June 30, 2015

Sethisms

Seth is seven (and a half) and hilarious.  He has so many weird-isms that he keeps us all laughing, all day long.  A while back, I started keeping track of his "isms" on social media using the hashtag #sethisms.  This is nice because when I click on it, I can easily see them all. 
 
Here are some of my recent favorites:
 
 
May 1:  My boys have decided they are twins.  No really.  Twins.  But oh, they are born on different days. 
#sethisms
 
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April 24:  Mom, how do turtles get their shells and keep them on?
 
I don't know, Seth.
 
{moments of silence}
 
Mom, does your mom know more than you?  #sethisms
 
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May 10:  Happy Mother's Day to all my friends around the world.  Hopefully your card was addressed to "Mommy" rather than "Deb" like mine was.  #sethisms
 
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April 2:  Hey Zechariah.  Wanna look at a germ through my microscope?
 
Sure, Seth!
 
{Loudest most disgusting hawker ever}
And there you have it.  #sethisms
 
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June 30:  Seth used his money to purchase a Luigi action figure from Amazon.  He knows it comes today.  In honor of that event, he woke up at 5 a.m. to stalk the mailman who usually comes about 5 p.m. and he's now playing endless "chords" on the piano by the window in anticipation of his arrival.
 
Shortly thereafter, he started opening the {alarmed} front door ever one minute, resulting in regular {and not annoying at all} beeps.  #sethisms
 
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June 18:  Talking to Seth about the woman who will be his live-in nanny in the fall and he says, "So she will be in our family now?"
 
What a beautiful reflection of our Father in heaven.  All those who live in His house are family.  #sethisms
 
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June 15:  When your brother sleeps in:
#sethisms
 
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Zechariah wants to know why I won't take him to the next Blackhawks' game.  {see $15,000 playoff tickets}
 
Meanwhile, Seth wants to know when the Hawks and Bears play each other.  #sethisms
 
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I just asked Seth where something was.  His response?
 
"In my stuffed animal herd."  #sethisms
 
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That time when you're mowing the yard and a homeless man comes up insisting he finish for you . . . without pay.  This ain't my first rodeo.... I knew.... but I let him.  He was careful, slow and thorough.  Then he explained his situation and needs.  We talked.  The kids were watching.  So I cam inside to eleventy billion questions about why he is homeless while we packed him a dinner before he could bolt.  He swept the sidewalk with his feet while he waited.  Love opportunities like this.  And of course, Seth wants to know why Ronzel can't live with us.  #sethisms
 
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I don't know why germs eat our teeth and give us cavities.  Stupid germs.  #sethisms
 
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May 28:  Mom, why doesn't Jesus have glory?  #sethisms
 
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Seth:  "When we live in heaven, we get God's last name.  Jesus"  #sethisms
 
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May 18:  Apparently distressed by my infrequent use of the bathroom lock, I found my door knob this morning, completely covered in tape.  #sethisms
 
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May 12:  Was just introducing the kids to Rahab's Corner so we could buy some of the needed supplies.  I said, "We are going to help women who are living on the streets.  Some of them have been hurt by people.  We are going to help them be safe."
 
Seth:  "If I see anyone hurt those people I'm going to PROTECT them!"
 
And then he chose to purchase a pad lock.  #sethisms
 
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Doesn't everyone bite a hole in the bottom of their taco and eat the insides through that hole?  #sethisms
 
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May 2:  Seth says, "Mom, it's too hot.  70 degrees is fine but 75 is over the top"
#sethisms
 
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"First one in bed is a clean egg!!"  #sethisms
 
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On reading his adoption book which reads, "Once Seth joined her life, Deb became a Mommy!"
 
Seth:  "Mom, what were you before?"
#sethisms
 
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April 22:  "Mom, am I going to be dunked when I get baptized?" 
#sethisms
 
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April 3:  "Mom, what color am I?  Cuz you know I'm half blank and half Ugandan.  So what does that make me?"  #sethisms
 
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March 20:  On returning home from work late one evening.... "Oh hey mom.  Did you take your pajamas with you?"  #sethisms
 
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February 21:  I found this in Seth's backpack.
Dear mom, I love you more than dogs; you are as sweet as pancakes.  My love for you is as big as the world.  You are my sweet pumpkin.  Love, Seth
#sethisms
 
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Oh how I love this boy!

June 28, 2015

Inside Out

We recently saw the Disney movie "Inside Out."
It's marketed as a kids movie about feelings inside of a little girl.  Honestly, I found it much more relevant and challenging to us adults than for kids, but my children seemed to enjoy it.

Because we saw the movie with friends, Zechariah ended up far away from me, at the other end of our long row of people.  After the movie, he confessed to having cried during some parts.  I didn't dig into it at the moment, but I assumed that it related to leaving Uganda and feeling joy and sorrow at the same time, something the movie addresses.  I put my arm around him and as we walked to the van, I chattered with him about how God gives us a full range of emotions about situations and it's good to feel them all.  Zechariah says he does and then he named them:  joy, anger, sadness, disgust . . . 

At bedtime, I intentionally raised the movie because I wanted to open the door to more conversation on this topic.  I specifically asked Zechariah what made him cry during the movie.  He immediately started to cry and could barely squeak out, "The part when she stood up in school and said she was missing home."  Zechariah sobbed.  Leah clung to him.  Seth protested and said we should stop talking about it.  Immediately.

Seth had to excuse himself (he can't do "sadness" yet) and Zechariah, Leah and I snuggled and talked about how when we allow the sadness to come out, just like at the end of the movie, then joy can start to sneak back in because the sadness is released.  I told Zechariah that it is OKAY to feel sad about Uganda.  I told him it's OKAY to miss it; it's OKAY to miss friends; it's OKAY to feel angry that his life worked out the way it did.  And none of these things hurt my feelings.

At base, I'm thankful for Inside Out because it may help us start to unpack real feelings about adoption and life and Uganda.  Because adoption:  it's not all rainbows and unicorns.

June 27, 2015

Lyns and the girls

We have been so thrilled to have Lynsay, Mercedes and Adria at our house this week.
Lynsay's girls and my kids get along so well . . . it's almost freakishly well.
Love it.






Hazel Snap Dragon

Introducing.... coming soon to a Steiner household near you....
Hazel Snap Dragon
{unless we change our minds again}
















With the number of times this dog is sticking her tongue out at me, I'm pretty sure we're in trouble....
July 12.
Home date.
Pray for us. 

Happy Father's Day!


This guy.
Father and Grandfather.
Grateful.

Anna and Evan

A few days ago, I went looking through my blog for something from years ago.  This took me on a {fantastic} trip down memory lane.  Because of that, I've decided I have to find time to keep this going.  Here comes a barrage of posts.  Hah.

Anna and her boyfriend visited us a couple of weeks ago.
It was precious to see how excited the kids were to see one of their grown up cousins.
On Saturday, we went to Navy Pier and Millennium so Evan could check out Chicago for the first time.




 Seth was the only one tall enough to ride the swings {so far}






 I crazy love this picture:




 


 I told him to throw that girl IN



 Took a spill; need a Momma
 Cartwheel girl



Welcome to Summer!