July Moments and Memories

What a month it has been! We soaked up as much family time as we could before Chandler left for BMT on July20th. I was not prepared for how much I was going to miss him! 

Right before Chandler left, we went to the mountains and spent a few days as a family. My Aunt Lisa graciously allowed us to stay at her mountain home, and it was a fun trip for us. We spent time walking, drinking coffee, playing pickleball, and even a trip to Dollywood. Dollywood is probably my favorite amusement park as far as those types of parks. I’m not a huge fan of rides or things that make my head hurt, but our kids sure do enjoy them! Dollywood is extremely family friendly, and you can get tickets at a greatly reduced rate by doing a bit of research! Emma shocked the socks off of all of us as she rode every ride! The last time we went, she was scared of many of the rides, but this time she wanted to go on all of them. We ended up staying at the park til almost closing time, and it was quite the long drive back, but I’m glad we did it. Garett wasn’t able to come to Dollywood with us as he was working, but he did come up to the mountains for Friday and Saturday. 

On Sunday, July 19th we attended our last church service as a family before our lives drastically changed. Garett came to church with us (he normally attends a different church), and as I sat in the pew and looked down the row, I was filled with gratitude to Jesus who loves me, died for me, and gifted us with these precious children. They were never ours to start with, but rather a gift from God to raise and to steward and to raise for the Kingdom of Heaven. Pastor Powell offered a prayer over Chandler and for Chandler, and even Chandler had some tears in his eyes. He’s not the emotional type! While our life is changing, God is unchanging. I know that through the trying of our faith worketh patience and God is going to continue a good work in and through us. We press on in Jesus’ name. 

We had an informal gathering of friends and family over to our house on Sunday night (7/19) for fellowship and fun. Oh, it was fun! Chandler and his friends spent much of the afternoon and evening down by the pond riding on the ole jet ski and surfing behind it. It brought a light heartedness to the evening, and even our neighbors stopped by for the free entertainment being offered by a old 1988 jet kid and a bunch of teenagers loving life and enjoying the murky pond water!

Monday (7/20) Chandler’s departure date. He needed to be at the hotel in Raleigh by 6:00pm, so we had most of the day before we needed to leave. Chandler had had several of his friends sleep overnight, and they got up early to have breakfast together before they all went their separate ways. 

We spent the day making sure that Chandler had everything that he needed to bring (which wasn’t much!). I took Chandler to get coffee with me and we talked about some of the challenges that he might face. He is/was concerned about friendships and relationships as well as finding other Christians. I reminded him that God is always for him and that multiple people would be praying for him. We left for the hotel in plenty of time, and we arrive to drop Chandler off at the hotel about 15 minutes before 6pm. As we all piled out of the van to walk into the hotel, Chandler looked at me and said, “We’re all going in?! Mom, we can just say our goodbyes out in the parking lot.” To which I immediately replied, “Um, we’re going with you.” Look, buddy, we brought you this far. We are going to make sure you have all your ducks in a row before we leave.” He went into a meeting, and we sat in the lobby for a few minutes. I had an epiphany and realized that I needed to send him with envelopes and stamps, and the hotel graciously gave me several envelopes. (I got the impression that I wasn’t the first person that had ever asked for envelopes!) Five minutes later Chandler comes back and says, “I’m all checked in. I don’t need to sign back in until 8:30pm. Can we go get some supper somewhere?” Ahh…the reason we came in with you! :) We piled back in the van, and headed to Chili’s to get some supper. I was taking a few candid photos at the table, when Travis started getting teary-eyed, and suddenly everyone at the table was blinking away tears or wiping their eyes. I’ve found out that my boys can be emotional! The waitress came over to take our order, and I could tell she was very confused by all the tears. We did have a great supper together, and it was a fun last-memory to make. We did the whole drop-off thing again …this time just from the parking lot, and then Chan was on his way. I blinked and my second son is off, and I realized just how un-ready I was for that moment! Chandler said that he thought he’d have to share a room at the hotel, and he wasn’t crazy about that, but he texted me later that night. “Mom, I have a praise. There’s only one bed in my room, and thankfully, it’s just me.” Praise Jesus!

 Tuesday morning came early for all of us as no one slept great. Thankfully, we all had work to do, so that was a good thing cause we couldn’t sit around and think about missing Chandler. I have life 360 on my phone and I knew that Chandler had been at the MEPS since about 5:30am. They were there all day until about 2:00pm. Chandler sent me a text about3:30pm to tell me that they had missed the first flight to Texas and were waiting for the second flight. I asked what he had been doing all day, and he replied, “Nothing! We’ve “hurried up and waited all day!” Once at the airport, he texted me to tell me that he was ready to get this training started. He said that the unknown was making him anxious, and we had a short texting conversation about our imaginations being our own worst enemies. Regardless of the season of life we are in, we have to cast those burdens at Jesus’ feet. He texted me about 8:30 to tell me that they were leaving for Texas. I had started researching support groups and information about what to expect, so I knew that he would probably get one short phone call to tell me he had arrived and it was 11:47pm our time. I was right..it was a 9 second phone call. He called from the airport to tell me that he had arrived, loved me and would call in 72 hours. Whew! He sounded a bit tense and there was a lot of background noise. 

We all worked on Wednesday, and on Thursday we worked at school for a bit. I knew from the support pages that are now all over my FB feed that some parents/loved ones had started getting phone calls with addresses by Thursday. I found the address format and started carrying around my piece of paper and a pen. I figured out how to turn on the emergency by pass on my phone so I wouldn’t miss his call, since it’s not like they get to call back! We were at the farmer’s market on Friday, when Chandler called. It was hard not to be emotional as Chandler knew what he needed to do and rattled off the address. He quoted it several times to me, and there was a lot of background noise. He sounded a bit stressed, but our only recourse is to keep praying and sending mail- lots of mail! After he hung up, I realized that I was missing a critical piece of information, so back I went to the support pages. My friend, Tamela, texted me off the cliff (figuratively speaking, of course!) as I was rattled, emotional, and clearly didn’t know what I was doing! She sent me some money for coffee which is totally my “thinking and de-stressing drink”. I think we have it figured out now, so if you’d like the address for Chandler, you can message me.  

Meanwhile, Roger, Garett, Travis and their friend, Eli, left for Wisconsin on Tuesday evening. They headed up to see the EAA air show, and I think a great time was had by all. It was a lot of walking, seeing airplanes, talking to pilots, taking pictures, etc. Garett has some amazing photos, so feel free to check those out on Instagram. Or I can try to post some here also. 

Jen, Emma, Travis and I have been at my parent’s house for a few days in Wisconsin. It’s been a little while since Jen and I have been up to Wisconsin, and it was good to catch up on a few things. We went up to Wausau one day to visit some of my dad’s family. We cleaned some, worked on a few projects, etc. I was able to spend some time with one of my dearest friends, Jenna, and her family. Sometimes God brings someone into your life that will be your forever friend. Jenna is that friend to me. We are terrible about texting or calling, but we can seamlessly knit our families and conversations back together every time. Jenna is an “iron sharpeneth iron” friend, and we had many deep and meaningful conversations over the course of just a few days. It’s never enough time, but I’ve learned to always be thankful for whatever time we do have. The kids and I had dinner at another friends house (Longsines) on Wednesday night, and it’s always good to catch up.  There were lots of friends that we would’ve loved to re-connect with, but time is always so short. I am thankful for the time that we did have, the memories created, and the conversations that were meaningful. 

Some of our dearest friends! 

Adventures in Wausau

Adventures in Wausau 

Lots of games!

Friendships

We’ve been through a lot over the years. Thankful for this dearest friend. 

I did hear from Chandler …randomly on Wednesday morning. He called me about 7:00am, and the number was a San Antonio number. My heart skipped a beat because everything I’ve read says that “no news is good news”, and a phone call typically comes in the third week. I picked up the phone, “Mom, this is Chandler. Everything is ok. I was born in Berlin, Wi, right?” I was like, “Chandler, yes, son, you were born in Wisconsin.” He replied, “Ok, I love you. I gotta go.” And I blinked and that was it. Well, I know he is still alive and kicking, but what in the world?! 

We are now traveling back to North Carolina, and I am trying to write the July post before August is here. It’s hard to believe that school will be starting back soon! Please pray for a great year for teachers and students. I am excited about the new school year, but it always brings about new challenges. Or rather, I guess, opportunities to depend on Jesus more. 

We are missing Chandler …a lot. And I’ve definitely been far more teary than I’ve ever been, but God has been so faithful. This week was a special blessing to be able to spend time with my parents, our two youngest kids, and special moments with dear friends. God is so, so good. Sometimes we don’t always recognize the goodness of God, but I am so thankful that He is unwavering and faithful. Even when I am worried about all the “what ifs”, God remains calm and unchanging in the midst of the storms of life. I’m thankful to be anchored to the Rock and that Rock is Jesus. 

Thankful for a God Who Never Changes!

This picture of God’s Creation is a reminder that He controls every sunset and sunrise and everything in between. I am thankful for His constant never changing love for me. 

 July is flying by too fast! I wish I could stop and bottle up lots of the feelings and emotions of these last few weeks, as I feel like I just need time to process so many things! 

Chandler leaves on Monday for BMT, and I am not ready for it… at all. Chandler tells me, “Mom, I will be coming home again at some point.” Yes, I know. But I also know that it will never be the same again as the boy is becoming a man. From here on out, he will be home to visit, but never to live at home in the same way again. The route that Chandler has chosen is a long one in the military, and it’s not going to be an easy road. I know that he hasn’t said much to very many people as he’s a little worried about all the training ahead of him, and he doesn’t want to fail. He told me the other day, “Mom, I’m planning on doing this or die trying. But don’t worry, I left you all my life insurance policy.” Why thank you son! (Slap forehead here) I appreciate that thought, but I’ll put my energy and effort into praying you through, thank you very much! Oh, this boy is excited, nervous, overwhelmed, over stimulated, and eager to get started. 

This past month, I took a trip to Washington DC. Over the Fourth of July. Roger and I were supposed to have a weekend away, but due to the fire situation, he wasn’t able to take off work. I asked the boys who wanted to go, and Garett had to work, Chandler had made plans with his friends, Emma had just gotten back from camp, so Wyatt and Travis agreed to come with me. What an adventure it was! We had a really great time in Washington, DC. We left early Saturday morning, and got on the metro around 11am. It was a quick, smooth ride downtown, and we were amazed at ALL THE PEOPLE! The media had been boasting about the lack of people attending the Great American Fair, and I’m here to tell you- that was a lie! There were thousands of people on the streets, waiting to get in the museums, the Fair, and all the historical places in DC. We stood in line for a good chunk of time, just waiting to get in the Fair, and then Travis decided that he would like to try to visit each of the 50 booths representing the 50 states. Wyatt and I were like “No way, bru. It’s too hot for all that! Pick a few and we will stand in line some more!” We could’ve stayed for a lot longer, but the day was so incredibly hot. The National Guard was doing a good job trying to distribute water, but we did see several people needing medical attention. The fair was bi-partisan, and we saw and met American from all over the United States that we happy to be celebrating America’s birthday with us. It was a really, really cool experience. We headed back to our hotel after five pm (metro is free after 5pm.) and the boys were starving. We had eaten breakfast, but only water while we were out on the fair grounds. It was honestly too hot to eat, but once on the metro and in the air conditioning, their appetites returned! We were the last stop on the metro and six minutes from our hotel, so it really was a great location. The hotel was the most amazing one I’ve stayed at, but it suited our purpose. We ate dinner, rested for a bit, and then headed back to the metro to head in for the fire works. The weather did not cooperate at all for the fireworks and the President’s speech, but we did get to see the fireworks that started around 11:40pm. It was a sight to see! We did not stay for the entire fireworks display because I knew that the thousands of people that had ridden the metro with us would need to return back! We arrived back at our hotel around 1:30am, and showered off the grime and sweat again! It was a great weekend, and my favorite part was probably visiting with 100s of other patriotic Americans. We won’t forget that experience any time soon, and I am thankful that Wyatt and Travis went with me. Someday Roger and I will be able to get away again…he certainly has the time off available, but there’s not been much for opportunities to use it! 

Lots of water bottles! I have no idea how many 100s of thousands of water bottles were used in DC over the weekend, but I would be curious to know! While there are a lot of water bottles around the trash can, I will say that I thought most people did a great job of at least placing the bottles by the trash can and not littering everywhere! 

In other family news, Travis now wears glasses! I think he’s super cute with glasses! :) 

The  boys found out that our neighbors have an old 1988 jet ski that has been sitting around since 2008. Well, guess who inherited that?! Garett and Chandler went down and dragged it home. Chandler spent some time cleaning out the engine, and they got it running!…for a bit! It’s currently not running again, but now Roger and Chandler are working on cleaning the carburetor. I do love seeing their efforts and energy come to fruition, and it was fun to watch them on the pond for a bit. Our neighbor says that everytime she drives by the pond and the boys are out there, she has to stop and watch for a minute. She calls it her comic relief for the day! That, and it keeps me praying! 

Emma has been off to Maine this week with Aunt Jen. She was at church camp for the first week in July and she loved it. Then she was home for a few days, and now she’s off to Maine! I am thankful for these experiences for her, even though I do miss her a lot! She has been enjoying time with her cousins, lake time, and all kinds of other adventures! 

Wyatt and Travis had the opportunity to attend a local soccer camp last week hosted by a college, and they had a great experience. Travis was a little hesitant to go, but I’m glad he went. Both boys said it was money well spent for them, and they were glad that they went. 

Roger did get a day off last Wednesday, so we met up for lunch along with three chaperones!  Garett was working, and Emma was in Maine, but the other three boys were happy to meet us for lunch. I am thankful for these moments,

This past Sunday afternoon, we went to the beach with some friends, the Hardisons. We went to the early church service at Coastal Community Baptist Church, and then we went up to Topsail Beach. North Topsail is one of our favorite beaches as it’s usually less crowded, and typically we can get free parking! We had a great time enjoying the warm water, sunshine and fellowship, and everyone came back a little red from the sun! 

My mediation in God’s Word has been on the promises of Who He Is…Faithful, Trustworthy, Gracious, Holy, Protector, Provider…I am so thankful that God is Who He says that He Is! Worthy of all of our praise! 

Summer Break!

 Summer break is in full swing, and we are working hard at making the most of it!

 Emma’s life goal, at the moment, is to go swimming every single day of the summer! She also has been learning to bake a few things, feeds and waters the chickens, enjoys going to the library, and comes with me to the Farmer’s Market some. 

Travis tinkers with his dirt bike, mows grass for the neighbors, takes care of the chickens, and usually works two to three days a week. Wyatt typically works about five days a week, and he probably comes home the most tired. He’s been working with construction demolition and clean up, and he’s been working hard. He’s trying to save money for his first car, college, etc, so he’s been trying to save a lot of his money. Chandler has kept busy with lots of odd jobs for various people in the area. He’s become quite the handy man in a lot of ways as he does pressure washing, lawn care, painting, or whatever else needs doing. Garett continues to work for the gutter company, and Roger has been crazy busy at work. Typically the spring fire season is done by mid to end of May, but it has been so hot and dry here, that he’s been working about 14 days straight. He then has the mandatory reset days and right back at it. We did have a little rain yesterday and the humidity is increasing, so perhaps he will be back on a normal schedule soon. 

We’ve enjoyed several trips to the beach, which often happens after church on Sunday. Chandler has had several of his school friends over on occasion this summer, and I am often reminded of how quickly our children are changing right before our eyes. Chandler originally had a date for boot camp in August, but due to some additional testing that he has taken, his date has been moved up to mid- July! I am suddenly feeling all the feelings of this “boy becoming a man”. He’s getting ready to leave home, and whenever he does come home again, it’ll never be quite the same. He is both excited and nervous, and I am feeling much the same way! I am so very proud of his decision to enter the military, but also part of me is just sad that this day came so quickly. Suddenly a month of the time we thought we had left is just gone, and we are down to just a few weeks! We have plans for a trip to the mountains as family in July for one last adventure, and then it’s off to boot camp for Chandler. Please, please pray that he will find good friendships, stay close to Jesus, do his very best, lead by example, and that God will be glorified in and through Chandler. 

This week both Garett and Chandler are gone on a missions trip to the Dominican Republic. This is the same mission group that Garett went with last month, and this month it worked out that both Garett and Chandler could go. They left on Saturday evening with the plan to arrive in the D.R. On Sunday afternoon. However, the first flight on Saturday was delayed. They made it to the hotel later than planned on Saturday, but were at the airport ready to go for the next flight on Sunday morning. Then that flight was delayed significantly, so they missed the connecting flight to the D.R. The only option was to stay overnight in Miami, and try for the next flight on Monday! Finally…the team made it to the Dominican on Monday afternoon! Typically a missions trip always has a few stand-out memories, and this one is shaping up to be a memorable trip. We are thankful that the boys had the opportunity to go, and we are praying that God will work in and through them this week. 

Mission Trip Adventures

                                                                        Beach Time

Pond Adventures! 

Lots of Corn! 

We’ve been busy this summer, and I am enjoying the break from school, lesson plans, and the schedules. Please pray for wisdom for Roger and I as we work through some challenges with schooling, adult children, church, life, parenting, etc.! I am so thankful that God is faithful! We serve an amazing, holy God. I love this song by Chris Tomlin: 

May Madness- I mean, “May Memories!”

 May was crazy as it felt like there was a different event every day of the month from the first of the month til the day of graduation! Sports awards, senior breakfasts, events for elementary, events for high schoolers, graduation practice, a visit from my parents, graduation for Chandler, graduation party, graduation for my counsin’s son, and all the day to day activities! No wonder I’ve felt like napping the first week of summer break! 

I really think it would be impossible to write all the details for the month since I am so far behind, so I think I am going to use more pictures than anything else. However, I do want to give an update on Chandler as he has been making decision regarding his future. He is actively pursuing joining the United States Military, and there are many, many steps in the process. He has been unsure about what to study in college or what God would have him to do, and he has prayed a lot about his decision as have his parents! This is a big deal, and we would appreciate your prayers for Godly friends for him and good influences as he prepares for boot camp and beyond. 

Secondly, Garett missed out on Chandler’s graduation as he was on a missions trip to the Dominican Republic. We are so thankful for this opportunity for him as he has been lacking Godly fellowship in his life. He had a wonderful week, and we are excited that he has decided to return for a second missions trip at the end of June. Chandler is planning on going with him this time, and I am thankful that God has provided these missions trip to take with Parakaleo. Chandler may not have another opportunity to take a missions trip for a while, so he is looking forward to taking this trip at the end of June. 

                                                            Garett’s Missions Trip 

My parents flew in for Chandler’s graduation on Thursday night and my cousin’s sons’ graduation on Sunday. It was a busy week! My dad helped the boys build a ramp into the shed for their dirt bikes as well as a platform to jump off into the pond. My dad said that the boys were interested in building a platform to jump off into the pond, and instead of telling them not to do it, he decided to help them make it as safe as possible- good plan! The boys have been so busy with riding the dirt bikes and clearing trails to ride them through the woods. It’s keeping them busy that is for sure! My parents left on Wednesday to fly to Maine to see Hannah and her family for a few days. We enjoyed having them here, and it’s always good to catch up in person. 

We also hosted a graduation party for Chandler and another friend in his class at our house last Saturday evening. It was a very wet afternoon, but we’ve needed the rain so badly that I didn’t mind the extra mess and mud. We are thankful for rain! 

Update on the boys jobs for the summer: Chandler plans to do odd jobs for various people throughout the summer, and so far he’s had plenty of work. Wyatt is working for a friend of ours, and he seems to be liking the job. Travis is still kinda looking for some more summer work, but jobs for 15 year olds are a little harder to come by. I will probably try to pick up some jobs throughout the summer, but I’ve currently been enjoying soaking up time at home and doing a few extra things at our house. Emma’s current plans include working if the opportunity presents itself and lots of time at the pool! :) I’ve had to get a large calendar that I keep in the kitchen so I can keep track of who is going where and when! Wyatt and Travis are going to Youth camp; Chandler and Garett are going on a missions trip; Emma is going to church camp; Emma is going to Maine with Jen; we are trying to figure out some trips to take as a family- we are busy! 

 The end of the year was rough for me. There are a lot of emotions and feelings this as Chandler graduates as I know that he won’t be sticking around. I know that God has a perfect and beautiful plan for his life, and I am so excited to see what God does, but parenting is hard. We are raising children to become independent adults, and it’s happening before our eyes. I’ve had a lot of questions about how I feel regarding Chandler’s decision to join the military. I ask often, “Is God any less in charge of God’s life because of where he is?” I think not. We gave our children over to Jesus from before birth, and Chandler is just as safe in the military as he is anywhere else that God calls him to. I am thankful that we live in the greatest country on earth, and I am proud of Chandler for wanting to serve his country as he doesn’t know exactly what God has for him. Yes, there is a little bit of me sad that he won’t experience Liberty University this fall as Chandler worked so hard to apply for scholarships and make it affordable. But I also know that Chandler did not make his decision lightly, and he seems to have such peace about entering the military. Of course, please do keep him in your prayers. 

As we wrap up the month of May, it was a busy month but so full of blessings too. God is so good and faithful, and He saw us through a lot of challenges and struggles. God’s grace has been so evident in our lives each and every day. We are so very blessed. 

March Moments and Memories - Trips, Spring Break, and other “Fun”!

 March has disappeared into the past, and April is moving forward at “full steam”  ahead! I feel like I can barely keep up with all the school events, sporting events, church events, family events, and the busyness of spring. I read a quote recently that said “we are not promised tomorrow, and we are not even promised ‘later’, so live every moment with intentionality.” Whew! That is true, and trying to be intentional is a big job in these moments. 

March flew by with Roger’s birthday soccer games and practices, preparation for our fine arts competition, Chandler’s senior trip, a quick visit to Raleigh to catch up with some friends, and everything else that fills up the regular days of our lives. Earlier in the month of March, we were able to meet up with some dear friends of ours from Wisconsin. Roger and I have been friends with Jared and Beka for a very long time, and although we hardly see each other any more, it’s such an easy friendship to jump back into. We jumped back into our friendship, but our older teens and their older teens took a bit of time to warm up to each other and visit together…Emma doesn’t know any strangers though, so she was happy to talk to their teen age daughters! It was a very quick evening in the Raleigh/Durham area, but I am thankful for the moments to  catch up on a few things and to know how to pray more specifically for them. It was a fun, albeit cold, evening. 

I am very, very thankful to have the first fine arts competition behind us. We took 41 entries in Jr. high and Sr. High to the state competition. The students competed in various art categories, and there was a total of about 483 entries! We had 2 senior high students place first in their categories, so they will be allowed to enter their art pieces in at the national competition in April. This was very exciting to me, as going to Nationals is a big deal! We had a few entries that didn’t place well, and it’s hard to know sometimes what the judges are looking for in this type of competition. However, we are moving on and preparing for the next fine arts competition which is just 2 days after we get back from spring break! And my elementary students are preparing for their competition which is the following week, so April is going to fly by…and I’m going to be very tired! I am thankful for my aide and friend, Kaycee, who helps fill out forms, organize art work, file papers for me, and clean up a million messes a day! I will also be thankful to have these big events behind us, but I am thankful for the opportunities for our students to use their talents and skills. I often tell my students “Progress over perfection”. Are we progressing in our skills and implementing what we have learned?  The Christian life is similar to that also. Perfection won’t come until I see Jesus face to face, but am I progressing in my walk with Him? Am I more like Jesus today than I was yesterday? 

March 23-27 - I took Chandler and another boy from school on their senior trip. Jessie and Chandler went to visit the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, the Sight and Sound production of “Joshua”, and snowboarding in Maine for two days. It was a very full week with lots of driving! We left early Monday morning to head to Philadelphia, and we arrived about 1:00pm. Parking is always interesting in big cities, but we managed to find a place to park. We went to the visitors center (an impressive building), and I quickly realized that there was a lot to see and way too little of time. I spoke to a nice lady at the information desk and she recommended that we see the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. She was able to get us tickets for Independence Hall for the next tour, so we quickly headed that way. The tour was informative and well done, but I think what struck me most was standing in the same room that our Founding Fathers had stood in almost 250 years ago. To see where George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and others had sat and penned the “Declaration of Independence” was a sobering and reflective experience. They were not writing for the needs of the country at that moment, they were also writing for the future United States of America. I’m glad that we were able to get in to see Independence Hall. 

Next stop was the “Liberty Bell”, which is more than a bell as they have a whole museum dedicated to the the bell. The boys enjoyed the experience, but by then it was 3:00pm, and we were all hungry for lunch. Can you go to Philadelphia without eating a Philly Cheesesteak?! You can, but we went and found a place to try cheesesteak and cannolis. It was a little tucked away place, but it was good. We all tried the cannoli, but I decided that Philly can have that. I didn’t love the taste of cream without a lot of flavor wrapped in a crunchy cookie. I can skip that. 

We traveled to Amish country outside of Lancaster, where I had lodging for the night. I had been struggling to find accommodations since both the boys are just 17 and 18, However, there is this adorable place that has converted railroad cars into hotel rooms in Pennsylvania.  The place was so cute with a petting zoo, rows of railroad cars, and an old farmhouse that had been converted into lodging. We stayed in the farmhouse as we could all have our own rooms, and it was pretty cheap lodging. It wasn’t fancy, but it was clean and the place was quite cute. The boys went to Planet Fitness in the evening, and to Play it Again Sports where Chandler found a putter for Travis. It was a full day of travel and memories, so we were all happy to go to bed. 

On Tuesday morning, we checked out of the hotel and hunted down a bakery and coffee shop. We found a cute little market that also had a coffee shop. Yum! The doughnuts and bakery items were made right there in house, and it was a great stop before heading to “Sight and Sound- Joshua”. If you’ve never been to Sight and Sound, it was a 10/10 rating for me. A job well done and very impressive! It’s not a cheap experience, but they really did a great job of making the story of Joshua come alive. Jessie and Chandler also enjoyed the show, and I would love to take Emma and the other boys some day. We got out of the show at 1:30pm, and we were probably about the 4th people to get out the door as we hustled to get out of there. The gps said it was a 9.5 hour trip to Hannah and Josh’s house in Maine, but traffic was terrible! Trying to get out of New York City and Connecticut felt like forever! We traveled 100 miles in 3 hours, and the time on the GPS just kept rising. I wanted to make it to Hannah’s house as I knew that would save on the cost of the trip (since I wasn’t getting paid for these days away, every penny needed to be counted!). We finally made it to Hannah and Josh’s house at 12:27am on Wednesday morning- Praise the Lord! 

Wednesday morning rolled around, and the boys slowly crawled out of bed, but excited for snowboarding and skiing. Chandler had made plans to borrow Josh’s old snowboard, but I had arranged for Jessie to rent skis at the mountain. The skiing weather was beautiful, and the conditions for skiing were perfect! The boys headed off to the mountain, and I spent the morning hanging out with Hannah and her kiddos, which I loved! Chandler called me about two hours later to say that they were at the ski mountain, but had a slight problem. I was like “ok…”. He told me that Jessie couldn’t rent the ski equipment because they didn’t have any one over 21 to sign for it. I told Chandler that I had signed the waiver online, and the additional rental information, but apparently they needed an adult to sign. Chandler and Jessie are pretty independent and good problems solvers, so I told Chandler to see what they could figure out. Well, they figured it out. Jessie ended up using Hannah’s old snowboard and boots (which were a little small), but they managed. Chandler asked the guy for a refund on the rental equipment, and the guys told him that they usually give out a voucher for that type of thing. I told Chandler that a voucher wouldn’t be very helpful since it expires in a year, and I know we won’t be back to ski in the next year. Chandler managed to get the voucher in email format, and the guy told Chandler that maybe they could get the money back if we would call. OH yes! Anyways, the boys had a great time snowboarding, and they came back to Hannah’s very tired and a bit sore. 

Thursday’s agenda was another day of snowboarding for the boys, and I was able to head down the coast to see some of my friends from Maine. It was the quickest morning of the year as I sat at Dunkin and sipped coffee with my friend, Allison! We talked about everything under the sun, and although I haven’t actually talked to her in over a year, we didn’t miss a beat. We talked about the challenges of raising adult children, schooling concerns, church challenges, laughter and memories. Allison also has a young adult child, and it was good to know that I’m not alone in our concerns and challenges with our own young adult and soon to be two of them. After coffee, I headed over to the school that we were involved in for the six years we were in Maine. It was good to speak briefly with teacher and co-workers from my time there. Many of my kindergarten students recognized me, and it was fun to share a quick hug with them and speak with them…that class is now in 4th grade!! How time flies! I shared a quick moment with one of my mentor teachers, Becki, and then headed back to Hannah’s house with a full heart and memories to hold dear until the next time I see these friends. God is good. 

Friday morning came early-4:30am early! It’s about 16 hours from Maine to NC, and that’s a long day of travel! Roger had recommended to me that we get on the road early to try to get through NYC before rush hour. We were in the car and on the road by 4:33am. What a day! I am thankful for caffeine, Chandler driving, the ez pass, and express roads! It was a long drive back, but we were pulling into our own driveway by 11:00pm. God is so good for His protection and mercy. 

It was a good week, albeit a bit crazy. Chandler and Jessie made some memories that will hopefully last for their lifetime. Taking this trip was not my first choice, but we felt it was a necessary trip for these boys. I asked the boys about their favorite parts of the trip, and Chandler said that, “Mom, I really enjoyed all of it. I’m glad we were  able to go, but really nothing can take the place of the missed time with our own classmates.” And I totally get that as that’s what I would also think as an 18 year old. I wish the school had chosen a trip that would have allowed us to have a clear conscience in sending our child, but since that wasn’t the case, we chose differently for them. Again, I have no issues with those that choose to go to Disney as a family, and I’ll like your memories on facebook and ask about your trip, etc. However, for Roger and I, we have chosen to avoid Disney trips as they have become a voice for the LGBTQ movement in the last years, and that’s not something that we want to support, and also the cost is very high for something that is strictly entertainment driven. I like entertainment and fun, but we also wanted intentionality for Chandler’s senior trip.  I read and hear statistics often about the fact that 7 out of 10 Christian young people will walk away from the Lord. In a family with five children, we absolutely have to fight against that statistic. I am praying, pleading, and working to raise five kids that love Jesus. I don’t expect them to do it exactly like I do it, but I do want to them to live full, emboldened lives for Jesus! Do we support other controversial things? Oh, I am sure, in light of Romans 14, we also do things that people think as controversial, but we are making choices as a family. Are we doing it perfectly? Never! But we take hope in the fact that we serve the GREAT I AM. We are thankful that Chandler had Jessie to spend the week with, and that God gave him a friend for this trip. 

This week we are on Spring Break, and I am so thankful for that! We’ve spent five days at Topsail Beach, and Hannah, Josh and their kids have come for a few days also. It’s been some fun, full days of memories and laughter, but we are oh so thankful for these moments. The cousins have spend oodles of time together at the beach, golfing, fishing, playing outside, and eating lots and lots of food! 

I finally finished up Chandler’s graduation announcements, and realized that we are about six weeks out from his graduation! Yikes! Chandler recently told us that he really, really doesn’t know what he wants to do when he is done with high school. I think he is overwhelmed with the decision making, and although he’s been accepted at Liberty, the cost is overwhelming to him in light of a four year college degree. Chandler recently visited the Armed Forces Recruitment office, so we are praying about God’s clear direction on his life. There are a lot of decisions that will be made in the next few months, and we need Jesus to help us. If you think about it, Garett could use some prayers…and some friends and fellowship. He is realizing that life outside of high school can be a lonely place to be, and we’d like to see him develop some friendships with other young people. He is struggling with a lot of decisions as well, and sometimes it’s hard to know how to parent adult children. We need a lot of Jesus and a lot less of us! 

I am so thankful for the Resurrection of Jesus! I am thankful that Jesus defeated death, and that He reigns! We went to a little Good Friday service at a small local church on Friday evening. It was a little like stepping back in time, but it was a good reminder. It was kinda a drama with a lot of singing in it. People in the congregation had stepped up to fill the roles of the twelve disciples, the Sanhedrin, etc. As they were taking their places for the drama, Emma leans over and whispers to me, “Mom, why are the Wisemen in the Easter story?” I looked over to where she was looking and realized that “Pilate”, “Herod” and the “Sanhedrin” were probably reusing the costumes from the Wise men in the Christmas story. I caught her up to speed, and she nodded, but it was a funny moment. 

Roger has spent the last several days working, so we missed him on Easter Sunday. We had a very untraditional Easter dinner, but no one seemed to mind as long as there was food to eat. I greatly enjoyed the church service on Sunday and the music at the church we attended near the beach. It’s always good to be reminded of the sacrifices Jesus made for me. I pray that I will never lose sight of what He has done for me…and you. Salvation isn’t a gift just for me or for a special group of people. Jesus died for all mankind, and He loves you with an unconditional love. His mercy is more that we can imagine and His forgiveness is offered to each of us. I pray that you will understand and accept His precious gift of salvation. 

To all of you on spring break- I hope you enjoy every moment!