Hannah Really Hangs Out

We were invited to attend a family get together during Memorial Weekend. It was not our family, but close friends that have let us camp with them several times during Memorial weekend. Actually, I am really not sure they don't know we are NOT family, because we are always included in everything and greeted with many a hug. Besides there are so many cousins, aunts, uncles, great aunts, more cousins, etc. that they probably just think we are distant relatives. Isaac might actually think we are related too, as I have told him several times that Hannah and Katelyn are not our cousins.

I was not actually present to witness this wild event, so I am recreating the story as told by the mom - Angie. I told her to get a blog to tell these things and she rolled her eyes and asked when that would happen in her lifetime. Message received and now the story is mine.

Anyway, to set the scene...loads of children of varying ages, lots of tents, campers, and one little girl who found herself in a very awkward situation late at night in a thunderstorm.

It had been a long night with many needs being pronounced loudly from Shawn and Angie's lovely children and nieces and nephews. After a long period of eating, playing by the campfire and bathing in the one outside bathroom, finally everyone was set in their popup camper beds and told to talk no more.

From the west a thunderstorm was brewing and lightening streaked across the pop-up camper. Angie and Shawn finally closed their eyes and prayed that the storm would not wake any of the snoozing children. Sleep drifted in to calm their minds, and dreams replayed the day's fishing and swimming excursions. A perfect end to a family day.

Then the camper was rent with a terrible scream. A high pitched wail that pounded at Angie's ears. She knew that action must be taken quickly so as not to wake the one year old in the camper. "Shawn, it's Hannah. Find out what she needs." Angie mumbled through the pillow.

A low moan and the creak of the camper told her that Shawn was up and tending to the problem. Angie rolled over and began to beckon sleep again, only to be halted by a strong and very unusual explicative coming from Shawn. The screaming young girl had also not stopped her wailing.

Then Angie was up and moving quickly to the other side of the camper to see what had caused such a reaction in her husband. And still the screaming continued. Shawn stood leaning over the bed his arms grasping something by the cloth wall. Realization scrambled over her as she realized that Hannah was not where she had laid down to sleep. Instead she was hanging feet first out of the top of the camper - her legs dangling two feet off the ground and her arms stretched over her head. Of course, she is half asleep and disoriented, not to mention scared to death to find herself half out of a camper while rain from the storm pelted her abdomen and legs. Shawn continued to try and pull her up but she only sliped a little more and then the canvas and bungee cords were only inches from scratching her beautiful ivory chin.

Valiantly, Shawn gave up the idea that he would not get wet and gave Angie the job of holding on as tight as possible to her slowly falling child. In the meantime, he rushed out and around the camper to claim his sopping, sobbing child. Eventually all family members were back in the camper and the rain stopped. Life returned to a semblance of normalacy - at least until the sun came up and they decided to return home...but that is another story.

A Taste of the old Days

I am sitting outside tonight as the sun goes down. I know that my children should be getting to bed and that we have an early morning tomorrow. But, man am I feeling the summer itch. Maybe it is because we spent the entire last weekend at a friend's pool, or maybe it is the fact that next weekend is Memorial Weekend and we have a lovely 4 days planned at a cabin by a lake. In any case, I am right now sitting in my front yard watching a group of 4 boys ages 5-8 enjoying a pick-up game of baseball. I am thinking thoughts of lemonade, swimming holes and summers in cut-off shorts and old canvas shoes. These days are far from the reality of the high tech world in which we live. The fact that I am typing this on a laptop with a wireless router is enough evidence to that effect. But in the middle of all the trappings or this modern technological world 4 boys are playing a very unorganized and badly played game of ball on their neighborhood street. It is classic. It is pure. And Norman Rockwell would be proud!

Master of the Universe

Last Sunday, my dad and Aaron sat down for a hearty Sunday dinner of Hebrew National Brand Hot Dogs. We love these hot dogs. They are the only kosher brand of hot dog, they come in a package of 7 which I find a lot of humor in, and they are completely corn syrup free - for those of you who know Aaron well, this last part is crucial.

The meaty tantalizing smell of the hot dogs brought my parents' sweet mix breed dog, Sugar, to the table. She sat close to Aaron gently sniffing the air and creeping ever closer to his hand that was grasping the hot dog. Papa saw the inevitable and yelled "Sugar, NO!"

Immediately, Sugar turned tail and sat a respectful distance away. Aaron looked in awe at Papa and announced that Sugar never listened to him that way.

Seeing a teachable moment about obedience, my dad stated frankly that it was because Papa was master of Sugar.

My little Aaron screwed up his face and rolled his eyes in obvious frustration and announced that no Papa was not the Master. God was the only Master. He then proceeded to explain to Papa that God was Master of everything, so obviously Papa was NOT Master. Papa tried to rephrase and explain how he was master to Sugar, but Aaron was immoveable. Both sides stated their ideas, their arguements and counter arguements. No agreement could be made.

Aaron knew that the term Master was reserved for the Creator and All Mighty God. Finally, in an effort to keep a little of the power over the animals in the back yard, both parties decided that Papa could be "Boss" because God has allowed him to tell Sugar what to do for a little while.

Papa thought this was really great that Aaron was so insistent, and that he had taken it on complete faith that God, whom he has never physically seen, really is Master of the Universe. So today, he pulled Aaron to him and said "Who is the Master of Sugar?"

In typical Aaron form, He held his hands out in a "What did I tell you gesture" and said (By the way, I write this part verbatum) "I thought we have already covered this, God is Master and you're just the Boss!"

Teacher Talk

It is May. Hovering above my head is the sweet smell of summertime. I can't quite grasp it, but it is there taunting me with its relaxing aroma of coconut sunscreen and salty sea air.



I love summer, but I also love the school year. I just love it more in September when it's newness is more crisp. I have reached the point in the school year where everything must be incredibly engaging for the students to even pay remote attention to what is being taught! So today, I walked into school with flour, salt, several kitchen implements, a bowl, several downloaded videos, paper plates and paint. We created three dimensional landforms, researched "The Great Storm" of Galveston, worked with a computer program to paint book illustrations, watched videos on different career choices and almost had time for painting Indian stamp art with the 1st graders. Yep, just a normal day at an elementary school for an ESL teacher.

With that said, I am tired. I have been busy all day and I have no energy for the household work. This is my excuse for never getting my childrens' baby books done, never having the laundry folded and almost always having dishes in my kitchen sink. But such is life. I think I would really be missing out if I couldn't see all my students smiles, excitement and the ultimate wide-eyed look of understanding a brand new discovery.

Soccer Time

Ok, I have had a request.




It is time to see Aaron in "soccer form". He has been on a team for two seasons now and loves it. He loves talking to the other team, often during plays. He loves wearing his uniform. He loves swaggering on to the field and getting into the super macho stance that he has learned from many a Super Hero Icon. He loves the snacks afterwards.


Don't get me wrong. He does actually play. He runs around the field and occasionally makes contact with the ball. He has even scored goals - true that one goal was scored off his rear-end while looking down at wrong end of the field. But, he has a good time and that is really the point of it all anyway.


I need to add here that the boy you are viewing playing soccer has Spina Bifida - mylomeningelocele (sp). He did have an open lesion at birth and he does have internal complications due to that unfortunate event. However, he is one of the few with the condition that has no complications walking. I can not show these pictures without being extremely thankful and blessed. I plan on posting that story in the near future.


So without further ramblings from me....