Uncle Baby Has a Birthday!

We first became aware of your story when I cleaned out that bathroom closet and found the unused pregnancy test, which I couldn't bear to throw away without using. Then, instead of the negative result I KNEW was coming, it was positive.

Some months later we made a crazy 10 minute trip through a major snow storm, and by the time we got to the second floor of the hospital, you were pretty much here.

Today you're eight!

You, who are the best friend to each of your siblings.

You, who begins each day and ends each night with these words, "You know what, Mommy? You know what, Daddy?" I LOVE you!"

You, who rarely, rarely complain.

You, who gave serious thought to inviting your teacher to your sleepover party, but decided against it since not everyone would be able to sleep next to her and someone would be sad.

You, who made our family complete.

Uncle Baby or Kid or whatever nickname you've given yourself these days: you know what?

We LOVE you!!!!!

Friday Fragments: The One Blogging Day I Couldn't Live Without

~You know I love Fridays: pizza night, no homework, and Friday Fragments!!!!!

~My daughter paid $17 for her Snowcoming dress. Her friend paid $10. I'm sending them shopping for me next time I need a dress. Mine might need to cover more body parts though.

~I love making new friendships, but may have overdone it at the new Walmart. I do, however, feel very popular when I go there and that may explain quite a lot.

~My daughter tagged me on this image on Facebook this week. Grammar aside, I was grateful.

~One of my students this term is named Hen. That's a rough moniker to carry through life.

~Last week, the Sunday school lesson focused on Martha and Mary. So often, in my childhood, I heard Martha portrayed as nagging, petty, shallow, but one thing I learned as I studied and wrote my discussion questions was that Martha was the one who invited Jesus to come teach in her home. She was a leader. She was spiritually hungry. I like her much better now.


~Last week I mentioned that I needed a ladder or two for my boys' beds. My neighbor and blogging friend, Won, had one! What a perfect reason to meet for lunch! When my boy used it that night, he was thrilled!!

~Pepper the dog has become a food thief. The cuteness of that is akin to John Edwards' cuteness these days.

~Still reeling from my accidental acquiescence to a camping vacation next summer, I listened as Checkered called a seller who had listed a pop-up camper on Craigslist. Checkered kept apologizing because the man couldn't hear him - even as the seller got increasingly frustrated at Checkered's mumbling. The seller eventually figured out that he was holding his phone upside down. And no, we did NOT buy that camper.

Opening Night for my Who

It would be more appropriate to say, "Break a leg!" but that is something I simply can't say to my own child. She is a literal girl, after all. It will suffice, I think, to say,

"Although it's already been a long week of strep and post-ortho swollen cheeks (that remind us of your baby days) the show must go on. Good luck, sweet girl. We're very proud of you!!! And for goodness sake, whatever you do, don't break any legs."

Do You See Pepper's Tongue?

'Tis sweet to hear the watch dogs' honest bark Bay deep-mouthed welcome as we draw near home; 'Tis sweet to know there is an eye will mark Our coming and look brighter when we come.'

Lord Byron

Precious and Loved

We've been on an interesting journey with our youngest boy for a while now trying to get an appropriate diagnosis. He is smart and fun and an enthusiastic reader and the sweetest second grader you might ever meet. He also has some symptoms which may be categorized as Asperger's. But because he doesn't exhibit all Asperger's symptoms, we have no official diagnosis yet. Five doctors and lots and lots of insurance monies and out of pocket expenses later, we have a treatment plan which is starting to work. Some school personnel have been quick to say that things are fine now and we'll have no more worries. But we see him in other settings and know we have a long way to go.

The other day, this boy who doesn't always recognize and articulate his emotions and who struggles in some other areas, was singing the chorus of "How Great is Our God." He has his mom's inability to get all the lyrics right, but his pure heart made the day absolutely beautiful.

How great is our God,
sing with me
How great is our God,
and all will see
How great
How great is our God

Spammer Beware

One of the joys I find in blogging is hearing what other people have to say. Getting a comment is a little like Christmas morning for me. It's a small, wrapped surprise just waiting for me alone. Some of you are so loyal that I am humbled. I rarely make it through my reading list these days and when I do, my reading is hit or miss. I've become a lurker: seeing what you have to say but never stopping to comment. Yet you come here day after day and take the time to talk. Those comments mean the world to me.

But then those those stinkin' spammers found me. Those are a little like a Christmas present that holds such promise -- someone thought of me, someone took the time to get me something -- until it's opened and you see that it's a pair of dirty, stinky socks.

神待ち has left a new comment on your post "FF: Random is as Random Does":

神待ちサイト　ガールズBBSは家出少女を救う神待ち専用の掲示板です！登録無料で家出少女と出会えるチャンス

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Posted by 神待ち to The Human Race 600 at January 24, 2010 2:21 PM

I'm tired of being told I can earn money if I contact the reader, that the reader thinks my blog has improved OR that they supposedly can read my blog in English but can only respond in another language.

So, comment moderation is on now and I finally get why so many of you moderate, too.
I would prefer that comment moderation work a little more like a loud whistle in the spammer's ear, but short of adding a word verification, it will have to do.

Stupid spammers!

My Favorite Day: Friday Fragments

Time for Friday Fragments. Wouldn't you just love to meet Mrs. 4444 in person? I surely would!

**Someone destroyed our mailbox one night last week, so Checkered put the new one up on the "safer" side of the driveway. The problem is that the safer spot is right smack-dab in the middle of my pre-existing tire tracks. I'm apologizing up-front, Checkered, as I fear for the safety of the new mailbox.


**Said with a mix of braggadocio and love the other night, "Wow, Daddy, you're even grosser than I am and I'm pretty gross!"

**Our son came home from his buddy's house singing the joys of their bread machine. We replied, "We used to have one. Didn't like it. Gave it away." That same line was repeated for 24 hours, then we bought a new bread machine. Yes, we are in love.
**I also love Iced Caps from Tim Horton's even though they're kind of nasty tasting. Yesterday, one of my students was arguing in class about global warming and she mentioned how the ice caps were melting. Honestly, I did NOT hear a thing after she said, "...ice cap..." and yes, I did stop at Tim Horton's after class.

**I need a ladder or two for our loft beds, but never dreamed they would cost so much!

**Have you met Nancy? You should because she is a clever, clever writer. She has proposed a grand idea for bloggers. What if each blogger gave one hour of service to their community for each blog follower they have? I am so glad I have only a few followers - not that I'm counting. P.S. Nancy says watching your friends' kids and doing work for your church counts so I might already be done for 2010 !!!!!!

**Lionel Richie was in my radio singing "Sail On" this week and I sang along with gusto. Sadly, it seems that the only accurate lyrics I know are, "But I'm giving you back your name." A weaker person would have let that stop their singing.

**Mr. Asthma is now running a fever of 102. Looks like a week-end close to the house and I am A-OK with that. What's up with your week-end?