After a few HORRIBLE trips to a certain popular hair cutting chain to get Cora's haircut, I began trimming Cora's bangs at home. They were getting increasingly longer and shaggier and I was getting fed up with my terrible trims. So, Geron had a brilliant idea this week of what to do about Cora's hair.
It had been quite awhile since we'd been to that certain chain, long enough for Cora to forget the experience, I think. Geron flat out asked her "Cora, would you like to get your hair cut?" and she answered "Shes." (yes) Our jaws dropped and for a minute we were mute. Then, my genius of a husband began talking to our not-so-daring daughter about getting her hair cut. "Would you like to go to where all the pretty ladies get their hair cut? You can sit in a big chair and wear a pretty cape and have your hair fixed just like YaYa, etc, etc, etc." Cora is all about looking pretty and was eating up everything Geron said.
SO, this morning, I scheduled an appointment for Cora at the shop where her YaYa goes. We egged it on all morning and did everything we could to keep Cora in a good mood. All the while, I was in the mindset that she was going to throw the worst tantrum EV-ER and I would have to crawl out of the shop.
We arrived at the shop a little before her appointment. So, Cora and I sat on the wicker sofa and talked about all the things we saw in the salon. I showed her all the pretty ladies who were getting their hair styled and cut (most were over 65, I'd say.) But Cora didn't seem to notice that so much. She began chewing on her finger a little bit and that was my cue that things wouldn't go so swimmingly.
At one, the stylist came over and started talking to us about the cut and about Cora and her YaYa. I asked if it would be okay if Cora sat in my lap and she said it would be no problem at all. We walked to the chair and climbed in. The stylist was holding a black cape, which Cora noticed and said "I'm not going to wear that, Mommy. That's not mine." I ended up in the black cape. Then, first smooth move of the stylist, Cora got to wear a small purple cape. (she's all about purple right now.) Water bottle came out, squirt squirt squirt, combing began. Cora asked "is she brushing my hair, mommy?" "Yes." Didn't phase her. She looked around at all the equipment in the shop and we talked about what we saw and who we saw. I pulled out some gummies and Cora was in beauty shop heaven. In about 30 minutes, the cut was completed, Cora hopped out of the chair, drew a picture of her hair cut on a cabinet with a dry erase marker and strutted her new look around the shop. She looked good and she knew it. On the way home, we stopped and got her a milkshake.
I don't know what changed, but I know where we're going to get her hair cut from now on.
(thanks, June! And, Geron, you're brilliant! Don't think I don't notice)
We're right in the middle of our VBS week at Grace. Our Bible school curriculum is set up as a rotation. Each night the kids go to a different room to hear a Bible story. Everything in that room is themed around their particular story. Geron and I are teaching the story of Paul and Silas being freed from prison when God allows an earthquake to cause the jail to crumble around them (Acts 16). We have a miniature jail cell in our room, nothing elaborate, just a few cardboard cinder block walls and three sets of prison bars.
Monday night's group fit right into our cell--a group of 2nd thru 4th grade boys. I thought we were in for a rough night with that bunch--one of them had gotten in a fist fight over an egg at our Easter Egg hunt earlier this spring--but overall these guys were awesome. Sure we had a few episodes of namecalling at the beginning of the night, but once we got into things, we had a blast.
Last night was our easiest group, I'd say. I was right at home with our kindergarten/first grade bunch. They listened well, memorized their verse, played games with no complaints and did a fabulous job on their craft. Tonight, I found out why God let us have such a good bunch last night.
Tonight we had Cora. Need I say more? Not just Cora, but 9 other Coras! Yes, we had ten 3 and 4 years olds (some were actually almost-3 year olds.) And were they ever rowdy! Cora was tickled pink to be in Mommy and Daddy's class. Geron pulled out some candy at some point before the lesson and Cora thought she was in Heaven. She didn't understand why we wouldn't give her more and not let everybody else have more, too. She listened pretty well during story while some of her friends stood up and wondered around right in the middle of the group. We attempted a game of "Paul Paul Silas" AKA "Duck Duck Goose". That one was hard for a 2 year old. Cora wanted to get up and run every time. She never did get to be the actual "ducker", for lack of the right word. After that game, we learned the memory verse. Cora already learned it earlier this week...I've been practicing with her at home. She says it flawlessly, pretty much. Following memory, we went to the gym. The past two nights we've played "Free the prisoners", a game of tag modified to reemphasize our lesson. Tonight there was no tag. It was strictly CHASE with a hint of "Ring around the Rosies" and "London Bridge Is Falling Down." Next was snack, the best part of the night. And I must say, we picked the perfect snack for this age. They were already full of 3 year old energy, didn't need cookies to enhance it. So, we had pretzel sticks and cheese cubes. we stuck the pretzels in the cubes and made prison bars. Most of the kids loved it. ( We did this snack last night, too, and one little girl said "I don't like this. Pretzels and cheese aren't a healthy snack." So I asked her what kind of snack she liked. "I like chocolate chip cookies." ) Finally, we attempted craft with these teeny tinies. We were making a simple paper chain with our memory verse on it. we let the kids play with the glue sticks and put glue on their paper, but as for putting it together, the teachers and helpers mainly did it. Then we gave them a coloring sheet and let them scribble to kingdom come. After the second or third potty break of the evening, we headed back to the sanctuary for closing assembly. Tomorrow night we have a group of fifth and sixth grade girls plus one boy, unless we have a few more boys show up. I think it will be a nice break.
We've set a goal for a certain number of kids to show up this week. If we reach our goal, Pastor Matt is going to dye his hair green. Pray we reach our goal! Pray we go over it! And in the line of serious prayer requests, please pray for kids to be won to the Lord this week. VBS is one of the best ways to reach kids for Christ and we want more than anything else for that to be what happens this week.
grill-supply aisles at Walmart, or noticed all the tools on sale THIS
WEEKEND ONLY signs in Sears, Lowes and Home Depot, today is FATHER'S
DAY, a day to celebrate the dad's of the world.
So, here's my tribute to the daddies in my life.
To those who have passed on, Grandaddy and Grandpa, I love you and
miss you. My Grandaddy had a great sense of humor, loved to sing, and
adored his wife of 49 years and 360 so days. In his last days, when
he didn't recognize most of us from Adam, he knew my Granny and still
sang "Million Dollar Baby" to her...Grandpa (my daddy's dad) also
loved to sing and to tell stories. We used to sit around their
kitchen and sing hymns and listen to Grandpa's stories. I don't
really remember the whole story, but I know that one of his favorites
to tell was kind of a ghost story about the Mulberry Black Thing.
Grandpa was in a wheelchair and used to give us rides in his lap. He
passed away when I was in 6th grade, so I missed out on getting to
know his really well, but my memories of him are certainly good ones.
To Preston, Geron's dad, it is an honor to be your daughter-in-law. I
have learned so much from you about loving people as they are. I
could ask anyone who knows you what kind of person you are, and they
would all say you are a man of God. It is obvious that you love the
Lord with all your heart. Thank you for sharing what the Lord has done
for you. Thank you for setting a Godly example for Geron of what a
Godly husband should be. Thank you for always being here to help us
with whatever we need. You are the most generous person I know, and
Grace church can testify that I've told them so. You are crazy about
your grandchildren and they are crazy about you right back. I am so
glad God gave you extra years after last summer.
To my Daddy, I love you, Daddy-O. You have always been one of my
biggest encouragers. Thank you for praying for me growing up and
reading your Bible every night. Thank you for raising me in the
church and insisting I go whether I felt like it or not. Thank you
for teaching me the importance of giving God His tithe even when it
seemed I couldn't afford to do so. The fact is I can't afford not to.
Thank you for teaching me about faithfulness in the way you loved Mom
through thick and then. Thank you for coming to all my piano recitals
and concerts and encouraging my talent--making me count out loud
during practicing was always a pain, but I'm glad you could see the
big picture and made me do it anyway. Thanks for playing with us,
racing with us on the sidewalk, skipping with us into church, swimming
with us in the pool, and for building me my dollhouse (favorite
Christmas present ever) and my doll cradle, which is now Cora's.
Daddy, there are so many things I can thank you for, but most
importantly thank you for loving the Lord and loving me. You're as
special a Grandpa as mine was and more so!
Finally, to my husband, Geron. I love watching you in your role as a
Daddy. You are a Godly man and our kids adore you. You and Cora keep
me in stitches. She is a girl version of a mini-you. There's a
special relationship between a Daddy and his girl. She has confidence
because you believe in her. This year, you got "your boy" and the
bond you two have is precious. They are learning a lot from you. How
to have fun, music appreciation, good cooking skills, importance of
prayer, how to love and respect their future spouse. They are
learning the character traits of compassion, forgiveness, mercy,
gerosity, and love from you. Thank you for all you do for our children
and for me. I love you very much.
Happy Fathers Day to you ALL.
My brother, Everett AKA Uncle Ebrett, has been in town this week. Cora loves having people around all the time to perform for and she was cutting shines right and left for Uncle Ebrett. His first night here, he was playing with her in the living room and apparently did something she didn't like so she said "Don't". Everett didn't know what he'd done so he said "Don't what?" to which she said "Don't, Ma'am." (Good manners, a little off the mark there, though.) Today, after hopping out of a bath, she ran into the other room and jumped on his bed (in her birthday suit.) She pointed at her bottom and said "That's my butt. That's where the poop comes out." (Such a lady.) Then she said "I can't see my hiney."
All in all, we had a great visit with Everett. He was a super big help with the kids, grocery-getting, and cleaning up after meals. And we got to do one of our favorite "Everett-pasttimes", play Settlers. We played it almost every night, AFTER the kids went to bed, and played at least two games of it each time. Everett and Geron won most of them, but last night I kicked you-know-what and had a nice surprise win. Yes, I basked a little much in the glory of it all. But hey, Everett and Geron were my opponents! EVERETT AND GERON! Go me! Go me!
Hopefully he'll be back for his annual Labor day visit this year. Looking back to my adolescent years, I think there were not too many times when I appreciated what a good brother I had.. Of course, he was a little different back in the day. But today, I wouldn't trade him for anything. He's a great brother and an awesome friend. (And Cora and Cohen would add, a really fun uncle.) We love you Everett!!! Til next time!
****update****
Our buckin' bronco is a pint-sized rocking horse. Apparently, Cora found out that with carpet, you can get rocking horses to do a lot more. She likes to ride hers through the living room and office. It slides nicely across the carpet as she rocks and jumps at the same time.
Last night, Geron and I were watching with amusement as she showed us her new trick, that is, getting the horse to rock her across the room. At one point, she got a little carried away and jumped the horse right out from under her. She flipped off the back and the horse went sailing over her head, landing down just shy of the dining table. Geron was able to keep his composure and asked her if she was okay. I, on the other hand, was shaking on the loveseat with laughter.
She's going to have to take the rocking horse out to the corral and work on taming it. It's still a little wild.
