Tonight

I just went upstairs to check on my dear Jonah. It's 10:00. He didn't take a nap today.

And he's obviously not tired yet.

Welcome Weekend

I've been a bit nostaligic today. It's Welcome Weekend on campus. Nervous freshman and their parents are scattered about, emptying their minivans and tractor trailers.

While driving the loop, I began thinking a little about my first couple weeks of school-- my roommate who held hands with her boyfriend while riding bikes and thought Michael W. Smith was of the devil, my square dance partner who I don't think ever left the computer science "dungeon" during his four years of school, that first hug from my future roommate, the dorky Precious Moments signs on our doors, making friends, buying used books, learning how to study...

And then I saw this poor sight:


It all seems like a different life.

So I drove my mini-van back home, unstrapped my kids from their car seats, put away the groceries, looked out the window at my new landscaping and with a smile on my face realized that it didn't SEEM like a different life...

It WAS a different life!

The Obsession

I remember it well-- those days on the playground spent playing four-square for a few weeks, after which time we switched to kickball, and then, after getting tired of kickball, we found great joy in capture the flag.

I remember loving my Cabbage Patch doll for a bit, but moving on to paper dolls for a while, and then spending time recording my voice on a small tape player while Amy Grant sang on my boombox.

Every kid goes through stages.

But this stage of Jonah's has lasted quite a long time. He's obsessed-- really, he's OBSESSED with roller coasters. I think he asks me 4 times every hour, "Mom, what's your favorite roller coaster?" I used to say that I didn't have a favorite. I used to say that they made me dizzy. I used to say that I don't like roller coasters. Now I just pick one, although it's rarely the answer he wants. Let me give you an example:

"Mom, what's your favorite roller coaster?"

"The Millinium Force."

"You can't say that one."

"Well, how about the Wicked Twister?"

"No, that makes you dizzy."

"Hmmm, what about the Top Thrill Dragster?"

"No, that's scary."

"Woodstock Express?"

"That doesn't have a video (he enjoys watching the videos on www.cedarpoint.com)."

"Magnum. I really like the Magnum, Jonah."

"Okay, let's watch it."

So he proceeds to turn on the video of the Magnum while he literally holds my head so I can't look anywhere but the screen.

This conversation takes place a few times every hour. If I state that the Magnum is my favorite coaster next time, then undoubtedly he'll say, "You can't say that one." And the cycle continues :)

A Love Letter

Jonah was sad yesterday. He missed Tammy, his teacher in Alma. I asked if he wanted to write her a letter, and this is what he told me to write:

"I moved to my new house and I can't do anything without Tammy....and Tammy is moving to (our new town)...and me and Tammy go to Florida...and every place in the world with Tammy every single day.

And [have] a very good day every single day.

I love you, Tammy."

Hallelujah

Jonah started school yesterday.

He'll attend everyday from 12:30-3:00. It is a huge blessing. It seems quite similar to the developmental program he attended in Alma. I've really struggled the past couple of weeks with his need for activity and my limited ability to provide it for him. It's been oppressively hot so the playground has been out of the question, full day activities to the childrens' museum or zoo seem out of the question because of Lydia's schedule, and trips to the grocery store or shopping center don't really fulfill his need for sensory input. So we've been inside our house, trying to keep sane.

Until yesterday.

He didn't give us many details. There's a boy named A.J. that he likes, his favorite part was the puppet show, he had a doughnut for snack, and the story was about "kids." He came home with a smile on his face and couldn't wait to get back on the bus today.

If this experience is even half as beneficial to him as last year's teacher/class, then it will be a good year.

The Weekend

The scene was set. The actors were in place. The curtain opened as the green civic approached the narrow, gravel drive. Two rusty pick-up trucks sat in the parking lot. Overgrown weeds filled the flower beds. The unsuspecting players, Mike and Traci, walked to the manor house cautiously, unaware of the adventure that awaited.

They opened the large, heavy front door. A bag of kitty litter and dusty stacks of magazines welcomed them. An older woman with the distinct look of Mike's Aunt Donna approached the couple. She chatted for a bit about the price of food. The players were quiet. This was to be their romantic weekend getaway.

They slowly climbed the wooden staircase, jaws dropped, eyes wandering. Dusty antiques covered every inch of the mansion-- tattered silk flower arrangements had seen better days.

Traci, although confused at the setting, collapsed in bed before Mike returned with the suitcase, sleeping two hours.

It was dinner time. A candlelight dinner was planned. Mike and Traci took their seats at a cozy, corner table. The server lit the candelabra, setting a single, fake rose aglow. Sounds of Ozzy Osborne danced through the dining room from the kitchen. The players smiled. The players laughed. The players fully expected someone to tell them they had been transported to the Augusten Burrough's memoir, Running with Scissors or perhaps Hamlet would appear shouting, "I am but mad north-northwest!"

Nevertheless, the food was delicious, the time away from kids was needed, and memories were made of a unique 7th anniversary celebration.

Was I Only Dreaming?

10:30 p.m. Go to bed

12:30 a.m. Awaken to the sound of tornado sirens

12:35 a.m. Turn on the television to decide what to do

12:40 a.m. Nervously listen to more tornado sirens

12:41 a.m. Hear the weather man announce that there are four funnel clouds moving in our direction

12:42 a.m. Decide to bring kids downstairs with us

12:45 a.m. Sit with Lydia in the bathtub while she sleeps on my shoulder

12:55 a.m. Decide that the bathtub isn't an interior wall

12:55 a.m. Move to our large pantry; Lydia wakes up and plays with food

12:57 a.m. Jonah sleeps on pantry floor

1:00 a.m. Mike watches the storm, assuming I guess, that he'll dive for the pantry if needed

1:15 a.m. Funnel clouds are near

1:30 a.m. Lydia vomits

1:45 a.m. Jonah snores; the weather appears to be settling

2:00 a.m. Return kids to their beds

2:22 a.m. Toss & turn in bed-- what a weird night

6:30 a.m. The alarm rings. Was that a dream? Did that really happen?

Paige

We had old friends over for dinner last night. Jonah loved playing with their adorable girl.

Pure Bliss

Tonight's Bedtime Routine

I sat down to write something clever tonight but I kept getting interrupted with Jonah yelling, "I WANT A HAMSTER FROM THE PET STORE! I WANT A HAMSTER FROM THE PET STORE! I WANT A HAMSTER FROM THE PET STORE! I WANT A HAMSTER FROM THE PET STORE! I WANT A HAMSTER FROM THE PET STORE! I WANT A HAMSTER FROM THE PET STORE! I WANT A HAMSTER FROM THE PET STORE! I WANT A HAMSTER FROM THE PET STORE! I WANT A HAMSTER FROM THE PET STORE! I WANT A HAMSTER FROM THE PET STORE! I WANT A HAMSTER FROM THE PET STORE! I WANT A HAMSTER FROM THE PET STORE! I WANT A HAMSTER FROM THE PET STORE! I WANT A HAMSTER FROM THE PET STORE! I WANT A HAMSTER FROM THE PET STORE!"

I just went upstairs to talk with him about this new request. "I want a hamster from the pet store, Mom"

"But where will the hamster live?" I inquired.

"In a hamster cage [duh]."

"And what will the hamster eat?"

"Free water."

We've been talking about the fact that water doesn't cost money at most restaurants.

"And what happens if the hamster gets out of his cage?" I ask.

He mumbled something about taking the hamster to school.

I told him he'd have to talk to Pop and Grammy about getting him a hamster.

He's quiet now.

What Do You Think?

Back in the Saddle Again

I got a call yesterday from the Admissions office. They needed someone to do an interview while the managers in the office were away at a retreat. I went into the office to see if my old bosses could refresh my memory. Do you know what they said? "You know what to do."

Their words didn't help me much-- it's been eight years since my last interview!

The goal of our college interviews is to make students comfortable-- to make them feel like they're having a conversation with the counselor more than an interview. So a list of questions wouldn't help me; I needed to be reminded on how to transition from, for example, academics to leadership without the student really knowing that I was gaining knowledge about these areas.

I faked my way through it; I was definitely rusty. The interivew didn't last as long as it should have, but it's done. His parents asked some typical questions, and unbelievably, I could still quote any fact from eight years ago-- but I assumed they needed updated information :)

It felt good though. It felt good to be back in the saddle. I really do love it.

The Farm, Part II

The Farm

We spent some time at the Orebaugh farm today. I'll post more pictures later, but this is my favorite so far!

Molly's youngest son, Ethan

A Little Dirt

-- never hurt anyone.

Another Reason for Moving

We love living close to old friends. Tonight we had a last-minute dinner with Tim and Mel and their three kids. For the last seven years we've had to plan a huge weekend to get together with friends; now we just hop in the car and go see them for a few hours. How fun!

Guess How Much I Love You

I love that childrens' book. I often tell Jonah before bed that I love him "all the way to the moon," and then he replies, "and back."

He went to bed around 7:45 p.m. last night. At 10:30 p.m. I walked up the stairs to check on the kids. I suddenly heard faint, panicked screams and knew it was Jonah. I ran to his room and discovered him trapped in his closet. Our best estimate is that he'd been stuck for almost two hours.

He was quite disturbed-- he'd been sobbing. He jumped in my arms, crying and squeezing my neck.

I wept. My heart hurt. I held him tightly. I couldn't help wondering what he was thinking about the whole time.

He recovered rather quickly. He made a few comments about being stuck in the closet, but really, he was just tired and wanted to sleep.

We didn't talk about it today. I just gave him a lot of love.

Last night I was reminded just how much I love him...

all the way to the moon and back.

Fun Day

Our friends, Mark and Carrie, moved from Alma about a year before we moved-- now they live an hour away. We spent Saturday enjoying the festivities in their hometown.





Thanks, Mark, Carrie, Lauren, and Holden!

Future Student

Yesterday

The Dying Comma

"A little horse must think it queer/ To stop without a farmhouse near."

It was my favorite test question in college. My professor asked us to diagram this sentence from a Robert Frost poem. I excitedly scribbled on my paper with a smirk on my face. I could diagram sentences all day.

I was one of those English majors that embarrassed myself in Imaginative Writing (just ask Becky Ness) and struggled through Modern Fiction (although, I dare say, I'd do a lot better in this class today). But there was one class where I felt like the star pupil-- one class where I was disappointed if I received anything less than a 98% on a test. It was the reason I wanted to be an English teacher: Linguistics and Grammar.

I read a Newsweek column this morning entitled "The Sad Fate of the Comma." It started me thinking about my writing. The author states, "But the comma's sad fate is, I think, a metaphor for something larger: how we deal with the frantic, can't-wait-a-minute nature of modern life...The comma is a small victim of our hustle-bustle."

I'm guilty of this. I succumb to the pressures of quick emails or quick blogs. I forgive myself for writing in the passive voice, misplacing a comma, or overusing the elipses because I have too many things to do and not enough time to do it all.

The comma is sacrificed. My commas are sacrificed.

What is this world coming to?

Because she's just too cute...

He's Back

I haven't spent much time on the computer recently so let me redirect you to my brother's blog for some light, easy reading.

The Birthday Gang

We celebrated Lydia's first birthay this weekend in Columbus at the annual Smith Family Summer Birthday Bash. My uncle, my mom, my cousin, and Lydia all have birthdays within days of one another. I'm stealing this picture from my cousin's blog since I STILL can't find my camera cord! Thanks, Wendy!

My Sweet Lydia?

Last week Lydia turned one year old. This week she's decided to bite Jonah when he frustrates her.

She bit his hand three times today.

What's happening to my sweet girl?

Thoughts on our New Life

I've been annoyed with the fact that I can't find my camera cord that uploads pictures to my computer. Many of you have asked about the kids' transition, the move, and life in our new town. Let me give you a few random thoughts:

- The Oreo Mint sundae isn't $1.32 anymore. I was a college student a long time ago.
- I love our new house although it's far from being settled. I especially have grown to love our view-- corn, weeds, and the Hess farm. It's so peaceful; of course, that also means lots of grasshoppers and spiders in our house!
-We've had a lot of excitment in our "neighborhood" recently. They've started to build two other houses on our street so once Autumn arrives we won't be the only house. Both families work on campus and have four year old children.
- We've enjoyed some time with my cousins, Eric and Brittany, and their son, Jack. It's nice to have family in town, but it's also weird. While driving home recently, we passed Eric and Jack on their bike. "Wait, that was Eric and Jack...wait....oh, they live here too." My initial split-second reaction was that I needed to go back and talk to them, but no, we'll see them all the time!
- Our house doesn't really feel settled. I think it's because: a) we ordered new couches and they're not here yet and b) we don't have grass/landscaping. Since we're used to spending the majority of our time in the yard or in the family room, it's no wonder that we feel a little out of sync at times. And we need window treatments. What happens if Finfrock returns to campus?!
- Mike is enjoying his new job. It appears this job is a perfect fit for his gifts and talents. I think he's energized by the change.
- Every day it appears that we're getting closer to creating our "new normal." I went to dinner with some girls on Friday night. It was good to make some connections with women I enjoyed. I have plans to see them this week, too, with their kids.
- We're working to discover the most frequently asked question for this town, "So what do you do for fun?" I'm always asking moms I meet. I think we'll head to the library and petting zoo tomorrow.

My Scream

I had been waiting all day. I anxiously drove the 25 minutes. My palms were sweaty. My heart was racing. I leapt out of the car, purse in hand, dashing toward the door with my list.

Oh no.

Heartbreak.
Sadness.
Disappointment.

I wanted to fall to my knees.

Hobby Lobby was closed.

It's a Different World

While playing with Jonah at the playground yesterday, I couldn't help but notice what the other moms were wearing. One mother was wearing her Harley Davidson shirt-- the other was wearing her Mustang t-shirt. I became self conscious in my pastel blue eyelet shirt. Contemplating the fact that I wasn't quite fitting in with the other "playground moms, " I turned my head to discover a 30-something man parking his 4-wheeler in his front yard across the street. Laughing, I looked to the left (this is no exaggeration) and saw a 50-something man meticulously drying off his red mustang; apparently, he had just been at the car wash. He shined that car for at least the next 20 minutes.

So I learned a few things from my trip to the playground yesterday: cars, motorcycles, and 4-wheelers are a big deal in this town.

Video Mama

I remember a time when my mother continuously played a game of Pac-Man for a couple of hours. I remember it because it was a Friday night, and we sat around the console television in our small family room with our eyes peeled, watching her in awe. Her hands were cramped, no doubt, and Troy and I decided we were having such a good time watching her play that we were willing to forgo our usual Friday night habit of Dukes of Hazzard and Knight Rider.

I was reminded of this night when, after much prodding, I sat down to play a complete game of Wubbzy's Amazing Adventure on www.nickjr.com. Jonah continually squealed in delight, especially when I advanced to another next level. At one point he even said, "You're good at this game, Mom."

My mom played Pac-Man for hours and we were enthralled. I played Wubbzy's Amazing Adventure for 10 minutes and had my son on the edge of his seat. Not bad.

Waterpark

Guys' Weekend

Mike was able to spend time with good friends from college last weekend. I think I can speak for all the wives when I say that we like when our husbands can hang out. We know it's good for them to get away from family/job pressures. Between the five of them, they have thirteen kids with one on the way! He just showed me these pictures tonight. Look at them closely-- I didn't know I was married to such an expressive man!

Handy Manny

Troy and Ashley, my brother and sister-in-law, arrived last Saturday. They're spending time with us before they move to Seattle. I feel we've been a little removed from life for the past 10 days and a big part of that is because we've taken full advantage of Troy's skills. Between our house and my parents' house, he's painted exterior trim, hung laundry room cabinets, installed a garage door opener, taught my mom how to cut crown moulding, finished shelves for the playroom, made toy boxes to match those in the Land of Nod catalogue, added shelves to the pantry, etc., etc., etc.

I think he needs to move to the Midwest when he's done with his counseling degree. Not only has he been a handyman, but he's been a man nanny for Jonah and Lydia, making him our very own Handy Manny.

A New Bargain

I was excited to learn about a new clothing line developed by Sarah Jessica Parker where nothing is over $20.00. I read about it in the Oprah Magazine, and heck, I'm always up for a good bargain.

It's found exclusively in Steve and Barry stores. We visited one today. I spent $40 and walked away with a shirt, a pair of shoes, a purse, and a pair of sunglasses. Not bad. Check it out.

Good News

We have a purchase agreement on our house. We're not breathing a huge sigh of relief until after the closing (it's supposed to be in two weeks), but we're certainly feeling a little better. Is it typical to be totally annoyed with the person buying your house? After dealing with this man-- and taking offense to his initial low offer, I don't want him living in MY house.

Assuming that our house could sit empty all summer, I left curtains, a shelf, a few bath cabinets, flowers, etc. because I thought it would "show" better. Now this man is going to get everything. He asked about the things we left and Mike said he could have it all so that it wouldn't hurt the sale.

I did make one thing clear: he's not keeping my hanging baskets. This man will not enjoy my flowers!

The important thing, though, is that WE'RE HERE!

I'll post pictures later.

Recent Events

Uncle Mike

We're enjoying a visit with Tricia and Davy.

My Life for the Next Week