finals and the trials of potty training and church.

Still studying for finals. Or hardly studying I should say. I started yesterday. I brought my outline, that technically I finished today, to the nail salon and read it while I had a pedicure and had my nails done. I have been getting my nails done for quite some time. A reward I have treated myself to for 1quitting the nicotine gum. By far it is still less expensive to get my nails done. Peter can't say a word because he always used to say I would rather you spent the money on clothes or things for yourself, instead of the gum or on smoking.

Any ways, Aiden is finally almost potty trained. It has been a battle to say the least but he is finally coming around. He most recently purchased trains with his own money, that he earned doing various small chores and for also going pee or poo on the potty. Now that he has done this, he is even more eager to earn and save his quarters. I give him one quarter for a pee in the potty and two for a pooh. The two may seem generous and it is because he has always refused until recently to go in the potty. He always wanted to hide somewhere on the floor and pooh in his pull ups. That is until I showed him how much money he could earn, how much praise he would get and now clean it is to go in the potty instead of his pants. I feel that I have done a good job finally combining the two lessons of potty training and learning to earn, save and some what of the value of spending you r own money. He has this Thomas catalog that he keeps open and every day, several times a day, tells us exactly what he wants to buy, to add to his collection of Thomas the train sets. He has loads of actual trains. two fairly large sets of tracks and only a few buildings. His focus now is more on things like the cranes, factories, etc to make the town of Sodor. Go figure.

Yes I am avoiding studying at the moment. Truthfully, I should have sent Aiden to school today. I thought that is what I was going to do ,but instead, have just let him play around the house. He is perfectly content at the moment just playing by himself. I have only needed to feed him and make sure he goes potty. So far so good. It isn't always like that. A typical day usually consists of several requests for me to play with him or to go to the park, ride bikes or ride his tractor. I almost always do what he wishes, unless I have to get something done in which case I will still try to squeeze it in. I can sit out front and study while he rides his bike, but on most occassions I join him because it is more fun than doing home work. I am still getting A's but the final grade will determine if I just pass each class or if I get an A. I could get a D on the final in reading and still pass. I can get a C on my math final and still get a C in the class, as I sit at a C right now after missing one whole test worth 100 points. It is only because I have gottne A's on every test and homework assignment. I love math and I am shocked.

Oh and I have been a praying fool and we really have gone back to church. It ha been over 30 some years for Peter and about 7 years for me. We have decided on the Church of the Nazarine and we can either drive to the large one up the street or walk across the srteet to the elementary school where they hold church in the multipurpose room. We like the big church much better. On mothers day, Aiden got to sing with a bunch of children his own age in front of the church. It was adorable. We had missed a few days here and there so he never got a chance to learn the words, but boy he sure tried hard to sing and do all of the little moves. Peter was nearly in tears. Then last night we were saying grace at the dinner table and Aiden chimed in with his gratitude list. He thanked the Lord for church last night and if that isn't enough to make us keep going I don't know what is. Peter said he is motivated to go because Aiden enjoys it so much and so what ever it takes I am just grateful my family wans to go. I was raised in a non religious family. We didn't talk about God and I never learned to pray or rely on a power greater than myself. My parents felt they were doing me a favor by letting me choose as an adult what religion, if any to partake in. I know they did that because they thought it best, but I don't want that for my son. I felt lost growing up and I don't want my son to feel the same way. I want him to have faith, a source of comfort (besides his family), knowledge, peace, joy, love and wisdom, just to name a few. I knew nothing and had no example.

Well enough blabbing about me and my family. I better go study before the whole day is wasted.