I forgot to mention that Benji got a new calling last month - to be a stake seminary teacher. It is a stake calling because the classes are usually split by high schools, not by wards, so there is some overlap between wards. Since a high councilman set up the meeting to extend the calling, we went through the stake callings directory to speculate what it might be. We had decided it must be the stake young men's presidency, since there was an opening. Surprise! Seminary Teacher!! Oh - and by the way, it had started the preceding week! Be there at 6am tomorrow for a week of observation! It was very unexpected, but not completely unwelcome. Our family has gone through an adjustment to accommodate the requirements for the calling. The biggest thing is bedtime. The kids are ready for bed around 8pm. On school nights, Benji usually has his light out around 9pm. We have been getting up earlier. It's kind of funny - Benji admitted to me that he had been praying for better scripture studying. I confessed I had been praying to wake up earlier - have I mentioned that I've always wanted to be a morning person? Well, we each have the opportunities now! I am really excited for Benji's calling. I am trying not to feel a little left out, in fact. I'm attempting to keep up with the lessons. I did get to substitute for him the other day when he had to work late, and get a taste for it. Fun times. T woke up almost right after I left ... so I'm not sure how worthwhile it was. T was back asleep by the time I got home, though.
We went to a Samurai exhibit at the Birmingham Museum of Art. Nice museum, by the way - actually fairly kid-friendly! This was one of our field trips with our field trip group. We split into groups of about 11 (Benji came too - that was fun), and went on guided tours. Our tour guide was extremely patient with the children - a grandma. E told her she liked her necklace, and she said it belonged to her great-grandma! I think E was the oldest one in our group, and she was able to ask and answer a lot of questions and make comments. She did so very appropriately, with raising her hand, and patiently waiting. She had a lot of excitement. Before we went on the tour, I had the kids practice "soldier arms." J did so well with not being able to touch things! Here, the kids are trying on a samurai costume. It's a little big, but a cute photo op. That is J's "attack" pose.
If you ever wondered what T would do if he got to roam loose in the car ... well, first, he sat in E's seat and viewed the world from there. Second, he sat in J's seat and viewed the world from there. Third, he sat in the driver's seat, and viewed the world from there. Ever learning, ever experiencing, that one.
E's turn to explore the zoo with Mom and T, while J attended a fun explorer class at the zoo. She makes a good lion!
I recently bought the children raincoats (for all 3), and boots and umbrellas (just for the older two). They are so proud of their new gear. They've already broken both umbrellas. At first, I tried to counsel them to stop playing with them, to hang them on the hooks by the back door. Don't do that; it might break. Then, I decided it was futile, and it didn't matter if they broke them, because it wasn't like I had to buy them new ones. Ay caramba. Maybe they will learn a lesson. So today (Friday), we had our first big downpour since they got their raingear. Actually, two big downpours. They were so DELIGHTED to go splashing outside and down the street. E says they pretended our driveway was a river. They even filled their boots with water with all the splashing. So ... I'm not sure how effective the gear is ... but it was worth it just to see their delight.
