Little girl fun and Craziness of May

This has been a wonderful but busy last few days.  During the month of May our calendar is incredibly full with school events, SOL tests, sports stuff, and work events for Mike.  That man has been going full throttle, I am not sure how he is even still standing!

Today we spent some time watching our oldest play tennis in a local round robin match play.  He did not play his best tennis today but he is still learning.  I love watching him play tennis even if it is hard to keep up with the points because he talks to quietly! 

Today was another Challenger baseball game and each week it just keeps getting better.  I love these kids, I love these volunteers, and it is the best baseball fun I have ever had.  Each week I have to work hard to hold back happy tears as I cheer on these amazing ball players.  We continue to add players to our league and it is really growing!  Blessedly God also continues to send us volunteers.  Our sassy ball player sang the National Anthem today for the game! 

Yesterday Hope and I took a little road trip with our dear friends, Misty and Sydney to the American Girl store in Charlotte.  Sydney has a birthday this month and Hope's is coming up mid-June so for a girly birthday treat, we visited the store and let them pick our their big girl doll and we also had reservations at the Bistro for dinner.  It was precious time with our girls.  Misty and I are both Moms of girls after two boys and we treasure our girl time!  Here is Hope pouring her own pink lemonade during dinner. 

Hope chose Grace Thomas as her doll to buy and Sydney did as well.  I have to admit that I have been reluctant to jump on the American Girl bandwagon because it is crazy expensive.  Working the food pantry has changed my mentality on money and being a wise steward of what God has blessed us with.  I never want to live a lifestyle that is not pleasing to God financially.  This was, however, a rare treat for our birthday girls and it was such fun to have a girly day:)

It was hard to get these girls to slow down and let me take a quick picture before heading into the store to pick out their dolls!  These two girls are such special friends and I am so thankful that Misty and Sydney are in our lives.  We have such fun together laughing at our crazy girls! We got home so very late last night and our girls were so tired they were silly. Making  memories with friends is what makes life so sweet.

Before our American Girl roadtrip, Misty and I, along with Christy our other teacher, hosted the Mother's day tea at preschool for our four year olds and their special person/Mommy.  It is a lot of work but it is a tradition that we love doing.  The Mommies get a special placemat, a poem that the children wrote about them, flower pots with their special fingerprints, and a recipe book that we have made.  Between the mother's day tea and our American Girl roadtrip, the bed felt very good last night:)

 

This week has also been teacher appreciation week in our public schools and I have had such fun coming up with cute (yet cheesy) little goodies each day to say thank you.  Our teachers have so much on them, yet they love our kids and give their jobs their all.  It is SOL season here in Virginia so teacher's and families feel the stress.  I will do another post another day about David and his experience taking SOL test this year:)  He goes to a school full of some pretty incredible folks.  It has been fun to come up with some creative and fun ideas to say thank you to the folks that teach our three children each day. 

God is so Good. He Really Is.

I apologize for being a blog slacker.  Between prepping for my own kiddos SOL tests, Mother's Day Tea at preschool which is coming up, baseball for all three of our kids, and life, I have been a slacker.  Thanks to a few of you that have reminded me that I am a blogging slacker and to get with it:) 

 

Kyle is in the midst of travel baseball season.  He loves the boys on his team and this weekend it was beautiful baseball weather.  Saturday between our three kiddos we had four baseball games.  We missed Kyle's first one but made it to his second one.

 

Sunday afternoon I was headed to the tournament with the kids and Kyle got sicker and sicker the closer we got to the field.  Instead of playing ball we visited the nearby urgent care.  Poor guy has had a sore throat, fever, and has just felt yucky. SOL test season is not the ideal time to get sick:(

 

A bonus from the weekend was that my nephew Clayton was also playing in the same tournament!  They played in different locations but we still got to see Chad and Clayton for a while. 

Besides seeing Clayton and Chad, another huge highlight from the weekend was Challenger baseball.  Our boy can play ball!  This season of Challenger has blessed me beyond measure.  I am amazed at what God has done for this program, I am touched and blessed by the players, and the volunteers impress me with their dedication and love of this league.  Saturday there was a big article about Challenger in the paper and then during the game Saturday, WCYB came and did a news story about it!  The kids were so excited to "be on tv!" 

 

Hope has officially become a reader and writer!  She loves to read and I found this precious quote on the magna doodle that she had written.  I love that she can read and write so well, but I love it even more that she knows in her heart that God is so good. 

 

We are in a season of craziness in our house as Mike is finishing up a budget season for the school system and year end events, he is also finishing up and grading for his ODU class, I am finishing out my awesome preschool year, and we are in full study mode here as SOL tests are upon us.  I always get so emotional thinking of David and SOL tests, but I will save my toughts on that for another day.  For today I am thrilled that my kids know and love God, their Daddy works his elbows off for all the kids in this county and future educational leaders, their Momma loves teaching little preschoolers their  ABC's. 123's, and about Jesus.  We are busy here in the Robinson household but we are blessed because we know that God is so good. He really is.

 

 

Life's disappointments and Challenger Baseball

Life is not always easy and perfect, but life is good.  This past weekend the house on Claytor Lake that we love so much sold.  It has been on the market for a while now so it should not have been a surprise when I got the call that it is under contract.  I am a sentimental person who has a lot of love and memories tied up in that house.  It has been apart of my extended family for over 40 years. 

Jeremiah 29:11 is my go to verse and this week I have chanted it over and over.  For I know the plans that I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  This verse has been special to us for many years, hence the name of our daughter, and this week it has sustained me.  We have this vision of what we think life will look like, and sometimes God's vision and reality are not the same.  I trust God completely even when my heart hurts and things on this side of heaven make absolutely no sense.  God's got this and He has proven over and over how trustworthy He is.

My fabulous photographer friend, Jason Burris attended the first Challenger game Saturday.  He sent me a few pictures from the day and I actually gasped when I saw them. 

This is Jacob hoofing it to first base.  Running is a challenger for him, but check out that determination!  I love this boy and I love this picture!!! At the volunteer meeting there was a wee bit of a fight over this cutie:)

 

This little dude inspires me every single day and I am so proud of our little baller!  Look at that awesome form!  He was by far the sassiest player out there Saturday!

The whole first game was amazing but I was especially touched at the preteens and teens that begged and harassed their parents to bring them to this to get involved.  Saturday watching these teens interact with the challenger players assured me that the next generation is going to be fine and dandy. 

 

Seeing that smile on my boys face made all the planning totally worth it.  Thankfully Amber was not hurt carrying David and his 85 pounds off of the field! 

 

Even my shy Kyle had a wonderful experience with his player.  When we got into the car to head to the Smokies game, Kyle was smiling and he said "wow Mom that went really well!"  Thirteen year olds do not show that much excitement typically so that made me smile.  God blessed our world with these differently-abled children and this weekend watching them on the field made me pause and thank God.  Our lives are richer and fuller because of them.  We can see God's handiwork in their lives and they bring such joy to us all. Our games are at noon on Saturdays at the Little League field in Marion.  If you are free- come on our and cheer on some pretty amazing ball players.