"God's Word is Truth" District Convention - Day Three

We finished up the Convention a week later than planned since both boys got sick on the second day. Matthew still wasn't quite completely well by Sunday so Joshua and I went. Let me tell you...he did amazing. He practically slept the whole first half of the convention so he could watch the Drama and hear about the new release just for little ones.

Before heading out...my big boy

Mommy and Joshua

Having a snack before sessions start

 

At lunch we got pictures with his buddy, Javen

 

Another picture with Mommy at the Convention

 

He was so excited about his new brochure...we studied the first three articles already

 

Well, the Convention was amazing as always each year. We had a blast and got some much needed spiritual food. Quite a bit of advice to apply in our daily lives and with raising our boys to be brought up in Jehovah's organization and to be wonderful brothers.

"God's Word is Truth" District Convention - Day Two

Day two of the Convention was just as great as the first. Joshua wanted to sit up in the higher seats so we sat up in the green seat section and it was perfect. He was very specific that he sit in #4 because that is how old he is.
I was able to catch a lot of the talks and can't wait to start applying many of the points in our lives. I look forward to day three.

The boys before we headed out

Joshua has been given the task of wheeling in the lunch...which he takes very seriously

Matthew asked Daddy to sit down by him

We had 33 baptized today

My friend Jazmine...we met over two years ago in the nursing room at the Special Assembly in Rosenberg. Her little boy Noah is 3. I finally nailed down contact info so we could get together.

Joshua, Noah, and Matthew playing

Sitting on the stairs having a drink before sessions

Matthew did not want Mommy to be away from him

Big Smiles

Joshua hugging his new book close

Day two ended with the boys sleeping through nearly the entire second half. We went home with Matthew not feeling good and later that night developed a huge fever. We will have to go to the following weeks Convention to finish ours with Day Three.



"God's Word is Truth" District Convention - Day One

Our District Convention is here.
Today we got up, had breakfast, got dressed and gathered our bags...this year not as much as previously...each boy had a small backpack containing their coloring book, crayons, notebook, blanket and in Matthew's diapers and wipes. I had just my purse and the cooler. Let me tell you this was the way to do it. The boys were excited about their bags and having their own backpacks made them responsible for their own items.
This year was a huge improvement over last year where I was up and down most of the time and to the point of having one of the attendants come and tell me he asked his younger sister to come sit with me to help out. This year...not a peep and even had so many of those sitting around us come and tell me that the boys were so well behaved and it was a pleasure to see them being so quiet and attentive. I can only imagine next year being even better, especially as Joshua starts to recognize words and we can do the tally marks in the notebooks for the key words to the Convention/Assemby/specific talks.

Here we are all ready to head out

This is my new favorite picture...my little boys all dressed up

Matthew sitting in his seat...just as happy as could be

The boys walking back to the auditorium after putting the cooler in the car

Then after sessions we found out that after this lovely picture I had dropped my car key and Joshua was so worried that we would have to walk home. As always, we walked back in and went to Lost and Found...sure enough there was my key. Joshua was so happy and I was elated, especially unsure of where I dropped it.

My beautiful big boy, Joshua, posing with the stage behind.

Joshua stood in the aisle to watch the drama...which had me crying.

Then the drive home...after an hour to get out of the parking lot and another hour to get home the boys were tired.

I am so proud of how wonderful the day went. Tomorrow is Day Two and I pray it will be just as wonderful as today.





2012-2013 District Convention - Safeguard Your Heart

This years convention really lived up to all its expectations. While I love them every single year and I always look forward to them. January comes around and everyone gets so excited to find out when our convention dates are announced. The closer it gets the more excited everyone gets. This year, the boys were old enough to actually get excited, well...Joshua is. In a previous post I wrote about the coloring book I made for Joshua...it was a hit. It was used all three days.

The Convention as a whole was quite the eye opener and has me really contemplating and pondering how to make some much needed changes in my life spiritually. I know that no matter what some major changes will be made all with a lot of prayer to Jehovah.
So, Thursday night I made sure my big bag was packed with diapers, wipes, blankets, and books. I got lunches all made and ready to throw in the cooler, then I set out all our clothes. Raul went to work and I got up and got ready. Then fed the boys breakfast and before walking out the door made sure to set them down to get a picture since I wasn't sure if I would get one since it was just me and the boys.

Day One

I thought the boys did amazingly well. And Jehovah blesses the efforts to get there even though it would have been so easy to stay home since Raul wasn't going to make it with us. I had two attendants come and ask if I was by myself. While I had offers from friends to help with at least Joshua, which I took them up on, it was Joshua who ultimately made the decision and he wanted to stay with Mommy and Matthew...so one of the attendants had a sister that watches their 3yr old nephew and said he would have her come and sit with us. She came and sat with the boys and I. Joshua fell in love with her and her friend. They managed to get him to sleep while I got Matthew to sleep and we enjoyed the last half of the afternoon sessions.

The boys having lunch

This is one of my favorite...the music was playing to have us come to our seats

so Joshua grabbed his bible and acted like he was singing the songs.

The second day went even better than the first seeming we went alone again. The boys were amazing and took their naps. Joshua woke from his nap in just enough time to hear about the new DVD he was going to be watching that night. 

The boys on Day Two

The boys and I on Day Two

Matthew being a train before sessions

My big boy with a big smile

The boys after getting their new DVD - Being Jehovah's Friend

The DVD was watched six times before going to bed that night. Joshua loves the song at the end. I give him a week of watching the DVD before the words are memorized and he sings it all the time. I can't wait to be able to download more for him to watch. 

Day Three was hectic. I luckily packed everything up the night before since now we would have four of us to get out the door on time. I got up earlier so that I could make breakfast tacos so everyone would be well fed and not be begging for food before lunch. Although, the boys did get small snacks in the morning. The boys watched the DVD again while I finished up breakfast. When we got to the Expo Center Joshua insisted that he get to "drag" the cooler inside. He did wonderful. We found seats we will probably sit in from now on...they are up against the wall so we only have to worry about blocking one side so the boys can't get out and run away. The boys were a little bit more hectic in the morning.

 "Dragging" the cooler inside

 Daddy managed to get Matthew to sleep and Joshua laid down on the seats and fell asleep.

 The family (wish the picture wasn't so blurry)

Me and my dear friend, Sabrina. We met in 2005 at my Chiropractors office, where she works. 

A couple of years later we found out we were both sisters in Jehovah's organization.

It was a wonderful convention and I look forward to next years and I hope to have my goals being met and the boys better trained to handle quiet, sit still time.

2012-2013 Special Assembly

We had our Special Assembly yesterday. It was very nice and actually really relaxing. We got up at 5am and got showered and dressed. I made coffee and lunch while Raul showered and dressed. We then woke up the boys and put them into the car in their pjs. It's a two and a half hour drive to Rosenberg and I didn't want them to eat breakfast on the go in their suits and get all dirty.

The only time we were all together.

Joshua eating his lunch all dolled up.

Daddy and Matthew (Matthew wanted his lunch NOW)

Joshua checking out the "rainbow" of Watchtower's in different languages

He liked the replica of the Assembly Hall and Literature Depot

Fishes in the front pond

We had quite a few brothers and sisters come up to us at lunch and after sessions to tell us how well behaved our boys were. It felt so good because Joshua has this constant need to hum songs he makes up. While it bothered me (I hear it from the minute he wakes up until the minute he goes to bed) it wasn't loud and most people realized it is a 3.5yr old making the noises. I will still work on him to not hum ALL day long, but he did good...what helped I think is that he only had his one stuffed toy (which will not be coming to the District Convention in three weeks)...maybe eliminating all toys will keep him from humming during sessions. 

I tried to get him to mark in a notebook every time the speaker mentioned Jehovah, Jesus, or God, but he didn't seem interested in that at all. Maybe he's still too young? I'll try again at the Convention. I know that is how I started out taking notes.

I figure we'll keep up with the driving back and forth for the Special Assemblies, but stay overnight Saturday's for the Circuit Assemblies...driving back and forth both days could be a bit much.