I'M Dawdling ... be back after Labor Day

Not dead ... just slowly recovering from bronchitis and entertaining company. Will be back after Labor Day when the youngin's head back to school. Be back soon.

On The Mend

Under the power of a nasty bug ... hope to resume a normal life soon.

Oh No ... Mr. Crow

The phrase, "Oh No, Mr. Crow" has a certain ring in our home. It's used to motivate Nathan to finish a task. At times he can dawdle. Sometimes it's just plain old delayed obedience. Other times I wonder if he understands what is being asked of him. All I know is that when we bring out his puppet called Mr. Crow, he gets a move on. Mr. Crow's beak makes a 'caw-caw' crowing noise when squeezed; rather realistic. Years ago, fear would wash across Nathan's face when he saw or heard Mr. Crow. Hubby would tease the poor boy quite often by just mentioning the name Mr. Crow. The puppet was given to Nathan by a former school aide as a going away gift. When he opened the present at home, he was filled with fear. I had a hard time sending the thank you note without fibbing about how much Nathan enjoyed the gift ... he wanted nothing to do with it. Now days, the fear has been replaced with love-hate. You should see Nathan at the county fair ... he wants nothing to do with the poultry exhibit ... something about the sound of a large bird just brings on panic.

"Sing to God a thanksgiving hymn,
play music on your instruments to God,
Who fills the sky with clouds,
preparing rain for the earth,
Then turning the mountains green with grass,
feeding both cattle and crows.
He's not impressed with horsepower;
the size of our muscles means little to him.
Those who fear God get God's attention;
they can depend on his strength."

Psalm 147:7-11 The Message Bible

A Mother's Intuition

• Motherese
• Eyes In The Back Of Her Head
• Chicken Soup
• You're Fibbing
• Tell Mama
• Let Me Kiss Your Boo-Boo
• Eat Your Veggies
• Drink Your Milk
• What Are You Up To?
• Sixth Sense
• Babble Translator
• Child Whisperer

Mom to the rescue. "Honey, what does your son mean ... I can't understand a word he's saying." These words have been ringing around our home more and more lately. Seems Mr. Mac's patience is wearing thin trying to understand Nathan. Now Nathan, being the possessor of an extra chromosome, does have quite a time with words. He babbles nonsense words 90% of the time; nonsense to the untrained ear ... words nonetheless. A language of the heart and soul that is much like a dance. In order for a person to understand the language, one must first take specialized 'dance' lessons. These lessons involve patience, time, and a well trained ear. If a person repeats the same grunting tone for the same need over and over for say 12 years or more, that becomes his/her own language. A language just the same as English, Japanese, or French. Foreign only to those that don't know it ... but a language just the same. Imagine how intelligent a person has to be to invent their own set of words. Intelligence that is God given. Maybe I need to start writing down a word for word translation in book form. It would be a best seller with our family and friends. I'm accepting advance orders. ... And if you'd care to join Mr. Mac in a "Beginners Nate-lish 101" language course, sign-up in the comment section ... classes begin in September ;)

"God took one look and said, "One people, one language; why, this is only a first step. No telling what they'll come up with next—they'll stop at nothing! Come, we'll go down and garble their speech so they won't understand each other." Then God scattered them from there all over the world. And they had to quit building the city. That's how it came to be called Babel, because there God turned their language into "babble." From there God scattered them all over the world."
From Geneses 11:9 (The Message Bible)

Big Wheels = Big Deal

OK, so I've had this boy's bike sitting in a box unassembled for over two years now ... but, by golly, it's finally put together and he (Nathan) can actually ride it (albeit with training wheels). Go Nathan!

Goodnight Darling

Upon retiring to bed Thursday night ... Mr. Mac took on a strange new look.