I can't believe it's been over a week since I last posted. We've had somewhat of a busy week. I think Monday we spent the morning at the bread store and Aldi's. This is why I need to post every 24 hours. Not that 20 years from now I'll need to remember how we spent July 14, 2008, but the important stuff I'll want to remember. Like spending Tuesday cleaning the van with my kids, getting it ready for our trip north. How Max got his chalk and creating a "parking lot" for his matchbox cars. How he built the "perfect" construction site with chalk, loose stone, dirt, and a sippy cup full of water. I still haven't quite figured out which material makes it the "perfect" construction sight. I might not want to remember how we spent Tuesday afternoon and the whole day Wednesday. Let's just remember the highlights...Tuesday evening ended with me filling 3 trash bags with all of their toys. Max watched in horror as I filled each one with their precious treasures. Molly couldn't have cared less as her eyes opened and closed until finally she drifted fast asleep. Before she fell into that deep sleep though, she whispered to me with eyes closed, "Good night Momma. I love you. I'll try again tomorrow." She and Max did try the next day to empty each bag one at a time and clean their toys. Well, try as well as a 2 year old and 3 year old could. Wednesday afternoon came to a close with me cleaning their room. I emptied all three bags, their toyboxes, bins, and bookshelf. I left only a few books to read. The other toys will now have to be taken down from their closet shelves by their momma and daddy until they learn how to clean up each toy after they are finished. It hasn't been as effective as I had hoped. It's about as effective as me saying "I'll throw your toys out". They know I won't do it. We spent the hours before dinner planning our schedule for every day for the foreseeable future. We ended up having a pleasant evening.
Thursday started with our new routine. The kids did pretty well with it. I went to the Dollar Store the night before and bought posterboard and made a schedule for upstairs and downstairs. It started off without a hitch. That is until Max realized that we had to be ready for the day before anyone headed downstairs. Max insisted that we eat breakfast in our p.j.s. I told him that was true before, but that we had to start practicing for when school starts. Aaron and I finally convinced him. The rest of the upstairs routine went well. Then Aaron asked me when all of this (this being all of us getting ready, out the door, and off to school). I replied, "Well school starts at 8 and it's 8 right now, so...that's why we are starting to practice a week before school starts. Hopefully, we'll knock a few minutes off of our time by the time school rolls around".
Oh! I just remembered what we did Monday. We spent the morning at the park. Actually we tried leaving that morning, but didn't get out the door until about lunchtime so we packed and ate at the park. When we arrived we went straight to the picnic area. There were some other children there with their mom. Immediately, a little boy came over. He was standing by Max. All of a sudden one of his sisters came over and started spanking him. I had no idea why. THe little boy had bitten Max. Hard. I told her it was ok. That Max would be ok. Max just looked at him. Stared at him. Max doesn't usually tell on people and if he does he usually does so by pointing and not with his words. Anyhow, he survived and was off playing in no time. Meanwhile, I got on the phone with my sister and asked her if I should be worried b/c there was blood at the surface and it was all swollen inside of the full set of teeth imprint on Max's calf. As I was on the phone with her the little boy went up to Molly and bit her on the butt. Molly immediately started to cry. She just looked me in amazement through her tears and just kept saying, "Momma, he bit me. In the butt." She couldn't believe it. After the second biting I have to admit I was a little ticked. Later on I just felt relief that I don't have biters. Maggie, don't prove me wrong.
Ok...onto Friday. Friday we actually did make it to the park in the morning. We ended up meeting a mom, her almost 10-year old daughter and 5 year old son. We talked for awhile. The daughter was wonderful. Sounding wise beyond her years. The 5 year old has some speech issues. I watched as my son and him played as if they had been best friends for years. It didn't matter to Max that the boy couldn't really talk with him. Before we left the park the mom and I exchanged phone numbers and promised to get together. She also thanked me for allowing Max to play with her son. I thought it odd that she would thank me for something like that. She explained though how her son doesn't have a lot of friends because they don't know how to play with a boy who doesn't talk very well if at all.
I started thinking on the way home how often I long for the quiet times in my day. What would it be like not hearing Max's giggle or his questions on EVERYTHING? What would my morning be like without hearing Molly say "Kentucky y'all!"? I can't wait to hear Maggie start cooing and giggling herself. Just as I was thinking this I passed a man in his yard. We shared hellos and how are yous? He answered, "Better than most". And I replied with something...can't remember... He in turn said, "It's all about attitude". Oh how it is. How true.
Aaron asked me tonight if I regret moving here. Again, no. Although I was looking at pictures of our house tonight. It immediately brought tears rolling down my cheeks. Not because of the thousands of dollars we are going to lose in selling it but because seeing my kids rooms empty...no crib, no bed, no paintings, no books...it makes me very sad. That was the house that I brought my babies home. I remember bringing each one through the front door. I remember Max coming home from my sisters after we returned home with Molly.
Then, Max did a good thing for his momma tonight. He got on the bed and was flicking through the pics on the computer. Aaron asked Max what that place was on the screen. Thru all 12 pics he said he didn't know. That made me feel much better. If Max doesn't miss it then I don't miss it. I think maybe it makes me sad because we can't really have another house to call "home" until it sells. I guess it truly doesn't matter where we live after looking at the first picture above.
I am really feeling God's presence here too. Where I was feeling as if my relationship with the Lord was falling to the wayside these past few months and feeling very discouraged by it....I am feeling him again and am finding ways to have my one on one time with Him. Of all of the lists that I have started in every room in this place...He isn't on one of them. I have had to remind myself that He comes before everything. I think I kept waiting for this block of time to "schedule" Him into. Now I just take the quiet times I do have and share with him. And my not so quiet times? I talk, no beg him, to put patience in my heart.
I have been attending a Beth Moore bible study at a church in town. It has been wonderful. It's not an in depth study, but the study has been speaking right to my heart and that's what I've needed. I've also met some wonderful women. We attended church as a whole family for the first time in quite a while today. The kids enjoyed Sunday School and the message was "Stepping Out in Faith". It was like God was speaking right to us. The pastor was talking about hard times and trials and how we have to take faith and leave it in God's hands. Then he said, maybe you aren't going thru hard times, but God has blessed you with a new job. However, the job is far away from family and friends. Hello!!! Aaron and I just looked at each other. It has taken a bit of trusting God these past few months. I'm afraid I haven't trusted enough. I think God has brought us to a church home for now. It feels as if a weight has been lifted from my heart.
Well, my Maggie is sleeping right next to me and I think maybe I should get ready to do the same. My Maggie is growing so big. She is a TERRIFIC sleeper. She is letting me sleep at least 6-7 hours a night...that is if the other 2 stay in their room.
Lord, thank you for blessing me with such a wonderful family. Thank you for showing us the way to our new church and giving us the opportunity to dive into your word. Once again showing us that your way is the right and only way.
