FamilyMatters

Santa Called Liam Last Night

A couple of nights ago after watching Polar Express (again) Liam brought me a piece of paper and said "Santa. Note" and then mimed licking an envelope.

So he dictated a note to Santa....

Lee: "Dear Santa....ok Liam what do you want to say."

Liam: "This is Liam."

Lee: "Ok, now, do you want to tell Santa that you were a bad boy but you want presents anyway?"

Liam: "No!!! Me Nice!"

Lee: "Ok -- I have been nice this year, and I want....."

Liam: "Indie whip and hat." (Referring of course to Indiana Jones' hat and whip from the first movie.

Lee: "Anything else?"

Liam: "mmmmmmm" (tapping his finger to his forhead) and then with a triumphant finger to the sky "Indie coat"

We finished off the note and addressed it and put it in the pile to be mailed.

Yesterday Santa got the note, funnily enough at my office, and called Liam last night.

Lee "Liam, the phone's for you."

Liam: "who?"

Lee: "I don't know."

Liam "hi...." Listens to Santa (who looks a lot like Dan from Double Forte) say "Liam is that you?"

Liam: "yes" and then his eyes got really big when he heard "this is Santa"

Liam: "Santa?!??!!??! Ohhhh myyyyyy gosh!"

Then after a very animated discussion about santa, indie's hat and whip, pointing at the tree where Santa would leave the presents, talking about hot hot (hot chocolate) and cookies, we finally had to say goodbye to Santa so he could call other kids.

This morning when Liam came down to wake us up, he ran to my side of the bed and said

"Santa call me! make hot hot and cookies Today!!!"

Yeah, I'd be owing Dan $50 for this one!

I Miss My Mom

Yesterday would have been my mother's 70th birthday. And I went through the day conscious that it was her birthday, missing her, but thinking to myself "wow, it does get easier."

And then I went to church today.

And it hit me like a ton of bricks. First, it's the 3rd Sunday of Advent, my mother's favorite liturgical season. (Here she is with Liam and Mike winter 2002 the first Xmas she was sick.)Then watching Michael acolyte and thinking how much my mother would love that he loves to acolyte and sing at church and school. And then Thomas gave one of his best sermons.

Thankfully I was sitting in front of Denora today -- angel on earth who notices EVERYTHING -- who worked her special prayer magic on me.

And then NOT only Amazing Grace BUT ALSO Jerusalem -- Gina's #2 and #1 favorite hymns.

Frankly I was a mess -- and everyone was wondering why the tears streaming down the face.... I mean really.

Thank God for St. Paul's. Not only is my mother there, so I can visit anytime, but my village kicks in whenever I seem to need it.

Another thing my mother would have been so excited, thankful and appreciative of.

Heavy sigh.

Randy Pausch: Letting your kids write on the walls

Randy Pausch, the Carnegie Mellon computer science professor whose last lecture impacted so many died today.  Read the New York Times story on his lecture here http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/07/25/last-lecture-professor-randy-pausch-dies-at-47/?hp

What an incredible man.  I remember reading the WSJ story about his last lecture (where he announced his retirement and his incurable pancreatic cancer) in my office last fall and just being overwhelmed -- the tears wouldn't stop -- they won't stop now.

Most good parents I know (yes the subjective!) focus on their kids -- how to help them, how to encourage, how to inspire, how not to get in there way. This is tempered by the realities of getting to school on time, brushing teeth, finishing homework and keeping the peace in a normal life.

Randy Pausch -- in sharing his own story -- has, I hope, dramatically improved the lot of countless children.  Let your kids draw on walls. Let your kids win crappy stuffed animals at carnivals. Don't stifle, encourage -- even when it's hard. Randy' Book At Amazon

Our two kids are so different, so passionate.

Michael -- passionate about the organ and singing and drama and horses. Liam passionate about life in general and connecting with other people. Both easily distracted by the regular beat of the day - both in search of fulfillment in what's in their hearts.

I hope we always remember to let them write on the walls even when it would be so much easier if they were just like other kids.

"Oh My Gosh!"

Liam has -- yet again -- added vocubulary to his repetoire. 

"I Love You."

"Are you Mad?"

"Is Mike in Trouble?"

"I have OT today. No school Tomorrow"

His latest sentence however is "Oh My Gosh!" said with dramatic emphasis and with great repetition.

Sunday was Mike's debut at the organ during church. He played the prelude and the postlude -- it was a great day! During the announcements Rev Julie asked if anyone had announcements and Liam raised his hand and Julie called on him and Liam pointed at his brother and said "Mike! and he wiggled his fingers like he was playing the piano. So Julie said "and yes, thanks to Mike Caraher for playing the organ today!"

During the postlude -- Liam interrupted Mike -- he was so excited, but Mike recovered. Afterwards everyone clapped for him and then Liam came running out of the vestibule and yelled.

"Oh My Gosh!"

Call ABBY!

My new car has a great hands-free phone and voice recognition system, and I've programmed it with my family and friends and colleagues.

When I was first getting used to it, I said "Call Abby" -- and it didn't recognize the command. So I said again "Call AB  BEE" and voila' Abby was called and we were talking to her!

Of course Liam was in the back of the car, so now every time he gets into my car, he buckles up and as soon as we're on our way he yells from the back

"Call ABBB -- BEEEEEEEE"