Worm Funeral

Melanie —  September 27, 2009

Yesterday, we had a morning in the garden trying to clean it up a bit.  After a few trips to the tip, cutting the grass, cleaning out the rabbits’ hutch, and attacking bushes with shears, it looks much better!  Mariah and Joel alternately frustrated us with their arguing (actually it was toward lunchtime when they started that!) and entertained us with their singing!  Here is one of the more melodic moments . . .Mariah singing accompanied by the tennis racket!

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In the process of cutting the grass, Peter inadvertantly ran over a . . . . worm.  Ah, the cruelty.  The girls were really upset and tried hard to revive Flower, the worm.

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I kind of forgot about Flower . . . we fed our hungry children, had our traditional rest/read time in the afternoon and then went out to a special farm where we got to have some special Italian gelato . . . .yes, you are seeing correctly.  They are blinking in the bright English SUN!!

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After the ice cream, we headed to the fields to pick raspberries and strawberries.  We were amazed at how many berries we were able to pick at this time of year!  Of course at the end of the picking session, Joel ended up with a grand total of ZERO berries in his basket!!  The berries combined with the chocolate ice cream he had had, made for a lovely sticky face! (I kissed off one smashed berry!  The things we moms due when we don’t have wipes!)

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Getting back to Flower, today after church, the girls informed me that despite their best resuscitation efforts, Flower had died.  They were having a funeral and could I come, please.  I could not find the camera so I didn’t get a picture of Mariah playing the role of the horse, pulling the funeral hearse (child-size wheelbarrow) and Flower, wrapped in a tissue on top of a bed of straw.  Hannah (the preacher) announced, “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here to mark the burial of Flower the worm.  Then she read what is on Flower’s gravestone: (click on it to make it bigger)

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Then, Aliyah (the grave digger), dug the grave and laid Flower in it while Hannah sang “Alleluia over and over again.  I couldn’t help it.  I threw back my head and laughed really hard!!  They didn’t seem to take it personally. 🙂  My kids are so sweet.  Then tonight, when I came in to read to Hannah and Aliyah, they had prepared a special tray for me with mint tea and olives (my favorites – never had them together before though!) and blackberries that our neighbour gave us with a little note that said, “We love you Mummy.”  Ahhhh.  They are too sweet.  I had to take a picture to remember that moment.

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Since I so rarely get time to post photos on the site (and several have requested photos of the rabbits!) I thought I’d put a few more on from this past month.  Here is Hannah with Daisy:

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And Aliyah with Dandelion (Dandy): (oops, its Daisy again, I’ll try to get one of Dandy on here soon!)

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Had to take this picture:

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Joel has a thing for hats at the moment . . . this time it was a Kenyan hat with a builder uniform:

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I don’t always have the patience to let the kids cook with me, but here they are helping me make pasta sauce: (sorry for the steam!)

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How many Mead kids can you fit in a plastic car?

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I told myself I’d get a first day of school photo, but I forgot til the end of our school day when we were all cuddled on the couch reading our science for the day.  Don’t you like Mariah’s school uniform? 🙂

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And lastly, a photo of us at the wedding we went to last weekend.  The girls had been looking forward to dressing up for weeks.  And Joel . . . well, he good naturedly let us dress him up in his little suit we borrowed from his cousin, Matthew.

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I am thankful for my family!  “It is good to give thanks to the LORD and to sing praises to your name, O Most High.  To declare your lovingkindness in the morning and your faithfulness at night.” (Ps. 92:1-2)  Speaking of night . . . it’s late at night here and Peter has just come home from being gone all day in Chippenham.  He had a tremendously encouraging day!  I will not make this post any longer than it is already and go and be with him.  Thank you to all of you who read our blog and pray for us faithfully.  We value you so much.