Organic Carrots & Back Bends

Monday, August 8, 2005

The Englishes had their new little one in Taiwan for nearly a full day by that time, seeing as Taiwan was thirteen hours ahead of Saint Louis. And the four youngest Englishes at home were spending the afternoon at the Snicketts’ playing in the little pool, shooting airsoft guns, and playing dolls in the basement, which Collette was coming very close to finishing.

Meanwhile, Carrie made plans with Elizabeth to have their tattoos done the following afternoon followed by coffee and planning for Chicago Wednesday night with Lucia, who would spend the night. There was always something up.

And Collette was so happy with the freedom of being able to enjoy life, the gift of glorifying God and enjoying Him forever. It made one mindful as well, of how one spent her moments, no matter what lay before her.

Meanwhile, the kids were funny to hear play together. Over lunch of the ever-popular chicken nuggets, fresh carrots, and potato chips, Lonnie piped up in his little voice,

“And once we brought Molly to church with us!”

His voice peaked in a squeak on the climax of the word “church”, as such a thing was highly unusual to have happen – taking the family dog to church. Carrie and Collette chuckled to one another, listening from the living room as Carrie watched a spread of insert iron-ons in a new catalog from the mail.

“No, we didn’t, Judah protested. “Well, maybe we did… I can’t remember.”

While dinner was warming in the oven – biscuits, chicken, fish, hush puppies, sausages, and creamed corn… Carrie demonstrated her muscular strength by supporting her legs parallel to the floor, propping herself above the counter.

“See if you can do that, Dad,” she taunted, after holding her position several seconds.

Dad did so as well. Carrie laughed.

“Not so good, Dad. It’s all in the stomach muscles. Get a load of these bad boys.” She patted her stomach. Then she jumped off the counter. “Watch this!”

She did a back bend on the floor, which turned out more like falling backward onto her hands. This time Mom laughed.

“That was the worst back bend I’ve ever seen,” she chuckled, sitting on the counter making sure the cream corn did not boil over.

“Humph!” Carrie exclaimed. “I’d like to see you do it.”

“I could do it in high school,” Mom protested.

“Hmmm, holding onto the last bit of your youth, eh?” Carrie asked slyly.

“I always feel young,” she said.

After dinner, Collette read another passage of Nancy Drew to Francis and Linnea as they munched on organic carrots. And Linnea placed a green mask over Collette’s face for the fun of it, while she read.

“Hey!” Carrie exclaimed as she pounded through the living room, “Those are my organic carrots! Do you want them shoved up your nose?”

Giggle, giggle.

“They wouldn’t be organic anymore,” Francis laughed hysterically.

Then Dad gathered the troops for Dave Dawson while Carrie downloaded some of Mom’s favorite music selections on the computer. And Francis gave Collette a quick lesson on shooting his air soft gun.