The Martin Family Blog: September 2016

We open with...

Cammie's 4th Birthday Party at Monkey Joe's

Here's an anecdote for the pic below: Monkey Joe was making the rounds, greeting and being met by most kids with enthusiasm and awe. But Peter is not "most kids." I wondered what would happen when he got around to mine. The answer: He tapped on Peter's shoulder and waited. Nothing. He tapped again, and Peter played it cool, pretending that he didn't notice the giant purple monkey behind him (and all the kids trying to point him out). Monkey Joe looked around incredulously as he tried to get Peter to turn around and was denied a third time. He finally moved on to a more adoring fan, Peter seemingly oblivious to the untrained eye (though the trained one discerned some hunkering down in the shoulder blades). I confess, when I looked up across the room and saw the monkey had reached him, I was preparing for Peter's shock and horror. But Peter saw this dude coming and had prepared himself. Well played, my son.

Another wonderful birthday we celebrated: our new (but long-awaited) friend Caroline

Haircut date, before and after:

My silliest love

Antics: down in a 4x1x1 box, and with a sheet of stickers in the car.

This is what happens...while I address my procrastinating son about putting on his shorts, I turn to find that his sister has beat him to it.

In their boat, sailing to India.

One of his first successes.

Walk w the Srinaths

So here's a fun story: this bed was formerly a double, and part of the modest bedroom set given to my grandparents when they got married. It was cut down and painted by my Pop-Pop to be my mom's bed when she was a girl. And it was my first real bed. And this summer, after a little work, it became Peter's.

It was putting on the last coat of paint that I injured my back, so it sat in the garage for several weeks waiting patiently for it's little boy.

Finally, the day came.

Sneaking back in that night

Finally, finishing out the month with our sweet friend Zahra.

Thanks for the memories, August.

I thought August would be the month I finally caught up and could start posting again in real-time. Not so much. Maybe September....maybe the end of September.
So here's my August Recap:

Swinging with our buddies.

And our very best buddies (and sometimes worst, too)

Our periodical front door bug-collector's showcase shot

August started out fun. And purposeful. I had plans. The summer was fleeting; we traveled a bunch in July, but now August. I had some fun projects to do with the kids; some little local field trips; some pool time now that Peter was finally loving the big pool and his puddlejumper (floaty thing he wears). And I had house project plans. Life was going to be orderly and full and productive in August. I was going to catch up--even get ahead?--before fall.

Many are the plans in the mind of a man
but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.
-Proverbs 19:21

And the purpose of the Lord in this case was a little different than my own. A few days into August, I was grounded by a huge back spasm that left me unable to do pretty much anything without agonizing pain. I spent the better part of a week on my back, and several weeks with extreme limitations. So much for my plans. God had better ones. Everything that He ordains to be done will get done, right? As it was, Tom heroically took care of the kids (and me), and took me to a couple emergency chiropractor sessions, where he practically carried me in and out. And after the 2-3 initial awful days, he still worked half days the rest of the week, home in time to put the kids down for naps while I had various wonderful friends come over each morning for "play dates," in which I lay on the couch and they played mommy to all the kids present. I don't do laying around well. Nor do I ask for help easily. But God slowed me down, humbled me, blessed me and taught me. And reminded me how rich I am with the people in my life.

As it happens, Spasm Day was also the Opening Ceremony day down in Rio. Tom and I had been discussing bringing out the TV for the first time ever for the Olympics from it's dwelling in the storage room. Somehow he managed to bring it all up by himself. Of course, we still had to rig an antenna, but we got NBC and so while I was lying flat on my back the kids got to watch a little of olympics, their first ever. Peter was especially a fan of the gymnastics.

Some pics from Tom's camera while he was minding the chillun

That's (L-R) a tipping tractor, Lightning McQueen with the "scared mouth" that Peter added, Frank the Harvester, and Mater.

Little Martinling chain at the mall

Sometime mid summer, Anna set her affections on this new friend below, a birthday gift from the Changs, here outfitted in a handmade dress from Grandma. The Doll's name is Honey Baby, short for "Honey, Baby, Mine." She's auspiciously named after the old song. Do you know it?
"You get a line and I'll get a pole, honey.
You get a line and I'll get a pole, babe.
You get a line and I'll get a pole
and we'll go down to the crawdad hole,
honeeeeey, babyyyyy, mine."

Speaking of the Changs...

In a summer of friends moving away, this is another sad one. For anyone who knows us, it's no secret that ours aren't always the most outgoing kids. But I loved seeing how Peter and Anna genuinely enjoy these buddies of theirs. We are sad to see them move to VA, but wish them a wonderful adventure there. We love you guys!