Here's my newest strategy for keeping our crazy lives straight. This is magnetized and smack dab on the side of our fridge, where we can see it everyday. I list most everything we have to do on a given day, so everyone know where everyone else has to be and when. You can see there's something almost everyday! It's been nice, though. Before, I used to keep the schedule in my head and my own personal calendar, but Brian never could see those. This way he's in the loop, too. Last week, Brian was out of town and it was the craziest week. With one less person to help make dinners, take kids around and do all the general work, it was the most exhausting week I've had in a long time!! I knew there was a reason I kept him around!
The kids have really been showing us lately how grown up they are becoming. Here are a few examples:
I was taking them to get a flu shot last week. Grace asked why they had to get one. I was explaining how it could keep you from getting the flu. Then I started reminding them of all the other shots they've gotten that keep them from getting other diseases. Grace asked if it would keep her from getting cancer (she had heard Brian and I talking about my friend Dayna who is still fighting her cervical cancer). I told Grace it would not stop her from getting cancer. Will then started talking about Dayna and her illness. We talked a little bit about how we need to help Dayna as much as we can because her medicine is making her feel bad. We were on our way to choir practice at church when we had that conversation. After choir Will came up to me and said "Mommy, we prayed at the end of choir, and I prayed for Dayna." What a sweetie, it brought tears to my eyes!
So, the kids are still walking home from school everyday by themselves. One day I had the idea to teach them a few people's cell phone numbers to call for an emergency, specifically mine and Grandma' Ellen's. Ellen is almost always home in the afternoons, and if they came home from school and myself or the babysitter, Jessica, was not there they could call Grandma and ask her to come over. So, we practiced dialing Ellen's cell #. I didn't actually think this would happen, though. Well, last Friday Jessica was late coming because her class got out late. The kids got home at 3:05 and no one was here (I was up helping set up fun night at Cavett). So the kids stayed calm and called Ellen. It turned out that Jessica showed up about 5 minutes later, before Ellen could even make it over. But, I was impressed with how calm they were and they called for help!
This morning, they all had dentist appts at 9 am. Before they left for school, I told them I would come get them at 8:45. I was a little late getting to school and I didn't get there until 8:47. When I walked into the office, all three were there signing themselves out at the front desk! I asked them how they got to the office and Will said "You told me you were coming at 8:45. So, I told my teacher that and I got up and left at 8:45. I stopped and got Xander and Grace on the way!" It was so awesome, he kept track of time and was ready to go when I got there. It's a good thing the ladies in the office know us and weren't wondering what they were doing!! They've also been doing a good job of keeping track of their school library books, homework (most of the time) and even the boys are doing a good job being responsible with their Cub Scout stuff. I'm so proud of them for taking responsibility for things and really growing up.
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