This is a day that I've been looking forward to for so many reasons, yet it's really hard to believe that my kids start their first day of 5th grade and 1st grade tomorrow. It is so true that the days are long, but the years are short. I love my kids with everything I have, so even with this twinge of sorrow, I'm also extremely excited for them to start back to school tomorrow. The biggest reason I'm so excited for them, is that I LOVE school. I was always that kids that counted down the days until school started no matter what kind of break we were on, not because I loathed going back, but because I couldn't wait to get back and I love that both of my kids CAN'T WAIT to go back to school tomorrow, even if my oldest is a tad nervous (for the first time ever....hey there's always a first) about the curriculum. I know she has nothing to worry about, but the nerves are real. She would tell you she's nervously excited about starting tomorrow.
The next biggest reason I'm excited about school starting tomorrow is that with all the craziness of a new school year, I know that our days will go by quickly and the time between now and when we are reunited with Alex will fly by. Finally, I am happy to be getting back into my own routine. I am thankful that I'll be able to run again (I can't leave them home to go running and it's too hot once we're all up to have them ride their bikes with me, so it's been on the back burner all summer). I'm looking forward to being able to have a little "me" time, since that will be the only time I really am able to get it for the next 9 months...LOL!
After we arrived back home from gymnastics, the kids quickly got ready for bed and then Madison and I read Hudson, "The Night Before First Grade." We had a sweet time of talking and getting excited for tomorrow. Then, Hudson and Madison said their prayers and just as I was finishing praying over them and this next school year, Alex was able to quickly call and pray over them as well. It was such a blessing for them to be able to hear their dad's prayers for this upcoming year and to just have him on the phone at bedtime...it's been since before he left that we've been able to coordinate that. God is so faithful in the small details and the big ones!
After putting the kids to bed, I had so much fun tonight getting the kids' lunches ready (well all except their refrigerated items) and getting their school supplies securely in their backpacks.
Well, I kind of worked backwards in telling you about our day. This morning I started my new bible study. I had been stuck on a study for FAR TOO LONG and was trying to finish it because I'd started it, but I just wasn't in it, so because of my conversation with Renee yesterday and some extra encouragement, I felt free to put it aside for now and to begin my new study. I started Day 1 today and I can't even begin to tell you how refreshing it was and truly how freeing it was. I was getting so frustrated that I wasn't getting much out of my last study and it was by an author I adore, which made it more frustrating. Anyway, I might go do Day 2 when I finish typing this post because I am that excited about it and really loving it already. Madison has the version for young girls (tweens-teens) and she's been working through it a couple weeks longer than I have, but she does a couple pages at a time instead of a whole day, but even today we already had some great discussions.
Alex will be traveling for a little bit, so our communication won't be as consistent for awhile, but before he left, he sent me this picture of some wild camels. He said they're everywhere. Thought I'd share here so that we keep the memory of it in our story!
One last thought I wanted to leave you with tonight. I was reminded about something earlier today that I read almost a year ago, but was so pertinent to right now: "Look for the Flowers, not the Weeds." It reminds me that there will always be flowers and there will always be weeds, but it's what I choose to look at and focus on that can be the difference in my day and my kids. I can choose to always see the things they need to improve upon, or I can praise them for the things they are doing well. Do I always want to be grumpy and frustrated or do I want to enjoy my littles and the stages of life they are in and soak them up and just love on and squeeze them to pieces?!? I drew a flower on my wrist as a reminder that I am choosing to see the flowers and even when I slip up, I can ask for forgiveness, and work harder to make better choices. I thought this was a beautiful reminder as we closer out summer and welcome in the new school year.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment