Kids! Encouragement.
Matthias stayed with us this weekend while his Momma went to ACL. I don't know if it was because we stayed pretty busy the whole time or if it was because we're just that awesome (guffaw), but having three kids around didn't seem like any more work than having two. In many ways, it was easier because Matthias kept Isaac busy by playing with him and reading books to him. Instead of taking his cues from us, Isaac took his cues from Matthias.
After a day and half of hanging out together, the boys needed some space from each other. Even then, it was manageable quiet time. Matthias sat in the living room reading while Isaac did a reading lesson with me and played in his room.
I'm encouraged. On many levels.
First, that I can cope with having lots of kids around. It makes me think that perhaps I'm not so insane for wanting more than two kids.
Second, that Matthias was so well-behaved and sweet. We haven't spent any real time with him for at least two years, but he has matured a lot in that time. I'd like to think the peacefulness of our home has something to do with his behavior, but I think the larger portion of it has come from the stability of living in one place for so long with loving parents. Even though he's been without a father for the past 4 months or so, that may actually be a good thing in the long run if it keeps him from witnessing all the daily strife that comes with a disintegrating marriage.
Third, that my son likes good things. I'm watching the Carlisle children this morning (all three of them), and I made fruit smoothies for breakfast. When I told Robert this would be his breakfast he said: "We have cereal for breakfast."
"Well, we don't have cereal right now. We're going to have fruit smoothies."
"Um, sometimes my mom buys us smoothies from the store. Are these smoothies you bought or are you going to make them?"
I didn't know you could buy pre-packaged smoothies from the store. "I'm going to make them."
"Oh, cause my mom sometimes buys us smoothies from the store, and she gets one I really like called Mixed Berry. It has bananas and strawberries and blueberries in it. Can you make something like that?"
"Yes, I've got all those fruits, and I'm planning on making a nice smoothie out of them all."
"Oh, good."
So, I made a smoothie out of bananas, strawberries, blueberries, a hint of fresh-ground peanut butter, eggs, and raw milk. I tasted a sip. It was perfect, perhaps my best smoothie ever. I poured these guaranteed crowd pleasers into cups for the kiddos and began cleaning out the blender.
I was interrupted by Robert. "Can I go outside and play?"
"Did you finish your smoothie?"
"No, I don't like how it tastes. This isn't what I had in mind." I'll tell you what he had in mind -- sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and a host of edible food like substances that aren't real food.
I glanced over at Isaac. He had downed his whole glass. That's my boy! Leah had abandoned her smoothie with a look of disgust, too.
How can a child not like fruit smoothies?
Fourth, I'm encouraged by how much Matthias enjoyed church. As soon as we told him he would get to come with us, he couldn't talk about anything else. He really missed going to church and was really looking forward to it. He was perfectly behaved during the service, happy to take communion, and even happier to play with all the kids afterward. "I really want to come to church every Sunday," was his constant refrain. This kid is starving for God and a sense of the holy, and I hope God gives us the chance to help foster that communion.
Fifth, I'm encouraged that we got to make new friends this weekend. We spent Saturday with the Julianos in Killeen and they invited another couple who recently moved into their area to join us. They were very like minded on all sorts of issues (food, homeschooling, Orthodoxy), and I found myself a bit sad that they lived so far away.
After a day and half of hanging out together, the boys needed some space from each other. Even then, it was manageable quiet time. Matthias sat in the living room reading while Isaac did a reading lesson with me and played in his room.
I'm encouraged. On many levels.
First, that I can cope with having lots of kids around. It makes me think that perhaps I'm not so insane for wanting more than two kids.
Second, that Matthias was so well-behaved and sweet. We haven't spent any real time with him for at least two years, but he has matured a lot in that time. I'd like to think the peacefulness of our home has something to do with his behavior, but I think the larger portion of it has come from the stability of living in one place for so long with loving parents. Even though he's been without a father for the past 4 months or so, that may actually be a good thing in the long run if it keeps him from witnessing all the daily strife that comes with a disintegrating marriage.
Third, that my son likes good things. I'm watching the Carlisle children this morning (all three of them), and I made fruit smoothies for breakfast. When I told Robert this would be his breakfast he said: "We have cereal for breakfast."
"Well, we don't have cereal right now. We're going to have fruit smoothies."
"Um, sometimes my mom buys us smoothies from the store. Are these smoothies you bought or are you going to make them?"
I didn't know you could buy pre-packaged smoothies from the store. "I'm going to make them."
"Oh, cause my mom sometimes buys us smoothies from the store, and she gets one I really like called Mixed Berry. It has bananas and strawberries and blueberries in it. Can you make something like that?"
"Yes, I've got all those fruits, and I'm planning on making a nice smoothie out of them all."
"Oh, good."
So, I made a smoothie out of bananas, strawberries, blueberries, a hint of fresh-ground peanut butter, eggs, and raw milk. I tasted a sip. It was perfect, perhaps my best smoothie ever. I poured these guaranteed crowd pleasers into cups for the kiddos and began cleaning out the blender.
I was interrupted by Robert. "Can I go outside and play?"
"Did you finish your smoothie?"
"No, I don't like how it tastes. This isn't what I had in mind." I'll tell you what he had in mind -- sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and a host of edible food like substances that aren't real food.
I glanced over at Isaac. He had downed his whole glass. That's my boy! Leah had abandoned her smoothie with a look of disgust, too.
How can a child not like fruit smoothies?
Fourth, I'm encouraged by how much Matthias enjoyed church. As soon as we told him he would get to come with us, he couldn't talk about anything else. He really missed going to church and was really looking forward to it. He was perfectly behaved during the service, happy to take communion, and even happier to play with all the kids afterward. "I really want to come to church every Sunday," was his constant refrain. This kid is starving for God and a sense of the holy, and I hope God gives us the chance to help foster that communion.
Fifth, I'm encouraged that we got to make new friends this weekend. We spent Saturday with the Julianos in Killeen and they invited another couple who recently moved into their area to join us. They were very like minded on all sorts of issues (food, homeschooling, Orthodoxy), and I found myself a bit sad that they lived so far away.