I never promised you a bed of roses

I vaguely remember a country song from when I was little that said "I beg your pardon. I never promised you a rose garden." I also remember my mother quoting it to me from time to time when things didn't go my way or seemed harder than I felt was necessary. This phrase is kind of Biblical. God doesn't promise an easy life. Actually, I think he promises us just the opposite.

These past few weeks have been pretty wild and woolly for our family. Mimi checked into the hospital to have her pacemaker replaced. Papa and Aunt Eva moved into our house. Nathan flew off to Hong Kong and returned for 36 hours then flew back out to Trinidad. I figured the only way we were going to survive would be to adhere to a strict schedule. So, I began to plan out how these 10 days of upheaval would go. Strict meal times, bed times, and frequent activities. That lasted about 1 day. Maybe 1 day. Which actually wasn't so bad because the kids were doing great. Listening and obeying and being helpful. I thought "well, this is going to be a breeze." Just after this thought emanated from my brain, just like a house of cards, the order of our house began to collapse.

First, the boys would ransack a room and leave it. After twice, I began to lose my cool. I thought the weather warming up would be the solution but then they would go outside and drag their toys in trails out there. Of course, the nice weather was short-lived. I was left to pick up toys in the backyard, in the dark, before the rain began. After the rain, Carter figured out how to open the garage, so there was a trail of those toys leading into the yard. The weather became an official cold snap and Carter had his first soccer game which he refused to participate in. I have to admit it was too cold for me. We sat all huddled up trying to keep warm. I kept trying to encourage him to go in and run around and he'd warm up, but he refused. However, he loves his new uniform. His team is black and he happily announced "I makes me look like Dark Vader!" He, therefore, wants Will and me to wear white so that we can be "stoom troopers." Carter and I have been bonding during Star Wars Sundays on Spike tv. One would think that I would own the entire double trilogy, but I don't. Just the last three which were really the first three. Carter sits riveted to the tv as Luke and his friends battle the Evil Empire and free the galaxy.

As my patience was waned, Carter has shown great patience with me. He hasn't lost his temper or even seemed upset. Of course, when you're upset with someone and they stay calm it only makes you angrier. Especially when it's a 5 year old. I'll be happy when he grows out of his current phase. He is clearly testing the limits to see where he stands. God will have to show us, his parents, and extra portion of mercy as we figure out how to deal with his developing independence and confidence.

As we were driving down the road a few nights ago, Carter announced to me that he likes 3 things: Candy, Girls, and Cats. I kind of wanted to laugh but was pretty insulted that his family wasn't on the list. I questioned him "What about God" trying to prod him into more acceptable priorities. He said "I said like; I love God. God is number 1." Oh, okay. Still no mention of his family. "What about your family?" "Well, okay, I'll put you at 10." I was then feeling the insult and told him 10 seemed awfully low for family when candy, girls, and cats didn't feed, clothe, and take care of him. In a blantant effort to just get me to be quiet he said , "Alright, 16, I'll put you at 16." Then I had to laugh. I negotiated myself even lower.

Watching Will is a lot of fun. He loves it when Nathan rolls Will's car window up and down. He'll just die laughing and that makes us laugh and do it more. He'll climb up on my bed at night and snuggle right up next to me in the sweetest, most loving way that will make you want him to never grow up. He is beginning to like giving hugs and kisses. As we would leave Mimi's hospital room, I would ask him to give her a hug and kiss and sure enough, he'd trot right over to her and plant one on her. She was enamored every time. He's so charming. His vocabulary grows as we read and read. Yesterday he said orange. Orange. I love to hear him call our names and listen to him ramble on in his own language. Last Friday, he laid a sentence on me and I was so shocked to hear multiple words strung together I said "excuse me? What did you say?" I really thought he'd said something I should have recognized. He's still a climber, but he gets it out on the club house in the back yard. Except that he won't slide down unless I hold his hand. I can't blame him really; it shoots him out across the yard and he lands with a thud. So, he goes out back with Carter, he climbs up and plays for awhile. I'll hear "ma-ma! Ma-ma!" I walk out there, hold his hand and he slides down. They could play out there all day it seems.

Finally, Carter told me about something that happened to him at school that made him mad. He explained it with such passion. I asked him what he said to the kids or Mrs. Barlow and he replied "I got mad in my head. I didn't say anything. I was thinking it in my head." Impressive.