Month: August 2013

Another Mailed Treasure

And while you had a little preview of the mailed treasure this past Friday through the form of a little boy’s utter and uncontrollable joy, I wanted to share a few other reactions to another sweet package from my dear Darlene. I know she doesn’t send packages so she can get credit, but I want her to see those sweet faces she has reached out to again and again from across the country.

Let’s start with Mr. Happy:

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Seriously you could send Mr. Happy a box of rocks and the kid would be THRILLED!

But I’m glad you choose practical gifts. 😉

And then there comes Ms. Smiley:

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Nice choice on the ice cream cones. It spoke to her heart… seriously, the kid is three. 😉

And then there was Ms. Screamer:

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“SHE SENT ME A TUTU DRESS!!!!”

Nice choice, Darlene. Well done for sure.

And then came the Emotionless:

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Nevermind her look of mild disgust, she’s just trying to figure out the glittery tissue paper. 😉

Her later response:

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That’s right, flabbergasted. Hehe.

From then on my job became making sure the littlest ones did not eat too much,  ahem, tissue paper while the other ones RAN ABOUT THE ROOM screaming in joy about their coloring books.

So thank you again, dear friend.

You have blessed them indeed.

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Thank You’s Not Enough

Oh, and for those of you that sent Big Guy a birthday present in the mail because you could not give it to him yourself…

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thank you.

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He may never get to meet you, but oh how you have breathed value into his little heart.

Oh how he has felt your love, you can see it in his sweet face.

He is generally tough on things, but these things… friends, he treasures these things. Treasures.

 

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Thank you, thank you!

Such an investment, dear ones. Such an investment.

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It Begins

Today this awesome Big Guy starts his first day of Kindergarten.

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Go, Big Guy, and conquer that first day with the awesome joy only you can bring to a classroom of new friends. I don’t know how long you’ll still be with us or where you’ll be when you finish your Kindergarten year, but I do know this… we love you so and today ENJOY the excitements of a new beginning.

And yes, buddy, today you finally get to EAT LUNCH AT SCHOOL!!!! =D

It’s the simple things that mean the most in your world.

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They can’t possibly be ready for all your personality. 😉

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Wordless Wednesday: With You

I don’t ever want to forget your hand in mine.

Your initiative.

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It could have all gone so much quicker.

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But I didn’t want it to.

Step by step down the long hallway.

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I just wanted to be with you.

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Mr. Wonderful

Someone delightful turned 6 this past summer.

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And we had a transformers birthday of fun with the cousins.

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Sweet Big Guy,

We may only get to know you for a short part of your life, but you have blessed us so. You have opened our eyes to unconditional love. And raise a crazy boy who loves crazy boy stuff. You have pushed us to be better friends. And family to one we cannot keep. You have challenged me to listen better. And challenged me to think harder at how to teach someone who I am just getting to know. Your reckless laughter. Your over-the-top excitement. God has protected and sheltered you so. I know you miss your Mom. I hear you when you tell me your heart is broken, I know you want to be there… while you are wanting to be here. I know I tell you to control yourself. And for goodness sakes stop running and rough-housing. I know I even push you to remember 2 step directions and focus on telling one story at a time. I know I ask a lot of you. It’s because I love you. I hope you hear that enough from me. I hope you really receive my hugs. I hope you really receive my “I love you, buddy” reminders.

You have changed me. You have grown me. Thanks for giving me a second chance. Thanks for being willing to talk to me. And share some of your hurts. Thanks for playing with me and rolling down hills with me.

You are a wonderful boy. You love hard. You are so full of life. And you have so much ahead of you.

Run hard, dear one. Run hard after “right”. Ask more people if they pray and remind them that they should (just like you did that lady that drives you to visits). Be brave enough to tell your brothers when they are mean to you. Rise to the challenge of seeing bad examples and choosing to “do the right thing”.

I’m really proud of you, sweet boy. You have risen to the challenge again and again.

You should be proud of yourself.

You are a wonderful boy.

A WONDERFUL boy.

 

Happy birthday, Big Guy.

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We love you so.

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Our Newest Musician

As I mentioned in the post on Saturday, Rachael has begun taking piano lessons from Ms. Betty at our church. Ms. Betty is a wonderful woman who has opened her heart and her home to our crew many times before, not minding our noise in the least, and welcoming us in with open arms for a friendly few visits since Matt first came to our church to serve. Ms. Betty is one of those rare diamond in the rough ladies who hold strong to her gospel convictions and has the natural ability to edify and open up her heart to you in hospitality. So when I thought about who would be a great teacher, with such patience and compassion for our little Rachael’s budding interest in piano, Ms. Betty was a surefire fit.

Once a week, Ms. Betty comes by the house and picks up Rachael for her piano lesson (she’s one of those wonderfully thoughtful people who think about the fact that I have babies who need to nap and other kids to tend to which would cause an inconvenience in the “please sit quietly and mind while Rachael does her lessons” category). Rachael, feeling so big and grown up, walks on over to the church with Ms. Betty and does her half hour to forty-five minute lesson with her. And you should see that big smile as my “big kid” returns home with her sucker (Ms. Betty is so kind enough to get all three of the older ones suckers each week as a reward for Rachael’s hard work).

Since the piano won’t teach itself, Rachael practices each day for 30 minutes. And since Rachael is four and a half years old, I sit down with her to help her learn. It has been another fun journey of play mixed with hard work for the two of us. I’ve been brushing off my old “how to read music” skills and Rachael has been learning quite well. She is a wonderful student, as always, and I enjoy seeing music through her eyes.

And since piano is really a lot of hard work between learning to read music, learning the piano keys, learning correct fingering, learning how to hold your hands and sit appropriately and then adding in some meter and time… we also have to add in some silly helps to keep things carefree in the world of SUPER multitasking.

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So naturally, I taped balls of paper to her hands to help her keep the right form while practicing.

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Her fingering before habits.

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Her fingering after new habits.

We all had a good laugh about that one. And she plays better now too. =)

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– Proud of her.

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