Library Day
We visited our local library today, in honor of nobody's Reading Week. We usually make a weekly stop later in the week, but we simply delayed last weeks visit, and made a contribution to the library system in late fees. We returned movies and books, and I tried renewing a book I am in the middle of and they wouldn't let me. I'm not sure why, but VICTORIA APPLIED FOR HER VERY OWN LIBRARY CARD TODAY, and they let her check it out for me. It sure was nice of her to do me that favor. I really appreciated it. Victoria was SO excited for this new rite of passage in her life. She kept reminding Sebastian that when he was 5, if he went to REAL school that he could get his library card too. I am glad she likes school so much. She told me today that she doesn't see her teacher that much, because she has other people help in the class when she has to be gone for the day. I know her teacher has missed less days this year than I have fingers on one hand, and no I'm no freak of nature, I only have 5 fingers, actually 4 fingers and one digit, my thumb. (on each hand) She did leave for the day though last Friday to go teach a class in California. I like the fact that she is teaching her peers as well as my daughter. I have confidence in her teaching ability anyways having spent quite a bit of time in her class, but it makes me all that much more confident that she is teaching more than just the kindergarten children. It's funny having been around her has inspired both Victoria and I to teach kindergarten, wouldn't that be crazy if we both actually did?
Anyways, back to the library, which we were leaving, with Victoria's new library card and my book checked back out by my daughter, who is so good to me. We left and went to use the outdoor roller rink next door. It was just the kids and I. I don't have roller blades anymore, but I held their hands while they skated. Victoria has roller blades and Sebastian has the little adjust and fit over your street shoe skates, (power ranger ones,) with matching elbow and knee pads. You know besides protecting their knees from bruises, they also protect jeans from developing holes :) which makes me happy. When we tired of skating, we went to the park on the same grounds and the kids played while I read from the other half of the book I hadn't finished. You know it's crazy how quickly children grow. I remember 2 & 3 year old story hour with Victoria when Sebastian was a we' babe and now she can check out books on her own and read them alone or to her little brother, which she did on our way home from the library.
You know another awesome thing about my daughter is that although she told me she would die if she didn't get an American Girl doll, when I suggested a knock off version from Target she didn't pitch a fit, whine, or even present me with a dissappointed expression, she was all for checking them out. Of coarse the Target we stopped at had the 2 ugliest versions of my American Girl alternative, but heck I'll stop at the one near the house tomorrow, if it will save us $60. She might not even play with this doll she just has to have and to spend more than $90 on a doll after shipping just might kill me!
The Fonz and Suzie Homemaker
No, I'm not talking about Adam and I although in a twisted perseption, I guess the titles could apply. Last night I walked into the living room to find Victoria with 8 little piles of clothes, neatly folded, even the really hard to fold things like Adam's dress shirts that I ordinarily just hang, she had folded. She was working on the last item of clothing and said, "I wanted to be all done and for it to be a surprize." I was suprized! I hadn't asked for her help, but she on her own went and found clean, unfolded laundry in the dryer that had been in there for a few days. I couldn't believe it and for a 5 year old, she did an amazing job. Later that evening she chose from her own cookbooks dinner and desert. Both recipees were fabulous! I prepaired them with Victoria's help, but she made the sacrifice to play little cars with her brother instead :)
Now this is going back a few days, but I was crocheting or working on stuff for Victoria's teacher, when I heard some snapping. It was only the kids and I so I knew it was Sebastian, since Victoria hasn't picked up on snapping yet. I looked up to watch him spin the wheels of his overturned Tonka truck that was obviously in disrepair and he was snapping. When I inquired as to the reason for the snapping, he told me he was trying to fix his truck. Wow! I don't even remember the Fonz actually performing any actual car repairs with his snap, maybe a light switch or juke box. My son must really have it goin' on. He is adorable and pretty smooth with the ladies (O.K. so they're technically little girls, he is only 3 going on 4) What's best about Sebastian is that he is so sweet! His insides obviously pour out of him. He is such a little gentleman. I hope he never changes. He holds doors for me, he'll usually let even his sister "go first" you know "ladies first" and last night at dinner he set out all the silverware, mind you we were eating finger handled burritos, but we did all end up using our spoons.
I love my kids!!!
In my Dictionary
If I were writing a dictionary this definition would read:
CHURCH-people gathering to worship God by learning, singing, doing things together, sharing a common goal in trying to live their lives like Jesus, who loved the unloveable and spent time with "sinners"(which included everyone, but himself.) The Bible it says, "Where two or more are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them."Matt. 18:20
Growing up, learning more???!
Sebastian learned to snap today! He's been snapping all morning. I wonder if he's walking around with a song in his head or if he's just setting the beat. He is so darn cute and cool like the Fonz. I am so proud, and a little bit sad because he is growing up so fast. I should post a photo of his hair before the hair cut and after, he truly is more grown up over night. Anyways, he came in here a little while ago and I said, "Come here so I can give you a hug." He did and as I held him I said, "Sebastian you are growing up so fast, before I know it you'll be married, and you and your wife will be having your own babies." He said, "Mom, boys don't have babies. Only ladies have babies." I'm glad he's got that straight, but then there was more. He said, "Yah, girls get all fat and stuff, boys can't do that." Hmmmmmm...
Fighting Injustice In The World
Fighting injustice in the world starting in the kindergarten. Dun, Dun, DUN...Victoria moves in, "Leave Bly alone!" Rescuing the innocent of the world. A girls job is never done, and a world is never better than when people take a stand against evil one bully at a time. Her words alone made a difference, by stopping the wrong before it got started. Bly smiled, and Victoria moved on to her next adventure. And I watched it all go down.
I'm excited and it's all about the kids!
I am so excited to work with the kids at our next gathering of house churches. I have an awesome partner in crime that I will enjoy spending time with, we have a plan, and I know we'll have a bunch of excited kids, just because they are having class. We (my partner and I) are planning lessons, memory verses, and definately some activity. I can't wait! I truly love to prepair and watch a plan go into action. I really enjoy working with kids as well. I picked up magnets, and some I.D. tags that we're planning on using for their monthly memory verse. I am excited just to put them together, but I want to wait and do it with my partner. She in conversing through email, mentioned, as we are talking about being thankful and friendship, a woman in history who was thankful for head lice. We both read of the woman's discomfort in a book titled, The Hiding Place, by Corrie Ten Boom. I can't remember why she was thankful for the head lice, but I do remember finding it odd. How amazing is that being thankful for head lice! I never got it, but I had to use RIT once, because my brothers got it at school. I had long hair that reached down the length of my back. RIT was not fun, with it's foul smell and teeny tiny Barbie sized comb. I know I read, The Hiding Place around the same time. I was thinking that book probably had a big impact on how I live my life. It was a great book of work camps and contentment even in suffering, for me to read in my preteen years. I still try and keep my head up and well, I try and that's a big try, because it's not always easy to help people. It's funny how many people don't even want help. Then there are those that always have an outstretched arm, with whom my problem rests. I know that I just need to lend a hand whenever I can, and it doesn't matter whether the recipient is deserving. I am not doing it for a thank you, but rather because I find joy it, and I can't let a few bad seeds ruin my joy. No one can make my moods or ruin my day unless I allow them to. It's amazing how different perspective can shed a bright light on a dark area.
Movie Moods
Adam and I watched 2 inappropriate for children movies in the last week. Both made you look at the evil that lives in the hearts of all men. In a book I was reading one person asked another if they could rape, kill, and pillage like people they had heard about in foreign lands on the news. After a bit of reflection, the answer of the American was yes, because not admitting this would be like saying I am better than that guy in the 3rd world country. I don't know what I would be like as an individual if I was starving in an impoverished country, without more than insurance, but without modern medicine at all, heck without everything material and basic necessities. The movies we watched were Constant Gardener and Lord of War. Both were thought provocing, and almost too much in the same week. After the second movie Adam was counting our blessings, (after the first we sat in silence for 15 or 20 minutes) and after the second movie I just had a breakdown. I just wanted to crawl into bed and die of starvation in protest. How can I live with so much while others don't even have the things I tell my children are "all you need" you know clothes on your back,the roof over your head, food in your belly and water. I really would never commit suicide, because I think it would be selfish of me, and because 99.9999% of the time I am able to look at the good in life, but when you're faced with such atrocities it's hard to...well anything. I want to make a difference, but how do you do that? How do we do that? Do I sell everything I own and give it the poor. Jesus said their will always be poor, but he also didn't own a home or anything else. If I did give up everything, would it make a difference? Do I just try and treat everyone I come into contact with the best I can and help those God places in my life. I know people in America need Jesus just as much as people in Africa, and other 3rd world countries on different continents. I know everyone needs Jesus, but I'm not saying He is the answer to all the world's problems though either. It's just that if I sold everything I owned, I don't know what else I would do with myself besides go and be a missionary somewhere impoverished.
However, God did bless me with kids and He did bless me with the priviledge of being born in the U.S.A. and for that I am greatful that I have far more than the "basics" that I tell my children is all we need. What does all of this wealth mean? Why me and not aids stricken orphan in the third world country, and why am I so blessed and how do I show my gratitude? I am full of questions right now.
