The winner goes to...

This is the blog post I am most proud of in all of my years of blogging.

http://kathleendoll.blogspot.com/2009/06/you-can-never-go-home-again.html

It is something I need to re-post, because I need to remember it.

The child-related post

The following picture is Charlee attempting a wink, while dressed as a princess. Second picture is Charlee: The Princess. Note the backwards hair band, ridiculously large ring (i think there's actually two there) and butterfly dress...head tilt included. Every princess's dream attire.

These kids that I live with just make me smile. To be single and living with a family is a blessing that I count over and over again. I keep forgetting to post some of my favourite day-to-day stories...so here's a catch-up.

My two favourite stories from the past few months:

1. Gary came home from work one day and as usual, started playing with the kids...lots of kissing and wrestling involved. Carleigh and I were in the kitchen making dinner...let's clarify...Carleigh was making dinner and I was probably stirring or chopping something (she's the genius, and I'm grateful).

And then we heard Charlee, giggling away to the point of breathlessness, saying "stop Daddy, stop!"...and the kisses continued...and then we heard a giggle and "Stop Daddy! I'm not a mommy, I don't need kisses!"
(I'm trying that on the next guy I meet...we'll see how it goes).

2. My friend Alicia came out from Coquitlam for a movie night, which she arrived for after the kids were all in bed. Finishing late, we decided Alicia would stay the night, and so we set her up with the couch in the basement, which has had many family/friends test out.

All was good, until about 3am, when Alicia opened her eyes and found Bodhi's little face peering into hers. Shocked, she gave a little yell...to which Bodhi, perhaps even more shocked, stood silent for a second, until his delayed yell followed. He then rushed up the stairs: "Mommy, Mommy, Mommy" with Alicia calling after him, "Bodhi, it's okay!"

Alicia was able to fall back asleep, and told us the story in the morning, to which Carleigh replied, "OH, that makes more sense now." Bodhi had come to her, post-finding-stranger-sleeping-on-couch, gushing: "Mommy, I scared; Mommy, I scared..." She thought it had just been a bad dream.

Guaranteed: Bodhi will not be attempting 3am visits to the basement any time soon.

And my favourite part of tonight:
I was reading books to the kids while Carleigh tidied (Gary is away)...and Bodhi brought me a counting book. So, I made the kids practice their Spanish (which Dora the Explorer taught them).

Charlee's rendition of one through five:

"Uno, Blose, Blaise, Buatro, Cinco!"

We'll have to work on that a little bit. The gist is there...and I think any of my Costa Rican friends would understand. And smile.

Jane is our next story:
The biter, as we affectionately call her, is now walking...at 10 1/2 months. She's the vitamin-C boosted child (Carleigh drank vitamin C packs when she was pregnant with her). Her bites are almost lethal though...we need to file down those teeth of hers. She's all over the place...and she does these funny faces that kill me.

Goal for next child-related post: get video of said funny faces.

This pic was taken at approximately, um, 5 months? 6? Carleigh will have to clarify. Just so you know, this isn't recent...she isn't THAT small and walking. That would have required two vitamin C packs a day.

This has been the most random/scattered blog entry.

Hope you enjoyed the view into my right-sided brain.

And so it begins. Again.

Today I received word that I have been accepted into Trinity Western University's Masters of Arts in Leadership program. 

I start July 5th.

I'm psyched.

I'm nervous.

It's been six years since I wrote a paper longer than one page (and no, I'm not counting long blog posts). And...when I wrote those papers, I wasn't working alongside the schooling. And...I have a hunch my IQ was higher. And...this is GRAD school.

And...when it comes down to it, I just really need to get back into this, trust that God's guiding me, and work my butt off.

Next step: find money. Oh wait, no, next step: buy desk. Following that: find money.

Here's to the next 25 months and the new bond I will have with my laptop.

Today I love...

1. the taste of my mom's lasagne
2. the fact that we passed a pod of dolphins on BC ferries on Friday
3. spring storms
4. library books
5. longer nights...the hope of summer

Lovleigh.

I'm proud to call her my friend.

They drink it in space.

I LOL'd.

http://www.donmillerisnt.com/Movie.html 

Yup.

"And you're the guy who..."

Pseudo-mama update:

Returned from Australia yesterday, and was met with three adorable children this morning. Charlee hugged me, Bodhi caressed my face, Jane leaned in for a squeeze...it was good.

And then Charlee decided to set up one of her stories.

We each got characters. She, of course was the princess.

Kiki (our friend Kirsten who babysits and joined us for breakfast) was "prince charming".

Char turned to me and declared, "and you're the guy who does the dragon."

Cool.

I'm not sure what that means.