Ask Me Wednesday Thursday

  Thanks so much for your patience.  Yesterday was not a good day.  Today is better.

And so here we go:

     The first question came from my mom.

She wants to know "What's up with that picture?", meaning the one above.

     I wondered who would be the first to ask about it.  Points to Mom for buzzing in first.

This is a picture of Son #3, taken while we were in Rome for Christmas 2005.  Vatican City, actually.  He was walking around with this hoodie hanging from his head and I told him that I thought he looked like a nun (hey, I didn't grow up Catholic so cut me some slack).

Then I had the hysterical idea of having him pose as I supposed a nun would pose (hey again, I've seen 'The Sound of Music" plenty of times to suppose how one wold pose).  This idea was probably, in hindsight, only hysterical to me, but Son #3 loved me enough that day (and time) to play along.

     So when I started doing "Ask Me Wednesday" I wanted to find a picture of the kids that looked like they were being quizzical, or something akin to that.  This picture was the only one I could find.  Plus, I like it.  

   I really wanted to make a blog button so that other people could put it on their blogs, but I can't find out how to do that, without paying someone.  

Is there anyone out there who can help me with that?  Anyone?  Anyone?  Bueller?

Anonymous asked me if I watched the Inauguration?  

     I did get to watch part of it.  I was at work on Tuesday but we put it up on the screens at church and we, as a staff, watched it until shortly after Obama's speech.  I started at Rick Warren's prayer and stayed until the speech ended.  

I will add here that, while I did not vote for this man, I do support him as our President and will commit to lifting him, his family and our leaders up in prayer and ask God to protect him, guide him, and give him the wisdom to lead this country.  

I will now get down from the podium.

Back to the questions.

Lisanne: Did your children ever say anything really naughty? If so, what was it (You can "skirt" the exact words if necessary!) and how did you deal with it?

My children?!  Say anything remotely naughty?!!!  I am offended that you would even ask, Lis!!!  You know how perfectly perfect my children are and have always been!!!

OK, now that I've picked myself up from the floor from laughing so hard ......

     Of course they've said things that are unacceptable (curse words, hateful words, hurtful words).  And they were told that it was unacceptable..  Then they were led to the nearest sink so that I could put some soap (usually liquid) on a damp cloth and then rub in on to the offending child's tongue.  

That was when they were younger.

Now (because yes, this still happens), I try to explain to him/her (after I get over the shock of what was said and use all my powers to keep my hand from leaving my control and slapping someone) why what they said was wrong, or offensive, or hurtful, etc. and that it is has always been, and still is unacceptable  --- not only in my home or in my presence, but everywhere.  Especially because of who they are:  Jim's child, my child and God's child (those usually get to them!)

Wendee (HI WENDEE -- I hope you're feeling better!) and Mary Lou have both asked about the Beth Moore bible study:

The title of this brand-spanking new, and in person, study is "The Inheritance".  We as Christian women, are God's Heiresses.  And what an awesome and mighty thing to be.  So she's giving us Biblical facts, from Genesis to Revelations (over 10 weeks) to teach us this fact and how to live abundantly in that knowledge.  

Another theme that she has through it is this:  Being boring (or a control freak) is not in God's will.  We need to learn how to "ride" and not "drive".  So picture yourself being in God's gorgeous red convertible.  You know you're sitting at the wheel because we all want to be in control, or are afraid of not being in control.  God is standing outside the door, waiting for you to let go of the wheel and slide over into the passenger's seat.  And when you finally (hopefully) do, be sure to buckle your seat belt and hang on because it's going to a wild, yet wonderful ride.  If you truly let yourself take it.

  Luanne also asked why I came away a bit sad this past Tuesday night.  It was because she talked about having losses in our lives and how that affects our trust and our willingness to "let go and ride".  And the reasoning some people give us to explain why we might have experienced such loss (meaning, the stupid, unBiblical things people say to point to a reason, or responsibility for things like that).  

I just really missed Jim and his presence that night in being reminded of how much I've lost.  But it was still a good study.

Nat: I'm intrigued with how you learned to do all the "fancy stuff" with your blog. For example, how do you cross out words, load all the photos and videos,etc. I have no desire to have my own blog but was just curious how you do it all.

My dear friend, Nat ..... I think I shall answer this for you whenever you want to start a blog, one on one.  It's too difficult to go into the techno-babble here.  And it would be way too boring.  And I would probably get it all wrong.  Most of my education has been trial and error.  

It's not that I don't want to tell you how to do all of this ........ oh heck, yes it is.  But it's not because I don't want to share my wealth of knowledge (HA!!!) with you, it would just be too long and boring.  I will definitely share ..... ask Dr. M.  :)

Sorry if I have disappointed you, my dear airport-transportation friend, but you've got to come up with something more exciting than that!

Moni: When talking about the "Birds and the Bees" with your kids . . . did you get the girls and did Jim get the boys?

Oh.  My.  Goodness.  The detailed version of this story will have to be a post all unto itself.  In fact, it was.  On December 4th last year, when L asked pretty much the same question.

But suffice it to say that we had verbally contracted that I would handle the girls and he would handle the boys.

The man broke the contract.  All 3 times. 

But who's counting?

Melanie:
How did you and Jim choose the names of the kids. What are their middle names, if you are OK with writing it C. James or whatever. I love choosing names and I love their names.

OK, let's see ....... 

For Daughter #1, Jim came up with that one .... just a couple of months before she was born.  He came home one day and said that he had a meeting with someone who's last name was W.  It occurred to him during that meeting (don't know how much he got out of that meeting) that W would be a neat name for a girl (at the time there were no pop singers or celebrities with that name.  We had never heard it used as a first name, especially for a girl).  I instantly agreed.  Her middle name is Anne.

For Daughers #2 & #3 it was a more difficult process.  We did not know their sex so we had to come up with 4 names, 2 girls and 2 boys.  

I had met a little girl with D2's name a few years earlier and liked it.  It was different (at the time). We then came up with a similar "twin" name.  About a week or two before they were born I came to my senses and knew that I did not want cutesy twin names.  So I went to another name that had been on my list for a while.  It was from an actress who's work (in the movies of the "old days") I had admired.  If we had not changed that name Daughter #2 would have a totally different name and Daughter #3 would have had Daughter #2's name (still following me?).

Daughter #2's middle name is Nicole.  D3's is Ashley.

For Son #1 we picked a name that I had heard of once.  I looked it up in a baby book and we went with it.  We both loved it and it fell into a category we loved ..... last names.

For Son #2 we went with what we loved again ...... and it fit with Son #1's.

For Son #3 --- ditto.  But by this time the baby book had bit the dust.  I had either lost it or thrown it away.  But we chose his name again because it fit and we loved it.

All three boys have the same middle name, which is a story unto itself:  James.

Teresa asks:  

Are your children close with each other and if so how do you keep them close? I have teens and they seem to be drifting, but I want them to be like me and my sister...

I wish I could say that my children are so extremely close that it's unreal, but that would be ..... unreal.

The girls are all pretty close.  Daughters #2 & #3 are extremely close.  And daughters #2 & #3 are pretty close to each of the boys.

The boys go in and out of closeness, but they still manage to keep enough disdain for each other so as to appear "manly".  

Whatever.

From my personal experience, Teresa, I wouldn't worry about their closeness during childhood, or especially the teenage years.  You can't force it or make it happen.  I was not close at all to my brother or sister while growing up but they are two of my favorite people now and I cannot imagine my life without them.

And in my opinion, that's what counts.

OK, I think that's all of the questions.  Hopefully I'll be back on track next Wednesday, but we never know what the week will hold.

But keep on asking and I'll keep trying to answer!!

UPDATE:

I forgot to include Ami's questions!  Sorry Ami!

She asked:

1.  Has Son #2 returned to school?

Yes he has.  He was not thrilled but he went (the terms for his "release" were not met).  He has since been promoted and seems to be doing well.  He sounds serious about working on his grades.  I hope that he is, and that he does.

2.  What is your favorite dessert?

Well, that's a tough one.  I am not a "sweets" person.  I could (and have) live with a dessert in my house until it goes bad and I throw it away, whether it's a cake, candy, ice cream, cookies .... I am not drawn to them.  Nope, not even chocolate.  My downfall would be carbs and salt.

But if I had to pick something ...... I would say it's Texas Sheet Cake.  Now that I could eat and probably make a pig of myself.  Especially when my mother-in-law made it.

Great memories ..... thanks, Ami.

OK, NOW I think that's all.  

If not, I'll be back!