Week in a Flash

Where did this week go?  It went in a flash with a few moments captured on my camera:)

 

Tuesday Kyle was inducted into his middle school Honors Club because of his straight A's last year, SOL scores, and good citizenship.  Dressing up a little and being on stage, and having his name called is not his favorite thing, but we were there to cheer him on. 

 

 

 We were trying to take a serious picture, but this is what we came up with!  Ha!  I love my oldest and I am so thankful that he is comfortable marching to the beat of his own drum. 

 

 One of my previous preschool parents blessed me this week with this handcrafted bracelet with the words from the David Crowder Band "How He loves Us" which is so special to our family.  I love it so very much.  Brandi Dimit is crazy talented!!

 

 Yesterday I spent many hours with my Mom and dear friend Misty playing Bingo for Sabika jewelry.   After three hours of bingo, laughing over our daughters, and forced clapping for other women who yelled bingo when we were one number away, I did come away with one pretty pair of earrings.  I am very competitive and bingo for beautiful jewelry brought it out in me! 

 

 Mike was out of town for several days this week for work stuff, and I can tell that our kids are growing up because his absence was hard but it is getting easier now that we do not have babies and or toddlers in the house.  We limped through his absence and Friday night we went to the movies to see Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good Very Bad Day at the theatres while we waited on him to come home.  Our kids are growing up and a night out on the town with just them is precious to me.

 

 Yesterday, Kyle hitched a ride to Concord College with the Pugh boys to watch Ethan Richardson, a former MSHS football player playing college football.  Kyle had such a fun day and Ethan even caused a fumble!  We are proud of you Ethan and thanks to the Pughs for letting Kyle tag along. 

 

 

Oh my these two before church this morning.  As most of you know, David has major sensory issues and haircuts have been a disaster the last decade of his life.  I have resorted to cutting it at night while he was asleep.  Blessedly the shaggy look has worked for David:)  Saturday morning Mike and Kyle went to the barber shop and I am not sure what went down, but David willingly jumped in the barber's chair and got. a. haircut!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  This is huge for our family and for David.  Our little buddy is growing up.  His insistence to dress like he wants (new outfit pictured above), his new obsession with wearing manly deodorant, and now a trip to the barber shop prove that he is growing up and maturing.  We are overwhelmed but so thankful. 

 

We are thankful for busy weeks but oh so thankful for quiet weekends like this where we can relax and recharge here together.  God is good. After a powerful worship service this morning at church and a fun gathering later with my UMW women's circle later,   I am also so thankful for church and the women that I am surrounded by at church.  Life is not easy ever, but life is good because God is good.

Robusto boy and get to church!

We have certainly had a fun weekend around here. We were suppose to be off camping together as a family, but sadly that plan fell through. Friday night I loaded up with Hope, David, and Amber on a serious mission to find some warm clothes for our kids. We laugh so hard at David now because he has gone from looking like a sick cancer kid, to a healthy and "robust" dude. He is now in size 10 HUSKY!!

I warned Amber about how hard it would be to take David shopping because he must try the clothes on. People with Down Syndrome have a hard time finding clothes to fit shorter limbs and thicker waists and I knew we had our work cut out for us. I promised the kids that if they cooperated and tried on everything then we would call our dear friends the Jonas' and see if they could meet us as Sweet Frog.

We took Misty and Sydney along with us and bless their hearts for agreeing to go on this mission with us. It was totally different than any of us ever expected, though. David adored picking out clothes and he was thrilled to try every stitch of it on and model it for Hope and Sydney.

You can see from this picture that Sydney was more interested in coloring than admiring David's new wardrobe, but this is the style that David wanted. We ended up having a total blast, running into our dear friends the Jonas and we ended our fun with Sweet Frogs.

Saturday morning Hope had soccer and I was asked to do the devotional for the parents at half time. I do not get nervous anymore to speak publically and I shared a few minutes about Luke 12:34 "for where your treasure is there your heart will be also."

I shared how God loves us just like we love those soccer players running around the field. It is hard to get to soccer and get those blasted shin guards on with the cleats by 8:50 each Saturday morning. I challenged us all to put the energy and effort that we used to get to an early soccer game on a cold, windy morning into our children's walk with the Lord.

My generation of raising children are so tempted by so many outside factors that compete with our devotion to God and our church attendance. When I was growing up (oh goodness this makes me sound old) there was nothing to do on Sunday but to go to church. Now, there is a list a mile long of things better to do on a Sunday morning than attend church and worship our Lord.

After doing my five minute devotional during soccer yesterday, a friend shared this tweet with me tonight that he found on twitter that I thought was so timely to what has been troubling my heart. "Even if God appeared and said "Dude, I am real and you need to go to church today," I would still be like yeah, it's been a long week."

Jesus endured a painful death on the cross so that we can live forever with him. Sadly many of us are so apathetic that we cannot even roll over in bed on a Sunday morning to get into his house to worship Him. I challenge us all to move God up to the top of our totem pole-he is a jealous God and wants our full hearts and lives. He has proven His faithfulness to me from taking my sick and skinny cancer boy and turning him into a robust, size ten husky!

Special Games Day 2014

Today is a beautiful day here in Virginia.  The leaves are gorgeous, the sun is shining, and today was Special Games day here for our county. 

Special Games is a day set aside each school year to celebrate all the awesome children in our school system that are "differently-abled."  David has been participating in this since he was two and he loves to compete. 

This morning it hit me how far the educational system has come for children with disabilities.  Decades ago children with special needs were shipped off to institutions never to grace the front door of a public school system.  Today not only are our kids welcomed with open arms into our schools but they are thriving. 

 

Here is David with his Special Ed teacher, Mr Shirey.  We have hands down one of the best special education programs in Virginia.  Smyth County is blessed with amazing special ed teachers and aides who make sure that each and every child succeeds.  These teachers are the unsung heroes of our school system.  Susan Kilby, a dear friend, organizes this day each and every year.  She rocks!

 

Amber is doing her observation hours at David's school for her education degree and she was there with some of her students.  David was so happy to see her! 

 

Sadly, last week a sweet little boy with special needs who attended David's school, passed away.  Lots of folks were sporting these Team Logan buttons.  Thankfully because of Jesus Logan is now happy and whole in heaven.  Red balloons were also released for him today. 

 

David Woody, FUMC pastor did the opening prayer for the day.  Mike is also in this picture cheering on our boy. 

 

David and the awesome Angie!!!!!!!!!!  Love this girl.

 

High school seniors come and volunteer with for Special Games each year.  Here is David with Riley Blevins.  He told him to score many touchdowns this Friday night.

 

David running!  Check out that determination all over his face.  Run, baby run!!

 

This might be the funniest part of the whole day.  David ran the 25 yard dash and came running back to his teacher.  He then fell on the ground with a terrible "cramp" and ask Mr. Shirey to help him.  Clearly we have watched way too much ESPN and sports in this house that he knows anything about leg cramps!  Ha! He is a dramatic nut.  Hollywood really needs David. 

 

Overall it was a wonderful day celebrating the amazing children in our school system that are "fearfully and wonderfully made."  Thank you God for our David and the blessings that he brings to our family.  Amen.