Done!!

It’s over!!! The boys wrapped up the school year on Friday, June 14th! It was a crazy, busy last week of school with the eighth grade graduation, field trips, awards chapel, fun activities, and the last scramble to wrap up the year.

On Monday(June 11), we had our eighth grade graduation in the evening. It was actually fairly well attended, and following the program we had desserts in the fellowship hall. I had offered to make a angel food cake berry roll cake and some gluten free/dairy free dessert. I had shopped for the ingredients in the morning, and after picking up Emma from school, we whipped up our desserts. Yeah, you must pay attention when making lemon curd....otherwise, you’ll quickly end up with lemon scrambled eggs!! I managed to make the second batch without incident, and we finished up the cake. Garett was the only one who wanted to go to the eighth grade graduation, so we went to the graduation. I played the piano for the graduation, and I was certainly blessed by the service. We will miss these eighth graders, and I’m excited to see how God directs their lives.


Tuesday was a field trip for the junior high classes. We had a reservation for an adventure ropes course and zip lines. And it was POURING rain! Needless to say, I woke up with a rather unenthusiastic attitude, as I was supposed to drive and participate at the ropes course. However, just as we pulled into the school yard, I got an e-mail. The director of the ropes course asked if we wanted to re-schedule...um, yes, please!   After talking to Garett’s teacher, contacting the other mom (Allison) that was going to drive also, calling back the director at the ropes course, we scheduled for Wednesday morning. This meant that I would need to switch my music class day, but the teachers were gracious in allowing me to teach on Thursday. Actually, Tuesday was just a gift from God to me! Roger had the day off, and we spent the day at home! I was able to work on various de-cluttering projects around the house, and that made me very happy!

Wednesday dawned a beautiful day to go to the ropes course. Roger had been able to re-work his schedule, so he was able to come with Garett’s class. My friend, Annah, was able to watch Emma after her school day was over. I am so very thankful that God allowed us to be able to re-schedule the field trip for Wednesday. The students seemed to have a great day, and it was so fun. I’m not a huge fan of heights, but I was certainly not going to quit! Josiah and I made it through the course the fastest, and I even went down the high zip line. I was not convinced to do the giant swing! I can still vividly remember the day when I did the giant swing at THE WILDS camp in North Carolina! And that was during my college days!


Thursday was the final awards chapel and music classes for me. Emma did fairly well with the long day probably due in part to the fact that we were having a music class party! The boys each received some type of award during awards chapel. I am thankful for the hard work and good attitudes (most of the time) that they put in during the school year. Garett received an award for Most Improved Student. School work does not come easily to him, so I practically cried when he was awarded this certificate. Chandler was thrilled to find out that he had made honor roll again. He also received an award from his art teacher and music teacher. Wyatt received an award for spelling. He is an excellent speller, and I can see why he was awarded this one. He had a 100% average in the last quarter. Travis didn’t receive an education award, but he did receive an award for Positive Christian Attitude. He is an extremely conscientious student, and he certainly puts forth his best effort.

After the awards chapel, we had our last day of music classes. I would say that overall its been a good year with the students. Sometimes I feel like I’m not a very good motivator, but then other times they surprise me with what they have retained throughout the year. I’m thankful for a break for the summer. If I’m asked to do it again, I would do it again.

Thursday night was spent gathering up our year-end teacher gifts. I wish I would’ve had the time to make something special for each one of them, but the truth is...I didn’t have the time! If I had made the time, it would’ve pulled me away from time spent reading to my kids or spending time to with them. I did have each of the boys write a note to their teachers. I loved reading their notes. We made little baskets or cards for each of their teachers. With having five kids in the school, that was five different notes/gifts! We are so thankful for each of their teachers. Truthfully a small gift card and note seems so insignificant in comparison to how much we love and appreciate each one of them.


On Friday morning we left our house early. I needed to get one more gift card for Garetts teacher. We went through the drive thru at Dunkin Donuts to get a gift card. The cashier had put it in a little gift card envelope. When we got to school, I had Garett put the gift card in the envelope with his note. He pulls out the gift card and says, “this is a weird gift card!’ The gift card read: “If found, please return to one amazing dad!” We had a Father’s Day gift card! Well, we were at school. I needed to play the piano for the last chapel and set up for field day. Oh well! Of course Garett’s teacher was able to laugh with us about the gift card, and it was a memory! Next time we need a gift card, I will be more specific about what I want the card to say!

The final chapel was beautiful. The students have so improved on their singing over the year. I could hardly hold back the tears as I listened to 44 students sing “In Christ Alone”, “Here I am to Worship”, and “Our God is an Awesome God”. It was my privilege to hear them lift their voices to their Heavenly Father.

Friday was a 1/2 day for the students, and it flew by! We had enough parent volunteers to help with a craft station, yard games, water balloons, a foot race, and other fun events. Needless to say, it was an exhausting week, but it was a good week as we wrapped up the school year. This was an extremely fast school year. I learned a lot, prayed a lot, worked a lot, and praised the Lord a lot (still plenty of room for improvement there!). We are so thankful for how God provided financially for the boys to attend the Christian school. We are thankful for their teachers who poured into our children on a daily basis and pointed them to Jesus. We are thankful for how much God continues to answer our prayers. Please, please keep praying that God will both provide 90 students for this next school year, and that He will provide the right staff to fill the positions that need to be filled. We serve an amazing, awesome God!


Roger’s brother, Mark, is here visiting for a few days. We enjoy having guests and family in our home, and Roger has been enjoying some time with his brother. Roger had to work on Sunday (Father’s day) but he and Mark did make it for the evening service at church. We are so very, very thankful for Roger. He works hard to provide for our family, and he works hard to be a great dad to our kids. We made him a rhubarb crisp for Father’s Day, and the kids gave him a nice card.  

 We’ve been having our Sunday night evening services around the fire pit out back. Its a beautiful spot to worship the Lord with the beauty of the harbor, water, sky, and surroundings. It was a great evening of prayer and song. The older I get, the more I realize the importance of prayer. I realize how much room I have for improving upon my prayer life, and that prayer is such an untapped resource and gift from our Good, Good God!

Monday was our first official day of no school. The day was beautiful. Garett went out to the airport for a bit with Roger and Mark. The other kids came with me to work on stuff for Vacation Bible School at the church. We worked on cleaning out the music room, and getting ready for next week of VBS. I am excited about Vacation Bible School next week, and at the same time, I am looking forward to being on the other side and having it behind us. My prayer is that through this evangelistic outreach, God will add families to our body of believers. On the final night of VBS, we plan to have a closing program. We plan to invite the families of the children, and then have a time of fellowship afterwards. We are working on various presentation  boards of ministries in our church. I often think that families come for VBS, but perhaps don’t realize that we also have Sunday School, Children’s Church, Nursery, Teen Ministries, and a Christian School. Perhaps God will add to all of those ministries! Please pray that God will bring the children, that we will be prepared, that the seeds of the Gospel will be planted, and that God will be glorified through us.


On Monday afternoon, the kids and I were invited out to the lake. Our friend, Allison, has a cabin on a lake, and its such a pleasant place to spend the afternoon! It was good to sit and relax! There is No way that I was going to go swimming, but the kids certainly enjoyed themselves! I attended a ladies prayer meeting in the evening, and it was an hour well spent. We praised God, and petitioned Him with our requests. I do believe that spiritual revival is possibly in our land, but are we praying often/regularly for that to happen?

Today was/is Tuesday. We spent the day around home. Roger, Mark and the two older boys were able to spend some time hitting some golf balls. We went bowling in the evening, and played tag on the playground. (There might be some sore adults tomorrow!) Ive been unusually tired lately (for me) but I think I just need some extra rest. The boys are already starting to have sun-kissed skin, and 100s of mosquito bites too! We’ve been checking for ticks nightly, and Chandler and Emma seem to acquire the most. We’ve been pulling ticks off of both of them every day...gross!

God is good...all the time.
Sarah