August - School, Soccer & Lots of Birthdays!

 Somehow I thought I’d manage to squeeze two blog posts into August, but since there’s only about three days left in August, don’t hold your breath! Life has been busy, but when is it not!? I’m trying to live with intentionality as this is Garett’s last year of high school, and we are facing 4 graduations in the next five years!! I tell Garett often that I’ve never done this before, and he should expect me to cry a lot this year. He said, “okay, mom. But you sometimes cry a lot on years that I’m not graduating.” Um- true that! 

Earlier this month we celebrated Emma’s 11th birthday, then Travis’s 14th birthday and in a few days, Garett’s 18th birthday! Emma had a few friends over on a Sunday afternoon for her birthday, and she was excited about the Barbie dream house a friend had passed on to her. Emma picked salad for her birthday meal, so we had salad with all the toppings and of course, Ice cream cake! Emma is entering fourth grade this fall, and sometimes I struggle with the fact that she is much older than the rest of her class. However, so far that hasn’t seemed to bother her too much, and I pray that will continue to be the case. I remind myself often that she’s exactly where God wants her to be. Our prayer for Emma this year is that she will understand school, love others, be honest, and live for Jesus. She loves to play with younger children, and can often be found playing ‘teacher’ at home. We are so thankful to have her in our lives. 

We started school on August 15th, and I’m not sure that any of us were entirely ready to go back to school, but off we went! As we pulled out of the driveway on the very first day of school, Travis announced, “Well, we only have to do this 175 more times until the school year is done.” One of his brothers promptly told him “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t talk!” Haha! School is not Travis’s favorite thing, but we are praying him to have a great school year and to lean into Jesus. 

I’m teaching elementary art classes to kindergarten through 5th grade as well as a middle school art class and teaching library to elementary students. I’ll be honest, it’s a lot, maybe even too much, and it stresses me out, but I’m going to do my very best at it all. I have a great art assistant as well as a wonderful library assistant, and they’ll help me however they can. But at the end of the day, it’s still a lot of lesson plans, prep, and thinking. I sometimes dream about art classes and books, but I know that God will give strength and energy for every day. I started out the school year with a few days of prep, and that has helped me settle my mind immensely. This week I started teaching students, and we are already starting to work on art projects to enter in at the county fair in just a few short weeks. I tell my students often that I am passionate about God, family and country. Therefore, the art for the fair will be patriotic in nature. I’m excited to see how the projects turn out! I love teaching, but my prayer is that I will pour into my students and point them to Jesus. I start my lessons with prayer and a Bible verse, and this year I plan to focus on the names of God. I remember learning about the names of God during my school/college years, and it impacted me. I am praying that my students will leave the school year knowing Jesus better than when we started the school year. I’d appreciate your prayers!

We had our first soccer game on Friday, August 23rd, at the end of our first full week of school. There is nothing quite like “first week of school tired”, but the boys soccer team started their season with a win! Roger is coaching the soccer team this year, and he has poured a lot of time and energy into the team. It has pros and cons to be coaching the four boys, but for the most part, I think they all enjoy having Roger as their coach. After the soccer game, we hosted the team for a spaghetti supper. Jen had the idea to have supper with the team at school after the game, and we had several parents offer to bring desserts or tea. Most of the team stayed for the supper, and it was a positive way to start the season. There’s been some rough moments, to be sure, but I’m excited for Roger and the team. Garett would especially like to have a winning season as it’s his last sports season, but we will work hard, play hard and give God the glory. 

Travis celebrated his 14th birthday on Sunday, August 25th. He had asked to have over a few families for supper, and he picked out tamales, beans, rice, and chips and dip for his birthday supper. We had about 21 people over for dinner, and it was a lot of boys! I think we had eleven boys here, and they played outside most of the afternoon and evening. Travis seemed to have a good time, and we are thankful for friends to share a meal with at our house. And now for about a week, the boys are 17, 16, 15, and 14…and Emma is 11. Garett will turn 18 in a just a few days, and that’s another thing I’m just not ready for in my life, but here we are! 

The boys had a soccer game last night, and while they didn’t win, they did tie the game. It’s been unusually hot here the past few days (even for N.C.), and they have another game tomorrow evening. Tomorrow Jen is leaving with our three youngest kids to head to Maine. They are flying out tomorrow evening for a very special occasion. (More about that in another post). I had also wanted to go, but with Garett’s birthday, senior pictures for him, a soccer game, and it being such a quick trip, we decided that just the younger kids would go with Jen. We are all planning to take a trip to Maine over Christmas break, so that gives us something to look forward to in December. 

In other news, I’m looking for some advice. I’m in my 40’s now, and I’m getting older every day. I exercise regularly (very regularly), and I eat fairly well. But…yikes! Why is the scale going so fast in the wrong direction?! I know hormones, age and all that, but has anyone found an actually solution?! I’d prefer to not gain any more weight, and I’d love to lose a few pounds (at this point, I’d settle for even losing ounces!). It’s the most ridiculous and frustrating thing I’ve ever encountered! I’m open to any and all suggestions…and I’ve tried some crazy ones! 

We’d appreciate extra prayers as we try to parent older teenagers and point them to Jesus. I realize that so many decisions that they will make in the next few years will have to be their own personal choices and not something I can make for them. They’ll be deciding for themselves to love and serve Jesus.  Statistics  show that 7 out of every 10 church kids born in “generation z” (1997-2012) are walking away from Jesus and the faith. That’s not okay! I’m praying hard and passionately for our children, and please, please pray for our children. Please pray that they will be steadfast, unmovable and abound in Jesus. Please pray that they will understand how to love people and point them to Jesus without being pressured into making bad decisions. Yes, I know that they will make mistakes along the way in their lives (I still do and often), but that they will guard their hearts and love Jesus. 

Thank you for your prayers. 

 

                                                The first name of God that I’m introducing this year. (Genesis 1:1) 

July- Work, More Work, Liberty University, Appomattox Court House, Parenting

 July has come and gone, and teacher in-service begins in less than a week. I am so not ready to go back to school, but I know that when the time comes, I will be ready…Lord willing. I’ve put a lot of energy and effort into thinking and preparing for the school year, and my biggest prayer request is that I will point my students to Jesus. 

We worked a lot this summer, and I mean a whole lot! Everyone has been working except Emma, and shes’s enjoyed lots of time at the pool and time spent with Aunt Jen. (I am very thankful for Jen and her willingness to help out with our kids) 

On July 4th, we spent the day as a family. We attempted to go to the beach, but that was an epic fail as the beach was so crowded! We did enjoy lunch together, and we had a good time. Roger had a full month in June on fire patrol, so it was nice for everyone in our family to have the day off together. We had talked about inviting some families over to our house, but I wasn’t up for hosting, prepping, and cooking. It was a good day, but a very uneventful Fourth of July! But, oh how thankful I am for our country! I know that we are all concerned about the future of America, but I know I sometimes forget how much I have to be thankful for in this great land. However, that being said, please go vote in November! We are not professing our love for a candidate, but rather voting for the future of our children. Please vote wisely! 

Garett has been working hard at the gutter company, and his favorite part is lunchtime! He enjoys food greatly, and his boss pays for lunch everyday. Garett has also been trying to finish up a math course that he needs for this school year, so he’s had a busy summer. Chandler works five days a week out at a farm/produce stand near Roger’s work. On one of my days off, we took a field trip out to his place of work. It was fun to see where he worked, and he is well loved by his employers. Emma came to work with me one day, and she had a good day helping at the farmers market. Travis has come to the farmers market several times, and he typically keeps the produce bins full and helps wherever needed. He also helps sell stuff from time to time, and this past week a lady asked him about okra. Now why you would ask a teenage boy about how to cook okra is beyond me! But Travis said he had overheard one of the employees say that she had breaded the okra and then fried it. Now, she had breaded it in cornmeal and seasonings and then fried it. Travis couldn’t quite remember what the breading was so he told the lady that the breading was oatmeal!! Um- no! Haha! Then Wyatt was like, “Travis! It wasn’t oatmeal!” So a few weeks later when someone asked about cooking okra, Travis said his mom had a secret recipe and that he wasn’t allowed to tell anyone the recipe! However, he did sell okra! It’s been fun working with the boys this summer, and while the trip is a bit of a drive, we’ve had lots of time to talk and spend time together. I am thankful for these moments. 

 A famous preacher once said, “Preach the Gospel always, if necessary, use words.” I’ve told my kids this phrase often as I tell them that their actions and what they do matters. This summer at the farmer’s market, I’ve worked hard to always wear a t-shirt that has a verse, a worship song, or a phrase that will point someone to Jesus. I’m amazed at how many people will comment on what I’m wearing and either ask about what it means, or whole-heartedly agree with the statement. It’s a opportunity to point people to Jesus, and as believers we must be diligent to “redeem the time”, and point people to Jesus. On the other hand, I’m sure that I’ve offended some people with my t-shirts, but all the people that have spoken to me have been so pleasant and kind. One lady told me that she even choose to bring her business to our farm stand because she liked my t-shirt that said, “Waymaker, promise keeper, Light of the world, that’s my God”. I wish I could say that I take advantage of every opportunity to point people to Jesus, but the truth is that I often fail at it. But, God is merciful and kind and He provides more opportunities to talk to people about Him. 

In the month of July, we also coordinated a week of craziness with our friends, the Hardisons. Chandler and Eli had a few days of a Remote Control Robotic class at a local community college. Stephen was gone to a retreat for school, and Tamela and I switched around a bunch of kids that week as we navigated a crazy week of work as Wyatt and Kaeden came with me, and Chandler stayed a lot of the week with Eli. Surprisingly we did forget any of the kids anywhere, and we made it through the week! I am thankful for cell phones and the ability to coordinate schedules with friends. 

A friend of ours went up to Maine, and he brought us back some lobsters. Roger made some delicious lobsters rolls, and we met up with our friends, the Everett’s at a park halfway between both of our homes. It was a fun evening for their family to try something new, and having lobster rolls certainly brought back a lot of great memories from our time in Maine. 

This past weekend found much of our family in Lynchburg, Virginia. A while back Chandler was looking for soccer camps near us. He found a soccer clinic/camp happening at Liberty University, and he asked Roger and I if he could attend the camp. It’s basically a soccer camp for rising juniors and seniors that are interested in playing soccer in college. We got a phone call from a recruiting person on Sunday evening, and we had to listen to the whole jabber about how to best get Chandler into soccer in college. Well, let’s just say that we don’t have the kind of money that we would need to put Chandler in the “best spot” to play soccer in college. I’m thankful that God is not concerned about that, but that He already has a “best” plan for Chandler’s life! I found an airbnb for Friday and Saturday, and Jen and I headed to Lynchburg, Virginia on Friday afternoon. Wyatt, Travis and Emma came along with Chandler, and while we wish that Garett and Roger could be with us, we did enjoy our time there. I dropped off Chandler at the soccer camp, and he told me that he was nervous. He had paid for this camp out of his own work earnings, but he was worried that he would be the worst player at the clinic. We pulled into the college, and the intimidation factor was real! These kids had the backpacks, the shoes, the jerseys, and everything that screamed “I play soccer”! Meanwhile, Chandler had on shorts with paint on them and shoes that had a lot of wear and tear. But I reminded Chandler that clothes don’t set a person up for success, and that God already has a plan for Chandler. By the time I picked him up at 8:00pm, he was beaming. He told me that he had really enjoyed the first afternoon of soccer camp, and that he was glad that he had spent his money to come to the camp. I was thankful that the coaches and soccer players from Liberty University had taken the time to pray both before and after the session, as well as gave their personal testimonies of how they had come to play soccer and how God had brought them to where they are now. It was encouraging to Chandler to play with players on his own playing level as well as be challenged by many that were better than he was. I have no idea what God has for Chandler or his future of college or soccer, but I know that God already has a plan. I told Roger that Chandler wasn’t the only one that felt “out of their league”. I was speaking with a few parents and a mom mentioned that this is her sons’ 3rd ID soccer camp of the summer, and they had driven up from Georgia for this clinic. Another parent mentioned that they had come from Florida, and I was over here like “oh, um, this is our first soccer ID clinic, and we have no idea what we are doing, but whatever it is, we’re having fun while we’re doing it!” Haha! We’ve got five kids to try to help through college or further their education, and we are praying them through whatever God has for them, but we are not on the level of most of those parents. And know what? That’s totally okay for them and for us. It was a great experience for Chandler, and he said he would 100% spend his money again to come to the soccer camp. I’m thankful that God worked out the details for him to be able to go, and it was fun to get away for a few days from the normal routines of life. 

On the way back from Lynchburg, we stopped off at the Appomattox  Courthouse in Virginia. It was a free stop on the way back home, and it was educational to boot! It was interesting to read about the surrender of the Confederates that day on April 9th, 1865. We got to step into history as we walked through the area, went in the buildings, and toured the grounds. There were a lot of artifacts from the Civil War era, obviously, and Travis told Aunt Jen, “I think it’s really neat how they had a hot dog cooker back in those days.” Jen was obviously surprised and she asked Travis to show her the “hot dog cooker”…it was a curry comb!! Haha! That kid keeps us on our toes, and he’s very matter of fact about life! I’m glad we made the effort to stop, but we were all glad to get home that afternoon! 

“Hot dog Cooker” 

Garett successfully finished his math course while we were away, and Roger and Garett were able to spend some quality time together. We are thankful for these moments!  

It’s been a busy and full summer, but we’ve made some memories. The boys have played golf whenever they can squeeze it in around working, and Emma has spent many hours at the pool. We visited a few other churches this summer as well, but either we didn’t feel like the fit was great or we didn’t feel like the doctrine was sound. We’ve been in North Carolina for over two years, and I still feel like I’m struggling sometimes to find “our groove” in church and in friendships. The church we were a part of in Maine had a much higher median age, but there was also a connection that came through a small school and church. We’ve made a few friends here in NC, but I know that Roger and I often feel like we don’t know how to connect…and we wonder is it us? Our tribe of five kids? The fact that we didn’t grow up here and don’t have family around her?  Because we don’t live like the “Joneses”? What makes it harder for us to connect and feel included here? Truly, I don’t know. We’ve had many, many families over in our home in the years we’ve been here, and I do it because I really do enjoy opening our home, hosting and cooking as it’s a part of who God created me to be. (I also grew up watching my mom cook a big Sunday dinner every week, and we had someone over for dinner almost every Sunday.) We found deep connections with the Everett family, but God chose to move them to Virginia. We’ve been very thankful for the Hardison family and their boys, and I absolutely know that God had His hand in bringing along their family into our lives even though Emma wishes that they had a girl and not so many boys! So what do you do when you feel like everyone around you has enough friends already? To be honest, I’m not entirely sure, but I know that God still calls us to love those around us, worship Him completely and rejoice in Him. We will continue to have people in our home, prepare food for others, love our neighbors, and love Jesus. Maybe God is creating our sons to create really great and meaningful friendships with each other- provided that they can stop arguing with each other long enough to decide that they love each other! No, they don’t fight all the time, but there is a lot of testosterone in our house with four teenage boys! I thought that diapers were expensive, but I am not prepared for how much food these boys can eat or how expensive car insurance is for teenage drivers! Whew! Parenting is not for the faint- hearted! I am so thankful for God’s grace,  and that He calls us to rest in Him! (Parenting is also exhausting!) 

As we prepare to return to school, we would appreciate your prayers for wisdom and direction. Garett will be a senior, and he’s unsure about what God would have him to do after he graduates from high school. We need a lot of wisdom and prayers as we help him prepare for the future. 

I have really been enjoying this song. I pray that you will be blessed tonight.