Coming Home to A Tired Kid

I finished the long haul of traveling hours away from home, spending hours working and then flying home in the shaky 10-year old sedan to a child tired, but adamant of staying awake until Dad reads one book and sings one song. I love it!!

Raina has just found like I did when my father was not around -- that I hate it when I can't see my father because of the busyness of life. And, sure enough, I agree even if it's me that's being busy. It is too much to sacrifice one more moment with your kid. Work schmerk, ok! Kids are kids and they matter the most. Raina does to me.

Tiffany had to watch her all day and that's a feat within itself. I can not say that my work was at all challenging compared to handling a child with a weird sleeping schedule and an insatiable thirst for "JOOCE," as Raina calls it. Old, familiar seem to ring fresh, true, honest and fun coming from the mouths of our children. You know. You probably know what I mean.

So I finished singing her a song...I started to type this blog and then she starts calling in a loud voice. Well, guess what she wants? That's right -- JOOCE! And, sure enough Dad brings in a little something to whet the pallet and calm the senses for a long ride to a quiet, calm, relaxed kiddom of sleeping. All in a day's work. And, I smirk and say to myself, "Good job, Dad!"

Working Together

Last year when I was making the one-hour trips up to the college, to coach the track and field squad, I had not thought to bring Raina with me to the college much and have someone watch her while I was working.

This past Wednesday we both took the road up to the college and she loved hanging out with Veronica, a new mom with a half-year old daughter. Raina likes younger kids, especially girls and had a great time going for a walk with them and playing on the swing set near their apartment on the college campus.

Raina did not accompany me at all to practice, but she's having such a wonderful time with Mom and Dad. She's learning lots at Montessori school and has a real love of geography. She has learned some of the states and is especially proud to point out that she lives in "Missouri" every time that they bring out the United States puzzle at school. The director of the school has a story for me usually when I drop or pick up Raina at school.

Tiffany and I are both impressed with the work of the school and I am pleased with the outcome of this natural decision to keep her in the bilingual school, even though Principia would have been free. Her rate of learning and growth, and natural desire to expand her horizons to more things attests to the spiritual growth undertaken in the years that we've been parents to her.

My dad and mom have been gracious in helping us with Raina's school tuition and we're so grateful. Thanks Pa and Ma! Stay posted for new pics on flickr.com.

First Day of Sunday School, and more

Today, it felt like springtime had arrived as the three of us stepped outside on the steps of Valley Park church. It was a sunny day, with scattered clouds and the warmest weather that I've ever felt in January at the start of the day. In her first day of Sunday School, Raina learned the synonyms for God. Her teacher is a close family friend of mine. She adores Raina, and Raina loves other children. Her two older boys give Raina chase much of the time when she goes to visit or sleepover at their home. They have a chinchilla, a dog, a cat and I think a bird as well. To say the least, Raina has just about everything she could ever want at their house, I still don't know why she would ever want to come back to us...oh, yeah, MOM! At night, we're focusing more and more on the spiritual sense of rest by praying with Raina before she closes her eyes. It's a wonderful feeling teaching someone to know spiritual creation and working with them as you are also discovering and understanding more of it yourself. So many times, people will say in somewhat of a question form that I'm learning from Raina and I am; leaning into our Father-Mother God for those parenting lessons and guidance. As we baked our Pumpkin Pie this evening, I was struck (though not surprised) and enthralled by her initiative and eagerness to help me with the dishes, to roll the dough, to mix the batter, and multitask the different activities while listening to The Music Man DVD in the background. We can see the television across the bar counter from the kitchen. (We have a great apartment!) I'm glad that I have the ability to stay up with such an advancing young girl. She's going to be an impressive woman. A child that shows greatness is not as blessed as the parent who gets to witness the blessing.