Magic Markers

Dorathea received a package one day in the mail from my mother. We opened it and found, along with new clothes and toys, there was a set of magic markers. She immediately asked for some blank paper on which to use her new markers.

Then, I noticed that she was not actually marking on the paper, but repeatedly waving the marker over the page. With a frustrated look she tried it again. Then she put the cap back on that marker, took out another one, and again waived that one over the page. The frustrated look returned.

Unable to contain my mounting curiosity, I asked, "Dorathea, what are you doing?" She replied, "These markers aren't magic! They're just regular markers! [loud sigh]"

Knock Knock

I was deep in an intellectually stimulating conversation with Dorathea (4) and Jonathan (18m) at the dinner table, just the 3 of us, one evening. Dorathea had been launching knock-knock jokes at me, when suddenly she decided to launch one at her little brother. "Jonathan! - Knock, knock?" Having the restricted vocabulary of a 1-and-a-half-year-old, he replied, "Boo, beh." Without the slightest hesitation, Dorathea continues, "Interrupting cow." Jonathan [?]asked, "dah doo la dah mah da...." - "MOOOOOOO!" Dorathea interjected, and erupted into little-girl hysterics. Jonathan smiled and squealed loudly.

I think I laughed harder than they did.

Treasure in jars of clay

"For God who made the light shine in the darkness let his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.  But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show this all-surpasing power is from God and not from us." 2 Corinthians 4:6+7  -our study verse today
She made this playdough "Jar of clay"  for the light of Christ to shine in. "Do you know where God puts his treasure Dorathea?".  "On the pirate ship with the map?"

Counting my blessings and you are most of them

1.  That my son has the vigor and health to cry loudly (right now)
2. 2 children that love each other
3. A reading husband
4. A sweet shelter from the storm
5. An abundance of fresh food to feed my family (and bunnies)
6. Homemade Apple pie
7. Little girls who giggle whenever they are in the water.

13. Sweeping my daughter through the river water as she clings to me

14. visit alone to my small town library
15. Sharing blackberry cobbler with D at the Hillsville country store
16. Remembering we were hear a year after our marriage, a year after Dorathea, now a year after Jonathan.18.  holding onto my favorite little girl hand as we hike
19. little chubby boy who rushes at his mommy head first to get a hug
20. Daddy who loves to carry his children on his back Clean and Asleep babies home from the lake

31.  Many Girlfriends by the lakewater
32. Babies gathered around us in the sand
33. "Mom, I had so much fun today!"
34.  Chorus of Chinese ladies giggling and talking with a talkative Dorathea
37.  Child's pose with Dorathea
38.  Sit ups a baby on my feet and on in the air
40. Father-Daughter Tennis
41. Little boy who stands at the door and says bye bye when you put his shoes on
42. Dorathea tickling Jonathan with bear paws of her bear costume,
43. Boys with a lion costume on who wag their tails as they hug you 
45. Cute bear and lion on the couch laughing

Virginia Beach June 2010

Day 1, We greet long lost cousins and we Rutherford girls get back in the swing of being together, all is calm, everyone is peaceful.

Day 2  out to the sweltering beach we treck, baby in backpack, over the tall sand dunes with Grandma, Hunter, and Rose. We all sit in a row where the surf foam lines the sand, laughing as it chills us.  Jonathan is a scared little clinging koala , Dorathea is apprehensive, "Don't go out too far" she tells us. Our feet burn on the sand on the way back.
Day 3 Spend the day around the pool.  Jonathan and Harper coo and splash at one another.  Jonathan decides the water is ok since Harper likes it.  He consents to letting me swim around with him on a float.  Ahhh floating with a baby, bliss.   Later alone I watch the twilight colors from the lovely pool.
Day 4 Everyone goes to the beach.  All the children dig in the sand.  Dorathea helps fly kites and Jonathan chases them pointing up with a chubby finger. He is mesmerized by the boats and jets his finger pointing again and again.  Chubby baby falls asleep leaning back on my chest.  I place him on a towel under the umbrella, and he sleeps soundly the ocean breeze tickling his face. We play ocean surf jumping games. I take a walk on the beach with Dorathea and search for shells.  When our hands are full we head back.
     In the afternoon the Gantt clan, Elizabeth and Evangeline and my little family go out to sample the local seafood.  My family eats crab cakes happily then we go with Elizabeth and Harper to scope out the graveyard across the street.  The names are great,
Ernestine Waterfield
Atla Watters
Cora Virginia Bonney
Tulley C. and Ruby Lane
Ollie Land
Rev. William Strawhead
Lucy Lee Land
Iris Gutheridge
Beulah Airey
Day 6 another day lounging at the pool.  Rose creates a fenced in area for baby to end the endless activity of chasing Jonathan around the pool.

Day 5 Wed Cloudy restful day, in the afternoon Hunter, Elizabeth and Evangeline

1 Timothy 6:18

Dorathea and I are learning 1 Timothy 6:18 "Be full of good works and ready to share".  This morning as we said it together and afterward she said, "Mom, I think it should be, and ready to play"

Dorathea's latest Joke

At dinner Dorathea- "I have a joke!"  Ted and Allison reply glancing at each other "Oh, ok, what is it?".  "What does the Teddy Bear say after dinner?....."   "I'm stuffed!", she laughs at her own joke and we laugh along.  :)