Bubbles

I'm not supposed to share tales from the daycare, but this only involves my son, so I think I'm safe. As a preliminary note, we were learning about rain this week and I had water in both tubs of the sensory table. Along about Wednesday, someone got the idea to add a squirt of hand soap to the water. Not exactly in keeping with the theme, but I'm supposed to embrace creative thinking and open-ended explorations, right? I let the hand soap stay.
It's center time and I hear several cries of, "Ummmmm, you are going to get in trouble," and, "Mrs. Jessica, Mrs. Jessica, look!" and I see that my son has stuck his head under the water in the sand and water table. Sigh.
"Jeremy Randall S____ get your head out of that water! That is an inappropriate use of the center." I can only embrace so much. "You go get a towel in the bathroom and dry off before you lose all center privileges, do you understand me?"

"Yes, ma'am"

And as he spoke, two enormous bubbles floated out of his mouth. It was like something from the movies. The whole class watched transfixed as they rose in the air and popped on the ceiling. Then we all burst into giggles.

A Different Point of View

I've been told I'm "better" (as in, "You're a better woman than me.") I've been told I'm a glutton for punishment. I've been told I'm sexually ignorant (in that I must not know what keeps causing this.) Strangers have regarded me as a freak of nature in "that no normal person could manage." Often, people have insisted that I am certifiably insane. But never--with regards to our family size--has anyone stated, implied, accused or even hinted that I possessed this character trait. Until today.
The master preached tonight at an assisted living prayer service. In an effort to preserve our precious family time, we joined him. As we filed into the community room:
Old lady 1: Oh, my he's brought his family with him.
Old lady 2: That can't be his family. He's brought the children's choir.
Old lady 1:You must be right....1..2..3...4..5...6. Are those children yours?
Me: Yes, ma'm
Old lady 1: All of them?
Me: Yes, ma'm.
Old lady 1: All six of them? Really?

Inwardly, I'm sighing, because if there is one place--no, two places--I expect (hope for?) a little break is with the older generation and brothers and sisters in Christ. It didn't seem as if I was going to get that here, and these folks were both. I mentally prepared a half dozen witty responses, flashed my biggest smile, and braced myself for the worst.

Me: Yes, ma'm all six.
Old lady: Six children! Think of it! Don't you feel selfish having six, when all mine are up and gone away from me?

And looking around at six beautiful faces singing hymns at the nursing home prayer meeting, I did feel mighty selfish indeed.

Enlightenment

While brushing Marina's hair--
Abby: with an equal mixture of shock and awe Mom. If it wasn't for adoption, I'd be the only girl in a family of boys.
Me: Yep, you are right.
Abby: now with wholehearted gratitude Thank you, Lord, for adoption!

Hello, Blog. It's Me...Jessica

I haven't posted in so long, blogger has disappeared from my drop down box. Who would have thought it could happen to me?
But this week, I have had a little breather. Our third full time employee started work on Monday and it has helped the load immensely. Of course, that will all be shot to heck as soon as we open our fourth classroom. The master and my father-in-law began work on the remodel today. The question that is posed to us most frequently these days is this: How is the daycare going?
In case you too are wondering, I'll share. I think you can tell by the infrequency of my posts that it is certainly keeping us busy. We have 36 children enrolled and growing constantly now. We had a dry spell for February and March, but are now averaging three new kids a week. I think in short order, we should come very near our licensed capacity of 58. Few centers, even those with long waiting lists, operate at 100% capacity. As I mentioned, we have three full time employees, plus I teach a class and the master does our after-schoolers.
We had a rather costly plumbing issue at the beginning of February. Something that was bound to happen with pairing a busy daycare with an antiquated septic system, but now that our bathrooms have been tied into our anaerobic system, we don't foresee any huge ($$$$) problems. We may need to put in new air conditioning units in the gym. Right now, the one operating system cools fine, but I'm preparing myself for that not being the case in June and July. After that point, (and this is counting chickens) we should begin making money. Quite a bit of money.
Emotionally, I suppose it is going better than expected. I knew I would love the kids, and I do. When I am away from the center, I am very glad for the break, but I'm still able to tell the children honestly that, "I missed you!" when I return. My licensing lady is someone that I don't feel is out to ruin me--or worse--so that is a huge relief. She came for her second of three visits last month and stayed for three hours, because she couldn't find anything wrong. YAY!! My biggest doubts were of how we, as a family, would adjust. The house is 10 times messier, and June Cleaver has left our home and may never return, but otherwise we're o.k. Sometimes it really bothers me, and I'll stay up to midnight organizing the pantry or folding 8 loads of laundry, but most of the time, I'm too tired to care.
But I miss all of you. Hopefully, with more hands on deck, I will be able to post more.

Pillow Case Dresses

Wanted to post the kids' Easter pictures. I'm so proud of how the girls' dresses turned out. Mom bought the pillowcases from a vintage linens dealer in Canton, and I sewed them into dresses for the little girls. You can't see it in the picture, but the bottom of Cara's dress is delicately embroidered with a floral pattern. So pretty! Makes me want to go back to Canton and buy that lady out. The pillowcases were pretty yellowed, and one had a bad rust stain on it, but after Mom soaked them in a special solution the dealer recommended, they were gleaming white.

I made Abby's dress, too, but not out of a pillow case. You just don't have quite enough material in a pillow case to cut a dress for a nine year old. At least, not one suitable for wearing to church.