Greatest of the Latest - Top Eight to Date

1. Went to the store with KB and put her in the front seat of the buggy. She began to scream and kick and throw hysterics my way. I calmly (after three deep cleansing breaths) laid my hand on her lap and said, "You have two choices. You can sit here quietly and enjoy the shopping with mommy or you can kick or scream one more time and receive two spanks." KB quieted down for 1.5 minutes and then asked to have some random item we walked past. My good-natured, "Not today!" was answered with KB sweetly stating, "Mom. I choose spanks, " and then screaming loudly and kicking wildly. We left the store.

2. On more than one occasion I have had to apologize to my children for the sinful way I have spoken to them. It seems that this consistently happens as we leave Little's weekly OT appointment. Granted - each time was after an hour of correcting, teaching, and training my two younger children for righteousness while my eldest tried so hard to concentrate and write her letters. AND each time was after having to chase down my youngest who scooted off across the front yard of the Therapy Center to play in the baby toys. That doesn't matter though - their disobedience doesn't give me permission to sin. (Or, as my mom would say, "Two wrongs don't make a right.")

The apology usually sounds something like this, "Hey, Guys? Mommy needs to apologize to you for speaking so harshly. I was angry and I was ugly to you all. Please forgive me for losing my temper. Will you forgive me, Little? Will you forgive me, Bubba? Will you forgive me, KB? Thank you so much. Sometimes Mommy's heart is just so dirty. I am so thankful that Jesus died so that my heart can be clean."

The fourth week of therapy went swimmingly. Seriously. I don't know what stars aligned, but everyone was obedient, calm, and kind during Little's time with Tina. We walked directly to the car and everyone was cooperative with being buckled in. As we drove out of the lot, Bubba said, "Mommy? Is your heart clean?"

3. Not surprisingly, KB was poking at a sibling during dinner and trying to get a rise out of someone - anyone. One effort at violence hit it's mark perfectly and Little began to scream and cry and yell, "That reeeeaaaalllly hurt me! KB reeeeeaaaaallllly hurt me." I launched into a short lecture on loving each other and Little screamed on. Finally I realized that silence was priority one and took quick care of that. I took a breath in my lecture and heard KB explain to Little, "Sista - Jesus came for the cross and everything is okay." This is only 50% encouraging because, while Jesus did come to die for her sins on the cross, it does NOT make her sin okay - - -which is what she was trying to say.

4. Walked out of the house to get the mail last week and heard the front door open and then a large thwump. Turned around to see that Bubba had pushed a very naked KB out the front door and she was walking down the sidewalk toward me. Half way to me she saw a bug and turned to bend over and get a closer look. SO GLAD we live on such a busy street and my naked two year old was mooning the 5:00PM traffic.

5. Told Bubba "no" last week and he responded, "I will let you see my sad face." And he did.

6. VBS began today. Not only did Little go potty twice (on the potty), she came home and told me details about her day. SO FUN. Probably the first time EVER! Today she learned "God's Word is True" and then she yelled, "Let's Go!" which is what they yelled every time someone said the Bible Point. She was good at it.

7. KB checked out the basket belonging to the lady in line behind us at Walmart. She then proceeded to ask her name, introduce herself, and invite Marion to come to our house and share her Dora chewies. Too bad she's so shy.

8. Today Bubba said, "I am doing my capital letters. They are very easy."