Snapshots of another week gone by

Another week ends. Like the turning pages of good book, the weeks go by all too quickly. If only the days were longer, with more time to savor the details. And more time to sleep. This last one was full, with work and play mingled together.

We had hot summer days at the park with friends, SAT testing, carpooling, lessons, dentist appointments, haircuts, housework, gardening... Fun days, and long days. School is grueling because the end is so near.

It's not always my natural tendency to stop what I'm doing to just play - I tend to be a goal oriented person - but I enjoyed taking a break to watch the kids and to join in their play. I know that in the years to come I'll remember these times more than the mundane of housekeeping.

In an area where back yards with climbing trees are rare, I am so thankful for the trees and bushes my children climb and hide in. This is our best climbing tree by far, and Michael just taught Olivia how to climb the trunk to reach the first branch. They dream of playing in a real forest!

Andrew and Jack usually play on the swing or catch bugs, generally hanging around the older two.

Olivia continues to enjoy riding. This week she rode Darby because he is stubborn and Olivia needs practice taking command of her horse. She learned how to use a whip and she looked amazingly poised in the arena amidst the other riders.

The boys are patient each week, but I must admit it's not always easy having them in tow. They must refrain from running and jumping, or making loud noises, because a horse could get spooked. But the boys forget. They don't naturally just walk. And when a peacock comes sauntering by, they want to catch it. Or they take off chasing lizards along the outside of the arena where the horses are not accustomed to seeing movement. 

In addition, there are several special needs children and adults who ride or visit the horses. I'm glad my kids get to interact with different types of people, but this week one of these adults began chasing them to play. The little boys began to scream, half in fun and half in terror, as this individual ran after them with arms waving and making unusual sounds. It's difficult enough under normal circumstances to keep my guys calm...

(I'm sure Michael holds the record for wearing out his pants!)

Finally we were able to tactfully excuse ourselves form that situation and sit on the deck to watch Olivia ride.

Today the boys rediscovered their remote control cars, so I had their cars underfoot all afternoon. They also discovered how to test battery power by sticking their tongues on the end of batteries. Later, the kids played restaurant and Andrew wore a pink apron, only he didn't know it was pink because he is color blind like other guys in my family.

I make no apologies for the number of pictures because this is for me, this mommy who wants to remember! It was so cute to watch Jacob learn to use a knife to cut his food tonight. I love his expressions... and how affectionate he has been to me this week.

Today Olivia is reading and hanging out inside. She doesn't mind being scraped up and having dirt under her nails and smeared on her face, but there are days when she just wants to wear a dress and have her hair done pretty. Later we'll probably bake and she'll want to practice speaking in French.

Tomorrow is Mother's Day: I always have to keep a sense of humor about me as I hear my kids plan, or forget to plan. The other day, as we were leaving the reception area after an appointment, the receptionist wished me a happy Mother's Day. While we were walking back to the car I could hear some panicked whispering between Michael and Olivia. That afternoon they took out some craft supplies, but I think they got side tracked on their own projects. I do know I have a macaroni necklace coming my way, and this morning Jack presented me some rose petals and a couple rocks.

Then he asked if he could borrow the rock till tomorrow so he could finish his game with Andrew.

Thinking back to my first Mother's Day, it was entirely laughable... Except I wasn't laughing. Olivia was just over a month old so I was still in the phase of surviving a long Sunday morning (sometimes I still am!). She had colic, nursing was hard, and I was in a daze. We were strapped for cash, and so we decided to combine going out for lunch with ministry. There we were, in a dumpy, crowed restaurant with a bunch of college guys. When my sandwich came, the side of the bread was covered in blackish green mold! Jon, of course, called the waitress back and asked if she had not noticed the mold when she served it. She answered that she had seen it and was annoyed that we returned it! I don't remember much else, except that my appetite was gone and I was feeling sorry for myself.

I think Jon has some better plans this year.

I miss my own mother. If I remember correctly, I haven't been with her on Mother's Day in 14 years. I'd like to think I'd make it pretty special for her. In so many ways she sacrificed for me during my childhood years. She did so in ways that were more difficult than I will ever understand. Merci, Maman!


~Katherine