“Caroline Rebekah,” my iPhone announced. My daughter set up my cell to announce my calls so when I’m busy studying or writing or when I’m occupied with one of the children, reading a book or playing along with one of their elaborate imaginations, I can continue without interruption unless it’s someone special calling. When she …
Give and Take
I am an oldest child as is my husband. I am constantly reminding Amelia and Thomas that we have this in common by sharing stories from my own childhood. As their younger siblings have come into their own and want only to be with the big kids doing exactly what they’re doing, I’ve tried to …
Surrendered
Ezra went down for his nap like clockwork and I’ll be honest, I was amazed. The long anticipated move is underway. After only two weeks on the market, the offer came and with it, a ten day closing. No one is ever truly prepared for a move. Packing up your entire household, even after only …
Finding Him Faithful
When I was pregnant with our second child, everyone in both of our families was convinced that I was carrying a girl because we had a son first and I carried the two very differently. If you’ve been pregnant, you’ve heard the old wives tales and all of the awkward questions. No doubt you’ve experienced …
Yes and Amen
The first time I saw someone agreeing in prayer, I was younger than ten. I know because my family moved with my dad’s job and I started fifth grade in a new school. Being almost ten and starting over at the end of elementary school was tough but not nearly as difficult as my sister’s …
Clingy
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. …
Butting Heads
I wedged Timothy and Ezra, dressed in warm layers and puffy jackets into blue car, the two seater push car we have used for zoo trips since the grands outgrew strollers. Trekking across the parking lot and moving quickly from place to place sometimes means the younger ones need a lift but hoisting these solid …
Standing on Tiptoe
Near the edge of the woods where my husband puts out deer corn in winter, he mounted a motion sensor light high up on a tree. When the deer show up to polish off their nightly feast, the sensor triggers the light and for about thirty seconds, silhouettes are visible along with the occasional flash …
A Fitting Reply 