Davis Family: A Lewsterd Says Cock-a-doodle-doo

2013-10-14T19:45:00.000-07:00

Ella: Mom, do you remember that verse in the Bible where it says "Amen I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."

Me: Yes.

Ella: Well, I've got faith. So, I went to the backyard and I looked at that pile of dirt I made, and I told it to move. But it didn't. It just sat there. I guess I know why nothing happened. The Bible also tells us that we shouldn't put the Lord to the test, and I was putting Him to the test. It figures the dirt wouldn't move.

I love this. This is the faith that we are all called to have. I wish that my faith were always so pure. If I told the dirt to move and it didn't, I would assume it was because my words can't make objects move. That thought never even crossed Ella's mind. She believes, and she trusts completely in God's word. I want to be more like her.

The Tooth Fairy and a Little Pocket Money

2012-11-04T19:09:00.000-08:00

Virginia is seven years old and has lost four teeth, yet she's never put a single one of those teeth beneath her pillow. She's told us on numerous occasions that if she knew for sure that the tooth fairy wouldn't take the tooth, she would put one under her pillow. I've encouraged her to write to the tooth fairy and attempt negotiations, but she has been too suspicious to do even that. Today, however, she changed her mind. The change was prompted by her stark realization that she was totally and completely broke, with not even a quarter to spend on bubble gum. Virginia spent the entire weekend muttering to herself about how she needed to find a way to get some money. Get, not earn money. Before bed this evening, she had decided that she would give the ole tooth fairy a try. She wrote a detailed note of introduction and apology (for withholding her teeth for so long), and taped a little envelope to the letter. She placed a single tooth in the envelope and asked the tooth fairy if she would accept one tooth in exchange for some money. Her letter was funny and sweet, and it makes me chuckle just thinking about it. She had already placed the letter under her pillow by the time I came to tuck her in. I was hugging her and ready to be on my way, when she said, "Before you go, I need you to swear to one thing." Darn it, I knew that was coming. She told me in no uncertain terms that she needed to know whether or not I was the tooth fairy. Her words: "So do you just sneak in here, take the tooth, and leave money? Is that how it works? Mom, it would be kind of weird if you were the tooth fairy because the tooth fairy once left a picture of herself under Ella's pillow, and that picture looked nothing like you. So, that would be weird if you had left a picture of someone else. Don't you think?" Hey, it was a really cute picture! Ugh, anyhow, I stared at her for a minute and then began asking her questions to gauge how'd she'd take the truth. Eventually, I decided that I had to be honest with her. "Well, Virginia, I am the tooth fairy," I cried. Yes, I cried, though she shed not a single tear. Instead, she pumped her fist in the air and yelled, "YES! YES! That means I'll actually get some money! I wasn't sure if the tooth fairy would forgive me for keeping my teeth for so long, but I know that you will!"

Later, Virginia stopped by Ella's room to tell her that now they were both in on the secret. Then, Virginia wrapped her arms around Ella and said, "I love you so much for not telling me about the tooth fairy. Thank you!"

2012-05-12T20:01:00.000-07:00

Yesterday as we were driving to swim practice, Ella asked me, "Mom, what do you like least about marrying?" I thought to myself, "What a strange thing for her to ask." You see, I had heard: "What do you like least about Mary?" I have in my car, on the dashboard, a picture of a young Mary holding the baby Jesus, so I assumed she was looking at the picture and talking about Mary. I replied, "Girl, if you think I'm gonna start talking smack about her, you crazy. I'm not saying anything bad about Jesus' mom." Ella's silence and subsequent "What!" quickly led me to realize that I had misunderstood her. She repeated her question--I didn't find it appreciably less odd than what I had heard the first time. Nonetheless, I contemplated her question for a minute and answered, "Well, the thing I like least about marriage is that sometimes I have to do things someone else wants to do, even if I don't want to do them. I have to compromise sometimes, and mommy doesn't like to compromise." I didn't think our dialogue could get a whole lot stranger until Ella replied: "Hmm, that's odd. I would think you'd have said something like 'all those guys I'm missing out on.' Yep, that's what I think is gonna be hard for me. I mean, all these guys are out there, but you promised to be with only one of them. That's gotta be so hard."

As Daniel was tucking Jude in last night, a thunderstorm was in full force. Daniel kissed Jude and hugged him. Jude said, "Goodnight, Daddy. I don't want to get dead from the thunder tonight. But some things I want to be dead, like fish, because I like to eat fish. And bad guys, I want them to be dead, and the devil. But not the government because the government tells us everything to do. What is government anyway?"

Mass Reenactment

2012-03-27T18:38:00.004-07:00

Virginia: Hey guys, when we get home, let's play church. We'll have Mass for all of our dolls.
Ella: Sure, sounds fun. But let's pretend that priests don't have to be boys on account of Jude doesn't know how to read.
Virginia: Okay, I'll be the priest.

When we got home, the kids brought downstairs every doll and stuffed animal that they own. They proceeded to reenact the entire Mass. Virginia did all of the readings from the Bible, led the songs, and distributed communion. Ella sat in the pews and interjected every time Virginia didn't follow the proper order of the Mass. Jude took it upon himself to sneak a little extra communion anytime Virginia wasn't looking. Mass ended with Virginia yelling at Jude because he had finished all of the crackers and juice.

Christmas Eve 2011

2012-02-12T19:56:00.000-08:00

Motorcycle Shop

2012-02-12T19:52:00.000-08:00

Daniel has converted our garage into a mechanic's shop. He and Blaine each bought a busted up old bike, and together they're repairing them, as time and money permit. Daniel described his bike to me as a thirty year old broken down bike that would need loads of work before it would ever run. I believed him, so I didn't resist much when I learned of his plans to rebuild it. Well, only a few short weeks after he bought his bike, Daniel had it up and running. This means one of three things:

Daniel didn't know what he was talking about when he estimated how much work the bike would need.
Daniel is a mechanical whiz and can fix almost everything with little effort.
Daniel twisted the truth just a little so that I wouldn't freak out about him riding a motorcycle.

I am choosing to believe the second option.

Jingle Bell Run

2012-02-12T19:37:00.000-08:00

Ella joined the Mighty Milers, the YMCA's youth running club. The club is for kids ages 8-12, but like most other parents, we think our kid is special and so I asked the coach to let Ella (who is only seven) join. With the exceptions of swimming and running, Ella has virtually no interest in athletics. It would seem that she is not a team player. Anyhow, the coach was willing to give Ella a chance, and though she was nervous to run with all older kids, she toughed out the semester.

Daniel and I alternate running with Ella so that she can work on her endurance. Our runs are humbling, to say the least. I typically run about 5.5 mph (technically not even a run) and go 2-3 miles per run. I try not to push myself-- mostly because I'm lazy, partly because I don't like to sweat. Ella runs about 6.5 mph, and she never slows down. When I run with her, I pant and wheeze and tell her to go on ahead of me, and I feel at the same time old and proud. Proud of her, that is.

Ella finished up the semester by running a 5K. Daniel ran alongside her, while the kids and I joined Grandpa and Gigi in cheering for our favorite runners.

Our two little goons waiting to see their sister and dad run by:

Getting started:

Star runner posing with her mom:

And the Mighty Milers group photo:

Ella finished the run, seemingly without much effort (Daniel also finished, though with a more concerted effort).

Our conversation after she crossed the finish line:
Cathleen: Awesome job, Ella! How was it? I'm so proud of you! Doesn't it feel great to finish a race?
Ella: Ugh, I just kept wondering how much longer this race was. I was just mad that it took so long to get to the end. Why did it have to be so long? Geez.

Helios or Phaeton?

2012-02-12T18:57:00.000-08:00

I found Jude outside driving his own little chariot. When I saw him, I thought instantly of Helios. After I had to dodge his whips a couple of times, however, it occurred to me that Jude would be better compared to Phaeton.

When Jude Plays With Dolls

2012-02-12T18:45:00.001-08:00

Christmas Recap

2011-12-26T19:20:00.000-08:00

Daniel found Jude crying himself to sleep tonight.

When Daniel asked Jude what was wrong, Jude said "I want this family forever. I want to have Ella and Virginia and mommy and daddy forever. I don't want to grow up and become a daddy because I won't be able to be with this family." Daniel consoled him by reminding him of all of the holiday visitors we have had and will have, that even though Daniel and I are all grown up, we still get to see our moms and dads and brothers and sisters.

Earlier today, Jude sidled up to Daniel and said, "I love our Christmas, daddy."

Earlier today, Ella told me, "I'm so glad I don't imagine what I want for Christmas. If I did, I wouldn't end up with the unimaginable. This Christmas is so great!"

Earlier today, Virginia said, "Why did Ella get more presents than I did?" I replied, "Well, she didn't really get many more presents. Anyhow, your doll was expensive. You should just be thankful for what you did get." And she: "Well, I doubt that Santa had to pay for it. He makes all of this stuff there." I'd like to note that when Virginia opened her doll, she hoorayed and cheered and she said to the doll, "Now, come with me. I need to introduce you to all of your sisters."

I was skeptical about whether or not we'd enjoy this Christmas. It's the first time in my entire life that I haven't spent the holiday with one of our parents for at least some part of the day. In fact, I'd kind of been dreading today, because I knew I'd miss all of our extended family. And while it's true that I did miss them all so much, this was one of the best days I've ever had. We relaxed and played games and read The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (I took the girls to see the play earlier in the week) and took naps and never got out of our pajamas. In fact, we were having so much fun that we decided to all together skip making Christmas dinner. And for the first time in my entire life, I ate frozen food for Christmas dinner. Daniel and I are sitting in the living room, he reading about bread, I typing away. The house is quiet and messy, and I couldn't be more content.

2011-10-25T18:44:00.001-07:00

I'm walking around with these ridiculous support hose on. Every time I have to wear them, I swear I'm never returning to the vascular surgeon. At the beginning of the year, I had surgery to remove some of my veins, the really painful ropey ones that twisted down my legs. As far as surgeries go, it wasn't a big deal. It took me a couple of weeks to recover--I cried and hobbled about, but mostly I was just hot and annoyed by my support hose. I remember saying that if my veins didn't hurt so badly, I would never undergo any procedure to remove them. I remember saying that those purply-blue lines that covered every surface of my legs were badges of honor and reminders of the sacrifice and blessing that is motherhood. I said all of those things and I still believe them, but there is no way on God's green earth that I would ever turn down a free spider vein treatment. So, after my initial surgery, when I discovered that my doctor offers one free spider vein treatment, I was ecstatic. And after my last treatment, when my doctor offered me another free session (apparently he can't get enough of my veins!), I jumped on the chance ... Today I endured about twenty injections in my veins, and now I hobble about with bandages beneath my support hose. Though I am abundantly grateful for such good insurance and for a generous doctor, I am tired and hot and crotchety, and I have been a miserable companion. I am so hideous that I can't even stand to be around myself. I'm sorry, Daniel. I'm sorry, kids. Nonetheless, in about a week, when I can take off these hose, I will prance about in the cutest, shortest shorts I can get my hands on. I will forget how miserable and hot and crotchety I was, and I hope that my family will too. I hope that they will rejoice at the sight of my new legs and so share in my joy that they forget all about what a witch I've been today.

School is in Session

2011-09-02T12:18:00.000-07:00

This year, Ella will keep a formal writing journal. Her teacher currently has the class brainstorming to come up with a list of writing themes. Yesterday, she assigned the topic "Things That You Fear," and the students had to make lists of things they fear. During dinner, when it was Ella's turn to tell us about her school day, she mentioned these lists. Naturally, we asked her to name some of the things she'd been putting on her lists. She said, "Well, under things I fear, I listed black widows, the black death, naturally occurring disasters, and my mom serving eggplant. Yeah, some of the kids in my class didn't know what the black death was, so I had to explain it to them."

Virginia is behaving exceptionally well in school, and I feel a little guilty at how surprised I am by this. I mean, Virginia is a great kid. She's thoughtful and compassionate and sometimes sweet, but man, can she get fired up. She is full of energy and ideas and energy and more energy. And she's super competitive. So, I really wasn't sure how she was going to make the transition to kindergarten. Apparently, she's doing it very well. She has come home every day with a sticker for good behavior. Last week, she even received some certificate for being so attentive to the rules. And to top it off, she's received multiple rewards from multiple administrators and teachers around the school. Every time a teacher observes a student doing something particularly well (e.g. good manners, following directions, staying on task, being kind, etc.), the teacher may reward the student with a little yellow dollar. The kids save up the dollars to buy special privileges at school. Well, by Wednesday, the eighth day of school, Virginia had already earned eighteen dollars! Go Virginia! It's actually almost absurd that she has gotten so many acknowledgements. While I know she's a good kid, I can't help but wonder if her smile and hand shake are garnering her a few bucks. Neither here nor there, she's doing well and I'm proud of her. Ella, on the other hand, she's just plain envious. You see, Ella received the school's citizen award for her good behavior, and she doesn't want to be outdone. Upon hearing how many dollars Virginia had gotten, Ella replied, "Well, it's a lot easier to get dollars in kindergarten than it is in second grade." I almost spit out my water when she said this. I still can't believe how competitive these girls are. To exacerbate things, Daniel replied to Ella, "Well, maybe Virginia is just better at being good." Ella gave him a little snicker and a grin and a "whatever" roll of the eyes. She was completely unfazed.

A Little Inspiration for Family and Friends

2011-08-26T12:52:00.000-07:00

Excerpted from "Christ the Friend" section in The Better Part

"from Jesus: My child, I only want one thing. I only want you to flourish, to become the saint I created you to be. Your life is like the vineyard, and the fruit I ask from you
is the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The more you seek and follow my will for you, the more
abundant your harvest will be, and the more fulfilled and fulfilling your life will become. The leaders of Jerusalem who resisted my grace were afraid of losing the passing things
of this world that they had spent so much time and energy aquiring: wealth, position, reputation, power. But those fruits are bitter unless they are seasoned with the fruits
of the Spirit."

On Jude's Mind

2011-08-26T12:41:00.000-07:00

Mom, is all the brown skinned people dudes?

Is an asteroid going to crash into the earth? Boom! Like a huge asplosion and we all die?

I'm glad my sisters are at school because they can't be mean to me.

I like Texas and I like my p*nis.

*I don't want any weirdo searching for that word and inadvertently finding his or her way to my site.

An Old Soul in a Seven Year Old's Body

2011-08-26T12:34:00.000-07:00

On our walk to school each day, we pass a large holly bush. It's unkempt and brambly and utterly impossible to keep the kids away from. This morning Ella gave it a good brushing over with her hand before declaring with surprise that it was super sharp. Really? We pass that bush every day. Nonetheless, her observation led to the following discussion. Mind you, this was all while I was wrangling three kids and navigating the busy roads that lead to school.

Ella: That bush is so sharp.
Me: Yep, it's a holly bush. They're pretty sharp.
Ella: What is the purpose of a holly bush, mom? Does it have a purpose?
Me: Well, I can't answer that without doing a little research, because I don't know enough about the holly bush.
Ella: Mom, does everything have a purpose?
Me: Hmm, I'm not sure. I suppose every created thing probably has some purpose. I'm not always sure what the purpose is, but most things have a purpose.
Ella: So, what is the purpose of a human being?
Me: Well, our purpose is to glorify God and to participate in the act of creation. God gives us lots of ways to participate in creation.
Ella: So, what if the human never existed? Never mind. I guess everything has it's own kind of egg. For a flower, it would be seeds. So how is our purpose different from a flower's?
Me: Well, we're different from flowers and even animals because we are able to think and choose how and if we will participate in creation. For example, the flower doesn't choose to release its seeds. Eventually, the seeds just fall and germinate and grow. The flower doesn't think about it--it just happens. And you know how you guys always ask me if wild animals are bad? I always say "no." A bear is dangerous, but it is not bad when it kills a person. It's just a bear. It does not rationally and willfully decide to kill a human being. When a bear kills someone, it's just eating a meal because it has to in order to stay alive. When a human kills another human, that is different. It's complicated.
Ella: Well, about the bears, I mean, what if they killed a human but instead of eating it just left the body to decompose. Maybe that would enrich the soil. How about that? Huh, mom?
Me: I don't know, Ella. Just stay to the side of the road so you don't get run over by a car before we get to school. I can't handle all of these questions.

Virginia's First Day, Ella in the Second Grade, and Life These Days

2011-08-25T21:01:00.000-07:00

Ella has long looked forward to the day that she would take her sister under her wing and guide her through the halls of our elementary school. She's spent hours drilling into Virginia the school rules in order to prepare her for the structure and demands of a day in the life of a kindergartner. Virginia has listened with rapt attention, hanging on Ella's every word, asking questions and imagining all of the what-ifs.

I woke Virginia Monday morning, rubbing her back and whispering that it was time to get ready for school. She instantly flipped onto her knees and began bouncing on her bed, singing "I'm going to school, I'm going to school, I'm really really going to school." Ella was less enthusiastic when I woke her, though she was not entirely resistant. Both girls quickly got ready, and our entire family set off to walk them the half mile to school.

A fearless Virginia leads Ella to the doors of the school.

Our school allows parents to walk children to their classrooms on the first day of classes. Virginia preferred to walk alone. Here is a recap of our conversation about the matter:

Me: Okay sweetheart, let's go.
Virginia: I'm going by myself.
Me: I'm just going to walk you to your classroom.
Virginia: I want to go by myself.
Me: I want to make sure you find your way to the right room.
Virginia: I can do it by myself.
Me: I need to go with you so that I can take your picture.
Virginia: You can take my picture tomorrow.
Me: The school doesn't let parents walk with their kids on the second day of school. I'm only allowed to go with you today.
Virginia: Okay, I guess you can come.

So, I went. I have no shame. Her first day wasn't just about her and her milestones. It was also about me and my milestones. I was nervous and a little sad about spending days without my two girls. I was having a hard time imagining what Jude and I would do without them. And I wanted to see her walk through the door to her classroom. I wanted to kiss her goodbye and make sure that she was okay. I thought that perhaps she too would feel a little sad when it was time to say goodbye. She didn't. She bounded into the classroom like it belonged to her alone. She found her name tag, hung up her bag, sat down at her table, introduced herself to her classmates, and began drawing a picture of our family. She glanced up at me, waved, and went back to drawing. As for Jude and me, we managed to find our way out of the school in spite of my tears and disorientation at having only one child to care for.

At the end of the first day of school, an administrator who I hardly know asked me if I were waiting for Virginia. I found it a little disconcerting that she would know Virginia's name so quickly. After all, Gingie is so fiery and enthusiastic, that I had no real expectations about her behavior. Frankly, if her teacher had told me that she was being a model citizen, I would have believed it. And if her teacher had told me that Virginia was leading some sort of a protest, knocked another child down, and had spent the day with the principal, I would have believed that too. But Virginia has indeed put her best foot forward, and she has come home every day with a sticker for good behavior. Today she even received a special award for being so attentive to the school rules. I am so proud of her!

When I asked Virginia how she enjoyed her first day, she said. "I was so good. I raised my hand every time I had a question. One time I raised my hand until I counted to sixty, but my teacher never called on me. I didn't want to talk without permission, so I just got up and tapped her on her arm and told her that I had a question. Then I got to talk."

Yesterday, she came home from school and told us that she had given a boy in her class a slip of paper with her name on it. She wanted also to give him our phone number but she didn't know it, and she wondered if we'd write it down for him. This brief exchange followed:

Daniel: Well, Virginia, we don't want you giving out our phone number. Let's wait a little while and if you become good friends with him, maybe we can talk about it again.
Virginia: We're already good friends. He sits at my table and I gave him my name on a slip of paper.
Daniel: What's his name?
Virginia: I don't know. He hasn't told me yet.
Daniel: Right, well, we're not giving him our number just yet.

Regarding Ella and her first day of second grade ...

Second grade began well. Ella's teacher is particularly interested in math and science and all things non-fiction. Because Ella devours fiction and in fact frequently conjures her own fictive realities, this teacher seems a perfect balance for her. The class has already begun science experiments and math lessons. Each day Ella must choose two non-fiction books and one fiction book to read at her table. And so, while Ella continues to indulge her love of mysteries, she is simultaneously learning all sorts of interesting things about insects and earth and space and a million other cool things.

Ella was a little disgruntled to find that unlike kindergartners and first graders, who receive a daily sticker to reward their good behavior each day, she will only receive a weekly report. In her words, "No fair!" Aaah, growing up ... Ella's bag did contain it's own little treasure today. A note. A girl at her table slid her a note during class. Ella opened it and read:

Will you be my BFF?

Sarah

And in answer, Ella nodded an affirmative.

The girls loved their first day of school and they have loved every day since. Jude and I have enjoyed being alone--he doesn't even seem to miss his sisters, yet. It seems that this is the beginning of a very promising year. In a few days, I will begin classes--prerequisites for the UT Health Science Nursing program. In a few years, I will (hopefully) be a nurse. In a week, Jude will begin two days a week of mother's day out. In a month, faith formation will begin and I will again teach all of the precious children I taught last year. Daniel has gotten himself (and as a result our family) on a new path towards a more health conscious lifestyle, and he has already lost about twelve pounds. In my efforts to provide him with more healthy meals, I have dropped a few pounds myself. We are the proud new owners of three brand new baby chicks. (Their cheeping is one of the sweetest sounds I've heard). The house has been 90% sealed to prevent bats from again taking up residence in our walls. By the end of September, all bats should be out of our house and in search of a new residence. Beware, neighbors! And though I today received a $6,000 bill from the health department (the cost of our rabies immune globulin), I'd say we're basking in blessings. This is going to be a good year for us all.

Talking with Jude

2011-08-25T06:13:00.000-07:00

On the way home from dropping the girls at school (it was raining, and we couldn't walk), Jude and I were listening to NPR. The reporter was talking about Virginia and hurricane Irene. Jude heard the report and said, "They just said Ginia! I'm gonna tell her when she gets home. I wish we had a state called West Jude and one called West Ella too. Ginia's lucky. Mom, I love Texas. I love Texas because it has coyotes and cowboys and chickens and goats. Texas is the best. Mom, when are we gonna go to Texas someday?"

Ella's Musings

2011-08-19T20:00:00.000-07:00

"I wonder how big the girls' brains are. Chickens just seem so dumb. Their heads are tiny to begin with, so their brains are probably only about this size [the size of a quarter]. You know? Well, that's okay. They don't really need to be very smart. God made them as smart as they need to be, so I guess it doesn't matter. They're perfect."

At lunch today, apropos of nothing:

"Nothing, always, and forever, are so confusing. Nothing. What does that even mean? If I try to imagine nothing, I imagine darkness. But darkness is not nothing; it's darkness. Or lightness, just lightness, that's not nothing either. It's just impossible to imagine something that is nothing. Do you know what I mean? And forever ... what does that even mean? Sometimes I just can't figure this stuff out."

and a little while later:

"All these people who think that mother nature had anything to do with life, they just don't make any sense. Mother nature? Really? I wonder who they think made her. They just don't know what they're talking about. Obviously, there is a God. Obviously."

Sleepover

2011-07-31T12:57:00.000-07:00

We had our first big sleepover this weekend! Our friends were going on a date that would last until late in the evening, so we offered to keep their three boys overnight. These boys are some of our kids' best friends, and so the house was full of excitement as their arrival inched nearer. Every few minutes, my kids would ask, "How much longer until they get here, Mom? How many minutes?" Eventually, Ella assigned each of our kids a station from which to lookout for their friends. Right around the time we expected the boys to arrive, Ella ordered, "One more minute ... window watchers and door waiters in position." Even more funny than her dictate was the urgency with which her siblings obeyed her. I can't help but wonder what my life would be like if they obeyed me as quickly.

The sleepover went off without a hitch. Nobody argued that night. Nobody was frightened by the unfamiliar sleeping arrangements. Nobody cried. Everybody slept through the night, even me. In fact, it was a really fun night, and we were even a little sad when the boys had to leave.

I remember only one episode of note. When bedtime came, I read to the kids, said prayers with them, and tucked them in for the night; afterwards, I quietly crept onto the stairs and waited for trouble. No one stirred for the longest time, and then I heard the door creak. Jude stumbled towards me, disoriented, and said "Davis keeps getting out of bed. He won't leave me alone. Look what he did." Jude pointed to his derriere. His little pajama bottoms had been stuffed full. Apparently, as Jude was dozing off, Davis kept sneaking across the room and stuffing Jude's pajama bottoms with random pieces of clothing. I laugh every time I think of this. I would expect this kind of prank from a ten year old but not from a four year old. Something tells me I need to keep my eye on this kid as he gets older. I can only imagine the pranks he's got in store for us.

2011-07-31T12:16:00.000-07:00

More than any other game, our kids like to play make believe. I'm not talking about getting into costume and affecting an accent for an hour or two as they role play. I'm talking about assuming their characters for days, defining every detail of the characters' personalities, day-to-day lives, and personal relationships. I'm talking about throwing parties for these imaginary characters and using real money to buy real presents for them. I'm talking about when I hear my kids say "mom," I have to ask "which mom are you talking to?" More often than not, they are not talking to me.

They won't play this game with any of their friends because, as they say, it's a "family game." So, they always take great pains to ensure that their props are put away where none of their friends will come upon them. They play every day, for hours on end. Often, I use the time when they're playing to get my chores done, so I'm not always listening to their dialogue. Occasionally, however, a little snippet of their conversation will catch my attention, and I'll eavesdrop from another room.

About a week and half ago, Ella, Virginia, and Jude began a new chapter of make believe. This chapter has been dedicated to overcoming great peril, preparing for and surviving natural disasters, acknowledging their own personal heroism, and reenacting the petty dramas of everyday life. I've overheard Virginia begging her siblings to evacuate their homes before the twisters strike. I've overheard gossip of the young man (Jude) who wanted to marry a young woman (Virginia) until he found that she was pregnant. Upon discovering that she was with child, he left her high and dry. I was perplexed by this scenario and so I asked them to explain it to me. As it turns out, they were inspired by, of all things, the holy family. Virginia played Mary, but in place of a faithful and loving Joseph, my kids inserted an evil Batman (Jude's character), who would shun all the virtues of Saint Joseph and leave Mary to fend for herself. Nice. I mean, why not get creative? The girls at least expressed disgust with Batman's character, so I don't think I have anything to worry about.

More than anything, it seems that the kids like the control they have in these make believe games. And in fact, they seem to get along better when they're playing make believe than when they're engaging each other in "real life." So curious.

2011-07-29T06:59:00.000-07:00

I discovered a long white hair on my head. It's pure white and really long, which means that it has been around for awhile. Strange that I never noticed it. As I was preparing breakfast this morning, I casually mentioned that hair to my kids. Both of my girls began to cry. Apparently, now that I have a white hair, I am really old; this gives my children cause to mourn. Ella wrapped herself around my waist and cried "You can't get old. I want to stay a kid forever. I want you to stay young. Waaaaaah." Virginia sat in the den and cried to herself, sniffling every now and then. Jude carried on with his superhero game, completely unfazed by his sisters.

Everyone finally calmed down, and Ella declared that there was no way she was going to wait until she was old to have kids. No sirree. She's going to have her babies when she's twenty-two. Hmm ... only time will tell.

Overheard

2011-07-27T12:15:00.000-07:00

Ella, Virginia, and Jude were playing with legos when the following conversation transpired:

Jude: Ginia is so pretty.

... pause for a few seconds ...

Ella: Am I pretty too?

Jude: Um ... you need more long hairs.

Ella burst out laughing at his answer. Thank God. I wasn't sure how she was going to take it. She's kind of sensitive about having shorter hair than her sister (even though she is the one who opted to chop her locks). Everything is a competition with these girls. Everything!

Virginia's Intentions

2011-07-08T19:56:00.000-07:00

On a typical night, our family says a number of traditional prayers before we each offer our personal intentions. I love closing our day in prayer, because no matter how ghastly our day might have been (and these days have been pretty ghastly), we end each day with some sense of peace. As they get older, the kids become more thoughtful and deliberate in their intentions. Virginia, in particular, has become more thoughtful. In previous months, it wouldn't be uncommon for her to spout "Thank you God for the world. Amen. Oh, and my mom and dad and my brother and sister. Amen." (It cracks me up that we are an afterthought). Virginia's approach to our ritual has often been dismissive and halfhearted, her primary goal being to get quickly to her room so that she can read. Tonight she surprised me. I'm not sure what inspired her prayer and I feel a little unsettled by it, but it was certainly heartfelt. Tonight she prayed, "Dear God, I ask you to bless all of the people who are going to die tonight. I pray that you will bless them so that they don't die. But if they have to die, I pray that you will protect them and stay with them. And thank you for this day and for my mom and dad and brother and sister. God, please help me so that I will be good tomorrow. Amen."

A side note: After I tucked Jude in tonight, as I was closing his door, he said "Mom, you're a really good mom. I love you."

Man, I love these kids.

I've Been Vindicated

2011-07-07T18:49:00.000-07:00

Ella took a few quizzes that she found on the American Girl website. I'm not sure which quizzes she took, but I do have a list of her results. She wrote them all down so that she could read them to me when I got back from the Y. She was so cute, so innocent when she said, "Mom, listen to all of the stuff I learned about myself ..." She went on to read and explain an extensive list, but I found two of her results in particular rather amusing:

"My life pet is a horse. Huh, I never would have thought that. I would have thought my life pet would be a dog, you know. A horse, I guess that makes sense. I guess they're right."

"I need me time. That's what the website says. You know mom, I guess you are right about quiet time. I guess I do need it. That's what the quiz says."

I'm curious to see if this quiz will work to my advantage tomorrow. No resistance to quiet time? Sounds way too good to be true.

In Daniel's Words

2011-07-07T13:17:00.000-07:00

For the longest time I've been trying to persuade Daniel to do a little guest writing for thelewsterd. This blog is supposed to be a record of our family (with all of its blessings and challenges) and a place for us to keep family and friends up to date on our goings on. So, it would be nice to hear Daniel's perspective, particularly since he's such a funny, clever writer. Still, every time I suggest he write, he says "No, no, it's your blog. It's good for you to write. It's your thing. Enjoy it." And I say, "Blah, blah, blah, throw me a bone, dude. I don't want to forget this day, but I'm too tired to write."

Well, today I was lucky enough to come upon a letter Daniel wrote to an old friend from college. Daniel copied me on the letter, so I don't think I'm breeching any confidences here. In the letter, Daniel gives his perspective, which is really fun to know. I'm posting his words here; otherwise, they'll become lost in the thousands of emails sitting in my account.

The kids are busy growing up. Ella (7) will be starting the second grade this fall and devours
a couple books a day easily. Spends a lot of time asking us 'why' and
occasionally yelling about the injustice of the world. Mostly she is
just a sweet kid though, a bit shy, but eager to learn new things.
Curious about the world. Virginia (5) starts kindergarten in the fall
and despite our neglect, seems to have taught herself the basics of
writing and arithmetic, no reading though, oddly. She loves attention
and busies herself either pretending to be a mom to a few dozen dolls
and stuffed animals, or fighting with her brother and sister, or
recounting word for word the things she has just done or said in
another room 30 seconds ago. While laughing. Jude (4) is obsessed
with being a boy and doing manly things. For someone like myself
(masculine, but hardly testosterone laced) it is funny to watch him
insist on muscle shirts, ball caps, power tools, and ninja moves. His
favorite activities are (loudly) racing matchbox cars around the
house, pretending to be a superhero, and repeatedly smacking the
hard-packed dirt of our backyard with a rake in order to make, as he
calls it, "smoke". He can easily burn an hour or two digging holes
for no known reason.

Cathleen is doing well. She is surviving the blitzkrieg of motherhood,
torn between the desire see the kids off to grade school and not
wanting them to grow up at all. She does not get to see Kate Deacon
all that much, but they are still best friends. Ditto for her family.
(Though we almost moved to Tulsa Oklahoma recently to solve that
problem). She is usually engaged in a half dozen different crafts or
hobbies at any given time, currently sewing, baking, and house-hunting
for no one in particular. Should probably add Facebook to her list of
hobbies.... : )

My time is mostly taken up with work and the family, but I work on
side projects as I can. Currently learning how to make cheese,
raising chickens, and tinkering with electronics.