Raise your hand if...

Today was yet another day of canceled school! Normally, I don't mind and even enjoy when there is a bunch of snow and school closes. Having grown up in a climate that included a long, cold winter, I learned indoor hobbies and contentment. One example is jigsaw puzzles. I LOVE them. Tessa is following in my foot steps and is able to find homes for an amazing amount of pieces.

Today's school cancellation was disappointing to me. Today, Tessa was supposed to go to the kindergarten room and have one hour of "pretend" kindergarten which parents were invited to come and observe. I had made arrangements for Nathan to go to a friend's house while I was to go watch Tessa in her hour of grown-up-ness. This was an event I was greatly looking forward to.

To be truthful, I have mixed feelings about our baby girl going off to school this fall for three whole days each week! What will she do without her mother for that long?! Or, truth be told, what will her mother do without her for that long!

Before Tessa was born, I taught kindergarten for five years. I loved it. Kindergarteners are at the age where school is exciting, learning is fun, and your teacher is the coolest person you have ever met. I am so excited for Tessa to experience the joy of school, learning, and friends but I want Gerrit and I to be the coolest people in her little life. I want the joy of seeing her master educational concepts, paint, play with friends at recess, get her lunch all by herself etc.

Well, by the grace of God, I got to see a little glimpse of our to be kindergarten student right here in our own home today. Since school was canceled but work schedules still go forward, our two neighbor boys came over to play this morning. The older boy is a kindergarten student, the younger is in Tessa's preschool class. During lunch they began playing "Raise your had if..." It was hilarious. Every single year I taught, during every single lunch hour this game surfaced. I usually sat back and listened, enjoying every minute of it. Sometimes to the delight of the students, I would join in and raise my hand when it applied to me. After all, who can keep their hand down when someone says "Raise your hand if you like chocolate?!" I would raise both hands for this one. (This led to many gifts of chocolate during Christmas time--one of the reasons I want to return to teaching some day!)

So, I witnessed our oldest child participate in the time-honored game of raising her hand for what applied to her and keeping it down for what didn't. Proof that she is ready for the adventure of school. Very fun. I joined in too.

The most delightful moment of all was realizing that Baby Nathan was playing right along with us. Someone would make a statement, kid or kids would raise their hands, and Nathan with a big grin raised his. For one statement he even lifted both in the air--a strong statement for such a little guy. Everyone was saying ridiculous things and laughing hysterically when he would reply with a smile and a little hand in the air. What a precious memory but I am definitely not ready to send him to school yet!

Charcoal Bliss

Before evening church, we broke out our brand new grill and had the yummiest pork chops ever!

Up until now, we had a cheap-o grill that we bought when we were first married. It needed constant supervision since flare-ups were a regular occurrence. What wasn't burnt was dry while other pieces of meat were under cooked. Very frustrating.

My sister and her husband have an amazing grill that Gerrit had been drooling over for awhile. It is a Webber--charcoal with a gas starter. It allows for the yummy taste of charcoal with the convenience of gas. Genius!

So yesterday, armed with a credit card, Gerrit went to the local hardware store and purchased the same grill. This is quite a step for us since we tend to plan, talk, research, talk some more, think about it, look on-line...you get the picture. I like to think that we are super stewardly, careful, conscientious, etc. but the truth is we are both cheap. Frugal is probably a more positive description.

Well, we are now planning to grill every night for the next month! The meat was so delicious! Gerrit said he only flipped the pork once and was even able to walk away from the grill without fear of a singed supper. Tessa response was "The last time you made this meat I didn't like it, but this time you cooked it good Daddy!" Nathan wolfed it down, but that seems to be his pattern with almost anything edible and well, actually, things that are not edible too.

I have a picture of the grill, but mastering posts is probably enough for one day!

This is fun!

Okay, I even found this back and successfully completed my 2nd entry. I promise that from here on out, there will be more substantial content to my entries. Now to tell all of my family and friends of my new found hobby!

I did it!

I started a blog! I do not claim to have the most exciting life or extra-ordinary writing skills but with most of our family out of state and/or country; I wanted an avenue to keep in touch.

Now I have to figure out how to post pictures and access the blog once I finish this entry!