Good Food and Great Grades--Day 164/Day 13/Day 24/Day 2

Monday. Back to work. I worked on calibrations through much of the day. There are a few other things that I hope to have done by the end of the day tomorrow to be ready for our upcoming quality audit.

After work, Kim wanted to go out to eat so we did so. She wanted to try a Mexican place out in Davison. I think it had the same name of the place in Lapeer that I don't like much. We thought it might be the same and Kim suggested that we could go to Senor Lucky's in town. We eventually agreed to stay here and try this place out. It was a good decision. I went with the Mexican dinner. It came with beans, rice and some "stew meat" with torillas. I wasn't sure what that was, but it turned out to be what I thought it was. It was cubes of beef covered in a sauce. Everyone had some of this on their plate and we all really liked it. The rice seemed clumpy and I wasn't sure I'd like it. It was good as well. No one makes beans like my mom, so whenever I go to a Mexican restaurant, I have something to compare it to. I like the restaurant beans about 50% of the time. These were pretty good as well. We were all full as we left.

While there, Colton said he had gotten a C on his progress report. He said he had gotten it in science and seemed to be really surprised he had gotten a C. It seemed like he was trying to explain it away in one way or another. I was dreading this day: the day when his grades drop. Not that I believed it would happen, and I hoped it never would. He's always done really well and got all A's in the last semester last year. I asked Kim what sort of punishment would be necessary. I already had something in mind, and knew we would need to help him out more, but I wanted her input. I don't think Colton heard us, but he said "I didn't get a C on my final grade. Just on a quiz." We both looked at each other and laughed. I think it was a laugh of relief. Kim asked him what he got in science. "An A, I think." "What about the rest?", she asked. "A's and B's." "More A's than B's?" "Yeah, I think so." We checked out the report when we got home. It was all A's. There wasn't a B on any of 6 final grades. We were very proud of him, and I asked Kim later what the reward should be since I think there should be a flip side to punishment. She asked what I thought motivated him. I told her I think part of it is knowing that were proud of him and he is proud of himself. Besides that, to be honest, would be video games. We haven't come to a conclusion yet, but we'll think of something.

The kids read their library books on the way home, which is always nice. Later, as they went to bed, Gabrielle asked if she could study her books of the Bible for Awana's while in bed. I wanted to make sure they get enough sleep because they get up so early, so I told her no. Now I feel this was the wrong decision. On one hand, I want them to know when bedtime comes, it's time to go to sleep. On the other hand, I had liked that she asked and would've liked her to study them if that's what she wanted. I'll talk to her tonight. Please bless all our children, God. I pray I am blessed with the knowledge to raise them correctly.

I put Noah in pajamas and put him in bed. We all said prayers at Colton's bed. Gabrielle started praying and Kim whispers, "Mark...". I look over and she points to Noah. He is laying in bed, with his head on his pillow and his hands clasped together. I wish I had a camera for moments like that, but thankfully God gave us memories.

The counters I use are an inspiration to me. 164 days of positivity seems like a long time. Thirteen days of continual posting is not bad at all. Twenty-four days of reading the Bible is most definitely a personal record. Kim and I read chapter 2 of A Purpose Driven Life. It really is a great book and after I read chapter three tomorrow night, I'll probably read the first two again. Thank you for inspiration, Lord.