Missing Rings, Pretty Pots, and Sleeping with Momma

Jim has been gone this week. Sometimes when he is away, I blog more; sometimes less. This is a 'blog less' season. I think when I am finished mid-Dec. with my current writing project, I will get more into blogging again...

For now, here are some highlights of our week:

-Today, Ellie took my friend Agnes' wedding rings out of her jewelry box to play with them, and hid them in a duck-mobile. After shaking her within an inch of her life (Ok, not quite that hard, but it was a stiff interrogation), she confessed. But she didn't remember where they were. She described the rings with perfect accuracy so I knew she'd seen them, but thankfully, Agnes found them inside the duck. Whew!

-Today, my friend Agnes (owner of rings from same duck incident) watched the girls so I could do a bit of grocery shopping and stop in Starbucks for awhile! :) And this week, Starbucks started serving the Christmas-time Toffee Nut Latte. My favorite! In the US, you can ask for it anytime of year. But here, on Dec. 26th, you're out of luck.

-In the Starbucks, I met a college student. She works there every weekend so I can maybe see her once a week. This may not seem very exciting, but its been so long since I've met one! You would think that with our work, I would run into them all the time. But when you move up the ladder, sometimes you lose the feel of involvement on the ground. (Or maybe it also has something to do with stage of life.) Anyhow, we have lots of other guests in our home, but I felt--a real college student! Oh, how fun it would be to get to know her, and tell her about Jesus!

-Yesterday, we went with some friends to "Happy Land Pottery". It was AWESOME, if you are 5 and 3. You can make pottery, have it fired, paint it... You can make sand pictures, make soap, necklaces, and the list goes on... for about $6/hour. I took the camera, Nana & GG, but when I got there, it didn't work. But you can imagine, Ellie with an adult sized apron, sitting in front of a pottery wheel. Very cute. The only issue is that now we have several "creations" that you look at and wonder, "How long do we have to keep this?" Is that mean? I felt it even more strongly when our friends' daughter gave Kathryn all of the pots that SHE made. Now you might love your own kid's pot. But that's taking it a little to far in my drive against clutter.

-Our babysitter and her family went away for the weekend, so we've volunteered to feed rabbits, hamsters, and a bird. The girls have loved that. Fiesty little critters, those rabbits. Kathryn wanted to know why the boy rabbit has to stay in his cage. After I explained it, she thought that perhaps maybe we could let the boy and girl rabbit hang out for just a little bit, and make just a few more rabbits.

-This week, I promised the girls they could sleep with me on Friday and Saturday. (Why did I offer 2 nights?) Well, not really with me, but on the floor next to me. Even down on the floor they keep me awake! Even with earplugs! It's just something about the mommy radar... you just know they are there. Kathryn has had a beef with me for some time because she knows that when Abigayle and Alathia's daddy is out of town, they sleep in their mommy's bed every night. There is just something wrong with that! So last night at bedtime, I forgot that it was Friday. (No, I really DID forget :)) And just as I was walking out the door with the last goodbye, Kathryn belts out, "MOMMA-- It's FRIDAY! WE HAVE TO SLEEP WITH YOU!" What could I do? Can't go back on a promise. Just one more night to go!

-We have talked with Jim, GG. Has he called you? He seems to be doing well-- no fainting spells!

OK, that's all my random thoughts for now...