Who is this kid?

Seriously - what Kindergartener asks to wear a tie to school?  He insisted last night this was what he would wear today.  And he remembered and insisted this morning.

Week Three of School

Well, none of them is thrilled about school so far.  I think they feed off each other with the negativity, Jacob or Layne starts it, the other picks it up, then Joshua, and then back to the instigator.  I think the homework in 5th grade has been ramped up from 4th, and that little bit of added work might be a contributing factor.  We'll see as time goes on, but hey, they look happy on their way to school.

I was paid to play golf today.  Work was a part sponsor for a golf tournament, and they needed warm bodies on the course, and the grumblings at work were, "Take Matt he likes to play...".  Hell, I wasn't gonna say to no to a paid day of golf.  I played awful except for two really good shots, my skin has a nice pink hue, but I'm not lobster red, and my forearms and hands hurt as does my back.... and I'd do it again tomorrow if they needed me to.

While I was finishing up my one day as a professional golfer (the whole paid day while playing golf... it counts.),  Jennifer and the kids had Mexican for dinner.  Somewhere during the course of the day Josh ended up with some "Hillbilly Teeth".  You'd think that boy won the lottery, from the time they walked in the door until he went to bed, Josh had on those teeth, he just cracked himself up.  Jennifer referred to them as "Mater Teeth".

The Help and a Double Date

I read The Help what seems like a long time ago now.  I knew at the time that I wanted to see it made into a movie.  Today I got to see the movie!  I was able to arrange with Ms. Shareen (a teacher that Layne and Jacob had at Primrose) to babysit.  She came over to my parents about 2:45 p.m. and we left to see the movie.  Mom, Dad, Matthew and I all got to go together.  

I cried in the movie.  The book was moving - but it really got to me seeing it on the big screen.  Miss Hilly Holbrook is evil, just pure evil.

We even went and had pizza again after the movie so we could talk about the movie.  We all loved.

The kids had a great time with Ms. Shareen, of course.  They were playing Wii when we got back and they were all very gleeful in telling us that "Joshua is better than Ms. Shareen".

We made it to church this morning.  Not sure how Joshua ended up in the service and not in Sunday School.  I got there a little trying to make sure I had everything for my meeting following the service.  The first thing that Joshua asked me was if I had brought a snack.  (I had not)  Imagine his surprise when he heard that we were going to get bread (it was Communion Sunday).  He was getting so anxious to "go get bread".  I must have heard 3 times "Mommy I want to get bread" before I had to tell him that "this bread is not a snack - this is Communion and part of the service".  He was bummed.  He got his "bread and juice" though.

Had another scare this week with running water in the upstairs bathroom.  I was upstairs getting laundry done and heard running water.  When I went in to the bathroom someone had put the stopper in the sink and had left the water running.  It was just about to overflow when I got in the bathroom.  I turned off the water and used my really good Mommy voice to ask which child had been last in the bathroom.  I heard a quick reply from both Jacob and Layne "Not me" but didn't hear from Joshua.  I looked down in to the living room and Joshua was fidgeting.  I asked Joshua if he had left the water running.  I got the typical Joshua grin and a "No, it wasn't me" response.  I told him to come upstairs immediately and clean up the bathroom and drain the sink.  While he was stomping up the stairs I hear him ask "How did you know it was me?  I tried not to smile".  Oh, good grief.

Had wonderful news on Friday from my favorite nurse at Norton Hospital that assured me that Susan is still with us.  The Susan we know and love.  What a blessing and answer to prayer that conversation was to me.  She is never far from our thoughts and always in our prayers.

Will have to update on the 10th Birthday of Jacob and Layne another day.

One trip back from Knoxville with everyone (I think after Aunt Dee's 80th birthday party) - Grandma, Papa Jack, Layne, Jacob and Joshua - we stopped at MacKay's Book Store in Chattanooga.  Right before the bookstore there was this sign almost covered with Kudzu that referenced a Confederate Cemetery.  We drove back and there was a cemetery with mostly unmarked graves of 155 soldiers from General Braggs' Army in 1862.  It was an interesting find.  I had to take a picture - so here you go:

Our first hurdle with school

Joshua woke up good this morning.  It took a while - but he was still good and I could get a smile and a giggle after some raspberries.  When I mentioned that he needed to get dressed because we needed to go soon, he asked "where are we going?".  I got a little nervous, and then said with lots of cheerfulness "you are going to school today".  He immediately started crying and my heart broke a little bit.  He didn't want to go to school, he "just wanted to go to church".  (This is the first night for Wednesday night dinner at church).   Oh - it was so sad.  My compromise was to take the 3 kids to carpool.  He did okay getting to carpool.  He still wasn't real excited about going to school - but we all stayed positive.

I walked up to the door with him and Layne and Jacob.  He soooo wanted me to go in to the school with him.  I had to tell him that the school doesn't let parents go down to the classrooms in the morning because there is so much for the teachers and students to do at that time.   He got that quivery little chin and my heart broke a little more.

I ended up sending a note to his teacher.  Telling her that he seemed to be okay going to school on Monday and Tuesday and then came home Tuesday after school very sad.  This morning he cried and didn't want to go to school at all.  I asked her if possibly something had happened or if she had any concerns.

Well - it sounds like that Joshua was getting "too friendly" with one of the kids sitting across from him.  This is Malachi from his Pre-K class last year at school.  Grandma and I are fairly convinced - even before this year - that Malachi is a bit of a troublemaker.  So it is pretty good that he was moved.  Just wish she had moved Malachi and not Joshua.

I think he had a better day today.  He seemed to have a better day.  He didn't cry going to bed when we mentioned he needed to get a good night's sleep before school.  Keeping my fingers crossed for the morning.

The kids are kind of sad that we are going to Louisville again.  They are worried and missing their Grandmom and Grandfather right now.  They will have fun while we are gone, though.  They are going to spend Friday night with Wendy / Zachary / Lauren and they are very excited.  They get to see Zack play in a scrimmage football game on Saturday.

Layne is very concerned about her Grandmom and she would love to give her Grandfather some hugs.  Layne and Jacob said prayers tonight at church in their Clues Crew class for healing for Grandmom.

No pictures from today.  Will have to do better tomorrow. 

1st Pack Meeting

Jacob and Matthew had their first boy scout Pack Meeting tonight at church.  Now the school year is definitely in full swing.  Matthew says that Jacob did awesome.  This was probably the first time he did not complain about going, that he put on his uniform without complaint - and he had a good time.  Sounds like they had a water balloon fight.

Here is Jacob in his uniform:

 

Check out those size 7 1/2 men's wide tennis shoes.

Layne and Joshua chose to wear their tie-dye t-shirts to school on the 2nd day.  We were a little slower to get up today.  We are all still awake at 9:15 p.m. I bet we will be a little slow tomorrow morning, too. 

Here are the pictures Matthew took this morning:

Many more prayers being said for Grandmom tonight.  I continue to pray for her doctors and nurses who are helping her get well.  I have lots of prayers for Grandfather to stay healthy as he continues to advocate for Susan since she is not able to speak for herself right now.   We love you both very much!

First Day of School

They did great!  Just a few minutes to post a couple pictures.   We got up about 6:20 a.m. and we left the house about 6:55 a.m. so we could be at the bus stop by 7:04 a.m.

It was sad to see my baby get on the big bus!

Layne and Jacob were very excited (no matter what Jacob says!).

All 3 at the bus stop:

Layne and Jacob making sure their younger brother doesn't embarrass them with a yogurt mustache:

 Joshua had some first day excitement:

And Joshua had to show off his Cars 2 backpack:

  The anticipation of the arrival of the bus (we were the only kids this day at our bus stop):

There they go:

Layne and Jacob said that Joshua did well getting in to his classroom.  It sounds like he was "clingy" and didn't want them to leave, but he didn't cry.

They each got to where they needed to be after school - Layne and Jacob to Grandma and Papa Jack's and Joshua to Prime Time.

First day so far so good - now they are screaming upstairs and tattling - must go yell at them to go to bed.

Good News

Doug called to tell us that Susan has surgery on Monday at 3 pm.  I am hopeful and prayerful.  We all are keeping Susan, her family and friends, and the doctors and nurses who will care for Susan in our prayers.  We are in Pikeville, KY for Aunt Doe Doe's 80th birthday.  What a great time. Good to see everyone.  I never got to see Bailey before. Of course she is precious.  I will have to update later about our encounter with the Pikeville Police Department.

doctors and decisions

matthew and i got to louisville pretty early in the morning.  we got up about ten am. took showers and we headed to downtown louisville with doug and susan to meet with  the oncologocal surgeon, dr. mcmasters.  he was fairly abrupt and to the point and yet none of seemed to feel as though we understood our options.  i give him credit for at least realizing that we were not getting the information we needed to help.  he was able to get dr. donald miller from oncology to speak with us.  he was a very calming and personable presence.  i told matthew that i feel god does hear our prayers.  dr. miller was exactly who we needed at that time in that place.   i think he helped us all feel better and i think we were able to understand what needed to be considered.   it is not easy at all to hear someone say that this person you love so deeply has cancer.  i love my family so very much. i have kept this with me since we added susan to the prayer list at church     do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to god. and the peace of god, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in christ jesus.   phil. four  verse six and seven       okay i know this post is wierd without capitals, numbers, and paragraphs   but   with this smart phone every time i tried it would kick me out of blogger.