2 Views on Basketball

Briley was my photographer today! I think she did pretty good considering my short lens is no longer working automatically! Jackson LOVES his basketball team! And for that I am glad. This fun little league has once again made me aware of how competitive Derek and I are. We have decided that we are no longer going to "coach" from the sidelines- every time we leave Jackson is so happy and thrilled about his performance! It's a funny age - 4- In some respects he is a little aggressive with the ball and his passes- that I am sure comes from gym time with his Dad's team- and there are times when he tries to "act" like Jasper- which is really funny, because at such a young age he has a lot of his mannerisms sized up pretty well- But- I digress- this is an "introduction to basketball league" and Derek and I have left a couple of times just thinking "wow! we need to just let him run around!"

A very fitting name here- Jackson the Tornado-

I love this picture because I have one just like it of Jasper-

We have worked on this, and today I was happy to see Jackson watching the game even if for a minute during his time out!

He has the arms up pretty much mastered!!!

And I must say, that he is a good ball handler! I guess that comes from spending hours in the gym!!

There he is... hugging the basket! These are the things that after the game make us chuckle! Not so much during the game :-)

I was talking to another parent today who teaches 3rd grade (a former Pre-K / K teacher) and she told me that Jackson was mild compared to other kids! HA- We need to find those kids. We are excited that we have his asthma under control well enough that he can play! That is such a gift! It's hard to believe our little miracle man is going to be 5 in 4 months! He is so proud that he weighs 43 pounds! He is obsessed with our scale- He weighs himself every time he enters the bathroom!

He has been coming to school with me a lot lately- He really loves that. I have worried about him making that transition so much- really too much! It's amazing how the Devil can creep in and fill all those idle moments with fear. By all accounts he is above where he needs to be- and I need to relax. God has held Jackson from the very beginning and I'm sure he gets frustrated because I worry about him so.

Jackson on the other hand,  is very excited about being with us next year at school. Last night he wrote this sentence "I C A DOG NMD BCKT" (I see a dog named Biscuit)- His future K teacher  was so impressed, she could not understand why I am worried! I don't know... it's probably because his personality is so different from Macey and Briley- I mean he is a BOY!!!

The count down is on for the end of the year. My kids have it plotted out in our room- 3rd nine weeks, progress reports, 4th nine weeks, and the last day! It will be over in a blink- This year has been an adjustment, but a big lesson in empathy and compassion. I can see all the curves I took that made this job easy for me. Each one of my kids have so much to offer the world regardless of their current circumstances! They have taught me so much! I have a student this year that can play music by ear- It has been really neat to give him songs, and have him come in the next day and play the entire song! I stand in awe of the talents we are given.

It's hard to believe that we are at the end of high school basketball! It seems like we were just getting ready for our season and now we are preparing for District playoffs! For us, that means travel ball is right around the corner!! Of course, at these games... we did yell at Jap a little :)

Jasper really had some great games! I am really going to miss him when he leaves for college- We still don't know where he is going or what he is going to play! Maybe before the start of his Senior year we can work all that out! With his high school season ending, we will be hitting the road for some great travel ball tournaments! I try to be neutral with him, but I think deep down he knows that I love the sport of basketball MORE than football. I keep telling him though he is the one going off, so it's up to him- to pick what he wants to play! We are just so proud of him either way.

Derek and I both were really proud of what he accomplished this year in both football and basketball- he was inducted into the NHS last week, so if he keeps it up he will have some really good opportunities.

The girls are great too! I don't have any pictures of them tonight, but they have been dancing every weekend, so I haven't had many opportunities to snap them. We are getting ready to compete a little bit in the next few months and they are very excited about that! I am too! It always amazes me how good they really are!

Life has been crazy. I have really enjoyed reading 7- It has cleared our house and our minds! I have sent it to several of my friends so that they to can "get rid of the junk!" The neat thing about the junk is that it is now residing in the garage- waiting for a yard sale my husband swears that he is going to have- HAVE AT IT!!! I'm just not to much into those- I would rather give to some one that can use! He has until the middle of February and then I will have the junk collectors come and have a field day!

It has really still NOT been cold for more than 2 or 3 days! It was high 70's last week- oh how I long for a COLD snap.... What I would do for a little SNOW.... It's just never winter here and I am not sure why... I mean Florida is always HOT!!!

Goals this week - snap some pictures of the girls! Macey is so tall- her legs are crazy long and she continues to amaze me with her beauty and grace! Briley is sprouting up to, so I will do my best to capture their beauty this week!

Try a little compassion this week- it's amazing what God will give back to YOU!

Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality as it is written: "He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little" 

2 Corinthians 8:13-15

What Teachers Make Final Moviebk2 0001

A friend of mine sent this to me and I just absolutely love it! Especially this year with my group of kids- 18 who have been left behind; 2-3 years overage, and still in elementary school. These 18 remind me so much of 2 that we lost- in many cases they could mirror anyone of my kids. I wonder... in 10 years will those boys be in the same boat? Will anyone even care to know about their early years in foster care? Their dysfunctional case workers and administrators? The workers who stole their constitutional rights? And then I am reminded that those boys are exactly where they need to be- In his time and in his ways.

It's little things that make me think of those 2 boys so often- nothing big, nothing lingering anymore, just fleeting thoughts. And then I think how lucky Jackson is- that he made it out- that he has a mom and a dad, grandparents that don't smoke crack, and brothers and sisters that love him. It's amazing really- that even in all his difficulties at birth- 2 pounds, 26 weeks, that he is thriving- that he is testing out above his age, and that he is writing and spelling! God is good we are reminded.

"You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand." Psalm 16:11

Running into January

"Your state of mind is your state of being; so, if your state of being is out of whack, fix your state of mind!" This quote came to me over the break when I was struggling with some kids I have been dealing with this year.

I think the biggest lesson that I have learned this year is that your mind shapes many things you believe based on what you have been through or how you proceed through life. When in fact, we are all different- we raise our kids differently, we raise ourselves differently, and now more than ever we value "things" differently. In some cases, we have allowed others to lead us into believing what we need, or what our self-worth is! It's just not so sometimes! An open mind, a heart of compassion goes a long way.

We have started the year with a great beginning! We managed to get through the first week of school, and in reality, 4 days were just not enough!

 Jap had a little accident in November and had to downgrade to a new set of wheels for a few weeks- He at least could not complain about the air conditioning which was on high all the time. Thankfully, he was a good boy all year and Santa saw fit to give him an "upgrade" for Christmas!

 Ho, Ho, Ho- Jackson had a fantastic break! I think he stayed in pajamas 20 hours a day! Only changing to go to the park, ride his bike, and play some basketball. His first game is Sunday and it is all he has been talking about.

 Jap and Lawrence won their Christmas tournament this year out in Baker County. It was really a lot of fun (and excitement), a few nail biters, but well worth 12 games in three days!

Jackson has learned to spell and write. He knows quite a few sight words and he has become a budding writer. He also likes to text now! He is really enjoying his school! Not only is he learning to read and write, but he is taking chess and art as well. He is turning into quite the character- yesterday he was telling me all about his chess teacher, and how his chess teacher knew EVERYTHING there was to know about chess- In fact, Jackson told me that he had known his chess teacher "for about 20 years"- he is so funny sometimes!
Macey and Briley are back at dance. It will be a busy few months as they prepare for competitions and NDW- Both are happy to be back in school because in this house we know that after Christmas starts the countdown to summer!!

It was finally winter here last week. I think we actually had 5 days in a row of early morning temperature in the 20's! That has now passed,- we are back up to mid 70's with lows in the high 40's low 50's. If we did not have all the kids we would for sure live where it snowed! I just love the cold weather. Maybe when the girls graduate we can move!!

A few years ago I read Francis Chan's book Crazy Love. I loved it and have read chapters from it every few days for the last 2 years. There is just so much good there. I then read another book by Linda Dillow called Calm My Anxious Heart- I loved that one just as much. I also read from that book several times a week. It's a battlefield out there and both of those books bring me right back to a calm that is unexplainable! This year adding to that collection is a book called 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess- the premise here is that you spend 30 days on each of the 7 items that are excessive. We have so much stuff! In our attic, in our closets, in our cabinets, and in our pantries! It is almost embarrassing how much stuff we have! This year I am purging the stuff in hopes of freeing up some space! There are so many people who can use our "stuff" that this year I will make sure it is available to give! When I cleaned out our linen closets I had 7 sets of double bed sheets- we don't even own a double bed anymore!!! Crazy how we hang on to stuff that has no use for us! We will never buy a double bed- only queens or kings around here! But yet, in my closet I had 7 sets of sheets taking up residency on a shelf that I would never use!
Basketball tonight- I can hardly wait! Enjoy your weekend!

Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

Deuteronomy 31:6