Moving Update

So it's starting to hit us that we're moving.  We've got a lot of stuff!  It's amazing how much stuff can accumulate over the course of 6 years of marriage!  We found a home for our hockey equipment, and we're excited about that.  Mom has lots of assorted figurines that she's not taking, so we'll be gathering those up and finding homes for them.  We've packed a number of boxes of books (we're book people), and have given a number of them to Southern Virginia University.  We still have about 6 more boxes of books to pack.

You see, most of what we'll be taking with us is books and clothes.  Other than those, we're really not taking much.  No couches, or beds (though we are taking two twin mattresses), or entertainment centers or dishes or tables or really anything else is going with us; most of it we'll leave for the family moving in after us.

That said, we still have lots of stuff to get rid of.  It's crazy how much stuff accumulates over time.

Of course, we're still doing our own accumulation, even as we tear down 6 years of married stuff.  We have kids, and want them to feel both wanted and welcome in their new home.  So we're working kid-by-kid to create images along the lines of President Eyring's talk.  No, they're not made of wood, but after finishing our first one (for Gideon) for FHE last night, we're rather impressed.  We'll have to take a picture of it sometime so you can see it.  We'll put the pictures we create into frames, and then put those in each kid's new room.  Though Gideon will sleep with us, we want him to know that he's wanted.

As a part of the picture, we found a scripture that relates to each kid.  In Gideon's picture, we listed the Lord's words, ironically, to Gideon: "Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel...."  (That's Judges 6:14, for the record.)  We also put in there the name of each kid and its meaning.  In Gideon Davis Adams's case, it's Hewer down (of men), Son of David, son of Adam.  Talk about a heritage to reach for!  I think he can do it all.  He's a stud.

I can't wait to find out what we come up with for our other kids.  We are truly raising a generation here, and it's great to see!

Gratitude

During today's Family Home Evening we talked about gratitude.  About how we should be grateful for everything Heavenly Father gives us.  And not just be glad we have it but to express that gratitude.  We went around a few times and let each person say something they were grateful for.  The kids' answers were fun.  Everything from books and toys to couches and...well...Drake kinda copied the last bit of everything I said.  John was, as always, the firm reminder of what's important, citing family members and Jesus Christ.  

Afterwards we asked each kid to pick someone that they wanted to say 'thank you' to and write that person a note.  We haven't delivered the notes yet (it was time for bed as soon as FHE was over) but are excited to do so tomorrow.

To go with John's wonderful example, here are some pictures of what I'm most grateful for:

School

So we've pulled Analee from school as an experiment.  (Anika wrote to the acting superintendent today telling her of this fact.)  We've had a lot of fun, but I fear we waited too long.  Babe's attitude has changed, and not all for the better.  I fear my little girl is a lot like her mom; change isn't easy for her. 

When Analee went to nursery, she loved it, but came home with some pretty weird ideas of how the world works.  Like she figured if she beat up on her brothers, she'd get what she wanted.  After all, it worked for some of the kids in her nursery class, so why wouldn't it work at home?

Apparently the squeaky wheel gets the grease in public school, too.  Analee figures if she pitches a big enough fit over something, we'll change plans.  She's mistaken, and learning it the hard way.

Alternatively, the silent wheel in the public school system appears forgotten.  Analee figures that if she doesn't want to do something, all she has to do is fly under the radar and we'll let things pass.  She's mistaken again.

Despite sickness and us being newbies to this whole teaching thing, we've had a lot of fun learning.  Every night, we ask Analee what she wants to learn about the next day.  Then we focus on that and offshoots of that plan for our lesson.  For example, on Monday, she wanted to learn about ballet.  So we watched a documentary on Russian ballet, and a quick how-to on how ballet shoes are made.  Then we spent a lot of the rest of the day dancing around.  Today, it was cats.  Not house cats, but lions, tigers, and leopards.  So we watched a documentary, again.  Then we played "big cats" and rolled around biting each other's necks, as big cats can.  You see, big cats don't put all of their pressure on the prey's neck; instead, they put just enough to cause death by cutting off blood supply.

Tonight, we asked her what she wanted to learn tomorrow.  "Dogs, Dickens, and ducks."

Wait, what?

Dickens?

Did our 5-year-old ask for Dickens?

Sweet!

So we'll watch Disney's "Mickey's Christmas Carol," which has dogs, Dickens, and ducks all in one film. 

I'm amped.

When we move (to wherever we're moving) in a month (-ish), we'll probably re-enroll her in public school.  Until then, we're having a blast.  I love it!