Good morning. It's Monday and the start of a new week.

After speaking with Grandma Bishop, I feel renewed and determined to be the calm and consistent disciplinarian. It is vital for laying the groundwork for who they are now, who they are going to become, and how we will interact when they are teens and beyond. So, no matter how tired, or what I am in the middle of and feel I have to complete, I will prioritize discipline. It sounds awful, the consequence is more "testing" from the boys, or outright disbelieve that I mean what I say and then rampant disrespect for me and the rules. I have to stop this now before the Tests, subjects and consequences are greater.

So on the heels of this reaffirmation of what I should do, I prayed.

This fit right in:

I asked God for strength that I might achieve.
I was made weak that I might learn humbly to obey.

I asked God for health that I might do greater things.
I was given infirmity that I might do better things.

I asked for riches tha I might be happy.
I was given poverty that I might be wise.

I asked for power that I might have the praise of men.
I was given weakness that I might feel the need of God.

I asked for all things that I might enjoy life.
I was given life that I might enjoy all things.

I got nothing that I asked for---
but everything that I hoped for...

Author Unknown, but I received it in my MOPS newsletter.

So, we are going to stick pretty close to hope today. Gas prices you know. If the weather becomes more clear and less wet, I might mow the lawn. But I have the kitchen to clean and the floors to vaccum. Perhaps to be ambitious, the laundry to process.

Caleb is starting to read words. I make a deal with him, I read the books if he will read certain words in the book. hers. At first he was not focusing. But I explained to him that I was trying to help him. When he goes to Kindergarten, he doesn't want to be the kid who can't read, and is put in back of the class and called stupid, rather he wanted to be the kid who knew how to read and was well liked and asked to be helpful to other kids and the teacher. That seemed to click the motivation on.... Last night, Caleb read: Good, green, God, mom, ran, run, and a few other words. And he was really excited about it and told Daddy. I hope this continues. Reading is a MAJOR milestone in life.

I'm hopeful that by September, Caleb will know how to read and Josh will use the potty. Yesterday used the bathroom, notice I didn't say the potty... because as Daddy tells the story, I was not the potty, but the front of it and the floor, so the word bathroom is a better description. It's a frustrating mess, but at least he got the room right.

Persistence, sigh, persistence.