Ships and Friends Written 1-28-13

Number 3 has been studying the war of 1812 in school, and wanted to bring his replica of the Barque Eagle to school to show the class.  This desire to bring the ship is not new.  He has wanted to take it for one reason or another on about a monthly basis since school started, and I keep telling him no.  I say no because I am worried that the ship might not really be relivant to what they are studying, or that it might get broken, or that he will be disapointed by his classmates reception to it.  Anyway last friday I finnally gave in and emailed his teacher about the possibility of him bringing it in, and this morning snow flurries not withstanding we took it in.  I am so glad we did.
He dusted it all the way to school, and reluctanatly handed it over to me to carry into school.  As he walked proudly ahead holding the doors open I saw several childern stopping to get a glance at the ship. I stopped worrying about the kids in his class not liking it.  The wall across from his classroom door was covered in gallien cut out shapes with paragraphs written on them about the great sea battle in the war of 1812. So, I could stop worrying about it not being relevant to what they had studdied. I only had one worry left.
All weekend long I kept meaning to go over with him what to say about the ship, but life got in the way and I didn't.  When he recieved the ship we spent months talking about it and going on line to learn about it. We watched the videos of it sailing and watched the coast guard training on it, but that was almost a year ago and I wasn't sure how much he remembered.  He did just fine, maybe not as information riddled as my presentation would have been, but great for him.  As I watched him talking to the class and answering their questions he looked like he fit in, and I could tell he felt like it too.
At the end his teacher asked him where he got the ship.  He said he got it from a lady because he helped her clean her house.  Such a simple answer for such a marvolous gift.  Driving home I was so grateful for that gift. I know it was more than just for cleaning.  I know that she was inspired to give it to 3. We were there helping her clean her house after her husband died, and she really wouldn't let us do much. 3 was totally enammored by the ship and wouldn't stop looking at it. She told him he could take it.  I told her no that it was too valuable, but she insisted saying that she thought her husband would have wanted him to have it.
I hope someday that she can know how much her gift meant to 3 today.  He is having such a hard time finding friends since the move, and he is so lonely at school.  He doesn't seem to know what to do or how to make friends.  Today it was more than a ship, it was a bridge bringing him closer to his classmates, and it was one more reason I love my old friends.  The one who gave the gift and the one who inspired her to do so.

Fog and the Temple

I love where we live.  One of the best things about it is being able to see the temple from our house.  It is a beacon in the valley.  Not a day goes by that one of the kids doesn't point it out while we are driving.  Every time they do I remind them that as long as they can see the temple they can always find their way home.  This is not only meant as a temporal reminder, but a spiritual one too for my children.  
Yesterday, however was different.  A thick blanket of fog was nestled into the valley all morning long, and as I loaded the kids into the car and started the familiar drive towards our chapel (which is across the street from the temple,) I couldn't see the temple.  That comforting beacon that I am constantly reminding my children to set their course by was completely obscured by fog.  
I quickly realized that perhaps teaching my children to just look for the temple in order to find their way home might not be enough.  Sometimes you have to know where to find it.  Sometimes in life the fog of doubt, despair, and sin might make it hard for us to see the eternal goal of celestial life with our Father in Heaven.  It is at those times that we must press forward in faith even though we cannot see.  The fog made me realized I needed to teach my children that they needed to know the way to the temple.  Knowing to look for the temple is just the first step.  Knowing the way to the temple will help to ensure they can get there when the fog sets in, ultimately leading them home.
We finally were able to see the temple. About the time we got to the chapel we could just make out the dark shapes of the top windows.  I was grateful for the fog yesterday, and the opportunity it gave me to better teach my kids. 

Trip to the Dentist

Today was a trip to the dentist, and I was prepared. I emailed ahead to the kids teachers so they would be ready for me when I went to get them.  I ran my errands early so that we would be on time.  I even made sure everyone had time to clean their teeth. Then we all piled into the van and drove the 45 minutes to the dentist.  I marched the kids in, while they complained the whole way, only to find out that I had the wrong day.  Our appointment is really next Wednesday.  

So, what do you do when you've pulled all of your kids out of school early, drove almost an hour to the dentist only to find out you have no appointment? Go to the park of course.  We went to one of our favorite parks in the area.  I stayed in the car with the baby as it was cold and I hadn't planned for a park outing in the snow, but the kids still had fun.

It has been several years since we visited this park.  I think it is 4's first time here.  1 was sad because quite a bit of graffiti has been added to this park he told me, "It makes me sad because no little kid should see the stuff written on some of those places." He doesn't have an eagle project yet, maybe removing the graffiti would be a good one for him. I'm just glad they can have so much fun together and take such good care of each other without me being there to make them.

Blog stalking/stealing

OK, I have to admit, I blog stalk.  It started out innocently, a link on my sister-in-laws blog that caught my eye, and before I knew it I was hooked.  This blog is insightful, thought provoking, informative, and supper funny.  In short I am addicted to it.  An the author doesn't even know it.  I met her once and wanted to say, "I love your blog! I check it almost everyday. You are such an awesome talented writer, I  hope you never stop." But I didn't say anything.  I didn't want to freak her out, or admit what a weirdo I am, or admit that a total stranger felt like family.  This is all important because I am going to steal her idea of taking a weekly family photo. It is a great idea, and I figure since my kids are horrible picture takers the extra practice might make a formal family picture possible this year.  Anyway here it is.  I told the kids they could do whatever they wanted as long as they stayed in frame. I'll be there too as soon as I figure out how to use the timer function on my camera.

Failing?

1 and 5, finally quieted down.

I lost it tonight, and told the kids they had two choices; one do their homework, or two go to bed.  My ultimatum might have had something to with the five kids and three dogs all dancing/screaming around me in the kitchen at the same time while I was trying to clean up a dinner, that for the fifth night in a row 3 has refused to eat, and that 4 was loudly proclaiming to be an attempt at child abuse.  As I gazed about at the cluttered counter tops and floor you could eat off of, not because of it's cleanliness, but because of the multitude of options it provided, I just lost it.
First on the chopping block was 3. Rationally, the sooner I can get him to bed the sooner he can wake up and I can try to get him to eat again. Three days out of four I can get him to eat breakfast. Anyway, he had told me a half hour before that he was going to bed; why was he still running around screaming? I hauled him up to bed (the floor in my room again tonight,) and firmly told him that he was not to leave his bed unless he was planning on doing his homework or eating his dinner. With that I stomped back down stairs to wrestle the next child, either into bed or to the table to do homework.
 As I entered the kitchen I found 2 unsuccessfully attempting to sooth the crying baby, (she wasn't able to get her afternoon nap today and was beyond tiered.) I asked him, somewhat nicer than before what his choice was. He said bed and I turned back upstairs to find 4. That's when I heard it, the muffled sobbing from the lump of blankets at the foot of my bed. 3 was crying. I hate it when he cries. It is the most pathetic, heartrending thing in the world. It doesn't help things that at almost eight he still is just barely over 50 pounds and an inch shorter than his five-year-old sister, but I am his parent and must remain firm.
"What is wrong," I ask to no reply? "3, what is wrong? Why are you crying?"
Through the sobs comes this guilt inducing reply, "You just hurt my heart to much tonight. I can't help it."
Starting to melt I reply, "How?"
"When you yelled at me and wouldn't even say prayers with me."
That was when I knew I had failed. We said his prayers and he went happily to bed. I was much kinder sending the other kids to bed, and it took much longer.
I thought about all the other awesome things they had done today. 2 who has never really cared for younger children or babies rocking a crying baby sister so I could finish up dinner. He never complains about it, and always talks so soothingly to her. Then there is 1, who failed his baby care class in school last year. He took the crying baby 3 times tonight, (remember she didn't nap all afternoon.) He was kind, loving and gentle each time. When they are all shouting around me it can be quiet overwhelming and I feel like I am failing.
Failing to keep things clean. Failing to keep things organized. Failing to make sure the homework is done before dinner. Failing to get everyone to and from their activities on time, (I was one minuet late getting 3 from gymnastics today and ten late getting him there) but as I remembered how 1 and 2 had cared for their baby sister today I had to chuckle. 1's teacher had thought he was a failure when it came to caring for a baby last year, but he is always so kind and gentle to our baby. Maybe we count failure to soon in life, or maybe we judge it without knowing where the heart lies.

5 decided that grabbing her toys with her hands was just and unnecessary extra step.

P.S. I vacuumed the kitchen and dinning room, so we'll have to look elsewhere for breakfast tomorrow.

Best Friends

The little ones wanted to sleep on the floor of my room tonight. As I was tucking them in 4 said to 3, "It's just like we're best friends." 

He replied to her, "We can't be best friends, we're brother and sister."

I explained that they should be best friends, because they will know each other longer than they will know anyone else, and be together forever.  

Then he said, "Oh, yeah we'll be together forever."

To which she added, "Yeah even after we die we'll still know each other." And I hope they always are best friends.

Laundry Day

I finally had time to work on the laundry today. Every time Tom comes home I ask him to help with the wash, and he does, by washing everything he can find and throwing it on the couch. So, today I set the baby on it and got a good 45 min of folding in. She was so cute just chewing away on a onesie she found near her. We ended up getting about 4 baskets worth folded. Hopefully I'll get the rest of it finished tonight.