Lessons from a bike ride

I know, I know, I haven't blogged in a while but I do have a good excuse. My good friend, Traci, and her kiddos have been in town all week. We got to hang out a ton and they even got to spend the night with us a couple of nights. The kids had a great time playing together as always. Jarrett was in Tennesse for business so it was really nice having company while he was away. On Friday we took them to see Shrek the third and they loved it. Today, my mom, sister Kim, Ella, Madelyn and I went to OKC for my big sis's baby shower. It was a fun girls day and great celebrating my new nephew. Kris is due in a month and is getting really excited. I can't believe she is having a baby!!! She will be the big "40" this year.

Our big excitement of the week is that both Nathan and Madelyn are learning to ride their bikes without training wheels. Nathan really does well he just hasn't figured out the stopping thing. He is so proud of himself. Jarrett and I take turns holding on to them and running along side them. Madelyn cracks us up. She will not look forward, only side to side, so bless her heart she cannot keep her balance. As she falls she has the biggest smile on her face and is laughing hysterically. Ok, I am going to admit it, this milestone is really making me emotional. What is new?? Kathy getting emotional?
As I was running, holding onto the back of Nathan's bike he was yelling, "Mommy let go!" I responded, "But I am not ready too, sweetie." I instantly thought that this was a metaphor for where we are in his life right now. I can tell he is really trying to become more independent and he doesn't need me as much as he once did. I also know there will be many other times in his future where he wants me to let go, and I am going to have to even if I am not ready to.

So here are some lessons we have learned from learning to ride a bike:
1. When we fall, we get back up and try again.
2. It is ok to let go, even when we aren't ready to.
3. When you smile and laugh it makes everyone around you want to smile and laugh with you.
4. We cheer each other along!
5. We hug each other when we fall.
6. We have to wait our turn! (This one is hard for Madelyn, she stated, "Mom, I don't like to be patient!")
7. ALWAYS WEAR YOUR HELMET!!

I am on fire!!!

My friend Leah and I went to the home school convention this weekend and it was fantastic. It was great getting together with other like minded families. I was encouraged, challenged and stretched. The past year I have felt like I was homeschooling because we didn't have a better option for Nathan. Now, I have come to realize that this is what God has called our family to do for this time. I have learned from my past to never, ever put time constraints on God. I will obey until he tells me not to home school. I am really going to try to not walk on the fence about this homeschooling issue any longer. This past year I have been so wishy washy about it, always second guessing myself and wondering if I was hearing God right. I never thought in a million years I would be a homeschooling mom. But here I am!!

I am excited to see what God has in store for us this next school year. We will start first grade in June, just because we can... Nathan is loving it right now and is really interested in the things we are studying so why stop. Homeschooling to me is so much more than just educating it is about training my children's heart, it is about God, it is about His plans for my sweet babies lives. I really have loved spending this quality time with my kids. I have ordered all our first grade curriculum and I can't wait to get it. Part of it will focus on ancient Rome, and since we are going to Rome in July as a family we are going to jump forward to that. Okay, I will quit rambling now.