Thankful Tuesday

We're swimming along merrily right now! Here's my thankful list for today:

1. A reason for thanks
In one of my classes at seminary I have to come up with some "rules of life" to help me maintain a healthy spirit. I selected my Thankful Tuesdays as an activity that helps me keep on track.  So for this semester at least, I have to do this every week, without fail, for a grade.

2. Claire's independence
Last weekend Claire was away for her first overnight experience. She went to Glen Lake camp with hundreds of third and fourth graders to learn about the Bible, have adventures, and celebrate independence.  She had a blast!

3. Having one child for the weekend
With Claire gone, Paul was king of the castle. He relished in the attention and we also had a lot of fun

4. Fascinating zoo exhibits
We took Paul to the Dallas Zoo where they have a cheetah named Winspear, who is being raised with a Labrador Retreiver named Amani. The cheetah came to our side of the fence and snarled and put his teeth on the fence but was docile with the Lab and his handlers.  We also saw koalas and an anteater for the first time in our lives. All three of us walked around the zoo in a state of excitement and wonder.

5. Teachers that hold me accountable as a parent
Paul's teacher has known us since Claire was in kindergarten.  Last week she told me that Paul had missed two on his spelling test and she knew he could do better. Yesterday she asked me to up his reading aloud. I love that she recognizes his ability, knows what needs to be done to help him reach his potential, and asks me to help him do it. I have been reading the kids Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, so I hadn't been having Paul read to me every single day.  I will now so he can stay on track. I am grateful that his teacher and I have the kind of relationship where she can be honest with me about his strengths and weaknesses and how he can do better.

6. I still love seminary.

7. TV time with Adam
About twice a week I get to sit on the couch and watch some television with Adam.  I love watching with him because no matter the show, we always have a running commentary that adds to what plays out on the screen. He makes me laugh.

8. Having a place for my ideas
I'm always finding new ideas for games/crafts/activities for the kids. Sometimes, though, I feel frustrated that some of the ideas are only used on two children.  Now that I'm interim children's minister, I've pulled out the list and we're checking it off.  Throwing cheetos to a person with shaving cream on their head is much more fun with 13 than it is with two.

9. Hugs
I'm a hugger and recieved several good hugs this last week.  In fact, one person hugged me twice.  His name ends with a 2, so by Adam and my count, it was actually four hugs and not just two.

10. Inside tents
Paul slept in a tent last night.  In his room.  It was adorable.  The night before that, Claire did it.  Also adorable.

Listening and Motherhood

This morning as I walked Claire and Paul to school, Claire didn't take a breath. She was excited about the end of the school year and her stuffed penguin, which she was smuggling to school today to play with on the playground. This penguin, she said, would eat berries off the bushes at school because no fish were available.
"You know I'm part penguin," she said.
I raised my eyebrows. "Oh really?"
"Yes, I love fish like penguins, so I've got a little bit of penguin in me."
"Hmm."
Years ago, when I was a teacher, I learned about a teaching technique called "think aloud." To help a student develop their own thought processes, the teacher is supposed to speak aloud her own processes. When editing a paper, a teacher might say out loud, "This word looks different. I think I need to consult a dictionary to verify spelling on this word."  Or, "When my friend is mean to me, I feel upset. I think I will go play with another friend." This helps students with problem solving and connecting dots in their brain.
Knowing about that, I have consciously done that around my children since they were infants. I say, "I can't find a clean pair of socks. That must mean that I need to either fold the laundry or wash more. I think I'll fold this clean laundry because it's faster than washing and drying and folding a dirty load."
The results of sharing my thought processes is that Claire has become a verbal processor. She is never short on words. The hardest part of my day is 3:00 to 3:30 p.m. when both children are over-flowing with details of their day. Claire's class always arrives outside first, so she gets a head start on sharing every part of her day. Poor Paul has just started talking over her or interrupting to share what he needs to share. I think he's more of an internal processor, but it's hard to tell when he has to fight for space to speak.
I am grateful that my children find me a safe haven to share all the important and unimportant parts of their life. I try to remind myself that I am building a foundation of a relationship.  Today they talk to me about penguins and I try to listen hard and pay attention for when the real life problems arise. If I don't spend time investing in conversations about stuffed penguins, I'm afraid they won't turn to me to share stories about bullies or friends that make poor choices.
It's hard though. As an internal processor and someone who has a dialogue going on in her brain 100% of the time, I sometimes resent these interruptions into my thoughts and brainstorming. Listening all the time begins to make me weary.
To date, my hardest parenting struggles have been potty training and training myself to listen even when I have other things on my mind. Potty training, thank goodness, is far behind us, but the listening is every day.
Summer is on its way; only four more days of school. In the summer the kids will be with me almost all of the time. That means many opportunities to listen to conversations about stuffed animals and what they eat.
I am prepared to listen. I also recognize that the kids and I do get tired of our exclusive audiences with one another, so I am preparing on finding a time once a week for the kids and I to have some space apart. Lunch with a friend or coffee by myself gives me room to be a better listener later.

Seminary, Work, and Being a Present Parent this week

Just so I don't forget it and so I make sure all my readers share in the hilarity...

On the first day of class I was printing off all my class materials for that night.  I mentioned to Adam that I would be discussing Martin Luther. He says, "How many theses was it that he nailed to the church door? I can't remember." Claire immediately said, "Who put their feces on a church door? Why would they do that?"

And thus was my first seminary theological discussion.  Feces vs. Theses.  

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I wanted to share about my day yesterday because it is becoming typical of my days now.  I am so glad that I did research on time management last semester, because all my new knowledge is being put to use!

Yesterday

4:30 a.m. Jump out of bed, turn on coffee, start the computer, work on my paper on Martin Luther and  his understanding of grace.

6:30 a.m. Just finished printing the rough draft of my paper. Make sure everyone's out of bed, start making lunches.

7:45 a.m. Get kids to the school, race home.

8:30 a.m. Send rough draft of worship bulletin announcements to all who need to edit it, race out the door to my school.

9:00 a.m. to 1:55 p.m. I tutor in groups of 5-6, about 40 kids. One child got sent back to class for standing in his chair. One child got sent back to class for punching the assignment/table. The rest act precious and love reading with me. Each child anticipates the end of group when they get a cool sticker (My Little Pony or Transformers, their choice. Yesterday one boy chose a My Little Pony, but all the girls opted not to receive a Transformers sticker.)

1:55 p.m. I RUN, RUN, RUN to my car so I can make it to TCU in time for my writing appointment.

2:10 p.m. I arrive on the TCU campus and remember I'm not the only person that attends this school and I must park four blocks away from my destination.

2:20 p.m. After running as fast as I can and speedwalking when I am weary, I arrive five minutes late to my appointment. I tell my tutor that I will be a size six by the end of the day.  She reviews my paper on Martin Luther and gives me some valuable tips on how to improve. She kindly asks me to point out my thesis statement and I realize it stayed in my head and didn't make it to the page.

2:50 p.m. More running. It must be a typical class change period, because there are TCU students everywhere, all looking skinny and beautiful.  I don't care. I have to get my precious children from school. I plow them over with my giant backpack and giant coat flapping in the wind.

2:58 p.m. Arrived in car, called the school to tell them I would be late.  Driving as carefully and as quickly as I can, I realize there are two policemen going the same way I am.  I don't speed, but in my head I'm driving the Indy 500.

3:10 p.m. Arrived late to get the kids. Have phoned a friend to tell her we would be late for play date.  The kids aren't mad; they are laughing at my description of how I was running across the TCU campus to come get them.

3:30 p.m. Have baked some cookie dough for snacks for guests. Claire has laid out a spread of healthy snacks. Scrubbed bathroom for freshness, picked up terrible messes that we don't want anyone to see. Accepted that laundry will be seen and that's okay.  Doorbell rings.

4:00 p.m. Claire has shut herself in her room with her friend and Paul and his friend are in the hallway frustrated at the secrecy of girls. Paul steps on a clothespin and pinches his foot.  He screams unceasingly for 30 minutes. I worry that something is broken because he is never upset like that.

4:20 p.m. I call Adam to tell him Paul is possible injured badly although I can't see where. I hang up with him and call the doctor's office. I leave a message with the on-call nurse.  I try to ice Paul's foot. I put a bandaid on it. I distract him while I put a sock on it.  I pretend the dog is a doctor inspecting him. I sing cheesy songs. I offer to take him to the vet. None of this stops his crying.

5:00 p.m. The on call nurse phones us. I tell her what happened and during the conversation I realize Paul is running on two feet all throughout the house.  He has been healed! 

5:10 p.m. Company leaves and I remember Adam won't be home for dinner.  I won't be cooking then. We'll get drive through food after bath time.  I put Paul in the tub and Claire begins a two-year old meltdown.  She is seven.  I shut her in her room and make an important phone call.

5:30 p.m. Claire's drama has subsided. Paul is out of tub.  Claire gets in tub.  I talk with Paul and snuggle him for a few minutes.

6:00 p.m. Both kids are clean and dressed for bed. I snuggle Claire for a few minutes. I let them pick where they want dinner.  They pick McDonald's. (Yuck!) I take them there anyway. I try to find the healthiest option for my dinner and settle on Popeye's chicken, which isn't healthy at all, but at least it's not McDonald's.

6:45 p.m. Start reading bedtime stories.  Doze off a couple of times, but successfully read about Bad Kitty and Claire's book, which I can't even remember this morning.

7:45 p.m. Kids in bed. Time to clean up the kitchen from the maddening day. Pick up as many messes as I have energy for.  Pour myself a glass of wine.

8:50 p.m. Move to the bedroom with my same glass of wine to read.  Adam is still at his engineering event.  I read and try to stay awake as long as I can.

9:15 p.m. I believe I was snoring at this point and Adam arrived home.  We'll get to talk in the morning.

And today I start the cycle over, but instead of tutoring I have church work and instead of an appointment at the Writing Center I have class.  Hopefully today won't contain a mortal injury from a clothespin.

Human BEings, not Human DOings

Christmas and Thanksgiving are coming! Christmas and Thanksgiving are coming! Christmas and Thanksgiving are coming!

If I'm not careful, the holidays will whiz by without me looking up from my to-do list.

We're packing for a camping trip. Rather than drive to East Texas for Thanksgiving, we're going tent camping instead. That means instead of packing a few clothes and books we also have to pack blankets, sleeping bags, food, cooking utensils, and clothes and books. We've been getting ready for this trip for longer than we will be gone.

Meanwhile, I'm organizing all our holiday shopping so I can spread it out and not have to buy everything on one pay check.

And I'm still working two part-time jobs.

And I'm trying to find time to be an attentive mother and wife.

And I'm trying to take some time for myself.

And I'm trying to tackle that mound of laundry that just won't go away.

And I've got to take a dog to the vet.

And I'm writing a book.

Obviously there are just too many tasks to be completed each day. As efficient as I am, it will never get done.

Yesterday, time stood still as the kids and I visited a dying friend. Claire and Paul wanted to tell him all about the exercises they know, "Look at this! Jumping Jacks!" Our friend wanted to teach them a few things about local geography and baby animals. "What's a baby dove called? A squab. What are the three forks of the Trinity River?"  (You'll have to Google that one because when I looked it up it said we have four forks.)

True to myself, I made the kids bring entertainment items to amuse themselves with while we sat with our friend. I try to fill each moment of the kids' lives with productive activities. "Here's Battleship! It teaches you math! Claire, bring your crochet materials and let's chain stitch!" We didn't use any of that.

Instead, we attempted to sit still and talk with our friend. Sitting still for me included sitting cross-legged on the floor.  Sitting still for the kids meant climbing on me, doing leg lifts, standing on their heads, jumping, talking non-stop, and aggravating each other.

Entering the final days of his life, our friend is still patient with the children. A retired school teacher, he was still trying to teach. And I was trying to do, do, do.

We were there several hours and eventually I stopped doing. I sat by the front door and watched the birds come and go from the feeders. The kids happily began an instructional workout. When I stopped doing, everything calmed down.

His wife always tells me, "God created us to be human BEings, not human DOings."

This holiday season, I'm going to try my best to BE instead of DO. I'm going to try to remember to breathe and recognize the miracle of life. I'm going to recognize that there will always be more to do. I'm going to try to sit with the kids and just be.

The Circus and Resourceful Kids

Last night we went to the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus.  We hadn't been since the kids were very small and unfortunately they couldn't remember it.  I'm hopeful that they are just old enough to remember a sliver of the fun we had last night.
Paul ended up in Adam's lap watching and observant Claire sat next to me and talked the entire time.  It was difficult to watch what was going on in front of me while simultaneously answering questions on everything from the type of cloth used in costumes to the reality of the exhibit in front of her.  Yes, that was distracting, but how can I argue with a girl who has such an appreciation for every detail of the show, right down to the clown's shoemaker?  I answered every question to the best of my ability.
Adam's parents had a long-standing tradition of taking us to the circus every year but due to health issues and other reasons, they haven't been able to go in years.  It didn't seem quite the same without our family parade of two wheelchairs, three children, and four walking adults.  We used to be like Moses parting the crowd like the Red Sea.
If you arrive early enough, you can always see a pre-show.  We used to go see all the animals beforehand but yesterday we voted on seeing the clowns first instead.  We were all so glad we did.
Below are some photos from our night.  Claire did a google image search at home before we left so she could see what the costumes looked like.  She dressed up as a close facsimile to one of the acrobats.  Paul wore his T-shirt cape.

Claire and Paul danced with a clown.

Yes, my children were the only ones I saw in costume.  Maybe that's why this clown loved them so.

Clown hug!

Claire wouldn't even take her eyes away from the stage long enough to smile at me.  Here she is wearing the hat that came with our $14 cotton candy.  

 We shared the hat.

Yes, this is my handsome husband.

Motorcycles!

As we walked through the concourse of course the kids saw all the toys and souvenirs for sale.  Needless to say, we spent $100 on tickets and $14 on one giant bag of cotton candy, so we opted not to buy anything else.  In come our resourceful children.  First, Paul found a spare clown nose on the ground and held it up with pride.  "Now I have two!" he shouted.  He was so proud of that nose.

After the show, Claire scoured the seats and came up with one clown mug, one tiger cup with moving lid and a crown.  We couldn't believe it.  Free souvenirs!  The kids and Adam kept scanning the seats until a security guard asked us to leave.

I was so proud of my children and their resourcefulness.  By the end of the night, the experience was worth every penny and then some.

Happiness is....

Growing up, I always loved Holly Hobbie and her spin-offs with their cute little phrases.

Some of my favorites:

"Happiness is having someone to care for."

"Love is the little things we do for each other."

"No road is too long when shared with someone you love."

"Happiness is sharing."

"Happy is the heart that dreams."

Yesterday I was cooking dinner while Paul worked on a puzzle on the kitchen floor and I was filled with happiness.  Here are some "Happiness is..." phrases of my own.

Happiness is making dinner for your family while watching your children be creative.

Happiness is teaching your daughter a favorite pastime of your childhood.

Happiness is seeing your daughter wear a crocheted cap with pride.  I know for a fact that my grandmother made this and used it as a flower pot cover.  (Please don't tell Claire that fact because it makes me so happy to see her wear that flower pot on her head.)

Happiness is having an uninterrupted adult conversation.

Happiness is catching up with old friends.

Happiness is scheduling your Mother's Day massage in July.

Happiness is listening to your children explain the world to each other.

Happiness is taking your children to an art museum and hearing their thoughtful interpretations of the art.

Happiness is sharing a gelato with your favorite preteen.

Happiness is spending a week with your niece that you love so much and then returning her to her mother.

Happiness is your best girlfriend replying to your cranky emails.

Happiness is sharing your maternal struggles with another mother and knowing that you are not crazy or alone.

Happiness is hope.

Appreciating Mystery

During a rainstorm last week with no electricity, the kids and I decided it was the perfect time to go to the bookstore.  Along the way, we noticed many local businesses were closing their doors for the day because they didn't have electricity, either.  We had fun reading the store signs and speculating who had electricity and who didn't and what problems that might cause for them.  Did the employees get paid for the day?  Would the restaurant have to throw away food?  What would happen at the grocery store?  How long can they afford for the electricity to be out without having to throw away food?  Do they have generators?
I love a good mystery.
I'm not necessarily talking about books, although I do enjoy mystery books as well.  I'm talking about mysteries in daily life.  Curiosity might have killed the cat, but it also propels me to a sense of wonder and discovery about the world around me.
We live in a city full of construction.  It seems that on our daily route, a building is always being built or torn down.  Both provide endless fascination and speculation for everyone in my car.  My children and I love to sit and watch demolition crews.  We also love to look at the details of a building under construction, trying to decide what kind of building it will be.  Is it a house?  A gas station?  A restaurant?  Or, my personal favorite, a cute little boutique?
My favorite part about Christmas and all other gift-giving occasions is the mystery.  Not the gift itself, or even giving the gifts, but the mystery.  I love wrapping packages into unrecognizable shapes.  I love not knowing what is inside the packages I receive.
Our world is filled with mystery, and I love that my children share curiosity with me.  At least once a week we research something to learn more about it.  When they ask a question, I am not afraid to admit I don't know the answer.  We brainstorm together what the answer might be, and then when we get home, we Google it.  My 21st century children don't have to search through indexes of encyclopedias and then look in the appropriate volume.  Google is the source of all answers for them.
The problem with Google, though, is that many mysteries can be solved instantly with it.  For me, it's more fun to live in the speculation stage because once you know the answer, the mystery is over.
That's a huge part of what I love about faith.  I don't care how many times you Google the mysteries of faith, God, and the human spirit, you can't decode an answer to your question because no one knows it.  Life is its own greatest mystery.

(piku on sxc.hu)

Recognizing my role

I remember a time long ago and far away when the center of my life was me.  I don't know if you know, but the earth hasn't always revolved around the sun.  It used to revolve around me.

As I get older, I realize that I am not the sun.  I am surprisingly not the center of the universe, and that's okay.

Whenever I get to thinking that I am still the sun, I'm brought back down to Earth by circumstances.  My children often unintentionally remind me that the universe doesn't revolve around me.  They are trying to be their own stars and creating a universe that revolves around them.  As they get older, they will also learn that their world isn't the only world and there are other people and events outside of their bubble.

Recognizing my role in the world, noticing where I stand, is sometimes difficult.  

Last week we visited a fabulous museum in St. Louis.  I had on tennis shoes expecting to climb just as much as the kids.  Once we arrived, I realized that wasn't going to be the case.  Climbing up tunnels made of rebar isn't comfortable, especially when you're not a size six.  At first I was kind of pouty and wanted to go request my admission fee back since I wouldn't be participating.  Then I remembered that I wasn't the only person in my group.  There were three other people who were having the time of their life.  So I could pout about my limits or I could recognize my role for the day and have fun anyway.  When the day was over, I had a hundred pictures of death-defying heights climbed, balls thrown, ramps run, slides slid, and beautiful artwork.  My job that day was to be an audience, which amplified the fun my family was having because they could all come back and say, "Did you see that?  Wasn't that awesome?"  I could nod and agree that it was awesome because I had seen it all.  If I had been climbing myself I would have missed the joy on their faces.

Everyone needs an audience, and more and more I am asked to stop what I am doing to listen or watch.  Sometimes I do and sometimes I don't.  Sometimes I recognize the importance of the fleeting moment of watching a Ninja Turtle battle and I stop what I'm doing to pay attention.  Often I am overwhelmed with the task at hand and cannot stop.  

My brain is a constant rotating to-do list and sometimes that consumes me.  I am grateful for the times that I am at work rotating through my list and someone comes and interrupts me so I can listen.  I am thankful for the times that my kids stop me from what I'm doing so I can refocus on something beyond myself.  I'm still trying to learn to be grateful for phone call interruptions.  

I know that I am important, a contributing member of the human race.  I also know now that I am not the only member and sometimes my job is to just sit and listen.

Learning about prayer from kids

Yesterday I had the opportunity to talk with eight preteens about prayer.

We started with prayer mandalas, so the kids would be focused on prayer.  (If you would like to meditate and pray while coloring a mandala, I get mine here.)  Coloring can be a centering activity, where you clear your mind and focus on your relationship with God.

We talked about the different times people pray, at church, before dinner, before bed, when you're feeling sad.  We also talked about praying when we were overwhelmed.  Each child offered an example of when they are overwhelmed.  Of the eight, three listed a problem on a screen "When I accidentally drown my character on my X box game."  "When I'm playing with my friend online and he chooses a hard opponent."  "When I'm trying to avoid being killed on the game."  It was fascinating to me because they weren't being silly.  These are real times when these young people feel overwhelmed.  Before the evening, I had anticipated their responses to be something like too much homework, extracurricular activities, or stressful relationships with parents, siblings, or friends.  The other half of the room listed these.

One of the ways to pray that I introduced them to was breath prayer.  The prayer repeats a one sentence prayer with each breath.  The one I use most is inhale: "I want to feel" and exhale "Your peace and grace."  (If you want to know more about breath prayer, there's an excellent explanation here.)

Usually I use breath prayer to request something intangible like peace or grace.  But it can also be used for tangible items.  I recently taught my six year old daughter how to do this and encouraged her to craft her own.  After a period of time I asked her what hers was.  She said, "I want to  make....good grades at school."  I was surprised for two reasons 1. She makes great grades...her lowest was 98 this six weeks and 2. I never thought about using breath prayer for something tangible.  For me it's a centering, calming, focusing, spiritual tool.  

I just love how when I think I'm smart and have something figured out, a child comes and teaches me something new.  (Luckily I usually don't tell others I've got it figured out so when I continue learning, I'm the only embarrassed one.)

Downtown Fort Worth, Boyette-style

When I was a kid, for a very special event, my mom would take my sister and I downtown to ride the Tandy subway and look at all the ice skaters.  I fell in love with the concept of "downtown," and watching all the business people in their suits crossing the streets at the crosswalks.  Since then, downtown Fort Worth has held a special allure to me.
Now that I've grown, my feelings about the ladies in their business suits has changed.  I can't imagine walking around in high heels all day.  Occasionally I'll wear them to church, but only because I do a lot of sitting on Sunday morning and am relatively sure I won't fall in the little time I'm walking.  Working in a skyscraper still sounds exciting, but cubicle life doesn't.
I've passed the love of the mystery and magic of downtown onto the kids.  The best part about it is how they see the world completely differently and together we have magical adventures that I would never have by myself.

Today I thought I'd share a list of sites to visit and memories-in-the-making, Boyette-style.
1.  I'm going to go ahead and get the gross one out of the way.  Two years ago, when Paul was in the midst of potty-training, we ventured out with him in underwear for the first time.  I was smart enough to pack a few changes of clothes in case he had an accident, but I didn't foresee what really happened.  We were standing on a sky bridge that connects two buildings, looking down below at how things look smaller from a distance when Paul said he needed to go potty.  I was about to scoop him up and take him but then I realized he was sopping wet.  He was standing over an air vent.  Luckily there was no one else around, so I changed my son's clothes right there.  All of downtown Fort Worth could see his cute little buns.  I figured every step he took would be messy, so it was best to control the mess.  Now every time we pass that bridge, the kids remind me of that day.

2.  Central Library

Oddly, every time we go to the downtown library, the children's section is sparsely populated.  Maybe we go on off-hours, but it never seems busy there.  (I know the adult sections are packed.) This week we revisited a favorite: Bearly Bedtime Stories.  Each Tuesday at 7 p.m. the librarian encourages kids to come in pajamas and hug on a bear while she reads stories.  Pretty awesome.

3.  Jamba Juice
Around our house, it is not uncommon to hear someone shout, "Razzmatazz!"  It doesn't really mean anything; just an expression of excitement/ playful aggression.  At Jamba Juice, the menu features a fruit smoothie called "Razzmatazz," which the kids love for the taste as well as the name.  If I have a coupon, I buy them their own smoothie.  If I don't, I buy a large smoothie and the Jamba Juice folks put it in two cups.  (Pssst....you get more smoothie that way and the kids are less hyper than they would be consuming a whole smoothie.)

4.  Sid Richardson Art Museum
We went there twice so far this summer and I am pleased to say that the docents really love kids.  We went during kid-friendly events, but each employee engaged the children in conversation about art on their level.  They have puzzles that match the paintings on the wall.  Admission is free and this is an art museum that actually wants you to bring kids.

5.  Spider Web
In Burnett Plaza, there is a giant rope-climby-thing that looks just like a spider web.  The kids love for me to pack our lunches so we can go to the Spider Web and eat under the shade and then they climb the ropes.

6.  Molly the Trolley
The city has a bus/trolley system just for downtown, and it's free.  Molly will drive around most of downtown.  The kids love waiting at the stop and getting on Molly.  They enjoy public transportation, and the drivers are always friendly.

7.  Barnes and Noble
With their summer reading program, the kids each got a free book.  We like Barnes and Noble downtown for that as well as an exciting escalator and a public bathroom.

8.  Hidden tunnels
While having lunch in Burnett Plaza recently, Paul needed to use the restroom.  It was during business hours, so I decided to pretend like we knew what we were doing and go in the office building to find a restroom.  We did eventually find one, but not before we found an escalator that lead to underground tunnels that go from one office building under the street to the next.  We had fun exploring underground.

9.  Police Cat Fluffy
Two days ago we discovered the Fort Worth Police Department's secret weapon:  a cat.  We were walking around exploring after a trip to the B&N restroom and came across the building of the First Methodist Church, possibly the oldest brick building in Tarrant County.  We looked at the building, noting it was now a police station.  It was nearly 9 p.m. by this point, so we were about to cross the street and head back to the car when Paul spotted a cat.  He asked to pet it.  I said, "You can if he'll let you.  He might be a wild cat."  Not at all.  It appears that this cat lives at the police station.  He's clean, de-clawed, and very friendly.  We don't know his real name, but Claire named him Police Cat Fluffy.  The kids know about K9 units, so they were trying to figure out what Fluffy does for the police.  Adam and I are allergic to cats and we have two dogs, so unfortunately for them, the kids will never have a pet cat.  They had never been around one so sweet.  Claire carried Fluffy around, petting the cat and cooing to it.  When the cat hopped out of her arms, Paul picked him up again for her.  I thought this might be a one time thing, but the kids begged to go see him again yesterday and sure enough, Police Cat Fluffy was still there.  He was right in front of the police station door, so the kids picked him up and walked around with him.  I was a little apprehensive about appearing to steal a cat from the police, but no one said anything to us.  The police just waved.

10.  History of Fort Worth Exhibit
This is a small exhibit housed in the first fire station.  It's just one room, but it's free and it's interesting.  We went on Tuesday and the kids were a little apprehensive because we were the only ones there.

You Might Be a Nerd If...

You make sight word door decorations for your kids.

Yesterday Claire's teacher sent us home with the list of all the first grade sight words.  That's right, first grade.  She said that if Claire can read all of those, she can be on a second grade reading level by the end of the year!  Woot!  So I got inspired and have been drilling her secretly on the words ever since.  She doesn't realize that writing the words and decorating her door helps her learn them.  As does watching Mama do high kicks for every word she reads right.  Next stop:  sight word hop scotch!

Thankful for Peace

Today is Friday, the end of another busy week.  I'm not sure if Adam knew, but I for one, have been continuously surprised by how much having a kindergartener has changed our life.  Our schedule is fuller and quicker.  I get up every morning at 5 or before so I can drink my coffee, read my Bible, and get a head start on the day.  On Saturday, I enjoy getting up at the same time so I can snuggle on the couch and snooze and read a book in peace. 

Where I was militant about daily naps for Claire, Paul has to go with the flow.  Sometimes he gets one, sometimes he doesn't.  Sometimes he's sleeping in the wagon while I walk to get Claire from school.  Sometimes he sleeps in the morning on the way to my granddad's house and then transfers his nap to a recliner. 

Our life rhythms now match that of the FWISD calendar. 
Here's my thankful list for today.  I haven't posted in a while, so I could easily make this list 100 + items, but for your reading pleasure, I'll try to keep it brief.

I'm thankful for:

1.  Trees, again
This time I'm thankful for the giant trees in our front yard.  They are the perfect size for the kids to climb.  Last week I had both kids in one tree.  None of those pansy trees for us.  We have big, strong trees.

2.  Kids with compassion
Yesterday, Paul went to comfort a crying friend without any prompting from me.  A mom friend told me last week that Paul overheard her talking about her sick kid and he questioned her with concern until he was satisfied his buddy would be okay.  I feel pride and hope for both of my children when I witness actions like this.

3.  A gold-medal Olympian
Claire won a gold medal in reading this week.  She's awesome.

4.  A husband that thinks completely differently from me
Some people enjoy surrounding themselves with people who think the same way as they do.  I love that Adam Boyette is one of life's greatest mysteries to me and I will never be able to figure him out.  He's like a lifelong puzzle.  We often compare notes on events or conversations we were both a part of.  It's always interesting to me to hear what stood out to him verses what I found important.  It is almost always different.  Adam keeps me thinking and always examining my opinions and assumptions about the world.  I often joke that while I am completely right-brained, he is completely left-brained so together we make one brain.

5.  My children's unique sense of style
Last Saturday I took both kids to Kohl's to buy a new outfit.  Paul wore his Batman costume and solicited many stares and giggles.  He also kept standing on his head in the basket, which added to the entertainment.  After lots of debate, Claire's outfit consisted of a hot pink jaguar print hooded top with black and white jaguar pants and a rainbow skirt.  I love that both kids have their own opinions about fashion and that they express themselves through their clothes.  Right this second, Paul is sitting on the couch in shorts, a T-shirt, and cowboy boots.

6.  Literature
This week Paul has really started to enjoy books on his own.  On Wednesday when we returned from the library, he sat for an hour looking at his newly checked-out books.  Claire read eight books before class this morning.  I read about two books a week, and even Adam has started reading every chance he gets.

7.  Being missed
Due to several scheduling conflicts, I have had to skip several of my normal events.  I had to take a time out of bookclub and Bible study.  No less than five people have told me they miss me at my normal event.  It's nice to be missed.

8.  The perfect job for me
I love my job.  Twice a week I get to sit in an office and have adult conversations and feel smart.  The other days I can work from the house while Paul plays.  I feel like a contributing member of society but still a stay-at-home mom.  I love it!

9.  Winter weather followed by beautiful weather
When it's 70 degrees outside, it's not uncommon to hear someone saying they wish it was this way all the time.  Not me.  I love the cold, if only for the fact that it makes me not take the beautiful weather for granted.

10.  Funny kids
While speaking like a pirate this week, Claire shouted, "Shiver me tenders!"  Hilarious.  In a Love and Logic moment, I left Paul at home by himself briefly while I waited in the driveway for him to panic and run out.  He didn't.  He stayed in his rocking chair reading books and even took time to pick up dog poop!  Paul is currently sitting on my shoulders.  Yep, I have a three year old on my shoulders while I am typing.  My kids make me laugh.

Happy Friday!

Thankful Tuesday

Hello!  I am writing in a cushy chair in an air-conditioned house in the best state of the best country in the world.  If that wasn't enough to be thankful for, here's more:

1.  Clean Public Restrooms
I've always been grateful for the opportunity to use a clean public facility, but when I had kids, my gratitude multiplied.  You never know what the little hands will touch next, so I am grateful when that surface is clean.

2.  My live-in copy editor
Besides my blog, Adam edits nearly everything I put my pen to.  I always have issues with commas, and he gets his red pen and stops any errors from leaving the house.

3.  Meaningful memorials
Sunday was the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.  Instead of going to early service at church, we opted to go to the Museum of Science and History to be a part of the Fort Worth memorial service of the tragedy.  Everyone in the crowd had a flag, and another giant flag was suspended from two fire truck ladders.  The crowd was sprinkled with uniformed soldiers, police officers, and firemen.  Inside the museum is a steel beam from the World Trade Center.  It was an easy way to explain to the kids the importance of the tragedy and its aftermath as well as personally thank those who risk their lives daily to protect us.

4.  Having a platform for our voices
If you don't know yet, Claire has a blog.  Every day when she gets home from school and changes her clothes, we sit at the computer and she dictates to me her adventures of the day.  I type word for word what she says.  It's been an entertaining and informative way for her to express herself.

5.  Meerkat Peekaboo
Yesterday I took Paul to the zoo.  We were talking to the meerkats and they appeared to be listening.  When one went in a hole, I told Paul, "He's trying to play hide and seek with you!"  So Paul would cover his eyes and say, "1-2-3-4 Ready or not, here I come!"  It was hilarious.

6.  Easy volunteering
Yesterday morning Paul and I spent about an hour and a half at Claire's school volunteering in the library.  It was a breeze.  He played on the computer while I shelved and labeled books.  We actually finished all our work in time to be at the zoo for opening.

7.  Happy endings
This past Lent, we raised some ducks.  Adam bought them at a feed store when they were three days old and we raised them in a coop in our kitchen.  We did the best we could for them, and then when they were too big for us, we took them to the local pond.  The problem was, we didn't realize that even though there were a variety of ducks there, our ducks were still outsiders and wouldn't be accepted.  We came back the next day and they were gone.  We saw a few that we speculated were ours, but we weren't sure.  Recently on a trip to the duck park, we talked to a lady who lives across the street.  She found our ducks the night we released them and took them home to live with her.  They currently are fat and happy swimming in their own private pool and pond.  Every night they sleep on a raft.  We were delighted they were rescued and not, we feared, eaten by a fox.

8.  Quiet time that's quiet
A few mornings this week I was able to crawl out of bed without alerting anyone but the dogs.  I was able to drink my coffee in peace and read my Bible and journal.  I do this every morning, but I am grateful for the mornings I'm able to do this without a kid in my lap.

9.  Quiet time that's not so quiet
For every day that I get a quiet quiet time, I also have one that is interrupted by a tired kid who wants to snuggle.  I know the kids won't want to snuggle for long, so I just scoot my books over and try to soak up the love.

10.  Craft drawers
We have two drawers at our house that are crammed full of craft supplies.  I never know what will be created.  Yesterday I asked Claire to get Paul a pair of socks, so she got in the craft drawer and made him a pair from construction paper.  Currently the kids are making me "gifts" that consist of homemade cards and wrapped up Hot Wheels.  I am grateful.

Better than a Barbie shoe.

By the way, I found the shoe on the floor, not in Paul's diaper. It was only an attempted assasination, not a successful one.

All my children

Busy-ness and Chaos

Here are two photos of a typical scene at the Boyette household. Complete chaos. On the left side, you see Wesley the dog with his moose, trying to entice Paul to play with him. In the center, you see Claire with Christmas stockings on her feet, first talking on the phone, next trying to steal the phone from Sarah. Sarah is on her back, bare feet in the air. All around the frame you see clutter of toys and Christmas.

The holidays were so busy for us. I was happy the day after Christmas because I thought things would calm down. They didn't.

I know everyone is busy, but I hate it. I have this image in my mind of my children, and me leaning over them, arms around them, shielding them from the world and its busy-ness. As a former teacher, I know kids thrive on consistency and routine, and I haven't been able to give either to my kids for about a month. I've been trying to keep our schedule free so we can be at home and enjoy our family and Adam's time off, but we just haven't been able to.

Adam lost one of his great aunts this past weekend. She was very old and had been in the nursing home for a long time. She lived in Louisiana. We got the call on Sunday night, and while I am sorry that she died, neither Adam or I had ever met her, so we didn't grieve. Apparently his dad knew her a long time ago.

Every day for a month we had had something to do, so I had looked forward to this week for rest and relaxation, and actually cleaning the house. If you've ever seen my house, you know that is not my top priority, but it should get done sometime. I wanted to spend time playing with the kids' new toys and taking them to the park. I wanted Adam to go to the library with us and experience story time.

Adam's dad doesn't drive, and Adam felt that we needed to take him to the funeral. Adam also felt we needed to go with him. So we took our kids, exhausted from the holidays, to Louisiana. Five hours to get there on Monday, five hours back on Tuesday. Adam did all the driving, but I hated that we had to take up two entire days to go to a funeral for a woman that we've never met. I almost feel like it's disrespectful to go to a funeral for someone you haven't met and haven't even heard of.

Adam's dad wanted to go, though, so we took him. He was very appreciative, but I just wanted to stay home.

Wednesday the kids were starting to get sick. Coughing a little bit, runny noses. Again, I wanted to keep them home, but we also wanted to go to the two New Year's parties we had RSVPed to. So we took both kids out again.

Thursday I wanted to stay home again, but Adam had already promised my grandfather he would come and help him fix his lawnmower. He insisted we come with him. So we took both kids out again.

Friday I took a breath this morning and looked forward to a day at home. Finally. Then I realized both kids had fevers, Paul had 101.3, and I had to take them to the doctor. Our doctor's office was closed today, so we had to go to the Urgent Care Clinic on the other side of town. It took all day.

I don't know what to do. I am trying my best to keep them home and keep them well, but it's not working. Both kids are very sick with respiratory infections. I guess that will keep us at home.