Ash Wednesday

Elias asked me why we put ashes on our heads. Simple (and not too scary) answer. Because God made us from the dust and we will return to the dust. He was concerned that they would be hot, but I assured him they were not.

Fat Tuesday

I had volunteered to cook bacon for the Fat Tuesday supper. I'm always looking for ways that I can contribute to church life that are realistic with two small children. I naively thought I could whip up some bacon and be done with it. Well, when i got to church and picked up the package of bacon it was so large I could barely carry it and the kids back to the car. I thought, "This is going to be fun..." Yesterday afternoon, once quiet time started, I got out two castiron skillets, set the oven at 350, and proceeded to put slabs of bacon in the oven until 4:00pm.The house reeked and when I removed the large roasting pan from the top of the stove to take it to church with the cooked bacon, there was a film behind it on the stove and wall. Grease. Grease from the air. I must say, though, it makes it a lot easier to give up meat for Lent after bathing in it for three hours.

The kids had a picnic instead. They enjoyed going to church and eating pancakes and running around. I've been trying to explain Lent, but it's hard when you can't expect them to give up or taking something on. I hope, however, to get them to do some kind of service, like the food pantry, before Lent is over to teach them about "almsgiving." I think the prayer aspect will involve learning a new grace and the fasting for them will be irrelevant.

Adelaide meets feminine products

Our upstairs bathroom is really not childproofed. However, we spend a fair amount of time upstairs because that is where the computer is as well as a place to get showered and dressed. The other day, Addie entertained herself by removing every single feminine product from the drawer and then placing tampons back in their box one by one. It's funny that she did this as yesterday I read an article in the NYTimes about a book that is an edited volume on First Period stories. I suppose I should put it on her Amazon wishlist!

Mommy and "Tanzaniza"

Yes, Elias is wearing a basket on his head!





We had a wonderful morning at school. Elias and his class were doing a unit on safari. So, I thought it might be a good time to introduce the concept of Africa to the kids. We brought our two favorite Swahili children's books, Jambo means Hello and Moja means One. I also collected an assortment of my handmade baskets and some of my traditional cloths--like kangas and batiks.

As usual, school was amazing with all the kids as calm as could be. They had a sensory table filled with sand and all kinds of jungle apparatus. The craft involved making porcupines from clay and with toothpicks--not sure how many porcupines you find on safari, but I'm quite sure they are better to encounter than the angry elephant we encountered on our real safari. The kids were also reading the Dear Zoo classic and making their own version. We had circle time, which I led. I showed the kids how to wear a kanga and they got to try them on. We also talked about baskets and read Moja means One. They learned about saying "Hodi" and "Karibu" which are essentially like saying "knock'knock" and "Welcome." Finally, because both teachers always call the children friends, we learned the word "rafiki' which means friend. What a fabulous morning.

Meanwhile, Adelaide stayed home to recover with Daddy.

Sicko

Our little girl had a fever of 103 last night around 5pm. It stayed pretty high all day and she was very lethargic. I decided it might not be a bad idea to see if she had an ear infection. When we saw the doctor, she was concerned that ACK had pneumonia. This surprised me because she had only been coughing for two days. Off we went for a chest x-ray, which is awful for babies because they are alone in a room and in a plastic harness. She survived, and apparently does not have pneumonia. Unfortunately, she threw-up tonight and still has a fever. Poor kid.

Safety Recall

Adam and I have very different worries when it comes to child-rearing. Adam is very concerned about safety; he gets it from his father. He has taught Elias to always hold the banister when he comes upstairs and to touch the wall all the way to our room. He recently made a cut in Elias' yellow blankie because he was afraid that the fringe on it would choke him at night. Sometime he worries that Elias won't have enough air in his bedtent. He has thrown toys that he thinks are choking hazards for Adelaide and likes for her to always be strapped into her highchair with the seatbelt fastened. I, on the other hand, worry about things like how Elias is behaving towards his friends and whether Adelaide has gotten enough sleep.

Today , it was a good thing Adam was at work. We have a wire bicyclist. It is a hand-made toy that is one of those fair trade toys. So, it was made in a developing country with absolutely no safety guidelines. When I released Elias from quiettime, I found the wire toy wrapped around his neck. He was able to lift it over his head, so I had to straighten the wire and get it off of him. All I could think was no wonder when Adam was asked by one of his students if getting a PhD was the hardest thing he ever did, he emphatically said, "No. Raising kids is."

All aboard. Tarek and Elias busy on the train.


Like father like daughter.

Where's Waldo?

That was so funny, Isa. Tell me another story!

It's been a funny week. Elias told his teachers that he was moving to a new house. He told me that he would like a "urinal" in his new house. We have been desperately attempting to convince him that boys only stand at urinals, but sit on toilets. And Addie continues to say more words. Yesterday was her first sentence: "Where doggies go?"

Beautiful Hairdo

Three year old God-talk

Last night, during prayers, Elias was particularly wiggly. He had been asking if tomorrow was a school day and I told him that it was not a school day, but a church day. After a few more minutes of refusing to sing with me, I just said to him, "Wouldn't you like to talk with God?" He curtly replied, "Good night God, see you tomorrow at church."

In that same vein, we were talking at lunch about having seen Jesus on the cross at church and Elias asked "Why did Jesus die on the cross?" Of course, there are lots of theological ways to approach that question. Adam stuck with the simple "because he loved us so much and wanted us to love him" route. However, I knew a "why?" was coming. So, I followed up with "because he didn't want us to die so he chose to die instead" (a little substitutionary atonement there.) The wheels were turning and he started to say, "Mommy and Daddy I don't want you to die on the cross...can I go to the basement to play?"

All excellent sermon fodder. Maybe that's why we preachers have kids:)

Kosavar Girl

Adelaide wanted so very badly to head off to school with Elias on pajama day. Instead, I distracted her by putting on the sweet dress that came from Kosovo. While it is still a little big, it will be perfect for spring weather. Little Addie wanted to keep adding to the ensemble; so she put on her purple boots and Elias' yellow hat, and the winter coat. I think she looks a bit like those stacking Russian dolls in her get-up. Maybe a Kosovar stacking doll?

Pajama Day

Some days we all would like to remain in our PJ's for the duration of the day. Well, Elias had that opportunity on Friday. His class had been studying bears--all kinds of bears--and reading stories about bears. The culmination of their unit was a pajama party complete with teddy bears. They got to stay in their Pj's all morning, have pancakes for their morning snack, and forgo boots and snowsuits for slippers and indoor play. He had a marvelous time.

Pepito and Miss Clavel hit the ice

Since last winter, I have been itching to get Elias out on the ice again. However, it has been too cold. Yesterday, got into the high 30's and maybe even hit 40, so we knew we must get outside.

The New Englander in me really wants him to enjoy ice skating. We headed off yesterday after quiet time and had a blast. We got to the warming hut and got his skates all tied on. Then I put on my LLbean velcro hockey skates. Much to my surprise, Elias was able to stand up on the ice by himself and then he really took to using the "crutch" out on the ice. He skated on his own for quite a while. He also ran into a friend from school and they took turns being pulled around in a sled while their parents got a workout. I had so much fun on skates by my self and got some backwards skating in while I was pulling him forwards.

The highlight for Elias, I'm sure, was the hot cocoa I purchased him at the end of our afternoon. However, the highlight for me was upon asking Elias who the best mommy in the world is (this is a family tradition...) he replied, "Pepito thinks Miss Clavel is the best!."