Growing WarriorsJust your typical family…

Tooth issues,
originally uploaded by deannajo.

As I posted, Allison had her first wiggly tooth last week. Well yesterday we noticed the grown-up tooth behind it! And not making the baby tooth any looser. We were debating whether we should make her a dentist appt. or not, when Daddy took matters into his own hands. He swore he was only *looking* at the tooth. Next thing you know….tooth in hand, kid crying, and second kid (Meredith) traumatized trying to get promises lined up that Daddy will NEVER do that to her!

on Wed a very valued member of the AO community passed away during childbirth. She leaves behind 5 kids and a community reeling with the loss. I’m not an active member of the community, although I do use the AO curriculum, but this member contributed so much, and I have benefitted from her schedules and her advice….so in a way, she has touched even me, a stranger who didn’t even participate in the community. If she touched me, she has touched hundreds of others just like me. Her blog has as of this moment well over 100 comments expressing sorrow. The lists are buzzing with sorrow and desires to help the family. For every member that speaks up, I am sure there are 2 or more like me that don’t.

I just keep thinking about her family. They were happily preparing for this new member of their family. Happily homeschooling, parenting, and growing up, and now what? Five kids. No life insurance. She seemed like the kind of homeschooling mom I aspired to be.

My first thought this morning upon waking was “thank goodness I have another day with them”. My last thought before going to bed was the same thought I had all day yesterday…”what if” – I can’t even imagine. I want to wake up every morning thinking, “thank goodness I have another day”. You never know what can happen and how things can change in the blink of an eye.

We’re hooked. And it is trickling into how we parent. Eric started it….”GIRLS, dinner, or NO DINNER?”, “Your mom or $100, deal or no deal?”, Even looking for guidance as he seeks the answer to “BEER? OR NO BEER?” with his trusted family yelling from aside what he should do….”take the beer, take it! JUST TAKE THE BEER!” – “NO BEER, NO BEER!”

Even baby Lydia with her eternal negativity, chiming up with “no deal no deal no deal”