It was (and still is!) a HOT summer. It was a busy summer. It was a fast summer. But it was such a good, good summer. There were six weeks in a row where the five of us were not at home together because someone was at camp or out of town for some reason or at a friend's house. I said I wasn't going to do that to us this year, but I did. And I'm glad I did! I think this was definitely one of the best summers we've ever had! We packed so much into a short time, and we had a lot of new and exciting adventures. Here's a peek.
The summer began with one of my favorite weeks of the year. VBS! I absolutely loved our theme this year and had the best time decorating.
I taught 2nd grade again this year and loved it! It's definitely my favorite grade to teach. One of the sweetest parts of this year was that Hannah Kate was one of my youth helpers. I loved watching her interact with and serve the kids. I had the best teaching team, and it was such a fun week. Mason was a youth helper in one of the 4th grade classes, and, of course, Ellie was in a class, too.
The very next week my big kids left for Youth Camp in Tennessee. A 3:30AM call time means I have zero pictures of the send-off. It was early. And it was dark. They had such a good time, as usual. I am so very grateful for this community of friends the Lord has surrounded them with.
They weren't home yet when I left for a long weekend in Dallas with 2,000 fellow BSF Teaching Leaders from all around the globe. It was such a life-giving weekend and so much was poured into me. After three years of serving as a TL, I finally got to be with other TLs in person. We even took a little field trip to the Dallas Cowboys stadium and got to stand on the star (tho most of us could care less!).
When I got home, I had less than 24 hours to wash a week's worth of the teenagers' camp clothes and get the littlest one packed up for kids' camp the following day. But, to my surprise, my sweet, sweet husband, who was also leaving as a chaperone for kids' camp (another very last minute situation) had already washed, dried AND folded ALL of the laundry.
So, that afternoon, instead of doing laundry, I had to throw a couple of tie dye shirts together for camp. Besides the fact that one of them is clearly the wrong colors, I'd say they turned out pretty good! I was actually pretty impressed. This also isn't typically a project I'd enjoy. But I did. And Ellie did a fantastic job with her shirt!
Then it was off to kids' camp. I mean, she clearly had no fun at all. None.
Then it was July 4th weekend. I was in charge of fireworks this year. Let's just say it was quite a daunting task. And then we had to haul all of it 500 miles across the south east. We left Sunday after church, drove halfway, drove the rest of the way Monday morning, went to the Connell family reunion and fireworks' spectacular that evening and then drove all the way back on Tuesday. It was exhausting, but it was worth every second of the almost 20 hours we spent in Georgia.
I also had a garden. My tomatoes did the best ever. Everything else, not so much. But I did get most all colors of the rainbow.
And that's not all! After we got back from Georgia, we celebrated two birthdays, an anniversary, a wedding and a 2,600 mile road trip. We also had a couple of college campus visits in between. So there's lots more to come!
Our month of June began with VBS. It's no secret to everyone who knows me how much I love love LOVE VBS. It's one of the most fun weeks of the summer, a week I always look forward to. And it's hands-down the best opportunity to teach kids about Jesus. It's like a field of dreams - if you invite them, they will come!
I knew I missed it last year, but I didn't realize just how much I missed it until this year. And it was extra-special! I had the privilege of teaching one of the 2nd grade classes. Gosh, I LOVE teaching God's Word to kids! And my class was just THE BEST! The kids were so respectful, so attentive, so eager, so fun. This year Mason and Hannah Kate also had the privilege of serving in VBS. Mason volunteered in VBX (6th grade) and recreation. Hannah Kate volunteered in one of the 3rd grade classes. They both had a really great experience, and it was neat watching from afar as they served our Lord. And, of course, Ellie was in one of the 4th grade classes.
I was necessarily thrilled about the theme this year, as it was a lot of "brown" and dirt and digging, none of which are my things. But as I began to study the lessons and prepare for my class, I got really excited about the theme. For each day's study, we also focused on an artifact from that particular event in Scripture that has been uncovered or found. So there is real, live proof that God's Word is true. I mean, it's true because God says so. That's it. But we can prove it, too, and that's just so cool when you stop to reflect on the real places and cities and towns in Scripture, as well as the artifacts that have been unearthed from that time in history.
In a day and time when truth seems optional, irrelevant, conditional and relative, we need the absolute TRUTH from God's Word! Kids (and moms and dads and grandparents and aunts and uncles) need to hear and know the truth from God's Word. And that's what VBS does and one of the many reasons I love it so! I'm already looking forward to next year!
It's been awhile since I did the WUW link up . . . and it's a fun way to catch up a bit and post some randomness that otherwise might not end up on the blog. So here we go.
WHAT WE'RE EATING THIS WEEK
I sat down with my people on Sunday night and asked them what they wanted to eat this week. Their answers aren't what I would've necessarily chosen, but I've come to the realization that it's just easier to give them what they want instead of cooking what I would really like to. Monday night we had turkey mini-meatloaves, corn casserole, green bean casserole and the Barefoot Contessa's parmesan chive smashed potatoes. It was the first time I tried this recipe, and it was a huge hit with everyone, which is highly unusual. Last night we had fish tacos. Now, that is my kind of meal. It was Hannah Kate chosen. Tonight we had burgers with fried onion strings. And tomorrow night we're going to have lasagna. I had several pounds of tomatoes from my garden that I needed to do something with today, and instead of making salsa (AGAIN), I decided to make a marinara sauce. So I'll use that in my lasagna tomorrow and then freeze the rest for another time. I'm going to make half a pan of traditional lasagna and the other half veggie lasagna with eggplant and zucchini.
WHAT I'M REMINISCING ABOUT
You know, usually I'm always looking back . . . thinking back . . . wishing. But lately I find myself looking ahead instead. I'm not sure why. I still cannot believe we have a teenager in the house now. I used to spend a lot of time missing the toddler and little kid days, but I realized more and more lately that I need to instead really embrace these days right here and right now. Because there might come a day that I look back and miss the teenager days (okay, I kind of seriously doubt that, but I'm going to keep on thinking that anyway). We've had some good, good days and good, good times. As good as it's been, I've begun to feel like the best is still yet to come! I don't want to spend so much time reliving the past that I miss the right here and now. So, instead, I find myself thinking more in the moment . . . you know, sometimes I just can't help but stare at them and simply wonder at the sheer joy and amazement that comes when I realize the true blessing of being entrusted with these three children. And I just know there is so much yet to come.
WHAT I'M LOVING
Okay, this has been absolutely LIFE. CHANGING. And I have NO IDEA why I waited so long! Actually, I do. The Walmarts closest to me do not have grocery pickup (I'm not a big fan of Walmart anyway . . . we don't have a Kroger or Publix here). And it for some reason wasn't worth it to me to go to the one outside my usual routine. Besides, I don't buy meat, produce or dairy at Walmart anyway (and I wouldn't want anyone but me shopping for those items anyway). I have to go to at least two grocery stores, sometimes three, to do my shopping. I know. Anyway, Walmart is for my hygiene items, paper goods and middle of the store stuff. But then came summer time and having to again take all three kids with me to the grocery store. A few weeks ago on a whim, I decided to place an online order for pickup while Mason was in his summer writing class. And I haven't looked back since! Now each time there are inevitably a few items that end up not being available, but so far it hasn't been a big deal. It is so totally worth it!
And do you know what else has been life changing?! Our insurance company provides us with a program by which we can talk to a licensed physician on the phone within minutes of contacting them online. I was skeptical for a long time until a couple of months ago when I ended up with pink eye. I'd never had that before, and it was awful. I didn't have time to schedule an appointment with my eye doctor or even go to urgent care. So that was the first time I utilized the service, and it was fantastic. Within thirty minutes, a doctor called me, and five minutes later she called in a prescription that Seth picked up on his way home from work. I never even had to leave the house. I used them again today. It saved me a trip to the pediatrician's office that would've taken us two hours after all was said and done and all for poison ivy. Hannah Kate has poison ivy on her face that we've been fighting since the weekend. It hadn't gotten any better and continued to spread. Within five minutes, a doctor called me, and we had a prescription. Again, LIFE CHANGING.
WHAT WE'VE BEEN UP TO
Our summer was consumed with baseball. As soon as that was over, it was time for VBS. I was the director at our church again this year, and I also led the music rotation. So it was a lot. And then we had Mason's birthday and Ellie's birthday. This is the first week in months that we've had nothing on the calendar, nothing to dictate where we need to go or what we need to do. And it is wonderful! It will be short-lived, but I am enjoying every last second of it while I can.
WHAT I'M DREADING
We have two and a half weeks left of summer vacation and then it's back to school. I can hardly believe it. My teacher friends are already decorating their classrooms for a new year and school supply shopping is in full swing. This year we will again be partnering with Sequitur for the kids' schooling. And this year Ellie will go as well. Honestly, I typically dread the start of a new school year. As a matter of fact, I dread the whole entire school year. For a lot of reasons. But the Lord and I are really working on that this time around. More than anything, I dread the drive to and from Baton Rouge twice a day (or more) four days a week and sitting in the inevitable traffic mess every day. But, the truth of the matter is there's absolutely nothing I can do about that. Nothing. So I'm continuing to pray for deliverance from those thoughts and feelings of dreading the upcoming school year. I want to walk into this with a grateful heart for the opportunity that my children will have for learning and education to the glory of Christ.
WHAT I'M WORKING ON
Having said that, I just ordered all of our curriculum, new backpacks and uniforms. We'll be getting a lot of packages tomorrow so everything will need to be unpacked and sorted and made ready for the first day of school.
I'm also getting ready for another year at Bible Study Fellowship (BSF). We're studying People of the Promised Land I, which will cover Joshua, Ruth, 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 Kings 1-11 and parts of Psalms and Proverbs. I can hardly wait! In March, I humbly and graciously accepted the Lord's calling to serve as the Children's Supervisor for my class in Baton Rouge so I've been diligently studying and training to step into this ministry shepherding the children's leaders and coordinating the children's program.
WHAT I'M EXCITED ABOUT
WHAT I'M WATCHING / READING
I don't watch TV except for the fall. See above.
I just started reading Hillbilly Elegy. I'm not far into it at all, but I have high hopes for this one. Hannah Kate is a very independent reader so she's nearly done with her summer reading. Mason and I nearly done, too. We're currently reading Trial and Triumph. This book. Oh my goodness! I'm going to recommend it to everyone I know. It just might end up being my favorite book this year. It contains 46 brief biographies of brave, godly men and women throughout church history who stood for truth and God's Word in the midst of intense persecution, trial and tribulation. Many were martyred. It is just so, so good. Ellie and I are currently reading Paddington. We've also been reading a lot of Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit series. I read several Kristin Hannah books this summer. I absolutely loved The Nightingale, but so far her other titles I've read haven't been quite as good as that one. Another book that will definitely be a favorite this year is Gerda Weissmann Klein's memoir All But My Life. She describes her terrifying six year journey as a victim of Nazi cruelty in Poland during the Holocaust. It's haunting, but it's fantastic! Up next is Age of Opportunity: A Biblical Guide to Parenting Teens.
WHAT I'M LISTENING TO
My favorites right now are Lauren Daigle's You Say . . . Phil Wickham's Living Hope . . . and I heard the chorus of a new song Natalie Grant is doing as a duet with another gal that nearly left me undone. But it's not out yet. She posted it on her instastories (IG) last week. I should've stopped and wrote it down, but I didn't.
If you haven't heard Lauren Daigle's song yet, well, you need to. Right now.
I keep fighting voices in my mind that say I'm not enough
Every single lie that tells me I will never measure up
Am I more than just the sum of every high and every low?
Remind me once again just who I am because I need to know
The only thing that matters now is everything You think of me
In You I find my worth, in You I find my identity,
Taking all I have and now I'm laying it at Your feet
You have every failure God, You have every victory,
You say I am loved when I can't feel a thing
You say I am strong when I think I am weak
You say I am held when I am falling short
When I don't belong, oh You say that I am Yours
And I believe, oh I believe
What You say of me
I believe
WHAT I'M DOING THIS WEEKEND
Well, our anniversary (18 years!) is Sunday. But I really don't know what I'm doing this weekend! We have a date night on Friday. All I really want is my husband's company and conversation. That's it.
WHAT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT MONTH
WHAT ELSE IS NEW
Mason has a new smile for awhile. Cause we're working on a new smile! He got braces last week. So far so good. We haven't had to go back with a broken wire. Yet.
