Bible Bee

The older 3 children participated in the local Bible Bee yesterday.

2012 is the 4th year for the Bible Bee.

This was Jersey #1's 3rd year participating.  She was part of the 1st and the 3rd annual Bible Bee as well.   (The 2nd annual Bible Bee was in 2010, the year of Jersey #2's heart surgery, so we cut out most activities that year).

It was Jersey #2's 2nd year participating.

It was Jersey #3's 1st year participating.

Bible Bee 2009:

Bible Bee 2011:

Bible Bee 2012:

All 3 were in the Primary Division this year, which is for ages 7-10.  Technically, they were competing against each other.

Only, we did not do enough preparation and study to actually be competitive.  This summer was extremely busy for us.  It did not take long to get behind on the sword study and the verse memorization.  Before I knew it, we were WAY behind.  I tried to find bits of time to get the kids motivated to study for the Bible Bee, but that did not happen.  At one point, when the local director sent an email announcing the final date to withdraw from the bee, before the paperwork was all printed, I was tempted to quit.  I decided to stick it out, and told myself that we could still do well with some strong effort over these last two weeks.

That did not happen.  Our days were packed.  There was not enough time to focus, let alone cram.  All throughout this final week, I debated as to whether I should have the children participate and carry through with our commitment, or should I have them withdraw?

I wanted them to stick it out and give their best effort.

But, I did not want to push them into a situation where they would be so embarrassed by failure, that they had ill thoughts and feelings about studying the Bible.  

After many days of kicking myself for not letting it go earlier, and allowing us to get over-scheduled (again), I decided to just go with what we had.

I sat the kids down and had a talk.  I explained to them that in light of our extremely busy summer, I should not have insisted we also participate in the Bible Bee.  It was too much.  I admitted that I should have let go of that plan months ago, and taken the pressure off.  They were happy to hear that.

I then explained to them that it was too late to quit now, so we were going to go and participate.  We would go with the amount that was already studied, and let that be good enough.  I expected them to do their very best, with a happy heart.  I would not accept drama or grumpiness over their performance, or over getting competitive.  They agreed.

Next, I discussed a little deeper that ANY amount of study of the Bible is good.  ANY number of verses they memorized was a good thing.  We should not feel bad for the amount that was accomplished.  We should feel good for putting the effort into Bible study, because it is so very important.

But, I also explained that when it comes to competition and achievement, the level of effort, diligence, and preparation, are important.  If you want A's, you have to do A-quality work.  If you do C-quality work, you earn a C.  It is just that simple.

In the end, they were content to participate without the expectation of having to perform well.  We talked about how to handle the stress of not knowing the verses in the oral round, or not knowing the answers on the written test.  I anticipated that Jersey #3 would have some trouble with the actual reading and comprehending the written test, so I explained how to guess and select an answer on a multiple choice test anyway, instead of leaving it blank.  

I also told the children that I would not be signing us up for the Bible Bee next summer.  I was not going to require that of them.  

They all approached Bible Bee day with great enthusiasm.  The pressure was off, and they were going to have fun with the other kids.  They had a blast!

   

They had only memorized 20% of the list of verses, but they learned those so well that they received many points during the oral round.  Jersey #1 told me she was thankful I talked her into learning 1 more verse this week, because that verse was on the test, and she recited it well.

Jersey #3 was proud of himself for completing the written test quickly.  He did not really know many of the answers, but he was pleased to take a guess and fill in a bubble anyway.  

Jersey #2 took the whole thing in stride.

At the closing ceremony, the participants were given an opportunity to stand in front of the crowd and recite a verse.  My children declined that offer.  It was one of our agreements--I would not make them recite in front of the crowd at the end of the program.  They each took turns looking at me to see if I was going to make them recite, but I did not.  

Each participant received a medal, a certificate, and a goody bag.  It is fun to get things to take home at the end of a big day.

The participants who scored in the top 5, on the oral and written exams combined, received additional prizes.

Much to my absolute shock, all 3 of my children placed in the top 5!

They did WAY better than I ever expected of them.

At lunch, when Jersey #1 started calculating that she thought she could have earned 3rd place, I cautioned her to not expect to place this year.  She did not prepare well, and lost many points.

She earned 3rd place!

Jersey #3 earned 4th place.  

Jersey #2 earned 5th place.  She was initially upset that her younger brother scored higher than her.  I reminded her that in Bible Bee, points are lost when you repeat parts of the verse that you already said.  Right now, she is in a huge phase of repeating herself mid-sentence.  That carries over into her verse recitation as well.  It just doesn't have an effect during AWANA, like it does for Bible Bee. After she heard my explanation, she was no longer concerned over how her brother performed better.

As we talked about how each child did on their oral and written exams, I learned that although the children did not study all of the verses on the Bible Bee list, the ones they learned were recited accurately.  Even though they did not complete all of the components to the sword study, they all read the book of the Bible multiple times, and were familiar enough with the subject, to answer questions on the written exam.  (And, lucky for them, some of the other contestants were less prepared, or more nervous, or something).  

My fears that I was setting my children up for failure have been relieved.  I think we all learned some pretty good lessons through this experience.  I am most pleased with how joyfully my children participated in the Bee.

Now, they are talking about wanting to participate again next year...

AWANA

AWANA is in full swing again this school year.

We participate in an AWANA club that offers everything.  It is a very large, well-ran program.  They offer groups for ages 2 through high school.  It is incredible.

This year, we have 2 girls in T&T (Truth & Training), 1 Sparks (WingRunners), and 2 Cubbies.  

...and I took the plunge and joined on as a leader this year.  I am an assistant leader in Cubbies.  In the past, I was always on site, but I would float around from class to class, assisting each week.  This year, I figured I would be hanging out with my Cubbies most of all anyway, so it was a good year to be a leader.  So far, so good.  I am not much of a fan of wearing polo shirts, but otherwise I am having a good time.  Those adorable preschoolers are fun to hang around with.  

I love AWANA.  It is such a fun program.  There are many aspects that remind me of Scouts, such as the uniform, earning badges, eating snacks, and making crafts.  I like all those things, and it is great social fun.  But, the part of AWANA I love the most is the book program.  The kids recite Bible verses each week to earn badges for their uniforms.  In addition to the verses, they have many activities to complete, relating to the verses and themes being learned, ranging from crossword puzzles, bible studies, looking up verses in the Bible, and decifering secret codes.  There is usually some form of activity involving learning about missionaries, each year, as well as service projects.  As much as I like the Bible curriculum AWANA offers, I especially appreciate the way the kids are learning to apply those biblical principles in their day-to-day life.  THAT is the part of Christianity I want my children to take to heart--the love of Christ is an action verb.

Our children all appear to be over-achievers.  They get a double dose of that, as The Referee and I are both guilty of having high standards for ourselves.  Pushing ourselves too hard can lead to many frustrations, so I try to halt the kids before they go that far.  My rule for AWANA is that the children may complete as many sections of their books as they want each week, but they must do it thoroughly and cheerfully.  Memorizing the Word of God should be a positive thing.  The moment the tears start to fall, or the whining begins, because they are trying to do more than they can handle, I put a halt to the amount they are allowed to attempt.  So far, it has only taken 1 incident each, of me halting their plans, before they realize that I am not going to budge on the happy heart requirement.

Jersey #1 set a terribly high standard in her achievements, and her siblings are using that as a baseline for their own efforts.  As a result, Jersey #1 and Jersey #2 are trying to complete in 1 week, what is expected to complete in 1 month.  Recently, they have both been talking about ways they can go even further above that goal.  Part of me thinks they are crazy, and part of me is just fascinated by their determination.  Their ability to memorize...and then never forget....is incredible.    

When he puts his mind to it, Jersey #3 can memorize very quickly.  He has an advantage in that he has listened to his sisters go through these verses for a couple years now.  He has already heard it all before.  Some things he can already recite, even before he gets to that section of his book.  Another component to his personality is that he is much more disciplined to study every day.  He also uses the CD that is in the back of his book that is similar to a read-along book format.  He listens to the stories and readings over and over again any time he is asked to clean his room.  We also have some of the CDs that puts the verses to music.  It appears that Jersey #2 and Jersey #3 both learn well with the audio tools and rhythm.  Jersey #3 is enjoying this year of AWANA so much that his book achievements are almost as exciting to him as snack time!  That says a lot, coming from the child who rates every activity based on what was for snack. 

Cubbies learn a verse a week, all together.  There is also an extra section of their book, Under the Apple Tree, that is not required.  Some of the kids completed that section the first week.  It is done at home with their parents.  Well, Jersey #4 caught wind that there was more work that could be done, and that a sticker is awarded for it, so she has now insisted that she complete all of the Under the Apple Tree sections too.  If she is already starting out this determined while in Cubbies, I am nervous to see what she tries to accomplish when she is in the older programs.

Jersey #5 is our laid-back child.  He just goes with the crowd.  He is excited about the Cubbies vest, and excited about the snack.  If he has to recite a verse to get those things, that works for him.  Other than that, he is just happy to go along with the activities and have fun.  

Weight!

I need to vent.

Brace yourself.

I joined a gym and started exercising regularly.  I need to lose weight.  I really wanted to lose my "mother's apron" (that wimpy flap of tummy fat that is the result of many, frequent pregnancies, and 2 c-section surgeries.....and the fact that I did nothing to improve my tummy region between each such event). 

I did not struggle with weight or fitness issues in high school because I played sports.  One winter, during swim season, our swim team was required to participate in step aerobics classes at the gym, while our pool was being super-treated with chemicals.  I had a blast.  I learned that I really enjoyed step aerobics classes.  That is a fun way to "dance" without actually knowing how to dance. 

Knowing this history about myself, I decided to try out some group fitness classes when I joined the gym.  I like group fitness classes.  I am a social creature.  I like being around other people, even if they are strangers.  I like following a work-out routine.  I like the upbeat music.  I like having a class to attend, as a way to schedule a workout.  

I was not prepared for just how out-of-shape I am.  The first couple classes, I was certain that my body would never recover.  I actually laughed at myself when I went to get into the push-up position, and my arms gave way, dropping me to the floor.  My body simply refused to boost myself up after that.  I could only lay splat on the floor and giggle.  For most of the exercises, I could not rely on my abdominal muscles to support my body in any way.  I had no abs to speak of.  Actually, I think I found my rib muscles (intercostals) before I fount my abs. 

Unfortunately, I did not lose weight.

I gained.

At first, I told myself that I was simply building muscle, and muscle weighs more than fat.  Eventually, that muscle will kick in and help burn calories.  I know I build muscle easily, so I believed myself at first.

3 weeks of working out 3 times a week, and I gained 12 pounds.  I was SO discouraged I was about to cry.  I was actually in the middle of an aerobics class when I said to myself that this was clearly not working.  It was that same class that I also realized I was able to do more of the routine, and I was able to do more push-ups.  So, I told myself that clearly my fitness was improving.

My clothes were also getting looser.  I was pleased by how much my lower tummy was tightening up too.  That was a huge indicator for me that things were going in the right direction.  But, I was still so bummed about the weight gain.  I joked about throwing the scale out the window, at first.  Then, I had a meltdown.  I was so discouraged that The Referee actually went and looked up information on the internet to see if he could help me.

He learned that it is quite common to gain weight in the first 3 weeks of working out....especially for women.  (That is so unfair!  The Referee can do 1 set of crunches and drop 5 pounds.  I go to aerobics classes for 3 weeks and gain weight.  Did I mention it is not fair!)  He encouraged me to keep going, convinced I was about to turn a corner. 

I felt better with that knowledge, and decided to stay the course and wait for the muscle to kick in and help me out.  Just to make sure I was not eating more now that I was working out, I started watching my portions more, and adding salads.  I gained 3 more pounds.

4 weeks of working out, and I had a net gain of 15 pounds.  Honestly, I would have totally given up, if it wasn't for how good I felt, and how much I could actually see my stomach shrinking.  I decided my scale must be broken.  I bought a new one.

My scale was not broken.  The new scale actually weighed me a pound heavier than the old scale!

5 weeks of working out, a new scale, drinking more water, adding salad to my packed lunches for work, and a net gain of 16 pounds.  I was a prime candidate for a pity party.  The only thing keeping me from sinking into a state of despair was the fact that my abdomen was visibly shrinking.  It really is a good thing that my body tackled the "mother's apron" first, because that was the part that was plaguing me the most.  Plus, I had more strength to play with the kids.  So, I knew the workouts were helping.

I was having a hard time.  I started to doubt if my abdomen was actually shrinking, or was it a figment of my imagination.  The scale doesn't lie.  And, I was worse off.

I decided to put my body to the test:  denim

I went shopping for blue jeans at a department store.  I did not order jeans from an online store that specializes in plus-size women's clothing.  I went to the mall.  It was a make it or break it moment.

I made it.  I got my proof.

I dropped an entire pants size!

This is huge for me.  I went on a bit of a shopping spree.  Well, a shopping spree for me (which means everything was on sale).  I bought 2 new pairs of jeans to wear to work, a pair of jean shorts, and 2 shirts.  Everything was a size smaller than I previously wore.  The jeans and shorts were button/zip too....not elastic waist pull-up pants.  That is huge.  That was proof that the workouts were working, and my flabby tummy was definitely shrinking.

I still have no clue why my weight went up.  It did at least plateau at the 6-week point.  I am thankful for that.

The icing on the cake for this ironic misery I am enduring occurred last week.  Life got out of hand, causing me to miss my gym workouts.  

I went 8 days straight without entering the gym.

I dropped 2 pounds!

I don't know if I should laugh or scream.

Pale & Tired

We have often joked that Jersey #2 is the cutest face of heart disease...

She is cute. She was a very pretty baby girl right from birth, and she is a very pretty girl as she continues to grow up.

Lately, this pretty face has had me troubled. She has become so pale. She is showing some darkening under those big, blue eyes. Her little body is so skinny because her heart is working so hard she is having trouble holding onto calories.

Lately, she has been having trouble keeping up with her regular activities. She has been complaining of feeling tired. She takes breaks from playing to sit a few minutes. Even though I know this behavior is expected, due to her current cardiology status, it still catches me by surprise. Jersey #2 is normally our most active child. She loves to run and dance and play, It is hard to see her sit, tired, and sunken.

It is even harder to see her break down and cry. She has had a few episodes in the past month or so, where she has just started crying for no apparent reason. We run through the list of possibilities, asking her if she is sick, or hurting, if she is worried about something, or sad....but she responds that nothing is wrong, and she doesn't know why she is crying.

Well, last night, I had a rude awakening to the source of her tears. Her poor little body is just exhausted. She tries to keep going and can't. So, the tears flow.

Last night, The Referee and I were both battling that stomach bug the kids had a couple days ago. It hit us before dinner, giving us no time to cancel our evening activities. The Referee had his Tae Kwon Do class to teach. I had to take Jersey #1 to her basketball practice that runs at the same time. I'm the Team Mom, and I had the snack roster ready to bring to practice. The Referee sat during his TKD class and let his higher belts run the activities in his place. I strapped the youngest 2 kids into the double stroller and watched basketball practice with a plastic bag in reach. We were a mess.

When we got home, I went to bed and tried to not move, in an attempt to keep my stomach from exploding. The Referee relaxed in his recliner, and let the kids lay in the living room and watch movies until they fell asleep. That is not our typical bedtime routine, but we were desperate for rest. Jersey #2 chose to lay in bed with me, instead of watch movies. She was tired, and needed sleep. Movies keep her awake. She was so exhausted and tearful, that I kept asking her if she was going to puke. I was certain that she had to be sick too.

She kept assuring me that she was not sick to her stomach. She did not know what was wrong. She just kept telling me she was so tired. I cuddled with her and rubbed her back, and watched her closely. She had such a hard time falling asleep. She was so fitful during her sleep. She was whining and crying even in her sleep. And that is when it hit me that she is doing too much, and her little body just can't handle it right now. She is too exhausted.

That day I had taken the kids to the science museum. We were all good and tired by the time we returned home. After dinner, she participated in Tae Kwon Do class too. I finally saw the connection that the days when we have such large activities going on, she has a breakdown by bed time. This did not used to be a problem, but now she is having trouble keeping up.

After talking to The Referee about my observations, we decided that we will reduce our activites to only 1 per day. On days where we have more than 1 thing scheduled, we will drop something. I am going to work on adding more down time into our days as well. Jersey #2 gave up her nap as a toddler, but I wonder if a little quiet reading time after lunch might help her rest more.

In preparation for her upcoming surgery, I was already planning to reduce activities in general. I am not signing up for anything new. I didn't want her to feel like she was being punished by being removed from her activities in order to have surgery. So, I figured letting the current activites run to completion, and then not starting new ones would simplify our schedule by May. That alone is a big transition for our family, as the kids and I are involved in many, many activities and are accustomed to spending a lot of time with friends.

It looks like now is the time to reduce our activities much, much more. On the bright side, we've got an organized house now, so it might be nice to start spending a lot more time having fun at home. Being out of the public realm more should also cut down on germ exposure. We are trying to keep her healthy through the winter, so that she is strong enough to endure surgery in May.

The cold, hard reality is that if she tries to push her body beyond her heart's capacity, the body's response will be to pass out. I'm hoping to wise up real fast, now, before anything like that ever happens! No activity is worth that risk.

Too Busy

There is busy....and then there is Too Busy! We have been too busy for too long now. Having 2 school-aged children already, the extracurricular activity options are endless. In addition, since we homeschool in a homeschool-friendly city, there is also an endless supply of academic activities. I enjoy being active and busy. I enjoy being out and about. I wanted to expose the kids to a variety of activities to see what might peak their interest. Unfortunately, I went overboard. Then, I went in over my head.

In February, I finally realized and admitted that I was over involved in too many outside activities and needed to cut back. Ironically, this came about AFTER I cut back on some of my own personal activities to focus my time and attention on our family. It was a great that I finally realized my limits, but the timing was terrible. I was already committed to a ton of things for March & April. I decided to give it my all and honor my committments. It was insane. It is finally over. I survived.

I hope to have the energy to add a few posts and pictures of some of the things we've been up to. The activities themselves were good. The time, effort, and energy that they required in combination was too much. I hope to never make that mistake again. Live and Learn (I hope).