I hope I’m doing this right. Becca and I were talking today about how much we love our little Shutterfly photo books. I recently did my very first one – I’ve been dying to try it. What better thing than to do our recent vacation? I’m very pleased with how it turned out. We’ve looked through it a dozen times or so already. And for the cost & time…well….I could not have dreamed to have a book done so fast and by the time you print 300 pictures and all the scrapbook supplies….well this was a great deal! Hope you enjoy!
McKinley’s New Preschool & Teacher Conference November 8, 2009
Witty title I know! Surprised to hear from me? Well I knew I needed to document these words before they left my brain. Better here for you to read than me just hogging them in some book til one day they make it into a scrapbook!
A little background – McKinley attended Berry’s Chapel Preschool the last two years – one day/week as a 2 and 2 days/week as a 3. We were very happy there. When she got out for the summer this year, I knew our fall 4 year old class was a 3 day/week class, which bummed me out a little. I don’t want her growing up so fast! And I don’t want her away from home that much. I reeeealy wanted 2 days/week which they did not offer. So I muddled through the summer with some uneasiness. August came and I really began to panic inside, my heart was not settled and I knew God was stirring it. It was a couple weeks of not knowing what to do. He laid on my heart Mustard Seed Preschool, super close to home as was her other school, but something was different about this school. Their director had spoken to our Moms Together a few years ago, and I knew I wanted my kids to go there as I fell in love with all she said. But they didn’t start til 3 and since I did a 2 year old Mother’s Day Out somewhere else and was happy, we just never ended up there. So here it is a couple weeks until the new year starts. Preschool registrations begin like in FEBRUARY (news to this new mommy a couple years ago). But I just knew in my heart God had a different plan for McKinley and our family. I knew He was stirring my heart for a reason. I got to a place of complete trust. I canceled her old school not knowing if we’d even get in at Mustard Seed. I filled out the paperwork and just continued to wait and pray. I told the Lord if He wanted me to BE my kids preschool I would. I was overwhelmed those days by his grace and when He provided a spot for her, I could barely get off the phone with the new preschool office without weeping. So going into the year we were very very grateful and excited to see what God would do.
The year has gone well. I am blown away at how solid and age-appropriately they present the gospel to these pre-schoolers. Every morning at 9:00 they have devotion and I’m so grateful that “my job” allows me to go. Jack and I sit in the back nearly every morning. McKinley loves to look back and see me – we usually sign to one another “I Love You.” I get to see her as she learns the catechism songs they learn to sing and sign – which are wonderful little songs about what we as Christians believe about God. I get to see how much McKinley has learned and how she leans in close to listen to Ms. Kristin as she tells the morning devotion story. There’s just something so very different about this place. MORE than just biblestories.
Anyhooo. So this week I had my first parent-teacher conference. I was nervous I tell ya. Christopher wanted to come, he really desires to be there as much as I do to support & seek wisdom regarding his girl. The teacher pulled up a table and three chairs – sorta formal it felt which made us a bit nervous. Jack and McKinley were in the room, playing with a ball & puzzles. First thing. Mrs. Casilda grabbed our hands and led us in the sweetest prayer. She thanked God for my sweet babies. She asked we be united with one another regarding McKinley. She thanked Him for her sweet spirit, even mentioning “Blankie.” Her words made me cry. Another sign we were in such a special place.
Mrs. Casilda pulled out an evaluation packet she’d done with each of the children. McKinley was right where she needed to be on everything. She showed us how she’d written her name, knew all her numbers & letters (except for a few confusing lower case ones), she could draw a picture of herself (ie, looking for them to draw at least 3 body parts). I’m afraid McKinley may have gotten my lack of artistic ability – she drew a circle with eyes, nose, ears, etc. It looked much like my sad little stick figures we draw together at home. She was very much fine in where she needed to be.
Then Mrs. Casilda said something that yanked on my heart a little. She said, “The Lord is all over this little girl.” You see…Grammy had said the very same thing the night before when she was here babysitting! She told us how she is really “the perfect student.” She’s obedient & compliant. She does exactly what is asked of her the first time (wish it were that way at home!) She said she is very very sweet. While she’s not real boisterous and loud like some of the others, she still participates and makes her presence known. She mentioned a story she’d read recently, something about Sally went to school on Tuesday and yadayadayada lots of other details. And at the very end after lots of questions she asked the children what day did Sally go to school. Only two children knew the answer. And our McKinley was one of them! I told her she has the memory of an elephant. Mrs. Casilda continued with just what a joy it was to have McKinley in class (yeah, I realize that’s a line she uses with most of the parents) but then she went above it to tell us that McKinley makes her job easy. And that she gratefully gets the sweet fruit though she knows we at home do all the labor.
Then I turned the tables on her, I made her cry! I told her how McKinley had just yesterday morning “led devotion” with Jack. She even signed & sang her catechism songs and then prayed about half of the Lord’s prayer! What a gift to this mother’s heart.
So we are grateful for where we are at. I love she only goes 2 days a week and one less hour each day. Whereas she could have been gone for 15 hours from me this year she is only gone 8! I know some of you think that sounds silly. She is still sad to leave me each day, school doesn’t “excite” her really. She’s sad & grumpy most mornings when I tell her it’s a school morning. But I notice she comes jumping out of there in excitement every afternoon with a big smile on her face and always has “a great day!” So I know she’s exactly where she needs to be. And I’m so thankful the Lord has a plan for her and humble he guided this mommy’s heart!
These were taken on her first day of school in September!
My Itsy Bitsy Spiders July 13, 2009
The Itsy Bitsy Spider…
climbed up the water spout…
down came the rain…
and washed the spider out!
Out came the sun and dried up all the rain…
and the Itsy Bitsy Spider climbed up the spout again!
Time for a Haircut July 10, 2009
BOO! I can’t believe it either, here I am!!!! Some of you are so sweet to tell me how you check in on me here and miss me, thank you! Well….I have a lot of catching up to do, but I put a good honest effort in today and got lots of photo work done on my computer. I do not see a light at the end of the tunnel, but perhaps my train has started moving again!?!?
Here are the last pics I had in Flickr that were not posted (sorry FB’ers you’ve seen these), you know Mrs. O has to go in order – cleaning out before I add more! Jack is in need of haircut #3 now! But these are of the very first one when he was 15 months old. (My McKinley was 3 1/2 before she got her first real haircut!)
So this was BEFORE, yikes!
Sitting in his Daddy’s lap and slurping up his very first sucker, this boy hadn’t a care in the world about somebody around his little chubby face with sharp scissors!
Somehow we lucked up with the cutest funniest little hairdresser. We have no idea where he was from but he had a very thick accent and called my JACK “Jhoque!” He said, “Oh, Jhoque, we make you bootiful. You such a bootiful boy. We cut off yor mullet and make you bootiful! Ahhhh, yes!”
Miss Thang sweetly watched from the next chair over…
I was a little unsure about this whole spike look at first…
But then…I mean, honestly…
Seems fitting May 9, 2009
that tomorrow is Mother’s Day, to share this. I’ve been dying to share some pics & posts with you but they’re so lengthy in my head or in my “to blog” folder that I constantly procrastinate. But this one’s easy. And it’s my new fave! Seriously!?
I am beyond blessed, beyond grateful, beyond impressed with these two, and that God saw fit to share them with me?!?! Happy Mother’s Day to me! And to you, my mommy friends!
Conversation with Jack March 26, 2009
Honey this is for you. I know it’s been a long day. Hope you enjoy! Love you! And I hope the rest of you enjoy too. Outta be against the law having these two!
Town Hall for Hope March 25, 2009
I’m telling everyone I know! Check it out HERE! My Christopher is heavily involved with this and considers it his baby (outta the house anyway). So check it out and make some plans! Oh and sign up to follow the blog too!
The Flower March 23, 2009
So I have this one pink rose that is still beautifully alive leftover from the bouquet a couple weeks ago. It’s been in a single vase by my kitchen sink and this morning McKinley asked me for it. I asked her if she wanted to put it in her room and she said, “Yes I want to put this by my bed so it will remind me of you and Daddy and Jack. And Alonna and Morgan. This pretty flower reminds me of my family. And my babysitters.”
Seriously!
Just Because March 11, 2009
I have to brag on my big babe here. Any of you who know my Christopher (“our Christopher” when I’m praying for him) know he has a huge heart. And while neither of us think that giving gifts is his love language, it’s totally his thing! He goes beyond reasonable at times I tell ya! And he surely spoils his wife. But it’s all an expression of how incredibly crazy he is about us. Chris is an amazing daddy to our little ones. Oh they are crazy about him too! So here’s what brought me to tears a few days ago….
Boy walks in from work carrying these precious flowers. Of course I instantly blush and smile assuming…well that they were for me. But he immediately made it clear who they were for…his daughter. Oh I wish you could have seen how special and thrilled she felt. Before they could even get to the card I had to grab the camera as this would be a moment I’d want to capture forever. “Just Because” is what he told her I suppose was the reason, it’s the reason he does many things for us. Just because she’s his girl. Just because he’s crazy about her. Just Because.
So they open the envelope and he reads to her his special note, words cannot express how grateful I was in that moment that those flowers were for her. Absolutely incredible is this man! I mean he even thought to have them put a little plush kitty cat in the arrangement. Like we need another animal in this house, but oh how proud she is of her new gray kitty! So he heads to the garage to “get his bag” and I head to the kitchen to get supper finished. And Jack checks out Cissy’s flowers…
Now I did for a second in my head think, “that’s weird, why didn’t he just bring his bag in on his shoulder like he always does?” But I just got back to work thinking nothing of it. Then saw this fella come through the house behind a humongous arrangement of flowers. Just Because. Honestly.
And Mr. Thoughtful even thought to have them put in some of my favorite flower, hydrangeas. Now it’s not about the gifts he gives, we could do without every one of them. He loves us hard and he loves us true. And we love him that way too! Christopher you are THE BEST! I am beyond the moon proud of you! -me
An Idol Dream
I love American Idol. I watch it from the first episode of the season – the funny auditions, the grueling Hollywood week, then the narrowing-in. So tonight is the first of the real “narrowing in” part, it’s down to the Top 13. I’ve been very intrigued at how many parents are now on this show (as in the contestants have children), have you noticed? I am particularly drawn to these mothers. I think there are three? And my heart instantly aches for them not being able to see their babies for such a long period right now. So tonight I’m hearing them talk about this “DREAM” they have and how BIG it is. I mean props to ’em, what a great opportunity they have in this moment of time. But the question has sorta drug over my heart, do I have a dream like this? Is there anything in this world I want to do that could carry me so far from them? From here? From now? No. No. No. No. It’s really simple. Nothing really draws out a passion and longing in me like I see these women have. And tonight I actually thanked God that I didn’t have that beckoning on my heart & life. EXCEPT the one I have for them. Those two little blonde-haired-blue-eyed chitlins in there in bed. There is absolutely NOTHING in this world that is bigger to me than them! Don’t hear me put them on a pedestal, I know the priorities and I work and pray diligently they be right, I adore my husband, he is certainly above them. And I’m eternally grateful & connected to my Savior, Jesus. But THEY are the dream! I am living the very calling He cultivated inside my heart. And words cannot express how grateful I am.
The Thomas Report 
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