We decided to go to David’s work cafeteria for lunch. Memories about what we do at David’s workplace apparently stay fresh in the minds of our children. As they entered the lobby and began running to the cafeteria everyone could hear the following statements:
Jubliee: I want a club sandwich!
Angel: I want candy!
The security guard chuckled.
Madeleline learned about gravity and magnetism today. While playing at the refrigerator door, she let a paper drop.
“Oh, the paper dropped!” she observed. This is gravity, of course.
“That’s because you need a magnet.”
Soon after, Angelina came along and started playing at the refrigerator door. Sure enough, she let a paper drop.
Madeleine explained, “That’s because you need a maggot!”
Good-bye liquid vitamin in a bottle. Hello chewable vitamins for Angel and Maddie! The loved it. Maddie keeps asking for more.
(Edited for better comprehension.)
Dear God,
Thank You for BSF and MOPS and church and read Bible and go to bed and we go to Grammy’s and we go to Pau-Pau and Gaun-Gaun’s and the lights are on and the lights are off and it’s getting dark and cold and windy. Amen.
Maddie and I were reading books together. On the back of two of the books, the letter “Y” was very prominent. I asked Madeleine, “What letter is this?” To my surprise, she said, “Y!” I was so happy. She was starting to recognize letters!
The next thing I knew, Maddie exclaimed, “Deep and Wide!” Then she started singing “Deep and wide! Deep and wide!” from the old Sunday School song “Deep and Wide”.
I waited a bit, then pointed to “Y” and asked her what letter it was. “Deep and Wide!” she proudly answered!
On the way home, Angelina came up with this song set. (I’ll try my best to transcribe it.)
Jesus loves me this I know
For the Bible tells me so
Little little one to Him belong
Rain rain go away
Come again another day
Little lamb want to play
Rain rain go away
Jesus loves me this I know
For the Bible tells me so
Little lamb want to play
Twinkle twinkle little star
How I wonder what you are
Up above the world so high
Like a diamond in the sky
Twinkle twinkle little star
(repeat)
Yay!
Jesus loves me this I know
For the Bible tells me so
Little lamb want to play
Deep and wide
Deep and wide
**********
Her skills as a worship leader did not go unnoticed. Maddie followed along quite well.
Today started a new chapter for the twins. Instead of Jubilee getting to spend the afternoon with Pau-Pau and Gaun-Gaun, it was Angelina!
In the morning, I tried to be careful with my words. I said to Angelina and Madeleine, “You two are going to start taking turns spending the day with Pau-Pau and Gaun-Gaun. Today it’s Angelina’s turn.”
Maddie was perfectly happy and not jealous. Whew! Angel was excited.
We all had lunch together before they took Angel. When Pau-Pau told Angel she was going to be with them, Angel said, “Not Jubilee?”
They spent the day in San Francisco. Pau-Pau and Gaun-Gaun said Angel talked the entire drive up. They attempted to go on three merry-go-rounds. The first one was closed, the second one was broken, and the third one was working…except Angel freaked out and they had to get off. According to Pau-Pau, Angel said she would go on it when she’s bigger. Or maybe with her Daddy.
They walked in Chinatown, bought Chinese bakery goodies, and she got to eat a Chinese sponge cake. She fell asleep on the drive home, so they stopped in Mountain View for dinner.
When Angel got home, Maddie announced that Angel was home. I told Maddie to go say hi. Maddie ran to her twin sister and gave her a hug.
For me, the day went well. I couldn’t believe how much easier it was to take care of two children who are of different ages! They played together very well, put on a Spring Performance, did arts and crafts without creating a disaster. The most bittersweet moment came at dinner time. The four of us sat together at the table and we fit so perfectly. But it wasn’t perfect. When I said, “It felt weird,” David replied, “It’s very American.”
My life is crazy, messy, stressful, and difficult. I like even numbers and symmetry. In spite of the odds (pun intended), a family of five and raising three little girls brings a harmony that has no parallel to this world.
I’ve been seeing Jubilee mature this week as I’ve seen her preparing for Mother’s Day.
Yesterday she quietly stayed in her room during room time. When I came in to put clothes away, she said, “Don’t look at what I’m doing!”
When I pick her up from various activities, she’ll clutch to her arts and crafts and protest, “You can’t see this, Mommy!”
This afternoon, she told me, “Mommy, you’re getting many presents for Mother’s Day.”
“Wheeeeee!” I squealed. “This is going to be better than Christmas!”
Today I was trying to open her closet door, but she had hidden all of her presents…right where the door is suppose to be.
Knowing that we are going to Grammy’s for the weekend, she says, “I have sooooo many things to pack.”
By far the sweetest maturity I’ve seen was yesterday, again during her room time. Looking worn out (I’m not kidding you), she says, “Whew. I am soooo busy. I have lot of work to do.”
This is going to be the best Mother’s Day ever!
“I love you, Mommy.”
“I love you, Daddy.”
We both hugged Maddie, told her we loved her, and this was her reply!
I’m sitting on the floor with my JAM girls while they eat a popsicle. I decide it’s a good time to teach a simple worship song to them with the hopes of adding to our small repertoire of “Holy Holy Holy” and “Jesus What a Wonder You Are.”
“I’m going to teach you a new praise song,” I tell them. Of course I still have to come up with a song.
“I know which song,” Jubilee says. “It goes like this.” Then, to my amazement, she begins to sing the chorus to a song. I’m pretty sure I know it, though her lyrics are only about half correct. I’m also impressed that she’s singing on key!
“Where did you learn that song?” I ask her. “Did you hear it today at the Easter Festival?”
“From your class,” she replies, meaning an adult program at church. She further clarifies, “In the sanctuary. I heard it a long time ago.”
So I pull out my iPod and play the song. She’s very happy that I used her suggestion. She even asked that we go to a concert to hear this song. I’m ecstatic that she wanted to sing a song praising Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.
What’s the song? “Broken and Beautiful” by Brian Doerkson. You can hear a snippet of it on iTunes Someone also put a slideshow together on YouTube.
Here are the lyrics. In bold is what Jubilee sang. (=
As we break this bread
As we drink this cup
Lord we remember
How You gave Your life on a brutal cross
Lord we remember
This is the way You’ve chosen to say
This is the way You make all things new
This is the way You’ve chosen to say
This is the way You make all things new
Broken and beautiful
Extravagant love
Prodigal grace
Broken and beautiful
God’s perfect justice
Mercies embraced
As we break this bread
As we drink this cup
Lord we remember
It was for my sin that Your flesh was torn
Lord we remember
This is the way You’ve chosen to say
This is the way You make all things new
This is the way You’ve chosen to say
This is the way You make all things new
Broken and beautiful
Extravagant love
Prodigal grace
Broken and beautiful
God’s perfect justice
Mercies embraced
Broken and beautiful
Broken and beautiful
This is the way You’ve chosen to say
This is the way You make all things new
This is the way You’ve chosen to say
This is the way You make all things new
As we break this bread
As we drink this cup
Lord we remember