Year 3, February 21st-23rd, 2018: Heavenbound and Timmy's!

We've had an interesting week.  I won't lie, there's been some tough spots because we think Abishai is giving up his nap.  This means we have to reorient ourselves and how we homeschool so that he isn't on electronics all day.  You see, I cheat and have him watch up to two hrs of screen time to keep my sanity.  Otherwise, he literally is into everything and I have to get up every 2 minutes (I am not exaggerating) to get him out of trouble.  It's a stage, it's a phase, he's 3, I get it, but we weren't mentally prepared for it.  I'll still try to put him down for a nap everyday for a while, but we will have to plan that he won't take a nap.  That means, I will be playing with while the others do their individual work as always.  But then we won't be letting him do TV time before 2pm like we have been.  Instead, I will check the individual assignments with one while the other entertains Abishai and then switch.  This usually occurs around lunch time, especially on days where we get up later, so it can sometimes feel like I am literally going in circles putting out fires all day.  It's very exhausting and draining to me.  And then around 2 pm, Abishai will go for his nap or he'll have screen time.  Then I will work with the middles on history, science, Latin and other things we do together.  If we are lucky, we will finish around 4pm.  No, our bookwork doesn't take 6-7 hrs but because of the interruptions of a preschooler, it does take that long to fit it in.  I like to have that break between 4-5pm before I start supper, especially so I can make phone calls, so I'll need to be patient on days when that doesn't happen.  I feel like I never have time to just relax.  If I don't move steadily through the day, things don't get done.  And that's very frustrating to me because I don't feel like I can take the time to step back and enjoy the moments that are good.  Instead, I go from one fight to another, one mess to another, and again, it doesn't bode well with my physical health.  I'm also still dealing with gut health issues and that's incredibly limiting and frustrating.

I basically had a meltdown this week.  But there's a reason for it.  I have to retool my brain for Abishai's changes in napping, but also, for some odd reason, the death of Billy Graham hit me hard.  I don't have a personal connection with him, but I know that many, many people do and his presence was a shining light in our culture for so many years, so many presidents found comfort in his prayers (which he did off the books) and I have steadily followed him, his son Franklin, and Samirtan's purse for many, many years now.  But then it hit me that it's not Mr. Graham I'm missing, but my parents, who get to talk to him (perhaps, I don't pretend to know what all goes on in heaven, it's just a nice thought).  Which brought me back around to really, really missing New Hampshire, and PEI and you know how that throws me into a tailspin.  And it wasn't hormonal this time!  Again, this is my personal journey, BUT it directly impacts the kids and Jared, so I share it here as a record that I'm still struggling but Kids, I am really trying hard to be a better mom!  Promise!  Oh, and I was listening to some new Newsboys songs in preparation for their concert we are attending next month and found out that they put together a record full of covers of hymns!  And one of them was my mom's favorite, "It Is Well."  Yup, and the 8th anniversary of her death is coming up in April.  Anyway, if it wasn't for leaning on Jared, and a little bit on God, I'm not sure where I would be.  Jared is my rock and always have been.  We've been friends for almost 20 years!  We've grown up together pretty much.  It's an incredible feeling to put your trust in someone who loves you unconditionally like God does.  Sometimes it's hard to feel God's presence and you need that physical touch.  I know it's hard for some people to understand if they haven't struggled with their faith, but I'm wading through this journey right now.  One step at a time, one ugly cry at a time, one outburst at a time.  Many prayers that God will redeem my wrong parenting as good things for the kids.  And maybe, just maybe, I'll be able to instill in them something good.

Speaking of good, Benaiah has this master plan of working at Kroger as soon as possible, get his license, audition for drums at big church, buy a car, pay for some schooling, etc. etc.  He's got drive when he wants to.  He's actually done a lot of homework today (Friday) instead of playing on his computer and didn't complain when we took a special trip to the westside of Indy.  He tries to be helpful and encourage his siblings to do the right thing, even if it's the wrong timing or we feel he's overstepping his boundaries.  He counsels his classmates in their social relationships.  He's a leader and he knows it.  It's amazing to watch, albeit, frustrating at times, too. 

Jared likes to make the duplos into towers or pyramids to fit in the boxes better.  So, Abishai decided to use one as a mountain for his "white wing" (aka Lightning McQueen).  He even put a ramp up to it!

Lighning on a mountain!

Abishai built this himself!

Sweet creations!

Abishai is constantly on the move!

I pulled this off of a Twitter post from one of our weathermen.  How cool are those lights making a heart on on one of the buildings on the circle?  That's the lights that look like Christmas tree at Christmastime.  Love it!

The pot hole situation in our city.  Lots and lots of people complain about them, and yet, they occur every year.  I know it's a bad year because weather has been back and forth from above freezing and below freezing constantly but still, you live in Indiana, this is our weather, get over it.

Brand new bakery in Beech Grove has gluten free and sugar free pastries!  I can't wait to go visit!

I was telling the family about it, and I love Aaron's reply to the news of the bakery and Billy Graham's death.  He always has a way with the puns.

Now this was a great funny moment for us this week.  Keturah and I stopped by the library on the way home from her eye appointment (it was a check up and it went well, she doesn't need surgery).  I picked up and checked out Justin's book order but didn't realize until afterwards that it was in Spanish!!!!  Somehow he had ordered a Spanish book!  But there's no English version in the library catalogue, only an audiobook version I did order for him.  Crazy boy!

Since I had already checked it out of the library, we brought it home and said, "Here you go!"  And it took him a few minutes to realize he couldn't read it!  Lol!  So Grandma took it back to the library when she went to get her own books she ordered.

"I love my doggie!"

Abishai tried to lead Socks around with him today.

I don't know why, but I keep reposting others' comments about Billy Graham and a ton of music personalities also posted their own pictures with Billy Graham.  Michael W. Smith did play for many revivals and a relationship with Mr. Graham.

And so did this old band called DCTalk.  This picture was taken back in 1994 when their Jesus Freak album was at the top of the charts.  Sweet!

And here's Michael and DCTalk together with Billy Graham.  Pretty neat.

See this boy? He's super sneaky!  He kept dragging over the stools (which he hadn't touched for like 4 months!) to reach the pizza and ate off all the sausage and cheese!  I had to stand there and guard the pizza!  He is so stubburn, so bold, so tiring!

Then two days later, he climbs up on the other side of the counter, climbs up over the divider, and just sits there all cute looking at his book.  It's a good thing you're cute kid!

He also found his water cups and started playing with pouring the water into the different cups.  He got his foot and pants wet and immediately got down and took off his pants to change them.  So, at least we know he can do that part of going the bathroom by himself.

I thought this was a great post by Franklin Graham, Billy Graham's son.  It is a momentous thing when someone like this passes away.  Actually, Bill Graham was in our Classical Conversations memory work this week of all things.  What he did, his faith, his fervor was just as important to include as was the seven wonders of the ancient world, Christopher Columbus discovering the new world, the mound builders of Ohio, etc etc and of course the Creation of the world.  That's a pretty big personality and legacy to leave.

And then today, we had a fun field trip to make!  Yes, we scheduled a field trip to Tim's on the west side of Indianapolis!  We didn't do on our way to errands, it WAS THE errand!  We drove 30 minutes there and 30 minutes back just for coffee, hot chocolate, lemonade doughnuts and bagels.  And we were all incredibly excited about it!  I know I'm not the only one who has very fond memories of Canada and misses these kinds of little things.

There it is!  Tim Horton's!  I think we are getting a Tim's about 15-20 minutes north of us in Lawrence on E. 56th St., and Benaiah says he wants to work there when it opens, lol!

Wahoo!

It...was..worth..every..bit..of..pain..I'll..have..later!  Now, I won't make it a habit to get the doughnut because it affects my body for days.  But the coffee is a staple.  They actually made it with soy milk, so my tummy wasn't so offended by it!  It was a cafe mocha with whipped cream.  They don't have raspberry flavor, boo, but I might ask for the strawberry flavoring they put in the strawberry lemonade.

Prayertime for our sweets!

It's a bummer his eyes were closed, but he really wanted the sprinkle timbits!

Boston creme!

Strawberry shortcake!

Benaiah got his favorite strawberry lemonade and bagel! He said they don't have the same mixing skills here as they do in Canada for the drink.

Ah....I haven't seen this screen a long time!  Ok, I saw it on vacation, but now, it's within driving distance!  And it's still produced by Bell, which is a Canadian company! (At least I think so.)

Ah,...Timmy's!!!  It feels soooooo good to have a piece of Canada here!  The building structure looks different and Jared noticed that the indoor seating catered to two people sharing a coffee together.  There were no booths, no electric fire places, oh, and no ceramic plates and mugs!  I knew some things would be different.  Oh, and no "roll up to win!" either!

Doesn't this look so great in the van?  It's where it belongs!

We had fun with our little Tim Horton's field trip.  Keturah said that whenever we go to pick up a person from the airport, we need to go to Tim's instead of Steak and Shake on the way home.  Tim's is about 5-10 minutes north of the airport, which is the opposite direction that we need to go to get back home, but, if I'm driving, I might just do that!

Jared said this is the newest and biggest cargo airplane yet!  And it comes from Luxemburg!

Abishai entertained us at dinner tonight by stuffing himself into a box with his balls.

Little stinker!!

I wore my first Canada sweatshirt I got on our 2nd trip to Canada to look for housing (I had to fix the burn hole on it first though) and my PEI shirt to Tim's today.  Ah, it feels so comforting to put these things together.

I'm strange, I know, but Mr. Tim's cup (which I did throw away, I promise) had to take some selfies with his fellow Canadian memorabilia.

Ah, perfection.

And Michael W. Smith's 2nd album of the month came today, on it's release day!  It's a live worship album called "Surrounded" that he recorded "in the round" at Rocketown the Club in downtown Nashville, TN.  He wants to promote unity so he invited people of every race and ability to share in a special night of worship.  And yes, it's also signed as well.  Both signatures look real, and not printed.  And they didn't cost anymore than unsigned copies.

Last week Michael W. Smith did a live Q & A that I did watch live answering questions about "A Million Lights" album.  This week, he and Mr. Jim Daneker, his backup keyboardist and programmer whom I also love, kicked off the release of "Surrounded" by playing at the the new Bible Museum in Washington, D.C. and a fellow fan streamed it live on YouTube and Facebook, and a little bit on Instagram.  I got to catch a bunch of it, although the sound on YouTube had an echo.  But how cool that he got to play at the brand new Bible museum?  Lucky guy!  I hope to see them both in concert on May 4th.  Tickets aren't on sale yet, so fingers crossed that I get good seats.

Ah, music is so healing.  I've missed it so much.  I tried playing some today as we were getting breakfast, and Justin wanted to change it on me and then people started bickering and it was all too chaotic and loud.  I don't know how people listen to music while they are doing things and their kids are buzzing around.  Maybe I'm overly sensitive.  But, I am enjoying getting back into the music scene.  It's very helpful on my healing journey.  It brings me great joy, and I'm excited the boys are joining me on it.  Now, onto taxes and a full Sunday schedule.  Next week looks fairly open though.  Yeah! We love staying home!