Learning to Leap

I believe I wrote a blog by this title a year or so ago. Forgive my lack of creativity here in re-using it, but as you read the following encounter we had today, you will see that it just fit. Yesterday we went to the Y with a friend. It was kind of a bust. First, the cool indoor climbing playground was closed due to a leak, banishing all children to the “baby room”(as the older kids called it). Next, the super cool climbing tree was closed for some reason. And finally, trying to shake it off and have a good time anyway, we suited up and headed for the fun pool area. My oldest jumped in just as the lifeguard blew her whistle, announcing that the pool was closing so a daycare group could come swim. My girls lamented the agony they were forced to endure the rest of the day. I felt a little like the parents in the movie, “One Fine Day”. Remember the scene where they are forced to put their children in a public daycare and the kids call them 3 minutes later to find ...

If you watched any of the Lord of the Rings movies, you’ll recognize the title of this blog. I took it from the scene in which Gandolf is speaking to Merry, a hobbit nearly overcome with anxiety and sorrow due to the seeming imminent defeat of good in the world. Nothing will ever be the same. Darkness has descended upon every living creature. In that moment it looks as though all hope is lost. I can relate to this little hobbit and his feelings of despair. I live with a three-year-old. We have recently entered that unpleasant season of transition. If she is allowed to take a nap (or I should say forced, actually), her father and I must pay the price around 10:30pm when she is still wide awake and bouncing up and down while we beg her to be quiet and go to sleep, our bloodshot eyes barely staying open. If, on the other hand, we allow her to skip her usual afternoon nap, we must face the dreadful consequences: A three-year-old who has not had a nap all day. ...

A few months ago, I made a big decision. Some would call it life changing. As a result, I have been met with ridicule by some, embraces by others. Scorned by those who don’t agree, celebrated by those who have been waiting a long time for me to join their ranks. I have begun reading the Harry Potter series. I am currently on book 4, and I must admit it is not my favorite so far. However, now that I have entered the world of wizards and magical creatures and owls, I have begun to notice certain things around me. For instance, today I found the 6-yr-old doing this: At first glance this does not appear to be anything unusual. Perhaps she was simply watching in anticipation the bread we were baking or enjoying the aroma of homemade lasagna cooking in the oven. There was NOTHING in the oven. She was merely sitting on the ground in silence, a smile on her face and an intense gaze at the reflection she saw staring back at her in the oven door....

Okay, I know we all feel sympathy for nurses when they have to change bedpans. Gross. Disgusting. I would say that tonight, I would be willing to trade places with a nurse when it comes to dealing with that side of things. The mess is confined to a single area, they have all the proper equipment for quick and efficient sterilizing, and they're getting PAID! I write this tonight as a form of therapy for myself. If I do not try to see the humor in the situation, I might find myself in a strait jacket staring at a white wall somewhere, mumbling about puppies and diapers and water hoses. Here’s the basic turn of events this evening: We all know when a child is not utilizing the bathroom and instead making use of their pants. They just get this look and kind of freeze in their tracks like a deer caught in the headlights. I’m not a big fan of those moments, but we had one tonight. I will spare you the details, but my dear baby girl was marched outside, stripp...

A few weeks ago we went on our annual Smith family vacation to Watercolor, located 30 minutes from Destin, Florida. We LOVE it there. It’s basically a great neighborhood with bike rides, several community pools to choose from, Camp Watercolor where the kids can make crafts, and of course, the glorious, white sandy beaches of the Gulf. We’ve been making the trip for years, even before the grandkids came along. These days, the sounds of excited kids can be heard for miles around as you approach our beach house. With eight grandkids ages 11 years to 16 months, it’s a little chaotic, but we wouldn’t have it any other way. This is the first year in a LONG time the little Webber crew didn’t lug all the baby gear with us. No more pack ‘n plays, swim diapers, baby food, bottles, pacifiers, or naptimes to deal with. It was fantastic. The ride down to the beach was peaceful and quiet as we played some games or watched DVDs. Everyone slept all night. Nobody ate sand. ...

This week was VBS at our church. For those of you who don’t know, VBS stands for ‘vacation Bible school’. Next to Christmas, this is one of the most anticipated four days of the year to a lot of kiddos. Not to brag, but our church pretty much blows it out when it comes to fun, and I hope they learn a little about Jesus while we’re at it. Anyway, this year I taught the Bible lesson to four groups of kids ages 1 st -4 th grades each day. Because I didn’t want to be the schmuck who totally blows it and makes the kids dread Bible time each day (and consequently be eaten alive by 4 th grade boys who are bored), it took a little time to study and prepare. And this is generally how it went each evening… First item to understand about my week: my husband was out of town for most of it. He was hard at work visiting agents and handling the details of his job. This left me solely responsible for everything regarding the children and the dog and the home. Second it...

We love visiting the botanical gardens. It is one of our favorite places. The kids love it because of the train, the great children’s area, the butterfly house, etc. I love it because they get plenty of exercise without realizing it, lots of fresh air, and are totally exhausted by the time we leave. Win/win, folks. We have been members at the gardens for years and enjoyed many hours of nature’s bliss. Here’s a picture of them in years past: This day was no different, really. We were having a marvelous time exploring the fish pond, playing in the ball pit, having a picnic lunch (which of course was the highlight since I packed them lunchables…crackers, deli meat, and cheese. Why didn’t I think of this ingenious business idea?). Anyway, we had a great time and decided to wrap up our outing by taking a stroll thru the peaceful and beautiful butterfly house. It just happens to be the largest enclosed butterfly house in the country, by the way. Only the be...