Why I'm Better today...

 It has definitely been a while since I have posted on here... life as a homeschooling mom is extremely busy and I just have not had the time.  However, I really need to post here, as my boys have said some things I really want to remember...

David said this a few minutes ago, and I have taken a break to document it!

Mommy, do you know why I have been better today?  (yesterday we battled with bad attitudes, disrespect, and slow obedience... all day long)


No, David, why?  (and he has been tremendously better today)


Do you remember that man that was talking on the radio yesterday?  The one you are going to hear at the conference to learn more about the Bible and Jesus?  Well, I listened to him and he said to always tell the truth.  So I am telling the truth and that is helping me to be better.  

Isn't that just precious!  We were listening to James McDonald on Walk in the Word... I am so glad to know that they listen too and that they are gleaning something fruitful from our time in the van!  I get to hear him along with some other wonderful speakers this weekend at the True Woman conference!

Joyfully His and theirs!

Tricia

Born again questions...

The boys have been attending BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) with me, where we are studying the gospel of John. The children's classes cover the same information as the adult classes, but at a level that they can understand. A couple of weeks ago we studied about Nicodemus being told by Jesus that he needed to be born again. Not long after that David asked me the following:

"Mommy, when we are born again will you give us the same names?"

I thought that was just too cute!

Joyfully His and theirs!
Tricia

Thoughts on homeschooling...

This week we started homeschooling! Here are a few things the boys have had to say about it...

David, on Monday evening,

"Mommy, tomorrow for homeschool can you teach us how to clean the bathrooms? I really want to!"

"Mommy, when can we read some more of those books?"

Paul, after our first day of school was over,

"Mommy, I am so excited that we are homeschooling!"

Paul again,

"Mommy, I am glad we are homeschooling. If we went to big boy school we would have to stay there until dinner time and that is a long time."

I am so thankful they are doing a great job and are enjoying school! I pray that it continues! It is so very fulfilling doing what God has called me to do!!


Joyfully His and theirs!
Tricia

Running out of kisses...

I have this sweet little bedtime routine with my boys... they started it and I just love it. I really need to get it on video before they outgrow it.

I say prayers with each boy... after saying prayers with Paul he gives me 11 hugs, 11 butterfly kisses, and 11 kisses. He counts each one, it always makes me smile...

After saying prayers with David, he gives me 3 little hugs, 3 little butterfly kisses, and 3 little kisses... then he gives me one BIG hug, one BIG butterfly kiss, and one BIG kiss... this too makes me smile...

Well, the other night after saying David's prayers he informed me of the following:

Mommy, I do not want to waste my kisses. I am running out and I need to save some for daddy...

This made me sad but I went along with it, after all I want daddy to get good-night kisses also.

Well, tonight David gave me lots and lots of kisses, and then told me the following:

Mommy, I am still running out of kisses but I am finding more in my heart.

I just thought that was precious!



Joyfully His and theirs!

Tricia

The boys on skin color...

Last night we were eating dinner and out of the blue David says:

"Mommy, did you know that some people have different color skin?"

They have never seemed to notice skin color before and I was quite surprised they brought it up...

Anyway, the conversation went something like this...

I said, "What do you mean, different skin color?"


David said, "You know, like Tristan and Tyler (some friends from 4K)... they have brown skin."


Paul says, "And you know, like those boys who live behind our fence in the back, they have black skin."


So I looked at Paul and asked, "Well, what color would you say your skin is?"


He looks at his arm for a few seconds and I can tell he is pondering, and he says... "Mine is yellow."


I asked David what color his was, and he looked at his arm and replied, "Mine is dark, but not as dark as Tristan and Tyler." (He is very tan from days spent at the pool).


I then asked what colored mine was... to which David quickly responded as he looked at the freckles on my arm, "Yours is spotted!"

It made me think of this song:

Jesus loves the little children,
All the children of the world,
Red, Yellow, Black and White,
They are precious in His sight,
Jesus loves the little children of the world!

We just need to change the song to include "spotted" so that mommy is loved too!!


Joyfully His and theirs!
Tricia

David on being home alone...

After lunch today I asked the boys what they would like to do today... it is Sunday afternoon. They both replied that they wanted to build all afternoon.

I said, "Ok, but your daddy and I are going to the pool."

David jumps up and quickly says, "But you can't leave us here by ourselves. I don't know how to wipe myself!"

Of all things! Not I want to go to the pool too... but I can't wipe myself! What in the world made him think of this?!

It was just too funny not to document!!


Joyfully His and theirs!
Tricia

Falling Down...

David told me this today and it was just too cute not to share! He had just fallen down in the den when he said this:

"Mommy, sometimes when the earth is moving and I am standing still it makes me fall down."

He was as serious as can be!


Joyfully His and theirs!

Tricia

Precious Memories...

I was cleaning out some folders on our desk today and I came across these things the boys had said that I had written down to save, so I thought I would share them here...

David said the following:

"Mommy, I love Paul sooo much!"

(While eating an ice cream sandwich)... "Wow! This is my most favorite dessert in the whole wide world!"

Paul said these:

"Thank you Mommy for cleaning the house so good. It smells good!"

"David, will you come play upstairs with me? I don't want to be lonely."

"I love you like a cookie!"

Have a great day!



Joyfully His and theirs!

Tricia

An Ugly Cry from a Touched Heart

I cried at dinner tonight... and it was not a pretty cry! However, I did not cry because I was upset, I cried because my heart was touched at the very core...

We were eating dinner, me and the boys, James had to work late...

We were approximately halfway through our meal when David told me he wanted to sing me a song. This is what he sang, in the sweetest little boy voice with the happiest look in his beautiful blue eyes...

You are my Sunshine
My only Sunshine
You make me happy when skies are grey
You'll never know MOM how much I love you
Please don't take my Sunshine away

I was not expecting that... I am crying now even typing this out, it was just so sweet and touched my heart immensely! What makes it even more special, is I used to sing to them the very same song and instead of sunshine I would put their name in... so it already brings precious memories to my mind... How I wish I had it on video!




Joyfully His and theirs!
Tricia

Praising Him...

The other morning I was getting dressed for the day and David was in the bathroom with me. I was singing a praise song and David asked me to stop singing... to which I replied:

"God tells us in the Bible that we make a joyful noise unto the Lord, that we are to enter His courts with praise and His house with thanksgiving. That is what mommy is doing, I like to sing praises to God."

I further replied: "The Bible also tells us that if we do not praise the Lord, the rocks and trees will cry out and will praise Him."

David looks at me very intently, and says: "Ohhhh... (pondering) I have NEVER seen that happen before..."

So I continued singing and this time he did not ask me to stop... he joined me!


Joyfully His and theirs!

Tricia

Freckles

Today we were outside enjoying the sunshine and the breeze... I was relaxing in a chair in the backyard while the boys played and looked for bugs.

David comes up to me and shows me a little freckle on his chest and asks me what is was. I told him it was a freckle, to which he responded:

Oh... well, if you have lots of freckles that means you are old. You have lots of freckles so you must be old. I only have one so I am not old...

So in my son's eyes I am old because I have freckles... at least he does not think I am old because I have wrinkles!!



Joyfully His and theirs!

Tricia

I Believe...

David has had a bit of a problem telling the truth lately... he has been caught in quite a few lies. Today one of those lies cost us $30.oo in a co-pay at the doctor's office. He has been complaining all weekend of his ear hurting, last night he said both ears were hurting... this morning he said they still hurt, although he really did not act like they hurt. However, just to be safe, I took him to the doctor... and he is perfectly fine and healthy, no hint whatsoever of an ear infection!

He now wants to go play out back where there is mud... he says he will stay out of the mud and not get dirty (he has told me this before and done differently, on numerous occasions!)...

I told him... "I do not believe you."

David says, "Well, I believe myself."

I still do not believe him... I need more proof!


Joyfully His and theirs!
Tricia

Children of God

The other night my husband and I had a free date.... a free babysitter and a gift card to cheesecake factory! What a treat and what a needed night out we were able to have!


As I was taking the boys to Sandra's before our date, I was explaining to them that Mrs. Sandra and Mr. Joe may not be there yet, and if not they could play with her son, Eric, until they got there.

David asked, "Where are her other children?"


I replied, "I am not sure."


Then Paul said, "A child is a smaller person, a son is a bigger person. Isn't that right Mommy?"


I replied, "Well, yes, children are smaller, but children can be sons too."


Paul says, "No, children are smaller and sons are bigger."


I asked, "Well, which one are you, a child or a son?"


Paul quickly replied, "A child, a child of God!"

It was just too cute not to share! I am so glad to know that he knows that he is a child of God! Would you be so quick to say that you are a child of God?


Joyfully His and theirs!

Tricia

Mommy's boo-boos...

I went for my morning run this morning, and it was cut short... I had a minor accident. I often get frustrated with the long shoe strings that the manufacturers put on our shoes, I mean, who really needs shoe strings that long! From what I can gather, as I was running, one of my long shoe strings got in the way and I stepped on it, and then fell to the ground.

Needless to say, I was very embarrassed... how often does a 30 something year old lady fall to the ground while running! I quickly jumped up and was very relieved to see that no one else had witnessed my little mishap, then I surveyed my injuries. I had scraped up the palms of both hands and had skinned one of my knees pretty badly. So I walked the rest of the way home...

I came in and told James I needed help. He quickly came down and took such good care of me, while David watched very quietly with wide eyes...

When he saw the blood on my hands and knee he said, "Oh, Wow, that looks like it hurts really bad."

"It really does hurt, " I said.

David stood there looking at my hands for a bit, and then he said, "Mommy, you look like you are dying on the cross."

I really do not remember what I said in reply to that. I do remember me and James exchanging smiles and looks, just touched that he would see my bloody hands and think of Jesus...

I am so glad my children are learning about Jesus and what He did on the cross for them. I am glad that the things of the Spirit are in their hearts and they come out in our everyday moments. I pray that my children will walk in the Truth all the days of their life, and that they will whole-heartedly serve Jesus as their Lord and Savior.


Joyfully His and theirs!
Tricia

Who's The Boss?

We were eating lunch yesterday, discussing the fact that they had to eat all their lunch because "Mommy said so...", because "Mommy is in charge...", when David looked at me and asked:

"Mommy, who's in charge of God?"

My reply, "No one is in charge of God, God is in charge of everything."

David, "Well, who is in charge of Jesus?"

My reply, "God is in charge of Jesus; He does everything His Father asks Him to."

Then he finished his lunch...

So, who is in charge of you? Is it yourself? Or is it God?


Joyfully His and theirs!

Tricia

For Sale...

Well, here at our house we are in consignment sale mode. I have been cleaning out closets, drawers, and the one that makes the boys the most nervous... the play room! This is the time of year I gather all the stuff we no longer use, need, or want and take it the the consignment sale headquarters - our guest bedroom! I then hang or bag, label, and price everything, load it all up and carry it to our BAMOM consignment sale. The boys are used to this now, and they think that is my job, to go work at the consignment sale :)

Well, yesterday as I was going through clothes David says this:

"Mommy, I hope you never decide to sell me... that would make me sad."

This just tickled me, but I did not laugh at him. I quickly assured him that I would never, ever want to sale him!

I love him so... he says some of the sweetest things!


Joyfully His and theirs!

Tricia

Exercise...

David, getting up from his nap the other day, came into the kitchen and said:

"Mommy, is sleeping exercise?"

How I wish it was!!


Joyfully His and theirs! Tricia