At Home

A Coat of Arms

During a recent visit to the Texas Renaissance Festival, our boys set their hearts on shields. These weren’t the high-dollar shields gilded and adorned and safely on display in one of the many weapon shops at the festival. They were the high-dollar cutouts of pine, void of decoration and character. I placated our 8-year-old son, saying I would make him a shield at home. I knew I could easily make a simple shield to match the one he had set eyes on at the festival.  My heart, however, was set on making something grander.

In the days that followed I set out to make a shield with our family crest—with gold,  and leather, and…well, the project grew as I jumped in, cutting out the basic shape and pondering my next steps.

In 1980, my great uncle, Col. Frank Griepp, published a wonderful gift to our family. A genealogy book that is more than a neat outline of names in their proper order of descent. It provides a view into my family history and the geographical, economic, political, and intellectual undertones that surrounded my family history.

The four names, Griep(p), Griepe, Gripp, in these early forms refer back to gripen ( = greifen) which developed into the similar form von Grif, Greiff; the short form Gripp fitting well the griffin-like firm hold. (Source: The Etymologisches Wörterbuch, Volume 1)

While we generally consider Gottfried Grip, born about 1800, the first generation of our family line, early references of our family name date back to the mid 1200’s. It served as a house name in Germany, giving homage to the griffin bird. A century later we see the name in Sweden. “At the head of the great men of the Swedish realm was the Lord High Steward Bo Jonsson Grip. He owned more land than any other, over 2000 farms, but was a warm friend of the church”.  (Source: A History of the Swedish People, Volume 1) According to the Frank’s research, Bo’s name, Grip, came from the griffin he wore on his coat of arms. He built his home on an island in Lake Malaren, just off the town of Marienfred, and called it Gripsholm.

So it is that our family has maintained the image of a griffin on our family crest. This particular rendering comes from the Province of Pomerania.

Once the blank of the shield was cut, sanded, and painted, I set to work on drawing the outline of the Pomerania griffin. The bold lines of the drawing were filled out with artist pens. The children checked in frequently with great interest to find out when I would be finished.  As I worked on the project, our daughter began crafting her own design—a lovely rose with a green vine climbing the stem.

While I maintained the form of the original design, I changed up the colors; replacing the red with an iridescent gold. The painting was completed with time to spare before Christmas, the time I had appointed in my mind to gift the shield to my eight-year-old son. (Our youngest was to receive a simpler version that wouldn’t betray—when it came time to his first battle—the time spent building it.) It has been near seven months since I last worked on the shields.  The boys are still eager to know when they will receive them. My holdup is that I am not ready to send the shield with its coat of arms into the battle of play. This, I suppose, is part of the reason I have not yet tempered its edges and fashioned it with a leather arm hold and handle. I will get to this work and I will gift the shields to my boy, but, not before making another of the simple designs.  This one will likely be mounted on the wall of my young knights’ chamber.

Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad

I didn’t foresee it, I couldn’t have expected it, but as I saw Tim physically relax at the rhythm of the train, eagerly take in the history shared by its docent, and find enchantment in the views of mountains and wildlife, it became apparent that he loved these hours more than any of us.

When I bought our seats on the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad (another amazing suggestion from my friend), I really only had the children in mind. Between an elaborate Thomas the Train set and an equally elaborate electric train set, both of which we received as a gift from a young man who collected them during his youth and wanted our boys to have them and love them too, our children have enjoyed toy trains for years. Contextually, however, trains have always been toys—fanciful and abstract, but not real. I bought our seats with the hope that our children could finally experience the magic and the reality of trains. In the end, we all experienced it.

The Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad runs between Chama, NM, and Antonito, CO, a six-hour journey. Because the train only travels 15 miles per hour, the trips that go fully between Chama and Antonito require a return ride on a bus, and I did not see the kiddos taking to that idea easily, so we chose a route that ran half the distance and allowed us to traverse the route—to and from—on train. We bought the Deluxe Tourist Class seats so the children could have a table to play on along the way and an attendant to help keep them entertained.

The children were calm and peaceful during the six hours we rode from Chama to Osier and back. They had books to read and tiny toy trains to play with (a surprise we gave them as the train took off from the station).

They looked out the window intermittently, and walked up and down the train a bit, crossing gingerly from car to car, but mostly kept to their own activities. Their heads popped up when a herd of sheep blocked the track, when we were challenged to search out the bear cave in the mountainside, when a small herd of elk was ambling by a river side, and when a lone coyote was spotted on a nearby hill. We dragged them out of their chairs to the gondola car when the train crossed a wooden trestle bridge, so they could look over the side to the rushing river below. They jumped eagerly up to see the train “blow down,” releasing steam from its boiler to clear trapped debris. Each time they got up, they knew they could find Tim on the gondola car, taking in every moment he could of the journey and the fresh mountain air.

My great pleasure in the journey came from experiencing the joy of my family and knowing they have experienced a moment of history that is getting harder to access. I love showcasing history and the daily realities of our ancestors for our children, when possible. We live easy lives now—fast lives that demand as much of us as we expect of them. We can drive in one hour what it took six for us to travel on that train. I am so thankful for the access we have to the technology of this day, but want also to appreciate that it hasn’t always been, and doesn’t have to be, like it is today.

As we stepped off the train and settled back into the RV for our 3 1/2 hour trip to Mesa Verde (143 mountain miles away), we decided to put a video on for the kiddos, hoping they’d fall asleep on the road. It was Theo’s turn to choose, and he asked for Thomas the Train. Normally a point of resistance with Julianna and Elijah, who are feeling a bit old for Thomas videos, this time they eagerly agreed.

Play All Day

Recently, my children have each insisted to me, passionately and frequently, that I do not play with them enough. They’ve actually said, “you NEVER play with me,” which I’m sure isn’t true, but their general protestations aren’t completely unfounded. I do let the busyness of my days carry me away. Faced with an opportunity to wrest some cleanliness and order into our home or sit and play a game, I most often choose cleanliness and order. But I do listen to our precious ones, and I have planned fun and play on this trip!!

When we pulled into our first stop, Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park, Julianna grabbed the itinerary and the kiddos planned our time. Jumping pillow? Yes, please. Water slides? Absolutely. Candy bingo? For sure! Wet “Hey hey” ride? Kick ball slip-n-slide? Glow foam dance party? Yes to it all!

We spent two nights there with one full day in-between, and filled every waking moment with kid-chosen fun. This in spite of Elijah getting a fever midday Saturday and succumbing to a two-hour nap. He did miss the Candy Bingo (Daddy won big and brought home the prizes for all to share), but made it to all other events. We even got a roll of quarters to use in the arcade for a little post-nap quiet time. 😉

Right about the time the Glow Foam Dance Party was set to begin, and Elijah settled in my lap for a snuggle, I was happy not to have succumbed to the responsibilities that can follow us anywhere. After all, RVs get dirty, with dishes to do and floors to sweep, but I was set on intentional play, and that day I achieved it. And how did the day end? With our tired (and sick) children up to their necks in foam, dancing around without a care in the world, and us at their side.

Disconnected Reconnection

When we bought our lake condo, we decided not to install TVs there. Until Julianna was 4 we didn’t have one at home, and there are ways in which we miss the absence of one (though we are thankful for the distractive quality of it, and for Blippi of course 😉), so it followed to forsake the TV in our getaway place.

The first few stayovers, the kids would get bored and ask for a show, and we would shrug and suggest an activity, to their many protestations. This Christmas week was the first time they didn’t ask. (Oh, what a triumph!)

To clarify: it wasn’t because they were fully entertained. They got bored, and they got antsy, and they fought, as they do so often right before I suggest they settle down and watch a show (at home), but we got past those moments by suggesting they read or draw or go outside for a bit, and they didn’t protest so much this time. They more readily embraced the opportunities.

These pictured moments, and many others, were the trade off, and the pay off, all at once, and are now precious memories we can reference for future unplugged getaways. I’m glad we stuck with it! 🙌🏻❤️

Sankta Lucia

Luciakrona, Starboy hat, pepparkakor, and Dala Horse gummies (just for fun) are ready for our early risers.

This year, Julianna and Elijah have set an alarm so they can bring Mommy and Daddy treats in bed to celebrate Sankta Lucia day tomorrow. Next year maybe we’ll make Lussekatter to add to the tradition, but this is a good start!

Climb On!

Seeing these kiddos climb to the top amazes me! They struggle, question their journey (“Is this high enough? Can I come down now?”), stand still for a while on the way up with legs SHAKING from exertion…but they continue on.

I think I love this so much for them because it is life. This is me, every day. I want to rise, but I get stuck along the way. Don’t we all? And still, we rise through the struggles, all in our own time.

Summer Reflection

Last night I was so incredibly tired, not from lack of sleep (Tim owns that sort of tired), but from a summer of activity and moderating and mediating, that I sat down in bed right after we got the kids to sleep and didn’t get up again.

This morning, when I went downstairs to get breakfast started, I was greeted with yesterday’s mail, including the memory book from our RV trip in June, and it is Beautiful!!! It brought back all the feelings: the quiet, the excitement, the joy, the satisfaction, and the wonder of that time.

As the moments turn to memories, do you know one aspect of that trip that remains truly wonderful to me, as I can repeat it over and over again?

While we drove and explored and played and discovered, I was able to fit work in here and there: 10 minutes in the “bus” as we flew down the road; a few minutes in bed before the kids woke up or after they fell asleep; a quick phone call as we got gas.

The time I chose to give my business during the trip fit in so easily that the kids didn’t even seem to notice! And I was paid while I was on the road in Monahans, Carlsbad, White Sands, Scottsdale, Grand Canyon, Sedona, Marfa…and then I came home to another paycheck after our trip was over.

How is it that less than one year ago I didn’t know this was all possible?!!

If you want an opportunity that gives you opportunities, let’s talk!

You can do it all by yourself.

I am so impressed with this little girl (all the time)!! She has been asking to make banana bread from a recipe she found in The Little Big Book for Moms, and today she did it!

This is a failing of mine, but when my kids have previously asked to help in the kitchen, I have said no. Cooking isn’t my strength, so I struggle even more managing little hands and feet in the space.

Today, I said, “Yes, you can do it all by yourself. Let me know if you need help.” And she did it all by herself! I only poured the mix from the big bowl to the pan; otherwise, I just sat there with my friend Patricia watching her work.

It was perhaps the best banana bread I’ve eaten!! (Made with love and lots of joy, for sure.)

So here’s to trying something new, digging in (or sitting back with friends), and seeing how it plays out. And here’s to all the success that can come from it!!

The Wonder Year

The snow has been falling for three days here in the North Woods of Wisconsin. For this girl from Texas, snow that drifts in the air and blankets the ground is a special thing; individual flakes that distinguish themselves, resting on our clothes after their long journey home, a wonder to behold.

No miracle in nature, no miracle given to man, however, is as wondrous to me now as having watched our Julianna and our family grow over this last year. Even before November 29, 2008, at 9:51 in the morning, Tim and I were a complete family. Just the two of us was fine, though we looked forward to the tiny third one to come. She arrived after a long journey home, as well; after five days, to be exact, of insisting Julianna join us, she finally decided she’d come.

I can’t remember clearly, but I’m sure I thought—if only for a moment—that the greater part of the adventure was over after Julianna was born. I needn’t dwell on the extent of my error, but I will note that I have been exceedingly blessed to be wrong. What a ride the year has been for Tim and me!

Julianna’s personality started to make its appearance when she was ten weeks old. Alert and curious, she’d stare in awe at anything new, bright or in motion. She reached out for the world at three months, sat up at six, crawled at seven, and so on, and so on. I have all the dates written in her baby album, which is good because they’d be forgotten otherwise. Those dates, so notable in the moment, seem lost in the blur of the days, the hugs and the kisses. If not lost in the smiles, they’re often forced out during the cries!

These days, Tim and I struggle to keep up with Julianna. She’s on the verge of walking, though still happy on her knees. She talks in baby signs and growls in frustration if we’ve not yet taught her an appropriate word to convey her need. Her frequent babbles communicate her certainty about her views on the world around her and that she will find a way to make her thoughts known, but the most frequent words to be heard, to our great delight, are “mama” and “dada”.

As for us, we’ve recovered from the early days of sleep deprivation and think we’re finally getting a handle on this parenting thing, at least as it concerns a one year old. I’ve spent time reading books on baby sleep, feeding and development. I have friends with whom I get together every weekday for play dates (Julianna loves company!) and I’ve even started to get the house under control, most of the time.

Tim always uses his time efficiently, and in the past year, in addition to working and spending time with Julianna and me, he’s almost finished the home library project, managed the addition of a play room in our formerly-lofted living space, wired speakers to the patio, living room, play room and library, and built a few small wood projects for home and gifts.

In the evenings, when Julianna is asleep and work is done, Tim and I sit together at the computer or work together in the kitchen. It is quiet, but a quiet that we appreciate. The breaking of that quiet, at the morning light, with a cough, some babbling or a cry (depending on the day) is also appreciated.

We understand the preciousness of each day now, but, even so, find it difficult to take enough mental pictures to capture it. Sometimes, when Julianna’s clad only in her diaper digging her favorite socks out of the drawer, we look at each other and I’m sure we’re both thinking it’s a moment to remember. Sometimes, when the camera is near, we take a real picture to remember, knowing our mental camera is too faulty to trust with every precious moment.

Christmastime is here…

To give credit to our sweet Julianna, she is now sleeping in 3 hour blocks at night. We couldn’t resist, however, and captured Julianna in one of her finer moments. This shot was taken Christmas Eve. The shirt reads “All mommy wants for Christmas is a silent night.”