...with family and so many friends. What a privilege!
Ninety-seven years of a life well-lived, here on earth--
Now, a new life in heaven with her Lord and other beloved ones.
So much to celebrate.
All flesh is not the same: Men have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another. There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another. The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor.
So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.
~1 Corinthians 15:39-44
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Thursday, June 25, 2009
This Week's To-Do List
It's been just a little busy around the Henhouse this week...
Prepare for funeral:
--take boys in for haircuts
--cut B18's hair myself
--take B18 and B14 shopping for dress clothes, suitable for pall bearers
--figure out outfits for myself, Chicklet and B4
--take Blondechick shopping?
--belts? shoes? nylons? dress socks?
Prepare for road trip:
--new tires on van
--to mechanic's re: Check Engine light
--check supplies in camper
--laundry
--pack for me, Chicklet and B4; inspect the rest
Flood recovery:
--get furniture back in place, books on shelves, sundries back in place
Appointments:
--claims adjuster
--chiropractor (residual pain from accident)
--dentist (1 child only, fortunately...)
--piano lesson
--refrigerator repairman
--core team meeting (church)
--meet with pastor of church where drama camp will be held
--tour potential facility for next year's productions
--interviews with two potential teachers/directors
Other:
--keep up with emails
--get through paperwork backlog
--find more teenage helpers for summer camp! We have 107 kids registered--praise God!
Prepare for funeral:
--take boys in for haircuts
--cut B18's hair myself
--take B18 and B14 shopping for dress clothes, suitable for pall bearers
--figure out outfits for myself, Chicklet and B4
--take Blondechick shopping?
--belts? shoes? nylons? dress socks?
Prepare for road trip:
--new tires on van
--to mechanic's re: Check Engine light
--check supplies in camper
--laundry
--pack for me, Chicklet and B4; inspect the rest
Flood recovery:
--get furniture back in place, books on shelves, sundries back in place
Appointments:
--claims adjuster
--chiropractor (residual pain from accident)
--dentist (1 child only, fortunately...)
--piano lesson
--refrigerator repairman
--core team meeting (church)
--meet with pastor of church where drama camp will be held
--tour potential facility for next year's productions
--interviews with two potential teachers/directors
Other:
--keep up with emails
--get through paperwork backlog
--find more teenage helpers for summer camp! We have 107 kids registered--praise God!
Monday, June 22, 2009
We Got Books
And thank God, they are all safe and dry!
Below, you can see the carpet on the left "floating" above the ground as the industrial strength blower (blue, in the corner) blasts air beneath it.
Fortunately they were able to blow air in underneath the theater seats by cutting a hole in the back wall behind them (through a closet in the bathroom).
Today, the team declared the basement completely dry (the only one of their "jobs" to be dry, they said) and removed all the blowers and dehumidifiers. Papa Rooster stretched all the carpets back into place with the carpet stretcher tool he bought to do the carpet on the platform for the theater seats, and we were able to move all the shelves back into place, in the alcove behind the TV and in his office. Tomorrow, we put all the books and movies back on the right shelves!
The flooding was caused by heavy rains--7 inches in less than 24 hours--and our neighbor said that never in his 52 years in this area has he seen anything like it. Over 800 homes in our area of Kenosha were flooded! So it seems unlikely that we will have continual issues with flooding in the future, especially since we were relatively unscathed in this trial. The only thing we are throwing out is the gazebo, while our neighbors' driveways are lined with trash bags and carpet rolls. It's been a hassle and a big expense, but we have a lot of reasons to be thankful!
No, we didn't get pictures of the flood itself, because it was dark when we arrived home, and by the next morning, the water was all gone.
Below, you can see the carpet on the left "floating" above the ground as the industrial strength blower (blue, in the corner) blasts air beneath it.
Fortunately they were able to blow air in underneath the theater seats by cutting a hole in the back wall behind them (through a closet in the bathroom).Today, the team declared the basement completely dry (the only one of their "jobs" to be dry, they said) and removed all the blowers and dehumidifiers. Papa Rooster stretched all the carpets back into place with the carpet stretcher tool he bought to do the carpet on the platform for the theater seats, and we were able to move all the shelves back into place, in the alcove behind the TV and in his office. Tomorrow, we put all the books and movies back on the right shelves!
The flooding was caused by heavy rains--7 inches in less than 24 hours--and our neighbor said that never in his 52 years in this area has he seen anything like it. Over 800 homes in our area of Kenosha were flooded! So it seems unlikely that we will have continual issues with flooding in the future, especially since we were relatively unscathed in this trial. The only thing we are throwing out is the gazebo, while our neighbors' driveways are lined with trash bags and carpet rolls. It's been a hassle and a big expense, but we have a lot of reasons to be thankful!
No, we didn't get pictures of the flood itself, because it was dark when we arrived home, and by the next morning, the water was all gone.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Home, Wet Home
We are finally home again....
Our kids finished up school a week ago with half-days on Thursday and Friday. We took off Friday afternoon for Ohio, stopping to pick up Papa Rooster at work on the way.
We had a nice time in Ohio with my family that was there. Besides Mom, Dad and Grandma, my aunt and uncle from California were there, as well as Pilot Brother, Summer and their girls. I had to spend Sunday afternoon at the Urgent Care Center with Blondechick16, who had tonsillitis, but other than that, it was all good.
Bantam14 enjoyed showing us around the barn where he had helped put in a fuse box and do some of the electrical wiring. He had had a wonderful time for nine days before we arrived, but he was glad to be reunited with his family.
Papa Rooster had to leave Ohio on Monday to fly somewhere for work, so I drove the big white van home alone on Tuesday. Only we stopped short of home, at Key Lime Cove, a waterpark a half hour south of where we live. We had been offered a great deal for homeschoolers, and this was the last week to use it! Papa Rooster joined us after he got back in town from his trip, and we spent one night and called it a mini-vacation.
On Thursday, it was all catch-up for me, until 3:30, when I had to drive to a 4-hour CPR class over an hour away. But now I'm all certified and ready for the drama summer camp that I'm running in July!
On Friday, we had planned to travel into Chicago with friends first thing in the morning for another mini-vacation day at the Museum of Science and Industry, but instead I found myself at the doctor's office with another case of tonsillitis, Bantam14. While I was there, my dad called to say that Grandma had passed away. We have some time before the funeral, he said. Would Bantams 14 and 18 be pallbearers, along with their dad?
On that sober note, we got his prescription, called our friends and traveled forever through heavy rains into Chicago. We made it to the museum just in time for our entry time for the Harry Potter exhibit, which was fascinating--you never think what attention to detail goes into the costumes and props! We beat the rush to Gino's East and got seats and pizza quickly. It has been years since I've eaten there, and oh man, was it good.
Then we piled back into the big white van, planning to visit Milennium Park and Buckingham Fountain, but it had begun to rain and strong winds were kicking up, so we headed for home instead. On the way, a neighbor friend of Blondechick's called to tell her that our driveway was so flooded, he couldn't see the wheels of my car. Then another friend from down the road confirmed that our street was underwater.
All the way home, I was praying! Was everything in our garage wet? Our basement? How about my new Prius--would it ever run again? How could we spend days dealing with a big clean-up project? And with an out-of-state funeral to go to?
By the time we got home, the water had receded already, and our cars and our friends' car were fine. We could see where the water from the street had risen to with a yard or two of our front sidewalk! Apparently so much water fell in such a short time that the drains just couldn't keep up. There had been strong winds too, and our heavy metal-frame gazebo had been lifted, turned over and had snapped in a number of places--unrepairable.
Our power was out though, and so only the back-up sump pump was running. It appeared initially that our basement was fine, but then we discovered places where the carpet was wet. Papa Rooster worked by flashlight to get our generator hooked up to the other sump pump so both were functioning. And then the power came back on, of course.
We called a place to come out on Saturday morning to assess the damage. By then, the carpet was wet all over; the pad had soaked up and spread water like a sponge, and it had begun to come up into the drywall. We wouldn't have to move everything, they said--they could work around our larger furniture items, but we would have to move all our books off the shelves, so they could move the shelves.
I hesitate to guess how many books we own, and over half of them are in that basement.
Well, not any more. All Father Rooster's theology books--a whole roomful--are now lining the walls of our main level. The rest--most children's and adult fiction--is piled high on the home theater seating, which thankfully, we didn't have to tear down; they were able to cut a little hole in the bathroom closet and blow air in underneath the platform.
Right now our basement carpet is "floating" on air blown by industrial-strength blowers, having been suctioned of all water. The basement should be dry as a bone in about three more days. We hope.
In the midst of all the book-moving and salvaging--about half a dozen oversize art books got half wet, since they were resting on the carpet--Chicklet6 complained of a headache and sore throat, and darn, if she didn't have a fever, too! Another case of tonsillitis.
What fun we've been having!
Oh, and Happy Father's Day, Papa Rooster.
Our kids finished up school a week ago with half-days on Thursday and Friday. We took off Friday afternoon for Ohio, stopping to pick up Papa Rooster at work on the way.
We had a nice time in Ohio with my family that was there. Besides Mom, Dad and Grandma, my aunt and uncle from California were there, as well as Pilot Brother, Summer and their girls. I had to spend Sunday afternoon at the Urgent Care Center with Blondechick16, who had tonsillitis, but other than that, it was all good.
Bantam14 enjoyed showing us around the barn where he had helped put in a fuse box and do some of the electrical wiring. He had had a wonderful time for nine days before we arrived, but he was glad to be reunited with his family.
Papa Rooster had to leave Ohio on Monday to fly somewhere for work, so I drove the big white van home alone on Tuesday. Only we stopped short of home, at Key Lime Cove, a waterpark a half hour south of where we live. We had been offered a great deal for homeschoolers, and this was the last week to use it! Papa Rooster joined us after he got back in town from his trip, and we spent one night and called it a mini-vacation.
On Thursday, it was all catch-up for me, until 3:30, when I had to drive to a 4-hour CPR class over an hour away. But now I'm all certified and ready for the drama summer camp that I'm running in July!
On Friday, we had planned to travel into Chicago with friends first thing in the morning for another mini-vacation day at the Museum of Science and Industry, but instead I found myself at the doctor's office with another case of tonsillitis, Bantam14. While I was there, my dad called to say that Grandma had passed away. We have some time before the funeral, he said. Would Bantams 14 and 18 be pallbearers, along with their dad?
On that sober note, we got his prescription, called our friends and traveled forever through heavy rains into Chicago. We made it to the museum just in time for our entry time for the Harry Potter exhibit, which was fascinating--you never think what attention to detail goes into the costumes and props! We beat the rush to Gino's East and got seats and pizza quickly. It has been years since I've eaten there, and oh man, was it good.
Then we piled back into the big white van, planning to visit Milennium Park and Buckingham Fountain, but it had begun to rain and strong winds were kicking up, so we headed for home instead. On the way, a neighbor friend of Blondechick's called to tell her that our driveway was so flooded, he couldn't see the wheels of my car. Then another friend from down the road confirmed that our street was underwater.
All the way home, I was praying! Was everything in our garage wet? Our basement? How about my new Prius--would it ever run again? How could we spend days dealing with a big clean-up project? And with an out-of-state funeral to go to?
By the time we got home, the water had receded already, and our cars and our friends' car were fine. We could see where the water from the street had risen to with a yard or two of our front sidewalk! Apparently so much water fell in such a short time that the drains just couldn't keep up. There had been strong winds too, and our heavy metal-frame gazebo had been lifted, turned over and had snapped in a number of places--unrepairable.
Our power was out though, and so only the back-up sump pump was running. It appeared initially that our basement was fine, but then we discovered places where the carpet was wet. Papa Rooster worked by flashlight to get our generator hooked up to the other sump pump so both were functioning. And then the power came back on, of course.
We called a place to come out on Saturday morning to assess the damage. By then, the carpet was wet all over; the pad had soaked up and spread water like a sponge, and it had begun to come up into the drywall. We wouldn't have to move everything, they said--they could work around our larger furniture items, but we would have to move all our books off the shelves, so they could move the shelves.
I hesitate to guess how many books we own, and over half of them are in that basement.
Well, not any more. All Father Rooster's theology books--a whole roomful--are now lining the walls of our main level. The rest--most children's and adult fiction--is piled high on the home theater seating, which thankfully, we didn't have to tear down; they were able to cut a little hole in the bathroom closet and blow air in underneath the platform.
Right now our basement carpet is "floating" on air blown by industrial-strength blowers, having been suctioned of all water. The basement should be dry as a bone in about three more days. We hope.
In the midst of all the book-moving and salvaging--about half a dozen oversize art books got half wet, since they were resting on the carpet--Chicklet6 complained of a headache and sore throat, and darn, if she didn't have a fever, too! Another case of tonsillitis.
What fun we've been having!
Oh, and Happy Father's Day, Papa Rooster.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Saying Goodbye to Grandma
My grandmother is dying.
We visited her while we were back home in
She didn’t know me. She had trouble remembering who I was the last time I saw her, so I wasn’t expecting her to remember me this time. But she’s not recognizing anyone now.
She’s delusional, maybe due to the all the meds she’s on for pain. We couldn’t tell what she was talking about—things that weren’t there. Nothing that made sense.
I held her hand. She’s lost so much weight—she’s only 80 pounds or so—that her hands are skeletal. So withered and bony.
I held her hand and thought of how these hands used to hold mine. We’d go for walks on the farm, and always she’d hold my hand. When I got older, she’d take me shopping sometimes, and she’d hold my hand when we crossed the parking lot, even when I got embarassingly old for it. But I never let go.
These hands had changed my diapers. They had baked cookies, prepared meals and wrapped gifts for me. They held me and helped me hold open a book on Grandma’s lap—Aesop’s Fables, children’s poetry books,
Now these hands, this body, are slowly wasting away. Her 97-year-old heart is still beating strong, but she’s not eating enough to sustain herself. She has occasional bouts of scary coughing, maybe the beginning of pneumonia. It’s just a matter of time--a short time.
I took my children to see her. I debated a little at first: Should I leave them with the memories they had of her, before she was like this? But death is part of life, and we are so insulated from death, in our age of modern medicine. I think of the “birth and death room” that old houses used to have, and I think of the statement of a friend, who had lost a child, that “you can’t control birth and death.”
And we can’t control this death. We’d love to see her suffering end quickly. Both her children and half her four grandchildren—and their families—were there over the past weekend, and we discussed among ourselves: Do we leave, or do we wait? She’s very close, but she has such a strong heart…
Such a strong heart.
Monday, June 15, 2009
My New Baby
Is it possible to feel that way about a car?
Ummm, yeah.
I am thoroughly enjoying my new 2002 Prius sweetheart. Especially after driving that beast of a 15-passenger van for a month, my new car feels like such a tiny little thing. She can turn on a dime and be parked anywhere. The ride is so smooth, and I have been surprised what a nice sound system it has. And with an adapter for the cassette player, my new iPod sounds great coming through the speakers! (I recently inherited Bantam14's 4G when he upgraded to a 160G.) And I've been averaging 42-44 mpg with a combination of city and highway driving. With gas prices rising, I am so grateful!
And with two Priuses in the family...
...we can afford to drive the Big Van when we need to. Aren't they cute?
Kinda like Lightning McQueen and Sally.
Or the Priust...and the Priustess!
(Remember the family joke?)
Ummm, yeah.
I am thoroughly enjoying my new 2002 Prius sweetheart. Especially after driving that beast of a 15-passenger van for a month, my new car feels like such a tiny little thing. She can turn on a dime and be parked anywhere. The ride is so smooth, and I have been surprised what a nice sound system it has. And with an adapter for the cassette player, my new iPod sounds great coming through the speakers! (I recently inherited Bantam14's 4G when he upgraded to a 160G.) And I've been averaging 42-44 mpg with a combination of city and highway driving. With gas prices rising, I am so grateful!
And with two Priuses in the family...
...we can afford to drive the Big Van when we need to. Aren't they cute?
Kinda like Lightning McQueen and Sally.
Or the Priust...and the Priustess!
(Remember the family joke?)
Friday, June 12, 2009
PIcking Up the Threads
Blondechick16 made it home in one piece from camp, and her initial summary of how her week went was, "I survived." It sounds like she learned a few things from the experience, like how to co-exist with bugs and creepy crawlies; she was one of the few who never saw a tick on their persons, and she claims to be an expert now on finding and identifying them, since they spent so much time doing this for each other! She also discovered that one of her teachers is a great guy after all, and she learned how to work cooperatively with a group of kids that didn't really have much in common--her homeroom class, or "crew," which really hadn't gelled much all year. This experience changed that, as she wrote about in a paper when she got back.
School's out for her now, and Bantam18 is taking two more finals today and then he's done at noon!
Bantam14 had a relatively good experience on the Greyhound bus, and he's been having a blast ever since. He's helped with electrical wiring; he's driven a tractor, a lawn tractor and a car; he's gone miniature golfing with kids from Grandma and Grandpa's church; he shot a groundhog, went running, went for a walk and has seen deer multiple times. He's exercised at the Y with Grandpa, and visited his great-grandma at the nursing home. His great-aunt and uncle from California are there now too, so he's getting to know them and learning electrical tricks and tips from his great-uncle, a pro and a character, if there ever was one!
I've been working on things for the youth theater group that we are starting here in Kenosha, and we've had a setback. At a school board meeting on Tuesday night, six months of conversations with the high school we have been planning to use for our theater productions went down the drain, when we were told that not only was our request for a fee waiver or discount being denied, but our approved permit for use was now cancelled!
I was pretty discouraged on Wednesday, especially since I couldn't get anyone to return phone calls from any other venues I tried to reach. In the afternoon I spoke with someone from a school district office who was designated to hear my appeal, and after she went over their reasons for dismissing our permit, I addressed those concerns as well as I could and requested that we at least be allowed to hold one production there. She reiterated the reasons why their concerns would still apply and talked about pulling the file to check the facts again before she got back to me. When I hung up, it was with very little hope of anything coming from our conversation, and certainly not anytime soon.
You can imagine then, how shocked I was when she called back on Thursday morning to say that they had decided that since we had been led to believe for quite a few months that we had a venue, they would go ahead and allow us to hold our first show there, in November! I was stunned.
I had such a sense of the verse in Exodus where the Egyptians say, "Their God is fighting for them!" I had worked so hard, with human effort, on this problem all day Wednesday, and was so frustrated when no one would return my phone calls. A day of worry and frustration, and nothing to show for it...and I sensed the Holy Spirit nudging me to drop it and leave it up to God. But I was still so discouraged and stressed, until Father Rooster prayed for me, for God to send warrior angels to fight this battle for me, and I knew that was right, though it was difficult to let go. Then I got this phone call a couple hours later--and I knew that God was fighting for us. It seemed so wildly improbable otherwise!
Thank you, School Board. We are deeply appreciative.
Thank you, God! You are so great and so trustworthy!
School's out for her now, and Bantam18 is taking two more finals today and then he's done at noon!
Bantam14 had a relatively good experience on the Greyhound bus, and he's been having a blast ever since. He's helped with electrical wiring; he's driven a tractor, a lawn tractor and a car; he's gone miniature golfing with kids from Grandma and Grandpa's church; he shot a groundhog, went running, went for a walk and has seen deer multiple times. He's exercised at the Y with Grandpa, and visited his great-grandma at the nursing home. His great-aunt and uncle from California are there now too, so he's getting to know them and learning electrical tricks and tips from his great-uncle, a pro and a character, if there ever was one!
I've been working on things for the youth theater group that we are starting here in Kenosha, and we've had a setback. At a school board meeting on Tuesday night, six months of conversations with the high school we have been planning to use for our theater productions went down the drain, when we were told that not only was our request for a fee waiver or discount being denied, but our approved permit for use was now cancelled!
I was pretty discouraged on Wednesday, especially since I couldn't get anyone to return phone calls from any other venues I tried to reach. In the afternoon I spoke with someone from a school district office who was designated to hear my appeal, and after she went over their reasons for dismissing our permit, I addressed those concerns as well as I could and requested that we at least be allowed to hold one production there. She reiterated the reasons why their concerns would still apply and talked about pulling the file to check the facts again before she got back to me. When I hung up, it was with very little hope of anything coming from our conversation, and certainly not anytime soon.
You can imagine then, how shocked I was when she called back on Thursday morning to say that they had decided that since we had been led to believe for quite a few months that we had a venue, they would go ahead and allow us to hold our first show there, in November! I was stunned.
I had such a sense of the verse in Exodus where the Egyptians say, "Their God is fighting for them!" I had worked so hard, with human effort, on this problem all day Wednesday, and was so frustrated when no one would return my phone calls. A day of worry and frustration, and nothing to show for it...and I sensed the Holy Spirit nudging me to drop it and leave it up to God. But I was still so discouraged and stressed, until Father Rooster prayed for me, for God to send warrior angels to fight this battle for me, and I knew that was right, though it was difficult to let go. Then I got this phone call a couple hours later--and I knew that God was fighting for us. It seemed so wildly improbable otherwise!
Thank you, School Board. We are deeply appreciative.
Thank you, God! You are so great and so trustworthy!
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Haunted
This was my friend Nancy Kreuzer's status on Facebook one day last week:
What a lie abortion is, to make young girls think that such an act will make the problem disappear forever.
I can't get this poor girl out of my mind. Yes, Lord, have mercy....
Today a man told me he knew an 18 year old who had had an abortion. She cries all the time, he said. And she cannot sleep. The sound of the suction haunts her. How can I help her, he asked me. Lord have mercy.
What a lie abortion is, to make young girls think that such an act will make the problem disappear forever.
I can't get this poor girl out of my mind. Yes, Lord, have mercy....
Monday, June 08, 2009
News and Views
Papa Rooster got a new lens for his camera!
Blondechick16 survived camp, though she was one of the few who never saw a tick on themselves. She froze each night and woke up soaked each morning, since the tent was too small to stay away from the walls. But she ran, hiked, biked, canoed, prepared her own meals and learned a few things about herself and others.
And we finally met Bantam18's girlfriend! We loved her. She is cute and funny and sweet, and it amazed us to hear her and B18 talk about school, just like other kids...which B18 never does! Now I understand how they connected--she is very direct and outspoken, and says what she thinks, in a loud voice. She has a loud laugh, too, and she likes to tease, which is good for him. He'll object, and she soothes him, and they seem to have a comfortable, low-key relationship. She wants to come to church with us soon!
Blondechick16 survived camp, though she was one of the few who never saw a tick on themselves. She froze each night and woke up soaked each morning, since the tent was too small to stay away from the walls. But she ran, hiked, biked, canoed, prepared her own meals and learned a few things about herself and others.
And we finally met Bantam18's girlfriend! We loved her. She is cute and funny and sweet, and it amazed us to hear her and B18 talk about school, just like other kids...which B18 never does! Now I understand how they connected--she is very direct and outspoken, and says what she thinks, in a loud voice. She has a loud laugh, too, and she likes to tease, which is good for him. He'll object, and she soothes him, and they seem to have a comfortable, low-key relationship. She wants to come to church with us soon!
Saturday, June 06, 2009
Friday, June 05, 2009
Worry Is a Terrible Thing to Waste
So we've been talking about giving Bantam14 a week or two alone with his grandparents on the farm in Ohio. And hey, if he can go while Pilot Uncle and family are there, what could be better than working side-by-side with Uncle AND Grandpa?
The stars aligned, and Wednesday was the day that I would drive him to the Greyhound bus station in Chicago. From there, he would travel as far as Indianapolis, where Grandpa would pick him up. Being under 15, he was only allowed to go on a bus trip of 5 hours or less, with no transfers--which is why he couldn't travel from Kenosha to Dayton or Columbus.
I understood all the restrictions perfectly--his trip had to be during daylight hours, too--because I had talked to three different Greyhound representatives and they all had the same story. My dad swore he didn't mind the 2.5 hour drive to Indy, and the ticket would only be $32. Our family will be going to Ohio for a visit soon, and we'll bring him home. It was a plan.
The day before, I called to order his ticket. "Is this ticket for you?" the rep asked. "No, it's for my son." "Okay, there is an $18 service charge for ordering a ticket for someone else."
What??
And if I pay for the ticket at the counter tomorrow? Still, an $18 service charge. And if my son hands you cash? No service charge.
Stewing, I hung up without ordering a ticket. I tried repeatedly to call the Chicago office to ask about seating capacity, but it was late, and no one answered. Should I pay the stupid fee to make sure he has a ticket, or take my chances at the window tomorrow?
I decided to call again in the morning.
All night, I worried. I was planning to bring Bantam10, Chicklet6 and Bantam4 with me, so we could go to the Lincoln Park Zoo on the way home. What if I couldn't find parking? B14 would have to run in and order his own ticket. What if he got confused and ordered the wrong ticket? I couldn't leave him there in the station to wait on the bus--I would have to park somehow. What might happen while he was alone, while I found parking and walked--how far?--with the little kids? He could be robbed. He'd have cash, baggage, an iPod... What if the bus was full? We'd have to wait there with him until the next bus at 3 something. We'd totally miss the zoo. Would it be better just to leave the younger kids home?
I slept poorly, worrying and wakeful, disturbedly dreaming. But all that worrying, it turns out, was for nought; it did nothing to prepare me for what actually happened.
We got up at 6:30 and I called the station. "Oh, plenty of seats left on that bus." So I didn't order the ticket.
We got off later than I wanted, closer to 8 than 7:30, but still we arrived at the downtown Greyhound station at 9:35, almost an hour early for the 10:30 bus. We waited in line a few moments, then it was B14's turn.
The 10:30 bus was full. No more tickets available. But they wouldn't have been able to sell us one anyway, because children under 17 aren't allowed to cross the state line, unaccompanied.
What??
But three different Greyhound representatives told me all the restrictions on minors traveling alone, and NO ONE mentioned this one.
Oh, that's because it's an Illinois rule. Those reps are in Arizona or someplace.
What???
I spoke with a supervisor. Yes, she confirmed, it's true. It's on the website.
But I didn't read the website, I explained. I got the low-down from three different inadequately informed Greyhound representatives, instead.... Okay, so does Indiana have the same rule? If I take him to Gary, will I have the same problem?
She had no idea.
Well, can you CHECK?
Her supervisor appeared. Yes, he would check. He was sorry for the inconvenience. No, Indiana did not have that restriction. There was a bus leaving Gary at 11:40. It was nearing 10:00. We could probably make it. There was another at 2:50.
I was so grateful for my husband's GPS that I had borrowed! Off we headed to Gary. I asked Papa Rooster to call and order a ticket, while I called home to tell my dad not to leave for Indy yet.
PR had bad news. The bus looked full, they said, so they would not sell him a ticket over the phone.
My mom had bad news, too. My dad had left to do errands in town and did not have their cell phone with him. He might not be coming home before leaving for Indy.
We arrived in Gary about 35 minutes later, and I will admit to shooting up quite a few prayers en route. If there weren't any seats left, how was I going to explain to Chicklet6 and Bantam4 that instead of going to the zoo, we were going to spend the day at the bus stop in Gary, IN?
At the ticket counter, however, they didn't blink when B14 asked for a ticket on the 11:40 bus. (Thank you, Lord!) And what time would it arrive in Indianapolis? At 3:25, the same time my dad was planning to meet him. (The same bus, maybe?)
We had over an hour to wait for the bus, but being the ever-prepared homeschool mom, I had just HAPPENED to bring along our chapter book, so we found an isolated corner and I read aloud one chapter, much to B14's embarassment and my own enjoyment. It passed the time, and soon, he was hugging us all goodbye and I watched as his broad shoulders disappeared up the steps of the bus. He had just asked me to measure his height the day before--5'9". Where did that little boy with the bowl haircut go?
That morning I had optimistically checked my homeschool mom's schedule of free days at the Chicago museums, thinking that perhaps we could go to the zoo AND a museum. It was a free day at the Museum of Science and Industry, I discovered--and those are infrequent! It was closer to Gary too. We'll go there first, I told the remaining kids. The zoo is free every day.
Long story short, we had a great time at the MS&I from 1:30 to 3:30, but then I had to make the unpopular decision to head home, hopefully avoiding the worst of the rush hour traffic, instead of going to the zoo as well. I considered going to the zoo during rush hour and heading for home at 6:00 or so...but I had a meeting at 7 and wasn't sure that would be enough time. Without traffic, it might be, but as it was, it took us nearly two hours. None of them napped.
Yet I squirm to think of how much more difficult that day COULD have been. And what if I had only had print-outs of Yahoo! Maps directions (which would have been useless after the first stop) instead of Papa Rooster's GPS? Thank you, Lord, for your outpouring of mercy!
And B14 is there now, with my family, doing a man's work with men I love. I am so grateful.
And trying not to worry!
(It doesn't help that we haven't seen or heard from Blondechick16 since Tuesday morning, while she's gone on an Outward Bound-type camping experience with all her sophomore classmates, designed to teach character, teamwork and self-knowledge. No iPods, laptops, cell phones, makeup--or bathrooms. Sleeping in tents and digging your own hole in the woods. She arrives home this afternoon. If she hasn't frozen to death....)
The stars aligned, and Wednesday was the day that I would drive him to the Greyhound bus station in Chicago. From there, he would travel as far as Indianapolis, where Grandpa would pick him up. Being under 15, he was only allowed to go on a bus trip of 5 hours or less, with no transfers--which is why he couldn't travel from Kenosha to Dayton or Columbus.
I understood all the restrictions perfectly--his trip had to be during daylight hours, too--because I had talked to three different Greyhound representatives and they all had the same story. My dad swore he didn't mind the 2.5 hour drive to Indy, and the ticket would only be $32. Our family will be going to Ohio for a visit soon, and we'll bring him home. It was a plan.
The day before, I called to order his ticket. "Is this ticket for you?" the rep asked. "No, it's for my son." "Okay, there is an $18 service charge for ordering a ticket for someone else."
What??
And if I pay for the ticket at the counter tomorrow? Still, an $18 service charge. And if my son hands you cash? No service charge.
Stewing, I hung up without ordering a ticket. I tried repeatedly to call the Chicago office to ask about seating capacity, but it was late, and no one answered. Should I pay the stupid fee to make sure he has a ticket, or take my chances at the window tomorrow?
I decided to call again in the morning.
All night, I worried. I was planning to bring Bantam10, Chicklet6 and Bantam4 with me, so we could go to the Lincoln Park Zoo on the way home. What if I couldn't find parking? B14 would have to run in and order his own ticket. What if he got confused and ordered the wrong ticket? I couldn't leave him there in the station to wait on the bus--I would have to park somehow. What might happen while he was alone, while I found parking and walked--how far?--with the little kids? He could be robbed. He'd have cash, baggage, an iPod... What if the bus was full? We'd have to wait there with him until the next bus at 3 something. We'd totally miss the zoo. Would it be better just to leave the younger kids home?
I slept poorly, worrying and wakeful, disturbedly dreaming. But all that worrying, it turns out, was for nought; it did nothing to prepare me for what actually happened.
We got up at 6:30 and I called the station. "Oh, plenty of seats left on that bus." So I didn't order the ticket.
We got off later than I wanted, closer to 8 than 7:30, but still we arrived at the downtown Greyhound station at 9:35, almost an hour early for the 10:30 bus. We waited in line a few moments, then it was B14's turn.
The 10:30 bus was full. No more tickets available. But they wouldn't have been able to sell us one anyway, because children under 17 aren't allowed to cross the state line, unaccompanied.
What??
But three different Greyhound representatives told me all the restrictions on minors traveling alone, and NO ONE mentioned this one.
Oh, that's because it's an Illinois rule. Those reps are in Arizona or someplace.
What???
I spoke with a supervisor. Yes, she confirmed, it's true. It's on the website.
But I didn't read the website, I explained. I got the low-down from three different inadequately informed Greyhound representatives, instead.... Okay, so does Indiana have the same rule? If I take him to Gary, will I have the same problem?
She had no idea.
Well, can you CHECK?
Her supervisor appeared. Yes, he would check. He was sorry for the inconvenience. No, Indiana did not have that restriction. There was a bus leaving Gary at 11:40. It was nearing 10:00. We could probably make it. There was another at 2:50.
I was so grateful for my husband's GPS that I had borrowed! Off we headed to Gary. I asked Papa Rooster to call and order a ticket, while I called home to tell my dad not to leave for Indy yet.
PR had bad news. The bus looked full, they said, so they would not sell him a ticket over the phone.
My mom had bad news, too. My dad had left to do errands in town and did not have their cell phone with him. He might not be coming home before leaving for Indy.
We arrived in Gary about 35 minutes later, and I will admit to shooting up quite a few prayers en route. If there weren't any seats left, how was I going to explain to Chicklet6 and Bantam4 that instead of going to the zoo, we were going to spend the day at the bus stop in Gary, IN?
At the ticket counter, however, they didn't blink when B14 asked for a ticket on the 11:40 bus. (Thank you, Lord!) And what time would it arrive in Indianapolis? At 3:25, the same time my dad was planning to meet him. (The same bus, maybe?)
We had over an hour to wait for the bus, but being the ever-prepared homeschool mom, I had just HAPPENED to bring along our chapter book, so we found an isolated corner and I read aloud one chapter, much to B14's embarassment and my own enjoyment. It passed the time, and soon, he was hugging us all goodbye and I watched as his broad shoulders disappeared up the steps of the bus. He had just asked me to measure his height the day before--5'9". Where did that little boy with the bowl haircut go?
That morning I had optimistically checked my homeschool mom's schedule of free days at the Chicago museums, thinking that perhaps we could go to the zoo AND a museum. It was a free day at the Museum of Science and Industry, I discovered--and those are infrequent! It was closer to Gary too. We'll go there first, I told the remaining kids. The zoo is free every day.
Long story short, we had a great time at the MS&I from 1:30 to 3:30, but then I had to make the unpopular decision to head home, hopefully avoiding the worst of the rush hour traffic, instead of going to the zoo as well. I considered going to the zoo during rush hour and heading for home at 6:00 or so...but I had a meeting at 7 and wasn't sure that would be enough time. Without traffic, it might be, but as it was, it took us nearly two hours. None of them napped.
Yet I squirm to think of how much more difficult that day COULD have been. And what if I had only had print-outs of Yahoo! Maps directions (which would have been useless after the first stop) instead of Papa Rooster's GPS? Thank you, Lord, for your outpouring of mercy!
And B14 is there now, with my family, doing a man's work with men I love. I am so grateful.
And trying not to worry!
(It doesn't help that we haven't seen or heard from Blondechick16 since Tuesday morning, while she's gone on an Outward Bound-type camping experience with all her sophomore classmates, designed to teach character, teamwork and self-knowledge. No iPods, laptops, cell phones, makeup--or bathrooms. Sleeping in tents and digging your own hole in the woods. She arrives home this afternoon. If she hasn't frozen to death....)
Thursday, June 04, 2009
Generation Me
Perhaps, one day, we will say that the recession saved us from a parenting ethos that churns out ego-addled spoiled brats. And though it is too soon to tell if our economic free fall will cure America of its sense of economic privilege, it has made it much harder to get the money together to give our kids six-figure sweet-16 parties and plastic surgery for graduation presents, all in the name of "self esteem." And that's a good thing, because as Jean Twenge and W. Keith Campbell point out in their excellent book "The Narcissism Epidemic," released last week, we've built up the confidence of our kids, but in that process, we've created a generation of hot-house flowers puffed with a disproportionate sense of self-worth (the definition of narcissism) and without the resiliency skills they need when Mommy and Daddy can't fix something.
Read the whole article here.
Thanks, Anette!
Tuesday, June 02, 2009
Identity Crisis
Last night, we read the story of Rumplestiltskin. As you know, the Queen tries out many different names in order to guess the name of the little man who has a claim to her first-born.
When we finished, Bantam4 sighed, "I want to change my name."
"Oh?" I questioned. "What would you like to change it to?"
He smiled his little boy, heart-melting smile. "Larry." He thought a minute. "Larry Boy."
This morning I greeted him, "Good morning, Larry! How are ya?"
He responded, "I changed my name again."
"Oh, what do you want us to call you now?"
"[Bantam4]. I changed my name to [Bantam4]."
And it continues:
He just appeared at my elbow, shirt off, like his big brother Bantam10.
"Look at my fat tummy."
"Oh, did you eat all your cereal?"
"Yes, I did. I don't like flat tummies."
"Oh, who has a flat tummy that you don't like?"
"Well, Bantam10 has a flat tummy, and sometimes he can't eat all his cereal."
When we finished, Bantam4 sighed, "I want to change my name."
"Oh?" I questioned. "What would you like to change it to?"
He smiled his little boy, heart-melting smile. "Larry." He thought a minute. "Larry Boy."
***
This morning I greeted him, "Good morning, Larry! How are ya?"
He responded, "I changed my name again."
"Oh, what do you want us to call you now?"
"[Bantam4]. I changed my name to [Bantam4]."
***
And it continues:
He just appeared at my elbow, shirt off, like his big brother Bantam10.
"Look at my fat tummy."
"Oh, did you eat all your cereal?"
"Yes, I did. I don't like flat tummies."
"Oh, who has a flat tummy that you don't like?"
"Well, Bantam10 has a flat tummy, and sometimes he can't eat all his cereal."
Monday, June 01, 2009
Good Reading!
What better way to kick off the Pentecost season than with a carnival! There are ideas for celebrating Pentecost as a family, as well as meditations and testimonies on the Holy Spirit's work in the lives of believers. I can't wait to work my way through all the entries this week. Go and be blessed!
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