Public school....first day, first time!

Wow, public school sure does start early? We left this morning at 6:50 to take him. Yes, I was my normal emotional self (but not in front of him, of course). Lots of changes...Yes, I know I'm raising them to leave the nest...blah! blah! blah!
Doesn't Caleb look excited? That's a normal face for him...not cool to smile in pictures.
What's sad about this picture? It's only him...no Heather, no Lindsay!
The praise though is that he feels really good about his decision to switch to public school. And even though it's not his school of choice, he's doing great! I'm so thankful for answered prayers!

All settled in...

It was a great day yesterday...well, except for the fact that we didn't come home with Lindsay...
She's all settled in. We finally, after 18 changes in the furniture (slight exaggeration), got their room arranged, bed made, books picked up, the Walmart run, tears shed, etc. and all that by dinner time. It was a quiet ride home but we couldn't be any more excited for Lindsay. She is rooming with a sweet friend and they were discussing different churches they could visit when we were leaving...that was sweet music to my ears!
Remember to say a prayer for her when the Lord brings her to your mind. She's going to do great. What an awesome experience this is for her!

UNCG...here she comes!

We will leave bright and early tomorrow morning to take Lindsay to college...didn't we just do this with Heather last year?
We have mixed emotions but we are so excited for Lindsay! What a joy she is and we are thankful that God has given her to us.
We are proud of you, Lindsay. We love you so much and we will miss you!

Back to reality, I'm afraid....

Well, today is the last day of vacation. We were able to get a late checkout at 1pm and then we will hang out by the pool playing cards/games until our Amtrak train departs tonight at 7:30. We will arrive in Columbia, SC around 4:30am and then make the drive back to Charlotte tomorrow morning.
It has been a fantastic week. Perfect weather, much-needed relaxing, lots of fun, and many memories.
The kids even awoke early to have breakfast with us. They didn't seem too excited about it, but enjoyed it never-the-less.
Now it's back to reality...back to work. Heather will start her college sophomore year this Monday and we will leave on Friday to take Lindsay to UNCG.
Here are just a few pictures from our week.

Day 5...lazy!

And it was wonderful! Scott and I began yesterday morning just as all the others...slept in (8am for us :-) and then went down to the hotel lobby to enjoy a wonderful breakfast. Then we bring food back for the kids who sleep until 11'ish and we head out poolside to read.
And that's where we stayed the entire day. The hotel has a completely shaded area by the pool with ceiling fans and we have marked our spot each morning. Yesterday, we read and read and read. Once the kids got up, we played games the entire afternoon...cards, skip-bo, and more cards. It was great!
Last night was the first time it rained and boy, did it ever rain! It was so nice though...really cooled things off. We ended the evening playing The Book...a board game about people, places, and things in the Bible. It is so much fun. Our goal each time is to beat Scott...rarely do we. But when we do, we have a party and celebrate! Unfortunately, it was not the case again last night. He won and he won big! Oh well, better luck next time.
This morning, Scott, Heather and Caleb are at Aquatica...Sea World's newest water park. They will spend several hours there and then meet us back for the afternoon. Lindsay and I are getting ready to head out to enjoy breakfast.
Is this just not the best time of the day???!!!!!!

Day Three - Discovery Cove

The most incredible day of vacation. Discovery Cove! The day included breakfast, lunch, and all snacks throughout the day (also included an unlimited amount of sunscreen, which I got carried away with...as noted in the bottom picture). We were able to swim with stingrays and with every fish known to mankind as we snorkled. The highlight of the day was swimming with our own personal dolphin. It was so much fun and probably THE BEST family vacation we've ever taken. 4 days remain to relax, read, and enjoy SeaWorld. If you ever have an opportunity to vacation in Orlando, you definitely want to include Discovery Cove!

We've been to church....

We're on day two of our vacation and what a beautiful day it is here in Orlando. We arrived yesterday morning off an Amtrak train around 10:30. We traveled all night and except for freezing in the train, it was a great trip. We've purchased blankets here at a local Walmart for the train ride home :-)
Yesterday, we rested, read, swam in the pool and were just plain lazy! Today, we enjoyed a complimentary hot breakfast here at the hotel and at present, we are sitting at the pool enjoying each other's company before heading out to Sea World later this afternoon. I have even braved the sunshine and gotten in the pool. I wasn't sure why everyone put their sunglasses on when I got in. Scott put his book up to my legs and said that the pages in the book were darker than mine. Well, ha ha!
Last night, we visited First Baptist Orlando and had the privilege of seeing Christian comedian Ken Davis. The five of us laughed and laughed. He is so hilarious. But what makes him so amazing is his mix of comedy and his love for the Lord.
He honestly and openly shared with us his battle over depression, fear, worry. I felt like he was speaking directly to me...actually God was just reaffirming what He showed Scott and I this past week.
This past Tuesday night we were on our way to a friend's house for their son's college going away party. We pulled into the public library to talk and pray, feeling a deep urgency. God had been dealing with both of us over our obsession with selling our home, our fear of Caleb going to a public school that neither one of us have a peace about....
It was one of the sweetest times of our 22 years of marriage. God truly had broken us and we needed it! Scott cried out to God, pouring his heart out and God met us there...with much grace and mercy. We realized that we have done everything we possibly can to sell our house and get Caleb in another school district. But God continues to show us that for right now, it is not HIS timing! We don't understand but we were given such a peace that night. We have spoken with our realtor and shared with him that unless God's timing is to sell it by August 25th (the day public school will begin), we will be taking it off the market that same day.
What peace overwhelms us. God must want Caleb at that school for some reason and us in our home for such a time as this.
God used Ken Davis last night to reaffirm everything....just in case we hadn't gotten it :-) He shared a prayer that his 3 year old granddaughter prayed over him during some of the darkest days of his life..."Jesus, help grandpa to not worry, and let Grandpa see how very much You love him".
We are constantly reminded of just how much Christ loves us. When we are in the deepest of valleys, His love totally embraces us.
Well, I'm off to the pool to swim with my family...and maybe even bring home a tinge of color on this pale skin!

Luke 6:38

"Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over...."
For as long as I can remember, that's exactly what we've taught our kids...to give!
We began giving our kids an allowance when they were in grade school. From that allowance, they had chores to do. We taught them to give a tenth to the church and to also save a portion. As they've grown older, they've also had to purchase their "needs" with that same allowance. What a lesson that has been for them...tithing, budgeting, saving. I always loved listening to them tell us how much they needed something, until they learned they would have to purchase it themselves. It really wasn't that important anymore after that.
It's been exciting watching their savings account grow, watching them budget a checkbook, and seeing just how far money will stretch if you need it to. It has also taught them what's important and what's not important.
Year after year, we've had to remind them less and less to tithe. They've learned to give to the Lord first what is His. I found a piece of paper the other day on one of our girls dresser..keeping track of every dime she had earned last month so she'd write the correct amount to the church. I was so proud!
We can NEVER outgive God. My dad always taught me that if we didn't give, God would get it one way or another. Maybe through a flat tire, a broken water heater, a speeding ticket...
I'm so thankful that my kids have learned this command early on. Apart from God, we would have nothing. That should be the very first check that we write each month!
Scott has always taught our Sunday School class that if we were to take the amount of money we give to God and multiply it by 10, would we be happy with our new salary? Food for thought!
Malachi 3:10 "Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, 'and try Me now in this', says the Lord of hosts, 'If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it'".