12 Days of Large-Family Christmas

This is a lot of fun! :) Ignore the key-change mid final verse... sorry as a music geek I had to say it.

I think it's crazy that people get so many comments with 7 kids while just two generations ago that was the norm!

Merry Christmas!!
As a bonus, one of my favorites EVER:

PS- 1. this group was known for performing "Africa" 2. one member (you'll know which) had earlier complained about the lack of non-Christmas songs in the "Holiday" concert schedule

Made Your Flu Shot Lately?

Ok, so I find this both hilarious and profoundly gross. Twice I dry-heaved while watching it, even as I was laughing my head off. But that might be because I'm pregnant. Ryan kept telling me "it's not even real, it's just water in the blender..." Anyway, here's a humorous reminder of what you might be about to shoot directly into your bloodstream or up your child's nose.

Translation because I'm a nerd... Can't resist dialects and idoms!

"The knight (referring I think to "Bonnie Prince Charlie"), being fearless, did march down to Bristle Brae
Through Tranent (town in East Lothian, Scotland) ever he did stand as fast as he could go
While General Cope (English general who was ordered to raise troops and put a stop to the Jacobite uprising) did taunt and mock with many a loud hurrah,
Before the cock crowed the next morn we heard another crow

The brave Lochiel (Donald Cameron of Lochiel, 19th Chief of clan Cameron, who aided Bonnie Prince Charles in his effort to take over) as I heard tell, led Cameron (meaning clan Cameron) on in clouds man
The morning fair with clear air, they let loose with devilish thuds man
They threw down their (the English's) guns, drew their own swords, and soon did chase them off man
On Seaton's crafts (referring to the hills around Port Seton, maybe?) they burst their jaws and made them run like crazy man

The bluff dragoons swore by God's blood and wounds that they'd make the rebels run man
And yet they fled when they saw them, and wouldn't fire their guns man
They turned their backs, taken with fits- such terror siezed them a' man
Some wet their cheeks some fouled their breeches and some fainted for fear man

Smith* made such haste by spurring his beast 'twas little there he saw man
To Berwick he rode and safely said "the Scots are rebels!" a' man
He didn't stand still until he got over Soutra Hill, before he tasted meat man
Long may he brag about his swift nag that bore him away so quickly man

But Gardner* brave did still behave like a hero bright man
His courage true, like him were few, that still despised flight man
For king and laws and country's cause in Honour's bed (dying in battle) did fall man
His life but not his courage fled while he had breath to draw man

At yon thorn tree that you may see beneath the meadow mill man
There's many slain lie on the plain the clans pursuing still man
Such uncouth whacks and deadly hacks I never saw the likes man
Their actions cost those that fell near Preston Dykes their hands & hides, man"

Those Men That God Made Mad

"The [Celts:] men that God made mad.
For all their wars are merry
And all their songs are sad." --G.K. Chesterton

Except their warsongs, of course!! I am LOVING this one (an account of the Battle of Prestonpans, from the 2nd Jacobite rising, in which the royal English troops fled in terror from charging Highlanders, accompanied- of course- by loud pipes) on my new Tannahill Weavers CD! E & I are dancing to it... Enjoy the words. I LOVE the brogue!! Oh to know how to dance to pipes and pennywhistles... Here is the Tannahill Weaver's abbreviated version of the popular "Trenet Muir"

"The chevalier being void o' fear did march doon Birsle Brae man
Through Tranent e'er he did stent as fast as he could gae man
While General Cope did taunt and mock wie many a loud hurrah man
E'er next morn proclaimed the cock we heard another craw man

The brave Lochiel as I heard tell led Cameron on in cloods man
The morning fair and clear the air they loosed wie devilish thuds man
Doon guns they threw and swords they drew and soon did chase them aff man
On Seaton's crafts they burst their chafts and gart them run like daft man

The bluff dragoons swore blood and oons they'd mak' the rebels run man
And yet they flee when them they see and winnae fire a gun man
They turned their backs the fit tae crack such terror siezed them a' man
Some wet their cheeks some fyled their breeks and some for fear did fa' man

Smith* made sic' haste sae spurred his beast 'twas little there he saw man
Tae Berwick rade and safely said the Scots were rebels a' man
O'er Soutra Hill ere he stood still afore he tasted meat man
Lang may he brag on his swift nag that bore him aff sae fleet man

But Gardner* brave did still behave like to a hero bright man
His courage true, like him were few, that still despised flight man
For king and laws and country's cause in honours bed did fa' man
His life but not his courage fled while he had breath tae draw man

At yon thorn tree that you may see beneath the meadow mill man
There's many slain lie on the plain the clans pursuing still man
Sic' unco whacks and deadly hacks I never saw the likes man
Lost hands and heids cost them their deeds that fell near Preston Dyke man"

*Lt Smith later charged the songwriter to a duel over this!
*Col Gardiner stayed despite the massacre going on around him, and the mass retreat, fighting heroically (near a white thorntree) alongside Sir Thomas Hay of Park, who survived. A servant carried him to the parsonage where he died in the night from his wounds.

Unfortunately for them, the Jacobites pretty much gave up when their intelligence incorrectly surmised that a huge English/German (Hanoverian) army would block their advance to London. Oh well.

Eowyn, I promise I will spin you stories to put steel in your spine, sing you songs that put wings in your feet, and surround you with joy enough to make you want to dance. May your faith outshine mine, your words outrhyme mine, and your steps outdance mine. Dance in tune to the song of the Stars, who still whirl in step to His Song.

Now I Know to Ask Questions that Need Answers...

In Light of Our Recent ER Visits

These had Val & I in stiches (no pun intended) last week... I was admitted to the hospital via the ER both times when I was in labor, so I already could identify with these... after Eowyn's visit it's a done deal!

"You go on in... Don't forget to tell 'em you've been SHOT!"

Happy Birthday, Dear Hannah

I can't believe you're a big FOUR year old today! Uncle Ryan & I hope you get better soon and that God lets Baby Eowyn be your birthday buddy! =D We sure love you!

--Aunt Christina, Uncle Ryan & Eowyn

Yes, she & her entire family are down for the count. :( Poor Val doesn't get sick days. My favorite Hannah quote of the day: "Mommy, is watching a lot of TV how we get un-sick?"

As far as hopes for our own daughter's birth-day...

Mom & I just got to peek at her via ultrasound-- she's got cute chubby cheeks! Everything looks great-- plenty of amniotic fluid, great heartrate & movement, placenta still quite "adequate." As far as readiness to be born, she's just sittin' on "go." 4 cm dialated, 90% effaced, head at station 0. No idea what she's waiting for. Maybe the weather to change? It is sorta rainy and dreary...

But we're still hoping she'll come today and be Hannah's birthday buddy!

**Edit: so we are working through intense contractions over here... 6-8 minutes apart. Our bags are packed & we're ready to go. Once they hit 5 minutes apart we are making like a baby and heading OUT! hehehehe :)

Ryan's 5th Grade Perspective

Ryan's grandmother brought a treasure trove-- two volumes of Ryan's youthful poetry! The following, written in 5th grade (~10 yrs. old, 1994) is in diamante formula, which contrasts 2 opposites:

Boys
Smart, Strong
Winning, Fighting, Working,
Male, Best. Female, 2nd Best.
Money-grubbing, Talking, Preppy,
Different, Expensive
Girls.

Personally, I just wanna know where he got the word "money-grubbing." Where does a 10 year old even hear that word!?? And where did he get these ideas?? His sister was 3 years old, so she definitely wasn't money grubbing yet...

Another one of my favorites:

There once was a beggar named Clug.
Who collected his coins in a jug.
Said his two brothers,
"Be like the others,"
And then they both gave him a mug.

And the illustrations are priceless! :)

Just So You Can Laugh a Bit...

One of my friends sent me the link to this video (and the song could be about her)... I guess because the song could be about me. I think it's hilarious!! I love the part about "She has a tatoo that says "I heart John Piper" in Greek, and she likes Spurgeon more than she likes me." And the "she chose me" reference is rather funny, too. :) If ya can't laugh at yourself, you're probably wrong...

Parenting 101?

** Update from Val 6/9/09: here's another Hannah quote, hot off the press: "I'm ready to lawn the grass" (they're going to mow) :) Oh I miss that little voice... with the dimpled smile & gleam in her eye!
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Ok, not really a "Parenting Post." This will actually be a list of Hannah's cuter quotables. I'm sure we'll get more during our road trip to Woodstock (Ontario) tomorrow. Val & I are taking the kids to visit her mom for 2 days, and her sister will join us there along with HER two kids. So it'll be a mom & kid PARTAY!!

-- Combining two Scripture memory songs ("Train up a child in the way he should go," and "You knit me together in my mother's womb") into one: "Chain up a child in my mother's room..."

-- after lunch, all in one breath, "Oh, I'm still hungry...let's see, what could I have?...how about those cookies we made!?" as if THAT wasn't pre-meditated... give her a few months and she'll even have believable pauses thrown in!

-- chuckling to herself while looking at her belly, "Oh, baby June. You are kickin' me!"

-- "Mommy, did you pick up that snake we saw?" "Oh no, I would never handle a snake!" "Why not?" "Because I'm not trained as to how to do it." (totally blank look) "But, Mommy, you're potty trained!"

-- "Now I can get a hula-hoop, 'cause I've got the right hips!"

-- once again mangling a Bible-verse song: "You knit me together in my mother's room..." (hmmm...) (oh and then Chris used the actual Bible verse in his pastoral prayer in church... Val & I about lost it)

-- someone commenting on her new baby sister "Oh, she's so precious-- I could just take her home with me!" Hannah, seizing the moment; "how 'bout you take Noah?"

-- Sometimes Noah closes his eyes, which is very good when we pray.

-- as I discussed how only Jesus will make us happy after her sin (driven by an obsession with lipgloss) led to sad consequences for her: But I want to be happy in Jesus AND lipgloss! well... at least she's honest.

--looking at the cowlick at the back of Abby's head "That looks kinda like when Stuart [Little] fell into the washing machine!"

...but nothing makes me laugh quicker than the way she says "Stuart" (yes, she's able to relate most of life to that movie)... it sounds like "Sthtuart." I'm gonna get such weird looks walking around saying it to myself when I get back home, I just know it.

Really good book on parenting: Aren't They Lovely When They're Asleep?- lessons in unsentimental parenting... I really really hope they print it in the US, because I want one!! One of Chris' relatives sent this to them from the UK as a baby gift, and I've been enjoying it SO much! Shepherding Your Child's Heart is still my favorite, but it's sort of a different category. Anyway, this little book is brief, biblical, practical, balanced, and funny! Check it out!

Star Wars as Seen by a Three Year Old

The highly accurate and astute summary of Star Wars, Episode 4 (original 1), in the words of a very cute three year old girl:



The moral of every Star Wars episode? "Don't talk back to Darth Vader, he'll getcha!"

My favorite line: "You know who's gonna buy R2 and de shiny guy-- de shiny guy always worries-- Luke!"

Baby Got Book

At a recent baby shower, the game was girls v. guys, trying to sing as many songs containing the word "Baby." Of course, "Baby Got Back" came up, though no one actually sang the song. I remembered that in college, my RUF campus minister Rob Hamby knew EVERY WORD to the Christian parody "Baby Got Book." I watched the video just now and couldn't stop laughing... as my friend Jacqui put it, it raises Christian nerdiness to a whole new level.
p.s. I promise I have meaningful things piling up in my head to say... the baby keeps Mommy away, though. That and grades due next week. :(

Happy Birthday Videos

These will make ANY day happy, actually! :) Last night we watched them at my Fondue Night birthday celebration, and all 12 present were just about rolling on the floor. So, have a happy Christina's birthday, just for me. :) It's my present to you!


It doesn't hurt that this little laugher looks like our friends Glen & Bethany's little boy!


And this one is HILARIOUS! I just wanna know-- where did he LEARN that!? :)


And everybody's favorite...


wow... some people are REALLY into this.

Cute Little Girls Singing BIG SONGS

This adorable little girl can be found performing in both Mandarin and English on YouTube... amazing pitch matching for a 2 year old!!! :)


Singing "Amazing Grace"


Singing "The Lord's Prayer" (I LOVE her hand motions)

And lastly, but not leastly, my friend Sarah's little girl, Maddie. And again.

Makes a music teacher's heart happy.

Which reminds me...

Let me just share one thing that I KNOW you do NOT want to instill in your kids. Several of my middle schoolers- boys- have lately decided that singing is not manly. When I've probed and prodded them on the issue, more than one has said; "Oh, I'm just like my Dad-- he doesn't sing at church, either." YIKES!! I'm quite sure that hearing their sons say that would break their dads' hearts-- these are men who deeply desire to raise up godly offspring. They likely either don't realize how much their sons are watching them during worship, or how important singing (and music) is to God. We've got a whole book FULL of commands to do it!! (The Psalms)

Whatever happened to heartfelt singing being a part of godly manhood? King David, slayer of Goliath and greatest leader of Isreal was also the main psalmist... most of the musicians recorded for us in Scripture are MEN!! (Asaph, Hiram, the Sons of Korah...) So, Dads, and single guys for that matter, consider your MUSICAL testimony as part of your ministry to those around you, especially those looking up to you. Don't be the kind of father who makes your child's teachers cringe. Or your child's Father cringe...

Squirmenutics

Thank you, Jeannette...

Please, all you aspiring ministers... don't end up like this. It would be funny, except it's so SAD!!

And read all the follow-up comments. They're thought-provoking and at times hilarious. For an example of a thought-provoking one, Byron Harvey said...
"An observation: as a recovering fundamentalist (now an E Free pastor, still solidly evangelical, so don't worry), I spent some time in fundamentalist churches, and was educated at independent Baptist schools. There was much good there, but the truth is that some of the people who defended the inerrancy of the Bible the strongest did the most absolutely hideous job of actually preaching it. In that sense, this gentleman follows in a long, but sad, line..."