A Future Doctor?

After our various plans were cancelled today due to rain, we finally ended up at the Adventure Science Museum with a friend of Ellie's. The kids had a ball running around the play area--for a pregnant lady, they are hard to keep up with. The cutest was the Body questions area where they put on their white coats and operated on a patient. They were super intent, asking questions and trying to find a cure.

Butterflies

We had our own little science experiment at the Calhoun house with butterflies. About 2-3 weeks ago we received our caterpillars in the mail. They were about a half inch long. In about a week, they doubled in size and soon migrated to the top of the jar and turned into chrysalis. We moved them into their net house where they hung from the top for about a week and finally hatched this weekend. We ended up with about 8 or 9 painted lady butterflies. We released them tonight into our little garden. The girls thought it was super cool. Katelyn even coaxed some of them out on a flower. I highly recommend the butterflies as a learning game for all kids. Ours loved watching them grow from little caterpillars to longer caterpillars and finally to butterflies.

Go CPA!

We went to our first CPA game of the year last night. Our poor Lions had an 0-3 record going in to the game. The girls decided to wear their cheer girl uniforms and do some cheering. They had a wonderful time. I think Ellie may be a sports commentator or something. She chattered incessantly and asked a zillion questions, "Why are we cheering, what happened to that guy, who has the ball, why is he down, how much time, . . . . . and on and on and on." If I didn't immediately respond, I received a persistent tug on my arm until I answered her. It reminded me of when my mom use to tell me how I was always saying, "Why this and Why that." My favorite though was when I let out a little groan on a fumble and Ellie responded, "It's o.k. mommy. We can cheer for both teams. It's o.k." in her sweetest little supportive voice.

Katelyn had a great time running around with her friends from school. She hung out most of the night with a little boy from her class. It was almost a glimpse of what's to come. I could visualize them 12 years from now sitting on the same bleachers together cheering for their team. It is one reason I love the school so much. It is a community that comes together--with kids K-12 running around and having a great time. Of course the kids crashed on the way home. By the way, we WON. Yeah CPA.

Getting ready for the game

Tuckered out afterwards

Counting my blessings

I find it so easy to get swept up in the day and never really pause to realize how truly blessed we are. This morning we had a chapel at school with three speakers talking about their experiences in Africa and the poverty and hardship they witnessed. One is prepared to adopt two little boys from Africa. We were challenged to make that difference, to see the impact that we can make even if it is just on one person, to face what real hunger looks like--not just a little rumble in our tummy. And yet even after that chapel, I went about my day without feeling the weight of the words--without counting my blessings and realizing how truly blessed I am to have the life I have--with an abundance of food, good health and shelter. I was short with my kids and feeling quite pregnant and tired.

It took my 3 year old's words of wisdom as she spoke of how beautiful everything was on our walk--the true joy I saw in her eyes and smile from a simple walk with her mama--to take the time to sit down on the path (she was tired) and appreciate the beauty of God's creation.

And then I left the path and re-entered my world of overabundance and returned to my cranky self. It was only this evening as I was reading the blog of a 20 year old girl serving in Uganda that is so sure of herself and her faith as she described her days ministering to the poor that I truly stopped for some introspection.

I encourage you to check out her blog www.kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com. It is listed to the right as The Journey. But the entry that caused me to really pause and appreciate my family and what we have is http://kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com/2009/08/be-warned-i-always-re-read-things.html

To be able to visualize the number of kids out there with no parents who love them and nothing to eat is heartbreaking. It made me go in and hug my kids that much harder. Sure they whine and can be stubborn and don't listen, but they are mine to love all the more and I wouldn't trade them for the world.