I wish I had the pictures...

I wish I had taken pictures to capture our Valentine's Day weekend, but I didn't. I'll have to trust my words and memory to capture the love I've witnessed over the past few days:

Friday night was pretty quiet at our house. I must follow up my last post with the fact that LG did, in fact, receive a call from her Mother quite out of the blue. LG seemed glad to talk to her--although I am still amazed at just how distant she seems--more like talking to a long lost cousin than the woman who gave birth to her. Her Mother agreed to call LG back on Saturday at 10am.

Saturday we waited for the phone call. It didn't come until MUCH later in the day. Of course, there was a "logical explanation". And I'm GLAD she at least called with that because waiting at 10am and 10:30am and 11am was no picnic.

Anyway, we had the pleasure of watching LG's three younger siblings (ages 5, 4, and 3). Let me just say that if I ever had any doubts that I am "done being a Mommy to children in the preK age range"---they are gone! I love these kids...but I was worn out by the time they left! I love borrowing and sending them home. It was fun to see LG play with her siblings. They love each other SO MUCH. Even more, though, I loved watching my DS 4 interact with them. He entertained and treated them as if they also were a part of our family. It was so very sweet.

Saturday night, DH and I took DSs 3, 4 and LG to our Japanese Steak House for a Family Valentine's Dinner. LG had never seen them cook at your table. We had a great time! Again, my boys make me so proud how they help her enjoy each new experience. DS 3 really takes the cake here, though. He coached her through the entire meal. These two are kind of alike, so it's fun to watch them interact.

Sunday we went to church and then had our small group at the house. The kids and I also took in the movie "Tooth Fairy" (one I swore I'd NEVER see when I watched the preview) with DS 4's friend L and HER Mother. Yes, I think we just went on an 11-year-old "family date"! Just something else for me to investigate a bit more in the coming days/weeks.

In other news from my "out-of-town" Valentines: DS 1 went to Louisiana this weekend for Mardi Gras and an Ultimate Frisbee tournament. It sounds like it was quite cold and muddy. He reported that most of the players came back with some sort of injury....BUT I know he had a great time listening to some great jazz music in downtown New Orleans.

DS 2 ran a half marathon Sunday morning! It was his first. He finished in 1:54:54. He texted DS 3 and told him to start training cause he needs to do it too. That text was followed closely by, "And tell Mom she can do it too." OK whatever!

Now it's 1:45am on Monday morning of President's Day and I'm awake. I don't know why. I woke up thinking just how blessed I am. I love my family. I love my life. And I thank God for both!

Happy [belated] Valentines!

Some Weekend Highlights and a Thought...

What a BUSY weekend!! It was filled with church stuff, family, and holiday festivities for us.

Friday, DS 1 came home for his National Guard Drill weekend. While sitting here talking to us, at about 8:00pm, he realized that he left part of his uniform at his apartment (almost 3 hours away). So, knowing that he HAD to have it, and there is no "loaner" program, he drove BACK to his apartment and BACK to our house that night. Six hours!

I had a training all day on Saturday at our school. It was good, but it was hard to get up and get there. It was a steady rain outside and honestly, I'd have rather just stayed in bed with a good book!

Saturday evening, LG and I met a team from our church to pass out goodie bags and bubble necklaces to kids at the holiday parade. I have to tell you that I had a total meltdown because five of the youth dropped off the team at the last minute. That frustrates me! My friend, Sandy, stepped in to help at the last minute. I love having sweet friends who will help like that. Here's a picture of Sandy with LG ready to go.

Anyway, we had a BLAST at the parade and kids (and their parents) were blown away that they were getting FREE stuff for no reason! It's another great outreach opportunity and way to have a positive impact on the community.

LG and I stayed at the parade with our friend Kate and her two girls. It turned a bit colder that evening...but it was PERFECT for a holiday parade. I have to say that NOW I'm feeling more like it's December and Christmas is right around the corner.

Below is a picture of LG and me at the parade I love it!

On Sunday, we had another outreach at church. Our church is providing Christmas for 16 needy kids from my school. We had a great time sorting and wrapping and preparing the gifts for these children right during the service!

While a team sorted and wrapped these gifts for local outreach...our youth pastor shared about his recent mission trip to Ethiopia.

I love it when we do this sort of thing. It's a picture of what I think the church "should" be--active and involved in the community and the world.

Sunday afternoon, I took LG to visit her younger siblings at a local park. We had a great time talking to the family they are with and playing together. It was good to see the kids. I am always amazed that LG doesn't push back when we go to leave those visits. She loves going and loves visiting, but she also loves coming home.

Sunday evening, DSs 2 and 3 helped us get out the boxes of Christmas decorations from the attic. My guys are totally used to me at this time of year and just indulge me as we I decorate. Seriously, they help a bit. I love it that they just "do their thing" to help make it happen--and don't mind my mini-"moments" that sometimes occur during the process. I've got one tree up and a few more to go. The boxes are sorted into their rooms for decoration. I am feeling pretty calm amidst that chaos.

To sum up our weekend: It was busy, but fulfilling. VERY fulfilling!

It was BEAUTIFUL...

Our weekend was simply wonderful! The weather was GREAT! It was mild and sunny with no humidity. It's the weather that people who live in Florida brag about at this time of year.

Beyond the weather, though, it was a great time for our family.

Friday, DS 1 came home. It's so nice to see him and spend time visiting with him. He and his brother (my DS 2) played in a Ultimate Frisbee tournament on Saturday.

Saturday morning I took LG to an appt. with a new counselor. They use play therapy to help work out thoughts, ideas, feelings, and experiences. The counselor gave LG the option to have me in the session or not. She asked me to come.

While watching them work together, I was once again amazed at the power of play! I've seen this sort of session before when we had other foster children. But I just love watching it. These counselors use toys and conversation to help kids get into their own heads.

For example, LG was playing at a sand table. The counselor told her it was a story table where she could make her own story. Then she opened this drawer with a ton of toys inside...animals, trees, people, and other things. She watched LG arrange them in the sand and listened to her words. Every so often she'd ask probing questions about the characters, setting, or problem of the scene. Through these questions, the counselor (and even I) was able to get a glimpse into LG and her thought process. Fascinating.

Saturday afternoon we had our church's Fallfest. It was a free outreach event for the community. We had food, games, prizes, and inflatables. It was great fun. Here are a couple of pictures of that event:

The picture above is DS 4 trying out my "fall scene" for photos.

Here's LG giving it a try.

And DS 3 is dreaming of being in the sky rather than at the festival!

I have to tell you when my team leads these things I always worry. What if no one shows up? I mean that's a little scary! I explained to the team that it didn't matter if ONE person showed up, it was about being a presence on the corner where we are located. It was as much about the perception of the cars driving by. And it was a good time to minister to a few people and get to know our own church family.

It wasn't an overwhelming attendance, but it was a constant flow.

The thing that was so exciting was to see just how many people showed up for the church service yesterday! This is not the total purpose of the event, but it's nice to know that it was an entry ramp for some people.

The rest of Sunday was spent cleaning and digging out in some of the rooms in our house. (We steam cleaned the carpets in two bedrooms. It was quite productive.

So, there you have it, a glimpse into our weekend! I hope yours was just as lovely.

Where did it go?

If there is one thing I can't stand, it's to reach Sunday night and wonder where the weekend went! In my mind, this is a sign that we've been too busy! Sitting here now and looking back, I honestly can hardly remember Friday night! Then I remember why:

Friday night I came home and was exhausted! Turns out everyone in my house was exhausted, because we were ALL in bed and asleep by 9:30pm. DS 3 went first at 7:30! Then, DS 4 and I went. Finally, DS 2 went. He was getting up at 4:30am to haed to an Ultimate Frisbee Tournament on the other side of the state.

I got up early Saturday morning to conduct a parent workshop at my school. It was a Reading Comprehension Workshop for parents of students in grades 3 - 5 We did not have a great turnout, but those that were there enjoyed it (I think).

From there, I headed out to a craft fair. Our church had a table there (we have several people who make some beautiful cards) and we were handing out FREE Scrapbooking supplies as part of our kindness outreach. It was pretty slow, so we decided to pack it up early.

After that, DS 4 had a soccer game. He played great ball and they won! I don't know if he'll continue in soccer or not. He doesn't quite have the zeal that my other guys did...but he is definitely a better player today than he was just a few months ago.

Last night was "Crepe Night" at my house. My guys love to have breakfast for dinner when DH is out of town. And one of their favorites is crepes. So, we made crepes and enjoyed this little change in our normal nighttime meals.

DS 2 did not get home until midnight from the soccer tournament, but he was so excited that his team won the entire tournament! He loves playing. I guess you'd have to in order to play seven games in a day!

This morning we had a great time at church. I really am chewing on the sermon and want to share more of my thoughts on that later this week. After that, we went to DS 4's final soccer game of the season. They won again!

When we got home I took DS 4 to the skatepark. I am amazed when I am at this park. The park is filled with kids (usually boys) who are either skating or skateboarding in and out of the concrete pools and ramps. Today there were several kids flipping in and out of the pools. I cringe as I watch it!

I came home and finished my blog labels. As you can see, "chabby chic" won. I have loved working with this over the past few days! It's so much fun to learn new things.

It was busy, but it was good. Have a great week, everyone!!

Weekend Update...

What a busy, but fun, weekend!!

Friday was supposed to be our Fall Fun Fair at school. It rained, so I was able to come home and CRASHED.

Saturday was spent getting ready for Reverse Trick or Treat on Sunday AND our work Halloween Party Saturday night. We always have so much fun at this party. It's amazing the different costumes that people come up with! I didn't get a full picture of my costume, but here is one of me with my friend, Brenda. I love this picture of all the people that I work with who are on FACEBOOK! There are more people from my school on FB that weren't at the party. But I'd say it's a pretty large group!On Sunday we hosted our church family at our house for Reverse Trick or Treat. This was an AWESOME activity! There were ten adults and 5 kids who gave out candy at 80 homes in our neighborhood. The stickers on the candy read: "No Tricks, Just Treats from your friends at (our church name)!" People were blown away that we were out to GIVE something with no strings attached.

Afterward, everyone came back to our house for supper. It was great fun!

Now, Friday, we are hosting a party to give away more treats to adults and children in our neighborhood. So far, there are 20 people signed up to come over then. I am looking forward to more time with our church family while reaching out to the community.

The Whirlwind that sometimes is my life...

We are winding down the school year which brings it's own share of hoops to jump through. Iam preparing for next year's job changes. We are also conducting retention meetings...these are NEVER fun as it means we have to look into our educational crystal ball and try and make predictions about each child's future success. It left me little time for blogging last week.

This weekend was busy busy busy!

I had the pleasure of hosting my friend Sandy's daughter's bridal shower (along with two other friends from school) at my house on Saturday morning. We called it an "Around the Clock" shower. Every person was given a specific time of the day and purchased gifts for their assigned time. It was fun hearing what people were thinking when they selected their gifts. There were sixteen of us here for the shower/luncheon. It was great fun. Here are a couple of pictures:

Notice the blue colors. Lindsey is using blues and greens in her wedding. But DS 2's school is maroon....and 21 kids were scheduled to show up around 6:00pm....

Sooooooo, in the afternoon, my living room had to undergo a total transformation for DS 2's Prom Dinner. Here's a shot from almost the same angle as the last one.

We had Olive Garden catered in for them. I was a bit shocked when he requested it, but pleased at the same time. Here is DS 2 below (in the red tux) preparing for dinner with a few of his friends.

And here is the whole crew enjoying their food and each other's company...
After dinner, they got in a limo bus and headed out to the beach for photos. Actually, they never made it out to the beach, they only made it to the pool of this very exclusive resort in our city. There was another bus of their friends there to meet them.

They had a fantastic time at the Ritz Carlton with the rest of their classmates.

Today, DH, DSs 3 and 4 and I went out to the beach for a baptism service. Then we handed out 200 water bottles as a way of doing some servant evangelism. It was wonderful, but the sun got to me and now I'm going to bed.

Have a great week!!

Weekend Window

It's been a while since I have done a "weekend window"...but this weekend, with all it's twists and turns, is one that calls for it....

Friday I went to the wedding of a couple that works at my school. It was in a local mansion that sits on the water...a gorgeous setting. We had a lot of fun celebrating with them. It was, however, the second wedding of the year that I attended where the word "God" was not uttered one time. I guess it's more proof that more and more "kids" are being raised sans any faith at all. When a friend of mine mentioned God to the young bride, she said, "We don't really 'DO' the "God-thing"." So, while it was fun to celebrate with them, it was also quite sad for me.

DS 2 went to Grad Night at Disney World on Friday. They go stay all night and listen to bands and ride rides. He slept pretty much all day on Saturday.

On Saturday, DS 1 found out he could not ship out 4/28 as expected. They have been looking at his medical records and stuff and are kind of in a holding pattern. The Sgt. told him that he "might" get to go out next week. Or he may have to wait until Fall. At any rate, they are supposed to give him a "for sure" date by this coming Friday. He is quite frustrated by the delay.

Saturday we bought DS 3 a bike so we could go out on the trail. He and I rode a total of 18 miles! It was a gorgeous day and the trail was, once again, full of people and critters. On the way out we saw plenty of birds and a black snake...on the way back, there was a BIG Florida Gator sitting right on the trail! (Note: the picture on the left is a couple we found at our state park last year.) We didn't see Mr. Biketrail Gator until we were pretty much right next to him. Needless to say, we swerved to the OTHER side of the trail (maybe 6 feet away) and rode FAST! Trust me, my cardio was heightened at that point. And I was much more vigilent as we made the trek back to our house.

Saturday night, DH and I went to a LOVELY Hawaiin Fusion restaurant here in town. They are known for the Sushi and Fish entrees. I had a dish called "Hawaiin Ono". It was delicious. We also had some wonderful appetizers and salads. He and I don't get out alone as much as we'd like due to our hectic schedules...so it was nice to linger over a meal and enjoy each other's company.

After church on Sunday, I drove to Tampa to see my cousin who was visiting for the weekend. DH flew DSs 3 and 4 up there then they took my brother up for a flight. Here they are just after landing at the little airport in Tampa. I think they had a good time.

DS 3 stayed with me in Tampa and came back in the car. DS 4, however, flew back with DH to our house. DH said DS 4 was "driving" about 50% of the time on the way back...and has now decided that he'd like to take flight lessons right away. Yeah, right!

DH left this morning for Texas. DSs 3 and 4 are home today not feeling well. I am home with them, so perhaps I'll get a few things done around here that I skipped this weekend!

In the meantime, there are some big decisions being made here in our house that I cannot discuss here yet. It's nothing "bad"...only a change in direction. Please pray for our family as we help work through what steps to take in the next few weeks.

Happy Monday!

Weekend Recap

This past weekend was a busy weekend with both emotional ups and downs.

Friday, my boss and I talked at length about the changes in my own job next year. Of course, as I noted before, we are going to lose support personnel at our school. In essence, this means the team I work on will be somewhat disbanded or altered greatly. Some roles that are currently there will not exist at all; others will change drastically. Mine is a job that will change as two jobs are rolled into one. Our talk was very candid. I am thankful that I work in a place where I can be who I am and state my opinion. I know the job will change drastically next year…and I feel confident that, at this point in time, I am making the right decision to continue to hold the position.

Friday night was our school carnival. This is a really fun event with rides and games. It is fun to see some of our families who simply don’t get to do this sort of thing, come out and spend time together.

Friday night was also the time that I found out about the loss of my friend, Susan. It shook me up for sure. Her funeral is this Wednesday. Please say a prayer for this family if you think about it.

Saturday morning and afternoon was spent making arrangements for several things. By late Saturday afternoon, I was ready to do something different, so DS 1 and I went and bought me a bike. I have to say riding through Target on a bicycle (when I haven’t ridden for 20+ years) was a hoot! He and DS 4 and I rode on the new bike trail by our house. We went 13 miles total. It was a beautiful way to spend an evening with my boys. I plan to ride again as soon as my own “seat” recovers!!

Sunday was church with an awesome sermon. I am hoping to recount some of it here as it was one of those “makes you think” sermons. Sunday afternoon was LAZY! I even snuck in a little nap.

Last night I went to DS 2’s GF’s house to see their “senior pics”. She has a relative who is a photographer and went around our beautiful town taking several shots of them both individual and together this weekend. There were more than 600 photos when it was all done! They are gorgeous. I cannot wait to get the CD with some of them so I can share.

That’s pretty much the recap. I pray that your weekend was a blessing!!

My Weekend Window...

Once again, I have not been out to visit blogs. I'm missing you all terribly!! This is the busiest season of the year for me. When testing time rolls around, there is just so much to do and prepare. Fortunately, I was able to squeeze in a moment to give an update on our weekend.

Friday - My friend, D and I worked out with the trainer. It was a great upper body workout. I tweaked my thumb of all things. This little "pinch" reminded me what a great workout I had all weekend. Thankfully, it seems to be better today.

Saturday - I taught Saturday School. We had a great time making "test strategy quilts" with the kids. We read one of my favorite books, Hooray for Diffendoofer Day!. This is an "unearthed manuscript" from Dr. Seuss that was published posthumously. We talked about the theme of the book that they know everything they need to know...now they just need to "rest in what they know".

We encouraged the students to put their "quilts" under their pillows and sleep on it. I know Saturday School sounds like it could be a bore, but it really is fun. Next Saturday the kids get to spend all the "money" they have earned for attendance, behavior and spirit activities at our Saturday School auction. It's so much fun to watch them wheel and deal!

After a much needed manicure, D and I walked 2 miles at the Y. Then we met our friend B for dinner and went to a concert at her church. We got to see a "blast from the past", Don Francisco. It was a great night with some old favorites. One of my very favorites is I Don't Care Where You've Been Sleepin. You can click on the link and hear it, but here's a sampling of the words that are just so very powerful:

I don't care where you've been sleeping, I don't care who's made your bed
I already gave My life to set you free;
There's no sin you could imagine that is stronger than my love,
And it's all yours if you'll come home again to Me.

When you come back to your senses and you see who's been to blame,
Remember all the good things that were yours with just My name;
Then don't waste another thought before you change the way you're
bound
I'll be running out to meet you if you'll only turn around

Sunday - We went to church. The sermon was extremely touching and thought-provoking. I am probably going to blog about it later this week. I went to a funeral for a friend's Mother later that afternoon after a quick run through the mall. She was 103!


Last night, DS 4 and I went out to the beach to walk before sunset. It was a little cool, but still refreshing. I got to read some while he played with his friend.

Speaking of reading, I FINALLY finished a new book and will be reviewing it later on.

That's about all for my weekend. I hope yours was blessed!

Weekend Window

It's been a busy (yet balanced) weekend here in our world.

Of course, you saw that Friday was kind of quiet at home as DS 1 went to class and DSs 2 and 3 went to the Homecoming game.

DS 4 had a soccer game bright and early Saturday morning. DS 3 was kind enough to get up and go with me. DS 2 had to get up early to go take the SAT. The team won their game. It was a scrimmage, so it didn't count. DS 4 played Goalie and some on the field. He gets better each time he plays.

I worked around the house in the afternoon and went to the grocery store. We really needed to refill food cabinets around here. DS 2 went to Homecoming in a Limo with several girls and a couple of guys from the school. He is "single" right now...so he's just enjoying hanging out with friends. Of course, he said there was much drama.

DH came home at Midnight last night. It was nice to see him this morning. He doesn't leave again until Tuesday this week and then he'll be home for a while.

Our church is preparing for a special "service" in a few weeks. We have created a cookbook and some stories for young single Mothers. There are fifteen that will be joining us on the first Sunday in November for a special brunch and celebration service. The Pastor's wife emailed to see if I'd be a "mentor" to one of the girls that Sunday. I told her I'd be glad to...but I really think these girls might respond better to some of the other young Mothers that are in our church. Several of them are the ages of my oldest children. I thought they might respond better to a "peer".

This morning the director of this ministry spoke about how several of these girls have chosen to have their babies despite being driven to a clinic to receive an abortion. They are girls who sometimes put babies up for adoptions and other times end up raising their precious little ones. As she talked, I thought, "I'd be HONORED to be able to sit with one of these brave young girls on that day." I'm excited and am pretty sure that I "needed" to hear her testimony today in preparation for the ministry to come.

This afternoon I went shopping for a Bridal Shower gift. Don't you hate it when you go to shop at the registry and there's nothing but a toilet brush available??? I bought the gift card instead.

DSs 2, 3, 4, and I went to the Y to work out for an hour.

I came home and pretty much spent the remainder of the afternoon reading my new book.

In some ways, it's been a good balance of a weekend...enough play and enough rest to prepare for the week ahead.

My Weekend Window

This has been an EXTREMELY busy weekend for us.

DS 2 left on Friday for a weekend Spiritual Retreat. But before he left, he called me on the phone and asked if I'd be his "date" for the theater on Sunday. Of course I said I would go (more on that later).

After he left, I went to Friday night aerobics class. I am not a "dancer" by any means, but I DO understand about rhythm and foot movement. This lady adds a "shuffle step" in just when you least expect it, so I spent most of the class going the WRONG WAY. At least I wasn't alone...and I kept telling myself, "It's the moving that's making a difference, not which direction you're going."

DS 1's girlfriend came in for the evening. They stayed at home to watch the USF Bulls game and left for her house just before the fourth quarter.

With both DS 1 and DS 2 out that night, it made it a bit quieter at the house.

On Saturday morning, I went to Water Aerobics with Mrs. Hug-a-Tree. She's so matronly and earthy all at once, but I am enjoying her class. And it's early enough that I can get back before too many people are awake in my house.

DS 4 and I went to the "Soccer Jamboree" down at the fields. He had a great time while I MELTED in the HOT sun! It was a bunch of soccer-style carnival games. They earned prizes and tickets to trade in for JUNK. treasures.

Anyway, right after that I had to go to the grocery store. And literally after unloading and putting away the stuff from the store, we had to head out for haircuts. Both my "long-haired hippie" children (DSs 3 and 4) decided that they wanted a trim. They are still "long-haired" but at least cleaned up.

And literally after returning from THAT I had to change and get ready to go a wedding for a friend from school. She was a beautiful bride. I was shocked though, the wedding "service" only took 4 and 1/2 minutes...TOTAL. That included the processional and recessional. And while I'm sure it's exactly what she wanted, I found it lacking any references to faith...and in some ways, that made me so very sad. Nonetheless, we had a sit down dinner with several colleagues from school, so it was fun.

Yesterday, we went to church early to help sort and bag clothes for homeless and people in other countries. I am pretty sure the clothes are heading out to Belize. My MIL was a last-minute help as no one really thought about how we'd repackage the clothes once they were sorted and they ripped all the garbage bags they came in. Mom came to the rescue by sending some bags our way (thanks, Mom!). My SIL, Heather, came to church with us and was so gracious to loan her van to return all the sorted bags to the "storage house" (Thanks, Heather!).

Yesterday afternoon, DH and I went to the closing service for DS 2's weekend retreat. It was interesting as it was sponsored by the Episcopal church. DS 2 was a bit lost as he really hasn't been raised around liturgy as much. This made for some very interesting conversation this afternoon.

Then, DS 2 and I headed out for our above-mentioned "date" to go see "A Streetcar Named Desire" at one of the community theaters. We had a great time.

I didn't get to watch much football, but I know my BUCS won yesterday (So sorry Samurai)--although they suffered a devastating loss of Cadillac Williams (one of their best players). And the Colts won yesterday. My Fantasy Football team, however wasn't doing too well when I went to bed last night. I think DS 3 is going to beat me this week.

OK, can you say TIRED??? I hope your weekend was event-filled and happy, too!

Weekend Window

What a busy busy weekend we had!! I was at our state's Reading Association Conference starting last Thursday. I presented twice with my friend and colleague, Mellissa. It's been a while since we've had a chance to work together. It was fun to be together again. We had two book signings on Saturday and an author breakfast on Sunday.

I realized once again that I am simply not as young as I used to be! We went to an event on Friday night that included music and dancing. This is kind of interesting when it's a bunch of Educators. They were giving air brush tattoos so I got one...I wanted to take a picture to share, but it's rubbed off now.

After we went to this event, we went to another event at a piano bar. I could sit and listen to music all night long...and let's just say that we tried to put that into practice! We were out with several teachers/publishers until almost 2am! I just can't do that anymore...especially when I have to get up the next morning.

I got home Sunday afternoon and spent time with DH and the Boys...but only AFTER I took a quick nap.

Today it was back to work.

DS 2 turned 18 today. He is out celebrating at Olive Garden with friends. They were so excited that the Never Ending Pasta Bowl was back. We'll celebrate later on this week as a family.

That's all from my homefront. Hope everyone has a fantastic week!