When it rains, it pours...

That is just about the only thing to say to describe last week...many of you already know the events from this past week that tried to get us down and even squash us but thankfully God was right there to bring us through it.  It isn't anything many other people haven't had to experience, and certainly not near as bad as many others, as we keep telling ourselves but honestly it has worn us down. 
Two weeks ago we went to the doctor for the kid's annual check-ups at the pediatrician.  Nothing out of the ordinary...overall good health. One little funny while we were there though, is the doctor told them when we got there that there would be no shots for either of them so that relieved their anxiety quite a bit.  So she proceeded with the ritaul of all the things to check overall each child.  She asked Peyton to lay down on the medical bed in the room and take his pants down because he needed to check his private parts.  I reassured him it was okay.  She walked a few steps to the cabinet and pulled out the hammer to check his reflexes with and set it close to her on the other side of the bed.  Immediately Peyton looked at her and said "WHAT IS THAT FOR?", I am sure, thinking since she had just had him take down his pants she was going to "check" his privates with the hammer.  I reassured him again that she wasn't going to use that on him and it was for his knees.  We all busted out laughing.  That might have sent him over the edge with doctors, if being in the hospital last year hadn't already!  :)  Anyway, on to our week... While we are there we start talking about Jaedyn, her sleep patterns, her tonsils, her constant clearing of her throat and ended up being referred to an ear, nose, and throat doctor.  So, last week we went to see the ENT regarding all of these issues.  He was super, gave her a great exam, and recommended she have her tonsils and adenoids out at Thanksgiving.  Thinking this might solve a few of her issues with sleeping, allergies, etc we were resgined to the fact that this was the best thing.  So... set all that up, scheduled it, called Mom for reinforcements during that week, etc. Meanwhile, the next day we receive what was to be our "single" salary for the month, since this was the first pay period without my teaching salary.  Mind you, I am still working but just not on the same pay scale as school with my photography and church job.  However, I am still ecstatic with where God has brought me at this point in my life in the money-earning area, as well as all areas.  It did take a little adjusting in our attitudes, priorities, and expectations for our household, our children, and us as well.  My husband took a little longer to realize that God was giving us this challenge so that we would rely on Him and change our focus to His ways and not the world's.  So, it was a stressful week last week as we worked all that out and the realization of the small, sad paycheck was staring at us in our face!  By Friday in the midst of digesting all these little "lessons" and things to add to our plate, I got a call at 12:00pm on Friday from Peyton's teacher, on her cell phone...BAD SIGN.  I am thinking, wow, must be something if she is calling me from her cell phone on my cell  phone and it isn't her conference period.  As I answer it, I knew immediately.  She proceeded to tell me Peyton had fallen on the playground and he was with the nurse but they were certain he had broken his arm.  Strangely, I just knew this call would come one day.  Peyton is a typical boy and I just knew we wouldn't escape a broken bone at some point in his childhood.  With God by my side, he kept me calm and I told her I would be right there.  I called my husband to tell him and he said he was on his way.  I got to Peyton's school and I was met with several people who all said "wow, he is so brave, he hasn't cried yet".  Well when Momma shows up the tears start flying, you see he is the ultimate Momma's boy and he knew he was safe to cry in my arms.  Of course, there wasn't a dry eye in the room after that sweet boy started crying.  We got him in the car, Daddy showed up, and we headed to the ER.  We spent the next 5-6 hours in the ER.  We had a wonderul RN who even worked 3 hours over his shift to stay with us and help.  After 8 X-rays (extremely painful, that poor baby), diagnosis of 2 breaks in tibia and fibula bones just above wrist, sedation, setting his arm, putting an air cast on, some hilarous post-sedation talk, an IV (ouch), and a bribe of a toy at Target we were on our way back home.  Only after a short stop at Target to be ended abruptly with vomitting up sedation medication in their floor, we were headed home for sure now!  The funny thing was, after all the stuff that had caused tension with my husband and I through the week, all of life's little surprises that had been thrown at us, and all the negative attitudes we could have had...what a blessing to be able to be together with our son to comfort him and realize there is nothing more important in this world that being there, together, no matter where you are.  All of that "junk", just disipated and God brought peace over all of us and reassurance that all of it, good and bad, is part of His plan.  We just have to learn how to deal with it, how to use it as a learning experience from Him (our Father), and how to be a witness in how we react to those little surprises to others that may be on a hard path, much harder than the one we are traveling on.  Reminds me of a quote I saw once and comes to my mind so often... " “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle.”  ― Plato  God knows what each person is dealing with but we don't.  Just assume they need love, kindness, and compassion.  You might be all they get each day. 
I have thought a lot about this lately as we have faced some trials.  My husband and I ever had this talk while waiting in the ER.  Be grateful for what we have.  Many don't have anything or anyone. 
Sorry to go on and on... I am assuming you are still here :)

So, on with my I want to remembers for last week...

*I want to remember how my precious daughter stood up for herself in a situation that was SO hard for her and did what she knew we (and God) would want her to do.  Great parent pay-off moment**

*I want to remember that the first thing Peyton said when he woke up from sedation in the ER was "Where is Jaedyn and who is getting her at school?" - always worried about sister.

* I want to remember that as soon as we picked Jaedyn up on Saturday  morning she doted on her brother for hours making sure he was comfortable, getting anything he needed, and even scolding her dad for touching Peyton's fingers too hard.

* I want to remember that God will come through for you no matter what in His time.  He will not bring you to, what he can't bring you through.

*I want to remember Peyton's momma baby times.  He is just the little cuddler and needs me any time he is hurting.  Sitting on the side of his bed in the ER, he would just be so worn out from pain and would cup his little hand behind my head and pull my face to his crying.  He would just kiss, kiss, kiss me and say "momma".  So painful for me to watch him in so much pain but so glad he wanted me as his comfort. 

* I want to remember the sweet conversation Russell and I had while waiting  with him... about parenting, our marriage, what God has in store for us, and most importantly priorities of this world vs. the right priorities.  I am so grateful for a Godly husband and father. 

* I want to remember this close community we live in and how they love us and our kids. 

* I want to  remember that Peyton has been bringing home blue dot books...he loves it.  It is a 2nd grade reading level and he is so proud of himself, even though he "HATES READING", he says.  But he sure is good at it and really gets into it! :)
Sorry, don't know what is up with my photos all over the page...will work on a template or fixing that! 

* I want to remember that my kids have a daddy that wants to be there when they need him as much as I do. 

Sorry, don't know what is up with my photos all over the page...will work on a template or fixing that!

Have a blessed week! Be a light to someone...even though you may feel yours needs brightening!

My "revived" book worm

 

I LOVE BOOKS!!!



I know I said that I would likely post only once a week, but I meant only once a week unless I had something worth mentioning that would warrant more than one post per week :)  So you have to endure another one this week thanks to Jaedyn and the fact that she pleased me SO today!  A little background, Jaedyn has always been a great reader.  She took off reading in Kindergarten and blew through book after book.  She went on to first grade reading chapter books and devoured tons of books that year as well.  However, the next year, we moved schools, which was hard on her.  She had a wonderful teacher, whom we still keep in touch with to this day.  But with changes in curriculum, our crazy life, and anything else that got in the way, her reading slowed down  immensely.  I worried a little and tried to encourage but didn't want to "control" it by forcing her to read for me.  Then we went on another year or so and she read what she had to but not the way she had LOVED it before.  Then last year her interest started to come back around. She would aquire her accelerated reader points within the first week of the six weeks and continue until the end of the six weeks, often totaling more than triple what her point goal was.  She was even beginning to ask for books for Christmas, birthdays, etc again as she had once before.  *Insert elated Momma face here*  But even as well as she did last year I never imagined her year in 5th grade would start out this way. She has only been in school 2 1/2 weeks but she couldn't wait until the library opened.  As soon as it did she immediately checked out 3 chapter books and read them within 2-3 days.  She had even read one by the time I picked her up on that exact day!   She has found some new series she enjoys and is branching out into other areas as well.  So, with all this being said, today she made me so happy... we had to leave school early so she didn't have time to get new books.  She was disappointed.  So on the way to our dr. appt she says "Mom can we go to a bookstore and get me some books?  I need some that are harder, longer, and that will last me more than one day!"  I said " well I don't have any money right now" and she said "well I have the money Pawpaw gave me two weeks ago".  I know this doesn't seem like a big deal, but in this day and age for kids to want to spend their own money on books and not on toys, nintendo games, junk food, cell phones, etc is just about one of the best things in the world to me! Then as soon as she said it, Peyton said "yeah, me too".  Oh my goodness, the Lord knew that would make my day and put those words on their little tongues!  I mean, an hour in a bookstore just browsing, looking through books and especially sharing the love with my kids...well that is my equivalent to 6 flags!  I just beamed!  :)  So after we were finished at the doctor we  spent the next hour looking for books that they would love and even teaching the kids how to ask for help in a bookstore when they were looking for a certain topic.  What a wonderful afternoon!  Jaedyn is just like  me, she picked up about 12 books and wanted them all SO badly!  She had to sit for about 10 minutes and weed  down and evaluate her final purchases. Only to finished by asking me if I would get the others for her for Christmas so she could read them or ask when we could come back to get them... I am so happy that she loves reading as much as I do (maybe more) and that we are teaching Peyton to do the same.  He is doing so well in reading even though he doesn't "love" it as much but I think after today and seeing all her excitement at how awesome books can be, he  might just come over to our side.  He got 4 books of his own and found others to come back for later!  Jaedyn didn't get out of the parking lot before she was reading one already.  She read all the way home. I am so overjoyed she has found her love for reading all over again.  I am so lucky that my dad always had his head buried in some sort of reading material and shared so many books with me that I caught the bug for it as well.  I am also so lucky that bug is now in its 3rd generation (actually 4th because my Nannie devoured books as much as my dad).  So just thought I would share what absolutely made my day!  Had to share a pic of Jaedyn and her new books.  She asked me to make her a bookmark out of the above picture as well!  BONUS!!!!
Have a blessed evening!
~Jennifer

Time for reflection...

Well, I know that you didn't come to this blog to hear my deep thoughts every day but more to just see what's going on with us lately and see the latest pictures of my adorable (:-) kids.  But I just have this reflective phase going on with me since I have gotten to be more flexible the last couple of weeks and had time to sit and think a lot about what I want for my life, what God wants for me and my family, and to truly take in every moment I have as a wife and mom.  I can honestly say I adore being home.  Being able to pick up my kids, go to school and volunteer, make dinner and even sit with them at dinner to talk about their day, keep their favorite foods stocked for their lunch boxes, and helping them learning responsibility with household chores without griping at them continually.  I feel like a better mom, a better wife, a better person, and a more calm and peaceful Christian woman.  I love where God has brought me and pray for continued peace, love, and spiritual growth in our family.  As I was thinking of this week I wanted to use this as a type of journal to remember some things that have touched my heart ...before I forget and as something to look back on when I don't feel as blessed and more selfish.

I want to remember Peyton telling me today that he felt sorry for kids who had to walk home and didn't have a mommy to pick them up.  :(

I want to remember when Jaedyn told me last week that our house was different with me staying home and I was different, in a good way!  My heart burst with joy!

I want to remember when Jaedyn had a total meltdown when she found out I ate lunch with Peyton and volunteered at school.  Not necessarily her having a meltdown, but her, in 5th grade, still wanting me to come to school to see her.

I want to remember Peyton giving me huge hugs everyday, laying with me on the couch after school, and telling me he will miss me before he leaves to go with Daddy to the game on Friday nights. 

I want to remember Peyton crawling up in my lap after he finishes his lunch at school when I come eat with him and giving me TONS of kisses right in front of his friends. 

I want to remember when Peyton told Daddy that he loved having "holes" in his desk to put all his stuff at school.

I want to remember that as I was sitting at the Ford house today getting my oil changed and about to burst into tears as the lady there told me that they needed to replace our air condition compressor (only $800) on my car, when I called my husband he said not to worry about it.  I continued to go on and on about how I should have expected this.  We have budgeted down to the penny for me to be able to be home more and now this comes up.  And as I was babbling about how we were going to afford this he simply said "we are blessed." " We will get the money."  Just calmed me to know that he knew what I was not seeing at the time.  We will always get through everything, together!

I want to remember how Jaedyn told me that she would say prayers all day while she was at school because she was having trouble with a teacher who yelled at students and made one cry.  She was so sympathetic and told me she prayed at school silently. 

I want to remember Jaedyn and her adoration for "Prissy" our new puppy. She takes care of her like her own little baby. So sweet!

I want to remember Jaedyn's continuing paranoia phase.  She has been like this since she was young but now adds things to the list regularly, especially after watching the news.  We laugh about it but it does worry Daddy and I.  She is afraid of rain, wind, storms, West Nile virus (this is relatively new), strangers (she rushed Peyton and his friend in the house this week after seeing someone on a bike who was "looking at them weird" in our neighborhood), lice, the dark, large dogs, snakes, etc.  The list goes on and on.  We continually pray for the Lord to take her worries and give her peace.  I pray she grows out of this. 

I want to remember (even though it is hard to watch now) that this is the year for Jaedyn to do her own hair (taking lots of time), for her to handle tough situations with adults, for her to learn to actually study, and for her to "hopefully" set her own path even against friends if need be, which she is struggling with at this time. 

I want to remember Jaedyn as a 5th grader.  I think this year will set her course for her young womanhood and it is so hard for me to watch.  I ache thinking of the choices she will have to make as a young woman and how much harder it will be for her than it was for me.  I pray with her daily to make a stand for the Lord, to be honest, not gossipy, and to stay true to her beliefs and not go along with anything that she knows in her heart is against her God and her character.

I adore her and am so honored that God would entrust such a special soul to me.  I know He has special plans for her in this world. 

In honor of my amazing daughter, I wanted to share some of her pictures she recently had me take (that is a change - she reminded me to take them) of her after she turned TEN!