Schoomates, Stats, Sunflowers & Strep

Some updates from the Doeren house...

Schoolmates: This past week was a first for us. We had friends over on a school day to help their mom out and decided to still try and get some work done. What was I thinking? Actually it wasn't that bad...if the sun wasn't shining, I am sure we would of been a little more successful;) We got the BIG stuff completed after all; math and language arts! Everything else was put aside for some of that good old fashioned socialization so many people worry about us homeschoolers getting! I'm not quite sure what they were doing but let's just say it involved a roll of string, a few trees and a whole lot of sticks in the backyard.

Stats: After our first big game, we have since lost 2. I have to say though, I am extremely proud of the way Connor and Brody "handled" it. They didn't seem upset at all, slightly disappointed, of course, but they sure didn't let it bother them. I am very happy for that, and was dreading the day honestly. I thought I would have to pull out all of the Brady Brunch pep talks I heard over the years and work hard to make them feel better. I thought this would be the moment when all the parenting articles I have read would finally come in handy. I was prepared to back up what things the Bible says that are important in life and how doing your best is all that can be expected.

But, I didn't need any of it....

They were just as excited as the game they won and that....is....good! They truly love to play and I am grateful for that. I am interested to see how the season progresses.

The first loss took place in the pouring down rain and all the kids were thrilled to pieces to play in it. I think the excitement of that outweighed the loss! Really, they think that is fun? There was not one kid out on that field with either team that seemed the least bit upset about the downpour. The cheerleaders were another story...

Brody received the defense star award yeseterday and was just darn cute out there. He got to "rush the passer" once and he came out with such force at that quarterback, it was hysterical!

Connor had a terrific run with the ball which of course I didn't get on videotape, pulled a flag and dove for many more.

The best part was that this last Saturday they both really played! We had a talk during the week and I pointed that I noticed them a little hesitant to engage in the game. As it turns out they were scared of making a mistake so I just encouraged them the best I could, and pulled out those great parenting skills that I needed after all;)

The look on their faces is priceless here!

Sunflowers: This week at FIGS I taught an art lesson on Van Gogh and we worked to re-create our own masterpiece versions of "Sunflowers". I had so much fun with this one and all of the kids did amazing! I was so impressed with how they came out and wanted to share the ones that Connor and Brody worked on.

Strep: Connor woke up Wednesday night pretty hysterical saying his throat hurt. He would say things like there was something stuck and he couldn't swallow it down. It turned into a long night of feeding him ice chips every 2 hours and it has been a long time since I have seen him so miserable. He rarely gets sick and it is tough on all of us. He was so precious and would ask...

"Mommy would you pray for me....(long pause).....out loud"!

I loved that he felt he could trust that. I decided to take him to the doctor because of the pain he seemed to be in. We passed on the culture, but the doctor was pretty sure he had strep throat so he started him on antiobiotics. He was in the doctor's office at 3:00 crying and absolutely miserable, threw up on the way to Walgreens and felt like we would never get home. Seriously, in just a few hours, he was already feeling better and that kid's immune system never ceases to amaze me and neither does the power of prayer:)