Let's take an Ivy moment:

If I took the time to type each time Ivy had her moments, that would be my full time job. Once her little feet touch the floor, she hits the ground running, and does't stop until I 'make' her go to bed at nite. And if I'm lucky, a nap (maybe) so here is another taste of Ivy:

Over the weekend I opened up the tupperware bins of Fall clothes for the girls. It is always fun foe them to pull out last seasons clothes, swap hand-me-downs, try on different outfits (& my job is to keep the peace b/c inevitably there will be a fight at some point). At any rate, Thea has many hand me down clothes from Belle & Shannon (my two little sisters) and she decided to wear a dark purple t shirt that she finally grew into that has a large green bugg-eyed frog on it. Cute t-shirt anyhow & Thea thought so too. Well Ivy didn't, at least she decided she didn't just to get under Thea's skin (which is entirely too easy to do) & Ivy knows this fact. Ivy walked up to Thea, cocked her little fist and slugged Thea in the chest. Thea screamed, so I instantly address the screaming (I can't stand the screaming) and I soon find out what happened. Ivy gets put in a time out (which at our house is sticking your nose in the corner in the kitchen) it's a understood disciplinary action, Mom or dad says, 'time out' and the girls know exactly where to go. After some time spent in the corner I pull Ivy aside & address the 'hitting' & go thru my normal reprimanding. I proceed to ask Ivy why she would do that, and she answers me with a sour-faced look and her arms crossed over her chest: 'Mom, I don't like Thea's lizard shirt!'

Even though it not a lizard it's a frog, it didn't matter, Ivy didn't like it, so she made sure Thea knew it. That's my girl, Ives!

A 'Snappy' start to the day~

   On our way to school this morning (almost 20 min. tardy due to a melt down) Moments before I walked out the door, Petra came barreling back up the stairs of our two-story apt. screaming 'turtle, mom there's a huge turtle!' I think she was more stunned than scarred, but certainly startled.  It's not every morning we run into a large snapping turtle on our way out the door to school!  Check it out:

 Least to say it was more startled than us, it hardly peeked out of it's shell! It turned out to be an 'eventful'       morning!!!  ~Ami out

Pumpkins, Pumpkins, Everywhere

A picture, they say, is worth a thousand words.  So I'll leave the pictures to do the talking this time.

Here are the girls at the Dallas Arboretum--which was newly redecorated for the Fall.

 

Can you find the Elrod sisters?

So, I just wanted to share this picture I found of Thea's classroom:  See her?

Here's a quick look from Petra's class. I happen to find these on the parent's log-in for their 'home-room' online. Anywho, do you see her cute face ?!


I do miss them, I know Ivy does especially. But they are fairing wonderfully & I am so very pleased with  their school. Love to you all!
-Ami out

Girly Gallery

Our friend, Andrea, has journeyed from picturesque Northern California to the dry southern heat of Dallas, TX to visit us.  As always, it was our pleasure to have her.  She has been a good and stalwart friend throughout the many phases of our lives.  She is also an excellent photographer--so we have her to thank for the following gallery of images (featuring Thea, Petra, and Ivy).  Click for more:

We will miss you, Andi!

Meanings

Ah, it is so good to know that I mean so much to someone…to know that I mean enough to receive gifts of affection and expression like those following.  But what do they mean? Let's take a closer look.

Exhibit A

First, a transliteration, and then we'll move on to translation.

The sweet and endearing message seems to read: "I love you you rok and it is osum haw you do the nigs I love you Dad".  Translated that probably means, "I love you.  You rock, and it is awesome how you do things.  I love you Dad."  Sentiments expressed in such simple, honest words are truly invaluable.

But that it only half the message.  A picture, they say, is worth a thousand words.  Let us attempt some visual literacy of the images associated with the words.  Clearly, Thea's artistic abilities are advancing to include the use of side profile--she is turned sideways.  Unfortunately I am not.  Which begs the question, why am I a monocle-wearing cyclops?  Maybe she subconsciously blames me (more than I originally thought) for moving her to Texas?  But she is ever the optimist--I count seven hairs on my head in this picture, her generosity knows no bounds.  I appear to be either leaping or levitating with joy as she looks happily on…before I'm attacked by ethereal, sky-dwelling jellyfish!  A pair of flowers look quizzically on.

 

Exhibit B

 

Where to begin?!

First off, please be assured that Thea has been made aware of the dispensation of grace, and the doctrine of Christ's substitutionary atonement.  But maybe her worship demands more than a verbal expression of gratitude for the propitiation of Christ?  If anyone is worried that the creature being sacrificed is a mammal--perhaps of the bunnyish, sheepish sort--please be at ease.  I count six legs on that altar.  I have never known any mammal to have six legs.  And who might the disembodied, fu manchu + goatee wearing, double-chinned head be?  His catlike eyes look contentedly on as he slides down the sunbeam.  The idea of a girl stands beside the altar (also a disembodied--though faceless--head), but she has not yet been fully actualized into this fanciful, sacrificial transworld.

I love my daughters!

Adaptation

I don't think you truly understand how much you've adapted to something until it changes.  After 2 months of triple-digit temperatures here in Dallas we are now set to enjoy a week in the 80s to low 90s.  This Labor Day morning we were alerted by an ecstatic Thea running around the apartment proclaiming, "It's cold!  It's cold!"  Petra, not being one to be taken in by such incredible statements, went out onto the porch to feel for herself.  Her report: "It's freezing cold!"  But what might "freezing cold" mean?

69 degrees!  Cold indeed!  Having adapted to weather that has been between 30 and 40 degrees hotter on a daily basis, I suppose 69 degrees legitimately qualifies as "cold."  …"Freezing" might be a stretch.

The Woman Who Willed a Miracle

Studying brain plasticity for a psychology course has reintroduced me to my fascination with autistic savants.

My favorite story about such a case is the story of Leslie Lemke.  I do not think that I can do this true story justice with any sort of synopsis, so I will leave it in the capable hands of Cloris Leachman, and an ABC Afterschool Special: The Woman Who Willed a Miracle--which I was delighted to discover is freely available on Youtube in 5 parts.

 

If that peaks your interest, I highly recommend watching the original Canadian interview that inspired it: May's Miracle.