A lot has happened

So it has been a while since I last posted but a lot sure has gone on. God has tested us the enemy has frustrated us and now we just wait. Last week everything was going pretty good. I called the mortgage company on Monday to see where we were at, the bathroom remodel was well on its way, Gabe was slowly earning back his toys...etc. However on Wednesday we has MOMS group which I thought was going so smooth until the sound wouldn't work for the video-which frustrated me because I try to hard to make everything perfect. God showed me I was trying too hard and perhaps wasn't leaving it up to HIM, lol. I've got to love those moments. So I was all proud that things were great and then it was crushed by the sound system!

Then by Friday I still had not heard from the Farmer's Market about setting up a booth, the mortgage company never called, the leadership team wanted to change the newsletter around, the bathroom and things around the house were not getting done as quickly as I expected, I haven't budged another pound on the scale but have worked so hard to, Bill is out every night, and my kids were of course grumpy! It was an awful afternoon. I so badly felt like I have yet again failed. I just want to give up. I don't want to deal with this anymore. Woe is me! blah blah blah

Sunday rolled around and church kicked my butt! He truly does have my greatest interests in mind! He is jealous of me, he loves me! So when Janice called and wanted me to do those cookie boxes in 2 days, and the mortgage company called to tell me that we weren't going to get approved for as much as I had hoped and I was already stressed out with everything else going on. All I could do was sing, "You make all things work together for my good.." I wasn't mad. I was a little bummed. I tried my hardest not to let it get me down. I was going to focus on what God promises us. He loves me and wants the best for me! He already knows the plans, I just need to trust the journey!

Funny Moment

For weeks Gabe has been asking this...So today Gabe asked me again if he was going to be reported? I said what? He asked again and I said No. I said reported for what? He said you know for the treasure box. Then I asked him if Mrs. Ingram says that? He said no. I was like well where did you hear that and he said from me. So, I continued to question him....then it finally dawned on me (after several weeks now) that he meant rewarded! Duh!

A little excitement

So we were still asleep when Gabe woke up this morning and to my surprise he did notice his V-Smile. He ran out to Gea & Poppie and told her that someone put it in his room and he thought that it was because he stayed in his bed all night, haha. Not quite the reason but glad he stayed in his bed.

Stripped Away Take 2

So I didn't know what to expect when we took all of Gabe's things out of his room. I thought the impact would be huge but once everything settled and the day went on it was just a topic of discussion that came up again and again. Gabe went to his friend Aden's house to play. I finished taking down and packing away the Christmas decorations and adding all of our new treasures we bought in Abilene yesterday. It actually was a good rest of the day. My heart is a little sad each time I walk by his room and their is nothing in there. It makes me want to just be done with it, throw in the towel, and restock his shelves. But I want him to learn the lesson that he does need to care about his things and that he is a blessed little boy who has lots of wonderful things to play with and be responsible for. So, since today he was good overall we decided to put one toy back into his room. His V-Smile that he got for Christmas. I kind of have these expectations that he will awake in the morning to his V-Smile and grab it like it is Christmas morning and be so excited to have a toy to play with. But I am sure it won't go exactly as I have envisioned, ha! I am sure he will stumble from his bed if he hasn't already crawled into someone else's by morning and announce it is morning, requesting cartoons, and a cup of milk. Well, let's hope it is with good manners at least. We shall see...until morning.....

Stripped Away

I started off the morning with Lily screaming. I went in to see what was going on and my mom was changing her diaper and she was in full protest! As I left her room with her in my arms I noticed Gabe in the bathroom. Gabe decided to slam the bathroom door in our face which resulted in him playing in his room instead of watching television.

Gabe kept complaining about being in his room so I suggested that we just get rid of his toys, give them to someone who would appreciate them and take care of them. He didn't think that was such a great idea. So, I decided that since he was going to be in his room, it was Saturday with no agenda that I would purge his toys and just organize for the new year with his help. So, I started that process, Gabe eagerly helped me. Then he slowly drifted out of interest. He couldn't watch tv but he managed to sneak his way to the end of the hallway so he could catch a glimpse of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. So, I told him that he needed to come and help which resulted in him telling me he didn't want to. I said but Gabe we really need to take care of the things that God has given us. Well, he didn't think so. So, I once again suggested that we just box up everything and give it to someone who wanted it and which then his response was, I Don't Care! Fine I thought, I don't care either.

So, before I knew it my reorganizing, purging, turned into a hurry to just put things together, throw out the broken things and get it in the garage. With Bill's full support and help we boxed, bagged, and corralled all of his toys and moved them to the garage.

With Gabe in full revolt we sat on the couch and watched as we moved everything "fun" into the garage. With tears streaming down his face we hauled and moved his stuff all to hopefully drive home the point. We really do need to be thankful and appreciate all the things God has given us.

He has had such a selfish, negative, ungrateful attitude lately and I am no longer going to tolerate it. He has no respect for people or his things. I don't want to wait until he is 11 years old to try and drive home this point. I want to nip it when he is still moldable and changeable. I feel like some how we have fallen short yet again to teach him but I don't know where. I feel like he is growing up in a well-balanced home.

I am just praying for this to hit home, to sink in, to change his thinking even just a little bit. He is smarter than we give credit for and understands more than we think. When it's time to manipulate a situation he can figure it out quite well. I am tired of fighting this battle daily to play with toys that just sit and collect dust.

Then I wonder if we are just giving him too much. Do we spoil him. Do we give give give to some how make us feel better? I don't feel like we do. I think we try and make it balance out that he gets rewarded with good things. He doesn't just get things every single time we go to a store. Perhaps I need to come up with more creative ways for him to give back and give to others.