5/19/07 My honor kid can beat up your Pomeranian!

Yesterday my nephew had a big baseball game. It was the state finals and they won. It is alot of fun to watch young people enjoying themselves. I had not seen his brother (my other nephew) through almost the whole game so I called him on his cell to see where he was. After he told me I said, "Well, I am right beside third base if you want to come over and see me". when I hung up a girlfriend asked if I thought he would come. He did, and he gave me a big hug and a kiss. In the last few months he has grown at least 6 inches. He was already taller than me, but now he towers over me.

My oldest daughter is fluent in sign language. She is a junior and was asked to sign at the graduation ceremony this morning for the seniors. I think it is such an honor and we are so proud of her.

It is interesting how our children excel. My second daughter has been asked, and often accepts, to read the Torah on Shabbat (Saturday morning Temple Service). I love seeing her up there, my oldest son, and his younger brother of 2 years, both play baseball. They really are quite good. Of course, the older one is little better, he has had more experience and is stronger, but they are both good. When the older one gets up to bat the other team yells, "Back up!" to their team mates. He has even been told to go ahead and take first base, by the coach of the other team, without getting an opportunity to bat. The second son always smiles. Even if he strikes out, he always has a huge smile on his face and the parents always love him. He is one of the smallest kids on the team, and is two years younger than several of them, yet parents have told the coach to have him pitch to finish the game. They really are good, I am not just saying that.

Now my youngest son doesn't like sports. He doesn't have too many friends. However, when he was three he would sit on my lap and ask the sound of the letters on my t-shirts. He taught himself to read. By four he was a fluent reader. He would even help his older brother with his homework.

The baby is still to young to "wow" her with her specialness. I'll keep you posted on how great she is.

5/17/07 A Collective Sigh of Relief for the End of the Year

I am sure that I am not the only parent who loves having their children home for the summer. I LOVE MY KIDS!! I am jealous of the time that my children spend with their teachers. Only once have I looked forward to them being in school and that was after the baby had been sick for six days, which took place less than a week after another had been sick for six days, and a third had missed a day of school before her eighth grade trip to D.C. The second youngest told me that he had a headache and asked if he could stay home and I said, "No! I need you to go to school today." Those six days that the baby was sick I spent doing almost nothing while she laid on my chest with a 103 fever. I really enjoyed that first day with everyone healthy and doing what they were supposed to be doing.

So, with summer starting less than a week away I am wondering what fun things we might do. The two boys will be playing some baseball, and my oldest will be working. I think I might try to get my youngest boy (7) into a really neat science camp at a local hands on science museum. It is a little pricey, but there would only be one doing it. He would have a blast. He also MUST learn to ride his bicycle. He just hasn't wanted to and I have not been able to convince him that it is worth it. This will be my goal this summer.

Oh yeah, we are going to Arizona for a week in June. That should be fun.