The word brings up different responses to many. Some find it empowering, while others find it degrading. In cases that come to mind for me, the expression, "Woman!" addressed that she was either in trouble or being annoying. I don't mind it, but I heard Jason tell the kids it was derogatory. Here are 2 sitations in our family where being a woman was just cute.
Jason was holding Ian in his arms, looking into his eyes and talking with him. I was sitting next to them.
Ian: "I love you, Daddy!"
Jason: "I love you, too, Buddy! Can you tell Mommy we love her,too?"
Pauses. Still looking at Ian, but talking to me: "And that you're the most beautiful woman in the world."
Ian: (puzzled) "Dad...Why did you call me a woman?"
The next day, I overheard Ian and Faith playing "pretend". I missed most of the conversation, but what I did hear was Ian saying, "I want to be Barbie!"
After I heard that, I thought I better ask why he was excited to choose to be Barbie. (In his defense, his choices were to be Barbie or the mean girl. They were watching a movie about it earlier.) Before you judge the movie, it has a good lesson on values and forgiveness...plus it's giving Ian something to play that relates to his sisters without him fighting with them.
2024
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Saturday, February 23, 2013
Four-letter words
Since we've had kids, our use of certain four-letter words have pretty much disappeared from our vocabulary compared to our college years and early years of marriage. I'm not saying anything bad about people who use those words, I've just found that if I slip out a word that I don't want to hear my kids say back to me, I usually only have myself to blame. So, it's become more of a habit to just not use those words. What I have found, though, is that I have some new things in life that have brought challenges and those just happen to be words with four letters. So here are my "four-letter words":
-SNOW - when you have kids, it's a more welcomed event as opposed to them playing outside in the mud. It's not so much a fun thing, though, when you have to shovel it when it's windy and 20 below zero.
-APPT. - OK, I know that's not an actual word, but on my calendar, it's become a growing & constant entry. When you have a family of 7 who needs to get in doctor, eye, dentist, and chiropractor appointments, it seems to consume a fair amount of time. I am grateful that we have the opportunity and option to give our family proper health care. Plus, now is probably the best time of year to do it all and have an excuse to get out and get some fresh air.
-WEAN - I think it gets harder with each one! True to his beginning of entering into our lives, Noah continues to go about everything at his own pace regardless of the desires of anyone else. He is certainly one answer to prayers about being patient. Last night was his first night without Mommy at his beck and call. I don't know who it was harder on yet, but let's just say that there wasn't much sleeping going on in our house last night!
-BUSY - I really don't know where the time goes but I think that I'm finally learning to manage it better, although it seems that it's ever-changing just as the seasons are. Tapping into the kids' overabundance of energy to accomplish some things around the house has proven to be, at times, uplifting. It's not always an easy task, but finally figuring out what drives each one certainly helps.
-LENT - A time of the year when I used to grumble at the "opportunity" to deprive myself of things considered enjoyable. Now I'm trying to see it as a time to draw myself closer to our Lord and incorporate practices into our family life in an attempt to give zealously more direction towards a life centered around God. A time to honestly take a deeper look inside at the dark places and open the door to allow the light of His constant love shine on them.
May your time before the celebration of Easter be a sacrificial and fruitful experience!
-SNOW - when you have kids, it's a more welcomed event as opposed to them playing outside in the mud. It's not so much a fun thing, though, when you have to shovel it when it's windy and 20 below zero.
-APPT. - OK, I know that's not an actual word, but on my calendar, it's become a growing & constant entry. When you have a family of 7 who needs to get in doctor, eye, dentist, and chiropractor appointments, it seems to consume a fair amount of time. I am grateful that we have the opportunity and option to give our family proper health care. Plus, now is probably the best time of year to do it all and have an excuse to get out and get some fresh air.
-WEAN - I think it gets harder with each one! True to his beginning of entering into our lives, Noah continues to go about everything at his own pace regardless of the desires of anyone else. He is certainly one answer to prayers about being patient. Last night was his first night without Mommy at his beck and call. I don't know who it was harder on yet, but let's just say that there wasn't much sleeping going on in our house last night!
-BUSY - I really don't know where the time goes but I think that I'm finally learning to manage it better, although it seems that it's ever-changing just as the seasons are. Tapping into the kids' overabundance of energy to accomplish some things around the house has proven to be, at times, uplifting. It's not always an easy task, but finally figuring out what drives each one certainly helps.
-LENT - A time of the year when I used to grumble at the "opportunity" to deprive myself of things considered enjoyable. Now I'm trying to see it as a time to draw myself closer to our Lord and incorporate practices into our family life in an attempt to give zealously more direction towards a life centered around God. A time to honestly take a deeper look inside at the dark places and open the door to allow the light of His constant love shine on them.
May your time before the celebration of Easter be a sacrificial and fruitful experience!
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Birthday boy
Yesterday was Ian's 4th birthday. We went to Mass where he got a handmade gift from Jeanne & I can't wait to show you the picture of him in it! Then his godfather wanted to take him out for birthday pancakes, so we went to Perkins. They made a bear-shaped pancake topped with chocolate chips, sprinkles & whipped cream. He loaded on some syrup but all he ate was the whipped cream and some of my fruit dipped in his coffee, which he now calls "fruit coffee". Father gave him a football and football jersey and he's been wearing it ever since.
He even helped make his cake...jello cake, which he again only ate the whipped topping off of. He was so excited when he got to have 4 candles in his cake & got to blow them out by himself. Happy birthday, Ian!!
He even helped make his cake...jello cake, which he again only ate the whipped topping off of. He was so excited when he got to have 4 candles in his cake & got to blow them out by himself. Happy birthday, Ian!!
Saturday, February 9, 2013
A walk in the clouds
During Christmas break, (yes, I know that was a month ago!), we took the kids to the Children's Museum in Brookings, SD. It was my first time there & I think I enjoyed looking at all of the fun stuff just as much as they did! What a wonderful little museum. Small enough that parents of small children don't have to worry too much that they will lose track of their kids, but large enough to keep us all busy for a good 4 hours. Here they could farm, "work" in a grocery store, hide in little buildings and let their imaginations & energy run wild.
Chef Ian prepares "lunch" for Noah & Daddy
Budding percussionist
I think they spent the most time here...climbing up to the sky on "the clouds"
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