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Lilie makes this face all the time and then asks, "Is this cute, Mom?"
I've tried to break the hard facts to her, but she seems to imagine it's cute anyway. :) |
I can't believe it. The school year is over!
I'm super excited (and a little bit nervous) about having all four babies home with me each day. All summer. :) I think I'm crazy.
I know it's going to take a bit of trial and error time on my part to get us into a good, healthy, productive routine each day again, but I'm excited for the challenge.
Just not really today.
I've got some transcription work to finish up this morning and I was robbed several hours of sleep last night due to Violet's molars trying to "break on through to the other side." She is such a pleasant little bug, that it's difficult to diagnose what's wrong with her. It took me a couple days to figure out why she wouldn't go to sleep for me when she's so happy-go-lucky all day long. Poor baby. She's tired too.
Hazel and Lilie have both done such a wonderful job this year in school.
Hazel has really enjoyed being at Taylor's Crossing. Her teacher was fabulous and the school itself has exceeded my expectations. She was really challenged to do her very best and she did very well. She is an excellent reader -- very thorough and perceptive -- and she does very well at all of her English (grammar and such). She comes home spouting facts that she learned at school all the time - and remembers them later! She's so smart. Her only struggle has been learning to focus better on specifically what she should be doing - rather than trying to pay attention to everything all at the same time - but she'll get it down. It's something that we work on at home constantly. She's growing up so much. Every once in a while :), I get a glimpse of a more responsible, helpful, and grown up Hazel. :) She's learning and changing so quickly and just thrives on any kind of verbal praise. She's so affectionate and complimentary. She is such a kind little girl. She so wants to be good and do what's right so badly. I love her. Today, as soon as she got home, she was so excited for pull out all the things that her teacher had given her to work on this summer. Things like "2nd Grade Addition" (!) and her summer reading chart. She started working on them immediately. What a fun girl! She loves learning.
Lilie has really enjoyed Kindergarten - for the most part. As I've mentioned previously, she has been getting bored the past few months. She is REALLY ready for some new challenges. I asked her the other day if she felt like she had learned anything new in Kindergarten and she was quick to tell me, No. She already knew all her numbers and letters. I know that she picked up a few new things - like counting money and such - but nothing that took her more than five seconds to have down pat. :) But she said that her favorite thing she got to do was make crafts -- but she hated that there was never enough time to
finish what she was doing. She said that she could hardly ever color the
whole picture. Because Lilie doesn't just color the subject of the picture, she colors the sky and the grass and makes flowers and rainbows and extra dinosaurs and writes stories and gives all the characters names. :) Very frustrating to be interrupted when she's hard at work. :) I knew that much of Kindergarten would be review for Lilie, but I'm pleased to see how she's fit into the social dynamic of a classroom and how well she does with the other kids. I can't believe how much she's grown up this year.
Last night I took all four girls to the mall with me to get a few things. About the time that I was ready to walk out of the dressing room, leave all four of them there forever, and never look back - Hazel really stepped up to the plate, trying to set a good example and help with two particularly tired and crazy yay-hoo's. She was such a good friend to me and I really appreciated her. Then as we were leaving the mall, Lilie asked me if I had my phone. I told her, of course I did. When I got in the van, I thought I'd better check though - just in case. Turns out I didn't and felt a little panicked. When I asked her if she could remember where I'd put it, she immediately responded that I'd left it in the second to last dressing room - in the corner. Ran back in and it was exactly where she'd said it was. Thank heavens for sweet children that know when to listen to the promptings of the Spirit and help out their overwhelmed mother.
Elsie, is DEFINITELY ready for summer. She's become a good little friend for Violet at times, but she is so excited for her sisters to be home with her. She plays so well on her own or really enjoys being my buddy throughout the morning, but I know she gets lonely for them too. I'm not a huge fan of preschool, but it might be something that I'll consider at some point with my Elsie. She's still got two more years of being home with mommy (because she is so old in her class) and with the age gap between her and Violet, it might be a good idea. We shall see.
Nels is "looking forward" to a cool weekend filled with fixing the lawnmower, home repair, yard work, and "honey-do's." :) His dad has been here for the past few days working on some Mind for Media stuff. Mel left this morning on his Goldwing to brave the elements, test out his new knees, and hopefully make it up to visit Nels's oldest sister in Washington this evening. Nels doesn't have to work Monday (I can't believe it!) for Memorial Day and we're both looking forward to a nice, long, rainy weekend. :)
As for me, other than being tired today, I'm happy as can be. I'm feeling very content with our lives right now. Maybe it's just pregnancy hormones talking :), but I feel really satisfied with our lives right now. I feel like we're on the right path and I love my life. I've had a much easier time correcting and being more lovingly patient with my little ladies lately. There are always moments where I feel like . . . my head might explode into a million pieces :), but I've found some semblance of order within myself as I've been slowly uncovering it in my home too. :)
Life is such a journey. There are definitely some bumpy patches. Definitely some things that we work on constantly --- whether focusing, obeying, boredom, pain, self-control, or learning to be satisfied with life as it is today. But there is so much joy and beauty to be had as well. The older I get, the deeper
understanding I gain of this quote, quoted by President Gordon B. Hinckley:
Anyone who imagines that bliss is normal is going to waste a lot of time running around shouting that he has been robbed.
[The fact is] most putts don’t drop. Most beef is tough. Most children grow up to be just people. Most successful marriages require a high degree of mutual toleration. Most jobs are more often dull than otherwise. …
Life is like an old-time rail journey—delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed.
The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride.
{Talk by
Pres. Hinckley found here. It was given to the "single adults" in the Church, but as I read through it, there was so much that touched my heart and my mind. I love that man. I know that he was and is a prophet of God.}
Through all the ups and downs, ins and outs, life is so very beautiful. So much to learn, so many ways to grow. In our house right now, there's lots of growing and stretching. I love it.
