Our Resident Arachnophobe and her Phobic Experience!

When we were at football/cheer leading practice last evening Megan found a small toad. He couldn't have been bigger than a quarter. The poor thing, once found, was subjected to two hours of torment and handling by many fascinated children. When we got home the children went to sleep out in a tent we have up in the back yard. We put it up a few nights ago for an end of the summer fun activity for the children. In addition to sleeping bags, there is a TV with a gamecube attached. I know, I know, it's not the kind of 'camping' we did when we were little, but it is fun! Anyway, around midnight (about two hours after they went out) we heard thunder and Thomas went out to bring them in for the night. The next thing I knew, Megan was at my bedside, blankets and pillow in tow, crying. Here's our conversation. (Mom) "What's wrong Megan?' (Megan, in somewhat of a wail.) "I picked up a spider." (Mom, confused 'cause she knows that Megan is deathly afraid of spiders.) "What? Why did you pick up a spider?" (Megan, catching her breath between sobs.) "I thought it was a toad." (Mom, openly laughing after the puzzle begins to come together.) "Why would you think it was a toad?" (Megan who is becoming more upset and offended because her mother is laughing about her horrible experience lets out this wail.) "It was hopping!!!" (Mom, hugging Megan but still laughing, there is no controlling it now.) "I'm sorry Megan." (Megan, still wailing.) "It was hopping. So I picked it up and IT WAS FURRY! (Mom's hysterical laughing makes her pause for a moment.) so I threw it down!"
I know there are good mothers out there who would have felt her pain and when I really think about it, it does make my skin crawl. But I began relating to her my thoughts for that poor spider. Who was so unloved just because he wasn't a leaping green toad. Four extra legs, a little fur, and the amazing ability to spin webs were all the difference to make him frightening instead of fascinating. Enough to literally maker her harshly cast him away! That poor spider! These thoughts, of course, were not making points for me with Megan.
I think the thing that really topped it all off for me and had me laughing so uncontrollably is that when her brothers came in they informed us that this happened 2 HOURS before on their way OUT to the tent. The way Megan had been acting I thought it had just barely happened as she came in. When I brought this up to her she kinda wailed again saying. "Well, the boys have been teasing me about it." Leave it to her brothers to take a horrible moment and make her keep reliving it.
I am still laughing every time I think about her wailing. "It was FURRY!" or even "But it was HOPPING!"

August 18, 2008

Last week Weston announced to us that he wanted to sign up for football when the season came.... His sisters have been doing cheerleading practice for over a month. Football practice began the same day cheerleading did. We just love our Weston! Thomas and I both thought it was too late. I brought it up last Saturday at the football Jamboree, at which the girls were cheering. I then found out that he could still sign up. So thanks to a great clinic, nurse, and doctor we were able to get a physical squeezed in today. We picked up a brand spankin new pair of cleats and took him to his first practice tonight. Or so I thought. Apparently the younger boys and older boys were practicing tonight. The boys his age(JV) practive tomorrow. So, the great coaches had him work with the younger boys tonight. Weston is 11, 64 inches tall and 145 pounds. He is tall around boys his own age. So on the field with the younger boys he really stood out. Football is a new sport for our family so it will be fun watching him learn and play.
Today, Thomas and I have been married 18 years. We met and were immediately fast friends over 21 years ago. It is such a cliche' but where does the time go? He still makes me smile and laugh every day. I have a silly grin on my face just writing that so I will move on to say that I am grateful for the blessings I have in my life.

Over the Hill, Or Maybe Not!

This is a quick one 'cause I am leaving with the children soon. I turned 40 yesterday, it came and went like all my other birthdays have and, in the end I am feeling lucky to be 40. Some people don't get the chance to turn 40. I never thought it would bother me like it does some people, but the day before my birthday I told Jameson(13) that I was going to be old tomorrow. He replied, "No, you're not old til you're 50." I laughed and he was actually a little offended and said. "I'm serious, it's a fact, everybody knows that!" So, in light of my new found wisdom, I have another 10 years until I am old. Now that I've said that, I am sure one of the children will push that age back another 10 years when this decade has passed. So, I guess I will never be old. I will just pass my years until I have none left and pass from this world a young albeit fairly weathered woman! Chuckle chuckle. What would we do without the wisdom, love, and unintentional humor of our children?

August 12, 2008

OK, so we are only a little full of ourselves! But hey, eight rhymes with great. If we were 4 we could be poor, or 2 we could be blue, or 9 could be fine. If anyone is wondering, no we are not going for nine! The great 8 works really well for us!
I have been wanting to start something like this for some time. I tried a 'my space' after some encouragement from one of my sisters. That was fine but I have been looking for something we might like better. A friend suggested this site today, maybe this will be it. We are in the middle of canning season. Peaches and peach jam are being processed this week. Thomas' parents are coming for a visit soon and so we are trying to organize some before they get here. Those two activities and the children's activities are keeping us pretty busy right now. It's funny to start a blog at a time when nothing exciting is happening. Earlier this summer Morgan and I went on a wonderful trip to San Francisco. Thomas had a cochlear implant implanted. Morgan was baptized. My father also got about 75 baby chicks for the children to help him raise. He is going to let the boys sell their eggs when they start laying. It is nice knowing we will be getting fresh eggs from free range chickens and not ones that have to spend their lives in little metal cages. Now the summer is winding down, we registered the children for school yesterday, and we are getting back to 'business as usual' here at the Eliason house.