In case you weren't on our snail-mail list or we never actually mailed you your card (oops!), here's our holiday wishes from our home to yours! Merry Christmas to all today!
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 25, 2013
Sunday, September 16, 2012
A Tale of Two Goodgames and the Little Concert that Could
When I was in college, I heard about this guy named Randall Goodgame. If his name alone wasn't enough to get your attention (or at least become the fodder for bad jokes), his songwriting certainly stopped traffic. His lyrics were insightful, lighthearted, and melodic. Catchy. Turns out he was an alumni of my alma mater, BSC, (located, of course, on Arkadelphia Road, not far from the laundromat). And so somehow (I don't remember exactly how it came to be), I got to pick him up from the airport when he came to play a concert at our school. I remember three things from that experience: hearing him play "John 11" in Yielding Chapel, how he helped me revise some of my poetry for Professor Sprayberry's class (he'd taken her class, too, and man he was really nice because I look back on some of those poems now and they were awful), and how he talked on and on about his lovely daughter, Livi, who had recently been born to him and his wife, Amy, also a BSC alum.
This weekend my experiences with Randall Goodgame came full circle. I got to see that beautiful daughter Livi all grown up into a gracious 6th grader, playing violin alongside her Daddy. And hear her sing along with his songs. In my friends' backyard. With about a million kids running around. Eucharisteo!
Here's how it came to be: For the past few years, Randall has felt this calling to minister to children through his music. It began when he and his buddy Andrew created a kids' album with some silly (and some more spiritual songs) called Slugs and Bugs and Lullabies. There was, apparently, a show scheduled for this past Saturday in Atlanta. My friends and I and our brood of little ones had all been excited about it for ages -- we were needing a Slugs and Bugs concert fix. However, on Wednesday evening, we found out it was cancelled. "Egads!" we said. "This cannot be! Someone, please, think about the children!"
So, I wrote Randall and asked if he was still planning on coming to town and if we could find a place for him to play, would he come?! And he said yes!
There were lots of e-mails back and forth. A group of my mom friends had been planning a book group for that night (appropriately, on parenting), so many of us already had Saturday evening reserved. So we did the right thing, rescheduled book club, and had a Slugs and Bugs concert in the Sayler's backyard instead! (Thanks again, guys, for hosting and setting up and everything!) It was the shortest time I've ever promoted a concert, much simpler than anything I've ever done, a far cry from the concerts I used to book in the Cellar at BSC and not at all like the one I'm promoting for September 29. But it was fun!
One of the best parts about experiencing a Slugs and Bugs live event is seeing the lovely animated cartoons and watching Randall sing along with the background music and also lead the hand motions. It's like some kind of acrobatic act.
Thankfully, we even found some folks with a projector and a screen,
willing to bring them. The funny thing is that by Saturday morning, we
had TWO different sets of folks willing to bring projectors and screens. All day I kept thinking that I needed to tell Ron that he didn't need to bring his set, but I was out running errands away from the internet and I forgot. However, it turns out that the other folks (Becky's parents) got stuck in traffic, so it was fortunate (providential, even) that Ron showed up early and ready to go with a projector and portable screen! So thanks, man!
Team Redd also got stuck in traffic. The news and the internets misled us about the extent of construction on I-285, and we thought it was only the eastbound lanes. Alas, we spent an hour and a half on the road, moving very slowly. On the bright side, two little Redds got naps and the parents got to chat. When we arrived, it was apparently perfect timing, as we sat down on a shared picnic blanket just as Randall began his first song, "God Made Me."
The concert itself was amazing. About ten families sitting on lawn
chairs and picnic blankets in a shady yard on a perfect fall evening
under a clear sky, enjoying one of our favorite musicians perform our
kids' favorite songs. I
found Randall even more entertaining in such a small setting, and
cracked up a few times at his exaggerated expressions to entertain the
kids. Livi is an excellent assistant for her Dad, reminding him of
song lyrics and demonstrating song motions, as well as playing along on a
few tunes on her violin and singing BGV's. She even played the foil in
the "Under where?" song, stealing her poor father's favorite stuffed
bunny.
At one point, Randall took requests, and Jacob got to hear his favorite S&B song, "Who's got the ball?!" I don't know why he likes it so much, but it is memorable, and the song involves the names of Andrew and Randall's kids, and the acutal Livi was in attendance, so that was kind of cool. And the video is fun, with all the kids acting out the ball game and running around like crazy. About halfway through, though, Randall remarked, "I forgot how long this song is!" while strumming along on his guitar as Andrew's voice narrated the action. Good time for a water break!
During the concert, the kids learned new hand motions, and got to parade around the backyard, sing and dance and clap their hands. Or they could just sit and listen, if they so desired, like mine. And where else but at a backyard show can you bring your picnic dinner with you and enjoy it while you sing? We were also treated to two brand-new animated videos from the latest Slugs and Bugs record.
Last night was a lovely evening full of lovely people. As my friend Becky mused, "It felt like we won some kind of contest!" I'm pretty sure a "backyard house show" was one of the upper levels in the latest Slugs and Bugs Kickstarter campaign, so yeah, it was quite the special experience! We are just going to have to do this again sometime -- in fact, I suggest if there's another Kickstarter offer, that we all pool our money to get them to play another backyard show. Jacob asked me if we could get Randall to come to our neighborhood. We shall see.
Ethan also had a request. At the very end of the evening, when everyone was leaving, I asked Randall to play Ethan's favorite song. It's not from the Slugs and Bugs albums, but he requests it every time we ask him what he would like to hear from our music collection. Though Jacob wasn't feeling well and I had to take him to the van during part of the song, I was able to hear Randall finish playing "Bluebird" as the sky darkened and the evening came to a close. His daughter joined in and she sounded so much like her mother! I hope I never forget the look on Ethan's face as he watched them play and sing. What a beautiful way to end the night. We sang that song and talked about the show all the way home. "Bluebird, bluebird, don't you fly away..."
Here are the rest of my photos from the concert. I tried to actually just enjoy the show and the moment instead of cataloging it all through the camera (in this case, my ipod), and I think, in that, I succeeded.
This weekend my experiences with Randall Goodgame came full circle. I got to see that beautiful daughter Livi all grown up into a gracious 6th grader, playing violin alongside her Daddy. And hear her sing along with his songs. In my friends' backyard. With about a million kids running around. Eucharisteo!
 |
| this is how I spent my Saturday night |
Here's how it came to be: For the past few years, Randall has felt this calling to minister to children through his music. It began when he and his buddy Andrew created a kids' album with some silly (and some more spiritual songs) called Slugs and Bugs and Lullabies. There was, apparently, a show scheduled for this past Saturday in Atlanta. My friends and I and our brood of little ones had all been excited about it for ages -- we were needing a Slugs and Bugs concert fix. However, on Wednesday evening, we found out it was cancelled. "Egads!" we said. "This cannot be! Someone, please, think about the children!"
So, I wrote Randall and asked if he was still planning on coming to town and if we could find a place for him to play, would he come?! And he said yes!
There were lots of e-mails back and forth. A group of my mom friends had been planning a book group for that night (appropriately, on parenting), so many of us already had Saturday evening reserved. So we did the right thing, rescheduled book club, and had a Slugs and Bugs concert in the Sayler's backyard instead! (Thanks again, guys, for hosting and setting up and everything!) It was the shortest time I've ever promoted a concert, much simpler than anything I've ever done, a far cry from the concerts I used to book in the Cellar at BSC and not at all like the one I'm promoting for September 29. But it was fun!
One of the best parts about experiencing a Slugs and Bugs live event is seeing the lovely animated cartoons and watching Randall sing along with the background music and also lead the hand motions. It's like some kind of acrobatic act.
 |
| "I Wanna Help" -- the S&B version of "We Will Rock You" |
Team Redd also got stuck in traffic. The news and the internets misled us about the extent of construction on I-285, and we thought it was only the eastbound lanes. Alas, we spent an hour and a half on the road, moving very slowly. On the bright side, two little Redds got naps and the parents got to chat. When we arrived, it was apparently perfect timing, as we sat down on a shared picnic blanket just as Randall began his first song, "God Made Me."
The concert itself was amazing. About ten families sitting on lawn
chairs and picnic blankets in a shady yard on a perfect fall evening
under a clear sky, enjoying one of our favorite musicians perform our
kids' favorite songs. I
found Randall even more entertaining in such a small setting, and
cracked up a few times at his exaggerated expressions to entertain the
kids. Livi is an excellent assistant for her Dad, reminding him of
song lyrics and demonstrating song motions, as well as playing along on a
few tunes on her violin and singing BGV's. She even played the foil in
the "Under where?" song, stealing her poor father's favorite stuffed
bunny.  |
| (Thanks, Hwangs, for sharing your blanket with us!) |
 | ||||
| Still waking up from naptime in the car. |
At one point, Randall took requests, and Jacob got to hear his favorite S&B song, "Who's got the ball?!" I don't know why he likes it so much, but it is memorable, and the song involves the names of Andrew and Randall's kids, and the acutal Livi was in attendance, so that was kind of cool. And the video is fun, with all the kids acting out the ball game and running around like crazy. About halfway through, though, Randall remarked, "I forgot how long this song is!" while strumming along on his guitar as Andrew's voice narrated the action. Good time for a water break!During the concert, the kids learned new hand motions, and got to parade around the backyard, sing and dance and clap their hands. Or they could just sit and listen, if they so desired, like mine. And where else but at a backyard show can you bring your picnic dinner with you and enjoy it while you sing? We were also treated to two brand-new animated videos from the latest Slugs and Bugs record.
Last night was a lovely evening full of lovely people. As my friend Becky mused, "It felt like we won some kind of contest!" I'm pretty sure a "backyard house show" was one of the upper levels in the latest Slugs and Bugs Kickstarter campaign, so yeah, it was quite the special experience! We are just going to have to do this again sometime -- in fact, I suggest if there's another Kickstarter offer, that we all pool our money to get them to play another backyard show. Jacob asked me if we could get Randall to come to our neighborhood. We shall see.
Ethan also had a request. At the very end of the evening, when everyone was leaving, I asked Randall to play Ethan's favorite song. It's not from the Slugs and Bugs albums, but he requests it every time we ask him what he would like to hear from our music collection. Though Jacob wasn't feeling well and I had to take him to the van during part of the song, I was able to hear Randall finish playing "Bluebird" as the sky darkened and the evening came to a close. His daughter joined in and she sounded so much like her mother! I hope I never forget the look on Ethan's face as he watched them play and sing. What a beautiful way to end the night. We sang that song and talked about the show all the way home. "Bluebird, bluebird, don't you fly away..."
 | ||
| Mesmerized, I tell you. |
 | ||||||||
| delightful daddy-daughter duo |
Friday, August 10, 2012
One Decade Ago...
 |
| Team Redd officially began. |
Happy Anniversary to us! May there be many more to come.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Lil' Brudder has arrived!
One week ago today, our third son, Calvin Harris, entered the world at 1:48 p.m. He weighed in at a whopping 10 lbs and 9 oz and 22 and 3/4 inches long. See? The photo doesn't lie.
Not bad for being only five days late -- his brothers, both born at 41 weeks, weren't even nine pounds! I'm so grateful for the answered prayers -- he came all on his own without the need for a repeat c-section and labor kicked in only a few hours shy of a scheduled induction. In fact, his was probably the easiest delivery out of all three and he was the biggest by far! (I plan to share more of THAT story soon.) We are so proud to be at home now with our "little" guy, and he's eating like a champ already and figuring out this sleeping thing. Jacob and Ethan are enamored with him (who wouldn't be?!) and are very sweet to the youngest Redd brother, though perhaps not so much to each other.
Here are a few more shots from the hospital. This is one proud Dad:
I love this next picture. Look at this kid! So young, so handsome -- so much hair! Sideburns like Elvis. Big blue eyes. Chubby cheeks. So much to love! (This also may be my best-ever photo in a hospital gown.) Current nickname: Chunk-a-munk
Perhaps you are wondering about his real name. The middle name, Harris, was Gaines' great-grandfather's name, and we just liked the way it sounds. We've had this tradition so far of using family names for our sons' middle names and were trying out different ones for months. Finally, someone mentioned this and it stuck. The coolest part we found out only after the birth -- that Gaines' great-grandfather was actually named for the minister that married his parents. What a neat idea!
As for the first name's inspiration, I'll let you guess. Was it...
A) the imaginative and irreverent six-year old boy whose best friend was a stuffed tiger, created by cartoonist Bill Watterson?
B) the amazingly agile former Georgia Tech wide receiver, who now plays for the Detroit Lions? (given his size, this might not be a bad guess!)
or C) the famous 16th-century theologian and Protestant Reformer, whose best known work is his Institutes of the Christian Religion?
Of course, he is Redd 5 after all, and if we were true nerds, we might have named him Luke:
Not bad for being only five days late -- his brothers, both born at 41 weeks, weren't even nine pounds! I'm so grateful for the answered prayers -- he came all on his own without the need for a repeat c-section and labor kicked in only a few hours shy of a scheduled induction. In fact, his was probably the easiest delivery out of all three and he was the biggest by far! (I plan to share more of THAT story soon.) We are so proud to be at home now with our "little" guy, and he's eating like a champ already and figuring out this sleeping thing. Jacob and Ethan are enamored with him (who wouldn't be?!) and are very sweet to the youngest Redd brother, though perhaps not so much to each other.
Here are a few more shots from the hospital. This is one proud Dad:
I love this next picture. Look at this kid! So young, so handsome -- so much hair! Sideburns like Elvis. Big blue eyes. Chubby cheeks. So much to love! (This also may be my best-ever photo in a hospital gown.) Current nickname: Chunk-a-munk
Perhaps you are wondering about his real name. The middle name, Harris, was Gaines' great-grandfather's name, and we just liked the way it sounds. We've had this tradition so far of using family names for our sons' middle names and were trying out different ones for months. Finally, someone mentioned this and it stuck. The coolest part we found out only after the birth -- that Gaines' great-grandfather was actually named for the minister that married his parents. What a neat idea!
As for the first name's inspiration, I'll let you guess. Was it...
A) the imaginative and irreverent six-year old boy whose best friend was a stuffed tiger, created by cartoonist Bill Watterson?
B) the amazingly agile former Georgia Tech wide receiver, who now plays for the Detroit Lions? (given his size, this might not be a bad guess!)
or C) the famous 16th-century theologian and Protestant Reformer, whose best known work is his Institutes of the Christian Religion?
Of course, he is Redd 5 after all, and if we were true nerds, we might have named him Luke:
Monday, August 08, 2011
Summer Fun, Summer Sun
This may be the hottest summer on record in Atlanta. I don't know, but for me, it has certainly felt like it! I've never had a summer baby before, but now I know that the complaints are justified. Last week, I spent time in two different air-conditioned buildings and was still incredibly hot.
However, we have found some ways to beat the heat and enjoy some time out-of-doors.
May wasn't so bad. We enjoyed racing in the driveway:
Finding bugs:
Eating ice cream with friends:
Discovering new ways to enjoy the baby pool:
Hanging out by the swimming pool at a friend's apartment:
June found us taking many trips to the local sprayground/splash park:
Practicing our mad bubble-blowing skillz:
The boys made a new game of racing toy cars down the slide into the pool:
And Ethan developed a fascination with his dump truck, bringing it from the sandbox to the pool:
Jacob also took swimming lessons the first week in June, and since then we've been spending at least one day a week at a friend's pool, but I always forget to take pictures there.
July came and went much more quickly than I expected, with little energy for photos. But I found one of those sprinkler spray beach balls on clearance a few weeks ago and it, too, has brought much joy:
I'm so behind on pictures, I barely have covered half of our summer. Some events and excursions that deserve their own post (hopefully soon):
May's inaugural field trip to the Botanical Gardens
Memorial Day weekend visit to Alabama to see DeeDee and Gaga
June day trip to the annual Moore family reunion, also in Alabama
The story of our new swagger wagon
Preparations for little brother's arrival
However, we have found some ways to beat the heat and enjoy some time out-of-doors.
May wasn't so bad. We enjoyed racing in the driveway:
Finding bugs:
Eating ice cream with friends:
Discovering new ways to enjoy the baby pool:
Hanging out by the swimming pool at a friend's apartment:
June found us taking many trips to the local sprayground/splash park:
Practicing our mad bubble-blowing skillz:
The boys made a new game of racing toy cars down the slide into the pool:
And Ethan developed a fascination with his dump truck, bringing it from the sandbox to the pool:
Jacob also took swimming lessons the first week in June, and since then we've been spending at least one day a week at a friend's pool, but I always forget to take pictures there.
July came and went much more quickly than I expected, with little energy for photos. But I found one of those sprinkler spray beach balls on clearance a few weeks ago and it, too, has brought much joy:
I'm so behind on pictures, I barely have covered half of our summer. Some events and excursions that deserve their own post (hopefully soon):
40 Weeks and Counting
In the words of the illustrious Homer Simpson, "The waiting game sucks. Let's play Hungry Hungry Hippos!"
We haven't been playing that particular childhood favorite (though Candyland and Chutes and Ladders have been popular), but we have been keeping busy this last week to stave off this pregnant Mama's restlessness.
Jacob showing off one of his drawings while we were attempting to document my basketball-like belly last Tuesday. If one more person asks me if I'm having twins...
I'm very grateful to my mom, who has been able to be here now for an entire week, and we have filled it with many fun things, including naps for moi. Here's just a taste of what we've been up to:
Last Monday morning, while Jacob played at a friend's house and I had a mother's helper, we rearranged the boys' bedroom, in anticipation that it will eventually become the nursery once we clean out the office and move them into bunk beds.
On Tuesday, we attended a good friend's birthday party at a fire station. Ethan knows something is up, so he's been uncharacteristically mommy-centric lately. He didn't even want to wear a hat or climb in the fire truck! (Though almost ALL he's done ever since is wear his hat and play "fireman" in their room!)
The festivities continued at a jumpy place, to burn off some energy.
In the afternoon, I went to my checkup and also had time to squeeze in a pedicure!
On Wednesday, we went swimming. But not before I snuck away to get a haircut! I have a whole other post on that, because I actually won the haircut in a contest...
On Thursday, we mostly stayed in, but due to a wonderful surprise package from my Aunt Cindy, Jacob got to try out a new slip n' slide! They also have new matchbox cars and racing tracks to keep them occupied.
On Friday, we took a trip to "our mall," as Jacob calls it, found Ethan a much-needed new pair of shoes, walked around a bit, and enjoyed the A/C, the food court, and of course, the carousel!
Jacob and "DeeDee" (my mom) riding the carousel. It's amazing what a difference a year or so makes. It's only very recently that he's been willing to ride the horses!
Ethan's milestone was that he chose to ride an animal for the first time! Yay! He predictably chose a frog. (One of his latest past times is hopping around the house and either saying "Hop like a frog!" or "Hop like a bunny!") Until now, I have had to hold him or sit on one of the benches. I apologize that this was the best photo I could get. You'd be amazed how hard it is for a pregnant woman to squeeze between the camels and horses, not to mention juggling a purse and camera and a 2 year old...
On Saturday, we played under the sprinkler and slip n' slide some more. And then that evening, Gaines and I got to go out to dinner with a bunch of our old friends from West Merritts, the church we attended when we were first married. It was a send-off for a couple we dearly love, Ben and Kristen, who are leaving to go to Charlotte, NC. Kristen is a labor and delivery nurse and stayed all through my first labor with Jacob, but she was going out of town the day Ethan was born and apparently, will be headed out of state by the time I go into labor with this one.
Sunday was filled with one last chance to worship at church. I had one last afternoon meeting and came home and gratefully took a nap. Two out of the other four got naps as well.
Today, we went to my last prenatal checkup. I'm technically "overdue" at 40 weeks and 2 days, but since both of the other boys made it to 41 weeks it shouldn't surprise me. We actually received some great news. Instead of the previously scheduled repeat c-section (I had a cesarean with Jacob, and then a VBAC with Ethan), I am actually on a list for an induction for this Thursday! That is a big praise and an answer to many prayers. I know birth is unpredictable and many things could happen, including surgery, but just being given the opportunity to labor on my own is wonderful. For me, recovery from a c-section is just not on my list of things I would prefer. Plus, I'm showing way more readiness this week, even some contractions, so who knows when this baby might arrive?!
We also got to eat dinner at Slopes tonight with some good friends, Gordon and Christy and their adorable son Joshua, who are in town visiting. I'm hoping the magical properties of the Slopes' BBQ sauce will induce labor. In fact, I'm going to go walk around the house and see what happens. :)
We haven't been playing that particular childhood favorite (though Candyland and Chutes and Ladders have been popular), but we have been keeping busy this last week to stave off this pregnant Mama's restlessness.
Jacob showing off one of his drawings while we were attempting to document my basketball-like belly last Tuesday. If one more person asks me if I'm having twins...
I'm very grateful to my mom, who has been able to be here now for an entire week, and we have filled it with many fun things, including naps for moi. Here's just a taste of what we've been up to:
Last Monday morning, while Jacob played at a friend's house and I had a mother's helper, we rearranged the boys' bedroom, in anticipation that it will eventually become the nursery once we clean out the office and move them into bunk beds.
On Tuesday, we attended a good friend's birthday party at a fire station. Ethan knows something is up, so he's been uncharacteristically mommy-centric lately. He didn't even want to wear a hat or climb in the fire truck! (Though almost ALL he's done ever since is wear his hat and play "fireman" in their room!)
The festivities continued at a jumpy place, to burn off some energy.
In the afternoon, I went to my checkup and also had time to squeeze in a pedicure!
On Wednesday, we went swimming. But not before I snuck away to get a haircut! I have a whole other post on that, because I actually won the haircut in a contest...
On Thursday, we mostly stayed in, but due to a wonderful surprise package from my Aunt Cindy, Jacob got to try out a new slip n' slide! They also have new matchbox cars and racing tracks to keep them occupied.
On Friday, we took a trip to "our mall," as Jacob calls it, found Ethan a much-needed new pair of shoes, walked around a bit, and enjoyed the A/C, the food court, and of course, the carousel!
Jacob and "DeeDee" (my mom) riding the carousel. It's amazing what a difference a year or so makes. It's only very recently that he's been willing to ride the horses!
Ethan's milestone was that he chose to ride an animal for the first time! Yay! He predictably chose a frog. (One of his latest past times is hopping around the house and either saying "Hop like a frog!" or "Hop like a bunny!") Until now, I have had to hold him or sit on one of the benches. I apologize that this was the best photo I could get. You'd be amazed how hard it is for a pregnant woman to squeeze between the camels and horses, not to mention juggling a purse and camera and a 2 year old...
On Saturday, we played under the sprinkler and slip n' slide some more. And then that evening, Gaines and I got to go out to dinner with a bunch of our old friends from West Merritts, the church we attended when we were first married. It was a send-off for a couple we dearly love, Ben and Kristen, who are leaving to go to Charlotte, NC. Kristen is a labor and delivery nurse and stayed all through my first labor with Jacob, but she was going out of town the day Ethan was born and apparently, will be headed out of state by the time I go into labor with this one.
Sunday was filled with one last chance to worship at church. I had one last afternoon meeting and came home and gratefully took a nap. Two out of the other four got naps as well.
Today, we went to my last prenatal checkup. I'm technically "overdue" at 40 weeks and 2 days, but since both of the other boys made it to 41 weeks it shouldn't surprise me. We actually received some great news. Instead of the previously scheduled repeat c-section (I had a cesarean with Jacob, and then a VBAC with Ethan), I am actually on a list for an induction for this Thursday! That is a big praise and an answer to many prayers. I know birth is unpredictable and many things could happen, including surgery, but just being given the opportunity to labor on my own is wonderful. For me, recovery from a c-section is just not on my list of things I would prefer. Plus, I'm showing way more readiness this week, even some contractions, so who knows when this baby might arrive?!
We also got to eat dinner at Slopes tonight with some good friends, Gordon and Christy and their adorable son Joshua, who are in town visiting. I'm hoping the magical properties of the Slopes' BBQ sauce will induce labor. In fact, I'm going to go walk around the house and see what happens. :)
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
My Misadventures in Hotlanta
Today the heat index in Atlanta was 105 degrees. Apparently not quite as high as yesterday, but still, that's HOT in my book. And I'm 9 months pregnant. Those little internal heaters are not much of a boon this time of year as they are in winter.
In my wisdom and in spite of the heat I met a friend and her little boy, as planned, at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens this morning. It was hot, but it wasn't too bad yet. The thermometer only hit 90 at 11am (!). The walk was shady, the conversation stimulating and the company pleasant. The boys wanted to walk around a whole bunch which I was hoping would tire them out. Plus, they got to play in the sunflower fountain at the Children's Garden -- a perfect day to get drenched. I got my share, too, since helping them change into dry clothes only served to get me soaked! It was a good morning, but by the time we headed home for lunch it was about 12:30. I had brought snacks, but they don't let you eat in the Gardens unless you buy their food (a major drawback in my book), so I let them eat grapes while the car was cooling off. At this point, I was trying to stick to my rule of "No eating in the van... at least while Mommy is driving."
You may remember we got a minivan quite recently. As in, a little over three weeks ago. (I still have yet to post that story...but I'm working on it!) Well, I am used to driving a little Civic, so sometimes parking and other maneuvers are a bit unwieldy in such a large vehicle. Apparently, I had such issues today as we were leaving the Gardens. Just before we reached the booth to pay for parking, I heard the unmistakable sound of the van hitting a curb. Perfect.
I thought to myself as we pulled away from the ticket booth, "It sounds fine, it can't be that bad." Then Jacob noticed a "bump, bump" sound as we turned onto Piedmont Avenue. At first, I thought it was just the condition of the road because of all the recent construction. I drove slowly, but as I turned onto 14th street, it became worse. My fears were beginning to be realized. I started looking for a place to pull over to the right. There was none! I was in the middle of downtown Atlanta in the middle of the lunch hour, plus there were construction cones everywhere, blocking access to the side. Strangely, I kept thinking if I could just make it to Einstein's on the left, or across the bridge... Then, I noticed two women motioning to me from the sidewalk. I rolled down my window and heard, "Hey, do you know you have a flat tire? It's on the rim! There's a Shell station not far up." "On the right?" "Yes!" So we pulled slowly into a parking space at the gas station and I called Gaines and he reminded me about our AAA membership. Ah, yes. I blame pregnancy brain for my lack of coherent thought.
So, there I was, 9 months pregnant with two kids under the age of five in a van with a tire that had been almost completely shredded, waiting in 100+ degree heat in the middle of July, with nothing but some snacks to sustain us well after lunchtime. I checked the tire (Yep, it was a goner! I was praying the rim wasn't damaged from driving on it so many blocks!), made sure the kids had water and figured a NutriGrain bar, some grapes and pretzels might hold them over until we could get home. There's no way I was going into the Shell station with those two to get something just for me, so I helped finish off the grapes.
Just as I'm deciding that I'm in pretty rotten circumstances, a lady walked up to the van. I had seen her and a man try to use the pay phone. They were pushing a double stroller with two kids inside who couldn't be more than 3. She approached and said that she and her family were evicted this morning from their apartment and only had enough money to pay for one night in a motel. She said her kids were hungry and asked if I had anything to give them. Well, leave it to God to give us a little of His perspective now and then when we start feeling sorry for ourselves. So I rummaged around in my bag for whatever little food I had left and handed over a meager fare of cookies and fruit snacks. She thanked me and walked back to the shade of the gas station overhang. And my heart just dropped. What could I do? Where could I send them to get help? So, I got out of my air-conditioned van (which I had the liberty to leave running while waiting for the AAA guy on this hot day). I asked her if I could call some folks and find someone willing to help. I thought of our old church not far away and of people I knew who lived downtown who might know of a shelter or something nearby. As I was leaving messages and using my phone, she came up and said they would return to the motel and try to get help there. I asked her if she knew someplace to go for help and she said they would try 211. I'd never heard of it until today, but I hoped they would get the resources they need. I watched them slowly walk across the 14th Street Bridge in the sweltering shimmer, pushing two kids in a stroller, and wished I could have asked her more about their story. I wished I'd had sandwiches to give her. I wish I'd thought to offer her some diapers. Instead, I just said a prayer and hoped they would find some more assistance along the way.
The rest of the day seemed a blur in comparison with that moment, watching the slumped shoulders and sweaty brows slowly push a stroller to seek help from strangers and try to sleep during what might be their last night with a roof over their heads for a long while. I ached for them, wishing the Church could somehow step up at that moment and embrace them, help them, love on them.
I, on the other hand, didn't have to wait too long for help from AAA, and once the spare tire was successfully installed, we made our way slowly back towards home, stopping at a local tire store which had plenty of toys and TV to distract the kids for an hour and a half. Thankfully, the flat just happened to be one of the back two tires and we had been warned when we bought the van that those particular tires would probably need replacing soon. So the expense of two new ones came quite a bit sooner than expected, but we'll survive.
I just pray the family we met will survive. And find some shelter, soon. We are blessed beyond measure, and one day's loss of naptime and a couple of cranky kids are nothing to going hungry and without a home. Though Ethan was distraught over having to give up his cookies, Jacob, it seems, understood that the family needed them more than we did. Cookies seem like such a small thing, but to a preschooler they are a prize. I hope that when he remembers this day (because he remembers EVERYTHING) he will think about how we helped others and not about having to sit in a car or a tire store for hours without relief. Just this past Sunday a guest preacher talked to the children about how Jesus calls us to give up our "crowns" for others, giving them the best even though we might want it for ourselves, and I think he got a visceral lesson in that today. Hearing him recount the story to his Daddy was one of the proudest moments I've had as a parent, and I hope that I can learn from this experience as much as he seems to have done.
In my wisdom and in spite of the heat I met a friend and her little boy, as planned, at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens this morning. It was hot, but it wasn't too bad yet. The thermometer only hit 90 at 11am (!). The walk was shady, the conversation stimulating and the company pleasant. The boys wanted to walk around a whole bunch which I was hoping would tire them out. Plus, they got to play in the sunflower fountain at the Children's Garden -- a perfect day to get drenched. I got my share, too, since helping them change into dry clothes only served to get me soaked! It was a good morning, but by the time we headed home for lunch it was about 12:30. I had brought snacks, but they don't let you eat in the Gardens unless you buy their food (a major drawback in my book), so I let them eat grapes while the car was cooling off. At this point, I was trying to stick to my rule of "No eating in the van... at least while Mommy is driving."
You may remember we got a minivan quite recently. As in, a little over three weeks ago. (I still have yet to post that story...but I'm working on it!) Well, I am used to driving a little Civic, so sometimes parking and other maneuvers are a bit unwieldy in such a large vehicle. Apparently, I had such issues today as we were leaving the Gardens. Just before we reached the booth to pay for parking, I heard the unmistakable sound of the van hitting a curb. Perfect.
I thought to myself as we pulled away from the ticket booth, "It sounds fine, it can't be that bad." Then Jacob noticed a "bump, bump" sound as we turned onto Piedmont Avenue. At first, I thought it was just the condition of the road because of all the recent construction. I drove slowly, but as I turned onto 14th street, it became worse. My fears were beginning to be realized. I started looking for a place to pull over to the right. There was none! I was in the middle of downtown Atlanta in the middle of the lunch hour, plus there were construction cones everywhere, blocking access to the side. Strangely, I kept thinking if I could just make it to Einstein's on the left, or across the bridge... Then, I noticed two women motioning to me from the sidewalk. I rolled down my window and heard, "Hey, do you know you have a flat tire? It's on the rim! There's a Shell station not far up." "On the right?" "Yes!" So we pulled slowly into a parking space at the gas station and I called Gaines and he reminded me about our AAA membership. Ah, yes. I blame pregnancy brain for my lack of coherent thought.
So, there I was, 9 months pregnant with two kids under the age of five in a van with a tire that had been almost completely shredded, waiting in 100+ degree heat in the middle of July, with nothing but some snacks to sustain us well after lunchtime. I checked the tire (Yep, it was a goner! I was praying the rim wasn't damaged from driving on it so many blocks!), made sure the kids had water and figured a NutriGrain bar, some grapes and pretzels might hold them over until we could get home. There's no way I was going into the Shell station with those two to get something just for me, so I helped finish off the grapes.
Just as I'm deciding that I'm in pretty rotten circumstances, a lady walked up to the van. I had seen her and a man try to use the pay phone. They were pushing a double stroller with two kids inside who couldn't be more than 3. She approached and said that she and her family were evicted this morning from their apartment and only had enough money to pay for one night in a motel. She said her kids were hungry and asked if I had anything to give them. Well, leave it to God to give us a little of His perspective now and then when we start feeling sorry for ourselves. So I rummaged around in my bag for whatever little food I had left and handed over a meager fare of cookies and fruit snacks. She thanked me and walked back to the shade of the gas station overhang. And my heart just dropped. What could I do? Where could I send them to get help? So, I got out of my air-conditioned van (which I had the liberty to leave running while waiting for the AAA guy on this hot day). I asked her if I could call some folks and find someone willing to help. I thought of our old church not far away and of people I knew who lived downtown who might know of a shelter or something nearby. As I was leaving messages and using my phone, she came up and said they would return to the motel and try to get help there. I asked her if she knew someplace to go for help and she said they would try 211. I'd never heard of it until today, but I hoped they would get the resources they need. I watched them slowly walk across the 14th Street Bridge in the sweltering shimmer, pushing two kids in a stroller, and wished I could have asked her more about their story. I wished I'd had sandwiches to give her. I wish I'd thought to offer her some diapers. Instead, I just said a prayer and hoped they would find some more assistance along the way.
The rest of the day seemed a blur in comparison with that moment, watching the slumped shoulders and sweaty brows slowly push a stroller to seek help from strangers and try to sleep during what might be their last night with a roof over their heads for a long while. I ached for them, wishing the Church could somehow step up at that moment and embrace them, help them, love on them.
I, on the other hand, didn't have to wait too long for help from AAA, and once the spare tire was successfully installed, we made our way slowly back towards home, stopping at a local tire store which had plenty of toys and TV to distract the kids for an hour and a half. Thankfully, the flat just happened to be one of the back two tires and we had been warned when we bought the van that those particular tires would probably need replacing soon. So the expense of two new ones came quite a bit sooner than expected, but we'll survive.
I just pray the family we met will survive. And find some shelter, soon. We are blessed beyond measure, and one day's loss of naptime and a couple of cranky kids are nothing to going hungry and without a home. Though Ethan was distraught over having to give up his cookies, Jacob, it seems, understood that the family needed them more than we did. Cookies seem like such a small thing, but to a preschooler they are a prize. I hope that when he remembers this day (because he remembers EVERYTHING) he will think about how we helped others and not about having to sit in a car or a tire store for hours without relief. Just this past Sunday a guest preacher talked to the children about how Jesus calls us to give up our "crowns" for others, giving them the best even though we might want it for ourselves, and I think he got a visceral lesson in that today. Hearing him recount the story to his Daddy was one of the proudest moments I've had as a parent, and I hope that I can learn from this experience as much as he seems to have done.
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Thirtysomething
It's my birthday, y'all.
Yes, I'm 31. It's a milestone year, I tell ya.
This year is the first year I have had the delight of being extremely and/or knowingly pregnant on my actual birthday. As of today, I am 33 weeks along! This bundle of boy is coming soon, folks!
(Obligatory belly shot, since I think I've failed to post one anywhere. I can't imagine why...I mean, I'm obviously looking my best here. Ha!)
Though the boys were a tad bit too eager to wake me up this morning (Jacob had a nightmare at 3am that woke all of us up eventually), it was fun to see them come running at me at random times today, shouting gleefully "Happy Birthday, Mommy!" (Imagine the cute little-kid voices. Especially Ethan.)
Many thanks to my mom drove up from Alabama for a helpful turnaround trip. She arrived Friday and left Saturday afternoon, but despite its brevity her visit brightened us all up considerably! She agreed to watch the boys last night so we could go out for a "birthday dinner." She's the one who encouraged the boys to wish me a happy day. Plus, she stayed with them all day while we made our first real vehicle purchase as a couple. (Our previous purchases were either at auction over the phone or just Gaines by himself.) We realize we cannot fit three car seats in the back of a Honda Civic, and so now I am officially a mini-van mom. Van shopping took up a considerable part of our day, but I hope to tell you all about it tomorrow when I get a chance to take a picture of the new swagger wagon.
Have I mentioned my parents' have been running a restaurant for a year? Well, my mom brought us some yummy pulled pork to enjoy. BBQ birthday dinner!
She also brought furniture. (More on that later.) We are in full-on nesting mode around here at the Team Redd home.
A highlight of my day: the boys and my mom surprised me with homemade cupcakes, homemade cards, and a familiar-looking kid-crafted bead necklace. I wore it proudly while enjoying my feast of BBQ sandwiches, home fries, and the aforementioned cupcakes. Ethan did the "sprinklers."
The Redd boys serenaded me while I blew out my candles.
Gaines, leading the choir:
Ethan, singing dutifully:
Jacob, pausing mid-note to pose:
Me, enjoying the festivities:
(Question: Do the numbers on the necklace mean that Jacob thinks I am 127 years old?)
(Q2: How did I spend all day with Gaines and it took me until just now to realize that our shirts matched? Oh yeah, we were up late last night planning that one.)
What a fun family I have! I love my boys and can't wait to add another one to the mix. What a year this is going to be!
Yes, I'm 31. It's a milestone year, I tell ya.
This year is the first year I have had the delight of being extremely and/or knowingly pregnant on my actual birthday. As of today, I am 33 weeks along! This bundle of boy is coming soon, folks!
(Obligatory belly shot, since I think I've failed to post one anywhere. I can't imagine why...I mean, I'm obviously looking my best here. Ha!)
Though the boys were a tad bit too eager to wake me up this morning (Jacob had a nightmare at 3am that woke all of us up eventually), it was fun to see them come running at me at random times today, shouting gleefully "Happy Birthday, Mommy!" (Imagine the cute little-kid voices. Especially Ethan.)
Many thanks to my mom drove up from Alabama for a helpful turnaround trip. She arrived Friday and left Saturday afternoon, but despite its brevity her visit brightened us all up considerably! She agreed to watch the boys last night so we could go out for a "birthday dinner." She's the one who encouraged the boys to wish me a happy day. Plus, she stayed with them all day while we made our first real vehicle purchase as a couple. (Our previous purchases were either at auction over the phone or just Gaines by himself.) We realize we cannot fit three car seats in the back of a Honda Civic, and so now I am officially a mini-van mom. Van shopping took up a considerable part of our day, but I hope to tell you all about it tomorrow when I get a chance to take a picture of the new swagger wagon.
Have I mentioned my parents' have been running a restaurant for a year? Well, my mom brought us some yummy pulled pork to enjoy. BBQ birthday dinner!
She also brought furniture. (More on that later.) We are in full-on nesting mode around here at the Team Redd home.
A highlight of my day: the boys and my mom surprised me with homemade cupcakes, homemade cards, and a familiar-looking kid-crafted bead necklace. I wore it proudly while enjoying my feast of BBQ sandwiches, home fries, and the aforementioned cupcakes. Ethan did the "sprinklers."
The Redd boys serenaded me while I blew out my candles.
Gaines, leading the choir:
Ethan, singing dutifully:
Jacob, pausing mid-note to pose:
Me, enjoying the festivities:
(Question: Do the numbers on the necklace mean that Jacob thinks I am 127 years old?)
(Q2: How did I spend all day with Gaines and it took me until just now to realize that our shirts matched? Oh yeah, we were up late last night planning that one.)
What a fun family I have! I love my boys and can't wait to add another one to the mix. What a year this is going to be!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)