Disney Moments

Chaos Theory

My household isn't quite mathematical in this sense, but I believe that having Jack & other family members proves the chaos theory. Ok, in this way, I will define this: that everything in order moves toward disorder. Maybe this isn't what the scientists explored when they first came across this idea, but it occurs. And in my house.

We are waiting outside Baskin Robbins for our dear friends. Emma & Jack are clean from playing in the pool, in fresh clothes, diapers, underwear. The moment is serene. They are playing so well, chasing each other and making us laugh at the sweet noises that emerge from their mouths. The tranquility then moves toward chaos: Jack starts to spin out of control. He chases Emma, but passes her running farther and farther away from us. He is laughing like an insane person (this is a newly developed laugh that has emerged in the last few weeks). Roy runs to get him. Jack returns, but this time to turn around and run farther, leaving one of his shoes. Roy once again retrieves the rogue child. Jack disappears again, but this time, when he reappears his face is covered in what appears to be dirt. A look closer, Jack has come upon an abandoned chocolate ice cream cone, melting on the pavement. He has sampled it. Chaos...

No matter how I attempt to keep the order of our home, no matter how many times I pick up the toys and stow them in their proper place, I am finding over time, it really is pointless. My home is freshly mopped one moment, and covered in grime the next, from the last meal Jack has thrown at his unwilling target when he decides he is done eating.

After dinner, Roy ventured outside in the backyard with the blessings and the dog. He bathed Cooper, while the kids played in the pool. I came out to check things out, when Cooper decided he was done. Into the house he ran. Into my clean home, slipping & sliding, dripping & shaking in every part of my newly cleaned kitchen, family room & hallway. Chaos...

This chaos drives me crazy, but crazy as it sounds, it keeps me sane. According to common sense, I should be mentally unbalanced. Having three children under the age of four (two that are mistaken for twins) & a young pup is insane. But the chaos that is created in these days keeps me smiling, laughing; the chaos keeps me sane. If I could freeze these moments, capture them in my camera, to relive I would: I would relive the way Jack fell head first into the pool, attempting a sweet trick. Or how he holds his entire hand up in the air, attempting to hold up just his pointed & pinky fingers, while he shouts, Rock On! If I could only relive again & again how Emma said, Tully's da bomb; You go girl!, as she watched the small cat fight back while Cooper chased her. Or how she screams at the top of her lungs, begging me just to keep tickling her, while chasing her. Or how Jack verbalizes his independence, screaming a deep No! one minute, and then planting soft sweet kisses onto my mouth the next. If I could bottle up the smell of Will's being, that is so concentrated as he sleeps, but keeps me awake in the middle of the night while he nurses. Or how Will smiles his goofy grin and kicks his legs in excitement when he catches my eye... I will take the chaos.

Quirks

I've been tagged....!
Here are the rules: Mention the rules on your blog.
Tell about six unspectacular quirks of yours.
Tag six bloggers by linking them. So here goes in no particular order....

1.) I love ingrown hairs & big blackheads. I will only give my specials services to relieving someone of these if the are in my immediate family.
2.) I get really really angry, almost irate, with Roy when he is tired & cannot comprehend what I ask of him.
3.) I usually leave the toothbrush off the charger, right in front of it.
4.) I hate the wire hangers that Roy gets from the dry cleaners. If he does not dispose of them properly, I will find ways to seek revenge: hangers in his bed sheets, hangers in his brief case, etc.
5.) Good music makes me feel good, almost nostalgic.
6.) No matter what time it is when the kids go to bed, I have to veg out before I go to bed. I need my own time.

Now for Roy, & this isn't really part of the game. But how can I just post quirks about myself when I am blogging on our family's website...

1.) I leave wire hangers in random places of the house.
2.) I have to polish my dress shoes (& casual shoes) everyday.
3.) I have a big sweet tooth, especially for good sour candy.
4.) My dress socks have to be hand washed.
5.) At work, I only use micro fine unibal pens, in blue ink.
6.) I only BBQ with charcoal.

I now tag... Amy, Missie, & Michelle

Excitement

We are driving to Disneyland Sunday night. Roy & I can barely contain our excitement. The kids are trying to guess our destination, still with no clue what lies ahead. We reach Disneyland Drive. Emma spells out the street name & tries to sound it out. We pull into the park. Emma finally realizes where we are. I become so emotional, excited at her excitement, I could cry. This emotion makes me feel so silly, almost embarrassed but I realize how much I am in love with my kids. Emma is short for words. She keeps saying Dang-it! over and over again. She also comments that we didn't have to drive very long to get to Disneyland. I love how a child thinks. Once again, has she forgotten our 10 hours of being in the car the day before?

The kids beg for lollipops immediately when we enter the park. Jack nurses his the entire evening. His face, his hands, parts of his hair glisten in the light from the candied sugar. We have to ride Dumbo first, of course. Jack insists they are airplanes and not elephants. Will giggles in glee his entire first ride.

The greatest thing about this time together is thoroughly enjoying each other's company. I love our kids excitement. I love talking Emma into a new thrilling ride & watching her anxiousness & excitement during it. It's so fun watching Jack stare in awe at Mickey Mouse or watch Will memorized by the lights...

Just keep swimming...

We are driving down the 5, Finding Nemo, playing repeatedly in the backseat for Emma & Jack. The music from the movie is fluid and it stirs nostalgia. It's perfect. Emma repeats all the words to Nemo. Will keeps squealing with joy. He loves getting Jack to laugh. Jack starts to kick at the DVD player. The chapter on the movie skips back. Emma repeats the same line again. Jack kicks again. She starts to whine, pleading with him to stop. (Good feeling gone!)

We've been up since 5, packing up before the kids see the loaded truck. I awake Emma at 6. She immediately crawls out of bed asking for her toy iguana & informing me how she handles her morning eye boogers. Jack is slower to rise. He rubs his eyes, stretches continually and curls himself into my lap without mumbling a word. They have no idea (well, how could Will or Jack?) that we are on the way to Disneyland! (I must say I may be more excited! Celebrating my birthday this week, I warned Roy that he better not be pulling a quick one on me & going somewhere else, other than Disneyland!)

After eating lunch with the So Cal Smoaks (after we had traveled most of the 5 & through the arduous Grapevine), Emma asks where we are off too. She begs to see her special Joanney. I ask her if it's ok to visit her Uncle Papa & Aunt Grammy, who live in Orange County. But it's so far away! she whines. (Where does she think we have been driving to the past many hours? And why???) After we convince her we are close, she agrees & is very excited! Still, she remains clueless. But she is excited, nonetheless! She has informed the truck passengers that she has just tooted out her butt-crack.

So now the blessings are quiet, in foreign, but comfy beds, made with love. Emma anticipates seeing Auntie Grammy & Uncle Papa tomorrow. Roy & I look forward to be able to continue to surprise them...

Pride- A good kind

What I wish for my kids is that each of them would grow up to love & serve our Lord. If I succeed at anything as a parent, it's that Emma, Jack & Will have been moved in this direction and that their love for our Father would be their own.
Sitting down at breakfast recently, Roy & I began to eat. Quickly Jack started saying, "Amy, Noah, Amy, Daddy, Sissy, Amy..." We realized in that instant was Jack was praying before he began to eat, thanking God for his special people.
This weekend, we had the pleasure of returning to my childhood church. It was surreal to have Emma meet and shake hands with the same woman who taught me in Sunday School when I was Emma's age. She didn't seem to understand how fantastic the moment was, but it didn't pass me by. When Emma's aunt retrieved her from the small group class at the church that morning, the teacher was impressed at Emma's knowledge of the Bible & it's stories. Once again- Don't blink... My chest fills and puffs out. I am completely and totally proud of these moments!
As each of the blessings grow, may it be that there is never a time that they look back upon and don't know how much, how indescribably great is His love for us, for each of them. The greatest compliment I could ever receive as a parent is that my children know & share their Heavenly Father's love, and that wherever life may lead them, they serve Him wholeheartedly.

Bandaid

Emma's face is red. Tears have stained her face and her fit continues. She is upset because she has to wear shorts. She wants desperately to wear a dress & be the prettiest. I do my best to explain she is gorgeous just as the other little girl is gorgeous too. God made each of them beautiful...
I have picked out her outfit today. Emma has been given new clothes once again yet she insists on wearing the same thing over and over. I know, I know, this really shouldn't be a battle, but right now Roy & I have been trying to teach her to be gracious for what she has been given. We are trying to teach her to not take for granted all the clothes she has & not waste what has been given to her. These lessons sure make her mad.
Dang-it! she screams, as her foot pounds on the floor. (Do I actually say Dang-it! Where has she heard that?) She clings to my neck and holds tight. Her body folds to the carpet. But I love you, Mom! she whines.
Now- right here is the quick sweet moment. (Don't blink.) Jack enters. Pacifier in his mouth. Already dressed in his shorts, wearing his bold mohawk. Here, sissy, he says through the sides of his pacifier. He hands her a bandaid. A Spiderman bandaid to fix where she is hurting & sad. A small gift for his princess. My heart melts and swells with pride all in the same instant. I am waiting for Emma to reciprocate the love and drop her bad attitude.
Moment over. But I don't like Spiderman! she whines.
Oy vey..