Molly

she's here.

moved in.

a new best friend.

those eyes

When the Cure Hurts More than Anything

Dr. Fracture and i had clinic today. it is usually a rewarding experience. there's something about seeing patients get better. we see patients move from significant pain and disability to walking and returning to work. i love it.

then there are encounters like I had today...

the patient needs surgery.

surgery is the hope for a cure. less pain. less fatigue. less medicine.

the surgery means loss. less mobility. less freedom. less of a person in the patient's eyes.

i slid the consent toward the patient. the patient slowly laid the pen down, looked away, and grief poured out. the tears streamed down and dropped like heavy rain drops on the leather jacket. this wasn't about physical pain--it was about grief at the deepest levels of a soul and saying goodbye to life as it always had been.

sometimes the cure is more painful than the disease.

She's a Snow Princess

The Snow Princess briefly stopped on her way out the door for a quick pic...

she loved the fresh snow...the brisk temperatures...the time to play...

she wished her hill was a lot steeper and longer...

but, it still brought her joy...

and made her smile...

this is "Golden Sparkle"...she built him and loves him...and she named him...

her she is with "Frosty" and "Golden Sparkle"

snow princess

A Rose

Runner Boy took Sam to the grocery store tonight for some milk.

As they wandered around the store, Sam announced he wanted to "Buy Momma a flower."

He told Runner Boy he wanted to "buy Momma a rose."

So, I came home to a giant, red rose from Sam.

I am smitten.

A Taste of the Nativity and Working Women

We started our Advent calendars today and took out the Nativity set. I purchased a Nativity scene for Kate and Sam to play with since they are fascinated by the whole story. They were thrilled to have it and started to play immediately.

It wasn't long and I heard Kate (playing Mary) say to Sam (a.k.a. Joseph), "Joseph, please watch Baby Jesus, I have to go to work!"

little dude...

me n my baby brother...

the saga continues

Tonight at the dinner table Kate says to Runner Boy, "Daddy, do you know what I want for Christmas?"

He replied, "What Kate?"

She said, "I want Molly, and a dress, skirt, shirt, pants, shorts and her crown. Yeah, I want her crown."

Runner Boy looked up from from his fruit salad and said, "Well, Kate, I want a fighter jet, an air craft carrier and a tank for Christmas."

She smiled at him and replied, "If you pray really hard, every day, you can have them, too!"


**************

As we said our night time prayers, Kate announced was AGAIN going to pray for Molly. Runner Boy suggested she should also thank God for something, too.

And so it goes, "Dear Jesus, please give me Molly for Christmas, and a dress, skirt, pants, shorts and her crown."

Runner Boy says, "Ah, weren't you going to thank God for something????"

"...and thank you for my house, too."

The Full Court Press

Tenacious...persistent...relentless...neva, neva give up...that is my girl.

Kate has decided what she wants for Christmas and we ALL know about it. She is on an all out offensive to obtain the gift of her dreams. She has decided she wants an *American*Girl*Doll and she's ramped up the pressure to crazy levels.

It started innocently enough--she has a *Bitty*Baby doll (same company), so she's gotten a few of their catalogs over time. Kate has been studying them and dreaming about the doll daily (usually during "quiet time".) It didn't take long before she had all the dolls memorized and started to have favorites. She then noticed that her cousin had several *American*Girl*Dolls and that made the dolls even more appealing.

She also went on a pilgrimage with her beloved cousin to the *American*Girl*Store--little did we know that this would only fuel the fire. (Runner Boy refuses to ever have to go in there again--one trip was enough.)

She wants *Molly*. Not Kirsten, Ivey, Chrissa, Elizabeth, Felicity, Julie, Rebecca, Kit, Kaya, Addy...just Molly. Somehow Molly pops up in multiple conversations a day. She doesn't want one that looks like her, or has curly hair, or blond hair. She wants Molly.

We were looking through a magazine recently and she pointed out a picture full of Christmas presents. She pointed them out and said, "Mom, you could buy Molly, wrap her up like this and I would open the present and act VERY surprised!"

Or, "Momma, Grandma could buy Molly for 'Crismas' and I would be so surprised!"

Or, "Grandma, did you know I want Molly for 'Crismas?' My momma is gonna buy her for me."

Yesterday she went to the mall with Grandma for a story hour at the local bookstore. As she was telling me about her day she said, "Momma, I threw a coin in da fountain and made a wish. I wished for Molly!"

(Sam piped up with, "I wished for Lightning McQueen!")

And she's not just working on us, she's taken it to the next level. She's even pestering God. Every night she prays for Molly for Christmas. Just in case we haven't heard enough about it, she's trying to get God on her side. Tonight Runner Boy asked her to thank God for something in her prayers.

She replied, "Dear Jesus, thank you for my bedroom...an' please give me Molly for Christmas."

I could whine about this trait, but she's seen it in her momma, so I just admire the creative ways Molly works her way into everyday conversation.

scenes from the life of a 5 year old

wearing our white flower girl dress (aka princess dress) with our sparkly tiara on our head she walks by runner boy and i...

she has her beloved "striped blankey" in her hand and her shredded American*Girl* catalog under her arm...

she says "this house is reedicoolous i'm leaving..."

she walks into the pantry and closes the door.

the wall

twenty years ago today the Berlin Wall came down.

a profound moment in history.

may we never forget.

my grandmother hadn't forgotten.

she had a piece of the Wall.

i wish i had it.

i don't ever want to forget.

i wish i understood what it meant to her in the depths of her soul.

sam theology

we're a little concerned about sam's theology and understanding of Christmas.

last year kate and he would play out the manger scene, complete with a baby Jesus. they couldn't find a doll around the house, so they went with a stuffed penguin. "Baby Jesus" penguin was carefully laid in the manger as they played every day.

this past saturday runner boy and sam went to a big box home improvement store. they noticed some of the Christmas decorations were up and sam was fascinated. he saw the big blow up decorations for the yard--one of which was a penguin. sam saw it and yelled, "LOOK its BABY JESUS!!!"

runnin' a marathon

if you are going to run a marathon, you need a few things...

first, you need a runner...take Runner Boy for example. make sure this runner has trained alot, guzzled gallons of sport drink and can eat a sports gel on the run...oh yeah, this runner needs to take alot of anti-inflammatory medication.

now, if the anti-inflammatories (NSAIDS) just don't work, try the B.R.A.S.H. hospital. that's the Brooks Running Athlete Support Hospital. they can fix your problems...

...just ask Klinger...few people are aware of Klinger's running expertise.

every runner needs to have lots of running clothes. when it's 35 degrees at race time, a guy can't have enough stuff to wear. watching said runner decide what to wear is as agonizing process as a woman choosing her wedding dress.

and the runner has to try on all the possible combinations of high tech clothing...

so the runner has to have a place to decide what will work.

then you need a few more things...


fluid...fluid is very good. you just can't get enough of it on the course...

...while the runner is pounding across 26.2 miles of pavement, it helps to have some good scenery...

remember all those clothes that the runner agonized about wearing...well, here they are...clothes were strewn all of the course.

now these are the guys you don't want to meet at the finish line...(this runner was fine...just very tired.)


when the runners see this up ahead they start humming Sweet Home Alabama and lock their eyes on the finish...

...and they cross that finish line...stop their race watches...and get their medals.

Runner Boy did so well. he trained hard, kept his eye on the goal and gutted it out at the end.

that's my man...

26.2

This past weekend we went here...

for Runner Boy to chase after these gentlemen...

I am proud of Runner Boy. He's tough.

i'm big now.

now that she's 5, sometimes i let kate walk in the parking lot without holding my hand.

this makes me sad.

she's happy because it makes her feel like she's a "big girl" now.

but, it's a reminder that she's growing up. she still loves to cuddle and hang out, but i love her little hand tucked in mine.

*********

so she went for her 5 year old well child exam today.

she's now 34 pounds and 40 1/4 inches tall.

after 4 shots, she was a little sad and clung to me like a koala to a tree.

i held her tight and let her bury her little face in my arm.

*********

after a power nap we headed to gymnastics.

she bounced her way around the gym like a playground ball.

as i picked her up from class, her instructor said to me, "with her, you may invest enough money that you'll own half this gym. don't pressure her...let her have fun...but she's a natural."

on the way home kate says, "when can i go be with the big girls at the gym?"

i said, "if you keep going with gymnastics and you like it, you can be with the big girls someday."

the reply: "i like gymnastics and i want to get good."

...as long as i can still hold you little hand...and cuddle...and you let me hold me when you hurt...

just stuck...

Parenting is a unique experience. I'm not sure if there is anything else that causes such a wide range of emotions...in a single day. For example, today was one of those days. Moments of joy, frustration, pride, shock and disgust. It was one of those days when the best chilled white wine couldn't have made it better.

Sam is constipated. stopped. full of bricks. unwilling to move. making diamonds.

it's miserable. for him. me. runner boy. kate.

We've been to the m.d., called the m.d., tried the m.d.'s suggestion and yet, he's unmoved.

Here's the recipe:

Add copious amounts of mir*a*lax to food and drink. Wait. Add more fluid to gut. Wait 24 hours. Check results. If negative yield, go to step 2.

Step 2) Add a pellet of glycerin to bum. Allow pellet to come to body temperature and check results. If no luck, consult kiddie m.d.

Step 3) Convince child that parent is "here to help" and add enema to posterior colonic outlet. Assure miserable child that it hurts you more than them...stuff guilty feelings down because this will make child more comfortable and fix the problem.

Step 4) Mop up vomit resulting from child being stuffed with pooh, and reach for more mir*a*lax.

Step 5) Speed dial m.d.

Step 6) Peruse the entire Rx aisle for solutions. Notice gummy fruit chews that expedite food through the gut. (Parent now assured that this multifaceted approach--enema, suppository, mir*a*lax and gummy chews will to the trick.)

Parent offers Sam fruity gummy laxative treat upon arriving home. Sam flatly rejects offer. Kate immediately inhales one and poops 2 hours later.

Step 7) Speed dial m.d.

Step 8) Take it to the next level. Chocolate ex*lax this time. Am told this is a trick of the experts. Sam likes chocolate--should be great--I could hear the flushing in my mind.

Parent offers yummy chocolate to Sam. "I noooo whannnn it..." he whines. Kate pipes up with..."Chocolate? can I have some?" like a fly on...well...poop.

Step 9) Think outside the box...time for a specialist. Make appointment with the "constipation and reflux evaluation" clinic at local kiddies medical center.

After about a week of this, we are tired and Sam is so uncomfortable. Tonight he cried a little and just put his little arm around my neck and held on. What conflicting emotions...frustration with the circumstances and yet so grateful that this little dude is part of our lives. I savored those moments with his arm holding me close, thanked God and asked form a little more help.

night time prayers...

every night we ask the kids who they would

like to pray for...

tonight was no different...

Parent: "Sam who would you like to pray for?"

Sam: "aaah, everybody and God"

(...i'm sure He appreciates the thought, but from what i hear, He's got it all together...)

Parent: "Kate, who would you like to pray for?

Kate: "Pascal (our cat). Dear Jesus, help us to have a good night-night an' good sleepies. Help Sammy to not pull on Pascal's tail and chase him. Amen"

i gotta question...

Kate: "So ahhh, when God made light, did He just say, "Please, can there be light? or did He yell?"

Dizzy

i'm so dizzy...

my heart is spinnin'...

whirling dervish...

tornado...

eye of the hurricane...

blurry...

cyclone...

whirligig...

rotation...

oscillate...

spiral...

revolving...

...she thinks she's a human helicopter...

faces in the park...

ever feel like you're being watched?

by a cute hunk at the park?

you take a look at those big, blue eyes...and cute profile...

and that winsome smile...

...and you know that even though his first full sentence was "No, I don't want to!" and he thinks every word ends with poopy...

...you can't help it...you're in love...

hangin' around

Does anything seem wrong with these pictures?

Perhaps it's that she is on the outside of the slide...good point...

Or is that it she is going up instead of down the slide...good eye...

Or is it that she forgot to put on her helmet...I know, I know...

Or is it that this kid is really a monkey?