Monday Musings

So how many times did you hit the refresh button wondering if I've mused?  Probably not many.  But I had MYP at my side most the day today due to no school, so not a moment of silence to sit quietly and reflect for the masses.

We did go to the bank today!  One of the MYP needed to deposit some hard-earned money.  And as I was waiting for her to do her business (well not THAT business), a man came up to me and said tentatively, 'Jackie?'.  I smiled at him and said, 'no, I'm not Jackie'.  He apologized and said I looked like 'Jackie' to him.  I just said off the cuff, 'well I've been called worse', (not that I have really).  Then he gave me a dreamy smile and said, 'well she's really pretty if you want to know'.  Now realize this man was just a year or so past 80... so maybe the glaucoma had set in.  But nonetheless, it made me feel pretty.

The Chairman has been burning the candle at both ends and sometimes right down the middle at the same time.  However, this weekend was nothing but a two-day Monopoly game, bowling, sledding, and more fun in between.  The MYP needed it.  I needed it.  And so again, another wonderful weekend with the family.

Except for the fact that yesterday morning I was all dressed up and nowhere to go.  The youngest of the pack laid listlessly on the sofa with several ailments.  So we had our quiet time.  Played umpteen games.  Baked a bit. And rested some more.  I missed spaghetti at grandmas and a couple wonderful gatherings.  But such is life as a mother.

Last night, we pulled out old video tapes to watch of our past days.  The kids automatically handed me a Kleenex box before we started to watch.  And so I had tears drip down my cheeks.  We were handed a very special baby in China that twisted her hands, looked pensively at us, and became our daughter.  We saw a little baby boy, that was a perfect gift, giving cock-eyed grins and trying in earnest to catch up with his big sister.  We looked at pastoral scenes of a 3 and 4 year old holding hands while their baby sister was being pushed in a stroller by her mommy with a beautiful dog named Lincoln at their side.  We saw the first steps.  The first smiles.  A lot of living room floor time with MYB(abies)'s crawling about.  Even though it was only eight and more years ago, it was stunning.  People commented to us at the time how busy we were.  Others said that our family was so special and so unique.  We didn't see it.  But now in a part, we do.  I keep thinking of something we sing, 'Looking back the long years over, 'twas a varied path and yet... all the way his hand has led us... and we finish out with the thought that he hath blessed us hitherto.  And so He has.  To those of you with those tiny people.  Love them and embrace them in all your fatigue and messiness.  It goes by quickly.  I think that one other aspect of it all was that the Chairman and I have both changed in looks a great deal from just that few of years ago.  We were a team then.  We are a team now.  It makes me thankful.

Son #1 said to me the other night, 'I sure hope my wife has fingernails like yours so the scratches on the back feel the same'.  I wasn't sure how to answer except that I hoped so too.

Daughter #2 had a presentation on India last week.  It was to be about a country of her origin, but she doesn't look very Asia-Indian to me.  However, we have very good friends that came from there nine years ago and she wanted to represent them in her own little way.

Think this is more than enough for tonight!

giving her 'schpeel'

marathon Monopoly

new chairs in kitchen sitting area waiting for you to come visit

See?  Winter can be pretty