Johnathan Firetruck

The saddest thing about Jorja going to school early is I don't get to walk Preston to the bus stop. She hasn't made it to the bus once. I have driven her to the stop and we have been on time according to the website, but we have yet to see the bus. I wonder how early it comes. Anyway, today was late start, so I got to walk with Preston. I love doing this. I love that he lets me do this. Sometimes he holds my hand, usually he talks to me the entire time. I'm trying to soak up every second with him before he won't want me around anymore. Jorja went to breakfast with Aysha. She is a big fan of late start days.

Aysha

I fasted today. Well, I started after I exercised yesterday and ended around lunch time. We have our ward Christmas dinner on Saturday and I hate fasting from dinner to dinner. I also hate fasting less than 24 hours. I know it's weird, I just have a hard time with not going the full 24. I had something specific I was fasting for for each of my kids. The simple version is...Maysen to have a good experience with friends, Stockton to get his 4.0 that he desperately wants and has been working so hard for, Jorja to find peace and Preston to get better (he has a nasty cough) and make friends. (Of course I also included Guy, Marie, Mallory and Emery.) Anyway, I had specific promptings regarding Jorja. They were unexpected and almost at odds with what I thought was best for her. I was really confused. I don't recognize promptings very often, but this seemed oddly specific. I woke up feeling I needed to tell Jorja something. I got down on my knees and prayed. I asked if I was really supposed to tell Jorja this. Immediately I felt that it was what she needed to hear in order to have peace. I don't want to write what it was, but I'm a little confused as to why she needed to hear that. Because I'm writing this post on Wednesday I will spend just a second to write about today. I started to doubt my prompting. I thought I must have been imagining it. This morning I knelt down to pray and asked if I was really prompted to tell Jorja what I did. Immediately I felt I was. I also felt instructed to tell Jorja about my experience. Yesterday I didn't tell her I had been fasting for her, or that what I said was a prompting. That made me nervous, because what if I was misinterpreting everything? I asked again, is this in my mind, or am I really suppose to have this conversation with Jorja? I felt strongly I was supposed to talk to her about it. I tried to talk to her on the way to school, but she was grumpy. She had gotten up early, hurried and tried to make the bus. The bus didn't come. We aren't sure how early it gets there. Anyway, despite Jorja's grumpiness I told her what I was prompted that she needed to hear. I'm so confused and started doubting myself again. When I got home I prayed and asked if I did the right thing. Once again I immediately felt I did what I was asked to do. Still, I hope I did right. I always get scared thinking I don't understand what Heavenly Father is asking of me. I second guess myself all the time, but as I type this I feel it was what I was supposed to do. I have no idea how it will help Jorja find peace, but I hope she can find it.

Jorja drove to work today. She called me when she got there. When I saw her name come up on my phone I was immediately worried she had been in an accident. No, but she accidentally set off the panic alarm and couldn't get it to stop. I had no idea how to turn it off. She was so embarrassed. Soon I hear a boy come out to help her. I heard something like, "Don't worry, I got you." She is doing great driving her car though. I am so proud of her! I dropped off Preston at piano and then headed down to Sam's house. She had picked up the new Hank Smith collection for me. The Bonus talk: 10 Tips for a Successful Teenage Social Life was the talk we were at when it was recorded. We have all the others. Luckily Sam gets a huge discount and was able to get it for us for ten dollars.

Preston went to the combined activity tonight. Too bad Jorja couldn't be there. She asked for it off, but was scheduled anyway. The kids went to Target to do a Sub for Santa for some refugees. Preston came home close to 9:00 and seemed to have a lot of fun. Yay! I know he was in a group with Matthew and Aidan. He was happy, and had a McFlurry.

 Kiki & Quacky Chan

 Christmas Ducks

Jorja got back pretty late but was excited to play with Kiki. It is funny how much she loves that duck. Mike gave the ducks a bath, but they were still pretty smelly. I don't like the smell of animals. Jorja lost her Chick-Fil-A tag. I'm sure we will run across it sometime. The last time she wore it was on Saturday, but she changed out of her clothes and went and helped Drew ask Hailey to the Christmas dance. Anyway, her friend Johnathan has several different tags. He let Jorja wear one. Her tag says Johnathan Firetruck. Jorja loved it.

Jorja & Kiki

 Jorja's favorite things

 Jorja & Kiki

Jorja asked if I would sleep in the guest room with her and we could fall asleep listening to the Hank Smith CD together. Too bad her CD player she got for her birthday last year wouldn't work. Mike found an old laptop that had a CD drive and we were still able to listen to it. I think both of us fell asleep within the first five minutes though. I woke up right as it was ending. I slid the laptop onto the floor and snuck back to my bedroom. I couldn't find my phone though. Jorja will hear my alarm bright and early tomorrow morning!