My summer started out crazy with 3 weeks of travel right in a row, but things have slowed down considerably since then. Well, I say that. Jillian has had swim practice 3 days a week. We have had VBS and are currently hosting a mission conference at our church. I have tried to keep my house clean and laundry caught up because I know those are 2 things that are more of a struggle once work resumes. We have been to birthday parties, swim meets, family celebrations, and normal activities. I have been trying to work with Harrison on letters and improving his writing. I haven't had much luck, but I feel productive since I am putting forth the effort.
I have learned that life with my 2 children - together - can be difficult and trying. They fight and bicker and blame and insult and gripe at each other almost continually. It makes my head hurt. So while I would love to have an extra month or so before I return to work as opposed to the 2 1/2 weeks that I actually have, there is a part of me that is anxious to be around adults who behave better. Most of them, anyway.
Speaking of my children, you all know that I have a tale of 2 kids. One has been relatively easy. We have a friend who says that a monkey could have raised Jillian and she would have turned out fine. The other is not quite easy. He tries us at every turn. I like to say that I am not God and I did not at any point say "Test me, try me." I did not. But he does - often. He can also be the sweetest thing you have ever seen. He frequently tells me that I am the best and that he loves me to the sun and back one thousand and 80 times. The other day he lost a little car up under the shelves at Lowe's. A very gracious employee was helping him to fish it out. I repeatedly told her not to worry about it and that it was ok. And then I thanked her profusely for working so hard for this little boy to get back his car. But there was another customer there and at one point said, "I think you are more trouble than you are worth." Now, y'all, when she said it, I agreed with her. I was exasperated by him causing so much trouble. But once I thought about it, what she said was offensive. He is a challenge, but we are working through some of that and have hope that he will use his strong will for good and not for evil. This fellow Lowe's customer was rude about my son and therefore, rude about me. Thankfully God didn't let me be offended until it was too late for me to say something I would have regretted later.
Jillian, of course, gets bragged on and loved on all the time. She worked for several hours getting VBS ready just because she wanted to. She was so good at camp that several adults have told me how wonderful she is. And I believe every word, but I will tell you that she is beginning to have a attitude (occasionally) that I don't love. Her impatience with her brother hurts that situation in the worst way. And I fear she does not have a teachable spirit about many things. Because she is intelligent and she knows that, she finds it difficult to believe that she doesn't already know everything. If she doesn't figure it in the next few years, she will figure it out when she gets into pre-AP World History. I hear that teacher humbles people ;).
I know that I am blessed. Blessed to spend these weeks with my kids and the luxury of having the time to do important (and some not-so-important) things. Blessed with these 2 children who are as different as night and day but will hopefully grow to a place where they can be friends (and somedays just friendly). Blessed to be able to be busy.
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