February - A Lot of Moments in a Short Month!

 February is already gone! Often it feels like the longest (short) month of the year! It's probably due to the fact we are now in the time of the school year when we don't have any days off til Spring Break! And sometimes, the month of February just isn't that exciting...we just faithfully plod along! 

We had off the last Monday in January due to an "ice day", and it was already a short week due to the marriage retreat that weekend. However, sometimes the "short" weeks at school can feel like very long weeks indeed! But regardless, we made it to Thursday, which was a 1/2 day. I had taken the day off of school on Thursday as I needed to take Wyatt to an appointment that we've been waiting to get into for about 2 months. The appointment was at 8:30am, but it was a little over an hour away, so it was an early morning for Wylie and I. Thankfully, the appointment went fairly quickly, so that was a blessing. Wyatt saw a male doctor, and the doctor looked a little surprised when he poked his head in the room and saw Wyatt. I was trying to figure out why, but after a few minutes, the doc looked at Wyatt and said, "I think I know the answer to this, but I have to ask. It says on the paperwork that Wyatt is a female, but that's not correct, is it?" Wyatt looked completely mortified at the question as he quickly replied, "No, I'm a male." The doctor chuckled and said, "That's what I figured, but I've put my foot in my mouth a few times, so I just needed to clarify!" Whew! We got that straightened out! 

After school, Jenn and the kids headed to the mountains for the weekend. Roger and I were heading to the Marriage retreat on Friday in the late morning, and it was completely weird to be at home without any kids in the house! Roger had gotten some money for a date night for a Christmas gift, so we decided to go out to a local steakhouse for supper. We arrived at the restaurant about 5:30pm, and it was very crowded for a Thursday night! But we had no place we needed to be, so we stood in the doorway chatting with another older couple while we waited for a table to open up. In about five minutes, the waitress came and said that a booth had opened up for the couple ahead of us. The older lady turns to us and says, "Ya'll want to eat with us? We can share a booth and that's less waiting for you." Roger and I weren't worried about the wait, but they were so nice and friendly that we agreed to share a booth with them. God knew it was exactly what we needed! The older couple was so sweet and easy to talk to, and they told us about their potato packing warehouse, how they met (56 years ago), the church they attended and everything else. It was such a great evening of fellowshipping, and when it was time to go (after about two hours in the restaurant), the older gentleman told Roger that they would be paying for the bill! Say what!?  He told Roger that we had talked about potatoes, and he could just use it as a tax write-off, for which we were very thankful for. Roger and I had just expected a simple dinner with the two of us, but God had something much more in store for us last Thursday. I'm still pondering the details of how God worked all of that out...something only God could do! 

On Friday, January 29th, Roger and I headed to the marriage retreat in Myrtle beach. The boys and Emma had made it safely to the mountains, and the boys were looking forward to skiing on Friday evening. Myrtle Beach was cold this time, as all of NC was bracing itself for a snow storm that was supposed to be coming Friday evening. The Saturday morning session for the marriage retreat was canceled, but there was a Friday night session. I was sitting in the session when I got a notification on my phone. We have all kinds of security set up on the boys phones, so when they download an app, I know about it. I leaned over to Roger and pointed to the app installation. The three boys that have phones had all downloaded a GPS Speedometer app. I'm not a genius, but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out why the boys had downloaded that app on the night they were going skiing! I will say that the boys going skiing definitely challenged me to increase my praying! The boys had a great time, and Garett called Roger to tell him that they had a lot of fun skiing! Praise the Lord! 

Roger and I had a leisurely breakfast on Saturday morning before heading out to visit with Roger's aunt. We stayed for a few hours visiting about many things and then headed home. It was beginning to look like the weather people had gotten it wrong again as we didn't see any snow on the way home!  We arrived home about three pm, and then went to check on Jenn's chickens, and it finally started snowing! Sunday morning greeted us with about 7 inches of white fluffy snow! That's a lot of snow for this part of N.C.! We spent some time shoveling the snow, but of course, first we had to find the shovel. We haven't needed one while here in NC, and it felt a bit like Maine with the seven inches of white snow. It was beautiful, and it was nice to get out and enjoy it. 

So we started out our first full week in February with two snow days! It’s been an unusual winter with several snow and ice days, and I’ve been ready for spring for a while now! My parents came for a visit the second week of February, so that was a nice break for the kids. Emma loved having Nana and Papa pick her up early from school while they were here! Faith Church also had revival services that week, and we all really enjoyed the services by Kenny Baldwin. He is a gifted speaker, and it was encouraging to see our children make several spiritual decisions as well. Also that same week that my parents were here, Travis had his JV Basketball tournament to close out the season. It was a rough season for the team, and I think Travis was relieved to see it come to an end. I’m not sure that they won a single game, but Travis played hard, and some of the team made improvements over the season. I always enjoy watching the kids play sports, and this season flew by. Typically I feel like basketball is a long season, but the season seemed to go by so quickly! 

Additionally, my parents stayed for “Senior Night” for Chandler on the last home basketball game of the season. It seems surreal to think that in just a few short months, we will have yet another senior cross the stage to get his diploma. Feel like we were just here with Garett! Usually, Chandler starts in the basketball game, and he has been so fun to watch play. Compared to the ninth grader that came four years ago and barely knew anything about basketball, he has come a long way! He enjoys the game, and he plays with a lot of heart. On senior night, the seniors get to start in the game, but this year there were six seniors on the team. Only five players can be on the court at a time, so which senior wasn’t going to start? I was sitting in the bleachers a few minutes before the game started, and one of the senior moms leaned over to me and said that Chandler had almost made her cry. I asked what had happened, and she said that Chandler had given up his senior starting spot so that her son, Nicholas, could start that night. That did bring tears to my eyes as I know how much Chandler enjoys the sport, but yet had the kindess of heart to give his spot to someone else. I love that kid! (Sometimes, he drives me crazy, but then he does something like that, and my heart melts!) It’ll be a moment that I’ll remember for a long time. 

My parents left to head back to Wisconsin on February 19th, and the boys basketball varsity team had their season end tournament at Campbell University. It was a crazy few days with several trips to the college, and lots of games of basketball. The boys team ended up with 2nd place for the season, so that was exciting. It would’ve been fun for them to win the tournament, but they placed second. And just like that Chandler’s senior basketball season is over…on to the golf season! 

For the first time, our school is having a girls soccer team this spring. Jen and I are helping with coaching the team, and our first two practices were frigid! It was so cold! The team has their first game on Friday, and I am looking forward to seeing our team grown and mature this season. I am also praying for some warmer weather for practices! One of the coaches that helped Roger coach the boys team is also helping coach the girls team this season.  It is nice to have someone else to plan practices, drills, etc., so Jen and I are thankful for that. 

The boys have started playing golf for their spring sport season. Chandler and Travis were both very excited about the golf season, but Wyatt needed a little convincing to play golf this year. I’m not exactly sure why he wasn’t as excited, but he did it anyways. Wyatt is a decent golfer, and the team will need him this year. I am thankful that the boys get the opportunity to play, and I am looking forward to seeing how their team does this season. 

Last week of February! This past week Chandler took a trip to Pensacola Christian College. He went with another senior from school.  A few other students from school also went on the trip but they were on different flights to and from Pensacola. Chandler and Eli seemed to have a great trip, and they visited several classes, and did come back with a little information! Chandler ran into some friends of ours from Maine, so that was fun for him! Archie was a good friend of the boys when we were in Maine, so it was nice to hear from Mandie (Archie’s mom) that Chandler and Archie were hanging out some during college days. Chandler is feeling the pressure of making college decisions, but we are definitely praying that God will give clear direction. Chandler did text me on Wednesday night to tell me, “Mom, I’m keeping an open mind, but this college is very conservative. Very.” Haha! Well, I already knew that, but there are certain things that sometimes you can deal with especially as getting a solid Christian education is important to us. We will keep praying. 

We are in the month of March! February was actually not nearly as long as I thought it would be! Praise the Lord! My dad is traveling about an hour every day to take radiation for his cancer. He has made it through the first week, but there are six more weeks to go. If it comes to mind, please keep praying for him. In this month, we are frantically preparing for a Christian school art competition. These entries are all due on March 16th, and I’m hoping that after that deadline, I will be able to sleep a bit better! Travis is in my art class, and he has been working on a craft which includes pouring a tapered candle. Oh my- it’s been interesting! 

The church youth group is planning a ski/snowboarding trip to the mountains the second weekend of this month. It’s a little  bit pricey to go, so none of the boys were planning on going even though they really do enjoy skiing and snowboarding. But out of the blue, one of my best friends in North Carolina, asked if my boys were going on the trip. I replied no, not this year. She asked if they were interested in going, and I said yes, but since there’s three of them…it’s just a lot. This friend said that God had prompted her to reach out to me, and she offered to pay for Chandler and Wyatt to attend the youth retreat! I was completely floored, and the boys were amazed and thrilled. That same day I found out that Travis’s trip to the youth retreat was also covered. Sometimes on the days that seem the bleakest, God sends a small light to brighten the day and sometimes God sends a flaming blaze that encourages me for days and weeks! I hadn’t even prayed about the boys attending this youth event simply because it just seemed like a pipe dream, but God had other plans. I’m excited for the boys to have this opportunity, and praying that God will speak to their hearts at this event. 

This month will also be achievement testing for our students, and I can’t say that anyone is necessarily super excited about that. But spring break is coming- Praise the Lord! 

Also this month, Chandler will be going on his senior trip. We recently got an email from one of Chandler’s teachers saying that someone had offered to put money towards Chandler’s senior trip that the school is taking to Disney. But Roger and I  have made the decision that a trip to Disney would not be best for our children, so we are doing something different for Chandler’s senior trip. It was a painful and difficult decision to make, and there are many reasons for our decision that I will not discuss here. If you’d like to know, you can surely reach out to me. It was so encouraging to know that someone thought highly of Chandler’s character and work ethic and wanted to help out with his trip. We wrote a really positive reply regarding our decision about his senior trip, but it seems like a monetary donation was only for the school trip to Disney. But it is not a conviction if money can make you change your mind, is it? We are going to continue on with our plan for Chandler’s senior trip, and we are praying for him to have a wonderful trip and also God’s continued direction. God is so good!

In closing, I’m asking for prayer for the same things that have been on my list for the past several months- our children, my dad’s health, school, Chandler’s college decision, Garett and his flight training and job, and the list could go on and on. Thankyou for those that pray for our children or our family regularly. The older I get the more I realize what a precious gift we have in approaching the Father’s throne with our needs, requests and praises. I’ve been convicted lately about be sure to spend time in prayer for our family. We have a lot of changing things happening in the next few months, and we covet your prayers. We are blessed. 

February - Basketball, Moments, Basketball, Memories, and More Basketball!

 

Championship Game! That’s where we found ourselves on Saturday as we watched the JV Boys Basketball Team compete in the Championship game for the second year in a row! This probably wouldn’t be so exciting for me, but Wyatt and Travis played on the JV Basketball Team this year, so it was very exciting! Wyatt has really had a great season, in my opinion, and he has become a much better basketball player in the three years we’ve been in N.C. Travis played on the Middle School team this year and the JV Boys Varsity Team. Travis got a lot more playing time on the Middle School team, but unfortunately they lost several games due to snow days and bad weather, but Travis did enjoy playing on the Middle School team. As Travis says, “I was a good water boy to Wyatt on the other team.” Haha! He didn’t get as much playing time, but he did seem to enjoy the season, and he enjoys watching the team play. On Saturday, 2/15, the Championship game was held in Newport, NC, which is a bit of a drive from our house. But we were excited to watch the boys play in the game. The team was actually playing the exact same team that they played last year for the championship game. Wyatt and Travis had to be there early for the game, so Emma and I went to visit a thrift store instead of sitting in the gym. My friend, Tamela, is always up for visiting thrift stores too, so she came along. It was a good way to spend a few minutes, and the thrift store was having a sale of certain tag items for .49- now that’s my kind of a sale! We came back to the gym to watch the girls championship game, which went into overtime, and then it was the boys game. The game wasn’t as close as I would’ve imagined it to be, but it was fun to watch the boys team play. It was a long day, but a day spent with family and spending time together. 

Roger’s brother, Dale, came to visit for a few days. It was good to see him and to catch up with him for a few days. Roger was able to get off a little early on Friday, so he went golfing with the older two boys and his brother, Dale. The weather hasn’t been exactly warm, but at least it wasn’t raining! Chandler was able to golf with Ava, and while it was an interesting Valentine’s Day for Roger and I, we are at the place where we are happy to go get flowers on the day after Valentine’s Day when the flowers are 50% off! I know that’s not the way everyone would choose to do it, but it’s worked for us for many years now. I’m thankful for Roger as he expresses his love for me every day in many ways. He’s willing to help pack lunches, do dishes, help with chores, make coffee, bring me coffee when he can, work hard and he loves me. I am very, very thankful for him, and I am so very blessed. I was at the game watching the JV Boys in their playoff game, so we weren’t together for most of the day, but ya know, love is an action that we need to express to each other every day and not just on special occasions. 

Last Saturday evening, Chandler and Garett went to a teen activity. It was a “Thrift Shop” dinner where you’re put in pairs. One partner goes to one thrift store and one to a different thrift store, and they buy outfits for each other. I wasn’t sure how the night would go, but both of the boys said that they had a really great time. The pictures from the event are absolutely hilarious, and it’s a memory for sure! Travis spent all of last weekend sleeping on Aunt Jen’s couch! He asked Roger to take him over to Aunt Jen’s right after his JV game last Friday night. He ran a fever all weekend, and thankfully Jen offered to keep him at her house for the weekend. His fever finally broke on Sunday, and he turned a corner to start to feel better. It’s very unsettling to see Travis so still, so I am glad that he is feeling better. I had suggested that he stay home from school on Monday since he was just starting to feel better, but he really wanted to go to the basketball game on evening. He went to the game, but he sure did look pale! Wyatt told me after the game, that he wasn’t feeling too great, and his throat really was hurting. Wyatt stayed home on Tuesday and Wednesday, and Travis stayed home again on Wednesday as he was running a low grade fever on Tuesday night. Thankfully, both boys seem to be feeling better, and no one else has gotten sick! We are praying that it will stay that way! 

These last two weeks of school have felt really long to me. I think it’s because the weather has been kinda chilly and damp, the nights of basketball are long, there’s a lot of big upcoming events in both art and library, and it feels like a long time til spring break! But there’s always something to be thankful for in each and every day. Every day gets us a little closer to Garett’s senior trip, and we are all looking forward to that. Garett has been praying and thinking about what to do when he graduates, and we would appreciate your prayers for him.

Emma has been doing some academic testing to try to figure out how to best help her learn. Is she learning? Yes! Is it slow and painful at times? Yes! I am concerned about her progress and how we can best help her learn, develop and grow. I would’ve never have chosen for three of our five kids to struggle with school, but it definitely helps me have compassion on my students that I teach that don’t “get it” the first time around. Garett is a young man who doesn’t always “get it” the first time around, and I can say that for the most part, he is becoming a fine and capable young man. He really works well with younger kids, he has lots of patience with others (just not his brothers), and he has a general idea of what ideas he wants to pursue after college. Hard work and character will get him far in life, I’m sure. I used to think that I prayed a lot when my kids were toddlers, but these teenage years have proven to me how shallow my prayers were back then! So. Much. To. Pray. For! 

This week, in my art classes, I spoke about God’s love as we approached Valentine’s Day. It’s so easy to quote John 3:16, and almost everyone knows that verse. But, it must be real and personal to each one of us. We have to acknowledge that “For God so loved Sarah, that he gave his only begotten son, that if Sarah believeth in him, she would not perish but have everlasting life.” I am so thankful that eternal life in Heaven is mine. I also shared my personal salvation testimony with my Middle School Art classes, as it’s good to talk about what God has done for me personally. I hope I never lose sight of God’s amazing grace, and His love for me. What an amazing God we serve! 

Started on 2/5/25 

Ya’ll be amazed because it’s only been a little over a week since the last post! I feel like so many things are happening in our lives so quickly these days that it’s hard sometimes to keep up on a daily basis much less a weekly basis! 

Last week we had a short week at school due to the Marriage Retreat that our church plans every year. Roger and I had planned to leave early on Friday morning and make the most of the day, but that’s not what happened. Roger was called to a fire on the Western side of the state on Thursday, and then on Friday morning, he had to go into work. We had hoped that he would be able to get off early, but he didn’t get home until around 5:30pm. While it wasn’t the way that I would’ve picked for the day to go, we did get a lot done around our house. The boys went golfing, and a friend went with them. They spent a good chunk of the day outside as the weather was beautiful! (It’s hard to believe that we had two and 1/2 snow days the previous week, and this week the temps reached into the 70s!)

 I wondered if we should still go to the marriage retreat since we had missed the whole day, but we decided to go anyways. It was already paid for and Myrtle Beach is only a little over two hours from our house. Now that Garett can drive, he was able to take his siblings over to Aunt Jen’s for supper after golfing. Emma, Travis and Wyatt stayed overnight at Aunt Jen’s, but Garett and Chandler came back home. Roger and I got on the road a little before six pm., and we made it in time to go out to ice cream with some of our friends after the session! :) It would’ve been nice to hear the session, but I”m not a fan of coming in late and then having to sit on the front row! We checked into our room, and then met up with some friends after the session was over. It was good to visit for a bit before heading back to the hotel. 

Roger and I got up early on Saturday to take a walk on the beach before breakfast. I do enjoy the sound of the ocean waves! We ate breakfast with Tamela and Stephen, and then we had the last session of the marriage retreat. The speaker was good, and I did prefer his speaking over last year’s speaker, but I do wish that sometimes more practical ways of how to actually do things would be discussed. There were a lot of stages of marriage discussed in the session. But, I already know that we are in the trenches of marriage. I know that we are in some hard years of parenting kids and that kids take time. But how do families decided between the “good” and the “best”? I know what works for one couple may not work for another, but sometimes it’s good to hear success stories on how others made their marriages or families stronger. I also know that most people don’t have four kids in four years and then another one three years later! But, I also know that I don’t want “good kids”. I want Godly kids that will love and serve Jesus, and the outcome will be “good kids”. And it’s not enough for us to just influence our own kids, we’ve got to think about upcoming generations.  There are two things that I’m really concerned about right now in our own kids lives. Those things would be “entitlement” and “apathy”. Whew! Those are some big and powerful words right there! I tell our kids often that you don’t have to have a lot of stuff to be entitled as it’s an attitude of the heart. I can tell them to do their devotions in the morning, and that they must read the Bible before anything else, but I can’t drive apathy out of them. Oh, how we need Jesus! 

After the marriage retreat was over, Roger and I visited a few thrift stores and puttered around in the Myrtle Beach area before heading over to Conway. Roger’s aunt and uncle recently moved to Conway from California, and we’ve been wanting to stop by and visit with them. I hadn’t seen Uncle Bob and Aunt Carole since Chandler was a baby so that was almost 17 years ago! We visited with them for a bit, toured their beautiful home, and then we went to supper with them. It was good to sit and catch up (or try to) on each other’s lives. Of course, I forgot to take any pictures of them, but still, we did have a really good time! 

Our friends, the Hardison’s, had also gone to the marriage retreat. Tamela knew that we weren’t planning on being home until later on Saturday evening. She invited the boys to come over to their house to watch the Duke basketball game. The boys were excited to go over to their house to watch the game as they also have three boys. The boys had a great time, and Roger and I were able to get in a visit with Uncle Bob and Aunt Carole. It was a good weekend, and it’s always to get away with just the two of us. 

Christmas Break! (December Events and Life)

 “A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices…” I am so thankful for hope in Jesus Christ. These days in December have been flying by so quickly, and it’s hard to believe that Christmas break is here! 

We started off December with a “Night in Bethlehem”. A local church puts together an evening of activities and re-creates what a night in Bethlehem might be like. There’s the opportunity to visit the potter’s house, the spice shop, the jewelry, and the bakery and host of other spots. At each place, you can do a small activity or craft. It’s a fun event that we went to last year, and I planned for us to do it again this year. Emma is still of the age that she enjoys these types of things, and the boys usually do, but whew- the night was an epic failure! I did not set us up well for success as I planned this for an evening after basketball practice. Wyatt and Chandler were very hungry, and it was quite a chilly evening for North Carolina. Everyone was in a rather sour mood by the time we left, and I was mad because no one appreciated Christmas events (in my opinion). After a rather lengthy discussion, I apologized for planning an event on top of an already busy day, and the boys apologized for not having as much patience and grace as they should’ve had. While the evening did not go as I envisioned it in my mind, it was a reminder that we are still in the trenches of parenting these teens, and we have lots of things to work through! 

We have had some fun events that did work out more smoothly! On one Sunday evening, we invited several families over to our house to make cookies and have supper together. Jen made a big pot of chili, and we created lots of sweet desserts and treats! I made caramelized pecans as teacher gifts this year, and while it’s the simplest recipe, these pecans are so delicious! You can see the recipe Here. I double the amount of pecans to the sugar part, and I add some real vanilla extract. I’ll definitely be making this recipe again. 

We also had several basketball games that we attended to watch the boys play this month. Chandler has become quite a good defensive basketball player, and it’s easy to tell that Wyatt enjoys the game. Travis plays on the middle school team, and while they are not that good, it’s fun to watch them play. I’ve been happy to support the cheerleading coach in whatever ways that I can, but I’m also relieved that I’m not responsible for practices, routines, uniforms, and hours of being away from our family. The one thing that I don’t really like about basketball is that the season is very, very long. But ya know, we’re already at Christmas break! Garett and Travis both were chosen to represent their classes on the Homecoming Court in January, so I’ll be going to consignment stores over Christmas break to find them a sport coat. This is an event that takes place in January in which each class from 7th-12th grade picks their classes representatives. In the senior class, several representatives are chosen and Garett was one of them. Travis is the class representative for his class again, and while he’s not exactly excited about dressing up, I’m happy for him. It’s usually a really quick ceremony done at the end of the basketball games. It’s a lot of work and effort for a very short ceremony, and it’s not the way that I would do it, but ya know…no one asked my opinion. Ha! However, it is an honor to be chosen to represent your class, and I’m thankful that Travis and Garett were chosen. We will do our best to have Travis not looking like he’d rather be at the dentist than wearing a suit coat! 

We went to Virginia the last two weekends. The first weekend up there, we helped our friends, the Everett’s move onto the Air Force Base. Garett was helping with a teen event, so he stayed home, but the rest of us went. We worked hard to load the U-haul, drive to the base, unload the U-haul, and we got a lot done in a day! The Everett’s surely could’ve managed without us, but that’s what friends are for, to come along and share in burdens and praises. We came home tired but with full hearts. This past weekend, we all went up on Friday night and on Saturday to enjoy Christmas together. Laura made lots of delicious food, we played racquetball at the gym, decorated gingerbread houses, and shared in laughter and fun. It was a good way to start our Christmas break. 

On the art side of things, we managed to help each student create at least one ornament to give away at Christmas. My middle school class created two ornaments each, and the middle school participated in an art show on the last day of school. Garett is my Teachers Aide in the mornings, and he has sealed and sprayed  a lot of ornaments for me! I am so, so thankful for my art assistant, Kaycee, as she has helped me be organized with all these ornaments and trying to help keep the art room picked up. I am very thankful for all of her help, and the fact that she doesn’t complain about all my crazy ideas! 

On the Library side of things, we focused on library books about Christmas and this season. We played a scavenger hunt in the library by hiding all the pieces of the Nativity for each of our classes. They enjoy looking for the pieces, and placing the character back in the scene. One character did get dropped, and Joseph’s head fell off, but we glued it back together! If you’re familiar with the Mercy Watson  books, there is a Christmas book about Mercy the pig. We also read Christmas in the Big Woods, How the Grinch Stole Christmas and a bunch of other books. I feel like library has had to take a little bit of a back seat this year as I balance out Middle school art and Elementary art, but again, I have a great assistant in library too. Jennifer Wade has helped keep the library organized and running smoothly, and she keeps up with books that need to be returned, and she has managed to extend the shelf life on some of our most popular books with lots of book tape and glue! I am very thankful for her too. 

We have plans to go to Maine for part of Christmas break to see my sister, husband and their kids. My parents are also planning on coming to Maine, so all of my families side will be together for the first time in probably almost ten years. I’m excited about all having all of us together, and the boys are hoping for snow and ice. 

Continued (12/25) 

I had plans to finish this blog post before Christmas, but here we are and I’m still writing! We are currently in the van traveling north towards Maine. We’ve savored and treasured our first few days of Christmas break, and created memories with our family. 

On Sunday evening, we were invited over to our friend’s house, the Kennedys. We enjoyed delicious food, fun games, and even a time of singing Christmas carols. It was a really great way to start Christmas break. Jen ended up with three of our boys going home with her, and Chandler asked me if his friends, Nicholas and Eli, could spend the night at our house. I was thankful that I was able to say “Yes” on a whim. Sometimes I feel like these three boys struggle to fit in with the youth group, and while they all have different and unique personalities, I’m glad that they were able to play video games, eat more food, and share laughter together. 

Jen and I did some Christmas shopping with Emma on Monday also. We pick names in our family, so each family member has to pick gifts for someone else in our family. I usually end up finding out who everyone has just by the process of helping finding gifts or getting a bargain for someone. Emma had Chandler’s name, and while she had a few little things for him, she wanted to get him something else. We used to put a monetary limit on the gifts, but now that all the boys have their own jobs and money, we kinda just let them pick out the gifts that they think they’re person would like. I was pleasantly surprised to find that several of our children really did go above and beyond as they really thought through what their person might like. One day last week, Garett took Chandler to Dick’s Sporting Goods as Chandler needed to find something for Travis. Garett does not like shopping so he did all of his shopping online. Chandler wandered around Dick’s for about thirty minutes, and then bought a sweatshirt for Travis. However, by the time, he got back to school, he asked me to return it. Chandler said that he thought that Travis would like the sweatshirt, but since he couldn’t wear it to school, Chandler wanted to look for somethings else. I told Chandler that I would return the sweatshirt, and we could look for something else. Travis had hinted around that he would like like a basketball backpack that he could put his shoes in. So Chandler and I went online on Thursday evening to try to find a backpack that would be perfect. At first the only color that was available was in white, and if you know anything about Travis…white is not the color for him! However, we were able to find a backpack in navy blue. I told Chandler that I didn’t think that the backpack would arrive in time for Christmas, but much to our surprise the backpack did arrive in time!

 Travis had my name for a gift, and he kept telling me that he and dad were going to do shopping together. My sister, Jen, offered to help him, but Travis wanted to go with Roger. Finally on Tuesday mooring, Travis and Roger had the opportunity to go Christmas shopping. Travis already knew what he wanted to get for me, and he brought his money and his ideas along. Roger said that he pretty much was just the driver, as the first place they went to did not have exactly what Travis was looking for. Travis bought me AirPods with his own money. It really was one of the sweetest gifts I’ve ever received as he really thought about what I might like, and he was willing to spend a good chunk of his own money to get me AirPods. He could’ve bought me the off brand, and that would’ve been fine, but he told Roger that he wanted to get mom something nice. I really do love that sweet boy! (He can drive me crazy faster than lightening, but I love him so much!) 

We also had some “not so Christmasy” moments on Tuesday, and we ended up having a bit of a loud family discussion. I didn’t think the kids were being helpful around the house, and I told them they were acting “entitled”, which led to a whole conversation! After much discussion, I finally had all the kids sit at the table and write down their blessings and praises from 2024 and their goals for 2025. It was a much needed reset for all of us, and I was blessed by reading over their lists. One son said that one of his goals for 2025 was to “not be such a grinch”. One son said that he wanted to not eat so many sweets. They had lots of praises in family, teachers, food, etc. It’s just so easy to develop an ungrateful heart, and we needed to reset our hearts and attitudes on what really matters…loving Jesus and loving others. 

Christmas Eve found us at Aunt Jen’s for delicious food, fellowship, playing on the Wii, and opening gifts together. Having Aunt Jen live close to us has been a gift in and of itself. She pours into our kids, feeds them often, and we are so thankful for her. We are very much looking forward to spending time with my other sister and her family in the next few days as well as my sister, Jen, and my parents. 

We woke up this morning, and savored some family time together over coffee and conversation. I’m reminded so often of how quickly these years are fleeting by, and I just want to stop and treasure these moments. God was so good to provide a Redeemer for us in sending His Son to earth. While I love the story of Jesus’s birth, the story is incomplete if we fail to recognize that this is the Saviour of the World. Without Jesus, I would have no hope for today, tomorrow or eternity. But I know that Jesus provides hope, peace, security, redemption, forgiveness, grace, mercy, sanctification and so much more. I am confident that my eternal salvation rests in Jesus, and that I have a home in Heaven. I serve a great God! 

I had big plans to write a Christmas letter, create cards, and send them out. But here we are, and not one of those things has happened! We are planning on taking family photos in Maine, so at this point in time, I’ll be sending a letter, family photo, and Garett’s graduation announcement all in one envelope! But, we love and appreciate each one that has invested in our lives and the lives of our children. We wish you all a very Merry Christmas!

This is one of my favorite songs this season. 

Summer Break!!

 It’s been a busy two weeks, as we’ve jumped full swing into summer break! We are enjoying a bit of a more relaxed schedule, but we find it’s still really full with kids working, balancing screen time and work, projects that we’d like to finish, and planning a few activities over summer break. 

I’ve still been working at the school some as it’s near impossible to get everything cleaned and packed up before school ends much less when I’m working in both art and library. I enlisted the help of my kids to help take down bulletin boards, move books, haul stuff to the dumpsters, and other cleaning jobs. Working for mom would not fall on their list of favorite things, but welcome to life! I’ve been doing some research regarding an art curriculum for elementary students, and there is so much out there! It’s so easy to be overwhelmed with it all. We’ve also looked for a library curriculum, but that’s a really hard one to come by because I’m picky about what we read and generally we don’t have the books on the list in our small library anyways. I’ve written our own lessons plans for the past two years, but it would be nice to be able to have the book, a game, and an activity all ready to go without searching all over creation for what I want…maybe I’m just too picky or my expectations are too high!? 

On Memorial Day, we went to Aunt Lisa and Uncle Ryan’s house out towards the western side of the state. It makes for a long day, but it was a fun day. All the kids got in the pool (multiple times) and Emma and Travis ended up with a sunburn! We took Sam (the dog) with us, and he did very well on the car ride so that was a blessing. The boys walked down to the pond to go fishing, and they caught a few fish. We enjoyed lots of delicious food, good fellowship and time outside. It was a good way to start summer break. 

Chandler had the opportunity to spend a few days at a lake with one of his friends from school and a few other boys as well. He left on Wednesday to go to the lake, and we came down on Saturday to pick him up. He had a great time fishing, kayaking, playing with air soft guns, and doing all kinds of activities. We came to pick him up on Saturday, and we enjoyed time at the lake as well. It was good to get to know Nicholas’s parents a little better, and we surely did appreciate the laughter and fellowship. It was a beautiful day to spend at the lake, and we were thankful for the invite. 

Garett is working full time with the gutter company this summer, and last week he got his drivers license! Yes, he is almost 18 (in August), but we were not in an anxious place for him to get his license and insurance is expensive! However, the timing was right and God arranged for all the details to fall into place. Roger took him to Jacksonville last Thursday for a 8:00 am appointment. They arrived in time, but there was an accident on the route that they normally take the drivers road test on. The DMV told Roger and Garett that they weren’t sure how long it would be before the route opened, but they would be given a “floating” appointment meaning that once the route opened back up, Garett could take his test as soon as they could squeeze him in. Well that was a bit of a bummer as Roger was missing work to take Garett to do his drivers test, and we weren’t sure if we should wait it out, reschedule or if I should come and wait with Garett. Roger and Garett went back into the DMV to talk to someone, and they said that they would allow Garett to take his road test on an old route that they didn’t use anymore. Praise the Lord! Within ten minutes, Garett was walking back into the DMV to get his drivers license permit! We are thankful that one of the boys now has his drivers license as this means that Garett can now help with getting other kids where they need to be! I didn’t think I’d be this excited about one of our kids having their drivers license, but it’s been so nice! 

I started working at a farmer’s market a few days a week, and it looks like Chandler will be able to earn a little money on the days that I work as he can come with me. The days are long at the farmer’s market, but it’s not hard work as it’s just being friendly and selling people produce. I think it’ll work out nicely for a few days a week and help provide a little extra money for a summer trip or the school bill. Chandler would still like to find a bit more work as he’d like to work closer to four or five days a week, but we are thankful for something! 

Travis finished up the soccer season with the rec team this past week. It’s been fun to watch him play, and he’s enjoyed it-mostly. I thought that Travis would be excited about being on a team without his brothers and getting a lot of playing time. He told my sister, Jen, that he enjoyed playing soccer but it would’ve been better if Wyatt could’ve been on his team. The Lord was good to Travis as Travis was placed on a team with Christian coaches, and it was a good experience. One of the coaches is also a coach for a soccer league team in the area. The coach sent us an email about Travis playing on a travel ball team, and then he came and talked to us. While the experience would be good, the cost is way too high, and we are already busy as a family. We don’t need one more event to haul kids to or cause us to split up our very valuable family time. We asked Travis what his opinion was about the travel ball team, and told him that it was nice of his coach to notice Travis’s skill level and offer him a position on the travel soccer team without Travis even going to tryouts. And all of that was and is true! It’s nice to be recognized for hard work and effort, but thankfully this was an easy decision to make. Travis was non-committal about it (he’s not one to talk a lot), but he said, “yeah, it’s nice to be asked to join the team. But I don’t want to. I wouldn’t really want to do it without one of my brothers, and I’ll get to play on the school team in the fall.” So that was that, and it was a good decision. The coaches held a little awards ceremony after the last game last week, and it was so refreshing and encouraging to hear these coaches talk about the “Christian character” award, and how that was being like Jesus. This is a non-Christian school team, and these kids are from all walks of life, but these coaches made a point to bring Jesus into the conversation and to pray over the players after the last game of the season. I doubt Travis thought much about it, but as his mama, I sure did appreciate the prayer and reference to Jesus Christ! 

This past week we’ve been dog siting for some friends of ours. I’ve decided that we are definitely a one dog family, and while we’ve not minded Marley being here, we are thankful for just one dog! We also have the three Hardison boys here, so that’s eight boys and Emma! It’s not been very quiet here, but it’s been fun. They eat a lot, but they also have played hours of basketball and golf. We are thankful for these moments and days. Life truly is a vapor, and if I accomplish nothing else with my life, I want my kids to know and serve Jesus. 

We’ve also had VBS (Vacation Bible School) this past week, so I took Jace and Emma in to VBS with me, while the boys spent time with Roger. They even got to go golfing a few times with the Hardison boys, so that was fun for all. 

Chandler has already gotten a pay raise at the farmer’s market, so that was exciting for him. He worked two days and got a pay raise on the third day. The disadvantage to the farmer’s market job is that it is a bit of a hike to the job, so he really can only work on days that I work, and I don’t want to work every day! This past week, Wyatt also worked at the farmers market for a day. Chandler, Wyatt and I all worked on Saturday, and it was a busy day. I prefer the busier days, as I’m not one for sitting around! The boys worked hard at keeping everything stocked and shucking corn. We always come home tired, but it’s been good to have a little employment this summer. 

This week is basketball camp for Chandler and Wyatt, and they’re looking forward to going to Bob Jones University with two of the Hardison boys for basketball camp. I’m excited that they have this opportunity, and Travis and Emma are looking forward to it as well. I’m going to take the two youngest, along with my sister, and we’re going to spend a few days in the Greenville area while the other two boys are at camp. It should be a good week, and I’m looking forward to spending some time with the youngest two kids. 

Today was Father’s Day, and we barely saw Roger! He spent the day at work flying patrol for the fires. We really, really need rain. The forecast for the next ten days is hot and without rain. Please pray that God will provide some rain. Many farmers are on the verge of losing their crops as the soil is so dry. We really need several days of a nice soaking rain. We missed having Roger around, but we are so thankful for him. He’s not the life of the party, and he doesn’t like to be the center of attention, but Roger is faithful, loyal, kind and a good friend. He loves his family, and he works hard to be present in our lives. I’m thankful for him, and I love him so very much. 

Life can also be heavy and hard, and sometimes it’s hard to know what God is doing. The pastor said something this morning that really resonated with me after this past week. He said, “What you believe in not only matters for eternity, but it also shapes your perspective on life.” And sometimes we just have to walk by faith. This past Tuesday, my friend, Beka, from Wisconsin called me. She told me that there had been an accident and the daughter of someone I knew had been killed in a tragic ATV accident. I was completely taken off guard. Emma is almost the same age as this little girl that passed away, and I was pregnant with Emma the same summer that my friend was pregnant with her daughter. I don’t know what God’s plan was in allowing this tragedy to happen, but I do know that God is in control. He is the God of all comfort, and His mercy never fails. I’ve cried several times this past week as we grieve the loss of life, and for the family left behind. Please do pray for my friend, Jen, and her family, as they grieve the loss of their daughter. 

News Article

As parents, we naturally expect our children to outlive us, and sometimes we are caught off guard by what happens in our lives. I look forward to the day when “He will wipe away all tears from our eyes.” Heaven is going to be an amazing place, and if you’re not sure about where you will spend eternity, please reach out to me. I’d love to show you how you can know for sure that you are on your way to Heaven. Jesus died for you, so that you can have eternal life in Heaven. We need to recognize that we cannot get to Heaven on our own, and we are all sinners. We have no hope of Heaven without Jesus. But..Romans 3:23 says that “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 6:23 “for the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life.” John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Believe that Jesus died for you. Recognize that you are a sinner. Ask Jesus to forgive your sins and come into your life. Ephesians 2:8-9 states that “for by grace are ye saved, through faith, and not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast.” Salvation- that’s the best gift ever! 

  

February Victories, Memories, and More!

 Another month is almost over, and I always think that February is the longest short month ever! February seems to stretch out for a very long time, but we are getting closer to wrapping up this month. 

Early in the month, Roger and I had the opportunity to attend a marriage retreat. It was good to get away for a few days, and we’ve had to do some serious soul searching lately regarding some decisions that will have to be made regarding our children, the future, finances, and so much more. 

This month also brought about the completion of JV Basketball, JV cheerleading, Varisty Basketball, and Varsity cheerleading.  Two weekends ago,  Wyatt participated in the JV tournament for basketball, and the JV cheerleaders also participated in the tournament. We had eight JV girls on the cheerleading squad, and it was a season to remember. Some of them were completely new to cheering, so they had a lot to learn as far as stunts, routines, cheers, and chants. They worked hard, and we are proud of them. Laura came down for the tournament on Friday, so that was a huge help to me. It’s always a relief when she’s at the games as she brings a depth of experience to coaching that I don’t have. The JV boys basketball team made it to the championship game, which was played on Saturday afternoon. 

It was an exciting JV game to watch as it was pushed into overtime twice! Wyatt made a few mistakes in the final quarter of the game, which resulted in his coach pulling him (as he should’ve!). Wyatt can tend to be defined by his mistakes, and we’ve been working on overcoming that tendency. His coach spoke with Wyatt, encouraged him to do better, and a few minutes later Wyatt went back in the game. He was able to overcome those earlier mistakes to shoot a three pointer that helped the team tie the game to go into overtime! Roger and I are thankful for Wyatt’s coaches who helped him, encouraged him, and put him back in the game. It was a close game, but after double overtime, the JV Boys basketball team pulled off a victory! That was an exciting way to wrap up the season, and this mama was glad to have another sport behind us! (Basketball and cheer are loooong seasons!) 

Many of you may already be aware, but the state of North Carolina recently changed the Opportunity Scholarship guidelines for private education. Previously, you could only apply if you were military, a child in k-2nd grade, or your children were coming from public schooling. There was also an income limit, but that was never our concern. Only one of our children has the opportunity scholarship and that’s Emma. Emma was able to get the scholarship because she was moved back to 2nd grade last year. This provided some financial relief for at least one child, and we’ve been so thankful for that! However, when the guidelines were updated to include all students regardless of grade entry, we knew that we wanted to apply. The application process opened on February 1st, and I was definitely all about applying on February 1st! I don’t mind working, and I like working, but this year has been A LOT! It would be hard to keep up this projectory rate and be as present as I need to be for our children. We have no idea how long the funds will last for the scholarship money, but anything would be helpful. However, when I went to apply for our other four kids, I was smacked in the face with something unexpected. Since I have worked so much this past year, we will not qualify for the first round of funding for schooling. We are 4K over the limit of how much can be made for our household size, so we will be in award tier 2 of funding. (It can be kinda confusing, but there are four different tiers for the school choice funding. We’ve always been in the first tier, so Emma has gotten 90% school tuition coverage.) I know this sounds crazy, but I cried. We’ve worked our tails off, and to realize that because I have worked so hard to help provide Christian education that resulted in being pushed out of the first round of funding, was hard to take.  We fall into the second tier of funding, which will be disbursed if there are any remaining funds by a lottery to those that have applied. God has ALWAYS, always, always provided for our children’s education, but I really wanted to try to be more present for our younger kids next year, and we can’t seem to find balance. I know that God has a plan in and through it all, and this is another opportunity to trust Him. God is molding and shaping us to be a vessel for His glory. So we continue to press on, move forward, and trust in Him. (And I continue to pray that perhaps, by some miracle, we will get some some funding assistance for the kids education.) 

Two  weekends ago, during the JV Basketball tournament, the Everett’s came down to spend the weekend due to the tournament and Justin had off of work due to President’s day. Roger and the boys went golfing with Justin, Brody and Ava, while I was able to do some house cleaning, make supper, and enjoy time with Laura. There’s been a lot of changes in both of our lives in the past six months and more seem to be coming. Sometimes we just need a friend to talk it through with and someone to cry and pray with. Raising teens is not for the faint-hearted! I’m thankful that God gives us new mercies, wisdom, and lots of grace! And so often we feel like salmon swimming upstream! I get that we are a bit “odd” in our parenting in that only one kid has a cell-phone, none of them have their own vehicles, none of them have social media accounts, etc. I know it’s all “weird” to some, but it not weird to us. We’ve never done parenting before, and it’s not something that we get a “re-do” on! We’re not doing it perfectly, and sometimes it feels like more failures than good, but we really do want to pour into our kids and point them to Jesus. I want them to be men and a woman of valor and character that love Jesus passionately and fervently!

This past week we wrapped up the Varsity Basketball and Cheerleading season! Praise Jesus! It’s been a long 16 weeks, and while we’ve had some really great and fun experiences, but regardless, it’s still very long. We left Thursday morning around 9:00am for the tournament. The boys team played at 11:30am, and the girls played a game at 2:00pm. Since we hadn’t been sure of whether or not the teams would win or lose, obviously, hotel rooms had been booked for Thursday night. Roger was originally planning on coming to Chandler’s game on Thursday, but with fire season starting up, it was impossible for him to get away. Laura and her girls ended up coming to the tournament, which was a huge blessing to me, and Laura and the girls stayed in my hotel room on Thursday night. A lot of the girls ended up driving home with their parents, so I was only responsible for about five girls at the hotel, which makes it all around easier! The tournament went through Saturday afternoon, so it was a long three days. The boys varsity team ended up in fourth place and the girls varsity team ended up with second place- so that was exciting! 

It’s hard to believe that it’s all over and done. There were moments in the cheerleading season that I was overwhelmed, exhausted, and over stimulated! However, by the grace of God, we made it through! Laura’s help was invaluable to me as she planned most of the stunt routines, and she continued to do that even after they moved to Virginia. I don’t have the experience that she can bring to the team, so I am so thankful that she stuck with it to the end even with the many hours of driving back and forth. We worked through a lot of new experiences together, and while not every experience was pleasant, I hope the girls know that we really did love them. We wanted to pour in and point them to Jesus. Roger also encouraged me numerous times throughout the season, and he made a lot of meals! My sister, Jen, took kids home with her so they didn’t have to hang out a school all evening. She helped with homework, meals, and even had the kids overnight several times during the season. I am so thankful for Roger, Jen and Laura! 

I’m excited about eating supper at a more reasonable hour every night, spending more time with our kids, and getting back into running as spring is coming! I have a lot to be thankful for as I reflect back over the season. And I feel tired enough to sleep for a week! 

Garett is planning on playing baseball this spring. Chandler and Wyatt are hoping to be on teh golf team. Travis didn’t want to play any spring sports, but he’s been asking to play soccer through the city recreation team. We decided to sign him up to play. He’s one of the youngest players on the school team, so hopefully this will provide a little more playing time for him this spring. We’ve been in dire need of a different vehicle. Garett is ready to get his license as is Chandler, but we just haven’t had a vehicle for them. Roger’s truck has been on its last leg for the past several months, and it has over 300,000 miles on it. We’ve been looking for a while, and last night we purchased a new vehicle! New to us, I meant to say! We found a Toyota corolla with 113, 000 miles on it. It’s a 2008, so it’s not fancy or updated, but we are praying that it will run for many, many, many miles!! We are thankful!

Some of you have been praying about the boy’s upcoming missions trip to the Dominican Republic. Guess what?! We got the passports for the boys this past week! Praise the Lord! The passports arrived 3 1/2 weeks after our appointment, and we are so very thankful for that huge answer to prayer! The tickets have been bought, and now we have the passports in hand. The boys have been given $250 each towards their missions trip, and we are grateful for every penny. They are still looking for some weekend jobs to earn a bit more money for their trip, so we’d appreciate your prayers that God will provide those opportunities. 

We are preparing for Grandparent’s Day this Friday, so Kaycee and I have been busy in the art room creating Patriotic art with the students. It’s been a hot mess at moments, but I’m happy to try to instill a sense of patriotic pride in these students. 

In closing, Roger and I are earnestly seeking God’s direction for some upcoming decisions for our children. I never knew how hard parenting teens would be, but here we are, and I wonder what I am doing! We need your prayers for patience, mercy and grace as we pour in and point them to Jesus. We aren’t always doing it well, that’s for sure! 

It’s been a long month, and I’ve struggled through some depression, feeling overwhelmed, and feeling like I’m failing. But, through it all, I’m thankful that God continues to love me, protect and provide for me. He’s not surprised when I feel all knotted up inside or distressed, and He patiently waits for me to rest in Him. I hope I never lose sight of all the Christ has done for me. He is worthy to praised! He’s already won! This song has brought me peace and compassion, even when Laura and I seriously thought we were going to drown trying to get through the cheer season! God is still good!

A Hundred Thoughts and Memories

 Merry Christmas! (I feel like I don’t have enough hours in the day right now, so I better say Merry Christmas first!) It’s hard to believe that it is already December, and it’s been so warm around here! Today (Sunday, 12/3) it was about 76 degrees! This Northern girl has a hard time remembering that it’s December when it’s so warm outside!

The boys (and Roger) had a wonderful time hunting up in Wisconsin over Thanksgiving break. They are already making plans for next year, and they’d like to make it a yearly tradition! I don’t know about that, but I’m glad that they had a great time. Travis got two doe and Chandler also shot a doe. That was exciting for Travis as I figured he was the least likely to get a deer as sitting still isn’t his favorite! Roger said that he’s never seen two deer act so dumb as those two doe that Travis shot, but I think God was showing His love and grace to Travis. They arrived in Wisconsin on Sunday afternoon, ate lunch, and went hunting. Travis sat in the deer stand with Roger, and eventually the first doe came into sight. Travis got his gun all lined up for the shot, and then leaned over to Roger and whispered, “Is this gun gonna kick hard?” Roger said he had a hard time not chuckling, but Travis shot the doe right through the lung. Since there was still some daylight left, and the deer dropped right down, they waited a little longer. About twenty minutes later, another deer walked into sight. The doe stopped about ten feet from the first dropped deer, so Travis shot that one! We were excited for him, and the next morning Travis slept in while the other boys got up to go hunting. He was pretty excited to have something to smugly remind his brothers that not only had he shot the first deer, he shot two deer! The next morning, Monday, Travis sent me a text from my mom’s phone. He said, “I’m smiling and you’re crying. I’m not at school, but you are. Love, Travis” Ahh! That boy! It was really, really good for him to have a few days off of school and be away from the stresses that he’s been facing. It was a good week for all of the boys, and they had a great time with my parents. My mom said that she had forgotten how much the boys could eat on a regular basis, and I just laughed. Our grocery bill was much lower that week with it just being Emma and I! We are so thankful that the boys had this opportunity to spend time hunting and with my parents. Education is important, and I absolutely believe that. But I also believe that life experiences, family, and relationships are also important. God is so good to allow the boys to have this privilege to travel to Wisconsin, and they’ll forever treasure the memories. 

Emma and I also enjoyed Thanksgiving break. It was nice to have a little bit slower pace and to savor a few special moments with just one child. It was a weird week as our friends, the Everett’s were gone, the boys were gone, Roger was gone and Jen left on Wednesday for South Dakota. I wasn’t sure what we were going to do for Thanksgiving dinner, but I figured that even if we had just cereal, it was gonna be fine with me! However, my friend, Laura Guelfi, invited us over to her house for Thanksgiving dinner. That was a nice change for me as usually it’s my house that’s a bustling place on Thanksgiving day! It was nice to go over to their house, enjoy dinner and fellowship, and help clean up, and then go home. I’m thankful that they extended hospitality to Emma and I, and we are so very blessed to have friends to give thanks with and for. 

Emma and I did go do some Black Friday shopping! We went to Michael’s art/craft store as I needed some supplies for the 500+ ornaments that the kids are making for gifts for their parents. Such is the life of a teacher- buy it when it’s on sale! But Emma and I ran into some freinds during our lunch at Chick-fil-a and Emma was thrilled to have lunch with another little girl from school. That was the highlight of her day, and I’m glad that God orchestrated that detail for Emma. 

The boys got home on Sunday afternoon, and we whipped right into a busy and full week of school! We are on the countdown to Christmas break, but these are some long and full days with cheer practices, basketball practices for three of the boys, and the endless job of trying to keep up with all the school work and projects that are due. We’ve been very busy in the art room, and while my regular art assistant is filling in for another teacher, we’ve been busy! I am thankful for the TA’s that help on Monday and Tuesday with art as we’ve been in the middle of a million pieces of popsicle sticks, hot glue, pictures and ribbon! I’m thankful for help that is willing to pitch in and do whatever is necessary! 

It was a mentally exhausting week for me. It felt like a dogfight to get up and go to work towards the end of the week, and I don’t like that feeling. We’ve faced some pretty serious attacks from Satan head-on this past week, and I’m still waiting for God to work out the details of what His perfect plan looks like. To be completely honest, Friday was a terrible, horrible no-good very bad day. Laura and I were both in tears on the bus ride back to school, and an older, much wiser coach looked at us and said, “You gotta let it roll like water off a duck’s back. Just remember Jesus loves you and press on.” It’s not that easy for me, but after going home and talking through a lot of it with Roger, I was able to get back up on Saturday morning and head to the basketball tournament. Chandler was playing in the tournament this past weekend, and they had a 9:00am game, which meant an early morning departing from the school! Roger and Garett came along to the tournament, but Emma and Travis stayed with Aunt Jen. Wyatt was at Brody’s house. We got home around 2:00pm, and it was good to catch up on some household chores that badly needed attention! 

On Saturday evening, we had the opportunity to attend a “Night in Bethlehem” put on by a local church. We’ve been to something similar in Maine, but yet completely different! We met Jen and the Everett’s at the event at about 6:30pm. The church had set up  “Bethlehem” in a field complete with many shops that would’ve been in Bethlehem, camels, sheep, the Inn, the stable, etc. It was really a cool interactive experience for Emma especially but we all enjoyed it. The weather was beautiful, and it was a fun, free activity. The kids all enjoyed it, and it was a good reminder of why we celebrate the season. It’s not just about the Baby, but about the cross! I am so very thanfkul that Jesus was willing to come as a baby in a manger, but He didn’t stay a helpless baby. He is indeed the Risen King of Kings and Lord of my life. 

We had several families over for supper on Sunday night as well as to bake, cook, and create Christmas treats! Whew! It was the most chocolaty mess ever, but it was fun! The kids ran around outside, ate food, ran around some more, ate treats, and played hide-n-seek in the yard. About the time that the parents were ready to go, the kids had all disappeared! We spent some time looking for them, and then realized that they had walked down to the pond and around on the gravel road by our house. It was a flurry of activities with parents yelling for kids, car horns honking, and lots of excitement! Two of the neighbors checked in with us, but I was happy to tell them that the excitement was over. We had just temporarily lost 13 kids! Oh well! It was a fun memory and lots of baking, cooking, creating, and chocolate dipping! I am thankful for good friends to enjoy fellowship, laughter, and baking together. 

The Middle School Basketball team had a game on Tuesday evening, and with some scheduling arrangements with Laura and the cheer schedule, I did make it to his game. Roger was able to get off early enough to watch the game too, and it’s fun to watch that age play basketball. None of them are very good, but for the most part they work hard and have good attitudes. Travis has been able to have quite a bit of playing time the last two games, and he works hard at it. We are thankful for the coaches for his team, and that Travis has this opportunity to play. Chandler has had a few games also, but not quite a much playing time. He tends to get nervous in the game, but I think part of that is just lack of experience. He is learning a lot, and we are thankful for his coach also. 

This week Garett’s junior class is putting on a Christmas play, and wow- Garett has been stressed! He’s been in Christmas programs before and involved in lots of things on a stage, but this is a major responsibility for him, and he wants it to be well done. After many long conversations with him, helping him learn lines, and listening to him, we just told him that he is responsible for himself. He doesn’t like to be embarrassed and if he’s involved in something he wants it to be done well. So, he would appreciate your prayers for his class tomorrow night! 

We are coming down the homestretch to Christmas break, and this mama is looking forward to break. For the first time in many years, I don’t have a Christmas card to send out or a letter. That was hard for me to accept as I like to stay connected with people, and I like to get and receive mail. However, at the end of the day, it’s not a priority this year. But I do need to make cards at some point because we had our family pictures done! I think most of the 500+ art ornaments are done, and other than picking up two more pictures from Walmart, we are wrapping that project up too. Literally on Monday, we will be wrapping and packaging the ornaments during our art class time for the kids to take home. Most of the kids have been really excited about having a present to give to their parents, and it’s a way to help the students understand that Christmas is definitely not all about getting something! 

The cheer team is prepping for a pep rally on Friday, and whew! Laura and I have been working hard on a lot of details behind the scenes to help prepare for this, and we’d definitely appreciate your prayers! We want to glorify our Heavenly Father, encourage school spirit, have fun games, not have any injuries, and show a little Christmas spirit. (I think I’m tired already!) 

December is such an exciting month, but it can also be an exhausting month. I’m learning that I can’t do it all, and that sometimes, I just have to let things go. It’s okay that Emma’s clothes don’t always match - she picked them out herself. It’s okay that we won’t send out a Christmas card- listening to Garett’s concerns was more important. It’s okay that I didn’t get up all the Christmas decorations- we have a tree and the real reason for Christmas is Jesus anyways! I’m thankful that God is always faithful. I am thankful that regardless of my “feelings”, God never stops loving me. 

A favorite song of mine this Christmas season! Emmanuel, God with us!

 

February - The Longest-Short Month of the Year!

 Ya’ll! Basketball is almost over! Woohoo! This weekend will be the JV Tournament and the following weekend will be the varsity tournament. I’m excited about being home earlier and transitioning to spring sports. 

Last week we had two home basketball games and one away basketball game- it was a lot! We had basketball practice on Monday,  a game on Tuesday, church on Wednesday, and away game on Thursday, and a home game on Friday. Roger arrived home in time for the game on Friday, so that was a good blessing for all of us. Chandler has had the opportunity to start on the JV team a couple of times, and he’s improved a lot this season. Wyatt, Travis, and Emma all had junior team basketball on Saturday morning for the last time. 

It was a long week last week(actually two weeks ago now) with Roger away from home. It was deja’vu of when Roger was gone to Michigan last year and a good reminder of how I’m not very good a single parenting! We survived-by the grace of God!  

I’m currently behind on keeping updated with the blog, so this is going to be a post on highlights! 

We went to the JV Tournament last weekend on Friday/Saturday. I took the day off of school on Friday and took the kids with me to the tournament. Chandler was the one playing in the tournament, but of course, all the kids wanted to go watch! We haven’t missed very many days from school, and since Chandler would probably get to play in the tournament, we decided to let the kids miss school for the day. Chandler had to be at school at 8:00am on  Friday morning. The girls team played at 10:00am, and unfortunately they lost that game. It was a single elimination tournament so the girls were out of the tournament. After that game, Laura and I took our kids to lunch and to leave the tournament property for a little bit as the boys game wasn’t until 2:40pm! The boys won that game, so they played again- at 8:00pm! It was a long night! The boys team did win that game, so they advanced to the championship game scheduled for Saturday at 1:30 pm. Chandler didn’t have a great game on Friday night, and he made a few simple mistakes. He didn’t start for the championship game on Saturday, but for the most part, he still had a good attitude. The boys team worked hard and with 15.5 seconds to go the score was tied. Suddenly, from out of nowhere, another kid appeared to play for the opposing team! The ball was tossed in, and this fresh, new player bounded down the court to score a lay-up! Of course, the opposing team was ecstatic, but our team was so disappointed! It turns out that it was a totally legitimate player and play. Apparently, he had been somewhere else all morning and then had made it for the very tail end of the game! And while I get that it was a totally legitimate play, there were some very disappointed players who had worked so hard! Chandler doesn’t cry  easily, and he had a few tears over the outcome of the game. The team went out to eat after the game, but we just came home. It had been along few days, and we all needed to go home! 

This weekend we will be at the Varsity Basketball tournament. The tournament falls over Thursday- Saturday, but I am only going to be able to come for Friday/Saturday. The boys team doesn’t play until 8:00pm on Thursday night, so I can come to the tournament after school on Thursday and still make it for the game. Garett and Chandler both play on the varsity team, so they’re happy to miss two days of school this week! It’s been a long and tiring last two weeks, and I think we are all looking forward to basketball wrapping up. It’s been a good season, and the boys have learned a lot. I don’t think that Garett will play again, Chandler is unsure and Wyatt is hoping to play next year- we will see! This mama is ready for a break from all things basketball for a while!

Last Saturday, (2/11) Roger was called in for a fire in our area. There was a pile of railroad ties that had caught on fire, and the fire quickly spread to consume about thirty acres. Roger was called in, but since it was more of a structural fire and it was inside the Air Force base airspace, he was dismissed after a few hours. Generally around this time of year, the fire season has picked up. However, we’ve had quite a bit of rain in the past few weeks, so there’s not been much for fire activity. It’s both good and bad. We like having Roger home, but fighting fires is a way to build some “Comp” time for later in the year.  We do have a specific unspoken prayer request regarding Roger’s job, that we would appreciate you praying with us about. 

Two weeks ago, we had a bunch of boys over to our house on Wednesday afternoon. Since there’s no sports practices on Wednesday afternoon, it’s a good afternoon to have friends over to play. For supper we had 7 boys and one girl seated around our supper table. We went through a very large pot of spaghetti, and lots of bread! It was a fun afternoon, and we are thankful for friends for the boys. 

We’ve had a lot of blessings in the past few weeks. Someone purchased about $300.00 worth of books for our school library! We have a library with a lot of books, but unfortunately some of them are a bit dated and do not appeal to this generation of readers. We are always thankful for good book donations to the library! It’s a work in progress, and building a good library is a lot of work, effort, time and money. God is good. 

We are looking forward to a bit of warmer weather, more sunshine, and wrapping up the school year- in another 14 weeks! Our Maine friends have the week off due to Winter break, and part of me is just a tad bit jealous! However, I’m also glad to be wrapping up the school year in May and enjoying the summer months. The kids are hoping to work for our neighbor again, the boys are all going to camp, we are hoping to soak up some days at the beach, and some quality family time together. 

The older boys are off to their last and final Basketball tournament today! They play at 8:30pm tonight, which is about the time all our kids are off to bed- I know, we’re weird like that! Please pray that the team will do their best tonight, glorify God, and have good attitudes. 

God is good. Even through the storms of life, He is faithful and true. We are so very thankful for His new morning mercies!