Graduation Day

Well, the school year has now wound down. This is always a bittersweet time for me as a teacher. I'm so proud and excited for my students as they embark on the next stage of their learning. I'm also very honored I was able to contribute to that process and always feel good about what's been accomplished. But I'm no good at saying good-bye.

Last night was my 5 year old son's preschool graduation. I admit to some tears welling up as I saw him wearing his cap and gown, my thoughts flashing 13 years ahead to when he'll be in one again graduating HS.

On Monday of this week, my 5 year old brought home a picture of a sad face with the word "sad" written on the page. To give you some background, I only work at the preschool Tuesday - Thursday mornings. The title of this page was "How I'm feeling today." I asked him why he felt sad that day and he said "because you weren't at preschool today." What's he going to do when he's in Kindergarten and I'm not there all the time? Oh no. Here come the tears again.....

Take Me Out To The Ball Game.....

We have been spending quite a bit of time this month on the ball field. My 5 year old just finished up his soccer season and now we're gearing up for baseball with my oldest. I can't believe how much my boys have learned. Last Spring, all my 5 year old did during soccer was sit and pick the grass. Needless to say, we didn't sign him up for Fall soccer that year. Then, over the winter, he kept mentioning wanting to play soccer (mostly to get a trophy....at this age it's all about the trophy). I told him we would pay for it only if he promised to actually play this year: STAND UP, run, kick the ball and listen to the coach. Well, he did do those things and even got the ball a few times. My boys are not aggressive at all so my 5 year old mostly waited for the ball to come to him. But I consider it a great improvement from last year.

This season will be my 8 year old's third season playing baseball. He has been practicing with his Dad: throwing and catching baseballs. My husband's sport is baseball and he enjoys passing down this love of the sport to his boys. My oldest is also showing quite a bit of growth. He can throw the ball really hard now and he's getting better and better at catching it. He's also not getting nearly as frustrated when my husband corrects him like he has in years past. I'm one proud Mama of both of her boys!

We've also taken in some professional baseball as well. We have a mini-season ticket package for the Durham Bulls, a local minor league team, which we have been doing for the past several years now. This is one of our family time events that we enjoy. The children aren't quite at an age to be completely interested in the game, but my oldest is getting close. We try to get the season tickets that have the "Kids Run The Bases" nights. My husband says it's because the kids love running the bases (and they do) but I think he secretly enjoys it too. The adults are allowed to run with their small children. He's going to be really disappointed when our littlest one is in the "older kid" category!

Speaking of kids run the bases, I have one "Mommy horror story" to tell. When my oldest was 3, he was old enough to run the bases at Disney's Wide World of Sports complex, which is where the Atlanta Braves (yes, the Major League team) does their Spring Training in March. So, after the game we asked him if he wanted to run the bases and he said he did. Well, when we get in line, they tell everyone that only the children can run....no adults. Not ones to disappoint their son we told him Daddy couldn't run with him and he still wanted to run so we let him. Well, they had my son in the front of the line and I had a bad feeling it would not go well since my son had never run the bases before and wouldn't know where to go. So, they let the line of kids run, starting from the bleachers at 1st base. My little 3 year old ran with all of his might to the first base and stomped his foot right on that base so confidently, looked back to smile at us and got bombarded by all of these bigger kids running with all of their might to all of the bases. He started crying, not knowing what to do next. I start leaping over seats (my second son, an infant, in my arms) trying to get to him. At that point, I didn't care I wasn't allowed on the field....my son needed me! They led him to me, avoiding a confrontation with those big burly security guards, and we praised him for being so brave for trying. When my second son was 3, we let him run the bases there, knowing he had his older brother to keep up with and show him the way.

On a funny note, at the Durham Bulls kids' run the bases one evening, my husband was in line with the boys waiting to run while I was in the stands, holding our baby daughter. Seeing that they're getting close to the starting line, I get ready to get up to meet my boys at the other end when I realize I can't find the diaper bag. All of the sudden, it hits me.....my husband's got the bag! And this isn't one of those chic bags that could double as a brief case or something more sensible for a man to be carrying. This was a huge neon, can't miss green...quite obvious it was a diaper bag....and here he was running the bases, holding the hand of my 3 year old, huge diaper bag thrown over his shoulder. I was laughing so hard, I was crying. I'm so blessed to have a husband who doesn't care what he looks like or what he's carrying when it comes to having fun with his children!

Kids Say The Darndest Things...

You know how teenagers many times are embarrassed by their parents, no matter if they do/say something or not? From the parents perspective, it's totally unintentional (well for the most part anyway). I have decided it's payback for all of the times their darling children unintentionally say embarrassing things as preschoolers.

My 3 year old daughter has been on this "kick" lately about wanting a baby sister (or brother or both depending on the day). Well, my husband and I have about decided that our family is complete. I say "about" because we have tossed around the idea of adopting, more so before I was pregnant with her, and I will never say never to the possibility of adopting. Anyway, we're at the indoor pool a few weeks ago when my daughter joyfully announces (quite loudly) that she's going to have a baby sister and even pats my "perma-pooch." Thankfully, no well-intentioned strangers congratulated me.

On one of the 90 degree days at the end of April I pulled out the Elmo sprinkler for the kids one afternoon. They had the best time running around and jumping over Elmo. It brought back memories of my now 8 year old son when he was just shy of 2 years old. One hot summer day, I had gotten him in his bathing suit (no shirt), pulled out the sprinkler and sat in a lawn chair fully clothed, enjoying the day and watching him gleefully running around, getting wet. My son, not one to leave anyone out, says to me "Mama, take your shirt off and run through the sprinkler with me!"

My 5 year old is my dramatic one. Everything is a crisis for him. He gets so passionate about even the simplest things. He'll give me this face that only he can do (and words do no justice for). He somehow ruffles his brows so his forehead is all wrinkly. He bulges out one eye while squinting the other one, his mouth in a half-smile/half frown all the while saying as though he were giving a moving rendition of Hamlet: "MOM! I NEED some juice!"

My 8 year old is quite smart. He loves to read and learns much of what he knows by reading through Science encyclopedias. Well, his third grade teacher tells us this week that recently she was having the class vote on a leader-response phrase to say when she needs to get the class's attention. For example, when the class gets a little loud, the teacher will say "Peanut Butter" (or some other previously discussed word) and the class (those who are listening) will respond with "Jelly" (or previously discussed response that relates to the teacher's word so as to be easily remembered). The idea is the class knows this is the signal to be quiet so more and more will stop talking and instead say the response when they hear more and more of the class responding with "jelly." Well, the teacher was taking suggestions for their class's attention-grabbing phrase for the class to vote on. One suggestion was "Oreo - Cookies." My son confidently raised his hand to offer his suggestion and said "Hydrogen - Molecule." He said it actually came in second!

Celebrate Good Times...

We have been busy as "bees" with celebrations lately. My daughter's 3rd birthday was on Easter (April 12). Since we knew most folks would be out of town that weekend and our preschool's spring break started the weekend before, we opted to have her birthday celebration on the 18th. We went to Blue Jay Point Park and had a great time. Many of her preschool friends and our family came. She got tons of princess stuff. Her birthday "theme" was a mish-mash of stuff but totally fit her personality. I had Go, Diego, Go plates, napkins and cups from my 5 year old's party a few months ago and she loves that show. So, she says she'd like to have a Diego party. Well, I get to the store that I bought the Diego stuff orignally to finish out the other items I needed (such as table cloths, more plates, loot bags) and can't find it, of course. So, she decides to go with a generic Princess theme. So, we had Diego and princess stuff. Her loot bags contained bubbles, princess stickers and Hot Wheels fruit snacks. If this party didn't say "Tom-Boy Princess" I don't know what does! Her dad made her cupcakes. I usually make the children their birthday cakes but this year just seemed busy and so my husband took that over for me! They looked excellent!

We celebrated her party the day before my birthday (April 19). My daughter's birthday and my birthday are a week apart and I LOVE that! I've always called her my early birthday present. My husband and I went out to dinner and a movie. My husband and I have this tradition of making each other birthday cakes. One of the first cakes he made me, he asked me to pick it out. I told him I wanted a "funfetti" cake and he almost panicked until I told him all the colors are in the mix....just follow the directions. Well, this year I tried my best to stump him, make him sweat, raise his blood pressure by telling him I wanted a marble cake. He didn't even bat an eyelash. He did an excellent job....it looked all marble-y...perfect! (and yes, you counted correctly, my husband DID make 2 cakes in 1 weekend...for his girls!)

Before the fun-filled weekend started, my husband brought home oh, about 1200 more mouths to feed. No, we aren't opening a soup kitchen. He is starting his newest hobby: beekeeping. Last year, my husband had 20 odd trees removed from our yard and started a vegetable garden. He's also trying to have an orchard with peaches, pears, apples, figs, etc. Well, deer came through and despite all of our best efforts, they ate the fruit of his labor. So, this year, up went an 8 foot fence. We have decided if the deer can jump over THAT fence, they've gotta be Santa's reindeer! So, he wanted to add a beehive to this project in the hopes that we can get some honey starting this fall, perhaps make some candles, chapstick, soap, etc. for gifts for Christmas (eventually) and most importantly making sure the fruit trees get pollinated so we can get some fruit if not this season then perhaps in the next. As soon as I can figure it all out, I hope to have a video of the bees going into the hive (really cool sound!) and perhaps a few pictures of the bees too on my blog.

There's more fun stuff planned for the Schmidt family next month! Stay tuned!

Gardening

I was reading my devotional book for mothers this evening and the devotion for today inspired me to put it in my blog....well at least an excerpt. It ties really nicely into my previous posting with "planting the seeds of faith" in my children. Here it is:

"My job was to plant the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God, not we, who made it grow."

1 Corinthians 3:6

"It's easy for us to get frustrated when, after diligently planting seeds of righteousness in our children and watering those seeds with prayer, we don't see green sprouts emerging through the dirt. It's easy to wonder where we went wrong. But we have to remember where our job ends and God's begins. He promises that, if we are faithful to sow seeds and provide regular watering, He will be faithful to bring increase.

-Renee Gray-Wilburn"

The Greatest Gift

Some of my earliest childhood memories are of going to Wilson (an hour away) with my sisters and parents to visit my grandparents. My paternal grandfather passed away when I was 2 and my paternal grandmother lived with her youngest son. Many times during these visits, my sisters and I would make our way to my uncle's bedroom. He always had what seemed like the latest technology and so it was quite fun for us to have him show us his newest gadget.

He also had a microphone and tape recorder...something that looked like it belonged in a recording studio. He wrote and sang gospel music and recorded his songs himself. Many times during our visits he would set up the microphone and tape recorder and my sisters and I would have a good time recording ourselves.

There were several times during these visits that we talked about God, Jesus and heaven. I don't know what prompted me to ask him questions. Perhaps it was just simply that I felt comfortable with him. He always showed us lots of patience and I always appreciated how he shared his faith with me through answering my never ending (and sometimes hard) questions. Looking back, I realize that he was planting the seeds of what is now my faith today.

Over the years, my faith has come to be so important to me. This has never been more true than during my darkest times. When I didn't know what to do, which way to go or who to turn to for help, I turned to God. It was my faith that saw me through these hard times. It is my faith now that helps me look back on those low times and see the positive things...the ways I've grown, the lessons I learned, the blessings I was given even if it was but for a moment.

In January, 2008, I was given the opportunity to tell him that I am a Christian today because of him.....through his patient and loving way he shared his faith with me. I was about to let the opportunity to tell him this pass me by, as I am a shy person by nature. But something in me told me to say it....that he needed to hear it. Three months later, a year ago this very night, he passed away due to congestive heart failure.

Many times in raising my children I question whether what I'm doing with and for them is truly in their best interest or mine. I've been taking my children with me to church for going on 3 years now and I'll admit there are times that my children are dragging their feet. It is during these times that I feel discouraged as a mother....am I doing this for them or me? Then I think back to my story of my uncle and I realize that I am doing this for them AND me. For myself, I am nurturing the faith that I now have. For my children, I am planting the seeds of faith in them now. It's up to them to nurture them and allow it to grow in whatever way they are going to grow, if they grow at all. They will reap what I sow. As my children grow up there will be lots of things they will face, good and bad. I am giving them the spiritual tools they will need to see themselves through the storms of life that they will encounter.

I wanted to end this post with a poem. I don't know if it really had any personal connection with my uncle. I just vividly remember seeing this poem on a plaque on his wall in his room. As a child, it didn't mean much to me but through the years, I grown to love this poem. The poem is "Footprints:"

Footprints

One night a man had a dream. He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the LORD. Across the sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand. One belonging to him and the other to the LORD.

When the last scene of his life flashed before him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that many times along the path of his life there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times of his life.

This really bothered him and he questioned the LORD about it. "LORD you said that once I decided to follow you, you'd walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life there is only one set of footprints. I don't understand why when I needed you most you would leave me."

The LORD replied, "my precious, precious child, I Love you and I would never leave you! During your times of trial and suffering when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you."

---

Carolyn Carty, 1963

In Loving Memory

Marty Webster Pender
January 24, 1951 - April 6, 2008