Reality

Do not depend on the hope of results. When you are doing the sort of work you have taken on, essentially an apostolic work, you may have to face the fact that your work will be apparently worthless and even achieve no result at all, if not perhaps results opposite to what you expect. As you get used to this idea, you start more and more to concentrate not on the results but on the value, the rightness, the truth of the work itself.—Thomas Merton, in a letter to Jim Forest dated February 21, 1966

Parenting can sometimes feel like a never ending circle of saying the same thing a million times, making the same requests, getting upset over the same things. Trying to control the outcome of the situation without much luck. I saw this quote and it struck such a cord. What if I try to just concentrate on each day, each moment of parenting, realize it's value, enjoy it and move on. Knowing in my heart I have done my best and leave the rest to God. The work of parenting is important stuff, and if I concentrate on that work it is the best I can do.

Food Fight AKA a battle of the wills

Zak & Sonic....need I say more. We have a love hate relationship around here with Sonic. Oh the fun drive in atmosphere, the amazing drink concoctions and the better than average burger. Zak's favorite happens to be the foot long chili cheese dog. I know, terrible for you food, but every once in a while it is a fun treat. Tonight Zak got it into his 11 year old brain that he wanted Sonic for dinner, and that is what we should have. It was an off night, activities, errands and running around. We didn't sit down together like normal and no one ate the same thing. Since Dan and Zak hadn't had dinner yet he thought they should go get Sonic. Dan wasn't in the mood, and it was getting late so Sonic wasn't even offered as a choice. Well Zak wasn't thrilled, he can be quite stubborn at times and decided he wasn't going to eat if he couldn't have Sonic. What? Was I actually witnessing my son revert in actions to 2 year old behavior? I was, and it wasn't pretty. I know he is only 11 but he is usually very mature, and to see this behavior over not getting the food he wanted was hard to watch. Dan said fine, don't eat and left it at that. Eventually Zak fixed himself PB&J but it was much later. I wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry, I mean really, Sonic? What was this really about? I'm still not sure but I want to know how to turn that kind of determination(aka stubbornness) onto something productive. Maybe dangle a chili cheese dog out in front:)

photo: Zak goofing around

Peeper poison

What is it with my boys and poison ivy in the winter???? About this same time last year Max got such a bad case of poison ivy that got infected it landed him in the hospital for 3 days. This year both boys have poison on various parts of their bodies. Ouch!! Poor Maxie has it so bad on his private regions that we had to go to the doctor (who had to hide his giggle). Max was put on medication and given strict orders to not be touching vines and vegetation outside, and to most definitely wash his hands before going to the bathroom:) I know how it happens, we have a warmer than normal day, the boys head out into the woods to play and someone goes pee on the tree. I keep thinking he will soon learn but I guess boys will be boys. I'm sure one day we will look back at these times and laugh, but probably not until he has learned how to not get poison ivy on such sensitive areas:)

photo: Max with afternoon snack, smoothie, on his face. Poison gone

A concern for Maya

Maya's report card came home today with a surprising little note attached. Her teacher has been out due to a broken bone and they have had a substitute in her class for a few weeks. Apparently little Miss Maya has not been very cooperative with the substitute. Oh she does her work and listens to directions but is having a hard time keeping quiet in class (no big surprise there) but what is a bit of a surprise is her not following instructions. Such as being told to stop something and turning right around and doing it again. Oh my, not my little Maya Papaya. So we had a little discussion about respect and why we respect our teachers, even though they aren't our "real teacher" (her words, not mine). Little Miss social butterfly was being a little to social and not very respectful. Thankfully the "real" teacher is returning next week. Oh the adventures of school.