A Variety of Thoughts for this Thursday

Whew!  I can't believe that we are almost done with our first week of school.  Or can I?  I could have sworn today was Friday for the first half of the day!  I have a lot of things that are on my mind today that I want to get down on the blog, so please excuse the jumbled thoughts.

*Audrey's school is having Vacation Bible School this week.  She LOVES it.  She comes home every day telling me the songs they sang about God, how they painted crosses and talked about Jesus, and just goes on and on.  Here she is in her VBS T-shirt today:

*Yesterday I learned that my friend was told her son had 24 hours to live.  He has been suffering from ALD for the past year.  It's a degenerative brain condition that happens rapidly.  When I found out, I was devastated and of course crying.  Audrey walked in and asked me what was wrong.  What to do?  Is she ready for this kind of conversation?  I prayed about it, and decided to talk to her about it briefly.  I just told her that Mommy's friend's little boy was very sick.  She immediately replied "Well, then he should go to the doctor, get some medicine and then be better."  I tried my best to explain that sometimes, the doctors can't help and it's time for that person to go on to heaven.  I told her my friend was sad that her little boy had to go on to Heaven, but that he was with God and Jesus.  Audrey broke out into a huge smile and said "Wow, some day we'll ALL get to go to heaven to meet God and Jesus."  It was so sweet.

If you would, please keep the Schally family in your prayers.  They lost their sweet 10 year old, Henry, last night.  Their other son Eli has also been diagnosed with ALD.  Luckily Eli was caught early enough and has under gone a stem cell transplant to halt the progression of his disease.

*Back to Audrey's VBS.  She came home yesterday and told me she had to bring money to school to help build schools in other countries.  Ok, what??  I was caught off guard and told her we would talk to her teacher about it in the morning.  She decided to take matters into her own hands and went over to her piggy bank full of dollar bills and coins from generous grandparents, and told me she wanted to bring this money to school for the people who needed it.  SERIOUSLY??!  Are you trying to win the world's best kid award?  My heart puffed up and I patted myself on the back for raising such a socially aware and giving child.  I couldn't wait for her to bring the money in and show her teachers in the morning.  But of course, after receiving my friend's news last night, I couldn't sleep, and therefor woke up late and we were running out the door this morning.  Without the donation money.  I honestly didn't even remember it until I picked Auds up and a fellow awesome mom like myself stopped me at the door and asked me "Did you know that they were supposed to bring in money for donations?  I had no clue!  I am so embarrassed!!"  AAAH!  I told her that I only found out yesterday, but STILL forgot the money.  We shared an awesome Mommy high five.  As we were saying goodbye to Audrey's teacher, I told Ms. Stephanie that I was sorry we forgot the donation money, but would for sure bring it tomorrow, and Audrey even packed up her own money to donate!  Audrey looked from me to Ms. Stephanie and, no lie, said "I changed my mind.  I'm going to use my money to buy myself a new toy instead.  Mommy, you can bring in your own money if you want to."   !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Ms. Stephanie just burst out laughing and I prayed an internal prayer that I could someday teach my child to be giving.  ;)  When we got in the car I tried to explain the importance of giving back, how that makes us feel better than having a new toy, and that yes, I WOULD pack my own money to donate tomorrow and I hoped she would too.  Then I dropped it.  I am happy to report, that as I was making dinner, I nonchalantly mentioned to Audrey that I hoped she had decided to bring her money to school tomorrow to help others.  She told me she had in fact changed her mind.  She was going to bring half of her money to school and keep half of her money for a new toy.  !!!  Success!  I'll take it!  (Now if only she doesn't change her mind before telling her teacher.)

*As the school year is beginning, all of my students have been bringing in supplies.  We have a list that we ask them to buy from.  Every year some parent sends in Lisa Frank/Barbie/Princess/etc folders and journals, when we SPECIFICALLY ask them for color coded ones.  So this year I decided to take a set of Lisa Frank journals and folders home for Audrey to use.  I can't use them in the classroom and I didn't want to waste them.  When Audrey walked into the kitchen and saw the stack of brightly colored journals and folders, she freaked out.  It was almost better than Christmas.  "What are THOSE Mama?"  I told her they were for her.  "ALL of them?????"  She laid them all out and decided (on her own) that one folder would be to hold the pictures she made for Grammy, one would be for Grandpa, and one would be for Nana and Papa.

Here was my view while cooking dinner tonight:

*I added a new blog to my blog list.  http://jenhatmaker.com/blog.htm
Jen Hatmaker is an incredible mom and such a gifted writer.  She is so funny and I love reading her updates.  She has been on the Today Show and is currently writing a book.

And to end this post on a so very true Back to School note, here is a hilarious video called "Said No Teacher Ever" - it cracks me up because it's so true!

http://www.babble.com/babble-voices/rants-in-my-pants-julie-miner/said-no-teacher-ever-is-funny-because-its-true/