I'm Just Not that Smart!

Some of this week's questions from the children have included.....

Why don't all herbivores look the same?
If God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are all one, why do they have different names?
If babies are born with fingernails, why can't they be born with teeth?
If the earth is spinning, why don't I?
Why do baby deer stay with their mommy, but not their daddy, but baby penguins stay with their daddy and not their mommy?
Why do police always know where to find the speeding people (no, I didn't get pulled over)
Why do the words emotion and motion sound the same, but don't mean anything the same?
Why would God make my ears, nose and mouth connected? Was that really necessary?
Why do you buy medicine that makes me feel a little better, but doesn't cure me?
Why does ham come from a pig, but HAMburger doesn't?
Do we call it marching because in the old days they only did it in March?
Why do you call crayons colors, but markers markers, even when I'm coloring?

*****very tired sign********

Sometimes, I just don't know the answers and sometimes I'm just too tired to answer. And other times, I'm too exhausted to even google them. Can I get a witness?

Leave it up to an Auntie!

Shortly after THIS POST, Aunt Darci sent Layla an email with THIS PICTURE.

Layla was first in awe that Aunt Darci even knew about the earrings. Then, it was hilarious watching her little mind trying to find the nice way to say, "Wow, that wasn't the miracle I was praying for and I really don't like those" So, she blamed mom. She said, "Tell Aunt Darci you won't let me wear dangly earrings."

The 2 Year Run is OVER!

We have been very blessed with health the last 2 years. Seriously, nothing more than a good cold here and there and that's it. BUT, the tide has changed in the Handsaker House! Since we've returned from Aruba Cooper had the stomach flu for 1 week, ear infection, strep and ran a fever for 6 days straight. Layla and I got a touch of the flu and Layla now has some yucky, croupy sounding cough. IS IT SPRING YET? I'm ready to bust open the windows and get some fresh air. I'd say these two are as well!

Praying for a Miracle

I was putting Layla's hair up in a ponytail this morning and she said to me...
"Mom, I want Jesus earrings."
"Really," I replied. "Like what kind of Jesus earrings. Like a cross?"
"No, like Jesus when he was a cute baby."
"Have you seen these earrings somewhere?"
"No. But I prayed for them last night. I asked Jesus for them."
"Oh."
And in a tiny whisper she says, "I prayed for a miracle, that those earrings would just be right in my ears when I woke up."

Well then, I'm just not really sure from what angle to handle this one first.....

Seeing Red

When Layla got in my car after school on Wednesday, her face told me something was wrong. Her expression was somewhere between mad and annoyed. Yet I knew there maybe tears right under the surface. The look immediately reminded me of this picture. My mom took this picture of Layla when Layla was 2 1/2 months old. I think my mom got such a kick out of it because this expression belongs to me and I'm sure my mom has seen it at least 10,000 times in her life (mostly when I was between the ages of 11-15)! It's very strange when you see someone give a look you've felt yourself give. Even stranger when it's from your 2 month old daughter.

I asked Layla what was wrong and she replied, "I almost got on red."
If a student isn't behaving in Layla's classroom, they get a warning and their name on the board moves to yellow. If they keep it up, they go to red and if that doesn't cure it, they go to the Principal's office.

Layla is the rule follower. She wants to know the rules, understand each detail of the rules and will ask many questions until she does. She's never been on yellow, so this was surprising, and quite honestly, somewhat humorous, news to me!

Here's the story of red according to Layla.....

"We were in the gym and the curtain was up between the gym and the cafeteria. Mrs. Brown showed us the line we couldn't cross into the cafeteria and said that if we did, it was right to red, no yellow. I thought I understood and then I started riding my scooter so fast. All of the sudden, Mrs. Brown said, 'Layla, you're on red!" I didn't even understand and I started crying, 'I don't want to be on red!' and in my mind I was saying I want my mommy. Mrs. Brown hugged me and I didn't have to go to red."

She either made a mistake and her sweet classroom helper gave her the benefit of the doubt or Layla really knows how to work the system.....

One Minute Snapshot

When Layla and Cooper were younger, I felt like my days at home with them were sooooo loooooooong. In my heart, I knew that staying home was the right thing for me and our family. Overall, it brought me great joy! But, in my head, I had a hard time staying out of the workforce. I'm just more inclined to work. Not that staying home isn't work. It's way more work...just different. I didn't have control of my work anymore and there was no paycheck to affirm my value. After spending day after day entertaining a 2 year old, nursing a newborn, changing diapers, doing laundry, giving baths.....the days felt long. A friend of mine says those are the longest days and shortest years. She's right.

Somewhere, somehow....those long days are over. Layla is now 5 1/2 and Cooper is just 1 month away from turning 3. They are so independent. This fact was proven last Wednesday when I was sick in bed with the stomach flu and Dave was gone. My goal was to stay as far away from the kids as I could so as not to make them sick too. They got dressed, brushed their teeth, made their own snacks and Layla even served lunch (which was a whole box of goldfish and fruit snacks) and watched hours of PBS. I figured it was better than them getting sick!

The days that were all blurry and long have been replaced by days of 2 children talking at me, at the same time, all the time! The sleepy, blurry mind of a mom with little ones is now completely overstimulated.

Along with being a worker, I'm a busy body. I don't sit and read or watch TV during the day, I'm always doing. Along with my "doing" of at least 3 other things all at the same time are two little voices asking.....

"Was there a ribbon cutting when God made the earth?"
"What color was the ribbon?"
"What mom? What Layla say? What ribbon? I need blow my nose. You help me?"
"Was Jesus there? No, I guess he wasn't born yet..right?"
"What mom? What Layla say? Jesus happy birthday?"
"Can I have gum?"
"What mom? What Layla say? She have gum? I want snack"
"I don't like that gum. What's the gum that Addie had at church that I liked? You know, the piece she gave me when I was 4?"
"What mom? What Layla say? Who Addie? I want water."
"Mom, you know what gum, just think harder. You remember, it was pink and white."
"What mom? What Layla say?
"Mom you forget a lot."
"Yeah mom, you silly."

And that is a one minute snapshot of my day.

Don't blink...

...or you will miss the ONE picture I took in Aruba...sad, but true. This was taken the from our deck on the first morning. When the kids aren't with us, I never remember to take my camera anywhere! Aruba was warm, beautiful and all the things that Iowa is NOT this time of year. Yes, we had a great time and yes, we're glad to be back with the kids. When we picked them up and left Grandma and Papa Handsaker, Cooper asked Grandma, "You gonna miss us Grandma?" So sweet! They had a great time with their grandparents. We are blessed to have two sets of grandparents who are involved, loving and willing to give Dave and I time away!