Oh Baby
It was 13 years ago today that I officially became a mom. Carver was placed in my arms and we celebrated becoming parents. Today is awfully special. Man, I love that kid.

Today is also crazy. Doctor's appointment for Lily, grocery store, bank, laundry, parent meeting at Carver's school, wrestling, pick-up Z at a friend's house, blah blah blah. When I tell people I live in my car they think I'm exaggerating. But I'm not. I really live in my car.

This weekend and today are spectacularly gorgeous. Highs in the 70s. Pristine blue sky. Yellow and red leaves everywhere. And on Wednesday it's supposed to snow with a high of 30. Which means digging out the jackets and gloves and hats and boots and I am so not ready for all of that. What's funny is that here in Colorado, it usually warms right back up again after it snows, so a lot of times I just tell the kids to grab a sweatshirt and remind them they'll be warm again soon. Mother of the year, right here!

We made some time yesterday to drive up a dirt road and find a secluded lake in the mountains. At 9,000+ feet, the leaves were mostly gone, but the sky and the water were gorgeous. My kids did what most kids do in this environment: get dirty, throw rocks, and goof off. It was awesome.

David's birthday is on Wednesday, so for all of you who are friends with him on Facebook, be sure to wish him a happy bday. He leaves on Thursday morning to go to Minnesota to visit his mom. He'll be gone until Monday, which means it will be a battle between me and the kids for who goes crazy first. I'm putting the odds on me.

There are other things going on in our lives. It's true. The world has not stopped turning. I have about 50 photos to upload and post about. But for now I am enjoying my very last week of being a mom to children. On Saturday, I will become a mom to a teenager.

My mind cannot grasp this.

On My Phone

We have no land line. My cell phone is our everything phone. So if someone calls my kids, it goes through me. Please let me share with you a recent voicemail. It was for Carver. From a girl.

Hey, Carver, this is Katrina. I was just wondering if you were into hunting because for my birthday I'm going to be doing a pheasant hunting expedition where you get to work with dogs and actually shoot the pheasants and learn how to get them. I get to bring one friend, so if you're available on September 18th from 10 to 3, I'd love it if you'd come. Thanks. Bye.


Where, exactly, do I begin?

Summer Nights
There were a lot of fun things going on in the city last night, but we participated in the good ol' American pastime of baseball. Zinabu had his first game of the summer. He was so stinking adorable I could hardly stand it. Put him in a uniform and his cuteness skyrockets.

The air was warm. The sun was shining. Only two kids got hit on the head with a baseball. And Zinabu made a great play at third base. When the game was over, we headed over to the playground that was on the other side of the park.

They were filthy, but they sure slept well!

What Is Parenting?

Parenting is the scariest thing... ever. And it is the best thing... ever. And the hardest and the craziest and the most rewarding... ever. And I knew this day would come. And I knew we'd done everything we could to prepare for it. And we hoped and prayed he would have the strength to stand up for himself. And he did.

Carver was offered drugs today. A little bit of pot. Right after school at track practice.

Have you considered how old your kids will be the first time they'll have to deal with this? Did you imagine 12? We had assumed it could happen, though of course I didn't want it to happen. But it did. And it will to your kids, also. Sometime. Carver attends one of the best schools in our district. There is not a history of drug problems at his school. This was not from a friend of his. This could happen in any town, in any place (not just school--think camp, playgrounds, the pool, you name it), at any time. Sometimes kids make dumb choices and offer those dumb choices to other kids. I am relieved to report that he said "No" and immediately told a teacher. He did everything right.

Funnily enough, this all came out when we were eating dinner. I asked everyone to go around and describe something interesting that happened to them today. When it was Carver's turn, he said, "Well, this was kind of  interesting and kind of bad." And he told us the story. I think I should get an Academy Award for my acting skills--for not completely freaking out and running out the door screaming my head off. Instead, I just looked him in the eye and told him how insanely proud I was. Then we all applauded for him and gave him high-fives. I know that how we reacted went a long way in his willingness to say no in the future, and to tell us about it.

So score one for our family today. Just one though. We have years ahead of us. And two more kids.

Whoa.

Track and Other Matters

If I had to pick one photo to best represent the personality of Carver, this could certainly be the one. The picture itself is terrible, but I was able to capture Carver's heart. He's such a helper. Such a do-er. Such a go-getter. He had his first track meet last week, and he ran the hurdles and the last leg of a relay. He loved it. The practices are hard, but the meets are the big payoff. I love his coaches because their philosophy is to just get the boys out there, trying new things. They won't use the strongest or the fastest for the events. They use whoever is willing and wants to give it a go. Love, love, love!

So it was toward the end of the meet that Carver picked a spot by the sidelines and cheered on the final runners. Then he helped put away the hurdles. The only kid, by the way, to help put away the hurdles. I wish I could say that this is a reflection of my amazing parenting skills, but it's not. This is pure Carver. He was born this way. This is his personality.

Our weekend was full of fun stuff. Lily's volleyball and church and errands and roller skating. David took the boys to the high school robotics competition. I know what you're thinking. Geek fest, right? Well, there was some of that... but mostly it was like a huge party with different teams competing for top points. David's school has a very diverse team. As in, it's not just a bunch of boys from the math department (though there are some boys from the math department). I love that Carver and Z got to see the competition, because I want them to know that high school is more than angst and football games. I think they're getting the picture. The robotics club is a great place for kids who go on to work as engineers, but also for kids who grew up loving Legos. Totally awesome.

Happy Monday to you!

Counter Culture
We have worked extremely hard at keeping our kids young and as uninfluenced by the world as possible. It has not been easy. It's a day-to-day exercise in patience, determination, and practicing the art of saying "no." We want them to think that the coolest thing they could ever do is just be themselves. As they get older, we want them to be secure enough in themselves to decide what parts of the world they want to be involved in, but for now we like to keep a buffer between them and said world. For instance, if Lily were to listen to what the world says, she would be wearing fishnet stockings and listening to Justin Bieber. And she's 9. See what I mean?


Our kids may or may not win popularity contests. This may or may not hurt their feelings. But will they be well-rounded and okay with who they are? I certainly hope so. We want them to try all manner of sports, activities, cultures, hobbies, and opportunities. The world is so much bigger than video games and football.


Carver loves orchestra and he loves music. Carver had the chance to perform in front of a panel of judges with his bass. He and his two fellow bass players from school picked a piece as a trio, and today was their performance. They rocked it. It makes me so proud.

Waiting for his name to be called.

He was incredibly nervous.

Zac, Carver, and Katrina. After receiving the highest score from the judge. Are they not the cutest little
bass players you've ever seen? 

Recall
What did I say in my last post? That you shouldn't fear your kids growing up? That's all well and good until you send them on a middle school ski trip. He's sleeping in a room with his friends. He took a bus up multiple mountain passes in the snow, and he has to take it back on Sunday. He gets to snowboard for 2 days and try his hand at the trick park (ramps, bowls, half pipes). He has to cook his own food in his hotel kitchenette--where there is no microwave. He forgot his watch but somehow has to keep track of what time it is so he can catch the shuttle off the mountain and back to his hotel. And somewhere in there remember to change his socks and underwear.

Are you thinking what I'm thinking? If you're thinking that there are so many ways for this trip to go wrong, then yes, you're thinking what I'm thinking.

What's In A Name

Carver Thomas Michael. Carver after George Washington Carver. Thomas after a dear friend of ours who inspired up to adopt in the beginning and passed away from cancer. Michael because that's what his first mama named him.

Lily Roberta Shanice. Lily because I fell in love with the name. Roberta after my mom, who is one of the biggest inspirations in my life. And Shanice, because that's what her first mama named her.

Jon Zinabu. Jon because that is David's middle name. Zinabu because that's what his first mama named him. It means "rain." He never goes by Jon. He always has been and always will be Zinabu.

Happy Sunday