You are my sunshine

Before Carina was born, I had a feeling that there was a reason she was joining our family when she was.  That her soul and body had come together at this particular time and in her particular fourth-child spot, for a purpose.

As my transition from three to four kids was my hardest, her disposition made that feeling grow and grow.  She just fit.

And as this past year has been one of my more difficult ones, having her home with me all day every day has been a blessing.  Her chipmunk voice, her spunky attitude, going all day long, often insistently pulling me out from under the cloud I am under.  It is a phrase that is used often, but she is a ray of sunshine in my life.  I am so thankful for it.

Today on her third birthday, I knew exactly what she would love to do.  After a breakfast of sugary cereal we went to my parent’s house, where they gave her their gift to her – “Frozen.”  Then Granny came with us to Old Navy, where she got to pick out whatever dress she wanted.   We brought six or seven options into the dressing room and when she tried the second one on, no other dresses would do. I encouraged her to try the others on, but as she did she kept saying, “I like that one,” pointing to #2.  Library was next, where we ran into some friends going to story time, so we joined then.  After that we dropped Granny at home and had lunch.  She wanted to watch Frozen with her new dress on.  I told her she couldn’t eat lunch in the new dress, so she wouldn’t let me start the movie until she quickly gobbled half her bean burrito down, declared she was done and got the dress on. When the boys and Dad came home we went to Nothing But Noodles and then SAS Cupcakes, where she got to choose her own (pink) cupcake.  She only ate the frosting (no surprise there). 

Polar Bear Plunge

When it was time for this year’s Polar Bear Plunge, I found that there wasn’t a fiber of my being that wanted to jump into a freezing cold pool.  It has been a dreary winter for me and I think my spirit of adventure has been hibernating.  Chad was the good parent and agreed to do it will the boys – Ollie decided he was in this year.

 

Here is Ollie afterwards.  Chad sorta, kinda, accidentally let him go under when he jumped in next to him.  Oliver was not expecting that, and added to the cold, it was just too much to bear.  He needed my robe, some hot chocolate and a lot of cookies to recover.

Legos with Oliver

Thanksgiving 2013

33 family members at my house.  Good times.

Chad the Rat King

Last night after I finished writing my blog post, I found these three pictures waiting for me in my inbox, straight from New York.  Deviled eggs (with shrimp on top, of course), Pork chop (with quail egg on top, of course),  and German-Chocolate Cake (with coconut whipped cream on top, of course). Despite the fantastically poor picture quality (I think that all that cholesterol was fogging the camera lens), my carrots were not quite satisfying after seeing these. 

In the email with the picture of the cake, Chad mentioned he was wrapping up dinner and would call me when he got back to his hotel.

I waited until 10, and then as I was drifting off to sleep shortly thereafter, Chad called.  The city noise bustled across the line with his frustration as he explained  that he had been trying to hail a cab for the last half hour.  A huge section of the street was barricaded for the lighting of THE Christmas Tree and it was crazy everywhere.  “Man, poor guy,” I thought, as I lay in my cozy bed and drifted off to sleep immediately after. 

I have never been to New York and all my New York education is based solely on Chad’s two trips there (crappy pictures, lots of work), Hey Natalie Jean (fantastic pictures, fantastic style), and You’ve Got Mail (pencil bouquets, Christmas sing-a-longs, and bend in the flower garden at Riverside Park). 

Oh, and let’s not forget 30 Rock.  My absolute favorite New York clip from 30 Rock:

And a You’ve Got Mail and 30 Rock connection that any true fan has already made, as an added bonus.

Keepin’ It Real Wednesday

This morning started off rough.  Gabe stayed home from school sick (read: very tired and ultimately, very bored). Everyone was slow to get going and when our carpool van showed up, Oliver did not have his backpack on yet.  When I went to get it, I found that it was still in the van from the previous day, and then discovered that he had unfinished homework inside (rows and rows of Chinese characters to write).  I quickly wrote the teacher a note  saying he would bring his homework tomorrow (which I have never done) and sent the freaking-out kid out the door.

The kindergarten adjustment has been a tough one for my guy and he is reacting in the same manner than he has reacted to every big adjustment in his life: waking up over and over again at night, lots of emotions spilling over,  heels dug in with all his might and needing my constant love and affection without knowing how to show that that is what he needs.  I know him and I know he will get through this.  I know his teacher and I know that when Colin had her he cried every single night about not wanting to go to school the next day.  She is a good teacher-no one can doubt her desire to help the children learn and grow-but she is tough.  When Ollie’s folder came home today, it had a post-it note addressed to me, informing me that homework is supposed to be returned the next day and reminding me that she discussed that with me at the parent –teacher conference.  Thanks.

Those kindergartener emotions didn’t just spill over tonight – they gushed over, drenching the whole household.  I put the homework back away until tomorrow morning and took him to bed, where he was asleep before 7. 

Carina just feel asleep so now it is my chance to munch on carrot sticks while I watch The Host and fold laundry.

 

Did I mention?  Chad is in New York.  He is eating at Bobby Flay’s restaurant as I type this.  Oh, and he just sent me this picture:

Winning.

Gabe’s Baptism

November 24, 2013

 

Baptism of
Gabriel Robert Coleman

Fort Mill Ward of the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,

Charlotte, North Carolina

   Conducting: Brother Boyd Rogers

Pianist:   Sister Kelly Johnson

                Music Leader:   Sister Deann Ballard

 

        Welcome:   Brother Boyd Rogers

 

               Opening Song:   Choose the Right #239

 

            Opening Prayer:   Sister Ashley Wright

                                             Aunt

 

            Talk on Baptism:   Brother Robert Jeppson Jr.
                                             Uncle

 

  Baptismal Ordinance:   Brother Chad Coleman

                                             Father

 

                       Witnesses:   Brother Seth Morris, and

Brother Roy Wright,

Uncles                          

 

Special Musical Numbers:            Colin Coleman, “How Firm a Foundation,”

Sister Kelly Johnson, “Jesus Once Was a Little Child”, Cousins, Aunts and Uncles,” A Child’s Prayer”

                                            

       Talk on Holy Ghost:   Sister Katie Coleman

                                             Mother

 

                 Confirmation:   Brother Robert Jeppson Sr.

                                             Grandfather

 

        Primary Welcome:  Sister Connie Simms

 

     Bishopric Welcome:   Bishop Chuck Johnson

 

                 Closing Song:   If The Savior Stood Beside Me

 

              Closing Prayer:   Sister Lindsey Morris
                                             Aunt

Please join us for a picture and refreshments after the service.

For more information about baptism in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, click here.

Christmas Tree

 

End of soccer

It is official.  Soccer is over.  All three boys played this season, and with how it worked out, we had soccer practice every single night of the week.  Yes, even Fridays.  Chad took them to practice, and I did bedtime with Carina and whoever was at home each night.  We almost always managed to have dinner together, but it was always punctuated with pleas to find cleats and balls and hurry to the field.  Saturdays meant three soccer games, sometimes spread out through the day, sometimes standing between two fields so we could watch two games at once.

I love soccer for so many reasons.  I watched Gabe play this year and I could see that it has done so much for him.  Do you remember when he first started?  Our shy and unsure boy was now quick, strong, and so confident.  All of my lectures about working hard and seeing results could never amount to that lesson that he learned for himself, and the self esteem that he obtained for himself – not through praise or trophies, but trying and seeing. We got an email from the soccer commissioner yesterday letting us know that Gabe was chosen by his coach to be on the all-star team – one of two kids from each team.  He has come so far. We quickly and happily turned it down because practices are Sundays and we are done.

For everything that I love about soccer, this is the biggest problem I have with it:  It is good way for our family to spend our time, but is there something better?  Probably.  It has been a time thief, and when it comes down to it, we have not had a lot of family time the last two months.  Our scripture study, our family prayers, our family home evenings, and just our family fun have suffered.  Now, if we were more organized, we might have managed all of those things and soccer, but it just didn’t happen as much as it should have. There really are only so many hours in a day and school and homework already take up a lot of that.

Not only that, but I am getting yelled at every day, eyes are rolling at every suggestion I make, and the loving brothers have not been so loving. Can I blame all of that on the lack of family time?  I don’t know, but I do know it hasn’t helped. 

This is the part of parenting that I never realized would be so hard.  Small decisions that can seem positive and are positive in many ways, but can have major affects.  How we spend our time, how we spend our money, where we place our priorities.  The decisions are complex and what may be the right decision at one point for our family might not be the best decision at another time.  Or a good decision for one child might not be the best decision for the another, no matter how much we try to make everything “fair.”

It makes me very grateful to be in this with a husband who is so involved, and with our Heavenly Father, whose perspective is so much broader than ours.