Showing posts with label learning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label learning. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Today was my little man's first day of Kindergarten. It left me wondering many things...how did I get here? when did my baby boy become a 5 year old? what am I going to do with this new set of rules?
It also made me take time to reflect on my own first day of school and realize how similar Aiden and I are, as well as how much of his dad he has in him.
Excited for school - Me
Excited to meet new friends - Me
Wants to be the cutest one there - Me and Daddy
Can't wait to learn - ME!
Read the second most books in all of the elementary (yes, at 4 years old!) - ALL ME!
Fear of being made fun of - Daddy
Wanting to know all of the details - Me and Daddy
Desire to know what is coming next - Daddy
There is a laundry list of other things that come along with this and a first of any kind. But it was such a joy to see that he was excited about this next step and was ready to embrace it full force. I've prayed and worried about this step for a while - mostly because he was going to be the youngest in his class...he's nearly a full year younger than some kids...but mostly because I want to make sure I equip him for success in every way I can.
I guess what I learned after sending him off to his first day was that a) I can't control everything, and b) he will never truly be ready (in my own eyes...). How truly this equates to our own lives we try and live (and control)...a) we are not in control and b) we cannot handle it. But we have a great Father who takes the reigns from us and ensures we CAN handle it.
The fear I have every day I drop him off is mighty, but I have to give that over and realize I can't control him, nor can I keep him from experiencing the hard situations, the potential hurt, the potential friend drama, and all the things that come with life and make us who we are - make us aware of who God is and that He has our back. A solid reminder that Aiden is just lent to me for a short time we spend here on earth. Ultimately, all of him belongs to all of Him. And no matter what, his path is determined.
So here we go on the wild ride of education. Not sure I'm ready for this, but over the moon my little dude is!
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
There are times in life you never want to forget and times in life you wish you'd never remember. I've had my fair share of both in my short 33 years on this earth and today witnessed one of my kids having a moment they might not want to forget but likely will as at four years old I'm not sure how many truly lasting memories you take with you along the journey of life. The awesome part for him is that in today's world we have every type of video and picture memory available in case your brain chooses to forget. Pretty remarkable. But regardless, it was a day for the books.
As I watched my little dude run (yes, literally run) across the stage to get his diploma I couldn't help but wonder how quickly the years will pass until he is doing that for high school and then college...and I realized how special each moment is, whether we think it's worth documenting with a video or not and how I never want to take any of them for granted. The innocence and sheer joy that exudes in Aiden is contagious and reels you in. His heart is big and his laugh is bigger. He is smart, so smart, and is reading, writing, doing math, and teaching me things all at the same time. It enamors me that he still loves to cuddle and I think every time I do it he might not ever ask me again, so I always do it, always. And when I do I dream of one day when I am small and he his big and he is cuddling me and not the other way around. And I melt. My little dude graduated today.
In a few short months I will send him off to kindergarten and I will be a mess that day for sure. I held it together today. Mostly because I had a lot going on in my head and heart but also because I wanted to enjoy it and find the joy in it and not the sadness. And I did. I was dealing with a hurtful situation of my own parents not understanding me, and hurting me out of their own pain and sadness. There is a difference in being sad and going through some tough things on your own and dealing with them, seeing the for what they are and talking through them and hurting others out of your own pain and suffering. Misplaced anger, fear, sadness, and hurt was put on me to deal with and feel responsible for...but I am not responsible for their choices and though I can't change them or their choices I can change mine.
As a result of this situation I was reminded that I never want Aiden to feel like I feel now about me. If I can't talk to him abut how I feel or how he's made me feel I have failed as a parent. It's the one thing I have learned in my marriage that is a requirement for life working according to how God sees us fitting into his plan. His plan is bigger, brighter, and more brilliant than ours could ever be for ourselves. I pray Aiden (and Teagan) shine "bright like a diamond" in all they do...they are only loaned to me for a short time and I want to do my due diligence to make sure they are living up to the potential God saw in them before they were even a thought on my mind.
What a short time he's been on this earth and what more he has to see and learn and experience. I can't wait to walk the road with him - on the good days and bad. Best of times and worst. He's going to do amazing things. Of this I am sure. So best of luck to my little buddy...onward and upward to Kindergarten we go! (A whole other kind of emotions to be had I'm sure!)
Sunday, January 8, 2012
After being able to work from home for more than four years, traveling every week to every other week has not been easy. However, there are some amazingly bright spots amongst the travel. Some of that business related, some of it personal, some of it relates to coming home. All of it interesting, not always easy, but good.
For example, you might meet someone super interesting on an airplane and pass an hour speaking with them about their lives and / or their business and potentially find a new job. Or, you might walk around a nearly empty shopping mall alone which you might not have done in years? It is one thing I have found to do to pass the time when I finish an exhausting day of back-to-back meetings and "being on."
One of the best things about traveling, and having little children, if there can be a good thing about traveling with little children, is that when you come home, they've learned something new. They speak new words, day spell new words, they run, they hop, they tell you "I miss you when you're gone," they learn to say other phrases that you've never heard before, and they learn to tell stories. For me, this has been the greatest joy in traveling this year. In a few short months that I've traveled, Teagan has only gone from 18 months to 21 months. But in those few short months, she has learned to run, talk more productively, eat more effectively on her own, and eat everything in site, loves Mexican food, and after this last trip to say, "yeah" to things like it was no big deal and "Paaa-weeeeze"(Please!) in the cutest voice I've ever heard.
What a joy it is to be able to watch these two babies learn to put words to things when they have not had words for them before - only finger points, grunts, huhs, nods, and screams. It's been an amazing adventure and one I've grown more fond of in my time away from home because you see how quickly they adapt, learn, and grow when you are separated from them even for a few short days. God is so good. My children are so smart. And I cannot wait to see what words He gives them over the course of their lives.
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| My sweet Teagan Bean - 21 months old and full of life! |
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| My Aiden Dude. Three years old and eating ice cream. Per usual! |
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