"Mia"

Introducing.... Mia. This isn't her real name, but it is one of the many things we call her. Sebastian calls her "Sweetheart", Evi calls her "Sissy", Juan calls her "Hey girl", and I call her everything in between. She was 5 weeks old when she first arrived in early January. She is petite, doesn't like poopy diapers, loves to snuggle and hang out with however will hold her. We are loving that she looks at us and smiles. Friends have stepped up and donated clothes since she is the first infant girl that we have had. Evi is always saying that she prayed for a sister, and she finally got one. We are blessed. Please keep this little gal in your prayers. God has an amazing plan for her life!

A new year

On New Year's Day, we went to visit my Grandma Rovenstine. She is a special lady. There have been times when we like to make fun of the way she only orders water when we go out to eat, or how she isn't a very good cook, or how she is always trying to make dolls pretty after spending some time in the Goodwill. But I was thinking about the things she is really good at. She is good at showing love. As Sebastian was rubbing lotion into her hands, I noticed them. Really noticed them. These hands are amazing! The tears she must have wiped, the babies she has held, or the meals she has tried to make. The lives that she has touched with these hands over the 96 years of her life. She talked of being on her Daddy's shoulders, holding on, and these hands that made herself baby dolls to play with since she had no siblings. I am amazed.
I was telling Juan that I would love to be more like her. The eagerness to go meet the Lord, the wanting everyone in her family to "just get along", the simplicity of her life, the loving hands, the ability to love without judging. This year I will strive to be more like my Grandma, just not the part about making dolls, or just ordering water. Hope you have a great New Year!

I am thankful

What can I say? I am thankful to have 3 amazing kids, a husband who loves me unconditionally, my health, my home, my family and friends. I am thankful that I get to help mommas have babies, and for the ability to stay home and take care of my kids. I am thankful that God has blessed me, and continues to amaze me with His love. I hope all of you have a great Thanksgiving, and don't forget to give thanks!

A hole in the arm

I got a little bite a week ago Sunday. It was getting worse and worse, so I finally went in to have it checked out. Juan was doing a ride at the time, so I had the three kids with me. The doctor asked if I wanted to lay down while he numbed the spot, and used a scalpel to open and drain the wound. I told him I had my kids at home, and I thought I would be okay. Sebastian made me promise to not scream, and he proceeded to do the nasty deed. After some happy painkillers, and a double dose of antibiotics, I hope this thing clears up.

My Dice

Our church has a little function every year as an alternative to trick or treating. We roast marshmallows, and hot dogs, have a hay ride and games and such for the kids. Every year Evi and Sebastian end up with a prize for their costumes. This year they came in 3rd. Not too shabby for some boxes painted white with big black dots. I think this was our cheapest costume yet!

Frustrating week

I am reliving all the times when Evi's 4th grade teacher said "5th grade will be hard". We had a situation that has caused quite a stir in our home. After attending the same school for 7 years, never having detention before, this is what happened.
Evi has a teacher who is new to teaching. At the beginning of the school year, the teachers said that if a child gets a D or F, that the parent must sign and return the test. Also, it was mentioned that for 'Discipline" there would be 1) a verbal warning, 2) e-mail or note sent home, 3) phone call home, 4) meeting with the principal, 5) detention, 6) suspension.
Evi took a science test last week (that apparently she forgot to mention) so she flunked it, along with 16 of her fellow 24 classmates. I never saw the test, needed to sign it, or any of the above mentioned methods of "discipline". So last Friday when Evi gets in the car, she informs me that she has detention, and what she is most upset about, is now she no longer be a part of Select Choir or Safety Patrol. When I asked what had happened, she said she flunked a test, and that for the past 3 days she had been going into class during recess, to correct the answers. When she asked for help, the teacher was not helpful, and that the teacher said they needed to come in for recess to do the work (Evi didn't know she could bring it home, since she kept saying to come in for recess to do it). So when I got home on Friday, I called the school to talk to the teacher, to see what was going on. She had left for the day, so I asked the secretary who I could talk to about this. She passed me to the principal.
The principal said to come in Monday morning to meet with her and the teacher. When I got there, Evi's teacher could not find one positive thing to say about her. She said that it is not her responsibility to let me know of Evi's grades, and that if Evi paid more attention in class she just might "get it". I asked " what about the parent signature that is suppose to be on there, the teacher said that since that didn't work last time, that she didn't think it would work this time. After 1 1/2 hours of talking, the principal called Evi in, asked her to tell her about what happened. Evi explained it, then said the teacher made all the kids that flunked the test stand up in front of the rest of the class while she called parents. That is a low blow in my opinion.
That night the principal called me back, and said that the kids would not lose select choir or safety patrol from this, and that she felt that she needed to back the teacher, but could also see my point, she said that I could have Evi do the detention or not, it was up to me, and that she told the teacher that she needed to clear detentions with her before doing it. I told her how I felt that the teacher was very defensive during our meeting and she agreed. I told her it may be a good idea to give her some pointers before she has another parent meeting.
So Evi has served her detention, and now I am frustrated at the lack of communication that is going on. I still haven't seen the test she took Friday, or know that score. What is a mom to do?? Any advice?

Lost

While running an errand tonight, we saw a car with a picture of a dog that said "Lost- Reward" and a phone number. Evi asked me if Frankie (our pug) were to get lost, if I would do that to our car. I told her that I would put signs up, but not tint my car windows with that information.
Sebastian asks if the baby were to get lost, if I would put up signs for him. I told him that I didn't think that I would lose the baby, and Evi says "Lost, black baby who is constipated, if found call ...."
My kids always have a way to make me laugh.