So for my 100th post...

I am going on a media fast. That's right. A media fast. It's part of a Bible Study that Paul is taking the youth through. This is our 4th time to go through it as a family. So for the next 21 days there will be no computer (except for work), no tv, no XBOX, no blogging, no facebook. Occasionally if the sky looks dark we'll check to make sure there is no danger...other than that...no media.

This will be an interesting time in our family. The last time we did this the kids were hardly watching cartoons so it wasn't that hard. This time they love cartoons (all three of them) and they love to play XBOX. So it will definitely be a bigger challenge this time. We have lots of things planned. We are going to clean out our play room and give the toys to Hurricane Ike victims. We are hoping to go, as a family, to Port San Antonio and serve food to Hurricane Ike victims. There are still several thousand people displaced to Port San Antonio. We will play games, we will play outside, just spending time together. We are going to read Bible stories do crafts, all kinds of things...just to be together with little distraction.

So don't lose heart...I'll be back in 21 days! Maybe my 101st post will be about the amazing things that God has done over the last 21 days!

God uses pagans....

Ok, so my friends aren't necessarily "pagans" per se...however, they are certainly are not believers in Jesus. I went to a jewelry party tonight...totally out of obligation. A friend of mine donated to the Alzheimer's Walk that we are participating in and then invited me to her party...so I went.

(by the way if you would like to donate to our walk, please copy this link and go to my webpage!

https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=268992&supId=230780424

And I thank you;)

Anyway, so I go to this party where there is plenty of beer, wine and other beverages that I don't drink and plenty of words flying around....that I don't say. We are looking at jewelry and talking and about two hours after the party starts a lady walked in really upset and begins to tell a story to the host (my friend) about her daughter. She is 5 years old and can do EVERYTHING a 5 year old can do...with one exception. She has a communication delay. In other words she understands everything you say, she comprehends everything, she can do and act in accordance with everything you say, but she cannot verbally or expressively communicate back to you. She has struggled with speech but she has made some incredible strides and her pediatrician said that after two years in a school program (not public school) you would never know that she had a problem.

The reason the mom was so upset is because the pre-school her daughter was in called her today and told her to come get her child because they "could do nothing with her." She was told not to bring her back, also.

WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?

I was floored. Another church in our area turned down an opportunity to minister to this family, for no good reason. I realize she is developmentally delayed...but according to her mother (who is a nurse by the way) she is NOT retarded, she is NOT special needs, she is NOT autistic...She just has trouble communicating. She knows what she wants to say, but cannot turn the thoughts into words and get the words out of her mouth.

I was so devastated at the notion that this church would not help her. She is sitting at this jewelry party bawling her eyes out because she just wants someone to love on her daughter. Her daughter needs stimulation and a classroom and a teacher to challenge her and teach her new words....because her issue is not learning. She can learn and is learning new words all the time and working toward communicating.

Since we have just opened our Mother's Day Out I began talking to her about our program and as soon as I did, I realized my entire purpose for coming to the party. I spoke with her and her daughter will begin our program on Tuesday! God used a seriously ungodly people and place to accomplish his purpose. I had a Divinely appointed meeting with that lady tonight and I thank God that He prompted me to go.

I hope I never underestimate the power of God to use ungodly people and circumstances to accomplish His will. His will pevails over all.

Caleb and Abby's First Day of School

Make a Smilebox postcard

So Caleb and Abby had their first day of "Mom's Day Off". We just started the program at our church and it is starting off slow but sure. We hope to have more childred over the next few days and weeks, but we had a good start. Caleb and Abby were really excited about "school". Caleb did really well. He came home and told me that Ms. Jodi (his teacher) had taught him to read and he is now ready for Kindergarten. I thought...how amazing! One day and he can already read! Give Ms. Jodi a raise!

Abby is in my class and I wasn't sure how that was going to go over. We have been talking about it for a while...reminding her how good she was going to be in mommy's class. So all was well for the first part of the day and then....

I told her three times to do something and she refused all three times. So I calmly walked over to the stoplight and changed her clip from green to yellow and then...

She FREAKED out. I mean the whole bit. Screaming, kicking, crying...all of it. So I basically manhandle her out to another teacher for Abby to be in time out. She kept up with her CRAZY fit and then all of the sudden out of the corner of my eye I see her feet flying through the air and Paul walking out of the room. I guess this is what you would call a perk. Her daddy working just feet away down the hall! In a few minutes she came back red faced to class and apologized to me and then promptly asked me to change her color back to green because she said she was sorry. I told her we would see about that and she rejoined the class.

That was it. The whole thing. The rest of the day went flawlessly and I have a really great class...including my precious daughter. I don't think, however, that she will be throwing anymore fits...you know...with daddy in such close range!

Welcome to my world...

So Yesterday (Wednesday) was a normal day until this one thing happened.

The kids and I were waiting for Paul to come home from work. He was due in about 3:30 so we were just hanging around...waiting. We hear the door open and then close and so we go to the kitchen to greet daddy. As I go into the kitchen I see Paul grabbing a metal spatula and another kitchen utensil that I can't exactly make out. He is also grabbing a ziploc bag...and SMILING like he has just been caught.

So of course I ask Him, "What are you doing"
He said, "This is an answer to prayer."
And I said, "What? My spatula?"

And He said.........

"No, Caroline (the cat) threw up! and I need some throw up for my bible study illustration tonight for small group."

So he proceeds to "scoop" the cat throw up into the bag with my spatula and what I now know is a rubber spatula and put it on the top of the refridgerator until small group that night.

Welcome to my world, people, welcome to my world.

Jacob's First Day of First Grade

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Well the first day was wonderful. As you can see from the pics. First Grade is an entirely different animal than Kindergarten. Now you might be saying, "Duh, Tanya", but as someone experiencing this for the first time I was not quite ready for what I'm calling the "First Grade Attitude". Lately he knows everything. I was unaware that he came in to such a plethera of knowledge and so I find myself continually telling him things that, "(he) knows...mooooommmmmmmm." So we have been dealing with that. yeah...and save the "it only gets worse" comments, please...we do work with teenagers...we know. Thank you.

Anyway...hhe came home with homework today. Yep. Homework. On the first day.

Of course he was exhausted because he is used to having a FOB time. (That's Flat On Back time for those of you who did not know.) He hasn't been taking naps all summer, just resting. Well no rest for the first graders makes for super cranky first graders when they get home. Not only was he super cranky but he was one of the last ones to be picked up today....NOW WAIT. Before you start yelling at me about how I should have been on time...just read on.

Short story...Jacob's school used to be split into two buildings. PK-1st in one and 2nd-4th in another, 5th on a campus of their own. This year all the children are in ONE building...PK-5th under one roof. Why you ask, because they are tearing down the other building and building a new beautiful one for next school year. So that's added people and children in the building plus all of the extras that come on the first day to pick up their kiddos. School ends at 2:45 so at 2:45 I pack the other kids up and drive over to the church (right next door to our house) to pick up Paul. We drive out of the church drive way and...get in the line...literally backed up all the way to the church. Big deal you say? The church is about 1/2 mile from the school. Yep. The line to pick up the children from school is 1/2 a mile long. We need to get gas, because waiting for that long we were going to run out of gas. So we go past the school and get some gas and come back to get in line. Clearly this is not going to be an easy pick up. We wait and wait and wait and we finally get to school and we FINALLY get Jacob and go home. We walked in the house at 3:47. That's right folks...1 hour and 2 minutes after leaving to travel 1/2 mile to pick up my son from school. Lovely. Maybe tomorrow will be better...please God, please.

God is totally into details!

So each summer I begin praying for my children's school teachers for the upcoming year. This summer was no different. I began a few weeks ago praying for Jacob's teacher (even though I had no idea who she was). I began to pray that she would be exactly what Jacob needs for 1st grade. After all, God knows them both so I figure He would be the best at putting the two together! I also prayed for someone who loved boys and the energy and patience they require. I prayed that she would be structured and fun because Jacob needs both of those things equally. Most of all I prayed for a good relationship between Jacob and his teacher and me for the maximum amount of fun and learning this year.

So......


Meet the Teacher was last night...well let me back it up a bit.

Yesterday morning I went to the school at 7:30 to help host a Welcome Back Breakfast with the PTA. I walked up to the school and the list was already out so I checked to see who Jacob had for a teacher and...his name was NOT on ANY list! I calmly checked again, thinking surely I have missed his name...NOPE. At this point I begin to semi-panic. I did not want to freak out for no reason...I mean if I am going to freak out...I need a valid reason and my son not being enrolled in school a mere 5 days before it is to begin IS A VALID REASON ladies and gentlemen! So I say forget the breakfast I am going to go find out why my kid is not enrolled in school! I walk into the office and they are working on this very problem. Apparently they were working with an older version of the software and the new version rolled over onto their system and several children were dropped off the teachers rosters and some other children who were already dropped mysteriously appeared back onto the list. So they were working on it and they new that Jacob needed a class...so I decided not worry and to go serve breakfast.

After the breakfast, I found out that Mrs. Hare is going to be Jacob's teacher. I asked around a little bit and found out who Mrs. Hare was and went to meet her. She is SUPER! She is a more seasoned teacher than we had last year. Much more established and very structured.(yeah!) I told her I would bring Jacob to meet her later that night.

Back to my story...

We all go to Meet the Teacher and we are the first ones in to Mrs. Hare's classroom. Her room is so fun! Jacob immediately began checking things out after meeting Mrs. Hare, of course. I filled out all the paperwork I have to do and then began talking a little more to Mrs. Hare. I asked her how many boys were in her class and she said there were 8 or 9. Then she said this, "I love boys. I have 3 boys of my own and I just love them!"

I said a short little, "THANK YOU GOD FOR BEING ABOUT THE DETAILS!" prayer and told Jacob it was time to go. He walked over and gave Mrs. Hare a hug and she said, "Come back on Monday, we are going to have so much fun!"

Thank you God for being about the details.

Success!

Well ladies and gentlemen...Thank you so much for your prayers and supplications for my school supply dilema. HEB came through for me and I am now the proud owner of over $45.00 in school supply product! Yeah. My son can now begin school and succesfully complete his first grade year! We also went to the Disney store where they had backpacks on sale and with the purchase of a backpack you got a lunch box for absolutely free!(maybe not absolutely...we drove there, bought the backpack, ate out...etc.) Anyway...free. So we are now the proud owners of not one, not two, but three...yes three (3) backpack/(free)lunch box combos. we are OFFICIALLY ready for school.