A Heart Full...and My Vote on Tuesday!

"The liberties of a people never were, nor ever will be, secure, when the transactions of their rulers may be concealed from them." Patrick Henry

"Guard against the impostures of pretended patriotism." George Washington

Oh my! My heart is full this week, and I have much to write about in the story of our lives.

Monday: As you might remember, Monday was October 31. The kids had a full day of school, but we also signed up to participate in our church's "Trunk and Treat Event". I didn't realize until Sunday that most people decorated their trunks for the event. So, I went home and went directly to Pinterest! I gleaned a few ideas, but you would've still needed to use your imagination on Monday night to figure out what I was trying to create! (Roger is the artist, not me!) We've never participated in an activity as this one, but it was fun. The kids had a good time helping pass out treats, playing the ring toss game we brought, and visiting with other kids. I know a lot of Christians greatly frown down upon Halloween events, but I can also see what a community outreach this event was to the town. We did have to look for kids, they came to us! It was a wonderful opportunity to give the community a safe event, and for the church to present our children's ministry and other ministries. The boys have never dressed up for Halloween, but I told them they could be anything they wanted to be as long as it was something we already had a home. Garett was a soccer player (who about froze since he wore shorts). Chandler and Wyatt were ice skaters with roller blades. Travis was a lobster man. He declared that this would be easy because all he would need is rubber boots and a trash bag. (We do see a lot of sternmen around town wearing rubber boots and carrying a trash bag.) Travis built his own lobster trap by tying two milk crates together. Roger was working on Monday so he wasn't able to be there, but it was a good opportunity for the kids to serve others. We did have to have some discussion on the way home about Halloween, but I was thankful for the opportunity to again assure my children that "this is the day that the Lord hath made." Satan may try to take that day, but we are "lights on a hill" and today we had the opportunity to share Jesus. (You may disagree with me, and that's fine.)

                        Emma thought the leaf pile outside was so much fun that she brought it inside!

Tuesday: Well, I was the impromptu music teacher today. The lady who normally teaches music was not feeling well, and I was asked if I would be able to teach. At first I said "no", since music class started in five minutes. However after I walked away, I walked back and said yes. I know how important it is for the teachers to get a little bit of a break to grade papers, or whatever they need to do. It was not a well prepared lesson, and I'm thankful that no one was critiquing it. However, I did teach four different music classes, and the teachers got a break. Emma was with me the whole morning, so she was ready to go home also. We played quite a few games of musical chairs and "name that tune". 😄 I also had lunch duty that day, so it was a bit of a long day. It was nice to go home  for rest time.

Wednesday: The school started their four week course on ice skating today. Oh, how excited the boys were about going to school today! A older lady in the church offered to watch Emma in the nursery to I could help out with ice skating. The school was asking parents to come along and help tie skates or go on the ice with the kids. Emma was perfectly willing to play in the nursery, and I was happy to help with ice skating....after all, it's fun exercise! 😄 Roger was able to get away from work for a bit to come out as well. It's a delight to my heart to know that our kids enjoy having Roger and I come along to their special activities. By the time ice skating was over, it was about time to help out with the hot lunch. The school serves hot lunch once every two weeks, and I usually help prepare and serve if needed. I could tell that the kids had enjoyed the morning of ice skating, but everyone was looking a bit tired! Travis was even ready to go home and take a nap!

As I look back on the week, I see how busy it was for us. No wonder we were ready for the week to be over! I'm thankful for the opportunities to serve, but writing about it also makes me aware of how much I need to guard against adding more things to our lives.

Thursday was a fun morning walk with my friend, Allison. We've become good friends, and she doesn't mind walking with me. 😄 We also usually enjoy coffee together, so I look forward to the days that we manage to get in a walk together.

Friday was chapel day at school. I have been playing the piano some for chapel, and it's definitely something I enjoy. It's a bit of a challenge to watch Emma while trying to play the prelude, but I think  we have worked something out. It reminds me of our days in Alaska when I would try to play the piano, sing the hymn, and give my children "the eye" which  meant "sit down and behave"! Oh, the memories!

On Friday we also went out to the Pastor's house for chili and a bonfire. Roger met us there, as he was working. He worked for eight straight days, so we didn't stay late. We did have such a wonderful time of fellowship, and it was an encouragement to our family.

Saturday....Roger was off work! Hooray!! We spent the day cleaning up the yard, taking trash to the dump, and preparing for the winter. The boys were thrilled when we said we were done for the day!  It was a tiring day, but we did get a lot accomplished. We ended the day with homemade pizza and several rounds of hide and seek. We are about to the stage where we don't have to hide anyone anymore or pretend to not see the child hiding under the couch cushion. We actually have to look these days!

Sunday...it's another day to worship the Lord together! Roger has off again today, so that makes my morning a bit easier. I was able to get in a quick run before church, which was a reminder that it's been a while!

The upcoming election has been heavy on my heart. I feel like the very freedoms that our forefathers fought to protect and preserve are on the line. The future of our children and grandchildren is at stake and many Americans seem to be caught in a quandary about whom to vote for in the election. I'm not going to say anything that you haven't already heard or read, but we need to be on our knees for our country. As I was running this morning, the thoughts of the election were so heavy on my mind that tears started to stream down my cheeks. (Good thing we do not live on a busy road!) How much we need our God to intervene! Neither candidate is a great choice, but I cannot vote for anyone who wants to abort babies at any stage of life, does not care about our military, nor does she care about religious freedoms for Christians. I will be voting for Mr. Trump on Tuesday. I will not bury my head in the sand and think a third party candidate can win. I wish to protect my children,  and I love the U.S.A. I am praying for God to allow Mr. Trump to be the next president of this nation. I am so passionate about this election and what it  could mean for the future of  America that I have committed to fast and pray for two days. I'm not telling you that to get attention, but to encourage you to think about doing the same. Please be in fervent prayer for our nation.

A Thankful Heart

We make choices in our lives on a moment to moment basis, and for this moment I am choosing thankfulness! It's easy to wish things were different or easier or whatever, but the truth of the matter is "wishing doesn't make it so". In light of the events of the past week, I choose to be thankful because it is the right choice. And November is coming up, so it's a extra special time to practice being thankful! 😀

1) I am thankful for a vehicle to drive. I wish I had my own vehicle but since ours broke down last week, I am thankful we have one to drive. Last week, I went to the park with a friend instead of heading home after picking up Travis. The Lord's sovereign hand was in that event as I noticed on the way to the park that the brakes felt "squishy". When I reached the park, I check underneath the truck. A brown liquid was streaming out of the bottom of the truck. I called Roger (who was proud of me for noticing 😀), and he talked to his boss. Roger's boss graciously allowed Roger to leave work to check on our truck and even sent Roger with the company suburban as a replacement vehicle! Roger was able to limp our truck back to the airport where it is currently sitting. We are now REALLY looking for a vehicle, but we have yet to find one that will meet our needs. It needs to sit eight as an extra seat is really nice, get better gas mileage than the suburban, still have lots of miles that it can go, and be the right price! And yes, God does have one for us! I am confident in that.

2) I am thankful for the dentist. We finally found a dentist that would take our insurance. Emma has needed to see the dentist for a while now, but we struggled to find a dentist to take our insurance. This dentist was able  to get Emma in on Wednesday. Emma was a bit of a basket case, but she did cooperate enough for them to decide to give her a referral to a pediatric dentist. She has one tooth that isn't right, and I have to set up an appointment for her to see the pediatric dentist. The receptionist told me as I was leaving that she had some cancellations for the next day, and she could fit in all the boys. It's about an hour drive to the dentist, but if all the boys could be seen in one afternoon, I was all about that! So back to the dentist we went on Thursday afternoon. Two of the boys have one cavity each, and two of the boys did not have any cavities. However, three out of the four received referrals to see the orthodontist! Yikes! Anyways, I am thankful that there are orthodontists and dentists to see to the needs of our teeth!

3) Roger spent much of the week working...no surprise there. But I'm thankful for the days that he can work, and it's getting darker earlier! Yay! Twice this week we were able to each supper all together as a family, and I am thankful for that.

4) I am thankful for the friendships that I am making. I went walking with a mom from school this week, and I was able to use my new carrier for Emma. A friend, Jenn, from Wisconsin sent me a new carrier for Emma. She noticed how much we go walking, and she decided to send us a new one. It came on a particularly disheartening day, and God greatly encourage me through her kindness. I go walking usually one morning a week with another mom, and I have certainly enjoyed her friendship to me.

5) I am thankful for our church. Now that we have committed to this church, it's exciting to be involved. We are starting to match names and faces, and we have been blessed and encouraged. It's also important that we keep a balance in it all. With having the kids in the school, and being a part of the church, Roger and I are realizing quickly that we cannot do it all. There are too many events that need help, but I am learning to guard our family times with a fervency. I do not want to experience "burn out" again, and I do not want our children to feel that they are only home for short periods of time. That's what it felt like this week with back to back dentist appointments and a special church event on Wednesday and Sunday afternoon. But we are on to a new week and new choices!

6) We are thankful for praying friends. Many have sent texts or asked how Wyatt is doing. Honestly, he seems to be adjusting just fine. I don't think all the mountains are behind us in this experience of moving back to first grade, but I know that many are praying for his transition.

A Difficult Decision

 

                                                                  Wyatt

Sometimes life is hard. We are faced with difficult decisions, wearying trials, and it's hard to find peace, joy, and contentment. However, those difficult decisions are a thousand times harder to make when it involves our children. Roger and I have dedicated each of our children to the Lord, and I often have to remind myself to not take them back from Him. Jesus sometimes asks me, "Sarah, do you trust me?" Sometimes I reply, "Of course, Lord, but before I commit 100% what are you asking from me?" That's not the proper response, of course, but sometimes -often- I have to fight the flesh.

Isaiah 55:8-9
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

The whole truth of the matter is that God loves my children more than I do. He loved them, and me and you, enough to send His only son to die for our sins...that's an amazing love! But sometimes love is faced with difficult decisions, and that I see where I was this week.

Last week on Friday, I met with Wyatt's teacher. Roger was at work, and we met during the art class hour at school. I had my two youngest children with me, which makes meetings interesting, but they did very well. Wyatt has been struggling for a while now in the school. His teacher was giving him extra reading lessons twice a week, but Wyatt still wasn't mastering the material. He has been working so hard in school. He's been coming home, and he has been writing out his spelling list several times, asking me questions about things he didn't understand, and asking to stay up late to study extra. He is in second grade! His teacher commented on how hard Wyatt has been working, but he still is not passing the class. We've know for a while that Wyatt has struggled with reading. He took speech lessons for two years in Wisconsin, and I didn't feel like he was a strong reader at the end of last year. However, when the suggestion was brought up that perhaps Wyatt should repeat first grade, I cried. Oh, how I cried! I cried for my sweet little boy who has been working so hard, I cried because of the struggle it's been. I cried because I felt like I failed him.  I cried because I knew how disappointed he would be if we decided to make the choice to move him back. And even now, almost a week later, I still have watery eyes. Travis asked me if my eyes were okay, and Emma kept asking me, "mommy, okay?" Wyatt's teacher is filled with love and compassion for her students. I knew any suggestion that she made was in Wyatt's best interest. But it's still hard to hear that we needed to make a decision about whether or not to keep him where he was or move him back. Nothing was decided verbally at the meeting due in part to Roger's absence, but I knew what my decision would be before I left. Would we pray about it? Oh yes, many, many times in the next few days, however, in my heart of hearts I knew God was asking me, "Do you trust me?"

I wore my sunglasses the rest of the afternoon simply because I didn't want Wyatt to question me. The "mommy guilt" was almost overwhelming at times as I questioned my homeschooling abilities. Did I not give him enough last year? What if someone else had been his teacher the past two years? How would Wyatt respond? Maybe our kids are struggling because I just didn't do a good job? Oh, the struggles I had racing around in my mind. I know how hard I worked at homeschooling, I know the hours my mom and I put into education, but how the doubts flew!

When we got home, I went over again all the papers from Wyatt's classes. I reviewed the grades, saw the struggles, and revivisted my decision. And I prayed. I prayed for Gods peace to surround us both. I prayed for his love to encircle us. I prayed for Wyatt to chose to trust us, as I was learning again to trust my Heavenly Father.

Roger and I prayed and discussed what we should do, and I explained that really how could we make any other decision except to move him back to first grade. Reading is the foundation for so many
things, and if Wyatt loses confidence in his ability to do school in second grade, I feared that his frustration would only build. Roger has had many struggles with past education experiences, so he knew what a big decision we were making. But Roger also knew from his past how much better it would've been if he had really mastered some concepts early on in his education.

So, we made the decision to move Wyatt back to first grade. Now the next hard step...to tell our young son of our decision. Roger had to work on Saturday, and there is no way that I was telling Wyatt on my own. However, it gave me a chance to talk to my sister, Jennifer. Always practical, her response was "Someone has to be the oldest kid in the class. This is not the end of the world. If it's best for Wyatt, do it." It was reassuring to hear from my sister, also a teacher, how it's really not the end of the world to go back a  grade.

By Sunday afternoon, Roger and I knew we had to find a moment to talk to Wyatt. We brought the school papers, and asked him about school. He told us that he enjoyed school, but it was really hard. We discussed his current grades, and asked him about going back to first grade. Oh, how the tears fell! He was adamant that he did not want to go back to first grade. We explained how it's not the end of the world, and he would still be in the same class with the same teacher. He was not convinced. Finally, I asked him, "Do you trust Mom and Dad to make the best choice for you?" He replied "Yes, but I don't want to go back to first grade." We prayed with him, encouraged him, and told him why we thought this would be the best decision. After discussing it a bit longer, he asked if one of us would take him on a date. Roger wasn't feeling that good on Sunday, so I agreed to take him on a date. Roger said he would meet us at church, and then go back home with Emma. I was a bit suspicious that Wyatt wanted to go on a date to see if he could convince us to change our minds. But that wasn't really the case. He was sad and really just needed some extra love and encouragement. He did ask me if maybe he came home and worked on school work then he could stay in second grade. I told him that I wanted him to be able to be a boy and come home and play. Working on extra stuff every once in a while is fine, but he needed to remember that he is seven not seventy. He shed a few more tears before bed that night, but he seemed to be willing to trust us.

On Monday morning, I told his teacher that we had made our decision. She asked me several times I feel we were sure. Although I was in tears, I assured her that we had spent much time in prayer, and we had made our decision. She said that the change would take place on Tuesday morning if we were confident in our decision. When Wyatt came home, he realized that he had a different spelling list. I reminded him of our decision. Although he was initially upset, by the time Roger came home from work, he seemed to be excited that maybe he could get a one hundred on his spelling test. I was a little worried about how Tuesday would go, but Wyatt faced the challenge head on. He had a good attitude, his teacher worked hard to make the transition as smooth as possible.

On Wednesday, Wyatt had a pre-test for spelling. If he made a one hundred he would not need to take the test on Friday. "Mom, I made a 100% on my spelling test!", were his first words to me when I picked him up. I was so excited for him! His week has been full of good grades as well as a fabulous attitude, and I am so proud of him. Roger and I have been praying for him to make this transition well, and the Lord has been answering our prayers.

Travis announced to me yesterday, "Mom, I know why you decided to put Wyatt back in first grade." I was like, "oh, really?" He replied, " Yeah, it's because I love him and this way we can be in the same class next year." (Grade one and two are combined, so they will be in the same classroom next year.)  Well, that's not exactly the reason, but I'm thankful for the brotherly love.

So, once again, I learned a lesson in trusting my Heavenly Father. Although this was a painful decision to make, and I still struggle with feeling like I failed my son, God is faithful.  He has brought us joy and laughter this week. I'm at peace with knowing that God directed us in our decision, and this was the best choice for Wyatt. Although we probably still have a few more bumps in the road as we transition, we rejoice in the faithfulness of God and his tender mercies toward us.

Our love,
Sarah

Another Adventure in our Lives!

In a nutshell our lives can be summarized in the following statement: still looking for a vehicle, Roger is still working a lot, still adjusting and working on schedules and routines, still working at trusting the Lord to lead us day by day.

Truth of the matter is that we are adjusting to life here. We've been here for almost four months, and while I still don't refer to it as "home", the transition is happening. Roger has been working four or five days a week, but I frequently remind myself that the days are getting shorter! I will be delighted when it will get dark early enough that we can all sit down to dinner together as a family again. Mom and the kids is not the same as Mom, Dad and the kids.

We had the pastor and his family over last week on the day Roger had off. It's not possible to have people over on the days that he is working, and I don't really like taking up the day that he had off for other events. However, we want to make this church our home church most likely, and we wanted to get to know the pastor and his family better. We had a great time of fellowship, and I feel that Roger and I are both more comfortable with the church after hearing his heart and vision. The have a son about the age of Garett, so the boys were delighted to have nerf gun wars with a new friend!

The children had a long weekend from school this past week as they had off for Columbus Day. We decided to take a trip to the "Big City". I was able to use a coupon on a hotel room in Portland. We left on Sunday afternoon and came back on Monday afternoon. It was a quick get-away as a family, and a bit too short, but we had a good time together. The boys had two things that they wanted to do in Portland. One was to go swimming and the other was to eat at Sam's Club! The hotel had a nice sized pool, a fabulous free breakfast, and it was a suite of two rooms. The kids went swimming three times while we were there. We did go to Sam's club on Monday, and the kids had lunch there. There are very few places that we can feed a fmaily of our size for $15.00, and Sam's Club is one of them! The boys also asked to go to the mall. Roger and I were curious as to why they wanted to go, but we said yes. When we got to the mall, we realized that they were looking for the sporting goods store. At the mall in Wisconsin, they have a sporting goods store where you can shoot at targets. We explained that not every mall has that kind of store. Wyatt replied, "You mean they only have clothes and shoes here?! Let's go home!" Yeah, no one was interested in shopping! We explored a bit of Portland and located a few places that we would like to visit in the future. It was a fun time. It was very different from how I would've spent a date with Roger, but we had a good time together.


Roger had off on Tuesday and he went to check on buying a vehicle. Back to the one we originally looked at, actually! However, the Toyota Highlander had already sold. The disappointing part is being back at square one again. But the advantage is knowing that God has a better plan! We keep looking, and God will provide at the right time. We have a budget that we are working hard to stick to, and because we don't want a vehicle payment, we are petitioning God to bring the right vehicle to us. I know when the time comes to say "good by" to the suburban, I'm going to be sad a bit. We've taken that truck so many places like Alaska, South Dakota, North Carolina, Arizona, Maine, and all states in between! It's been a good vehicle, but it's time is growing limited. Oh well, it's just a vehicle, right?


I was able to go on a walk with one of the moms from school this week too. I'm enjoying getting to know some of the moms better and recognizing whose kids go with which mom! We also had our parent meeting for the month. The parent group is getting ready to put on an auction in November to raise money for various items needed either for the teachers or the students. I'm just kinda along for the ride this year as it will be our first year participating...obviously! I've been trying to help in ways that I can as in supervising a lunch duty, participating in parent meetings, getting fingerprinted, and playing the piano once ina while for chapel. The students participate in chapel every week with a different classs leading every week. However, as we have children in every class but one, I attend about every week.


On Thursday, I visited with the Pastor and his wife from a church near our home. I had visited two weeks ago, and she had asked me to come back again. It's a good opportunity to think about others. I hope we can be a blessing to them. Their upbeat nature has certainly encouraged me! It did make for a long day though. I had grocery shopping to do, lunch to take to Roger and a few other errands. It meant that I didn't come home in between picking up Travis and the other boys. Needless to say, by 3:00 pm., we were ready to go home! I also took Travis and Emma to the farmers market and the park today as we had extra time and the weather was beautiful!

On Friday Emma and I attended chapel. I was blessed to be able to play the prelude and one of the songs. The church just replaced their older piano with a beautiful baby grand piano. Wow! It was a refreshment to my soul to play through some hymns and arrangements today. After chapel I sat at the piano with a new friend, also a pastor's wife, and we played through some of the hymns as duets. Abby has been a blessing to me through the parent meeting, her friendship, and our mutual love of the piano. I wouldn't say that either of us are fabulous at playing the piano, but we both know the blessing it can provide to both the listener and the one playing.

Emma and I spent the rest of the morning enjoying a walk through the beautiful Maine countryside with two other school moms. The fall foliage is just breathtaking, and it was a beautiful, crisp morning walk. There are lots of trail options and gorgeous scenery to behold around these parts. Since I definitely enjoy the outdoors, it's been wonderful to have so many options to walk and hike.
When I picked up Travis, one of the boys other teachers asked to set up a meeting to chat about some things. My heart always gets a wee bit nervous hearing those words, but she assured me it wasn't a behavior problem or a character issue. She suggested meeting at 2:00, which I was more than willing to do. It just meant we didn't have enough time to go home...again. So I took the kids on a walk, to a playground, to the library, and then back to school. Whew! I was tired by the time 2:00 came around. I do love each of the boy's teachers, so I knew that any concerns expressed were out of love. We discussed, in depth, one of the challenges that one of our children are facing. It was a hard meeting for me, and I'm not ready to express what we need to do. However, Roger and I could use prayers for grace and wisdom. I'm not the type for drama....or at least I don't think so, so I will come back and revisit this topic again.

The truth is that we are abundantly blessed. The darts that Satan throws are painful and ugly, but God's grace and love are more powerful and stronger than Satan. Roger will be working against this weekend, and he is struggling with a cold. I'm sure that he would appreciate the extra prayers also.

Our love to you, Sarah
Have a wonderful weekend!

Family Flights, Fingerprinting, and Blessings

The beautiful colors, crisp temperatures, and later sunrises are all reminders that fall is here. It is truly a beautiful season, and we are enjoying the foliage of New England. It's hard to believe but we have been in Maine for almost four months now! Most of the time the days have flown by, and we have truly enjoyed the memories that we have been making.

Because I want to help out in the school on occasion, I needed to get fingerprinted and a background check done. I was able to get an appointment in Brewer last Thursday. Since Roger had off that day, he was able to take kids to and from school, and I had a day without children. My sister was able to meet me for lunch and a few errands, and it was an enjoyable day. I do love our children very much, but a reprieve is nice every once in a while.

I also went to a ladies simulcast at our church last week. It was the womans "Cry- out" simulcast put on by Revive Our Hearts ministries. Wow! It was such a blessing. I learned so much about my prayer life, and it was a time of spiritual refreshment and revival. I wasn't able to stay for the entire thing, but the part I went to was truly a blessing.

Last Saturday was a beautiful day, and Roger's boss offered to let us take the plane to one of the islands. We put the family in the plane, and Roger took us across to Matinicus island. We took a hike on the beach, and the kids gathered shells, rope, and old lobster buoys. They also collected cans and bottles. We came home with lots of treasures...in their minds, anyways. We enjoyed the time together, the boys and Emma all enjoyed the plane ride, and it was another memorable event. It's a special blessing that Roger has such a good boss, and one that loves our children.

Roger's company had a company picnic last week to celebrate the end of the summer tourist season. Our entire family was invited to the picnic. I was a little nervous as the picnic was inside at the home of one of the pilots that lives in an older home with lots of antiques. Even though they were the only kids there, they did great. I was very pleased with their manners and calmness. I know it wasn't the most exciting event for them, but they do enjoy Roger's boss also. It was a good summer, and I'll have to get the stats from Roger on what the company accomplished this summer.

We also got mid-term report cards last week. It's hard to believe that we are already five weeks into the school year. We had some worried children that they were going to have to repeat their current grade. I explained that just because they have a struggling grade now does not mean that the whole year is down the drain. I have a few children that are struggling in a few areas. Part of it is switching from A Beka  curriculum to Bob jones curriculum as scope and sequence is a bit different. And part of it is that school comes with many challengers for some of them. I want them to pass and I want them to excel. However, the more years that I parent, the more I realize how much more important it is that my children have intergrity and character than flying grades on a report card. Don't get me wrong, I desire to work on grades too; but character is something that is so very important in life. I do so love these little boys...boys that aren't so little anymore...and our Emma, but oh how I desire them to grow in the riches and knowledge of Jesus Christ. The school has some wonderfully gifted teachers, and we are so grateful for their talents and skills.

In spite of mid-term reports, we also received a huge blessing this week. Some dear and wonderful friends of ours sent us a gift of money for the boys education. It practically covered another month of eduction for the boys, and that is such a big blessing! I love it when the Lord encourages me as it is always at just the right time. We are so blessed by these wonderful friends who love us and pray for us.

We have begun the difficult task of searching for another vehicle...ugh. We either will be sacrificing on space or on gas mileage. Right now, since I'm doing most of the driving around with the kids we  are leaning towards sacrificing on space. We have been strongly encouraged to buy a vehicle with four-wheel drive, so we have looked at Toyota Highlander and a Honda Pilot with third-row seats. Both of these will seat seven, which is what we need, and get much better gas mileage than the suburban. We took a test drive in a Toyota Highlander here in town, and Garett wanted us to buy that one. When we asked him why, he said "well, it will work. And then we can be done shopping!" I wish it was that simple, my son! I don't know how soon we will actually purchase a vehicle but we are looking.

All in all, we are doing well this week. We appreciate your prayers.

Changes and Challenges, but Praises along the Way!

                                         Fun Moments

I blog so that I can try to grasp some of these fleeting memories, and I still feel like I'm failing half the time at keeping a journal of our lives!! Truth is that I thought I would have a bunch of spare time once the boys were in school, but the truth of the matter is that I do not have a bunch of spare time! I also thought that three weeks into the school year, I'd have a routine down pat. However, I find that a lot of the days I'm still coordinating my days schedule on the fly. A lot depends on Roger's work schedule, what I happening at school, grocery shopping, or if I get invited to visit with a mom after morning school drop off (that one is my favorite!). 

The boys are adjusting to school life, but we are still in transition mode! It's a new curriculum, a long school day, different teachers, and a whole new world. The older boys completely bombed (majorly failed) their first spelling test. One of the boys told me he only missed two words on the whole test, until I realized that actually he had only gotten two right! (That was a big disappointment for the child!) Needless to say, spelling is something we are working on more faithfully in the evenings. Garett did tell me, "Mom, we've been going to school for three weeks. I haven't had to go with you to Wal-mart or the grocery store yet. That's awesome!" Garett does not enjoy any type of shopping so that is one big benefit in his eyes that he has not had to come along on any  of those excursions. 

We had a family from the church over for dinner a little over a week ago. It was a good opportunity to get to know this family better and their kids also attend the Christian school. They have four kids and we have five, so we always have a crowd of kids when we are together! Also along those lines, Roger and I have committed to staying with the church associated with the school. We feel that this is the best choice for our family right now, and God has provided peace to go along with that decision. It's not a perfect church by any means, but since we are imperfect people, it's a good match. It's a body of believers committed to serving Christ, mentoring new believers, encouraging kids to follow Christ, and loving the Lord...it's a good fit for us. 

Also a little over a week ago, I was able to meet up with a college friend and her family. This was a special treat as I haven't seen Helaine in over ten years,  but the conversation was smooth and enjoyable. She and her husband, Phil, are on deputation to raise support for their journey to France as missionaries. God worked it out that they could come and spend an afternoon with us. Roger was able to take their family on a flight, they stayed for supper, and I'm hoping they will be back to Maine again sometime! 

This past week was the first meeting of the parents group for the school. Since the meeting takes place in the morning after school drop-off, it's mostly mamas and young ones. Emma is glad that the meeting takes place in the church nursery! Even though this was my first time attending the parents group, I can appreciate this group. They work hard at praying for the teachers and the school, doing various fund raisers, and helping strengthen the parent/teacher relationship. I'm excited about being involved with this group. I volunteered for several things that they needed help with even though I have no idea what I am doing! I will be helping out with Tuesday's lunch room and recess coverage. I am also a "room parent", which basically means that I just check in with the teachers from time to time to see if they have any classroom needs, I think. I am also helping with the auction in November. Apparently it's a really big fundraiser for the school, and they need an extra set of hands. Well, okay, I guess I can do that too! 😊 The parent group is another way that I can be involved with the school, meeting simple needs, and keeping my ear to the ground for my kids. I'm looking forward to it. 

Also this past week, Emma and I were invited to go on a walk with some other moms. Due to scheduling conflicts, it ended up just being myself and two other moms. Personally though, that's probably my favorite way right now. I don't really know anyone very well, so a smaller group gives me more of an opportunity to get to know someone. It was a beautiful day for a walk out to the lighthouse, and it provided an unexpected opportunity for fun in the middle of the week. I am thankful. 

Hannah and Josh took the kids for the day on Saturday so that Roger and I could celebrate our anniversary. The kids were thrilled to spend the day with Josh and Hannah, and I was glad to see them so excited to go. Roger and I had a good day together. A few mistakes along the way as we tried to combine business with pleasure, but it was a good day. We had decided to take out suburban and trailer to Portland as there was a  couch that we wanted to look at there. It was a couch off of Craigslist, and we ended up buying it for our house. The disadvantage was that we then decided to go visit downtown Portland. It's kinda a cute section down there by the water, but it was also Saturday, which meant not a lot of parking was available. We ended up not being able to find a parking space anywhere near the area, so we decided to forgo that idea. We decided that maybe we could stop at one of the other towns on our way back and do some window shopping and walking. Well, apparently, everyone else had the same idea...and parking for a suburban with a trailer was not happening. We ended up coming home to drop off the trailer, and then we headed back out. However, by that time, a good chunk of the day was already gone. Oh well, you live and learn! We did use a gift card to a nice restaurant in the area, and we spent lots of time talking. The day was not a complete disaster, just should the opportunity arise, we will plan differently! 

All things considered, we are doing well. The loneliness and homesickness is starting to wane a bit, but at other moments the intensity of it threatens to overwhelm me. I'm enjoying my moments with Emma, but we both need to find some type of routines to our mornings. I want to use this time wisely, but at the same time I'm distracted by all the other things that are easier to do with only one child versus five! Roger is still working extremely long days; truthfully, I thought he would be slowing down a bit faster. It's okay though as these days ARE getting shorter! Fall is going to be beautiful here. The leaves are starting to change, and the mornings can be cool. I'm looking forward to fall, and exploring new adventures with the kids. I would like to take them to the apple farm, and there are several festivals coming up. Change can be hard, but it's necessary. It forces us out of our comfort zones. It causes me to depend more on my Saviour, and provided opportunities for me to point our children to Christ. 

Have a blessed day! 

                  Before and After Photo of the Kitchen...top is before :) 

Our First Week of School!

Since I last wrote, we attended the open house for the school, started and completed our first week, celebrated our second holiday in Maine, went to a country fair, and enjoyed a picnic with another family! 

                     

                            First day of school.                            Garett is ten!!! 

I really wanted to keep up with all the new experiences of last week, but Roger worked for six days straight. It was all I could do to keep my head on straight! We attended the open house on Travis's sixth birthday on the 25th. Roger wasn't sure that he would make it, but he was able to meet us there. It was a little bit of a challenge in the sense that we are completely new to the school, and I have no idea how things work out. And it's hard not to feel like an outsider when everyone else already knows everyone. However, it was a good experience by the end of the night. Since the weather was nice, the kids went outside. A bunch of other kids and parents eventually wandered out, and Roger and I were able to meet several other families. It gave me great peace of mind to know that on Monday, my kids would already know some of the other children in the school. 

On Sunday night, we spent some time trying to answer the kids questions and calm nerves. Honestly, they were all really excited to go except for Travis. While I have great peace in knowing that God's hand is in this, it is still a big step for us! Everyone had a hard time falling asleep, but the boys were up early and ready to go in the morning. Roger had to work, so I brought the kids to school on my own. Since we were there early, the kids played on the playground and I had a chance to visit with the teacher. I am confident the teachers are fully qualified and capable, I was just worried about how the kids previous education would hold up. 

Travis was very uncertain about school, and he was rather clingy when I dropped him off. He looked like he was about to cry, but he managed not too. Emma, on the other hand, was very upset that she couldn't stay at school! She wanted to go to school with Travis...and Travis would have gladly switched spots! Emma and I stayed in town for the morning, and picked up Travis at 11:30. He was quiet most of the way home, so I tried to engage him in conversation about the day. I asked if he learned anything, and he replied "no". He said that the teacher wanted to play some games, and the teacher said that the games would be fun. Travis said he didn't think the games were fun, and that the teacher was trying to get them to learn something. "But," Travis replied, "I already knew it." I am thankful that kindergarten is only half-days. Travis has enjoyed coming home in the afternoons and having the toys to himself! 

It was a good week, albeit a bit long for everyone. Garett celebrated his tenth birthday on Tuesday, and he took cupcakes for a treat for his class. I have a hard time believing that he is already ten! He's learned so much and has so much more to learn. He has a sweet spirit, gets along with everyone except his brothers, and I'm so thankful for him. 

Roger worked every.single.day. Last week, so that was a bit tough on everyone. The kids wanted to tell daddy about their day, but he often wasn't getting home until after their bed time. Sometimes mom just isn't all that exciting to tell stuff too, and they just wanted to talk to dad. The only problem is that so do I! I feel like I have to take a number and stand in line to tell him my story too! Oh well! Thankfully, the tourism season is almost over and the days are getting shorter. Less daylight means less time to fly to the islands, so we should start seeing more of Roger. I am reminded that God knows where I am in all of this too. After last week, I can see the Lord's hand very clear in providing the opportunity for the kids to attend school. It would've been challenging for me to be the mom, teacher, chauffeur, cook, referee, and everything else last week but thankfully having the kids in school did help my sanity...I hope! :) 

On Friday Roger and I celebrated our eleven years of marriage. It might be that we celebrated at the airport over cups of iced coffee and with Emma along, but we celebrated! I praise the Lord for Roger every day. We definitely don't see eye to eye on everything, but he loves me and I love him. He's a gifted pilot, a wonderful father, a considerate husband, and he prays for me and our children every day...I am blessed. Sometime later in the month, my sister, Hannah, and her husband, Josh, will be taking the kids for the day so that Roger and I can have some time by ourselves. I am more excited about that date than about Thanksgiving and Christmas! We are doing well, but miscommunication can happen easily when Roger is gone early in the morning and home in the later evening. I usually heat up supper, he talks to the boys for a few minutes, he eats supper, showers, and he's usually asleep before I finish cleaning up the supper table. It is what it is...but like I said, I'm looking forward to that date!! 

Saturday was a low-key day for the kids. After a full week of school, and a whole new schedule, I knew some down time was needed. They spent the day messing around in the fort, playing in the sand box, and helping me with chores around the house. We did go to the dump, but we still have a big pile for Roger to get rid of. It would be challenging for the kids and I to get rid of the broken hot tub, dishwasher, refrigerator, and washing machine. Good night...everything else better keep working!! 

Roger was able to come home in time for us to all have supper together on Saturday night, so that was a good blessing. The kids shared about the joys and struggles, and we had a good time visiting with them. 

On Sunday afternoon, we went to a fair. It was a fairly large fair with harness racing, various vendors, a museum, the midway, lots of animals, a yoked oxen competition, as well as draft horses pulling lots of weight. Hannah was able to meet us at the fair, and all my kids enjoy her company. The harness racing was interesting, and I would've enjoyed watching more of that. We watched them warm up the horses for the race, and then Travis announced he needed to go to the bathroom. We were gone for two minutes, and we missed the actual racing part! Oh, the joys of parenting! Oh well, there is always next year. Hannah, Emma, and I came home earlier in the evening, but the boys wanted to stay for the monster truck competion. They had a wonderful  time watching the monster trucks and getting covered in dust! An older couple found them to be delightful and bought them two huge bags of cotton candy! The boys thought that they had died and went to heaven. :) I'm thankful that Roger was willing to stay with them for that event as I wasn't too interested in a monster truck competion. 

Labor Day: 

God provided exactly what we needed....fellowship. The pastor of the church we attended on Sunday as well as a few other times, invited our family out to their camp on a lake. The pastor and his wife have a son about the age of Chandler, and our children have enjoyed getting to know him. We arrived down at their camp about two and we stayed until about seven pm. The hours flew by! Another family from the church was there with their children, and it was a delightful time of fellowship. We learned so much about the pastor and his family, the church, their vision for the future, and their love for the people. I enjoyed visiting both with the pastor's wife and the other family from the church. It's been a long time since we've had several hours of Godly company and fellowship, and it was truly a balm to my soul. The rest of the Pastor's children came down later in the afternoon, and it was such a sweet time of visiting. Roger mentioned on the way home how he really wasn't all that excited to go, but the conversation was easy going and relaxing. While Roger gets to interact with people at work, he too has been missing Christian fellowship. We both came away feeling blessed and encouraged. God is good. 

On Tuesday, Roger and I dropped the kids off at school. We decided to take a drive down the coast a bit. Maine is beautiful and there is so much to see. Emma came along too, of course, but Roger and I were still able to finish several conversations that we started last week. It was a good morning. It's much easier to get everyone dropped off and picked up with Roger home. He was able to pick up the older boys, and I was delighted to not have to wake Emma up from her nap. It just works out a lot smoother with Roger able to help. 

                         

                                           Enjoying the memories!

We are in our second week of school, and it is going better than last week. Although Travis would still like for Emma to go to school instead of him, he is warming up to his teacher and classmates. Who knows? Maybe he will learn something this week! :) Chandler had a very rough first day last week, but he seems to be transitioning well. He and Garett are in the same class, which has both pros and cons. :) Garett is good at many things, but school is hard for him. I'm thankful that the teacher/parent communication seems to be good, and I will work to keep it that way. 

Emma would like to go to school, so I think we might start learning our alphabet at home. She likes to be read to, so we will have to plan some trips to the library. I've also dug out some of my old piano books and started to play the piano again. Emma likes to hear the music, and she's rarely critical. I know it's not going well when she puts her hands over her ears! The boys have expressed an interest in learning the piano, and since we are counting pennies, I think I will try to teach them myself.  I just have to be disciplined to sticking with their lesson time and making it work! :) We will see. We are still so very new into the school year that I don't want to rush any decisions right now. It's definitely one that needs more prayer and thought. 

Well, this post became a bit long and wordy, but oh well. If you made it to the end on reading it, I offer my congratulations!! :) Hope you all have a wonderful week. God bless.