word of the week: lachrymose

April's word of the week is lachrymose : /adj./  given to shedding tears easily.  weeping or inclined to weep.  overemotional.  teary.  soppy. 

lachrymose  /adj./  1.  When I spied this word on April's sidebar last week, I knew it would be easily defined in my life.  I  tear up on a rather regular basis.  And I love the release of a good cry.  Jim gave me an ipod for Christmas, and was driving with me a few days after.  "You'll Be in My Heart" by Phil Collins (from Tarzan) came on.  He looked at me, incredulous.  "You used your gift card from Cyndee to buy this?"  My response, "Yes, I love this song because this part in the movie makes me cry so when I listen to this song I cry, and I like to have some songs with me that can make me cry...just in case I need it."  I'm sure he's getting somewhat used to my lachrymose side, but I could tell that explanation baffled him completely.  Then again, perhaps it baffles you as well. 

lachrymose  /adj./  2.  Motherhood makes me lachrymose in two extreme directions.  My A boy had me teary twice today.  Sentimental teary this morning when I called to sign him up for kindergarten.  Orientation in April.  Starting in August.  My boy.  I can hardly believe we're approaching this starting line. 

But this afternoon the tears were those of utter frustration.  Without sharing all the ugly details (think water, all the towells in the house, a knife, and a play market stand)...this was the basic situation:  I had been working downstairs..walked up to find a complete disaster.  Nothing had prepared me for the completeness of the disaster.  I was livid and screaming and barking out commands to reclaim the semi-sane state of hallway from just an hour prior.  In the midst of the process, Aidan yelled, "You are ruining mine and D's life, Mom!"   And it hurt....first, because I know I inevitably am.   But also because I simply didn't think the days of blinded adoration would end so quickly.  Aren't they supposed to worship you for a few years beyond four??

lachrymose  /adj./  3.  I am most lachrymose when I see tender moments between my littles.  The weather has been divine, and my boys have  been loving their outside time.  I open the sliding door so I can here tid-bits of conversation, screams, squeals, all.  One afternoon last week, I caught them singing, "I Am a Child of God."  And Aidan interrupted the end to knowingly tell his little brother, "Well, what you really need to know, DB, is that Jesus is our Savior." 

Pretty priceless statement from a boy whose life is "ruined".

word of the week: sedulous

sedulous: /adj./ persistently or carefully maintained. diligent in application or attention. persevering, determined. plugging. tireless.

sedulous: /adj./  1. Part of the joy of life in our little-but-growing- bigger-outskirts-town is that church buildings have been sparse. Okay, I know it sounds awful to claim that as a joy, but it does mean that church is relegated to a 2½ hour block. Until today, that is. Honestly, how bad could an extra half hour be? Well, I have two rather small children. Pants can be wet in an extra half hour. Fits can be thrown in an extra half hour.  I could bare my breasts to hundreds as D pulls at my shirt for an extra half hour.  Not to mention the whole issue of having to sit through 40 minute lessons myself. Can my now child-trained brain really concentrate that long any more?  I wasn't sure.  But I was sure that I needed to be sedulous to make it through this new block. Miraculously, I learned that persevering wasn’t so difficult after all. And my children aren’t so young after all, either. Two hours of real gospel study with real people (who DID NOT see bra nor breast) was bliss. I look forward to a future of more sedulous Sunday study.

sedulous: /adj./ 2. In college we listened to a song called “my insatiable one”…and it readily comes to my head when my boys with bottomless pits clear off the dinner table. When I read this word of the week, the song popped into my head with a new word inserted.  The definition instantly brought Davyn to mind, followed the tune & words: “he is my sedulous one".  Because...well, he is. Persistent, plugging, tireless, diligent. Words full of boundless potential and wild progress, yes. But try them on a 2-year-old and you just might rethink their value. His sedulous side definitely comes hand-in-hand with a will that refuses to bend.

sedulous: /adj./ 3. This week I need an injection of sedulous Christmas carding. Otherwise, at this point, the cards simply won’t happen at all. I can do it. I can do it. I will persevere.. determined.. plugging along, tirelessly… Or perhaps I’ll just set “my sedulous one” to the task and you’ll open your mailbox soon to a picture of Batman escorting Mary to the stable on My Pretty Pony. Could be interesting.  Could be. 

word of the week: liberally

I’m a big fan of April’s word of the week idea. So this is me playing catch-up on last week’s word.

LIBERALLY/adv./ 1.  My mother infused me with a liberal amount of early Christmas spirit on Saturday when I helped her get her decorations out & up.  I'm typically the girl who finally puts up her tree two weeks into December.  Well, not this year.  FHE tonight..the deed was done.  And I liberally indulged (yes, already!) in my favorite December scene - lights out, blankets on, tree aglow, cuddling, kissing & storying with my three.   It will most definitely be a lovely holiday season.

LIBERALLY/adv./2.  The boys liberally decorated one branch of the Christmas tree tonight…seeming to believe that the ornaments need friends nearby.  I, for once, generously allowed their assistance in the tree adorning…and hope – of course – that they’ll liberally forgive the re-adorning I plan to do in the morning.