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The all about Rachael episode

A lazy weekend is a good thing in my book. Rachael took off to Grandma’s house on Friday night, where she spent her time being singly focused upon and spoiled rotten. Things every girl needs. It hit me this week how much I wish that I had the time with Rachael that I’ve been blessed to have with Nathaniel and Peyton. The middle child thing really stinks in that regards. I had three uninterrupted years with Nathaniel where he was the golden child and I’ve had the last year and a half with Peyton being with me while the older two were in school. I sort of wish I could just take Rachael out of school and spend precious one on one time with her.

She’s such a fascinating child, I’m eager to see the person she’s going to grow up to be. For those of you who’ve never had the pleasure of meeting Rachael, the girl has a belly laugh that just captures you, her smile forces you to smile back, whether you want to or not. She’s funny and goofy and a cuddle bunny and I’m so proud of her for all the wonderful qualities she possesses. She’s adored by her classmates for her kindness and her funny personality, she charms adults with her sincerity and her capacity for compassion is astounding when you see her with the kids from the CCC. She is such a grown up 6 year old, her understanding of people blows me away.

Plus she’s the only person I know that can bowl from side to side and that’s pretty cool all in itself.

When I got Rachael back on Saturday, after a shockingly quiet Friday with just two kids, we headed out to go bowling. I am very proud to let you know that I soundly trounced my kids, and I didn’t even use the bumpers. I’m not above talking a little smack to a 9 year old. We had so much fun during our game, Peyton’s reaction every time the ball made it all the way to the end of the lane was pretty priceless. The process of watching it sloooooowly roll it’s way down, propelled by the breeze of the air conditioning vents alone was painful, but as the ball would nudge the pins at least one would fall. And the rejoicing began….she jumped…she danced…she yelled, “Oh yeah, I rock!” Everyone around us would stop and watch when she bowled just so they could enjoy the aftershow dance.

Rachael pulled a few amusing stunts on the lane. One was when she got her arm twisted all crazy on the release and instead of the ball going down the lane, it actually just bounced back and forth from bumper to bumper. I’ve never watched someone bowl horizontally before, it takes talent. The other was scary, not only for me but for the poor kid bowling in the lane next to us. Rachael likes to take a running start at the lane, and she gets going pretty speedy. This time in particular, she ran up to the release point but decided she didn’t have enough speed, so she stops, backs up and starts to take off at a dead run. I started to say “Stop running”, but all she heard was “Stop”. So she did, and let go of the ball.

About 5 feet from the actual lane.

Because there was no bumper yet to control the direct right angle of the ball, the kid next to us had to jump in the air to miss her ball…which caught the corner of his bumper…careened down his lane…and scored him 4 pins.

Bowling, the Mayhew team is the only one that requires you to wear protective head gear and an athletic supporter.

I’m disappointed to let you know that the CW44 apparently doesn’t live web-stream their episodes of Bayside. That’s the show that Peyton and I were interviewed for on Tuesday. I’m also a little disappointed that I didn’t TIVO the correct showing on Saturday morning because I don’t have it there either. I’m going to do what I can to get a copy of the taping, but who knows! In case I don’t get it up any time soon, I was terribly articulate and dramatically poignant, in fact the entire crew was a sobbing mess when I finished. I may get nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award.

I am so lying! Besides the fact that the crew was one person, I think the taping went well and I was coherent at best. Peyton was a wiggling mess, so hopefully she was cute enough that no one noticed that I lost my microphone down my shirt. We’ll see. I don’t think Katie Couric’s sweating her job just yet.

f.r.o.G…fully relying on God
–Anissa

1 Comment on “The all about Rachael episode”

  1. #1 Angela
    on Jan 14th, 2008 at 8:49 am

    You all are to funny. I am glad you and the kids enjoyed bowling.
    Have a good week.
    Angela