Fight

So. 

This happened.

This was not an accident or a "boys-will-be-boys" type of moment.

This was bullying.

A you-bugged-me-so-I-am-going-to-rip-these-off-your-face-and-break-them-ha-ha moment. And oh by the way, I am going to wrap my little hands around your neck and squeeze.

Now, I know that Daniel can be a button pusher. I just really hope he learns to not do that anymore.

I am really sad and angry. Daniel said he felt the same way.

I was proud that he didn't fight back. 

Until I heard that he is going to have consequences for fighting because of his "provoking."

Daggum.

Now I am struggling. We have worked and taught Daniel to be gentle. To not fight. To not punch. Now I am kind of regretting it. 

One of my favorite aspects of who Daniel is is the ferocity. The stubborn loyalty. The fight. The boldness.

This brought out my mama bear in a whole new way.

I pray for wisdom and backbone. This isn't Daniel's fight alone. Even if he was in anyway wrong, he is MY CHILD and this was NOT OK.

And the. next. time. this happens, Daniel has my full support to own his crazy and SMASH.

School: Round Three

School is off to a good start.

Grace is in middle school! How did that even happen?

Claire and Daniel are in 3rd grade this year.

Wyatt is in 2nd. 

Last year Daniel did a 1st / 2nd split. It was what he needed to begin trying to catch up. I am so blown away when I think back to the child that he was two years ago!

Two years ago! That's right! He has been home for TWO years now. It is amazing to me to realize how far he has come in terms of growth. God is definitely in the business of binding broken hearts and building families.

I praise God for the work that He has done in my heart through bringing Daniel into our family. Some of the things that we deal with are not things that I ever envisioned for my life, but it is LIFE. You just do what you have to do and the more you do it, the more you realize it isn't a big deal. You learn to find the treasure in all of your children's hearts. There are the obvious gifts and then the hidden ones. The obvious tend to change with the season, but the hidden gifts seem to be the ones that God has planted and nurtured like a precious seed. Those seeds are the ones that root down deep and then flourish, given the proper nourishment.

May we all search for the seeds that God has planted within ourselves and others and upon finding those seeds, may we cherish and care for them in order to allow them to reach their full potential.