She since was given a dress similar in color to Elsa's and asked that Miranda make her a matching cape, who was also up at midnight making intricate snowflakes to hang from the ceiling. I could've put down my fist and said, "No." Instead, I'm swaying her and confronting, yes, confronting a 7 year old, with, "Let every soul be subject unto the higher power. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be ordained of God," Romans 13:1. Magic is nothing to celebrate and emulate, but somehow we think it's cute for our kids to pretend it is.
Virgie's 96th birthday coincided with Madalynn's, and Madalynn was wholeheartedly willing to share it with her. Virgie backed out of going to eat because of the cold weather, so it was left in Madalynn's hands where to go. The Y, she wanted to swim at the Y. When she was only a few months old, I started putting her in the water with me there. She would fall asleep on my shoulder while I waded back and forth in the waist high warm water of the youth pool.
We went to Red Lobster and then I sat out of the pool for the first time. Miranda got in with her and Macklynn. After all, she'd wanted to take them anyway.
Sometime in the night, I woke up with my throat on fire. I hoped it was because I had been snoring from the heat running. It wasn't.
Friday was the day to bake the cookies Macklynn had sold to raise money for camp this summer. Melody was up and at 'em to help. She cooks daily and has the discipline to work out daily too.
Sloan picked Michael up from school at lunchtime for the 5 hour drive home. Mom and Dad and Maggie were on their way from Georgia when we discovered we had quite another contagious issue at hand.
Since I couldn't make Virgie sick with mine, I got to be here when everyone arrived even though I had to keep a safe distance. Mom passed out presents and I made a pot of chili.
At some point in the evening, we realized that none of our 4 dogs were home. We knew that a local farmer hired someone to shoot animals on site if they caught them near his calves, of which seven had been attacked and had perished this week. We were on pins and needles for hours. Then one showed up, the littlest one, which made us believe even more so that our other dogs had been targeted, even though they're all collared, vaccinated, and well mannered. Finally, while I was tending to something that kept my mind off of it, late in the night someone shouted, "They're here!"
Heartache foregone. I couldn't imagine the grief, the bitterness each child would've had to endure. The dogs are a very present part of our daily lives. I had played it out in my mind just what I would tell that man if he had shot them unnecessarily, because apparently he'd been scoping the neighborhood all day. I wondered how charges might be brought against him (because there is no leash law in our county). And as quickly, God told me I would have to forgive him. And then my mind questioned if he would me my next ministry.Everyone went to sleep elated and exhausted.
Saturday morning, the bags of cookies had to be decorated and stuffed and delivered. Melody came through again. Mom prepared the breakfast she brought at breakneck speed so that Megan and Granddaddy could go and hear to the "pickin" at the general store.
I threw on some sweat clothes to drive Macklynn around and when we decided not to leave a bag at a house for fear the dog would eat them, I soon forgot and told Macklynn that since we had an extra bag we should sell it. What a glitch! It's happening more and more often. I'm just glad I'm surrounded by enough people to catch me and that Melody had made extras.
Mike and Michael were getting yard equipment repaired at the Stihl store while the older girls were gussying up fora catered dinner for the fire fighters. Yes, they are undergoing training and, no, I'm not sure what I think of it. I believe they can do it and they don't have children to orphan, so I don't think I can disapprove.
Somewhere in the midst, Dad inducted McKala into the Sig Sauer family. He presents each grandchild with a 9 mm on their 18th birthday. She's a sure shot, always has been, so making her fear for her life would be a really bad idea.
About 4 pm Mom served up the birthday food
she delivered from home. All was well until she cut me a big piece of her strawberry cake, and I remembered I had strawberry ice cream AND a strawberry Fanta. I'd already told the kids it seemed better on my throat to feed the cold instead of starve it, but I took it too far. At the time it was funny, but about midnight I had to get up and take some Pepto Bismol and sleep sitting up. Valentine's is all but overlooked in our flurry of February birthdays. Even so, my husband was denied any affection because of my consumption. Isn't that what happens every time we pick ourselves over the other? Unless, we have no shame or conviction, of course.
I had just read this week, "Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he what condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin," Romans 14:22-23. Yes, I know the whole chapter is dealing with food offerings to idols, but where does it not apply here?
In contrast, Sloan, who is as disciplined as Melody in her exercise and diet, began early Saturday preparing a formal dinner for Michael. Not only is his birthday today, Sunday, but it was their first Valentine's. She took off work and left her dorm at Liberty Friday to pick him up at his boarding school.She put a round table for two in front of their bay window, covered it with a red cloth, laced the room with candles, used her mother's fine china and crystal. and even baked homemade bread. Michael was especially taken aback by how radiant she looked and how good her cheesecake stuffed strawberries were.
They are courting in the true sense of the word. It seems a bit contrary that she is a year and a half his elder and that he cannot yet "support" her. She is willing to wait for that and is making incredible strides in the process.
She has been his fortress. For several months before he left for school in August, they talked every day and as he was tested to his limits, she bolstered him and fed him every scripture and lesson from her classes that she found applicable.
He went into football with undiagnosed injuries to his shoulder and played with undiagnosed Mono for weeks. He was singled out for his stances on virginity (and sexual purity altogether) and clean language. There were plenty against him but there were a few who guarded their behavior around him, perhaps having found something to aspire to. He has picked up his Bible and claimed his faith as his own. He is bold and confident. Not that he goes without injury. It always hurts when a friend, specifically a roommate, turns on you. He has a new one who hopefully will be a candidate for discipleship. They are far and few in between. Michael has decided to stay whether he wants to or not because of the low morale of so many of what I call "the lost boys."
He has met the academic standard, something neither of was certain he could attain. In their one class system, he has done well in both German I and II and just finished Biology with a 90 average. His Biology teacher is also his track coach. All the coaches agreed that while Michael is in rehab for his shoulder that he needs to focus on footwork, especially hurdles for agility.
He's been bumped up in rank every few weeks since he started and they're already in talks with
him about "leadership" next year.
So, compared with his past few birthdays that've been flops, I'm glad to see some reward for him in this weekend. Last night, he headed back from Sloan's, in the mountains where they grew up. The snow had been falling for hours and thankfully he had his Daddy's old 4 wheel drive. It took him a long time to get here. He narrowly missed T boning someone that fishtailed on the highway. Otherwise, he had the time of his life weathering the storm by himself. I prayed for his return while everyone played Apples to Apples in the floor with the friends they'd brought home from the fire station. A particular one had a rose for Megan and finally gave it to her at midnight.
All except Mike who had to leave at 6:00 am for New Jersey, we were all to go to early church this morning, but it was cancelled because of all the risk. So, Melody, always ready to cook, served Michael chocolate chip pancakes in bed. Before we knew, it was time for him and Mom and Dad and Maggie to be gone again. And they are.
We have Macklynn's birthday to look forward to on Wednesday. Michael suggests that this is good skiing weather and that we should take Macklynn the way we did the others for so many years on a discounted "home school" day. The kids always paid their own ways and we always made it back in one piece.
People tell me that it seems like a lot happens to us because there are so many of us. It's true: we have more to lose ...but we also more to gain.
