Dinius Fam Happenings

…kind of like my kids.

Sometimes I really yearn for the days when my kids were small and Lonnie and I were the ones who controlled their schedules. Even down to whether or not they could play outside…that was our decision, too. Now that they’re older, they’re fast becoming the captains of their own ships, and I’m learning that simply saying yes is not only my best option at times, it’s necessary.

Joel is 16 now. Soon to get his driver’s license. (He would have had it by now, but with this spring and summer being so consumed by this and that, it just hasn’t happened yet. Our fault, not his.) He and Jesse just got home last night from Silver Lake Camp (in Medical Lake, WA). Jesse was only gone for a week, but Joel was gone for almost two. The first week, he went with Erica to the junior high camp where he was an assistant counselor (if I got the “title” right). He stayed over the weekend with his Uncle Bob, Aunt Sandra, and cousin Hunter, since they live within walking distance from the camp. He had a really great time with them, then walked back to camp on Monday to join Jesse and the other highschoolers and leaders from our church. Would I have liked for him to come home in between those weeks at camp? Absolutely. But…I’m learning to let go.

In a week and a half, he leaves for Nawlins (New Orleans). He’s going with his youth group, for the second year in a row, to do relief work for people who were — and still are — victims of Hurricane Katrina. Do I like to think of him being 35,000 feet in the sky? NO! But I’m learning to let go. Again.

Thankfully, I have one little person who still must do everything I say. Right now, we’re learning, “Come here.” Bethany was in the habit of not coming when called, and honestly, that terrified me. What if she was in the path of danger, and didn’t respond when I said, “Come here”? I didn’t like the possible outcome of that scenario, so we worked on it, and now she comes when called. She doesn’t like it, and cries and fusses, but she’s crying and fussing while she’s coming to Mama. She can fuss all she wants — I just want to know she’s safe. And learning obedience is a beneficial thing for every child. I could get on my soapbox with that one (regarding everything from prisons to politicians) but I won’t.

I’m still working on getting my guest bloggers on here. I got sidetracked, but I’ll have them pop in to say hello very soon.