Pondered In My Heart

Saturday Night Bath

Splashing in the tub the differences are so clear

One so rounded and robust, smooth white skin gleams head to toe

Smile of straightest teeth, straightest eyes, curliest hair

The other so slim with a body so straight, always mottled purplish pink as a sunset

Thick sweet neck and quirky toes that spell death for so many

But these two know nothing of chromosome counts

They take no notice of the thin white telling line

They splash and play and swim

Naming the floating letters

Standing up in turns to pour a waterfall on the other

Both exclaiming, Me again, do!

In voices sounding so alike

Yet different He has made them

Each perfect in her own way

They are sisters

From His hand

I am so thankful

They are mine.

Who's Counting

As we traipsed across the parking lot for our Saturday-morning-after-Mass grocery run I noticed the nine of us were being watched. Three times I saw the attractive woman in impeccable business attire turn her head to glance back at us. Feeling just a bit roguish I shouted it out in a jolly playful way,

"SEVEN!"

And then we went on our merry way into the store enjoying a good laugh. Suddenly feeling sheepish I asked Jonathan, "Was that wicked?" "It was just a little mischievous," he replied. Whew.

Wordless Wednesday: Portfolio Week

The Peril of Teaching Politeness

Mother to bare-bottomed child: Come here and get a diaper on!

Aforementioned child: No, thank you!

Sling Mama

Because you're never too young to love

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

or to nurse

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

or to multi-task.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Go, Mama, go!

Happy Father's Day!

A very Happy Father's Day to a very special Dad!

He plays hard with his guys.

He loves his lively girls.

He leads his children in the way they should go.

And tirelessly takes us where we need to go.

He does a great Mr. Tumnus.

He works really hard, but has fun doing it.

He is full of surprises.

He makes us laugh.

He likes a challenge.

He is patient andtender.

He's really cool.

And we all love him like nuts.

Happy Father's Day, Dad!

Obsessed

 

 

Do your children do this sort of thing or is it just mine?

Make Your Mark Heavy and Dark

"All schools for miles and miles around

Must take a special test,

To see who's learning such and such-

To see which school's the best.

If our small school does not do well,

Then it will be torn down,

And you will have to go to school

In dreary Flobbertown."

Well, we've been busy with our standardized testing here this week. (I live in one of Those States.) Everyone is quite used to it and the principal sheds nary a tear, but rather all are quite amused at the routine.

Miss Bonkers rose. "Don't fret!" she said.

"You've learned the things you need

To pass that test and many more-

I'm certain you'll succeed.

We've taught you that the earth is round,

That red and white make pink,

And something else that matters more-

We've taught you how to think."

(from  Hooray for Diffendoofer Day! by Dr. Seuss)

I'm not sure they enjoyed every word, but the students apparently had no problems with the test as evidenced by the excessive doodling on the scratch paper:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We'll have to wait a few weeks of course to see if we've again escaped banishment to dreary Flobbertown. In the meantime we'll keep busy working on portfolios and waiting for the end when I can jump in the air like Miss Bonkers. Our teacher is our Mother, she's as bouncy as a flea. I'm not certain what she teaches, but she drinks a lot of tea...

Grande Valse Brillante

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Lydia gave a splendid performance of her Chopin at her recital last night. (You can also hear the cheering of one of her biggest fans, Eliza, who hasn't quite learned to hold her applause until the end of the piece.) Bravo!

A Book for Father's Day

Father's Day is just a week away so I thought I would share a book my children made for their Dad some years ago. We made it the week before Father's Day.

 Each day I had each child write and illustrate one thing they like about their Dad. 

I just took all of the pictures and popped them into page protectors, and then put them together in a binder.

They drew their pictures on card stock for durability.

The older children each wrote a poem about their Dad as well.

Each child signed the dedication page with a personal note. We decorated the cover with stickers and the title "We Love Our Dad".

This is a simple project that makes a tremendous gift for Dad, blessing him with gratitude for all of the 'little things' a Dad does with his children. The whole of this project is far greater than the sum of its parts - just some paper and markers - just as a beautiful childhood and beautiful fatherhood are greater than, yet made up of, moment after moment of these simple little bits that are a child's life.

The older children love to look at this book and remember the simple pleasures from their younger years. It truly is one of our most cherished 'books'.