2 Weeks Down - 9 more to Go!!!

I am of course referring to the fact that school has been out for 2 weeks and 9 more until school starts again!! The first week Caleb spent with Memaw & Papaw (Randy & Sherri). I can't tell you the difference there is when just one of them is gone! The noise level is drastically less and there is so much less fighting! I think this is one of the only times that Caleb has gone somewhere by his self and he had a BLAST. It was he and his cousin Connor and they ruled the roost for that week. One of the highlights of the week was Caleb catching 19 (yes 19) fish at Randy & Sherri's house. He was so excited to have caught more fish then anyone else in our family! Bless his heart he cried when I picked him up! He said he was going to miss Memaw and Papaw and that it had been so nice not having his brothers annoy him!! Joel & Christian enjoyed being the only 2 home. Joel made a double play last week at his baseball game. He caught a fly ball playing 2nd base and then ran off and touched first base!! He was EXTREMELY excited. (Of course he thinks he can coach the team his self so this reinforced to him that he is awesome!)

This past week was the first week with all 3 home! Monday was AWFUL. They all three fought and fought! I was at my wits end thinking how could it get any worse and then it did! I don't know what was wrong with Joel but he broke my lamp in the living room and then decided to play dodge ball in the media room and broke a window in there. By the time Craig got home I was ready to sale all 3 of them on Craig's list. Thankfully Craig had a little more grace with them then I did. Luckily we have double pane windows and he didn't break both panes so there isn't any heat or bugs coming in. That was such a blessing since they had to order the glass and it won't be fixed until tomorrow.

Tuesday afternoon I was getting ready for Caleb's last baseball game when Craig came downstairs with Joel and said he has fever. He had 101.6 and said his throat was hurting. He had just had strep throat 12 days before and had finished his antibotic on Sunday. I took him back to the Dr. and sure enough he still had strep throat. Craig took Caleb to his game and I got Joel's antibotic. (It explained a little bit why he was so bad the day before, usually when he is so mean it is because he is sick.) Caleb's team lost their last game but he had a good game! I think he is very glad baseball is over and he now says he doesn't want to play again!

On Wednesday Christian started band camp. He LOVES band and this is a camp that is put on by his band directors. They meet once a week for 2 hours, learning new songs, and trying different things that they can't do during the school year.

On Friday we kept a friend of mine's little boy named Micah. Micah is a year and half and he is so sweet. The boys (especially Joel) love him and love to play with him. I am going to start keeping him two days a week for July, August, & September and they are very excited. He truly is one of the most laid back little boys I have ever been around. We took him to the pool (we spend about 4 days out of the week at the pool) along with 2 other families and had a great time!

Saturday was Joel's last baseball game. He played catcher the first inning and while he didn't get any outs he really looked CUTE in his gear. For the 2nd inning he played second base and got two of the three outs for that inning. He came into the dugout and hollered at Craig and said dad I got the first out and the third out. (Again did I mention how much he loves baseball!). Whenever he gets an out he pumps his fist up and high fives the coach (and sometimes the other teams coach if they are near). He definently wants to play baseball again in the fall! I LOVE baseball but I am glad the season is over for now. It is simply to HOT!

I love my kids and they say the funniest things. Like Joel recently said - "I didn't know I had to brush my teeth since it was summer vacation and I didn't realize we still went to church during summer vacation." (I guess since this is the first time he has been out of school he thinks everything stops for summer vacation.) He was repeating his Bible story to me about Abraham having to move his whole family in obedience to God. So I asked him Joel where did Abraham move to and he said "God told Abraham to move from Texas to Oklahoma." Today I asked Caleb about his lesson at church and he said we learned about John the Baptism man!! They are so funny!!

Craig found out Friday afternoon that they settled the lawsuit against the hospital he worked for in Houston so he does not have to go and testify this week. He was VERY, VERY relieved and glad. I was glad for him as well because I know how much he wasn't looking forward to it but I was a little disappointed because I was going to go with him and I was looking forward to getting away without the kids and staying in a free hotel room - ha. ha!!

So I now think we are all caught up!

Last Day of School - Great is thy Faithfulness!

I just had to blog today -the last day of school! This school year was anticipated with much anxiety, prayers and yes even some tears and the fact that today is the last day is so significant to me! As all of you know one of the hardest issue with our moving was the fact that Christian would have to change schools as he was going into sixth grade. One of Craig and I's main prayer requests during this transition was that Christian would go to school with the same kids that he goes to church with and that the transition to middle school would be easy. God quickly and completely answered that prayer. The first Sunday that we were all in church Tracy Hook introduced herself and her family to us. Tracy & Jeff have a sixth grade boy named Hayden who was going to the same middle school as Christian. Hayden & Christian are the best of friends and that connection is one of the many reasons his sixth grade year has gone so smoothly. Hayden and Christian attend the weekly Jr. High youth meeting at church, play in the band at school and are families are close friends. I thank God for his faithfulness to send us the Hook's as friends!

Although Caleb has had a rough year (does anyone remember the great spelling meltdown ) - he finished very strong. He was awarded the Science award for his class and finished reading on grade level!! He is very much looking forward to the summer and a little bit looking forward to being a 3rd grader!

The last huge transition was sending Joel to kindergarten. I was so sad and yet so excited to see him start school. It has been VERY NICE not having any children at home during the day but it was VERY SAD as well that he was growing older. He (like Christian) loves school and has enjoyed kindergarten. He is very attached to his teacher Mrs. Hodges and he doesn't understand that she will not be his teacher next year. He however declared this morning that he was no longer a baby since he is going to be a first grader tomorrow!!

I have always known that God is faithful. But I think most of you would agree that when it comes to your children seeing God's faithfulness to them means so much more. So, if you are struggling with something in your life and your wondering will God come through - GOD IS ALWAYS FAITHFUL! Lamentations 3:22-24 "The faithful love of the Lord never ends, his mercies never ceases, GREAT IS HIS FAITHFULNESS, his mercies begin a fresh every morning, I will say to myself the Lord is my inheritance therefore I WILL HOPE IN HIM. The Lord is close to those who depend on him and to those who search for him. So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord." God is sovereign and he is truly working all things together for your good!

*The first picture is the picture I took on the first day of school this year. The next two are from this morning. The third picture is of Joel with his teacher Mrs. Hodges and the final 3 are of Caleb and his friends at his end of the school party and doing the limbo!