Competitions, Birthdays, Memories, and More!

 

We have five weeks left in the school year, and the days are flying by! Every year after spring break time seems to pick up speed as we wrap up the school year. Spring sports, awards banquet, spring music recitals, competitions, and warmer weather are all indicators that the end of the school year is right around the corner. 

We enjoyed a few days of warmer weather on spring break, but then the weather turned quite cool. However, we did get down to the beach one of the days on spring break to catch a few rays of sunshine. The boys enjoyed several rounds of golf during spring break, and golfing has become one of their favorite activities (it’s also fairly cheap if you’re a minor, so they need to golf while they’re young!). I didn’t get a whole lot done on my to-do list, but we did enjoy time together as a family and that’s important. 

Last weekend, (4/12) we had our friends the Everett’s down for a few days. Garett and Savannah attended the Junior/Senior banquet. I think they had a good time, but it was a lot of work, money and effort for an event that lasted less than two hours! That was also a crazy Friday as Garett was dismissed from school early due to the banquet, Travis had soccer practice for his rec team, and trying to get everyone where they needed to be on time- but it all came together. We also enjoyed strawberry picking while the Everett’s were here, and a round of golf, and lots of food! 

Last week (April 15-19) was a bit crazy. We had art classes as normal on Monday, but then found out that the art room would be used for the high school competition later in the week. I do not mind sharing the space at all, but we had 29 art projects in the room that were in the final stages of preparing to enter for the elementary students next week (April 22)! My art assistant, Kaycee, has been great this year, and she helps with whatever wild schemes I dream up. We arranged to move all the elementary art over to the science lab to set it up there for the next few days while we finished up the paperwork and helped a few students with their final details. We did art as normal last Tuesday, and then spent the afternoon cleaning, re-arranging, and moving things over to the other building. I spent a lot of time on Wednesday and Friday helping students complete their projects for the art competition. I had asked for the art projects to be brought back right after spring break, and while I got a lot of them back, some of them needed some “fine tuning”. I am amazed a how little parental support some of my students received, and it makes me a little sad. But I’m thankful for teachers who are willing to let me take their students to receive some direction  to help their art projects. All in all, the elementary art did come together, and it was all dropped off for competition on Monday morning! Praise the Lord! Now, we are just waiting to see how the students placed!

Our school hosted a high school competition last week (Wednesday-Friday), and Garett and Chandler were in a couple of events. The choir sang on Wednesday, but Chandler spent all of Tuesday night throwing up as in practically every couple of hours. On Wednesday morning, he had a low grade fever and was still throwing up. I texted his choir teacher and said that unless Chandler was desperately needed, he would be staying home! So Chandler stayed at home while the rest of us went to school. I’m not a huge fan of this competition because I feel like a lot of kids spend their time sitting around and not cheering on their classmates, but rather just wasting time (I hate wasting time!). Garett was in choir on Wednesday and the Ensemble. He didn’t need to be at school until around noon, but since I go into school at 7:30am, he had to come too. But Garett is a pretty good sport most of the time, so he helped with a few odd things here and there, and worked on some school work. The choir sang in the afternoon on Wednesday and the ensemble shortly afterwards. We actually got to come home a little earlier than normal so that was a pleasant treat! Chandler wasn’t feeling 100% on Thursday, but he was healthy enough to go. Wyatt had a migraine though so he stayed at home! Thankfully, Wyatt is too young to be in the competition, so he didn’t miss much! Garett sang in a mixed quartet on Thursday, and while he struggles to hold his part, I’m thankful that he is always willing to try. He will smile and give it his very best. After the quartet, Garett had to hustle out to the soccer field for the soccer kick shoot out. We did terrible in that event (usually how it goes when no practice is involved!). It was a warm afternoon, so we were all happy to go home with that event was over. 

Friday brought about the final day of competition for the high school events, and Wyatt still wasn’t feeling great. Travis offered to stay home to take care of Wyatt and the dog. Wyatt and Sam had been just fine the day before, but Travis was an eager beaver to volunteer to stay home. Roger and I think highly of education, but with the competition going on, the junior high classes had been having a lot of substitute teachers and irregular schedules, which Travis does not handle well. We decided to let him stay home and you’d have thought we had given him the moon! It’s hard on me to have him ask me every single day if I will sign him out of school, does he have to go, or will I pick him up early. For whatever reason, God has allowed Travis to have another challenging school year. I surely don’t know the reasons, and I tell Travis often that I don’t know what God is doing, but I know that He does care about each one of us. We pray hard and we pray often that God will provide Travis with one special friend. Having the chickens to take care of and Sam has helped some, but Travis still could use a friend at school. 

Anyways, back to the competition at school. On Thursday night, Chandler asked me if Eli could stay overnight at our house. Normally, we don’t have people over during the school week, but since this week has been a little different, I agreed.  I can’t remember the last time Chandler asked if someone could sleep over, but it was a fun afternoon.   The boys tromped around in the woods, went fishing, played basketball, watched a movie and ate a lot of supper! Roger didn’t get home from work til after 9:00pm due to a fire, and he didn’t even notice that we had an extra boy in the living room! I think the boys had a good time, and I was thankful that it worked out on the spur of the moment idea. 

Chandler competed in the mile run on Friday morning. I was able to watch him compete, so I was thankful for that. Chandler ran his mile about nine seconds faster than last year. Last year he placed first, and this year he placed fourth. The kid that won the mile won by a long shot! Chandler didn’t seem terribly disappointed as he was just happy that he had ran faster than the previous year. It meant that Chandler did not place in any of the events that he competed in, but he said that next year he’d like to participate in a few more events. As for all the teachers, we are glad that week is behind us! 

Wyatt’s 15th birthday was on Saturday (April 20th). I can’t believe my smack-dab-in-the-middle-child is 15!!! Time is flying by! He was feeling a little better on Saturday and asked if Roger would take him golfing for his birthday. We had lunch together at a Mexican restaurant early in the afternoon, and then Roger took all the boys golfing. I think they had a good time, but Wyatt was exhausted when he came home. He showered and laid right down on the couch. I don’t remember the last time he was this sick for this long with just a constant low grade fever and headache (sounds like Covid). He went right to bed on his birthday, so we will have to celebrate with ice cream cake another time. 

It’s always nice when someone makes a meal or invites us over for dinner, and Jen invited us all over to her house on Sunday afternoon. Our church was hosting a singing group from a college, so all the Sunday school classes were combined. We had just sat down, and the students were singing their first song, when Wyatt broke down. I asked him what was the matter, and he replied that his head was hurting so badly and the music was making it worse. So Wyatt and I slipped out, and I took him to Jen’s house. He crawled right into bed, and I went back to church for the worship service. After church, we all went to Jen’s for lunch, and Wyatt still was looking pale. He didn’t eat much (a true sign to every mama of teenagers that something is not right), and when we went home in the afternoon, he showered and laid back down on the couch. Our family had already made arrangements to go over to the Hardison’s house for supper and fellowship, so Wyatt stayed home. Wyatt started to make a change for the better on Sunday afternoon, but we decided to have him stay home anyways- no one else wants to be sick! We had a good time at the Harrison’s, even though it was raining. They also have a fairly young pup, so Sam had a great time getting all dirty out in the yard with Marley the pup! We enjoyed conversations, food and fellowship, and we are thankful for friendships. 

Monday morning was the morning of the big event for the elementary art competition. I get nervous that I’ll have accidentally missed a direction or did a step wrong. The last thing I want is for any of our art to be disqualified! All the art had to be dropped off at ten am, so I spent the morning checking and re-checking the directions, the paperwork, and having students sign the paperwork. I gave a huge sigh of relief when it was all safely delivered! 

On Tuesday, Kaycee and I had to re-arrange our normal art schedules. Since the competition this week is for 3rd-6th grade, we had art classes for kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grades. I would’ve loved to have had art with everyone, but there are not enough hours in the day! I decided that kindergarten, first and second grades needed the art specials more as they won’t be getting out of school for the competition. I don’t always do it perfectly, but I do work hard to try to make sure that the teachers get their specials for their classes. 30 minutes of planning can and will make a big difference to a teacher! Having taught in the classroom, I know how valuable those planning periods are, so I try to make it happen. Since the art room was being used, we had art classes in the back foyer of one of our buildings. It’s a fairly big space, but it’s also a walk-through area for students going out to recess, lunch, bathrooms, etc. It was a crazy Tuesday, but by the grace of God, we made it through! I am also very thankful that we don’t have to do it like that every week! 

Tomorrow will be a big day for our elementary students as they compete in many events. I’ve been working with our Bible Sword Drill teams, and I’m ready to have this behind us as well. I certainly don’t mind helping out with these students, and I’m thankful for the opportunity. But between art, Bible Sword drill and my own kids, I am thankful that this competition will be over this week! We have a 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th grade team for Bible Sword drill. My friend, Jennifer, and I have been working with the students for several weeks trying to prepare them for this competition. The younger grades get 10 seconds to find the Bible reference and the older grades get 7 seconds! That’s not much time when you’re trying to find a reference in 66 books of the Bible! However, they’ve worked hard, and we are praying that all that hard work will come to fruition tomorrow. 

It’s hard to believe, but in four weeks from Friday, school will be over for another year! The boys have been busy trying to get jobs lined up for the summer. Garett’s boss from last summer said that he might have some work for Garett, so please pray that will open up for Garett again. Chandler applied for an internship job through a local community college. He had to complete a hefty online interview and then this past week, he was called for a face-to-face interview. I took him to his interview on Tuesday, and they said that they would notified the students that would be hired by May 6th. This would be a fantastic opportunity for Chandler as it’s an internship with some class time as well as hands-on learning, and he would be paid. However, they’re only accepting 12 applicants, and there were about 45 that had face-to-face interviews. But we will pray and see what God does. 

In closing, I really should go back to writing on the blog once a week! So much happens in two weeks that it’s hard to keep up with all the details! Garett had a bit of a rough week last week, and we spent much time in prayer and talking with him. If he’s brought to your mind, please pray for him. I’m thankful that God loves our children so very, very much. Garett will also be running for Student Body President next week, so I know he’d appreciate your prayers for that. He is very excited about the opportunity, but also a little nervous. I’m excited to see him campaign. :) 

Chandler and Wyatt will compete in their final golf tournament on Monday, and I am trying to work out the details to go and watch them play. Garett’s baseball season is wrapping up next weekend (first weekend in May), and Travis will start his soccer games with a game on May 10th. He’s excited about playing, and we are hoping that perhaps God will also provide a friend on his team. 

God is good. We are waiting on God for some answers regarding schooling for our children next fall. It’s always hard to step out in faith, but God is always faithful. For whatever reason, God gave us several children that really do struggle with school. (I’m thankful that Jen helps out with tutoring Travis and Garett in some of their subjects!!) This doesn’t mean that these children are not smart, responsible, and respectful,  but it does mean that as their mama, I have to stay on top of things a little more than with some of our other children. It can be tiring, exhausting and overwhelming, but I’m so thankful for the precious gift of each of our children.  Christ’s  mercy is more than I can imagine, and when I am overwhelmed, His mercy is more…

Family Time, January Birthdays, & Life

 The entire month of January has been long- except for the five days that Roger was here! We’ve been in survival mode and not thriving mode, but the grace of God gets us through one day at a time. 

On Sunday, January 16th, my friend, Jess, helped me coordinate moving our vehicle to the car shop. The van was still running, but it was needing a tune-up. I have people that are willing to help me, it’s just hard sometimes to ask for help as I feel like I am inconveniencing someone. However, I’m thankful for Jess. She met me at the car shop, we took Emma and her daughter to a birthday party, and then Jess drove me out to the airport so that I could pick up a vehicle we were going to borrow. I am thankful for friends that allow us to use their vehicles- and their very nice vehicles! Roger contacted some of his dear island friends, and they agreed to let us borrow their nice truck. We were expecting to have our van back in a few days, but we ended up driving their vehicle for about a week. I am so thankful! God is good! 

I left school a little early on Friday with Travis and Emma. Garett and Chandler wanted to stay at school as they really enjoy having gym class on Fridays. Wyatt was going with a friend after school to go bowling. But Emma and Travis were happy to come along! It worked out well that the other boys stayed behind as we wouldn’t all fit in the vehicle. It was so good to see Roger, and we soaked up every minute! We attended a church dinner and bowling activity on Friday night, and it was good for Roger to reconnected with some of the people in our church family. 

On Saturday Roger took the boys to their soccer game, while Emma and I stayed at home to watch Hannah and Josh’s kids. Emma was so excited about gymnastics last Saturday, and we had paid for a month of lessons for her Christmas present. Emma enjoyed the class and she was looking forward to going  again this Saturday. However, we got an email this week stating that the gymnastics class would be moved to Sunday for the next seven weeks due to a coach conflict. Well, that certainly wouldn’t work for us. Emma was pretty disappointed, but she was happy to play with the little children on Saturday. We watched the kids for several hours so that Hannah and Josh could get away for a date. 

Sunday was a full day with church and teen group and spending time together. The days really did seem to fly by! Roger and I spent Monday together doing all kinds of fun stuff like laundry, banking, errands, etc. But it was good to spend time together, and I so appreciate having Roger available to pick up kids and participate in our family life. Roger and I went on a date with another couple on Monday evening. Allison and Jason invited us out to supper, so that was a nice treat. I can’t remember the last time we had a supper date with them! We enjoyed the food and fellowship, and it was especially nice as the restaurant is literally just a minute walk out the door. 

Dinner and sweet fellowship 

Roger took the day on Tuesday to spend with the boys. We had a delayed start on Tuesday, which was kinda nice as that gave us a little extra time together. Roger took the boys to Portland to look for a hockey stick for Chandler’s birthday. Wyatt decided not to go because his class was going to be doing a science experiment. We don’t let the boys miss school for every whim, but having Roger around is a big deal. It provided an opportunity for uninterrupted conversations with the boys, and a chance for them to talk to Roger about some of their challenges and struggles. The boys will talk to me, but the older two boys frequently tell me “Mom, you think like a girl!” Um- well! 

Roger had to leave on Wednesday morning. He spent some time with the boys and Emma in the morning, and then Emma and I took him to the airport around 10:00am. It was kind of a  rough morning for all of us. Having Roger leave is kinda like the let down after camp is over. Everyone feels a little out of sorts and grumpy. It takes us a few days to adjust to life without Roger for a few weeks, but we will get through. We’ve made it through the longest parts, I think. Roger plans to come back in February, March, April, May and then in June, we will begin the process of moving nineteen hours across the United States. 

God has been so faithful during these months. He’s provided friends to encourage me. He has allowed me to have deep conversations with our boys. He’s provided the boys with the opportunity to play soccer through the winter months. He’s given grace when I was sure I couldn’t conjure up another moment of patience. He’s given rest when we’ve been falling apart. He’s provided housing in a market where there isn’t any. He’s given Wyatt and Travis a teacher who really cares about them and wants to build a relationship with them. He’s given Chandler a teacher that loves him and prays for him regularly. He’s given Garett a depth of discernment that I haven’t seen prior to this year. He’s allowed Emma to grow and mature through challenges (although the boys would say she has a long ways to go!) 

The second quarter of school has closed and it’s on to the last two quarters. I just counted up the days today and we only have 76 school days left- and so much still to teach! Please continue to pray for me both as a teacher and a mom. I want to invest in the lives of my students, but I still need to have energy and patience with my own tribe. 

Chandler’s 14th birthday was on Wednesday. Fourteen years have flown by! He has matured so much in the last year, and I am so thankful for his work ethic,  entrepreneur spirit, his laughter, his determination, and his resilience. It’s been a hard, long year for him but in spite of tears of frustration and discouragement, he still plods along. Chandler sees the world in only two colors- black or white. He’s been this way since he was very, very young. He thrives on relationships and people taking the time to get to know him.  His love language is quality time. He can be head-strong, impatient, and outspoken, but he can also be sensitive, sweet and kind. I am so thankful for this boy of ours, and I pray for him daily that he will grow up to love Jesus and serve Him with his whole heart. His teacher at school brought him cupcakes for his birthday, and one of my teacher friends gave him an air-soft vest and in invitation to come over and play air-soft sometime- right up his alley! Despite the fact that Roger had to leave on his birthday, Chandler handled the day with maturity and a sweet spirit. He was thankful that Roger was there in the morning.  Happy Birthday, Chandler!

Roger made it back safely to Michigan, and we are thankful for that. It was so nice to have the opportunity to discuss many things in person rather than over the phone or FaceTime. There really is no substitute for actual real in-person conversations. I treasured our time and memories together. This morning one of my teacher friends, Shaina, gifted me with a sweet note and a gift card to Dunkin Donuts. She wrote that she can’t solve the problem of distance, but coffee could possibly help?! Oh, yes!!! I was so thankful for the note and gift to dunkin. I’ll definitely be putting that to use! 

I was so thankful for Friday to roll around! It was an emotionally draining week, and since we didn’t have all our regularly scheduled specials, the week seemed a little longer than others. I kinda was feeling like a broken record by Friday afternoon, but we made it through! I have a student teacher working with me for a couple of weeks, and I’ve savored the extra learning that we can get done by having an extra set of hands and ears. Kindergarten is a lot of sounding out letters/words, and most have not mastered the concept of silent reading! I love them dearly, and it’s going to be a change to not be teaching kindergarten next year. Kindergarten is one of my favorite ages, and I’ve enjoyed this class even when I’m exhausted. God is good. 

Thank you for your continued prayers. We don’t know what the future looks like, but I’m thankful that God sees the bigger picture!

Saturday was a snow day! It was windy and snowy all day long, and it was nice to have the day to catch up on lesson plans, schedules, reading and playing some games with the kids. We made chili and brownies and watched the snow fall. The kids went outside several times, but the cold wind drove them back inside before too long. I’m thankful for snow and seasons. I also wouldn’t mind if God moved us to a warm, sunny state sometime in our future! 

Snow day! 

                                          Emma loves to “teach” school! 

Bowling on Friday night 

 Our boys and the pastors son 

Opportunities!

 

Welcome to the month of March! Spring should be right around the corner, right?! We saw rain on Monday, and then frigid temperatures (for this area) on Tuesday. We are hoping the weather forecast is right this week as we anticipate temperatures possibly into the forties! 

Our children as well as the students in our school enjoyed bowling this week. It’s something that most of the students enjoy, and we are so thankful for the generosity of others that makes this possible for our children. All of our kids enjoy bowling, and also the opportunity to do something different for a few weeks in gym class. 

Last Sunday I had the opportunity to play the piano for another local church. While it makes me a little nervous, I’m thankful for the opportunity to serve in this way. And because I do get paid something for serving in this way, it’s a little extra money to set aside for the next Haiti missions trip. Every little bit helps! The pastor spoke on their church theme for the year “Behold your God, our Hope!” In a year that we could certainly use some hope, it was a blessing to hear a message on how God is our eternal hope. I need reminders like that! 

We had a kids fun night at church on Sunday evening as well as our teen group. It was such a good opportunity for our teens to serve the younger kids. The teens did a great job playing the games with the younger kids, and it was a blessing to see them serve....we’ve definitely have been missing out on certain opportunities for our kids to serve others in the past year with all the restrictions in our state.  

In my music classes on Wednesday, I had a few ladies that came to help me. One of the teachers and I had thought that perhaps it would be a good idea to try to encourage a few of our students by having them interact with some ladies that are truly gifted at singing. Truthfully, singing is not everyone’s gift, but making a joyful noise should be! It’s sometimes hard to get pushed outside of our comfort zones, but I am so thankful that Aili and Amelia were willing to give of their time to try to encourage the younger generation to sing for the Lord. Wednesday was an exhausting day for me with before school duty, teaching, and then music classes. My brain was completely fried, and one of my dear friends told me “just breathe”. Sometimes that’s the advice I need! (Oh and more coffee will help too!) 

We’ve been steadily working on our house projects too. Our kids haven’t minded the “campfire” suppers around the floor in the dining room, but this mama definitely prefers meals around an actual table! Roger and the boys got most of the flooring laid in the hallway, kitchen and dining room this week. We will hopefully get the trim done this week, and then I can get some of our house back to being organized! The boys had a friend over after school on Friday, and Chandler told him, “Our house is a mess, just so you know. It’s driving my mom crazy, but we’re working on it!” Well, that’s kinda true! One day at a time. It’s hard to get everything done with Roger working, I’m working, and there’s only so many hours in a day! I’m thankful for crockpots, cold cereal, microwaves and children that aren’t picky this week! 

Friday night presented us with another opportunity to go bowling! This time we went with our church family, and it was a fun night for all of us. Due to capacity restrictions, there weren’t that many people that could come (50 is the limit). However, there was a good spirit among those of us that came, and plenty of space for lots of bowling! I’m a terribly bowler and the only one in our family that I have any hope of beating is Emma! Roger and I bowled with our friends, Allison and Jason. Um...I didn’t even break fifty in the first (or second) game. Then we decided to bowl the next game with our non dominant hand...and I was within two points of my score the first time....bowling’s not my game! But lots of laughter and memories made during the evening made the night special. I’m thankful for these opportunities with family and friends. 

Can you believe it’s been almost a year of Covid restrictions?! Roger and I were talking this week about how much has changed in a years time...I’m so thankful that God does NOT change! We’ve been under executive power and “state of emergency” for over 300 days, and my heart hurts for nursing home residents and others that haven’t seen their families. Our family has been through a lot in the last year along with most Americans, and I am so thankful that I know Jesus. As the song says “this world is not my home, I’m just a passing through!” I surely hope that is a promise that you are claiming today also.  “Jesus is all the world to me, my life, my Lord, my all” 

Discouraged? God loves you! Find your joy in Jesus! Take heart, my friends, He is all we need.  

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! 

Storms of Life and Peace

Peace in the midst of the storm. That’s what I feel God is giving me today, and for the last few days I’ve felt the hand of God giving peace to me. We’ve faced a few bumps in the road the past few days, and I’m thankful that God goes beside us and before us. I don’t know what the future holds, but I know that God has all of this in His control. Our governor declared another state of emergency...it’s hard to even believe! I think this is her fourth one now?! I’ve included our most recent stats in the photo below. I’ve stopped even looking at what the media has to say about Coronavirus, but most of it is so blown out of proportion it’s almost ludicrous. There seems to be a desperate attempt to arise panic as much as possible, and yet the hard facts are that there is one active case in our county! Oh, and we live in a county of almost 40,000 people! 123 people have died from Coronavirus this year, but yet on average 227 people die from suicide each year in Maine...where’s the outcry for them?! 

Anyways, Roger’s back is feeling a bit better these days, and we are thankful for that. He missed a few days of work, but he’s back to work again albeit a bit slower these days. 

I’ve been asked to teach kindergarten in our small Christian school this year, and I am excited and terrified! I’ve accepted the offer, and I’m looking forward to seeing how God uses me this year. There have been so many changes in the year 2020, but I’m thankful that God has not been surprised. I will very, very much miss working with our preschool children, but I am thankful for this new opportunity. I’ve been pouring over lesson plan books, reading, and trying to keep all my ducks in a row! I would very much appreciate your prayers as I prepare for this year. I want to be a good educator to our students, and I want them to see Christ in and through me. Basic theology is formed in these young years, and it’s important that they learn the truths found in God’s Word as well as learn to read, write and do basic math! 

I’ve had a few distressing moments in my life over the past few days, and I did what I usually do when I need advice -talk to Roger and talk to my dad. Roger has his hands more than full these days with additional responsibilities at work, being on the school board, and life with five kids! He told me that I should talk to my dad about some of my concerns, which I had planned to do anyways. I value my dad’s opinion, and he’s one to always point me to Jesus. I expressed some of my concerns, he gave me some advice, and we prayed together. I still don’t have a much clearer picture, but it’s nice to know that my dad is praying with me and for me. My dad is a pastor himself, so one of his pieces of advice was to talk to our pastor. Both my dad and our pastor gave similar advice, “Stay in your lane.” Meaning that I don’t need to get bogged down by things that I can’t solve. Relinquish the concerns to those that can help or give advice, and let it go. Easier said than done, but again - God’s got this! (I realize that is a very vague paragraph) Just please keep praying for our family, our church, our school, and of course...me! Thank you!

A lady in our church brought over wild Maine blueberries yesterday! So delicious! By the time Roger arrived home, there was about a cup left that the kids had “saved” for him! We are so thankful for sweet friends who share such a delightful fruit with 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! 

Hot, Muggy Days of Summer and A Praise too!

                                                     Hot summer days! 

                                                       This boy loves a project! 

Since the last blog post I wrote was titled “Warm Days of Summer”, this one should be titled the “Scorching Days of Summer”! It was not just hot today, it was muggy, humid and uncomfortable. I find these days to be unusual here as compared to the normal days of summer in Wisconsin. It’s not often in Maine that even the beach doesn’t have a breeze! 

Yesterday was a full day of teaching Sunday school, worship service, lunch at church, and then youth group in the evening. While the day was warm, it was way warmer today! Roger was working yesterday, and that makes me appreciate it when he can come with us to church. In our children’s Sunday school class, we are studying about Jonah. Often we think of Jonah as the cute little children’s Bible story about the man swallowed by a big fish. But Jonah is so much more than that as Jonah is such an example of God’s mercy...and that same mercy is available for me and for you! God told Jonah to go to Nineveh, and instead Jonah goes the opposition direction as in 2500 miles the wrong way! Now that’s disobedience! God could allowed it so that Jonah never even got on the boat to go the wrong way, but I think God wanted to demonstrate to Jonah that He is merciful. I don’t know if the Sunday school kids learned anything as it was very hot in the sanctuary yesterday, but I’ve certainly been enjoying the study! 

After church the children were eager to be outside. It’s hard to sit in church when it is hot and the air feels still. I was walking towards going outside, when I was stopped by one of my friends, Sharon. Sharon is older than I, but still a very dear friend to me. She asked about our trip, and I started crying as I explained that the trip had been fine, but hearing about Kevin’s death had been so hard. Again I was so comforted by human touch as she reached out and wrapped me in her arms. I managed to get her shoulder all wet from tears, but it was a reminder of God’s comfort. God created us to need positive human touch, and I am so thankful for friends that offer a hug and a smile. I know my own children are needing more positive affirmation these days, much as I am. We are sometimes a hot mess, but God continues to sustain us and help us every step of the way. 

Roger was a little late coming to youth group, but we were glad that he made it. Roger is truly one of the most faithful men I know, and he’s going to do the right thing with quietness and confidence. He doesn’t seek out praise or recognition, but he will work long and hard to do the right thing...always. I’m so blessed to call him my best friend. Garett rode home in Rogers car, and Roger was able to spend some time in conversation with Garett. Garett opened up a bit to Roger about some of his feelings, and we do ask for your continued prayers. Garett got a letter from his grandpa (Roger’s dad) today, and while Garett told me that the letter was a lot of reading, he was happy to get a letter -sounds like Garett! 

After youth group, Travis and Wyatt were thrilled to get to spend the night at a friends house. They’ve only had about two sleepovers in their lives, so this was a big deal. It also provided a welcome distraction for them and something that was lighthearted in their lives. Ashley endured nerf gun wars, legos, and lots of loud boys at her house! Travis and Wyatt were happy to tell me about their adventures this afternoon, and I was happy to hear about their fun. 

This morning, I took the three that were at home and we met some friends at the beach. It’s very unusual to go to the beach and still feel hot! Even the beach felt sticky today! We enjoyed our time with Annah and her children down by the beach. The boys caught crabs, and Chandler was happy to find a sand dollar. Emma played with the girls, and Annah, Isabelle and I walked on the beach. It’s weird to be so hot, but yet the ocean water numbs my ankles! 

I had a meeting this afternoon to discuss some plans for preschool this fall. I’m a big fan of in-person meetings as so much can get lost in translation in emails and texts! I actually walked away from the meeting feeling very encouraged, and I know that’s because of the power of prayer. I had asked some of my closest friends to be in prayer about this meeting, and I truly felt that God was at work. If anyone has learned anything these last six months, it’s that life has some disappointments in it! It was like waves of peace at the meeting, and I’m looking forward to God doing great and mighty things in the preschool classes this year. 

Random note: We discovered an air conditioner in our basement in a tucked away place. It’s been here since we’ve moved in. Today was such a hot day that Chandler decided that he would see if he could get the air conditioner to work so that he could put it in the living room window. I certainly wasn’t holding out much hope for something that had been in the house since before we moved in! (Generally people only leave their junk behind!) Anyways, shortly after banging around in the basement, he comes back to announce that he “Fixed” the air conditioner. I asked how he did that. He replied, “I looked it over real good, and then decided that the first thing I should do was plug it in. And it works!” Needless to say, I was very surprised! He coerced Garett into helping him lug it up the stairs, and then managed to find an old piece of lumber to brace it with under the window. My favorite part about all of this is that I just watched the kids in action. It’s lovely that they are now old enough to lug stuff around, move things, and figure out what to do! And now our living room is much cooler than it was at 3:30pm. This afternoon. It was an unexpected blessing, but that’s just how big our God is! 

I’d appreciate your continued prayers for Roger as well as our children. Also, please be in prayer for our upcoming school year that God will be glorified through it all. I know that God is in the business of using His people for His glory, and I’m thankful for His bountiful, amazing grace towards me. 

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!