giving the boy his due

Since I didn't get one good shot of Elliott yesterday, I couldn't resist filling up the camera with photos of the boy with his aunt Liz today. Two babies. Both completely oblivious to how heart-stoppingly beautiful they are.

aunts and uncles and cousins, oh my!

Today we celebrated a belated Thanksgiving in Wisconsin. Liam was in heaven, with a steady stream of entertainment and attention from his aunts and uncles, "who Tim," and cousins Samantha and Paige. Nothing is better than arriving at a place and feeling instantly embraced and at home, whether you are a four-year-old boy or a grown woman. Nothing inspires more feelings of thankfulness than being with my family.


Liam (in a bathing suit, following his cousin Sammy's lead - this is a lake house, afterall!) chatting it up with aunt Jamie.


Uncle Mark kindly playing horsey (although he does look like he's enjoying the pile up).


Liam packed his own bags and arrived with a bunch of random items from the bathroom - candle, shaving brush, comb, spray bottle, washcloth. He and Sammy spent at least 20 minutes playing "doctor and patient," gamely putting every item to use.


One of many duets.


Playing football with the big boys.


Cozying up in front of the fire after being out in the cold.


My favorite shot of the day. So, I am a little biased. But he's my boy.

(I did a lousy job of getting good shots of Elliott and Paige. Hopefully tomorrow!)

another day, another party

It was your average, low-key day here. Mom was picking up and running errands and picking up; dad was checking email and (to his credit) washing a couple dishes; Elliott was pushing his car around and reading books; and Liam was having a party. Everytime I think he's outgrown parties, he throws another one. This gathering apparently started out as a picnic and evolved into Pablo's birthday extravaganza. The boy's got quite an imagination, with extremely unusual names for all the animals. And, yes, we let him dress in summer clothes in the middle of winter. Some things just aren't worth fighting.

Oh, and here's how our "just another day" ended. Blissful cuddles. Get em while you can, I say.

maybe he sleeps too much

My baby is a mother's dream. He loves to go to bed. He enjoys having his teeth brushed. He eats anything you put in front of him. And he is practically a bathtime fanatic. I am beginning to think he's part fish.

However, this boy, 18 months as of yesterday, still doesn't walk. Our wonderful, laid-back doctor spent a long time observing Elliott during his routine checkup today. This boy is bright, interactive, good natured, focused, cuddly and, frankly, just doesn't care to do anything he doesn't want to. Three months ago he wasn't crawling or standing or transitioning from lying to sitting. Today he does all of this and more. But try to get him to put one foot in front of the other and he'll promptly sit down. He's progressing the way toddlers do, he's just a few months behind. Is this so bad? Our doctor wasn't quite sure and recommended maybe seeing a neurologist just to be sure.

As we finished up the appointment, I offhandedly remarked that one thing Elliott does excel at is sleeping. At this our doctor perked right up and flashed a great big grin.

"Well, that could be it," he said. "If he's consistently sleeping more than other kids his age, he's not getting as much time to learn."

Every child is such a beautiful mystery. We have one who loves to sleep and snuggle. Who shrieks with joy at the sight of an animal or the sound of water pouring into the bath. Who sobs when his brother scolds him. Who belly laughs during a game of peek-a-boo. Who talks and talks and talks to nobody we can see about nothing we can understand. Who gamely crawls over, stands up and drops a ball in my lap to initiate a game of catch. And whose smile nearly brings us to tears every time we see it.

Maybe he sleeps too much. Maybe that's why he's not walking yet. Or maybe it's just one small gift we've been given. Extending the length of time we get to have our last beautiful boy as a baby.

mr. home improvement

This is Liam repairing our bathroom cabinet handle that has been without a screw for, um, maybe a year. Home maintenance, when not critical, falls fairly low on the daily to do list. He was de-robing for a bath, when he walked into the kitchen, rifled through the junk drawer, unearthed a screwdriver and small jar of nails and screws, and purposefully walked back into the bathroom. I called after him to see what he was up to and he called back that he needed to fix the bathroom cabinet. I really wanted to finish unloading and loading the dishwasher so I figured I'd let him "pretend" for a few minutes. When I walked into the bathroom, this is what I found. Liam had found a perfectly sized screw, aligned it to the handle and screwed it in. He then proceeded to collect all the nails and screws back into the jar and put them all back in the junk drawer.

"Look, mom, you can lock the door again," he said proudly. "I fixed it."

That he did. I still can't believe it.

what we're making

This sweet little head-warmer is for a new neighborhood addition, on his way from Korea. More than 20 neighbors showered soon-to-be new mom Jae this weekend and I contributed this hat. I made a mistake with the pattern and knit every row of the main part of the hat when I should have been alternating knit and purl. Oops. I didn't discover the mistake until I was more than halfway finished. Luckily, it turned out fine.


I borrowed this design from one of Liam's planet drawings. I love how it turned out. And it was so quick and satisfying to make. I think the onesie angle might be the ticket to a "Liam & mom shop" on Etsy. Stay tuned.


Over the last week, I have been finding these planes everywhere. Andrew has unleashed his secret talent for paper airplane design and we now have a whole squadron. The impressive part is that they really fly. Really well. Not just straight, but swooping and looping. I just love how you never know everything about a person. Even when you think you've been living with someone long enough to fully discover, there are always fun surprises.

doing unto others

Compassion is the keen awareness of the interdependence of all things. -Thomas Merton

Whatever you do unto the least of these, you do unto me. -Jesus

A year ago I attended a seminar on building character in kids. One of the first tasks was to write down three character traits we wanted our kids to develop. I wrote down empathy, honesty and kindness. They were the first traits that came to mind, and the first time I had consciously named them. As the seminar wrapped up, I knew that these traits weren't going to just magically develop in my boys. I would have to be intentional about providing opportunities to build this kind of character in them.

Many parents, when asked what they want most for their kids, will say that they just want their kids to be happy. This never sits right with me. Of course, I don't want my children to be unhappy, but simply "happy" seems hollow or stopping a step too soon. Over the last couple days I have thought about this question more and decided that what I want most for my kids is for them show compassion. I want them to see the needs of others and forget themselves long enough to reach out in love and do something about it. I want them to be servants.

Today Liam and Elliott and I went to visit and take cookies to an older member of our church who is homebound. We had never met Ruby but Liam was up for the adventure. (Elliott doesn't get a vote yet.) As we were pulling into the parking lot of the Independent Living facility, Liam sighed, "Are we there yet?"

"Yep," I replied. "This is where Ruby lives."

"Wow," he said. "Her house is huge!"

After I explained that she lived in one of the many apartments in the building, we entered the foyer and Liam looked around slightly awestruck.

"Mom," he said in a hushed tone. "Ruby's house is bee-u-te-ful!"

I glanced around at the worn powder blue carpet, floral wallpaper and big silk flower arrangements and choked down the lump in my throat. My son has much keener vision than I do.

Our visit with Ruby was warm and relaxed and rewarding. It was a nice break from a stircrazy day, didn't take much effort and truly brought out the best in my boys. That's the thing about reaching out, you get drawn together in a way only God could orchestrate.

This little adventure led me to reflect on the other ways we plan to serve this holiday season and I thought I'd share them here. Even if you don't have money to donate in these tough economic times, you can still do unto others in significant ways. These are the ideas we've come up with (and most involve the littlest characters in the house):

1. Participate in Operation Christmas Child :: Through Samaritan's Purse (and with thanks to our preschool), we provide a gift for a child Liam's age: a shoebox filled with art supplies, toys, candy and hygiene items. We created a small budget and let Liam decide how to fill the box - and wrap it. Liam also wrote a note for the box and included our address, which they suggest, in hopes that the child who receives the box might write him back.

2. Visit Shut-ins :: In addition to visiting individuals like Ruby, we are planning to make Christmas cookies and take them to a local nursing home and just sit in the lobby and share them! These ways of reaching out work so well for us because we love to bake and eat cookies and we are big fans of "grandparents." (To find individual shut-ins who would enjoy a visit, ask at your church like we did, get to know a widowed neighbor or see if any of your long-distance friends have elderly relatives living in your area.)

3. Provide Gifts for a Struggling Family :: My immediate family is planning to buy gifts together for a family in need this Christmas (my husband's brainchild). Each sibling unit will be responsible for gifts for one child and then we will all contribute to gift cards for the parents. When we are together at Thanksgiving, I am hoping that Liam and his cousin Samantha can make drawings and notes to include with the gifts. To find a family in need, try a local family services agency.

4. Clean Out the Closets :: Recently I learned about a clothes closet in our community that provides opportunity for struggling professionals to come in and "shop" for clothes so they can be well dressed for interviews and job opportunities. Our church also has an amazing rummage sale twice a year. Giving our overflow to places like this allows us to model a little of the giving spirit we want our children to develop.

5. Stock a Pantry :: Families requesting assistance from food pantries has skyrocketed over the past couple months. Many pantries still accept donations from individuals. See if the one in your community does. Then, as you come across two-for-one sales at the grocery store, bag up the second item to give away. Or, every shopping trip, set aside a little of the money you're spending on food to help provide for another family - and let your kids help make the selections. The pantry can usually give you a list of the items they need.

6. Sew or Knit for a Cause :: I am especially fond of these initiatives because they require so little money but involve a lot of loving effort and meditative prayer.

7. Write to a Soldier :: Our church makes this easy with a "Support Our Troops" ministry that collects cards and notes and small gifts and does a big mailing to deployed servicemen and women several times a year. The Any Soldier website has good information on how to send cards, notes, care packages, etc., to a soldier overseas. Drawings and notes from kids are especially treasured from what I've heard. (And often the soldiers write back.)

8. Ring the Red Bell :: Volunteering to be a Salvation Army bell ringer is a great way to involve the whole family in serving during the holidays. Local churches often organize volunteers for specific dates and locations or you can learn more about the Salvation Army Christmas charities online.

Other ways to reach out more long term include sponsoring a child through an organization like Compassion International (which I - now we - have done for nearly twenty years), volunteering with a youth organization like Boys & Girls Clubs of America or something church-sponsored like Pioneer Clubs, or simply finding someone in need, whether as a result of illness, age or financial hardship, and rake their leaves or make them a meal.

How do you and your family do unto others? We'd love to know!

"nothing for dinner" minestrone

In an effort to be as frugal and minimalist as possible, we have been counting our pennies over here. And, truly, it is long overdue. We are not big shoppers, but put me in a grocery store and I struggle to stick to the list. The trouble is compounded by the fact that I am running to the store every other day. So lately, I just haven't gone. Of course, the problem with the abstinence approach to grocery shopping is that then there's nothing for dinner. And when you're keeping an iron grip on the greenbacks, ordering pizza is out of the question. So I threw together this minestrone with what I could find in the house. And it was good. Suprisingly good. Way better than pizza.

Last-Minute Minestrone

:: Heat
2 T olive oil
:: Saute
2 shallots or 1 onion, chopped
2-4 c. chopped veggies (I used cabbage, carrots and zucchini)
1/4 c. chopped parsley
1/4 t. salt
:: After 8-10 minutes, add and bring to a boil
4 cups broth
1 cup water
:: Add
1/4 c. small pasta (I used rings)
1 t. italian seasoning
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
:: Reduce heat, cover and simmer 10-15 minutes. In the last few minutes, add
2 chopped roma tomatoes or can of tomatoes
1 can beans, rinsed and drained (I only had white kidney beans)
:: Top with grated parmesan cheese and more parsley

wow

Today I watched my baby sister interviewed on CNN's Your Money program as a careers expert and all I could think was, wow, this girl, a US News & World Report blogger and reporter, was once my silly - dare I say, flighty - little sister. Heck, I even changed her diapers. Liz, I am so proud! I think my other favorite baby sums it up well in his latest on-camera appearance. Elliott, honey, wow. We are proud of you, too.

preparing for winter

Standing and squealing out the front window this morning, Elliott alerted us to this cute scavenger who, along with four buddies, demolished all of our front porch pumpkins. One of the pumpkin tops was actually chewed clean off and when I went out to shoot photos, the squirrel family barely even acknowledged me. Babies to feed. Cold days ahead.

Yesterday I finished a winter hat for my oldest baby. He picked the yarn from my stash and proudly wore the finished product all day. I have spent most of my knitting years working in rectangles (read: scarves). Now, I am hooked on hats. It went so much faster than a scarf, with pretty cute results. I already have another one going . . . more sweet heads to keep warm.

so much good

I don't know if it was the spectacular Indian summer weather, the afterglow from last night's historic event or the fact that for once in a very long while I spent not one minute on work for hire, but I don't think anything could have gotten me down today. Elliott prompted the first big smiles of the day, standing at the window while he peeked out, slapped it a little, and chatted up a storm with dad.


Liam had a ball playing in the piles of leaves we raked. The bike ride to the park and playing Barbies with mom (more about that another day) also topped his list.

As for me, the high point would be a toss up between Andrew's surprise short day - which meant eating dinner as a family - making bread and applesauce, and finishing Liam's winter hat (which I assume he'll model tomorrow since the temps are expected to dip significantly). I also helped sort clothes for our church rummage sale this weekend and had fun collecting a few treasures (especially old t-shirts to transform with our monster designs and to make into newborn hats for Caps to Cap-Haitian Project as explained on this very cool new site www.mamatomama.org).


If your day is wet and cold tomorrow, you may want to fill your home with the awesome aroma of fresh baked bread. I have been trying different recipes lately and this one is my favorite.

Our Daily Bread

1 package dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1 cup quick oats
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 1/2 t. salt
2 T butter
2 cups boiling water
5 cups unbleached flour

Dissolve yeast in warm water; set aside. Combine next five ingedients (oats through butter) in a separate bowl. (It's okay if butter is in a chunk.) Pour boiling water over ingredients; mix and let stand until lukewarm. Add yeast to mixture. Stir in flour a cup at a time and knead by hand or hook 5-10 minutes. Place in greased bowl; cover and let rise until doubled. Punch down, shape into two loaves and place in greased loaf pans. Cover and let rise again. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes. Cool on rack.

This bread recipe is adapted sightly from the Oatmeal Bread recipe in More with Less, a Mennonite cookbook focused on how to eat better and consume less of the world's limited food resources. We ate almost an entire loaf this afternoon (not really saving many resources!) - warm with honey. Nothing storebought is half this good.

candy jar theology

This morning Andrew found Liam popping a Tootsie Roll into his mouth and asked, "Who told you you could have that?"

Very matter-of-factly Liam replied, "God did."

"What do you mean God did?"

"Well," Liam said. "I asked God if I could have it and he said 'yes'!"

skeleton bones and lion groans

The most anticipated weekend of the year (at least in Liam's mind) has come to an end, and based on the final photo, taken at a great halloween party this afternoon, the holiday really was all it was cracked up to be. From the school costume parade to trick or treating and handing out candy (a favorite thing) at our spooky, Andrew-and-Liam-decorated haunted house to hosting a halloween party for 50 neighbors on Saturday morning to attending another fun party this afternoon, we have enjoyed every sort of delight of the season, including baking and craft making, costume design (oh, how I love Steam-a-Seam, and the glow-in-the-dark fabric paint outlining the bones was a nice bonus in the pitch black haunted basement we navigated this afternoon!), carving (Andrew's amazing handiwork), decorating, getting spooked, trick-or-treating, bobbing for apples, and the inevitable candy coma. The lion, although highly agreeable, was a little dumbfounded by the whole tradition. Next year, when we won't be able to keep him from the Kit Kats, I'm sure he'll look at things a little more like his brother does.