Little Survivalist

Micah is turning out to be quite the survivalist. He is always bringing things to me and asking if they can be eaten. Lately, he has taken to savoring the flesh of the queen palm seed. We have a huge tree in the front yard that is continuously dropping "berries." They are orange, and mostly hard, but are covered in a fibrous, sweet flesh thats about and an eighth (or two) of an inch thick. Micah scrapes off the flesh from the fibers as if he was eating an artichoke, and chews on it forever. Natural gum, I suppose. We should probably start a plant identification course for our yard. Then the little squirrel might learn to avoid poison ivy and deadly nightshade. Pictured at left are queen palm fruits (not poisonous, but not generally conceived as edible, either; typical squirrel diet), berry from the "jamaican cherry" tree we're growing, and a leaf from the "cranberry hibiscus" shrub (tangy, and supposedly good for teas and salad, though we've yet to try).




Another joy he has is looking out his bedroom window for "ground apples" as we call them. The vine is really a nuisance weed, but produces a spiny orange pod with slimy red seeds inside. It's really known as a balsam apple, and is related to the cucumber and bitter melon species.
The kids do not like them (I had to fry one for Micah one day, because he thought he might rather like it cooked), but I have seen them sold dry in bulk online. My first occurance with this was when Micah was about 18 months old. He was playing by the front porch, and I discovered him eating something bright red. I grabbed the flower and leaf, and shot off to the computer for a few moments of bristling fear. Now I love the moments he wakes up in the morning, bolts upright, and looks out the window shouting, "look mom, grOUnd aaap-ples!" You'd think it was snow.

Seed thoughts

The heart is a garden
Where thoughts that we think
Are the seeds that we sow.
Every kind loving thought
Bears a kind loving deed,
While the thought that is selfish
Is just like a weed.

We must watch what we think
Each minute, all day;
We must pull out the weed thoughts
And throw them away.
And plant loving seed thoughts
So thick in a row,
That there will be no room
For weed thoughts to grow.

W.M. Walker


in our garden

 

dream harvest
(grown in Immokalee)




micah's birthday watermelon
(it wasn't ripe :)

TO BE A CHILD

A Day In The Life

"A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie."

The challenge is to distract yourself long enough to keep your mouth from watering.

Although I enjoy my job as a stay at home mom, I always find myself short in the qualities it truly takes to succeed. We're not talking about being uneccessarily hard on yourself. We're talking about bread and butter-- the simple logistics of what it takes to succeed as a family, and even as an individual.

Mom hereby announces that she is in the middle of a battle of selflessness, having chosen the road of least resistance too much to win easily. I am on the uphill, but luckily God is on my side.

Micah and Levi are growing in so many ways, and are our livelihood. Micah just turned 3. We would have some posted some pictures of his birthday party, but he slept through the whole thing. Poor kid wasn't feeling well. At least his guests had a good time. We saved him a piece of cake, and of course he enjoyed his presents upon waking.

Levi is 1 and going strong. He's a tough little critter, but loves to nuzzle in soft blankets. Noah and I have a running bet as to when he is going to outweigh Micah, but haven't decided on the jackpot yet. He loves to follow and play with his brother, and especially to sit right in the middle of the action. If I'm reading, he comes to sit on me. If Micah's digging, he tries to sit in his lap. If there is a toy, he'll get right on top. It's pretty funny, but I try to guide him towards respecting other people's space.

Micah is becoming a deep sea diver. He can get breaths of air and dive down to retrieve quarters, a Leatherman, or whatever else Daddy has decided to throw in the water. Levi loves the water too, and can hold his breath and float a little.

Speaking of which, Levi is crying. I'll have to continue this later.

Fun Moments

Micah's favorite-- a tractor ride!

Through the keyhole

Grammy with Levi at the beach

Found a frog!

What's goin on?

2 in the tub!

in the pool with cousins, Jessica and Johanna

My sister Marti at an EXPO--say!

Micah steps up to bat

And the school year starts off with a...splash?

September is here, along with school, hurricane Katrina, playgroup, and swimming. Swim skills might seem an odd addition for this time of year, but in South Florida the water's perfect.

Micah's biggest and most amazing accomplishment this week is his new found ability to get air after swimming under water. He watched another little girl do it and has somehow managed to teach himself. I think it's pretty common for kids to teach themselves once they get to a certain level of skill. I have to admit I'm proud of him, but he does all the work now! We hope that he'll be able to float at length and decently master survival skills by the end of the swim season.

Some friends and I recently started a playgroup that meets weekly. We are working out of a book called "Slow and Steady, Get Me Ready," and doing other activities. It's nice because we rotate houses. Every week a different mom hosts, plans activities, and provides lunch. There are four of us so far. And that's where Micah took swimming notes!

All the talk here is about New Orleans, and I'm learning a lot. It's interesting to learn about the separations of federal and state government, and how that comes into play at a time like this. I have a great Aunt who lived in the city, and is now displaced. It's a difficult time for everyone.

I'm finally teaching outside of my graduate degree. I got a job teaching 2 composition classes at Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU). It's turned out surprisingly well. I go to work 2 mornings a week, and Noah watches the boys. They do great with him, and it's good for me to get away for a little while. I also learn quite a bit myself as I plan my lessons and teach. I feel like a student again!

Levi is the smiliest, happiest little boy. He is so easygoing and loves his family. Micah is learning how to be a big brother. Tonight we had another 5 month old little boy over, and Micah was very affectionate. He went up behind little Elijah and put his arms around him. Later he gave him a hug, and then transferred that to Levi, hugging him too. I really hope the boys will play as they get older! Micah asks every person who comes over to come and play with the legos or train set!

Noah just reminded me that blogs are supposed to be short. Well, next time :)

Goin' Back to Cali

It seems like a trend is emerging. Every two years it seems like we have this block of time where we end up taking a long trip across the country. The first time it was Brin and me in the VW. Then Micah on the plane to CA, camping in the Sierras. Now Micah and Levi are coming to CA with us to tour the coast and look for El Dorado.

Things just seem to be happening this way, and as time progresses, unexpectedly. I have always been a risk taker, but it seems like the temptation of living up to adult responsibility is being overpowered by the great adventure, of which I am a part. Kinda like the hulk over powering Bruce. The two were so different and at extremes of power, but they still had influence over each other.

Where will this adventure take us? I am not sure and it does not have to meet my designs.

Just get in the boat and paddle.

Levi..an art form 

Micah and Levi.....playing nice. 

In front of our home in Naples 

The Top of the Hill Is Potential Energy

So we had been working on the house and becoming what I thought was the typical suburban lifestyle. Well, God must have had something different in mind.

A surprise phone call on Nov. sent us to Jacksonville. I had been offered a position as an aquatic preserve manager for the state. It was a singular opportunity to operate a field office and work with other federal, state, and local governments to cooperate in the planning o coastal resources. I thought great! I will be near the coast with good surf (not CA consistency), and get to do something challenging.

The position was very interdisciplinary and would take roughly-6 months to get a handle on it. Unfortunately, I only had about 2 months of actual hands on experience, when my supervisor made a surprise visit and asked me to resign.

So after living in the mother-in-laws home cramped in a small room with Micah, Brinly w/ baby, in two single beds we said, lets get out of here! Brinly was due with Levi (at the time we thought it was Lily) in Apr and we had to make the choice of staying or risking the trip to Naples and back to our home.

To sum it up, we packed up and moved in the Honda and a '88 Cadillac Tom gave us. What a sight we were!

Levi was born on Apr 11th and we have been home unpacking and enjoying time as a family. We will wax on more but for now will wane until a brief bit of breakfast.

Smooth Jazz in the Background Year

Does it ever seem like the start of your life was when your child was born? Although I remember a time when I was single and when it was only Brinly and I, I find that my father-in-law Tom was quite accurate when he said it as though the kids have always been there. Tis' true.

Well since I can remember a vestage of our life before Micah, I might as well record it for history's sake.

Noah and Brinly (there was a time when I referred to myself as I instead of we!)

Met in Gainesville, FL at the University of FL in 1996.
Married 2.4 years later.
Graduate school until 2003.
Micah came the day Noah defended his masters.
Traveled around visiting family.
Got a position with FDEP in Naples, FL while visiting mom.
Have been in Naples for 10 months working and remodeling house.