Thirty-Seventh Step

My step today was to keep working on the house of God chart...laminating away, and determining which side of the velcro to use on which part, etc. We have been using the laminated sheets for our circle time, without the chart or having them cut out, but the kids can't read anyway and don't seem to care. Charlie likes to hold the card with the verse and say, "No, I do it! I do it myself," and then says some random part of the verse. Which is still very cute and impressive. They both love the puppet part, since there's 4 puppets, mom, dad, girl and boy (one for each family member, out of the womb anyway). Charlie prayed once with us at the end, but since then he won't repeat after me when I pray like Clarissa does. This time I decided to give them a felt "fruit of the Spirit" whenever I saw them loving each other, being kind, good, gentle, etc. and then we counted the fruit in the basket at the end of the day and they got a surprise (which was shaved ice with snow cone syrup). Hey, can't be healthy all the time!

Twenty-First Step

Step 21 was our first circle time: me and the kids sitting on a blanket on our hardwood floor talking about the Bible. I came up with a theme for us--the house of God--and have a cool acronym for H.O.U.S.E. to expand on it. When I finish my chart I'll take a picture of it or something, but it's not done yet. I have a lot of laminating to do!

Then we drew about our house and God's house, and decorated a box to be God's house. We also talked about how we want our house to be full of joy, peace, love, you name it (currently it is filled with sleeping kids and soon-to-be-sleeping mom). And the "house of God" box is filled with all of Clare's "little guys." Charlie was so cute saying, "hon-ow" (honor) and "ex-o-dus" and even "pwo-longed." "Honor your father and mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the Lord your God gives you" (Exodus 20:12). There are verses for each part of the acronym that we'll learn gradually. I have them repeat after me and it's just so stinkin' cute.

I think I was underestimating how much the schnookers could handle in terms of Bible teaching--this is so much more fun than just reading their little children's Bible! And to have them looking up at me expectantly and liking the attention and the "newness" of it--it's really fun. We also did a role play with our mommy, daddy, Clare and Charlie puppets about obeying and sharing and playing well together, with lots of hugs and kisses too. Charlie couldn't get it that the puppet was supposed to be him, though, so the mommy & daddy puppets made sure to hug & kiss him along with his puppet.