Happy Easter!

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Here I sit, feeling the cool spring breeze wafting in my window and I feel new life return to my body and the cobwebs dissipate. I have been fighting various and sundry ailments and I feel like Theoden, King on his throne, all bound up and weak and cobwebby and I need a friendly yet fierce wizard to work magic on me knarly self. I wish I could be ready for the "big run" that I've been registered for since September which is happening this Saturday, but I think it will be more of an amble down azalea adorned avenues. I don't know if I have allergies, or if the Lord is teaching me to not take getting well for granted, but I have a chest cold that won't quit. I finally went to the doctor two weeks ago and he said "bronchitis." I think part of it is that with children there's little rest to be found when I'm sick. So then the stomach virus struck on Friday and my intestines may never be the same. I long for a big ole greasy pizza, but for now I eat rice and bananas and applesauce. I can see how when I am sick or in a difficult time I really get bogged down and think it will last forever and that things will never return to normal. I forget what it was like to be normal and have energy and have my body function correctly. I think of people with chronic pain and illnesses and I really wonder how they do it.



So I will backtrack a little and put a few pictures of one of my favorite events in Mobile, The Festival of Flowers. It is a wonderful festival with flowers from around the world, and landscapes that inspire. Ruthie really enjoyed the festival, even though she sort of withdraws into herself and doesn't want to be in any pictures. She loved sitting on the John Deere tractors they had tastefully displayed, and she was obsessed with the various water-features. She was in awe of the Azalea Trail Maids and asked me if she could have a dress like theirs.



I can go back further to our Valentine cookie fest, and even further to our fun trip to Montgomery. We visited Jay's parents and got to go to the Zoo. It was a beautiful day, and unbeknownst to us it was a special day at the Zoo, "animal enrichment" or some such thing. This meant it was very full of people as well as animals, and they ate like animals and we had to wait an hour for a couple hot dogs and some nachos. That was the low point, but we endured and even got to see the lion enrichment while we waited. Basically, they put a zebra made of plastic buckets filled with "lion treats" inside their enclosure to see how the lions would respond. The theory is that animals need exposure to different materials and textures and forms, to enrich their lives and give them excitement and variety. I think it mainly annoyed the lioness, who toyed with it half-heartedly and the male, if interviewed would probably have said, "Whatever; if it's not bleeding or able to be mauled, I am not interested. Enrichment my arse." We also had a close up view of the giraffes eating some acacia branches. I liked seeing the baby elephant, and I wanted a closer perusal of the pygmy hippos (how cool are pygmy hippos!) but they were sacked out on the grass far away from my view. In general I don't like zoos, they make me sad for the animals whom I feel should be free! free! to roam and poop and kill things, but it is fun to see them up close, especially for children. The saddest animal were the bears. They just seemed lethargic and melancholy. They just sat there by their nice waterfall and one would let out a growly-moan now and again and dip his big paw in the water like he really didn't care about life.



I did learn one interesting animal fact: there is no such thing as a black panther- they are just jaguars or leopards with a gene that makes them produce more melanin, hence the all-black coat. In some cases you can see the differentiation between the dark spots and the darker pigmented areas around. Interesting, huh? I liked this Zoo, despite my general anti-Zoo bias. It was really well planned and landscaped and the habitats were large and seemed like they were true to the animals' real habitats in the wild. My wee ones really enjoyed it, especially the train ride (well, except Mac's tunnel panic). Ruthie's favorite was the snakes! (Sorry JuJu!)

La La La La

and I don't know why I want that laptop, since I am at home mostly, and we have a perfectly competent computer (even though it does need some RAM). I usually don't crave technology toys and such (we are totally ipodless in our family), but that little skinny mac is attractive to me. Maybe it really is the song. I think if I have that laptop it will make me happy and I will never not smile again. Ever. I will sing La La La La all day long.

La La La La

I love the new commercial for that really thin Mac. The song just makes me so happy. I found the lady that sings it, Yael Naim- there is a great video on YouTube (just google it, people-I couldn't copy the address for some reason). I downloaded the song and now I want the laptop for Christmas. (loud laughter, no- really really loud laughter here)

Misadventures Unlimited

Remind me never to take my children to a professional photographer again. Or if I do go, to drink a Dr. Pepper and smoke marijuana beforehand. (Joking about the Mary J. Juana) My children do not do well. Ruthie refused to smile. It was like she and the photographer were having a stare off. She kept wanting me in the picture, and so Ms. Photographer humored her with a lovely shot including me with yoga pants and day old smeary mascara. I think I'll order that one for sure. Mac smiled plenty, but would not stay in the proper picture-taking area, and tried to stay glued to my leg most of the time. He was mainly interested in the goldfish I used to get him to sit still. I think that kind lady let out a sigh of relief when we left. We tried to turn the day around by getting ChickerAys as Ruthie calls Chick-Fil-A, and eating at the park, but a cold front had come through while I was fighting for smiles, and we were not dressed appropriately. And it was trying to rain, so we went home and took long naps. That is the way to turn a day around. Or a week.

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Closer to Turpen-Fine

This past Saturday night Jay and I went to a really great concert. I was trying to think of a concert to pretend to have been to that would solidify our 80s hairband follower status, like Cinderella, because my last concert post was about the Poison concert last summer. But I think most of those bands have run out of hairspray and can't tour anymore. This concert I picked, and it was one of my favorites ever. It was the Indigo Girls and Brandi Carlile. Most people have heard of the Indigo Girls, but Brandi Carlile is an up and coming artist from Seattle. I was probably more excited about her, since I've been hearing her on my favorite local station (92 Zew) and I immediately loved her voice and the impressive lyrics she writes. I have lots of fun Indigo Girl memories from college, mainly roadtripping-top-of-the-lungs sing alongs accompanied by crazy hand motions while pondering the meaning of life kind of things. I'd love to be able to transport you to the concert to see and hear and feel what it felt like, but I think it is hard to do. I will tell you what I saw- a beautiful old theatre, redone like new, shiny and grand. I saw Brandi Carlile, about the size of a Barbie on the stage as I looked down, down-with skinny leg jeans and pale barefeet sticking out, one turning in awkwardly like a little girl, tapping to the music. There was a cello player whose deep resonant playing added the soulful background the the acoustic guitars. I saw Brandi leaning in to the microphone and filling the theatre with her amazing tone and range. I saw the Indigo Girls play, singing their philosopher songs and inviting the crowd to sing along. I heard a guy behind me scream out "Galileo!" every time they paused between songs. I heard amazing two-part and three-part harmony(when they called Ms Carlile back out to sing with them), and the rollicking strains of the accordion as the Indigo Girls sang into the night.

*One interesting note- we barely made it in time for the concert because the #$*&*% Mardi Gras parades were rolling and we got stuck on the wrong side of one and had to follow it forever.

*The one baby in the entire theatre sat beside me. Ironic to say the least. When I see babies out that late I usually jump to judgment..." I can't believe that mom has her baby out this late!" But you know, I don't know their situation-maybe their child care fell through, or they coundn't afford to pay someone etc etc. The benefit of the doubt is a good thing. Especially when the doubt comes to sit beside you and claps and smiles and is generally a sweet baby.

I'm joining the disgruntled party

"I voted" said the sticker on my shirt. This is really the first time I almost didn't vote. When I filled in my little bubble I noticed there was one labeled "uncommitted." I contemplated that, but figured, hey, I drove here to the polls and I might as well vote for someone. I am not a huge follower of political things, but I do usually find a candidate that aligns with what I believe, and one that I can vote for with confidence. This year, and I know it is just the primary, not so. I struggle between idealism voting- voting for that unknown guy who has no chance whatsoever; and strategic voting- voting for someone just because it is against someone else, or just voting for "the lesser of two weevils" (to quote Captain Aubrey in Master and Commander). I think the two weevils is what it will come down to on that Tuesday in November.

Sense and Sensibility

Last weekend was a busy weekend, with Ruthie's 3rd birthday party and our 2nd annual Military Mardi Gras Ball that night. First of all, I can't believe Ruthie is three. That seems so old to me. My baby girl has certainly been replaced by a precocious little girl who wants to do everything by herself. If you ask Ruth what her favorite movie is she says "and Sensibility," or Sense and Sensibility- the adaptation of Jane Austen's novel. I love this. And it happened, not by my indoctrination but because she happened to wake up from a nap and come upon me watching the movie and she saw a baby, and that was it. She was hooked. Now she sits and watches parts of it, and knows the characters by name. I had to introduce Pride and Prejudice (the 2 hour version) because I was becoming weary of the Dashwoods, and probably reciting scenes in my sleep. Now we have "dance parties" or "balls" and she is Lizzie and I am Mr. Darcy or Jane. I love that she is able to sit and watch these movies (not in their entirety in one sitting, by any means) because they are such wonderful character studies and full of history and culture. Not that there is anything wrong with "Finding Nemo" or any Disney movies, but there is much to be said for an early introduction to classic literature, even in the form of a movie. Ruth is already a bibliophile, and I think her favorite movies are a reflection of that love.

Pinelands Nursery

My brother Alan's Nursery's website is up and running. I think it looks great. I think my brother is great. Sort of like frosted flakes.

Local Landmark Closes

It appears on my latest drive-bys that the doors of the already abandoned looking Cimarron Club have closed for good. The rusty marquee is gone- the one that usually spelled out the exciting happenings like "Sexy Back Contest Tonight" or "com hav a drink with us" (I think they ran out of e's.) This club on the "Forgotten Corner of Mobile" has been a landmark for years and years. Mainly as the shadiest-looking-crusty-broken-window bar in the city. It says "members only" on the doors, and that has always made me wonder about what it would take to become a member of the Cimarron Club. Anyway, I imagined what they would put on the marquee if they had announced their closing like in You've Got Mail, when the landmark children's bookstore closed after 50 years- here is what I've come up with:

After (number) years and too many bloody drunken brawls

and police interventions to count

we are closing our doors

Maybe they'll put a Walgreens here

Thanks for being a part of our lives

A hodges family Christmas

Here is the annual family picture. If you didn't get one it's because I ran out.
Romping with Daddy. I love matching jammies.
Mac, sorely tempted.
Our little Christmas angel.

We had a lovely Christmas/New Year. Here are some memorable things about it.

1. We were in our home for Christmas morning. It was very sweet and relaxing. Jay's mom and step-dad came Christmas Eve (JuJu and PawPaw were like Santa in their Tahoe, loaded down with presents for all the grandkids, blowing in from way up north Montgomery) and we all had chili and opened presents along with Jay's brother and family. Ruthie got to feed her baby cousin a bottle- she was in heaven.
2. I cooked my first turkey. He was an 18 pounder. He went down without a fight. We loved the leftovers.
3. Our tree didn't fall over this year. It leaned slightly to starboard, but it stayed up.
4. We went to my family for New Years and had greens and black-eyed peas and Jay and I got to go out on New Year's Eve with my brother and sis-in-law without kids!
5. We got to see our friends Craig and Cary Perry and meet their baby Seth. He is precious. It's always hard to catch up in two hours or less, but you get what you can and just be so happy we have heaven.
6. Ruthie is obsessed with Baby Jesus. She loves him and looks for him everywhere. She has seen his star in the east and has come to worship him. Her favorite Christmas carol was The Little Drummer Boy. She can sing the whole thing including each and every pa rum pum pum pum.
7. Mac was obsessed with the little green ball ornaments on the table right behind the couch. He would stand up on the couch, grab one, and try to run around the house with one in his mouth. Don't worry- he never made it very far. He had very good self-control with the tree. He would stand staring up at it and talk to it alot though.
8. Rootie got an umbrella (she walks around saying "tut, tut it looks like rain!" like Christopher Robin.)
9. The almost best moment of the whole month was when Jay almost sprayed the new shaving cream I got him all over his body because he thought it was body spray. The conversation-
Jay: You must really like how this smells (shaving cream poised to "spray")
Me: (back turned) I don't really know about how it smells, but it's supposed to be good for your skin.
Jay freezes. He reads the label. He starts laughing.
Jay: I thought it was body spray or something!
Me: Oh if only I hadn't answered!
Oh well.

Well so that is that

Well so that is that. Now we must dismantle the tree,
Putting the decorations back into their cardboard boxes-
Some have got broken-and carrying them up to the attic.
The holly and mistletoe must be taken down and burnt,
And the children got ready for school. There are enough
Left-overs to do, warmed up, for the rest of the week-
Not that we have much appetite, having drank such a lot,
Stayed up so late, attempted-quite unsuccessfully-
To love all our relatives, and in general
Grossly overestimated our powers. Once again
As in previous years we have seen the actual Vision and failed
To do more than entertain it as an agreeable
Possibility, once again we have sent Him away
Begging though to remain His disobedient servant,
The promising child who cannot keep his word for long.

-W. H. Auden

First Haircuts

The time finally came for two scraggly children to go get hair cuts. Ruth almost made it to her third birthday, and I'm sorry I didn't get a good "before picture" to show how long her hair was. The one my mom took shows a very nervous Ruthie watching Mac undergo his ordeal. Her hair had been up on top of her head in a bun which is why it looks so rough. That picture makes me laugh. Her hair was pretty, but it was just getting too long, and she would cry every time we combed it out after a bath, so I was fed up with it. Mac's was cute, in a boyish scruffy way, but it was time for him too. He pitched quite the fit, and I guess now the hairdresser is second only to the doctor's office for torture level for Mackiedoo.

Check out my Slide Show!

Check out my Slide Show!

Tales of a 1-year old

Apparently November has been "no blogging for Merrill month." Oh well. There ARE better things to be doing with my time. Like taking a shower. Hmmmm. Or taking a nap. Hmmmm. Sad that there must be a trade off in life nowadays. Stinky Merrill, or Blogging Merrill. Grumpy Merrill, or Blogging Merrill. Ok, that will do- I always find it odd to refer to myself in the third person.

The main event this month was Mac's first birthday. It was fun watching him destroy his first cupcake, and he did seem to enjoy the presents and of course, having family and friends there to let him know something exciting was going on.

The day after Mac's party we had a real scare when he somehow opened a bottle of nail polish and brushed it in his eye and mouth. Jay flushed it out while I was on the phone with Poison Control, and he suffered no ill-effects. Really, by the grace of God. We could look back and see his hand in the way it all played out. The rest of the day was just sweet family time, as something like this puts things into perspective. Even though it might not sound like a big deal, it really was in the midst of it. Every day I take things for granted, like my children's health, eyesight, ability to walk, even their little lives. So this day we put on more cabinet locks and humbly thanked the Lord for his hand in our lives.

Here are some fun facts about little Mac:
Weight: 18 lbs 5 oz
Hair: light brown and scruffy
Favorite thing to do: pull out all the wipes from the wipes container and distribute them around the room, then put one in mouth and carry it around like a puppy
Other favorite things to do: growl and wrestle, and pat people on the back, dance, romp with sister and Daddy
Teeth: he's getting 4 front uppers all at once, he likes to get them brushed too (he has three front bottom teeth already)
Walking: He is starting to branch out from the couch and wall more and more, but usually like he's running, and then he falls
Words: I swear he has said, Daisy (my parents black lab) and bootie (as in shake your)-this is learned from big sis; of course he says mama
Favorite foods: black eyed peas, deli turkey slices, cheese, ravioli
Hates: going to the doctor, what a fit!
Favorite toys: dino blankie to sleep with, and he loves his new Tonka walk-behind truck, and my cell phone
Bathtime fun: sitting under the faucet, trying to catch the water

Mac is such a delightful baby boy. I literally kiss his face off every day, and I love his huge grin and playful spirit. He is such a gift to our family.

November is...

National Novel Writing Month: go to their website all ye scribblers and pound out a novel in thirty days.

Hot in South Alabama: today's high, 80 degrees. It makes me ill to hear my air conditioner come on. Good thing I didn't put my tank tops away.

My son's birth month! I simply cannot believe he will be a year old this month. This is also my nephew Alee's birthday month. He was born a day before Mac. (In case you didn't notice, I now have a niece named Alli and a nephew named Alee. Three cheers for gender neutral names.)

My parent's anniversary month. Way to go parentals. I can never remember how many years. I think 35 years.

My blogiversary. Two years and still typee -type- typing. I'd like to thank God, and Dell.....

Thanksgiving! One of my favorite holidays. I love turkey and stuffing and cranberries and green bean casserole. I think I could eat my body weight in green bean casserole. Jay likes green bean casserole. This is a good thing.

Time change I think it might be this weekend. I don't like the Daylight savings thing now that I have kids. It is sort of like jet lag, but you don't go anywhere.

Noviembre in espanol.

Eleventh month in the year.

Christmas Season at Wal-Mart. Hark the Herald, baby! Thanksgiving is definitely November's ugly step-child in the retail world.

The End of Hurricane Season! This is only sad for the Weather Channel people. I think they go into a "tropical depression" until June comes back around. What will they do without the chance to chase after a tropical storm in their Gore-Tex windbreakers with the wind and rain thrashing them around as they holler into their huge microphones and try to hold their hoods on with great effort but little effect? What will Jim Cantore do if he's not able to stand on a beach and talk with great intensity about the cone of uncertainty and storm surge and whether or not you have batteries and drinking water? I for one am glad to see the season go, and thank the Lord he spared the Gulf Coast for another year.

Did I miss anything?

Reformation Day

sola scriptura
sola fide
sola gratia
solus Christus
soli Deo gloria

Scripture alone
faith alone
grace alone
Christ alone
glory to God alone