Time is just flying. I try and try to do all I can during the morning and early afternoon hoping that the afternoon/evening will not be too crazy but it always is. It seems like from 3pm until about 8 pm we are just going and going. I spend a lot of this time in the car! It is fun to watch the kids involved in different things though.
Spring is excelling at the cello. She and Thomas were both recruited to play for the Stow Youth Symphony. They practice every Tuesday for an hour at the High School and they love it. They are preparing for Christmas shows and to play at local rest homes for the Christmas season. She was also recommended by Mr. Newman, the band director, to play reveille for the Veterans Day Assembly in November. They typically have a High School student come to play for it but Mr. Newman felt Spring was capable of doing it so he will be working with her to prepare for that. So exciting! She has also been babysitting nonstop the past few weeks. Most weeks she has 3-5 babysitting jobs. Word has gotten around and she is in high demand.
Thomas is busy with music as well. He was asked by Mr. Newman to play the String Bass for the jazz band this year. The Band payed for a lesson with a college Bass Professor to help with technique and he is doing awesome with it. He loves the new challenge. The Junior High is invited to march with the High School for the Homecoming Parade and he loved that. Watch the video to see him on the far side playing the snare drum. He is enjoying orchestra with a new Director this year and they did very well in their first concert last week. If this wasn't enough to keep him busy he is still heavily involved in scouts, being presented with 11 more merit badges and his 2nd and 3rd palms at the Court of Honor last week. He now has 53 merit badges.
Sammy is loving flag football. This was the sport he chose to play for the year and he has loved it. He is really fast and he is great at defense and usually plays the safety position. His coaches have been working a lot with the boys on making sure they take the correct angle when going for a "tackle" and he has been really good at this. In their game last week he saved 3 big plays from being touchdowns. He, too, continues to love scouts. He has almost completed everything possible to complete in the wolf book and is excited to begin working on Bear requirements next month. He also joined the school choir and enjoys the practices. I think the real reason he joined the choir is he knows they get to sing the national anthem at the Minor League baseball game in the spring and he really wants to go on a real baseball diamond!
Mary is my helper. She loves to help me with Jacob when she comes home from school. She is doing excellent in school. At conferences last night her teacher mentioned that she is the happiest girl she has ever seen. She said Mary just bubbles over with happiness and her smile fills the classroom. Her teacher mentioned that Mary is happy doing everything and even continues to smile and keep that positive attitude when something is difficult for her. She is excited to start gymnastics next month. She is really becoming such a kind-hearted, gentle, thoughtful girl that looks for ways to make others happy and be a friend to everyone.
Joshie is doing awesome in Kindergarten. Riding the bus and recess are his favorite parts of school. In fact, when I work in his classroom he does not want to come home with me at the end of his day. He wants to ride the bus home. He is still in speech and the last few weeks he has just been doing so much better with his articulation. I am amazed at how far he has come in such a short time. He loves to draw pictures whenever he gets the chance and is quite the artist. Fortunately for me, he uses paper and not walls and carpet like Gideon prefers! Joshie is still our peacemaker and I miss him when he is at school. He enjoys coming home to ride his bike, play outside, and play with rescue bots.
Gideon is learning how to cope with life with Joshie gone in the mornings. He really misses him though. He walks to the busstop every morning with the kids and waves goodbye as they all get on the bus. He also waits for Josh after school and meets him at the corner with a huge hug as Josh gets off the bus. We have started going to story time again and he enjoys that time. Gideon also likes helping me prepare dinner in the mornings. He is very free with hugs and kisses. All day long he comes to me and wraps his arms around my neck with a big hug followed by a couple kisses on my cheeks. He is a sweetheart. He too loves to be outside and playing with rescue bots.
Sara is Thomas' shadow lately. She makes sure she gets her goodbye kiss from him each morning. She is usually still eating breakfast when he is leaving but she will call out, "Bye Thomas. Kiss. Kiss." until he comes over to give her a kiss. Somedays she asks for about 4 or 5 kisses before he can walk out the door without her crying. She is his shadow when he comes home in the afternoon as well. She talks SO much and is very clear as well. She loves puppies. She loves to dance. She loves to have books read to her. She thinks she is a big girl now that she no longer sleeps in our closet but is now sleeping in the girls' room with Spring and Mary. We love this girl and her sweet smiles and little jabbering.
Jacob is doing awesome. We have been so blessed with his progress and health. He is a good natured little guy and you can tell he has lots of siblings because he is pretty used to being in someone's arms when he is not asleep. This makes for difficult moments during the day when most are at school. I try to just enjoy the moments he wants me to hold him knowing that they will not last forever. He just started smiling in response to us this week and I love it. My heart melts with each little smile.
People often comment to me that I have my hands full. Little do they know that along with full hands I have a full heart of blessings and joy. The days are not all bliss...feelings of being overwhelmed, tired, frustrated, happy, amused, mundane, inadequacy, and being stretched in multiple directions frequent my life. Yet the moments of joy and peace that Heavenly Father blesses me with are tender mercies that give me a glimpse into the eternal joy we are destined for. Life is good.
