Just Give Me the Dirt: Day 103

Semester one in public school in the books. HOLLA!
*insert collapse at the finish line of semester one. Sucking air like an out of shape freshman running the 400 for the first time*

Facing semester two with renewed vigor, with a predicted fizzle date of about April-first-ish. :)

When we hit the finish line of May, we will have a 6th grader, 3rd grader, 2nd grader, and a bona fide Kindergartner. Good gracious! Not sure I can wrap my Mama brain around that idea.

I assisted in one of the girls classrooms recently, I walked out more convinced than ever that the starting pay for a teacher should be a hundred grand. And that's just the STARTING salary. Teachers, you ROCK! I consider myself pretty child savy, kid friendly, energetic, patient, person. But OH WOW! Y'all take the cake. Teaching your own children is one thing, teaching OTHER people's children is a whole other realm of special. We are so blessed by YOU! Y'all find a teacher and appreciate them today!

I LURVED having my girls home over Christmas. One of my favorite, "file this in your Mama treasure box" moments, was when Lucy impersonated Jim Carey in the Grinch alllllllll the way to Jackson. Hysterical. Stephanie can testify it was fantastical. I'm not sure if I sent Lucy back to school or the Grinch back to school. It was good to see her light-hearted, easy going, third born spunk and wit return after a long hibernation.

Our quiet,sleeping-in mornings, were so worth all the chaotic Christmas craziness. I always loved a slow paced morning in the home school realm. Hmmmm.. So sweet.

But we are back in full 6am swing. Mom and Dad collapsing into the bed by 9pm. Protecting our family evening hours like a pot of gold, and counting down the hours til sweet weekends.

For those who are tracking the AJ academic journey, this week he wrote his alphabet and I almost cried.

Because, remember this time last year we were alphabet bowling and pulling our hair out just to get him to recognize his letters. You've come a long way baby boy!

A couple weeks ago Katie continued a long family tradition and preached excuse me, taught from Psalm 139. Listening to your children read the word out loud? Knock you out  incredible! Preach it sister!

Recently, I've spent a significant amount of time watching my Julia. Motherhood has taught me that there are seasons when one specific child needs intensified attention, intensified prayer, intensified affirmation, intensified discipline, intensified instruction, intensified grace, etc..etc.. This last year Julia has needed all those intensifications (blogger is telling me that's not a word, we're rolling with it). Many days, I wish for osmosis so that I could become like Julia simply by holding her.  One word for her, meek.

There has already been a common theme to my 2014. Words I have preached to my heart in the dark of night. Words that have carried me through some heavy days. Words; meaty, wonderful, powerfully precise WORDS!

"God is the blessed controller of all things!"
"God is the blessed controller of all things!"
"God is the blessed controller of all things!"
"God is the blessed controller of all things!"

~Sara