Apple Picking '05

Apple Picking

Yesterday we went to Styer Orchards in Langhorne to go apple picking. It was a beautiful day- blue skies and warm sun. When we arrived we loaded up a little wagon with 2 buckets, and the kids (E refused to walk if N was riding). We easily filled our buckets with Macouns and Jonathans.

E enjoyed both picking, especially with the apple picking pole, and eating the apples. N tried walking between the trees but was thrown off balance by his shoes (he usually goes barefoot), so he ended up sitting in the grass and watching.

I don't know why, but I LOVE picking fruit!! Give me any kind of fruit bush, tree, vine or plant, and I am a harvesting machine. I once applied for a fruit picking job that was advertised in the local Grove City paper. The guy who called me back convinced me that it would be very difficult work, and I obviously didn't understand what the job would entail. So I decided to pass on that job opportunity. Looking back, that was probably a wise decision, but I still try to fill that picking need in my life. Road side signs call to me when they say "Pick Your Own_____".

Well, following our time in the orchard, we went back to the barn area where there was a litter of 4 kittens looking for a home. I was definitely tempted, especially since E's favorite wish is for a kitty, but life with a kitten would be sneezy. N's reaction to the kittens kind of reminded me of that commercial with the little boy petting a frog and squealing with delight when it gives a little jump. N would pet a kitten's paw and it would twitch away, and he would giggle and squeal in response.

After that, we went over to the moon bounce where E bounced away and N cried in disappointment because he was too little. It is such a hard age for things like that-- too little to do a lot of stuff, but big enough to care.

The last thing we did was go on a hayride through the orchards. We stopped halfway and the driver kindly got off to pick us some golden delicious apples to eat during the remainder of the ride. There is nothing like eating a freshly picked apple, it is so crisp and sweet, it makes my mouth water to think about it.

We ended up buying 20 pounds of apples. So far I have made apple crisp and apple pancakes. Later this week I will be making applesauce, apple cake, and of course, apple pie.

conversations with a 4 year old

Tuesday, 20 September 2005

I often have conversations with E, but it is really hard for me to remember exactly what she said, so I hardly ever post about them. Yesterday we were driving in the car and I made a conscious effort to remember it, not because it was all that special, interesting, or funny, but because it was so typical of the kind of things she asks and thinks about. So here it is, more or less.

"Mommy, who holds babies the first day?"

"What do you mean? Mommies and Daddies hold their babies when they are first born."

"No, I mean a long time ago-- does God hold babies the first day?" I am a bit puzzled by this, where is she getting this question?

"No, God doesn't hold the babies. First they are in the mommy's tummy, and when they are born, the mommy holds them."

"But God holds all the people in his hands" Aaah yes, I have to supress a smile at this.

"You're right sweetie, God does kind of have us in his hand, but you can't feel him holding you. No, just the mommies and daddies hold the babies."

silence

"But what about the first babies?"

You mean the first people? Do you remember who they were?"

"Yeah...Noah?...Jacob?" I can see her struggling to remember what she learned in Sunday School.

"Adam and Eve- but God made them grown up, so they weren't babies. But then Eve had babies that she held, and then they grew up and had babies, and then they had babies..."

"And they had babies, and they had babies, and they had babies..."

"All the way down to us. And when you grow up, you'll have a baby"

From here the conversation went to how people will keep having babies until Jesus returns, and how and why I am looking forward to that. I think it is so neat to hear her questions, and see her little mind working, trying to figure out this world. It definitely keeps me on my toes, I never know what she will ask, and sometimes how to answer-- like 'why doesn't everyone want to be with Jesus in heaven? Will _____ go to heaven?' But is always interesting trying to see and make sense of things through a child's eyes.

First Day of Froggie Class

Today was E's first day as a "froggie" in the 4 year old class at nursery school. Last night as I was putting her to bed she said to me,"Mommy, I'm a little bit nervous about school." "Why is that?" "I am afraid I won't have any friends." My heart ached a little for her, since I could completely relate to that particular anxiety. So we talked a little bit about introducing herself, and asking if she can play. We also prayed for her that she would be a good friend and listen to her teacher, and have fun at school.

This morning she seemed ready to go, even dressing herself in a multicolored (stained) shirt, striped shorts, purple socks and white sneakers. I have to say that I didn't even consider letting her wear her chosen outfit. The only thing I let her wear was the sneakers. She didn't seem too disappointed though, and changed into the designated "first day of school" outfit.

So I took her to school, the last year before she starts "real" school. It's hard to believe she is in the Froggie class. I remember how old those kids looked 3 years ago, and now E is there. And to think ahead 3 years and of her starting 2nd grade, my mind can't even go there!

Labor Day Weekend '05

The Ocean and River

Evening walks by the river

Our boy-always climbing

Little Walker

We spent the weekend at Ed's parents' place on Tom's River. It was Sunday night and the kids were all ready for bed. I was with N on the floor, and decided that maybe we could practice walking. I placed him a couple of feet in front of me, and let go. Usually at this point he collapses to his knees and crawls toward me. For some reason, he decided to move his feet this time. One step, two, three, and he was in my arms!! I couldn't believe it, so I had him do it again, and again, soon he was walking to Grandma, E, the chair across the room. I still don't know what took him so long to decide that he would walk, but I have a feeling this is a theme we will be seeing a lot of in his life-- N will do things in his own time, in his own way, and that is all there is to it.

Doldrums

Doldrums

I have been feeling slightly isolated this summer. It's a combination of various vacations- ours, friends, weekends away, and no regular schedule. It seems in the absence of external structure in my life I fail to make my own. And now I am at home all day with four little kids and the official fall schedule still hasn't begun. It's only been 3 1/2 days, and I find myself a bit depressed and lonely. I can't even get the motivation to call friends and schedule something. The thought of leaving the house with the 4 kids exhausts me, as well as cleaning it to have someone over.

I feel like I am drifting, drifting, out at sea...

Two Week Cycle

Once again we are caught up in the the two week cycle. Anyone who has had difficulty in conceiving knows all too well what this is. There are approximately 2 weeks from when a woman is fertile in which you hold your breath and wait... am I pregnant? Did it work this time?...until you realize that no, not yet. Then another 2 weeks passes from that date when you are fertile once more. And so it goes, the weeks stretch into months, the months pass- 3 months, 6 months, 9 months ("I should be having a baby right now"), one year, etc. For E it took us 1 1/2 years before we conceived. The waiting was agonizing, brutal. We had tests done, and took drugs, nothing was discovered-both good news and bad, nothing broken, nothing to fix, just the unknown "why?". Finally, joyfully, we had our baby, a beautiful girl. Then two years later, it started again. This time the wait wasn't as long (1 year), or as agonizing (we were busy keeping up with our toddler, and had the assurance of one healthy pregnancy). And so, in time, we were blessed with our N. Now it starts again. I almost feel guilty trying to have another child, we have been so blessed with our two-- is it selfish to want another? To ask God to bless our family once more. I know I don't deserve it. Yet here we are, at the start of our third journey into parenting. Our hands outstretched, asking God for another miracle.