Family Dinner

It’s always a good thing when I cook something new and there are no leftovers. Seriously, when they go in for thirds, I know I managed to create something they like, it’s always the best way to gauge.

But the most fun is the conversations we have at dinner. I don’t know how it degenerates so fast, as usually it’s not bad talk, it’s highly educational!

Tonight we somehow got on the topic of the sea. Jordan started mentioning how dangerous it is it pee in the ocean. I can’t say I was overly curious to know why, but he was not deterred. “Did you know there was a man who peed in the sea and a worm of some kind managed to crawl up his p***s and a doctor had to go in there with a camera and fish it out?”

Yeah, way more information than I wanted as I was enjoying my dinner. “Don’t worry mom” says Cherise, “That only happens in one place and it’s not common, it serves him right for peeing in the sea.”

That makes me feel so much better. Thank you, National Geographic TV!

School Christmas market

So, the kid’s school hosted a Christmas market organized by someone in the school (I’m sure!) and all the kids and their parents were invited. We were promised an afternoon of activities, arts and crafts, snacks, and warm drinks.

What we found was, let’s see how do I put it, well, confusion. There were arts/crafts and activities, but it was all rather vague and it turned out the kids had done most of them in their classes with their teachers already. There was a ‘game room’ with an assortment of board games and twister set up, but since none of my kid’s friends were around, there wasn’t much to do there, either.

A bunch of teen girls were running around with plates of pancakes, trying to sell them. I wasn’t really in the mood for anything sweet (yeah, I’ve been baking so the house is full of sweet treats), but I found out later it was a competition; I guess I should have bought one from the girl who was especially polite.

We wandered the halls for a bit, looking for any sign of the kid’s teachers. I did meet one, Cherise’s Math teacher, but she was busy. That’s when I decided that the best idea they had was the mulled wine and I desperately needed one. Jordan and Cherise decided to share a cup of warm children’s punch at the same time.

So we were standing there, trying to enjoy our warm drinks when spontaniously two kids came running from behind me, while I was trying to help Cherise hold her hot drink, at the same time a door opened from behind Jordan. Not sure how it happened–it all happened so fast–but I spilled more than half of the contents of my mug all over myself. A kind teacher threw some napkins at me and left us to mop up the floor.

I managed to wash most of it out of my coat with snow outside, though I’m sure there is still some smell in there. So I’m the drinking mom, just in case anyone’s asking. When I told Charlotte at home, her reaction was, “oh, mom. Welcome to our school. That’s how it is, confusion.”

At least the mulled wine was good, what was left of it, anyway. 😀

Wonderful Day—a Day of Wonder

As so often happens, I have emails to respond to when I log into my email in the morning. Sometimes, I’ll need to chat with someone to get a writing assignment, or to work out details on something or other. When I was still in India, that communication often took place by sms as well. When the chat or email is done, I usually would sign off with “have a nice day”, though sometimes it was “have a wonderful day”.

 

I sat there looking at what I had just written, ‘wonderful day’. What did it mean to have a wonderful day? Once I was done getting my assignments for the day/week, I get to work, I used to teach as well, there’s chores to be done around the house, a to-do list to get through, homework to help with, meals to be cooked, etc. So what was wonderful about it?

 

If I took the time to think about it, there were things in my day that would fill me with wonder if only I took the time to see them, to pay attention, to enjoy them. There’s my favorite sound in the world—the sound of a child laughing heartily. There are the hugs which my kids like to spontaneously spring on me. There’s the slowly falling snow which is making the world a winter wonderland. There’s the moon which shines into my window and which I can see from my bed. There’s a song that moves me to dance and get the kids dancing with me.

 

Wonder can be found in the eyes of my children, in a friendly chat with a friend, in a sunset which takes my breath away, in the beautiful lights shining through the early dusk, in so many little things which bring that feeling of contentment. A wonderful day doesn’t have to include a whole lot of planning, going somewhere amazing, or being with people I love and miss, though that would be nice, too. One day, I’ll have those kinds of wonderful days, and I do already, taking my kids out for outings, enjoying a drink with a friend, or visiting with relatives. Until those big days come along though, I’ll keep looking with a sense of wonder at all the little things God brings my way each day.