Trevor's Birthday

Trevor turned 7 this May. He got his own birthday cake a week early, at his Bakugan Birthday Party. Then, the night before his birthday, we had cheesecake for Cory's birthday. I told Trevor we could make a breakfast ("coffee") cake the morning of his birthday, then he could open his presents that morning (Dad was Night Duty Instructor that evening anyway). I was sick and sleeping in, so Cory made chocolate waffle brownies, instead. Trevor loved all his birthday presents, but we got the best photo of him putting together the k'nex rollercoaster.

Trevor's Love Letter

Trevor put sunflower stickers all over a sheet of paper, drew his own lines, and then wrote me a love letter. He wouldn't let me see until he was done. This is what he surprised me with (spelling and punctuation have been standardized):

Mom you are beautiful and you can cuddle. The end. Wait, there's more air. The end.

Trevor informed me that the "more air" section was the joke part.

Trevor's School

By the time Trevor began attending his current school, he could read any short-vowel, 3 letter word you threw at him, combined into sentences or short paragraphs. His teacher assigned him to pre-reading group, level 1, because, even though he could read, he didn't pass that "reading readiness test." Fine. She sent me a note today that she'll be testing him tomorrow and expects him to move up. I can't believe Trevor spends 6 hours and 45 minutes at school, and it has taken him a month to pass that far. At this rate he'll be sounding out c-a-t around June. Oh, wait, he was doing that in preschool. Right now I feel like kindergarten is a waste of our time.

The one thing his school does best at is behavior/discipline. His teacher reads books, daily, about appropriate behavior. She made out a personalized behavior plan, and sends home a report, daily, of how he has done. Really, she's trying. Trevor brought home his fourth discipline referral form for the week today. Yes, I know it's only the third day of the week. You do the math. Instead of improving in his behavior, it's more like he's regressing. I partly blame it on the excessively long school day. When he was on half days, at his last school, he adored school, his teacher, and the whole process. I don't think I ever heard a complaint about his behavior. Now it's daily.

His current teacher wants, as soon as possible, to set-up another conference with me. What could I possibly say to her? Certainly not that he would be reading better if he was still homeschooled. It's funny, I waited so long to put my children in school because I didn't want them to experience negative peer pressure, when (what do you know?) my own children are the negative peer pressure at school. Their own worst enemy. Seriously, though. What do I say to Trevor's teacher?

Thanksgiving Thought

Trevor was telling me what he learned in school about Native Americans. When he was done, I asked if he knew we had some Native American ancestors. He was all surprise, and said "I haven't met my Native American Aunt-Sisters in a hundred years!"

Trevor's Prayer

While Trevor was dodging Sharing Time yesterday, Sister H. consoled me by saying that any Sunbeam (well, now he's CTR 5) who can say an independent prayer is going to be fine. This morning he said an adorable one:

"Dear Heavenly Father, we thank thee that it's going to be summer, but please bless it to be Christmas again. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen."

Trevor Is a Child of God

Brr-Buh-Buh-Burr . . . Trumpet fanfare!!! Unveiling the colorful new manual: Behold Your Little Ones, useful not only for Nursery (this is to the old nursery manual what Preach My Gospel is to the old missionary discussions), but also for use in Primary and in the home. Currently available in seventeen languages, plus Braille. (Not Japanese yet, sorry Elder West) Our marvelous nursery leader has already given the parents a letter with the lesson schedule for the rest of the year. I've ordered my copy. Have you?

Also available online, we used lesson #1 last week: "I Am a Child of God." It had the song, a scripture story and an activity rhyme we used, several days in a row. Forget our old family scripture attempts that Miriam and Trevor wouldn't attend. They loved the presentation of the scripture story in the manual:

Show the illustration of Moses on page 99. Explain that Moses was a great prophet who lived a long time ago. Tell the children that Moses went to a mountain to pray. Invite the children to pretend to climb a mountain; then have them fold their arms as if praying. Open the Pearl of Great Price to Moses 1:4 and say, “God said to Moses, ‘Behold, thou art my son.’ ” Explain that Moses learned that he was a child of God.

Trevor climbed the post of Miriam's bed, of course (what he usually does during scripture study, but this way it was related). Wrapping up our lesson, we announced that Miriam was a child of God, Trevor was a child of God . . .

"No!" said Trevor vehemently. "I'm not a child of God! I'm a pirate!"

I calmly responded, "Even pirates are children of God."

"Oh. Trevor looked thoughtfully at his feet, then said quietly, "I am a child of God."

Trevor's Primary Talk

Today Trevor gave a talk in Primary. I know Trevor. He could memorize his talks, but he refused to practice with me this week. So I fed him each succeeding phrase at the pulpit. Then Kaith volunteered to give a talk next Sunday on the same subject. I was quite annoyed at my having to write another Primary talk so soon, until I realized that Kaith can use the same talk. I doubt anyone will ticket us for it--the mike wasn't on today, anyway!

Trevor's Talk

My grown-up Uncle Nathan was a missionary. Now he plays with me. My grown-up Uncle Andrew used to play with me, but I had to say goodbye on Thursday, because now he’s a missionary. I won’t see him for two years because he will share the gospel in Japan. I am not a grown-up, but I still want to be a missionary.
On Sundays, I can wear church clothes. If the neighbors see me get in our van,, they will think I’m going to church. I can tell neighbors about the music, and the happy, smiling people at church. I can tell them that Jesus and I want to see them at church. If they come, they will feel the Holy Ghost and have a testimony, like me. I can be a missionary now, while I’m young.