A Perfect Moment in Time

All I have to do is look at this picture and smile. 

Taken at a rental house - after our home was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina -
and still one of the sweetest times.

Jalyn - 6 yrs old, missing front tooth.

Jacob, 10 yrs old - ahhh, before the teenage years set in

and Joshua, still a baby - look at those eyes!

I could just squeeze them all - they're so cute...

The First of the Long Hot Days

This morning is the first morning I didn't have to wake up at 5:40 to get kid #1 out of bed, fed and off to school.  (And still - the latest I could sleep was 7 am???  I will have to work on that!)

On Joshie's last day - they had "Water Day".  Though all he wanted to do was play in the sand box - "unburying dinosaur bones" with shovels and paint brushes.  (Hey, it was shaded!)

He finally moved on to painting the sidewalk/patio area - I kept him in the shade here!

There were bubbles and sprinklers and such.  But, sadly for him, I had to pull him away early to attend Jalyn's award ceremony.  It was her last day in her elementary school - before she moves on to Jr. High...

But he did fine - he sat next to me on the bleachers eating a makeshift lunch (it was after noon) -

baby goldfish and a granola bar - with a juice box.

Yes, I need a new camera.  Terribly. 

This is Jalyn going across the stage.  She got awards for 5th grade achievement (for passing), for straight A's in Spelling, and for Chorus.  Her wonderful teacher is in the green shirt. 

Another blur - but she came out okay - as she swiftly walked back to her class - (I so would have practically ran too at her age! - wait, I would now too!)

Jalyn and some friends in her classroom after the awards ceremony.

She was actually sad to be leaving her elementary school.  She is happy about going to Jr. High for a few good reasons though - namely:

You don't have to walk in a straight line anymore when you go down the hall.  You get to walk on any part of the hall - all crazy!!

And you get to sit anywhere you want in the cafeteria!!!

And, you get to talk in the cafeteria without being told to be quiet.

Oh my kiddos are growing up....

A New School Year

For those of you who have known me a while, know that the ending of summer and the beginning of the school year are tough times for me. Usually.

I have been much better about it this year. Not that I was ready for summer for end, by any means. I am still a little sad about that, if I think about it too much! Although school is in session, all I have to do is step outside to realize that it is still "officially" summer - due to the blast of heat I feel.

The older 2 started school Friday. Way too early in the month by my opinion.
Jalyn got the teacher she wanted - one she had in third grade. She was so excited about that, and I think eased any fears about going back to school. She also switches classes for the first time - just once - so she has her main teacher for all subjects except one block in the evening where she switches to another teacher for math and science. I think it gives an interesting "new" element to her school day. Oh, and that teacher is great also. Thank God - everything is fine with her.

Here she after getting off the bus Friday evening. That expression is not due to her day, but to the heat she said!





Now, onto child #1. I saved the hardest for last. He had a miserable first day, and begged me to home school him, and said he would never go back. (He is also my most dramatic)

Here he is after getting off the bus. You can't tell from this first glance. I was holding my breath here, waiting...




Yesterday we made some adjustments to his schedule, and he is much happier! Which in turn makes me so happy, and feels like a weight off my shoulders! And sadly - for him, he was told he had to get his hair cut. That is the longest he has ever had his hair, and he just loved it. So, last night, I had to do it. I had to be the one to cut it. I offered to take him somewhere, but he insisted I do the "deed". The "evil deed" as he called it. (Lucky me)

I cut an inch off those bangs, that went down to his mouth. And an inch off the bottom. He was devastated for about a half an hour. I just pray that is enough for his principal. Because I do not want to be the one to have to cut more off.

Thankfully this morning, he said, "Mom, I guess my hair isn't so bad."

Oh kids. How much I love them, and just want them to be happy.

Crazy Hair

Jacob visited a friend of his the other day. Yes, it was a girl.

Later her mom came to bring him home.

Imagine my shock.










It was so teased and glued and sprayed, I feared it would never come out. But, alas, it did. (Thankfully)

Now it is back to being in his eyes. But at least I can go in public with him again.

My Firstborn becomes a Teenager

My firstborn child turns 13 this week.

That makes me feel excited and sad at the same time.

Oh, and let's not forget - old.

What an anticipated baby he was. We had tried for a baby for a year, then suffered through a very sad loss - an ectopic pregnancy. Then we tried again for another year, and finally got the awesome news that we were again expecting. We were beyond excited. We had quite a few problems during the pregnancy , aside from the first 15 weeks of throwing up, but in the end, we finally had our baby boy. What a thrilling time!

He was like a little angel.



Oh, how I remember those rosy cheeks!



Don't let this fool you, he didn't sleep in his crib much - notice how neat it was? I couldn't know then how much time he would one day spend on the real phone!



What a cutie pie! (Jacob-i, as we called him)



Time really does fly so fast. I remember the sleepless nights with him, like yesterday. The thrill of all his firsts - and ours.



And now, we are entering into new territory. It's not always pretty, but if we can learn to roll with the waves of adolescence, I pray we won't capsize! My new motto for the next couple of years seems to be forming: "Don't stress too much. This too shall pass."



So I now have a 5'9" teenager, with a size 12 foot. I think I remember like a year ago when he caught up to me. I'm 5'6".



He can be so difficult and serious.



And so silly and goofy!



He's so smart and yet such a rebel. I was all about conformity as a teen. He tends to be more anti conformity - especially when it is something I want him to conform to!

Throughout all the superficial stuff, he's got a heart of gold.

I pray that the teenage years aren't as rocky as I fear they could be.



Yeah, I'd better pray hard.....!!!

Jacob's Home!!!

Jacob made it home last night around 11pm. He came back with a bag of dirty clothes, some of the stinkiest smelling shoes (AACK, they smell like fish - they were worn white water rafting - and have been closed up in a back pack ever since), but best of all, he came back with some great stories. I'm sure he could have stayed up all night telling me all about the trip, but, I did have to get to bed. So, I told him we would continue today. Even though he was so tired, he was kind of wired - just to be home, so I'm not sure what time he finally fell asleep.

One of the greatest things he said so far was: "I'm going to take a shower - then read my bible. I know sometimes I get bored in church, but I never knew reading your bible could be so much fun!"

Not having been a Christian until I was an adult, I'm sure there are all kind of creative ways to reach kids and make it fun to study your bible, but I must not know of any! Thank God for youth pastors to give what I lack. I know I can take it from here at least!

Oh, and my son who will rarely brush his teeth without me telling him to, and the same one who misplaces everything, brought back everything I packed. Also, I asked him if he had showered while he was away (no - he wasn't dirty - he looked fine), says to me "Yes Mom, I showered every night and even brushed my teeth every day. I kind of liked becoming responsible."

Reading his bible and brushing his teeth daily???!!!!

Do these youth trips only come around once a year?

Stone Mountain

Well, of all my list of worries, I think I forgot to add "falling off a mountain" to it.

Jacob called me a little while ago, and say's "Mom, do you know where I am right now?" I'm hoping he doesn't say "hospital" or something like that. He says, "I am on top of Stone Mountain. It is the most beautiful and awesome thing ever. I can see the Atlanta skyline! The mountain is a giant rock miles up from the earth and it sparkles everywhere. And guess what? Tonight we are coming back up for a laser show. It's going to be so cool!"

So, I casually go to the computer to look up this "Stone Mountain". When I see the picture, of course my first thought was "Wow, beautiful". Then, "What, there are no guardrails, ropes holding people up, etc." And knowing my daredevil son as I do, I begin to slightly panic.







So I try to call him back. Again and again. Did he already plummet down, or what? He wouldn't answer. Finally after some length of time, he answers. He's like, "Oh, you've been trying to call, sorry Mom. We've been sliding down the side of the mountain on a handrail going as fast as we can. I've only fell 4 times, and have a little cut."

I'm like, "Jacob, be careful, do you hear me? Do not do that again! Jacob, please don't do anything to hurt yourself!"

He said they were beginning to walk down to head to the concert.
I breathed a sigh of relief.

I hope for the laser show - at night - in the dark- they have their feet planted on the ground, on the field.

Ist Big Youth Trip

Jacob left this morning for his first big youth trip. Off to Atlanta - going to Atlanta fest, white water rafting, and Six Flags. It's a 6 hour drive from here. I am a little sad now - though excited for him.
A mother can't help but worry, about such things as this: will he put on sunscreen, or even deodorant while he's gone? Will he brush his teeth without me telling him to? Will he hold onto the boat, or pay attention to directions while white water rafting? Will he fall out and float too far away? Will he lose his spending money? Or spend it all on a silly souvenir and not have enough for the meal on the way back? Without me to tell him not to - will he throw his clothes and shoes all around his bed at the hotel? Will he leave something behind in the hotel, forgetting to pack it?
Those are just a few of my concerns!
Of course there are some others: Will he grow closer to God through this trip? Will he develop good relationships within his youth group? Will he learn something new about Christ he didn't already know, that will cause him to love Him so much more?
Those should be my "really main" concerns.

Jacob took this silly picture of himself riding in my car. It was really hot, and I had a baby blanket of Joshua's in there, and he wrapped it around his head. That is just like Jake - always being silly or goofy!
He was playing with my cell phone the other day and set this as my screen saver. At first I laughed and was going to change it back to one I had of the 3 of them together, but now I'm glad it's still on there.