Project 365, Week 37

We maneuvered our first full week of school and lots of soccer. It was full and good and routine.

September 10

The middle and high school share the same grounds and I was amazed at all the athletic activity happening between both schools...in the rain.

September 11
My thoughts on counseling and therapy have changed over the years that we've been doing foster care....its always a requirement for the kids we have. I've learned there are varying degrees of therapists and that its worth it to find one that is a good match. I've learned the cliché is true...seeking out help is not a sign of weakness but of strength. Its a beautiful thing when someone is willing to reach out and say, help me bridge this gap in my life from where I am to where I want to be.


All this to say, there are beautiful flowers outside the therapy building that we visit each week. :)

September 12
Speaking of therapy, one of the places this girl gets hers is in the kitchen. She grew out of her special apron so I got her a "big girl" one.

When he graduates from highschool, I'm going to make a photobook of all of his reading places and positions.

September 13
Freshman and Junior highschool Algebra. Reason #327 why I'm so thankful I married this guy. His mind is amazing and his patience unending.

Beautiful flowers from special dinner guests.

September 14
Social workers x3. :) Seven years of fostering means I've learned lots of tricks for dealing with "the system", possibly most important is adjusting my expectations.

Sweet boy was so excited that it was the weekend so he could sleep on the loveseat in our bedroom. He packed enough stuff to be gone for an entire weekend. :)

September 15
Soccer!

September 16
Our neighborhood has a block party each year so we had an opportunity to meet many new people. So many thoughts on it, but mostly we feel blessed to have been put here "for such a time as this".

After a couple hours the party moved a couple houses down where there was a pool. So many kids, most in the grades 2-7 range. Such a great day.

September's 10 on 10

10 pictures on the 10th day of the month (Monday).

{Document a snapshot of your life & find beauty among the ordinary things in your day! }

The mornings are dark and cooler. I was tickled to discover that my book and blanket match. Truly, its the little things. ;)

The highschool kid leaves at 6am, the middle schoolers leave at 7am...

...the elementary school kid leaves at 7:45am and the college student sleeps until noon. ;)

I began a three-month trial with Crossfit so that K and I could go together. Its been an inconsistent start, as those things go, so I've been doing the 7:30am class by myself. Its been a good experience.

Chilly, rainy day...my first time wearing pants and close-toed shoes to work in a long time.

A favorite part of my day...when the yellow school bus stops at our driveway and drops off a sweet little boy.

Pickup line in the pouring rain, waiting for two soaked girls who were trying out for the middle school soccer team. (After another day of tryouts the following day, they got the news that they both made the school team!!)

Aiden discovered a new book series that combines history and mystery. He's completely hooked!

An every-night occurrence...kids sitting at the kitchen counter while I cook dinner. Makes my heart happy. :)

Another very common scene...games being played in the game room.

We had an incident come up that the girls were involved in. We didn't handle it perfectly, but I was thankful for the margin that happened to be in this day so we could talk through it with the girls.

Shaun asked me out on a movie date in the living room. Forty days in the new house and it was my first time watching any sort of TV or movie. It was nice, because we got to sit close and hold hands. :)

Project 365, Week 36

Labor Day kicked off this week, leaving just four school days. It was good to continue to settle into our new routines, new schools, new house. Lots of new, but every one seems to be taking it in stride.

September 4

Working through Algebra homework. Having kids with Math homework is a daily reminder to me how thankful I am that I married Shaun. ;)

September 5

New school, new classroom, new library of books. Aiden's been reading about four a week and feels like he won the lottery, I think.

September 6

Its nice having Jared so close to us while he's in school.

September 7

Youth group had a special rally/fall kickoff night. Two of the kids brought friends from school and I spent the evening in prayer for the whole lot of them. Jesus is THE difference maker.

September 8

First weekend of soccer. This fall season we chose to continue playing with our old town. Its a really good program (which is not the case in the new town) and we've been with these families for years. This year the girls are playing together on the same comp team and Shaun is coaching Aiden's comp team for the first time. Sorry ahead of time that there will be lots of soccer pics for the next eight weeks....watching them run around and be healthy and strong, while navigating team dynamics and personal challenges fills me with deep awe and gratitude.

She started out frustrated but by the time they'd walked the length of two fields, she was laughing. Such a good daddy.

Cousins came to watch game #2, though I'm pretty sure most of them didn't watch at all. ;) They sure are cute though. :)

The older girls were gone for the weekend at a wedding so we got a few hours of "just us five" time. We do our to "push our chairs out", making the circle bigger to allow room for others, but its a sacrifice and we do it out of obedience to what we believe God has called us to. There is a very old song that I sing in my head almost daily. Part of the chorus repeats, Love is not a feeling, its an act of your will. I'm not sure if its right or wrong, common or uncommon...its not something we dwell on in the day-to-day of life, we all feel extra special when its "just us".

September 9

This sweet girl is moving across the country to pursue her dreams and use her talents. My sister opened her home so people could filter through and say their goodbyes and best wishes.

Project 365, Week 35

We breathed a deep sigh of relief when the respite kids left after 10 days and got to work putting our lives back together and figuring out which end is up. On Sunday, Shaun took our family out to lunch after church and we did a family de-briefing on the good, bad and ugly of our time with the kids and then we went school shopping. It was healing to get the day together.  And then, just like that, a new school year and soccer season started.

August 26

Avery's been helping out at Junior Bible Quiz and this was her first week as Quiz Master. She did such a great job!

Aiden scored highest in the match, but had his shorts on backwards. :)

One of our new neighbors extended an invitation to our family for a backyard BBQ.

August 27
We walked the halls of the middle school, learning how to do the locker combination and finding classrooms to make the first day of school a little less awkward. Avery is taking a class in the high school and it was cool to see my kids walk the halls where their dad spent his four years of high school.

A beautiful evening for Girls Night Out, also healing and refreshing. I'm thankful for people in my life who support me and challenge me, encourage me and inspire me.

August 28
Mom fail, episode 1,832. I took Aiden to his school for Meet-the-Teacher day, only it happened the day before. We were able to explore his classroom anyway and after we shared our hearts over ice cream.

August 29
What is more beautiful than seeing your husband praying over your children? It was an emotion day for us, so many firsts and plenty of hard on the horizon but the kids squared their shoulders and went out bravely.

All of these years we've walked to school, but now the we're in the 'burbs, everyone has a bus ride.

August 30
With the blessed routine of fall comes the return of reading together at night, at least for me, Amanda and Aiden.

August 31
Shaun is coaching Aiden U10 boys comp team. He's adjusting after having coached girls for the past couple years. News flash...boys and girls are different. ;)

September 1
Lobster fest weekend kickoff!

September 2
I don't want to brag, but I think our family silly-face game is on point! Love these people!