For anyone with small children that has ever had to take them to church you may relate well to this. Each Sunday we have a morning bag-packing routine. Mine has scriptures, manuals, books, etc for my lesson. Tina's has an array of item designed to to fend off pending primary disasters as well as combating all sorts of child food and bodily fluid emergencies during church.
It was another seemingly ordinary Sacrament meeting on Sunday. Each child had a bag full of stuff and were drawing, reading or otherwise entertained until it happened. Riley had begun to eat her snacks because she has the fortune of being four and not being completely responsible for packing her own stuff - she gets a lot of help from Mommy. Jacob on the other hand is in the throws of learning how to fend for himself and fighting the transition from mommy doing it all to having to get his own stuff.
We allowed him some freedom to choose what to put in his bag. Unfotunately he choose to put only what was on his mind at that time in itn which were paper, pencils, and markers. NO SNACKS!
Then the negotiation began. Riley was elbow deep into her bag and furiously munching away. This sound, I believe, attracts the attention of other hungry children in much the same way a shark is attracted to the faint smell of struggle. Maybe it is the crinkle of the bag or the crumbs falling to the ground that gets them.
After a frantic search in his bag, Jacob surmised that he had forgotten all of hi usual snack fare and the whining began. "I forgot my snacks!" Jacob began to murmur with the sound of the pre-cry cadence breath. Only in church, even an "inside voice" sounds like a freight train. Tina immediately intervened and began to try to calm down the boy while asking if the girl would share. Riley shook her head furiously in the side to side manner and folder her arms. Her stance was clear: "I have my snacks, get your own!".
I picker her up and put her on my lap. I cajoled, I begged, I pleaded for her to show some mercy to this starving child. I fell short of brbery because that was just not on the table. My pleas fell on deaf ears as I had seeminly lost out to this little, unshakeable iron-willed princess.
Then something remarkeable happened.
I enjoy seeing my kids do the right things and showing empathy towards one another and when it happens I relish it. After Jacob had lost hope and was sinking in despair, Riley suddenly reached into her bag, and pulled out a granola bar. She looked at me through her unpatched eye and said, "Maybe I can share this with him?". After all the posturing and whining and the bitter dissapointment Jacob must have felt at this moment, suddenly mercy was extended, and Riley showed compassion. She split the bar in half, gave it to him, and also offered some of her goldfish on top of it. He accepted the gift with a "Thank you Riley" and returned beneath the bench to finish his artwork.
I sat there in great content having witnessed a family negotitaion on the smallest of scales and was reminded again what Christmas is all about. Maybe I was just glad that the potential melt down was averted and I could return to listening to the speaker (or whatever I was really thinking about). Sometimes we make mistakes and are extended mercy from others. Sometimes we are the ones extending mercy. Either way, I feel grateful for the Mercy of a kind Father in Heaven and His Son, at this time of year that we have been given so much and it took the compassion of a four year old girl at snack time to make it sink in.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Please click on our Christmas Letter below and Enjoy!
It is that time of year again when the kids start collecting catalogs and making "wish lists" for Santa Clause. We are no different only this year we wish you and yours a wonderful holiday season and that as we reflect on the Birth of our Savior that we find gratitude in our hearts for all the blessings we enjoy.
May you have a wonderful Chrsitmas and a Happy New year.
With love from our little band of four Dan, Tina, Jake, and Riley
Monday, September 1, 2008
Inaugural Address
Welcome to our BLOG!
I must admit, I was laboring under the assumption that blogs were just a more prolific version of a family newsletter. However, once I realized that I could upload pictures, write a bunch of my own comments, AND show off the kids all at once, I became a believer!
SO, this is our very first posting of what I am sure will be many to come. At the present, our little family of four resides in the great state of Illinois. "The Land of Lincoln" and I would add the land of great pizza, sports, (go Cubs/Bears! Not Bulls - still a Utah Jazz fan), and copious amounts of corn! We have lived here in the Chicago area for the past 11 years already and have enjoyed living in the Midwest. Tina is from Elmhurst, IL originally and both of my parents are Midwest stock (IL and WI) so we really feel this is home. Aside from the fact it is in close proximity to what has become one of our favorite getaways: Traverse City, MI (see photo above).
Jacob (7) is now in the Second grade. He love to play outside whenever possible regardless of weather unless he senses a pending tornado or lighting storm. He has identified where all of the local tornado sirens are and can hear them from miles away. He loves his bike, Rollerblades, scooter, and catching fish in the pond across the street with a butterfly net. His current record being 7 at once! He lost another tooth the other day bringing that total to 7 and is now the toothless wonder. He does finally have one of his permanent front teeth poking through but lets just say he bites everything from the side...
Riley (4) has just begun her schooling experience by starting preschool at the end of August. She is into anything that resembles a stuffed animal or looks like it might be a "My Little Pony". We bought her a stuffed Chiuaua purse before our first trip to T.C. where she encountered a family with a dog named "Cali" and it has been her favorite "pet" ever since. She will not leave it at home and even leaves her in her backpack at pre-school so she can listen to the class. Riley's eye is getting stronger by wearing the patch for only 4 hours per day now. I tried to get her to be a pirate for Halloween - I figured why not get something out all this patching. She dismissed that idea in favor of the more elaborate (and pink) princess outfit.
They are both getting so big, so fast, and we can't seem to bottle them up and keep them little forever despite our best efforts...
Tina (Age - Yeah, I want to stay married) is a stay-at-home mom who loves her kids very much and is staying very busy juggling her own responsibilities and those of the kids. She is serving as the Primary President of our ward which I swear keeps her at the computer for many hours each day coming up with new ideas and organizing her weekly two-hour white-knuckle ride through primary. She carts Riley to and from school each day and has suddenly found herself with a few hours of uninterrupted silence during the afternoon. Tina also has begun a part-time auditing job for Pharmaceutical Co Reps which has helped her to meet a lot of new people and provides some needed adult interaction.
As for me (37 - hey, it's not 40!) I am busy trying to keep us all fed, clothed, safe, warm, and dry. I still like to play sports whenever I can, watch as much football as I can fit in, Golf, Camp, sometimes Fish, and mostly play with my kids. I just got called to teach Gospel Doctrine which I really enjoy so far. I have never done it and it is a lot of fun. I remain employed through this mortgage mess at Chase so I feel very fortunate and am optimistic about the housing future (go buy a house or refi now!).
Speaking of which, I need to get back to work so please come back often. I cant guarantee the frequency at which I will post but I hope you like what you see.
I must admit, I was laboring under the assumption that blogs were just a more prolific version of a family newsletter. However, once I realized that I could upload pictures, write a bunch of my own comments, AND show off the kids all at once, I became a believer!
SO, this is our very first posting of what I am sure will be many to come. At the present, our little family of four resides in the great state of Illinois. "The Land of Lincoln" and I would add the land of great pizza, sports, (go Cubs/Bears! Not Bulls - still a Utah Jazz fan), and copious amounts of corn! We have lived here in the Chicago area for the past 11 years already and have enjoyed living in the Midwest. Tina is from Elmhurst, IL originally and both of my parents are Midwest stock (IL and WI) so we really feel this is home. Aside from the fact it is in close proximity to what has become one of our favorite getaways: Traverse City, MI (see photo above).
Jacob (7) is now in the Second grade. He love to play outside whenever possible regardless of weather unless he senses a pending tornado or lighting storm. He has identified where all of the local tornado sirens are and can hear them from miles away. He loves his bike, Rollerblades, scooter, and catching fish in the pond across the street with a butterfly net. His current record being 7 at once! He lost another tooth the other day bringing that total to 7 and is now the toothless wonder. He does finally have one of his permanent front teeth poking through but lets just say he bites everything from the side...
Riley (4) has just begun her schooling experience by starting preschool at the end of August. She is into anything that resembles a stuffed animal or looks like it might be a "My Little Pony". We bought her a stuffed Chiuaua purse before our first trip to T.C. where she encountered a family with a dog named "Cali" and it has been her favorite "pet" ever since. She will not leave it at home and even leaves her in her backpack at pre-school so she can listen to the class. Riley's eye is getting stronger by wearing the patch for only 4 hours per day now. I tried to get her to be a pirate for Halloween - I figured why not get something out all this patching. She dismissed that idea in favor of the more elaborate (and pink) princess outfit.
They are both getting so big, so fast, and we can't seem to bottle them up and keep them little forever despite our best efforts...
Tina (Age - Yeah, I want to stay married) is a stay-at-home mom who loves her kids very much and is staying very busy juggling her own responsibilities and those of the kids. She is serving as the Primary President of our ward which I swear keeps her at the computer for many hours each day coming up with new ideas and organizing her weekly two-hour white-knuckle ride through primary. She carts Riley to and from school each day and has suddenly found herself with a few hours of uninterrupted silence during the afternoon. Tina also has begun a part-time auditing job for Pharmaceutical Co Reps which has helped her to meet a lot of new people and provides some needed adult interaction.
As for me (37 - hey, it's not 40!) I am busy trying to keep us all fed, clothed, safe, warm, and dry. I still like to play sports whenever I can, watch as much football as I can fit in, Golf, Camp, sometimes Fish, and mostly play with my kids. I just got called to teach Gospel Doctrine which I really enjoy so far. I have never done it and it is a lot of fun. I remain employed through this mortgage mess at Chase so I feel very fortunate and am optimistic about the housing future (go buy a house or refi now!).
Speaking of which, I need to get back to work so please come back often. I cant guarantee the frequency at which I will post but I hope you like what you see.
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