Saturday at the Gym and a RANT

 I wasn't sure I'd be able to fit in a soccer game today - but it worked. I was glad to attend as Arielle had all the littles today. What a blessing to be able to be a part of their lives. 

Arielle, Ellie, Charles, Danny

Ah the cleverness of Ellie Rae. Look! TWO teeth!

Benny has had a theory/superstition that blue always wins and whichever teams wears the white jersey will lose. Today, his theory was disproved. White won! Though, of course, as an enlightened Bachan I know we don't care if they win - it's about everyone having fun - but I do like a good soccer win (as a Baby Boomer LOL). 

Benny

He plays hard and he did kick that ball. 

Yes, sweets, Bachan saw! 

Meanwhile, back in the stands Bachan is thinking the game ended JUST in the KNICK of TIME. 

Charles, Danny, Bachan

Lyra and Arielle

I am going to go on a rant, because some of y'all need to HEAR ME, bless your hearts. Cory was prepping for his first Easter as a lead Pastor (and it was an amazing service btw). Arielle took the kids out to eat and then to watch The KING OF KINGS. A JESUS movie...where one would expect others to show the LOVE of Jesus. Remember, grace? 

They went to sit in a row that was empty. A middle-aged woman - one who should know better - threw her coat over the kids/the row and said, "I have reserved this row." No.she.did.not. No one came to sit in the row.  The kids were not being bad. They were simply trying to find a seat at a KIDS JESUS movie. 

Arielle moved to another section with enough seats, on an aisle so she could get out if need be. That means there were FOUR seats between the aisle and the millennial lady sitting in the row. As Arielle went to sit down the lady made it known she likes her "personal space" and asked them to move, actually touching one of the children to move him in the process. Oh, it's a good thing I wasn't there. I suspect the Bachan Bear may be more deadly than the Mama Bear...and this behavior is hitting on my kids and my grands.  

Arielle moved to a third row. Keep in mind she is a lone mom carrying a baby, with 3 boys following her. They move to sit down. As one walks to his seat, he bumps into the seat in front of them. They sit down. THAT woman turns around and tells him to "quit kicking my seat." and continued to sigh and turn around to glare at little boys. They were still getting into their seats. Arielle POLITELY said, "We are still settling. This is a Jesus movie." 

NOW...y'all. What is WRONG with us? Can we not REMEMBER being a young mom? Can we not show the GRACE, MERCY, LOVE, INCLUSION Jesus showed while at a KIDS JESUS MOVIE to kids and a young mom????? What if Arielle wasn't secure in her faith and was trying to have a fun outing with her kids? You think these behaviors would make her likely to venture to a church with her kids if supposed Jesus lovers at a KID'S MOVIE can't accept her and her children? I can't even. 

Women, we can do better than this for each other! We can. I LOOK for the mom in the store with a strong-willed child and tell her she's doing a good job. I go out of my way to find young parents and compliment them and thank them for investing in the next generation.  I track down and encourage the young father on the flight from Hawaii who had a sad toddler. He told me this flight had the nicest people on it, a man had encouraged him too (he'd met Michael). So, WHAT if they bump me, or crowd me in a theater! I can't even imagine. Like I said, it's a good thing I wasn't along. 

It feels like many need to be reminded the OLDER WOMEN are to be encouraging, teaching and loving the younger women. All of us would do well to remember Jesus welcomed children.... And this was a movie for CHILDREN - can we not extend a little grace. 

All this being said in WALMART - not in a Jesus movie - one reached out and slapped a woman walking by. They are working on impulse control. Arielle immediately apologized, stopped the cart, told him we don't touch others or invade their space. The lady complimented Arielle on dealing with the behavior immediately and encouraged her in her parenting. Same young mom; same four children.

Ladies, come on. We can do better. Speak blessing, encouragement, grace. If your grace isn't big enough to handle children in a theater who aren't even acting out, it's not big enough for... well you finish the sentence. Honestly, I just wanted to say to the ladies, "Do you even KNOW Jesus?"

Be like the lady in Walmart and not the three at the Jesus Movie.  Shaking.my.head. 

Allie is Twenty-One

 Allie turned 21 today!!!! It's a big milestone.   I spent the morning at a gym with Arielle and the kids and running a couple of errands. Stacia slept in. Allie spent an hour observing society for a college assignment.  We met back at home and opened gifts and loved all being home together. 

Allie is a great gift-giver. I laughed when myself, and a couple other Gherkins, mentioned, "We have to up our gift giving game!"  It's hilarious Allie does not SEE herself as a great gift-giver.  It was fun for Michael and I to brainstorm how to bless Allie this year. Stacia has had her gifts ready for months; they were wrapped and ready before she left for Japan. 

She actually was quite surprised, but I didn't get the camera ready in time, so we staged this. ::snort:: 

Stacia remembered Allie loves unwrapping gifts. She wrapped this little gift at least 25 different times....in the end the gift was a pair of kintsugi earrings. She also got Allie a wood carving or burning set - I think a burning set and a carving tool?Also, a game called Anarchy Pancakes. 

All the paper and laughing started Millie barking.

We focused on things Allie will need as she leaves home for Virginia. We knew a tea station in her new apartment is a must.... a tea box. 

We also got her a couple of fun t-shirts. This one is perfect for Allie. LOL 

Keep Talking - I'm diagnosing you

She's a little more prepared to leave home: an Zojiburshi hot pot, a couple boxes of one of her favorite teas, a tea box, game, tools for her hobby, kintsugi earrings, a pottery mug with mtns - to remember the mtns up here, an extra fine mesh tea strainer, a couple of t-shirts (each with messages to remind her of home) and a hair brush...because look at how long her hair is getting. 

This has been a year of tremendous growth for Allie, and we are incredibly proud of her. She realized the career course she was on wasn't "her" and had the courage to make the change to another career path and university which requires a move outside of Alaska. She then put in the hard work to get all the prerequisites out of the way by taking online courses this year while working full time and has been accepted into the Film Production Cohort at the university of her choice. She'll come away with a Bachelor of Arts in Film Production, (with an emphasis on screen writing), having worked on several production projects. She has accomplished all this while we are still reeling from the aftermath of Josiah's murder, trial, victim statements etc. She has kept a balanced life with time for family and friends alongside work and college. She has also continued the very hard work that comes with therapy. This girl is on fire!!! It was fun to celebrate her today!  We love you, Allie. 

Nolan and Alex popped over later in the day. We caught up with each other and happenings around and about us. Alex helped Michael burn a bunch of stuff. Nolan helped us set up tables for tomorrow's Easter Party. I've made the deviled eggs, and salad today. We are well staged for a family celebration. 

Jamin and Jared arrived, and we had a pizza bash followed by games. We'd planned to have peanut butter milk shakes per Allie's request, but we were all too full when it came time to make the shakes. LOL 

Stacia, Jared, Michael, Jamin, Allie & Nolan
Alex was zoning and I took the picture - GG went to bed