Christmas Program Delights!

“It was the week of the Christmas program, and all through the night the music teacher was dreaming, scheming, praying and working on so many things!”

Oh what a week it was! To God be the Glory great things He hath done! (That’s a great song too!) I  started off the week with a special invitation to a ladies candlelight Christmas dessert at a local church. My friend, Sharon, invited me to join her at her table for the special evening. It was a delightful evening of sweet fellowship, delicious dessert, and a festive atmosphere. It was a great start to my week. I wasn’t sure I wanted to go by the time 6:00pm rolled around on Monday evening, but I’m so glad I did. The speaker spoke on how Jesus is the most priceless gift, the most precious gift,
the most permanent gift, the most perfect gift (and one more “p” that I can’t remember at the moment!). She gave Scripture passages and it was truly a special evening to reflect on the specialness
 of the season. I’m thankful I had the opportunity to go.

Honestly, the rest of the week passed by mostly in a blur! Between music rehearsals, decorating, putting the program together, working, and being a wife and mom, I’m not really sure what I did on what day! Roger was a tremendous support throughout this whole preparation and work for the Christmas program. We had some interesting supper meals this week including popcorn with cheese and sausage (from my parents in Wisconsin!) Our kids didn’t complain though, and they were happy. I know the week was a bit crazy for them too, as I probably drove them a bit crazy with constant reminders, asking if they had seen something, would someone please fold the laundry!, and where are moms shoes? Oh yes, it was a crazy week!

On Thursday evening our kids, along with a few others, had the opportunity to sing at a Christmas chapel service at an old church building. This is our third year of going, and it’s always a special time to sit in a older building and sing the carols of Christmas. Our kids as well as a few others from the school sang “Away in a Manger” and played the chimes. Travis was very, very tired and he kept on missing his notes. I finally gave him a different chime and that seemed to help. Except when it was time to play the chimes, I think Travis forgot altogether which note was his! We had a fairly dramatic pause in the song, before we just kept on going. Oh well, the people seemed to enjoy it anyways! Of course, on the way home, Chandler asked Travis what was the matter with him. Travis had no idea what Chandler was talking about so Wyatt informed him that he had missed all of his notes in the song. Travis insisted that he had played his chime, and Wyatt announced, “yeah, at the WRONG time!” One things for sure...his brothers will straighten him out!” It was a lovely service, but my favorite part was the message given. The pastor didn’t preach for long, but wow the plan of salvation was clearly given! I love the fact that people could not have missed that Christmas is not just about baby Jesus, but about the fact that Jesus came to die for us. Garett made the comment on the way home that the preacher was easy to follow and that people could understand that they needed to ask Jesus into their hearts. (I love the fact that he was listening)

Friday morning found us at the school early! Chandler climbed up into the attic to search for some missing shepherd staffs, and he found them! The preschoolers have been working on memorizing Luke 2: 8-20 for their part in the Christmas program. They have done a great job of memorizing it. I’m so thankful for each teacher in our school that gave so sacrificially of their class time to help bring the Christmas program together. From the preschool teacher to the junior high teacher, each teacher supported the  music program, the teacher and the students. By the time one o’clock came around, we were as ready as we were going to be! The students did a great job at their matinee performance, and some worked hard to overcome their nervousness. I had given a solo part to one of the junior high girls, and although she was nervous, she did it! I’m hoping and praying that these music programs can be the start of some of these students using their God given talents and gifts. The staff gave me a special card with a gift card to a restaurant and a massage! I am very much looking
 forward to that! I also received a beautiful bouquet of flowers from the school and an arrangement of flowers from the parents group. One of my friends, gave me a coffee mug and an ornament. I am so very, very blessed. I received a hand written note from one of the students that I will forever treasure. While I will enjoy the cup and the Dunkin Donuts gift card that she and he brother (along with mom and dad) gave to me, I will always remember that sweet and thoughtful handwritten note to the music teacher. Somehow it made all the long practices, preparation and planning seem to fade away! I was completely blessed.

For the evening performance, the auditorium was very full! Of course, at two minutes before the program was to start, my friend, Allison and I were up on the stage duct taping the garland into place!   That garland had hung in place for most of the week....until two minutes before the performance! Oh, how I’m thankful for friends that pitch in a help with whatever needs doing! The preschoolers did a great job in their recitation and songs. Only one student tripped over his costume, and of course, they all melted the hearts of all the people there. Our pastor was able to close out the program with a clear plan of God’s gift of salvation. The Christmas program is an event where people willingly come out to the church, and often times hearts are more receptive. Since they are coming to see the children and listen to the program, the best message we can bring is the good news that Jesus Saves!

Chandler came down with a headache shortly before the evening performance; a friend messaged me to say her daughter was complaining of a stomach ache; but even with all the opposition from Satan, God still showed Himself to be strong and mighty. Chandler made it through the program, as well as my friends daughter. Chandler went home shortly after the program with Roger as he had a migraine so badly, he was throwing up. I stayed around to help picked up some things, as well as to visit with Rogers boss and wife, and my sister, Hannah. We decided to stick with our Christmas program tradition of Chinese afterwards, so Hannah and I took my four kids over to the Chinese restaurant. The kids were clearly hungry and tired as they pretty much just sat and ate! It was nice to visit with Hannah for a few minutes.


Because of the short space of time between the end of school and the evening performance, we decided not to go home. Allison and I set up a few things for the refreshments that would happen afterwards, and I gathered my thoughts! I had read about a Christmas shop for kids a few days ago on Facebook. A local church was hosting an event where kids would get to shop for others....all free! That had my attention! The event started a four pm, and I figured we could go right away and then be back in plenty of time for the Christmas program. Allison brought her girls along as well, and off we went! We were there a few minutes early, but if we had come any later, we wouldn’t have been able to do it as the line was backed out of the door a few minutes later! The church people were so nice and helpful and told me that kids could shop for their siblings, parents, and grandparents and close family members. They didn’t set a limit on how many people the kids could shop for, but when I told them that we had seven in just our family, they looked surprised! I told our kids they could each shop for five people, and they could pick whomever they wanted to shop for. The kids do all the shopping at this event by themselves while the adults have fellowship in another room. No sadness there! I’m always happy to spend a few minutes  with Allison! The children were very excited with what why picked out, and Allison and I were thrilled to go to an event that we had nothing to do with!   I’m glad we took our children as it added some excitement to the afternoon. And now we have some presents under our tree!

It was a busy and full week, but one with so many blessings that only God could bestow upon us. As we approach the last week of school before break, I would appreciate your prayers. We want to be able to convey to our children the true meaning of Christmas in a way that is special and real to their hearts.

Love,
Sarah

WISCONSIN!

We made it to Wisconsin!! It’s a 21 hours drive from Maine to Wisconsin, and God protected us every step of the way. We left Maine on Friday morning at about 4:00am. I had made a goal of leaving our home by four, and we were on the road at 3:56am. The kids piled into the van, and you’d think they’d hunker down and go back to sleep! But oh no! They were like little owls with big, blinking eyes for the first leg of the journey. At 4:30am., Emma asked if she could eat her lunch! (We had packed each child an individual lunchbox with snacks and lunch.) We only made it about thirty minutes from our house before a child was asking for food?! Oh well! The kids did a very good job traveling on Friday, and we made it all the way to Cleveland, Ohio, before stopping for the night. We stopped about 6:30pm, and God provided a great hotel for us. It was also across the street from Sam’s  Club so we walked across to get more fruit for the next day of traveling. Food on the tollway is expensive, and as much as these boys like to eat, it’s just a lot cheaper to buy and pack food to eat on the way.

We arrived in Wisconsin about 5:00pm. We had made a stop in Chicago to pick up Jen’s vehicle as she had left it in Chicago when she flew out to Maine. While that added an extra stop in the trip, it was nice for the kids to be able to spread out for the last few hours to Nana and Papa’s house. My children were so delighted to get out of the vehicle! They spent the evening tromping around the yard, riding four-wheelers, hauling wagons, eating mulberries, and enjoying life! Jen and I were able to squeeze in a quick walk, which made my day after sitting in the vehicle for a long time. Jen, Dad, and I made a quick trip up to the hospital to visit one of the ladies that attends the church were Dad pastors. I’m glad we made the effort to go, as the doctors say her time here on earth is coming to an end. The truth is that all life does eventually end...and it’s not how long on earth you get to stay, but are you ready to go? Life after death is real, whether you like it or not, and there are only two  choices...heaven or hell. I’m 100% confident that when I die I will have a home in heaven, so it  doesn’t matter when my last breath will be, because I’m ready to go. Feel free to ask me questions about how you can know for sure that you have a home in heaven! (I John 1:9; John 3:16; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23)

On Sunday morning we were all up fairly early. The boys have been sleeping in an old camper out in my parents driveway. They enjoy sleeping in there every summer, but the sun comes up early! They bounced out of bed eager to start the day. They had time for four-wheeling before getting ready for church. We attended the morning service at the church where my dad pastors. Although small in number, they have unity and peace together. Jen left immediately after the church service to head to South Dakota as she needed to be there by Monday morning. She has done a lot of driving in the last three days!

The kids and I went over to our friend, Gretchen’s house, in the afternoon. Emma doesn’t always  seem to remember her friends from Wisconsin, but she quickly warms right up to them. The boys do  remember their friends and they were thrilled to spend time with them. I always enjoy catching up with Gretchen, and we can ease back into conversations without ever missing a beat. She’s a treasure of a friend, and I hope I can be somewhat of a blessing to her as she has certainly blessed me!

We attended the evening church service at Wyldewood Baptist Church which is the church that Roger and I attended before moving to Maine. It was so nice to see all of our dear friends and their children....how the children have grown in a year! Wyatt was used in a sermon illustration for the message. The only thing I could focus on was that Wyatt’s pants were too short! Wyatt was delighted when Pastor B. offered the bow and arrows to him after the sermon! Roger was able to meet us at church as he was able to fly in for his brothers wedding later this week. Roger has a few short days off, so he flew out and pretty much flys right back. I’m thankful that he has the opportunity to spend some time with his family, and I’m excited and thrilled for his brother that is getting married. Roger has been staying with family  in Oshkosh as he is only here for a few days, and his time with family
is just so limited.

These days in Wisconsin are filled right up to the brim with fishing trips, shooting guns, riding machinery, and using up all the moments of daylight. We’ve been blessed with beautiful weather!

Ive been able to catch up with a few of my dear friends here in Wisconsin. There will never be enough hours in the day to catch up with everyone that I’d like to, and summertime is a busy time for all of us. I just try to adjust and adapt as my time and schedule allows and enjoy the times that I can squeeze in. This morning, my dear friend, Jenna, brought out her children for a visit at my parents house. My kids adore her children, and it warms my heart right up to see my big boys take such good care of her young children. Jenna has been a real and deep friend for about 8 years now. We’ve had the hard conversations in life about parenting, marriage, music, doctrine...you name it, we’ve discussed it! “Iron sharpeneth iron, so a friend sharpeneth his friend.” That is our kind of friendship, and its a gift.

The boys and Emma are doing a good job of wearing out Nana and Papa! Not intentionally, but these five kids are busy! We’ve had a “quiet time” every day so that everyone can get a little rest!  We are enjoying the time, and its going by quickly.

  

  

Vacation Bible School Adventures! Summer Break!

It’s already July! Can you believe it?! We wrapped up June with a week of Vacation Bible School at our church. The week before that, Rogers brother (Mark) came out for a visit.

Roger’s brother came out to visit the day after the kids were done with school. We did some hiking together, went bowling, visited together, and Mark went with Roger to work several of the days he was here. On Thursday of the week of Marks visit, Roger and all the boys went up to northern Maine to visit some friends and go fishing. Emma and I took a spur of the moment trip to Augusta with our friends, Allison and her girls. It was a fun day even if it was raining! Roger and the boys did not catch any fish, but they did have a good time together. Wyatt even came home telling me that he had seen a moose! (It was a dead one, but he had seen a moose!)

So much work for Vacation Bible School has to be done BEFORE the actual event takes place. There has not been very much rest for me until VBS was done. Roger and our pastor worked on the backdrop for our decorations for VBS. On Friday night, June 21, we were all at the church in the evening trying to finish up the backdrop. I ended up taking our kids home while Roger and Mark worked on it. It takes many hands, working on many aspects of VBS, for it to all come together.

We took Mark to Portland on Saturday, June 22. On the way down, we stopped at Fort Popham. We had never been there, but it is free! Although the weather was dreary, God held off the rain while we were looking around at the old fort. We took a walk down the beach, and just enjoyed our time together, God’s creation, and history.


Our Vacation Bible School started on Monday evening, June 24. It’s been a while since our church family has had VBS at night, but by doing it at night we were able to include a few extra volunteers. We spent a good chunk of the morning at the church building putting together the last minute details. I tend to be over-organized when it comes to these types of things, but I’d rather have too much to do, or too many people helping, than to be looking at the clock wondering if it is even moving! Roger and the kids helped me put up verse posters, create games, gather materials, etc. VBS is an event that requires many people to work together. I am so thankful for those who can help with technology, those who are willing to teach or prepare snack, plan and prepare crafts...it all takes so much effort and time! So why do it?! I can think of several reasons, but the main and primary purpose is to point children to Jesus. It is to reach out to our community with the heart cry that “Jesus Saves!”  It is to encourage those children that have already made a profession of faith. VBS provides an opportunity to reach out to families in our community through events for their children. I think that VBS should both encourage children that are already saved as well as give a clear plan of salvation for those children who have never heard the “Good News” that Jesus died and rose again!

Roger had off on Monday and Tuesday, and we did not have a person to do games.  Roger graciously did game time for us, which has to be one of the most challenging jobs. That person doesn’t get a break! There are four sessions of game time and they are back-to-back! We divided the kids into four different age groups, and on the first night we had about 58 kids in the four groups! God is so good!

An older lady in our church agreed to help me with the music time for the kids. Teaching four different age groups music was a bit daunting, but the kids were able to learn the VBS songs so much faster by having individual times. And I think that Mrs. Barbara and I did try to make it fun!


We also did a penny offering every night. We had some ladies come in every night just to help count pennies! We raised pennies for Parakaleo International, which is the mission group that I’ve been  going with to Haiti. I could not believe how many pennies the kids brought in! We had a girls bucket   and a boys bucket, and it was a weight offering. My friend, Allison, told me that when she brought the pennies to the bank this morning (7/1), there were over 18,000 pennies! The kids collected over $500.00 to give to Parakeleo International! Our boys each took some money out of their savings account to give to Haiti. Even a child can understand about another child having less food or clothes than they do. It was exciting to see the kids get involved in giving to this ministry!

On Wednesday the weather was a bit rainy, which God had a hand in that of course. Since it was a bit rainy and foggy, Roger was able to get off of work in time to do games for us! Hooray! On Thursday, God provided another young man from our church too help with game time as Roger was working.

Friday night was our finally night of VBS. All of our kids asked why VBS was so short and only for a week...um, these adults are tired! On Friday night, we invited the families to come for a closing program. The kids did the three songs that they had learned, they quoted the theme verse, and we took the final penny offering. We had a wonderful turn-out of Families. It was very encouraging to see the families stick around for hot dogs, root beer floats, and popcorn. God gave us beautiful weather, and the back lawn was full of kids and parents visiting together. We had also made up presentation boards of other ministries in our church. I think its sometimes easy for families to forget that we have other ministries. We had presentation boards representing our Christian School, our Sunday Childrens Ministries, our teen ministry, and other outreach ministries. While a lot off work and effort had to be made to have the closing program happen, I am so thankful for the opportunities it gave us to reach out to families.

It was a crazy, busy week! It was so crazy that I don’t even think I took more than a few pictures! Running a Vacation Bible School program seems to be much harder than it was ten or fifteen years ago. Nowadays kids are so entertainment driven, and they want everything to be “fun”. Most of the kids that we had come to VBS were not from our church, and most of the kids had the option of   coming or not coming. Ten or fifteen years ago, parents told their kids to “get in the car, you’re  going”. Now it seems that the kids makes many of his/her own decisions. And while I think VBS was “fun”, it was so much more than that. It was an opportunity to plant seeds for eternity. We will never know the impact of such events this side of Heaven, but I do know that God’s Word will not return void. These kids have cemented John 15;13 in their minds. They have learned God’s Word set to music, and they have been given the opportunity to make a personal decision to ask Jesus into their hearts. It was a good week.

And now.....SUMMER BREAK!!! We spent Saturday as a “down” day for our family. We went and had donuts together, and then went for a walk down to the beach and through the woods. The kids set up their tents in the backyard, and went “camping”. Roger set up a tent for Emma, Roger and I. I was about as excited about sleeping in the tent as a bear with his paw in a trap...but I did it anyways! The kids were so excited to have us all camping in the back yard, so I put on my “happy face” and went camping. Well, I made it until about midnight. Then it started raining, and I still hadn’t fallen asleep anyways. I went into the house to make sure the windows were closed...and I decided to climb into my own bed! (Don’t tell!)

The month of July will see Garett and Chandler and Travis off to camp. We are also planning a trip to Wisconsin, and then home in Maine for the entire month of August!

Vacation and Emma’s Test Results!

I’ve been a bit absent from blogging for the past two weeks as we’ve been soaking up some much needed time away for Roger and I. My parents have also been visting for the past two weeks, and we have treasured our time together. Of course, time went by all too quickly, but we are thankful for the opportunity to spend time with them.

My parents arrived about two weeks ago, shortly after our adventure to the E.R. With Emma. Our kids had winter break for the first week my parents were here, so we spent lots of time ice skating, visting, enjoying the outdoors together, and making memories. Also during that week, I called the doctors office to find out about Emma’s bloodwork. Imagine my surprise when our doctor reported that no Lyme testing had been run! I was not a happy mama, and now we had to return to the lab to have Emma’s blood redrawn! Emma did much better this time around, but it still wasn’t very fun. I knew it would take a few days to see what the results were, but I definitely feel like the E.R. Department dropped the ball on doing that test with the first round of her blood!

Roger and I had plans to leave on Friday afternoon for a few days away together. 396 days ago we had saved enough money to book a cruise! Cruising is something we both enjoy, and we find it a very affordable vacation if you’re willing to be flexible! My parents agreed to watch our children while Roger and I went on a cruise. It’s been four years since our last cruise and time away together for longer than two days. As we strive to preserve, protect, strengthen and encourage our marriage, I firmly believe that time away together is a necessity!

Roger and I left on Friday afternoon to head down to Newark, New Jersey. Our cruise was departing from Cape Liberty on Saturday afternoon. Roger was able to get a good deal on a car rental for 24   hours through his work, so we drove down to Newark, dropped off the car, and headed to our hotel   for the evening. On Saturday morning, we met up with some dear friends from Wisconsin. We headed to our cruise ship, and we savored every moment of our time. It was truly a wonderful week!

Our first port stop was in Orlando, Florida. Roger and I did not go with our friends on their excursion to NASA, but instead did some walking and talking around town. The Lord’s hand was in it all, as the doctors office called me on Tuesday. Roger and I did not have cell reception or an internet package on board the ship, but since we were in Orlando on Tuesday, I was able to get in touch with the doctors office. Emma’s bloodwork results had come back. The tests confirmed that Emma does indeed have Lymes. The doctor had called in an antibiotic prescription to the pharmacy. I was able to get ahold of my parents so that Emma can get started on her treatment. It’s not wonderful news, but we rejoice in knowing that God knows all things. I’m thankful that the bloodwork did confirm the Lyme, and that this is probably what caused Emma’s ankle to swell. It was a blessing to be able to talk to the doctors office, and get ahold of my parents on Tuesday. God knew that we needed that day  
 in Orlando.


The weather was beautiful in the Bahamas! We enjoyed the sandy beaches, the water, the friendships, the sun and the soaking up of memories. We went on this cruise with some friends from our church in Wisconsin. Some we knew really well, and one couple was someone we knew but not really well. We enjoyed our time with all of them! We spent many hours in conversations and laughter as well as conversations about the deeper and more painful experiences that life can bring. We are truly blessed.

I’m thankful that my parents held down the fort at home, helped our kids with school work and chores, encouraged them in their walk with Jesus, and loved on them. While our kids were thrilled to see us, they had a great week with Nana and Papa.

It was good for Roger and I to get away and spend some much needed time together. It’s not often that we have the opportunities to discuss everything under the sun without ears in the cornfield ...if you know what I mean! Roger’s job in Maine is a wonderful blessing, but the hours are long. It was good to reconnect as a couple, talk through our dream and desires for our children, pray together, and savor the memories.

B-R-E-A-K!

Hooray! It’s time for Christmas break! I’m not sure who is more excited about it, me or our kids! My kids are looking forward to a break from school, lots of outdoor play, less schedules, time with extended family, and of course, all the excitement of all those packages under the tree! Their mama is looking forward to time at home, less responsibilities, and extra time with family. I don’t know about you, but this time of year can get crazy in a hurry. Even when we try to guard against it, it still is a busy, bustling season. I’ve really, really been enjoying an advent book I’m reading by Paul Tripp. It’s been a fairly easy read, but he gives so much to ponder. I know that I’ll be reading the book into January just so that I can reflect on it a bit more. I’ve been very deliberate this season in carving  out time every morning (around 4:45am) to spend time in The Word. Sometimes my brain wanders (a lot) but it’s been a good discipline for me.

To give just a peek into our week, I’m covering a few highlights. I’m ignoring the lowlights this week! Last Thursday several students from the school as well as all of our tribe, participated in a Christmas service in a small old church building. It hasn’t been used for a church building for many years, but for the past several years, the community has hosted a Christmas service. It was a crisp winter evening, but the church building was warm and cozy. The students did a great job singing some carols and reciting Scripture from Luke 2. Garett was able to ring the old church bell, and he thought that was really neat.

  

Friday I was able to spent most of the day with my sister, Hannah! Finally! We’ve been trying to coordinate some time together, but it just hasn’t been working out. I had planned to take Emma out of school to come with me, but a friend offered Emma the opportunity to spend the day with her
daughter. Emma decided that shopping didn’t sound like as much fun as time with Lucy! I’m thankful
 for my friends, Claire and Annah, who were willing to help me have the opportunity to spend time
with Hannah. Hannah and I went to Portland as Hannah wanted to look into getting some things for Haiti. We made that our first stop. It’s this big place that sells all kinds of hospital stuff. A lot of it doesn’t measure up to U.S. standards, but it’s far better than what we currrently have in Haiti. It was a bit of a lengthy stop, so I was really grateful that Emma wasn’t with us. The day sped by in a crazy fashion. I didn’t really need any Christmas presents for anyone, and I spent most of  my money at  Sam’s Club on food...no surprise there! It was a great day! I’m so thankful for the opportunity to finally  spend time with Hannah!

Sunday morning found us working with the children from our Sunday school classes on the  Christmas program. Even though it’s very short notice as the program is in a week, I introduced them  to the bells. It’s neat to see how much the students from the school can help with children that aren’t as familiar with the bells. Emma has a bell too, and she actually did fairly well as the song is color  coded. Although working with children is exhausting, serving in children’s ministries truly is one  of    
  my favorite places to serve. I’m excited about wrapping up one more program on Sunday! We also had company for lunch on Sunday. We’ve been wanting to have this couple over for a meal, but with Rogers schedule, it’s been a challenge. I was happy that they were free to come for lunch on short notice. I was even happier that oven had turned on to cook the lasagna! It was a good afternoon of fellowship.

This week started off with a snow day on Monday! Roger had the day off so that was nice for the kids. They really spent most of the day outside, and they enjoyed their day. I wasn’t as excited as I want to be done with school in the summer, but it did provide extra opportunities to get things done around our house. We made cookies. We made LOTS of cookies! I am so thankful that the snow day happened on a day that Dad was home from work. Dad is just way more fun than mom, or at least that’s what Travis tells me!

Tuesday was a day that I have been looking forward to for a while! Allison and I had planned this day  weeks ago, and although we were both asked to do other things that day, I’m glad we made time for a day together. Emma came along on this trip to Augusta with us, and she did very well all day. Neither
Allison or I had hardly anything on our lists, but we really just wanted an excuse to spend time together. We laughed and shared burdens the whole time. We managed to get back in time to pick up kids from school to, so it was a successful day! It was a bright spot in this week for sure! If we hadn’t planned for this day weeks ago, we would’ve never been able to squeeze it in.

On Wednesday, I had music classes and parties! I told Roger that I think it’s easier to plan a lesson than a party! Finding games to play for multiple grade levels, snacks for the kids, and fun activities   was a bit on the crazy side. However, I’m going to get smarter this year! I saved all my games and activities in a file, and I’m sure that I can reuse some of them another time. It was a fun time, but a bit tiring. After music classes, Emma and I went home to make a meal for a family in our church that recently had a new baby. Since I was already making the meal, I figured I might as well make one big massive mess. So I did! I made seven enchilada casseroles. I made one for my family, or course, and then one for each of the boys teachers. I figured if my week was a bit crazy and I’m not the teacher, they would probably appreciate a meal! Emma and I managed to get all of that done, get the meal packed, and make a visit to an older lady before picking up the boys. The boys were so excited to  give their meals to their teachers. It really warms my heart to see how much they love their teachers. Chandler asked me if the teachers don’t get to eat  much at home.   I was wondering what he was thinking! I told him that I’m sure they have food at home, but they are probably tired after school  sometimes. He replied, “Oh, well, they all just seemed so excited about food!”  It was a new recipe  that I tried, so I was a bit nervous about all those pans I had made. However, it was a huge hit at our house. The whole pan was gone, and it was a super easy recipe, so I’m happy to add that to our meal plan! After picking up the boys, we dropped off the meal to the family with the new little one.  Wow! You forget how tiny newborn babies are at first! It was a quick stop, but I’m happy to have the opportunity to serve this family with a meal.

Thursday we went on a walk after school with some friends. Claire, and her two kids and myself and our tribe went off on an adventure! We went on this trail and saw these really cool ice formations. And yes, I think it’s formed by steam from the nearby sewage treatment plant, but it was so Fun!  We enjoyed scrambling, slipping and sliding all over the formation. It was a bit spot in a really busy week, and it was good to get in some down time.

And now it’s  Friday again. Today was filled with chapel, the Christmas shop for the students (where the students get to shop for others), class parties, hot lunch, and a work party for Roger in the evening! It was a very full day. I also had lunch with Teri, Roger’s boss’s wife,  and my friend. We’ve been trying to get together for a while now, and Emma enjoyed having lunch with us too.  The boys were very excited  about the day, and I’m enjoyed seeing them at school a lot today. I’m also thankful that it’s  Christmas break!

Roger’s parents are coming on Saturday, and my sister is coming on Monday. It’s going to be a full house, but I’m looking forward to all the memories we will make together.

Luke 2:11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” 

April Showers and Flying Adventures!

    

 

April is here, and hopefully bringing May flowers! But we haven’t had any snow days in at least a week, so that is definitely something to be thankful for!

Last week on Thursday, Roger, Emma and I left after morning drop-off at school. We headed on our date to Portland! A friend of mine had offered to watch Emma, but since I knew that we would probably be gone most of the day we decided to bring her along. She definitely enjoys going to Target and Sam’s Club! My friend, Allison, said that she would get the boys from school, so that we wouldn’t have to try to rush back to pick them up at three. The boys were very excited about going to their friends house, so they told us to be gone a long time! We had a good day together. Emma and I went to Target while Roger went to Cabela’s. It’s not that I don’t like Cabela’s, but I find a lot of things more interesting at Target...and Target takes coupons! Roger has been looking for a gun holster for his pistol, and since he’s left handed sometimes a bit of a challenge. He was able to find one that fit his budget (his gift card amount), and I was able to find some good grocery deals at Target. I was  just telling my mom the day before that eggs and milk are so expensive out here. The price for a  dozen eggs at the local grocery store the week before was $2.39. Target had 18 count eggs for .99! We will be eating lots of eggs next week!

After Roger came and picked Emma and I up, we went to the craft store. The boys have these academic fair projects, and Travis decided to build a bear den with modeling clay. Garett is,  of course doing something with aviation, so he needed paint for his airplane project. It’s been a learning experience, but the boys are doing well with working independently!

I love how God hears our prayers and responds to each one of them. One of the things that really eats at our grocery budget is fresh fruits and vegetables. The boys look forward to having fruit in their lunch boxes and four boys times five lunches is twenty pieces of fruit...just for lunches! Roger and I had discovered that a department store in Portland has also a fruit and vegetable stand inside the store (kinda odd, but it works!) We made a quick stop in there and this week the store had strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries for $1.00 a package! I bought ten packages of berries, and we managed to make them last until Sunday night. I was also able to purchase fresh asparagus, cucumbers, and oranges at great prices. God is so good to us!!

We made a quick stop at home to drop off our groceries, and then went to Allison’s house to get the boys. When we arrived, Chandler had on purple boots, and Travis had on pink boots. They were both as happy as clams, and all the kids were outside. At this moment the boys aren’t interested in fashion, just in being outside! I hope it stays that way for a loooooong time!

Since Friday was Good Friday, the boys had the day off of school. Roger had to work,  but the rest of us enjoyed the day at home. Chandler has been on a warpath about earning some of his own money. He’s come up with the idea to collect cans and bottles along the road. Thankfully, he has a mama that certainly doesn’t mind walking with him! He has collected several garabage bags of cans now, and it has been a learning lesson as well. Those beer can and bottles smell terrible, and he’s dumped out several bottles with tobacco juice in them. He practically gags, but I figure it’s a good way for him to hopefully not want to do it-ever! He is hoping to take in his cans and bottles this weekend to see how much he’s made so far. We’ve had some good talks, lots of long walks, and I certainly have enjoyed this one-on-one time with him.

On Saturday Roger needed to go into work for a little bit, but then he was free the rest of the day. An  airplane was free as well, so we decided to take a trip out to one of the islands. As a family, we are trying to come up with a bit of extra money for something special, and we knew that we could find  lots of cans and bottles out on the island. While the rest of the world was taking their kids to egg hunts, the Robertson kids were out having their own hunt for bottles and cans! We worked for a little over an hour and we had four garabage bags full! Emma tends to want to pick up the smashed cans, but those aren’t worth five cents. Garett kept telling her to throw those back in the weeds! Travis ended up with two wet feet in spite of his rubber boots, but I kinda expected that! After we filled our garbage bags, we took off again. We headed to another island to make a delivery and to meet one of the people that Roger  flies often. It’s always nice to put faces with names. We truly had a great time as a family, and I’m thankful for the memories! After we came back, Emma and I went grocery shopping. Roger took the boys to the can and bottle redemption center. The boys were pretty excited that they had collected over 400 bottles and cans! They were able to add a little over $20.00 to our  special fund.

Sunday was Resurrection Sunday. Our church hosts a sunrise service which was at 6:00 am. Since our family are early risers, it really wasn’t too much extra effort to be there on time. After the short service, we had breakfast with the church family. We went home for a bit before Sunday school and worship service. One of the ladies in our church gave the boys each a kite and a small bag of treats. Emma also got a special treat. It’s always such a nice gesture when someone remembers your kids. As a mom, it makes me feel really special too!

The week before, Allison had invited our family to spend Easter afternoon with their family and extended family. Since we weren’t going to be able to get together with Hannah and Josh, we said yes. While I brought a few things to contribute to the lunch meal, it’s so nice to eat dinner at someone else’s house! Carolyn had made a Easter bag for each of her grandchildren as well as our children! That was really sweet and thoughtful! Carolyn’s house is fairly close to a pond that had a canoe and kayak in it. Our boys were out in the pond with some of their friends, Josiah and Caleb. Any guesses as to what happens with boys, canoes, and water?! Well, let’s just say that Josiah, Chandler, Wyatt and Travis came back up to the house wet up to their waists! Carolyn was able to find an assortment of clothes, and while not exactly the right sizes, the clothes were dry! It was a good afternoon of food, visting and also walking. Annah’s family (one of our school friends) was also at lunch as Carolyn is her mom. Our boys greatly enjoy  playing with Annah’s kids also, so they  enjoyed a fun afternoon of running around, being wet, and just being kids! I also enjoy Annah’s friendship, so it made for a fun afternoon. A year ago, our Easter was quite quiet.  But God provided friends to include us, and we are thankful!

Allison and Jason (Allison’s husband), Roger, myself, and Aaron (Annah’s husband), as well as some of the kids,  took a hike through the woods after lunch. It was a wet foot kind of walk! While a lot of the snow has melted, most of the woods are still very soggy! We laughed our way through it and enjoyed the memories!

So the week was pretty full with making memories. I taught music class on Monday, which I enjoy, but I’m also tired after three hours of music classes! This week has been a bit cooler in temperatures, but no snow.   Chandler and I have been out collecting cans several times, and Roger has been  interviewing pilots for work this summer. We have moments of discouragement as does everyone, but spring is coming! Roger and I could use your prayers as we have several important decisions to make. God is so good to us, and I am thankful that He is always faithful. He never loses His patience  , responds ungraciously, and loves unconditionally. Oh, how I want to point our children to Him!

We love and appreciate each one of you.
Love, Sarah

 

Our “Tribe”

 

Living and Learning

Ready or not Christmas is coming! We've been enjoying this stretch of time between Thanksgiving and Christmas, but it does pass by so quickly! We spent time at a holiday parade, visited a living nativity, participated in the school Christmas program, put up our Christmas tree, and we are preparing for time with family over the Christmas holiday.

On December 2,  Friday, we went with some friends from school to a local parade. The parade was relatively short, but the huge red lobster was in the parade and quite a few fire trucks. 😄 We also
met up with one of the other teachers from the school, and it's nice to go to local events and recognize people we know. After the parade, we walked down the street to "A Walk to Bethlehem". A local church puts this together every year, and it is amazing. I've seen several living nativites, but nothing quite like this one. The people line up outside the church building, and then as people file into the sanctuary a person hands them a piece of paper with one of the tribes of  Israel on it. They take the "tribes" one at a time through the display, but as you're waiting they have people leading the congregation in Christmas carols. Then a person dressed as a Roman centurion will be your guide through the walk. I can't even fathom all the work it takes to pull something like this together! Each person is dressed for the part, and it is literally a "walk to Bethlehem". You first walk to a room where the prophet is foretelling the birth of Jesus. Then the guide takes your group to where the angel speaks to Mary and she visits Elizabeth. As you weave your way through the building, we come across the tax collector in Bethlehem, and in the church kitchen the "inn keeper" tells you that he had to turn away a young couple. Following the path to Bethlehem, you enter the church fellowship hall which is set us as the marketplace in Bethlehem. There are a bunch of different booths set up each displaying something that might be sold or taught in Bethlehem during the time of Jesus's birth. Also in the church fellowship hall, is a menagerie of animals, yes, real ones! A cow, donkey, sheep, and chickens are on display at the Bethlehem market. Following the market, you are guided to the stable. There a couple is playing the part of Mary and Joseph and Baby Jesus is there also. The "walk" concludes with the pastor giving a simple plan of salvation and inviting people to join them for church on Sunday. It was an amazing experience and one that will be on our calendar for next Christmas season. You are invited to come visit us during the first weekend in December so you can come along with us next year!

On Saturday, December 3, we invited a family from school to join us for supper. This family has children in three of the boys' classes, and the boys have been asking about them coming for several weeks now. Although we did not really know the parents or their boys that well, it was a blessing to have another family over for supper. Roger and I enjoyed an evening with great fellowship, lots of noisy kids and nerf guns, and it was a good opportunity to meet another family in the school.

Sunday, December 4, we picked out a Christmas tree after church. The boys were so excited, and Emma was excited about whatever they were excited about! Since we are not very familiar with Christmas tree farms, we picked one that was a bit disappointing. We had to pick a tree from the already cut ones because it was over budget to go out to the lot and cut your own. However, the boys didn't  mind too much, as they were just excited to be getting a tree. We are "living and learnin'" and next year we will do better at finding a place to cut our own. The amount of places to get a real pre-cut Christmas tree are amazing as there are just so many! However, since we enjoy the experience of cutting our own tree, we will try a different place next year. The kids had a good time decorating the tree, and I did a good job of letting them. 😀

Last week was a busy week for me at school, as we were preparing for the Christmas program. I spent several mornings at school with the practices for the  program. I played the piano for several of the songs, so Emma and I did have a few mornings where we stayed at school while the program practice was happening. I didn't mind, but I was very glad to spend most of the day on Saturday at

home. On Thursday, I worked with a few other moms doing a Christmas shop for the students at the school. All the items ranged in prince from .25 to $1.00. It was a ton of fun to set it up, watch the kids shop, and wrap presents for them. Several ladies from the church graciously volunteered to help wrap the gifts. This was a huge blessing and those dear grandmas can certainly wrap pretty and efficiently! I wouldn't mind helping with the Christmas shop next year, however, hindsight tells me that we should not do it the same week as the Christmas program!

I also took the boys to get their first professional haircuts on Thursday. They really enjoyed the experience, and I'm glad we made this treat happen for them. I also reminded them that next month mom would be cutting their hair again. 😀 They are certainly enjoying putting hair gel in their fresh haircuts!

Friday night was the school Christmas program. The kids did a great job, and I enjoyed playing the piano for the prelude and a few of the songs. I also think the staff and students are happy to have that behind them. It's a lot of work, but the kids did great. My sister was able to come down for the program, but not her husband. That's probably because I forgot about telling them until Wednesday morning...oops!

Saturday was a "catch up" day at our house. The boys spent much of the day outside building, destroying, laughing and fighting. I made Christmas cookies for our children's Sunday night Christmas party at church. I also had a conversation via phone with a dear college friend. Elizabeth and I  have not talked in probably over three years, but we jumped right back into our friendship. We were very close in college, and I'm looking forward to renewing that friendship. On Saturday afternoon we invited ourselves over to Hannah and Josh's house for cookie decorating, supper, and board games. It was a fun evening of famly togetherness. We should do it more often....not the inviting ourselves over to people's houses, but the impromptu get-togethers!

Sunday was a day of worship with other believers. I was asked to play the piano for the church Christmas choir, so I enjoyed playing in church on Sunday. I've actually been thinking that I would like to go back to taking piano lessons again if I could find a teacher who will teach me and fit in our budget plan. Someday...,maybe...we will see.

Monday, December 12, was our first snow day!! We all enjoy snow ❄️ and cold weather, and it was so fun to have a day to stay at home with all the kids! Roger had to work, and he ended up soaked to the skin by the time he arrived home. He could wring water out of his socks as they were that wet! We were just far enough inland that we got mostly snow and not the rain that the coast had. It did change to rain later in the day, but the boys just switched to water boots and kept on going! There were plenty of puddles to mop up by the back door, but they did enjoy this first snow day. The days are flying by, and I wish I could hold back time for just a little bit. The children are so excited about Christmas, and all the fun events happening at school. They are growing up so quickly in the decisions that they are making about picking out presents for others...no more wrapping of used handkerchiefs! We mailed out several packages to friends this week, and the boys are wanting to be more involved every year with wrapping, taping, and mailing. We are praying for more snow, and we are supposed to have cold weather on Friday.  Yay! The boys are anxious to try their hand at ice fishing in Maine, so maybe we will get to do that soon along with some pond hockey.



My parents are coming to Maine next week. I've been busy cleaning and organizing for their arrival, but since their arrival isn't until next week, I will still be busy cleaning and organizing! Somehow there is always something that needs doing! We are excited about my parents coming and the arrival of my sister, Jen. It's been about six months and the boys are full of memories and experiences that they want to share.

Christmas tree excursion 

Snow!!

Cookies and crafts!

As some of your already know, I am planning on taking a missions trip to Haiti in January. I appreciate your prayers. I am including a link with additional information. https://www.gofundme.com/jm-missions-trip-to-haiti

Thanksgiving!

                                                           Travis at ice skating lessons

This post is a little dated...obviously. But it has some memories in it that we want to remember.

Like most Americans, we are getting ready for Thanksgiving. Roger and I were just discussing how fast the year flew by. A year ago we were getting ready to celebrate Thanksgiving with friends and family in Wisconsin. Now we are getting ready to start a Thanksgiving celebration in a different state entirely. I'm going to miss seeing my parents, my sister, Jen, and many close friends gathered around our table. However, we are looking forward to dinner with my sister, Hannah, as well as Roger's parents.

The past week was a busy one which is of no surprise to anyone! I spent a lot of time at the school helping prepare for the school fundraiser auction on Friday. Since we are new to the school, this was a different experience for us obviously. The boys were very excited about it along with most of the kids in the school. Roger had to work on Friday, but he did make it to the auction part. The boys were "runners" meaning that they worked with the other school kids bringing the items to the auctioneer and then people would bid on them. We had been given 136 items to auction and it was everything from gift certificates to toys to jewelry to antiques and anything in between. I, along with two other moms, worked with the kids getting the items in the right order and having the kids take the items out front. There were some moments of chaos as we worked to get the items in the right order and tying to make sure the kids didn't switch what they were carrying with another student! All in all, I thought it went really well. Of course, I have nothing to compare it to, so I'll let you know next year how it really was...if I help out with it again. The drawback to helping in the back is not getting to really watch the auction or participate much, but that's okay. It helped us stay on budget! 😀 Roger could've bid on items but he was helping with Emma, and he was exhausted after working all day. He left with the boys and Emma shortly after the auction was over as he had to be at work at 4:30am. The auction dinner started at five pm, with the auction itself starting at 6:30pm. It was about 9:00pm, when we finished selling the last item, so the kids were ready to be done.

There was a slight hiccup in the events of the evening that I heard about the next day. I am really not going to even say what happened, other than I could use some extra prayers. There was a storm in my life, and I'm waiting for God to send the rainbow. I do believe that the challenge is past and behind me, but it was painful to me. I was hurting, but God sent grace and mercy to me. I rejoice in who He is, and that I can think on things that are true, lovely, good report, and pure. We truly do serve an amazing God.

On Sunday we were able to have a family from church over for lunch. It has been such a long time since we have been able to do that, and it was an encouragement to me. Lunch certainly wasn't anything fancy, but the fellowship and friendship was great! We are starting to settle in at church, matching names and faces, and getting involved with church activities. I am playing the piano for a ladies Christmas group which is a blessing to me.

Roger's parents arrived on Wednesday, November 23. It's been a while since we've seen them and we enjoyed spending a few days with them. Roger and his dad left early on Thanksgiving morning to drive to New Hampshire. Our vehicle was ready to be picked up. It's nice to have a vehicle back!  We celebrated Thanksgiving with Roger's parents along with my sister, Hannah. After a large meal, we went to the Breakwater Lighthouse to walk it off! It was a Little chilly out by the water, but it was a good walk. Of course, that also meant that we now had room for pie!

Hannah and I spent some time together on Friday. We are not crazy Black Friday shoppers by any means, but it was a festive day together. It actually was not very crowded any of the places we visited. I'm not sure if  Mainers aren't really in to Black Friday, or if they had already done their shopping with the stores opened at midnight. Maine has a law that prohibits Black Friday shopping on Thursday, so some the stores opened at midnight. At midnight, I was sleeping in my bed! Hannah and I are terrible about taking pictures when we spend time together, but we should try harder since we are making memories.

On Saturday, Roger went to work and his dad was able to go with him. The weather wasn't great, but Roger did get in a few flights. The kids and I took trash to the dump, cleaned up the house, and took Grandma to the Maine Prison showroom store. It's  a store that sells wood working projects that the prisoners have made. It was a fun, low key day.

On Monday Roger had to work, and his parents needed to get to the bus stop in Portland to catch a bus to Boston. I certainly  didn't mind taking them down to Portland, but I decided to take Travis with me. It would've been a tight time line to get back in time to pick him up at 11:30. We made it to the bus stop on time, and I enjoyed my time with our two youngest children.

As we thought on Thanksgiving last week, I came up with some thoughts about our move to Maine. We have much to be thankful for, and I want to remind myself and our children of that often.

T- Transition 
     Transitioning to Maine has helped us draw closer together as a family. It has strengthened our personal convictions as a couple and as parents as we looked at various churches deciding what one God would want us to become a part of.
H-Home
    God has blessed us with a home at the end of a dead end road. It's 20 minutes from Roger's work, and it's 20 minutes to school and church. It's a good spot for us.
A- Attitude 
    A good attitude has been imperative in our move to Maine. Having five children watching how I respond has deepened my relationships with them as we weed through our emotions, facts, and feelings.
N-New experiences 
    We are truly blessed with having so many new experiences. The boys have been able to fly with Roger, hike to numerous lighthouses, try lobster, swim in the Atlantic Ocean, and so much more.
K- Konnection
      Yes. I am aware that connection starts with a "c". I'm thankful that Maine has provided an opportunity for Roger and I to re-connect in our marriage and our family. With Roger being gone for training most of 2014, living in Arizona for some of 2015, and moving to Maine in 2016, we have needed this time together. We've grown closer to each other and our Heavenly Father during these last few months.
S- Salvation and school 
      Salvation is clearly not just a Maine idea, but I would be remiss if I didn't mention how thankful I am for my salvation. Salvation is a free gift offered by Jesus Christ, and I don't ever want to forget what He did for me at Calvary.
       School....The Christian School ranks high on my list of things I'm thankful for in Maine. It has been a bit of a silver lining, and we ar thankful that the boys have the opportunity to attend there.
G  Great job for Roger
       Roger is enjoying a job that is a special opportunity for him. He has a grea boss and working at Penobscot Island Air is enjoyable for him. Roger has a special aviation talent, and I'm thankful to see him using his talent at a job he enjoys.
I   In laws
     We were not sure if we'd have anyone for Thanksgiving dinner other than ourselves and Hannah. I'm thankful that Roger's parents were able to join us. Rogers dad played many games of ping pong with the kids, and Roger's mom kept my baskets of laundry folded and the socks matched!
V AdVentures
     We have been able to explore so many new things in Maine. There is so much history here, and so much to see and do.  My favorite part is that much of it is free!
I Islands 
    As in every state, Gods handiwork is beautiful! We are blessed to live in the mid coast region. We have enjoyed flights over the islands, and we are soaking in Gods beautiful handiwork!
N Needs
   Garett came up with this one. When I asked him why we are thankful for needs, his theology seeemd a little shaky. Howeve, it was an opportunity to assure him that he is right. We do need to be thankful for needs. Our needs present us with the opportunity to ask our Heavenly Father for whatever we need and to praise Him for whatever He does!
G Glory to God!
  To God be the Glory! We have seen the hand of God on our lives and the lives of our children. We look forward to another year to praise the Lord!

T-H-A-N-K-S-G-I-V-I-N-G

Things I'm thankful for in THANKSGIVING:

T....traditions. I'm thankful that although we aren't tied down to traditions, they hold a special place in our lives.

H...home. It's not always a clean, tidy home, but it's a haven for our children. It shelters us from so many things.

A...Attitude. So much of my day depends on my attitude. A happy heart is a reflection of a life centered on Christ. I'm thankful that if my attitude is poor, it can be fixed! :)

N...Nearness. I'm thankful that we are together as a family again. Being apart for such a length of time, makes me more thankful that we are together again. 

K...Kindness...words spoken in kindness can make a complete difference in my life and in my children. I desire to have words of kindness.

S...Scripture. I've been reading through the Bible and I'm so thankful for the freedom to read Gods Word for myself. Also, my spouse, Roger, as life wouldn't be the same without him.

G...God's gifts....God has blessed me so much, but I'm especially thankful for my salvation. And I'm thankful for my five precious children. 

I....interruptions. A difficult thing to be thankful for in the middle of my day, but these interruptions are a time to give glory to God whether it's a child who needs me, a meal to be made, a text to reply to, or an argument to settle. Each interruption is an opportunity to be thankful to God. 

V....A voice to praise Him, and to reflect glory and praise to the name of Jesus Christ.

I....Independence. It's easy to get bogged down by all the wrong choices our country is making, but we are so blessed to live in this land. We have the freedom to worship God, free speech, and to raise our children to love God. While these freedoms are being chipped away at, we still have much to be thankful for in this country. 

N....New snow. I know...who likes snow?! I do! I love the fresh snow that God has given us and it's another reflection on what God has done for me. He has washed my sins away and made me white as snow. 

G...Grandparents. I'm thankful that my children are loved by their grandparents, and that we live close to my parents so that the kids can interact with them often.