Joshua is enjoying R.O.T.C. these days. Keeps us busy as we add another activity to our lives. I didn’t have my camera handy this week when he was dressed for inspection. Okay, I had the camera, but I wasn’t awake at that point (coffee was still in the pot and not in my mug).

Go Navy?

Anyway, I’ll try and get a picture of him in his full regalia next week. For now, here’s a shot of him in his Navy PT workout clothes.

Kathy

This warm sunny day found half of our family INSIDE. Tragic, really. Joshua and Rachel had a swim meet this afternoon. Was it at the local outdoor pool? No! The lake? No! There we were in our bathing suits. Okay, we weren’t in our bathing suits (surely it’s not swim suit weather YET) but the kids were. Still, there was water, splashing, lounge chairs (I brought my own) and nary a bottle of sunscreen in sight.

You have to ask yourself, what I’m not sure, but something.

Sigh.

Okay, surely I jest.

David managed to get outside for most of the day.

We had a wonderful afternoon! The children and I set off for points south/west, leaving Tim at home to run errands and work on the car. We picked up Joshua’s team mate and enjoyed the gorgeous sunshine, windows rolled down and music blaring.

Rachel is a very determined swimmer. She rocks!

Along the way we met up with some friends and dropped off David, Daniel and Sarah. They had a glorious time playing all afternoon with dear friends who moved out into the country several years ago. Thank you, Jennifer, for letting the kids descend upon your home and disrupt your relaxing Saturday.

First stop into town … Starbucks! Whew, nothing like a morning without coffee to whet the appetite for some caffeine. We found the YMCA without any problems. Hooray for GPS technology! I’ll have to work much harder to get lost. Of course, I’m talented that way.

Daniel and Adam had knives, bows/arrows, and the makings of a fun day.

I managed to secure a front-row spot on the pool deck. Rachel and Joshua each swam in four events. They did great! I’m so proud of them. They are cheerful participants, respectful kids, supportive teammates, and good sports (whether they win or lose). I prayed hard during each of their events that they would swim with strength and endurance.

Joshua challenged himself in this meet. Great job, Joshua!!

What a privilege it is to be a mom of these 5 blessings!

On the way home we stopped back through Starbucks.

“Hey, this is just like deja vu,” the barista said to me, “except it’s later in the day.”
“Um, yeah, I’m faithful customer,” I mumbled. Just hand me the coffee, sir, I’ve got a long drive home.

Ah, we’re smiling easy, now that the meet is over.

More sunshine and mountain views on the way home, this time minus the extra swimmer (parents picked him up), but with the addition of Sarah’s 6 year old buddy (for an unexpected overnight). Everyone was hungry and tired. Signs of a full day?

Kathy

Last Saturday was a big day for our two oldest swimmers, as they celebrated the end of the swim season and their first year as Swim Team members. The local YMCA offers swimming classes, and (for those who take it a bit more seriously) a swim team, separated into A, B and C sub-teams. Joshua started in November, as a ‘B’ team swimmer, and Rachel followed in December, qualifying for ‘C’ team.

Rachel found swim team to be very challenging at first, but has overcome, and now enjoys it.

The Swim Team Sleepover was held at the Y, and included a meal, an award ceremony, and many games and activities. Kathy and the older two stayed until midnight, while the younger three and I made our exit after the ceremony (and the meal).

Joshua nearly had to go down on one knee to receive his medal. He towers over the landscape, these days.

Joshua and Rachel were both honored with medals for participation, and Joshua was given the ‘Golden Goggles Award’ for being the ‘Best Male All-Round Swimmer’. As the coach commented, Joshua’s discipline, commitment and willingness to give 100% at practices, distinguished him among the others and he was singled out for the coveted Golden Goggle award.

As it turned out, the ‘gold’ was spray paint, but this award is none-the-less cherished.

I was very proud of him, and of the significant effort he has invested into the team, with three weeknight practices each week, and additional swimming time on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. Joshua and Rachel have both worked hard to improve their swimming skills and physical fitness, and they are an inspiration to their parents in the areas of discipline and ’stick-to-it-iveness’.

Earlier that same day, Joshua played the role of Duke Orsino in an adaptation of Twelfth Night, performed by a group of players from our homeschool co-op. As he rattled off line after line of Shakespearean verse, I couldn’t help wonder to myself: “Where did this versatile man-child come from?”

I remember when this boy was a pipsqueak. Now he gathers honor by the bushel.

Kathy and I shake our heads a lot, watching our children surpass us in a variety of ways. “I didn’t teach them that,” I’ll confide to Kathy. “Me neither,” she’ll agree. But for all their discipline and accomplishments, I think the thing that makes me proudest is that each of my children, to one extent or another, has given their heart to Jesus and is working hard to be a worthy and devoted disciple.

As the apostle John said in his third letter: “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. “

Tomorrow is David’s birthday party.

Gulp!

A whole bunch of 6, 7, and 8 year olds coming to my house, most of whom will then spend the night. I’m not sure I’m ready. Wait, I know I’m not ready. Thankfully I have a team of workers on hand.

One of the very best things about our family is the way the children serve each other. They have true hearts of love and celebration for their siblings. I’m not on my own for this Birthday Bash. Oh no, I have Joshua and Daniel on board.

See how helpful they are? Ready to point the way.

Joshua has been planning all week, during his free time, for David’s party. As a very busy (and also fighting off a cold) high school freshman, this is quite a gift. He’s got the schedule organized, the clues written and events planned.

“Your job, Mom,” he told me, “is to have a prize at the end of my treasure hunt and food for the kids.”

“Um, a prize? What kind?” I’m easily overwhelmed.

“Don’t worry,” Joshua reassured me, “party favors will work. It doesn’t have to be fancy.”

Whew! See how well I’m cared for. Joshua even has a friend hired to work with him (and Daniel) during the party.

Maybe some Old Navy party favors?

What a blessing!!

Now to create some party favor bags, figure out food for the party, get ready for co-op tomorrow, and finish cleaning the house. It’s a good thing it’s only 8:45 pm.

Plenty of time left in the evening. :snort:

Kathy

Joshua and Rachel have recently joined the swim team at our local YMCA. This has brought numerous things into our busy lives, one of which is a slew of new quotations:

No man drowns if he perseveres in praying to God, and can swim. ~Russian Proverb

Sometimes God calms the storm. At other times, he calms the sailor. And sometimes he makes us swim. ~Author Unknown

And of course, our favorite:

When the earth floods from global warming, the swimmers will rule the world. ~Author Unknown

On Saturday Joshua swam in his first meet. Such excitement and nervous energy! We calculated Joshua was on the pool deck for 4 hours and swam for 20 minutes.

Should I be concerned? This seems like an awful lot of time on the bench.

We were very proud of Joshua’s commitment to the team and dedication in swimming.

Excellent Job, Joshua!!

Because of our incredibly snowy Christmas, the children’s Christmas pageant was postponed until a more timely (i.e. more rain and less snow) Sunday. There is nothing quite like a children’s church program - smiling, giggling kids, parents waving and photographing like mad, lines forgotten, duets so softly sung as to be almost inaudible, crying preschoolers who suddenly don’t want to leave the stage (is that stage unfright?).

David was one of the rowdy wise men this year with some actual lines and a piece of a song. Sarah sang a portion of a duet, Daniel was the stage hand, and Rachel received special thanks for helping during the weekly practices.

David was proud to be a wise man in this year’s show.

Our family was well represented.

A fitting time, wouldn’t you say, for my camera to die? No batteries, wouldn’t even turn on.

Not a problem. That was my small camera, not crucial. Okay, so it has the video viewer in it and was going to record (live) some of the performance. Still, I wasn’t worried. I had my Nikon with me, and was prepared with not just the one lens but the zoom as well.

We encouraged Sarah to think of her song as a gift she could give to Jesus.

Ah, not quite as prepared as I would have liked.

The battery ran out in the middle of the show. This was after some friends came up and begged me to take pictures of their daughters as they were sitting in the back of the church.

Of course. Typical.

The show must go on, and go it did. I worked hard at savoring each precious detail in my ‘living photograph’ and cheered loudly. I try to make up my lack of organizational skills with general good spirits. It usually works.

Kathy

P.S. Since I haven’t been blogging very often these days, I have to tack in a little picture, or two, of Daniel’s first piano lessons. Life doesn’t slow down even if the blogging lags.