The Weekly Review: Week 26

Weekly Blog

I discovered a new blog: The Long and Winding Journey. I don't remember exactly how I stumbled upon it. It is sad and fills me with a desire to turn back the clock and change one moment in time for this family. At the same time, this mother's blog about her precious daughter is a chronicle of strength and hope. Reading it brings some perspective, balance and wisdom to my own life. My prayers are with their family as they journey through their life.

Michael's Moment

We often serve banana pancakes for breakfast. To increase their nutritional value a bit and help breakfast stick with the children, we sandwich some peanut butter between two layers. Some days they get a whole circle, and some days when we're running low they only get semicircles. Occasionally, when only one pancake is left and both children want a little more, they get quarter circles.

Yesterday morning, Michael had an entire circle (two full pancakes with peanut butter in between). On a whim I asked him how many semicircles were in a whole circle. He answered two without a pause. I thought that was pretty smart, so I decided to ask a couple of follow up questions. I asked him how many quarter circles were in a semicircle. He thought for a brief moment and answered correctly, "two." Finally I asked him how many quarter circles were in a whole circle. After a short pause he replied, "four." I was so impressed. Here we are laying the foundation for fractions at breakfast.

Ava this Week:

One moment Ava is full of snuggles, sweetness, songs and giggles and my heart melts. I wrap my arms around her, smell her hair, and savor the moment. Mentally I try to bottle it up and save it for the time in the future when she no longer wants my arms wrapped around her all the time.

At least three separate times this week, as I enjoyed a few moments of quiet conversation with my husband wrapped in a mutual hug, Ava glanced up from whatever she was doing and rushed over to us. At that point she would squeeze herself in between us prying us apart and look up at me expectantly waiting to be picked up. It cracks me up every time. It cannot be coincidence.

And then there are the frequent moments when Ava pushes me away because she insists that she do something, "on my own." This girl has an independent streak a mile wide.