pushing through

After 2 texts, asking me where the blog is, I thought I would catch up.

School was trying this week.
For both of  us.

I failed a quiz in my art class because my shoddy AT&T dumped me 5 minutes in.
I wrote an emotional, pleading email to my professor, who reset it and Friday morning history repeated itself.

AT&T contacted her for me this time, explaining that there were errors on the line on their end, and she reset it once again...  An hour before it was due, and a 2 hour times test.
I called my neighbor, who let me bomb her house late Friday night,
and I completed it.
I kicked it's butt, actually.
And life seemed better.

I also turned off our DSL and ordered UVERSE so I would never have the problem again.
What a joke.
It sucks too, and after talking to approximately 6 representatives, they finally sent a guy out this morning.
Who never came.

Another conversation with a new guy, who is going to start at point A, running all of the same tests we have ran already-- a spilled cup of water onto the iPad, a bonked head and tears from both kids...
I was inches from losing it.


But I can say that I have found personal growth in myself by recognizing my verge of psychosis...
I closed the computer, packed the kids in the car...
and headed to Dallas to meet Lance for lunch.
(And Luke, and Josh and their friend Robby, from high school.)

And at 4:00, a nice young man came out and traded me boxes.
...10 minutes of work and we have working internet again.
For now.

Week 5 of 8 of Cell and Molecular Biology and Art are finished.
3 weeks left.
I can do it.

***
Maddox went into this week of school, exhausted.
(and I took him in without makeup, feeling the same)

Soccer and school, and learning to survive without naps, is a whole new world to us.

He also got sick over the weekend, which was anticipated for a child who has had zero exposure to the germs of the other little-folk of the world.
We honestly get a snotty nose every time we went to the water park with friends...
I was ready for it.

I wasn't ready for him to stay awake until 11:00, wiping snot across his face causing breakdown across his cheek and the tears.

He wasn't running fever, however, so we sent him.

Monday the teacher said he did fine.
They gave him tissues and he seemed tired, but fine.

Wednesday, I arrived a little early and I heard one of his teachers call him to the wall of sticks and say, "you have 4 sticks today, Maddox, so you get 4 M&Ms.

Right outside the door, I thought, "four sticks!!  What in the hell did he do?..."
They start each day with 5 sticks.  If they act up, they remove a stick.  At the end of the day, they are rewarded an M&M per stick they have left.

The other teacher, who was busy reading a book to the class, saw me standing there and stopped reading to come tell me what happened::
Apparently, Maddox wadded up his star (that they stand on in circle time) and threw it on the ground.

I was shocked!
And disappointed...
And thankful that the ex was earlier than I that day, and wasn't there to experience my bad kid.

Maddox made eye contact with me and the tears started falling.
He knew what was coming before I even opened my mouth.

We passed another mom that we know from soccer and she asked him why he was crying and he told her he was going home for a spanking.
She said, "we've been there..."
and we kept moving.

The lady who runs the entire program stopped us at the door to ask why Maddox was crying and he had to tell her the same story.
We honestly do not spank often, it just isn't the most effective form of discipline for Maddox-- but we had to make this episode a memorable one.
The director said that he didn't feel good today and told him that he had next week to be better.

So seconds in the door, at home, we sat down and discussed how it hurt his teachers feelings by destroying her property... and he let mommy and daddy down too.
He got his spanking from me and 2 minutes later he was asleep.

Then Lance got home.

He really hated to stir up a discussion that was hours past us at this point, but it had to be done.

My good friend, Candace, once told me, "they are much more forgiving at 3 than 13.  Enforce the rules now, and they will enforce themselves later."

We all have different styles of parenting, but this has always stuck with me.

A. I wanted him to know, that no matter what, he does what his teacher says.  We are on her side... (he can't think he has us in his pocket)
and B. disrespect is never okay.

We nipped it in the bud.
He promised to never do something so ugly again...
We all agreed to move forward.

***
After our series of bringing-down-the-law, we played.

We do that well.

My step-mom sent a package full of super hero things and candy for the boys, and they had the best time digging through it.
Since opening it, however, I have had a house full of little super-heroes.
And one super-dog.

Soccer comes bright and early.
And we have many fans ready to watch!

I'm out!