And Then Life Changes

Look at these sweet seniors.  Enjoying Labor Day at the beach.   The sixth one from the right is my Big Guy.  A senior.  I can't believe it even though in my head I know it is true.   This picture only represents a part of the seniors that make up our church youth group.  I know I am biased, but they are a pretty special bunch.  

They went into their senior year with plans to enjoy every second.  Weekend trips.  Sunday night suppers.   After school hang outs.   Squeezing every last second of fun out of their senior year.

And then life changed.   Last Thursday the sweet girl in the picture on Big Guy's left holding his hand was diagnosed with ovarian cancer.   Nothing else in the world mattered but our sweet Anna.  

Today she is in the hospital.   Starting chemotherapy to shrink the tumor so they can hopefully remove it with surgery.    Please be praying for Anna.   She has an incredible sense of humor, is intelligent, has a compassionate heart for others, is beautiful inside and out and has an incredible faith in our Lord.  

One Plus One Equals Three

Our church has had the most beautiful brides this summer.   It has been very special for me because each of these young couples hold a very special place in my heart.   Each wedding I have sat beside my sweet husband and we have whispered the vows to each other.  These vows have embedded themselves in our hearts since that day we said them 24 years ago.  

We are praying for each of these precious couples as they start their lives together.   Our greatest prayer is that they will always know that one plus one in marriage should equal three.  Bride + Groom + God = Marriage

 

"Above all, love each other deeply, 

because love covers over a multitude of sins."

                                                                    1 Peter 4:8

Getting Ready for School

I ordered the boys' school i.d.'s today.   I cried.  I have been doing that a lot.   It is Todd's senior year.  I am starting to think that we need a book similar to the baby book.  The baby book let us record all of the boys' firsts.  I need one that let me record all of these lasts.    It feels like there are so many.   Like today... ordering his last homeschool i.d.  

Mission Belize 2014

 My guys took a mission trip to Belize this summer.  It was something they planned, prayed, worked and saved for for almost a year.    They left out early (think 3:00am) to fly down.  Once they arrived they climbed on buses to drive to their destination.   They made one stop along the way to eat at a little restaurant named Slim Jims.   The boys said their first meal in Belize in was amazing!

 Once they arrived at Orange Walk they immediately jumped into action.   Kids showed up from everywhere wanting to play soccer. 

Each morning e-teams went out to pray with people in the villages and invite children to afternoon VBS.

 Those who weren't walking through the villages were back at the church doing very hard work.   The guys moved gravel and dug trenches.  They also dug holes for new septic tanks which the church was hoping to install.  Sewer systems are something we definitely take for granted here in the United States.

 This parakeet was a pet of one of the ladies that Little Guy visited while on e-team.

 Most of the meals were eaten at the pastor's house.  The guys talked about how awesome it was.   Big Guy brought home a bottle of the hot sauce which was eaten at every meal.  It was eaten on everything.   The guys said the empanadas, the fry jack, spaghetti, you name it they said it was yummy!

 The guys said out of all the pictures they took there was just no picture that could appropriately show just how crazy hot it was in Belize!

Where the Spirit of the Lord Is...

I grew up in a church that believed in and taught holiness.  It permeated everything.  Music, Sunday School, sermons, devotionals, and every conversation that was had.  I was fully aware of the presence of the Holy Spirit from a very young age before I fully comprehended just how powerful a presence He truly could be in my life.

It was something I took for granted although I had no idea I was taking it for granted.   It is kind of like air.  You breathe, but you don't think about it.  However, I am sure if the oxygen was suddenly gone you would definitely notice it.

A few years ago my boys and I started attending a new church.  It isn't in the same denomination as we grew up in, but we felt good about the teachings and beliefs.   However, gradually I have realized that something was missing.   I couldn't breathe.   "Oxygen" was low.

The permeation of the teaching of the Holy Spirit just hasn't been there.   It has been the nagging frustration.   The thing I couldn't put my finger on.  

I love what Francis Chan says, "“God is not just one thing we add to the mix called life. He wants an invitation from us to permeate everything and every part of us.”

Now I sit and wonder.   Have I been irresponsible as a parent picking a church that hasn't given them this same constant teaching on the Holy Spirit and failing to recognize it as I grew up with?   

I Am Thinking About Taking My Child Out Of Public School To... Homeschool?

I received another phone call today from a mom who is going to start homeschooling her children.   She seems to be joining a growing trend in our state.   Moving her children out of public school and into homeschooling.   "What am I doing?  How do I start?  Am I going to mess them up?"  Listening to her questions automatically threw me back six years to the point where we started making the decision. We had just hit a wall.   I was so blessed to have a very close friend who was already homeschooling and gave me so much incredible advice.   However, I just want the chance to encourage you with a few basics as you make the transition from public school to start homeschooling.  

Take time to reset.    My boys had been in the public school system for six years when we started thinking it was time to make a change.    We were all fully invested in our schools.    I served on the PTO boards every year that my boys were in school including two separate years as PTO president.   We had the public school routine and way of doing things down pat.  

That was our first obstacle in homeschooling.   You need time to reset yourself.   Since one of the reasons we decide to homeschool was the fact that my boys were losing their love of learning, we took an entire month off from anything that resembled "school".    We made a list of every museum, art show, sporting event, or educational opportunity that we could find in our area.   For one month we did nothing but read a LOT of books, visit the places on our "field trip" list and play a lot of educational and strategy games.  

I did not make a lot of great decisions in my first year, but that is one that I would definitely do again.   Even six years later we take a "reset" day if things get too out of control.   That brings me to my second item...

Throw away your expectations.   The most discouraging part of starting is the fact that you feel like you do not know what you are doing and if you have picked the right curriculum.    The first year is a huge learning curve.   For you and for your kids.    Just because your friend, Susan, has all of her children starting school at 8:30 and finishing up at 2:00 so they can head to piano and guitar does not mean you have to.    Just because your friend, Olivia, has a perfectly organized homeschool room where everyone has their desks that they sit at and do their work does not mean that is going to work for your kids.   You can create your child's learning situation in any way you want.   That may be different for each of your children.    One of my boys needs complete quiet and sitting at his desk to get his work accomplished.   My other son can be stretched out across his bed, on the trampoline or under the dining room table.   Their learning styles are different.

Basically, this year is a learning process.   Will you make mistakes?  Most definitely.  Mistakes are not fatal.  Learn from what didn't work and go with another option until you find what does.

Every day is a new day.   When the dishwasher floods in the middle of math and you have to call it quits for the day?  It happens.   My boys often hear me say, "It is what it is."   Some days go as planned and some days won't.   The good thing is that tomorrow is a new day!

Set boundaries.   You have just added a new hat to your hat rack:  teacher.   One of the biggest mistakes of my first year was not setting boundaries to our school day.   One of my boys is an early morning child and would get up at 6:30 and work until he was finished with school.   My other child is a night owl.    By the time he woke up enough to start school it was 10:00 and he wouldn't finish until time for my husband was coming home.   I was exhausted.   I needed to set some boundaries so that at some point in the day I could take off my "teacher" hat and just be mom for the rest of the day.    At first I tried putting us into this rigid schedule but it just made all of us frustrated.  Then it dawned on me.   I set "office hours" of 9:00 - 2:00.   They now know that all questions, assignment review and lesson teaching that require me have to be done during this time.  

Don't drown in the textbooks and curriculum choices.   Going to public school meant they handed our kids a book and they learned from it.   Now we have the freedom and opportunity to choose what they learn!   It is a wonderful blessing and an overwhelming decision.   I never realized just how many choices there were out there.   A lot of people pick from one particular publisher for their needs, but I have always chosen from lots of different approaches and publishers.   Above all, don't get bogged down in the curriculum.    You will HATE homeschooling if you try to recreate "school" at home.   

If someone asks you about socialization... LAUGH!   homeschool co-op activities, homeschool co-op classes, church, student choir, library, guitar lessons, tennis lessons, 4H shooting sports, volunteering at the nursing home, bowling club, swimming, mountain biking club....  Do I need to go on?   The reality is that there are often so many opportunities to socialize that you have to put a limit on them.    If they were still in school they would only be hanging out with kids of their same age group all day.    I love that they have met and learned from war veterans while volunteering at the nursing home.   They hang out at lunch with our co-op group which will consists of all ages.  Times like these have been great "communication class" experiences.

Relax and enjoy it.   You have been given a gift.  Precious time with your kids.  You will get to know them and they will get to know you.    Enjoy it!

Pray.   Last, but definitely NOT least... Before you make that final decision:  Pray!  Make sure that this is what God wants for your family.   If this is in His will for your family then He is going to "make your paths straight" for this new adventure ahead!

Happy Father's Day (a little late!)

I am late getting my Father's Day post on the computer.  Sundays are crazy and I rarely turn on the computer on those days. 

However I wanted to take a chance to wish the two best dads in the world Happy Father's Day!

Shera, Daddy, Krisa and me

My Daddy was the only guy in a house full of girls.   I guess that is why God gave him such a great sense of humor.  He knew he would need it to handle all of us.   I know that Daddy makes me laugh like no one else.   One of my favorite things to do is sit and read the comics from the newspaper with him.    My Dad is also incredibly smart.   I mean genius smart.   He has a photographic memory.   He loves to learn and has always challenged us to learn.    He gives the bests hugs ever.   When Daddy gives you a hug you feel like nothing in the world could ever hurt you.   It is the safest place to be.  
I love him beyond words.

Speaking of amazing dads....  My husband is an incredible dad.   He is every girl's dream of what they want for her children.   He is selfless, sacrificial, loving, caring, and a complete model of Christ.    I love seeing them playing games in the living room, throwing football in the back yard, around the dinner table talking, praying during nightly family prayer time, and the countless other things they do together.   I don't think my boys realize what a gift they have in my sweet husband, but I know one day they will.   

A Virus Nightmare

When your children are toddlers and they get quiet you really worry they haven't gotten into mischief.  Now that my boys are teenagers and they get quiet I go to check on them to make sure they haven't been sucked into a book or computer game.   That was why I went to check on my Little Guy. He had just been too quiet.   I had not seen him in quite a while so I went to see what he was doing.  I knocked on his door and when I opened it I saw him sitting in his chair.   He was wrapped in two blankets and his face was so red.  

"Little Guy, are you ok?"

"I am just cold, Mom."

I put my hand on his forehead.  Fever.  A high fever.  And I could feel his body shaking with chills.  I also noticed he has a bright red rash across his shoulders.    We tucked him in bed with plans to take him to the doctor first thing in the morning.

Morning came and I was awakened by a hand saying, "You need to see Little Guy."  I sat up to see Little Guy walking towards me.   He was covered in a rash.   All over his face, neck, hands, and feet.   I knew that it had to be hand, foot and mouth.   I called the doctor and we got it confirmed. 

If your child has ever had this you know how miserable this is.  I was prepared for  miserable.   I wasn't prepared for a nightmare.   The pediatrician told us that teens did not normally get this.  

For three days he broke out in not more spots, but blisters.  He looked like he had walked on fire.   He kept his feet in ice water because he said he felt like they were on fire.   His fingers were so swollen he could not even bend them.   The inside of his mouth and down his throat had so many blisters all he could do was drink Gatorade.   

It was one of those times as a Mom that I hate.  Feeling helpless.  There is so little you can do.  Treat the symptoms and do anything you think will make him feel better, but the end he just had to wait until the virus was gone.   

Today is 11 days since he first got sick.  His hands and feet still look bad.   It will probably take several weeks for them to clear up completely, but I am so thankful that this nightmare virus is behind us.  

Surviving Tori Removal

Going to the visit is NOT my favorite thing.   It rates high on things I avoid doing at all cost.   So on the days I have to go I want to get in there and get out of there as quickly as possible.   There is no way I want my doctor to be probing around in my mouth and stop and say...

"Um, has anyone talked to you about these tori in the bottom of your mouth?"

A tori? What in the world is a tori?  Not only had no one talked to me about them.  I really didn't want him talking to me about them then.   Apparently tori are bones that can grow in your mouth.  Mine were growing in the bottom of my mouth.   It was miserable getting x-rays and my tongue didn't fit in the bottom of my mouth.   

That was a few years ago when he pointed them out to me.   He said "if" they grew too big they would have to be removed.   "If".   Ha!  First of all, tori are not something everyone in the population gets.  Secondly, if someone's are going to grow it will definitely be mine.   I came home that day and told hubs, "Start planning.  I am going to have these bones removed from my mouth."    We laughed, but we both knew.   If bones were going to grow in someone's mouth, it was going to be mine. 

And they did!

Fast forward to this past week...  The time had come.  The surgeon said that I needed to have these silly bones removed.  I called the office the day before my procedure to double check that I was going to be out.  I didn't want any of that silly twilight.  I wanted to be totally out.  After all, taking out the tori means  high-speed drill bits, chisels, bone and other appliances in-office.   They assured me that I would sound asleep and have plenty of pain medication afterwards.  

Donald and I arrived at 8:00 that morning and they took me back to start my IV.   After that I remember waking up to get in the car and get in the bed.   Donald says I talked to him all the way home in the car which is kind of scary, but I certainly don't remember it.    I took a long nap and then got up to watch a movie.   I was so thankful when the anesthesia wore off so I didn't feel so disoriented. 

My doctor gave me antibiotics, pain medication and super strong ibuprofen to take.   After one day I quit taking the pain medication because it gave me a headache.   I live with fibromyalgia so dealing with pain is normal for me.   The swelling and pain in my mouth wasn't worth the headache that pain medication was causing.   I just took the ibuprofen and antibiotic.   I was pretty miserable on Thursday night/Friday morning, but after that I have just been sore.  

If it weren't for the swelling and pain, this surgery would be a great diet plan.   I haven't been able to taste anything until late Saturday night.  On top of that I was too sore to eat anything.  I drank a TON of mango Gatorade.    Seriously, our local gas station had a sale offering buy 2 get 1 free and my boys wiped them out because I was drinking about 6 a day.   I did manage to eat some mashed potatoes and Friday night I managed some rice.    My sweet husband made me scrambled eggs and those were the best I have ever eaten!

As of today, I am so thankful that this crazy surgery is behind me and I can get on with my surgery.   If you are faced with this surgery in the future you can know that it is not too bad.   Of course, I highly recommend having a competent and experienced surgeon and team like I had.  Thanks, Dr. Nichols!    On top of my surgery team, my at-home recovery team cannot be beat.   From fresh sheets on my bed, plenty of Gatorade, new books on my Kindle, washing all my comfy pjs, pulling the tv up to the end of the bed and hooking up the Roku so I could watch movies.... I was definitely pampered and taken care of like always.    Thank you, my loves!  

Happy 17th Birthday, Big Guy!

Happy Birthday, my sweet Big Guy!  This year's birthday has hit me like a ton of bricks.  Seventeen seems so "old".  So grown up.   I guess it is the combination of your age and the fact you are about to be a senior in high school.   It has just so overwhelming to see you standing in front of me.  

I remember when you were just a few days old I was staring at you and I remember talking to God.  Praying over your future.   Looking at your tiny little hands and feet and your beautiful little eyes.  I couldn't imagine getting to age seventeen.    But here it is, just like everyone says, too fast. 

You are so tall.  Almost six foot tall.  You walk up and give me these great big hugs and I love putting my head on your shoulder.   

You have an incredibly intuitive mind.   You have built your own computer from the ground up over the past year.   You saved all your own money and then researched and bought each piece to custom make a computer.    If I need help with my computer, I know you can help me.   Your Aunt Shera was thrilled when you came to her rescue to repair hers as well.  

It has been fun watching you drive and enjoy your new car.   I am proud of how responsible you have been with your driving and how well you take care of your vehicle also.

You are really in your element when you are with your friends.   Camping, hanging out, going to movies, or whatever... I love seeing you have a good time spending time with them.

I am proud of you, sweet guy.  Proud of the man you are.   Proud of the man you are becoming.  I love you so much.   You have always been my sunshine and you always will be.  

Another First

Tonight was another first they never mention in any of those baby books or parenting books.   It was a cook out for my son and all his friends who are upcoming seniors.  His first "senior" event.   I know this will snowball into a lot of other events.  Graduation pictures.  Parties.  Trips.  College visiting.  Scholarship applications.  On one hand I am so excited for him and on the other, my heart just twinges at how fast I am afraid this year will go by for us.  

I had a mom tell me that the teenage years are so tough that you are ready for them to leave when they reach graduation.   I have been incredibly blessed because, although we have certainly had our challenges during the teen years, there is no part of me that is anxious to see him walk out that door.   My heart knows that God called me to invest into his life over the past 18 years so that he would be ready to step out into the world, but does that mean I am excited about letting him go?  No.  My heart twinges at the thought of it.    However, I am praying that God will make me ready for this next season of my life too.   I still have a few years before my youngest son graduates which means I am going to have to try hard not to cling to him.  To let him grow and spread his wings as well.  

Somebody needs to write a book on the letting go years.  They are almost as tough as the toddler years, but just in different ways.   

Happy Graduation, Stephen!

We spent the weekend with our best friends in Atlanta celebrating their son's graduation from high school.   When they moved in next door our boys were three.   We became friends and our boys became inseparable.   They played army men in the sand box.   Ran around in the sprinklers.  Went to the library story times.  Went to school.  Learned to ride bikes.  Played games.  All together. 

How is it possible enough time has passed that one of them is ready to graduate and next year my son will graduate?  I cried tears watching him walk on that stage and my friend cried tears just talking about my son walking on stage next year.  

The toughest part of parenting is letting go. 

Spring Break with Metamorphosis

Go here to check out renting this cabin.

Over Spring Break we took our Metamorphosis group to a beautiful cabin just south of Chattanooga for a retreat.   If you have never heard me talk about Metamorphosis it is a confidential group for teens where they can share their struggles.   We meet once a week, but wanted to have a retreat where we could address some things more in depth.    Thanks to some very generous people who support our group through prayers and donations we were able to take our group on this retreat.  

We spent four days studying David Platt's "Follow Me".  I hope they learned as much as I did.  Wow!

"I am convinced that when we take a serious look at what Jesus really meant when he said, “Follow me,” we will discover that there is far more pleasure to be experienced in him, indescribably greater power to be realized with him, and a much higher purpose to be accomplished for him than anything else this world has to offer. And as a result, we will all—every single Christian—eagerly, willingly, and gladly lose our lives to know and proclaim Christ, for this is simply what it means to follow him."

We didn't just study.  We had a lot of fun.   How can you not have fun when you are with a huge group of teens?    We ate a lot of delicious food,  played games (have you ever played Egyptian Rat Slap?), got in the hot tub, took a polar bear plunge in the swimming pool, made s'mores around the outdoor fireplace, explored the abandoned house, went to Lookout Mountain, Rock City and hiked to a waterfall.  Am I missing something?    Needless to say we packed a LOT into our retreat over Spring Break.  

Let's go again!!

Why Do I Hesitate?

I was in such a hurry.   I was reciting my list over and over in my head, "bath rug, hair dryer, and washcloths".   That is what I do when I walk into any store without my list written down.   But this wasn't just any store.   This was Wal-Mart.   I despise shopping in Wal-Mart.   Wal-Mart without a list?   A nightmare of the worst kind, but a necessity since I had to make the best use of my time.    Little Guy was in class and I only had an hour until I had to pick him up and turn our one and only car over to Big Guy for the rest of the day.    So my goal was to hurry and focus.   But...

I kept running into this one lady.   She didn't speak to me.   She didn't even make eye contact.   She just seemed to be on every aisle that I walked down.    She was very well dressed for 7:45 in the morning.   Her buggy was completely empty with the exception of one thing: a stack of books.   I am not sure how to describe them except "romantic/smut" books.  

I very clearly felt the Lord tell me that she was lonely.   I sat there thinking, "How do I start a conversation?  What do I say?"

We wound up in the same check out line.   She and her books.  Me and my bath rug, hair dryer and washcloths.   Again I feel the Lord nudge me.    Again I am asking, "What do you want me to say?"  I am SO clueless and my doubts are shouting so much louder than anything else in my head.

As we start walking out to the car I am begging, "Lord, I am sorry.  I said I didn't want any regrets and I don't, but please tell me what to do."  

Immediately I knew.  I read!   I read lots of wonderful books.   I pulled every book out of my car that I had.  Even some books that had just come in from my publisher yesterday and I haven't even read yet.   I walked over to her car and said, "Hey!  I saw that you liked to read as much as I do.   I love passing books on after I finish reading so if you are interested I would love to share these with you."   

We had a short conversation about our love of books and I stood there praying over her and her life.   When I walked away I knew that I had planted the seed that God intended this morning.   I also walked away knowing that I almost let my insecurities and doubts prevent me from sharing Jesus with someone.   It is also another lesson of how I "always need to be prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks me for a reason for the hope that is in me."  (1 Peter 3:15)

Family Discipleship

At least once a month if not once a week someone asks me this question: "Why do you homeschool?"   That is not a simple question to answer.   After all, the reason we homeschool today is not the same reason we started homeschooling six years ago.   Each year we reevaluate and pray and make decisions all over again about homeschooling.   So far this is what has been God's will for our family.  

But for right now?   It is all about family discipleship.   I know the days with my boys are getting shorter and shorter.    The urgency I feel to invest in them and plant the seeds that God has for each of them grows every day.

The most precious time of our day is when we come together at night to share about our day, talk and then have our family prayers.   Just counting the time that we have spent since Big Guy was born in family prayer, we have spent about 2,900 hours in prayer.   How do we put a price on that?    There is just no way.    We have prayed days, weeks and even months over things.   We have seen God answer our prayers in miraculous ways.   We have even had God answer our prayers in ways that we didn't understand.   Our faith has been stretched and pulled and grown.   We have held each other up during times of grief and cheered each other during times of victory.  

Memorizing Scripture has always been something we have tried to do, but we haven't been as disciplined as we wanted.    Last year we put up a chalkboard and changed the verse each week to reflect something that was challenging one of us.

For 2014 we have committed to memorize a larger more exact piece of Scripture.   We have decided to memorize the Sermon on the Mount.   Yes.  All 111 verses of Matthew 5, 6 and 7.   *Gulp*  It seems overwhelming when I type it out like that.

However, I came across this idea while reading this blog.   I have printed out her memorization plan and know that memorizing a few verses each week will make this not only manageable, but meaningful.  

New Year 2014: No Regrets

Every year when I think back on the previous year I realize the same thing:  if I had known what the year was going to hold I would have been scared to death.   That is probably why I don't make resolutions.   I know that each day of the year will hold enough challenges on its own without adding anymore to it.   I have been reading a few blogs while watching football with my husband over the past few days and noticed that many people are adopting a word for the coming year.

While we were in Fort Worth, one of the pastors preached a sermon on living the coming year to its fullest so that we had no regrets.   Something about that sermon just resonated with me.   

No regrets.  

Living each day to the fullest.  

That is not one word is it?   But it is definitely how I feel about 2014.   That and this Bible verse...

"He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and followed completely the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left."  2 Kings 22:2

 I can't think of any better way for someone to describe me:  that I did right in the eyes of the Lord?   What an awesome testimony.   That is definitely my prayer for 2014!

Happy New Year, my friends!

Happy Birthday, Jesus!

“And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child.

So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” 

So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child.

And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.”

Luke 2:1 – 20

Merry Christmas!

Holding On Loosely

Another year has flown by so quickly.   The two little boys are no longer so little.  They are changing into young men right before my eyes.   The older they get the more I pray for them.   The closer the time comes for them to go out into the world.   That knowledge is why I have not blogged so much this year.   Time with these two sweet young men is so precious.   I am trying to hold on to to every single second while learning to let go.

68 Kids On A Bus to the Beach

Every fall we take our student choir to the beach for a retreat.   It is a great time of bonding and worshiping in a community church.   One thing which we did differently this year was go on Labor Day.  Whew!  That was a BIG mistake.    As I am sure you can guess, everybody and their brother goes to the beach on Labor Day.    It was crowded which didn't seem to bother the kids, but it did make things a little hectic when we went out to eat.   Restaurants seem to freak out just a little when you show up with 68 people on one of their busiest weekends of the year.    The craziest part was trying to get home.   Leaving early in the morning and not driving into the church parking lot until 10:00 at night... not a fan.

However, these are the things that make memories.   Things that the youth laugh about and talk about for years to come.   That is why we take these trips.    To have a chance to build relationships and show them how much we love them.   

I think we accomplished our goal!