Dinner tomorrow will be at the cousins' house with some sailors who aren't going to their own homes and some friends. We are bringing sides, which are started, and pies, and a second turkey, which will be cooked in the morning. I've baked some sweet potatoes, made the cranberry relish and sauce, and will make Gonga's yeast rolls in the morning. I might be making corn pudding, but I think my sister-in-law wants to do it, and I'm happy to oblige. Tonight, after we serve Thanksgiving dinner for homeless and old people at church, we'll make pumpkin, apple, and one other pie - maybe Jefferson Davis, maybe Shoofly, maybe sugar cream... something different.
The day after Thanksgiving, we're going to Fresno for the state cross country meet. My oldest son's team is now one of the top 25 Division 5 CC teams in the large state of California. That is a good place to be - no stress for the championship race Saturday morning, other than my son really wants a PR.
He also PR'd on his latest SAT. He took it once back in January, and did well, but the idea was that that was his practice test. This time he scored an 800 in the reading section and a 700 in math, even though he did little in the way of preparation. I'm tickled pink for him. Where else can I brag but on my own little blog?
Other points of pride - school conferences went well. I have been worried about the academic achievements of my 3 youngers, but their teachers all assert that they are doing fine, and all three were complemented for being kind to children who are...not as easy to get along with as others. My youngest (save the baby), who did awful on her Iowa tests, was praised by her teacher for being a friend to all in a class that has a few cliques already in third grade. So as long as she continues to be a compassionate little person, I will gladly overlook her not scoring highly on her quantitative assessments.
I am also pleased to report that my oldest daughter did great in volleyball - her team pulled together to get 2nd in their tournament. Her science fair project is coming along, and she has been a great babysitter lately - other than the night she let Baby gnaw a carrot. A piece of carrot lodged in Baby's throat and she scared everyone with her gagging, but she hacked it up. So babysitting class is in order. Our fourth son, who also doesn't love academics, has a starring role in the upcoming Christmas play. Apparently, he can sing and dance - gifts he didn't receive from his parents. And one of the pre-school moms came up to me the other day to tell me how kind he was to her little boy - the fifth graders buddy up with Pre-K for activities like a Thanksgiving program. My kid apparently helped serve and take care of this little 4 year old. So even though I'm constantly after him to clean up after himself, to stay off the computer, and to settle down and do his homework, some lessons are sticking with him.
Sons number 2 and 3 also have earned praises - they are class presidents, their grades are good, and they both stuck with sports that they didn't love, but participated in because they love being a part of something. And they have integrated well into their school in this second year. All three high school boys - all three very different in personality - were invited to a birthday party last weekend with a 40's theme. They had to dress up and use good manners. The birthday girls' parents hired a dance instructor to teach swing dancing. It sounded like so much fun, I wish I could have gone.
So this is my thankfulness post. The kids are doing great, praise the Lord. Not that I don't still lie awake at night worrying - about them going away to college, about the "girlfriend," about their progress, about their happiness, especially as we anticipate moving again in the summer. One of the kids was complaining that we have favorites because someone received some special treatment, and I reminded him that love doesn't divide - it only multiples. But as love multiplies, so do the potential swords that can pierce your heart. Last night we watched "Into the Wild," and I lay away thinking about how I would feel if one of my kids wanted to run off into the wilderness and live alone. We need each other, I would plead. I need you. I want all my chicks around me.
I worry that this itinerant life will teach them to resent staying anywhere for any length of time. We used to go to see family for holidays like Thanksgiving, but the longer we live far away, the less I even consider it as a possibility. My aunt just sent 10 copies of the book she wrote about my grandfather (one for each of us and an extra). It's a beautiful book, and an interesting read, I think. I read bits about our ancestors in the Revolutionary and Civil Wars aloud to the kids last weekend in the car, hoping to inspire them to feel connected to their extended family and their own family history. Perhaps if they feel connected to a bigger family picture, they will make the effort in their grown -up years to come back to visit often.
And so even though I am taking a little break in preparations for tomorrow right now, I'm hopeful that our small celebrations will help the kids feel like they belong somewhere together. On Sunday we'll revive more traditions when we'll pull out our Advent wreath and Jesse tree and set shoes out next week for St. Nicholas. I'm looking forward to Advent this year - everything - house and soul - seems to be crying out for a good clean sweep and a renewed focus on essentials after a very busy fall winds down. I'm grateful I have time to take a moment to refocus on gratitude: the kids are doing fine, I'm doing fine, my husband is fine, we've got plenty to eat and drink and wear and plenty to be proud of. We live in a beautiful place, we have friends and family who love us, we have abundant opportunities for learning and admiring beautiful things. It's a good life.
1 comment:
wow - so many kids commended for kindness is quite an accomplishment.
But what is a PR? The only thing I know is public relations, which doesn't seem to fit your meaning.
You probably have no idea of the connection that your children feel deep down to their nuclear family and even the extended family. Of course, at this point they aren't likely aware of that sort of thing, either. But leading that "itinerant life" will, I think, tend to make them more family-oriented than average. Being in a large family also makes kids that way. Well, my adult kids don't all stay in touch as much as they'd like, but they are very close, and have an understanding among themselves on so many things that no one "outside" can share.
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