Explosions

Fall, the time of year when God shows off his painting skills before wiping the slate clean, revealing a gray winter.  I love fall in Michigan.  The leaves explode into every shade of red, brown, yellow, and green and it's beautiful!  I love the temperature, too...60's and sunny.  It doesn't get much better than that!

Our first month of activities has been lots and lots of fun.  Eli LOVES riding the bus and runs to it everyday.  His teacher tells me that he's a pleasure to have in the class, although I suspect she has to say that!  Eli also loves his Bible class (BSF) and squeals with delight when we pull up to the church.  He's my big helper in the mornings since I've accepted a new ministry position, Assistant Class Administrator.  I have the pleasure of setting up and running the power point and sounds system, even though I'm not very technical and have no idea what I'm doing!  LOL  And I'm in a Pilates Bible study, which is a ton of fun.  Papa and Eli get to hang out while I work out!  I'm debating whether or not to volunteer for the Mom to mom ministry again.  I would only volunteer twice a month, and I really think Eli can handle it.

Eli is exploding with his vocabulary and skills.  We worked on cutting with scissors this summer, as well as coloring and pasting.  His fine motor skills are still his weakest skill, so I look for ways I can help him.  Every day he seems to do or say something that is completely out of nowhere, like doing push ups in the kitchen the other day...um, what?  Or pretending to sleep on the bus, then snoring when I called him a silly goose (the bus driver and I had a big laugh over that one!).  But he's also understanding responsibility.  He'll take his plate to the counter without being asked, and picks up all his toys at the end of the day without help.  We've also set him up to do a lot for himself, like getting quarts of milk so Eli can pour it all by himself, and placing his yogurt where he can reach it.  And he just started washing in the bathtub all by himself.  He's also getting in to games, like war.  He's got a Cars war game that we play.  I deal, then we each flip over a card and he tells me which one is the biggest...and he does pretty good!  I can't wait to teach him my Baba's version of Rummy and then whoop up on him :)
 
In total, I'm in 3 different Bible studies this semester, the last one being a study on how to have a Word filled family.  BSF is studying Isaiah this year and in Pilates, we're studying a book focusing on the historical significance of the name Rabbi for Jesus.  So in all 3 studies I'm being convicted of how much of my time and energy is still mine.  It's an explosion of conviction!  In Jesus' day, Israel was immersed with the Bible, and even found it fun to discuss different topics of the Bible (Torah) at parties!  And how else am I to teach my son the value of God's word, than to be immersed in it myself.  And Isaiah warns that the people of God have rebelled and in the end, only the Lord, most high, will be exalted.  The parallels between our world and the Israelites at that time are quite scary.  I guess all this to say I need to be immersed in the Word more, dedicating ALL my time to Him, not just the 15 or 30 mins I give him each day.

By immersed, I mean completely and utterly surrounded so that there is no finding my way out.  It's kind of like being in a pool filled with water.  If you're in a pool, you're in a pool.  There's nowhere you can go in a pool to escape the water.  You can be in the pool in different degrees, but you can't be in the pool and not wet at the same time.  Such it is with Christians.  We can be immersed in the Bible in differing degrees, but we can't be an active, effective Christian bearing fruit and affecting those around us for Christ without getting a little wet.  After all, how can we know what God wants if we don't take the time to listen to Him?  I feel like I'm just dipping my big toe in the pool right now.  Compared to how the Israelites view studying the Bible, I'm hardly touching the surface.  So my goal is to really and truly give my all to Christ, and that, my friends, is not going to be easy for this hard headed, sinful, selfish gal!

Eli - the next big race car driver

Eli's First Week of School

Eli started school on Wed, Sept 8th, which happens to be my birthday. Happy Birthday to me! The teacher had an open house that day, so I got to see his classroom, meet his teacher and other parents in the classroom. The bus didn't start until Thursday, but we saw his bus driver at the school and she said HI! On Thursday morning he woke up and said "Momma, go potty, brush teeth, wash hands, put on clothes, go school!" He was quite disappointed when I told him he'd have to wait until the afternoon to go to school!

Thursday I wasn't sure that the bus was going to come, but it showed up at about 12:25 after I had belted Eli in his seat. When Eli saw the bus, he screamed with excitement while I unbuckled him and sent him on his way. He got upset that he had to wear the harness instead of just a lap belt, but he's not quite 40lbs yet. Then off to school he went. He returned from school all smiles with the other kids on the bus passed out! The driver said he did great. He's been telling me all the things he's done in school and he's really enjoying himself.

On his first day of school. He got a haircut shortly after this picture :)

Friday getting on the bus...he's a pro now!

In his seat unbuckling so he could get off the bus :)

Labor Day Weekend Fun

We have had the best weekend. The weather has been cooler, the humidity is down. Ah, smells like change is in the air. I'm not banking on it because we always get a hot spell shortly after school starts. But I'll take this for as long as I can get it...70s and mostly sunny with a slight breeze.

I've realized in the last few days how much the hot temps and humidity take from me. They zap my energy and make me quite the cranky person. I think that's where my pity party came from a few blogs back. I love being a stay at home mom and treasure this time with my little, er, I mean my big growing boy. Being at home is what God has called me to.

I told Eli he could bring his soccer ball in the front yard, but he had to hold on to it so the wind didn't blow it in to the yard because papa was mowing. He wanted to put it down, but I put it under his shirt so he could have his hands free to "help" papa mow the yard. Here he is trying to get it out. (I know...we are a very goofy family!)

Eli and I walked the park. When we came back he was back to doing everything papa did, which was adorable. Here they are eating soup...see that glance of adoration. Very sweet!

Eli also thinks it's the coolest thing to do what I do. I let him clean with me and he pretend cooks with me. I'll cut up something, placing it in a pan and then he mimics what I've done and places it in his pan. He pretend made some pancakes with me Saturday. It was a blast and they were yummy!

My Newest Ministry...An Unexpected Whirlwind

I haven't needed silence this much in a while. I met a girl, C, well more like she came over and wanted to play with Eli yesterday so I said sure, why not. She lives kitty corner to us and usually goes to play with the older girls across the street. I thought she was 6 but she's 8. She played with us for an hour yesterday and from 3:30-7pm today, eating supper and the whole 9 yards. She's polite, helped set the table and clear the table. She ate all her food and even picked up some toys. I really don't have any complaints about her. Except she talks. Constantly. And asks questions, and gives decorating advice. Man, I am worn out! Do I really want a daughter! LOL

I have a feeling she'll be over a lot now. I know this is really good for Eli, who can't really pick up on social cues just yet. So it's great to be able to teach him things like "Eli, when she says no, please respect what she says." Or "Share, please. Find something else to play with and then take turns." And she gets frustrated with him every so often because he doesn't quite get it yet.

I told her that she could stay for dinner, but I'd have to meet her mom first. So we all walked the short distance and I met her mom, who looked like she could use some sleep. This little girl has two teenage sisters, an eleven year old brother, and a one month old baby brother. So I'm guessing she's on her own a lot, not in a neglectful way, but in an "I'm a new mom and have 3 older children so I've let loose" kind of way. Mom didn't seem to care who I was, and didn't even ask any questions! I was really surprised. This is the first visitor from the neighborhood, so I'm not really sure how to act or what to expect. They are a middle eastern family, and it seems like (the few words mom spoke) C might be a first generation citizen. C uses a lot of Oh, My God's in her speech, which is going to have to stop. Eli picks up on it and repeats. And that is taking the Lord's name in vain and I don't take that lightly. She said that her dad is free to play with her on Sat and Sun without mentioning any type of church (and believe me, she would have!), which leads me to believe there's no religion in her family.

Yes, God is preparing me for a girl and all the fun things that come along with that. But I think this is so much bigger. Here's a family that needs help; spiritual help. And I've been praying that God would show me my ministry. And apparently this is it!

Some fun stuff now:

We found an outdoor water park. It shoots water out of spouts to music. It was great! The kids had no idea why the water would turn off. Then POW! they'd get it in the face as they leaned over to check things out! It was great...Eli even got caught a few times.

Here he is running to the center

Here he is about to get sprayed from one of the spouts

And here he is being a kitty cat, which he does often.