Hay Happens and Hay's Happen

January 14, 2016

Love is patient…Love is KIND

What do you look for in a school? Academics? Social aspects? Teacher/student ratios?….

All of these things mean something, sure. It’s important to have a balance in what goes into a school. However at this stage of Tot’s life, I’m sure adamant about a few things.

Kindness and Love. When Tatum and I enter a school, how do we feel? Do we feel the love of Jesus applied? Is it modeled or just taught? Is Tatum loved by the staff and by the teachers and other students? How is it modeled in the classroom?
OK, so why is this so important? Aren’t kind people walked all over? Aren’t they like doormats? Jesus would say no. Why? Because one can be kind and still filled with strength. He/she can have pride and honor in who they are (a child of God) and then have boundaries and how to be treated. Then, he/she can treat others the way God would treat those “others.” SO, it really does come down to love and kindness.
Hands-on. Do these teachers and staff get down on the kids’ level and read with them? Play with them? Respect them? Teach them manners? It’s not about just teaching, folks. It’s modeling and gettin’ dirty with ’em! We are all in this together, and these kids need to see our humility in the process of learning too. They see that we are doing the work with them! They will honor that process we engage in with them, and then WANT to be engaged too!

There are many more, but at this ripe old age of 3 and a few months, I’m pretty sure that is what I want in a school.
She’ll get her numbers, letters, colors, shapes, etc down eventually.

I’ll get her reading and loving it! But the school? Well she’ll be ENGAGED with OTHERS and learning kindness and love in action WITH (fill in the blank!). Yes… WITH!! (not “at”.. )

She’s swinging into action! (this picture was brought to you by the fabulous Douglas Hay)

Thank you, Paradise for Tots. I think we have a winner with your school!

January 10, 2016

A bit of this and that

And WHAP!

She swings and a HOME RUN! OK, well maybe a first base walk.

She was sure to hit it with that twist!

Then, she decided she’d be on a Clifford kick. When I came in and got her from nap, she was surrounded by all of her Big Red doggie books. She loves the one where he participates in Sports Day.

But no sooner did she want to try on her new present from her mommy. I couldn’t resist. With her now in gymnastics, I had to enable that little body to move. The second I put it on, she was wiggling and jiggling….

Clapping and tapping…..

Jumping and romping!The little bits of fun we have make up a great day of laughter and joy.

January 8, 2016

These two

We again went over to bring dinner to the LOVE family and see the new baby, Weston. I needed to hold him again. While there, Tatum and Robert were up to their usual craziness….running around in circles, pretending to be dinosaurs, chasing each other, playing “mall.” Apparently, Tatum told Robert he needed a Cardinal shirt to go the mall. OK. ?

So, they calmed down, and Tatum decided to read Robert a book.

He was distracted with her beauty and brains (heehee) and laid a big one on her. Oh, Robert!

January 8, 2016

Who let the dogs out!?

Tatum! They are living on the bed in a pack.

She was trying to figure out the names of all her dogs, because, well, that’s what girls do. They name things.

So she discussed it with me, and one of the dogs ended up with the name, “Neighborhood.” OK.

It’s a good thing I named Bella. You know that? (As Tatum would say)

January 7, 2016

Family value

So this makes me smile. Why? Because 2016 is becoming a year of family. Doug and I have talked about having more time with our families and friends as an “us.” UNITED. I sure love that. This picture has that written all over it. It’s so foreign to both of us (Doug and me) to have this cohesiveness as a unit, but we are going to learn and grow together as to what that looks like. Tatum and I appreciate this guy so very much. He is dependable, loyal, wise, loving, kind, and just adorable. He keeps me grounded as Tatum’s mom, as a daughter, as a woman, and as a friend. Valued.

January 4, 2016January 4, 2016

Firsts can be hard

They may be hard, but that is how we grow. How else can we become better if we don’t face our fears head on!?
7:06 Monday morning, January 4th. Tatum wakes me up, and I remember it is her FIRST DAY OF PRESCHOOL! Today!!! It has arrived. I know that I need to allow plenty of time for the usual tangents of the morning. Things don’t always go as planned with a three year old. Ok, with really any age, right?

She wanted to play with some Scrabble toys, pretending that they were ice cream cones. With that, she wanted to bring them to school. First “discussion” of the day. “Tatum, you can have them at home, but not at school. We will get dressed now.” Oops, I should have given her a choice to avoid anymore discussions! This caused a “moment” so I had to escape the premises for a few to let her calm down.

Finally after minutes of calming down, we arrived at the outfit and the teeth being brushed. Devotion, prayer and we have it. Success. Now, we have thirty minutes for a good breakfast. I was hoping to make her something special. She first wanted hugs and kisses because she knew she had been a bit difficult and was sad.

French toast, banana, milk and a few more hugs and kisses. Off to school.
What do I say in the car? Lecture her about listening to her teachers? Being kind? Sharing? To not poke people? Nope. I just tell her that I love her and I’m proud of her. I walked in and looked at Jerry, and said, “Can I have a hug?” I’m balling by now. Tot grabs my leg and I assure her I’m OK. We walk to her classroom, and she seems pretty happy. Where is Robert? He is late, so we end up chatting with Miss Jennie the teacher. I’m calming down, and Tatum takes off to play with toys. Not kids yet. She will get there.

I leave and realize…I’m OK. Coincidentally (ha), I ran into Pastor Tom at the gym right after and he tells me it’s a right of passage. It’s all good. Jennie, Doug, Gina, and Daisy all text me to tell me this, and I feel the presence of God. He sent all these angels to me today to remind me each “FIRST” is a growing opportunity.

Jennie texted me and told me that when Robert saw Tatum it was a sweet as thick syrup.

According to Miss Jenn and Miss Terri, you were a star! Kind, obedient, and fun. Hooray!

January 1, 2016January 1, 2016