Odds and Ends

Far too late a night, when it is dark and quiet, (which NON coincidentally, only occurs once the legion of young Germans who, much to the dismay of their mother's delicate eardrums and tenuous patience, possess a particular affinity for earth shatteringly loud ruckus, have slipped off to slumber, after just one more drink of water, then another....ahhh) by the glow of my (used, new) iPad, with headphones on so as not to disturb the bigger, quieter, less patience wearing German lying in bed beside me, I've been watching Downton Abbey on Hulu. {Bliss!} As an added bonus for turning it off just as I lie down to sleep, in my dreams, I get to speak with an exquisite British accent. For 8 glorious hours, in the delusion of my subconscious, I am dignified. English. Sublime.

Speaking of the bigger, quieter, less patience wearing German, the other night at dinner while we were talking about last names for no other reason than we had undoubtedly already exhausted every bit of poo-poo-potty talk that inevitably must work its way into the discussion at each meal, (My fellow Englishmen would not approve!) he told the loud, little Germans "The reason your mother became a Deutsch is because I was jonesing for her." Ba-dum-bum. Tisha Jones Deutsch blushed. She loves the big, quiet one.

Speaking of quotes, Onyx is making his football debut this year. Go Panthers! (((Rahhhhhh))) Laying the other boys out flat has not been an easy thing for him to do. What he does excel at, is giving them a hand up after they've been tackled, by someone else. He came home from practice a couple days ago, dirty, tired, flush, yet strangely invigorated in the way only exhausting physical exertion can do, and said to me "My whole life I've been told not to hit people. Now, I have to hit them. They're my friends. It's hard!" Awww. My sweet boy. Maybe track is more your sport, son.

Speaking of sweet kids, anytime there is a birthday in the house, the siblings rally their skills to make the most precious homemade gifts for one another. Then, they wrap them in Kashi cereal boxes, using a whole role of tape. For Tydens 8th, Stryder even made him a treasure map to follow to a hidden $5 prize. His last $5! Because he doesn't do his chores very well and doesn't get his full allowance! It was the boy's last $5 and he was giving it away to his brother! Oh, my loud, loud, patience trying babies. They are so very generous and kind. They make my happy tears trickle.

Speaking of tears, I recently tossed a Smile Train plea for donations we received in the mail aside without giving it another thought. Jayla yanked it out, waving it wildly in my face.
"Mom, WHY did you throw this away?"
"Jayla, I would NEVER throw it away! I was recycling it, dear."
"WHY didn't you ask me if I wanted to donate?"
"Because you have next to no money left and I want you to start saving for my Christmas present?"
"MO-OM that's NOT funny. I want to give to this."
"Ok, F I N E. Please do."

The girl stomp-marched away like only an 11 year old female who is so annoyed with her mother can do, and began a campaign to raise funds for cleft pallet kids, petitioning the loud Germans to donate to the cause. When she came back to her annoying mother, it was with a wad of $1 bills amounting to $60. {Trickling tears}

And this is how these loud, patience wearing, ruckus causing, debris scattering, poo-poo-potty chatting at the dinner table, German children are. They care about others. People they have never met. Those with less means. They see the good in those who have more freely lending a helping hand to those who have less. They realize they have their own needs met, and beyond. With open hands, they offer of their abundance. They know the benefit in it for all of us.

They are their brother's keepers.

I have a sneaking suspicion they may be Democrat. ☺