Christmas 2011

So I can't believe I haven't blogged since August - where has time gone? So thankful for the end of another year, and so looking forward to 2012!! Merry Christmas everyone and a Happy New Year!!

Summer is almost over

I can't believe I haven't posted in 2 months! We have had a great summer, and I hope to get caught up on blogging over the next few weeks!! We plan on starting school August 22nd. Jason is excited about 5th grade and Rachel will be in 2nd grade! We were just looking through old folders, and it seems like yesterday that Jason was starting kindergarten and Rachel was only 2! Cherish each moment because they grow up too fast!!

Creek Classic 2011

What a weekend of soccer we have had!! The Celtic U10 Boys Blue team started the Creek Classic on Saturday with a win 5-3! First win of the season! Rachel had a game at the same time, so myself, Oma, and Opa watched Rachel and then we will watch Jason play at 3:00!! The second game was all Celtics and they won with a shutout 6-0 and Jason scored THREE GOALS!! We were so proud of him!!

Our third game was Sunday morning and we really needed to win to secure a spot in the finals Sunday afternoon!! At halftime, they were tied 0-0 and the parents were getting worried that the boys weren't playing their best, but the second half they came out and pulled off the win 6-2 which meant they were going to the finals and had a chance to WIN!!

Sunday afternoon we returned to the fields for a 3:30 start time! I think I was more nervous than the team! WOW - what a game! We scored first, then the other team scored, so tied 1-1. We scored, then they tied it up AGAIN! With 40 seconds left in the game, WE SCORED!!!! What a great game!! The team didn't win a game all season, and now went 4-0 in the tournament - Jason was so excited!!!!!!! Way to go Celtics!!

Gone a Long time

I can't believe it's been over a month since I last posted! April was a whirlwind of activities including moving into our new house! I plan on catching up over the next few days, so bear with me, and wait to see all of the things that happened in April!!

Bible Study

Every week I look forward to Fridays because it's the end of the week, but mainly because I know our Crown class is going to meet tonight. I am so blessed each time we meet. I am so thankful for how God ordained our group to have people from different areas of life and at different stages. Chris and I are excited to be leading a group again. Today was a nice day other than the frigid temperatures. We were finished with school by lunch, so we spent the afternoon getting ready for the weekend. The kids cleaned their rooms, and played nicely together. I spent the afternoon getting lesson plans ready for next week because I didn't want to spend a Saturday with nothing planned doing lesson plans. I called Boonshoft museum and was able to sign Nathan and Kara up for the next homeschool lab on April 5th since they will stay until April 6th. I also called and ordered a plant to send to the funeral for Marie.

Relaxing day

Before we went to bed last night, Nelda called to tell us that Marie had passed away at 9:15 pm. We all felt very sad for Nancy. We found out later in the day that the funeral will be on Saturday at Noon, so Nancy planned on coming home on Monday and then coming with the family next Wednesday. We will be so excited to see them all!! I was so excited to have an "easy" day today. The best part was that Chris got to be home before Jason had to go to practice, so Rachel and I stayed at home and played cards. We eat supper later on Tuesdays and Thursdays now, but it works out so much better, because then the kids aren't begging for snacks before bed. While the boys were gone, Rachel and I went to Toys R Us to look for the present she wants to get Jason for his birthday. She would like to get him a new binder for his baseball and basketball cards, but we can't seem to find one at the several stores we visited. We were excited to find kites though, b/c the they have both wanted to fly kites since winter is almost over, and we have seen people at the parks flying them.

Life is so short

So thankfully today is Wednesday and nothing is on the calendar but Bible Study at church with the kids going to GAs and RAs.
Nelda called on and off again today about Marie. She was beginning to get better and then out of the blue, she calls and says that Marie's right kidney had been failing, and they were going to do a scan of her insides.
After the scan, they found some blockage in her stomach, and pretty much said that her time on earth should only be a few more hours. WHAT? I can't believe this lady has gone from doing better (recovering from a major surgery) to on her death bed.
The first thing Jason asked was if she was a Christian, and I told him I wasn't sure, but Nelda talked to Nancy, and Marie did confess she was a Christian, so it's reassuring knowing she soon won't be in pain as hard as it is to say good-bye!
As of this moment, Marie hasn't gone to meet her Maker, but unless He pulls off a miracle (which I know he is capable of doing), by the morning, she will be seeing Jesus face to face!!
It's such a wake up call that we never know when our time is up. Rachel said it's sad she has to die, but one day we will all die. Our time here is short, and this home is our temporary home!!

Soccer Practice

Today was a normal day again, but enjoyed being outside even though it was very windy. I often think how windy Chicago must be since it's called the windy city!
We left at 5:00 to get Jason to practice. I am so thankful for the training he is getting - I can see him getting better each practice/game.
Chris made supper and had it ready for us when we got home.
Sadly, to end the day, Nelda called to tell us that Nancy's friend, Marie, was going to the ER by ambulance, b/c she was turning purple and her lip was numb. We thought she was getting better, so we aren't sure what's going on. We are all praying she is okay.

Last Esther Study

Today was a great day! The weather was warm, so we were able to be outside for recess! We took Jason to drum lessons, and went by the lot to check on the house - no one was there!
Tonight was bittersweet. I was so excited to get back to Bible Study, but sad that it would be the last one for this study. I have missed the ladies and especially the time I was able to spend with Shawn as we carpooled every Monday.
I enjoyed the Esther study and am so glad I went through it twice. The second time I learned so much more than the first!
Norman is getting better each day so that's a praise!!

A day of REST

I am always happy to get to Sunday! I love Sundays when there is nothing planned between services.
We got home around 1:00 and I was able to get lesson plans finished, the kids played outside, and we even got ice cream from the ice cream truck!
We watched a little basketball, and got ready to head to church, and Chris started limping on his left foot. He took his sock off, and his foot is really swollen. He wouldn't let me take him to the emergency room, so he went to AWANA on a swollen foot.
After church, he propped his foot up and put a bag of frozen peas on it. If it's still swollen in the morning, he will go to the doctor.
Mom said Norman's oxygen is getting decreased every few hours, and they said it would be 2-3 days before we see a significant change.
Today I told Becky Marcum that I would keep her kids, Danny and Julianne, this summer and next year, Julianne when she gets out of half day kindergarten. I think it will be a great fit for both families!

Soccer Day

So after not going to bed until after midnight, I knew I would be tired, but I wasn't expecting to wake up 3 times in the night. Chris got up at 5:30 to go on a long run, so I was up again.
Anyway, we were up and going, b/c we were heading over to Ankeney field to help get the soccer fields ready for soccer season. We ended up putting nets on the goals, so that was cool. There are 3 sections of playing fields, and I think 35 total fields. We worked for 2 hours, and between all the parents that showed up, we were finished with all of them.
Jason's team then had their last indoor soccer game that afternoon, and we enjoyed watching them end the season with a victory. Jason gets better each game, and had 4 shots on goal, but none would go in!
Mom called to say that Norman was back in ICU because he had some respiratory problems overnight, and was on oxygen, and wouldn't leave the mask on, so they needed him to be back where he could get care more often than in rehab.
After soccer, we came home and got a meal ready to take over to the Bonifields. Mr. Bonifield has come home to die, so the whole family is under a lot of stress, and are exhausted from his round the clock care.
We came home and were all so exhausted, we decided to watch Cats and Dogs. I had the intention of filling out lesson plans, but was so involved in the movie, I just couldn't get them finished.
Everyone went to bed exhausted, and were ready for a good night's sleep.

Last Regular EXCEL day

The kids were excited to go to EXCEL today. This would be their last regular EXCEL day, because the last 3 are for taking the SATs.
They took the OLSAT test today, and thankfully, Rachel said she didn't get nervous or scared, so hopefully through being at home this year, she has gotten over some of her test anxiety. She said the test was easy, so we will see how she does in June when the results come in.
While the kids were at EXCEL, I went to JK's house and babysat Jacqueline while she went to the doctor. I was so happy to be hanging out with a 20 month old. Sometimes I miss having a little one. Oh, to do it all over again.
As I was heading home, I was able to talk to Jennie for a little while, and then we decided to finish our talk Friday night after we returned from CROWN.
After EXCEL, we went on base and took Rachel's glasses to get the new lense put in at the optical shop.
When we got home, I called to check on Norman, and Mom told me to call him on his room phone, but she warned me that he wasn't able to comprehend much and was having a hard time speaking. When I called, I felt like I was talking to a 2 yr old, b/c he wasn't himself. I mentioned basketball was on, and he had no idea what I was talking about - WHAT? This isn't Norman? I talked to Mom again, and through our conversation, she mentioned he had a stroke, and I said I knew that on Tuesday he had a stroke, and Mom said, "No, Sharon, he had a stroke in the hospital sometime early Wednesday." WOW, that was a shock. I totally misunderstood her when she told me he had a stroke, I thought she meant that's what sent him to the hospital on Tuesday. I kept asking her if I need to come down, but she said, no, because he isn't life threatening right now. A part of me wants to go, but the other says, Wait. I will just sit by and be ready if/when I need to go.
Friday night ended well with our CROWN meeting! We have such an awesome group. I am blessed after each of our meetings.
When I got home and put the kids to bed, I called Jennie to finish our conversation. We ended up talking until midnight. While I was on the phone, she got a text from Joe saying that Lindsay had gone forward to make a commitment of faith while at Ski and Share! Oh, were the angels singing! I was so thankful to get to be a part of that. I miss them so much and can't wait to visit in May!

Outdoor soccer

So today was a beautiful day; the kids and I enjoyed being able to get outside. We worked hard to get all of our work done early, so we could meet some friends at the park. The high was supposed to be almost 70, so we were excited to be able to have some warmth.
Mom reported to me most of the day about Norman, they were monitoring him and saying how well he was doing, but then towards the end of the day, she mentioned he was starting to slur his speech and having a struggle using his left arm. I talked to him and he seemed to be in good spirits, but sounded very tired. The plan was to move him to rehab later in the day. Mom was excited once they got him a room in rehab, so things were looking up.
The kids and I went to the park to meet Amy, JK, and Julie. We went to a park in Kettering that isn't far from the interstate, and stayed for almost 2 hours. The kids had fun being able to run and play, and exert some extra pent up energy.
At 4:00, we left and headed home to get Jason ready for soccer practice. We all decided we weren't hungry, so Chris said he would come home from work and have supper ready for us when we got home.
Practice went well, and we got home right after 7:00. Thankfully we could walk in and eat, then get baths, and chill out for a little while before going to bed. I was exhausted, but so thankful we could get outside.

Chris coming home

Thankfully Chris was getting to come home tonight, because I wasn't sure how Norman was doing, and I was scared that we would have to leave in a hurry to get home.
Mom called and said that the doctors had to go in to do another surgery during the night, and that they removed all of the blood clots; ended up being way more than they expected. She said they were waiting to get the test results on the cat scan and head scan.
She called back to say the tests showed he had a stroke, so they are taking precautions to watch him. All day the reports came that he was getting better, and they were moving him to rehab, and he would be there for about a week.
Chris met us at church after a successful flight and we enjoyed another night of parenting class. God is really showing us alot through this study as to how far we still have to go as parents to truly training our children up in the way they should go.

Dayton Philharmonic

Today we were excited because we were going on a field trip. We headed into Dayton to the Schuster Center to hear the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra in their production of Kaleidiscope around the World. We had a great time. The music was wonderful! Rachel even enjoyed listening to the music.
Later in the day, Mom called and said that Norman had collapsed and the ambulance was taking him to the hospital. I waited to hear from her, and she finally called and said he had an embelism which sent a blood clot from his heart to his left arm, and they were getting ready to do surgery to get rid of the blood clot.
Thankfully he came through the surgery okay and they were waiting to see how he reacted to the surgery. I went to bed praying that everything would be okay.
Jason was supposed to start outdoor soccer training tonight, but they called and said that Athletes in Action sports complex was closed, so the first practice would be on Thursday.

Time change

I love Daylight Savings time, but it always takes a few days, or weeks, to get used to the sun staying up until 8:00! Once this nasty winter weather leaves, it will be great, because we will spend most of the evening taking walks, and playing outside.
Chris left at 5:00 am today to head to the airport. I didn't fall back to sleep until 6:00, so at 7:15, I thought I had slept until 9:00. Rachel slept until after 8:00, so our day started off late, but that's okay - we all needed the sleep.
We had a normal day of school, and took Jason to drum lessons. On the way home from drum lessons, we stopped at the library to return books due Thursday and pick up new books.
We enjoyed a quiet night at home with dinner, a game of Yahtzee and watching Marmaduke - cute movie! I love nights at home, but after the kids go to bed, and Chris isn't here, the night seems to last forever because it's too quiet :)

Day of Rest

Sundays are always wonderful, but today was especially wonderful because we had absolutely NOTHING PLANNED in between worship this morning and AWANA. In fact, the day got even better because Rachel went home with a friend, and Chris decided to take Jason to the park to play soccer for over an hour! YEAH for an hour of MOMMY quiet time.
Rachel had a great time going to Bellah's house. Chris and I took Jason to Cracker Barrel to eat lunch, and we found a "bug bottle" kit that we can use for Science since our new unit is on insects. It's a really cool container to keep any bugs you find, a bug chart, a bug journal, and a really cool bug guide with neat projects in it!
We all enjoyed our day going our separate ways, but sadly Chris has to go to Texas again tomorrow, so we aren't looking forward to Monday (mainly me).
I ended Sunday night by finally booking a hotel in Cincinnati for Nelda and me when we stay overnight during the Homeschool convention on April 1st - can't wait to have some mommy time with my favorite sister-in-law!! We both deserve it!

State VBS training/choir performance

The kids got to meet Jeff Slaughter (the writer of all the Lifeway VBS songs for the last 15 years)

Most of the kids from our FBK group - singing with the state VBS choir

"Love you More"

I want to "LOVE YOU MORE"

"By Faith"

After our busy night last night, the state VBS training was today and our church, First Baptist Kettering was hosting. I couldn't go all day, but I wanted to at least attend the recreation training. The rec training was the first session of the morning at 8:30. I overslept and barely made it out the door by 8:00, but I made it on time anyway. I enjoyed the training and getting to play some of the games we will play. After the training, I went home to get Jason. He had to be back at the church by noon to eat lunch, and practice with the state VBS choir. 10 kids from 10 churches would be performing in the last general session at 2:30. Unfortunately, Rachel wasn't asked to do it, so she was a little upset by that, but I told her maybe next year. She and I had lunch together while Chris did a 2 hour run, and then the 3 of us headed back to church to listen to the choir sing. I was so excited for all of them. They did a GREAT job, and the best part of the whole day was getting to meet Jeff Slaughter. Jeff has written all and choreographed all of the VBS songs for Lifeway for the last 15 years! What an honor to get to meet him and Jason got his autograph on his VBS shirt. After the musical, I was glad he hung around to meet some of the kids, so Rachel was able to get in a picture with him, too! Our day ended with a quiet evening at home - wow, the weekend just doesn't last long enough!

EXCELebration DAY/Science Fair

Science Fair project - can magnetic levitation be used for transportation?
Jason reading his part in the musical

O-H-I-O (I can't believe we have the kids on tape doing the Ohio State Buckeyes song)

"Fifty Nifty United States"

The kids were so excited for their big day! All school year at EXCEL they have been practicing for tonight. Chris took the day off, so he and Jason finished up his science project. We went to Dayton Christian to set up for the fair, and then went to Wal-Mart to look around while we waited on the judging to be over. We got back to the school around 4:15 and he was finished! We decided we didn't have enough time to drive the 30 minutes home and then be back by 6:30, so we went to Hometown Buffet to eat supper, and then went to Sam's to look around while we killed time.

We went back to the school at 6:30 to get ready for the EXCELebration. Each grade had a display of different projects they had completed at EXCEL. The musical was great. The muscial was based on Ohio, so each song had something to do with a facet of Ohio. I learned alot through listening to the songs, so I know the kids learned alot about our state during music time at EXCEL. The teachers all did a great job!

During the production, I kept thinking, this is where my kids need to be. We have been praying about which avenue to take with homeschooling next year, and it was like I got a peace about what we should do. I told Chris afterwards that I felt we should go through Dayton Christian again next year, and he agreed. The kids were excited, because I think they wanted to be in the same program, too, but were waiting for us to hear from God.

I told Stephanie (the homeschool principal) after the program that I felt like I had received our answer, and I asked her to call me next week to set up a time to interview for any EXCEL positions that might come available over the next few months. Thank you God for answering our prayer right when we needed it!

Beautiful Day

Today was a beautiful day, so we were motivated to get schoolwork finished, clean house, and get ready for Crown class. Our Crown class was rescheduled because tomorrow night we have the science fair and the kids' homeschool EXCELebration musical at Dayton Christian.
The kids and I went to Kroger and got a birthday/anniversary cake for Linda who is turning 50, Ryan whose birthday is Sunday, and Jenny and Brian whose anniversary is Monday.
We enjoyed going to the Tschirhart's for Bible study. Jason and Rachel had to come with us because Ashley is on spring break, so we didn't have a babysitter.
We didn't get home until late, so thankfully tomorrow is Friday and we can take it easy in the morning to gear up for our busy FRIDAY night.