Growing Up Cute

Sometimes we feel really bad for Nora. She is at an age where she isn't so "I just want to eat you up and squeeze you and listen to you talk" anymore. She has been for a while and I've felt bad about it for a while. Our relationship takes more effort - not only because of her age, but because of our personalities. I'm beginning to think that her being an oldest and me being a youngest gets in the way sometimes and I feel bad about it. I have to be very intentional about my relationship with her. Cornbread has to be more intentional about his relationship with Ryann. It is what it is. I am working on it - its hard some days. I am thankful that I recognize it - if even remotely - so I CAN work on it.

The other morning she was the only one of the girls awake. I was walking from the kitchen to the stairs to grab something from my bedroom and this is the scene that I happened upon. She set up her animals on the couch arm so they could look outside with her. All of them were looking out the window and waiting for the sun to come out (it was a particularly cloudy morning). They were all quietly and patiently waiting. Together.

It struck me that she may not have the obvious cuteness factor that is inherently a part of being 2 1/2, 3 or 4 years old, BUT she has her own cuteness at 6 1/2 - like this scene. I hope that I can be more aware and more appreciative of 6 1/2 year old cuteness from now on.

no time

A few weeks ago I was invited to a bridal shower which I was unable to attend. I sent a gift anyway. Yesterday I received the thank you note for the gift... it was 2 sentences and printed from a computer.

I have been annoyed about it ever since.

Seriously, when has it become acceptable to not take the time to handwrite thank you notes for these kinds of things? If I had a cell phone, I wouldn't be surprised if the thank you had been texted to me since that seems to be the main mode of communication between people right now.

I kind of think I would have been less annoyed if I had never received a thank you note at all - although I can't be sure... that probably would have annoyed me, too.

I'm not lamenting for the "good ol' days" here. I understand that technology changes, people do things differently. However, I think that this is an example of the busy and hurried world that we live in. A world in which people need to be at 3 places at the same time and so they aren't ever fully present at one. And it is an example of the impersonal way that people communicate now... there are few face to face conversations, few real moments between people. We're shortening our words to save time. We're removing vowels or using numbers - and I fear that it is only a matter of time before textspeak (or whatever it is) shows up in school papers and teachers get tired of correcting it so they let it go.

I know, I know. I'm ranting. And this is just on my blog - you should hear me in person;)

Heads Up People

Have you heard of The Shack? If not, you need to consider buying a copy immediately. It is a fiction book by William P. Young and has been the most thought provoking and moving christian fiction book I have ever read. It is incredible.

I've read it once, loaned it to my mom and reminded her a million times to bring it back so I could reread it... a little over-eager, perhaps? I read it through, but I want to really read it, really digest it and really learn from it and think about it. I need a highlighter:)

My friend, Doni, has summarized it and blogged on it here . I'm hoping that you will read her post and be intrigued and moved enough to buy the book and read it - I guess I'm thinking, why summarize it and try to persuade you when she has already done such a wonderful job:)

So the heads up is this: I'm going to start rereading it next week after I'm finished withSex God by Rob Bell. And I'm going to blog on it and want you to join me. I want to have a blogging book discussion. I'll take it slowly - but lets read or reread through it together. I want to give you time to buy a copy... They're $15 at B&N or Borders, but I've heard they're $7-$8 at Cosco. Buy one, please!

Is summer a good time for this? Or would school year be better? Please post a comment if you're planning to join in.