The Play's the Thing

The day has at long last arrived. Despite Big E.'s confidence that the day was coming, I will honestly tell you that I didn't believe to be possible.

I remember the first day it happened with Mermaid Princess and Flash. She had just turned three; he was a 21 months old. It was a Saturday morning. I had grabbed an old washcloth and some cleaning solution to see how many cabinets I could wipe down before the calls for me to settle a hair-pulling offense echoed from upstairs. As I wiped down the last cabinet, my eyes welled with tears as I suddenly realized, "They are playing together... happily, joyfully playing together. They might actually grow up to LIKE one another."

In the fort we built today, companionably reading.

Yesterday is the day JackJack joined the Chambers Playtime Club. All three kids played together for ONE HOUR yesterday morning without needing mommy to settle the issue of who gets the blue block.

Honestly, I thought it was fluke. Perhaps caused by sunspots or the timing of the moon. But no, such joy was repeated today, replete with reams of giggles.

And of course, I was so stunned, I failed to get a picture of the three of them. Forgive me for my surprise - it has taken us a long time to get over JackJack's celiac-inspired temper, and no one more so than Flash. I am so proud of him for choosing to forgive his little brother and decide to take the guy under his wing instead.


I will give an immense amount of credit for their general pleasure in each other's company to the book Siblings Without Rivalry, the parenting book that has most contributed to our children getting along. The info in it is not intuitive whatsoever. I just about fell over the first time I tried one of their techniques and it worked.

T-Rex-iffic

Love languages are one of my favorite relationship tools. Someday, perhaps I'll post on how reading The Five Love Languages rescued our courtship and moved this very wary girl towards marrying her Prince Charming.

It has been equally useful as a parenting tool... it's too early to know just yet which language fills JackJack's little heart, but Flash is almost entirely Physical Touch. Without his 10 minute snuggle to start the day (with one or two more snuggles throughout the day), he changes from a tender-hearted soul into the most ornery, whiny rascal in the house.

Flash getting his snuggle quotient filled by Daddy.

Mermaid Princess takes after her Granny - she is Quality Time through and through. Doesn't much matter what we do together as long as she has me all to herself. Planting pumpkins, playing monopoly, coloring pictures, or just going for a walk - she just needs me all to herself for a while. That's a tall order with three kids born back to back, but it is totally worth it.

I've taken to spending one on one time with each of the big kids on alternating days while JackJack naps. I'll keep you posted on how it goes. My first day of one on one time with Flash saw us finally tackling his birthday project:

Flash couldn't come up with a name.

So, I put a flower in her ear and named her Tyra.

Tyra lasted until Daddy started using her parts for an archeological hunt in the back yard. It seemed like a fair demise for a dinosaur that started out as bones. I just hope we recover all her pieces. It doesn't befit a woman of her dignity to have her leg left out under the azaleas.

The MF of the MP

Or: the Many Faces of the Mermaid Princess. Here are two of my recent favorites:

Here you can just see her freckles starting to emerge.
Sorry kiddo - I've kept you sunscreened as much as I can, but I'm afraid genetics are going to win on this one!

I'm not sure exactly what she's dressed for here, but clearly every evidence of authority will be needed: samurai sword, rapier, headlamp and lifeguard's whistle.
And a trusty sidekick.

Popular Popsicles

Doesn't this just say "summer" all over?

Fare thee well

This post is way overdue.

Partly, I think, because I'm still in denial that Amy has really moved away. Double denial since she moved to a home around the corner from my brother-in-law. Somehow, this seems unfair to me - that my in-laws should be so close and not even care, while I am now far and care tremendously.

The morning of our surprise trip to Kings Dominion
Amy is third from the left.

I have had many friends in my life (and been one) that helped me justify whatever course of action I have taken or wanted to take. There is a time and place for that, but in my case, the kind of friends I really need are the ones who say, "Hmmm... I think you have the wrong perspective on that." (I get my perspective out of whack quite a lot.)

Final photo from that very long, very fun day

Amy has been this kind of friend. She wants what's truly best for me, even when it isn't what I want for me. She is a great mom, a great wife, and a very real person. I love being with Amy because she gets that I'm a work-in-progress and it's good with her, because she's a work-in-progress too.

(On a side note, we got our husbands' together just 10 days before they moved. And Big E. must have said 10 times in the next 3 days, "Man, that stinks that they're moving. I really like that guy.")

Amy, I'm trusting God that He will provide the means and the motivation to keep us connected. Thank you for your prayers over our family and know that we have you covered too!

Overwhelmed... the good way

Thank you. Whoever you are, thank you. What you provided for us made all the difference between scrambling over every decision and actually having a weekend away with my sweet husband.

No, we didn't get a puppy. Those in the know will know.

Our family has been the recipients of so many gracious gifts in the past year. Aargh! Even as I type this, my eyes are welling up again as I think of all the generosity that has been lavished on us.

My friend who suddenly pieced together that I hadn't bought clothes for myself for a year and ran out to get me a few pieces to get me through the season.

The friend who so lovingly handed down bags and bags of beautiful clothes for my boys (Flash and JackJack have the best collection of pajamas ever collected in the free world, I'm convinced).

My sister and her husband who have lovingly provided the little gifts that restore the spirit when the going gets tough.

Our church family who has provided the resources for us to educate our children (the big kids are both reading, by the way! JackJack insists he can too, but his comprehension skills are not quite there.)

The friend who booked me a spot at the salon with her fabulous hairdresser to provide a restoration of the body AND the spirit. I promise I'll go soon!

To my MOPS family who spoiled my children incredibly at Christmas and made a Christmas tree possible.

The owner of Wild Wings who has stopped by and dropped off dinner to us on occasion, just to help out.

And my parents and in-laws who have been supportive in every imaginable way.

I have said to Big E. over and over again - I should write a book about being the wife of an entrepreneur, so that every family who has made this choice can be prepared and know that they are not the only ones who have traveled this path. And so that they too can be open to being blessed.

I've realized that we all want to be part of a village - but I have learned this past year that villages only truly come together when someone needs help and the rest of the village can rally to their side.

To each and every family, woman, and prayer partner who has rallied to our side... thank you. You have made a kingdom difference in our lives. The joy is: we are not indebted to you.

But boy, we are so grateful for your love.

Bouquet Display

I am not much of a cut-flower person. I'm terrible about remembering to change their water, and I really don't like watching them slowly die -- perhaps my failure to change the water is an attempt to bring on a sudden demise instead of a lingering decay?

Anyway, Big E. learned long ago that bringing me flowers wasn't going to make me swoon the same way that a cup of Starbucks or a new book can and he quickly and wisely changed tactics.

I can tell you that today, I received the first bouquet I have ever swooned over:

Flash and Mermaid Princess put it together themselves. It didn't cost them a penny, but it cost me my heart all over again. It won't last until morning; I am seriously considering getting beautiful prints made to frame so I will always remember the joy of this gift.

Dandelions have never been so beautiful.