Proof

So I told you the kids looked cute on Easter Sunday. We let them climb the cherry blossom trees and were about to take pictures when our camera ran out of power. We thought all was lost but a friend stepped in and snapped some pictures with her phone. Hurray!

In other news, Miriam has started going to nursery on her own. We found out today that she has gotten into the habit of sleeping through church. She comes into class, Eats a snack, then finds a spot to curl up and nap. Today she reportedly slept an hour and a half. Keep in mind the junior nursery is not a quiet or calm place. But that's Miri. She does what she wants, and apparently at 2:30 in the afternoon she wants to sleep.

A Taste of Things to Come

Reuben played his first soccer game this weekend. I was way too excited about it. Reuben was less excited, but still did well. He scored two goals then marched off the field yelling "I am Tired!! I don't want to play any more soccer!" We dragged him back. He settled back as goalie, then did his best to wander away. In the end, I was proud. And we treated him to dim sum after the game.

We were lucky that Oma could be on location for the event. Miriam loved having an attentive care giver on the playground with her.

National Arboretum

We went to the National Arboretum the other day. It is one of my most favorite DC locations.

The columns used to be part of a portico of the capitol building which was demolished when the Capitol was expanded. According to a plaque they sat for over a hundred years in the Federal Agricultural Department's storage space. In 1986 they were placed in the arboretum for the public's enjoyment. This nugget of information has me wondering what else the FDA has laying around in storage.

Zoo again

We were back at the zoo the other day. The tourists have returned. They are a spectacle in and of themselves. I love watching them. If you see a group that has one very excited person and 2-3 miserable others being dragged along, they are likely American. If you see a group politely consulting a map and dressed way too well to be at the zoo, they are French or German. Germans speak such good english that whenever they ask for directions, I feel self conscious about my grammar.

Anyway, we were at the zoo. Now that the seasons have changed we've reverted to our summer tactic of arriving at the zoo before if officially opens, around 7, and leaving once the tourists show up when the crowds gather around 10. Here's the local secret -  the grounds to the zoo open at 6 am and it is early in the day, before it gets hot, when the animals are fed and are active. It's also when my kids are most active, so it works out well for everyone.

Back at home, Reuben has become interested in wild boar. He's been fascinated by them ever since our visit to the swamp where we saw a lot of boar tracks in the mud.  He keeps painting their tracks and talking about how he wants to go into the swamp and find them.  You can see his painting of boar tracks in the picture below.

Happy Easter

Trust me the kids looked cute for Easter. You are going to have to trust me because just as we had the kids lined up the kids in front of the cherry blossoms, the battery on the camera died. Fail.

So here's the more accurate picture of our Easter celebration. Miri and Reuben gnawing with dogged determination on their "cocoa bunnies" We are cruel parents and only give them the bunnies frozen solid out of the freezer. It's cleaner and slows down the sugar insanity. Builds character.

On introspection

My new motto- Life takes time.

I mean that in the way that to live, to really be alive means being open to timing and seasons and events that are natural. Natural in the unpredictable, unknowable sort of way that is much grander and larger than day to day existence or finite individual awareness or understanding.

Adopting this belief is a bit of a radical departure from my usual modi operandi. I keep a schedule. But I think it is True, you know, capitol T and all.

Beware my dark introspective self, I have a penchant for a low muttering type of philisophying. I blame Good Friday. Is there a sadder day in all the year? It seems to call up all our lost loves. It calls to my mind the scripture from Jeremiah:

A voice was heard on high of lamentation, of mourning, and bitter weeping, Rachel mourning for her children and she would not be comforted for they were not.

That sort of mourning is my feeling of Good Friday.

Resistance is Futile

When the kids start drawing I can't resist trying out their crayons. My conclusion: Most kid art stuff (like crayola) is awful. Pale waxy crayons, crumbly chalk, goopy paint - ick. No wonder they only scribble.

Water Babies

We tried going to the lake the other night. When we arrived we were met by some violent thunderstorms. While watching the turbulent cells rumble across the water was awe inspiring, being exposed on the shore didn't seem very safe. So we went home with a car full of angrily disappointed kids.

We went back the next afternoon and mother nature was in a better mood. All the kids loved splashing in the water. More than hour later it took a lot of work dragging them out even though they were all purple lipped and shivering.

Oh Black Water

We played in the Congaree swamp yesterday. The kids loved the black water.
Reuben was so impressed, he tried pretty hard to fall into it. Miri wiggled out of her shoes and sprinted laughing and barefoot for a good mile of path. She looked like a wild swamp sprite.

I told Amy if I believed in air freshners, which I don't, I'd want one that smelled like deep swamp forest. I love that smell of dark, damp, ancient primeval forest. Ahhh.

Creeking

A cool muddy creek filled with soggy cousins, who could ask for anything more?