OCTOBER- Is the Month Finally Almost Over?!

 October was a really long and full month of activities, events, “last moments for Chandler”, my parents visiting and a whole host of a lot of other things that happened in our lives. I’ll admit, I’ve felt a bit like a “failure” mom as I haven’t posted many pictures of Chandler’s last senior moments to Facebook or even shared a whole lot of what’s been happening in our lives. But the blog is the story of our lives, and I’m trying to keep most of our memories and events in one place…even if it’s currently at a once a month post! 

Photo credit: Chance Howard 

All good photos- credit to Chance Howard! 

Photo credit: Chance Howard

We started off the month of October with a visit to the regional fair. The boys had soccer practice so Emma and I had the opportunity to go to the fair with one of Emma’s classmates (Cynthia) and her mom. Emma is quickly learning that there are some advantages to being the only child to attend certain events! Emma and Cynthia had free student passes, and I had free fair passes from entering art at the fair, so the we didn’t have to pay any admission fee. Maria and I decided that Emma and Cynthia could get wristbands for the rides, and the girls  rode so many rides in the 3 hours we were at the fair. We did take them into some of the show barns to see the fair art, but we walked quickly. Maria and I had many conversations while the girls were busy on the rides, so it was a good evening for me too. After the fair, we took the girls to McDonald’s for supper, and they were thrilled with that too. It was a fun and full day for them. 

When I went to pick up all the school art work from the fair the Monday after the fair ended, I about had a panic attack as one of my high schoolers was missing his art piece! I was about to probably cry when one of the fair workers came by and said, “Oh, I think his piece is in the front office.” I was a bit confused as I was worried that it had been broken or something, but no, he had won “Best of Show” at the fair, and his project was heading to the North Carolina State Fair! Well, praise Jesus! I was so relieved and thrilled! Kaeden’s project continued on to the state level, where he won “Best of Show” at the state fair! I had nothing to do with the project, and I only coordinated the efforts of getting it to the fair, but I am so proud of his hard work and representation of the school. That was a highlight for our art department at school. 

Soccer season is completely wrapped up for another year, and it marks the ending of another chapter of soccer for another of our sons. Chandler had a great season, along with the team. They were 16-1 in the season (that’s 16 wins and 1 loss for those that did not know). And Chandler scored 30 goals over the course of the season. Roger and Armando Jr. did a fantastic job coaching the team, and while it certainly wasn’t without its moments of frustration, we are so proud of the team! The boys high school soccer team won their state conference match on October 18th for the first time in a very, very long time. They had seven seniors on the team, and we will miss them next season. However, we are thankful for the great season that the team had, and the Lord was merciful as we did not have any serious injuries. Chandler won the MVP award for the tournament, and two other boys were also named to the All-Tournament team. I do think that the awards in the conference can be a bit biased or based on who knows whom rather than skill or performance at the games. The boys soccer team should’ve had more than just three players named in the all-conference awards and the all-tournament awards. But ya know, at the end of the day, it’s just a plaque or trophy…and I also have a box of those from high school days. The memories, the moments, the relationships will far outlast the trophies or plaques. But, that being said, we were thrilled when the boys team also won the “Christian Character Award” in the conference! It’s often hard to keep your “cool” on the field or with the refs, but for the most part, both the players and the fans did fairly well. I am proud of Roger’s hard efforts, sacrifices to make coaching work, and his willingness to keep at it even when it was hard with three boys and a coach all living in the same house! 

The boys and I have worked several Saturdays at various fairs and festivals this past month helping the family that we work with during the summer months. No one necessarily loves getting up on a Saturday and going to work, but life is expensive! Chandler has been busy looking at several different colleges and trying to figure out his options. He would like to go on a deep sea fishing trip for his family senior trip at the end of the school year, and we are looking into our options for a family vacation when school is out. 

This month Wyatt had an appointment with the doctor as I wanted to ask about a bump on the back of his head. I’ve noticed it for a while now, and I wanted the doctor to check it out. It’s a hard lump on the back of his skull, so the doctor asked if we would get it xrayed. He said that he didn’t think it was anything serious as the lump is hard and not soft, but to go ahead and get it xrayed. I took Wyatt in the next morning, and I figured it wasn’t terribly serious as the doctor didn’t call until the following afternoon. Apparently, it’s just part of how his skull is formed. He probably shouldn’t ever get a close cut on the back of his head, but there’s nothing wrong. I am thankful for that. Wyatt does have another concern that we are getting looked at later in the year, but we’re not ready to cross that bridge yet. 

Chandler gave blood at the school blood drive this month, and while he managed to give the blood, he might be a “one and done” type of person. He finished the blood donation, sat in the chair, apparently said, “I don’t feel good.”, and he passed out! I wasn’t there as I was finishing up teaching, but our guidance counselor called me to tell me that Chandler was fine, but he was feeling a little woozy. I walked down to the donation room, and the Principal and Pastor were in the hallway. Pastor Powell told me that Chandler was about as white as a sheet, and when I looked in the room, he sure was white! Chandler was laying on the floor with his legs up on the chair, sipping juice, and looking a little out of it! All is well, but Chandler did come home that afternoon and took a nap! 

Let’s see…what else happened this month? Lots of art, teaching, instruction, and trying to make it through the very long month of October! There are not any days off of school, so it makes for some loooong days! My parents did come from Wisconsin in the beginning of the month, and it was good to see them. It’s been a while, and we don’t see them nearly as often as we would like. They came for Chandler’s senior soccer night, and stayed a few days. The boys were happy to get out a little early from school a few days that week, and we enjoyed meals and fellowship with them. The boys and Roger will be heading to Wisconsin for deer hunting at the end of November, and they are all looking forward to both the experiences and time together. Maybe someday my parents will move a little closer! (Did you read that, Dad and Mom?) :) 

Also this month we took the time to remember Charlie Kirk, Emma’s field trip was cancelled due to the government shutdown, and we made it through the first quarter of the school year!

We’ve also had some not-so-wonderful experiences as that’s what life is made of. Reality is that we cannot always protect our children from hard or unpleasant situations (nor should we want to), but sometimes these moments of growth are hard on parent and child. There’s been a situation this past month that caused us to wonder if we are just those “really weird parents” or if we just need to be “steadfast and unmovable always abounding in the work of the Lord”. I know I’m talking in riddles here, but we really could use some extra prayers. One of our children was faced with a situation that is out of their control, but yet a bit of a situation where the repercussions will be felt for a long time. The truth is that at the end of the day, Roger and I need to protect, prepare and nurture the heart of our children to love and serve Jesus. We surely do not do it all perfectly, but as I tell my art students all the time, “Progress over perfection.” How do we best prepare our children to live lives that honor and glorify their Heavenly Father? Perhaps I’ll be able to share a bit more about this situation later, but honestly it’s been hurtful and overwhelming, and we are still trying to process it all. 

 One of the attributes of God that we are teaching in our art classes is that God is holy. Did you know that the word “holy” is mentioned 611 times in the Bible? The word “love” is mentioned 310 times. I’ve been telling our art students that we are surrounded by a culture that screams “God is love.” “Love like Jesus”, etc. All of which are true statements, but we equally need to ask ourselves, “Is this holy?” “ Does this action/deed cause me strive to be holy?” Sometimes in my art classes, I think I’m far more convicted than my students! Haha! 

We are very much looking forward to the month of November. A few of my art students worked on a “thankful” tree for Jen this past week as we want to encourage thankfulness in the hearts of our students. I’m excited to see what our students are thankful this month, and hopefully encourage that attitude of gratitude. God is so good, isn’t he? I’m hoping to write a bit more on the blog next month about several things that I am really thankful for in my life. 

I really love this song! 

August- Birthdays, School, and other August Adventures!

 I'm not sure where the month of August went, but it's practically gone! The month flew by with the start of another school year, multiple birthdays, fall sports, coaching, art classes, a class picnic, a family wedding, and whatever else we've done that I've forgotten about this month!

If you remember, from my last blog post, Wyatt sprained his ankle at the end of July. He was very disappointed to miss out on soccer camp at Bob Jones University, but Travis had the opportunity to attend instead. Soccer camp was a much better experience that basketball camp was for the boys last summer. I was thankful for the emphasis on devotions, spiritual growth and skill set development. Travis told me that the worst part about the college was the showers. The dorms have community showers on each hall, and while each shower is separated by a curtain, of course, Travis did not like that at all. I had to laugh when he told me that he only took two showers cause the "showers were weird, mom." Gross! But ok! Chandler was actually awarded with the "Camper of the Week" award that was giving to the soccer player that displayed leadership skills, soccer skills, and Christian character. I think the part that makes me the most proud about that award is that Chandler won that completely on his own. I wasn't there to remind him to have good manners or work hard, but he did it; and he won the award. We are proud of him! 

Early in the month of August, Roger and I went to South Carolina for his brother’s wedding. It was a quick trip away, but it was good to see family that we haven’t seen in quite a while. The weekend went by way too fast, but we were thankful that we were able to celebrate Nate and Jenny as they tied the knot. 

Our first day back to school was on August 14th, and it was a very different feeling to only be taking four kids to school this year. Garett is continuing to work for the gutter company, while trying to figure out what his next steps will be. He has started attending Sunday morning services at the same church that his co-worker attends, and Garett seems to be liking that. It seems like there is a large disconnect between kids getting out of high school and then becoming adults. We've been a little concerned about Garett feeling a bit lost and disconnected, so we are praying that he can develop some rock solid friendships soon. He needs a buddy to go golfing with, spend some time with and hang out with. All his brothers (and playmates) are busy with school and fall sports. I think Garett is feeling lonely. If God brings Garett to mind, please pray that he will have wisdom and direction...and find a friend. 

Jen and I have been busy coaching middle school volleyball, and like everything else, it is an adventure! I am excited about this opportunity to help young players develop skills, but also to hopefully encourage their walk with Jesus. I don't like losing, but more importantly than that, I want us to help our players develop a deep love for Jesus...and improve their volleyball skills!

Two days after school started back, one of our friends hosted a "Senior Party" at their lake property. It was a great opportunity for most of the seniors to fellowship together as well as enjoy some fun adventures at the lake. I am thankful for many of the parents in Chandler's senior class, and it was a fun afternoon for all. Our family also went to the lake as we helped with some of the food preparation, cleanup, and whatever else needed doing. We are thankful for Steve and Tammie as they have invited and included us to several events and that fellowship has been much needed by our family. 

Chandler is a SENIOR! I can't even believe that we are already here...again! Where did time go?! He is taking several harder courses this year and a dual credit course. He told me that he needed to drop one of his electives as he needed another study hall hour to study. He has been working hard on his grades, and please, please pray that he will have some direction on what God wants him to do. On the night before school started, Chandler was in tears (lots of tears), and he doesn't cry easily. He said that he felt frustrated that God wasn't working and he didn't know what God wanted him to do in college. It was a good reminder to encourage Chandler to focus on the next right thing...today, be a good student, love Jesus, honor your parents, work hard, and be open to whatever God has for you. I cried (nothing unusual there!), and Chan cried, but we are really praying that God will continue to work in and through Chandler's life. He has made some really, really hard decision this month about somethings, and it's been hard to watch his hurt. But God is always at work, never late, and He is working out His perfect plan. However, that boy could use your prayers. 

Roger has been busy coaching the boys soccer team, and the team has been working hard. There is a lot of talent in some of our players, but Roger and his assistant coach also work very hard with the team. The team has done well this season, and we are looking forward to seeing what the season brings. Soccer is Chandler’s favorite sport, followed closely by golf. Wyatt prefers basketball, but he is good at soccer too. Travis enjoys all the sports, but he’s not as competitive as any of his older brothers. They get hot and bothered by him not being as competitive, but I think Travis has just learned to “play his game”, and he is doing just fine at it. It’s fun to watch them play together, and while tempers sometimes have to cool off around our house, I really do enjoy watching them play soccer. 

None of these soccer photos are mine. The credit goes to Chance Howard- youth pastor. I am very thankful that he is willing to take the pictures! 

We also celebrated Emma’s 12th birthday, Travis’s 15th birthday, and now Garett’s 19th birthday! Craziness! The month of August is full of birthdays and ice cream cakes! :)  Emma still enjoys all things girly, and she asked for a baby stroller for her birthday. Aunt Jen found her a baby stroller on Amazon, and Emma was thrilled with her gift. I know that it won’t be too much longer before she isn’t interested in dolls and baby strollers anymore, so I am happy to treasure these moments. Garett spent some of his own earnings to get Emma a gift card to Walmart, and she was so thrilled! She made an entire shopping list for things she was interested in at Walmart, and then quickly realized that her $20.00 gift card was not going to cover all the things she was interested in buying! It was a quick reminder of how fast money can be spent! 

Travis’s 15th birthday was last weekend, and we had two of my dad’s sisters visiting for the weekend. It was fun to have them over for his birthday lunch, and of course, eat ice cream cake! Travis asked for new golf shoes for his birthday, and I was able to find him a really nice pair for his birthday. His big brother, Garett, spent his own money to buy Travis a gift card to Dick’s Sporting Goods and that was really sweet.  

Garett had his 19th birthday this weekend, and we celebrated with homemade enchiladas, and you guessed it…more ice cream cake! He tries to pack a lunch during the week so that he can save more money, so for his birthday Aunt Jen and his parents gave him gift cards for food places. And Garett was delighted with that! I can’t believe that he is 19 years old, and that we have arrived here so quickly! 

We came to the western side of the state to spend a day with my Aunt Lisa and her family. It was a good day for relaxing and enjoying the beautiful day. The kids spent several hours in the pool, but it was definitely not warm enough for me! Once we get into the school year, the days seem to fly by and it is hard to get away to visit our family on the western side of the state. Since this was a long weekend, we felt like we should do it. And I’m glad we did!

Travis has a weird rash infection that has spread over his legs and on one of his wrists. He was itching so badly during the soccer game on Tuesday night that Roger pulled him from the game. Travis went behind the bench to slather up with anti-itch cream so that he could play again. By Wednesday morning, the rash had spread some more and Travis came and found me in my classroom. He asked if I could make him an appointment after school. I made an appointment at a walk-in clinic, and while we got right in for our appointment at 4:50pm, we waited almost an hour in the exam room! The physician was concerned about a staph infection as Travis had scratched some of the itch so badly that he had torn his skin. She recommended two different shots to get a jump start on the infection and then some additional pills and anti-itch cream. Travis was completely mortified when the nurse said that the shots had to go in his butt. He was like, “Um, no thank you. I’m good.” However, Travis is TERRIBLE with taking pills, so I knew that was needed to get these shots in at the clinic. And we did. Travis arrived home and promptly told Roger, “Well, there was a full moon in the doctor’s office.” Haha! I’m glad he was able to be a good sport about it later. The steroids have made him hungrier and crankier than usual, so I’ll be happy when it’s all behind us. However, the rash does seem to be getting better, so we are thankful for that. 

We are thankful for a long weekend to soak up some extra family time, catch up on laundry (or at least I am thankful for that!), and savor these days as a family of seven. I know our time is coming to an end, and I can almost feel the changes coming at me faster than I’d like! I’m thankful that my Heavenly Father holds each one of our children in the palm of His hand, and He loves them more than I could ever imagine. The song I have on repeat this week is one that I have shared before, but I really do love this song. 

As we prepare to enter the month of September, I hope that you are reminded of the goodness and grace of our Heavenly Father. We truly are so blessed to have a Heavenly Father that we can run to in moments of joy or sorrow, laughter or heaviness, peace or unsettledness, He welcomes us with open arms. 

July Adventures- Sleep Study, a Sprain, a Trip to Greenville, SC, and Other Adventures!

 And just like that, July is almost over! I’ve been trying to find the time to write about our “adventures”, but honestly, time is just running away from us this summer. We’ve made lots of trips to the local pool, and the boys have played a lot of golf and soccer. We’ve worked a lot at various jobs, and I am thankful that I’ve wrapped up the job at the farmers market. I’ve been thankful for work this summer, as the summer months are always tight without having income coming in from my work at the school. The farmer’s market job has provided jobs for Wyatt, myself, Travis and even a day for Emma here and there. Even Garett has worked a day at the Farmer’s Market when we were short handed! I don’t think he was thrilled to use his day off at the market, but it was helpful to us, and he did it! It is almost always hot, but it also has given us an opportunity to be thankful for our air conditioned home and the local pool! 

Garett purchased a car a few weeks ago, and then we purchased a second additional vehicle for our family. Now that Chandler is driving to his job also, we’ve needed to have an additional car. Last week, Roger and I drove to Wilmington to look at a “new” car. Since this is Chandler’s last year in high school, and he is probably going off to college, we kept that thought in mind while looking. Chandler has been driving the mini van to his job as he can put down the seats, and then pile in all his pressure washing equipment in the back of the van. He has been working for a man from our church, and Chandler has been thriving on the variety of things he gets to do, and he has been saving his money all summer long. He made a big purchase- more on that later. Anyways, back to the car situation for our family. We purchased a 2005 Toyota Camry. Haha- it’s definitely not my dream car, and it wasn’t my first pick, but it’s paid for and it has low miles. We drive  a LOT to and from school, and it has been very expensive to insure Chandler and Garett with car insurance. They’ve done a great job of paying for a good chunk of it, but Roger and I felt like the best thing to do right now was to purchase and older car and try to keep our car insurance as low as possible. Typically I drive the “new” car to work at the farmers market, and Chandler takes the mini van to his job. He called me last week and said, “mom, I have to tell you something.” Um, that is never what a mom wants to hear! He went on to say that he had been painting for his job, and he had accidentally spilled some black oil paint in the back of the van! I’ll be honest, I was a bit annoyed, but I kept my cool. He worked really, really hard at getting the paint out of the van, and while the van still smells a bit like gasoline, most of the paint is out of the van. I told Roger that I guess one thing that I can be thankful for is that I don’t have a 2024 Honda Odyssey mini van, and instead it’s a 2011 mini van with 250, 000 miles! Someday, we might have a new vehicle, but for now, we’re in the middle of raising up new drivers, lots of miles, and lots of work, so it’s okay. God has blessed us all with some great work opportunities, great family time at the local pool, and lots of hours of conversations this summer. We are so blessed. 

The Fourth of July seems like forever ago, but it really was just earlier this month. We all had off work for the day, so that was nice. We spent the day working around our own house, and on various projects. Roger and I had thought about inviting some people over for the holiday, but truthfully, sometimes I’m just tired. We had just had over our neighbor and her daughter earlier in the week, and while I really do enjoy having people in our home, I just wasn’t up to it. So, we just puttered around the house and soaked up family time. 

In between working at the farmers market this summer, I’ve been working on some new projects that I want to try with my art classes. I’ll be leaving the library this year, and instead I’ll be teaching the art classes from kindergarten thru 12th grade! Gulp! It’s a big undertaking, and there are many, many days that I doubt my abilities! However, God is faithful, and I know that He can help me do my best, love my students, and point them to His faithfulness and goodness. I’m excited about the opportunity, but teaching art is a spectrum that is a million miles wide! There are SO many things to teach, creative ideas, artists, and the list goes on and on. These first several years will be the hardest as all the lessons have to be written for the high school classes, as well as students that are in their second year of Middle School. The hardest part is getting started and trying to narrow it down to what I want to teach. 

My dad has been struggling with some physical complications after his prostrate cancer, and he has actually spent a few days in the hospital this summer. Aging is a part of the life process, but no one prepares you for your parents aging! It’s hard to know how to help or what to do, and all of us girls live farther away than we’d like. If it crosses your mind, I know that my parents would appreciate your prayers. 

Roger and Garett left on Wednesday, July 23, to drive to Oshkosh, WI for the EAA air show. It’s been quite a few years since they’ve been able to go to the air show, and Roger had some family members that were going to be there this week for the air show also. Garett and Roger drove the 15 hours through the night, but they made it safely to Wisconsin. They will be leaving to return to NC in the early hours of Sunday morning, so it’s a really quick trip! I am thankful that they have this opportunity to spend time together. The older I get the more I realize that life really is such a “vapor” as the Bible states. 

We’ve spent several Sundays this summer visiting a church in Wilmington, NC. We often go to the early service, and then we spend a couple of hours at the beach. We’ve been to Wrightsville beach and Topsail beach, and we’ve enjoyed our time at both. The boys enjoy the beach but not the sand. Emma loves all of it, and she’s never ready to leave the beach! Last summer we weren’t able to spend a lot of time at the beach, so we’ve tried to prioritize it more this summer. It’s a bit of a drive to the church in Wilmington, but we’ve enjoyed the services there this summer. 

The boys have also spent a lot of time golfing this summer, and that is something that they’ve enjoyed doing in the evening hours together. Emma and I will go to the pool, and the boys will golf til they get to the hole by the pool. Travis will usually give up the golfing for time in the pool by that point! :) Travis has also managed to snag another little job this summer and that is mowing grass for our neighbor. We went over earlier in the summer to introduce ourselves, and she mentioned that she would like to hire one of the boys to mow her grass once a week. She pays quite well for a simple mowing job, and since Travis was the boy that was with us at the time, he snatched the job up. She told him that if one of the other brothers wanted to mow one week, they could do it that way. Travis told Roger, “I’m just going to let the brothers assume that I’m mowing her grass out of the goodness of my heart but I’ll be getting paid too.” Haha! Well, it didn’t take long for that secret to get out of the bag, but Travis has kept the job. It’s been a perfect little side job for him, and he calls it his “mad money” job. He saves his money from the farmer’s market, and he uses his “mad money” for golf outings, extras, and Dunkin’ Donuts coffee sometimes. We are thankful for employment for the boys, and we’ve definitely been working to try to instill in them, “spend some, save some, give some”. Getting in the habit of giving to the local church and ministries is an important habit to make, and we want the boys to start that habit now. 

It’s not all work…we do have fun too! Chandler and Wyatt were planning on heading off to soccer camp at Bob Jones University on Monday. However, Wyatt ended up spraining his ankle at school soccer practice on Tuesday night. I brought him into the urgent care clinic on Wednesday night, and it is not broken. We are thankful for that! However, his ankle is badly sprained, and he needs to stay off of it for several weeks. So, no soccer camp for Wyatt next week. He is very disappointed about that, but it is what it is. I contacted BJU to ask them if I could just send a different son instead. Travis was not originally signed up due to the cost of camp for three boys, but now Travis is going to soccer camp on Monday with Chandler! Emma, Wyatt and I will stay a few days in the Drury hotel in Greenville, SC, and I’m excited about the time to spend with these two kids. It gets harder to find the time to spend with them as life gets busier, so I’m looking forward to a few days enjoying their company. 

We made it to Greenville, SC, yesterday afternoon. It’s only about a 4.5 hour drive from our house, so it’s a much easier drive than driving to Pensacola. We dropped off Travis and Chandler at camp. I had made the name change for Travis to go instead of Wyatt, but Travis told me last night that everyone was calling him Wyatt, so he was just letting them call him that. I am praying that they have a really great time, learn a lot, grow closer as brothers, and closer to Jesus. I didn’t think that BJU did a great job last summer on their basketball camp and pointing kids to Jesus, so I’m hoping for a better emphasis on that with soccer camp. We will see. We are also getting to the place where Chandler is going to need to start making some decisions regarding college, so I’m sure that is coming into play also when he attends these camps. Please pray for wisdom and direction for him. Chandler took a college English class this summer, and he is thankful that one English class is behind him! 

Garett and Roger had a great time at the Airshow in Oshkosh, and I am thankful that they were able to spend some time together as well as time with some of Roger’s family. Garett is still struggling to get all the pieces to the puzzle of life to fit into his nice neat little boxes. I keep reminding him that sometimes all we can do is the next right thing. For now, work hard and save money. Love Jesus and pray fervently. He didn’t have a lot of close friends in his senior class, and I am a little worried about him making connections as he transitions out of youth group. It seems like the jump from high school to adulthood is hard in life decision making and in churches. Friendships move and shift, and Garett is struggling a bit with it all. 

I don’t know about anyone else, but we are not ready to jump into “back to school”. We are trying to soak up these last few days with family and friends. I love teaching, and I am excited about the new year…but there’s just so much to do! I am not ready to go through another “senior year”! Chandler is currently planning on going to college, and he is trying to figure out his options. We are open to suggestions! Where are kids going to Christian colleges at these days? Chandler would love to go somewhere where he can possibly play soccer or golf or both! College is also expensive, so trying to navigate through many steps is a bit overwhelming! I’m thankful that God goes beside and before us, and that God has a perfect plan for Chandler’s life. In the picture that I added to the blog that states “golf”, that includes a picture of Chandler at Dick’s Sporting Goods. He has worked hard this summer, and he paid for a golf fitting and a fitted set of irons for him. He did drop a pretty penny on it, but he’s also in a position to make a big purchase this summer. I had to laugh though as he entered into Dick’s Sporting Goods with his grubby shorts, ripped t-shirt, and dirty shoes to pay for his golf clubs! He looked more like a homeless person than someone who was going to spend some money! :) 

Emma had a sleep study done on July 6th. It was probably the worst nights rest I have gotten in a long time, and I don’t think Emma slept much better! However, the results of the test concluded that Emma needs to get her tonsils take out. She has mild sleep apnea, and her tonsils are enlarged. That surgery will take place in September. Please pray for a quick and smooth recovery! 

I’ve had this song on my mind lately as we prepare for another transition of a senior this year. God is so good!

  

September Moments and Memories

 The first day of fall has officially come and gone, and today we are experiencing temps in the high 80s! I’m not sure we’re ready for flannels, boots and pumpkin spice, but all those things are out in full force! 

September has been a busy month for our family as the boys have played on the school soccer team, Emma has been playing a little volleyball on Saturdays, plus all the other activities of the school year and season of life.  

The boys have been working hard a school and playing soccer. Roger has sacrificed a lot to be able to coach the boys soccer team, and while I don’t think the boys recognize that to the full extent, it has been a mostly good experience. We are not happy when we lose, and with four boys and a soccer coach all in the same house, sometimes we have to walk away from each other after a lost match! We have one son that is fiercely competitive and wants everyone else to be equally competitive and play the game with the same tenacity that he does. We have one son that is also competitive, and he works hard to become a better player in whatever sport he’s competing in. We have one son that really enjoys the sport, and probably thinks he’s better than he actually is at it, but he enjoys the game. We have one son that is fairly decent at soccer (actually quite good for his age and size), and he shows up and works hard at games and practices, but is often run over by larger players. And we have one soccer coach that wants all his players to do their very best, encourage each other and play the game. Whew! Yup, it’s a lot! We’ve learned a lot this season, and I’m reminded at every game that this is Garett’s final season playing for the team. 

We had several games that have been canceled due to rain, and this past week we had two games back to back. We don’t typically play on Mondays due to the cross country players, but it was necessary this week. The team played terrible on Monday, and no one was happy. However, the team showed up to play the game on Tuesday, and it was a great game to watch. I feel like the soccer refs have been so inconsistent all season, and we never quite know what will or won’t be called. Roger tells his players all the time, “to play til the whistle blows”, and they did just that. There was a lot of whistle blowing at Tuesday’s game, and we ended up with a yellow card for the first time in a long time. A yellow card in soccer is just a warning, but it’s not something you want to get either. I think the ref gave out two yellow cards in the first half so that was a little unusual in itself. In the second half, Garett ended up with a yellow card! I think I was more surprised than he was as that is not Garett’s personality at all. He and another player had been going for the ball, and the ref said that Garett was too rough. Garett got a yellow card for “retaliation”. Now, if this was against his brothers- absolutely! But anyone who knows Garett knows that is not his personality at all. He’s like the gentlest teenager I know, except when riled up by his brothers! But oh well, he got one. Later in the evening, while the team was having supper, our Athletic Director came over to talk to Garett. All yellow or red cards have to be recorded, so he asked Garett about the yellow card. Stephen then told Garett that there was a $75.00 fee per yellow card, and Garett would need to bring the money to school on Monday. Garett looked so crestfallen, but he nodded his head and said, “Yes, sir. Okay.” Stephen pulled it off with a straight face and Garett swallowed it- hook, line and sinker! It was a funny moment, and I’m thankful for laughter and smiles! 

This month I’ve been working hard at preparing art for the regional agricultural fair. I’m teaching Middle School art this year, and whew- that’s a lot of prep, PowerPoints, and trial and error! I wanted the middle school to submit some art to the fair, but we found out that all the art for Middle School and High School had to be submitted two weeks prior to the fair! I was able to round up a few art projects for the fair so at least the school will be represented, but next year we will be better prepared. Our elementary students also submitted art for the fair, and all that had to be dropped off this past week. I breathed a huge sigh of relief to have it all dropped off at the fair! Kaycee (my art assistant) and I matted 24 pieces of art for the elementary art exhibit, and it’s hard to pick out four from each grade when there are 40 kids in some of the grades! But we are excited to see how the art places at the fair this week. 

Any other elementary/middle school art teachers on here? How do you get it all done?! I have a curriculum, but the PowerPoints for each lesson need to be created so that I can use them for future years. Then there’s the prep time for the lesson, the cleanup time, capitalizing on the lesson, while also teaching them about one of the names of God. Throw in preparing for library classes on top of that, and sometimes I think all I dream about it is school! Thankfully, I have a great assistant in both areas, but the amount of time to prepare and plan is sometimes overwhelming. My goal is to get to the place where each class does their own art projects each year and there is no crossing over of lessons from grade to grade, but we aren’t there yet! And I love curriculum and following a lesson, but it doesn’t take too long to figure out that not all the lessons will work for either the supplies on hand or the students. Life is an adventure and teaching can be a wild ride! I never, ever envisioned myself teaching art classes (and I’m sure my family didn’t either) but I’ve actually really enjoyed the challenge for the most part. I know that even my first graders can tell you the three names of God that we’ve learned about this year and that there are 7 elements of art! (We are a work in progress!) I love it when my kindergarten class can tell me that “Elohim” means “mighty Creator”, and my upper grades can give a Bible verse to go with that. I know that education is important and learning art it’s important, but the most important thing that I can teach them is about Jesus. I want each of my students to have a deeper relationship with Jesus when school ends in May than they do right now. And so while it’s a lot of hard work, I am thankful for the opportunity to invest in the lives of these students right here and right now. (But, I’d also appreciate your prayers for wisdom and direction.) 

Per usual, we’ve been busy! I worked a Saturday at the farmer’s market earlier this month, and Chandler worked at a pumpkin stand last Saturday. This week we have three days off of school due to fall break, and we are all working at various places the next couple of days. Wyatt, Chandler, myself and Travis are going to be working at an event and then the fair grounds. Garett will probably be able to get a few days working on gutters, and Emma is coming along with someone! Garett is a senior this year, and we are working hard to pay for a senior trip for our family over spring break. All the kids are pitching in a certain percentage of the cost, and we want to pay cash for this pretty big trip…so we work! It’s really been nice that work has been available for our children, and because they’ve worked hard this past summer, they’ve been able to “get their foot in the door” so to speak on jobs for the future. The jobs we are working this week are a direct result of working this past summer. We’ve already picked out Garett’s senior trip, and we’re looking forward to spring break! 

Lest anyone think that all we do is work, we don’t! Roger’s brother, Nate, came for a weekend with two of his kids earlier in the month. While Nate was here, all the boys and Roger and Nate played in a golf tournament for church. Each of our boys was on a different team, but they all seemed to have a really good time. Roger and Nate were on the same team, and it seems like a good time was had by all. Emma and Karis spent the day grocery shopping with me, playing with Sam, and making mud pies in the yard. 

Another weekend this past month, the kids and Roger went to Virginia to visit the Everett’s. I stayed home as I had already committed to work at the farmers market, but it was really nice to have a quiet evening at home. While I missed the opportunity to visit with the Everetts, I was very thankful for the time spent at home by myself. 

After fall break, we have the wrapping up of the soccer season in October, and then then next sport right around the corner! We are planning on going to Wisconsin for Thanksgiving, and all the boys are dreaming of deer hunting and time spent with Nana and Papa. 

We’ve had some very warm days in September, but it looks like cooler weather is coming soon. We had a lot of rain this fall, and that was a blessing for Roger. It’s easier for him to take off of work to coach the soccer team if fires are not blazing. And since we’ve had a wet fall, it’s been quiet at Roger’s work. 

We have three names of God that we’ve been working on learning in Art classes. Elohim, Jehovah, Adonai. 

“Elohim” - Mighty Creator. Genesis 1:1

“Jehovah” - I am Who I am (God’s personal name and a reminder that He is enough) 

“Adonai” - The Lord is my master (Even the mountains will melt like wax at the name of Adonai) Psalm 97:5 

A Little of This and Too Much of That!

 We’ve had a some really great moments in the last two weeks amidst two very busy weeks of soccer, cross-country, teachers conventions and school. We’ve had a little bit of down time and too much of being busy, but in two more weeks the soccer and cross-country season will be done. It’ll be a wrap for Garett’s junior year, Chandler’s sophomore year, and Wyatt’s 8th grade year, and Travis’s 7th grade year for fall sports, and that’s so hard to believe! 

Last week I had the opportunity to attend a teachers convention. I was very thankful for this opportunity as I’m in the middle of teaching 200 plus students twice a week through art and library. I had planned to return to school this fall to begin my masters, but I’m really, really thankful that I didn’t try to take a bite out of that elephant! Attending a teachers convention is a little like drinking water from a fire hydrant as the water is good, but it’s fast and heavy! My favorite sessions were the ones on “ADD and ADHD” and “Read -alouds for children”. There was one that I attended that made me regret my choice. Sometimes the title sounds intriguing, but watching paint dry is more exciting! I found a few great ideas that I want to implement in either art or library, and I’m always happy to listen to other teacher’s perspectives.

While I was at the Teacher’s convention, the boys had the opportunity to attend the local fair in our county. They went with the Everett’s on Thursday night, and while it was crowded, they seemed to have a great time. They took pictures of the art that our school entered, and we did alright- I think. We entered 24 pieces of art and we took home 8 blue, 8 red, and 8 white ribbons (1st, 2nd, 3rd). I’m glad that event is behind us!

We went golfing last Saturday! (I did not golf, but I went to watch the boys golf!) Emma was able to spend the afternoon at Cynthias house which she much preferred to going golfing, but the boys were excited to go golfing. The Everett’s had given Travis a game of golf for his birthday, so he was eager to use that! It was a fun afternoon watching the kids interact with each other and laugh and make memories. Laura and I had a great time driving the golf cart and hunting for golf balls. It was a beautiful afternoon that made us think that perhaps FALL weather is going to come, and we enjoyed the moments. 

I had the rare opportunity to run a cross-country practice this week, and it was a good reminder of why I enjoyed that sport so much during my college days. It’s such hard work, and running is such a mental thing; but when you see and feel yourself improve, it can be so rewarding. Some of the runners had a cross-country meet, so our AD asked me to run a practice with the runners that had stayed behind for practices in soccer or volleyball. I went out on my lunch break to walk out a trail that I wanted the runners to run. Cross-country is an easy sport to get beat at mentally, so I wanted the runners to run a trail where I could see them almost constantly. If you know someone is watching, typically, you’ll keep running! I was happy with practice went, and I was thankful for the opportunity. I got out for a run on Wednesday evening, and it was probably the best thing I did for myself all week. It was a mental reset, and it helped clear up a lot of “brain fog” in my brain. 

The rest of the week was crazy busy with three soccer games with teams in our conference. The boys lost on Tuesday, but the teams won on Thursday and Friday. Garett, Chandler, Wyatt and Travis all got to start on Thursday and Friday’s games so that was especially fun for Travis. Jen had us all over for supper after Tuesday nights game, so I really appreciated that! It’s so nice to have her close enough to have supper with and enjoy life experiences with her. 

On Friday night there was also a night cross-country run. I wanted Chandler and Wyatt to run in the race, but I could see that they were both really exhausted. Chandler has played 240 minutes of soccer this week, and Wyatt probably close to the same. Chandler stayed up late on Thursday night working on a paper, so he was really dragging by Friday after the game. We did go to the race to support the team, and that was about what we could manage. Chandler said that if he laid on the ground, he would fall asleep and neither boy wanted to run. So even though I kinda wanted them to run, we decided that it was enough that they had come to support their teammates. A person can only do so much before burnout, and it’s been a long week. 

Jen, Emma and I left around 8:00am on Saturday morning to head towards the western part of the state. My cousin, Faith, was having a baby shower, and we wanted to go and show our love and support. It’s a bit of a drive across the state, but it was a good opportunity to visit with family. Emma and her second cousin, Lainey got in the swimming pool in the afternoon on the 7th of October! BRRR!!! They didn’t stay in long, but they did get in the pool and swim! 

We drove back today after church to prepare for another week of school and sports. My aunt mentioned that there is a possibility that the Opportunity Educational Scholarship will become available for all families in North Carolina that want to send their kids to a private school. This would be HUGE for us! I love teaching, but what would it be like to teach simply because I enjoy it, and not because we need to pay a school bill?! I have no idea if it will actually come to fruition or not or how long it would even last, but it’s definitely a big one on my prayer list! 

Through it all, God is faithful and good. We’ve had a lot of really great moments in the last few weeks, and I’ve had a few more awful moments than I care to admit. But in the midst of the doubts, discouragement, and depression, God has sent encouragement through His Word, His promises, and His people. I found a sweet note in my mailbox this week from an older teacher that has encouraged me in the past. A friend gave me a much needed hug this week and brought coffee. Sometimes no one can actually solve the problems, but God reminds me that He is the God of the “Parter of the Red Sea”, the “Protector of Daniel in the Lion’s Den” and the “Provider for Elijah”…He will never fail to supply our every need. 

The weather this week held the faintest touch of Maine, and it made me miss some of the really good times we’d had there. Maine is a beautiful state (so is North Carolina, but there’s nothing quite like fall in Maine!)  I miss the closeness I shared with the teaching staff and the feeling of being included. I miss teaching Kindergarten. I miss  Becki Martz teaching and pouring Jesus into our children. I miss  singing on the Praise team for church. I miss all the crazy ideas that Allison and I came up with together. There are some things that I do NOT miss, but in a few quiet moments of reflection this week, we did have a really great six years in Maine. But God is still faithful. He is still guiding and shaping our lives. May we live for His glory! 

I was reminded of this song this week…”Weak made strong..through the storm, He is Lord. Lord of all!” Oh, Praise the Lord! 

Soccer, Victories, Elections!

 

So thankful for these boys! 

Emma was “teaching” school using my teacher’s manual! 

A blessing from a friend. 

I feel like I have so much to write about, and I know I’m going to re-read this post in a few hours and be reminded of everything that I meant to write about! 

What a week it has been! (You probably inserted an eye-roll there thinking, “she says that ALL the time”!)  But we’ve wrapped up the soccer season, prepared a song for Veteran’s Day, had an impromptu supper get together with some friends, finally turned on the heat at our house, and so much more! 

The boys had their last soccer game last Tuesday, and we almost won...but not quite! However, we did get Chinese take-out to celebrate the end of the season, and we ate it at Mrs. Terri’s house. The kids always enjoy their time with Mrs. Terri, and it’s always nice to go to someone else’s house! 

Last Wednesday I taught music classes, and we worked on the song “God Bless America”. I don’t know if you know, but that song is actually written as a prayer for our nation. The verse to the song is not very well-known, but the words to that song can bring me to tears almost every time. In fact, we sang the song in our church on Sunday morning, and I just had to stop singing. “God bless America, Land that I love. Stand beside her and guide her through the night with a light from above...” Even as I write this, I’m reminded of how truly blessed I am to live in America. There is chaos, confusion, and destruction running rampant in parts of our country, but seriously, I love America. It’s not my God, it’s not my Savior, but it is the land that I love. 

Garett caught a cold on Thursday, so he had to miss the end-of the season barbecue for the soccer team on Friday. He was disappointed, and I was disappointed for him. However, he had a good attitude about it, and I’m thankful that he is old enough to be left at home on his own for a bit! It was about 39 degrees on Friday afternoon, but we still gathered after school for a parent/player scrimmage. It was a lot of fun, and I’m thankful that we could run around and be warm! It was also nice to wrap up the season with a fun event, and I am thankful that the season is over! It’s going to be glorious to go home on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays right after school! 

Roger caught a cold on Saturday, so he and Garett were both kinda down for the day. It was nice to have a low -key day. It was Halloween, but the only one that remembered was Emma. I’ll just look for some Halloween candy on clearance. A dear lady in our church gave our children some money for Halloween candy, and the kids decided that they would rather wait until after Halloween to spend it as then they can get twice as much! One of Travis’s friends asked him what he was going to be for Halloween. Travis gave his standard yearly reply, “I’ll be myself, of course. Why would I want to be anything else?!” Yes, that sounds like Travis! 

Earlier this week, Travis asked for a refund on his quarter. We have these snack boxes at school in which the students can pay a quarter and then pick out a snack. Travis had asked me for a quarter for a snack, so I had given him one last week. A few days later he asked me for a refund on his quarter! “What? Why?” He replied that he had picked out a snack and it was “terrible”. I asked him what was wrong with his snack, and he replied that his cookies tasted like “Church cookies”! He said that sometimes “church cookies” taste pretty bad, and the cookies from the snack box tasted like those. I about spit out my water as I listened to him describe his impression and his need for a refund on his quarter! 

Roger and Garett both stayed home from church on Sunday, as they were still congested. This is a year that we need to be very careful with colds and germs, so as much as they were disappointed to miss church, it was necessary. As we sang “God Bless America”, I caught the eye of one of the oldest gentlemen in our congregation. This man is a WWII veteran, and one of my friends. His eye closed but not before I noticed the tears forming, and that was my undoing too. This man had fought for our countries freedoms, his wife died about two years ago, and I know he is very concerned for our country. These are the heroes of our country, in my opinion. Our school is creating small “thank-you” bags for veterans, and I hope we can be a small blessing to those who have given so much to our country. 

I was also blessed to discover two loaves of homemade bread and a jar of jam with my name on it at school last week. A dear friend, Robin, has made bread for the staff at our school, and it was my turn for fresh bread. It was perfect timing too as we’ve been studying the food pyramid in our class. It was a delightful treat, and such a sweet reminder of how much God loves me. 

Last week, Chandler had our new staff member, Mr. Waugh, as his teacher for a few days. Chandler’s teacher was not feeling well, so Mr. Waugh subbed in the seventh grade class. Garett was happy because his teacher let him be in the seventh grade class on Thursday. Mr. Waugh has been such a great addition to our school, and I am so thankful for his positive mentorship on our sons. While we recognize that we, as parents, have the most influence on our children,  it’s always so wonderful when they can have Christ-like mentorship in their lives. Mr. Waugh has also taken on teaching the seventh and eighth grade boys Sunday school class, and our boys have certainly been enjoying that. It’s a wonderful thing when our boys want to go to church and Sunday school, and I know that they are being challenged through God’s Word. As parents, we are very thankful for these positive changes in our boys lives. It’s been a rough start to the school year for several of our children, so it’s a balm to a weary soul to see God still at work. 

Election....tomorrow! Our students will be singing, “God Bless America” tomorrow, and it’s fitting that this will take place on voting day. You’ve read all the articles, you’re probably fed up with politics, you’ve probably already decided who you are going to vote for, and maybe you’re over the whole thing! I’ve been praying fervently for the election tomorrow. I’m praying for a landslide victory, and I’m praying for President Trump to win! I’ll always vote for the candidate who is pro-life, protects our second amendment, wants to protect our borders, and is for the American people. Perfect? Far from it! I hope that you can separate the man from the politics. The lives of literally millions of unborn babies are dependent upon someone defending them! Whatever you do tomorrow, please exercise your right to vote! It’s a right that we may not have for very long if we don’t protect it and preserve it. Here in Maine we are up against ranked choice voting, which is wrong and unconstitutional! 

Also, in other news in Maine...our governor has declared another state of emergency! What?! Oh, yes! This is number seven or is it eight? I cant remember anymore! It’s a money grabbing scheme, and while I believe that Covid is real and active, I believe that the governor should have checks and balances for her actions. While we don’t get to vote on a governor tomorrow, I am praying for several small local elections that perhaps can influence some of our governors decisions. 

Regardless of what happens tomorrow, God is already there! I am so thankful that He sees the storm from the other side. He knows what tomorrow looks like, and He goes before us. Let us be diligent to storm the gates of heaven with our prayers. And please....vote! 

Blessings!

Soccer, Sleepovers, and Life!

 As most of the weeks in our lives, this past one was full and memorable! Our youngest two children treasured the memory of a sleepover at a friends house, while the older boys enjoyed having soccer practice after school every day last week! We were a little behind the eight ball in preparing for a soccer season because we didn’t know if we were going to be able to find a coach or be able to play. But God provided a soccer coach, and the team was diligent to practice after school every day last week. By Friday, the coaches were tired even if the students were not! 

Last Friday afternoon, I had the opportunity to have lunch with my friend, Allison. Her birthday was last week, and it’s been a long time since we’ve been able to get together with just the two of us. It was a special afternoon, and why does time fly by so quickly?! I am so thankful for her friendship, and the fact that she doesn’t mind that I wrote her birthday note on a post-it sticky note! 

My friend, Claire, invited Travis and Emma to have a sleepover at their house on Friday night. We aren’t big into sleepovers, so this was a big deal. Emma packed her own suitcase, which was mostly full of toys to play with Lucy! The younger two were able to enjoy a boat ride, collecting a few lobster traps, lots of outside play, and they came home tired but happy  from their adventure! I’m so glad that they had the opportunity to enjoy some special memories, as our youngest two endured hanging out at the school last week while their siblings had soccer practice.  

On Saturday, the three older boys made a soccer goal out of our old trampoline net and some pieces of wood. It certainly looked precarious to me, but they played outside for hours on end. I try not to interfere with their creativity, but sometimes it’s the cleaning up afterwards that needs the direction! But they had a wonderful time, and no one was fighting! 

On Sunday afternoon we had a baptism at the lake. Four people from our church family wanted to be baptized, and that is always a special time at the lake. It was a long day, but a good day. We had a missionary visiting at church who is preparing to go to South Africa. She was so sweet, and interacted very well with the children’s Sunday school class. It was a blessing to hear of the ministry to orphans in South Africa. 

Late in the afternoon, I met my friend, Ashley, to pack sack suppers for the soccer team. The soccer team had their first away game on Monday, and due to Covid, we can’t really take the kids into McDonald’s to eat supper after the games. So instead they are getting a sack supper on the evenings that we have away games. It felt like a very busy Sunday, and it was, but we were mostly ready for the week! 

On Monday soccer game was an away game, and it was a long ways away! The game was about 2 and 1/2 hours from the school, so it was a long day for the players. Roger had planned on going to the game, and I was planning on riding with him...it was going to be a date! Claire had offered to take our younger two again for the afternoon and overnight, so I was actually looking forward to some alone time with Roger. But then again, life happens! The head coach of the soccer team ended up unable to go due to a cold, so I was asked if I would be willing to coach the soccer game! Um, I guess! College was a long time ago, and running was my thing. I only played soccer intercollegiate style, but I have been coming to all the practices for the soccer team. Since we have three boys on the team, and I like exercise, I’ve been attending soccer practices too. I called Roger to let him know that I would need to leave earlier than planned to go with the team for the game. Roger said to go ahead, and he wasn’t sure if he would be able to make the game anyways. He’s had a lot of responsibilities on his plate yesterday, and not all of them have been overly fun. I finished up kindergarten at 11:30am, prepped for the next day, gathered my thoughts, and got in a vehicle to head to the soccer game. About ten minutes into the drive, I thought I was going to be sick. I hadn’t taken the time to eat lunch, and sitting in a church van was making me quite nauseous. Thankfully, I had water, and when we stopped to take a restroom break my boys shared some snacks with me. We made it to the game without anyone getting sick! 

The team we played yesterday was fairly evenly matched with our team, and it was a great first game of the season. We did lose, but the score we 3-2. Everyone had the opportunity to play some, and our young team learned a lot. So did their coach!! It was a good experience for me, and I’m thankful to do it for the team. I’m also happy to just assist the coach, attend practices, and be a support for the team! I guess now I can add coaching to my resume....kidding! It was a beautiful day, and it was a great opportunity to be thankful that we have the opportunity to play soccer! 

It was a late night yesterday, but it was a good day. Roger ended up making it to the game, so that was a pleasant surprise for the boys. After the game, we had several players that went home with their parents. Roger took our boys and Austin, and I rode with Ashley on the way home. It was just her and I in the car, so that was a sweet time of fellowship for us. It’s easy to become weary in well doing, but it was good to be reminded that we are so blessed. God has given us exceeding abundantly, and I want to be thankful!