Home Today

I'm home sick today, which is never fun, but I kind of expected it.  Last Wednesday, Kizzy got the stomach flu, Thursday Avery got it, Friday Jenny got it (and so far she has had it the worst!), no one was sick on Saturday and we all crossed our fingers.  Then Sunday Stony got it, Monday it seemed like no one got it, but Deacon was cranky all day and didn't want to eat, so he probably had it.  But since we weren't sure and we all had the day off and it seemed like everyone was healthy, we all had dinner here.  Now today Joe and I have it. So I am just laying in bed, trying to move as little as possible because I haven't thrown up yet and I don't want to. I really really hate puking!

So here are a few updates on our home front.  (It is kinda long!  But we have all been so busy, there is a lot to catch up on.)

It looks like there is a possible end in sight for Stony to not be at Chipper's full time.  Ever since my parents sold the bolwing alley, it has been one struggle after another for Stony to be there.  We have had many a conversation over the last year about what Stony's role is there (beyond his working role) and what is his moral obligation and what does it look like to work there and leave there with integrity.  We spent the last 3 weeks talking and praying about it.  As of right now, he will stay there until May full time.  Until then, he will do his best to train the people there to know what he knows about the place.  Then in May he will ask Matt if he can go to two days a week and then he will go full time to the Sundeck (where he makes more and is more appreciated) and will have more time to look for a full time job in the valley.  Of course, nothing is set in stone except that he has a plan to leave.  So we will continue to be praying about all the details.

Jenny and her kids are still here.  It is going good.  Having them here is definitely a growing experience for me.  Some days, selfishly I want my house to myself, and other silly little things.  But when I pray for Jenny and think about her leaving, I feel like now is not the time.  I don't know when it is, but I feel like she needs to be here for a while longer.  I see so much progress in her as far as thinking clearly, making better decisions, drinking less, being better to and for her kids, enjoying her kids...just all kinds of things.  And I am scared that if she leaves too early, she will backslide too far.  When I asked her about moving out, she told me, "honestly, I don't want to yet.  I like it here and so do my kids.  If it is okay with you guys, we would like to stay longer."  I'm glad about that.
     She has been going to church every week!  She even has gotten Sunny to go twice and Joe & Erin to go twice.  She is reading her Bible, asking questions, wants to get involved and wants her kids to go every week.  This week when she came home from church (we didn't go cuz I was taking care of Stony), she said, "No one can get sick the weekend of my birthday."  I asked why.  She said, "Because I think I am going to get baptized that weekend."  I'm so excited!!!  I hope she does it. 

Kizzy starts Kindergarten tomorrow.  She is so smart!  She missed the cut-off date in Estes by a week.  And Jenny and Jay were going to wait until next year to start her in school.  But she is so ready!  She knows and can write all her letters, she knows what sounds they all make and can start words or pick out pictures based on a sound you give her.  She can sound out 4-5 letter words.  She can count to 100 and write her numbers to 25.  She can also add--any number from 1-12.  She knows how much pennies, nickels and dimes are worth.  She knows the days of the week, but gets confused on their order.  There are so many reasons she is ready.  At the same time, she doesn't always follow instruction very well and when Jenny tried taking her to preschool last summer, the teachers told Jenny she needed to discipline Kizzy so she would be ready for school.  So I'm praying that it is a good thing and that Kizzy responds well to the classroom setting--she is pretty head strong.  Jenny has been doing better with the discpline...  One really encouraging thing is that Kizzy's teacher is a male, "a nice older gentleman that made Kizzy feel welcome as soon as we walked in the door."  That could be a very good thing!  I'm nervous too about Jenny.  Her kids have never had a bedtime (which is a completely different tangent, and I just think it is ridiculous...but whatever).  So getting Kiz & Jenny to go to bed at a decent hour (last night all 3 of them were up until about 1:15am) in order to get up at a decent hour could be a challenge.

Deacon is growing and changing so much!  His vocabulary is growing and it is fun to see every day.  He is just a cute little kid.  When you ask him what he is doing out of bed or with something, he fold his hand together in front of his tummy, cocks his head to the side and then gives you this big smile as if to say, "Oh nothing, but if you knew I'd be in trouble.  But because I'm so cute and can't talk, you'll just smile at me."  I think he still needs to eat and sleep more, but he doesn't ever have a dazed look anymore and he isn't at all lethargic like he was when they moved in.  He still has his crying bouts when no one has a clue what he wants, I'm not sure he knows, but those are few and farther between than they were.

Its amazing to me what prayer and God can do!  I know I shouldn't be because He is the Creator of everything...but sometimes His awesome power and work in lives is just incredible!