1. Every time the rooster crows, Joseph yells with great animation, "Daddy!!!".
2. We attended a "Pumpkin Party" on Saturday night. Please don't ask me the reason for Pumpkin and not Hallowe'en - I am not entirely sure; but we did have to carve a pumpkin for the judges and for the second year in a row we scored the lowest... Why I consistently feel that our failure to carve an adequate pumpkin is somehow a judgement of our marriage, I don't know.
3. Last year's Pumpkin Party was an adult-only affair (perhaps because we were the only ones with kids); however, some babies have been added to the mix since last October and, thus, the children were allowed to attend. Jacob and Hannah felt suitably vindicated as they were still smarting from their non-invitation of a year ago.
Anyway, our invitation included no specifications on costume wearing so I thought, "What the heck! The kids can wear their costumes." And they did.
When we pulled up at the party locale there were several kids climbing trees, playing on the lawn, chasing each other ... and none of them were wearing costumes. Suddenly our cowboy and angel felt a little self-conscious. (I did as well but I think that my feelings had more to do with the never-before-tried squash dish that I was carrying in my arms.) Joseph had wisely chosen not to wear a costume and our little Penguin/Bengolin was simply upset that he had been made to don a black and white affair over his preferred outfit. Nevertheless, our kids bravely de-vanned and joined in the play.
Shortly after our arrival, another couple who we had not yet met pulled up and joined the mix. I introduced myself to the husband and he said the following:
"Holy smokes! You guys have four kids!!" (This is not an unknown reaction.)
And then a "light" went on as he took in Jacob's cowboy outfit (a well-worn cowboy hat, grey pants, a vest and rubber boots) and Hannah's angel costume (a long white skirt topped by her winter coat - halo and wings were left in van): "Oh! You folks are Amish."
I think he failed to note the modern garb in which Dave and I had vested. Perhaps it's time that I re-evaluate my wardrobe.
5 comments:
Wow... It never ceases to amaze me how ignorant some people can be.
"you must be Amish" - whoa a compliment!
Think of it, everyone knows the following about the Amish:
- they are unmistably Christian
- they love the family and family values
- they are counter-cultural
- they maintain a simple, non-materialistic life-style
- they love the land and hold the farm life of great value
- they are people of integrity
Lots more, I am sure, and yes old-fashioned sense of style, out of sync with the modern way of dress and seem to have large families - those are things not to like?
a compliment - only he didn't realise that he was giving one
Mom, I had never thought of it that way. Thank you.
It never ceases to amaze me that someone can be SO shocked by a family with four children. Both my grandmothers had twice that many, and nobody batted an eye.
P.S. I'd have to say you guys would be the most stylish Amish folk I've ever met.
People feel challenged by largish families and they feel uncomfortable. I think they realise in some way, that they don't feel unselfish enough to do that, and there is guilt there too. Instead of living with their uncomfortable feelings however, they dispell them by making those with many children feel guilty for having them.
Call it guilt projection? perhaps. The fact remains that kids generally seem much happier and more well-adjusted when they live in large families.
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