For Kicks

He helped me get the pile of leaves to the edge of the road with his new tae kwon do moves!

Yummy Eats!

Despite the craziness I wrote about earlier this week, we've eaten really well!  I've been hungry lately and planned out four meals for us this week (usually its just 2-3 with leftovers or whatever else we can find in the fridge).  I've thoroughly enjoyed eating well at lunch and dinner.  I like eating.  :)

Here's what we've had:

(all Pinterest inspired, of course! Aalso more meatier than normal for us.. but yummy!)

Sausage Quiche (my mom found this recipe) + strawberries

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I also added spinach and extra eggs/half & half and made it into two pies.

Korean Beef with brown rice and broccoli

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Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan

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And finally, a favorite that reminds me of a Moroccan dish.

The smells take me back and make me happy!

Beef Stew with Butternut Squash 

(it doesn't sound so appetizing but it is oh so yummy!)

I couldn't get the pic to copy so just jump to the {source}.

a long post about a parenting struggle, with lots of parentheses

This is not in the category of a "serious" struggle and my soul feels despair.  Its not in the category of my child is having seizures, or I've had miscarriages, or someone has died.  But still, I want and seek God's wisdom in how to best approach it and in my processing of it... and in my being a good steward of the gift of time with these kids that God has given me... 

We were spoiled last week by a day off school and a break from the usual homework (which isn't hard, its just something else to do and fit in). So its made this week feel extra packed in the afternoons (2pm-bedtime).  We've also had two extra therapy appts this week.  One that we didn't make it to last week, plus a check-in w PT. 

So yesterday after school, we fit in PT, the drive back and forth, homework (two nights worth b/c we'd had 2 appts the day before as well), dinner, and then headed back out for tae kwon do after dark.  I find myself getting frustrated with the kids b/c I am asking too much of them.  Peter looks exhausted and I'm telling him to 'hurry up and eat' so we can go to something else!  I hate that.  On the way to TKD, I tell him to take a quick nap... ridiculous but necessary.  So far this school year, I've found this to be the area that I feel the tension.  

We do not really have a special needs child in our house but just that toe in the puddle that allows me to imagine what it would be like for a family that really lives in the special needs world.  Its really the ongoing struggle, tension that we've regularly viewed (mostly from the outskirts but its still in front of our faces regularly) for the last three years... and I have moments and season that I feel the weigh of it.  That sounds extreme to say, and as I often say, I am well aware of how easy and good we have it.  But part of my personality, and maybe the way God made me, empathizes and feels and imagines the burden.  Another part of me (that part that makes my mom say she can't believe I was a nurse) balks at the thought of it all.  It feels too hard, like too much, and I worry and wonder how people really do it.  I feel the heaviness for the people who regularly live under such a weight that comes from a fallen world.  I like cute and pretty, sunny and easy.  

I also think and pray through God giving us wisdom about the best way and best balance to helping Peter in the ways that he needs extra.  Mostly physical strengthening... his mouth (speech), his gross motor skills, and his hands (tho they have served him pretty darn well & come a long way so far in school- PTL!)...  plus of high importance is behavior, which is an outflow of the heart, which I have some control over by how I schedule us... a heart that is rushed and frazzled, or one that is calm and intentional (and a schedule that allows for reasonable behavior, age-appropriate activities and time to develop good organizational skills).  

How do we best help him without it turning into crazy busyness?  I know that we are where we are because we've worked hard.  So I want to keep working hard (and we will).  But when do we reach the gray area of too much?  

Mike's mom has often said that all parents have 'their thing'.  Over the years, we would say that ours has been sleep.  So after dinner last night, while everything in me wants to give him a hot bath and let him sleep, there is also the felt external pressure of "he needs more PT" & my own pressure of "this cost a lot of $$" and I want to get the full money's worth.  Yes, we should do one more physical activity, but sleep is also a really good activity to keep us strong!  Some days it just feels like a race to get strong, but when does the race kill out the 'here and now'?

Thankfully, God is faithful (and I am often clueless).  We arrived to TKD last night to cheerful instructors to are so kind and helpful.  They see the best in Peter, push him to his potential without belittling him.  He has a great time and walks away chanting "Who, Who, Hah!"  I've gotten a little down time in the car to listen, chill, and focus.

I don't know the answers but just that as we had a day off last week, God is good to give us rest when we need it.  We can trust Him for new mercies each day and the strength to keep walking the road he has put us on and called us to.  He is good and faithful to give us more than we would have known to ask for.  More often that involves the shaping of our heart, and less the comfort of our circumstances.

{happy down time on one of our days "off"}

"Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.”"

Lamentations 3:22-24 (NIV)

Like Old Times

It was sweet to have a day off school yesterday and have both kids home.  They were both really sweet, enjoyed having each other and were excited about the stuff we could do w/o school.  Peter is now a "busy body" (I think the extrovert in him) and wants to go places.  So we went to the library.  We leisurely read and enjoyed ourselves.  Aren't they SO cute?!  Lily's perfectly accessorized outfit (her doing) and Peter just a handsome little man.  

It did us good to step out of the routine for a day.

 They could hardly wait to read their books some more so sat down on this bench to read.

Fall Family River Weekend

Maybe this past weekend will become a tradition.  Its the second year we've gathered the weekend of the Urbanna Oyster Festival.  Its a fun last hurrah while the weather is still decent to enjoy the outdoors!  And its fun to have everyone together... the B'burg Dennis fam, (but missing the CO Dennis crew), Uncle Henry & Aunt Barbara, Holly and Glenda, and of course, Maw & Paw.  Our time this year won't be as long with everyone for a country Thanksgiving so it felt like a bonus to get this in before then.  :)

We all headed over for a morning in Urbanna.

The weather was gorgeous and warm!

Lots of popcorn and fried foods!  

We spent both afternoons on the dock.  Soaking in some rays to store up for winter.

The kids now have poles with bobbers to use.

Henry and Paw shucked oysters.

And Lily stole their hats!

It was warm enough to jet ski.  These pics don't do justice... the weather was gorgeous and SUNNY, in case I haven't already said that.

We enjoyed sunset Sat night.

Holly was our sunset photographer.  Amazing.

There was a little adventure Sunday morning as the jet ski floated away.  Mike, Paw, John and Holly were the rescue crew (along with some others on dispatch and recovery supervision).  Mike ended up making it to the jet ski first via canoe.  He tied his canoe to the jet ski to get it back home as well.  He's such a man.

Recounting tales from the recovery operation.

Lily had her class turtle with us for the weekend so we had to sneak him into a few pics for "Toshi's Journal".

Peter napped on the dock.

Holly's feet got a sand scrub, courtesy of Lily.

Peter and Lily caught fish.

The cuteness & beauty abounds!

Neighborhood Halloween 2013

Our neighborhood had its 3rd annual Halloween costume parade. 

Lily went back and forth on what she wanted to be... a princess, a butterfly, but then she'd had dance class that day so decided she just wanted stay in dance clothes and be a ballerina.  Sounds great to me!  Isn't she cute?!

 Peter was Buzz Lightyear.  He already had the costume in his dress up clothes collection.  Again, perfect!

 Peter with the little girl from next door.  :)

 Here Lily is waiting to be introduced... 

 then running over with the other kids... 

 Peter was intoduced and ran across like this... I love his excitement!  

(clearly I had my camera on the wrong setting)

 Here are our good neighborhood family friends... sad, the Ws moved so weren't with us this year :(

 Altho, not pictured, we did enjoy going around with a another new family of friends from the bus stop :)

Such a fun community night!

Little Dancers

 Lily and two of her friends & classmates started a dance class through the county (read: cheap!).

They had their first class yesterday.  Kathy took Lily and they got there "early".  Kathy said that Lily asked "What does early mean?!"  Haha!

They have been looking forward to it all fall!  Are they not the cutest?!

 Seriously.

I am excited to hang out with the moms during class.  We've already discussed that we earned some Starbucks and pedicures with scoring a county class.  Kate's mom was on it and I'm glad she let me in on the deal!  :)