First of Fall Update

I am refusing to change my facebook profile pic for another week. I am getting the itch to light my fall candles and start looking for the beautiful leaves to turn but everytime I look at the pic of the kids in the pool I just can't quite bring myself to change it. Fall will be plenty long. Just wanted to toss an update out there now that the first few weeks of school are under our belt. Trinity has been wonderfully optimistic about this year. In fifth grade they get to have a "store" every other Friday. Trinity must have spent all of Friday afternoon going through her room finding stuff to sell, so I began to look through my things and found some extra gift bags and a few little bottles of lotion that were gifted to me that I hadn't gotten around to using. She was SO happy and said "thanks for supporting me, mom". I just about emptied my bathroom drawers and threw every bottle of girly stuff I had at her I was so happy! Makeup? Take it all! oh fifth graders don't wear much? Sell it for the moms! Here, take this floss, all kids need to floss. .. etc. Folks, Trinity has always been dramatic and highly emotional. She "feels" things so deeply and one of her top complaints (rational or not) is that I don't support her in her dreams. (yes, those were the exact words she used when I wouldn't turn off my evening program so that she could netflix workouts so that she would be in shape to be the next American Ninja Warrior). So the fact that she articulated that exact thing, "you're supporting me"; my heart went to the moon and back. Our relationship is really growing by leaps and bounds. There are ALWAYS challenges but I take them on in JESUS' name. lol Blake has struggled a little more with second grade. The work has stepped up and his easily distracted nature plus his slightly lazy ways with schoolwork are really throwing him for a loop. I am hoping he just needs to adjust his attitude and his outlook and the year will really start to rock and roll for him because he is usually very well behaved in class and quick on the uptake of the math etc. Isaac is IN LOVE with preschool. I think he is going to just fly this year. We have received the call that he is set up to begin his Speech therapy weekly. Because of his Autism diagnoses there is a grant that will cover the weeks of therapy that my insurance won't. He begins swimming lessons today. It's just too much for me how big he is. I went to CBS on Wednesday for the first time EVER without a child with me in about nine years. Of course I immediately pictured myself having another. Okay, I know you can't have a baby EVERY time a child goes to school but. . .
our fourth child (okay, dog) James has begun his puppy classes. He is SUCH a good boy but such a maniac in playtime! Hoping training will get those last puppy behavioral issues worked out. BTW his homework chart was sent home with him. #1 was Praise your puppy 25x times a day / I don't even do that with my OWN CHILDREN. Now what do you think my next thought was? I guess I had better start praising my kids 25x a day.  If I can do it for a dog, I can do it for them. Geesh. All things considered it has been a good start to the year. I went to the Beth Moore simulcast on Sat. and made some connections as well as reconnected with my mentor Stephanie. We really allowed some truth to seep into our hearts that day, I'm so thankful for Beth Moore. As manic as her teaching can be she never fails to inspire me to action. Of course she talked about women needing to share joy and the necessity of friends. This is something I have already been well aware of and struggling with so encouragement was very timely. Trying to just take it a day at a time. Remembering I don't have to be perfect, just LOVING.