Apples & Cows

Today Stuart had a field trip to a nearby apple orchard for that lovely primary school tradition of picking apples, making applesauce, etc. He was very excited. Sabrina kept asking where she was going on her trip. We were headed to a mall to meet Sarah, Mackauly, and Kenzie Crane, so she was excited about her trip too. This was our exchange as we left the carpool line:

S: I go see 'Kauly at the mall and Stuart going to the farm to feed the cows!
J: Yes, we are, but Stuart is going to pick apples.
S: What happened to the cows? (Arms up and everything!)
J: This farm doesn't have cows. They grow apples.
S: Stuart going to a farm with no cows?
J: Yes, he's going to pick apples.
S: I go see 'Kauly, and Stuart go to the apple farm to pick apples to feed the cows.

So much for the no cows on the farm!

Playing cars

Stuart playing with some new cars in his room:

"Buckle up! Buckle up! Buckle Up! Everybody buckled? Ok, let's go"

Mmmm, I wonder where he learned that?

Phew, I'm normal

Today I volunteered in Stuart's class. What a great experience. I pasted library envelopes into books. The perfect job for simply observing the class: no real thinking needed! Firstly, I reinforced my opinion that my child's teacher is AMAZING! Secondly, I learned my kids are normal! There was a great deal of squirming around, talking out of turn, and crying from frustration. I think sometimes I forget that other kids are doing the same things my kids do! It gives me so much hope to see the other children dealing with the same struggles my children do; not that I'm rejoicing in their pain, but in the fact that we're in it together. When I read to the class later, all those sweet eyes watching the pictures, it just makes your heart melt. Community, right there in Junior Kindergarten, struggles, frustrations, joys, and all.

Here's my thing then—struggles are normal and when you're not struggling alone, it makes the struggle easier.

Laundry

I'm really trying to have a good attitude about laundry. I know I've got it easy when you think about the fact that I have a working washer and dryer; however, laundry is the bane of family life. Give me sibling rivalry and spilt milk; I will overcome and speak with wisdom and patience (sometimes) but laundry, oh laundry, just is.

So I've decided to write a song. OK, not fully through-composed, but I've changed the words to "This is the Song that never Ends". Because seriously, it will never end. The sooner I accept that I'm chosen to do my own laundry until the day I die, the happier I'll be, right? Or maybe laundry could be my reason to feign early dementia and secure my room at the assisted living center...

Anyway, enough dreaming. Here's my song.

It's the laundry that never ends
I'm always lugging it, then I bend
To put it into the washer, then over to the dryer,
Then up the stairs, to fold, and hang it up higher

It's the laundry that never ends
What goes in it makes me wretch
Dirt and grass and pasta, and pee and poo galore
I never ever know what the clothes have in store

'Cause it's the laundry that never ends
I don't even want to talk about the linens
Top bunk sheets to make, plus the mattress pads
Then the one who like to take her pillow out to the quad

It's the laundry that never ends...

Super Girl

Just a funny video of Sabrina (Again, the cell phone, sorry!)
She is
Super Gi-rlllllllllll!

The image of the Invisible God?

This is a video (from my cell phone, sorry about the poor quality) of last week's chapel at the boys' school. You can't see our kids in the video, but it was just so sweet to hear all these kids worshiping.

After the singing, a speaker was talking about God's care for us, even when we can't see him. He's asking the crowd of 3-12 year olds, "Why can't we see God?" Some of the kids were raising their hands, some were mumbling the answer—He's invisible—to their neighbors, but Stuart, oh my sweet Stuart, confidently shouts from the JK class area in the front, "Because He's wearing a disguise!" No one could miss that answer! He's too funny!