Seven Quick Takes

Seven quick takes........Seven Children..........how convenient.  Here goes...........

Our Father's Day hike - they're not motherless!  I'm just behind the camera.

1.  Eldest Child:  Musician, dry humor, charming, a worry wart, very determined, got his first real job this year and is discovering the stress of deadlines and shipping delays. Ah, the starkness of the real world. Can carry a discussion with insight, logic, and calm.  Doesn't argue with passion.  First to leave the nest.   Set up a new place with a friend.  Recording music.......can't live without music.   

2. Thoughtful Child:  Thinker, Voracious Reader, great conversationalist with a variety of people, likes popcorn...LOVES popcorn, faithful in prayer, loyal in friendships, a lover of games, visits a nursing home regularly and highly enjoys old people, GREAT actor, can do a wonderful sinister laugh and a believable English accent.

3. The Lovely Daughter:  Earnest, loving, has a penchant for Broadway Musicals, Russian novels, can't put down The Last of the Mohicans, studies Political Science, theater, and French.  Likes to shop!  Has a knack for seeing the delicious ridiculousness of life, argues with passion, sings French Bistro Music with a thick accent. Drinks black coffee...strong.   My one and only girl....and I got a good one.

4.  Creative Child:  Artist, composer, poet, clown.  Larger than life voice, laugh, and movements.  Renaissance Man.  Looks for the heroic in life, music, drama, and books. Thus, his room is understandably a mess.  Heard a call from God to discern the priesthood and has said, "Here I am".  One time, a perfect stranger saw him and said, "He is a strong man, but there is something of the boy still about him."  Observant stranger, that.

Actually, this is the clean version of the room.

5.  Dancing Child:  Passion for dance, Manga, all things Japanese.  BIG feelings, always doing dance routines in the living room, the hall, the kitchen, the stairs.  Loves Star Wars, Harry Potter, and Zelda.  But also reads swashbuckling things like Dumas's Three Musketeers.  Has a passion for cooking exotic combos like pomegranate eggs............but, funnily lacks all passion for cleaning the kitchen afterwards.

6. Active Child:  Sports, movement, activity 24/7.  Master at Scrabble, cards, and computer games.  Hilarious in a crazy outfit kind of way.  Makes little kids feel important...never talks down to them.  Highly sensitive but heaven forbid that he would show any of it.  Has a huge soft spot for old people.  Competitive on the court,on the diamond, on the soccer field.  Hates to lose!

(The blur in the front, with the number 1 on his jersey, is my son. He pretty much lives his life in that blur; we have to catch him every once in a while.)

7. Youngest Child:  Happy, sweet faced, funny.  Lives, breathes, eats, sleeps, BASEBALL....even has me listening to those obnoxious radio talk shows about baseball.  Watches the games with Grandma.  Good at Latin, good at school, likes to collect things, hates cheese (how can this be my child?), likes to hang out with Eldest Child over at his apartment. Gives thoughtful gifts. He's a keeper.

So, what's the deal with Wainwright?!?