Meredith Carson... Across the Pond and Back Again...

Holy Week and Easter Weekend have been a flurry of emotions and activities.  I have enjoyed spending lots of time at church this week in musical and reflective pursuits, and I have also enjoyed time with my family at home.  My Sophia constantly pushes me to engage in crafty ventures.  I am easily persuaded but spend most of the time grumbling, "I HATE crafts!" Dear Sophie, please know that I love you dearly.  I force myself out of my comfort zone so that I can glue, stick, cut and color with you... all so that we may have this sought after thing called "quality time" together.  See my crafty specimens below... Specimen A: the chocolate molded/ dipped pretzel rods.   Heaven help me. Specimen B: The colorfully painted Easter eggs.   Hush your mouth!  Don't think this is a real craft?  My stained finger tips beg to differ. Specimen C: the flower-covered Easter bonnet Behold the craftiness of it all!  There was lots of holdin...

A great big sister will take you by the hand (or hoist you up onto her hip if the the terrain is too rough for your tender little feet) and lead you into the forest.  There she will show you all sorts of enchanting everyday miracles.  She will point out the hidden spots where fairies dance when no one is looking, and she will show you a humble, unassuming hole at the base of a tree which just might be the entrance to the underground lair of a tiny (and very kind) dragon.  She will encourage you to stomp your feet in the crispy, crinkling leaves.  Then she will help you find a stick that is the perfect size for grasping in your toddler-sized hand and casting magic spells on the fat black squirrels that scurry through the trees overhead.  That big sister will watch as you take each moment in through your wide-open eyes.  She will take pleasure in your glee and astonishment, and she will stay with you and show you "more, more, more" until Mom calls and says ...

Every Thursday I drive my three children plus one to church for an evening of youth activities.  There is always a theme, and it is generally lots of fun.  This past Thursday the theme was "Red Carpet," and the suggested style of dress was "dressy."  Sophia and I looked through her closet and found her prettiest spring dress with eyelet lace and a pink sash.  We pulled out faux pearls, a fancy flowery headband and her super-fabulous "high-heeled" shoes.  She was set and gorgeous.  Emma, however, had something else in mind... ultra tight black leggings, black leather boots and a short black t-shirt with a leopard print peace sign on the front.  I sighed and could not conceal the look of disapproval on my face.  "I'm not sure that's appropriate for church," I said, "And I'm also not sure that's what was meant by 'Red Carpet,' Emma." She regarded me with mirrored disapproval, "MOM!  Can't a rock star be o...

This little girl is not a complainer.  She's one tough cookie.  That is why when she was crying and doubled over in pain on Saturday afternoon, I suspected something might be up.  Early Sunday morning we were off to our local Urgent Care center.  None of the simple, easy to fix ailments seemed to fit the bill.  (I had really been pulling for a bladder infection.)  The doctor ruminated.  I ruminated.  We both decided I should take her home and watch her while checking in with my Mommy Instincts on occasion.  That wonderful doctor also uttered the word "appendicitis" more than once, so after I got home, I ruminated on appendicitis.  Then I Googled "appendicitis."  Then I started to worry. After all of this ruminating, I scooped up the young'uns and went over to the ER where Sophia proceeded to baffle more nurses and a couple of doctors.  To complicate matters a bit further, my husband was on a plane somewhere over the Atlantic ...

Sophia got something very special for her birthday this year: A new doorknob. The previous hardware on her door was one of those fashionable French door handles, and that simply would not do.  You see, Lili has mastered the art of opening a French door handle, and therefore Sophia could frequently be heard screaming, "OH NO!!!" upon discovering what that little monster had done in her bedroom whilst she was away at school.  The logical request came about consequently... "Dad!!  Can I puh-lease have a new doorknob for my birthday so that I can keep Lili OUT?!" Sophia is obviously pleased with the alteration. Lili, on the other hand... Not so much. "If you don't understand how a woman could both love her sister dearly and want to wring her neck at the same time, then you were probably an only child."  ~Linda Sunshine

We were all geared up for sun and fun in Florida last week.  What we actually got was lots of rain... painful, dumping, drenching, relentless rain...and some fun.  We did enjoy celebrating Sophia's birthday with family, and we managed to catch one sunny day at Universal's Islands of Adventure theme park where we took in Harry Potter's magical world and sampled some of the Three Broomsticks' Butterbeer.  (Curious friends, it was much like a caramely, vanilla-ish, frothy cream soda.  Tasty, sweet and a little sticky.) Pictured above is Hogwarts and the ride which required nearly an hour long wait.  Since we were in good company and had sunshine, it was worth it. Traveling and "theme parking" with a toddler was no picnic, but I did very much enjoy seeing things from her diminutive perspective.  The aquariums at Sea World elicited such squeals of excitement from her, that we all spent more time watching her than we did observing the aquatic life.  At Uni...