Fall Family Weekend

 It was a beautiful fall weekend to spend together. I cannot feel more thankful that our children enjoy being together and look forward to the times when they are all together. And especially when it is Josiah that asks when we see Aliza again or what time will she arrive, my heart melts. 

This weekend we went to Aliza and got to see her unit in the clinic. It's still a little surreal for me to imagine her being a real life dental hygienist! 

We walked around part of the lake at Rocky Gap State Park. After Grand Canyon and Zion, it was hard for us to call this a "hike!" It was a beautiful walk though and very easy! 

Isaiah is usually our fearless leader. When he read this sign as "no wadling" instead of "no wading", it was the joke the rest of the day. 

Saturday was windy and much cooler. We took "The Game" to Starbucks and hung out there until Anna told us how much she wanted to go to one more Pokemon card store. 

This particular afternoon, Jeremy and I were saying YES to everything we could and so we said YES to another Pokemon card store. 

It turned out to be the best YES. The kids spent a long time looking at cards. Aliza and Anna particularly enjoyed the bulk boxes. Joel came over to the store. His enthusiasm just fuels the kids' enthusiasm. 

At the end Jeremy bought them each a pack of cards. (See the theme of YES!) They came to the car, convinced Joel to sit with them and then opened their packs. 

 

Anna pulled a special card. She was SO excited! Like I cannot even explain in words the level of her excitement. 

On our drive back to the house, we had a really fun family phone call with a friend telling us about his new girlfriend. We've been cheering for him for a long time!

We had supper and then smores. Isaiah still has the touch for roasting a perfect marshmallow...and he's very proud of it!

We had hoped to be able to go to the church Aliza attends, but that just didn't work out this time. She was really looking forward to having us in church with her (there is nothing like sitting with your family in church) and so we settled for watching the stream of our church together. 

 

After church we had lunch together at Panera. Aliza headed northwest back to school and we headed southeast to home. Maybe one day I will be able to hug Aliza good-bye without crying. 

On our way home we stopped to have coffee with another friend and meet his girlfriend. He and the kids played Hearts while I chatted with the girlfriend. So fun! 

(While this feels more private than Instagram, it is still public platform and so there is a big story from this weekend that I have not included. If you haven't heard it and tend toward curiosity, you probably want to ask me!) 

 

Making Cookies

 I had the most fun making cookies with Maggie. Since Maggie did not have school on Wednesday, she got to come over with her brother. We had some extra time that day and so Maggie and I made cookies. While she was pouring the ingredients in the mixer, she told me that when she cooks with her Mimi she gets her own bowl of ingredients to play in. Made perfect sense to me! A little butter, sugar, brown sugar, flour and plenty of sprinkles and Maggie was a happy little baker!

Maggie decided that our cookies needed sprinkles too. 

I am positive that I had more fun than Maggie did. Having a 4 year old on a stool in the kitchen chattering away just made my heart happy. 

Meanwhile, Anna fed Bubs and put him down for a nap.  

 

Fall Break--Friday

 Fall Break was one of the semester milestones that Aliza and I were looking forward to...the halfway point. And now Fall Break was two weeks ago! It fell over the weekend of Isaiah's birthday which was something Aliza was very happy about. Aliza came home Thursday night and had been able to pick up 6 hours of work Saturday morning which she was also very happy about. 

Aliza mentioned to Jeremy that her car was really shaking Thursday night, but it didn't seem like an imminent problem and so Aliza went to work. Her assignment was to take the lady that she takes care of on an outing to the beach. Isaiah, Anna and I were doing school at home when I got a text from Jeremy at 11:30 that Aliza was at Assateague with a flat tire. Jeremy wasn't able to drop what he was doing and go and Josiah was writing a paper. I dropped everything and left immediately (without a plan, water or food) because I didn't want Aliza to be "stranded" at the beach with a disabled adult and I also knew she was on a schedule where it would be time for her to leave the beach by the time I drove there. 

I called my brother, but he didn't answer. It was a beautiful day so I thought maybe some of the Sheats boys were at the beach. I called my nephew, Caleb. He answered! He wasn't at the beach, but he was close enough that he could take a long lunch break and come over and put the spare tire on. 

I arrived and the tire was definitely flat!! It was time for Aliza to head back to Salisbury when I arrived. She took my car and I hung out with Caleb.  

I'm so thankful that Caleb was in the mood to be a hero and give an act of kindness. It made my Aunt Carla heart very proud! Caleb and I chatted while he worked and I asked him if there was any place to pick up a sandwich between here and home. He suggested the cafe at Assateague Surf Shop. 

Mission accomplished and I drove off slowly to find some lunch. Assateague Surf Shop was cute and the prices were high just as Caleb had said. I ordered a sandwich and a bottle of water, scarfed it down and made my way to pick up Aliza from work and take the car to the mechanic for new tires. 

By the time I got to the mechanic I thought my stomach felt weird. By the time I got home my stomach did not feel good. By suppertime food sounded terrible. The kids and I had plans with Laura for supper...the kids went to supper with Laura and Sean. I was on the couch, stomach cramping. I didn't get sick until almost midnight. I was still very queasy in the morning, but I could keep food down. 

Isaiah's birthday party was that afternoon and I had things to do to get ready! Like decorate a cake! All the things I would have done the evening before the party did not get done! Aliza made sure I kept eating and drinking. She was doing the things around the house that needed to get done. 

By noon I was crying because I just didn't feel right and fall break was passing quickly and there was a birthday party coming in a couple hours. And then I remembered that there was some Zophran in the house. I took a dose and it worked. I was able to decorate the cake (with Aliza's assistance) and host my family for a birthday party. 

Lessons learned: I'm not going to get a chicken salad sandwich at Assateague Surf Shop again. It was special to be cared for by my adult child. Jeremy sleeps very deeply and does not worry about me at all! 
 

Celebrating Isaiah

 The only request Isaiah had for his birthday was that I recreate the Minecraft cake and snacks I made for his 5th birthday. 

Grandma and Grandad, aunts and cousins that were available came over for a little while. It was a rainy afternoon and so there was more talking and a Nerf battle in the house. Usually the cousins spend all their time together outside. 

On Sunday, Isaiah's actual birthday, he took donuts to Sunday School and Jeremy made steaks for supper. We got Cookout shakes for dessert and then watched Kung Fu Panda 2. And just to make the birthday feeling last longer, Isaiah decided to take his birthday day off of school on Monday. 

 

Joy Dare::September

 13,707. Good first day of school
13,708. Good driving time with Anna
13,709. Last mango sweet cream iced chai for the season
13,710. Being available for friends
13,711. The yummiest coffee cake--that was shared with us
13,712. Beautiful colors in the sky this evening
13,713. Coffee and wedding pictures with Kaelyn
13,714. Aliza home for a long weekend
13,715. Jeremy so proud that his children laughed through Napoleon Dynamite
13,716. Isaiah worked through his angst
13,717. Aliza getting her brother ready for college
13,718. Linda is in the safest place
13,719. Afternoon on the beach with friends
13,720. Just being together
13,721. Finished a just-for-fun book
13,722. Lively, enjoyable Sunday School discussion
13,723. Everyone around the table for supper
13,724. Josiah had a social day
13,725. First hint-of-fall morning
13,726. Laughing at myself
13,727. Aliza got back to school safely
13,728. Josiah gave me a lot of grace this morning
13,729. Aliza really, really excited about a (free) new toothbrush
13,730. Bible reading with Anna and Isaiah
13,731. Josiah's first class went well

13,732. Baby smiles and snuggles
13,733. Late night talking with Anna
13,734. Homeschool PE connections
13,735. Hearing that my adult children choose to talk to each other on the phone
13,736. Cheering Aliza on
13,737. 9/11 phone catch up with Billy
13,738. Overheard "I'm already getting more comfortable with writing." -Josiah
13,739. Isaiah catching fish and kayaking

13,740. Spending the evening with our Sunday School class
13,741. Seeing some of my strengths in Aliza
13,742. Football season feels like fall
13,743. Josiah had the best time at his last youth event
13,744. Friend time
13,745. Computer work on the porch this afternoon
13,746. Encouraging Josiah 
13,747. Better sleep
13,748. Receiving Godly counsel
13,749. A beautiful evening to spend outside
13,750. Intentionally listening to the silly, seemingly meaningless noise of teenagers
13,751. Holding a sleeping baby
13,752. Isaiah excited about Kids Kamp
13,753. Asking for forgiveness
13,754. Reorganizing
13,755. Fresh air and sunshine
13,756. Planning for my new ESL class
13,757. Finding a real letter in the mail for me
13,758. An hour at the pool
13,759. New recipe that was accepted
13,760. Melted heart

13,761. Jeremy offered to pick up supper
13,762. Grandma and Grandpa live close enough for Aliza to visit them
13,763. Crisp grapes
13,764. Anna doing hard things
13,765. Jeremy's homemade pizza is the best
13,766. Getting a lot of little things accomplished
13,767. Vitamin C
13,768. Listening to Josiah
13,769. Candle flame on a rainy day
13,770. Holding space for Aliza
13,771. The tech conversations that Jeremy and Josiah have
13,772. Open windows
13,773. Wednesday supper at church
13,774. Kindle books
13,775. Mom and Moriah's visit
13,776. Cheering my kids on while they do hard things
13,777. Sticky buns
13,778. Just 3 children in the car can still keep the noise level high
13,779. Hugging Aliza
13,780. Family sleepover at Grandma and Grandpa's house
13,781. A spontaneous idea worked and I got to see Christie
13,782. Learning humility is serving a subpar meal at my in-laws house
13,783. My college kids discussing life
13,784. Long conversation around the table with Joel and Amanda
13,785. Finding pictures on my phone

13,786. Unexpected phone conversation
13,787. When the Geometry lesson turns out to be easy
13,788. Mid morning hot tea
13,789. First colored leaves
13,790. Life long friend
13,791. A few fall decorations
13,792. Sun after rainy days
13,793. Kiddos knowing how to effectively delay school 

13,794. Hearing the story of Aliza's day
13,795. Grilled chicken salad

 

Happy 12th Birthday Isaiah!

Fun and Transitions

The week after Aliza moved, Grandma and Grandpa came to Chincoteague for a week. The kids and I went for an afternoon at the beach. It was really a perfect day. Such a perfect day that I even got in the water. There is no picture proof...lol. Jeremy said he always misses the milestones! I'm sure it had been more than 20 years since I had been in the ocean. 

Later that week, we went to Chincoteague in the evening so that Jeremy could go with us. We had supper at Ledo's an played mini golf with Grandma and Grandpa. Of course, we also got Island Creamery--on BOTH of the trips this week!

Anna has her driver's permit! She was so incredibly nervous to take the knowledge test. Passing on her first try (with a 100%) was a huge boost to her confidence. I'm hoping she takes that confidence into her schoolwork this year! Anna was hesitant to start driving. It took about a week to get her behind the wheel. Now she asks just about every day if I can take her driving! It's always a relief to me when the kids have enough experience to drive our regular routes and I don't have to build in driving time into the schedule. 

Anna, Isaiah and I started school on Aug 31. Isaiah is in 7th grade. There is an increase in responsibility  and it's taking a bit for Isaiah to adjust. Anna has a lot of credits in 10th grade. She will be busy. It's nice to see her determined to apply herself and do her best. 

Aliza came home Labor Day weekend. We *may* all have been outside waiting for her. Aliza's favorite is a movie night snuggled up beside her Dad. The first night it was Napoleon Dynamite. Dumbest movie ever and Jeremy loves it. When the kids laughed through it and there was a standing ovation at the end, Jeremy was grinning. 

My first glimpse of a dental hygienist in-the-making. Aliza was practicing on her mouth model. Her 7 hour Labor Day drive back to school will, hopefully, be her worst drive. 

Then Josiah started college classes. Maybe I'm the only homeschool mom that holds my breath a little bit until I see my kid is going to succeed in college. It's probably how the mama bird feels in the moment between pushing the baby bird out of the nest and seeing it actually fly. 

He's had feelings and he's been able to function well through them. He has his to-do list that he keeps updated. I've heard him say, "This is a lot of character development happening all at once." And "I'm already getting more comfortable writing." I've heard him talk more in the last week than I have in a very long time (maybe ever!). As long as I'm the girl that gets to be his "emotional support" and is invited to sit beside him while he writes, I'll consider it a privilege!