Saturday evening Jackson and I went to my parents for a little while. The kids needed a break from each other, and I needed a break from Hannah's whining. I was wanting to invite them over for lunch Sunday and since I don't have a phone right now that seemed like a perfect opportunity to kill a few birds at one time. Jackson's neighborhood friend over there knocked on the door wanting him to come outside, so I told Jackson he needed to stay in the yard if he went outside. There's a history of Jackson not doing as he was told, bending to the peer pressure of the other children in the neighborhood. There's the one that knocked on the door from 3 doors up, he's a year older, and then there's twins from one door up across the street.
A few weeks ago Jackson stayed over there a few days. When we picked him up we found out that the twins were coming over demanding that Jackson get them something to drink (mom keeps fully stocked with soft drinks), or icee pops (again ... she's a grandma). When Jackson would give them some, they'd take off up the road and not include him in playing because he wasn't allowed to go as far up the road as they were choosing to go. I expect more out of the older boy, but mom said the older one wasn't doing much better because he would go play with the twins too. He said one of the twins even hit him one time, but not wanting to be a tattletale, he didn't tell mom. (It wouldn't do good, I would go to their parents, mom wouldn't, so ...)
Saturday Jackson was excited because he found a small frog outside and he had it in a little carrier at mom and dad's 'cause he wanted to show them his frog, so the fact that the older boy come down for a visit was a bonus. About 15 minutes later I started looking around the yard out the windows to see what they were doing and I did not see them. I was about to be upset thinking Jackson yet again went up the road to D's house when I told him when he needed to stay in the yard. (We do let him go up there when we'll be there long enough, don't get me wrong, there are times he's allowed to venture up the road 3 houses ;)
When I walked outside, I saw him standing behind our car in the driveway. Alone. When he looked up, his eyes were red. I believe he had been crying some. Yet again, D come down to play, but the twins come outside and he dropped Jackson like a hot potato. D told Jackson to come up the road with him, and Jackson said no, he couldn't. D chose to leave. So we stood outside and talked about what a true friend would do, and how it was important it was that Jackson learned that fact that he could not treat others like D and the twins had treated him. That these kids are not really his friends- they are kids in the neighborhood he plays with occassionally, but they are NOT his friends. Friends don't do that to friends.
He was SO okay and confident about him doing the right thing!! Usually he is upset when he gets left out, but this time, he wasn't. Well, he was, but he had an understanding there, that wasn't there before. I was so proud of him. Because of that, dad and I took him to our favorite ice cream parlor and we had ice cream. He ate an entire banana split (6 scoops of ice cream, 3 toppings, whipped cream and a cherry!). He not only ate it, he took a straw and sucked up all the melted stuff in the bottom, LOL! But he does that every time he gets one too ;o)
When we got home around 10, J reminded me I told Hannah I would roll her hair for church Sunday. OY! I had forgot! I tossed her in the shower and asked J if he would help. He slid out of the lounge chair he was sitting in to the floor, and somehow he pulled something BAD in his back. That was Saturday night, he toughed it out Sunday morning but was hurting too bad to go back Sunday night, and he is working at home today. Please pray that the pain subsides! He's hurting a great deal. I have to giggle though cause a friend asked how he hurt his back and my best answer was "rolling Hannah's hair" :p
Church was good, as always. I have friends moving to Washington State, yesterday morning was their last service. It was the youngest daughter of this family, a long time buddy of Jackson's (she's his age), that walked up beside me at the beginning of the baby's graveside service and held my hand the entire time. The older middle school aged daughter was one of my teen workers in the nursery; their mom, my friend, worked in late stay at the school when I was working FT and she took care of Hannah in the afternoons. We all know this is the Lord's will, their moving, but it's always hard to say bye, ya know? Their oldest two, boys, are having a rough time with the move, especially the oldest- which is in his senior year (I believe, pretty sure). Please pray for this family that they find a good church there ASAP and get plugged into some fellowship there!
Mom and dad come over for lunch Sunday. That was nice. I've been longing for us to start doing "Sunday lunches" instead of going out to eat so much. After lunch we all went outside and spent time together while the kids swam in the pool.
The kids and I went back to church last night as usual, but J had to stay home because of his back. I handed Jackson a dollar for the offering, and he gave it back to me. I thought that was weird, then he grabbed my purse and pulled out his money holder and took out a quarter! He chose to put his own money in the offering, instead of mine! Granted, this is the first time his money holder was in my purse, but the fact he made that decision so quickly, he made me so proud.
Since the kids have started school, all three days last week, they have a heightened sensitivity of how they are different from the kids they are around. Hannah said Thursday and Friday that she prayed four times during school, each day. I think she's praying more now than she did in Christian school ;o) No but really, her prayer life is becoming her own now, PTL! She's not praying because it was what was being done, she is praying because she is choosing to pray! Friday a kid come up to Jackson on the playground and asked if his name was Jackson. He was really puzzled because he did not "know" the kid, until the kid told him his name. It was one of his kindegarten buddies that did not return to the Christian school! His dad last I remember was getting a job in another city and they were having to move, but apparently they're back in the area. This is so exciting because Jackson really liked this kid, they playted soccer in little league the year of K. They wer ein K4 and K5 together.
God is just so good to us. Oh and Hannah invited her teacher to church for "Friend Day" we're having Sept 28th. Her teacher sounds receptiveto the invitation so I'll keep ya updated ;o)
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