Green and Gold

Dear Jack,

Today is St. Patrick's Day. I spent much of this morning enjoying calling you by your full name, "John Patrick." I suppose if we were Catholic, St. Patrick would be your patron saint.

I also have enjoyed listening to the Celtic Tribute Players on the computer. There is nothing quite like toe-tapping Irish music.

You, though, have enjoyed all of the outdoor time. We were supposed to go to the Austin Science and Nature Center with the Hazens, but your sister was still running fever this morning necessitating a less social plan. By ten or so your sister was feeling like her old self, much like she did yesterday, and so we tried going for a St. Patty's Day bike ride.

About a half block down the street, your dad suggested a Southwestern bike ride and picnic, which is what we wound up doing.

You had such a nice time running around Southwestern. The last time we were there, you were just barely walking, so this time the challenge was keeping up!

Where are you going in such a hurry? To the fountain, of course! Water!!!

I did manage to get you to stop and take a couple of pictures, but really, you were in motion pretty much the entire time.

We walked from the Mabee parking lot to the academic mall, around the mall to the fountain, from the fountain to the Cullen Building, past Mood Bridwell and back to the academic mall for a picnic. Whew!

After the picnic, you were ready (if not willing) for your afternoon nap, so we headed home.

It has been a fun day, but in the back of my mind there is a melancholy to it all as St. Patrick's Day more than any other holiday makes me miss your uncle James. I think of him on all family gatherings and notice the void left by my little brother-in-law, of course, and on Veterans Day and Memorial Day, it's impossible not to stop and be grateful to the soldier, but on St. Patrick's Day, I think of James Michael Nolen, the man. He loved this holiday and more than any other it is who he was as a person, not as a brother, son, father, or husband and not as a soldier. Just him. And I miss him and I know your dad and so many others do, too.

And so I am glad to be reminded, on St. Patrick's Day, of the communion of saints, of the promise that all believers will be gathered together in green fields and streets of gold and that somehow, in a way I cannot even fathom, we are already there with your uncle and he is here with us even now.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Love,
Mom

The Many Uses of Sand and Water Tables

Dear Jack,

Now that the backyard is in order and you have rediscovered all of your toys, you have been very content to just play and play and play. In fact, most of today, while we waited to see if your sister was recovered from her cold (which she was), you played outside.

We have two of these sand/water tables because I felt that the whole "put sand on one side and put water on the other" concept was quite literally a recipe for mud. Of course, we could do what many others do and just pick one or the other, but we have this whole big backyard, so why not have our sand and get wet, too?

I found today that the sand/water table is also perfectly good to play with empty: the ramps are useful for cars and the empty space can house a whole zoo and then some.

The "then some" was of particular humor to me.

I can't quite tell if this is meant to emphasize your eventual need for a pool, show off your dexterity (because boy oh boy does it look like you have twisted your leg all the way around), or protest the five chairs all within six feet of your chosen perch.

In any case, you continued to enjoy yourself and have showcased just one other use for the sand/water table: the bench.

Love,
Mom

Who Are You?

Dear Jack,

One of the things about you is that at your core, I think you are an introvert.

This makes sense to me. Your dad and I are both introverts who have learned to express ourselves loudly and with humor, but it took us most of our childhoods and teen years to come out of our shells.

Being an introvert also means that you are slow to warm up to people. Including grandparents whom you only see once or twice a year. It was hard to have these people, who love you so much, want to hold you and love on you and have you pressing yourself into the safety of your mama's arms.

But since they do love you so much, they gave you your space, waited you out, and just let you know that they cared.

By the end of the visit, you were sitting in both of their laps being read to and I saw you run after your Grandpa today to take his hand and walk with him.

And when they left today, you cried and cried.

That was your Grandpa and your Nana, you realized, and you wanted them to stay.

With any luck, you will remember them next time and not have to take a day or two to come 'round.

Love,
Mom

4 times 2

Dear Jack,

This past weekend, you not only had your Grandpa and Nana at your house, but Great Grandpa and Great Grandma also came to visit. How much attention can only little boy have?

A lot!
I love these Nolen family gatherings... good food, good conversation, and good people to share it with. And this is only one part of the extended family who love you so very much! But there will always be something special about a gathering of the eight of us, Great Grandpa and Great Grandma, Grandpa and Nana, your dad and me, your sister and you, eight Nolens representing four generations. What a blessing!

My favorite part of this visit, though, was the interaction between Great Grandpa and Great Grandma. Great Grandma kept eying the parts of my garden, the pinwheels and the rocks, and saying to Great Grandpa, "Bill, did you get a picture of this? I want one like this at my house." To which Great Grandpa would reply, "Yes, Darlin' I got it and if you want it, you shall have it."

If you can be that sweet and attentive to you future bride when you are a seventy year old man, son, then the world will know that you have led a full and happy life. I know your Great Grandpa has.

Love,
Mom

Springing in the Backyard

Dear Jack,

Every year, we "fall in the backyard" and then "spring in the backyard." I like to have the yard be a pleasant place to play, but in the cold winter months and in the heat of summer, it's just not a place we like to hang out. So during Spring Break, it's time to make the backyard a fun place to be from now until the beginning of June or so.

With your Grandpa and your help (well, really with Nana and your dad's help and with Grandpa helping keep you occupied), I got all of the new pieces painted, the flower beds ready, the yard cleaned up, and the toys cleaned up and organized.

You got a wheelbarrow ride.

Then you helped to mow the grass, which was really nice of you.

Then, you and Grandpa and Daddy took care of the hedges out front. They trimmed.

You dragged the branches away.

In the end, I was very happy with the way the backyard looked. I got the new pinwheel garden planted.

The rock garden was refreshed.

New furniture was painted and placed on the deck.

And, my newest project, your window box was reseeded with chess pieces.

I have to say, since I know your Gram will wonder what happened to her old chess set, that this is one of my favorite random uses of objects. Nana asked me if I had seen the idea somewhere and I explained that no, your Gram was getting rid of things and these chess pieces were among them and I just looked at them and knew I could find a place for them in the backyard. Then your dad threw out all of the old pinwheels from your window box and I knew what I needed to do.

I do admit that the view from your window is a little like being under siege, but in a whimsical way, and I do close your blinds at night.

But if you are reading this as an adult and wondering where your childhood phobia of chessmen came from, I'm afraid you may have just found the answer. On the flip side, I guess you could be a chess grandmaster reading this with a different kind of "aha" moment.

Most likely, though, the chessmen will be just one more piece of a very silly childhood. At least that's my hope.

Love,
Mom

Reading with Grandpa

Dear Jack,

It has been so much fun to see you playing with your Grandpa and Nana this weekend. One of the things you have discovered is that either of them will read any book to you over and over and over again.

Aren't you lucky that you have people who will spoil you in such wonderful ways?

Love,
Mom

Sherwood Forest

Dear Jack,

Last night, your Grandpa and Nana Nolen got in from Utah and today was our first day hanging out with them.

We decided to go to Sherwood Forest, which is like Ren Fair, but in the spring, and in the pine woods of Elgin and not north of Houston.

This morning, you asked to have your hair done, as you sometimes do, and I realized that if there was ever a place a boy could wear ponies in his hair, a Renaissance Festival was it.

I was right. You received many complements. Most people assumed your sister got a hold of you and coerced you and when they were told that no, you like your hair that way, they were even more complementary. I was glad that you got such a positive reaction for your unique sense of style.

You thought that Sherwood Forest was pretty much awesome. There were rides, of course, which we nice. There were pretzels on a stick, which was even nicer.

But mostly, there was sand.


Lots of sand.


Seemingly endless amounts of sand, really.

You really did stop everywhere we went, settled yourself down and played in the sand. I should take you back to Galveston.

Other than the sand, your favorite part was playing sword fight with your sister, me and your dad. You even got a new shield, although we didn't buy you a sword since you have several at home. No worries, ever my resourceful boy, you found a stick and an unsuspecting daddy....

I had so much fun with you today, sweet boy. I am so grateful to have these kinds of days with your Grandpa and Nana, to build memories with them.

And also, places like this are great to take adorable pictures of my precious children.

Love,
Mom