Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Bungee cord kitchen

Oh man!
Books everywhere

He even looks guilty


Loves dirt


Laundry area
Dishwasher


oven
These are a few of the things that we deal with on an almost daily basis. I am not posting these photos or writing about it simply to complain or be negative, it's just the way life is for us a lot. I also want to be able to look back and laugh someday and realize we don't need bungee cords anymore.
We have bungee cords attached to these various places to keep things together. Micah has loved to open the dishwasher door and sit on it or pull it down as hard as he could. It actually came completely out and the whole dishwasher was leaning forward out of it's hole. I think Wayne's Dad put some kind of screw in or something that fixed it. He has kind of lost his fascination with pulling the dishwasher lid down (maybe because he's realized he can't pull it), but we just keep the bungee cord attached just in case.
He is also quite obsessed with the washing machine and really wants me to open the door and start it most of the time he is at home. Sometimes I will humor him if I need to wash a load of clothes, then let him play in the water for just a little bit. He just loves water play and gets such a thrill when the washing machine is started. He will laugh and jump up and down and then put his hands in the water. Of course, most of the time I have to tell him I don't need to wash anything right that second, and I'm not sure he understands until I close the door.
The oven door has been the most annoying because he would open it and let it fly back to the closed position. He was doing it so much that now the door won't close all the way without the bungee cord.
The books have been an ongoing problem since we lived here. He pulls them off the shelf, puts them on the space above the shelf and pushes them off. Whether it's because he likes the cause and effect, is just trying to be annoying, or get attention is anyone's guess. He has also broken a few of our dining room chairs by completely knocking them over that my gracious father in-law has repaired each time.
I love my son, I know he is a gift and God has taught me a lot through him and will continue to teach me over the years. These things just cause me to be weary sometimes and I don't know what to do or how to not be weary. I know Jesus says "Come to me all who are weary..." I know the Scriptures, and that I need to pray. It's just hard sometimes. I can just be trying to get supper started or folding laundry, and he will start doing one of these things. There are days when he doesn't do these things as much, it just seems lately it has been at an all time high. I know many of you pray for us who read this, so I ask that you pray for wisdom, patience (wait, don't pray for that because it might be worse! : ), and compassion for him. Wayne always says that he is reminded that he is probably trying to communicate something when he acts out and of course, he can't talk to us and tell us what it is. Maybe someday!








Monday, November 22, 2010

Nacogdoches weekend

college friends from SFA
Darth Vader, Batman, and a future basketball player




My sister with her boys, Benjamin and Harrison

Halloween weekend Gabriel and I went to East Texas. Wayne and I had decided it would be best for he and Micah to not go because we have learned Micah does not do well in big group situations. We spent Friday night with my sister and her family, then went to Nacogdoches on Saturday for Homecoming at SFA, my college alma mater. We didn't actually go to the football game, because I couldn't see any point in taking a two year old to a football game. So I met up with some friends for lunch at our favorite Mexican restaurant in town and then Gabriel and I went to a park so he could play. Later in the afternoon we went to the Baptist Student Ministry building for an ice cream fellowship. The first picture is from there. I wish I had taken more photos that were a little closer, but keeping an eye on Gabriel was enough of a task.
We went to Lufkin that night and spent the night with the Haley's (Jim & Barbara) and went to church with them on Sunday at Carpenter's Way; I hadn't been back there since our wedding day. It was great to see them, as always. I lived with them for about 6 months while I was finishing my last teaching year before I went to GGBTS in the fall of 2000. I met Jim & Barbara back in 1995 because I was leading a disciple now weekend and my group stayed in their home. Barbara and I started meeting for lunch every now and then and she quickly became a dear friend and mentor to me. I got to know them even better when I lived with them as usually happens when you live with someone. They hosted my family when Wayne and I got married.
I also got to visit briefly with Tom and Donna Willis who are close friends with the Haley's. The Willis's were also very special to me, taking care of me in different ways while I was in college and afterwards.
We have stayed in touch over the years and they have always been and will always be very special people in my life. It's amazing to me to see the way God puts people in your life and forms friendship mostly because you have the commonality of knowing Christ.
On Halloween day, I went back to my sister's. We met up at a mall and went trick or treating in the mall. They had a Halloween "costume" that Gabriel borrowed, a basketball player. I think it had been Benjamin's uniform last year. I just didn't want to bother with a costume this year, maybe next year! Gabriel was so proud when they would drop a piece of candy in his bucket. We got there toward the end of the time, and most places had run out of candy, but a little is better than none! It was fun.


Thursday, November 18, 2010

Tattling

Micah's teacher told me yesterday that he "tattled" on a little girl in his class. Of course, since he can't talk I said, "He what?!" She said that one of the girls in his class was playing with two toys, one of which he wanted and she wouldn't share. Instead of taking the toy away from her, he went to the teacher, grabbed her by the hand and took her to the little girl. So the teacher made the little girl give him one of the toys. Ms. C thought that was great. I did too. It's neat to hear little stories like this every now and then that show his awareness. Gabriel is bad about taking a toy away from him and he just lets it happen. We usually try to teach Gabriel not to do that and then give the toy back to him. Micah will (on occasion) give us a look like that says "Can you believe what he just did?!", but he has never taken our hand and led us like he did with that girl in his class.