Bittersweet Ski Trip

Saint Vincent‘s Boy Scout troop provided us a trip to the bittersweet ski resort in Michigan. I was able to take Jaxton and Cooper on the trip. It was our first ski trip all around. It was definitely a first experience and a lot of fun. It was about 20° and we stuffed our boots with toe warmers and her gloves with handwarmers. The gear was bulky and uncomfortable but it kept us warm. And it was a learning experience to figure out how to ski! Jaxton was a natural from the start and picked it up fast. Cooper wanted to take a lesson and learn specifics and take it slow. Once we got the hang of things and had to make a pizza slice with our feet it became fun and thrilling! We went up and down many times. The left was so scary the first time we went up it. There is no power to keep you in and if you can forward you would just fall out! Super scary! But it got better after a few times of doing it. We stuck to the first two slopes that way for beginners like us. It was a great day with my boys.

Cooper Turns Eleven

Cooper turned 11 on January 24! I cannot believe how fast time flies. Here are some fun things about Cooper this past year.

1. Cooper has loved basketball. He just finished the oak farm basketball season and played super hard. He is small but fast and motivated and determined. He has really enjoyed this sport. He is just beginning Griebel upward basketball and is looking forward to having dad coach!

2. Cooper loves his dog. Lexi has become his new best for a friend. And equally Lexi loves him to pieces. He will roughhouse with her and they will roll around and wrestle together and play. He will take her outside and run and play and they just have so much fun together. It’s the classic “boy and his dog!” I am glad he has a furry friend to grow up with. 

3. Cooper is always so very helpful and thoughtful. He always can notice when someone needs a hand or somebody needs help with something. He’s very aware of his surroundings and the people around him. Because of that he makes a lot of difference in many peoples lives as he notices them and is thoughtful of their feelings.

4. Cooper loves to watch NFL football and NBA basketball on TV. He likes to stay up late to watch the games and he is truly engaged in the games. It’s fun that he enjoys that so much. He and Nate watch them together especially and it’s fun for the two of them.

5. Cooper‘s closest friends these days are Ethan from school, Nate Elliot, Ryan Kochanski, Greg and Ben.

Kaylee’s Dessert Party

Kaylee had a dessert themed birthday party today. She invited all of her closest friends around. The girls decorated chef hats and dipped cake pops and made Hershey kiss cookies. Then we played musical chairs and of course a cupcake pinada! She had a homemade ice cream cake. She had a blast and I think her friends did too!  Happy birthday Kaylee!

Kaylee Turns 8

Happy Birthday Kaylee!  She is eight years old!  Where has the time flown?  Here are 8 fun things about Kaylee at eight years old!

1.  Kaylee loves cats.  She loves everything having to do with cats.  They are her favorite!  Since I am allergic to cats, we will never have one; but she hopes to one day have her own cat!  

2. Kaylee loves her brothers.  She is one of a kind in our home and brings the feminine peacemaker attitude into our home.  She loves her brothers so much that she chose to turn her own room into a toy room and move in to the top bunk of the boys' superhero bedroom.  We plan to add some female superheroes to the decor, including Cat Woman & Wonder Woman.  She certainly loves to be surrounded by people and not alone.

3.  Kaylee loves to give hugs.  She just hugs and hugs and hugs.  Her heart is of gold and she is extremely compassionate and empathetic of others.  That is a gift that sometimes cannot be learned, but for her it is innate.  She is always concerned about other peoples' feelings and she hurts when others hurt.  She also feels joy when others feel joy.  Her middle name fits her most perfectly.  

4. Kaylee has a beautiful singing voice.  She does not sing super often, but when she does, it sparkles.  Her tone and her key are spot on and she does not even realize how talented she is without trying!

5. Kaylee is a little gymnast.  She loves gymnastics and tumbling.  She is getting very good at it too.  When she does a back handspring, her elbows bend, allowing her head to touch the ground; the same exact problem I always had as a kid.  So together we have been doing pushups before bed to strengthen our arms together.  :-)

6. Kaylee is a fabulous little mother.  She is so able to get down to Owen's level, or any young childs' level and speak to them in a way they are able to understand.  Again, this is a gift that does not come easily to all kids or adults.  Yet she is innately able to get through to a child and communicate with them in an amazing way.

7.  Kaylee is so extremely interested in the body and its systems and the way it works.  She is fascinated when learning about white cells and how they attack the germs in her body, or when she cuts herself by accident she excitedly awaits Vitamin K to kick in and stop the bleeding.  She is always asking questions about how things in the body work.  

8.  Kaylee's prayers are the most precious and genuine prayers I have ever heard.  When she prays she always has a lot to say to Heavenly Father.  She prays to improve in skills or in things we talk about at our scripture study.  She prays that she will choose good things and that she will be kind.  She prays for people she knows need prayers.  Her prayers amaze me.  Again, innately spiritual and kind and good and everything in between.  

Happy Birthday Kaylee! We love you very very much!

Rollar Skating

We went roller skating as a family for fun.  It is a fun activity because every age level can actually succeed.  The big boys can skate on their own.  Kaylee and Dawson used the walker things to skate with.  Nathan used the Fisher-Price skates with no walker, only high fives to everyone skating past him.  Little Owen wore Fisher-Price skates and pushed a walker.  He refused to ride in the miniature car strollers because he thinks he is too big for that.  He had to have skates and a walker like his siblings.  Too funny! 

So with everyone capable and happy, it made for a fantastic family night!

Fred & Martha

FRED & MARTHA’S FARM

Pastor Fred and his wife Martha who had been cooking for the mission groups all weekend invited us over to see their farm and share dinner with us.  They retired on a beautiful property with lots of acreage.  They built 2 barns and have 1 beautiful horse, 1 donkey, 8 goats, and lots of chickens.  They tend a huge garden and grow a lot of their own food and can it and freeze it.  Fred has a workshop in his garage building and does lots of his own woodworking.  He gave us a beautiful wooden cutting board, #164, for our little cook, Dawson at home.  They have 1 daughter out in California, but they seem to need a bunch of grandchildren to fill up their home and land and to play with their animals.  They were so proud to have us and our kids come see their heaven on earth that they have created together.  One of the highlights was a drive in a 1929 Model A Ford that he had fixed up.  That was pretty neat!  Dinner was delicious, and afterward Martha played Phase 10 with the kids.  Fred and Nate had some great heart-to-hearts and Nate relished the wisdom that Fred has.  

First Baptist Church of Whiteville

CHURCH

On Sunday morning we were able to experience Sunday School at First Baptist Church of Whiteville.  Fred, a retired army chaplain and pastor spoke to the mission group.  He spoke of wisdom vs. knowledge and shared his own experience as he gathered army men from all different denominations together in a united service under the same God with the same goals of Christlike love.  He has come to the understanding as a baptist that all people who strive to follow Christ are united.  Each group may have their own traditions, specific rituals or doctrines, but all are united in the same Christlike purpose of love.  

After Fred’s sunday school message, we went into the sanctuary to hear from Pastor Ryan, the pastor at the church.  It was a service similar to a presbeterian church we attended downtown Fort Wayne.  There was a childrens’ ministry up at the front, 2 little babies were all dressed up in their blessing outfits and were dedicated to the Lord during the service.  There were Christmas hymns and organ music, and very friendly families greeting us and thanking us for joining with them this day.

Pastor Ryan’s message was also very inspiring.  He spoke of a worldwide and church wide lack of trust and faith in leadership and organization, that churches are losing sight of Christ.  When he spoke of “the church” I realized he was referring to all followers of Christ in every denomination.  He did not single out baptists as “the church,” but referred to all denominations as included in “the church.”  That was fascinating.  He made an analogy of an Amber Alert.  When there is an amber alert and we hear it on our phone, we stop, read it, and have an emotional moment of wonder and fear and sadness.  When Jesus was lost from his parents, they experienced the same feelings.  When we lose Christ from our life we also experience those feelings.  So we must always be seeking Him, keeping Him close, and following His example.  It was a wonderful message to lead into 2019.

CPR Sorting Warehouse

CPR SORTING WAREHOUSE

We went to the CPR Warehouse, which stands for Connecting People & Resources.  It began after Hurricane Matthew a couple years ago in response to the needs that arose after that storm.  Wallyce, the individual heading up the organization, was finalizing Hurricane Matthew needs and using the warehouse for storage for a few items.  That’s when Hurricane Florence hit and suddenly there was a great need once again.  The warehouse began receiving hundreds of donations and filled quickly.  The families in need were also in the hundreds and Wallyce began pairing up people and families with supplies and furniture.  Wallyce's CPR effort is on her volunteer time and she works full time outside of the CPR.  So in what limited time she has off of work, she is sorting and organizing supplies, filling out paperwork for families, and pairing families up with supplies they need.  Her second warehouse holds heavy appliances, bed frames, mattresses, and other very heavy items requiring a forklift to move around and organize.  There have been so many donations that her sorting project is overwhelming.  We were able to help for one and a half hours to sort through bags of clothing that were donated into the correct sizes and hung on hangers.  We folded bins of scarves and unloaded boxes of donated items into the proper areas of the warehouse so they would be more easily found and accessed.  So much more help is needed to organize and sort through everything there.  But we are glad that we could help with a few of the boxes & bags. 

Jade & Timber

JADE & TIMBER

Jade & Timber’s home burnt down 2 months before Hurricane Florence Hit.  Their 4 bedroom home was leveled and their three animals in the home were taken too.  They lost absolutely everything.  Jade works as a waitress and is going to school to be able to work as a nurse.  Timber is 7 years old and super cute.  They hope to rebuild a home on the same property they lost their home and are praying that 2019 will bring good things for them.  They have been helped and supported by the local CPR and have some things that they need to survive, but we were able to shop for some things that Jade & Timber might want.  

We found Timber some glow in the dark jimmies and another fun outfit, some remote control cars and books.  We got some much needed laundry detergent for Jade and some foot scrubbing materials and socks for her, as well as a Walmart gas care.  Her Bible was burned in the fire, and she has been wanting one badly, so we got her a nice new Bible as well.  

When we met Jade & Timber, they were so glad to have us.  They were so grateful and expressed so much gratitude that people were thinking and praying for them.  They are excited to read their new bible together tonight for New Years.  They want to stay connected with us through Facebook so we can follow their journey as they try to rebuild.  Before we left them, we held hands and prayed with them.  As I offered a prayer for this family and prayed for blessing for 2019 I choked up with a love for this family.  Jade had said, “You don’t even know us and you are here doing all this for us.”  We don’t know Jade and Timber, but at the same time, we are brothers and sisters in Christ, and so we are connected to them with a Christlike love that we cannot describe.  It is an indescribable automatic love.  We wish them the best this new year. 

Joy & Holden

Joy is a single mom whose simple and complete life had been uprooted by unexpected family circumstances and then Hurricane Florence, all in a matter of months.  She and her autistic son Holden were staying with an elderly couple when Florence hit and flooded the town.  She had all of her belongings in a storage unit since they were in between homes at the time, and the entire storage unit flooded, causing her to lose everything they had besides a backpack of clothing.  She works extra hours at the golf course and made side money decorating for Christmas for people and she and Holden have a small apartment.  The CPA donated mattresses to them and a bed frame for Holden as well as 2 couches for the living room.  They don’t have much more than that.  We were able to check off some things on their list, including a much needed vacuum cleaner, groceries, pillows, blankets, and drawing supplies for Holden.  Upon meeting Joy and Holden, their positive outlook was contagious.  They were gracious and thankful to us and want to stay in touch with us.  We prayed for them in their home as well.  We hope that 2019 will turn up for them and will keep them in our prayers. 

Crusoe Community

The first project of our trip involved gathering blankets for the people of the Crusoe Community in Whiteville, North Carolina that have all been displaced by Hurricane Florence and lost most everything they owned, including blanket.  Upon arriving in Raleigh, North Carolina, we began making phone calls to department stores around the area.  Most places needed a corporate approval, which we did not have time to get.  We gathered blankets from several Wal-Marts along the way down to Whiteville.  With all of our multiple trips to different stores, we ended up with about 80 blankets to give.  We tied ribbons and attached encouraging notes to each blanket.  

As we were giving blankets away one lady from the Crusoe community expressed her gratitude for these blankets.  She told us that since the Hurricane in September, she has been sharing the bottom bunk bed with her granddaughter.  Her granddaughter has a small unicorn blanket that they share.  Now she has her own blanket and can stay warm with her granddaughter.  So it truly was a need.  It is hard to imagine having no blankets!  These people were very grateful to have new soft blankets to keep warm. 

CRUSOE COMMUNITY LUNCH & BLANKETS

Upon arriving at the First Baptist Church of Whiteville, we got to work planning and prepping tomorrow’s meal.  We cooked the macaroni noodles, flavored the green beans, and washed and cut potatoes.  The next next morning, we finished the macaroni and cheese in about 6 batches to feed 100 people.  We sauteed the potatoes, cooked the corn and green beans.  We loaded it all up and headed to Crusoe.  At the Crusoe fire station they pulled out the fire trucks and we set  up holiday table decorations and 100 chairs and all that food.  Around 1:00 the people of Crusoe began to trickle in and we got to meet these people we had tried to research.  The firefighter lady who had rescued everyone’s animals In the flood, and whose home the other mission group was mucking, was there.  We learned stories of heartache and suffering.  But positive joy in the journey as the people are trying to keep getting by. 

THE FAMILIES

The families of Crusoe have a deep and fascinating history.  They are a unique group of people somewhat isolated by the Waccamaw river and swamplands.  There is only “one way in and one way out” of the “island” of Crusoe.  They are a tight knit group of individuals who care deeply about one another.  One family we met had lived next door to the fire station.  The grandmother, Donna, and grandfather, George, had their 4 grandchildren with them.  Nicole (12), Dalton (10), and 6 year old twins Maddox & Jackson had 3 year old twin siblings at home.  All 8 of them have been displaced from their home next door to a small 2 room trailer at the dead end of Crusoe Island.  They lost everything.  Insurance won’t work with them, and the city will not dam up the river, and FEMA gave them a little to get by, but they have no idea how they will ultimately recover from Hurricane Florence.  I hope that Praying Pelicans will work on their home next, get it mucked, gutted, and prepped for rebuild.  These people are so humble.  They have a Christlike love and humility and are doing the best that they can given the circumstances.  

THE HOMES

Almost everyone in the community has been displaced and cannot live in their home.  Some are working on rebuilding their homes, while others do not have the resources to do so.  The other Praying Pelicans mission youth group had been mucking out homes.  “Mucking” means to carry outside all of the furniture, belongings, stuff and debris that is left inside the wet moldy homes and take it outside into a huge pile to trash or burn.  This “mucking” requires special Tyvek suits, masks, and gloves to protect from airborne mold and other contaminants.  We did not participate in this effort because of the ages of our kids, but we did see the piles of debris and heard stories of the youth group that did this great service.  They found photos and items and had to help decide if they were worth saving or tossing because they were covered in mold or mud.  The owners of the homes being mucked were extremely grateful for the extra hands, but also gave them a difficult grieving experience as they witnessed the things that they once treasured being unusable and destroyed.  Some of the youth went under the homes on their stomachs to pull down the duct work and insulation in the crawl spaces of the homes.  We saw their work after the fact and realized what difficult, muddy, disgusting work that was, and how grateful the people were for that work.

Hurricane Florence Relief Mission Trip

PRAYING PELICANS

The Praying Pelicans Mission Group was wonderful to connect us to Whiteville, North Carolina.  Deanna, our main contact, has been fabulous to work with our young family to find service opportunities that we were able to do with the ages of our kids.  She has a 2 year old and 7 month old of her own that joined us on the trip on Saturday evening.  To juggle her family as well as handle our family and the other youth group and all the organization and planning and preparing for us is amazing to me.  She is centered on Christ and loves what she does so she can serve and help and then also give others opportunities to serve too.  

The other youth group that joined us in Whiteville for this weekend mission trip was from Virginia and drove down in a bus.  They were 13 years old through 18 and there were about 12 youth and several adults.  They too were Christ centered and were there to serve.  They were fabulous examples of goodness to our kids and I am grateful for them as role models this weekend.  The kids played piano with them, played uno and musical chairs with us, and late night games.  It was great to see those youth so happy to be there on this trip and get dirty and work hard.  

THE LIBRARY

We did not know exactly what to expect for our lodging accommodations.  The kids had all kinds of funny images in their heads of where we would be staying, knowing there had been a hurricane.  We ended up having the most fascinating room of the entire church be our bedroom for the weekend: the church library.  The library had bookshelves full of very old books.  There were old encyclopedias, old Charles Dickens stories, religious theory books from the 1940’s, childrens picture books from the mid 1900’s, and much more.  

Our New Dog Lexi

OK recently adopted a new dog from the Allen County SPC a dog shelter. Lexi‘s original name from the shelter was Kate. We changed it to Lexi :-). Lexi came from a neglected environment with her two brothers.  She is part boxer and part foxhound. She resembles Bella, our old dog.  She is eight months old and is still very much a puppy. It is an adventure to train her to obey commands and go potty outside. She has been a joy. So much fun!

Chef Dawson

Here is Dawson, the owner of Fast Cooker’s Restaurant. He is a chef. He loves to cook. For Christmas he got his own set of cooking supplies including an apron and chef hat. Here he is in full uniform cooking for the family. Love you Dawson!

Kaylee's Fractions

Kaylee brought home some homework today on fractions.  She says she enjoys math a lot.  She was having trouble understanding how to add simple fractions, when really you are taking pieces of pie away.  She thought it seemed more like subtraction than addition.  It was sweet to see her little mind at work.  She drew a pie with 5 slices and then colored in the ones that were taken away in order to add the fractions.  This was confusing to her.  I helped explain to her that we are not taking pieces of pie away, we are eating them!  If one person eats 3 pieces, and one person eats 1 piece, then that means that 4 pieces of pie out of 5 slices total are eaten.  

This concept finally clicked in her mind and it was like a lightbulb went on over her head.  She got it.  It made sense.  And she did every single problem correctly after that.  She even went on to add fractions to get whole pies plus some and that was fun to teach her.  She is so talented and strong in her little brain. 

Kaylee's Eraser

Kaylee has gotten some quirks from her mother, unfortunately.  She has a tendency to "pick" at her skin.  When there is loose skin or scabs, she will pick it.  Well, she began picking the skin around her  fingernails until it began to bleed and hurt a lot.  She got so frustrated because she is having a hard time controlling the need to pick.  

I shared with her a funny story of me as a kid, a kid that would pick my skin too.  My sweet Mom gave me a big pink eraser to pick all day long.  It worked for me!  And so we tried it.  She carried a pink eraser around in her sock or her pocket and every time she would think to pick, she would pull out that eraser and pick at it instead.  So far this has worked and she has been so proud of herself.  She showed me her finger and said, "I think its healing!"  She has an amazing ability to learn self control.  Love that girl so much!