7 Quick Takes Friday (Vol. 129) about Singing, Dancing, Training, Laughing

 

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Grace is…getting a short nap when you’re beyond ready to collapse, a glimmer of hope in the midst of innumerable struggles, God putting people on our hearts and minds who need our prayers, people with whom we can be completely honest and vulnerable, reconnecting with friends you don’t get to see often, having a child bring you a book to read them, being reminded of the place in your heart that suffers when those you love are suffering, the gift of laughter, the undeniable cuteness and joy of little ones…  

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Gotta Sing and Dance I was raised with a love for books of all sorts, Broadway musicals, and Disney movies among other things.  I have shared my passion for books and musicals with the children for whom I have nannied and worked with over the years.  My mom, sisters, and I have been known to break into song at family meals and gatherings, and I regularly burst into songs from Singin’ in the Rain, The Sound of Music, White Christmas, Mary Poppins, The Music Man...when taking care of little ones.  Of course, I also sing them the usual ABCs, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, London Bridge is Falling Down, If You’re Happy and You Know It, She’ll be Coming Round the Mountain, I’ve been working on the railroad, but I also enjoy spicing things up a bit with some lesser-known oldies but goodies.     

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The Music Man Over the past couple weeks after Kevin and I watched one of the movies I know by heart from my childhood, I was inspired to introduce another couple songs to the repertory of Broadway musical classics that I sing and dance to at times while nannying.  The girls have really enjoyed the opening scene from the original The Music Man movie.  This has been the favorite and most requested Youtube clip this week (at least in the department of musicals):

    

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Hit by a Train The other day it happened to me again, I was hit by a train.  It was a small child’s toy train, but I still got hit by it.  When Kevin and I were dating, he took me to a model train store and was showing me how detailed some of the to-scale models are.  I was holding one box up and examining the locomotive inside, admiring the intricacy of the windows, seats, etc., and tilted the box a little too far.  The black engine thumped onto my chest.  I turned to Kevin with a look of mock horror, and said, “I’ve been hit by a train!”       

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Keep It Simple I’ll set up a lay-out of train tracks, and one of the girls tries to attach all of the trains to each other and not let her sisters have any to play with.  Another will make it her mission to destroy whatever train tracks are connected, especially if they happen to be held up or supported by Duplos.  The third cutie has cracked me up this week by taking one piece of track less than a foot long and one train and running the train back and forth along that little bit of track.  It’s portable, cannot be disassembled, and doesn’t draw nearly as much attention or interference as other attempts to play trains.  You go girl!    

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When Words Aren’t Enough Over the past couple weeks, I have had people share with me a number of serious situations for which they want and need prayer.  Regardless of how tired I have been, God has granted me the grace to listen and be present when possible, and to lift up all of those who are suffering and caring for them in prayer.  I’m encouraged to know that there are people who pray for Kevin and me daily.  Just so you know, I am always honored when people ask me to pray for them or for their loved ones.  Prayer requests are always welcome!   
    

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A Fabulous Tradition A couple who we are good friends with has made it a tradition each year to invite a group of friends and/or family members over for an early Thanksgiving feast at their place.  Kevin and I are looking forward to this get-together quite a bit after having a blast in years’ past.  Good food, good friends, great memories, abundant blessings, who could ask for anything more?

                  

Check out Jen Fulwiler’s tradition of 7 Quick Takes Friday at her tremendously popular blog Conversion Diary.  

7 Quick Takes Friday (Vol. 128) about inspiration, making a difference, and persevering

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Grace is…believing you’re loved even when you can’t feel it, knowing that living out our vocations requires ongoing discernment and sacrifice, people recognizing and affirming those who have spent time away from the workplace to take care of family and friends at home, the acknowledgement of anyone that raising a family is the most challenging and important job there is for married couples and parents, learning about inspiring people who use their talents to serve others, being able to pray for and with others…

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What’s a Life Worth? Late last night, I finished reading the amazing Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder.  The book is about a remarkable man, Dr. Paul Farmer, whose passion for treating people in poverty (starting with those he served in Haiti) with the utmost dignity, respect, and the best medical technologies available literally impacted and dramatically improved treatment of infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS in poor countries around the world. 

     "...the idea that some lives matter less is the root of all that's wrong with the world" is the essence of Dr. Paul Farmer’s philosophy.  I know a book is very well-written when, though it’s about a topic as depressing as rampant illness affecting the poorest of the poor, I’m left feeling hopeful, inspired, and completely in awe of what happens when one man insists and believes that every life is of incalculable value; every person is worth treating; and every individual deserves the best we have to give, whatever the cost to ourselves or others.  

.   God did it again.  I was led to read this book at the perfect time. The pastor of our church and a group of parishioners are on yet another mission trip in Haiti this week, visiting our twin parish in Dos Palais, which is supposed to be opening a medical clinic soon.  

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Noisy Toys After a three day weekend, suddenly a vast number of battery-operated 'noisy toys' no longer make sounds. When Sunshine told me all of the batteries just ran down, I rolled with it, and told her if they were taken out and not replaced it must have been for a good reason.  My guess is that their parents, like any adults who have a reasonable amount of sanity somewhere on their top ten list of most important attributes of a caregiver, can only take but so much of Rock'n'Roll Elmo, an endless loop of "The Itsy-Bitsy Spider," and toys that add more sound effects that make it seem like their children are actually being raised in a barn. 

     I recall quite clearly a few toys that the boys loved to play with that would “disappear” at random intervals when I deemed my sanity more important than their need to press the fire engine’s siren another bazillion times.  I found it particularly taxing when the battery was about to run out on the sea-themed exersaucer activity center.  One of the boys picked up on how much it annoyed me to hear a painfully slow, scratchy version of “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” that was the equivalent of nails on a chalkboard for me.  Kid was smart.  When he was upset with me for failing to concede in any way, shape, or form that only the exersaucer, not the entire universe revolved around him, he would purposely press the star and watch me cringe.  
     You will never convince me that kids aren’t clever enough to torture their parents and caregivers on purpose from a surprisingly young age. I know better.

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Calling for Back-up The other day was a 3+ time-outs, not enough sleep (them or me), and call for at least one of our favorite visitors kind of nannying day.  I feared that after five hours of feeding, cleaning up after, playing with, and refereeing three young girls in a limited space I was likely to run completely out of energy and patience sometime in the remaining four and a half hours before their mom would get home from work. 

Cuties with Contraband

     I’m sure it would have helped somewhat for at least a while if we could have gotten outside, but it’s been a couple weeks since I have been able to locate shoes that fit two of them (over socks) which I consider mandatory, not optional when playing outside, especially when the temperature is under 70.  I also hesitate to do much outdoors when the oldest is racking up time-outs, because I can’t trust that we’d get too far on a walk or other outdoor activity before a total and complete meltdown would make it necessary for me to get all three of them inside.        
     Fortunately, Kevin came over late that afternoon in case there was a repeat after naps (theirs, not mine) of I-want-whatever-you’re-playing-with-when-you’re-playing-with-it-and-I’m-going-to-grab-it-from-you-and-knock-you-over-to-get-it Advanced Pre-school Aerobics/Kung Fu Class. 
     The girls only napped for an hour, so it was even more vital that I had back-up on the way.  Kevin and I had the girls running, playing, giggling, and in much better moods than any of us were in that morning. Thank God Almighty for the gift of my husband, and I do!  To read about more of my adventures as a nanny, check out posts from My Nanny Diary.

    

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JAM Session Highlights Our parish has a really great, very successful ecumenical Job Assistance Ministry (JAM) which has helped hundreds of people in our area find employment.  Kevin’s been going to the meetings regularly as he searches for a new job.  The numerous professionals and business people involved offer a wide variety of career services for free that other recruiters and job search agencies charge hundreds of dollars to do.  Check out the ministry website, activities, and successes here. 

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My Guy Gets It This past Wednesday at JAM, the speaker was swamped with questions after his
presentation, so Kevin took it upon himself to approach a woman wondering what to put on her resume since he has spent several hours working, revising, and rewriting his with the recent tips, tricks, and trends he’s learned.  Kevin’s a friendly, helpful guy, so this gesture didn’t surprise me.  What I was really excited to hear is that he reassured this woman, who has gone 17 years without a paying job, that raising a family is the hardest and most important job anyone can do and made it abundantly clear to her that she must have a number of marketable skills from such a feat that will translate into the work world.  While they were talking, another woman came up who’s been out of the workforce for 21 years raising her family.  I am beyond grateful that my husband gets what so many men and women don’t: there’s nothing more challenging or more essential than raising a family, and those who devote their time and energy to that are generally hardworking, very talented individuals who deserve respect. 
    

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Hope and Help for the Philippines This is a very good article on what has happened in the Philippines and what is being done to help the many victims of Super Typhoon Haiyan.  There are links in the article of what organizations are already in place to help and how you can donate to the effort.    

     Lord, please open our hearts and minds to do and be what you need us to in order to alleviate the suffering that is taking place in the Philippines right now. 

                  

Check out Jen Fulwiler’s tradition of 7 Quick Takes Friday at her tremendously popular blog Conversion Diary.

Treasure Chest Surprises (My Nanny Diary)

A few weeks ago, Sophie began pulling up on the treasure chest, then perching on top of it for a bit.  Over the past week, Sophie and Livie have been very interested in climbing into the Minnie Mouse treasure chest Vivi received as one of her turning 3 birthday gifts. 

At first, Sophie would approach the open treasure chest filled with wooden blocks and Duplos and gingerly sit on it with one leg hanging off the side.  Mastering this trick, she decided to climb in, make herself as comfy as possible while sitting on blocks and even cross her ankles. 

    
Today Livie is sitting in the treasure chest facing backward, trying to pull the lid down on herself which goes about as well as you can imagine it would.  Earlier both of the twins managed to wedge themselves in there with the colorful assortment of blocks. 

    
Vivi is a big fan of Jake and the Never Land Pirates, which I’ve never watched on TV, though I’ve read some of the board books about them.  This fascination with the Peter Pan spin-off is why she refers to the treasure chest as the “team treasure chest.”  Her mom has let me know that on the show and movies they call it a team treasure chest, because they all put their gold doubloons in there once they’ve done a good deed.

    

Salty, Yet Satisfying

Honestly, I don’t really know what my shoelaces taste like, but the twins do.  I’m fairly certain the only day in a month or so that I didn’t find one or the other of the girls sucking on my shoelaces was this past Monday evening when I came over after their parents put them to bed (or were about to) for the night, so mom and dad could go out for a nice dinner.  I’m not quite certain what the draw is to my shoes, other than that I put them on before I go outside. 

    
They seem to take an interest in their parents’ sneakers, but they usually aren’t quite as determined to munch on their treads or chew on their laces when mine are available. Vivi’s shoes are also particularly tasty, because they’re easily the second favorite choice if they’re within reach.   

   
As a mentioned not too long ago, Vivi loves to wind my shoelaces around and loop them over and under until it takes me as long as it takes her to put her shoes on (that includes the persuasive arguments as to why she needs footwear if we're going outside along with a refresher on how I know it's best not to help her put her shoes, clothes, sunglasses, hat, underwear...on when she can do it herself).

7 Quick Takes Friday (Vol. 69)

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Religious Freedom at Risk:

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We Must Obey God Rather Than Men!

The future of religious freedom in America is at risk!

Join us for 72 hours of prayer and arrests at The White House

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We’re on a roll! It’s quite amusing to watch the twins for whom I nanny interact on the blanket on the floor.  Even if they’re on opposite ends of the blanket, they always gravitate towards each other, flailing their little hands and feet in the process.  Their antics are quite hilarious.  (No one was mortally or morally wounded in the shooting of these photos.) 

 

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Cute as Can Be Big Sis One melt-your-heart precious moments this week, Vivi saw Livi sleeping on the floor uncovered, so she went over and put a blanket over her legs.  I responded with the appropriate “Awww, that was so sweet!” in hopes to encourage this sort of compassion and sisterly concern. 

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Play It Again, Sam  Thankfully, the girls’ parents and I are on the same wavelength when it comes to what I call “noisy toys.”  Some of them are actually nice to listen to (for less than an hour at a time), and others are pretty much grating after the second verse or stanza of the song.  When I told Jess that I’d put Vivi’s keyboard up when she wouldn’t stop standing on it and I’d told her it would break.  Jess said Carl would just as soon it did break.  Jess reminded me that I’m free to hide any toys I can’t stand hearing ad infinitum or remove the batteries.  I have reserved this right for quite some time as I discovered years ago that there are some toys that are sufficiently unsettling enough to jeopardize an adult’s sanity when two young children have access to them for 8+ hours at a time.  In case you might have missed it, books have always been my favorite go-to for me and for the children in my life.

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No Arms, No Legs, No Worries?  I'm currently reading inspirational speaker Nick Vujicic’s first book Life Without Limits. I’m absolutely amazed by his attitude of gratitude, faith, compassion, love, joy, and spirit. The first book of his which I'm still reading and his many Youtube videos have deeply touched my heart and soul.  I’m really looking forward to reading his second book which is coming out in late October!
  

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The Butterfly Circus I’and really loved this short film he was in along with the lead actor Eduardo Verastegui, whom you might recognize from the remarkable movie Bella.

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The Lord of all Dance I pray that You will draw my loved one who had a successful foot surgery (they fixed the problem and discovered it wasn’t a tumor like they originally thought) ever nearer to You in all areas of life.  Please give Your beloved child the wisdom to listen to You, the Divine Physician as well as her medical doctor so that her healing will happen quickly and without complications.     

Head over to Conversion Diary, to read Jen Fulwiler's wonderful tradition of 7 Quick Takes Friday.