the how and who of our trip

 At our church one Sunday morning last fall,  several "Go Journey Teams" had tables set up to let folks know about the different mission trips planned throughout the next year and to invite anyone interested to gather more information.  A dear friend of mine had been on a trip to Mexico with Back2Back Ministries and couldn't say enough great things about the organization.  Based on her and her husband's experiences the church had explored the option and decided to partner with Back2Back for an upcoming trip.  Mark and I were manning the Faith@Home Center just down the way from all the tables and I mentioned to Mark that we should consider going on this Mexico trip.  Perhaps scope it out and see if it would be a possible trip for us to embark on as a family.  All of the sudden he disappeared.  Then he was back, "Ok, we're signed up and I've requested the days off work."

"WAIT! WHAT?! We're signed up for what?"

In the conversations that followed I found out Mark had been praying for my next mission trip.  Our Cali, Colombia trip with E3 was several pages ago on the calendar at this point and he didn't want me to get too far away from the experience and forget the amazing way God uses, refreshes and renews when you step out of your comfort zone and go on mission with Him.  Over the next few months the team was shaped, information was given, funds were raised and needed items were gathered and packed.  We were off...

 Oh yea, when I said "we" were off,  that we included Sophie.  It turns out several kiddos were going on this trip.  So instead of a trip to see if this could be a step toward our "family on mission" dream, it was our first step into that dream.  Not the whole family yet, but one step closer for sure.

 The "we" also included 28 others.  Now that's a lot of folks to take a trip together.  Some in this group I honestly didn't get their names to stick in my brain until we were headed out of Greenville.  Many of these sweet faces I have had the privilege of living in community with for several years. Then there are the faces I knew, but  I didn't know the stories that went along with them.

So, that is the how we ended up on this trip and the who that made up the team.  That was the easy part.  What did I learn on this trip and experience?  That is a little harder to wrap up into one or two posts, but that is what I'll try to do...

So... What Have We Been UpTo Lately??

 Time is flying and I keep wondering what we've been doing that continues to allow my "to do list" to grow faster by the day without allowing me time to mark much off as being complete.  Here is a picture drop of my excuses.  

This one isn't really a good excuse because it was a Daddy date!  I skipped out on the excitement of Comicon to have a little me time (I did spend it sorting in the school room.)

 Next, came one of our favorite weekends of the year, Memorial Day!  I couldn't wish to spend this long weekend any other way.  Our community group set out for our second annual retreat:  waterfall hiking, kickball, gaga ball, lake time, smores, worship and really lots of sweet time together just being!!

(I hope to get an extended blog on that soon.  I have so many sweet pictures of this precious time.)

 After finishing The Secret Garden, one of our favorite books of the year, I couldn't take it any longer, we needed to get our hands in some dirt and plant some flowers.  Each of the girls claimed a "piece of earth" and their hearts could not have been more full!

 Simple Times Farm, was our last field trip of the school year.  Oh it was a fun day full of hayrides, candle making, washing laundry as they would have before our modern conveniences.  We even made our own butter, from the milk of the cow we actually got to milk.  (Perhaps another upcoming post.)

 Haleigh and Mackenzie each completed their first full Suzuki piano book.  They worked hard in preparation for their book recital where we had special guests of all the grandparents.  Both girls did an amazing job playing all their pieces and Sophie performed a beautiful piece on her violin.  Following the recital we all had a great dinner and precious time visiting together.

 The day after the big recital, Mackenzie and Haleigh headed to West Virginia with Grandma and Poppy. Two days after Mark, Sophie and I headed out on a big trip with this amazing group of folks from our church.  Where were we headed?  Monterrey, Mexico to partner with Back2Back Ministries.  To say the trip was amazing would be an understatement for sure!!

Since we all returned home we have had a full week of swimming lessons.  Sophie attended Artios Outpost camp with lots of sweet friends.

Mixed in with all that have been just regular summer moments, tackling summer projects when we can...

 and enjoying lots and lots of sweet sister time!!

Now that we are about a month out from our Mexico trip you would think I have settled in my mind all that was stirred by our trip.  Not. At. All!!  I am still processing lots, digging in to seek what I am supposed to do with so much new insight, and most of all this feeling that God is calling me, us, to more.  I hope the next posts of this blog will pop up within the next week as I sort through some of it.  Mostly I need to remember all God put in front of us throughout the week and all the challenges He is laying before us now that we are home...

Happy 4th!!

Hoping your 4th is dripping with fun, family and a heart full of thankfulness!

The Small Grab

Its funny how some random small thing can just grab your heart.  

As I was in our schoolroom I came across this page from one of the test prep books we used to prepare little minds to focus and little fingers to fill in bubbles.  I hadn't seen this page in detail until alone one evening sorting.  It grabbed my heart in such a way it brought tears to my eyes (much to my surprise!)  That our home is her school and that I have the privilege of being teacher and Mom, that reality pushed my heart toward gratitude and forced me to look back over the year.  We have learned things that are easy and tough.  We have struggled to push through hard learning days and hard life lessons.  We have cried when falling short of goals and celebrated victories when goals were not just reached but surpassed. 

Its been a year, like every other, with unexpected curves but we got to take them together and for that my heart is so incredibly thankful!!

The Production ... on and off stage!

Drama has pulsed through this beautiful girl since the day she was born.

This school year we decided it was the perfect time for Sophie to step off the only co-op path she has ever known (Classical Conversations) to give her drama an arena to pour into.  We found just the place as Sophie attended Artios Outpost summer camp and then Artios Co-op.   As the school year started our Mondays began to look a little differently than they have the past several years.  Instead of all heading to the same spot for the day, we piled in the van and headed to drop Sophie off across town and then head back to our CC co-op.  Every Monday evening when I picked Sophie up we would roll through each of her classes asking how it went and what she had learned.  This was our routine until a few weeks ago when all routine went right out the window.  This routine went right out the window because play week was at hand. 

I was hesitant as this week approached not knowing what to fully expect.  But honestly it was a pretty sweet week that taught us (I do mean us!) a lot.  The hours were long, there were many last minute decision that changed timing and expectations, there was a tired young lady arriving late in the evenings exhausted and there were sisters hanging on for the ride.  (One sister may have cried on Thursday when we again dropped Sophie off for another long day away simply because she missed her.)  But there were also many sweet discoveries throughout the week.

 I had been asked to make available a few meals during the end of the week for the cast and crew.  To be honest I dreaded this position as it approached, but in the end it was such a blessing.  This spot I had been asked to fill gave me an opportunity to get to know many of these kids I had known of only by name and stories Sophie had filled me in on.  I can honestly say each person I served a meal to was so polite, appreciative and kind it made this position I dreaded a real joy. 

Finally it was play time! 

 Let The Little Mermaid Jr. begin...

There are really not many words to describe the swirl of emotions I had as I watched Sophie and so many talented students (who I felt I now knew) put on an amazing production. There was so much more than the production that happened on the stage when the lights were shining brightly those two days. 

There was the production of dealing with the emotion of disappointment when parts were given differently than one was wanting to accept.  The production of the reality that a root of jealousy had taken hold and how you can deal with that in a way that reflects Christ, and how being honest about that can be such a freeing thing that it can actually lead to a production of a friendship.  It was the production of emotions from seeing your "little girl" appear on stage looking not so much like a little girl at all (her Daddy may have shed a tear or two each time she appeared on stage.) 

And mostly it was the production of so many sweet friendships of these young people who were encouraging each other, praying with each other and genuinely cheering each other on.  It was a beautiful production on and off the stage!!

What an absolute blast to watch you shine on stage and off!!

Teen Pact

 A few Fridays ago Sophie, Haleigh and I dropped Mackenzie off at her buddy's house, way too early, and headed down the road to Columbia for an adventure.  We arrived at TeenPact excited for our day, but really not too sure what was ahead of us. 

We were proud of ourselves for finding our way to the exact spot in the Capitol complex and being on time!!  At the start of the day we were introduced to the staff and given the overview of the schedule ahead.  It was a privilege to kick it all off with praise and worship.  After learning a bit about the branches of government and their purposes we headed out on a prayer walk.

 What a blessing to hear the sweet voices of children 8 - 12 years old praying for service men and women, their representatives and our governor. 

 After a quick lunch we headed out on a scavenger hunt.  We gathered so much information about our state and its capitol.  One of the most fun facts we learned was why there are six stars placed randomly on the capitol building .

Each star marks a spot where a Union cannon struck the capitol building during the Civil War.

 As we reconvened from lunch and the scavenger hunt there was a great lecture on public speaking and an interactive discussion about speaking distractions. 

 Next were some great skits to demonstrate how bills are passed backed and forth between the House and Senate then failed or made into a bill.  Prior to this fun day each of the girls had written their own "bill."  Each student was given a "first read" and their bills were sent to committees for further discussion. 

We broke up into committees and discussed the bill just as they would in the house committees.  Having the kids fully participate really cemented in the process.  After passing some bills in committee we again convened as the "full house." Then closed the day after great discussion and demonstration of all the kids learned.

It was a great day!!!  Already planning to go back next year.

"I'm Not One of Those"

     Yesterday as we were wrapping up the last of school I just wanted to get done.  Finish the school day and get some other "stuff" done.  That stuff that hangs over you when its undone, like the kitchen that hasn't been clean all week, like the laundry stacking higher and higher on my bed.  

     Mackenzie and then Haleigh had just finished their reading and I was in motion to tackle the non-school tasks.  Then Haleigh said, "Mom, before you go upstairs can you please read me the book that you and 'Kenzie were reading?"  

     "No, baby I have to get the kitchen cleaned!"  As I shifted to get up it was almost as if the Holy Spirit pushed me back down into the couch.  Begrudgingly, I settled in and began to read.  Soon Mackenzie reappeared and joined us on the couch, I asked Sophie if she wanted to pause her violin practice to cuddle up with us.  It was a sweet time, we read our story about a little girl who was a princess to the King of Kings.  Once we had turned the last page Sophie and Haleigh were off to do whatever their focus had quickly turned to.   Mackenzie, however just sat there, "Mom, I am not one of those."

     "Not one of what?"  

    "Not a child of God.  Sophie said I have to understand more first."  (In Sophie's defense it was two years ago after Haleigh's baptism when Mackenzie was asking when she could be "bath-tized".)  So began the discussion...

     "Well, do you know you sin?" 

     "Yes!" was her quick reply with a look that said you tell me that about every day.  She went on to tell me how Jesus went to the cross with her sins.  We talked in depth of what Jesus did.  She prayed.  (A sweet friend said once, "Excuse my tears, my joy comes out wet."  I did think of her in this moment as my joy came out wet.)  I often wonder how real this can be at such a young age.  But honestly there was no doubt left as I watched my baby with her own tearful joy run to tell her sisters of her exciting news.  She wanted to tell her Daddy immediately.  She was absolutely giddy. Here is the precious message we got to send...

We celebrated, and wrote in her Bible... (dictated by Mackenzie herself.)

 

Last night, when I went in for the final kiss of the night, this is how I found her...

When I woke her this morning she was still giddy, still excited to know she belongs to the King of Kings!!

Trying To Catch Up

... isn't that the way it always is?! Just trying to catch up, seems like that is what fills many days.  However, instead of being defeated and getting more and more behind here it comes, in one fell swoop. 

Since I last posted our days have been filled with many special things among the daily "stuff" of school, cooking, driving to lessons, folding laundry.... and chasing joy.  Here are some of our special joy moments.  After this I hope to stay more up to date, there really has been much to share, many lessons God has gently taught us, sermons to chew on... For now, here we go...

Our once a year, all family in, Broadway show at the Peace Center was The Wizard of Oz.  It was really great!  A fabulous way to kick of the new year! (January 2)

 Of coarse there is always Lego love!

 A great, new favorite cookbook that has instructed us towards lots of special meals and treats.

 Sweet family times of just being together.

 A school time favorite, science experiments.

 A fun morning at the circus. 

 I think I may have watched my girls' faces as much as I watched the circus.  It was sweet to watch them enjoy it SO much!!

 A quick weekend trip to Columbia for a ID meeting.  Mark went to the meetings, the girls and I played at the pool...

 ... and at the EdVenture Children's Museum..

 ...and at the King Tut exhibit at the State Museum.

 A few days, almost as rare in South Carolina as the King Tut Exhibit... snow!!

 and about a week later, more snow!!

 During the snow if your hills aren't steep enough, just sled down the steps for a bit more adventure!

 Sophie's first sewing class.  She made a winter hat, a zipper bag, and these super cute frog PJ pants.

Long awaited special arrivals!

AND just this past Wednesday, 

..she..

 turned

twelve!!!

 Finally, last but certainly not least, just the latest because it was just yesterday, Haleigh and Mackenzie had their big piano recital of the year.  It was beautiful and fun.  So fun that it will have to be a post of its own hopefully within the next week...

 Till next time, which I do hope is very soon, if your day are filled with special outings, or if it is one of those days you don't make it out of your PJs, may you see the joy that abounds around you!!

 (This post sure has helped me see that joy happens around me all the time.  In the special and the everyday.  I just have to slow long enough to see it and thank God for His blessings that go far beyond what I could ever think to ask!)