Random Updates

Let's talk about laundry, ok I'll just get to the point, the best things for stains EVER is shout ULTRA gel for colors and clorox bleach pen for whites. Enough said. Until I couldn't find them at our walmart almost all freaking summer. I tried shout ADVANCED gel, crap, zout-crap, this new Tide stain lifter-crap, oxyclean powder in the wash-crap. After taking Isabelle to school I went to kmart and target, kmart has bleach pens and target had both, my beloved shout ultra gel.... how I DID miss you. I'm not big on perfumey crud, and I dont' like harsh detergent because it seems to wear clothes out faster. I use All free and clear. Anyway so in my analness, I am now at laundry peace with my trusty stainlifters back in my life.

Can I just say that yesterday was just as sad taking Isabelle to school?? Today was better. She remembered her room number and I told her I would go in with her and follow to make sure she really knew where she was going. She heads all the way down the long hall, ahead of us, she walks much faster than Christian and I see her, open up her locker, put her backpack in and head for the gym to find her teacher like she's on a mission, I say have a good day!! as she heads up the hall too fast for Christian's legs shes says ok!! and she goes in the gym and finds her teacher. She's been learning a little spanish, each day she tells me something new she know. Yesterday I guess 3 kids called a girl in class fat and the little girl cried. So we've gotten to have some good discussions about how words can really hurt people. I've always hoped my kids could somehow be confident enough in whoe they are in the Lord that they would stand up for weaker picked on kids... but that's a hard thing to teach a kid in school, they are just trying to make it through themselves most of the time. She said some older boy pushed her at recess. So we had to talk about that. But hey it was someone's birthday and they all drew her a picture and had cupcakes so all in all a good day!!

First soccer game last night, and oh my, the confusion, the crying. ( one poor little girl just cried while out there and didn't want to play) Kindergarteners are entertaining. At halftime I asked Isabelle if she even knew which goal she was supposed to be trying for. She said " uh, no". I had to explain, this goal GOOD, the other goal BAD, you don't want the team to score!! That seemed to make her much more involved since she knew there was an actual game plan and not just a blob of kids fighting for the ball which she wasn't too in to getting in the mess of at first as she didn't know what to do with the ball if she even got a chance. So lots of room for improvement and I'm guessing even though there was no score keeping that it was probably 15-2. our loss. :)

Intro To What Grave's Was Like For Me

This is really out of order obviously, but I read this in Spurgeon's Morning and Evening, the link is at the top of the blog if you're interested. I came across this and thought it was perfect. I also am going to have to refer to this when sickness time comes this winter... because I start to DREAD, I mean DREAD sickness. I have nightmares about vomit, so it's a problem for me and another little area of my life I'm working on relinquishing, we will still sanitize, wash hands and avoid sick people but I will TRY not to fret.

I tend to me a person of " if only". I haven't gotten to extent of my would be if only's in my grave's story, but I suppose it could start with " if only the nurse would've realized I was listing off grave's symptoms at 16 weeks pregnant" It can drive me crazy, like other things in my life, unanswered questions that I probably won't know the answer to on this earth. The Lord has been teaching me things even within this past year of looking back on all the hurtful things throughout my life (as all lives have), as things God perfectly planned for my santicfication, while I want to look at things with regret of oh man if ONLY, I'm coming to realize, this was preordained, perfect and GOOD for me. Grave's was good for me. People issues that happen and hurt are good. That is freeing, freeing ,freeing. This was always supposed to happen and therefore well with my soul. I can forget those things which are behind and take with me to the future the things the Lord has taught me about himself. My dad has always loved the verse in proverbs. " The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." That pretty much sums up life. How can we know him if we don't read his word, pray, and go through trials with him, no matter the size?

And so the intended quote and intro:

The God of providence has limited the time, manner, intensity, repetition, and effects of all our sicknesses; each throb is decreed, each sleepless hour predestinated, each relapse ordained, each depression of spirit foreknown, and each sanctifying result eternally purposed. Nothing great or small escapes the ordaining hand of him who numbers the hairs of our head.
- Spurgeon

Isabelle's First Day of School

By her locker.

Isabelle had a great day yesterday. Favorite part: monkey bars. Least fav: nothing. She said she can't wait to go back. She was so sweet yesterday morning telling Christian and me she would miss us. The Lord was gracious and the morning couldn't have gone better, and yes I had many moments where I almost cried but I kept it together. One was when Daddy called her and heard her talking and saying I love you too... Christian was concerened when we dropped her off and she wasn't in the van with us. " where's Isabelle?" I told him at school we'll pick her up in the afternoon. He repsonse " can I have some gum?" We enojyed groceries together and he was quite chatty. Isabelle had told him later in the week when he said he would miss her " but then I won't be here to boss you" Like hey, look on the bright side. He asked me again where she was when we got done with errands with a sad face. He said he missed her. Last night he was whining at supper trying to get me pay attention and I say " WHAT??" " I like my sister". I will say there was a lot less fighting in our house yesterday. :)

One last thing to report. I asked the teacher how it went and she is the sweetest lady and says " she did fine, she likes to talk, we're working on it" Groan. I had actually told Isabelle earlier this week when she thought I was the perfect obedient child that I got in trouble for talking in school and once had detention for it as a 1st grader. So as you can see, when I told Mitch and my family this, the responses were much like my brother Tom's, " She's her mother's daughter".

( so all in all a great day, I miss not having her with me, it hurts a little but the new stage is exciting and she is loving it and that helps!)

One More Day

Before heading to the Open House.
First soccer practice.

So last night she says to me as I tuck her in, with tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry I have to go to school Mommy" I ask her why. " Because you'll miss me."
And today Isabelle and Christian are talking about how much he's going to miss her and he's all pouty about it. Big Fat Sigh.......

Waller in the Nostalgia

This is what I spent my afternoon doing, sniffle. Go to the bottom and turn off the music on the blog.

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

And So It Begins

I have totally and uttered enjoyed 99% of my 5 years as an at home mom and keeping the kids home with me. No sports, no preschools or set schedule's. Except for what children entail, but no outside intrusion. But that all changes tomorrow. Isabelle has her first soccer practice Monday and school starts Thursday. I'm not dreading it like I thought I would. I tend to like my bubble and stretching myself in this way is not a strong point. So it's exciting, and a little sad. I almost starting crying in church (which isn't abnormal as I do this about every Sunday due to the doctrinally rich songs we sing) but at this moment Isabelle was asking me about the violins and being sweet and I'm just looking at her thinking I'm not going to see her for about 35 hrs a week now. And it's a little heartbreaking. But stages change in life I know... but it's still a little sad. I suppose I should stop before I start crying.

I've been putting our tapes onto DVD's this week and it's amazing how fast children grow.

I also forgot to mention that even thought Isabelle didn't preschool, I worked with her at home and she's starting to read. More than we ever had to know back in half day kindergarten...

Don't They Look THRILLED?

Ok maybe not so bad right kids? Last weekend we went down to see Mitch's folks and go their little town pool. Less rules, no annoying wading pool, sprinklers, and you can wear your floaties. Ok so it was basically a free for all in the deep end but it was fun. It was a good hot day for swimming. Isabelle with floaties and an inner tube jumped off the board twice, we were surprised! I would've taken pictures if I thought she was going to follow through both times. My sister in law Alexa met us there too and it's always great to see her. Once a lot of people cleared towards 5 pm we both went off the board a few times, it was fun!! I felt like a kid again, except with much less lung capacity.

Since not having any traveling to do this summer (unlike last summer/fall, need we review, chicago, ks, tx, ks, tx, 3 weddings, 1 funeral and a flood. All our brothers got married and my grandma finally entered into the Lord's rest) Anyway so my point being, this summer on the weekends with this awesome weather we've been able to a lot of little fun things on the weekends with the kids. This weekend?? Dentist and Sweet Corn Festival.