Our Hangout

Lucas' Monster Movie

While we were on holidays Lucas got a little toy dog. Within a few days he'd memorized the sounds and had everyone laughing at his very good immitation. Last night I had a little fun in iMovie and put this together. Luca's Monster Movie.

Oh yes, Lucas lost his two front teeth whille we were on holidays, making it even more fun.

More on my oldest Son

This past year has been an interesting year for Lucas. Lucas has completed and excelled at grade one. He learns easily and when he applies himself, academically, he can turn C's into A's with relative ease. It was neat to see him do that on many occasions.

The other side of the coin, we saw Lucas become a different kid this year. We came to this place where Lucas could "flip out" in a heartbeat. Lucas has always been very emotional. But somehow that all went to a whole new level. Where Lucas not only would flip out, but then beat himself up over doing it. We just tried to deal with each day as best as we could. Tried to deal with something we really didn't understand. At times we had to discipline, other times we had to show lots of grace and encouragement. But it was clear that we'd entered a new time in Lucas' life. So for the last 6 or 7 months we've struggled with a little boy who could be loving you one minute, freaking out the next, and even coming down hard on himself after. Lucas would often place himself on a timeout or punish himself over things we felt were not necessary. These months have been a time where anything, good or bad could be the trigger for a scary emotional ride.

Throughout this time we have sought out help and advice. From friends to other parents to medical professionals. We got everything, from, it's normal, it's just a phase some boys go through, to; you got to get rid of any violent games they play and violent tv they watch. Which was nice except Lucas doesn't have violent video games or watch violent tv.

Ayway, Lucas has been doing really well for at least three weeks. Not one major blow up. Normal kids stuff, but nothing like had been a daily occurence for so long. Before if he'd asked for something or to do something and we'd said no, we would have a major to do. Over the last few weeks I've started noticing that when the answer was no there were no more huge blow outs. On the contrary we've begun hearing a lot more and unprompted "ok's"

So what happened? And I'm no psychoanalyst, but there's only one influence that's been removed from his daily life during this time. School! No, I'm not making final observations, but I think he's reactions had to do with something at school. Or in particular with his relationships at school. I don't think it was school itself, because as I mentioned, he just excells so far. But I could see it being some of the relationships at school.

For now that's all I can think of. I did mention to him, yesterday, how proud I've been of how he's behaved and acted especially when things haven't gone his way. It's like getting the old Lucas back, I love Lucas, either way, but I really like the non freaking out Lucas the best.

Dad...

Lucas gave me single sentence papers the other day, they were really cool, here's what they said...

"Dad, together we make the best team in dodge ball."

"Dad, you make me smile when you tickle me."

"Dad, I like it when you play with me."

"Dad, my fondest memory is when we went to Cuba."

"Dad, remember when we went to Tim Horton's for breakfast?"

"Dad, when I was little, you rocked me in your arms."

"Dad, you are special because you always buy me games."

And last, and most cool of all...

"Dad, you were there when I was born."

Proud daddy!

Card Collections

Lucas, being a typical 7 year old, is into collecting cards. All kinds of cards, Pokemon cards, and several other sets of cards that I can't even pronounce the names for.

Just a few days ago...one of our neighbours, and a friend of his, who is slightly older than him, gave him a whole set of trading cards. The problem, several of the cards in the set are very "dark". I'm talking very evil looking. I'm not just saying this because I'm a Christian, they just are very dark.

Rightly or wrongly, my approach in these matters hasn't been to just take them away from him. Instead we talk about the content of the cards etc. And then I leave it at that. A couple of hours after we'd talked this afternoon, Lucas came up to me and had decided to get rid of about half the set. Frankly, he was more descriminating than I would have been, however, I want these things to be his decisions, not mine.

Don't get me wrong...I'm not the "don't play with this, don't touch that, cards are evil, kind of guy.

But it's good to see him descriminating between what he thinks is good for him and what he thinks is not.

Lucas' Baptism

UPDATE: I have no idea why the video link was working for some of you and not for others. I have changed it and it now works on my PC and my MAC...so, it should be working for all of you, enjoy and celebrate with us!

If you look to your right (on the sidebar) you will see a link to a video of Lucas' baptism.

Unfortunately, I couldn't keep the original sound, so I just placed a song over it...it is a loss though because when people are baptized at POG the place explodes. It's something to listen to.

Update: Got the sound working!

Just an aside...I put the video together in less than 15 minutes. (very first time using the program)...can I say I love my mac (okay, that was an aside.)

You will need Quicktime Player to view the file and it takes about 8 seconds to start up.

Kid's are growing up!

Just witnessed Lucas "Google" the kids site "Kids Next Door", find it and proceed to play some games. I just sat there truly impressed. But this is the same kid that was downloading stuff when he was three and a half.

Of course he's also the same kid that's not interested in the outdoors and sports.

I'm scared, where did he come from :)

"not so much"

Yesterday, while driving somewhere together, I asked Lucas how he was enjoying living in Port Colborne. His answer, "not so much." Of course that got my spiddey senses going and so I asked him why, or what was it about living here that he didn't like. I wasn't ready for the response. Here goes...

"Everything else is okay, but there's these two flies that keep flying around my classroom and they really bug me."

Vania lost it when I told her the story. I was glad it wasn't anything major. Only Lucas!!!

Citizen of the Year

Yesterday was the last day of school for our kids. There was an assembly in the morning and Lucas received the Citizen of the Year Award for all pre-grade one students. He actually got a medal for it. It was really cool, he was really happy and just reinforced all that he'd done throughout the year to be a good student and good friend to everyone. You go Lucas!

I hear voices...

Lucas speaking..."Mom, how come sometimes I hear someone calling my name, but when I go to check everyone says that they didn't call me."

"Well, maybe you just wait too long to go and the people forget that they called you, or maybe you hear them calling someone else, but you think it's you."

"No, it's me...they call for Lucas."

"Well, the Bible has a story about a boy who kept hearing his name being called, and when he went to check whether it was his teacher, it wasn't"

"Mom, was it Jesus?" (surprised mom) "Well...yes."

"Mom, it can't be Jesus calling me, it's always a girl's voice."

Nope, not me...

It all started with a very deep question for a five year old (so I thought, anyway)..."mommy, why are there poor and hungry people in the world?"

Mom did her best to try and tackle the question...but he wasn't satisfied so mom decided to talk about Adam and Eve and sin. To which Lucas concluded, "if I had been there and God told me not to eat the fruit, I wouldn't have."

"Well, son, that's the problem, all of us would have." to which he became quite serious..."Nope, not me...if God told me not to do something I wouldn't do it."

Dad, hearing about the story thought of the solution and so at the first opening dad decides to rationalize with Lucas...Well, Lucas, you know all those times that dad tells you to do something and you don't or the times I tell you not to do something and you do. Well, if you don't even obey daddy, why do you think you would obey God for sure?

"Daddy, you're not God!"

Lucas & prayer II

Being put to bed tonight...while being prayer for...Lucas interrupts the prayer and says, and God, we thank you that we live in a free country. This morning's service was pretty awesome, glad to see it's even touching our little guys!

Lucas and prayer

Usually, as he goes to bed, Lucas tells me that he will pray for me. This is usually after I tuck him in and we've prayed together or if I'm not tucking him in.

Anyway, two nights ago, as he was headed off to bed he asked me if I had had a good sleep the previous night. I asked him why he was asking and this was what he said. Because I told you that I would pray for you, but I forgot.

So, we talked about how God is good and even when we forget he knows what's inside our heart (what we want to do) and we also talked about doing what we tell other people we're going to do. Especially when we tell them we're going to pray for them. And yes, even though he didn't pray, that I had a good night's sleep. Which he was very glad to hear. He was afraid he had jinxed my opportunity for a good night's sleep because he forgot to pray.

It's at these moments that we can build a theology of grace into a child's life or one that's built on guilt. I'd rather have the former. I've lived my life with the latter and it didn't do anything for me except hurt me in more ways than I've figured out.

I love this being a father deal!

Who will pick me?

Vania says Lucas has figured out how relationships really work.

Last night, before bed, he asked Vun the following question...

"Mom, why did you pick daddy?"

Vun explained...I won't go into that.

After she had finished explaining, he said...

"I wonder who's going to pick me?"

hiding....

Went to the award ceremony (assembly) for Lucas this morning. Lucas and other distinct students.

Lucas walked up, received the award...took his place on stage realized he was in front of a crows, raised the award in front of his face, and hid that way for the rest of the time he was on stage.

I'm not sure it was a memorable occasion for him or not. The award, a piece of paper with glittery stickers now hangs on the kitchen wall.

Citizen of the month

I'm a very proud daddy today!

I know you hear me go on about Lucas all the time. But this time he absolutely deserves the honorable mention.

Lucas was awarded the "Citinzen of the Month Award" at school for this past month. This is not the like a student of the week, or even a student of the month thing...where it's an in-class deal. This means he was considered the best student of the WHOLE school for an entire month. The student that best exemplifies the values, actions etc...that the school wants to develop in all their students.

I know I'm oozing (men aren't supposed to ooze) but I think that's so cool! I so long for Lucas to have an impact in his world...that he would learn to value it and live it even at a young age would be very cool.

Monday morning he gets an award before the whole school. The fact that they would pick a Sr. Kindergartener as the recipient of the award is extra special.

So, yes, I'm proud of my son! They explained to us why he's receiving the award and it's cool to hear that he's beginning to live out the things that are so precious to God's and our hearts as his parents.

WAY TO GO LUCAS! We're Celebrating tonight!

Lucas & God

Lucas continues to journey in his understanding of God...

This afternoon:

"Dad, God can't make wishes come true."... "Why not?"..."Because I asked him for something and he didn't give it to me."

The thing that fascinates me is that he's thinking about it. It's not something we're trying to force into him, it's actually him working through who God is and what he does etc.

This lead to a really good talk on why God might or might not give us something we ask for.

It's great to join him on his journey. It's a privilige to play a part in his understanding of our heavenly father. Makes you want to be a good example even more.

Luca's first visit to school

Last week, Lucas and mom had the opportunity to go to school for a lemonade party. A time for the parents and kids to meet the teachers as well as for the kids to get used to the class environment. Well, the first experience was great. Lucas is telling me that I should tell you all that school is a lot of fun , the teacher, MS. Curvell, is very nice and he made a new friend, but he doesn't remember his name.

Mom, well, she cried. And she cried some more. Oh yes, and she cried some more. But she's happy that he enjoyed it and really got along well with his teacher.

On a funny note - the kids had an opportunity to play games and sing some songs. One of the songs they sang was "If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands" And so they sang, but Lucas interrupted the class right after the first verse by saying - "that's not how the song goes!" He thought about it for a while said that there was another word but he didn't remember it. But as everyone started singing again he said he remembered - and here it goes..."If you're happy and you know it clap your hands - at which point Lucas screams out, "AMEN!"

Last week one of his friends was leaving our house to go home when Lucas peaks out the door and says, "Kian, I'll pray for you!"

The world's such a different place at five...

A boy in crisis...

It finally happened! Lucas wants to get a haircut. Now, you might think that's not a big deal, but Lucas (5) has never had a haircut since he was born. Ok, I trim every now and again, but beyond that he has always been very particular about his long "soccer" hair. The two times I actually trimed an inch or so off - he sat there with tears streaming down his cheeks.

But as of yesterday, all of that changed. For quite a long time yesterday, Lucas had fun playing with a bunch of girls his age at a local park. That is, until they discovered he wasn't "one of them" a girl. At that point they refused to play with him any longer. Until yesterday, this had never bothered him, other boys his age say he looks like a girl and he just has never cared. But yesterday was a different story. Since then, he's been asking for a hair cut.

The dilema, he doesn't get it. Once it's gone it won't come back overnight, alright, no big deal. But probably the hardest thing, if the girls had known he was a boy from the beginning, they would have never played with him anyway. But there's no convincing him - I'm just scared I'm going to cut it off and he's going to hate it. And if he does, well, it's taken five years to get it to this point. Then there's the dilema of mom coming to grips with it (but it's not her hair).
Oh well, I will do what he asks. There might be a big lesson learned over this one.

You might be wondering, why would they mistake him for a girl? Well, our pretty boy is as boy as it gets. Trucks and fighting and guns and all else that goes with being a boy. But, he has long hair (which is the big confusing factor), although it wouldn't take much to have him pass for a girl.

Oh the crisis...

The God Book

At a Christian bookstore this morning - I was browsing with Lucas when he pointed to a children's Bible and said, "That's a God Book! Can we read it?"
Just thought it was neat.

I don't want to go to heaven

Okay, the title's got you...

I'm sitting outside in my backyard working on some last minute stuff since I'm going to be away at a Pastor's conference this coming week.

I'm pulling double duty. Work on stuff and watch mine and our neighbours kids as they play out here. In the process I've heard lots of conversations, lots of pretending, lots of games, lots of crying, lots of laughing....

I even got to witness my 3 year old daughter being kissed by my 3 year old neighbour as they played Cinderella - I only caught it when it was too late - ok, it was innocent and cute - stay away from my daughter Soren!!!

But just a few minutes ago I began to hear the kids talking about how they were going to heaven - that slightly peaked my interest, and then I heard it - my son, Lucas, says in a very loud voice, "I don't want to go to heaven!"

Once the shock of it was over (okay, not really), I called him and we've just stopped having one of those discussions where he discovers that one day everyone dies and they go somewhere. At the end of our discussion he still didn't want to go to heaven for three reasons...his friends won't be there...I won't be there (eh, his words), and probably of utmost importance, his computer won't be there. So where do you go from here???

Well, I explained as best as I could why someone would want to go to heaven. Interestingly enough, as a sideline I mentioned the alternative - as so many kids do - Lucas said, "I really don't want to go there!" But he's still not too sure about going to heaven - the worst of two alternatives.

Neat to see him working these things out in his head - I'm going to enjoy journeying with him.