I can’t believe it’s only Wednesday. We have already had some of those tearful epiphany moments that are usually reserved for the end of a conference like this. Professor/Mentor is sharing a lot of poems with us, which is bringing back fond memories of my favorite class at Crusty ol’ Theological Seminary, the people in it and how important it was to get me writing again.
I had lunch with Prof/Mentor today, and I finally feel like her peer, years after she conferred that status on me. We’ve come a long way.
I was virtuous this morning by taking Metro, and then carpooled home with R. But then I had a suburban moment when I drove to pick up the girls. From our house to daycare. Half a block away. But it is HOT and M refuses to walk. Forgive me, gods of global warming.
It is so hot I heard rumors that the Metro trains were running slower because the tracks were hot and soft in the sun.
Tomorrow I preach again for the small group. It’s the sermon I’m working on for Sunday, which isn’t from the lectionary but (tiny confession) is based on the first article I wrote for Denominational Magazine. Yes, I wring every bit of usefulness from every piece of work I do until it’s nothing more than a limp rag. Oh well.
The Young Clergywomen’s Project has tote bags. How cool is that?
You can read more about what’s up with the conference here.
C has taken ballet this summer (actually pre-ballet) at the dance place really close to our house. She has enjoyed it a lot, so we’ve decided to continue it this fall. Though instead of Expensive Dance Studio we are going to try the local parks and rec class. Time to start living the reality of three kids, five mouths to feed.
She wanted to take soccer, which actually thrilled me because it’s good exercise and it’s something she’s interested in that isn’t, in fact, frilly, but they don’t offer it for her age. I also need some time to actually get interested in soccer, because it wasn’t part of my experience growing up, and I can see how professional soccer (football) can be riveting, but six year olds playing soccer? That sounds tedious beyond belief. Yes, when it’s your kid, yada yada. But. Still. Parenting is boring sometimes. You know it’s true.
Tomorrow C travels to Florida with MaDear for a weekend with the cousins. I’m so glad she has these opportunities. The cousins live near, and have passes to, The Most Wonderful Place on Earth. They really want to take C there but we have managed to put them off—we would like to take her to TMWPoE for the first time ourselves. But I’m wondering whether I’ll have to let that go. It may be years before we get there. Though with family so close to it…
12 Responses to “young clergychicks and other stuff, II”
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Asides
» I have been remiss in posting SBJ’s latest stats: 23 pounds and 27 inches at six months. Yes, I’ve got the big mama biceps.
» Aaaaaand little she-who-is lost another tooth this week!
» SBJ is four months old, 19 pounds 5 ounces, and 26 inches tall. GIGANTOR!
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For early readers of this post—added some blathering about ballet and soccer.
Bless you! Little kid soccer is boring in the extreme. Gouge your eyes boring. Braid the weeds boring. Count the bald guy’s head freckles boring…
Rach, you crack me up.
Whoops, I just now found the place in the catalog where they have soccer for her age group. OH WELL!
At age 4 my SportsQueen picked the flowers on the soccer field instead of running anywhere. Most of the game was spent yelling, “SportsQueen get the ball. SportsQueen run for the ball. Run SportsQueen Run!” Finally, she would run the wrong way realize the ball was the other direction and head back to the flowers.
We’re surrounded by soccer fields in outer exurbia. When Babs and Portia were in elementary school, I asked them if they would like to try it. Quoth they: “M-O-M, the outfits are NOT CUTE, they’re UGLY!” That was the end of that. Being frilly has some benefits. I was spared the agony of soccermomhood. But not the mini-van!
Let her go
Not because you can’t get there as a family of 5 for a while yet, but because going with MaDear and cousins is a different and wonderful experience. It’ll all look very different when she’s x as opposed to when she’s 5.
Ballet is great. We went back to more expensive studio when DD hit the teens and she has a Russian teacher now (ex Bolshoi ballet no less) who is a bit of a dragon but really good. DD doesn’t practice enough at home though - but we have the attitude hey it’s only ballet and is supposed to be FUN
football (soccer) IS boring as is ice-hockey. I’m the kind of parent who drops off - buys the groceries and then collects rather than hanging around muddy football pitches and freezing rinks or ballet studios. But the matches and the performances - yeah those I could handle with ease (mostly!)
oh and laughing at the metro / car pool and suburban moment. Heat makes us crazy. We should all siesta more I think
blessings
I’d let C go to TMWPoE this weekend. As someone who’s been to TMWPoE (California version) numerous times, let me say that second and third visits are just as good, if not better than first visits. And by then, you’ll have two more kiddos to take along for their first time.
I have to disagree with everyone above and say that soccer is a) a great, fun sport and b) highly entertaining when played by young kids.
True there are times when said soccer player will stand there picking flowers instead of watching the down-the-field action, but the scrum that occurs anytime the ball is around will more than make up for that. There are few things in the children’s sports world than seeing 6 kids surround a ball as it moves down the field. It’s like watching ants attack a gummy bear. But I also have to say that part of the fun is watching said soccer player’s face when her flower picking gets interrupted by the gaggle of soccer players coming her way.
Matthew–you will be a great dad.
Vicar, that is utterly charming about your four-year-old.
But. Still. Parenting is boring sometimes. You know it’s true.
I’ve heard this twice now, today, and both times, its like having cool water splashed on my head. Which is very good thing in this heat.
I like baby soccer, especially for girls. It is fun, requires lots of running and it is just too funny to watch them swarm to ball. Besides that, I like the idea that it is a place that I can spread out a blanket, bring a picnic basket and enjoy being outdoors.
Baby ballet….stick needles in my eyes please. I hate dance recitals.
It doesn’t really matter what we like though. I sit at horse shows and watch my 11 year old boy ride his horse very fast around barrels. I also sit in a small anteroom while waiting for my teen daughter to finish her belly dancing classes. Would I have chose those activities? no. But they love them.
TMWPoE…..I won’t go. It is not a vacation for a pediatrician. My lovely husband takes them. Isn’t your husband a computer guy… I may have a way for you all to do that place cheap because of his work…..
Oh, I’m glad you found the soccer for her age - was going to say “I don’t believe it” when you said they didn’t offer it! Now whether you do it or not is up to your family. I learned that being a SportsMom allowed time for exercise (during their warm ups or between games a few laps around the field for Mom), a time to meet OtherMothers/Fathers/Partners/Relatives/Friends and form a community unlike my other communities. Intersected w/folks who I would not have ordinarily intersected and for the most part, my life was enriched immensely in ways I didn’t anticipate at the time. Now, this is not to say that watching my sons and their young male and female peers LEARN to play a sport (we did mixed leagues in rec league soccer)wasn’t boring at times -but if I wanted to sit and knit or read or write Christmas cards (which I did at MANY a December wrestling tourney)I could do that, too. And I learned a lot about life as a sportsparent and made many wonderful friends.
Imagine the possibilities….and then some.
For TMWPoE- if you wait until all three are “big” enough it will be a while….and if you go w/the two girls sometime and leave BB behind BB will still have his first time sometime. First time - w/cousins - will not be the same as first time w/family. All will be well. The butterfly that is dancing in the shimmering heat outside my window reminds me of that, somehow.
This thing at the TMWPoE was about Pirates and Princesses…in preparation for it today, little S-W-I ran around the house with the eye patch and the sword…ReverendMother would have been proud!
Oh, and by “in prepartion” I mean for the time when it is right for her to go…just not this time.