Late Night Blatherings

It's (after) midnight at the oasis and the Queen of this castle cannot sleep. The second pot of coffee designed to "uplift" me before Kids Club is apparently the gift that just keeps on giving. And so it is, that, although my body is tired, my brain is waddling around in great loopy circles.

It's not as though I don't need a little quiet time to organize my thoughts. It's been a busy fall, and while others labor over intelligent projects, I spend so much time driving little people back and forth to school that I am thinking of painting my car yellow and installing a meter.

The Junior Church program is slowly coming together and I am considerably less stressed about it than in previous years. (Yes, those were the years when I may/may not have declared that I would rather be dipped in honey and staked to an anthill than EVER do another Christmas program...) My slightly less nutty schedule (aka unemployment) is providing a much-needed opportunity to spend more time on Child Evangelism material. In fact, by Christmas, I hope to be finally finished writing out the first of Gene's many children's stories. (I've been hung up on the proper ending of "Camp Kimmi" for months!)

While Gene is in charge of the new encyclopedias (and hopefully, the fundraiser), my job on the FCA library project will involve finding new books for the kids. I pause here to insert my happy dance. Did I mention that I love books?! I've been lost in Barnes and Noble more than once --and it wasn't always because I have no sense of direction. Between the classics and some great new authors, there are some wonderful WORDS out there begging for little eyes and ears.

In keeping with those bookish tastes, the boys and I read every day. I was worried that Mr. Creative and L'il Blue Eyes would feed their brains on Walmart-style readers based on TV episodes of Scooby Doo, but we find wonderful treasures at the library. Kent still has the attention span of a barn fly and mostly prefers books with rhyming and singing, but Connor is really beginning to fall in love with WORDS. That makes a Momma's heart happy...

The King of this castle has been stricken with sickness. Fever, sore throat, swollen glands and the whole sickly nine yards. Yes, the nurse who religiously takes any/all flu shots, antibiotics and prescriptions. I just take my vitamins and generally suffer the least sickness of my household, so I was a little amused by this turn of events. My vitamin-infused self respectfully chooses not to snicker (because I know I could still catch it!), but I confess I must at least raise an eyebrow. There, I got it out of my system...

And as Thanksgiving marches closer, I paused this week to consider the events of this fall. I do not remember a time when Satan has fought so hard to defeat our family, friends and ministry. And yet, I do not ever recall a time when the hand of God has been so visible in our lives. He's working in ways I never imagined and cannot explain here. He is blessing the Davis family and for that we are immensely grateful.

Having said all that, I think the evening coffee has departed from my system at last. Unless I wish to be a weary hag in the morning, I should probably reacquaint myself with my pillow...

Parties and Plungers and Piles, oh MY!

What a year! It's been a busy autumn and clearly, my boys are growing up and Gene and I, well, we're growing old! A recent special evening found my baby boy and I attending Mommy Night at his preschool. We made crafts together and they sang a song about putting peanut butter on their socks. (Let us pray they do not try that at home...)

And then there's Mr. Creative--the child who ALWAYS thinks outside the box. Faaaaaar outside the box. Today's contribution to Crazy Hat/Crazy Sock day is featured here. I know what some of you are thinking, but this time, I had NOTHING to do with it. This was a special, completely looney project suggested by Ashley Fulton and carried out by father and son. Yeah...

And then there have been the usual fall tasks. I am much blessed to discover I have two capable yard workers. Unfortunately, the older one is not so ambitious at times. He prefers to be buried in the leaves...
The little one is a very energetic raker--IF you can stay away from the business end of the rake when he suddenly decides to swing around! He's going to be my gardening buddy, I think...

But since we have a lot of leaves, it is sometimes necessary to hire hardworking/desperate teenage girls who are earning money for clothes and boyfriends. Apparently though, even the good workers also like to play in the leaves!

A Love Letter

I got a love letter this morning, and it wasn't from my husband! It was from a small Spanish boy in the next checkout lane at Walmart, who recognized me from Junior Church. He found a scrap of paper in his mother's purse and scribbled on it furiously. Before they left, he ran over, hugged me and presented the paper. "It says 'I love you'," he announced, and he ran away.

I came home and cried--but they were happy tears. In a fall of disappointments, a love letter was an unexpected joy today. I know it sounds silly, but it's true. Even the most optimistic blond ding-a-ling has moments where she feels like a failure and a clod. But I got a love letter today and it wasn't from my husband...

In the mailbox recently, there were comical French garden decorations and coconut M&M's. In the phone calls and emails, there were private words of encouragement and affirmation, promise of prayers and funny stories I cannot repeat.

I don't think my husband will complain; we have gotten a few shared love letters recently too. In Junior Church, one was a colorful picture from Christina, and another came in cookie form from Nicholas. There were others too--thoughtful cards and candies, and the beautiful picture on my kitchen wall--all gifts from the sweet people at the Lebanon church, where Gene has been preaching on Sunday nights.

When I start counting up the blessings like that, I realize that God has sent love letters in many wonderful ways this fall. He has used thoughtful people to wrap loving arms around a rather defeated blonde and He sent His love letters in human form.

Yes, I got a love letter today and it wasn't from my husband...

Look for me in a pile of leaves...

Happy fall, remaining readers. The Davis household has been busy, resulting in a much neglected public blog. Our activities have included much work, but also a little fun--including the decoration of oddball pumpkins and a throwing match between myself and a belligerent squirrel armed with ripe persimmons. (Note to self: in the future, do not stand in the yard, talking to a mischievous squirrel and taking aim at him with a garden hose, if neighbors are watching and they cannot see the squirrel--only the blonde who appears to be talking to a tree...)

Baby Nae is no longer staying with us. We miss her immensely, but are so happy that her Momma is able to be at home with her now. A couple of small boys have both mentioned that they would like to trade their brother for her.

Although I was disappointed to lose my baby girl, and also my part-time income, it leaves me with more time to devote to Children's Ministry activities and my 3 favorite guys. I have never been without at least a part-time job since I was 9 or 10 years old and I think God is using this time to help me refocus my priorities and stretch my faith. God is big enough to provide everything we need and He doesn't need my help.

Thursday blessings, friends and family. If anyone needs me, I'll probably be raking...

Woefully Behind...

I have pictures, a funny story about a crazed persimmon throwing squirrel, a plea for help with some ongoing FCA fundraisers, and some heartwarming tales of insatiable reading and pumpkin decorating with the boys. Unfortunately, what I lack is even the tiniest shred of motivation to post them.

However, the baby I've been watching is going to get to stay home with her Momma by the end of the month and my annual time of winter hibernation (aka "I don't wanna be cold") cometh, so if you care, well, stay tuned...

Wacky Words on Wednesday

The favorite husband is swamped with work and with grad school lately. We see him so rarely right now that I have debated the purchase of "Hello, my name is....." stickers for the boys and myself. Yes, he's up to his ears in important projects and GMAT testing and a host of other things...

Meanwhile, back at the house on the hill, I serve as taxi, maid, chef and chief trash taker-outer. It's been a rough month, but in the midst of the madness, several discussions today have blessed my quirky heart. Yes, I know--it really doesn't take much...

The first chat was with a certain third grader, who came home from school announcing that his hair must be washed immediately to remove the tree sap. Yes, tree sap. Never mind that there are no trees on the school playground; he is quite certain it was tree sap. (Oh Lord, PLEASE let it be tree sap...) And how did tree sap get into his hair when the playground lacks a tree upon which to rub one's head? Well, apparently, he was laying on the ground and pretending to be dead. Yeah...

After the removal of "tree sap", a certain preschooler joined me in the kitchen. The firemen visited his school today and taught him ALL about fire safety. I don't know if you were aware of this, but if your house catches on fire, you need to crawl across the floor as fast as you can, and then, when you get outside on the porch, you can get marshmallows and watch the fire. And if I ever "fall down dead on the floor", he is prepared to dial "9-Run-Run" and summon help. (I pause here to ponder that he may not be my greatest ally in an emergency...)

And as dinner baked and I was tidying up the kitchen, a phone call provided the final moment of blessing. It was the stylist from JC Penney, who cut Gene's hair earlier in September. She's new and she just called to ask "how that haircut was going for him". I wish, wish, WISH I could say that I did not laugh while trying to answer, but...

And now it's off to Kids Club, where it is likely that some of the church children will have offerings of verbosity to add to the day. And one of these days, when we're retired from Child Evangelism and live so far away that none of you can reach us, I'm going to write a book of all the things your children have said throughout the years. Some of you may want to consider changing your names and going into hiding...

Blessings on Wednesday, blogger friends...

Count It All Joy

Count it all joy when another birthday rolls around--you could have been pushing up daisies by now.

Count it all joy when you style your birthday hair and find a large and feisty gray piece right in the front--they say it's Nice 'n Easy to fix.

Count it all joy when your husband convinces your Sunday school class that you are, in fact, 41--his birthday's coming...

Count it all joy when you get to make your own birthday dinner--at least the hair you find will be your own.

Count it all joy when your small child throws up in the church bathroom while your husband is on the platform getting ready to preach--at least you made it back there in time.

Count it all joy when the calendar's full, the chore list is long, the body is tired and unexpected bills have crunched your resources--your family is happy and healthy and God has it all under control!