One big push

Push ... giggle
push, push... giggle
push, push, push, SHOVE
... giggle, giggle shriek ... giggle.

I could go on for a while before I paint the verbal picture. I guess you all know how fun it is to push your little ones on a swing. Eliot just learned how to pump this summer so now Eliannah is the only recipient of my fabulous underdogs.

In other news Zak is now reading small words and short sentences. He is so excited and so am I. I love witnessing his excitement and helping him along. He has wanted to read for some time now but he just needed a little push in the right direction.

Isn't it interesting that most of us begin our life outside the womb with a push and that is exactly what we need sometimes to get over some of life's daunting hurdles or past life's hurts. My words have totally come back to bite me (see my blog on excuses below) when I start to look around at why I haven't made more of a difference in the lives of those around me. Why haven't I reached out to my neighbors? Why haven't I said "hi" to the family in apartment #8 when I know they have a little girl that is the same age as Eliannah?

Yesterday Zak really wanted to bring flowers to Mary and I kept putting it off. Mary is a little old lady that lives about a block away. She spends her entire day in her garage in either her wheelchair or her easy chair. She eats her meals at a picnic table set up there and watches the world go by. I think her son lives with her and takes care of her but I haven't seen him much.

I've always been proud of myself for teaching the kids to wave at her and say hi as we pass by. We have talked to her a couple of times but it is always difficult because she is very deaf and can't really understand us. I don't know why I am so afraid of such a lonely old lady but when we set out for her house with a bunch of flowers in our hands my heart was thumping. I hate to invade people's space so I was relieved that she wasn't there. Zak almost cried but I told him to go up and put the flowers on her chair. By the time the kids had tiptoed up to her garage she must have heard us and slowly wheeled herself out. I totally felt like a trespasser but she just loved the flowers (dandelion bouquets were never prettier than when they are delivered by a child). We stood around awkwardly for a few moments , told her that we were praying for her and left.

I still don't know why it was so hard! I wouldn't have done it at all if Zak hadn't hounded me all day about it. I guess all I needed was that little push ...