Jonah's Day Out!

Jonah went to visit some special friends' house yesterday after church. Mr. Brent and Mrs. Cheryl keep ducks and have tractors, and all kinds of things that little boys love! He has been waiting for this "visit day" for a couple weeks, and boy, he was not disappointed! He came back, well, ready to go again!

What little boy doesn't love tractors? And getting to sit on them?

Jonah had been really waiting to meet these ducks ...

Thanks to our friends for taking him on a visit! Jonah talked about it for the rest of day!

One Long Week

Eli headed off Sunday afternoon for a week-long, Mon-Fri, 8-5 class at school in Springfield this week. I geared myself up for single-mommyhood. Perhaps the Lord wanted to remind me that I can't really do anything on my own - that it all has to be about finding strength in Him. But I thought that things would go rather smoothly ... instead:

- Both boys started the week out with harsh coughs, congestion, drainage, etc.
- Reuben ran low fevers Monday and Tuesday
- Jonah randomly threw up (while in my bed) at 2 a.m. on Monday night. Apparently it seemed to be, well, random, as when he woke up Tuesday morning he was fine, but I had to keep him home from preschool since he had just thrown up.
- Their colds just keeping going ALL.WEEK.LONG
- I missed Eli ...
- They lovingly shared their colds with me ... Dayquil and Nyquil became close friends with me on Thursday and Friday
- In the middle of a big snowstorm Thursday evening, I had to get Reuben to the doctor - yes, he had an ear infection - and then thru the pharmacy to get medicine for said infection
- I missed my hubby ...
- Thursday and Friday we took care of my 3 month old neice - and I admit it - I was just weary and it was rough to add an infant to the mix of life in our house
- Someone rear-ended Eli on the highway in Springfield - right where the same car had just been hit/and/run a few weeks ago and been repaired
- Did I mention that I was missing Eli????

But the Lord reminded at the beginning of this week of a verse He had given to me a couple weeks that has become rather a mantra for me, something to say out loud, to murmer under my breath during tough moments, to repeat over and over when I am trying to fall asleep at night:

¹¹ The LORD gives strength to his people;
the LORD blesses his people with peace.
Psalm 29:11

If I can lift my eyes up off my circumstances, up off how I feel, up and off my perception of the situation ... to Him, then I will find strength in Him to keep going, I will find the peace that my entire being is craving in the midst of struggles that I cannot change.

Looking back over the week, I can see that God, perhaps, was humbling me. In and of myself, I wasn't enough to "do" it all. To "be" everything that was asked of me. And why do I even try? I NEVER can! Only when I push myself aside and lift up those weary eyes will I be filled with strength and peace. I got my lesson - and I'll probably have to be taught it again and again as my pride tends to come back again and again. But, maybe, just maybe, I've been transformed a bit more? I can hope.

And ... gleefully welcome Eli back home!

Phonics

Grandma gave Jonah a bunch of preschool/kindergarten workbooks that she had bought for his cousin, but had never gotten used several weeks ago. Although he does go to preschool two mornings a week, Jonah LOVES to pull out his "school" and work away at the table.

So much, in fact, that I often have to dissuade him. Seems rather silly, but since we have to sit together and work through much of it, sounding out words, sounds, letters, etc., I just can't sit there for two straight hours and complete an entire book with him! But I am grateful for his enthusiasm. I was an avid reader, and although that often isn't the "stereotype" for boys, they love books and reading now, so I am eager to give Jonah a strong start in phonics and beginning to sound out words.

My plan is to work through what we currently have, and once those are done, start in on "How To Read in 100 Easy Lessons" that my mom gave me. We get lots of questions on if we are going to homeschool - just as Eli and I both were - and I always respond that I am glad I don't have to make that decision just yet! I value the socialization Jonah is getting at a Christian preschool currently, along with learning to listen to his teacher and work alongside several other children. He was/still is often attached to my leg, so having some time away from me has really increased his confidence. In a year or so, we'll be tackling that decision, but for now, we'll work on things at home, and he'll work on things alongside peers ...

He is a diligent worker ...

and of course little brother has to get in on the act!

Mind Your Manners

Today at lunch, Jonah apparently decided that putting his feet up on the table seemed like the comfortable thing to do. I informed him that feet do not belong on the table, and that it was "not good manners" to put feet up on tables.

"What are manners, Mommy?"

Hmmmmm, good question. Using good manners means that we are not rude, and that we are polite.

"How do I not be rude?"

Double hmmmmmmm. We went through a slightly circular conversation. Jonah wanted to understand what I was trying to say, but I wasn't quite getting a good point across. I explained that using good manners and being polite was like how we say "Bless you" after someone sneezes, and "Excuse me" after burping or "tooting" in front of others.

"Ooohhhhh," Jonah said knowingly. He nodded, the frowned and said, "But what do we say after we poop?"

Ummmmm, while I took all of three seconds to deliberate my answer, he grinned with triumph and said "STINKY WINKY!!!!!!!!" and waved his hand in front of his face.

Sigh. Sure. We'll keep working on those manners! At least the feet won't be going back up on the table anytime soon!

Old Enough to Have an Opinion ...

Guess who picked out his own clothes?

Yup.


Refused to take them off ALL DAY ...
Refused to take them off at bedtime as well.

Snow Days ... Sick Days

So, our Monday started off with a bang! We watched my barely three-month old neice for the day. She showed up bright and early at 7:45 a.m.! Jonah was super excited to help watch her; Reuben was extremely jealous of the attention she got from me all day long. = ) Probably pretty good for him, although the extra bouts of tantrums he gave in return were not enjoyed by all.

We entered Monday evening under a blizzard warning - first one in YEARS! Predicting anywhere from 6-12 inches of snow is a pretty big deal! But our evening was made worse when Jonah walked in the front door from piano lesson, announced "My tummy hurts" and proceeded to throw up all over the living room floor. Yup. Sick again. He had been fine for the last four days. FINE. And now we're sick again. Pour little guy. He threw up at least once an hour for the next 18 hours straight. And nearly 48 hours later, he is still really weak and doesn't feel too great.

The blizzard came and went ... maybe 6-8 inches deep most places? Everything closed down on Tuesday - so we bunkered in with Daddy and attempted to keep the sick boy comfy, and the cabin-fevered boy entertained!

Schools and many places are still closed today. Eli headed out to work for awhile, after

Shoveling the Driveway

By 11 or so, I caved in from my attempts to not use any media for entertainment, and allowed the boys to watch Barney (I KNOW - but they love it) on Eli's laptop while they stayed upstairs.



Eli measured the drifts of snow on our back porch ... close to 20 inches deep! Now that is plenty of snow for snow ice cream later on today!


And, Reuben and I pulled out lots of puzzles to work on. He doesn't really care if they are too complicated for him, he likes interlocking pieces, and happily sits with me to "put it together" as a team effort.



And now? The boys are both snoozing, Eli is finally at work, I am running loads of laundry, just finished a good quiet time with my Bible and listening to the Lord. And, of course, catching up on some blogging - both mine and reading others'. = )