preschool adventures: breaking into the mommy circle

after i pick ben up from school i let the big boys run around in this little sliver of green space by the school {otherwise known as a drainage ditch} with other kids from school & their siblings. it's become a part of our day that we look forward to. a little exercise, a little socialization and all for just a short 5-10 minutes. works for me!

the other day, after a confrontation between gabe & another younger sibling of a classmate of ben's, i broke into the mommy circle. {aka, the other moms that stand around chatting with one another after school} i said something along the lines of little boys & how they become friends by hitting or staring each other down, therefore winning respect & establishing that it's cool they can be friends. i didn't say i get it, i'm just stating the facts. anyways, one of the moms was apparently impressed & said

"wow. you seem to have it all together." 

i can honestly say, that was a shocker. i certainly don't feel like i have it together, but i guess the lack of gabe {or ben for that matter} retaliating was enough to send that vibe. i smiled & began to assure them that i didn't have it all together. yes i had on a cotton dress, sandals & my big sunnies, but all of those things hide a multitude of sins! my hair was a day old & i had on no makeup. to which the same lady {who was in workout clothes} replied

"oh good, i won't have to turn my back to you."

of course i just laughed it off. but really?! i decided to take it as a joke that just came out wrong, but it struck something in me. after i processed it later, i realized what it was. i have learned to be content in who i am. sure i have things that make me feel self-conscious of who i am not or the skin that i'm in, but don't we all?! it's just that these things are fewer & i've learned the things i can and cannot change...and with comes a self-confidence. and a truth be told, a joy too. amazing the change in attitude you can have when you don't let things hold you down.

what i didn't expect was the other side of this coin...being the seed for the negative attention. it's heartbreaking really, seeing these women holding themselves captive by the smallest of things. and it seems, until Jesus comes back, we will always either be the one who is envious or the cause of the envy. 

why can't we all just act like little boys? and again, i say it...boys just hit, stare each other down & then they're cool. and i know this because my boys do it all the time. i for sure do NOT, i repeat, DO NOT, have it all together. but i'm glad my kids can be well behaved for 5 minutes. now that DOES bless my heart. can't we all just celebrate together on this one?! 

"stop comparing yourself to everyone else. make peace with who God made you to be."~joyce meyer

so mommas, i ask you, have you cast your doubt onto someone else? be sure to life up those other mommas & maybe, just maybe, even try to glean some info on how to make it happen for you to. 

A parent/teacher conference adventure

Yesterday was another first experience. We went to parent/teacher conference at {ben}s preschool.

Not sure when I became old enough to fall into either category of people who attend these parent/teacher conferences, but it's happened. And I still felt awkward.

But I learned there's nothing bad about them when you're kid is a rock star. {ben}s teacher was impressed & excited about everything he was already accomplishing just a few weeks into school...ever! And of course it was great to hear that my boy, my baby boy, is excelling in every area. So I guess we are doing something right and hopefully that will trickle down. From us as parents to the other boys & from {ben} as he learns how to be a big brother & grows into the big brother shoes.



{ben}s teacher gave us a copy of his assessment so far for kindergarten preparedness checklist. And of course he is rocking that too. I myself had felt unprepared about what was expected of him in kindergarten. And now knowing he's well on his way...huge burden lifted. And now I feel more confident and have better direction on what to make sure {gabe} knows.




And as {gabe} sings all the songs I sing to him unlike his big brother I have a better estimate of where he is. And he's doing good.

doing his 'homework'.

Thankful for these easy-adapting, quick-learning, song-singing, tender-hearted boys I get the chance to raise into brain-using, God-fearing, gospel-sharing, momma (wife)-loving men.



- Posted from my iPhone

saying goodbye to august adventures & hello to september

today was a beautiful day. not just because we were embarking on a new adventure preschool but because it felt like a perfect fall day. i think that helped make sending {ben} to preschool easier on this momma. it's back to school season & i'm so ready to say 'goodbye august. hello september'.

until this year, i have never been so ready and expectant of the change of seasons. i can actually feel things changing, not just wanting to see change. in nature. in our home. in our current state of living.

this spring is when i first truly noticed it. i yearned for it. i wanted to see the season of new life so badly i could taste it. i'm sure it was because i was eager for a season of new life for myself & the family. i took advantage of every nice spring day we had. i savored every second of the fresh and non-humidity filled air.

i basked in summer's heat & sun not that you could tell by my tan and A/C. we played outside. enjoyed our summer visitors and swam, swam & swam some more. it sure was a HOT one. i think that's why i'm so ready for fall.

and again, i can taste it. the pumpkin...everything. the soups. the chili. the football. the cool brisk air. a hot cup of coffee while apple picking. who's with me?!

it gets me all nostalgic for some reason. maybe just remembering where i've been and what i've come through. or maybe it's the smell of the air that reminds me of my first mornings going back to school. either way...

come on fall!

here's some sweet pictures as my {ben} buddy walked out the door my baby & into the life of a big, school-going boy! update from yesterday...we all slept well. for the first time in weeks! 

p.s. the spiderman vest is actually thestraps to his back pack that he had to have. ha!

preschool adventures & embracing the camera

today was orientation and meet the teacher day at {ben}'s preschool. we all had to be up & out the door by 8:15 this morning. and for some of you, no big deal. but we are NOT morning people in this house. plus trying to feed, change & potentially re-change clothing on 4 boys, 3 that are 2 and under...yeah...thankfully we did make it out the door not too far behind schedule. then i was too busy listening to the teacher aren't i such a good student?! and keeping the twins busy to snap pictures of {ben}'s new classroom. and today is my first 'embrace the camera'. good thing for second chances. take 2 on monday...

the things that {ben} are most excited about are his new art smock & backpack probably because they came by UPS. not sure why he loves the art smock, but he does. and since it arrived yesterday, he randomly puts it on to wear around the house. so we snapped a few pictures of him in that. and hopefully his backpack once it arrives later today.

thank you {gabe} for taking center stage.
the boy loves the camera!

first time adventures as a back to school mom

and this is the reason i could never be a homeschooling momma...i put everything off to the last minute possible! ok, so granted we've been packing and moving and who wants to buy more stuff to pack and move...that more than likely will get lost in said moving. not me! deep breath...and let it out...

so i put the school supply list in the back of my head to do until after the move. well, hello...preschool starts monday for {ben}!

i know that i'll always be that mom that forgets to sign homework papers or turns something in...let alone bake or bring something to school. so not my gig. thankfully i was told that momma participation is voluntary love the sound of that word. i did say i could come to help, but i'd have to bring the 3 littles with me.... that ended that conversation promptly.

so to my boys, i'm sorry...

• for all the times i know i'll forget to check your back packs until we're running out the door for school.
• and that we'll always be running out the door because we'll be just on time or maybe late, but probably never early. 
• i will do something cool for your birthdays at school, i hope you don't get embarrassed easily. 
• i won't be the mom that wears the themed clothing coordinating to the current holiday.
• but i hate the fundraisers as much as you do. if not more. 
• i won't always remember to put sweet love letters in your lunch...or your lunch at all.

but i will...

• love you & help you to love learning.
• guide you to the best of my knowledge through fractions, composition, geometry and disgruntled teachers.
• pray for you daily...
• that you will learn how to stand IN the world but not be OF the world.
• remind you that it's not about winning but doing your best...winning is just a bonus!!

i know the next 20 years of my life are filled with first days of school. i know that even then i won't feel like a pro, but hopefully i'll have gotten better in the areas i lack. if nothing else we all will have learned a lot. 

and for now, the supply list is fulfilled and ready to take to meet the teacher at the end of this week. patting myself on the back that it was done before monday!

so here's to school starting. 

and to all you...

homeschooling

dying for some quiet time

normal crazy schedule seeking

first time sending

last time sending

nervous

excited

mommas!