Little Bits: PROMO

Berserk got revved up a notch on Thanksgiving before it slowed to that hospitable calm that I so enjoy. Mostly because when I finally went to hit the sack at about 2 am, Alysse decided her late afternoon nap deserved a 2:30 am encore.

That never ended until naptime the next day.

About 7 am or so I decided that I might as well take her out to run a few errands. I couldn't be mad at her. After all, I was the busy one who let her sleep far too long plus I mean-- really??

Breakfast number two or so. No wonder Daddy calls you our ray of sunshine, sweet face.

To be honest, I really enjoyed the {sleep deprived} time with just her. She was so funny, pointing out things in the grocery store. Asking to grab my hands so we could dance, her with quite the wiggle from her perch in the buggy. On our way to turn in late library books I noticed she was nodding off. Hold UP, girlfriend. You'll be going down for a real naptime today when I need to finish Thanksgiving prep! I handed her some crackers and then had an urge, one of those urges that you got as a college student who had stayed up too late again. One of those urges that means you're tired, not hungry, but you can't go to sleep now so you find yourself craving something like pizza or cheese sticks or run for the border {evil} deliciousness.

Me? That morning, I wanted an Egg McMuffin in the worst way. Haven't had one of those in a million years, want one now... worst way!

When I got to the drive-thru window I realized I was out of cash. A further look confirmed that when Joe had run some returns for me the day before he hadn't yet put back my check-card. Uh oh... me and my craving were broke.

I apologized to the cashier and she smiled, "Hey, this one's on us. Happy Thanksgiving!" I looked down at my receipt and it screamed PROMO in big, happy letters. How delicious.

The big girls woke up to this breakfast picnic, inspired from another friend's blog.

Little bits:

:: I didn't mess up the turkey! PRO-MO! Best of all, I really think everyone felt welcome and at home. Several of the students stayed late, talking and laughing and playing some mean rounds of Taboo. Go Team Big Bird.

::Our digital converter box doesn't work here, so there was no football. But who needs it when you've got a trio of entertainers poised and ready? Alysse "bess'ing" (blessing) everyone and hamming it up when she was sure all were watching, Hope coloring everyone pictures and telling stories, and Maddie-- oh, Maddie.

Two favorite moments of the night... I made these small cards with words of thanksgiving on them and asked folks to share, if they wanted to, as it related to their card. One guy shared deeply about a hard season in his life, and it was quiet as we took it in. Maddie, a VERY inexperienced whisperer and PROUD potty goer, breaks the silence with-- "Hey, I just tooted!" A close second has to be a comment following a discussion of whether or not our turkey was dead or alive, "Mommy, were all of our turkey's little friends very sad?" Cue the explosion of laughter from us all!

Add to this some gravy, apple cornbread stuffing, cinnamon lattes, four loaves of homemade bread with pumpkin butter, apple cider and all that the others contributed... mmm, turkey to the coma.

::One young woman so won the affection of our girls to the point that they actually told me they wanted to play the game of "Guess Who" with her, not me. I won't lie, it stung for a minute. Then I remembered that feeling of looking up to the cooler, older-but-younger girl and I must say as far as that goes-- my girls have good taste. Later that night they made up for my momentary hurt feelings as I put them to bed and they snuggled up with sweet words and big compliments. Promo, growing up girls, promo.

I love that others see how much fun you are to be around.

::Friday didn't mean sales, it meant lots of neighbors putting up their Christmas decorations! The girls were enthralled, so much so that Hope spontaneously colored a picture and had to take it across the street to say thank you for the blow ups. Afterwards we got up in the attic where I found a fun something else that the girls just had to try on.

Watching the construction zone.

::That spurred me on, while everyone else went for a walk, to quickly finish cleaning up the fall decor so I could break out Christmas movies, books, and stuffed animals. A switch on Pandora to Bing Crosby and the hooray cries made my night. Plus, I mean-- really?? Only little kids actually shout the word, "Hooray!"

We couldn't resist putting up the girls' little white tree. Then we lit it up, hid in the closet and jumped out to surprise Alysse who had been downstairs with Joe. She was pretty stoked.

Amazingly it is that time to break out all the glittery decorations, to wrap the presents, to bake, and to make new memories. But it's also time to bottle up the thankfulness of the holiday just celebrated so we can do something even more important.

Give.

Hoping our little family of five can bring a spirit of promo to the people around us... out of our love for the baby who was born to bring it to all of us in the first place.

~Katrina

Little Bits: Happily Berserk

We were hanging out around here having a pretty normal week...

::Making twenty-one'ish meals on these little plates or something similar.

::Creating messes.

::Drying tears.

Usually don't like pics of my kids crying, but I happened to have my camera in hand anyway when I caught her famous lower lip. Plus I gave her an airplane afterwards, which always saves the day.

::Having neighbors over for one last caramel apple hoorah. Or having a little apple with their caramel, as was my girls' preference that day.

::Going at the week's end for a first actual hair salon haircut. Two at home, Maddie given haircuts later.

::Having a family night to cheer on some Flames basketball! Things like this are fun parts of living back in a college town. Besides my girls have a rowdy "GO team!" in their genes, I'm afraid. School spirit practically used to be one of my spiritual gifts.

Didn't have the heart to tell Hopey that, "Get it on, Liberty! Get it on!" wasn't exactly the most appropriate cheer. Especially since she was near tears when we lost by a mere three points.

::Being big sister like. First the library and now the dress up closet.

Loving that lately she almost always says, "Tank 'ew!" when handed something and "Bess 'ew!" when someone sneezes or coughs.

Then it struck me. Dear Thanksgiving, hello... you are Thursday! Afterwards I went a little berserk, if you must know. Even though I had to look up the spelling... sneaky silent 'r'.... I'm loving this word. It sounds like crazy with a spinning side of fun and excitement, crazy with a side of limitless creativity. Crazy without, well, so much of the crazy kind of crazy.

It's a fun word. And I went there.... messy, random, pumpkiny, orange and silver and cute green gingham... the works. Berserk of the holiday loving variety.

::What to do first? Read Thanksgiving books? Make cute lists of gratitude? Create place cards and other details for the table? Random acts of kindness? Brine the intimidating, first time turkey? Break out the little colorforms I've been saving? Pack for Grandma and Grandpa Martins?

We went with all of the above in a most disorganized fashion.

::With the flurry behind and before us, we paused to travel northward. Be still my family loving heart, I am so grateful for the opportunities we've had lately including an early Thanksgiving this past long weekend. We hung out with our 6'7" shorty Uncle Dave at the Air and Space Museum (Hope had to visit the shuttle exhibit twice), colored and read with Grandma, joked with Chef Grandpa, and ran wild with cousins. Good stuff.

Curling up on a rainy afternoon after playing in the backyard, eating a snack, watching a movie, and waiting for the big meal. Epitome of childhood.

::Now we're back in town and I'm looking around. Just a few more touches {okay, a lot} and some more cooking {okay, a lot} to go before we welcome some of Joe's students who can't make it home to be with those they love.

I hope that everyone who gathers around our table is blessed by each small detail. Because my favorite part is coming, when berserk slows down and lights a few candles. When it leaves behind an aroma of simple foods cooked with love. When it welcomes folks inside to hopefully find some family among strangers and friends.

Wishing you a Thanksgiving full of your favorite parts,
Katrina

Little Bits: Breathe and Laugh

There are two necessary skills for my 24/7 job: patience and humor. There are others, to be sure, but those two.... without 'em, I'm sunk.

The jump from one to two babes wasn't that challenging to me until Maddie became mobile and verbal. That always ups the ante. I start chasing and ultimately guiding and disciplining. Desperately important things, namely their safety and character, are then at stake.

When little Leesie came along, I found it to be much the same pattern. Sure-- caring for the needs of a newborn with a one and freshly turned three year old could sometimes be exhausting, but the real challenges again arose when Darling Babycakes began to exert both her speed walk and her opinion.

Bet your bottom dollar, there is still a lot of joy in each new stage. Like eat her up right there on the sidewalk-- joy.

All of that to say, this past week has been full-- oh, so full-- of so much good. Then there have been those more frequent than usual moments that I've needed to chant... breathe and laugh, laugh and breathe. Sometimes too late and other times, thankfully, right on time.

::One of my newest little loves? All three girls dig checking out library books now. Sometimes Alysse still chooses to run me ragged from juvenile non-fiction to the adult self-help books, but more frequently she peruses a shelf of board books tirelessly looking for ones featuring doggies ("wuff, wuff") or monkeys ("hoo," thump her chest, "hoo").

My view as we drive back home. Hope with an Arthur, Franklin, and space selection and Maddie with her carefully chosen treasures: one sparkly, one with lots of flowers, and one with little girls in old fashioned dresses-- all smallish books because she likes it when they fit just so in her hands.

::A view off the deck as they search for flowers and leaves. Some for "cooking," some for painting, and others for Little People interior design.

::Helping to welcome a new tiny boy into the world because, without a doubt, new mamas deserve extra TLC. I still remember with great detail the generous meals brought to our doorstep after each baby girl. Added some homemade bread and a Caesar salad to say, "We're so glad you're here!"

::Baking, pretty much for the chance to lick those beaters clean.

::But more importantly because it was Daddy's birthday! Our little event planners created him some kind of Spider Man party with the couple of bucks I gave them to choose decorations. He came home to loud-- so loud-- excitable door greeters, candlelight, a nice dinner, horn blowing, balloon bouncing, and that dessert. I love that they love celebrating and making others feel special because that has to be one of my favorite things in the world.

Happy, happy birthday Super Dad. Spidey has nothing on you.

::It was a big week for Joe at work, so we thought the weekend would be a pretty quiet one besides for his playing in the school's Turkey Bowl. But no! It got so much better than that when my phone rang Thursday afternoon. "Hey sister, whatcha doing for the next couple days?" What an awesome surprise, brother.

Daddy's team won, and we got to storm the field-- the girls insisted on Liberty's colors! I hope they marry men who always look at them with this kind of love and pride.

We had so much fun and miss these two so.

One thing I need not even put on my can't live without parenting list is love. Because love is always there even when my patience is lacking, even when the timing for finding humor is somewhat askew. It is the one thing that is consistent, the deeply formed undercurrent for all we do. That love... it has a pretty special power.

You know, I think Someone Else says best why that is.

Love never fails...
{I Corinth. 13:8}

~Katrina

Little Bits: Got Your Back

It's a sad scene.

Hope covers her Nana in an unprompted giant hug with a, "This is love, so much love... to last you the longest time, Nana!" Maddie makes one more full force PopPop run to squeeze in a lasting "cwaaaazy time."

A lone wagon trickles out to our van. Its contents are tiny momentoes... leaves, flowers, rocks from their grandparents' driveway. Little handmade vases from PopPop to put in their bedroom as soon as we walk through the door. All of our faces scrunch up hard as we hug and say things like, "It won't be too long until Christmas. Not too long, remember?"

Turns out that the waiting to visit was for a reason. This visit happened at just the time God must have intended. There were things, some of them really hard, that we all needed to think through together. But even hard can have its good when you take the hands of those you love and basically say, "You know what? I've got your back. "

::Festival'in at my parents' church, which much satisfied the hunger to trick-or-treat. Our getting treated to Mexican afterwards by my brother and sis-in-law was pretty satisfying too.

Jessie missed her nap and the "happy festival face" memo. The first candy giving trunk and subsequent balloon artist got her yodeling again pretty quick, though.

::That worked out just right so we could spend October 31st cozy and warm while eating Nana's chicken-n-dumplings and yeast rolls. We also found a perfectly good way to use up the last of those orchard apples.

We, too, will always remember that fun fall tradition back in our old Tennessee neighborhood.

::As usual, there were reunions. From cousins and aunties to high school friends and lovable black labs.

::The last one got so happy and rowdy, we took it out to the van. The party van, if you will, even though I had to turn down the hanging-out-of-the-sunroof-in-the-pouring-rain request.

Alysse trying to hang, the paci giving her the strength she needed to press on.

::Fall showed up again. The girls' favorite scenes somewhere between spotting ducks at the lake, baking, painting big round Larry Boy and Polka Dot,and picking a sugary scarecrow or pumpkin at the small town bakery that makes us smile.

::Most of my grandparents died before I got to really know them, so I am always thankful for scenes like this.

Strong Sampson. Alysse just loved this Bible with this Nana.

When I really stop to think about it, though, it is something pretty amazing. My girls get to know and feel I love you. They get to know and feel I've got your back. The fact that it's across the miles simply proves something quite special. Real love is not bound by things such as time or distance. The people who love you most want what is best for you, even if they have to cheer in your corner from a state or two away.

Welcome home sign and little bouquets for each of us. Strong and thoughtful, which is just the kind of Daddy I think God handpicks to be blessed with the gift of all girls. We sure missed you, Joe.

~Katrina

Little Bits: The Art of Waiting

We have had a plan in the works to visit our North Carolina family for weeks now, but every time we've faced speed bumps. Irritating reasons to wait, to postpone. We just knew this past week we were outta here, right after ballet class, no looking back. We were so sure, we went ahead and ate up the last of our savored bagels-- a must have anytime we visit Joe's old college town.

I even began to pack early. Just a little. Not enough to tempt fate or anything. You can guess where I'm headed with this?

Fun stickers meant for the road trip? Nah. Busted those out at home after sister spent the day before our estimated departure throwing those sad, little guts up.

I was so grateful that it turned out to be a 24-hour bug, but I needed to make sure this was just the ick that had plagued all but Hope and I the week before. I thought about throwing a temper tantrum myself, but in the end that seemed like it wouldn't do much good. So I thanked God for some sunshine, for a little maturity not to imitate my beloved youngest-- who when she is not saying a precious, "Oh, no!" if frustrated, is really learning to squeeze out those crocodile tears-- and I decided to make the most of our waiting.

Which, for the record, is always the best choice. Not, for the record, like I would know anything about choosing the other way around.

Um, yeah... so onto those little bits. :)

++Vitamin D feels best when you've been waiting to get outside, when your body is simply craving it. Kick it up a notch by letting the middle girl, our aspiring flower gardener, plant some bulbs that we hope to see above ground come Spring.



She enjoyed it all. Even the worms.

++Good thing we stayed home most of this past week, instead of vacationing, because our unit was on leaves.

++How fitting:



++Not to mention we were home to get the coolest package ever for another aspiring girl in our house. This time for the one who dreams about walking on the moon.

(Highly recommend this book that we stumbled upon for a great FEMALE astronaut read)

++Our dreaming astronaut also had some of her waiting pay off. It seems like not too long ago she threw up her hands with a, "When am I EVER going to know what these words say?" As of last week we now watch her shy smile her way through simple texts that will open so many doors. So many doors that are out there... just waiting.

++Our waiting around begged for more getting outside, which meant more time for a morning hike minutes from our house. I love this place. The trees, the water, the crunch of leaves underfoot. There's something about it all that collectively whispers an emphatic, "Breathe... what's your hurry?"



Except for when Alysse kicked her shoe, along with her skipping stone, into the water. There was some hurry then before it got away downstream.

++The loads of apples we picked at the orchard were also begging to be turned into all manner of delicious. So, when I was certain the germs were behind us, we got to work. Ironically, so that later, we won't have to do much waiting when desiring one of fall's finest fruits.



Just some of the orchard aftermath

++More fall craftiness. Just because, wow, this season and this weather are awesome. Especially while we wait for the hunkering down of winter to begin.



Waiting is just one of those things in life. We're already trying to teach the girls that God pretty much answers in one of three ways to our prayers.

Yes. No. Wait.

Doesn't make it any easier, though, when faced with dreams or longings that grip our hearts right down to their very core. But, I'm finding, that learning to wait is not for amateurs. There is an art to it. A faith building art that, on the road to being mastered, brings great freedom and peace.

And that makes it worth striving to perfect, even if it takes a lifetime.
~Katrina