A busy day.
A crazy day.
A terrific day.
A trying day.
A beautiful day.
A fun day.
A heartbreaking day.
A totally, absolutely, completely normal day.
Those were my thoughts this evening as I cleaned up the second "poop incident" of the day. We hadn't had any such incidents for about two weeks...till today. It was very likely stress-related, which makes it more understandable, but not really more pleasant. Alongside this issue, there have been many, many, many temper tantrums and melt-downs. I've been cultivating a patient and supportive attitude, trying to help stressed wee ones learn to communicate their feelings through words instead of actions. I'm sure you can imagine how exhausting that is.
Today started a little later than my usual day because I was up through the thirteenth inning of the Wild Card game, so I skipped my daily walk. I showered quickly about 7 AM, then went downstairs to get started with breakfast for the kids. After eating, the kids and I cleaned the laundry room. They are learning housekeeping skills as well as contributing to the family. I ended up having to scrub and clean the laundry room again later in the day after our outdoor painting party... but it's good to get a room clean each morning.
Our homeschooling routine is different this year with three children of such varied ages. Our 11 year old begins her morning with piano practice, typing practice, and her spelling assignment. She can accomplish all of these on her own, so I work with the boys on letters, sounds, words, and other skills while she works. When she is done with her first assignments, she has a reading class with me while the boys practice skills on the iPads. Then it's break time. I fix a snack for the kids and take care of things like calling the dentist to make an appointment, answering emails, and doing laundry.
Today, in addition to this normal routine, we had another homeschooled child in our home because his family needed someone to watch him. He did his schoolwork while I worked with our children. During our break, I texted a friend and asked if she wanted to bring her kids over to splatter paint outside a little later.When the kids went back to work, three of them were working on math, and the youngest was busy playing. I helped with math as I got things ready for painting. While I was working on this, two people stopped by the house to drop something off for the church and to ask a question. I got the four kids in my house dressed in paint clothes and we went outside just in time for our buddies to show up. God has soooo blessed us here in Dulce with good friends!
While the kids were just getting started with their paintings (on pizza cardboards mostly!), an intoxicated man we know wandered into the yard. I excused myself from my friend's company and went to talk to him. I ended up making him a lunch, which he ate while watching the children paint. A few minutes later, another friend (not intoxicated!) drove up and got out to chat with us all for 20 minutes or so. He left as yet another friend (intoxicated??) walked into the yard to talk with Pastor Brad.By this time, the children were busily painting themselves and each other! It was hilarious! I'm so thankful that God has brought other families into our lives who treasure children getting messy and having fun. We allowed the kids to play in paint until the paint was gone! I took over 500 photos, most of which I cannot share because my friend and I each have foster children in our care.
About the time my friend was leaving with her three youngest kids (leaving her two oldest to play with our children), a woman drove up and asked for help with homeschooling in New Mexico. I spent the next hour or so walking her through the process of legally homeschooling your child and effectively teaching your child. She ended up coming back toward the end of the day to order curriculum with me. I didn't know this woman before today, but I'm sure that we'll end up doing things together as she begins to homeschool her daughter.
Whew! I'm exhausted just rereading this peek into our daily world. But this day was nowhere near done at this time. Soon after the woman left, I had to take one of our boys to an IEP recheck at the elementary school. I dropped off my friend's two children on the way, met with the new speech and language teacher, who confirmed my thoughts that our boy no longer needs her services. (Yay!) Then we stopped by to say hi to this child's former special ed team to share the joy that he no longer needs any special services at all. It was a joy to share him with them!
Then it was time to fix supper for my family (and the bonus child staying the day with us), clean up from supper, clean up the first (and then the second) "poop incident," which entailed giving early baths, and trying to edit the photographs taken during the painting party.
And now, with all the children in bed, I am sharing our day with you. Why? Because not many of you have ever been missionaries, lived on a reservation, fostered or adopted children, or homeschooled. This is the life God has given me, and it is a very good life. I want to share the joy, and sometimes the pain, of this crazy, beautiful life He has given me.
