memorial day to labor day 2015

To me, Summer is Memorial Day to Labor Day. Although we didn't get out of school until June 11 and went back August 19, those are still the days we live like it's Summer - staying up late, sleeping in as much as possible and being outside every second we can.

Summer was 100% full. In past years, I've had majorly high expectations and been sorely disappointed. This Summer I feel like I managed my expectations a little better and it really helped. (That's a handy thing to do for life in general - manage your expectations of people, ministry, church, vacations, work, etc.)We always think things will slow down so much in the summer, but the reality is it's just a different fast. June is crammed with camp trips and car washes and fundraisers and Big Kick. And July sees more camp trips and vacations. Then you get home and BOOM! It's time for school to start.

But this was a good one. A real good one. Sophie gave us a run for our money in the attitude, sass, stubbornness and anger categories.  That was a real issue a lot of the time which is frustrating and defeating in so many ways. Ted has been so sweet and kind and really helpful which is a very refreshing turn of events.

There is definitely zero personal space in the Summer. The kids stay up as a late as we do and I sleep until the very last minute possible to get to work on time. I love that I don't have to get anyone else ready for the day and the babysitter will take care of all that other stuff. Sometimes it feels pretty claustrophobic but I manage until about the beginning of August before it really starts to get to me.

For the first time ever, I wasn't ready for school to start. I didn't want the routine, the short evenings, the cool weather and the homework. I just want to be outside in what seems to be slightly more carefree days sucking the most out that we can.

Things to remember from Summer 2015:

rainy (I mean rain everyday) june

a july spent traveling

6 camp trips for mountaineer area young life

big kick soccer camp (170 kids!)

newspring church

2 trips to the river

day in pittsburgh with ben

the kids spending a few days in new martinsville

day in summersville with the bergs

fun days with the kozels
cool august

natticakes on rainy days

millie loosing her hearing

ben & ted's trip to rockbridge

washington, dc to see john & shawna

cabins in the woods
road trip with bethany to the ville
being assistant cruise chip director

surfside beach & pawley's island

a bike rack to hold all our bikes

5,940 miles driven between the two of us
epic babysitters (cole & delaney)
friends to share sitters with
walking through the hard things in life with friends
one stubborn and pushing the limits child
sleeping in & staying up late
dinners on the deck
a great baseball season
cookouts with friends
dealing with conflict
being outside all the time
pirates games on root sports
old milwaukee
pool days with the underdonks
not sleeping well for about a month
bridges built in relationships
cornhole, bad mitton, jet skis, boat rides & swimming
american ninja warrior
drive in movies & mini golf
black bears game
weddings
friends
tour of the wvu football facilities
4 trips to rockbridge
reading wonder
closing out the pool in the rain
the hottest weeks of summer were after we were back in school



So on August 19, these two started 2nd & 4th grades. I am THRILLED with their teachers this year and expect it to be one of the best for both of them. I'm also very aware that Ted has this year and next in elementary school and then he'll be moving on to middle school. (Oh my word!) We jumped back into the routine of early(ish) bedtimes, reading everyday, homework, gymastics, flag football and piano lessons. Young Life is in full swing. As hard as the last few years have been in ministry and/or personally, and as much as we could live with a sense of fear of what might be next, we are anticipating and expecting an incredible year all the way around. And we're ready for the 2015-2016 school year.

Ted: Class of 2024
Sophie: Class of 2026

spring & summer books

These are books I read or listened to in the Spring and Summer. They are in no particular order (except the first one is my favorite).

For the Love: Fighting for Grace in a World of Impossible Standards

by Jen Hatmaker

READ THIS BOOK! You will laugh. Hard. You will cry. You will laugh until you cry. You will try to read parts to your husband and he just won't get it. Just read it and be blessed. You'll thank me later.

(As a side note: Jen is speaking at the Young Life Celebration in January and I'm determined to sit poolside with her. Or at least meet her and get my picture with her. I'll keep you posted.)

Nobody's Cuter Than You

by Melanie Shankle

This is her 3rd memoir type book. It's about the importance and role of great friendships in your life. I was encouraged by this book at the need for good friends and that the effort and time that it takes is an invaluable investment. It's an easy read or listen and a book you will want to pass along to your best girl friends.

Every Bitter Thing is Sweet

by Sara Hagerty

I LOVED this book. It's simply her story - a very inspiring one. I was totally engaged the entire time. I just found out she's doing one of the "experiences" (seminars) at the Young Life Celebration. So I'm excited to hear more from her.

Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less

by Greg McKeown

This book has been passed around our office and has a lot of great principals and strategies for narrowing your focus and doing what only you do best.

Love & Respect in the Family

by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs

I LOVE Love & Respect (for marriage). This one takes the same principals from the marriage book and applies them to the parent/child relationship. I learned some really fascinating things and found it to be quite helpful.

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie

by Alan Bradley

A great British mystery starring an 11 year old amateur detective and chemist, Flavia DeLuce. An easy read with more books in the series if you like it wand want to read more.

Anything: The Prayer That Unlocked My God and My Sould

by Jennie Allen

This book challenged me and made me thing about my "anythings" and what those look like with an eternal perspective.

Weird:Because Normal Isn't Working

Craig Groeschel

I listened to this one while we did the sermon series at church in the late Spring. It was easy to listen to, challenging and just a good all around thinker.

 

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand

by Helen Simonson

This was a smart, clever novel that is an easy read and a great story. I read this one at the beach and really enjoyed it.

I listened to the majority of these books as I drive an hour to and from work 3-4 days a week. I really loved reading a lot more this summer and am hoping to do a lot more of it. I go in spurts and I often forget how much I love to read.

end of summer wrap up

For the last two weeks of summer we tried to cram in as much fun as possible while still doing responsible things like work, grocery shopping, laundry and cooking dinner. I was exhausted!

We came home from vacation and reconnected with the Kozels at our one and only Black Bears game of the season. We went about a month without seeing them which was entirely too long.

Ted has graduated to the front seat when we drive around town. He was fascinated by all the compartments, buttons and controls. I gave him about two trips doing that and then I threatened to break his fingers. That seems to solve that problem.

We spent an afternoon at Dorsey's Knob exploring the trails, seeing the goat and not seeing the bull, and playing on the playground.

The WV Young Life Staff had a meeting one day so we went to hang with the Bergs. The plan was a fun day on Summersville Lake but it rained and was 65 degrees. So we stayed at the Bergs house and played with the chickens, did crafts, had dance competitions and generally had a great time.

 Ted went to New Martinsville for two days and Sophie went for five. It was just the break we all needed. The kids spent every waking hour together this summer and those days apart were really good for everyone.

Sophie helped babysit Reed several of the extra days that she was there.

And he wore her out.

While the kids were gone, Ben and I went to Pittsburgh for the day to plan the semester and the year for family and ministry. It was a great day away for us and getting all our thoughts in order.

The kids and I squeezed in a quick 24 hour trip to East Brady. We couldn't go just one time in the summer. So we did lots of swimming, a few boat rides and played at a new fun swimming spot.

 While we were gone WVU students came back to town. Students double the population in Morgantown. As much as I love WVU and the students and know that we are here because of them, it's always a little sad because Morgantown is the loveliest place all summer long.

This line of UHauls always makes me smile. There's a particular UHaul place in town that will cram in an unbelievable amount of trucks this time of year. It's hard to believe that FIVE years ago, one of those trucks was ours. We moved here one week before school started. We just finished our 5th year and are starting our 6th.

WVU Young Life did a "Welcome Week" for students and part of that included some activities for Fall Fest. I'm pretty sure our kids were one of the few (only) kids on campus the night of Fall Fest. 

The last few days before school started we had Wyatt hanging out with us. We swam at Cheat Lake and played on several playgrounds. Thankfully, American Ninja Warrior was quite the thing this summer. I believe it gave us one more good summer with boys at the park simply because there is the ability to turn any park into an obstacle course.

And, because of the monkey bars at the park out at Cheat Lake, all the kids started school with several massive blisters.

 As sad as I was for school to start, I'm thankful for the routine and the space. And the still warm days and football season. 

Cheers to Summer 2015!