Mosely Ella Claiborne
A cup brimful of sweetness cannot spill even one drop of bitter water, no matter how suddenly jarred. - Amy Carmichael
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Afternoon
This past weekend Riley volunteered to help at a local Farm Day with her classmates. The farm was beautiful. The barns and the mountain views made me miss sweet Virginia. The smell of the hay barn even made me miss the dairy farm on which I grew up. London, Mosely and Bergen passed around bunnies that were so cute I almost wanted one. Almost. Because I had bunnies when I was a kid. My little brother and I had matching white fluffy ones. Trapper and Whatever-Douglas-Named-His. My cousin Mark jumped into their pen once when he was visiting. He landed on Trapper, my bunny. Hard. It died. Since the bunnies…
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Oh, Mo
I just heard Mosely admonish Bergen. “I don’t understand Whine-ese,” she said. Huh. That’s pretty interesting Mosely. I thought you were pretty fluent in that language yourself.
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What Does This Mean?
Perhaps I have allowed our children’s television viewing to get out of hand lately. Bergen asked Mosely a question. She responded . . . “For more information just log on to p – b – s – dot – org.”
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Growing Up
We live at a camp, you know. It’s really cool. And a little surreal. Kevin and I brought his first youth group, Chalybeate Springs Baptist Church, to Look Up Lodge about twelve years ago. I think we brought two boys. Seriously. And, you know, as I recall, it was in planning that very first summer camp adventure that Kevin and I had our first major marital spat. Oh, I should really call it a fight, because that is what it was. But that’s not my point. Back in the day, when we were new campers at Look Up we fell in love with a little feature of the camp called…
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The Town of Mo
The rumor around our house is that Mosely is an alien. (Hey, it’s just a rumor guys.) London even asked her, “Mosely, are you from this planet anyway?” I’m not saying I believe the rumor. But could this be evidence? In MoselySpeak, words sound a little different. A “driver” is what you and I would call a steering wheel. Mosely frequently wishes for a backseat driver and a pedal so she can go wherever she wants to go. When most people see a Volkswagon Beetle, they say “Punch bug!” Not Mosely. She says, “bizzy bizzy bizzy bizzy bizzy back”. If nighttime approaches and Mosely’s special blanket, the one she has…
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Bang Up Job
Guess who cut her own hair? And did a remarkably decent job. (With only a few minor adjustments by our in-house hair stylist Kevin.) This is the same five year old who recently approached her nickname-loving father and respectfully inquired, “Daddy, I don’t care for being called Mo-Town any longer. Will you please only call me Mosely?”
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These Two . . .
These two little girls can . . . – Make peanut butter toast – Pick out cute clothes for Piper and Otto Fox – Help Bergen put on his favorite footie camouflage pajamas – Change Piper Finn’s diaper (not requested by Mommy mind you, just took their own initiative one day) – Spread cream cheese on a bagel – Take a shower like a grown up – Answer the telephone politely – Read a book to Piper – Load the washing machine – Clean up their own bedrooms – Secretly prepare breakfast in bed for their parents – Fold towels – Unload the dishwasher Truly, these little girls are such…
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Wishes
Mosely came running in from playing outside. She approached her older sister cautiously. “Riley, do wishes really come true?” Riley hesitated and glanced in my direction. I just smiled and figured I would let her handle this one on her own. “Well, Mosely. Sometimes they do. Sometimes they don’t,” Riley ventured diplomatically. “What did you wish for?” Mosely looked skeptical. “If I tell you my wish, then it definitely won’t come true.” “Actually Mosely,” Riley said, “Sometimes when you tell someone your wish, it can actually come true. Like if you tell Mom and Dad your wish, it might come true.” Smart kids. Sometimes wishes come true. Sometimes they don’t.…
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This One
I just don’t know if you have seen enough of this kid lately. At dinner Mosely is frequently guilty of bringing her prized blanket to the table. Blankets are not allowed at the Keigley meal table. (Yes, that is a real rule at our house.) Kevin told her to store it somewhere special so she would not misplace it. With great pomp, Mosely arose from the table, carried her blanket across the kitchen and opened the china cabinet. She lovingly placed her blanket on the shelf so she could see it through the glass doors during the entire meal.
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Weeping May Occur
I wrote this when Mosely was but a younger lass, moving from her beloved crib to her big girl bed. When reading the Bible I often find certain verses that I think apply directly to my own children. Sometimes I chuckle to myself at the verse’s real intention and the intent I jokingly like to apply to it. “Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge but whoever hates discipline is stupid.” Sometimes I highlight the verse. Sometimes I get out a handy note card and print the verse and stick it to the fridge for all to enjoy and ponder. Recently I read a verse that I think maybe I should scrawl…
