Category Archives: Family File

Thoughts on family life

Wedding Week Interview #2

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Wedding week continues….

Next up: big sister Katie.

Me: How do you feel about your little brother getting married?

Katie: Oh….I feel old.  I changed Jake’s diapers and carried him on my hip.  Not recently, but like 22 years ago.

Me: What are you most looking forward to on Saturday?

Katie: Seeing Jake’s face when Kelsey walks down the aisle and watching him cry his eyes out.

Me: Where do you see the happy couple in five years?

Katie: I see them living in the woods and having their own reality TV show.

Me: What are three words that describe your relationship with Jake?

Katie: Ummmm…long-distance, book-ends, favorite 🙂

In all fairness, this interview was done in the kitchen while five babies were pulling on Katie’s pant legs.  One was crying, one was screaming, one was whining, one was drooling, and one was shouting.

All this while eight adults were in the other room watching “Thomas the Train”.

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Wedding Week Interview #1

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It’s officially wedding week in our household!  I thought this blessed event should be commemorated in a special way, so for the next few days I will be doing a series of interviews of various members of the family.  Given the nature of this slightly dysfunctional, but entirely charming clan, this should be fairly entertaining.

Day one: Sister Anna

Me: How do you feel about your little brother getting married?

Anna:  (My gosh, I can’t do this…. sniff, sniff)  I feel sad that it’s the last wedding because I really like these parties.  I’m excited to see the culmination of five years of them getting to know each other and learning to love each other well.

Me: What are you most looking forward to on Saturday?

Anna: Babysitters.  Also, the crying during the father/daughter dance, and the laughing during the mother/son dance.

Me: Where do you see the newly married couple in 10 years?

Anna: In their new hand-crafted house, built by Jake……with a baby, maybe two…..continuing to pursue the things they love.

Me: What are three words that describe your relationship with Jake?

Anna: Spontaneous (free tote!), loving (nook me), and open and honest (brother-sister time on the roof).  

Um…I think these are inside jokes….half the time I have no idea what these two are talking about.

Me: That was four words, Anna.

Anna: (laughing)

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A Blessing For My Son

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This is my baby.

He’s getting married in a few days, so naturally I’m getting all sentimental about this child.

I love this picture because it captures a moment I treasure, the perfect day.

 A summer day, barefoot on green grass, peaceful river, gentle breeze, garden ready for planting, Wisconsin cheese t-shirt, worn out blue jeans, favorite blankie hanging on the clothesline.

So, reflecting on this photo, here is a blessing for my son as he marries his love:

May you have the perfect summer day to begin your life together.

May you walk in green pastures of provision and rest by still waters of peace.

May you be refreshed by the wind of the Spirit blowing through your lives.

May you sow seeds of faith in the fertile ground of love and reap a bountiful harvest.

May you remember where you’ve been, who you are, and whose you are.

May you find satisfaction in hard work and a job well done.

May you always feel wrapped in the security and comfort of the love of God and family.

Love, Mom

Powering Down

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stationLife used to be so much more simple before all the time-saving, productivity-boosting, technology-driven gadgets came along.  Ironically, I often feel like my gizmos steal a lot of time and keep me from being more productive.  Huh.

For instance, I used to get ready for bed by washing my face, brushing my teeth and setting my alarm clock.  This nighttime routine took about 10 minutes.

Now, here are the steps I go through each evening:

Wash face and brush teeth.

Check email for messages.

Check Facebook for messages.

Check blog for messages.

Download podcasts to listen to in the morning.

Plug in laptop to charge overnight.

Plug iPod into computer so it’s charged for my morning walk.

Check tomorrow’s weather forecast on phone.

Check GroupMe and Instagram to see if the kids added anything.

Set alarm clock on phone for 5:25 a.m.

Pick which song I want to wake up to and set it.

Check the Up app to see how many steps I took during the day.

Close all the apps I opened throughout the day.

Plug in phone to charge overnight.

Switch my Up bracelet to “night” so it can track my sleep.

Turn my Kindle’s Wi-Fi on to download books I may have ordered.

Check battery level on the Kindle and plug in if needed.

Kiss PB goodnight.

Goodness gracious, my bedtime routine is a production and a half. It’s no wonder I sleep so well.  Powering down is a lot of work.

When Jesus sent the disciples out by twos for a season of ministry, He told them, “Don’t load yourselves up with equipment.  Keep it simple; you are the equipment.” (Luke 9:3) 

Ah yes.  So for the next two weeks, I’m going to unload my equipment, simplify, and focus on the people in my house.  And there will be lots of them — five little grand-people and all the adults that go with them.  It’s a good time to disconnect from my gadgets and equip my heart to love my people.

The Trailblazer

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This child is the trailblazer.  The pioneer.  The leader of the pack.

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This boy is the first of the gaggle of grands that have been added to our family in the past two years.

(Gaggle, noun: an often noisy and disorderly group; an assortment of related things)

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He is not yet aware of his prestigious position.

He doesn’t know that someday the siblings and cousins will want to be in his secret club, sit by him at the kids’ table, and copy the way he sets up his trains.  He will tell them the rules to the games he makes up, show them a better way to build towers, and tattle on whoever is misbehaving.

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He will be the teacher when they play school, the father when they play house and “not it” when they play tag.

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It’s not easy, being first.

But there are perks, starting with lots of pictures.

May Day

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There’s been nothing particularly wrong with this day.

It’s just that the clouds and the cold and the rain have made my mood a bit overcast.

I sent out a distress signal:

Mayday!  Mayday!

Send sunshine!  Send some color into this gray world!

Coming home tonight, I see it on my porch.  My rescuer has come.

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A pop of pink and two tulips on my weatherbeaten chair.

My weatherbeaten spirit is lifted.

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Thank you to whoever heard my distress call!

May Day!  May Day!

Fashionista

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I’ve been looking for the perfect outfit for spring and I think I finally found it.

I didn’t discover it on Pinterest.

I didn’t see it at the outlet mall.

It wasn’t displayed on a mannequin.

Oh no.

My new favorite outfit was modeled by the newest fashionista in town….

….my granddaughter, 6 month old Evie Sally Ann.

Let’s start with the boots.

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As you can see, her footwear is soft and furry for ultra-comfort.  Swoon.

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Evie is sporting a medium grey legging with sparkly pink hearts.  Adorbs.

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She’s chosen a pink (of course) ribbed long sleeve top with sparkly (of course) ballerinas.  Ca-uuute.

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And this jacket.  To die for.

Detailed stitching, petite pockets and rolled up sleeves.  So hip.

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Don’t you agree that Evie looks completely put together and ready for a fun day at Nonnie’s?

This is my new favorite outfit.

I just need it 100x bigger.

After all, I am about 100x older (653 months, to be exact).

Gosh, I wish I could look that cute with drool running down my chin.

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I also wish I could sit up with my legs straight out and touch my toes.

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Oh Evie-girl, to be you…..

 

Jokers

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Being cheerful keeps you healthy. It is slow death to be gloomy all the time.  Proverbs 17:22

PB is a champion storyteller.  He has a whole arsenal of jokes and strange-but-true stories in his memory bank. I’ve always admired his ability to spin a captivating yarn.  The thing is, I’ve heard them all.  After 35 years of marriage I can tell when he’s getting ready to share a joke….and which joke he’s going to tell.  In my head I can relate every story right along with him, word for word.

I, on the other hand, am not a good jokester.  In an effort to be efficient and not waste people’s time, I leave out the embellishments, forego the details, and rush to the punchline.  My timing is off.  I don’t have that mischievous twinkle in my eye that endears listeners.  My anecdotes seem to lack PB’s pizzazz.

The winds of change are blowing as our children and grandchildren settle into their own homes.  PB and I are finding ourselves at a table for two more often.  Our conversation tends to center on work and church — serious stuff.  Sensing that we need to laugh together more, I challenged my man to 30 days of jokes.  New jokes.  Just to keep things fresh around here.  Besides, I found a website with enough one-liners to get me through the month.  I was ready.

It started slow.  The first morning, over our oatmeal, I said, “What did the zero say to the eight?”  PB put down the newspaper, confused.  I could see he was struggling with how to respond so I whispered, “I’m telling a joke.”  Still perplexed by his wife’s unusual question, I prompted him.  “I don’t know.  What did the zero say to the eight?”  He started to catch on.  PB: “I don’t know.  What did the zero say to the eight?”  Me: “Nice belt.”  I figured if I set the bar pretty low, things could only get better.  We shared a laugh.  He tried to pull out an old one on me, but I was firm.  30 days of new jokes.

The second week went better.  PB must have found a website, too, because he started greeting me with funny questions every morning.

“How much did the pirate pay for corn?”  

“I don’t know, how much did the pirate pay for corn?”  

“A buccaneer.”

“What did the three-legged dog say when he walked into the bar?”

“I don’t know.  What?”

“I’m looking for the man who shot my paw.”

I’ll spare you the rest…

 Sharing a laugh every morning has been good for us.

PB is learning some new jokes and I’m working on getting that twinkle in my eye.

A merry heart is good medicine.

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Anniversary

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My mom was so pretty.

My dad was so handsome.

On February 23, 1946 at the farm on Highway 38,

she came down the staircase in her silk and organza,

he stood tall in his Navy dress blues.

She took his arm before the fireplace.

Elmer and Ada, Frank and Jeannette, and 35 others

heard them promise to love and to cherish.

Before the bride knew there would be four kids

and a house in the cottonwood trees….

before the groom knew there would be seed corn

and cattle and cancer….

he wrote her letters from the USS Fanshaw Bay

filled with hopes and dreams of life together on the farm,

planting seeds and harvesting a good crop.

And so, for 27 years, they did.

Elinor (1922-1973) and Roger (1923-2011)

Too Cold to Poop

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brrr-17 degrees, -29 wind chill.  It’s too cold to poop.  Our dog, Bo, can’t stand it.  She can’t keep all four paws on the frozen ground at once.  Can’t stop dancing long enough to squat.  Can’t think about anything but getting out of the frigid air and back into the house.  Tug, tug, tug on the leash.  No poop.  Too cold.

I love how extreme weather conditions shut down activity.  We all think we’re in charge, with our to-do lists and responsibilities.  But really, we have no control over this world.  It’s good to be reminded of that from time to time.  I prefer extreme days — they make us slow down.  Those other days when it’s cold but not too cold, snowy but not too snowy, icy but not too icy — those days you have to carry on despite the elements.  But a blizzard or an ice storm or an arctic blast, they make you put up your hands and surrender.  “Ok! I’ll leave my pjs on all day!  Uncle!  I’ll sit by the fire and read all afternoon!  I give!”

Sometimes it’s nice to be told what to do.  Usually I like to be the boss, plan my day, decide what’s next.  But sometimes I like to be told, “No”.  And just give in.