Just because I've heard that picture won't open larger. Here is what the newspaper clipping I posted below says:
"Oh heavenly Father, make me a better parent. Help me to understand my children, to listen patiently to what they have to say and to answer all questions kindly. Keep me from interrupting them, talking back to them and contradicting them. Make me as courteous to them as I would have them be to me. Give me the courage to confess my sins against my children and ask their forgiveness, when I know that I have done wrong.
"May I not vainly hurt the feelings of my children. Forbid that I should laugh at their mistakes, or resort to shame and ridicule as punishment. Let me not tempt a child to lie and steal. So guide me hour by hour that I may demonstrate by all I say and do that honesty produces happiness.
"Reduce, I pray, the meanness in me. May I cease to nag; and when I am out of sorts, help me, O Lord, to hold my tongue. Blind me to the little errors of my children and help me to see the good things that they do. Give me a ready word for honest praise.
"Help me to treat my children as those of their own age, but let me not exact of them the judgments and conventions of adults. Allow me not to rob them of the opportunity to wait upon themselves, to think, to choose and to make their own decisions.
"Forbid that I should even punish them for my own selfish satisfaction. May I grant them all their wishes that are reasonable and have the courage always to withhold a privilege which I know will do them harm.
"Make me so fair and just, so considerate and companionable to my children that they will have geniuine esteem for me. Fit me to be loved and imitated by my children. Oh God, do give me calm and poise and self control."
Doesn't he look like a king? 
So Ben was in a play at St. Elmo, and though he wasn't Romeo, I certainly think he looks the part! ;) But my reason for this post is because every time he walks on stage whether it be a singing program or a play it is like a trigger for a lump in my throat and a welling up of the tears. Is this normal? I'm sure it is, but if I look around I don't see many other parents doing it, or maybe I'm just totally zoned in on Ben. However, the pride I feel in him is beyond anything I could have imagined and his teachers all tell me how wonderful he is and what an amazing young man he is and the compliments pour in about him, but it is his gentleness and his shyness that always makes my heart lock up. You can see how painfully shy he is in certain situations but he gets through it because he is a perfect little gentleman and he would never want to let his teachers down. He will never be the lead role, that is not his style but I could not be more proud of him for doing what I know is so difficult which is just stepping out there in front of all those people!! love love love to the Ben!!
The lady standing up in the back is the reason that every last one of these girls and women on the couch (and even more girls not quite born at the time of the photo) grew into women that can work circles around most people and have the strength to get through whatever life throws at them. 
Pre-K, Mrs. Lucy's class
Tickle, tickle
I was in charge of games and Mick was in charge of pictures so we only got one game and one kid, Sam. They loved stick the nose on the reindeer, big hit!
Just about in the right spot!
I would like to say that no one was hurt in this football excursion. T, you know I wouldn't let them get too rough and as you can see.....they were all smiles!!
