My Parents

Today is Mother's Day and my dad's birthday and it seems fitting that their "special days" overlap because really, when I think back on my childhood, I remember my parents quietly working together to keep our family unit going.

My dad worked multiple jobs: teaching, managing pools, coaching basketball and football, over seeing summer and night school.   I didn't realize until years later that somewhere in all of that he had completed his master's degree, too!  My mother worked as well, but I remember her more for her role at home: driving us to and from a zillion practices, packing snacks and lunches, making sure our uniforms were clean and we had cleats, toe shoes, and all the gear we needed.  She was the mom who always brought treats to school on our birthday and hand sewed our halloween costumes.  My parents spent their summers sitting in 100 degree weather at softball games and track meets.  They spent their winters in gyms and watching recitals, plays, and musicals.  When Brett was in college they drove three hours to every home KU game, and back the same night so they could be at work on time and I could be at school in the morning.  

My parents did not spend a lot of time lecturing to us on the ways of the world, but I'm quite certain now that was no accident.  This is not to say they were perfect, but nonetheless very deliberate in leading by example.  I watched my mother cheerfully greet and thank every store clerk and restaurant worker she encountered and I learned that everyone deserves to be treated with kindness and dignity.  I watched my dad's interactions with his students and I learned that when it comes to teaching, personal connections are more important than fancy lesson plans.  I witnessed the challenges, the ups and downs and knew that when times get tough you dig a little deeper and stand by the ones you love. I saw them sitting in the stands, the audience, on the sideline of every event with encouraging smiles (even when I struck out, or sang off key, or forgot my lines) and learned that the greatest gift I can give my children is unconditional love.   

One of my favorite quotes is, "We are the windows through which our children first see the world.  Let us be conscious of the view. "

I am so, so grateful for the view.  

Happy Birthday & Happy Mother's Day Dad & Mom!

Grandparents

December was filled with moments that I thought my heart might burst with happiness (and moments I feared my head might explode from noise). Funny how the holiday season can do that to a person! I'm not sure if it was the catalog of memories from childhood, or the understanding that time is fleeting, but I had an overwhelming sense of joy spending Christmas with my grandparents this year.  Watching them quietly taking in the days' events was enough  to bring tears to the eyes of even  the hardest of hearts, and I found myself wondering what that is like to see your kids, and grandkids, and great grandkids all gathered together. Can you imagine what that must feel like to know that you are the foundation for so many lives?

Psalm 127:3-5 "Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him.   Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth.  Blessed is the man whose quiver is full..."

Football

I mentioned a while back that we had lots & lots of football this fall.....
And truly, I wasn't exaggerating!  Due to unforeseen circumstances, Dain inherited the job of President of the Eudora Youth Football League.  This meant that in addition to coaching the third grade team, he also had a bazillion other tasks to carry out (we're talking hours and hours of work) in his "free" time in the evenings and on weekends.

It. Was. Nuts.   Seriously.....to the point where I was often thinking, "This is football for goodness sakes!" "We're not saving the world!" 

But that's just it.  The point I was missing was this:  It's not just football, it's it's making a difference in a child's life, which essentially is saving the world one small act at a time.  And as cheesy and idealistic as it sounds, I truly believe that.  It doesn't matter whether you're coaching a sport, or instructing ballet or music lessons, or teaching art or religious education, it's showing a kid that you care enough about them to show up and be present in their life.

Today a parent of a child Dain coached posted this:
It has been said that it takes a village to raise a child. I believe this has been true for our son. From teachers, grandparents, and aunts to friends who feel like family, we have been blessed by the number ofpeople who have helped guide C on his journey through childhood. One very special "villager" has been C's football coach. C likes football, but he LOVES his Coach Dain. Because of this relationship he is excited to go to practice, works to be a team player, and tries harder to pay attention in school so he can bring a good report to practice. Thank you, Dain for investing in your players. You're making a difference in their lives on and off the field!

Oh, man I can't tell you how that makes my heart swell with pride. And maybe even more importantly, it makes me appreciate all the "villagers" who support my children, too.

5K

This weekend we got to participate in an event to support our friends who lost their sweet baby boy just over a year ago. You can read more about their story at Robby's blog here: http://tryingtoseenow.blogspot.com/. They are an amazing family and we were happy to show our love for them and take part in the first annual TJ5K which honored the memory of Thomas John and raised money for the Tiny K program.

The day turned out to be a learning experience for all: Kale and I ran a 5K together.....and it definitely pushed him out of his comfort zone in more ways than one. It was windy and the course was hilly, and up to that point, the farthest he had run was 2 miles on flat terrain....but he finished, and we are so proud of him for that!

Some lessons my sweet boy learned:
1. You're not going to be the best at everything you do, but trying hard things is good 2. If you do want to get better at something, you have to practice.

And of course, his mama learned a lesson, too:
Sometimes you have to quiet the competitive voice inside you that wants to ditch your kid and run a decent pace.....A tender hearted child is way more important than the time it takes to cross the finish line :)

Despite all his complaints during the race, Kale did help his sister finish her run, and he has already asked to do another 5K :) Actually, his words were, "Can we run more of these so I can get better?"  That inner desire to improve is just one of the many things I so love about that kid!

Autumn 2013

First Days of School

 

And thanks to my part time arrangement, I get to WALK to pick these cuties up everyday. 

 

Crazy how such a simple thing can be so good for the soul :)

 

Football.  Lots and lots of football.....

 

 

 

Cuddles and playtime

 

Halloween Fun!

 

 

 

 

 

Charleston

Thanks to a structural leadership conference, Dain and I got the chance to travel to Charleston earlier this summer.  For those of you keeping track, this is our first (real....out of state....kid free.....no other people involved) trip in a looooong time.  We moved at a slow pace, and ate, and talked, and ate some more, and laughed a lot. 

 

Thanks to the world's slowest boarding plane, we were late arriving for our connection flight which led to a mad dash through the Atlanta Airport....but by some miracle we made it!

 

The second day we were there a tropical storm moved in....devastating rain and wind.......flooding......just kidding ;) There WAS a tropical storm, but the worst of it missed Charleston and  Dain and I were rather unimpressed with the whole thing, but thankful at the same time, because who really wants to spend their vacation stuck inside?

 

 

One day I got "brave" and visited a plantation on my own.  It was beautiful and I was so busy taking everything in that I walked over this bridge to see the statue on the other side.....

 

And nearly stepped on this guy!  I screamed so loud.....and then laughed hysterically because I was the crazy Midwesterner screaming at an alligator.....and then I went back to take a picture because I knew no one would believe me without a picture as proof.  In my defense, it wasn't the size of the thing, but the fact that it totally caught me off guard AND the idea that mama alligator could be around that really freaked me out.  I spent the rest of the time on the trail nervously jumping at every squirrel and bird that crossed my path :)

 

Here's the modest plantation I selected for our retirement home:

 

Grandkids will love it, don't you think?

 

 

 

The area was beautiful and the downtown was great for shopping and with all the historical sites and beautiful views it was great for exploring.  But really, the best part of the trip was getting to hang out with this guy:

 

 

Can't wait to go back!

Kale's First Communion

For your First Communion
May God give you...

For every storm, a rainbow,

For every tear, a smile.

For every care, a promise, and a blessing in each trial.

For every problem life sends,

A faithful friend to share.

For every sigh, a sweet song,

And an answer for every prayer.

~Irish Blessing

We are so proud of the young man you are becoming.  Full of courage and compassion, taking challenges head on (sometimes literally...ha, ha), and ever growing in your faith. Congratulations on your first communion.
Love, Dad & Mom