Play Ball!

Tonight was a Ward softball game.  All the kids aged 12 and up got to play some friendly ball.  Our neighbor ward was invited to come too.  I'd say we had about 30 people playing.

 My two favorite players are on opposite teams.

 They played until the light was gone.  What a great event.  I always loved playing softball.

 

 

Routines

What are your routines?  I find myself not settling into a good one right now.  For years every fall we get back to school and run the gauntlet of kids activities after school.  Football practice and games, soccer practice and games.  This year none of those things are on the plate.  I'm feeling a bit empty.  Not sure what to do with the time.  I used to want time, now that I have it, I'm not sure what to do with it.  So what do you do?  I need to use mine more wisely.

On another note yesterday we collected food for the Feed Ohio initiative.  The two routes that we looked over were barren.  No one left food out, but the company was good.  As a ward we collected enough food to fill the back of a pick up truck.

 This isn't all of the bounty, not everyone was back yet after we came back to our check point.  Things like this make me happy.  I love giving service. 

One of the things I thought about today at church is making the Boy Scout motto part of my daily life.  So I'm going try to do a Good Turn Daily.  I think I might even keep track for awhile.

Have a great Sunday.

More Like Him: August Update

I think this month I was comforted more by the Savior, than I was like the Savior.  At the beginning of the month I was feeling the nest emptying more as Kayla turned 17 and was visiting trade colleges.  The middle of the month consumed me with back to school drama and issues, not to mention extreme humidity and heat.  I was more self-centered than service oriented.  I notice when that happens I start feeling sad.  Often in life it takes me a bit to figure this out and turn things around.

By the end of the month my focus has shifted to 119 6th graders.  Whew, we are full.  I see about 80% of the kids as some have different needs to others we try to serve all those needs.

A scripture I heard at my niece's wedding today made me think of the perfect love of the Savior and how I felt that all month.

1 Corinthians 13: 4-7, "Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity ^denvieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself ^aunseemly, ^bseeketh not her own, is not easily ^cprovoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in ^ainiquity, but rejoiceth in the ^btruth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things."

The Savior is the perfect role model of Charity.  I am grateful that I have such an amazing example to follow as I learn my way through life.

Sweatin'in the Oldie

That's me.  Everyday since we started on August 20th.

We are not an air conditioned building.  Thank goodness the community supported a new school levy and this won't be the case much longer.

 We have fans that blow around hot air.  This year we are peaked at maximum capacity in our grade level, so that doesn't leave much room to ventilate.

I'm looking forward to a break in the weather.  Looks like next week will be it...what happened to the cold front that went through the week before school started?

And Love Remains

We celebrated with friends from church their 50th wedding anniversary.  We got to sit with Yaya and Jack while being there.

50 years are awesome.  I want to have that experience too, I've got 31 years to go.

 The food was amazing.  I missed the cake shot before it was cut, but you can see it on Yaya's blog.

We visited the grounds of the castle while we were there with Yaya and Jack.

I don't know, baby T-Rex or Kyle?  Not sure who'd win.  It was a fun evening out.

Repairs

You know those projects that you put off forever because you (Kyle) doesn't know quite how to tackle them?  Well, that was this roof/fascia project.

Our roof has been missing fascia for several years because the tree that was once in our front driveway scraped it off in a storm.  Kyle did not have the equipment to bend fascia so he ignored the project.

My brother is a contractor and has told me for awhile that we could borrow the equipment.  Kyle wants to sell our house next spring and move since Kayla is graduating and so we are busy doing repairs to make the house marketable.

Old Victorian houses are beautiful, but take a lot of maintenance.

 Thanks, Mike for bringing your equipment and helping with our project.

Making progress....

Finally done!

Summer of Adjustment

Ten weeks ago, I left my first child 1,000 miles away.  I miss him.  We talk to him weekly, text a few lines more often than that.  But the sound of his rickety truck coming down the alley doesn't come anymore.  Nor the stomping of his feet through the house, because Kota never did anything quietly.  It is a big adjustment letting him grow.

 

I applied for several administration jobs this summer.  Got a second round of interviews on one position, but contrary to what I thought was an affirmative prayer...I did not get the job.

 

We are experiencing a lot of adversity in the family right now.  Another car accident with a silly story and no injury.  But, another claim on the insurance.

Loss of hours at a teenage job right when she needs to pay a deductible.

School levy not being past repeatedly, is leaving her  senior schedule with a lot to be desired.

Kyle being overlooked for a promotion at work as well.

Falling down the stairs a few weeks back has literally left me getting adjustments on my tailbone.

 

So many adjustments I having a hard time knowing how to feel.

Seems like I feel all the emotions, but the one that sticks around the most is emptiness.

It is so quiet here.  I can't wait to get back to the routine of school work. 

I hope that breaks the cycle of adjustments.