Swine Flu has turned a family member into a boarish-feeling, snout-snuffling, grunting, hacking, coughing, retching statistic of a media-hyped illness. How to turn this Swine Flue victim back into an up-right walking, clean-nose, easy breathing, content-containing-stomach owning homosapien? A Harry Potter Spell? Rabbit hair and dirt stirred into a paste and rubbed across the forehead? Definitely not. Media coverage has bumped this flu … Continue reading →
We had some difficulty. . . . keeping our pets out of heaven. Figaro, a pretty little Beta fish, a birthday gift given to Joyful from a friend died twice. Once when Joyful was away visiting grandparents. We cheated death, though. The fish store had one that looked just like him. Joyful never knew. However, he died one Christmas when … Continue reading →
The boys found a baby turtle one day. Wild Animal Rule #1 in our house: If you catch it today, you have to release it tomorrow. Wild Animal Rule #2: Rule # 1 doesn’t include snakes. They made a nest in a critter box, looked up what to feed the 1-2 inch little fella, and watched him. The next day, … Continue reading →
There is a lot I like about the Harry Potter movie and books in a Grimm’s Brother-fairytale-kind-of-way. I love the music, the castle, the special effects. I love how the beaten-down kid sides with good over evil and wins. Let me be candid, though. My son asked if he could be Harry Potter one year. I told him, “No. There … Continue reading →
“How’d you learn to kick a field goal like that, son?” the football coach asked after my son kicked a 45 yard field goal in the 8th grade. “Squats, sir,” he replied. “Squats? What do you mean by squats?” the coach asked. “Hundreds of squats, sir,” he answered. ‘Why did you have to do hundreds of squats, son?” the coach … Continue reading →
Did you know that if you say “Gullible” real slow, it sounds like greenbeans? That’s what my third son told me. And I fell for it! Much to his amusement. He says I owe him $15 dollars every time I use that joke. He should have been named Joyful. He has such a joyful spirit: good humored, mischievous, comfortable-in-his-skinness, gladness. … Continue reading →
This is the story of a boy called Faithful. Not because in the beginning he was, but because God told me so, to call him so, He would make him so. My son’s science fair project one year was to determine whether 1 out of 4 children will have the recessive eye gene. Both sides of the family tree have … Continue reading →
“How do you like my haircut?” I asked one day when I picked my son up from kindergarten. “Do you like it?” I learned two things that day. First, never ask your sons if they like your hair cut, your shoes, or your lipstick! Second, don’t ask Perceiver of Truth anything unless you want the ugly, honest truth. “Don’t ever … Continue reading →
Some of my readers might recognize this from late June. I’ve updated it with twirling pictures from the Big Event! The bride was dancing with her father. Halfway through the dance, the planner motioned for me to join my son. Graceful with words–only in writing. Graceful in movement–definitely not. But I danced with my son. Weddings are for watching, not … Continue reading →
When we brought the youngest one home from the hospital, our third son asked, ‘What’s his special name, Mom? What are we going to call him?” Then he rattled off all the boys’ special names I’d given them. They were a combination recipe of love language, spiritual gifts, and just plain old what God had put on my heart as … Continue reading →
