Spring?

This past week and this week are so weird!  It's February.  As you can see from the photos, it is freezing cold and we are piled under several feet of snow.  Very typical for this time of year. 

Very typical.  Not sixty degree weather where The Natives are playing outside in shorts and t-shirts and we are going for walks that feel like spring time!  Okay, well, the shorts thing.  Several of The Natives wear shorts all year long which makes me wonder if maybe in my sleep I did drop them on their heads but even I am going around without a coat soaking up the sun. 

This past week has been ugly at our house so having lots of sunshine to even out the ugly is nice.  The week wrapped itself up nicely with Mr. B, our oldest Native getting into a car accident.  Thankfully, he is okay.  The car, not so much.  We thought that was enough drama considering the week we'd had and then yesterday, I went to wake up two Natives only to be hit in the face when I opened their bedroom door with a smell that sent me running and heaving!  What in the world was in their room?!!!  CLEAN IT!  FIND IT!!  After much cleaning we found the source......  last week when our washing machine leaked (yes, yet another drama) we didn't realize that it had leaked through the wall and into the Natives room and the carpet mildewed......  ewwww.  Today, out comes the carpet and much scrubbing of concrete with bleach.

In between it all, I am finding time to get a little knitting in and some time outside with the two younger boys.  Mr. J and Levi are enjoying the warmer temperatures as well.  Rock collections are growing, bikes are being dusted off and tires pumped back up, the river is being explored, bird feeders attended to, bees are house keeping and out and about looking for who knows what since there aren't any blossoms, little green heads are poking up out of the dirt........... 

I love spring.  Only, it isn't spring.  We are all wondering what this means..  long spring, hot summer?  Or nice reprieve and then we dash into a cold long spring?  Best not put my wood stove and hot cocoa away until I get the, "Spring is officially here" memo.

The Many Faces of Video Gaming

All shot in less than a minutes amount of time.  Who says playing video games isn't physical when you've got a face and mouth working so hard like this?!

After...... The Recital

After the recital, The SM always takes The Natives out for ice cream and donuts.  I could take the time to write something under each of the photos but quite frankly, they speak for themselves.  What is there to say about eating ice cream?  Nothing because our mouths are full and my Mum always said it was rude to talk with your mouth full.

The End!

Levi Wisdom

 

We have all been missing Julie lately.  I don't know that we've ever stopped missing Julie, but for some reason, probably because it has been a year ago on the 7th of this month that we lost Julie we have all been feeling it sharply.

Last night at the dinner table Levi said something that I have been thinking a lot about because it struck me and was an incredible way to describe the pain.  He said,  "I miss Julie.  When Julie died, it was a loud hurt.  I couldn't stop crying".

A loud hurt........ 

Recital Time

It's that time of year again.  Recital time.  That time of year when my piano feels like it is being played 24/7 in preparation for the big day!

Mike Carson is The Natives piano teacher.  I know I've sung his praises many a time but really and truly, he is the best piano teacher ever!  He never complains when he has to use my vile bathrooms or move gobs of junk around just to get to the piano.  He puts up with a lot, and I mean, a lot!!

Not to mention, he is also extremely gifted and talented and we are quite blessed that he shares his time with us.  Here is a piece he played at the recital last night.  This is a piece he composed himself.  He was asked to play a song at his son's wedding in New York back in November as part of the ceremony.  This song will be published for choir and piano this spring by Kjos Music Co. in San Diego, California, set to words he found in an old Protestant hymnal.  How cool is that?!  Here's the song:



I've posted the videos youngest to oldest.  Sorry about the video quality.  The lighting is terrible for video and everyone appears washed out.  At least that is my story and I'm sticking to it!  Also, you will notice with Mr. J, Henny Penny, and Levi that their videos are practice videos.  That would be because during the recital, their videos were blurry.  Don't ask me why.  The handler should be blamed but since that is me, It's the cameras fault!  So, after the recital I made the three go back up on stage and play their pieces again so they wouldn't be blurry.  Instead, you get to hear people talking in the background!!  I can't win!! 

Here is Mr. J.  This is his first recital!  Watch his feet when he hits the high notes.  He can't keep them still and it tickles me to death watching his feet.



Next we have Levi!  And yes, the best part..... his bow.  He's got the bow done perfectly!  Sadly, I'd stopped videoing too soon as he kept bowing and bowing.  Quite funny.



Miss Henny Penny!



Mr. M who had me breathless after playing his pieces.  I think if he played any faster the piano keys would have flew off the piano or a fire would have been started!



Mr. C who has only one more year left of lessons.  Sad for us.  Only one more recital.  Boo.  I don't appreciate The Natives growing up. 



And there you have it folks!!  The photos from after when we took The Natives for ice cream and donuts will follow another day as they are a post unto themselves. 

Battles

Why my child wears what he wears, looks like does, hair looks a mess, teeth aren't brushed, and other things that make me look like a bad parent.

I can remember years ago, before Levi, I would look at kids with special needs who looked like they weren't being taken care of very well and oh would I judge the parents!  What! You can't take the time to brush their hair, or dress them in cute clothes or.......  insert any number of judgmental things I would think.  Laws!   I look back and think, Rachel, you were a snot!  Who did you think you were?!

Giving myself and those who still think like I did a little credit.  I wasn't trying to be mean.  I just didn't know. 

I didn't know about the battles.  All of the battles fought in one morning that most parents wouldn't have with their kids in an entire month!  I didn't know that mornings were spent picking and choosing which battles will be fought.  I didn't know that sometimes, brushing teeth is a battle not worth fighting.  Or maybe it is hair.  I didn't know that after fighting the teeth battle by the time we get to hair, it just isn't worth it! I didn't know that brushing teeth and doing hair for these kids is painful.

I always thought I would be the parent who would dress my kid in super cute clothes because people stare as it is, no need staring at how he's dressed as well!  Then the realization.  It's not about me!  Gasp!  What?!  Shocking, I know.  It's about what is comfortable.  Levi is uncomfortable enough as it is.  "Cute" clothes can be uncomfortable.  Tags have to be ripped off.  Clothing that isn't soft is painful.  It's also about ease.  Having the self satisfaction of, "Look mommy!  I got myself dressed!"  Elastic waist pants so said child can dress himself.  No buttons.  Etc.  I didn't know about these things.

I didn't know that it would mean when Levi goes to church he would wear suspenders on his pants because he likes them!  Yes, he looks goofy and it makes his pants go clear up to his arm pits but Levi likes the suspenders!  He doesn't care what other people think of his 'style' of dress!  So I stopped caring.  Caring what other's think and started caring about how much joy it brings me and tickles me to death to see Levi happy and comfortable. 

Battles.  We all have them.  Which do we choose to fight, and which do we choose to let go........ 

I Wish...........

At church Levi has been having a hard time.  He's been having a hard time for several months now.  When he hears or thinks about our Savior Jesus Christ, he starts to cry and is over come with emotion.  He can't handle the thought that people hurt Him and killed him.  We try to explain to Levi that Jesus is alive!  That Jesus is okay!

It still makes him sad........  I wish, that I were more like Levi.  I wish that I loved the Savior as much as Levi does.  It's not to say that I don't love the Savior, it's just, I think Levi has a more personal relationship with Jesus. 

I think, that sometimes our Savior is talked about so much that I don't 'feel'.... I forget that what happened really truly did happen!  A long time ago...... but it happened!  I'm grateful for my Savior and what He did...  without His sacrifice, there would be no point to our living here on earth!  We wouldn't be able to return back home to live with our Father in Heaven......  sometimes though......  even though I know and feel this deeply........  it's almost like a list of facts that rattle off my tongue. Oh yeah.  I know it.  It's true.  Now, where did I leave my car keys!? 

I wish....... that I were more like Levi and not so spiritually handicapped....