Filed under: Funny, Merry | Tags: fisher price bert, fisher price little people sesame street
As I putting some laundry away in the children’s closet this afternoon, I overheard Merry playing with her Fisher Price Little People (the old ones from when Jeremy was growing up.) “You are a bad man, you’re evil! You have to stay here under the bed, you are evil!”
On my way out I glance to see who she’s giving this lecture to, because she seems to be convinced that he is a bad guy for some reason, and I didn’t know they had those among that collection. She was shoving BERT from Sesame Street under the bed!
“Merry, I know he’s funny-looking, but he’s not a bad guy, that’s a nice guy, Bert, he’s not bad!” She responds very insistently, “Mommy, I don’t like him, he’s evil.”
Filed under: Adina
I’ve had several reminders lately that I’m aging.
First I’m hallucinating. . .not really, but forgetting where I put something then thinking I’ve been robbed because I can’t find it. I’m not kidding, I actually did this. Wanna’ hear the story? Okay, even if you don’t, here goes: On our road trip back from my sister Risa’s graduation we stopped at a playground for the children to stretch, and a Taco Bell. Both were quick. But when we got home and I couldn’t find the children’s school mini laptop and the hard drive with the movies on it, I was sure it had been stolen. We scoured the car, every inch of it. I was sick. There were photos on that hard drive, and lots of Jeremy’s papers from seminary. Today as I unpack the last bag, the toy bag with books and toys, there sits the mini laptop and hard drive in with the books. Then it flashes back to me, that as we got out at Taco Bell I slipped it in there so it would be out of sight. Why did I forget that for THREE DAYS??!?!?? Why couldn’t I remember that I had done that less than three hours earlier??
Secondly, I’m scrapbooking with my sister Risa who was Merry’s age when I left home! She just graduated high school. Waaaaa!! Going through tons of photos of days gone by just isn’t an ego boost in the aging department! Whoa do we look different, and WHOA, how much the children have grown!
Thirdly, dental work. Enough said, since I want you to enjoy reading this blog.
Finally, I bought some makeup. (gasp! Adina?) Losing the baby/pregnancy weight didn’t make me look 10 years younger like I’d hoped it would, and neither did a haircut.
But who cares, right?? Today I smile, and thank God for the many days HE has given me, and look forward to whatever is in store ahead.
I got to talk with Jeremy today and he is doing really well. He is enjoying the Himalayan Mountains in India. Life is good. We are having a vacation with lots of family and celebrating my sister Risa’s high school graduation in a few days. Pictures to come soon.
Filed under: Jeremy
Jeremy has arrived in India safely. His words to me were, “It is strange, very different.” I can only imagine. I got exactly 1 minute and 40 seconds to talk with him, and it was good to hear his voice. They will travel 5 more hours today he said to get to another destination.
All is well on the homefront. We are staying busy cleaning, gardening, cooking and living life and preparing for some really fun days of reunion with family. I am so blessed by family who will travel across the world to come love on us while Jeremy is gone! The children are getting really excited for Grandma Rebecca to arrive in a few hours, and so am I!!! Here are a few pictures of us right before Jeremy left on Saturday. Don’t judge my lack of smile, I’d just gotten back from my second root canal in 24 hours – trust me, you didn’t want to see me smile – it was freaky!!!
This is a special tribute to women out there who celebrate Mother’s Day differently than your “typical” mother. Consider these possible life situations/statuses that perhaps make Mother’s Day for you, or someone you know, a less-than-easy-day to celebrate:
- A woman who has been unable to conceive a child
- A woman who has been unable to adopt a child
- A mother who unselfishly relinquishes her baby for adoption
- A woman who has lost a child before a natural birth
- A woman who has aborted a child
- A woman who has lost a child after birth
- Someone who has lost her mother
- Someone who celebrates without their mother near them
- Someone who never knew their mother
- Someone who is a foster mother (some people don’t recognize this as “real” motherhood)
- Someone who is estranged from their mother
- Someone who is estranged from their children
- A mother who spends Mother’s Day alone
- A mother who is in jail
- Someone whose mother is in jail
- Someone whose mother is terminally ill
- Others (you fill in the blank)
Today I have been reminded that even as I celebrate with joy, that I am also called to bear the burdens and sorrows of others who grieve. If you find yourself in this list, I pray that your heart will be comforted by our Great God. Psalm 56:8 says of God, “You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.” May the God who sees your every tear surround you with HIS love today!
Today Elijah said, “just call me Darth Vader,” Micah learned to kiss with a real pucker and Merry told a little friend of hers who’s a boy, “I love you.” I just love watching them grow up.
Filed under: family news
There have been many days in the last 14 or so years since my mom died that I have cried out in grief to my God and begged for His mercy on the lives of her children (myself included).
I do not question God’s goodness, because I know that I am short-sighted and VERY human and HE is GOD alone. Other people have looked at my life, and my family’s life and asked me how it makes sense. How does a woman survive every form of abuse, unemployment, other tragedies and still say she believes in a loving God?
She survives because her heart knows and loves the God who created her – the God who knows best what she needs, and she trusts Him to give it. (Psalm 139) If for a season (even an entire earthly lifetime) that means heartache and grief, even physical pain, she accepts it. I accept it with a heart of faith in a God who makes no mistakes.
So tonight, I write this blog as a tribute to a survivor women who I have a special respect for recently as she reaches a height of success that even she thought was impossible a few years ago. My little sister Risa is one of the most beautiful women I know, and she is more radiant to me because of the valleys I have seen her walk through, and the beauty that has spilled out of her in the process.
She graduates from high school very soon, and heads to college. She has received academic and artistic honors, she looks like my mother, and she is one of the most fun women to be around. She laughs easily and has a heart that no one would imagine has been through what it has been through. She is evidence of grace. Which is appropriate, you see, our mother and father hoped that would mark her, and gave her that as a middle name.
So, here’s to you, Risa Grace, may you grow in grace and may this be the beginning of some of the sweetest days of your life. . .may you grow to love Jesus more and more as your days go by!
I know some of you think I’m earthy/hippie/oatmeal-cookie-kind-of-girl . . . well, I’ve met someone who beats me in that department. My daughter.
For Easter Merry got a bright pink watering can in her Easter basket (see her picture in the pictures a few posts ago) so she could help me with my gardening. She calls it her “pot” no matter how many times I tell her it’s a watering can like mommy’s. Why say “watering can” when you can just say “pot,” right? So, as we are getting out of the car the other day at the garden, she says to Elijah very loudly, “Get me my pot, I NEEEEEED my POT!!!”
The Caskey Family 