Aunt Chris is earning her BSN from Duke University School of Nursing. This is a 16 month rigorous program and she is about 3 months into it. Today was Family Day or "Duke Day" as referred to by Paxson and Gracie Myers. Both kids had no idea what to expect, and they've never been to a college campus before, so this was a totally new experience for them.
We had a blast! The kids were greeted, given Duke tattoo's, face painting, nurses caps, and personalized name tags. It was beyond kid-friendly, and they got to play games, watch a puppet show, play with the equipment, and even "ride on a hospital bed"! This was a wonderful experience for them and it was right up their alley to get to be honorary nurses for the day...although, GM made it very clear that she was not going to be a nurse, but would be an MD one day! Once we returned home, Paxson and Gracie Myers set-up a hospital clinic and they operated on not only their mama, but on lots of baby dolls and stuffed animals. When Paxson said his prayers, he said "Dear God, thank you for Duke Day and for letting me see the Old Well. Thank you for letting people be doctors and nurses and I hope that one day I can be a Doctor too when I grow-up. Amen."
On the way home, we thought we should drive through Chapel Hill to take the kids to see some of the icons that they've only seen in pictures before. It was such a proud moment for me to walk with them on the campus of UNC. Our first stop was the Old Well, and they both drank lots of "good luck" water from it. They also got to run around the quad and we even snuck into an open classroom inside of Gardner Hall. They wrote on a chalkboard and even sat in their own desks. Paxson wrote his name and Ian and Hunt's names too....I think he has big plans for the three of them to be long-time friends! We rounded out the tour by going to the ADPi house and then to Shibumi, the apartment I lived in during my Junior year.
It was precious to see our children in what was once my element. I told Bill that my years at UNC were the fastest four years I've ever lived. It didn't seem to go by so quickly then, but now it seems like a lifetime ago. When we were pulling out of the parking lot at Shibumi, I saw a cute girl walking by. I told Bill that I should ask her which apartment was hers, just to see if she lived in the one I lived in. I wanted to tell her the story about how we discovered that complex after some serious divine intervention after looking at rundown homes in Carboro one afternoon. I wanted her to know that Ashley, Mickie, Briar, Inie and I were the first people to live there, and I wanted her to realize how special these years are and that they are over in the blink of an eye....that was until Bill reminded me that it probably wouldn't be a good idea to share this with her, because that was in 1996 (15 years ago)....and we were currently driving a minivan!
I guess parenting young kids is a lot like those four special years you spend away at college. The time we have with our children before they are 18 just goes by in the blink of an eye as well. At least this go-round, we hopefully have learned from our past adventures to not wish time away, or to hurry-up towards that next phase, but to slow down and enjoy each and every minute.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Friday, March 4, 2011
Beautiful Artwork and a Giveaway!
Visit this blog to view BEA-U-TI-FUL creations by Caroline Simas! She combines vivid colors and scripture verses in many of her unique pieces. She's got a cute little giveaway going on right now, so check out her blog for more details!
http://carolinesimas.blogspot.com/
http://carolinesimas.blogspot.com/
Thursday, March 3, 2011
It's all about Faith
Each night after tucking Paxson into his bed, we read a story or two from his children's bible. His teachers at school read from the same bible each day, so he usually likes for me to read the story they read in school and the one or two after it.
Tonight he asked me to read about "The Last Dinner". I said, "Paxson, it wasn't the last dinner, it was something else". He said, "Oh, well then please read The Last Breakfast!" :) I read the story of The Last Supper to him and then he wanted me to read the next story. I read to him about the story of the crucifixion. After reading it, he pointed out the two men who were on their crosses next to Jesus. He asked me why they were there and what they had done. It gave me a chance to tell him about the one man who decided to believe in Jesus and then was forgiven for his sins and would spend eternity in heaven with God. We also talked about the man who didn't make that same choice.
After reading this, we read about the resurrection. After it was over, Paxson looked at me and very seriously said, "Mama, I believe all of the stories in the bible, and I believe that Jesus died on the cross so I can have forgiveness when I do bad things. But Mama, do you think the people who wrote the bible made-up the story about Jesus coming back after he died?" He went on to say, "You've always said that when someone die, they won't come back to Earth and when Val (our new fish) dies, he won't come back either.
Gulp...what a deep question from our 5 1/2 year old. I said a really quick prayer and hoped that I would say the right thing. I went on to explain that the Bible is God's word, and that as Christians we believe in all of it, not just parts of it. I told him that when people or animals die, we don't come back to life, but that is what made/makes Jesus so special. I also threw out the concept of Faith...that some of what we read in the bible may hard to comprehend, but because of our faith, we can believe in all of the bible with our whole hearts. His little voice replied, "Well, I guess that's why Jesus is God's son, because they are like the two most important people ever, and that's why He could do that and we can't".
Whew...for a second there I thought, oh gracious, I don't want my little boy to be some little skeptical and philosophical ....isn't he too young for that? This conversation was a reminder to me as a Mama to not only pray for my children each day, but I should also pray for wisdom for myself, so that I can continue to answer questions like these!
Tonight he asked me to read about "The Last Dinner". I said, "Paxson, it wasn't the last dinner, it was something else". He said, "Oh, well then please read The Last Breakfast!" :) I read the story of The Last Supper to him and then he wanted me to read the next story. I read to him about the story of the crucifixion. After reading it, he pointed out the two men who were on their crosses next to Jesus. He asked me why they were there and what they had done. It gave me a chance to tell him about the one man who decided to believe in Jesus and then was forgiven for his sins and would spend eternity in heaven with God. We also talked about the man who didn't make that same choice.
After reading this, we read about the resurrection. After it was over, Paxson looked at me and very seriously said, "Mama, I believe all of the stories in the bible, and I believe that Jesus died on the cross so I can have forgiveness when I do bad things. But Mama, do you think the people who wrote the bible made-up the story about Jesus coming back after he died?" He went on to say, "You've always said that when someone die, they won't come back to Earth and when Val (our new fish) dies, he won't come back either.
Gulp...what a deep question from our 5 1/2 year old. I said a really quick prayer and hoped that I would say the right thing. I went on to explain that the Bible is God's word, and that as Christians we believe in all of it, not just parts of it. I told him that when people or animals die, we don't come back to life, but that is what made/makes Jesus so special. I also threw out the concept of Faith...that some of what we read in the bible may hard to comprehend, but because of our faith, we can believe in all of the bible with our whole hearts. His little voice replied, "Well, I guess that's why Jesus is God's son, because they are like the two most important people ever, and that's why He could do that and we can't".
Whew...for a second there I thought, oh gracious, I don't want my little boy to be some little skeptical and philosophical ....isn't he too young for that? This conversation was a reminder to me as a Mama to not only pray for my children each day, but I should also pray for wisdom for myself, so that I can continue to answer questions like these!
I Found a What???
Today at work, while washing my hands, I noticed a crazy hair sticking-up on top of my head. Upon further inspection, I felt like it looked sort of wavy, which is completely different from my stick-straight hair. As I got up close and personal with the mirror, I realized that the color of the hair was VERY different from my "natural" color.
Oh my Lordy, I think I found my first gray hair!!! I pulled it out, took it back to my classroom and put it into a Ziploc bag....very CSI I know! I wanted to hold it up against something black just to verify it's color. Well folks, its official, I found my first gray...or maybe white hair??? It may not be my first, and it might not be all alone up there, but it was the only one I noticed.
During dinner, I asked the kids to guess what I found on my head that day. Neither of them guessed, so I told them that Mama found her first gray hair. I asked them what they thought it meant now that I had my first gray. Gracie Myers didn't skip a beat and she said, "It means you're a genius!" (love her). Then big brother Paxson looked at her and said, "No it doesn't Gracie Myers, it just means that Mama is starting to get really, really old".....Ouch!
Out of the mouths of babes!
Oh my Lordy, I think I found my first gray hair!!! I pulled it out, took it back to my classroom and put it into a Ziploc bag....very CSI I know! I wanted to hold it up against something black just to verify it's color. Well folks, its official, I found my first gray...or maybe white hair??? It may not be my first, and it might not be all alone up there, but it was the only one I noticed.
During dinner, I asked the kids to guess what I found on my head that day. Neither of them guessed, so I told them that Mama found her first gray hair. I asked them what they thought it meant now that I had my first gray. Gracie Myers didn't skip a beat and she said, "It means you're a genius!" (love her). Then big brother Paxson looked at her and said, "No it doesn't Gracie Myers, it just means that Mama is starting to get really, really old".....Ouch!
Out of the mouths of babes!
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Just One More Lovin'
Earlier this week we planned for one of GM's friends to come over to play. In an effort to keep everyone occupied, we also asked one of Paxson's friends to come over too. The afternoon before the scheduled play date, we realized that GM's friend would not be able to make it. I tried to see if another friend from her class could come over, but she couldn't either. By that point, it was too late to call anyone else.
When I had to tell her that neither friend could come to play, she crawled into her bed and began to sob. It was PIT-I-FUL! Bill and I tried to comfort her, but she just cried and cried and kept asking "Why can't my play date come too?" I reassured her that she would have another play date the following week, but she was still so sad. I also promised her that she could bake a pink cake with Nana Kay (our babysitter) and could even paint her toenails pink! We then put her to bed and stood outside of her door as she continued to cry. I looked at Bill and said, "This makes me think of how she might cry when she experiences heartbreak as a teenager".
Big brother Paxson could hear her crying and he even began to feel badly. He said, "Mama, can I please give Gracie Myers just one more lovin'?" He went into her bedroom and got into the bed with her. He then began to tell her that he was sorry that her friend couldn't come over, but that she could play with he and Hunt. He tried his best to cheer her up, and by the time he left the room, he had her completely settled with no more tears!
Once again, both Bill and I stood at the doorway. and listened to the tenderness of a big brother who truly showed compassion and love to his baby sister. We continue to be thankful for their relationship with one another, but are also thankful for times like these that remind us of how a little compassion and understanding can go a long way!
When I had to tell her that neither friend could come to play, she crawled into her bed and began to sob. It was PIT-I-FUL! Bill and I tried to comfort her, but she just cried and cried and kept asking "Why can't my play date come too?" I reassured her that she would have another play date the following week, but she was still so sad. I also promised her that she could bake a pink cake with Nana Kay (our babysitter) and could even paint her toenails pink! We then put her to bed and stood outside of her door as she continued to cry. I looked at Bill and said, "This makes me think of how she might cry when she experiences heartbreak as a teenager".
Big brother Paxson could hear her crying and he even began to feel badly. He said, "Mama, can I please give Gracie Myers just one more lovin'?" He went into her bedroom and got into the bed with her. He then began to tell her that he was sorry that her friend couldn't come over, but that she could play with he and Hunt. He tried his best to cheer her up, and by the time he left the room, he had her completely settled with no more tears!
Once again, both Bill and I stood at the doorway. and listened to the tenderness of a big brother who truly showed compassion and love to his baby sister. We continue to be thankful for their relationship with one another, but are also thankful for times like these that remind us of how a little compassion and understanding can go a long way!
Saturday, February 19, 2011
February Sunshine!
We have had unusually high temperatures this week after a VERY cold winter! We have all be home bound over the past few months due to the freezing temps and lack of sunshine. So, the 60+ degree days have given us all a bit of SPRING FEVER!
The kids have been outside and love running around in the yard. Yesterday, they even came out in their bathing suits and began to run around in the sprinkler. The weather has been great, but not exactly warm enough for sprinkler fun, but I think P and GM were so grateful for the warmth, that they didn't seem to mind that it was still February!
Late in the day, we were on the back porch and the clouds began to roll in and we could no longer feel the warmth of the sun. I said, "Gracie Myers, where did all of the sunshine go?" Her response was, "Oh, it's probably just in the front yard!". I just love how she thinks!
The kids have been outside and love running around in the yard. Yesterday, they even came out in their bathing suits and began to run around in the sprinkler. The weather has been great, but not exactly warm enough for sprinkler fun, but I think P and GM were so grateful for the warmth, that they didn't seem to mind that it was still February!
Late in the day, we were on the back porch and the clouds began to roll in and we could no longer feel the warmth of the sun. I said, "Gracie Myers, where did all of the sunshine go?" Her response was, "Oh, it's probably just in the front yard!". I just love how she thinks!
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Isn't it too soon for this???
As I was putting Paxson to bed the other night, he told me he thought he had a loose tooth. I figured he only said this because we had just read a book about the tooth fairy. I asked him to show me which tooth he thought was wiggling. He put my finger on his front right tooth and sure enough, it moved. Seriously??? How can it be that my little baby boy already has a slightly wiggly tooth? I think my heart cried for a second realizing that a new milestone is ahead of us and is coming towards this Mama a little more quickly than I'd like for it to.
Baby teeth are just so cute, and let's face it, oftentimes the permanent teeth take some time to "settle-in". I had flashbacks of what my teeth looked like pre-braces and that was not a pretty picture! Bill reminded me that it can take a really long time for the tooth to actually become loose enough to fall out, so I still have time to take plenty of pictures of his sweet little boy smile. Paxson is super excited and is looking forward to losing a tooth! However, when I told him I was going to the dentist later in the week, he asked me to ask Dr. Lloyd if Paxson's loose tooth could possibly be his SWEET Tooth! :) He breathed a sign of relief when Dr. Lloyd said that Paxson's sweet tooth was not the one in question! Paxson was really worried that he might be lose his beloved sweet tooth....we don't call him SUGA' Chalfant for nothing!
I know that Paxson is growing-up more and more each day, and that he won't be this size forever, but a Mama can wish....right?
Baby teeth are just so cute, and let's face it, oftentimes the permanent teeth take some time to "settle-in". I had flashbacks of what my teeth looked like pre-braces and that was not a pretty picture! Bill reminded me that it can take a really long time for the tooth to actually become loose enough to fall out, so I still have time to take plenty of pictures of his sweet little boy smile. Paxson is super excited and is looking forward to losing a tooth! However, when I told him I was going to the dentist later in the week, he asked me to ask Dr. Lloyd if Paxson's loose tooth could possibly be his SWEET Tooth! :) He breathed a sign of relief when Dr. Lloyd said that Paxson's sweet tooth was not the one in question! Paxson was really worried that he might be lose his beloved sweet tooth....we don't call him SUGA' Chalfant for nothing!
I know that Paxson is growing-up more and more each day, and that he won't be this size forever, but a Mama can wish....right?
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