September 2025- A Month that We Will Not Forget!

September. Oh, how overwhelming and “heavy” this month has been for my brain and heart to process and digest so many deep emotions. This is one September that we will never forget, and I really am praying that we will have a “Turning Point” in our nation from the youngest to the oldest.

 Yesterday, while at the Teachers Convention in South Carolina, the keynote speaker spoke about not being ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus and being equipped. Ben Schettler, the founder of The Center of Truth in Love, spoke a powerful message about equipping the next generation. He was the first speaker/ pastor that I have listened to in-person that  has spoken clearly about Charlie Kirk, his memorial service, his vision and love for young people, and what are we going to do now. I’m sure there are other speakers/pastors that are speaking on this topic, but I haven’t heard very much in-person around me lately, so  I found the message to be refreshing and challenging, and encouraging. One of the problems with social media is that the flood of information is so great, so overwhelming and not always factual. I appreciated hearing from someone who had been at the memorial service, personally know Charlie Kirk, and was passionate about preaching about our responsibilities as Christian educators. I’ve shown patriotic art videos to my students, spoken to them about the need to be the next generation of leaders, and tried to encourage them to live their lives passionately for Jesus Christ, and sometimes, it still feels like an uphill battle! However, I was encouraged to stay the course and keep at it. The Center of Truth in Love has some powerful resources to help us be faithful and work to equip the next generation for Jesus Christ. I want to teach my students about art mediums, artists, and all things art, but more importantly than any of that, I want them to know Jesus and to make Him known! 

We arrived at the teachers convention on Wednesday afternoon, and we will leave this afternoon. Attending any teachers convention is a little like drinking from a fire hydrant! The amount of information is fast and furious, and it’s hard sometimes to separate out the most important things or things I can implement in my classroom. My boys and Emma are at home, and Emma has called me often to see how it’s going and when I’m coming home.  I’m thankful that the boys and Emma are old enough to stay on their own while Roger is at work, but I know that it makes for some long days for Emma. The boys have stayed busy with putting up tree stands, golfing, more golfing, picking up leaves, and eating. Emma enjoys making crafts and coloring (and I’m sure that the craft stuff is all over her room), but they’re surviving and it’s good for them to miss mom. :) 

I’m going to back track a little back into September to fill in some more thoughts and events that have happened in our lives. 

Written (9/16)  “Rise up, O men of God”… these lyrics from a very old hym have resonated with me this past week. This past week has felt very “heavy” and somber both from a Christian’s perspective as well as an American. The assassination of Charlie Kirk was a shock and Lord willing, a wake-up call to all of us. 

For me, as a mama, a wife, a Christian, and an American, I am heart broken by so many things from this past week. As a mom, I grieve for Charlie’s children. I grieve for Erika, his wife, as she will have so many decisions and challenges that she never envisioned. I grieve, as a Christian, over the martyrdom of another Christian. I grieve for the body of Christ as we rejoice in Charlie’s home-going to Heaven, but he will be missed by so many here. As an American, I grieve for the division in our country. How did we get to the place where evil is so celebrated?! No longer can people disagree with each other in a civil manner. Instead, there are so many instances where the death of another person is celebrated?! How is this even so?! There are a lot of people that I’ve disagreed with over the course of my life, and they’ll be more to come. However, I would never wish evil, pure wickedness, upon them. I have a hard time even wrapping my mind around that kind of hate. It’s heartbreaking.  I soaked up a lot of information those first few days after the assassination, but eventually I took Facebook off of my phone as it became overwhelming to process it all. I needed to take a step back, get my head on straight, and be present for my family. 

If I’m completely honest, I didn’t know a whole lot about Charlie Kirk prior to last Wednesday (9/10). Oh, I knew who he was, and I had some idea of what Turning Point USA  was standing for. But now…now I’ve signed up for emails and texts from Turning Point USA. I’ve inquired about starting a chapter in our area to encourage youth to be involved in the world around them. I’m certainly not going to sit around and wait for someone to do something when I can inquire about information and keep learning and hopefully be a difference maker!

Emma had a minor surgery on September 16th. I took the day off of school for her surgery, and we had to be at the hospital at 5:30am. It was an early morning for us, and it was several hours before she was taken back for her tonsil and adenoids surgery. Emma was extremely nervous about the surgery, and I was a little concerned about how she was going to do with the IV that they wanted to put in her hand. However, God provided Emma with an amazing nurse! Really, God’s hand was evident in it all. As I was talking to Emma about trusting in God and quoting Scripture to her, the nurse was in agreement with what I was telling Emma. She told Emma that she has three girls, and that she could tell Emma was nervous. Emma really needed to get that IV in her hand, and it was time to do it. The nurse asked Emma if she could pray with her, and of course, Emma said yes. We prayed together, and then the IV was put in. I’m not saying that it wasn’t a bit traumatic, but by the grace of God, the IV went in her hand. The surgery itself was really quick once Emma went back to the surgery ward. In about twenty-five minutes, the surgery was over. They called me back when Emma was in recovery. Wow, she was so grouchy! The nurse was talking to her and asking her about her name. The nurse was said, “ Do you like to go by Emma or Kate?” Emma replied, “I go by Lou. Aunt Jen calls me Lou!” It was so funny to her Emma declare her name was Lou as Aunt Jen often calls her Emm Lou, but not just Lou! We were on our way home by about 9:30am, and we spent the rest of the day resting at home. We had some challenging moments, but Emma is on the mend. Roger stayed home with her two days last week, Jen took one day, and I took a day. Emma came to school on Monday, but we didn’t quite make it through the whole day. Thankfully, the kids have a short week at school as they’re on Fall break.  It was encouraging to Emma (and me) to hear from many that were praying for her or gave her a sweet gift. Emma was delighted with a gift card to McDonald’s, a few awesome gifts from my sweet friend, Laura, and Mrs. Kennedy, and Emma’s piano teacher. It was a blessing to know that many prayed and loved on her. 

Emma’s surgery, our 20th anniversary, and the soccer team took a field trip to watch a college team play soccer. 

Emma was delighted with some gifts while she was out of school! 

Roger has been busy coaching the boys soccer team, while Jen and I have couched middle school volleyball. Both have had their challenging moments, but also a lot of really great moments, memories, and experiences. The boys team has only lost one game in their soccer season, so that’s been exciting for them. Jen has done a great job coaching the Middle School volleyball team, and I just help in whatever way that I can. 

We celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary early in the month of September…at a soccer game. :) It’s life, and the season that we are in right now. I am so thankful for Roger and who he is, what he does, and all that he believes in. He’s faithful, loyal, hard working, and he loves me. I am so blessed. We are looking to get away for a few days by ourselves sometime in the near future, but for now, we press on doing what God has called us to do. 

Updated: 9/26. Last Sunday, we went to the early morning service at a church in Wilmington, and it’s early, but we enjoy the service. After the service, we walked at the park for a bit, ate some lunch, and then hung out on the beach for a few hours. The service for Charlie Kirk started while we were at the beach, so I started watching the live stream. The boys were interested in it also, so we ended up watching the service in the car and at home. It was a long service, but wow…it reminded me of the weekend that a few ladies and I traveled to Washington DC for a Freedom Walk in November of 2020. I think it’s easy to have momentum and motivation after watching a service or attending a Freedom Walk, but it’s in the day to day of “life touching life” that we are going to have a Turning Point. May God give each of us wisdom, determination, and direction to do the next right thing, and to not be weary in well doing. 

The month of September has been busy with life, heavy with events that have happened in our world, and encouraging as we have seen the Gospel presented to so many this month because of the death of Charlie Kirk. God is working, and we need to pick up a shovel and start working too! 

I found this quote to be especially appropriate in light of recent events in our nation. Press on! 

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!

  

Summer Memories, Florida Adventures, and Family Life!

 I’m getting old, y’all! The days fly by faster and faster! I thought that I had already written one post in the month of June, but that was already back at the end of the month of May!

Garett came home from the missions trip to the Dominican Republic on Tuesday evening, June 2nd. Jen and Garett arrived home about 1:00am, and Garett left for the youth missions trip to Chicago at 8:45am on Wednesday! He was tired, but he was tired in a good way. Garett spoke highly of the missions trip to the Dominican Republic and how much he enjoyed the trip. He helped on a medical missions trip, but he didn’t do the medical aspects. He did crowd management, moving heavy stuff, running errands, playing with kids, and whatever else needed doing. He took over 600 pictures from his time in the D.R., and it was really neat to see the trip through his eyes. Garett is not great a public speaking, but he can see the world in pictures. I know I’m biased, but I do think he’s pretty good at taking pictures. They saw over 800 people in the medical clinics as well as several people came to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, which really is the most important thing. I am thankful that God provided this last minute opportunity, and that Garett was able to go on this trip. On the Chicago missions trip, Garett was able to help with a community car wash, preparing for Vacation Bible School, handing out drinks and snacks at the train station, and attending the special Sunday service at the church there. Garett said his favorite part of the Chicago missions trip was probably the opportunity to interact with the people at the church service during “International Sunday”. Again, we are thankful that he had the opportunity to go, and now it’s back to reality for Garett! 

Chandler had really wanted to go to the D.R. Also, but we said no to that. Why? Well, Chandler has been trying to get his drivers license, and we finally got him an appointment for a road test. However, it was the week of the trip to the D.R. Appointments with the DMV are very hard to come by right now in NC, and we’ve had this appointment booked since March 1st! The appointment was also almost 2 hours away from our house, and Roger and I decided that Chandler really shouldn’t miss this appointment! Chandler and I got up early on Monday, June 1, to head out to the appointment. I’d never been to Williamston, NC, and there really isn’t much there. His appointment was at 9:45am, and when we arrived there was one lady working in the DMV office. There were probably about 20 people in line, and she looked up and said, “Do you have an appointment? I’m not taking any walk-ins.” Thankfully, we had an appointment! Several people in line said that they had been in line before the DMV opened that morning. The lady was finally able to do Chandler’s appointment about 10:15am, and she had to close up and lock the office before she could take Chandler on his road test! Chandler was literally gone less than 10 minutes, and he came back into the DMV. The lady announced that Chandler had passed, and I let out a sigh of relief! Chandler left the DMV office with his new license in hand, and told me, “Mom, that DMV lady had so much on her mind that I probably could’ve run a red light and still passed!” I felt badly for her as the office was full of people needing to renew licenses, paperwork, real IDs, etc. However, I am really thankful that Chandler now has his drivers license. Thank the Lord!

Also this month, everyone has been busy working at a variety of jobs. We watched two dogs for our friends earlier this month. Garett is back to working for the Gutter company for the summer, and then we are praying about what his next steps should be in the fall. Chandler has been working for a little farm stand, and he has shucked a lot of corn this summer! Wyatt, Travis and I have been working at the farmer’s market in Raleigh. Emma has come a couple of times to the farmers market, and she has both enjoyed the days and come home tired! We are thankful for work for everyone, and we are trying to plan some special activities as a family this summer. The older the kids get and the busier with jobs and everything else, the harder it is to protect our family time and do things together. Everyone is growing up so quickly, and some times I just want to hit the “pause” button and soak up the memories a bit more. 

I also played in a softball game this past month, which is something I haven’t done in a good long while. The boys play on the church team, which is co-ed, and they need two girls to play in each game. A few weeks ago, I showed up at the game with Emma, and Roger said that they needed another player. I didn’t have any shoes, so I wore Travis’s soccer cleats (which were too big). I haven’t played in YEARS. The boys told me that I did “Ok on hitting the ball and getting on base. But Mom, you really need to work on throwing the ball better!” Haha! Well, I helped them out, and I would do it again. It was fun, and while I wouldn’t want to commit to playing in every game, I was happy to help out. 

We left on Sunday afternoon (6/22) to take seven boys to Teen Extreme Camp at Pensacola Christian College. A friend of ours, Mr. Kennedy, offered to let us borrow his Excursion vehicle to take the kids to camp, and the Hardison’s also drove their vehicle. Emma and Jace (Hardison’s youngest son) are too young for camp, so they get to hang out with the moms and Aunt Jen this week. Stephen is the sponsor at camp, and I’m sure that the boys are enjoying making memories at camp. We came to Teen Extreme two years ago, and it was a wonderful experience for the boys. Garett didn’t go to camp this year as he is busy working, and he also bought a car this past week. He is quickly realizing that life is expensive! We arrived at Teen Extreme on Monday afternoon, and dropped off all the boys except Jace at camp. Then we found our AirBnb for the week. Some good friends of ours, the Falde family, has a few Airbnb’s down in this area, so we try to stay there when we come to the area. Jen flew in from South Dakota on Monday evening, and we’ve been enjoying some time at the beach, checking out a few thrift stores and coffee shops, and soaking up the sunshine. I’m praying that God will do a mighty work in the lives of the boys at camp, and we are so thankful that this option of camp is available to them. 

In the beginning of the month, Roger and I also went on a double date to go golfing with our friends, the Hardison’s. Tamela and I have never officially golfed on a golf course, so we had no idea what we were doing. Thankfully, Stephen and Roger had a lot of patience with us, and we made it through nine holes of golf. It was actually a lot of fun, and I’m glad we did it. I did enjoy golfing, and Emma has been practicing also, so I guess we will need to make golfing a family outing. 

Earlier this month, we also took a short day trip to Conway, SC, to visit with Roger’s uncle and aunt. While it was a short trip, we were able to fellowship over lunch together, enjoy some time together, and I think both Roger and I left feeling encouraged and revitalized. 

These past couple of days have been good days for Emma and I. It’s good to be able to spend some one-on-one time with her, and I am thankful for the opportunities. Time continues to go by faster and faster, and it’s overwhelming sometimes to keep up with everything. But I was recently reminded that we are all given the same number of hours in a day, and God expects us to work, but rest is actually a part of God’s plan too. Sometimes it’s easier to stay busy than to stop and pause. I’m thankful for these past few days to just stop and pause. Soak up some time and memories with Emma, and spend time with Jen and Tamela also. It’s been a good few days, but we are also ready to go home! 

I’ve been reminded of this song the past few days. It’s a favorite of mine.  I’m thankful that the Lord does hold me fast. I am His child, and He loves me. 

Garett’s Graduation and Other Crazy May Moments!

Updated: I did not get this post written before Garett graduated from high school, so I’ll be backtracking just a bit over the last week. It was a crazy week! 

My parent arrived in North Carolina last Monday (5/19), and it was good to see them for a few days. I feel like I was really busy for most of the time that they were here, so I didn’t get to talk to them as much as I would’ve liked. And both my parents were not feeling well when they first arrived, so they needed a few days to rest up. Hannah and her kiddos arrived on Wednesday, and then the excitement really began to kick off. Chandler was exempt from exams on Thursday morning, so he went over to Jen’s house to play with kids in the morning. I think that they wore each other out! Chandler taught the kids how to golf, played outside for hours on end, and they all were dirty by the time I dropped by after school! 

Garett had a senior breakfast on Thursday morning. This is a breakfast for parents and their graduate. Roger was working, so it was just Garett and I and Aunt Jen. We had received an email about the breakfast, but not about the part where the parent is supposed to get up and say a few words about their senior! Seriously, I felt like I had used up all my words for the week as I had just given a testimony on Sunday night! However, I did say a few words, mostly about how we had no idea how to parent and Garett was all trial and error! I did remind Garett and the other graduates that there are plenty of parents that are working hard to raise “good kids”. We don’t want “good kids”. We need Godly kids that are on fire for Jesus Christ! My hearts desire is for our children to walk in the ways of the Lord.  

Garett graduated on Thursday, May 22, 2025. I had been super emotional all week, but on the night of his graduation, I held back the tears. Garett had a great crowd of support for his graduation as friends and relatives came for this special event. My parents, Roger’s parents, my sisters, friends, all came to support and cheer Garett on for this event. Each of the seniors gave a pre-recorded testimony while they walked across the stage, and I was impressed with all that Garett had come up with as he thanked his parents, siblings, grandparents, and others. He brought his rose to me, and I gave him a long hug. This boy (quickly becoming a man) is so very special to me. I am very much going to miss him next year as my teacher’s aide, as well as having him around at school. I can always count on Garett to love others and be kind (not always to his brothers, but always to others!) I probably don’t say it often enough, but I am very proud of Garett. We are diligently praying about what God has for Garett, but we just do the next right thing. 

On Friday morning, the rest of the student body had the awards ceremony. This is the last event of the school year, and it was a fast moving event! It’s a lot of names when it’s an awards ceremony for 1st-11th grade, but it moved right along! There is always something exhausting about the last few days of school, and that’s magnified even more with having a senior. We were all tired on Friday afternoon. 

Sunday was an open house event to celebrate Garett. We had sent out invitations to many that we knew wouldn’t be able to come, but we wanted to share Garett’s announcement with them. God held off the rain, and we had a great turnout of teachers, staff, friends, and family. It was a fun afternoon with kids running everywhere, adults visiting and lots of food being eaten!  We were blessed by so many that took the time to come to Garett’s open house. 

Monday was a very chilly Memorial Day! It’s been cold and rainy for our first official week of summer break! My Aunt Lisa and Uncle Ryan had arranged to spend a few days down at the beach, so they invited us to come down on Monday morning. My parents still weren’t feeling great, but our family, Hannah’s family and Jen all drove down to Wilmington beach for the day. Thankfully, the resort had an indoor pool that we were able to use, and the kids enjoyed that. We did go out on the beach for a bit, but the rain and cold drove us back inside. However, it was so good to spend some time with our extended families and to visit for a while. I am so thankful for these opportunities.  

Jen and I had out-service for school on Tuesday morning, but I was able to meet up with Hannah and her kids for lunch at Cookout. There is no “Cookout” in Maine, so it was a treat for them. I like Cookout too because it’s relatively cheap to feed my tribe there! 

Garett and Jen needed to be dropped off at the airport by about 5:30am on Wednesday morning, so I drove them to the airport for their early morning flight to the Dominican Republic. Garett will return around midnight on June 3rd, and he will leave about 9:00am on Wednesday, June 4th for his missions trip to Chicago! We are praying for God to do great and mighty things on these Missions Trips. 

Chandler is also gone for a few days, as he’s spending a few days at a lake with some friends from school. He is now officially a Senior, and my mind surely can’t grasp that as we just graduated our first born son! He will be taking his driving test on Monday, June 2nd. Please pray that he will pass this driving test. He wanted to go to the DR on the missions trip, but we’ve had this driving test booked since March 1st. The DMVs around here are booked solid, and it’s nearly impossible to get an appointment for anything. Wyatt is still trying to get his permit, but he’s tried twice now with Roger and the lines have been so long. Chandler is excited about driving, but he’s not been real anxious about getting his license as he’s had Garett to drive him everywhere. However, he needs to be able to drive to his job this summer and to practices and events in the school year, so we are praying that he passes on Monday! 

We will be busy this summer with various jobs, events and activities, but we are also looking forward to some days by the pool, the beach, and hanging out at home. It was a busy and full school year, but God’s grace brought us through it. We are thankful for new morning mercies and our good, good Heavenly Father. 

Who knows when I will get around to writing next, so I’ve posted extra pictures on this post! :) 

ORIGINAL POST: (I started this post last Wednesday- May 21) 

 At a time in my life where I’d really like to keep up with all the important events, I can’t even keep up with the day to day events! Important event #1 is that Garett will be graduating from high school on Thursday night! Whew! How did that happen so quickly?!

We’ve been very busy these last few weeks with Garett’s senior trip, exam preparations, sports awards ceremony,  Teacher appreciation week, working through some plans for next school year, and everything else! 

Garett had a great time on his senior trip. Garett is pretty easy going and they could’ve told him that they were going to be shoveling dirt all week and Garett would’ve been like, “ok, cool. What are we going to eat?” The Wilds Christian Camp is a great camp, and I have some great memories of going there, so I was thankful that Garett got the opportunity to visit there for a few days. The class made a stop at Carowinds Amusement Park on the way back home, and that was also a fun time for Garett. Garett has the unexpected opportunity to  go on a missions trip to the Dominican Republic next week! Jen (my sister) is going to the DR to cook for a week on a missions trip, and Garett was thrilled with the opportunity to be able to go along with her. He’s also going on a Teen Youth missions trip to Chicago with some teens from church, but since God provided this opportunity to also go to the D.R., Garett is thrilled to go! He will be working with a medical missions trip team there, and Jen will be cooking. Chandler had also hoped to go along, but his drivers test is scheduled for June 2, and we certainly cannot miss that after waiting for four months to get an appointment! Garett will come back from the trip to the DR on June 3rd, and he will leave for his missions trip to Chicago on June 4th. It’s going to be a crazy few weeks, but we are thankful for the way God orchestrated all of this. Garett has plans to work through the summer with the gutter company and then we are praying about his plans for the fall. 

Last week, we had our annual sports awards ceremony. It’s a full night of speeches and awards, and it can get a little long if you don’t have a child in one of the sports being talked about at the time. However, we have a lot of boys that play a lot of sports, so we were interested. :) Wyatt received “Most Valuable Player” on the soccer team. Travis received “Christian Testimony” for golf. Chandler received “Most Valuable Player” for golf. Garett was the recipient of the “Conqueror Award” which goes to a senior (or two) that has displayed Christian character, sportsmanship and academic success. This award was an honor and a privilege to receive and both Garett and another senior boy in his class received this award. I was thrilled for him. 

Also last week, on Saturday, was my birthday. The boys helped in the morning with a car wash put on by the youth group, and Roger and I worked on a million projects around the house as we prepare for Garett’s open house party this coming weekend. My sister, Jen, took us all out for lunch and that was a special treat. On Friday, a friend at school, Mrs. Horne, sent me a text that said, “Please stop by my room this morning”. I did, and she handed me a cup of coffee and said, “Happy Birthday”. And I started crying! I think the stresses of all the week had build up, and she showed me such love and care that I just needed a moment for a lot of tears! I really was thankful for the coffee, but so much more for her generosity and thoughtfulness. These last few days are very overwhelming and full of events and activities, and it was so nice to just get a hug and have a birthday blessing bestowed upon me. Sometimes it really is the little things in life that shape and mold us. 

Sunday evening was the Bachelorette service at church. Our administrator had asked me on Thursday morning if I would be willing to give a testimony on Sunday night.  I agreed to do the testimony, but I really didn’t have a clue as to what I was going to say in it! Where do I even start to tell about the goodness of God in my life or in our family? I struggled with it all day on Thursday and I had notes everywhere. I told Roger that I wanted to say something meaningful and something that would magnify Jesus, but where did I start with narrowing that down to a five minute testimony?! By Friday night, I had decided that I would share my salvation testimony and how we had come to Faith Christian. One of my children said that they were sure I would do a good job, “But please, mom, don’t get up there and cry all over the place!” Um..okay. I’ll try not to! And God was good…I didn’t cry through the entire testimony! I closed out the testimony with a few basic points to the graduates 1) Stay in God’s Word. 2) Pray 3) Seek Godly counsel. God’s plan is so incredibly perfect! The preachers main points in his sermon where pretty much the same! I love how God so incredibly intertwines His plan perfectly! I did get emotional at the end when we went up to pray over Garett. I am so proud of the man he is becoming. He gets mad and irrational, just like me, but he’s also sweet and kind and so loving. I am blessed to be his mama. 

My parents arrived from Wisconsin last night, and we are looking forward to spending a few days with them. Hannah and her kids will fly in tonight (Wednesday) to be here for Garett’s graduation and a few days of visiting. It’s going to be a busy few days, but we are excited to have everyone here. 

April Wrap-ups & May Musings

 

Happy May! The month of May brings about the close of many school related activities, and a whole host of new transitions as Garett prepares to graduate. We ran out of the month of April with Wyatt’s 16th birthday, Easter dinner at our house, the Junior/Senior banquet for Garett and Chandler, the state golf tournament for three of the boys, Emma’s piano recital, getting a few chickens and whatever else happened at the end of the month that I can’t even remember! We burst into the month of May with the state baseball tournament, Garett’s senior trip, and the wrapping up of the school year. Whew- no wonder I feel like I need a nap most afternoons! (And the fact that I’m getting old also contributes to that idea!) 

Wyatt is now officially 16 years old, and my mind has a hard time wrapping my head around that idea! Roger has tried to take him to get his permit twice now, but the lines for the DMV are absolutely ridiculous around here. The last time they tried to get the permit, they went to a smaller town. Roger and Wyatt were in the parking lot by 6:30am, and the lines were already long! At 7:30am, the DMV worker came out and told the first 14 people in line that they could enter the building, but there was no guarantee that they would get seen that day! One person ahead of Roger in line said that he had been in line since 1:00am that morning! I’m not sure if the lines are so lengthy due to the requirements for the Real ID or the DMV is just that short on people. Either way, Wyatt does not have his permit yet! Hopefully, he will be able to get it soon. Chandler has an appointment for his drivers license on June 2nd, and we’ve had that booked for him since March 2nd! 

Aunt Jen bought a few more baby chicks, but we are currently babysitting them. I do not have anything to do with the chickens, but Travis and Emma love the chicks! They take care of them completely. The day that Jen bought the chicks, she called to see if the chicks could live in our shed for a bit. I said, yes, and she, Travis and Emma bought the chicks and brought them over. Jen told me that on the way over to our house, Emma announced that this baby chick was her “social security pet”. Jen was completely lost at sea until she asked, “Emma, do you mean your emotional support animal?” I about died laughing when Jen was telling me the story. Oh Emma, you do our hearts good! 

The last Friday of April was the night of the Junior/Senior Banquet for the boys. Both Garett and Chandler invited dates with them to the banquet, so it was a fun opportunity for them. I have some great pictures of the boys and their dates. Garett invited a girl named, Kate, from the Junior class, and Chandler invited his girlfriend, Ava. Jen went along to the banquet, and she was willing to go along with the boys to the after activity as well. When we found out that there wasn’t really a plan for an after-banquet activity for most of teens, a few moms put our heads together to see what ideas we could come up with. Thank the Lord for Groupon! We found a groupon for bowling, and it was right down the road from the banquet. Chan invited everyone in his class to come bowling, and I think about 13 of them ended up going bowling. All the kids that went seemed to have a really great time, and after bowling a few of them came over to Aunt Jen’s for more snacks and fellowship. It was a late night, but a good night for our kids and their friends also. The boys had a hard time getting up on Saturday morning to work at the Pickle Festival, but they made it! 

Wyatt, Chandler, Garett, and I, all worked at the Mount Olive Pickle Festival. It’s basically a full day of all things pickle related! We sold fried pickles, chocolate covered pickles, a pickle lemonade to name a few items. The boys worked hard at squeezing lemonade, frying food, and breading pickles. I worked hard at taking money and giving correct change. It was a long day, but it was a good day. Travis told me that he needed to start working again as his money box was getting a little low after the winter. Haha- oh yes, Travis is discovering the importance of budgeting wisely! 

A little over a week ago, the three younger  boys competed in the golf tournament for our conference. They’ve enjoyed playing golf this season, and we are thankful for the coaches that invest in them. Their team placed third at the tournament, and they only lost by a few strokes. The boys are already looking forward and talking about next year. Roger was able to get away to see their tournament, and I was thankful that he was able to go. It’s hard to get away from school this time of year, but we wanted one of us to be there. Roger went from the golf tournament to then watch Garett’s baseball game, and then to Emma’s recital! Emma was excited about her recital, and I wasn’t sure we were going to be able to make it there when I discovered that the van had a tire with a nail in it! However, Emma and I used the air compressor to pump up the tire. Then we filled the air compressor with air, hopped in the van, and drove to Aunt Jen’s. We put more air in the tire at Aunt Jen’s and we made it to school safely and on time! Praise the Lord! Garett was also supposed to be in the recital with his guitar, but through a series of miscommunication, not enough guitar lessons, and a long baseball game, he did not make it into the recital. He was fine with that, and it was the best solution. Emma had worked hard on her piano piece, and she did a good job. We are thankful for music teachers! 

Last Wednesday, the boys asked to go golfing after school. I agreed to drop them off, but before that happened, we ended up with six golf bags and six boys in the mini van! Gabe and Enzo are friends with the boys, and everyone wanted to go golfing. I dropped everyone off at the golf course, and then came home to do a few things. I picked them up on the way back to church, and they ate pizza on the way. These are the moments that life is made up of, and I am thankful for these memories. 

Last weekend was the baseball tournament for Garett. Roger was kept busy with a fire for the entire weekend, but the rest of us stayed busy at the tournament with helping with collecting admission fees, concessions, trash, or whatever else needed doing. It was a beautiful weekend for a ball tournament, and it was an exciting end to the season. Roger was unable to go to the tournament as he was busy flying on fire patrol.  We need rain quite badly, and while we got a little this past weekend, we already need another shower of rain. But the baseball championship game went to ten innings, and it ended on a home run hit! The school baseball team had won the game! It was exciting and emotional for me all at the same time. Garett is done with baseball. No more watching him play first base with ease and confidence,  and then praying he will be able to hit the ball when he goes up to bat! I’ve watched him display leadership skills, confidence, humility, kindness, and compassion as he’s played this season. I was an emotional basket case as I hugged him in his smelly, sweaty jersey one last time. I am so incredibly thankful for this young man. He doesn’t know exactly what God has for him, but I am confident that Garett can and will do great things for God as he focuses on Jesus. Please pray that Garett will have wisdom and discernment as he continues to pray about his future. 

Speaking of futures, Roger and I have some decisions of our own to make regarding our future. God is always at work, even when we can’t see or feel it. Sometimes, I wonder why God is moving so slowly, but it’s not slowly, it’s perfectly. Please pray for clarity and direction. 

As we head down the final weeks to gradation, we are talking and considering summer plans. Garett has a job lined up for the summer, and then he will need to make some more decisions in the fall. He is planning on taking a missions trip in early June and then working the rest of the summer. The younger three boys are planning to go to Teen Extreme Camp at Pensacola Christian College. Chandler, Wyatt and Travis are also considering a soccer camp at Bob Jones University this summer. Everyone has a job lined up for the summer, and we are thankful for opportunities of employment. The summer flies by, so we really do need to be intentional with our time. 

Thank you for your prayers, support and love to our family. 

Work and Play! Graduation is coming!

Garett’s Graduation Trip

It’s been a busy week, per usual, with sports, activities, preparing for our elementary Fine arts competition, and just life. I’ve tried to savor the moments here and there as well as take the time to ponder the significance of this week in history. Imagine if we had no hope?! I am so thankful for Jesus coming to  earth as a baby, but the fact that He died for my sins and rose again to give me hope for an eternal future is more than my finite brain can comprehend! I hope I never lose sight of the cross. We went to a Good Friday service last night, and it was good to sit and ponder the cross and the Resurrection. 

Thankful for the cross! 

(This was last Saturday 4/12) I’m currently sitting in a coffee shop near Raleigh, NC, as I have one son working at the Farmer’s market, and I really, really needed to work on Garett’s graduation announcements. But as I sit here, I can’t help but look back on the past 18 years of Garett’s life. The fact that he will graduate from high school in six short weeks is enough to bring me to tears! I tell Garett all the time that I have no idea what I am doing, and he’s the guinea pig. Garett has taught me so much as a parent. He has so much compassion and love for younger kids, and I’m looking forward to seeing how God uses that gift in Garett’s life. The younger students at school all shout Garett’s name when he crosses the campus, and everyone wants to be on Garett’s team. Garett has been my Teacher’s Aide for the first hour during this school year, and he’s completed so many art projects for me. I like to try things out before I teach them to my students, and Garett has been a great sport about trying a lot of things for me! Garett is still trying to figure out what he’s going to do once the summer is over, but we are praying for him to have wisdom and direction. He has a summer job offer to work for the gutter company again, and he’s planning on doing that this summer. He is also planning on going on a missions trip with the church youth group in the beginning of June. I have a few ideas that I am praying about for him, but we will see what God will do over the next few months. 

In other news, April has been a crazy month! But first let me back up a bit into March. We had a wonderful time on Garett’s senior trip cruise as a family. It was so good to get away from emails, texts, phone calls and responsibilities! The boys were all in one small interior room for a week, but I don’t think they even noticed- their room at home is pretty small. We went on a Carnival cruise ship and we went to Roatan, Belize, and Cozumel. The snorkeling in Roatan was amazing, and I would definitely want to do that if we ever go back. We took a horse drawn tour in Belize, and that was fun. We saw several children’s schools and homes on the tour, and I think if we ever went back to Belize City it would be fun to find a missionary that we could possibly help for a day. In Cozumel, we rented scooters and traveled around the island. Travis was my partner, and he shouted all kinds of advice the entire ride! We had beautiful weather for most of the trip. There was one last day at sea when the sea was a little rough, but for the most part the weather was fabulous. My sister, Jen, came with us as well as our family friends, the Everetts. The boys tried all kinds of new foods at the formal dining every night including frog legs, swordfish, escargot, and many other things! Emma enjoyed Caesar salad every night. We will look back on the week as a week filled with memories and fun. I know that as the years go by, it will be harder and harder to get all of our family together for a vacation, so I’m glad we took the opportunity to go when we had the chance. We saved for 18 years to be able to do Garett’s trip, and I guess Chandler will have to camp in the backyard. Just kidding! He has a few ideas of what he would like to do, but we will see what the next year brings. 

The boys are all busy with spring sports. Chandler, Wyatt and Travis all play on the golf team. Chandler is typically the number one golfer, and often Wyatt is tied for second place with another teammate. There are 10 golf players, and Travis usually holds the number 4 spot on the team. The first four players scores count in the tournaments, and Travis usually isn’t quite as low on the score as his older two brothers. Travis plays his own game..every time. Roger says he rarely gets rattled by a bad shot, and just rolls it off and keeps playing. Wyatt is his own worst enemy in any sport he plays as he gets rattled by a bad shot or a missed ball. But he’s working on getting better. Chandler likes to be good in all the sports he plays, sometimes to our aggravation. :) We have a membership to a small golf course near our house, and Chandler can often be found on the golf course practicing his putting after school or on the weekends, or whenever he can convince someone to drop him off! Roger was able to go to the boys golf tournament last Tuesday, and we were thankful for that opportunity. This has been a pretty busy fire season, so Roger has been working about 6 days a week. It was a pleasant surprise to have a golf meet on a Tuesday, and that Roger was able to go. Garett is busy playing baseball. He plays first base, and he’s decent at it. He gets so flustered when he goes up to bat that it drives me a bit crazy. I know that he can hit that ball, but he struggles to overcome if he strikes out the first time. But we only have about three more weeks of spring sports, and then another year of sports will be behind us! 

This past week the high school students competed in a Fine Arts competition. I have many fond memories from my growing up years at competing at school competitions. Garett and Wyatt both sang in the choir this school year. I told Wyatt that he either had to be in choir or take piano lessons. He chose to take choir, but he told me he thinks he’d rather go back to piano next year. We will see. Garett also took guitar lessons this school year, but he did not advance as much as either of us would’ve liked. He’s got some natural talent, but mostly, he needs consistency and frequent instruction. Garett did sing in a trio and a quartet for the competition, and that was a joy to my heart. He worked hard on learning his part, and I hope that he will continue to be willing to use his talents for Jesus Christ. Chandler ran in the one mile run at the competition, and he placed first. That was much to my chagrin as he didn’t even train or practice! He is active all the time (like the energizer bunny), and  while he was probably a bit sore the next day, he placed first in the one mile run. If he goes to college that has a cross country team, I want him to try out for the cross country team (although I think he’d pick soccer first).  It was a long three days, but we can check another box for the school year. Oh, and Garett placed 2nd with his photography entry! 

I am getting 32 elementary students ready for their fine arts competition, which is coming up in a few short weeks! I’ve worked with students every day after school this week, and while the art room has been a disaster, we have made progress!! I will be so, so glad to have this event behind me! I’m thankful for my art assistant, Kaycee, who constantly cleans up messes and resets supplies for the next class. She hangs art, files art, and I am so thankful for her. 

I send out the information about the competition way back in February, but it’s usually not until these two weeks before competition that suddenly everyone needs help! I’m excited about some of our entries, and there are a few that just can’t be changed this late in the game. My library assistant and friend, Jen, and I have also been working with the Bible Sword drill students. I’m a little nervous about whether or not the teams will be ready, but there are only so many hours in the day. I’ve stayed until around 4:30 or 5:00pm at school almost every day this week, and it’s still not all done. It’s gonna be what it’s going to be. I’ll do my best, but I still need to be present for my own kids and family and everyone likes to eat! I find myself often in tears these days, and I think its partly due to fatigue, my age, my hormones, Garett’s graduation, and just really wanting to be present and soak it all in. 

Sometimes I just sit back and reflect on how truly good God is to me. I am so very blessed. Even when I’m tired and weary, He knows. I am blessed with a great husband who packs school lunches, keeps us moving in the right direction, and is faithful and calm. Our oldest son, Garett, is a delight to my heart. Oh, he frustrates me and drives me crazy, but he also shares so much with me. He tells me things that matter to him, and I know so much about so many things because he is willing to talk to me. Chandler is so much like me that I’m often terrified. He’s energetic, enthusiastic, strong-willed, competitive, hard working, and passionate about what he believes in. I know that God has great things in store for him, and lately I have been fervently praying for Chandler to have wisdom and direction for his future. Wyatt is our quiet middle child. He will share things with me if we have about four hours! It takes him about 2 hours to warm up to more than one sentence answers, and then suddenly he will talk. I am praying for him to be diligently in his studies and to recognize that his worth is in Jesus. Travis is constantly just plodding along. He doesn’t get riled up much unless it’s from Garett or Emma, and he is quiet at school. However, he can be loud at home! He makes us laugh often with his dry sense of humor. Emma is often overwhelmed with friendships and how to be a good solid friend. I pray for her often to love Jesus, be kind, and do the next right thing. She loves all things girly and pink! Please pray with us for our children. Parenting is hard, and parenting teens is harder still! But, God is so so good. 

Closing (written 4/19)

    We are looking forward to hosting Easter dinner at our home tomorrow. I think we’re having about 30 people over for dinner around four pm. My prayer is that we will be a blessing and an encouragement to our friends and also that Roger will be able to get off work in time to join us for dinner. He has been working long hours. Also, tomorrow is Wyatt’s 16th birthday! Time flies! 

Happy Resurrection Weekend!