Joshua's school update

I am a horrible blogger as the two people who read this site know, but I wanted to share with you that Joshua got into a Selective Enrollment School in CPS, which he will be attending next year.  Praise God!  As Andy and I prayed over next year, we really felt that Skinner North would be the best fit for Joshua, not even knowing that much about the school, and that is where God wanted him to be!  We are hoping to be salt and light for Jesus at that school and will see why God has put us there

Said by Joshua recently

Yes, I am ashamed that my babysitter writes these things down more than I do.  Part of what makes her a GREAT sitter!  Go Gwen :)  The first one was said to her on Saturday AM.
"Hey Studee.  Studee, come over here! (to Wesley)  Sometimes I call him Studee and sometimes I call him Wesley."(an explanation to Gwen)
On the way to Costco later that day, we were talking about things that go.  Cars, trains, planes, and the like.  I told Joshua that his Uncle Jon (my brother) helped to build a car while he was in college (he was on his school's Baja team where kids build an off-road car to race).  Joshua was super impressed and then asked me what I built when I was in college.  When I told him nothing, and started to talk to him about what I did study, biology, he quickly followed up with "Did you build a motorcycle or scooter, even?"  I guess I have fallen a few rungs in coolness compared to Uncle Jon.  Oh well, my other brother, Tom, is downgraded in coolness too as he didn't help build a car either.  Joshua told me that he wanted to work on rocket ships or planes when he grew up.  He categorized these as "things that fly and have motors and go very fast".  Good thing the kid is good at math, I may have a future rocket scientist on my hands!

To give Wesley more equal blog time.  He IS talking, sorta.  He can say Mama, Dada, and I swore I heard brother (although it sounded more like bubba).  He also knows the signs for please and milk (which impressed the aforementioned Gwen).

I just don't get little boys somedays :)

Yesterday, Andy was helping Joshua with bed time. While Joshua was brushing his teeth, I told him that it was time to change toothbrushes as his current one was old. I then went out to the car to bring a few things in. A minute later, Andy comes running out of the house saying "Joshua is in big trouble". I couldn't see his face becasue it was dark, but I saw he was shaking. I was worried he was really angry. He starts to tell me what happened, and I realized he was laughing and had to leave the house because he didn't want Joshua to see him crack up because of what went down. After JP finished brushing his teeth, he threw the tooth brush in the toilet, peed on it, and flushed it down the toilet. Andy kept saying "Don't put your toothbrush in there! Stop!" to no avail. After he flushed it down the toilet he looked at Andy and said that is where old toothbrushes go, at which point, Andy ran out of the house to find me. We couldn't get our laughter under control enough to think up a consequence or discipline him. Oh well!!

Funny

Ok, I have to remember this when I am stressing about CPS stuff.  The week before Christmas Joshua had his selective enrollment CPS test.  No, I don't know how it went, but when he came out of the testing room he said with a grumpy look on his face: "They didn't give me any hints, mom".  Oops, I guess I do too much coaching with the boy. 

I finished!

So, I finished the marathon on Sunday.  It ended up being HOT and I didn't have my best day ever, but I ran it in under 5 hours which was my goal (4:57:10, to be exact).  Lots of walking happened after mile 22, but I did finish running!  Thanks to all who supported me from far away, my running partner Kim (who I stuck with until mile 17), my awesome training group (go Niles CARA!), and my friends and family who made it out that day (Scott and Emily, Dad, my brother Jon, Joshua, and Andy).  A special shout out to Andy who made it possible for me to train for this thing and made the day special.

Here is a pic of me with my friend Kim around mile 12, while we still looked good ;)

Thing things that come out of that boy's mouth...

Well,
Joshua is quite the talker and negotiator. Here are a few of his recent highlights for me to remember:

1.) Today at breakfast, Joshua saw some cookies I had on the counter. He asked if he could have one, and I said no. He asked why not and I said because I said so and I am the mom, hoping that would be good enough, but of course it wasn't. After a few seconds of silence he said, "The Bible says I can have one". I guess he thought I wouldn't argue with the Bible! (He still didn't get a cookie) I suppose if he comes up with a book, chapter, and verse justifying a cookie at breakfast I will give it to him.

2.) On the way to school he asked how old I was when I stopped going to school. I told him I was 26 when I finished grad school and he said: "I am going to be in school until I am 30. When I 30 I will go to chess school so I can put Daddy in checkmate." Guess who has been teaching the boy chess?

3.) He also had a few doozy questions for us. The other week he asked: "Mommy, why are people in Africa poor?" Talk about a PhD dissertation!

As much as the dramatics of this age frustrate me, I LOVE seeing how his mind works and he is changing and growing as a little boy!

Joshua checking me out on our trip to Colorado

I'm so excited!

I got my official confirmation ticket for the Chicago Marathon today! Only 20 days away. I did read through the entire booklet like a dork. If you want to try to find me running the course, let me know!
On a related note. I made it through the 20-miler this past Saturday. It poured (think torrential downpour with thunder and lightning) for the last 3 1/2 miles. My running parter (shout out to Niles Kim!) and I kept shouting "We rock! We are so hardcore! You are awesome!" to make it through those last miles when our legs were dead and it was cold and rainy. The scariest part was running over the Oakton Bridge, which was a concrete and metal river while there was lightning. I am so thankful for my training group as they are so supportive and encouraging.