Oh, Deborah!

Deborah and Johnathon have been taking swimming lessons this summer and they are doing a great job!  Johnathon has mastered swimming without holding his nose (which used to be a huge obstacle) and is now working on various swimming strokes.  Deborah is overcoming (again) her fear of going under water and has become really good at blowing bubbles and kicking. 

This week we were at the pool and I realized that I had forgotten to put Deborah's hair into a pony tail before leaving the house.  After searching through the pool bag, all I could come up with was one of my head bands, but no pony tail holders. 

I started to put it on her and she grabbed my hand and said:

"Mom, I'm NOT that KIND of a girl."

Now, I might have understood that response had the head band looked like this:  

Or, even this:

But, it was just a SIMPLE, basic get-my-hair-out-of-my-face kind of head band, like this one:

So, I said to her, "Deborah, it's one of Mommy's head bands."

And, she promptly replied, with a look that I really wish I had a picture of:

"I know.  YOU'RE one of THOSE girls."




Oh, Deborah!

Back To School

You probably know that I've home schooled for the past 13 years.  Last year we did Texas Connections Academy for Johnathon and David, which technically is not home schooling, but I still had 3 children home with me all the time (except on Tuesdays when they spend most of the day with other homeschooling friends). 

Well, are you ready for this?  This year everyone is going to school!  Are you super surprised??? 

Ryan is going back to the same PPCD class, which we loved.

Deborah is going to Kindergarten at the same school, which she is SO excited about.

Johnathon is going to attend 4th grade also at the same school. He's happy about it now that he learned one of his friends is also in 4th grade at the same school.

David is going to be a Freshman at the High School.

Of course, Jacob and Jessica will continue going to High School.  Jacob is a Sophomore and Jessica will be a Senior.

AND, I'll be going back to college, too.  With everyone else back in school, I've decided it's time for me to finish my degree as well. 

So... it'll be a HUGE change around our house.  I've NEVER had all the kids in school before.  I'm not even sure how to manage it.  I'm sure I'll be asking some of you pro-Mom's how you handle different things that come up during the school year.  It'll be interesting.

It was a hard decision to make, but I feel it's the best for each of the children right now.  So, let's just hope I can handle it.  ;)

My To Do List

In the past 18 days, I have visited the ER three different times and had a weekend hospital stay. Once with Ryan because his right ear kept bleeding.  Last Friday, I took Ryan because he was turning grey due to low oxygen levels that did not seem to be seizure related.  And, yesterday, I took Jessica because she had basically been asleep since Sunday evening and wouldn't really wake up except to tell me that her head hurt or that she wanted to gouge her eyes out.

It was different this time with Jessica because I was on the adult side of the ER, but as usual I was very impressed with the entire staff, especially Doctor Ramirez and Hank, her nurse.  She had a lot of tests done and thankfully they just found it to be a severe case of sinusitis and strep.

But you might have noticed the title of this post is "My To Do List."  So, what does all that have to do with my to do list?  Well, as you might imagine 3 ER visits in 18 days took up a lot of time which meant things at home did not get done, which meant my list of things to do didn't get done.  On a daily basis it seems I add more to my to do list than I ever get done from my to do list.  It's a constant battle. 

But, I stand in awe at how God works.  During the ER visits and Ryan's hospital stay, inspired friends received promptings that took care of things on my to do list.  I wouldn't have even thought to call and ask for help with those items.  I tend to be a very independent person.  It's not that I'm too stubborn or afraid to ask for help.  It's just that I know I'll eventually get to it. 

Visiting teachers who texted at just the right moment which reminded me that I should let them know that we were in the ER.  A friend who offered to bring me Quinoa salad:  one of my very favorite foods.  Another mom who knows the joys and pains of special needs who just called because she was thinking about me.  Dinners provided for the family.  Rides for the other children.  A friend thinking of next year's seminary ride arrangements.  A blessing for Jessica.  A nurse willing to stay a little longer.

Three trips to the ER and a weekend hospital stay might be overwhelming, but because of friends who respond when inspired by God, my family's burdens are made lighter.  I am not surprised, but once again I stand in awe and gratitude for the blessings. 

Thank you, my friends!

Miracles

I want to share with you a link that a friend of mine posted on Facebook.  It's about miracles.

I think it's so important to recognize miracles, especially in our own lives, but also in the world around us.  We hear so much discouraging news and the recent tragedy in Aurora, Colorado once again exemplifies how captivated the world can be with the horror of an incident.  Yet even in these moments of tragedy God continues to work His miracles.

These miracles are not the focus of the news nor do they seem to make every headline.  However, miracles give hope not only to the direct recipients but to all who will allow themselves to be touched by them.  Miracles lift hearts and brighten spirits.

Please take a few minutes to read this post by Brad Strait:  A Miracle Inside the Aurora Shooting. 

PS  I do not know anything else about the author, Brad Strait or his blog.  But I do appreciate this particular post.  I hope you, too, will find it uplifting.