MS Run

Our Elementary school does a fun run every year.  They call it the MS run (One of the teachers had a husband diagnosed with MS years ago and they have been doing a run for years to raise awareness and funds for a search for the cure. That man died this last summer.) So this run is a two mile run and it is a big deal.  First and second graders have to have an adult run with them if they want to leave their classes.  This year Mammy ran with Jamison and I ran with Caleb.  

Caleb was so excited for the run.  We talked strategy, and our goal was for him to run the whole time and not have to walk.  We were so excited (I think he was a little nervous, his heart was pounding right before we started.)  I had to pull him back a little sometimes so that he did not run too fast too soon.  We slowed it down on the uphills and sped up a little when it was downhill.  When we neared the end he was getting side cramps, but when we were almost there he kicked and I had to sprint to try and keep up with him.  He ran the whole thing in 17 minutes and 7 seconds. To get a feel for how amazing this is let me give some added info.  So all first graders through fifth graders do this.  Grant and I figured this was over 400 kids.  Caleb (Our little first grader) got 21st place out of the whole school.  he was just seconds behind his friend Payton (also a first grader) but no other first or second graders were even close.  I was so proud of him, and he had a blast.  It will be fun to see what he can do as the years go on!

What are they teaching in Sunbeams these days?

On Sunday as we are we are eating dinner we go around the table and have the kids tell us what they learned at church that day.  Last Sunday Mique was so excited about what she learned she did not wait until dinner.  She came up to me and said, "Mom today at church we learned about the birds and the bees....and uffer stuff."  It took about all I had to not totally crack up.  I am pretty sure her teacher would want her to remember the butterflies and worms and insects too.

Colorful

Mique, oh Mique...you are, something! Life is never dull with you around. You are full of personality, that is for sure!!!! This weekend your aunt Amy kept saying how cute you were and how colorful life is because of you. You can be quite a challenge for me (always saying you are hungry, even though you just ate or just refused to eat, your constant whining and crying, your torments to your siblings, your demands without a please or thank you, your telling me "NO" way too often, your insistence that you cannot do something even though you did it swimmingly the day before, your need to always have someone with you even to sit next to you to eat breakfast....yes you try my patience! Sometimes you make me want want to use colorful language.



But it is true, life without you would not be complete. Your many faces make me laugh. Your giggle, well it is unmatched. your determination will serve you well some day. You are beautiful, and those eyes.....oh those eyes! You are my little Miquey moo and I love you to pieces, colorful pieces!!!!

First Prayer

I am always telling this kid he needs to learn how to talk. He gets everything done by grunting and pointing, but I want to hear words. In the last couple weeks he finally decided to listen and has been saying so much more. I finally realized that he will not jibber or jabber. He will only talk if he is saying a real word and he thinks he can say it well. (Great another perfectionist on our hands.) I love his little voice and love that he is using it.
Last night it was time for family prayer. I asked the kids who's turn it was and Isaac's hand shot straight up in the air. We decided to put him into the rotation and let him give it a try. It was the cutest little prayer. He tried to say every word. It was not all audible, but he folded his little arms the whole time and said his little prayer. Those moments are ones to never forget. I am just glad our kids still fight over who GETS to pray and not who HAS to prayer. This is a good stage (I just need reminders of that ever once and awhile.)

Love

I always new I loved my family growing up, but when I hit college and started dating, love became an interesting emotion. There were a couple of times I really "liked" someone, but love.....yeah no. So when Grant first told me he loved me (actually he said something to the effect of, "I think I am falling in love with you," I FREAKED! I sat silent, how was I to respond to that???? He did not take offense (at least I do not think) and asked me if that scared me a little. When I responded yes, he said he would try not to bring it up again. He must of not tried very hard because I think the next time we talked on the phone he told me he loved me. To which I simply said, "Thank You." Oh poor guy, I am totally laughing out loud as I type this. This went on for at least a month, him professing love and my offering gratitude. I remember the night I decided I might be in love too, and blurted it out. Holy cow, I could not believe I said it and spent the next week trying to avoid having to say it again. I do not take that word lightly and had never said it to a boy outside of the family. As I exercised the use of the word it became more comfortable and I fell helplessly in love with the most amazing man I have ever known. I know he is not perfect, neither am I...but we always say we are perfect for each other!!! No matter how long we have been married, his hugs make me feel safe, happy, loved and at home. He makes me laugh (and much to his dismay my hardest laughs are at his expense-but he puts up with it.) He welcomes me into his interests and is willing to try mine. He allows me to be my own person, and makes me better in the process. He is my love and my life and I will love him forever, and ever....and ever!
Besides he makes really cute kiddos!

Bless Mom

The kids prayers are great. Sometimes they last a bit long, but they really are sincere. They often pray for the same things, but so do I because they are the things I truly want to say and need. They pray for Jamison and Caleb to have fun at school and to learn, they pray for Asher and Miquelyn to be good helpers at home. They pray for Isaac to not be crabby and Dad to sell lots of cars. Then they end it with bless Mom to do the things that she needs to do. So....the other day I asked them if they knew what it was that mom did. They thought for a second, and then responded, "Nope, I have no idea what you do." I had to laugh. Realistically they will have no idea all that I do until either they are doing it themselves or they watch their wife do it. At least they are blessing me with help, cause heaven knows I need it!

Hippity Flop

So, For Christmas Santa brought the family two new pets. Aquatic African Dwarf frogs. We have loved them. They are funny little creatures. The kids named them Hippity and Hop. We got a bigger tank and put them together with the fish. It has provided great entertainment. Even Isaac loves to watch the frogs and giggles. Well...yesterday I noticed a white growth on the back of Hippity. I took a picture and sent a message to Grant asking if he knew what it might be. He had no clue. Later that night we started looking it up and discovered it was a fungal infection. We immediately went to work. We Quarantined the frog and mixed together a salt water solution that was said to kill the fungus. I was worried about the frog and so were the kids.

I kept checking on the frog and he seemed to be doing ok. I went to watch a show and checked on him a bit later. He was floating upside down in his tank. I freaked, holy cow I killed our frog. I went to pick him up and he started moving. We immediately put him in fresh water and I tried everything to help him and nurse him back (which is really nothing.) It did not take long for him to die. I felt terrible. We were following advice and tried to get rid of the fungus before the fungus killed him, and in the process killed him first. I seriously was on the verge of tears last night. I really liked this frog!
I was telling a friend about it today and she said, well hippity flopped. How can you not laugh at that! Needless to say new frogs are on the way, we now have a disinfectant solution in the tank water, and I am rethinking whether or not I really should have the charge of pets.