A Pandora Kind of Night (Began on Sunday, finished on Tues.)

Do you ever have one of those?


 Tonight's golden light just begs for me to slink into my reflective side, to steep in the the day's/week's events and commiserate with the birdsong about hope for new beginnings.


Say what you will of technology---and I surely have my own Luddite tendencies---but there's something about the magic of a music genome to make me thankful for the magic. (I was honestly spacing out earlier, staring at my memory card reader thinking about what is actually physically taking place as my memory capturing microchip uploads its treasures.  It was an almost Zoolander moment, but I moved on instead of snapping it in half looking for my pictures ;)

 Seriously, though, how did my lil' genome buddy know that I needed me some Iron and Wine and Ben Harper and Josh Kelly and Regina Spektor and....oh, music you woo me!


Anyhoo, with Kev gone this week, I've had some time, just a bit of time in the evenings, to reflect on the state of things in my life, to take stock, tinker, and come up with a game plan.  (Apparently that involved an inane overload of metaphors).   Some things I've come to realize, in no order of importance:


 ~~I'm a limited-time only single mother.


 I ride the wave of new-found energy reserves for the first few days, pushing the envelope and responding to the blowouts and tantrums of every day life with a fresh plate o' spunk.  Then I realize, this whole parenting gig goes over way better with a co-captain.  Kudos to you mamas and daddies who do it solo day in and day out, to military families and others who weather long separations. 


~~It really stinks to try to type a blog post on a netbook with a giant inkblob in the middle of the screen.  I think it's a crack, but at least, as Julie says, it's a pretty leafy decorative inkblob, so that's good.

~~Finding new-to-me soul-melting musicians is kind of an addiction for me.  My latest muse?

James Vincent McMorrow.  Check it:

 

~~My children teach me so much about how to love, how to trust, how to drink with unparalleled vigor of daily beauties.  I'm also astounded by some of the uncanny behavioral similarities that we just could not have even taught them.  Like, there's this thing that Ceci does---it began as picture-taking face and turned into her trying to close her eyes almostbutnotquite sneaking a peek between the lash cloud, slyly smiling the whole while.  

I totally remember doing/might still do this:


The closet snapshot of said trickster--taken a few months ago

My wild sweet Jacob, who has a free-spirit like mama but also loves his routine, like both mama and daddy.  While Kevin's away, without fail, and of his own accord, the first thing he does in the morning this past week is to go get the papers so that Kevin can read them when he comes home.  

It's indicative that my little first-born, the one who made me a mama, is transforming.  Jacob is slowly shedding the doe-eyed and soft little boy body, breaking forth sinewy limbs from playground climbing and riding too-small bikes like a clown on fire.  

He protects his sister, reading to her and getting her to laugh like no other person in the world.  

Though our bed is much roomier, I do admit I miss his ninja-like skill of slipping into our bed in the wee hours as we snooze unaware. 

He teaches me, my Jacob does.  About how the saying "The early bird catches the worm" may not always be the case, because maybe owls might want to eat worms but they are nocturnal and don't get up until dusk.  ;)  Or that it's always important to save the tastiest food for last so you can really enjoy it.

And now for a glut of photos:

Her Michael Jackson pose 

Ang, as Sarah's doula, came up with the idea to celebrate the baby bump before it's gone.  'Twas a lovely event of feminine beauty where fertility abounded.  Since I promised not to post face pics until all photos are pre-approved to avoid any (NON-EXISTENT) double chins or jelly rolls, I thought a picture of the belly cast and hands would be ok.  :)  

 ~~Why does the Onion do it to me every time?

~~The hookah tree is now open for the season, we're hoping to hit the beach sometime this week and my new godson Joseph Pillari will be here tomorrow!!!  

Quinn, we love you and are sending prayers to "push him out, shove him out waaaay out!

 And finally, leave it to GK to make you feel confident about your life choices, like sitting in a kiddie pool fully-clothed and having a grand old time:

Happy is he who still loves something he loved in the nursery: He has not been broken in two by time; he is not two men, but one, and he has saved not only his soul, but his life.

- G. K. Chesterton

Oh, and because I can't stop at just one:

"Poets have been mysteriously silent on the subject of cheese."
 I promise, the last one--for tonight, of course.

"Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they want things repeated and unchanged. They always say, "Do it again"; and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead. For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony. It is possible that God says every morning, "Do it again" to the sun; and every evening, "Do it again" to the moon. It may not be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike; it may be that God makes every daisy separately, but has never got tired of making them. It may be that He has the eternal appetite of infancy; for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we."

Random Joys

I started off thinking I'd do a feeling sorry for myself post, I decided against it. 

Yes, I've had some random intense pain with no explanation. 

Yes, my husband is in NYC enjoying the sites, attending a conference while I'm here in the trenches. 

 Yes, I'm feeling a bit cramped in our apartment after four months in a virtual palace (for us).

Yes, I feel like my body can't keep up with what my heart wants to do.

But Miss Mopey Pants stops there.

Although I'm really missing Israel right now, if nothing else but for the constant sunshine, there are so many moments of beauty to capture, I can't keep up!! 

Just a smattering of things I'm sopping up like bread in the stew, heck, I'm licking the bowl clean:

With Jacob back at ECDC for a few days a week, Ceci and I have had some concentrated Mama-daughter time. 

Girlfriend's got it: 

The joy bug, the beauty addiction, the high on life, the THANK GOD I"M ALIVEitis.


Our mornings after breakfast often consist of hiding under blanket forts, laughing our tushies off, dancing (my workout of choice), playing instruments, reading (another Haley bibliophile), and climbing playground equipment like she's a 4 year old.

Climbing stats:

 Ladder?  Check

Rock wall?   Check

Arched ladder(s)?  Check

Up the slide?  Check

Caterpillary thingamajig?  Check

Hanging on the monkey bars and doing leg lifts?  Check

I honestly could just observe her for hours at a time, watching those brain wrinkles a' formin' as she stokes the fire in her belly, the fire of curiosity and search for beauty. 

As a fellow Village mama pointed out, she is like Rob Lowe's character on Parks and Recreation in her intensity for life. 

And then, she crashes:

  My heart skips a beat when I think about having to leave the Village and South Bend.  I've never felt more home here, though it's been my home my entire life. 

It's because I have my Clan. 

There is such a perfect rhythm to our lives, beautified by the playground visits, tornado warning parties in the Elliot apartment, margarita nights and impromptu late-night mama dates on the curbside.

(BOO HISS---Blogger is acting up---pics to come later)

My sweet little man. 

Jacob astounds me every day with his ability to shed light on things, to call out truth, to read a chapter book in 30 minutes, to play like a wild animal and sleep just as hard.

Tonight as we lay in my king-size pillow-flooded bed, Jacob and I decided to do something different for prayer:

 I would name a person, and he would say what he's thankful for about that person, then we'd switch. 

 It was a lovely moment, as the warm evening breath danced through our curtains, calling us to nestle a bit closer, beckoning me to marvel at those swoon-worthy eyelashes of my man.

When I thought we had finished, Jacob said,

"Mama, there's someone we forgot---and we BOTH have to say what we're thankful for."

Thinking it would be Daddy or someone like that, he said,

"Jesus, Mama, Jesus....I am thankful that He is the most wonderful person in the whole history of the world."

Right-on, buddy. 

Preach it.

Yes, Yes, We are Alive!

Oh dear.....once again, it's been over a week since my last post.  I must say, being back at home is busy, busy busy...but oh so blessed.

In the time since we returned, just a few of the things I/we have done:

~~(Pretty much) unpacked 14 pieces of luggage.  Now, when I say unpacked, I may mean piled atop any open space, be it desk or dresser, waiting to be sorted and placed in a new and perfect home.   That's purely theoretical, of course.

~~Re-activated our Netflix account, drooling over the new additions, adding dozens to the queue.  Honestly, if you ever need a movie suggestion, we're the people to ask!


~~DRIVEN a car, a car that even belonged to us, on streets where people kindofsortof follow traffic rules and don't have a personal desire to push the limits of lane-wandering to death-defying.

~~Thrown a shower for our lovely Sarah.  

She is one gorgeous nature and whimsy lovin' mama, so we went with a woodland theme, complete with decor comprised of cuttings from around the Village land.  It was oh so sweet, with delicious food, delightful company and a whole lotta estrogen.

Little Rocky was the lone extra-utero male, and he was loved on for sure...

 

 

 

Simone's lovely work of art! ;)

~~Attended a themed gathering at the Sehorns', this one being a '90s bingo party.  Yes, you read it right.  Flannel and overalls, band tees and backward hats were ubiquitous as we awaited the sweet numbers of victory and a prize of Chuck E. Cheese tokens or oversized shades.

Jacob LOVES to help me edit photos, and he is obsessed with changing the tinting....

so this is courtesy of my progeny.

~~Joined the Village bonfire which was (happily for us) previously postponed and rescheduled for this weekend.  

Fire+chocolate+marshmallowy graham goodness +hyperkids+blanketsandbeerandfriendsandlongdays+Nana and Papa arriving= one awesome kick-start to the weekend!


~~Had a wonderful visit with Kev's parents.  Mama Beth and my Mom are so very similar in their servant heartedness, and they jumped right into my ambitious plans to re-organize, re-arrange, purge and generally spruce things up.  What a delight it was for the three of us to take a short trip across the state lines to my new favorite store: Picker's Paradise, an antique mall.

Seriously, it's like going to a museum where you can buy the exhibit pieces.  I did restrain myself and kept my purchases to a sturdy and much-needed dresser, new kitchen chairs, 2 books for Jacob and stainless steel kid cups.

~~Survived the rapture.

~~Watched a documentary on the best worst movie, the freaktastic Troll 2, which holds in its spastic depths neither trolls nor anything to do with Troll 1.

http://www.filmjunk.com/images/weblog/2010/10/troll2_1.jpg

~~Spent over 40 hours playing on the playground, in the pool/sprinkler and all around the Village
 
~~Jumped right into our clan, having lingering picnic dinners, drinking brewksys while our dear littles of dirt-caked limbs flash in and out of the shadowy lawn, climbing trees and bickering like the mass of non-sibling siblings they are.


Although we've hit some rough bumps---a UTI and rash for Ceci, spats and bickers for Kev and me, Jacob re-learning how to play with kids his own age, I am feeling pretty high on this thing called life.


This evening was a perfect glimpse of summer joy.  

We decided to share three garden plots between 4 families (Hamricks, Benvenutis, Elliots and us) this year, and today was tilling/digging/planting day.  


By serendipity and spontanaety, what was originally going to be 2 different events of man digging and woman planting turned into one big garden fest.  

Picture this:  

Jeremy in his army boots and captain hat tilling the plot, Sarah with her lovely drum-tight belly barefoot in squishy mud marking mounds, Kevin in Aaron's hideous patriotic no-sleeved shirt with Ceci in her fuzzi bunz strapped into the carrier, Donna with her athletic gear and Wes in his birks wrangling and directing kiddos, Simone and the twinnies offering childcare and moral support, Dave and his contraband beer in a water bottle, the two oldest boys shoveling mulch, the kiddos running amuck and then helping to plant, and sweet red head M. reveling and working.  It was a veritable postcard for a commune, but a happy and non-freaky one, with 4 babies in utero baking and prepping to join the love.


We capped off the night on the front lawn, joining the Campbells for a picnic of Little Caesars and a feeling that, yes, we are home.