*the smell of BBQ ribs baking in the oven--yum!

*being thankful for a husband who likes to cook, and for the fact that we have food to eat

*editing pictures of my beautiful girls

*playing with bouncy balls in the hallway and hearing the girls' squeals

*finding nitrite and nitrate-free lunchmeat at the store--yay!

Preschool Day 5

Gracie cried and cried all morning because she didn't want me to take her to school, but she ended up having a pretty good day! I'm so glad! Now we just have to see if she can have another good day.

Preschool Day 4

Not too much improvement. She cried when I dropped her off, which is the first time that's happened. She cried throughout the first part, but I guess did a little better towards the end. Everyone keeps telling me to keep trying it. I have my own opinion. We'll contiue to see how things go.

*Gracie's excitement over learning about fire safety and doing "school" at home with me (I enjoyed it, too!)

*seeing Madelyn's pride as she did a puzzle over and over again all by herself

*reading The Little House in the Big Woods with Gracie

*doing picture studies and reading poems with Gracie

*pulling Madelyn around in the laundry basket

*reading on the floor with Madelyn

*making hot buttered noodles for Gracie to eat when she got home from preschool

*preparing book activities and language lessons to do with Gracie

Preschool--Day 3

Day 3 didn't go much better. She cried again, her juice and pretzels spilled and she didn't get a snack, and she missed me. We'll keep trying.

*Gracie finding the perfect climbing tree at the lake

*watching Gracie play in the water and mud and getting so dirty while Madelyn swang in her swing and was happy to stay clean

*the way Madelyn says "wishy" for "fishy"

Preschool--Day 2 on Thursday: Part 2

I dropped Gracie off in good spirits, but when I picked her up again, I could tell that she had been crying again. I guess there was a cupcake incident. They were celebrating someone's birthday, but she couldn't have a cupcake because of her allergies. Some of the icing touched her, and she freaked out because she thought it was going to hurt her. She wouldn't eat her snack after that and just cried. Then she started missing me. It seems the second day wasn't much better. We will see what next Tuesday brings.

Gracie made my day at lunch today by telling me that when she grows up she wants to be a mommy like me.

Preschool--Day 2 on Thursday

For the time being, I think I have restored some of Gracie's excitement about preschool tomorrow. I really do hope she enjoys herself more the second day.

Preschool--Day 1

Two things I want to instill in my children are perseverance and contentment, neither of which come easily to me.

"Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." Hebrews 12:1

"I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation." Philippians 4:12

That is why I am taking Gracie back to preschool on Thursday even though she is refusing to go back. When I dropped her off she was unsure but excited. When I picked her up she was in tears. She said she didn't expect so many kids and roughness. She also said she missed me and felt like crying the whole time. I felt the same way.

I still want to homeschool her, so it is hard for me to send her back to a place neither of us wants to be. But Jim and I decided we were going to give it a good try. And I will. I will try to encourage her so she can learn a little perseverance and contentment. But in the end, I feel like someone else is doing my job, a job I am being called to do.

Preschool is a break for many moms, but for me, it is missed opportunities. Missed opportunities of taking walks and bike rides, doing art in the office, not being tied to a schedule, exploring with the girls. We all enjoy these things. But in an effort to figure Gracie out, I thought we would try preschool to see if she liked it better. Only time will tell.

*giving Gracie a special sparkly rock, a note from Daddy, and a Bible verse to keep in her pocket during preschool

*saying a prayer with Gracie before she left

*spending time with Madelyn swinging, reading, playing on our bed

*hearing the way Madelyn says, "Weeeeee!"

*picking Gracie up from preschool

Madelyn's Birthday

*baking Madelyn's Elmo birthday cake and licking the batter

*hearing Madelyn sing Jesus Loves Me

*swimming with the girls and Jim at the big pool. Gracie is getting so brave and Madelyn paddles her little feet so fast!

*watching Madelyn open all her presents. She got a tricycle, swing, pink play phone, corn popper, books, puzzle, clothes, a little bank, and a play doh monkey.

*eating the Elmo cake and singing to Madelyn

*hearing Madelyn say "we're eating chickens" when we went to pick up some chicken nuggets for supper (one of the two foods she will eat)

*hearing Madelyn sing "clean up, clean up, everybody clean up" when I drain her bath water

*Madelyn: "Where's phone?"
Jim: "It's in Gracie's room."
Madelyn: "Get it! Run!"

*taking Gracie to tumbling for the first time this fall and seeing her do so well!

*hearing Madelyn say "I hold you. I wuv you." to me as I held her after her bath

*telling Gracie she couldn't climb the tree in her underwear and remembering some other funny things I once told her. 1. Don't eat Baby Jesus. 2. We don't write on our eye lids.

*As Madelyn was lying in bed with me early yesterday morning, she was talking to me and I wasn't really listening. She turned to me with much attitude, pointed her finger at me, and said, "Mom. I talking!"