Poisonous Pinkness

In preparation for Little Sister's arrival, we have all kinds of moving/painting/rearranging of rooms planned. We started today by giving the Princess's room a very-mini makeover. It looks much more like a big girl room now and I'm not sure how I feel about that. But she was so excited to pick out a new quilt, and so adamant that she did not want her room painted. That's good because I didn't want to paint it either. I love her room because it is just *so* her. The boys claim that the upstairs will be hazardous to their health, what with all of the "poisonous pinkness" we are adding. To save their lives, we'll clear out the guest room/craft room and move the Dawg and Toad downstairs. Once that happens, the menfolk tell me that the basement will become a man cave and no girls will be allowed. I guess we can add bathroom cleaning lessons to our "summer enrichment program," then. I'm perfectly happy to let them take it over.

Customer Service? Who needs THAT?

Begin rant/
Let's say that a person (me) wires a large sum of money. This money is important and needs to be received by an organization that will be integral in the future of a little girl. MY little girl to be exact. So, the bank here in the US, with all of their computers and fax machines and telephones can take the money from our account the very same day that we request the wire. They can also help themselves to $40 just for the pleasure of wiring our money. They promise to send a confirmation as soon as the wire is completed. Confirmation never shows up. Do you suppose it is a coincidence that the money is now lost? Did it ever get sent in the first place? How about if I called the bank and was told "Well, the only thing we can really do is send a message to the receiving bank and see if they know anything." Seriously? When I asked when I could expect to hear news, I got "Well, that depends on them, we can only inquire." Okay, we don't have millions of dollars sitting in their fine financial insititution, or any instituation for that matter, but we have been members of this certain credit union almost as long as we have been married. Is it too much to ask for a little bit of effort?

How many Credit Union Customer Service employees does it take to change a light bulb? None! They don't change light bulbs. That might actually be helpful.
/End rant.

They have NO shame!

My littles were engaged in a full-fledged squirt gun war just about the second they stepped out of the car after school. We have not yet properly stocked our arsenal for the season, so they were scrambling to find decent weaponry for the opening battle. Being the excellent Mom that I am, I was digging through bins of summer gear and closets of sports equipment looking for the "big guns." When I finally found one, I handed it over to the Dawg, who proceeded to fill it and test its range by shooting at a tree. Maybe he has retained some of the water gun etiquette that I have been teaching every summer. I shed a single tear of pride. I came back inside to find the rest of the good stuff. When I dared venture back onto the battlefield, I was greeted by a very long, very cold stream of water down my back/front/side from the very child unto whom I had bestowed The Good Gun not 5 minutes before. I threw the rest of the weapons onto the grass and retreated, calling for a temporary cease-fire so that I could refill their water bucket. They all stopped squirting each other (and giggling at their dripping Mom) long enough for me to walk up to the nearly empty bucket. Then all four of my beautiful children, whom I love and serve day in and day out, unleashed a full aquatic assault on my person. They.have.NO.shame. The angelic expressions should have been a dead giveaway. They forget who has car keys and permission to go to W*l-M*rt loooong after they are sleeping peacefully in their cozy beds. I will have my revenge, and it will be dragon-shaped and hold ice cubes.

Fly

Little Man's funeral was this morning. There really aren't words to describe what it was like, but there was a beautiful slidesow set to this song, and the words were so touching and so perfect. I hope I'm not breaking too many laws by sharing the lyrics with you and adding it to my playlist (you should be hearing it right now). It is called Fly, by Celine Dion.

Fly, fly little wing
Fly beyond imagining
The softest cloud, the whitest dove
Upon the wind of heaven's love
Past the planets and the stars
Leave this lonely world of ours
Escape the sorrow and the pain
And fly again
Fly, fly precious one
Your endless journey has begun
Take your gentle happiness
Far too beautiful for this
Cross over to the other shore
There is peace forevermore
But hold this mem'ry bittersweet
Until we meet
Fly, fly do not fear
Don't waste a breath, don't shed a tear
Your heart is pure, your soul is free
Be on your way, don't wait for me
Above the universe you'll climb
On beyond the hands of time
The moon will rise, the sun will set
But I won't forget
Fly, fly little wing
Fly where only angels sing
Fly away, the time is right
Go now, find the light

Heavy Hearts

After a brief and difficult life, our dear friends' baby boy passed away last night. He was such a welcome blessing to his family and we are heartbroken for them right now. Please remember E and D and "the Ladies" in your prayers tonight.

Mission Accomplished (William)

Our nurse in Ghana sent this update:
http://fullplatemama.blogspot.com/2009/05/mission-accomplished.html

Again, thank you for all of your help. The children will be so blessed because of your generosity and prayers.