While I was busy not blogging. . .
The Frankin’s drove down from Nebraska and spent the weekend with us, and we celebrated Jenn’s and my Jason’s birthdays just like we used to with all our favorite foods and mixed-up plate counting and noisy children. It was fun and familiar and sad when they had to leave. Oh, and Jenn and I checked out the IKEA that is only fifteen minutes from my house, which I was purposely avoiding until now so as not to admit that it was really there within spending distance. I only bought three 50 cent tea towels for bread making. I did good, people.
Roxanne came over to my house, because she is my real-life-and-not-just-bloggy friend. Her children are lovely playmates and penpals. We ate chocolate and talked. A lot. I don’t get to do that very often, being the weirdo introvert that I am. And she didn’t even make fun of my unseasonable Christmas decorations.
Our school got a new modus operandi which seems to be serving Jonah’s needs much better. The kids get points for being on task during school times and points for doing excellent work. Once a week, they can redeem the points in our school’s reward store, which has items the kids suggested, ranging from small candies to bigger toys. The points are worth about 10/$1, so it takes around two weeks for Jonah to earn enough for something like a Bakugan ball (which is his favorite goal at the moment). Just knowing there’s something fun at the end of the dreaded bookwork brightens his outlook considerably. And the smaller rewards bridge the gap between big goals, so they can all treat themselves to a little something as they save.
Anna and Sarah were baptized on February 20th at our church. Pastor Michael, whose family stuck close by us through Pearl’s death and Judah’s birth, baptized them with Jason. The girls were so excited. They had been waiting for months and had discussed it at length with Jason and me and later with Pastor Michael too. I don’t have any doubts that they were ready. Jonah cried afterward. At first, I thought it was because he felt left out, but when I asked him he said, “I’m just really happy.”
Our van died, after many costly repairs. I loved it. It served us well. But the mechanic said it was no longer worth fixing. So God gave us a 2005 Expedition to replace it, from a very straight-dealing auto wholesaler in Austin. I never expected to get such low mileage in our price range, and through our credit union we also have a warranty that covers repairs on everything except cosmetics for the next fifty thousand miles with no deductible. It’s such a relief to know that if it breaks down it’s covered. Plus, it’s pretty and blue and fun to drive. Bonus.
Judah got bigger and squishier. He likes to chat seriously with you. I don’t want to put him down, ever, but he has reached an age where he enjoys stretching out on the floor and chewing on things, so I must. He very well might be our last baby. I enjoy the babyhood more than ever, and I don’t want it to be over. However, the big kids need me to join them in their big kid activities, and I want us to all fit in our car, and I think it’s time to be done with pregnancy and full-time nursing (after Judah is finished). It’s the first time I’ve felt so sure about it. So I’m savoring these days as long as I can. Unless there’s divine intervention, they’ll be over soon. The kids are beginning to accept this no-more-siblings idea. They have a hard time understanding why I can’t do all the big kid stuff AND keep having babies. Someday they’ll get it. Especially if Sarah has ten babies like she currently plans.
Ella and Naiah started rooming together. This is a new pair. Until now, the buddies have been Anna/Sarah, and Jonah/Naiah, and Ella was off in her own spastic world, but now that Ella is two and highly verbal, the dynamic is changing. Sharing a room has forced them to learn to play with each other as sisters, and they’re forming a fast bond. During the daytime Naiah still spends a lot of time with Jonah, as a ninja or a superhero, but now she flits back to Ella occasionally to play puppies and babies. (Now that I think about it, Naiah’s the middlest middle child we have.) It’s fun to watch for someone like me who grew up with only one sibling. I wonder what all this will do for her relationships as an adult.
Lots of other stuff also happened. But my memory is terrible and this post is too long as it is. Plus, my baby is sleeping without me. It’s snuggle time, y’all.
How it Fits 