Thoughts From Last Week

Well, we all survived the first week of school!  It was a great week and a very challenging week all packed together.  Some thoughts (stream of consciousness):

Picking up Thomas on Monday was a pinch of a nightmare.  It took 50 minutes to get the kiddo.  Don't think we even covered a 1/2 mile.  It was 107 degrees.  He was hot and tired and thirsty, but generally, in good spirits.  By Friday, pick-up was complete in 17 minutes.  Big progress!

Monday night, Thomas was making dear comments/inquiries about the length of school.  "Are there any days I don't go to school?  I get tired!  It's so long, I feel like I live there."  It was a little sad, but cute too.  We had another talk about how long school was sitting in the parking lot on Tuesday morning, but that was the last he mentioned it.  He was in very good spirits each day at pick-up and he slept super well all week!  Really precious--on Saturday morning, he came out of his room dressed in his school clothes!  He had even taken them out of the laundry basket because he had no more clean uniforms!  Sweet boy!

The boys are so different.  Heard all the "bad" things about school from Clay as soon as he got in the van.  All the good things started to trickle out around dinner time.  Thomas told me all the wonderful things the second he was picked up.  No mention of the hard stuff until bedtime.  So different those two.

Pick-up with Clay was long too on Monday, but improved each day.  By the end of the week, the bus was only three minutes behind schedule.  We have a little lag between T's dismissal time and C's bus arrival, but snacks in the van seem to keep everyone happy.....and G's beloved blankie!

My days with the girls seem so quiet.  I love having time with just the two of them.  Even allows me quite a bit of one-on-one time with each of them while the other is napping.  Precious.  Soaking it up.

At home after school was a little nutty.  Not bad, just kind of crazy.  The boys were both very wound-up.  Thinking it will be tricky once homework starts next week.  The plan is to do snack, chores, and homework before playtime.  We'll see how it goes.  Gaby's so happy to have them home, she's vying for their attention and Elena usually needs to be fed, so I'm occupied for a few.

Had some intense conversations with folks this week.  I've always been such a passive person.  When I get hurt or angry, have a hard time speaking up (even when it's warranted and perhaps, even necessary).  But God has really been growing me in this area and boy, did he provide me with some opportunities to use my newly found voice this week.  Once with each of the boys' school principals and once with a family member.  Each was brought to a successful resolution (well, the school problems anyhow) and I found some freedom in having a voice.

I did not eat well this week.  And I'm eating ice cream while I type this.  Ugh.  Stop! Tomorrow is a new day, yes?

Working with a particular counselee at church for the past few weeks has been intense.  Intense.  But life-changing for both of us.  Can't say much about her situation due to confidentiality, but for me, God has shown me in a new and powerful way how infinitely precious and valuable each person is to him.  It's made me look at EVERYONE in a different way.  And just a free tip, give more simple blessings.  The power of the spoken word is amazing.  It might just change someone's life.

Yesterday, was a TOUGH day.  We went through some stuff with Thomas that was not fun.  Teaching moment.  Had to be done.  No way around it, just had to plow straight through it.  No compromise on morals.  Tough.  Wearing.  Just plain hard.  Ronnie said he was going to pray last night that that was our toughest day of parenting ever.  I was totally on board. :)  Don't think we're going to get off that easy.  Just a hunch. :)

Bottom line--we survived!  And we're all still smiling....mostly!