Unsolved Mysteries

All you CSI types, I need your help. Bill came downstairs the other morning (while I was still fast asleep of course). He stretched a bit on the floor of our living room then went out for a run. When he returned home, he let the Hairy Beast out into the backyard. As he was letting her out, he noticed a dead bird in the middle of the living room floor. Right where he had been stretching before his run.

Surely he could not have missed a dead bird on the floor right next to him as he stretched. The bird was not wet as if it had been "chewed on" not were there any signs of trauma. Other than the fact that it was dead. Which I suppose could be defined as "traumatic".

So what happened? If Ruby sneaked in with her little snack late last night, she didn't do much snacking on it. Or did the bird just sneak in all by itself. I am baffled. And slightly creeped out.

Bill offered to retrieve the intruder/victim from the trash so I could have a picture for this post, but I declined. See, I do have some sense.

There are other mysteries around here. Look closely at the following picture. It is one insanely long hair that repeatedly grows that long on my upper arm...
What is up with that? Sadly, I did not have enough sense to spare you from that picture.

Another mystery...why, oh why do I do the "scary eyes" in so many of my pictures?
It must stop. I'm going to give people nightmares.

Other things I don't understand: why do my kids think I am so uncool when even they tell me that their friends say I am cool?
Tate didn't even want us to volunteer for Field Day at his school, even though it was solicited. After I told him, he had no choice in the matter and that either Bill or I would be there he said with a bit of a twinkle in his eye "Try not to say anything, okay?" As long as I don't break out the "scary eyes", we should be okay.

And the final mystery of the day, how is it that I get to be so blessed as to work with these people...
Love 'em. Every one of them. Especially the guy with the "scary eyes" right behind me in the picture.

Traditions

Each year my boys go to our team's spring scrimmage...
My boys plus 77,933 other rabid fans...
No such thing as "just a scrimmage" for our team! We have the best fans, siriusly.

The night before the game, Jack prayed "Dear Lord, please let the Huskers beat...the Huskers."
And they did.

On the same day, the girls went to the Ladies Tea for our church. Last year it was just me and Em, but we added to our number this year...
I decorated a table this year. Because I was also the emcee, I wanted to keep it simple so the theme was "Going Green". Green is my favorite color and also my friend Rachel's, so between the two of us, it was easy being green...
I liked my table. I thought it was clever and visually pleasing. There's nothing wrong with liking my table, but I'm embarrassed to say that I was kind of practicing my surprised face in my mind just in case I won for the most creative table. I mean, how awkward to be emcee and win for one of the best tables. There was no need to be concerned, I didn't win. Not even honorable mention. Whatev.

But I did get some fun pix of Lulu and me...
That was the best thing I could have "won" since I rarely get these kind of pix being on the other side of the camera.

I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with traditions. I want to have traditions, but I get bored with them or forget about them. Just ask my kids how many "traditions" I've started and then ditched over the years...Sunday Subs, Saturday smoothies, Saturday morning pancakes, any form of exercise.

Weekly traditions get old to me. Once a month traditions I easily forget. But, I have learned that yearly traditions work well for me. I don't bore of something that comes around only once a year, instead I anticipate it. In fact, I'm already practicing my surprised look for when I win for my table next year at the tea.

Now it's time to think about some fun summer traditions that I will probably ditch. Any ideas? What are your traditions?

BIG NEWS: There's ANOTHER BABY in our house!!!

Sorry, I'm just messin' with ya. It's just bitty baby...
But our Luci May is learning so many new things, it almost feels like she is a new baby every day. She is 15 months now and I feel like I haven't chronicled a lot of how she has changed in the past 3 months. Yeah I know, poor baby doesn't get any attention does she?

Her vocabulary is budding. She has had down all the family members since before her 1st birthday. "Tate" and "Jack" used to both be "Da", but she said Jack's more robustly and that's how we could tell the difference. Fitting, isn't it? They are distinctly different now and she also says her name, Lulu, which comes out "LaLa" with her tongue sticking out.

Other words include "Hi" and "Hello", spoken every time she sees someone when we are out and each time she gets her little hands on a phone. Or anything remotely resembling a phone. On the other side of salutations, she also says "Bye Bye" ("BuhBuh") while vigorously waving. Usually followed (when she's feelin' the love) by blowing a kiss.

She also says "No No" (usually in response to Ruby's wagging tail in her face). It's so sweet and innocent when she says it now. Somehow, I think that could change in the future. Here is a quick video of her nodding "yes" and shake her head "no" with her own Lulu style...



Speaking of "Let your 'Yes' be 'Yes" and your 'No' be 'No'",I know I have the INCREDIBLE Bible teaching in our nursery at church to thank for the fact that she says Bible ("BaBuh") since they sing every week "Oh I love to pat the Bible" and have each baby pat a Bible. Our curriculum for the babies is one of my favorite things about our church. Here is Lulu patting the "BaBuh"...
And eating the "BaBuh" too...
They don't teach that at church. She's "home schooled" for higher learning skills like that.

Almost identical to Bible are what she calls Ruby ("BaBa") and belly button ("Baba" also). I, of course, can tell the difference because I am her mother. And because she is either pointing to the dog or her belly button. I'm observant like that.

Her vocab also includes the important baby words of uh oh and peekaboo. Both of which she used to just say half of the phrase ("uh" and "puhk" respectively), but now she's at 100% with them. Just like her grade average will be in school. (Oh, I kid.)

She likes to tote around a strange sort of security object, a bottle of vinegar...
She's quirky just like the rest of us, folks.

One of my favorite things she has started doing is coming to me with a book and backing up to sit in my lap. I love it when they do that! I never tire of reading "Maybe my Baby" or "A, You're Adorable"(Sung so adorably here) or "Baby Cakes" or "Whose Toes Are Those" or anything by Sandra Boynton. And neither does she...
Thanks to reading, dancing, and a new found interest in playing with some actual toys, she isn't as interested in scouring the carpet for random pieces of lint or pulling every item out of the pantry anymore. (Just the vinegar will do, thank you very much.) But she still has the potential to get into things if not closely watched instead of blogging.

Like my coffee mug, for example...
Thankfully, that one was empty. But the one that she spilled all over the floor (but thankfully not on herself) was not.

Despite letting such things happen from time to time, unfortunately I am the quintessential helicopter mom. With her walking (which is closer to running these days) and the warm weather, we now have all the perils of the outdoors to face (cars, concrete, stinging bugs, UV rays, doggie doo) which keeps me nervously hovering around her. That is in addition to the hazards lurking within the house. Hazards such as crashing through the baby gate and down the stairs. When that happened, I held her and comforted her and then did the only sane thing a mother would do. I gave her chocolate...
She recovered better than I did...
I probably should have had some chocolate too. Instead I breathed into a paper bag. I definitely should not mention that when she managed to crash through the ill-fitted babygate I was only a couple of feet away from her, but I was writing a blog post.

She is still as sweet as ever, but her spunk is coming out more and more as time goes on...
It took 13 months before any made an appearance, but she now has 6 teeth and several more trying to poke through...

Though there are a lot of new things she is doing, one thing has not changed. When she looks up at me like this...

I melt.

That's my name...

and, believe me, they wear it out. Mom (to Tate). Mother (to Em). Mommy ( to Jack). And Momma (to Lulu). All variations on a theme, but all my name. A blessed name, even when it's being whined or said with rolling eyes. I LOVE this name. And I'm thankful I had a day to be reminded of that.

One reminder was thanks to a little tantrum I threw. It was a grown up tantrum, of course, but it was a tantrum nonetheless. It was Saturday and Bill and the kids were headed out in the last couple of hours before we left for Gunga's to get my gift. I had told Emmie what I wanted, but there was some confusion on Bill's part and I ended up advising him about where to go for my gift. For a girl who loves surprises and whose love language is gifts, this was not fun for me. And the fact that they were going out at the last possible minute communicated a lack of value to me. Nevermind the fact that I do everything at the last possible minute. Double standards are an area of strength for me, unfortunately.

So, I was pulling the "Just forget it! I'll just get my own gift." tearful, little dramatics. I should be too embarrassed to admit it, and I am, but it is the way things went down. Bill didn't "just forget it", because after almost 17 years of marriage he knows that I never mean that.

While they were gone, I had time alone to try to figure out what was really going on inside me. I realized that I love to celebrate. I will celebrate just about anything. Mother's Day is a celebration. And yes,along with celebrating my own mother and mother-in-law, I want to be celebrated. But I realized that what I want more than that is to celebrate that I get to be a mother. And to celebrate the 4 little ones who I have the privilege of mothering. This realization changed my perspective on the whole day. It is definitely nice to have a break, but mostly I just wanted to be with the one who I call Mommy and be with the ones who call me Mommy.

So that is what we did. Bill made most of the meal for those of us gathered at Gunga's, which included his mom and my sister's family along with her mother in law. Then he did this...
We talked and laughed and I got to help my Mommy with a few things. I love being able to serve her. Though this role reversal with children helping their aging parents can be painful, it is one of the most healing things to be able to give back a tiny bit to a Mommy who has showered me with so much. I am so blessed to have her as my very own mother and to have her example to look to as I mother...
And one of the highlights, after Jack got a tantrum of his own out of his system, was getting to sit in the back of our mini-van with the kids for the hour ride home. Normally, that wouldn't be my favorite spot in the van, but how sweet it was to be right there with them. Jack fell asleep with his head on my shoulder after talking and laughing and reading.

Yep, I love my name. Whether it's shouted or gently whispered, "Mom" may be one of the sweetest words I know...
The above pictures of Lulu are fun because my uber-talented friend Jenni, surprised me with this outfit for Lulu. She took her favorite shirt of her sons that he had gotten a hole in and turned it into a dress for Lulu. And the first picture is especially sweet because Lulu had just said the word "bible" for the first time.

This morning, I read "I Love You As Much..." to Luci for the first time. Since it has been quite some time since I'd read it I had forgotten the last lines in the book and I could barely choke the words out,

Now sleep, child of mine, while the stars shine above-
I love you as much as a mother can love.

These words hit me harder than ever as I realized the reality that I love this baby with the very same love and intensity that I love the three that I physically gave birth to. She is mine and I am hers. And, I am sure, her birth mother her loved her as much as a mother could love as well. Adoption is such a bittersweet reality. And I am thankful that it has become a part of my reality.

Honestly, as thankful as I am for all of my children, I spend plenty of time as a frazzled, impatient, cranky mom. And yet, the wonder of it all is not lost on me. I am a Mom. I am their Mom. That fact alone is what made it a happy, happy Mother's Day.

(And it didn't hurt that I got two beads for my Pandora charm bracelet. Gifts may be the lamest love language, but I speak it fluently.)

Caribbean Queen

Just two weeks ago, I was on a Cruise. Now this Caribbean Queen is back to her mac and cheese world. Don't get me wrong...I love mac and cheese. But it was nice to live the high life with my Mommy and sisters for a few days. Let me introduce you to my mateys.

Gunga...
You've heard me sing her praises, if you've read any of my blog. I assure you, she is "all that" and more. Case in point, she paid for this entire trip for us, yet she acted like we were giving her a gift by going with her.

Carrie...
I usually call her "Cacky" because that's what I called her when I was little. She is 12 years older than me and she has always been a hero to me. But even more so over the past few years as I have watched her walk through dark times with grace, beauty, humility and an unshakable faith.

Amy...
She has that incredible combination of being both really funny and really deep. She studies and teaches God's Word with passion. She has been the bedrock of our family as she helped my Mom care for my Dad throughout the 7 years of Alzheimer's. And now is walking alongside my Mommy each day as she deals with cancer.

Georgie...
Georgie's life is a miracle, and I don't use that word lightly. I wasn't alive for it, but after her birth she wasn't supposed to make it. But, God had other plans for her, and he "extra juiced" her at the time of her healing because she is brilliant. Never play Trivial Pursuit with her. Even if she doesn't know the answer, she'll figure it out somehow. She's loyal, passionate, creative and just plain fun.

Someone else found a "matey" while we were gone in the form of the special gifts our room attendants made with our towels...

One thing I love about cruising are the incredible men and women who staff the ship. They are from all over the world and work so hard, sending money home to their families. We adored our servers, Eman and Budi...
And yes, Budi is pronounced "booty". This was my kids' favorite part of my cruise recollections.

Our first destination: Key West. It is cute, cute, cute...
And flat, flat, flat...
Gunga napped as the sisters shopped and went to the beach...
I know I don't have a future as a foot model. But those little piggies sure were enjoying the soft sand and warm water.

That night was formal night for dinner. Here I am cleansing my palate before dessert with the yummy sorbet...

Who knew one's palate needed to be cleansed? Despite how delicious it was, I won't make it a habit. I don't need another thing to clean!

We were sassed out, so I wanted a picture of us all(that didn't cost $20). I found a "great" way to get one of all of us, thanks to the mirrored elevators...
Turn off the flash, Miss...
Oops...
It only took 15 minutes of riding up and down the vator to come up with this...
Not a bad picture. And a priceless memory.

Then it was time to depart for our next destination: Cozumel, Mexico...
We didn't see much of Cozumel. We shopped in the tourist-y area and spent the next day having buyer's remorse about what we did or didn't buy. But the main thing we noticed about Cozumel was the blue of the ocean water. It was almost unnatural, it was so blue. Like a blue raspberry slush at Sonic. Let's just say the only bodies of water in our neck of the woods that are remotely blue are toilet bowls with Tidy Bowl in them. And that is definitely a rarity in this house.

That night was the dessert buffet from 11pm-midnight...
'Nuff said.

The last day was spent relaxing at sea. That night we listened to big band music before dinner. My Mom requested "Time After Time" by Frank Sinatra, not Cyndi Lauper. It was her song with my Dad. It was not a song they were used to playing, but they worked it out and made my Mom both happy and sad...
Finally, I made a new friend while on the cruise. He happens to be a young man, but it was all on the up and up. Though, Bill knows, I did give leave a tiny piece of my heart with him. His name is Rau. He was the man who made me Eggs Benedict every morning...
Oh, how I miss him. Actually, it's the eggs that I miss. There is now an Egg Benedict shaped hole in my heart that can only be filled by Rau.

But I will carry on. I am so thankful to have had the fun that we did, while also being able to return to my beloved chaos. And that is exactly where I am right now...the little people, the laundry, the ants, the dirty toilets, the field trips, the diapers, the mac and cheese. And of course, there is the man who may not make me Eggs Benedict but still makes my heart skip a beat...