Eye on the Prize

There's things in life that are distracting and heart-breaking, and can really weigh me down. I have to push them aside and stay focused on my real purpose--to raise these two gifts into godly men. Nothing else really matters. Sometimes it's good to have a little perspective.

Brothers

Jan 29

I love birthday parties. The kids and I have fun coming up with their themes and creating prizes and games together. I love making their cakes and decorating everything with tons of personal details that let my boys know just how thankful I am to get to be their mother. Usually, instead of a big present, we have a party for all of their friends and the celebration lasts almost a whole week.

But this year, Ethan really wanted the Millennium Falcon (on a side-note: I was a total girl with a Holly Hobbie kitchen, My Little Ponies, Barbies, dance recitals, and everything purple and pink. I was not athletic, and I never knew about the world of sports, video games, tools and toy guns, nor the many different battleships and Star Wars characters... Until I became the mother of two boys! I could have never imagined this life, but I wouldn't trade it for the world!)

So instead of a party, our soon-to-be-7-year-old will have a couple friends spend the night next Friday and we'll order pizza. The money that would have gone toward a birthday bash was spent on increasing his ever-growing amount of Star Wars toys (a collection that began when he was 4, and shows no signs of ending any time soon!)

The gift came in the mail a couple days ago, and Greg and I could not wait until his actual birthday to let him open the box. We made it until the end of the school week, and let Ethan play the rest of his day away. I'm sad to have his elaborate parties become a thing of the past, but I know this ship will be treasured for many afternoons of two brothers fighting the battle against the Dark Side in a galaxy far far away...

Jan 28

Sometimes when I watch these two I get that song from the "My Buddy & Me" commercials that aired during my childhood stuck in my head.. I know they won't always get along--even now, the sibling battlefield can be explosive. But Evan adores his big brother, and I'm trying to capture these moments so Ethan can treasure them later.

Jan 27

Only slightly more entertaining than the garbage truck is the UPS guy and his delivery vehicle...

BFFs

Helped my friend get some pictures of her two for Valentines today.... She's the pro, but I was able to snap off a couple with my youngest and his friends that I really liked... It's amazing how they already care for one another at such an early age...

Busy Week...

It's been a busy week!! I was good about keeping my camera near; not so great at uploading the pics!

Jan 24

Oh, that smile!

Jan 23

All three of my guys are easily bribed with a Peanut Butter Cup..

Jan 22

My dad used to twirl us girls and we LOVED walking on his feet. I really miss him sometimes...

Jan 21

Coffee talk with girlfriends starts the morning right!

Jan 19

Evan is usually a Momma's boy, but lately, Dad's been quite the hero!

Jan 18

School holiday. Daddy came home early and played ball games with Ethan..

Jan 17

It took two tratements, but the jeans are saved. If you look closely, you can still see a few darker spots.... But honestly, they're just jeans! Life goes on....

One of those days....

Evan is all heart. When he's happy, he dances and sings and lets out whoops and hollars. When he's sad, he's devastated and completely falls apart. He's thrown award-winning temper-tantrums (always on his back with his legs up in the air) since the time he was able to sit.

It's never the ugly "I'm mad I didn't get my way" fits, but the "This is the worst thing that could have possibly happened; my heart is broken" type. We've done everything--starting with time-outs in his crib/bed so he wouldn't hurt himself when he was younger. Then as he grew into toddlerhood, we tried water splashed on his face, bursts of air blown at him to startle him, firm talking-tos, taking away toys, spankings, and simply ignoring him. Nothing has been the magic-cure-all.

At this point, the fits are managed, but I wonder if they'll ever completely go away.. Or is it all just a part of his "Live Life Large" personality? I remember one time when I had enough and I screamed at him, "Why won't you STOP IT!" and he sobbed, "I . Just . Can't!" I was very convicted at that moment, because I don't cry often, but when I do, it's usually until I collapse and fall asleep. God has helped me keep a tight rein on my patience with him since then..

When we're in public, I tell him, "You have three seconds.. 3, 2, 1.." And like clock-work on the third count, he cuts it off and wipes his face. But at home, we tell him, "Take it in another room" and we let him get the sorrow out of his system. It's not perfect, but it's the agreement we've come to.

The funny thing has been to watch his progression of how he winds up on his back as he's gotten older.. At first he would drop back, legs out from under him, and smack his head on the ground. I still don't understand how we avoided a concussion or didn't require stitches during those days. Then he started dropping to his diaper-coushined bottom and would roll back into his tantrum position. After he was potty trained, he would fall to his knees, curl in a ball face-down, and then transition to his back. Now he's chosen to run to the couch in the sunroom, throw himself up there, get in his pose first, and then let loose!

He'll go in spurts with his fits. Sometimes it'll be weeks, even months since his last tantrum and I'll think "I guess we've grown out of that phase." Today, he reminded me that he has other opinions on the matter.....

Basketball Season

Today was our first game. Ethan got two rebounds! Off to a great start!

I love Fridays!

On Friday mornings I volunteer at my older son's school in the Challenge Lab. Students who have completed their work for the week or scored high marks on a test come in and play enrichment games while their class reviews the needed material. I enjoy the time out of the house, and the chance to be in the classroom with students (without the obligation of returning to teaching full-time.) I enjoy seeing the staff that I once worked with and getting to know the Challenge Lab teacher better and learning about new projects. But I LOVE at the end of my volunteer time-slot when the first grade drop-ins walk through the door and I see my son's smiling face. I love building a marble run with him and his friends or participating in whatever other activity they might choose to do. I love my boy, and getting to spend time with him in his element makes me love Fridays.