Playground day

The kids and I were discussing phones the other day after I listened to a voicemail in front of them.  In making the point that I'm old, I said, "I remember before there were even answering machines!  The phone would just keep ringing until they hung up."


To which Jeddy said, "What's an answering machine?"


I'm older than I even thought.

The kids had great fun on this swing.  

Now picture each of them scooting over, one by one, to make room next to Lizzy for another little boy who wanted on.  Now picture all five of them swinging delightedly, except for poor Lizzy, whose face was awash in disgust because the boy right next to her was enthusiastically picking his nose the whole time, about five inches away from her.


I really wanted a picture of that, but my conscience didn't allow me to out someone else's kid on the internet.  Suffice it to say that Lizzy can be very expressive.

Wordless Wednesday

Wrapping up summer

The temperature has dropped below 90, the sun sets before bedtime, and thoughts turn to the approaching school year.

Our summer traveling is done, our last trip being a family reunion with All The Cousins.

We plan to start school on Monday, and I've been working hard to recover my school room from Lyme disease disaster hopeless chaos a temporary break from our ordinary schedule.

Sadly, these are actually the "During" pictures.  Not even "Before."

It was rather overwhelming to face it, to be honest.  T minus 6 days and here is where we are now:

Definite improvement.  The goal is in sight.  If I can just get the room organized enough, I'm *sure* all our days will be perfectly orderly.

This isn't as easy as it looks

This morning Lizzy excused herself in the middle of breakfast to go potty and a minute later called out, "Why is there a tick in the bathroom?"


Ada calmly said, "It probably fell off your dress."


Meanwhile, I was squealing, "A tick?!!"


Lizzy came out pinching a single *Kix* between her fingers and dropped it in her cereal bowl.


Kix. 


K's are hard to say when you're four.  And the singular of "Kix" is "Kick."

The world is a scary place.  I don't look at fields of wildflowers the same anymore. 


My mommy is no longer here to take care of me, and I have responsibilities to fulfill and kids depending on me.


We've been out of school for longer than we've ever taken off since Jeddy was three, and school is slated to start up again in a week and a half.  I'm teaching fifth grade for the first time, as well as second grade, and I have two preschoolers.


I have a new house I'm still getting used to and want very much to keep up with.


I'm not sure if I'll ever have completely normal sensation in my fingers again.  I can't run like I used to.  My shoulders don't work as before and I don't know if they'll heal.


For over a month I did nothing but lie on the couch.  People prepared food and served it to me.  People cared completely for my kids.  People did my laundry and cleaned my house.  People drove me around when I went places.  People pushed my wheelchair.  My only job was to endure headaches and neck pain.

Now the help has gone home, my children's faces are turned expectantly to me, the freezer is emptying out, school is about to start, and the doctor is pushing me to exercise harder.


I understand Lyme can manifest in symptoms of depression and extreme anxiety.  But as my physical health has improved, my anxiety level has crept up.


Will I suddenly lose my health again?


Will I be able to successfully homeschool?


Will I fully heal?


Am I equal to the tasks set before me?

Thank God His grace is enough--in sickness and in health, in success and shortcoming, in confidence and in doubt.

Wordless Wednesday

Hiking

Do your kids ever complain about stuff that doesn't even make sense?


We drove up to the mountains yesterday to go hiking, which means we spent an hour and a half in the car listening to brain-withering conversation from the backseat.  I'd recall what the topics were, but I think that part of my brain died.


The part I do remember is Caleb wailing to leave the mountain because we might fall off and also because there's grass on it.


Caleb (wailing):  "Don't want grass on the mountain!!"


Lizzy the theologian attempted to put an end to the complaining.


Lizzy:  "It's God's plan, Caleb."

Why I'm not a poet

I used to really like that Tom Petty song "Wildflowers."

You belong among the wildflowers

You belong somewhere close to me

Far away from your trouble and worry

You belong somewhere you feel free

The other day I was walking and saw this:

And that song started running through my head.  And I thought, if I frolicked through that dreamy, romantic field of flowers, I would probably encounter about two thousand ticks, and at least 50 of them are carrying Lyme disease.  The place is a minefield!

Besides encouraging dangerous communion with nature, that lovely song is in the throes of denial:

Sail away, kill off the hours...

Go away somewhere all bright and new...

Run away, let your heart be your guide...

You belong in that home by and by

What hapless young woman wouldn't fall in love with such alluring poetry?  He'll even give her a home by and by.  

But think, woman!

He wants to stick you in a field of diseased bugs!  He didn't sing anything about paying the mortgage for that little house!  Or about caring for all your needs when you're laid up with &@$*! Lyme disease for three months because you were twirling around in a field of wildflowers getting ticks in your hair.  

Get real, Tom.  My version would go

I wanna run through thoroughly paved parking lots

Won't you come and avoid disease with me

Trying to cope with our vector-borne worry

You belong somewhere completely tick-free