Epic elf fail

The elf in our house is named Christopher.  He actually is not an "Elf on the Shelf"...but he is an elf that came with his own book.  My mother gave it to me years before the elf craze was in full swing and I'm grateful.  Christopher is MUCH cuter than the elf.  Anyway, he usually doesn't come until about now in December because honestly, I forget.  It's also nice because I only have to come up with about ten different places that he needs to be.  Our elf does not participate in any shenanigans...he is simply here to keep an eye on things.  And Thomas is ALL about this.  While I can't believe he would still believe, he truly has a magical personality, so maybe he really does...if anyone would at this age it would be him.

Last week Christopher spent three days in the exact same spot.  He was up high, and it's the "out of sight, out of mind" problem.  Yesterday morning he was again in the same place, and it's so disappointing to the kids when he hasn't moved.  The nice thing during the week is that Catherine is out the door before Thomas gets up so they each have a chance to find him on their own.  It's so much fun listening to the giggles...at least on the days I can remember to relocate him!  I always feel so badly when I don't...parent fail!

I'm also so grateful for the magic of Christopher in the sense of joy that it brings...it is the exact opposite of the emotions Robert is bringing out.  He is a good kid and he does so many good things, but right now it feels like every word out of his mouth is a lie.  It's over absolutely ridiculous stuff, like whether or not he ate breakfast.  I feel like we are back to where we were a year ago, where the lies are more automatic than the truth.  As I've always done, I continue to pray for peace and guidance!

I have to brag for a minute

Yesterday, church attendance presented a quandary for me.  I had volunteered to work in the nursery and would not be in the actual service.  Andrew wasn't going to be able to attend with us because he was leaving with a school group for two days in Columbus.  Hm...what to do about the kids?  Rehearsals for the church pageant they are all in were right after the service so leaving them at home and then running home to bring them back definitely wasn't an option, but to leave them unattended during the service?  I just wasn't sure about that.  They are certainly old enough, but Catherine and Thomas especially often forget how old they are when they display behavior.  I didn't see another option though, so we sat them down and expressed our expectations to them.  We then further explained the consequences if I heard any negative comments about them.  After church, I had several people stop me and make a point to tell me how well behaved the children had been.  One woman even told me that she so enjoyed watching them participate during the service and that it just really made her feel good that they were doing so.  I am so proud of my kids!

Six years of blogging

I've been recording feelings and memories here for the past six years.  My youngest was in preschool when I started, and now the oldest is in high school.  My goodness gracious...where has the time gone?  It is so much fun to look back on those earlier days and I'm so very grateful that they are recorded here.  I know otherwise, there are many little things I wouldn't remember.  Things like two weeks ago, when Catherine and I went out to dinner just the two of us.  I was really tired and kind of dreading hearing my little chatter box, but I had a blast and just soaked it all up.  Or last night, when Thomas finished dinner and just came over and sat next to me and leaned his head on my shoulder.  Oh my, love these little people in my life.  Of course, they really aren't so little anymore!

I'm glad I didn't go

Today was a big Christmas home tour in my home town.  There were 11 old Victorian homes on Main St. that were open and decorated...and one of them was my parents' old house.  My parents bought their dream home and we moved into it right after my freshmen year of high school.  My dad spent the next three years restoring the inside, and then the next few years building a giant back porch and brick patio...all keeping with the design of the house.  I moved out the fall after I graduated from college (seven years after I moved in) and my parents lived there another nine years before moving into the current house.  Neither of them really wanted to move, but my Dad's health made it necessary.  It was a 3000 sq ft home with all the bedrooms upstairs...and being an older home required a great deal of upkeep.  I haven't been back to that house in nine years since the day they moved out.  I really debated about whether or not I wanted to see it again, and while I could've made the trip, the schedule of the last couple of days and the rainy weather made pajamas and football seem a whole lot more enticing than a 75 minute (each way) drive and the possibility of an emotional reaction.

I just saw some pictures that a friend took when she went through.  The current owners (same as the ones who purchased from my parents) have made surprisingly few changes, especially considering they've lived there nine years.  The paint colors and even wallpaper borders were exactly the same.  My dad's back porch (it was where he loved to spend his time) looked the same also...and I'm so glad I didn't make that trip to see it in person.  Even though I actually lived in my childhood home (just around the corner from the Main St. Victorian) longer than I lived in this open house, some of my most favorite memories are right there.  While I'm amazingly grateful for those memories, I'm just not ready to come that close to reliving them right now, and to seeing changes that may have been made.  As it turns out, I'm really glad I didn't go.

A first for me

Yesterday afternoon I was taking Robert to dive workout practice (three times a week they work out in the weight room).  Our town's high school is located just outside of town and back in what used to be a field.  Yesterday as we were making the drive down the lane, this "thing" suddenly ran out strutting in front of me and I had to slam on the breaks so hard everything unsecured came flying forward (fortunately just mail).  As it ran on its way on the other side I said to Robert, "What the hell was that?"  He calmly replied, "A wild turkey."  Never in my life had I experienced such a thing, although I do know that they live around here.  It was definitely a sight I shall not soon forget!

It still comes out of nowhere

I just received an email that made me bow my head and begin to cry...I didn't expect to still react like that so quickly over a year later.  My grandmother has made a little Christmas planter and wanted to set it at Dad's grave site.  I can accept the fact that my Dad is gone and I'm at peace with it.  Of course I still miss him and of course it hurts sometimes, but I am very aware of the greater picture of life.  But Grandma's email made the tears flow again, and it's less about my dad than about her son.  No one should EVER have to bury their child.  While I know that my grandmother is also able to appreciate that Dad is no longer suffering, it doesn't change the fact that she outlived her son.  As a mother myself, that reality is heartbreaking.  It also made me think about the fact that Dad doesn't have a grave marker yet.  He is buried next to what will be my mother's spot, which is next to her parents.  Grandma also owns four plots "above" those four, so the stones are already in place.  However, Mom wanted some particular etching done on the stone, and because she got sick as the weather got warmer, it hasn't happened yet.  Regardless of any of that, I am sometimes still amazed by how quickly emotions can overcome.

How we spent Thanksgiving weekend

We had a nice Thanksgiving weekend.  Tuesday was continued school craziness, but that evening we sat down together as a family and watched a few Friends Thanksgiving episodes.  They have some of the best ever, and the kids are now old enough that we can all enjoy it together!  Wednesday we cleaned and picked up before my in-laws arrived, and I made a quick journey to my hometown to visit friends in town from North Carolina...along with their precious five-week-old baby.  Thursday we enjoyed a fabulous meal and terrific company at my aunt & uncle's house, and Friday we took in a high school hockey game and some Christmas lights while mostly just hanging out before my in-laws left early Saturday morning.  Saturday was Christmas decorating, and putting the ornaments on our trees is my favorite activity every year.  We all look forward to it!  Yesterday we finished decorating and putting the house back together, and of course all weekend we enjoyed football!  The Ohio State/Michigan game went exactly as we had hoped, but our Steelers lost yesterday.  For the most part, we all enjoyed the time together.

On the downside, our weekend was full of teenage crap (there really isn't another word for it).  Catherine had an absolute meltdown last night, and she is entirely too old to be behaving this way.  Robert was also up to his old shenanigans again, and honestly it kind of makes me want to throw up.  I really thought he had turned a corner, and I don't think he understands what he is doing to the trust factor.  I just can't help but feel sickened by it, and I can't begin to express how much I have prayed for guidance and good choices.

We have nothing exciting going on this week, but I am grateful to be heading into the holidays.  My shopping is about 75% finished, so I am looking forward to enjoying the season!