Future, Goals, and Raising Kids

So, last week was a bust, I spent a majority of the day planning our yearly budget. Joy. But as I pondered on the events of the week, I discovered that we are at a period in time where we are acting upon goals we have created for ourselves, there isn't much exciting or different or worthy of note and it easily leads to a postponement of blogging. I guess that is what did my journal writing in. At the same time as I think about this, I realize that much of our lives are these paced mostly calm periods where there is no drama. "And our lives passed as if it were in a dream". Yet, now I'm grateful for these times, to be able to reflect, learn, and not being caught up in any drama. As a bonus, I get to enjoy the activities of those whose lives are of note at the moment, and announce that this week I am an aunt again! Congratulations to Jeremiah and Zoninia on their new addition, Maryn. Love you and miss you!

This week I took a glimpse at what my next semester needed to look like in order to progress as I had desired. Everything is on track and I will be done with everything but student teaching May of 2013. It is good to see the end. These classes this semester are very difficult for me, since they are the foundations of Mathematic classes, and there are way more words than numbers. I tutor a couple of hours a week, and also spearheaded a study group for the classes that we all need help in. TaeKwonDoe is also going well, I teach there only 2-3 days a week now. I will receive my full certification (on a trip to Boise) mid May. I have also been informed that with that certification I will be able to get paid for some of my teaching there. Fun for me.

The kids are doing well in school. We have a tournament in Idaho Falls again this year, July 13 and 14, and so we have the demo team up and running again. This time everyone is on it except Kyriahna, and they are all working hard. The first performance is in 10 weeks.

One of the hardest things about being a parent is helping the kids through disappointment. I have discovered that being an optimist significantly assists with this, not that I am always optimistic, but it certainly would make life better if I was. I realize that dealing with disappointment is an important skill to have, and can make life a little easier.

I was pulled aside after church today by a teary eyed mother of one of the kids in our primary class. She told me how hard it had been to get her son to go to church, but how he has said this year he loves primary. She also told me how devastated he was this morning when he realized that he hadn't read the reading assignment and how she told him that they would all do better next week. She was grateful for the way we teach and told us how much she appreciated what we do for them. I love to serve, if not for these few times when you feel as a parent you can't do anything right, that at least you can have a positive impact on someone else's life. Oh, and by the way, I discovered that as parents as long as we are trying, we are ALWAYS doing something right. When the Lord commanded Nephi to build a boat, he helped him get there, and likewise, he'll help us, because "the Lord giveth no commandment unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the things which he commandeth them." What greater commandment is there than the command to "raise a child up in the way they should go"?

So, kudos, parents, and keep your chin up. Have a great week, everyone.