It's about to get all Pinteresty up in here.

I have this friend Jayme who makes me think I can do all these crafty things.  Which sounds good until I buy all the supplies and procrastinate until the night before to actually do the projects.  Jayme is room mom and inspired me to do some Pinterest projects for my kids' class this year.  Here is how they turned out:

Popcorn witch hands.

Mummy juice boxes.

Treat bags.

Here are the girls all dressed up and ready to have fun.

Rapunzel Precious.

Vampire Sissy.

I think the favorite part of her costume was her red lipstick.

Boys having fun with the gummy skeletons from the treat bags.

The most handsome football player I have ever seen (only because
I never got to see Bubba play football).

Sissy being silly with her friend.

 

Pumpkin Patch

We made it to the pumpkin patch this year and all the kids had a wonderful time.  Here are the pics:

BubbaJ on the teeter totter.



He needed a little help from Daddy so he could teeter totter with Precious.



Precious showing BubbaJ how to have fun on the teeter totter.



All three posing as marshmallows.  Sissy's wish came true.



Sisters and friends.



BubbaJ's favorite ride(anything with a steering wheel).



Precious trying out the sling shot.  She came really close to the target a couple of times.

Sissy's turn.



I even gave it a go.  Precious came closer than I did:)



Watch out!  Here come Precious and Sissy.  Actually, they're pedal
cars and Sissy rode on the back of mine.  Hard work!



King and queens of the mountain.  Or tire anyway.



We even conquered the corn maze.

Worry

I had a hard time with the teachers my kids got this year.  Last year when they sent home the form to request a teacher, we thought about it very hard, but decided that God had our kids' best interests in mind and that He would take care of it.  Now, it's one thing to do that and another to truly let God have control.  It sort of overtook me around the time school started.  I am always a bit emotional at that time anyways because I miss my kids so much. It's almost a time of mourning for me when they go back to school.  I mourn the time I had with them during the summer that will soon be spent in school.  This year was even harder because I was not comfortable with the teachers they got. 

After the first few weeks, I knew that God was right.  Big surprise, huh?  You mean God knew what he was doing?!  Why does that continue to shock me?  Precious' teacher was structured and strict, but at the same time caring and approachable.  Exactly what she needs.  Then, I was able to get to know her teacher even better because she went to our church's women's retreat.  That was really cool.  There is something super comforting about knowing you are sending your child to a Christian every day.

Precious struggled with her AR goal accuracy last 9 weeks.  It literally came down to one book to decide if she would make her goal or not.  Her teacher told me that she stood over her and prayed for her as she took the test.  I love that she is praying for my child during the day when I can't be there.  She'll never know how much that meant to me.

Last weekend, we went to see some friends and family out of town.  Well, some of our close friends know Precious' teacher from their church.  Cool.  Then my sister-in-law spoke up and said that Precious' teacher was her first grade teacher.  CRAZY!  Precious talked to her about it at school today and she said that my sister-in-law was her first class to teacher, ever!  God has a way of speaking to me.  It's His you-can't-deny-this-because-it's-just-to-crazy way of getting through to a stubborn woman.

Let this be a lesson to me.  God is sovereign and amazing and I could never create a plan for my kids that is better than the one He has chosen for them.

Heartbreaking

Yesterday was the first time that my heart completely broke for my daughter.  I've been sad for her before, but this was different.  When she got in the car after her student council meeting she told me she needed to talk to me in her room.  She raced downstairs as soon as we got home and said, "Come on Mom."  Then I listened to her tell a story through her tears that I'm sure I will hear many, many more times.  How her "friend" buddied up with another girl and purposefully left her out.  How it hurt her and she didn't know what to do.  I did the best I could to make her feel better.  I reminded her that she is so lucky to have a family that loves her no matter what, a God that is always with her, and lots of friends.  But even as I spoke those words, I knew they weren't enough.  I wanted to scoop her up and make it all go away, but I knew that I could never give her what she needs.  I'll never be enough.  Because that's how God intended it.  He is the only one that can fill that void.  That can make Precious realize that it doesn't matter what those girls think or how they act.  That she is fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14).  That she is precious in His sight (Isaiah 43:4).  That she is made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God (Ephesians 3:19).  My eyes still fill with tears as I think of the pain she felt and my heart breaks for all pain she will feel in her life, especially pain brought on by her friends.  Being a girl is hard.  I pray that she will turn to God to help her get through it.

Father,  Please guide my words as I deal with these issues alongside my kids.  Fill the gap between what I can do to help them and what only you can do.  Use every tear to draw them closer to you, making them a better Christian and friend to others.  Help them see when others are feeling that same pain and take action to help them feel better.  Lord, we know the evil one will try to use these things for his purpose.  Guard my kids' hearts from him.  Turn their thoughts to you so that you will fill them with love and compasion.  Remind them each day how precious they truly are.  Thank you for blessing my life with their presence.  In Jesus Name, Amen.