More from the Fairy Tale Ball

I went to the event and took some photos. Adorable!
Click here to see the photos

All dressed up

Daniel went to his first Fairy Tale Ball today. No, he didn't bring the sword.
--Misty

chatterbox

I often joke that Daniel talks so much he falls asleep midsentence - then talks in his sleep! Only, I'm not really kidding.
The child uses more words in an hour than I use in a day. He wakes up talking, chatters to the teddy bear before breakfast, tells me his plans for the day in between bites, discusses his wardrobe and mine (through two doors and a hallway) while we dress, critiques the radio station while we drive, and tells me what he's going to tell his teacher when we arrive at school. I pick him up and there's a nonstop stream of commentary until his dad arrives. Then we start over, with the same stuff I've heard already, until dad begs for the quiet game.
I know by the time he's fifteen I'll be begging for four full sentences a day, but in the meantime, my ears runneth over.
--Misty

bizarre comment spam

Be aware, if you look at the comments on our blog, that anything form "alex" is spam. Usually refers to a bunch of drug names in the posts. It's annoying, but the cost of using a free blog site.
Misty

Carryout Critic: Logan's

I've carried out from both the Logan's in Macon and the one here in WR, and I have to tell you, I almost always prefer it to eating in at this particular restaurant. I mean, is it just me or do they have the worst of all the birthday songs? And for some reason, once one person does it, six more patrons realize, oh, it's my birthday, too!
So, that off my chest, I'm happy to report my steak is always done right, the burgers are still juicy when I get them home, and I've never been disappointed in either the taste or the portions. When I call ahead, the food is ready when I arrive to pick up. I do recommend checking all your boxes to be sure everything is included, but my experiences have been pretty good so far!
-Misty

Kid heaven, parent paradise

Monkey Joe's opened Friday night to a full house. Saturday's grand opening was fabulous. If you've not heard of Monkey Joe's, here's the scoop:
For $7 or thereabouts, the kids get in for unlimited play. Slides, bouncy house, obstacle course, inflatable climbing wall, toddler toys, the works. And the parent zone has comfy chairs, internet access, space to relax. Each parent and child are given matching armbands, so the staff knows who should be leaving with whom.
Here's to hoping the place succeeds!
--Misty

Cops and kids

Parents have a great opportunity Saturday to partner with police to help keep your children safe. Members of the Warner Robins Police Department will be out in the Wal-Mart parking lot on Booth Road from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Officers will be inspecting car safety seats, fingerprinting youngsters for identification purposes and allowing vehicle owners to register in the CAATSCAN program - Citizens Against Auto Theft-Screening Cars at Night.Registration in the program means police will give you a sticker for the car window that signals officers to pull over the vehicle in the overnight hours to make sure it is not stolen. They will also engrave vehicle identification numbers on the windows to discourage car thieves. It could be a good time to foster good relationships with authority figures and help teach youngsters respect for the law.
- Liz

The new one-eyed monster

We've created a one-eyed monster. Although our intention to buy Faith a digital camera fizzled at Christmas, she's been bitten by the photography bug. She has always wanted to take pictures on Daddy's phone, so we thought it would be a good idea to get her an inexpensive digital camera for Christmas. Well, the Disney camera we saw advertised at the end of last year vanished from the shelves. We still haven't found a reasonably priced replacement. Two attempts to purchase cheaper cameras resulted in the discovery that there was no way to view the photographs, so we took them back. Faith is still waiting. A friend lent her a camera for our spring break excursion to Colorado. Before we left, Faith wanted us to pose several times and I feared we were venturing into our own private paparazzi problem. It turns out Faith took very few pictures on our trip. I do want to encourage her creativity and she has a good eye for framing. While we're hunting for a suitable camera for her, I suppose we'll keep finding those surprise snapshots of her baby dolls on our phones.
- Liz Fabian

Tabula Rasa

It means "blank slate" and I've decided it's why I love babies. New baby, new life, no bad habits, no mistakes, just pure potential.
A friend just had a baby boy, and I couldn't wait to hold him. And I couldn't figure out why. After all, given the choice I am adopting an older child. But the more I watched him, the more I thought about this little life with nothing on his slate but love. He could do anything, become anything. He hasn't got any marks "against him" yet. How cool is that?
Almost as cool as the look on his dad's face every time he holds his new son.
-Misty

Out of my baby's mouth

Daniel said to me: "Momma, you make my feelings feel better."
awww.
-Misty

I was on another blog this morning and the writer was reminiscing about her childhood - playing outside, unsupervised, for hours. I was thinking, she must be a lot older than me. Because even though we lived on a military base, my parents made me check in with them every hour. And I don't mean a phone call from the nearest pay phone or friend's house. I had to physically show back up in front of my mother. And boy, as a kid, did I hate it!
But now I think about that hour rule. It kept me out of a lot of trouble, and while I don't know that my mom was particularly worried about abduction, it was a good rule of thumb. Daniel isn't even allowed to play in the front yard unless I'm outside. He can play out back all he wants, because the whole back side of the house is windows. (no kidding)All I have to do to see what he's up to is look out the nearest window.
At this point, I'm more worried about what he's likely to be doing than that someone might try to take him (after all, his first attempt at running away was when he was three) I think this is a good policy to put in place now. Is my paranoia unwarranted? Read the headlines. I don't think so.
--Misty

adding to the family

A co-worker and I are both beginning the process to adopt children into our families. While she is seeking an international adoption to match her ethnicity, Daniel, Chris and I are going through DFCS. Both of us are up to our ears in paperwork, but her process will take about a year longer and cost a lot more. Both of our hearts break with the stories of our potential adoptive children, and both of us just can't wait to welcome a new person into our hearts.
--Misty

Big Kids

Daniel came home from day care with a tummyache yesterday. Many have been the mornings when he claims a stomach ache to try to get out of going TO school, but this time, I really thought he was sick. So we went home, had some popsicles, cuddled up on the couch and got to the heart of the matter.
Because it's spring break, the classes have been combined, and Daniel was in with a group of older students. He's tall, so there wasn't a big size difference, but apparently the older kids picked on him pretty good. "They said they were going to smack me," he whispered on my lap. "They called me names."
Oh, baby. I didn't expect to have to deal with a bullying situation so soon. While this is minor, it does bode of things to come and that concerns me.
So this morning I asked his teacher to keep him in with the younger kids, which might mean some other mom is going to have an upset baby when she arrives at the school this afternoon. I recommend a popsicle, a cudlle, and a phone call to Grandma. 'Cause if a big dose of Grandma love can't fix it, nothing can. And we'll take turns preparing our babies to deal with the big kids.
--Misty

Protecting against perverts

After learning more gruesome details of the sexual assault of a coastal Georgia 6-year-old boy who was recently strangled, packed in garbage bags and dumped in the woods, I have some important information to share. Last week, Faith's principal held a seminar designed to protect children from sexual preditors. Unfortunately, a child is more likely to be abused by someone she knows than a stranger on the streets. Abusers are great manipulators who worm their way into your family or community and wait for their opportunity. Look out for adults who always want to be alone with kids. They go overboard on touching and begin by stroking children or hugging them a little too long. It can begin as tickling or wrestling and eventually progress. One of the ways they get a hold on children is to allow them to do things that are forbidden by their parents. By sharing a "little secret" about drugs, alcohol or pornography, the preditor can move to the bigger secret of abuse. The abuser works the victim over to gain trust. Physical force is normally not necessary as the relationship builds over time. It is important for parents to know the adults they trust with their children and prepare kids for the dangers they could face. Tell your child that no one except parents or doctors can touch them where their bathing suit covers. If grabbed in a public place, a child should fling an arm up and loudly say, "No, you're not my mother," or "You're not my father." That should get the attention of passersby that this is not a normal tantrum. Predators often prey on weaker children, so it's important to teach your child self-confidence and help them learn to be assertive when confronted. Experts also suggest teaching youngsters the proper names for body parts. That way, when reporting abuse, adults will take the children more seriously. It's extremely rare for children to lie about abuse they suffer, but credibility is still an issue at times. Listen to your children and talk with them. If you notice unexplained changes such as moodiness or depression, or a drop in grades or lack of interest in personal hygiene, it's time to have a conversation. When you notice over-friendly behavior from an adult toward a child, confront them. At best, you could be stopping an abuser and at worst, you are alerting a non-abuser that his behavior can be misinterpretted.
- Liz Fabian

A Bitty Battle of the Bulge

Plain as day, there it was. A little pooch on my daughter's belly. From before she was born, I've tried all I knew to keep her from having the weight problem I've had since I was a few years older than she is now. I had been noticing that she was "filling out," but I wasn't prepared for the stomach that poked out as she tried on a new clingy-style dress. I'm trying hard not to overreact. But I often wonder what life would have been like if I hadn't been a "fat kid." My husband is tall and lean and has been most of his life. I had been drawing comfort on the fact that Faith was likely built like him and would be tall and thin, like a super model. Our mission now is to make sure she gets more exercise. We'll also reel in some of those bad habits, such as devouring a half-dozen Oreo's at a friend's house. And while we're at it, I need to teach her not to wipe her gritty Oreo hands all over her dress. This weight challenge is one of those parenting tightropes. Too much control and it could backfire, not enough and she could become a "fat kid." One decision I've already made is to go easy on the Easter candy. I've been picking up little toys and soaps and such for her basket instead of the aisle full of treats that awaits at any drugstore or supermarket. Pool season is almost here. We'll just have to lap up all the fun we can.
- Liz

Houston County High plant sale

Picked nearly clean by the time we got there an hour into the sale Monday! There are a number of beautiful Boston ferns left, but the tomatoes and flowering plants are going, going gone! Below, the kids responsible - and Daniel checks out the koi pond outside the greenhouse.

When you thought I wasn't looking

I was reminded of this as Daniel and I built a raised flower bed this weekend and put in daisies...

WHEN YOU THOUGHT I WASN'T LOOKING
(Written by a former child)

A message every adult should read, because children
are watching you and doing as you do, not as you say.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you hang my
first painting on the refrigerator, and I immediately wanted
to paint another one.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you feed a
stray cat, and I learned that it was good to be kind
to animals.

When you thought I wasn't looking , I saw you make my
favorite cake for me and I learned that the little things can be
the special things in life.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I heard you say a
prayer, and I knew there is a God I could always
talk to and I learned to trust in God.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you make a
meal and take it to a friend who was sick, and I
learned that we all have to help take care of each other.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you give of
your time and money to help people who had nothing
and I learned that those who have something should
give to those who don't.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you take
care of our house and everyone in it and I learned
we have to take care of what we are given.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw how you
handled your responsibilities, even when you didn't
feel good and I learned that I would have to be
responsible when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw tears come
from your eyes and I learned that sometimes things
hurt, but it's all right to cry.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw that you
cared and I wanted to be everything that I could be.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I learned most of
life's lessons that I need to know to be a good and
productive person when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I looked at you
and wanted to say, "Thanks for all the things I saw
when you thought I wasn't looking."

Just dandy-lions

It's hard to explain to your child what you never understood in the first place. I remember bringing in little bouquets of dandelions to give to my mother. She always told me that they were weeds. I watched as Faith snatched up a sunny dial of feathery petals from the backyard. "Funny," I told her. "I don't know who decided these were weeds and the rest were flowers." I suppose it's all in how you look at it. Or perhaps it is some particular horticultural distinction that escapes me. When Faith presented me with my dandelion delight, I thanked her and added it to the "flowers" I had clipped myself. It still looks like a flower to me.

- Liz

Toy Recalls

Toys "R" Us is recalling about 128,700 of its "Elite Operations" Toy Sets in cooperation with the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

The toy sets contain high levels of lead in the paint, which is toxic if ingested by young children and can cause adverse health effects. Also, the toys have sharp points, which pose a laceration hazard.

This recall affects three styles of "Elite Operations" toy sets. The military-style play sets contain light and sound vehicles, action figures, and accessories. Models included in this recall are: Super Rigs Transport Vehicle (Item # 087286), Command Patrol Center (Item # 920625) and Troop Carrier (Item # 773967). The item numbers are located on the back of the packaging above the barcode. Toy sets sold prior to January 2006 are not included in this recall. No other "Elite Operations" brand toys are affected by this recall.

For more recalls - which I try to keep on top of - bookmark this site: www.cpsc.gov

--Misty

WRALL pix

With much-appreciated help from the Macon.com webmasters, I've posted some photos I took at the WRALL opener Saturday morning. The calendar still read "Winter," but the boys and girls of Summer were ready to Play Ball!
--Misty

Middle Georgia Moms: WRALL pix

click here to view the photo gallery.

Sayonara Mister Snowman

The snowman's smiling face is headed for the drawer. The "Welcome Winter" sign is changing to "Welcome Spring." Faith really wanted to see snow this year. She's been talking about making a snowman all season. Perhaps next year. As for Mom, here, I can't believe it's time to change out clothes again. I'm cutting this short as I have sweaters to put away. Can my legs really be this white?
Liz

At the Cherry Blossom festival

an unpopular position

I've been trying to post for several days, but every computer I touch seems to turn on me!
Anyway, I'm coming out this morning in favor of red-light cameras. I know this is a topic that has been much-discussed recently, and that I'm taking an unpopular position. But as I sat at the intersection of Watson and Houston Road this morning, I watched three cars breeze through the intersection after the light changed. Then I watched one run the red light on Houston. Finally, as my turn light changed and I started through my left-hand turn. And promptly slammed on the brakes as a gray and red older-model truck blew through the intersection, missing me by inches. As far as I can tell, the driver never touched his brakes. And I know he was going faster than the posted 35 miles an hour. The passenger had the nerve to flip me the bird. I'm soooo glad Daniel wasn't in the car!
--Misty

Haunted by the headlines

Most days the bad news outweighs the good news in my job. That's the life of a journalist. Occasionally, there comes a story that chills my bones. I still can't think of Jessica Lunsford without feeling an uncomfortable tingling in my spine. My mind sees her smiling face painted up like a cat in a photograph aired on cable television news in the days after her disappearance in Florida. Then there's the image of her fingers poking through a plastic bag where she was buried alive underground. Her other hand clutched her stuffed dolphin as she drew her last breath. Don't even take me near thoughts of what horrors she faced at the hands of a sex offender keeping her prisoner. Her killer has received the death penalty, but unfortunately it won't end the abuse suffered at the hands of so many innocent children all over the country.
-Liz

Hijacked by the beanstalk

Renting movies has become a weekly event at our house. When we return last week's, we pick up new rentals. Faith's latest find was "Jack and the Beanstalk." When she brought me the case, I was thrilled to see so many names I recognized - Matthew Modine, Vanessa Redgrave, Daryl Hannah, Jon Voight, Richard Attenborough. "Great find," I thought. It was a movie for the whole family. Wrong. This is no fairy tale. (It actually said that on the cover, but the Blockbuster sticker covered that line." I had no idea the film produced by Hallmark and Jim Henson's Creature Shop would be so adult. I suppose I should have wondered when it wasn't rated. Granted, there didn't seem to be bad language or any sexual innuendoes or overtones, but it was a very grown-up movie. Faith handled it superbly and we did enjoy it, but I would definitely not recommend the movie for young children. For kiddies, it lays an egg and I'm not talking about the golden variety.
- Liz Fabian

A golden girl, for sure

The ad campaigns certainly made it look like raisins were a good candy substitute for kids. Tiny red boxes with the brunette lady enshrined in yellow seemed like the perfect take along snack. But often by the time you got to those remaining boxes,the tiny orbs of sweetness were crusty and almost as hard as pebbles. At least that's what I seem to find in the back of my cabinets. Well, now I am sold on golden raisins. How can anyone resist their carmelly goodness in baked goods? If you can't tell, I just made a batch of muffins and opened a new box that was perfectly fresh. Of course I haven't seen the golden raisins packaged as snack size, but they are great. I also particularly enjoyed some Welch's dried fruit snacks I bought for Faith as a substitute for fruit-flavored gummies. Alas, the dried fruit still has added sugar, but I guess we're moving in the right direction.
- Liz

school's out again?!?

Houston County kids have Monday off from school. And Spring Break is the first week in April - just two weeks away! So once again we are faced with the age-old question of what to do with the kiddies when those long days stretch before us. Here are some ideas:
YMCA camp - the Houston County Y is having a remodeling special on their spring break camp. This is an organization I really support, and pretty much trust as far as nonprofits go. Plus, the kids burn a lot of energy during their time there.
Macon Children's Museum - There's enough to do at this indoor playground to keep the kids busy for several hours. And at $5 for a family, it won't break the bank the way spending a rainy day at the movies will.
Michaels - Take in a Saturday craft class, then get enough supplies to spend a day making the craft at home. One for grandma, one for aunt Kim, one for my teacher, one for the neighbor lady who occasionally baby-sits... P.S. - Don't miss the ice-cream making class at the cafe downstairs.
Disposable cameras and a photo album - It's spring - so send the kids out into the yard or take them to the neighborhood park and let them find new things to practice their photography skills on. Budding flowers, new shoots on the trees, that squirrel that's been teasing the dog all winter... Then get Wal-Mart's one-hour developing for $6 and either an inexpensive scrap book or make one out of construction paper and string to tape the pictures in. It's not supposed to last any longer than it takes the teacher to ask, "so what did you do on your vacation?"
--Misty

No longer curious about George

Now that I'm home in the evenings, I've discovered Curious George. Faith likes to watch him as I'm getting things ready for supper. I must say it is my favorite kid show at the moment. Not only is it adorable, but each episode teaches some important principle. The other night, it demonstrated balance as George was walking a tight rope and making mobiles. Another episode explained weight distribution as it relates to snow shoes. The thirty minute program features two stories followed by video of children experimenting with the same principles George encountered or they recap the story. You'll find Curious George on PBS, so check your local listings. We record it for Faith during the day. But what's up with the guy in the yellow hat? I don't see that he has a job, he leaves his monkey unattended most of the time and he wears ALL yellow. Maybe they should have called him "Yella Fella." Oh, I guess that job's already taken by that guy on the billboards promoting Yella wood.
- Liz

a shot to the heart

After months of fighting with Daniel every morning to get him dressed, fed and ready for school on time, I woke this morning to find him not only playing quietly in his room, but DRESSED and playing quietly. Hallelujah! He still tried the "I feel sick, mommy" gig to get out of going to school, so I said if he still felt sick after school we'd go to the doctor. Of course, then he felt fine. "I want to go to your work," was his next tactic. "Your work is school," I replied. "Mommy's work is at the paper." He thought on this for a while, and when I made to leave his classroom, he came up with a good one: "I want this to be your work." Oh, be still my aching heart.
Don't forget the consignment sale starting today in the Riverstreet Crossings shopping center - behind Wendy's on Riverside Drive.
--Misty

Protecting the precious

Because I was out shooting video during our storms last week, it took me a little while to hear what happened here at home. The tornado siren was wailing as I pulled down the driveway, but the twister was miles away in the far western part of the county. Evenso, Matt thought he heard a "freight train" as I was getting into the car, so he wanted to be prepared. He and Faith have practiced fire drills and we've always told her we would get in the bathtub if a storm was approaching. The other night I asked where was her school book and she told me it was in the bathroom. She had stocked the room with essentials, including her baby doll. It turns out they didn't have to hunker down, but it's nice to know she's ready.
- Liz

Carryout Critic: Johnny Carrino's

Rstaurant: Johnny Carrino's Watson Blvd., Warner Robins
Date/Time of visit: Saturday, March 3, 5:30 p.m.
In/Out: Called ahead and was told the food would be ready in 25 minutes. Arrived about 30 minutes later and yep, it was ready.
Cost: $27 for two adult meals (with enough food to feed 4)
Recommendation: high

I've lived in Warner Robins a year and my first visit to Johnny Carrino's was Friday. To make up for lost time, we got carryout Saturday!
Chris got the chopped Italian Salad, which I had for lunch (and dinner Friday) and was amazed. Lots of greens, clod chicken, spicy pepperoni and bacon cooked just the way I like it - crispy and dry. Two (or three) kinds of cheese and a wonderfully light dressing. Not to mention, there's enough for at least two meals, or to feed me two meals and Daniel one dinner.
I got the planked salmon - which came on the plank - and was crusted with some kind of nuts and honey. The salmon was packaged separate from its sides - angel-hair pasta and spinach. The spinach was perfect - not overcooked at all - and had a very light sauce. The pasta was a miss - plain and dry - but I didn't miss it at all in the meal. I just ate some of the yummy bread included with our meal - and the toasted pine nut oil concoction. And there's still some salmon in the fridge. mmm, leftovers.
--Misty

Carryout critic: Italian Pie

In a recent spate of "too busy to cook," I have been picking up - not fast food, but food, fast. That means carryout from some of our regular eat-out restaurants. I don't have enough to start a separate blog, but I'll post what I've found out here. Share with your friends!
Location: Italian Pie - 738 Russell Parkway (478) 918-0084
Date/Time of visit: Tuesday, April 27; 4:45 p.m.
In/Out: under 10 minutes
Cost: $17 to feed 2 adults and one child
Recommendation: high
My inital visit to Italian Pie on Russell was a stroke of desperation. The car had been in the shop that day, which meant running a bunch of errands after work (in base traffic) rather than at lunch or before work. So I dropped in. No calling ahead, no idea what I wanted. I just walked up to the bar on a sunny Tuesday afternoon and picked up a menu. Hmmm. So many yummy choices! But we've turned over a new leaf, so to speak, and are eating more vegetables in our house. So I perused the salad section and settled on two different options.
Daniel and I had a grilled chicken garden salad. Not your usual, boring iceberg and tomatoes with a graze of carrots, mind you - the greens were varied and crisp, the veggies a delightful variety. For dad, I picked up a mediterranean salad with artichokes, olives and a bright assortment of "others."
What delighted me most was the packaging. Keeping in mind they were serving up carry-out, the Italian Pie crew boxed my hot chicken separate from my cold greens. So when I got home, the greens were still crisp and fresh instead of half-cooked. Chris also loved the tomato pesto dressing - using half of it for his bread instead of on the salad. The servings were plentiful, even when Daniel asked for seconds!
So I can't recommend Italian Pie highly enough if you're in that dinner pinch. Grab and go, without the guilt!
--Misty

Faith and the eye of the storm

Perching atop a storybook resting on a muddy pillow, was a Glenda the Goodwitch figurine rescued from the rubble of a Crawford County home. There's no telling where Dorothy rode out the storms that unleashed their fury across Central Georgia. Real cars were tossed about as if on a giant playroom floor, but this was no fun. I saw it all through the lens of a video camera today, but it was a colleague's photo that gave me the big picture. I wanted Faith especially to see what Grant Blankenship saw - and pause to consider the hurting children and their families who have seen their lives blown to smithereens.
I also want her to know how people are coming from all over to help strangers. I will tell her how victims are praising God that no one was killed and thanking Him for keeping them safe. Tonight when I tuck her into bed, we will remember those who have suffered and I will make sure Faith realizes that people can lose all they have and still have everything they need.
- Liz Fabian

EMU's silence on killing angers students

This is a difficult post for me. And no doubt, it will upset some in my family. Laura was my cousin, and as much as her death hurt us all, I'm hoping some of the things in this article will start conversations in your families. Conversations about safety - both in your homes and in the places your children call home when they leave the nest. Dorms, apartment buildings, shared houses. And take it a step further. Talk about safety at laundromats, bars and restaurants, parties and shopping centers. Dads, talk to your girls. Moms, teach your boys how to help watch over their girl friends. Print this post and use it as a starting point if you need to. OR forward the link to your students away at college. Sometimes a little fear is a good thing - if it leads to caution.
--Misty

By Nardy Baeza Bickel
The Grand Rapids Press
YPSILANTI -- After Laura Dickinson's body was found in her dorm last December, Eastern Michigan University security officials began reviewing video surveillance, looking for clues as to how the 22-year-old student from Hastings died.
What they saw worried them.
Consistently, students were leaving dorm doors open and letting strangers into the residence hall after hours.
On Sunday, university staff, safety officers and housing administrators spoke to about 50 students and a handful of parents to discuss safety and tell them about murder charges filed in Dickinson's death in her Hill Hall room.
Students posted criticism of the university on Internet blogs, saying administrators kept students in the dark until Friday, when student Orange Amir Taylor III, 20, of Southfield, was arrested and charged with murder and criminal sexual conduct.
"From the student's perspective, all we were told was that there were 'hints' or suspicions of violence, but nothing for sure," said student Kayla Potter, who said she would have liked more information on the investigation. "Then we found out that they had arrested a suspect two months later."
In the meantime, administrators told students to think more about safety. Students on Sunday suggested locking outside dorm doors 24-hours-a-day, a move that would be decided by the university's Housing Council.
Students were asked to follow basic safety guidelines, such as not letting in other students, using the university's escort service when returning late at night, watching what personal information they post on the Facebook.com social networking site and locking their doors.
"Those are basic life skills you should practice no matter where you are," Public Safety Director Cindy Hall said.

Fun at Lowes

Dad and Daniel went to a Lowe's workshop for kids Saturday morning. Daniel got his own protective goggles, tool apron, and when they were done, a certificate of completion and patch for the apron.

They made a wooden race car, which is right up Daniel's alley. He hammered on the wheels, sanded the body and applied stickers to create the Lowe's NASCAR. (Of course, when they got it home dad had to paint it red.) The point is, parents and kids had a morning out, the kids had a great time and learned a few things about tools, and they got to take home a semi-indestructable toy.

For Chris and Daniel, it has started a new hobby. Chris found a slightly more complicated wooden model of a truck, and he and Daniel are going to spend the next few nights working together on it.

--Misty

sleepover sleepyheads

Daniel had his first sleepover last night; he and a friend were up late playing trains and watching movies. Of course, the downside was that this afternoon we had the sleepy Daniel on our hands: cranky, whiny and in need of a nap! But the boys had a good time, and I can see this will be the first of many such events.
--Misty

Gourmet? I can't even boil water

There's nothing like wielding a blowtorch in the kitchen to make you feel like a real chef. I do love to cook and my recent experience carmelizing sugar on creme brulee made me feel like a cross between Tim Allen and Julia Child. It was sort of a rush.
No sooner was I on my culinary pedestal before I fell off head first. I've always been baffled as I tried to hard boil eggs. Afterall, if you can boil water, you've got it made, I thought. But too many times I've been frustrated by gooey yolks or whites that peeled away with the shell. I even tried the "foolproof" recipe from America's Test Kitchen, but still my eggs peeled apart. Well, leave it to another power tool of sorts to set me straight. You see, my husband is a big fan of that PBS cooking show that tests recipes until perfecting them. On the show, an instant-read thermometer is frequently used to test the cooking process. After searching far and wide, and shelling out big bucks, my husband bought me one just like they use on the show for my birthday last fall. I've been using it a lot lately - testing chicken, checking the temperature of the water for our coffee and most recently as I was trying again to do the "foolproof" method of hard boiling eggs. When I thought my water was boiling, I thrust in the thermometer. It only read about 180-something degrees! No wonder my yolks were gooey in the past. Some gourmet - I couldn't even boil water!
- Liz Fabian

Make play while the sun shines

Yesterday's weather was so nice that after picking Daniel up from school we went straight to the park. It seems we weren't the only ones with that idea: when we got there he had plenty of other kids to play with. I met a few parents across the merry-go-round, and felt so much better for having soaked up some sunshine! We just might do it again today.
--Misty
P.S. Don't forget to run out to Wesley UMC on Hartley Bridge Road either after work or first thing tomorrow morning. The Almost 2 New consignment sale is in full swing!
M

A loss for us all

My heart aches for the Lemon boys this morning, but not just for them. Middle Georgia has lost an incredible mom.
Here was a woman who worked hard in the health-care field and lived in a mobile home while sending her boys to Stratford Academy - one of the most expensive private schools in Bibb County. By all accounts, her sons are smart, well-mannered and have earned scholarships to higher education.
I pray that the loss of their mother does not mean the loss of her life lessons for these boys.
--Misty

Consignment sale this weekend!

Come one, come all, to the Almost 2 New consignment sale Friday and Saturday at Wesley UMC on Hartley Bridge Road in south Bibb County. The ladies have worked hard to bring out high-quality secondhand items for our shopping pleasure. I'll see you there!
--Misty

At his leisure

I thought this morning that I would avoid the daily fight with Daniel by letting him do things his way. Sleep as late as he wanted to, play when he first woke up, come out for breakfast when he wanted, the works. Turns out I caused a bigger fight because my darling child, it turns out, is indecisive.
"I don't want bananas in my cereal." he announced.
"OK, put them in my bowl," I offered.
He did, but midway through the meal he decided he liked bananas after all.
"Can I have a banana?"
"No, when I gave you one you gave it back. So now you can't have one."
Then came time to get dressed.
"Here are your pants and jacket, pick out a shirt." (I'm no fool, if I gave him complete freedom of choice we'd be there all morning.)
"I don't want Lightning McQueen."
"Really? You love Lightning McQueen. How about your firetruck shirt?"
"I want Lightning McQueen!"
"Okay, here it is, put it on."
"I don't like red!"
(Insert mommy meltdown)
And when I call my mom, she chuckles. Because I and my sister both put her through the same seven levels of hell every day of our childhoods. It's amazing we lived to see adulthood.
Sorry, mom.
--Misty

I cannot tell a lie

President's Day has been no holiday. With Faith out of school and her parents' schedules on a collision course, we had to do some juggling. I must say we have been blessed in the scheduling department for years. One of us is usually able to step in to take care of her, but today there was no way around it. Many of our regular "keepers of the Faith" were either sick, stuck somewhere else or otherwise engaged. Thank goodness she was able to spend a couple of hours with her friend across the street. But beginning the day not knowing how I was going to handle her was pretty stressful. God bless those who are looking for childcare regularly. As for today, George Washington would have wanted me to be truthful in admitting it was really a bummer not being able to bum around with my girl on her day off. Monday holidays were really special for us when I was off, too. That's the only downside of working your schedule around school - when they're off you're still on.
- Liz Fabian

Childhood, an encore presentation

Our cat let out one of those meows that can best be translated as "HELP." Our kitty, Moo Moo, wanted desperately to be rescued. It's partly my fault that Faith wanted to dress up the cat and carry him around like a baby. This weekend I rented the Disney Classic, "The Three lives of Thomasina." I had seen the 1964 movie as a child and remembered the little girl's angst at the loss of her cat. Although I couldn't recall much of the plot, I had images of the girl wandering out in the rain and becoming deathly ill as she searched for her beloved pet. This morning, Faith was toting Moo Moo in a baby blanket. She was calling, "Thomasina, Thomasina." In the movie, the young girl was fond of dressing the cat in doll clothes. So far Moo Moo has escaped that humilation - but the day is young.
Liz Fabian

Die, flu bug, die!

It's been a rough month in our area for fighting the flu. Half my office has come down with it, I got it, gave it to Chris, who gave it back to me. Fortunately, Daniel has stayed healthy (knock, knock, knock on wood!).
So what can a poor mom do?
1: prevent. Clorox is your friend. I wash all of Daniel's clothes in color-safe bleach. They may not have that "new" look as long, but at the rate he's growing, I'm not worried about longevity. Sheets get the same treatment, and towels have always gotten the bleachworks to prevent mold. Also wipe down doorknobs, car seats and door handles, countertops and favorite toys. My favorite recent invention is the can of Clorox wipes. There's a story on Yahoo! today that says your work desk is germier (is that a word?) than the bathroom! eeew.
2: treat. I know people who have been down with this thing for a week. When I got sick, I took a dose of Theraflu and slept for 40 hours. So mom, don't mess around. If you're sick, call in the reinforcements. Stay in bed. If you try to keep doing it all, it'll take longer to get well again. And yes, I did have to learn that the hard way.
3: entertain. If it's the kids who are sick, get some of those allergy masks from the drugstore for everyone else. While you're at it, grab some cheap medical gloves so you can play "hospital" with the patients. Of course, they make cute balloons, too. This might also be the time to cave on having a tv in the kids' room. Make one room in the house the "sick" room and confine the illness as best you can. Also, this cuts down on the sheet-washing a little bit. Remeber to clorox everything from the light switch down and remember, this too, shall pass!
--Misty

oops

Blogspot finally forced me to upgrade from their Beta version, and I discovered that I had not enabled the "comments" function. All this time I thought you were all just too busy to respond to us! Thank you for all your past and future comments - we appreciate them...
--Misty

Giggles in the night

I woke in the pre-dawn hours to hear Daniel laughing hysterically in his bed. What in the world was he dreaming about? Was he awake? My questions were soon answered.
He was dreaming about Thomas and the rest of the train-gang. "Go Thomas, go!" I heard him laugh. I shuffled actross the hall and peeked in: my boy was sound asleep, Thomas clutched in one hand, James in the other, grin on his face. It's good to know he has fun in his sleep, too.
--Misty

Here come the brides

If proper planning can guarantee a beautiful, flawless wedding, my daughter is way ahead of the game. Thanks to a clearance rack software program entitled, "My fantasy wedding," Faith has been immersed in planning her nuptuals and designing weddings for other couples. From our computer, she has been picking out rings, designing gowns, choosing tuxedos, creating her music programs and selecting cakes. She can choose from a variety of venues such as a chapel, beach or park. The ceremony includes special vows tailored to the occasion. She chooses her wedding party, does everyone's hair and designs their gowns. Once she makes her selections from several stores and plans all the other details, she sits back and watches the event unfold. During a recent ceremony in which she fashioned herself as the bride, her gown was purple to match the bridesmaids' flowers and the tuxedos for the groomsmen. Faith had died her hair blue, but it's not clear whether she had selected something borrowed. Her groom wore a white tux with a salmon-colored ruffled shirt, and her bridesmaids were also dressed in white. Let's just hope she gets this out of her system. If not, I might have to select a straight jacket for my mother of the bride attire.
- Liz

Still Mmm, Mmm, good - my bad

The other night it was just going to be Faith and me for supper. I hit the grocery store after work and thought I'd try to make a special meal that she would like. What did I love as a child? Spaghetti and meatballs. That would be hit, I thought. So I purchased what I needed and headed home. I'll admit I was taking some shortcuts by not making my own sauce and buying packaged meatballs from the meat deparment, but I wasn't prepared for the rejection I got. I set the table with red placemats and cut some fresh camelias to match. I arranged them with some daffodils in a heart-shaped vase and got out Faith's "fancy glass" that lights up. When she came home from a friend's house, I told her the good news. "Faith, I made you a special dinner - spaghetti and meatballs," I told her. "Aw," she said, "I wanted to finish my soup." The soup she was talking about was some leftover Campbell's double noodle soup she insisted I save for her. What an insult, I thought. Faith didn't want to disappoint me but I learned there were extenuating circumstances. "But Mom, spaghetti reminds me of when I threw up at Paige's," Faith told me. Enough said. Bring on the soup.
-Liz

an hour's enough

It turns out an hour of sleep (and large doses of caffeine) got me through the day yesterday. And Daniel and I actually had a GOOD day - no fights at all! I attended story time and Valentine-making at his school, then we walked the Wellston trail to Fountain park. He was disappointed that there weren't any other kids there, but he and the dog played for a while, then we walked home. He amused himself with trains while I cooked dinner, then dad took over. It helped that our canine guest had been relocated. Unfortunately, it turns out he escaped his new home (if anyone finds a rat terrier wandering the streets of Warner Robins, he really is homeless).
So today it's back to normal - fighting about what clothes he's going to wear, taking 45 minutes to eat cheerios with a banana, and the agonizing decision over what to bring for show n tell. Ah, the rhythm of parenthood.
--Misty

an hour of sleep

So how's a mom supposed to function on an hour of sleep?
Events conspired against me last night, and in spite of going to bed at a reasonable hour, I didn't fall asleep until almost midnight. Then Daniel crawled in the bed at 1:30. Plus, we have a temporary canine houseguest who insisted on sleeping in the bed, too. This angered the cat, and the fur flew. So I was kicking a rat terrier off my feet every fifteen minutes. Daniel's digging his toes into my back (note to self: time for a toenail trim!) and the next thing I know it's 5 a.m. and hubby's alarm is going off.
Sigh. To top it off, I remembered this morning that I'm supposed to be at school at 2:30 today for Valentine-making. Better get to work!
--Misty

doing it himself

I let Daniel dress himself most days. That means he gets to pick out pants, then a shirt. There's usually heavy negotiations about the shirt, because he inevitably wants to wear his "Lightning McQueen" or "Thomas" t-shirts and I want him to wear something warmer. Regardless, I'm proud of the days when he does it all himself, even if he doesn't match. Red sweatpants and orange sweatshirt? Okay. Camo pants and Thomas shirt? Okay. Shoes on the wrong feet? Sometimes I don't even notice. Because let's face it, these small steps toward independence are more important in idea than execution. We'll work on the fine points later - like high school.
--Misty

top teens

If you haven't seen the Telegraph's "Fresh Ink" page lately, grab a copy of today's paper. Kendall Dreyer has one of the best columns I've read in a while, and tells the story of a good group of kids. Her tale gives hope to those of us adults jaded enough to be seriously worried about future generations. Kudos to her parents.
Also featured on the page could be the next REM - a local band paying their dues and playing music they love without taking the "American Idol" shortcut. "King of the Juice" fans have an edge in that the band members seem to care more about their music than fame - pretty smart for a group of high school gentlemen.
The kids featured on "Fresh Ink" - and the kids who put the page together - are the ones we should watch as future leaders of our society, and thank our lucky stars.
--Misty

Mr. Clingy

Little feet tip-toed into our room early Sunday morning. "Has daddy gone to work?" Daniel pseudo-whispered at my side.
"No baby, he's right here."
"Are we staying home today?" Hope filled his little voice.
"I'm right here, son, and we're going to hang out all day." At the sound of dad's voice, Daniel scrambled in between us and snuggled down into the covers.
It's like that some mornings, soft and sweet and easy. Then mornings like today, Daniel doesn't want to get up, is sad dad's already gone to work, and doesn't want me to leave him at school.
"I'm still sleepy, momma."
"My tummy hurts."
"I don't want to go to school, I want to be sick."
He learned that if he's sick, he gets to hang out with mom and dad all day. And while I so appreciate this time when he actually wants to be with us, school and work are non-negotiable, and that's a hard lesson to learn when you're four.
So I spend a little extra time with him in the classroom and dad reads a couple of extra stories at night, and we all do the best we can to reassure the boy.
--Misty

Tearful triage

There's nothing like hearing your child's scream to get your attention. The other day, Faith was playing outside on her Barbie four-wheeler when we heard her cries. She was holding her head as she approached the back door in tears. All she could manage to say was that she fell. We could see there was already a place on her head that seemed to be swelling. With a sequence of questions, we tried to figure out how she hurt herself, while at the same time we were quickly assessing the nature of her injury. It turns out she was playing on a piece of exercise equipment when the handles hit her in the head and knocked her down. A short time under an ice pack in her room and she was back to normal. Then last night, she screamed for us from the bathtub. What in the world could have unleashed such a desperate cry for help? Turns out, she had turned on the faucet to fill the tub, and couldn't shut it off. She was frantic as the water level was rising near the top of the tub. Daddy turned off the water and life returned to normal. It's amazing how fast your heart can race from a state of tranquility to near panic.

- Liz Fabian

For whom the bell tolls

Tardy slips emerged from the crevices of her bookbag in what seemed to be an unending string. One, two, three, four, five, SIX... Who knew? Just every administrator at school, her teachers and just about everyone - but her parents. Sure, it's always been a chore getting Faith out the door on time, but somehow we thought we were squeaking by as Matt hasn't had to take her by the office but a couple of times. We didn't realize she wasn't hitting morning assembly before the bell. There are so many things that can go wrong in the morning. Where did she leave her shoes? How can we fix her hair? Where is her bookbag? It's been even harder now that I'm not home to get breakfast going and snacks packed. Tomorrow is another theme-dress day and I've already laid out Faith's clothes. Let's hope she's safe before the bell.

- Liz Fabian

playdate planning

Daniel misses his friends on the weekends and it shows. He's baan asking me for months if this classmate or that one can come to his house.
So in an effort to keep him entertained and make some new acquaintances of my own, I have invited three of the children he talks about most, and their moms, over for a playdate this weekend.
That means I've had the guys cleaning up the back yard, I've been keepind a closer eye on the disaster in Daniel's room, and I'm planning a Wal-Mart run for the industrial-size box of Goldfish and juice boxes. I'll let you know how it goes.
--Misty

correction

Reading back, I realize I erred: Dinner By Design is on Russell Parkway in Warner Robins between Kimberly and Moody roads. Mental error on my part.
--Misty

Missing the meltdown

There are some really big advantages to my new work schedule. Converting from a late night to early morning shift gives me more time at home with Faith. Instead of seeing her for breakfast and dinner, I am generally home in the late afternoon or early evening. We can have four hours together as opposed to about 60 to 90 minutes when I was preparing meals and getting her ready for school. Ah... missing getting ready for school - that is certainly a bonus. Although Faith wears uniforms, it can still be a very trying time getting her out the door on time. Case in point - last week's career day. She wanted to dress as a hair stylist, which I thought would be easy. Choose a grown-up style outfit and you're done. But I am sure glad I missed that wardrobe war! By a providential glitch in my cell phone, I didn't hear all four SOS calls from my husband that morning. This is from a man who rarely calls me unless it involves planning for his next meal. I tried to avert the costume catastrophe by picking out Faith's outfit the night before, but I could not find her black skirt. Along with her belt of hair supplies, I left her several outfits. Nothing I chose would do. The tears started flowing and kept flowing and flowing all the way to school. Who knew a career as a hair stylist would be so stressful? Her next dress-down day is Valentine's Day. Her daddy's going to love that!
- Liz Fabian

best idea I've seen in a while

There's a movement afoot in Macon and Warner Robins led by Super Suppers and Dinner by Design. Let me tell you about it:
Instead of going grocery shopping, bringing it all home, putting it away only to take it back out, mix, slice, measure and pour all before you get to actually bake and eat, busy moms and dads have the opportunity to schedule a visit to one of these shops. Super Suppers is on Forsyth Street, Dinner by Design is on Watson. You go in, select several entrees from their monthly menus, and they'll walk you through the prep work at the pre-setup stations. You can choose to leave out any ingredients your family won't touch, or to add a little more of whatever they should be eating more of. At the end of two hours, you can have up to twelve fully prepared meals ready to stash in the freexer. When dinnertime rolls around, all you have to do is defrost and bake! It's not fast food; these are real ingredients and real meals. And you don't have to do twelve meals. Drop in, try one or two. I'm betting you'll be hooked.
Want to try the food without the full experience the first time? Super Suppers offers a freezer full of menu items ready to pick up. And if you know what you want, you can call ahead and they'll make it fresh for you for a small service charge.
I love this concept, if only because the menu items are things I would actually fix for my family if I had the time! Everything is so fresh, you know you're eating for nutrition, too. And Super Suppers offers a few events to get you in the door:
Feb. 19, when the kiddies are out of school for President's Day, there are mommy and me workshops available. Sign up and bring your child in to cook for the family. Teaching them the basics of food prep now will help them during those crazy college days when some students live on pizza and mac n cheese. Also, check Super Suppers calendar online (www.ssmaconga.com) for their Super Suppers 101 introduction courses. Worth your time - hey, make it a date nite!
--Misty

Consignment sale time

Even though I put Daniel in a hat and mittens this morning, it's time to start getting your kids' barely-worn summer clothes ready for area consignment sales. Today I'm going to share the information for the Almost 2 New sale in south Bibb County. In the coming days, I'll touch on MOPS and any other sales I hear about (hint, hint, send me your information!)
Almost 2 New has grown to the point where it will be held at a new venue: Wesley United Methodist Church on Hartley Bridge Road. Jennifer and Pamela will be receiving items by appointment Feb. 17, 19 and 20. The public sale will be Feb. 23 from 8a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 4-8 p.m. and Feb. 24 from 7 a.m. to noon. Saturday is, of course, the half-price day, so get there early! All items not sold or picked up by sellers go to charity. For more information, contact Jennifer at jennifer.jordan@cox.net (and tell her you saw it on the moms blog!)
--Misty

Mister Manners

If there's one thing I've taught Daniel that I'm pretty proud of, it's "please," "thank you," "yes, sir" and "no, ma'am." In other words, the art of being polite.
I'm not going to go so far as to say he has good manners - after all he still wants to eat peas with his fingers and run indoors. But in conversation, he's polite. And we're working on "excuse me" for when he wants to interrupt either a long conversation or something dad or I are doing. Most of the time, it comes out more like "'scuse ME!!!"
--Misty

Danielus interruptus part II

I remember my mom's frustration - every time she got on the phone one of us kids needed something - urgently! So I have a very calm solution with Daniel. I gave him his own phone.
It gives him something to do while I talk, even if it means I hear my end of a conversation twice. I'll say something, then a mockingbird behind me repeats the whole thing - tone, inflection and all. It's a little eerie, but it makes me watch what I say and how I say it!
When he does interrupt while I'm talking, usually "Daniel, mommy's on the phone" will take care of the situation. But I understand, to an extent, why all the interruptions.
A telephone is competition for my attention. And it's not competition he can directly combat. So often, when he and I are reading a book or something "just us," I choose not to answer the phone.
I have voicemail. I have caller ID. I return messages and calls. And you know what? It's been remarkably freeing! Now, if we're eating dinner and the phone rings, I continue enjoying my dinner. I no longer race to get the phone when it rings. I feel more in control of my time, and that's a good feeling.
--Misty

Danielus interruptus

There's an ongoing battle at our house. As soon as Chris gets home, he wants to share with me the details of his day and I inevitably have a bunch of stuff to tell him. But Daniel hears the truck pull up and it's "Daddy's home!" - and out the door he goes. An hour later, he could still be chattering away at Chris.
So we're trying to teach him that when mom and dad are having a conversation, he needs to wait until we stop for him to speak. But I'm learning that it's a common issue for parents of small children, and Parent Center explains why:
First, kids don't have a developed short-term memory yet. So if I make Daniel wait five minutes, he's likely to forget what it was he wanted to tell me. Second, from birth we kind of train kids that our world revolves around them. As they gain independence, we as parents have to do some retraining.
But then there's the concept of emergencies. Is it okay to interrupt if he's spilled something? If the dog has the cat by the tail? If he needs a kleenex? It's complicated - especially when you're four.
--Misty

So, what do you want to be when you grow up?

Perhaps she's hanging out too much with the multi-faceted Barbie, but Faith is vacillating a bit about what she wants to be when she grows up. Not that career paths are set in stone at six, but we've run the gamut. In her toddler days, she'd put on her best dress-up clothes, hit her tricycle and go to "work" in her playhouse. Back then she was "working" at The Telegraph. Her "day" consisted of miming like she was typing for about 30 seconds and then getting back in the "car" to go home for supper. After she saw Barbie as Rapunzel, Faith decided she would be an artist. Every picture masterpiece had to be hung on the fridge or find some other place of honor in the kitchen. Her doctor kit inspired a career in medicine for a while. Watching "The Nutcracker" and taking dance lessons set her sights on being a ballerina. So, I was surprised the other day when Faith announced she wanted to be a "massage rubber." Aside from a pedicure I treated her to a while back, I'm not sure where she got the idea to be a masseuse. But I reaped the benefits of a massage over the weekend. Not bad. But as I was struggling with how to dress her for Career Day this week, her ambitions changed again. With Cinderella propped up in the mini salon chair she got from her hair stylist aunt, Faith went to work on the doll's blond tresses and announced she wanted to be a hair stylist. At least she has some experience from previous impromptu haircuts she performed on herself. Although I'm not quite ready to be her first customer for a cut. Now we're trying to come up with a "hair stylist" outfit for Career Day. I can't wait to see how Faith "fixes" her own hair that day.
- Liz Fabian

Watch out for your rights

I received this note this morning: California parents could face jail and a fine for spanking their young children under legislation a state lawmaker has promised to introduce this week. The proposal would make spanking, hitting and slapping a child under 4 years old a misdemeanor. Adults could face up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine.
All I can think is that this lawmaker must not have spent any time with a child under 4. The difference between discipline and abuse is massive, and I belive parents need room to discipline without the law getting involved. As Daniel begins to understand time-outs and getting grounded, spankings become few and far between.
And as I listen to teachers describe the behavior and attitude of their students, most of the time I can only think, "these kids need MORE spankings, not fewer."
--Misty

Downsizing

Have you noticed that when your kids are litte you still have your "pre-kid" friends? You still host (and attend) parties, you still participate in your own hobbies?
As your kids get older, you find yourself downsizing to make room for their events. Your parties give way to supervising their parties. Your hobbies give way to attending their games, meets, matches and events. They don't come with you to your stuff, you go with them to their stuff. Is it any wonder that parents with recent empty nests have that shell-shocked look about them? I guess it takes about as much time to revert back from a "child-centric" life as it took to get there.
What brought this on? I'm downsizing my activities. I'm giving up a few things that take up a lot of my time and energy in order to do two things: recover from my surgery (it's taking longer than I expected) and spend more time with Daniel before he actually starts Kindergarten in the fall. There are things I want to do with him this summer, and it means carving out the space in my life. The beauty of it is, I know how grateful he already is for the time we spend together. I expect the rewards for my change will be even greater for me.
--Misty

Feeling the love

I thought I was losing my mind. While packing for a newspaper conference, my suitcase disappeared. Thinking my husband prematurely packed it in my car, I looked outside. It wasn't there. I started looking all over the house, thinking I put my overnight bag down somewhere while I was doing other things. When I audibly announced my frustration at not being able to find my bag, Faith disappeared down the hall and I heard the linen closet door slide open. Miraculously, the suitcase appeared. Faith had stashed it, hoping I wouldn't leave if I couldn't find the suitcase. It's nice to be loved. Just the other day she warmed my heart in another way. After dinner, Daddy had dished up some ice cream for her after she left the room for something. While she was gone, I passed by her bowl and squirted a little strawberry sauce on top. I didn't expect much of a reaction, but when she came back to the table, her face lit up. "I love what you do for me," she said to my delight. Who knew adding a little sweetness would reap such a rich reward?
-- Liz Fabian

Show n tell rut

Every week, Daniel looks forward to Friday. "Is it Friday yet?"
Friday comes and, inevitably, he comes out of his room clutching either Thomas the tank engine or Emily, the shiny green engine with the big wheel. "I'm bringing Thomas to show n tell!" he announces. And I sigh.
"You brought Thomas last week. Pick something else."
"I'll being Emily."
"No, your friends have already seen Emily. Pick something that's NOT a train."
And so the agony begins. And, because show n tell is supposed to be fun for HIM, I eventually give in. "Okay, you can bring Thomas, IF you put him in your Thomas lunchbox and bring your puzzle to put together, too." It's all Thomas the train, so he's good with the compromise. And teachers, just so you know, I'm trying to break the rut!
--Misty

Dad's day

Chris called me a little while ago: "I don't know how you do it every morning," he said.
It was dad's day at preschool and Chris visited during small group time. He put puzzles together with Daniel and his little friends, and when it was time for him to leave, Daniel pulled out all the stops. Tugging on his leg. Crocodile tears. Honest-to-God wailing. "Go on," the teacher shooed Chris out the door. "He'll settle down as soon as you leave."
And I'm sure he did. How do I know? Because many a guilt-ridden morning I have slipped out the door to those big, sad eyes only to sneak to the window and watch my little actor turn on the sunshine and play happily, certain his guilt trip had ensured my return as soon as possible.
So dad got a dose of that this morning, and I'm sure there will be quality father-son time this evening. Good thing, too. I have a wedding cake to decorate.
--Misty

Just playing

Daniel is big into playing right now. I guess it's because he's learning the difference between work (at school) and play. So it's "eat your breakfast." "And then I can play?" "Take you bath." "And then I can play?"
And "play" can mean a dozen different things to him - all of which I think fall into the category of "learning." For example:
Legos and blocks are the tools of a future builder.
Teddy bears, Cabbage Patch kids and Winnie the Pooh are lessons in taking care of a family.
Paint, crayons and Play Doh are all tools of creativity. Plus, he's developing his fine motor skills with those little fingers.
Books and his Leap pad are the first steps to reading. When he can "tell" a story because I've read that book to him so many times he's memorized it, I've done my job in opening that door to him.
Bugs, leaves, "flowers" and berries he collects from the yard - and even the rocks I find in his pockets - are all the signs of a child who notices the things around him.
Even movies are lessons disguised as down time - I hear "I'm Lightning McQueen!" as he races full-tilt around the yard or down the Wellston Trail. The "Cars" speed demon encourages him to run and exercise.
So when I ask Daniel what he wants to do and he says "just play," I'm happy to say "OK."
--Misty

Mid-January motivation

I know what Liz is talking about when she says she's still stuck in the pre-Christmas mode. The season seems to have just gone by too fast this year. Plus, I'm still waiting for it to get cold. While I'm sure I'll be eating these words in March, where's the fun in a January that's so warm I'm walking in shorts and a t-shirt? The daffodils have already bloomed in my yard! I have buds on my pear trees! Winters like this were fun as a kid living in Hawaii, but here in the contiguous 48, I expect a little variety. So give me a cold snap so I can break out the hot chocolate and curl up with someone who keeps me warm in my heart.
--Misty

Dr. Daniel and Mr. Hyde

Some mornings Daniel and I are up and out the door with barely a word between us. He knows what he has to do, I'm ticking along like clockwork.
Other mornings it's a stuggle to get out of bed, and he doesn't want to get his morning started, either. As much as I'd like to let him lie in the covers and read, the dog has to be fed, cereal has to be eaten, and pajamas have to be discarded for clothes so we can get to school on time. And he fights me every step of the way. "I don't want milk - I DO want milk! I don't want to feed Jennie; you do it. I want to pick out a shirt! I don't want my jacket. I'm cold!" And when people ask me "doesn't it just make you want five more?" they wonder why I bare my teeth.
--Misty

Merry New Year!

How can it be nearing mid-January? I'm still stuck somewhere before Christmas - right about the time I should have been mailing cards. Don't ask me how I've gotten here already. The wise men have come and gone with the feast of Epiphany, so I don't think there's any way I can send my "We Three Kings" cards now. Although I just learned from the pastor of St. Joseph's that the feast of the Presentation of the Lord used to be the official Catholic end of Christmas. I KNOW I can have the trees down by February 2nd! As for the cards, they may be transformed to valentines. It's worked before. Perhaps I'm just in denial that Christmas is over. Maybe it's because I know everything has to be put away. Where are the little elves when you need them?
- Liz

the best of intentions

When Daniel's preschool sent home notes about free eye exams, I thought, okay, it can't hurt anything. He already wears glasses and has a pediatric optometrist.
The exam came and went, and not surprisingly, he failed. Daniel seems to think eye exams are a game and doesn't like to play by the rules. Then the phone calls started.
The organization in charge of the exams let me know that Daniel's glasses were scratched. Yep, I have two new pair on order. Well, he only tested at 20/50. Yep, he was playing games with you, but his next appointment is this week. Perhaps we should call you after that appointment to make sure he went and check on the results. What? Excuse me? I know my kid has problems seeing, he has an optometrist, and as parents we're doing the things we need to, so kindly get off my back!
I can't wait until they call again, after his appointment.
--Misty

surgical lessons part 2

What benefits do you have that you don't know about?
I learned recently that my insurance company offers benefits I didn't know about. For example, when we signed up, we were told that we would receive a phone call from a nurse, employed by United Healthcare, following any hospital stay. "Okay, whatever," I thought. Then she called me.
The first time I talked to Pat, I was two days post-op, had a killer sore throat (intubation sucks!) and was still a little hazy. She was friendly and just checking to make sure I had been trated well in the hospital. Did I have any questions about the insurance? Actually, yeah. In my drug-induced haze I remembered a major pre-op procedure had been denied and the paperwork had been waiting for me when I got home. She'd look into it, she said. We hung up and I went back to la-la land.
This week, she called again, delighted to hear my sore throat was gone, I was walking my two miles a day, and feeling good enough to return to work. She HAD looked into that denied calim, gotten it reprocessed and PAID! Then she started in on what I presume is her REAL job - keeping me healthy. "Have you had your flu shot this year? They'll still give you one if you contact your primary care physician. Anesthesia and surgery could make youmore prone to illness for a while. Do you get your annual physical? Pap? Mammogram? Are there any health concerns you have?" I told her I couldn't wait to get back to the gym because I had a serious plan to drop some excess weight this year and next. "Well did you know we offer a dietician and personal trainer who will consult with you by phone?"
Wait a minute. What? My insurance company offers a dietician? and a personal trainer? Free? Holy cannollis. Where do I sign up?
So Pat hooked me up, and I can't wait to hear what she has to say during our next phone call. After all, she says, it's in the best interest of both my insurer and my employer to keep me healthy - and working!
What benefits do you have that you're not taking advantage of? It's January. If you have dental and vision, schedule checkups for the entire family now. How long has it been since the entire family had a physical? (dad, too!) This is the best time to not only change your smoke detector batteries, but to check out your own batteries.
--Misty

surgical lessons part 1

Under the heading of "things I thought I hallucinated" were my surgeon's post-op instructions to "walk two miles a day." Mind you, said surgeon had just removed a slice of my hipbone! I though HE was the one on morphine.
But once I got hobbling along, I discovered not only that the orders were not a hallucination, but that they worked. I felt better, could walk easier, and learned a few things about my neighborhood.
For instance, there are a lot of children (or grandchildren) who got toys similar to Daniel's for Christmas. I think it was in Virginia that I learned to break down all boxes and either make them fit in the trash can or haul them to the Dumpster myself if I didn't want everyone to know what new toys I had. So hopefully in the fall we'll meet some more neighborhood kids for Daniel to play with.
Also, in the interest of taking a long walk that DIDN'T involve climbing hills, the dog and I explored a part of the Wellston trail that ends in my neighborhood. Lo and behold, the other end of a little-over-a-mile walk comes out at Fountain Park on Kimberly Road. I had been thinking the trail would be a great place for Daniel to practice riding his bike (see abovementioned hills) and I was right. Knowing there's a playground on the other end of the ride will motivate his little legs to tame the two-wheeler. And if my weight-loss plans proceed as I hope, I'll be joining him on roller skates come Spring.
So what cool discoveries are you ready to make in your neighborhood? Take the kids for a walk on the next sunny day and see what you can see!
--Misty

cooking with kids part II

So when Daniel joins mom in the kitchen, I have to come up with something for him to do. Try these ideas when your little ones are underfoot:
Let them mash and "smash" the potatoes. Put out all the ingredients for stuffed potatoes: cheese, sour cream, green onions, bacon bits, garlic, etc. Boil the potatoes yourself and then turn the pot over to the kids with a potato masher. Let them decide which ingredients - and how much - to add. As long as they don't reach for the jelly, what can it hurt?
Let them make dessert while you make dinner. Bananas, strawberries and other fruits can all be cut with a kid-safe plastic knife. So get out the sundae cups, cool-whip, and fruit, and leth the kids assemble their favorites. If it's not to your taste, "Oh, mommy ate too much dinner and is just too full for dessert!" Rest assured, they'll eat your share - after all, they "cooked" it!
--Misty

cooking with kids

Daniel is at the point where he has to be a part of everything mom and dad do. With that in mind, we got some Christmas toys that are more like parent-and-child projects. Right now, Daniel and Chris are building a new train table, complete with tracks that run up a mountain and beside a lake for all the boy's trains. They've had fun laying it out and tinkering with the design, but Daniel's ready to play on it! Also on tap for father and son: the Craftsman "My first engine." We found it while rambling through Wal-Mart a few months ago, and it's got almost as many pieces as a real 427. The question is, how many will be left over when they're done ans it's running?
--Misty

Post-Christmas blues

On a dreary Saturday, my mood matches the atmosphere on the sixth day of Christmas. Something just seemed off this year. Maybe it was because this is the first year without my mother, or that the holiday came WAY before I was ready for it, or that we weren't here to open presents Christmas morning. After spending the night Christmas Eve at my brother's, Faith stayed the rest of the week with her aunt and uncle and returned last night. In a matter of minutes, she made her way through our gifts for her and those left by disappointed relatives who missed her while she was away. Bang. It's over. I didn't even get all the decorations out and now many folks have already packed theirs away for next year. I shouldn't be so blue. We're about to celebrate Christmas with my husband's family. It's beginning to look like Christmas all over again and I should be happy my husband didn't get me six geese-a-laying.
-- Liz Fabian

mall madness

I thought BEFORE-Christmas shoppers were intense until I went to the mall today and encountered the AFTER-Christmas shoppers.
The orthopaedic surgeon says the best thing for me is walking, but I can't lift anything. My neighborhood is full of hills, so I thought I'd head to the mall for a litte flat-surface spin. A neighbor had a Bath and Body Works gift card, so Daniel and I tagged along. Well, apparently $3 body wash is a massive draw. I confess to getting five bottles, and standing in line to pay. But I don't think I've ever seen a store so crowded! Fortunately, Daniel has been clingy lately and wanted nothing more than to hold my hand!
So I walked, Daniel carried, and now I'm sore and ready to call it a night. Kind of sad when just a turn through the mall wipes you out - and you only went to one store!
--Misty

Ready or not

The question kept coming up every where I went. "Are you ready for Christmas?" The answer was, "No." If asked today, the answer would still be, "No." Although I shop year-round, getting the packages wrapped and under the tree is always a challenge. Here is one of the times I really embrace my Catholic upbringing. Ahh, the 12 Days of Christmas. We are now on Day 3. Perhaps I will have all the gifts ready by Day 12, which is January 5th. I've been sorting the presents by priority. We won't see my husband's family until next week, so I'll be ready for them. Because we missed our first deadline of having the cards out just after Thanksgiving, we'll have to really hustle to get them out before the dozen drummers come calling. Thank goodness the wise men are on the front of our cards. The feast of Epiphany, which celebrates their coming to see the baby Jesus, is on January 6th. Of course, historians say Jesus was really about two years old when they came - sooo, I guess if I get the cards out by 2009 I'll still be OK.
--Liz Fabian

no slowing him down

Daniel and I have been home together for three days now.
Three days in which I'm still moving at half-speed from my surgery and he's moving at twice the speed of preschooler, it seems. How many times can I yell "walk!" as the thundering of small feet carries down the hallway? Haw many times do I have to say "STOP!" just prior to full disaster?
This morning, my young man learned the hard way that I'm not chastising him to walk, not run, in the house. He had just finished writing a thank-you note and I told him to get his shoes so we could walk it down to the mailbox. He pivoted and sped away - right into the corner of the kitchen counter. I was sure we were headed to the ER for some x-rays.
But once the sobbing stopped and I checked his eyes, I decided the eye bone was still in place and he just had a giant goose-egg on his forehead. And now he's off and running again. *sigh*
--Misty

Christmas weather

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas - at least the Christmases I remember as a kid!
Because even though I was born in Michigan and still claim that snowy state as my home state, my family spent six years in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, while I was growing up. And I remember getting things like roller skates for Christmas, which I promptly put on and tried out.
So 75 degrees and sunny feels just like Christmas, to me!
--Misty

Similar stories

When I read Liz's post about the angel ornament, I was reminded of my granddaddy's pecan tree. It was the only thing off-limits to us grandkids growing up. No climbing on that tree! And each year, it produced plump fruit - enough to fill grandma's freezer. Twelve years ago, when grandaddy passed, so did the tree. The first time we went to grandma's and that massive pecan tree was missing from the yard, it was like losing him all over again. I think there are tangible items we associate with the people in our lives, and more than any headstone, they remind us of those we have loved and lost.
--Misty

The lost angel

She's gone. After writing my Christmas column in the paper last week, I've been eagerly anticipating finding the tiny angel decoration that adorned one of my packages at my first Christmas. I was a little more than two months old, but as the years went on, my mother made sure I knew the significance of that two-inch celestial being fashioned of chiffon and pipe cleaners. She always found a little perch on my tree, although the years were beginning to take their toll. Her gown needed a little freshening up to mold her back into shape. I can't believe she's gone. This morning, I still had another box of ornaments to sort through and I was sure she was there. She wasn't. The star of my story, the ornament that started it all, is missing. I don't think there's much of a chance I'll find her. She's likely swimming with the fishes now. The only thing I can think of is that she was left on the tree last year when we took it down. She's so small and is usually nestled on an inner branch. Perhaps she fell down into the tree and was overlooked. The tree is at the bottom of Lake Sinclair now as a fish haven. I hope they enjoy her. Of course she only meant something to me and my mother - and Mom's gone too. I had anticipated crying over some smashed ornament that might have slipped out of Faith's grasp, but I never imagined grieving over my angel. It seems so silly to be crying about something so small. Only Mom would understand.
- Liz Fabian

Timing is everything

As I went to bed last night, I was delighted to switch off my alarm clock. Today is Faith's first day of Christmas vacation. When I was getting into bed well after midnight, I thought about how nice it would be to wake up when my body was ready instead of when an electronic beep roused me from my sleep. What a joy it would be to get a little extra rest, I thought. Well, Faith's stubborn internal clock had other plans. Before the sun was over the horizon, she bopped into our room and woke us up. The same child who has to be pried from her bed on school days, was bouncing around telling us to get up. When I reminded her she didn't have school, she did climb into our bed for a little bit. But now she's ready to go-go-go. Some vacation. I wish she had a snooze button.
--Liz Fabian

life insurance for your babies

Just after Daniel was born - and I mean like within a month - I had a small life insurance policy on him. It's like $10 a month, and just carries enough to cover the exorbitant cost of a funeral.
Morbid? I prefer realistic. And why, a week before Christmas, am I telling you this?
We've had a tragic death in the family. My favorite uncle's only daughter passed away - we think of natural causes - at her college in Eastern Michigan. (www.video.woodtv.com)
And now her parents - business owners, smart, funny, loving people, are faced with not only the loss of their daughter, but at least a week of having their small-town business closed and having to deal with the cost of an autopsy and funeral. For anyone living paycheck-to-paycheck (what family with kids isn't) this could be a back-breaker.
It's certainly been a heartbreaker.
--Misty

No Bounty this holiday?

Is is just me, or did the holiday paper towels and napkins come and go already? It seems as though I saw some and thought, "I'll get that later." Are designer holiday napkins the latest Elmo tease for adults? That got-to-have item that quickly sells out and creates a furor? Please paper-products cartel, don't do this to me. I have too many deadlines to meet to add advanced paper-product purchasing to the list. Maybe I'm a little weird about my paper towels, but I like to pick out the pretty little prints. Light bulbs, holly and my all-time favorite - the Peanuts gang. There's just something about those little faces that can even brighten up cleaning the kitchen. Well, I've stocked up on another 9-pack of Bounty holiday designs and my husband is budgeting-out the rolls. Snowmen move to the back of the line. They last through the winter, he thinks. I've got news for him. The rolls won't last through the four calling birds of the fourth day of Christmas. (We celebrate all 12 and I'll tell you about that later.) Anyway, I keep looking for holiday napkins. I'm splurging on the high-dollar stuff this season. Holly Bounty where art thou?
-- Liz Fabian

Gentle with mommy

When I got home from the hospital yesterday, we showed Daniel "mommy's owies." HE has done well - better than I have - about respecting them and being careful. I think it helps that his aunt kim is here to wrestle and play with him.
--Misty

Barbie stoops to a new low

While decorating my Christmas tree, I got quite a surprise - doggie doo all over. There was some under the tree, on the floor under the table where I wrap presents and even on the table! "BARBIE! Your dog is pooping all over the house!," I should have exclaimed. Lucky for me, I'm talking about odorless tiny capsules that serve a dual-purpose in the fashion doll kingdom. Yes, moms and dads, Barbie has a dog and the dog does what dogs do-do. Lucky for the blonde babe who walks him, the package includes a pooper scooper to remove the brown ovals from the floor and put them in the doo-doo bin that funnels them right back into the "treat" box. Yes, there's a new concept of recycling at work here. Take that, Barbie's dog - "Eat treats and die." The doll and her doo-doo dog were one of Faith's favorite birthday presents. "Mommy, Barbie's dog really poops," she proudly noted. Although my 6-year-old loved it, be careful gift-buying people. Barbie is a little slack about the scooper and I'm worried about younger siblings swallowing the treats - think brown tic-tacs. They are probably too small for a choking hazard, but who wants their child eating fake doggie doo?
-- Liz Fabian

Christmas Chaos

If you haven't finished you Christmas shopping, I'm saying a little prayer for you.
I listen to my coworkers commiserate with each other about the crowds at the mall, and hear my roommate's story about finding a parking space and I am grateful I was forced to be finished early this year. Most years, if I'm not done by Thanksgiving, I finish up online.
See, every year I tend to pick a theme and everyone gets something from that company. One year, I actually wound up with a discount from CoffeeFool.com because I ordered so much. This year, it was Tastefully Simple. Everyone got a gift pack or a soup and bread bag. In years past, I've done candles (PartyLite, of course), scrapbooks or photo frames with pictures, and then there was the year everyone got clothes. That way, I kind of remember what I got everyone, so when I talk to them, I can say something intelligent - like "well, there's your New Year's dinner!"
Of course, now the cat's out of the bag, I'll have to come up with a new strategy.
--Misty

calling in the reinforcements

So my surgery is tomorrow, and we're all as ready as we are going to get. The house is clean, the laundry is done, there is food in the house. Daniel has been told about mommy's neck and doctors and hospitals - he even remembers the last time daddy took him to the hospital when he was sick - two years ago! And I've alerted my support system.
My mother and sister are on the road as I type. They left Virginia at some unGodly hour this a.m. Mom is amazing - I learned everything I know about cleaning and organizing from her. And Kim is a paralegal/office manager/nanny by profession. She's awesome with kids, and will some day have half a dozen to call her own. So Daniel is taken care of for at least a week. Beyond that, I've alerted my Phi Mu sisters, my coworkers, and Daniel's teachers of the proceedings.
So as I go into the operating room tomorrow, I'll at least know that my little family will be taken care of - and that's the biggest concern a mom has.
--Misty

Gifts for Grands

You and I both know that Grandparents are difficult to buy for. If they want something, they go out and get it. So here are the best ideas I can offer on a Friday morning:
Family portraits. A couple of Thanksgivings ago, every member of all four generations were actually going to be present at my grandmother's for the family Thanksgiving. So I hired a photographer. $100, and he came out, spen an hour taking group shots. The whole family, each generation with Grandma, each family group. Most photographers will post their shots on a Web site and whomever wants to can order whichever shots they want. The large group shot graces Grandma's living room still.
Memory books. One of my favorite Christmas memories is the year I swiped all my mom's old family photos and put together a photo album of me and my sister from birth on. She cried...But she still has the album, and every now and again I do it again - with pictures of Daniel through the past year.
Story books. A friend of the family spends his spare time typing up his memories from childhood. He tells the stories as though he's telling them to his kids, or his kids' kids. Then he gives copies of the collection to his mom and sisters for Christmas. They look forward to it each year.
Dinner baskets. My husband's grandparents really do have everything they want, so a couple of years ago I bought a bunch of fresh fruit and made a basket out of it. This year it's Tastefully Simple soup, bread and salad dressing. I know it's not going to go to waste, and it seems better than gift cards for dinner out. Grocery stores actually sell whole dinners - turkey or ham, sides and dessert - all you have to do is pick it up.
Gifts to charity. One year I made a donation to charities that were near and dear to each set of grandparents. The charity usually will send out a card letting them know a donation was made in their name. They were tickled.
Got a better idea? Click on "comment" to share it with us!
--Misty

Tacky, tacky, tacky

I was happy to see this morning's edition of the Telegraph address those blow-up holiday decorations. "Tacky or Terrific?" was the headline. In my world, there's not much tackier! I mean, where did these things come from? What happened to candles in the windows, lights on the house, maybe some ornaments hanging from the blue spruce in the front yard or a star on the roof representing the star (or comet) the Wise Men followed?
I was driving around the weekend after Thanksgiving and told someone "It looks like the Christmas Spirit threw up" as I passed one yard where every plastic figure and inflatable do-dad in existence has popped up on the lawn. Think I'm exagerating? Take a drive. Make a list of the tackiest decorations you see and send it to me - or better yet, take a picture and e-mail it to the Houston Peach! houstonpeach@macontel.com
--Misty

Two to one

As I read Liz's post about Faith and the glue gun, I laughed out loud. Since Daniel learned to walk we've been having those moments with him. "You did WHAT?!?!?" But that's why there are (ideally) two parents. Also why we stopped at ONE kid. Two of us, one of him, maybe we'll be able to keep up.
Some of Daniel's more memorable behind-my-back moments:
He and the little girl next door ran away together. They made it to the next street over. They were three.
He woke up at one in the morning and decided to make eggs. When I woke up, he had the frying pan out and two eggs cracked in the middle of the living room floor. He was two.
He discovered the vaseline jar and proceeded to coat himself and the floor around him. Water in the bath beaded up on the kid for a week, but he had the softest skin in the world. Photos exist of this adventure.
While getting in the car to go to school one morning, he decided he didn't want to go. He bolted under the deck and laughed like a maniac when I crawled under the house to pull him out.
Like I said, it takes both of us to keep up with this one.
Misty

Too much information, yet not enough

This is not the sentence you want to hear from a 6-year-old. "I plugged in the glue gun," Faith told her father, who was working in the yard. SHE plugged it in? How did we get to this point so fast? Now that Faith is armed with plenty of knowledge, she's dangerous. Sure it's great she's becoming self-sufficient, but there is still so much to learn. Number 1 - which her father immediately taught her the other day - she is NEVER allowed to plug in the glue gun! It's reminiscent of her impromptu haircuts, but much scarier. Hair grows back, skin grafts can leave scars. She is so misguidedly confident and sure of herself. How do I reel her in without curbing her enthusiasm?
-- Liz Fabian

Tiny tears cut to the heart

My schedule didn't allow me to attend the funeral of fallen firefighter Steven Solomon, but the front page photograph of today's Telegraph took me right there. With sunlight kissing her face, little N'Kya Solomon accepted her father's badge in her tiny hand. The little girl, who looks like she is barely three, will live the rest of her life without her daddy. The same is true for her three brothers and their mother, Kennetha Solomon, who lost her best friend. She spoke of her wonderful husband's love and support for her and the children. "I know he was tough, but that was because he loved y'all so much and he wanted y'all to grow up and be respectful people," she told the children in front of more than 1,000 people who came to honor their daddy's sacrifice. They all have my respect and I will especially pray for strength for that mother, the widow of a good man who died in service to others. Thank you to all who selflessly put themselves in harm's way for the greater good.
-- Liz Fabian

flickr flashes

Have you ever spent time on the flickr Web site? I love seeing what people put up, especially since I know a lot of photographers - both amateur and professional. Best part? it's free.
Misty

Is today Christmas Day?

Tired of answering the same question four times a day, Daniel and I made a paper chain this weekend. Every night before bed he gets to tear off a red or green strip. When he tears up the last one, the next day will be Christmas. And stop asking if it's your birthday - that's in June!
--Misty

early to bed

Another side effect of Daniel's ongoing growth spurt: when he's not eating everything in sight, he's sleeping. He fell asleep right after dinner Friday, and slept until after 8 Saturday morning! Saturday night, he curled up with me on the couch at 7:30 ans we were both in bed by 8 - me with a migraine. Again no one stirred before 8:30 Sunday morning. Nice. Now I just have to hope half the stuff under the tree is new clothes!
--Misty