Belated and PG-rated

I know my kids are really too old for such pictures, but I did it anyway. I didn't do such things when they were little because I hadn't been introduced to the wonders of the Bloggy world. So, I guess I will do them now until Tate's voice deepens and he has facial hair.

They are definitely not too old for making Valentines...

But some readers may be too young for the following story. This is the account of a real live conversation that took place between my husband and myself this morning, the day after Valentine's Day. Please read the whole story before you flag my blog as inappropriate or think my husband is rude...

Me: "Last night was pure bliss." Sigh. "How was it for you?"
Bill: Unenthusiastically, "Fine."

You need to know the back story here. For many years, I slept with a body pillow. I loved my body pillow. I needed my body pillow. Bill tolerated my body pillow. He referred to it as the third party in our marriage. And then something terrible happened. Lice. I could have washed the body pillow, but it gave me a nervous tick to keep our old pillows around. They all had to go. Even My Precious.

That was back in July. I decided that it was good for me to be weaned off the body pillow and learn how to sleep like a normal person. And I have. I learned to sleep without it and Bill enjoyed the extra room in our bed. Except, there wasn't really extra room. I still took up the same amount of room as I did with the body pillow. I guess Bill knew that there was still a "body pillow shaped hole in my heart" and he sacrificed his own desires to give me a new body pillow for Valentine's Day. To me, that's all kinds of romantic.

So, that was what "last night" was referring to in our earlier conversation, the return of the body pillow. It was only later on that I realized that it could have sounded like we were talking about something else.

Here is a picture of me and my beloved Valentine...
Thanks, Billy. I think you know I love you WAY more than the body pillow.

On a day like today

February 12th isn't my favorite day. It's the day my Daddy died. He died after having Alzheimer's Disease for 7 years. He died at home after 10 days of our family gathered at his side. The picture below is from those days. It shouts to me of an undying love, even in the face of death...
In the days before my Dad died, he "woke up", smiled at my sister Amy (who had turned her life upside down to help with his care) with obvious recognition in his eyes and told my Mom he loved her. If you know anything about the late stages of Alzheimer's, you know we experienced nothing short of a miracle.

The night Daddy died my sisters and I commented on how strange it was that the house, filled with people, suddenly felt so empty. Now he is gone from our lives, but they are definitely not empty. He (along with my mother) was sure to fill us up with so much love and to point us to God as our source of true love. So, even though there is a void in my life with him gone, my heart is so full that I got to call him Daddy.

I was distracted today by a visit from my niece, doctor's appointment for Lulu and two Valentine's parties at school. I was doing fine all day. Until I read my sister Georgie's Facebook status. It read,

Remembering today my first valentine, my daddy. It's been seven years since he died, and I still miss him. He was a wonderful father and a man after God's own heart. Happy "New Birth"day, Daddy.

Ditto.

On a day like today, it might be helpful to have something special to make me smile. I think I know just the thing...
He would have loved this little girl. Tonight this little girl is missing her Daddy.

Help.

At this very moment, my son is at a middle school dance.

He laid out his clothes last night.

He did his hair this morning.

Yesterday, he looked like this...
How did this happen?

I'm not too worried since he told me, "I see myself as a stand by the food line kind of guy". Somehow I think he'll be joined by all the other 6th grade boys.

That depends on your definition of "Happy"

Happy 1st Birthday, Lulu! That is, if you can call a cough and a fever happy.

Jack has been sick with said cough and fever for the past 4 days. Emmie was home today with a cold. And since it is virtually impossible to keep the older kids from lovin' on their baby sister, it was bound to strike little Lulu too. We managed to hold it off for most of the day. Thankfully, we had great success with having her first year photos taken. I hope to post them soon.

And had some play time...
Along with the daily "walking practice" that she's so proud of...
Despite her generally good spirits, Lulu wasn't quite herself. I tried to make the occasion festive, despite the cloud of malaise floating above, with a few little decorations...
And a cake I attempted to decorate with sprinkles in the shape of Africa...
Lulu hung on through dinner...
Mac and cheese is a new found favorite. Here she is rummaging in the bib for extras...
And she started into dessert with enthusiasm...
But before too long, the fever got the best of her and Lulu's birthday became anything but happy...
Poor baby.

But the picture actually illustrates how conflicted I feel on a day like today. Like the smiling three older kids, I feel so joyful to celebrate the day this precious child entered the world. I could not be happier to know her, to love her, and to call her my daughter.

But, like the crying Lulu, I am also sad. I have been struggling with the other side of her birthday. Not the presents and the candles and the cake and the singing part. This day is worthy of them all. The reality is that I know very little about what this day was like one year ago for a young Ethiopian woman and the precious child she gave birth to, my daughter...
Today I grieve the Ethiopian Mommy who named you "Blessings" even though she would not be able to receive the blessings of who you are for very long. Today I grieve for the Ethiopian Grandmother who must be thinking about her Rediet today. She cared for you so well. She is always in our hearts and our prayers. We honor these women who were there one year ago today, when you entered the world.

And we joyfully receive "Blessings"...the blessings God has poured out on us through you, our Luci May Rediet. We look back to the blessings of His faithfulness to you, and to us, over the past year. And we look forward to the blessings He will bring to this world through your life.

Happy Birthday, sweet baby. You are loved.
And get well soon.

"The Others"

I know the final season of Lost is a big deal right now. Once upon a time I watched Lost, but it became a little too out there for me and JJ Abrams (who I've loved since Alias) "lost" me. But I remember that there were people on the island who you never really saw, but they were referred to as "The Others".

I believe, on this blog, my three older children have become "The Others". I spend the bulk of my days with Lulu who cannot resist or refuse my efforts to take her pictures or blog about her. So it's been the Lulu show around here.

But "The Others" do exist. My interest in them has not changed. My love for them has not changed. Their blog-worthy antics have not changed either. Here's what they've been up to. The boys have been playing basketball...
And Tate got to go to a professional basketball game for the first time...
Emmie has been taking pictures...
Mostly of herself...

After a bit of a hiatus, Jack's back at the drums...
So you see, "The Others" are alive and well and filling my life with much joy, laughter and noise.

And now back to our regularly scheduled programming. Up next, Lulu's big day.

Doppleganger

Isn't that the word that means you have a twin somewhere in the world? Must be a German word. Two months ago, I started a post with that title and first line. Now it's Doppleganger week on Facebook. I just want the record to show that I am a woman who is SO ahead of the times. As evidenced by the picture below...
Trust me, nappy velour pants and mismatched socks are going to be all over the runways in Milan next season.

I have been a little sad about Doppleganger week on FB because I don't really have a famous Doppleganger. Everyone else in my family does. Take my husband, he's got Sonny Bono. MINUS a little hair and the mustache. PLUS being a much better looking man. Much...
Tate...
has been told quite a bit lately that he looks like Justin Bieber, the latest teen singing sensation...
I think he likes it. How do I know? He's been waking up early to do his hair these days.

Emma's Doppleganger?
It's me, 30 years ago...
Poor, independent girl gets tired of "You look so much like your mom" everywhere she goes. I am a little younger than her in the above picture, so here is a pic of Emmie at that age...
I clearly do not count as a famous doppleganger. And since I am her biological mother, I guess the resemblance should not be surprising. But, it's my blog. I get to make the rules.

Jack has two different looks. The shaggy (and shirtless) Jack...
His Doppleganger is Mowgli from The Jungle Book.

The spikey Jack...
With those teeth slightly resembling fangs, just imagine him with pale skin and red eyes and you'll know his doppleganger is a young Edward. We expect to be contacted when they are making the "Twilight" prequel.

And Lulu? Have you seen her doppleganger on the size 3 Pampers box?
Lucky for the Pampers baby that she gets to resemble Her Loveliness!

But we're back to me (it always comes back to me, ya know). In the past, people told me I looked like Winnie from The Wonder Years. But then Winnie grew up and now looks like this. I do not.

And I have one friend (Jenna) who insists I look like the iCarly star Miranda Cosgrove. I know, I'm slightly older than she is. Keep in mind, Jenna and I are high school friends, so I will forever look like this to her...
A couple of years ago, I got a lot of comments about looking like Sarah Palin. But a couple of years ago, every long haired brunette with glasses looked like Sarah Palin. Especially Tina Fey.

Saving the best for last, I have had two different people say that I remind them of Katherine Heigl. I like this one. Very much. Except it's not that I look like her, it's more about mannerisms. Dang. Still, you have to see some kind of resemblance when you compare this picture...
With this one.

Oh well. I guess I'm a Doppleganger-less girl, which makes me kind of sad. I guess I think having a beautiful and famous Doppleganger would validate my beauty. Why do I think I need that? I am me. Just me. And when I stop and think about it, I am just fine with that.

Thirsty much?

When your husband calls you to come quickly and you find this...
it should be your first clue that something is wrong around your house.

Your second clue? Taking pictures of the event (before removing the child)...
and posting them on your blog...
This ought not be.

But it is.