We are trying to do the "right" thing - giving you both every opportunity to experience as many things as possible and hopefully find "your niche".
In 2012 we looked like this:
Cade:
- Karate (become a brown belt)
- Violin (for the second year)
- Cub Scouts - Webelo 1-2 (for the forth year)
- Football Camp - First Team Athletes - 6 week/4 days a week
- Football - SBLL Chargers!!
Addy:
- Dance - Ballet, Jazz and Tap (then added Modern in the fall)
- Softball - SBLL Panthers in the spring
- Volleyball - Tadpoles with the Varsity squad in the fall
This year we still have dance and karate (a total of 6 days a week) plus we just signed up for and tried out for baseball and softball. I'm super excited about the sports thing, I think I love cheering you guys on more than I enjoyed playing myself (and that says a lot). I just mailed in Cade's football camp registration and signed him up to be in the Apollo Theatre Children's Workshop this summer.
I hope that we are doing the "right" thing here - I guess we'll see in a few years. Some times you guys complain about our busy schedules and running all the time but when we ask you what you want to quit, you can't come up with anything. I guess we'll just keep going (until we just can't do it any more). I'm a happy momma sitting on the sidelines with my camera in hand, cheering, snapping pictures and some times white knuckled as I try to swing the bat, tackle the kid or spike the ball for you.
Yesterday Uncle Jim Koontz went to Heaven to be with God. WOW - it's such a great feeling knowing exactly where someone is headed after their time on this earth. It's hard for us to really understand that what we have here is NOTHING compared to what it'll be like in Heaven.
Uncle Jim battled lung cancer for about two years. He never smoked and just like his mom (my Grandma Koontz) he was diagnosed with lung cancer and fought a tough battle. Uncle Jim was a minister with the Church of the Brethern. He lived in Ohio, Florida, Kansas and back to Ohio ministering churches and leading people to God. Uncle Jim was corky (aren't we all a little corky) and I didn't always understand him but I did learn things from him. He married your dad and I. I remember talking to Uncle Jim about the ceremony and I distinctly remember him talking about wedding bands and how there is no start or end - they go on forever. The love of a married couple should be unending. It's not always easy and you don't always agree but you ALWAYS love one another and work through your differences.
Towards the end of Uncle Jim's life he worked at Home Depot. I think he took the job to "pay the bills" - medical bills were adding up, he was in school training to be a counselor and he needed money. He turned an "ordinary" job into an extraordinary opportunity - not for himself but for God. Uncle Jim met people of all walks of life here. He never judged them. He talked to each person and cared about them. That changed people in a big way. The store manager said that he had been there for 15 years but the change that he saw in that store over the 1 1/2 that Uncle Jim worked there was amazing!!
It's great to know where you come from. It's even better to learn from them and carry forward what you have learned.
Today I'm going to go back in time, since I didn't start this journal when I should have (11 years ago) I missed so many great stories but this one I think is my ALL time FAVORITE to tell.
Cade was about 2 or maybe closer to 2 1/2 years old. We were attending church in Bedford with Grandma and Pappy Hite at the Friends Cove UCC (where I grew up going to church). Unlike the church we attend regularly in WV, children typically stay in the "big church" for the entire service. This was a struggle for us because Cade was used to going to "childrens church" during the service so I decided to take him down to the basement this Sunday and listen to the message over the intercom system while he could run around. As we were headed out during the hymn prior to the message a group of other little ones followed us. We ended up on the basement with about 5 kids total. Everyone was having fun, writing on chalk boards and running around tables when Cade pulled out a stool, climbed up on top and asked everyone to please come, sit down and listen to him. I thought "oh boy - this should be good". Everyone (slightly surprisely) listened and took their seat on the floor. Cade in a big booming voice stood on his stool and said "Do you have Jesus in your heart?". (Think TV pastors style with hands raised high) Now, I'm very interested to see where this is going. He proceeded with "You should! He is coming back...... because... (and he points to an old wooden cross in the basement) he forgot his jacket!!"
I can't look at a cross with cloth without smiling. Cade knew early on the truth, just maybe got a few details mixed up but the promise that he is coming back is what truly matters and that piece of cloth ALWAYS reminds me about his return.
Last night Cade was experiencing a "worst day ever" moment (not untypical for him) - according to him....
- Addy ruined his morning by something she said
- At school "people" were getting in his business
- Mrs Wright yelled at him
- (side note: StarBase was all day and that was good)
- Something happened at Ms Eva's
- I didn't have anything good for dinner
- and he had to spar Maddie in karate (worst thing ever)
As he crawled into bed and I told him to try and think about something positive he said "hmph" and asked me to read his nightly devotional. Low and behold God had a message for him!! The message was about finding Joy. Handing your worries, concerns, troubles, etc to God and finding Joy!!
I finished reading and decided not to say a word besides "I love you - goodnight". As I was approaching the door Cade said "He did it again, just what I needed, right?" I smiled and said "He has a way of doing that - say your prayers and sleep tight".
Love these moments when it comes together for him and he really SEES God's power and voice. Don't ever stop hearing Cade!!! And as the years go on, I pray you have many less "worst days ever".
Last night as I was closing Addy's door I heard words that touched me beyond belief. I prayed to God right there that these words are forever a reminder to me of what an important job God has given me. She has often said nice things to me but never these exact words -
I'm glad you are my mommy!
WOW - just typing them threw me into tears. At 8 years old - she is a dynamo! She has spirit, energy and passion - she is curious - she is fancy when she wants to be and she is a tom boy the next minute. But she will ALWAYS be my little girl and I'm SSSOO glad for that!
Monday evening - February 18th
I love these two - they crack me up every day. Here was our evening....
Addy singing with her head phones on "I knew you were trouble when you walked in" (Taylor Swift)
Cade from the other room "What do you mean I'm a chub hole, Addy?"
Me - confused look
Addy - "Cade, honestly, it's a song -- I'm singing -- it's TROUBLE"
Addy - When I grow up, I want my husband to be the president.
Me - Why, so you can live in the White House and dress in fancy gowns?
Addy - No, so that he can make the rules for families instead of against families. He can let God be a part of it like Thomas Jefferson did (we just recently visited Montecello). He'll listen to what you and daddy and other people in my family think.
Me - And what are you going to be when you grow up?
Addy - a baker. I was going to be an artist but I think a baker is better because I can make art and then just eat my mistakes.
Cade (chimes in) - I'm going to be a farmer and live in grandma koontz' house.
Me - that's a lot of work honey - you have to get up early EVERY day and work all day long
Cade - I know that's why I try to sleep extra now. By the way, can lawyers live on a farm?
Me - Sure, I don't see why not
Cade - good because my wife is going to be a lawyer - she can help Addy's husband out.
It took all I had to keep a straight face through this. I'm glad to see they have big plans and I love the diversity and focus. So we are going to be eating cupcakes with a big glass of fresh milk while sitting in the oval office trying to bring God back into the government some day. I can't wait!!
Here goes nothing.....
I've always said that I'm a better mom because I work. Often I get an odd look when I say that but honestly my kids and I would probably hate one another if we spent all day every day together. By working, I have an outlet, they have time with others and then when we are together - we really enjoy the time.
As a working mom there are many things that I miss which always make me sad. There are school parties that I can't attend. There are awards assemblies I can make. There are even some milestones that I've missed. But I am forever grateful to the child care providers that we have had and the wonderful schools - they make it possible for me to be a working mom!!!
This blog is going to be a way for me to track our lives. Record what my kids say (they are VERY funny kids) - I should have started this 11 years ago, but as I've learned with many things, better late than never. So here goes....
