Don't Close Your Eyes to Pray!!!

This is a story that I have wanted to blog for about a month but have been too busy to sit down and type. Baseball is mostly over now, except for tournaments on the weekends. Maybe I can get things back to normal here soon. Except we have to get the A/C fixed now. And of course, that just happens to be on the hottest day of the year so far. I am sitting in my kitchen next to the open windows so I don't have a heat stroke drinking my "go juice"...coffee that is.

I have always teased since having children about praying with my eyes open in church because I am afraid if I close my eyes and then open them when the prayer is over, I will find a child missing. You know...an escapee. We sit close to the front of the auditorium and the way our pews are placed is kinda weird. It is hard to explain, but where we sit you can see people in the back. And they can see you. Really good. So I have always used that against my boys. When they would misbehave I would put them in my lap and whisper in their ear, "See all those people? They are looking at you and they are seeing you be ugly." And that would be the end. Because even though all those people are looking at the preacher or song leader, it really does look like they are staring at you when you sit down front. They didn't like people seeing them get in trouble so that usually straightened them up real quick.

Until Bryson came along. He obviously doesn't care that people see him.

I have been praying with my eyes open during services now for 10 1/2 years and have had no children go AWAL. Until about a month ago. And it wasn't during prayer. Or singing. We have one guy that does the announcements at the end of our services. He has a radio announcer voice. And when Mr. Naaman gets up to do the announcements all the kids know it is almost over. Either time to go to Bible class if it is Sunday morning, or time to go play with their friends if it is after Sunday pm or Wednesday services.

So are you following me here? Do you know what I am about to tell you?

Mr. Naaman got up and started the announcements and Bryson slowly went to the end of the pew. The end that was further from me and closer to the stage area. He had seen Jack behind us go to the end of his pew and sit during services and Bryson loves Jack so I thought maybe he was going to imitate him. And that would have been fine with me.

But he didn't stop there.

Well...he did. Long enough to look back at me and give me that look. Yes...that one. And I gave it right back. And pointed to the seat next to me and mouthed, "Sit down right here...NOW."

He smiled. And he does have a cute smile, doesn't he?

Don't let him fool you. He can be evil, too.

He dropped the tissue (on purpose) and the thumb came out of his mouth. He looked back again. I gave him the look again but with a little more intensity.

Now keep in mind, I did plan what I was going to wear that morning around the fact that he had decided that week he was not going to wear diapers anymore. Could we not wait until baseball was over and we are home a little more? Of course not. In fact, the first day I had nothing but diapers so my child went naked. Yes. He went naked. And loved every moment. Until I diapered him to go to the store to get pull ups. So I didn't wear heels that day to church. I wore a long casual skirt and my sequined Yellow Box flip flops. I could get him to the bathroom quick enough in that. And we only went out once to go potty and he did really good. He only hollered, "I gotta go peeeeee!" loudly one time.

So at the end of services I thought all was well. Until Mr. Naaman got up there. And when we were giving each other "the look" I heard him mumble something.

"I'm gonna go play."

And he was gone.

Full speed to the front of the auditorium. To the stage. And I was at the other end of a long pew. That seemed to be getting longer by the second. I jumped up and ran after him. I grabbed him by his sleeve one step from the bottom step of the stage. I took him out and spanked him. And all he had to say was, "I want DADDY!"

I told him his daddy could have him. All day long. I guess I should be thankful he can't get his clothes of yet!

Do any of you have any good escapee stories to tell?

Sara

"I Ride da Choo Choo!"

This morning in church, the girls that sit behind us were getting their money out and ready for the church contribution. Bryson has learned what money is, or should I say some things he can get with it. He knows at Dairy Queen he can put it in the St. Jude thing and watch it go "roun' n roun' n roun' ". He knows when we go to the mall he can put money in and ride the "coo bus".

This morning in church when he saw the others getting their money ready, he said, "OOOHHHH! Money! I ride da choo choo!" I asked him if he would like some money to put in the contribution plate. Of course, he had no idea what I was talking about so he said, "Yeah!" I gave him a quarter and gave some to his brothers. I whispered in his ear that he couldn't keep it and to put it in the plate when it came. I told Brayden and Blaine to put their money in where Bryson could see what to do, in fear that he would scream to keep it. The contribution plate came to our pew, Blaine put in his, Bryson put in his, and then Brayden. Wow. I was surprised. He did it with no problem. The plate even came back down the row in front of him and he just watched.

Then he looks at me and says, "Where's da choo choo?"

This Week

I have been home all this week from work. Brayden has had strep throat. It all started on Sunday. Saturday we went to the pumpkin patch with our church group and had a busy, fun, long day. I will hopefully post pictures later. I have enjoyed being home these last few days but I know the papers are piling up quickly at work. I have gotten a lot done at home. All the little things that I don't get to because I have not been home long enough to do it. And some things I didn't get to, but I am sure they aren't going anywhere. They never have before and the cleaning fairy still hasn't found my house. Stephen is staying home from church with Brayden tonight so I can go. I missed Sunday night so I guess you can say it is his turn.
I participated in a kids consignment sale this fall. This was my first time to do this. I had 161 items and made $270.50. I brought home about 25 things. I wasn't really sure how to price things because I have never shopped it either. I think I priced things on the low side but a lot of it has been through three boys so I felt kinda bad even asking money for the stuff! Of course, they don't let you bring things with stains, holes, missing buttons...those kinds of things. So it's not like they looked like they have been through three boys. I am looking forward to doing it again in the spring!
I have had a hard time sleeping the last week or so. There is just something about the cooler weather that makes me want to do craft stuff. I wake up a lot in the night and think of something new to do. If I feel anything is worth showing, I will post that, too.
We finally got Blaine's teacher's quilt delivered. Remember...the kindergarten teacher gift from an earlier post? I can post a picture of it now, too, except my camera is still in the car from the pumpkin patch. I can hear the boys fighting now as they do their homework so I guess Brayden is feeling much better. He has begged me the last 2 days to take him to school. He says school is funner than laying on the couch. That is something that would have never come out of my mouth. I can always find something to do that is funner than school!
I know this post is all over the place but I am trying to get it done quickly and have already been interrupted about 7 times. I need to get some more things done while the baby sleeps and before I have to leave. Hopefully I will have my camera close by for my next post!
Oh yeah! We found out Monday that our very good friends Reed and Bridget are having a baby boy! They moved to Texas a few months ago. They were our eating out card playing church buddies. I tried to be optimistic when they moved and told myself maybe I will lose my baby fat from #3 and my house will always be clean. You guys might as well come back at Alabama. It wasn't ya'll all along! We miss them a bunch and are gonna miss spoiling that baby boy. And the rate I have been getting quilts done lately, I better get started soon! I see a really long road trip in our future....

Sara