Adventures to and in Texas!

 I finally have a minute to write, and I have so much to write about in a short amount of time! For those of you that have been following along on Chandler’s journey in the military, much of this post will be about him. 

However, we do other “news” in our family also as Garett has been working on getting his private pilot license, Travis and Wyatt continue to work hard in soccer and in school, and Emma is adjusting to middle school! I’ve been busy with getting ready to enter 51 pieces of art in our local county fair, as well as trying to keep up with lesson plans, PowerPoints, and prepping art for about 300 students per week. (I’m never bored!) Roger is coaching soccer again this year, and while that has had its own set of challenges, we’ve learned a lot again this year. We’ve had tears, anger, frustration, joys, trials, and challenges, but Roger has constantly encouraged the team to be “all in” both in their Christian walk, soccer and life. To be “all in” means that when it’s hard, we stick with it. When discouragement comes along, we are “all in “ to encourage and edify each other. In our Christian walk, we are “all in” to love and serve Jesus. Roger does a good job of trying to point his players to Jesus, and while I wish he wasn’t so disheartened at times, I am thankful for all his efforts with the soccer team. 

Two weeks ago, we finally made it to Texas on Wednesday morning! We had left with thirteen minutes left in a soccer game with Wyatt and Travis, and we made it to the Raleigh airport with plenty of time to spare. The boys were a bit sweaty, but some body wipes and deodorant helped the situation. I was a bit “wound tight” as my kids would say as I just wanted everything to go smoothly. We boarded the plane right on time (and Southwest has a 93% “on time” rating), and everyone sat down on the full flight to Nashville. However, about two minutes after we sat down, the pilot comes on the speaker and says that there is a small nick in one of the fan blades and that maintenance is on it’s way to check it out. My blood pressure immediately started to increase, and I could practically feel the air leaving my lungs. “Wait, what?! No way! I have very important places to get to!” We sat on the plane for about thirty minutes or longer before they announced that this plane was not going to Nashville that night. We would have to reboard another plane, and at that point in time, all hopes of making our connection in Nashville were nil! I couldn’t believe what was happening! Surely, God knew how important this event was to me, and how I wanted to be there on Wednesday morning for Chandler’s airman run, coin challenge, and his “tap out”. As soon as we got off the plane, there was a really long line already for the customer service line. The Southwest Airlines people announced that there was another plane leaving for Nashville, so we would arrive in Nashville that night…but the Robertsons were not going to be in Texas that night! I went in the bathroom and cried right there in the Raleigh airport. I couldn’t imagine not being there for Chandler, and since he didn’t have his phone, he would have no way of knowing that we weren’t going to be there for him that morning. We got a text saying that our flight had been rebooked out of Nashville for the following morning, and we would arrive in San Antonio at 10:20am. (Not good enough for me, but there was not a single flight that would get us there before 10:10am.) We couldn’t drive- we wouldn’t get there any earlier. We couldn’t take a train or boat…there were literally no options! As we waited to board the next plane to take us to Nashville, I began to pray about options for Chandler. I had already posted to my Facebook page about our struggles, and I fully expected God to work a miracle for us, but that wasn’t God’s perfect plan. I connected with a mom that had a son in Chandler’s flight via one of the Facebook support groups I was a part of, and I explained the situation. I have never cried so many tears as I did that night, but I managed to find someone to “tap out” Chandler on Wednesday morning. I barely knew this mom at all, but I knew that her son was in Chandler’s flight, and that she would probably be willing to help me out. Sure enough, she immediately agreed to help us out, and said that her son would “tap out” Chandler as soon as they had tapped out their own son. Nothing about the situation was ideal or what I would’ve picked, but it was what it was! 

Tuesday night around 9:30 pm, we arrived in Nashville. By the time we had our hotel vouchers, figured out the hotel situation, and transportation to the hotel it was about 11:00pm. We were all tired, but the boys were very hungry! They had left the soccer game, went to the airport, waited through two plane boards, ate a small complimentary snack, and were very hungry! Roger and I checked into the hotel, and the boys walked over to McDonald’s to get some food. As we ate the food and had some prayer time together, we had to remind ourselves that God already knew that this was going to happen. It wasn’t what we wanted, but we were going to get to Texas, Lord willing. 

We left the hotel around 4:30am on Wednesday morning, as our flight left at 8:00am, and the lines for security were long. The airline had issued food vouchers for us, but they failed to tell us that the whole $45.00 voucher must be used at one time! That was a bit frustrating as we didn’t know that fact, but everyone got a bite of food while we waited to board another plane. As I sat there, a woman came up to me and introduced herself as Shelia. She said that she recognized me from the Facebook group, and she was also trying to get to Texas for the graduation. Apparently there were several families and friends that were on that flight the previous night,  and it was nice to have someone to talk to that understood the disappointment of the situation. Shelia doesn’t have a personal relationship with Jesus, and I was thankful for the opportunity to speak with her about eternity, life, and things that matter. I am praying for her salvation, and I was thankful for the opportunity to visit with her. 

Finally - Texas! I was so, so thankful to finally be in Texas, but we still had to get the rental car, get to the base, and find Chandler.  We landed at about 10:10am, and I knew that we had missed the graduation events for that day by about 45 minutes. We were walking towards the car rental when my phone rang, and it was Chandler. I immediately started crying, and I handed the phone to Wyatt. Wyatt spoke to Chandler for a few minutes, and then I gathered myself together and talked with Chandler. His first words were, “Mom, it’s ok.” It was not ok, but I’m thankful for his maturity. He said that he was waiting for us, and that he would send his location to my phone. I explained that we were about 22 minutes away, and he was relieved. He said that when he was tapped out, he was so confused and he thought we might not be coming until the evening! No, we are in Texas! We found him at about 11:30am, and that first hug was one that I’ll not soon forget. He’s not the first born son, but he was the first one to leave home, and we had only had two conversations in the weeks he had been gone. Chandler wasn’t picky about where we went, but he was hungry! He explained to us that his flight had had some struggles, and that they had lost two hours of the base leave time, so he would need to be back early. Not exactly what you want to hear when you’ve already arrived late, but at this point in time, I’m learning to just roll with the disappointments! We were determined to make the most of our time together. We ate lunch together, visiting and catching up with each other. Chandler had a ribbon for his marksmanship, and he said that he would’ve had one for honor grad. His testing skills had qualified him, but because of the poor choices of several in their flight, all the honor grads were denied their ribbons for  honor grad. I was super annoyed about it, but Chandler just said, “It is what it is. You rise and fall as a team.” Well, I’m bummed for him, but again, it is what it is. (Do you sense a “theme” about this trip!?) 

My parents arrived in Texas on Wednesday afternoon, and we were all able to get an early dinner together before returning Chandler to the base that afternoon. Our time was not enough, but I knew that we would get to see him again on Thursday, and we would be there for that graduation ceremony! It was an early morning on Thursday, as we were on the base by 6:20am for a 9:00am ceremony! By the time we arrived, the bleachers were already full in some sections! The military has a lot of “hurry up and wait”, so that’s what we did for a few hours. About 8:00am, the mom whose son had tapped out Chandler on Wednesday sent me a message asking if we had seats. I replied that we did, and if they needed a place to sit, we could squeeze in a bit more. So, they ended up sitting with us during the ceremony on Thursday. It was kinda neat how God worked it out so that we could meet them in person, and it was good to talk with them. The graduation ceremony was/is quite impressive, and there are several moments that I’ll not soon forget. One of those moments being the National Anthem. I hope I never forget how blessed I am to be an American, and how many people have sacrificed for the freedoms that we have in our country. It was hard not to cry as Chandler marched by and realizing that this was just the first step on his journey of many steps. I am thankful that God watches over him. 

We spent Thursday afternoon with my parents, lunch at an authentic Mexican restaurant, and then getting a pass for Friday and Saturday- just in case we could see Chandler again. We visited the Alamo also, and that was a neat experience, and it was free! That was a good thing, because the parking in San Antonio is very expensive! Chandler had to be back one hour early on Thursday, so we got back on base with plenty of time to spare, and we had a few more minutes just to visit with him. 

On Friday morning, I got a text from Chandler at about 5:20am. It simply said, “I hope these next fifty days aren’t all like this. I won’t be able to see you today, and I got about one hour of sleep last night.” Not the text I wanted to get on Friday morning, but I assured him that whatever he was facing God would bring him through it. We exchanged a few more texts, and then it was radio silence. I knew my parents had wanted to see Chandler one more time, but it just didn’t work out on Friday. We went on a walk, visited the museum on base, and visited with my parents. My parents left very early on Saturday morning, so we didn’t see them on Saturday. 

Saturday was a bit of a crazy morning for us as Chandler sent us a text and said that he would probably be able to see us if we came on base. Well, how fast can I get there?! He said he needed some things for his next step of training, and he asked us to go get some things from Sam’s Club. We went to Sam’s Club and a few grocery stores to get some things that he would need. Travis announced to Roger that, “I think I might join the military. Then mom can get me all these GOOD snacks!” Haha- that kid will probably not go in the military as he told Chandler, “I don’t like people yelling at me, so I don’t think I want to join.” Travis will always be honest with us, and he’s a fun kid to be around! We were able to snag a quick visit with Chandler, and while it wasn’t as long as I would’ve liked, it’s probably for the best as I didn’t have time for more tears! 

We said goodbye to Chandler, and then we took Travis and Wyatt out for some Texas barbecue. They were happy to drown their sadness with lots of meat! We walked on the river walk, ate food, and enjoyed our time with the two boys. I was feeling a bit emotional with realizing that the first step for Chandler was probably one of the easier steps, and I have no idea when we will see him again. That’s hard on a mom! I’m thankful that we’ve been able to talk to him a few times over the past few days, and that we can continue to pray for God to direct his steps. Please continue to pray for him. If you’d like more details on how to pray specifically, you can certainly message me. We came back home on Sunday, and back to reality we went! 

It’s been quite the month! We’ve had some really high moments, and some really, really low moments. Through it all, God is still God. He’s not surprised or shaken by the circumstances that I am in, and I can rest in the fact that God loves me. I was a bit rattled by the fact that God did not make the path smooth for our trip to Texas, and I’ll probably never understand it, but I am so thankful that God knows my heartaches. He knows my thoughts and he is not frustrated by lots of tears. I can rest in the fact that I serve a God who loves me unconditionally, and my faith is in Jesus. “When my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the Rock that is higher than I.” 

Finally! This is "THE WEEK"!

 Shocker, but it’s September…and I haven’t written an update in a while! I actually have a million reasons, including, but not limited to the following: sports, school, art plans, fair art, church, family, birthdays, our anniversary, and a bunch of other events! This is one of my favorite songs, and we sang it in church on Sunday. I was reminded of many Sundays in Maine, when I would sing this with the worship team, and the words in this have encouraged me many times. Blessings! 

We started school, and we will be entering our third week on Monday. Every year I am reminded that there is no tired like “back to school” tired! We have been busy with lots of sporting events as Roger continues to coach boys' soccer, and Jen, myself, and our friend, Tamela, are coaching the Middle School girl's volleyball team. The boys are adjusting to the fact that the soccer team is missing the six starting seniors from last year, but they are working hard at making the adjustment. Wyatt has been extremely frustrated from time to time, and we’ve had to have a few “come to Jesus” moments, but I do think that God is working in his heart and life. Wyatt was a lot more encouraging to his brother at the game on Thursday this week, and we are so thankful for this current shift in heart and attitude. We are praying that it will continue as the season progresses. Roger has been frustrated by a lack of heart and hustle in some of the younger players, and that is something that the player themselves must develop! Oh, we are a work in progress! 

Emma has been playing volleyball on the school’s intramural team this year. Since we have so many Middle School girls that wanted to play volleyball, we’ve started a Saturday morning intramural league. This has been a lot of fun for most of the girls, and they’ve been getting up and coming out to volleyball on Saturday mornings…even if it’s early! It’s been fun to watch most of them improve and develop their skills. Wyatt has gotten the task of refereeing the girls' games on Saturday mornings, and his friend, Kaeden has helped too. I am thankful that they’ve been willing to come and are willing to assist with the games, and its good experience for them. 

We had our first home game on Travis’s birthday, and during the middle of the game, I got a phone call from Chandler! Suddenly, I couldn’t find my phone (which was practically in my hand), I forgot how to answer the phone, and I was shouting at my friend, Tamela, that ‘Chandler is calling me!’ Haha! Well, I got to talk to Chandler for all the fifteen minutes that we were allowed, and it was so, so good to hear his voice. Travis was able to talk to Travis too for a few minutes, and that was a special blessing for Travis. Chandler has written us quite a few letters, and we’ve been thankful for each one! He’s also written a few other people that have written him, even though he says in every letter that his time is very limited! When we talked to him, he was telling us about the “gas chamber” experience, which was not fun for him. He said that he had been very excited about the experience, but the second he got in the chamber, he found out that his mask had a small leak. He said it was the most miserable experience of his life so far, and his lungs felt like they were filled up with mixture of cinnamon and hot sauce! Ugh! But he got through it, and that one more training thing behind him. He said that the music for the church services has been very good, but the last few weeks, they’ve had a women preacher. In his last letter, he wrote, “horrible message. Music good. Horrible message. I sat and read my Bible.” We’ve talked about “chewing the meat and spitting out the bones”, but he says that sometimes there’s no meat to be found. Well, sometimes that is still true even as we get older, wiser, and develop more discernment. I recently was in a service where the preacher made the comment that the “most righteous and repentant people in this church are the ones at the altar the most”. Um…pharisaical much?! (At that point, I started writing a letter to Chandler as I figured that was a good use of my time.) I don’t love that Chandler is not under sound preaching, but it sounds like Chandler is trying hard to journal and keep up with his Bible reading. Please pray that he will find a good, solid Christian friend, to encourage him and that they can develop a strong Christian friendship. Please, please keep praying for him as he begins the next stages of training at the end of the month. 

But…speaking of training! We are headed to watch him graduate this week! EEKKK! I am so excited! Garett and Emma are staying home this time, but Roger, Wyatt, Travis and I are traveling to see Chandler. If it comes to mind, we don’t have a lot of time to work with on the way there, so please pray that all our flights will be on time. It makes me a little nervous, but there’s only so many days to work within a week, and I’m just praying that God will make a way for all the flights to be on time and for smooth transitions! 

Last week, at one of the soccer games, a lady from church was getting ready to leave the field. She mentioned that she was going to be gone in two Sundays and was anyone willing to take her place in the Sunday School nursery. I said that I would be willing to do it, and the lady proceeded to tell me about the lady I would be working with in the nursery. “Her name is so-and-so, and she does nursery every week. It’ll be fine and thank you.” I had never heard of this lady, but that’s not so uncommon as the church is big, and sometimes if you don’t have kids in the school or teen group, then I may not be familiar with who is who. However, get this- only God event! The next day, after volleyball for Emma, we went out to eat to celebrate Travis’s and Garett’s birthdays last month. As we sat around in the restaurant, the waitress came over and said, “Someone paid for your meal. That lady took care of your meal check.” We were like, “Who?!” And I didn’t see anyone I recognized. A lady came over and said, “I’m so and so. I go to the same church you do, and I’ve noticed your family multiple times. I just wanted to bless you by paying for your meal today.” As soon as she said her name, I thought to myself, “Wait a minute! This is the lady that I’ll be working with in nursery next week.” I mentioned it to her, and she replied, “Yes, that’s me!” Wow! Totally a special gift from the Lord, and it was such a blessing to our family! We serve an Amazing GOD!

We’ve had a lot of other events and activities fill the past thirty days, and it’s felt both long and short at the same time. Chandler will be in a short “holding” pattern as he prepares for the next step in his training. Without going into a lot of details, there are some really hard steps in his training, and we need to continue to pray that God will give him strength, energy, discernment, discipline, and endurance. I’ll be spending a lot of time before God’s throne over the next few weeks! 

Today was Labor Day, and I was hoping for one last call from Chandler, but I’m not holding my breath. The military likes to keep you on your toes and not guarantee anything, even if it happened to someone else! We spent the day at Topsail Beach soaking up the sun, lots of sand, and moments in the water. It was a good day to close out the summer, and I’m glad we took one last trip. 

This is an exciting week with lots of emotions! I told my friend that I am praying for smooth travels, minimal hiccups, and wonderful memories! If I had to do it all over again, there’s a few things I would’ve done differently, but weeks ago, we were flying by the seat of our pants trying to figure out a million and a half steps!  My parents are also flying to Chandler’s graduation, so please pray for their travels as well, and just a really great time together. It’s going to be so short, but I just remind myself that God already knows all the details and my heart. I’m thankful for His presence. 

Beach Time

A sweet gift that was given to the VB coaches at one of our games. 

First day of School

Another year has begun! 

August Musings and Moments

 Back-to-school this month! It’s hard to believe but we are done working at the farmers market for the season, and we are heading back to school in just a few days! Summer flew by with camp for Emma, soccer camp for the boys, a trip to Maine for Emma, a trip to Wisconsin, Chandler leaving for BMT, and a whole host of other summer activities. There will always be a list of projects that I wish I would’ve gotten to get accomplished, but the fact of the matter is that none of the kids will care that the bathroom didn’t get painted (again)! Hopefully, they will remember the memories created in the mountains, the beach, dirt bikes, frog ponds, and summer moments! 

Date moments- with extras!! 

Chandler left three weeks ago today, and to say that he is missed would be the understatement of the year! Now, I'll admit, Wyatt and Travis have both helped themselves to his closet of clothes (with Chandler’s permission) and Wyatt has claimed the bottom bunk for the moment, but whew- we miss him! Returning to the “dark ages” of no cell phones or texting is not for the faint-hearted, but we are making it! Sometimes we can get access to a link to look at photos, and it’s literally like playing “Where’s Waldo”! I’ve only ever seen one picture of Chandler, and it was not a good photo! We’ve been writing every day for about three weeks, and we hadn’t gotten a singular piece of mail. No, I take that back. We did get one piece of mail from Chandler, and it was information about his graduation. The only thing that was handwritten was the address- not helpful!!! 

I’ve learned a lot in three weeks…”no news is good news”; the military is the GOAT of using acronyms; just keep writing; pray always; tears are normal and expect them often; and a host of other things! I’ve made some friendships via some of the support groups, and it’s nice to know that we are not alone. I’ve been able to encourage a few others through prayer, sharing Bible verses, and being able to relate. The military is a whole new ball game!

The support groups are a wealth of information and sometimes it’s hard not be overwhelmed. However, the one thing I’ve gotten down is that you never know when a phone call will happen. So, I’ve figured out how to by-pass the silent tone with Chandler’s number, so it’ll ring even if I have my phone on silent. I’ve changed his ringer to a specific one just for him, and I carry my phone everywhere. I’m doing my best to not miss his call if/when he calls! This worked out in my favor on Saturday morning.  The boys had a soccer jamboree tournament, so I was sitting at the gate collecting money. At 10:11am, my phone rang, and it was Chandler!! I picked up the phone and tried not to dissolve into complete tears. Roger had just wrapped up his game, and thankfully, we were able to walk into the school building and talk uninterrupted for 14 minutes and 57 seconds!  Let me assure you, that was not nearly enough time, but it was good to hear from him. His voice sounded terrible, and he said it was from so much yelling. He told us that he had written several letters, but they hadn’t been able to send any mail until August 4th (Saturday was the 8th). He pleaded with us to keep sending the mail, which he says is his favorite part of the day, as hearing from home keeps him motivated and going. Chandler’s voice sounded like it hurt to talk, and his voice kept cracking all over the place, but he’s alive and kicking. Praise Jesus! That phone call totally made my week! Chandler said that the church services on Sunday have been on point with the Bible, and he has really, really enjoyed the services. There were a lot of other little things we talked about, but time went by too quickly. 

Roger and the soccer team had a jamboree on Saturday, so we spent the day at the school. It was also Emma’s birthday, but we celebrated her day on Friday evening. It probably wouldn’t have been her first pick to hang out at the soccer field all day, but she is a good sport. We are so thankful for Emma. Emma is sweet and loves all things girly. She is NOT fiercely competitive, much to her brother’s chagrin, and she does not like people to be upset with her. She squabbles the most with Travis but also can be his biggest supporter. She wrote the sweetest note to Chandler, and I might share it here. We love her, and our prayer is that she will continue to grow in her relationship with Jesus, and that she will live her life completely for HIM. 

The boys' soccer team did decently on Saturday. I know Roger has been working hard with his team, and that the team is missing the depth of experience that last year's seniors brought to the team. However, they’ve been working hard, and it showed on Saturday. The team won one game and tied two others. Roger would appreciate your prayers as it can be challenging to coach a soccer team with a wide range of skill levels and a team that has two of your kids on it! Garett came and took pictures of the team in action, and it was good to have him there. It was completely weird to not see Chandler on the soccer field, and he really enjoyed the game. However, watching Wyatt play is a lot like seeing Chandler play! They have a lot of the same mannerisms and Travis would say that Wyatt has taken over Chandler’s job of yelling at him! Haha- we do have some great memories and some not-so-fun moments! 

When we arrived home from the jamboree, there were five letters from Chandler in our mailbox! Could my day get any better?! Praise Jesus! One letter was just the graduation passes for September, and Chandler had written “DO NOT LOSE! I WANT TO SEE YOU!” Ok- got it! There were three letters for our family, and one note for Travis. Chandler had also tucked in a little note for Emma’s birthday. I’ve read and re-read his letters, and while he’s not winning any awards for spelling, I can see his energy and heart in the letters. He is most concerned about passing the selections course which will take place after basic. He needs to pass the thirteen-week course in order to move on to his selected field and only 15-20% pass selection. Please start praying with us on this! I told him on the phone, and I told him in letters that God’s people are praying for him! He said that he can feel God’s presence and Chandler finds himself praying all the time. I think that God is working in Chandler’s heart, so please continue to pray for that. Please pray that he will stay strong and healthy. Please pray that he will be a good leader for his flight, and that he will find good friendships. Please, please pray that he will pass the selections course. And if you want to add one more random prayer request, I have an unspoken request that I’d appreciate prayers for also. So far, after hearing Chandler and reading his letters, I would say that he is currently in a good place mentally. Please pray for the aforementioned prayer requests!

In other news, Garett is moving forward on his pilot’s license! He has scheduled his written test for the end of August, and I can tell he’s already nervous about passing it. Garett often chooses the comfortable route because he doesn’t want to fail at something. This is an important step for him, and I know he would appreciate any additional prayers. 

Sundays are just going to be hard for me, and I think I’ve resigned myself to that fact. There are certain songs that will cause my tears to flow and Travis would say “Mom, that seems to be about every song!” Haha, well, currently yes! During yesterday’s handshake part of the service, I turned around to shake the hands of the people behind me. The lady asked me how Chandler was doing, and just like that, tears flowed! Oh, yes, I’m a regular waterfall! She wrapped me up in a hug and introduced herself. I’ve seen her multiple times behind us, but yesterday we made a connection. One of her children had also gone into the military, so she was familiar with the process. We exchanged phone numbers, and my heart was so encouraged. God is faithful- always. 

I think the only child I haven’t mentioned in this post is Wylie. Wyatt is doing ok. He started off the summer with a job that he really liked, but he ended up back at the farmer’s market. Wyatt doesn’t love that job, but he is a hard worker. He has cut grass for us multiple times this summer without being asked, and he enjoys tinkering with his dirt bike. He invited the soccer team players (juniors and seniors) over to our house after the jamboree, and I’m thankful for that. Unfortunately, only two boys ended up coming over, but I’m thankful that Wyatt wants to invite people over to home, and that he has some good friends. Please pray for him as he enters his junior year of high school that he will make good friends, love Jesus, work hard and lead well. 

It’s time for me to sign off as school is calling! I’m starting to feel a lot of pressure to get a lot of things done in a short amount of time. I have lots of art classes to teach this year, which requires lots of preparation, power points and writing lessons. I write my own art lessons, and every year I focus on some Biblical point. I’ve covered Names of God, Attributes of God, and this year I think I am going to focus on the Fruits of the Spirit. (It helps me learn things too!) 

In closing, I’ll add a song that Emma really loves. 

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.