What a Day!

One just never knows what each day will bring. But, today was especially good!

With my hubby traveling this week, I am naturally extra tired at the end of the day. By the time dinner, bath, and bedtime routines are finished, I'm ready to crash. Today was no exception. In fact, I was SO tired that we skipped right from dinner to bedtime, eliminating baths altogether. After all, the kids don't smell foul...yet. :-)

But, during our regular story time, I found myself in the middle of a rather deep theological discussion with my 5 year old. It started by him asking if God lives in heaven. I briefly paused, debating internally whether to broach the subject of God's omnipresence with a Kindergartner and simply answered, "yes". We'll tackle that subject at a later date.

The next sentence, however, was one that would change not only the course of our night completely, but his entire life. "Mommy, I want to go to heaven." Once again, my inner dialogue began. "Am I ready to delve into this? Does he really understand what he's talking about? Do I dare begin? I'm SO tired..."

And so I began...explaining to D that he CAN go to heaven, asking him question after question to see if he understood what it means to have a relationship with God and finally if he wanted to do that. His answer was Yes!

We prayed together and he became very pensive, asking if he could go to bed. Afterward, I spent the next few minutes praying that the Holy Spirit would speak to his little heart and that he will continue to grow in his understanding of his relationship with the Lord. I can't even begin to explain the joy I have knowing that my little man has decided to accept Christ as his Savior, or the blessing it is that I was able to be there for that moment.

Thanking God today for the precious gift of my kids and the privilege of getting to raise them in the fear and admonition of the Lord. Praising Him that one now has the assurance of salvation and praying that he will grow to love the Lord with all his heart, soul, mind, and strength.

"In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." -Luke 15:10

Bright Idea #1

My love language is gifts. I love to get them, but more importantly, I love to give them. I think if I had all the money in the world, I would spend it buying stuff for other people. There's something to be said about picking out something that you know someone will love and knowing that someone thinks enough of you to do the same.

I am now constantly on the lookout for things I can pick up for Daniel's teacher. Because even the smallest thing, a candy bar, a kind note, a can of soda, can brighten someone's day. However, there is nothing more painful to me than staring at a wall of candy and having NO idea what he/she might like, hate, or be allergic to.

In order to solve this problem from the get-go, I developed the following list of questions for Daniel's teacher and emailed it to her after the first day of school thanking her for a great day. This way, I was able to kill two birds with one stone. Not only did I get to have all my questions answered, but I was able to find out right away if she was or was not the "emailing type". I told her there was no rush but if she wouldn't mind, over the next week or so, answering the following questions it would be a big help. She was more than happy to oblige and it opened a door for me to get to know her better and for her to get a little more comfortable with me. After all, why wouldn't you like the mom who wants to shower you with gifts throughout the year? ;-)

I tried to keep it simple and format it like one of those quizzes you might take on Facebook...short and sweet. It will be a lifesaver throughout the rest of the year!

What is your favorite...
1. Candy?
2. Color?
3. Warm drink?
4. Cold drink?
5. Restaurant?
6. Ice Cream flavor?
7. Place to shop?
8. Holiday?
9. Family activity?
10. Thing at Starbucks?
11. Way to indulge?
12. Perfume/Lotion
13. Animal?
14. Decorating style?
15. Scent?
16. Cake or pie?
17. Walmart or Target?
18. Way to unwind?
19. School subject
20. Hobbies

21. When is your birthday?
22. If you had $10 to spend, where would you spend it?
23. Apple things for teachers...love them or hate them?
24. What is something you wish the parents of your students knew?
25. What is the most helpful thing I can do for your class this year?

That's it! Twenty-five simple questions and voila! I have a better understanding of who my son's teacher is as a person and am armed with enough ammunition to keep her happy all year long. Not to mention, I am probably the only classroom parent who is aware that her birthday is coming up in September. Definitely important information! There is nothing worse than forgetting your child's teacher's birthday, as far as I'm concerned. (He/She celebrates upwards of 30 birthdays a year and it's quite frankly, pathetic, for his/hers to go by without so much as a mention). Learn these things, people! ;-)

Teachers Rule!

We are some of the newest members of the "parents of school-age children" club and are adjusting to a life regulated by school bells and homework (although we haven't yet had to deal with the "homework" portion). My homework consists of packing lunches, doing even MORE laundry than usual, emptying backpacks, running back and forth to school, and getting up at the crack of dawn to insure that the aforementioned things are all accomplished in a timely manner.

Having been on the "teacher" side of things, though. I still prefer this end of the deal.

Let's face it. Teaching is one of THE most difficult professions out there. The pay is lousy, the work exhausting, the schooling incessant, and the parents...don't even get me started on the parents. (As a side note, those of you who like to argue about teacher's poor compensation by saying "but they only have to work 9 months out of the year" clearly have never (A) set foot in a classroom, (B) spent so much as an hour concerned with the physical, emotional, psychological, and academic needs of 20-30+ children, (C) bothered to look outside of your self-important world and notice what goes in to making a classroom run, or (D) need to be clubbed over the head)

Having had firsthand experience at this, I swore to myself that I would do my best to make sure that my kids teachers know how much we appreciate what they endure everyday and that we realize they have chosen this profession because they want to make an impact on our kid's lives. I have vowed to NEVER be the parent who complains, argues, undermines, challenges, or demands my way from a teacher. Instead, I want to encourage, support, help, and pray for my kid's teachers. As a former educator and, more importantly, as a Believer this is my job.

In light of this self-imposed commission, I have been brainstorming ways to brighten the teacher's day and looking for opportunities to show her that we appreciate her, which should be done more than just one week in May, incidentally. I hope to share some of my ideas in the coming weeks and months and would love to hear some ideas others have as well!

One Down....179 to go!

Headed back to school this afternoon to pick up Daniel and had my worst fear realized. No mother wants to pick up her child from school, the FIRST day nonetheless, and have the teacher approach smirking and shaking her head.

Quite literally, I had a mini-stroke as my brain began to run through a list of horrible possibilities at lightening speed. Images of everything from emotional breakdown to de-pantsing a classmate suddenly appeared in my mind and I set my jaw and prepared to face the music.

Thankfully, she just wanted to share that Daniel was slightly ahead of the other students in the class, or as she so eloquently stated, "he's super smart." Apparently she got a kick out of the fact that he was reading the rules chart with her on the first day of school. She laughed as she told me that she heard a voice and couldn't figure out where it was coming from until she looked down at him and there he was reading a long as if he was supposed to. I began breathing again at that point and graciously thanked her, still slightly in need of defibrillation, I'm afraid.

I joking replied that I was surprised he wasn't singing the rule chart with her. She unwittingly laughed if off.

If she only knew...

We Did It...We Did it...

Virtual high five to those of you who now have the Dora the Explorer theme song stuck in your head. Welcome to my world!

There is a feeling of celebration and accomplishment at the Orona household today after managing to tearlessly get Daniel to school for his first day of Kindergarten. He was as confident as ever and headed into his classroom without so much as a wave...little booger. But, I do know the alternative, especially as I think back to the sheer hell I put my own mother through on my first day of kindergarten, and I am grateful that he did as well as he did.

I, on the other hand, was not completely tearless and arrived back at home with ever-so-slighly watery eyes, but did manage to avoid emotional breakdown.

(insert sigh of relief here)

Anxious to find out how the day went as I cannot stop looking at the clock and wondering..."what are they doing now?"

Best. Thing. Ever.

Swaptree - trade books, CDs, movies, and video games for free

Gearing up for Kindergarten

School starts in less than a week. How on earth did it get here so quickly?

In my attempt to prepare ahead of time, I have already purchased most of the necessary school supplies...

Backpack and lunch box- check
Water bottle- check
Folders- check
Scissors- check
Glue sticks-check
Tissues-check
Hand sanitizer-check
Xanax for Mommy- STILL NEEDED!

I have officially entered and set up camp in the state of emotional chaos. Not to mention that I am certain that I am far more nervous about Daniel starting kindergarten than he is. I know he is going to have a wonderful time and that he is beyond ready to begin. I'm excited about his classroom assignment and trusting that he has the teacher he is going to need this year to help him succeed and fall in love with learning.

My nervousness exists on several levels and I've been told that I'm not alone in this pre-kindergarten paranoia. I am afraid that he is not going to remember simple tasks like...um...going to the bathroom on time and eating enough of his lunch. I suppose it's reasonably grounded seeing as I have had to remind him of such tasks repeatedly every day of the last 5 years. Such concerns raise my blood pressure in a matter of seconds and then I am reminded of my own days in the classroom and quickly realize that kindergarten teachers are prepared for and capable of handling these very things. However, that calms my nerves for only moments.

It is a strange paradox of parenthood-On one hand there is the fear that your child cannot function throughout the day without you. Even more devastating, however, is the fear that they can and the knowledge that they will.

This is what has me bursting into tears at the mere mention of school starting. However, contrary to my husband's belief, I am not in need of professional help...yet. Come Wednesday morning I will pull myself together, smile big, escort Daniel to his classroom, take the necessary pictures, hug him goodbye...and cry all the way home. ;-)