A Sure Sign of Maturity

Adam was making Anya laugh and laugh and laugh. Then Anya got too excited and pulled hard on his face and hair. Adam lifted his hand part way up (to hit her) pulled it right back down, took a deep breath and then continued to make Anya laugh. I am so very proud of Adam for learning that sort of control. Good Boy, Adaman!!!

About Ruth

Tonight I had Ruth do the dishes and clean the kitchen with me. I just enjoyed her so much. When she sang along so seriously and conscientiously with the music, I just thought how much I love being a mom. I wouldn't give up that moment for any job and all of the prestige in the world. I do not understand why, but just being with Ruth and seeing how she has grown and matured makes me so happy.

Yesterday, Ruth stayed home from school with a stomach ache, and although she was allowed to watch as many movies as she wanted to. She only watched about 2 hours worth. Most of the day she read her book, drew pictures, and worked on a story. Ruth is so very good. I got an email from her teacher today that said she is great to have in class and that he (her teacher) is glad to have gotten her. Ruth helps so much at home. She always does chores without being told to do them. Ruth seems to have a good sense of what needs to be done, and she will often just do it.

I found the story that Ruth started writing yesterday. It is so cute and creative. I am going to write it down just to preserve it.

"Narm! Come on!", I said. "OK OK I'm coming Shona!" Narm said. My best friend Narm and I were going to see the war saramony. When we started heading there we heard two booms. That's the last I remember. When I awoke there was a bandage around my arm and one around Narm's leg and two darts next to us. "Narm," I said, but, he was still uncontius. I noticed someone changed our clothes to army clothes. weapons were placed next to us. Next thing I know I am in a military camp that smells like sweat aand looks like a barn. I looked around Narm was no where to be found. "Alright this is the Farshama Military camp I am your comanding officer Cornal Ordish.", the man said, "This is the way people become solders. You will fight with your partners I'll assign your partners soon.

I left in all of the spelling and grammar errors. I think that Rut is quite imaginative. I have no idea where she came up with the story idea. I can not think of any movies, books, or cartoons, that would prompt the topic. Anyway, she titled it: Love in the Middle of War. I sure am blessed to have such an amazing little child (If Ruth read this, she would remind me that she is not little.)

Rachel about Dad

Today Rachel said to me, "My dad is good. He shared."

Questions and Answers

I thought it would be funny to ask my 4 oldest kids all of the same questions and then write down their answers. Here goes.

• Why do you like our cat, Boy?

1. Adam-- because he is yellow on his color.
2. Johnny-- because he is cute and nice and that stuff.
3. Kate-- because he's charming-- very nice, and how he cuddles up and lays on you. He's so so cute and really, really nice. He licks my ear, he's orange, and he likes children.
4. Ruth-- He's a nice, calm, happy cat-- loving, cheerful, happy, playful at some hours.

• Do you want to get married and why?

1. Adam-- No. Cause I want to marry Rae and Rae, and I am too little. I am just a kid, you know.
2. Johnny-- Yes, because you are suppose to get married and I want to have kids and you can only have kids if you get married. Isn't that right, Mommy? Can you only have kids if you get married?
3. Kate-- Yes. Children, grand daughters, and a husband. I am excited for them. It is going to be fun to nurse a baby.
4. Ruth-- Yes I do, cause for 1 thing commandments. 2. To live a happy life. 3. I won't have to mow the lawn, and 4. love, and have children.

• What do you like about Dad?

1. Adam-- umm...good.
2. Johnny-- I like to play with him; like when I get to play with him, he's nice.
3. Kate-- Chocolate!!! He always gives you chocolate and roses. He plays; he's a jokester, and he's awesome!!!
4. Ruth-- He loves us. He supports us. He's my Dad.

• What is your favorite thing to do?

1. Adam-- Play with Dad.
2. Johnny-- I have two. Play 4-square with my friends. Play with my family.
3. Kate-- Sing, draw, sing some more, listen to mp3 player, cook dinner, eat mom's glorious french fries, watch TV, take care of my web-kee, and imagine, and play, and stare out windows. Oh, and put down science. I love science.
4. Ruth-- At school-- go outside at recess and play football. Inside school-- read, art, science projects. Play with my siblings, friends, family.

A Funny Kid and a Miracle

Yesterday morning, Rachel took John's keys to play with. After about 5 minutes we did not see the keys again. This morning we knew we needed to find the keys because John has to go to work and to get into his office. When John started the search he asked Rachel, "Rachel, where are my keys?" Rachel said, "Keys are gone." John said, "Can you help me find them?" Rachel happily replied, "Nope." Then John began to search. He didn't search very long before he felt like the task was just impossible. I went to get Anya dressed. She rolled around and I was facing a different way than I usually am when I dress her. I was thinking about all the places I had seen Rachel yesterday morning. When I glanced up I saw John's keys behind the nintendo TV. I am sure that was an answer to the prayer John was saying at that moment. Heavenly Father definitely loves his children. I do not think we would have looked there at all.

Helpful New Skills

1. Adam can now turn on and off the television and put in dvd's and push play.
2. Rachel now comes to me crying and saying, "Adam taked," instead of "Adam's bad."

School Begins

School has now started. Johnny is now in school all day. I think he likes it alright. But he has to make new friends because neither of his friends from kindergarten are in his class. I thought that was too bad, but being a first grader and so young, Johnny has taken it well. He plays with his friend Dylan at recess and Alyssa he sees on the bus. Ruth is in fifth grade with a boy teacher she loves, and Kate is in fourth grade with no opinions yet.

Today after school I had each of the kids sit with me and tell me how their day went. None of them had anything to say. I had to keep thinking of specific questions and squeezing answers out of them. Then just before dinner when Anya was doing her nightly scream because she wants to eat immediately instead of in two to ten minutes, Ruth started telling me about school. But I had to have her repeat herself about 6 times because I either could not hear her, or I was taking care of Adam, Rachel, and Anya. While Ruth was telling me about her day, Kate started telling us about her day too. It took a while, but I finally got both stories. Too bad they didn't tell them when things were calm and I had time to sit down and listen. It is funny how things just happen like that with kids. They never like to do things on your schedule.

Here are their stories:
In Ruth's fifth grade class, they are having a poetry section once a week. If they can memorize the poem and recite it, they get to pick out a treat. Ruth memorized and recited the poem and picked out a chocolate coin. Ruth still remembered the poem and recited it to me. I think she was pleased that she could remember it so quickly.

Kate missed the first day of school yesterday because of a stomach ache, so she was pretty excited to meet her teacher today. But her teacher was gone to a wedding in Mexico and won't be back until Monday. Kate said that her substitute was very mean and just made them work all day. At one point, the substitute let the kids have some free time and cut out some magazines if they wanted to. Kate did not cut out anything. A boy in her desk group threw his waste paper on Kate's desk and said, "You are in our group so you have to share in the work. Go throw this away." Kate said that she threw the paper back on his desk and said "No way, clean up your own mess." The boy threw it back on to Kate's desk and so it went. Kate went up to tell the substitute, and the boy followed and said that he had not done that. The substitute told them to sit down and deal with it by themselves.