Tyler's 8th grade class had their graduation ceremony and the kids couldn't resist doing one last goofy picture together. Yes, that's right.... those 7 kids made up the entire class. Aaaahhhhh..... one of my favorite things about living in rural America. :) My son is the goofball in the center. A face only a mother could love. ;) We were very proud, he played Amazing Grace on his guitar during the ceremony.
Then came Taylor's graduation. I was okay with 8th grade. I knew Tyler would have four years left, new exciting things to plan and attend. But Taylor.... graduating high school. Well, that was just almost more than this momma could handle. I kept myself busy to keep my mind off of what I was about to face (i.e. her adulthood!), by making all the things for her reception. Being a photographer, I had done her senior portraits, so of course we made special photo announcements.....
The last day of school brought fun and games. Yep, the kids had a mud slide! :) my son, the ladie's man. lol
After graduations came summer leagues. Ball season was busy with games and cheering, and taking LOTS of pictures! :)
Ball season came and went, and our van finally bit the dust. So we had to bite the bullet and get a different vehicle. Notice I said different....we never go new. Thank goodness for Craig's list! ;) Got a Yukon. Family wagon of the decade! It's awesome and we love it. We love even more that we got it for $3k LESS than trade in value! After much prayer and searching, God led us to a couple that had to let their vehicle go as the wife had hip surgery and was unable to get into it any longer. Their loss was definitely our gain. I don't think the thing had seen a dirt road until we brought it home. Nice to have a dependable vehicle after being stranded last winter in a ditch, with no heat and three kids. Ugh.
We ventured off on our 2nd annual family vacation. What a blessing. We'd been paying for it and saving up the last year and a half so it wasn't a huge hit to the budget. Colorado became our new favorite place to be!!! We'll definitely be going back to the Rockies! The kids loved it so much they even ask if we could move there! That's huge for a teenage boy about to start high school.
My big kids were both baptized this summer on June 13th. What a glorious day for a mom and dad. Nothing greater could we accomplish in this life than leading our children to the Lord and their salvation through Jesus Christ.
Our daughter officially became an adult in August and we celebrated her 18th birthday..... by telling her how very much we loved her!!! lol We've kept asking over and over what she'd like but she always said nothing. So what do you give the teenager who has everything she needs, and wants nothing..... gas cards. :)
Total fun with a bonfire in the timber with her friends.... and mom pulled a scary prank. Yes, it was funny but so not received well. By anyone.... I screamed and hid. When she couldn't find me, she ran all the way back to the house, me hollering and trying to catch her in her panicked state.... which I couldn't. And then she upset the little one in the house, which upset dad. Which put me on the doo doo list. ;) No more pranks from mom. lol
School started back up and away they went.... Taylor to college (local college so she gets to live at home), Tyler started high school (heaven help us all!), and Tanner.....started first grade! I'd say I need to adopt a few kiddos to fill that gap wouldn't you?! ;)
Still praying and letting the Lord work on my husband for that one.
First Day of School 2010 |
We started sewing (a bit late at that) to fill a craft booth for a local festival. Joy and I are doing fundraising with our little craft. She has been praying and saving for home study number 2!! I think Jia may have a little sister in her future! And I'm saving for missions trips and a 'hopeful' adoption someday soon.
I'm still 'building' the website, but you can check it out at www.rockinragz.com
Our mission team will be heading back to Haiti in February 2011 and I'd like to be going with them. I'd also like to make it to Africa sometime soon!!!!! We recently got to say good-bye to my daughter's old youth leader who traveled to Africa to live for six months on missions. So excited for him and loving his updates he's been able to provide through facebook.
Tanner took swimming lessons this summer and FINALLY learned how to swim!!! We were so happy. Zach did an AWESOME job with our kiddo and became Tanner's newest hero. We're okay with that. He taught him something that is a life saver and took a HUGE weight off our shoulders.
Tanner started flag football this fall. His first year and he LOVED it! I don't know who loved it more though.... him or dad. ;) He did such a great job. There's definitely a lot of football in our future.
He got to be the quarterback too and can throw a ball like nobody's business for a 7 yr old! lol :)
He had his 7th birthday. It seems like we just brought him home from the hospital a week ago.... what happened?
And he got to be photographer for a day while mom was working.... we played after a session I had, and I let him control the remote. Hilarious is all I can say.
Well, I've tried to catch you up on everything we've been doing over the last few months. If you made it this far, God bless you! And I hope you keep coming back for more, because I'm making a return to blogger land and hope to have some company along the way! Lots to come! I have posts waiting for Halloween and Orphan Sunday! Woo hoo!!!
Much love everyone......