Ode to Michelle

Rose to my reflection

Brown eyes grey, faded like floorboards layered with time’s residue

I’d embrace it but for you 

Do you still hear the soft wings of fireflies flapping against a glass jar?

See the stars?

Think of me when it was before we wondered who we are?

Laughter bubbling from the yard yonder, 

Secrets hidden in a locked metal box beyond the fence

But grass rising up to meet us, chins raised to the black night

Toes in grass,

Limbs skinned, knobby knees

We lay beneath the trees

You’re coming back to me

With the memories 

Long term intact

I see you even as yesterday I forget 

Rose to my reflection 

I'm an expert

bow and arrow girl.

We went for a hike on Sunday. Stella pet every dog and threw to others. She saw a two-toned dog and wrapped her arm around my neck and said "that one looks exactly like my favorite cheese."

Find yourself

"Whenever you cough in class you ask the teacher if you can get a drink and poof you find yourself at the water fountain"

Always be a warrier

Tonight while holding a pot top as a shield, Stella told me that at school she doesn't get to be a Macabee the girls are always the Kings wives and she wants to be a Macabee. Lol her teachers are awesome so we emailed them and the mistake will be corrected! No 'one of the wives' for this one. It's only good to be the wife when it's truly good to be the wife. But always be the warrior.

Word of the day

The fall leaves are out. I was driving Stella to Yavneh for Early Childhood breakfast and she said the trees are magnificent.

I said that should be the word of the day and we should try to use it again.

Hours later, I am tucking her into bed. I close the door- just before it closes "Mommy?" "Yes" She pointed her finger, arm straightened out to me "You're Magnificent"

Daddy...

I need to tell you something. It was a short night. I slept for 2 minutes and it was morning. 

Girl Time

One of the best sounds in my life is the sound of laughter as Ror and explore Narnia and Fantastica together. The expressions of wonder. The wide eyes of fear. It's one of best part of my day

Summer Fun

Stella is 4 and wears a constant look I can best describe as a  blend of "state of wonder" and "I've got this"

We took the girls to the beach last Thursday night and movie on Friday. Everything is so new still to her. Was fun. In the hall way of the hotel which smelled of food Stella asked "Does Bubby Sally live here?"

Dorothy is loving camp- the note from her counselor let us know she is always happy there, never complaining. Love that. Love that.

The boys are in camp. Ian is apparently playing a game of dodge the camera. Miss them so much.

Little Sisters Day

We were looking at puzzle R made for M for Father's Day and S said, "So.. when is Little Sister's Day?" - it was fair question. Poor kid isnt sure why we laugh at half of what she said but nearly every thing is so funny.

Boys are in camp and we've not heard from them yet:) Been a week and feels like forever.

Recall

April brought a Sabra recall and a 2 month challenge for me. But now, I try to recall all that happened between the lines.

Dance recitals for Stella and Dorothy. Daron has run 3 5Ks this Spring finishing 24, 23 and 24:10. So fast! This past Sunday we ran and I had my PR at 26:25. I could hardly believe it. I have not been timing while running -just running for cetain amounts of time and sprinting a bit at the end. Couch to 5K.  I was in VA for the week. Mike came with me to Sonoma for a while Ian was in Niagra with school. Mally has a leash and goes for walks.

TENAFLY 5K RUN                     FEMALE AGES 40 TO 44

PLACE RUNNER'S NAME       CITY/TOWN         AGE SX OVERALL  (#)     TIME    PACE PERFORMANCE%

   1.Gabrielle Panepinto  Tenafly,NJ         41 F   30T      528   20:37.22   6:38   73.99%

   2.Hortencia Aliaga     Garfield,NJ        42 F   32      1028   20:43.19   6:40   74.11%

   3.Catherine Brown      Tenafly,NJ         40 F  121T      101   24:08.25   7:46   62.85%

   4.Camille Creary       North Bergen,NJ    44 F  126    U  160   24:10.97   7:47   64.44%

   5.Celia Nobleman       River Vale,NJ      42 F  189       509   25:49.36   8:19   59.47%

   6.Ilya Welfeld         Bergenfield,NJ     40 F  223       708   26:25.53   8:30   57.41%

   7.Rachel Barker        Harrington Park,NJ 43 F  242        58   26:57.52   8:41   57.36%

   8.Renee Haas           Tenafly,NJ         42 F  246T      978   27:00.91   8:42   56.84%

   9.Stephanie Koll       Bergenfield,NJ     43 F  286       356   27:50.74   8:58   55.54%

  10.Gillian Garrett      Tenafly,NJ         41 F  287T     1474   27:51.12   8:58   54.78%

This week. Mike's birthday 4-0. And Ian graduates!


Stella still keeps us laughing. Last night she was doing her usual - get out of bed 100 times. But this time she saw me n my room and said "don't you love that I have to make poopies now" or something like that.  She says things like "Trust me" .. and "I suppose" - having older siblings is a crack up.  Yesterday she said "I tried yesterday and tomorrow to make Ian smile but it didnt work"

Stella-isms

When Mike was putting her to sleep earlier in the week, she was sitting on the ledge of her bed and falling back onto the bed. She looked at Mike and said "Don't try this at home"

She also keeps her nails so short. She wanted me to cut her pinky toenail and said   "I thinked about bitting it, but when I do that, my pinky toe wiggles away every time- it doesnt want me to do that."

Mommy I think tonight I'll dream about Spring...

It's been a snowy winter. And some nights she says she'll dream about snow and then is thrilled to awake to white flakes. 

Maybe she's had enough.

"Are you ready for Spring?"

"Yes. Do you think HaShem is ready for spring now?"

Red Crumbs

"Mommy, what do pigeons eat?"
"Breadcrumbs"
Minutes and multiple thoughts later.
"Mommy, do we have red peppers?"
"Yes. Why?"
"Good. Then I can make red crumbs for the pigeons."



Atara's mom said "you should be proud. Stella wouldn't eat the candy because her dentist said it was bad for her teeth"

"Grandma, I want to come over this morning."
"Why this morning?"
"Because I get sleepy at nightime"

Cayman Islands

Few days in we are eating at Hagan Daz and Stella says "I miss Mally! I miss my kids! I miss my teachers!... I miss ... Carvel!!"

Stella-isms

I told her the Israeli kids were going to be there – she said "that girl wants to ruin my puppy dog". I said, we can leave your dog at home. She said "Im gonna bring something … sharp."

R was in the semi -finals for basketball. Asked me on the way to the game "Is it true that if you believe you'll win, you will win."

She also davened that we would give one more chance with Mally. When she woke up and told her we were going to try one more time, she said with such earnestness that was what she had prayed for"

On the way home from GA and SabaJ S said she no longer needed a car seat, she is big now. I told her her seat was good until she is 5 years old. She said "I'm almost 5 you know."

Also in the car- "Mommy, we forgot to do the decorations!!!" "What decorations?" "The lights, on the trees and everywhere." - Christmas confusion. 

R - about the cat. When I told her no such thing. She said "There is no such thing as no such thing."

"Wow, pretty cool guys huh" - S

She gave me something. I said "Thank you." "My pleasure" - S

In the car, R playing with Kindle. Stella mad. "Don't Trust me D!!!!" - I said "don't worry S ,we wont trust you." (she meant interrupt, but it was funny enough to cut the mood)

"But talking is one of my hobbies"

Dorothy seems to have gotten in trouble in school on Friday for talking.  She has to sit out from recess on Monday. Friday night she was telling me about it and was so upset, explaining she had no idea when it as an appropriate time to talk and when it wasn't.

When I told her it is best not to talk in class at all she explained in all seriousness that "talking is one of her hobbies. "I mean, I have lots of hobbies, but talking is one of them."

Yesterday Mike went upstairs to see Stella standing on the edge of our bathtub. Holding the back scratcher. "What are you doing?" he asked.  "Just fishing" she said.


Ian is applying to high schools which is insane.  We went to TABC today - it was pretty moving. Daron has grown a few inches in the past few months best as I can tell. Suddenly almost my height.

We drove to see the kitty cat

Two hours in the car (nearly) each way - the way back the girls had a little lack of patience. But on the way there we were all excited.

When we noted we were going to Pennsylvania  -  Stella said "Daniel Tiger goes to Pennsylvanie - to where all the people make the crayons"

Devorah

Dorothy dreamt last night that she woke up and saw another little girl in the house. And she came down and ate breakfast and asked Daddy who it was since at first she thought it was Stella but looked way different.  He said that Moshiach had come and it was the little girl that "died" in my tummy. Everyone was so excited and they started dancing and singing (I think she said Simin Tav and Mazal Tov) and then the clouds in the sky started to take shape into pictures or images or shapes. And they saw Hashem and Mosiach. And then she lost her shoe and they were outside and Mike said to look up and they saw Hashem and Mosiach in the sky and they saw two airplanes and it was funny she thought they flew away each in an airplane. 

Daddy

We were frustrated at Dorothy for repeated questions and Mike yelled at her from the front seat. "Daddy... why are you being so mean to Dorothy?"