Quotes by Gabriel

Mommy Says That

Gabriel was riding home from a friend’s house with Paul yesterday evening when the car in front of them braked hard.   Paul braked quickly to avoid a wreck and Gabriel said “You’ve gotta be kidding me!”.

Paul:  <laughter> Gabriel, who says that?

Gabriel:  Mommmmyyyyy!

Paul:  <more laughter> Who does Mommy say that to?

Gabriel:  Other cars!

Because He's Not Four Yet

Caryn:  Gabriel, are you done with your dinner?  Is your tummy full?

Gabriel:  No.  I'm not full because I'm three.  When I am four I will be full because I will be bigger.

We do not understand the logic behind this other than to chaulk it up to his excitement about turning four.  In six months.

The Hug

Gabriel:  "Mommy, I want to give you a hug!"

Me:  "Oh thank you my Gabriel!  Mommy loves your hugs!" <squeeze, squeeze>

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Gabriel:  "Mommy.......our hug is over."

Livin' It Up David-Style

Disclaimer:  Half the time Gabriel sees a camera he puts his hand up and says "No pictures!".  Apparently he likens me to the paparazzi. All of the below pictures just happen to be those occasions.

It is so much easier to get pictures of David right now in some ways.  So here are some glimpses of what our littlest man is up to now:

Eating grass, I mean, playing outside.

David likes to have a snack at the little table with Gabriel.  

Yes, that is toilet paper hanging from his lip.  We keep the bathroom door shut now because this is the second time he has taken the toilet-paper-detour.

 He thinks he is big stuff playing with Gabriel's matchbox cars.  He doesn't try to chew on them but rubs them on the ground trying to drive them like big bro does.

The Need For Government Assistance - It's My Fault

As I have watched the political debates among friends and family on facebook I see how easy it is to take one thread and pull like crazy and also how pointless it is.  Picture a man on the street corner with a bullhorn screaming that you are going to hell.  Does that change your life?  Hardly.

I offer up a change of pace in regards to the finger pointing and political party rallying.  This is mind-blowing, are you ready for this?

It is my fault that the government must fill the gap and provide for the hungry, the sick, and the poor.  My fault.  I take responsibility. 

As you read this please don’t think about the person next to you. This is my confession.  My failure. I am talking about me.  Christian or not, please here me out.  Even if I happen to be tithing 10% to our church, the Bible says that kind of giving is the bare minimum or a starting point.  Do my actions show that I love my neighbor as I love myself?  What does that kind of love look like?  Maybe giving half of what I earn to the poor constitutes my actions following my beliefs (i.e. our friend Zacchaeus in Luke 19).  Notice that I say give.  Not “pay in taxes”.  But since so few people are giving “sacrificially”, I don’t fault the government for having to step in because I have not stepped up.  How easy would it be to say “WE have not stepped up” or “YOU have not stepped up” or "THEY have not stepped up"?  That would alleviate some of the accountability I feel. That is tempting.  But wrong.  I am not responsible for anyone else’s choices but my own. 

As a Christian I am called to give sacrificially.  That sounds “churchy” so lets break it down and define “sacrifice”. How about this: “To sacrifice is the surrender of something prized or desirable for the sake of something considered as having a higher or more pressing claim”.  How does that look in my every day life?  Maybe we should eat out less often and give the difference to a food bank.  Maybe I should reduce our “gift fund” and give the difference to World Vision.  Maybe we should be content in our home and give our salary increase to notable charities instead.  If I had a Starbucks addiction I could cut that out or at least cut it down drastically.  The options are endless and while some changes cannot happen over night there are changes that can begin today.  Do I put together dinner to eat in the car on the way to the softball game or do we get fast food every Tuesday night for 8 weeks?  Trading for Christ on an everyday basis must be an intentional choice. It will not happen by accident.

I could blame everyone else for his or her choices.  But in some ways it is easier to take responsibility for myself.  I can’t elicit change on the part of everyone else.  Only myself.  Point your fingers and change nothing.  I have taken ownership and change begins now.  

David's First Haircut & Icecream

Gabriel had soft curls and did not have his first haircut until he was about 13 months old.  David however, did not have curls.  He had straight tufts of hair that shot out above his ears like ski slopes which we named "ear wings".  Paul was ready to take David for a haircut around 6 months.  I lasted until 9 months.  So this past Saturday we took him for his appointment with our friend, Allison.  I came prepared with Cheerios to help keep David's attention but David kept trying to watch the scissors, the little dog and big brother.  Ms Allison had her hands full!

He looks a lot more like big bro now when Gabriel was about this age!

Afterwards, we went for icecream to celebrate.  Big brother graciously shared some "bites" with him.  

"Mmmmmm.  Mmmmmmmm." 

(That is baby talk for "Good stuff!  Where have you been all of my life?!")

So good, you have to hold two spoons.

My Inner Athlete

On Tuesday, April 5^th, I reprised my role as Caryn (Hartwick) Bell – softball player.  “Back in the day” I remember spending a lot of time as the right fielder.  By this I mean I stood in the back right section and hoped no one hit a ball my way.  My skills did not involve much catching (fear of pain overrode my focus) and my throwing was only good enough to get the ball going in the right direction.  I could hit the ball a fair amount of the time and got on base often enough.  These skinny arms have never been known for their muscle (although hefting a 23.5 pound 9 month old has helped).  Our church recently started an adult co-ed softball league and I was encouraged to come join the “fun” team.  After much personal debate I arrived at The Fields with my own fan club in tow (aka The Bell Boys). 

While I must admit that I never hit the ball in my three times at bat that first night, my boys did get to see me run the bases twice and even catch the ball twice (yes, during the game).  My three year old seemed somewhat in awe to see his own mommy on the field.  At one point during the game he was so excited to talk to me through the chain link fence about a girl who caught a cricket in her hands.  Yes, I can tell that I inspired him. 

As I sit here reflecting on my “athleticism” I am popping ibuprofen and icing my aching muscles.  This is certainly not what I remember from my high school days.  Maybe it is because that was so long ago and I've just forgotten.  Or maybe it is because it was so long ago……and well, my body isn’t 17 any more.  But regardless, this Mommy grabbed her hubby’s baseball glove, her old yoga pants and a random t-shirt to go have fun.  Even if it was occasionally at my own expense.  My goal for next week: hit the freakin’ ball.  Just once.  For old times sake.

Turbo Speed!

Gabriel is usually careful to be sure that his bedroom door is closed.  Because when baby David sees his door open, he makes a beeline down the hall to get into big brother's cool room.  Of utmost "coolness" is the train table!  When David and I got home from dropping Gabriel off at preschool, I saw him crawl towards the entryway, look down the hall, and then, he was off!

Those chunky little legs were going faster than ever!  And he never once wavered from his course! Not even the opportunity to splash in the dog's water bowl deterred him!

"I'm almost there, Mom!"

"WOOHOO!!  I MADE IT!  I CAN PLAY WITH IT ALL BY MYSELF!"

"Right, mom?  Can I?  Please?"

I let him play with it for about 5 seconds.  Because that is all the time it took for him to pull up an entire section of track, including the crane and depot.  This is why Gabriel calls him a "wrecking ball".  Good thing I've earned my degree in train track engineering.  Maybe I should put that on my resume.......