Jillian called, “Mom, I’m taking some pictures of Laud!” Lucas jumped along to help out. He loves taking pictures of his little brother.
Somewhere in their cute little thoughts, they decided our four-month-old should take a picture on each gymnastics event.
Jillian and LaudThe Tumble TrackVault! The Vault TableBars! Pull-upFloor! (Can’t walk yet)Pommel Horse! (Yippee)Parallel Bars! (Help!)Beam! (Boys don’t do this!)
First there’s Jillian and Laud. He looks happy enough.
What does she have for me to play with today? Wow, that looks interesting
Then there’s the first event – Tumble Track! Jillian is very careful as he is only four months old and not yet ready for bouncing.
Big brother, what exactly is going on here, this doesn’t feel right…
Up comes the next thing… ooh, Vault! Laud has some spotting help to stand on the vault table – although that is definitely not a parent-and-tot piece of equipment.
Mom! Can you see me, mom! I’m taller than Jillian on this thing that isn’t squishy!
Unfortunately, or maybe for the pictures, fortunately, mom is busy with the computer work and although she hears her baby yelling with happiness, it doesn’t occur to her that his big sister and brother are up to something.
Floor! Sissy, I might need to tell you I can’t walk yet… um, why is this floor moving?
At least on floor there was a tumbling mat to stand on. Laud appears to begin wondering if his brother won’t save him from his sister’s silliness, maybe he should yell for mom.
Bars! Pull-up! Lucas, why aren’t you saving me?
Jillian lets him pull up on the quad bars. Once he’s up, he doesn’t seem too sure about it.
Pommel Horse! Lucas, this is really cool dude, what can you do on this sturdy thing?
Pommel Horse is probably his favorite since he can do it with only a little side spot. Lucas zoomed straight in on his face.
Parallel bars! Wait! More Bars? What happened to the horsy thing?
Beam? Um, wait, boys don’t do this… Lucas, why don’t boys compete beam? This event has Jillian smiling!
I hope you enjoyed this series of pictures and commentary!
Jillian provided the inspiration! Lucas did the photography! Laud was the subject.
How quickly they all grow! Smile and enjoy the show!
Over Thanksgiving this year, my brother came down. Instead of his always-growing-out hair that he only cut for donating, my little brother was sporting a military crew almost shaved cut. Lucas loved it. Lucas spent most of the time trying to climb on Buddy, so it really was only a little surprise when I came home to Lucas without any hair.
Louis had been trimming his & Lucas said, “Dad, I want an Uncle Buddy Haircut!”
Uncle Buddy is on the far leftLucas with his smile face
Mom would have tried to talk him out of total shaved, but Daddy was like, “oh yeah!” and buzz clippers made very short work of Lucas’ hair – that he had been “growing out” the last time we did haircuts.
Lucas seems to like it. One of the afterschool friends pets his head and says “good dog” – but Lucas just barks and laughs. Louis said, “maybe I should have left a little hair,” but it grows back.
The girls and Louis called him Aang (from the Last Airbender series) and I’ve got to laugh because there is a bit of a resemblance when he’s goofing off…
At least we are facing a Florida winter! I tease him that beanies will be his best friend!
Seriously? This child cracks me up with her faces!
They are: “I’m Thea” (top left), “I’m Coach Heather” (top middle), “I’m sad” (top right), “I’m sassy” (bottom left), “I’m Becky” (bottom 2nd from left), “I’m really mad” (bottom 2nd from left, “I’m a listening baby” (bottom right).
She loves everything her way and her biggest challenge right now is learning that she must listen to the teacher, coach, big sister, grandmother, or parent who is doing the teaching!
She absolutely loves gymnastics (she does only Fridays at Gym-N-Learn this season). Supposedly, her coach says she’s doing better at listening. I hope so. The reason it’s Fridays only? So I can bribe her with open gym participation if she listens! (Seriously, our open gym is immediately following Preschool Program – and that seems to work.)
Thea is a very independent three. I think “going on thirty” but then maybe she’s just “chasing Becky and Jillian” in the attitude department – and their determination has started to serve them well in practice and life. Thea wants to do everything herself – always has. That appears to be a huge thing for my children though, they always want to do whatever it is by themselves. It leads to them doing tasks and jobs before I think they are ready. (Taking the PERT or driving a motorized “big wheeler” at two or jumping into CAP leadership or raising animals or cutting potatoes.)
I always have to remind myself that Thea is only mine for a season. She is really Jesus’ daughter and I have the honor and blessing of being her mother. I enjoy each of her various faces and moods. I love to watch them grow. I love to guide them toward the truth.
That’s all what went through my brain while she posed with silly faces telling me what emotion or what person she was being.
This year it may be a little premature, but I’m super excited about the amazing things. #Thankful #Gratitude #PensacolaChristianCollege #EmbryRiddleAeronauticalUniversity #LifeJourney #Children #GoodNewsChurch #WGVGymnastics #Education #Thankfulness
Thankfulness 2022
September 27, 2022
Each year I try to reflect on what God has done in our lives this past year.
This year it may be a little premature, but I’m super excited about the amazing things. I love to brag on what God has done!
I’ve been working for WGV Gymnastics (dream job I wanted my whole life but didn’t know it). Louis is coming up on two years of working for Heritage Funeral Home. I am super thankful for our Christian work environments and Christian bosses.
Christina is happily pursuing her dream with passion, determination, and enthusiasm. She is still at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University full time, working at WGV Gymnastics part-time, and babysitting, dogsitting, and housesitting on the side. She is an amazing big sister! Her little gymnasts love her! She serves in the nursery at Good News Church at least three times a month and loves “her babies” – yes, they become hers for an hour or so. I am so thankful for Christina!
Becky has thrown some shocking curveballs at us and is away at Pensacola Christian College. Same state, yes, but an hour earlier in time than we are. (Different time zone, as she’s under Alabama on the panhandle – Lucas and Thea point out on the big map on the wall at church every morning when we get their lemon tea “there’s Becky!”) I am so proud of her! She’s exploring and learning and growing – such an amazing young lady I am so blessed to be her mom! Thank you, Jesus, for Becky!
Kimberly can legally drive… (REALLY??? I can’t believe she’s 15!) She’s learning so much in schoolwork academically, in gymnastics physically, and in life with maturity as she grows and takes on so much responsibility! Kimberly’s plans are impressive. Her determination is a trait so many people comment on to me – as a youngling, it was labeled stubbornness, but now that she knows how to focus, it’s determination. Kimberly is a competitive gymnast at WGV Gymnastics, a gymnastics coach part-time at WGV Gymnastics, serves in kid’s ministry at Good News Church at least twice a month, and dogsits occasionally. (She is working toward her claimed goals of saving for a computer for college this spring and a car next fall.) I am so thankful for Kimberly!
Jaquline is Christina’s twin. Sometimes Christina’s gymnasts see Jaquline and give her hugs saying “hi! Coach!” which makes Jaquline smile proudly and Christina jealous. “You’re stealing my hugs!” Christina has been known to say later. Jaquline has grown in her relationship with Jesus so much in the last year. She serves in the church nursery at least twice a month. She occasionally volunteers at WGV – or works cleaning to “get Christina out faster.” Jaquline continues to work toward her goal of team gymnast someday – she loves Beam and said she wished there was a Beam only competition. Thank you, Jesus, for Jaquline!
Jillian is facing the challenges that come with entering double digits. The want of being treated as an adult yet the want of continuing childish foolishness. She’s maneuvering that with the cornerstone of knowing that Jesus can lead her through anything. She loves her kid’s ministry leaders at Good News Church. She loves her coaches at WGV Gymnastics (she’s a competitive gymnast). She loves her friends and I see her making some lifelong friendships, if she can hold them. She is leaping forward in academics! I am so thankful for Jillian!
Lucas is an unstoppable force of limitless energy! He is always running a one-man football game where he is the quarterback, receiver, kicker, lineman, and fullback all at the same time. When he catches his own forward pass, I’ll have seen everything. He begs me for a brother almost every day. He is super thankful for his “gym brothers” and his “best friends.” I am super thankful for these young boys and young men God has set around Lucas to help him enjoy being a little boy and slowly teach him how to be a young man. Lucas gives 110% to everything he touches. His passion and enthusiasm will help fuel his discovery stages as he grows. He loves gymnastics. He loves being strong. He loves mud and football and big trucks and being like dad. Thank you, Jesus, for Lucas!
Theadora is no longer the baby. She is a “big girl” or a “young lady” all the time. Though she loves snuggling (I’m so glad she hasn’t grown out of that yet), she is quick to say “I’ll do it myself!” and proceed to do just that. Theadora has a bold confidence that comes from running the gym at the age of two. She doesn’t care to keep up pretences, what you see is what you get – at times like that I think of her as “Becky junior.” This confidence and determination will carry her far. She “signs her name” as TTT and says, “see, I’m triple T,” they are left all over Coach Heather’s desk as “swips” for Coach Heather along with who-knows-what-it-should be doodles. I am so thankful for Theadora!
I love the stage God has us in! I’m so thankful to be here and alive and enjoying every minute of our time together and apart. I love our family. I’m so grateful to see our younglings grow and become young women (and eventually, a young man)! Thank you, Jesus, for the honor of giving life and raising children! I’m so overwhelmed with gratitude to you, Jesus, for my totally amazing family!
Enjoy each moment! We know our children are “on loan” from God for a little while & then they take flight! Enjoy this adventure, Becky!
Stretching Her Eagles’ Wings
August 28, 2022
Part of our educational philosophy is never to hold anyone back. That is sometimes the hardest part of being a homeschool mom, at least for me.
Friday, Christina, Louis, Thea, and I drove Becky to Pensacola Christian College for the start of her next level.
The car trip was fun. Louis and Christina kept playing songs Becky likes and saying, “oops, that’s not classical or hymns” which made everyone laugh and several discussions of songs and lyrics and morality erupt. We didn’t stop as often for potty or snack breaks as Louis thought we’d have to (Thea was too entertained with her big sisters and Christina, Thea, and I packed a bunch of snacks).
The campus was huge and iconic. Beautiful brick and magnificent stately trees reflected tradition and integration. I’m a bit nerdy; I loved the architecture and old fashioned style. Everything was electronic though! I had received an email asking for a physical copy of a specific document – and being leery of electronic access as I am, I brought the actual paper. Didn’t need it. The electronic version of the printed paper in my purse “transferred” perfectly from St Johns River without a thing from me. As Becky’s “authorized parent,” I was able to load into a portal on my phone that allowed me access to maps, her mailbox information, orientation information, even schedules and everything as if I were the student – Becky said it was creepy, I thought it was cool!
After crossing off the seven things (five on the “welcome” list, but with Becky under eighteen there were two paperwork drop offs and as she’s in the work program, she had a task for that as well) Becky had to do and being as much help (okay, Becky would call it hindrance) as possible, we decided (not precisely accurate, Louis decided) to go have a late lunch together just off campus.
Someone likes Becky’s new spot!
Mellow Mushroom. In Pensacola? I thought the one on Anastasia Island was the only… oops.
Finally, I ended up with a picture of my college girls. They thought it cool because both are Eagles and blue & gold & white. (Kimberly got in on that because she took her SAT at Pedro Menendez High School so she considers herself a “Falcon” and even has a Pedro Menendez Vystar card! She pulled it out and showed them the blue & yellow colors – “A falcon is a type of eagle” Kimberly claims.) Becky laughed because she and Kimberly plan on being Gators when they head for their Masters & Doctorate. (“trading the gold for orange” they claim) Remember that mustard yellow skirt? Becky’s pairing it with her beautiful navy blue blouse turns her outfit into her college colors!
I’ve been listening a lot to college plans since we encourage studying the path to what they want to do and finding various ways to access that final goal. There was a lot of path and plan discussion on that road trip.
I’m so proud of Becky for taking flight! I pray she has a wonderful experience and learns a lot. I pray she makes friends and connections that will last a lifetime! I pray she does her best. Her best right now is amazing me. I’m truly excited for her entering this stage.
Thank you, Jesus, for making it possible for us to help our children pursue their dreams! Thank you that each of them wants to help the other. Thank you that each wants to invest in their own education by working for it both financially and mentally. I’m so thankful for the blessing of Becky in my life! Thank you, Jesus, for allowing me the honor of being her mother!
As I’m driving back home, chatting with Christina as Thea and Louis sleep in the back, I think on how parents only really get to father or mother their children for a few years – they are on loan from God anyway as all of them are God’s children entrusted to us. “21 years” by TobyMac came on the radio followed by “Cinderella” by Stephen Curtis Chapman… God knows how music touches me. One bit in the “21 years” song that makes me smile is “21 years, what a beautiful loan,” (I thank you Jesus, for trusting us and “loaning” Becky – and the others, but this thought was really about Becky – to us) and in “Cinderella” the bit is “but I know something the prince never knew,” [meaning they grow up and go] and yes, girls become young women, make their own decisions, and I pray mine know they can still talk to me about anything.
Enjoy your “loans” with your littles! Enjoy every bit you can. God has trusted us with training and raising His beautiful children! Just like I love watching “my little gymnasts” (those I’ve coached, usually as preschoolers) as they rise, I love watching my girls become young ladies.
I love you, Becky! Let your light shine! Enjoy this adventure called life! Every day is a gift from God; that’s why it’s called the present!
As I drove to work, I noticed the goldenrods in bloom. My mother always told us that meant six weeks to cooler weather. Everywhere I have lived, that bit of seasonal information has held true. From Virginia to South Carolina and, yes, even in steamy Florida.
The thought of seasonal change made me smile and reflect on the seasons of life our family is shifting into this year:
Christina started her first day at an “away” college. She’s a junior at Embry-Riddle. Her literal first day of classes was today. A season of independence for her – her eighteenth birthday is looming closer than I want to believe. Secretly, I already consider her an adult. I’m so excited for her and pray for wisdom in her new ventures!!
Rebeccah got her first request that wasn’t family for her art. Her birdies are almost old enough to sell. Her hobbies are blooming the imaginative artist within her! She has been raking up driving hours with us… Sixteen is too close.
Kimberly has taken on teaching roles at home, at gym and at church. She loves teaching. She loves tutoring. She is growing patience and understanding. She is facing tough decisions between CAP and Xcel Team gymnastics. Her goals, respectively, were officer rank and team. Made one! The new restrictions and the lack of social interaction at CAP versus the unlimited freedoms, friendly faces, and encouraging camraderie at her gym. She asked me to make her decision… I have to let her decide and I will support her decision.
Kimberly and Jaquline
Jaquline is maturing into a young lady. Mom may not be ready for that! She loves gymnastics and thrives in her books – she, just like her older sisters, is a bookworm. Jaquline is beginning to enter her realm of personal responsibility and leadership.
Jillian is learning to manage friendships and learning to discern when to follow and when to lead.
Lucas entered school “officially,” as he’s first grade. He is enjoying his new challenges!
Big sisters like to take pictures and selfies…
Thea started Gym-N-Learn at WGV Gymnastics. Mom isn’t ready for some of the skills she tries, but her ability to learn from others and take direction? Yes, that is so awesome!
Each season is a new discovery of challenges. Of fun and fabulous adventures… Of making new friends, finding new loves, achieving new goals…
Life constantly moves forward. You can never go backwards in life. If you missed something, start over. Renew. Rejoin. Always move forward. Someone said to me, “you’re such a dreamer, you’ll never have your own (house).” But I believe in God’s timing and plan for the future while living in the present! I embrace this new season nd pray for wisdom to guide my younglings (and not so young younglings) through their new seasons of life.
I hope as this season starts for you, you remember the awesome past, look to the future, and build memories in the present!
“Freedom fireworks!” Screams one of the littler girls when she hears me say, “fireworks over the Matanzas starts at 9:30.”
The best fireworks show in the world (okay, maybe since St Augustine is my city, I might be a little biased) is our downtown spectacular “Fireworks Over the Matanzas.” Every year since our little family moved to St Augustine with a one-year-old little Christina, we’ve been down at the bayfront when the sky explodes with vibrant colors to musiç that stirs your soul and shakes through your shoes up to your chest.
My sisters have joined us, my mom came to her first one with us in 2019, various nieces and nephews have camped out in the stroller (now retired) or on blankets at the festivities. We dance, enjoy the day, watch fish, marine life, and people.
This year it was park late, walk fast, and get there with 15 minutes to spare!
I love our tradition!
As long as we have “Fireworks over the Matanzas” we will be there. Sometimes more than “Tart, party of 9” and sometimes less as the kiddos start branching out, but we will be there!
This year was exciting as everyone stayed up through the show but also sad because Christina wasn’t there (in Indiana doing pilot stuff).
Time marches on.
Seasons change, stages overlap, and years pass by. You have 18 summers (maybe) before your infant, who slept though her first Fireworks, becomes an independent adult. That could be scary.
This year Christina is 17, going to Embry-Riddle, and just graduated with her AA and is blowing our expectations out of the water! I’m so humbled by watching this amazing young woman become an adult.
Becky went to PreMed camp. Her triumphant return with a passion that turned my silent introvert into a chatterbox relaying exciting experiences and new goals and plans made me thankful for our decision to send her. She is such a caring heart and her passion is contagious! I’m humbled by this beautiful heart I’m getting the privilege to connect with. I’m praying God grants me the wisdom to guide her as she chooses her next steps.
Kimberly had a difficult decision to make for summer and did it with grace. I’m proud of watching her take control of her responsibilities.
Jaquline is proving herself a competent household manager and baby/toddler whisperer. I can’t wait to see what God does with her tender servant’s heart.
Jillian is learning to take direction and focus better. Her live of sports and can-do attitude make for a world of possibilities! I’m praying this season teaches her responsibility and determination.
Lucas is growing by leaps and bounds. I pray his tender heart continues to protect others.
Thea is learning to count by 10s and quarters!! (That made Jaquline and I blink) “Mom, I need 25 *raises 1 finger* and 50 *raises 2nd finger* but not 75 *raises 3rd finger* for goldfish.” She was right, goldfish snacks at gym need 2 quarters aka 50 cents.
Treasure each stage. Embrace each challenge. Look for the positive in what appears to be negative. Find truth. Choose joy. What few summers you have with each one will slip away faster than you think. It wasn’t like last year (with no Fireworks over the Matanzas) I thought, “Christina won’t be here next year.” Nope, didn’t cross my mind. Just like I balk at the thought that Becky is beginning to mange her own schedule… As is Kimberly.
Just like pregnancy (I love being pregnant, the feel of honor carrying life), you never know when “the lasts” will happen so you have to treasure each moment.
Enjoy your last half of summer! Make some memories!! Do the unexpected simple things (like play a game outside in the light rain) to make this summer special. Treasure each moment. I’m trying to…
Thea is getting independent by giant leaps. I don’t do the whole months thing unless I have to (I love math, but “over one” is just as good as “fourteen point two five months” as far as describing my baby’s age goes) so when people ask, she’s one.
Lucas gets a new bike, and Thea has to try it!
Lucas gets a water balloon maker (thank you, Grandma! The grenades have shredded latex shrapnel all over the yard – so Thea likes to clean all the pieces up)… and Thea is right alongside them filling up balloons.
At the beach she’s looking for shells with Becky and running into the surf with Lucas – not as far as Lucas, at least she still got a healthy fear of the deep!
Building a cage? Oh yes, Thea is right there trying to screw in the wood… well, Mommy and Lucas were using this tool on the wood: Thea just hasn’t figured out screwdrivers drive screws!
Grandma brought a pool – “Mommy!” Thea wants it set up so she can splash!
Daddy gets stakes for the garden… Thea is helping him drag them to the right spot!
Thea loves her shoes (Thank you, Jesus! Finally a child who wants her feet covered outside!) and will bring them to her bigger siblings since she can only get her feet partway in and she knows that isn’t proper. …and reading – she loves anything Becky is reading. (Actually, anything Becky is doing!)
I love watching them grow. I drove Christina and a friend to another friend’s graduation and his mom mentioned how much Thea has grown. I can already see her at 16 and graduating in a year like her eldest sister… time flies. Enjoy every minute with them!
Life has taught me, fortunately at a young age, that we are not promised tomorrow. The byproduct is that I am frank, honest, and don’t hide my care and concern for those I love. I try to remember that each time I speak to someone may be the last – I have lost many people and none of my losses are plagued with regret at the last words spoken. I pray that I keep love first.
I watch my younglings grow and I continually pray that I am guided to teach them how to live without regrets. To love honestly, to speak in that love, to always stand for truth, to live life taking risks so as never to say, “I regret…” wistfully thinking of some word or action they wanted to do but decided against. I pray they guard their hearts from evil and think on positive things.
I watch Thea grow, as I’ve watched each of the others and my younger siblings, I smile at her growing independence and blooming personality. I am so thankful and humbled that God blessed us with the honor of raising our children and leading each of them toward their own way. Our time with them is short. Enjoy every moment.
The one who first called me mother
is sixteen years old. Thank you, Jesus. I am so grateful for being blessed with
Christina! I can’t imagine life without
her.
I truly understand that God entrusts
us with raising his children. There is
such a wonderful humbling feeling in being able to watch my little baby grow into
a young woman of God.
For nine months I felt this tiny life growing inside of me. We prayed over her (not knowing who she would be yet) and loved her from the time we imagined she would come. She was born the eldest grandchild to both sets of grandparents – imagine such a crazy double blessing!
Fast forward to today: she’s driving and we’re on the way to her job and Kimberly’s classes with Thea and I riding along (so I can take the car back home and Thea was just up with us so got to serenade us – she sings to music now).
I thank God daily for each of my children. I know we aren’t promised tomorrow. I treasure every day. Every time I get to hear Thea sing notes (no words yet, just “aaaahh-ooooh-aaah”) to music, every time Lucas builds a train track that snakes all over the front room, every time Jillian is jumping like a pogo stick because she learned a new skill or mastered a math concept, every time Jaquline makes something new, every time I get to see Kimberly march (in Civil Air Patrol) or practice some new flip (gymnastics), every time I see Becky snuggle with Lucas, Thea, and Jillian on my bed reading “Angel and the Ring” (Lucas’ favorite), every time Christina ranks up or encourages someone else… every time I get to spend life with my children.
They don’t have to come to me when they need to talk about something or ask personal of difficult questions – I thank God that they do. They could bury themselves in isolation from “the parents” but I’m super thankful that they choose to be around us when we are home. In this precious time while they are close, I want to talk, snuggle, read, play games, cook together, watch them build, invent and grow, and see them climb closer to Jesus. I am so thankful for the time we’ve been given together.
I became a mom on December 24, 2002. My little life began inside me and I excitedly whispered it to my mother on Christmas Day because I knew she wouldn’t think it odd that I “felt” my angel start inside me. My first pregnancy journey ended with my beautiful young woman who is driving beside me now. There is something humbling and awe-inspiring when you hold that first tiny human and realize that God has gifted you with one of His children to raise up. Once through that, I felt the same huge responsibility and humbling gratitude each time I felt the little life start.
Life is a vapor; you look at your tiny child in your arms and when you open your eyes again, she’s been flying a plane and driving a vehicle, doing college classes and working a job. Though she is nearing the time she can choose to leave your home you carefully built for her, you continue to enjoy each day, each opportunity to be around her. You pray thankful for the time you’ve had and for her safety and future.
Those years speed by. The love you carry never leaves. No matter if your youngling is plucked early to fill heaven with joy, your love remains as strong as the day you discovered them growing inside you – a mother’s love never stops.
As I start getting him settled (someone must have shared a red skittle with him, as the equation for crazy energy = red food dye + sugar + Lucas), Christina comes in with her new laptop. “Mom, I need help setting up.”
So this is my bed & it’s 2300:
I’m trying to sleep, need to be up
at 0545 to get Thea ready, me ready, walk dogs, and beat the bits of traffic;
0615 if I don’t care about eating breakfast or packing lunch.
I smile and remember – they won’t be little long. Soon Christina will be 16, how much longer will she even ask for my help? Lucas is 4, when will he suddenly stop coming in to snuggle? Thea is 5 months, but I can remember Christina being that little and it seems like yesterday. I take a picture as Christina gasps, “Thea! Computers are not for eating!”
Yummy! Thea tastes Christina’s brand new laptop
No, they won’t be little long. I choose to cherish every moment… even the
late night Mom’s bed gatherings.
