6.24.09 Throw out the clowns

Today we went to the library for a special program. A one woman clown act. We got there and the clown-woman was doing her clown act while we were in line. I noticed at my side that Hannah immediately tensed up. She seemed to suddenly be afraid. I can only guess that she was thinking: Why was this person talking so loud? Why was she dressed up all crazy? I hope she doesn't talk to me! We sat down in the large room with all the other children and mommies. Hannah immediately broke down and cried loudly "I want to go home!". Right then our friend Renee with he children Mason, Jake and Paige came in. I hoped they would deter her. At this point Hannah continued crying with her eyes shut and fingers in a squished up "o" sign trying to block out the clown woman who was now in the audience doing her act. Once in the hall she decided we should get some books and go home. I some how persuaded her to go into the teen room and rock on their rockers. I tried talking to her about how she felt without putting words into her mouth. It was just like when I ask her how she feels. I realized after always getting the answer "good", or the blank stare or the total ignoring of my question being asked in the first place that I needed to go about it a different way by asking "what hurts?". So I asked her how she felt. I got a blanks stare. I asked her if she didn't like the clown. Another blank stare. She really seemed to be rattled by the whole clown idea. Someone dresses up in a crazy outfit and breaks all social rules. How can that be okay? While we were in there talking a very nice red headed librarian came in and asked us what happened. I said that Hannah didn't like the clown. The librarian smiled and sweetly said "I didn't like clowns either when I was your age". Hannah seemed to perk up after that. When we got home I told Robert Hannah didn't like the clown. Hannah said "The librarian said she didn't like it either when she was my age". Hannah seemed to feel uncomfortable about my telling her clown dislike story. I asked her if she wanted me to stop telling it. She said she would like that. I said "Can I just tell Aunt Missa?" She said "no".

Quoting Hannah

I only wear black on holidays, Halloween and when I trick-or-treat.

Chores

To chore or not to chore? The reality is that chores are not a whole lot of fun but they are a part of everyday life. It's not something that comes easily for me. I don't love doing chores but I do like having a clean house. When Robert and I were first married and we were both working outside the home, our house was pretty messy. However, I was able to devote all my attention to cleaning when it needed to be done but on a week to week basis I only ran the dish washer once. We ate breakfast (cereal and fruit) and dinner (something mostly prepared or take-out) at home. I cooked big meals once in a while. I cleaned when we were having guests. I did the laundry as infrequently as once every two weeks. Basically there was no schedule for doing anything at all. We didn't even take care of our yard. Robert paid a guy to come and take care of the lawn.

Now that we moved into a house without a real yard. I spend at least three hours a week watering our flowers and taking care of the rose bush. And we don't even have a yard! I do six loads of laundry a week. Laundry day is on Thursdays and Sundays. I vacuum twice a week. Usually Mondays and Fridays. We run the dishwasher just about everyday. Garbage has to be taken out every other day. I still don't make my bed, but on a fairly normal night I sleep in our bedroom for the first couple of hours and then after I feed Noah I sleep in the office in hopes that Robert won't hear Noah when we wakes over and over throughout the night. So officially I should be making two beds that have no flat sheet, only a duvet cover. But I don't do either.

So back to the question. I do chore, often. Now it's up to me to have our little ones pitch in with what needs to be done around the house. So far Hannah's not exactly thrilled with making her bed. But I'm not exactly the best example. She has been really into putting away her toys before bedtime and notices when we don't make her put them away.

I believe that children are a part of the house hold. If they can make messes then they can clean them up. The hard part is making being patient and persistent enough to follow through. Everyday.

6.4.09 Answered Prayer

We've been so busy in our house lately. We found out that Robert isn't going to lose his job. We decided not to move to California (yet) or to a new house. For a couple of years we've realized that we wanted to buy additional cabinets for our kitchen and bonus room. This endeavor has taken hours and hours of time in talking, planning and communicating with each other and Parr Cabinet Outlet whom we are buying our cabinets from. We don't have a lot of extra time on our hands with two small children. Most of our time is spent trying to just keep the house up to regular standards. I have barely been able to even read more than ten minutes lately. So tonight I was laying in bed reading while Robert was frantically working to restore a wiki page that he has all of his work notes on. I had this feeling that I needed to pray for him. So I asked God to help him restore his wiki page. Not five minutes had passed when Robert walked in happy and smiling saying that he found a little share-ware program that restored his page. Thank you God!

6.3.09 Children & Chores

I talked to an old friend whom I haven't talked to in years. She is newly married. When she asked me about myself I said something like "oh you know, my life is all about babies and toddler talk". It's hard to say much of anything else. I can't talk about just myself or Robert and I without mention of Hannah and Noah. My days and nights are centered around them. It is all very intense when you've got to dress, feed bathe, shoe, groom and last but not least love and guide two human beings all day. When you're not doing it, it all sounds, well, boring and really repetitive. Oh it is at times trying and oh so repetitive doing all that I do all day. I feel as if I've lost a part of myself and at times I'm a little bit mournful about it the person I once was. But then I see what a great work it is that I am truly doing. God has allowed me to be a part of creation. I carried these babies in my body for nine months. I gave birth to them through the most immense pain to sudden joy of meeting each of the face to face. Then all the work began.

Right now we're working on getting a routine and chore system going. We've already got a good system for bedtime but we need more because Hannah can do more. So far we've moved her clothes upstairs into her room and are getting her ready there now instead of downstairs in our room or the living room. I bought a hamper for the upstairs that all who stay up there can use to put their clothes in. I'm reading a chore book called "Manager's of their Chores" by the Maxwells. It's really good biblicially based and so far sets out great reasons children should do chores. I'll write more later about that when I read more of the book.