Who's Who

Buried in my profile, in a seeming code there under "Interests," are the nicknames I'm using for my family. Click on any of the words listed there, and the whole paragraph as I intended it will come up. But here's the cast list, with details:

Rooster--this would be my husband, the head of the flock. Doubt I'll use this nickname much for him, as he is the farthest thing from either a cocky, strutting, crowing type or from Rooster, the con man brother of Miss Hannigan in the musical Annie. Rather, he is kind, compassionate, tactful, wise, a deep thinker and sought out as a mentor. He is a businessman by day, and a priest the rest of the time. (We are Anglican, but not Episcopal--see the Anglican Mission in America in my sidebar--actually a missionary congregation from the Third World to America!) He reads theology just for fun.

Bantam 15 is our oldest son. (I just looked up "bantam" to see if it indeed means a young rooster as I thought it must--as in "bantam-weight" in boxing. Found that it actually refers to "one of a breed of small domestic fowl," apparently either gender. The second definition certainly describes a young male, though--"a small aggressive person"! This son is now taller and heavier than me, however, so I'm entertaining suggestions for another nickname for him). He is our one child in public school, to take advantage of the special education system and the fabulous team of teachers and therapists that God has provided there at his middle school (he's in 8th grade). Every year we reevaluate, and God keeps confirming to us that he's in the right place. His interests are Legos, computers, reading, listening to movie soundtracks and books on tape, spelling and vocabulary (really!), Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, WWI, WWII, and activities that combine any of the above, like writing his own stories and building Lego models to go along with them.

Next would be Blondechick 13. (She thought that one up herself.) She's 13, and blonde...'nough said? She's into clothes, makeup, mirrors, music, friends, friends of the male gender (we try not to let things turn into that other word yet), reading (if there isn't anything more social going on) and writing her life story. Her extracurricular activities include debate (she's a novice who now knows more about medical malpractice than she wants to or knows what to do with in a debate) and Christian children's theater. She's currently in Annie Jr., in which she plays a dancing, singing ("You're Gonna Like It Here") Maid in Daddy Warbucks' mansion and a dancing, singing ("NYC") New Yorker. She's also a natural with babies and toddlers--what a help! (Wish she'd learn to like cooking, now....)

Bantam 10 does look the part of a handsome young rooster. He's been famous for his "sticking up hair" ever since he was in the nursery at church (at that time in his life I heard him described on several occasions as "the one with the hair"). It still sticks up sometimes, but now it's COOL. He's into reading, snowboarding, Legos, Star Wars, etc.--whatever his brothers like. He takes piano, plays soccer and is also in the theater program. In Annie Jr. he's Ned, a Hoovervillian with a line (yea!) and is also in the NYC number with his sister.

Bantam 6 really fits the aggressive aspect of the definition--but it's all imaginary. He entertains himself (and the rest of us) with his monologues of flying, fighting, shooting, exploding noises, punctuated with short phrases of dialogue ("Watch out!...Orcs below...There's my sword, that's good") and occasional bursts of music which we take to be soundtrack. He enjoys reading, practicing piano, trying to stand on his head and playing with any sibling that's not napping or doing schoolwork. He's very bright and has taken to homeschooling like a duck to water chicken to the barnyard. He makes the best faces.

Our other daughter we must call Chicklet 3. She's as cute as Blondechick 13, as imaginative as Bantam 6 and as funny as Bantam 10. She loves playing with her littlest brother, with her 3 year old girlfriends, with dolls, with Bantam 6, and with her imaginary friend Allie. Why a child with 5 siblings needs an imaginary friend is a question one could ask; I suspect it's so that she can be an authority on something!

Bitty Bantam for now will describe our youngest--currently 11 months old. His favorite things in life are people (he's surrounded by them), Cheerios (he spends half his waking hours in the high chair eating them), Mom (we've got this thing for each other) and cruising around the house (amassing a revolving collection of bruises from all those daring, but not quite successful, steps in between furniture). He has the most ready, charming smile and babbles most winningly.

I, of course, am the Hen of the Family Nest. My interests are (in order of time consumed): home management and child care, homeschooling, involvement in church activities and the theater program, not spending more money than I have to, reading and writing.

Now for some pictures!