8-17-06 Small Step for the boy, huge step for mama's morale

Thursday, August 17, 2006

A Small Step for the Boy, a HUGE step for Mommy's Morale Everyone else seems to be doing bulleted lists...I am going to join the club: My parents are on vacation in Florida for the week, and as a little going away present my mom gave Landon some Veggie Tales fruit snacks. For him, this was HUGE and he was very excited about them...so much so that he would ask to "look" at them all of the time. Meaning, he wanted the box so he could stare at the packages longingly. He knew he could only open one and eat it if I gave the ok first. Well...last week I was in the shower and noticed that Landon was being extremely quiet, so I got out and snuck into the living room to see what he was doing. He was driving his truck around the fruit snacks, and when one pack caught his eye, he stopped and I could tell by the way that he was eyeing it that he was debating whether or not to sneak and eat it while I was not watching. I watched his little brain decide, and was thrilled when he chose to keep playing and not eat a fruit snack. Yes, I know it was a very little thing, but I had the privilege of watching him CHOOSE to obey and it made me very, very happy! My parents are gone, so I have spend the last few days at their house taking care of my grandparents. My Grandpa has Alzheimers and my grandma takes care of him, but they don't get out much, so I brought them groceries and hung out with them for a while. I just love spending time with them because I have so many memories at their house and my Grandma is just so wise and so fun to be with, and I know that in a few years everything I have ever known with them will change, forever. That thought scares me and saddens me greatly, and makes the time I get to spend with them now, that much more special. I went to Meijer today to get groceries. The entire experience was not an especially great one, but the cherry on the top was when we were back in the car on the way home and I noticed that my shorts were unbuttoned...all four buttons. So basically, the tie was tied and that was keeping them up and giving me the illusion that my pants were buttoned...but they weren't and I was a tad embarrassed. I have no idea how this happened...I am usually so good about buttoning and zipping.... Landon refers to himself as "fels". So, since everything has to be done by "himfels" we hear it all the time. It really becomes quite funny when I try and try to get him to say "self" and he goes: "sssss fels". Slowly, very slowly, I am learning that I cannot control everything. I love to be in control...have all my ducks in a row...plan, plan, plan. But some things just cannot be "planned." This is where we learn to trust and believe that God is good, rather than just say it. I am on a Gilmore Girls kick. We are watching the back seasons right now, but I am totally addicted. And...I love their clothes. I wish I could afford even a few of the outfits they wear.   Michigan peaches are the best fruit known to man (besides Michigan strawberries of course). Tonight there will be a delicious peach cobbler on the table for dessert. I am quite excited! Landon has learned the art of arguing. It is driving me crazy. I can so clearly see that if we allowed him to continue to talk to us this way, when he was a teenager there would be so little respect. I wish we did not have to go through this with him, but I would much rather teach him now than have to deal with this in 15 years from now. Finally, I am in love with using scarves (not winter ones) as head bands. I only have one, but I love it. Target has a brown one that I would love to have for fall...we shall see. I am trying to grow my hair out. I say trying because every day I do my hair and feel so ugly I want to crawl back into bed. This in-between stage is not good on my emotions. The scarves will hopefully get me through these next few months. Or maybe not...