Dr. Livingston's Anatomy Jigsaw Puzzles ~ A LONG Timberdoodle Review

Dr. Livingston's Anatomy Jigsaw Puzzles - Set of 7 is by far one of the coolest educational resources on the Timberdoodle website! Several of the jigsaw puzzles are used as part of the Timberdoodle Science curriculum kits. The Human Head ~ Puzzle I of VII is part of the 6th Grade Curriculum Kit. For the older student, in the 11th Grade Curriculum Kit, The Human Thorax ~ Puzzle II of VII is used. Once all seven puzzles are fully assembled it will make a 10ft human. The puzzles are 100% medically accurate and are incredibly detailed. They reveal the inner workings of the human anatomy by displaying a crosscut section of each working part of the human body. The puzzles are not only fun to put together but are a great way for students to learn anatomy. When you open the box, each puzzle contains an illustrated and labeled diagram. The recommended age for these puzzles is 14 and older. With that said, my 13-year-old worked on the puzzles and was learning right along with her older siblings. Just a fair warning: this blog post is quite long with pictures and writing. I guarantee it will be worth your time! Remember, it covers SEVEN puzzles!

 

The puzzles are illustrated by Mesa Schumacher who is a certified Medical and Biological Illustrator. She received her Master's degree in Medical Illustration from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Schumacher also has degrees from the University of Washington and Stanford University. She has also studied Fine Arts a GAGE Academy in Seattle. She has a passion for creating, storytelling images, drawing, and animating. 

The boxes are very nice and resemble memory boxes that you would purchase. They have magnetic closures. You could easily display them on your bookshelf along with books. 

 

The puzzles pieces are very thick, and the colors are very vibrant. The detail on the puzzle pieces is amazing, whether you are seeing intestinal veins, long strands of tendon, or the loops of the intestine. Each completed puzzle is much larger than an average adult, a 200% magnification. 

To keep the completed puzzles intact and safe until all 7 puzzles were completed I knew I had to come up with a plan. I finally decided that Project Display Boards would be perfect for the job! I love the Dollar Store. I used one for the head, thorax, and abdomen and two each for the arms and legs. Using the display boards to put the puzzles together gave us a great flat surface and also made it easy to move the puzzles from room to room. After completing each puzzle we stacked the display boards. Score for saving on space too. 

My 18-year-old daughter did the majority of putting these puzzles together. She did receive help from her siblings throughout the process. Since my daughter was the main person interlocking all of the various veins, vessels, ligaments, marrow, intestine, and organs I thought it was only fitting to have her help me write this review. I want to thank her for her contribution to this review. Thank you Karis. My daughter's first impressions and thought's about these puzzles were, "I have always been a puzzler, so when my mom told me that we would be getting Dr. Livingston’s Anatomy Jigsaw Puzzles, I was beyond excited because who wouldn't want to go all Dr. Frankenstein on a 10 foot long anatomy puzzle? After the initial excitement, there was a small feeling of apprehension just looking at the intricacy of the puzzles. I decided I would just have to wait for the puzzles to arrive to see who would win: Dr. Frankenstein or the monster."

Dr. Livingston's Anatomy of The Human Head ~ Puzzle I of VII

441 pieces

My daughter's witty yet intricate investigation of the human head. "The puzzles get here and we start with the poor decapitated head, who has obviously seen some things. Before I say anything, I must say that he has a lovely shaped head, and he definitely was not dropped as a child. This puzzle probably has the most labels out of any of the other puzzles, so I’m just going to go through a few. Now, most people talk about just the brain in general, but there is so much more to focus on than just the wrinkles in it. Notice how each section of the brain has a different shape and texture than the others. Look at the cerebellum, the brainstem, the septum pellucidum, the cortex. Each of these sections is drawn with such unique detail that you have to stop and admire it. Next look at his eye and how it's rooted into the head. You can see muscles at work in this puzzle. I wonder who stared into the dreamy brown eyes before he lost his head. Lastly, we are going to look at the intricate workings of muscles and nerves in the neck. The accessory nerve (CN XI) seems to be tangled up with the levator scapulae muscle, but yet they actually are working side by side in harmony. I can’t imagine being twisted up with someone else and still being able to do my job, but that’s just me."

It wasn't until we constructed this jigsaw puzzle that I realized that the human brain was separated by confluence of sinuses. I always imagined the brain to be one structure. Seeing the cross cut structure of the brain it is fascinating to see the anatomy of the human brain. Seeing how the eye is attaches to muscles is crazy. Okay, I was really fascinated by the small hole on the base of the jaw called the mental foramen. I had to look it up to find out what it was. So after a bit of research I found that it is usually situated between the first and second inferior premolars. The mental nerve along with arteries and veins exit through the mental foramen. The illustrator did a fantastic job at detailing the muscles, veins, arteries, and nerves in the neck. 

Dr. Livingston's Anatomy of The Human Thorax ~ Puzzle II of VII

561 pieces

About the thorax my daughter said, "Moving on to the thorax. My sister and I obviously start with the edges, but then gravitate toward different parts of the puzzles. What’s great about working on this puzzle in a team is the learning experience. We started out by pointing out where we were working on the box to show each other what pieces we needed, but eventually started saying the proper names for everything. Never in my life did I ever think I would ask my sister if she had found any pieces of the septum while working on a puzzle. When doing this puzzle, it is hard not to appreciate the art work that went into making this puzzle: the shading, the minute detailing of the muscles, the texturing of the Inferior vena cava, etc. This puzzle also showed me that my whole life is a lie because I always thought that both of my lungs were the same. Now, I see how much more complex my left lung is than my right."

Breathing! The beating of our heart! Such a simple act, but something that we all take for granted. Just looking at this completed puzzle in 200% magnification awed me. The heart with its arteries, ventricles, valves, muscles, and pathways all have to work in perfect harmony. The puzzle clearly shows how the right lung is larger than the left lung. The right lung has three lobes and the left lung only has two. The grayish trachea splits between the left and the right lungs which turn into the bronchus, then into smaller bronchi and finally bronchioles. The puzzle even has amazing detail of the pectoralis muscles and the superficial fascia. 

Dr. Livingston's Anatomy of The Human Abdomen ~ Puzzle III of VII

511 pieces

 

Here are my daughter's personal and observational thoughts about the human abdomen. "Next up, we have the abdomen. This puzzle was especially fun to do because past surgeries have left me without a gallbladder and an appendix. I find particular enjoyment in pointing those parts out and saying, “I don’t have one of those.” The artwork in this section shows just how complex the human abdomen is. Notice how the small intestines fit perfectly together with the jejunum and the ileum. It is like a puzzle within a puzzle. Look at the mesentery and appreciate how well it is portrayed in this puzzle. You can tell just by looking at the intricacy of this puzzle that it attaches the stomach, small intestine, pancreas, spleen, and other organs to the posterior wall of the abdomen. It is such an odd concept to think that the stomach isn’t taking up the majority of the space in our abdomens. That award would go to the liver, which weighs up to 3–3.5 pounds. Overall, I think the abdomen was my favorite."

The puzzle pieces fit beautifully inside the box for storage. 

The completed puzzle! Isn't it amazing? I thought it was really awesome to look at this completed puzzle along with the labeled diagram on the box and marvel at just how amazing the human body really is. Our family deals with an incredible amount of GI issues and it is really kind of neat to look at such a HUGE cross section of the abdomen and see all of the working parts, or in our case, non functioning parts or parts that have been removed. I didn't know that the gallbladder was green! I have only seen very SICK gallbladders that are grayish, black in appearance due to being filled with gallstones. The fingerlike villi that lines the intestine is so detailed in the puzzle. The lining of the stomach with its wrinkles, grooves, and crannies resembles the brain. The intestine as they loop and turn looks like a magnified brain under a 

microscope. Maybe, that is why they call your gut your second brain? The vast network of intestinal arteries and veins is mind boggling. 

Dr. Livingston's Anatomy of The Right Arm ~ Puzzle IV of VII

478  pieces 

About the right arm, my daughter said, "The right arm is ready for his long awaited turn. The fact that the human body has two arms gives us the chance to look at the musculature and the skeletal structures of the arms separately without getting overwhelmed. The right arm is clearly focused on the musculature point of view. To jump right in, I find it immensely interesting how the cephalic vein starts at the top of the arm forked in two and makes its way down the arm, branching off into more and more independent segments. These veins then intertwine with the nerves and arteries in the hand. Notice how the same system goes for the median nerve which then serpentines to each finger. This puzzle shows how complex the relationship between the muscles and the tendons are. Looking closely, they almost meld into each other, enabling us to do even the simplest acts. The design of this section of the puzzle is undoubtedly done after extensive research, and helps those who are doing the puzzles to appreciate the human body that much more, while easily learning about it."

Mom and daughter's working together. 

The completed puzzle below shows the fibrous sheath that wraps around the phalanges like rubber bands that act as  both a supportive as well as protective layer for the inner parts of the digits. The maze like collection of veins, arteries, and nerves tunnel their way up and down the arm often branching to the left or to the right like a vast network of intricate ant tunnels. Putting together the biceps brachia muscle was by far the hardest part of this puzzle. The bicipital aponeurosis reminds me of fishing line. It is so very thin and delicate looking. 

Dr. Livingston's Anatomy of The Left Arm ~ Puzzle V of VII

472 pieces

While observing the left arm my daughter said, "The left arm seems to be up next, which covers the skeletal structure of the arm. The first aspect of this puzzle that I would like to draw your attention to are the nerves. They fork out, under, and over. These nerves are responsible for carrying messages from the brain to parts along the arm for movement, feeling and reflexes. Try to remember an instance in which you were stuck or hit by something that caused you to pull away without thinking. Maybe you accidentally stuck yourself with a thumbtack. The reason you don’t have to think about pulling away is because these nerves already sent a message to your brain, telling your arm to do so. My man here might not be alive anymore, but he’s still got those nerves. Next, look at the bones in this puzzle, connected by ball and socket joints and hinge joints. The amazing design of the human body allows us to have physical dexterity, and the outstanding design of this puzzle allows us to overlook it all."

Beginning to assemble the left arm next to the right arm. 

We decided to construct the second arm alongside the first one since space provided. 

While the right arm focuses more on the muscle and tendon structure of the arm the left arm focuses more on the bones. Underneath the mirad of veins, arteries, and nerves the illustrator depicts each small bone of the hand. We see how the flexor digitorum superficial tendons extend down through each finger from the wrist. These tendons meet up at the wrist and are joined at the flexor digitorum profundus muscle. Our bones alone rely on an ongoing system of of muscles, tendons, marrow, blood supply, and movement in order to provide our bodies with health. I love the illustrator's cross cut of the pectorals major muscle. 

Both Arms Together

Dr. Livingston's Anatomy of The Right Leg ~ Puzzle VI of VII

848 pieces

About the right leg my daughter said, "Right leg hopping up to plate. We’re back to musculature right sides. Before I mention anything else, tell my man here ain’t thicc. If I had to guess, he never skipped leg day at the gym. The human body was designed to be supported by your legs, making it understandable why we need a great degree of muscles in our legs. Not only do these muscles have to support you, but they also have to provide a means of locomotion. This is where the tendons come into play. Tendons are dense fibrous tissues that bind the muscle to the bone. When muscle contracts, the tendon pulls on the bone, causing movement. Also, a tendon’s contribution to joint stability could not be done without. That is why there are tendons surrounding the patella bone. High School A&P knowledge plus Dr. Livingston's Anatomy Jigsaw Puzzle equals higher understanding of the human body."

Listening to music while tackling The Right Leg. 

Haha, look at my daughter's iPhone in relation to the size of the leg! 

The sense of accomplishment is real ya'll! Only an 18-year-old could stay hunched over these puzzles day after day, week after week. That is one fine looking leg, isn't it? The oh so cute looking patella bone that it nestled within tendons and ligaments looks kind of like an egg. Let me tell you, when you break it, it HURTS!!! Those beautiful yellow nerves that weave up and down your leg send some mighty strong messages up into your cranium that there is PAIN which in turn sends signals to your sternum in which your lungs reside which then sends a message back up to your skull and to your brain which then tells your lungs to try and BREATHE! True story. Okay, back to the right leg. The illustrator, Mesa Schumacher does an amazing job detailing how the muscles of the upper leg merge into the quadriceps femurs tendon that inserts into the patella bone.  

Dr. Livingston's Anatomy of The Left Leg ~ Puzzle VII of VII

864 pieces 

For the seventh and last puzzle my daughter said, "Lastly, we have the left leg that covers the skeletal structure of the leg. When you think skeleton, you think bone, not veins and arteries. Here we are, though, seeing the femoral vein and femoral artery fully attached to the femur. To give a short summary as to why you are seeing these veins and arteries: The femoral arteries deliver oxygenated blood to the leg, along with the anterior tibial artery. Meanwhile, the femoral vein and anterior tibial vein drain the leg, knee, ankle, and tibiofibular joints. I have not gone into nearly enough depth for someone to be able to understand all the features in this puzzle , but I think I have explained enough to make it understood that the skeleton is not all bone. This puzzle has definitely illustrated this wonderfully."

At 200% magnification it is fun being able to study the bones of the leg and how the arteries and veins snake up and down as well as around the bones. The large femoral nerve at the base of the upper pelvic bone branches out. There is another nerve in the lower leg, the common fibular nerve that branches out to the lower portion of the lower leg. The cut, cross section of the adductor magnus muscle gives students a look at what the muscle looks like on the inside. 

Drumroll...

It is finally time to assemble our 10ft anatomically correct human jigsaw puzzle! 

I have named him Hermann after one of our beloved pediatric surgeon's. 

Here is Hermann all put together. 

Here is my puzzle assembler next to Hermann. 

Here is another adorable picture of our dog, Mazie with Hermann. 

She has taken a liking to lying next to him.

And another one of my daughters..

In closing, here are just some close ups of the completed puzzle so that you can see how AWESOME it is! Really, pictures cannot do it justice. I cannot say enough about how amazing this puzzle experience was for my kiddos. Not only was it fun putting the puzzles together but they learned so much about the human body along the way. The labeled diagrams that accompany each puzzle are most definitely a bonus! This enables the student to visualize the anatomy and put correct terminology to every part along the way. This jigsaw puzzle is truly a hands-on learning lab. Why would I call it a lab? According to Merriam-Webster's Dictionary a lab is defined as: a place equipped for experimental study in a science or for testing and analysis a research laboratory broad: a place providing opportunity for experimentation, observation, or practice in a field of study. Well, as homeschoolers our homes are our science labs. Dr. Livingston's Anatomy Jigsaw Puzzle provided opportunity for observation and practice in the field of study in Anatomy. Therefore, it was a lab, and a quite long lab at that. We were all in awe at the amazing detail that the illustrator was able to put into each puzzle piece and the puzzle. This puzzle is a great learning tool due to its 200% magnification and a student's ability to see from head to toe all the working of the human body.

In conclusion, my daughter had this to say about Dr. Livingston's Anatomy Jigsaw Puzzles, "After the puzzle is done, you have to stand back and admire the hard work that went into making this puzzle and into doing it. Something about these puzzles I didn’t notice until after I had completed them was that the border throughout the entire puzzle is the same, and if you look closely, you might notice that the very outside of the puzzle is a beige. That’s not so noteworthy, but right after the beige looks like a layer of the epidermis under the skin. This leads me to think that the entire puzzle man, whom we have named Hermann, still has his skin very much intact and looking baby smooth."

As a family we give Dr. Livingston's Anatomy Jigsaw Puzzles ★★★★★ stars! 

 Check out Dr. Livingston's Anatomy Jigsaw Puzzles ~ Set of 7 to purchase. 

If you are interested in studying just one or two of the body parts 

here are the links.

The Human Head

The Human Thorax

The Human Abdomen

The Human Right Arm

The Human Left Arm

The Human Right Leg

The Human Left Leg

Battle Sheep ~ A Timberdoodle Review

Our family loves games! When I received the opportunity to review Battle Sheep I was excited. The game is part of the Timberdoodle Third-Grade Curriculum Kit. Battle Sheep is intended for ages 7 and up. The games can be played with 2-4 players. After watching a short video on Timberdoodle's website about Battle Sheep I knew right away that our whole family would have fun playing this game. Battle Sheep is a game of strategy and can get pretty intense as opponents try to battle against each other to secure the most pastureland. This game may look like a child's game but it can definitely get pretty intense when played by competitive players. For the younger child, this is a great way to introduce your child to strategy. The simplistic game board, or in this case pastureland, is not intimidating for young children. The fun sheep tokens make for colorful play. The game takes about 15 minutes to play. 

The Battle Sheep Chips have some darn cute sheep on them. 

I was very surprised at how thick the chips were. I was expecting cardboard

chips like what normally comes with most games. These are high quality game chips.  

The pasture tiles are made of very thick durable cardboard. The 

playing side is made of quality game board material. The tiles are 

definitely built to last. 

How to Play

Each player is given the same amount of pasture tiles. They take turns laying the pasture tiles down in order to form a game board. Each time you play the board will look different. This is great for the games replayability. Each player uses their 16 sheep to try and secure the most pastureland. Players have to be strategically thinking several steps ahead as the opposing sheep herds try to fill up pastureland and block you in. Players are only allowed to move in a straight line. Sheep must also move as far as they can go in an unblocked straight line. The player that ends up occupying the most pastureland at the end of the game wins! 

At the beginning of the game each player places their sheep chips on one of the

outer pastures. Each player needs to spread out from their opponents. 

On your first move you need to split your sheep stack into two stacks. You can 

divide it any way you want to but you must always leave at least one sheep. 

When you make your first move you need to move your desired amount of sheep

in a straight line as far as you can go across the board until you either:

reach another sheep stack or cannot go any further. 

Some more rules:

You may NOT have more than one sheep stack in the same pasture.

(Oops, we neglected to follow this rule when we first played.)

You may NOT combine or jump over other sheep, even your own.

It does take a couple of rounds to get the games rules and strategy down. 

Counting to see who has occupied the most pastureland. 

My 20-year old son said that Battle Sheep reminded him a bit of the game of chess. 

I got my 70+ year old mother to play Battle Sheep. 

Overall, Battle Sheep was a hit. I would recommend Battle Sheep to other parents as well as educators. Everyone enjoyed the game and it will definitely be a game that we will continue to play. One of my older daughter's who is a Nanny took the game with to play with her kiddos. My daughter said, "The kids are 10 and extremely competitive. This game provided a fun release encouraging strategic thought and movement. Battle Sheep is a strategic and enjoyable game for children and adults of all ages. Twins at the age of 10 quickly caught on to the object of the game eventually beating someone twice their age. The chips high quality each displaying a uniquely different sheep on each piece. It is an altogether fun game to be enjoyed by all." 

Learning the Alphabet with Momma

  Learning the Alphabet with Momma

written by Karis Ladewig

 

A is for Artist

            The word artist is more often than not used to describe a person who paints or writes music, but a well-educated person knows that art is so much more than that. It is a process or product of deliberately arranging elements in a way that appeals to senses or emotions. Can you not call yourself an artist if you bake homemade bread that smells and tastes of comfort, and allows those who eat it to feel loved because you care for them enough that you will bake them a fresh loaf of bread for no reason except out of love? Even the simple things like decorating for a birthday can qualify you as an artist. You deliberately arrange elements in a way that brings joy when we see them. If this doesn’t qualify as art, I don't know what else has the right to.

 

B is for Badass

            When people hear the word badass, they think of warriors holding swords, jumping off buildings. That might be what some people first imagine, but not me. I think about someone who has an attitude and sticks up for themselves and those they love. I think of you. How many times have you pulled your mama bear claws out because someone was trying to do you or one of your children dirty? You have a voice and you’re not afraid to use it! Tell me that’s not badass.

 

C is for Ceaseless 

 You are so stubborn, meaning that no matter how much pain you are in and how many times we tell you to go sit down, you are going to fight us. I know that’s who you are. When your body isn’t working, your mind is. When you do anything, you do it while planning out your next task. I don’t know if you understand that you have six kids, five of which still live at home and will help you with whatever you need. You don’t stop until we threaten to tie you down. Think about all of these factors and tell me that you aren't the exact definition of ceaseless. 

 

D is for Dramatic 

            I don’t know if you could be a paid actress or a poker player because your poker face is terrible, but in the name of Sesame Street are you dramatic. I’m not saying this as a bad thing. It’s always great to have a dramatic audience to spice things up. Your dramatic flair can make me smile more than the actual joke, how you will start with a small laugh and gradually make your way up to a scream laugh with tears falling down your face. Then the fact that in annoys Emily is just *chef’s kiss*. I love the way you react to movies you’ve seen at least a dozen times, telling the main character to not do what you already know they’re going to do. Your loud gasp and then exhale after a jump scare. See? Being dramatic is more fun!

 

E is for Encouraging 

There isn’t a lighthearted way to introduce why I chose this word. You probably know but let me explain anyway. Ever since I almost died at seven days old, even though I don’t exactly remember that far back, you were there. You know what I’ve gone through in my life, how I’ve been stuck in the darkness and what I’ve done when I was there. You never judged me for anything that I did, although you did give me some well needed tough love every now and then. You held me and let me cry as I told you how I felt that I didn’t want to do it anymore. You encouraged me and told me exactly what I needed to hear, even if it didn’t seem like it at the time. I want you to know that there is absolutely no way that I would be anywhere near who I am today without you. Your love, your safe arms, your tough love, and your encouragement all got me through the darkest years of my life, and I’ve finally made it to the light at the end of the tunnel. Thank you for making this possible.

 

F is for Factual

            I’m gonna be honest. It's kinda ironic, and I have no idea how you do it. No matter what a conversation is about, you are always ready to hit us with those facts you read from an article in bed that very morning. How is it that Emily will talk about how she heard that a kid in an Oklahoma school died, and you’ll just say, “Ya, I read an article this morning that the third cousin of Oscar the Grouch has a grudge against that entire city and is now in hiding after killing his thirty-second victim in five days.” I kid you not, the whole room just looks at you because we are in no position to even question you anymore. Just make sure to keep us posted on Oscar the Grouch’s third cousin.

 

G is for Godly

            Despite everything you have gone through in your life and everything you have seen people you love go through; your faith is still a force to be reckoned with. Your faith has gotten you and others through so many hard times. You can believe that your strong faith has warded people away from you, but it has pulled the important ones in and held us close. Your Godly attitude has helped encourage me to carry myself in the world the way I do. We may be very different, but You have taught me that having a Godly attitude in life will never steer me wrong.

 

H is for Hardheaded

You are the most hardheaded person I have ever met. Some people say that about me, and I must have gotten it from somewhere. When you have your mind set, it is set. May the odds ever be in anyone’s favor to whoever tries to change your mind. That can be a good thing like when you say, “No, I will be going back with her. Now get out of my way, you pathetic little pea-on.”

 

I is for Impatient

            Being impatient tends to be a constant cause for laughter in our house. You like to say that if you’re not early, you’re late. That is definitely better than being known as the last person to always arrive at the party (Aunt Kristin). You being impatient might cause us to never be late, but it also gives us plenty of family bonding time when we get to where we’re going 30 minutes early. I guess I can’t blame you because who else would you rather spend time with? When we’re at the movies and you’re the first in line besides one other family of three in front of you, anyone who knows you can tell that you will full on Hunger Games sprint, broken or not, to the theater for the very best seats. Impatience and accepting nothing but the best for your family go hand in hand for one hell of a mother.

 

J is for Jocose

            Yes, mother dearest, be impressed by my extensive vocabulary, for I am a reader and an author. Anyway, in case you didn’t know, jocose means to be happy or cheerful. You might not always feel that way, but I have so many memories of you in which you were the light in the darkness. Do you remember when I was in the hospital and you decided that my hospital room was too boring. That very day, which was also the day I was having surgery, you and I went out and finger painted out by the Mickey statue? I dyed each of my fingers a different color, one of which was purple. That caused the doctor to think that he had cut off my circulation with the pulse ox. You then fought against everyone when they said our pictures were a fire hazard. I wanted to go home, but you were jocose, my light in the darkness. 

 

K is for Karis, just kidding. K is for Kissable

            You are absolutely kissable! I mean you have six kids, come on now! You don’t know it, but when you are in so much pain, I just want to kiss you on the cheek. How else do I show you that I’m here for you and that I love you without hurting you more? You know I will gently caress your foot when I tell you I’m going to bed but look at your beautiful face. It’s so dang kissable!

 

L is for Love

            This may seem like a simple one, but it might be the most complex of all. Your love seems to know no bounds. It’s either that or you actually don’t find me as annoying as you say you do. No matter how many times I ask you if you need me to hold your hand while you pee or say Momma 50 times in 30 seconds, you always love me. At least I think you do. I can piss you off to where you want to murder me and eat a slice of victory cake, but then next thing you know, you and I are singing Bohemian Rhapsody in the car at the top of our lungs on the way to a doctor’s appointment. I can tell you that I did exactly what you told me not to do and left you upset to no end. Then I could come back into the room ten minutes later crying because I’m having food trouble. Your attitude changes so quickly because of love. Thank you for your unconditional love.

 

M is for Mom

            Lots of women can be mothers, but it takes a special woman to be a mom. This woman will go store to store to find the one food that I can eat. She will wake up every hour on the hour at night to take my temperature. This woman is my Momma, and, yes, I came out of her gina, but she has also raised me with more love and understanding than I could believe a mom of six could give a middle child. Momma, Mom, Madre, Ma, Mother. I may call you every name under the sun but know that every time I say one of these names, I say it with a deep love that has had 18 years to mature, even if my personality hasn’t. I think you are the standard of what a mother should be.

 

N is for Nurturing

            I think when most people think about a mother being nurturing, they think about her holding a cool cloth on a child’s head while singing them lullabies all the while the child has a thermometer in her mouth. My idea of a mother being nurturing is you making us drink clear gatorade and eat saltines after we throw up into the purple halloween bowl, which is the same bowl we all eat popcorn out of for family movies night two nights later. I think of you tucking me in my bed and turning on the air purifier and oil diffuser with lavender oil in it after I shattered the bones in my foot and you figured out I wasn’t sleeping. Forget cliche lullaby singing. Throw up bowl popcorn and broken foot tuck-ins is where it’s at! 

 

O is for Observant

            And I thought I was observant! You call it the mommy instinct, and it must be something like that because dead gum! How is it that anytime I finally own up to something you say, “Ya, I had a feeling, but I wanted to wait until you told me.” That is just not fair. I can’t even count up all my fingers on one hand of times I’ve told you something that you didn’t know at least a little bit of. There is a dude in Greek mythology named Argus Panoptes, also known as the all-seeing. He’s called this because he’s got 100 eyes all over his body, whether he has them on his butt and what he sees down there, I don't think I want to know. You had to have picked up your techniques from him or something. Call the FBI BAU. They could use you. You’d just be like, “Oh, that person blinked. He’s guilty.” Ya, I’d say it’s safe to say you’re observant. 

 

P is for Petty

Heck ya, my momma is petty as hell! Any time something even remotely unpleasant happens, you’re just like, “Alright, here’s what we’re gonna do.” I must say that I freaking love it because every evil genius must have a partner in crime. Do you remember when the lady as Marshall insulted Mazie and caused a scene? Your first thought was fight then revenge. You said, “Ok, when we walk to the check out, you have to get as close to her as possible and act like you’re in the right because you are.” People always say to look out for southern sisters. Another one to look out for is petty Mommas.

  

Q is for Quick

            Yep, I’d say you’re pretty quick. If we had video tapes that we could playback of us walking around Medical City when I was little, I swear I was running. Forget leg day at the gym! Follow Momma around Med City for a while before you are used to her speed. Also, how do you make a bed so dang fast? I thought you were supposed to have a pain condition. You’ll just be like, “Karis, come help me get these sheets on the bed.” I’ll grab a corner, sneeze and look up to see the bed made with three new decorative pillows and a mosaic by Jennifer hanging above it. Like dead gum! I don’t know what other secret abilities you’re hiding from me, but the possibilities terrify me.

            

R is for Rebellious      

            Yes, you read that right. I must’ve gotten my “rebellious” streak from someone. Let’s go over some possibilities shall we? Wheat is at the top of your allergen list, is it not? Don’t get me wrong. I absolutely love our donut dates, like more than life. That doesn’t change the fact that we get donuts with wheat and get rid of the evidence before we go home. Getting rid of evidence was my idea, but we’re not gonna acknowledge that. What about that pretty little second piercing in your ears? You must’ve gotten them for a reason. Why don’t you model them for me? 

 

S is for Sassy

            The sass is strong with this one. After three kids, you get to the point where you decide to make things interesting. I must admit that you succeeded because you have entered an inescapable battle of wits. I have no idea when this war started, but I am determined to see it to the end. I bet you also recognize this exchange:

Me: Ouch!

You: What’d you do this time?

Me: I hit my elbow on the coffee machine.

You: Well don't do that next time.

Me: My goodness! Why didn’t I think of that? I shall come to you for that elbow saving advice next time.

You: Please do.

 I don’t know why we’re like this, but anyone not accustomed to it would either think we’re hilarious or crazy.

 

T is for Tenacious

            There are so many times when it seems like you take blow after blow from this world, yet you persevere. People say I’m a fighter, but I don’t see it when I’m standing next to you. I see you; it inspires me to try to do more. You give me courage through the hard times with your strength, wisdom, and humor. It is because of you that I’m here. When I was going through my worst years, I saw you fighting to stay strong. That gave me courage to keep fighting to stay strong. You are one hell of a fighter. Let’s hope you passed some of that strength onto me.

 

U is for Understanding

            Understanding has always been a critical part of our relationship. I decided on the word understanding, not because you understood what I was going through, but because you understood that I needed someone. I needed someone to hold me, to listen to me, and to love me unconditionally. You understood that you could not know what was going on in my mind and exactly what I was going through, but you would sure as hell do your best to understand the circumstances and my actions. This was a key ingredient of my happy childhood. I don’t think anyone could have handled the situation better.

 

V is for Vehement 

            This word just describes you as a whole. Being vehement is characterized by energy, vigor or passion, very ardent, fervent or eager, forceful, and intense. You might think less of yourself now that you have Complex Regional Pain Syndrome but let me give you something to think about. Even when you don’t have energy, you refuse to show it, and you compensate with your vigor and passion. Wherever you get the chance, you do things with such energy, enthusiasm that there is no doubt that you are fighting with everything you have to live the life you deserve. You are always so eager, so fervent when it comes to your family and those you have adopted into your family. You are going to give them their best chance at life. However, you can help, you insist that you will do it. There are so many examples of how you are vehement, but I’m just going to say this. Every time someone asks me who my hero is, whether it is a random questionnaire or a person trying to get to know me, I say my mom. How could you not be? You are my hero, and I don’t think I will ever be as great a woman as you are, but I will sure as hell try to be a daughter worthy of my hero. 

 

W is for Weleful

            When a person is weleful, they produce prosperity and happiness and are blessed. You might be thinking How do I create prosperity? I might be able to see happiness, but prosperity is just insane. Let me tell you. You help nurture spiritual prosperity. Without you, there is no way I would have as strong of a hold on Christ as I do today. Yes, Daddy is a chaplain, but he can only do so much. You are the one who helped me through my hardest times and talked about God with me, even when I didn't want to hear it. That is how you produce prosperity. You create happiness just by being with me every day. Even so much as a random hug or joke can create immense happiness that you can’t imagine. You know you’re blessed because, of course, you have me. We have each other. Everything good in this life and what is going to come after is why we are blessed.  

 

X is for Xenial

            Did you know that xenial is just a fancy word for hospitable? Well, it is, and hospitable you are. When I say that, I mean it. You will prepare a five-course meal, have an after dinner craft prepared, and a medieval nightgown and extra bed to sleep in in case they need to stay the night. Along with you being hospitable, you need an Oscar! When someone is not welcome, you put on the act of champions. You only feed them a three-course meal, give them a coloring book and some twistables and a mat on the floor because all the rooms are full. You do all this in such a way though, that no one would catch on unless they have been taken under your wing before. You are xenial and a great actress!

 

Y is for Young

            I am not mocking you. I’m 18 years old, and I don’t have sixty something year old parents with cataracts. Man am I glad you and Daddy got busy early. We can still have mommy daughter days without having to worry about you hitting our heels with a walker. You are younger than a lot of parents, and I’m going to enjoy that. I might joke about you being old and blind, but you know that you're one of the younger parents out there. You’ve gotta own it!   

 

Z is for Zesty

            You read that right. You are zesty. You are enthusiastic, loud, and exciting. Heck ya, you’re the life of the party, you zesty momma! If I had to go somewhere, and I didn’t know anyone but you, we would have a jolly good time because you always know you to liven things up. If they played the right music, you and I would kill that karaoke, despite us sounding like dying cows giving birth to a couple of seizing cats. You also know how to make all the killer desserts. Tell me this isn’t a recipe for a great time. Another reason why you’re zesty: your favorite flavor of anything is lemon. The zest is real! 

 

Happy birthday, Momma, and I hope you’ve enjoyed learning the alphabet with Momma!

Written July 2021