A Poem for Tuesday

This poem is for my Grandma Malmberg, the little girl in the picture above.  She is no longer with me on earth, but she is always in my heart.

Valentine for Granny
Solveig Paulson Russell


Dear Granny, here's a valentine;
I made it just for you;
This rosebud and this paper lace
Are fastened tight with glue.


This little heart I painted red,
These flowers I made blue,
And Granny, look, here are the words,
"Dear Granny, I love you."

* Gigi, in case you have been wondering, would hit me hard if I called her Granny.  She has taken her 88-year-old self and her new Kindle Fire and hopped on a bus for Mexico.  I am not even kidding.

Anniversary 18

Eighteen years ago yesterday I married the guy in the bow tie.  He wasn't wearing a bow tie that day.

He is a good father.

A thoughtful musician.

Handy around the house.  Or in this case, my mother-in law's house.

My dearest friend.
And because of him all of this . . .

. . . belongs to me.


Psalm 113:9
He settles the childless woman in her home as a happy mother of children. Praise the LORD.

How to Avoid Practicing Piano

A photo essay by Preschooler D.

Start by refusing to get dressed.  No reason.  It's an "at home" day.

 Page endlessly through book while wearing ear muffs because you don't want to hear yourself play.

 Glare at Mother.

Try to convince Dad that if he plays it will be the same thing.  Better really.

Be very stubborn about it until you get sent to your room to have rest time.

Cheer up.

Without being asked get dressed by self. Come back downstairs. Play piano without being told.

Smile at Mother.

End of the Day

Do you get to the end of the day and say to yourself, "Another great day where I accomplished everything on my to-do list!  I can't wait to start with a fresh brand new to-do list tomorrow!"

No, that's not me at all.  I pass a small patch of debris in the upstairs hallway that the work guys left that needs a little vacuuming.  It's such a tiny spot.  It would take two seconds, yet when it's out of sight, it's out of mind.  I see it in the morning when I'm getting ready and I think, "I shall go down right now and get the Hoover."  Then I get downstairs and get my coffee and start chatting with my sister on the computer and doing laundry and emptying the dishwasher and helping with homework, and the next thing you know I am going into the bathroom to brush my teeth before bed and I see it.  Again.  Now Preschooler D is sleeping and I am getting ready for bed and I think, "Well.  Okay.  That's the FIRST thing I will get to tomorrow."

I do admire my optimism.

Writer's Block Wednesday

Blah, blah, blah . . .

* No really.  Nothing cute is going on.  Nothing discouraging.  I can't even whine about the weather.  Just plugging away at our daily life.

* And . . .

* Um . . .

* So . . .

* It's my anniversary this weekend.  We're going to Fargo.  Yes, there's romance in Fargo!

* Ah . . .

Okay, we'll try again tomorrow.

Getting an Eyepatch

Preschooler D and I played a lot of Wii Lego Pirates of the Caribbean while he has not feeling well.  A lot.  We finished the regular game.  Now we have to go back and tackle the bonus features.  I've had a really good time playing Wii Lego Pirates, and to be honest (because I always am with you),  I let him play more than a preschooler probably should.  I may have encouraged it.  There was something just so satisfying about flinging my cartoon sword around and -- well -- hanging out with D.

Kindergarten round up is next month.  I have a very sneaky suspicion that I am going to be what one local kindergarten teacher labeled "the Criers."  She said the number one goal of a kindergarten teacher was to get the Criers out of the room so their children wouldn't also freak out.

Do you think that will be me, or do you think I will have pulled it together by that time?

I was having a small mid-life crises when I found out I was pregnant with D.  I didn't know what to do with myself.  My career in weekly newspapers had come to an end and I didn't know what I was going to do with myself.  Since then I have discovered I make a pretty good career Stay-At-Home Mom.  I see no reason for me to change careers at this point, but it will be an adjustment.

Am I writing about this every other day now?  I feel like I have said most of this before.  It probably won't be the last time.  You have my permission to skip these days in the future.  I don't think I am done obsessing about it. I'll try to remember to label them "More Working Through Kindergarten Issues."

Live From the Sick Room