May Days

I keep wondering when my life will slow down. Since it doesn't look like that will happen any time soon, this is my best attempt to remember all of the fun we are having in our busy days. For now--our busy MAY days.

My parents came for a visit this month. We had very cold and windy weather for a track meet, a fun weekend with the kids and Derek, and then a few days during the week with just Mom, Dad, and me! It was a treat for me, it really was. We went out for breakfast and lunch, saw Iron Man 3, and Mom and I had pedicures. Come to think of it, that week was probably the most relaxing one of my month.

Grammy & Grampy took the boys to Walmart and let them pick out snacks! The oodles of ice cream bars and posicles didn't make it into this picture. Yummy!

Kaleb's last lock-in party for school and Aaron's first lock-in...both boys had a lot of fun and read a lot of books to be able to go! I enjoy helping every year, and will miss it someday all too soon. Kaleb's dodge ball team won the tournament, earning him a championship t-shirt. One of the high school grad parties we recently went to displayed the graduate's event t-shirts as part of the decor. We surely have enough for a display--and he's only in 5th grade!

Derek wanted to go camping for his birthday, so we went camping! Actually, I asked him if he would like to go, and it didn't take any convincing for him to say yes. :) He and Braylen set up camp and stayed the first night without the rest of us, since we were at the lock-in. But we joined them on Saturday and had a fun time together. We drowned some worms, rode our bikes, played yard games, and of course had a camp fire. Derek opened a few gifts and had a big birthday cookie for all of us to share.

Gifts for Derek

Aaron wrapped up his own gifts for Daddy: a model police car, a small game, crayons, and a pencil.

Camping Birthday Cookie

Playing Trac ball with Aaron

Braylen built a great camp fire.

Resting by the fire after their game

While playing soccer with Braylen, Kaleb ran right into this tree. It was pretty hilarious!

Sunday was Mother's Day, so Derek decided to make breakfast in the camper. How nice! We had pancakes and bacon, and he even did the dishes. :) We packed up camp and came home, where the boys gave me their gifts. (AFTER I took Aaron to the clinic for yet another sinus infection.) Aaron wrote a sweet biography about me. Kaleb made his own coupon book for me, and they are re-usable! Kaleb and Aaron designed and built a bird feeder for me all by themselves--I am so impressed! Derek supervised, but they did it all! Braylen gave me a nice card. I picked KFC for supper and the employee in the drive-thru window handed me a red carnation. That was funny! :)

My 3 favorite kids and my new bird feeder

Remember in my last post I mentioned Kaleb's cornea was scratched? It happened in music class, of all places! Here he is on his mandated day home from school, wearing his cool disposable sunglasses from the eye doctor. :) Grandma and Aunt Pam/Sadie brought treats for Kaleb...and for me. We felt very taken care of and blessed. Thankfully the eye healed perfectly and all is well.

I guess I will have to write a "May Days Part 2" post, because it's after midnight. Even though we are on summer break, I should not plan on sleeping my day away. Oh, and since it's officially May 30th now, Happy 1/2 Birthday to Kaleb! :)

A Year to Remember

Today is the last day of school! Not only for the boys, but for Derek, too. It's a mixed-up feeling for all of us. Aaron, who moans and groans every day when I wake him up for school, decided to moan and groan about it being the last day. Go figure!

I've watched these 2 brothers walk into school together all year. Aaron will miss Kaleb next year and the years to come.

Aaron with his much-loved teacher, Miss Nightingale

Miss Nightingale is one of those teachers who has "it." Whatever "it" is for a great teacher, she has it. She is getting married next month and moving far, far away from us. But I know Aaron will always, always remember her. He loves her, and I think he's beginning to realize how a great teacher can impact your life forever.

Kaleb is his happy-go-lucky self today, ready to leave elementary school behind and move on to middle school. Last night we attended his 5th Grade Continuation Ceremony, which turned out to be a very sweet time together. His class will graduate high school in 2020, so the theme for the party was "We've Got the Vision." There were sunglasses all over the gym--hanging from string and taped to the walls. We watched a video highlighting their years at school, complete with a baby picture of each student alongside a current picture. The song they chose for the video was "Home." You can listen to the song here.

Kaleb 9 months old

Kaleb ready for Kindergarten

Kaleb 5th grade

Our principal said a few things to the kids, shared some memories of this class, and challenged them to make wise decisions when faced with the difficulties ahead. He reassured them that they will always have roots at Meadowlark, and while parents and family are #1 in their lives, their Meadowlark family is right up there in the #2 spot. And he really means it. I just love our school, can you tell?! :)

Kaleb and his teacher, Mr. Seeba

Mrs. Nelson, Kaleb's other teacher this year. She's been a family friend since Derek was little.

I have to insert this about Mrs. Nelson. She shared last night about the tornado in Oklahoma this week. Stories are coming out of teachers throwing themselves over their students to protect them from harm during the tornado. When talking about that with the 5th graders that morning, one student said, "Mrs. Nelson, I bet you wouldn't do that for us." She said, "I would do that. I would give my life for all of my students."

Kool Kaleb with his friends. The boy on the left survived getting hit by a car in 2nd grade. Makes me tear up when I think about it.

Kaleb's 2 friends that come to our youth group. All of them will be together in middle school too.

Our boy :)

 And let's not forget about Braylen! I don't have pictures from middle school, of course. It is not cool for a 7th grade boy to have his mom come take pictures with his favorite teachers. But this particular team of teachers have meant the world to Braylen this year. Recently they had an awards assembly and I just remembered--I took pictures at the assembly!

Braylen's team teachers. His favorite is the one in the yellow tie. Mr. Greenwald is a teacher Braylen will never forget. He has definitely impacted Braylen's life forever.

Braylen (blue shirt) with his big award, voted on by teachers and students.

And that wraps up this school year. I think it's hard for us to wrap our minds around the passing of time because God created us with eternity placed in our hearts. We feel the same on the inside--but grow older on the outside. We remember our kids as little ones in our hearts--but we see them grow older on the outside. And then we have a hard time reconciling it. At least I do. I rejoice with them in their accomplishments, and tuck memories of this year away in my heart--where eternity lives on.

Finishing up April

We are 17 days into May, and as usual, there are LOTS of things going on. School is ending next week, which means end-of-the-year-activities are in full swing. My emotions are running wild this week--my Kaleb is just about finished with elementary school, we received news on Aaron's EEG, Kaleb's right eye was poked at school--giving him a 3mm scratch on his cornea, and Derek's role as SRO was the front page headline in the paper on Wednesday! Throw in a visit from my parents, Derek's birthday, school lock-in, camping, Mother's Day, and a trip to the clinic with a sick boy and I literally feel like I am hanging on for dear life!

More on all of those exciting things later. First I need to wrap up April. It was a cold, snowy month--so strange--which makes us appreciate our spring so much more now.

Our little Sparky earned his Sparky Plaque. How can I not have any more Sparkies???

Aaron and I made this grasshopper and had lunch at Red Lobster while the others went turkey hunting.

I have no idea where Aaron thought up the grasshopper idea. He googled how to make one with popsicle sticks and came up empty. So we figured it out on our own! Who needs pinterest or craft blogs? :) For months he's been asking me to take him to Red Lobster. He wanted to order a lobster, but settled for shrimp and clam. My little adventurous eater! We had a really sweet time together.

Braylen's final 7th grade band concert was on my dad's birthday. :)

It was still freezing outside, but the snow was gone. So when Aaron asked me to draw with chalk, how could I say no?

Skylanders--the latest craze around here. A video game and a toy all in one.

Today is the last day of Law Enforcement Appreciation Week, so I have plans to make a whole bunch of monster cookies with my niece this afternoon. And since time is ticking, I better get going! It sure did feel good to be still for a few minutes. :)

Perspective

This spring, as we look towards the end of the school year, we are discovering it means so much more than just another school year coming to a close. Life as we know it is about to change, and there is only one way I can really grasp how earth-shaking this is for our family--through pictures.

When Derek left shift work at the police department to fill in for the staff services sergeant away at war, we experienced life for the first time with a Monday-Friday job, working 8-5. After 5 and 3/4 years of rotating shifts, this was a welcome change. We had two children and one on the way...our family looked like this:

When the time in the office came to a close, Derek became the D.A.R.E. officer. This was also a Monday-Friday position. Derek got a taste of what it takes to work as a law enforcement officer within elementary schools, and his love of building into kids' lives within the education system was born. Our kids were 6, 3, and 1 when he took this position.

Our 3 little boys sitting on Daddy's DARE cruiser

In August of 2007, another new position began for Derek. He was appointed to build the SRO program at our high school, becoming the School Resource Officer there. To be honest, it was a difficult year all the way around. Derek faced lots and lots of challenges--some of which we expected, some not. Even though this was also a Monday-Friday position, it put tremendous strain on our family life. We did not see that coming. One day at a time, with God holding us together, we found our rhythm in this position.

Kids are 8, 5, and 3

Now, after 6 years as SRO, Derek has found his niche. He relates well with the students and staff. He frequently teaches classes. Many, many people tell me how much they appreciate Derek and everything he does for our high school. Our own kids are proud of their dad. And in all reality, this current role Derek has is all they know.

Our 3 not-so-little boys, ages 13, 11, and 9 on Dad's SRO cruiser

Here comes the change part. When school ends this month, Derek will be stepping down as the SRO. This is how his department operates--on rotation, and Derek's rotation within our schools is done. Good or bad, right or wrong, wanted or unwanted--the end result remains: Derek goes back to shift rotation in June.

Ripping away the familiar is jolting. I feel exposed, afraid, poured out, and vulnerable. Even more significant than all of that, I feel for Derek. He has used his gifts, talents, and abilities to serve so many kids and families of our community, and now it's ending. Oh, I know he will have an impact on his new shift. But shift work is fleeting. The long-term impact just isn't present on a shift like it is within the high school. Through working in the school system, I believe Derek discovered he has the heart of a teacher. Combine that with his gifts in law enforcement, and we believe this position has been the perfect fit for Derek.

So, throughout the next few months (and year), we are asking God to help us all find our new rhythm. Derek will have the most adjustments to make, but the kids and I need to step up to the plate too. I believe God has great things in store for Derek and our family, I really do. It's just hard looking at it from this side of things. Oh, how I wish God would fill me in on what He is doing here! But I trust Him. I choose to believe He has it all in His hands.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing; give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."