[ improving ]

Yesterday was painful. Every bone in my body and every muscle, too, were letting me know that they weren't impressed with my bicycle somersault.  Today is MUCH better. My hand is not broken, just bruised and sprained but it's not very useful yet, just better than yesterday. My ribs are bruised, but I'll survive.

Steve has moved his prayer group meeting to a non-school day. So, the new routine every school morning in this house is this: Steve wakes the twins at 5. They are out running at 5:30. They are ready for school by the time he needs to leave for work, so James is out the door at the same time as he is. He can do homework, or whatever  at the picnic table until the bus arrives, but he can't come in to look for trouble. It has worked well for these two days so far. I make his meals and pack his lunch, but I am not the one trying to help him get ready and so far, so good. When they come home there's plenty of jobs in the yard. They are in bed by 7.

We have them signed up for a 2K run in June for something to look forward to and a reason to practice running. A 2K is nothing compared to what they are capable of, but that's what is available in our area on a Sunday for kids. It will be fun.

Running seems to be helpful in getting their heads on straight for the day. I know two other families that run with their kids for optimal mental health reasons. One little girl runs three miles every morning with her dad. The other runs longer distances with her dad in the evening and loves it.  My kids don't love it yet. Someday.

I got a call from James teacher. She wanted me to know that his day at school was exceptional yesterday. They are doing some testing and she had given him some goals to work towards. Sometimes he puts his mind to it and sometimes he doesn't give a lick... but  yesterday he blew right past her goals for him. He was proud of himself, too. 

Buddy's mom has been clean long enough now to start pulling herself together.  Vanessa is wearing thin, but is encouraged that she is now able to have more meaningful conversation and pray with her more effectively. This has been a journey. I pray God will give her victory in a way that she sees it was from Him. She must know wherein her strength lies.

Vanessa found out she is on a schedule in her nursing program in the summer during Sabbath hours. The teacher told them it was written in stone so not to ask for a change because it will be denied. Pray that she will find favor in her teacher's eyes when she asks for an exception. Thankfully it is a ONE time, two hour slot and not multiple days that would cause a huge problem for the others.

Brianna was at Lake Malawi, but she is now with my mom and some short term missionaries headed to Mom's project. They are having a lot of car trouble. The Lutheran "Motel" they stopped at for the night didn't have room for all of them... So she and my mom and another girl found themselves a "dump" for the night. I told her not to let the bedbugs bite. She said they have the bed bug spray with them.  :-0  They also left their valuables with the other people for safety reasons. Oh boy, sleep well. We'll pray.

I learned how to can dry beans yesterday. I pressure canned 14 quarts of different varieties. I found out that kidney beans swell up  more than the other kind, so two jars did not seal as they were too full. I'm canning some garbanzo beans today. It's good to learn new things.