Heard in the School Room

"Pootie-Poot" (and we add another "Poot") had been heard over and over while we study post-WWII and listen to current news from Eastern Europe. Totally not "potty words" in this case! Anyone want to guess??

It actually started with a biography I read about George W. Bush years ago. And it's soo hard to hear the name of the leader of Russia without that nickname popping into my head. And now I've passed this "gift" to my children:) LOL!!

And just for fun, I Google-d the nickname and found a Wikipedia LIST of all the different nicknames George W. Bush used:)

**************************************
While reviewing the word "indispensable" for spelling, Anna had to write a sentence for the word. She called over to me at the table giving another spelling test, "Hey Mom, what does 'indispensable' mean?"

My response, "Anna, look it up!"

Chris: "Oh, Anna! You just got Mom-ed!"

At one time I hoped that my staying home and home schooling my kids would keep me from feeling like I live in the 'hood. And then I realized all kids are kids and there is ONE (at least one) comedian in each class... no matter how small... and that they are related to me :/

*****************************************

And sometimes there can be some purring happening in the school room (and simultaneous protest barking coming from the living room).

Sometimes it's because she just slips in.

Sometimes she gets smuggled in.

Sometimes she's just too precious to deny.

Who can resist that

        sleepy

                 squishy

                          face?

Milk Bubbles

In an effort to let my kids be kids... to let them have "kid moments".

And the Boyz seem to find these moments more than the girls... although the girls have their own, too:)

So one morning as I was coming in from walking the dog, I found my oldest boy making milk bubbles.

Having the best time!

And a wide-eyed smaller, but just as adventurous, brother watching his every move!

And then it got a little crazy.

But the smiles were great:)

Just another moment of forgetting the "to do" list, the mess, poor table manners...

just a minute to smile and giggle...

take some pictures to remember (and prove I let them!!!).

Each Moment

After a week of not having the littlest kiddo come into our room (and bed) in the wee hours of the morning, I really began to miss him:/ It was a reminder of how quickly this littlest boy of ours is growing older.

This morning I was glad for his little body snuggling into bed with us before we rose for the day:) And how after we moved around the room for a bit, showered and dressed he still slept soundly in our bed... the bed his used to call his own:)

Oh, how the years of little toes being in our face or under our neck have flown by. How the mornings of wrestling the covers back from underneath him have become sweet memories.

I'm learning to slow down.
To stop and step back to appreciate these simple moments.
Maybe take out the camera to capture this sweet little face into a memory that doesn't fade as fast.

And then in a few moments...
Embrace the quiet start to the morning with both boys still in the bed:)
One looking through baby books learning about opposites.

The other perfecting how to tie a shoe.

Gentle, unhurried, simple moments together before the day gets under way.
Tender moments that continue to knit our hearts together.
Before the dog needs to be taken out into the arctic wind and the school work begins.
Before the news of loved ones sick and passing on.
Before the 5 loads of laundry begin the endless cycle... dirty, wash, clean, dirty... and the kitchen requires attention.

And then in the middle of the day, I received another tender moment.

Chilled by the cool dampness outside, I shivered. My youngest in PJs hugged my neck and then asked, "Is this feel better, Mommy?"

As I smiled back, I whispered,"Yes, thank you! Where did I get such a sweet boy?"

And with his bashful grin he responded, "Maybe, from God. Maybe He give me to you."

He knows!

This is all a sweet gift!
Each child!
Each tender moment!
Each kid- inspired mess!
Each disagreement!
Each dirty mismatched pair of socks (it's the "in" thing now... so maybe I don't have to mess with attempting to match them anymore either)!

May I be faithful today... and every day! To count each moment and daily task as the gifts that they were meant to be. And in the moments that overcome and attempt to steal my contentment and joy, help me to show grace and search for reasons to be grateful.