The Past Two Weeks

The past couple of weeks have been pretty busy around our house. Our first event was Kaitlyn's 6th Grade Promotion. The school put on a nice program for the parents. All of the 6th graders performed a instrumental music number directed by the music teacher. It was fun watching all of the kids playing the instruments. The best part on of the program was a slide show of the kids throughout their years at Hamblen and seeing how much they have all grown up. I can't believe that I now have TWO out of elementary school...where has my life gone?! Kaitlyn is excited to be done with 'elementary' life and moving on to 'more mature' kids.

Goodbye Hamblen Elementary! Kaitlyn with her 6th grade teacher, Mrs. Tollett
Kaitlyn's all time favorite teacher, Mrs. Miller.

She had Mrs. Miller for kindergarten and for 3rd grade. Seeing Mrs. Miller each day is what Kaitlyn says she is going to miss the most. In Kaitlyn's class, they are able to earn points to 'buy' things (i.e. homework pass, snack, toy, etc.). Kaitlyn had been saving up her points and purchased the afternoon to spend in Mrs. Miller's classroom helping her...she was so excited!

We also attended our Cub Scout's Crossing Over Ceremony. There is a family from our area that does a fantastic job with this ceremony. They go all out. It is an elaborate event which the boys look forward to each year.

After the Cub Scout activity, we headed home to celebrate Kyle's birthday! He had been reminding us ALL week that his birthday was coming up. On Wednesday, I was doing some shopping with the kids and found a couple of presents I wanted to get for Kyle. I tried to sneak them into the shopping cart and thought I did a good job until Kyle came up to me and asked, "Can you hit me in the head so I can stop thinking of my presents in the cart?" Like a nice mom I said, "No" and the next thing I saw was Kyle hitting himself in the head...hope it worked for him.

Kyle only wanted one friend to come to his party...Ava. They are the cutest, little friends. They adore spending time together and get along great! We invited Ava's siblings over as well and just had a little party with cupcakes and ice cream. Easy.

Opening presents is the best!

Kyle really wanted to go to Wendy's for some dinner...

and play games at Chuck E. Cheese. He lived it up! All the kids had fun running around earning tickets to buy candy. I remember how much I loved Chuck E. Cheese growing up. The games are still fun to play too. Chris kept sneaking tokens from the kids so that he could play a few games. He is a kid at heart!

One of Tyler and Kyle's favorite.

This was always my favorite game and still is. Like mother like son. It was an awesome day.

Some other things we have been up to are yard work, camp meetings, our Cub Scout fundraiser, a yard sale, and a day out with a few friends for pedicures and lunch. On Monday, Jamen and Kaitlyn begin swim team and then on Saturday my brother comes homes. Life is good.

We're Almost There

I can hardly believe that this time has come. My brother is coming home from his mission in just a few weeks. He will be flying home on the 26th of this month. My entire family is so excited and we can barely contain ourselves! Since my brother is the baby of the family, and the only boy, it was difficult saying goodbye to him for two entire years. I couldn't even talk to my sisters without tearing up as we talked about Mike and wondering how HE was holding up.

My entire family was present when Michael was set apart as a missionary. To say that it was emotional is an understatement...I come from a crying family I guess. We were all crying as we gave our hugs and said goodbye to him. However, it became full on hyperventilating as we watched my little brother run up to my husband and embrace him as they literally wept together saying goodbye. It was touching and gave me the realization that this was hard for, not only us, but Michael too.

After nearly two years, I will finally be able to listen to Rascal Flatts song ‘My Wish’ again. Two years ago I was sitting at this very computer writing a post about my brother leaving on his mission when the song, ‘My Wish’ began playing on the radio. As I listened to the lyrics of the song I began bawling. I felt the song expressed what I was having a difficult time articulating. These are the lyrics in the song that hit me:

I hope you never look back, but ya never forget,

All the ones who love you, in the place you left,

I hope you always forgive, and you never regret,

And you help somebody every chance you get,

Oh, you find God's grace, in every mistake,

And you always give more than you take.

But more than anything, yeah, and more than anything,

My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to,

Your dreams stay big, and your worries stay small,

You never need to carry more than you can hold,

And while you're out there getting where you're getting to,

I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too,

Yeah, this, is my wish.

Once my brother had left, I felt this feeling of “I hope he knows we love him, are praying for him, and that he isn’t feeling alone.” He had left the place that he calls home to go to the MTC, in a foreign country. He didn’t speak Spanish, which is all they speak at the Peru MTC. The hardest part was that I couldn’t talk to him on the phone and hear his voice.

Anyone recognize this guy with my brother?

Derek Durrant, who was in our ward, had recently returned from his mission in Lima, Peru and was heading back there for a visit. My brother was serving in Lima at the time and was having a difficult time because he hadn't gotten to his mission in Bolivia yet and was feeling discouraged. It just so happened that Derek was going to be staying in the very area that my brother was serving in and graciously took him some homemade cookies that I had made...a tender mercy from the Lord. It was great having Derek check-up on Mike for our family and let us know how he was doing.

I knew that it would be an amazing experience for Michael to serve a mission, but that it would be difficult the first while. I am grateful that Michael has had the experience to serve a mission. I am excited to see how much he has grown and changed physically, emotionally and spiritually. I know he has been a great missionary and has touched many people’s lives. I am grateful that the Lord gives us obstacles or overcome, challenges to make us stronger, and opportunities for us to grow. However….I’m sure glad he is coming HOME!!!!

P-day in Peru.