Our Small Town Fair

Well, today is Sunday and the fair is over for another year.  A fantastic time was had by all!  Thanks to the generosity of Grandma and Grandpa, the children were able to get wristbands that enabled them to ride the rides for three days.  The awesome thing about Mayberry's fair is that it is large enough to be super fun, yet small enough that the older children can wander about with their friends and we can find them easily.  Between the admittance fee and fair food, it still ends up costing a small fortune but it is so worth it.  We always make lots of wonderful memories together as a family.  It's old-fashioned, wholesome fun.

This year Caroline, Grace and I entered several exhibits in the fair and won some ribbons!  Caroline received three First Place awards for her crocheted baby blanket, crocheted baby hat and earrings (the baby hat also won Best of Show!).  Grace won two First Place ribbons for her crocheted doll backpack and a poem about the fair.  Much to my surprise, I received a First Place for my strawberry jam.  I almost didn't enter because the dear friend who taught me how to make jam is the fair jam queen.  She makes the yummiest stuff and folks flock to it at the farmers' market here in town.  Imagine my thrill when my little jar had a 1st Place sticker on it!  I'm a legit small-town girl now.  No suburban-babe anymore.



Not Grandma's doll


I also entered my late Grandmother's baby doll in the Antiques division and was honored to receive a First Place ribbon for her.  She has been sitting on my dresser for several years and I've only picked her up to dust her.  But when I took her to the fair I had to carry her in my arms.  The strangest thing happened... I could feel, oh gosh, this is going to sound so wackadoo, I could feel an aura of love about the doll.  I don't know if it was the love that Grandma Helen had poured into her dolly as a little child.  She was a poor farm girl with few toys, so this doll was extra special to her.  Or maybe it was a grace from God telling me that Grandma still loves me.  Either way, as wacky as it sounds, it was sweet.

Rosy Baby

On Sunday Pete and I had to rush baby Walter to the hospital because he had spiked a fever of over 101'.  Since he has bilateral grade 5 vesicoureteral reflux (kidney disease) any fever could be a sign of a kidney infection.  Poor little pup had to be catheterized to check his urine, which happily turned out to be fine.

The doctors said "It's just a virus.".  That phrase used to annoy to bajeebuz out of me but this time I was glad to hear it.  I had packed an overnight bag because I was sure he'd be admitted.  Instead we got to come home.  Woohoo!

When I told my dear friend about Walter's symptoms she said, "Roseola".  Seriously, that's exactly what she said... over the phone.  I have never, nor will I ever doubt this friend's diagnostic abilities.  Here we are four days later, the fever breaks and what's that on baby's face??  A rash!  Yep, it's Roseola.

That baby in the illustration kind of looks like Walter, except that my little guy is usually smiling.  I looked up Roseola online and the description says, "See N, Walter".  Actually it says that it usually occurs between 9-12 months (Walter's 10 mos.), that a high fever comes on suddenly (he was fine at church, then at the hospital two hours later), that the eyes may be red (I kept telling my parents that his eyes didn't look right.) and that the baby might have swollen nymph lodes.  Oh my goodness, I had a swollen gland in my neck last week that was killah painful.

Dear friend, they ought to grant you an honorary medical degree!  Your Dr. Mom credentials are Ivy League caliber.  I'm sure I'll be calling you again in the near future.

Parade time!

This week is just crazy fun.  Truly, the most fun week of the year.  It just might be more fun than a week at the beach.  Sunday night was Mayberry's fireworks... Monday morning was Laketown's 4th of July parade... Tuesday night was Mayberry's fair parade and the fair continues through Saturday.  Every. single. day. there is a fun event!

We've been to bigger parades, but not better.  For small towns, these two parades are top notch.  Miles of antique tractors, cars and firetrucks... the Fair Queen and all of her princesses.... veterans groups and the Shriners in little cars.  Best of all, they toss out candy.  Lots and lots of candy.  When we first moved to our small town we were told that the children should each bring a sack to the parade to hold their candy.  I admit, I scoffed.  At every previous parade we had been to the children were lucky if they went home with one tiny Tootsie Roll.  Thank goodness my children had heard this advice and were jumping around saying, "A sack?  A sack?  We should bring a sack?!  Let's go get our sacks!".  They ended up filled to the brim.
 
Every year I like to remind my children that the observance of Independence Day is not about candy collecting.  It's about remembering what a momentous decision it was for our forefathers to declare this land a new nation.  It's about remembering how many men died defending our right to independence.  So by golly, when that honor guard marches down the street we rise and put our right hands over our hearts.  If the parade has ten different units who carry the American flag, then we rise ten times.  You clap for the veterans and shout out "Thank you!".  Oh, and don't take candy from the Shriners... they're Masons.  (I kid!  About the candy.)

Little Sacrifices

Tonight is Mayberry's annual July 3rd fireworks display at one of the local parks.  Our village quadruples in population for this awesome event.  We have a tradition of meeting our friends at one particular corner of the park and enjoying the show together.  This year I am bummed to be missing it because baby Walter has a fever and wants his mama.  He can't stay up past 10:00pm so here we are.

Oh wait... something fun just happened!  Pete brought Harold home to use the potty and Harold chose not to return to the park for the fireworks.  (It sounds so strange to refer to a three year old as "Harold".  That's not really his name, though it's a good one, dear Grandfather!)  I put baby Walter down to sleep and then Harold and I listened to all of the BOOMS as the fireworks went off.  Afterwards we sat by my bedroom window and watched the exodus of people leaving town on foot and by car.  They were quicker if they were on foot.

We enjoyed seeing the policemen on horseback directing traffic.  Maybe next year our entire family can make it to the fireworks.

Mourning in Mayberry

Our town has lost another dear child.  This was a sixteen year old young man and member of our parish.  I got to know him a little bit when I taught catechism and he was a student in another grade.  After observing him interact with our Director I told her, "I really like this boy."  She did, too.  He was so polite and energetic.  I'm glad that a few months ago I had the chance to tell his mother how much I liked her son.

The real strengths of a small town are most evident when something bad happens.  Word gets around immediately and people flock to help.  I'm coordinating meals for the family and I made up a flier for the school supervisor to hand out.  When I asked the print shop owner for fifty copies he made seventy-five and wouldn't let me pay for them.

There's a sign on the way into town expressing support and prayers for the family.  The funeral Mass  undoubtedly will be heavily attended.  Like everyone, I'm grief stricken for these parents and their surviving son.  I still haven't processed the tragic loss of another child a few months ago.  Now, just like then, I struggle with anger.  I'm not angry at God or at any person.  It's frustrating not to know to whom or at what to direct my anger.  I'm just so dang mad that any mother has to bury her child.  It's wrong.  It's unnatural.  Death was not a part of God's plan for us.  Thank you, Jesus, that we do not grieve as those without faith.

Tuesdays in the Summer

(Not my children.  Cute, though, huh?)

One of my favorite things about living in a small town are the fun activities that go on all summer. Within the next week will be the 4th of July fireworks (on the 3rd of July), the 4th of July parade (on the actual 4th), the fair parade and the fair, itself. That's a crazy amount of fun for one week!

This morning the children were so excited that the day dawned bright and sunny. Tuesdays in the summer are Mass at Noon/Picnic in the Park days. The number of families who come vary week to week. Sometimes the park is swarming with friends and sometimes we're the only ones there. Right now, my children are there but I'm not because baby Walter is still napping. As soon as he wakes up, we're off!

It was a Tuesday Mass at Noon/Picnic in the Park day when we first discovered Mayberry. The Holy Spirit had us driving by the church just as Mass let out and the front lawn was full of moms and children... including some we knew. We were invited to join them at the park and within half an hour I knew that we would be moving here. My girls were walking arm and arm with their friends and picking blackberries while my boys were running around with other boys and playing tag. Oh... this was the sort of community for which I'd always longed. By Friday we had contacted a realtor.

My First Walgreens Run

I have recently become interested in "extreme couponing". Next week I'll be taking a class but I've already purchased a binder and supplies. It's super fun! Last night daughter Caroline and I set out with coupons and a list and made our way to the nearest Walgreens. When we got there we discovered something interesting about this Walgreens...

It was actually a CVS. I really should have confirmed that before heading out. When you live in a small, rural town you don't just run out to do errands. With things so far away, you have to plan your outings.

Thankfully we were in the Big City of Ann Arbor, so it didn't take too long to find a Walgreens that wasn't a CVS. We ended up purchasing $50.50 worth of goods for $14. That means we saved $36.50!

To use a visual aid, the items in the back row add up to $14. That means I got all of the items in the front two rows for free...