Toddler Strikes Again...

I am in the middle of working on a post explaining how I came to the decision to homeschool but it is becoming quite the little novel so since it's been a little drought in the area of stories of how crazy my toddler is, I thought I would share a snippet from today:

I was getting ready in my room next to the loft where my 20 month was supposed to be playing/watching a video with his older brother.  It got quiet (always a bad sign with this one) so I went to seek the toddler out.  I found him downstairs in the laundry room where he had dumped the cat food into the water dish (in the meantime spilling water and food everywhere).  He is sitting in a giant puddle of mushy kibble, stirring the concoction with his TOOTHBRUSH happy as can be.  Ick, ick, ick, ick, ick. 

He was so furious I took away his toothbrush and threw it away that I had to bury it in the bottom of the trashcan because he was trying to go back in after it.  Then, realizing that retrieval was futile, he turned on me and tried to bite a chunk out of my leg (probably with cat food breath, I didn't have the stomach to check and using the toothbrush was out). 

There you have it, a snapshot into my day. 
Prayers are always welcomed/appreciated. 

Imitation (copying) is the Sincerest Form of Flattery

I saw this post on my dear friend, Angie's blog and she had found it from another source.  I think it sums things up for Mothers in general pretty well and definitely was fitting for me today.  Be encouraged, Dear Friends, the gift of grace is free and tomorrow is another day!

"Of course, this side of heaven we will not do perfectly. Harsh words will be spoken, patience will wear thin. Frazzled mothers will act frazzled. And when this happens, our own sinfulness does not detract from the power of the gospel, it illustrates why we need it. Do not use your own mistakes as an excuse to wallow about what a bad mother you are. Repent, seek forgiveness, get it right, and move on. Believe. Be forgiven. Extend that forgiveness, that belief, that joy, to your children.

As you go about your daily transformations, set your heart on the truth. Mimic the gospel in what you do. Bring peace, bring order, bring joy, bring laughter. Bring it because it was brought to you. Give, because it was given to you. The gospel is not too big to fit into little situations. It is too big not to."

Rachel Jankovic is a wife, homemaker, and mother. She is the author of "Loving the Little Years" and blogs at Femina. Her husband is Luke, and they have five children: Evangeline (5), Daphne (4), Chloe (2), Titus (2), and Blaire (5 months).  

Options

 Today marks Silas' first day of school at Options--the weekly, all-day program for homeschooled kids'  mommies to have a break enrichment.  I have been very excited for this day to start (and Silas has been too) but starting last night, the worry began to creep in for me:

What if he doesn't like it?
What if he's rude to the teachers?
What if he needs help using the restroom at school?
Will he be the smelly kid? The weird kid? (with a bunch of homeschoolers, that's probably a pretty weird kid!)
Will he be able to figure out the lunch I packed for him (even after an orientation)?
Will he have friends?

I pick him up in an hour and will get to find out the answers to a lot of my questions.  I have to say I have missed the little guy and it makes me that much more excited to get back to working with him tomorrow!  That said, I think I will definitely enjoy my Tuesdays...anyone want to plan a coffee date?
: )

Sunday Night Syndrome

When I was in school, many a Sunday night I would come down with what my mom dubbed "Sunday Night Syndrome."  It usually involved a headache and a dull, growing sense of dread knowing that the weekend was coming to a close and the beginning of a hectic, demanding week was near.  It usually involved the pain of finishing homework that had been allowed to pile up.  Yuck.  I feel like it took me years for that feeling that I was probably missing something or should be preparing to wear off.

Having started homeschooling, I feel like I have developed a mild case of the Sunday Night Syndrome again.  There's something a little overwhelming about thinking of the coming week and knowing that I am responsible for planning for hours of the day with something constructive or entertaining, preferably both.

I don't want to give any false impressions.  I am not much of a planner or very organized (I set the bar low for many of the rest of you).  So probably, I should say that I don't get the dread of Sunday nights because it involves planning, but perhaps feelings of guilt that I should be planning more than I do.

It makes me wonder, can anyone else relate to the "Sunday Night Syndrome" feeling?  Do those of you who send your children off to school get it too (or do you look forward to the week as a mini-vacation like I like to imagine you all do--just kidding, I don't think your week is a mini-vacation.  I can't imagine the craziness of getting kids off to school every morning, that is hard work!)?

Oh, sweet!  I just remembered tomorrow is Labor Day!  Wow.  Now how's that for pointless worrying.  I'll save my "Sunday Night Syndrome" for another week, thankyouverymuch!