The Lazy Days of Summer

That pretty much sums it up around here.   I’m referring to our lack of schedule this summer.  It’s been somewhat nice, and yet somewhat difficult too.  It’s been nice to just kick back with the kids and not school much (oh I had good intentions, but somehow never got into a schooling schedule this summer).  They’ve been taking swim lessons and Tiger Shark is taking tennis lessons… which he loves!  We’ve also been to our neighborhood pool lots of times.  We’ve been to a couple free movies, and even went bowling one week.  Some days here in the south it’s just too hot to go outside, so we’ve stayed in at the library or at home just kickin’ back reading books or playing the Wii.  But that’s all changing soon… as we begin to transition into our more scheduled routine.
The King Fish has been in a men’s Bible study and he’s been challenged to begin having devotions with the boys.  So after Small Fry goes down for the evening, he and the boys have been having their devotions. He is going through a book called The Squire and the Scroll.  It’s on purity and some of the characteristics of a Godly man.  They have an assignment every day in which they have to look up the definition of a character trait.  Like valor, or integrity.  Then they have to find a verse that talks about that in the Bible.  It’s been good for them.  The King Fish would like me to be a part of those devotions as well.  His words were “your are the queen or the princess in our family, and I’d like the boys to have your perspective as a female on some of the things we discuss.”  I liked that idea, but then he said… “but here’s the tough part.  We’re going to start having our devotions at 6am in the morning before I go to work.” 
What???  Ugh!
He said with our fall sports coming up and Awana, that the evenings will be packed full, and he wants to make sure that he has time for devotions.  So beginning in two weeks those devotions will be at 6am.
Have I mentioned I am so NOT a morning person?
But what am I going to do?  Say to my husband… um… I know you’d like me to be a part of these devotions, but that time is just not good for me.  I’ll be sleeping while you guys handle that.  I could say that… but not when I see how the Lord is changing my husband before my eyes.  This is an answer to prayer as he takes the lead teaching in our house.  So, I’ll be up at 6am, attaching an IV to my arm for my coffee, and hopefully be awake enough to contribute. 
I really think the change will be hardest on me.  But in the end it may be the best thing for me too… in organizing our school day and maybe even getting in some exercise.  We’ll see.  I know this.. I’ll be going to bed a lot sooner, that’s for sure.  :-)
On another note, Small Fry has been going through such a good phase lately.  He is so darn cute!  We try to be consistent with our parenting and discipline.  Yesterday a lady came to my house to buy a piece of exercise equipment I was selling.  Small Fry wanted to ride his bike outside but it was way too hot at 2pm and he would have been in the way of her vehicle and our moving the equipment.  So, I said maybe later when it cools down.  Well he had a mini meltdown because he wanted to ride his bike.  I needed to meet the lady by the garage, and had no time to deal with his behavior at the moment, or even re-direct him.  So I said, “Small Fry sit on the step until mommy comes back in and can talk to you about this.”  We loaded up the equipment and this lady is a talker.  For 15 minutes I was out there, trying to politely end the conversation, all the while wondering what my little man might be up to inside the house.  I finally had to say, “I need to go check on my son, hope you enjoy the equipment!”  When I went in the house and called Small Fry’s name, he was still sitting on that step waiting for me!  Oh my goodness I just scooped him up, planted a big kiss on his cheek, and told him how proud I was of him for obeying me!  I love when he “gets'” it. 
Then yesterday he was upstairs playing and I was at my desk in the homeschool room (downstairs).  I heard him coming downstairs and it sounded like he was bringing something clunky down with him.  He walked into the homeschool room in my high heeled shoes, looked at my and laughed out loud and said, “Mom, I so cute!”  I about died!  Oh my goodness he just cracked me up!  I told him, “Yes you are!” and planted another big kiss on his face.  That boy is just precious!
Finally, we still have not replaced our camera that got ruined by the water ride at Six Flags.  We’ll have to replace it soon, as I am going through photo withdrawal.  Hopefully there will be some good deals coming up soon.  The King Fish promised that we would finish the garage this weekend… so I want to take “after” photos.  It’s looking great!  I just need to hang a little more memorabilia on the walls and put together another piece of storage equipment.  I can’t do that until I sell a headboard that I refinished.  It’s to raise money for our adoption.  Someone had it sitting out for free, and I picked it up because I knew I could turn it into something beautiful and re-sell it.  The King Fish and I have a bet going about how much it will sell for.  I’ll show you our lost bets, “cabinet of shame” in the next post.  We are so goofy!
Jackie