Beach Days, Memories, Meetings, and a 10th Birthday!

 Next week we go back to school! How is that even possible?! The summer has literally flown by, and I am not ready to see it go. We’ve had a busy last couple of weeks as we’ve wrapped up our final cheer camp, the younger boys and Roger took a trip to Wisconsin, we spent a few days at Myrtle Beach and now in-service for school! 

We’ve spent a lot of time swimming and being outside this summer. With two kids running cross-country this fall,  I’ve tried to make sure that they run a least some during the summer. Garett has stayed busy with his job with the gutter company and his favorite part is that they go out to lunch every day! His boss generously pays for meals, so Garett has enjoyed that immensely! They often go to the same Mexican restaurant, and Garett gets the same thing. The owner recently told Garett, “You don’t need a menu. I know what you order.” It’s been a good experience for Garett, and we are so thankful that God provided a job for him. 

Chandler and Wyatt have tried hard to do odd jobs here and there. They were paid very well by a man in our church for spreading pine straw, and that was encouraging for them. Chandler would’ve liked to have found steady work, but it is what it is, and God knew that this would be the plan for Chandler this summer. Wyatt has kept our pool clean and he helps monitor the water chemicals and vacuum it out. We’ve been thankful for his help this summer. 

Two weeks ago, I had a meeting with the IEP team with the school district that the kids are enrolled in. The people in the meeting were very friendly and kind, but it’s so much information to take in! Neither Garett or Travis will qualify for an IEP, but they both are needing some modifications for education in the form of a 504 plan…which means another thing that needs to get done before school starts! There’s a certain score that a student must fall below in order to get an IEP plan or funding. One of the boys was 3 points away from that marker and 10 points below average range. The IEP team said that both boys scored high on their adaptive behavior testing (which basically means that we are doing our job as parents). I have some concerns regarding the testing of one of the boys, and there were some markers for some other things that are concerning. I need to get a pediatric visit set up, so please pray that can happen quickly. While the scholarship funding would’ve been nice, I’m more concerned with how to best meet the educational needs for these boys. We’ve got some things to figure out, and figuring out how to do it in Christian education can be trickier. I’m not complaining as that’s the best option for our family, but it can pose a challenge. We are just a few short days away from school starting, and I have a lot of ducks that need lining up. (Currently, I don’t know where my ducks even are and they’re certainly not in a row!) We’d appreciate your prayers as we try to figure out how to best help our boys. 

After the boys and Roger got back from Wisconsin, we headed to the beach on Thursday morning. Emma’s birthday was on August 8th, so we kinda made plans to go to the beach for her birthday. We weren’t there on her actual birthday, but we had such a good time together with our friend, the Everett’s. We’ve become very dear friends with their family, and we share a lot in common with raising teens, moving a lot, and life experiences. We are thankful for them! Jen was able to come with us to the beach, so that was an unexpected blessing. The kids (except Garett), Laura, Jen and I left on Thursday morning. We arrived at the beach in the afternoon in time to use the water park for a bit and go to the beach. The lodgings weren’t the world’s finest accommodations, but they were workable, and the company was so fun. We had left Garett at home because we figured he would be working on Friday. However, he called me on Thursday night and said that he didn’t have to work on Friday. He asked me to come and pick him up so that he could spend time at the beach. (Roger and Justin were coming on Friday night). I made plans with Roger and I left early Friday morning to meet up with them. I picked up Garett around 6:30am, and he was able to spend the day at the beach with us. It was a full day of swimming, beach, shopping, mini golf and laughter! We soaked up the sun and the memories! On Saturday evening we went to the Pirates Voyage dinner show with the Everett’s and Jen. It was so fun! I would definitely do it again, and all the kids enjoyed the show too. We’ve never been to a dinner show, so that was a special treat for us. We also had relay races in the lazy river at the hotel, played mini golf, and did some school shopping. It was a great weekend away, and I don’t think that any of us were ready to come back to reality, but here we are! 

Emma’s 10th birthday was on Tuesday! I can’t believe that our baby is 10 years old- where did the time go?! The Bible says that “life is a vapor” and it surely is! We blink and the years pass by. We made an ice cream cake for Emma’s birthday, and it was similar in taste to Dairy Queen’s except much cheaper! The boys said it was good, but the cookie crumbs weren’t smashed enough. Emma thought it was delicious and she especially liked the frosting. It wasn’t hard to make, but it was a little time consuming. Travis has already asked for one for his birthday which is also just two weeks away. We celebrated Emma’s birthday with cake and she decided on shrimp, pasta, breadsticks and fruit for her birthday supper. She had gotten her ears pierced for her birthday while we were at the beach, but she also got some legos, jewelry, clothes and art supplies. She was thrilled. She did tell me that the only thing that would’ve made the day better was if she had gotten a dog for her birthday. She is convinced that we need a dog, but Roger and I are certainly not convinced! I love this girl so much! School doesn’t always come easily and she struggles with a lot of things. But she is sweet- hearted, loves hugs, and spending time with her daddy. We are so thankful that she is a part of our lives! My specific prayer requests would include the following: that she will understand salvation fully, and that she will understand school this year. Also that she would make good friends and be a good friend. 

Summer Speed!

 The summer speed is disconcerting at best! We are trying to savor these last few weeks before school begins again, and time is flying by way too quickly! 

Early morning at the storage unit with Chandler 

A rare “date” with this youngest son! 

This girl has enjoyed swimming so much this summer! 

For those of you that have followed us along on the journey of my sister, Jen, and her move to NC, we have an update! The moving company misplaced (spelled lost) all of her belongings for about ten days. They didn’t seem to know where her stuff was at, where it was going to be delivered, or what had happened after it had been picked up in South Dakota! The original plan was for her stuff to remain in Rapid City until she found a place to live here. However, it was discovered on Monday, July 11 that her stuff was on a moving truck in our area. Tuesday morning found Chandler and I waiting outside a storage unit at 5:00am! Jen was able to find a storage unit, so Chandler and I made sure the stuff was delivered. It was an early morning and made a bit more hectic by the fact that Travis had IEP testing that morning and that was Garett’s first day at his new job! Whew! But, by the grace of God, we managed to get it all done. Chandler and I came home from the storage unit escapade to take a quick nap. Then Travis and I went off to his IEP testing. He was NOT a happy camper, but Travis was still polite and respectful to the lady doing the testing. This whole process has been daunting and draining, but we are in the final stretch. We will hear the results of their testing on August 2, and then decisions will be made. Please pray that we will be at peace with decisions made and that God will be glorified. I’ve had to fill out paperwork for the boys, and it seems to be a struggle to separate bad manners/parenting from an academic need! A bunch of the questions were related to manners in my opinion. Questions such as “does he say please?” Does he manage money well?””Does he help with chores around the house?” And so on…I understand that there are children that mentally struggle with those capabilities, but so much of those questions are parenting related! One of the questions  asked was, “does he bathe regularly?” Let’s see. Travis went to camp for a whole week and bathed once! That’s because he’s a sixth grade boy who’d rather be grubby than a child with a handicap! It’s hard to know how to answer the questions, so please pray for clarity in this whole matter! 

Garett has been at his job for almost two weeks. It has seemed to be a good fit for him, so we are thankful for this opportunity for him. It doesn’t look like Chandler will be getting a job this summer, and that’s been a disappointment for him. He’s done some odd jobs here and there, but nothing on a regular basis. But we are thankful for the little bit of work that he has been able to do. And actually this past week, both Wyatt and Chandler were able to acquire work for two days. They spread out pine straw for landscaping for a man in our church. It was hot, sweaty work, but they were paid well and got the job done. They were even given some Chick-fil-a coupons for food -which totally made their day! 

Roger and the boys (except Garett) left EARLY Wednesday morning for a whirlwind trip to Wisconsin. Roger is visiting with some of his family during the air show, and the boys are visiting with my parents. They were all excited to go even though it will be a very quick trip as they’ll be coming back on Sunday. Garett was a little disappointed to not be able to go, but that’s part of growing up and having a job! Emma wanted to see Nana and Papa, but not enough to take a 16 hour road trip! 

Roger told me yesterday that he was able to get the deer hunting tags for the boys for the fall hunting season, so that was good news! Each boy will be able to deer hunt over Thanksgiving break, and hopefully, shoot some deer for the freezer! We have a lot of mouths to feed, and grocery prices are skyrocketing, so I’ll be thankful to have some deer meat should the boys be successful in their hunting. We had originally planned to take them to Montana to hunt elk and deer, but that’s a very long ways away from North Carolina, and the tags were much more expensive than in Wisconsin. This way they can have the opportunity to hunt with my dad at a much more affordable price and still do something that they really enjoy. They’re already looking forward to going in the fall. 

Meanwhile, we’ve stayed home and worked on a lot of various things around the house like mowing grass and doing laundry. We’ve spent some time in the pool and with our friends, the Everett’s. I’m sure that Chandler, Wyatt and Travis will have a great time in Wisconsin and come back with many stories to share. I sure do miss them when they’re gone! The house is too quiet! (I don’t know what to do when I don’t have to referee the fights!) -Kidding! :) Emma had the opportunity to go with the Everett family to Beaufort to visit some friends on Friday evening. It was a quiet evening for Garett and I, but it was so good to spend some undivided time with this oldest son. He struggles SO much with school that sometimes it just makes my heart hurt. But he’s kind, respectful and a leader in a quiet way. I’m so proud of him, and I was reminded that I don’t tell him often enough how much I love him. I’m thankful for these moments with him. 

Laura and I have conducted two cheer camps on Mondays this month, and that’s kept us busy and tired. Laura has the experience, and I like communication and information! I lead strength and conditioning and Laura teaches them the routines. It seems to work so far, and we have fun while we do it. We also come home tired on Mondays- one more to go! Pray for us as we pour into these girls during the winter sport season. We want to point them to Jesus, help them deepen their relationship with Jesus, and grow together as a team. We’d ask for prayer for Laura and I to have wisdom, direction, and discernment. We’re sure to make mistakes, but we want God to be glorified through it all. 

I’ve also been putting in some time at the school as we work to get the library up to speed for the school year. A private school library is a challenge to maintain because we don’t have access to new books like a public school does or a public library. We did managed to add over 400 new books last year though generous donors, so that’s a really good start! But that also means that some books have got to go to make space for the new ones. As adults, I think we’re often attached to books due to our own childhood experiences, but the next generation has no such connections. So what will they read?! Well, it’s a challenge for sure! We’ve discovered that graphic novels are appealing to a lot of kids and even some of the classic series like  The Boxcar Children  have been re-written in graphic/comic form. Kids are drawn to the comic type writing in Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and the I Survived series is also popular. Children also seem to be drawn to books about facts, interesting quick tidbits of information, and the Who? What? Where is? Series of books. My friend and fellow librarian, Jennifer, have been working hard at making some changes in our library to make the shelves more appealing to our readers. Reading is a challenge for so many kids, and I think reading aloud to all children is important. 

My sister, Jenn, is heading our way this weekend. She has a few houses lined up to look at, so we will see what happens with that adventure. We are excited to see her, and we are praying for a smooth transition for all of us. Change is hard, even if it’s good change. It looks like there may be changes for myself this year during the school year, but we are still praying about making good, wise decisions. I know that God has a plan and a purpose in all that He allows and that He is our Rock in the midst of uncertainty. 

The summer has literally flown by, and I am not ready to go back to school! It means that another summer with our children has come to a close, and I’m reminded daily that our time with them is so very fleeting. We are thankful for the memories we’ve created and the time spent together. 

I’ve had this song on my mind a lot the past few weeks. I’ve been overwhelmed with a lot of thoughts and changes that are looming upon me. Sometimes when I lay my head down to sleep, my mind runs away with all the responsibilities that I need to do. I want to do what I do and do it well. I want to love Jesus and point my kids and students to Him. I want to pour into others knowing that I am filled by an almighty, all-powerful God. I love this song, and the words in it. “Praise God, Just as I am!” I’m thankful that the God Who created the sunset this morning is the same God that loves me. He is faithful. 

Summer Memories- Florida, Camp, and the Fourth of July!

 Do know what happens when I don’t write a blog post for a couple of weeks? A lot! The answer is that a lot of things happen in a short amount of time around here! 

Emma and I arrived back from Maine on a Tuesday afternoon. It was a flurry of activity as we prepared to leave for a week in Florida. My friend, Laura and I left at 4:10am on Saturday morning with 8 kids in tow to leave for Florida taking the kids to camp at Pensacola Christian College. We made good time down to Florida on Saturday, and arrived at the condo where we were staying for two nights around 3:30pm. Everyone was happy to arrive and spend time in the pool and at the beach for a few hours. We certainly were all happy to go to bed on Saturday night! 

On Sunday morning (6/ 25) we visited a church that the Everett’s had been a part of fifteen years ago when they had lived in the Destin area. The church was very friendly (of course, it’s hard to miss two moms coming in with six teens and two elementary students!). The preaching was solid, the people friendly, and it was a church that I would re-visit if I was moving to the area. Living in a post-Covid world, so many churches are plagued with the same problems: people not returning after Covid, an aging generation of pastors and laypeople, and the struggle to find the balance between technology, Bible translations and music. But we press on in Jesus’s name to share the Good News and to live our lives for His honor and glory. 

Monday afternoon found us dropping off six teens at camp where they met up with the other 9 kids that came from our church. It was a great group of teens to take to camp, and Pensacola Christian College definitely put their “best foot forward” as they represented the college and camp. The boys all had a great week and the favorites from the week were the preaching and the food! It was a little bit of a struggle having three of the brothers be in the same room, and I could do without that next year, but overall, it was a positive and great experience. All the teens said that they would like to go back next year, and Chandler and Wyatt said that they’d like to try basketball game, We are so thankful for all those that poured into them and mentored them during that week of camp. 

Meanwhile, while the kids were at camp, Laura and I hung out with our children that were too young for camp- Emma and Brody. We stayed at a place about 20 minutes from the college, and it was the perfect spot for the week! I had heard about this place through our friends, the Falde family. They have a great little Airbnb that was the perfect price for us. Emma and Brody played together so nicely all week! We spent a day at the Pensacola Beach with our friends, Laura and Cara, who had also come down to drop kids off at camp. Emma and Brody spend probably seven hours outside playing in the beach and then playing in the pool! Needless to say, they slept very well at night! It was a fun time of relaxation and enjoying each other’s company, and we wouldn’t complain if it became a yearly tradition! 

It was a long drive back from Florida! We left the campus about 8:15am on Friday morning, but we didn’t get home until around 11:00pm. Traffic, rain, and longer stops than usual, ate up our time. We also decided that we prefer the route down to Jacksonville, Florida and then over to Pensacola versus the route through Alabama and Atlanta, Georgia! But now we know! 

Roger and Justin stayed home to work while the mamas and the kids went off to Florida, so everyone was glad to be home on Friday night. Roger told me earlier in the week that he thought the washing machine was on its last leg- something that no mama wants to hear! We arrived home to discover that the washing machine had quit working altogether. It came with the house and had been used multiple years without the water filtration system and I’m guessing that the hard water has just worn it out. But a family of seven has a hard time going without a washing machine for too long! We went to get a replacement one on Saturday, but we were told that it wouldn’t arrive until Wednesday. Nothing to do but let the laundry start piling up! Thankfully, my friend, Laura took some of it home with her and that certainly helped diminish the pile- but we are looking forward to having a washing machine! 

We spent the Fourth of July floating down the Neuse River on air mattresses and rafts!  It was totally red-neck, but also free! The Neuse River is not very clean, but it’s not very deep and the current doesn’t flow very quickly. It was  a fun afternoon with friends, rope swings, laughter, fellowship, and only one lost flip flop! We followed up the afternoon with an all-American barbecue and fireworks. It was a very all-American day, and a reminder of how much we have to be thankful for in our land. It’s very easy to become discouraged by the wickedness swirling around us, but I still pray fervently that God will continue to work in hearts and lives and bring revival to our land. We are a blessed people. 

We hosted a missionary family for supper on Friday night, and that was a good blessing as well. It’s always great to hear missionary speakers in church, but it’s so much more personable to have people in our home. We had a great time of fellowship as we talked with the missionaries to Togo,Africa. Our older boys both said how they think that they’d like to go on a missions trip to Togo sometime soon. It’s expensive to fly across the world, but it’s definitely something that we’d like to see them do also. I made lasagna for supper last night as it’s one of our kids favorites. I’ve been making lasagna for 20 years now, and rarely use any kind of recipe and it turns out fine. On Thursday morning, I had Wyatt brown the meat for the lasagna while I mixed up the egg, cheese, and cottage cheese mixture. We started layering the two pans we were making, and I was feeling very accomplished about getting the lasagna made a day ahead of time. We finished the lasagna, wrapped it up, and put it in the fridge. I turned around and looked at the stove and there sat the three pounds of browned meat! Yikes! I had forgotten to put in the meat! I texted Roger to tell him that I was going on a run as I clearly needed to clear my mind! I ended up making one additional pan with the meat and saving the rest of the meat to use for tacos on Saturday. Anyways, the lasagna was still delicious! 

On Saturday, we had the Hardison family over for fellowship and tacos! The Everett kids were here as it’s Justin and Laura’s anniversary weekend. Since five of the kids are on the cross-country team, we had them run before supper. There were minimal complaints although it was very, very hot! Thankfully, they were able to run and then jump in the pool to cool off. It’s been hot and humid here- welcome to summer in North Carolina. 

My friend, Laura, and I are coaching cheerleading this fall/winter, so we’ve been preparing for our cheer camp which starts next Monday! We’ve typed a lot of notes, talked through a lot of different ideas, rehashed some more ideas, and are still a work in progress! Cheerleading is out of my wheelhouse, but I’m fairly good at communication, coming up with games, typing out schedules, and coordinating things. Laura will take on the teaching of routines, stunts, etc. Together we are hoping and praying that we will encourage these girls and point them closer to Jesus. We are looking forward to the challenge, but we surely would appreciate your prayers! 

My sister, Jen, has been facing all sorts of challenges in trying to move across the country to North Carolina. Please pray that God will give her peace and that He will make the way clear. We are looking forward to having her in the area. 

The summer days are flying by- way too quickly for my liking! We are trying to soak up memories and moments as we see our children growing up so fast. Garett will be starting his job tomorrow. He will be working with a seamless gutter company right near our house. God orchestrated this job to be 1.5 miles from our house, and the two guys that run the business are both Christians. Pray that God will help Garett to understand the job, be a hard worker and have a good testimony. Chandler would still like some summer employment, so he would appreciate your prayers that God will provide some work. 

Garett took his IEP testing last Wednesday and Travis will take the testing tomorrow. The testing is long and it’s tiring, but we are praying for an accurate representation of any learning challenges that might be present. It’s a long and tiring process, but we do feel like it’s important. 

Many things we are praying for this summer- school, employment, experiences, and so much more! But God is so faithful to lead us step by step. We continue to trust that He will direct our steps. 

Maine Adventures, Budget Airlines, and Headaches

 

                                                  

                                                       My favorite flower: Lupine 

Last Monday night, Emma and I were at the airport waiting for a flight to Maine. Tonight we are at the airport waiting for a flight to take us to North Carolina! Last Monday, Emma and I arrived at the airport with plenty of time to spare for our flight to Maine, which was supposed to leave at 6:45pm. However, after several delays which put us leaving at 9:50pm, they cancelled the flight! Emma and I were disappointed, of course, but now what was the plan?! I called my sister, Hannah, and told her the situation. She was already on the way to the airport when I called her, and because we flew with a budget airline, there were not enough agents to help people re-book or figure out how to get their money back. Hannah and Josh ended up canceling the flight to Maine, and the airline doesn’t fly to Maine on Tuesday. The next available day to go to Maine was on Wednesday. Emma was disappointed, and so was I, but there was nothing to do but turn around and drive home. 

Hannah and I came up with an alternative plan on Tuesday. At first it looked like we weren’t going to be able to go to Maine, and we were all disappointed about that! However, God provided a way for Emma and I to leave North Carolina on Wednesday afternoon, and return on Monday instead of Friday. So we re-booked the flight, made sure the bags were packed and Emma and I left again on Wednesday afternoon. This time we made it to Maine! Hannah and Josh met us at the airport with their three littles. I drove home with their kids while Hannah and Josh headed to New Hampshire to spend a few days together. It wasn’t the warm-up, get-to-know- you time that we had originally planned on, but it worked! One of the little ones cried off and on on the two plus hour drive home, but overall, they did very well. We arrived at their house late on Wednesday night, so kids went to bed and I crawled in bed too. 

Emma and I spent Thursday, Friday and most of Saturday watching the little ones. Emma had a great time with her cousins, and I think a fun time was had by all. I was able to catch up with my friend, Hannah, and Allison some on Thursday, and Allison and her girls drove up for a visit on Friday. It was cold in Maine! And rainy! And those kind of days are hard on little kids and those watching them! Friday was pretty nice, so I took the kids to the park in the morning, then to get ice cream, and home for nap time! We went back to the park on Saturday morning even though it was a bit dreary and cold. Hannah came home around four pm., as she had dropped Josh off at work. I’m so glad that they were able to get away for a few days together. I very much remember our early days of lots of kids that were too little to watch themselves and desperately needing some time away together. I am so thankful that God orchestrated all the details so that Emma and I could go to Maine to bless them. I told Roger that I had forgotten what it was like to have kids that aren’t independent. You forget how exhausting it is to constantly make meals for everyone, cut up the food, clean up, do the laundry, bath the children, manage the arguing, and all the other things that need to be done. Our kids are of the age that they can make their own food, clean up after themselves, do their laundry, etc. But the years have literally flown by!! It feels like just yesterday I was doing all the things that needed doing for our own kids, and yet here we are! 

Emma and I went to our home church in Maine on Sunday. It was good to see faces that we haven’t seen in a year, and re-connect with a few friends. We met our friends, Jess and her girls, before church so that we could have time to visit together. It was a fast hour, but it was good to have in-person conversations. I’ve missed our close friends, and I was thankful for the opportunity to visit for a few minutes. 

It wasn’t the originally plan to be gone over Father’s Day, but it’s the way it worked out. Roger actually didn’t even get to spend time with the kids either. It has really been the worst week that I could possibly be gone, but yet God has provided for the details of all our children at home. Roger has been busy fighting a fire since Wednesday afternoon. The kids helped in Vacation Bible School on Monday and Tuesday night, and Emma and I left on Wednesday. My friend, Laura, came to the rescue to help make sure our kids didn’t spend days alone at home. They would’ve been fine, but I’m glad they didn’t have to do that. Laura has had the boys at her house every day, and the boys have enjoyed playing basketball, badminton, watching movies, swimming, hiking, and probably eating them out of house and home! We had originally planned to go to the Hardison’s home on Sunday afternoon. I had talked to Tamela and said that Emma and I wouldn’t be there, but Roger and the boys would be coming with some chips and dessert. Then I had to let her know that Roger was fighting a fire, so I’m not sure that the boys would be able to come. Steven and Tamela jumped in to help make sure the boys got to church on Sunday, brought them to their house on Sunday afternoon, and fed them multiple times, I’m sure! We are so thankful for the Everett’s and the Hardison’s jumping in to help us make sure that the boys had someone checking on them, watching over them, etc. The boys are independent, but I also don’t like them spending days by themselves. 

God is good- He gives us exactly what we need. He provided trustworthy friends in North Carolina who are willing to go out of their way to help our children. He provided a way for Emma and I to get to Maine. He gave us an opportunity to connect with old friends. He gave me some extra time to spend with my sister and her little ones. He provided a way for Emma and I to get back to the airport via my friend, Allison, so that the littles didn’t have to travel all the way down to the airport. (And I was thankful for the extra time to have conversations!)He gave moments to reflect on His goodness and faithfulness to our family. He is faithful. I am so blessed. 

It’s been a long and full week. Emma and I are ready to get home- but we are currently waiting in Portland for a delayed flight to take us to North Carolina. I’m looking forward to sleeping in my own bed, seeing our boys again, and spending a few days at home before taking the boys to camp next week. I knew that June would be a busy month…I just didn’t know it would be this busy! 

To all those that I had the opportunity to speak to in person this past week, I am thankful. There’s many others that I would’ve loved to have had the opportunity to speak with and give a hug too, but we just ran right out of time. We reflect on our six years in Maine with great fondness and delight. God taught us so much in our time in Maine. We were introduced to our first experiences with Christian schools. The boys built many forts in the woods behind our house. Garett developed his interest in aviation. God provided Roger with a great boss and friend for five years. Garett, Wyatt and Travis were all baptized in Maine. We discovered fiddleheads, Maine blueberries, and what redemption centers are for in Maine. ( I also have not missed needing to bring along grocery bags or pay deposits for bottles and cans!) We are blessed! 

I’m including a link to another of my favorite songs: 

Update: our flight to North Carolina was canceled last night. It was canceled around 10:30pm, and I will not be flying with Frontier Airlines again. After calling Hannah and Roger, checking flights out of Boston, working out some details, we ended up with a flight for Tuesday morning @ 5:49am. By the time we figured out the flight details, it was nearly 11:00pm, and we would need to be back at the airport by 4:30am, so Emma and I spent the night in the airport sleeping in the chairs. The first place we picked was too cold, so we moved about 1:00am. Then we got a few more hours of sleep until we could go back through security to get ready to board the plane. As I type this, we are praying that we will be boarding and heading home in about an hour- we are ready to be home! Emma has done very well, but we are both tired! 

Weddings, Vacations, and More Adventures!

 

Week #2 of summer break has come and gone and we are headed into week #3! The days of June are flying by as we welcomed summer break with a visit from my parents, a wedding on the western side of the state, a trip to Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge with friends, home again for a few days, and now Emma and I are heading to Maine for a few days to visit my sister and family! 

We are always happy to have family and friends come and visit us, and we enjoyed having my parents and sister, Jen, here for a few days two weeks ago. Time flew by, and Jen was busy with job interviews. I was wrapping up the school year, so it felt like a bit of a rushed visit. Jen left on Thursday (6/1) to head towards the western side of the state to visit with my Aunt Lisa and family. My parents left on Friday to head that way, and they took a few of our kids with them. Roger, Garett, Travis and I left on Saturday morning as we had a wedding to attend in the afternoon. Weddings are not favorite events for children and teens, but it was a beautiful wedding…albeit very hot! It was good to see some extended family that I haven’t seen in several years and to visit and catch up. The kids were all happy when it was time to head back to Aunt Lisa’s house so that they could go swimming! However, they did very well at the wedding and playing with the little ones at the wedding reception. 

On Sunday morning we attended church with my aunt Lisa and family. After church we said good by to my parents, sister, and headed for the mountains for a few days! It was a few very full, but very fun days in the mountains of Tennessee. We went to Dollywood, did the Alpine coaster, visited the Black Rifle Coffee company, ate lots of good food, wandered around and spent a lot of time laughing, visiting and fellowshipping. We went with our good friends, the Everett’s. You know your kids get along when after four days of spending time with each other, the boys ask if Brody can have a sleepover that night! We really enjoyed Dollywood and our time spent there at the amusement park. Emma got a little scared on the first roller coaster, but everyone said that they would love to go again sometime! On the way home from the mountains, we took a trip to the Biltmore. I’ve been to the Biltmore before, but that was a very long time ago! It was fun to see the house, the gardens, and picture what life might have been like over 100 years ago. Travis was in a bit of a bad mood at first, but once we started on the tour, he really enjoyed it. He enjoys history re-enactments, and learning about history, but he’d prefer not to read about it on his own. All the kids seemed to enjoy the tour, and I’m glad we took the time to go, as I’m not sure when the next opportunity might be. 

We arrived home on Wednesday, and Roger went back to work for Thursday and Friday. On Saturday we hosted a few families over for the day. Since five of the kids will be on the cross-country team in the fall, we first had practice. I had walked out a hill running routine for them, so they ran hills for a while. Then they jumped in the pool, ate lots of food, went to the park to play softball, ate some more, played whiffle ball in the yard, went swimming again, and played volleyball! They went to bed tired! It was a fun and full day with our friends, the Harrison’s and Everett’s. We are thankful for good friends to have fellowship with and encourage us. 

Today, (Monday, June 12th) Emma and I are heading to Maine! We will be there just for a few days to visit my sister and family. We are excited to go, and the boys are a bit disappointed that they aren’t going. They were hoping to be working for the neighbor again this summer, but he doesn’t have work for all of them. Please continue to pray that God will provide a job for them this summer. 

Thank you for your love and prayers and for following us along on our crazy adventures! God is good! 

First Week of Summer Break!

 We’ve wrapped up another school year complete with awards programs, spring tryouts for cross-country and soccer, and the age old problem of “how’d all this stuff even fit in your locker?”! We are so thankful to be done, but at the same time it’s a weird feeling as the last few weeks flew by and here we are- done! 

We had the school awards program last Friday which included all grades first through eleventh grade, so that’s a lot of kids! This was our first introduction to the final awards program, and it was a lot of kids and awards. Sometimes the challenge is trying to make it feel personable and special when there are that many students. All four of the boys did end up with “B” honor roll certificates, and Emma ended up with a certificate for “A” honor roll. Travis was awarded a trophy for “Citizenship” which is an award given for Christ-like character, respectfulness, responsibility, etc. Roger was not able to go to the awards program, so later in the evening, Roger was talking to Travis. Roger was telling Travis how proud he was of his character and doing the right thing. Travis replied, “Dad, it’s really not that big of a deal. My class has a lot of naughty kids in it, so there’s not a lot to chose from for that award!” We had a hard time not laughing, but if you know Travis, he will speak his mind to those who ask his opinion! Regardless, we told Travis that we were proud of his work ethic and character cause that is a HUGE deal! Emma received an award for the “Most Improved Student”. We’ve been proud of her hard work to navigate a new school, dropping back a grade, adjusting to so many new things, and lots of changes. She’s not a straight “A” student, but she does try to work hard. We are thankful for the kids hard work in adjusting to a new school, new church, new state, lots of challenges and changes, but by the Grace of God, we made it through! 

My parents arrived at our house for a visit on Monday evening, as well as my sister, Jen. It was a full week and a full house. The weather has been unusually cool for North Carolina, and we’d all like to see some heat and sunshine! My sister, Jen, had her days full with interviews and appointments for various schools in the area. She would be a help and an asset to any school, and they all would like to have her work for them. We’ve done a lot of praying and talking! The boys and Emma enjoyed having Nana and Papa here for a few days as we made multiple trips to the park, fishing, doing projects, and visiting together. The week flew by, and we are thankful for family. The boys worked on building an outdoor pizza oven, which needs some tweaking! However, they had fun working on it. 

June will be a busy month for us as we have a wedding today (June 3rd). Then we are going to the mountains in Tennessee for a few days with some friends. We’ve never been to Gatlinburg, so we are excited about that adventure. We are coming home on Wednesday, and then Emma and I will leave on Monday (12th) to head to Maine for a few days. I am going to be watching my little nieces and nephew for a few days while Hannah and Josh get away by themselves. Emma is excited that she will be get to come along, and we are excited about a trip to Maine. Once we come back from Maine, we leave the following week to take the boys to camp at Pensacola Christian College. We’ve been praying about this camp for them, and asking God to work in their hearts and lives. It’ll be a busy month, but we have very few plans for July. 

The boys were hoping to work for the neighbor again this summer, but he said that he won’t have very much work for them this summer. Garett and Chandler are especially disappointed about that, so please pray that they can find employment this summer. They have things that they need/want to buy, and they’d like to be working this summer. We’d appreciate your prayers for them. 

Summer is a wonderful time of the year, and we want to use these weeks wisely. Our children are growing up so quickly, and life literally is like a “vapor” as it says in the Bible. God is good, and we are blessed with five great kids. We always appreciate your prayers as we try to point them to Jesus. 

Coming Down the “Home Stretch”!!

If I don’t hurry up and write about the last week, school will be out!! I’m already feeling the mad dash to the finish line as we wrap up final exams, class parties, try-outs for fall sports, and all the other year end activities! 

Almost two Fridays ago, (May 12th), the school had field day for the 3rd-6th graders. Travis had been throughly disappointed that he was going to miss out on field day due to his cast on his foot! I wasn’t sure exactly what my role would be for the day, but I managed to stay busy with handing out ribbons for different events, helping with the snack stand, and whatever else needed doing. Around 10:30am, Travis’s teacher came to find me. He said that Travis was really wanting to do the soccer kick, and that Travis had asked his teacher to ask me. A kid on crutches with a timed soccer event doesn’t seem like a recipe for success, but Travis wanted to DO something! So I said yes, he could try that. So for the soccer shoot-out, there were several differently marked spots where soccer balls were placed. The athlete had to run to the ball and then kick it into the net from that spot, and it was a timed event! I missed part of it, but I caught some of Travis’s attempts at it. He did very well for a kid on crutches, and he even placed third in the event! It was one of the highlights of his day, so I’m glad I said yes.

Last Saturday (5/13) Roger and I were invited to a wedding. Roger had planned to go with me, but he wasn’t able to get off of work in time. I took along Garett as my date, and I’m constantly reminded of how grown up he’s becoming! It was a beautiful wedding, and we enjoyed it. Garett said that his favorite part was the supper meal! I guess he’s still a typical boy at heart! It was a fun event to take Garett to, and I’m thankful for moments to spend with our children individually. 

Also over a week ago was Mother’s Day. We had our friends, the Everett’s, over for lunch on Mother’s Day. Roger grilled some meat, we had potatoes and fruit and ice cream cake for dessert! It was a low-key day, and a day well spent. We all went hiking at a state park not too far from our house. The boys wanted to try fishing. They were not successful, and everyone came back really, really dirty and grubby, but it was a fun time. We didn’t have church on Sunday night, so we were able to hike for a bit, fish for a bit, and just talk and visit. We are thankful for friends to share in the memories. 

Last week passed by in a really quick blur! It was here and gone before we could even blink! We had the sports awards program on Tuesday night. I was reminded again of how fast these years are flying by, and how important coaches are in the lives of our children. Our children played a lot of sports this past year, and it was mostly good experiences. I’m the most thankful for the coaches that can see beyond the sport, the ball field, or the court, and look to eternity. No one is going to remember in two years, or even next year, who was awarded Most Valuable Player or Most Improved, but these kids will remember which coaches took the time to invest in them. I know I can be passionate and out-spoken about what I believe, but I fervently believe that if every Christian got ahold of the truth “redeeming the time because the days are evil”, we would see a dramatic change in how we use our time with the youth of today. The truth is that there is NO time to be wasted, and I wish that I could express more fervently how important it is to invest in lives for eternity and not for a short-term sport or even a school class. Don’t get me wrong, I love to win and academics are important! My husband says that I can be too competitive, and I know where Chandler gets that from! But as I get older, I also realize more and more how short our opportunity to touch lives really is in the grand picture. Okay, stepping off the soap box now! Moving on! 

The younger grades had a field trip to a baseball game on Wednesday, so I took the day off so that I could go with Emma. I  also took Travis along after receiving permission for him to come along. He was really bummed that his class hasn’t really done any field trips this year, and he’s struggled along through school for most of his life. I am not usually that parent that allows other siblings to go on a siblings field trip. However, since I was already taking the day off and going, and Roger and I thought that Travis could use some special encouragement, we decided to let him go to the baseball game. He was so excited! My friend, Laura, and I drove to the game with Travis, and we had a good time just visiting together. When we arrived at the game, there was a flurry of activity as tickets needed to be passed out, and figuring out which students were with their parents and who needed supervision. There were a lot of parents on this field trip, which can be both good and bad. Sometimes the student will behave better if a parent is present, but that’s not always the case! I thought that the game was rather boring, personally, but Travis had a great time! By about the fourth inning, Emma was more interested in the bathrooms, concessions, and the small playground than she was in the game. She later told me that “that field trip was not my favorite. But it was better than going to school all day!” We actually managed to get home a little earlier than normal as I just picked up our other children a bit earlier from school since I wasn’t working. 

Last Wednesday was also my 40th birthday! I’m not quite sure how I arrived here so quickly, but here we are! My friends, Laura, and Brandi both gave me gifts on my birthday. It was nice to be remembered, even if I am getting old! My friend, Jennifer, took me out to lunch on Thursday for my birthday and gave me a gift. I’m thankful for all the birthday wishes, the cards, and those that have invested in my life for so long. We were talking about “heroes of the faith” a few weeks ago with our friends, and I want to be that role model for someone. I want to encourage and point others to Jesus. I want our children to know that life really will fly by, so do what matters for eternity! I have a few “heroes of the faith” in my mind. A few that come to my mind are my college cross-country coach, Jack Noonan. He’s already passed into glory, but he taught me so much more than to just enjoy running. He invested in a silly, young freshman, and constantly reminded us to do it all for the glory of God. Another hero of the faith, in my mind, would be my dad. He’s been faithful to pastor a little church for a long time, and while people may not be flocking to it, he’s been a pillar of faithfulness and trusting in the Lord. Another person would be Becki Martz. She was a teacher to both Garett and Chandler during their junior high years. She was a great teacher, but so much more than that, she loved them and pointed them to Jesus. My boys would both say that she’s their favorite teacher, and through her mentorship I learned so much more than just teaching from an academic standpoint. “Teach to touch lives for Jesus”. I miss our prayer meeting and conversations about things that will matter for eternity. We talked plenty about school, but also so much more about our students and how to help them develop a love for Jesus. I miss her. I do have others that have mentored me through the years, and I’m sure that I am forgetting some very important ones, but in the course of our conversation about “heroes of the faith”, I realized that I want to be that for someone and our children. I am certainly not doing the Christian walk perfectly, and I fail every day, but through it all, I want to trust in Jesus. 

Last Friday, after school, the boys had try-outs for the fall soccer team. It was pouring down rain! Still, there were a bunch of kids that showed up to play soccer. Everyone was soaked through in a matter of minutes, but they kept at it. Travis trotted out to the field on his crutches to tell the coach that he wanted to play, but that the doctor had said “no sports”. I was proud of his initiative to go and talk to the coach. The coach told him that if he came to the summer practices, he would see about giving him a jersey in the fall. Travis did play last year, so the coach does know a little bit about his playing level already. The boys are all excited about fall sports, as soccer is their favorite. We also see a lot of competitiveness come out between Garett and Chandler in this sport. Chandler is more of the natural athlete, but that can lead to a prideful spirit sometimes. However, if he can channel that, he will make a great leader both on and off the playing field. I was very impressed that during the soccer tryouts, he took the time to run the laps with one of the slower players on the team to encourage him. That makes my heart happy, and I know that the Lord looks upon the lowly and contrite heart. Today (5/22) there were cross-county tryouts. Wyatt did decide to tryout for the team also, so we might have two cross-county runners. We will see. I see potential for both Chandler and Wyatt to do well as well as improve over the season. 

Travis also got his cast removed today! Yay! He is thrilled about that, and he is supposed to wear a boot for three weeks. We are excited that the cast is removed, and Travis is happy that he can go swimming now! 

We have four days left of school, and we are looking forward to completing this year. We learned a lot over the course of the year, and I’m glad that we made it through the “firsts”. The first new day at a new school, the first tryout for a sports team, the first official final exams, the first introduction to new teachers and all new kids in class, etc. We learned a lot through mistakes, unfortunately, but we are smarter than we were 180 days ago. We are thankful for the mercies of God that brought us through. I’m thankful for God’s provision for the school bill. I’m thankful that our children have the opportunity to attend a Christian school. We are truly so blessed. 

We are wrapping up school. My parents are coming out to visit next week. My sister, Jen, is also coming to North Carolina. She has several job interviews lined up, so please pray for wisdom for her. We are excited for summer break! God is so good!