Sweet Dreams

Sometimes the best conversations come at the most unexpected times.  Instead of calming, relaxing and soothing, bath and bed time...at our house, it is often utter chaos.  It's during this time that the boys get most wound up.  So, trying to calm them down and get them ready for bed is often a challenge.  Divide and conquer.  That was tonight's strategy.

I am generally a stickler about bedtime routines...heck, any routine for that matter.  But, as a teacher, reading at bedtime is a non-negotiable....until tonight.  Warren and I went into one room and read My Father's Dragon together, while Chris and Harper went into another room and read....or so I thought.  

Turns out Chris and Harper were having a deep conversation about dreams.  I would be lying if I didn't say that I got the slight bit jealous.  I want to have those conversations with my boys.  So, I didn't beat around the bush...I came right out and asked Chris what Harper's dreams were.  And I can honestly say I was not expecting the answer I got.  

"Naked birds.  And they are naked because they hit a fan and their feathers blow off, then they run around naked."  

Sweet dreams, dear child!

Blessed Beyond Belief

One of our dear friends has a quote that we have adopted, "Blessed Beyond Belief."  Recently, we had a day off of school and it turned out to be one of those days where I was able to stop and really see how truly "blessed beyond belief" I am.  Between work, baseball, church, band, and other commitments, days off like that are few and far between.  The boys and I started the day decorating a friends' classroom for her 50th birthday!  I'm blessed to have such good friends!

We left my school and headed to lunch with my mom.  I'm blessed to have such a great family! 

And after lunch, we headed home for what we thought would be another day of housework.  Instead, we decided to kick back and enjoy the day.  Our recipe for a perfect day looked something like this:

• beautiful, picture perfect weather
• baseball bats and all kinds of balls strewn across the backyard
• Warren and 3 "big kids" out back, going back and forth between the trampoline and a baseball game
• Harper and 2 "little kids" next door, having a dance party
• glasses of water sitting everywhere
• one pan of brownies and one full batch of cookies....gone!

And what did I do?  I left the laundry in the basket, dishes in the sink, ungraded papers in the bag, and sat on the back porch and soaked it all in.  I'm blessed to live in a great neighborhood, with fantastic neighbors who all have boys for my kids to play with. 

Fast forward several days....when it was a bit more difficult to realize how blessed we are.  Chris and the boys were bouncing on the trampoline, when apparently something went wrong.  Warren got very, very upset and came storming inside, crying and screaming, "I'm going to move!"  I followed him to his bedroom and tried to calm him down, asking where he would move to.  Through the screaming and tears he replied "I don't know, but maybe I'll become poor and stand on a sidewalk with a sign.  Then maybe when Daddy and Harper come by, maybe they'll want me to come back home."

Update...Warren did not move and is not standing on a sidewalk holding a sign. We are blessed beyond belief!

Happy Valentine's Day!

It has been a crazy busy season in our house.  But, between school starting, baseball season coming and going, piano practicing, Chris changing positions and a billion other things...I have managed to try to jot down some of those precious "mommy moments" that I know are going to be passing by all too quickly.

Those of you who know Harper may appreciate this first story more than others.  But for those who don't know him.....here's what you need to know:  Harper is our tough guy, scared is not a part of his vocabulary.  While he may look incredibly cuddly, he is anything but.  He doesn't like to be held, doesn't like to be kissed or hugged.  (I'm sure this is my payback; I don't know where he gets it from?)   

Back up to a couple of nights ago.....Just when I thought all was right with the world...Chris ran to Publix and the boys were in bed, asleep.  Or so I thought.  Shortly after Chris headed out, I rejoiced with the few minutes of solitude I (thought) I had.  Out walked Harper.  As I sat typing on the computer, he walked up with a big frown on his face as only Harper can do.  Quickly realizing this was a one time thing with Harper, I didn't even think twice before I stopped typing and spun around to him crawling up in my lap.  He looked at me, frown on his face and said "Mommy, I'm scared."  I replied, "Aww, buddy, what are you scared of?"  Mr. Independent caught me off guard when he said "Mommy, I'm scared of getting bigger.  I don't want to be 5."  Well, melt my heart!  I tried to console him by saying, "But Harper, when you're 5 you get to go to Kindergarten."  Not missing a beat, he outsmarted me...."But Mommy, then I will have to do homework."  I tried changing the subject, but he came right back to being scared..."Mommy, I'm don't want to lose my teeth either."  

Several days later, Harper and I were on our way to school one morning.  It was Spirit Week at his school and this particular day was Wacky Day.  It also happened to be Friday...Pizza Day.  Harper and I were talking about the word "wacky."  (The educator in me is always trying to squeeze in a good vocabulary lesson.)  To illustrate, I said "Harper, do you know what would be really wacky?  What if today, Pizza Day, you had pizza with M-n-M's on it?  That would definitely be wacky!"  I looked in the rear view mirror to see his eyes widen and his little eyebrows raise.  "Actuwee Mommy, I fink I may wike that."  So, maybe that was my non-example of "wacky"?

Then, tonight, as we sat around our table, preparing for Valentine's Day, the boys were making their teachers' cards when Warren asked, "Mom, what does Valentine's Day honor?"  Hmmm....good question, I thought.  "Well buddy, I guess it honors love.  It honors the people we love and the people who love us."

Harper chimed in "Momma, how did you and daddy marry?"  Hmmm...another good question.  This was a little more than I bargained for.  I was looking forward to pink and purple hearts, and maybe a few giggles thrown in about girlfriends.



 "When Daddy and I knew we loved each other so much we wanted to get married, we went down to church and met with Pastor Riley one day.  The three of us prayed and asked God to bless us by marrying us."  After he thought about it for a minute, he replied "Well, I'm gonna marry Ashwee."  I know it's probably still too early to tell, but I'm gonna pray he continues to have good judgement!