Look Who's Goin' to School!

Caden woke up this morning in the happiest mood and exclaimed, "It's time for school!" He ate up his honey nut cheerios and got himself all ready to go. 9:00 a.m. couldn't come fast enough for him. He was so excited.

It was Cody's idea to get a picture by the big tree in our front yard. We have a photo just like this of Cody on his first day. Big smiles and he's all ready to go!

Cody was so cute. He put on his new shirt, slicked down his hair and got all spiffy for the occasion. The three of us walked hand in hand to the school.
Big brother leads the way! "C'mon, Caden! Follow me!"
And he's off....

It was so cute. When we took Caden inside, Cody led him to his little cubby with his name on it and helped him hang up his backpack and coat. We watched him go bounding into the classroom and to immediately sit down and join one of his new friends. It was then, and only then (surprisingly) that my eyes got a little misty.

As Cody and I walked back home, hand-in-hand, we both said we felt like we were missing an arm or something. It was very weird to be without Caden. But we got home and dove into our school work and got a ton accomplished. It was very.....quiet! : ) I took Cody to Panera and we both had a bowl of soup before we picked up the little guy. We both just kept looking at each other saying, "This is so....weird!"

When we picked Caden up, the teacher told us the children had a great day and tons 'o' fun. But when I asked Caden how it went he said, "Good! Except I didn't want to listen to the story. I just wanted to play my own thing."

I think preschool is going to be veeeerrrrry good for the little man.

And finally, remember my previous post about Jerry laughing at the toad and the cricket? Well, it's blurry, but here's proof. It really is sitting on the toad's back! Click on the picture to enlarge it and you'll see the black thing (cricket) on it's back. And yes, we took pity on them both and released them back into the great outdoors...much to the boys' dismay the next morning.
Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Finally! Pictures!

Well, after months of my computer consistently locking up, two total wipe-outs of my hard drive and countless trips to see the Geek Squad, I'm happy to report that all my fussing finally got me a new computer. I now have pictures for you to see and enjoy.

First, here is the latest picture of Cody and Caden after they went to a birthday party this past weekend with a cowboy theme. I think they look more like Native American pirates! I'm not sure if Party City makes a set of party favors with that theme...

Below is Caden's first day of pre-school. He is such a big boy now! He loved it and can't wait until next time.
This is what happens to dogs who dig in the trash and eat ravioli.
The two boys making music in the kitchen. They are jamming out to Selah's version of "By and By."
Here's Cody after he received his yellow belt in TaeKwon Do. He was so proud.
And finally, the boys and their Auntie Darci when she came to visit. They loved spending time with her!
And now you're caught up.

Well, except for this: I'm currently watching my husband take a picture of a toad the boys found and a cricket sitting on its back. He's giggling. I wish I had a picture of that.

Men. They never grow up!

The Graduate

Coming to you by popular demand (well, okay, by request of one V.I.P. on this blog: My sister, Kari)!

Here is Cody receiving his diploma from our now retired school superintendent:


Here he is with his official diploma:

And here he is with the best kindergarten teacher a kid (or mom) could ask for:

Happy Graduation, sweet Cody!

To School or Not to School, That's Always My Question!

If you've been reading my blog for very long at all, you are probably aware that I am constantly praying about schooling for Cody.  This has been an ongoing theme with me (since he was in his first year of pre-school) and one that the Lord doesn't seem to let me be "settled" about.  I have often said that this year has been a great one for Cody, but at the same time, I have many concerns about allowing him to stay in public school.  

A door has opened for my husband and I to attend a homeschooling conference in our area this week.  We are looking forward to learning more about this option and hoping that we gain some clarity and insight as we decide if it's "for us" or not.  Many people have told me that attending this conference will answer the tough questions I've had regarding homeschooling and that it will help us make the best, most informed decision.  

I know that the Lord has good plans for us (Jeremiah 29:11) and I know that His greatest desire is for us to serve Him and train our children up in His ways.  That much I know for SURE.

So, if you think of it, please pray for us on Thursday. Pray that the Lord would make it overwhelmingly clear what His plan is for us next year.  We want to be obedient to what He calls us to.  Please pray also that we will have unspeakable peace when it comes time to make this decision, for once and for all.  

Thanks, everyone!  Have a great Wednesday.

First, a big thank you to each of you who responded to my post about schooling. Your responses were so thoughtful and helpful. Yesterday was the final day to register at Cody's school. I did take my paperwork in to be processed, however I did not pay the (large) registration fee. I simply told them I was "undecided." That's honest. They told me that was fine and that I had until the end of the school year to pay the fee. In the meantime, I'll keep praying.

I don't have much to post about today, but I wanted to check in and say hello and let you know I'm still here. I've been trying to stay off the computer and enjoy this weather with my little one. The kid can't get enough of the outdoors. Coming inside is torture for him. Too bad they're predicting rain today! : (

One thing I'm excited to share: I've made a connection over the past several months with a fellow mommy blogger who I actually get to meet in person next week. We're both looking forward to meeting face to face. Because let's be honest...it's not about the kids getting to have a playdate. It's all about the moms!!! And as wonderful as the blogging world is, it can't replace good old-fashioned one-on-one interaction and fellowship.

I hope you all had a great week and that your weekend is even better!

Talk to Me Tuesday

The debate rages on in my mind. Last year, when Cody was in his second year of pre-school, I prayed and researched my options for his schooling. Because our district does full-day kindergarten, I was in quite a pickle about how to proceed this year. I kept thinking, a full day for a five year-old? It's just too much!

You all know what we decided. He is in public school this year. The year has been a great thing for him in many ways. He has a wonderful teacher and I've watched him grow and blossom under her leadership.

The flipside is that I see little attitudes, behaviors, and words coming home some days that bother me. I'd be lying if I said that this year hadn't impacted him a bit negatively in some respects. Yes, there's been a great deal of positive, but it's hard for me, as his mom, to overlook the negative.

While I researched my options last year, I talked to many moms...particularly those who send their kids to private school and those who chose public school. The ones who sent their kids to private Christian schools said that their children were not immune to bringing home bad attitudes and questionable language. They reassured me that it's everwhere. What they said they appreciated most about the Christian environment was the absence of the "worldview" and the presence of God.

Fast forward to this year. I have continued praying all year for Cody. And I've also continued praying about options. (We were encouraged my many people to take things year by year and make decisions accordingly, because things can quickly change!) We recently learned that a new Christian school may be opening in the area. They have piqued my interest because it sounds like the tuition could potentially be manageable for us (last year it was out of the question).

I'll be totally honest. Some days I really do feel like the world is spinning out of control. As a parent, I worry. I fear for my children's hearts and minds. I desire for them to know and love Christ more than anything in this world. I want nothing more than the truths of God and His Word to permeate their hearts. On the flipside, I also want them to learn to live in a world like this because they are going to need to learn to be survivors in it AND shine their lights in it. But at five or six years old, is that really a fair charge to put on them? As Christians, how do we reconcile these two schools of thought? Is it better to have them in a more sheltered environment and a Christian setting during these most formidable years? The debate rages on in my mind and heart. We will continue to seek Him and His will. We will continue to pray. And I will keep my eyes and ears open to what the Lord is telling me.

In the meantime, I'm interested in what you think. I'd love to hear your thoughts and opinions in the comments, whether you are a homeschooler, have chosen to send your children to private school, or if you're presently in the public school system. Thanks, in advance, for your thoughts. I look forward to hearing what you have to say.

Pass Me a Bubble, Please.

When my little six year-old got home from school yesterday, I hugged him and asked him how his day was. He said it was good and I started rummaging through his backpack to pull out his folder with the day's work. As I was rifling through the pile, I pulled out a white sheet of paper folded like a card, and on the front of it, it had a nice little sentiment in red crayon from one of the girls in his class. It's not uncommon for Cody to receive "love" notes from this little girl (and for a while I thought it was kinda cute how Cody would roll his eyes and sigh in disgust at the mere mention of a note from this girl). However, this particular note was a bit "racy" even for a kindergartener and so I decided it was time to address it with his teacher.

I am amazed at how early these things start with children. It's troubling, really, to think that even kindergarteners, who should be among some of the most innocent creatures on earth, are having thoughts that they would even dare verbalize! I spoke with my mom this morning, and we both agreed that if I had written a note like that to a little boy when I was a kid, I'd be in pretty big trouble.

I'd like to go on record as saying, though I'm sure this will not come as a shock to any of you, that there are SO MANY days I really despise our culture. This is why Jesus commanded us..."Be in the world, but not of it."

Help me, Lord. Some days I wish we could just live in a bubble.

President WHO?

Last week, Cody brought home the weekly newsletter from his teacher. She likes to keep us updated on all the children's activities from week to week, which of course, I greatly appreciate. I hear once Kindergarten is over they end all of that, so the communication is something I always devour when it comes home in his backpack.

The newsletter suggested that we spend some time talking about the upcoming presidential elections with our children. We haven't done much of that around here, and I'll tell you why. I can't stomach it. Anyways. That's a post for a different day.

She also said that most of the children were clueless as to who our current president is. I thought to myself, in my oh-so-humble way, "Cody totally knows who our president is."

But, just to be sure, I asked him when he got home from school that day.

I asked, "Cody, who is our president?"

He thought for a second and replied, "George Washington."

Okay, so maybe I should be talking more about politics.

Could someone please pass me the pepto bismol?

May I Have This Dance for the Rest of My Life?

Thanks, eveyone, for your well wishes. I'm happy to report I'm feeling much better. The sun was shining yesterday, and we got out of the house after days of being cooped up. I think Caden appreciated it more than anyone. I hardly ever take him out because the weather is so awful most of the time! We stocked up on groceries and visited PetSmart with our dog, Ozzie. He doesn't play well with others, so we wanted to try to give him some practice in the socialization department. He especially enjoyed watching the other dogs playing together at Doggie Day Camp (a recent addition to our area store). Neveryoumind that he tossed his cookies right then and there in front of all the other dogs (how embarassing) and lifted his leg on the cat litter. And then there was the clean up in aisle 4 which required one of those little "oops" bags. I think the excitement was just a wee bit much for our furry little friend.

And then, last night, I escorted Cody to his first mother-son dance. Now, I need to back up and tell you that for the last month, I've been asking him if he wanted to go. He kept saying no. Of course, as his potential date, I was heartbroken to think that he didn't want to go with me, but I tried not to push the issue. At 6:15, THE NIGHT OF THE DANCE, we were still going back and forth about it. I had heard from the other moms that it's a blast, and that we just had to go, and so I tried to convince him it would be fun.

I mean, really. What six-year old wouldn't want to do the Macarena with his mother?

I finally guilted him...oops, I mean convinced him...to go, and together we walked out the door. Unfortunately, the camera battery charger has gone lost, and we have no pictures. Well, we have the polaroid they gave us as our parting gift.

And memories of winning 2nd place in the twisting contest.

Good heavens, my mother (the dance teacher) would be so ashamed. We totally deserved the grand prize.

In all seriousness, we truly did have a blast, and we danced for two solid hours. Okay, I take that back. I did most of the dancing while Cody played air guitar and did knee slides and "the worm" with his buddies. There were a few of us moms who stayed out there the whole time. I'm always game for the electric slide! I'm happy to report that Cody has thanked me all day for taking him to his first dance.

It is truly I who should be thanking him, for when I held that little guy in my arms as we swayed to "I Hope You Dance," I secretly wished he'd stay that little forever and always think it's cool to dance with his mom.

And the Truth...It Shall Set You Free

Tonight we were winding down before bed. We were reviewing our Awana verses and one that was introduced this week is Proverbs 12:22: The Lord detests lying lips, but He delights in men who are truthful. I paused to explain what the verse meant, but he needed no help. He knew right away what we were talking about and proceeded to use an example straight out of his day to let me know he got it.

He told me that he and a friend of his were playing together at the end of the day. When their teacher told them it was time to clean up, his buddy started to push the pieces of the game under some papers. He told Cody that their teacher would never know about it if they hid them there. Cody responded, "But God sees! God would know that we tried to hide our mess, and that's what matters the most!"

I was so proud that, in the midst of what had to be a bit of an internal struggle, Cody chose the right way. And in the process, he testified to another child about what God cares about! I gave him a high five after that and told him I was real proud of him for taking a stand and doing what was right, not just in mommy and daddy's eyes, but in God's. And I told him about that verse in 1 Timothy 4:12 that says, "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity."

Furthermore, I was reminded (again) that we MUST keep talking to our kids. We must keep the lines of communication open, as well as God's Word, so that these conversations can even take place. One of the hardest things about having a six year-old in school all day is that I don't see what's going on. As hard as I try to be involved in what goes on there, I simply cannot control what's going on, who he's talking to, what he's saying, or how he's being influenced.

What I can do is pray. And pray some more. And look for opportunities to keep the lines of communication open so that we can discuss these moments and the ones that may not end as "pretty" as today's did. And pray some more.

And have hope that the next time, he'll do the next right thing. (Thanks, Papa Dean, for teaching me the importance of that!!! I love you.)

Ironically, I'm currently reading a book called, "For Parents Only" by Shaunti Feldhahn and Lisa A. Rice. It's actually written for parents who are dealing with tween/teenagers, but oh my lands, I have found it to be pertinent NOW before we head into those tumultuous years. Check it out. You'll be glad you did.

You'll Have to Forgive Me...This is a First.

So, being that this is Cody's first year in kindergarten, I have tried to be very calm, rational, and level-headed when it comes to his education. I am, after all, an educator by trade, and I really don't want to put a label on my forehead that screams "I'M A TEACHER," because that would just not be good. His sweet teacher has things U.C. (that would be under control), and I know she's very competent handling my son's education. Therefore, I have kept a VERY low profile at his school, volunteering whenever my help is needed, and trying to be as unobtrusive as possible. I scour his papers when they come home, I pay close attention to the report cards and listen intently at conferences, and I have never had a reason to worry about anything.

Fast forward to this afternoon. The phone rings and I see on caller ID that it's the school. Cody is already home at this point, so I see no need to panic. Upon answering, I discover it's his teacher calling. She begins asking me if I've ever heard of a program that is designed to help kids with their fine motor skills. Yes, I had heard of it, but it didn't hit me until a few minutes into the conversation that she was recommending my son for it. I started to feel a bit panicked. My fears are worsening when she tells me only a few kids are going to be a part of this program. He's one of the four.

When I asked her why, she said that he needs some extra help on his fine motor skills...specifically cutting, coloring, and writing. On his report card, this is something he is "progressing" toward, but not "mastering." This is how they grade in kindergarten. It's all about mastery.

Long story short, I've decided to go ahead and place him in this program. It's one day a week for thirty minutes. It's supposed to help him and we're going to try it for nine weeks to see how it goes.

But there's a part of me...the teacher and mother part...that worries that something might be wrong. In every other area, he's doing "fantastic" and "fabulous" (these are his teacher's words). I know for sure that he's not the only one struggling in this area, but I know you moms out there understand what I'm feeling. I honestly think he just would rather be doing other things that don't require him to sit still for too long and focus on a task like this. I don't think he's incapable, by any stretch. Perhaps it's just a boy thing?

I know some of you are teachers out there, many of you moms of boys. I'd love your input.

Allow Me to Introduce You...

This is J. Bear. J. Bear is the class mascot and a couple of weekends ago, he got to spend the weekend with us. We chronicled his entire stay in his journal, including a personal one-on-one adjustment with our chiropractor, a visit to a fall festival, his entrance into the world of Nebraska football, and his run-in with our dog, Ozzie. J. Bear seemed to have a good time, but it seems he's on a long vacation while the children rid themselves of all their diseases and head lice. Yes. I said head lice. EEEEK! Thankfully, we have not fallen victim to this malady.

In addition to having his first official sleepover (he and J. Bear had a grand old time), Cody has begun to help train me in the ways of kindergarten. The other day, we were out doing some errand running, and Caden was being quite...ahem....challenging. After many stern, "NOs" and a few drop-limp-to-the-ground-and-scream-while-everyone-stares-at-you moments, I was almost to my breaking point. After our final errand, we got into the van. While I was trying to hand Caden one of his battery operated trains to hold onto while I strapped him into his carseat, he hauled off and threw the thing at me. This resulted in my loudly saying NO and smacking his little hand. It was effective. Not only was Caden crying, Cody was too.

As I got into the front and buckled myself in, I heard a little weepy voice from the backseat say, "Mom. (sniff sniff) Hands are for helping, NOT hurting!" Yes, he was right. This is one of the "I-Care" rules that they have in their school. I had to stop and calmly explain my reasoning for having to discipline his brother and still get the point across that hands are indeed for helping and not hurting. I'm sure to him, it seemed like a total contradiction!

Then, this morning, I was cutting out some things for his teacher (I have volunteered to do some work at home since it's hard for me to be a helper in the classroom with Caden). I was using one of those fiskar cutters and the blade tore one of the letters. Cody overheard me when I said, "Oh man, I ripped it!" and he rushed over to pat me on the shoulder and say, "That's okay, mom. You're still learning."

Yeah. I'd say Kindergarten has been really great for my kid.

It's Been a Very Big Week For Me

And for Cody too. But mostly for me. It takes so much energy wondering what he's up to all day!

Today he came home and said "B" had another tough time at lunch (and yes, only half his napkin was present and accounted for again). I saw his mom tonight at the Open House and she said he's having a tough time but seemed better after school today. Another answer to prayer...we've been praying for him! Now, we will pray that his mom joins our Moms in Touch group!

Warning: This next paragraph is very earthly and reveals my love of shopping and being one of the "ladies who lunch". Proceed with caution.

I spent my day with Caden and a friend (who has twin boys who just started kindergarten too)walking the outdoor mall and having lunch. It was a welcome distraction and we both enjoyed the time out. I spent too much money at the Children's Place and Gymboree even though everything I bought was on clearance AND I had a coupon! The shopping was, dare I say, therapeutic. C'mon girls. You KNOW what I'm talking about!

Answers to Prayer

Well, despite the fact that it has been an incredibly emotional day, I am happy to report that the Lord has already proven Himself faithful and answered a couple of my prayers.

We walked to the bus stop just before 8 a.m. this morning, and Cody was so excited to ride the bus with his friends for the first time. He met a little girl there who lives in our neighborhood but we have (sadly) never met. She had Cody's teacher last year. He walked up to her and boldly stuck out his little hand and said, "Hello. I'm Cody. What's your name?" After they exchanged introductions, he said, "It's so nice to meet you!" and he then walked over to the grass, picked her a flower (weed) and handed it to her. If that wasn't enough to push me over the edge, he then picked another flower, walked over to me, and handed it to me with a hug. And then did it to everyone that was standing at that bus stop. My heart overfloweth. And so did my eyes.

With all that was in me, I held onto the tears until that bus was out of view (after he excitedly turned, waved, said "bye-bye mommy and I love you"), and I turned to my husband and sobbed. And I didn't care who saw me.

I need to interject here that as a family, in our devotion time, we have been studying Colossians 3, specifically verses 12-14 about clothing ourselves with compassion and kindness and putting on love. We've been praying that we, as a family, would demonstrate the love of Christ, and while there are days we fail miserably, it is still our constant prayer.

So when Cody got off that bus (I arrived fifteen minutes early even though it's a block from my house...I was just a wee bit excited to see my guy!), I got down on my knee with arms outstretched and grabbed that little boy and gave him a HUGE hug. He had so much to tell me on the walk home, and when I watched him devour his lunch, yes, lunch that he hadn't eaten today (I think he was too busy socializing, from what I can gather), he began to tell me more about his day. He has this buddy, we'll call him "B", and B was on Cody's t-ball team this summer. Apparently B had a really rough day today. The conversation went as follows:

"B cried a lot today."

"How come?"

"He said that he missed his mommy lots."

"Awww, when did he cry?"

"Well, in the morning, at recess, and at lunch."

"So he missed his mom, huh?"

"Yeah. And I did too, but I didn't need to cry."

"Well, that's good."

"Yeah, and at lunch he cried a lot."

"Poor guy."

"Yeah. So, I took my napkin you sent with me today and I tore it in half. I helped him wipe away his tears."

Yes. Thank you Jesus, that you gave my little boy an opportunity to put Colossians 3 to work. And thank you that you used a kindergartener to teach me a little something about compassion today.

"Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble." ~1 Peter 3:8

This Will Be A Very Wordy Wednesday Post

Well, I must share about today, Tuesday, Cody's first "unofficial" day of Kindergarten. I say unofficial because tomorrow is the real deal. I will walk my first-born to the bus-stop, watch him board it, see him find his seat next to his neighborhood friends and wave good-bye. Both of his friends who will ride with him are 3rd grade girls, and they're already fighting over who will sit next to him on the way there and who will sit with him on the way back. Please tell me this boy-girl stuff isn't starting yet, because seriously people. I can only handle one milestone at a time!

Anyway, back to today.

Jerry and I were both able to go to school with him, where we were greeted by his teacher at the door, and handed extensive instructions on what to do upon entering. We got to take a tour of his classroom, color a fish, help him sign his name (about five times), meet the classroom animals, Sheldon the hermit crab and a rabbit whose name escapes me...

We had fun, and Cody didn't want to leave. I mean, if you could dress like this in your classroom, would you want to go? I didn't think so.

I have to share one thing. Okay two. Maybe three. It's been a big day for me. The first is that we met the superintendent today, and I suspect she's a Believer. She walked in, welcomed us, and first addressed the returning parents. She then began speaking to us new parents, the ones who were sending our children to school for the first time. She basically addressed everything that was and has been on my heart...the fact that our children are the most precious things to us and that she realized that they, as a school and staff, would need to earn our trust as we release our children into their care. I so appreciated her words (I can't remember them all as I was a bit overwhelmed today) and I immediately felt some relief and peace come over me. If this superintendent is any kind of a reflection of the rest of the staff, I think we are good to go!

There was one mom there who I know is a Christian (something I'd been praying for) and I am going to see if she might be interested in starting a Moms In Touch group with me. I am willing to lead one, as there is not one currently in our school district. I think, after talking with a few people today, we may have four moms interested already! Praise the Lord! I am praying God will use me and our family in this community and that we would be a blessing to others. Please join me in praying for this, as the Lord leads. It is our constant prayer that we would have an eternal impact right here, where God has placed us.

Finally, just a little while ago, I sat down to do something I felt led to do all evening. I wrote Cody a letter. Who knows when he'll read it. High school graduation? Only God knows. But I wanted to commemorate this occasion with a letter for him on this day, his first day of kindergarten. I will place it in the big plastic bin I've started of all his artwork and childhood memorabilia thus far, and pray for God to allow him to read it when the time is right. I thought I'd share just the last part of it, for it reveals what I am feeling tonight.

"You are amazing, Cody. I am so unbelievably proud of you....for the boy you are at five years old and the man that you will be someday. There is no doubt in my mind that you are going to do wonderful things for God's kingdom, and I can't WAIT to see what lies ahead for you. Happy First Day of Kindergarten my son. Be blessed. Be a blessing.

I love you. Love, Mom"

The Time is Close at Hand

I know this is a biblical phrase, of sorts, but it seemed fitting for my post and what I wanted to say today. (And a warning, if you're already skiddish about your kids being in school or you're approaching that first day, you may not want to read this. I'm downright emotional today!)

In just two days, my first-born will be starting full-day kindergarten. Many of you know that I have wrestled with this decision for about a year, and we came to the conclusion, as a family, that we would be sending him to public school. It has been an incredibly difficult decision, but one I still think is the right one for now.

I am prefacing what I'm about to say with these statements (thus freeing myself to emote and journal my thoughts hereafter): I know we made the right decision. I know he'll be great. I know this is going to be really good for him. And I realize I may sound irrational when I say the following things.

But.

I am worried. Worried that he won't do well. Worried that he won't fit in. Worried that he won't be treated with love and compassion. Worried that his love for God will be hindered. Worried that nobody will respond to him when he needs something. And worried that he'll be negatively influenced by the kids in his class that don't share our values.

To only name a few.

And as I sit here in my home while he and daddy are at church (we have a feverish toddler today), I remember that God commands us NOT to worry. I could list at least ten verses that come to mind.

My favorite is this: "You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You." --Isaiah 26:3

When Cody was a baby (and even through toddlerhood), I used to always rock him and sing him a song from my all-time favorite Twila Paris lullabye CD that repeated the above verse. It brought me such comfort as his mama, and those quiet moments while he had his little head on my chest are some of the most precious memories and ones I will cherish for as long as God allows me to live on this earth.

Today my sweet Lord reminded me that I must focus on a God who has my little boy in the palm of His hand, who will never leave or forsake him, and who will watch over and keep him in perfect peace. All of His promises are STILL true, regardless of our schooling choice. The year ahead will reveal whether or not we made the right decision.

The pastor of our previous church put it this way: "When your children are born, they are literally tied to you with a cord. That initial cord is cut, but as newborns, toddlers, and pre-schoolers, a new cord is tied between the two of you. That cord has very little slack at first, and you keep those little ones very close to you. As they get a little older, you begin to loosen the slack a bit and give them a little more space between the two of you. You give them opportunitites to learn about the world. You continue to teach them and raise them with Godly values, but you give them some space to make their own decisions. Your hope and prayer should be that as you continue loosening that slack, and that cord gets a little longer between you, your children will have learned how to remain in the world but not be OF it."

I think that picture of the cord between Cody and I lengthening is what makes this so hard. He's my first-born. I love him with a love I couldn't have imagined before I became a parent. We've had an awesome five years together and the thought of him being gone all day, five days a week, is so hard to imagine. People keep telling me it's going to be okay, that he's going to be wonderful and that he'll love school. They also remind me that this will free up precious time with Caden, to lay a good foundation for him, just like I was able to do for Cody. And they tell me that this is only kindergarten, and we can change our mind at anytime. I am sure they are right. But today, from this emotional heart, it's hard to choose trust over worry, joy over sadness, and confidence over apprehension. But I know that with God's help, I can.

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

~Philippians 4:6-7

Where has the time gone?

For those of you that read my blog, you know this is a recurring theme. I really don't know where the time has gone. For starters, my little baby boy turns a year old one week from today. The first six months I was in survival mode and these last six I've been in awe of how much he has changed, grown, and developed. He's SO cute, I simply can't stand it.

This week, I took my five year-old to pre-register for Kindergarten. Those of you that know me well were aware of the fact that I have spent this entire school year in prayer and in hot pursuit of knowledge regarding his education. I read everything I could get my hands on about homeschooling, spoke to many people and attended meetings, researched private Christian schools in the area, and sought out friends who have their kids in the public schools.

The Lord was faithful as we walked through these decisions together, and we earnestly sought His wisdom and prayed for an answer. The answer came in an unexpected way, but it became clear nonetheless, that we were to give Cody the opportunity to grow in the public school. We live in an award-winning district, and we have heard nothing but great things about our schools. After meeting the teachers, touring the building, and allowing Cody some time to explore, I felt a sense of peace about the decision.

I could go on and on about how we came to this, but the main reason for my post today is to share the realization that time truly is of the essence. I would not trade the last five years for the world. As hard as it is to think of my little boy going to school next year, I know that the Lord goes with him and that He will continue to grow and thrive as he has done in preschool these past two years. I pray that the foundational values that we have worked hard to instill in him will reap dividends as he continues to become the boy and man God has called him to be.

But the question still remains...where has the time gone??

He's really....dramatic!

"He's really....dramatic," said Cody's teacher. "Yes, I know," I replied. "I can't imagine where he gets it!" She went on to explain that Cody could not wait to put on his "costume" for the pre-school Thanksgiving program this afternoon. He did a great job. Last year, he sort of looked on from the side...doing a little, but NOT if I was watching. This year, he was having a ball...making SURE I was watching. At the end of the program, his teacher let him try on the Indian head dress she wore. Of course, he was thrilled.

One other thing I have to share. There is this little boy in Cody's class. He doesn't have any siblings yet, and he absolutely LOVES Caden. Today he came up to me and said, "Um...Mrs. Cody's mom....I was thinking...well, wondering...if...well...next time you come here...do you think you could bring me a map so I can come to your house to see your baby?"

I think I'll be calling his mom to schedule a play date soon. Too cute!