11.08.2009

No stone Unturned

Christian is my child that experiences everything. He loves new things, is not easily intimidated, and is always 'up' for anything. When he was a toddler I had a HUGE learning curve with him. I could not reason with him like I easily did with Savannah.

Christian often learned things the hard way. After months and months of trying to convince him that he was going to hurt himself climbing on the back of the couch... he had to learn by falling off... taking a lamp, answering machine, phone, and side table down with him in a mess of brokenness. Then, and only then, would he point to the back of the couch and simply say, "ouch".

Another example was how he would run full speed across the yard and plunge into his little blownup swimming pool. He would come up choking and sputtering. I tried to tell him to plug his nose before leaping in... but NO!! How could he get the needed 'lift off' to create the maximum splash in the pool if he had to have one hand plugging his nose! And so he continued to half drown himself that whole summer. That ever present dilemma of motherhood of knowing when to step in and prevent... vs. get out of the way and allow your child to experience. It never ends with this son.

But I have learned that the flip side to this is that he enjoys things to the fullest! The most mundane things are a thrill for him. He finds the interesting aspect to anything. He looks at things and sees a creative spin, or a new approach, a joy in the process.

I can honestly say that the day I had Christian... I was transformed into a better mother. I get him. Seriously. I love to watch him be. Christian formally tests in the genius levels, but he is an 'outside the box' thinker and I can't wait to see what he attempts with his future.

My heart flips when I see Christian. He makes me laugh more than any one thing can in my life. He challenges me to enjoy things and not simply react... does that make sense? I love this boy to the point that it takes my breath away.

This week Christian needed to learn all aspects of laundry care for a Boy Scout requirement.

Simple... right?

Not.

Cause he's got to truly understand all the ins and outs. Look at the ingredients of the Spray and Wash bottle and try to formulate, in his mind, why its able to accomplish its goal of stain removal.

Don't laugh!

Seriously, this is how Christian absorbs any speck of knowledge in his life.

So, imagine my exhaustion when we finally arrived at the end of this Laundry 101 Lesson.
Seeing him ironing his clothes, knowing that another life experience is now filed away in that brilliant mind of his. Knowing that as he uses this skill in the future, time and time again... that it will never be mundane, cause nothing in Christian's life is mundane.

And I don't even mind that he had a chance to turn the tables and laugh at me for once... as I quietly started humming... "I hope they call me on a mission"... moms gotta plant those little seeds whenever they can, Right?

11.06.2009

A Barn Raising

The day has finally arrived. We've wanted a barn in our back pasture and its now being built.
It will be a little barn with two stalls and a tack room, just perfect for what we need.

The first post went in and Savannah and I were down right giddy!


All the posts were in and they started to 'skin' the barn, woo-hoo.


The treatment on the outside of the barn will be Board and Batten, just like on the house porches, love it!


This is Savannah with our favorite 'Farm Guy'


His name is Jeff McDonald (appropriate last name for a farm guy, huh?). Jeff can do it all, seriously. He builds our farm fences, repairs our old barn, clears trees, etc. We really appreciate him and his crew. He was extra generous to let me snap his photo... generous but NONE too thrilled. Guess farm guys aren't keen on smiling for the camera, snicker!



11.05.2009

Hooray for Art Projects

Ty's Art Lesson for today was on Mosaics.
He was to search the house for mosaic materials and create two different creations.

He raided my kitchen canisters and craft supplies... then got to work.

Ty said this one was the wind.

And he has been studying the Galaxy in Science... so he said this is a mosaic of space.
I think I am officially OUT of all blue buttons now ;)

Can I just take an itsy bitsy moment to clarify that Ty gets his creative gene from Me... humble little me, snicker, snort.