Dad helping the kids gather eggs. I was never very good at this chore because the chickens were grouchy when I tried to steal their eggs. Tradition follows as you see Annalise quietly retreating, hoping not to be noticed. 
Here is Dad explaining to Justin that Dad's Dad wore this army jacket. Justin patiently listened to the story, but the real excitement came when I let him try it on and wear it for a while once we got home. 
Here is my Brother, the most patient person I have ever known, teaching my kids how to play his guitars. They rocked out and he never worried when the strings were pulled, the necks were stepped on, or when they ran through the house trailing the microphone cord screaming (singing) at the top of their lungs!
Justin collecting icicles at Uncle Seth's House 
Carrie (and Brooklyn), Autumn (and Emalie), Lisa (and Annalise). Photography credit goes to Justin. No, I did not get dressed up for the event.
Sarah, Abby, Lisa, Seth, Maggie - All Grown Up!
Dingerson and Higbee Grandchildren - Left to RightCharlie (Abby and Josh); Claire (Maggie and Jim); Emma and Jack (Sarah and Jeff); Ellie (Maggie and Jim); Annalise and Justin (Lisa and John)
My kids cause their fair share of trouble around our house and I often wonder, "What on EARTH makes them think they can get away with that???" I blame the trouble on the fact that they are genetically linked to their father, "Little Johnny," who had a screaming place under the desk as a child and was known many times over as the little terror to his cousins. I can see why John was given the burden of these angels of ours, but what did I ever do???
I was reminded during my week in Michigan that, yes, I caused my fair share of trouble as I was growing up. In perspective, it hardly seems like a problem when you're a child that you would stay up half the night playing games with your friends when you were supposed to be sleeping, drop hay bails down the shoot (directly into the pens) when you weren't supposed to, or even purposely tip a canoe in the river. And really? How much trouble can it honestly be to get into paint wars with your best friend when you're supposed to be painting bleachers or trash cans instead? These are the types of antics that I would kill my children over today, but I think it's time for me to admit that I may have been there once or twice myself. Yes, Justin and Annalise, this is now in writing (and once it's on the internet, it never goes away!) that your Mom was also a bit of a terror so I can understand your need to test the limits as well.
While I was in Michigan, I got to spend a quiet day with Autumn, Carrie, and Amber. During my summers with them as a child, we got into more trouble than I care to remember but it was always the somewhat silly and harmless kind of trouble. We mostly spent hours playing in the pool or riding around in the back of a truck pretending to be cleaning up the fairgrounds because we knew that if we acted helpless enough, the boys would do it anyway. The most important thing we did was to grow up together, explore the idea of becoming a teenager together, and eventually slide painfully into adulthood. I thought of these times on my last day in Michigan when Autumn drove all the way to Hastings to spend the morning at the McDonald's playground with me so that we could sit, drink coffee, and catch up a little bit more before I left. Our troubles are different these days, but the idea is still the same. Two friends talking out the challenges of growing up and finding our place in the world. I looked at her and realized that I have been friends with her since I was 8 years old and if anyone in this world knows my ups and downs, it would most certainly be someone who has known you that long.
Another evening was spent at Ron and Julie's house. This is a place where I spent many, many summer days playing with the girls. As I walked through the house, I could remember very plainly how the green couch used to be in the dining room and I could almost hear Crystal Gayle on the record player while we ate orange sherbert, dressed in our jammies, at the little brown table by the playroom. Outside, covered in way too much snow for my taste, was the hill where we would do summersault contests and I remember when, instead of a driveway, there was a basketball court and a playhouse. This is a house where I learned about God, about friends, about being a big sister to my little brother, and where I learned about keeping your values no matter what comes your way. It was very fun to sit at the table and eat with everyone's kids running around (like we used to do) and to see our Dads (now Grandpas) sit in their chairs at the head of the room and make an attempt to control the chaos.
After this week spent with childhood friends, I have renewed faith that while my kids will cause trouble (and plenty of it), and while I deal with tantrums of epic proportions from my daughter ("Sassypants" has taken over since John's been gone), I have to keep the perspective that they are good kids who are finding their way and who will eventually grow into adults that I know I will be proud of.
A WEEK IN MICHIGAN
My kids cause their fair share of trouble around our house and I often wonder, "What on EARTH makes them think they can get away with that???" I blame the trouble on the fact that they are genetically linked to their father, "Little Johnny," who had a screaming place under the desk as a child and was known many times over as the little terror to his cousins. I can see why John was given the burden of these angels of ours, but what did I ever do???
I was reminded during my week in Michigan that, yes, I caused my fair share of trouble as I was growing up. In perspective, it hardly seems like a problem when you're a child that you would stay up half the night playing games with your friends when you were supposed to be sleeping, drop hay bails down the shoot (directly into the pens) when you weren't supposed to, or even purposely tip a canoe in the river. And really? How much trouble can it honestly be to get into paint wars with your best friend when you're supposed to be painting bleachers or trash cans instead? These are the types of antics that I would kill my children over today, but I think it's time for me to admit that I may have been there once or twice myself. Yes, Justin and Annalise, this is now in writing (and once it's on the internet, it never goes away!) that your Mom was also a bit of a terror so I can understand your need to test the limits as well.
While I was in Michigan, I got to spend a quiet day with Autumn, Carrie, and Amber. During my summers with them as a child, we got into more trouble than I care to remember but it was always the somewhat silly and harmless kind of trouble. We mostly spent hours playing in the pool or riding around in the back of a truck pretending to be cleaning up the fairgrounds because we knew that if we acted helpless enough, the boys would do it anyway. The most important thing we did was to grow up together, explore the idea of becoming a teenager together, and eventually slide painfully into adulthood. I thought of these times on my last day in Michigan when Autumn drove all the way to Hastings to spend the morning at the McDonald's playground with me so that we could sit, drink coffee, and catch up a little bit more before I left. Our troubles are different these days, but the idea is still the same. Two friends talking out the challenges of growing up and finding our place in the world. I looked at her and realized that I have been friends with her since I was 8 years old and if anyone in this world knows my ups and downs, it would most certainly be someone who has known you that long.
Another evening was spent at Ron and Julie's house. This is a place where I spent many, many summer days playing with the girls. As I walked through the house, I could remember very plainly how the green couch used to be in the dining room and I could almost hear Crystal Gayle on the record player while we ate orange sherbert, dressed in our jammies, at the little brown table by the playroom. Outside, covered in way too much snow for my taste, was the hill where we would do summersault contests and I remember when, instead of a driveway, there was a basketball court and a playhouse. This is a house where I learned about God, about friends, about being a big sister to my little brother, and where I learned about keeping your values no matter what comes your way. It was very fun to sit at the table and eat with everyone's kids running around (like we used to do) and to see our Dads (now Grandpas) sit in their chairs at the head of the room and make an attempt to control the chaos.
After this week spent with childhood friends, I have renewed faith that while my kids will cause trouble (and plenty of it), and while I deal with tantrums of epic proportions from my daughter ("Sassypants" has taken over since John's been gone), I have to keep the perspective that they are good kids who are finding their way and who will eventually grow into adults that I know I will be proud of.
What a great post! Mom loved reading it too! It was so good to see you! It is so cool that although we are so far apart, great memories and our childhood foundations live on!
ReplyDeleteSarah