Warrick's words

The child enjoys talking lots. Repeats whatever he hears, puts full sentences together. Has sometimes intelligible, sometimes not so intelligible stories for any listener, including his cars . . . By the way, do all kids wave good-bye to their toys when they leave the room? "Bye-bye cars, bye-bye ambulance (he really says ambulance), bye-bye night (pacifier), bye-bye blocks". Brett thinks it's from Good Night Moon. I think he has a legitimate argument there.

So, some funny things I need to record for the days I need to laugh more and can recall this silliness.

1. Of his friends, Max and Lincoln - NOT identical twins - while pointing to Max, "MAX!" And while pointing to Lincoln, "OTHER MAX!" (All caps representing volume)

2. He also has a new unfortunate obsession with his poop hole - telling others about it, stretching down between his legs to show you exactly where it is . . . . oh the novelty. Does anyone else have one? Wow.... it's amazing. "poop hole" Clear as day. No one would mistake him saying anything other than "poop hole". The most horrid thing about this, confirming my anticipation of apologizing for my son, happened the other day. While I was putting my make up on in the mirror, he aggressively and very accurately poked me from behind and said, "poop hole." Lovely. can't wait for the day he does that to anyone other than Brett or myself.

3. After aggressively slapping Brett across the face, he commands, "OBEY!" Funny, because it happened at home and because we don't ever slap him across the face. Should this happen in public, I might not have thought it funny at all.

Going back to his obsession with his poop hole . . . it has begun a daily habit (going on almost a month) of pooping in the toilet. Not peeing, just pooping. Very cool, and very nice to change just one small child's poopy diapers. Thanks Sonny.

Why Vera

June 18, 2010

I have been meaning to write this to you well before today. Honestly, it took me a while to believe that you were really you, until you actually arrived and I met you face to face. You were, and are still, and will continue to be beautiful and treasured to me.

I want you to know why we chose your name. It won’t take you long to realize that your name is not the most common name in school, and I apologize to you now for all the times you will have to re-pronounce it so others know what to call you. I have liked your name for a long time. In fact, my friend Kathleen, from whom I borrowed a book 3 years prior to your birth, sent in the mail a bookmark I had left in that book. On it, your father and I had brainstormed baby names. We were not even expecting your brother at the time, just making good use of our time in an airplane.

Vera was on that list and has stayed on my mental list since then. It means TRUTH. In Slavic languages it means FAITH. After you were born I was having an appointment and the worker helping me was from India. In her language, she said “Vera” means BRAVE. I am of the opinion that it is very difficult for a woman, a girl, to grow up in our culture and believe the truth about who GOD thinks she is – you will be bombarded with so many “requirements” for beauty, for success, for intelligence . . . but only God’s standard, His view of you, is the real TRUTH. And FAITH . . . you will need lots of this too. The enemy is still alive and active and will give you lots of illusions that will cause you to doubt your God, yourself, and the cost of living right and following Him.

Your dad wasn’t sure about naming you Vera, but when I told him these things, he said, “Okay, you sold me.” It is our hope and prayer that you would be marked by these qualities and that the weight of your name would set you apart from this culture and help you find purpose in choosing a better way.

We love you already and enjoy having you in our family.

I know, I know . . . I'm a terrible blogger

I write in my head all the time. I have memorable moments, and then, ironically forget them. Or have such a long list of them, that I give up recording them and archive them into my forget these things file.

However, Brett and I have spent some time in reflection lately and have written out some key goals for our lives, and then brainstormed about the little day to day things you have to do to eventually reach your big long term goals. I am notorious for dreaming up great paintings, and interesting other things and then never getting to it. I don't want to look back and realize that I've just got a string of good intentions and great ideas.

So, one of my goals was to have a consistent creative outlet - here it is.

ALSO, I am highly motivated to spend time recording my life - mostly my children's - as my sister and family recently moved to India. I miss her like crazy. She's pretty much my best friend and my go to when it comes to sorting through relational things, figuring out how to raise children, and so many other significant things. I want her to feel like she's still part of my every day even when a newborn and one computer used for my husband's studying often keep me from being as available as the rest of my family.

So, while I may often feel uninspired or intentional without a plan, my sister is inspiring to me. So . . . I'll write for her.

And I'll write for my kids. They are inspiring to me too.

I certainly do not feel very inspiring right now. (Even though I have somehow inspired my son to be very dramatic - even cartoonish in his response to life . . . I won't really take credit for this as I realize he came out that way, but it has uncovered a bit of my drama as I watch him mimic me . . . .)

So . . . here's to being more consistent and intentional with my life in general. Cheers.