Monday, September 14, 2009
"KK" Comes Home to Live with Us Today!
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Ellen is 10!
She asked for a football, but she's still "Daddy's GIRL!" Happy Birthday, Ellen. The family wouldn't be as blessed without you. True on the day you were born; still true!
Monday, June 15, 2009
"When Life Hands You Lemons . . . "
It's nice to know that "when life hands you lemons" (bad economy), you can not only "make lemonade"—you can also SELL lemonade! On Saturday, at the end of two hours, three gallons of lemonade ("regular" and "sassy raspberry"), and all of the ice (store bagged and freezer-produced), these two female entrepreneurs had earned $25 profit after costs. Quite a few 100% percent tips and one 300% tip helped!! I think Anna and Ellen's added beauty made the lemonade thrice appealing, too."Cheers all around!"
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Four Favorite Children's Stories
Today is the 15th anniversary of my marriage. In remembrance of the children from their early years, I have archived (via "links" here) some children's stories that I produced with their mom in 2000. These were four of the kids' (mostly Michael's and Anna's) favorite stories when they were little.
Click on each of the links below to listen to and/or watch each of these stories, produced with their mother's story-telling voice and "sung" original music refrain on Love You Forever, a book given to us by my late mother, Sarah.
The Gingerbread Man (re-telling)
Blodin the Beast (Michael Morpurgo)
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Thursday, April 30, 2009
The "Word of the Day" & "Ellen, My Melon!"
Years ago, I found an interesting, very inexpensive wooden photo frame in the shape of a squatty-looking watermelon, painted to look like the same, with an an opening for what seemed to demand a very tight, close up facial photo. I knew exactly which photo was suited for this frame, which, as you can see is one of my daughter Ellen, then four.
As the months rolled past, I realized that because of this framed picture, and because of the rhyming sounds of Ellen with "melon," I was beginning to refer to Ellen via the nickname, "Ellen, my melon" or, shortened, "El-Mel." I would call her in from playing, call her down from upstairs for a meal or to make sure she was getting dressed for school. Ellen is now well past halfway through her 9th birthday year, and occasionally I still find myself hearkening back to the enduring "El-Mel" nickname days.
However, it wasn't until today that I learned something from Latin (I'm a Latin teacher) that made this less frequently used term of affection for my youngest even more special—in an ironically unique way. One of the automatic emails I currently receive as part of my general interest in language (Latin and Greek, especially), is a daily "Dictionary.com" feed of the English word for that particular day, along with various definitions and language of origin.
Here is today's entry, in part:
Word of the Day for Thursday, April 30, 2009
mellifluous \muh-LIF-loo-us\, adjective:Flowing as with honey; smooth; flowing sweetly or smoothly; as, a mellifluous voice. Mellifluous comes from Latin mellifluus, from mel.
Then, looking up the noun's original Latin meaning, I found:
mel, mellis
honey; sweetness; darling
So, as you can easily see, what I have been calling my daughter all these years, the verbal expression of my heart's affection for her through the nickname "Ellen, my melon," actually turns out to be what the words actually mean: Ellen, my "honey," my "darling." I couldn't have planned it better if I had worked at it! So, "Ellen, my melon" it is . . . and always will be!
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Michael's 14th Birthday!
My firstborn of three and only son, Michael Benjamin Paschal Wermuth, turned 14 on the third day of this month. How swiftly time moves, or as a friend of mine recently posted on the internet: "Dates on the calendar are closer than they appear!"
Michael's names are rich with meaning, as is he. His first name, Michael, means (from three Hebrew words: Mi, Ka, and El) of course, "Who is like God (Elohim)?" Benjamin is also Hebrew-based, meaning "Son of my right hand." And, while most of us don't have four names, it seemed appropriate not only to honor Michael's maternal grandmother, Sarah, via her maiden name Paschal, it also helps complete a significant part of the "story" of his entire multi-parted name. You see, "Paschal" also derives from the Hebrew word "Pesach," meaning "passover."
Concluding with Michael's surname, Wermuth—coming from German roots and meaning "wormwood" (one of the bitterest herbs)—his entire name actually carries a Gospel message! For, who is like God, except the Son of His right hand (Jesus Christ), who was and is the One who, as the "Paschal Lamb," has become our Passover—His blood for ours, offered far beyond the "wormwood and the gall"—dying for our sins, yet being raised up again for our eternal life!
As he already has—even at (only) 14—Michael will continue to experience many changes in his life. My confidence and encouragement is in knowing that as we are "sons" of the heavenly Father, Michael is his earthly Dad's son, and always will be. He is a "covenant" child in God's sovereignly administered kingdom. I love him very much and pray and entrust him to God for His best for him.
Where the paschal blood is poured,
Death's dark angel sheathes his sword;
Israel's hosts triumphant go
Through the wave that drowns the foe.
Praise we Christ, whose blood was shed,
Paschal Victim, Paschal Bread;
With sincerity and love
Eat we manna from above.
Death's dark angel sheathes his sword;
Israel's hosts triumphant go
Through the wave that drowns the foe.
Praise we Christ, whose blood was shed,
Paschal Victim, Paschal Bread;
With sincerity and love
Eat we manna from above.
["At the Lamb's high feast we sing" — Original Trinity Hymnal, #365, v. 2]
Friday, January 30, 2009
"Delving into Twelve"—Dad Morphs into Anna
One of Anna's birthday presents for her 12th birthday, Jan. 29, 2009. Dad is morphing into Anna at the same age.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Monday, January 12, 2009
She's a Winner . . . Again!
The words called out for Anna to write down were: (I'll get them and post them . . .)
Anna moves on to the Maryville University (St. Louis area) campus written semi-finals next. Again, I'm really proud of her, in her diligence and self-motivation and continued success.
Friday, October 3, 2008
"We'll Miss You, Kitty!" (4-1-90 — 9-19-08)
"Kitty" (her real name was "Patience") was our friend for a long, long time. She was given to me by some seminary friends in December, 1990 as an 8-month-0ld (approx.). All three of my children grew up with her, though I think her favorite—even more than me—was probably Ellen. I would often tease Ellen to "Be careful, I don't think Kitty likes you!" Kitty's last "official" act of hangin' out with people took place about 10 days before she died. She spent most of that Sunday evening inside the art gallery just across the street sitting and staring at a floor-based art display of birds!! The owners of the gallery said that Kitty was the "talk of the entire evening."
We have great memories from the many pictures we took and, although we'll probably get another pet (cat or dog . . . or both), we also know that Kitty obviously will be irreplaceable.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
The Ever-Maturing Ellen: From Belief in the "Tooth Fairy" to Personal Entrepeneur
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(2008)
(2006) (2006) (2008)
Well, it's been almost a year now since Ellen went through a whole series of "lost-teeth-under-the-pillow-overnight-for-the-'Tooth Fairy'-payment" expectations, during one of which she woke up just long enough to catch me impersonating that legendary Benefactor of toothless offspring. At that point, I was certain that my budgetary "line item" for lost teeth expenditures was probably a thing of the past, since Ellen, my youngest (nearly 8 at the time), is turning 9 next month.
How wrong I was! Yesterday Ellen—with longer hair and looking much older—lost another tooth, which she promptly announced to me she was placing under her pillow. And, not that I meant to, but I actually forgot to leave some "Tooth Fairy" money for her during the night. (I had also forgotten that she no longer believed in the "Tooth Fairy," anyway.) So, when she announced today that she had forgotten to look under her pillow, I hoped I could somehow get there first with the finances. I failed. Of course, she discovered nothing but the tooth—labeled in a zipped plastic storage bag—under her pillow just as she'd left it.
What happened next was hilarious, though. She came and asked me why I hadn't left any money for her tooth, acknowledging (and reminding me simultaneously) that she didn't "believe in the 'Tooth Fairy' anymore," and adding, "Don't you remember when I caught you a couple of years ago, Dad?!"
Cute, huh? No longer believes in the "Tooth Fairy," but **appreciates the value of the American dollar! What a great capitalist and entreprenuer she will be (is). Part of the American Dream, I suppose.
So, bye-bye "Tooth Fairy !" I think she can do a lot better financially running the lemonade stands at the end of the block. You go, girl!!
** [I know you're wondering: Yes, I gave her some money for this tooth, too!]
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Dad Through Time
[click to enlarge]
Infant, 1st Grade, 3rd Grade, 7th Grade, 12th Grade, College Senior (21), Seminary Days (33), Wedding Day (44), New Year's Eve (54), Spring 2005 (55), Dad in 2008
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