It came up again last week at bedtime. A gift from the past: hand print snow man ornament. “Mom, what do you want for Christmas?” I could not think of one reasonable thing to say. A few years ago Zach asked me this same question, and I was ready with a completely practical idea. “You know what I really want? A pair of really warm pajamas.” He looked at me in disbelief, and exhaled an incredulous, “Phfffffff!” My request didn’t even warrant a real word. I got … [Read more...]
Receiving the Undeserved Gift
I scrambled up to the first couch cushion and dutifully obeyed my mother’s little rhyme: “Open your hands and close your eyes and I will give you a big surprise.” Meanwhile on the middle couch cushion, long after I had settled myself, my little sister wriggled off the couch and then climbed back up again. I didn’t dare open my eyes to see the spectacle, but I could feel it. And without looking, I knew she hadn’t even closed her eyes! Now I use that little rhyme on my couch. … [Read more...]
Growing Gratitude
Back in the day when the boys were 2, 3, and 4 years old, it was a little rugged around our house. I was plagued by my inability to mother like I thought I should--you know, teaching my toddlers to use their manners, say thank you, and always obey. But since that rarely went as planned, I almost always opted to stay home and relish nap time rather than go anywhere. Occasionally we ventured to the grocery store where the boys, bit through the hot dog packages, chewed on a bag of chocolate … [Read more...]
When You Work for the Gift You’ve Already Got
Remember the fort/blind the boys built this summer for all their fall hunting adventures? Well, apparently a blind isn’t complete without certain hunting accessories. And this year for his birthday, Zach asked for all manner of them. Every time we went to the store he’d point them out. When they were on sale, he’d let me know. He’d tell me which store had them cheaper and when the shipping was free. But I kept saying, "No." He got tired of asking and waiting, but he was unwilling to spend … [Read more...]
Multiple Choice Parenting
We were having a summer, and all of the sudden it was the first day of school. At least it seemed that way because I didn’t really create any preparatory ramp-up to get ready for school. None of us are into school-shopping, so I rummaged through drawers and made sure they had at least five t-shirts without rips or armpit stains. We bought school shoes in July so it didn’t feel like “school shopping.” The boys are pretty much over shopping for school supplies too. So I had them sort … [Read more...]
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