"I'm Not A Fan, I'm A Super Fan!!!" exclaimed the Five-Year-Old Cyberchase Fanatic

My coat was put to the test the other night.  And it failed.  We went to our church's Trunk or Treat Extravaganza and were warned that it would be cold (thanks, Grace!), so we layered up and all wore our winter wear.  But it wasn't enough, obviously, because we were all freezing!!! I'm not kidding.  After being out in the West Coast for the past 8 years, we've been spoiled and our blood has gotten thin.  And it's not even the temps at this point, but the chill-to-the-bone wind that's killin' me!!! I know what you're thinking---this is nothing because winter will be much worse.  Oh.  We are so in BIG trouble...!!! We pitched in to help with the Kettle Corn station and the continuous scooping action kept me moving so I didn't turn into a block of ice (even Michael was involved in helping serve the bags of kettle corn but after helping out for about an hour, he wanted to accomplish his main mission:  getting candy!!!)! Yay for Kettle Corn!!!

When we returned home, Michael poured out all his candy onto the island and divided it up for himself and Krista WITHOUT being asked!!! Of course, I was on hand to snag the Butterfingers and the Reese's Peanut Butter Cups :o) He knew Krista had been with her small group from Impact manning a trunk as a Care Bear (great idea, Melissa!!!) so he wanted to share his loot with her.  I. LOVE. That!!!

AAARRRGGGHHH! I've been feeling very cranky today---it's evidenced in my multiple calls to my sister for therapeutic conversation and the excessive sarcasm running through my brain. I believe I'm feeling the stress of the 2 week visit from my parents which has upped my schedule in trying to get one bedroom and one bathroom in habitable shape for their stay.  And while I'm really glad to finally have one complete room set all done down there, it drives me crazy that the organization of the basement area is taking me so long!!! I dream of 3 days of uninterrupted time to organize down there, but the reality is... there are errands to run, floors, kitchen counters, dishes and bathrooms to clean (5.5 bathrooms are too many---I totally wouldn't recommend it!!!), meals to prepare (I wish we could eat via osmosis!!!), laundry (why, oh, why can't someone invent disposable clothing?!?) and driving back and forth 6 times a day which takes up valuable organizing time (I'm pretty certain that travel by portal is just a blink away... mainly in my dreams, I admit!)...!!!

Okay, I've got to focus on praise before my brain completely derails....! So, #1. I'm blessed I don't have to juggle a job outside of the home right now AND try to get settled in a new home.  #2 House cleaning, food stuff and driving mean my husband is gainfully employed so we can afford cleaning agents, groceries and gasoline, right? And to put things in perspective since all my ranting and ravings were therapeutic but unnecessary (!), I'm thankful that having to clean, cook and drive means that I'm enormously blessed with a home and a family to take care of :o) I just took a deep cleansing breath and I feel like me... again :o) And honestly, normally, none of this ever bothers me in the way it has like today.  I need some time to just read...!!!

When Krista was in PreK, she discovered Cyberchase on PBS and couldn't get enough of it.  Now, I'm seeing Michael absorb Cyberchase (pbskids.org) intensely and he's constantly telling me about the episodes and giving me a beyond detailed play-by-play of  it.  I notice that this happens a lot when I'm starting to go through his bedtime routine...

It gets pretty comical as I listen to him in his unbridled enthusiasm recite dialogue... word for word (Boy, what I would give to just have a portion of his memory skills!!!)!!! I mentioned that he must be a fan of Cyberchase to which he promptly replied, "Mommy, I LOVE Cyberchase! I'm not a fan, I'm a Super Fan!!!" I confess I couldn't help bursting out in laughter at his sincere declaration!!!

And then it hit me.  Wouldn't it be great if we---believers of Jesus Christ, exhibited that same excitement about the Gospel and the hope found in Christ?  Wouldn't it be great to share Christ and what He's doing in our life without any inhibitions?

I love how The Amplified Bible puts Hebrews 6:19, "[Now] we have this [hope] as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul [it cannot slip and it cannot break down under whoever steps out upon it—a hope] that reaches farther and enters into [the very certainty of the Presence] within the veil,"
  
Hope.  It's intended to be shared...! :o)

"I Told My Teacher that for Halloween, I'm Going to Be Happy Because I'm Not Into Costumes or Dressing Up!"

Last weekend I attended my first WOW luncheon where I had the opportunity to share a story of God's faithfulness.  I was trying to figure out how I should introduce myself when I came across Michael's take home folder.  I read his teacher's newsletter and she mentioned that school pictures were sent home.  Hey what school pictures?!?  I hadn't seen Michael's and I knew I had ordered a package...

I was curious to see how the pictures turned out because the last picture his teacher took on the "Meet your teacher day" was of Michael glowering at the camera! He absolutely hates getting his picture taken and since birth, he has rarely been cooperative in front of a camera.  Naturally, Krista was quite the opposite and unlike Michael, I have a ton of pictures of her!

Then I flipped his folder over and what I saw cracked me up...! Take a look... 

Michael's brain:  Why is that strange person telling me to smile for my picture?  What is THAT thing and what is he going to do?  It doesn't look like Krista's camera or the iPhone camera...?

 I'm certain that instead of this dazed expression he would have glowered with hostility had he known his picture was going to be taken (I'm pretty certain he was trying to figure out what that machine would do as the photographer was sweating bullets trying to make him smile for his picture) !!! 

He looks so much older in his school picture compared to this one I took the other day (yes, he caught me taking a picture of him with my iPhone!)...

I caught him with my iPhone cam before he had time to duck under the table!

Anyway, after seeing his school picture, I knew exactly how I would introduce myself at the luncheon! It's the kind of picture that's guaranteed to make you smile and laugh out loud---especially when you're having "one of those days!" Not to mention the fact that it will make you feel better about your child's school picture!!!

This has been a banner week for Michael because he has been the "Star of the Week" and on Tuesday, he was "Helper of the Day!" He was thrilled to pieces because no one else has been "Star of the Week" AND "Helper of the Day," too!!! We had a big "About Me" poster to color and fill in with his favorite things and he's looking forward to bringing it home soon.

Yesterday was our first parent/teacher conference with Michael's teacher.  I love his teacher! God gave Michael the perfect teacher that's just right for him and he adores her and Kindergarten! Jacob moved a meeting so he could join us and he got to hear how Michael is doing in school, too.  Michael is adjusting well to Kindergarten and is helping his friends when they're struggling with their school work.  We saw his journal and were amazed by the difference in his penmanship and artwork from his first journal entry to his most recent one.

It's amazing because last year when we were working on Kindergarten through CAVA, he hated penmanship! He loved everything else (especially math and Science!) except for writing and drawing.  Now, his favorite center is handwriting and he loves making his letters "perfect." He now also loves drawing and adding detail. It's so much fun drawing and coloring with him now! We've been noticing he has an eye for color combinations and interesting design composition so I'm curious to see his creativity grow.

I love how the leaves are bursting with their fall colors even though my allergies have been going c-r-a-z-y!!! What I dislike about this time of the year is  Halloween and all the scary images that are everywhere as we go out and about.  Michael gets scared seeing all the gory images and I dread taking him into stores as I run errands.  Ugh.  In school, the children will get to come dressed in their costumes and Michael confided that they had to write down what they would be for his teacher.  We had this conversation...

Michael:  Mommy, we had to tell Miss Wallis what we would be for Halloween. She said we can dress up and wear our costumes to school.

Me:  Oh, so what did you tell Miss Wallis you would be?

Michael:  I told her I would be... happy...for Halloween.  I'm not really into costumes or wearing stuff for dress up, you know.

Me:  That's great, Michael! I love your answer!!! Your friends will dress up and that's fine for them because it's their choice, right?

Michael: Yup.  Every family does things differently and they make their own choices.

So, there you have it.  Michael is going to be happy for Halloween---especially when he gets all that candy!!! I love how his brain works, don't you?!? 

I love that he doesn't care that everyone else in his class will be dressing up as something and wearing costumes.  It's never easy choosing to be different and making choices that go against public opinion, right?  I think of what Paul says in Romans 12:2 and I love how The Message puts it... 

"Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you."

I pray that both of our children will learn to stand strong for their convictions and live their lives as God pleasers and not as people pleasers.

"This Is the Best Day of My Life!" said the Five-Year-Old Boy

This past weekend was all about getting the top part of Michael's bunk assembled (yes, all 927 pieces of it thanks to IKEA!!!).  Once we were finished, I put up the glow-in-the-dark stars on the slats of the top part of the bunk that we had purchased eons ago.  Then Michael and I took turns charging them up with my flashlight and turned off the lights.  It was magical! Of course he wanted more stars, but I promised we would add more after his "real bed" aka the mattress arrived.


Today was a special day for Michael because the mattress we ordered for him finally arrived!!! He got to feel his new flannel sheets this morning (I had just gotten them out of the dryer this morning so they were all toasty warm) and helped me mop all the floors after the delivery guys came through.  I'm training him for his future wife (the one we've been praying for)!!!

While I put the sheets and blankets on, Michael went into his closet and got out the huge bag of animals we've put away until "the bed" arrived.  Then we added more glow-in-the-dark stars and put up the blanket to make his "fort." It's the world's coziest set-up!

Michael told me that today was the best day of his life because we would get to snuggle in his bed now that he had a real mattress (he's been sleeping in our bed or on the air mattress in his room)! I was expecting him to say it was the best day of his life because his bed was finally ready.  He has very good memory---I had told him a long time ago that I would only snuggle with him in his bed IF his real mattress was on his bed! 

I love these tender moments! The other day, he came to me sobbing (part of the reason was because he had gotten in trouble with Jacob) because he didn't think we would still be able to be a family when he grew up and had his own house! I was thankful he didn't keep that question inside him and happily assured him that we would continue to be a family no matter where he and Krista lived.  And I told him that our family would grow as he and Krista got married and then had children.  After they go to college, grad school and have a job...!!!

Is it so terribly selfish of me if I want him to stay 5 forever?!? His sweet words make me smile :o) Have you noticed that words have the power to bring life or death (thank you, Solomon!).  I like how he puts it in Proverbs 25:11...: "A word fitly spoken and in due season is like apples of gold in settings of silver." (The Amplified Bible, of course)

I encourage you to use your words wisely and when you don't have anything good to say, zip it so you won't regret what came out later!