Family
Mediocrity pays off
This afternoon I attempted to file my daughters’ 529 statements in my filing cabinet. I failed as the file drawer had gotten too full. Since my taxes are done, I took it as a sign that I should clear out my statements. On the master bed, I separated the old ones from the new and […]
Reality hits Katie
Katie has been asking about her birthmother a lot lately. A couple nights each week she has been going to bed in tears. She tells us that in the middle of some nights she will stare out her window, look at the stars, and think about her. When she asks why her birthmother gave her […]
Non-Party Girl
I am not a fan of birthday party gift bags. Everyone gives them out nowadays, including Chris at our own daughters’ parties. They have the feel of bribes to me. What happened to going to a party simply to share in someone’s special day? Perhaps I am bitter because no one gave them out when […]
Toothfully Speaking
Grandma made a little felt, tooth-shaped pillow for the girls. It had a 3-centimeter square pocket for baby teeth. Marissa put her newly lost baby tooth in the pocket and placed the hand-sized pillow on the top of her headboard. About an hour after the girls went to bed, I snuck a Sacagawea dollar in […]
Open Here
While I was watching TV, my two-year-old Claire brought two apples to me. One for her and one for me. A lady of few words, she handed me hers and said “Open!” I replied with “would you like me to cut it for you.” “No,” she insisted. I repeated my offer. “No… Open!” She pointed […]
Furball
When I was in third grade, before the advent of the horseless carriage, my teacher, Mrs. Joyce, had a guinea pig in the classroom. One weekend I had the awesome responsibility of taking care of it. It was cool. So when Katie came home with a permission slip to take care of Furball, the classroom […]
Horse Sense
Katie was in my car while the DJ announced that an upcoming song was by the Barenaked Ladies. “That’s a silly name” she remarked. Later she added, “I wish it was Horsenaked.”
Everyone’s a winner
My older two daughters had their spring Junior Drill Team competition. I got a little teary-eyed because they were so adorable. The term “Competition” is used lightly. The teams aren’t ranked and every team wins something. I think our city’s team won the title of “Most Fun” performance. This is good. They’ve get decades before […]
Kindergarten Cookies
Yesterday my Kindergarten girls had a “Tourist” day where they learned about other countries. My wife volunteered to bake five dozen butter cookies, a delicacy Switzerland was supposedly known for. Sure. Whatever. I suppose you aren’t going to convince 5 and 6 year olds to chow down on swiss cheese. The teacher gave her a […]
Lost and Foundling
We got snapshot in the mail today for our 10th anniversary. It is a headshot of a very young Claire. Sometime within the last five years, the United States added another stipulation before it would allow Americans to adopt Chinese girls. To ensure that Americans were adopting true orphans, they required the Chinese government to […]