Ups & Downs

That about sums up my life right now. Yesterday was tough…dropping Benjamin off for his first day of public school. Then I picked him up & he was sooooo excited…which helped me feel much better. I felt good dropping him off this morning…but was disappointed to find out he had a bit of a tougher day. The teachers are wonderful…no complaints there…and it wasn’t anything major either…but tough none the less for this mom who’s not used to this whole thing…yet at the same time it has made me so much more proud of him. He said it wasn’t as good a day because kid’s wouldn’t play with him at recess. It turns out that one of the kids was being a bit bossy…picking the games & not willing to do something else…and then cheating in the game. Well, as much as that’s not right…I can handle it. Frankly, that’s exactly one of the reasons that we decided to put Benjamin in school this year. We want him to learn to deal with these things...to stand up for himself & just be comfortable with who he is. I was able to have a great talk with him after school. We brainstormed together about ways he could deal with it. When I suggested that he could suggest his own game & if this person didn’t want to play that it’s OK for him to play his game with other people. His immediate comment…”but I don’t want to leave ---- out, like they’re doing to me”. Wow, we’ve got quite a kidJ. I’m so proud of him for recognizing that that could do the same thing to the other kid. Anyways…after some discussion I felt much better…and I think he did too. I asked him what we should pray about it & he asked that we pray for God to help him to talk about playing different games with ---- (be able to speak up)…and that he could be a friend even when ---- doesn’t play fair. Thanks Lord for the opportunity I’ve had in the last 2 days to have such good talks with Benjamin. Thank you for his willingness to learn & desire to follow You through all of this!!!

As a sidenote…about my post yesterday…I talked to my mom after I posted that & she said something that made so much sense & made me feel much better about the whole thing. I have to plan fun things with Manda & Kirby…without Benjamin there…otherwise they’ll feel like they aren’t important enough to do that stuff…Benjamin will come home with his stories of fun things…and what do they have to share about? So anyways…I’ll be planning stuff for just them…but will keep some things till his days off to do together. Like my mom said…they do a lot now with Andrew & Trina that I didn’t get to do when I was a teenager…but there was also a lot I got to do that they don’t. God gives us kids in different seasons of life & it helps to shape & mold who they become. Thanks MomJ.

So…I couldn’t believe it that I, of all people, forgot to take a picture of Benjamin on his first day of school! Ah well…the second day of school will have to doJ.