Posts Tagged ‘Cayden’
7
Cayden turns 7 today. Normally 7 is retired for the Greatest Ever but for today we will use it in honor of Cayden. That alone should testify to the love I have for her.
Hard to believe she is 7. I remember when she came home and the realization hit me that we now had three little ones under the age of 5. Can we do this? What drugs were we taking to think that this was a good idea?
It’s been awesome. Cayden entertains us all the time now with singing, playing, drama, and her high heeled shoes that bang around our wood floors. She is all girl and I can see God working in her as well as on her.
Today we’ll dine at the T-Rex cafe, cupcakes have already been made and later we will watch Alabama beat VT.
Day of Reality
We normally don’t make a big deal about the first day of school…but this was a new school, our 3rd school this year, new friends, new teachers. It was also the first time this year that our schedule is somewhat normal. Summer was great fun. Then the bus dropped the kids home from school today.
“I have HOMEWORK!!” one kid cried through her tears.
“Our bus driver wouldn’t listen to what we were telling her what to do!”
And the third just kept talking so fast, I couldn’t really make anything distinct out. Amy and I looked at each other. Summer officially ended at 4.07 pm, Monday, August 17th.
The kids started in a brand new school today – brand new to them, brand new to the city, brand new staff. I walked up there today. It’s pretty awesome. High ceilings, bright colors, lots of windows, very modern feel, big hallways. It will be a great place for the kids to go to school but at the moment, we had 3 very tired kids, 2 of which were having a hard time with reality. The third one was just creating her own to anyone who would listen to her.
“Welcome to school, honey. That’s what they do to help you get smart – give homework.”
“So explain to me why a grown woman should listen to a busload of kids under the age of 11 on the first day of school?”
“And you — I want you to breath. Stop talking for 30 seconds, and breath.”
Logic was not going to fix this. Qdoba might. So off we ran to Qdoba where one of the most hilarious exchanges in Camber history happened. To really get the feel of this, you need to imagine her talking as fast as she can with the most extreme level of confidence.
Cam: “My favorite football player of all time is Michael Jordan.”
Amy: “Wait…what sport does Michael Jordan play?”
Cam, without hesitating: “Hockey.”
Cooper about spits his coke, chicken burrito and lunch out at the window he is laughing so hard. Camber looks at us like – “What? Didn’t you know that?” And continues talking about butterflies or her new teacher or the smell of the color purple.
I had a long day as well. 7 am meeting, had a list of things to get done that didn’t but what I did get done was good. It was my good friend Stephen’s birthday. I was going to take him to lunch, I asked him what he wanted.
“A burger….or Indian food.”
Wow…that’s quite a pair. It was his birthday so there was no way I was going to make the decision. Besides that – choosing where to eat with the friends is more difficult than choosing a college.
Stephen picked the Indian place.
“I guess we’re not eating cow today.” He laughed hard.
We showed up and guess what was on the buffet? Beef. Obviously they weren’t orthodox Indians.
All of that to say that today was good in spite of what I didn’t get done.
God reminded me of this as we sat upstairs playing Skip-bo with the fam. I was tired, about fell asleep when Cayden came out with lime green wristbands on, her gold high heel shoes, one white baseball glove one, ear muffs, and sunglasses and started singing the “I’m going to Barf” song.
The hip action and jazz hands and facial expressions were too much. I wish we’d filmed it. One night, we’ll have to ambush video her as she gives us one of her concerts.
So the day of reality is over. Kids are in bed. I know this scene was played out all over our city, this country this week. Families getting into the groove again, early bedtimes, and afternoons filled with tears, homework, and laughter. And you know what? I wouldn’t trade it. I wouldn’t trade a thing of it.
Let Your Light Shine…
I cried over the phone today.
Then again at dinner.
But let me back up and tell you why first. I get a phone call today, 3pm.
“This is Grant.”
“Hi. My name is Sue (not real name), I’m with 501 USD (school district that kids are in) and are the father of a 5th grade boy at McCarter?”
“Yes.”
My heart gets very heavy, very quick.
“And you’re the new preacher in town, right?”
“Yes.”
I can’t count the number of parents I’ve talked to, listened to, cried with, sat with when they get news that their kid has done something utterly, profanely stupid. I’ve seen the hurt, frustration, anger, confusion. I’ve comforted as best as I can but right now in this instant all I can think of is — I’m about to be one of those parents.
“Well, Mr. English….I don’t know how to say this. I really don’t. I’ve seen a lot of Christian families, dealt with a lot of Christian parents. Almost all of them have been very combative, very judgmental and their kids hellions.”
“But I’ve never seen anything like your son. He’s respectable, honorable, likeable, and honest. He’s smart as a whip and he’s not one of them sissy boys either. Do you know that I overheard some boys talking with him and they asked him about why he didn’t do something and he told them – “Because I love Jesus.” And since he’s a good athlete, they left him alone and respected him.”
“So…Cooper isn’t in trouble?”
“In trouble? No! Well he did get in a little trouble for playing in the water fountain after gym. But when we confronted those boys about it – he was the only one that said he’d been throwing water and he’d clean it up. He was just being a boy, no big deal…but I also heard about what you and your church did for McCarter at the school fair.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Now, I’m a pagan. Never saw much use for God but after seeing your son and actually your girls as well plus what you guys are doing at McCarter…I may have to rethink this Jesus guy. You wouldn’t mind if I showed up at your church one Sunday, would you?”
I can’t really answer her because I’m crying. I’m humbled beyond measure. I stumble out yes, love to talk with you, answer any questions. We just wanted to help McCarter out. That’s it. No big deal.
We talk for a few minutes more, hang up.
At dinner tonight, I replay the whole conversation for the family. Amy tears up. I tear up. The whole family tears up. So I’m becoming a cry baby as I get older but I’m also astonished at how God moves. I shouldn’t be…but I am.
We’re not great parents. We’re parents who love Jesus and love our kids and are trying to figure out how not to ruin the gifts God gave us. I take shortcuts at times…get lazy…get frustrated. I’ve spanked the wrong kid, yelled when I’ve should have listened, and pushed when I should have hugged.
But tonight…I’ve never been prouder of my kids.
Shine…Let them wonder what you’ve got.
Quarantine
Last week Cayden got strep, gave it to Camber.
Both have been an antibiotics. Camber got it again and is now on different antibiotics that the Dr. said he should have used last time.
So the visit and the new medicine are free?
The Week with Nana and Poppy
Last week I felt like I was running from one even to the other – didn’t even have time to blog like I normally do. I covered some of our activities…here’s the rest of the week…
Gymnastics
Camber loves this and Nana got to go with her and see her strut her stuff.
Opening Up The New Climbing Wall
We have a climbing wall in your student room. Cool, huh? It’s not so cool if you never use it. So we got that running this week. That’s Cooper being my lab rat. The man got to the top.
Flying W Ranch
If you’ve never been to the Flying W Ranch, you ought to go at least once. It’s not cheap but the food is great, it’s all you can eat and the entertainment is incredible. It’s a place you can take all the kids and they’ll have a blast running around the Cowboy town they’ve got set up there.
Plus, the sell $1 ice cream cones. Can’t beat that.
Cayden is 6
What a day/weekend. Cayden is now a big girl at 6. Party started last night at Red Robin. The Davidson’s met us for some awesome burgers and a loud dinner!!!
We headed home and enjoyed Amy’s “Flower Cake” creation.
Cayden made quite the haul on the birthday this year thanks to all the grandparents. A Nintendo DS, purses, makeup, Gigi doll, videos, and I’m sure there is some Auburn C R A P in the mail as well.
Now, if I can only keep her at this age…forever.
Cayden McKayla, Stand-Up Comic
Cayden, precious Cayden.
As the youngest child of three, she has her moments of complete drama and babyness. But yesterday, she had the whole family in stitches.
Cayden on Music:
“He’s a Juice Box Hero…with stars in his eyes.” These are the words Cayden puts to Juke Box Hero by Foreigner. She sings it as loud as she can, with her eyes closed and head rocked back.
She also sings “Dead or Alive” by Bon Jovi this way with the added feature of using a hairbrush or lipgloss as a microphone. The best thing to do is this – as the song is going to it’s loudest part, shut off the music. She will keep singing. She just doesn’t care.
Cayden on spelling:
“Dad…Dad…Dad!!! I can spell MOM with my eyes closed!!!! M….O …. M.”
What about CAT? C….A…T.
Is it harder to spell with your eyes closed?
Hands on hips…”YES!!!!!”
We spend the next few minutes throwing words at her seeing if she can spell them with her eyes closed.
Cayden on how AWESOME God is:
Cayden loves God, loves Jesus. She makes up songs to, about, and for Him. Below are some of my favorite lines she has composed.
“If it wasn’t for God….we wouldn’t have computerrrrrrrrrrrssss. And we wouldn’t be able to play Webkinzzzzzzzzzz.”
“I love Jesus and He want’s us all to be His children but not all people want to be His children but that’s okay because Jesus loves them anyway even though they aren’t going to Heaven.”
Cayden on Prayer:
I pray over the kids almost every night. 5 nights out of 7, I remember and do it. The other 2 nights, Cayden reminds me – “Would you please pray over me. I like it when you do that.”
When I get done praying – every single night of the past two weeks – Cayden has said when I finished – “Pray for China. You keep forgetting to pray for China.”
So I pray for China. The first night I did this, I used the term “Underground Church.” Praying for her leaders and participants, for safety, leadership, favor with the government.
Cayden: Underground Church?? They go to church under the ground?
G: No, it’s a term they use to describe their church. They meet in homes, businesses, secret places because the government of China doesn’t like them.
Cayden: How do they get underground?
G: They don’t meet underground….well, some of them might meet in caves but…that’s not important right now. It’s not legal for them to go to church so they have to hide it or they get arrested, beaten, sometimes even killed.
So now when we finish praying…I purposely don’t mention China because this is what I get to hear…
C: “And God, we pray for China and the Underground Church even though they don’t really go to church under the ground.”
Good times….
The 3 C’s at REI
Friday was a free day.
Kids were free from school.
I was free from work.
We had free tickets to Elitches…but it poured down rain all day long.
We had free zoo passes…but it poured down rain all day long.
What to do?
We joined REI this year. $20 for a lifetime membership. Get a minimal discount on their high priced gear BUT it’s free rock climbing. One trip rock climbing would have cost us $50 so it’s more than paid for itself. REI in downtown Denver has The Pinnacle – 47 feet of sheer climbing bliss or terror depending on your perspective.
Camber tackled the backside of the rock and made it to the top.
Cooper has tackled the rock climbing thing a couple of times now. The first time he went, we learned that he’s scared of heights. I’ve seen a lot of people just punt the whole thing after that. They tried it, it scared the life out of them, it’s over.
Not Coop. He keeps putting on the harness, getting tied in, and attempting to climb. Today – he had his best climb ever. Here he is just an arm’s length from the top. When I showed him this picture, he said – “Is that really how close I was?” Yep. “I can definitely get it next time.” Gotta love that.
Cayden needs to grow about 3 more inches before they turn her loose on the Pinnacle in downtown. She had a great time playing on the playplace and running up and down the ramps. It’s the little things, right?
Afterwards, we had a kids eat free at Jason’s Deli. We love this place. We first discovered in Little Rock and it was a fam favorite. We’d probably eat there once a week. Of course, we can’t eat out as often now but when we do – we still love Jason’s Deli.
A rainy day salvaged.