Today I'm thankful for the ebb and flow of the individual difficulties and challenges within the family.
We all have our challenges, no doubt. On any particular day, one person will have more challenges, or difficult behaviors, than another. I was pondering this phenomenon earlier in the week as I noticed the beginnings of some moodiness with my Tween. He's never been moody, so these first signs of some bad attitude were startling to say the least. In fact, my first instinct was something along the lines of, "Oh NO we're NOT going to be moody! You are my even keel, NON-moody one! You will STAY that way! Right now!" (Stomping and waving my finger in the air for effect). But as I thought about it a bit more, and analyzed it from a distance (after the children were in bed), I realized that it made sense in the grand scheme of the family. Owen is almost six, and while he still has his challenges, they are no longer overwhelming every single moment of every single day like they may have been a few years ago. There is now some breathing room. It makes sense that someone else will rise to fill the void. I only wish that I'd thought of it first…though maybe menopause moodiness will trump Tween moodiness before long. Watch your back, Liam!
I like to think of it as the Great Evening Out. I guess that sounds too much like a date night though. Maybe the Great Cosmic Balancing Act. If everyone were to be at maximum difficulty at the same time, the family might explode. As long as we can keep it rotating, we might manage to keep moving forward.
Wait a minute, I'm remembering some months after Owen first came home from Russia that were excruciatingly hard because Owen and Natalie were both at maximum difficult…So I guess that brings me to Thankfulness Part Two: I'm also thankful for an exceedingly bad memory. Many unpleasant things can be forgotten with poor long-term memory. Very thankful for that - it should never be underestimated.
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Friday, November 8, 2013
Furry Family
I am thankful for sweet pets.
This is not to be confused with ornery, cranky pets (RIP Tigger). While those can have a certain charm as well, this year we have two sweet, loving pets, and for that I am thankful.
Our two little kitten rescues are sisters from a litter that was tended by a homeless man until he gave them to a pet rescue group. Jersey and Devon came home right before Easter, and their utter cuteness blew the minds of all three kids.
They are loving, patient (i.e., they let Natalie carry them upside down like babies all over the house, and hardly even glare at me while it's happening), funny, and cuddly. It's been such a blessing for the kids to experience this. If we had stopped at Tigger, I'm afraid that Owen would have always harbored a deep mistrust of pets, and Natalie and Liam would have gone though life thinking it is "kind of cute" when a pet bites you for petting him the wrong way.
The kittens have also modeled wonderful sibling love. They take care of each other, give each other baths, and generally have a great time together. They are even cute when they fight. When they are being lovey together, Natalie will call out, "Sister love!!" And all of the kids have learned how to pick them up, how to make them purr, and how to be gentle (Owen). These things are not always intuitive (Owen), so I'm thrilled at this learning experience.
However, if you visit, you will not get to see much of their adorable cuteness, because they are quite shy around anyone other than family. They are strange that way.
Behold, the cuteness overload...
This is not to be confused with ornery, cranky pets (RIP Tigger). While those can have a certain charm as well, this year we have two sweet, loving pets, and for that I am thankful.
Our two little kitten rescues are sisters from a litter that was tended by a homeless man until he gave them to a pet rescue group. Jersey and Devon came home right before Easter, and their utter cuteness blew the minds of all three kids.
They are loving, patient (i.e., they let Natalie carry them upside down like babies all over the house, and hardly even glare at me while it's happening), funny, and cuddly. It's been such a blessing for the kids to experience this. If we had stopped at Tigger, I'm afraid that Owen would have always harbored a deep mistrust of pets, and Natalie and Liam would have gone though life thinking it is "kind of cute" when a pet bites you for petting him the wrong way.
The kittens have also modeled wonderful sibling love. They take care of each other, give each other baths, and generally have a great time together. They are even cute when they fight. When they are being lovey together, Natalie will call out, "Sister love!!" And all of the kids have learned how to pick them up, how to make them purr, and how to be gentle (Owen). These things are not always intuitive (Owen), so I'm thrilled at this learning experience.
However, if you visit, you will not get to see much of their adorable cuteness, because they are quite shy around anyone other than family. They are strange that way.
Behold, the cuteness overload...
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Trees
Today I'm thankful for beautiful trees, and children who love them.
I've been fully enjoying the Fall colors this year. After a number of years in Texas, I had forgotten how surprising and vivid the colors can be in other parts of the country. It really is lovely, though I can tell that it is happening very quickly now, and I feel some anxiety around the fact that they will be gone before I enjoy them properly. The same feeling I get looking at the kids, I suppose.
Natalie and Owen are suddenly obsessed with a certain tree in the yard that Natalie discovered she could climb. I think it started out as a fun little "oh, look what I can do" climb, but turned into an obsession after a group of neighborhood boys stood around the tree and demanded that she "give them a turn." Apparently it is the ONLY tree in the neighborhood that is remotely climbable, at least according to these boys. Natalie refused to come down, saying it was HER tree. Her determination made me smile. They eventually gave up. The tree now has a Welcome mat at the bottom (kind of ironic, that), and various baggies and strings hanging from it's branches, including a string on which to paperclip mail that is to be delivered to Natalie or Owen. They asked to have pizza delivered to the tree, and if they could sleep in it. Surprisingly, Natalie is completely fine with Owen being in the tree, and gives him a boost if he needs it.
If I can piggyback one more bit of gratitude on this post, I'm also thankful that my kids are showing an interest in photography. I suggested many times over the summer that they could use a camera, but I guess it needed to be their idea. Natalie took the great picture of Owen in "their tree." And Liam asked to use my camera on a walk in the woods the other day, and he had some great shots as well.
I've been fully enjoying the Fall colors this year. After a number of years in Texas, I had forgotten how surprising and vivid the colors can be in other parts of the country. It really is lovely, though I can tell that it is happening very quickly now, and I feel some anxiety around the fact that they will be gone before I enjoy them properly. The same feeling I get looking at the kids, I suppose.
Natalie and Owen are suddenly obsessed with a certain tree in the yard that Natalie discovered she could climb. I think it started out as a fun little "oh, look what I can do" climb, but turned into an obsession after a group of neighborhood boys stood around the tree and demanded that she "give them a turn." Apparently it is the ONLY tree in the neighborhood that is remotely climbable, at least according to these boys. Natalie refused to come down, saying it was HER tree. Her determination made me smile. They eventually gave up. The tree now has a Welcome mat at the bottom (kind of ironic, that), and various baggies and strings hanging from it's branches, including a string on which to paperclip mail that is to be delivered to Natalie or Owen. They asked to have pizza delivered to the tree, and if they could sleep in it. Surprisingly, Natalie is completely fine with Owen being in the tree, and gives him a boost if he needs it.
If I can piggyback one more bit of gratitude on this post, I'm also thankful that my kids are showing an interest in photography. I suggested many times over the summer that they could use a camera, but I guess it needed to be their idea. Natalie took the great picture of Owen in "their tree." And Liam asked to use my camera on a walk in the woods the other day, and he had some great shots as well.
Monkey girl.
Photo taken by Natalie.
Photo taken by Liam.
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Thankful For...My Girl
I'm going to borrow the current Facebook trend of posting something I am thankful for, each day in November. Can't promise I will do it every day, but maybe it will get me to write more this month.
I'm thankful for my Halloween baby girl. She was "scheduled" to arrive on November 1st eight years ago, but she has always had a mind of her own, and so she became a Halloween baby.
I love her independent spirit, and even her ever-changing moods can be fascinating. We had our first ever Halloween-themed birthday party this year, and she loved every minute of it. She threw herself with gusto into the planning, the scouring of Michael's and Target for Halloween decor, the painting of goody boxes and decorations, and picking out costumes. I think it is safe to say that she had a good party.
I am also thankful for how much better she has been getting along with Owen, also known as her 5-year-old vampire sidekick. With Liam transforming into a Tween, Natalie has accepted, and dare I say enjoyed, having her younger brother as first mate on her adventures. Yesterday she even speculated about her best friend from school, saying, "She must be kind of lonely, not having anyone to play with." Mind you, this friend is one of four kids, but they are all older. I pointed out that her friend has a sister in 5th grade, so the same age difference as between Natalie and Liam, and she replied, "Yes, but you know, she doesn't have anyone younger than her, so she can play with them." I could not resist (and I should know better) saying, "You are so LUCKY to have Owen, aren't you??" The daggers she shot in my direction were very quick, so I'm pretty sure that means she agreed with me.
I love my Halloween baby, spunky, smart, funny girl, who proudly proclaims, "You know, I'm into lots of things besides video games. I like art, math, being outside, balls, dancing..." Yes, all that and more, sweet girl.
I'm thankful for my Halloween baby girl. She was "scheduled" to arrive on November 1st eight years ago, but she has always had a mind of her own, and so she became a Halloween baby.
I love her independent spirit, and even her ever-changing moods can be fascinating. We had our first ever Halloween-themed birthday party this year, and she loved every minute of it. She threw herself with gusto into the planning, the scouring of Michael's and Target for Halloween decor, the painting of goody boxes and decorations, and picking out costumes. I think it is safe to say that she had a good party.
I am also thankful for how much better she has been getting along with Owen, also known as her 5-year-old vampire sidekick. With Liam transforming into a Tween, Natalie has accepted, and dare I say enjoyed, having her younger brother as first mate on her adventures. Yesterday she even speculated about her best friend from school, saying, "She must be kind of lonely, not having anyone to play with." Mind you, this friend is one of four kids, but they are all older. I pointed out that her friend has a sister in 5th grade, so the same age difference as between Natalie and Liam, and she replied, "Yes, but you know, she doesn't have anyone younger than her, so she can play with them." I could not resist (and I should know better) saying, "You are so LUCKY to have Owen, aren't you??" The daggers she shot in my direction were very quick, so I'm pretty sure that means she agreed with me.
I love my Halloween baby, spunky, smart, funny girl, who proudly proclaims, "You know, I'm into lots of things besides video games. I like art, math, being outside, balls, dancing..." Yes, all that and more, sweet girl.
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