More on Keeping the Future In Mind

A little more on this thought. Here are some videos from Trinity's final elementary concert. Sniff. The future is coming way too fast.

Here are some videos from Blake's second grade concert as well. Of course being short mom I couldn't see him in any of them so I figured watching Isaac while listening was the next best thing. =)

I told Jeremy last night that when you are in the trenches sometimes you can't see that you are winning the war. I have been attempting to memorize a scripture every two weeks along with Beth Moore's SSMT (siesta sisters memory team). I didn't sign up for it officially or anything, I'm just using their schedule and enjoying knowing there are other ladies out there posting their new verses and why they chose them. The verses that have come to me have jumped out for different reasons. One was in a Lent devotional, one I just opened my bible and flipped until something made an impression on me. They all seemed very random but this week I wrote them all down on one sheet of paper. 

I'm noticing a theme in these. They are all very good for PARENTING. God is so faithful that even in my bible meanderings and divided attention between devotionals and studies, he pulls out things to meet my needs. Some of the most important things (big picture) I could train my children in are covered in these verses:

guarding your heart

humility

confession

prayer

rejoicing

Godly repentance

authority of scripture

blessings of faith

I have faith in God's good plan for my children even though I can't "see" their future.

Keeping this broader perspective of God's hand on them helps me to let go of the feeling that I am wholly accountable for their outcome. It's not about ME and my performance for crying out loud. 

Ah, wonderful, sweet, news. 

New Year, New Oppurtunities

It's that sort of day. The kind you want to do so many things at once you need three of yourself. I'm slowly gathering all the Christmas items to put away before the weekend arrives and having the kids write thank yous for presents, That should really wrap up the holiday season. I'm feeling the urge to blog and write some songs! So many little thoughts, I need to start using my voice memos on my phone and record them so I can put them into proper shape and blog them, duh! Otherwise (what usually happens) is a large spewing of thoughts and ideas with no particular order. Aha! I just found my New Year's Resolution, "capture the moment" and "use time wisely".
So this post is pre-resolution hee hee. You're going to get the full mommy brain version. I mean today I went into the post office to mail a package, forgot my wallet, went back out for the wallet, mailed the package, went back to the car. . .and realized another letter I meant to throw in the box was still in my hand. . . .yeah. . .that brain.
Let's think back to last years resolutions and hair-brained ideas.
Making the most of Trinity:
God be praised there has been growth socially and academically. This year we'll REALLY have to focus on behavior and one of the big decision we have made in that area is to homeschool. 6th grade is a crazy formative year and I intend to make the most of it. She is brimming with potential and I want to unlock it to the best of my ability. So thankful to the teachers and close friends that have built up her confidence tremendously in the last three years. I would like to continue finding the good in the difficult and I think this year will strengthen our mother-daughter bond to a new level.
Blake the Contrarian (is that a word):
Not much change here. That is frustrating to say the least but it just gives me more motivation for this year. Best intentions are never a bad thing but I failed by about June to consistently implement my own objectives and so many of our issues remain the same. He is playing basketball right now and got a circuit playset for Christmas that has captivated him. He has declared video games "boring" right after dropping $40 of his own money on a game Isaac had broken years ago that He had wanted to replace for some time. I would think someone has replaced him with a robot Blake except for his impulsive nature which remains intense, fully human, and a very interesting parenting challenge.
Isaac the Great:
Has made the most progress! He is just a sponge. I struggled so much with the thought of putting him in preschool, it was something I had never felt the need for with the older two and I balked at the idea BIGTIME. I think there may have been tears shed. In may he was diagnosed with ASD. Next month we might finally begin his ABA (Autism Specific) therapy. I can't wait to see what changes this brings as he is already so bright and happy. I expect great things. We potty trained him around his birthday, he is still a picky eater, and still charms everyone. Things seem pretty on track really for him.
Jeremy my hot man: (or so he put himself in my contact list years ago)
Not sure I had much resolutions for Jer. We do pretty well. =) He spent much of the end of the year having an office space in his same building renovated to his speculations. There are now twelve employees in it.  Four customer service reps are in a separate office in Philadelphia run by Jer's longest running employee Kristen. Things continue to make progress and Jer as always has eyes and ears open for new projects. He is currently trying to decide on what new car to lease when his Volt is up in April, lol. I would love to get away with him to the ocean at some point this year but then again the beach seems like no fun without presents. Did I say presents? I have no idea where that came from, Boy you get distracted by Downton Abbey for one minute and your subconscious exposes your true state. I meant kids.

and I plan to continue throwing a penguin classic in there now and then. I think I read about 10 from the list. At this rate I will need to live past one hundred to accomplish the goal. hee hee

Catch-up

Okay summer has been crazy and I have thought often of blogging but just not got around to it so there might be a few posts in a row. Trinity had art camp last week, her "birthday" week. I think she had a good time and she didn't have to wear a life jacket in the pool this year so she was pretty proud of that. This week was Run to Win. I didn't realize that the kids "coaches" were actual huskie football players! One of his coaches was just let go from the Kansas City Chiefs training camp so he may be done with his football career but that's still pretty cool if you ask me. How awesome there are Christian athletes out there spending some time in service encouraging kids to dream big. Blake had a great time.

I literally cannot handle how cute this basketball boy is. 

Believe it or not THIS (vid below) is one of Blake's coaches doing a traditional fire dance in his native Hawaii

Trinity did cheer and it's so funny because I got her a dress at Ross yesterday and she was determined to wear it for the last day of camp because it would "twirl great" on the "ballerina" cheer. So sure enough she is in a dress with pink pom-poms ready to cheer. She chooses to be girly at the random-est times!



Today we also had our last swim lesson for the summer. Trinity is only two skills away from graduating to Y2, while Blake has only two skills checked off period. Today he put his head under water and waggled his fingers at me over the edge of the pool to show that he wasn't plugging his nose. It was adorable! Go Blake. Also, in other news apparently we need a dog. There have been cute dogs just about everywhere we go these days. A week ago we walked to the park and a little white dog came over to check us out. It was so mellow and sweet, just walked around the park with Blake and Isaac following him. Blake is obsessed with dogs. Then yesterday when I was out shopping with Isaac this little fellow came over to beg for some cookie at the local coffee shop. We have been to this coffee shop many times and it never had dogs there. . .

 
and this wasn't the only cutie yesterday, at the jewelry store I was having some missing rhinestones replaced in my grandmother's costume jewelry and there was an adorable beagle/terrier cross. She jumped all over isaac and licked him and wanted him to play. They had a treat ball that they actually let Isaac toss around the store right next to glass cases full of valuables! They were dog-sitting. I mean, stop it already with the cute dogs or I'll break down and get one!!
This week is going to be crazy as we prep for our cruise and how to get grandma and grandpa through eight days with the kids. Also I have to get groceries for everyone who will watch the kids and get back to school supplies. Not to mention a mani-pedi for the cruise. =) It will be a busy week folks but a good one.
Last but not least on the penguin classics end I am currently reading Against Slavery: An Abolitionist Reader
I would just like to say that these people were great ORATERS. Who can name me some truly amazing orators of our day? I don't know any off the top of my head but some of the lines written by these people! Powerful, powerful stuff.