Today, we were in the van before school and Cara had made a picture for Emma and Emma told her she didn’t want it and it hurt her feelings.
So, Emma said our little “before school” prayer and Cara said ” I want to add a prayer” and she said “please God, help no one to get in trouble at school, except Emma”…..I really tried not to laugh in front of them and tell them not to pray bad things on people….but it was funny! Ellie leaned over to me and whispered “that was kinda funny”…

Praying Mantis

 Cara said “mama, there was a praying mantis on the window in our class today”. She said (she was very serious), “I tried to get the kids to be quiet so he could pray”, “he wouldn’t pray because they were being too loud”…I said “Cara, they aren’t really praying”…she said “well, why would they call them that if they do not really pray”?….I tried to explain, but she said “well, they put their little hands together like they are praying”….lol. I think it is fine for her to believe they can pray, heck, maybe they CAN pray, for all I know…..

12 Years Ago Today

 12 years ago today, I got up early to go the the hospital to have a c-section. Ellie was breach so a c-section was mandatory.

 I got the epidural and then had to sit for 4 hours before they put the actual “meds” in. It made my neck hurt but no one cared to listen.  Really scary for a first time Mom. Finally, they took me to the operating room.  The doctor decided to pull out my uterus to show Kyle my ovaries…and I am lying there thinking “what the heck”!! 

 After all of the nurses and the doctor jumping on me with all of their body weight,  they pulled Ellie out.  As soon as they put her beside my face, she stopped crying….

 After all of the terror was over, all I felt was happiness. She was beautiful. I loved her instantly and realized what it meant to love someone more than you love yourself.

 Ellie Grace- I want to wish you a wonderful birthday. That you so much for making my life so happy. You are amazing!!! Love you bunches!!

The Office

 Well, I went to the office at Ellie’s school today. the lady I talked to (not real sure if she is a counselor or principal) took the note very seriously. She said she would call the girl to the office to talk and that they RARELY had to be called twice because they get scared….so, let’s just hope and pray that this ends here….

so….

 We are still having a few issues with middle school. Well, with kids.

 Last night Ellie had her YUC farewell at church. It is where they move from the “youth under construction” to the real “youth”… it is a fun night with lots of memories shared.

 When we first got there, one of Ellie’s friends handed her a note from a girl at school that was really hateful to Ellie last May in the 6th grade.  I have blocked all contact from this child so she had to resort to going thru another YUC…(this child does not attend the same church as we do)….

 The letter was nasty…it ruined Ellie’s night for about an hour.  The cool thing was Ellie’s close friends cheered her up. Not because they had heard about the letter but because they are all so sweet and they love her.  Sometimes, having a talent (singing for Ellie, other things for other kids, too) can make kids target someone.  Ellie doesn’t care because her passion for singing is ENORMOUS! The kids last night embrace that and encourage Ellie to sing.  The meaning of true friendship prevailed and the night was a success.

 That leaves me with the mean note.  I am taking it to the principal on Monday to have the matter dealt with because the letter was written on school property and it is harrassment.  I am also praying for this child. God loves her too, no matter what. Ellie is praying for her too.  Life can be hard and lessons have to be learned. Good d will come from everything eventually…but it doesn’t make it any easier to have someone be mean to your child. LOL….

Middle School

 This has been an adjustment.  Ellie will be 12 next week. She is still so young. She has been tormented in middle school by some mean boys.  They have called her “ugly” and said other mean things.  It is heart breaking to a parent.

 After much prayer by lots of good friends….Ellie had a better day yesterday. Yay! Her teacher moved her away from the bully boy. She didn’t even mind walking in today.

 Life is hard when you have a middle schooler. It is like you have to wait until 3 pm for your heart to get home.

Good Emma

 My middle child is 8. She is a perfectionist.  I don’t know how she ended up that way. I am not really a perfectionist and neither is Kyle. 

 Today, I received an email from Emma’s teacher saying “only 6 kids did their homework last night”. Evidently, the other kids forgot their homework.  I wrote the teacher back and said “was Emma one of them” and she said Emma forgot her homework too.  I knew this would kill Emma. I knew she would hold it in until she got home and then be a mess.

 She got in the van and said ” I forgot my homework”… then Cara talked (as usual) all the way home.  When she got to the sidewalk, she was huffing and puffing like a wild horse. She was stomping and I knew it was coming.  She sat down at the table and took her fist and started pounding the table, while still getting out her homework.. “My teacher doesn’t like me”, “I don’t want to go to school”…. finally, I just hugged her and she broke down and cried.

 I was thinking “I wonder how she got to be such a perfectionist”?  Then, I remembered “good Emma”..that was her nickname when she was a baby because she was a great baby…I think it carried on until about age 3…but I think we still would say “emma you are so good”.. We didn’t say it around Ellie but she probably picked up on the “good Emma” vibe…

 What if I ruined her life? What if she is going to feel like she has to be “good Emma” forever??  There is nothing I can do now except quit calling her “perfectionist Emma”… I really can’t believe how horrible I must be to label my kids that way….

 BUT- no use crying over spilled milk shake, even if it is the peach kind… All we can do now is be there for her and trust that God made her little personality and he will guide her and save her from any mistakes her parents have made.

Starting Middle School

 Today was the first day of middle school for Ellie. My friend Kathy had mentioned to me that I should walk Ellie in on the first day. Ellie said “nnnnnooooo”…she has been walking herself in since Kindergarten…so I agreed, although, it made me nervous.

 When we got there and she saw all of the other parents, she quickly changed her mind about walking in with me, but since I didn’t even brush my hair and had on what I slept in, I couldn’t..so we sat in the parking lot and waited to see someone she knew. She was so nervous.  One of the girls who bullied her last year pulled in behind us. That added to the stress.

 Finally, my friend Angela walked by and Ellie said ” I’m gonna walk in with them”….I said “thank you God for Angela and Alyssa”…and I really mean that because they appeared like angels right when Ellie needed them.

 When I picked her up, she was all smiles. She knew people in her class and they were all nice.

 A few hours later she puked all over the floor, went to the bathroom and passed out.  Mima and I helped her to the bed and now she is fine. I dont’ know if it was a virus or nerves….it scared us to death to see her lying on the bathroom floor all pale.

 So, now looking back over the day. I see God worked a lot out for us. First, he gave us Angela, then he gave Ellie friends in her class, then, he kept the puking at bay until she got home. I am thankful!

Stuffed friends

 Emma spent the night with her friend Kayla last night. Kayla loves to have friends over but she has a big delimma at bedtime. Kayla doesn’t like to move any stuffed animals off of her bed to make room for Emma to sleep.  To her, they are her real friends.  So, last night we just sent Emma with her sleeping bag.

 I remember having stuffed friends when I was a kid. Since my sister is 18 years older than me, I was pretty much an only child.  I had about 5 stuffed animals that slept with me everynight.

 I never wanted anything to be lonely so I put them in my bed like they needed me as much as I needed them.

 I tied my clothes together in the closet so it looked like they were all holding hands.  My mother said I tied her clothes together too.

 I was never really alone. God was there with me.  He knew my heart and he kept me company. Just like he will anyone feeling lonely today.

Are you a girly girl or a tomboy??

 There is a contoversy in the first grade.  They are trying to decide who is a “girly girl” and who is a “tomboy”.  Emma is a tomboy to a teeeee. They divided each other into groups. Some first graders still want to be girly girls.

 There is an even bigger controversy in 5th grade.  They are all trying to decide the same thing.  Well, the 5th graders are not  quite as loving and kind to each other.  They decided to appoint everyone either a girly girl or a tomboy. No one in 5th grade wants to be a girly girl.

 Tonight, Ellie is devastated because since she wore pink today, she was called a “girly girl”.  I told her the girls in her class haven’t seen her after she has been digging up worms and playing in the sand. There was no consoling her. Her feelings are hurt.

 Now, my job as a parent, is to tell them they can be a girly girl one day and a tomboy the next and whatever they want the next.  I tried this and it helped Emma (who wasn’t upset anyway), but not Ellie.  My joke about shaving her head didn’t help either.

 I finally told her how tough 5th grade was for me. My worst year in school.  This helped her.  This made her feel better.

 Thanks God, for giving me wisdom in areas I am lacking and letting me know how to comfort a 10 year old.