Sunday afternoon as we ate lunch with friends, I tossed out an idea I had for a get together at our house with our new youth Sunday School class. My idea......have the teens over to watch Monday Night Football and have a devotional time during half time.
The teens at the table were like "yeah - that would be cool." Got a couple other funny comments from the adults including my husband. I tried to be louder than them saying that it was my dream to have this....it would be so fun....all the class talked like they liked football....and not to mess with my dream.
My youngest son Riley turns, looks at Jason and says, "Stop it dad! It's mom's dream!" No one said a word....they all about died laughing but they didn't say another word.
Way to go Riley - way to take up for mom's dream!
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Becoming More Independent
It's an amazing, interesting, scary and exhilarating thing to watch your children become more independent. Realizing that this once tiny little person who could do nothing for themselves now has all of these abilities is unbelievable. And it's interesting seeing them try, struggle and then succeed at something. And scary to realize that you are no longer as necessary as you were before. And exhilarating to see that your child is growing, learning, and will one day be able to be on their own as they should be.
As Riley prepares for kindergarten, we've been working even harder to help become more independent. Since he is the baby of the family, he tends to ask for help to do things that he can most definitely do for himself. However, he likes you to "help" him or better yet just do it for him. Just this week we had a major ordeal in the bathroom over him hanging the towel on the towel rack rather than dropping it in the floor or throwing it in the sink. Granted, the towel rack is on the wall but he could throw it over the rack and pull it over. How do I know this? Because he does it on the shower door and it is just slightly lower than the towel rack. He resisted and I insisted. And do you know what he did this morning? He put the towel on the towel rack without asking for any help. And do you know what I did? I told him "Good job, I knew you could do that!"
On Wednesday afternoon, we had quite a schedule. Get off work, pick up Riley, stop at the house to get Jonah's clothes & Gatorade, pick up Jonah, take Jonah to work outs at 5:30, get dinner for Riley and myself, get to church for VBS planning meeting at 6:00 and then have Bible study at 7:00. This took some organization and planning to make sure everyone was where they should be at the appropriate time, clothed and fed. Jason's part of the plan was to get off work at 5:00 and make it over to the football field for Jonah's work outs about the time it was to start at 5:30. However, if I was going to get Riley and myself fed before we had to be at the church for the VBS meeting at 6:00 then I needed to leave the field before 5:30. So.....I had to leave Jonah at the work out with the coach by himself. It is the first time I've ever just dropped him off for a practice. Either Jason or myself have always been at every practice from beginning to end for every sport he's played. You wouldn't think that is too much but considering we started with soccer at age three and Jonah turns seven in September and that he's already played four different sports (soccer, basketball, tball, and this fall is football), we're already racking up the miles for practice and game attendance. And although Jason did end up making it to the work out about the time it started, it was the fact that Jonah opened the door of the car, grabbed his bag and his drink and ran to the field to meet up with the coach and I drove away.
Amazing, interesting, scary, exhilarating.....my boys are growing up.
As Riley prepares for kindergarten, we've been working even harder to help become more independent. Since he is the baby of the family, he tends to ask for help to do things that he can most definitely do for himself. However, he likes you to "help" him or better yet just do it for him. Just this week we had a major ordeal in the bathroom over him hanging the towel on the towel rack rather than dropping it in the floor or throwing it in the sink. Granted, the towel rack is on the wall but he could throw it over the rack and pull it over. How do I know this? Because he does it on the shower door and it is just slightly lower than the towel rack. He resisted and I insisted. And do you know what he did this morning? He put the towel on the towel rack without asking for any help. And do you know what I did? I told him "Good job, I knew you could do that!"
On Wednesday afternoon, we had quite a schedule. Get off work, pick up Riley, stop at the house to get Jonah's clothes & Gatorade, pick up Jonah, take Jonah to work outs at 5:30, get dinner for Riley and myself, get to church for VBS planning meeting at 6:00 and then have Bible study at 7:00. This took some organization and planning to make sure everyone was where they should be at the appropriate time, clothed and fed. Jason's part of the plan was to get off work at 5:00 and make it over to the football field for Jonah's work outs about the time it was to start at 5:30. However, if I was going to get Riley and myself fed before we had to be at the church for the VBS meeting at 6:00 then I needed to leave the field before 5:30. So.....I had to leave Jonah at the work out with the coach by himself. It is the first time I've ever just dropped him off for a practice. Either Jason or myself have always been at every practice from beginning to end for every sport he's played. You wouldn't think that is too much but considering we started with soccer at age three and Jonah turns seven in September and that he's already played four different sports (soccer, basketball, tball, and this fall is football), we're already racking up the miles for practice and game attendance. And although Jason did end up making it to the work out about the time it started, it was the fact that Jonah opened the door of the car, grabbed his bag and his drink and ran to the field to meet up with the coach and I drove away.
Amazing, interesting, scary, exhilarating.....my boys are growing up.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Decisions, Decisions
You know there are days when I would love to step back in time and not have to decide anything. Really....when you are young there are very few decisions. Some choices...maybe...sometimes...if your parents allow you. But not many decisions. But when you become an adult you have to make decisions. And your decisions have consequences, not just for you but for your family and those within your circle of influence.
I keep thinking about a verse of scripture that I've heard a lot lately and spoke to myself a lot lately....the steps of good man are ordered by the Lord (Psalms). When I was young I was so excited about being an adult and making my own decisions. Now that I am an adult I am thankful for the "ordering of steps by the Lord". I will take being guided by Him any day over having to make all the decisions myself.
I keep thinking about a verse of scripture that I've heard a lot lately and spoke to myself a lot lately....the steps of good man are ordered by the Lord (Psalms). When I was young I was so excited about being an adult and making my own decisions. Now that I am an adult I am thankful for the "ordering of steps by the Lord". I will take being guided by Him any day over having to make all the decisions myself.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
The very first time
Well, we had our very first.....our first friend to sleep over and our first trip taking friends with us. I was SO excited. Really....I know that some people might not be excited about such but I was. Growing up in my house, I can remember having friends spend the night often. I remember friends wanting to spend the night at our house. It was fun there. My mom would often cook brownies or cookies at night as a special treat and then cook breakfast the next morning. And I can remember many trips with friends. Now usually this was a church activity and there was quite a group but my parents being the pastors were always chaperones as well. So, I think that kind of counts as a family trip.
One great memory is my Senior Trip. I know that typical senior trips don't include the parents going. However, I attended a Christian school and in order for us to have fundraisers during the school year for our trip we had to follow certain guidelines. That included having a chaperone. My parents weren't the first choice. Actually during our entire junior and senior years as we raised money, planned our trip, etc. we had a couple of teachers who were going to go with us. But on the day before graduation and one week before we were to leave on our trip, both teachers backed out. Can you say traumatic???? What were we going to do? Well....the senior class looked at me and said "Will your parents go?"
I asked and they said yes. So that's how my parents and brother ended up going on my senior trip to Virginia Beach to a house known as Sand Pearl. Wow.....I was so proud that they were my parents at that moment. They came through and didn't just drive and "chaperone" but they sacrificed and helped us to have an awesome senior trip. All the seniors and mom piled into a 15 passenger van for the long trip to VA beach. My dad drove our personal mini-van loaded down with all of the luggage. We made it there to the house and spread out into rooms. Mom and dad got a room on the bottom floor with their own balcony - they would need a break from all of us at some point! We went to the grocery store with mom who helped not only figure out the budget for food but shopped getting good deals so we would have snacks, breakfast, and a dinner or two at the house. We played on the beach, enjoyed the sun, mom got together a trip to Busch Gardens (great budget work again). We had some dinners out but then cooked at the house as well. Mom again being head chef. And we do what teenagers do best...we "hung out". And everyone was comfortable because they'd all been around my parents from the times hanging out at my house or spending the night.
And that is just one of the awesome memories that I have. I hope that I can recreate that same thing for my boys.
One great memory is my Senior Trip. I know that typical senior trips don't include the parents going. However, I attended a Christian school and in order for us to have fundraisers during the school year for our trip we had to follow certain guidelines. That included having a chaperone. My parents weren't the first choice. Actually during our entire junior and senior years as we raised money, planned our trip, etc. we had a couple of teachers who were going to go with us. But on the day before graduation and one week before we were to leave on our trip, both teachers backed out. Can you say traumatic???? What were we going to do? Well....the senior class looked at me and said "Will your parents go?"
I asked and they said yes. So that's how my parents and brother ended up going on my senior trip to Virginia Beach to a house known as Sand Pearl. Wow.....I was so proud that they were my parents at that moment. They came through and didn't just drive and "chaperone" but they sacrificed and helped us to have an awesome senior trip. All the seniors and mom piled into a 15 passenger van for the long trip to VA beach. My dad drove our personal mini-van loaded down with all of the luggage. We made it there to the house and spread out into rooms. Mom and dad got a room on the bottom floor with their own balcony - they would need a break from all of us at some point! We went to the grocery store with mom who helped not only figure out the budget for food but shopped getting good deals so we would have snacks, breakfast, and a dinner or two at the house. We played on the beach, enjoyed the sun, mom got together a trip to Busch Gardens (great budget work again). We had some dinners out but then cooked at the house as well. Mom again being head chef. And we do what teenagers do best...we "hung out". And everyone was comfortable because they'd all been around my parents from the times hanging out at my house or spending the night.
And that is just one of the awesome memories that I have. I hope that I can recreate that same thing for my boys.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Completely Unexpected
You wake up one morning expecting one thing and then BAM something completely unexpected happens. I woke up last Friday morning expecting a busy day at work, going to the youth Bible Study, home to bed. Not a completely typical day since it has been a while since I've been to a "youth" function but it was what I was expecting. What I wasn't expecting....to get a call from a realtor who wanted to show our house to a couple from Texas today and then an offer from them to buy our house! Hello....this is not usually how it is done. Typically you have your house listed on the market and someone calls to show it, on and on.
To back up a little, our house was listed in realty for six months in the fall and winter. It came off the market in March. We had several realtors call about listing our house for us but we decided to wait, hope the markets pick back up some and re-list this fall. With my husband owning a lawn care business, selling a house and packing up our home and business during the middle of a mowing season just doesn't make sense. Thus our plan to wait until the end of mowing season was in sight and re-list.
However, a realtor was showing this couple from Texas some homes in the area and drove them by our property and let them know it had been listed, didn't sell, but the owners had not re-listed yet. This couple was planning to leave on Friday morning to head back home and called the realtor asking if there was any way she could get in touch with the owners of "that house" so they could look at it today.
Well.....they did get a hold of us. They called a salon (yes, that is still the way to find out who knows who, etc.) where a lady worked that was best friends with a lady who works at the day care where Riley goes. Follow? Anyway, after about three phone calls, the realtor had our cell numbers and called and lined up a showing. I "happened" to be on my way back from Sparta to Cookeville transporting Riley from PreK summer school to daycare when Jason called me. I turned back and headed home to straighten up and unlock the door. About three hours later, Jason calls and says he met the people and they were really nice. AND....they put an offer in on our house!
WHAT???? I was so shocked. My mouth dropped open. I laughed, cried, ran over telling some of my close friends at work. I couldn't believe it. I could not get all of the details from Jason over the phone because I was still at work and expected to be productive those last couple of hours. I did try to be productive but my mind was racing a million miles a minute.
So, we came to arrangements on Saturday and signed the papers. As long as the inspections come through without any problems then we are good to go. And I figure that if God sent some people from Texas to buy our house without a For Sale sign in the yard, then He can make sure all the inspections are alright. And get this....remember the difficulty of moving a home and business in the middle of mowing season....well we were able to make arrangements with the couple for closing in 30 days but the ability to rent from them and stay here until the end of October.
Sometimes we think that we can make such good plans. However, I am learning to take God's unexpected plans, the ones that seem immediately good to me and even the plans that don't, over "my" plans any day.
To back up a little, our house was listed in realty for six months in the fall and winter. It came off the market in March. We had several realtors call about listing our house for us but we decided to wait, hope the markets pick back up some and re-list this fall. With my husband owning a lawn care business, selling a house and packing up our home and business during the middle of a mowing season just doesn't make sense. Thus our plan to wait until the end of mowing season was in sight and re-list.
However, a realtor was showing this couple from Texas some homes in the area and drove them by our property and let them know it had been listed, didn't sell, but the owners had not re-listed yet. This couple was planning to leave on Friday morning to head back home and called the realtor asking if there was any way she could get in touch with the owners of "that house" so they could look at it today.
Well.....they did get a hold of us. They called a salon (yes, that is still the way to find out who knows who, etc.) where a lady worked that was best friends with a lady who works at the day care where Riley goes. Follow? Anyway, after about three phone calls, the realtor had our cell numbers and called and lined up a showing. I "happened" to be on my way back from Sparta to Cookeville transporting Riley from PreK summer school to daycare when Jason called me. I turned back and headed home to straighten up and unlock the door. About three hours later, Jason calls and says he met the people and they were really nice. AND....they put an offer in on our house!
WHAT???? I was so shocked. My mouth dropped open. I laughed, cried, ran over telling some of my close friends at work. I couldn't believe it. I could not get all of the details from Jason over the phone because I was still at work and expected to be productive those last couple of hours. I did try to be productive but my mind was racing a million miles a minute.
So, we came to arrangements on Saturday and signed the papers. As long as the inspections come through without any problems then we are good to go. And I figure that if God sent some people from Texas to buy our house without a For Sale sign in the yard, then He can make sure all the inspections are alright. And get this....remember the difficulty of moving a home and business in the middle of mowing season....well we were able to make arrangements with the couple for closing in 30 days but the ability to rent from them and stay here until the end of October.
Sometimes we think that we can make such good plans. However, I am learning to take God's unexpected plans, the ones that seem immediately good to me and even the plans that don't, over "my" plans any day.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Friendly
I've always said that I'm not friendly. I've had many of my close friends who have tried to dispute it but when faced with the clear facts even they have had to admit, I am not friendly. For example, if I go to the grocery store or to Walmart, I do not find it necessary to make conversation with the check out clerk. Now I am not saying that I am rude. I walk up and say hello, smile, nod, whatever. But I don't see the point in carrying on a chit-chat conversation with a total stranger. I just don't feel obligated to carry on a conversation about nothing important with whomever happens to be sitting close by. If a meaningful conversation starts or there is an important observation to make, then I will jump right into it, get to know them and have a new friend. But I don't enjoy having useless conversation about nothing at all with a person I don't know just because we happen to be in close proximity of each other. Now, I have worked really hard in the last few months to be more friendly. To put myself out there and try to get to know people. However it is completely out of my comfort zone to be friendly.
It seems though that my children are going to take more after their dad than me. It absolutely amazed me how many people Jonah met as a kindergarten student this past year. He knew almost every teacher, the office staff, the principal, and so many students in all grades. I know it made a difference knowing the variety of students since he stayed each afternoon for the After School program. However, if it would have been me, I probably would have had my certain group of friends and that would have been all. Again, I'm not a snob and I don't think I'm better than anyone. I'm just not real comfortable with that "get to know you" type conversation. I wasn't comfortable even when I was his age.
We go through Walmart at times and kids and adults alike will say hello to Jonah and smile at me. They will walk by and I turn and ask him who they were. Most of the time he knows their name but if not their name then he knows what grade they taught, where they worked, who they were related to, etc. Completely amazing to me. And I'm so proud that he is easily able to make friends and get to know new people. This summer we decided to send him to the school's summer daycare program rather than his old daycare with all children that would be younger than him. The first day he only knew one other boy in the program and that was from playing basketball and not even on the same team. Now, he knows all of the kids and most of them actually attend different schools. And since they've been going to Summer School each morning, he has met even more people. He probably knows more people right now than I do!
This morning my husband Jason called and said, "Well, we have another Mr. Popularity on our hands." I, of course, needed more explanation. He said that when he dropped Riley off this morning for Summer School, they walked down the hallway to his class. They passed a few students and teachers and each one spoke to Riley and knew his name.
It looks like I will end up being known as Jonah and Riley's mom. I just won't know who they are.
It seems though that my children are going to take more after their dad than me. It absolutely amazed me how many people Jonah met as a kindergarten student this past year. He knew almost every teacher, the office staff, the principal, and so many students in all grades. I know it made a difference knowing the variety of students since he stayed each afternoon for the After School program. However, if it would have been me, I probably would have had my certain group of friends and that would have been all. Again, I'm not a snob and I don't think I'm better than anyone. I'm just not real comfortable with that "get to know you" type conversation. I wasn't comfortable even when I was his age.
We go through Walmart at times and kids and adults alike will say hello to Jonah and smile at me. They will walk by and I turn and ask him who they were. Most of the time he knows their name but if not their name then he knows what grade they taught, where they worked, who they were related to, etc. Completely amazing to me. And I'm so proud that he is easily able to make friends and get to know new people. This summer we decided to send him to the school's summer daycare program rather than his old daycare with all children that would be younger than him. The first day he only knew one other boy in the program and that was from playing basketball and not even on the same team. Now, he knows all of the kids and most of them actually attend different schools. And since they've been going to Summer School each morning, he has met even more people. He probably knows more people right now than I do!
This morning my husband Jason called and said, "Well, we have another Mr. Popularity on our hands." I, of course, needed more explanation. He said that when he dropped Riley off this morning for Summer School, they walked down the hallway to his class. They passed a few students and teachers and each one spoke to Riley and knew his name.
It looks like I will end up being known as Jonah and Riley's mom. I just won't know who they are.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Moving
It is amazing the stuff you find when you move. I'm not the one moving right now though, my parents are. However it is amazing all of the stuff of mine that has been found. Things from my childhood that my parents have been keeping, things from my school days, things from when I first got married and didn't have room to bring them with me just yet. Of course there were some things that I knew were at their house but other things I had completely forgotten about or didn't realize that mom had kept. I say mom....actually mom and dad. They are both sentimental and dad purposefully kept some things for me as well.
Childhood toys such as my Barbies (along with their house and car) and my favorite baby dolls (along with their baby furniture). There was an entire family that I had (The Heart family) with a mom and dad, baby girl and baby boy. Mom had kept all of the little pieces in little bags or containers. Of course I don't have a daughter but there are some things that I will hang on to just in case there someday is a granddaughter. Of course that will be a long time from now but I can still plan, right?
Then there was things from school - report cards, papers, annuals, special certificates and trophies. At one point I had tossed most of the trophies because I reasoned that there was no where to store them. However, dad spared them from the trash. And now I'm actually glad I'll have them to show the boys now that they are in school and can appreciate them. The annuals were so funny to look through - my, oh my, how we have changed. We thought we were so grown up back then and when I look at those pictures I realize how young we really were. There were also book reports I had written, notebooks with my notes from class and otherwise, as well as some of my old books. Why did my parents kept my health book from Junior High? Still not sure.
I found birthday cards, Christmas cards, and friendship cards from Junior High and High School. I had forgotten about some of the dramatic things that seemed really important back then. A good lesson in "this too shall pass". I hope I learned it! I found graduation cards as well as my cap and gown. One of the graduation cards was from my Memaw who passed away eight years ago. It was good reading those words again that she was proud of me. I remember the feelings of graduation day....such freedom and excitement about the future. Although I am eleven years past that point, I have to admit that I still have anticipation and excitement for what God has planned in my future.
I found journals from the times that I went on mission trips. I had forgotten some of those experiences but reading through the journals brought back so many memories. I read through journals and Bibles I had written in from sermons that my dad or other evangelists had preached. I am sure all that writing helped seal those Biblical lessons into my heart and mind. I found cards and letters that Jason had given to me when we first started dating. I found the little cards that came with the flowers that he sent me on our first date, our first Valentines, etc. I am so thankful that with everything we've been through in almost eleven years of marriage that we still have that friendship and love. And it is so much stronger.
It makes me think of the times in the Bible, specifically in the Old Testament, when something BIG would happen and the children of Israel would build an altar and name the place so that they could remember. There are many important things for us to remember. Sometimes it is the good times, good experiences, good relationships that make us smile at the remembrance. Sometimes it is the difficult times, the hard experiences, the lost relationships that we can look back and thank God that he helped us through or taught us something important. And maybe the moving helps us to dust all that off and remember.
Childhood toys such as my Barbies (along with their house and car) and my favorite baby dolls (along with their baby furniture). There was an entire family that I had (The Heart family) with a mom and dad, baby girl and baby boy. Mom had kept all of the little pieces in little bags or containers. Of course I don't have a daughter but there are some things that I will hang on to just in case there someday is a granddaughter. Of course that will be a long time from now but I can still plan, right?
Then there was things from school - report cards, papers, annuals, special certificates and trophies. At one point I had tossed most of the trophies because I reasoned that there was no where to store them. However, dad spared them from the trash. And now I'm actually glad I'll have them to show the boys now that they are in school and can appreciate them. The annuals were so funny to look through - my, oh my, how we have changed. We thought we were so grown up back then and when I look at those pictures I realize how young we really were. There were also book reports I had written, notebooks with my notes from class and otherwise, as well as some of my old books. Why did my parents kept my health book from Junior High? Still not sure.
I found birthday cards, Christmas cards, and friendship cards from Junior High and High School. I had forgotten about some of the dramatic things that seemed really important back then. A good lesson in "this too shall pass". I hope I learned it! I found graduation cards as well as my cap and gown. One of the graduation cards was from my Memaw who passed away eight years ago. It was good reading those words again that she was proud of me. I remember the feelings of graduation day....such freedom and excitement about the future. Although I am eleven years past that point, I have to admit that I still have anticipation and excitement for what God has planned in my future.
I found journals from the times that I went on mission trips. I had forgotten some of those experiences but reading through the journals brought back so many memories. I read through journals and Bibles I had written in from sermons that my dad or other evangelists had preached. I am sure all that writing helped seal those Biblical lessons into my heart and mind. I found cards and letters that Jason had given to me when we first started dating. I found the little cards that came with the flowers that he sent me on our first date, our first Valentines, etc. I am so thankful that with everything we've been through in almost eleven years of marriage that we still have that friendship and love. And it is so much stronger.
It makes me think of the times in the Bible, specifically in the Old Testament, when something BIG would happen and the children of Israel would build an altar and name the place so that they could remember. There are many important things for us to remember. Sometimes it is the good times, good experiences, good relationships that make us smile at the remembrance. Sometimes it is the difficult times, the hard experiences, the lost relationships that we can look back and thank God that he helped us through or taught us something important. And maybe the moving helps us to dust all that off and remember.
Friday, June 5, 2009
So Funny
Why is it so funny when a person falls? I think I have had more of the gut wrenching, tears flowing, can't breathe kind of laughs when a person falls than anything else. A friend of mine told a story yesterday about a fall she took in the Subway parking lot. She fell right in the path of traffic so a car ended up having to wait for her to move in order to go forward. She scraped her knee. She was so embarassed that she had to get in her and go somewhere else to get food. Then she was so traumatized from her fall that she honked at a lady who was sitting still at a traffic light which was red at the moment because she "thought" it was green. When she realized the lady was stopped at the red traffic light, she burst into tears.
What do I do when my friend relays this story to me? I laugh. I mean the can't breathe, tears streaming down my face, bending over kind of laugh. I couldn't help it. I am picturing the events in my mind and just laughing. It helps that I've been witness to some of her other falls therefore my imagination didn't have to do too much work.
I have another friend who has had some funny things happen to her. But the one story I remember the most - her falling in the parking lot of a grocery story. There is a small hill by the little league ballfields in Sparta that every time I go by it I think of this guy at work who told a story of falling and then sliding down that hill. Hilarious! Another friend told a story of falling when her heel got caught in her pants, right in front of the John Deere store. I remember being a kid and watching the old Jerry Lewis movies, old slap stick comedy movies and TV shows and laughing so hard until my stomach hurt.
One of my most embarassing moments was a fall. In Junior High chorale, we were practicing for a presentation. We'd practicing a song about some river rolling on as well as a couple more songs. It is the day before and we're practicing how to enter, line up on the stairs of the stage and then exit. I am the lead in person for the top row. I come in and walk up the stairs and then start to walk across to the far end. In my dress shoes on the carpeted stairs, tragedy strikes. I slip and fall and then begin to roll down the stairs. As I look up, I see the chorale director coming to try and catch me. Oh no....this is bad but in Junior High, it is really bad. He fails to make it to me before I actually land on the floor. And what can you do after a fall like that? Laugh with everyone else that is laughing! And you know the song they were playing as I took my tumble - yep, the one about the river rolling on. Geez. And on the day of the performance, I prayed the entire time I walked up and across the steps and I wore different shoes.
Still...something about falling just makes me laugh.
What do I do when my friend relays this story to me? I laugh. I mean the can't breathe, tears streaming down my face, bending over kind of laugh. I couldn't help it. I am picturing the events in my mind and just laughing. It helps that I've been witness to some of her other falls therefore my imagination didn't have to do too much work.
I have another friend who has had some funny things happen to her. But the one story I remember the most - her falling in the parking lot of a grocery story. There is a small hill by the little league ballfields in Sparta that every time I go by it I think of this guy at work who told a story of falling and then sliding down that hill. Hilarious! Another friend told a story of falling when her heel got caught in her pants, right in front of the John Deere store. I remember being a kid and watching the old Jerry Lewis movies, old slap stick comedy movies and TV shows and laughing so hard until my stomach hurt.
One of my most embarassing moments was a fall. In Junior High chorale, we were practicing for a presentation. We'd practicing a song about some river rolling on as well as a couple more songs. It is the day before and we're practicing how to enter, line up on the stairs of the stage and then exit. I am the lead in person for the top row. I come in and walk up the stairs and then start to walk across to the far end. In my dress shoes on the carpeted stairs, tragedy strikes. I slip and fall and then begin to roll down the stairs. As I look up, I see the chorale director coming to try and catch me. Oh no....this is bad but in Junior High, it is really bad. He fails to make it to me before I actually land on the floor. And what can you do after a fall like that? Laugh with everyone else that is laughing! And you know the song they were playing as I took my tumble - yep, the one about the river rolling on. Geez. And on the day of the performance, I prayed the entire time I walked up and across the steps and I wore different shoes.
Still...something about falling just makes me laugh.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Love to Learn
Both of my kids are in summer school. It's interesting when you say this to people because their initial reaction is usually shock especially since Jonah just finished Kindergarten and Riley is set to just start Kindergarten this fall. "Isn't summer school just for kids having trouble?" is the initial words or the look on their face. Well, summer school is not just for that reason. It can be a time of fun and learning during the summer when lots of kids are hitting the brick wall called "I'm Bored". And it's not like a normal school day. It's only half a day and they are able to learn a variety of things and in a fun way.We had planned for Jonah to go to his old daycare during the summer. However, we found out about an opportunity for him to go to the daycare program through the school and opted to go that route. There were a variety of reasons that played into that decision: (1) playing with children his age or older vs. interacting with younger children or babies all day, (2) plenty of interactive activities inside and outside vs. playing the Nintendo DS inside or shooting basketball outside by himself, (3) opportunity to go to summer school vs. only follow up to kindergarten is at home with mom.So far Jonah has enjoyed the school daycare program. He's looking forward to the days they will get to go swimming at the YMCA but enjoys playing on the playground, kick ball, dodge ball, board games, etc. And he is enjoying summer school. He has been learning Spanish, enjoying story time at the library, and music classes. He's come home in the first two days and is counting to ten in Spanish, told me his assigned Spanish name (Ezra) and is telling me colors in Spanish. And he loves story time. Currently Dr. Seuss is his favorite author. And music time is filled with singing action songs such as the famous "Chicken Dance." Riley is also enjoying summer school. He enjoys story time and the play doh center. It's hit or miss whether he enjoys music time or not depending on if he knows the songs already. He enjoys playing outside and snack time. He likes all of the teachers he says but has decided that it's not necessary to learn everyone's name in his class. He'll settle for learning a couple names of the ones he really likes. Last night as I was talking to a few friends after church, we were discussing books we have read, are reading, or want to/should read. I love to read. I have always loved to read. I haven't always had time to read but I think there is nothing better than curling up on the couch with a good book. It is one of the most relaxing things for me. One memorable time was the boys had spent the night with someone so Jason & I went out to eat and then to Books-A-Million. We browsed books and magazines for over an hour. Then I settled on a couple of purchases. I went home and started reading until I got sleepy. The next morning I got up after Jason went to work and I did my few things around the house. When those things were finished, I settled in to finishing my book. And I did. I finished it that day, in peace and quiet, without interruptions or distractions. I only stopped reading when I decided it was time for lunch. And when my family all got back home that night....I was one relaxed mom and wife. Now granted not all books are "learning" books. However I have found that although the book may not be specific to teaching me something, the fact that I was reading has helped me to become a good speller, improved my grammar skills, and expanded my vocabulary. And it's an amazing thing when someone is relating something to you and you can respond, I've read that before. Or if you are disputing/validating a point, you can reference reading it in a book, magazine, article, etc. It just makes you sound more intelligent!I hope my kids always love to learn. I hope that I will be able to show them that learning is fun. Learning is something you can do wherever you are or whatever you are doing. You don't have to set out to learn but if you'll be open to it, then it will happen. There's no need to turn off our brains just because it's summer, or because we graduated, or because we're thirty (almost). Every day is a great day to learn something. And I love it
Monday, June 1, 2009
Small Town
It's a neat thing to live in a small town. Now granted there are times when you don't appreciate it as much. However, tonight is a night when I am appreciating it. The boys had another tball game tonight. Jason helped coach so I sat over to the side, watching and taking pictures. Two young boys from church (twins, John & Henry) came and kept me company. We left the tball field and went over to El Tapatio Mexican Restaurant. This is a restaurant that we should be part owner. We eat there at least once a week and often times two to three times a week. And we've been known to visit more than one time in a day.
Going into El Tap we always see someone we know. We went in and sat down enjoying our meal. There in the restaurant was an old friend of my husband's. He was just starting to work at UPS when Jason was working there part-time when we first got married. Man...seeing him took me back to the days when Jason & I were dating and engaged. He worked evenings so at his break time I would take him something to eat or drink. And then I would hang around for a while. I would talk to him while he would wash those big brown UPS trucks. Crazy, huh? Anyway, this guy reminded me of those days.
Then we see other friends - ones older than us with a son that just graduated high school, one friend that is on the fair board committee with Jason and tried to give us his ticket to pay, one friend that had a son that played on Jason's basketball team for a couple years, and then someone that might distantly be related or could just be friends, whichever. That one happens a lot to us.
However, the best part was the couple that we sat down and talked to for about forty-five minutes after we were finished eating - Justin & Tatum. Actually, they were my brother's friends long before they were ours. They went to school and graduated with my brother so they are younger than us. But once you get out of college, are married, working, having kids, etc. the age gaps don't really seem so big. We sat and talked about nonsense really and laughed mostly. And it was nice just enjoying a surpise visit with friends at the hometown Mexican restaurant. Yeah...I like a small town.....tonight.
Going into El Tap we always see someone we know. We went in and sat down enjoying our meal. There in the restaurant was an old friend of my husband's. He was just starting to work at UPS when Jason was working there part-time when we first got married. Man...seeing him took me back to the days when Jason & I were dating and engaged. He worked evenings so at his break time I would take him something to eat or drink. And then I would hang around for a while. I would talk to him while he would wash those big brown UPS trucks. Crazy, huh? Anyway, this guy reminded me of those days.
Then we see other friends - ones older than us with a son that just graduated high school, one friend that is on the fair board committee with Jason and tried to give us his ticket to pay, one friend that had a son that played on Jason's basketball team for a couple years, and then someone that might distantly be related or could just be friends, whichever. That one happens a lot to us.
However, the best part was the couple that we sat down and talked to for about forty-five minutes after we were finished eating - Justin & Tatum. Actually, they were my brother's friends long before they were ours. They went to school and graduated with my brother so they are younger than us. But once you get out of college, are married, working, having kids, etc. the age gaps don't really seem so big. We sat and talked about nonsense really and laughed mostly. And it was nice just enjoying a surpise visit with friends at the hometown Mexican restaurant. Yeah...I like a small town.....tonight.
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