update!

eleven cats and eleven dogs and 814 children and 5 chickens

that's how thirsty austen is today

Training

I have been reading a book called 'To Train Up a Child' I am not finished yet but right after I started I have begun implementing the advice. The results are amazing. For example:

Today we went to the library. I just wanted to dash in and get a video I had reserved, today was the last day I could pick it up. I didn't bother getting out my monstrosity of a double stroller, just put Aaron in the umbrella stroller and asked Henry to stay next to me. He was SO good. Henner wasn't even in the stroller he stayed with me and obeyed perfectly. PERFECTLY, with a good attitude. When we left the library we went to the bank to deposit some checks. After the bank I asked my sons what they wanted for lunch. Austen suggested pancakes. I decided to use the $10 I had just put in the bank to buy them lunch. This is a special treat and very brave of me, if I don't say so myself. One hopelessly insufficient mom and three boys in a sit-down restaurant? I decided to reward them for their excellent behavior the last few days and do it-take them out to lunch at the pancake house. We got pancakes. The boys were so good in the restaurant. And I was calm. And it could have been bad- because at first Austen messed with coffee cups and Aaron didn't have a high chair yet and was getting into stuff. But I prayed that this test of my sons behavior and the training techniques would be a success. I was calm. We got our pancakes and ate and everyone kept being good.

Then when we were leaving and the people who were in the booth across from us stopped me in the parking lot. The woman said how good they were. I said thanks. She said "really they are very well behaved children... and you... you were so calm"

I am thanking God for my boys right now

I have never had anyone tell me that before about them... and me, calm?

wow

I am in awe that they are "working" so well and so quickly. I feel accomplished but more than that I know that something bigger than me is responsible for this positive change. God is. I don't deserve such fast results. I don't deserve these blessings. I am blessed.

Spiders

Background information: buggies = boogers
When Henner wakes up with sleep in his eyes he won't let me get it out unless I call it a 'spider'

You know eye buggies?

When you wake up?

He has those almost every morning and he won't let me get them out,

because an eye buggy never hurt anyone.

But the idea of a spider, well he doesn't like that!

So he lets me take the spider off his eye.

He is the one who came up with the name, I never lied to him and told him he had a spider on his eye.

Grape Juice

"I am thirstier than eleven cats and forty nine chickens"
Austen told me this today.

Lucky!

I don't get many things right the first time
In fact, I am told that a lot
Now I know all the wrong turns, the stumbles and falls
Brought me here
And where was I before the day
That I first saw your lovely face?
Now I see it everyday
And I know
That I am
I am
I am
The luckiest

What if I'd been born fifty years before you
In a house on a street where you lived?
Maybe I'd be outside as you passed on your bike
Would I know?
And in a white sea of eyes
I see one pair that I recognize
And I know
That I am
I am
I am
The luckiest

I love you more than I have ever found a way to say to you

Next door there's an old man who lived to his nineties
And one day passed away in his sleep
And his wife; she stayed for a couple of days
And passed away

I'm sorry, I know that's a strange way to tell you that I know we belong
That I know
That I am
I am
I am
The luckiest

I didn't write this

Cherry Lime Slush and A Very Bad Day

I had both! First came the Very Bad Day. I had a WIC appointment. I hate those. I rarely say 'I can't wait' because I want to enjoy every day God gives me with my family and to savour it, but I can't wait to become a productive member of society and never, EVER go there again. Henry was bad. What's new? He didn't even have anything to be mad about so he kept making things up, screaming how he wanted this and that-things that didn't even matter. Upon returning home he was disciplined. I proceeded to go about my business. While I was indisposed, he learned how to open the front door and opened it and released Aaron, who has no sense whatsoever, and then he ran away. Fortunately, Austen played informant and herded Henry back in and got me just in time to prevent Aaron from attempting to walk down the porch stairs. So.... Tyson got me a slush while I went to the library with Austen, who, thank you Lord, was the best boy on the planet today. Then I mowed the lawn and took a very long shower. Now I feel better. 1000x better, thanks for asking. The End.

Fearless

I remember my mom standing outside the fence at my swimming lessons, dangling a pack of skittles. No bribes necessary for our son! He is fearless. He jumped off like this probably 9 or 10 times!

scurvy

Drew buddy and his pirate ship cake.