Funny stories from each of the kids

We went to a Latin Festival at the church last night. Joe was talking with Jodi Hawthorne, the YW president with whom I serve.

Joe: I have a stuffy nose, which is good news and bad news.
Jodi: Really? How come?
Joe: It's good news because when Priya farts on my face, I can't smell it.
Jodi: Oh...
Joe: But it's bad news because I have to blow my nose ALL the time.

And here's Priya in a conversation with her grandma a couple of days ago.

Priya: Wahhh!
Grandma: I'm afraid you can't go because you're crying.
Priya: (stops crying) But I'm not crying anymore.
Grandma: But you were.
Priya: Grandma, that was my fake cry.
(I knew it!)

And finally, Auralee talking to me when I got her dressed the other day.

Auralee: Is this a new skirt?
Me: It's new to you, I guess.
Auralee: Did you buy me a new skirt?
Me: Yep. Let's put it on.
Auralee: I can put on my new skirt and shake my bootie.
Me: Um...I guess so.

Not sure what wearing a new skirt has to do with shaking your bootie, but apparently, it's essential.

more pictures (mostly for my mom and grandma)

Blessing day with everybody in their Sunday best.

Grandma and Grandpa Munger have been visiting,

so we've been having a great time fishing...
camping...

and bike riding.

In Florida, it's never too early to go to the beach...

And never too late to get into the sling

Elijah's blessing and other stuff

This is the older three outside the Apple store
(did Shaunna mention that she really wants an iPad?)

And a nice little picture of our tax return
(don't tell our landlord!)

Here's Elijah at six weeks old--all dressed up for his blessing.
(And yes, he has a receding hairline. But at least he had hair for a while!)

Musings on a Bird's Nest over the Buckman Bridge

The Buckman bridge spans the St. John's river at a turn over three miles wide. By some amazing and rare coincidence, I drove over it by myself this evening. Toward the latter half of the bridge, I noticed a series of birds' nests built on the scaffolding that suspends the exit signs over the heads of commuters. At first, it seemed a strange place for a bird to build a nest. After all, aren't birds supposed to be wild and shy, hardly the type to set up their living rooms directly over an eight-lane freeway?

My next thought was of the possibility that the birds who built those nests may have actually laid eggs in them. And if those eggs hatched and the baby birds survived the harsh winds and temperature fluctuations that must accompany the air above a large river, how would they ever learn to fly? I mean, if a baby bird tries to step out of a nest built in a tree before he is really old enough, he will take quite a fall, but the forest floor is usually fairly soft--at least, compared to layers of tar and concrete traversed by tons of steel speeding across it at 80 mph every few seconds.

Then again, I thought, have we not all built our little family nests over major freeways these days? There do not seem to be any more forests with safe, silent trees, among which we can raise our young ones. Perhaps our parents had that luxury--although I doubt it--but it is definitely not our destiny to raise children in a world that is, for the most part, innocent. We have no more choice than our children do; we have to turn their minds skyward, no matter how loudly the traffic roars below. It is the only way they will be free; it is the only way they will survive.

May God grant our children safe passage as we labor to teach them to fly.

More pictures of our kids

Yep. These kids love their little brother--always under mom's supervision, of course. Priya said to me, the other day, "Mom, I can't wait until I grow up." When I asked why, she said, "So I can have my own baby." I can't wait until she grows up either. That way, I can be the grandma and give the baby back to her while I get a good night's sleep!

Auralee's version of Sleeping Beauty

She's supposed to be singing the song from Sleeping Beauty...you know, "I know you, I've walked with you once upon a dream." If she's singing the wrong words, however, you can't hold her completely responsible, since she's never actually seen the movie. And she learned the song from me. And I've never actually seen the movie. So, all things considered, she does a pretty good job.

Soccer Season

Soccer season is upon us once again. And after waiting two years and four soccer seasons, Priya is finally old enough to participate instead of watch her older brother. It's funny, however, the motivations our children have for the things they do. Joe is a pretty good soccer player--i.e., he usually stays focused on the game, often defends well, and sometimes even scores. I think, however, that his favorite part is not actually playing in the game but, rather, sitting on the bench flirting with the girls on his team.


Priya, on the other hand, loves to be on the field. Once in a while, she kicks (at) the ball.

Most of the time, however, she focuses on looking good on the field...

or relaxing on the bench and cheering on her team.

Ahhh. There's nothing like two months worth of Saturdays spent sitting in the Florida sun, watching your children exercise!