The 11th Month

If I said it, I would sound really old, so I'm not going to say it.

That's right: I'm not going to say how quickly this year has gone by and how I can't believe it's already December and where did the time go and all of that stuff.  Instead, I'm just going to say here's November in a nutshell, as recorded on Facebook.  ;-)

November 1 - Oh, the things they say! This evening during Josiah's group violin class, Tobin was looking at a book about farm animals. He had the book open to a page about pigs when he leaned over to me and whispered, "Why can't I jump into a book?" (meaning, literally get into the action of it). I think my response was something profound like, "Because you just CAN'T." When he asked, "Could I try?", I just shrugged. He laid the book down on the floor, waited a few minutes, then--sure enough--jumped onto the book. Seeing that he had not succeeded in landing into a pile of pigs in a green pasture like he was wanting but was instead standing on a book in Josiah's violin class, he looked over at me...and smiled sheepishly. :)

November 1 - Oh, the things they say! (part two) 

David, this afternoon: Do you think the neighbors (who gave us their dog Buddy before they moved away) think Buddy is dead?

Me: I don't know. 
David, insistent: But what do you THINK?
Me: What is the value of this conversation?
David: (doesn't know what to say)
Me: What do YOU think about what I think about what the neighbors think?
David: (laughter)
Me: What do you think Josiah thinks about what you think about what I think about what the neighbors think?
David: (more laughter)
Oh my! I love my kids deeply and passionately, but sometimes I'm ready to stop thinking for the day before they're ready to stop asking! ;)

November 1 - When next Wednesday rolls around, I'm really going to be lonely. My phone is going to stop ringing, I'm not going to get nearly as much mail as I do now, nobody's going to be telling me how significant I am and how much my vote means to the future of America. The number of people who pay attention to me will be reduced drastically. Yes, I really might go through withdrawal. I'd better enjoy these last few days of feeling important before the election happens. ;)

November 1 - I'm staying up late tonight, working on a writing project that I MUST finish tonight. From Shav's room, I hear him call out something in his sleep. I can't understand the words, but I think I hear him mention "yogurt." He continues to mumble a few more times, but doesn't seem to be in any distress, so I stay in my chair and don't go to him. And then, from the bed where my beloved is sleeping, I hear him start to say something. "Shav, wake up!" he mutters in a voice that's little more than a whisper, before sinking back into deep slumber again. I appreciate his daddy heart that's always looking out for the well-being of his children, but somehow I don't think his whispered wake-up call is going to do a whole lot to help Shav. ;) ... The nighttime conversations continue... Tobin just called out, clear as a bell, "No, Jed." And then in a higher-pitched voice, "No, Jed!"

November 2 - Tonight is my Family Night, so because I didn't want to cook, I asked if we could go to Golden Corral for dinner. Jeff had an even better idea: go there for lunch, then eat popcorn and snacks for supper. Sounds good to me! :) While we were eating lunch, I suddenly realized that the date was November 2, and I hadn't changed my blog header and background for the new month yet. Oh no! ;-) I knew what my job would be this afternoon. Whew, now it's done. I feel better. ;-)

November 4 - Darkness comes early, thanks to the time change; but tonight it doesn't bother me. Not when I am snug and warm at home, with all my little chicks (and the daddy rooster!) ;-) around me. Jeff is in the kitchen making chocolate chip cookies with Tobin and Shav, Josiah and David are sitting at the table sipping homemade hot chocolate that I just mixed up for them, Moriah is in her highchair, smiling at anyone who walks by and pops a Cheerio in her mouth, a fire blazes in the woodstove. Cozy - what a lovely word. :)

November 4 - Excellent comparison between a driven woman and an abiding woman. As a new week kicks off, I am striving to become more of an abiding one!

November 6 - In recent days, I've been trying to explain the concept of electoral college and popular vote, etc. to my kids. This video did a better job of it than I've been doing! ;-)

November 6 - Voting was surprisingly quick and pleasant this morning. I took all five kids along (thought it was important that all of them see the process and be a part of it), and I was prepared mentally (and with a full bag of goodies/books/etc.) for a long wait. When I got there, I discovered to my surprise that there was no line at all. We breezed in and out without a hitch. :) We also discovered that there's a very good reason four-year-olds are not allowed to vote, because about a half a dozen times or so between our house and the polling place, Tobin changed his mind about who he was "going for." Oh, and he calls Romney, "Rom-a-ney." Apparently it's a three syllable word, instead of two. :) (Hey, Obama has three syllables in his last name; isn't it fair for Romney to have three, too?) ;-)

November 7 - No matter what else is going on in the world, feeling the arms of your three-year-old around your neck as he softly says, "I sure do love you, Mom," is a pretty amazing way to end the day.

November 9 - On this day seven months ago, our precious Moriah was born. I can't help but be a little nostalgic as I remember the events of that morning. Right about this time, on that day, I was realizing that I'd better go ahead and start pushing. I'd been so relaxed up til that point, and I really didn't want to go through the work of pushing her out. I did, however, very much want to see my daughter face-to-face (and I wanted to do it while our wonderful nurse, Arlene, was still there - her shift ended at 11:00). Moriah was born at 10:57. 3 whole minutes to spare. ;-) Happy seven-month birthday, sweet girl! You are dearly loved!!!!!

November 11 - I read this recently in The 30th Anniversary Reader's Digest Reader (copyright 1951): "A woman worries about the future until she gets a husband, while a man never worries about the future until he gets a wife." Jeff and I talked about it during our date last night and, for the most part, we think it's true. Do you? :)

November 12 - I love the fact that, when I asked Josiah just now about an opportunity that he could be involved in, he pondered before giving an answer, then asked, "Would Dad approve?" What a wise son to be giving weight to his father's opinion!! :)

November 14 - You might live in the country if your excuse for not getting your kids to their violin lessons on time was this: "I got stuck behind a tractor." (And for the record, I WASN'T late to Josiah and David's violin lessons today; but if I had been, this would have been my excuse. Fortunately, the tractor I was following eventually found a place to pull over and let me--and the rest of the line of cars following him--around him, so I was able to make it to their lessons on time after all.) Ah, I love country life! ;-)

November 14 - I'd rather do laundry than dishes. You?

November 17 - Josiah wanted to make Fruit Jewels this morning which was certainly fine with me. Now that they're done and in the refrigerator, next up is Peanut Blossom cookies. Cooking in pajamas with boys is a great way to start a relaxed Saturday morning. :)

November 18 - I finished reading this book today, and--wow!--what a story. I could hardly put it down. The faith of these two families is inspiring, to say the least. What a powerful example of choosing acceptance and forgiveness over bitterness!

November 19 - The boys are sitting at the table eating lunch and, between bites, talking about how sad it would be if certain people were to die. As I was sitting on the couch nursing Moriah and cuddling with her, I overheard David say, "If Moriah died, we would have to move." I was thinking, "Yeah, it sure would be rough to live here in this home with all the memories of her." His thoughts were going somewhere else though. "Because our house would be flooded," he paused dramatically, then added in a voice heavy with tragedy, "WITH MY TEARS." Ah, David, my little actor! How sweet that he loves his little sister so much. But why, oh why, were the boys talking about people dying?

November 20 - I learned something new about Jed today. He was sleeping peacefully by the front door, as is his custom in the afternoon, when I turned on the bread machine. He instantly woke up and went nuts, and now he will not stop barking at it! I don't know what he thinks it is, but obviously it must be something that presents a great danger to our family because Jed will not quit. Silly dog. :)

November 21 - "What day is it?" Shav asked as we drove home from a Thanksgiving Eve service. "It's Wednesday," I told him. "No, it's not," he replied, "it's Moonday!" He then went on to tell me that when it was Wednesday, it had been sunny. Now that it was dark, it was Moonday. And what's more, sometimes when it's dark, it's Starday. The moon shone down on Shav in his carseat as we drove home in the dark, and I smiled to myself, thinking that sometimes--even when it's technically wrong--the mind of a three-year-old makes perfect sense. ;-)

November 21 - I stayed up late tonight, getting some food ready for our Thanksgiving feast. (I know I'm not the only person doing that tonight!) :) When I finally came upstairs to my room, I turned on my lamp and discovered, not only a small sleeping boy in my bed curled up next to his daddy, but also a red lightsaber. It's so reassuring to know that my three-year-old is always ready to protect me. ;-) But as a matter of fact, I sleep better WITHOUT a lightsaber in my bed! :)

November 24 - David was sitting at the lunch table today, munching on a clementine, when he suddenly announced, "I'd like to be a violin teacher. I would make a lot of money, and I could tell people what to do!" :) 

November 25 - You know how sometimes when you're reading the Bible, you'll be going along in a chapter when suddenly a verse pops out at you and stops you in your tracks? This one did it to me this morning: "I immediately confronted the leaders and demanded, 'Why has the Temple of God been neglected?' Then I called all the Levites back again and restored them to their proper duties." (Nehemiah 13:11)

November 27 - "Mom?" Shav's voice crosses the hallway in the darkness. "Mom?" he calls again, with a little more urgency. I shuffle to his room as quickly as I can, my old brown slippers shielding my feet from the coldness of the wood floor. "I'm here, Shav," I say softly. "I want you to sleep in my bed for a little bit," he says in a sleepy voice. Well now, how could I say no to that invitation? So I said yes. :)

November 28 - Just had a VERY interesting conversation with Josiah and David, sparked by David saying something to the effect of "Every time I go to group class, I see somebody with a shirt that says 'Girls Rule' or 'Girls Can Do Anything' or something like that, but I never see a 

shirt that says 'Boys Rule.' Why is that?" Whew! THAT is a loaded question, but so insightful. So...in about 15 or 20 minutes, we covered the history of male/female relationships, specifically the patriarchal societies that have been so prevalent around the world throughout history. We addressed Biblical guidelines for the way men and women are supposed to relate to each other. I told them briefly about the women's lib movement. I even told them a few points from this article I read the other day. We waltzed our way from Deborah and Barak in the book of Judges through the women in the genealogy of Jesus to the family pictured in the movie Mary Poppins. We even talked about dads changing their kids' diapers and the way Josiah and David are blessed with a daddy who makes his kids his hobby and chooses to spend his free time with them, rather than pursuing an outside interest. It was quite a verbal journey. :) It was also a very worthy way to spend part of my evening. I love those boys so much and am so proud of the young men they are becoming! I deeply desire for them to embrace all that it means to be a man of God!

November 29 - I was straightening a few things in the living room just now and happened to glance over at our nativity set. Every time I set it up, I spread out the figures in (what I think is) a nice arrangement; but one of the boys had gotten to it and had moved the pieces. ALL of them, human and animal--except, oddly, one lone wise man--were circled around Jesus, crowding around him as close as they could get. The whole scene had such an aura of awe and wonder. Surely that's how it must really have been on that night so long ago. I had to pause for a moment to soak in the sight, and when I realized that what I was seeing was WORSHIP, my heart began to worship, too.

November 30 - Tonight for David's Family Night, he wanted to play Risk, so here it is, 10:15 p.m., and he and Jeff are still battling for world domination. Josiah lost, and eventually wandered off to bed so he could read. But David and Jeff are still at it. Back and forth across the board they go, but no one is powerful enough to pull off a complete victory yet. However, one thing is clear: Jeff is an incredible daddy to be spending HOURS playing a game (that honestly, he wouldn't have chosen himself) for the sake of his son. I think I'll meander up and see how the game is going now. Who will win? :)  {Jeff did.}

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P.S. Every time I do one of these Facebook posts, I either wish I knew more about HTML or I have sudden urges to punch the computer.  Or both.  The crazy, messed-up formatting of this post DRIVES ME NUTS, and I know it's because I copied and pasted these status updates from FB and somehow got some formatting junk from that.  I do not like it one bit, but at least I got the words recorded here.  Even if the spacing leaves something to be desired...  ;-)

P.P.S.  Time for happier thoughts: designing my new blog look for December.  I'm not sure if I'll get it all done tonight.  Hmmm...how much sleep am I willing to give up for it?  ;-)