Leaves

Caroline LOVES leaves.  We know this because:

- She would rather eat leaves than any other food (quite literally).  She actually swallows them.

- She wildly smashed and threw and swiped at the leaves outside this afternoon and cried when I picked her up and took her inside, trying to get back down to the leaves.

- She checks everyone's shoes that come in the house, to see if they brought in any leaves she could eat.

Dare

For an introduction to Five Minute Friday, click here.

This week's one-word prompt is: Dare

Ready?

GO.

OK, so in the interest of full disclosure, I took two minutes to prep this time.  That's because as soon as I saw the prompt, all I could find in my head was "Dare to do right, Dare to be true!" but I couldn't remember the rest of the Primary song, so I had to look it up.  Then I saw that the scripture reference for the song was Matthew 4:1-11.  When Jesus fasts 40 days and then is tempted by Satan.  Did the Savior "dare" to do things?  I dare say he did!  Remember how aghast the religious leaders in his town were when he started preaching in the synagogue?  And how he caused a lot of concern among the Pharisees when he would heal on the Sabbath?  The words to the song are below (sing it in your head if you know it :).  I hope we all can "dare" to do right, since these days it does sometimes take courage to be the tender voice in a conversation, to show kindness to an outcast, or to talk about your faith.

STOP.

Lyrics

1. 1. Dare to do right! Dare to be true!
   You have a work that no other can do;
   Do it so bravely, so kindly, so well,
   Angels will hasten the story to tell.
2. Chorus. Dare, dare, dare to do right;
   Dare, dare, dare to be true,
   Dare to be true, dare to be true.
   
   


3. Words: George L. Taylor, b. 1835
   Music: Arr. by A. C. Smyth, 1840-1909

   

Fall Fun

We had so much fun on the farm today.  Caroline is such a trooper - even with a yucky cold and being exhausted, she was so excited to be there.  She lit up when we saw the farm animals and walked through a hanging garden of black tubes in the corn maze.

Unfortunately, none of the happiness was caught on camera.  

Long

For an introduction to Five Minute Friday, click here.

This week's one-word prompt is: Long

Ready?

GO.

Wait, am I writing about Long the Verb or Long the Adjective?  I think Kate Montaug wrote about the Verb, but looks like I'll be in good company if I write about the Adjective.

This week has been SO LONG!  Why is it that short weeks with a holiday in them always seem longer than the regular weeks?  Just goes to show that time is so relative.  

Haha, I think that's about all I have.  Maybe I would have had more to write about if I had gone for Long the Verb.  I still have three minutes, I'll give it a try.

OK, right now I am LONGING for chocolate.  And longing for playing outside in the sunshine among the pumpkins tomorrow with Caroline - we're taking her to a farm for some fall fun!  Maybe that's why the week has been so long - anticipation seems to slow time down, and dread seems to speed time up.  Pretty sure I got that from Harry Potter.  When he's trying to get ready for the challenges in Goblet of Fire.

So, the lesson here is - if time seems to be dragging on, life must be pretty good because you're anticipating something awesome coming up?  Sounds good to me.  I remember in 4th grade thinking how SLOW time was passing for me.  Must have been my first realization that the coming summer was going to be more fun than school.  I cried the day second grade ended because I didn't want school to stop.

Love how our perspective changes.  With time.

STOP.

Care

For an introduction to Five Minute Friday, click here.

This week's one-word prompt is: Care

Ready?

GO.

I had a hard time just now deciding what to write about for this prompt (and sorry it's a day late.  My in-laws are in town and we've been catching up and out and about, Caroline is loving the extra attention, and I'm loving the help with her and the dishes and cooking!).

As I prepared to become a parent, and since becoming a parent, I've frequently heard some variation of this comment: "Becoming a mother/father has given me real insight into how much our Heavenly Father loves us."

I have to say I haven't had an epiphany like that yet.  When I try to compare my love for Caroline to the love I know God has for me, I find myself truly lacking and inadequate.  But rather than criticize myself, I think it actually means two things:

1) I have a sincere belief that God loves me and loves me perfectly.  I feel there is such a gap between our levels of love because I think I have been shown over and over again in life how much he loves me and takes care of me.

2) I am human and not perfect, but I know the more and more I get to know Caroline, the more and more I care about her and love her.  And the more and more I worry about her and try to protect her.  I think Mike and I are both the types of people that can easily form friendships but need lots of time (i.e. years) to really develop that friendship and come to care deeply for that friend.  I assume it's similar with kids - you have an initial love for them but it only grows. And maybe God's love for us is so perfect because he has a much longer memory than we do and has been caring for us for the past.......eternity.

And I have a husband who cares for me enough to take me to my first NFL football game!  Go Washington (Redskins)!

New

For an introduction to Five Minute Friday, click here.

This week's one-word prompt is: New

Ready?

GO.

I love fall.  And I love that it is new to Caroline.  The cooler temperatures turn her nose red, and the leaves are an endless source of fascination to her (see picture below).  

Lots of folks have warned us that as soon as we think we've got our baby figured out, she'll change and we'll have to figure things out all over again.  Sometimes this takes conscious thought, and sometimes you adapt without realizing your behavior has changed.  For instance, on our walk today, I almost pulled a flower off a bush for Caroline to play with as we strolled, but then I remembered that since her SIXTH tooth started coming in, everything goes straight into her mouth, instead of studiously turned over and over in her hands.  So, we went home to play in the leaves, and I tried to teach her to spit them out after she ate them (since another new-found talent of hers is blowing raspberries).

I know it's sad to see your baby grow up, but I am so excited for her to explore her world more and more, and I'm excited to teach her new things about the leaves she's eating, among other things.

Because

For an introduction to Five Minute Friday, click here.

This week's one-word prompt is: Because

Ready?

GO.

"Because I have been given much, I too must give" is the first line of one of my favorite hymns.  I'd like to take a minute (or five) and think about all the gifts I've been given this week, and how I can pay it back or pay it forward.

Because my sweet dog (see below) gave Caroline a huge loving lick on the face last Saturday, and because Caroline loved it, I will try to spend some quality time with both of them the next time we're at my parents' house.  Poor Tess is getting older, the dog I wanted my whole life, and I'm going to give her a bit of extra attention.

Because I was in a training class all week with a group of the nicest strangers you could ever meet, I am going to try to keep in touch with them, and try to be friendlier with people I don't know very well -- it might turn out you have a lot in common and could become fast friends, even in just a week!

Because my husband helped cook dinner tonight, then did the dishes, and folded the laundry, AND has listened to me talk for two days straight about this book I just read that is not really of any interest to him (though he listens attentively), I am going to make him peach cobbler for breakfast. 

And of course, I hope by paying things back and forward, I can pay back a little bit of my debt to my Heavenly Father.  Because I have been given much.

STOP.