For many parents, the first independent thing their child does is full of a mixture of joy and sadness. But this last Saturday, as Sarah showed a great aptitude of independence, all I felt was shock.
Sarah turned 7 about three weeks ago.Shortly after that I realized, in a moment of fleeting clarity, that she was 7 and I still had training wheels on her bike! This was a shocking revelation as my boys' training wheels came off when they were 5. So at that exact moment, I turned to my daughter and declared, "Now, that you are 7 we need to get those training wheels off your bike!" She smiled her sweet little smile at me and we went about our day. I quickly forgot the exchange.
When my mom stopped by on Saturday, Sarah was outside in the driveway with a screwdriver, a wrench and her bike. She had already managed to get one training wheel off. My mom walked up to her and calmly asked what she was doing.
Her reply- "I'm 7 and I don't need these anymore!"
Instead of waiting for an adult to help, she gathered her own tools and made quick work of the mechanics of her training wheels. I was flabbergasted! And then I remembered the short conversation we had before Christmas about her training wheels.
I have learned my lesson. Sarah remembers everything and will take her destiny in her own hands if she needs to.
And in case you are wondering. Yes, she can ride her bike without training wheels. Unfortunately, she did fall down after about 15 minutes of riding and then decided that she needed to wait until she was 9 to get back on her bike. - sigh -
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Monday, November 19, 2012
Cat and Bird
Saturday was a beautiful sunny day in my community and it found my family outside in the front yard chatting with other neighbors. I somehow talked the neighbor boys into cleaning out the back of my van because it would be "fun" and while I supervised their work, Max the Cat came into view.
He was sauntering up the sidewalk toward the house. He held his head high with his tail lifted and curled dramatically behind him. "Awe, isn't that cute", I thought. And then the neighbor said it. "Look, who's bringing you a present." I looked around for the UPS truck and then realized the neighbor meant Max.
In Max's mouth was something black. A bird - "Yuck!", I thought and then I quickly realized Max had veered toward the open garage with a dead bird. I ran to the garage and quickly closed the door thwarting Max and sending him to the bushes with his kill. Max moved out of sight while the children surrounding me talked about the what was in Max's mouth. Suddenly a ruckus erupted from the bushes. A loud chirp sounded followed by the bushes shaking and then a small black and brown bird burst through the foliage and up into the sky. It wobbled a little getting its bearings and then zoomed off far from Max's greedy claws.
Immediately the meowing started. The most disgruntled cat I have ever seen emerged haughtily from the bushes meowing the entire time. Max sat in the middle of the driveway grumping about the bird for nearly 5 minutes straight. Then he harrumphed off to repair his bruised ego and to hold on to whatever cat dignity was left for poor Max to cling to.
Kudos to the bird for doing a masterful job at faking its own death. And to Max - You win some and you lose some.
He was sauntering up the sidewalk toward the house. He held his head high with his tail lifted and curled dramatically behind him. "Awe, isn't that cute", I thought. And then the neighbor said it. "Look, who's bringing you a present." I looked around for the UPS truck and then realized the neighbor meant Max.
In Max's mouth was something black. A bird - "Yuck!", I thought and then I quickly realized Max had veered toward the open garage with a dead bird. I ran to the garage and quickly closed the door thwarting Max and sending him to the bushes with his kill. Max moved out of sight while the children surrounding me talked about the what was in Max's mouth. Suddenly a ruckus erupted from the bushes. A loud chirp sounded followed by the bushes shaking and then a small black and brown bird burst through the foliage and up into the sky. It wobbled a little getting its bearings and then zoomed off far from Max's greedy claws.
Immediately the meowing started. The most disgruntled cat I have ever seen emerged haughtily from the bushes meowing the entire time. Max sat in the middle of the driveway grumping about the bird for nearly 5 minutes straight. Then he harrumphed off to repair his bruised ego and to hold on to whatever cat dignity was left for poor Max to cling to.
Kudos to the bird for doing a masterful job at faking its own death. And to Max - You win some and you lose some.
The Cat Introduction
Last January we bought Aaron a cat for his birthday. This shows the great love I have for my middle child because I do not love cats. Yes, those of you from my childhood past might remember the obsessive cat loving I did before middle school. What can I say... I was a child but as an adult I put away childish things and that included cat love.
So when we brought this new cat, now affectionately named Max, Maximillian, Maxipus, or just Cat, home I had rules. No cat in the house, litter box cleaned each week and I was to have nothing to do with Max cuz I didn't like him. (period!)
Max has been with us for almost a year now and I can honestly say I have never met a cat like Max. He purrs with gusto immediately upon being picked up. In eight months, he has never scratched one of my children. In fact, as soon as a any child grabs him up he goes limp as if it is his duty to allow the squeezing and rumpled fur that is sure to come.
Max also wheedled his way into the house with his constant purring. First the official reason was so Aaron could hold him during homework and then we realized we were buying cat food for every stray cat in a mile radius. During the school year, Max got used to us leaving the house everyday. It became routine to give him a goodbye pat on the way to school each morning as he sat on the porch purring his goodbye right back at us. Summer brought a new routine and suddenly each morning Max began meowing at the front door until it opened. He then saunters in, checks on the family, perhaps eats a little (since we moved the food indoors) then goes to the garage door, meows again and is let into the garage to do what ever a cat needs to do in a garage.
In fact, that last paragraph I was writing just got interrupted by meowing at the front door and yes I obediently got up and let the cat into the house.
Now the cat routinely plays with the dogs and catches birds and mice leaving them in the front yard for us to find. We call for Maxipus every time we go outside and I actually miss seeing Cat if he isn't around for awhile.
Today, I find myself using endearments to talk to Max and cuddling him just to hear his loud purr. If he isn't around in the morning I worry about him.
Shockingly and with much torture to actually write this sentence...I have discovered.... I love Max.
So when we brought this new cat, now affectionately named Max, Maximillian, Maxipus, or just Cat, home I had rules. No cat in the house, litter box cleaned each week and I was to have nothing to do with Max cuz I didn't like him. (period!)
Max has been with us for almost a year now and I can honestly say I have never met a cat like Max. He purrs with gusto immediately upon being picked up. In eight months, he has never scratched one of my children. In fact, as soon as a any child grabs him up he goes limp as if it is his duty to allow the squeezing and rumpled fur that is sure to come.
Max also wheedled his way into the house with his constant purring. First the official reason was so Aaron could hold him during homework and then we realized we were buying cat food for every stray cat in a mile radius. During the school year, Max got used to us leaving the house everyday. It became routine to give him a goodbye pat on the way to school each morning as he sat on the porch purring his goodbye right back at us. Summer brought a new routine and suddenly each morning Max began meowing at the front door until it opened. He then saunters in, checks on the family, perhaps eats a little (since we moved the food indoors) then goes to the garage door, meows again and is let into the garage to do what ever a cat needs to do in a garage.
In fact, that last paragraph I was writing just got interrupted by meowing at the front door and yes I obediently got up and let the cat into the house.
Now the cat routinely plays with the dogs and catches birds and mice leaving them in the front yard for us to find. We call for Maxipus every time we go outside and I actually miss seeing Cat if he isn't around for awhile.
Today, I find myself using endearments to talk to Max and cuddling him just to hear his loud purr. If he isn't around in the morning I worry about him.
Shockingly and with much torture to actually write this sentence...I have discovered.... I love Max.
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Everyone likes to fish. Everyone but me that is. I pretty much hate
everything that goes along with fishing. Hooks are
sharp, fish are slimy, and worms are wiggly. In fact, worms are the worst part of fishing. But I attend fishing trips to be with the
family. With familial togetherness in mind, I attended an evening of fishing one night last summer. I brought our camp chairs and a picnic blanket to keep my feet safely away from bugs since I knew I would be nowhere near the dock and therefore surrounded by grass- which of course is where all the bugs live. I invisioned a quiet sunset, laughing children and my husband baiting every hook and throwing every little fish that was caught back. When we got there I set myself up several feet off from the dock and
made myself comfortable by taking off my sandals. I stretched my legs
and settled my back into the chair. Let the relaxation begin.
As the fishing got into full swing my 6 year old, Sarah, decided it would be much better to fish near me. So with pole, worm and hook, she came to sit beside me My relaxing evening quickly turned into a fearful one as I wondered how the local emergency room would treat a person with a hook in their eye.
My girl is not patient when it comes to fishing. Throw the line in and reel it back immediately. Over and over again this happened and increased with intensity as she saw that her more patient brothers and cousins were catching fish left and right. To add insult to injury, her worm was suddenly gone off its hook, so she just knew that a fish was in that water taunting her. Frustration and whining ensued and finally I got her to move back to the dock where her father was baiting hooks.
My peace was short lived, however, because soon it was too dark to fish and everyone packed it in. In the semidarkness, I stood and slipped my foot into my sandal where I felt a decided slimy squish of something under my big toe. My body and mind froze as I tried to work out what in the world could have created that icky feeling. And then I knew as certainly as I have ever known anything that my big toe had just smooshed the worm that Sarah had lost from her hook just a half hour before.
My stomach rolled and I jumped from the blanket to wipe my toe on the grass. Chills moved up and down my arms and legs and I knew that my toe would never be clean again.
These events happened last July, but now in Oct. as I finally get a chance to sit down and write about it my stomach is again feeling like I might not make it through the last paragraph of this post.
Needless to say, I will still go on fishing trips but never again will I take my sandals off!
As the fishing got into full swing my 6 year old, Sarah, decided it would be much better to fish near me. So with pole, worm and hook, she came to sit beside me My relaxing evening quickly turned into a fearful one as I wondered how the local emergency room would treat a person with a hook in their eye.
My girl is not patient when it comes to fishing. Throw the line in and reel it back immediately. Over and over again this happened and increased with intensity as she saw that her more patient brothers and cousins were catching fish left and right. To add insult to injury, her worm was suddenly gone off its hook, so she just knew that a fish was in that water taunting her. Frustration and whining ensued and finally I got her to move back to the dock where her father was baiting hooks.
My peace was short lived, however, because soon it was too dark to fish and everyone packed it in. In the semidarkness, I stood and slipped my foot into my sandal where I felt a decided slimy squish of something under my big toe. My body and mind froze as I tried to work out what in the world could have created that icky feeling. And then I knew as certainly as I have ever known anything that my big toe had just smooshed the worm that Sarah had lost from her hook just a half hour before.
My stomach rolled and I jumped from the blanket to wipe my toe on the grass. Chills moved up and down my arms and legs and I knew that my toe would never be clean again.
These events happened last July, but now in Oct. as I finally get a chance to sit down and write about it my stomach is again feeling like I might not make it through the last paragraph of this post.
Needless to say, I will still go on fishing trips but never again will I take my sandals off!
Saturday, July 14, 2012
Daniel, The Lion's Den and Me - A Spiritual Birth at VBS
Vacation Bible school starts this coming Monday and I am very excited. I love the energy, the fun and the learning that goes on during VBS. Not to mention that my church uses a really great curriculum provided by LifeWay Christian Resources that is very easy to do.
But probably the biggest reason that VBS is in my heart is that many years ago when I was about 8 and living in Columbia, MO. I went to VBS and trusted Christ as my personal savior for the very first time and because God saves by His Grace - the only time that was necessary.
We had just learned about Daniel and the Lion's Den. I remember listening to the story and being amazed that God could protect Daniel from such danger and literally close the lions mouths all night. How trusting Daniel must have been in his heavenly protector. My 8 year old brain was mulling these things over when we went to worship at the end of the morning. The pastor spoke to us and questioned us on where we stood on believing that Jesus was the Son of God and came to save us from our human nature of sin. Did we believe that he could protect us and care for us. Daniel and the Lion's Den broke into my thoughts. Did I have the faith of Daniel?
It was at that moment that I felt the tug. The almost physical pull in my chest that I needed to walk up to the front and tell the pastor that I wanted Jesus as my savior. But I didn't go. Walking up to the front of a church with so many people looking at me and wondering about me was more than I could bear. So I stayed stuck in my seat and I squelched the pull that I should be moving deep down inside of me. I decidedly ignored what I knew I should be doing and I stayed in my seat until worship was over and my mom picked me up.
But God doesn't quit and the Holy Spirit will not give up on a good work. So, the tug came back at a red light on the way home from VBS. It became restlessness and physical uncomfortableness. I could not ignore God. In the back seat of my parents beat up chevy chevelle (brown interior) I bowed my head and submitted. I prayed that God would forgive me of all the things I had done and I thanked him for sending Jesus as the way to Him.
Peace, Elation, Freedom immediately followed. It was like nothing I have ever felt before and I am sure I will never feel again. My grin spread across my face and stayed plastered there for several days. I was joyous. I felt God's presence so clearly. When I doubt my faith, as occasionally happens to all who believe I remember this time of great even elation. I remember my thoughts changing and my conscience changing.
This didn't make ME a great person and I am still not a great person. But it made me a forgiven person. A person who began to see through eyes like Jesus's. Am I perfect, Ha! I will never be and I am ashamed of some things I have done and probably will do, but I am always forgiven and taken care of. I believe one only has to read other entries in this blog to see how God has taken care of me and my family.
But probably the biggest reason that VBS is in my heart is that many years ago when I was about 8 and living in Columbia, MO. I went to VBS and trusted Christ as my personal savior for the very first time and because God saves by His Grace - the only time that was necessary.
We had just learned about Daniel and the Lion's Den. I remember listening to the story and being amazed that God could protect Daniel from such danger and literally close the lions mouths all night. How trusting Daniel must have been in his heavenly protector. My 8 year old brain was mulling these things over when we went to worship at the end of the morning. The pastor spoke to us and questioned us on where we stood on believing that Jesus was the Son of God and came to save us from our human nature of sin. Did we believe that he could protect us and care for us. Daniel and the Lion's Den broke into my thoughts. Did I have the faith of Daniel?
It was at that moment that I felt the tug. The almost physical pull in my chest that I needed to walk up to the front and tell the pastor that I wanted Jesus as my savior. But I didn't go. Walking up to the front of a church with so many people looking at me and wondering about me was more than I could bear. So I stayed stuck in my seat and I squelched the pull that I should be moving deep down inside of me. I decidedly ignored what I knew I should be doing and I stayed in my seat until worship was over and my mom picked me up.
But God doesn't quit and the Holy Spirit will not give up on a good work. So, the tug came back at a red light on the way home from VBS. It became restlessness and physical uncomfortableness. I could not ignore God. In the back seat of my parents beat up chevy chevelle (brown interior) I bowed my head and submitted. I prayed that God would forgive me of all the things I had done and I thanked him for sending Jesus as the way to Him.
Peace, Elation, Freedom immediately followed. It was like nothing I have ever felt before and I am sure I will never feel again. My grin spread across my face and stayed plastered there for several days. I was joyous. I felt God's presence so clearly. When I doubt my faith, as occasionally happens to all who believe I remember this time of great even elation. I remember my thoughts changing and my conscience changing.
This didn't make ME a great person and I am still not a great person. But it made me a forgiven person. A person who began to see through eyes like Jesus's. Am I perfect, Ha! I will never be and I am ashamed of some things I have done and probably will do, but I am always forgiven and taken care of. I believe one only has to read other entries in this blog to see how God has taken care of me and my family.
Monday, July 9, 2012
SHOT - Another ESL Moment
Isaac has the dreaded Dr. appointment this morning. He must get shots in order to be admitted to 7th grade.
Yesterday we began going over our Monday schedule and I stated that we have a Dr. appt. Sarah, of course, wanted to know why and all the details so that she could remain in "control" of the situation.
This morning she asked again what we were doing today. And again, I told her.
"Sarah, Isaac is going to the Doctor and getting shots."
Sarah replied in a very sad voice, "ooohhh I'm going to miss him."
Of course, when I laughed she got mad at me. Oh well.
Yesterday we began going over our Monday schedule and I stated that we have a Dr. appt. Sarah, of course, wanted to know why and all the details so that she could remain in "control" of the situation.
This morning she asked again what we were doing today. And again, I told her.
"Sarah, Isaac is going to the Doctor and getting shots."
Sarah replied in a very sad voice, "ooohhh I'm going to miss him."
Of course, when I laughed she got mad at me. Oh well.
Friday, July 6, 2012
And the Customer is King
It seems to me that with the onset of the latest generation coming of age and now taking jobs in fast food places and walmart, that customer service is lacking in many places. Of course not all of the new generation is inept at conveying that the customer is king, but there are quite a few mumblers, eye avoiders, and lazy workers that will answer a question with "I don't know" and "I'm sorry that's not my job" and then look at you like those answers should have been sufficient.Usually, I ignore these little jibes at customer relations on the premise of being polite, but not last Wednesday.
Last Wednesday, I am sure I completely embarrassed and somewhat awed my nine year old the same way that my own dad used to embarrass and awe me. My dad, usually a gentle soul, would become fiesty at times during egregious bouts of bad customer service and I remember them with clarity.
There was the one time when Long John Silver's (yes he used to eat there) messed up an order and we sat in the drive through while my dad loudly complained and got his compensation. There was the pizza incident where he raised his voice and I remember thinking the whole restaurant was watching, but again it was made right.
My favorite father moment of this kind was when we stopped at a rest stop on a road trip and the Hari Carishna (sp) man gave him a book of faith, which my dad took without giving the guy a donation. This evidently was not the way that man thought it should go. He confronted my dad, who again refused to give money. The HC man then blocked our exit by climbing onto the trunk of our car until my mom demanded that dad give the book back. I was in awe that my dad could stand up to that man and I obviously saw my mothers frustration at the whole event. Because really, dad knew that when an HC gives you something he wants something in return.
But last Wednesday the tables turned. I walked into Pizza Hut for a late lunch with two very hungry children. We saw the beautiful and bountiful buffet table and began to salivate immediately. I told the lady behind the counter that we would have three buffet meals. She immediately responded that the buffet ended 15 minutes prior and was no longer available. I checked my impulse to gripe at the fact that there were about 8 full pizzas sitting on the buffet table while no one was eating them and said out loud that we would just order a pizza.
We were sat toward the back of the restaurant but in full view of the main kitchen area. In other words, I could see everything that was happening in the store. And there we waited. I chatted with the kids, watched a waitress clean tables, and saw other patrons leave. Still we sat. We watched a Hot Dog eating contest on the t.v. screen. I saw another worker emerge for the bathroom area with cleaning supplies and make her way to the counter to clean something else. And, I also saw the girl who seated us yakking away with two teenage boys in the kitchen. They were clearly having a good time. She was using her towel to playfully hit at them as they teased her and the boys were smiling pleased at the attention they were being given. Meanwhile, my children began to complain. "We are hungry. I am thirsty!" "Be patient", I said. And we waited. The group of teens dispersed and I thought, this is it. But it wasn't. Everyone disappeared.
A few more minutes passed and a new set of people came into the restaurant. A new worker sat them down near me and I waved this hostess over immediately and told her in my most teacher-ish voice that we needed service and a manager. Well, Aaron's eyes grew wide with questions. What was I doing? So I explained the concept of customer service and told him that someone would now deal with my wrath. At this point the worker that cleaned the bathrooms approached us to apologize as well and beg for mercy for her fellow workers. She stated that the waiter didn't know we were even there and she would have helped but she had not been feeling so well, and didn't want to get too close to the customers. - Really!
I calmly told her that someone knew we were there because they had seated us, and that this was unacceptable, and I needed to see a manager immediately. At this point, Aaron's eyes grew even wider. "Mom, are they going to get fired?" He said, beseeching me to show mercy. But no, I would have my gripe this time and I did.
One of the teenage boys who had been yakking it up came to serve us and to his credit apologized profusely for not knowing he had a customer. The manager did show up (eventually) and said that all would be written up and then comped us our meal.
Once again, all was right in the customer service world, and because of their well chosen use of humility, I agreed to eat at Pizza Hut again - and of course to amend my FB rant at the customer service we were given.
I hope Aaron learned a couple of lessons in that exercise in flexing my consumer muscle. I want him to know that customers count, but most of all I want him to know that when he has that first job. Take it seriously, work hard, and show the customer that they are KING at least while they are standing in your serving line. :)
Last Wednesday, I am sure I completely embarrassed and somewhat awed my nine year old the same way that my own dad used to embarrass and awe me. My dad, usually a gentle soul, would become fiesty at times during egregious bouts of bad customer service and I remember them with clarity.
There was the one time when Long John Silver's (yes he used to eat there) messed up an order and we sat in the drive through while my dad loudly complained and got his compensation. There was the pizza incident where he raised his voice and I remember thinking the whole restaurant was watching, but again it was made right.
My favorite father moment of this kind was when we stopped at a rest stop on a road trip and the Hari Carishna (sp) man gave him a book of faith, which my dad took without giving the guy a donation. This evidently was not the way that man thought it should go. He confronted my dad, who again refused to give money. The HC man then blocked our exit by climbing onto the trunk of our car until my mom demanded that dad give the book back. I was in awe that my dad could stand up to that man and I obviously saw my mothers frustration at the whole event. Because really, dad knew that when an HC gives you something he wants something in return.
But last Wednesday the tables turned. I walked into Pizza Hut for a late lunch with two very hungry children. We saw the beautiful and bountiful buffet table and began to salivate immediately. I told the lady behind the counter that we would have three buffet meals. She immediately responded that the buffet ended 15 minutes prior and was no longer available. I checked my impulse to gripe at the fact that there were about 8 full pizzas sitting on the buffet table while no one was eating them and said out loud that we would just order a pizza.
We were sat toward the back of the restaurant but in full view of the main kitchen area. In other words, I could see everything that was happening in the store. And there we waited. I chatted with the kids, watched a waitress clean tables, and saw other patrons leave. Still we sat. We watched a Hot Dog eating contest on the t.v. screen. I saw another worker emerge for the bathroom area with cleaning supplies and make her way to the counter to clean something else. And, I also saw the girl who seated us yakking away with two teenage boys in the kitchen. They were clearly having a good time. She was using her towel to playfully hit at them as they teased her and the boys were smiling pleased at the attention they were being given. Meanwhile, my children began to complain. "We are hungry. I am thirsty!" "Be patient", I said. And we waited. The group of teens dispersed and I thought, this is it. But it wasn't. Everyone disappeared.
A few more minutes passed and a new set of people came into the restaurant. A new worker sat them down near me and I waved this hostess over immediately and told her in my most teacher-ish voice that we needed service and a manager. Well, Aaron's eyes grew wide with questions. What was I doing? So I explained the concept of customer service and told him that someone would now deal with my wrath. At this point the worker that cleaned the bathrooms approached us to apologize as well and beg for mercy for her fellow workers. She stated that the waiter didn't know we were even there and she would have helped but she had not been feeling so well, and didn't want to get too close to the customers. - Really!
I calmly told her that someone knew we were there because they had seated us, and that this was unacceptable, and I needed to see a manager immediately. At this point, Aaron's eyes grew even wider. "Mom, are they going to get fired?" He said, beseeching me to show mercy. But no, I would have my gripe this time and I did.
One of the teenage boys who had been yakking it up came to serve us and to his credit apologized profusely for not knowing he had a customer. The manager did show up (eventually) and said that all would be written up and then comped us our meal.
Once again, all was right in the customer service world, and because of their well chosen use of humility, I agreed to eat at Pizza Hut again - and of course to amend my FB rant at the customer service we were given.
I hope Aaron learned a couple of lessons in that exercise in flexing my consumer muscle. I want him to know that customers count, but most of all I want him to know that when he has that first job. Take it seriously, work hard, and show the customer that they are KING at least while they are standing in your serving line. :)
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