Avocado

Good Day for Sport Mode

Summer Sabbath

In years past I have had a summer tradition, the day after school ends I sit down and write my "10 week top 10" list - the 10 things I want to do over the 10 week school break. This list usually includes a home project, some books to read, maybe a travel location and so on. Some years I get all 10 done, recent summers, not as many. As this past school year was coming to a close I began to think about what items I wanted on my top 10, what books had I heard about that I wanted to read, would the pink bathroom finally be transformed, so many options! Then I read the brief article "Keeping Sabbath" by Ryan Chambers Johnson in the June Covenant Companion. In the article Johnson talks about the practice of Sabbath keeping and how it is an important act of faith that has gone by the wayside. He says how this practice is even more important now as our lives get busier and daily tasks and routines demand our time. My first reaction was that it sounded great, a few hours every week to just be still in the presence of God, who wouldn't want that!?! The line that seemed to stick with me was, "God wants us to trust him with the demands of our life...give a portion of the day without an agenda or a to-do list and instead, ask God to use the day as he sees fit."
As a teacher, I use the summer break to do all the things I don't get time to do during the school year due to the time demands of my job. However I decided to use this summer as my Sabbath. I did not create a top 10 list this year, instead I have tried to take advantage of new opportunities that God places before me. When family is in RI I have taken the time to go be with them, when I run into my dad at Target I go shopping with him, I have taken the kids to the library and even ice cream in the middle of the day because Alexander thinks it is a good idea. It has been a struggle for me to not have a big list to cross items off this year. However, books are still being read (see sidebar at left) there is some progress on the bathroom project and I am learning more about myself and my beautiful children than I ever thought this time would provide. God is indeed good.

Couldn't Help It

Seeing as how I just posted about how Alexander is growing up so fast and wanting to do things all by himself I should not be surprised by what happened last week. We were finishing breakfast and he told me he had to go potty. After a few minutes of not hearing anything I asked him if he was alright and he replied "I'm just finishing". I think he is talking about going to the potty, I was wrong. When he does not return a few minutes later I go into the bathroom to see that what he needed to "finish" was looking at the pictures of the cars on the back of the newspaper. I couldn't help but capture the moment on film...

All By Me-Self

We have a three year old in the house and he couldn't be happier. He likes talking about all of the things that he can do now that he is three - jump off the bottom step of the stairs, climb up into his chair by himself, buckle the top of his car seat and of course, add the chocolate chips to the pancake mix on Sunday mornings. It is wonderful to see him explore and assert his independence...most of the time. I must admit that I have my days of remembering - bringing him home from the hospital, watching him roll back and forth on the floor because he refused to crawl and the joy on his face when he figured out how to put his shoes on by himself for the first time. It is wonderful to see life through the eyes of a child, it is good for my spirit and keeps me grounded. I am so proud of the little man that he is but deep inside I want him to stay this way a little bit longer. Good thing I have a whole year before we hit four.

Happy Birthday Alexander!

Another Friday Funny

"Alexander, please come in the kitchen."
(From the Living Room) "What the heck did you say Mommy?"
"Alexander, I don't like that kind of language."
"Sorry Mommy. What the truck did you say?"

I admit it, I had to turn around so he would not see me laugh.

Growing Girl!