Sunday, September 28, 2008

September Photos of Paul

September 8, 2008, my sweet baby boy turned 16 years old.



Saturday, September 20 was a big day in the life of my youngest son. It was the day he took his test and received his driver's license!


This past Thursday was decade day at his school. The Sophomore class was the sixties. Paul and I made this tie-dyed shirt.


Friday was Spirit Day. That's a different shirt. The boy sprayed his black hair red!!

Saturday, September 13, 2008

Update on Us

Time continues moving forward and there are days that I feel left behind or simply an observer of life and the happenings around me.

Michael preached his first official sermon a couple of weeks ago. He loved it. He seems to have developed a new resolve in his calling. He has been convicted of some changes that he wanted to make in his life, and he seems determined to push forward through those changes. It’s amazing to watch how God works out circumstances to our benefit when we aren’t even aware of His watching. College is back in full swing. Michael was asked to head one of the committees for SGA (Student Government Association). He is one of the Senators for his class.

Paul is sixteen. This week, he got his hair cut short, again. He goes through phases. He had been letting it grow out but decided that he was tired of it. Music and art seem to be his major passions at this point in his life. He was elected as Senior Patrol Leader and is preparing to get his Eagle Project approved. We all (Mark, me, and Paul) hope that he has his project completed by spring – if not sooner.

Mark is exhausted and marching season is just beginning. He is working long hours and the away games and late hours are killing him. He is frustrated because he doesn’t have an adequate place for his band to practice their half-time show. Mark will be guest preaching at a local church on the September 21. He is looking forward to preaching. Mark misses that opportunity to preach that Dr. Perry frequently provided while he was Interim Pastor at the church where Mark serves. Mark is preparing the church choir for their Christmas cantata. I really like the music that he has chosen.

I am surviving teaching. I wish that I could say that I love it and feel totally called to it. I do love some of my students. I work with some great teachers. However, I feel like I am out-of-the-loop. I want to do a good job for my students and for my self-esteem. Most days, I feel like I have run a marathon. Trying to teach some of these students is so difficult. I am still working until 5 PM several days a week. And, this week-end, I will be writing up homework for my Classroom Management class that meets this Monday afternoon and creating worksheets and lesson plans to teach expressions to my students on Monday. Tuesday, I have to go back to school and attend a PTO meeting at 6 PM. And, sometime during the week, I have to attend a conference with an unhappy complaining parent.

I am also TRYING to clean this house, cook and do laundry. We have some missionaries arriving on Sunday afternoon or evening. They will be camping in our yard, but they need to use our bathrooms. I did laundry all evening last night and I have been doing it today, too.

Well, this was an update on my family and a whine from me. If you read this post, bless your hearts. Please pray for us as we seek God’s will and crave for His strength and purpose in our lives.

Blessings, Debbie

Tuesday, September 02, 2008

New kittens.........

Splenda got off of our porch several weeks ago. Yep, she did. So, a little over three weeks ago, she gave us a beautiful litter of four tiny kittens. They are precious but they aren't Ragdolls. They all appear to have long fur like their momma. She is an excellent momma cat.