Kristy Dorminy

Mack has spent many, many nights sleeping in the same room with his sisters. It has been very sweet and allowed for much sibling bonding. Lots of memories and late night giggles and story times.

However, Ruby claims Mack talks and acts up til very late into the night. She also says as soon as he wakes up, he starts “whispering” their names to see who is also awake.  He also does NOT respect the girls’ privacy. And he has yet to understand the following: “Don’t walk around naked…especially when your sisters are upstairs.”

And while I LOVE that he LOVES to be in the same room with them at night, let’s just face the facts—my kids spend a ton of time together. I don’t think it is too much, but it’s borderline too much. They need some space.  So we’re trying this whole, sleep-in-your-own-bed-at-night thing again.

Hoping these superheroes will be enough to keep him in his own bed.
(And I know I have had a lot of posts about the little man lately, so I will be sure to spotlight my darling daughters very soon!)

  
  

Getting a sweet picture from Mack never gets old……

  
Mack also reminded Josh that he is going to be living with us forever….so we can pay for his food for the rest of his life. 

The other morning I was sitting with The Lord….I had been praying about some things on my mind and then I was sitting and listening and just being in the presence of The Lord.  And for some reason, I started picturing my Kindergarten Sunday School class.  Earlier in the week someone on Facebook posted a picture of my old church where I went in elementary school, Bayvale Baptist Church in Augusta, GA.  I had thought of Mrs. Dorn then, but for some reason here I was with the Lord bringing it to mind in my prayer time.

I pictured the short hallway and the doorway to the room.  It was a large room.  I remember the kitchen play area.  I loved it over there.  Pretend refrigerator, stove, mixer, table and play food.  I remember vividly the art area where we would put on aprons and stand in front of a huge (to me as a Kindergartener) easel with paints galore.  These weren’t referred to as “stations,” as they are today.  This was just how she had the room set up because she knew and loved little children.

One Sunday she had an overhead in the room and used it to project our face outline on the wall.  Then, she traced our faces and cut them out on black paper so we each had a silhouette of ourselves.  No doubt she told us how very special we were to be made in the image of God.

Such absolutely precious memories.  I believe the year was 1983. I can see myself as if I am there right now sitting in the small wooden chairs that were arranged in a semi-circle for Bible Time.  Short curly hair, wearing a blue sun dress with a red anchor stitched on the skirt. White fold down frilly socks with patent leather shoes that buckled. And Mrs. Dorn front and center, sitting with her Bible and felt board to the side.

But even more than the room and the things in the room, I remember Mrs. Dorn.  She had a such a warm, loving smile.  Always.  A soft, kind voice. She is a little bent over in my mind because I am sure she was usually leaning down to be closer to the little kids that were in her class.  But her loving, caring, kind demeanor is what rises to the top.  As an adult I now know that she invested much of her time into the kids who came into her class.  Only the Lord knows what all was going on in that child’s home or the needs that child had that Mrs. Dorn met with the love of God flowing through her.

I am so grateful for Mrs. Dorn and many other loving, caring Sunday School teachers that the Lord has allowed to be in my life.  I got saved around this same time…I knew Jesus loved me and died for my sins.  I knew I needed Him.  I am confident Mrs. Dorn helped teach me that Truth, week after week.  Hug after hug.  Smile after smile.

PSALM 77: 13-14

“I shall remember the deeds of The Lord; Surely I will remember Your wonders of  old.  I will meditate on all Your work and muse on all Your deeds.  Your way, O God, is holy; What god is great like our God? You are the God who works wonders; You have made known Your strength among the peoples.  You have by Your power redeemed Your people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph.”

 

It’s that time of year again! 

  
Gotta love these faces. I know I do!  Mack is so excited to play flag football again this year. He has such a good time. He still asks about when he can wear the “real football uniform.”  Bless his home schooled heart. 

Nevertheless, he has fun…and I count it as PE!

   
    
 
   
   
Fun times!  Go #11!! Razorbacks!

I admit, I have been focused on school and on our checklists.  I have done my best to keep the kids focused and diligent.  I have called them out on their laziness and messy handwriting.  I have been less-than-impressed with their chore results, which will soon show up in how little money they receive in a couple of weeks.  I try to smile and enjoy them because I know these days will be gone before I know it.  HOWEVER, I still feel very responsible for educating them.  I feel so responsible for helping them learn to love to learn.  I feel so responsible for making sure they aren’t lazy complainers.  And I have laundry to do and three meals a day and friends to chat with or text with and bills to schedule…blah, blah, blah…So it’s hard to find a good balance between mom and teacher sometimes.  Maybe I am the only one….gosh, I hope not.

But I am their mom.  And I want to be a fun mom.

I do.

I want to laugh and smile and bake cookies regularly for the little munchkins and serve milk with a smile and a hug.  I want to cheerfully help them with the problems they miss in math.  I want to snuggle with them while they read. I want to joyfully sit and listen to Ruby play her piano.  I want to let Molly use my laptop to use fun2draw and watch her create funny little drawings.  I want to build things with legos with Mack.

But there is a lot to do.  I need them to get the math lesson today so we can move on.  I need them to read quickly because if I sit still for too long, then I am going to fall asleep.  And I can’t fall asleep because Ruby has piano at 2:30 and then worship practice at 4:45 and we have to eat in between because Ruby also loves Wednesday youth group.  Or Molly has sewing at 3:00, but if we don’t finish this Science lesson and make sure they study their vocabulary and hang our timeline figures on the timeline for History and do the math lessons (that never end), then we will be behind.

I could go on, but I will not bore you.  I did decide today that we would do some math and then go to Krispy Kreme today….because sometimes the kids need doughnuts from their mom….with a smile and a hug.

We also went in Sprouts to check out what they had to offer.  It’s a great little grocery store.  All of us enjoyed it.  And we even did a little school.  Molly weighed the Honey Crisp apples, which were only 2.99/ pound and figured out how much they would cost.  Ruby and Mack spotted a flower and identified the stamen and carpel and saw pollen…all of this went right along with what we are learning in Science.  Yay!

We also went to deliver some doughnuts to a friend and see her new baby boy!!  Precious!!!

So we did have a fun day.  And we did get school done!  Yay for us.  Here is to hoping that we all survive this homeschooling gig and still love each other when it’s all said and done.

Naps can fix a lot of things. I remember when naps were a daily part of our routine. Morning and afternoon naps, even!!  My how times have changed. Usually if anyone takes a nap in the afternoon anymore, it’s me….not the kids.

On Tuesdays the kids get up at 7:00am and get ready for their two hour Language Arts class. I get two hours to myself each week–doesn’t seem like enough, but it’s the truth. When I went to pick up the kids from class, they entered the car immediately asking if they could NOT do school today. I told them we were doing school today…of course. They were not happy and fed off of each other’s bad attitudes. By the time we made the five minute ride home I had already decided to call the principal.

I put Josh on speaker phone, and he reminded them that school work is what they do everyday and it should be done with good attitudes. He goes on to tell them how wonderful their teacher is for giving up her life for their betterment. And I smile at them and nod my head while he finishes up his speech.

The talk did some good, and we finished most of our school before Mack had a break down. He isn’t usually so touchy, so with football practice tonight, I decided we would read on his bed together.  It’s my way of having him lay down and take a nap without actually saying the word nap to my 8 year old.

He did his best to fight against laying still until I told him all he had to do was lay still for ten minutes.  We had a discussion about how long ten minutes was, and he agreed to be still. “But only for ten minutes!!!,” he insisted.

And here he is. Ten + ten + ten minutes later.

I’m feeling confident the evening is going to go much smoother than our morning!

Thank the Lord for naps!

Mack does listen to me!  Here is how I know—Today we were pulling out their Language Arts supplies so we could get their assignments planned for the week.  The assignments for the week come from their teacher at Timothy Ministry.  They write out what they plan to do each day on the checklist that I print for them each week.  This ensures we stay on track (hopefully) and are ready to turn in all of our work or be ready to discuss the right book chapters on Tuesday when they return to class.

Anyway, today Mack was pulling out his binder and said, “Oh yeah mom, remember how you told us we won’t do everything right?”  I wasn’t following him, so I asked him what he meant.

“You know.  You told us we aren’t perfect and won’t get all things right all the time???”

“Oh, yes! I do remember saying that.” I said, curious as to why he was starting this conversation off like this.

“Well, on my paper I have a 60.  But that’s ok because I won’t do everything right,” he said confidently and unbothered.

I, on the other hand, was a bit shocked, but I didn’t really show it.  I just told him to hurry up and find the paper he was talking about.

Sure enough, he got a 60 on his vocabulary quiz.  OOPS!  There was a nice note written on the paper that said the lowest quiz grade will be dropped, so that is good.  Mack didn’t know what that meant, so I explained it and then he was even more unbothered, which probably isn’t good.

Sooooo, this week I am taking a few extra measures to ensure that Mack is more prepared for his vocabulary quiz.  I put the full brunt of the 60 on him and re-explained how this is HIS class that I help him prepare for, but I can’t study for him and make him know the words.  He needs to take INITIATIVE…how is that for a new vocabulary word????  But also to be fair, I did feel horribly sick last week and wasn’t much help to anyone around here, so I am sure that had something to do with it!

Happy take-a-quiz-everyday-to-prepare-for-your-next-quiz, Mack!!

We all went over the other night to finally get our hands on little Deacon.  He is so adorable!!!  Molly had “called” holding Deacon first many months ago.  Ruby, while perturbed with her, just rolled her eyes and let Molly have her way.  I didn’t even elbow my way in to first place; I was quite patient until it was my turn.

We are very happy for Merrilee and Jason.  What an adventure they are on!

Welcome to the family, Deacon!

For five months of the year I am a digit older than Josh.  Today, we are on equal ground when the question is asked, “How old are you?”  Same digits now!  But it was a long five months while Josh had a lower number than me.

HAPPY 38th BIRTHDAY TO JOSH!!!

These kids love their dad…he is so good to them.

And me with the birthday boy.  This is what a couple looks like after a very yucky week…fevers, coughing galore, headaches, cracked tooth, two fever blisters, ear infection….need I go on?  Gracious!  We were nothing short of a mess.  Thankfully, I think we’re on the mend, and he has a dentist appointment to get that tooth fixed!

So besides getting older, we are still learning around here.  All the sickness may have tried to slow this teacher down, but I am set on not getting behind!!!  We have charged ahead and will be doing work over the weekend to keep in step.  That math through June is still fresh in my mind—ain’t happening again, Lord-willing!

Mack made a ziggurat out of legos this week:

And Molly continues to take photos on my phone like this:

What am I going to do with her???

Every now and then she gets Ruby involved.

Oh and Mack made glasses out of his legos, too!

He’s a master builder, that boy!

We’ve got football practice and birthday parties and church and school this weekend…hold on to your hat!