Let's see if I can get through this without crying! Hush! deutschman...hush!
Tomorrow is the 7th grade orientation. Tomorrow my baby gets on the big yellow bus and rides it to the big ole school (it's 7th-12th grade by the way)! We have always lived in walking distance to the elementary school, so I don't have the official 1st day of school photo by the bus. That scrapbook page(well it will be scrapped booked as soon as I do it!) has always been marked by my kids standing next to each other with their backpacks on next to the tree out front.
No, I will not take a picture of him as he gets on the bus tomorrow! That would not be cool! If I thought I could get the picture, I seriously would do it! So just wait...maybe I will! AH-AH-AH-AH (sinister laugh).
Ok I am prolonging the inevitable....you see starting next tuesday, either Jay or I will always drive the kids to the school. I have loved that time with Chelsea in the morning! Just she and I for the 10 minutes to start our day! Now Alex gets to join in on the fun!
Alex has not always been the easiest child to deal with. From the moment he was born the strong will was very apparent! He refused to sleep in his crib and then bed until he was in Kindergarten. There have been moments that he has looked at us and said, "I will not do what you want until I get what I want" Yes ladies and gentlemen, the kid in the Dobson book "Strong willed child" has NOTHING on Alex! I just laughed at that book and prayed my life would be that easy. For the first year of his life, I only slept about 3 hours a night. I had bruises on my arms and face from where I would walk into doorways and walls because I was soooooooooo tired! He screamed at people when they tried to talk to him.
Jay and I would just pray for God to lead us to become the kind of parent that he needed us to be for our son. It was hard. There were times when I wanted to give in and let him have his way. I knew in my heart of hearts that it would only hurt him in the long run. Jay and I often had to take turns dealing with Alex and his tantrums and strong willingness. There were times we often had to physically restrain him until he relented. It would take hours and upset Chelsea. We would tell Chelsea that Alex needed to learn this lesson to submit to his will to authority because God tells us to obey first. We obey Him and THEN we might get what we want but no matter what we surrender our will to His. Jay and I knew that if we didn't instill that in Alex then we could lose him when he hit teenagehood.
4th grade was another horrific year! We stayed on him like his life depended on it becuase in a way, it did. His spiritual life for sure and maybe his physical life. I would look at him and say to myself..."what is wrong with him!" "Why doesn't he get it?!" At one point Jay and I seriously considered having him tested for learning disabilities because he REFUSED to give in and learn his lesson.
5th and 6th grade were GREAT! He made the turn around the corner! That is not to say that he doesn't try from time to time to exert his will over ours but it is alot less frequent and not as strong. My prayer is that it doesn't rear it's ugly head like the first 10 years of his life again!
My point is this. Jay and I believe that you shape the spirit and break the will so that it can be submissive to the Lord's will. We also believe that what we do now is to raise a child of tomorrow. What we do now is to shape who they are as adults not just deal with the here and now.
I was watching Alex come out of the school today (he went with Chelsea while she got her locker) and it hit me! We are in a new phase of life! It is AWESOME!
Jay and I worked hard and cried tears and with God's help--I do believe we are on the other side! Alex is such a GREAT kid! He is funny and talented and yes he is strong willed. But I would rather him be strong willed with friends and drugs and alcohol and sex than with God's will. I am so proud of who he is! He is turning out to be such a fine young man. I know his cousins think so! His cousins have always thought Alex was DA BOM!
Thank you Lord for your steadfastness and faithfulness. Lord willing, we won't be going through the next 6 years like Alex's first 10 years!
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4 comments:
Our household definitely thinks that Alex is DA BOM! :)
Can't believe that Alex is going to be in 7th grade! Hope the kids have a good last weekend before school starts.
Love you guys!!
Oh Ellyn! Wow. I had no idea. What a great reward for such great parenting! I really admire you and Jay for always seeking out God's will and turning to Him for help. I've always thought you had great kids. Smart, active, polite and funny. (Sweetpea still talks about Chelsea!)
Oh Ellyn, what a great post. Alex is such a cool kid. I really appreciate the way that you and Jay have always seeked the will of God for your family and in your own lives - thanks for being a role model.
Thanks Ellyn! Wow. I feel like I missed a lot of Alex's very youngest years because I was in Arkansas during a lot of it. It was funny when I told James about him being born - since he was in Virginia :). Alex is so wonderful, and so loved by my strong-willed one - I have even used the possiblity of losing time with Alex as discipline. You have two great children and I am proud to be their Aunt :)!!
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