Third Grade Update

I haven't updated since Brendon's birthday, so I thought it was about time. Sorry no pics to post. We have been incredibly busy since the school year started. Baseball season is also in full swing.

Brendon is doing very well in third grade. I have been very pleased with his teacher this year. She also has a 9-year-old boy, so she is very good at dealing with them. So far Brendon has one B (in English), and it is a high B, and the rest A's. I am very proud of him for working so hard. He has been spending at least two hours every day on homework and studying. There are lots of tears, but I think that he is finally realizing that he has to establish good studying habits at a young age. I told him that his reward if he gets all A's will be that we will go do whatever he wants to do for a day, and then take him to any resteraunt that he wants to go to for dinner. He seems to really want to work hard to get this reward. His B is an 88, so he has to pull that up in the next few weeks.

Baseball is also taking up alot of our time. This season, Brendon started kidpitch. This has been a very humbling experience. The kids get hit with the ball alot, and are learning how to pitch. Brendon has been pitcher in several of our games, and the rest of the time he is playing first base. His first game pitching was a little rough, and he felt very discouraged. He came home and said, "I am the worst pitcher ever!" I told him to just go out and try his best b/c he is learning. The next game Brendon made all 3 outs in a inning by striking out the other team. Brendon made the Challenge team again this year, so we have started in tournaments again. There was a tournament last weekend and we had baseball every day for 5 days in a row! Brendon got in trouble with his coach several times over the course of the weekend, and he was benched. He copped a major attitude and the coach simply won't put up with it. I like this b/c I feel it teaches him some discipline. I have seen a major change this week in Brendon's attitude. He is starting to realise that it will only hurt him later.

Everything is great with Eric and I. We have found a church that I think we both finally fit into. In the past, we have both stayed away b/c of growing up in southern baptist churches, and really being burned. We love the place that we attending now. It is a non-traditional and very liberal church. They wear jeans Sunday morning, and it is a very laid back atmosphere. Brendon also seems very happy here. I never thought there would be a time that I would look forward to Sunday morning church.

Also, we are taking Brendon to Gatlinburg for the weekend in a little over a week. It should be a perfect time for us to see the leaves changing in the mountains. I am really excited. We are ready to get away for a couple of days. Lots of pictures to come.