Tartan Up

This morning FPC celebrated a Kirkin' of the Tartans service, a long time church tradition celebrating the Scottish heritage of the Presbyterian Church.  Mark has been waiting for this service, this year, because it is the golden moment when Mark’s kilt from his childhood days living in Scotland would fit Ben.  However, three year olds don’t always cooperate with your sentimental plans. Mark knew he would have to wait until five minutes before the service started this morning to see if Ben would wear the kilt.

We started our pitch on Friday; we told Ben he could be the Bible Beadle, the boy who brings the large book of scripture down the aisle at the start of the service – but only if he was wearing the kilt.  The promise of an audience definitely perked Ben’s interest, but he wasn’t sold on wearing the kilt.  Leah told him no kilt, no Beadle. 

Suddenly, his face lit up, “Oh, if I am the Beadle I have to wear a kilt like the guys who sang Yellow Submarine wore, right Mommy?”  Since Leah was sure that sometime in their career the Beatles must have donned kilts, she answered, “Exactly.”  Wanting to be cool like his beloved Beatles, Ben the Beadle was born.

He was a little rock star this morning.  Ben waited for his cue and then followed behind the bagpiper, laying the sizeable Bible on the altar then running back down the aisle to Leah’s arms.  Mark was beaming with pride, joy and relief…really, how many times do your sweet visions of children, involving costumes they did not select on their own, come true?

Families were blessed, Mark stood tall in his Watson tartan, bagpipes were played, Amazing Grace rang through the sanctuary and Ben was back in his cargo pants by the time Leah picked him up from kid’s church.   If anyone runs across a picture of John, Paul, George or Ringo in a kilt, please send it our way!

Oh, and here's a little photo of Clara looking cute.  

Join the Club

In the big snowstorm back in January, Mark was driving when he hit a patch of black ice, skid out of control and landed in a ditch.  Thankfully, Mark was safe, the Honda however, was totaled.   Buying a new vehicle was not in our game plan - not, not, not.  After a sleepless night (or two) we took a big step back, let the Honda be towed away for good and waited for the shattered glass and insurance deductible dust to settle.  

For the past two and half months we have been a one car family.  It was good for us to realize we could survive with one car, it was also way too much communicating, coordinating and planning for any marriage!  Wouldn't you know, we ended up with "more" car than we could have hoped for.  Friends from church are in the car business and were getting ready to trade in their one year lease, we were able to buy it out from them for an amazing price.  

As of this week, we now are cruising in a 2009 VW Routan minivan.  Sexy? No.  Chic?  Not so much.  Wonderful?  Completely!  We are embracing this auto right of passage into parenthood.  The extra cargo room is needed for road trips, hauling stuff (i.e. Leah's legendary decorating bargains) and seating for when we have visitors. The family friendly perks like the DVD player (please hold us accountable to the rule that movies are for one hour plus trips only) and Ipod hook-up (Hello?  Glee!!) are true luxuries we never anticipated.  We took the first family outing today to the Discovery Place in Charlotte. As Yellow Submarine trumpeted from the speakers, sippy cups raised in a cheers, we christened the minivan ours and totally felt like parents and to our surprise, that felt okay, more than okay.


P.S. Leah promises no mom jeans and Mark swears he won't wear socks with sandals. 

Ordinary Days

As many know, parenting is filled with sacrifice, challenges, endless repetitive tasks and lots of lost sleep.  It is also filled with cute conversations, heart-melting memories and a connection that defies explanation and reason.  There are times, when two tantrum toddlers, sticky sunscreen, loads of jelly stained laundry and cranky bedtimes get the best of us and we lose sight of the magic.  But after many hard lessons of life, we find that most days we really are filled with gratitude, overwhelmed by the sacred moments of ordinary days, small interactions that connect us to one another, to God, to the thrill and mystery of life.  Hearts and minds bonded over finger paint, brownie batter and (last) first haircuts.   Yes, that is Clara licking brownie batter off her foot.

Party Pictures

Thank you Joe Young (known around here as Abigail and Nathaniel's dad) for these incredible pictures from Clara's party last weekend.  What a perk to have such a talented photographer as a friend.  These images are beautiful and so special.  

Party on the Prairie

Saturday, we celebrated Clara's birthday out at the Clark Homestead (thank you!  thank you!) with some down home country fun.  We went for a hayride, fed the horses, played old-fashioned games, enjoyed the spectacular spring weather and loved on our prairie princess.  

Clara embraced life as a country girl, whether in boots or barefoot- she didn't want to take off her dress that night for a bath, she loved it too much!  Ben had fun playing in the hay and hanging with the boys, but also struggled with Clara getting all the birthday attention and "surprises."   

Mark shares a birthday with one brother and Leah and her brother have birthdays ten days apart...so, with an even six month gap between birthdays, we are going to have to find creative ways to squelch what we term, the "Gimme Gimme Monster."  It does not help the situation that Clara is mastering the art of taunting her brother, parading her new treasures under his nose while petting them and whispering "mine."

The day seemed to fit our Clara - her love of the outdoors, cupcakes, playing with friends, grass between her toes, exploring, laughing, sunshine and practicing being totally adorable.   May this next year be filled with all that and more baby girl, prairie princess, little sister, scene stealer, delight of our lives...Clara Elizabeth Grace.

Easter & More

Spiritually, Easter is a very important time of year for us.  Mark and Leah try to carve out time during Lent for prayer, study and reflection (the success of this endeavor depends on hot coffee and when the kids wake-up in the morning).  We try to separate the meaning of the resurrection of Christ, the promise of eternal life, from bunnies, chocolate and eggs.  We try.  Sometimes we succeed, but often we fall short.  

Because our reality right now is two toddlers, a busy, active and at times overwhelming, church schedule for Mark, which means a lot of solo parenting time for Leah, combined with fun egg hunts, a bunny breakfast at the club and two birthday celebrations right in a row. 

We managed to share the Easter story with the kids to the best of their limited understanding.  Ben concluded, "God and Jesus work together.  But Jesus died, so I am going with God." Or his Easter morning observation that, "Today is about God, Jesus, rising from the dead, church and lots of bunnies."  Clara woke Easter morning to say, "Happy Easter!  He is Risen!."  

After naps on Sunday, we soaked in the glorious spring weather with a family hike.  Clara held her own on the trail - her new mantra is, "I'll do it all by myself." We returned home to find baskets of treats from the Spring Bunny and yes, we ate too much chocolate.

We will try every year to do better, to slow down a bit more, study and pray consistently throughout Lent, share our faith with Ben and Clara, not let the craziness of Mark's church calendar dictate the tempo of our home, hunt for the Spring Bunny, get dye stained fingers from making eggs and always be thankful, grateful for the hope and joy that is in our hearts.  We will try and for today, that seems good enough.  Happy Easter.