It Begins

Early to rise. Peaceful morning.  Uniform ready.  Easy Photo session.  All Smiles. Lots of traffic. Car ride questions.

Mom:  What are you most afraid of this school year?

Lanie:  Making new friends.
Lydia:  My new teacher.
Elijah:  Homework.

On time Drop off. No tears. Approachable teachers. Busy building. Rush to library meeting late.

Day of work. Leave early. Rush to school.  Hallway standing.  Parents sneaking peaks.  Old friends uniting. Classes dismissed. Chatty pick-up.  Excited plans. Tons to share.

Elijah:  I loved my cheeseburger.  I ate it in two bites.
Lydia:  My teacher is so, so nice.  She doesn't yell at all.
Lanie:  A little girl asked me if I wanted to play with her outside.

Celebrate with ice cream. Go home.

Day One - Complete.

Twas the Night Before . . .

Twas the night before Lanie's Birthday and all through the house 

All the flashlights turned on; All the light switches down

All the candles we had moved from one room to the next

While we waited for the electricity to be fixed.

The children were not snuggled all snug in their beds

To lay in the heat would fill them with dread

To the streets we did walk meeting neighbors and friends

And chatting about weather and damaged tree limbs.  

A little white kitten tossed from the storm

Ran across the porch and right past our door

Child 1, Child 2, a Kenny and me

Chased after that kitten, but it was not to be.

By the time that we realized it was nearing midnight

To the living room couch we went to tuck them in tight

With windows wide open and hardly a breeze

The kids slept with ice packs, I hoped they'd not freeze.

Before sleep could meet Lanie's drowsy eyes

I reminded her that tomorrow She would be FIVE

It seems merely days, instead of years

That we awaited this new baby with such joy, such tears.

With air so still, and moonlight shining down

The kids fell asleep, there wasn't a sound

Kenny and I went to work taping streamers and things

In the morning, we knew what a smile it would bring.

Decorations all done, birthday presents all wrapped

We moved the kids from the couch to their beds in a snap

But before I left Lanie, I whispered once more

Happy Birthday dear Lanie, you are loved and adored. 

THE DAY AFTER . . . 

Our electricity switched back on permanently at 2am and I finally fell asleep. 

It wasn't a long sleep.  Lanie was up and ready to celebrate her day by 8am. 

And did she ever celebrate. 

She got the circus animal waffles she requested. 

The fancy, schmancy princess dress she wanted.

The chick-fil-a lunch she asked for. 

The wedding Barbie & Ken she begged her Grammie and Grandpa for. 

The Sweet & Sassy date with her friend Ella she longed for. 

And the macaroni & cheese dinner at Jimmy Changas (with free ice cream) she insisted on.  

It was a good day. A good day to celebrate five years. 

Happy Birthday Elaine Oleta.  We love you!

My Lone Star List

     While the kids all had their Summer To-Do lists, I also had mine.  It had very little to do with getting into a car and going anywhere, but instead everything to do with laying in my bed or sitting in my favorite chair and reading, reading, reading, which if I wanted to wax poetic, I would say that reading also takes me to other worlds.

     For my new job, my main goal for the summer is to read books on this list:  The Lone Star Book List. For my Texas friends, this compilation is like the Bluebonnet Books.  Teachers and librarians have gathered the best books written for intermediate or junior high students into one great list.  And lucky me (and I don't say that sarcastically, but happily) -- I am responsible for knowing these books, for advertising these books, for book-talking these books to 7th and 8th graders in hopes that they will fall in love with them, like me.

       I have learned a lot about myself this summer, or at least a lot about myself as a reader.  While I certainly have my more favorite genres, mostly realistic girlie fiction, I have come to understand that I just really like to read anything written well.  On my own, I would have never chosen Insignia, a story bout a boy with a chip on his shoulder who joins the military of the future that inserts a computer chip in his brain and teaches him to fights wars via video screens in space.  I would most likely have not picked up The False Prince, a story set during sword-fighting days, which started my least favorite way - with a mean guy hurting an orphan kid.  I hate stories that have injustice, but I stuck with it and the climax and aha moment was enough to keep me up hiding my kindle light under covers 'til 2am.  There were others that I recommend immediately for readers like me.  If you liked the Sisters with Secret Pants, then you'll love Smart Girls Get What they Want about three best friends who are all at the top of their class.  But after finding a yearbook of an older sister, a sister who was also Yale-driven smart, that said things like, "I didn't really know you," They decide not to make her mistakes and be a nobody, but to do it all - be smart, and yet still make their mark and maybe even fall in love.  There's also Curveball: The Year I Lost My Grip about two boys, best friends, and great baseball players.  They've made the perfect pitcher and catcher team for years until one of them gets hurt.  Not only does it challenge the friendship, but the accident turns a boy from an athlete to a photographer.  It's great writing, so honest, and so real.  And finally, my last recommendation that is by far the best book I've ever read that sends the message of tolerance for people who look different is Wonder.  I believe Wonder is on every level book list this year and rightfully so.  I don't care you're age, pick up the book my friend, and read it for yourself or read it to your kid.  You'll be glad you did.
I really could go on and on, but seeing the length of this paragraph, I feel like I've probably already said too much.

     I have only a few days left and I won't get the list completed in time, but I've made a valiant effort with 12 down, 8 to go. I'm hoping that by October, I've completed them all.  If you want to jump on the teen reading with me, I'd be happy to take you along on this ride. There are some amazing writers who speak to this age level, and if you remember those years as a thirteen and fourteen-year-old you remember how moody they can be.  From loving one moment, angry the next, then sad, then happy again and filled with angst, any writer who can capture those somersaults in a kid, can also capture my attention as an adult reader.

    And for every Hunger Games written, there are also less than stellar young adult books that I suppose I should also read because usually, those are the ones that the kids check out - the predictable books, the gross books, the overly dramatic books.  It's good to know my audience.

    But I'll keep pushing the Lone Stars, because they are just. that. good.

* Apologies for all the Amazon book covers.  I was just too lazy to get them without the Look Inside! message.

Sunshine & Lemonade

 This weekend we had a party.  Next weekend we have the birthday.  I've never been fond of spreading out the day from the party, because then I'm always afraid the celebration loses its meaning.  Last year Lanie turned four on a beautiful Friday so school celebration and friend & family celebration all took place in one 24 hour period.  It was wonderfully succinct. This year, due to school schedules, we had to spread it out.  But, we did it in style.

After Lanie told me a long time ago that she wanted a water slide, I got my fingers tapping on google and found a great birthday theme --- Sunshine and Lemonade.  Rare. Obscure. Creative, right?  Then after some time on Pinterest, I was dumbfounded by how not so rare it was and how so many, many little girls have had their own lemonade party.  But what great ideas they shared.  Thank you crafty women out there. For without you,  I would still be coloring suns on construction paper.

When Elijah turned 6, we had, (I believe) the greatest Nebraska football party for him.  It had absolutely nothing to do with us, but instead everything to do with our wonderful friends The Rathjes. They offered their spacious home then, and when we asked again to use their home, they generously said yes.  While Elijah's birthday was a breezy, beautiful fall Saturday filled with football obstacle courses, Lanie's fell on an almost rainy, humid and hot summer Sunday filled with water slides and lots of lemonade, the kid-friendly kind and the adult sangria version. 

While I would have liked to have sweated less, and maybe to have made more Sangria, it turned out to be a great party.  Lanie jumped and slid and ran around with her friends to her heart's content.  I was a bit worried about her, I will admit.  Before the party, she told me she didn't want to have a lot of people, just for her and a friend to go to Sweet and Sassy and get their fingernails painted.  This little tidbit of information came too late.  Sorry, lemonade was already bought.  Cupcakes were made.  She was getting the big party.  And by this time, I was ready for a big party.  I was excited about grandparents, friends from church, neighbors, and school meeting one another.  I was excited for many of the people in Lanie's life to be together in one spot.  I was excited that we would always remember the year of the big party (not at my house) when we celebrated my little Lanie.  

Even if it was a week early.  

And there's always time for Sweet and Sassy on the REAL birthday. 

Talk about a 5-year-old's dreams come true. 

 

What I Prayed This Morning Driving 75 MPH on the Highway

Lord,
As I walk into this room on my first day of work,
after 7 years out of the working world,
please Lord,
let my colleagues see me as
knowledgeable or smart or savvy
or kind or helpful
or I'd take bookish or hardworking.
Maybe I'll be a good listener, or observant
or someone who asks too many questions.
I don't even care if they see me as tardy because I am running late
or shy or uncertain or confused or lost.
They can describe me as average,
with stringy hair, with a fever blister on its way.
Lord, I'll be anything, just please,
Lord, please, help me not be
Invisible.

Amen.

A Last Hurrah

             
With my uncle passing away and family in and out our door and me, a complete mess trying to clean house, figure out how to make a Sunshine and Lemonade themed birthday party for Lanie, how to sift through piles of old school uniforms and get the kids to sit still long enough to try them on, how to pay bills and budget which if you know me takes a good 3 days, how to prepare both physically and emotionally for a full-time job starting, well, now - tomorrow(although when I started writing this post, it was last week) and how to do all the last minute things I haven't had a chance to do this summer -- I needed a break.

I searched my purchased Groupon's and Living Social's and found one that would expire that day and would take us to KEMAH, a waterfront community gone commercial that has carnival rides, restaurants, and shops.  So in the one day we had between the Buehring family visiting and the Ward family on their way to visit, we drove the 35 minutes to try out the newly built human Maze.  Have you seen those before?  There's one in Ft. Worth which made it on an episode finale of The Amazing Race, and I'm sure there are others all over, but this is the only one near Houston that I know of.  I was determined not to waste the few bucks I spent on the Groupon but mostly, I was determined to get our family out for one last spontaneous summer trip.

When school begins, I'm hoping by 8pm, our kids are at least showered, in pajamas and brushing their teeth, but for now, while we have just a few days left of summer, we are pushing that clock as much as we can.  We pulled into Kemah about 8pm, made our way through the Maze, which was really fun.  We split up into three groups - me and Lydia, Kenny and Lanie, and Elijah on his own.  It was over fast, 9 minutes to be exact - we were timed, but it was such a good night. Besides us, there was one other family - a dad with his two kids running through.  No crowds. And while it was still warm and humid, there was a nice breeze outside.  It was a nice night, a needed night, because I was relaxed.  I love that while we had a house to clean up, I wasn't eager to get home. I wanted to be there, and didn't mind spending money on ridiculously jacked up prices for a train ride or a carnival game or ice cream that turned their teeth blue.  It was just the right spontaneity for me.  And a great last hurrah.

Finding My Words

A week has passed since I last wrote.  I know that is abysmal, sad really.  But to be honest, I haven't found my words.  Instead, I've been list-making.  Every moment I'm sitting still, it's a list about school supplies, or birthday plans, or food to buy, or even a list of blog entries I may get around to one day.

Even now, before clicking over to this blog, I procrastinated again and listed the same items only on different paper and with different ink.  I was hoping it would help me clear my mind so I could write, so I could share.

I'll see how it goes.

Last week, our friend's aunt passed away.  The same day, my neighbor texted to let me know her mother died the night before.  Then my sister called me the following day and told me that my uncle Robert from Texas City passed away.  Arrangements were made - my mom and dad were coming to our house. My sister and her family would come the day after.  Then, Kenny got a phone call, his great aunt Eleanor died the following day.  It always seems to happen that way, doesn't it?

My uncle Robert was sick.  He was only 61 and he's been in a care center for a year with severe kidney issues.  He was always an ornery guy and never had a filter.  He didn't care what he said or who he shared his opinions with.  I think most of the time, he was trying to get a reaction, for fun, but it took me awhile to realize that.  He's a big guy, so a bit of a bear.  In fact, Elijah's only memory of him is being scared, because he liked to growl at the kids when he came over.  Robert thought he was being funny, but to a little kid unused to it, his girth and growl forced him to hide.   He was harmless, really. Other children loved him.  And once I got passed that fact that there are few things we'd ever see eye-to-eye on, I kind of enjoyed listening to him banter with Kenny about sports, or ask me about public education (not sure why he thought I would have an opinion) or ask about some historical person he was reading about. Ya see, uncle Robert was always reading.  And he always wanted to go, go driving around, go on a trip, see the world.  We had that in common.  And I think that's what I'll take away from his funeral tomorrow,  from my time with him.  Since I found out, every spare moment, I've said a little prayer for Leona, my aunt.  Robert was not an easy man, especially in the end when he was sick and cranky and tired of being bed-ridden, but she loved him just the same, and that requires great heart, great faith and great endurance.

And all those greats were just enough to inspire me and find my words.

Love to all the Moseley family. My heart is heavy for you.