Soon...

5-2...awaiting 1...

This is the season that we will soon see Adam and Zachary, and come November there will be a little addition to the crew!

A new tid bit...

Daddy and G went to the deer lease.

Daddy and G had fun.

Daddy and G found a baby kitty.Daddy and G brought it home.Daddy and G knew Mommy and Ballerina would sooooo love this kitty and that their hearts surely would have won!For ages the kids have asked for a baby kitty and it could not be more fitting that Daddy and G found one!

Her name is Dory, and we welcome her to our crazy, crazy family!

Teaching and Dreaming

When Eric and I were dating he was in a low spot in his career as an educator. He was debating if it was the profession for him, and in our conversations about the subject he bluntly told me one night sitting in my living room that he often thinks the relationships he forms his students were the only thing that kept him in the coaching/teaching profession.

At the time, his comment kind-of made me laugh...I mean, I just could not imagine that anyone, especially any educator, would feel differently. Of course you are in the profession because you care about students I thought!

Humm...Boy was I naive.

I have come to learn that as a teacher, it is one thing to care about students, but it is another thing to really love them.

Months went by and mine and Eric's relationship changed...as well as my view on what it meant to love my students...a big part due to Eric and his passion for his. In fact, it is one of the many reasons I fell in love with him! It melted my hear to realize just how much he really loved the kids he taught.

Sometimes, however, there is that one student who you care for just a little more than the others...a student with whom you have a relationship that is different...a student that has a story that touches your heart... student that makes a bigger impact on you than you could ever make on them...

And, when Eric and I were dating, there was a student in his class who was doing just that.

That was almost 9 years ago, and today that student, Frog, has etched his way into a very special place in our family. Proof positive that he was way more than just a student to us.

So it was with the greatest pride this past weekend that we were able to see Frog living out a part of his dream on a football field.

...the dream of receiving a full athletic scholarship to play......the dream of receiving an higher education......the dream to play on an infamous field......the dream of giving his all each and every second he is on the field......the dream of playing under these lights each weekend in the fall......the dream of having at least two fans that think you are a hero...

...the dream of making an interception and running for a touchdown that Taylor misses because she is too busy yelling...

(Good thing they put that one on the big screen!)
...the dream of celebrating with dear friends...

...Now, I do not think Frog ever dreamed of making me think for a long time that he had some serious issues with his pants! Good thing I realized that his play cards were there!

... but I know he NEVER dreamed he would be such a big part of our lives or ever make us so proud!Frog, keep dreaming! We will always be there to support you.
We are blessed you are a part of our lives, and humbled that you have allowed us to be such a big part of yours!
See 'ya in a couple of weeks! Go Rams!

What a Great Name

Recently all of Ballerina's work from school started coming home with her name on it.
Well, I didn't really know it was her name until I asked her, but now I can clearly see it!This is very first thing I received with her "name." Isn't it great? It is now almost a month old, and I should so show you how different her "name" looks now! It is amazing how much she is learning in such a short amount of time.

Why do they have to grow up so fast? WHY?

Better run... I have to finish writing a proposal for a conference where I am presenting some of my research! That's right...I'm back! I AM going to finish this degree! No more ABD this time next year!

King of the Day

As G's class progresses through their study of the alphabet, works on their writing skills and develops their social skills, they are celebrating what they call King and Queen of the day.

Each day (or every other day I think) children from the class are selected to be the king and/or queen of the day. Then the selected students answer questions about themselves in front of the class while the other children take note. Afterwards each of the children in the class write about the king/queen of the day, and their writing/drawing of the king/queen are collected in a book that is sent home.

G was NOT the first student chosen in the class to be the king/queen, and I would like for those of you who know him to reflect on how he handled this situation...Yes, what you are thinking is exactly how he handled it...NOT WELL! So, for many nights we talked about patience, waiting our turn, the importance of getting to know other classmates, etc. It was a big life lesson for him, but it in no way squelched his excitement when he WAS chosen to be king of the day!This past Wednesday, G was the King of Mrs. Rodriguez's kindergarten class!I thought his answers to the questions about himself were sort-of funny...likes to eat fish? What? I know he likes it, but I would not have ever guessed that fish would be his answer to that sort of question!I particularly enjoyed this picture created by one of his classmates...Check out that awesome fish eatin' G!
The description G gave of this picture also made me laugh..."I kept telling her that I do not have red hair, but girls do not listen to anything you say!" Oh, I am SO GLAD that he learned this VERY important lesson in kindergarten...girls will NEVER listen to what you say because girls are always right and boys are always wrong! :)
And, of course, I had to add this picture as well. His "girlfriend" drew this picture. When I asked him which picture from his classmates was his favorite, he turned immediately to this one...and said, "Well, it is not really the best picture, but I like who drew it the best. So that makes it my favorite..." I did not ask him if the things she tells him to do bother him, but I am going to...

Oh, a couple more stories about kindergarten that, by the way, is going GREAT...

On the second or third day of school I realized at the dinner table that I had failed to as G about lunch...something that I figured would be a big deal to a kindergartner. Me: "G, tell me about lunch. It is a lot different from your preschool I bet." G (with a look on his face like I am stupid): "Did you know that nobody in my class sings their prayer at lunch like God tells them to do?" Me (taken off guard and not really knowing what to say): "No, G, what did you do about that?" G: "Well, I sang it for them and told them that Jesus is sad that they do not pray...and they need to watch out!" I just nodded...What am I supposed to say? That Catholic daycare did some amazing things for my kid, and his parents probably should have dine a little more explaining the difference between Christian and public education! :) However, should I be proud that he is a little missionary in kindergarten, or should I be worried that he is damning his classmates? I have decided to choose the first of the two...

At dinner another night...Me: "So who do you play with in your class?" G: "Why do you have to ask me questions like that?" Me: "Because I am your mom, and I want to know how your day went and who you like to spend time with." G: "Well, some girls, and that is all." Me: "Oh, girls...I did not know you liked to play with girls...that is good!" G: "I don't. I hate playing with them, but they always chase me, and I cannot get rid of them." Me: "I thought you liked some of the girls in your class." (Thinking of the conversation we had about one in particular.) G: "I do, bit she doesn't chase me because she knows I am hers."

I am sure there will be more kindergarten updates in the days to come, but I thought I would share what we have been up to thus far!

Trendsetting Lipstick

Every Thursday morning at 7 we have our campus administrator meetings. Because we have some of what I am calling "getting kids to school in the morning" issues this year (just until football season is over - and ONLY because I can no longer pack up all of my children at 6:15 in the morning to leave the house now that G is in school across town), I am having to bring Ballerina to all of these early morning meetings.

You know, for the most part, she is really good at them! I put her in the principal's office with her breakfast, the television, and her baby doll, and until the other day she really just ate, watched tv and cuddled! Perhaps sadly, she is more than confident finding her way around the building. And it does not bother me in the least bit that she might wander into the counselor's office to sit with Ms. Lynette, go find Mr. Jefferson (the head custodian) to help her with the lights in the bathroom, or come and ask the building secretary for a key to my office to get her "box of toys." (It does bother me a little that she is recently decided that it is fully to pretend that she does not like Mrs. Shelley, but we are working through that! Ha!)

I mean, as long as she is not disturbing MY meeting! He! He!

But, the other day, she DID come into my meeting....Just as we were about to embark on a heavy topic...She climbed in my lap, looked around the table of stern faces, smiled and asked, "Do you like my pretty lipstick?"

And the table went wild!

How could we not? I mean, who would not appreciate a 3-year-old in purple permanent marker lipstick. It is the MOST awesome up and coming fashion trend these days...right? Absolutely beautiful! I MUST get myself some!As soon as my morning meeting concludes, I pack her things and run her next door to her school...Yep, she is in the car in the picture. Nope...I did not clean her face before I took her to school. I DID try, but my efforts proved to be fruitless.

So, off to school she went setting the most awesome new trend in lipstick wearing! And, reminding all (as if they needed to be reminded) that I am indeed the mother of the year!