House Update 10-31-2010

The outside of our house still has a long way to go, but we have slowly been making some improvements. We recently completed the brick on the bottom of the house and we are really pleased with the way it looks! We added the window well to the east side of the house and filled in the rest of the large hole for that well with dirt from our enormous dirt pile. Some of the dirt was also used to begin the work on the back porch. It's nice to see the dirt pile slowly diminish! Next on the agenda (we think): finish the back porch and do the western window well. Here are a few photos of the latest work.

the whole house from the sidewalk

the diminishing dirt pile and the window well

closer view of the brick work

brick work and window well

window well

Happy Halloween!

Happy Day!

Three years ago today, I married the most wonderful man I know!

(And, much like that special day, I didn't get to see much of him today!)

Pieces of a Monday

early alarm... reluctant goodbyes... windy playground... tangled ponytail whipping across my cheek... leftover book fair breakfast crumbs... sharing jokes across the library... wandering between shelves of brand new paperbacks... yearning... freshly sharpened pencils... timer beeping again and again... a sweet surprise... squealing children with rosy cheeks and wet noses... sad news... long hallways... quick conversations... grading... long tables and hard benches...grading... big piles of assessments... antsy... frustrated... still grading... chuckling at the innocence, and the misinterpretations... checking in... still grading... finally in the car, heater blaring... quick kisses and turbo hugs... raspberries on the belly... cuddles... out the door and down the road... sushi, laughter, bad service... across town... Waiting for Superman... thoughts whirling until home again... more sad news... crawl into bed... tears...

that's enough.

Happy Half Birthday, Baby Jack!

My Enemy's Cradle by Sara Young

Cyrla is half-Jewish and living with Dutch relatives during World War II. Being nearly identical to her Dutch cousin, Annika, places her in a unique position to take Annika's place in a Lebensborn- a home for pregnant mothers of German babies- after Annika's unexpected death. Cyrla tries to keep her true identity a secret while living in the home but her Jewish heritage will soon put herself and those close to her in grave danger.

Historical fiction is my favorite genre and there is not much written about the Lebensborn or the despicable plans the Germans' had for their Aryan babies, so I was immediately interested in the backdrop of this novel. The book gave a fictional account of what a home for these unwed expectant mothers might have been like, and I found it absolutely fascinating.

Sara Young (who has also written under the name Sara Pennypacker) tells Cyrla's somewhat romanticized story in a way that was engaging while still being a bit over embellished. Cyrla's situation was compelling and I was anxious to discover how her story ended, but the enjoyment I derived from reading this book was mostly due to the interest I had in the subject matter, not necessarily the story line or Young's writing style.

I recommend this book to readers who enjoy historical fiction, but it is nowhere near as good as others in that genre (i.e. The Help, The Book Thief, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society). I wish more authors would try to tackle a novel about that part of World War II history.

Traveling Light by Katrina Kittle

Summer is floundering in her new job as a schoolteacher. Summer misses her life as a dancer. Summer can't fully commit to her near-perfect boyfriend.

Summer's brother, Todd, is dying.

Sometimes it's hard to tell what a book is going to be like until you open the pages and start reading. The last book I read, The Tall Pine Polka, was a light, fun book but it took some time and commitment to finish. Alternatively, Katrina Kittle's first novel, Traveling Light, is an intense book dealing with some very serious issues, but it was such a fast read.

Kittle is frank and unapologetic as she poignantly tells how Summer Zwolenick supports her homosexual brother as he dies of AIDS. Summer's achingly difficult circumstances living with her brother and his partner were completely compelling and all-encompassing as I read the book. The pages of this novel practically turned themselves as I hopelessly sought out a happy ending. Sorrow may permeate the book but Kittle's writing somehow pulls light through the depths of sadness and, in the end, this book hints of a promise that there is something better waiting...

Click here for my review of Katrina Kittle's novel, The Kindness of Strangers.

Halloween is in the Air

As I walked past the line of 2nd graders, one boy's clear voice stood out among the others. "Wouldn't it be cool if my head was a giant jack-o-lantern..." he paused, "...with fire inside?!" Later, walking past the same 2nd grader, I heard him say, "Wouldn't it be cool to see a real headless horseman?!"

The Great Pacifier Hunt

Why is it that you may own a dozen or more pacifiers, and your five-month-old spends half the day with one in his mouth, yet somehow when push comes to shove and said five month old is tired and extremely unhappy, there is never a pacifier within reach?

Or even in the room.

In fact, I'd settle for one to be found anywhere in the house.

When you need them the most, the pacifiers just seem to disappear.

Today I finally got fed up and set out to solve the mystery of the missing pacifiers. I searched the house high and low- under the bed, in the sofa cushions, behind the night stands, in every nook and cranny of Jack's bedroom...

and came up with four.

Sigh. I guess that will have to do.

Maybe I'll have better luck figuring out the secret of the ever-elusive burp rag.

Relief Sale

Today, Jack attended his first ever Mennonite Relief Sale in Rocky Ford, where he befriended elderly Mennonite women from across the state by flashing his winning smile and luring them with his infectious giggle. So enamored were the masses of Mennonites by our little boy that we were almost unable to get our baby returned to us on a couple of occasions, despite his reaching arms and squealing cries! I'm happy to say, we enjoyed our pancake breakfast, cruised through Ten Thousand Villages, purchased our German sausage, kettle corn, and pecans, visited with many people we actually did recognize, and made our escape before noon with the baby safely in tow... a relief indeed! Until next year....

Hot Chocolate or Tea?

With the baby tucked cozily in his crib, and my husband away at band practice, I prepared myself to score 22 third graders' summaries. Studying my drink options, I found myself wavering between hot chocolate or tea... hot chocolate or tea... tough decision, I realized. But, certainly not the toughest one I made today.

It's amazing to think of the profound impact our decisions might have on the course of our day, the impact they could have on our careers, how they may even change the direction of our lives. Looking back, I think about the decisions that have led me to the place I am in now- where I went to college, why I moved to Colorado (I still can't answer that one directly other than that I had a feeling...), who I married, and what job offers to accept.

What a different life it might have been.

But, thank God I made the decisions I did, because in the other room sleeps a perfect little boy who, just this evening, reached his arms out for me to hold him, spent 10 minutes sucking furiously on a washcloth, repeated over and over with his voice the sounds I made with mine, and scooted himself halfway across the living room on his belly.

I feel good about my decisions. And now, as I think about that pile of summaries and the third graders who wrote them, I can only hope the decisions I make for them are as good as the ones I've made for myself.

I study my drink options... hot chocolate or tea?... and finally decide.

Hot chocolate.

It works better with the marshmallows.

Bittersweet

Yesterday, somebody made a simple, honest observation.

"You know," this person said, "usually babies always turn and look when they hear their mom's voice, but I notice that Jack turns to look when he hears Nathan's voice."

It took just a second for what this person said to sink in....

Oh... Ouch. My throat closed and I blinked rapidly.

That's sweet, right? My son loves my husband and that's wonderful. So why, today, do I still feel like crying?

Jack

Last week, Sarah and Tawnya brought their little ones over. We hung out, ate Chinese food, compared baby milestones, and lamented the trials of the working mom.

It was perfect!

(I love how the babies are looking in three different directions!)

Every once in a while I get to catch up with a friend from college who I haven't seen in years. This past Sunday was one of those times. My friend Jill, who has spent the last 2 1/2 years in Nepal with her husband and daughter, was in Colorado this past weekend. We were able to get together for awhile on Sunday. It was fun catching up and meeting her adorable daughter, Anusha.

The Tall Pine Polka by Lorna Landvik

Lorna Landvik, author of Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons, has written a book about the residents of Tall Pine, Minnesota. Main character, Fenny Ness, is perfectly content in her small town until she gets cast as the leading role in a movie being filmed in Tall Pine. Life for all the characters in the small town is turned upside-down by the film crew.

This book was light and fun. Just the kind of book that a reader should just breeze through but, for some reason, it took a real commitment of time for me. It was an entertaining read, but not superb. In many ways this book reminded me of The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver (although not as good!). Like Bean Trees, The Tall Pine Polka is filled with quirky and entertaining characters. The surprising plot, with all its twists and turns revolves around these likable people, and the ending wraps the story up in a nice little package. Worth reading.

I read this book three months ago and I think back on it fondly.

House Rules by Jodi Picoult

Jacob Hunt has Asperger's Syndrome and is obsessed with crime scenes. His syndrome combined with his obsession lead to an accusation of murder.

Once again, Jodi Picoult delivers an interesting read, though her most predictable one yet. Picoult is a solid writer who definitely has a way with words, and it was evident in this book that she did her research about Asperger's. I would recommend this book, but it's not one of Picoult's all-time best. Next time, I hope she's able to surprise me like she used to!

Welcome to the World...

...Gracie Elisabeth Allison!