It's been awhile. We've been busy and I keep forgetting my camera!! I thought I'd start the year with an update on the kids.
Matt is 5 and is in Kinder at St. Mary Magdalene. God blessed us with another great teacher. Ms. Marchesani is a recent Baylor grad (yes a Baylor grad in a Catholic school) and is WOW amazing. She's fun, yet strict and she has taught Matt so much already.
Starting in January he came home with books to read for homework. The first time I planned on this homework activity taking awhile so I allotted plenty of time. We had 2 books to read...about 15 pages each. Doug and I couldn't believe he could read all by himself! Sure he'd look at the picture to figure out some words, but read most of it on his own. Now when we're driving he reads signs and as always, asks a million questions. After Valentine's day he wanted to have a box of conversation hearts that one of his classmates gave him. So I said yes but he had to read them to me. He got about 90% correct but one that he got wrong said "Sweet Pea" and Matt said "Sweat Pee". He had a funny look and said "like you're peeing?". I couldn't help but laugh so hard!!!
Matt recently had baseball tryouts and worked like crazy getting ready for them. Dad took him out to the fields to practice and Matt is just relentless. He could practice all day without complaining or getting tired. It's sort of unreal. He started to get nervous as tryouts approached. He was having trouble throwing the ball. He asked Doug what happens if no one picks him to be on their team? Doug told him he would get picked as long as he hustled, listened to what the coaches told him and said "yes sir" to whatever they asked. It was okay if he couldn't throw. So Matt kept working. He also would pin Coach Joel down at school and ask him to please pick him even if he didn't do good! I thought this was a great teaching moment so I taught him Joshua 1:9:
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.
That seemed to help because he rocked it at tryouts!! Coach Joel happened to be pitching when it was Matt's turn and Matt nailed a line drive right back at him and poor Coach Joel jumped and fell in a push-up position to the ground! We were thankful that Coach Joel did get to pick Matt, and Doug will be helping coach too. We've started practice and it's going really well. I think ALL the boys are having fun!
When I think about Matt I can't believe he has grown up so much. He's not perfect, but the years of discipline and great teachers have really turned him into a neat kid. I love how he takes his sister's hand and walks into school everyday. I love when he is sad and looks at me with those big, beautiful blue eyes with long eyelashes. I love that he's already embarrassed when I try to kiss him at school and he laughs when I give him the biggest kiss possible. I love how he runs like an 80 year old grandma - shoulders up, arms bent with his fists to his shoulders, with the smallest steps you can imagine. I love how he helps me and Doug and Marlie with pretty much anything - how he wants to get the trash can on trash day, how he helps me and Marlie clean around the house (because Marlie is not much help here) and how he loves to take care of our dog Hannah. I love how he loves to go to Nene's house and help her in the garden. I love how he comes home and immediately turns the TV to channel 33 - ESPN, and watches it. I love how he gets crazy excited when a team makes a big play when he's watching a game. I love how he says his prayers at night and tries to get all the prayers in before it's my turn. And mostly, I love how he looks at his Dad like he is the greatest man on earth. No matter how hard Doug is on him. Thank you God for Matt!!
Here's a recent picture I took of my "sweat pees" on Go Texan day! They looked adorable!