Molly Turns 3

When you turn three and want a "painting chicken mermaid party" you get an "under the sea" party! There's a limit to birthday theme choices.

She wanted a craft. She wanted a chocolate cake with a crab and fish on it. She wanted a sign for the door, storytime and hot dogs cut in the shape of an octopus. We delivered. Because you know, it's fun to make this little girl happy. 

We made jellyfish out of paper cups. My friend, somehow, made this amazing cake! Lydia and I created a sign for the door. We read "The Singing Mermaid" to a riveted audience of children. I even made octopus-ish looking creatures out of hot dogs. Thank you pinterest. Nailed it. 

Also, we managed to unknowingly introduce a few friends to peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (I called them peanut butter and jellyfish...ha!). I was tempted to take credit for this flavor combination, but alas I confessed it was the most popular un-glamorous sandwich in America. 

So, we made Molly happy. She does her share of making us happy every day. I'm supposed to say "I can't believe she's three!" but I can. Because, truthfully it feels like our family is a family with Molly. And it's only been three years since she came along. To think, only three years that we've had this daughter who loves to help, makes up silly songs and lights up a room. What a privilege and joy!

Maybe next year we'll do the "painting chicken mermaid party".

Regroup

I use this word a lot since moving here.

"Regroup."

As in, "Ok, so the store is closed for a holiday, let's regroup and figure out what Mommy will make for lunch." or "Yes, I know I said we'd go read books, but monkeys pooped on my laundry. I'm gonna need to regroup." or "The gas is out. Let's regroup and order pizza!". You get the picture. Basically, it's making lemonade out of lemons. It's not a bad thing to teach my kids, and hopefully it's character-developing for me as well.

But I get tired of regrouping. And here's where I wish character-development (or call it sanctification) wouldn't take so darn long. Once every four years, Brian's company has a big retreat. It happened just this past week. And on ONE of those days during the retreat we were going to get a free day with an optional family activity! We choose the Singapore Zoo. We were all looking forward to the animals, the cleanliness and order (I know, it's a zoo, but those are the sort of things I anticipate when I visit other countries now!), the whole it's-taken-care-of excursion-ness to it.

Well, it wouldn't make this sort of blog post if it lived up to my expectations. Due to a very slow immigration check-point and a lackadaisical bus driver we never made it to the zoo. Instead, we were dropped in the middle of the city (80 minutes from the zoo) with tired, hungry kids and no clue what to do.

Regroup. Make lemonade out of lemons.

First stop: ATM. We don't know the exchange rate so we guess and find a restaurant. Burgers and milkshakes! (Later we realize the milkshakes gave us food poisoning...but that's another blog post). We explore a toy store and find a park with turtles and some sort of prairie chicken. My kids find a gardener watering the lawn. To these profession regroup-ers, this is a water park!

So, it turned out to be an ok day. We regrouped. But I was so bummed I had to. I anticipated a break from my lemonade-making. Instead I got a pile of lemons. As I lay in bed with food poisoning the next day (with two of my kids on either side), I got angry. Angry at Singapore, the bus driver, the retreat planners, the milkshake and maybe a bit at God. Seems really silly to admit that. But it's true.

Eventually,I got over myself. I have a big enough God to take it, to hear me, to comfort me and surprise me again and again with grace in the midst of every single regroup. And after all, I do rather like lemonade.