Pre K

Uuugh, my stomach just dropped when I titled this post, it is going to be a long journey for me as a mom into this unknown territory called "preschool". Last night Eric, Mali and I attended a preschool open house at Paramount Baptist. This is the church that we already attend. I have called around and visited other preschools. The most recommended preschool quickly filled up and was also not on the days that I wanted. I was firm on wanting Mali to attend BSF (Thursdays) for one more year. I had thought that I would just send Mali to a mother's day out program one day a week, but then she wrote her name, so we thought maybe she needed something that was challenging her. So, we visited the open house, filled out the paperwork, and submitted our registration fee. Eric really liked the preschool. The preschool program has a low ratio (9 students to 1 teacher). I also know two moms who send their children there and like it. Some of the other things we liked were the way they teach pre-writing, pre-math, pre-reading, etc. They also really incorporate the Bible into their teaching each unit. There seems to be just enough structure, but not too much that it will make it a difficult experience for Mali. We visited two rooms, the first room Mali clung to us, the second room she got down and played and looked at their science experiments (tornadoes in bottles and eggs waiting to hatch). So we are praying that God allows her to be in second room for all of our benefit! Of course, requesting a certain teacher is not possible, so we are going to pray and see where God allows her to go. This is only the beginning of such prayers I imagine! It gave me a small glimpse down the road at public school and teachers where you get what you get and deal with it! Surprisingly, it was the public school teacher (Eric:)) who most wanted to request a teacher! Mali will be going on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings to preschool. God has used this time to really make me aware of how precious my time with Mali is! I'm already thinking about her being gone next year two mornings a week! (Which turns into 2 mornings for preschool, one morning for bible study, ballet/gymnastics one morning, plus all of our sporting events that Eric coaches that we attend). As some of you know, the whole preschool thing has been a huge wait on my heart and shoulders for the past few months. I haven't known what to do. Originally, I was going to wait until 4 year old preschool for Mali to begin, and keep her back this year. But, preschool is paid for and it just seemed like it needed to happen. I was worried she might get burnt out which might lead to even more behavior problems. I've also struggled with wanting to spend as much time parenting as I can before she just gets caught up in the educational system. God has not convicted me in any way to home school her, quite the opposite in fact, and I do believe her needs will be better served by godly, trained teachers, but I just wasn't sure. Another piece of my doubt comes from my training of play therapy, I want Mali to have ample time to sit and play, grow her imagination and just be a kid. I don't want to rush here and there constantly and miss the beauty that is childhood. I'm sure it will be hard for me, and I'm not sure I feel at peace with it yet, but my head (and husband) keeps telling me it will be great for her. However, I'm the one that has to peel her off of me when I drop her off at ballet, bible study and church and desperately bribe her with a Popsicle or ice cream if she will "let go of momma and go to your spot". Can I do this two more days a week? Life is just about adjustments isn't it? I'm so blessed and thankful to have God to guide me and get me through these times!

Results from 03/20/2008

My hCG continues to be zero. I also had a check up today and my body continues to be fine and cancer free. Thank you for praying our family through this! It has been seven months now since my d&C...only 5 more months to go until I'm 100% in the clear and we are allowed to get pregnant.

The next step on our garden

Yesterday Eric and I continued the planting process and added 5 William Penn Berry's. These were strategically placed because they have thorns. The owner of Coulter Garden's joked with us that they "keep your daughter in and keep the boys out". We also planted 5 Hawthorne's. Eric wasn't thrilled about this because I got them from Home Depot and replaced another shrub that Coulter Garden's had recommended BUT they are prettier in my opinion! I also planted 50 gladiola bulbs around our Viburnum. We lack a birch tree, two yews, three hollies, and some assorted ground cover THEN I can add the actual flowers...that is if we have any money left! Here are the latest pictures too.

Easter 2008

Every year it is my desire to honor God and teach Mali the real reason for this day of celebration. It is hard to do with all of the commercialization of Easter as well as our desire to let her have a fun day. This year was the year I've "tried" the least and it has worked out the best. We got up and got ready for Easter. While we ate a nice breakfast I read her the Easter story and we talked about what Easter is about. While I got ready, Eric talked with Mali about Easter too. Mali, Eric, Brandon and I all went to the Sunday service, came home and let Mali open her Easter baskets from Nana and Grammie. I was glad that the first focus of the day was on Jesus and teaching Mali that, but she still was able to open her baskets. When Mali's MeeMee and Papa stopped by, Mali told them that we celebrate Easter because "Jesus died but then he growed up again." I corrected her, "rose up again", and SHE corrected me "growed up again". Tonight Mali and I are going to bake a carrot cake (maybe that can be our tradition) and I'm already trying to think of how to incorporate that into the Easter celebration.

Birthday and Projects

This was the first year where I spent my birthday celebrating with just my family. Eric was on spring break and I'm several hours away from most of my friends. Eric woke up early to bring us (Mali and me) coffee and donuts. Then we ran some errands and ate lunch together. Eric and I spent the afternoon working on yet another project, extending our patio in the backyard. It was an enjoyable day.
Today we continued our project and birthday celebration. My dad and Terry left for Israel today so we met at Cracker Barrel for a birthday breakfast and then I took them on the airport. While I did that, Eric and Brandon had cement poured in the back and worked on getting that just right all afternoon. We also purchased more shrubs for the flowers beds. I think Mali is having the hardest time with all of our projects, because she has not been the center of attention. So, after we cooked hamburgers, we took her to Jump N Jive and let her have fun with her Uncle Brandon!



The pictures are of our concrete in the back. Eventually we will work towards adding a covered patio, but this was just step 1. The other picture is of our most South flower bed section were we added three shrubs. I love the 3 in a group. They are called Viburnum and smell really good. We also added 3 other shrubs on the other side but I couldn't get a good picture of them.

Spring Break

Spring Break this year was very busy for us. It is really the first time in a few years that Eric has had it off since he was coaching baseball. We had a family ski trip planned to go to Wolf Creek to teach (or rather expose) Mali to skiing. I learned to ski when I was 3 and had also thought my daughter would too. The day before we were supposed to leave, Eric got a call that his Grandma Gomez wasn't doing well. So, to simplify the story, we went to Dalhart to be with his family during that time. Eric's dad was supposed to drive to El Paso to pick up a Harley that he was buying from a friend from California that would be in El Paso on the 15th. He had planned to drive down and back in one day, but decided he would just have to pass on picking up the motorcycle because of his mother's health. So, Eric decided to do it for his dad. Again to simplify, Mali and I ended up going with Eric too, but turned it into a family vacation so that we still had a trip during spring break. We left Dalhart at 6am on Saturday and stopped in Albuquerque to go to the zoo. The zoo was great and Mali really enjoyed it. The drive to El Paso from Albuquerque was so long and drawn out though. We picked up the motorcycle without any problems and headed back to Albuquerque, it felt like we kept driving and driving and driving. We had told Mali we would stay at a hotel and swim. After an hour of driving around, and calling different hotels (I had thought I was prepared by printing out a list of hotels before the trip), we could not find a hotel with a.) an indoor pool b.) a room due to the state boys and girls basketball tournaments. We finally found a room and went to bed around 11:30. The next morning we headed out for our 3 1/2 hour trip back to Dalhart. We were making great time, Mali was doing great watching her new DVD (101 Dalmatians) when 15 miles east of Santa Rosa the check engine light went on in Rory's pick up (we took his dad's pick-up since that is what they had planned on taking to begin with). Eric pulled over and went to add anti-freeze, but discovered a belt was off. After several phone calls, we had a tow truck on the way, a break for Mali out of the car, and Eric's parents best friends on their way from Dalhart to get us. No road trip seems to be complete without a break down, and especially a road trip over spring break. It is almost a given that I will break down in some form over spring break. There have been several years where the bus broke down on the way home from Mission Trip. 3 hours later Joe and Lori Garcia picked us up from Santa Rosa along with the truck and the motorcycle still in the bed of the truck. We had a great Mexican food meal at Joseph's (we'll never pass through Santa Rosa again without eating there) and hit the road AGAIN! We were so tired of traveling, but so thankful to be back in Dalhart (I think that was pretty close to a first for me!) We came home to a drizzly, foggy (or soggy as Mali said) day, that appropriately fit the spirits of Eric's family as his grandmother, Anastacia Gomez, had passed away that morning at 3am. (Eric wants to blog about that one of these days when he gets a chance.)
We finally made it back to Amarillo the next day. Tuesday we went back to Coulter Gardens (We are pretty sure they are tired of us) and bought some more of the shrubs on our list. We then headed back to Dalhart that night for the services for Eric's grandmother. We came BACK to Amarillo late Wednesday night. On Thurdsay, the Dallas family came to visit and we went to the zoo and out for lunch. It was really fun. We are so thankful for their friendship. Mali still LOVES her Zachy and Calyn! Tim helped Eric plant our shrubs and Beth and Abby Gray and I got to sit and talk some. It was a good afternoon.

Mali can write!

So maybe Mali isn't the 18 month old that can read (from Lubbock no less AND a fan of Signing Time like Mali was), but she can write her name! Yesterday I took Mali to story time at the library. After the story, they were able to color. Mali colored three sheets and I looked down and she had written her name. I never said anything to her about writing her name, she just did it. So I just had to share this. You can make out the A, L, and i with a dot over it. At the very bottom is an M. She did this all on her own! I was so amazed! So I just had to memorialize it by posting about it! It is one of the first things that I know I've worked with her on that she can now do. So, we will keep working on writing and letter recognition. Watch our pre-k, here comes Mali!


Also, a week ago after BSF (bible study fellowship, it has an awesome Children's program while the mom's go to their own bible study), we were eating lunch and Mali said "Do you know what is missing from my heart?" I said "no" and she said "Jesus". I'm so thankful for the seeds that are being planted in her heart. And, I did think, Yes Jesus is missing from your heart, that is why you poop and pee on the floor when you get mad!