A Best Day

Many days in our lives seem to roll from one to the other.  At least in my life it seems that way.  I have been complaining all week to everyone (anyone?) who will listen about how busy I am.  Every night for the past week we have had at least two things to do besides school.  We haven't been home ALL WEEK until 8:30 or so.  The days seem to sometimes stay on repeat - wake up, rush around, forget things, cry because I don't have it all together, hurry my students through the school day, rush home, shuttle kids, forget things, cry because I don't have it all together, pack lunches, iron clothes, and fall into bed.  Some days we even get dinner.  The next day is more of the same.  Many of my mom friends a few  years ahead of me constantly remind me to savor these days because they'll be gone in a flash.  I try.  Really.  I want that perspective.  But, sadly, I don't always live in the moment.  I rush.  Run.  Push and pull.  I pray for patience but can't seem to find any...

And then -


 A Best Day.  Or a night.  Or even a few hours. 

A moment to savor all that I've been given.  Almost in slow motion, I can look around and see my blessings.  What's important.  Who is important.  Everything seems "right".  Tonight was a Best Day.  And even though I'm finding that I'm not the very-good-blogger I thought I was going to be - I want to record it. 

What did my best day look like? 

It didn't even start until tonight.

When I looked up and saw this.

I love him.  And I'm so thankful to have another chance to enjoy a little boy.

This picture doesn't do all the excitement justice.  But my mind sees exactly how excited Jack was when they announced the "special guest".

Jack went through his list over and over to make sure he didn't forget anything.  Golf clubs, video car racer, basketball shoes... he repeated this over and over in line.  Then his turn came and he got nervous and forgot!

Jack thought he might be "the one" - but where in the world was his sleigh?  Maybe in a field so the reindeer had room to play.  Thank You, Lord, for another year of belief.

Then, off to a ballgame...

 
Great form!  Sadly, he missed the shot.  And they didn't win the game.  But Daniel had a great game with 16 points.

The Oh-So-Handsome Keeper of the Clock - with his sidekick underneath, waiting for half-time so he can shoot some hoops of his own.

The almost-grown son watching his little brother play.  Thank You, Jesus, that they do love each other after all!

There are other things to remember.  A quick run for a peppermint mocha (the only reason I am still up), the comfort of looking around a town square full of people I know and love, the VERY loud singing of a proud group of second graders, family, FREE hot chocolate and chocolate chip cookies for the community, the thrill of watching my boys play a sport they enjoy, the beauty of the Christmas tree as the lights were turned on...

A Best Day.

And yet.

My mind is already turning to the late hour, the packing of lunches, chipped fingernail paint, a Christmas list that needs to be checked, a family Christmas tree that needs to be bought and decorated, another late night tomorrow away from home, and on and on.  My life is so far from perfect.  Already I am back to forgetting things (I just remembered I forgot to sign up for my school's Christmas dinner and the deadline to sign up was today) and usually a bout of forgetfulness is followed by a crying spell because I don't have it all together like "Everyone Else".  Good thing for Robert that he is already asleep.

But hopefully.  Prayerfully.  I'll remember.

If I squeeze my eyes shut - and keep them wide open - as I'm running around like a mad woman, I'll see it.  

The next Best Day. 

Does It Make Things Better if I Tell You I Haven't Been Visiting My Treadmill Either?

Well.

I am almost a blogger drop-out.  As my friend on facebook wrote yesterday, "Get to bloggin' girl!"  It has been a few days weeks months since I last posted.  I KNOW!  Where does the time go?  Obviously, it goes way fast.  So much for recording my family memories! :)

Since my last post school has started for all of us.  No more lazy days of summer.  Right now we are in the thick of fall activities.  This is by far our busiest time of year.  Robert and I are back to teaching, Nick is playing golf, Daniel is playing football, and Jack's football season just wrapped up a few weeks ago.  It seems like every night is filled with some kind of sports-related activity!  I like to complain about it A LOT to anybody who will listen, but I'm also learning these times are fleeting and I need to enjoy them.  Nick is a junior this year and it will all be over before I realize it, so I'm trying to just hang on and enjoy the ride.  Besides, on the upside my house doesn't get too messy.  We're not here to mess it up!

Here is a picture of Nick at the district golf tournament last week.  I "borrowed" the picture from the local paper, so I can't get it to size right.  Because I'm technology savvy like that.

He plays in the regional tournament Monday and is very exctied.  The latest weather forecast for Monday does not look much like golfing weather, so I hope he still has a good day!  I'm so proud of him!  And sad at the same time.  He's growing up fast.  Too fast for this mama.

Daniel has been been shoulder-deep in football pads and is loving every minute of it.  Now that he's older, the games have become so much more exciting so I really haven't taken the time to snap many pictures.  Here is one a little girl on fb snapped of him on the sidelines.

I love watching him play football.  And I love to watch him tackle the other players.  Really. Hard.  Isn't that awful?  I know.  But I can't help it - I'm secretly so proud.  I stand up and cheer even.  (This has to have some hidden psychological meaning.)  I forget what positions he's actually playing -   I think tight-end and some kind of linemen and something about right guard sometimes.  All I know is that when he's playing I jump up and down a lot and yell for him to hit somebody...  Anyway, he gets to run the ball some this year so he's lovin' that.


And, sweet Jack.  With his second-grade attitude.  He played on an in-house football league this year and had the best time.  That little golfer of mine declared he LOVED football.  Except for the tackling.  Which makes perfect sense if you think about it.  Mostly now he runs around the house after "the brothers" (as he calls them) trying to be just like them.  I wish they could have adult eyes for a little while to see that.  Here he is right before a game.

And on a side note, it is SNOWING this morning and today is only October 1.  What in the world?  I hope this is not a sign of things to come.  I have been drinking my coffee drink this morning and blogging by the fireplace.  I really should be cleaning - I suppose I'll get to that shortly.  And all the boys need haircuts in the worst way.  And we're almost out of milk.  And I need to go to the Walmart, but it's the first of the month and I don't want to.  But we're down to the last squeeze of toothpaste.  So I have to.  Plus today would be a good day for soup.  And one thing I've learned about teenage boys is that they eat.  A LOT.  I have a hard time keeping up with them.

Edited to add: 
I never did get to that cleaning.  Instead I visited a little with my mom who stopped by to bring me a new Christmas ornament.  But I did take my life in my own hands to go to the Walmart to get toothpaste.  It was wild, too.  The churchpeople, however,  will be so happy come tomorrow morning when we have fresh breath and clean teeth.

And tonight we visited with my wonderful in-laws (I really do love them so much).  My mother-in-law cooked dinner for us.  Chili-beans and mexican corn bread.  It was delicious.  I'm afeared, though,
it was a deadly combination for the males in my house.  Let us pray my hair doesn't fall out before I can air things out tomorrow...

The Summer of the Great Jellyfish

My sister and I often laugh because my family goes through funny "spells". We are just a tad obsessive about things and when we find something we like, we tend to wear it out. Literally. We've had The Year of the Sweater Vest, The Summer of the Milkshake, The Year of the Cargo Shorts, etc. You sort of get the idea. (Anyone besides me remember listening to Lionel Ritchie's You Are the Sun over and over again on their walkman in the sixth grade?)

Anyway.


I have decided that this will be The Summer of the Great Jellyfish.

Robert and I love the beach.  As do the boys.  Well, they are learning to love the beach.  We can't wait to go every summer.  This year we went back to Hilton Head Island in South Carolina.  This is one of our most favorite places to vacation. 

Here is a picture of Jack I snapped just after we arrived.

Oh, Happy Day!  He was ready for a week full of sand, surf, and sleeping in.  The first few days of vacation were wonderful. 

We saw beautiful sunsets.  This was at Harbor Town while we were at the Lighthouse.

We are delicious seafood at The Crazy Crab.

We swam in the pool.

 

We rode bicycles every evening.

We played at the beach.

You might even say we were on top of the world...

And then...The Unthinkable...

On Thursday, a jellyfish wrapped Jack's ankles while he was playing in the ocean.  I couldn't believe it.  We have been taking our boys to the beach since they were babies and we have never had this happen before.  Jack came out of the water like lightning.  The lifeguard brought over "jellyfish spray" - aka vinegar.  She sprayed him down on both legs and his wrist.  We had to keep him out of the water after that so the sting wouldn't hurt anymore and would start to heal.  This wasn't hard AT ALL since he declared he HATED the beach and he was NEVER getting back in the water EVER again.  He didn't care if he had to STAY AT HOME ALL BY HIMSELF next year.

The beach was dead to Jack.

Suddenly, no one wanted to get in the water...

Which was okay with me.  I hadn't been to the outlets yet!  Thank goodness we only had one more day of vacation after that.

 Jack did get in the water the next day and, of course, I do not have a picture of that.  A storm had blown through Thursday night and the waves and wind at the beach were wild.  None of my pictures from that day turned out well.  The big boys loved the huge waves and played in them forever.  Two or three times we thought they were going to get dragged down to Cuba.

Jack went back in the water and justified it to us by declaring, "Those waves are so big there is definitely NO WAY a jellyfish could EVER live in that." 


Ahem. 


(I have NO IDEA where all the dramatics come from.  Must be his dad.)


We ended our trip with a sandcastle fit for a queen.  Of the Englands, that is...

Watch Out, Lance Armstrong

Almost got it....

And, he's off!

Way to go, Jack! We're so proud of you.

Sunday Letters

Dear Nick,

You are growing up too fast. You started a small part-time job at the golf course for the summer yesterday. You came in from your first few hours of work starved to death. Four chicken sandwiches and two drinks later, you were full. Sheesh! You keep eating like that and I'll have to go to work with you!

A part of me wants to take you back in time a few years. I miss the little boy who used to climb on my lap to "take a sit-down". And yet I am so proud of the man you are becoming. It's happening right before my eyes and I want to reach out and slow the clock down. I love you so much, honey!



Dear Daniel,

On Monday you leave for your first week-long football camp. Four days away from home - will we make it? I know how much you love the sport and I get such a thrill out of watching you play. You have been working so hard lately to get in shape and it is showing! You have a strong sense of discipline when it comes to things like that - thank goodness you took after your dad in that department.

We went to the airport tonight to walk and you brought along your bicycle to ride. You had the best time. And the faster you went the better you liked it! It reminded me of when you first learned to ride (at 3 years old, I might add) and how you would fly down the road at Miss Mae's to try to beat us when we came to pick you up. You are adventurous at heart!


Dear Jack,

YOU DID IT! This was the week you learned to ride a bike without training wheels. Your dad and I knew you could do it. You practiced hard for two days while we walked and then you just took off! Tonight while Dad and I were walking, you pedaled your little heart out on your Spiderman bicycle. There was a moment when you were ahead of me, the sun was shining/setting in front of us, and I could see the outline of that little red bicycle helmet on your sweet head. I thought I would have a spell right then! It was a mental picture I hope I can remember forever. Your dad, the brothers, and I are very proud of you.


Dear Robert,

I enjoyed at our little getaway this past week! It was so nice to spend time with just you. And the outlets. Grin. Even with the rain we had a good time. Plus now we know we are definitely not the sitting kind of people. Unless we're at the beach. How funny that we anticipated this trip for MONTHS and then couldn't wait to get back home. Another lesson about where we're the happiest. Thanks for the reminder this week that we are not going back to "BEFORE". Keep my feet to the fire with that one!


I love you all more than I could ever express. Now let's go have a gReAt SuMmEr and try not to fuss too much with each other!!

Nineteen on the 19th

On June 20, Robert and I will celebrate our nInEtEeNtH wedding anniversary. That's unbelievable to me. It doesn't seem like it's been that long. So, in honor of our anniversary, I thought I'd list 19 things I love about Robert on our 19th anniversary. (In no particular order...)

1. He does the laundry.
2. He makes me laugh every day.
3. He's quick to forgive.
4. He's a terrific father.
5. He has a very strong faith.
6. He's a hugger. He's not afraid to show affection to his family.
7. His brain is full of true, but totally weird, facts and/or trivia. We
refer to him as the Professor of Interesting Stuff...
8. He lets me think I'm right even when we both know I'm not.
9. He's a family man. He talks to his parents every day.
10. He takes me shopping and never complains when I spend hours in a store
and then walk out with nothing.
11. Did I mention he does the laundry?
12. He eats whatever I cook and says it's delicious even when it's terrible.
13. We never run out of things to talk about.
14. He's never met a stranger and tries to make everyone feel comfortable.
15. He works hard to provide for us.
16. He fills my car up with gas. Every week.
17. ThE lAuNdRy!!
18. He always gives his best in whatever he does.
19. He's a great bible teacher.

And last of all - and most important - he is my "best frand". I would rather spend time with him than anyone else in the world.

Happy Anniversary, Robert! I'm looking forward to a few days alone with just us.

What Makes A Father

We are right in the thick of our parenting years. One son in high school, one son in middle school, one son in primary school. Most days we get it more wrong than right. We make bad decisions. We fuss. We cuss (under our breath, of course!). We wonder where we went wrong, what we should have done differently. Then I walk by Nick's room and see him with an open bible. Or I hear Daniel listening to a Christian song on his i-pod. By his own choice! Or I hear Jack say to me, "We're supposed to love God first, right Mom?" And I pray that we are getting it more right than wrong. That we make a difference. In our weakness, there is strength. HIS strength. Doing what we cannot. Molding and shaping hearts IN SPITE of us.

What makes the best father? A desire for Godliness. Pursuit of righteousness. A desire to do the right thing, even when it's hard. Loving unconditionally. Listening first. Being objective. And then add to that a man who realizes he can't do any of that on his own. A dependence on The One who can do what he cannot. Robert is one of those men. I am so thankful for his leadership in our home. He teaches our boys by his example. He shows them how to have fun. He spends time with them.

These things make the best kind of father.

Happy Father's Day, Robert! The boys and I love you so very much.

A Test Drive...

Alrighty, then.  I have worked forever and by trial and error am trying to figure out how to blog.  Checking to see what this looks like.