The unusual-ness of it all

   The week has only just begun and I am already adjusting to the unusual-ness of it all.  My husband is working on first shift rather than second.  Normally he's here in the morning and afternoon, today we awaited his arrival at dinner time.  After dinner, we sat together watching the kids play, and laughing at Manny play with his brother.  Both of us have concluded that we could really get used to this!  Jav was really tired though, and went to bed quite early.  Now that is unusual!  But it's understandable, he was low on sleep and had gotten up very early this morning for a men's breakfast.  Add to that a long day of work and it's no wonder he was tired!  

   Just when I was contemplating having this be the week that we would get back on track with our walking/Javier jogging, another monkey wrench gets thrown in the works.  How easy it is to get out of a habit of doing something!  Especially when it never seems to fit into your schedule.  Every week we plan to get back into it and something or other comes up.  I thought I might take a walk with the kids today in between drizzle spells, but I remembered that the road in front of our house was completely dug up last week.  It's rocky and dirty and we are really wondering when they plan to repave it.  It just wouldn't make for a pleasant introduction to our stroll. :( 

   Amera had a rather unusual day.  She spent most of it sleeping off a terrible sinus headache.  Of course the day went quite differently without the help that we are accustomed to having from her.  We had to do four loads of laundry today and I only got two of them in.  We have some catching up to do tomorrow to say the least!  She seemed to be feeling better at dinner time, almost back to her usual self.  But it wasn't long before she returned to bed to rest some more.  I sure hope she's feeling better in the morning.

   This weekend my husband and I planned to make this coming week different in more ways than one.  I held a little "meeting" with my kiddos to discuss the plan for the coming week.  Instead of turning on the Wii to play a video game, the plan is to think of something else to do with that time.  We are taking the week off.  I encouraged them to think of things they might like to do.  This is not hard for my older kids who really don't use it much at all anyway.  It's the younger ones I am struggling with.  Sometimes we just spend time laughing and talking, not necessarily doing some involved activity.  But in those times that they just don't know what to do next, I want them to think and pray about it.  I have been giving out a whole lot of correction when my children come to me complaining in whiny tones that they don't know what to do.  And the phrase "I'm bored" has been forbidden in this house.  There is always something you could be doing, you just don't know what it is yet.  I'm teaching them that it's ok to come to me and ask for suggestions, but do not come whining and complaining because you don't know what to do.  

   I am not completely taking these games away, I just need time to think about how to help make them less of a big deal to my kids.  Even today, Javi said "Mom, I'm just thinking about it too much, I think we should just get rid of it."  He actually seems bothered by that. I'm not so sure he really wants me to get rid of it, but I'm glad he's realizing that he thinks about it too much.  I wonder what the coming week has in store for us...

   Well, amongst other things...Brienne and I will be be visiting  her orthodontist to discuss future braces.  I'm sure I'm not alone in the parenting world, when I think "Oh boy, how will we afford braces?!"  Well...all I can do is rest in the assurance that God knows her needs and he will meet them.

    Monday morning I will be spending a few hours at the doctors office doing the "extended" glucose test.  I was encouraged to bring a good book to read during this rather lengthy appointment.  Somehow I am dreading it less now.  I can simply relax and read or crochet for three whole hours!  Hey, that's not so bad, is it?