THROW BACK: WHEN JOHN & CAROL WERE FIVE

Baby girl started Kindergarten this week, and mostly, it has been really great.  For a bit of fun, I thought I'd drag up some pictures from when John and I were about to start school.  I don't have actual pictures from each of our first days - though our mothers might have them somewhere.  But, I do have one of each of us in the months prior to us starting Kindergarten.

It's funny, because I don't really think Lily looks much like either one of us.  People are always playing the "who do they look like" game, and I feel like I am horrible with it - especially when it is so close to me.  Sometimes I catch flashes of expression or mannerisms that remind me of myself or of John, but I rarely think that Lily or Bella looks much like either one of us.  They are just Lily and Bella.  (Though there are often comparisons of Bella and cousin True, which I can see a bit.)

Here I am at my fifth birthday party.  Care Bear themed, as I am sure many parties were that year.

And, this is John at his first "spiritual birthday" (the day he proclaimed faith in Jesus as a child), in the March before he started school.



He is so very cute.

So that's my Throw Back Thursday blog post.  Enjoy.  If you started school this week - I hope that the week has been kind to you!

TOTALLY RANDOM THURSDAY

Here's a bit of a TRT for you, sneaking in just before Friday finds me crawling into bed.

-  Even though it is summer and laid back and whatever, I feel remarkably unaccomplished this week.  There are half-done projects and chores calling my name from every corner of this home.  And I find myself wanting to answer back things like, "Laundry! - if you could find a way to fold yourself and magically disappear into drawers and closets, that would be doing me a massive favor." or "Summer Sewing Project! - I want to add little pom poms as a bit of flare, but I also want to just be done.  I am not sure who is going to win.  Your move."

-  On our way home from MDO yesterday, Lily said, "Mom, I need reading lessons."
A bit surprised, I asked, "Why do you think that?"
L: "I need to learn to read."
Me: "Baby, Kindergarten is starting soon, and that is what you will be doing a lot of.  It's kind of the point."
L: Silence
Me: "But if you want to get started, we could do some reading lessons at home."
L: "Who is going to teach me?"
Me: "Umm.  I could teach you."
L: "Mom - you don't know how to do stuff.  We will need to get someone else."

Thanks for that vote of confidence, sweetheart.

-  William is full on crawling everywhere now.  He is pleased as punch with himself, and now there are two - always at least two - little people on the move looking for things to mangle.  Coffee tables and end tables and couches and anywhere else around 2 ft and below are no longer safe in any way from tiny wrecking hands.  Or in William's case, large man-baby wrecking hands.  He's got big paws.

-  On our date night this past Sunday night, John and I walked around after stuffing our faces with a delicious dinner at SO.  We came across this "Bagless" vacuum cleaner.

Bagless indeed.

-  I'm working on some fun Luau cookies for early next week.  I pretty much love these hibiscus flowers in the works.



- I've been devouring books this summer, which has been extremely enjoyable.  I am reviving my love of fiction that sometimes lays dormant when other demands choke and subdue it.  Here's a little insight into the Carol world - I have been known to read the same books over and over again.  (I could not count the number of times I have read the entire Anne of Green Gables series or Harry Potter or the Chronicles of Narnia or Pride and Prejudice, to name a few.)  There is something about the familiarity of the stories and the feelings of friendship that develop with characters I have loved for years.  This is not all bad, but it can make branching out a bit difficult.

And today, I put my finger on why it is sometimes hard for me to branch out.  I do not like being out of control, and when you read a book, you are essentially giving that author a lot of power over what you will think about.  They get to take you into their world - or whatever world they choose to write about.  And you are along for the journey.  Much of the time, I really enjoy the journey, but I have to give up the control, which is never the easiest thing for me to do.

This summer, I have managed to find all the sad books.  Or maybe its just that sad books are more popular than usual?  I don't know.  The books have been mostly excellent, and I'm thankful for the branching out.  I'm currently reading The Poisonwood Bible, and it is engaging and funny, but it keeps hinting at a coming darkness.  There is also critical subtext that underlines the story, forcing me to think more deeply.  I'm glad I'm reading it, but I am sad about the impending doom for characters I like.

- Reading all the sad books has been a good reminder that life is hard, and beautiful stories are not made out of sunshine and rainbows and unicorns and pixie dust.  Usually they are borne out of rubble and missteps and sorrow and hardships.  Growing up, I wanted my life to be paved with roses, but now - more than anything, I want God to write his beautiful story there, among the thorns that come from living on this Earth.  You will have trouble - one certain promise from scripture, but almost in the same breath God tells us to "Take heart.  I have overcome the world."

Makes me want to cry when I read it like that.  There is so much sadness always lurking.  You never have to look far.  But I can rest assured that God has overcome, and that in the end, all will be made right.

Looking forward to that day.

Also looking forward to Friday - Cow Appreciation Day.  Are you heading to CFA dressed as a Cow?  I will be herding my little cows in for an early lunch!

TOTALLY RANDOM THURSDAY: TRT

I'm back with another Totally Random Thursday, or - as I am about to start calling it - TRT.  You know, like Throwback Thursday (TBT), except without any social media presence.  Just a thing I might do every so often.  By Thursday, the week is mostly gone, and I find that my energy is mostly spent.  I often still want to blog, but it is sometimes harder to wrap it all up neatly.  I think that also has something to do with the summer and how out of sync everything feels right now.  So maybe TRT will be a summer thing here at the John and Carol Show.

-  This week many of my friends are out of town or otherwise out of commission to hang out so that we can wrangle kiddos together.  I miss you all - please come back from China/Nebraska/the beach or quit working nights or having in-laws in town.  I mean - is it too much to ask that your schedules revolve around me?  It doesn't feel like too much ask.  And pay no attention when I leave town next week.  I guess we all have to do what we have to do, but I miss the regular hang outs.

-  My kids and I have had a LOT of togetherness in the past couple of weeks.  I feel like Violet looks in this picture - a little squished by the togetherness.  But - there are a lot of perks too, and I am getting extra kisses/snuggles/cuddles/chances to read aloud/chances to do puzzles/chances to discipline.  You know, all the good stuff.



- Since many of my usual friends are out of town, I did branch out and invite over a newer friend, and we had a lovely time together.  Plus, she brought her two adorable children, and William got a new buddy to "hang out" with.  I don't think that pun ever gets old.  I heart the baby bouncers!



- I have recently read The Fault in Our Stars.  As in, I have read it twice in the past week and a half.  I guess you could say that I liked it.  I know I am late to the party, but I am glad that I showed up to this one.  I decided that I wanted to see the movie, like, right away.  So, last night, I texted a friend (who often doubles as a babysitter for us), to see if she wanted to go to the late showing.  I'm glad she said yes, because it ended up just being us in the theater.  Don't we look like we are having fun in the dark?  I loved the movie and the book - though you should be warned that both are sad, but also funny and true to what cancer feels like in someone you love.



- I wrote a post about my step-father on father's day, but I never mentioned John and what an amazing dad he is.  Truly, I am so thankful to have John by my side and get to parent with him.  He loves our children so very well and is intentional and gracious.

- Last week, Lily went to VBS and had a great week with friends.  There was a "program" on Thursday night where we got to hear them sing and have desserts.  Ice Cream sandwiches are one of the messiest desserts imaginable for small kids, but they sure do enjoy them.  The kids did a great job singing, and it was encouraging to see Lily thriving among her peers.

- Trips to Old Navy have a great propensity to go well or poorly.  This particular trip turned out pretty badly when someone threw themselves to the floor screaming to get the purple flip flops instead of the pink ones.  Both girls also insisted on pushing their own carts, and I didn't have the backbone to stop them.  As you might imagine, that was less than successful.  All in all, I am sure they were glad to see the back of us.



- John thinks he may have found a brown recluse spider in our closet.  God, please save us from a brown recluse bite and also from the google image search results that come up.  Those are some horrific images.  I need to call our bug person and see what they can do about it.



That sums up this edition of TRT.  Happy almost Friday!