Category Archives: Family File

Thoughts on family life

Meet Charlie

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May I introduce you?

Everybody, meet Charlie.

Charlie, say “hi”!

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He’s a honey.

How many times can one Nonnie fall in love?

Apparently over and over.

Although I’m here to help my daughter and her husband keep the household intact during this transition to a family of four, it’s clear that my main function is to be Hud Bud’s buddy.  Today, I woke up extra early so I could jump in the shower and get my make up on before Hudson woke up.  I sure didn’t want to scare the little guy.

We had a great morning.  We played with toys, we tickled and laughed, we sang “Twinkle, Twinkle” dozens of times, and read the first page of ten different books.  We went outside, picked up rocks, and tried not to get all wet in the sprinkler.  I had a blast.  By then it was 7:30 a.m.  I could have kept it up for at least another couple of hours, but a trip to the farmer’s market sounded like fun, so we packed up the diaper bag and took off.

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There was lots of beautiful produce….

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and delectable baked goods…..

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Someone was handing out suckers as we strolled along.

Hudson has never had a sucker.

Big brothers should have some privileges, that’s what I say.

There’s got to be some perks,

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Hud Bud knew instinctively what to do.

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He really liked it.

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Dad, you’ve been holding out on me for 18 months.

Thank goodness Nonnie came.

My Royal Grandson

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royal baby

Kate is going to have her baby soon, and  I’m not talking about the Duchess of Cambridge.

I’m referring to my daughter, Katie, who happens to have the same due date as the other Kate.

I expect thousands will be gathering outside the English hospital to await the royal news.

PB and I will be gathering by the phone, waiting for word from out west that the baby has arrived.

I suppose there will be great rejoicing in the streets of London when the church bells ring out.

PB and I will do a dance right in our living room, with peals of laughter and cries of joy.

I’m sure the regal birth announcement will be all over the TV and internet for the world to hear.

PB and I will be calling and texting and tweeting and facebooking our little corner of the world.

I presume there will be 101 gun salutes heard across the English countryside.

PB and I may set off a few left-over firecrackers in the backyard in honor of our new baby boy.

Little man, you may share a birthday with a prince or princess, but you aren’t in anyone’s shadow.

You aren’t the first-born, you aren’t the first-grand, you aren’t a twin.

You are different from all the rest — may your light shine.  Soon.

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”  1 Peter 2:9

Paving Paradise

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What with VBS and a visit from the twinsies, I’ve been a little distracted lately.

Then PB kidnapped me and we gallavanted all over southern Wisconsin for a few days.

This morning I took our dog, Bo, for a walk around the block.

The landscape had changed.  We were shocked to see this:

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And this:

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And this and this and this:

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Bo and I couldn’t believe our eyes.

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I kept saying, “What happened here?”

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And here?

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Did a tornado rip through this one block?

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Did a disease devastate these old shade trees?

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Bo didn’t have any answers.

But the little flags and skinny sticks did.

It seems we’re paving paradise with sidewalks.

On a dead-end street.

Are these beauties next?  It seems so.

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Is our street also on the chopping block?

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Lord, have mercy.

“They took all the trees and put ’em in a tree museum.

And they charge the people a dollar and a half to see ’em.

Don’t it always seem to go,

That you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone.

They paved paradise and put up a…..”*

sidewalk.

*Big Yellow Taxi lyrics

Glory Days

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It’s been a glorious two weeks.

For a window of time, all the kids were home along with spouses, fiance and grands.

Counting PB and me, that makes thirteen…and counting.

Two more babes will join the tribe this year.

Here are some lessons from the past two weeks:

Keep looking out for each other.

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You can never have too many bubbles.

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If you just keep sucking it up, something good will happen.

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Chocolate chip cookies are best at Nonnie’s house.

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Make sure you get a little sunshine every day.

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Things aren’t scary when someone big is holding you.

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It doesn’t matter if you have a booger hanging out of your nose as long as you’re happy.

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Double chins are cute.

Eli napping

Don’t under-estimate the power of a good nap.

Ella napping

These are the Glory Days.

Best Fam

Milk

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“Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that you may grow up in your salvation.”  1 Peter 2:2

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Newborn babies have one thing on their minds — milk.

They crave it, they cry for it, they live for the next feeding.

When they are hungry, their miniature mouths open wide as they frantically search for the source, then land it and guzzle like there’s no tomorrow.

They suck with all their might, jaw muscles pulling, drawing, tight and strong.

Milk is what they desire — milk is what they need.

Without it they would die.

So they cry out every few hours for more and more and more.

Elijah and Eleanor inspire me.

I watch their single-minded intensity and I am envious.

To want something so desperately and to be so completely satisfied by the nourishment it gives —

they are teaching me how to love God’s Word.

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They also are reminding me that newborns require regular feedings and must be treated with gentleness and patience.

Neediness, dependence and messiness is to be expected.

Developing into a grown-up takes time.

May we give those newly born into faith the same kind of nurturing care.

Awesome Easter

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I hope you had a lovely Easter.

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I hope you breathed deep of the lillies.

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I hope you celebrated the empty tomb.

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I hope you worshiped the risen King of Kings.

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I hope you ate candy and cheesecake and strawberry pie.

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I hope you didn’t judge me when you drove by our house.

I hope you understood that just recently the snow banks melted enough to reveal the buried Holy Family.

I hope you know I begged PB to put the Christmas decor away before Easter

He tried.  Honestly, he did.

But they were iced into the ground.  Frozen solid.

So the pastor had a nativity scene set up in his yard for Easter.

Awesome.

Holy Week

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There I was, thinking about how it’s already Holy Week…..

and I hadn’t even given it much thought.

I hadn’t contemplated the bread and the wine….

I hadn’t kept watch in the garden….

I hadn’t walked the Via Dolorosa.

There I was, thinking that Easter was creeping up on me

and that I might miss it this year.

I was wrong.

I have been experiencing Easter Life to the full.

Here I am, witness to life bursting forth from the dark womb.

Here I am, staying awake into the night to watch and pray.

Here I am, washing the feet of my daughter, serving her needs.

Here I am, holding in my very hands life — downy soft, sweet smelling life.

Indeed, this has been the holiest of Holy Weeks.

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Welcome Home

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Eli and Ella weren’t impressed with their welcome home sign.

In fact, they didn’t even blink an eye.

Tucked inside their cozy car seats, they slept through the whole thing.

But coming home for the first time is a big event and needs to be celebrated.

So while the babies slept, Mommy and Daddy and Nonnie rejoiced…….

…..and took a nap.

Best party ever.