Happy Belated Mother's Day!

So I'm a bit late! I was thinking of my many friends and loved ones who are moms on Sunday. Even those who aren't biological mothers, I still say "Happy Mother's Day," because if you're a woman, you're mothering someone somehow!

After a yummy pancake breakfast at our house, we headed for the early service at church. Kenna had been waking with crusty eyes and a runny nose for a couple of days, but I hated the thought of missing church on Mother's Day. So I checked Tobin and Charis into their classes and took Arden (who wanted to stay with me) and Kenna to the new Family Room. Wow, it's nice! Cushy chairs with leg rests, a table with coloring sheets and crayons for the kids, a book shelf and some boxes of toys...plus two big screens so you can see what's going on in "big church." Kenna was happy to toddle around and see everything, but she started to get fussy toward the end. We left after communion and were able to get out of the parking lot before the rush. It was kind of weird to be home by 10:30 a.m., since I normally work the 9:00 service and we all attend the 11:00 together, but I figured I deserved a break!

Once we were home, I was ushered out to the backyard for a "show." The show began with Tobin and Arden swordfighting. Arden lost and huffed off in a pout. (I don't think that part was in the script.) So the next part of the show was done sans Arden--it was a "musical" piece by the "band," which consisted of Tobin banging the metal bars on the swingset with his sword and Charis beating the drum (which was actually the kids' play toolbox). By the time the band had finished, Charis, who was the emcee, announced there would be another swordfight. I think she was trying to give Arden a chance to win and be happy. Arden scooted inside to get his knight costume on, which resulted in Tobin complaining that it wasn't fair that Arden had a shield and he didn't. Regardless, they began fighting, and this time Tobin was beaten--or maybe I should say Tobin's lip was beaten. He ran inside crying when Arden's sword whacked his face (I can't say I blame him) and refused to come out to finish the show. So the next part was sans Tobin and consisted of Arden and Charis singing a Mother's Day song to me, and then Charis presented me with a number of handmade gifts. She was a busy girl last week!! I received beaded necklaces which were too small and beaded bracelets which were too big, but of course I exclaimed over them anyway. I also got a nice picture window box (a cereal box with a picture of a window and an outdoors scene on it) and a rather large Mother's Day card with a bird on it. The bird is made of feathers, a cotton ball, and construction paper.

Meanwhile, Kenna toddled around carrying her baby doll and ignoring the commotion that was the "show."

We then had a yummy lunch that consisted of Trader Joe's amazing Mandarin Orange Chicken, rice, and vanilla yogurt with blueberries. Kenna went down for a much-needed nap, the older kids chose to watch the first Narnia DVD, and I lay down for what I hoped would be a 2-hour nap. Thirty minutes later a soft knock at the door alerted me that I was needed on Mother's Day, and I opened the door to find Arden whimpering that his bottom hurt. Poor guy. He has rear issues now and then when he doesn't quite get everything off...so anyway, I took care of that and tried lying back down to no avail. I gave up and later called my mom and enjoyed watching the kids play in the backyard with the neighbor kids.

Tobin conked out on the couch and had a much better and longer nap than I did, but seeing as how he woke with a fever and has had a stuffy nose and headache the last couple of days, I harbor no resentment over the fact that he got a Mother's Day nap and I didn't. :-)

Oh yes, and my gift this year was a Samsung "thing" (I don't know what to call it--it's not an iPod but similar) so I can have music when I go running. YAY!! I can't wait for Ted to help me put some playlists together and try it out!