There is one morning each week when I have the pleasure of being in the car by myself. No kids. No kid’s music. No, on these mornings it’s my choice of radio and my coffee. However, the other morning after arriving at work, it occurred to me that I had spent all thirty minutes of my drive listening to….Veggie Tales. So, to my delight, I had the song, “Oh, Where is my Hairbrush?” stuck in my head all day long. Alas, like most young families, it’s hard to escape the kid’s music, cartoons, make-believing and fairy tales. And yet, I wouldn’t have it any other way. The joys of hearing my kid’s sing in the back seat makes up for the annoying songs that get stuck in my head. And the precious moments during family movie night make up for the fact that my kids choose the same cartoons and movies over and over and over again. So, this year, I have on my mind some of my kid’s favorites: Tom and Jerry, The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, Charlie Brown, and Winnie the Pooh. If we could each be described as a character throughout this year, here’s what we would be:
Ella: Susan from Narnia
Much like the girl in the book, do not mistake Ella’s beauty and interest in clothes for her being a “girlie, girl.” Ella is both athletic and musical and has particularly enjoyed soccer and basketball this year. She has proven to be quite the goalie, saving two penalty kicks for her team! Also, much like Susan, God has graciously given Ella a nurturing and sensitive spirit– always looking out for her younger siblings (as well as her mom and dad). Ella is daily offering to give Lily a bath, help her get dressed, and plays referee when Lily and Jrod get out of control. She has really grown this year – physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Here are some highlights of that growth from 2011:
* Ella became a member of our church and now has the blessing of taking communion with the other believers on Sunday mornings.
*I found a timeline Ella had made when going through her backpack. This is what it included: *being born *Jrod and Lily being born *going to school *going to college to play soccer *playing professional soccer *getting married *going to heaven. That piece of paper summed up her desires in so many ways. She is such a wonderful blessing.
Jrod: Jerry the Mouse
There is no doubt that Jrod is charming. His teacher this year said, “I just can’t get enough of Jrod!.” We were glad to hear this, and we weren’t surprised. He’s lovable, funny, and has enjoyed many friendships in his 2nd grade class. He’s taken off with reading, which has been exciting to watch, and his love for soccer has abounded (much to his father’s delight). Last year, his team lost every game. This year, they won every one. And yet, there are times when he makes me want to pull out my hair. Here are a couple highlights of those moments from 2011:
* Jrod locked Lily and me in the bathroom and then ran downstairs to the basement. He explained later that he wanted to “see what would happen.”
* Jrod shared the gospel with Lily: “Lily, you should become a Christian. If you don’t, you will have to walk on fire with Satan. In bare feet.” Jrod always makes me laugh – even when I shouldn’t. He is one of the most charming and endearing kids I have ever been around. And I praise God that he has a sincere love for Jesus and His Word…and he’s never been afraid to share it.
Lily: Lucy from Charlie Brown
Lily is the boss of the Polski household, or so she believes. Lily is quite fearless, loves to whine, let’s her voice be heard in any and all situations, and does not (under any circumstance) allow anyone to tell her she is “too little.” With the start of school, we are pleased to say that Lily has made “real” friends, as opposed to the make-believe ones who have followed us throughout the last year. She loves school, she loves to sing in the kid’s choir at church, and she loves to stand her ground. Here are some of those moments from Lily in 2011:
*Lily’s response to Jrod’s gospel sharing: “Jrod, if I have to walk on fire, then I will just wear my boots.”
* “Lily is delightful,” according to her teacher, “but I don’t think she can quite distinguish the difference between imaginary life and real life. I’m certainly not worried about this…yet.” Lily’s certainly got spunk, and I rest in God’s creativity that He will use it for His glory.
And, believe it or not, Chris and I do a lot more than listen to Veggie Tales and watch movies with the kids. I told Chris he reminds of Owl from Winnie the Pooh (reassuring him this was far better than being Eeyore). He’s been very busy with the building project for Trinity Church. Lord willing, we will have a building for our congregation in the spring of 2012. Along with the heavy but joyful load of pastoral ministry, Chris has enjoyed teaching at Covenant seminary, leading various discipleship groups, and putting together the details for a trip to India in January 2012. He also enjoyed planning for U2 concerts this year, attending U2 concerts, and relishing in the memories of U2 concerts.
Chris told me that I remind him of Rabbit from Winnie the Pooh (reassuring me that this was far better than being Tigger). I’m grateful for a busy year. Along with watching Charlie Brown, I’ve kept busy with a new job as a dental assistant and have loved this new challenge. And for all the years I fought piano lessons, I’m grateful my parents stuck to their guns. I’ve been playing a lot of piano for various choirs, our church ensemble, and weddings. I’m taking guitar lessons, much to my husband’s skepticism. The results of “good idea/bad idea” are still up in the air. I’m looking forward to coaching my daughter’s basketball team and hope that I can keep up with all of the 4th grade energy. I’ve also enjoyed watching Chris get excited about U2, I’ve loved attending the concerts with him, and I am enjoying the break in music due to the Christmas Season.
God is continually faithful, for which we are thankful. After explaining to Jrod that I had bad heart burn on one particular day, his response was this: “Um, Mom? Does heart burn mean that you just love Jesus so much?” This season, I pray that there will be no doubt that we love Jesus…so much.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Love, Susan, Rabbit, Lucy, Owl, and Jerry
