She's Walking!

That's right, Baby G started walking this weekend!  She's been on the verge of independently ambulating for some time, but this weekend she finally built up the courage to go solo.  (I think she overheard me telling her Daddy that she has a fear problem and decided to prove me wrong.)

Something tells me that this girl is going to keep us on our toes.  She's only 10 months old (turns 11 months next week) and she's doing things that her brothers weren't doing until much later.   This month she has also started to refer to people by different sounds:  Dada (short vowel sound) is kind of obvious, Nono (short vowel sound) is her mommy, Dodo (short vowel sound) is Grandpa, Gar and Ga are her brothers, and this morning she was asking for Gaga which is probably Grandma since they were hanging out together last night.  Not sure how Grandma is going to like being named after a disgusting performer, but Gaga it is for now.

Baby G has also distinguished herself by making herself known as "the happy baby."  Everywhere we go, she's happy, she waves, she talks to strangers, and she squeals with delight.  She's everything you might imagine a little girl to be (I mean, the last time she sobbed in public was when I took her Juicy Couture shoes away and put them in the box!).  Her brothers have nicknamed her "Grabsy" because she's always into their toys.  And she already has a little friend that she gets so excited to see when they're in the nursery together at church--I think she tried to give her a hug the last time they were together.

Can't help loving this stage.  There's nothing like watching a little one's personality blossom!

Where Have All the Older Women Gone?

picture from a Juicy Couture Ad Campaign

I snickered as I drafted the title to this post.  Some might think I'm referring to our culture where women are going to extreme measures to look young (although newsflash: if we can tell you had plastic surgery then we think you're old!)  But that's really not the point of this post.  When I'm talking about the "older women" I'm referring to the Titus definition of older women--the ones who are instructed to teach the younger women how to love their husbands and children, etc.

During the last decade of my adult life, I've been blessed with older women in my life who have instructed me as a wife, mother, professional, and Christian woman.  My mom has always filled this role in my life and has been involved in "my business" and has taken it upon herself to provide accountability and counsel.  I appreciate this.  (I also know that there other girls with whom she has stepped in to fill this role for as well--including the girls who work under her at her job.)  Similarly, I've had godly women who I have worked with and under at various jobs who have openly instructed and taken care of me: Judy, Donna, Debbie, Katie, Lisa B., Lisa W.  I will forever be grateful for the care coordinators in Houston who taught me how to be a wife when I was a newlywed.  Who knew that choosing a career as a nurse would have allowed me to be around so many older women who have had such a huge spiritual impact on my life?

That said, the supply of interactive Titus-motivated women seems to have dried up.  Aside from my mom, I'm not sure who I would go to for accountability and discipleship.  As far as I know, no one at my job would be appropriate for this role.  And at church (pretty much the only other place I go) there are plenty of older women, but I don't know of any who would have the time or desire to truly get involved in my life.  But at least I have my mom.  Some other girls at church have recently revealed to me that they don't even have godly mothers from whom they can seek guidance.  Thus, they feel like all they've got is other people their age.

I have no doubt that the Apostle Paul would have been sad and disheartened if he could have overheard the conversation I had with these girls a few weeks ago.  How is it possible that the older women aren't even aware that they are needed?  And I don't mean that they're needed to greet people at church with smiles and hugs.  They're actually needed!  Younger women need to be able to interact with these women by phone or in-person outside of the church setting.  Younger women need guidance and affirmation from older women who have been-there, done-that.  Younger women need to know that there is an older woman who will be there for them when their babies scream all day, their husbands are in a bad mood, and they just need someone to pray over them.  We need older women as living proof that life is doable!

I know that there are godly, older women out there somewhere.  They seem to be able to congregate for Senior luncheons, game nights, Sunday School, and political events.  How cool would it be if these women rallied around the younger women at church and actually made themselves useful teaching the women?  Maybe it's time the senior ladies hosted a play date for us moms.  That would be something wouldn't it?!

Addendum: The Juicy Campaign pic at the top is kind of a dream of mine.  I would so love to be that stylish girl with a group of chic older ladies to have my back!

Getting to Know Them...

I've been convicted lately.  For the past 20 months my family has been attending our church.  In that time, we've become familiar with a lot of people.  We have been in small groups with quite a few families.  We were blessed with meals from these same families after Baby G was born.  And we've served with quite a few people in various capacities. 

That said, I don't feel like I actually KNOW very many people at my church very well.  I know quite a few people by name, but I don't go out for coffee with anybody; I don't hang out with other moms outside of church;  and the only time we ever truly did get to know other people was when Mr. Wonderful played on the church softball team.  (Never underestimate how beneficial a church softball team can be for families!)

My first inclination when I came to this realization was to blame people at my church for the fact that they're superficially friendly and nothing more.  But the truth of the matter is that our church has grown exponentially in the last 3 years and everyone has been fairly "new" to each other.  Plus, there aren't many people who have been around a long time who were able to bring the new people into their circles.  So it has been tough for everybody to find their place.

As I said before, I've been convicted.  I can't blame other people for the fact that I don't have deep friendships at church.  I haven't exactly put myself in a position where I can develop these friendships.  Nor have I pursued friendships with anyone else.  So now  I'm convicted that 1) I need to take the initiate to both get to know other people, and 2) I need to facilitate other people getting to know each other.  When I prayed about getting to know women at church, I felt God direct me to host a play date.  Even worse, I'm pretty sure he wants me to host one a month! Thus, next week we will be hosting the first-ever small group play date at our Derby House. 

Please don't laugh at or judge me, but the idea of hosting a play date for multiple mommas is terrifying for me.  For starters, as far as I know hospitality is NOT my spiritual gift.  I also get anxiety at the thought of trying to come up with a menu for the ladies at church since it seems that everybody has absurd food restrictions--meaning that they're going to think that I'm the unhealthy, bad mom because I would even consider serving cookies or peanut butter or caffeinated beverages. 

Anyone who really knows me knows that I'm not big on play dates either.  Mainly, because I don't have 3 eyes yet I do have 3 children to keep track of which is next to impossible when I'm trying to visit with other moms.  And to be honest with you, other peoples' kids aren't always fun to be around.  So the fact that I'm hosting a play date is a really big deal.  Somehow, God is using one of my least favorite activities to teach me something.   

Who knows how this will turn out?  I've already invited my mother to attend so that if nobody else shows up I'll at least feel like I have one friend and I won't have to eat all the scones by myself.  I guess we'll just see.  But at least now if I don't know anybody, it won't be for lack of effort.

The Homeschool Curriculum

A package came in the mail yesterday.  I was expecting my dining room table to be delivered and I ended up getting an even more life-changing package from the postman.  It was homeschool curriculum!

I was so excited about my box of homeschool gear that when my dining room table did finally show up, I spread all the books out on the table and spent a few hours immersed in the books.  What a relief that the teacher instructions are clear.  And even better--the instructions explain why you're doing what you're doing.  For someone like me who has a terrible time following directions that I feel are useless, knowing that there is a purpose for my activities keeps me motivated.  So, the Memoria Press curriculum that ordered appears to be a good match.

If you're wondering how I picked out a homeschool curriculum, I can honestly say that I searched for a curriculum package that included a teacher's manual and lesson plans for the year.  The idea of planning lessons for each subject and making them fit into a schedule was terrifying for me.  So having someone do the hard work for me was a huge boost for my confidence for my first year as a homeschool teacher.  Once I narrowed my curriculum options down to pre-planned lessons, choosing Memoria Press was easy.

I'm not a trained teacher.  The only education class I ever took involved health promotion and education for nurses.  Thus, my only exposure to curriculum was what I used at the private schools I attended when I was growing up.  So going into the curriculum search, I had no idea how to compare each company and brand.  As one homeschool parent told me, you try one and if you don't like it, you try another.  We may not stay with MP forever, but at least it offers us a good start.

I chose Memoria Press for a couple of reasons:
1) the planned-out year of lessons is really detailed and easy to follow
2)  this is a Bible based curriculum that teachers Scripture and biblical principles in every subject;
3) kindergarten reading is taught via phonics--this is how I was taught to read;
4) this is a classical curriculum with an emphasis on history and literature (I thrived in this type of curriculum at Covenant and it was indispensable for law school!)
5) The school that developed this curriculum has been extremely successful with test scores and college acceptance

Somehow, this program just suited me.  And based upon the fact that recitation is a huge part of this program, I'm thinking that Boy 1 who never forgets anything will do well. 

I don't know how other people choose their curriculum.  But it was pretty empowering to do my own independent search and to choose what I felt was best.  So as the rest of the country is dealing with Common Core, this momma is getting prepared to teach something that she picked out.  Point 1 for homeschooling!  Haven't even started, but am liking this idea already.

And Then There Were Tears

What a painful night we had last night!  If you happened to watch the Ranger's game, you'll know what I'm talking about.  But if you didn't have this misfortune to witness the game, here's what happened: the Rangers lost the playoff game to be eligible to play a wild-card playoff for the playoffs (or something ridiculously complicated like that).  Let's just say that MLB is trying to get as much TV time as possible by allowing multiple Wild Card teams to play for a Wild Card spot in the playoffs.  And the Rangers blew their chance.

To make matters worse, we allowed our 5 year old to stay up past his bed time to witness the fiasco.  In hind sight, this probably wasn't our smartest move since he skipped his nap yesterday afternoon.  But how do you tell a 5 year old he can't watch the Rangers' most important game of the year?  So Daddy let him stay up.

The crowd and the team seemed to come alive in the 8th inning.  This, of course, gave us a false hope that a come-back was going to happen.  It really seemed like rally time.  Sadly, nothing exciting happened.  Except, maybe the Rays got another run that inning? or maybe just guys on base?

I don't know.  It was sorry.  We ended up losing by 3 or 4 runs.  I can't even remember, because I was so disgusted.  It was a typical Ranger fan experience.  Time to flip channels, move on, and officially get out your football fan gear out (although our football teams aren't any better around here!!!).

As I was contemplating what exciting show to watch on my DVR after the game last night.  I heard it.  Someone was sobbing in the living room.  There was real crying, real tears, and loud gasps coming from my 5 year old.  He was devastated that it will be months before opening day.  That means (gasp!) no baseball for like 5 or 6 months!!!! 

That's when I realized that my little ones have no concept of cheering for a baseball team that doesn't make the playoffs!  Since he can remember (and since Boy #2 was born), the Rangers have been serious playoff contenders.  My little boys have no idea what disappointment may be in store for them if they continue to be Rangers fans.  But last night gave them a little taste of reality.

Last night also provided an excellent opportunity to reinforce the concept of good sportsmanship and the fact that baseball is simply a "game."  My best guess is that I'm going to have to reiterate those talking points in the near future as our favorite football teams take the field.  So, it's probably good to get it out there for him to think about until then.

Anyway, bye-bye baseball.  Thanks for a few good years of October fun.  But thanks for giving me my October back.  You know, the kind where I actually get to see my husband and enjoy not getting soaked or frozen at playoff games.  This may be a new kind of October for my boys, but for me it's like getting the chance to enjoy the good old days.

Taking Advantage of Where I Am

Why is it that I have a tendency to not appreciate where I am in life?  I don't mean where I fit in socioeconomically or geographically.  I'm talking about appreciating where God has placed me at any given time. 

When I look back over the past decade, I'm grateful that I did take advantage of some of those years and chapters.  In college, for example, when I didn't go live-up the "normal" college experience, I stayed home and worked, served in church, went to Bible studies, volunteered with a youth group, taught piano, babysat families regularly, and spent my free time with my boyfriend (who is now Dear Husband).  I don't have those insane college memories of dorm life or Greek parties.  And I don't have tons of college friends with whom I keep up and Facebook (see I don't need FB!).  Instead, I have some close friendships that I developed during that period, some skills that I could have only obtained while working and serving during that period, and a spiritual life that grew exponentially during that time.  Best of all, I have no regrets.

That said, I can't say that about every year of my life during the past decade.  I have missed out on some huge opportunities where I should have asked God to use me.  I have missed out on developing friendships because I've been too busy.  And I just got too caught up with where I was going to realize that God had opportunities for me right then and there.  I feel like it's taken me so long to realize that I don't have to make some earth-shattering alterations to my life in order to serve others and share Jesus with them.  Practically speaking, I'm not really in a position where I can make earth-shattering changes anyway.  I'm a housewife who works from home and a Mom who has dedicated the next decade of my life to homeschooling.  I keep reminding myself that just like in college, I need to take advantage of "these years" of my life.

As a mom it can be hard to live in the here and now.  Don't get me wrong, we live in the here and now by all the things we do.  But we forget that in the context of the diapers and the cleaning, there are opportunities to be useful.  I may not get to be a part of the ladies Bible studies at church (childcare would be helpful people!), but I'm starting to see the things that I can do.  Things like make my home available for a small group meeting.  Why not me?  I'm  home and actually have the time to make my house presentable.  Or I can use the phone to call people at church who haven't been visible for a few weeks.  Using the phone is easy for someone who is already at home.  (Assuming that people on the other end don't mind hearing train sounds and X-box games in the background.)  Or I can drag my kids to music practice like everybody else does and be a part of the praise and worship at church each Sunday.  There are opportunities there.  I just have to make myself willing and aware.

I've been really impressed by a young couple at church who are taking full advantage of their current life situation in order to do something useful for God.  This recently-graduated-from-college and not-yet-engaged couple left last week to spend 3 months in Africa.  It's the kind of thing that is hard to do once you're married and have to fully support yourself.  And it's the almost impossible thing to do once you have kids.  But it's the perfect opportunity to go love on people when you're not so tied down to life.  I've been enjoying reading their stories from Kenya every morning.  Reading about their excitement and joy has been a huge encouragement and kick in the pants for me.  Ricky and Katie are truly taking advantage of this time in their lives.  I'm so happy for them and look forward to seeing what God has in store for their next few months.  To follow their story, click on this link http://ayearofsummer.com/ or follow them via the A Year of Summer from my blog list on the right of my blog. 

Up She Goes!

I decided to allow Baby G to have some freedom this morning while I cleaned the kitchen and went about my Mommy business.  I figured that if all the downstairs doors were closed then she was pretty much contained in the main dining/living/kitchen area of our house where I could see her.  But then I made a discovery.

At this point I figured that she was stuck.  She's NEVER climbed the stairs before, and I thought that surely she couldn't get past the huge curve in our staircase, right? Oh I was soooo wrong! Baby G is apparently a fearless and strong girl.  Because this is what happened next.

I promise that I didn't even touch her as she climbed all the way to the top.  Not a bad feat for a little girl who turns 10 months tomorrow!  And just for reference, she climbed this...

Guess it's time to think about doing some serious baby proofing.

School Days Are Here

It occurred to me last week that other than college, this might possibly be my one chance to witness my son heading out for his first day of school.  Somehow, I'm not sure the pictures of him sitting at our table homeschooling next fall will be quite as exciting or emotional as this picture posted above.  He insisted that he was smiling when I took this picture, but he looks like he's scared to death.

Last week was my son's first day of Museum School.  Technically it's classified (and licensed) as a preschool.  But since the classes only meet for 2 hours a week and since the curriculum has been created as a science and history enrichment program, calling this school a preschool doesn't really describe what goes on.  Hopefully, our little guy will be in for a treat this year as his class explores animals, outer space, Texas and Native American History, simple machines, and cowboys--yes, it's only natural that a class in Fort Worth will teach about cowboys during the Stock Show!   The goal of the program is to expose the preschool-age children to science and history in ways that they can't experience in a typical classroom.  So while it might technically be a preschool, Museum school seems more like a year-long science camp.

Museum school sounds like a homeschool parent's dream, right?  Absolutely!  Apparently it was so popular with homeschoolers that the Museum now has special Friday classes for k-12 homeschoolers.  Somehow I'm thinking that last week marked the beginning of a long-term relationship that my family will be having with the Museum.  (Oh, and next month the Curious George exhibit will be here--this seems like a sign!)

Anyway, I didn't cry last Thursday.  Instead I felt really old knowing that my oldest baby is old enough for school.  Thankfully, I realized that I was also really excited for our family to be taking our first step into the wonderful world of formal education!

The Kick-off to Fall

We officially kicked-off our fall "season" last week by attending our first SMU football game of the year.  I must confess that at 104 degrees it didn't really feel like fall, but since our season tickets go through December we're sure that the fall weather will show up sometime mid season.  After all, experiencing fall and football is about a lot more than just the temperature.  There's just something exciting about the half mile of tailgating (at SMU it's Boulevarding), the smell of hamburgers and hotdogs that drift through campus, everyone decked out in their seasonal white dresses and cowboy boots, the band playing the fight song after every first down, and the fireworks that go off after every touchdown. 

Something about the start of college football makes us feel like Thanksgiving and Christmas are right around the corner!  Gotta love this time of year.

He's Not Little Any More

When he was 1!

 Yesterday was a day of mixed emotions.  I was a little sad when I got out of bed and realized that it could have been my oldest child's first day of school.  It could have been the day I sent him off to a large elementary school a block away to spend the day with dozens of other kindergartners.  It could have been a major milestone marking the point in our little guy's life where mom and dad officially acknowledge that our baby is growing up.  It could have been so sad for Mommy!

Thankfully, that didn't happen yesterday. Knowing this gave me such a sense of relief and slight giddiness because my little posse of sandbox playing, football loving, railroad track building, messy little boys is intact for another year.  

Dear Husband and I have decided to hold out for one more year.  Our #1 is definitely capable of handling kindergarten, but since he's a boy who was born in July we decided to heed the advice of friends and educators who have suggested that we hold our son back.  Plus, having fall birthdays ourselves, Dear Husband and I are familiar with the advantages that come with being the older students in one's class.  So we've decided to give our little guy his best shot at success by starting school later.  And this way, we get an extra year to help save up for college (should he choose to go).

The day he turned 5!

Today is a happy day.  My little boy still seems like a little boy.  He's already been in the sandbox.  He's played football with himself in the backyard (his newest obsession).  He's built a train track upstairs.  He's walked to Grandma's and begged for Mac N Cheese for lunch.  And later,  he'll take a nap.

I know my boys have to grow up.  Next year, we'll start a more structured routine.  Next year, we'll start using curriculum.  And next year, Mommy will start making lesson plans and grading papers.  Until then, Mommy wants her boys to play and have a fun time.  Can't believe my little guy is growing up so quickly.