Sunday Funday

Today turned out to be a good and humorous day with the kids. Jack is maturing so fast and making me so proud. Today, at Sunday school, one of his classmates brought doughnuts, granola bars and juice for a snack for the entire class. All on his own, Jack chose to only eat a granola bar. "The doughnuts were 19 carbs. The granola bars were 18. The juice was 21," he told me. "If I'd eaten everything, I would've had like 60 carbs and that would have made my blood sugar go really high. I didn't want to do that. So I just ate a granola bar." I told him I thought he'd made a wise decision and that he'd made me very proud. "It was a tough decision, mom," he said. "I really, really, really wanted a doughnut." I can not get over the fact that Jack resisted the temptation and made such a good choice. That's just so...so..."not six." On top of that, his math, adding up the carb counts, amazed me, too. That's not first-grade math...at least not at this point in the academic year. In school, his math currently consists of adding two single-digit numbers, like two plus nine and eight plus eight, not 19 plus 18 plus 21. I have to say that there's a part of me that felt sad for him. I wish he could be more carefree and able to eat whatever he wanted like his classmates. In general, I don't compare my kids, but in sharp contrast to Jack, Madeline made a poor decision this afternoon. She forged my initials on her Sunday school homework. That was the first time she'd ever done such a thing...I think. But I had to laugh. First, she did a really good job at writing my initials the way I do. It wasn't as if she'd copied something. She'd just quickly signed off on her homework the way I do on her math and spelling worksheets from school. Her handwriting looked exactly like my handwriting! I mean exactly like it! I had no idea my seven-almost-eight-year-old possessed such talent! ;) Second, I find it funny that it was on her Sunday school homework, of all things, that she'd committed such a crime. Sunday school! It's where, besides at home, she's supposed to be learning to be a good person, to do the right thing, to respect others, to uphold the Ten Commandments, to honor thy mother and father, etc., etc., etc. The irony is too funny. Madeline fessed up, however. Guilt got to her. She couldn't stand it. She showed me what she'd done. She was smart enough to use a pencil and she decided to erase my "fake" initials. We, then, talked about what she'd done, reviewed her homework together, and after she shed a few tears, Madeline laughed about it with me. I don't think she'll be doing that again any time soon. But, I know, I know, I need to watch out in the future! Jack and Max also made me laugh this afternoon. They were outside on our backyard patio, riding their bicycles. Max suddenly ran into the house, zipped into the kitchen, snatched a roll of paper towels, said not one word, and then bolted out the door to return to his brother. I couldn't figure out why he'd wanted the paper towels. So I went to the back door and called out, "Hey guys, what are you doing?" I should have known better. "Nothing!" they replied in unison. "Nothing" is never a good answer. So I spied on them. They unrolled the towels to make "roads" or "pathways" on the patio. I watched as they rode their bikes over the paper towels, and I then returned to the pot of chili I had simmering on the stove, leaving them alone. A few minutes later, the boys disassembled their drag way, and Max ran into the house again, carrying the paper towels, dirty and re-rolled. Grinning and happy, he flew into the kitchen, returned the paper towels to their home, and then left before I could say a word. I unraveled the soiled towels and tossed them in the trash. I never said a word to the boys. I let them think they'd just gotten away with something. Why spoil their fun? It's now nearly 11 p.m. A little while ago, I peeked in the kids' bedrooms, as they slept. They all looked so innocent. If only they really were so innocent ... ;)