March 3, 2016
I have a few sweet stories I want to write out before I forget them.

Parker walked up to the breakfast table to see his cherished plants vs. zombies book had food on it and that some of the pages stuck together.  He was so upset.  Ethan and Esther sat there, watching Parker as he railed, frustrated, wanting to know who did it and over and over again Esther said I didn't.  I had no idea what had happened so I did my best to comfort Parker.  He had been reading that 50 page comic book multiple times a day.  He genuinely had cherished it.  Finally, seeing the deep frustration and anger on Parker's face, Esther said '... Parker, I did it.  I am sorry.'  She is only three.  I was really proud of her.  Parker immediately stopped railing and after a bit of silence he responded 'it's ok, Esther.'  And that was it.  I was so proud of them.  Both of them.  I later told Parker we could get another one but I assured him that intentionally ruining his books would not win him more.  It is Parker, I do have to hedge these things.  But that is besides the point.  Lyra has also been exceptionally forgiving of Esther, Ethan and Isaac.  I can't count the coloring books, coveted markers and other treasures of hers that the little kids have mauled.  She is not always completely patient and she clearly doesn't like it, but usually she will have a little cry and then move on.  I am really proud of how forgiving and patient they are of each other they are.

Also, today at the grocery store, Parker picked up trash in the parking lot.  Of course when we got into the Harmons Grocery store, he had to tell the first employee what he had done and of course she was impressed.  She must have been a manager because she then asked me if she could give all five of my kids a balloon.  It was so sweet of her.  Helium balloons are a coveted treasure here.  And while she was doing it, Parker passed them out to every one else before he took one.  Then when I tried to tie Esther's balloon to her wrist and it floated out of my grip, Parker gave her his balloon.  Reciting that people were more important than balloons.

Parker is always serving his siblings.  The other day Lyra had dropped her back pack so of course, Parker comes running back down from the end of the road to get it for her.  On his way, he tripped and must have hit really hard.  So seeing Parker fall, Lyra runs home for help.  I was in screwing together our bathroom so I didn't hear her yelling till she was opening the door saying 'Parker and he fell and he might be bleeding.'  So of course I drop the tools and go running for him, telling Lyra to watch the kids just for a second.  I found him on the sidewalk around the corner, still wrestling down sobs.  He must have hit hard and right on his fore head but seemed to have nothing too serious so I helped him walk home.  I am so glad that Lyra was so quick to come and get me, though.  I can tell she was really worried about him.

I am so grateful for my gracious kids.  Parker is really hard on himself, but I am so very proud of him.  Lyra works so hard, too.  Esther and Ethan and even Isaac are all following, too.

The other day I took the three little ones to the gym.  Isaac has been very mommy hungry lately and wasn't excited to be left behind at the kid care, so I asked Esther to help him.  She said 'sure' and walked over to Isaac, putting her arm around him and patting him on the back.  It was extremely tender and gentle.  And then later that day when I was at the park with them some girl was tired of waiting for Esther to go down the slide and gave her a shove to start her down.  Esther did not appreciate the help and when Ethan saw how upset she was, He looked up the slide at this girl, who was much bigger and older than he was, and told her off; 'hey, don't push my friend Esther!  She didn't like it!'  I think he even demanded she tell Esther sorry, which the older girl definitely did.

I love that they see each other as friends.  It is very common to hear Ethan and Isaac laughing as they pile up on each other on the small slide I have put in the living room.  Or Isaac giggling as he goads Esther into chasing him or as he pretends to tickle her.  The other day Isaac asked for something he didn't want just so he could share it with Ethan and Esther.  When running errands, Ethan and Esther hunt down the other's hands so that they can be safe crossing the street.  When Isaac wandered off (I knew where he was) Ethan and Esther were both panicked until we had him directly in sight again.  Then later when Ethan played the same game and turned the corner for a minute, Isaac, surprisingly, was just as concerned that Ethan was out of sight as his siblings had been to loose him.

The other, other day (I seem to be citing a lot of those just now) Lyra and Parker were asking why they couldn't invite one of their friends to come to the movie with them.  I had to explain that his mommy didn't know us well enough and she needed to know that we were safe before she would let us take her little boy somewhere.  Lyra thought about that for a while and then said 'well, we can just tell her we are Heatons.'  She said it so matter of course.  It would explain everything.  Because Heatons are kind, helpful, they keep each other safe and they always tell the truth.  Once his mommy realized that we were Heatons, this should not be a problem anymore.  The good news is, once people get to know my kids, I don't think that it will be long before they realize that it is true.  My little Heatons are kind, helpful, they keep each other safe, they share and they do always tell the truth.