Basketball

this is grace. my mom wanted me to add some captions to these pictures.

look at our boy

i told him to just pretend i wasn't here, so he walked away...

Marisa's Song

A month goes by...I just don't seem to be in a blogging mood lately. I am wondering if it might be because my wireless has gone funny and now I have to sit tethered to the computer desk instead of roam any old place, and usually my husband's soft, fluffy Lazyboy rocker in the family room. And I've had stuff I'd like to blog about too. And I'll get to all of it, but the reason that drove me to actually sit down and publish is that my darling and extra-talented son won his poetry contest at school. They call it the Eberhart Poetry Contest, and they chose one finalist from each school in our district. He had written this poem for an "old" friend that has moved away. It was a song, actually, and he had to alter it slightly to fit within the guidelines of the contest, but here it is.

Marisa’s Song

Don’t you remember how it used to be?

Well, if you don’t, I’ll tell how it was.

It was you and me sitting under that old tree,

Then you would chase me, catch me. I would laugh.

Don’t you remember how it used to be?

It was just us two. We made a good team.

We would just sit there, play a game or two.

We might just have fun, or we might be sad.

But everything changed and got rearranged.

Now I’m just a creep who can’t go to sleep.

Mellowed out dude, you could call me rude.

Thoughts have gotten caught thinking about you.

Think I should let them.

We would just sit there.

Play a game or two…

Don't you just love this kid?

Hi there.

John and I have the quiet house to ourselves. I should be sweeping and finishing the lunch dishes, but instead I've got my feet up and I've been wandering around Facebook and reading my e-mail. The dishes and the dirty floor will still be there in a few minutes, right?

Yesterday we shopped all day looking for white pants and red shorts and white tennies for a play that grace is in. It is the school version of Grease. Suffice it to say that in our sleepy little town--and I do mean the whole little town--there is not a pair of white pants to be found. We found white tennies, but not in Grace's size. Keep in mind, these have to be the simple canvas white tennies like they wore in the '50s.

So, although we bore not much shopping fruit, I did really enjoy my kids. We had a good time walking around together. Ethan had some money burning a hole in his Spiderman wallett, and it took him no time at all to hone in on a new PS2 joystick. He felt certain it wasn't a ripoff because it says on the box that if this item doesn't work, we'll replace it or repair it for free. Well, there you go. I'm convinced.

I scraped the bottom of my billfold to find $1.25 for two cookies at the cookie shop. Ethan picked a sugar cookie with sprinkles and Grace got chocolate peanut butter or something. I was so happy sitting there watching them eat up their cookies and talking about this and that. Some simple family moments bring the most joy, don't they?

I didn't have enough money for a drink, but Ethan and Grace pooled some change and shared a pop. Just like the old days. I loved it.

And we've been watching the old family videos again. I am so glad John made all those little movies. Gertie just loves watching her brother and sister float around on the big screen when they were just her size. And so do I.

This week holds some work for me, but not too much. Grace says she needs her eyes checked yet again, so that is on the books as well. And I need to start those taxes. But maybe not this week.

So, the days are good, but the house is messy. I must remedy this.

My Baby is Three

It is late and quiet around here tonight. I've been wanting to post some pictures of Gertie's third birthday. She had a good time playing with her Grandma Mary and eating cake--I mean, frosting. She is completely on board with being three, and never needs reminding.

What do I say about my three-year-old? She comes into my room very sweet and happy in the mornings. I love that. She promises me she's going to be quiet and sleep, but she wiggles non-stop and talks and sings. And I just smile. But I'm still too slow to get out of bed. She likes a peanut butter sandwich for breakfast. I believe this is because Ethan is usually making one for his lunchbox, and they look so good. She asks me if we can turn something on t.v. for her, and I usually do. She seems to have no absolute favorites, just a variety of kid shows she likes.

So, my baby is three now. Time really flies. And it really hits me when I look at my big kids. I just don't understand how I got to be the mom of this 12-year-old and this 10-year-old. They're so big and independent and fun.


But back to the little one. She loved having her Grandma here. They like each other. A lot. That makes me happy.
Gertie liked her frosting so much that she used her index finger to remove all the remaining frosting from the leftover pieces of cake the next morning. Personally, I liked the cake better. Gertie and I make a good team.We were treated to another magic show by Ethan. I must say, he's improving some of these tricks. And, boy-oh-boy, does he need a haircut or what. I'll get right on that.

Tomorrow I work, and we're supposed to have a doozy of a storm. John will be feeling miserable, I'm fairly sure, and I am guessing Grace will be home from school again. Tricky. So I'd better get myself some sleep, because who knows what the morning will bring.

I promised pictures.

My little magician has been making frequent appearances lately. We gave Ethan this magic kit two Christmases ago. It has surfaced occasionally, but it's making a surge lately. I love watching him. He perfects nothing before he comes out wanting to show us all his tricks. That is so in his nature. He just wants the glory.

This is just a picture of my Gracie I took recently. She is growing up so very fast. She went with John to visit his mother this weekend. I miss her.

And then I attempted to take a cute picture of Gertie post haircut (and bath) this morning. And she made this face.

And then she made it again.

And then Ethan reversed it, but made basically the same face.

Gertie is napping now. I watched a whole Cary Grant movie all by myself without any interruptions. I love that. It was a nice treat for me today. My loving husband called this morning to wish me a happy Valentine's Day. I miss him too.

Yoo Hoo. Over Here.

Well, I think my absence has been a record length. It is really for no other reason than it's been a very busy month for me. I've been working on a big trial transcript that kept me at business, and not so much pleasure, on the computer. It seems I still found glimmers of time to read blogs and e-mail, but not much else.

And last night I caught "The Office." Andy is single again? What's up with that? I didn't even see Angela on the show. I need to check out some past episodes. Apparently, I've missed much. I'm saying that presuming you all watch "The Office." If you don't, check it out.

I don't want to give any boring play-by-plays. I feel like I do a very boring job of those. Even I don't want to really read them when I write them.

One highlight is we finally got Gertie's hair cut. My girl has bangs now--looks just like Grace. Oh my goodness--and she doesn't cry or scream or yell at me when I try to kick that rat party out of her hair. They are small little baby rats, and I am happier with that. She can see better, and things are good for her all around. I have to say, it was a very bittersweet moment for me. Even though I knew it was for the best, there went my sweet baby's first little hairs from her cute little head. We waited a long time for those hairs. A very long time. But the curls seem to be hanging on, at least so far.

I'm almost tearing up over baby hair, so it must be time to move on. I'm at work today, covering for a gal that is visiting her daughter in Africa for a week and a half. I am so happy for her to be able to go there and see her. As a parent, I bet that would be so hard. Like my Dad and Judy for our Abby. (We miss you way over there, Abby.) So anyway, it has been a bit slow here and I've brought plenty to do during the lulls. I caught up on Bible study, which I was way behind in. Still in Genesis, and still loving it. We are up to Jacob now, and his marrying Leah and Rachel. He's already deceived Isaac into giving him Esau's blessing. It all seems so unfair, but also a good reminder that God blesses us and loves us not based on how we act, but just because he chooses us. And I am glad for that. I am on a mission to be more patient and kind, especially with my family, who bears the brunt of my opposite behavior.

Being at work, like I say, I've caught up on Bible study, updated my calendar, completed several phone errands and balanced my checkbook (which I hadn't done since August, I see) Yikes! I do check on it, but as tax time is approaching, I need to write it all down. I must have set some record there, too, as far as neglect. That is bad, and I resolve that won't happen again.

The furniture movers are probably already finished replacing our old and ugly couch with a new one that John and I picked out together. I am so excited to get home and sit on it and stare at it. Although, at this point, while sitting on it, I'll be staring at the old oneuntil we figure out what we're going to do with the eyesore. It was too cold to move it, and we have no idea what to do with it, so it will crowd the living the room until we do something about it. We have temperatures at freezing now, so I think we can move it out of the house without suffering frostbite. But I'm wondering if my muscles and my tender heart can survive hauling a heavy hide-a-bed couch out of the house with my husband. Sometimes our tempers seem to flare when we don't think exactly alike about which way to lean and push and pull. And my muscles are small. Oops. Refer to prior paragraph about patience and kindness. I can do it!

Grace is just out of gymnastics and into the next school play, Grease. She was disappointed that her part is nothing special. She is just in the chorus group, I think, but she still needs to be at all but two practices. That seems substantial to me. I really wish for a stretch of no activities at all. I want to enjoy the evenings with my family all at home, and not racing here to there, but I'm sure that wouldn't go as well as I imagine in my mind. I know a few things are good for them. John told me that Ethan's coach asked him to be on a smaller wrestling team. I think the coach hopes to take a handful of kids and really work on improving their skills for the team. I think Ethan is a wrestler at heart, but one busy kid. I'm not sure what the decision is on that yet.

Two weeks ago I would have said basketball isn't going to stick (Maybe I actually did say that.), but lately the kid has been shooting nonstop baskets in his room. It brings back such memories. He's picked out two uniforms (home and away), and he runs through all the plays, makes me watch as he misses, then says "One more," three more times until he sinks it. I love it. I'm sure it's the pasttime of boys all over the place, but it's my Ethan. I like that kid. Maybe he'll have to chose between pro football and basketball and baseball afterall.

He was supposed to be in the talent show at his school last night. We had no idea when he was supposed to appear, and each time Grace was in it, we had a schedule. I told him I didn't think that was right. When we got there and found the teacher, she said EJ did try out--he was going to play a piece on the piano--and she invited him to be a part, but he was supposed to turn in the sheet accepting that invitation so she'd know he'd be there. He didn't do that, so no performance for Ethan. That was disappointing. For me, not so much for him, it seemed.

It is just that he doesn't seem to be interested in so many school activities, and I was so glad he took the initiative to go for this one. And I was excited to see him up there, but then to find out that it's just one more little organizational piece that he didn't complete. It's been a hard week for Ethan. Earlier this week he didn't get his homework done, and part of it was that we took him to Grace's last gymnastics meet, and he didn't have time, but then the next day, he was messing around instead of getting his homework done. John and I came down pretty hard on him, and it really seemed to hit home this time. He felt bad about the choices he'd made. He told me that the teacher was going to let him off the hook the next morning, and he had to fight for the "strike" he gets for not completing an assignment. I was very proud of him for taking responsibility for that choice, and telling her he really deserved the strike. He doesn't always take responsibility. Could this be a point of maturity? Can he be getting it? I think it's a start. The Spirit's at work in that kid's heart. He's cleaning house! Wa-hoo.

So, I'm missing my family, loving them, and wishing I was with them now. But truly, I guess if I was there, I'd probably not be finally getting around to this post. I was thinking about that on my third day of eating lunch out by myself, that I've had these peaceful moments to just sit quietly and think. I do miss those, too. Just dead air. People watching. Aaahh. But I need to start packing a lunch. I think I'm going to the grocery store (gasp) and buying some freezer meals or something to bring to work next week. It seems I have the best intentions, but I don't get around to making myself a lunch in the mornings before work. I'll put shopping on the list--or ask my sweet husband to pick them up while he's there.

I think John is going to see his mom this weekend. Suddenly I realize that is like today! Maybe tomorrow. It is so strange to me how little time we have to talk sometimes. I'm not even sure if he's going for sure, and if he does, it's likely to be right away. Poof. He'll be gone.

Oh, I hope you've stuck with me for such a droning on. It's been so long since I've done that, and it did feel good. I promise to get pictures up soon of my Gertie. And whatever else.

Oh, my goodness. This has been my longest blog vacation yet, I think. I really do feel naughty in the sense that I've been occasionally checking in and enjoying all my friends' and family's blogs, but really lived an internet sparse vacation. It wasn't internet free, just sparse.

So, for posterity's sake, I need to rewind all the way to the week before Christmas...

It snowed. We shoveled. It snowed. We shoveled. It seemed to go on just like that for days. The kids had a snow day. Then they canceled John's classes. Those classes were his last day of finals. That was bad. That complicated things. Significantly. He was supposed to have a crazy-grading weekend right before we flew away to Maryland for the holidays. Now he had to wait until Monday morning to try to coordinate at least sixty loose college students taking make-up exams and turning in papers. He got all but three fixed up, so I call that a victory.

We zipped up to see my sister and her family, and my mom. We got there later than we had wanted to, but we still had a good time before Julie drove us to the airport the next morning.

Our ten a.m. flight was canceled, but we decided that was just okay with us, because they put us onto a lightly populated, nonstop plane to DC at 1 p.m. The city traffic had cleared, the roads had time to be plowed. It was a safe and relaxing (if I can say that when I wasn't driving) drive. Thanks Julie.

Our other adventure was learning that we were going to have to pay $15 each way for each bag we wanted to check. I hated that idea. So I went about mooching carry-on bags from my friends and family. We pulled it off. We each had one carry-on suitcase and one bag or backpack besides. And we could have pulled it off, too, if it weren't for that pesky two-year old who not only can't carry her own bag or pull her own suitcase, but also wants to be carried much of the time.

I wish I'd had a picture of this warrior family to show you. We rocked. Grace carried her backpack plus pulled two suitcases. Keep in mind, we had a carseat and a stroller as well. The stroller was just taken along so that we'd have one extra thing to lug. The little one wasn't that interested in sitting in it. The big ones were, but that wasn't an option.

We arrived in DC exhausted, sore and happy. The weather was beautiful. Like 50 degrees. We basked.

It's been a very long time since I've spent a Christmas with my Dad and Stepmom. It was so much fun. We had already had a mini Christmas at home so we wouldn't have to squeeze gifts between ourselves into our already stuffed carry-on bags.

We went into DC one day. I wanted John to be able to check out the National Art Gallery in peace, so I took the kids to the Natural History Museum. We saw some of our favorite things. And it was much fun, outside of the fact that I had to take Gertie to the bathroom every 30 minutes (and it took 30 minutes to get to the bathroom each time). She had diahrea the whole time we were there. Bummer.

Here are the kids and I in front of a fossil that my Grandpa donated to the museum.

Grace and I went to the top of the Old Pavillion Post Office, and I took this picture of my beautiful big girl.
Then we took an overnight trip up to Pennsylvania to see John's brother Dan and his family. We hadn't seen their home yet, and it was beatiful.

Gertie got reacquainted with Uncle Dan. He was very good to her.

And Ethan and Quinn, like usual, seem to get along great. They played lots of video games.

And look at this Berke trio. I love it.

And one last picture of the adults, compliments of Gracie. We had just gone out to eat, the adults, all alone, at a local pizza joint just a few blocks from Dan's house. It was so fun exploring their hometown and visiting their local haunts. And I'm in my new vest that they gave me for Christmas. I didn't think I was a vest person, but I love that thing. Warm, warm, warm.

And here is my handsome husband in the new Phillies jersey we gave him for Christmas. Isn't he handsome? We had a good time playing Mexican Train and watching Ethan guzzle root beer without actually opening a can. Not just anyone can do that.

My New Year's Kids. They grow up so fast...


Judy snapped us actually ringing in the new year. It was pretty wild. My kids stayed up way too late all vacation long.
Here is Papa snuggling a couple of his biggest fans.

And Nana and the kids making bon-bons. And Ethan guzzling more root beer without actually opening the can.
That had been the night before we left. We wanted to get some bon-bons made so that they could deliver them to Abby in Panama. It was different not seeing her face around there. It makes me think about how life is really changing. She probably won't again live with my Dad and Stepmom (although, who knows). Sam will be a junior in college this next year. It just becomes harder to get everyone together the older and busier everyone gets. These are rare times to hold in memory. Precious.

Dad took us off to the airport after a family lunch at Chick-Filet, compliments of my brother Sam.



But then we flew back to Minneapolis where we had everyone together. This is everyone (minus my husband, who wasn't there, and myself--someone had to take the picture). It is rare for us, but I'm glad we squeeze it in every once in a while. We had a great time watching the cousins play, and we got to see Baby Verena walk all over the place. Gertie really enjoyed Verena and walked her around and played with her every chance she got. I got to catch up with my sisters and my Mom. It was very nice. Verena is a fun addition to the pile of cousins. Now we just need to teach her and Gertie how to play PS2, right Beth?

Now I looked at this picture and realized we were missing Grace. I can't believe I forgot about that. She wasn't there either. But what a sweet pile of kids.

And now we return to real life in the Berke household. The adventure continues...