Know Him. Trust. Obey.

Disco

Miranda went with the youth group to a disco roller skating party.  She found clothes for the occasion.

Grace got a hat, just because. 

 

 

 

Crafts. Not always fun.

Grace prefers to get up early during the summer.  I prefer not to get up early.  Grace isn't concerned with my preferences.

This morning we started a new craft: latch hook.  After some frustrating moments, she started getting the hang of it.  Ben joined us with his own latch hook project.  When they were both going strong, I went to make coffee.  From the kitchen, I overheard:

Grace: Ben, you are doing good.

Ben: Thanks, Grace.

......long pause.....

Grace: Ben, is this supposed to be fun?

Good question

Me: Grace, go get ready for your bath

Grace: But I took a bath yesterday

Me: No, you didn't

Miranda: Anyways Grace, you need to take a bath everyday

Grace: Why?

Garage band...an evolution

Noah's band has changed a bit over this past year. 

New band members

New name: With Fear Comes Silence

New music genre: Screamo worship

Same garage 

 

 

Note the little brother in the background pretending to be overwhelmed by the noise.  Don't buy it.  He is the source of most noise around here.

Two observations

 

1. This child is growing up too fast.

2.  I don't seem to own an iron. 

Enjoying this sweet face; have a great weekend!

State Champions once again!

This weekend was the TAPPS (Texas Area Private and Parochial Schools) State track meet at Baylor University.  Noah qualified at the regional meet to compete in the 200m dash, the 100 x 4 relay, and the 200 x 4 relay.  Overall, he brought home a 1st place medal, a 2nd place medal, and the State Championship!  In fact, both the boys and girls teams won the State Championship.  Here are a few photos, for your viewing pleasure:

 

 

  

They are the champions, my friends.  If Noah looks small-ish, he is. He's the only Freshman on the boys team, so he's a few years behind in growing time; we'll give him a break there. 

What, you say?  These kids look famiar to you?  Like we just change uniforms and start a new sport every few months?  You are very observant!  FBA is a 1a school (50-65 total kids in the high school), so essentially the same kids are on every team at FBA. Together they have won the State Championship in track and soccer, and Runner Up for the State Championship in cross country.  It's been an amazing year!  ;)

The Noticer - a book review

Good morning!  Today is the day that I am posting my very first review as a Thomas Nelson Book Review Blogger.  So exciting!  Please join me in this new adventure and, behold, the review:

 

 

The Noticer, by Andy Andrews, is about gaining perspective in order to overcome challenges and ultimately obtain peace in the process.  Narrated as a true story, this fictional account starts with one man’s life changing revelations derived from a few brief encounters with a mysterious drifter.  This beloved drifter then manages to capture the hearts of the town folk as he intrudes into one personal crisis after another, dispensing advice and wisdom, ultimately revealing a fresh perspective on each set of circumstances.   While the underlying wisdom is valid - Evaluate your tough situation with a new perspective; consider your problems from the point of view of everyone involved in order to gain empathy – I was annoyed by Andrews’ presentation of this wisdom.  The drifter character is not believable to me, nor is the unexplainable way in which everyone with serious life problems accepts him into their lives, follows his advice, and turns their lives around in a few short paragraphs.  The dialogue between characters is forced and awkward, as if conversations between people in small coastal towns follow scripted lines from a bad daytime television program.  The Noticer has the potential to communicate a wonderful idea, but the fictional story is just too nonsensical to convey a powerful message.

 

If you would like more information on the Thomas Nelson Book Review Blogger program, go here: http://brb.thomasnelson.com

 

Enjoy!

Swine flu or not...we're going to school tomorrow. YEA!

Texas officials 'aggressively' look for swine flu

04/27/2009

By MICHELLE ROBERTS  / Associated Press

Texas health officials on Sunday were asking hospitals and doctors to take samples from flu patients so they could aggressively survey for a new strain of swine flu that has killed dozens of people in Mexico and sparked fears of a global pandemic.

Only two confirmed cases — both among students at a high school in Cibolo near San Antonio — have been identified in the state.

The pair of boys who had the first confirmed Texas cases recovered and returned to school last week. However, state health officials have required the Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City Independent School District to close all 14 of its schools and two district facilities this week. The district must also cancel extracurricular activities for at least a week as a precaution.

    Apparently, the administration of FBA is not under the authority of the state health officials because we are not canceling school, even though every other school in three surrounding cities will be closed this week. 

The mayor of Schertz, meanwhile, asked residents to, "if possible, refrain from public gatherings."

    Why, thank you, Mr Mayor...I'd love to refrain from public gatherings this week, but have you seen my schedule?!  Tuesday - Band concert; Wednesday - youth group; Thursday - Spring musical; Friday - choir concert.  I am pretty sure that the public will be gathering in all of these events. 

    So, although I am fairly confident that my family is not at great risk from any creepy flu...pray for us anyway.  Four kids with the flu would be worse than four bored kids quarantined in my house for a week. ;)

Drama boy

I got a call today from the school nurse.  She prefaced her comments by saying, "I'm so sorry for what happened," and then told me that Ben was in her office with a headache and not feeling well. 

As I listened to her description of his usual symptoms, I was confused about her apology.  Her call wasn't a surprise because Ben goes to her office everyday...with a headache, or a tummy ache, or a sore throat, or a scratch.  She gives him a baby aspirin, a cough drop, a glass of water, or a band aid and sends him back to class. 

But today she recommended that Ben go home.  She said that he was probably fine, but emotionally drained.  Emotionally drained?!? 

APPARENTLY, Ben's grandpa died.  Recently.  And Ben was there, on the scene, to witness him taking his last, gasping breath.  And then there was a thud, as he let go of this life and went into the next. 

NO WONDER the nurse was sorry.  And I would be too, if only this story were true....

As Ben and I walked out of her office toward the classroom to get his things, he glanced up at me with a nervous grin that evolved into a huge smile.  Busted!

 

We stopped for lunch.  We talked about story telling.  And lying.  And how stories / lies can really worry adults. 

We talked about how Ben might enjoy some special mommy/Ben days.  A little extra time for a child that is dreaming up ways to get attention.  Maybe I'll enroll him in drama school, too.  ;)

I said this just now

"Everyone gets along, or everyone goes to bed.  And I don't care who started it."

Eloquent threats like this flow like milk and honey in my home.  Don't you wish you were here?!?  No?  Sometimes...me neither.