Car Transporter!

Goldmist Lane is all of 10 feet wide and 200m long. Today we were outside in the stroller ready to try a walk to help my two sick, cranky boys make it through the morning. Cal and I had just been talking in circles about what ten toys he could or couldn't hold. He was just generally dissatisfied and unhappy. Jack was a sleepless zombie in the other seat. Then what should appear turning onto our street??? A CAR TRANSPORTER!!

Calvin has seen a few of these while driving and loves them! I was thinking a drive-by would be just what the doctor ordered to give these guys a little lift. I needed the diversion as much as them....just tired of pulling tricks out of my sleeve to help entertain boys going from happy to devastated like a see-saw:

I think the "cause" of this change was me standing up to go get a cloth to wipe his face. Sigh. Poor guys just don't feel well.

Instead of passing by, it stopped in front of our house! For like 20 minutes! The boys sat happily in the stroller, just feet away from the rumbling truck. Calvin even got to touch it (with one finger, his choice). Thank you, Lord. I know it seems so minor, but it was major for the three of us.

The boys are upstairs napping now. For that I am also thankful!

PS. Calvin has been walking around this morning (2 days later) carrying a "car porder" in his hands. Here is what it looks like! Since Papa gave him the cars, he is calling it "Papa car porder."

New Glasses!

Yesterday I took Calvin to pick out glasses. The optician seemed to think he needed frames that are the equivalent of orthopedic shoes....rubber, thick, and huge on his face. As he was wearing them, I just kept thinking they would hide our little Cal.

He's a pretty cautious kid, and he has learned to be obedient from our experience with patching for all this time, so I asked for plan B. Here is what we came up with. The stickers are still on the lenses here, but you can get an idea. I guess time will tell if plan B was a good decision or not.

Calvin was such a trooper for this whole process. He held a matchbox car in each hand as the optician and I fit glasses to his face.

When patched, Cal sees things that are in a range from about 3-10 or so feet from his face pretty well. Unfortunately, that means that when he is reading (while patched) he has to put his left eye practically on top of a picture to see it. It always kind of makes me sad for him. The new bifocal should help with that!

After the glasses fitting, we headed to TCBY for a little date while Jack slept. Yum!

I think Jack enjoyed his nap while we were gone, though we both missed the little guy. Calvin kept saying, "want Jack come too" in the car. I was thankful that Hockey kept him for me, but I was really happy to see his flailing limbs and big smile when we got back, too.

A sweet ride for two (and a new doo)!

I have probably run fewer than 10 times since Jack was born 8 months ago. Among my many excuses is that we don't own a double jogging stroller (and don't want to buy one). Our friends Jason and Julie delivered their old stroller to our door on Saturday! It is awesome!

The last time I ran around Woodlake (just 3 or so miles), I took Jack with me. Along the way, someone labeled Jack the "town crier." All I could do was try to run faster home, and well, there's only so fast I can go being in pretty bad shape! I got some pretty interesting looks over the 10 minutes or so it took to get home with Jack full out screaming. Poor guy!

This time was a much different story! Jack never made an unhappy peep sitting next to his big brother, and the run was much more fun getting to go with Dan!

We took a little break around the lake to let Calvin get out and run. He's been saying "run, dada." I think he is trying to say he's running like Daddy. Cal took at least 4 steps for every stride of Dan's. And his over-confident arm swing and forward lean might have made Cal's form less than efficient. I think he was in heaven, though.

Calvin and Dan got haircuts together yesterday. Calvin required a cookie to get through it happily. Dan required the Masters to be on the television.

This is kind of nasty, but here is the carnage. At least the grandparents maybe will think it is sweet.

He Obeyed!

Nap time today was MUCH better. I followed the same routine as yesterday...collecting a box of books and toys and telling Cal that everything would be taken away if he disobeyed by getting out of bed. I heard some interesting dialogue while listening in...something about a rocking chair and another about making a cake, and in bed he stayed!

After 75 minutes, a relieved mommy and happy boy came downstairs to play!

The other buddy is still asleep. I am not about to go in Jack's room for a picture to interrupt his sleep today, though.

Last night Calvin was telling Dan all about how he got out of bed during nap. We assured him that it is hard to obey, but Jesus can help. He then said, "Je-Je come in." He wanted Jesus to come in and help. Then he said, "Take shoes off." I'm not sure if that says more about Mr. Particular or the realness of Jesus to our little guy. We prayed together that Jesus would help Cal obey, and I'm thankful He did.

All's Quiet...

When Calvin said, "Out a bed" with a little smirk on his face before nap time, I knew we were in for an interesting couple of hours.

This morning I told him that Mr. Lamb (his blankie) would be taken away if he disobeyed during nap time by getting out of bed. We took a tupperware box and together collected three books, a truck, and a car to keep on his bed just for nap time.

Long story short....

Here is the loot. What started with Mr. Lamb progressed to include his box of books and toys and a couple spankings.

The tantrums after each thing got taken away interrupted Jack's nap. Jack was not happy about it at the time, and would not go back to sleep. He's pretty sweet sitting here now!

The battle is over, but now I just want to wake Calvin up and tell him I love him so much!

And the lasting effects are the two big unfinished projects in the kitchen.....baby food making and dinner.

I hope tomorrow goes better for me and both buddies.

Trusting God Together

Last night we prayed together as an extended family, Dan and me, Sam, Ace and Jeff, Uncle Jeff and Aunt Trish, and Matt and Emily. There is something right about being together before the Lord that kind of makes the real stuff of life come out.

I thought I knew what I needed prayer for, but when I was finished talking about it, Jeff said, "Kelly, residency must be really hard for you, too." My heart immediately wanted to cry. I think that was really my greatest need, though I didn't realize it. I think we all left feeling like we'd come together as loved children of God and trusted Him together.

The common refrain for all 9 of us was that we feel weak and unsure of the future, but we know that our Father loves us more than we can imagine. I am so thankful for God's grace that allows us to face weakness and uncertainty with real hope instead of despair.

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."2 Corinthians 12:9

Today I am feeling tired after having such a busy house, but it is a sweet tired. Kind of like I used to feel after a good long run. Dan said his good-byes last night, but the rest of us all gathered for one last hurrah at the Waffle House this morning.

Calvin, Jack, and I rolled away from the parking lot with a whole family who loves us waving good-bye. I love the tears and hugs. And I love that Calvin asked for Papa to come back all the way home. Thank you, Lord.

"Hockey" and other translations

This is our neighbor, Hockey. Her real name is Rebecca. I don't know how Calvin got Hockey out of Rebecca, but we all kind of like it. These guys have a sweet relationship. Calvin acts like a little independent man when he is with her, and she says that he makes her day. Some of their favorite things to do together are look at baby blue bird eggs, play with broken pottery on her porch, and throw/kick balls. Hockey loves Jack, too, but the poor guy is often stuck on my back when we're outside with her. =)

"Hockey" is one of many Calvin-isms we're hearing these days. Here are some other favorites:

"Talder" - Calvin

"Ga or Gack" - Jack

"a night Talder" - Good night, Calvin. Yeah, he says it for us now. =)

"co-ah-gee milk" - strawberry milk

"ma-gee" - mail truck

"ma-key" - oatmeal

"read-ee book" - read the book

"hold-o" - hold it

"tiss a tummy" - a request always said with a little giggle....kiss a tummy!

"no figgers, Ga" - no fingers, Jack. Not good....already trying to parent Jack for me.

"saw-ry, Ga" - sorry Jack. Says it on his own. awww.

"tee-stee-yump" tree stump...loves them!

"air-pee" airplane

"dee-dir" dirty. Many things are dirty these days.

"diff-why" this way

"cah-gee" coffee

"ta-chi" thank you

"phove" phone

"hay-be bite" heavy bite (heavy means tall, big, long, wide, and heavy)

"Umple Dendis" Uncle Jason

"round a wah-ger" around the water....he loves to walk around our little pond.

"nakee guy" - says it about himself and Jack =)..."two nakee guy" if it's bathtime

I took 5 years of Latin in school, and I could never translate a thing. I think I'm doing all right now. =)