Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Unbelievable!



I couldn't even tell anyone this until I had a video.  My dad heard this toy say "You got 5 in a row" the other day, and no one was near it but the Panda.  So we watched, and he seriously knows most of his letters.  At the end, he also walks and talks.  He has learned SO much in the last few weeks.  Also, he is back to sleeping better.  Please pause the music player to the right.



In other big news, we found out this morning that Matt will get to come home for Memorial Day weekend for a short visit!  We are so excited!

Friday, May 18, 2012

Order Modification!

We got great news this week- Matt's deployment will end shortly after Christmas instead of in March or April! Our little ladybug timekeeper took a little jump.

The Panda has returned to Night Terror City for a second visit.  I can't figure out what is causing it this time.  Last time, it was surgery, but we have not really had any changes lately...  Poor darling.

We took an ill-fated "homeschool field trip" to the National Zoo yesterday.  There was a fancy event that began about an hour after we got there, so we could only tour the top 1/5 of the zoo.  The Panda got up close to real pandas, and many of our favorite animals are up on the Asia Trail, so it wasn't a complete loss.  Could have been better, though.  I think we'll have to go back soon.  :)  There is a new feature in the orangutan exhibit that I'm dying to try out, but we couldn't get down that far.  The orangutans can push a button to spray water on people who venture into the "splash zone"....  I really want to get sprayed by an ape.  How cool is that?

My tiny little veggie sproutlings of 3 weeks ago are getting big!  Looks like the garden is going to be good this year!  The groundhog will be healthy and happy, I'm sure.

My dear Auntie, who took good care of me when I was little, taught be to read and, well, everything...  is struggling.  Wednesday was the first time she didn't know who my dad was when he visited.  I don't think she knew me the last two trips I made home to WV.  She was really confused by the Panda, but she loves kids, so at least there's that.

Apparently I've got a sick Penguin, too.  Just a nasty cold, I hope.  She needs snuggling and is cold...  :)

Friday, May 11, 2012

Language Explosion!

Ok, so maybe not an explosion... but it feels pretty encouraging to this mom.  The Panda let loose with his second or third "real word, for sure!".  "Hi!"  Also, he started saying "Oh, NO NO".  Hee, hee.  He also learned his first signs yesterday:  book, please, and more.  This signing saga seriously started Monday night at Youth Group with Mrs. VanGordon.  I think, since he said words and made signs all on the same day, that he's "flipped a switch" into understanding.  Wooooo hooooo!

We have about 3 more days of dedicated schooling before we enter summer mode.  Wooooo hoooooo!  (Update:  In the 10 hours I've been working on this little post, the Penguin finished her work for the year!)

The Bunny, the Penguin and the Puppy are all testing for their green stripe belts in tae-kwon-do tomorrow.

I've been trying to get a video of "Hi" and "Oh, no, no!", but so far, there's no cooperating with the filming.  Maybe tomorrow.  


Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Six Months as a Family of Six

How can I even tell how much the Lord has blessed us.  We've had our Panda home for six months.

Earlier today, the big kids were outside.  The Panda and I had a rare, quiet moment alone.  I was feeding him a bottle and singing one of our special songs.  I got a little teary.  That "relief" that I didn't even know was an emotion before is still overwhelming sometimes.  He blinked really hard.  Squeezed those little eyes shut.  Clearly, he wanted me to imitate.  I did, and squeezed out a tear.  The Panda laughed and squeezed again.  He really thought that my dripping blinks were cool.  Sheesh.

*six months ago he could barely sit up for half a minute
Now he can walk 5-6 feet

*six months ago he was tiny
Now he's a hulking giant and I can barely carry him

*six months ago he'd never seen a book
Now he can't get enough

*six months ago he didn't ask for anything
Now he seeks out "his people" to meet his needs

*six months ago he had no roof to his mouth
Now he has one!  (Thanks Dr. Boyajian!)

*six months ago he was whiter than I am
Now he's a beautiful brown

*six months ago he didn't play or explore
Now he's trying his best to climb furniture and knows just what to do with toys

*six months ago he couldn't hear
Now he is starting to understand (thanks Dr. Zalzal!)

*six months ago, we had the sad peekaboo game and serious overstimulation problems
Now Peekaboo is fun and overstimulation is pretty rare (but we keep the world small...)

*six months ago, he wouldn't eat solids
Well, that hasn't changed, yet...  :)


So, how about me?

*six months ago I felt so sad, so aching, so desperate
Now I'm relieved, my baby is safe.
I'll note that I now feel sad and aching because I miss my husband, but not desperate- I know he's ok.  :)

*six months ago I was really jealous that my husband had a daughter to hold each hand
Now I rejoice because I have a son to hold each of mine

*six months ago I wondered just *how* effective prayer is
Now I know.  The Lord has done a great work.

Our school year is wrapping up.  We've been using Mystery of History I (Ancient History).  Really super text.  We just got to the end of the Old Testament in it, so I started reading the Gospel of Matthew, written 400 years after the end of the OT.  We got to Chapter 4, Verse 1...

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

The Penguin wanted to know why?  Why did He have to go through this?  Great question.

Hebrews 4:14:

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.  For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.  Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Being a mom has required me to run (or drag my injured self) to the throne of grace pretty frequently.  I keep getting tempted and falling into sin.  How great is it that Jesus personally experienced every temptation that I ever will, and DIDN'T SIN!  He defeated every temptation.  He is glad to give grace to me in my failure, and new mercy to have victory over sin.

Oh, Lord, make me glad to give grace and mercy to my children instead of condemnation.