My Bubbling Teapot

What a sad history Poland has!!! What other country in the world do people travel to specifically to visit concentration and death camps? And our guests are no exceptions. All of them want to see a concentration camp. And I don't blame them. But, a wave of nausea crawls over me each time I step inside. And this time with our nephews was the same. "Work Bring Freedoms" proclaims an iron sign at the entrance of Auschwitz in Southern Poland. How many people that were herded through this place believed this? Many Jews had been promised better farms and so had brought all their earthly possessions with them. The pile of suitcases behind glass is a grim reminder of the reality of what happened here. You can't imagine the un-Christian feelings that arise within you when you see evidence of this cruelty. A visitor's personal feelings in our travel book tell my feelings exactly, When you go in there's a sign in five languages that says, "There were four million....

All my children love in different ways. Conrad's love language is quality time. Austin's is physical touch and Allison's is probably words of affirmation (haven't figured hers out completely yet.) But Derek's love language is the most obvious of all. He gives gifts. Many times he gives me a drawing or a note or some paper craft that he has made just for me. On Valentine's Day, he hung a big red heart in the office. "I love you, Mom and Dad" it said. On my birthday, he gave me a special blank book that he had made himself. When the flaps were opened, they again revealed part of his heart. On Mother's Day it was an elaborate card with his love written inside. His eyes always glow when his gifts are aknowledged and accepted. (And of course, he especially enjoys when I exclaim with oohs! and aahs!) Our recent trip to Cracow was one of those times. We traveled by train with John's two nephews for a fun two days exploring Cracow and also visiting Aus...

Dear H A you tow are invitede to a teapartea on wenssday come whit your hats from Allison This is the note I found in our email sent folder this morning.....ahhem! The mother hadn't been consulted previously, so it came as a shock to get an email in reply to the invitation. Oh, dear! How do you retract an invitation to her dear friends without offending them???? Life gets interesting when little ones learn to read and write, doesn't it? The same little girl recieved new girlie PJs as a present from Aunt Dorcas this week. She was so proud of them, she flounced around in them for the rest of the afternoon and evening. The same little girl was delighted to get a personal invitation to Corleen and Alison's new apartment for a tea party. All the little girls were to bring their hats (BTW, do you think that is what inspired the above email invite.) Dressing for this party was quite an ordeal. Complete with a hat, shawl, "broach", handbag and long coat, this giggling l...