Sunday Gratitudes

Just when I think that Life can not get crazier, it laughs at me and goes wild. What I am grateful for this week:

Sunday is a day of rest (and that my parents were really adamant during my upbringing about what was okay and what was not okay in keeping the Sabbath holy). I kept supper prep simple (supper bombed today - it turns out that we are not cube steak people. No on likes the texture. At least there were garden veggies, potatoes and gravy, and corn-on-the-cob. Dear Doggie Girl got the meat - and was thrilled. Won't be buying that stuff again). It was nice to be back in church after two weeks off.

I also got to sub in The Love Magnet's primary class today. It was eye opening. There were some comments about Lauren by the other kids that were surprising (and a bit hurtful to me). I asked them to repeat what they said......they weren't willing to once they realized that I heard. I explained to the kids that my daughter needs extra time to learn things and that it would be a really great help if they would all be examples for her. I'm grateful that I could handle it in what I hope was a positive way. I'll be attending next week to see how things go.

Nice neighbors. My next door neighbor has a daughter in New Zealand. She sent him various seeds from NZ to try in her garden. Dear Next Door Neighbor knows that Mr. Wonderful's family is from NZ so DNDN delights in bringing us the NZ veggies. (Today we ate a New Zealand cucumber with our dinner.) They keep an eye out for our house when we are out of town. Mrs. DNDN brings treats for the kids. They include us in their prayers and we include them in ours. They are good people.

Thirdborn's school teacher. This woman is really on top of things. I've asked her to call a meeting so we could meet the entire team and make decisions concerning Thirdborn for the school year. He has started to be teased (mildly, I don't think there is really malicious intent here) by class mates about his reading skills. Mild or not, it is affecting my son. Teacher and I have swapped emails to keep up to date with each other. Mr. Wonderful and I are worried about our son. We're not sure where things are going, but we are thrilled and relieved to have Thirdborn's teacher on our side.

That The Love Magnet is doing well in school. Mr. Occupational Therapist mentioned this past week how much of a difference in her work that he could see which had to be a result of the heart surgery. We can't explain it, but she is doing so much better at everything. Except for the occasional bad words, she seems to being doing well. She loves gym class, music, library, and computers. She loves-loves-LOVES her teacher and her aides. Everyone has really worked hard to make these first few weeks of full-day school successful.

That Mr. Wonderful is a great A&P tutor. He will be a great math tutor (I've got to take that placement test soon and I dread it.) He has also been a great sounding board. I've really got to stop taking advantage of him like that.)

The weather has been good for running. This is my finally training week. Only two more runs and then a rest before the big race this weekend. I can't believe I am doing this.

Firstborn had his first swim meet of the year. Unfortunately, I didn't get to see it between going to school and heading to Parent Night at Secondborn's school. But he did fairly well. This past week he saw the backstroke and beat everyone on his team. I am now hoping that his coach will stick him on backstroke and really let him shine. (He was so proud of the fact that he finished that far ahead of the rest of his team in practice.)

That Secondborn's teachers all love him. He is doing so well in school. He really loves math and science and is looking forward to World Civilizations. I told him I wanted to study that with him. His teachers were all impressive to me. I thought their curriculum was fascinating. One teacher hunts petroglyphs during her summer breaks. I wonder how she will include that in her teaching this year.

My parents have a date to come home from their mission!!!! They will be spending a week in France (they certainly deserve that) before coming home. I wont' be able to see them until the following weekend. If the weather is bad, I might have to wait until Thanksgiving to see them. I hope the weather cooperates. I am missing my mom and daddy. Check out their blog for the latest.