and better, grace and gracious people put in my way, and yet more grace. I wring my hands as if washing them, wishing they were wings to lift me off in this wind streaming through me in a force I've never felt until now, or so I think, and then I think, I'm launched."

From Still Points North by Leigh Newman:
"Because talking is not always what is being said. Sometimes, there's a story underneath the words of husbands and wives - and fathers and mothers and grandmothers . . . - and, in my small, inglorious experience, regardless of how it ends, regardless of every indication that seems so emphatically to contradict it, that story is almost always a love story."

Judah is ONE (and then some)

Well, this is over 2 months late, it's been in progress since January. It feels like January here because we have snow mountains everywhere we look . . . no complaints, just saying. AND, I LOST about 1/2 of what I wrote . . . which is . . . so frustrating. Anyway, marching on. You'll have to live (rather, I will have to live) without the paragraphs of Judah updates I'd been thoughtfully compiling. Grrrrr. Not to mention, his birth story, which to me was artfully composed and I'm just not sure I can get it back. I will try. And I guess I will learn to hit "publish" faster next time!

Read on for some Judah updates, his birth story, and some classic Trevor stories . . .

My baby is ONE. Actually, my baby is over 14 months old. WHAT?! He is coming into his own, changing in so many amazing ways, lighting up the room and giving my legs and arms a complete workout every day (as his sister gives my brain and heart a complete work-over every hour, but that's its own post). This is a sweet season of life, and I do try to grasp those moments in memory of every stage and new "thing".

I can say with confidence (and a shadow of guilt) that this baby/child thing is way easier and more enjoyable the second time. You want to be held all day? Sure, I'd love to! Some nights are rough? No prob, tomorrow is a new day. You used to love bread and now you hate it? No problem, let's find something different.

We had a blast celebrating Judah's 1 year birthday right after Christmas with a "Lion of Judah" party. He sampled the cake but mostly just loved crawling around and trying to figure out what I kept putting on his head (see below).

We are beyond blessed by his precious life, sweet spirit, marshmallow mellowness. Judah, your name means "praise" and we praise God for every day that we get to spend knowing you, loving you, shepherding you, enjoying you, holding you, feeding you, walking you, watching you, savoring you.

Judah updates . . . 

- He loves for Karis to "walk" him around the house
- He "walks" around furniture like crazy, and sometimes walks around on his knees
- He melts into my arms and turns my heart to moosh
- He loves to be carried around, while sucking his thumb and watching the world go by (but if you try to sit, he squirms out of your arms)
- He loves to eat things from a fork or spoon
- He seems to love the color red
- He sleeps like a champ
- He lights up around Karis, and seems to say some version of her name
- He adores dogs, and says "wuh-wuh" and jolts his entire body
- He says "mama" and I melt
- He says "dada" adoringly and I melt
- He says "upf" as he pulls on my pant legs and I melt
- He loves our afternoon "Frozen dance parties"
- He can climb like crazy, onto chairs and other furniture
- He can zoom up the stairs like nobody's business
- He loves his thumb and pootsie blanket
- He prefers certain books, and flips them to the back every time
- He loves to put things on his head (food, washcloths, toys) and he cracks himself up when he does this
- He waves by just lifting one arm in the air
- He sometimes waves with his wrist
- He makes eyes at (and plays peek-a-boo) with anyone who will look at him when he's riding in a shopping cart
- He has "clever handwork" (according to Trevor), touching faces and eyes
- He adores his daddy'
- He loves to pound on the piano
- He loves to put things into things (balls into buckets, things like that)
- He goes and gets his stuffed puppy when you say "woof woof"
- He often cries when I leave
- He rides well in the car
- He likes to crawl around with anything in his hand, pushing the object ahead of him
- He goes by the nicknames "squishy", "Judah-rooda", and "Little"

And now, Judah's birth story . . . 

The eve of his birth found us scurrying around the cities looking at homes with my brother. A storm was a brewing outside, it was cold and dreary, which I think is how I felt too.  I'm sure we went home to scrounge leftovers from Christmas dinner. I'm sure I was crabby and tired. I'm sure I went to bed early. I remember being anxious about the "when's and what if's" of Judah's birth arrival. I remember my cousin was supposed to stay with us on her way through town (ironically, she was in town when K was born) but she passed through to beat the storm.

I remember waking up at 4:30am with an oddly familiar feeling of my water breaking. No, that can't be it, go back to sleep. Oh, there it is again, yes my water broke. Lay in bed and google search: "it can take several hours for strong contractions to start".

4:40am,  contractions are strong and 7 minutes apart. Call brother.

Call midwife. Wait for midwife to call back. Have more strong contractions.

Call midwife again. Call brother again. Midwife calls back, it's my favorite midwife. YAY, she might deliver my baby. Midwife: "I am so, so, so sorry to tell you this" (I'm thinking she's going off her shift) "but we're full. Our sister hospital is full. We have to divert you to Fairview at U of M. But don't worry, I know the midwives there, you'll be in great hands! I told them you go fast, they'll be ready."

Excuse me?! We now have to drive across town, in a snowstorm, in heavy labor to a place we've never been. Okay, here we go.

5:00am, shower, wait for brother (bless you, brother!)

5:30, write Karis a note. Bawl my eyes out: "I'm not going to get to see my baby girl before I meet my new baby! Life is going to change . . .

5:45, hit the road Jack. Drive in snow, contract often, shoot off texts to friends and family. Get excited.

6:15, Trevor pulls up to the hospital and ditches his car to escort me to the maternity ward. Limp through the mostly quiet halls in (wet) capri sweatpants and winter coat. Refuse offers for wheelchair. Receive sympathetic looks from people on the elevator.

Trevor: "Can I go move my car?"
Me: "I think so, but hurry!"

6:30, they're ready for me and I get to the room right away, meet the lovely midwife Ann and nurses (2 of them, both named Mary). I get down to business on my hands and knees on the floor.

6:40, Trevor returns.
6:42, Trevor leaves to get coffee (see below stories for more info on this)
6:55, Trevor returns with coffee and helps me answer all the registrar's bazillion questions (they needed every single piece of info from me for their records, good grief)

Labor, labor, labor. Talk to nurses. Go to the bathroom. Watch Trevor drink his coffee. Labor, labor, labor.

8:40, feel sick, start sweating, say "I think I'm in transition!". Midwife confirms: "Get her on the bed!". Enter MORE nurses, another midwife for a shift change . . . none of whom I can see because I'm still on my hands and knees with my head in a stack of pillows.

Experience pain like I've never felt (ring of fire "rings true").  Push a couple times, think, "I cannot push any more".

Trevor tells me I then said, "THIS IS IT!", and it was - JUDAH, THERE YOU ARE!

Yes, it was fast. Yes, it was a bit furious. Yes, it was one of the best moments of my life. Yes, I am crying as I write this.

Judah came to my chest and the world disappeared. My mellow man melted into me and my life will never be the same because he is in it. We nursed, he got his vitals and first bath (no crying - mellow man). Trevor continued to sip his coffee.

The nurses and midwives were stunning, they basically left me alone and I felt like I might as well been in a cabin in the woods (well, until I needed stitches). I'm so grateful, so, so, so, so grateful.

The rest of the day was a blessed blur (see below for some Trev stories). Brother brought Karis, be still my soul to watch her hold her brother! She still loves to talk about that day: "I woke up and when I said 'mommy, mommy' DREW came in! I got a lot of bacon, we watched Goofy, and painted!". Not to mention, he took her to MOA, slept at our house, took her to Chipotle. Oh brother, thank you. And oh Melanie, we missed you but were so glad to come home and see you the next day, the way you mooshed Judah and loved on him . . . thank you.

And Trevor, you are my rock and my knight, and all around the best friend and husband and father and I can't imagine these memories without you there in each one.

We savored those first family visits: Uncle Drew with Karis, Aunt Debbie, Uncle Taylor.

We savored the delights of unlimited hospital cafeteria goodies.

We slept (by "we", I mean Trevor).

We got poked and prodded (by "we", I mean me and Judah).

We got told by a night-nurse (by "we", I mean me): "You're nursing him too much, he'll think you're his pacifier and you'll get exhausted". Maybe true, but I sure didn't care.

We wanted to get home as soon as possible (Karis, we missed you so much!), and the next day was full of all those lovely tests and requirements, and strange looks of "WHY do you want to go home so fast?!".

All the good memories rise to the top, the ones of night sweats, sitz baths, and other things too private to write . . . well, those memories do fade. I guess that's why people keep having children, right?!

We got home with 30-hour-old Judah just after K went down for her nap, we slept (by "we", I mean Trevor and Judah), Melanie mooshed on Judah. We got Pizza Luce and were elated to welcome Jordan and Cassie for a birthday party. Cassie mooshed on Judah and I'm sure Trevor made everyone else hold him.

We celebrated New Year's at home (of course), we relished the visits and spoilings from parents and friends (oh that blissed state of the "newborn excuse" for letting everything go - cooking, cleaning, leaving the house).

And oh yeah, then we decided to go ahead and try to get a new house. Thanking God today for all these massive blessings, and praying to be aware of generous with the responsibility of it all.

So, after "re-writing" after all that, I'm now watching Trevor and Karis tromp around in the snow in our backyard, listening to stellar Pandora station, thankful for the chance to re-live everything again during this quiet hour. It all works out.

Some humor . . . 

A friend recently sent me a link to "things husbands pull while their wives are in labor", and wouldn't you know, Trevor "pulled" 3 of them (one of them at both births). Read on . . . 

There was when Karis was born . . .  I'm having contractions on top of each other, and think I have to use the bathroom, but really what was happening was that I needed to start pushing. There was no midwife in the room, I stumble in complete pain to the bathroom, and Trevor decides he needs to go get a cup of coffee! At which point I screamed, "I can't not push!" and within 15 minutes we met Karis. There was also that part where he got a migraine the first day we were home with her (bummer dude, birth is legitimately hard on the hubs!).

In labor with Judah, Trevor (remembering the coffee he DIDN'T get before K was born) left to get coffee pretty much right after we got to the room. This was when we were at a new hospital (our hospital was full and so we were diverted to somewhere we'd never been) and I was on the floor working through contractions AND trying to answer the millions of questions from the registrar. So, he sipped his coffee while helping me answer the questions. 

But the BEST was that after Judah was born, we moved to our overnight room . . . I'm in a wheelchair, holding Judah . . . we get to the room and Trevor finds the roll-away cot, collapses, and says, "I'm EXHAUSTED!". Yes, I had just given birth and was, let's say, not feeling very comfortable in that wheelchair. 

THEN, after a very full night of sleep that night (I know because I was UP and watched him sleep!), he woke up the next morning: "My back is KILLING me". 

Oh Trevor, I'm laughing as I write this. I'm glad for the stories, I love who you are. 

I love being on this family journey with you, Trevor - and with our children. 

First comes Marriage, then comes . . . ???

This month has been busy and blessed, I can hardly keep track of the stories and events. This post will be dedicated to the theme of weddings - in chronological order. And the updates and Karis-isms at the end are already dated, I started writing this over 2 weeks ago . . .

Karis's Wedding:

Karis had a play date with her "besties" one Tuesday afternoon, during which she and Everett somehow decided to get married. As it happened, Everett and Marissa were due to come over for dinner the following day, so Karis decided that would be a great day for the wedding. I had no idea what we were in for when she laid out the wedding clothes the night before (flower girl dress for her, white polo shirt for Everett). The next morning began a full day of wedding planning, which involved:

- Washing hair with mommy's shampoo
- painting fingernails during Judah's morning nap
- Bringing the clothes downstairs
- Decorating the family room
- Setting out the Bible and arranging a sitting stool for "Pastor Trevor"
- Planning the wedding feast (buttered noodles, donut holes for dessert)
- Choosing a dance song ("Little Drummer Boy")
- Making the toy room the "golf course" (reception location)
- Choosing me to be the bridesmaid and photographer, Marissa to be the flower girl
- Making a bouquet
- Setting the table

For real, this was an all day, all-consuming world of imagination. Sadly, I didn't properly prepare Karis that Everett might not be as excited as she was . . . and so when he arrived, she asked over and over if he was ready to get married and he was more into the stuff in the toy room. I did corral the kids to the "fireplace altar" for a quick ceremony that involved singing the doxology and then shuffling everyone to the wedding feast.

To be honest, I could tell Karis was sad. She was quiet that night and didn't talk anymore about the wedding. Sigh, how I wish I could protect her always.

She does often say now, "Marissa says I'm her best friend, and Everett says he loves me". It's such a joy to have friends with whom there is mutual admiration, between moms and dads and kids. We are blessed.

A few weeks later, out of the blue, Karis informed that "Mom, singing one song is NOT a ceremony". There is no fooling this girl.

Brother's Engagement: 

Not even 3 days later, we were thrilled to celebrate Uncle Tay & Aunt Kate's engagement! What a gift to have a growing family in such beautiful ways. Trevor and I snuck out after the kids were in bed to attend the surprise engagement party at Pracna on Main. Besides me forgetting my ID, the night was magical, young love is so invigorating and it was a gift to watch their two worlds get together and share the joy. Kate, we're so excited for you to be a Pope.

Which leads to . . .

Flower Girl (to be or not to be, that is the question): 

We were blessed to have most of this area's family join us to watch Karis's preschool Christmas program. Adorable, of course. But relevant here is this: after the show, Karis found us all and was clearly a bit overwhelmed. Kate and Tay pulled Karis aside, knelt down, presented her with flowers and asked her to be their flower girl. Karis - repeatedly - answered "no". Oh goodness. What?! She loves being a flower girl, and even coyly asked Kate the weekend before if she has one (you know, "not that I want to be it or anything - just wondering"). !!!!! Komplicated Karis, as my mom says.

And one more event to record, before the Christmas and Birthday Boy post to follow . . .

Girls'/Guys' Weekend:

Trev and Drew headed to ND for a mid-December duck hunt (read: guy time). So "Aunt" Sarah (really a cousin, but we call her and her sisters aunts) and Aunt Cassie came to spend the weekend here. Bliss! We enjoyed a girls gathering pizza party here, and on Saturday the beloved women in Karis's life loved on her while I stayed home and took care of a barfing baby boy (sad! short lived, thankfully). Aunts Melanie and Sarah took her shopping and to Chipotle, and then delivered her to the "theodore" (Karis speak for "theater")  to view Frozen with Aunt Cassie. This was a life changing event, and I have listened to hours of Frozen talk since. We then all met up at IKEA for dinner, a memorable and marvelous weekend.

Lastly, some outdated updates!

Karis-isms:
- "So, when you come to someone's house do you sometimes bring presents? I don't want one, I was just wondering" (said to Aunt Cassie upon her arrival to our house)
- "So, do you sometimes serve snacks when people come to your house?" (said at a friend's home, asked of the mom hosting us)
- "So, do you have a flower girl?" (said to Aunt Kate, a few days before she rejected the idea. Komplicated)
- "Mom, singing one song is NOT a ceremony" (I cannot trick this girl with anything)
- "Mom, let me tell you another story of the prodigal son"
- "I was thinking me and Judah could be best friends"
- "Summer is my favorite season. When will it be summer?"
- "I wish I could be a mommy. I wish I could do whatever I wanted to do" (yes Karis, it's the best being a mommy, I'm glad you can see that)
- "Mommy, do you know what my favorite amimal (sic) is? Elves. I love elves"
- "Should we all just drip off to sleep?"
- "So, what are my options?"

Judah updates:
- He loves to crawl around with something, anything in his hand: favorites are a play microphone, a remote, one of Karis's fuzzy pink boots
- He adores his "pootsie blankets", small blankets with polka dots on one side, burp cloth material on the other, and ties on the ends. He immediately puts his thumb in his mouth when holding the blanket, and this small thing is necessary for his sleep
- He kicks like a frog when he's excited. Many things make him excited, including looking at Trevor (or anyone) at the dinner table, seeing anyone come in the door, seeing an animal or another baby
- He wants to be where the action is, and if he sees kids playing he scoots as fast as he can over to them
- He still scoots on his belly, crossing his legs and practically getting into the air as he army crawls around. He has shown us the ability to crawl on all fours and is using that method more and more (especially when any kind of animal is in sight)
- He still goes by the nickname of "squishy"
- He loves to go for the stairs and can get up at least two until I find him and bring him to safety. He will go from anywhere I put him and scoot to the stairs as quick as he can
- He loves to flip to the back of board books (little interest for what's inside)
- He loves to crawl around with something in his hand. The object obsession changes, lately it was a hairbrush (anyone know the song "Oh Where is My Hairbrush?")
- He had his first barf, which is actually quite a relief. It was short lived and he was happy as can be right after spilling his stomach's contents all over my clothes and then taking a long nap (for the record, this all happened before 7am, when we had guests here . . . and Karis laughed when I got vomited on)
- He can climb a full set of stairs (supervised, of course). He LIVES for doing this, and bee lines for stairs anywhere he is. He also melts down when we put up the gate.
- He kind of barks at dogs. When he sees one, he does this "woo - woo" sound and his body jerks in correlation with the "woo"

Good Thing . . . or "Let it Go, Let it Go, Let it Go"

I'm writing this because I should be packing. I should also be sleeping - the week ended in me getting sick. Blessedly, K was in preschool and Judah took awesome naps . . . and I feel well enough to do what needs to get done to pack up.

Karis got up this morning and I told her it was going to be our special Christmas as a little family.  It ended up as running errands (which she loved - Sam's club had cream puffs, bubble water, and Despicable Me 2 on the TVs), her playing outside with our neighbor's granddaughter, Trevor shoveling, me procrastinating & laundering & mommy-ing. I told Karis we'd have a special dinner, like, maybe Potbelly's (HA) or frozen pizza (double HA). It ended up being "clean out the fridge/freezer". Even Trevor said, "Wow, that looks like clean-out-the-freezer stroganoff".

Before dinner, we watched the Veggie Tales version of Little Drummer Boy - that song continues to be my favorite this season, I'm amazed at how God does smile at any gifts we have to offer Him, He wants US, He delights in each of us. The song makes me think about Judah and the words "then He smiled at me" makes me think of the delights that baby smiles bring and what baby Jesus' smile must have looked like.

This year, I look at Judah, who we hadn't even met a year ago, and I'm so thankful for this gift we've been given. I watch Karis delight in the tree and the lights and wearing her zebra dress to church . . . This is a special Christmas indeed and we did have a fun day and I'm beyond blessed to keep discovering what the culture of our little family evolves into.

A memorable Karis-ism was tonight during "Advent by dim-light devotion time", we were talking about David and Goliath, and she and Trev had a little disagreement about whether he used a sling or a slingshot. Trev was not backing down, and Karis very wisely said, "Well, you can call it a sling and I'll call it a slingshot". Well said.

And, as it turns out, there is the "not to do" list, and then there is the "do later" list. The things that didn't get done before Christmas - "Let it go, Let it go, Let it go". As we like to say around here, "GOOD THING . . . "

Good thing we can make spritz cookies later

Good thing Uncle Ken gave us these so we can still fulfill the sugar craving (do you see the box of Cheerios on the table? It's a permanent table decoration. And the flowers have a story for later.)

Good thing Christmas time will come again and we can hang this somewhere next year

Good thing Sam's Club is so festive and fun

Good thing these kids are just so . . . everything!

Good thing it's bedtime.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Please stay tuned for some big news that involves weddings. One real, one imagined . . .

Fa blah blah blah blah

Warning: bah-humbug post ahead . . . positive updates to come . . . later. As I write, we have a low level sick-something-ness lurking in our house and I'm willing it away by eating cookie-mint ice cream and reflecting on some choices from the last week.

A couple years ago I read a great blog post about a "not to do list". On it, I put many things, including:

- Piddly craft projects (I long got over my insecurity at being a non-crafty mom)
- Sewing
- Roll out cookies
- Elaborate gardening

I am loving the liberation that comes from deciding I don't have to do it all - I don't have to do anything. I'm all about "being" (in theory - I DO love to DO also).

Since Advent is a crazy season with all sorts of "extra" things to do, I decided it would be a great time to do several things that I don't enjoy doing (please detect sarcasm). Like, piddly craft projects and roll out cookies. Some pictures below. Self inflicted torture is a great way to celebrate the anticipation of Christ. Oh, and don't forget the extra shopping (also something I don't enjoy) and the extra (self-inflicted) pressure of using all the awesome coupons that come out this time of year: Kohl's cash! Hallmark $5 off! $10 off at JCPenney! Free lip gloss at Bath and Body Works! These places are tricky. Or I am gullible and compulsive.

Sometimes I can exercise self control, discretion and wisdom - and turn away from these impulses.

Other times, I cannot. I am calling these moments "blahs" and I have several from the past week alone.

Blah number one: I become overwhelmed with the compulsion to make a lion mask craft for Judah's 1 year "Lion of Judah" party:

For all the time they took (cutting construction paper, curling it around a pen, gluing 2 rows of strips, cutting circles in the paper plates, taping sticks to the plates), they are not that cute.  I thought of these as an investment, if I'm careful they can last for a few birthdays, until Judah is old enough to say, "Puh-lease. NOT another lion party!"

How about this blah, using the cake ball mix that was given to us (which had, I kid you not, 18 steps - gave up at the point of needing to insert a stick into the unmentionable part of a gingerbread person who was small and hard to cut out anyway). I named these "cake blobs" (Karis called them "lick pops"):

The next blah I signed up for, making gingerbread men for church. It's for the children! Trevor left the house this morning to a frustrated me lamenting my lack of roll-out-cookie skills. He gently suggested I use more flour. WHY is he always right?! I hope the children don't mind burnt hands and broken feet:

They DID make the house smell so yummy. AND, they prompted this post. AND we got to have "tea Tuesday" with the casualties.

Yes, that's a popsicle with the tea and cookie. Consumed at 10:30 am, right after coming in from playing in the snow. Good memories.

By the way, LOVE this quote: "The scope for failure in the last step alone [of baking bread] is so great that in every society in which bread has featured, baking has been turned over to professionals from the earliest stages."
- Bill Bryson in At Home

Let's remember the need to make family holiday memories, which leads to another blah: going out in below zero weather in bad traffic approaching bedtime . . . to use a great coupon for Don Pablo's. You know, because going to sit down restaurants with kids at this age is always soooooo delightful. I think I maybe tasted the enchilada a little bit and Karis ate maybe two bites of her hamburger. Double blah that night was going to Bed Bath & Beyond to get re-usable K-cups with a coupon and a gift card that I had . . . and forgetting to use the gift card.

I'm wondering if it means anything that our Advent wreath is sitting empty on my table? I DID try to find taper candles (and then Trevor gently reminded me that Amazon Prime is a useful tool that I should use more often).

For the record, I DID use the Kohl's cash, and that was my last blah - I ended up misunderstanding the price of some Godiva chocolates and what I thought would ring up as "free" rang up as $17. So, I was THAT crazy coupon mom who asked the nice lady to undo the transaction and ring up only as much as would use up the Kohl's cash. She was gracious but I know she was trying. As were those in the line behind me.

I'm done, for now. And I'm smiling, really I am. I think this is all funny and growing and . . . from now until Christmas maybe I'll deny all the extras and instead read Mr. Willowby's Christmas one.more.time.

Baby Jesus, thank you for being born! Thank for this season when I can laugh and learn and that these things are all humorous and that my life is really this simple right now. Thank you for my children who are joining the journey and teaching me so much about living in the moment, embracing the burnt cookies, dancing around with lion masks, doing Advent reflections in dim light instead of candlelight. I am blessed and grateful.

And to end on some more positive notes:

Some random media: 

This is a good one

And so is this

Here are some more Advent songs, by a gal with whom we went to high school

And just because, this is the cutest thing. Judah is obsessed with this hairbrush and it's cracking me up. Gives new meaning to the Veggie Tales song "Oh Where is my Hairbrush". By the way, don't judge me, the socks fall off, okay?:

Giving Thanks . . . and Plunging into Advent

We just returned from an epic and exciting stay in Bismarck . . . and I know if I don't sit down and write some of the memorable moments and quotables, they will be lost and forgotten. This is a long one, buckle up.

The events and other happenings we enjoyed:
- My childhood/high school best friend's (sister, really) wedding. Blast from the past in so many ways,  and I was honored to be there. This also counted as a date night, which was so wonderful
- Thanksgiving feasts and gatherings with "both sides"
- Meeting a dear friend from college a couple times
- Having a date night that included two local restaurants and a dinner shared with brother J & sister C
- Going to cousin Courtney's basketball game
- Doing the Holiday Home Walk with my mom, grandma, and cousins. Followed by Perkins, always a treat
- Going through boxes of my childhood "stuff". Another throwback, and fun to pull out pictures to show Karis ("You look different!")
- Filling two homes with all our stuff, and knowing that our presence is so welcome and embraced
- Watching Karis get ready for and then return from the Turkey Trot
- Trevor got to hunt twice
- Watching Karis cook with both her grandmas
- Going shopping with Karis and my grandma
- Getting to know Marco, and enjoying my brother and sister-in-law's "first married holiday" with them. So fun
- Celebrating Grandma Carole's 80th birthday party at Peacock Alley . . .watching Karis love on the other great-grandchildren

One of the things I love about being in Bismarck is that our loved ones enjoy my children just as much (and sometimes more) than I do. I can gush about all the details of our daily lives (even more than I do here), and they are delighted to listen (not that others aren't, but you know what I'm saying). Family is precious, so very very precious. I'm grateful for many memories made to store away . . .  

Okay, Thanksgiving is now a memory, are you ready for Advent? 

We're in the thick of Advent season here. I was telling Trevor last night that as I think about it, this season becomes a somber one for me in many ways. It's a time of year when I feel increased amounts of anxiety - the ugly side of perfectionism and people-pleasing presents itself. And yet, when I think about that, what a "perfect" time to pray, to submit to my need for Jesus. For baby Jesus. To know that God's strength IS made perfect in weakness. That this can be a time of drawing near to Him. I'm thankful. I'm including a link below to some info about how the Eastern Orthodox church (and others) practice fasting during Advent. That reminds me that yes, this can be a somber time of reflection, and a true anticipation for feasting at Christmas, for rejoicing in Jesus's birth. The link below to "O Come O Come Emmanuel" is sung by a woman in our small group . . . I think it reflects the idea of fasting well, a tune in the minor chords with words that cry out for the coming of Christ. And the link to the "Drummer Boy" song I think is also powerful - sung a capella, and such an image of the gifts we bring to the altar. This morning I danced with Judah while listening to it and was a blubbering mess - thinking about a year ago and waiting for this little boy who is now such an intricate part of our lives. I'm amazed at how God delights in our offerings. Like the drummer boy, what do we have to give him? It occurs to me that He wants nothing and everything at the same time - none of our performance, all of our hearts.

Emmanuel

Drummer Boy

Advent (Nativity) Fast

And last, here's an Advent blessing that our church is praying this month (specifically for children): 

A Blessing for Advent

May you know the Son of God 

who came to demonstrate 

the love of the Father

May you believe the Son of God 

who came to be 

the Savior of the world

May you receive the Son of God 

who came to give 

you eternal life in His Spirit

1John 4-5

Karis-isms:
- I asked Karis what she wanted to chat about in the car one day, her reply was, "I want to chat about where babies come out of mommies"
- after Judah bit me while nursing, I told Karis I needed wisdom to figure out how to help that situation, her reply: "Mommy, I know how you could fix Judah's biting! You can teach him how to drink out of a baby bottle". Oh Karis, you are really almost always right
- "Sometimes, when I go 2, it startles me" (crude to report here, but true. Said while actually going - it was actually pretty cute)
- "Well, sometimes you scream at me" (said in front of both grandma's, who graciously told Karis that all mommies do that sometimes. And to which I reply, "Yes, I raised my voice . . . and I don't always make the right choices . . . and next time when I feel really frustrated I'm going to go outside". Yes, we are growing together here)
- "Here are the constructions" (which means, "instructions")
- "Let's play homemade!" (which means, "Old Maid", the card game)
- "I really, really want a Jeep for Christmas"
- "What's Judah wearing" (she likes to dress as closely as possible to him, especially for pajamas)
- "I'm building Bethlehem!" (with her "little people" nativity)
- "Mom, the tree is bending just like in the book!" (comparing our tree to Charlie Brown's. ha)
- "I have to go marry Everett at 7" (said as she laid out her wedding clothes - appropriately, all white. This is a separate blog post in the works)
- "Mommy, let's go in the maze!" (she makes mazes in the snow, and then I follow her around)
- "Mommy, let's go to the jungle!" (which is a corner of our yard with a big evergreen. She shows me the rhinos)


Judah updates: 
- He pulls up to standing on furniture, and is even taking some steps toward the furniture
- He got his two front teeth as an early Christmas present. Grand total now is 4
- He bites me sometimes while nursing. And then he laughs. He thinks this is a great game. Oh boy.
- He goes for outlets and cords and other dangerous things. I redirect him, and now he turns right back with gusto to get into the thing I just took him away from
- He LOVES the newest member to the Pandolfo family, puppy Marco Polo.  He talks to him in excited voices and his whole body goes electric
- He continues to chatter at dinner time, grasping for eye contact and interaction with Trevor
- He's eating most foods, and Karis is so kind to share with him. He loves to feed himself, and will only take food from a spoon as long as he also has something he can put in his mouth with his hands
- He pulls off his socks on every single car ride
- He is pure delight

In reading: 

From Two Part Invention by Madeleine L'Engle:
"For the human being to live is to live with the open risk of failure.
Being parents is a risk."

From Daring Greatly by Brene Brown:
"Wholehearted parenting is not about having it all figured out and passing it down - it's learning and exploring together . . . and there are times when children are way ahead of us on the journy, either waiting for me or reaching back to pull us along"

"Somewhere buried deep inside our hopes and fears for our children is the terrifying truth that there is no such thing as perfect parenting and there are no guarantees"

". . . the question isn't so much 'are you parenting the right way' as it is: 'are you the adult that you want your child to grow up to be'"

Psalm 31:24
"Be of good courage and He shall strengthen your heart, all you hope in the Lord"

Karis is loving the Christmas books we reserved from the library . . . Mr Willowby's Christmas Tree, Little One We Knew You'd Come,  Bear Stayed Up, Charlie Brown's Christmas, Room for a Little One, The Mitten

Judah ripping it up at the library . . . he can really tear a place apart,  I appreciate his curiosity