It's that time of year again....

Hard to believe

I
now
have
a
KINDERGARTENER!!!

I couldn't make this stuff up if I tried.....

TUESDAY
Our neighborhood is, well, interesting to say the least.
The other day, the teenage neighbor of ours asked me for a ride. It wasn't far, so I gave him one, even though I didn't really want to. I told him I'd get my keys and be right out. I came outside...and he was IN MY CAR. Umm...I didn't like that. J had just been out there a minute earlier and apparently hadn't locked the doors. So I drive the guy, and go to get gas...and ALL THE CASH IN MY WALLET WAS GONE. I knew I had exactly $27 in there. I was fuming.

SO, I told our other neighbors, who are friends with this guy and his family. They confronted his uncle, and the uncle didn't believe it but threw $20 at the lady's feet. SO, at midnight that night, we were awakened by pounding on our door, incessant doorbell ringing. Karl answered and it was the kid, wanting to talk to me. At midnight. So I go out there in my pj's, and ask what was up.

Him: Um..first I wanna say sorry. Second, here. (and he gave me the $20)
Me: Um...I believe you took more than that?
Him: NO I only took $20.
Me: That's funny because exactly $27 was missing...
Him: (laughing) nah, I only took $20 and I only took it to get something to eat.
Me: whatever

I just wanted to get back to sleep. So this kids asks for a favor, steals from me while I do the favor, then lies to my face while apologizing? I know he only did it because our neighbor guy made him, but at least I got $20 back...better than none. No more favors for him!

*************************************************************************************
Wednesday

I went to Target. I let J pick a new water squirter, because the day before, we had a HUGE neighborhood water war. All the kids fight over these 2 animal squirters he has. So, he picked a monster one, it was supposed to be $8. It rang up $1. Whoa...so I went back to get more...and ALL the other ones rang up $8 still. Even the ones that were identical to the one we bought for $1...same UPC and everything! The Target workers were stumped. Interesting....$27 was stolen from me...and only $20 was paid back...and then I mysteriously saved $7 at Target...so, in a way, I got my $7 back...granted, not the way it SHOULD have happened, but still really cool!

*************************************************************************************
Wednesday night
It was a nice evening and a lot of people were outside. While I was in for a few minutes, 2 teenage boys came along with lighter fluid and a lighter and started a fire by our woods. Thankfully, not at the end near my house, and thankfully a couple people stomped it out. We kept smelling lighter fluid near the pond, and in different parts of the woods. One kid here knew the kids who did it, so of course we called the police. The cutest cop EVER came and you should have seen the neighbor girls falling all over him. One couldn't even say her name...it came out "Come on and moo me". ;-)

What is this?

Oh yes, it's a flower that Jonah brought me.
Well, *two* flowers, actually.

How sweet is he, bringing flowers to Mommy?!
He certainly doesn't get that from his dad!

As nice as they are...

I can't help but feel bad...

for the neighbor whose yard he picked them from!

Chapin Forest

I took Jonah to Chapin Forest the other day.


We had a great time throwing rocks into Quarry Pond, eating our picnic lunch, and talking/walking with a pleasant older couple. When we parted ways with the couple (whose names I immediately forgot), Jonah and I headed to the Lucky Stone Loop trail.

The view was amazing.


We could even see Lake Erie and the Cleveland skyline, which is 18 miles away.


We saw many beautiful trees.


It was an enjoyable 1.5 mile walk.
Well, for us, we made it about a 2 mile walk because Jonah wanted to go down a different path at one point.

Jonah did great. He walked for quite some time without stopping. Then I carried him piggyback for a short time. He walked again. I piggybacked him again. All in all, I would say he walked a mile and a half by himself.

Little boys do get tired, though.


So we took a rest and listened to the birds.

Jonah was a bit disappointed that Chapin doesn't have a real working quarry, but he soon got over it and enjoyed our day.


After our hike, we played on the playground at Chapin. Then our neighbors called and asked us to meet at Garfield Park, so Jonah got to play there for 2 hours. THEN, he played outside at home for another 2 hours or so, and the ice cream truck came. I had one happy, worn out boy.

Green Grass

They say that the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.

Frankly, I have felt that way often. That I’m on the less green side. Everyone else seems to have more and/or better things than we do. We don’t own our house, we don’t have the newest cars, and we don’t take fancy vacations. In this materialistic society, it is so easy to get caught up on what we *don’t* have and forget about the blessings we do have. If I choose to focus on everything we don’t have, then yes the grass is way greener over there. Ours would be looking dull and brown.

Yet if I focus on the positives, it’s not hard to see that I have a few many blessings. A husband, a son…all of us healthy. Friends and family that love us despite our many flaws quirks. A great church-well, technically TWO great churches, as we are in the process of switching from a great one to another great one closer to home. A too small home that is just enough for our small family. Two cars that run, jobs, insurance, enough income to pay our bills and provide our needs. Above all else, a God that loves us and forgives us. When we choose to focus on the blessings, it’s obvious we’re very blessed people. When I look at life this way, our grass is very green.

And still…sometimes I just don’t see it that way. The blessings are often clouded by the selfish desires. Until recently.

Until *Casey.

Casey is our 8 year old neighbor. We have known her for over a year now. She comes over to play with Jonah. Often. Every day during Spring Break, she was here. Every day after school and on weekends? She’s here. All. Day. LONG. In our yard. In our house. Helping herself to Jonah’s outside toys and bikes. Right up in my face, asking us where we were going, if she could come with. Not getting the hint when she is told no. She has asked to come to Jonah’s family birthday dinner, invited herself to his birthday party, asked to come grocery shopping with us, and asked us to take her to Chick Fil A and the park, to name just a few. Sometimes I say yes. Sometimes I say no. Sometimes I get extremely frustrated with this child that won’t leave our family alone.

Recently I’ve been thinking about the Casey situation. Realizing she doesn’t have a wonderful home life. Lots of yelling, not much attention otherwise. The girl is lonely. Yes she has a mom, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents…all in our development. Yes, I’m sure they love her. But she is a lonely little girl. She is looking for love and attention, wanting to be a part of what we are and what we have. She is just eight years old, but she can see that Jonah’s home life is different… has a home filled with love. She can tell that we love spending time with Jonah and enjoy taking him places. Casey sees something in our family that she wants. And that humbles me, puts things into perspective. I never thought anyone else would desire the life our family lives. To me, our life is average. Perfect for us…but nothing others would covet. And yet, Casey wants in. So, even though it’s frustrating at times, we’ve chosen to focus on the positives in life. We’ve chosen to focus on the positives of Casey, too, and how God has put her in our lives for a reason. We’ve chosen to include her more, show her more grace and mercy, and show her God’s love.

To at least one person, we are on the side of the fence that has the greener grass. And we’re opening the gate.

*not her real name

Never Heard a Prayer Quite Like This Before

The ice cream truck decided not to show up today (apparently it comes on the COLD days??), so Jonah and I made a quick trip to Wal*Mart to pick up some treats.

We started driving out of our development, and two teenagers on bikes were in the road ahead. One turned right and rode off. The other was waiting to turn left, and was in front of my car, so we were stuck there waiting behind him.

Jonah is very observant these days.

He said to me "Mommy, are those his BOXERS?!"

I looked again.
Well, he was wearing jeans.
But I don't think one inch of denim actually covered the young man's rear end.

I couldn't lie, so I agreed that yes, they *are* his boxers.

My son promptly bowed his head, folded his hands, and prayed:

Dear God,
Please make him take off his underwear.
Amen.