Our boys are playing on two different football teams. Our youngest is in the oldest age group for his team....while our oldest child, while not the youngest on his team, he is one of the smallest. So, given that this is the first year playing for each of them, it was quite a blow to our oldest when his little brother made "A" team on his squad and the big brother was on "B" team for his team....

Ok...just to be honest - my heart hurts! I want to go out there and do it for them - I want to take the hits and have people talk trash to me - just to spare them! But, apparently that is one part of the game that they have to get used to and they have to be willing to endure if they are going to make it in the sport (thank you to daddy for reminding me of this important lesson!) While there has been some jealousy issues and some "trash talk" around our house about all of this - there has also been some really good teaching moments....like the other night when I was able to talk with our oldest about how I get jealous of others quite often - and how I have to confess that before God on a regular basis. How I have to see it as the pride issue it is in my heart before I can address the attitude and actions that result from it. We talked about some of the struggles with jealousy that I face on a regular basis and how the Word of God is able to teach us who we are in Christ and Who we are designed to please and glorify...not easy lessons at 11 or at "29" :)....

Oh well....all of that aside...we left for practice tonight with both boys wishing each other a great practice and encouraging each other to "knock someone's head off"...brotherly love - ain't it great!

Michele

Ok...we have had some wonderful friends from Florida visit with us two weeks ago and they left heading back last weekend. They are so sweet and we LOVE their family very much - so when leave, the house is, well, a little quieter if you can believe it knowing the Everson crew. When the "girls" are here (the family's two daughters and, of course KJ Summers has to come over too!), we have blow up mattresses in one room for all the girls - and blow up mattresses in another room for the boys...AND NEVER THE TWO SHALL MEET!!! Well, when they left this last time, the boys were helping me straighten up. When it came time to take down the blow up mattresses, both boys started begging me to leave them up. I pleaded my case about needing to vacuum under them, them having more space in their rooms, and then the plain 'ole mom reasoning of just plain "why?"....Of course, their answers were so much better than my reasoning - if you think like a little boy! The bed in Josh's room is their padded football field - they can tackle inside and they can dive for the pass and not get fussed at for "coming through the ceiling". Then, the bed in Caleb's room becomes the hang out that they sit and talk on, play video games on and generally just be together -all without Josh sitting on his bed! So...after listening to this well-constructed argument - how is a mom supposed to say no? Needless to say, over a week later we still have two queen size blow up mattresses upstairs, fully inflated on the floors of their rooms! And I have two little boys that are having daily grappling matches and football plays until they just can't take anymore! Sometimes you have to forget about your own decorating ideas and just let boys be boys!

Wow! We have hit the road running this school year! There is no time to breathe lately between schoolwork, Church activities and now football! The boys are so excited about football season - their first year playing tackle football....glad they are excited 'cause Momma doesn't quite know what to think about this one! It is one thing when you watch adult (ok, so grown) men out there hitting each other all in the name of a little brown ball...but to watch your 9 and 11 year old strap on more pads than you can count and try to cover and PROTECT every part of their bodies before they go out and hit each other on purpose - I am questioning the logic of this game! I have been told that you must be a guy to understand it enough to play it....I guess that's true. Like I said, I have loved the game when I am watching someone else play it, but now that they are my children out there - whoa, wait a minute! Let's talk about injury rates, concussions, broken bones...where else can I fit a pad in that uniform???

Na...I think Mom is outvoted on this one...we just don't talk about it that much - after all, they are boys and I have to "go with the flow" if I am not going to be left behind in the years to come! I better just "get a grip" and get into the fan gear! Here we go Redskins and Cowboys!!!

Well, it has been a busy summer and, despite my best intentions - I have gotten nothing done! I am busy - but not sure with what! I have been running, both literally and figuratively...we have been going to the children's ministry functions and, we have made a trip back to Florida for a visit....but where has the rest of the summer gone??? Who knows!

I was thinking about all of this tonight as I was visiting friends on facebook and I was looking at all the family pictures everyone has on their profiles...I absolutely love being a wife and a mom! I love spending time with my kids and having fun as a family. We went today with our Senior Adult group from Trinity to the Nissan factory in Canton, MS. We had spent the whole day together and had so much fun being with everyone...but tonight, as I was tucking our boys into bed, Caleb made a comment about what we were going to do tomorrow and then, in the flash of a moment realized that tomorrow is FRIDAY and that Daddy would be home "all day"!! He got so excited and starting dancing around in his bed! It was soooo cute - my boys LOVE their daddy and they LOVE spending time with him! He started immediately making all the plans for them for tomorrow - football, lunch - you name it, Chad's day is planned! Those two boys, as well as their daddy, make the most of being a family! They have a ball - whether they are wrestling, playing football or praying - they do it with zeal and intensity! Mom just has to leave the room - I DREAD tackle football this fall!

Anyway, I am thankful for my boys - for God allowing me to be their mama and for a husband who loves to spend time with them...and I look forward to the years to come - making the most of our time together!

Hey...there is a new post on The Homeschool Forum blog that is about why our Protestant Churches are losing our teenagers....I wrote it from a desperation to teach my boys the truth of the Gospel and what the Christian life entails. It stems from a book I am reading called "World Proof Your Kids" by Tim Sisemore. Check it out!

www.homeschoolforum.blogspot.com

Ok...we have been doing "testing" for the end of the school year this week...fun, NOT! While we approached this week with full knowledge of what we were getting into, I don't think any of us could have anticipated what happened and how draining this week would be for all of us! After all, do you remember? I remember sitting in class, knowing that the test was important and being nervous about not knowing something - thinking, I better read this question again (4 times) - what if I missed something? What if it was a trick question? If I don't get it right, it really might be the end of my life!

Ok...so maybe not quite that dramatic - but I did do the ultimate stress out over tests! Then, you have my hubby - who admits that if he could have skipped the test and still passed the class, he would have seriously considered it! Not a good mix when you consider our offspring! Our boys are so much like their parents! I will apologize to them when they are older and can understand it - and thankfully they would NOT understand it at this point!

During pre-testing last week, we practiced staying calm and just focusing on "what is the question asking you?"....bless his heart - you put a math problem in front of him that he is unsure of, and the nervous tics begin, tears flow and the stomach turns flips! Reason is out the window and all he sees is a life in the ghetto...

Our youngest, well - he is just really not that interested in testing - after all, he knows he can do the work, why don't you just believe him!? He tries to get everything done in record time and get to more important things - like legos... Unless of course, you tell him that I will be giving Daddy (his hero) a full report of how the testing goes - then it is ultra important that I understand why he is right with every answer!

So...we begin testing - be pray for strength, clarity of mind and no tears. The thought is to get our hardest subjects over with first - oldest/math and youngest/language arts & spelling....tears flowed... TEACHER left the room and MOM stepped in! I stopped them and reminded them that we do our very best for God EVERY DAY and that this test is just one more day! I reminded them that they knew what they were doing and that tests were just a chance to prove it! I spoke about deep breaths and calming down (lamaze classes came back to my mind!)...and then...
Well, we got through it....that's about it! I can't tell you that the clouds parted and sunshine came down in our house - that birds were singing and the boys were smiling....but we did it! They tested well (as I knew they would) and they stopped all the dramatics.

Funny, as soon as they thought the test was over and I just asked them some "follow up questions" for my curiosity, they were able to handle their hardest questions without even so much as a misty eye or hiccup! Amazing....

Do you remember getting this worked up over tests? I do....I hate it for them and I know I owe them an apology - but they got it from me! I still get worked up when I know I have to do....well, just about anything! I can make myself sick thinking about outreach, teaching Sunday School, homeschooling them, meeting new people....you name it! So, what do we learn through the years that separates the adult from the child?
1. Remembering that I do EVERYTHING as unto the Lord, for it is the Lord God I am serving EVERYDAY (Colossians 3:23 paraphrased)...
2. I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength (Phil.4:13) - so He will equip me to do whatever He calls me to do....
3. We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God had ordained before time,that we should walk in them (Eph 2:10)....He has already set my course and has the tasks for me to do - I just have to follow through on His plan.

oh...so much more....but to sum up - realizing that EVERYTHING I do, EVERYDAY, must be bathed in His Word and that my life must be governed by His Word...If I do that, He will be satisfied and glorified - that is all that matters!

So, I wish I could say that I never panic or fear - but it would be lying. I wish I could say we were completely done with testing, but that would be lying also (don't tell the boys yet! Let them have a good weekend!)...but what I can tell you, that I know from experience and it is truth....that test really ISN'T "the end of my life as I know it!"

We "lost" our van recently - well, a month ago! We have been sharing one vehicle for a month now and realizing that it is somewhat difficult to do when you have a husband in the ministry! Every time I keep the truck for errands, he gets called away somewhere and has to have it back! :)

Anyway, some wonderful friends of ours took us to Jackson for a car auction last week and we were able to get a new van at the auction! We had saved some cash and had a tax return - so we were able to get a van with just what we had!



All of this made a great lesson for our boys...leave it to Daddy to turn every event into a teaching moment! We were able to talk with our boys about how God had answered our prayers for a new vehicle, how He gave us more than what we had asked for and how we were able to get a great vehicle without going into debt! We have been working with the boys on understanding debt and what it is - we have, several times, offered them games or toys that they can purchase on credit through us! Then, they will have to pay us back with interest! While it is tempting for them...they have each time decided that it was better to wait for what they wanted than to go into debt to get it....the test was when it was something we needed - like the van! Of course, "needed" is a strong word - we were able to make it fine with one vehicle for the month, even if it was an inconvenience....

Guess we are all faced with this same test all the time...every time we see a gadget, an electronic or a "toy" for grown ups that we want....everytime we think we "need" a new grill or a dress....how much are we willing to go into debt to get what we want? Or are we willing to wait to get what we want with cash?

Well, since our last post, we had a wonderful visit from the cousins! The rest of the Everson folks came to see us at the end of March and the boys were uncontrollably excited that week! They had such a great time bowling, riding scooters and playing together that the week passed way too fast....

Ok...as I am sitting here checking facebook and internet surfing, I am listening to Andy Griffith - sharing a laugh with my boys. It is amazing what you can learn from Andy - maybe you've seen this one....definitely one to watch!

Aunt B and the ladies are in the drug store, standing around shopping and, of course - gossipping! They are runnin' down folks and makin' stuff up! Before you know it, they have started the rumor through town that Barney has shot himself in the chest and he's dead. Only on the Andy Griffith show can the line "according to you, the Lord only made two sexes, males and blabbermouths!" be stated and the NOW group not be waiting on the doorsteps! Well, I tell ya - it is a shame that there is so much truth in the humor....

Unfortunately ladies, we have done ourselves in - we have earned this title and reproach! Too many times we "share" with one another or "ask for prayer" for someone....when we really have no need to know all the "ins and outs" of the situation. Well, even Opie knew to stay away from that one! Let's take our notes from the kids! My boys thought this one was hilarious and could not believe Aunt B and the ladies acted that way - causing all that trouble....let's not let them find out that it still happens today!