Our theme this year for VBS (Vacation Bible School) was the Pirates Who Don't Do Anything from Veggie Tales...the kids loved it! It was all last week in the evening, and we attempted to take Titus since he was only 2 weeks from the age limit - and he did surprisingly well!! Unfortunately since he was in class when I had the camera, and then had to leave to put Damaris in bed, I didn't get any pictures of him :(
The stage - you can't see it very well, but it was a boat, and there was an actual platform and everything, so it really was just like a real boat!
The newlyweds :)...Damaris in pigtails for the first time (although she doesn't look too happy about it in this picture :) ).
Being silly :)
On Sunday we were supposed to have a picnic with a few of the area churches, but it fell through. So, we decided to have a picnic with our own church anyway - and we had a great time!!! Here are just a few pictures of our day:
Julia and Carrie...Stephen and Tony (Zachary watching) building the fire (this is the fire pit we made, but it is not a very good picture - sorry!)
Bill and Debbie playing washers...Damaris and Jordan
Titus was so funny climbing in the hole - good thing no one was playing that game!!
As for an update...
Stephen: He has decided about a week and a half ago that now is the time to start his masters degree...and classes start Tuesday!!! So, we have been scrambling to pull everything together and get all the paperwork in place to make this a reality. Most of his work will be online, but he does have two days next week that everyone has to meet together on campus. Thankfully we live close! The program is 2 years long, and in the end he will have an M.A. in Ministerial Leadership. It will be a crazy, hard two years, but I am excited that it is working out for him.
Michelle: Nothing really new with me...I continue to work 40 hours and count down the day (July 1 - well, probably more like July 7) that I can begin to work 32 hours. God is really working on my patience right now - and I think I am failing the test. I am not sure there is a day that goes by lately that I feel like an utter failure as a parent. So many people tell me they feel like this too, but I guess I am getting tired of feeling this way - because it is going on 3 years now :). I don't know what to do with Titus - I am out of ideas. Lately I have just been angry and yelling at him, and obviously that is NOT the answer :). Although I love Titus SO MUCH (especially all the hugs and kisses he likes to give us!!), and he make us smile so often, I keep telling God that He could have found Titus a better mother - because I am afraid I am going to scar him for life ;)
Titus: He is talking and trying out his sentences more every day. He really is sounding like a little boy now. The last two nights he has had nightmares - we are not sure what is going on. This is the first he has ever had bad dreams that we know of. He LOVES our kiddie pool - which is encouraging and makes me glad we did the swimming lessons. He still won't go under, and doesn't like to be splashed, but at least he is learning to play and have fun. He is so perceptive and remembers everything...it amazes me how his mind sees things and makes connections. His birthday is on Tuesday, and he knows it! Last night my friend asked him a completely unrelated question, and Titus ignored her and said "I'm two, I'm almost 3!". It was pretty cute :) He still is SO tiny, but he still won't eat that good - so that doesn't help. He is in 2T or 3T shirts, 18 month shorts, and 24 month pants...how is that for complicated :) :)
Damaris: In my mind I can't really count it as a first step, but Stephen and I have been sitting a little ways apart from each other on the floor and work with Damaris to try to get her to walk between us. She sometimes takes a step or two (mostly on accident) before lunging - hopefully she will start doing this more often??? She likes to do things to make you laugh - she is such a tease. Much to Stephen's satisfaction, she is becoming a Daddy's girl (but she still LOVES her Mommy!!). She has become quite the squirm bug and wants nothing to do with being held in one place. Sunday evening church has become quite interesting with two kid by myself...last time I just gave up and walked home :) She loves to waive "hi" and "bye" and she is almost constantly jabbering, but she doesn't really say words. She says "uh-oh", "momma", "dadda", "hi"...but these are only when she wants to, and sometimes she just says it when she jabbers, not really "assigning" that word to the actual object. She is short and solid. She is in 12 month pants and 18 month shirts. We stretch it to 18 month shorts sometimes since it seems they always have outfits that go together in the same size, which makes sense, but neither of our kids match up tops and bottoms in the same size - especially pants...I have two shorties!!! :)
Have a great weekend everyone!!
Stephen: He has decided about a week and a half ago that now is the time to start his masters degree...and classes start Tuesday!!! So, we have been scrambling to pull everything together and get all the paperwork in place to make this a reality. Most of his work will be online, but he does have two days next week that everyone has to meet together on campus. Thankfully we live close! The program is 2 years long, and in the end he will have an M.A. in Ministerial Leadership. It will be a crazy, hard two years, but I am excited that it is working out for him.
Michelle: Nothing really new with me...I continue to work 40 hours and count down the day (July 1 - well, probably more like July 7) that I can begin to work 32 hours. God is really working on my patience right now - and I think I am failing the test. I am not sure there is a day that goes by lately that I feel like an utter failure as a parent. So many people tell me they feel like this too, but I guess I am getting tired of feeling this way - because it is going on 3 years now :). I don't know what to do with Titus - I am out of ideas. Lately I have just been angry and yelling at him, and obviously that is NOT the answer :). Although I love Titus SO MUCH (especially all the hugs and kisses he likes to give us!!), and he make us smile so often, I keep telling God that He could have found Titus a better mother - because I am afraid I am going to scar him for life ;)
Titus: He is talking and trying out his sentences more every day. He really is sounding like a little boy now. The last two nights he has had nightmares - we are not sure what is going on. This is the first he has ever had bad dreams that we know of. He LOVES our kiddie pool - which is encouraging and makes me glad we did the swimming lessons. He still won't go under, and doesn't like to be splashed, but at least he is learning to play and have fun. He is so perceptive and remembers everything...it amazes me how his mind sees things and makes connections. His birthday is on Tuesday, and he knows it! Last night my friend asked him a completely unrelated question, and Titus ignored her and said "I'm two, I'm almost 3!". It was pretty cute :) He still is SO tiny, but he still won't eat that good - so that doesn't help. He is in 2T or 3T shirts, 18 month shorts, and 24 month pants...how is that for complicated :) :)
Damaris: In my mind I can't really count it as a first step, but Stephen and I have been sitting a little ways apart from each other on the floor and work with Damaris to try to get her to walk between us. She sometimes takes a step or two (mostly on accident) before lunging - hopefully she will start doing this more often??? She likes to do things to make you laugh - she is such a tease. Much to Stephen's satisfaction, she is becoming a Daddy's girl (but she still LOVES her Mommy!!). She has become quite the squirm bug and wants nothing to do with being held in one place. Sunday evening church has become quite interesting with two kid by myself...last time I just gave up and walked home :) She loves to waive "hi" and "bye" and she is almost constantly jabbering, but she doesn't really say words. She says "uh-oh", "momma", "dadda", "hi"...but these are only when she wants to, and sometimes she just says it when she jabbers, not really "assigning" that word to the actual object. She is short and solid. She is in 12 month pants and 18 month shirts. We stretch it to 18 month shorts sometimes since it seems they always have outfits that go together in the same size, which makes sense, but neither of our kids match up tops and bottoms in the same size - especially pants...I have two shorties!!! :)
Have a great weekend everyone!!
3 comments:
Looks like VBS was a lot of fun and what a neat theme :) Michelle, I'm so excited for you to be able to go down to 32 hours of work instead of 40. I hope you feel more energized and that the extra time you have can not only be spent with your kids but can also give you a bit of time to yourself which is also important. You are the perfect mother for Titus and Damaris. No one could do a better job than you are. As Allie gets older and begins to "test" us and develop her personality and we have to begin disciplining and teaching her right from wrong, I find myself doubting that I am qualified to do this. Nurturing and loving her as a baby seemed so easy compared to now and I feel a lot of pressure to make sure I do everything right. However, I know as parents we will make mistakes but we just have to remember that it's okay and in those mistakes our kids learn important things too. You're doing a great job with your kiddos and you're raising them to know and love the Lord. God wouldn't want it any other way!
I remember the difficulty in parenting a toddler/pre-schooler (wait, I'm still doing it!)
It seemed harder with Elisha for some reason...like I had no idea what to do with him or how to change his behavior.
We have tried sticker charts, marble jars, time outs, taking away privileges, and more. I think it seems "easier" this time with Madelyn because I know that not everything is effective with a child and I have more tools in my toolbox to pull out and try.
Hang in there, Michelle. From what I hear, the hard work to teach and discipline is worth it (especially in the teen years). :)
Great update on everyone!
I agree with Natalie that you are the perfect parent to them! God designed it that way and you are doing a great job!! Just the fact that you struggle seems to me that you are NORMAL and just like every other parent! It's great that we want to be better parents but remember we will never be perfect!! It's hard!!! There have been many times were I struggled with Grace during the day and then at night just sat there looking at her and crying because I felt like I was going mess her up too! We all have these thoughts!! Just remember to take time for yourself and don't sweat the small stuff!! I wish we were closer so we could talk more often but please know that we ALL struggle from time to time! Don't be so hard on yourself!!!
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