Visits with Family, Old Sturbridge Village, & Birthdays!

 Almost every day I think to myself “I really need to write on the blog today”. Yet somehow it’s not been an easy one to cross off my to-do list. Maybe it’s because we’ve been so busy with the end of the summer festivities, family visiting, beach trips, trips to the amusement park, visiting Old Sturbridge Village, cleaning at the school, and so much more! 

I’m happy to be making these summer memories with our children, but sometimes I do stay up at night wondering how I’m going to get everything done. Yet, by the grace of God, we press on. We do the next thing in a great big grand scheme, not always seeing the big picture, but one puzzle piece at a time. I know I’ve been feeling a bit frazzled and frizzled by the anticipation of another school year, compounded with our need for teachers, add to that Roger’s job, mix with times of prayer coupled with anxiety and it’s the perfect recipe for what? Well, I don’t know what, but it’s probably not good! Every time I think I’ve managed to give all my anxiety back to the Lord, the devil tempts me to pick back up my baggage. It’s a moment by moment battle. 

Emma’s 8th birthday was this past week, and I can’t believe it! The years are flying by, and I’m trying to treasure the moments. Emma is very, very different from her brothers, but we are so delighted to have her in our family. Emma loves all things pink, chocolate, bike rides, friends, and singing loudly. She’s unique and special, and we pray daily for her to grow up to love the Lord with all of her heart. 

Last week we enjoyed a trip to an amusement park with several of our friends. Allison and I had originally planned on just taking ourselves and our kids, but we ended up with enough friends coming along that it was cheaper to get the group rate! Travis and Emma were delighted to have Lucy and Abel come along, and Emma also enjoyed spending a bunch of time going on rides with her friend, Hope. Hope is fourteen, but Emma really enjoys spending time with her. Hope graciously took Emma on a lot of the rides, and Emma is a dare-devil! She went on all the crazy rides and multiple times! The boys went around and around in the amusement park, riding almost every ride and having a wonderful time. It worked out really well, as we were picking up my sister, Jen, from the airport that afternoon. Jen arrived in Maine for a visit last Tuesday, and the airport was only twenty minutes from the amusement park. 

We’ve enjoyed our week with Jen here as we went blueberry picking, a day at the beach, a trip to Old Sturbridge Village, celebrating Emma’s 8th birthday, hiking, reading and playing games together. Jen, Emma and I also went up to see Hannah on Tuesday afternoon and we had a good time visiting, walking and having ice cream. The first thing that Emma told the boys when we came home was that she had ice cream without them! To which they replied that they didn’t really care as they had ice cream at home! Oh, life with siblings!

The three older boys have been attending Teen VBS at our church each evening this week. I think they’ve enjoyed it, but it is a long evening. Chandler and Wyatt have also been working on a project for a man in our church, so they’ve had some tiring days. I think we will all be excited to go to bed a bit earlier after this week. 

Last night I met with some dear ladies from our church to have a special time of prayer for the school. We just walked room by room, floor by floor, praying for God to provide the right staff, teachers, and students. We are praying with great expectations as we wait to see what God will do and how He will direct us. We still have some very pressing staff needs, but we rest in the fact that God is never late! He has a specific plan to reveal to us, so we will be fervent in prayer as we wait. We pray for unity, harmony and a great spirit of revival to sweep through our school and community. It would be so exciting to be a part of that! Oh, how we pray for God to send revival and may it start with me. 

This morning I drove Jen to the airport to catch her flight back to South Dakota. We were finally able to get the grass cut as the sun was shining today. I met up with my friend, Bethany, and her kids at a nearby lake, and we soaked up the sunshine. The boys and Emma had a great time playing in the water and with their friends, and it was good to reconnect with school friends. We do miss our school friends during the summer, so it’ll be nice to get into a routine of seeing some of them regularly again. 

Roger continues to press on at work, school, church and home, but I know that he is weary. Change is coming, and it’s something that feels real and tangible at this time, but we don’t know yet what that will look like. I’m thankful that God holds our future and whether it’s here or in Timbuktu, He will go before us and beside us. Roger and I have been faced with challenging decisions before but these days it’s a bit harder as we look into the faces of those in front of us. Five years ago, when we moved to Maine, we adjusted, adapted, and came to so love and appreciate Roger’s job. But it’s been increasingly clear that God perhaps has something else in mind for the Robertson family. 

Meanwhile, I continue to make plans for kindergarten teaching and my class continues to grow! I’m excited about teaching kindergarten again, and I’m praying for God to greatly use me to impact lives for eternity. I’ve done quite a bit of reading and professional development over the summer so I’m looking forward to implementing some of what I’ve learned into my classroom. Travis and Wyatt will have a new teacher this year, and they are excited about having their first male school teacher. We’d appreciate your prayers for our children as well as we prepare for another school year. God is so good, isn’t he? While the world around us seems to be going quite crazy on a regular basis, it’s comforting to know that God has a plan in all this madness. He’s not surprised, confused or anxious. He will never leave us nor forsake us. What promises He has given us in His Word! 

Old Sturbridge Village- Jen had been asking about what to get Travis for his 11th birthday which is this month. Travis mentioned that he really likes history, so we decided to look into going to someplace historic while Jen was here. I remember faintly going to Old Sturbridge Village as a young child, so we tried to figure out if we could make that happen. It was hard to squeeze it in, but we did it! Sturbridge is about four hours away, so we decided to stay overnight. The kids always like a hotel with a pool, so we specifically tried to find a hotel with a pool. We made fairly good time getting to Sturbridge, so the kids were excited about swimming. Well, the hotel had a pool, but the pool was green! Even the boys said that the pool looked gross! The kids were very disappointed, but after a year + of Covid, we are all learning to adapt and adjust! The hotel was a bit run down on the outside, so we wondered if there would be a breakfast in the morning. Let’s just say that we were thankful that the hotel was close to a McDonald’s so that we could get sausage biscuits for breakfast! It did make for some fun conversations on the way home as we talked about our adventures. The boys really, really enjoyed the village. They enjoyed the opportunity to help water the gardens, watch the blacksmith, see the old mill at work, and walk through all the buildings. Emma wasn’t quite as interested, but she did well at walking and looking. Travis’s only complaint with Emma is that “She looks at stuff too fast”. We did see the entire village and some of the village we saw twice. It was a good experience and one that I am thankful that we took the time to do.

 

School! Survival of Week One!

We have some crazy ideas together, but God is good! 

Beautiful day for a teen event at the lake! 

So thankful for Christ! 

 What a week! We are exhausted and tired, but we made it through the first week! We are thankful for the grace of God that continues to strengthen, sustain, and surround us. 

We started our week of school on Tuesday with bright and shiny faces. Since I am teaching kindergarten this year, we arrive at school earlier than in years past so that I have time to finish up last minute things for my classroom. We were all ready for school on Tuesday morning, and the staff met together to pray for the school year at 7:15am. As I listened to the prayers of my fellow teachers and friends, I was overwhelmed by the goodness of God. We didn’t know if in-school learning was even going to be possibly a few months ago, but God brought it to pass in His perfect timing. We needed several positions filled this year, and even at the 11th hour, so to speak, God provided for all our needs. He’s been so very faithful! 

After school on Tuesday, the first thing Chandler said to me, “Mom, you’ve got to see my hands! They’ve never been this clean!” I got a chuckle out of his clean hands. One of the things that we are increasing this year is good hand hygiene, so everyone has lots of hand washing! Three of our five kids came home with headaches, and one of the three had a migraine. Wyatt is not usually the child who gets a migraine, but he had a very intense headache on Tuesday. Our kids were ready for bed by 7:30pm, and there were no complaints about going to bed! 

We had Landon, the boys cousin, here for a few days this past week. They all enjoyed time outside, lots of food, lots of time playing badminton, and laughter. While it was a crazy week, we are thankful for family. 

I’ve enjoyed teaching the kindergarten class this week. We learned a lot about school routines, classroom expectations, a nature walk observing colors in God’s creation, scissor practice, shapes, songs, art, gym, and our first chapel. It was a full four days of school! I’m thankful for the opportunity to teach this class, and I would appreciate your prayers for me as I teach. 

On Thursday afternoon we had our first soccer practice. I had three very excited boys! Travis is not quite old enough, but he was happy to watch the practice. I’m thankful that this opportunity has been presented for our students, as well as for the many parents that are needed to help this happen. It’s going to be a great opportunity this fall. 

We had a teen activity on Saturday to wrap up our summer weeks of teen group. Our friends, Allison and Jason, hosted the activity at their cottage on the lake. We had a bunch of teens show up to play games, fish, swim...and eat! Did I mention eating?! They surely ate a lot of food! Allison and I decided that we would grill hamburgers and hotdogs. Allison was having trouble starting the grill, but we could faintly smell propane. I don’t grill at our house as I have a bunch of boys that are always happy to grill food. So the first mistake was offering to help! However, after checking to see that the propane was on, and pushing the starter button, I used a lighter to light the grill! Boy, did it light! Wow! Thankfully, God protects us even when we don’t make the wisest choices! However, the hamburgers that Allison grilled sure did taste good! It was a fun afternoon, and probably one of our “good, bad ideas”. Allison and I often talk about our good ideas that really are great ideas, but the timing or situations sometimes make them “bad”. Having a teen activity after we were tired out from the first week of school made this one of our “good, bad ideas”. However, the teens enjoyed it, we had a great time visiting and laughing together, cooking food, and spending time with the teen group. We are happy that we did it, thankful for our pastor who drove out the church van, and for a great group of teens! 

Today was our dedication Sunday for the school year. All our teachers were invited to come to the worship service today, and we had a special time of prayer over the school, teachers, staff, students, and parents. Our children also sang special music. I don’t think that any of them were necessarily jumping for joy at the opportunity to provide special music, but they did it! I was so proud of each of them for using their voices to sing unto the Lord. I noticed that Emma sang without shoes, and Travis kept his hands in his pockets the whole time. On the way home, I asked him about why he kept his hands in his pockets. Apparently the draw string to his pants was broken, and he was worried that he was going to lose his pants! That kid has more wardrobe malfunctions than any kid I know! This is also the child that tied the knot in his wiseman costume so tight that we had to cut it off. This is the child that got his finger tied into the drawstring of his pants when he was supposed to be playing a chime for special music! Oh, the laughter! He wasn’t delighted to sing, but he did it anyways. I sure am thankful for each of our children.

The video below is from our church service. You are welcome to watch all of it, but the childrens’ music is at about thirty minutes into the video. 

 

Update- It’s been a few days! 😀

😀

 Life has been busy the last few days with time at the lake, working at the school, meetings, outside play, prepping for lessons, and time away at Mrs. Terri’s cabin. Roger had some time off of work this week, so we tried to squeeze in as much time as we could with him. Roger helped me moved things in and out of the kindergarten room, and watched me change my mind several times, but he’s a good sport! 

On Wednesday morning, my friend, Claire, watched the younger three children while I was at school for a bit. On Monday morning, the kindergarten room was overwhelming, but by this afternoon (Saturday)  -it’s still a mess, but I have a vision! I can now wrap my mind around what I want the end result to kinda look like, so that’s helpful! We spent Thursday afternoon at Allison’s lake, and on Friday the kids and I took off for an overnight to Terri's cabin. I know these days of summer are winding down, so I want to make the most of the time I can spend with our children. They fished and swam while I wrote lesson plans, and after supper we all went swimming for a while. The boys enjoy sleeping on the screened in porch at the cabin, but they also wake up very early! It was a good time, and I was thankful to spend time with them. Time slows down at the lake, and life feels “normal”. I appreciate the memories and moments that we created this time. Chandler caught a big fish, and Emma even caught a little fish too. 

It’s been a busy week, and tomorrow I’m playing the piano at a different local church. I’m thankful that the music is mostly hymns, as that’s the easiest for me to play! But learning new things is also good for our brains, and I’m happy to have the opportunity to serve the Lord at church tomorrow. 

Our school enrollment has been increasing, and we are thankful for growth. With growth also brings new challenges, but I’m confident that the administrator that God provided for us this year is the right one for the job. God has been so faithful in answering our prayers, and I know that He will continue to do so. We are currently in need of a teacher for one of our classrooms. We are fervently praying that God will provide the right teacher and soon. Please pray with us! 

 

                                         Chandler painted Emma’s toenails 

Garett enjoyed fishing

Wyatt and I 

Emma’s fish 

                                                        Lesson planning at the lake! 

Chandler’s fish! 

              Time at Allison’s lake this week too! 

More Blueberries, Adventures and Work!

 

 

                                          Fruits for our labor! 

 

                 

 

                               Newly finished Gaga Pit! 

                                    Preschool room! 

                                      Emma’s outfit for her birthday! 

                                  Happy birthday to Emma! 

The summer in Maine has been hot and dry this year! It’s the first year since we’ve been here that the weather has been consistently warm. We really could use some rain as the ponds and lakes are showing the effects of a dry summer. 

In the last few days, we celebrated Emma’s 7th birthday; Roger and the boys helped build a Gaga pit at the church; I helped organize the preschool room; we went wild blueberry picking, and just lots of outside play! Terri and Roger made it in time for supper on Saturday, and Emma was thrilled with her spaghetti supper and birthday cake. Terri gave Emma some clothes and fancy shoes for her birthday, and Emma was thrilled! Emma enjoys clothes, and she was so happy with one of the new outfits that she decided to wear it to bed! It’s hard to believe that Emma is seven! 

I had a conversation with my friend, Jenna, today and we talked about many of our concerns in our states and our nation. We don’t really have a plan other than to keep praying, raising our children for God’s glory, and trying to stand for righteousness in a world that seems desperate to be wicked! These are trying time in our nation and in our world right now, and we need to be sure that our hope is in Jesus!  

I had planned to take the kids out to pick wild blueberries yesterday, but I ended up too late at the school, so we weren’t able to do that. Roger ended up working for half the day, and I headed back to school later in the afternoon to help Renee with the preschool room. It was a disaster when we started, but we are practically ready for our open house next week! I was very happy with how the room looked when we finished, and I will miss that room this year. Roger came over to the school later to help work on the Gaga pit. Another dad had bought the materials, and Roger and the boys were able to help work on the project together. It was nice to see another thing crossed off the to-do list...and one that I really had nothing to do with other than helping to organize it together. It was a long day yesterday, but we were all happy with the progress. 

Travis was very disappointed yesterday when we were unable to go blueberry picking, so I signed up for today. There is a preserve that allows people to pick wild blueberries. You can’t use a blueberry rake, and masks were required, but the kids still wanted to go. Actually, Garett did not want to go, so he went to the airport while we went blueberry picking. The mask thing was interesting because you didn’t have to wear a mask when you were in the field picking, but when you checked in at the tent they wanted you to be wearing one...even though everything was social distanced. And on the trail to the blueberries there is plenty of space to social distance so I’m still not really sure what was the point of the masks. However, there were plenty of blueberries out in the field, and we had a good time picking even though it was hot. We filled two ice cream buckets in about an hour, and the kids at plenty of blueberries while in the field. It was a fun memory. I probably wouldn’t have chosen to spend time doing that today as I feel like I have a lot to do, but I also think it was important to Travis that I keep my word about picking blueberries. God will make a way to get everything done that needs doing even if it means earlier mornings or later evenings. 

After blueberry picking, I needed the boys to help me move a desk at the school. Most of our school stuff is given to us, and by the time the school is done using it, it’s really used! The desk was like an elephant, and it was hard work for all of us to get it outside and ready to go to firewood or the dump. It was hot, and we were tired, but I was thankful for the boys working together to get it done. The pastor's son, Austin, was around to help us too, so that helped! Many hands made for lighter work! 

Our student body continues to grow! I am thrilled with all that God is doing, but the need for more staff is a constant prayer request on my mind. We are also praying that we will be able to minister to these families, and that through this school year we will not only educate children but also point them to Jesus. We appreciate your prayers as we wait patiently for God to continue to work in and through us. 

Days Away!

A little over Forty-eight hours spent at the cabin at the lake, and a fun time was had by all! The children all had early morning dentist appointments on Thursday morning, (like 7:30am. Early). On our way back from the dentist, Roger called me to tell me that he had hurt his back at work. Roger lifts and moves hundreds of packages every day, and on Thursday he happened to move a small box (probably less than five pounds) and something was misplaced in his back. He was miserable! By the time we arrived home, he has laying on the floor in the living room with some ice. He was in a lot of pain, and he was hardly moving. We debated about whether or not I should still go to the lake with the kids, but somehow Roger felt that he would get more rest if we all left! Hmm...definitely true! I was hesitant to leave Roger at home, and even writing this makes me sound like I’m a terrible wife, but anyways, we decided that I would go to the lake.

We loaded up the car, and off we went to the lake. Of course, we had to make a quick stop at Sams Club to pick up a few groceries, but we were at the lake by mid-afternoon. The boys helped carry stuff into the house, and then it was a mad dash to put on swim clothes. The rest of the afternoon was spent with fishing and swimming ...and eating!! 

I had a great time with the kids, and because Roger was not there to play in the water with them, I did. Actually, the water was quite warm and nice, and it was fun to swim and play in the water with the paddle board. All that activity made for an early bedtime for all of us. Time does not exist at the lake. We eat when we are hungry, go to bed when we are tired, and get up when we are refreshed (which is early for the boys!). 

On Friday the boys were all up by the time Emma and I got up by 6:45am., the boys were already busy fishing. I had coffee, and I read my Bible while the boys and Emma drank coffee too. The boys were eager to keep fishing, so they all fished while Emma and I watched and relaxed. Actually, Emma decided to fish also, which is unusual for her. She was happy to actually catch a fish. The neighbor next door was watching the kids fish and pull fish after fish out of the water. They certainly weren’t being overly quiet, and there was not a lot of organization to their fishing. The neighbor decided to also try to fish, and he spent quite a bit of time trying to catch a fish. He never did succeed, and it’s not like we had some magic skill over on our side. His frustration was quite humorous, but I didn’t have any advice to offer as I had no idea why the kids were catching fish! 

We spent most if the day outside on Friday, and we enjoyed lots of water time together. We made s’mores in the evening, and then washed off the stickiness in the lake. After Bible time and book reading, the kids were ready to settle down. The boys enjoy sleeping on the screened in porch at Teri’s cabin, and Emma enjoys the opportunity to sleep with mom. I’m glad I made the effort to go with the kids, and it was so fun to soak up the memories with them...wrestling on the paddle board, jumping off the dock, making s’mores, reading books. It was nice to be without distractions for a few days, and everything seems “normal” at the lake, and that’s what I’ve been missing! 

We packed up on Saturday after a morning swim and some fishing time. Everyone was happy to head home to see Dad, and to tell him all about their adventures. It was a tired but happy brood of children on the way home. Travis’s hair continues to turn more and more blond as the sun bleaches it, and they are all sun-kissed from days of summer activity. August marks the beginning of the summer wind down as we head back towards the fresh start of a new school year. I am encouraged and thankful for God’s continued guidance and direction. I just know that He has great things in store for this school year. Please keep praying with us! 

Roger’s back is feeling a bit better, but he’s not at 100% yet. I’m optimistic that he will continue to get better, but he may need to see a chiropractor as he currently walks a bit like an aged man (don’t tell him I said that! I’m kidding). I can tell it bothers him to not be as active as he wants to be, and the kids have been very careful about not being too rough. Not being rough is a challenge for these boys sometimes! 

I’ve seen God at work this past week, and He’s encouraged my heart. I am so thankful for His faithfulness to us, and that He grants us new morning mercies. I was talking to one of my friends this week, and mentioned that numerous times this week I’ve felt like God has opened doors of opportunities, clear direction and answers to prayer. It certainly does not always feel that way, but my spirit is encouraged and my fervor to press on in Jesus name is stronger. How blessed we are to serve such a mighty God even in the midst of such turbulent and chaotic times. We serve a mighty God! 

Warm Days of Summer!

                                                  So thankful for Hannah’s friendship to me. 

Hard days for this son of ours. 

Does anybody’s life feel “normal” these days?! There is a push from society, propaganda, social media, newspapers, politicians, etc. to shove the American people towards accepting the “new normal”. I’m frustrated, irritated, and annoyed that we are constantly bombarded with division, differences of opinions, and false assumptions about people. Hmm...there’s my rant for today! 

We ended up working and puttering around the house yesterday. Roger was working, and the kids and I picked up the yard, mowed grass, and Chandler and I went grocery shopping (a much-needed activity!). Emma wanted to come to Wal-mart too, so she came with us while the other boys stayed at home. The day was warm, but we did take an adventure to meet some friends at a local park. The kids were happy to play with their friends at the park and Ashley and I were happy to have the opportunity to walk around and visit while the kids played. John and Ashley bought pizza for lunch in the park, and the eight kids between us were happy to munch on pizza in the shade...seven boys and one girl. Garett and I had a long discussion on Friday morning, one where I cried, and he seemed unemotional. I know his emotions are in there somewhere, but it’s a bit like talking to a prickly cactus right now!

Today dawned a warm day in mid-coast Maine. Garett and I took several trips to the dump as we haven’t been in a few weeks. I am thankful that the dump runs do provide opportunities for one-on-one conversation with Garett. He was not overly chatty, but it was better than yesterday. After the dump run, we went out to the airport to do an errand for Roger. Then a quick stop at the bank, and back home to pack for some time at the lake! 

Chandler, Garett and Wyatt all brought along all their fishing stuff; we packed up lots of snacks, and we were off for the lake. We had been invited by our pastor to come down to their cottage by the lake for part of the day. The kids had a great time jumping in and out of the lake, fishing, and playing together. Emma was delighted that there were some other girls there to play with, and the boys always have a good time with Austin. All the boys caught at least one fish, but we dont have any pictures because they were off in the canoes. And I was on shore with the camera! Oh well! Fun memories were created!

I enjoyed the afternoon visiting with the ladies there, and it was an afternoon well spent. Somehow time seems to slow down when we take a step back, sit in a lawn chair, and watch carefree children frolic in the water- I do not want that to change! 

Roger was working today, but he was happy to be flying today. We don’t know how long this season will be, but we know that God will sustain and continue to provide for us. Roger is one of the most faithful and steadfast people that I know. I get annoyed sometimes because he doesn’t think fast or always give answers as fast as I’d like, but it also makes him a good friend, co-worker, and ...he has to apologize a lot less! 

Tell me.....what are everyone plans for school in the fall? Are your schools re-opening? What are the requirements? Anyone homeschooling for the first time? These are challenging times for sure! We are so thankful that we serve a strong, mighty and fearless God! When I feel overwhelmed, discouraged, or lonely, I am so often reminded that so many of the characters in the Bible also felt the same way. They also had to make a conscious choice to throw their fears at the feet of Jesus. Tears, fears -I’m thankful that Jesus takes them both! 

Hard Days & Deep Emotions

One thing is for sure- 2020 is going to be a year to remember! To be honest, I’ve always been one to tell my children, “Enjoy where you are at. Enjoy the age you are now. Etc.” And now I’m the one that wants to hurry up and put 2020 in behind us! I know that God knows exactly where we are at, and He knows what we are feeling. I’m thankful that God created us with emotions so that we can experience joy, peace, love,etc. Experiencing deep sorrow and sadness and loss are not my favorite emotions, but those are needed emotions also. This has been a week of experiencing those latter mentioned emotions. 

On Thursday we attended the burial of Kevin, Roger’s boss, our friend, a mentor to our children, and to be honest this was the closest person that our children have known that has passed away. Kevin was like a grandparent to our children, and they have experienced such deep sadness and sorrow. As we stood at the grave on Thursday, among the last to leave the cemetery, I felt as though my heart was breaking as I listened to my children cry at the graveside. I don’t think I will ever, ever have that memory erased from my mind. 

The burial service was held at a cemetery right near the airport. Our boys were asked if they wanted to join the pall bearers, and they all said that they wanted to do that. The line guys at Roger’s work helped the boys feel included, and I was thankful for that. There were a few chairs at the graveside service, as most of us stood. When Terry came and took her seat, Emma went and sat on the grass right by Terry’s chair. Travis, Wyatt and Garett all sat down by Emma, while Chandler stood right by my elbow. I hadn’t planned on Emma sitting down right by Terry’s chair, but Emma and Terry seemed to need each other. As Terry held back tears as well as let them flow, Emma just scooted closer and closer to her chair. Emma, herself, did not cry at the funeral but Wyatt, Travis and Chandler were all so exhausted from the tears by the end of the service. As a parent, it is so hard to watch your children go through difficult things. I can’t fix this for them. Life will never be the same, and it’s just hard. We’ve been so blessed to have Kevin and Terry in our lives, and Kevin will be so, so missed. Even now, I can’t write this without soaking through a pile of tissues beside my bed. 

At the small luncheon following the funeral, we had the opportunity to sit at a table with one of Kevin’s old friends. Oh, it was so good to hear him tell funny stories to our kids about the adventures that he and Kevin had together. Laughter is good medicine. Chandler did tell me on the way home, that he really appreciated that he could wear a t shirt and shorts to the funeral! Kevin rarely wore a tie, and in honor of that, all the pilots and crew wore their company t shirts. Our boys also have company T-shirts, and they were happy to not have to dress up. Garett wouldn’t have minded, but Chandler seems to get a rash whenever he has to wear dress clothes! (Not really, but if it’s possible to be allergic to dress clothes, Chandler would have that allergy!) 

Please continue to keep Terry in your prayers. She is a dear friend, and a strong lady. We love her dearly. No one ever expects these things to happen. I know that I envisioned Kevin mentoring Garett in flying, encouraging Chandler’s entrepreneurship, coming to school programs, graduations, and life events. But  that is not the case. We are faced with grief and changes. I’m thankful that God knows our emotions, and that He loves us more than I can fathom. Even when I do not understand, I know that His love is greater than I can fathom.

We’ve had a few other distractions this week, and we’ve been thankful for friendships, laughter, and sunshine! My friend, Bethany watched our children on Thursday afternoon, and it was such an encouragement to our children to have the opportunity to play with some of their friends again. Our friend, Art and Damaris, called us to tell us that they're thinking and praying for us. It was just so encouraging to hear their voices. 

We also received school recommendations from our governor today. To say that I’m overwhelmed would be another understatement. Nothing seems to get any easier! Please continue to pray for school this fall, wisdom, discernment, and just some good news! 

There’s an old hymn that I have had constantly on my mind the last few days. Part of it states, “When the days are weary, the long nights dreary, I know my Savior cares. Oh yes, He cares.” So, so thankful that Jesus cares for us.