produce and parties

Yesterday I went with Annabelle's class on a field trip to the grocery store. It was not a hotspot destination like the pumpkin patch in the fall. I was talking with a few moms on the playground the day before and the general consensus was no one wanted to go since we all go to the grocery store all the time, but hey needed parent volunteers so I said I'd go. It was very much like a scene from The Hunger Games when everyone salutes the poor soul going to fight. All the playground moms wished me luck but were clearly relieved they didn't have to go. 

The children looked like a row of little green ducks wandering around the store.

It went much more smoothly than I expected, bringing 21 small children into Publix. Everyone was well behaved and only a few boxes of oatmeal were pushed over. I immediately went into full-on teacher mode. Being around a large number of children brought me right back to my teaching days. I didn't mean to, but I told a little boy to stay in line and told another to pay attention. I totally forgot I was the parent and not the teacher.

In other school news, I signed up to do the class Valentines party. Since the beginning of the year, I was the only one signed up which was fine with me. I have pinterest boards for such a time as this and quite frankly I didn't want to compromise on anything with someone who might not have the same love of themed straws and coordinating napkins. Last week Victoria's family was guilted into helping out. I was there when the whole thing went down but didn't say anything lest they think I'm a difficult and/or rude mother. The teachers gave me Victoria's grandmother and nanny's phone numbers so I could make plans. Yesterday I ran into the woman who brings Victoria to school in the hallway which seemed very providential since I hadn't yet called either of the women. I didn't know if she was grandma or nanny. I wasn't sure if nanny meant babysitter or nanny as in another name for a grandmother. She was an older woman so it really could have gone either way. That's why I said, "Are you...? I mean, hi. Are you Victoria's grandma? Nanny? The nanny? I'm doing the party with you and...the other woman. Um, are you either of those people?" CALL ME SMOOTH AS SILK. She looked at me like I was crazy (legitimate thought), threw her hands up in the air and said, "I'm just the nanny, call Grandma and plan it with her. I can't do any of this." Great talk! I'm so glad I embarrassed myself for this.

I finally got in touch with Grandma Denise this morning. She's traveling in from another state for the party which I'm taking as a good sign we'll work well together. I appreciate someone dedicated enough to throwing a good party that they'll travel across borders to attend. 

I will hand out autographs for free

I don't like blogging about myself. It makes me squirm and feel very uncomfortable. Technically this whole blog is about me but if I think about that too much it makes me want to shut the whole thing down. That's why it's taken me nearly four years to discuss an award I received.

Starting around age 18 I began working towards the Congressional Award. To quote the website:

The Congressional Award is the United States Congress’ award for young Americans. Our Foundation remains Congress’ only charity. The program is non-partisan, voluntary, and non-competitive. Young people may register when they turn 13 1/2 years old and must complete their activities by their 24th birthday.

Participants earn Bronze, Silver, and Gold Congressional Award Certificates and Bronze, Silver, and Gold Congressional Award Medals. Each level involves setting goals in four program areas: Voluntary Public Service, Personal Development, Physical Fitness, and Expedition/Exploration. Earning The Congressional Award is a fun and interesting way to get more involved in something you already enjoy or something you’d like to try for the first time. You move at your own pace – on your own or with your friends. This is not an award for past accomplishments. Instead, you are honored for achieving your own challenging goals after registering for the program.

For each of the four categories, I had to complete a minimum number of hours. The point is to set goals and achieve them over several months so the participant becomes proficient in the chosen areas. It's not a race to get it all done is a couple of months.

For physical fitness, I (for some absurd reason) decided to take up running. I must have had a lack of judgment when I made that goal. We lived at Fort Lee for 4 months and I made the goal of running a mile nonstop before we left. I know that a mile is nothing for most people, but for someone who hates running, it took a lot of discipline to get up and train myself. I had to get to the track before the sun rose and scorched everything. I wanted to quit 7,000 times but I stuck to it and finally ran a mile in just over 9 minutes. I haven't run a mile since but I'm proud of that one mile. I did run to the mailbox which is the equivalent of a marathon.

The other physical fitness activity was zumba. I felt so self-conscious when I started, but now I love it. I've always hated doing things in front of others, but zumba has helped me be more confident. I still do zumba whenever I get the chance. I did it two days ago and was the youngest person by a good 25 years. I thought maybe I wandered in the zumba silver class by accident. I did something like 300 hours of zumba and running.

For personal development, I learned sign language and how a production is put on by learning how to be a stage manager for two musicals. I knew NOTHING about how stage productions but I studied and learned along the way. It helps that I like things color coordinated and alphabetized so keeping all the props in order came naturally to me. The first show was Ebenezer (aka The Christmas Carol) with 22 scenes. The second was Babes in Toyland with 6 larger scenes. Both shows had over 20 actors. I still talk with fondness about my time as a stage manager. Frankly, I'm surprised I didn't also win an Tony Award for Best Production. 

For expedition/exploration, I planned a camping trip. This was the easiest of all the categories. I had been camping several times growing up but had never planned everything myself. Mom and the twins came with me to Pocahontas State Park in Virginia for a week-long camping extravaganza. Elizabeth got sun poisoning and Mom got a mysterious rash so the infirmary was bursting which was an issue I had not foreseen.

Our little cabin in the woods. 

For voluntary public service, I did community service projects with a girls club, and volunteered at to children's hospital and preschool weekly. I did the hospital and the school for about five years each and logged almost 900 hours. 

The gold medal ceremony is held in Washington DC. Recipients are given tours of local attractions and it's very exciting, very fancy time. I was so so close to getting the gold medal. I worked so hard for years and went beyond the number of hours in all categories. I sent in all the final paperwork a few months before I had Annabelle. I knew the ceremony would be shortly after I had her but I planned on bringing Mom with me so I could still go. I still remember the man from the awards office calling to tell me that while I had done more than enough hours in every category, I had done one in less than the required time. I knew I couldn't start up again since I was so close to having the baby and would age out of the program in three months. I laid on the bed and sobbed. I felt like I had done all that work and failed because I hadn't reached the top level. When Christopher came home I told him and started sobbing again. I still get disappointed when I think about it.

In March of 2015 I went downtown to City Hall for a small bronze and silver medal ceremony with the US Representative. I held Annabelle the whole time because I didn't know what else to do with my hands. The newspaper was there and quoted me as saying, “I like working with preschool kids anyway, so it was just a good opportunity.” The ONE time I'm the subject of an entire article and that's the best I could come up with?! No one will slap that onto an inspirational poster or cross-stitch it onto a pillow!

The next Sunday at church, multiple people stopped me to say they saw the article about us. The pastor said he meant to mention it from the pulpit (I would have died) but he forgot. I've never felt so famous. I should start preparing my acceptance speech for when I finally get that Tony award. 

life catch up

I'd like to cordially invite you all over for a visit. I washed all the windows and I don't think they'll be this clean for another 12 months. I need someone to appreciate them while they're sparkling.


We're still on the hunt for a new church. Church hunting is one of my least favorite activities. We found a church we loved almost instantly after moving here. We had several good months there but unfortunately, there was a nasty split and we found ourselves without a church. We tend to be on the more conservative side but we're open to visiting more modern churches. The church we picked this week was the most modern of the modern. On their many tv screens they had the following announcement- "if our worship gets too loud, please use the complimentary earplugs." I knew right then it wasn't going to be our usual conservative Baptist service. That's when they cranked up the ol' smoke machines and the band bounced out onto the stage and the lights started flashing. I expected disco balls to lower from the ceiling. 

Annabelle LOVED it. She was clapping and dancing like a born and raised Pentecostal. For most of the service I didn't have to remind her to be quiet. No one could hear themselves think, let alone hear her comments about the "fun church." I'm not putting down how others worship God, but we prefer a more subtle approach. 

On Saturday we took the first of five foster care classes. I always said I'd NEVER do foster care. I didn't want to fall in love with a child only to hand them back. I've always wanted to adopt and planned on staying in that lane. However, within the last year or so I had a change of heart. We have space, we have all the baby stuff and we have some extra love we can give. Until we're able to have another baby of our own I couldn't come up with a good reason why we shouldn't help out. That doesn't mean I won't cry when I get overwhelmed, but that happens anyway. After hemming and hawing and lots of delaying, we finally signed up for the certification classes. Normally I don't like to be out of the house before 8:30 on a Saturday morning but there we were, out of the house at 8:25 going to a foster care class I never envisioned myself going to. 

After the class we picked AB up and played miniature golf. 

It was Sesame's first time golfing and her form was much like mine before I went to golf camp. 

Yes, golf camp. I didn't go because I wanted to be the next Big Thing in golf. I went because when Grandpa retired he helped design a golf course for inner-city children. The first summer the course was done they held their inaugural week-long golf camp so Daniel, Andrew and I all went. I wasn't a great golfer. My swing to actually hitting the ball ratio was something like 557 to 2. I'm sure I still hold the record for worse golfer ever to appear on their green. But that didn't stop me from sharing my wealth of knowledge with Christopher and AB. I made sure they both knew how to hold the club and applauded my hole in one. It did take me 7 tries to get the ball into one hole but who's counting? 

north for the winter

By the 4th of this month, we had 1,212 travel miles under our belt. Annabelle settled back with her snack like she's done this flight seven times before. 

When we arrived in Massachusetts, Annabelle shivered and said, "Mama, it's so shakey (chilly) here!" We've been in the south too long! As if her reaction to the completely normal winter weather wasn't proof enough, she used "y'all" in a sentence for the first time today. My attempts at northern indoctrination have not been strong enough. At least she likes snow.

Erika told us about a store "that sells plants and succulents." What an understatement. It was a lush garden created in an old warehouse. Plants were everywhere. Taxidermy animals were around every corner. There were shells, gemstones, rugs and decor. Everything had a hefty price tag. Annabelle walked in and immediately knocked over a squirrel. I thought we would be kicked out immediately.

"I give the bear kisses!"

AB and Ivy are better friends than ever. Each visit the age gap gets smaller and they play together more and more. We had a mini Aunt Camp and at one point Erika and I were in the living room drinking coffee and the little girls were upstairs playing by themselves. We didn't have anyone in diapers or on a 3-hour feeding schedule. It was wonderful.

Annabelle was happy to help, aka supervise and take over, as Ivy opened a gift. She confidently told Christopher, "I'm going to babysit Baby Ivy. I babysitted Brennyn so I know how to babysit Ivy."

I was able to see both Autumn and Ivy on this visit. Unfortunately, we didn't get to visit at the same time, but they were both willing to drive up to Mom's new house for short visits. Autumn and I had been planning a trip to Primark for weeks. When we arrived at the mall, Autumn drove around the parking lot repeating, "I don't know where the parking garage went! It was here last time I was here! How can a parking garage disappear?!" Because we were at the wrong mall, that's how. We intended to go to the Banks Mall but ended up at the Brooks Mall. I'm glad to report I was not the navigator so I was not the reason we were lost. 

Grandma's 91st birthday is Tuesday but we celebrated her today. I loved seeing all my relatives. Grandma collects snowglobes so Annabelle made her a plastic one. Naturally, AB helped unwrap it and gave a steady stream of comments about it. She also prepared a birthday song, birthday speech and birthday prayer for Grandma but she didn't have the time or audience to perform them yet. 

I hope I can be half the woman that Grandma is.

Sesame Says, Volume 4

I love how AB mispronounces words. Nativity became "activity." Penpals is now "pen paddles."

"Mom, what do you love best after God?"
"I love you and Daddy. What do you love best?"
"I love appetizers."

On a night she was having trouble sleeping.
"I know why I can't sleep! It's because I'm not a jew!"

"These cats are a serious ball of arms and legs!"

As she gets ready to go to swimming lessons.
"I can braveness and strength in my feet."

"Mama, how many is a dozen?"
"Twelve. So if you have a dozen apples you have twelve apples. If you have a dozen doughnuts you have twelve doughnuts."
"So, a dozen is thirteen?"

We're planning on doing foster care and Annabelle found out before we intended her to. She's had several questions.
"How do you get a foster care baby? Does a foster care lady or man or whatever it is, do they hand out babies or do you have to go to a factory for one?"
(If babies could be gotten at a factory, I'd be a frequent customer.)

Telling a story about how her friend offered to help her up the steps.
"I told her I didn't need help. I've been climbing stairs for YEARS!"