blueberry fields forever

Last week I made a rookie mistake. I saw previews for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory on tv and thought that it might be fun to tivo and watch as a family. I couldn't really think of anything objectionable in the movie and thought Tommy would really dig the fantasy. Wrong. Every time one of the naughty kids got into trouble he had a come-apart. He is now convinced that if you chew gum you will turn into a blueberrry and have to be juiced and that squirrels are vicous creatures that will try to throw you in the trash can. After the squirrels, we turned it off because he was so upset. The was 10 days ago, he has not stopped talking about it. He tells people in the store who are buying gum that they will turn into blueberries and he warns his preschool teachers on the dangers of nut-loving squirrels. He isn't allowed to watch much tv and I think we're going to keep it that way- his imagination doesn't need any encouragement.

feeling sick

Mom: Tommy, your voice sounds hoarse, are you sick?

Tommy: Yeah, Mom, I'm very sick.

Mom: Oh no! What hurts?

Tommy: (matter-of-factly) My feelings.

it takes a village

Before

After

When we bought this house it had pine tree in the front yard. It was a Charlie Brown Christmas kind of pine tree, lopsided and ugly. It was also perfectly lined up with my front door so anyone who came to my house couldn't help but think that this hideous little tree was there on purpose. We have been planning to remove it since the moment we saw it but we are in the infancy of learning how to be handy and the whole thing was a quite daunting. Last time some of the elders from church came to visit they asked, as they were leaving, " Is there anything we can do for you?" as they always do. I have never answered this question with anything but a polite, "Oh no, we're fine, thank you." Not that day. " You could help us figure out how to rip out that tree in the front yard, does anyone in the ward have a truck or anything?" Silence. And then, action. Discussion on possibilities continued for a few moments and then they left. I have to be honest, I really didn't think we would ever hear about it again, You know, best intentions and all. This was last November just before snow fell. Last Sunday one these nice men pulled me aside to inform me that they would be over on Saturday to remove my tree. I was ecstatic and shocked that they had remembered and followed through on such an esoteric, every day sort of a thing. Saturday morning three men showed up and set to work getting rid of my tree without even knocking on the door-luckily I saw them through the window or they would have done it without us. In less than thirty minutes they had the tree out and chain-sawed into small, easily disposed of pieces. My husband is less active and I regularly struggle with my faith but I was so impressed that these men who barely know us would go to so much trouble to help us with something so unimportant to anyone else. They asked for no compensation or recognition of any kind. Regardless of my questions and concerns, that is the kind of Christian I want my children to associate with, that is the kind of Christian I want to be.

into the wild, blue yonder

(Photo by Sara Weihn)

Tommy: (upon exiting the bath) Mom, I am superhero and this is my cape.
Mom: Oh?
Tommy: And I have to go on lots of dangerous adventures!
Mom: Of course.

shoes can fix anything

I know I am getting a bit gushy lately and today will not be any better, sorry, I'll work on it. So , everyone knows that about four weeks ago I decided to take up running- lots of naysaying and whatnot on my part. I began, as planned, but surprisingly, I loved it. I did get a "runners' high" and I was completely addicted. After my first 4-mile run I found that my toes were numb. This was, of course, unacceptable. I decided to switch from my old, but fancy running shoes to my cheap cross trainers for a few days until I could get to the running store to get properly fitted shoes. Big mistake. After my next run my knees were quite sore but I was assured by all my runner friends that it was normal and would go away shortly. I went running again the next day. It hurt a lot. Being the tough runner athlete-type that I now considered myself to be I ran through it, most of the way. I was forced to walk the last 1/4 mile because I was limping to badly to maintain any sort of pace or rhythm. I spent the next two weeks walking like an 80-year-old woman with severs arthritis. Running was definitely out, even walking up the stairs was a feat. My three story house was not kept up to it's usual level, I simply couldn't take all the stairs. My friend Dr. Amanda looked the injury and prescribed proper medication and physical therapy. I went to running store where they took one look at me and knew what I had done wrong. They sent me home with new fancy running shoes with the promise that it would get better. By the beginning of the second week I was starting to wonder if I would ever walk normally again , let alone run. (I know, impatient, over-dramatic) Two weeks to the day after my fateful "run through the pain" day, I tried again. My new shoes are magic and my knees actually felt better after my run than they did before. I have run almost every day since and I still love it. I am so grateful for a body that does what I ask of it almost all of the time, that heals quickly and adjusts to my randomness, that is strong enough to tote my kids around and to do things that are hard, just because I want to challenge myself. I am grateful to walk, and especially to run.

halcyon days

Tommy really likes big words. Real or imagined, the bigger the better. "That will be interesting (or fascinating or important or impressive or a made-up version of any of the above)!" He has so much to say, so much to ask. He is impulsive, excited, careless and kind. He is tender-hearted and adventurous. He cries at soccer because it is to cold and again later when I tell him it is time to come inside, after all, it's getting cold out. Mowing the lawn with Daddy, sweeping the floor for Mommy, building forts for his friends. He desperately wants to please all of those he loves, especially me. He adores his little brother. Johnny adores him right back. Johnny, who can cross a room in less than a minute regardless of the fact that he has not yet learned how to crawl, whose face lights up every time any member of the family crosses his field of vision. Johnny who cannot eat or sleep if his brother is in the same room because he is too busy staring rapturously at him. Johnny, who snuggles into my hair every chance he gets and is thrilled as long as I am within his sight. Johnny, whose blue eyes have every lady in the grocery store wrapped around his little finger with one giggle. Both of their little worlds revolve around me. I am the sun in their universe. I don't want it to end or even go on. I could do this forever. Every day is full of tiny, perfect moments. I don't want to let them go, ever.