1. Didn't make my "no yelling" goal today. :-( I still don't know how to properly handle the situation when one of my children simply refuses to do what I'm asking them to do. It makes me crazy. The deadly combination for me is frustration and time pressure. When we are late for something and someone is stalling, delaying, or flat-out refusing to do what they need to do, that's a killer combination for my resolve. Otherwise, my reaction would generally be for that child to decide between doing what he's supposed to do, or sitting in the closet. I can stay quite calm when those are the choices. But when we don't have TIME for closet time-outs, and I really need that child to do what he's supposed to do right THEN, that's when I really, really lose it. Well, I'll have another chance to try again tomorrow.
2. Mosey had his Tae Kwon Do testing tonight. We talked a lot about not getting grumpy, even if someone says or does something he doesn't like. This happened last time, and he spent the rest of the testing sulking, which showed up in his facial expressions, tone of voice, and general demeanor. Not a good thing in a sport that emphasizes discipline and respect to such a high degree. Well, first thing, right off the bat, he got mad about something. I don't know what it was, because I hadn't even made it into the studio before it happened. I just saw his grumpy face and my heart sank. The kids warmed up, went up to the front to talk with the instructors, and were then told to go to the back of the studio and sit against the wall. All the other kids yelled, "Yes sir!" and ran to the back. Mosey walked, slowly, dragging his feet, looking down, lower lip stuck out, the whole shebang, and then sat as far away from the other kids as he could. I was so upset. I didn't know whether to smile at him, stick my tongue out at him, or give him a "shape up or else" glare, but it wouldn't have mattered anyway because he didn't look at me. Thankfully, his group was the very last to test. The testing before his was for a little girl (probably 4 or 5?) testing for tiger cubs. She was so cute, and had everyone giggling before she was done, even Mosey. So, by the time he went up to test, he was back to his old self, and did very well. Thank goodness for cute little girls! Still, he needs to learn how to control his emotions in public...
3. Today is John Williams' birthday! The boys and I sang happy birthday to him. I'm sure he felt the love. :-) On the way home from piano lessons, the boys had a discussion about where John Williams sits in the hierarchy of great composers. The consensus was maybe not *quite* up there with Beethoven and Mozart, but at least in the top five. :-)
And, I know everyone has already seen this video, but just for fun:
The Turners
Gabrielle and Ben
Joseph
Brigham
Mosey
About Me
- Gabrielle
- I am a Christian, a wife, mother, homeschool teacher, perfectionist, night-owl, reader, conservative, photographer, and a lot more. I have 3 boys-- 11 year old twins named Joseph and Brigham, and a 9-year-old named Moses. I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2005. I went from a 30-mile-a-week runner to being mostly wheelchair-bound in 2 years. In 2008 I was accepted into the HALT-MS study-- a clinical trial in which I underwent an autologous stem cell transplant (bone marrow transplant) in an attempt to put the disease into remission. So far, I have remained stable for more than four years! I am grateful every day for the new lease on life that God (and modern medicine and awesome doctors, but mostly God :-)) has granted to me, and the chance I have to teach and raise my boys, love my husband, and experience the joy, frustration, happiness, and heartache that life brings.
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