J's first Concert on the Square

(Wednesday)
I had a slow moving morning so we were running late for Pal Zone, but still went since it runs for two hours. Usually, J goes right in and starts playing but today he wanted to sit on my lap for a bit. Maybe it was because we'd been away from this play group for a few weeks. He soon warmed up and found some toys. During circle/story time, it was so wonderful to watch J participating in the songs. For so long, he would just watch everyone else and listen, but today he clapped, wiggled his fingers, stretched out his hands, touched his toes, and other things following right along with our instructor. The book was about rubber duckies and the craft that went with it was making a duck. J really enjoyed using the paint brush to put on the glue. He kept giggling while he did it. I had to move him toward putting the feathers on though or he would've had a pool of glue.


When we got home, I had a stack of little art projects he's done and started hanging them up on our door. At lunch, he was saying no to everything I offered him so finally I just picked some left overs with rice and gave him a spoon. He said no to the spoon and says "I want a big guy fork." I don't know where he got that from, but it meant he wanted a grown up fork. Once he got that, he ate fine. He took an earlier nap since he didn't get one in the morning and we would be leaving early to meet friends downtown.

I continued reading Luke 22 today. In my devotional book, Beth Moore focuses on the argument between the disciples over who is the greatest. She mentions, before getting judgmental to notice how much we are actually like the disciples. Wanting attention, sometimes wanting the center of attention, craving acknowledgment, being self-focused/self-centered. Admitting we are also slow to learn and struggle with these things. She also shares how we need Jesus to "minister humility" to us. She has you picture Jesus washing the feet of the disciples, teaching and modeling humility. Lately, I've been seeing how so much of my life just revolves around me; my wants, my feelings, my need to be acknowledged or patted on the back. I see my lack of humility and desire to grow in this, that I would focus more outward. It's true that as you focus on others and serving, giving, you forget about the petty stuff of "the self". My prayer is that I would have more of a heart to serve; my friends, my husband, my son especially.

It was the opening night for Concerts on the Square where the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra plays six Wednesday nights in a row and people bring blankets and chairs to watch from the capital lawn. L and I met up with my friend Eileen, her husband and son Jackson. We had a great picnic dinner and enjoyed some nice music. We didn't stay for the whole thing as Jackson got a little antsy and we wanted to beat traffic. On our way out I saw more friends, Joan and Olivia so we stopped to chat for a bit. J had to get a bath when we got home with all the dirt and bug lotion on him. It was super quick.

(Thursday)

We had another play date with Joan and Heather and their girls. This time we went to Heather's house. The kids are really learning to play well together since they've been hanging out now for a while. J still tries to hug them too hard and they still have their squabbles, but it's fun to watch them learning to play together. They all sat on the floor together playing legos, then doing puzzles together.

Our sitter Karen came today to watch J while I went to my bible study. Bettye read something that I really liked. It said, those of us who have known the Lord for a long time sometimes forget all the times the Lord has rescued us and forget how much we have been forgiven for. I remember several months ago going through a little season where it really struck me how much I'd been forgiven. I continue to be reminded of what the Lord rescued me from in my depression and have flashbacks to the times when it was so hard just to function, let alone take care of a child. We continued in our book that reviews Ecclesiastes and today the topic was death, chapter 9. Not something we often talk about. We looked at the part where the author says many people are uncomfortable with death. This is often present at funerals. The author looks at that saying how being at a funeral forces us to face our ultimate reality. It is proof that we are not in control of our lives. This really makes me think about the verse, teach me to number my days (Psalm 90:12) I pray that I wouldn't just be existing, but living by giving of my heart. Even though I completely believe that my acceptance of Christ's death on the cross and Lord of my life has given me the gift of eternal life, I can't say I'm not scared of death. When I feel that way, I pray that I would die well. (This seems odd to talk about but it's the topic.) That I would hold onto Jesus and feel his presence like never before.

Karen said they had a great time playing and she had fun watching J play. He named his little people Simon and Robert while playing with them. Karen got to see him dancing when she played the music button one of his trucks. Later, we dropped by Joan's to give Olivia the rest of her birthday gift. They're getting ready for a weekend trip and it was time for J's nap so we didn't stay long. It's really cute hearing Olivia say J's name and J saying Olivia's name. They kept saying bye and hi to each other as we were leaving.

Dinner was pretty calm and afterward we played outside. Most of the time was with bubbles. Now that I know how to make them (mixing water and dish detergent) I can make up a huge batch each time. J got a lot of exercise running around trying to pop the big bubbles. Then we stopped at the Sonic drive-thru for a .99 cent sundae (which was more like a shake) which J and I shared before it was time for him to go to bed.