Sick babies want to be held even after they are on the mend. The comfort of their mother’s arms soothes much of what they cannot control, making the effects of the germ at least bearable. Ezra introduced the stomach bug to his family last week on Thursday. By Sunday night, his dad succumbed and Amelia …
Stop At Nothing
My girls say their toddlers wake up with engines revving from zero to sixty in one point two seconds. There is no gentle or gradual wakefulness. Once the children are awake, they are immediately all systems go. Like miniature pit crews, their moms and dads and sometimes Lolly or Poppy refuel with three square meals …
It’s All There
“Forty-three, forty four, forty-five, oh no! Two are missing! We need to go on a zoo animal hunt. Our turtle and our lion are missing.” Amelia was climbing all over the bed where her mom was trying to change Ezra. I was doing the daily zoo animal headcount as the kids prepared to head home. …
Care and Keeping
Thomas added his weight to Timothy’s against the glass door of the restaurant where we were standing watching the birds outside while their mom gathered her things. The look that danced behind his eyes just before Thomas pressed the palms of both hands against the glass let me know this was sort of an experiment, …
Spent
“Why am I so sleepy?” I wondered aloud to no one in particular. I feel like the toddlers look when they’re needing a nap but not wanting one. When it’s half past five and it’s pitch black outside and the overcast and cold have sapped my energy, no amount of caffeinating can kick my sluggishness. …
Under Authority
Amelia would make an excellent podcast or talk show host. She pulled her little chair up in front of mine in the garage today while Ezra was napping and said candidly, “Yolly, I want to ask you a question.” “What would you like to know?” I asked. “What does a snake eat?” she queried. “Mostly …
What Scares You?
Remember packing for camp when you were a kid? Me neither. My parents did the work of making sure I had all the necessities and usually one or both chaperoned so I did not have to look far if I needed anything. More than once, I shared my things with a friend who had done …
Gain Your Footing
Our home was established thirty-four years ago when my husband and I married. We have inhabited many different dwellings but as the old saying goes, home is where the heart is and my heart is forever bound up in God-ordained oneness with Paul’s. In fact, these words were clearly communicated in our marriage vows. ““But …
Where Was He?
Before I leave to pick up Amelia and Ezra a couple of mornings a week while their mom goes to the gym, I have learned to close my bedroom doors and latch the baby gate at the bottom of the stairs. Little Ezra is quick and he is quiet. Once he’s inside, he usually goes …
Temporary Shelters
A blanket fort still stands in my bonus room turned playroom. I am amazed it has lasted this long with four very active under fives coming and going but the weather has been quite nice lately so we have spent much of our time together outdoors. It only took a few throw pillows, a quilt, …
A Fitting Reply 