Monday's Moments - Memories & Milestones

Life is made of moments...

even now and then a small one.

Here are some of the best moments, memories and milestones from the last week:



Our 1st Grade "Star of the Week!"

• Reader R was the Star of the Week in Mrs. Cox's 1st grade class.  Her classmates wrote her letters and told her how nice and pretty she is. ;^)
• Curious K learned a hard lesson about how if you say you are sick, you don't get to go to preschool.
• Little L loves to wear hair bows. ;^)  Sunday she got to wear her Chiefs cheerleader outfit, with a big red hair bow, because they finally won a game - fair weather fans we are!
• Reader R and Curious K went on a campout with Poppie at Clinton Lake Park.  It was K's first outside of the backyard. (Mom remembered the camera, but forgot to check for batteries...)
• Reader R lost her sixth tooth AND the tooth fairy found her camping to deliver the $1!
• Curious K has figured out she CAN eat the apple with the peal on... (Thank you Awesome Kids Preschool.  If she doesn't learn anything else this year, you have already changed her life, and mine!)
• Little L can say "two."  When we say "one," she says "two."  It is hilarious!  Matthew caught it on video, but I haven't learned how to post those yet...
• We saw some hot air balloons on the way to church last night, Curious K said "They came all the way from North Dakota to say 'Hi!'."  Where do kids get these things? ;^)

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

This was just a moment in the woods...

Our moment.

Shimmering and lovely and sad.

Leave the moment, just be glad

For the moment that we had.

Every moment is of moment

When you're in the woods...

- Stephen Sondheim "Any Moment" from Into the Woods

Thankful Thursday - Counting our many blessings



"During the winter of 1621-22, the Pilgrims entered a "starving time" like the settlers in Jamestown. Plymouth now had thirty-five extra people so the supplies went quickly. They were down to a daily ration of only five kernels of corn apiece. But, as always, they had a choice. They could either give in to bitterness and despair, or they could trust Jesus. They chose Jesus."

Excerpt from The Light and Glory for Children

quoted from Boundlessline.org

Like the story of the pilgrims and their Thanksgiving kernels of corn, I want to use Thursdays to remember to be thankful for our many blessings. (Although I plan to only name five each Thursday, well, I may cheat a little in my lists. ;^)

Today, I am thankful for:

1. Matthew taking Reader R to school

2. Coffee and pumpkin muffins

3. Modern conveniences like vacuum cleaners, dishwashers, and washers/dryers

4. Our home

5. The beauty of Fall - colorful leaves, crisp air, pumpkins and gourds

Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

(Read the whole beautiful hymn at the cyberhymnal.com)

Proud Mommy Moment

It is amazing how God can use your children to teach you things, when you need to hear them most, in ways you would never expect. 

Next week, Reader R. is going to be the "Star of the Week" in her first grade class.  She is SOOOOOO excited about being the Star of the Week.  In preparation, we filled out a worksheet about all of her favorite things.  As you would expect, it started with the standard first-grade girl responses...
her favorite color: "Pink," food: "Pizza,"  subject: "Reading."  SURPRISE!

Towards the end, the questionnaire asked "What do you want to be when you grow up?"  I was eager to hear what she would say.  Reader R. has always been a special child.  She has a tender heart and a love for others.  When she was four, her answer to this question was "a pediatric cardiac surgeon."  When she graduated from Kindergarten, she was the only one in her class, amongst several firefighters, doctors, and veterinarians, that wanted to be "a volunteer in an orphanage in Guatemala."  So, I was a bit surprised when she responded "I want to be an all-star basketball player in the WNBA."  REALLY? 

My Future WNBA All-Star

Now, by way of background, my sweet Reader R, is called that because she LOVES to read.  However, in the last six months, she has developed an uncharacteristic LOVE for basketball.  She love to play basketball, talk about basketball, read about basketball.  We even had a basketball birthday party for her earlier this month when she turned seven (without really understanding why, and slightly concerned that we might be setting her up for serious disappointment when she figured out that she did not really know how to PLAY basketball). 

So, tonight, as she was helping me clean up the dishes, I asked, "So you really want to be an WNBA basketball player, huh?" (with skepticism)

"YES!" resounded her reply.  

"Are you sure?"  (Pretty convinced that a girl as smart as she is could do better than hang her hopes on such an unlikely goal...) 

"Uh-huh." 

"Well, you know, if you are a famous basketball player, you will have to be prepared for interviews.  Do you think you can handle that?" 

"Yes."

"Ok.  Let's try it.  Reader R., how did you get interested in basketball?"

"Well, I started liking basketball in Kindergarten.  I have liked it ever since."

"What would you say is the key to your success in basketball?"

"Practice.  Practice. Practice.  I practice whenever I can."

"What would you tell the little girls who look up to you?"

"Trust in the LORD with all of your heart."

Finally, I realized I had been asking the wrong question, "Reader R, WHY do you want to be a WNBA player?"

"Well, I was thinking, and a lot of kids look up to famous people like idols, but when I am a famous basketball player, I want to be able to tell people about JESUS."

What an amazing little girl!  I am so blessed that God gave me you.  I love you so much.  I love the precious soul God has made you...  I can not wait to see what you become when you grow up!

The Sweet Roses

God has made me a caregiver for three sweet roses...

Reader R. (6.5 yrs.), Curious K. (3 yrs.), and Little L. (1 yr.).



Easter 2010