Thorburn Family

Twas the night before Sunday and all through the clink
Not a Thorburn was stirring, not even for a drink.
Each tooth had been brushed and each face washed with care
Every mouth having uttered a quick thank-you prayer.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds
While visions of late homework danced in their heads.
And Lydia in her kerchief, and Benjamin in his cap
Had just settled down to a long autumn nap.  

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter
Jesse sprang from his bed to see what was the matter!  
Away to the window he flew like a flash
Threw open the shutters and threw up the sash.  

The moon as a spotlight on the puddles in the road
Gave the lustre of midday to the objects below.  
When what to his wondering eyes should appear
It’s Mom in the mini van, adjusting the mirror!  

Dad yells “JAMMY RIDE!!!!” and they all come quick
A hootin and hollerin…”Dad, what a trick!”  
More rapid than eagles, Val and Jube hit the floor.
Dad’s revving the engine, Mom’s closing the doors.  

“To McDonald’s! To McDonald’s!”  Ben shouts with his might
And before you know it, they’re all out of sight.  
Dollar Menu awaits and there’s ice cream to be had.
You heard it’s not healthy but ask Mom and Dad.

As we stumble in the door, we look quite a sight.  
Good thing we live in Claremont, where that’s really alright
Sundaes for all, and napkins for the boys
“No, you can’t have a happy meal; and no Ninja toys.”  

In a twinkling we’re huddled round tables with care
Eating and chatting with an excited air.  
Relationships strengthened and memories made
Another investment in the parent-trade.  

The days are long but the years are short
And soon they’ll be heading off to port.  
Filling those bellies with ice cream and love
Just another great gift from the Savior above.

An hour has passed and tomorrow is church
So we wipe Ben’s fudge mustache and grab Mom’s orange purse
Five kids wide awake!  Will they go back to sleep?  
Oh well, life is short, and babies don’t keep.  

But I heard Dad exclaim as we drove out of sight
“You never know when the next Jammy Ride will be…..
 
SO GET SOME SLEEP, AND GOODNIGHT!!!!”

Our first Jammy Ride.  It will not be the last!!!  Kisses and jammies and sleep-tights.. lights off.. half of them asleep…and 45 minutes later… The lights went on.  The music is playing!!  The engine is revving…. and Dad and Mom yell, “Jammy Ride!!”  Here we go.. get in the van…no, don’t change out of your pajamas…..  (Lydia.. “Mom, don’t you think you guys could have done this in the daytime?? LOL… sensible child.. where did she come from??? LOL)….  Out into the rain, buckle everyone in.. “I think I know where we are going,” says one.. “nope.. we passed it… “  LOL…  Well, this first Jammy Ride was to McDonalds for sundaes.  Great conversation and lots of laughs.   Then back to bed.   A tradition has begun.  You never know when the next JAMMY RIDE will be!!!!!  Thanks, Nancy Wilson, for the idea!    (Nancy’s blog is http://femina.reformedblogs.com and Jammy Rides are under the Child Rearing section) 

 This is a little like “Where’s Waldo,” but …. meet our lizards, Spring and Pearl.  Spring and Pearl live in the same aquarium, and Spring and Pearl are not the same gender.   This means that we expect that we may have little baby lizards eventually.   Valerie cares for the animals very well, and keeps up on all their needs and desires.  

Well, today Valerie had an extensive conversation with Steven Tyler at the Claremont Pet Center.   Valerie was buying crickets to feed her lizards, “Spring,” and “Pearl.”   Steven Tyler, lead singer of the legend band Aerosmith….. was buying a pet carrier.  He was quite talkative and engaging.  He has good teeth.  Of course, Valerie did not know him from a bag of beans until Rich told her later (and at first she thought he might be a GIRL.. ), but they had a pleasant conversation nonetheless.    Since one of Anna’s favorite songs is “Don’t Want To Miss A Thing”….she’s been known to sing it to Rich (scary, but true..)….well, we had to post this event to live in the permanent records of web-land.   So, there it is.  You cannot know how badly I wish I could embed the Aerosmith song “Dude Looks Like A Lady” into this post.   I heard it’s bad blog etiquette to embed songs like that, and I don’t think it is a good song (just that refrain!!  so appropriate!), and I don’t know how to do that anyway at this point.. so hey, that settles it.  :^)