One Bird Left

We drove out to Indiana on Friday to drop off Allen and Audra at school. We stayed in a nearby hotel and arrived on campus to move them in on Saturday. Audra has two roommates who seem nice. They spent quite a bit of time setting up their room, decorating, and in discussing organization and decorating ideas. There was even some discussion about different devotionals they have used. Allen showed up to discover that his roommate opted not to transfer to IWU. So Allen has a single for now.  He quickly unpacked his stuff, put together his bed, and declared himself settled. We managed to purchase a car for them so they have transportation. Since the trip out is 8 1/2 hours, this should make things a bit easier for them and us.

These were taken yesterday evening...just before gathering in a circle to pray as a family for them. We said our good-byes and then left. I'm glad that they have each other and that they get along so well. They always have. I feel very good about the school and it's strong Christian stance. We attended a worship service last night to welcome new students. During that worship service, a prayer was lifted up for the new students and a short message on following Christ was given. I couldn't help thinking about the contrast between this experience and the experience my parents had when dropping me off at college. My college was clearly not a godly environment. My roommate was definitely not a believer. There was nothing to welcome new students and certainly no worship service, although I believe that my parents prayed for me as they drove away that day. I think leaving me there must have been difficult for them. I feel at peace about leaving them there...but think that they could have chosen a school that was closer! ;)

We will miss them. The house already seems a bit quiet. Now we must adjust to having only one child left. Alicia is in eleventh grade this year...which means that in two years, we could have three children in college at once! I don't know that they will be home before Thanksgiving break, but there is a parent weekend in October.

"The Preacher" Writes Some Words

I have quite a few very cool stories that show me how real God is or that he just wants to bless us with something amazing. I'm going to record some of those stories here. I just feel like they should be documented before they are forgotten or lost to time. Some of the stories have something to do with the trial I have spoken about recently...others don't. The other day I thought of one that should be put into the same category as this one.

Allen was always a unique child because of his hunger and thirst for Jesus and the Word of God at such a young age. Before he started school, he would sit at the kitchen table and painstakingly copy down Bible verses word for word. He would usually use the box of memory verses that we used as a family. He would ask me to read the verse to him and then he would slowly copy each letter, each word, each punctuation mark onto a piece of paper. Meanwhile, I would be doing the dishes or cooking dinner. I was so intrigued by his dedication, but I had no idea what the Holy Spirit was doing in this little guy's life while he worked hard at this until he started school.

He started kindergarten at Canandaigua Primary School and had Mrs. M as a teacher. From time to time she would pass out paper to the children and tell them that if they knew how to write any words that she would like them to write them down. She would put these papers in a binder that she referred to as a journal. If they only knew some letters, that was okay too. She didn't expect anything amazing from the children, but this exercise usually gave her a good indication about how the children were progressing with writing. Usually lists of words were short...including words such as mommy, daddy, dog, cat, a, the...or would include a very simple sentence. But not my Allen. This is what he wrote:

Jesus replied, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." Matthew 22:37 

This was quite a shock to the teacher. She was so stunned that she had to keep the paper and tell me about it. This woman was not a believer as far as I know and didn't quite know what to do with Allen who was constantly talking about Jesus in class. She sometimes referred to him affectionately as "the preacher." Meanwhile, the classroom aid was quietly cheering Allen on because she was a Christian herself. To be quite honest, I was quite surprised too. I had no idea that he was capable of writing something so intricate without having to copy it from another source. He even knew the biblical address of the verse. I truly believe that the Holy Spirit was actually teaching my 4-5 year old how to read and write. I also knew and was blessed that these words of truth were seeping deeply into Allen's mind and soul. This actually has brought tears of joy and gratitude to my eyes.

Somewhere in my stuff, I have the very paper that he wrote out the verse on. I found it and added it to the post. I also added a gospel tract of sorts that he created (with his own words that I added to the back) around the same age.

Because I Know....He Holds the Future.

...I can face uncertain days because He lives.

I have two weeks left at my job. I have just loved showing up there every day. I have wonderful coworkers and the kids are great too!  Yesterday, it was Martha Brown Day and everyone was encouraged to wear Fairport attire.  So, I went to school in borrowed clothing. It was a fun day. I wish I had gotten a picture of myself with my two TAs. I hope I have occasion again to wear Fairport clothing to a school some day.

I will really miss it there when I leave. I wonder what will happen next with me. I will trust The Lord.

On the home front...it was Audra's 18th birthday on Thursday. It just seems so bittersweet that she is growing up. I'm really proud of the wonderful young lady that she has become. She's almost done living here full time...which is hard to think about. She has been accepted to all 5 colleges that she applied to...which doesn't really surprise me. She is near the top of her class. We shall see what the future brings. I have a bit of anxiety thinking about it...but remind myself that everything is in God's hands.

He has proven to me that He knows the past, present and future and we can trust it all to him. I wish I could tell my story to you...about how I know this.

In a few weeks, Audra and I will go visit Grove City College...which ironically was the college I wanted to go to at age 18. I tried to transfer there. I was not accepted...but not really rejected either. I was put on a waiting list because they had made their first choices of acceptance and I missed the first cut. In any case...my name never came to the top of the list, but it was in God's hands. He knew it. He knew where I would go and what would become of me.

In the same way...he knows all about my Audra. She is his first.

Allen called tonight. The school he has been working at in Boston was closed Tuesday through Thursday because of the big snow storm there. He has an interview at Gordon College on Thursday. Audra has been accepted there. Allen is trying to convince his sister to attend there with him. I think it is wonderful that my kids get along so well that they want to go to the same school. I hope they do both end up at the same college. It would certainly make things easier in many ways. Allen has not applied to Grove City and does not plan to. God knows all about the future of my Allen as well.

Alicia is enjoying her sophomore year in high school. Right now, I don't think she is thinking too much about college. Need I say the obvious? Okay, I will. God knows all about my Alicia's future too.

I am really proud of all three of my kids. God has been so good to me...there once was a time when I didn't believe that anything would ever be good in my life. I was so deeply depressed and broken-hearted. God knew all about it. He also knew about my future and he still does.

Happy Holidays!

From left to right: my husband Jamie, daughter Audra, daughter Alicia, son Allen and me

We have been blessed to have all of our kids home. Allen is home from Boston where he has been working with City Year as he rethinks his college plans. He has been trying to figure out what college to transfer to for the fall. Meanwhile, Audra is a senior and is exploring her options for college choices for the upcoming year as well. Alicia is a sophomore. I also am not sure where The Lord will take me as far as schools in the fall. Life is unknown right now. I thank God that it is not unknown to Him.

Living by the seat of my pants while learning to trust Him...as usual. The lesson never ends!

Hope you read this

I just discovered this essay that my 19 year old son wrote.
Please read, and enjoy. I'm very proud of him.
http://beavercamp.wordpress.com/2014/10/03/walk-a-mile-in-my-moccasins/

Come to think of it, he is referring to an experience that happened the time I dropped him off at camp, which I blogged about here: http://scillyspot.blogspot.com/2007/08/hello-muddahello-fadda.html

He was actually 12 at the time.

Trip to Boston

My son is living in Boston for the year. He is now a part of City Year. I'm sure he will be learning a lot. It's hard with him being so far away. He's growing up! Meanwhile, my daughter Audra is a senior this year and has expressed interest in visiting Gordon College, in Wenham, Massachusetts. So, what were we to do but plan a road trip?
Friday morning we had a lovely tour of the campus. I wish I had a more impressive photo to show you. I also wish that we could have brought Allen along, but he had to work .

Later that evening, we went to Allen's apartment and took him out to dinner in the city of Boston. We ended up at an Irish pub where the food was outstanding. I ordered Guinness stew. I did not take a picture of it. (I said that for the benefit of my sisters)
The next day we met up with Allen in central Boston and explored the city. We visited Captain Jackson's Historical Chocolate Shop, which I highly recommend. I took lousy pictures all day because I didn't think to remember to and also because it was sunny and I really couldn't see the display all that well.
Here is a really bad one of Allen at Quincy Market.

Our visit ended all too soon and we headed back to Rochester around noon on Sunday, but we didn't leave Massachusetts without stopping and visiting The West End Creamery and Family Farm. I grew up with Becky, who owns it with her husband Greg. We had not seen one another in about 30 years or more.  It was fun to see her and catch up. If you are ever in the area, I would definitely plan a visit there. They have done a wonderful job establishing a business and the ice cream is delicious.

Here is Becky and me on the rocking chair.

Audra and Sarah (we brought her along to visit Gordon too), enjoy ice cream.

A Winter Story...Guidance Through the Storm

I thought of this story tonight and wanted to write it down.  I always thought it was significant...I just never recorded it before.  I don't want to forget it, so here it is.

I was driving in the car and my three little children were all buckled into their car seats.  Allen was four, Audra was almost 3, and Alicia was about 9 months old.  It was winter and I was driving to Webster to visit my parents.  The weather was horrible and the visibility was poor.  It hadn't been that poor when I left the house, otherwise I would have stayed at home. I was on a country road.  All of a sudden I heard little Allen's voice say, "You need some gas, Mom."  I looked at the gasoline indicator and the needle was below empty!  A surge of panic ensued...and at the same time marvel.  How did my little boy know I needed gas?  He couldn't see the indicator from his car seat...physically impossible! Besides that, he would not have known a gasoline indicator if he saw it, let alone be able to read and interpret it.  I remembered that there was a little country gas station nearby and prayed that we would make it there.  We did. I filled the car up, got in and said, "Allen, how did you know that Mommy needed to get some gas?"  He just looked at me and didn't answer.  I'm not sure if he even understood the question.

I'm sure that an angel communicated the need to Allen so that he could tell me. Even at a young age, Allen had a hunger and thirst for God.  He loved Bible stories and could not get enough of hearing them.  He just loved Jesus so much as a tiny child...often putting me to shame.

We had been praying and praying for guidance in college decision making for Allen.  He felt very strongly that he wanted to go to a Christian college.  He at one time told me that he wanted to go into missions and that "if God wants me to, I'll go to seminary."  He is not entirely sure of what path he is to take, but God has put all the pieces together for Allen to go to Roberts Wesleyan Christian College.  He will begin studies in communications.

Checking In

I have not been doing well at blogging lately.  I'm just busy and quite frankly, I don't always feel like being on the computer.  I'd rather read a book.

Allen's last cross country season has come to an end.  He has been applying to colleges. I also hope he is applying for scholarships. He wants to attend a  Christian college and has applied to 3 of them so far and is working on a fourth application.  He has turned out to be quite a nice young man and I am proud of him.  He is kind, thoughtful, hardworking, honest, conscientious, helpful, smart, witty, and good looking to boot!  He desires to follow God's will for his life which is most important. I really couldn't be happier!  When I started this blog, Allen was 10 years old and now he is 17.

Wilma and Humphrey

"Oh shoot, Wilma is too tall. Her neck doesn't fit!"

So what do you suppose that my son is talking about when he says this sort of thing? Naturally he is talking about one of his guitars. He has two of them and is getting quite good at playing them. He just rushed into the house on his way to a party. He was taking Humphrey with him (his other guitar)...but needed to switch cases since Humphrey's case is ripping. He then exclaimed that Wilma is too tall to fit in Humphrey's case...so Wilma rests on his bed while Humphrey goes out partying.

Incidentally, I have no picture of Allen playing either Wilma or Humphrey. The picture above is of him playing his aunt's guitar at her house on Easter Sunday.

When I was in college, my roommate named her bassoon Howard (if I'm remembering correctly) after her grandfather. Does anyone else out there name their instruments? My father had guitars and banjos around all of my life and I cannot recall him ever naming them.

Allen...home from teen camp

Went to get our handsome teenage son from teen camp on Friday.
He stayed in Red Pine...one of the older cabins. He had such a great week that he didn't want to come home and is seriously considering doing the teen leader in training next summer. I am very proud of how my boy is turning out. He truly has a heart to follow the Lord!

Thinking of Dad

Six months ago I was really upset when I couldn't find a picture of Allen with his grandfather anywhere. He was the only grandchild without a picture of himself with his grandfather on the board of pictures at the service. Well...here is one! I am guessing that it is from July 4, 2005. I also am thinking that Martha must have taken this picture. I don't know though. I'm still sad that there isn't a more recent one.
I really miss that man. I was happy to see Martha's Post today. Thanks to video, he can remain that much more with us.

Has Calvin and Hobbes been in my backyard?

Teenagers playing in the snow...in a collaborative effort to create an army in my backyard! I love it! Audra and Jacob work on soldiers.
Allen creates another soldier base.
Jacob working on the army general's horse.
The finished army. Only one has a helmet! I wish I could hear the conversations of our neighbors!

Champs!

Allen's swim team won sectionals! Notice all the shaved heads...and grey and red.
The boys had fun. They were greeted by a police escort into town with a victory parade and then went to Tom Wahl's for a celebration with all team members, friends, family and alumni!

MCCI Finals

Allen competed in his MCCI finals last night out in Gates. The boys all did great and we parents did a lot of cheering and hollering! Very exciting meet!

Snowy Birdhouse

Feeling a bit better. Of course I'm not giving up on my grad work. I'm almost done and I'll get through it somehow. I have to "just do it."
Here's the bird house my father made me. He never got to see it in person after I decorated it with the tools, but I showed him a picture on my digital camera when he had just come home on hospice. He liked it. I think it looks great in the snow. Tomorrow is a day of concentrating on schoolwork and nothing else!

Allen had another swim meet tonight and did awesome on his 500 yd freestyle race! His best time yet. He may have made sectionals. We have to wait and see. It was very exciting! I never imagined I would have such a competitive swimmer for a kid!

Thanks for all of your encouraging words. Gotta go finish Ender's Game, which is turning out to be quite a good book. I'm not usually a science fiction fan, but this book has captured me.

Swim Meet

I took the camera to Allen's swim meet the other day. I got some really nice shots. This is Allen with two of his best buddies, Sam and Eric.
Allen swimming the 500. He got a personal best on Saturday for this event.
His team. Don't ask me what those boys are doing in the foreground. I think they were actually horsing around when I took it. This was at the end of the meet. They had won!
Allen...zoning out while his coach is talking to them. LOL!

Crazy Days!

I just checked the thermometer and it's 4° outside right now!
It has been crazy here with barely time to catch a breath. I don't like that. I prefer a little down time...but it's not happening. Yesterday started out with going to my Bible study, then a quick trip to our insurance office, then home to work on a "secret project" (can't write it here in case one of my kids reads it), then to the DMV office, home with more "secret project" working, quick hiding of evidence before a school bus came, running off to a swim meet, home at 7 PM to cook a quick meal, and shortly thereafter to bed. Today I took kids to school, went to my job cleaning a house, ran few errands, stopped at the library, home for a quick shower, and was cooking dinner when my husband called to tell me the high school swim coach had called him and Allen was ill. They were actually calling an ambulance just in case. I totally freaked out! Jamie went up to the school and called to say Allen was okay and coming home. Apparently he had not had enough to eat. His blood sugar level was way low and they were giving him juices and stuff to get him going. He came home just as I was running out the door to Alicia's orchestra concert. Jamie stayed home with Allen to make sure he as okay.
Now I'm home...and planning on making Allen a BIG lunch to take to school tomorrow. I wish I had pictures of the concert...but I am still working with a camera that has a broken flash.

On to the next thing

We had a rough week, but God is good. Allen came down with the flu on Sunday morning, which explained why he was feeling so rotten at his cross country sectionals last Saturday. He missed most of school this week. I was able to communicate with his teachers and get some school work so he didn't fall terribly far behind. The varsity swim team season also started. I sent emails to the coach explaining Allen's situation so that the coach knew Allen was still interested. The coach also said that he would help Allen get into swimming slowly since he was recovering from illness. On Friday he went back to school and went to swim practice.
On Saturday there was a team building exercise with 6 different minivans full of teenage boys driving around town on a scavenger hunt. Jamie was one of the volunteer drivers. The game culminated at a team member's house in town with an obstacle course in the back yard.
I think the boys all had fun and it was a good way to kick off the season. Family members of the team were able to join in with the sharing of a meal.

Sectionals for X-Country

I know this picture is pretty lousy...but it's what I have! Today was a gorgeous day! Warm, sunny...a good day for a race. It was Sectionals for the X Country Teams in the area. Allen did not run his best. He got a bad cramp in the middle of the race. Right behind him is Dominik from Arcadia. Dominik is the son of a close childhood friend of mine...so I was pleased to see him in the same photo. In the end, Dominik came in ahead of Allen...but I think it was only because of the cramp. Next year, Dominik! Next year!And here is a little team building exercise after the racing was done!

My Runner

Get Ready! Get set!
Go! And they're off!
I have not been very good about blogging lately. Sorry. I've been a bit distracted by everything in my life for the past year. School. The death of my father. I'm going to get back on track hopefully. I'll start with a very belated post about my son on our high school's Cross Country team. He had such a great season and it is almost over. Only this week to go. Next week he starts swimming with the varsity swim team.
Go Allen Go!!!!
I have found new inspiration for blogging in my area at Bristolwood. It is a blog that I discovered quite by accident while googling images of the annual Halloween toiletpapering of Cheshire. I know...it sounds strange but check out Gudl's blog too. She's the one that got me started googling for more images! I love all the photos they take of the area we live in. Yeah! More neighbors to get to know!