Ash Wednesday

Look at what Buddy can do!! He's 13 1/2 months, and he's figured out how to climb onto everything! His determination to keep up with Maya, coupled with the fact that he's strong enough and tall enough to physically match her every move, makes him a TOTAL danger to himself! Just like Maya, he has no fear. Now, the race is on to see who ends up in a cast first (my money's on Liam)... ugh, I loathe the thought!

Here they are, just climbing on a Christmas storage box that STILL needs to be put away. Yes, it will be a long night. We have Mom's Club play group here tomorrow morning, so I need to get on this stuff! Well, that and fact that it's the middle of February already! News flash: Christmas is OVER!
I'm so happy that we decided to get this play set for the kids for Christmas this year. They are on it constantly whenever we're in the basement. It's a huge hit! In the last week, Liam has worked up the courage to go down the slide all by himself. Just this week, Maya has started sitting at the bottom of the slide, holding her hands out, saying, "I dot chu, Buddy!"
He slides down, crashing into her, and they giggle every single time...
Maya has invented a new way to go down the slide, head-first (which I'm going on record as saying that I am NOT crazy about this) and on her back. She loves it!Another favorite past time in our house is playing "library girl", which entails taking the books off of the shelves in Will's office. Typically, a library girl would be found re-shelving the books, but not in this library...
And here's our little "library boy"...
After careful consideration and dozens of book pushed to the floor, they climbed into the big, comfy chair and settled in for a little "light" reading...
The garbage man is here!! Garbage day is a HUGE hit. The kids run to the window and watch the truck go around the cul-de-sac...
Liam listens intently as Maya explains the finer points of trash collection. Likely, he is taking it all in as helpful information to assist him when he plays "garbage boy". That's what Maya says when I am yelling at Liam to get out of the trash can. "Mommy, Buddy's being garbage boy!" Oh, yeah, I forgot. Then by all means, take out those egg shells and raw meat scraps with your bare hands... heeheehee... just kidding!

On another note, today is the first time I have observed Ash Wednesday. Since joining the Presbyterian church, I have not had the time or desire to learn about some of their rituals. I'm just being honest. Really, after Liam was born, I think we went to church (maybe) five times that whole first year. It just wasn't a priority. Now, things are much different. I have the time. I have the desire. I called my friend (and pastor), Jen, to find out about these different holy days... Ash Wednesday, Lent, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and found out that all of these days, lead up to the main event, Easter Sunday. Tonight, Will and I took turns going to church to observe Ash Wednesday in preparation of the Lenten season. I was first to go, and when I entered the sanctuary, the lights were off, there was soft meditative music playing, and Jen was sitting in the first row of pews, waiting to share Communion with anyone who wanted to partake. As I took my place in the pew, I didn't really know what to expect. This season is about cleansing, starting over, recognizing how we've strayed from God, and refocusing our lives back to Him. Pretty powerful stuff. I sat there quietly and thought about my short-comings as a wife, a mother, a daughter, a sister, and a friend, and I gave thanks for all the MANY blessings in my life. Often, being in church stirs up a lot of emotion in me, and I'm not sure why. Like many times before, the flood gates opened, and tears just started pouring out. My struggle lies in my inability to relinquish control to God. I'm a natural worrier, a caregiver, and most often, I tend to bear the weight of the world on my shoulders. As I sat in that pew, I tried so very hard to just "turn it all over to God," and the resulting tears came from the realization and shame that even in church, I struggle with that concept. As I made my way to the front of the church (with hot tears still streaming down my face), I was comforted with Jen's open arms, a warm embrace between good friends. I felt that without saying a word, she understood. She reminded me of the sacrifice that Jesus made for me, so I could have forgiveness. I ate the bread and drank the juice, and then she placed the sign on the cross on my forehead with ashes, which is done to remind us of our own mortality (another tear-inducing topic for me). We embraced again, and she whispered to me, "I'm so glad you're my friend," and all I could choke out was a heartfelt, "Me, too." I'm so thankful for the people that have been placed in my life, Jen being one of many. Having the opportunity to sit and reflect on my life and relationships was a great thing for me. It took some time, but I came to realize that leaning on God is what I need to be doing this season and for the rest of my life. I'm going to make a more conscience effort to do just that... let God have control. I'm anxious to find out how it feels to live without that weight on my shoulders. (As an aside, I also gave up Facebook, fast-food, take-out, and chocolate... for the next 40 days. I also prayed for LOTS of patience. I can always use more of that, especially now that we're potty training.)

Now, to lighten the mood...
Tonight, Maya was getting ready for bed, putting on her Ariel socks, and told me that I needed Ariel on my socks, too. I agreed and said, "Yeah, Mommy's socks are just plain white. They're pretty boring." She went on about her business, and we began reading some bedtime stories.

Fast-forward about 10 minutes... I had just finished reading "Mother Goose", and she went to the bookshelf to pick out the next book in the line-up. She picked up some Little Golden Book off the shelf and said, "Dis book's boring," and put it in the box with her wipes, next to the bookshelf. She picked up another Little Golden Book off the shelf and said, "Dis book's boring, too," and placed it with the other "boring" book in the box of misfit books. Since I've NEVER heard Maya call anything "boring" before, I was totally taken off-guard, so I asked, "That book is boring?" She replied, "Yeah, juss wike your socks." I cracked up!! I was laughing harder than I'd laughed all day, maybe all week. I never would have guessed that nonchalant statement about the design (or lack thereof) of my socks would resurface just moments later, in a description about her books! Oh my goodness... that girl is just too much sometimes!