Photos

All of my photo efforts have been going to the yearbook lately!  That should be finalized in about two weeks.  Then I will be able to concentrate my efforts on my OWN kids!

I-Love-You Duck

Thank you for your prayers for Adam on Friday!  He came through perfectly and has been acting 100% like himself since surgery.  Our biggest battle is figuring out how not to get any water in his ears.  I bought earplugs, but he plucks them out and looks at me, quizzically, while dipping them in the bath water or trying to taste them.  I frantically shout, "No!" so he tries to put them back in, which makes me shout louder.  It's an escalating cycle, because then he stops trying to reinsert them and dips them in the water again...!

Abby and I are busy planning a flip-flop birthday party for June 4th - a total copy of the theme her friend at daycare had and talked about for weeks.  We counted out the days on the calendar and found it was still seven days away yesterday, but I was awakened nevertheless this morning by a warm body next to the bed, standing over me patiently.  I stirred, and she said politely, "Excuse me, Mama.  Excuse me, but how old am I today?"

"Still three, honey," I mumbled.

"Oh."  She turned and went away.

And one last favorite from last night:

We were playing Duck, Duck, Goose with our good friends Garrett and Linda and their two kids, hoping some of their active parenting will rub off on us, and Abby went around the circle:  "Duck, duck, blue duck, red duck, I-love-you duck (to Eric)."  I think I was the goose.  Thanks for such a great time and dinner last night, Garrett and Linda!

New Ears

Adam's surgery for ear tubes is today at 9:30 AM in Fargo.  I can't sleep!  It's the last day of school but the only day we could get him in unless we wanted to wait until late June, so Eric and his mom are taking him.  I SO appreciate all you have done this week for us while I've lived at the school, Jean!

We had a pre-op in early May and the doctors found fluid in his ears that won't go away, causing him to fail a hearing test.  Now that strikes fear in parents' hearts when you are told your child is not hearing normally.

I know this is a really common surgery for kids, but still....  Prayers are appreciated!

Thanks.

All That Glitters

And the quest for an award continues!

Sunday was called Awards Sunday, because it was the last Sunday School until fall, and some children would be promoted to a new level.  Abby's Sunday School teacher wisely prepped the three and four-year-olds, saying, "Your name is going to be called for an award, and then you'll need to walk to the front of the church to accept it."

Abby ran to me after her class, eyes wide and shining:  "Mama, mama!  I - I - I - I'm gonna get an AWARD!"

"Great," I thought.  "We'll finally have fulfillment of this goal."

True to her teacher's word, the awards began with Abby's class, and she walked forward hesitantly, loopingly, until she was the last child to shake the teacher's hand.  She was given a Bible tied with a ribbon.  She took it doubtfully and looped back to her seat.  I hugged her, and church went on.

It wasn't until the closing hymn had ended that I noticed big tears falling from a crumpled face.  "Mama," she choked, "I didn't get an award."

Awards, you see, are still gold and shiny and glittery...and elusive to my little girl.