Come for Help

It can be heartbreaking when your strong-willed, independent child refuses to come to you for help, no matter how long it takes that child to figure things out on her own and no matter how many mistakes he/she may make in the process. Why won't she let me help? But I have learned that when things get bad enough, that child will come to the parents she loves and trusts for help, and once she realizes how much easier and more enjoyable life is with you there to guide her, she keeps coming back day after day, grateful for the help and support.

That realization gives me a much greater appreciation for God's love for each of His children, for the trials in life that bring us to the end of ourselves and lead us back to Him, and for the joy our Abba has when we come to Him for help and guidance. It's hard to fathom how the God of the universe could take such delight in such sinful creatures fashioned out of dust, but He calls us His children, and I know it thrills this parent when an independent, strong-willed child comes to me for help at last.

While I can help my child with math, logic, science, civics, and issues of life I have navigated myself through the wisdom of hindsight and God's word, there is so much more that I cannot teach her, for she is gifted in so many ways I am definitely NOT. But God is not weak in any area. He possess ALL wisdom, ALL knowledge, ALL authority, ALL power. He is sovereign over all, and He is all we ever need.

All of us have at some point chosen our own path and stubbornly tried to do life our way, on our own strength, without seeking our heavenly Father's input or direction. And whenever we do, we eventually come to the end of ourselves, overwhelmed and utterly hopeless apart from Him. When/if we turn back to Him, He enthusiastically welcomes us, guides us, and lavishes His infinite love upon us. There is no greater joy or security than abiding in Him in the center of His will. We need only come to Him, trust Him, and receive.

How Teachers Can Relate to the Frustrations of my Typical Kid

My 10-year-old has never seemed like a typical boy his age. As early as age 3, he would engage adults in conversations about topics more interesting to adults than kids. He would talk to Nana about gardening, decorating, and the weather. When with Pops, he talks about Duke basketball and mowing the lawn. He talks to his dad about space exploration, nuclear reactors, military strategy, and computers. He talks to me about theology, current events (he's especially interested in N. Korea's nuclear weapon capacity), politics, fitness, and finance - to the degree that he can understand anyway.
His favorite magazine right now is Popular Mechanics, and he also seems to like Money Magazine. He still likes Legos but primarily the programmable Mindstorm kind his dad likes best. When he was 4, he busied himself while I was homeschooling his sister by assembling his father's Lego Mindstorm kit. When he was ready to program it, he logged into his father's computer (apparently he had memorized the password by watching his dad type it in repeatedly over time) and figured out how to program the thing. Lego instructions are in pictures, and he had watched his dad to do that enough, too, I guess.

 

When our school hired new teachers, bought new textbooks, and replaced some chairs, he asked how that increased spending affected the school's debt-to-income ratio. When we spend money on large home improvements, he asks me if we have enough money to do that and today asked how paying mortgage interest impacts our income taxes. He wants to start investing/trading stocks, but he keeps blowing/investing his money on Pokemon cards. He'll get frustrated if you don't take that game seriously, playing by the rules and strategizing effectively.

He likes obeying rules when he can see the utility in them. Rules that seek to maintain order and fairness are his favorite. While his room may be messy, he generally likes structure and order, so when kids his age act like kids his age by running around wild, crazy, and loud when they are supposed to be working on a project, he gets annoyed. And his biggest peeve is when boys do not follow the game rules, cheating during recess. When kids in his project group smash what they are supposed to be studying or use tools inappropriately, he gets aggravated. So, as he was relating to me about his day today, he vented his frustration over the fact that the kids in his class acted like....typical kids.

"Did you lose your temper?" I asked him?

"Yes!" he cried!

"Uh-oh - did you act out in anger and get in trouble?" I asked.

"No, I only lost it on the inside," he replied.

"Did you politely ask your classmates to follow the instructions or tell them how their behavior made you feel?"

"Yes," he said, "BUT THEY WOULD NOT LISTEN!"

"Then now you know how it feels to be a parent or a teacher who gets to endure such behavior by kids all day long. Perhaps you should show some empathy and servant-minded kindness to your teachers and other parents. You could help make their days more tolerable, even pleasant, you know." - I said (or lectured).

While I may think my little man is odd, quirky, or not quite normal, I'm guessing there is no such thing as a typical kid, for they are all wonderfully, beautifully, and uniquely made. And if they behaved according to a predictable pattern, then parenting would be too easy. May we all seek to exude more patience, harness our tempers, love without condition, and find ways to better empathize, but let him not miss out, I pray, on the simple pleasures of just being a kid.
#PracticingPatience #LearningEmpathy

Easter Weekend 2017

Good Friday
For family devotions tonight, I read about Jesus' crucifixion as recorded in John 17. Verse 29 records Jesus taking his last drink from a sponge on a stalk from a hyssop plant (fulfilling yet another tiny detail from ancient prophecy) right before He said, "It is finished" (vs. 30) and died. After I read those verses, my mostly right-brained, usually non-detailed kid said, "The hyssop plant may also be significant because hyssop was dipped in the blood of the sacrificial lamb and used to paint blood over the door frame in a shape similar to a cross so the angel of death would pass over their house." (She was referencing Exodus 12:21-21.) Then we remembered that King David once said, "Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. " (Psalm 51:7). The hyssop references all work together to "paint" a beautiful picture of God's salvation plan and shows how inspired the Scriptures really are. 

Who needs a concordance to make Biblical connections and deepen understanding when you have kids who study the Bible? Praise God for planting faith, love for God, and His truth in their hearts.

I just had to bike back to my happy place today to contemplate the crucifixion of my Lord in my place.

My happy place on Good Friday

"It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”When he had said this, he breathed his last.

The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, “Surely this was a righteous man.” (Luke 23: 44-47) #GoodFriday

Saturday 

I know some amazingly organized and ambitious Pinterest friends who are Betty Crocker and Martha Stewart (minus the jail time) all in one. But for those moms who feel like they always fall short of that perfect standard, I am here to let you know you are not alone and make you feel better about your successes. I call it my ministry of mediocrity.

I impressed myself by actually remembering to buy Easter basket gifts for the kids this year, but I forgot to get Easter baskets. I bought cards for the grandparents, signed, addressed, and stamped them a month early, but I did not remember to send them until after the mail came yesterday, so they will all be late. I bought a new Easter wreath from Pier 1 and other spring decor, but I forgot to decorate until today. I saw eggs were on sale for 59 cents a dozen at the store yesterday, but I didn't buy them because I couldn't think of a reason why we might need them. Then my daughter asked if we could dye eggs this morning. I found three in the refrigerator and she boiled and dyed them by herself while I was trying to climb out of my son's closet where a purge fest was underway in an attempt to find something that still fit him for church tomorrow. When I came out of his room alive, thanks to the Hazmat suit, I found the mantle looking cute with three colorful eggs, thanks to our dear daughter who still treasures traditions.

My mom tells my daughter that this family would fall apart if it wasn't for her here to be the mama. Why does my mother always have to be right?

Now that my husband is finally home after an unusual period of excessive (IMO) business travel, maybe I can handle this mom gig a little better.  Taking another bike ride to my happy place at sunset certainly helped clear my head.

The critters seemed excited about Easter.  Orwell wanted to look festive for the occasion, so while I was changing out the wreaths on the front door to the one covered in Easter eggs, Orwell decided to wear the other one as his Easter tu-tu, but is much too big for him.

So Orwell gave up and took a nap.  He wanted to build a fort like the kids often do, but he's much too lazy for all that effort, so he made do with a stool as his fort.

Easter Sunday

We got up early Sunday morning and rushed to my hometown, so the kids ended up looking inside their Easter bags (I could not find their baskets) in the van on the way to church.

We arrived at my home church early enough to recreate a photo we took 25 years ago at that same location.  Back then I had just met my husband during his spring break trip to our area with the USNA Glee Club concert tour, and he had returned with a childhood friend of mine (who was also in the USNA Glee Club) for Easter weekend.

Much has changed in the past 25 years, but many other things have stayed the same. My childhood church may have grown exponentially, built new buildings, and altered their format, but their love for God and others, the faithful teaching of His word, and even the landscaping around the old building remain steadfast. Our budding romance 25 years ago may have fizzled for a season, but God resurrected it, and we were married inside this old church sanctuary 9 years after this old photo was taken. I still have big and bad hair days, and my husband still doesn't smile for pictures, but at least I stopped wearing flying nun collar dresses. Each of us has been made new by Christ's redemptive work on the cross and by His Spirit's continual work within us, and we are certainly changing with the years on the outside, but our faithful God is the same yesterday, today, and forever!

After a wonderful service at church in which I was dearly touched by the number of people who recognized me and took time to "visit" with me after church, including the senior pastor and his wife, it was the kids' turn for a throwback Easter picture.  They sure have changed over the past 10 years! 

We also took a some rushed family Easter pictures before the kids changed into play clothes.

The boys played Pokemon card games, and Tessa practiced her face painting skills when the kids weren't feasting, hunting eggs, or checking out all the great gifts in their Easter baskets from Nana & Pops!  What a fun day it was!

Our boy spells happiness "H-A-M"  Nana's spiral ham made him very happy!

Hallelujah!  Christ is risen indeed!  As I wrote earlier this week, the Resurrection changes everything!

Because of the Resurrection, when we are mocked, falsely accused, or slandered, we are not shaken or offended but continue to love and pray for those who oppose us.

Because of the Resurrection, when believers around the world are persecuted, even slaughtered (just yesterday in Egypt even), the gospel keeps spreading, faith keeps increasing, and the church keeps growing.

Because of the Resurrection, injuries and diseases may break the body, but they cannot break the spirit.

Because of the Resurrection, when human liberties are trampled by corrupt rulers, the soul keeps soaring freely.

Because of the Resurrection, death means “see you later” instead of “goodbye forever”.

Because of the Resurrection, thieves may steal our possessions, and injustice may take away our livelihood, but nothing can rob us of our joy.

Because of the Resurrection, the meek and lowly will be raised up, the sick will be made well, the weak revived, the lonely comforted, and the lamb will lie next to the lion in peace.

Because of the Resurrection, love wins in the end!

Because of the Resurrection, our chains have been broken, our sins are forgiven and forgotten, and we become new creations.

Because of the Resurrection, we stand firmly on the solid rock and have certain hope in that which lasts forever. 

Because of the Resurrection, there is no fear of death or condemnation for those in Christ.

Because of the Resurrection, we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us to the cross, the grave, and back to life here and to Heaven again. 

Because of the Resurrection, death has been defeated, and we get to live with Him in righteousness forever, if we so choose.

March Birthdays

If I'm going to keep this family blog journal going, I need to start with November 2016 to catch up, but I seriously doubt that time for that will ever come, so I'm just going to post when I feel like it henceforth.  Family, church, ministry, maintaining my health/fitness, work, and other writing venues have scooped up all the time I once allocated to blogging.  And now that I can print my Facebook feed, it has become my new source for family scrapbooking.  So for this private blog, I'll focus primarily on things I would not feel comfortable sharing with my Facebook friends.

March feels like Christmas for our family.  We have family members celebrating birthdays on March 3rd, 7th, 9th, 20th, 19th, 25th, two birthdays on the 29th, and 31st. I should probably also include our bunny whose birthday we also celebrated on March 22nd.  It's non-stop partying around here in March.

We traveled to China for 10 days this month, so that felt like one long festival as well.

Our daughter turned 13 this month.  Her celebration began early when Nana and Pops came up to help her celebrate. They brought her a cookie cake and took her out to eat at Chipolte.

 

They also brought gifts from family and friends from my hometown.

Since her actual birthday was the day before we left for China (when I knew I would be scatterbrained and VERY BUSY packing) and the same day as her basketball team's final celebration party, I had coordinated with the coach and team mom to make it a joint basketball/birthday party.   But I somehow managed to put the ending time of the party as the starting time in my phone calendar, so we arrived right after everyone had left. I had this huge cake to share with all the teammates and family members, and we were catching a flight for China in less than 12 hours.  What a waste.  We were both very disappointed, and I earned the Mommy Fail award for the year.

So we took her out to eat at Moe's (she's apparently into Tex-Mex these days) and opened gifts at home, and I got almost no sleep that night before our early departure the next morning.

Then on the last day of the month, which was our youngest nephew's birthday (on my husband's side), we had a belated birthday party for her which involved dinner at Which Wich, homemade cookie cake (that makes 3 birthday cakes for her 13th not counting the gourmet cupcake just for her) by her mama who has zero artistic talent and minimal domestic skills, shopping at one of the very popular, very large shopping centers nearby that looks "cool at night" in her estimation, makeovers at Ulta, buying matching, obscenely overpriced water bottles/canteens at Omega Sports, teens terrorizing Target, and feasting on more dessert at Smoothie King and Yolo.

Her party idea seemed simple enough in terms of planning, but I felt like I was wrangling toddlers at times and was exhausted by the time it ended...which was much later than I planned because the girls kept calling their parents to tell them to pick them up later. I'm realizing more and more how our ability to control our kids diminishes as they grow older.  They were actually well behaved, but I think the store workers get freaked out anytime a mob of talkative teens walk in. The Ulta staff were afraid these girls might steal something.  They don't know our girls at all.  They would be much more likely to buy all the staff lavish gifts, even if it meant skipping meals just to afford it.

The next birthday within our own family was Muffin's!  She turned three years old.  While we had plenty of cake leftover from our daughter's birthday, she obviously could not eat it, so our daughter made her a muffin shaped, muffin sized, Muffin-safe cake comprised of pellets, lettuce, carrots, hay, and green pepper seeds to look like sprinkles on top.

 

My husband celebrated a birthday on the same day as our youngest nephew on my side. Here is photo of the two birthday boys back in 2011 and a collage of old photos my mother-in-law provided. What a handsome boy and young man my hubby was/is!

I made him a pathetic looking lemon pound cake and served it with icebox lemon pie ice-cream.  As always, he wanted to to go Chili's for dinner.  When we arrived, I realized my son was wearing a silly silkscreen t-shirt with a cat inside a cheeseburger that reads, "Cheese-purrger".  Just as I was telling my son he should wear something nicer than play clothes when we go out to eat, the waitress brought his entree and commented on how well his dinner matched his shirt.  He also noted that his father was also wearing a silkscreen t-shirt.  I lost that debate for sure.

I also wrote my husband a cheesy poem for his birthday but was too embarrassed to share it on Facebook for more than a few minutes, so here it is in a more private setting for our amusement.

Thank you, Lord, for this awesome man.
Whom I met as a result of your sovereign plan.

I was drawn to him when our eyes first met.
On that fateful weekend we will never forget.

I wanted him then, but You told me, "No."
"For you have much to learn and seeds to sow.

When your satisfaction is wholly in Me,
And you know the truth that will set you free, 

Only then can you wed and unite as one.
With eyes ever fixed on your Savior, My Son."

Four years went by, and we stayed far apart.
While the Spirit kept molding me and filling my heart.

I met someone else who I thought I would wed,
I told the sailor, for my hopes for "us" were dead.

But that handsome sailor who I had loved so long.
Suspected I might be completely wrong.

We were meant for each other, it had to be true.
So four more years later, he found me, out of the blue.

I had remained single, and the timing was right.
Now I could wed the one I "loved" at first sight.

As we said our vows, we felt God's pleasure.
The love we've shared since has been beyond measure.

He knows when I'm wrong like he did back then.
And patiently leads me to the truth again.

He treats me far better than I ever expect.
And deserves all my devotion, love & respect.

Happy birthday, beloved!

Great Wolf Lodge Survivors - Take 2

Long lines, mind numbing noise, crazy crowds, rowdy munchkins, price gouging, greasy grub, and manic mayhem awaited us once again at Great Wolf Lodge.  GWL is like heaven for kids, but it can feel like torture for the parents. It's one of those things you endure and survive for the sake of the kids you love so much.  We took our daughter there for her 10th birthday, so our son asked to go for his 10th birthday.  We never wanted to go back, and while we've tried to instill in our kids a clear understanding that life isn't fair, we want them to enjoy some sense of fairness during their youth whenever possible, and God is a such a giver of grace, so to GWL we went!

All joking aside, the trip really wasn't all that bad. We allowed our son to bring a friend, and the boy he chose is at least 10 times more hyper than our son. This friend had never been away from his parents for more than twelve hours, but he was generally well-behaved.  Having our tween daughter there to help keep watch over the boys was a tremendous help.

Since our daughter is currently playing two sports simultaneously, school field hockey and AAU basketball, and the boys are playing Pop Warner football, they wanted to join me in the hotel's exercise room.  The gym had no free weights whatsoever, so I had to make do with whatever they had to add weight to squats and lunges.

 

So will the wee athletes-in-training with me ever believe me again when I tell them, "That's a tool, not a toy"?

Ben proved to be quite the gym rat. When my kids were done, he kept lifting and pressing.  He could not get enough, so my kids left him with me while they went on more Magiquest adventures.

The twilight sky was just stunning that evening. I'm so glad we decided to go out to eat instead of eating at the lodge because we would have missed this gorgeous sunset had we stayed inside.

The next day, my daughter, our little Ninja warrior, showed us all up on the lily pad course.

Big Ninja vs. Little Ninja on the lily pad course and Daddy/Daughter wave pool fun

Ninja boys

Field Hockey Surprise

Our daughter's middle school field hockey team is having an amazing season.  After two years of no wins and I think no points at all, they are having quite the winning season. I'm sure she's glad she picked a winning season to experience this new sport.

Record: 5 wins, 1 loss, 1 tie

Goals For: 11

Goals Against: 2

Nana & Pops surprised our daughter by showing up at her field hockey game last week. When she saw them, she turned her fierce factor up a notch and scored her first goal ever (as she is a rookie player). 

Nana & Pops must have inspired the entire team because they delivered their best game yet winning 4-0. That makes 3 wins in row after only one loss which was almost too close to count. Go Lady Knights!  Nana and Pops treated our girl to Yo-Lo yogurt to celebrate after the game.

On a side note, earlier that day before I knew Nana and Pops were coming, I posted the following sarcastic update on Facebook:

For those who view me as traditional or non-rebellious, I have a confession to make. Except for a summer study abroad experience and various short-term mission trips, I have lived my entire life in the South and was raised with deep southern traditions. Yet today, three days AFTER Labor Day, I've been to 10 different venues, including a Bible study comprised of respectable, southern, Baptist women, while wearing....(wait for it)......WHITE capris pants, and I wore them on purpose.

So, when Mom arrived wearing white Capris as well, I had to laugh!

On another side note: 

Since the kids call my mom "Nana", I found this random historical fact to be especially interesting.  Nanna was the name of the moon god and patron god of the city of Ur when Abram lived in Ur with his polytheistic family. When Abram beheld the glory of the one true God (Genesis 12), however, he knew in an instant that there is no god like the one true God who possesses all the attributes the Chaldeans looked for in many gods. He discovered that this God is good, loving, and just and calls mankind into a personal relationship with Himself.

Then this week, there was a game that none of us could attend due to piano lessons and a football scrimmage for her brother and a leadership dinner at church that I had to attend.  But much to our surprise, "Grandma Susan", a family friend and her former childcare giver when I worked part-time during her first few years of life, showed up last minute surprising us all.  What a gift from God her unexpected arrival and perfect timing were.

Playing field hockey as a 7th grader and a rookie has been quite the learning experience for our daughter, especially as she learns to play the other supporting positions which are essential to helping the forwards push the ball in for a score when all she really wants to do is be the forward who scores.  The prized positions are reserved for 8th graders who need more playing time to get ready for the more competitive varsity team next year. Her time will come.   She did get to play forward when Nana and Pops attended, since the starter was out that day, so I'm glad she got to score when she had her time in her favorite position.

There is also a difficult personality on the team who God is using to refine her.  This player shares much in common with our daughter.  Both were competitive gymnasts. Both are rookies. Both are driven, fierce, competitive, intense firstbornswith a tendency to boss others.  This girl has three younger siblings, however, and is an 8th grader, so her tendency to boss our girl around is more extreme.  Still, our daughter recognizes that part of what bothers her so much about this girl is something she sees in herself, and I'm praying she will remember how it feels to be on the receiving end. At times, my daughter's humble confessions and wisdom in recalling Matthew 7:3-4 about pointing out the speck in another's eye when you have a plank in yours, and just the way she is learning from this trial have amazed me.  Then there are other days when she's throwing fits, and I just have to remind myself that mood changes are all apart of adolescence and that the mature side of her will win in the end. 

I've been referencing the verse below with her as well as a reminder that we all have to work our way up in life, learning and experiencing all the different roles of a team or an organization before we can get the role we want or effectively lead others. Through these trials, she must cast off her frustration and give her worries to the Lord until He chooses to lift her up.

⁶ Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, ⁷ casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:6-8, ESV)

Our Beloved Baby Boy's Baptism

My shy little guy first accepted Christ when he was 4-years-old, and as I've watched the seeds planted take root in his heart and his faith grow, I've been praying for the past five years that he would decide on his own to be baptized. Tonight those prayers were answered in full. To God be the glory!

 

I love the girl's facial expression in the 3rd photo above!

 

 

Nana and Pops came up for the occasion bearing a card and a gift for our brave boy.  My dad had back surgery only two weeks ago, so he broke the doctor's orders to hike across camp, climbing up and down hills, pulling Mom behind him. That's my dad!  He'll risk anything to support his family.  He told us he would not miss it for the world.

The sky was dark and cloudy throughout the service, so dark that I wondered if the praise team would cut out a few songs to make sure we finished baptizing all 40+ people before the rains fell, but they, being of stronger faith than I,  left nothing off the schedule.  I loved watching my boy sing worship songs as he sat on the pier. One of his best friends was supposed to be baptized the same day, but due to a medical emergency in the family, Samuel was not there.  Our boy kept his courage, though.  When the last person was baptized, the rain began to fall. We ran to our van and drove home through the downpour while watching the sky turn all different shades of the rainbow.  A double rainbow appeared after we returned home as the sky changed from orange and gold to blue and purple to pink and purple.  Our entire porch glowed pink for a while.   It was a gorgeous display of God's splendor and seemed to be His way of nodding Hi approval over the public professions of faith.

Each picture taken by friends, neighbors, and community residents shown above seems to reflect different attributes of God. I see in these pics His power and sovereignty, the Prince of Peace who calms our storms and keeps all His wonderful promises, and our merciful, perfectly loving, patient Giver of Grace, our Lord and Savior. 

Appreciating Cows, Water, Words, Cupcakes, Critters, and Selfies

Chick-fil-A Cow Appreciation Day has become an annual tradition for us.  Usually I dress like a cow and take the kids, but this year, my husband took them so I could catch up on work back home.  The things we will do for free chicken.  We almost always see church friends when we go to Cow Appreciation Day.  This year, friends saw our family, but our family didn't recognize them.  They must have had some really elaborate costumes.

Orwell was hoping to get in on the free chicken offer as well, but his cow costume made him look more like a Holland Lop bunny, specifically our late pet Cody, than a cow, and I'm assuming that the only pets allowed in public restaurants are trained service animals.

We joined a pool/fitness center this summer, but we haven't had too many opportunities to go with so many summer activities.  Plus, I'm not a big fan of the pool now that my vein disease has gotten so bad I don't want to gross out strangers in public with the sight of my spidery legs. Our nanny took the kids a few time while I worked.  But who really needs a pool when you have a water spigot, balloons, buckets, and an imagination?  Water balloons and paint buckets have been favorite recreational toys this summer.

During the few moments of free time our daughter could find this summer, she wrote another "book". I am thrilled that she is actually writing out some of the wild and imaginative stories in her head. I'm also reminded of a promise I made myself many years ago to write and publish a true story that shows God's sovereignty when things seem out of control. It is a story of redemption, hope, and grace that should inspire others in their faith journey and possibly serve as a ministry resource for women in crisis. But I have a feeling my little tween who charges through life without seeing any of the obstacles in her way will get her fiction stories published before her mama writes the first chapter of the only story she knows.

The kids' interest in culinary arts continues.  Our daughter is still cooking most of her meals and preparing dinner for all of us a few nights a week.  

She's also teaching her brother to cook.  He mastered eggs and cupcakes last week.  Their culinary skills are derailing any summer nutrition goals I may have considered setting for myself. These blueberry cupcakes with lemon cream cheese frosting were delicious!

 We finally found a temporary solution to Orwell's destructive tendencies.  Each month, my husband and daughter trim his claws and cover them with fake nails called "soft claws".  These fake cat claws come in all colors. I'm tempted to get him glow-in-the-dark neon green claws next, but he's wearing the clear version now. They are working as long as he doesn't pull them off.

Orwell continues to amuse me by his sleeping positions. He must have been having a really good dream the other day because he looked like he was clapping. "If you're happy and you know it, clap your [paws]".

Orwell certainly leads a luxurious lifestyle, though you would never know it from the discontented expression he always wears on his face.

Muffin has been collaborating with me on the development of a STEM lesson on pendulum motion.   I think my students will appreciate all her demonstrations.

When I don't see the Roomba on the charger/docking station, it's sometimes because Muffin has been taking it for joy rides around the house.  She still loves hopping onto the center, activating the start button, and going for solo rides.

I don't get to see the Mighty Moms (my workout group) when school is out of session, so Muffin has been filling in as my workout buddy and coach.  She watches and critiques me very closely.

To increase my workout intensity, she'll hop on my back while I'm doing push-ups to add more weight or tickle my arms and push me up higher when I do starfish push-ups or side balances.

Sometimes she'll demonstrate various HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workout routines, but she gives out after about 24 seconds.  She's definitely better at speed and agility than endurance.  I haven't perfected the wheelie as well as she has, but my binkies are improving. :-)

When Muffin isn't pushing me hard in our home gym, I like to go biking on the greenway.  Recent flash flooding destroyed the large section of bike trail that connects the section behind our neighborhood to the lake, so it will be a long time before I see the sun set over the lake.  This picture, taken on July 9, is the last one I'll get to take from my bike for a few months.

When I first attempted to bike to the lake after the big storm and before I realized that entire section of greenway was closed due to damages, I learned a value lesson. After flash flooding, take the sharp turns slowly if you bike the greenway, or you could end up like Absalom. Had my tires been fully inflated and my frame a tad bigger, I'm not sure I could have ducked low enough.

 

The tween hijacked my phone again and changed my screen background to this photo. She either forgot my promise to share all the pics she posts to my phone background or she thinks this picture needs to be immortalized.

Instead of selfies, I'll close with mini-me pics instead. Here is a side-by-side of my husband in his geeky 6th grade phase vs. our son in 3rd grade.

Little boys with glasses and smarts
Become handsome men who melt girls' hearts.

As long as he lives, the one on the left is mine.
And I'm treasuring my time with the one who is nine.