friday book review: but not a book this time

family tree cd

by Frances England

England's cd is a blend of folk, indie, and old time sounds to explore themes of family life, animals, friendship, and empowerment. this is a children's cd, but it is truly music the whole family can enjoy.

to preview the music please click here.

for quite some time i have been putting my boys to bed with calming music playing.

it started out as primary church songs,

and then went to lullabies,

and then to the audio books like "where the sidewalk ends",

and now we have been on a musical kick.

(their favorites are oliver & wicked for kids).

we check out such a variety of music cds at the library,

load them to iTunes,

and burn cds of our favorites for our collection.

we hit the jackpot with the Family Tree cd that will picked out at the library.

i knew i would be hooked simply by looking at the cover,

and once i heard it,

i was hooked.

my boys are hooked.

they love listening to it day and night.

their favorite is "i scream, you scream".

i feel like a seed is planted every time i expose them to something like a variety of music,

and the way we feel listening to this cd is a feeling i would happily authorize exposure to.

so, check the library for this cd,

but i will keep our copy until the due date just because i love the album cover so much.

for my grandma

my grandma almost always made my dresses when i was growing up,

and i loved them
and was proud of them.
now from time to time she will make and send a dress maggie's way.
the latest dress arrived in a fabric that she used for a dress for me in the 6th grade.
too bad i don't still have the dress;
perhaps it would be fun to match.
maggie loves her new dress,
and i love having a grandma who is so special.

will it last forever

would we be so lucky to always have our boys offer to rub our feet with lotion,
rub our backs with lotion,
and then finish the rub with a rolling pin
all while reading bedtime books in their floor?
i'm realistic.
i know what to expect.
but i will hold onto these little hands on my back and feet
and record their enthusiasm in my memory
as long as i possibly can.
and then i will draw upon the fondness in the harder days.

through my child's lens

just another update

my foot feels new,
but it hurts.
pretty bad actually.
there are moments when it hurts more than the surgery itself did.
my ankle is constantly swollen.
my whole foot actually.
so swollen that my shoe leaves an impression.
(plus, i have to leave those shoes on all day for support.
i can tell my achilles is tighter than ever,
and that is a good feeling if i could get over the soreness.
and wow on my calf muscle!
it has never really been used for 32 years,
so you can imagine how sore it is from this workout.
this recovery is much more demanding than the surgery part &
so much easier to over-do it.
i'm nervous pete only has 1 more week at home!
he has done a terrific job and been a great help.
if i don't get the speed on for this recovery,
then i'm not sure how i will manage without him.
so much for assuming that life would be easier when my cast came off.
kind of like that feeling that life will be so much easier when you're not pregnant anymore.
it's better, but not necessarily easier.
i should have known better.
time will make the difference here,
so i am still very hopeful,
even if you find me complaining about the pain from time to time.

a new beginning

my cast came off today.
i'm still a bit lost for words.
i feel as if i've been catapulted into a new life,
at least a new body.
the leg was incredibly hairy & dry & weak when the cast came off,
but that's not the change.
it moves different.
it is tight.
it doesn't flop.
it doesn't fold up.
my big toe is straight,
and i pushed myself up on my toes for the first time ever in my life.
it has healed perfectly,
but the doctor explained that the real healing is just beginning and will go on for months.
i need more muscle before it all begins to work to full capacity.
i don't do well waiting,
so i pushed it too hard tonight to prove to myself that the healing would come quickly.
the boys wanted me to celebrate by riding my bike with them around the block,
so i did.
i went shoe shopping.
i went to target for groceries,
and my foot became so swollen & painful i didn't know how i was going to get out of the store.
thankfully i'm home now,
painted my toenails,
and kept it up.
the real healing is just beginning.
i will still be using a crutch for support.
i will be wearing running shoes
(still 2 different sizes)
but with no custom orthotic.
and i still won't be chasing my kids like i thought
or scrubbing my house from top to bottom like i hoped.
i still have healing to do,
and i'm grateful it is free to heal with the doctor's reassurance that there's no way i can undone or injure the work at this point even though it may feel like i can.

what a relief!

through my child's lens