The Grant Clan: June 2009

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

It is Finished!

Moo finally finished the purse that she knitted. She used wool and used a round loom to knit a piece that resembled a stocking hat. Then, we washed the "hat" in warm water and pulled it out when it looked completely felted. We found a pair of purse handles in the bargain aisle at Michael's, so she stitched those on with black embroidery floss. Moo then decided to embellish the purse by needle-felting a heart on it....and, viola! A great, one-of-a-kind purse that has made a certain 10 year old very proud of herself! :)

A closer look.

Monday, June 29, 2009

Wisdom From Napoleon

Nope--wrong Napoleon.

Here are some quotes I stumbled upon from Napoleon Bonaparte regarding politics, for lack of a better umbrella term. Yes, Napoleon is regarded as a godless tyrant, a narcissistic ruler hardened to the millions who died in the wars that he waged in Europe for power, as well as a misogynist who saw women as "simply machines for childbirth". I still think we ought to recognize truth, whatever the source:

A man will fight harder for his interests than for his rights.

Among those who dislike oppression are many who like to oppress.

Ten people who speak make more noise than ten thousand who are silent.

In politics stupidity is not a handicap.

This year, as the 4th of July and our celebration of America's Independence from tyranny draws near, perhaps we should think of more than getting a good firework display in our schedule. Perhaps we should think more of what rights our founding fathers selflessly fought for, knowing full well that the fruit of their labor would only be fully enjoyed by generations that would come decades AFTER them? Perhaps, if our constitution is not read and understood and respected by the multitudes in our nation, we should think of what oppression could be in store for those who simply want the right of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness...nothing more, nothing less? Perhaps we should think about speaking up a little here and there when our sensibilities are offended by what laws are passed or not passed in Congress? Perhaps we should read the Constitution? Maybe even a biography or two from these great men who established our country...Thomas Paine, Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson maybe?

I don't know....just a thought. I hear there is a reprinted edition of Paine's "Common Sense"--that's where I'm going to start.

Friday, June 26, 2009

A Challenge

9:1 As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 6 Having said these things, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man's eyes with the mud 7 and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing. John 9:1-7

So we were listening to this portion of scripture together--just me and the girls while their Dad was running an errand. We were all cozied up together on the bed, and after the above portion was finished, Moo sat straight up with the most bright and earnest look in her eyes. "Oh Mom," she said sincerely, "I would just love for God's glory to be displayed in me like that! I think I would want to be blind for 40 years, just so that God could heal me and His work could be displayed in me!"

What a challenge, huh? Initially I teared up at the depth and simplicity of my daughter's faith...and then I thought, am I willing to not just endure hardship--but am I EAGER to endure it--so that the works of God could be displayed in my life?

It's a sobering challenge.

A bit later, Moo said, "well, maybe 40 years is a little dramatic...". :)

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

A Special Flare

Belle is working hard to develop her own sense of style. Whereas her big sister didn't tend to such things until recently, Belle has already begun to fancy herself up early and often. Now, here is the catch: her sense of "fancy" is just a bit...um...different....as you can only partly see in the above picture. She not only has taken to parting her hair on the FAR opposite side than what it is used to (trust me, it looks funny), but she is constantly wearing these black socks that have candy canes and pink flamingos wearing Santa hats on them. I bought them for crazy sock day at CC last year, and now--during our first heat advisory day of the summer--Belle has pulled them out to wear them. After this, I am sure she will make a beeline to her room, where she will don her other favorite accessories...a dog collar necklace, multiple plastic and/or string bracelets and a random pin or two to fancy up the front of her dress. Sometimes the pin is a poodle pin that Gigi gave her, sometimes it is an academic excellence pin, other times it is literally just a safety pin with something random dangling from it...a toy, a piece of paper, a playdoh creation, etc.

*sigh*

I exercise a big amount of self-control when I see her and refuse to comment negatively on some of her more outlandish ensembles. I employ gargantuan levels of self-control when I find myself saying, "okay, get in the car...we are going to the store". Argh!

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Happy Father's Day

This morning, the girls woke their Dad with a song. Then, gifts were given and a cup of coffee was delivered to him in bed, and breakfast was started. (They are right now in the process of cooking him eggs and turkey bacon, and he and I are restraining ourselves from running to help or intervene in some way...Belle just asked if something "is supposed to be floppy". What? We will stay here and let them be. It's hard! ) Later, we are all going to lunch and a movie, and then off to my parents' house so I can spend some time with my Dad.

The girls have been waiting not so patiently for this day to arrive--

they really do have the best dad in the world, and they know it!

Here is the song that he woke up to this morning:

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Sew Special

My Mom is a fantastic quilter. She is also quite prolific. I think in our home alone there are 7 Mom-made quilt creations. She is pretty amazing, really. And if you ask her "how in the world did you do that?" or "I could never do that", she will just grin and say something like, "no big deal...you just have to read the directions". My Mom has never met a pattern she couldn't decipher and/or conquer. No matter how experienced I get in knitting, I will NEVER have the kind of patience and perseverance that my Mom has with her quilting.

This horse blanket project just about did her in....there was so much cutting since the majority of the piece is applique...but she hung in there and delivered it to Belle within days of her 8th birthday. Belle was very, very pleased.

Speaking of my Mom, Belle and quilting, this would be a good place to mention that my Mom and I both hope that her gift for quilting skips a generation.

This is Belle working on her first quilting project with Mimi.

And the finished product!

And to the Republic....

Many don't understand the difference between a democracy and republic.

The difference is important.

This is a little video that makes a big point.

Sunday, June 14, 2009

A Few of My Favorite Things

Super Drew

My girls have a couple real-life superheroes in their lives. Daddy is number one, but their cousin Andrew is a close second. Yes, my Dad whom they call "Bucky" rounds out the top 3...but if it's alright I will just talk about Andrew right now.

Since they were itty-bitty, Drew has been their favorite boy. This weekend was his graduation from 8th grade, and both the girls were giddy at the thought that their cousin would be in high school in the fall. Me? I'm not giddy. *sniff* I'm in a state of disbelief that Drewbie is growing up so quickly! Doesn't he look handsome? And tall?

Friday, June 12, 2009

What a Relief

The girls are the greatest of all our earthly blessings. Daily, they demonstrate all of their parents' faults and foibles....impatience, stubbornness, pride, indiscretion...you name it. BUT--and I am so thankful for those "blessed buts" (inside joke...I'll blog about it later)--they also demonstrate great virtues each day too. At times in greater measure than is demonstrated by their Mom and Dad, if I am honest. Moo and Belle, as I lovingly refer to them on this blog, show great forgiveness, tenderness and most importantly--faith that God really is there...He cares...and He is in charge of it all. Just ask them...He saw that scrape Belle got on her leg, He cares that Moo is having a hard time getting her math homework done, and He grieves over all the animals going extinct...just ask Belle about that one.

They haven't had the years and experiences that tend to pry and pull us away from that fundamental of all truths....He is there, He loves us, and He remains in charge of it all. Not that we just lay back and let circumstances take us away....but we can live out our lives knowing that He knows, He sees, He IS...when all seems to be falling apart and crumbling, our Redeemer lives.

What a relief.

Friday, June 5, 2009

"Allegro"

Moo has been taking violin lessons with Miss Honna for 9 or 10 months now. These is one of the latest pieces that she is working on mastering.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4t_o6CHBxI&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Eyoutube%2Ecom%2Fmy%5Fvideos%5Fedit&feature=player_embedded

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Our Playgroup

A decade ago, my friend Sara and I got our little girls together regularly. At that time, they didn't benefit by the getting together since they were infants...but Sara and I did. We laughed and chatted over coffee about lots of stuff, and generally saved each others' sanity by showing ourselves to be of like-mind on so many issues. Often times, we mused that we couldn't imagine a time when we could just let the girls play together in the other room...by themselves...unmonitored. And, oh, how that would be nice one day. After all, we were assisting them in sitting up and making sure that they didn't put their fingers in wall outlets or bite each other.

But time has passed, and they have grown. And another pair of little ones came along that needed constant supervision, diaper changes, etc. By this time, our little play group had expanded...and expanded...and became a group of 5 moms and their kiddos, meeting regularly to save each other's sanity at least once a month.

Well, our children are growing up so fast, and they do indeed play by themselves without our direct supervision. And this does allow us the alone time that we thought would never come. Strangely, I find myself just a little sad that this long-awaited milestone has been reached...without our even realizing it, actually.

One of our dear playgroup members moved to Tennessee a couple years ago, and we recently had a "reunion". All of our kids are getting so big...and new little ones are being added all the time, it seems! We don't get together nearly as often, as life has a way of drawing us together and apart as circumstances change...but when we do get together, we pick up where we last left off. I am so thankful for this small group of women and their children, and for the shared memories that we have over the years.

Here are some pictures from our latest gathering. It seems like just yesterday these guys were all running around in diapers! (Okay, two of them are still in diapers....)

Unfortunately, Elliot got a little camera shy, so he is not pictured here with the kids.

The girls pose together before the rest of the group arrives.

Okay, a tire swing--how cool is that?

These are the times I love. I'm so thankful.
I'm reminded of the warning given by many a wise soul about "not wishing away the years". They truly do go by too fast.