Hooray for McLaughlins!

Thanking God for the safe arrival of Caiden McLaughlin!

Christmas readiness

Trying so hard to prepare for Christmas. I think there's a song by Frank Sinatra about Christmas that goes, "It's the most won-derful time of the year." I've re-written that song many times:

It's the most, stren-uous time of the year
The kids are all greedy
the charities needy
I've had it to HERE!!!!
It's the most, stren-uous time, of the year!

Except my kids aren't really greedy. For that, I am thankful. Ok. . .. maybe Ty's greedy, but he's so darn cute about it. (Yes Allie, if you read this; even when they're 17 you still think they're so darn cute.)

I have two "class" parties to get through tomorrow, then Wednesday we are meeting two students from Korea! I have emailed them, but I haven't heard from them. I'd like to call them, but I've heard they don't speak much English. I'll have to hope for the best.

So students are arriving, and the room they're staying in is a MESS. The bathroom they'll be using is A MESS. The kitchen, from today's class parties, is A MESS. The living room and dining room were carefully decorated by my daughters and look beautiful! I am grateful.

I have not finished Christmas shopping, and I still have things to mail. Ack.

(Did anyone else read Bloom County comics and remember Bill the Cat? He's the one to blame for the Acks.)

ACK!

I know there's a million and one things I'm supposed to be doing to prepare for Ty's graduation, but WHAT ARE THEY??? Arrgh!

Yes, I've started getting his photos together.

Yes, I'm making sure he takes the correct classes.

Yes, I've kept track of everything.

What else? Announcements? Purchase a cap and gown? Plan a party? He turns 18 in April and it's hard to read what he'd like for his birthday. I don't know if he'd like a party or not. :-( He'd probably like to go play paintball.

I feel like I'm holding down 6 or 7 volleyballs under water, and one of them is about to get away from me (the detail I'll have forgotten, I'm sure). Time to Pray!

They've also moved VBS up to the first week in June so the high school can go on a mission trip to Mexico. This means I will be dealing with Ty's graduation, have one week to prepare, then have VBS. I hope it goes well.

Tired

Went to the "Shoot Straight" shooting gallery last night with friends to celebrate Stacie's birthday. What an interesting place! I wonder what would happen if PETA found out about it. Dead animals everywhere. Still, I thought it was kind of cool. . . never realized how large a giraffe was, or how fierce a javalina can look. I should have taken pictures but I wasn't sure if I were allowed.

Here's the group of us. Julie is expecting her 7th child this month! She looks incredible for a woman with so many children, ages 12 to (soon to be) newborn. Her second youngest is 2.

We ate at a restaurant at one of the Disney hotels. It was delicious! Fun group of gals. We always enjoy each other. Ty suggested we go paint balling for someone's birthday, but only a few of the gals liked that idea. I think Stacie, Kim, and Beth Anne would be game. :-)

PNG

This is a picture of (towards the back) Chad, Janeene, and Elijah Mankins, plus their partners, Kellie and Jason Knapp, and their children. They are all serving as missionaries in Papua New Guinea among the Tobo. I have a link to the web blog kept by the Knapps to the right, titled, "Clay Pots." What's happening among the Tobo is so incredible! I highly recommend you read it.

The Madness Begins

Thanksgiving and the horrid "Black Friday," where everyone rushes to the mall and retail stores, is over. Now comes all the crazy Christmas shopping. Arrggh!



Last year, my Dad felt horrible because he was unable to buy gifts for everyone. There are signs promoting "Christmas Loans" so people can aquire debt at low interest rates for the holidays. When did celebrating the birth of our Savior become this, and what can I do to stop the madness?



For several years now, our family has hosted an international student or two (or four!) during Christmas. It's been fun to have them in our home and see what they think of Christmas in America. . . .we often wait to decorate our tree with them, buy them a small gift, but we especially tell them about the birth of the Savior being just a step to the Cross. We have never regretted doing this.



This year, however, we're not sure we'll be hosting a student. We've yet to be able to sit down as a family and discuss this! We're always so busy, and Tyler's schedule is crazy. In fact, there's usually only one night per week where we can have dinner together.



On another note: Here's a picture of the gang at paintball. They went for Danny Gines's bachelor party, or something like that.
:-D Looks crazy to me, and John had to ice his back for hours after he got home!


A few of my friends and I try to do something "Different" for our birthdays. Tyler has suggested we do paintball. I may have to take him up on that, though the thought scares me to death!

Bourne Supremacy

Friday night John was at the men's retreat, the girls were staying the night with the Walters, and Ty was at work. I decided to put in a movie after chores.

Hmmm. . . Pride and Prejudice, or Bourne Supremacy? Since I had recently watched Bourne Identity, I chose the latter.

Big mistake.

I realized a schnauzer would be no protection against someone wanting to bust into the house to extract the secret information from me. Look how easily they got past security in the movie!

Only problem was, I really needed to take a shower.

I started the movie over from the beginning so there'd be some "noise." I locked the door in the bathroom and hopped into the shower. I did as much drying off and dressing as I could in the bathroom, then I covertly unlocked the door. With my hand on the doorhandle, I jerked the door open quickly and ran into my room, hoping to catch anyone "waiting to attack me" off guard. I think I may have even added a "HAAAH!!!" for good measure.

No one. Of course.

Tyler came home after 11:30 pm and I was sitting on the couch, grading papers, and letting the movie play itself out. Happy to see him home, I peacefully went to bed.

Next time, I'll choose Pride and Prejudice.

Tangles

Last night, John had to stay over in Sarasota for work. I climbed into the unmade bed and slept with the sheets gloriously tangled and out of order, finding the little niches of warmth where one end was still tucked in. I could pull the blanket over my shoulder and knew no one would roll over and pull it off again.

This morning, I of course woke with cold feet. It was fun while it lasted, but I felt a new determination to make the bed with fresh sheets and have everything nice and neat for him. How does he do that? How does he make me feel his presence when he's not even here? I made the bed not because he's a tyrant who refuses to sleep in wrinkled sheets, but because I know he appreciates "life's simple pleasures," like a freshly made bed, so much.

I played hooky from the Bible study last night and I accomplished so much! Laundry is practically caught up, kitchen and dining room are clean, bills are made out and paid. I'm ready to do school with Glenna, and later with Ty and Kelly. The band is coming over to practice today and I have plenty to do in my room while they occupy the living room. Oh! And I even cleaned out the corner behind the futon in our bedroom! I can step directly to my side of the closet now! Glory!

Once again

Here I am, the same place I was last year when I realized I had to step down from the music team.

Laundry is not getting done, meals are not prepared as they should, and one of my children is "flying under the radar" with school. Of course, I don't notice until I check everything for the monthly grades I have to turn in!

Unfortunately, the thing I realize I'll have to let go of is the Bible study at Bonnie Lisech's. I don't know if it's because it moved to Tuesday nights instead of Mondays, but it's so much harder to do this year! (Gee, the three English classes, plus co-op, plus US History, plus AWANA JV that I teach couldn't have anything to do with it!

I have been giving one of my daughters the least of my time, and it shows. The other daughter and I had precious evenings together after I left the music team, and now that's gone. I actually said to my husband Sunday night, "I'm sorry, but I simply cannot listen to you right now. I MUST get this done!" Ouch. I'm dreading the approaching Sunday School quarter where John and I teach together - I'm thankful it's the 3-k's and a small class.

"Teach us to number our days aright, that we might gain a heart of wisdom." I think that's in 2 Timothy somewhere.

It lives!

The tree outside John's window, a Golden Rain Tree (thanks, Phyllis!), is spouting tiny branches near the top. The stump is still about 9 ft. tall, and at the very top of a 2" stub are sproutings.

John is threatening to cut them off. :-)

Yesterday we had beds moved around, so the house is chaotic. My friend Cindy found a beautiful headboard and footboard for Kelly, so Glenna gets her old bed to make into the bunk beds. Glenna has a place for her "stuff" AND a place to sleep now, Kelly's in a new bed, Ty's in a new bed. Life is good. I remain chained to the washer and dryer.

Once again I know I've bitten off more than I can chew. John and I will be teaching the next Sunday School quarter, and that's fast approaching (Dec - Feb). Mark Liebert asked me to take care of music this week since the men will be on retreat. I realized just now I haven't graded papers for the intermediate class yet. I'm so sleepy lately, I've been taking a nap daily! Not just a light cat-nap, either, but crashing pretty hard for an hour or so. Makes me wonder what's up, because other than that I feel fine.

Festival Pics

Here we are, doing what we love to do! Bass guitar belongs to Matt Snyder.

Festival Update

The Festival was so great! There seemed to be so many people we didn't know. About 10 people that we know of indicated a decision for Christ! An entire little family did! WOW!!!

I got to play bass guitar again (thanks Matt!), which was fun. Definite Zero rocked like they do. I had so many people come up and tell me how amazed they were with Tyler's playing. I know, because I'm amazed every week when he plays here at home. Sometimes I'll sit on his bed or the couch (wherever the drums happen to be) and just watch his feet while he plays. How wonderful to do something so complicated and make it look so fluid and effortless.

Even more fun was being on stage with Himself again. I guess I miss that part of not being on the music team anymore - participating in something with John. During the sets on Saturday I could turn around and look at him, and I know we were both thinking the same thing. "Isn't this so cool?" The music and songs in the second set were so wonderful, I couldn't help but worship God as we sang about Him.

Festival

Tomorrow's the Festival! I hope and pray there's a good turnout. There's so many great things going on this year!

You know, I don't even care if people come to this festival and then don't start coming to our church. I hope they come, hear the gospel, and are saved.

Definite Zero is playing (my favorite band). :-D I hope the teens have invited friends who aren't churched, so they can come and hear the gospel! How wonderful would that be?

Right now I just survived a 4.5 hour practice. I need sleep and a shower, and I think it will have to be in that order.

HA!

Yesterday, after staring out of his office window and seeing nothing but a bare, ugly trunk, my husband sheepishly confessed, " You were right about the tree."
(See post titled, "October".)

I want to go outside with a Sharpie and draw a smiley face on one of the branch stumps for him. :-)

We have a cold front today! Thank you, Lord! I can wear long sleeves and MAYBE a sweater!

Surprise Party Photos

Here are some pictures from my surprise party on September 22nd. I had so much fun! I especially enjoyed the comments from my "older" friends who assured me 40 was extremely young.

Me, laughing and crying at the same time.

Hug from John, biggest sap.











Tyler's confession of why he didn't go to work that night!

Beth Anne and Stacie, my dearest friends and conspirators. :-)

October

It's so hot. We've even reached 92 degrees! There's supposed to be a cold front moving in this week. I PRAY it's true. I feel nothing but hot all the time.

October heat is the worst, because it's SUPPOSED to be fall!

The neighbor cut down a beautiful tree between their property and ours. Kelly enjoyed looking at it from her window. I enjoyed the tiny yellow flowers it would produce, then these pink blooms would follow. (I know you who are horticulturally minded would be able to tell me the name of the tree. They're quite common in Florida. I only know it's not a crepe myrtle.) Anyway, what Kelly and I saw as beautiful, the menfolk saw as a "messmaker" and decided it should come down. Now there's nothing but a bare trunk outside the window, which I'm sure they'll gleefully dispose of once a chainsaw is found.

Time to prepare for English students.

School Room

John received a quarterly bonus, so at last we can begin finishing the garage! We have already installed new windows, a new roll-up door, and new French doors. Now we need to buy furring strips, insulation, and sheet rock (in Cali we call it drywall). Oh, and all the electrical stuff.

There are currently six classes taking place in our home; three English composition, one Spanish 2, and one US History. Oh, and I have co-op with two other families on Monday afternoons.

Is it selfish to want school stuff out so I can have a HOME again? I don't know how Kathy Robertson has done it all these years, teaching classes out of her living room. I know she's taught my own kids for 6 or 7 years, and she's still teaching Kelly this year!

Our hope is to convert the garage into a classroom, and when we're finished with this school stuff it can be a guest house or an office for John. He's using our guest room as an office currently.

I can't wait for work to begin!

October

Well, we're back to being warm. As I recall, I've sweated during Thanksgiving before, so we're not into the coolness yet. Phyllis Hunsucker says they have snow! I don't think I want to be THAT cold, but a cool breeze would be lovely.

John got the promotion and they'll be paying for him to go to school. They want him to have a bachelors in business. I think he's starting to come around to school being a good thing. I also hope we can find a private college who can help us turn some of his life experience into college credits. After all, he has owned and operated his own business for many years. That should be worth something!

I have hit the crazy time of year where I feel I'm not doing the things I'm supposed to do. This means I have taken on too many projects, probably. It's hard to say no when it's all good, though! Or maybe I just need to learn to delegate. I wonder to whom I could delegate the laundry?

Tyler, Kelly and I are studying the Old Testament for their "Bible" credit. We've decided to do Jewish History, so we're starting with Abraham! I'm in no hurry. . . they'll get a year of Bible, we'll have a blessed time in the Word, and they'll get a high school credit to boot. I'm making them take notes so they have something to put in their portfolio.

Time for AWANA!

At last!

There's coolness in the air in the mornings! Real coolness, without the humidity to go with it. Could this be the swing toward fall that I've been waiting for? I think I'll refill the coffee cup and work on my Bible study outside. I love this time of year!

Job Watch part 3

It looks like John doesn't have to go to Cleveland after all. The guy he was to interview with came here instead. I'm glad of that, though Cleveland could have been an adventure for him.

John will be getting an offer either today or tomorrow on the promotion. He will become the Property Services Representative for the STATE of Florida. He had trouble sleeping last night, with so many things going through his head! We all know he has been training for this job since he was 19 or so. . . it's amazing how God has gone before him in this.

The other thing they told him is to go back to school at their expense. He's not as happy about this as I am, but I think he's just intimidated. They want to invest in him, so they want him to have a Bachelors in Business. I told him he'd be a FOOL not to do this! Especially when there are so many on line courses he could take, there's no reason/excuse not to go back to school.

I'm so proud of him! He's worked so hard all his life (so far). I'm talking hard, physical labor! Now that his back is no longer able to do that, God has given him work suited to him. I'm so thankful.