My Dear Sweet Patches. . .

Patches was my dear sweet horse that I practically grew up with.  He  passed away on Easter Sunday.  What a day to go.  He was nearly 40years old and as my sister reminded me he only had one bad day in all  those 40 years.  My sister and I grew up riding horses and showing all the time.  That was a family thing with us.  We have shown everywhere.  We always ended up in Raleigh at the State Fair.  My Daddy always joked that Patches was the only horse he knew that would get a check every year from the Fair.  When Janice and I showed we usually earned some money in some of our classes.  We figured up one year back in the 80's that Patches had paid for himself several times over with all the money we had won showing him.

He was a great horse.  He wasn't much to look at but man could he ride.  He had the slowest jog of any horse ever.  He got so used to riding and showing that he knew when to jog, walk or lope  when he heard the crack of the PA system.   He has beaten horses that were professionally trained and shown.  He has beaten horses that some folks were ashamed to admit how much they had paid for their horse.  He was like a big ol teddy bear.  You could do just about anything with him.  We used to carry the flag in the local parades with him.  He never offered to bugger or balk at anything.   They even used him to let the preacher at one of our shows ride in to the ring and give the opening prayer.  Patches felt he was a little long winded so he began creeping toward the gate.  I will give it to that preacher he kept praying until the cord from the microphone ran out. 

We rode him on trails a lot.  He liked that and he knew his way around.  You could feel him going just a little faster when he was headed for the barn.   If you ever got lost you always  knew Patches would find his way to the barn or the trailer.  
My Daddy has been offered a great deal of money on many occassions for Patches, thank goodness he never accepted.  My Sisters' husband wrote a great Epitaph for Patches:

                                                              "Son of Patch"
                                                Waiting Patiently at Heaven's Gate
                         "When you get here, climb up in the saddle and drop the reins, I know the way
                           to the barn."                   Patches

Youth Retreat. . .

I went on my first Youth Retreat the other weekend.  It was an eye opener to say the least.  This is my first retreat as an adult.  I went on youth retreats as a kid in the Church I grew up in.   We went to our Church camp and stayed in a cabin more like a dormatory.   The ride up was very twisty turny and made me a little weak in the knees.  I don't do well on buses.  Once we arrived we unloaded the bus and picked our rooms.  I decided that the kids and I would stay in one room together.  There were four beds to a room.  I won't make that mistake again.  My kids talk in their sleep.  Jack was screaming in his sleep that first night.  I think he was fussing at Thomas but I am not really sure.  Thomas grumbles and groans in his sleep.  They were both so loud I did not sleep much.  We got up the next morning and two of our adult leaders had begun breakfast.  Now Moravians know how to eat.  They were fixing:  bacon, sausage, biscuits, sausage gravy, and cinimon rolls with a variety of cereals and fresh fruit.  Now is that a breakfast or what?   After everyone had stuffed themselves completly we were off on our mystery trip.  We drove to the Mass General Store.  If you have never been to one you should go.  It is a really neat store.  They offer a wide variety of candy at $5.99 lb.  You would have thought my kids had a blank check.  They walked in and began filling their buckets full of all sorts of junk.  They came to me and said we're ready to go, each with a bucket full.  I pulled out a few items they could keep and I told them the rest would have to go back.  What were they thinking?  We went up the road a ways and had a picnic in a park with swings and slides.  Fun was had by all.  Once we got back to the camp some of the kids  wanted to go on a hike to a grave yard.   Thomas and Jack were in this mix.  The hike was about an hour or so and pretty intense.  I am thankful for the adults that had gone along and for the one older child that went.  I will call him Big Z.  Big Z was a great help that weekend with the kids.   I have never seen that side of him at Church.  He usually very quiet and never says a whole lot to anyone.  But he took charge on the hike and took care of Thomas.  He and Thomas were first to the grave yard and the first to retrun.  I did not make the hike for fear that my back would go out.  Jack was the last one to come in from the hike.  I thought that was strange he is usually first in everything.  Well, Jack ended up getting sick that night and I had to call Mark at 9:30 to come get us.  He was not very happy but he loves us so he came.   That is true love there.  He was supposed to fish in a tournament that next day but instead he was on the road in the wee hours of the morning to pick up his sick little one.   We are all better now.  I think the candy got to Jack.  What a weekend.

Some days. . .

There are days that I feel I have not done my kids justice in their raising.  Some days I feel maybe I am to strict on them about what they eat and when they go to bed and such.   Then some days like Thursday I feel it all falls in to place and maybe I did do something right.   Jack has been taking Communion classes at Church for the past several weeks.  Thursday, Maundy Thursday, he got to take part in his  first Holly Communion.   Those that know me, know that I cried through the whole service.   I am sure part of it was that I was just so proud of him and the other part was the fact that we were reading about the day Jesus was crucified.  For all the days that I feel like I have been the "mean Mommy,"  I have Thursday to reflect on.  For all of those "Some days"  when I feel I can't do anything right, I have Thursday when my baby grew in his relationship with God. 
Thomas did not participate in the Communion classes this time but he is very interested in it now.   He asked on our way home from Church on Thursday when he would get to take the classes.  I told him he may be able to when they offer it next year or so.  I was very proud of Thomas too.   He followed along in the service with the reader in his book.  He even sang some of the songs.  He doesn't do that in Church. 
We had a very deep conversation with the boys that Thursday night.  The service opened all kinds of new questions from both of the boys.  Nights like that make me forget all of my "some days" that I feel I made my mistakes.

Just when you think you don't have anything left. . .

Just when you think you don't have anything left to give anyone your little comes to you in the middle of the night and says;"Mommy I threw up."  You get up groggy eyed and don't even realize your child is standing there in the buff.  When you ask what happened your eyes finally come into focus and you realize your little is covered in puke and it hits you.  You go in to "Mom mode"  you get your child cleaned up and clean clothes to put on.  Then you go for the bedroom and wonder what will I find.   You make that march up the stairs in full battle gear, you know what I am talking about.  The paper towes, garbage bags, cleaner, ect. . .  I start the cleaning process and get the sheets ready for the laundry unfortunately this time we have two casualties of the night, a beloved black and white stuffed doggie and a red valentines bear.   How will I explain their disappearance?  Maybe he won't ask?  Fat chance, that child may not remember his book bag but he knows every stuffed animal in his room.  Once all the bedding is off and in the laundry you realize the matress also has issues, so down the stairs we go and out the front door with the matress at 2am.
Now your little one is comfortable on the couch with a trash can and beach towel beside him.  You go back and try to get some sleep.   You jerk awake by the sound of, "Maaaahaaam  I am sick again."  You jump up and run to the aid of your sick child hoping that they made it to the bathroom.  This time he makes it.   You repeat this routine several more times before sun up. 
Just when you think you have nothing left to give, God steps in and shares his grace.  He is the one that trapes up and down the stairs with you as you do that laundry all night long.  He is the one that is there with you on your hands and knees as you clean the floor where your sick little one just did not make it to the potty.   He is the one that comforts you and gives you the strength you need when you feel you just can't do anymore. 

Survived the Week

I survived this week.  I don't think I want to work that many days with the Middle School.  I am sure I do not want to work on Friday.  There must have been something in the air on Friday the kids were crazy!  Not just the class that I had but all of them.  I spoke to several teachers that said their kids were crazy too.   I am obviously not cut out for the free roaming arts and craft classes.   Maybe it is March Madness?  Of course I am not sure the kids I had were that in to basketball.  It could be some other sort of madness.  I did not have as much trouble out of the Exceptional Childrens'(behavior challenged and learning disabled) classses as I did with this art class.  Oddly enough, the EC kids gave me more respect and to me they tried harder to do well.  I have worked in that class several times.  
Working as a substitute has given me new insight into my own children.  I have also gained new appreciation for my own kids.   After working with these kids, my kids are a breeze.  Maybe this is Gods' way of telling me to lighten up on my own kids.  He may also be reminding me to appreciate what I have too.  I guess we all need those reminders from time to time. 

Kids today ?

Yeah, that makes me sound a hundred years old.   I have been substituting at the Middle School this week for an art teacher.  Those that know me, know I have no artistic talent.  But, when the school calls you go.  So I have been teaching the art class for three days and today will be my last.  I have 6th-8th grades and I only do three classes.  You would think raising my two I could handle anything?  The 8th graders think they are above it all,  the 7th graders are testing the waters, and the 6th graders have more attititude than should be allowed. 
Kids have always been hard on Subs but I think these kids are like this for the teacher too.  The 8th graders threw markers and paper at the sub before me.  I was warned about them ahead of time.  So as soon as they came in I told them there would be none of that.  Luckily I had had most of them in other classes before.   They knew from previous experience that I had no tolerance for that behavior.  I walked through the room with a yard stick(yeah I know I could not use it on them but I felt safer) and I did not leave my back to them either.  The 7th graders are just seeing what they can get away with.  They tried everything to get out of doing their work.  The 6th graders still think they are the big fish in the little pond.  What they don't realize is that they are the little fish in the big pond.  I don't think they have adjusted to being that little fish.  The girls I think are the worst.  So much attitude for such a young person.  I am so thankful I have boys.  I thank the good Lord above every day for giving me my boys.  I don't think I could handle all the drama that comes along with girls.  Those that have girls, bless you, you know what I mean;  the sighing , the eye rolling, the head shaking, ect. . .

Lost Tooth

Thomas finally lost his first tooth on Sunday at Church during lunch.  Those that know Thomas know he is a bit dramatic.  Sunday was no exception.  He bit down on, of all things a brownie, and his tooth went sideways.  It started to bleed a little and then came the crying and tears.  I told him to go to the restroom and I would help him get it out.  It was holding on by a thread.  Our fellowship building is small and the restroom is right off the dining area so I am sure everyone heard the battle.  He was not to upset till he looked in the mirror and saw the blood on his lip.  It was merely a pin point of blood but you would have thought he had seen a river of blood.  Of course the spit mixed with the blood so it appeared much more than it was.

So I washed my hands and pulled him away from the mirror so that I could see what I was doing.  It was laying sideways in his mouth.  I reached in gently and plucked it out.  His eyes got real big and he looked in the mirror and by this time there was a little more blood.  I went and got him a cup to rinse his mouth out.  He got cleaned up and came out to tell everyone about the drama.  He could not wait to tell his teacher the next day.  I think he was the only one that had not lost a tooth yet in his class.

The Tooth Fairy was working over-time at our house.  Jack had lost a tooth the day before.  Jack is loosing his molars now.  Jack worried this tooth out.