Dear Amazing Orton Family,
First of all, thank you, Karli, for organizing and encouraging the newsletter!
The Clives are happy and well, we are grateful to report! We have now been in Arkansas for 7 years, which is longer than we ever expected to be anywhere, really. We love it so much that it would take some serious act of providence to get us to leave now :) . I know that it may sound like we live in a shack in the hills and make moonshine-- we don't :) . We love the beauty of the Ozarks, the family friendly community, and the world class mountain biking trails. So, if you are wondering which random state to visit next, might I suggest Arkansas? PLEAEAEAEAEASE?
Our oldest, Cadence, is now 10 and is currently managing a business which she runs with her little sister Campbell called "Cadence and Campbell's Do-It-All Co." And they offer services such as weeding, sweeping and mopping, or creating a custom portrait. She also co-leads the drama club at school and serves on the student government. In her free time she likes to plan various performances (dance, singing, or making a movie) with the neighborhood kids. She's a formidable goalie in soccer and can also defend her own position in any argument just as aggressively :). Needless to say she's been running circles around me for years and I'm at a complete loss how to raise a Type A girl like this. The good news is she seems comfortable doing the raising herself.
Campbell is now 8 and was baptized last September. She has a head of wild and crazy curls and a laugh that saves the day. She loves non-fiction and anything science. She has the best imagination and is both witty and sensitive. She is always so willing to help that sometimes i have to ask her to STOP helping. She is exceptional at keeping younger ones happy and busy and often gets assigned the role of playing with the little brothers while I get things done. Campbell's soccer team is coached by this really handsome, amazing guy (who is also her father), and she is definitely enjoying that. She plays hard and bounces up after every fall. Somehow she always finds herself in the middle of whatever drama is going on at school or in the neighborhood and then her little feisty side tends to make an appearance. I'm at a complete loss as to what to do with a kid who is the most tender, sensitive, fiery, feisty thing all at the same time... but in the meantime, she brings a lot of fun and curiosity.
Layla is next and is 7. She recently decided (on her own) to make it a habit to listen and obey THE FIRST TIME. WHAT?! I guess I should start writing parenting books now because I'm obviously totally nailing it. Layla is really good at playing with anybody. She would be friends with a sea cucumber if she had the right equipment. No one is beyond her reach of friendliness and fun. Just don't make her mad. And if you see that vein in her neck pop out-- RUN. Here's a true story: Layla and I made a deal that if she could go 2 whole weeks without hurting anybody out of anger, she would get her very own pet fish. She still has no fish. That was over 18 months ago. She's got a talent for making everything fun and for making anyone around her happier. And I just am not sure how to parent a little firecracker that goes from sticky-sweet to flames-out-your-ears mad in under 3 seconds. However, she assures me that the trick is to just making sure she gets what she wants, so maybe I'll try that.
Phase 2: The Boys.
Ezra is 3 and... hmmm... how... to even... Let's say that he relates to the villain in almost every story. He is the most enthusiastic kid I've ever known. If you ask him if he'd like to pick up that piece of trash and bring it to you, he'll respond emphatically: "SURE! I'D LOVE TO!". But if you ask him to put long sleeves on because it's a cold day out, he'll respond, "I! HATE! LONG! SLEEVES!" So, you never really know what you are going to get with him but you know it's going to be 100%. We are working hard on the concept that the world is not his toilet. He's not convinced. The other day I thought I was cheating the system and actually accomplishing some yard work without paying a babysitter for the privilege of such an indulgence. When I came inside i saw dark paint splattered all over the wood floor, the walls of the entry way, dining room, and doors to the office. When I questioned Ezra he excitedly told me that he had made a masterpiece and wasn't it cool? We have yet to find a way to remove it without removing the paint that is supposed to be there. Ezra has more feelings and opinions in his little finger than a whole room of 8 year old boys. Do I even need to say how lost I am with this one?
Calvin is the baby and is 2 years old. He is happy and busy and constantly trying to kill himself. He is taking his time developmentally, probably as a way to preserve me while I mourn the end of that phase of life that is dominated by nursing and diapering and constant milestones. As some of you know, he said his first word last summer (a couple months short of 2 yrs), which was "ball". His second word was "Alexa" (our Amazon Echo) which came a full month before "Mama". He still hasn't said "Dada". He walks and talks more like a 1 year old but he climbs like an 18 year old. He is in a state of constant motion during his waking hours and has a real skill of finding the most dangerous things in any room. Thanks to him we are learning about the world of therapies and special needs and are really not sure how far down this path he's going to take us. He's robust and happy though, so we're not too worried. Whatever path this is, we're just really grateful he's ours. Good thing we've had 4 other kids to practice on-- we finally know that we'll never know what we're doing so we'll just pray like crazy and enjoy the ride :)
Spencer and I are holding on for dear life. We love mountain biking in our spare time (lol) and can't agree on how to manage the sock stock for 7 people in one house. We feel so grateful for all the beauty in this world and for the joys that accompany the hardships of parenthood and family life. We pray for each one of you and are so grateful for your examples of strength, wisdom, goodness, and love. We love you!
-Mardee.
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