School--Week 4

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Happy Birthday to Me

According to Spock, and he should know, I am 43 today. So, since it's my birthday I feel that gives me the prerogative to say whatever I want. ;D

It's very simple, actually. I've already received the first and second greatest gifts I can receive. They are made clear in this song, which just happens to be one of the best Casting Crowns songs ever:

Gift 1: I was that lost cause, I was that outcast, but You died for sinners just like me, a grateful leper at Your feet.

Gift 2: Open our eyes to the world at the end of our pointing fingers; Let our heats be led by mercy; Help us reach with open hearts and open doors; O, Jesus, friend of sinners, break our hearts for what breaks Yours.

I will admit that the latter was an incredibly painful lesson to learn, and I only learned it last year. It was, quite honestly, a living hell. But here on the other side, I know it was the best possible thing that could have ever happened. To be entirely truthful, I am even grateful to the people who put us through that hell. God works all things together for good for those who are His and are called according to His purpose. What people mean for evil, God means for good. I understand completely what Joseph was saying. But I hope that other people never have to, coz you really have to go through huge difficulties before you can.

To close, I am thankful for where God has brought us over this last year. We are in a better place than we ever could have hoped. It's not perfect, coz we are still human and life is still gonna stink sometimes, that's just the way it goes. I thank God for holding us in His hands despite others attempts to pull us out. I hope, most of all, that my children, the three oldest of whom had to go through this with us, will understand all this and live it fully so they can truly be salt and light in the earth.

Below are some, OK, quite a few, pictures and videos of things we've been enjoying since being set free. (BTW, if that statement offends you, and I know it will offend some, is it really any different than the insults you consistently hurl at people like me and my family, not to mention the eye-rolling, for making the decision to leave your churches to attend a church that believes that love of our neighbors is as equally biblical as so-called good theology? Think about it for a while.) I did finally have to stop, coz it's time to get the kids ready for bed. :D

School--Week 3

Week 3 proved to be a lot of work. It was our first full week of attending school. It was also the first week we had all of our extra-curricular...sign language, violin, ballet, musical theater, stretch & strength, AWANA, some more ballet, art classes, and even more ballet, and tap. I think that covers it all. It looks much more manageable here in print. ;D

So Sunday came. Babycakes moved out of the nursery into Sunday School. I'm sure I have a bigger struggle with this than he does. :)

When we left he was happily playing with Thomas.

2.5 hrs later, we returned. He didn't look like he'd moved far. :D

Monday we were back to school for our first Monday ever. 

Babycakes' garden showed some growth.

As indicated previously, Braniac is starting violin. They like to make a stealthy entrance. Of course, I don't so it kinda blows it. ;)

Seems that Spock has grown a bit this year. We were supposed to pick up a new violin. We'll, uh, work on that next week. :/

Braniac took some interesting pictures of the room.

Tuesday.

Babycakes had preschool on Tuesday morning. It was a bit of a struggle since he hadn't been in two weeks. Praying next week will be better.

A little spinning before ballet class.

Braniac and I drove over to the mall for a few errands...

And to visit his girlfriend. That would be Ariel. He's gonna marry her some day. :)

Then we swam with Nemo.

Wednesday.

A photo of the elusive Teenager. ;)

Found this by "chance" on Instagram Wednesday. I've talked about this on this blog before but felt it was worth reiterating...especially this week. :/

Spock, reading after school.

Wednesday was the first night back to AWANA. Everyone was happy about that. This is the Puggles class, learning about God's light. You can barely make out Babycakes in the bottom left-hand corner.

Yeah, Thomas was there too. :)

So we don't have one in each level this year, but we do have two in T&T. So that means two in the AWANA Quiz later this year. Should be interesting.

Thursday was picture day. Braniac struggled a bit in the morning coz he was so tired from being up at AWANA. :/

Friday was "blue shirt" day for Kindy. Braniac wore his Camp Mom shirt. Here he is practicing violin before school.

And Spock, as well.

Wow, two pics of The Teenager in one week. I'm getting good at these stealth photos. ;D He's on his way to his Grammar class here. He's really enjoying it. Makes me happy. 

On our way to school. It was a chaotic day. We had our first forgotten things. I had to drive back home. Grab everything. Drive back to school and drop it off. Drive all the way back home for the Mommy & Me class down the street. Whew! I will really try to never do that again. :D

Babycakes had a good time. He's slowly improving. Getting better at listening and participating. 

Well, that was our exciting week. If you made it this far, you are too awesome. So you get a bonus pic. :) This is at the kids' school on Monday afternoon.