Summary of Spring Days with the Moodys

[IReallyAmHopewell]

Mollie is excited because the water has lemon in it

I love this--remember when Josh/Anna got married? The siblings did a spoof of the engagement and the one playing Mrs Keller said "It's her birthday--let her have lemon in [her water]

I'm wondering if Sarah has "cleverly" combined a huge tourist farm in Northern Indiana with the Duggar's safari park? The cheese shop thing made me think of the farm.

I think the only "human" type Animal stories they'd be allowed would be the ATI/IBLP Character Quality stories which each have an animal who displays the qualities.

:cracking-up: Oh the Drama!! A STUCK WAFFLE!! A Kid puking in the car!! Learning to watch where you are going! :angry-banghead:

Personally, I'm shocked they showed DISPOSABLE diapers. :)

[IReallyAmHopewell]

I wonder what the ATI/IBLP cookbook says on the bean burritos--it maybe straight from there. That's not much spice for that many beans, but "hospitality" dictates that food be suitable for nursing mothers and young children.Or maybe its from the Sue Gregg ones that you have to grind the wheat and cornmeal at the time you make stuff--no store bought flour?

[salex]

I love this--remember when Josh/Anna got married? The siblings did a spoof of the engagement and the one playing Mrs Keller said "It's her birthday--let her have lemon in [her water]

I'm wondering if Sarah has "cleverly" combined a huge tourist farm in Northern Indiana with the Duggar's safari park? The cheese shop thing made me think of the farm.

I think the only "human" type Animal stories they'd be allowed would be the ATI/IBLP Character Quality stories which each have an animal who displays the qualities.

:cracking-up: Oh the Drama!! A STUCK WAFFLE!! A Kid puking in the car!! Learning to watch where you are going! :angry-banghead:

Personally, I'm shocked they showed DISPOSABLE diapers. :)

No, I suspect the cheese shop was on the same trip as the animal safari, because .osceolacheese.com/ Osceola Cheese is a regional favorite that everyone I know who grew up around KC and ever went to Springfield or some of the lakes knows about. Free samples and clean restrooms, as I recall--from trips with local natives who insisted we stop.

[Loveday]

ETA: If y'all haven't read "The Wilder Life" by Wendy McClure, you must. She is one of us. :violin:

:D I've read it twice. :embarrassed: She is definitely one of us. :violin: (that will forever be Pa's fiddle for me now; all it needs is a tiny beard! :lol: )

You might also be interested in reading A Wilder Rose, by Susan Wittig Albert. It's fictionalized, but it's based on some of Rose's unpublished journals, and there's a lot about how Rose & Laura worked together editing the books. I read it not long after it came out, it was very interesting; I didn't realize how much work Rose put into the books.

I also have started (but not finished, and I've misplaced the book) West from Home, a book of the letters Laura wrote on a trip in 1915, and I came across a copy of the Woman's Day Book of American Needlework, which was written by Rose. Still has all the patterns, but it's in dire need of deodorizing, because it was in someone's basement a little too long.

I hadn't heard of the Susan Wittig Albert novel. It sounds good, I'll have to check my library for it. Read West From Home years ago, it's on my bookshelf somewhere, I should probably pull it out and read it again. I didn't realise Rose had written a book on American needlework, I'm going to have to look into that! :)

[salex]

No, I suspect the cheese shop was on the same trip as the animal safari, because .osceolacheese.com/ Osceola Cheese is a regional favorite that everyone I know who grew up around KC and ever went to Springfield or some of the lakes knows about. Free samples and clean restrooms, as I recall--from trips with local natives who insisted we stop.

TO ADD

Meaning that i doubt she has the creativity to combine trips. I suspect if they took a northern indiana trip, it is in a different book. (is there one about hiking in Colorado, does anyone knw?)

[RandomTrivia]

:D I've read it twice. :embarrassed: She is definitely one of us. :violin: (that will forever be Pa's fiddle for me now; all it needs is a tiny beard! :lol: )

I hadn't heard of the Susan Wittig Albert novel. It sounds good, I'll have to check my library for it. Read West From Home years ago, it's on my bookshelf somewhere, I should probably pull it out and read it again. I didn't realise Rose had written a book on American needlework, I'm going to have to look into that! :)

Wilder Rose is fairly recent, I think it came out just a couple of months ago. I had to request it through interlibrary loan, since my library didn't have it. They ordered a copy instead, and I think I was the first to check it out. The needlework book is mostly patterns & instructions, I'm not sure there's a lot there to read. I didn't look at mine very closely, the smell started to bug me.

[Miggy]

Chapter 16. Max's Grand Day

Saturday 22nd April. Tomorrow is Max's birthday. Dad takes the family out to run errands. First they go to the Pastor's house. Dad has bought a guitar from the Pastor for Max. The pastor shows Max how to play a G chord. Back to the car. Max wants to start learning but they have another errand first.

"I like surprises," Mollie exclaimed. "And I love it when you take us on errands" (Quick flick back to the start - yes, Mollie is 11. I love my dad to bits and loved going places with him but this is a little immature, isn't it? More the sort of thing you'd expect 5yo Maddie to say.)

Dad takes them to Homestead Nursery so they can buy plants. There is a new playground there and Maddie wants to play. Oh no, we've forgotten Amy Jo Remcak is coming over to do wedding practice, maybe we should go home. Dad saves the day by ringing Mr Remcak and rescheduling the practice. Oh the relief!!! (Who are Mr & Amy Jo Remcak, I hear you all ask? I wouldn't have a clue. Something to do with the wedding is all the info I've got.) Two pages on choosing tomato and jalapeño plants. Mitch wants to buy a "plant that eats flies" but Maddie gets stung, they don't have the first aid kit and so, have to rush home. (Two pages on choosing plants, then all that fitted into half a page. When my students write stories they start out really well but as the lesson nears the end they start rushing and try and cram everything they want to say in, instead of just leaving finishing it to the next lesson. Sarah's writing feels like that. The pace is all over the place.)

Home. Mollie wants to bake a cake. Max wants to practice his guitar. They all have to practice music for the wedding. WHAT IS THIS? A strange car at Mr Delome's! Dad takes the family over to find out whose car it is. Mr Delome has bought a car for Mrs Baugwell, whose previous car was in a crash in a previous book. Mrs Baugwell is excited because her house has sold.

Amy Jo arrives. Mum panics because they haven't had lunch. "Mom felt the Holy Spirit's prompting to rejoice in all things, even when the timing wasn't according to her wishes." (I'm reasonable new to Maxhell but I've read a fair way back on their blog so I know about Teri's depression and the Pepsi and ... everything. I think we get a lot of insight into Teri in these books. She panics when things happen out of order like a guest arriving before instead of after, she doesn't cope when things don't work properly, like the beans boiling over at the same time as the babies empty the tissue box. Chorepacks and 15 minute scheduling were obviously her only way to continue functioning. Why won't Steve let her get proper treatment?! Depression is a terrible condition. I watched a friend battle depression for 25 before killing herself last year and best friend has bipolar. It can be miserable trapped in their heads. Teri needs help - not prayers.)

Inside. Mom makes lunch. Max, Mollie and Mitch practice singing Holy, Holy, Holy. Mollie is also watching the twins. (Love the idea the Mollie can watch two babies and do a music rehearsal but Mom can't watch them while making lunch.) Maddie goes upstairs to feed her fish. She thinks the fish needs some fresh air so she takes fish+bowl outside. She lies down on the grass with the bowl beside her. Dog starts drinking from the bowl, then knocks it over. Mom comes out and rescues the fish. "As Mom refilled the fishbowl, she talked with Maddie about the seriousness of doing something without permission."

[Miggy]

Chaper 17. Wedding Excitement

It's Mr Delome's and Mrs Baugwell's wedding. The family go to church and Mr Delome meets them at the church basement door. Dad brings in the kids clothes.

Pastor Thompson wants to talk to Dad. The assisted-living home want somebody to run their service.

"Wow," Dad said. He looked thoughtful. "My heart's been burdened lately about the nursing home and our little ones." Dad has been worried about the kids getting sick. (Wrong way round Dad. I visit nursing homes regularly in my work as a musician and what they dread is visitors, particularly children, who bring in colds.) The Pastor and Dad decide to pray about it.

The ladies go upstairs to decorate the church. Maddie practices walking down the aisle with her basket.

Mrs Baugwell arrives after lunch. The flowers have been left at her house but the Pastor goes to retrieve them. Mrs Baugwell introduces her (adult) children to the Moody children but she gets the boys names wrong again, calling them Mix and Match. Remcaks arrive. Kenneth, the son, asks what the boys real names are and talks about his mother always mucking up names. Descriptions of people's clothes & hair. Parkers arrive. Message Parker is due in two weeks. Mom goes over with Maddie what she has to do - smile + drop flowers. Pastor Thompson is back with the flowers.

Mr Delome panics. He has had coffee and his breath will smell and he didn't bring mint. After almost a page of blah, his son produces one and it is all ok.

Microphone plays up. Sing. Mr Delome comes in. He tries to light candles but his lighter doesn't work properly. Pastor explains how both came to be single. Mrs Parker plays a hymn. Maddie comes in. Walks down the aisle throwing petals. Mr Baugwell comes in. Mr Delome thanks the Moodys for bringing him to Christ. Page of Mr Delome speaking. He asks if anyone would like to give their life to Christ.

"Delome, I'm ready to give my life to Jesus." It's Mr Gibson. He's getting saved at a wedding - yay. (This takes a page.)

"Pastor Thompson preached a message based on John 15."

I dos. Rings. Amy Jo plays the piano while Max, Mollie & Mitch sing. Couple sign the register.

[Miggy]

Chaper 18. A True Celebration

"When the hymn was done, Mr. and Mrs. Delome dismissed the congregation by rows." Grandpa & Grandma take the twins. Dad & Max light candles. Mom & Mollie check the coffee. Dad slices up a cake. Maddie sniffs the wedding cake and sticks her nose in it. She tells Dad but he says it's ok - no one will notice the nose print. (WTF? Did Abby do this at Chris's wedding? I don't want a child's nose to have been in my cake!)

Maddie is tired. Mrs Parker comes in and doesn't eat M&Ms. The Russells come in. (Who?) They quiz the Moodys about which church they belong too. (This is their church but they don't actually attend because they run the service at the nursing home, if anyone cares.) Mollie tips a pitcher of water over while trying to get Mrs Parker a drink. Maddie has been eating pink M&Ms. Dad has told her she can't pick out the pink ones so she has been trading away her other colours for pink.

The knife to cut the wedding cake has been left at home. The couple cut the cake with a butter knife. Kenneth decorates the car by filling it with balloons and writing "1+1=1 Praise The Lord." on the windows. (I really like this. Perhaps Sarah could give the Duggars some lessons.) the couple leave at 3:30. Mr Delome has to take the balloons out first. He gives them to the children.

[anjulibai]

1) Okay, so Sarah has a couple that have both been married before, albeit widowed, but Christopher will only photograph weddings where it is the first marriage for at a least one of the couple. Um, okay....

2) I'd be really annoyed by my wedding being stopped so someone can convert. Just me, though.

3) Of all the innocuous things the kids do that Sarah has them repent of or get some weird lesson about obedience over, it's odd to me what gets passed over. Putting a nose into a wedding cake is okay, but taking a fish bowl outside is not? It's just odd, and it makes me think that growing up in Maxhell must have been very nerve wracking, never knowing what would set off a discussion of your potential damnation.

[Jana814]

Thanks for the summary of the next couple of chapters!!

[Trynn]

Man, those kids aren even allowed to do ANYTHING without permission? I mean, it's a bad idea for Maddie to take the goldfish bowl outside, but not a sin. Mom should have gone over with Maddie that maybe this wasn't a good idea because the poor fish could die if out if water too long. And Maddie is 5, and 5 year olds are not always known for their grace of movement.

Putting a nose in the cake is DISGUSTING. I would've required an apology to the bride and groom, and an offer of restitution, were it my child. I definitely would've cut off the piece with the nose print.

I know any hey write it, but he rest of the world is just going to think they have bad math skills.

[Miggy]

Chapter 19. Tears Bring Joy

"The next Tuesday, Mom and Mollie met in the back room for Mollie's sewing lesson." Mitch interrupts. He is going to Grandpas to work on something. Max is going to and they will take the twins because Grandma said she would look after them. Back to slow description of Mollie learning to sew. Phone. Mrs Parker is in labour. She has been rushed to hospital for an emergency caesarian. Mom and Mollie pray for her and the baby. Continue boring sewing description. (Cut out and pin skirt - I remember reading that blog.) Max, Mitch & babies come home. Mollie studies for a history test. Pastor rings up to tell them the baby is born: Faith Kathryn. She has lung problems and a cleft lip and is in the NICU.

Next evening Grandma & Grandpa come over to watch three little kids. The rest go to visit Mrs Parker. Hospital. Waiting room. Meet Mr Parker. Limited visitors so Mom & Mollie go first. Dad & boys will go last. Description of hand washing.

"Faith wore a pink sleeper, and a lace headband graced her small head." (NOOOOO! Not a headband!) Mollie asks about the cleft lip. Mrs Parker says it's all fine, it's how God made her but she is surprised at other people's negative reactions. (See long comment below - this is a topic close to home.) Mollie holds her. Mom & Mollie leave. Dad & boys come. Another description of hand washing. The boys hold Faith. The family leave and drive home. (I don't know much about lung problems or the NICU rules so perhaps someone with more knowledge can help: would they really let 3 children hold a baby who had undeveloped lungs and needed to be in the NICU? The Bates child had lung problems and those kids just looked at him through a window. Even Kelly didn't get to hold him.)

Cleft lip: I have a 17yo who was born with a cleft lip & gum. Everyone around me was positive. Nurses and doctors explained it was easy to fix. A counsellor came to see me to talk through how I felt and what was needed for my son. My friends asked a lot of questions but if any of them thought he was ugly or whatever, they kept it to themselves. Sarah's description of negative reactions to Faith sound like how Sarah thinks ungodly people react, rather than her having any true understanding of people.

Me personally? I was devastated. Its all very nice to say "this is how God made him" but the reality was I had to grieve the baby I didn't have, just like parents with severely disabled children do. Maybe there are people out there like Sarah's Mrs Parker but my experience in the Autism Association (child 1) and Cleftpals (child 2) is that every parent struggles at first to accept a child that isn't perfect. This doesn't mean you hate the baby although in my case I did. It's usually just about acceptance. I took a few weeks to love my son and a few years to deal with the guilt over my initial rejection of him.

I know this is a children's book but if Sarah is going to introduce these subjects then I would like to see her do more research. (Melanie may have kept sweet when Sarah was around but I bet she cried herself to sleep for many, many months after Susannah died.)

Son 2 has grown into a wonderful young man. He isn't handsome in the traditional sense but he is striking. No speech problems. No teeth problems. A lot of prayers were said but there were also a lot of visits to doctors, surgeons, dentists, orthodontists, speech therapists, etc. I wonder if Sarah will follow this story in her next book.

[kpmom]

Going back to Chapter 17, does Sarah describe Kenneth? Just wondering if she makes him her fantasy man, even subconsciously.

I've no doubt this is exactly how Sarah grew up. A mother who gets panicky when things don't go according to schedule, and a mother who makes her oldest daughter watch the youngest kids no matter how busy the daughter is.

Maybe I've been wrong to assume Sarah wants to be married and have children. Maybe she got enough of that as a young girl, and feels she has more freedom now. Who knows?

[Nootbar]

I am ridiculously entertained by this thread. And @Hane and @twin2 - even without the snarky content, it would be obvious those chapters couldn't be real. Sarah can't write that well. And I'm sure you tried your best to stilt your language! Sigh.

[Miggy]

Going back to Chapter 17, does Sarah describe Kenneth? Just wondering if she makes him her fantasy man, even subconsciously.

I've no doubt this is exactly how Sarah grew up. A mother who gets panicky when things don't go according to schedule, and a mother who makes her oldest daughter watch the youngest kids no matter how busy the daughter is.

Maybe I've been wrong to assume Sarah wants to be married and have children. Maybe she got enough of that as a young girl, and feels she has more freedom now. Who knows?

No description sorry. I actually got confused there. I skipped over the line where Mrs Baugwell said "this is my son ..." and read the next paragraph where some guy called Kenneth was talking about his Mom "Maud". I had no idea who Maud was and couldn't find a Maud in the character list. It was only when I reread the page I worked it out.

Not relevant but is anyone else reading this a fan of The Goodies? I have trouble taking anyone or anything call Kenneth seriously since they had Kenneth & Kenneth & Kenneth & ...

[docmom]

No description sorry. I actually got confused there. I skipped over the line where Mrs Baugwell said "this is my son ..." and read the next paragraph where some guy called Kenneth was talking about his Mom "Maud". I had no idea who Maud was and couldn't find a Maud in the character list. It was only when I reread the page I worked it out.

Not relevant but is anyone else reading this a fan of The Goodies? I have trouble taking anyone or anything call Kenneth seriously since they had Kenneth & Kenneth & Kenneth & ...

I loved the Goodies! I doubt the Maxwells would get the reference though ;)

[Hane]

Miggy, that synopsis of Chapter 19 has me tearing my hair out. ON WHAT PLANET WOULD THAT HAPPEN? My 9 lb. 6 oz. nephew wound up in the NICU with a pneumothorax (lung puncture caused by taking his first breath), and NOBODY--let alone random neighborhood kids--was allowed to just waltz in and hold him, just the parents and under strict protocols.

And the average just-born preemie in the NICU wouldn't be dolled up in a pink sleeper and a lace headband (ugh, I hate those damn things).

Does Sarah really think the average kid would be awfully interested in a neighbor lady's caesarian?

And the bit about Maddie taking the fishbowl outside and Mitch (?) ordering an adult-sized burger he couldn't finish: These normal-ish childhood episodes are addressed as "See what happens when you don't ask permission/obey your parents?" rather than teachable moments about how to develop common sense and good judgment.

[uber frau]

I've had a baby in NICU with breathing problems. AFAIR, these were the rules about visitors:

1. Parents-anytime (but be mindful of other ppl and their babies).

2. Grandparents and other close friends/family-2 at a time, only during very strict visiting hours and only when accompanied by one of the child's parents.

3. No children in the nursery (which meant, effectively, no children unless a baby was dying and the family had a private room).

4. In case of ppl in the previous 3 points being sick: Bugger off, We don't want your germs. If you're a mother we might give you a private room if you follow precautions (gown, mask etc).

This was a hospital that is regarded as not being strict.

ETA: I'm not into the demented Easter Egg look, so the the lacy headband wasn't a temptation for me but, even if it were, it would get in the way of the CPAP mask and cap.

It's very obvious that Sarah Maxwell does no research whatsoever. Even if she is allowed near Google (yeah, right), I wonder if she knows how to research. I wonder if she even has the ability to think of a question.

[Miggy]

Thanks Hane & Uber Frau. Those are the rules I would EXPECT, even without any experience. You don't put a child in NICU unless it's pretty sick and you don't let children hold sick babies. Simple.

[polecat]

My niece was in NICU for a few days after her birth. She wasn't particularly sick, but she was born at 34 weeks, and her lungs were iffy. She was by far the largest and healthiest baby in the room. If you weren't on the list, you weren't getting in to see her. My sister had to give the staff a list of names (I think she was allowed three or four, but it's been close to 15 years, so I could be wrong), and when I arrived, I had to show ID (and wash up of course) before I was even allowed to go in.

I can't imagine any scenario in which a bunch of random kids would be allowed in the NICU and not even sure younger siblings would be allowed in due to infection risks. There are some seriously ill babies in NICU, and even a cold could be disastrous for them.

[RandomTrivia]

Does Sarah really think the average kid would be awfully interested in a neighbor lady's caesarian?

I'm a grown woman, and have practically 0% interest in anyone's c-section, even after (or in spite of) having one of my own. Hell, I got to see pictures of my sister-in-law's c-section, and that squicked me out in a major way for a long time. (It was a very weird thing. SIL and her husband are both nurses, and for some reason, along with pictures of the very fresh baby, he took pics of the operation somehow. I've blocked most of it out, it was that bad. Go to the hospital, see the mom and baby, flip through the pictures - baby, baby, baby and nurses, baby and mom, baby with dad, then HOLY HELL MY EYES, pass the brain bleach)

[nausicaa]

Miggy, that synopsis of Chapter 19 has me tearing my hair out. ON WHAT PLANET WOULD THAT HAPPEN? My 9 lb. 6 oz. nephew wound up in the NICU with a pneumothorax (lung puncture caused by taking his first breath), and NOBODY--let alone random neighborhood kids--was allowed to just waltz in and hold him, just the parents and under strict protocols.

And the average just-born preemie in the NICU wouldn't be dolled up in a pink sleeper and a lace headband (ugh, I hate those damn things).

Does Sarah really think the average kid would be awfully interested in a neighbor lady's caesarian?

And the bit about Maddie taking the fishbowl outside and Mitch (?) ordering an adult-sized burger he couldn't finish: These normal-ish childhood episodes are addressed as "See what happens when you don't ask permission/obey your parents?" rather than teachable moments about how to develop common sense and good judgment.

Yeah, what is being written as mistakes the Moody kids have to atone for it really off for me. Taking the fishbowl outside is actually kind of cute, and something I would think most parents of a five year old would giggle at and explain to the kid why that's not a good idea and shouldn't be done again. And kids' eyes are always larger than their stomach when they're ordering food.

It seems that the Maxwells took the parenting approach that children should be expected to come into the world knowing everything and always making wise decisions and when they lack the tools to do this they must be punished/made guilty for it. It's great insight into the Maxwells. No wonder none of the kids will ever try to leave or break out. Mistakes are not learning opportunities. They are SINS!!!

[slickcat79]

Chaper 17. Wedding Excitement

The ladies go upstairs to decorate the church. Maddie practices walking down the aisle with her basket.

Mrs Baugwell arrives after lunch. The flowers have been left at her house but the Pastor goes to retrieve them. Mrs Baugwell introduces her (adult) children to the Moody children but she gets the boys names wrong again, calling them Mix and Match. Remcaks arrive. Kenneth, the son, asks what the boys real names are and talks about his mother always mucking up names. Descriptions of people's clothes & hair. Parkers arrive. Message Parker is due in two weeks. Mom goes over with Maddie what she has to do.

Add this to the list of things that are starting to annoy me because it makes no sense. Ok, some people are bad with names. It's particularly hard to remember the names of the children of random acquaintances, but why would she call them by words that aren't even names? I mean, if I were confused about the names of children I hadn't seen in awhile, I'd probably be inclined to use Emma instead of Ella or Brian instead of Brendan, something like that.

3) Of all the innocuous things the kids do that Sarah has them repent of or get some weird lesson about obedience over, it's odd to me what gets passed over. Putting a nose into a wedding cake is okay, but taking a fish bowl outside is not? It's just odd, and it makes me think that growing up in Maxhell must have been very nerve wracking, never knowing what would set off a discussion of your potential damnation.

IKR? I would have a major issue if I knew someone's 5yo had put their snotty nose in a cake I was planning to eat :?

And the NICU story is pretty ridiculous. If those kids were the baby's siblings, they might be allowed to see the baby if they were healthy and it wasn't flu season. But in a case like that, where the baby is basically full-term and presumably going to be released in a matter of days, they probably wouldn't be allowed at all because of the risk to other, more sickly babies.

[16strong]

It's very obvious that Sarah Maxwell does no research whatsoever. Even if she is allowed near Google (yeah, right), I wonder if she knows how to research. I wonder if she even has the ability to think of a question.

Nope. I learned a good deal about how to conduct research in late high school and college. Sarah really has had neither. I doubt she has ever had to write a real research paper using online databases and scholarly materials from a library. Nor do I think she has ever had to write a good persuasive essay (which would have given her some critical thinking skills). And it shows in her writing.