Just a few random notes and updates:
Jesse had his two year checkup yesterday. He was found to be perfect (but we already knew that)! It was a nice visit for him as he got to interact nicely with the doctor and didn’t have to end the visit with a needle. He is already caught up on shots and won’t need any more for a while. He was just slightly above the average percentiles for all of his size measurements.
I am so impressed with the brains of both our boys (what proud father wouldn’t be?). Yesterday Jesse and I had stopped in at our church and I was telling someone that he can already count and he said “one, two, pee, pour, pie” as fast as he could. What a little show off he is. He sometimes counts even higher without help, but usually gets mixed up by seven. He also knows all of the major colors and many shapes. He is also starting to know some of the alphabet.
Eric’s mind continues to surprise as well. He has such an imagination! He has been making up some tall tales lately (usually identified by him stating “but don’t ask…” whoever would deny the veracity of the story. The first big one the he got caught in was telling us that he got punched in the eye at school. After some checking with his teacher, he admitted to making this up. We had a discussion about appropriate and inappropriate “story telling.” He seemed to understand and at least has not been making things up about other people (except grandma and grandpa).
A couple of weeks ago Eric was adamant that he wanted to go to the “donut store” for breakfast before school. The reasoning that I used in denying his request is that we would not have time to go there and be back in time for his school bus. Today the boys were both up at 6:30 (their usual and “appointed” time is closer to 7:00). After Missy left for work I said something to Eric about them getting up too early and within moments he was saying that this meant that we would have time to go get donuts! I found it hard to argue with that logic and quick insightfulness. We still didn’t get donuts, but now I almost feel badly that we didn’t!
Our “Church agenda” has been quite busy as of late. Missy is now teaching a new children’s program called “Children and Worship.” It is a quiet time for the children (ages 4 to second grade I think) where they enter a room one at a time, are seated in their own space, listen quietly to a story that is told slowly, with few words and using figurines. They then have some creative time when they can relate to the story by drawing a picture, retelling the story their own way or other use other methods. At the end the children are dismissed individually (parents must wait outside the room) with a blessing. The whole idea is to bring children into the worship atmosphere and let them make up their own minds about what the stories mean instead of having everything spelled out for them.
Missy was also just installed as a Deacon. The Presbyterian Church has Elders and Deacons. The Deacons are to serve various needs of the church, such as: visiting shut-ins, loaning durable medical equipment, stocking the pews with supplies, coordinating social time between the services and other such activities. The Elders make up the governing body of the church (known as the session).
I have recently begun training to become a Stephen Minister. I am excited about this opportunity to serve other and to grow in my own faith. This involves fifty hours of initial training after which there will be weekly visits with an assigned care receiver, bi-weekly support meetings with other Stephen ministers and leaders and continuing education. Stephen Ministers are assigned to one individual to offer Christian support during any of life’s difficulties including, death or illness, loss of a job, depression, pregnancy, divorce etc. The first weekend of training was wonderful and I am eager to continue down this path.
I hope that all is well with each of you and know that we think of you often.
-Peace be with you-
