Wednesday Randoms <3
Wednesday Randoms, from a full week and heart and calendar.
Random #1
As summer rolled to an end back in 2022, I clearly remember a day we were covering little ones while mom and dad were at work. I don’t remember who was involved, but Graham and Emmett had gone off to play at someone’s house. Caroline was playing with the little girl next door and Joel’s eyes filled with tears as he cried out in frustration that he had NO FRIENDS IN THE WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD TO PLAY WITH.
From that little man’s mouth to God’s ear is all I can say.
By the end of September he and the other brothers plus Caroline were enrolled in a new school and his dance card has been full ever since.
Sometimes when I get a little overwhelmed at the calendar filling with games and practices, I see those huge eyes that have always held sway over my heart, all soppy and forlorn for lack of friends his age and I just stop, drop and thank God for His goodness to all four of our little people.
Random #2
This one went and turned 13 this week.
We have a teenager.
I remember turning 13 and being 13. I remember celebrating this milestone with his mother, followed in a few years by his aunt and then his uncle. And it wasn’t that long ago in my heart, friends.
It was the end of this coming school year that his mother told me she was “going out” with Zach from church.
Yep, that Zach.
And I think we are all just a little stumped as to how this transpired so quickly, because I could swear we just brought him home from the hospital and laid him down in that huge crib.
For my own peace of mind, I am choosing not to do the math should the next 13 years speed along at this same ridiculous pace.
Random #3
Rachel had to take the above mentioned teenager to the doctor recently and when she told me his weight, I was amazed.
He currently weighs what I weighed my Junior and Senior year in high school, and about the same height.
I should have kept my marveling to myself.
On the drive home the other night, I mentioned this interesting piece of information to Russ. He proceeded to tell me his height and weight during those same high school years.
I sat in the dark silence as we progressed through the small towns that dot the road every six or so miles from their house to ours.
For alas…having shrunk an inch the past few years, I now weigh what RUSS, at 6’1’’, WEIGHED in high school. Which is not nearly so fun as the beginning of this little random…at all.
Sometimes the circle of life is cruel.
Random #4
We have had a cluster of birthdays since the end of June that will roll us along until John and I get our turn to celebrate in July.
That means cake, cake and more cake.
Last night I threw together a Wacky Cake to take up today for Graham’s party with us.
The recipe card is scrawled out on an index card that dates back to 1980. Russ and I were engaged and I wanted to make him his favorite meal for his birthday that summer.
He requested Baked Spaghetti and Wacky Cake.
I was helpless to know what either of these were. This was pre-internet and so I phoned his parents’ house, from a phone attached with a cord to the wall…yes, we are dinosaurs.
As was the case back in that day, you were at the mercy of whoever picked up the other phone attached to the wall of the house you were calling and lo and behold, it was his father.
I can still remember being told Russ’s mom was not home and having to stammer around explaining the purpose of my call to his dad. If you knew the man, he was absolutely delighted, I know now, to think I was going to try and make these things for his son.
He got the recipe box out and read me the recipes as I took down the information on the index cards that I still grab out anytime I need to make these dishes. I don’t make that cake without remembering the call and that sweet man who I was privileged to call “Dad” just like one of his children.
Random #5
The necklace I am sporting is three bejeweled macarons in a stack. I bought a matching game of Macarons years ago and the kids have loved playing it on many a visit.
I get a photo from Rachel anytime they see macarons at a bakery, or the image on anything from stickers to napkins to mugs.
This particular bauble has a twin and was actually a pair of earrings Caroline scored for me last year for my birthday.
They literally weigh a ton.
I braved wearing them to work one day so I could take my picture at the store and send it to her. My ear lobes, even with a supportive back sticker to help, were slightly stretched and aching by the end of the day.
She was here last weekend and found them on my dresser and asked if I wear them. I told her I have but they are very heavy. She shared her own experience with a pair of hoops that she had to throw away as they were also pulling on her ears.
I told her I was going to ask her if she minded me making a necklace and she loved the idea. So now I just have to be careful leaning over so I don’t have it fly up and chip a tooth and I am good to go with my bling.