Let's start with Nathan. I can't believe I am the mom of a 1st grader! That just seems so...strange. My baby? In first grade? No way! But Nathan is in first grade and doing so well. His teacher sends home a list of 100 words to "practice" and he knows nearly all of them. He has only missed a few here and there. He is up to 500 words now. His teacher said once he hits 1,000 words she will have to figure something else out for him to do as reaching 1,000 words is the end of the year goal. Yet, it's only September and he is halfway there!
Nathan does get to go to 3rd grade reading. He says the other kids in 3rd grade call him small and want to know why he is there. But he enjoys it. He still gets physical therapy for low muscle tone and balance issues. He still sees the psychologist once every 6 days to discuss social issues.
On the positive Nathan is growing up! He doesn't really whine much. He loves to help out with his baby sister. He is becoming "fun" to talk to. I am enjoying this 6 year old stage. He lets me hug and kiss him more. We still have issues with him "shouting" and getting frustrated easily but not as many. Just don't ask him to eat a piece of zucchini or he will wage an all out war! (By the way we won the zucchini war despite much gagging and out right crying over eating ONE bite)
Emma Grace. Boy, she is a wild card. One minute she is loving and affectionate and mature and helpful and the next minute she is a wailing mess of whining and crying in a contorted ball on the floor! She needs a lot more "discipline" than Nathan does at this point. She is playing Barbies with her friends and dressing up and the next minute she is climbing a tree or doing something insanely dangerous. She is our extreme child when it comes to both behavior and what she likes.
I've heard, she is may just be a tad like I was as a kid. Reckless. A whiner. Doing crazy stuff. Driving people....dare I say it...nuts! Hmm But she loves her mommy and sister (even her brother) and her Daddy. She craves affection and approval. Every day after school she says it was terrible because she missed me.
Emma is strong willed. At times it can be good like when she tells her friends, "We do NOT say 'Oh my G-O-D' in this house!" And other times I shake my head in absolute wonder at her refusal to make her life easy by just obeying. So far she is doing well in school despite her own reports of it being terrible. :)
And my little Katelyn Joy. People asked me what her name is all the time and I say, "Katelyn Joy: and it means 'pure joy.'" I know the story behind her name and what it means. Sometimes, I tell people why she is named "pure joy" and how the Lord gave her to us to help our hearts heal after a loss. Other times I just thank the Lord quietly in my heart.
Katelyn is such a sweet baby. She has two teeth coming in on the bottom that have made her a little cranky these days but otherwise she has a great personality. She loves her brother and sister and gets so excited when they come home from school. She is very sensitive. She does not like her daddy's loud laugh and will cry if he laughs too loud. She startles easily and hates being told "no."
Everything in sight goes into her mouth! It's hard with a six and five year old to keep papers and other small toys off the floor. She doesn't want her mommy to be out of her sight for even a minute! Katelyn loves to go downstairs and see her daddy during the day and watch what he does on the computer.
So that's the updates! I am adding a hymn that was stuck in my head. Enjoy!
I Heard The Voice Of Jesus Say
I heard the voice of Jesus say, “Come unto Me and rest;
Lay down, thou weary one, lay down Thy head upon My breast.”
I came to Jesus as I was, weary and worn and sad;
I found in Him a resting place, and He has made me glad.
I heard the voice of Jesus say, “Behold, I freely give
The living water; thirsty one, stoop down, and drink, and live.”
I came to Jesus, and I drank of that life giving stream;
My thirst was quenched, my soul revived, and now I live in Him.
I heard the voice of Jesus say, “I am this dark world’s Light;
Look unto Me, thy morn shall rise, and all thy day be bright.”
I looked to Jesus, and I found in Him my Star, my Sun;
And in that light of life I’ll walk, till traveling days are done.
