Summer poolin

Ahhh, summer, how we loved thee. sigh. One of the best parts of our amazingly playful and fun summer was the pool. I would watch the clock until about 9:30 and then we would dash into our swim suits, gather the towels, add them to the back of the car where the toys were waiting, slather on our sunscreen, hop in the car, sit very still, and drive the 3 blocks to the pool. We were always super excited to be the first to arrive and after saying hello to Cathy and signing in, I would hear, "Can I get in now?" in the sweetest little voices I ever heard. I loved the first time we went this summer and H was so excited to get it that he forgot to take his flip flops off. Sometimes we would meet friends and sometimes we would go alone. I loved one day when it was just the 4 of us and Ek said how much she liked it that way, wow did that do my heart good. At the beginning of summer, L was very cautious. She wanted me to hold her 100% of the time, no matter who was with us, me hold her, only. One day along the way though, she discovered her wings. We tried vest, inner-tubes and wings and one day, the wings won. From that day on, she wanted to swim "by herself." She still wanted me to be in the water with her, but she would piddle around, kicking her little legs and leaning back to get her hair wet. Once she began doing that, we could venture into the deep end where the big 2 loved to play. Ek worked very diligently on touching the bottom and taught h diligently until they could both touch at 9 feet- first with their feet, then with their hands, first from the ladder and then from the diving board. They both worked on their dives and H even tried to help JP with is dives. H had the cutest, I mean, awesomest cannon ball you've ever seen, he'd keep his little, I mean awesome, legs all tucked in until he made his splash. I could watch him do cannon balls all day. He also loved to jump in silly, the duck was my favorite- tucking his little legs under, flapping his wings and quacking off the diving board. We also played a fun game of shark and boat, we would swap roles of chasing each other around the shallow end, I usually had H and L attached to me and Ek got pretty fast with those flippers on, the shark would usually go for big bites out of ribs to get good laughs. They also loved swimming under my legs at different levels without touching. I loved hanging out in the water with them. Toward the end of the summer, we started taking a tea set and would have all sort of tea and then have to gather tea cups from all over the pool. The water guns drove us crazy all summer as we would get slapped unexpectedly in the face with water from time to time, "not in the face, up in the air!!" They loved for Cathy to fix lunches of mini corn dogs, chicken finger, fries and fruit, oh and powerade and nothing is sweeter than ice cream at the pool. We went alot. One week I think the kids swam 5/6 days. We usually went in the morning for about 3 hours, ate lunch there, came home, showered and rested for several hours. It was so hot this summer that I just couldn't stand to be out much unless we were at the pool. I am so so thankful that we got to spend the summer there together, laughing, playing, seeing friends, seeing each other. It was so fun.

PS there are no pictures because I was in the pool! We did though take several underwater cameras that I will have developed soon!

First day of school!

First day of school! First day of school! First day of school!

This year, the overwhelming thoughts in my head regarding going back to school are this: Number one, I am so thankful my kids get to go to school. What an amazing gift. What an amazing blessing. Just thinking of all the kids all over the world who don't have the chance for an education at all and my kids have this amazing school where they are challenged and loved, disciplined and prayed for, where they must sit still and work and then run and play. Its amazing. I am so thankful. Number two, summer if fun, but it is not the life I long for my kids to live. It is not their potential. The are too smart and too eager to wake up and eat breakfast at 10 am on their way to the pool. I loved it and am a bit mopey when I think that its done for the year because it was so fun, we had such fun together, I'll need to write just on pool memories here soon, but back to number one, I am so glad for them to get to go to school.

So off to school. Today began very well. They were happy to get there. We ate cinnamon toast for breakfast, I packed their lunches, they got dressed, brushed their teeth and we were ready for our first day of school picture. We loaded up and headed to school. When we rounded the corner to the school Ek said her stomach was hurting. I think we were all a bit nervous. We walked Ek to her room first and after settling in, she quickly asked if we could walk H to his room. When we arrived at H's room and attached his new desk bag, newly finished that is, the tears were on the brink of making their appearance. I kept telling myself to be brave. I managed to make it out though. H was very nervous and not quite ready for me to leave, but I knew he would be fine, he had several friends there and a big fish to color. We walked Ek back to her room and she quickly and quietly settled into her seat. Neither were too happy to have their picture taken but sorry that was not an option. L and I managed to make it to the car before the tears exploded. I just felt like I had left my arms there! J said the kindest things to encourage me- he told me to rest knowing how great our summer had been and how I had invested in them all summer. The Lord blessed me with that all day. When we pulled away from the school, L was so quiet, I asked her if she was ok and she said yes. I asked her if she was sad and she said "No, (pause), mommy, why are you sad?" hahaha I told her I just liked for us all to be together, she said she did too.

After school the kids bounced into the car with huge grins. The had the best days. They were literally singing how awesome their day was. Their lunch was awesome (who knew a turkey sandwhich and a banana could taste so good!). Ek learned how to write "a" in cursive and H learned again what "i" says. H was excited to get to the 100th day of school and Ek was excited that today they got to go to computer. ahhhh school. what a gift. We had the G's over to celebrate the first day of school. Us moms celebrated the peace of the Lord and his working in our hearts to help us. Great day.

Good.

I'm having a hard time finding good news on my blog reading tonight, so I will only have good news here. good news. ready go.

1. My computer battery is replaced. free. I signed the receipt for 0.00. that was good. So I am back blogging.

2. I got to go to Macon 2 weekends in a row and get a few things we wanted, including spring clothes, bike gear and a fabulous build-a-bear bunny named "Funny Bunny" that is wearing silver jeweled flip flops. ya know? that deserved its own entry.

3. Ek got to go to a fabulous birthday party with her adorable friends and created her very own, one of a kind, spring bunny named "Funny Bunny" that is wearing the cutest pair of jeweled silver flip flops you have ever seen. Much better.

4. L is the cutest little shopper you have ever seen. One sales associate at the Gap did not fully appreciate her cuteness and took the handbag away from her that she was toting around. Wait a second! That is not good! But me finding her another one seconds later and letting her wear fancy bracelets around AT Loft is good and the smiles she gave the shoppers when she grinned ear to ear at them was very good. She even cheered up a 10 year old-ish boy who was sitting bored and waiting for his mother who was trying on a lot of clothes. All good. All fun.

5. Today the kids and I made cookies. Really good. I let them eat 4 each. good. I left the chocolate chips out for J and Ek, they loved that. Good. I didn't count how many I ate. Good, again.

6. The weather- oh the weather has not just been good but great!! We have played outside for hours and hours the last several days. Two play dates at the Chick yesterday and the park today.

7. J makes me laugh. He has just finished the hugest cup of coffee and cannot stop yawning. and laughing. He just asked if I bought decaf. Starbucks Kenyan? Uh, no.

8. Talked to my brother yesterday. Good good good. Love that he loves to read my blog. Loves that he misses it when I don't write. (Don't like to hear about his woods finding-- any insight? any more to report? that was not good- )

9. My knee is getting better. Not really any pain this week. Last rehab on Friday! Can't wait to run with the kids on Super Saturday. Can't wait for mom and dad to be here to cheer us on.

And 10. So grateful for my Tuesday mornings. Couldn't be more grateful for that amazing group of women to study with, pray with, listen to, and seek more of God with. Praying today with them to know the height and depth and width and breadth of Christ love that surpasses knowledge. Oh I would love to live in His amazing power continually! Eph 2

Gotta add 11. J got up this morning to encourage the kids in the Word while they ate their cereal and pray for their day. J was asking one of them to pray for Papa's colonoscopy today and L said, "I want to pray for Papa's tummy!" That was good. And the results- good. which is great. Hey that was 3 in one entry!

Yeah for good!!

My beautiful tree

I did not share all the amazing love in generous kindness mom and dad showed me this weekend. Saturday morning Ek was not up for a birthday party. J was not up for going out and cutting down a Christmas tree. So mom and dad took Ek to pick out a Christmas tree while we were at the birthday party. I hope she remembers it forever-- "The year she got to pick out the Christmas tree with Pops and Mopsey." They not only got it for us, they strung lights and decorated it. I felt like I had been visited by Christmas elves. And I don't even celebrate such things. I do love my tree. It is festive. It is full of memories. It is sparkly. It is very happy. It also makes me think of my little elves every time I look at it. I'm so grateful for my mom and dad.

Thankful

Today was one of those true mommy days. Last night as I was drifting off to sleep my phone rang, my home phone, which does not happen very often. I heard it loud and clear because it was inches from my head. J walked into the bedroom to answer it because it was obvious I was not because it rang several times and as I mentioned it was inches from my head. Out portable is lost, I have a feeling it is flung into a ditch somewhere where it was flung because I left it on the bumper, but I'm just guessing, we have been without it for several weeks now, but like I said, it doesn't ring much. I do miss caller id though. Where was I? Oh yeah, the phone rang, late. It was C, baby J was wheezing and she wanted to know if I could take M, W and K to Bible study while she took J to the doctor. Sure, I'll call you in the morning. I was so asleep I didn't even ask much about J, some friend. So I took M and W to Bible study. J is ok, just needs breathing treatments and is probably in for a lot of them over the next 3 years. sorry C. After arriving at the church, I decide that L probably needs to visit the doctor too. Her everyday runny nose has gotten thicker and yellow (too graphic, sorry). So after school we will be on our way. Sweet C offers for my kids to play while I take L. The moral of the story is it is awfully sad for 2 dear friends to exchange help to only have to take the sick child to the doctor and how amazingly sweet that 2 dear friends can help each other to only have to take the sick child to the doctor. The non-sick kids were so happy to have a play day, us parents are also very happy that they had a happy friend day and that less people were at the doctors office to pick up more germs, and the babies are hoping to feel better tomorrow. I am so thankful for my friends.

Moving up to 2

Tonight was almost my first night of having 2 kids in sports. H had soccer at 5:45 and Ek had dance at 6:15. J and I had easily worked it out, he was coming to soccer and would stay, I'd leave and take Ek. I was making dinner at 4:30 when the rain and thunder began, so we at supper at 5 for nothing. No soccer. H was disappointed but kept on, Ek was glad she dances inside. I am so grateful that my kids are able to live their little childhood dreams of activities and I pray that they will use them wisely.

Last day

Tomorrow is the first day of school. So I guess that means today was the last day of summer. It is a bitter sweet thought. I love love love being with my kids. I just love seeing them, laughing with them, hearing the laugh, hearing everything they say, watching them play, watching them grow. The summer has been very busy, no need to discuss because so much of it was talked about. But definitely the treasure was just the time to be together. I hope that now I know them better, can encourage them better, pray for them better and play with them better. I am so grateful for their sweet school and pray they will thrive there, nurtured by God's people, and learning of God and his wisdom.

Recap

I wouldn't exactly call our trip to HHI a vacation, more like a reunion. It was a meeting with a lot of fun all around. Busy, yes. Restful, at times. Really great. So encouraging. Highlights: Eating dinner with the Finchers, hearing about where they are in life. Hearing a bit about their preparation to go to the UAE. They are brave. Tim is so dear to J, I am so thankful they got to see each other some.

Seeing the Hensens! Gracious. I will say again, it is just so unique being with them. We have way too many similarities, so in so many ways we just "get" them. We are so excited about their call to Peru and just can't wait to partner with them and see what God will do. I just wish I had like another week to sit and talk with them. But that time will come, I'm sure. God didn't just cross our paths for a minute.

Seeing the Brindley's! What dear people. I just can't get over them. Speaking of connections, I do just love them like family. I will forever be grateful to God for showing us S&W Hospital and taking us all the way out there. What an adventure that was. As I sit next to J reading his Bible, I think of all those years when he poured over those eye books, he learned so much about eyes, but I think maybe even as much about the Maker of the eye-- at least it got him going in huge ways in both regards.

What an encouragement to sit in a room with may 40 or so women, all married to ophthalmologist, in all times of life, living all of the world, doing all kinds of things for the Lord. From office managers, to inn keepers, to grandchild raisers, to stay at home moms, to missionaries, it was just neat to hear bits of these women's lives.

Seeing old friends with new babies. Hearing weak people proclaim God's strength. Making connections with new and old friends. Laughing about eyes.

Not to mention watching my sweet kids make new friends, hearing Ek say she wanted to go be a missionary in the UAE and having a few minutes away from the responsibilities of home, it was just good. Thank you Lord.

Friends are great to celebrate

Tonight we celebrated H's friend Will's birthday. So I guess H has been 4 for one whole month now. Wow, time flies. We had a great time visiting with the Georges, Polhills and Bishops. The big boys played a game involving a box with a hole and bean bags and totally lost all sight of any of their children (did you think I was talking about the 4 year old boys?)-- it was really pretty fun to watch them having such fun. Then they, same big boys, tried for over an hour to bust into the laundry room that a stroller had somehow gotten lodged into the door; that was quite entertaining as well. And the kids had fun too. Pizza, cake, a lot of playing, screaming, running, and more playing. Such a blessing to have friends, and children, and laughter. ahhh, tired and off to bed.

Romans 11:36

I must say that this morning I am beginning to feel relieved. Yep, beginning to. Introducing our church to a whole new ministry was a big undertaking. No one had even heard of Backyard Bible Clubs, much less have any idea of how it was supposed to look. So they kept looking at me. I really tried to give everyone the opportunity to use their talents from the Lord for the Lord. We had a set, costumes, music, games, and on and on that I had not envisioned but were awesome because they were done by his people with his talents for his purpose. Last night at the cookout everything was kind of in a big circle: the boat with the grill behind it and the musician playing music in front, chairs to sit, the tables with food, more chairs, the bouncy obstacle course, more chairs, the jumpy house, face painting, the blow up slide and back to the boat. There were kids playing soccer and football in the middle. There were all kinds of people talking and smiling, eating and playing. It was just good. A wonderful memory that I will remember in my heart. I pray the Lord opened up door for lives to be changed through him. We had several families say they were coming on Sunday. I can't wait to see them. So we probably had the opportunity to meet over 100 people, share our lives and time with them, teach them about Jesus, play, eat, smile, pray. I am so glad now to know the story of our first Backyard Bible Club, now I'll get to see what happens next.

PS I could not be happier with how my kids took on this week. They were so glad to be a part of it. They had a ball. They were such troopers while we set up every night. I was so glad to see them entertain themselves just outside looking for things to do and helping get set up. They played amongst all kinds of children and Ek even seemed to make a few new friends. She usually was the first the "pool" for the skit and lessons to sit front and center. They seemed to really enjoy it and I enjoyed watching them.  

Great Week

Tonight was the last night of the program for the kids at Backyard Bible Club. We had about 60 kids there tonight and probably about 20 kids who visited on other nights. Pretty amazing to think about the opportunity we had to love these kids, encourage them and teach them from the Bible. It was really a fantastic week. We saw so many smiles, such great participation and quiet listening. It was a real blessing to be a part of. I can't wait to see how many are at the family cookout tomorrow, we are estimating about 150! Ek said she loved the slides, jumpy house and the Bible stories. Gregg was saying these kids will probably have these mental images in their minds for a long time, I sure hope so. I am still quite speechless over the unity of our little church, it was truly God's team.

Happy Birthday Pops!

It may have been my Dad's birthday today, but I felt like I got a gift. Dad brought one of his friends to see John today for a second opinion about a eye surgery complication. We met Dad at our favorite coffee shop for smoothies and a time to visit. I took a bucket of play-doh and a bucket of tools and we sat and played for an hour. The kids were so peaceful and calm, plus fun, and Dad and I got to visit and visit. It was so nice. I felt like it was bonus time because I got so see him on a Wednesday in Dublin. What an amazing treat. I thank our Father for the gift of my Dad. James 1:17

Victory!

Today we had the great pleasure of watching Aaron lead Trinity to their first ever state championship in boys soccer. It was so great! They scored with like 2 minutes to go to send the game into overtime, and then, in the rain, scored with 7 seconds to go to win the game in triple overtime! Wow! We screamed, we jumped up and down, we cheered, it was so fun. It felt as dramatic as a movie. Aaron was speechless and the boys were so excited. ahhhh. As time has moved on since that moment, I can't help to think of what Aaron will say the day he lays that trophy at Jesus's feet, thanking him for his grace and mercy to have him where he is, thanking him for the strength to do his will and thanking him for the opportunity to bless him in that moment. Wow, that will be even greater. And that makes me think of all the moments in my life that I don't receive anything for, but I kinda wish I did, that one day, I'll get to lay before his feet too, and thank him and honor him for what he did in my life. That is something I'd love to practice on here, giving him those victories and trophies and tell him, they are yours. Thank you. Romans 11:36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen

Good day

I love love love seeing Ben and his family. I love Milly and the boys so much I just don't even know how to say it. Family love is so deep. We had a brief but full visit with them Saturday. J, Ben and Dad tried to take the 3 older to the baseball game but I think the only hit was the concession stand. Oh well, we will keep trying. We had a great visit to the park, always good to give a big space for 5 children to play in. I am so thankful for time together and can't wait for the next visit.

It was a good try to get all 5 in a pic. Again, we will keep trying.

Hilton Head 1

Ecceclasties talks about the seasons of our lives. I think our responsibility is to yield our lives to God's will and his seasons. Life seems to be much more peaceful that way. John is supposed to be in Haiti this week. For the last 10 years we have both felt that is a call on our lives, to take care of those who need help with the medical skills we have in the name of Jesus. Over the last several months God has continued to press in on my heart that I also need to give a glass of water in the name of Jesus, which most days looks like half strength juice in a sippy cup. John really wanted to go to the beach for a few days with the kids and it was a mission trip of a different kind. Get away, play, encourage, smile, not pull them along on what we need to do, but let them pull us along. Ok, so I did most of the pulling, I like to work in a lot of activities! We left Sunday after church and came home last night. It was wonderful! I think I will take several days to tell the story of the trip through pictures, but I'll start tonight with the last ones... well, because I can, its my blog! We ate at Salty Dog Cafe two nights in a row! It was tasty, first of all, but also "child friendly" ie loud. After we ate the second night we walked across the marina deck to get ice cream, there were a lot of people sitting in chairs at tables listening to a guy playing his guitar, the weather was perfect and I had such a wonderful happy content feeling in my heart. After Easter service, then playing with my kids and my husband, listening to some great teaching on my ipod while falling asleep, eating good food, I could go on and go. But these are the faces I saw. It was just a sweet time. pun intended since we were eating ice cream.

I am so grateful that we could get away and have several days of uninterrupted fun!

PS Did you see how tired H was? He fell asleep like 10 minutes later at 6:25 and slept until 6:00 this morning!

Square Dance

I missed Ek's square dancing today! Drama, drama. The square dance has been all the buzz around the house this week. She kept singing the song and I was so anxious to see what it was all about. I invited Emma Jean to come watch with H and L and then take them home and let me stay for the rest of Cowboy Day. Well, when I was pulling out of my carport I had a flat tire. erg. After a quick phone call to Emma Jean and J, the plan changed to Emma Jean bringing me her car and she and the little ones would miss the dance. And I did too. But gracious Mrs. Spivey gave me an instant replay, and I'm so glad she did.



I stayed for the Cowboy lunch of hogdogs, baked beans, beef jerky, corn bread, trail mix and sweet tea. Ek and I hung around a bit so she could play with her friends. It was great fun to see her play doctor's office and color in her little classroom environment. Except that the horse back riding was canceled due to all the rain we had the last couple of days, Cowboy Day was a fantastic success.

Oh and the rest of the tire story. David, the tire guy, came and picked it up for me. He put air in it and jumped in and drove off as he could hear air leaving the tire again. He put new tires on and brought it back in about 3 hours. This was all quite fascinating to H who even thanked God for the flat tire, our car and David tonight when we prayed. I am quite thankful it worked out the way it did, especially the part that we were home when the flat tire occurred!!

So much fun!

L and I had the most fun today surprising mom and dad with a surprise trip to Athens. Mom got the bigger surprise, we walked into the church to see her at her new desk. She was talking on the phone and her chin about hit the desk she was so shocked. She just kept shaking her head and covering her mouth in up most surprise. L sat in her lap, while she was still talking and said several times, "where's pop?" L couldn't quite figure out what was going on either, she didn't know where we were or what we were doing there. The kids and I had packed a care package for mom to be delivered to the church on her first day of work and I decided that I wanted to deliver it myself. We visited with mom for about an hour at the church while she worked, gave her lots of hugs and smiles and then went to meet dad for lunch. We had such a sweet time visiting. What an amazing treat to see dad on a regular Monday during lunch hour. He went with me to run a few errands and kept L very well occupied. I floated back home so happy to have spent the afternoon with my wonderful, amazing parents. It was awesome. Oh and Ek and H? H went home with Susanne and Ek went home with Christy. It was just too much fun. I just pray for my parents that the Lord will continue to show Himself big in their lives, because he is after all!

I can't help but mention tonight also what today is. Today is the day my college Lauren went to be with Jesus. It is a bit sad to think of her today. She was quite a treasure in my life for that brief bit of time. I thought of her this afternoon as my L was eating animal crackers like she hadn't eaten before and wasn't sure if I would ever buy her animal crackers again-- For some reason animal crackers were a big staple in Lauren and my freshman diet. They almost always make me think of her. I have not bought them in months for us and thought is was a bit ironic to be eating them today. It is also a bit ironic all the running I've been doing lately with hopes of the big Half Marathon Sunday but am thankful to be home with my recovering husband. I was thinking today how good a run would be and I think I'll go in the morning in honor of Lauren who had such a passion for running and even got to run with the Olympic torch in 1996 in Atlanta. But mostly I think I'll go, as soon as I'm done writing, and go grab my best friend's hands now, my J who is watching bball in the living room, sit Indian style and pray, with great thanksgiving aloud as L and I used to do so often during those sweet days of first walking with the Lord back in 1997. She was a sweet friend. Thankful.

Super Saturday update

I wrote yesterday while kids were resting before heading to a family barbecue. J's aunt and uncle wanted to honor their son and his family before he gets deployed to Afghanistan for a year. Whew. I am so thankful to know a soldier like Hank, he is so determined and takes our protection so seriously, he is the kind of soldier we want over there. We were so grateful to gather to send him off. J's parents were there, J's cousin's sister and her family, and J's cousin's best friend and his family. Ok so this is where it gets soooo funny. The best friend's wife's name is Kathie. She is the vice chairman of the St. Patrick's committee and will be the chairman next year. She had been so busy all day and had so much to tell; we had the most fun listening and encouraging her to talk more and more. Her 2 children were with her, one being her daughter Sheila. At one point she refers to Sheila and Lucky within a sentence or 2. I said, "Wait a minute, are you telling me that Sheila was Lucky?!?" Kathie said yes. me, "So Sheila was Lucky at the Pancake supper, the race and the parade?!?" Kathie said yes, if it was Lucky, it was Sheila. I about fell out of my chair, I was so excited. Ek and H came in for a sip of water and I said, "Oh kids, you will not believe, Sheila (who was sprawled out of the couch, exhausted) was the one who was dressed up as Lucky!!!!!" They stared at me blankly. I tried to get more emotion out of them, but only got minimal responses. The suit was in the truck of the car. I was so excited. We take the kids out there when they are leaving, oh wait, did I say 'kids?' I mean Ek, H was scared. Yep that's right, he was scared to see a dress up costume that a 15 year old girl had been wearing. giggle. Ek was even a bit scared to see it. I asked her to try it on but she wouldn't even get withing 2 feet of it. Hi-larious. I just couldn't believe after all the Lucky talk of the past few days that here we had a behind the scenes tour that we didn't even pay for. It was a fabulous ending to the day. And a great day at that. Beautiful skies. Beautiful time together. Thank you God for health, for time, for freedom, for family.

This morning H hobbles downstairs and says his legs hurt. We can always hear him coming down the steps, usually not Ek, she is a bit more graceful, but you can hear every step of H and today it was even a bit louder. He was walking without really bending his knees. oops. Remember that part about not letting them stop? Well we didn't alright. Ek reported that hers hurt too, about a hour and a half later when she woke up. We gave them both some Tylenol and told them they were all stronger because of it. That meant next time they would run even faster because their legs were stronger. I told Ek she would be able to catch those boys even better. I didn't hear another word about sore legs. I already can't wait for next year.

Much better!

Whew! It has been a busy 2 days! My upstairs closet began like this...

But after reorganizing, throwing away, and giving away...

Dad put up these...

to make it look like this...

ahhh much better.

Mom was a huge help too, she played and played, even had her toe nails done!

I am so thankful for my parents I just couldn't possibly begin to say. They love us so well, not even including all that they do, but just in who they are. I am blessed.