It's A Joy...

... to watch Caleb play basketball.

As I write this, I am almost sure that anyone else who has ever watched Caleb play basketball will disagree with me. But here's the thing...

I have two very intense pre-teens. And they've been intense since day 1. And I love them. But everything has always been about winning... or losing... or getting it perfect, and the truth is, they have both inherited my build (well, my build at their ages... if you can believe that) and my athletic ability (which isn't much). They deal with sports in different ways. Seth gets very upset. In fact, we pulled him out of sports for several years, because we just didn't want him to be miserable... and you can only have so many pictures of your child crying on the court... or the field... What Grace lacks in motor skills, she usually manages to make up for in leadership and enthusiasm, so she's a little bit easier to watch...

But Caleb... The kid is built for sports. He has always been solid. We used to call him "Bam Bam". You know what, though... He really couldn't care less about winning... or losing... or even playing sometimes! And honestly... he's not any good at basketball. I'm not being mean. I'm just telling it like it is. He is my music loving, piano playing, tender-hearted kid. He learned the memory verse for basketball right away, but we made an error and learned it in a different version, so he's too shy to say it at practice. He doesn't care. Doesn't need the accolades. He knows it, and that's good enough for him. Today I missed a lot of his game, because Miah was being a crab, and when I asked him how it went, he was so excited! He said, "Mom! I almost got to touch the ball!" He received the "Christ likeness" star today, and it's funny, but I thought to myself, I wonder if they realize how accurate that was.

Let me make sure I'm clear that Caleb has had terrific coaches both last year and this year. Never once have they seemed irritated with his seeming inability to run to the right places, guard the right kids (he has a serious aversion to guarding girls), or get the ball in the hoop (which has never happened in a game). I hope they don't think I am somehow crazy as I sit there with a smile on my face and watch my child basically not play basketball! But I can't help it. I love that he's happy. And I love that he loves just being a part of the team.

L.

Mission Accomplished...

... Nursery Complete.

It's been an emotional roller coaster. I feel sort of silly about that, but it's the truth.

What started out as a nursery project became so much more...

First of all, let me say that as badly as I have wanted to create this room for Miah, I had no idea how hard it was going to be for me to paint over the "perfect" little girl room I created for Grace 4 years ago. To be completely honest, Grace couldn't have cared less if she'd tried. She is perfectly happy in her new room and even went as far as to tell me how much she doesn't like purple anymore (which is the color her old room was). I think this made it harder. In the end, I actually left a small area of purple (which will eventually be themed as a flower box), because I couldn't quite bring myself to paint over every last little bit. Neurotic? Yeah... probably.

Then there was the actual process of re-decorating. I have a love/hate relationship with house renovations. Painting can be stressful, and I stink at getting nails in the right places in the walls... and usually when I find the perfect place there is something that prevents the nail from actually sticking there in this old house... I couldn't even remember where I put Miah's name letters, which I made almost two years ago. I did, however, find them, just as I was about to give up and purchase new ones. The mural was actually quite fun. I like stickers.

As I was getting all of the furniture moved in and arranged, a thought hit me. The crib wasn't going to fit right, and the truth is... Miah doesn't need to sleep in a crib anymore. Choked up again, I determined to tell Phil we could just take the crib down when the room was done. I proceeded to take another week to get the room done.

And let me pause to say this about the crib. This is the first time since 2000 that our crib has not either had a baby in it our been waiting for a little person to arrive to fill it. I looked at Phil as he was taking it apart, and there were tears in his eyes, and of course he said, "don't blink," and I said, "don't get me started," and then of course I cried... again... And of course I'm tearing up even yet again as I type this... You'd almost think I was pregnant, as emotional as I've been... but really... I'm not.

I finally managed to get everything just the way I wanted it today, and with cameras... and video cameras... Miah crossed the threshold into her new room. She mercifully made some sweet little excited sounds, but the whole thing was actually fairly calm. Miah is most excited that all of her baby dolls are accessible at the same time and that there are abundant play food choices for their nutritional well being.

I almost forgot to leave space for the rocking chair... almost, but that was a non-negotiable. As I rocked her to sleep tonight, I thought about how big my baby has gotten. But when I put her in the toddler bed, covered her up, and stepped back to look at her; it hit my how very teeny tiny she really is.

And I thanked God for my precious little one... whom I cannot imagine my life without...

If You Need A Good Laugh...

... try Caleb.

Today I was driving Caleb to piano class, and for whatever reason, I felt compelled to tell him that I only have three more classes until I graduate from college!

He was really excited and impressed.

So I said, "Caleb... are you going to come watch me graduate?"

And he seemed a little confused, so I said, "You know... like when we went to Daddy's graduation in Idaho."

And then I hear his... rather amused (or maybe even a little exasperated)... little voice say, "Mommy... that was high school..."

Bwahahahahahaha...

L.