Bracken Blurbs

Sunday night after church, Abbey wanted to tell everyone our Bible words from Sunday School that morning. When she had every ones attention, she began, "Receive the devil and he will flee from you. James 4:7" Then she smiled very big, so proud of herself. After I stopped giggling behind Chris' back I told her that I was very happy that she wanted to say her Bible words, but that the first word was "Resist".

Today, when I picked the kids up from the bus stop, I handed them a bag of baby carrots and cherry tomatoes to snack on. After a few minutes Ethan told me that he really liked the "orange pickles"! Can you tell that baby carrots aren't very common here in Taiwan?

Back to School Time!

This week, Abbey and Ethan both head off to all day school. That means that their momma has all day pretty much alone! I have looked forward to this time all summer and thought about all the projects I can do and how the house will stay nice and clean. On day one, I tried to finish every goal I have for the next month. On day two, I missed hugging Abbey and mussing Ethan's hair. Alas, it seems that it this freedom might take a little time to adjust to.

But, hey, if you are headed off to school this fall, may many A's come your way and may all the bad lunches far from you stay!

A Day of Surprises

Thursday, I was reminded of just how much a child can mature in just one year. Abbey and Ethan needed some booster shots before going back to school and, frankly, I was dreading it like a 200 mile run. Last year, when Abbey got shots, I couldn't even blog about the experience because I was too embarrassed. The short story is that she spun in circles in my arms, screaming and spitting. Yes, I said spitting. Chris ended up holding her legs, I held her upper body and another nurse helped us. When we went back in to the lobby, all the children were sitting in their mother's laps and it was dead quiet. I escaped as quickly as I could and let Chris handle the bill. This year she sat quietly listening to my ipod and rested her head on my shoulder. She didn't even cry. When it was over, she told us that it hurt, but she seemed more concerned with getting a band-aid. (If you don't have kids, then I should tell you that getting a band-aid is super cool to them.) Chris and I walked out of the doctor's office looking at each other in shock. Good shock, but shock none the less.

In case you are wondering how Ethan did, well, he is fearless. Last year and this year, he calmly took his shots and then jumped up and wanted to know when he could get his toy. In fact, when we went to the doctor on Wednesday to get shots and they didn't have the one that Ethan needed, he cried all the way out of the doctor's office because he was going to have to wait a day to get a new toy! Boys!

Abbey and her music

Abbey loves music. Her greatest desire lately is to have an iphone (NOT going to happen!). She is willing to settle for an mp3 player (probably going to happen). However, if you ever read this post ,you will know that she sometimes mixes up the words or makes up her own words. I must confess, this probably comes from me more than from Chris. I still remember riding home from church with my roommate in college and us, still feeling somewhat serious from the service, singing a popular worship song together. I totally ruined the mood when I sang a complete line of the song wrong and realized I had singing it wrong for years. Wrong for years, in church!

Well, the other night, we were listening to something and Abbey didn't catch what the singer said. When she ask me, I told her I didn't know either because I hadn't really been listening. She brushed it off by saying, "I think he is just making it up anyways!" And really, isn't that what all the song writers are doing, just making it up?