These red-winged black birds seemed to know we'd get a few inches of snow. (Peter learned that some birds can predict the weather.) They came in droves just before a heavy snowfall began. You can see the snow starting to collect on the ground.
On Monday the children enjoyed a homeschooling playdate at a park, where Peter found this salamander. He's thrilled to have a second pet. Come summer, we'll have a full house of various creepy crawlies.
Paul loves to create and Momma doesn't always have time to put projects together. More often than not, he comes up with his own ideas. This will be a ladybug.
Two days in a row Miss Mary created beautiful paintings, along side Miss Beth. For some reason Beth ruined both of Mary's paintings, by balling them up like a piece of trash. The first day I gave a mild scolding, but on the second I tapped her hand lightly and told her she needed to treat Mary's work nicely and this better not happen again.
She was remorseful today and reached over to kiss her big sister and say sorry. I wonder if she was jealous, because her own paintings are a bit of a mess? I praise her work as much as I do Mary's.
Anyway, Mary was so touched by her little sister's kiss, that she immediately forgave her, despite having spent about thirty minutes on the painting.
I tell my kids frequently that one of the reasons God gave them siblings is to help them learn to love more like Christ. When squabbles happen, I suggest to them, they need to work peaceably through them and each person must confess their part and be humbled. They do seem to come to resolution quicker when I give this reminder.
We made brownies yesterday, and though Beth couldn't taste the batter containing four eggs, I did let her sample the frosting we made. She licked it right off the beater utensil. Warmed my heart, I tell you, to see her enjoying it so.
We got a steady, heavy snow on Wednesday, lasting most of the day. It was breathtakingly beautiful--the biggest snowflakes we've seen yet! I do fear for the tulips and other bulbs, just coming up in this bed.
What made me think I could start morning glories in the house? Tonight I had to put popsicle sticks in with these, attaching them with bread ties. I hope we can come up with another solution before long. I didn't realize they would need to climb right away.
Miss Mary was so smitten with her Paul, that she put her arm around him while he read to her. Oh, how that touched my Momma heart. Then she kissed his baby soft cheek.
Is not a cardinal in the snow one of God's greatest gifts? Breathtaking!
Thursday gratitude:
* For sibling kisses
* For husband hugs
* For whole-family cuddling
* For picture books shared all together on the couch
* For brothers who read to little ones so Momma can keep the pancakes from burning
* For a husband who always insists on taking the burnt ones, no matter how much I protest. He lays down his life for us daily, in these little ways.
* For listening to Peter read while I nursed Beth in the rocker next to his. He still reads aloud, for now, but he didn't repeat anything or stutter, as he read a Box Car Children book. God heard my heart on this OCD complication! This is the first time in a while he was able to read peacefully, something other than the Bible.
Later tonight though he had trouble falling asleep because of some details in the book concerning a cave and a monster (not a real one of course, just part of the mystery). Frustrated, he told me he wasn't going to read these books any more and why don't they write more Magic School Bus Chapter Books, because those are his favourite?
Last time this occurred, he told me he was only going to read these books in the morning--definitely not near bedtime. This one he found particularly interesting though, because he read for pleasure about four separate times today. I will be in prayer that this gets resolved soon, somehow, because like holding his hamster and watching his birds, reading calms him. I had him make a list of self-soothing techniques and he listed the hamster, the birds, and just today, he added reading to the list. It's something he can choose to do when his temper begins to flare. Unfortunately, we still have difficulty finding material that doesn't aggravate his OCD in some way. Tonight he asked me time and again if a monster was going to climb in his window. It has been years since monsters were an issue. The OCD makes him terribly skittish about many things. While I'm frustrated over finding something he's completely comfortable with, I'm so very thankful he's reading again!
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