Proud Mama

Haven't been well. Yesterday I spiked a temp of 101.8, and wound up having to "check out" on the couch for most of the afternoon. I have to share how wonderful the kids were though...

Just before I declared myself "too sick" to not be on the couch, I had been deboning some chicken. Like a lot of it. I got about a third of the way done, and the kids decided they could take over for me. So, all three kids, headed up by Adam, quietly as mice, sat and pawed through the chicken. Then, I talked them through throwing together some chicken soup. They did it, and it was fabulous. Not only that, but they cleaned up after themselves, wiping off counters and the table, and swept the floor AND MOPPED IT. Can you BeLieve it? Not a whimper of complaint. And they all sat STILL and didn't get up and do cartwheels, or hop around, or shriek, or poke each other, or Anything! I actually dozed off a few times, it was so quiet! *Gasp*

While I was on the couch suffering in silence, (tee-hee, I'm sure my sister, if she's reading could tell you how Not Silent my sufferings usually are!), Liana pulled a book off the shelf and read me a story, and got a cool rag for my forehead. She's quite the mama, as you know! I'm so proud of her for being at the point where she can pretty much take anything off the shelf now and start reading!

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Ever since Leksa has come home from Ukraine, she and I have played "mama/sick child." She's always the mama, (or sometimes doctor), and I'm the sick child. And we have always played it in Russian. "Mama, dai menya tablyetky. Galava baleet, Mama, dai tablyetky." (That's "Mama, give me some pills. Head hurts, Mama, give me pills.") And a few other little Russian phrases that she taught me long ago when that's all she spoke. Well, now when we play that game, she can't speak it *that* well back to me, and stumbles over the words, or mispronounces them, but she still loves to play this game with me. This game was one of the key "things" that really got her to trust/love/bond with me way back when. I'm sure I must have blogged about it at least once or twice. It was pretty significant back then.

So, while I was laying there, we played that game again, only this time I really was sick. When I asked her for "tablyetky," I actually meant it! I had Leks go hunt down some Tylenol for me, and eventually, after digging good and long in my bathroom cabinets, came down with it. She also asked me about the candy that I keep in there. I asked her what on earth she was talking about, because I don't have any candy. (Though, to be honest, I really did have to stop and think if I did have a chocolate stash right now or not.) (I don't.) (Sadly.) (But chocolate chips in the kitchen cupboard work in a pinch, don'tcha know!)

Anyway, she insisted that I had candy "that makes your breath smell nice." I told her to go get it and show me since I had no clue what she was talking about. She brought me a packet of Feminine Products. Oops. Nope, not candy for bad breath, Leks. That's for something else. Of course, this "Candy" conversation grabbed the attention of the other two pretty quickly, and I had to do some fast-talking to persuade her to Put It Back Right Now. ;O)

John called me when he was leaving work to tell me he'd be home in an hour (love that city traffic!), and I told him how great the kids were. He was so impressed that he bought a "Pictionary Jr." game on the way home, and we all played it before bed last night. Games are still pretty iffy around here, and I wondered how it would go. Usually their attention span for games is pretty short, and they've really not gotten into many of them. I'm proud to say that even Leksa Lu could read the cards and draw pictures that were recognizeable enough for us girls to beat John and Adam! Wow, we played a board game (and a fairly complicated one at that!) like a normal, regular family, just as normally and regularly as you could have dreamed. I seriously never thought I'd see the day! The most complicated they've ever played is Yahtzee Jr., which is rather easy, but they still don't have the patience to sit through without somebody abandoning ship.

Anyway, I know you're wondering, so I'll fill you in. I'm feeling a little better today. ;O) Been sipping my yerba mate, and laying low. I must not look quite as sick though, because I haven't been pampered today at all! (That, or they're sick of ME whining!) They used up their TLC quota yesterday, I think! lol!

Oh, since this entry has been one rabbit trail after another anyway, I gotta share another "aaaawww" about my kids. (Hey, that's what this blog is for, right?) ;O) We got an email from a friend whose sil is adopting. In order to not lose their referral for their little girl in Korea, they needed X amount of money by yesterday. (Yes, this was legit.) I told our crew about it, and they emptied their pocket money to send them, "So Chloe could come home." They were so happy to be able to help bring home another child to their family! Very proud Mama moment. Even though they only had $6 between them...

I've got a terrific family!