A Week of Giving Thanks! Happy Thanksgiving!

 Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours! Our hearts are full of thanks as we reflect on the past year and all that God has done for us. We were thankful for a short week of school this week, my parents coming for a few days, a short visit with Roger’s parents, attending the pie and praise service at church, a successful deer hunt, a fun Turkey trot race, and a table full of guest and family on Thanksgiving day. We are so blessed! 

My parents came in from Wisconsin for a few days, and they arrived late on Monday night. We allowed Chandler to stay home from school on Tuesday to spend some time with them. He’s done well with making good choices in school, but a day of mentorship from my dad was the right choice for him on Tuesday. They spent the day setting up deer stands, talking to the neighbors, and just being together. We are thankful for those that mentor and disciple our children. My friend, Laura, brought me coffee and a biscuit to school and that was a special treat. I’m also thankful for those that pour into me! It was so thoughtful and kind! It’s not easy to uproot, move, and re-start, but God has been faithful through it all. 

On Tuesday night we attended the Pie and Praise service at church. This is always one of my favorite services of the year, and every church does it just a little bit differently. We were happy to meet Roger’s parents at the Pie and Praise service as they were passing through the area. My heart was full as I listened to testimonies of God’s goodness and character. I tend to be emotional on nights like these, but I only cried when I heard my friend express the goodness of God when I knew that she has had the roughest year in her life. I did say a word of praise expressing my thankfulness to God’s perfect timing. After I sat down, I thought of other things that I could’ve said better or differently, but God knows my heart. We do have so much to be thankful for as we look  back over the year. 

Wednesday was a half day at school, and we were thankful it was a short day. I came home and made lots of food in preparation for Thursday’s dinner. Two pies, pumpkin roll, chocolate crème pie, macaroni and cheese, and a bunch of other food items. Chandler went out to deer hunt around four pm, and he came back around 5:15pm to tell us that he had shot a deer. There was a few frantic moments as we gathered up the knife, boots, and everyone piled into the truck to go out to the field. Chandler was excited to have hit his first deer, but we then realized that he had accidentally shot the deer on someone else’s land. The person was very gracious about it, but we would appreciate your prayers that we could figure out who’s land is whose and where the property lines are at. We want to be on good terms with our neighbors and we want to be a good testimony for the Lord to our neighbors. But anyways, it was an exciting moment for Chandler and our household! 

Oh, and I know this is random, but I did want to interject a moment about the Freshmen Trip that Chandler is preparing to go on next month. There was a teen fundraiser after church on Sunday night, but it was poorly attended. I mentioned in my last post that Chandler has been working on raising money and trying not to take money out of his bank account. Last week, a new friend came to visit me in the library for a minute. She handed me a card and as I read the note I could hardly keep the tears at bay. It was the sweetest note that I’ve read or received in a long time. It was for Chandler and her family was expressing their thankfulness for our family and in getting to know us. Funny thing is that Roger and I had a similar conversation about this exact family earlier in the week and Roger had commented on how easy they were to talk to and we were looking forward to getting to know them better! She had read the blog, and then her family had given Chandler a gift for his trip. Even though the Sunday night event wasn’t well attended, Chandler now has all the funds that he needs for his trip! God is so good! 

Here’s another random story about the goodness of God: Last Friday Travis had taken a dollar to school with him so that he could buy a treat at lunchtime. Well at lunchtime, he realized that one of his classmates didn’t have any lunch. Travis gave his dollar to his classmate so that his friend could buy something to eat. At the basketball tournament later that same day, Travis had noticed that the Pastor had spilled his drink. The Pastor asked Travis to go grab some paper towels to clean up the mess. Travis got the paper towels and cleaned up the mess. Pastor gave Travis $5.00 for helping and being thoughtful. Travis tried to refuse the money, but the Pastor told Travis that the Lord wanted him to give the money to Travis. When I saw Travis later in the day, Travis immediately told me about the story. It was the PERFECT reminder that we cannot out give God, and that God will do exceeding abundantly above all we ask or think! Also, last Friday, Travis and Wyatt had the opportunity to get out of school early so that they could go to the basketball tournament earlier to watch the girls team play. I was going to be coming after school, but the younger boys were thrilled to get to go to the basketball tournament earlier with the Hardison boys. Mr Hardison had a van full of five boys! We are thankful for friendships that are being made in the boys lives also. 

Anyways, back to the week at hand- that is now almost over- again! This morning (Thanksgiving morning) the four boys and I ran in the 5k Turkey Trot race. There were 244 runners in the race. Chandler came in second overall. Garett beat me, but I was ahead of Wyatt and Travis. It was a slower race for me (read “I haven’t been running as much lately!), but I did finish third in my age division (which also gets older every year!). Roger came along for moral support and Emma was happy to stay home with my parents! It was a beautiful morning for a run, and we are thankful that we have healthy bodies to run with. My friend, Jennifer, was there at the race, and she’s the one that invited us to join the race. It was good to have a few moments with her also. 

After the race, we came home to do more cooking! We had Turkey, ham, rolls, corn, mashed potatoes, gravy, strawberry fluff, Brussel sprouts, macaroni and cheese, pasta salad, and lots of dessert! Another family from church was able to join us, and I love to have people in our home, so I was especially thankful for that opportunity again! We are so very blessed to have people to gather in our home to eat and fellowship with us. 

This year I’ve again created an acronym using the word THANKSGIVING. I’ve done this before and it’s interesting to see how things change from year to year. God has been so faithful through the years, and while every year brings about challenges and trials, the faithfulness of God never changes. 

T- Together Last year, Roger had a job in Michigan and while he was home for Thanksgiving, we spent much of the year apart. This year we are thankful to be together and host dinner in our home again. 

H- Heart I am thankful that God knows my heart. These years of raising teenagers are challenging, but when I don’t know how to express my thoughts into prayers, God already knows my heart. 

A- Attitude Sometimes we really struggle to have an “attitude of gratitude” in our home. As we talk to our teens and Emma about their attitudes often, I am thankful for the moments of gratitude in our home when our children remember to have that attitude. 

N- New Experiences I’ll be the first to admit that I am not always thankful for new experiences, but my faith is always challenged to grow. When I lean into Him, I can be thankful for new experiences. 

K- Kindness As we’ve experienced many new things in the past six months, I am so thankful for those that have extended kindness to our family either through action or word. 

S- Salvation- This is the best gift I’ve ever received! God send His son to die on the cross for my sin. I am so very thankful that I have the promise of a home in heaven. Jesus is the Rock of my Salvation. Spouse- I am thankful for Roger. He is my best friend. School While it’s been a major adjustment to transition to a new school, we are thankful for the Christian school. It’s not perfect, but we’ve added five imperfect children to the school. We are thankful that they have the opportunity for a Christian education. 

G- Good- byes We’ve said a lot of these this past year, and some of them have been very emotional. It’s hard to be thankful at times, but it’s also a reflection of the gifts of many friendships that we’ve been blessed with in our lives. 

I- Intercession I am thankful that the Holy Spirit ever gives intercession for me/us. So often I don’t know how to pray for our family, or 500 other things, but God knows. 

V- Victories When we see our children make good choices, love others, speak kindly or reflect Jesus, my heart is blessed. These are victories over the flesh and that is a victory! 

I- Investors I’m referring to those investing in the lives of our children and Roger and I. We are so blessed by those that speak Jesus in to the lives of our children and are investing in them for eternity. 

N- Never late Whew! I am thankful that God is never late and always on time! My timetable is rarely, if ever, on the same schedule as the Lord’s, but He is never late. He’s provided in miraculous ways for our children’s Christian education, our home, and thousands of other ways! 

G- Grace  I am thankful that God’s grace is never ending. He is never weary of me, and His grace flows freely. What a blessing! 

Photo credit- aleanjourney.com 

Thanksgiving Break...and Haiti!

 We had a break from school last week as we celebrated Thanksgiving. While we had our break days from school, we celebrated Thanksgiving day. I went shopping with my sister, Hannah. We picked out a Christmas tree. I made lesson plans, graded, and prepared for the next week. We decorated my classroom for Christmas. And we spent lots of time together and outside! 

2020 has been full and unusual and different circumstances, and Thanksgiving was no exception. We invited several people and families over to our house, but either due to previous arrangements or Covid, no one was able to come over. It was our first time also in a very long time where  no invitations were extended to us either, as it’s a weird year. Our children were a little disappointed that no one was coming over, but we did take a pumpkin roll dessert over to our new neighbors in Wednesday. It was nice to visit with them for a few minutes, and the older boys were delighted to hear that our neighbor was looking for someone to do some yard work for him in the spring. Garett and Chandler eagerly agreed to help out, and it was nice for them to be asked. 

Thanksgiving day dawned a bit drizzly and overcast, but it provided a nice opportunity for us to sit and visit together for a while before getting started with the day. Originally we had planned to eat our dinner three pm, but it quickly became apparent that all the kids would be “hangry” by then! We ended up eating around one pm, but that’s the beauty of it just being us - we could eat whenever the food was ready! We asked our children what they were most thankful for this year, and what was the hardest thing about 2020. Unanimously, the kids all agreed that Mr. Kevin’s death has been the hardest thing about 2020. The answers of what they were thankful for varied from child to child. School, family, friends, grandparents, church, our home, Roger’s job, their teachers were all things that they are thankful for this year. I’m so thankful that we’ve finished  thirteen weeks of school -in person! We keep praying for God’s hedge of protection, and He’s been merciful and faithful to us. 

Last Sunday, our children and Allison’s girls put together fruit and goodie baskets for some of the older folks in our church. Allison and I always come up with what we call these “good, bad ideas!”. These are ideas that seem great in the moment, but when it’s just us and our families doing the majority of the work or we are tired or it’s getting long, it becomes a bad idea!! However, after over four years of friendship, we manage to laugh our way through most of our ideas! Our children made cards and helped assembly the baskets, and several ladies delivered most of the baskets to the older folks last Monday and Tuesday before thanksgiving. The kids and I had several baskets to deliver after school in Wednesday, and the older folks were so happy to have a visit and a small gift. While they kept their distances and we kept ours, they were still so happy to have someone to talk to. The visits took a bit longer than I had planned, but our kids were good sports about it all. I’m so thankful for our children! 

Some of you may remember that last year, I was planning on going to Haiti on a medical missions trip. However, due to unrest, then Covid, and a host of other things, the missions trip ended up being cancelled.  I had most of the trip paid for, and I was looking forward to going. However, the country of Haiti has also had some difficult challenges over the past year, which have been more starvation than Covid. I ended up giving the money for the missions trip to Parakaleo so that they could give money to the Haitian pastors to buy food for their people.  I have been saving again, and God has abundantly blessed! I have all the money that I need for this missions trip! Also, this year, Garett and Chandler will also be coming to Haiti with me!! They are thrilled with the opportunity, and we are praying for God to show Himself strong in a mighty way to both of them. They are looking for jobs to do to earn some money for the trip, so if anyone local needs some work done, we have two boys that are willing and able to work hard! If you feel so led to give towards their missions trip, I know that both our boys would be extremely grateful. This is an amazing opportunity for them to go on this missions trip, and I am looking forward to this experience for them! My dad is also planning on going on the Haiti missions trip in January, so it will be three generations of us on this missions trip. God is awesome! 

We do appreciate your prayers as we plan and prepare for this missions trip. It means a substitute teacher for kindergarten, a lot more work for Roger, three kids still at home that will need meals, and lots of other important pieces! Whenever I start to feel overwhelmed or stressed out about it, I’m reminded that God is bigger than all my struggles! 

Last night, Roger and I attended a staff Christmas party, which our administrator put together. It was a lovely night with the dear staff and school board members...delicious desserts, fun games, fellowship, and a sweet time of memories together. We are so blessed with the staff members that God has provided for our school this year. There has certainly been plenty of struggles and challenges, but we are almost to week #14 with in-person learning! Thank you to those who pray diligently with us for the hedge of protection around our church and school. God is so good! 

Valentine’s Day! Winter Break Chaos!

Winter break is here! We survived the last crazy week of school before break with a delayed start day, a snow day, and Valentine’s Day chaos! I’m not a huge fan of winter break simply because I’d rather be done earlier in the summer. But...since its not optional, we might as well make the most of it! Roger has scheduled a few consecutive days off for the week of winter break, so we are hoping to get away for a bit of a family adventure.

Delivering Roses on Valentine’s Day

Breakfast on our Snow Day from School! 

Sweet Baby Ruth- We are so excited she is here! 

Chocolate covered strawberries for our teachers and staff

Roger’s Valentine’s gift to Emma 

Last week we had a snow day on Thursday. Originally, Roger and I had planned to go on a lunch date on Thursday as Emma was going to be going on a play date with a friend from school. However, then we had a snow day! There is a local diner that was hosting their “Founders Week” specials and that included 30% off the menu prices. So we decided to take the family out for brunch on our snow day. The kids were excited as we don’t often go to sit-down restaurants, and we were all able to go. Probably due to the snow, but the restaurant was not crowded at all! There were only a few booths being used and mostly by other folks. We took our family picture and posted it to social media in hopes of winning a $50.00 gift certificate. I figured our chances might be better at winning on Thursday as not very many people were at the restaurant. Guess what!? The restaurant contacted me on Saturday afternoon to inform us that we had won the $50.00 gift certificate! Hooray! It was a fun morning as a family, and even though it was not a date with Roger, it was a fun date with our family.

The snow day on Thursday also provided us with an opportunity to have the kids finish their valentines for their classmates, make valentines for their teachers, and of course have a lot of outside time! With having our kids in every classroom in the elementary school, its a lot of Valentine’s parties and things to remember! Sometimes I try to bring the same thing for all the classroom parties as it’s less to remember. But this time, we had Chex mix for one class, chips and salsa for another, jello jigglers, and donuts to remember! Travis specifically asked me to make jello jigglers for his classroom party. Not because he is especially fond of jello, but because he knew there was a student in his class that would enjoy jello jigglers. I was happy to make jello jigglers, but I was even more touched by the fact that Travis was looking out for this student. Some times, I am amazed by his thought process!

On Friday after school, I took the boys (and Emma) to deliver roses to some of the shut-ins in our church family. We have quite a few older ladys and widows, so I had purchased a dozen roses and some greenery for the boys to had out. We went to nine different places, and the boys hopped out of the car to give the shut-ins a rose, a hug and a “Happy Valentine’s Day” greeting. The kids had such good attitudes about it, and I was quite touched by their willingness to try to help brighten these ladies day. Of course, at each stop, we were invited in for a visit and each one wanted us to stay. However, Chandler was getting a migraine (probably from all the sugar from the party) so I knew we needed to make each stop a short one. I think it is so important that we teach our boys (and Emma) to take care of the older generation. It is one thing to tell our children that they need to love and appreciate the older generation, but its another thing entirely to TEACH them that. Is it important that our children see me write notes and interact with older folks? Absolutely! But its also important that we teach them to do it on their own. Roger has been teaching the boys on Sunday mornings to open the door for the older folks and to walk them to and from their cars. I wish I had taken pictures on Sunday morning of the boys walking the older ladies to and from their cars. Our hearts desire is to raise our children to love and serve the Lord, and seeing our boys serve on Sunday brought tears to my eyes. They are far from perfect, and I get annoyed and irritated with them far more often than I should, and they can drive each other crazy, but I truly hope and pray that they can see Christ in me.

It would’ve been lovely to go on a date with Roger for Valentine’s Day, but we just aren’t quite there yet. Garett is getting older, but we aren’t quite the stage where they can be left alone for an entire evening. Too bad my sister, Jenn, doesn’t live out here! I know that she would love to take them, and our kids would enjoy the time with her also. But the time for evening dates will come again, and then I’ll be crying because all the kids are all grown up! I’m just working at enjoying the season of life that we are in.

On Saturday Roger had to work, so the kids and I spent the day at home. The boys worked on the ice skating rink, and then spend time ice skating for much of the day. I worked on many projects, but unfortunately drawers and closets aren’t things that make it look like I was working on something! But the drawers are cleaned out, and another bag of stuff to be donated is ready to go.

Sunday was a busy day with church, youth group, and then a special youth gathering with youth from area churches. Our pastor had arranged for the speaker from the Maine Christian Civic League to speak to the youth, and it was a good challenge for our young people. As Christians we can not sit by idly on the sidelines and complain about the situation in our nation without being active and doing our part. While most of the youth is too young to vote, the time to prepare them to vote is not when they are 18. Teens do not turn 18 years old and magically become mature, responsible adults! We can not be slack concerning our children and youth. Roger and I were able to have a little bit of a discussion with the director and that was encouraging for both of us. While it made for a bit of a late evening for us, I’m glad that our children had the opportunity to attend this local youth gathering.

Roger has not been feeling well lately, so that has made for some long work days for him. The rest of us have currently been able to escape the winter colds, coughs, and flues that seem to be affecting many people. Lord willing, it will stay that way...but often times the sickness slowly makes its way through our family...one person at a time! As a whole, we are a fairly healthy family, and I’m sure that has to do in part with the large amounts of time that the kids spend outside every day. And while I’m not outside as much, the constant revolving of the door exchanges the air often! Winter blues and blahs are pretty common in a lot of people this time of year, so I’m hoping that we can get away as a family for a day to do something out of the ordinary! The boys would like to use their Christmas present from Mr. Kevin and Mrs. Terri this week which includes a snow tubing adventure and a one night hotel stay. I’ve been trying to coordinate a date for this week, but its a challenge with all the rest of the east Coast also on Winter break!

God is good, and He blesses us with far more than we deserve. Our love to you,
Sarah

Back to School....Haiti Update!

Back to school! We actually went back last week for Thursday and Friday, and then had the weekend off again. It was a bit of a rough start back to school, no doubt!

Last Wednesday we went to Portland to drop my sister, Jen, off at the bus station. She took the bus to Boston, and flew back to South Dakota early on Thursday morning. My children certainly enjoyed their visit with her, and I am so thankful for the time that she invests in their lives. I wanted to stop at Sam’s Club while we were in Portland, but they were closed on New Years Day. Travis told me that he was a bit bummed that Sam’s Club wasn’t open. I asked him why, and he replied, “I like their snacks, and I wanted to smell the new tires!” Yes, that’s Travis! He really likes the smell of new tires, and he and Emma always want to smell the tires on our way out of the store! Travis hates the smell of gum and mints, but he likes the smell of new tires....gotta love that kid!

Even though our kids were in bed fairly early on Wednesday, Thursday was still a bit of a rough morning! The kids were up in plenty of time, but getting out the door was another matter entirely! We survived the day...thank you, Jesus!

On Friday evening, we hosted several families over to our house for supper. I made two pans of regular lasagna and one of a spinach lasagna. I had made the pans of lasagna on Thursday night, and I am so glad that I did! Most people enjoy lasagna, but it is a meal that takes a few steps, and many pans. I’ve never pre-boiled  my lasagna noodles in my life, and the noodles always turn out just fine. I just use regular lasagna noodles, and with enough sauce, it all turns out delicious! It was a wonderful night of fellowship, planning for the future, laughing, talking and praying. Our house isn’t huge by any means, but it was a great night. Roger and I both said how encouraged we were by the night of fellowship and prayer. I’m thankful for good friends to enjoy fellowship and meals with in our home.

Saturday was a low key day....those are always nice! I did grocery shopping, and we did jobs around the house. Roger took the boys ice skating with some friends as our ice was too soft and mushy on Saturday. Emma and I stayed at home. I was thrilled to have the opportunity to make some music lesson plans and begin the details of preparing for the Patriotic program in May. While our backyard rink was a bit too soft and mushy on Saturday, on the days that the ice is hard, it sees PLENTY of use! The boys have drastically improved on their ice skating skills, and it’s been a delight to see them enjoy being outside even if we don’t have a lot of snow.

Sunday was a full day of church services and children’s and teen ministries in the evening. Through a series of events over the last few weeks, Roger was asked to help out with the teen ministry. He certainly seemed to enjoy the opportunity, and he put thought into the games, ice breaker game, music, and the schedule of the evening. Another man in our church did the lesson, and I was able to help out for a bit too. Roger and I love serving where our kids are, and it’s hard to believe but we now have kids in teen group! We had a good turnout of teens, and I’m excited to see what God continues to do. We serve an amazing God!

Haiti update! Many of you have asked when or if I’ll be returning to Haiti this year. I’m not sure how many of you have read up on the news about Haiti, but they’ve had a tough time in the last long months. Inflation has been high, jobs not sufficient, hurting and hungry people, and an unstable political situation had prevented the medical team from returning in January of 2020. However, we have tentative plans to return to Haiti in the late spring. Please pray that the situations in Haiti will stay safe so that we can go in the spring. I have every desire to go to Haiti in on this missions trip, but I also have a strong desire to return home to my family. Roger would also like that! :)


We have some dear Haitian friends, and the desire to check on them personally and see how they are doing is a desire of my heart. It’s like checking in on old friends or neighbors that you haven’t seen in a while! I am tentatively planning and preparing to go on this trip, Lord willing. It means missing some school, and re-arranging schedules and routines, and preparing and prepping for Roger as much as possible, and asking friends for help, but God has always been so faithful to provide all the right details to fall into place. Please be in prayer about this missions trip. Pray for wisdom, discernment, unity, and grace as we prepare and plan. Pray for hearts to be open to the Gospel, and that we will be able to point people to Jesus. If you would like to know more about the mission group that I go with or to donate to this trip, you can  go to https://www.parakaleointernational.com/ If you want to make a specific donation to the cost of the trip for me, you can just mark your donation for Sarah Robertson’s Haiti trip.


God is so good, isn’t He? So many friends are posting about their New Years goals or resolutions, but I’m over here thinking that I just need to focus on drinking more water and eating a bit cleaner! :) Actually, for a teacher, I think New Years goals are made in August not January! For the teacher, a new year begins in August, so that is when I tend to think about big long-term goals. I’m certainly not poking fun of those that make goals or pick out a word for the year! More power to you! I’m just saying that for me, I find it easier to set goals in August rather than in January...weird, right?!

Welcome to 2020! My prayer is that we will use the remaining 360 days to give honor and glory to God. My heart’s desire is to love God and serve Him passionately all the days of my life.

Love, Sarah

Christmas Adventures and Laughter

Ahhh....the sweets sounds of Christmas break! What are those sounds you ask? In our house, it’s popcorn popping, games being played, the sound of pucks sliding across the ice, Christmas music, laughter, LOTS of food, and being together. (It’s also the munch of WAY too much sugar!)

We’ve enjoyed our time with Aunt Jen this week, and we were able to go on a special adventure with her this past week. Jen arrived at our house on Sunday evening. Our children were very excited to have Aunt Jen with them this week. We spent Monday playing games together, doing some grocery shopping, wrapping gifts, and getting ready for Christmas. Roger had to work on Monday and Tuesday, so that was a bit of a bummer, but we just made the most of our evening time together.

Tuesday was Christmas Eve, and the kids were excited! Hannah and josh came down for part of the day, and we went bowling together. I had been giving a gift certificate for the bowling place, and it was a great time to use it. We surely miss Roger when he’s not able to join us for fun events, but we were thankful to enjoy time with Hannah, Josh and Jen. The bowling place has candlepin bowling which uses a smaller ball and smaller pins than regular bowling. After bowling, we came home to cook up food for our Christmas Eve dinner. Roger was able to be home around four pm, so we were able  to enjoy dinner together before the Christmas Eve service. I always look forward to the Christmas Eve service as it sets the tone for the Christmas gatherings happening in the evening and on Christmas Day. I had thought that Wyatt and Garett were going to do their piano pieces for the Christmas Eve service, but there was some confusion so that wasn’t the plan. It felt a little scrambled at first, but it was all brought together by the grace of God. The children’s choir sang, and then the older kids played on the xylophone chimes. Each child has a chime and a stick to hit the chime with. All the children got lined up, and I was about to count them off to start, when I noticed that Wyatt was quietly laughing. Travis had managed to get his xylophone stick stuck in his pants! He had pants that tie on, and he had managed to get the xylophone stick stuck in one of the loops! He was all flustered, and he couldn’t figure out how to get it unstuck. His brothers were having a hard time holding their laughter in, and my friend Allison and I were also trying to hold in our laughter! Oh the memory! Travis managed to get the xylophone stick unstuck, and the rest of the song went off without a hitch! There was a good turnout of people for the service, and there is something beautiful and special about the Christmas Eve service. I am so thankful that it’s not all about the baby who came, but about the Savior Who came to redeem the world! What a gift!

We opened up our Christmas presents on Christmas Eve, as we were headed to Hannah’s on Christmas Day. Emma was so excited about opening gifts, and she announced loudly after the church service that she had taken a nap during church so that she wouldn’t be grouchy opening presents! The kids had gotten gifts for each other at the Christmas shops they had gone to, and I always love seeing what they’ve picked out! Emma opened up a soft blanket from Wyatt, to which Garett replied, “I’m glad you like it, there’s plenty more where that came from!” He had picked out the exact same blanket for Emma! Emma didn’t mind having two blankets! The funniest present was the gift that Emma picked out for Chandler. She knows that Chandler enjoys reading, so she picked him out some books at the Christmas shop. She was so excited for Chandler to open them, and Chandler’s expression was quite hilarious! Emma had gifted him with three inspirational Christian romance novels!! Chandler did very well at saying thank you, but his expression was quite humorous! Emma can’t quite read, so she just picked out books that she liked the covers to!

We spent Christmas Day with Hannah and Josh enjoying more delicious food, fun games, and fellowship together. The kids were a bit tired as it had been a late night the night before and they were all up early to play with their Christmas gifts.  We came home in the late afternoon, and we all went ice skating for a bit! All the kids are better skaters than I am, but my excuse is that I have to wear skates that don’t fit properly! Chandler currently wears my skates, but some day I might get my skates back!It was fun to get on the ice with the kids, but wow....we were all happy to go to bed early!


Jen’s Christmas gift to the kids was an adventure! She had purchased tickets to a trampoline park as well as an overnight stay at a hotel with a pool! The kids were thrilled! Roger had to work on Thursday and Friday, but Jen and I headed down to Portland on Thursday morning with all the kids. I thought the trampoline park would be very busy the day after Christmas, but it actually wasn’t too bad at all! We were there right when they opened at ten, and the kids jumped and played until about two pm. Then we headed to Sam’s Club to feed them a snack before heading to the hotel for swimming! The hotel we stayed at had an outdoor heated pool, and I even got in the pool...so it was warm! The kids swam for a few hours, before getting out to have supper. The kids were excited to have dinner at Olive Garden since that’s where we had gift cards to eat. The last time the kids ate at Olive Garden was with Jen last Christmas, so they were excited to have dinner there again. And after they ate, they were tired! Emma and Travis about fell asleep at the dinner table, and they were happy to climb into bed at the hotel. Chandler told me that he was having a lot of fun on this adventure, but he sure did miss Dad. I’m glad that the kids have the opportunity to enjoy these adventures also, but I surely miss Roger when he’s not along too!

We headed home on Friday morning after another swim! After thirty six plus hours of activities, it was a quiet ride home! The boys were happy to get home and check on their ice skating rink. They shoveled it off to get ready to resurface it, so that they can use it some more. On Friday evening we joined Roger at work to have pizza with his boss and wife. The kids had gifts that they had picked out for Kevin and Terri, and Emma was happy to help them both open their gifts. I’m so thankful for Kevin and Terri and their love for our kiddos. They told the kids that their Christmas gift was not wrappable. They have gifted our children with an evening of snow tubing, dinner, and an overnight at a hotel for sometime in January or February! Our kids are so very excited about this adventure, and I am looking forward to it also. The months of January, February and March can get to be a bit long, so this will give us all something to look forward to!

We are wrapping up our last few days of Christmas break as we prepare to go back to school on Thursday. I am so not ready yet! It’s been a good break. I’ve spent a few days not feeling great, but it’s been a good time to slow down and treasure our time together. Roger has been busy, but that comes with the territory of being the second man in charge....you get to fill in any spots in the schedule that are short on people. I’m thankful for this Christmas season, and I hope that you all had a wonderful Christmas with family and friends.

We love you all,
Sarah

Photos!

Last week we celebrated some warm summer weather, the birthday of America, and lots of time in the water! The kids ran in a race on the Fourth of July. Chandler placed second for the second year in a row, and while he was disappointed, he did run a mile in 5:27! Wyatt, Travis and Garett also ran in the race. Emma refused to run in the fun run as she said “It was NOT fun last year!” We spent part of the day at the Philbrook’s cabin on the lake.

I also took the kids down to Mrs. Terri’s cabin (our friends) on Friday morning and we stayed overnight. It was a wonderful and relaxing time together.

Garett and Chandler headed to camp on Sunday along with a friend from school, Josiah. This will be Chandler’s first year at camp, but he was excited to go. We are praying that God will do a work in their lives this week.

I could write a lot more, but we’ve been busy with soaking up sunshine, spending time in the water, and enjoying the summer. Enjoy the photos!

Blessings,
Sarah

 

    

 

 

OVER? ALREADY?!

 

Christmas break is flying by, and it is going way faster than I would like it to go! We wrapped up the last day of school for 2018 last Friday, and it’s been a whirlwind of activity ever since. Roger’s parents arrived on Saturday, and Rogers brother, Nate, was able to come up for part of the day too.

 

Sunday was the Christmas program at church, and the children did a great job. It is definitely not my nature to wait until the last minute, but everything came together amazingly well. The kids were glad that Grandpa and Grandma were able to be there. We did not have church services on Sunday night since we would be having a Christmas Eve service the next night. I have to admit I was quite thankful to go home, and work on some projects that I had neglected over the last week. My kids were glad that I made time to go to the grocery store! Roger took Wyatt Christmas shopping as Wyatt had picked my name in our family drawing of names. Wyatt has had my name for the past three years, and while he says having moms name is hard, he does enjoy the date with Roger. Roger’s dad went with them too, so they had a good afternoon together. It was a quick afternoon with grocery shopping, wrapping presents and time spent with grandparents.

Early Monday morning, I left to go to Portland to pick up my sister, Jen. Emma was up early, and she wanted to come along. We picked up Aunt Jen and headed home. Roger’s dad had gone with Roger to work on Monday, and the rest of the kids stayed home with Grandma.  I took the kids ice skating in the afternoon. Probably not an activity that I would have picked on my own, but I know how much the boys enjoy it, and Roger just hasn’t had very much extra time lately. They skated and played for over an hour, and everyone came home hungry! We had a quick snack before heading to the Christmas Eve service. This is always one of my favorite services of the year, and I love the soft lighting, singing of carols, and the Scripture readings. I was able to sing a duet with Garett for this
special service, and I’ll always treasure that memory. Garett has a good voice, and he was willing to
practice hard. I love the fact with he sang with such a willing heart. I’m praying that he will keep  that willingness to serve God with his voice even as Garett is approaching the time when his voice will change.

Christmas Day dawned upon us with excited kids and an early morning! Roger and I are early risers anyways, and we enjoyed a few moments with coffee, togetherness and devotions before our crazies woke up. It was such a fun day for our family. The kids received an abundance of gifts, so they will be writing thank you notes over the next few days. I was so blessed with the time with family, our
children’s delight, and just awe over the Christmas season. I always love the time with the presents wrapped under the tree the best. Once the presents are opened, I always feel a bit deflated. I guess I just really like the anticipation. Roger and I had all the kids pick names for someone else in our family, and then everyone had to pick out a gift and wrap it for that person. We’ve done our family presents that way for a few years now, and its always fun to see what a chid will pick out for someone  else. I will say that I help quite a bit with finding the present and the wrapping for the ones that Emma and Travis have drawn. We hope that you all enjoyed your Christmas celebrations, and that you took some time to reflect on the Savior of the World. Merry Christmas!

We had a great few days with Roger’s parents here. Roger’s Dad was able to go with Roger to work on one of the days, and Mom matched all my mismatched socks! Well, they weren’t all mine! But she found like fifty pairs of socks in the basket! We took a hike one day, played games, and ate...a lot! Time flew by!

 

The rest of the week was filled with family time, lots of food, skating for the boys, and fun. I will admit that the anticipation of Christmas break did not live up to reality! I envisioned quiet days at home, sweetly playing children, and long talks with Roger. I didn’t even really see much of Roger, I am a bit “peopled” out, and my children are acting like that are going through withdrawals...and they are, it’s called a “sugar withdrawal”. By Saturday morning, I was a bit of a grouch. And I knew it because my children start acting grouchy too! I took down the Christmas decorations, and sent the kids outside to burn the Christmas tree. That kept them occupied for a few minutes, and I was able to have a few moments of quiet. One of my advent devotionals, which Ill still be reading next month, was on singing. It really spoke to me as I love music, but I am very picky about music.   The opening paragraph of the devotional states the following: “What better reason to sing than this: the Savior is born to live, die and rise again to fix what sin had broken.” Take a moment to think about that! We sing phrases of songs, listen to songs, have songs as our phones ringtones, background music is in every store and restaurant, but what song is in my heart? There will never be a more important song to capture my heart than the song that Jesus fills my heart with rest and satisfaction and He reigns supreme! Psalm 95 is just one of many passages of Scripture that reference singing...what song is in your heart?

Roger’s parents left on Thursday evening, as they needed to get an early start on the road on Friday morning. Josh and Hannah came down on Friday afternoon for our family Christmas. Jen and I took the kids to Portland on Sunday for some fun with Aunt Jen and a hotel with a pool! How fun for the kids! I am thankful that Jen was able to come out for a few days to spend time with us. She’s  probably ready to head home for some peace and quiet! We had a little snow over Christmas break, but really not very much at all. The kids have been able to do more ice skating this year, but we are  missing the snow.

The week flew by, and it went too quickly in my opinion. I’m not ready to head back to teaching music classes, schedules and routines, and school life. I’d like a vacation...oh, wait, I’m the mom! Truly I am so blessed to be the mom to these five kids, and I do rejoice in that. God is faithful to give grace, patience, and all the other character traits that I need! Unfortunately, I often open my mouth before applying the character trait needed for the situation! I’m thankful for forgiveness.

Thankful Hearts and Full Days

I had big intentions about writing about Thanksgiving Day! However, we are already almost a week past that already! We did have a great Thanksgiving Day...did you? My friend, Allison, graciously invited our family to come along with her family and extended family. I’m thankful for those who don’t mind an extra seven people along for dinner! I was also very thankful that I didn’t have to cook. It was a blessing to be invited to share in someone else’s family time. The kids had a great time as the day was cold at about seventeen degrees! But Carolyn has a hot tub at her house, and the kids borough along swimsuits! Yes, those kids were out there wallowing in the snow and then racing to jump in the hot tub. Except Emma! She gladly let everyone else get out to go jump in the snow, while she enjoyed the hot tub to herself for about thirty seconds at a time! It created a fun and special memory for the kids, and I know they will remember this Thanksgiving as the one when it was really cold!

Roger was working on Friday, so we spent a low key day at home. I did have to run a few errands, so we did go in one store for some Black Friday deals. The store was practically empty! It certainly didn’t feel like a Black Friday! I guess everyone went to the bigger cities for shopping today. I made some cookies with the kids, they played outside for a lot of the day, and we just enjoyed most of the day at home. Saturday was much of the same as Roger was working, but we got ready for getting a Christmas tree!

On Sunday it was raining for most of the day. However, we had already planned to get a Christmas  tree today as Roger had off today. After church we weighed our options. One option was to wait to get a tree. Guess what? None of the children voted for that option! Option two was to go out to the tree farm and cut our own in the mud. Guess what? Mom did not vote for that option! Option three      
 was to go to a pre-cut lot and pick one out. Option three won the vote! We found a tree lot that    offered any tree for $25.00. We made a quick decision in the rain and piled back into the truck.  Actually, Emma never even bothered to get out of the truck. She looked out the window into the rain, and told the boys, “You can pick out the tree today!” Roger tied on the tree, and we headed for home.

This tree! A pain in my backside! First of all, the wet tree needed to dry! So we had to bring the wet tree into the house to dry off. Finally the tree was dry. Next the boys wanted to spray white “snow” on the tree. We had bought it last year after Christmas as Roger wanted to try it. It actually turned out very nicely, but again the tree had to dry. While the tree was drying, we realized that not all of the lights were working for the tree. So Roger and I went to get some lights. We came back and put the lights on the tree, but now we didn’t have enough of that particular kind of lights. Well that’s not a big deal, we can just use the other white lights! Yeah, do you know how many different shades of white lights there are?!  I wouldn’t say I’m very particular about the tree, but this was looking like a red neck Christmas tree. Roger went back to the store to get more lights for the tree. This is one   weekend I was thankful for Black Friday sales on Christmas lights! Roger came back with the lights,  and we started stringing lights again. I have to say, I am very thankful that we did not have church services on Sunday night as we used up most of our day on this tree! Guess what? Yes, the brand new Christmas lights did not work! Only half the string was working! For the first time in our married lives, we went to bed with a half done Christmas tree! The boys were very understanding about the whole situation and by the end of the night we were able to laugh at the events. Emma struggled a bit more, so we decided to help her out a bit by letting her put ornaments on the bottom of the tree! Now it really looked half done! Oh well! Another project to finish another day!
 

We finished decorating the tree on Monday night! It’s not exactly the way that I would decorate the tree, but I’d much rather have the kids create their memories of decorating the tree than to remember that the tree had to be decorated moms way! We also had Christmas program practice on Monday  
morning! Only three more practices before the program! You know...they say in show biz that if the   rehearsals don’t go well, often the actual performance is awesome! Well then, we should be all set to be awesome! A lot of little details have to be worked out, but overall, I’m pleased with the efforts that the students have put forth in the Christmas program. I also will be delighted to have it behind me!

Rogers grandfather did pass away last week, and Roger is planning on going out to  California this weekend. Through some family connections, Roger was able to get a very reasonably priced ticket to go out to California for two nights. It’s a quick trip, but I’m thankful that he will have the opportunity to share in the memories of grandpa. And it’s also an opportunity for Roger to reconnect with his family, and that is important also. We will miss him!

We appreciate your continued prayers. I want to be intentional this Christmas season with my time  and with the making of memories with our kids. The truth is that our kids won’t remember the presents we did or did not give them, but they will remember the time we spent with them. It’s a busy  time of year, but above all, I want to point our kids to Jesus. After all, He truly is the reason for the season!
 

, 

A Rough Week...and God’s Hand at Work

One of my favorite songs: https://youtu.be/mmdnM-aLEpM


I’ve struggled for several days over what to even write on this post. The reason that I am writing is because it was a rough week, but God showed Himself to be faithful and strong just like He always does. When I come back to reread this post in a few years, I want to be reminded of the character of God and Who He is.

To start off the week, I received a text from Rogers’s mom saying that Grandma Robertson was dying (Roger’s grandma). The last time that I had actually seen Grandma Robertson was when Chandler was about six months old. She lived out in California, which is a bit more than a hop and skip from Maine! Roger has a lot of memories with his grandma as his grandparents visited them often when he was growing up. Roger didn’t sleep well on Monday night as he woke up in the night to read a text that grandma had passed into the arms of her Savior. We talked about many options on Tuesday and looked into flights for Roger to get out to California. However, we didn’t come up with any great ideas or options. The memorial service would be on Saturday, and Garett was going on an all-night teen activity with Roger on Friday night into Saturday morning. Garett was really looking forward to this activity, and the only reason he was being allowed to go is because Roger was also going. Since
the tickets weren’t the only reason Roger wasn’t at peace with going to California, we decided that we would not be able to get out to the memorial service for Grandma. This was a bit hard on Roger as all of his other brothers and older sister were going to be there, but God was clearly not giving us peace.

It was all for the best and in God’s sovereign plan. There were some circumstances that happened in my life in Thursday that were very painful and hurtful to me...not physically, but I sometimes think physical pain might be easier than emotional pain. Words can be hurtful. I needed Roger to be here, and if he had been in California, a lot of emotional decisions might have been made on my part. It was one of those days where I missed the ability to talk to my dad in person. I could’ve called, but it’s not the same. I’m thankful that Roger was able to be my sounding board on Thursday night. On Thursday night, one of my friends, Beka, called from Wisconsin. I haven’t heard from her in a few weeks, and the reason she called was to ask a simple question. Yet it was a God ordained timed  event. She had just been through a similar instance a few months ago, and was able to offer some encouraging words. I’m thankful for God’s love to me.  It’s not often that I’m caught completely off guard, but that definitely happened on Thursday.

On Friday morning I found myself fighting tears, fatigue, and emotional instability.  Due to weather, Roger had the day off, which was again a detail that God ordained. We were able to talk with our  pastor and get some solid, Biblical advice. It was a morning that God worked out so many details to fall into place, that we could only step back in awe and say, “God is at work here”. I’m not at liberty to discuss any details because that would be hurtful to others. I can say that while I’m not exactly happy with the situation or circumstances, I am at peace with the situation.

Isaiah 26:3-4 King James Version (KJV)

3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

4 Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength:

It was a long week, but God was and is faithful, kind and true. He protects me, watches over me, and continually holds me in his arms. He blessed me with a wonderful husband, whose gifts are discernment and faith. I can be confident in who God created me to be because I know He is with me. 

Isaiah 43 King James Version (KJV)

43 But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.

2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

3 For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.

A Vehicle? Maybe...

So many things have happened in the course of a week both in our lives and in our country. It's been an exciting week to be an American, and I'm was/am rejoicing in the choice of the American people for a new leader. Apparently...in case you didn't know, people are shocked and amazed that Mr. Donald Trump is the president-elect! And now we have riots and protests in the streets against the decision that was made by the voters. Did you know that 90 million eligible American voters did not vote?! I wonder how many of those protesting actually voted?! I firmly believe that the reason that we have such protesting and violence is mostly because we raised a generation that was given anything that they pitched a fit for, and now they are suprised that it's not working! You all know about the parents in the grocery store that tell their children five times that they can't have candy. Then the child lays down on the floor screaming and kicking.  The embarrassed parent leans over and whispers "Get off the floor and you can have candy". It shouldn't be a suprise that the child bounces up and gleefully grabs the candy! Should it be a surprise to us now that these children have grown up that they act the same way? I think not! However, while I think we need to have grace and patience with those that are disappointed for the outcome of the election, they need to grow up.

Anyways, Roger had to work in Wednesday and I had to get up and get everyone going for school. We prayed together as a family, and expressed to our children that no matter what the outcome of the election would be, we would still praise God. God was still going to be in control on Wednesday morning, Roger and I would still work to raise our children for His glory, and life would go on. We have continued to pray for our nation, and I would encourage you to do the same.

                                                            Travis and Emma

I spent some time on Tuesday walking with my friend, Allison. When we came back to church, I played the piano for a while as that always soothes my soul. Then Emma and I picked up Travis, did our lunch duty and headed off to vote. It was a bit like stepping back in time as we filled out the ballots on paper rather than doing them electronically. However, it went smoothly. Maine was also voting on the legalization of marijuana, raising of minimum wage, an extra tax on people that make more than $200k, and on more gun regulations. I voted "no" on all of them. Unfortunately, the only one that didn't pass was more gun regulations and while I am very thankful for that, I'm not too thrilled about the other referendums that passed. Don't worry though, I'm not planning on having a fit over it!😄


Wednesday was the day that I was rejoicing in what God had done. I'm not under any illusions about the president elect. He desperately needs our prayers.  However, one of the two major candidates was going to be the next president. Mrs. Clinton would have been a difficult one for me to rejoice over especially as I think about what her moral standards appear to be. Our nation is in need of intense prayer right now, as we are a country divided. As Christian people, we need to pray for our nation and ask God to specifically  work in our country. Also today was an early release day from school for the kids. The teachers are going to a convention, so the kids have a few days off of school. I went and helped with the ice skating lessons again today, as a friend was willing to watch Emma for me. Roger was unable to get off work, but I do enjoy going with the kids.



On Thursday Roger had a day off of work. He spent the day looking for a vehicle...and he found one. We decided to drive down to look at the vehicle. The kids weren't necessarily thrilled about driving to New Hampshire to look at a vehicle, but since there were not any other options, they came. 😀They are good travelers, and we made good time to the vehicle place. We took the Honda Pilot for a test drive, and the boys pronounced it a good vehicle! I liked it because it seats eight, had about 100k, and was in our budget that we could pay upfront for it. Roger was able to convince the man to go a bit lower, and we left with two vehicles. It made for a bit of a long day, but we are rejoicing in God's provision. The only drawback is that we couldn't get it insured until Monday. Friday  was Veterans Day, and the insurance place was not open on Saturday or Sunday. However, it is now
insured and we just have to go to the town office to pay the excise tax. I had never heard of such a tax before moving to Maine.

Friday was "sister day"! I wish I was better about take pictures when we go do stuff together, but we had a fabulous day. We went down to Freeport to check out the outlet stores, and to do some Christmas  shopping. I really enjoyed my time, and I so appreciated  Roger's day off. Roger is a fabulous dad, and I am blessed to be his wife. He loves me. 😘

Saturday found Roger back at work, and me and the kids hanging out at home. It was a good day for them to just be at home, out in the woods, raking leaves, building forts, and playing with legos. I do love them so much, and I enjoy the days when they are home from school.

Also this past week, Roger hit a deer with his car. The bummer part is that the deer isn't dead, and the car is damaged. When it rains, it pours! Of course, property taxes are due this week also! 😳Rogers boss loaned us a second vehicle so that Roger could get back and forth to work, and I could take the kids to school. We have done some great advertising for his work this week since the vehicles have the logo on the sides. I also drive very carefully! 😊 Roger broke a brake line on the car, lost a headlight and mirror, and dented the side panel. The good news is that the car will be driveable again. It won't be pretty, but it will get us around. His car is currently at the shop, but I am rejoicing that we can get it fixed. Hopefully, our vehicle troubles are behind us, we can get them all registered and Maine insured, and we can go back to putting aside money for the next thing. Oh, God is so good to us! If I have learned one lesson over the course of the past two years, it's about how God will provide
for our needs. I wish I could say that now I pray about stuff and don't worry, but then I'd be lying. I'm working on it!

Update: I haven't even posted this post, and it is already outdated! So....the vehicle we bought is causing us some concern. Roger drove it to work on Monday, and it started to run very loudly. Oh no! We noticed ...I mean, Roger, noticed that a patch job had fallen off the exhaust. We took it to a car inspection place and service person that many people from school go to on Tuesday. The mechanic
inspected the exhaust and also looked it over since we mentioned to them that we had just bought the vehicle. The mechanic discovered some things that need repairing which is a problem since we just
bought the vehicle! Roger immediately called the car dealer that we had bought the car from and expressed his strong disappointment...okay, it was more like anger!  Roger does not have the angry very often, but he felt that the dealer had misrepresented the vehicle. Roger told them that we would be bringing the vehicle back to them the next day. They said they weren't sure how they would solve the issue, but they would look at the vehicle. We both just wanted our money back, but knew that they wouldn't want to do that because of the title and giving back our money. However, something had to happen.


I asked my friend, Allison, if she would take the older three boys after school. Because the kids have ice skating on Wednesday, we felt it best if we didn't leave until after that. Travis and Emma had to come with us, but they did great in spite of a long day in the car. Roger left a bit ahead of us because I didn't want the kids exposed to that adult conversation. We had told our children of the situation, and we had prayed that we would specifically see God work. Chandler asked why would God let us get a vehicle that wants to take all our money. It was a good opportunity to express why we trust God even when things are hard. Perhaps God allowed the muffler piece to fall off so that we would realize that other things are wrong with it. I will say that the boys are learning the power of prayers as we adventure through life.

                                                                 Ice Skating!!
I picked up Travis early from school, made arrangements for the older boys to go with Allison, and started down the road. It was a long day. By the time we arrived at the car shop, Roger was through discussing the problem. He explained what the other mechanics had found and how disappointed he was with the dealership. They didn't see it as their problem at first, but at Rogers insistence they agreed to put the car on the lift. The mechanic admitted that there was a problem, but he wasn't willing to give our money back. He asked for an opportunity to "make it right to us, and he said they would fix it. I'm not sure how much confidence Roger and I have in that, but we are praying that they exceed our expectations. Would you please be in prayer for that also? We drive a lot, and we need a vehicle that can go a long time for many years. God is faithful and I'm thankful that He sees the big picture.

I have had the opportunity to learn a few things this week.
1) It takes two hours and forty-two minutes to get to the car dealer in New Hampshire.
2) New Hampshire does not have income tax, which I already knew, but it's a cool fact.
3) If nothing else, Roger and I have been able to have two separate conversations that have been at least two hours and forty-two minutes long.
4) We found a car mechanic for future reference near us.
5) We have some good friends in Maine
6) The whole situation could always be worse. 😉

The beautiful sunset...and our vehicle