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10 years ago
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Victoria
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Kindergarten registration is tomorrow night. I don't know how I feel about it yet. Part of me is so happy to see my little girl growing and learning and experiencing so many new things, but another part of me is afraid to let her go. I worry about the "big" kids and what they will teach her and I worry about how her personality will change once she is around a lot of other children and their ideas about how she should act and dress and talk. I have tried to decide whether home school would help her, but then I worry that by the age she would really need sheltering she will be fighting me to go to school. I wish we could afford private school so she could be in an enviroment that reinforces the morals and values that we are trying to instill in her, but right now that would be difficult and then when Lydia starts it would be impossible and I don't want to send one if I can't afford to send both, so it appears she is off to public school. I tell myself that I went to public elementary school and I turned out just fine, but that was then and this is now. We went for the Kindergarten visit last week. Two hours of touring the school and sitting in a classroom and meeting the teachers. They got to do activities that the Kindergarteners do and the highlight of the day was riding on a real school bus. Emma was so excited. She talked about it all week. She is a book worm and she loves school. Then we arrived. Her first reaction was " it is big" and she took on somewhat of a deer in headlights appearance. She never spoke a word the whole time we were there. She sat on her carpet square and stared at the smartboard while the teacher asked them their ABC's. She has known her ABC's since she was 2, but she sat frozen while the teacher smiled a sympathetic smile and called on someone else. She refused to do the excersize portion of the class, because she refuses to do anything she deems embarrasing, and when it was time for centers she sat on her carpet square and stared at the wall until the teacher took her hand and walked her to the puzzle table. I felt so bad for her. She seemed so small compared to the other children there. She couldn't reach the smartboard- she was to short and she seemed overwhelmed by how many kids were there- about 15. I told her there would probably be more in her class and she said " I hope not". The bus ride was fun though she decided she wanted to be a car rider because there were no seatbelt to keep you safe. ( That is fine because she was going to be a car rider anyway). You might be saying to yourself- why send her? If she is that little she may not be ready, but she is turning 5 in June way before the cut-off and like I said academically she is ready. She knows how to write basic words, count to most of the way to hundred, she is reading sight words and tying her shoes. Her pre-school teacher said she would be to bored to stay in preschool another year. They believe she is ready and that she will come out of her shell once she is there. I don't know if I am ready for her to come out of her shell, but I guess the time has come to let her go... even if it is only a mile down the road. Thank goodness lydia's birthday is after the cut- off so I still have three more years before I have to go through this stress again!
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Victoria
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I was reading a blog several weeks ago and they had posted random things that they had heard said around their house that week. I thought it was so funny when I read it and since then it has made me pay more attention to the little random things that I hear around my house. The things that normally would be funny for a moment and then forgotten. My children are growing up so fast and many days we are rushing to get things done. I am hurrying them up to go go go and I forget to stop and listen to the sweet things they say. All to soon these days will be gone, they are getting older and more independent every day. I don't want to miss these little moments because I am so busy focusing on myself, my house, and what we need to get done. Last week I went to the mall to look for summer clothes and realized that Emma is no longer in the "toddler" sizes. She has moved up to the "big" girl clothes. We were standing next to a little girl that was probably nine years old and looking at the same shirts, it really scared me to think that we were now shopping in the girls section and not in the baby and toddler section. In the Bible James says that we are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes and I never really felt that until I had kids, time truly does fly and we don't know what tomorrow brings so my prayer is that God will help me to slow down, listen, remember and enjoy every minute of this season He has blessed me with.
Some of the things I heard this week in the Hartman home:
"Mommy, I pushed out 16 babies today." (Wow Emma that is a lot.) "Well mommy you have to take care of what God gives you. Tomorrow He is gonna give me 22 more... First there is Josiah, Mary, Emily and then Slinky and I have to think of the other names for them."
"Tickle my belly button Mommy!... do it again... do it again... do it again... do it again..."
"Be careful, it is a jungle out there... watch out for lions and tigers ( and bears, says Lydia)"
"Love you back.. Da-dee! Love you back... Mo-mee!"
"Me shaken' my booteee."
"Daddy your face rough..." ( Emma used to say it was fuff, but Lydia talks plainer than she did)
"Pillow fight!!!!!" ( daddy's idea)
"Nobody worry about that dog you just sat on!"
"When I get big I want +8 babies just like Kate... but I am going to have to call a babysitter because I am going to be a veterinar..a vetriner... a dog doctor."
"Look mommy I'm climbing daddy mountain..."
"Mommy... Lydia says she is gonna eat me."
"You get to have dinner with a princess tonight..."
Thank you God!
Some of the things I heard this week in the Hartman home:
"Mommy, I pushed out 16 babies today." (Wow Emma that is a lot.) "Well mommy you have to take care of what God gives you. Tomorrow He is gonna give me 22 more... First there is Josiah, Mary, Emily and then Slinky and I have to think of the other names for them."
"Tickle my belly button Mommy!... do it again... do it again... do it again... do it again..."
"Be careful, it is a jungle out there... watch out for lions and tigers ( and bears, says Lydia)"
"Love you back.. Da-dee! Love you back... Mo-mee!"
"Me shaken' my booteee."
"Daddy your face rough..." ( Emma used to say it was fuff, but Lydia talks plainer than she did)
"Pillow fight!!!!!" ( daddy's idea)
"Nobody worry about that dog you just sat on!"
"When I get big I want +8 babies just like Kate... but I am going to have to call a babysitter because I am going to be a veterinar..a vetriner... a dog doctor."
"Look mommy I'm climbing daddy mountain..."
"Mommy... Lydia says she is gonna eat me."
"You get to have dinner with a princess tonight..."
Thank you God!
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Victoria
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After much prayer, discussion, and deliberation we have decided that we are moving. We just feel like God opened the door for this job and we would always wonder what other doors God would have opened if we had gone, so we decided we should trust God and go. I have been so worried and stressed about what to do, but after we just said let's do it I have been pretty much at peace. I still worry about some things, whether we will be able to find a great church like the one we have here and whether or not the schools will be as good as the one Emma would go to in the fall, and of course I worry about the fact that I am an only child and this will be the farthest I have ever been from my family ( I know it is only an hour, but still it is the farthest I have ever been); however, I know that God will work it out. I have laid it in His hands and I choose to trust whatever He plans.
Now comes the fun part, trying to fix up an old house on a limited budget, trying to sell an old house in a horrible market, and trying to get our finances in order to be able to buy another house in a broken economy. My house has always felt tiny until I started painting it and now all of a sudden it seems huge. We had not really painted the whole house since we moved in and it has been a huge project, especially with two little sets of hands and feet that want to "help". Emma just keeps begging to paint her door purple and doesn't understand why that is not a good idea and Lydia just wants to paint anything any color and doesn't understand that paint doesn't dry that quickly. I never noticed all the little things that need to be updated, repaired or painted until I started. I started painting the bathroom door and then noticed that the doorknobs front to back didn't match. Someone just replaced the front of it but left the inside one original. I never noticed it before, but now we have to replace the doorknobs and since they don't make the doorknobs that are on it anymore we have to replace all the doorknobs going down the hall or none of them will match the bathroom. It is the little things that are driving me crazy, but God is in control and if it is meant to be it will be. The other morning I heard Ty Pennington yelling "MOVE THAT BUS" and I fell on the front yard as I saw my dream home revealed... and then I woke up.
The LORD says," I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you." Psalm 32:8
Now comes the fun part, trying to fix up an old house on a limited budget, trying to sell an old house in a horrible market, and trying to get our finances in order to be able to buy another house in a broken economy. My house has always felt tiny until I started painting it and now all of a sudden it seems huge. We had not really painted the whole house since we moved in and it has been a huge project, especially with two little sets of hands and feet that want to "help". Emma just keeps begging to paint her door purple and doesn't understand why that is not a good idea and Lydia just wants to paint anything any color and doesn't understand that paint doesn't dry that quickly. I never noticed all the little things that need to be updated, repaired or painted until I started. I started painting the bathroom door and then noticed that the doorknobs front to back didn't match. Someone just replaced the front of it but left the inside one original. I never noticed it before, but now we have to replace the doorknobs and since they don't make the doorknobs that are on it anymore we have to replace all the doorknobs going down the hall or none of them will match the bathroom. It is the little things that are driving me crazy, but God is in control and if it is meant to be it will be. The other morning I heard Ty Pennington yelling "MOVE THAT BUS" and I fell on the front yard as I saw my dream home revealed... and then I woke up.
The LORD says," I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you." Psalm 32:8
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Victoria
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Monday... cleaning day at the Hartman home.
Me: Emma, can you and Lydia please go to your room for five minutes so I can get something done without you guys dragging more stuff out?
Emma: Yes mommy, we can read books.
Me: That sounds like a great idea. I will come read to you in just a minute when I finish the dishes.
Emma: o.k. come on lydia. Do you want me to read to you?
Lydia: Emma read book to me mommy.
Me: o.k. follow Emma
Five minutes later...
Me: Emma, What are you doing? I thought you were going to read a book.
Emma: We are reading mommy, these are the lily pads to keep us from sinking in the ooey, gooey, muck.
Lydia: Me sitting on Lily pad.
Emma: We only dragged out books mommy nothing else.
Me: Thanks Emma.
Me: Emma, can you and Lydia please go to your room for five minutes so I can get something done without you guys dragging more stuff out?
Emma: Yes mommy, we can read books.
Me: That sounds like a great idea. I will come read to you in just a minute when I finish the dishes.
Emma: o.k. come on lydia. Do you want me to read to you?
Lydia: Emma read book to me mommy.
Me: o.k. follow Emma
Five minutes later...
Me: Emma, What are you doing? I thought you were going to read a book.
Emma: We are reading mommy, these are the lily pads to keep us from sinking in the ooey, gooey, muck.
Lydia: Me sitting on Lily pad.
Emma: We only dragged out books mommy nothing else.
Me: Thanks Emma.
Posted by
Victoria
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Another Valentine's day has come and gone. I am not romantic by nature and have never really been a mushy girly girl, so I do not normally get too impressed with Valentine's day. Jason and I show our love to each other and our children daily so I don't get really worked up over Valentine's, but I did begin to think about it after reading all the Facebook posts and other blogs and I realized just how much Valentine's Day has changed for me over the years.
Jason and I have now spent 17 Valentine Days together. I had to add that up twice before I believed it, but it was true- scary! In the beginning, when we were just dating, I would get so excited about Valentine's Day. My love language is gifts and I would love getting a present- usually chocolate or sometimes a piece of jewelry. Jason and I would plan a date with a special dinner and a movie. I would sometimes get to stay out past curfew so we could see a late movie and then we would go home and exchange our little gifts and kiss goodnight and talk about how much we loved each other. I know- mushy!
We didn't have children until 8 years into our marriage so the first few years after marriage we would still make plans. The gifts became smaller now that we had bills to pay and groceries to buy. We normally counted dinner out as our gift to each other and then we would exchange cards. We still planned romantic dinners out, ususally at the nicer resteraunts in town, the ones we wouldn't go to normally. I loved to get dressed up and get my hair done and go on a "date" with my husband. Valentine's Day was a special date night.
Now that we have two children under 4, Valentine's Day has changed dramatically. We no longer have time for late night dates, fancy restaraunts, and the only gifts that we exchange now usually consist of me getting a bath with the door locked or Jason getting a shoulder rub on the sofa in front of the evening news. Luxuries in our eyes:)
As I look back I don't regret any of it. I loved our special dates, our special gifts and our alone time, but as life changes so do I and now my joy comes in knowing that Jason and I are still in love and we get to share that love with our children. This year our gifts were homemade Valentine cards and stuffed animals, our special date was at the local library watching a puppet show and eating a heart shaped cookie, our fancy restaraunt was the kitchen and our steak dinner was homecooked and enjoyed amidst giggles and milk mustaches. We have come such a long way and we have loved every minute of it. May God bless us with 17 more Valentine Days together.
"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God." 1 John 4:7
Jason and I have now spent 17 Valentine Days together. I had to add that up twice before I believed it, but it was true- scary! In the beginning, when we were just dating, I would get so excited about Valentine's Day. My love language is gifts and I would love getting a present- usually chocolate or sometimes a piece of jewelry. Jason and I would plan a date with a special dinner and a movie. I would sometimes get to stay out past curfew so we could see a late movie and then we would go home and exchange our little gifts and kiss goodnight and talk about how much we loved each other. I know- mushy!
We didn't have children until 8 years into our marriage so the first few years after marriage we would still make plans. The gifts became smaller now that we had bills to pay and groceries to buy. We normally counted dinner out as our gift to each other and then we would exchange cards. We still planned romantic dinners out, ususally at the nicer resteraunts in town, the ones we wouldn't go to normally. I loved to get dressed up and get my hair done and go on a "date" with my husband. Valentine's Day was a special date night.
Now that we have two children under 4, Valentine's Day has changed dramatically. We no longer have time for late night dates, fancy restaraunts, and the only gifts that we exchange now usually consist of me getting a bath with the door locked or Jason getting a shoulder rub on the sofa in front of the evening news. Luxuries in our eyes:)
As I look back I don't regret any of it. I loved our special dates, our special gifts and our alone time, but as life changes so do I and now my joy comes in knowing that Jason and I are still in love and we get to share that love with our children. This year our gifts were homemade Valentine cards and stuffed animals, our special date was at the local library watching a puppet show and eating a heart shaped cookie, our fancy restaraunt was the kitchen and our steak dinner was homecooked and enjoyed amidst giggles and milk mustaches. We have come such a long way and we have loved every minute of it. May God bless us with 17 more Valentine Days together.
"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God." 1 John 4:7
Posted by
Victoria
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1.) For my healthy children. I am truly blessed to have children that are rarely sick, who were born free of any kind of physical or mental disabilities, who are able to run and play and learn. I so often take this for granted and forget to daily thank God for their health and well being.
2.) For my husband. I rarely think to tell God thank you for sending me a best friend, a soul mate, a godly man who thinks of me and our children first. A man who tells me everyday that he loves me, takes care of our needs first, brings the car around to pick us up in the rain so we won't get wet, rubs my shoulders at the end of a long day, always tells me I look good even when my hair is in a ponytail and I have the leftovers of lydia's lunch on my sweatpants. I so often choose to focus on the negative that I forget to be thankful for the positive. I am blessed to have someone who loves me just for me.
3.) For the ability to stay at home with my children. I feel so blessed by God that he has allowed me to focus on what I do have instead of what I have had to give up in order to be at home with my girls. I may drive an old car, wear last years fashions and shop at Aldi, I may not have a blackberry, an Ipod, or a flat screen TV, but in light of eternity I would not trade a single minute of the time I have enjoyed watching Emma and Lydia grow and learn. I pray everyday for the moms who I know that have to work outside their homes- may God bless them.
4.) For my house, which is small by American standards, but large in comparison to what most in the world are living in. May God let me always see the good in the midst of the clutter and noise.
5.) For having parents that are still living and enjoying life and that they live close enough to enjoy their grandchildren. My children are blessed with both sets of grandparents and one set of great- grandparents- a lot of wisdom and love being passed down.
6.) For my salvation. Thank you God for saving me early in life and sparing me from a lot of misery. I am thankful that my testamony is boring.
7.) For Jason's job. Thank you for leading us to good employment opportunities and for helping us through the difficult times of lay off.
8.) For sending your son to die on the cross to save me from myself and allowing me to spend eternity with you in Heaven, may I be an example of your love to others.
My list could continue for miles and miles, but I have to go get my children up from nap. In the midst of all the bad news I have heard and read lately... I just want to say Thank you God. God, help me to never forget to be thankful even for the mundane things that I take for granted. Help me to see you in the midst of the ordinary.
"But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me. If you keep to my path, I will reveal to you the salvation of God." Psalm 50:23
2.) For my husband. I rarely think to tell God thank you for sending me a best friend, a soul mate, a godly man who thinks of me and our children first. A man who tells me everyday that he loves me, takes care of our needs first, brings the car around to pick us up in the rain so we won't get wet, rubs my shoulders at the end of a long day, always tells me I look good even when my hair is in a ponytail and I have the leftovers of lydia's lunch on my sweatpants. I so often choose to focus on the negative that I forget to be thankful for the positive. I am blessed to have someone who loves me just for me.
3.) For the ability to stay at home with my children. I feel so blessed by God that he has allowed me to focus on what I do have instead of what I have had to give up in order to be at home with my girls. I may drive an old car, wear last years fashions and shop at Aldi, I may not have a blackberry, an Ipod, or a flat screen TV, but in light of eternity I would not trade a single minute of the time I have enjoyed watching Emma and Lydia grow and learn. I pray everyday for the moms who I know that have to work outside their homes- may God bless them.
4.) For my house, which is small by American standards, but large in comparison to what most in the world are living in. May God let me always see the good in the midst of the clutter and noise.
5.) For having parents that are still living and enjoying life and that they live close enough to enjoy their grandchildren. My children are blessed with both sets of grandparents and one set of great- grandparents- a lot of wisdom and love being passed down.
6.) For my salvation. Thank you God for saving me early in life and sparing me from a lot of misery. I am thankful that my testamony is boring.
7.) For Jason's job. Thank you for leading us to good employment opportunities and for helping us through the difficult times of lay off.
8.) For sending your son to die on the cross to save me from myself and allowing me to spend eternity with you in Heaven, may I be an example of your love to others.
My list could continue for miles and miles, but I have to go get my children up from nap. In the midst of all the bad news I have heard and read lately... I just want to say Thank you God. God, help me to never forget to be thankful even for the mundane things that I take for granted. Help me to see you in the midst of the ordinary.
"But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me. If you keep to my path, I will reveal to you the salvation of God." Psalm 50:23
Posted by
Victoria
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Emma's favorite sleep toy is a guinea pig that she affectionately calls "pig". She has had pig since she was about a year old. Pig is a beanie baby that is very well loved which is evident by both her appearance and smell, but we just keep on washing her the best we can and hoping she survives Emma's attachment phase. About six months ago Emma began to tell stories that involved Pig, they were long drawn out sagas about Pig's life and adventures Pig had been on. Whatever was going on in our life, Pig was doing also. Pig was shopping at the mall or Pig had gone to the beach or Pig was having babies, birthday parties or sleepovers, etc. Emma can can tell the whole story without even thinking about what she needs to add and if you ask a question about Pig, Emma always has an answer right on the spot. I decided to write down Pig's latest adventure just so I could remember these great imaginative stories for later. This one unfolded while we were on our way to church the other night...
Emma: Guess where Pig went today Mommy.
Me: Where?
Emma: The Zoo
Me: really, What was her favorite animal?
Emma: All of them except one- the Lion. She had to feed it and it kept growling at her.
Me: Did it try to bite her?
Emma: Yes, but she had on these special gloves that were as hard as a rock so it couldn't hurt her, but she was scared so she went inside to look at the fish.
Me: That's good, I wouldn't want her to get eaten. Did she like the fish?
Emma: Yes, they let her touch some of them. One of the scorpions had babies and you could touch them, they didn't have their pinchers yet.
Me: Don't you mean lobsters?
Emma: No Mommy scorpions.
Me: Did they have stingers?
Emma: No, the big ones had rubber bands on their pincher claws so they couldn't hurt Pig, and she loved the babies so much that they let her take one home.
Me: that was nice.
Emma: Yeah she is going to put it in her 'quarium and let it eat blueberries and yummy fruit.
Me: I bet it will like that. Sounds like Pig had a great time.
Emma: Yes, she said that we really need to go to the zoo with her next time so we can see all those animals too.
Me: Maybe when the weather warms up, we can go.
Emma: O.K., that would be good, but I don't know about those mean lions.
I think this was Emma's creative way of asking to go to the Zoo, but I hope that we won't have to feed a lion. She is too funny:)
"Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from Him." Psalm 127:3
