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. =)

5 people, a little house, and a rain storm

We are not sure where Cal gets his canadian accent, but he has been asking to go "aut-side" incessantly these last few weeks. I'm pretty sure that after the fun we had this morning with my sister Kim and niece Addie, Calvin will be asking to play inside a little more often.

Addie and Cal played Peek-a-boo on his bunk bed. I don't think Cal was having much fun here!

We read some silly Sondra Boynton books.

And "horsed" around. (I know that is really bad!)

I'm not sure if Jack was happier with all the one-on-one attention or the prospect of pulling Addie's hair here.

On this rainy day at 2:30 after a wild morning, we all kind of feel like this right now.

Cal's Bedtime Prayer

This was Cal's prayer on Thursday night before bed:

Dan: Dear Jesus

Cal: Dee JeeJee

Dan: Thank you

Cal: Ta Chi

Dan: For

Cal: Five, Six

That is where we lost it.

And I couldn't resist showing you this picture of Jack!

How was your day?

When Dan comes home from work, he gives me and the boys kisses before asking, "So, what did you guys do today?" I usually wish I had a grandiose answer about saving the world or at least cleaning the whole house. Instead, my answer goes something like this:

This morning we went to Farm Days at NC State with Ginger and her kids. Calvin LOVED the baby horse and tractors. There were tons of school kids there on field trips, so instead of getting in the longer lines to sit in the real tractors, I sat him in a Gator and told him it was a tractor. He was happy and we didn't have to wait long. Count it. Poor Jack was such a trooper hanging out on my back the whole time while missing his nap.

During nap time, I made dinner, folded laundry, and read a little bit. Calvin actually fell asleep, but Jack woke up a little early. We played a little on the blanket alone while Cal slept! I think his two top front teeth popped through last night!

He was sitting up playing all by himself! I even was able to walk away for 5 minutes or so without him falling over! He's definitely gotten better at catching himself.

And he was talking so much...though it is more of a series of grunts and hums than babble. I wish you could have heard him!

After Calvin woke up, we played outside. Calvin played with his lawnmower. He took it down to Rebecca's house and walked up her driveway and onto her porch like he owned the place. He waited at her door until she came out to see him. Rebecca kicked a ball with Cal while we talked in the driveway. Jack kept trying to eat the grass. He is so good at moving himself off the blanket now that it is hard to keep him on the blanket!

After Jack went to bed tonight, Calvin and I just sat and read books on the couch. He wanted to read, "Small Pig" three times in a row! He loved the line, "He sat down, and sank down into good, soft, mud," when I paused to leave out a word, he'd fill in the blank! It was pretty sweet having him on my lap just hanging out like that.

How was your day, Dan?

He does have some pretty grandiose stuff to say, but I think Dan wishes his answer went something a little more like this:

A Sweet Morning

This morning was really sweet. With "Thunder Road" on repeat in the CD player, I sang along badly and loudly while folding diapers. Cal hijacked the laundry basket and played with his clock the whole time.

Meanwhile, Jack slept so sweetly upstairs. He's been sleeping on his tummy for about a week now.

He's not always thrilled about it since he can't roll back over at will. Especially when his legs get tangled in the rails like this. I love looking at his relaxed little body like this, though.

I'm not so sure that the events of this morning were abnormal, I just had more fun with it. Dan and I talked last night about why I feel so tired at the end of a day. I'm not belittling my job...there IS a lot I do, but the way I feel seems disproportional.

Here is what I came up with: I think way too much during the day. Even when I've made a decision, before acting upon it I think around and through it many more times. I think my mind is exhausted because of this habit.

Dan suggested I just simply write down what I am going to do and when before bed each night so I don't feel like I'm holding it together in my mind. Seems so simple, but it has helped me already today.