Buster and the Snake

Yesterday we found a snake on my parents' front walk as we arrived. The kids were all fascinated. Ben picked it up with a stick, and Sunny was brave enough to touch it. My favorite, though, was when Buster came up to me, patted my leg, and said, "'S okay. Don't worry."

Birthday Quotes and More

1.My birthday was last Sunday. As we were dishing up cake, Ben said, "The birthday girl gets cake first!"

"You're not a birthday girl," said Missy, "you're a birthday woman!"

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2. While the kids were trying to pick which piece of cake they would like to get, Sunny piped up, "You get what you get, and you don't throw a fit!" Just a few minutes later, she started pouting because she didn't get the piece she wanted. When we reminded her what she had said, she said, "I was just kidding!"

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3. This morning, Sunny was holding her bottom. "Do you need to go potty?" I asked.

"No," she answered.

"Are you afraid your bottom will fall off?" I continued.

"Yes!" she replied, giggling.

Blossoms and Meadows and Walking

One of my favorite songs is "I Often Go Walking." I have sung it to my children a lot over the years. Perhaps it explains why one of the first signs of spring in my house is dandelions picked just for me! The kids delight in bringing me wildflowers. I often set them wherever I happen to be. When it's on my computer desk, it results in dried petals all over the place when I finally dig out all the papers. They make me smile.

Sometimes, though, they have warranted pictures. Here are a few:





I Often Go Walking

1. I often go walking in meadows of clover,
And I gather armfuls of blossoms of blue.
I gather the blossoms the whole meadow over;
Dear mother, all flowers remind me of you.

2. O mother, I give you my love with each flower
To give forth sweet fragrance a whole lifetime through;
For if I love blossoms and meadows and walking,
I learn how to love them, dear mother, from you.

Words: Phyllis Luch, 1937–1995. © 1969 IRI

Music: Jeanne P. Lawler, b. 1924. © 1969 IRI

The other night, I was singing this song to myself in the shower and realized that maybe it is why my daughters love to bring me flowers. I'm often too busy when they hand them to me to be appropriately grateful, but I do love it. I treasure these simple gifts, trying to remember that someday no toddler or grade-schooler will hand me a bunch of dandelions with a glowing face, saying, "I picked these for you, Mommy!"