Milestones March 25, 2009
Well, I am very behind about posting some of the recent happenings. So I will play a little catch up…. we had a big milestone at our house last weekend before Robert headed off for America. Jadyn got a new bed!
She had been sleeping with Tyler (head at opposite ends of the bed) since Christmas. It was actually Tyler’s suggestions and it turned out to be a great way to have the transition. We have a railing for Tyler’s lower bunk and that game Mom the added security she needed to move her baby to a big girl bed.
In January we began looking for new beds. They were not cheap so we started to look into having on built. Another missionary here, Kyle, ending up building for us for just the cost of the materials and it turned out just beautifully! Here is the big day….
Daddy and Jordan putting the pieces together.
I am not sure what to think about this.
Okay… I think I like it!
Finally… my own bed!
A couple nights later we went out for dinner at the Stephen Center as a family. We saw Kyle there and thanked him for the wonderful work he did. We told Jadyn that Kyle had made her bed but she said
“NO! Daddy make my bed!”
There was no convincing her otherwise.
MOO… January 29, 2009
Tonight I was holding Jadyn and she touched my mole and said……
Yup, you guessed it.
MOO!
If I was Cindy I would say “For the love.” I just love it when she says that. (Cindy, I mean, not Jadyn)
Me- I sigh and say “Sheesh.”
I’m paniking! January 28, 2009
A few days ago, Austin and Tyler came home with little stuffed bears that their Kindergarten teacher sent to their class from the US. It is amazing to me how much they still loved stuffed animals and how receiving a new one sparks their love for all the old ones! After playing with them for hours, we were getting ready for bed when Austin came in teary eyed.
Austin: I can’t find my bear!!
Me: Where did you last have him?
Austin: (A little louder, and more tears) He was in my room!
Me: Well, have you looked all over in your room?
Austin: (Getting very upset now and a little angry)Yes, he’s’ not there!
Me: What about the office?
Austin: (Totally losing control) He’s not anywhere!
Me: Okay, take a deep breath. Let’s just calm down and talk about all the places you have been and where you need to still look.
Austin: (Deep breath, still very tearful) Okay, but it’s just that I’m … well, I’m upset because I’m paniking!
Oh, that I could explain my rampages this way.
My brain made me do it January 16, 2009
Tyler was caught in a lie a few weeks ago. He and Austin had wanted to play on Webkinz World one afternoon and I asked if they had their homework done. They both told me yes. This was not the case.
They were both grounded from TV and video/computer games for 1 week. Since this was just a few days before Christmas break and they were going to be home a lot this seemed to be a very big punishment in their eyes. A day or two later, Tyler asked me if he could play with his dad’s Ipod. I told him no, he was still grounded from video games. Later that afternoon, I was looking around for him only to discover that he had taken the Ipod secretly up to his room to play when I thought he was reading.
After a time out and a little bit of time, I sat down with him to talk about what he had done. He cried big tears and told me it wasn’t his fault.
“My brain made me do it!!”
I tried really hard not to laugh. Really, I did.
Backpack, Backpack… January 15, 2009
Jadyn loves Dora. She wants to watch it everyday. And I am guilty of using the Dora moments to get things done at least once a day. So she has started to carry around her backpack that Aunt Susanne gave her.
But what you may not be able to see is that she also has her trusty map. “I’m the map, I’m the map, I’m the map!”
How do you get to the tall mounain? You go over the troll bridge, through the friendly forest to get to the tall mountain! The good news is we are sourrounded by mountains, so whenever we go out Jadyn can get to the tall mountain. “MY tall Mountain!”
Begin a mom is the best!
Like Big Bird! October 15, 2008
I was putting the kids to bed tonight. Our ritual is to turn out all the lights after we have read stories and the Bible and to sing a song. I rock Jadyn in our rocking chair and the boys are in their bunk beds. Tonight we were waiting for Tyler to bring a glass of water for Jadyn. While we waited, she became interested in my mole. She always points to her own face and says “I have mole.”
Tonight I said, “No, you don’t have a mole but you have a freckle.”
Austin piped in, “Do Chinese people have moles?”
Before I could reply, Jadyn replied, “I Chinese!”
“Are you Chinese, Jadyn?” I asked.
“Yep,” she nodded, “like Big Bird!”
Guess what we have been watching this week? Yep, Big Bird in China.
Not a Luxury Item October 6, 2008
When you move overseas, you wonder what is a necessity and what is a luxury item. As I looked through our collective stuff after 10+ years of marriage, it was really hard to narrow down what we could really bring to Albania. But this was an item I knew was a necessity: The Yamaha Clavinova CVP 203. For a musician, it is somewhat like a child. I just couldn’t leave it behind. I have gotten a lot of use out of it over the last two years. I have used it for writing some of the MIDI for Kids books, preparing for kids worship, choir practice and this year even voice lessons, not to mention my own personal conversation time with God.
But never was it more prized than today. Here are the boys playing during their first piano lesson!
Birthday Blues September 22, 2008
The boys birthday was a week ago Sunday. We had a birthday party for them on Friday. I was sick as a dog… it was not pretty. I came back from our three day Strategy Retreat pretty wiped out, sore throat, achy… etc… So Friday morning came with all of its glory and plans for 12- eight year olds at Blur, the Family Fun center on the outskirts of town and the need to make a cake. Was I prepared? NO……. Can you cancel an eight year old’s birthday party? Not really….
So first thing in the morning, I sent Robert off to run errands: Buy butter and powdered sugar. Sounds simple enough right? Butter was not available at my regular shop just outside my gate, so I sent him to the apartment building down the street that has a little store downstairs. He faithfully came back with the butter and as I started on the cake (no cake mixes here!) I sent him out to the store across town where we buy powdered sugar. He called….. they were out. I called Krystal…. she gave me Albanian directions to another store where she has bought powdered sugar. The conversation went something like this:
“On the Ring Road, coming from the Lana (river)….”
“uh, huh…”
“On the right hand side, before you get to Rruga Dibres (Dibres road)….”
“okay…”
“Behind the second or third bus stop, the main Ring Road bus…”
“O…kay….”
“There is another ‘Dried Fruit” shop. It is not the same company so the sign is not the same, but it is directly behind where the bus stops.”
“okay… I got it. If he gets lost, I’ll have him call you!”
Krystal’s directions were great! (Thanks, girl!) Robert did have to follow the bus to find out where the stops were but he did indeed find it.
But… the kicker was that when I made the icing (using all of the powdered sugar) I discovered with a small taste test that the butter was bad. It tasted more like sweetened blue cheese than icing. Ugh! You can see the drama unfolding can’t you? I sent Robert back out (what a man) for more butter and powered sugar and took a second go at it.
When it all was finished I managed a quick nap, made it to the school, rode across town with 12 singing eight-year olds (yes, singing… while Jadyn was saying “sshhh, stop, guys, stop!”) in a rented van with an Albanian driver who was trying to figure out who all these kids might be….
The Blur has a big play area outside and we just played on the playground, ate cake and opened presents. I never thought about the butter IN THE CAKE! Yes, the cake tasted like blue cheese too! Yikes! Despite it all… they ate it. I hope no one got sick over the weekend. In the end, it was a fine birthday party, but I forgot the camera, the candles and a knife. We managed to get the latter from the Blur and a friend brought his camera for the last 5-10 minutes or so and Robert snapped some pictures. All in all… success… I think.
Whew…. we have another year until we do it again! Happy Birthday Austin and Tyler!
Fly breath June 5, 2008
This morning Austin climbed into bed with me at about 6:30. This was good because we needed to be out the door a little earlier for their dentist appointments at 8:00.
I love this sweet cuddle time with my son. He is a talker and can tell long tales about all kinds of things. Today the conversation was about the day and what was his visit with the dentist would be like. After a few minutes he was quiet.
“Mom?”
“Yes, sweetheart?”
“Your breath stinks. (Pause)….. It smells like flies.”
I mean really, what do you say to that?!!!? I laughed.
Still laughing, I ask “How do you know what flies smell like?”
He sat up, looked me straight in the eye and held his fingers close to his nose. “I have smelled a fly before!”
Well, there you have it. Fly breath.
