At home a lot

The past couple weeks have been rather uneventful, but in the interest of recording the "ordinary days" for time to time, I will write this boring post.

  A few Sort-Of-Snow-Days cancelled a lot of our activities, and then this past week we were hit with a mild form of the flu.  Each day about 2 family members have been a little under the weather, which means I've been playing nurse for awhile now.  (It's getting old.)

We've been playing games and doing some puzzles, mostly just reading books for school or hanging out.  Pete and Strider are gone for a few days at a debate tournament, so it's been even quieter than usual.

Earlier this week, though, I had a party with some of the other moms from church.  (Yay for adult interaction!)  My kids kept following me around as I was getting things ready, asking questions like, "So WHO is coming?"  "Why are just moms coming??"  "What are you going to DO?"  "You mean you're just going to talk?"  "Isn't that a boring party?"  "What food can we eat??"

These tulips are left over from that party, and they've been giving me joy all week -- even when it's dismal outside and there are people coughing inside!

Brothers and the Ties that bind -- or look cool

Strider has come home from school a few times relating some conversations he and the other students have had about how their various teachers tie their ties.  They wonder if one particular instructor uses a Windsor knot, or why another one ties his so that it goes longer than his belt.  (There is no shortage of things kids can focus on when they're supposed to be focusing on schoolwork!)

Anyway, eventually Strider became so curious that he decided to start learning how to tie various tie knots.  On to Youtube he went, and his little curious brothers were not far behind.  Now the 3 of them have been walking around with various ties on all week.  Colsen likes to tie it all on his hand first, and then slip it over his head.

Their ensembles often are humorous, but hey, they're wearing ties.  I'm proud.

Of course, as soon as I pulled out the camera, Strider had to look all annoyed...

Rayna, not to be left out, came down dressed like this later!

Thankful for a daughter (this daughter)

I recently was on a web site about Bulgarian names (thinking we may someday be matched with a Bulgarian child and was curious about the different naming patterns, etc), and was surprised to see in the list of 70 or so common Bulgarian names, the name "Rayna!"  We knew it came from a Yiddish derivation and meant "song of the Lord," but in Bulgarian, it has some additional meanings.  It can be associated with the name "Regina," meaning "queen," but it can also be the feminine form of "Rayno," which is derived from the name "Rad," meaning "Happy and willing."

 Happy and willing -- that certainly describes our Rayna!  I have been thinking recently how blessed I am to have her as a daughter.

Amidst all the destructionism of the boys, she is a co-warrior with me against all the chaos and entropy.  I often see her stop to straighten out the pillows and blankets on the couch, or pick up books that have been strewn about.

She loves, loves, loves to do chores -- still!  The novelty has not worn off for her, and she happily complies every time I ask her to fold laundry, clean floors, or empty the dishwasher.  In fact, she often begs me to let her do all the dishes.

She also likes to be the general sheep-dog for the family, keeping us all in line, keeping us on track, and generally trying to keep us all together.  Her favorite thing is when we're all going to be home for dinner on a particular evening.

She has kept her high level of enthusiasm for simple things.  Yesterday I walked into the kitchen to find her drinking water.  I asked her how she was doing and she said, "I just love this water.  It's so.... water-y.  And cold!  I love this water."

My boys are pretty observant about some things, but Rayna takes it to a whole new level.  If I wear an item of clothing or accessory that she hasn't seen in awhile or is brand new, she immediately notices and comments with great expression.  "Mom!  Where did you get that shirt??  Did you buy it?  I like it!"  Things like that.  So nice to be noticed.  :)

In moments I least expect it, she is quick to come give me a hug and tell me how much she loves me.

Tonight, as I was trying to get her picture happily vacuuming (she actually said, "thank you!" when she was told it was her turn), the boys kept trying to photo-bomb and were dancing around.  She thought it was great and started dancing, too!

The boys are fun and exciting and adventurous and loud and sweet and I wouldn't ever trade them. But I'm also so glad that God rounded us out with our sweet, happy and willing Rayna!

And now 6

Miles only asked for 2 things this birthday:  a boomerang, and a messy house.

"Why a messy house?"  "Because then there are lots of things to trip over, and tripping is fun!"

I didn't argue too much... that was an easy one to accomodate.

Anyway, he received both things for his birthday, and a few other bonuses as well.

He insisted on designing his own cake:  with an "M" and a "6"

And he loved it!

Made by Colsen

Unfortunately, his party this year got postponed because a few of his cousins had been sick, so hopefully we'll get that in this weekend.

But he did get to go fishing with his new rod from Nonna and Poppa!

A Centennial Celebration!

Tomorrow marks the birthdays of both Miles and Mor-Mor, and this year their ages add up to 100!  Mor-Mor had us over to her dining room (one of the kids' favorite places to eat!) to celebrate...

Leaving 5 behind

My baby --baby -- is almost 6.

As Colsen said, "I can't believe he's going to be 6.  It seems like just yesterday he was calling me, "Nee-Nee!"

(He still calls blankets "blank-lets" -- and NO ONE better ever correct him on that!)

This has been a good year.... I do love 5-year-olds.  But maybe Miles will be happy to leave 5 behind -- at least from an injury standpoint.  This has been the year of the Concussion, the Staples, and the Broken Arm....

.... and, as of last week, probably The Broken Toe:

Yes, it might be good to turn 6 and hopefully have a safer, more-helmeted, more-padded year.

AND, I am very thankful to look forward to our adoption.  I'm not ready to have no more little ones!