To My Child

I didn't write this, but I love it:

To My Child


Just for this morning, I am going to smile when I see your face and laugh when I feel like crying.

Just for this morning, I will let you choose what you want to wear, and smile and say how perfect it is.

Just for this morning, I am going to step over the laundry, and pick you up and take you to the park to play.

Just for this morning, I will leave the dishes in the sink, and let you teach me how to put that puzzle of yours together.

Just for this afternoon, I will unplug the telephone and keep the computer off, and sit with you in the backyard and blow bubbles.

Just for this afternoon, I will not yell once, not even a tiny grumble when you scream and whine for the ice cream truck, and I will buy you one if he comes by.

Just for this afternoon, I won't worry about what you are going to be when you grow up, or second guess every decision I have made where you are concerned.

Just for this afternoon, I will let you help me bake cookies, and I won't stand over you trying to fix them.

Just for this afternoon, I will take us to McDonald's and buy us both a Happy Meal so you can have both toys.

Just for this evening, I will hold you in my arms and tell you a story about how you were born and how much I love you.

Just for this evening, I will let you splash in the tub and not get angry.

Just for this evening, I will let you stay up late while we sit on the porch and count all the stars.

Just for this evening, I will snuggle beside you for hours, and miss my favorite TV shows.

Just for this evening when I run my finger through your hair as you pray, I will simply be grateful that God has given me the greatest gift ever given.

I will think about the mothers and fathers who are searching for their missing children, the mothers and fathers who are visiting their children's graves instead of their bedrooms, and mothers and fathers who are in hospital rooms watching their children suffer senselessly, and screaming inside that they can't handle it anymore.

And when I kiss you goodnight I will hold you a little tighter, a little longer. It is then, that I will thank God for you, and ask him for nothing, except one more day.

Why did the chicken cross the road?

To get to her bus stop, of course!! :) E got to wear her costume to school today for their Halloween parade and party.
I don't think I've ever seen a chicken actually cross a road before, so this was a real treat for me. I would have posted an action "in the road" shot, but it came out blurry.




Also in Sheeran news: K and I are totally sick. Probably the flu since we have fevers, coughs, body aches and chills. I feel pretty lousy and have had a constant headache for 12 hours now, despite multiple doses of medicine. You know when you are just dying to feel normal again? That's how I feel right now. If I wake up tomorrow feeling great, I'll be the happiest girl in the world.

Stupid Halloween

I'll be brutally honest: I don't like Halloween. It's pointless. Yes, the kids get to dress up, but my girls do every day. And what is it really for? It's far and away the most confused "holiday" of the year. People decorate their houses with fake skeletons, bats, spiders, and pumpkins cut into pieces, then get dressed up as random characters from t.v. shows or movies and wear the skimpiest material known to man out in 40 degree weather to go collect free candy. ??? So in the spirit of things (get it??), K will be a giant chicken and E will be Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz. Maybe I'll have some fun by putting a sign on K that says "I'm an unhealthy over-fed, genetically modified future chicken nugget." :) At least I'd get some enjoyment out of Halloween that way. I'll then send them out into the freezing cold with D to collect their candy that I will eventually throw away.
Meanwhile, I'll be answering the doorbell every two minutes while Scout barks NON-STOP, handing out candy to kids who always ask "Why can't we have three?!?!" I don't care if I sound like a grump when I say this: I hope it rains on Halloween.
On another note, we had beautiful weather over the weekend. Here are some pictures of the girls riding their bikes in the driveway. :)

Video of K dancing

I love watching my babies dance. :) They're cute.

For Danielle

I didn't take the picture from the front, because that would be too obvious. :) But that's a giant inflatable on their lawn. The truck shows scale.

***picture removed***

(sigh)

Feeling a bit stretched thin. I found myself looking for houses in Montana, just so I could look at their views.
Click here to view one of my favorites: Montana house

I can just smell the air there. Kind of sweet and cold.

Or this one: Montana house 2

Can you imagine looking out your family room window and seeing that?

Suburbia is yucky. You forget about the REAL world. You forget that without subdivisions and malls the size of small towns, our country can actually be beautiful. Our town has great things for our kids, including an excellent park district, lots of friends close by, and decent schools. But I miss seeing nature. It's deadening. The most "natural" things you'll find here are the landscaped berms in front of Walmart.

We need a vacation from the suburbs. Away from the giant inflatable Halloween display on our neighbor's lawn. Good lord that is the ugliest, stupidest thing I have EVER seen.

K in 2006

Another oldie, this time just from 2006 (K). I love her eyes...can you tell? Click on them to see them bigger. :)

D

E had her kindergarten picture taken yesterday. We obviously won't see it for awhile, so instead of her picture, here is D's kindergarten picture:



If I saw this child on a street, I would abduct him.