Musicals and Life

What a crazy few days. Actually, whole WEEK.

Why, this very morning we had a chimney fire to contend with. (Fire department came, all was taken care of with no damage to anything---and the children even got an up-close view of about 8 different emergency vehicles that lined our drive.)

Every one in the house has been sick on and off since last week-starting with Andrew who slathered every rug from his bed to the bathroom and plenty of clothes in between, then moving to Adele' who was a quiet upchucker (doing it at night and not complaining about it and, then, rolling around in it all night until morning unbeknownst to us-when crusty vomit-gel made quite an interesting hairstyle. Two mornings, two incredibly bizarre hairstyles.) then moving to Corynn who just lay motionless on the couch for a day and a half and refused to eat and finally wound up with Mattie, who-poor guy- had to make bathroom visits during the night no less than seven times last night. Mercifully, I have felt sick all week but never enough to actually "do the deed", which is (in my book) one of the worst things ever. Maybe I am just good at being nauseous all day and night...or maybe I am next. (please, no!) but nevertheless, I have been caretaker, back-rubber, baby rocker and GROSS laundry doer for an entire week and it is (trust me) wearing on me. Hearing it happen, smelling that grossness, and having to touch it is almost too much for a pregnant woman to bear!

(Hello? Anyone still here?!?)

Even still, there have been some great shining moments in the last week too.

At an "off moment" of sickies (Andrew was over it and no one else had started it) we were able to follow through with a grand suprise Matt and I had planned for the children. A local highschool was putting on a production of Fiddler on the Roof (a favorite of ours---and yes, our CHILDREN) and we thought it would be a nice replacement to our usual Friday night Movie night.

In fact, in honor of such fun-ness, Matt took the whole day off! The children have never been to a production of ANY sort and (since I was BIG into drama and the arts in highschool) it is important to me that my children have access to those sorts of goodies. I would say it was my idea but it was simultaneously Matt's (we both saw the sign seperately and then decided to talk to each other about it which I think it super cool.) We took our niece (her school) with us too. (That's her by Corynn.)


Tickets are hefty (no heftier than usual) when you have three children in tow (never had that in my highschool days!) so I asked if they would give a discount (I was hoping they would let Adele' in for free since she was going to be on my lap) but the ticket guy was awesome and let the children in for free! ALL of them! YAY! DOUBLE, TRIPLE yay!

It was a CRAZY long production, and began at the childrens' bedtime, but the children were enraptured the entire time. This was typical of Corynn:


We sat in the second to the front row, split a bag of fruit snacks during intermission, got a sneak peak at the instrumental "pit" and didn't get out of there until 10:40pm but have talked about it ever since. I expected to take Adele' out at some point but she never made a peep and neither did the other children. I got lots of compliments from the people behind us during intermission and that is ALWAYS nice.

A favorite scene~ the matchmaker song.

This song made me remember that I had videotaped an almost-baby Corynn singing that very song (I told you they like it!) so I am reposting it here. Listening to her little babyvoice was so sweet! I had forgotten! She was 3 1/2 here.


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And Matt's favorite scene:

Another Shining Moment this week was on Saturday, when my Beloved celebrated another year of getting older and wiser. He usually waits until he birthday to shave his winter beard, and does so with not-too-few complaints but THIS year, he surprised me by shaving it off almost an entire week early! I can't tell you how excited I was (hence, Friday's kissy face picture-yeehaw).


He got himself a copy of the Backyard homestead, some work lights, and a newly crocheted hat (more pictures to come of that.)

Taking note of gifts 329-360)

*this high calling

*washing machines

* family date nights

*a flaming, redhot chimney pipe~ fire, blessedly contained

*the stench of ashes, but safety

*a greedy, expectant calf jumping around excitedly when he sees his grain

*flowers, hoped for but unexpected

*kind strangers who share encouraging words when they don't HAVE to

*brown paper packages

*letters in the mailbox!

*fresh sheets

*the smell of baby shampoo on wispy white hair

*sausage gravy

*a tea chest

*Andrew's constant companion...the bungee cord

*watching and reliving bits of home-video history

*bright red yarn

*a good friends' Light, still yet to lay eyes on

* Corynn and Andrew, belting out a song

* the beginning of a new trimester (and still in normal jeans!**)

*longer days, bit by bit

* uninterrupted sleep

* musicals

* pinkish lips

* construction paper hearts

* the crisp feel of a new toothbrush

*painting itty bitty fingernails

*33 years of baby-turned man-turned husband then father. A worthwhile life.

* seed catalogs

*Mattie here during the day, even if he IS sick

*hopes for spring, it IS coming, isn't it!?!