Joel gave Simeon one of his old watches today. I’m pretty sure it was about every five minutes all day that Simeon turned to me and said, “Isn’t it nice that I have a watch Mom?”
Josiah’s prayer at supper tonight: “Dear God, thank you that I can go to school. And thank you for Zeke.” (our new puppy)
Josiah: "Mom, I think TK is a little better than Kindergarten."
Me: "Oh yeah, why's that?"
Josiah: "Because it's shorter."
Me: "But think of all the extra fun things you get to do in Kindergarten. . ."
Josiah: "Yeah, but I don't get as long at home."
A friend who also sent her first child to kindergarten today sent me something this morning. Here is part of it:
“I’ll never forget the feeling as I stood on the side-walk watching my son go into his kindergarten class-room the first day of school. I felt like I was no longer going to be there to protect and defend him. How would he manage if someone bullied him? Who would help him if he struggled with a problem? How would I deal with the negative influences he was bound to encounter? . . . As mothers, we are constantly saying good-bye to our children, relinquishing them to the influences of others. . .Although I have no power to change circumstances, I do have the power of God available through Word and Sacrament. I can also daily bring my children before His throne and seek His guidance, protection, grace, and mercy for them wherever they are. This is one of the sacred privileges of motherhood. And the assurance we have is that the same God who guided Samuel and comforted Hannah is available to guide our children and comfort us. He knows and loves our sons and daughters even more than we do and is able to accomplish great things in their lives- things beyond our limited sight that He has prepared for them to do for Him and His kingdom.”
One of the great privileges of motherhood – to pray for our kids and believe God has so much good for them and even that what we do not see as good, He works for good.
So, today I say goodbye to one stage of the life of Josiah, sad at what has gone so quickly and what I will miss, but excited for what is in store in this new stage.
We are busy getting ready for school in our home. Josiah came along with Evelyn and I to her last appointment for her helmet in Sioux Falls and afterwards we shopped for school supplies for him. It was very interesting to watch him pick out his supplies. The most important thing to him was that the supplies were blue. We picked out his backpack first and then he matched the blues of the other supplies to the blue of his backpack. There were two shades of blue folders and he picked the one that was closest in color to the backpack. Very interesting!
Simeon has been very interested in starting “school” at home with me. He wanted to know when his school started. I told him maybe 2 weeks and he counted the 14 days that was and stated, “Oooh, that’s not very long!” He also wants to spell. I told him he has to learn to write his name first, so he has been practicing. He has a hard time with the “e” he says, and often goes back over parts that aren’t exactly on the tracing line. After tracing his name a few times one day, he announced that he now knew how to write his name and was ready to start spelling!
It’s fun to see them excited about learning!
1. Evelyn finally had her first tooth pop through two days ago. It only took 14 months, but she has a cute little tooth on the bottom. I’m pretty sure she is working on another one since her shirt is soaked each day!
2. Josiah’s comment when I read him his school supply list: “I’m going to have a lot of fun in kindergarten if I have to get all that stuff!”
3. I had an argument with Simeon at 4:45am the other morning – Simeon was sure that he could not fall asleep! I kept telling him that he had been asleep, I had been asleep, and he could just go back to sleep. He was convinced he had never fallen asleep for the night. I finally persuaded him to just lay back and keep trying to fall asleep. He might have been asleep before I got out of the room. . .
4. Ezra: “Guess what guys. . .I have big boy underwear on. . .I get a sucker if I go poppy in the toliet.” He knows all the rules, but not so successful yet in staying dry and clean.
