Ash Wednesday ~ Lent

We have had such a nice Ash Wednesday.

Andrew, Katie and I decorated the house for Easter.  Then they strung plastic Easter eggs and grass

all

over

the

house.

Fun, indeed. :)

On a side note, we had swim lessons tonight.  ~Which made for a busy night as we went to church right afterward.  I will be really happy to be done with swim lessons.  I told Dan that watching Andrew do swim lessons is a little like that show that was on when we were little..."One of these kids is doing their own thing..."  and there'd be four kids ~ three jump roping and one juggling.  Andrew would be the juggler.

Bless his heart. :)

That is, he's the juggler if he's not sitting on the wall....Inevitably Matthew then catches Andrew's attention (they have lessons at the same time) and motions for him to go under water so they can look at each other. 

I loathe the locker room change after lessons are over.  Kaitlin twisting up in the changing room curtain while Andrew laughs hysterically at her and the boys somehow forget how to dry or dress themselves....I inevitably get grumpy and annoyed.

So, tonight we were heading to swim lessons and I said cheerfully, "Guess what?! Daddy is going to meet us at swim lessons."  Andrew rolls his eyes and says,

"Great.  Now I'll get into even bigger trouble."   Poor kid. :) It's rare for the drive home after swim lessons to not include a fairly severe lecture.

So we went to swim lessons and the boys were SO GOOD.  (Not just because Dan was there ~ he's gone before).  Andrew did not have to sit on the wall ONCE.  This is a major accomplishment.  He participated the whole time and did everything he was supposed to!  It was amazing!  Matthew was really good and didn't distract him.  We had an uneventful change into church clothes (much easier with Daddy there to help) and then we were off to church.  Where Andrew got a fantastic review upon retrieving him and the Bug from the nursery.  Miss Helen said he was a "Great helper." I was really proud of him. (And yes, we lavished him with praise).

Matthew came to church with us and was so sweet.  He sat between us and prayed when he was supposed to ("I didn't know what to say, so I said the Lord's Prayer.  I forgot to say the Nicene Creed.") :)  It was really fun having him there.  I really love Ash Wednesday service.  We took him up with us to receive the sign of the cross on his forehead.

It was late when we got out of church and we were all starving so we went for a very quick dinner to one of the kids' favorites (and my least favorite) ~ McDonald's.  Happy Meals all around and even ice cream cones for dessert because the boys were SO good.  All the way to the restaurant Katie said, "Mama, are you happy?  I'm very, very happy." (Because she was going to McDonald's).

Since Lent is a season of preparation and sacrifice...Dan is taking on exercising and I'm joining him in that commitment. The sacrifice that comes with that for both of us is giving up free time. And sleep (I exercise first thing in the morning so I have to get up earlier~ which means an earlier bed time and less of my precious evening free time). We both have some bible reading commitments as well. I'm almost embarrassed to admit what our sacrifice is because our sacrifice is supposed to keep us focused on Christ's sacrifice. And ours is well, so lame in comparison. But I will keep that in mind when the alarm goes off and I really just want to go back to sleep instead of getting on the elliptical.

I really liked what our youth pastor said tonight, that "Preparation gives value to things" the idea that we should prepare for Easter rather than just arriving at it. I enjoy the challenge of Lent and the opportunity to focus on our faith and be intentional with our actions. I actually think I prefer the season of Lent to the Season of Advent. I love the message of Easter. I love that I'm not as distracted during this time as I am at Christmas. It's really a time of focus on our faith and I've really grown to love it.

Have a Blessed Season of Lent!