Most Interesting Photos from Last Week
Which happened to be Spring Break.
We didn’t go anywhere this year.
Actually. We never go anywhere for Spring Break. Unless you count crazy.
Here are our top ten moments capturing the true spirit of the Miller Spring Break.
1. Rolling the littlest brother up in the biggest blanket, burrito style.
2. To the library for kids chess on Thursday afternoon.
PAR.TAY.
(2.5) While at the library for Chess Thursday, Superman discovered an air vent that made his cape fly!
Read MoreCatching up
“I think it’s your move, Seth.”
“I’M SINKING. I’M SINKING.”
He yelled at me one more time.
and then…
Read MoreFebruary updates
Thomas, waving to a little friend after Kindergarten: “BYE, RYAN!”
Me: “Is Ryan a friend of yours?”
Thomas: “Oh yeah. He is such a fan of me.”
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While driving Thomas’s kindergarten friend home, I turned Aaron Copland’s Hoedown. His friend furrowed his brow and said, “This music is weird.”
Thomas gasped.
“It’s not weird! What are you talking about? This is Hoedown!
[dramatic pause]
…the music of horses.”
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On the way to school every morning we pass a little outdoor mall with shops and restaurants. This morning as we were sitting at a red light across from the mall, Seth pointed to the mall and and yelled.
“We’re here! We’re here!”
Me, “What? Where?”
Read MoreAlmost February!
Seth, after discovering a painful hangnail on his big toe:
“Oh NOOOOOOO! MY BEAUTIFUL TOE!!!!”
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Sometimes I complain about Seth. And no, I don’t feel bad about it. The kid is Hard.
But one thing is is great at: “helping”. More than any of the other boys, he loves to help. I realize most three year olds like to be involved with what their parents are doing, but SETH MUST HELP AT ALL TIMES.
WITH EVERYTHING.
ALWAYS.
Every night he walks into the kitchen when he hears me bustling around in there (or Aaron), and cutely and innocently asks:
“Hey Mom can I help you? What can I do next?”
I usually give him a job but I am never able to keep up with his constant insistence to help. Usually I start making up things to do. I’ll get out a bag of clemetines and have him put them in a large bowl, one by one.
WHAT CAN I DO NEXT. WHAT CAN I DO NEXT. WHAT CAN I DO NEXT.
I hand him the plates and ask him to set the table. After I hear the plates clatter to the table in a heap…
Read MoreJanuary Minutia
Santa brought our family “Settlers of Catan” for Christmas and we’ve all been playing it non-stop. I thought it would be a fun game for Aaron and I and the older boys to play.
And it was!
Until Thomas learned how. Now, it’s inevitably Aaron (or I) and the three boys. (It’s a four-player game). Thomas is insane when he plays. He’s a trash-talking, revenge-seeking, development card-hogger, merciless Scrooge. He understands the rules perfectly but the strategy part is still a little above him. We’ve try to help him…but help is one thing HE IS SURE THAT HE DOES NOT WANT. In fact, he’ll usually do the opposite of what you suggest.
oh boy. You know he means business when the shirt comes off.
Read MoreSolitary Confinement
Hip: Progress is slow. But there is progress. Getting all of those muscles strengthened again is a weird push/pull of determination versus paranoia. So much of this hip healing is a battle that happens every day in my head. I don’t see enough progress in a week and hi, I’m googling surgery options. (which. may still have to happen). Or I get a slight pain and I have to stop and question everything. Did I overdo it today? Am I getting worse? Is that just the feeling of sore muscles rebuilding themselves? I don’t trust myself or the signals my body is sending out. I am SO fearful of returning to a state of chronic pain that I’m having a really hard time trusting the process. Who knows if this is even the right process? (see?). But today as bundled up and headed down the mountain (the freezing temperatures. UGH.) to the rec center pool I thought a lot about how I want to be faithful, not fearful. Fear might keep me safe, but it won’t heal me. And every day, when certain realities set in, I really struggle to tune out the discouragement and think, “I’m HOPEFUL.” When I’m really not feeling it. But what I’ve noticed over the past few weeks is that my days are always better when I don’t give in. And when my days are better, I think I really am getting stronger.
Adding to my mental battles is the fact that most days of the week, I don’t talk to anyone outside my family. I still don’t really have friends around here. And that’s okay. We’ve only been here a few months. Here’s the truth of it: People around here are straight-up awesome. Super nice. Very welcoming. Our neighbors to the south of us are a Jewish couple from California. They’ve renovated 6 homes. (!) She’s an artist and a sculptor (!!!). When we went to say hi and introduce our family, they invited all of us in and the wife kept saying how she wanted to have me and the kids over to try the pottery wheel. (Sam about died). (So did I). I could go on and on about my neighbors and what amazing people live up here. But to make friends, to have people really know you, it takes a little effort and a lot of time. I can go to every party, to church every Sunday, every social gathering there is, have the entire street over for playdates every week, and have the most amazing neighbors in the world, but it really does take time to ease into people’s lives. I know this. and truly, I’m okay with it. I’ve been making making efforts here and there and really have been enjoying getting to know new people. I’m sure, in about a year, I will be well on my way to having a few good friends who live around here. In the meantime: I’m inside my head. a lot.
But wait. Do YOU have friends in close proximity to where you live? Is this normal? Sometimes I think I’ve been exceptionally blessed to have lived near amazing people my whole married life. People who have, through conversation, service, and friendship, truly enriched my life (and the lives of my children). It’s not like we socialized all that much, but there was always someone to call if I couldn’t make it to pick up my kids from school. Or if a baby was napping and I had to pick up a child, I’d run a baby monitor over to a neighbor’s house. There were so many people who filled in the gap and acted as aunts/moms/brother in laws, that I think of them as a second family. I wonder if I just lived in Wyview too long. …And maybe expect a level of friendship that most people living in normal neighborhoods aren’t really comfortable with. (?) Who knows. Of course, the process of making friends requires a little vulnerability and getting out of one’s comfort zone. and YIKES. I’d rather just retreat into my bedroom with a book. (btw: Currently reading Lord of the Rings!). Although that doesn’t exactly mesh with my struggle to have faith, and not fear. heh. (deep breaths.)
I’m trying though. It’s even on my resolution list this year. So hit me with your suggestions. (Christy, I loved your suggestion of inviting people over for lunch. I don’t know if I could do it with a half-renovated house…but I’ve been scouring for candidates.)
my goal for the week: I’m going to make some brownies and take them over to my neighbor. and perhaps even set up a time to come try that pottery wheel. (!)
I have a ton more to blog but it will have to come in a second installment…
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Gifts
1. most importantly!
Since getting off of my double round of steroids: no. more. hip. pain. You guys. I am cautiously optimistic but I have not had ANY pain in my hip since December 21st. I don’t have the adequate words to express how awesome it is to not wake up every single morning going OWWWWW. A normal working body is amazing. Now I’m just struggling with paranoia that it will, at some point, return. But I will just pretend that that’s the end and I am starting a new chapter in my life. Running isn’t happening for another few months but I am doing rehab right now to strengthen the whole area so that the injury doesn’t return. Onward!
This all means that over Christmas break, I took the boys sledding in the gully. I’ve shoveled snow onto the “ultimate zig-zag track of death” in our front yard. I’ve carried Seth. I walked the boys down to see if a friend could play and made it back up the hill no problem. I’ve lifted furniture and hopped up stairs.
I am so grateful.
The ringing in of the new year is so exciting! Think of the possibilities! walks! bike rides! races! hikes! piggy back rides!
Hallelujah.
(also. KNOCK ON WOOD).
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2. Climbing up the super steep (DANGEROUS) sledding hill:
At some point, Thomas totally gave up and just started throwing snowballs at me. over and over again.
Can you spot our house? It’s almost in the middle of the frame. to the left of the two houses where you can see snow on the roofs.
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