Of Professional Images, Birthday Cakes and Mosquitoes: Among Other Things

Due to our renovations and the rather busy-ness of our lives, we have not been able to install our washer and dryer in our utility room. So that means we have to run over to my inlaws and wash laundry there. Don't get me wrong, I really appreciate their generosity... but I can't wait to be able to wash our laundry here, at our house. Because we are us, we usually wait until we have worn most of our clothing before we decide to do anything about it and this time was no exception. Yesterday morning I had a towering mountain of dirty clothes and towels and such. It took me awhile to maneuver it into my inlaws' house. Of course, when it was all in, down the stairs and sorted appropriately, you can only wash one load at a time. I had some hours to kill.

Taro, one of my students, turned 17 yesterday. He and his brother and sisters are involved in this year's Dickens' play. Since the play date is coming up straight away, we are having regular rehearsals.... one of them that very night. So, I consulted my mother in law and we decided a cake was in order for the evening. I had run out of eggs so I simply brought everything else over to their house and proceeded to make a French Vanilla cake. (Yes, from a cake mix. No, I'm not ashamed. It's good cake. ;-) :-)) Btw, does anyone know how to make a French Vanilla Cake from scratch? Usually white cake is so bland but this particular cake is really amazing.

When I finally got back home, it was 3:30 and my first students were due to arrive very soon. I rushed around the house cleaning up and was just at the tail-end of it when they appeared on my doorstep. I was still in my comfy paint be-spattered bunny hug and they were a few minutes early so after I greeted them, I went and changed quickly. The shirt I chose is one of my favorites: last year's Kenosee Lake Kitchen Party ladies t-shirt with a really clever logo on the front of it. It's green. My favorite color. :-)

Two students and their mother later, I was greeting two more students and running for the washroom for a little moment. That's when I happened to glance in the mirror. Something was wrong. It took me a moment to figure it out.... then, light bulb. I had my shirt on backwards; the clever logo was etched across my back, mocking me. As my oh-so-professional image went down the drain, I couldn't help bursting out laughing. It is always great to get a slap like that and it be that funny. So, I turned my shirt around and ta-da, clever logo was clever once again. But it still amuses me whenever I see it. I wonder what my students thought... and I especially wonder what my student's mother thought. Haha!!

Last night's rehearsal went quite well indeed. It was supposed to be a semi-dress rehearsal but Doug (director) said it was ok if we interrupted it a bit. I didn't know how we were going to present the cake to the birthday boy but when I started gathering in-tell, Michele had a great idea, as usual. She thought we should spring it on him when we were in a scene together. It appealed to my love of awesome surprises so I went around and whispered the plan to everyone else.

My line goes like this: "Please Mr. Scrooge [insert southern accent], it's Christmas Eve, do you really expect us to go back to those people now and tell them that you are condemning those buildings, that those families are going to have to move, that the neighborhood recreational centre is shutting down and the church is going out of business? I mean... [grabbing Scrooge's wrist and pointing towards Taro] it's his birthday for crying out loud!" Then as everyone came out with the cake we all started singing happy birthday. The look on his face was really surprised. :-) Such fun!

There are certain things I appreciate about winter. One is that it's easier to sit and relax on cold snowy days than to sit and relax on hot sunny days. Because when it's hot and sunny, you feel guilty for wasting it by relaxing. (Of course, I don't think sitting and relaxing is wasting time but sometimes my better, more responsible side gets to me.) Another thing is that snow is so beautiful. There are simply no words for it. :-) And the best thing is that there are no mosquitoes. At least there shouldn't be. So it's not fair that every night before we go to bed, I have to kill at least three mosquitoes. We have no idea where they are coming from. It's cold outside. They should be all dead. Jesse wonders if they were already in the house somehow. Or... my latest theory is that they are coming up from the drains. Regardless, I really wish they would all go back and hibernate... or die. Or something. ::hates mosquitoes::

Well, I have some housework to do and some Christmas decorating to begin. I hope your winter is progressing as well as mine is. I pray for love to reach each heart. Just a little love. I think it would make all the difference in the world. The more I work "in the world" the more I realize that non-acceptance is the most natural, human reaction. People do not love one another. They judge each other. And wow. Did I ever get on that apple box quickly. ;-) I suppose God has been showing me a lot about this lately. Whenever I find someone particularly annoying, my conscience pops up...

Thanks so much for reading. It makes my heart brim with joy. Come to Carlyle and enjoy the Dickens Festival!

I have a lot of mosquito bites. I mean, a lot. Blah. I think I'm going to buy something for the itching when I'm in town today...

Will try to post something later on. :-)

Babies and Sweetness

“...tiny fingers curled around mine

Perfectly formed

Newborn...”

-- Eagle Song (Russ and Tori Taff)

Babies are amazing. Even when they sneeze, slobber and throw up on you. :-) Even when, in an instant, they change from smiles to tears and ear piercing wails. Even when they shiver and you know they have wet the diaper you just changed. Even when they look up into your face with such trust and adoration. Even when they coo and burble and stick their tongues out at you.

There are about three and a half years between my two youngest sisters. By the time Sara entered the family, Ruth had passed from babyhood on to little girlhood. To be quite honest, I had forgotten a lot about what it's like to have a baby around 24/7. :-) But Sara is awakening instincts and memories in me that I had forgotten existed.

You thought I was just kidding about those mosquitoes, didn't you? Well, I was only kidding a little. :-) Martha, Ellie and myself have abandoned our room at nights because the mosquitoes were finding a way in and terrorizing us while we tried to sleep. I actually got bit on the end of the nose. :-P One night, after killing fifteen mosquitoes and seeing three or four others buzzing around the room, Ellie gave up and migrated to the living room. Three minutes later, Martha and I fled to join her. We've been sleeping in the living room ever since. Most nights, it's comfortable in here. But on Saturday night, there were several of the little beasts buzzing around our haven of rest. I woke up at 2 am with one busy on my forehead. I didn't get much sleep after that because I killed four and no sooner was I dosing off, more would come about me. For crying out loud! There are three other victims in this room! Why me? If that's a compliment, it is one I can do without. :-P

Anyway, last night, I kept thinking I was hearing that high pitched buzzing and couldn't relax. It was about 11:20 or so and I'd been laying there, sleepless, for about an hour and a half. Listening to everyone snore isn't my idea of a fun time. But that's what I was doing. Then Sara started stirring and making enough noise to let whoever was awake know that she was and would someone please come get her? :-) So I did. Mom hadn't gotten much sleep the night before because Sara kept waking up stuffy from the cold she has. Besides that, I was awake and Mom needs lots more rest than I do.

Funny how wide awake a person can be in bed but when you're trying to put the baby to sleep, your eyelids want to droop and it just about takes tooth-picks to prop them open. Needless to say, Miss Sara was wide awake and very happy. She loves how the night-light makes the house feel spooky and kept watching the shadows march across the walls. The wind and rain combined with snoring made the appropriate sound effects. As I paced back and forth from the kitchen to the dining room, she kept twisting her head around, looking at those shadows (they were on the ceiling, too!) that were threatening to jump out at us, then grinning up at me as if to say, “Isn't this great? This time of night is so perky!” I kept whispering to her about going to sleep and sweet dreams but she would just grin at me again and grab the tie on my sweatshirt hood.

After a few minutes, I gave up any thoughts of sleep and began enjoying myself. After all, who gets this kind of opportunity to put their little sister to sleep in the middle of the night? Not many! And it's a special time. Time for snuggling, watching shadows, listening to the rain, telling baby how sweet she is, for praying... that God would guide this child through life. Keep her safe but mature her; keep her pure but teach her; maintain her joy but give her wisdom.

She's so sweet. I love the baby smell: sweet with a little sour, clean with a little dirty, small with a little big. I can't explain it, exactly. And I love how she looks up at me with that trust in her eyes and that wry humor that only Sara and Naomi understand. I love how she yawns and droops onto my shoulder for a moment. (Don't you love it when when babies yawn so big that it takes up three quarters of their face? I do. It's so cute.) I love how she is determined to not fall asleep. I love how she grabs my braid and snuggles her face into it. I love how she uses my sweater for a tissue before I realize that her nose is running. (She is so good about letting me wipe her nose. I remember trying to wipe Uriah's nose when he was a baby and it was a major operation: one person for his arms, one for his legs and three for his head.)

As these thoughts run through my mind, I realize that the small bundle of joy I am holding isn't wiggling as much. And she's yawning once every five seconds. Suddenly, she simply leans forward, rests her face on my chest and relaxes. Holding my breath, I manage to peek at her face.

Eyes closed... 11:36 pm... I love being a big sister. :-)

::yawn::

I'm not sure even a mosquito could wake me up now. :-) :-)

Mosquitoes

Last night after lights were out, I caught sight of something out of the corner of my eye, right by my face. I vigorously attacked it only to discover that it wasn't a mosquito after all but one of the ties on the quilt. :-P

It should be illegal for mosquitoes to enter human abodes.

That is all. Nothing too inspirational. Just wanted to share my woes and humble opinion. :-)