Beauty on the Backroads

Stories of grace for life's unexpected turns

olympics

Saturday Smiles: Too Much Olympics edition

Yeah, the Olympics make me smile. I like learning new things and hearing new stories and watching people succeed at something they’ve worked probably their whole lives for.

But watching the Olympics with kids has given me a whole new level of joy.

Mainly because of things like this:

I’m not sure what the event was but the prize was the Golden Pants, and later, the Golden Shoe. Every now and then I would hear an excited proclamation such as “Corban, good job! You won the Golden Shoe!” followed by an equally excited “Yay!”

Another time, Corban left their room to get something from the play kitchen and Isabelle followed him saying, “Okay, I’m coming too because all gymnastics people love each other.”

So far, they haven’t picked up anything unwholesome from watching more TV in one day than they usually do in a week. Oh well, it’s only once every four years, right?

Other smile highlights from this week:

  • a one-on-one date with my son for ice cream and a matchbox car. It was his reward for logging four days in one week with no potty accidents. His instructions for the car: “I want a construction truck. An ORANGE construction truck. I just like orange. I don’t like blue or red or gray, just orange.” Then as we walked through Wal-Mart, he proceeded to point out every. single. orange thing in the store. Later, I treated him to a DQ cone, which was dipped in butterscotch. (That’s close to orange, right?) Lucky for me, he’s doing GREAT at this potty training thing AND he’s a momma’s boy, so we’re going for ice cream again this week. (Have I mentioned how much I love ice cream?)
  • The kids and I went to the park on Friday after feeling cooped up in the house all week. We played at the playground for a while then walked toward the creek and the duck pond, something we hadn’t done the whole time we’ve lived here. Along the way, I discovered the perfect thinking-dreaming-solitude spot. A weeping willow tree nestled along the bubbling creek. I could see myself sitting there, alone, with a notebook or a book. At my childhood home, there was a willow tree along the creek that ran past our house. It was my getaway spot, and I’ve been partial to weeping willow trees and water my whole life. I’m only sad that I didn’t discover it sooner.
  • Another unexpected financial blessing, this time in the form of a credit for fuel oil to heat our water. God is showing us we’re not forgotten.
  • I met my writing deadline with time to spare. Finishing a project always feels good.

Watching the Olympics makes me want to travel. And write a bucket list. And do things on that bucket list. I like to dream and the Olympics reminds me to keep dreaming, no matter how bleak the future might look.

Keep dreaming and smiling, friends!

Saturday Smiles: Olympic edition

Yep. Olympic fever has hit our house hard. The kids napped well yesterday so we rewarded them with staying up late to watch the opening ceremonies. Isabelle, our 4-year-old, almost outlasted us all. She was still going strong at midnight while my husband was struggling to keep his eyes open. Corban and I were long gone to our beds. We also celebrated with a theme meal of oven-fried fish, and oven-fried potatoes (our version of fish and chips), mushy peas (apparently an English veg) and scones. I love all things England and the Olympics being in London has taken me on a serious trip down memory lane from my days at this magnificent place.

Earlier in the week, Corban started training for the 2028 Olympics.

Or the circus. Of course, he also did this.

We had a friend over and the girls were all dressed up. He’s not to be left out, even if it means dressing like a princess.

Today he and I got to spend the morning together. For most of the summer, about every other Saturday, Phil takes Isabelle to Lowe’s for their Build and Grow workshop, which gives Mother and Son some one-on-one time. We walked to a yard sale and then to the farmers market. I love fresh, local vegetables, especially since I haven’t yet cultivated my own green thumb. We also got a treat: pumpkin whoopie pies. It was a nice way to spend a couple of hours. I forget how much I enjoyed the times when it was just Isabelle and me before Corban was born and how little time I take for one-on-one with either of them right now.

When I don’t, I miss out on things like this.

Isabelle had created an elaborate doctor’s office scenario with these “friends.” I started paying attention when she said, “Um, my hamster doesn’t feel good because he has too many stomachs. He can’t walk on them because he has too many.” Later, the hamster doctor couldn’t fix him so the leprechaun doctor came in. I was in tears laughing, and I didn’t want her to stop so I tried to hide my laughter behind the book I was reading. Whose kid is this? Oh, wait.

If the Olympics had storytelling, Isabelle would be a champ.

One day this week, I was preparing something in the kitchen and the kids asked me for some tape so they could put up some pictures they’d made. Later, I discovered this.

They had created an art gallery in our bedroom. Creative. And encouraging.

It’s been a good week, for the most part. God is encouraging us through the unexpected and we continue to seek and wait on Him. But it’s almost August and we aren’t homeless or hungry yet, so that alone is reason to praise Him. And even if we were those things, we would praise Him.