VBS, the end

Okay. A long week. A fun week.

Katherine was very sick for a few days and stayed home (thanks Matt). Those happened to be my days teaching.

I enjoyed the week. I loved getting to know other moms/teachers and seeing these kids learn about God.

The concluding show is tonight. I always get tears in my eyes watching these little ones sing. As mine get older I see things differently. I now KNOW that they don't stay little forever. It's no longer just a cute saying.

Oh - and I'm glad the week is over. The kids and I are exhausted!

VBS, what the teacher thinks

Vacation Bible School.

Remember that? Lots of kids running around singing about Jesus?

This year I'm helping in a classroom again. And this year I care about the kids more than ever. I've always just sort of put up with the kids, tried to keep them calm and really found myself intimidated by them.

God has changed me. I care about them. I care about their hearts, their futures, and who they are as people.

I want to encourage them and teach them. These are new feelings for me with a group of kids I don't know. I've always felt that way about my own kids but usually I don't care much for other people's kids. I mean, they are cute and fine but I wasn't really compassionate towards them.

So - for the first time I find VBS to be fun. I want to have fun with them and impact their lives. Wow God. He gets all the praise on this.

Note: it is day 2. check back in at the end. :)

Dad Post: Slowing my pace for the little sick kiddo

Nothing is a better reminder of the franticness of life than a morning with a sick child. Katherine is sick, and Angie and the girls are out this morning. So I'm home taking care of her. My mind keeps running through the checklist of "real work" that I need to get done, but the little one sleeping on the couch is a living plea to slow things down for the day.

She feels yucky. She's running a moderate fever, and has thrown up once this morning already. She is so under the weather that she doesn't even want to watch Dora the Explorer (and TV is a rare treat around here.)

Angie's parting advice this morning was to just coddle Katherine. So I sat with her on the couch for three-quarters of an hour and watched her drift off to sleep, a forced slowing of my usual frantic morning routine.

For several minutes she tossed about. Then the tossing slowed and she settled into one position and stared at the ceiling. Her feet swayed back and forth for a while, then they, too seemed to find a comfortable position. Like little butterflies, her eyelids fluttered open and closed -- rapidly at first, but as the minutes ticked by, they remained closed longer than they remained open. Her fingers twisted and untwisted the corners of her "special blankie," the now-tattered crocheted blanket hand made by her Grammy. When the busy hands finally went limp, I knew Katherine was asleep.

After carefully extracting myself from the couch, I did my best to silently accomplish a few chores. Only with a slow and deliberate pace could I get these done without waking Katherine. With only a few things done I sat down to write this. Now, as I glance up mid-paragraph, I'm noticing Katherine is not asleep anymore. She's staring at me across the room. I'm giving her little smiles, which she is weakly returning. It's time for me to head back over to the couch and watch the minute hand tick away as I absorb what it means to be a father.

trojan eats my pc

got a virus.

first ever.

ugh.

Luckily I'm married to a computer guy and I'm a recovering computer girl. So, it's all fixed.

And I got a mac.

no more viruses for me.

To pee and not to poop

I imagine that all my readers (yes - you 3 know who you are) are checking here daily to hear more about potty training. TV can wait, crying kids can wait, how is that girl managing with the potty anyways?!

So, it is interesting. Katherine is not one to do things my way. She decided that going pee in the potty was a good idea. (She has been slightly motivated with Swedish Fish) So, she goes. She has not had any accidents since she decided that. Now pooping is something different. She thinks that if she holds it long enough it'll just go away. And if she has a little she can just wipe it off and no one will notice.

Not notice?! On your dress? On the floor? On yourself??

I'll just say that I have managed to hold it together. Matt has managed to hold it together (he is way more squeamish than me). And Katherine has managed to let it out once a week.

We are just a few weeks away from Miralax. I am a bit nervous about what that'll do though.

There, you've been updated. Hooray.

a stay at home job

I have prayed all year for a way to help get us out of debt.

I have also pleaded with God that it please not involve me leaving my kids with someone else.

I may complain at times about my girls - but my heart is here, my purpose is here. I am fulfilled being a mom.

God answered.

We'll be welcoming a baby into our home. Not ours, but someone elses. A little boy, 7 months, cute and extremely active (think crawling at 5 months, pulling up and standing by 6).

I am scared but excited. Here is a perfect answer to my prayer. The way I connected with this family could only be a God-thing. I am full of doubts, but God says I'll do great, that he has planned this out for me.

Now I pray for strength and patience.

you can't make me

Yes, she's nearly 3 years old. Just a few more weeks really.

She knows how to use the potty. But, she will only do it if she wants to.

The last few weeks have been a test. What will Mommy do if I don't use the potty, will she be mad or not?

I've not been mad. I've been sweet, literally. Sweets are awarded for success and nothing happens for going on the floor, or on the rug, or in your shoes, or on the front porch.

And tonight she actually woke up to go pee. This is a big step for us.

Could we be nearly done? I won't hold my breath.

I've got to go wash the days "spoils".

A new start - again. :)

3 months off.

Every so often I have things I want to say - we'll see how it goes to drop them here again.