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Tag: Frog

What’s My Subject

Published on October 3, 2023 
It is Tuesday and time to write a 'Slice of Life." 
Thank you  Two Writing Teachers for creating this supportive community
of teacher-writers!

Years back, when I was part of a ‘new minister search committee’ for my church, someone opined – 

“All ministers have basically five great sermons - 
everything they preach falls into those five themes.”

This thinking stuck with me, leaving me wondering – is that true for my writing, as well? Do I just go round and round, talking over and over about the same thing? 

I have enjoyed Two Writing Teachers’ Slice of Life for many years, where I hone in on some experience from the previous week. As an early childhood teacher, there have been many slices about young children, and now that I am retired, my focus is often my grandchildren. I frequently write about my family, especially time spent with my husband and our travels. I enjoy writing about nature.

I strive to write about something unexpected that has happened, perhaps something as simple as an interaction with a stranger. Overall, I think these personal narratives do fall into five basic themes – 

capturing a moment in the present
how things change over time
looking at things from a different perspective
how to be in community with others
how grief works

and I suppose there is sometimes a 6th, which is a big messy conglomeration of all of the above.

What is the catalyst for this rumination of mine? 
My oldest grandchild is turning 5 this month. 
How in the world have five years gone by?

Now, I am looking through the past five years of my writing and trying to create a memory book – the poems and essays that I have written about this dear child. I’m not sure if this memory book is for her or me, lol. 

I am just amazed at the passage of time. 

What are your top five topics or themes of writing?

I’ll close with a short poem of this week’s surprise – an unexpected day with our soon-to-be- five-year-old granddaughter, because she was sick.

unwell

tiny feet are wedged against my hip
pinning me to this corner of the couch
she sleeps in a folded z 
holding my hand tightly

the inconsistent rap of her breath
an intermittent low moan 
dark shadowed eyes and sweaty locks of hair
poor sweet miserable one

how many hours of my life have been
intertwined with a sick child
watching the chest move up down
wondering if their symptoms are 
worsening

time 
stands

absolutely

s t i l l

until they are up and running again


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Alone together

Published on December 27, 2022

“I want to have alone time with Nana and Poppa.”

There is no greater gift than these words. My heart did a little dance when my daughter-in-law shared these with me.

“I want to have alone time with Nana and Poppa.”

Four-year-old Frog and Mom were driving to our house on the last day of school before winter break, to pick up little sister Bird from her day of care with us, when Frog named this want. 

She must have been reflecting, thinking … about Bird, her little sister, having a day with us, perhaps thinking about the fun we must have been having.

“I want to have alone time with Nana and Poppa.”

You see, Frog’s in full-time preschool now, and our time together is much reduced. She doesn’t get to be with us, her grandparents, very much at all, except for an hour or two at the end of a school day. 

Plus, our home was being remodeled over the past many months, and we couldn’t have the children over for sleepovers. 

“I want to have alone time with Nana and Poppa.”

We used to have a weekly overnight . . . long walks in the woods . . . fun in the kitchen, making pancakes and biscuits, washing dishes at the sink . . . all sorts of low-key fun, together.

We have to do something about this.

“I want to have alone time with Nana and Poppa.”

This afternoon, tonight, tomorrow morning: a special holiday sleepover. Frog and Bird together again, at Nana and Poppa’s. There’s no limit to the fun we’ll have together! 

Bounteous alone time – together.

A drawing by Frog of me, on our trip to Yellowstone this past summer

Doe a Deer

Published on October 18, 2022

As soon as Mom and big sister Frog leave for school, little Bird rushes to her sister’s bedroom and takes possession of Frog’s favorite stuffed animal, a toy deer. This toy is basically off-limits whenever her big sister is around, but ‘when the Frog’s away, the Bird will play.’ I’m impressed that Bird has created this routine, recognizing that school days are the best time to play with Frog’s dolls and toys. 

I haven’t shared anything about the grandkids in quite some time, so I thought this would be a fun topic for today’s slice. Let me see if I can find a few fun photos, too (without sacrificing the children’s privacy).

Here, Poppa and the girls make biscuits together.

Frog started preschool in August, leaving Bird in the care of her grandparents. (Both sets of grandparents share childcare, on different days of the week). Two year old Bird is getting lots of focused and loving one-on-one attention, and in these few weeks, we are all noticing a language explosion. To date, Bird hasn’t been as verbal as Frog, speaking primarily in one word utterances and relying primarily on nonverbal pointing and grunting. I credit her older sister with this…I mean, if Frog is speaking for you, why do you have to speak at all? Bird comprehends everything we are saying; she simply doesn’t try to talk – silence has been the path of least resistance. Now, however, with Frog away all day, five days a week, using her own voice has come in very handy. Bird’s language is truly blossoming.

For Bird, her sister’s toy deer reigns supreme. She loves to carry it throughout the house while Frog is at school, letting it keep her company as she plays with other toys and activities. Most days, she won’t be separated from it. She even likes me to perch the deer nearby to ‘watch her’ when she eats her meals. (We have to keep deer clean/away from the food, yes?) 

Here, a full menagerie joins us from a distance, to watch Bird eat lunch, lol.

In my very best Julie Andrews imitation, I started singing Doe a Deer as she carried that little toy around, and now we sing this all day long. I honestly think this one song has been the key to her stringing more than one word together, she loves this song so much. When I arrive in the morning, Bird now greets me with the words ‘doe a deer, Nana,’ and that’s my cue to start singing. Bird has learned every word of the song and sings along. She sings this to herself, too, and all of us are trying to capture a recording, but so far we have failed. Her singing is precious.

Our own house is in the midst of remodeling, so we come to Frog and Bird’s house to babysit rather than vice versa. It’s been eye-opening to see the children in their own world, becoming more familiar with their most favorite activities and where they like to spend their time. We have been having lots of fun together. Before Bird goes down for her midday nap, we always take time to put things back the way they were in Frog’s room, tidying the room to be welcoming for her when she comes home, and laying deer on Frog’s bed to greet her. 

Bird has her own favorite lovey, a chipmunk. Here, she feeds him acorns.

When she gets home from school, Frog needs a little bit of time to herself in her room (“quiet alone time”) and then we all have good fun together. The current favorite activities are dance parties, playdough, playing outside, building with Legos, and coloring. 

I’m so glad I know how to make homemade playdough!

That’s all for today, except to say – we are truly blessed by these little dears! (pun intended)

It’s Tuesday and I’m participating in the Slice of Life. Thank you, Two Writing Teachers, for creating this supportive community of teacher writers.