I took Christian to school this morning; on the way there we were quiet in the car, listening to the Christian music station that is on most of the time (unless there is a ball game). The carpool line was ridiculously long, so Christian wanted me to walk him in. I parked on the side of the church opposite from the school side because parking spaces there are easier to come by in the morning. After walking through the building, we neared the entry door; he said,"You can go now," indicating that he was big enough to go the rest of the way on his own. I know he is, but school policy says that is a no-no, so I continued to walk with him. I told him that I was actually going to walk him all the way into his class, give him a big hug and kiss, and say,"I hope you have a great day, my little man!" He looked at me and grinned, shaking his head. I said,"Then I'm going to take a picture of the two of us with my phone and put it on Facebook!" He laughed. When we got to the school doors, I opened them for him and watched him go to the stairs that lead to his classroom. I smiled to myself as I walked back to the car; I like it when I make Christian laugh.
After I returned home, and the girls were dressed, and they had had breakfast, and I had loaded the washing machine (I know. Started it and everything.) (Oh my goodness. I just remembered, that is not true at all. I did start it, but it was a load from yesterday that never got switched, so I had to wash it again. Half points? Because I got it started in the morning and not 5p.m.?), we began their schoolwork.
It's like I don't even know who I am.
Mike and Michaela actually went for a jog, and while they were gone, I covered a reading lesson with Eliana. We also did a history lesson, and she wrote a narration from what I read. Michaela worked on logic, spelling, and her history. We had a hot lunch in the middle of all that, and I also managed to switch the laundry at least twice.
Seriously. Alien invasion?
I went to get Christian in the afternoon feeling pretty good about the day. As his teacher led him to our car, he was all smiles. He and Eliana both asked to go visit our church friend whom they like to go see in her office (she always has hugs, and often has treats, although they say they want to go for the hugs). I felt like I needed to get home; Christian had a lot of reading to do on top of his homework, so I told them no, but probably tomorrow.
The ugly came out. It started small, but it was soon going full force (I wish I could blame that on aliens), and both Christian and I were guilty of using our outside voices inside the car. While the nasty episode did not last long, and soon he was talking in his normal voice again, I was still feeling cruddy. I took a deep breath and chalked it up to not enough sleep, needing a snack, and hormones, between the two of us.
The next few hours were a combination of doing-just-dandy moments and welcome-to-temper-central moments. At one point, all three kids were looking at something quietly, and I tiptoed through the house because I didn't want to ruin it. Christian and Eliana colored and wrote on the white board happily. Then Eliana fussed and whined and cried because someone [took her thing, wrote on her side, went first, left her behind]. Christian started his homework late, which led to a cranky state of being. (For whom, you say? More than one person, I'll say.)
Eliana and Michaela wanted to do science (which was on the schedule for today) (because I'm insane I love them) (and also, we should do science), and I really wanted to make it happen, since I'm well-known for saying,"Yes!" to science and then escorting it to the front door and drop-kicking it out into the bushes.
Another deep breath.
We settled on the crystal-making kit. The kids were all excited about the activity, but you cannot believe how quickly it went from delight to debacle. I wanted to toss them all out. In the bushes. With the science.
We managed to start the process, filling small plastic containers with warm water, coloring it (Oh! The resentment over choosing a color! Because they did not realize they could each do their own! And why is it alwaaaayyys oraaaaaaange?!), and adding small crystally poly-something or other pieces to the cups. (A sidenote: I felt all kinds of awesome when I realized that I had the perfect containers for this project, since I had recently ordered a bunch of small cups with lids to send stuff like hummus in Christian's lunches. Rock. On. Mama.)
A photobomb will lighten the mood, no?
It was dinnertime (I can't comment on the intelligence of performing science experiments on the counter next to the stove on which dinner is cooking), so I told them we were going to eat first and then continue the experiment. We set the stuff aside momentarily.
Of course, it was just too much to wait the full hour to see what had happened. There was a great deal of checking. And excitement. And,"Whoa!"
And squishy crystals instead of the hard crystals which we started out with.
What will happen when they dry? I do not know. That is why this is called an experiment.
At the end of the day, I think it was a good one, in spite of the less stellar moments. I really want to be like those hard crystals that get soft and lose their hardness after being in the water. But I need the Living Water; I need the One who can help me hold my own tongue next time, who can soften my heart and give me compassion. Unlike the science experiment, I already know very well: if this heart is not soaked in that water, quenched by the "spring of water welling up to eternal life," then that hardness is sure to return. No hypothesis necessary.
Monday, September 9, 2013 at 2:53AM 