The Fragments That Were

Mommy's Idea
Today is December 7, and it may be a very routine day for everyone... but 71 years ago this day sealed the fate of an entire generation and threw this country into WWII. Yesterday I read a heartfelt memorial to the attack on Pearl Harbor. I have always wanted to visit this memorial, because just the pictures alone bring tears to my eyes.

At Fort Bragg my husband was assigned to Hope Chapel. That chapel held its first worship service December 7. While the soldiers and families knelt to pray, their countrymen and fellow military brothers were being attacked. Moments after the service let out, reports were circulated about Pear Harbor. It was always a reminder for me that my small world and perspective were not all there was to know in the world.

On this memorable morning, I link in with Mrs 4444 to unload this weeks fragments ;-) If you have tidbits running around your head, come on over and dump them too!!


 
I have now experienced my second earthquake in just two years. I will reiterate that I have no idea how Californians deal with these things. During the quake in DC, I had the mental capacity to get my family out of the house. Monday when the quake hit here in Alaska, I felt as if I couldn't move at all! I was also mentally torn with dragging my half dressed children out into 1* weather. My father, who lived in CA while serving in the Navy, gently lectured me on the subject. "It would be better to be safely standing outside, even in cold weather, than trapped under a houseful of debris."

After the wind storms, I just assumed at first that the house was shaking again with the wind. It took the Christmas tree to nearly tip over before I realized what was going on. We made it as far as the front room and then froze. But since we do live on the side of a small hill, I believe that my father is right. I would rather stand outside than roll down the hill inside our 'cabin'.

You can hear about the quake that demolished Anchorage in 1964 here. It also turned the hay flats from prime pasture land into a marshy wasteland suitable only for moose.




I found a brilliant idea for stockings!!! Mari shared something she discovered on Pinterest and I just love it!! She also gave me an 'out' for the stocking labels I have been meaning to cross-stitch this past year. And don't get me started on the frustration of having an older sewing machine that wants to fight the super fluffy white part of that stocking :-(

My Little Corner of the World: Testing Pinterest

We also had a couple birthdays this week. If you would like to read about them click here ;-)



I love talking with other 'mothers of boys', it just makes me aware that I am not alone in the universe attempting to deal with these small males...
Ah, Kay gave me some great comic relief last night.  ... while trying to get dinner on the table for her children.  Apparently, two of them decided jump the gun and microwave their hot dog instead of letting it boil with everyone else’s.  So Kay was lecturing them on how they still have to wait for everyone else’s food to be done before they can start eating, and she finished the lecture with, “You are not even eating off a plate!”  Now, that has really nothing to do with waiting for everyone else to eat dinner, other than the fact that it is just further evidence of their uncivilized behavior.
It struck me as hilarious because, in the first place, it sounds like something out of a Jeff Foxworthy routine, and secondly, it struck a chord with me.  It was probably in her tone, which had a note of shock and disgust.  The fact that children are actually not just small adults never fails to amaze me.  You know, I expected that they would have an unhealthy fascination with the various things that can be flushed down a toilet, they would ask a lot of questions about things, and there would be concepts that I would have a difficult time explaining to them.  But there are just some times when I am completely thrown by the behaviors of these tiny people.  Like their complete inability to refrain from touching everything at the store.  Even if they are threatened with grave consequences, they literally cannot keep themselves from trying to climb into the freezer cases at the grocery store.  Why?  What is the appeal?  Or the fact that if they tell you something and your attention is elsewhere, they repeat the same thing over and over and over again until you acknowledge it (usually by saying, “Yes!  I heard you!”  in an irritated tone, which I am sure is not the response they were hoping for).   And then there is the wiggling.  Now, at some magical point when they were toddlers, both my boys learned to anticipate the movements of getting dressed and began to cooperate with me.  But I cannot say the same thing about bathing and drying.  I am already leaning way over into the tub and my back is killing me, must you really sit yourself down at the very end of my reach and then squirm all over the place?
There was just a tone of, “Why on earth do you do these ridiculous things?”  And that tone is so often in my head with my boys…

This coming Saturday is the infamous Army vs. Navy football game. Navy has won this thing 10 years in a row now and last year we were deep in the thick of Navy country being so close to Annapolis. Even our MD church was full of Navy!!! So we had some good natured ribbing from many sides. Our unit Christmas party also got in on the friendly competition last year, which I caught on video. I am also aware that most are sick to death of the Psy parodies, but the Cadets over at West Point (the Army academy) made a parody for the upcoming game ;-)

GO ARMY, BEAT NAVY!!!


Comments

  1. Lovin' the Ms Snowwomen cartoon at the top of your blog.

    I raised two girls and two boys. Each came with their own set of "issues."

    Once, when youngest son was about 3, I looked up to see him dashing past the dining room window, through the snow, in his little cowboy boots and whitey tighties.

    WHAT ARE YOU DOING, I said as I shooed him indoors. WHY ARE YOU OUT THERE LIKE THAT?

    "Kelly made me do it." was his reply - - - of course, Kelly is his older brother.

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    1. Hilarious!! Wait, I think my cousins had me do something similar...

      Girls definitely have their own issues, I prefer boys, I understand boys, my girl...

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  2. My husband says he can't take me anywhere because I'm a "toucher." We were at the Nature Museum once and I just "had" to touch this deer. I wanted to know if it was real. Well, I set off an alarm and we haven't been to the Nature Museum since. If we had kids, I can only imagine what kind of trouble they'd get into with a mom like me!

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  3. It sounds like you're really busy! We've had a few "tremors" here; it feels so weird to feel the earth moving. It's just not natural! :)

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    1. I completely agree with you, it is very unnatural.

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  4. I went to the Memorial on my honeymoon. It was such a powerful experience.

    Glad you are all safe!

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    1. Thanks, me too. I still want to go see it, even though I know I will cry.

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  5. Speaking of Gangnam Style parodies -- have you seen the Salina/KSU boys' "Farmer Style" parody?! 6.5 million views in six days! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LX153eYcVrY They made another one this summer called "I'm Farming and I grow it" a parody of "I'm sexy and I know it." HIL-A-RIOUS!! The boys (young men?) were honored on the field during the K-State / Texas game last week.

    Go Wildcats!!! Go Farmers! And go Hawkeyes, even though our football team was non-existent this year. :/

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    1. Oh I know it!! It's like they forgot how to play football or something???!!!

      I loved the farming style video! Good call, Mel ;-)

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