life goes on...

I just returned from eating Thanksgiving lunch with Isabelle at her school. I have to say that I am ridiculously stuffed and impressed by the lunch at an Elementary School cafeteria. I am also a little concerned that she was chasing a boy on the playground when I went out to say good-bye. Seriously? Already? She is still loving kindergarten and her teacher. So much so, that she has asked if she could live with Ms. Little...and that she has thought about wanting to be home schooled, but she would miss Ms. Little too much. We have been blessed by Ms. Little...we couldn't have asked for a kinder, sweeter, firm and wonderful kindergarten teacher. Isabelle is getting better at sounding out the words she doesn't know and not getting as frustrated with herself. Patience with oneself would be a very valuable lesson, if she can learn it this young. I am just now learning that! Her headaches and tummy aches seem to have gotten a little better...although she still has them. At her 6 year check up, Dr. Anna asked us to keep track of them, but suggested it could be stress. My heart aches at the thought of my sweet 6 year old being stressed. So we keep track, but I pray. We practiced riding her bike without training wheels this weekend. She did very well...I was most impressed by her sheer determination to keep trying. We have determined that I am better at helping the kids learn to ride without training wheels...although it is mostly because I am shorter and closer to their level.

Becca is finally feeling better!! She never really let us do the nebulizer on her...I pray she doesn't end up with asthma because just trying this week was painful. She is still on antibiotics, but finished her steroids. She is back to being silly, funny and happy Becca again. Last week was a rough week...for mom too. Have you ever had a week where every child is going through something difficult and you are just praying to God, not just for patience, but to help you enjoy them? Maybe it's just me, but there are times I just want to enjoy them...not nag them, or scold them, or discipline them, or get frustrated with them...just enjoy them. And then I feel so guilty and like a bad mom for not enjoying them. It's just an ugly cycle.

Nicky was very excited to go to school today because they were doing a fire drill...and the Buda Fire Department were going to be there to help them. How cool is that! We signed him up for basketball to start in January. Then he will do soccer again in the Spring. Until all of that he is just very concerned with telling us everything he wants Santa to bring him. And I am ashamed that I have already used the line of "I have Santa's number and I will call him if you don't start listening and obeying!"

I don't know if it's just the age, but I feel that it is such a battle to teach the kids the value of things and to take care of them. I mean, we talk about how there are kids and families that don't have anything and that to just have a home and clothes is something we should be very thankful for...that everything we have comes from God and He is so faithful and good to meet our every need. We sponsor a child with World Vision and do Operation Christmas Child. But, when I tell Nicky that he needs to stop filling his pockets with his "magic crystal rocks" because I keep washing them in the washing machine, he tells me we can just buy a new one. What?? I tell them that God puts us in charge of our things to take care of them, so we need to clean up our toys and rooms and wouldn't you know that I find toys and clothes everywhere but where they should be and I hear Nicky tell Izzy that he makes the rules of his toys and she can't do his puzzle. Seriously? It just seems like at every turn, I am fighting a losing battle and failing my children miserably for the life skills they will need to be healthy adults.

The highlight of this time was Jonathan's birthday. I am privileged to be married to a man with the passion for birthdays of a 12 year old boy. My plan to surprise him failed, as he whined that no one cared about his birthday, so I had to tell him what we were doing. Sufficed to say, he had a very big day! I still get, "You have to be nice to me...it's my birthday week!" that will end with our date night on Saturday.

Well, I am behind in my bible study homework, my laundry, cleaning and organizing the kids' rooms and playroom, Christmas shopping, Thanksgiving planning, and quiet time. And I am sure there is something else I am forgetting! Life goes on...