Everyday

On the way home from school on Thursday we came across 4 huge black birds in the road, from afar they almost looked like Turkeys ... While we were still thinking they were Turkeys Ethan said "Mom I have to put my bow in the car so that next time we see Turkey's I can shoot one" On driving closer we realized however, that they were vultures.  As we drove up they flew off. We drove past and Aiden said "Wait for there to be that many vultures something had to of died, what was it you think?" So I turned the car around and parked off the side of the road so we could go see.  Turns out it was an Armadillo, and a Skunk. Aly and I were completely grossed out, but the boys were quite satisfied to know what had attracted the vultures.  This was just down the road from our house, and just adds another species of suspects to what possibly killed our baby chickens last year.

Holy Cow!

It's hard for me to believe it is already November.  It has finally cooled off here, and I am enjoying the feeling of fall. Since I last blogged a few things have changed, but much is still the same.  No that's inaccurate nothing is the SAME, everything has evolved.  Although, I am still a Mother to 3 ... those 3 are not the same as they were yesterday, or even one minute ago.  God's grace embodies them and they constantly grow and change ...  it's amazing to watch.  Some may feel that's sappy or sentimental, but really what better physical evidence of the Lords providence than the hearts and minds of children.

Ethan and Aiden are back "in school" ... meaning they are in a school outside of the home.  They are at the St. John Berchmans which is on the same campus as Academy of the Sacred Heart where Aly has now attended more than half of her life.  When I drop all of them off in the morning I leave with a smile on my face because I know that they are where they need to be.  Their love of learning, love of their teachers and classmates, and sheer delight daily is evidence to me that all is well.  The school is unique, unlike others in our area... I d venture to say it's one of a kind.  The school is lead by 5 goals of education:

1. Encourage a personal and active faith in God.
2. Hold a deep respect for intellectual values.
3. Educate to a social awareness which impels to action.
4. Educate to the building of community as a Christian value.
5. Educate to a personal growth in an atmosphere of wise freedom.

The effect of the goals can be ascertained by any observant soul who steps foot on the campus, or interacts with it's student body.  Rhett and I are grateful to have the kids in a school that is on the same page as what we ultimately want for our children.  To live out the purpose for which God created them.  Day to day we are doing all the same things that any young family with three kids is doing.  All three kids played soccer this year, it was a successful season.  For Ethan and Aiden it was their first season, and they enjoyed playing as part of the school team. For Aly it was her 3rd season, and she again enjoyed playing with her classmates.  Rhett and I enjoy the school athletic community, and the time we get to spend watching them play.

The boys have joined the Cub Scout troop at their school and are looking forward to this being their last year of Cub Scouts and moving on to Boy Scouts.
The boys have made new friends and enjoy all of the social events that come with that.  I am nearing the end of my first semester of Graduate school, and am really enjoying all that I am learning. 

In April, we welcomed two puppies to the family.  Their names are Grand and Coteau.  A family at Aly's school was kind enough to give them to us, and we all have really enjoyed them. They are half lab half Australian Shepherd.  Cute as can be, and smart!  In case your wondering about their names, Grand Coteau is the small town in which the kids' school is located. It's a special place, I can't really articulate why ... it just is.  So Rhett named the puppies and it ended the argument that the kids were having over the names!

Life as Usual

Last weekend we had the pleasure of spending the day with Troy and Bonnie, and their three children Orry (who Ethan keeps calling Ozzy) Isaac (who is at that cute almost two age) and Annie (who Ethan thinks should ve been named Tronnie).  Above the good company of Troy and Bonnie, it is fun to be around a family who has some commonalities with our own.  6 years ago we had 3 little ones age 3 and under.  At that time we were in Idaho, plotting our move.  We really had no idea what was next, just knew Idaho wouldn't be the place that we stayed.

Since moving to Louisiana we have always been surrounded by family when we need it most.  It's not a daily thing or even a monthly thing sometimes, but our first 3 years here it was always when we had that need .. you know the one that is deep inside that you that you may not even realize is there until it is a filled up after a nice visit with those you love.  In the last 2 years those visits have decreased, with my Uncle/Godfather passing away and my Aunt/Godmother moving (to all places Idaho) there were those days where Louisiana began to feel as lonely as Idaho did.  Our hearts and spirits however are being filled on a  daily basis by the friends that have become more like family.  On those days when I have that need for those family members I am missing I end up picking up the phone, and calling one of those people I just need to hear their voice.  I am excited that several of those people we miss often we will be getting to spend  a week with this summer, all of Rhett's siblings and his parents will be together for several days in July.  The kids are excited to see cousins, and I am excited to see the rest of the clan.


Our days are filled with baseball games and theater rehearsals.   Ethan is dancing and singing up a storm in preparation for the big show Seussical Jr.  Aiden is loving every minute of baseball, and does little else.  Aly is happily floating between being the tomboy throwing balls with Aiden and the drama queen practicing songs and dance moves with Ethan.  We are embracing the spring, and bracing for the Louisiana summer. I even started putting together our hurricane kit together today.  We are planting a garden, working on landscaping, and playing alot of catch outside.  There is a possibility of a new member of the family soon, not of the human species.

Held in the Lord's Peace

As I reported in our yearly update, in November Rhett was laid off.  He and I had been praying for guidance regarding his job and my transition from school for about 6 months.  A lay off certainly wasn't the answer we were expecting, you could say it wasn't what we were desiring either.  After the initial shock wore off (within about an hour) we were both overcome with a sensation of peace.  Rhett said to me "you know, I feel ok about this.  God will lead us where we are meant to be."  So rather than being nervous, anxious and upset during this time we were both blessed with feelings of peace, faith and enthusiasm about what God had in store next.  The last 4 months Rhett spent the majority of his time doing what I think he does best, being a Dad.  He has helped out at Aly's school, come up with homeschooling projects to do with the Ethan and Aiden, and taken the opportunity to do things like take the kids to the park, to the library, things that he can't do when he is at work all day.

In January we found out what God had in store next for me.  I was offered a part time Parent Liason Position with a non-profit organization Families Helping Families. The hours are very flexible, and I get to do something I am very passionate about.  Encouraging parents and helping them find resources for their children is not something I ever imagined I would get a pay check for.  Earlier this week Rhett was offered a job doing IT stuff for a helicopter company.  He started Wednesday, and thinks he is really going to enjoy it.

I am thankful for the blessing of time together we had, but also grateful for the new employment opportunities.  When we decided to home school the Boy's this year, part of our motivation was we wanted to have the time to spend with them so that we would truly know what the best choices for them in the future would be.  We wanted the hands on chance to assess their strengths and weakness'.  Thanks to the blessing of time, Rhett was also able to fully experience schooling with them.  So when we sat down to discuss our options for next year, we both had the blessing of the full picture.

I suspect this will not be the last time in our lives that we go through a difficult time.  My hope is that when we are faced with difficulty we have the ability to have faith, and rely on God's grace to pull us through.

Can you believe it's March already? Ethan and Aly are enjoying CYT (Christain Youth Theater) and Ethan auditioned and was cast in the musical Seussical Jr. So we look forward to seeing the end result in May.  Soccer is back in swing for Aly, and she played her first spring game yesterday.  Aiden is excited to try Baseball this year for the first time, it should be starting soon.

Merry Christmas

For the fifth year in a row we bring you Christmas Greetings from Southern Louisiana.  Although, we have relocated homes, we are still in the same community.  As we brought in 2009 Rhett and I both knew that this would likely be a year of transition for our family, and boy were we ever right.

2009 brought changes in everyone of our lives.

Much is the same with Ethan and Aiden.  They are happy, healthy growing boys who keep us on our toes.  As the school year closed last year, we found that although both boys were still academically doing well ;Rhett and I were increasingly concerned about situations within the school they were attending. After much prayer, thought, and conversation we took the leap and decided to homeschool them this year.  To our surprise both boys were all for it!  It has been an adventure, and I have been pleasantly surprised at just how well it has gone.  We signed the boys up for a homeschool swim league that they participated in twice a week, and both are still very active in scouts.  I do know that at times they miss having a school community, so our continuing prayer is for guidance in making a good decision for them next year.  The boys are enjoying our new place, and becoming quite acquainted with the yard.  There are some big plans in the works as far as tree's to plant, forts to build, tunnels to dig, and ramps to construct.  It is nice that they are at the age where they take joy in creating and making this place our own, and it is definitely enjoyed by Rhett and I.

Alys life is also much the same, other than her world is ever changing as is the case with every 6 year old little girl.  She is still at the Academy of the Sacred Heart. It does my heart good to see her happily bounce out of school every day, greet her teachers with hugs, and know that she is exactly where she needs to be!  Soccer season this year couldn't come fast enough for Aly!  She enjoyed her season, was very disappointed that we had so many rain outs, perfected her skills and scored quite a few goals. It was a good season, and she is already counting down to spring soccer.  She is enjoying her new room, and has no problem keeping up with the boys outside.

I have finally completed my undergraduate coursework, and am gathering grad school applications, applying for jobs, and all of that other fun adult stuff.  My year was different in that the boys attended most of my college classes with me this semester. I would have their assignments mapped out and they would do their independent work sitting next to me during class. I was AMAZED at just how supportive ALL of my professors were, none had any issue having the kids in class and most made them feel more than welcome by asking them questions or including them in discussions.  Several of my professors expressed to me that they were very pleased that Rhett and I were taking charge of their education, and talked about how disappointed in public education they are.  I am still teaching professional development classes at the University, although it has been very slow due to the economy.  We are about 50% organized in our new place, but more and more things come together daily. I am enjoying the progress.

Rhett worked the majority of the year at the same company as last year, but was laid off in November due to the economy.  It, of course, took us a little by surprise, but in every challenge there are blessings.  He is hot on the job hunt, and has had some feedback indicating interviews etc. after the holidays.  In his time "off" he has been able to complete alot of our house projects.  He has laid new floors, changed out switches, door frames etc.  He also has spent quite a few days volunteering at Aly's school.  Being a historic landmark, there is always stuff to be done.  He joined the Dad's club and has helped out with painting, landscaping, decorating for Christmas, setting up for fundraisers etc.  I know he really enjoyed having the time to give, as we are all blessed by the school community at the Academy.  Aly was thrilled to see Dad on campus, and wanted him to sit with her at lunch.  What a blessing for him to have that time with her, something she will surely remember.  The boys have enjoyed having him assist me with their schooling, and I have to say we get it done alot quicker when there is two of us to answer questions.

This summer was much the same in our house, as I once again taught camps.  It however, was a little different as the kids and I struck out on a 16 day road trip to take in some sites and visit Rhetts family.  We drove from Louisiana to Texas to Kansas to Colorado to Utah to Idaho to Wyoming back to Colorado where we picked up Rhett at the airport and continued on to South Dakota to Nebraska to Oklahoma and finally home.  We camped quite at quite a few of the stops, and of course stayed with family in Colorado and Idaho.  The kids had a great time visiting cousins and Aunts and Uncles who they dearly miss.  When I conceived the idea of the trip many told me I was nuts! I have to say though, I thoroughly enjoyed my time away with the kids. Loved camping with them, and how we developed our own little team to set up camp etc. They each had a job, and did it quite well. If time, finances etc allow I would love to do something similar with them every year.  Mount Rushmore was amazing and I was so glad Rhett was able to join us on that part of the trip.

Thanks for taking the time to let me catch you all up on our clan. As soon as I find my USB cord I will upload some family pictures.  I hope this finds all of you in great Christmas spirits.

May 2010 be blessed for you and all of yours,
Love,
Amy and Rhett
Ethan, Aiden and Aly

It's SUMMER!

Wow, it's been SOOOO long since I blogged. I joyously finished up my semester at UL about 3 weeks ago. I had never taken 20 credit hours (that's 6 classes) before...and I hope never to again! It was a long semester, but the outcome grades and all were really good. There are several accomplishments like never having to take history or algebra again that made the semester very worthwhile. The kids finished up school for the year a week ago. Both boys ended on Honor Roll for the year. Ethan had the privilege (note the definite sarcasm) of participating in "High Stakes Standardized Testing" which of course is mandated by No Child Left Behind... so we were all anxiously awaiting those results. He did well. Scoring well above the state average in everything... but scoring a 98% on the reading comprehension portion. The sad reality of standardized testing is that once they test in April the teachers feel like there is nothing left to teach.

The boys have been very active in Boy Scouts and both advanced a rank this year. Ethan will be a WEBLO and Aiden a Bear Scout next year.

Boy Scout trip to Houston Space Center

Aiden at Lake Fausse Pointe State Park.

Since the heat of the Louisiana summer is here we have begun a routine of spending weekends at the University pool. There is no better place to pass the humid days of summer than the pool!

Spring Break this year found the kids and I in Panama City Beach, Florida. A good friend is the morning radio co host on 94.5 KSMB here in Lafayette. Their morning show hit the road for the break, and Ali (my friend) invited us along. We all very much enjoyed the beach, and it left us wanting to go back....SOON!

The first week of our summer break the kids had the chicken pox. All had fairly mild cases, and are fine now. So now the real summer break can begin. We have a busy summer planned. I am taking summer school for the first time ever, as well as teaching summer classes through the University as I have done in summer past. Aiden's mornings will be spent at reading camp at UL, and Aly and Ethan will spend some mornings at daycamp, some at Vacation Bible School...etc. Rhett heard about kidsbowlfree.com where kids can bowl up to two games a day for free...so we've been hitting the bowling alley a few times a week as well. Once summer winds down the kids and I are planning a LONG road trip to visit family and friends.

I am enjoying my time with the kids. There are few dull or quiet moments in our house! Ethan began reading the Harry Potter series shortly after Christmas and is now almost done with book 5. Rhett and I are delighted that he has come to enjoy reading as much as he has. Aiden tends to spend alot of time writing and drawing. He seems to enjoy being creative. Aly is practicing her writing skills, is learning to read and is counting down the days to next soccer season.

We are all happy, and healthy.

Time Marches On

The last few months have been full one's... I ll attempt to reflect on them, and then within the next week I will post some new pictures of our growing children. Tonight, being a Friday in Lent we went to eat seafood as is somewhat of a family tradition. Sometimes we just do tuna at home, but at least a few times we like to get out and enjoy our local culture. So tonight we did just that. The kids enjoyed learning to peel crawfish...Rhett enjoyed eating the ones I peeled for him, and we all enjoyed the music and company. Rhett had on a Jayhawk t shirt, and in walking to the dance floor met a couple who was from Lawrence but lives in Louisiana now.
The kids are barrelling through life at top speed. My favorite time of day is when they first wake up and are still groggy, they all still come out of their rooms and cuddle with Rhett or I ... it's nice to have my "babies" back for that 5 or so minutes. Our typical day has us all out of the house at 7am and returning home between 6 and 7 pm. Usually the week has passed and it seems that yesterday was Monday...
Boyscouts has been eventful in the last few months for the boys. They both qualified for regionals in the pinewood derby race, and enjoyed competing in that with Rhett's help. This weekend they are headed out of town with boyscouts and I will be joining them later on Sat. we'll all come home on Sun. Aly is playing soccer, and enjoying school and friends.
Rhett is keeping up with work, and being the Worlds Greatest Dad in his downtime. I m taking 20 hours this semester, and trying to finish up my service committment with Americorps.