And...now we can add "accidentally throwing a baseball over the backyard fence and shattering the neighbor's bedroom window" to our long list of Little Boy Shenanigans.
The sound of glass shattering outside is NOT what you want to hear while you are making dinner. I was scared to look! I really didn't want it to be a window!
The culprit this time was Riley who immediately burst into tears because he was convinced he would have to somehow pay for a new window with his own money.
Instead, he and Steve went next door together to tell our neighbor about the window. (He will also be writing them an apology letter and doing some extra chores around the house to work off his "debt.")
Thankfully, our neighbor was more than gracious.
Never a dull moment around here.
Thursday, March 27, 2014
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
Overheard in our House
Last night when I was putting Jonah to bed he said something about how awesome it would be if we had a bunch of money and we could buy a mansion. I told him that I actually would not want to live in a mansion because it would be more than we needed. I said that I'd rather give all the extra money away to someone else who needed it. That got him thinking and suddenly he became an amazing visionary with a plan for the future. It went something like this....
I'm going to be in a rock band, called Peace. The lyrics will all be appropriate and positive. With all of the money that I earn from Peace, I am going to start a home for homeless people called Peace House. It will be right next door to our house so when people want to come and stay at Peace House, they'll come over to our house to get the keys. Peace House will have some really big rooms upstairs that have lots and lots of beds in there. There will also be a kitchen (with lots of food), a dining room, and a room for a TV. If any kids come to Peace House they will stay in a room just for kids so that they can make friends. That room will have lots of toys in it. We should put all of our toy cars in that room because we don't play with those anymore. When people come to Peace House, we will give them $100 per week for the first three weeks to help them out while they look for a job. Then, after that, they'll have to pay $1.00 per week to stay there. Hopefully they will have a job when they leave and won't need to stay at Peace House anymore.
What do you think of Jonah's plan? Sounds like a kingdom playground to me!
Unrelated to that, this afternoon, Nicolas and Riley told me what they are going to do when they grow up. I loved that their future included one another. Those boys have a pretty spectacular bond. I hope it never goes away.
First, we are going to go to Hawaii to hang out on the beach (and in the hotel).
Then, we are going to go to Colorado to practice snowboarding for the Olympics.
Next, we are going to go to Nevada so we can visit Jalon (a kid who was in their class last year and moved).
Then, we are going to go to St. Louis to play on the St. Louis Cardinals for one year.
Then, we'll go to Chicago and practice snowboarding some more.
Then, we'll compete at the Olympics in snowboarding. If we don't win a medal, we'll practice some more and try again at the next Olympics.
If we do win a medal, we'll move to where Notch lives (the guy who started Minecraft) and we will be video game nerds for a long time.
When we are old, we'll watch football and baseball and movies until we die.
I'm going to be in a rock band, called Peace. The lyrics will all be appropriate and positive. With all of the money that I earn from Peace, I am going to start a home for homeless people called Peace House. It will be right next door to our house so when people want to come and stay at Peace House, they'll come over to our house to get the keys. Peace House will have some really big rooms upstairs that have lots and lots of beds in there. There will also be a kitchen (with lots of food), a dining room, and a room for a TV. If any kids come to Peace House they will stay in a room just for kids so that they can make friends. That room will have lots of toys in it. We should put all of our toy cars in that room because we don't play with those anymore. When people come to Peace House, we will give them $100 per week for the first three weeks to help them out while they look for a job. Then, after that, they'll have to pay $1.00 per week to stay there. Hopefully they will have a job when they leave and won't need to stay at Peace House anymore.
What do you think of Jonah's plan? Sounds like a kingdom playground to me!
Unrelated to that, this afternoon, Nicolas and Riley told me what they are going to do when they grow up. I loved that their future included one another. Those boys have a pretty spectacular bond. I hope it never goes away.
First, we are going to go to Hawaii to hang out on the beach (and in the hotel).
Then, we are going to go to Colorado to practice snowboarding for the Olympics.
Next, we are going to go to Nevada so we can visit Jalon (a kid who was in their class last year and moved).
Then, we are going to go to St. Louis to play on the St. Louis Cardinals for one year.
Then, we'll go to Chicago and practice snowboarding some more.
Then, we'll compete at the Olympics in snowboarding. If we don't win a medal, we'll practice some more and try again at the next Olympics.
If we do win a medal, we'll move to where Notch lives (the guy who started Minecraft) and we will be video game nerds for a long time.
When we are old, we'll watch football and baseball and movies until we die.
Sunday, March 2, 2014
Just the Right Amount of Time
There were 6 months between the day we accepted Steve's job offer in San Francisco and the day we loaded up the moving truck and drove away from our community. I think God knew we need that much time to grieve, process, pray, narrow down neighborhoods, and prepare our family to move to Oakland.
Next, there were 8 months between the day that we moved to Oakland and the day Brian started as the new ED of The GreenHouse. I think God knew that I needed that much time for my very raw heart to be able to hand over such a special gift. It was such a slow and gentle loosening.
Then, there were 9 months between Brian's first day at The GreenHouse and my first day at Aspire Public Schools. I think God knew that I needed that much time and space to heal before I could open my heart up to something new. I think He also knew that The GreenHouse needed me to be available to answer questions and provide support any day of the week by phone, text, email, or in person. What a gift it was to have that time and to be able to share it so freely with the people and the organization that I love so dearly!
So, it was almost 2 years exactly from the time I knew I'd be leaving the GH to the time I started a new job in Oakland.
It was just the right amount of time.
And, you know what? God provided just the right job, too.
When I began to think about going back to work, I knew I wanted three things: 1.) I only wanted to work two days a week so that I could maintain some semblance of order around our household. 2.) I wanted to work at a school (in Oakland) so I could have summers off with the boys. 3.) I didn't want to start until January.
Well, the first job I applied for, I got. And it met all of those criteria. What's more, it's in my very neighborhood of Oakland, exactly one mile from my house. If you know me, which you do, you know how much I value neighborhood.
I am now a Speech and Language Pathologist at ERES Academy, a charter school within the Aspire Public Schools system (a system of charter schools that operates in low-income neighborhoods). ERES Academy is sweet little K-8th school in which 94% of its students are Hispanic and 94% of its students are on free and reduced lunch. In so many ways, it feels like home. I'm really enjoying all of my students and the satisfaction that comes with teaching. (I also really like working.)
I know I shouldn't be surprised, but I am. God is STILL, two years later, giving me a giant hug throughout this whole transition. I can hear Him saying, "I know this is so hard for you. But, don't worry. I'm going to take care of you - again and again and again - so that you know that I am real and I love you."
Next, there were 8 months between the day that we moved to Oakland and the day Brian started as the new ED of The GreenHouse. I think God knew that I needed that much time for my very raw heart to be able to hand over such a special gift. It was such a slow and gentle loosening.
Then, there were 9 months between Brian's first day at The GreenHouse and my first day at Aspire Public Schools. I think God knew that I needed that much time and space to heal before I could open my heart up to something new. I think He also knew that The GreenHouse needed me to be available to answer questions and provide support any day of the week by phone, text, email, or in person. What a gift it was to have that time and to be able to share it so freely with the people and the organization that I love so dearly!
So, it was almost 2 years exactly from the time I knew I'd be leaving the GH to the time I started a new job in Oakland.
It was just the right amount of time.
And, you know what? God provided just the right job, too.
When I began to think about going back to work, I knew I wanted three things: 1.) I only wanted to work two days a week so that I could maintain some semblance of order around our household. 2.) I wanted to work at a school (in Oakland) so I could have summers off with the boys. 3.) I didn't want to start until January.
Well, the first job I applied for, I got. And it met all of those criteria. What's more, it's in my very neighborhood of Oakland, exactly one mile from my house. If you know me, which you do, you know how much I value neighborhood.
I am now a Speech and Language Pathologist at ERES Academy, a charter school within the Aspire Public Schools system (a system of charter schools that operates in low-income neighborhoods). ERES Academy is sweet little K-8th school in which 94% of its students are Hispanic and 94% of its students are on free and reduced lunch. In so many ways, it feels like home. I'm really enjoying all of my students and the satisfaction that comes with teaching. (I also really like working.)
I know I shouldn't be surprised, but I am. God is STILL, two years later, giving me a giant hug throughout this whole transition. I can hear Him saying, "I know this is so hard for you. But, don't worry. I'm going to take care of you - again and again and again - so that you know that I am real and I love you."
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