Summer Is Here

Today is the last day of school. Awards have been awarded, promotions have been conferred and I am now the proud mother of second, fourth and sixth graders.

The summer calendar is filled with camps, Vacation Bible schools, fishing trips and extended family visits. The phrases ‘weekly friend day,’ ‘free movie Tuesdays’ and ‘library day’ have been bandied about. As have the phrases ‘chore jar,’ ‘quiet hour’ and ‘garage project’.

I’ll be here at work, equally overjoyed and sad to skip the daily grind of motivating/enduring/entertaining.

Summer is here. Y’all pray for Jack.

A Mother of Boys

“Ma Lubitsch sighs a little sigh, but trapped within the matriarch it seems there is still a breathless groupie falling for her husband’s wild eyes and floating hair (such as remains) because there’s a sparkle about her which says loudly she does not approve, does not think this is wise, will not be held accountable, but is absolutely dying to see it happen and will reward most richly whatever prince of men can carry off this splendid boast.”

from The Gone-Away World, Nick Harkaway

Do As I Say, Not As I Do

I was given some pretty good parental advice the other day. I was advised to first have specific, positive goals for my end product. In other words, know and articulate what I want for my kids. I was then advised to model the behavior I want my children to use. In other words practice what I preach. Now I’m pretty sure nobody want to raise a juvenile delinquent and yet I’ve met a few, so this advice is obviously not without exceptions. Here’s what I think: I think a big part of good parenting is establishing good habits. Some of those habits include making the bed everyday and choosing an apple over a Twinkie. Some of those habits include treating others as you want to be treated and always speaking the truth. I try to teach the habit of a positive outlook. Every day I remind my family that they have the power to choose the color of their day. “It can be a good day or a bad day. The choice is yours.”

The truth is we’re teaching our children habits everyday, good or bad. So what do you want for your kids? health, integrity, kindness, self-confidence, success? Now reflect on what example you’re giving your children. Are you living a healthy life, showing integrity and kindness? What habits are you teaching your children?

2012 Week Seven

We had a very nice Valentine’s Day. Jack and I exchanged flowers and movie tickets and the kids were absolutely swimming in sweets. We celebrated Liz’s birthday with supper and some fun gifts. Grandma Jackie gave Liz the sweetest poster of puppies, but I’m pretty sure her favorite gift so far has been the folding money.

We were touched that Thomas and Emma both spent money of their own to buy Liz something for her birthday despite Emma’s worry that it might be offensive to spend money she received for her own birthday on someone else. She doesn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. Oh, the traumas and dramas of the tween years. I have a very clear memory of a sleepless night spent worrying about my lack of funds and my parent’s upcoming anniversary. I know I had to be older than 11 because we were living in Brookston, but I couldn’t have been much older than that because I had a job by 13. I feel very blessed that my –and Emma’s- worries were not more serious.

Jack took Liz to a maxillofacial dentist this week. She has a pearl tooth coming in in such a way that its roots are causing problems with her incoming permanent teeth. The super-dentist wants to cut it out, a 45-minute procedure that takes place under sedation. I’m not too thrilled about the sedation part, but I guess that’s something I’ll have to pray about. Y’all pray with me please.

We managed to lock three –yes, I said three- sets of keys in the pickup this week (thankfully all at the same time, otherwise I really would’ve looked stupid.) Yeah, I locked my keys in with my purse and then found out Jack left the spare key he had been using -because he can’t find his keys, which are in the floorboard of the pickup- in the cup-holder. Oh …  joy. Thankfully the local PD sent their new officer to my rescue (at no charge!). At which time I further embarrassed myself by introducing myself to a man who I’d been talking on the phone with (in the course of everyday work), for over three years. What a great day.

And finally in this Week Of Liz we had a birthday party Saturday. Our friend Andi made the cutest cake and Liz had a wonderful time with her friends. I had a wonderful time with my friends and family too. We should do stuff together more often, don’t y’all think?

Hello?

2012 Week Six

I’m free, I’m free, I’m free! All my finals are complete and submitted and I’m free!

For one week. I’ve already registered and bought books for the next semester (Psychology of Personality, Psychology of Parenting, Jesus and the Gospels and Exit Seminar) which starts February 20. But did you see that last class I listed? It says Exit Seminar! After this next semester I’ll only lack three classes- one of which is a one-hour PE class. I’m sooo close! Y’all please keep praying.

At the risk of inviting those to whom I owe money to come crawling out of the woodwork I’ll report that we received our income tax return this week. I had the distinct pleasure of being able to write checks for full balances and file away several of those invoices we had been ‘paying out’. We’ve put the remainder away for future plumbing costs and are very thankful to be able to do that. In case y’all haven’t noticed the economy is in the crapper.

Jack had very good news from the bariatric surgeon: his insurance is no longer requiring the 90-day dietician-directed diet before surgery. We won’t know exactly what this means for Jack until he meets with the surgeon again (an appointment will be made following Jack’s 02-20 appointment with cardiologist), but it sounds like answered prayer to me!

And in other good news, we had snow this past weekend. About an inch I think. Now I’m praying that it has time to melt and soak in before the wind blows it all away…

I’ll close with this photo of proof that red-neck engineering is strong with our people.

Yes, those are dresses (and boots) are made of duct tape. Aren’t they brilliant!? I’m so proud!

2012 Week Five

Grandma Alma’s finally home from her extended visit/kidney stone attack/recovery in East Texas and although everyone seems to agree that with her daughters was the best place she could be the last couple of months, I know we’re all glad to have her home again.

Jack has started his diet again. Gotta get ready for that bariatric surgeon.  Y’all please be in prayer. It’s a hard row to hoe.

We’ve had a very busy week at work. Our regular end-of-month duties just happened to coincide with our two judge’s let’s-clear-the-decks inclinations and my boss’s most recent illness (and co-worker’s dependable sympathetic illness). I really shouldn’t be wishing for another vacation so soon after the last one, but I am.

Probably what I’m really wishing for is a vacation from in the whole home/work/school combination. I am very ready to be done with school. I finished my History term paper and received good marks on the Psychology term paper, but I’m exhausted and finals start today. Can I make it to August? We’ll see.

2012 Week Four

Lots of official changes at the Smallwood house this week. This week we officially cancelled our Royal Ambassador and God’s Girls programs at Oklahoma Lane and we’ve officially begun the process of transitioning from our little Methodist home-away-from-home back to an official Baptist environment. It’s a decision we feel is right for our family now, but we’re gonna miss Oklahoma Lane. They loved us through a very difficult time in our lives. I hope we still get invited to the Baked Potato supper!

I met Mama and Ella in Wichita Falls this past weekend where we shopped, ate, laughed and talked ‘til we dropped. Seriously, the trunk of the car is full and my feet are still burning. We discovered Fuzzy’s Taco Shop and toured WF in the dark. We ate at Fuzzy’s again and saw One For The Money. We considered Fuzzy’s for breakfast, but decided on another restaurant and parted ways. Until next year, when we’ll definitely have breakfast a Fuzzy’s!