My Ballet Adventure

After seeing Abby in ballet, and loving it so deeply, and then running into my best friend  and an opportunity to do an adult ballet class with her, I decided to venture out and try something I've always wanted to try.
So, I took the plunge, signed up, ordered the shoes (I didn't even think ballet slippers came in my ginormous size!), leotard, and tights and started stretching at home (I will NOT be that person in class that can't touch her toes!) and with a deep feeling of giddy meets nerves, I went to my first class.
Well I didn't die. I am still here, but it was totally not what I expected. The only ballet class I've ever seen was Abby's where a bunch of four year old cuties are learning each position, stretching, and then galloping accross the floor on their tiptoes. Sometimes there would be some barre work, but it was just pointing your toes this way or kicking a leg that way. How hard could that be, right? A lot harder than I thought it would be and I felt AMAZING afterward. I don't know what I expect to get out of this class. At first I was just doing it because I was suckered into the classic "I'll do it if you do it". I figured it would be a great way to get some exercise, gain and maintain some flexibility, and honestly, I've always wanted to try it. It's so beautiful and graceful and effortless (looking...LOOKING!). Abby seems to enjoy it so much and I watch her little class and think "why not? I could do that!"
That is where the "not what I expected" came in. I thought we'd be doing some simple stretches, a little bit of barre work...learn first and second MAYBE even third or fourth positions...
OH MY GOODNESS! we went straight to the barre, did some crazy bending and movements I didn't even know I could do, bend here, toes that way, butt tucked, pull from your tummy, use this muscle not that one, remember to keep your head high, arm out this way when your foot is like this, that way when it's like that...my brain nearly exploaded about half way through from the terminology alone!
There was a couple of exercises where the footwork had me all tangled up and I just hid behind the instructor and shuffled in the general direction she was going, hoping she wasn't watching my feet.  Then we twirrled and spun across the room, where I forgot to spot and nearly flung myself into the big wall mirror. Yikes! the second time across wasn't so bad because I actually remembered to spot!
We leaped and jumped and finally finished off with a slow and steady "follow the leader" type thing.
I survived. I felt AMAZING and I couldn't wait for the next class. The hour goes by fast. I did not want to leave yet!
My second class was a lot of the same barre work. I knew what to expect, so the terminology didn't cause nearly as much brain damage as the first time going through it.Tthere were a few new moves that were just awesome. stretching in this way was so great for my mind and body. Challenging? absolutely! but in a good way! I was able to focus a little more on my form, keeping my arms and head up correctly and LEGS STRAIGHT! We got to the floor stuff where we did the same step combo that had my legs all in knots the first time, but when I relaxed and just did it, I actually DID it! a couple of times! correctly! We did our spins where I learned how to spot a little bit more accurately so I was able to avoid the mirror and get across the room without feeling like an out of control tornado sweeping through the room.
Next we did another spin step hop thing that nearly broke my brain. It was by far the most challenging part of the night. Step backward one step, turn step, hop turn, land on opposite foot with other leg out straight behind you...WHAT?  I had to watch it several times and begin again and again before I almost got it right. I got across the room without any major injuries and then heard "okay, again with the left foot this time, but lets do two people at a time because we're nearing the end of class" So I partnered up with Tanya (my sweet BFF) and while the first leap twist thing was a success, we almost hopped right into each other!
I can't wait to see what this next week brings us. I am going to practice that leap-turn-hopper-thing (this is my terminology...clearly) and hopefully be able to do it for our next class...if we do it again. :)

You Did What???

We acquired a dog. That's right, through some (unfortunate) events my brother is moving and can't take his pup with him, so I "volentold" him I'd take him. After much begging and convincing both our land lady and ourselves, we now have grown our family by four paws.
I'm pretty sure he was named with the anticipation of his getting really big being part lab and all, but after some further examination and my own "experty" judgement (ha!) I'm pretty sure he's also part beagle and won't be getting much larger than he already is.
He has enough personality in that  puppy body to fill out his name. He is rambunctious and  sweet all at the same time. He is AMAZING with kids (thanks to good training by my bro!) and despite Titus' efforts, will NOT eat that peanut butter sandwich, no matter how many times Ti tries sticking his hand into his mouth with a fist full of sandwich, or corn dog, he will not take a bite...although today he did have the corn dog stick with a bit of dog left on it and looked at me like "Honest! I had no choice! I would have choked had he stuck it any further down my throat! please don't hate me!"
He is a great dog so far. Titus and Max wallow on him and with him and he's so gentle in his playing with them. He is patient and willing to give up whatever toy he has to whichever little hands are grabbing his way, especially if it means that said toy will be tossed to be chased. He is still puppy though, so there is a lot of jumping, gnawing, chewing and barking. Mostly at the grownups. He has a little ways to go yet on manners, but over all, a great dog!
So what were we thinking? Adding an 8 month old puppy to the litter of children I already have running around? Maybe I was bored and needed a little extra work to do around the house? Maybe I was thinking I was getting baby fever and needed a fix quick before we made any rash decisions! Or maybe I saw  an opportunity to help my brother out in a situation that demanded help but I didn't know what else to do but take his dog and run!  Honestly I don't know what possessed me to take on this challenge, but so far (one whole week into it) I am glad I did. Is it fun cleaning up the poop and pee because we haven't quite figured out when he's saying "lets play" or "I need to go out NOW"...no, but we're getting there and  I think it will be worth it. The kids love him. Abby is still a little timid with him, but the boys have bonded and are on their way to having a great relationship with their first dog.
I really hope this works out well. Challenging? yes. Crazy? maybe. Worth it? I think so. at any rate...meet Tank:

I don't know what to name this post...Fall is coming! Hold On To Your Shorts!

I hate that it's been so long since my last post. I get it in my head that I want to do this often, like weekly or even more often than that..I even have a list on my phone of ideas for blogpost..."note to self...write about____" those usually come to me in the middle of the grocery store or after buckling in a sticky kid in the car...(never while I'm driving...ha).

But alas, it still happens. Life happens and I forget to put those thoughts down.

This is what's been happening though, in the last month or so. I figure now is as good a time as any to jot it down so I can at least say that I did it. written documentation!!

With fall approaching, I sense my calendar is beginning to stretch in anticipation of filling up. So I make some serious decisions.
1) I will get up early, have my time with God and that half hour (minimum) to wake up and accept the new day before my three little darlings come down the stairs ready to roll with their breakfast requests and cartoons. It's amazing what that time in the morning does for me.

2) I will (despite my inner objections) home school for preschool. there are a lot of reasons I don't really want to do it, but the non stop asking from my 4 year old of when school starts and "do I get to ride the school bus this year????" trumps my "I don't have the self motivation/time/discipline to do this" argh...so with a little bit of an eyeroll, I am caving and doing it. Thank goodness next year she starts Kindergarten! then all her little school bus riding, backpack toting, dreams come true! My goal is having this homeschooling schedule will help us NOT over-commit (like we did last year). that is my HOPE anyway. It will also add a little bit of structure to our home-time so they are not in front of the TV (and I am not in front of the computer) for hours. Yes that happens. I don't like it. So I'm changing it.

Our first day of "school" was yesterday. I thought it fitting to start when the rest of the county starts and we'll probably follow somewhat of the same schedule..when the schools are closed for fall, winter and spring breaks, we'll take ours too.  Our official days are Monday, Wednesday, Friday from 9:30-12.

So far so good, but lets see if Mommy can be disciplined enough to keep it going this year. It's been one whole day after all :)

3) I will take photography more seriously. I love taking pictures (ironically enough, I don't have an image to go with this post...) and I am involved in Help-Portrait this year, and am making it a personal goal to be ready for my own station this year. I want to be able to set up the equipment and be comfortable and confident enough to take some awesome pictures. My plan is to be as involved as I can with photo-learning opportunities. This is where having friends in the business is so amazing. I get to jump in and learn. I had a great opportunity to do that at Kliiq this weekend and was so in my element! I didn't want to leave! for being a long day, it went by so fast! 

That's about it for now. I am hoping to get some blogging in among all of this "organized chaos" but who knows. Life may just happen again, and I might be busy enjoying it and forget to write it down! I hope not.

"A Loud and cheerful greeting early in the morning will be taken as a curse!"

So getting up early has been great! Now that I'm adjusted and found my wake up time...I am doing well. I get up at 6:30, shuffle to the kitchen, throw on the coffee and sit with my bible and devotional book. I don't move until little feet pitter patter down the stairs asking for "shlokit milk" or "butter bread". I also taught them to read a clock...or the first number anyway. They can come down when that first number is a seven...or an eight.
 






I won't lie, the first few weeks of that were terrible. I slithered down the stairs, hair a mess, grouchy as all get out. I didn't speak on word to Adam just kind of grunted and glared. After about a week of that, he started getting ready in the basement and taking breakfast with him to work...I think I scared him off.







 





I have gotten nicer though. We actually say "Good Morning" and even throw a smooch in there as we get ready for our day. He's also eating at home again. I think the morning monster isn't so scary after all... she's adjusted, making her a little friendlier.









 
 As for bible studies..I started with reading everything I could get my hands on. I get a daily devotional from Proverbs 31 Ministries (highly recommend), had a devotional book I borrowed from a friend, a new one I bought at a conference and the good ole B-I-B-L-E. I was set! (and clearly spiritually hungry). Now that I'm settled into this new routine, I've dialed back a little bit and am reading through Proverbs this month. A chapter a day. It's been pretty good! I am also reading through 1st and 2nd Samuel (Story of David) which has been reading like a really good book. I totally get sucked in!
I'm looking forward to Connections starting so that I can use this time for this years study! NO EXCUSES NOW! I have made time for the study and I'm going to really get into it this year! (I don't even know what it's about yet!)

The title of this post, by the way is Proverbs 27:14.  See? See? Mornings! yuck!

I also find verses 15 and 16 quite funny, but you'll have to seek those out yourself :)

Good Morning!!

Growing Up Too Fast!

Today was Titus' 1st birthday. It's hard to believe that a year ago I was a post panicked mess laying on the living room floor, surrounded by 6 (very enthusiastic) EMTs/Firefighters. I was overwhelmed with emotions and  holding my new baby boy in my arms.
And then I blinked.
He's ONE! Trying to walk, talk and do his own thing like this big sister and brother. He has the funniest personality and is the toughest little guy I know!
 What happened? Oh right, I blinked.

Speaking of older siblings and independence, Abby is also getting into her own little independent grove. This last week she insisted on taking a shower, ALONE. The only time I was beckoned was for help with the shampoo. After I got it good and scrubbed into her scalp I got the "Okay, Mom., I just need some alone time" What?
She's also taking the initiative to do things on her own...little things, like making her bed, helping with laundry, cooking. She even steps in and helps with the boys. Way more than I have ever seen any 4 year old do! She really has a servants heart.

At least Max still needs me. Unless he's putting on the latest super hero costume and doing an evening patrol of the house, ridding us of all the 'bad guys' so we can sleep safely. I must stand clear and let him work. Don't let that big protective side of him fool you, he has a very tender heart and is by far the best snuggler ever.

 It is so neat to have them close enough in age to play together (and fight together). Yet they are far enough in age that they have clear needs and different amounts of independence. I'm not needed, but still needed. And blessed beyond words. 

Calling Upon The Lord

"I will call upon the Lord. Who is worthy to be praised. So shall I be saved from my enemies, I will call upon the Lord"
This song is stuck in my head today. I can't help but think about a recent display of faith and prayer by Abby once again. I have been learning a lot from her lately!
We were having a rough day behaviorally, and Abby had been sent to the corner for a time out. It was the first time I sent her to put her nose in the corner for a time out. Usually she sits at the bottom of the steps, but she began making faces and back talking while sitting there, so I went to the next "best" thing. She did NOT respond well to that at all. I think there is a level of humiliation in sticking your nose in a corner for all to see when you've misbehaved and she was experiencing that for the first time.
Our rule is that the timer doesn't start until you are quiet in your time out. After about five minutes of protest, screaming and carrying on, I finally took her to her room.
I know this doesn't sound like a very encouraging story yet, but bear with me....
She was nearly done with the tantrum when she finally sobbed at me "I just want you to hold me so we can pray!"
That statement kind of surprised me. I said "okay" and she climbed in my lap and started pouring her heart out to God.
"Lord, Thank you for today. Thank you for Mommy. I am sorry I have a bad attitude. Please help me not have it anymore. Help me to be a good girl for Mommy and please don't change her mind about the new rules of timeout. In Jesus' name, Amen...say amen mom"
"AMEN"

I think that last part was meant to be that I would change my mind, but you get the gist. I was totally tearfully proud of my little girl for running to the Lord in her time of distress and in the midst of such a tantrum.
Abby is one of those people that once they are in full swing of a "freak out" you have to snap them out of it. I often think of that scene from Moons Struck when Cher slaps Nicholas Cage and simply says "Snap out of it!" We don't slap her in the face, but a swat on the hiney usually works. Just enough to get her attention so she stops freaking out and regains control of herself. I have also learned the signs of a total tantrum on the rise and have learned to stop it before it starts, so the swats have become less and less...so that's good, but sometimes when I miss that opportunity to stop it before it starts, it's good to see her regain control on her own and ask God for that help. I have a feeling swats are no longer a necessary course of action.  Which is good be cause I hated doing that.

Another example is when she is sick, she calls upon the Lord. Her most recent was last night. She'd had a fever all day and it still hadn't even acted like coming down. We gave her some medicine which she was finally able to keep down, and as we put her to bed, we prayed God would "lay His healing hands on her" so she would feel better and get relief from being so icky. A few minutes later, Adam said goodnight and "feel better" to which Abby replied, "I will. If God forgets to lay his healing hands on me I'll still be Sick in the Morning". She sounded a little defeated with that statement.  Is it any surprise though that while her fever was there all night and into this morning, at about 10am, when she was really starting to wake up for the day, and be more aware of my taking her temperature, that it was gone? She smiled big and had this "I knew He wouldn't forget me" look on her face. A sense of satisfaction in her Lord.

Anyway, the point of these stories is to call upon the Lord! even in the midst of our own "freak outs" and "tantrums" and when we've hit "rock bottom" (in her case, getting sick)


I think my new found love of parenting is seeing them grow in their faith. Her faith is enormous! I could not be more proud of her and the young faithful lady she is budding to be.

Faith Through Fire, Even When It's Not Ours

Last week a fire broke out in Colorado Springs. It is actually still going, but before the firemen had it under control, it exploded and tripled in size within a 24 hour period. As of yesterday morning, the fire was 25% contained with over 17,000 acres burned. They, at one point, had to evacuate 30,000 people and have reported 2 deaths.
Now that you have kind of the back ground I can tell you what happened on our end of things. Seeing the town I was born in and raised for the first 10 years of my life being destroyed, and knowing I have a lot of family in that area, you can imagine the heartbreak as well as concern for the well being of those in that area.
Grammy, Aunts, Uncles and cousins in the midst of it all. It just broke my heart. (thankfully none of them lost their homes or were evacuated).
It was Abby's faith in God that really shined through in this situation. I showed her pictures on the computer and explained to her what was going on. I asked her if she would pray with me and without hesitation she bowed her head, closed her eyes and prayed earnestly for rain to come put out the fire.
It was very moving for me. She really cared (even if it was only for a minute) and after I had my turn to pray, she hugged me and went on playing. Shortly after this I called my Grammy to check on her, see how close to the fire she is and to make sure she is safe...I shared with her that Abby prayed for rain. Gram was touched and said she'd keep us updated. That afternoon I get a call "Let Abby know it's raining! God answered her prayers!"
When I shared the update with Abby, she lit up and had this "I knew He'd help!" look on her sweet little face.
She continued to pray that evening at bedtime. She thanked God for the rain and asked for more and to keep everyone safe.
A couple of days later, Gram called me again in tears. "I want you to know that a friend of mine was evacuated and when they were allowed to go back to check on their house again the fire burnt up their back yard all the way up to the deck, and then just stopped! Their house is safe!" She went on to talk about how glad she was that we prayed and that sharing with her friends that her great grand baby was praying really gave people hope. I of course passed on the message to Abby who again, lit up and was so joyful that God saved the houses and never doubted that God would help these people.
It's faith like that that we are supposed to have. What a blessing to have it clearly modeled in my home every day. She knows God is there and can help and will help. No doubts, no questions, she just knows. I love it. I love her. I love God for giving me her.