The Puddles

The kids spent an hour setting up the restaurant.  They made a menu and signs, set the table, cooked the food, everything.  It was fun!  Ainsley is placing the orders. Ben is cooking the food.

I had been pretty tired when they set all of this up and had not wanted to go and play with them at all.  Guilt dragged me there.  But God knew what He was doing.  I had a great time and so did they!!

I hope they had a good time.  Those little stinkers!

Madie did a report this week on what she wants to be when she grows up.  Here are the highlights of her report.

“A pastor has many roles like, preaches, writes, teaches, visits the sick, helps in the community, leads meetings, works to bring peace to the world, leads the congregation, speaks on the behalf of God, listens to people’s hurts, does some counseling, performs weddings, baptisms, and funerals.  A pastor works 40-50 hours a week.  A pastor uses a computer, internet, Bible, cell phone, home communion kit, oil, calender, microphone, cross, books and baptism font.  Just to name a few.  I chose my job because I like being in front of people, reading, speaking about God, sharing God’s words, and helping people.”

I think that she is well on her way!  Way to go Madie!

“Mom.  I need more fancy pants.”

“What are fancy pants?”

“See these pants.(he holds up a pair of nylon track pants.) These are fancy pants.  When I wear them and I slide down the stairs, I can go really fast! I go ZOOM down the stairs.  I like zooming.  Will you get me another pair?  Thanks, Mom!”

My conversation with Ben at bedtime tonight.

All good meltdowns should be followed by a grounding.  Or at least that is what I am learning.  Good people in my life who are full of wisdom(and who have been there before) gently told me to stop putting my head in the sand and that I needed to punish Madie for her behavior.  After some discussion with Chris (which was mainly . . .”what do these wiser women  suggest?”  “OK sounds good to me.”), we decided to ground Madie.  Carefully and calmly, Madie and I talked about her behavior at the store.  She agreed that she needed punishment.  When I told her that she would be grounded, she melted.  “I’ve never been grounded before!!!!”  (That was proof that we should have done this a long time ago.) “Am I grounded during school recess?”  “I can’t believe this. My life is ruined.”  Peace and serenity. Peace and serenity. (That is my mantra while she wails.)  Soon she finishes her tears and she is good.  She has taken this all really well and I commend her for that.  Ben has been grounded so often that I can’t count how many times.  Why we have chosen not to do this with Madie, I’ll never know.  But we know better now.  And with knowledge comes power.  So beware . . . No, just kidding.  But you should always have a good balance between the law and the gospel.  So it is time to even out the scales at the Lake house.  For the betterment of us all.

Milk and various assundries were all that were needed at the store.  We left to run our quick errand after I picked up the older two from school.  Nearly three hours later we made it home.  Half of that time was spent dealing with Madie’s monsterous meltdown.  For whatever reason, Madie has been melting in the middle of stores.  Not sure of what to do.  I just become the extreme opposite of her emotion.  She is angry.  I am calm.  She is crying hysterically.  I am smiling and offering a hug of support. Chris spent close to 45 minutes on the phone with her trying to calm her down.  But she had already gone over the cliff.  There was no coming back.  We just had to wait it out.

Those kind of experiences make me emotionally empty.  I can barely muster a smile right now. She hurts so much and I am not sure why.  I love her.  And right now in the middle of Walmart with her world caving all around her that is all I have to offer.  My love.

I need more time. More time to get my to do list done. More time to spend with my family.  More time to spend on myself (a very foreign concept). More time to sleep.  I am trying to do to much sometimes (like I just volunteered to make chili for 22 kids for Rodeo day at Ben’s school.  What was I thinking?!!) I try to please too many people and sometimes I just plain fall short.  Today I nearly failed my children.  I woke up late.  Yuck.  I stayed up too late again and tried to get that “one more thing” done.  Don’t worry the children made it to school on time (barely).  I just can’t live on four to five hours of sleep every night.  There are some that can.  I am not one of them.  It is a wonder that I don’t drink more coffee. I already drink a pot a day.  If only they invented a caffeine patch.  Maybe in my spare time I can work on that issue . . . Hmmm.

Yes.  That’s right.  Texas celebrates its Independence Day from Mexico and everyone dresses up like a cowboy (Ben has roped his stuffed puppy).  Our three are ready for a rodeo!

We are cleaning the playroom from a week of mess.  And enjoying a dinner of flat tacos.  Our family favorite.  It is a good day.

Our blessed visitors got Chris through Old Testament in seminary.  God Bless them.  They have been fast friends ever since.  They both didn’t come at the same time. Their churches (all five of them.  yea. that’s right. FIVE between the two pastors) are doing a mission project is Orange (they are all from Pennsylvania.) so E was here the first half of the week and then Will stayed for the last half.  It was a busy but fun week!