Hobbies

If my boys are left to choose their own adventure, it is easy to know what they will run towards. Hudson is currently obsessed with Angry Birds (Star Wars edition) and would play for hours on the iPad if left to his own timetable.

Tucker can be found making laps around the family room table with his beloved Cars cars.

Remember how I was going to try to keep my kids away from the heavily marketed stuff?!? Yeah, what happened to that Mama?

(You can find the link to last month's Tucker pictures here.)

Soccer Round 5

I'll be interested to see what activities Hudson chooses to participate in as he grows older. As we have started this 5th "season" of soccer, I am not sure if he chooses to play because he always has or whether he just likes the post-game snacks that much. (I am putting my money on the latter.)

He doesn't really seem to be improving his skills, per se. Although he has spent less time rolling around on the field this season. He continues to be a vocal cheerleader/motivational coach for his teammates. However, his style of motivation falls more squarely in the Bob Knight school of thought. Frankly sometimes I am terrified as I hear him yelling "RUN FASTER" with a harsh tone and passionate conviction. Rarely does he run faster when he is out on the field.

Plugging his ears as the kids were all singing "Let It Go"

I am disappointed he will not be able to do tennis lessons this summer. I think he will have to be in a sport where his success is placed squarely on his own shoulders. Those individual sports, namely cross country and swimming, always produced teenagers who were equally great in the classroom. Too bad Angry Birds does not translate into an IHSAA sport.

The coaches are so great. They exhibit such patience for these gnat-sized attention spans and lack of coordination the little players show. I am the mom telling Hudson to "rub some dirt in it" every time he falls and scrapes a knee. Good Lord knows we need more band-aids than we should. I hope I remember to take them to China!

Always the social butterfly, Hudson enjoys being able to talk to those we get to see because of soccer. He loves to talk to his long time friend CJ, who even spent the night at our house last week. They talk about Angry Birds and the weather and school and about who is right and who is wrong on most of life's deepest subjects. Seeing his friends on the other team does not stop his need to have a social conversation with them too-- even if it happens to be in the middle of an actual game. There is no room for him to worry about kicking the ball with all these fresh faces and ears to attend to. Talking to Coach Craig, about game strategy, no doubt, is much more enjoyable than using all his energy running around.

Can't believe we will miss next season. 

Stupid things people say

As much as I like an opinionated person, I've had a lion's share of people bestow upon me some pretty stupid commentary on their take of our decision to move to China with the kids. I desperately tried to forgive and forget --for example-- the numbskull who suggested we "sell our house and start new" when we return home from Asia. I mean, WHAT? Are you kidding me? Have you seen my kitchen (wink)? I am not going to sell my house just because we are taking a couple of month expat job!

I sometimes think our society just feels more comfortable sharing their opinions than they used to. Social media like Facebook and even this blog probably invite people to think it is okay to give me their two cents on our choices. I am aware I am emotional lately but it is just really hard to be in the recipient of so many people's thoughts on (specifically) whether the kids and I should go over with Josh.

Not that I feel like we owe anyone an explanation, but just for the record, the reason we are going with Josh to China has as much to do with these three pictures as anything else. The boys need their dad. There is no reason why we need to keep them apart. China might be new, strange, smelly, and different, but the boys will be just fine because we will be with them. We will protect them just as we do every single day here in the United States. It is not more dangerous there. If anything, it sounds a heck of a lot safer than Indianapolis these days. 

I found out last Friday that my blog is blocked in China, so for the period of time that we are there, I doubt that I will be able to document our life as it happens. While that is a bummer from the standpoint of "baby booking" the kids' life (which is this blog's goal), I wonder if it won't be a little bit better in the long run. Social media is a great way to keep in touch with each other, but it never can replace the knowledge that close friendship shares, nor should it invite unsolicited opinions.



But, that is just MY opinion.

Things I hate about this picture

In least to most offensive order:

3. My fuzzy hair
2. My huge arm
1. How OLD my son looks!!!

How LONG was this winter? When did Hudson grow up? It must be the belt he is wearing! :)

Wordless Wednesday: Genetics

Instalife: our week in pictures

Eating popcorn is always cooler when you do it on your back.

I defeated this sty (Tucker's right eye) and continue to feel grossed out by the word.

First soccer practice of the season was a rainout, but the make up day was gorgeous.

Someone's obsession with Angry Birds continues with no signs of reprieve.

Mr. T seems to think that he is getting too big for napping, so we don't get our necessary break every day, but on this particular afternoon, Mama demonstrated her skills.

Big as a bus seat

I am not really sure God is playing fair this week. It has been a doozy. Well, now that I think about it, Tuesday was really just a pickle.

First, we found out some more specifics on our China-bound life. And that made a concept that I thought had been recognized and processed back to feeling like a fresh decision. Suddenly everything feel a new level of REAL.

And THEN, a particular little man who is my Little Man had to register for kindergarten. He is no bigger than a bus seat and I have to comprehend that his full time schooling is about to start?!?



No, I don't need another Tuesday like that again for awhile.

Green Eggs and Ham.

Pediatricians will say that a toddler is the best dieter because they only eat when they are hungry. I will say that that is crap.
On Saturday the only thing he ate was a piece of string cheese and Sun Chips and a slice of bacon. This was his intake all day. Despite 3 squares in front of him, that is all he wanted.

Tucker's appetite does tend to perk up when unhealthy foods are around. So, it is my job as his mother, who does not want him to die of scurvy, to constantly present him with healthy choices in hopes that near the brink of starvation he will cave.

Honestly though, the kid does love fruit. But I am so bad about buying the right quantity of it. We either have way too much or not near enough. It either ends up molding in the fridge or reproducing itself into greater quantities while we sleep. However, the other night he started eating some watermelon and so I kept cutting it up. He ate about 3 pounds, but small victories, right?!

The one food he does love is pizza. He can eat a whole Pizza King small pizza himself. However, so can I, so I try not to have one of those around.

This came across my newsfeed the other day. It made me laugh because the red portion is totally Hudson.

He become irrationally ravenous each day the minute I walk into the kitchen to start dinner. Hudson loves to eat. He has 3 foods that he will not touch (mushrooms, olives, and tomatoes) but all else is gravy. Interestingly (or should I say "actually") he has only the ability to eat a specific quantity of a certain food. Mid-meal he will be stuffed of the chicken, but still has room in his "ice cream compartment". And the kid is a totally candy hound. Sugar anything is his best friend. Quite literally, six seconds after any meal, after he has told you he is totally stuffed, after he has shown you his protruding belly, he wants a piece of candy.

So, I will continue to think about Green Eggs and Ham at every meal where one kid pushes away his plate and the other chows down.

Life in Limbo.

Oh, where to begin.

I doubt we ever quit learning something out about ourselves. At least for myself, at age 39 I have figured out a piece to the personality puzzle which will help me the rest of my days.  Sit down for this. It will shock you.

I like to be in control.

Ha! Yes, everyone knows this. Shut up. And…

….I don't like Living in Limbo.

And yet, that is where I have taken up residence.

Since you are sitting, let me hit you with this little bomb…we are moving to China.

Well, there is an 80 percent chance of this. Enough for us to emotional wreck the grandparents and, it would seem, find ourselves in the most precarious position.  For Josh's job, it would be good for us to do a short term expat assignment on the other side of the world where they speak a language I don't.

Heather's iPhone searching. Note the time of day.

And yet, for 100 reasons that you can figure out for yourself, we need to do this. And, after much thought, it is something we WANT to do. So, it appears that it will happen mid-summer.

I am a goal-oriented person. Give me a task and I will get you there. (Yes, Josh, I admit I also have ADD so I will do it in my own sweet way, but it will be completed.) Right now, I have, quite literally 50+ things that I can or can not do because I really don't know what life will look like in just 10 weeks. So, I write sad emails to current clients, avidly read tourist books, search for short-term rentals, mentally pack and unpack our four 40 pound suitcases over and again in my head, study culture and maps, download a Mandarin translation app on my iPhone, daily check the air quality in Asia, prepare for culture shock, stock up on Western medicines, create shopping lists, consider local housing issues, and-- finally-- genuinely pray each night that we are doing His will.



And now you know.

I am with you and will keep you wherever you go. Genesis 28:15

Home.

Home is where these two live. Plus that other little guy. 

Life is really changing. I will write of it soon. Right now, I don't have the words. Thankfully my playlist does. Lyrics for life today…

P.S. We traded in the Corvette on a Hudson-sized alternative.

"Home"

performed by Gabrielle Aplin

I'm a phoenix in the water
A fish that's learned to fly
And I've always been a daughter
But feathers are meant for the sky
And so I'm wishing, wishing further,
For the excitement to arrive
It's just I'd rather be causing the chaos
Than laying at the sharp end of this knife

With every small disaster
I'll let the waters still
Take me away to some place real

'Cause they say home is where your heart is set in stone
Is where you go when you're alone
Is where you go to rest your bones
It's not just where you lay your head
It's not just where you make your bed
As long as we're together, does it matter where we go?
Home home home home

So when I'm ready to be bolder,
And my cuts have healed with time
Comfort will rest on my shoulder
And I'll bury my future behind
I'll always keep you with me
You'll be always on my mind
But there's a shining in the shadows
I'll never know unless I try

With every small disaster
I'll let the waters still
Take me away to some place real

'Cause they say home is where your heart is set in stone
Is where you go when you're alone
Is where you go to rest your bones
It's not just where you lay your head
It's not just where you make your bed
As long as we're together, does it matter where we go?
Home home home home home home home home

'Cause they say home is where your heart is set in stone
Is where you go when you're alone
Is where you go to rest your bones
It's not just where you lay your head
It's not just where you make your bed
As long as we're together, does it matter where we go?
Home home home home home home home home

"Home"

performed by Phillip Phillips

Hold on, to me as we go
As we roll down this unfamiliar road
And although this wave (wave) is stringing us along
Just know you're not alone
Cause I'm gonna make this place your home

Settle down, it'll all be clear
Don't pay no mind to the demons
They fill you with fear
The trouble it might drag you down
You get lost, you can always be found

Just know you're not alone
Cause I'm gonna make this place your home

Ooo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo. Oo-oo-oo-oo [x2]
Aaa-aa-aa-aa-aa-aa-aa. Aa-aa-aa-aaaaaa [x4]

Settle down, it'll all be clear
Don't pay no mind to the demons
They fill you with fear
The trouble it might drag you down
If you get lost, you can always be found

Just know you're not alone
Cause I'm gonna make this place your home

"Home"

performed by Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros

Alabama, Arkansas,
I do love my Ma and Pa
Not the way that I do love you

Well, holy moly me oh my
You’re the apple of my eye
Girl, I've never loved one like you

Man, oh, man, you're my best friend
I scream it to the nothingness
There ain't nothing that I need

Well, hot and heavy pumpkin pie
Chocolate candy, Jesus Christ
Ain't nothing please me more than you

[Chorus:]
Home, let me come home
Home is wherever I'm with you
Home, let me come home
Home is wherever I'm with you

La la la la
Take me home
Mama, I'm coming home

I'll follow you into the park,
Through the jungle, through the dark
Girl, I've never loved one like you

Moats and boats, and waterfalls,
Alleyways, and payphone calls
I been everywhere with you (that's true)

Laugh until we think we'll die,
Barefoot on a summer night
Never could be sweeter than with you

And in the streets you run afree,
Like it's only you and me,
Geez, you're something to see.

[Chorus]

Home, let me come home,
Home is wherever I'm with you
Our home, yes, I am home,
Home is when I’m alone with you

Alabama, Arkansas,
I do love my Ma and Pa
Moats and boats, and waterfalls,
Alleyways, and payphone calls

Home is when I'm alone with you!
Home is when I’m alone with you