Hyperventilating and a very pleased beggar

Last year, Caleb would ask me all the time occasionally if he could ride the school bus. I never gave in. (he did get to ride it for the field trip, which, incidentally, he says was the best part of that day) I thought since I am a stay-at-home mom that rarely stays home that one of my jobs was to endure the road rage causing debacle that is called the car-pool line. After much deliberation including, but not limited to, following the bus home for two days to time it's route and realizing it was beating me home along with the fact that I leave my house 30 minutes before school lets out to go a few miles and sit in 100+ degree heat with my air-conditioning blowing full blast and wondering exactly how much gas I was burning up, we decided to let Caleb "try" the bus out for the rest of the week to see how he likes it before we make a full year commitment. That and he begs really well.

So, today my sweet son woke up and the first words out were "I get to ride the bus today!" We rehearsed his bus number over and over on the way to school, and I reassured myself him that I would be at the bus stop (which I pointed out three times) to meet the bus. I began to have some anxiety when I realized school was coming to an end, broke out in a sweat when I realized he was probably on the bus, and tried not to hyperventilate as I ran walked calmly to the bus stop.

Alas, my little boy who is not so little anymore emerged from the bus with an excited grin on his face exclaiming he "loved" riding the bus and that he couldn't wait to do it again tomorrow!

Oh, and we LOVE the first grade!

He left his best friend

Hi Ho Hi Ho - it's off to school we go! Caleb was so excited this morning. He had a hard time going to sleep at the earlier time last night, and we kept telling him he was going to be "tired in the morning." Well, he reassured me 6 times that he was not tired at all. We'll see about that story in about 2 weeks! :-)


Caleb and his friend Grace outside their classroom
Someone else was less than excited, though. He did okay (not great) getting ready this morning, he did fine going in the school, but the moment we stepped out of the building, it was all over. He planted his feet in, turned around, pointed in the school and said "go back in." I said we couldn't and that we needed to go. He proceeded to run to the flagpole, hug it, pout and say, "I want my Caleb (pronounced K-wub-ee)!"I was doing okay until then.

Water Sports

This last weekend, we were graciously hosted by my Aunt Gwen and Uncle Frank at their lakehouse. What follows are pictures of the boys with some commentary:

The boys on the jet-ski ~ they LOVE the jet ski!

On the boat being goofy!

Caleb on the tube

All smiles!

Hold on tight!

Cameron's turn

Making Mamo laugh!

Uh-Oh! Where did Mamo go?!

Improvising - he just scooted over and found the other handle! Smart kid takes after his Mama!!

To Do List

I was doing my Bible Study this morning and was (as always) convicted - in a good way. I have several things I want to write out loud, but I'll start here.


I am a list maker. I come by it honestly - both of my parents are list makers, but I'd have to say my dad takes the cake on it. Many friends have laughed at me, but it is engrained in me, and I find solace in a good list. I make a weekly grocery list, a meal plan list, a weekly to-do list that is later broken down into a daily to-do lists. When travelling, I have packing lists, travel lists, and don't forget lists. The list could go on. I have also been known, when it doesn't look like much is getting scratched off the list, to add something I did that wasn't on there just to be able to cross it off.


For instance, this is my today to-do list. Don't laugh. At least not outloud.


Bible Study
call friend (left nameless so if said friend reads blog she doesn't get her feelings hurt that I had to put her on the to-do list)
Laundry (it's on everyday, pretty much)
make Cameron's bed
wrap gifts
playgroup
clean bathrooms
work-out
pay bills
pick up house (it's heavy)
Spanish class
iron
finish outdoor curtain
re-organize CM closet


As a mother, I always think my to-do list should be more like:
play games with kids
make playdough
read for an hour with boys
bake cookies
(as well as the other menial things, like laundry, so we have clean underwear and sheets to make beforementioned bed)


And, while I do some of those things, I always feel like I never do enough with them.


But, going further, as the Daughter of a King, seeking His wisdom what if my to-do list looked more like:


Bible Study
Be still, turn off phones, and pray
Read Bible for an hour
Seek His wisdom
Practice the 3 R's - request it, revere God, and receive counsel
Prayerfully seek Truth in my thoughts and actions


If I was honest with myself, and I sought to accomplish my King's to-do list, I'm thinking I would probably find that my daily have-to list would get accomplished too. Because, I think, all the clutter that fills up my day that really doesn't matter would fall away, and I would be left feeling Full and Complete.

Conversations from the Back Seat

Caleb: "Mom, I am so ready for first grade."
Me: "You are, are you excited?"
Caleb: "Yep."
Me: "Caleb, how do you know you're ready for first grade."
Caleb: "Because I can read so good."

Oh, brother. Pray for his teacher. We are working on humility. :-)

The One that Got Away

Last night, we took the boys fishing at the river. After we found a place that was sure to catch "a big whopper of a fish" (caleb), we started casting. Caleb got to use a big fishing pole, and his casting was very impressive. Cameron used his kid-size fishing pole, and after I casted a few times for him, he informed me quite insistently that he "could do it myself." So, I let him. That lasted, surprisingly, three casts before it became a huge mess. At that point Cameron decided he was done fishing with a lure, and he needed his fish back on his pole. *sidenote* If you are unfamiliar with children's fishing poles, many of them come with a 5 inch rubber fish attached. So, we re-attached his fish. At this point Caleb decided we were not at the optimal fishing location, and that we needed to move down river some. (timeline - all of that was about 25 minutes)

So we lugged our stuff a short distance down, and Caleb exclaimed this was "prime fishing area" and also "big whopper watch out, I'm gonna catch you." He casted several times, and then decided he would share with me, so I could fish some. Cameron was content with his pole and fish. Greg waded out in the river to get a better vantage on the fish we saw jumping. Of course, the boys "needed" to go out there with him. I kept casting and reeling. Cameron ended up wet from above the waistline down, but Caleb managed to stay fairly dry. At some point the three of them ventured back to land so Greg could do something to his line. Caleb regained control of his pole since I was "not catching a darn thing" (caleb). And, Cameron went back to "fishing."

At this point, Cameron keeps casting and then reeling in, claiming "I caught a fish, I caught a fish." And, every time he pulled his red rubber fish out, he looked more proud than the time before. This went on for a bit, then he really started play-acting. He sent the line in (all of two feet), then started tugging on his pole and letting more line out. He acts like he's struggling to stay upright and hang on to the pole as he steps backwards saying, "I got da big one now, must be as big as a shark. It's giving me a weally hard time, Ugh, Umph, Ugh. Come on you fish, I'm gonna get in you in yet." Of course, I am laughing hysterically and Caleb's having a difficult time reeling in because he is entranced by his brother. Well, Cameron hammed it up for a good couple of minutes, then finally produced his "whopper" of a fish. Imagine our surprise when he pulled out a 5 inch red rubber fish. He was beaming.

Alas, no fish were caught, but we had the best time, and I look forward to going again. This time I'll remember my camera, and maybe even the video camera.

Growing Up Too Fast

In the last week, I have cleaned out both of the boys' closets. Things have been re-organized, re-hung, re-done. Both of their top shelves had become a landing place for the stuff "I'll go through this later."

And, after having accomplished the clean-out, I'm left with a realization that hit me like a Mack truck - my kids are getting big.

When I was hanging up some new clothes in Caleb's closet for back-to-school, it hit me like a ton of bricks when his clothes no longer stayed on these

and he graduated to these adult-size versions

Ugh! Where did the time go?!

Then, as if that wasn't enough, salt was added to my fresh wound.

I cleaned out Cameron's closet, and finally pulled out the monogrammed diaper bag that my sweet friends gave to me when he was born. Knowing I wouldn't part with it, I had stuck it up in the top of the closet and just piled stuff on top. Well, everything came out to sort and go through, and this is what I found:

After having myself a good moment, I forged on. Soon, after my cry moment, Greg came in and asked what was wrong. He sweetly hugged me, looked in the closet, and said "your baby's getting bigger?" And, then I really lost it stayed composed and blubbered something about how he's not a baby anymore, he's a big boy, he's going to be 4, and some other ramblings.

I got it all out and finished the closet. Later that afternoon, we took them to the pool, and it was so nice that they are bigger and swimming and a little more independent. I look forward to what is ahead and this time in their lives. (don't worry - i stashed that cute little preemie diaper away to reflect on later again)