*sigh* I love summer...

whole lot of nothing to do.

It's not the number...it's the hair

I now realize that the vast majority of annoying comments come from generally very sweet, well intentioned people commenting on the color of the children's hair. My favorite encounter was at a nearby playground.

Man: Wow. You have quite a lot of blondies there. Me: Yep. We sure do! Man: I don't think I've ever seen such blonde hair. Me: (laugh politely) Man: No really, I've never seen hair that blonde. And I'm from Sweden.

Ok. wow. that is blonde. Hair so blonde on Max and Oliver that it's practically translucent. When Oliver gets his hair wet, he just looks bald. Rosie has a touch of red to her blonde and Ladybug seems to be heading that way as well. we'll see.

Today we were walking back from the pool to Bob's parent's cottage at this "country club," when someone made a blonde comment. Rosie gave an exasperated mumble under her breath, "Yes! We have blonde hair!" I smiled at her and explained it was a compliment and that it was pretty cool that they have this special similarity that ties them together. It helped for now, but we'll have to see in the future. This doesn't help when several of the African American youth in our church have to constantly be touching their hair. It's gotten better for them, but the touches still come no matter how covertly.

My biggest problem is that I don't have blonde hair. I'm a total outcast when I'm with the kids. I'm constantly asked where they got the blonde hair from. I'm always thinking, well let's go back to high school biology class. I don't have blonde hair so chances are their father does.

But, this summer I've decided to dye my hair blonde. That's right. When I go in for my next haircut and color, I will no longer be the freak of the family. not much I can do about the brown eyes.

shoe fetish...

I couldn't care less about my own feet. I have never had any longings for super expensive ridiculously high heels. I do have a weakness for well crafted boots, but nothing I actually splurge one.

Baby feet are a whole other matter. I can buy baby shoes. I love baby shoes. I love the baby feet that go into the baby shoes. Just look at these adorable feet in these crazy adorable shoes.

I mean for crying out loud people! I cannot be stopped!

Where's Conor?

You know what I hate most about the teenage years...it's getting you ready for the grown-up years. The splitting away. The separate life. It's not big stuff. Just wanting to go to the YMCA and hang out with the kids at the skatepark. Normal stuff. Reassuring in many ways. but it makes me begin to feel like I have two different families. I begin to get too many pictures like this...



wait no. like this



yes, the picture is crooked. The camera was balanced on the hood of the van. and yes, my hair is awful. I'm trying to grow it out. It will grow...someday

For Chowder...In honor of Father's Day and Our Annivers

I just found this tucked into my bible. It is dated October 16, 1998.

hey i thought i might tell you a story

one beautiful sunny and breezy october day
two young lovers went for a walk in shaw's gardens.
they raced through the maze and
splashed in the jumping waters
they lay down and talked to the koi on the
zig
aaazag
aaaaaaabridge
then they finally found a nice cozy spot
in the japanese garden
and sat down on a rock
away from the people
next to the temple sculpture
and he asked

how long have i known you
and she said
for eleven years i have been your best friend

and he said
we've done alright
right?

yes, she said
we've done good

well then i want to know if you'll
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaamarry
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaame?
and he pulled a small box from his pocket
and put the beautiful old ring
on her
old tired finger

and she cried
and she said

YES.

Somebody tell me what I am supposed to look like...

Encounter #1~We were at the zoo, my 3 were running around being silly. They kept hugging and kissing each other to the point of annoyance. It's a very popular game in our family. This one little girl was sitting at a table nearby and I heard her tell her mother that she wished she had a brother or sister. The mom was very snappy in her retort telling her child loudly enough for mine to hear her, that she gets her own room and doesn't have to share clothes or toys etc etc. I was about to come back at her, but God made me hesitate and I heard her daughter mumble she'd rather have a sister.

I stopped and looked at the woman and said, "They were from IVF." I don't know what made me say that so randomly, but it was exactly the right thing to say. She started crying and apologizing to me. She said she had just gotten a negative the day before, on her third IVF cycle to give her daughter a sibling and she didn't know what they were going to do next.

I was so thankful I had hesitated at the moment. I was so thankful that I had gone through all I have gone through to have my children, so that I could understand what was happening at that moment. And I am so thankful beyond reason, for my glorious family.

Encounter #2~ I was at Whole Foods tonight getting some produce. At the checkout line, the woman in front of me had three small children. The were tired, cranky, and clearly done. After she leaves, the checkout girl looks at me conspiritorially and starts talking about how 3 children is just too many that it only makes sense for people to only have two otherwise you're outnumbered and they clearly act out from lack of attention. When she was done she looked up at me. I smiled. "I have 5." Her jaw dropped and her face went pale. She followed up with the classic..."But, you don't look like you have 5 kids."

overrated...

Bob wanted to get the kids one of those expensive wooden play sets to keep them occupied in the backyard.

Silly boy. Kids apparently just need an old board and a large, plastic flowerpot.


You should have seen them later when one would climb inside the flowerpot while the other two would roll him/her around the yard.

This is in the middle of the backyard renovation. I'll post pics of our almost finished yard soon.

Well, then

she's gone.

a week ago actually.

This week has been a flurry of family in and out. My brother, who I rarely get to see. Aunts, uncles, cousins. cousins of cousins. You know, funeral folk. She died last Sunday. Bob came home from church around 8:30am, which he never does. He walked into the kitchen where I was making a cup of tea and told me mom had called this morning. That my grandma had died. He quickly clarified which grandma when he saw the panicky confusion on my face. You don't think you would be surprised when a woman of 90 dies. but I was.

Now, funerals are done. luncheons are over. and all of the activity of death has come to a close. and yet, I forgot. Tonight, I was looking at my calendar to plan my week, and I forgot that she had died. Tomorrow is Monday. Lunch with Grandma. Dammit it's right there on the calendar. In bright pink marker. every Monday.