Mom Remembers

* I started ripping up the linoleum in the kitchen--only to learn that there were three more layers of flooring underneath that needed to come up as well!  I called in reinforcements and the original kitchen floor has now been revealed.  I'll do some heavy duty cleaning next week and it will be ready for new vinyl. * Soren played cello in the orchestra at the World Arts Festival.  His favorite piece was Kabuki Dance. * Carl made a pineapple upside-down cake for Sven's birthday. * Sven turned six!  The next day, he cut his chin on the coffee table and had to go to urgent care. * Leif cleaned the whole house with Windex.  He was pretending that it was "Living Spray". * Richard got used to walking with two good legs after having his cast removed last week.  For the first few days, he didn't bend at the knee on his recently-liberated leg and it gave him a limp.  Now, though, he walks normally.

* I thoroughly enjoyed reading Skyward. * Soren beat Megaman 1 without dying. * Carl was swamped with art homework.  His teacher assigned him 5 mini-paintings, 30 gradients, and 1 shading. * Sven finished reading the Frog and Toad  treasury. * Leif talked a lot about wanting to make a friend. * Richard got to listen to lots and lots of read-a-louds.

* I took the boys and their friends, the Commarelos, to see LEGO Movie 2. * Soren passed the sacrament for the first time. * Carl had 2 cook-offs with Sara Foster. * Sven's 100th day party was postponed because of snow days.  He enjoyed staying home and being Leif's "teacher." * Leif learned to cut paper snowflakes. * Richard got a buckle fracture in his right leg.

It feels like Leif just barely turned three--but now he is four!  It feels like he grew up while my back was turned.  He is a light and a joy in our family, living with gusto in the midst of adversity.  Here are the things we did so celebrate him: 1. A few days prior to his birthday, Leif went to primary for the first time!  We sang "Feliz Cumpleanos." 2. He opened presents before his big brothers went to school.  I gave him a book of nursery rhymes, Uncle Brinton sent a ten pound bag of starburst (?!?!?!), and my mom sent giant cardboard bricks.  Carl assembled the bricks, which were used both for building super-tall towers and for pretending to be Block Man from Megaman 11.   3. I took him to MOPS and when the workers heard it was his birthday, they gave him a gift!  It was a game called Racoon Rumpus, which he and I played later that afternoon.  He won.  The workers at MOPS also taught him about Martin Luther King, Jr,...

* I hired someone to take the carpet out of our living room and spent the rest of the week scraping gunk off the hardwood. * Soren requested a class change for P.E. and it was granted.  Hooray for kids solving their own problems! * Carl presented his city planning project at school and got 3rd place for his design. * Sven kissed China on the playground. * Leif turned 4!  His favorite birthday present was probably the ten-pound bag of Starburst from Uncle Brinton. * Richard got a bad cold and was very cranky at the end of the week.

* I drove the kids back from Christmas vacation in Kentucky and unpacked, which included re-organizing the toy closet with all their new stuff. * Soren started reading The Giver  in school. * Carl met up with Coleman at the mall in Ashland; they spent half the time on the playground and half the time shopping at Game Stop. * Sven lost his first tooth. * Leif enjoyed listening to "The Book with No Pictures." * Richard emptied out the bathroom cabinets and wandered around the house with my headbands around his neck like necklaces.

Scott and I started attending marriage counseling. I gave a talk on the Holy Ghost at Maddy's baptism. Soren learned to play Clue at homeschool co-op. Carl taught about repentance in Family Home Evening. Sven pretended to be characters from Mario vs. Rabbids (Bowser, Rabbid Kong, Mario, etc.) Leif got really good at climbing down the bunk-bed ladder to sneak out of bed. Richard didn't like being carried on my back in the baby backpack.  (He prefers being carried in front.)

Scott went with his dad to visit Mother and Father Duede in Michigan. I got a great idea for a new novel. Soren taught the primary president LEGO terminology. Carl got to World 4 in Mario vs. Rabbids. Sven played fetch with Mrs. Nowicki's puppy. Leif went to the preschool room at MOPS for the first time.  He had a mega-accident in his underwear. Richard was very vocal.  He made lots of loud "ah"s.

* Scott organized his office, worked building "The Mega Computer", and fixed my lazy susan. * I taught a music appreciation class about The Ballad of John Henry in my homeschool co-op. * Soren started violin lessons. * Carl rushed to get his schoolwork done every day so that he could play a lot of Mario vs. Rabbids. * Sven got sick. * Leif needed to be de-Grandma-ed again. * Richard had a well child check up.  He weighs 13.5 lbs and doesn't like shots.

* Scott changed his medications, which improved his initiative. * I took a nap every day. * Back to homeschooling.  Soren tried to convince me that history, literature, and science are a waste of time. * Carl finished his 3rd grade math workbook.  He can now do long multiplication and division. * Sven went to Disney World with Grandma and Leif. * Leif turned 3! * Richard calmed down.  He can now roll over and laugh.

* Scott went back to work. * I made a youtube playlist with inspiring dance music to get me energized in the morning. * Soren had the week off school.  He played lots of Mario Odyssey. * Carl also had no school.  He re-assembled his new LEGO set, the Destiny's Bounty. * Sven chewed a hole in the sleeve of his shirt. * Leif needed to be de-Grandma-ed. * Richard hit Wonder Week 19 and was especially cranky.

With two big brothers (one of whom is very competitive), Sven doesn't get to win very many games.  He is usually good natured about it.  But that doesn't mean he wasn't extremely excited to win Uno at family home evening this week.  Even though he doesn't know how to hold his cards close yet and was pretty much playing face up, he still played all his cards before anyone else in the family.  He beat Soren and Carl.  He beat Mom and Dad.  He was so proud of himself.  He says that this is the first time he has ever won anything.  I think he is probably right.

Tonight at dinner, Leif (with sticky hands and a dirt beard) asked me, "Why did the frog cross the street?"  When I responded, "Why?" he triumphantly announced, "Because!" Pleased by my amusement, he went on to perform a dozen permutations: Why did the milk cross the road?  Why did the fork cross the street?  Why did the red frog cross the street?  Why did the cup cross the road?  Why did the skeleton cross the road? And the answer was always: Because! It didn't get old, mostly because his proud, delighted face was so adorable.

1. Starting from the end of the week: Scott's trach was removed this morning!  He no longer needs any assistance to breathe and can speak normally. 2. OK, going backwards: My sister and her husband were here over the weekend.  Brianna was so helpful at the hospital, making sure that Scott was getting adequate care and prodding the process along.  And Collin was an angel at home, playing with the boys and keeping them entertained.  They taught Mom and I to play a game called "One Night", which is a spin-off from "Werewolf" that was actually pretty fun.  Watching Brianna and Collin interact was bitter-sweet for me; they are so cute together.  I am so glad that my sister is happily married. 3. The Scott-highlight from Sunday was that he got off the ventilator!  At first, they gave him supplemental oxygen through a little mask over his trach but gradually that was weened away until he was able to breathe without any support. 4. Monday, Scott got out of ...

1. Church on Sunday was so refreshing.  I've never felt so desperate for the spiritual nourishment of the gospel--or so relieved to receive it.  The hymns, especially, were a great source of comfort. 2. Asa and Sara, from our ward, came to visit me on Sunday afternoon.  We had a lovely conversation and then they took Toby away for a dog vacation.  They are planning to help me train Toby as a potential service dog--or at least a helpful dog for Scott.  Asa also says that he will help get the attic finished for Scott before he comes home from the hospital.  I am so grateful for their friendship. 3. When I went to visit Scott Sunday night, he had his eyes open.  He was moving the hand that I held and opened his eyes really wide whenever I left his field of vision.  I was so happy to see him awake--and every day he got a little more alert. 4. Monday, the kids and I went back to our normal routine.  We still have a bit of homeschool to finish u...

This week, my husband Scott fell off a ladder while getting ready to put the storm windows up on our house.  He fell and hit his head on our driveway, damaging his brain.  He has been sedated in the hospital all week and we are just coming to grips with the fact that he will not be home for a long time.  It seemed like a good time to start writing and about remembering that good things that are happening in our lives, in the hopes that someday we can tell him what happened while he was sleeping/recovering. So, even though this was the most painful week of my life, here are a few favorites: 1. Everything the morning of the accident was perfect.  Clinging to those happy memories has been such a comfort to me.  Scott and I didn't have to attend foster parenting classes for the first time in three weeks.  We stayed in bed until eight, made the biggest pancake breakfast with the kids--with an overkill of delicious toppings--and then got started on Saturday j...

Carl came downstairs this morning with a playsilk and asked me tie him a cape.  Then he announced: CARL:  I've been thinking about parachuting. ME:  You mean you want to go sky-diving? CARL:  Yeah. ME:  You should ask your Uncle Tim about it.  He has gone sky-diving before. CARL:  Really? MADDY:   (enters the room)   What are you talking about? CARL:  My Uncle Tim!  Mom says he's gone sky-diving, which is another word for parachuting.  And he's  still alive!  I know!  I've seen him.

These are Soren's responses from a worksheet he did in primary on Mother's Day. All About My Mom My Mom's name is   Carolyn  She is   30   years old. Mom and I like to   play games  Mom likes to say, "  clean that up!  " My mom really loves   the family  She likes to eat   leftovers  She likes to drink   water  My Mom's job is   housekeeper  If she had time, she would lie to   work  Mom is really good at   making the funniest out of every ansswer  If I could go anywhere in the world with her, we'd go   to Poland.  I love my Mom because   she's great 

These are Carl's responses from a worksheet he did in primary on Mother's Day. All About My Mom My Mom's name is  Momy  She is  30   years old. Mom and I like to  wash dishes  Mom likes to say, " I love you Carl " My mom really loves  sleeping with Dad  She likes to eat  chikin  She likes to drink  milk  My Mom's job is  work at home  If she had time, she would lie to  write her book  Mom is really good at  writing  If I could go anywhere in the world with her, we'd go  camping  I love my Mom because  she is awsum 

Sven is four!  Here's what we did to celebrate: 1. He opened a present from Carl first thing in the morning: a new LEGO set.  Since Sven is four, he is now old enough to play with the real LEGOs in the basement (instead of just the duplos in the nursery).  He has been looking forward to this milestone for months and Carl wanted to help him greet the new age with an age-appropriate gift.  He helped Sven to put it together and then they went to the basement to clear out a bin that Sven could keep his creations in. 2. My mom came to visit--and she brought plenty of party with her.  When she arrived in the morning, we drove to Rockford where we spent the morning at the Children's museum. 3. Of course, we stopped at Taco Bell on the way home.  Whenever we go out for food, the kids want to go to Taco Bell and get quesadillas.  Sven and Leif likes theirs with the spicy jalepeno sauce.  They love spicy, just like their dad.  Since it was a ...