Sunday, December 18, 2011

Jesus and Mary

I sang in a quartet at church today. It was a childrens' Christmas song Mary's Lullaby. Lullaby, my little one, thy precious life has just begun, thy mother holds thee near. It is a german song, and quite lovely.


As I sang, I looked at all my babies scattered out in the congregation. Quinny was watching me, I could barely keep it together. I thought about Mary and the baby she held. I thought about his tiny hands and then the miracle of his perfect life. I wondered about the precious alone time Mary had before she gave her son up to be the savior of the world, how she watched him grow-up, suffer and be crucified for us. I am so grateful for this time of year for my thoughts that are turning to Jesus, how they soften my heart and make me want to be a little better and try a little harder to be patient. I hope these aren't just words, I hope they are actions too. My gift is to be more patient.

I have listened to this song several times as I write, I am getting too mushy. I better get outta here.
Just listen to this guy nail "O Holy Night" Beautiful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Y9yaQzGUvA&feature=related

Merry Christmas friends.


Old Dog- New Trick


Recently, we began playing games with some old friends of ours, Jeff and Amanda. I know they are really letting me play because N8 comes with me and he is really good. We play Nerts, I am a beginner. The first to make it to 100 wins. N8, Jeff and Amanda are all pretty competitive, I would be, if I even had a shot. Their scores are usually within a few points of the winner, while I am still hovering somewhere in the negatives. Thanks for letting me play guys!

We played games growing up, but it was Risk (Dang you -Dad and your Australia strategy!), Stratego and Rummikub. I have been opened up to a new world that I will probably never conquer, N8 and Jeff both come from big game families. Apparently, Tiffany and Annie (N8s sisters) are really good, so are some of the cousins. They have been playing it for years. Is it like learning a different language? Is it easier to master such things while you are young? Is there a Nerts Immersion program at the local elementary school?

The Game is Afoot

This is more entertaining than a video game. And I usually lose.

Watercolor day
I affectionately call CC the crumble queen. When she talks, she is pretty quiet, if you ask her to repeat it, she backs off even more and mumbles even more quietly. Also, if you try to back her into the proverbial corner, she crumbles, cries and whines, falls into a heap on the floor. 'Crumbling' is the soggy breaking down of a small child into a whining, illogical weepy mass. CC is the Crumble Queen. You can melt her with a look. She won't always be this way, I see a spine growing in there somewhere.

Every so often CC will say something that doesn't make sense. She gets embarrassed when she says it but I want to understand, so I push, herein lies the challenge. If I can figure out what she is saying without alarming her to the fact that I don't understand, we both win and can rejoice together!

CC with her hair straightened for the first time
CC is sitting in the dining room sipping from a mug. She looks up and says, "Mom, what did you 'enterprenate'?" I freeze, my breathing becomes shallow, I put on my best poker face. The game is on. I can't show her I don't know that word. My mind begins to race, how can I get her to use it in a sentence, so I can figure out what she really means? Casually, "What makes you think I enterprenated?" No response. Okay, try again. "CC, do you like to enterprenate?" A mumble. "What did you say?" I ask. Another mumble, then a sassy little voice squeaks out from the mug she is holding, "Mom, I don't know what you are talking about." Small brown eyes are blinking out at me at me above the rim of the cup. Well, I guess I am the idiot, I lost that round. Score: CC-1 Mom- 0.