Good Ideas

I've had a couple of really good ideas this summer, especially where my kids are concerned.  I'm kind of proud of them, because they've turned out better than I anticipated they would.  The first good idea that I had was to teach all 3 of my kids how to do laundry.  We are a family of 5, with 5 pets, and we go swimming a couple (if not more) times a week.  Tons of laundry.  Loads and loads of laundry.  So, I finally taught the kids how to do laundry.  My 11 year old son knows that it's not fun.  But he's been threatened with his life if he even so much as grunts when it's his turn to do laundry, because my 9 year old daughter and 5 year old son both think it is SO fun and cool that they get to use the washing machine.  They willingly do their own laundry now.  Great, great idea!  Why didn't I think of this sooner?

And the other good idea that I had was to have a garage sale.  But not just any old garage sale.  I told the kids that whatever they sold from their own rooms would be their money to use this summer for extra things like treats (like when we go to the water park) or books, or extra things from the gift shop like when we go to places like the Science Place or Six Flags.  Again, WHY didn't I think of this sooner?  The kids cleaned out their own rooms and decided on their own what they wanted to sell.  Isaac sold a few of his more "baby-ish" toys (that's his word for his Elmo and Olivia toys).  Avery sold some of her clothes and her kitchen playset, and some of her stuffed animals.  Samuel sold some of his stuffed animals and clothes.  I also sold a few other things.  The kids made close to $200!  Awesome, right?!?!

Next week, Avery wants me to teach her how to bake a pie.  I am hoping that this good idea won't somehow fall into the "Good Ideas Gone Bad" category. 

Moooooo

Have you ever heard of human herd mentality?  It's quite an interesting thing, really.  Essentially, it refers to the way a large group of people, when all together in a group, tend to act in the same way at the same time.  It also descibes how people are largely influenced by their peers (peer pressure).

Hector and I took the kids to see the movie Brave.  We got into our seats, and I remember thinking it was a tad bit strange that the movie was starting 15 minutes early.  As the first preview came onto the screen, Isaac told me that he needed to go to the bathroom.  I started to get up to take him, when I realized that the movie preview they were showing was for a Rated R movie.  And not just any Rated R, a movie about the serial murders of children.  Violent, horrible images started to flash up on the screen.  I grabbed Isaac and hurried him out of the theater.  By the time Isaac was done taking care of his business, everything that has just occurred had fully sunk in.  Instead of heading back to the theater, Isaac and I took a little stroll to the Guest Relations desk.  By the time I got there, 4 other parents had already beaten me there.  It would seem that the night before, when the movies were being programmed into their system, the wrong movie was programmed into the theater that we were in.  We were going to get to see a Rated R movie instead of Brave.  The theater's manager informed us that there was no way to turn off the movie, or to stop it from running.  He was handing out vouchers for us to come back at a later time to see the movie Brave.  I grabbed my vouchers and rushed back into the theater to get Hector, Samuel and Avery.  Four more inappropriate movie previews had been shown to a theater full of parents and their young children in the time that I was gone...

Now then, anyone who really knows me knows how much I love speaking in front of a large group of people (NOT!).  I stepped into the dark theater, with my 5 year old on my hip, and proceeded to tell the PACKED theater that they were about to see a Rated R movie.  As people started yelling at me, "What?", my voice started to shake and crack.

"They've programmed in the wrong movie.  You're not about to see Brave.  You're about to see Abraham Lincoln.  They can't stop it from running."

Even after I had told the entire theater what was happening, it shocked me just how many people, with their YOUNG children stayed right where they were, seated in the theater.  They were convinced that I didn't know what I was talking about.  That theater was supposed to show Brave.  So they were staying put.  And so I spoke up again...

"I've spoken to the theater's manager.  Your children are about to see Abraham Lincoln.  They are offering vouchers for a later movie."  Slowly, parents and grandparents started to get up. Still, some people remained in their seats.

I've never been witness to anything quite like it.  Some adults were handling it quite well.  Others were not.  But after it was all said and done, I marvled at how SO MANY adults sat in that theater and did nothing.  Maybe some of the parents who stayed in the theater questionned the previews.  Maybe some justified it by telling themselves that if other parents thought the Rated R movie previews were okay, well maybe it really was okay to continue sitting there.  I don't know.  But I found it amazing that even after I told them what was about to happen, that many of them still sat there and did nothing, not heeding my warning.

I guess in the end, I was kind of proud of myself.  Maybe I'm not such a follower after all.

We actually did wind up getting to see the movie Brave.  They were able to start it in an empty theater just a few minutes later. It's a wonderful movie - probably the best movie I've seen in a really long time.  At the end of the movie, the main character (named Merida) says something so profound that it really stuck with me, especially after everything we'd gone through with our initial movie-going experience.

"Your fate is inside you, if only you are brave enough to see it."

I love it!  When was the last time that you were brave?

The Bucket List

Summer is in full swing around here.  There are several things on my summer bucket list.  And I'm proud to say that I've already accomplished a lot of them.  Here are just a few of the things I've already checked off the list.

1. Get the kids into swimming lessons BEFORE summer begins, so that we'll be ready for summer... DONE!

2. FINALLY get the kids (cave under the years of pressure) one of those big, blue pools that they've always wanted...  DONE!

3. Paint the back patio, before the summer REALLY gets going, and the heat is unbearable...  DONE!

4. Take down the old, boring curtains in Isaac's room that didn't match his room decor or his personality, and make new, fun curtains that are more his style... DONE!

5. Actually make several of the things I've pinned to my boards on Pinterest...  DONE! 

This is just one easy thing that I pinned, and let the kids make... Fruity Ice Cubes

6. *Teach all 3 of my children how to do laundry, from beginning (sorting) to end (folding)...  DONE!!!

7. Actually use the coupons that the kids get each summer from school for a free game of bowling...  DONE!

8. Purchase needed items for the new school year during the months of June and July, and do not wait until August 15 like I've done in previous years to run around like a crazy person, purchasing everything all at once... DONE!

I hope everyone is having a productive, and fun summer so far!

*There is no picture of my kids actually doing the laundry because 1. I didn't think anyone would want to see my dirty laundry, and 2. Avery told me that no one would want to see a boring picture of them standing in the laundry room...  Good point, Avery!

You are not alone.

Last night, our family attended Isaac's Pre-K graduation.  You would think, having been through two prior Pre-K graduations, that I would have been better prepared emotionally by now.  But as I sat there, waiting with all the other parents for our children to file into the sanctuary of the church where they attend school, the tears started to fill my eyes.  It wasn't so much that I was sad about Isaac graduating from Pre-K, as much as I long for my baby to not grow up so fast, and not go off to Kindergarten.  So, I tried my best to think about other things.  And it kept my mind occupied for awhile, until I saw Isaac and all his classmates start to walk in.  I can't believe my baby is such a big boy!

As the class got up on the stage to sing their songs, one little girl from Isaac's class started crying.  Her mom went up to the stage to get her.  She was too scared to sing in front of so many people.

Isaac and his classmates sang several heartwarming songs.  Isaac had a lot of fun, and I felt so thankful that he was able to have such a positive preschool experience.  His two teachers are true blessings from God.  They will be dearly missed.

After the performance as we were leaving the sanctuary, Samuel asked me why the little girl from Isaac's class had to leave the stage.  I explained to Samuel that this sweet little girl gets very nervous around people... she doesn't like being in front of a lot of people... it makes her anxious and sad and scared.  I honestly didn't think Samuel was still listening to me by the time I stopped talking.  And then, from seemingly out of nowhere, Samuel said, "So, you mean she's just like me?  I'm not alone?  I'm not the only kid like that?  Wow, that's kinda cool!"

For every single time that I have tried to tell Samuel that he is not the only child who struggles socially, and for every single time I have tried to help Samuel realize that he is not alone, and for everything I've tried to do on my own to help him...  Bam!  Just like that...  God stepped in and said, "Patty, sit back and stop worrying so much.  You are not alone.  And neither are your children.  I've got it all under control."

"I have told you these things so that in me you may find peace.  In this world you will have troubles.  But take heart!  For you are not alone, and I have already overcome the world."  John 16:33

My Heart

Earlier this morning, as the clouds rolled in and the rain began to come down, Isaac came up to me and asked if we could read a book together.  He ran and grabbed one from his room, and we sat down on the sofa together to read it.  After we read the book, he climbed up into my lap, and put his head down on my chest.  We sat there for a minute, with me rubbing his back, listening to the rain outside. He finally picked up his head and said, "I'm so glad that we were home today so that I could listen to your heart. That's how I know you love me."

Over the past few months, I've made a lot of difficult decisions regarding my daily life and how exactly I wanted to spend my time.  Several different things came into my life... things I couldn't avoid... things that I had to do...  things that demanded my time and attention.  I found myself running around like a chicken with my head cut off, always feeling frazzled, always feeling overwhelmed.  Because for everything that I had to do, there were just as many other things in my daily life that were consuming way too much of my time that I simply knew in my heart that I did not need to do... things I needed to let go of.  And so, I took a long, hard look at my daily life.  And I let go...

Over the past 11 years, I've let many great opportunities with my children slip by because I was too busy doing other things.  Some of those things couldn't have been avoided.  But many more of them could have been.  I can't go back.  I can't change those things.  Nor would I want to.  They've molded me and made me the mom that I am today.

In just a few short months, my "baby" will go off to Kindergarten, and a new phase of my life as a Mommy will begin.  I will probably have more "free time" than I will know what to do with.  I'm sure that I will have plenty of time for me to be ALL BY MYSELF to do whatever I want.  No children at home asking me for anything throughout the day.

I'm so glad that I slowed down now.  I'm so glad that I was at home today for Isaac to listen to my heart.  I'm so glad that he knows how much I love him.  Listen, sweet boy.  Listen to my heart.  And know just how deeply you are loved.