Yes, I know you are listening

So, after my rant about almost everyone overlooking the positive of my first born something special happened. Last week was the Scout Mass at Church. Numer One Son and Number One Daughter did a great job during the entrance procession. The Wolf Den sat together with their Akela in the middle, the Wolves were packed in one row like little blue sardines. Number One Son did so well. I was in awe of how he did everything he was supposed to do. Sleepy, hungry children do a good job in Mass as long as it is in the morning. After Mass, a lady came up to me and asked if I remembered her? She was one of Number One Son's CCD teacher from last year. She and the other co-teacher were always complementary to him. I remember her saying how special he was. We found Number One Son after Mass, he remembered her and immediately told her that he had made his First Confession. I was so happy to run into her; although, I know it wasn't an accident. Thank you my Lord and Savior!

and another thing...

I have great empathy for Big Sister who screamed that she was, "So tired of children not wanting to play with Number Three Nephew!" He has a speech disorder and ADHD. I am really tired of hearing things that are wrong with Number One Son! I took him to a NeuroSensory specialist yesterday. I heard from a friend that this clinic treats patients and their food allergies get better. The doctors are ENTs so I was familiar with the terminology and several of the tests. Number One Son's processing is so delayed that he didn't even score. I knew he was slow to respond, now I know why. He also has a mild low frequency hearing loss and high frequency hypersensitivity. The doctor seemed very positive. He had us go to the lab for bloodwork and he will start medication to help his immune system. After we get the bloodwork back, possibly more supplements and daily shots. I don't know how we are going to afford this and yet, we can't afford not to. If he gets better, the little ones are next. Ugh! The thought of having to give Number One Daughter a daily shot makes me want to run and hide. I was griping that rarely do I hear good things, other than how beautiful they are, from anyone. My friend reminded me how compassionate Number Obe Son is, yes he is, and for that I am very grateful. It is so hard for me when others don't see or recognize all the wonderful traits my little gifts from Heaven possess. Outside of the Dentist and Occupational Therapy, where he was constantly struggling to do anything right but, the therapist LOVED him, we pretty much hear only negative reports. I hate that! A little constructive criticism goes much better with praise too. Motherhood is so hard!

Cleaning Up

Number One Son made his First Confession last week. He felt si good afterwards that he said he wanted to go again this week. Hubby was at work, so 30 minutes before scheduled confessions, I had him come inside to clean up. He joyfully came inside and cleaned up, well everything except his hands. After sending him back to the bathroom three times, I helped him clean the dirt from the top of his hands, fingernails and wrists. He made sure to point out what was clean. We waited for an hour and a half and he sat with our Priest and finished up what he started last week. Reflecting on the day, maybe my lesson was about cleaning up our souls. Number One Son did the best he could do on his own, but then he needed me. Our cumulative confessions are like the repeated trips of Number One Son to wash his hands. Our Father in Heaven cleans our souls through the gift of reconciliation and by the grace of God, he accepts us, poor sinners, to be with him forever.

Kisses for Jesus

Yesterday before Church, Hubby and I gave verbal expectations about behavior. Number Two Son was feeling chatty, so I stepped outside with him (it was my turn). Number One Daughter was especially wiggly and after Mass, Hubby gave her a C-. She was livid, she wanted a B (her name starts with a B, she could care less about an A)! She cried all the way home. I told her I'd take her to the Adoration Chapel so she could apologize to Jesus. Well, she cried for another 45 minutes and then she was ready to go to Church. She told me she wanted to stay "10 minutes," her favorite number right now. She did a great job, the benches are a bit squeaky, and every time she heard a sound, she whispered how noisy the chairs were. She spent some time on her knees, laying down, posing like the Angel statues on either side of the monstrance holding the Blessed Sacrament. It was very sincere and quite adorable. After about 20 minutes, she got more chatty and more wiggly, so I told her time was up. She spontaneously blew kisses to Jesus, very sweet. Even though she deserved an A, I gave her a B and she was happy.

Smart Puppy!?!?!?!?

Yesterday it was 20 degrees at 11:00 AM. I took the dogs out to the backyard and while I was uncovering the chickens, Smart Puppy darted out the fence. He was fairly predicatable In his run away routine...church parking lot, apartment complex, neighbor's yard, but then after many, many "Smart Puppy!" and "Come here Pup-Pup!" He ran toward a four lane street that intersects our street. Smart Puppy ran on the sidewalk for about five feet before heading out to the busy street. Four lanes of traffic stopped, friendly folks opened their windows and car doors to try and help a frantic dog-mommy chasing a frisky poodle in powder blue flannel pajamas with chocolate cupcakes printed on them. After almost being nabbed by a heroic cowboy in a big silver pick-up, Smart Puppy headed back down our street. I ran home and told Number One Son to put on his shoes and coat, while o was yelling him, Smart Puppy ran in the door. That is not the end of the story. I've had a nasty upper respiratory virus for almost a week. Running around in freezing weather for who knows how long, resulted in an asthma attack. I don't have asthma, but Number One Son does. In between short honking breaths, I told Number One Son to get his rescue inhaler. Bless his heart, he brought me the right one (he uses two) quicker than I've ever seen him follow a direction. I would have called 9-1-1 if we didn't have a rescue inhaler, I could not breathe. When we picked Hubby up from work, Number One Son told him, "Momma's face was purple!" Today, asthma is a blessing.

Sibling Bonds

Earlier this week, we were driving home from our co-op, it was unusually quiet in the car and Number Two Son was talking (Praise God!), I tuned in to listen and he was listing our family, "Momma, Daddy, Number One Son, Number One Daughter, Baby Sister..." and he kept repeating the list over and over again. Later in the day, when I was finishing up making some beaded gifts for RE teachers, he ran up to my bead work station and said, "Help Momma, baby..." all of the children helped me make a Chaplet of Divine Mercy to bury with the baby right before we buried her. I pray that as the children grow, they will continue to listen to their special Saint in Heaven. I would have never imagined the fruit of our sufferings. All children are gifts from God, even the ones we only know in our hearts and prayers. 

Reconciliation

Last night we took our RE class to confession during the regular Wednesday confession. When it came down to only the children who had made their first confession and first commuinion, we had four, 4, quatro out of 13. No wonder they ask so many questions. It was at the insistance of my wise co-teacher, sign language interpreter that we took the kids. It was a really wonderful class. One of our students that is deaf didn't bat an eye, she willingly went to confession knowing that the Fr. Mike didn't sign. She nodded her head that she can speak, but she doesn't in class, but she did with the priest. Last night was a lesson in how eight and nine year old children trust in Jesus. The other students prayed a decade of the Rosary while we waited and when we went back to class and read a story about Our Lady of Guadalupe. I left class with Peace, hugs and kisses from Heaven. Thank You Jesus, Mary, St. Faustina and little Faustina Mary Elizabeth, I love you with all my heart!