Last Sunday as we were getting ready for church I looked up at the boys. They were all dressed with their teeth brushed and their hair combed. After living in the trenches of doing everything for boys I felt like it was a mile stone that needed to be documented. Look at those sweet boys. I'm pretty sure they quit arguing just long enough to take this picture, but whatever...they all got dressed on their own. Victory!
We headed to church that morning for the longest day ever. We started our day at Bethlehem Breakfast. They served sausage rolls and donuts. I'm pretty sure Jack was still hungry when we left, but I stopped him at 3 sausage rolls and 2 donuts. That's Jack's kind of breakfast.
After breakfast we had a program at church called White Christmas. All the Sunday School classes come together in the sanctuary and give gifts to the homeless and we kick off giving for our missions offering. It's a really fun time.
After church the boys had play practice. I surprised Fred with a foot massage, since we practically had a date hour. Then I had a tea at church for our widows. I then went to yoga. Fred picked up the boys from practice. He had a meeting. I got one back to church at 5 and two more back at 5:30. Then I delivered corn to the venue for the youth Christmas party. I came back to church to hear the children sing in their program. Jack even had a speaking part.
After our long day, this arrangement just wasn't going to work. I pushed him over as best as i could and put a pillow between us. He proceeded to snore. Loudly. I'm happy to report that we made it through the night. I was never worried, but I think Dash was by the level of protection he was providing.
Monday morning Andrew had Manners Club. This is his first club to attend and he was thrilled. He has watched brothers attend clubs at school and it was finally his turn. He was supposed to dress to impress. I'm pretty sure we nailed it. I ordered a sport coat, but it didn't arrive in time. While at Manners Club he learned how to take food from a refreshment line, sit with correct posture, shake hands, greet someone...and he learned the box dance. He was so proud. I think it's the cutest thing ever.
Clayton is in several classes that require mid term exams. While he's had tests before, this is a first for a comprehensive exam. His teacher Algebra teacher offered a tutoring session, which we strongly encouraged him to attend. By strongly encouraged, I told him if he didn't attend the tutoring session and made less than a B there would be serious consequences. I also told him if he did attend the tutoring session and made less than a B there would be no consequences. There was also something in my speech about integrity and initiative and character and...I'm not really sure what else. Long story short, he decided to attend. Ha!
He has not really struggled in Algebra, but when I asked him if he had studied (before we knew of the tutoring session), he told me he had gone over it in his head. Oh mercy. Needless to say, we were all a little nervous on test day since this thing counted for 30% of his semester grade. (That's a lot of pressure for a 13 year old, right?? I might add that he was not nervous nor was Fred. It was really just me that was nervous. But come on, 30% of his grade. Wowsers.) We got this email message about mid-day. Funny boy.
His physical science exam was yesterday and he doesn't know how he did, although he thinks he did well. Spanish, his nemesis, is Monday. Oh dear...
After all the discussion with the tutoring session and him finally deciding to go, I was very shocked to receive a call from his teacher. She called me Wednesday night to "brag" on Clayton. Apparently, there were about 30 middle schoolers in attendance. She said it was clear that most of them were forced to be there. But Clayton, and one other kid, thanked her at the end of the session for helping them. He thanked her. Listen. That is nothing short of the Lord working in his heart and life. And I told his teacher just that.
On Thursday, I volunteered to be at Clayton's school to sell tickets to the Snowflake Dance. Are middle schoolers not delightful? When I was finishing up, my own child walked down the hall and didn't even come say hi. I took his picture just to acknowledge that we were in the same vicinity. He claimed that he can't move during the announcements (that were playing) and that he had to get to the above mentioned exam. Blah, blah, blah. Those all seem like lame excuses for the woman who has taken care of him every day of his life. Ha!
Here he is all dressed up for the Snowflake Dance. The dance started at 6. Around 5:30 he started getting dressed. I said a silent prayer of thanks that God gave me boys. You see, about 4 hours earlier, I volunteered for about an hour to decorate for the dance. While I was there I listened to moms of girls talk about where they bought dresses, doing hair, being with friends, taking all afternoon to get ready, etc. It was going to be an all day affair. In total I think it took Clayton 7 minutes to get ready. Seven. You know what boutique I bought his outfit from? Me neither. I'm pretty sure I ordered it all online and it was in his existing wardrobe. Did we have drama getting ready? Nope. Glorious.
They have a Peek and Pic time for parents for thirty minutes before the dance. You know what this 30 minutes taught me? I need to be praying a lot more. Oh the girls...but that's a story for another day.
We've had three parties at our house in the last week and tomorrow our entire church is invited for an open house. We've enjoyed every single party. This coming up week is the week of programs. Between now and next Sunday we will attend 7 programs. But by the time we attend our final program, we will be out of school. So hooray for programs and being out of school!
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