Dictators, Basketball, and Fasting...OH MY!

Today is the first day back to school. I have been so lazily going through the holidays that it is a real switch for me. Being dictated by the clock is how I have always lived...rushing from one project or experience to another. Though it wasn't fun, it is how I lived...rush rush rush. Now, before I say I was never having fun before....let me say otherwise. I have always loved life. I just had a taste of living without much of a schedule over the holidays and really enjoyed it.

And now we are back to a routine....up early, breakfast, scriptures, prayer, teeth brushed, to school...and then MY stuff! Kids home and on we go to the after school activities.

Kelsey began basketball last night. It will be fun to watch her play. She is a natural.






The holidays were a blast, but just about the time Spencer knew he was going back to school he started getting upset that he couldn't find his folder. Poor guy! He just isn't very good at putting things back where they are supposed to go. We searched and searched and searched. The house was near immaculate (Demers' style, of course) before Christmas so I couldn't think of a place we hadn't at least moved something around. But ... we looked forever last night for it. Spencer went to bed in tears after a pleading prayer to find it. He came into my room at 10pm (still not asleep) asking if I had found it yet. Truth be told, I had stopped long before that....though I HAD been out in the bitter biting freezing cold weather to check the van (the same van I have cleaned out twice over the holidays). NO FOLDER! At 3:45 am Spencer woke up and came in to ask me if I had found it...and if I would help him look in the morning. IN THE MORNING...yes...NOT right then! I got up early and looked, to no avail. No folder anywhere. Spencer was up and ready quickly with his coat on and everything. Just before leaving I realized he hadn't eaten. "Spencer, you HAVE to eat before you go to school!" "No, mom," he said with tears welling up, "I am fasting so I can find my folder!" Wow...the faith of that child!

It was his turn to pray this morning....ironically?...so his entire prayer was a plea to help us find his folder. Scott and I promised that if we found it we would bring it to school. Knowing he was fasting made me look harder.....not wanting his childlike faith to waiver in any way. I thought all day (having NOT found it anywhere) how I was going to break the news...what he was going to learn from this experience...and how I was going to be a part of it.

I was on the computer just before he got home. I rushed upstairs to meet him just in time. I asked about the folder and he was super excited! He jumped into my arms and told me the story......

He had just finished telling his teacher about it and put his stuff in his desk...no folder. He went somewhere for something (I can't remember what activity) and when he came back he opened his desk and there it was. The look on his face was priceless....I don't think I'll soon forget it. But the feeling inside I KNOW I will never forget....I hope he doesn't either. His comment? "Wow, I guess there's actually something to this fasting thing!"

I am glad he gained a small testimony of fasting. It was an answer to my prayer. He TRIED to fast on Sunday, but couldn't wait til 9:30 for church before he ate. No worries...he'll get there, I thought. Little did I know he would get a shot at the real deal so soon.

I am glad that Kelsey is enjoying basketball.

And I am glad to have had a reprieve from watching the clock...but glad to be back on a routine.