How Busy, My Spring

Micah has jumped into the sports arena with both feet. He started spring training to be on the Fort Dale Academy Fighting Eagles football team next season. Are my shock and awe showing?

Micah has always been on the little side and consequently, has never taken an interest in sports, especially contact sports. When he joined the track team, I was proud and happy for him to compete. Now, football is a different story. I am concerned about him being hurt by the much larger fellas. His positions will be tight end and running back. All those big guys are going to be chasing and trying to hurt my boy, because he will have the ball! I asked him if he was ready to be tackled by someone twice his size and his answer was a very cool, " They have to catch me first, Mama." He is really quick and he can dodge tackles pretty well. This is the part of parenting that I really find difficult...the letting go part. Lettting them make some of their own choices, letting them pay their own consequence, letting them fall and fail...the control freak in me is screaming to get out and I have to keep smacking her back down when she rears her ugly head! The true test will be if he ever gets hurt on the field...how will I ever keep myself in the stands and not run to him to make it all better. He told me he would die if I did that, so I must muster all my self-control by September of 2010. I fear that may not be enough time to harness such a powerful monster as Control Freak. Time will tell....

Meanwhile, Callie has joined the Piccolo Choir at school and has a solo part in "Puff, the Magic Dragon". I took her to practice (and to pick Micah up from practice) and Mrs. Lee Ann, the choir director asked me to sing with the girls in practice tonight. The next thing I know, she is planning on me being in the concert (which is Friday night...Friday night and tonight was my first rehearsal. Oy vey...how do I get myself into these situations? So now, I am cramming in music, lyrics, harmony, choreography, (that's right, we gotta dance, too!) and planning a trip to Goodwill to see if I can find any "hippie" clothes. We are singing retro 70's music and that is to my benefit. Geez, when am I going to learn to stay away from these things until it is too late to get suckered into them?

Grace has been playing with her Jackknife Scooter and having a ball, until she took a dive and the pavement ate the skin off her hand, elbow, knee, and leg. Ouch! But she was brave and took it like a trooper, blood and all, bandaged the boo-boos and got back on the scooter. Still, she doesn't wear the protective pads we bought her, but she does wear her helmet. She is putting in for 1) getting her braces put on, which is beyond me. In my youth, glasses and braces were the last thing you wanted, due to the ridicule you had to endure...now it is apparently, a status symbol of some sort. Who would have guessed that? 2) she wants to go to basketball camp this summer, and 3) she wants tennis lessons this summer.

I will post some pictures later. Off to bed I go. It is late and I am tired. Busy. busy, busy....

Sexting...Are You Kidding Me?

I have been appalled by this topic that has been all over the news as of late.

Sexting! For those of you who may not know what it is, this is when a teen sends a nude or partially nude picture of themselves to a boyfriend/girlfriend through their cell phone! Now I was the "trouble" child in our family and even I didn't think about something this stupid to do for fun. I can't imagine being sucked into this by anyone, but I guess it speaks to the demise of morality in our society, when young ones are pressured by their peers, to demean themselves in this way.

Many youth have trusted the "lover" to keep these photos to themselves, but as the relationship fades, so do the bonds of trust. At this point, the photos begin to circulate through cyber-space causing irrepairable damage and much humiliation to the subject. Teens have had to change schools, relocate, and sadly, many have resorted to suicide because the humiliation was too much to bear. Their peers, teachers, parents, family members...anyone out there could be viewing these private photos that can continue to circulate for years to come. The backlash could cost them positions in college, job opportunities, and generally wreak havoc with their lives, for far longer than anyone would like to think.

Not to mention, they can be arrested for distributing pornography and those who pass it along, as well. If that happens, they will be labeled a sex offender for the rest of their life. What a burden to carry, all for the lack of the ability to stand up to peer pressure! The repercussions of this one act could potentially devastate the lives of these young people...theoretically, forever!

Where are the parents? If my child had a cell phone (which mine do not, because they are too young to need one, although many of their peers do carry one) I would immediately change to a phone that was incapable of photography. I have already talked with my children and will continue to do so, about the dangers of this activity. This is a real and potentially deadly threat.

Maybe I am overprotective, but I will stand between my children and imminant danger until they are capable of facing that danger alone. At 14, 12, and 10, I daresay, they are not ready. Were this the kind of threat that could be overcome with little a embarassment, I would probably let them take the fall, but to have it affect the rest of their lives? No thank you, I will choose to protect them on this one.

What a Difference Three Years Can Make!

Check out these photos! We vacationed in a condo in Orlando, three years ago. How different the children look! In just three years!We visited the Marianna Caves for a little cool, spelunking on the way home!

In the cave.

After our swim.

Grace, just being Grace.

Again, just Grace!

Callie getting out of the pool. She has really changed in three years!

Grace looking like a little thing with long hair!

Micah still looks like a little boy here...no longer, he has grown into a young man.

Eh, he's the same...

She may have a couple of new wrinkles and a lot more gray showing, but ultimately, the same.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I found some photos from a vacation three years ago that we took to a condo in Orlando. It was a great place and we had a lot of fun, but the amazing thing about the pictures is how much the children have changed in just three short years!

Running Track is Getting Micah on Track

Micah and Josh after the first track meet. Boy, was it cold that day!

Micah running his relay.

Still relaying.

Micah and his relay guys.

Most of you know of the struggles we have had with Micah. He decided to join the track team and he has truly started to come around. He really loves to run track and I think it gives him a sense of belonging. His grades are coming up and he is making a turn around in behaviour. I am quite proud of him. Can you believe he will be 15 next month?

Grace In The Spotlight

A close up of Gracie.

They were dressed to resemble the flag.

Here is my girl singing her solo!

In the above picture, the children are singing American, Like Me. They happened to be singing the You and you and you and you and you, part for this snapshot!

Grace had a solo in her fourth grade Patriotic program at school. The sang a large number of songs and did a really good job.

I must say, her solo was very dramatic and was really good! She was not nervous and she made her mama very proud! She sang the descant above the other students, while they sang the chorus of American Tears.

AMERICAN TEARS

Sometimes I think about America

About her struggles through the years

I think of people who did what they had to do

With the strength to act through their fears

Sometimes I think about America

About her future and her past

I know we’re blessed to be

Living in liberty in a land

Where freedom will last

Chorus:For the heroes, for the patriots

For the soldiers, for all the pioneers

I will always be an American

And I’ll always cry American tears.

Sometimes I think about America

About her people’s legacy

I wonder if they knew

That what they had to do

Would be known throughout history

Sometimes I think about America

About her pain along the way

I know it had to be

For our democracy and the world

We live in today.

It does my heart good to know that these children are being taught what it means to be a patriot and to honor and respect what our military has done for us. That is one reason my children attend Fort Dale Academy-they are taught the values that matter to me along with their academics.

Youtube has many versions of American Tears. If you have not heard it, you need to go have a listen...it will bring a tear to your patriotic eye! : )

Annabelle Is 6 Months Old!

She loves her toes!

She loves her Tigger!

Sweet smile!

More L2Ls Photos

The kids entertained themselves in the food court of the adjoining mall by riding the escalators up three floors and back down three floors...who needs an amusement park?

The glass elevators were another ride much enjoyed by the children.

Here is some of our youth group and our youth minister at the end of the row.

Grabbing a quick bite to eat between events.

Awaiting the Speech event in which Callie and Lyric were entered.

Look who we found in the hall in his PJ's! Brooks Busby!

He was accompanied by this motley crew! Ha, ha!

This is Cornerstone and the one time I had a twinge of regret while in Atlanta. They were good, but this concert was going on during the Hall and Oates concert in Montgomery. JJ and I really wanted to go to Hall and Oates, but I had already committed to Lads. (heavy sigh)

All dressed up for the Awards Ceremony!

Lads to Leaders 2009

Grace was ecstatic to be at Lads! She was showing us the anti-gravity bed!

Our group walking across the stage with our banner.

Grace receiving her certificate for Oral Bible Reading. She scored 15 out of 15...Perfect!

We enjoyed lunch with an old family friend, Mrs. Jo Anne Norris. She is a sweetie! Grace and Callie were getting a little love!

Again, our banner.

What a great weekend we had in Atlanta with our youth! For those of you who may not know, L2Ls is a convention of Christian youth that happens every Easter weekend. We work on many categories like Oral Bible Reading, Song Leading, Debate, Speech, Scrapbooking, Art, Centurion of Scripture(memorizing 100 verses), etc... all year long, then we come together in five locations to celebrate the achievements of our groups and compete in some areas. The kids get awards and get to walk across the stage in front of about 3000 people while they are applauded...it is great and they love it! There is a convention in Atlanta, Memphis, Nashville, Indianapolis, and Orlando and the grand total of people attending is between 15 and 16,000! It is way cool.

We stay at the Hyatt Regency hotel in Atlanta (which is a delight in itself for our kids) for two days and one night and pack in a whole lot of activity. The photos will depict a lot of what we did.

We were worn out puppies when we arrived home early Sunday morning about 1:30, but it was worth every minute.

I am....

...Taking a break from taxes.

I have been up to my ears in tax work for months now and am finally seeing light at the end of my IRS nightmare tunnel. I am for Mike Huckabee's idea...get rid of the IRS and pay a flat tax. It would sure make my life easier!

...Drinking my third cup of coffee.

I normally have one (if that), but burning the midnight oil (see above) and getting up at 6 am to get the kiddies off to school is taking its toll.

...Thankful that my husband is on his way home today.

Normally, I am accustomed to his being away, but he has been home so much lately, that I have really been missing him while he traveled this week.

...Thinking of and praying for Ashley.

Enough said.

...Happy that Micah and I are having a better time with our relationship.

It has been tumultuous and riddled with conflict for so long and though it is far from where I would like it to be, we are finally beginning to communicate and understand each other...at least for today. He can so charm me when he puts his mind to it and I love being charmed!

...Glad that Gracie has been bitten by the "cleaning bug".

She has become a little white tornado. She goes through the house cleaning and singing...it is so pleasant to hear her enjoy doing her chores and even some of ours! She makes my heart smile and she is still small enough to sit and cuddle with me.

...Grateful for my Callie.

She is so obedient and thoughtful and has a very tender heart. She notices when I am not at my best and tries to make me feel better. She is my sunshine and I smile more because of her tender, loving care of me.

...Finally feeling better and so glad to be so.

I have been sick for so long and it feels good just to wake up feeling good!

OK, now it is back to taxes, then to Fort Dale's Rummage Sale this afternoon and evening. Tomorrow, I take the wee ones to Montgomery for "Women of Virtue" and "Men of Honor" and then I have some free time to, guess what? Finish the taxes with my darling husband! WhooHoo!

The good tax news is, and I am so excited about this, I have a new program for my computer and I will use it to do my 2009 taxes! Yea! No more being overwhelmed by receipts. I will input each month and push a button on my keyboard next year and my tax information will be printed out! So this should be the official end to my whining about taxes. Aren't you glad?! I know I am!!