Love Does, the 100th day of school, and a grumpy Momma heart

Sweet Boys,

I think my favorite 100th day of school will forever be this year's.  Usually I plan some big epic celebration for our 100th day, but this year you guys wanted to plan it.

I think it all started with this book called Love Does for Kids, by Bob Goff that we were reading.  Dad read it first (the adult version), and then I read it, and then we read it together as a family.  Bob takes simple things and makes them big.  He takes everyday life and finds ways to show people that they are loved.  Like the time he sent flowers to the lady who hit his Jeep, or the time he dropped popsicles out of his airplane to the kids who were tired from the hike.  When I asked you if you wanted to help plan the 100th day of school you guys instantly said yes, and said you wanted to see if we could do 100 acts of kindness in a day.  And so you began planning.

First we would leave quarters in the 25 cent machines around town.
Then we would give goody bags to our local firefighters and policemen.
We would drop off balloons for our local pediatric floor, and some for the kids that visit our very own pediatrician.
We would buy a few things for our sweet baby girl that lives a few miles away.
Dad would pay tolls for the people behind him as he drove all over the state.
We would find a way to tell our favorite cashier at the grocery store we loved her.

It was going to be a glorious day.

Finally the 100th day came bringing along a snowstorm, and head colds.  So we waited.  On the 113th day of school I woke up grumpy.  My heart was not full of joy, our Happy one wasn't very happy, and you big ones were on the edge so I decided that it was now or never and we were going to change our attitudes by trying to hit our goal of 100 acts of kindness.  We went to the store and things got worse for me.  In all of your excitement for the day you were having trouble remembering your manners.  Even so things just seemed to keep getting worse for me, we brought 28 balloons out of the store as the wind blew hard tangling 28 strings together.  But you guys didn't care, because all you could think about was how excited some sick kids were going to react when they were surprised by these balloons.  As I drove you happily chatted and kept your fingers busy as they untangled all the the balloon strings.  I called the pediatric ward to make sure it would be alright for us to bring balloons up.  They said it was fine, only for us to find out as we stood in the entryway that kids under 12 (all of you) weren't allowed into the hospital because it was flu season.  In fact they almost sent us away!  But you didn't care, after standing there for 20 minutes while they tried to find somebody to get the balloons, all you could think about was the joy these kids were about to get.

When we finally pulled back into the driveway at 7:30 that night, my heart had softened.  All of us were laughing, and even though nobody gave to you that day all of our love tanks were full.  I was reminded again that sometimes the best thing to do for ourselves is to take time to love somebody else.

Then came Day number 114.  We actually didn't have enough time to drop off all of the goods the day before leaving us with a few stops the next morning.  I'm glad we ran out of time because on the next day we got to see the police museum, the Duck of Justice, and you had a tour of the Main St. Fire department given by the assistant fire chief himself, and you got to see some of the smiles on the kids faces as the nurses from our own pediatricians office gave the balloons out (because we just happened to have an appointment there ourselves).  None of this we had planned, hoped for or even thought about.  It was an amazing way to end our most Epic 100th day of school.

Boys, I hope that when you look back on your childhood that you remember that Mom and Dad did our best to love people.  My biggest goal for you as you grow into men is that you love Jesus first and that you love others second.  Thank you for teaching me as you grow.  Thank you for these amazing two days of wild adventurous fun.

A friend of Jesus says to "Pursue love..."

Ellie this one's for you!

Okay, some will say I'm old and some will say I'm young.  Ten years ago I mourned the thought of this year.  I swore that at 28 life was over.  I said by this point I'll be married with children and my body would begin to fall apart.  Therefore as I would be tide down by these three things life would be over.  Today celebrates not my birth, but the completion of high school.  I know I'm a baby, right?

I graduated in a whopping class of 2.  It looked great on college applications as I was second in my class, and nobody in there right mind would think that meant I was last in my class!  I may have been last but I was the oldest in the entire school! Ha!

My classmate and I are states apart today and I don't think we've seen each other since my oldest was a months old.  After I put the hoolies to bed I dragged out the old year book to see how God has grown me and to find the underlying currents that my heart beats too.  As I read the letter I wrote for the year book I started with this: "Life is like an onion; you peel off one layer at a time and sometimes you weep." (Carl Sandburg)  How true this is!  without God I would have never made it to this point in my life.  Thank you, Lord, for ALWAYS being with me through thick and thin. "Blessed be the name of the Lord forever and ever!" (Psalm 113:2)  I went on to fill an entire page of thank you's, jokes, and happy memories from my teen years, but concluded with this:  Continue following God.  He will always be there for you even when nobody else is, Isaiah 41:10 & 13.--As I reflected over this book and those years it's refreshing to see that God is the current of my heart both then and now.  Those four years were hard years, but He never let go of me.

I wish I could post some of the pictures from that year, but here's an idea of what I was like my senior year...

~ I was president of Student council.--During our spirit week each day had a theme.  Because of a snow day we ended up with two themes on this particular day.  Theme one, wacky hair day.  Theme two, dress in your favorite color.  So that day I had sections of my hair in a dozen different ways from pony tails to braids.  Then to add to that chaos I was dressed in purple (not my favorite color of the time, but what I had the most of).  From purple shoes to purple lipstick I was covered in the color.  In between classes I went for a job interview just as I was and some how got the job...By the way, black was my favorite color.

~ It was the running joke that I would marry one of the Jr's. (For those who knew me back then-the one that was wearing a cast in the school photos in 2002.  Anybody know what he's up too these days?).

~ My fellow graduate, Ellie, was the head of the school yearbook.  When the crunch came her and I would stay at school until midnight many nights to get things done.  One night we were totally freaked out by her dad who was also a little freaked that something might have happened to us.

~  Ellie's parents were away for a few days and the two of us had a huge Spanish project to get done so our parents both agreed I could stay with her while they were gone.  It was February and we had gotten home from a game around 9 pm and we somehow got her parents van stuck in her driveway so in our dresses we were pushing the car out of the snowbank.  I have no idea why we didn't go change first.

~ The day before graduation we went to Portland together.  On our way home we somehow ended up on 95 south.  I think it took us like six hours to get home.  It should have been an hours drive at most.  To our credit we got the Starbucks (the only store in Maine at the time.)

~ That year as we studied The Book of Common Prayer the two of us were married.  That is the only time I have fed my groom cake...Something about marriage that year.

~ Any event in which whipped cream was involved I was always covered, and some how there were a lot of such events.  I recommend checking your water bottle for shaving cream before every game.

~ A prankster I was, but not always a nice one.  I got our 11th/12th grade class to cough every time one of our teachers said a certain word.  Everyday a new joke on her until she brought in the principal to straighten us out.  (I'm not sure she knew it was me, but she does now.  I'm sorry Mrs. Andrews, if I could go back I wouldn't have done it!!)

~ We used our Sr. class trip to go give an inner city school in New Jersey there first ever carnival and to help with the yearly SAT's

~ The saying of the year was, "I've got in my back pocket with my needle and thread"...I have no idea where that came from.

So there's my senior year high lights.  Ellie my dear friend, I hope these last ten years have been good to you and I pray the next ten will be even better.  Remember God is ALWAYS with you.

Two are better than one because they have a better return for their labor.  For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion.

~ Ecclesiastes 4:9-10a

He's growing up

At one o'clock Man of the woods and I put on our shoes and headed out the door. Our goal was to scope out the preschool right next door. I figured it'd be a pretty short visit, get the facts and get out. We ended up spending an hour quietly exploring. The Executive Director and director in training gave us the run down. All was going as planned until we met Miss. Cindy, his would be teacher. With 22 years of experience she took him right in while all her students were sleeping and the two played.


As it was time to go his eyes fought hard to hold it all together, he wanted nothing more then to continue on with his new found friend.  In a flash those eyes spoke things. They told me I'm a good Mom. He kept his manners and respected the children sleeping with his quiet voice, even though he wanted to fight to stay; I can trust him. They told me that he's growing up. He wants more then just me. He needs others to teach him to reinforce my standards and to stretch his mind.

He's sold. Now, it's all up to Strong man and I. What's the best way to allow him to grow?

Then watch yourself, that you do not forget the LORD who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

~ Deuteronomy 6:12

1840.  Sunny days for a short walk.
1841.  Time with just Man of the woods.
1842.  Checking out a preschool.
1843.  A boy who's growing up.
1844.  A boy I can trust, putting lessons of respect and responsibility into practice.
1845.  A preschool next door.
1846.  Journey of motherhood.
1847.  A God to follow along this path.
1848.  A husband to walk with.
1849.  The unknown.
1850.  The best reward of motherhood to see your child fight to make the right choice.

Give me a moment while I hyperventilate...

My son will soon be four.  In just weeks.  That means if I would like too I can enter him into preschool!  But weren't you planning on homeschooling you ask?  Why yes I was.  Last year while sweet little Laughter took a morning nap Man of the woods and I cuddled up and did a great little reading program from Sonlight curriculum.  It was a fantastic year.  This year I tried a few different ways to teach both boys together and well lets just say... Epic. Fail.

So after much talking with Strong man and some talking with Man of the woods we've decided to begin preschool hunting.  Who knows maybe we won't do anything next year, but we can at least be looking. 

We want something that will fit our schedule.  Fridays are our days.  We share them with nothing.  It's our one day a week to simply be a family. So doing school on Friday is out, which means most schools are out as well. 

I also refuse to do a five day a week program.  He's four.  I want him to be with me as long as we can have him.  I understand that life will happen and no matter how much I hold onto him; he will grow into a man.  But I also understand this boy needs stimulation.  He needs to be challenged.  Between my sickness and his brothers way of blowing through life with ALL of his being Man of the woods just isn't getting what I think he needs.  So we search both for schools and for the Lords will in this small boys life. 

Maybe next year preschool out of the house and kindergarten as a homeschooler.  We'll take it year by year and need by need.  He's great at book learning so who knows maybe he'll always go out into the world for school where as Laughter is a hands on kind of guy and I honestly don't think he's going to do well with traditional schooling.  Time will tell and so will the Holy Spirit. 
I do know that no matter where we send him to school it is still our goal to live out Deuteronomy 6.  It's very doable to even if he goes out for schooling.

Hear, O Israel!  the LORD is our God, the LORD is one!  You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.  These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart.  You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. 

~ Deuteronomy 6:4-7

1834.  An intelligent boy.
1835.  A boy no longer a toddler.
1836.  A boy with great questions.
1837.  Man of the woods with a deep hunger to learn.
1838.  A social son.
1839.  A gift wrapped with everything I asked for in my first born child.

Math

Man of the woods practicing his math skills.

First a roll of the dice...

...And then the move.  We also play using a spinner.  I'm excited for the days when I can play cribbage with him as my Pop did with me as a little one...I'm in love with this boy.

Advent

(If this Advent idea sounds good to you then jump over here for a copy of your own, Jesse tree journey.)

For the next 27 days school will be focused on the coming of the Christ Child. The Advent will be our only focus between now and Christmas. In just a few short years I'll have to make time for academics as well as things of spiritual value so until that time this is where our focus will be.

I chose this particular Advent celebration because it all starts in Genesis.  Just as the Christ story always has.  It doesn't jump to the birth where only a small portion of the truth is seen.

Each day we'll read another story from the Old Testament that will point to the Child Immanuel.  Not only that but we'll be challenged with ways to become more like him.  Some days it will be an act of service done for somebody, even strangers, while other it will be an activity to help us learn to focus on Him.

Here's what I did.  Along with the booklet came some paper ornaments.  So cut I them out; made them pretty.  Each with red, the sinless blood, for a frame, and green ribbon, eternal life, as a way to hang each one.

We gathered some rocks from out side and found a small tree that we cut down.

Using a mixing bowl as the tree stand we put the tree and the rocks into the bowl.

Found a safe place for it.

Put an extra tree skirt around the ugly blue bowl.

There you have it:  An advent tree full of surprises and hope.

And I will put enmity between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel.

~ Genesis 3:15

1262.  Making my own Advent calender.

1263.  Starting and finishing a craft in one afternoon.

1264.  Hours alone focusing only on the Christ Child.

1265.  Old Testament scriptures fulfilled.

1272.  Tiny advent tree.

Preschool

This year Laughter no longer takes a morning nap and he wants to do whatever big brother is doing. 

 

Last year Man of the woods and I would spend at least an hour doing school.

Now that Laughter is doing school with us things are much more relaxed and some days only last 10 minutes.

Last year we learned through books.

This year we read one story each day and the rest is hands on.  Some days it involves coloring, or dress up, or playing games.

It is always fun and our loves tanks always leave full.

When all is said and done and I am no longer able to teach my boys daily my goal is to pass this on to them: For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the LORD and practice it, and to teach his statutes and ordinances in Israel. ~Ezra 7:10.

1090.  School with my boys.

1091.  Coloring with Laughter.

1102.  Children's books.

1119.  The anticipation little boys have for school each day.