Disappointed.

Again. And again. And again. Aaaaaaaand again.

Come here, snakey snakey snakey...

I remember a few summers ago, my boys found a "cute" little snake in our back yard. They were so excited to catch it so I could see it. I was excited to get inside the house where there were no snakes! I.do.not.like.snakes. Last year they found another "cute" little snake and brought it to me. They had my sweet, feminine little Princess with them, encouraging me to "Pet him, Mom. He's so tiny!" as she held the nasty little beast in her hands. Now, I will not be called out by a 3 year old. So I touched the (~shudder~) little snake and satisfied the dare. This morning I went outside to water our garden. There was a (not tiny OR cute) snake sitting on the patio. Instead of running inside to hide, I went to find a bucket to put him in, so the boys and their snake charmer sister could see him when they woke up. I was sad when Mr. Snakey slithered away into the bushes before I could catch him. Too fast for a picture, too. I'm sure he or his friends will be back. I think I'm becoming a Boy Mom! From shrieking (like a girl, no kidding) to attempting a capture in just a few years. I hope there is a t-shirt for this momentous occasion.

Well Said (and not by me)!

I don't have many words lately, and when I do they seem to be the wrong ones. So read this post from another Ghana Mom. It is perfect!
http://ghanaadoptthree.blogspot.com/2009/07/grateful.html

ATTENTION 8 year old boys and other daredevils!

Please read carefully. Memorize these words. Follow them. Do not ask questions.

If your friend, cousin or brother tells you to climb onto a metal shelf in the garage then jump off, do NOT do it. Especially if your loose t-shirt may get caught on the shelf and flip you upside down when you jump. Yes, you do know better.

Garage floor+head=5 staples IN your head. Very painful and not at all impressive to the ladies, especially your Mom or your friend's Mom.

If your Dad tells you that chicks dig scars, he is just trying to cover up for his own clumsy childhood. What chicks really dig is a boy who uses his head, and not for breaking concrete. It is definitely not awesome to hear the words "CT scan" or "cervical collar" in the middle of the night. Girls also think it is cool when you listen to your Mom, your friend's Mom, your Aunt, your Grandma and any other female who attempts to ruin your life by making rules and doing all those things that you consider "lame." Yes, we were all put on this Earth to "harsh your deal" and we enjoy it because it seriously harshes our deal to have to drive you to the hospital while keeping you from passing out. I just saw you roll your eyes. That isn't cool either.

Trust me on this one, guys.

"Please Come."

That is what Little Sister said to us a few minutes ago on the phone. There is no doubt that we will come, as soon as we can.

She is six years old. She shares a birth month with one of our boys and he thinks that is "awesome." He stayed awake long past bedtime just to be able to hear all about his sister first.

Her voice was such a perfect mix of tiny and sweet and just a little giggle. I miss her.

Anything boys can do...

Last night as we were driving home from dinner, the Princess saw her (boy) friend riding his brand-new bike. No training wheels. She suddenly said "I need to take my training wheels off my bike!" Now, in case you don't know, she is only 4 (until September) and she has never tried to ride a 2-wheeler. So we pulled into the driveway and Daddy started taking the training wheels off her tiny bike while she geared up with helmet and elbow pads. Pink, of course. I suspected that she would fall a few times and her training wheels would be back on within the hour. By the time I ran into the house and grabbed the camera, expecting to get many pictures of her wobbling and falling with Daddy holding onto her seat, she was halfway down the sidewalk. He said he put her on the bike and she just took off. You can see him in the top corner of the picture in a red shirt. This girl is determined that NO boy is going to do anything that she can't. Every night when we tell her that it's bedtime she asks "Are the boys going to bed too?" If they go out to play with friends, she has to go with them. Don't get me wrong, she can get her Diva on at a moment's notice, but she will NOT be left behind!

The funniest part of all this? In our family, you get a new "big" bike as soon as you can ride the little bike without training wheels. But she is so tiny that the next size bike is too big! She says that she will grow enough by her birthday, and she has her sights set on a bright pink Barbie bike with butterflies. With matching helmet, because her current helmet "is not the right color of pink." She's still a Princess.

Independence

Each morning, the school that our children attend begins with the Pledge of Allegiance (yes, with ALL of the words, even with emphasis on "under God") and on Wednesday mornings during the school assembly, they add the singing of the Star Spangled Banner, first and last verse. The first time we visited on assembly day and heard 500 beautiful, clear young voices singing our national anthem, I was moved to tears. I have probably attended 40 assemblies since and my reaction is always the same. I am ashamed to admit that I had never sung the other verses until my children taught them to me. Now, that last verse is my personal favorite. Growing up in a military family definitely instills a sense of patriotism in you, regardless of your political leanings. The thought that, at any moment, my father could and would give his own life to secure the freedoms that we enjoy was never far from my mind. He spent months and years at a time in a different hemisphere, and we never knew for sure that he was coming back alive. There is a popular poem titled "Freedom is Not Free." Indeed it is not. Not only do we have earthly men who defend it and value it above their own lives, we also have a Heavenly Father who guided the founders of our country by His hand. For anyone else who is not familiar with our national anthem past the point where we hear a lot of cheering and the words "Play Ball," here is the last verse. You should hear the kids at school on those last two lines. It is incredible!

O! Thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with vic'try and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must when our cause it is just
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the Star-Spangled Banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free, and the home of the brave!