Arctic Chill

It is currently 12 degrees outside. If you're thinking "Oh that's cold, but not too cold," let me give you additional information. It is 12 degrees, but, according to the weather app on my phone, it feels like it's -1 degree. The last time I ventured out of doors today it was still 20 degrees, and even then it was painful. I'm in my bed, under the covers, wearing thick socks and several layers of clothing, and I'm still cold.

I am very thankful for a roof over our heads. It's cold inside, but not nearly as cold as it is outside.

Tuck and Roll

A word of advice: if your two-year-old, who is adept at doing somersaults, invites you to do one as well, say no thank you. Otherwise there's a good chance that you're thirty-six-year-old body will realize it's not as agile as it once was and you may spend the rest of the day sans your full range of neck/shoulder/head motion.

And if you choose to do the somersault, at least remember to tuck your chin to your chest. Holding your grownup sized self with only your head and neck muscles will feel, well, it won't feel great.

That is all.

Dueling Performances

Cooper is preparing to preform with his fellow third-graders in their school's Holiday Concert. He's enjoying the experience so much that he's started writing scripts and choreographing dance numbers in his spare time. He takes after his mom in these areas. Phoebe is always game to participate.

Sophie wanted to "do ballet" for the movie. Oh, and she's begun in earnest the potty-training process, but you might be able to tell that from her song...

Bet You Didn't Know the Floor of Target Was This Comfortable

Don't worry, she wasn't down there for long. In related news, Sophie prefers the toy section to the clothing section. Who knew?

Edelweiss

As part of our nightly bedtime routine, each child picks a song for Bryan or I to sing or play. Phoebe likes to stick with Christmas favorites (regardless of what time of year it is) and rotates between Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Away In a Manger, and Silent Night. Cooper goes for a medley of Hush Little Baby and one verse (it's different each night) of I Am a Child of God. Sophie actually gets several songs because she asks for a playlist I've curated of classical music featured on Little Einsteins. Her favorites are Eine Kleine Nachtmusik by Mozart, Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven, and Peer Gynt Suite No. 1 by Grieg. Peter almost always asks for Edelweiss from The Sound of Music.

I was nearly done singing Peter's song tonight when I registered a few of the words in a way I'd never heard them before. "Blossom of snow may you bloom and grow, bloom and grow forever." Now, the song is talking about a pretty little white flower and the patriarch of the Von Trapp family is wishing for its, and his homeland's, safety.

But suddenly I wasn't singing about a flower. I was singing about a boy born during winter, one that has been uprooted and replanted far too many times. A boy who is growing tall in body and mind and spirit.

I finished the song and I said, " Peter, my hope for you is the same as the singer's hope for the flower in the song. I hope that you bloom and grow forever." And then we talked for just a few minutes about what that means.

That insight was a tender mercy for this mom. And maybe for that not-so-little boy going through a hard time. He has the ability and capacity to bloom and grow and flourish, sometimes despite opposition, and sometimes because of it.

Hard Things

Why, hello there.

Did you miss me yesterday? Did you notice I was gone? I noticed, but the day was so full, I didn't have a chance to write anything until after midnight. I've run into this problem before, and I usually post something really quickly and backdate the publishing time. But last night I was just done. I feel like I've been running, burning the candle at both ends, juggling too much for too long, basically the whole time we've been in PA. And last night I was simply too tired.

Because, you see, it's been a difficult few weeks. Lots of very hard emotional stuff has been going on. I'm going to be obnoxious and not go into details, because not all of the details are mine to share. But at least one thing I can tell you is this: Peter is being bullied at school. A lot. He's been punched and kicked and pushed to the floor. Kids have called him stupid and other names on a regular basis. And on Tuesday one of Peter's classmates told Peter, "Everyone wishes you were dead."

So.

We've spent the last two days talking with and listening to Peter. We've notified the school and counseled with our parents. Bryan gave Peter a lovely blessing of comfort that reminded him of his natural gift for happiness. We spent several hours last night trying to figure out what to do.

And that is why I didn't blog. My heart and my mind were simply too tired.

Odd Duck

Bryan, knowing that I love to collect nativities, and understanding that my preferences lean toward the uncommon, found me a new set this year. He told me that it was very unusual and that the kids would love it. He was right. It even surpasses my quirky expectations.

Today, Sophie and I were playing with both our finger puppet and new rubber duck nativities. After I had everyone setup, Sophie added another character to the scene.

Can you tell you doesn't belong?

Shape Up

Sophie and I had a rather epic shopping trip today. I thought it would be a quick in and out after we dropped the kids off at school.

I was wrong.

We were in Walmart for four hours today. Four consecutive hours. In Walmart. With two birthdays and Christmas to prepare for, December is a rather costly month at our house. But good news! After today, most of the draining of our funds is complete and we're nearly ready for the upcoming events.

The following conversation took place as we parked in front of the store.

Sophie: That's a triangle.

Me: Do you see a triangle? Where?

Sophie: There. Those birds fly in a triangle. That's a shape.

She's right, that is a shape.

Artists-In-Training

My Grandma flew home today. Last night she and the kids had one more art lesson before our family artist returned to the land of sunshine and warmth. She taught them to paint a Halloween scene and a winter scene. When we painted pumpkins back at the beginning of her stay, we discovered that Sophie likes to paint her own picture, and also likes to add to everyone else's. This time she had her own table with a wide selection of finger paints. And, as far as I know, she only painted on one canvas that wasn't hers.

That's progress.

To Help Get You In the Holiday Spirit